Trump slowed the coronavirus's spread by closing America's border to flights from China. Democrats called him racist and then ineffective. Bernie even suggested that America is facing a crisis equivalent to World War II. During Friday's press conference, Trump, perhaps inspired by WWII, proved them all wrong.

Bernie was the voice of the Democrat establishment when he announced that this was World War II all over again!

"In terms of potential deaths...the crisis we face is on a scale of a major war...we also have to face the truth and that is that the number of casualties may actually be even higher than what the armed forces experienced in World War II." -Bernie Sanders pic.twitter.com/mMPbfcl2aT  The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 12, 2020

If Bernie knew his history, he'd know how America helped win the war without sacrificing almost 9 million troops, as Bernie's beloved Soviets did. (Lacking weapons, the Soviets just threw their troops at the Germans.) First, we had American troops, and that's already a huge plus. Second, America was the arsenal of democracy. This was because the private sector, while maintaining its private status (i.e., it was not nationalized), partnered with the federal government to create the materiel necessary to win the war:

"Powerful enemies must be out-fought and out-produced," President Franklin Roosevelt told Congress and his countrymen less than a month after Pearl Harbor. "It is not enough to turn out just a few more planes, a few more tanks, a few more guns, a few more ships than can be turned out by our enemies," he said. "We must out-produce them overwhelmingly, so that there can be no question of our ability to provide a crushing superiority of equipment in any theatre of the world war." [snip] War production profoundly changed American industry. Companies already engaged in defense work expanded. Others, like the automobile industry, were transformed completely. In 1941, more than three million cars were manufactured in the United States. Only 139 more were made during the entire war. Instead, Chrysler made fuselages. General Motors made airplane engines, guns, trucks and tanks. Packard made Rolls-Royce engines for the British air force. And at its vast Willow Run plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the Ford Motor Company performed something like a miracle 24-hours a day. The average Ford car had some 15,000 parts. The B-24 Liberator long-range bomber had 1,550,000. One came off the line every 63 minutes. America launched more vessels in 1941 than Japan did in the entire war. Shipyards turned out tonnage so fast that by the autumn of 1943 all Allied shipping sunk since 1939 had been replaced. In 1944 alone, the United States built more planes than the Japanese did from 1939 to 1945. By the end of the war, more than half of all industrial production in the world would take place in the United States.

During his Friday press conference, President Trump announced that he had partnered with the private sector to fight the war against the coronavirus. As the various CEOs spoke, someone at Fox News had the clever idea to put a stock market ticker on the screen. It's mesmerizing to watch the ticker go up and up as Trump and the others speak.

Trump also copied the WWII model for victory by having government retreat, not expand. During WWII, the government made demands on industry; it did not regulate it. The speakers at the press conference made clear that it was government regulation that was stifling America's ability to fight this viral war. To fight a vicious enemy, Trump cleared the way for private sector innovation, efficiency, and patriotism:

President Trump continues to cut through every piece of unnecessary red tape that may hinder our response efforts and make every Federal resource available.

The President will empower the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive provisions of certain laws and regulations and give maximum flexibility to healthcare providers to care for their patients.

The declaration will provide HHS with critical authorities to waive: Certain laws to enable telehealth, remote doctors' visits, and hospital check-ins Licensing requirements so doctors from other states can provide services in areas with the greatest need. Critical Access Hospital requirements to allow those hospitals to have more beds and longer lengths of stay The requirement of a 3-day hospital stay prior to admission to a nursing home. Rules hindering hospitals' ability to bring additional physicians on board or obtain needed office space. Restrictions on where hospitals can care for patients.

The Administration will be working to eliminate every obstacle possible to ensure healthcare providers can deliver Americans the care they need.

America's strength is her people, not her government. Trump is mobilizing the private sector, which promises us a victory as great as that in WWII, except without the hundreds of thousands of casualties that Bernie predicts.
When will the world end? People have been asking this question . . . since the beginning. Virtually every religious tradition accounts for the end times. Christianity, with the Second Coming, is no exception. During the public ministry of Jesus, his disciples pressed him on this very point. Tell us, they say in the Gospel of Matthew, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

Jesus then provides some guidance as to what the end will look like. False messiahs. Wars and rumors of wars. Persecution of believers. The sun and moon no longer giving off their light. But he stresses above all the uncertainty. He will return like a thief unexpectedly breaking into a house. Indeed, He is coy about the exact moment: But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. So we also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

The lack of specific guidance hasnt stopped Christians from imagining the end times in the form of dystopias, not all of which turn on the Second Coming. From that literature, three examples stand out: The Lord of the World, by Robert Hugh Benson; A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller Jr.; and The Children of Men, by P. D. James. Each apocalyptic imagining posits a world in which Christianity still lingers, in some form, just as it borrows from Christianity somewhat in imagining what that end might look like. Each also betrays the fears of its own age. Yet only one raises perhaps the most important question about the end for Christians to consider.

The Catholic Church does not survive Robert Hugh Bensons The Lord of the World, published in 1907. Though this is not because Benson was anti-Catholic. He wasnt  far from it. Bensons father was the archbishop of Canterbury when he became a priest of the Church of England; his conversion to Roman Catholicism was one of the greatest controversies of Christianity in England in the early 20th century. His work itself became controversial, something he predicted at its very beginning, when he wrote, I am aware that this is a terribly sensational book.

Story continues

Benson imagines a future in which much of the Western world has come under the sway of a secular, socialist super-state. The Church of England gradually disappears; Protestantism is dead; and the Catholic Church stands alone in the West against a sort of New Age spirituality on steroids. Benson describes it as Positivism of a kind, Catholicism without Christianity, Humanity worship without its inadequacy. It was not that man was worshipped but the Idea of man, deprived of his supernatural principle.

The Lord of the World shows the gradual turning of a secularizing world against the remnants of Catholicism. No nation ever outright bans the faith, but social pressure weighs against it heavily. As does a mysterious figure, Julian Felsenburgh, who appears seemingly out of nowhere to bring peace to the world and to unite the West as it never before has been. Under Felsenburghs direction, the socialist super-state first destroys Rome (in retaliation for a foiled attempt on Julians own life), then sets upon the Catholic remnant that has miraculously settled in Nazareth. The book ends with Felsenburgh revealed as the anti-Christ, and his attack on the last Catholics beginning the end of the world.

It is, in some ways, an ultramontane fever dream. But one that bears certain resemblances to our own reality. Aside from the more prosaic but still impressive predictions (from 1907!) about commercial air travel and bombs with the power to wipe out entire cities, Benson nails certain aspects of the age in which we now live. State-sponsored euthanasia to relieve suffering is commonplace. Its acceptability proceeds from a culture of autonomy that prevails even as government itself grows ever larger and more oppressive. In Bensons world, individualism was at least so far recognised as to secure to those weary of life the right of relinquishing it.

One of the more striking aspects of Bensons nightmare is the extent to which the socialist world-state goes about simulating religion for those fallen away from Catholicism. With the help of former priests, it creates a mockery of the Holy Trinity and the Catholic Mass. And Felsenburgh himself somewhat blatantly takes on characteristics of Christ: He is called Son of Man, Saviour of the World, and even Incarnate God, because he was the perfect representative of divine man. All of this is to sate mans still-extant spiritual hunger; one character, a still-faithful priest, remarks that man must worship  must worship or sink.

Benson wrote Lord of the World at a time when many modern pathologies were in their infancy  and at a time when many things modernity takes for granted were still regarded with skepticism by an older guard. Esperanto had just revived the ancient (and perhaps profane, given the example of Babel) dream of a universal tongue. The Labour Party had just been born in England, a few decades after Karl Marx began to write on Communism. Democracy and universal suffrage were, in many places, still mere dreams. The memory of the French Revolution was still raw, in France and elsewhere. And meanwhile, the position of the Vatican was, within living memory, to be opposed to . . . just about all of it. In the Syllabus of Errors, an appendix to a papal encyclical promulgated by Pius IX, the pope enumerates assertions that were widely believed circa 1864 and that he thought in error. The pithiest of the errors was the notion that the Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress, liberalism and modern civilization.

Though Benson imagines a future that works against the Catholic Church, never does he imagine that the Church might lose any of its spiritual power. Instead, it is, in his work, the only institution that even claims supernatural authority, with all its merciless logic. As a result of this, she has again the allegiance of practically all Christians who have any supernatural belief left. Catholicism  and Rome itself, now the worlds sole repository of any religious or political connection to the past  derives a kind of strength from modernitys challenge. Even as the persecution of the Church increases, a new religious order, the Order of Christ Crucified, inspires converts and martyrs the world over. To the very end, Catholicism remains strong enough that the all-powerful world-state feels threatened and seeks its total destruction  accomplished only at the destruction of the world itself. Even in Bensons darkest nightmare, he never feared for the integrity of the Church, or for the faith of those who would remain committed to it.

The world does not survive A Canticle for Leibowitz, first published in 1959, though the Catholic Church does. (More on that in a moment.) Canticle is a post-apocalyptic novel that takes place over thousands of years. It begins a few centuries after a devastating nuclear war that occurred presumably around our own time. Those still living call it the Flame Deluge. The nuclear in this world has taken on a demonic character; the possibility of another demon Fallout is feared, and Satan is depicted in holy texts as the inspiration for the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction. Meanwhile, in what was the American desert, Catholic monks of the Order of Saint Leibowitz labor to preserve lost civilization  our present. In this, Miller recalls their predecessors, the European monks whose diligent copying preserved an otherwise distant past for the use of future generations. These monks expect their efforts to continue long after them.

That does happen, as one unlucky brothers memorabilia help civilization rebuild itself again to a point equal to and even surpassing our own. And in such a time, familiar conflicts resurface. As nuclear war threatens once more, state authorities attempt to euthanize those suffering (or not) wars effects. The Catholic Church, still a dominant force in this far-future time, resists those efforts.

Miller wrote his Canticle in a nuclear age, as the possibility of mankinds total destruction by warfare first became a plausible fear. His experiences participating in the Allied bombing of Montecassino, a Benedictine abbey in Italy temporarily used by German forces as a base in World War II, also inspired him to consider the rise and fall of civilizations. (The abbey has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, including after its bombing.) In his religiously tinged fear of the awesome power of nuclear weapons, Miller was channeling not so much Strangelove as the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. In its 1983 pastoral letter The Challenge of Peace: Gods Promise and Our Response, for example, the conference expressed a concern that nuclear weaponry has drastically changed the nature of warfare and that the arms race poses a threat to human life and human civilization which is without precedent.

Despite Millers atomic pessimism, and a text thick with dark ironies  each of its three parts ends focusing not on a human but on a scavenging animal  he pays a backhanded compliment to his own Catholicism. For though its power wanes and waxes, the Catholic Church is one of the few constants through his works centuries-long timeline. The Church, moreover, hardly changes its doctrines. On post-nuclear Earth, she defends the right to life of irradiated mutants; in a restored, futuristic civilization, she resists state-sponsored euthanasia. Indeed, in Millers telling, the Church outlasts Earth itself. Near the end, fearing the worlds complete destruction, she sends priests and an archbishop into space. The novel ends with the worlds destruction, and one of these priests shaking its dust from his sandals, punning, Sic transit mundus, or Thus passes the world. Neither Benson nor Miller, then, for all their pessimism, imagines the world itself triumphing over Christianity. For Benson, they perish together; for Miller, Christianity outlasts the world.

For a dystopia that considers such an eventuality, one must turn to a work written by a non-Catholic, and one in which the world is coming to an end not with a literal bang, but with a whimper. Or perhaps, a lack thereof. In P. D. Jamess Children of Men, mankind is suddenly and inexplicably stricken with universal infertility. The 2021 England in which the story takes place is a caretaker tyranny, dominated by a figure who suspends democracy and curtails liberty for the promise of an agreeable senescence for a civilization that no longer cares for its future, because it doesnt think it will have one. The youngest living humans are in their mid-20s; no children have been born since.

The lack of children has affected society in myriad ways. The youngest humans are a fearsome force, the last source of any real vigor in society, but unrestrained by any social mores. Infertile couples bury childlike dolls (and controversy rages over whether religious involvement is licit); custody battles rage over pets. Sex divorced from procreation has become almost meaninglessly acrobatic; the state sponsors pornography in a vain attempt to keep the sexual instinct alive should a miracle occur and reproduction become viable again. And most disturbing: The state sponsors Quietus, a mass suicide of the old in which the elderly are encouraged to kill themselves. It is a public ritual whose voluntary status Theo, the novels protagonist, discovers is a fiction, forcing him to accept the barbarity of the regime perpetrating this euthanasia.

This enervated world originated before universal infertility, however. Theo believes that he can trace both the present societal decline and a persistent concern for personal health to the early 1990s: the search for alternative medicine, the perfumed oils, the massage, the stroking and anointing, the crystal-holding, the non-penetrative sex. Around the same time, the recognized churches, particularly the Church of England, moved from the theology of sin and redemption to a less uncompromising doctrine: corporate social responsibility coupled with sentimental humanism. This analysis of the past in the book is actually a condemnation of the writers present, 1992.

Though James was not Catholic, her work is steeped in the anxieties of Catholicism that were addressed, but not resolved, in the 1968 papal encyclical Humanae Vitae. This was Pope Paul VIs broadside against contemporary sexual mores and in favor of the Churchs ancient teachings, one he delivered against the recommendations of the committee he assembled to assist in its drafting. Catholicism was hardly alone in dealing with these anxieties. At a disputed vote at the Lambeth Conference in 1930, the Anglican Communion ultimately resolved that in those cases where there is such a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood, and where there is a morally sound reason for avoiding complete abstinence, the Conference agrees that other methods may be used, provided that this is done in the light of the same Christian principles. Far down the slippery slope of such attitudes, and in a twisted instance of the need to be careful what one wishes for, Jamess world is a spiritually and sexually hollow place, as consequence-free sex becomes an inescapable reality.

The world imagined by James in Children of Men rings truer in certain ways in our time than does either of the bombastic apocalypses of Miller or Benson. Leave aside the more obvious predictions, such as declining fertility rates and increased contraception use, the child-simulating dolls popular in low-fertility Japan, and the growing popularity of New Age spirituality (the latter also a feature of Bensons dystopia). Only James imagined a world in which institutional, established religion might linger on, but with its doctrinal integrity compromised, and its institutional strength all but vanished. Miller and Benson could imagine only that religious institutions would either be destroyed completely or maintain something of their ancient vitality. But James posited a murkier, middle ground.

And it is this middle ground in which those still committed to institutions such as the Catholic Church find themselves. It is easier, in a sense, to face down a world opposed to you than it is to purge the demons within oneself. And it is more appealing, in a sense, to defend ones faith against external enemies than it is to defend it against proclaimed believers who wish to weaken it. For all of Benson and Millers dystopian pessimism, they pay institutional religion the ultimate backhanded compliment of assuming its continued, meaningful existence, something of greater uncertainty in our day than perhaps ever before.

Until the world does end, faithful the world over will continue to wonder if the end is near. But we will know only once it arrives, though were likely to get some portents, as Jesus tells us. We might be better served pondering another question about the end, one Jesus himself asks in the Gospel of Luke: When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

More from National Review
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes a question during a news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Trump administration officials on Saturday made the clearest indication yet they expect to bring forward a third coronavirus bill aimed in part at helping industries struck by the pandemic.

President Donald Trump signed an $8.3 billion relief bill earlier this month, helping states fund their efforts to battle and contain the virus. The House passed a bill last night aimed largely at protecting individuals, offering measures like enhanced unemployment benefits, local food bank funding and paid leave.

"We got the initial support on $8.3 billion of Congress, [and] the House passed legislation to act on the president's priorities," said Vice President Mike Pence at a press conference Saturday.

"We understand the president has made clear that, whether its our airline industry or cruise line industry, we expect to be coming back to Congress."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made assurances there was "bipartisan support" for some economic relief. Still, it is not yet clear what sorts of demands Democrats would require along with any package that supports the airline or cruise industries.

Both Mnuchin and Pence made reference to the ailing travel industry, which has been pummeled around the world with canceled trips, conferences, and cruises, as authorities have increasingly urged individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable, to avoid travel.

In some cases, the administration has added outright bans. Trump earlier this week announced that foreigners who have been in 26 European countries over the last two weeks won't be allowed in the U.S. for 30 days. Pence said Saturday that, effective midnight Monday, those restrictions will expand to the U.K. and Ireland.

It has been widely expected the government will step in to support the largest airlines if need be, because of the critical role they play in the U.S. economy. Mnuchin expressed that view Saturday.

"Airlines are the most obvious because we have a unique circumstance where we've shut down travel, and these are of strategic importance to us, but I appreciate there's many industries that are impacted by this  and I would also say that there many individuals," Mnuchin said.

In an interview Sunday with Fox News, Mnuchin was more explicit: "We're going back to the Senate this week on other things," Mnuchin said

"Airlines  very focused on airlines  hotels, cruise ships, workers for these industries," he added.

The CEOs of both United Airlines and Delta have confirmed they've been in talks with the administration about potential government aid.

"We are in discussions with the White House and Congress regarding the support they can provide to help us through this period," Delta's CEO Ed Bastian wrote to employees on Friday, announcing the largest capacity cuts in the airline's history and warning the carrier will defer aircraft and park up to 300 planes.

"I'm optimistic we will receive their support. That said, the form and value is unpredictable, and we can't put our company's future at risk waiting on aid from our government."

Other industries have also argued their case.

"Temporarily shutting off travel from Europe is going to exacerbate the already heavy impact of coronavirus on the travel industry and the 15.8 million Americans whose jobs depend on travel," wrote US Travel Association CEO Roger Dow when Trump announced the first round of European travel restrictions.

"We have and will continue to engage Congress and the administration on policy steps that are necessary to ensure that travel employers83% of which are small businessescan keep the lights on for their employees."

The travel and leisure industry is pushing for a number of relief measures, including tax credits for employee retention and the ability to carry back net operating losses, CNBC has reported.

The Cruise Lines International Association has highlighted its role in the U.S. economy when announcing the decision to temporarily suspend cruise ship operations.

"The cruise industry is a vital artery for the U.S. economy, supporting over 421,000 American jobs, with every 30 cruisers supporting one U.S. job, and annually contributes nearly $53 billion to the U.S. economy," it said in a statement.

"Cruise activity supports travel agencies, airlines, hotels and a broad supply chain of industries that stretches across the United States."

Pence met with cruise executives in Florida last week.

-- CNBC's Leslie Josephs contributed to this report
PLA Air Force issues aircraft painting and marking regulations

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Chen Zhuo

2020-03-13 22:01:54



By Zou Zhaoxia and Duan Chong

BEIJING, Mar. 13 -- The Chinese PLA Air Force issued Regulations on Air Force Aircraft Painting and Marking (Trial) recently (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).

It is known that the low visibility of aircraft painting and marking in the air is a practical requirement and development trend for actual combat, so as to reduce the probability of visual discovery. The newly issued Regulations fully correspond to such a requirement and set clear standards for the painting and marking of various aircraft of the PLA Air Force.

The Regulations consist of five chapters and 16 articles, which require newly-developed combat aircraft to be fully painted with low-visibility coating, and those old aircraft on active duty to apply unified marking painting. Requirements for special markings, such as national flag, "Chinese Air Force" and "Red Cross" are also included.

It is informed that in order to make sure the new Regulations scientific, targeted and operable, the drafting team of the Regulations has carried out in-depth analysis on domestic and foreign air forces' aircraft painting and marking cases, and fully drew on the opinions of all parties.

The new Regulations will be implemented in 2020 in a gradual manner. It will play an important role in strengthening the aircraft painting and marking management and adapting to actual combat requirements at present and in the future.

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One thing is certain already: the market environment for 2022 will not be the same as that in 2021. This may or may not be good for investors, per se, but like every shift in market conditions, it will present opportunities for those prepared to grasp them. Some factors are just reruns. COVID is rearing its ugly head again, threatening us with lockdowns and shutdowns. Thats running against the grain of a resurgent economy, an economy that is trying to gain more traction  but its facing headwi
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BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on



Saturday claimed former JNU student leader Umar Khalid gave a anti-CAA speech in Maharashtra's Amravati last month saying violence should be triggered in Delhi during US President Donald Trump's visit.

Fadnavis, who said several anti-CAA protests were staged to create anarchy, also alleged that two ministers were present in this programme where Khalid spoke.

Demanding that the state government take action against Khalid, Fadnavis said, "I exposed (in the House) how the state government is not making clarification on CAA, NRC and NPR to ensure there is no peace".

"The board of the programme (in which Khalid gave the speech) had photographs of two state ministers. What he (Khalid) said in his speech, happened in Delhi. But the state government is not even acting against him," Fadnavis alleged.

Fadnavis did not name the two ministers but said he would give evidence on this to CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking to reporters outside the state legislature building here, he said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) does not snatch away citizenship of any Indian.

He said no document is sought from citizens under the National Population Register (NPR), which he added, was brought by the Congress-led UPA in 2010.

"Notwithstanding this situation, protests are being staged to deliberately cause anarchy and funding is done for the protests through the Popular Front of India. Since the fund is used to spread anarchy, it has to be categorised as terror-funding. The court will decide on it," he said.

"The ED (Enforcement Directorate) has brought out evidences of such funding. The state government has been a mute spectator to all this for the sake of votes," Fadnavis said.

He said some protests may have been spontaneous, but not all.

Fadnavis demanded the Uddhav Thackeray government clarify that the CAA was not against any Indian citizen.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The University of Pennsylvanias Lia Thomas competes in a swim meet against Dartmouth and Yale on Saturday. (Kylie Cooper)

After undergoing hormone replacement therapy, Thomas has posted fast times for the University of Pennsylvania's women's team, sparking debates from the starting blocks to online message boards to cable news networks.
Standing desks are so passe. It's time for squatting desks.

A USC-led study shows that squatting and kneeling may be important resting positions in human evolution -- and even for modern human health.

Sitting for hours a day is linked to some health risks, including cardiovascular disease, likely because it involves low muscle activity and low muscle metabolism. However, these risks seem paradoxical. For humans, evolutionary pressures favor conserving energy. Spending a lot of time sitting would seem to accomplish that goal. So, why should sitting be so harmful?

The USC-led team has shown that resting postures used before the invention of chairs -- like squatting and kneeling -- may hold the answer, as they involve higher levels of muscle activity then chair-sitting. These more active rest postures may help protect people from the harmful effects of inactivity.

"We tend to think human physiology is adapted to the conditions in which we evolved," said David Raichlen, a professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "So, we assumed that if inactivity is harmful, our evolutionary history would not have included much time spent sitting the way we do today."

The study was published on March 9 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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How you rest matters

To better understand the evolution of sedentary behaviors, the scientists studied inactivity in a group of Tanzanian hunter-gatherers, the Hadza, who have a lifestyle that is similar in some ways with how humans lived in the past.

For the study, Hadza participants wore devices that measured physical activity and periods of rest. The scientists found that they had high levels of physical activity -- over three times as much as the 22 minutes per day advised by U.S. federal health guidelines.

But the scientists also found that they had high levels of inactivity.

In fact, the Hadza are sedentary for about as much time -- around 9 to 10 hours per day -- as humans in more developed countries. However, they appear to lack the markers of chronic diseases that are associated, in industrialized societies, with long periods of sitting. The reason for this disconnect may lie in how they rest.

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"Even though there were long periods of inactivity, one of the key differences we noticed is that the Hadza are often resting in postures that require their muscles to maintain light levels of activity -- either in a squat or kneeling," Raichlen said.

In addition to tracking activity and inactivity, the researchers used specialized equipment to measure muscle activity in the lower limbs in different resting postures. Squatting involved more muscle activity compared to sitting.

The researchers suggested that because the Hadza squat and kneel and have high levels of movement when not at rest, they may have more consistent muscle activity throughout the day. This could reduce the health risks associated with sedentary behavior.

"Being a couch potato -- or even sitting in an office chair -- requires less muscle activity than squatting or kneeling," Raichlen said. "Since light levels of muscle activity require fuel, which generally means burning fats, then squatting and kneeling postures may not be as harmful as sitting in chairs."

In developed countries, humans spend inactive periods sitting on their duffs in chairs, recliners or sofas, so the only time they activate their leg muscles is when they bend their knees to slide into the seat. On average, people in more industrialized societies, including the United States and Europe, spend about nine hours per day sitting.

"Preferences or behaviors that conserve energy have been key to our species' evolutionary success," said Brian Wood, an anthropologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has worked with the Hazda people for 16 years. "But when environments change rapidly, these same preferences can lead to less optimal outcomes. Prolonged sitting is one example."

The scientists dubbed this the "Inactivity Mismatch Hypothesis."

"Replacing chair sitting and associated muscular inactivity with more sustained active rest postures may represent a behavioral paradigm that should be explored in future experimental work," they wrote. Resolving this inactivity mismatch with our evolutionary past could pay off in better health today.

"Squatting is not a likely alternative," Raichlen said, "but spending more time in postures that at least require some low-level muscle activity could be good for our health."

The study was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, the University of Arizona Bio5 Institute and the American Diabetes Association.
The YWCA Greenwich announced Saturday that it will be closed until further notice.

All programs, with the exception of the Domestic Abuse Services, are suspended.

To reach the Domestic Abuse Services staff, call the 24/7 hotline at 203-622-0003, according to Mary Lee Kiernan, president and CEO of the YWCA.

The YWCA Greenwich Domestic Abuse Services will operate remotely, as it always does during holidays and weather events, she said.

Anyone in crisis should call the YWCA Greenwich Hotline at 203 622-0003 or the Connecticut Safe Connect Hotline to text or speak at 888-774-2900.

All the YWCAs services are available, confidential and free. If you are in immediate danger, dial 911.

Check ywcagreenwich.org for updates.

YMCA closed; clean out your locker

The YMCA of Greenwich is closed until further notice as of March 13.

With the exception of rental locker pickup, no members will be permitted in the building during the closure.

During the closure, the Y will be performing a deep cleaning of the building so that it will sanitized and ready for reopening.

It is our goal to as much (if not all) of our annual shutdown work so that we minimize/eliminate the disruption in August, the YMCA said in a statement. Further, we are going to begin the preparation work for our Aquatics Capital Campaign projects. Our Alumni Pool maintenance that was scheduled for April will be done during this closure.

As part of that process, the YMCA will be cleaning all lockers.

The YMCA has removed items from lockers and stored them in plastic bags with the locker identification number.

Between 10 a.m. and noon Tuesday, March 17, members can go to the underground garage where staff will deliver your bag to you. Provide your Member ID and drivers license to get the proper bag.

Greenwich Historical Society cancels tours, programs

The Greenwich Historical Society closed Saturday until further notice, it announced on its website. All public programs and tours are canceled.

Its office will remain open to staff and scheduled visitors. For information, visit GreenwichHistory.org.

Visitation policy tightened at Greenwich Hospital

Greenwich Hospital has taken further steps to limit visitor access to patients at the main campus as well as its outpatient facilities in Connecticut and New York, including Northeast Medical Group offices.

Effective immediately:

 No visitation allowed other than those visitors essential to care.

 All visitors who enter the hospital will be screened by the staff at the front desk. Should questions arise, front desk staff will contact nursing leadership for guidance.

Exceptions to this policy may be made at the discretion of the patients clinical team.

In addition, Yale New Haven Health, which includes Greenwich Hospital, has established a call center for anyone who has questions about COVID-19. Healthcare professionals from the health system are available to answer specific questions seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The call center can be reached at 833-ASK-YNHH (833-275-9644).

Neighbor to Neighbor gets emergency grant, seeks donations

The Greenwich United Way issued a $25,000 emergency grant to Neighbor to Neighbor to expand the organizations Food Pantry and its ability to provide groceries for town residents in need during the coronavirus outbreak.

The residents served by Neighbor to Neighbors Food Pantry are at extreme risk due to loss of income and increased food insecurity at this time. The nonprofit group anticipates a significant rise in neighbors needing assistance with food.

This is a critical time for our community and we are extremely grateful for the Greenwich United Ways emergency funds grant, said Margaret Tjimos Goldberg, executive director of Neighbor to Neighbor. We remain committed to providing food for our families in need, especially during this period of insecurity.

David Rabin, CEO of the Greenwich United Way, said, Greenwich is fortunate to have Neighbor to Neighbor in our town and we are proud to support their work during these uncertain times,

Goldberg is also appealing to Greenwich residents to make online donations to Neighbor to Neighbor to help feed families in need.

Donations can be made online at www.ntngreenwich.org. Because Neighbor to Neighbor buys in bulk, every $1 donated buys $2.50 in food.

Neighbor to Neighbor has halted collection and distribution of clothing to limit the potential of transmitting the coronavirus. The food pantry will remain open.

Greenwich Scouting cancels food drive

Greenwich Scouting has canceled its Scouting for Food townwide collection day that had been scheduled for March 21.

In addition, Scouts will not set up outside local stores to collect nonperishable foods items.

Instead, Scouts are seeking to support Neighbor to Neighbor by focusing on online donations, said Heather Lowthert, program director. There is so much uncertainty at this time and monetary donations will help N2N buy exactly the items they need for their food pantry.

The annual food drive is the largest Council-wide good turn effort supported by all Greenwich Scouting Packs and Troops.

To make a donation, visit greenwichscouting.org.
By Express News Service

As the Centre invoked Epidemic Act, 1897 on Wednesday and also asked states to adopt provisions of section 2 of the Act, here is an explainer on what exactly does it mean:

Why is the Epidemic Act invoked?



The 1897 Act is invoked when the authorities assess that the ordinary provisions of the law for the time being in force are insufficient for the purpose, may take, or require or empower any person to take, such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as 9 (it) shall deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof, and may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred (including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.

What is Section 2 of the 1897 Act?



It gives the state the power to take special measures and prescribe regulations as to dangerous epidemic disease. Under the act, temporary provisions or regulations can be made to be observed by the public to tackle or prevent the outbreak of a disease. It may also give authorities the power to inspect persons travelling by railway or otherwise, and the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation or otherwise, of persons suspected by the inspecting officer of being infected with any such disease.

What could be the practical repercussions for individuals under the Act?



If the state feels that a person should be tested for the infection or should be isolated or quarantined to prevent others from infection, they can be forced to undergo the test or be quarantined even without their consent.

Has the Act ever been invoked in the past?



There are several past instances when the Act has been imposed centrally or locally. These include SARS and MERS outbreaks, H1N1 pandemic and in case of Zika and Nipah outbreaks in Rajasthan and Kerala more recently.

Army recruitment rallies postponed



The Indian Army has postponed all recruitment rallies by a month, and has asked its personnel to travel only for essential duties. They have also been advised to choose video-conference facilities instead of travel. Command headquarters have been instructed to establish adequate quarantine facilities at several locations.

Indian medical team in Italy



A medical team from India reached Italy on Friday to test stranded Indian nationals for the coronavirus so that they can be brought back. The Indian mission in Rome said it was working actively with the Indian government and local authorities in Italy. It was also in touch with stranded Indians in Rome, communicating and providing regular updates.

No shortage of drugs ingredients



The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has been assured by pharma industry body IDMA there is no shortage of active pharma ingredients and formulations in India due to coronavirus outbreak, the Rajya Sabha was informed. NPPA has not received any reference from pharma associations regarding steep rise in price of medicines.

No entry at Wagah border



Any foreign national will not be allowed to enter India from Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border from Friday evening onwards, a senior BSF official said. Indian nationals who had gone across the border would be allowed to come back before their visas expire. The movement of pilgrims through the Kartarpur Corridor will continue, though.
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 day testing site.
The European Union will offer migrants illegally present on Greek islands 2,000 euros (~$2,217) to return to their homelands, according to reports.

The repatratiation scheme will effectively reward economic migrants who are seeking a more comfortable lifestyle in Europe, as the program would not apply to refugees with viable asylum claims.

Refugees will not return, of course, they cant return, but economic migrants that maybe know they will not get a positive asylum decision could be interested in doing that, Ylva Johansson, the EUs home affairs commissioner, told the Guardian.

Johansson says the plan will be overseen by the United Nations International Organization for Migration in conjunction with Frontex, and will provide a "window of opportunity for a targeted group."

The sum to be offered is reportedly more than five times the 370 euro (~$410) amount typically given to migrants to "help them rebuild their lives in their country of origin," the Guardian reports.

The EU says it hopes 5,000 migrants will take advantage of the deal, meaning approximately 10,000,000 euros (~$11,000,000) could be handed to illegal aliens simply for showing up on European shores - before they are transported back to their home countries at no charge.

At least 40,000 migrants are currently amassed on five Greek islands, according to recent estimates, with approximately 20,000 on the island of Lesbos alone.

Greeces eastern islands have suffered the brunt of an endless migration flow that rapidly escalated again during the second half of 2019, as Infowars Europe has regularly reported.

Dan Lyman: Follow @CitizenAnalyst
14.03.2020 LISTEN

A former Director of Communications at the Presidency under the erstwhile John Mahama administration Stan Dogbe has intimated that the presence of former President John Dramani Mahama at functions where President Nana Akufo-Addo is attending is often irritating to the latter.

Stan Dogbe, a close working staff of the former President, wondered why members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) appear to be showing inordinate interest in the absence of John Dramani Mahama from the 63rd Independence Anniversary parade in Kumasi on Friday.

The absence of the former President at the event sparked criticisms largely from members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have accused him of not showing statesmanship.

It is not exactly clear what caused the failure of the former President from attending the function.

Photos of an empty seat labeled with the name John Dramani Mahama flooded social media amidst suggestions he deliberately refused to attend.

However, Mr. Stan Dogbe believes the talk about the absence of his boss is selective and mischievous.

It is interesting how Brand #JohnMahama has completely overshadowed the 63rd Independence message of the President to the people of Ghana.

Or there was no message, judging from the zeal with which social media hounds of the government and some news outlets chose to focus on the publication of a supposed empty seat of the former president at the Kumasi event.

Some government workers including a media officer at the Presidency, Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, and supporters of the ruling party have tagged me in their posts of the supposed empty chair. Truly, I am still trying to understand what their concern or interests are, because their boss, Nana Akufo-Addo, does not like the idea of #JohnMahamas presence at events and Programmes hes also at Stan Dogbe wrote on Facebook.

He stated further that former President John Dramani Mahama is not required to be at every state function and wondered why the absence of former President Jerry John Rawlings did not cause concerns as compared to John Dramani Mahama.

He added Fact states that President Mahama is not required to be at every event he is invited to. And the same applies to the President. That is why the VP Bawumia and other Ministers have and continue to represent him at various activities hes invited too, and often after the invitations are accepted. Was the President at the annual 28 February Crossroads shooting incident and the Milo sponsored State Award for School Children? Are these indicative of him acting childishly and leaving these roles for the VP?

In Tamale last year, was former President John Agyekum Kufuor there, and is government suggesting that by his absence he did not act as a Statesman and therefore petty, knowing the seeming discontent among some of his loyalists within the system?

Was President Rawlings at the Friday event in Kumasi? And why was his chair not labeled supposedly and photographed and circulated?

Though Mr. Stan Dogbe did not give reasons for the absence of the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress at the Independence Day Celebration, he asserted that President Nana Akufo Addo abhors the presence of the former President at events both have to attend.

Let us remember that while President Mahama had and still demonstrates a great sense of oneness and respect for all, and has demonstrated it wherever he is and with all including political opponents, same cannot be said of Mr. Akufo-Addo. He crowned his abhorrence of Mahamas presence with him at events with his embarrassing outing in September 2019 during the Kofi Annan International Forum. So why would Mahamas absence at Fridays event be a matter of concern to him and his people? he questioned

Meanwhile, there were intelligence reports that there was going to be an unwarranted, orchestrated hooting and disgrace of the former President to be instigated by the Chairman of the NPP in the Ashanti Region, Nana Kwame Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, who has not hidden his hatred for former President Mahama.

Source: The Punch Newspaper

Email:[email protected]
Officials of the Madhya Pradesh assembly lodged a complaint with the police on Friday evening after the Twitter account of Speaker NP Prajapati was allegedly hacked to post misleading information about the budget session being postponed till March 26.

The post went viral on social media on Friday leading to speculations in political circles about the state governments intention behind deferring the budget session when opposition BJP is claiming that the government has lost the majority in the House after 22 Congress MLAs resigned.

The Congress government has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of holding the 22 MLAs hostage in Bengaluru.

A complaint has been lodged with the cyber police. The speaker has not been using his Twitter account for a long time, AP Singh, the state assemblys principal secretary, said.

Its a mischievous act of some anti-social elements to create confusion in the state by posting such misleading information, Singh added.
Mystery surrounds whether Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon will be quarantined after interviewing Peter Dutton just days before he tested positive to coronavirus.

The Home Affairs Minister appeared on the Channel Nine program on February 28, and announced he had caught the disease two weeks later on Friday.

It's believed that those who have the disease may be infected for up to 14 days without showing symptoms - meaning Stefanovic and Langdon could have been exposed to the disease.

A spokesman for Channel Nine told Daily Mail Australia neither Stefanovic or Langdon had showed any symptoms of the killer disease.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton appeared on the Channel Nine program on February 28, and announced he had caught the disease two weeks later on Friday

'Karl and Ally spent only a few minutes with Minister Dutton in a large studio, and do not present with any symptoms,' the spokesperson said.

'Medical guidelines say you must have spent a minimum of 15 minutes with an infected person in an enclosed space. Minister Dutton was not at Nine for that amount of time. We strictly follow health guidelines.'

Mr Dutton was admitted to a Brisbane Hospital immediately after receiving the results.

'This morning I woke up with a temperature and a sore throat,' he said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

'I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for Covid-19.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton announced he tested positive to coronavirus on Friday and was taken to a hospital in Brisbane

David Campbell and Belinda Russell, who are hosts on Nine's Today Extra, were told to self-isolate after meeting with American actress Rita Wilson (pictured with hosts) who later found out she along with husband Tom Hanks had too contracted the disease

'I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive.

'It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

'I feel fine and will provide an update in due course.'

David Campbell and Belinda Russell, who are hosts on Nine's Today Extra, were told to self-isolate after meeting with American actress Rita Wilson who later found out she along with husband Tom Hanks had too contracted the disease.

The Nine studio sent 20 members of staff home after Wilson appeared on the show who remains in hospital in the Gold Coast with Hanks.

There are more fears surrounding Mr Dutton's recent diagnosis with the disease.

The Home Affairs Minister flew to the US where he met with security ministers and Ivanka Trump.

He also attended the opening of University of Sunshine Coast - meeting with university officials and students.

Mr Dutton then attended a Cabinet meeting in Sydney, coming into contact with all other Cabinet ministers and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

In a statement posted to his Twitter on Saturday, Mr Dutton insisted doctors were only concerned with his movements from March 11.

'Queensland Health has been amazing and their advice to me is they are only concerned about contacts I had from 11/3. Nothing before that. This is a time for everyone to pull together as the PM & Premiers did yesterday,' he wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 13:48:19|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Health Ministry confirmed on Friday that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 98.

According to the ministry, most patients are quarantined at home, and only 12 patients are currently hospitalized. So far, the majority of the confirmed patients were believed to be infected during trips abroad. The few confirmed infections without recent travel history also had close contact with the infected travelers.

However, the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo had the first cases of community transmission, in which it was impossible to trace the origin of the infection.

In those states, schools and universities were closed, mostly for two weeks. Public events like concerts and parades have been suspended until further notice.

Rio and Sao Paulo authorities asked citizens to avoid large gatherings, but many jeered the government recommendation on social platforms saying they have not got the permission to work from home.

Earlier in the day, President Jair Bolsonaro announced that he tested negative for COVID-19. According to TV station Globo, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said the president will continue to be monitored and to repeat the test in a week's time.

On Thursday, Bolsonaro's press secretary Fabio Wajngarten, who accompanied Bolsonaro in a trip to the U.S. over the weekend, tested positive for COVID-19, prompting all members of the presidential entourage to be tested as well.

On Friday, two other members of the group, Senator Nelsinho Trad and the business aide of the Brazilian embassy to the U.S., Nestor Forster, tested positive as well.
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) says there can be no direct negotiations between Ukraine and representatives of Russia-controlled terrorist organizations in Donbas.

The Ukrainian World Congress considers unacceptable the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group to create a Consultation Council involving representatives of the self-proclaimed so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics alongside the official Ukraines representatives. We once again reiterate our position that there can be no direct negotiations with the leaders of Russia-controlled terrorist organizations of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics (DNR and LNR), the UWC wrote on its Facebook page.

Such agreements de-facto confirm the Russian playbook of the internal conflict in Ukraine and relieve the aggressor from any responsibility for the bloody war in Donbas. Such arrangements, if adopted on 25 March, will legitimize the foreign occupation forces in Ukraine, impair Ukraines sovereignty and could create a divide within Ukraine  which is Russias intent, the UWC noted.

According to the norms of the international legislation Russia as an aggressor state bears full responsibility for the war in Donbas, for restoring the region destroyed by the war and for de-occupying the Donbas and Autonomous Republic of Crimea, sovereign territory of Ukraine.

As reported, on March 11, a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on the peaceful settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine was held in Minsk. It was attended by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Dmitry Kozak. The parties agreed to establish the Consultation Council as part of the TCG political subgroup after consultations with representatives of the OSCE, the French Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany on the implementation of the agreements reached during the Normandy format summit.

ish
COVID-19 is no longer the fastest-moving story in the news cycle. It is the news cycle. Globally, nationally and locally, the virus has become a major disruptor of life, challenging elected officials to respond quickly to its threat and contain its spread while forcing people to monitor their habits, curtail their activities and adjust to the presence of a sickness whose scope is unknown.

On Friday morning, Mayor Ron Nirenberg was in back-to-back news conferences, one a logical extension of the other as San Antonio and Bexar County officials take the necessary and wise precautions to minimize the risk of exposure. In the first, Nirenberg issued a declaration of a public health emergency after the revelation of the first case of COVID-19 in San Antonio  outside the evacuees the city has been housing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

The declaration authorizes the city to do whats necessary to promote health and suppress disease including quarantine and the regulation of hospitals.

Because COVID-19 can be easily transmitted in group settings where people are bunched together, the declaration targets mass gatherings where people will be within arms length of one another for extended periods of time. Events with 500 people or more will be postponed or canceled, and any events with 250 people or less should be limited.

With the issuance of that declaration, it came as no surprise that the second news conference confirmed what seemed inevitable: that the citys largest annual series of mass gatherings, Fiesta, will be put on hold. For only the third time in its history, there will be no Fiesta in April. However, it wont be canceled. The 11-day celebration featuring more than 100 events has been postponed until early November.

The Declaration of Public Health Emergency will last seven days but can be renewed by the City Council. That renewal is a certainty, given that San Antonio and the rest of the nation are in the early days of a public health crisis, which the renowned and respected immunologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has said will get worse before it gets better.

Faucis sobering prognosis of the uncertain and perilous times into which COVID-19 has thrust us is a reminder of the necessity of political leadership, which is vigilant and proactive in protecting the community without inciting panic or dampening compassion. We have seen that from Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

With its welcoming to Lackland of hundreds of evacuees, San Antonio, as much as any American city outside the state of Washington, has been at the center of the COVID-19 story. The response from city and county officials has consistently been measured in urging the public to both take care, through hygiene and social distancing, and to be caring of others who may lack resources at a time of crisis.

For instance, Fiesta is the lifeline for many nonprofits, and its postponement will inflict financial hardship on those organizations and individuals looking to it as a source of employment. We encourage elected officials and business leaders to devise ways the community can support nonprofits and individuals who may not be infected with COVID-19 but are suffering from its presence and lack the necessary precautions to minimize its threat.

This will mean mitigating evictions, delivering food to the elderly and sick, ensuring that low-income students receive lunch and breakfast even though their schools remain closed, supporting service workers and providing full support to doctors and nurses, who may need child care and other assistance.
Apple will shut all of its retail stores outside of China for two weeks to help control the spread of the coronavirus.

Chief executive Tim Cook announced the move in a letter posted to the companys website, writing that Apple learned lessons from the closures of its stores in greater China during the worst of the outbreak there.

One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimise risk of the viruss transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance, he wrote.

The measure affects the hundreds of Apple stores across the globe and is set to last until March 27.

This week, the iPhone maker reopened all 42 of its locations in China after they began to be shuttered in early February as the number of coronavirus cases skyrocketed there.

China has since seen steep declines in the number of new infections, leading the World Health Organisation to say on Friday that the epicentre of the pandemic had shifted to Europe.

READ ALSO:

Mr Cook said all affected hourly employees would continue to be paid as if the stores were open and that all sites are undergoing a deep cleaning.

According to him, Apple has donated $15 million to the global response to the pandemic.

The U.S. tech giant, which makes many of its products in China, warned last month it no longer expected to meet its previous quarterly earnings guidance as a result of the virus.

It cited worldwide iPhone supply problems due to factory closures and falling demand in China.

(dpa/NAN)
Harris County judge Chuck Silverman gave a death sentence to serial killer Lucky Ward for the murders of several transwomen. After getting the verdict, deputies were surprised when Ward, aged 55, did not have any reaction when given the sentence. Before leaving the courtroom, he eyes one of the victim's family members when walked out.

In the court trial: The verdict

The five hours less delay take by the jurors to decide on the death penalty, not life without parole for the brutal and cold slaying of transwomen, Charlie Rodriguez and Reita Long. Besides the two brutalized murders, he also has strangled three women as well.

According to Harris County prosecutors, who cited that Lucky Ward is a menace to society and very dangerous too.

In an interview, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stressed, "Jurors had the courage to look at all the evidence, give a voice to the victims, and declare that he was the worst of the worst." The DA added how he caused suffering and brutally ended them mercilessly.

The office of DA Ogg pursued capital punishment for Ward's actions on a second time.

Most death sentence inmates will have an automatic appeal in the state of Texas. Defence attorneys on the case hoped that jurors will not go for 'death', based on his mental health and abuse as a minor,

The defence did not comment after the sentencing. On Tuesday, closing statements did not convince the jurors to less than the death penalty.

Arguments of the District Attorney and the Defense Lawyers

An experienced criminal defence lawyer Allen Isbell remarked that losing this case is better, better to plead for life than asking for the death penalty.

Also read: Disturbed Woman Beheads Mom, Then Carries Head in Bag Like Nothing Happened

The defence brought up the past of Ward who was abused as a child and a father who beat him up. Trauma from his past and fragile mental state led to schizoaffective disorder. He was first jailed at 16 years old.

Lawyer Jimmy Ortiz argued that all who judge should walk a mile in another's shoes and he got a bad deck of cards too, refering to Ward, who was the defendant.

The DA then said whether the accused should be pardoned for his crimes, she added that he made the decision and no one else.

Background of the case

In 2010, police were investigating three strangulations in 610 Loop. Rodriguez a transgender hairdresser, was found dead and without clothes with only a blanket. Long, a homeless teacher was also strangled to death. Carol Flood, also homeless, was killed at the steps of a local YMCA. All of them suffered and died brutally at the hands of their killer.

Lucky Ward was convicted for the deaths of Long and Rodriguez. He emains a suspect in the Flood slaying as well as in the death of transgender Myra Ical in 2010 and Birdell Louis in 1985.

But the defence said that all five murders were not done conclusively by the defendant Ward to be used as a basis for the final verdict by the chosen jury.

In the end, the jury gave the death sentence finding the serial killer guilty for the slaying of a transgender women.

Related article: Mom Beheads Daughter After a Simple Request, Stabs Grandfather Too

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
You can't say we didn't see this one coming. Scientists and policymakers have been aware for decades of the enormous threat to society of a viral pandemic. Yet still, it feels like the outbreak of a novel coronavirus caught the United States unprepared for some of the main challenges it poses.

A good example is the fact that the government doesn't appear to have had a comprehensive plan in place for shoring up the U.S. economy in the face of the kind of sudden and unexpected disruption the virus is causing. President Trump went on national TV Wednesday night with some ideas for how to help affected people and businesses, mainly by offering more loans to small businesses and postponing tax payments. But he also called for a broader and less fitting response: asking Congress to cut payroll taxes.

Granted, politicians aren't known for tackling problems early. There's no reward from voters for taking painful but necessary steps. But there's no political cost to having plans ready for possible emergencies, and the obligation to do so comes with the territory. In fact, some federal agencies do it obsessively (see, e.g., the Pentagon).

Despite steady advances in medical treatment and prevention over the years, pandemics remain a real and well-documented risk. We've had a number of scares and near-misses in recent years, including Zika in 2016, Ebola in 2014, MERS in 2012 and 2015 and SARS in 2003. Former Microsoft Chief Executive Bill Gates, a vocal advocate for global efforts to eliminate infectious diseases, told the Washington Post two years ago that he had warned Trump repeatedly about the country's vulnerability to pandemic.

So you would have thought that the administration would have offered something more thoughtful than a payroll tax holiday _ an idea that Trump also floated before the 2018 election because the U.S. economy wasn't growing as fast as he'd hoped. It was an unnecessary and politically motivated proposal then, and it would be the wrong move now.

The federal government charges a 12.4% payroll tax on wages to pay for Social Security benefits, and an additional 2.9% to pay for Medicare hospital benefits. Half of the tax is collected from employers and half from workers; self-employed people pay the full amount. Because the payroll tax takes a sizable bite out of workers' disposable income over the course of a year, cutting the tax could lead them to spend more, stimulating the economy.

That's the theory. One drawback, though, is that the bump in take-home pay doesn't feel as substantial when it's spread out over the course of a year. And because the tax is calculated as a percentage of wages, a payroll tax holiday would give more money to higher-income Americans, who are more likely to tuck the extra dollars into savings than lower-income workers would be, dampening the stimulative effect. And unless the federal government diverted other income tax revenue into the Social Security trust fund, a payroll tax cut would only worsen the projected shortfall in the fund, threatening future retirees' benefits.

Some Republicans aren't convinced that any stimulus is needed, at least not until there's proof of damage to the broader economy. But that's like waiting to build boats until after the tidal wave on the horizon hits land. We can see the economic slowdown coming; the only questions are how bad it's going to be and what are the best ways to mitigate the damage.

An alternative to cutting the payroll tax is to send a check for a few hundred dollars to every taxpayer. That sort of blanket stimulus has a certain appeal _ it would cost the federal government very little to borrow the money needed. But we don't know how long the outbreak will last or how deep the hit to the economy will be; nor do we know that the extra money will help the public overcome the fears that are dampening spending. So rather than just doling out aid broadly, it makes sense to target help to those most affected by the slowdown or by the preventive measures being put in place to slow the spread of the virus _ for example, the small businesses that may need more time to repay government loans, or the job-seekers restrained by quarantines. Trump says he will seek some targeted aid, although he offered few details Wednesday.

The most important places to direct any new spending are the people and businesses that can slow the spread of COVID-19. Congress just approved more than $8 billion in emergency spending aimed mainly at healthcare expenses associated with the coronavirus, which was a good step. But it can go further, most notably by covering the cost of providing paid sick leave to workers who don't have those benefits. The best way to stimulate the economy may be to give people confidence that it's safe to go back to the lives they were leading before the outbreak disrupted them.

-- Los Angeles Times
HONOLULU - Hawaiian Airlines said Friday it will cut capacity by 8% to 10% next month and by 15% to 20% in May as demand for air travel drops because of the new coronavirus.

The Honolulu-based airline said in a news release the declines are in comparison to its original plans for the year.

CEO Peter Ingram told employees in a letter the company will cut costs by deferring non-essential aircraft painting and renegotiating vendor rates. The airline is instituting a hiring freeze.

Senior executives and board members are taking compensation cuts of 10% to 20% through at least June.

Earlier this month, Hawaiian suspended flights from South Korea and reduced flights to Japan.

Ingram told a legislative advisory committee Thursday that its impossible to predict when tourism will recover after COVID-19. Until it does, he said businesses would suffer considerable damage and the entire state would suffer economic pain.
UPDATE:

TOLEDO  Cumberland County officials have declared a state of emergency after a male resident in his 70s was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

All events in Cumberland County, including church services, have been canceled for the next week, as officials seek to determine who may have come into contact with the man and prevent the further spread of the virus.

We are doing our background checks for him, his interactions and where hes been, said Roy Clapp, Cumberland County Board chairman.

The patient was treated at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center emergency room. The Illinois Department of Public Health notified the hospital late Friday that he had tested positive for the virus, the hospital said.

Clapp said officials in surrounding communities have been contacted and provided information regarding the patient.

Related stories

Weve contacted all of our agencies, Clapp said. The county buildings, the mayors, the churches.

Clapp said the countys health department staff learned of the diagnosis Friday evening and began procedures immediately.

He is being self-quarantined, he said about the patient. Clapp was unaware of the condition of the patient.

The emergency declaration was recommended by the countys health department and emergency management agency as a means of implementing needed procedures and protocols and to obtain financial assistance from the state and federal government to assist with efforts to bring the disaster emergency to a rapid conclusion.

The disaster emergency will expire in seven days unless extended by the board.

A patient admitted at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield also has tested positive for COVID-19, the Sangamon County Department of Public Health said in a statement Saturday.

The patient is critically ill and in intensive care, the agency said.

Our earlier story ...

MATTOON  A patient at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center has tested positive for the disease from coronavirus, according to hospital spokeswoman Patty Peterson.

The patient was treated in the SBLHC emergency room and the Illinois Department of Public Health notified the hospital late Friday that the person was positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, Peterson said.

Ages of Woodford, Cumberland county coronavirus residents released The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 64.

She said the patient resides in the SBLHC 10-county service area but couldn't say more about the person's residence or identity because of patient confidentiality requirements. At an afternoon press conference, state officials announced a patient who tested positive was self-quarantining in Cumberland County.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a press conference Saturday said a resident in Cumberland County tested positive for the virus. The person is identified as a resident in his 70s.

The hospital's service area is comprised of Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Edgar, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby, Effingham, Jasper and Fayette counties.

The person is self-quarantining as a result of the test results, Peterson said.

The emergency staff knew in advance that the patient was coming to SBLHC and precautions took place at that point, Peterson also said. The patient was met in the parking lot and given a mask and other protective equipment, then brought in a side door to avoid contact with others, she said.

Peterson also said SBLHC is now limiting patients for the hospital and clinics to one support person each accompanying them during visits.

She said SBLHC has tested several people for the coronavirus over the last few days but there have been no other positive results.

The hospital is able to test people who show symptoms of the virus, Peterson said. However, the test supply is limited and people without symptoms can't be tested, she added.

Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, shortness of breath and possible respiratory distress, according to information on the virus on the Illinois Department of Public Healths website.

There are several illnesses that can lead to those symptoms but they are more likely because of coronavirus if the person has traveled to an area of widespread transmission or been in close contact with someone with the virus, according to the health department.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Official response in Coles County

Meanwhile, Coles County officials plan to meet this week to discuss a response to the coronavirus outbreak. The decision to conduct the meeting was made after the report of the case at SBLHC, county Board Chairman Mike ZuHone said.

The time and day of the meeting will be announced on Monday once arrangements are made, ZuHone said.

He said board members along with representatives of the county emergency management agency, sheriff's office, health department and other departments will attend.

He said the goal of the meeting is to prepare for "whatever scenario arises."

"We'll take direction as soon as we can," ZuHone said.

Charleston and Mattoon city officials plan to meet with representatives of the Coles County Health Department on Monday, according to Charleston Mayor Brandon Combs and Mattoon city Administrator Kyle Gill.

New state numbers

The number of Illinois coronavirus cases rose to 64 from 46 as residents with the illness emerged in central and southern regions of the state, officials said Saturday.

The new cases include people in Woodford, Cumberland and St. Clair counties.

Pritzker ordered the closing of every school in the state until March 30, starting Tuesday.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the state health department, said the number of Illinois cases should increase dramatically as results come in from private labs.

It is vitally important that we implement social distancing measures, such as staying home and canceling large events, Ezike said.

Later Saturday, President Donald Trump urged Americans to avoid flying to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and expanded the U.S. ban on travel from Europe to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.

If you dont have to travel, I wouldnt do it, Trump said at a White House news conference. We want this thing to end. We dont want a lot of people getting infected.

MORE COVERAGE

SATURDAY UPDATE
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 14:32:40|Editor: zyl

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HANOI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam confirmed a new COVID-19 infection in its southern Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, bringing the total number in the country to 48, its Ministry of Health announced.

The latest case is a 31-year-old man from Ho Chi Minh City who was in contact with Vietnam's 34th confirmed case, a 51-year-old Vietnamese female who has traveled to the United States and transferred in South Korea and Qatar before returning home on March 2, in central Binh Thuan province. He was on a same car with the country's 45th case, who was confirmed by the health ministry on Friday and was also reportedly in contact with the 34th case.

The newly confirmed patient conducted self-quarantine from Wednesday when receiving the information about the 34th case testing positive for COVID-19. He was transferred to a concentrated quarantine site in Ho Chi Minh City.

So far Vietnam has recorded 48 infected cases with 16 already cured and discharged from hospital. It has seen 32 new infections since March 6.

The country has had 94 suspected cases with 27,180 being put under quarantine as of Saturday, according to its health ministry.
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Two Chhattisgarh Armed Force



(CAF) personnel were killed in naxal ambush in the jungles of Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Saturday, the police said.

A CRPF jawan was also injured in a blast triggered by naxals in a separate incident in the same area, they said.

A team of CAF -- which is a part of the state police force -- was out on patrolling to provide security for road construction work under the Mardoom police station area, Inspector General of Police (IG) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Around 3.30 pm, when the team was between Bodli and Malewahi villages, it came under attack, he said.

"Two CAF head constables were killed," the IG said, adding that further details were awaited.

Elsewhere in the Mardoom area a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan sustained minor injuries in an IED blast carried out by naxals, he said. The jawan was being treated at a local hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
She made her name as the popular food blogger 'Deliciously Ella', but Ella Mills's food business has left a sour taste.

The daughter of former Labour minister Shaun Woodward and supermarket heiress Camilla Sainsbury has shut up shop at her Mayfair delicatessen, Deliciously Ella, blaming the coronavirus crisis.

'We're really sad to be temporarily closing our deli,' says Ella, who declines to say if staff will still be paid.

Ella Mills (pictured) has shut up shop at her Mayfair delicatessen, Deliciously Ella, blaming the coronavirus crisis

Ella established the deli with her husband, Matthew Mills, son of the late Cabinet minister Dame Tessa Jowell in 2016

'It's been a very tough week, and making decisions like this is the worst part of running a business.'

Ella established the deli with her husband, Matthew Mills, son of the late Cabinet minister Dame Tessa Jowell in 2016.

Ella established the deli with her husband, Matthew Mills, son of the late Cabinet minister Dame Tessa Jowell in 2016. Pictured: one of her cookbooks

Its menu includes such trendy delicacies as avocado toast at 6.50, acai bowl for 6.95 and cauliflower dahl at 9.50.

She adds: 'We've seen a substantial drop in trade in a very short period of time due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, and it's impossible for us to keep operating in this climate.'
FLINT, MI  Police are investigating an early-morning homicide in Flint Township.

Just before 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, police responded to a shooting at a residence in the 3400 block of Southgate Drive. They arrived to find a 33-year-old man shot inside the home.

The man was taken to an area hospital, where staff pronounced him deceased, according to Flint Township Police Lt. James Baldwin. Police are not yet releasing the victims name.

Evidence at the scene has led investigators to believe an intruder forced his or her way into the house. When the male resident returned to his home, he likely confronted the interloper. A struggle ensued and the resident was shot, Baldwin said.

Police believe the shooter then fled the scene in an awaiting vehicle.

We are seeking information from the public to help us identify any involved persons, Baldwin said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Flint Township Police were assisted by members of the Michigan State Police Flint Post, MSP Bridgeport Crime Lab, the Burton Police Department, and the Genesee County Sheriffs Office.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the shooting to call detectives 810-600-3250 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-422-5245.
In response to the novel coronavirus arrival in Oregon, the states courthouses are making a whirlwind of changes to reduce the number of people walking through their doors and limit close contact for those who must show up for court.

Some of the states 27 Circuit Court districts -- including those in Multnomah, Clackamas, Benton and Crook counties -- have announced that theyre postponing all jury trials in civil cases until the beginning of May.

Multnomah County Circuit Court also has said it will delay all jury trials for people accused of misdemeanor and felony crimes if they arent currently being held in jail until the beginning of May. Traffic and parking cases also will be postponed until at least mid-April in the downtown Portland courthouse.

We are prioritizing the cases that must be done and postponing the ones that dont have the same level of urgency, Phil Lemman, deputy state court administrator, said Friday.

One hurdle is the courts inability to delay felony trials for defendants held in jail. Those defendants have a constitutional right to a speedy trial within 60 days, and the courts can typically increase that to 120 days with good cause. Most defendants who are locked up and charged with serious crimes -- such as murder or sexual assault -- usually do waive their rights to speedy trial because they realize their defense lawyers need more time to prepare. But not all defendants do.

The challenge that we have is there are some things were constitutionally mandated to do, Lemman said.

The Oregon Judicial Department has told members of public summoned to jury duty across the state that they can reschedule their service if theyre in a higher risk category for severely falling ill from the virus. That includes people who are 60 or older or who have underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes.

The department, too, is urging jurors who are sick with cold- or flu symptoms to call to postpone their service.

Some courtrooms also have felt emptier because lawyers or other staff, who have cold- or flu symptoms, have been heeding public health advisories by staying home in case they have undiagnosed cases of COVID-19.

In Multnomah County, the states largest courthouse with a few dozen courtrooms, jurors reporting for duty are being separated into several rooms when they first arrive. Thats a break from the usual procedure of assembling all jurors in the large first-floor room designated for that purpose.

When jurors are selected for a particular case, staff members plan to rearrange chairs so each juror is sitting at least 3 feet apart from the next. That can be a challenge given that jury boxes are made up of 12 chairs packed tightly together.

You seat people out of the jury box if you have to, Lemman said.

Like many employers, the state court system also is exploring work-from-home options with some employees. Workers who are 60 or older or who have underlying conditions also might ask if they can be reassigned to different jobs. That might be the case, for example, for an older adult who has lots of contact with the public as a front desk clerk, Lemman said.

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

Subscribe to our Oregon Coronavirus newsletter:
Andrew Gillum, a former candidate for governor in Florida, was found intoxicated in a hotel room Thursday when police responded to a cardiac arrest call for another individual in the room.

Mr Gillum, who lost the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election to Republican Ron DeSantis, was in a hotel room at the Mondrian South Beach with his friends Aldo Mejias and Travis Dyson.

According to a statement police say Mr Meijas gave, the trio were set to meet up at the hotel room. When Mr Dyson showed up, he apparently collapsed on the bed. After being woken up, Mr Dyson apparently vomited and collapsed again, which is when Mr Mejias called first responders.

When they arrived, police found Mr Dyson and Mr Gillum under the influence of an unknown substance and transported Mr Dyson to a local hospital. Mr Gillum was apparently too inebriated to answer questions, but was not taken to the hospital.

Police found clear plastic baggies in the room that police suspect was crystal meth.

Recommended Miami police searching for missing baby after three women found dead

Police reports indicate that after Mr Dyson was taken to the hospital, officers returned to the hotel room to check on Mr Gillum, who had apparently recovered enough to return home.

Miami Beach police told the Miami Herald that at this time the incident is not being investigated as a criminal matter, but did not explain why.

Mr Gillum issued a statement on Friday apologising for the incident and denying that he used any drugs.

Recommended Post Malone denies drug use after bizarre concerts spark concern

I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologise to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement, Mr Gillum wrote.

He went on to thank Miami beach paramedics and said he planned to spend the next few weeks with my family and [would] appreciate privacy during this time.

There does appear to be some conflict in Mr Gillums statement and of that given by Mr Dyson. In an interview with the Miami New Times, Mr Dyson said he did not know anything about a wedding.
Beijings iconic Summer Palace tourist resort is the home of a huge new ice rink thats opened just ahead of the Winter Olympics. The rink measures 300,000 square meters and consists of two areas designed for different types of activities. The city has opened seven municipal ice rinks and four snow resorts to the public. Since 2014, ice and snow activities in municipal parks have attracted nearly 2 million visitors, according to the Beijing Municipal Administration Center for Parks

Jan 11, 2022 07:26 PM
By Trend

There are no patients infected with coronavirus at the Educational - Surgical clinic of Azerbaijan Medical University (AMU), Director of the clinic Samir Allahverdiyev said, commenting on the information circulated in social networks, Trend reports referring to AMU's press service.

Allahverdiyev noted that the Educational - Surgical clinic of AMU was unreasonably mentioned in the social networks in connection with the coronavirus, and information was circulated that supposedly, there is patient infected with coronavirus in the clinic. One of those who returned recently from abroad and applied a few days ago to AMU's Educational - Surgical Clinic, was sent to the Scientific Research Institute of Pulmonary Diseases, said the director.

"All staff members who were in contact with him, passed a medical examination as a precaution. The floor on which the department is located was closed, and additional disinfection was conducted. Currently, there are no patients with coronavirus or even with fever at the clinic," said Allahverdiyev.

If a patient with a high fever appeals the clinic, he is sent to the Semashko City Clinic Hospital #1. We dont have an infection department and an infectious disease specialist. Therefore, we dont have conditions to test and treat such patients, and accordingly, it is not possible to accept patients with suspected coronavirus, the director added.

Allahverdiyev also added that such false and unreasonable information disseminated in social networks only leads to the creation of panic.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Northeast Blaze Postscript

Fire Victim Identified The victim in last Saturday night's fatal fire in the 3000 block of East 6th Street has been identified as 45 year-old Donald Walker of Kansas City Missouri. According to police sources there are no signs of Foul Play however it is an ongoing investigation.

KC Toilet Training

KC Water is reminding you not to flush disposable wipes KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - Although there are many fish to fry and the threat of COVID-19 looms over us all, there is still something KC Water wants to bring to your attention. You may have seen all the ads on TV lately for "flushable" wipes.

Borderline Accident Report

'Who does it belong to?': Fender bender near city limits leads to frustrating ordeal KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A fender bender is a frustrating experience for anyone. That was especially true for one Kansas City woman, who got into an accident last Friday at a busy intersection. Sharon Luckett was headed south on Lee's Summit Road, when she stopped for a red light at 40 Highway.

Kansas City Startup Working Life Win List

Fishtech, BacklotCars, Bardavon named to Forbes' 2020 best startup employers list A trio of fast-growing Kansas City companies are among the 500 best startup employers in the nation, according to a new ranking from Forbes. Fishtech Group - one of Startland News' Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020 - lead the local honorees at No. 277 on Forbes' list.

Pr0n Life Profits In The Time Of Pandemic Revealed

Pornhub Sees a Spike in Traffic as People Self-Quarantine As the workforce starts to work remotely, employees quickly realize working from home can have its fair share of distractions. We are creatures of habit, and the workweek-let alone going to the office-is full of rituals. But when routines get flipped, you might find yourself doing certain things during the day that you'd otherwise do outside of work hours.

Prez Trump Untested

Trump does not need to be tested for coronavirus: White House doctor The White House released a letter from President Trump's in-house physician late Friday to quell fears that his boss is harboring a case of the deadly coronavirus -- and possibly spreading it around the West Wing by remaining at work.

Speaker & Prez Agree

Pelosi says Democrats and White House reach a deal on coronavirus relief bill House Democrats and the Trump administration reached agreement on a coronavirus response package Friday after a day of grueling negotiations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act," she wrote to Democrats after hours of back-and-forth with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

AOC BETRAYED BERNIE!?!

'It Was Like Pulling Teeth': AOC Backed Away from Sanders Campaign after Joe Rogan Endorsement | National Review Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) declined multiple pleas from the Bernie Sanders campaign to stump for the Vermont senator's candidacy after the Iowa caucuses, according to HuffPost. Ocasio-Cortez was heavily involved in the campaign's buildup to Iowa, headlining seven rallies for Sanders in Iowa over the weekend of January 24 to January 26.

World Still At War

Iraq officials: New rocket attack hits base housing US troops BAGHDAD - A barrage of rockets hit a base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad, Iraqi security officials said Saturday, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans. There was no immediate word on casualties at Camp Taji, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Cowtown Artsy Interlude

Eye of the Tiger, Belly of the Beast. Jessercise at UCM Gallery of Art & Design Humorous cliches were abound in Jessica Freylinghausen's installation Jessercise Gymnasium, which recently closed at the University of Central Missouri Art Gallery in Warrensburg, Missouri. However, beneath the can-do platitudes throughout the installation, we get an understanding from the artist's motivations for the similarities of achievements and failures between the gallery space and the fitness studio.

Sound Of Local Jazz NextGen

This Rising Jazz Star Says It's No Coincidence He Now Lives In Charlie Parker's Old Kansas City Home Logan Richardson left Kansas City to become a star. Now, twenty years later, having lived in New York City and Italy and toured internationally, the ascendant saxophonist has made a move toward re-establishing himself in a city whose jazz scene has not always been comfortable for him.

Weather According To Katie

Raw, damp for most of Saturday Hide Transcript Show Transcript THAT COMES INTO NORTHERN MISSOURI WHERE IT IS COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE SNOW. IT IS SNOWING IN NEBRASKA AND IOWA. RAIN PRIMARILY ON THE KANSAS SIDE AND INTO OKLAHOMA. ANYTHING THAT IS GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE ARE DIFFERENT INTENSITIES OF RAIN.

Because pr0n is pop culture and pop culture is pr0n . . . We admireas we take a quick moment to compile important community news and content from across the nation and around the world . . .is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . .
My father was a dyed-in-the-wool Fianna Fail supporter - my mother tended strongly towards Fine Gael.

Back in the mid-1960s, in the primary school in Limerick city, I sat in a desk behind the son of the father of an unrepentant "Donnick man".

"Donnick" was Donogh O'Malley, educated in the elite Clongowes Wood, the man who announced free secondary education and free school transport and who connected with the poorest of the poor in Limerick. My school friend and I agreed that, if Mickey Mouse was put on the slate for Fianna Fail, both our fathers would give him a vote of some kind.

As my much-beloved father advanced in years, he told me he generally gave Des O'Malley his number three - his final preference. Des was the nephew of "Donnick", who later reneged on Fianna Fail and founded the breakaway Progressive Democrats. My father insisted he was not surprised by that development.

His number three just might have been called out by the returning officer at the count as "Mouse Michael" - so many votes. For those of you with Limerick tendencies, we can add that my auld man was a Michael Herbert man in the 1960s and 1970s, who later strongly backed the great Willie O'Dea.

My mother always supported the superb Tom O'Donnell of Fine Gael, and was at best lukewarm about his then newcomer party colleague, Michael Noonan, but she also reserved the right to switch support. This writer, coming of age in the 1970s in Limerick city, could not see any other option beyond "Jim Kemmy the Commie", a most courageous dissident Labour and trade union man.

Later, I realised my "Kemmyism" fulfilled two Fianna Fail assessments: 1. They get their politics from the mother. 2. All non-Fianna Fail people are "Blueshirts" - a term we will explain anon. Thus, I was in my day, a class of a blueshirt - small "b" I do hope.

Next week we will see Fine Gael and Fianna Fail sit together to consider sharing government power. We are talking about intractable Dail numbers and the demands of an urgent public health crisis caused by the coronavirus. But it is still big stuff in our political history.

It is clear that a Sinn Fein-led left-leaning coalition cannot be pulled together. The only option is a power-sharing deal with the two big ones which have dominated our politics for almost a century, alongside ideally the Green Party, and/or possibly some Independents.

The idea of the two big political beasts of our State sharing government puts the age-old question centre stage: just what is the difference between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail?

Well, the short answer is the differences are not very much at all. Let's not waste too much time recalling that they split from the original Sinn Fein in the early 1920s in a row about the Treaty settlement with Britain. Those who eventually became Fianna Fail felt there were too many concessions about the creation of "a republic" - but it was not really about partition which became a major issue much later.

It is too easy to go with the later Fianna Fail characterisations of their opponents as "poshies" who lacked the common touch. The ones who fastened on to the rising Catholic middle classes, who since the early 1800s had been gaining wealth and political influence in Ireland.

Undoubtedly, Cumann na nGaedheal, which became Fine Gael in 1931, had these tendencies. But so had Fianna Fail, whose principals from their foundation in 1926 made every effort to establish middle-class respectability.

These differentiating stereotypes were reinforced by Eamon de Valera and Fianna Fail opting for what these days would be called "business suits" in 1926, as they abandoned abstentionism to enter the Dail. By contrast WT Cosgrave and his party favoured top hats and morning suits, sending a visual signal to the people.

But, while the emerging Fine Gael had its reputational problems with the mass movement of the paramilitary "Blue Shirts" in the 1930s, de Valera's Fianna Fail had huge difficulties with IRA links arising from the Civil War and its opposition to the 1922 Anglo Irish Treaty which ended the War of Independence.

In fact Eamon de Valera opted for what appeared to many as clerical garb in his nationwide iconic appearances over the decades. De Valera's dark suits and his large black cloak suggested a priest and was aimed at diluting the reality that many of his associates and followers had been denied the Catholic sacraments for the activities in the War of Independence and Civil War spanning the years 1919-1923.

This "Fenian excommunication shadow" was not good for Fianna Fail's business of politics. But both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail shared a hugely deferential attitude to the Roman Catholic Church over many decades, affording them inordinate influence in the nation's politics.

This mutual abject Catholic deference continued right up to 2013 when Fine Gael's Enda Kenny finally legislated for abortion two decades after the 1992 Supreme Court ruling in the notorious X-case. Utterly no difference there.

Fianna Fail founder and Taoiseach from 1959 to 1966 Sean Lemass offered the pithiest answer. "The difference is we are in - and they're out," he famously said. This is completely true because Fianna Fail has led most governments in the State's history. But it would be wrong to assume Fine Gael has been slouching about over those decades. The reality is there was often little between the two, though Fianna Fail did have the edge.
Tens of millions of people around the world solve crosswords every day in newspapers, magazines or on tablet devices.

They can be fiercely competitive about the time it takes to complete one, and devotedly loyal to their favourite compilers.

But how did this puzzle manage to conquer the world?

Like many actors, Sir John Gielgud passed the time between scenes by doing crosswords.

Although he was renowned for the speed with which he demolished the cryptic puzzle in his daily newspaper, he did not always concern himself with such mundanities as getting the answers right.

One day a co-star peered over his shoulder as he solved and caught sight of a strange-looking word.

Crosswords have become woven into the fabric of our modern lives. Yet they were initially frowned on in Britain, despite being the invention of an Englishman, Liverpudlian journalist Arthur Wynne

Excuse me, John, but what are Diddybums? he asked.

I have no idea, came the reply. But it does fit awfully well.

Gielgud, who died at the age of 96 with a freshly completed crossword on his bedside table, attributed his longevity to the puzzles.

Its the only exercise I take, he would say. I smoke non-stop and solving the crossword clears the fumes.

M.R. James (1862-1936), the author known for his terrifying ghost stories, was not as cavalier in his approach to accuracy.

But he was undoubtedly quick, claiming to solve a Times puzzle in the time it took him to boil an egg for breakfast  and, he boasted, he hated a hard-boiled egg.

Another well-known cruciverbalist, as crossword fans are known (from the Latin cruci for cross, plus verbum for word) was the author P. G. Wodehouse  though his own prowess was often lacking in such characters as Lord Uffenham, a bumbling aristocrat in his 1957 novel Something Fishy.

Original: The first crossword appeared in 1913. Weve recreated it for you below. Tens of millions of people around the world solve crosswords every day in newspapers, magazines or on tablet devices

He demanded answers from his butler sotto voce so that, should a visitor happen to enter, he could appear to be dashing off the puzzle with ostentatious ease.

Colin Dexters Inspector Morse was not above a spot of crossword subterfuge either. In The Wench Is Dead, which finds Morse frustrated by a single remaining clue on the train from Oxford to London, he quickly wrote in a couple of bogus letters (in case any of his fellow passengers were waiting to be impressed).

While sympathising with this tactic, all cruciverbalists know that when youre stumped on a crossword, its best to set it aside and leave it for your subconscious mind to stew on. Then later, suddenly, the answer will come to you.

Morning solvers do the puzzle over a cup of coffee, to wake up the brain on their commute; lunch-time crossworders use it as a retreat from the days demands; night-time solvers do it to relax.

Crosswords have become woven into the fabric of our modern lives. Yet they were initially frowned on in Britain, despite being the invention of an Englishman, Liverpudlian journalist Arthur Wynne.

The son of the editor of the Liverpool Mercury, Wynne was born in 1871, into an era of booming interest in word games.

Even Queen Victoria came up with a double acrostic, a poem in which the first letters of each line spell out one word or words if read from top to bottom, and the last letters spell out another (Newcastle and Coal mines in the case of what Her Majesty proudly called The Windsor Enigma).

Crosswords, of a kind, did exist previously. But they provided only the clues, and readers had to draw the grids themselves, based on dimensions given in the instructions.

A woman is pictured above completing a crossword as her town in Italy is on lockdown due to the coronavirus

Wynne saw many such puzzles as a child but might have given them little thought were it not for a dilemma he faced in later life.

Immigrating to America aged 19, he found himself in charge of FUN, a colour supplement in the New York World, one of the most popular daily newspapers in the country.

For the bumper Christmas edition of December 21, 1913, he had lots of space but nothing to fill it.

So in desperation he created a printed grid that looked much like a modern crossword, except it was diamond-shaped.

That first puzzle contained 31 clues. Some, such as The fibre of the gomuti palm (3) and a river in Russia (4) (Doh and Neva) were difficult.

But Wynnes Word-Cross  its name until a printers error in the third week of publication changed it to Cross-Word  became an institution overnight.

Soon the puzzles were appearing in newspapers across the U.S., starting a long-lasting craze.

In January 1924, Richard (Dick) Simon, an aspiring U.S. publisher on the verge of starting his own company, went to dinner with his aunt Wixie, who asked him where she might find a book of crossword puzzles.

Even Queen Victoria (above) came up with a double acrostic, a poem in which the first letters of each line spell out one word or words if read from top to bottom, and the last letters spell out another (Newcastle and Coal mines in the case of what Her Majesty proudly called The Windsor Enigma)

A niece was addicted to the things, she said, and Wixie wanted to buy her a collection.

Simon brought up the conversation with his business partner Lincoln Schuster, and they realised no such book existed.

Simon and Schuster were still in the process of forming their fledgling house, and the crossword collection would be their first foray into the world as publishers.

Afraid that the book would make their new publishing house seem trivial  and also afraid it might flop  they decided to release the book under the moniker Plaza Publishing, a dummy imprint named after their telephone exchange.

The Cross Word Puzzle Book quickly proved to be Simon & Schusters cornerstone.

Their crossword compendia became the longest continually published book series in existence. Since its inception, the house has always had a crossword book in print.

Commuters loved crosswords. In 1924, a man on a train from New York to Boston estimated that at least 60 per cent of his fellow passengers were filling them in.

One railway company placed dictionaries in carriages. Another printed crosswords on its menus.

The most enthusiastic solvers wore their devotion on their sleeves with grid-pattern dresses, jackets, jewellery and even special wristbands with tiny dictionaries strapped to them.

At night, they danced to Crossword Puzzle Blues and Cross Word Mama You Puzzle Me (But Papas Gonna Figure You Out). There was even a Broadway show called Puzzles Of 1925, set in a sanatorium for crossword-solvers whose obsession had driven them to insanity.

Such an idea was not that far-fetched, according to the British newspapers that led a moral crusade against the puzzles.

One article, headlined An enslaved America, claimed five million hours a day were being wasted on this unprofitable trifling.

It has grown from the pastime of a few ingenious idlers into a national institution: a menace because it is making devastating inroads on the working hours of every rank of society, it said.

Crosswords were thought to be as dangerous as the cheap gin that had plagued 18th-century London.

But it was impossible to ignore the money to be made from them and British publishers began capitalising on their addictive allure.

This is not a toy! cautioned the preface to a crossword book published in 1924. Much like todays health warnings on cigarette packs, it cautioned readers that solving even a few simple puzzles might keep them from their work for as much as a week.

Soon many British newspapers had followed the New York World in printing daily crosswords of their own  and all over the country, established leisure activities were being abandoned as people pored over the puzzles.

The picture theatres are complaining that the crosswords keep people at home, announced the Nottingham Evening Post. They get immersed in a problem and forget all about Gloria Swanson, Lillian Gish and the other stars of the film constellation.

Solvers could eat their words with Cross-word Cream Biscuits, made by Huntley & Palmers. And libraries were inundated with visitors to their reference sections.

In February 1925, the Western Times reported that the wear and tear on library dictionaries in Wimbledon has been so great that the committee has withdrawn all the volumes.

In Dulwich, library staff blacked out white squares in the crosswords to stop people hogging public newspapers for hours.

Libraries werent the only resources taxed. Zookeepers in Nottingham reported being beleaguered by crossword questions about species: What is a word with three letters meaning a female swan? What is a female kangaroo? (Pen and Jill, in case you were wondering.)

At the citys Theatre Royal, the entire cast of a production titled The Wandering Jew were so in thrall to crosswords that Mr Matheson Lang... missed his entrance in the Inquisition scene through becoming absorbed in a puzzle.

In Staffordshire, one local newspaper claimed that puzzles have dealt the final blow to the art of conversation and have been known to break up homes.

These family breakdowns were supposedly the result of husbands spending time solving clues rather than earning a crust: Twice within the past week or so there have been reports of police magistrates sternly rationing addicts to three puzzles a day, with an alternative of ten days in the workhouse.

British compilers took great patriotic pride in making their puzzles harder to solve than those of their American counterparts.

When The Times finally caved in to popular demand and began publishing its daily crossword in 1930, it printed a Latin puzzle too, to reassure its readers that all hell had not broken loose.

What really set British puzzles apart, however, were those containing cryptic clues  based on complex wordplay  which remain a niche in the U.S., even today.

During World War II, British military intelligence staged puzzle competitions in national newspapers to identify and recruit potential codebreakers to Bletchley Park.

Among them was Stanley Sedgewick, a clerk, who later recalled being told that they were particularly looking for chaps with twisted brains like mine.

MI5 also kept an eye out for compilers who might be using crosswords to send secret messages to the Germans.

So there was great concern when, in the months leading up to D-Day in June 1944, various Daily Telegraph crosswords featured words such as MULBERRY, OMAHA, NEPTUNE and OVERLORD, all codenames related to the landings.

The coincidence was too strong to overlook  but it turned out that the compiler, Leonard Dawe, was headmaster of a London grammar school evacuated to Surrey, next door to a camp for American and Canadian troops.

Dawe often invited his pupils to fill in blank crossword grids with words for which he would later set the clues.

Unfortunately, those same pupils were in the habit of creeping close to the fence separating them from the loose-lipped soldiers next door and eavesdropping on their conversations.

Eventually the bewildered Dawe worked out that the codenames had appeared thanks to his co-setters.

He avoided arrest and, although he was made to burn the notebooks in which he jotted down ideas for clues, continued compiling until shortly before his death in 1963.

Answers for the world's first crossword and our top teasers Top Teasers Answers 1) Carnivorous (anagram  signalled by the word outbreak  of coronavirus) 2) Scrambled eggs (the letters SEGG rearranged, or scrambled) 3) Spelling mistake (Piccadilly has two Cs) 4) Double agent (007, doubled) 5) Rovers Return (a pub  or bar on the TV soap Coronation Street) 6) Water (the letters H to O, or H2O) 7) Has not got a clue (well, it hasnt!) 8) Patella (Girls names Pat and Ella form the anatomical name for the kneecap) 9) Jag (A Scottish word for a prick or thorn and also an abbreviation of Jaguar) 10) Weather forecast (as expected by the Met, or Meteorological, Office) First puzzle answers ACROSS 2 Sales 4 Receipt 6 Mere 8 Farm 10 Dove 12 Rail 14 More 16 Draw 18 Hard 20 Tied 22 Lion 24 Sand 26 Evening 28 Evade 30 Are DOWN 1 Rule F Face N Neif 2 Sere 3 Spar 4 Reverie 5 Trading 6 Moral 9 Mired 10 Doh 13 Lad 19 Dove 20 Tane 23 Neva 24 Side 31 Nard Advertisement

By then, Arthur Wynne had long grown sick of crosswords. In 1920 he had tried to patent his invention but the New York World had refused to foot the bill, considering the puzzles a passing trifle. This was rather short-sighted, given that a patent cost the equivalent of only 1,000 today.

Transferring his compiling duties to his secretary, Wynne left the New York World in 1921, spending the rest of his career working for rival papers before dying in Florida in 1945.

According to his daughter, he often lamented that he never made a penny from crossword puzzles. But his legacy lives on.

Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Daniel Craig and Sting are all well-known cruciverbalists. And while computers have beaten humans in most mental pursuits, including backgammon, Scrabble and draughts, we have yet to see the software that can solve all crossword clues thrown at it.

Humans are better at creating crosswords, too. Unlike Sudoku, which are largely computer-generated, most crosswords are still devised by real people.

Unseen and oft-cursed, they are the army of compilers who continue Arthur Wynnes work, more than a century after he came up with the puzzle that was born of desperation but has gone from novelty to craze to routine.

Thinking Inside The Box: Adventures With Crosswords And The Puzzling People Who Cant Live Without Them, by Adrienne Raphel, is published by Robinson, 18.99.

To order a copy for 15.20 (20 per cent discount, P&P free), go to mailshop.co.uk or call 01603 648155. Offer valid until 31/05/2020.
CHANDIGARH: In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Punjab government on Saturday asked cinema halls, gyms and clubs in the state to shut operations.

Issuing the advisory for the cinema houses, gyms and clubs, state health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said a decision to close down shopping malls is yet to be taken.

On Friday, Punjab and Haryana had ordered the closure of all universities and colleges till March 31 as a preventive measure. The Punjab government and Union Territory of Chandigarh ordered the closure of all schools till the month-end, while Haryana decided to shut schools in five districts, all neighbouring the national capital. The five districts are Gurugram, Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, and Faridabad.
The coronavirus is affecting multiple areas of life in the Katy area, from schools to businesses to play. Churches and synagogues are not exempt and have been making decisions about their weekend services.

Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Community has more than 6,000 families. Fr. Tom Lam, parish priest, said on the churchs website that its masses will be held on Sunday, March 15.

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At this time when the faithful need to maintain some degree of normalcy in the midst of the current health crisis, we will continue to maintain the regular Mass schedule for all those who wish to participate, said Lam.

He said the church will excuse from their obligation to attend those that feel worried about attending because of the virus and encouraged parishioners in the higher risk category to stay home.

According to its website, Kingsland Baptist Church is giving its church family three ways to worship: streaming from ones home or with their community group or by attending family worship at the churchs main campus. The North Katy Campus that typically meets at Stockdick Junior High will instead gather at the main campus.

We continue to monitor the coronavirus and pray through each decision, said the website. We do not want to be faithless and hide away in fear nor do we want to be reckless in a very serious time. Instead, we want to act with wisdom.

The website said the church will be doing some things differently during services, like not passing offering plates, having hand sanitizer available throughout the building and not having complimentary coffee stations. Also, all weekday, childrens and student activities are canceled until further notice.

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Rabbi Gideon Estes of Congregation Or Ami in west Houston said he and about 100 others had teleconferenced Thursday night with the Greater Houston Partnership to decide what should be done. The talk included physicians and experts who advised limiting social contact, Estes said.

Therefore, the synagogue is suspending its Friday services. Estes said a main reason is because many of his congregants are older and in the higher risk category and wouldnt be dissuaded from attending.

In Judaism, we have an expression called Pikuach nefesh, which means that preservation, saving the life or preserving health. That consideration goes above almost anything else. And thats really the motivating factor that we have here for public health as to why we are suspending our services, Estes explained.

The synagogue has also suspended its religious schools spring break and plans to look at distance learning. Estes said he will broadcast a service via Facebook Live and provide links to watch other conservative synagogues services in the Houston area.

If youre not sure what your church or religious groups plans are, check its website or social media to learn more.

Claire Goodman contributed to this article.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
South Dakota reports highest active case count since pandemic started

Tuesday's report included testing conducted over the weekend. Another 4,110 people tested positive for the disease.
Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine and colleagues created a new computational tool called H-MAGMA to study the genetic underpinnings of nine brain disorders, including the identification of new genes associated with each disorder.

The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, revealed that genes associated with psychiatric disorders are typically expressed early in life, highlighting the likelihood of this early period of life as critical in the development of psychiatric illnesses. The researchers also discovered that neurodegenerative disorder-associated genes are expressed later in life. Lastly, the scientists linked these disorder-associated genes to specific brain cell types.

"By using H-MAGMA, we were able to link non-coding variants to their target genes, a challenge that had previously limited scientists' ability to derive biologically meaningful hypotheses from genome-wide association studies of brain disorders," said study senior author Hyejung Won, PhD, assistant professor of genetics at the UNC School of Medicine and member of the UNC Neuroscience Center. "Additionally, we uncovered important biology underlying the genetics of brain disorders, and we think these molecular mechanisms could serve as potential targets for treatment."

Brain disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease are among the most burdensome disorders worldwide. But there are few treatment options, largely due to our limited understanding of their genetics and neurobiological mechanisms. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revolutionized our understanding of the genetic architecture related to many health conditions, including brain-related disorders. GWAS is a technique that allows researchers to compare genetic sequences of individuals with a particular trait -- such as a disorder -- to control subjects. Researchers do this by analyzing the genetic sequences of thousands of people.

"To date, we know of hundreds of genomic regions associated with a person's risk of developing a disorder," Won said. "However, understanding how those genetic variants impact health remained a challenge because the majority of the variants are located in regions of the genome that do not make proteins. They are called non-coding genetic variants. Thus, their specific roles have not been clearly defined."

Prior research suggested that while non-coding variants might not directly encode proteins, they can interact with and regulate gene expression. That is, these variants help regulate how genes create proteins, even though these variants do not directly lead to -- or code for -- the creation of proteins.

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"Given the importance of non-coding variants, and that they make up a large proportion of GWAS findings, we sought to link them to the genes they interact with, using a map of chromatin interaction in the human brain," Won said. Chromatin is the tightly packed structure of DNA and proteins inside cells, folded in the nucleus in a way to maintain normal human health.

Won and colleagues used this map to identify genes and biological principles underlying nine different brain disorders, including psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, depression, and bipolar disorder; and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Using the computational tool H-MAGMA, Won and colleagues could link non-coding variants to their interacting genes -- the genes already implicated in previous GWAS findings.

Another important question in brain disorders is to identify cellular etiology -- the cells involved in the root cause of disease. This is especially critical as the brain is a complex organ with many different cell types that may act differently in response to treatment. In the attempt of finding critical cell types for each brain disorder, the researchers found that genes associated with psychiatric disorders are highly expressed in glutamatergic neurons, whereas genes associated with neurodegenerative disorders are highly expressed in glia, further demonstrating how the two disorder clusters diverge from each other.

"Moreover, we classified biological processes central to the disorders," Won said. "From this analysis, we found that the generation of new brain cells, transcriptional regulation, and immune response as being essential to many brain disorders."

Won and colleagues also generated a list of shared genes across psychiatric disorders to describe common biological principles that link psychiatric disorders.

"Amongst the shared genes, we once again identified the brain's early developmental process as being critical and upper layer neurons as being the fundamental cell-types involved," Won said "We unveiled the molecular mechanism that underscores how one gene can affect two or more psychiatric diseases."

H-MAGMA is publicly available so that the tool can be widely applicable and available to the genetics and neuroscience community to help expand research, with the ultimate goal of helping people who suffer with brain-related conditions.
Caroline Kauffman was only 17 when the alleged rape happened. The 26-year old told The Sun that she was raped by billionaire pedophile and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in his home in New York.

Apparently, Kauffman went there believing it was a casting call for a modeling job.

The Monster That He Was

"I'm coming forward now to let the world know how much of a monster Epstein was," Kauffman said in an interview with The Sun.

Caroline said that a 16-year-old woman she met at a horse show recruited her for the modeling job. The alleged rape took place in December 2010, two years after Epstein's first conviction for sex trafficking. Coincidentally, Prince Andrew was photographed with the convicted pedophile walking around Central Park around that time.

The accuser claimed that she was too terrified to leave the mansion at the Upper East Side that she ended up becoming a guest at a "royal party" thrown in the honor of Prince Andrew. She claimed that the Duke of York approached her during the event.

Caroline's claims, however, did not reveal any wrongdoing in Prince Andrew's party. She merely claimed that he was "into her" until he was not when she told him that she was only 17.

Later that night at the same party, Jeffrey Epstein's victim claimed that she was led into a back room by an unidentified guest who forced her to engage in oral sex.

Kauffman now hopes that her coming forward would encourage other victims to do the same. "If they have ever been abused or experienced trauma, they should come forward and talk about it. They should get proper care for it," Kauffman said.

Caroline is represented in court by Spencer Kuvin, the same lawyer handling the case of three other alleged victims of Epstein.

"I have verified two potential witnesses. One is a relative and the other one is a non-relative, but both can place her at the time and location she claimed in her accusation," Kuvin revealed.

"I believe she is credible 100 percent."

Kuvin also revealed that he has already found a co-counsel for the case and that they plan to file the lawsuit in New York in the coming weeks. Caroline is also prepared to come forward to cooperate with the prosecutors investigating the co-conspirators of Epstein.

Epstein and The Prince

Epstein was convicted of child sex crimes in 2008, but a "sweetheart deal" with the prosecutors then only had him serve 13 months in jail. He was arrested again in 2019 and charged with a thick file of sex trafficking offenses. However, he died in his cell in August to what authorities ruled as suicide.

Prince Andrew has been in hot water since his BBC interview about his friendship with the disgraced financier. Though his intent was to clarify his name and his association with Epstein, his lack of remorse from the victims of Epstein was what made things worse.

It got so bad that the royal had to take a step back from his royal life. Since then, his absence from the royal events has been notable. His situation only got worse when he refused to cooperate with the invesitgation of the FBI.

Buckingham Palace continues to deny all allegations thrown at Prince Andrew. In a statement they released last year, the Palace said, "Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue."

READ MORE: Prince Andrew A Huge Disappointment To Royal Family
GEORGETOWN (Reuters) - The Organization of American States (OAS) on Friday withdrew its observer mission from Guyana's disputed presidential election, citing concerns over the fairness and transparency of vote counting.

Top diplomats from the United States, European Union, Britain and Canada also walked out of the elections headquarters Friday in Georgetown, Guyana's capital, where the count was being held.

The March 2 election has been marred by accusations of fraud in favor of President David Granger, who is running against Irfaan Ali of the opposition People's Progressive Party to lead the former British colony.

Guyana's Chief Justice Roxane George had blocked the electoral commission from declaring a winner in the vote and ruled on Wednesday that the country's largest electoral district, known as Region Four, must resume counting votes with independent observers.

The OAS said the head election official in Region Four concealed official poll results from each voting site against court instructions, giving "credence to allegations that the numbers being tabulated do not correspond with the numbers on the statements of poll."

Results from Region Four and thus the election as a whole "will not be credible and a president sworn in on the basis of those results will not be considered legitimate," the diplomats from the United States, EU, Canada and Britain said.

The diplomats also cited concerns about "intimidation tactics" used against officials who championed a clean count.

The OAS said the opposition's vote count was "vastly different" than those reported by the Region Four election head.

The dispute in which both parties claim victory led to violent demonstrations last weekend in which one protester was shot dead.

The vote will decide who is in power during the early years of an oil boom set to transform the economy of the poor country, which is beset by tensions between black Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese.

(Reporting by Neil Marks and Sarah Kinosian; Writing by Sarah Kinosian; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Ever since the Grand Princess pulled into the Port of Oakland on Monday carrying more than 3,500 people  including 21 infected with COVID-19  hundreds of passengers have been placed in 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif.

While some passengers were sent to bases in other parts of the state and the country, more than 600 California residents are staying in apartments in a hotel on the base about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, according to the California Governors Office of Emergency Services.

Some people staying at Travis AFB said the process to transfer them from the ship to the base was disorganized, carelessly implemented and painfully prolonged. After being holed up in their cabins under strict quarantine for six days while the ship idled off the coast of California, they were surprised to be in situations that didn't allow for social distancing and put them in close quarters with other passengers. They're also shocked that none of them have been tested for COVID-19.

The Grand Princess was held off the coast for six days because of evidence that it was the breeding ground for more than 20 infections tied to a past voyage, a San Francisco-Mexico trip from Feb. 11-21. A passenger on that trip, a Placer County resident, died on March 4 due to complications with COVID-19.

After not stepping outside a cruise cabin for nearly a week, Dr. Alan Brast of Danville said he and his wife finally filed off the ship on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Officials were tasked with taking everyone's temperature, but Brast said that while they took his wife's, he was puzzled that he was missed.

Brast was loaded onto a bus that sat parked for two hours and 15 minutes. Every seat was full, and the bus had one small bathroom. Initially, there wasn't any food or drink, and when sandwiches were finally served, the bus driver said, "If you want, you can take your mask off now to eat and take the risk.

When the bus finally pulled up at Travis AFB, Brast and others weren't allowed to unload for an hour, finally getting off at 10 p.m. when they were sent to find their bags in a pile of 400 pieces of luggage. Brast, using his iPhone flashlight, found his bags after an hour and 15 minutes.

"Some of these people with their walkers and their canes were schlepping their luggage up three or four flights of stairs," he said.

MORE: 24 Grand Princess passengers going to Asilomar in Pacific Grove for quarantine

Kay Gleason of Rocklin described a similarly disordered disembarkment after walking down the gangway with her husband and two daughters on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"My husband argues it was the worst part of the ordeal," Gleason said. "My opinion is being in a tiny cabin for six days with children and feeling really helpless was the worst."

The Gleasons all had their temperatures taken before boarding a bus.

"We sat on the bus for an hour," she said. "There were discrepancies going on with two passengers. They werent California residents. They messed up their paperwork. They had to go back on the ship. That was sad to watch."

After this incident, the bus sat parked for another half-hour. "No one is making an announcement or saying, 'Heres why we're waiting,'" she said. "We were just sitting there, scrunched together, which was very contradictory to everything they were making us do on the ship."

The floors of the bathroom were "wet and sticky," and there wasn't a light or toilet paper.

"The girls were afraid of going to the bathroom," she said. "I had to ask the bus driver to get toilet paper. The bare necessities ... we were just struggling to get that. But they did supply us with big water bottles and a sandwich."

Upon arriving at the base, Gleason said they were greeted by friendly military staff who ran through the process and answered questions.

"We were finally on the other side of the fence," she said. "It was so much relief, but still even with the kindness of hearts and everyone doing everything in their power to help us, the resources weren't enough. We ended up sitting on that bus until midnight. We were packed on a bus together and taking our masks off because we had to drink our water. Some of the older people were turning red, and crying out to the bus driver and asking him to open windows."

Gleason also mentioned the heap of luggage, as did others, and one person shared a video with SFGATE showing outdoor sprinklers spraying the luggage with water.

"Even now, there are about 100 pieces of luggage sitting inexplicably outside of the entrance to the facility, with no protection from the forecast coming rain, etc." Brast said.

ALSO: Here's where things stand with the Grand Princess passengers

Once checked in, passengers had mixed reviews of the accommodations. Gleason was thrilled to have a spacious apartment, much bigger than the room on the ship.

"We have windows that open," she said. "It is clean inside for the most part. Theres a washer-dryer in the room, and we even had laundry detergent on our washer. We have three TVs. Theyre bringing little bottles of water through the day. I think the only hard part is the lack of anything we need for two weeks like toothpaste and Tylenol."

Others staying at the base commented on cold rooms, thin blankets, dirty linens, a scarcity of towels and coffee, a toilet that doesn't flush and lack of access to medication for the elderly and milk for children.

Brast said meals were initially distributed off a cart in the lobby. "The lack of sanitation and people milling around on top of people without any organization was horrendous," he said.

Meals are now being served in rooms. "This should help a great deal with the shortages precipitated by unnecessary hoarding," he said.

Other improvements are being made as the base figures out how guests can receive deliveries, but still none of the people interviewed for this story have been tested for the coronavirus.

"I saw one of these CDC guys the first day, and asked, 'When are we going to be tested for COVID-19?' He said, 'Are you feeling OK?'" Brast recalled. "He said, 'Well, youre not going to get tested as long as youre feeling OK.'

"Its a tragedy. Its unconscionable that they could operate like this. Not a single person gets tested unless you are sick."

SFGATE reached out to the California Department of Public Health, the California Health and Human Services Agency and Travis Air Force Base for comment on this story, but hadn't heard back as of late Friday night.

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email: agraff@sfgate.com.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.
Rosado was no stranger to that kind of climate, she said, having found success in a career in information technology, a similarly male dominated industry. Still, Rosado said, she built up her IT clientele and eventually came to be respected for her work.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said today there are no plans to postpone the March 31 primary runoff because of the coronavirus outbreak and theres nothing in state law that would authorize that.

Officials in Louisiana postponed that states primary, which was scheduled for April.

Our law does not allow that to happen, but its not under consideration today, either," Merrill said. Weve had one case thats been introduced and that was today, of course.

People who dont want to go to a polling place because of the risk of exposure to the coronavirus should apply for an absentee ballot, Merrill said. Applications are available at the Secretary of States website and county offices.

The absentee ballot application requires voters to give a reason why theyre requesting an absentee ballot. None of the choices appears to be a perfect fit for a voter who didnt want to go to the polls to avoid illness.

One allowed reason is for a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls.

Merrill advised voters to check the box they thought most appropriate. He said nobody who applies for an absentee ballot for the runoff should be turned down.

I dont see anybody being denied the opportunity to vote absentee if they request a ballot between now and March 26, (the last day to apply) Merrill said.

Merrill supports legislation that would give the governor the authority to postpone an election for up to 21 days. Lawmakers introduced bills in the House and Senate on Thursday. But theres no chance of them passing before the March 31 runoff. Legislators are taking two weeks off for spring break and wont return until that day.

Merrill said a similar bill was introduced last year but did not pass. He said he initiated the idea because of the possibility that a weather disaster could create the need to postpone an election.

What I was thinking was flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, natural disasters, or events like that," Merrill said.

Merrill said his office has told probate judges and election officials to do what they can to limit the risk of spreading the virus at the polls.

Wiping down voting machines and other equipment that is there at the polling site, Merrill said. "Do that frequently throughout the day. Obviously, provide hand sanitizer at the entrance and the exits. Make sure thats available throughout the day, of course.

Clean the tables where people sit down to vote and the chairs with disinfectant spay on a regular basis throughout the day. Provide latex-free gloves for the poll workers as they accept the ID from the voter and do their due diligence in that area. Make sure they have identified other possible poll workers to be a part of election day in case someone becomes ill or in case someone decides they dont want to be out in this environment.
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Georgia Healthcare Group (LON:GHG) shares are down a considerable 33% in the last month. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 57% in that time.

All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.

Check out our latest analysis for Georgia Healthcare Group

Does Georgia Healthcare Group Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E of 8.84 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (18.3) for companies in the consumer retailing industry is higher than Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E.

LSE:GHG Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 14th 2020

Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. Therefore, even if you pay a low multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become higher in the future. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell.

Georgia Healthcare Group increased earnings per share by a whopping 33% last year. In contrast, EPS has decreased by 3.2%, annually, over 3 years.

Story continues

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof).

So What Does Georgia Healthcare Group's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Georgia Healthcare Group has net debt worth 59% of its market capitalization. This is a reasonably significant level of debt -- all else being equal you'd expect a much lower P/E than if it had net cash.

The Verdict On Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E Ratio

Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E is 8.8 which is below average (13.9) in the GB market. The company has a meaningful amount of debt on the balance sheet, but that should not eclipse the solid earnings growth. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. Given Georgia Healthcare Group's P/E ratio has declined from 13.2 to 8.8 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

You might be able to find a better buy than Georgia Healthcare Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The first modern hotel in Birmingham (The Magic City) was built in 1914 by two prominent businessmen, Robert Jemison, Jr. and George Crawford Major Tutwiler, who was the main financial supporter through his Tutwiler Coal and Coke Company.

The hotel was originally built in order to convince the American Iron and Steel Institute to have its annual convention in Birmingham. At the time it was erected there were no other luxury hotel accommodations and the Tutwiler would be considered one of the finest hotels in the country. Today a portion of it remains but at a different location. Originally the hotel was built on the corner of 20th Street and 5th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.

Like all luxury hotels of the time it had a spectacular era of galas, famous guests and historical events. Several high-profile events were held there such as Tallulah Bankheads post wedding party.

Another was a press conference held by Charles Lindbergh on his nationwide tour with the Spirit of St. Louis. He was promoting aviation after his Atlantic crossing from New Jersey to Paris in 1927.

Unfortunately, like many other grand hotels of the era that have been razed, the Tutwiler also slowly deteriorated to the point where it was closed and faced demolition. In 1974 it finally reached the point where the original hotel was imploded.

After a 12-year absence the name Hotel Tutwiler rose like a phoenix out of its ashes and took over the Ridgely Apartments a few blocks away on Park Place, thus reinstating the absence of the name Hotel Tutwiler from its downtown landscape after an absence of 12 years.

In 1985 the City of Birmingham was awarded an Urban Development Act grant and with some private financing the old hotel was re-opened. The original marble floors, exterior and vaulted railings were maintained in its renovation. Many modern amenities such as a fitness center, business center, signature restaurant and suites have been added. Only a swimming pool is missing but the hotels history of offering rooms with a view was included as all of the 149 rooms feature expansive windows that show off the city scape of the modern Birmingham.

Like all grand luxury hotels of the past the Tutwiler has its stories of its resident ghost. The hotels story is that Major Tutwiler, who formerly lived at the Ridgely Apartments, decided to stay at the new Hotel Tutwiler and that his spirit has the bad habit of knocking on doors at late hours and is known as The Knocker. Other tales claim he sometimes causes havoc in the bar and restaurant.

One story goes that a bartender got in trouble because he allegedly left the lights and stoves on after closing hours for several nights. The manager came in early one morning to discover that someone had prepared a large meal and drank a bottle of wine. Thus, developed its tradition of the staff addressing the ghost of Major Tutwiler with the words Goodnight Major and asking him not to mess up the kitchen.

The hotel is now officially the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Tutwiler Birmingham, Alabama. It is located at 2021 Park Place, Birmingham, Alabama 35203.

Centrally located and reasonably priced, a stay at the Tutwiler gives a visitor an enjoyable historical trip to the past era if you dont meet the ghost of Major Tutwiler or hear from The Knocker.

------

Jerry Summers

(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As Mayor Bill de Blasio continues to insist on keeping New York Citys public schools open amid growing coronavirus concerns, rapidly declining attendance numbers show that many parents are no longer comfortable sending their kids to class.

On Friday, Mar. 13, citywide public school attendance sat at just 68%, down 17 percentage points from Thursdays 85% attendance across the system.

The drop in attendance was even more drastic for many Staten Island schools, with some registering attendances as low as 7.71% on Friday.

Heres a look at every Staten Island public schools attendance on Friday, Mar. 13:

PS 001 TOTTENVILLE - 39.9%

I.S. 002 GEORGE L. EGBERT - 41.52%

PS 003 THE MARGARET GIOIOSA SCHOOL - 50.51%

PS 004 MAURICE WOLLIN - 58.31%

PS 005 HUGUENOT - 45.22%

PS 6 CORPORAL ALLAN F. KIVLEHAN SCHOOL - 45.42%

I.S. 007 ELIAS BERNSTEIN - 41.01%

PS 8 SHIRLEE SOLOMON - 53.74%

NAPLES STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 74.13%

FORT HILL COLLABORATIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 68.58%

PS 11 THOMAS DONGAN SCHOOL - 52.26%

PS 013 M. L. LINDEMEYER - 58.99%

PS 016 JOHN J. DRISCOLL - 60.53%

PS 018 JOHN G. WHITTIER - 64.53%

PS 019 THE CURTIS SCHOOL - 70.73%

PS 020 PORT RICHMOND - 72%

PS 21 MARGARET EMERY ELM PARK - 59.94%

PS 022 GRANITEVILLE - 64.83%

PS 023 RICHMONDTOWN - 49.82%

I.S. 024 MYRA S. BARNES - 43.07%

PS 026 THE CARTERET SCHOOL - 68.91%

I.S. 027 ANNING S. PRALL - 43.33%

THE EAGLE ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN OF STATEN ISLAND - 61.56%

PS 029 BARDWELL - 52.11%

PS 030 WESTERLEIGH - 60.02%

PS 031 WILLIAM T. DAVIS - 69.72%

PS 032 THE GIFFORD SCHOOL - 51.28%

I.S. 034 TOTTENVILLE - 18.6%

PS 35 THE CLOVE VALLEY SCHOOL - 65.95%

PS 036 J. C. DRUMGOOLE - 50.16%

PS 038 GEORGE CROMWELL - 46.52%

PS 39 FRANCIS J. MURPHY JR. - 55.96%

THE STEPHANIE A. VIERNO SCHOOL - 51.53%

PS 042 ELTINGVILLE - 56.48%

PS 044 THOMAS C. BROWN - 61.21%

PS 045 JOHN TYLER - 59.81%

PS 046 ALBERT V. MANISCALCO - 69.16%

CSI HIGH SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES - 67.63%

PS 048 WILLIAM G. WILCOX - 56.91%

I.S. 49 BERTA A. DREYFUS - 52.99%

PS 050 FRANK HANKINSON - 59.83%

I.S. 051 EDWIN MARKHAM - 47.03%

PS 052 JOHN C. THOMPSON - 55.21%

THE BARBARA ESSELBORN SCHOOL - 55.36%

PS 054 CHARLES W. LENG - 59.75%

PS 055 HENRY M. BOEHM - 50%

PS 56 THE LOUIS DESARIO SCHOOL - 52.64%

PS 057 HUBERT H. HUMPHREY - 62.75%

SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA SCHOOL - 56.68%

THE HARBOR VIEW SCHOOL - 68.22%

PS 060 ALICE AUSTEN - 58.63%

I.S. 061 WILLIAM A MORRIS - 53.65%

THE KATHLEEN GRIMM SCHOOL FOR LEADERSHIP - 59.58%

MARSH AVENUE SCHOOL FOR EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING - 50.88%

GAYNOR MCCOWN EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING SCHOOL - 53.23%

PS 65 THE ACADEMY OF INNOVATIVE LEARNING - 75.58%

THE RICHMOND PRE K CENTER - 35.73%

PORT RICHMOND SCHOOL FOR VISIONARY LEARNING - 65.21%

PS 069 DANIEL D. TOMPKINS - 57.09%

I.S. 072 ROCCO LAURIE - 45.99%

PS 74 FUTURE LEADERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 62.94%

I.S. 075 FRANK D. PAULO - 43.93%

PS 78 - 64.03%

THE MICHAEL J. PETRIDES SCHOOL - 57.53%

NEW DORP HIGH SCHOOL - CLOSED

PORT RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL - 54.93%

CURTIS HIGH SCHOOL - 55.42%

TOTTENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - 41.79%

SUSAN E. WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL - 7.71%

CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL - 16.27%

RALPH R. MCKEE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL - 59.25%

STATEN ISLAND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL - 54.34%

STATEN ISLAND SCHOOL OF CIVIC LEADERSHIP - 61.39%

SOUTH RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL I.S. P.S. 25 - 36.18%

THE DAVID MARQUIS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS - 59.05%

PS R373 - 66.25%

THE RICHARD H. HUNGERFORD SCHOOL - 28.6%

SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN

On Saturday afternoon, de Blasio said that, as of now, theres been no change in the citys plans to keep public schools open next week, which will ultimately be determined by a day-by-day examination of all the facts.

I think we have a lot to balance, but Im holding where we are right now, de Blasio said during a Saturday afternoon press conference.

The mayor again referenced guidance from the Centers for Disease Control on school closures to help explain his decision. The guidance points to issues that de Blasio spoke about, including working parents, particularly those in medical fields, who would need to leave the workforce to care for their children.

It expresses the sheer complexity that attends to this, particularly when youre talking about such a vast number of kids in such a densely-packed city, de Blasio said. When you close, you create a series of additional new problems in terms of health and safety.

When you close, you potentially compromise the hospital system and the health care system by the impact it has on health care providers who would hold back and not go to work to stay home with their families and with their kids. Let alone, of course, the impact it would have on childrens education, he continued.

The mayor also cautioned that closing the citys school could create another issue of hundreds of thousands of students wandering the city without adult supervision.

I think a very sobering fact is hundreds of thousands of teenagers without adult supervision. I think thats not just about health, it is, but its about all the other impact that has on their life, he said.

He also said that if the city closed the largest school district in the country, it might not reopen for the rest of the school year.

My tremendous fear here is when we shut down, if we shut down, we will not see this school year again. So now were saying the kids are going to have these months and then the summer, and then we dont know when schools come back, de Blasio said.

So what are they [students] going to do? Theyre going to go out into their neighborhoods, theyre not staying indoors, theyre not staying in isolation, guaranteed. Theyre going to go out and create all sorts of new social networks, all sorts of opportunities for spread, he continued.

If conditions around the outbreak change, the mayor said that all decisions regarding closures are subject to change.

That doesnt mean that at some point I might not say, at any point, Now Ive factored in all the equations and Ive decided weve reached that tipping point,' he said. But Im not there today."

On Friday afternoon, de Blasio announced a number of steps being taken to keep the citys public schools up and running despite widespread calls for closures.

Those steps include moving meals from school cafeterias to classrooms, moving physical education classes outside, canceling field trips and work that takes school officials from school to school.

On Friday, New Dorp High School closed its campus after a student in the Hungerford School Program, which operates out of the building, tested positive for the disease.

The mayor said the school would likely reopen on Monday after being cleaned, but noted that would be determined after the school is cleaned and an evaluation done over the weekend.

The mayors continued refusal to close public schools comes after days of pressure from his fellow elected officials and the wider community for the closures in an effort to limit the spread of the disease.

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, the United Federation of Teachers and members of Staten Islands delegation of elected officials have all called on the mayor to make the call to close the public schools. Parents and teachers have also urged the city to close schools.

But as the citys public schools remain open, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday any decision to close down schools is up to a locality.

Based on the existing positive coronavirus cases across the state, Cuomo said he is not ready to issue a statewide school closure directive.

Like de Blasio, Cuomo has cautioned that a mass school closure was not without its consequences.

For now, the state is only requiring that if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 a school will be closed for at least 24 hours. The local Health Department will notify schools if and when a school must close due to COVID-19.

On Saturday it was announced that a student at Prall Intermediate School (I.S. 27) tested positive.

The Department of Education sent a letter to parents at the school confirming that a member of the I.S. 27 community has a positive test result for COVID-19.

We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness. At this time, it is important to listen to facts and not respond to fear, the letter, which was shared with the Advance/SILive.com, states.

According to the letter, the school will be cleaned and disinfected over the weekend.

We anticipate that we will have school open on Monday, March 16, pending confirmation from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the letter continued.

DOE PREPARING FOR OFF-SITE SCHOOLWORK

Despite the mayor remaining committed to keeping the citys public schools open amid the growing spread of the illness, the DOE is preparing additional educational resources for students in the event of school closures or students are forced to remain home due to illness or quarantine.

Citing concerns about student and staff safety and the need for preparation, the DOE has developed grade-level-specific instructional resources in English for students ranging from Pre-K to 12th grade. The supplementary learning resources are now available on the DOE website.

The health and safety of our students and staff comes first, and it is our responsibility to be prepared for everything and for learning to continue. We have developed grade-level instructional resources for grades Pre-K through 12 so that our students can engage in educational material in the event that they need to be home from school," said DOE spokeswoman Danielle Filson.

Due to the inconsistent availability of access to internet-enabled devices among the citys student population, the work will not be graded, but rather used to prevent the loss of learning during a potential closure, according to the DOE.

NON-ESSENTIAL SCHOOL ACTIVITIES CANCELLED

The city has also announced that all non-essential, non-instructional school activities will be cancelled or moved online, if possible.

There are non-essential, non-instructional activities that we will alter. Theyll either be moved online, if they can be, or they will be cancelled, it depends on each activity, de Blasio said Thursday.

That includes PSAL activities, games and practices, assemblies, parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings and school plays and recitals, the mayor continued.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS CLOSED

On Thursday, the Archdiocese of New York Superintendent of Catholic Schools Michael J. Deegan announced that Catholic elementary schools across the city will be closed next week from Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, with the possibility of a lengthier closure, according to a notice posted on the Archdioceses school website.

After being informed by expert health officials and the Health and Safety Task Force of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, the decision was made out of an abundance of caution, according to the notice.

The health and safety of our students, staff and families is of the utmost importance, said the notice.

In addition, various Catholic high schools have announced they will be shifting to virtual learning beginning Monday.

Principals and teachers have been preparing educational materials for ongoing home-based learning to ensure students continue to be academically challenged.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Staten Island Catholic schools to schedule early dismissal for coronavirus prep

Coronavirus: Staten Island family cancels vacation, could lose thousands

Coronavirus closures: Staten Islands latest cancellations, postponements (March 12, 2020)

CUNY, SUNY classes will move online

Second confirmed coronavirus case on Staten Island

Man with coronavirus on Staten Island is an EMS worker, source says

Coughs, sneezes, surfaces. Heres how coronavirus is and isnt spread.

Broadway ticket prices discounted amid coronavirus outbreak

Can I get my money back? Travel insurance, airline changes in wake of coronavirus.

Cuomo: Insurers cant charge New Yorkers for coronavirus testing

SIUH exploring the possibility of using external medical tents for coronavirus response

Labor Dept. issues workplace guidelines for coronavirus outbreak

When to contact a doctor: Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms

Coronavirus: What Staten Island businesses are doing to protect customers

Coronavirus: St. Johns University closes all campuses until March 27

First coronavirus case confirmed on Staten Island
Farooq Sahab suggested me to speak with Pakistan but I will speak to the youth: Amit Shah in Srinagar

If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah

I am free beams Farooq Abdullah

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Srinagar, Mar 14: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and NC patron Farooq Abdullah thanked parliamentarians who fought for his freedom from detention and said he will be able to take a decision on future only after other leaders are released.

"I am free... Hope others political leaders would be released soon. Thank all parliamentarians who fought for my freedom. Will be able to take decision on future only after other leaders are released," he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, a five-time parliamentarian and a member of the present Lok Sabha, with immediate effect.

According to an order issued by the Union Territory's home secretary Shaleen Kabra, the PSA ordered by the district magistrate of Srinagar on September 15 and subsequently extended for three months on December 13, stands revoked.

Farooq Abdullahs detention revoked by Jammu and Kashmir govt after 7 months

Abdullah was under preventive detention since August 5 last year, the day the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. He was the first chief minister against whom the PSA was invoked.

The stringent Act was slapped against him on September 15, hours before the Supreme Court was to hear a petition by MDMK leader Vaiko who claimed that Abdullah had been illegally detained.

He was booked under 'public order' of the PSA, a provision that allows authorities to detain a person for three months without trial. This can be extended up to two years.

The decision to release the National Conference patron came hours ahead of the ending of the three-month period on Friday midnight.

Immediately after his release, the National Conference issued a statement welcoming the decision and also urged the Union Territory administration to release other political leaders including party vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

According to the NC statement, the release of its patron from detention was the right step towards restoration of a genuine political process in Jammu and Kashmir.

It said the process would receive further fillip when party vice-president Omar Abdullah and other political detainees are set free. "We urge the government to do so at the earliest," it said.

Amit Shah explains why Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti had to be detained

"As the pre-eminent political party of Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference has played a key role in strengthening the voice of the people through democracy and will continue to do so," the statement said.

Officials said District Magistrate Shahid Iqbal Choudhary entered the residence of Abdullah, who underwent an eye surgery earlier this week, and is believed to have handed over the release order to him.

Farooq Abdullah's son Omar as well as former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti were slapped with the PSA on February 6, the day on which their six-month term of preventive detention was to end.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 7:42 [IST]
North Korea "fired two unidentified projectiles into the East Sea" near the city of Wonsan Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, per Yonhap News Agency.

Why it matters: It's the first such launch by North Korea this year and comes two months after White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien told Axios that President Trump had "reached out" to Pyongyang to ask them to resume stalled diplomatic talks.

Go deeper: Kim Jong-un announces end to moratorium on nuclear weapon tests
#8 RE: Gathering Egreat A5/A10Pro/A8Pro/A11/A13 models Feedback / 08-03-2020 11:35



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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   .)
Nearly everything from concerts to schools and conferences have been canceled.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered residents to avoid large crowds and gatherings and asked people to avoid recreational places like malls, movie theaters and gyms.

One of the few remaining gathering spots open for business are restaurants and bars.

In the wake of the coronavirus, many establishments in central Pennsylvania are taking precautions to ensure the safety of customers and employees. Measures include wiping down door knobs and menus to offering hand sanitizer and removing tables from dining rooms.

We dont want to expose them to any unnecessary germs when a few inconveniences could prevent all of that, said Natalie Miller, manager at Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill.

READ MORE: Where are Pennsylvanias coronavirus cases? Map, details on known cases as of March 13, 2020

The popular coffeehouse instituted practices including eliminating self-serve coffee and reusable mugs, as well as using disposable paper products instead of dishes. All employees are required to wear food-safe gloves.

In addition, they offer sanitizer and tissues to customers and have stepped up cleaning with regular sanitizing of tables, countertops and door handles. Pastries are also individually packaged.

They have posted signs in the coffeehouse alerting diners to the changes. So far, customers have been responsive, although Miller said at first some people questioned not being able to bring in their coffee mugs from home.

Id rather be over precautious than not prepared, she said.

Rigorous cleaning is also the protocol at Mangia Qui and Rubicon restaurants in Harrisburg where groups of diners are being spread out to avoid close contact in dining rooms, said Staci Basore, co-owner.

She said over the past couple of days they have been reevaluating their business practices. They are devising a delivery menu and hope to implement the service in a few days, and might consolidate operations by keeping only one of the two restaurants open on certain nights.

One of the biggest impacts on business has been the cancellation of about 17 scheduled event such as fundraisers at the restaurants.

READ MORE: Growing tsunami of grocery shoppers means empty shelves at some central Pa. stores

I really anticipate it to be difficult through March and April, and quite frankly my concern lies with my staff, Basore said.

Several groups have also canceled or postponed events at owner Jason Viscounts restaurants, Greystone Brew House in Dillsburg and Greystone Public House in Lower Paxton Township.

He said they are offering plated dinners in lieu of buffet service at no extra charge to groups who have already booked parties. One group called and requested hand sanitizer placed at tables for an upcoming event, which Viscount said will be honored.

When that happened, I knew I had to do something to assure guests we are being proactive, he said.

Around the region, other restaurants are making adjustments to how they conduct business.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.

Pastorante restaurant in Harrisburg posted on Facebook it has reduced the number of tables and chairs in the dining room to maintain spacing between customers. Other restaurants such as Road Hawg Barbecue in Dillsburg and Home Slice At Walden in Hampden Township are offering curbside pickup.

Soul Burrito owner Obi Linton has temporarily suspended dining inside the Susquehanna Township restaurant as a precaution in accordance with the governors recommendation to eliminate large gatherings. Diners are not allowed to sit inside the establishment, but can pick up orders.

Our dining room fills up. Come lunchtime, well have 30, 40 or 50 people standing there, he said.

Also, hes encouraging delivery by giving customers $12 GrubHub coupons. Linton said hes basically trying to be proactive and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions requirements and take proper measures.

Its better to be safe than sorry. Thats how I look at it, he said.

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.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Four people got a new lease of life after receiving organs of a 35-year-old man who had sustained a serious head injury after falling down from the terrace during a Holi party.

Rajmani, who worked in a shoe factory in Delhi, was brought at the central government-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) on March 11. He was immediately admitted to the trauma centre under the supervision of Dr LN Gupta, but later declared brain dead.

Technically known as brain-stem death, brain death occurs in the case of a severe injury to the vital organ which could happen after a head injury, an accident or a bleed in the brain due to stroke.

"The patient was declared brain dead despite the best efforts by doctors at RML Hospital to revive him. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) allocated a kidney and heart to a patient in AIIMS, liver to another in ILBS and one kidney to the third in RML. No green corridor was required for that," said a senior RML official.

Green corridor is a demarcated, cleared out special road route created for an ambulance that enables harvested organ/s meant for transplant to reach the destined hospital/s.

"The patients family was approached by a transplant coordinator and counselled for getting their consent for organ donation. The family members understood how they can change lives of other people and agreed for organ donation," the official said.

"After getting consent of the family, the harvested organs heart, liver and kidneys  were sent to the various patients at different hospitals," the official noted.

As per data sourced from Organ India, approximately five lakh people die each year due to organ failure. A major reason for these deaths is a wide gap between the number of transplants awaited, and the organs available.
In March 2014, Nigerian soldiers reportedly entered into Giwa Barracks, a notorious detention centre in Maiduguri, and opened fire on several detainees. Hundreds of other detainees were allegedly driven away from the centre to other parts of the city where they were summarily executed.

More than 600 detainees, including minors who were arbitrarily rounded up during mass arrests in Maiduguri metro area, were allegedly killed as they awaited trials in degrading conditions at the facility, rights groups said at the time.

The controversial operation began hours after Boko Haram insurgents breached military protection at the barracks and rescued hundreds of other members of the sect who had been held there as part of the governments efforts to stamp out the insurgency  which entered its first decade in July 2019.

Many of those killed included suspected Boko Haram operatives recaptured by soldiers after the jailbreak.

Although the military initially claimed it responded swiftly to the attack and prevented the attackers from rescuing their fellow sect members from the cell, evidence that later emerged from the scenes, including a propaganda video from the groups leader Abubakar Shekau, countered official narratives and exposed the severity of the attack.

Following public outrage, the Nigerian military said the incident would be investigated, and raised several panels to look into the conduct of its personnel. Six years on, however, no concrete findings relating to the alleged extra-judicial executions had been made public, Amnesty International said in a statement on Saturday.

Families of the victims have now waited for more than half a decade without justice for their loved ones killed at Giwa Barracks, the frontline rights group said, calling on authorities to address the situation.

We have repeatedly called on Nigerian authorities to initiate independent and effective investigations to ensure that those behind the massacre that happened six years ago face justice, Osai Ojigho, head of Amnesty International Nigeria, said.

Despite repeated promises by the present government and establishing various committees to investigate the 14 March 2014 killings, not a single person has been held responsible or brought to justice for the mass killings that is among the most horrific incidents perpetrated by the military in the ongoing conflict in the north east, Mrs Ojigho added.

Giwa Barracks was opened as a temporary detention centre for Boko Haram detainees, but several years on, rights groups said it has become one of the notorious cells operated by the Nigerian military across the war-ravaged northeast.

In a 2016 report, Amnesty International described Giwa Barracks as a place of death and called for its immediate closure. The organisation estimated about 150 people died in horrendous conditions between January and May 2016  including 11 children, four of whom were babies.

As of 2017, Borno State, the heartland of the insurgency, estimated 100,000 people had been killed by Boko Haram; while more than two million were displaced. The insurgency, which has since spilled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic, also left thousands of Nigerian soldiers killed.

Sagir Musa, chief spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, declined calls and messages from PREMIUM TIMES seeking comments on what steps the military has taken towards justice years after the reported massacre.

Despite mounting allegations of horrific treatment of detainees by soldiers in both Giwa Barracks and other parts of the northeast, Nigerian military has maintained no wrongdoing in its counter-terrorism measures, dismissing independent reports as a campaign to harm its reputation and demoralise its soldiers.

Yet, the fact that not a single person has been brought to justice for the Giwa Barracks massacre shows lack of genuine commitment to protecting human rights and a deliberate attempt to shield human rights violators from facing justice, Amnesty said.
RPCs insist on linking wage hike to productivity; Planters promote revenue-share model View(s):

Regional plantation companies (RPCs) are insisting that the Governments proposal to increase the monthly wage of workers should be linked to a rise in productivity.

On January 14, the Government directed the RPCs to enter into negotiations with estate trade unions for a stipulated daily wage of Rs 1,000or Rs 25,000 a monthfor workers. The increase was to take effect on March 1.

Seventeen rounds of talks were held between representatives of the 21 RPCs and others, including Government officials and trade unions. Then they stalled.

Issuing a media statement, the Planters Association (PA) of Ceylon said it had piloted various wage models, the most promising of which was the revenue share model. According to this model, estate workers are placed in charge of blocks of land and paid based on their harvest. The companies insist that such a model would offer vastly greater flexibility, freedom and dignity to employees.

This would have been fundamentally empowering for RPC workers, who could then decide when they want to go into the fields, and work according to their own time, while balancing their obligations to family, the statements says. In instances where such models have been piloted, there are examples of RPC workers earning between Rs 40,000-Rs 80,000 in a single month.

Estate norms usually average out at 18kg or more, while plucking averages based on this ancient daily wage model are between 18-21 kilos, the PA said. On estates where the revenue share models have been practised, workers have harvested an average of 30-35 kilos. But when traditional norm plucking has been undertaken, they have continuously averaged around 18kg.

This is clear proof that earning capacity can be increased by changing the wage model away from the plucking norm daily wage system, it said.

The RPCs last proposal had called for a 2kg increase to the estate norm for tea and a 1kg increase in rubber, together with a return to a productivity and attendance-linked wage structure. This had been agreed to in 2016 by trade unions and the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) on behalf of the RPCs but scrapped on the insistence of trade union leaders during protracted negotiations in 2018, the media release said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that, if the RPCs could not afford to pay the stipulated wage, they should then hand the estates over to the Government.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:57:48|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Saturday that 301 illegal immigrants have been rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard off Libyan coast.

"Most of them (the rescued migrants) were taken to detention, while some managed to escape the disembarkation point," IOM tweeted.

Libya has become a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, who expect to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe.

According to IOM, more than 110,000 illegal immigrants made their way to Europe through the Mediterranean in 2019, while 1,283 died on the way.

Immigrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of immigrants either rescued from the sea or arrested by the Libyan security forces, despite international calls to close them.
Members of the Republic of the Congos first family are accused of looting public funds to buy luxurious properties abroad.

Members of the Republic of the Congos first family are facing growing calls to be prosecuted for corruption.

They have been accused by human rights activists of looting Congolese public funds to buy luxurious properties abroad.

Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb reports from the capital, Brazzaville.
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Ministers have drawn up plans to put troops on the streets to help deal with the coronavirus crisis after the number of deaths almost doubled within 24 hours.

With the death toll jumping from 11 to 21 and the number of confirmed UK cases leaping by almost 40 per cent, Downing Street accelerated plans to ban large public events and implement the self-isolation of entire households where any member has succumbed to the illness.

In a bid to 'shield' the most vulnerable, the Government is also expected to tell people over 70 to stay in strict isolation at home or in care homes for four months.

Under emergency legislation to be put before MPs within days, safeguards introduced after the scandal involving serial killer Dr Harold Shipman will also be suspended in order to speed up cremations and burials.

Ministers have drawn up plans to put troops on the streets to help deal with the coronavirus crisis after the number of deaths almost doubled within 24 hours (Boris Johnson pictured in Downing Street on Saturday)

In preparation for the worst-case scenario, defence sources told The Mail on Sunday that Army units were stepping up their training for public order roles  including the guarding of hospitals and supermarkets (file photo)

In a bid to 'shield' the most vulnerable, the Government is also expected to tell people over 70 to stay in strict isolation

The UK's death rate has doubled overnight as a further ten patients died from the coronavirus. The total number of cases in the UK leapt from 820 this morning to 1,145 this afternoon

A woman is pictured wearing a mask on Oxford Street Saturday. Commuters around the country said train stations, carriages and car parks seemed deserted compared to normal

Ministers will also get powers to make compulsory purchases of land to free up room for extra graveyards.

In preparation for the worst-case scenario, defence sources told The Mail on Sunday that Army units were stepping up their training for public order roles  including the guarding of hospitals and supermarkets.

The Royal Logistics Corps are preparing to be used to escort food convoys and the Royal Army Medical Corps is poised to build tented field hospitals next to care homes.

Troops trained in chemical, biological and nuclear warfare will deep-clean empty public buildings in case they need to be turned in to hospitals or morgues.

And the Army has also drawn up contingency plans to keep petrol stations topped up with fuel when the country reaches 'peak virus'.

The number of confirmed UK cases rose yesterday to 1,140, up from 820. And globally, there have now been 153,585 reported cases with 5,802 deaths.

In another day of dramatic developments:

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies told the Government that it will soon need to start shielding the most vulnerable members of society and isolating entire households;

President Donald Trump announced the US travel ban would be extended to the UK from tomorrow;

Hundreds of Britons, many of them elderly, were stuck aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean where five people have tested positive for the virus;

Spain and Poland closed their borders, stranding thousands of British holidaymakers, and France closed all non-essential public spaces such as cafes and cinemas;

Boris Johnson asked UK manufacturers to support the rapid, wartime-style production of essential medical kit, particularly ventilators, while the NHS will buy up beds in private hospitals;

Panic-buying led to extraordinary scenes at supermarkets across the country, prompting stores to plead with consumers to 'work together';

World Health Organisation spokesman Dr Margaret Harris questioned the British Government's strategy of delaying 'social distancing', arguing that it risked infecting millions;

Chancellor Rishi Sunak met insurance leaders amid a growing row over who will foot the bill for cancelled holidays;

It emerged that care homes and hospitals are likely to be 'cocooned' when the Easter lockdown comes into effect;

Three patients tested positive for Covid-19 at a hospital close to the Queen's Norfolk estate;

Downing Street underwent a 'deep clean' following a visit by Tory MP Nadine Dorries, who subsequently tested positive for the virus  but the Prime Minister has not been tested;

A group of Dutch scientists claimed to have found an antibody that may help detect and prevent the coronavirus from being able to infect people;

Experts predicted the Government could be forced to effectively nationalise airlines and train companies.

Shoppers were scrambling for food and hygiene products as mass hysteria gripped the nation amid the worrying pandemic

Coronavirus panic-buying unleashed carnage on British supermarkets today as hoards of shoppers gutted the nation's food and toilet roll aisles (Tesco in Colney Hatch, London, pictured)

President Donald Trump has banned flights to the US from the UK and Ireland amid the coronavirus pandemic

Defence sources told this newspaper that under the contingency plans, 38 military liaison officers would work with local councils to brief civil servants on how the Armed Forces could help combat the crisis.

The most essential staff, such as RAF Typhoon pilots, would be quarantined at work to ensure the UK's continued protection and the SAS's stand-by squadron would be held in the UK, rather than be deployed overseas.

If the crisis deepens, hundreds  possibly thousands  of troops could be deployed. Hundreds of members of the Armed Forces hold HGV licences and are trained in transporting hazardous loads such as fuel.

Members of the Royal Military Police would also support local constabulaties, while troops could also be used to drive ambulances and fire engines.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will tomorrow issue a Churchillian call to leading British manufacturers to join a national effort to combat the spread of the virus. In particular he will urge the construction of more ventilators, which the Government will vow to buy.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: 'The scale of the challenge we face means we can't do this alone... we need every part of society and every industry to ask what they can do to help the effort.'

Amid criticism of the Government's strategy, Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said they will publish the statistical models on which the 'shielding and isolating' response was based.

Everything you need to know about coronavirus at a glance: From how to avoid the virus to survival while self-isolating and knowing the difference between the flu and Covid-19

WORLD IN LOCKDOWN

The death toll from the coronavirus reached almost 6,000 last night with another 400 lives lost worldwide over the past 24 hours.

In Britain, the number of dead doubled, to 21, with the Government set to announce a series of tough emergency measures to try to contain the disease.

Across Europe, countries have become crippled and placed in lockdown. In Spain, cases soared from 1,500 to 5,700 and ministers declared an unprecedented two-week state of emergency. France has ordered non-essential locations to close and several nations have closed their borders or shut their airports.

With the travel plans of millions already affected, US President Donald Trump last night decreed that all flights from the UK to America are to be banned from tomorrow, in addition to the 26 EU nations previously announced.

IS MY COUGH A COLD OR COVID-19?

Experts such as Professor Jonathan Ball, virologist at the University of Nottingham, say data suggests that in as many of 70 per cent of cases, coronavirus has symptoms similar to a common cold.

Meanwhile, official advice is that if you have a temperature above 37.8C, feel hot to touch on your chest or back, or if you have a new, persistent cough, you should stay home for seven days. Other cold-like symptoms may be indicators and some offer this chart (below) as a rough guide

HOW BEST TO AVOID VIRUS

Health experts can't stress enough: WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN with soap and running water for 20 seconds. Also use hand sanitiser.

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. Put tissues into a disposable rubbish bag and immediately wash your hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are unwell. A minimum distance of 6ft 6in (2 metres) is recommended.

Do NOT touch your face, especially mouth, nose or eyes, as this is one way the virus enters your system.

There's no firm evidence that most face masks cut the risk of infection. But they might reduce hand-mouth contact.

HOME-WORKING IN PYJAMAS?

As comfortable as your pyjamas may seem, it's wise to get properly dressed and adopt a regular routine by differentiating between 'work' and 'down' time.

Also, take care of your diet as blood sugar levels affect mood and energy levels. Video conference calls with work colleagues can help stop loneliness.

Towards evening, put away your work equipment and change clothes to help psychologically mark the shift to personal time.

ELDERLY MOST AT RISK

The death rate for over-80s who contract the virus has been assessed at nearly 15 per cent, according to Chinese data. Anyone over 60 is advised to avoid crowds because the risk of infection may increase in closed settings with little air circulation.

In coming weeks, the old and vulnerable may be asked to self-isolate, regardless of symptoms. Children, though, seem relatively unaffected  the vast majority have only mild symptoms.

But since they tend to come into contact with far more people, they can spread the virus much more widely.

MORE DIE FROM WINTER FLU

Since the virus was first reported, at least ten times as many people have died from winter flu, while other diseases have claimed substantially more lives  as our graph shows.

SELF-ISOLATING? AN ESSENTIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE

If self-isolating, like Health Minister Nadine Dorries, avoid direct human contact.

Instead, use video conferencing and social media.

Move around as much as possible. If you have a garden, get fresh air regularly but do NOT leave your property.

Drink plenty of water and take paracetamol to help alleviate the symptoms.

Plan what you'll need  food, medicines etc  and arrange how they can be obtained.

Sign up to online services if you haven't already.

Keep busy with activities.

Keep your distance from others you live with, and sleep alone. Use separate towels. Also use a separate bathroom, if possible  but if you can't, clean it thoroughly after using it.

BORIS'S 'SOMBRERO' PLAN

CLEAN YOUR PHONE DAILY

Experts believe the virus can survive on flat surfaces for days unless they're disinfected.

They advise cleaning your phone with alcohol wipes twice a day. Or use water and soap with a slightly wetted cloth.

Don't use kitchen cleaners, window cleaners or paper towels, which can leave debris and scratch the surface.
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The Czech government closed most shops, restaurants and pubs on Saturday in a bid to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The measure, which will be in effect until March 24, does not concern shops selling food and electronics, pharmacies or petrol stations.

"We wanted to stop people from heading to shopping malls," Prime Minister Andrej Babis told reporters, calling on Czechs to show tolerance and solidarity.

Restaurants and pubs will be closed for the same period, the government said in a statement published on its website on Saturday.

The Czech Republic has registered 150 confirmed cases of the virus and no deaths as of Saturday morning.

On Friday, the government said foreigners would no longer be allowed to cross into the country and Czechs would not be allowed to leave as of Monday.

The government had earlier already closed schools, theatres, cinemas, galleries and museums and banned gatherings of more than 30 people -- except for funerals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln said people who are sick should not attend Mass or other church gatherings, and in a letter to priests Friday afternoon, Archbishop George Lucas granted a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Diocese of Lincoln.

The Rev. Nicholas Kipper, director of communications for the Lincoln diocese, said the church will follow direction from the Centers for Disease Control and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The diocese also suggested priests be the only ones to drink from the communion chalice, or common cup, and for priests to decide whether to distribute Holy Communion into a communicant's hands or on the tongue.

It did recommend that those offering Holy Communion wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after communion.

For many churches and temples in Lincoln, live-streaming has become an increasingly popular avenue for worship. While many congregations record services, the online tool will likely be used more and more as the virus spreads.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  Muntinlupa City is set to impose a curfew to contain the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, beginning Monday, its city public information office announced.

The city council on Saturday passed an ordinance on a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., starting March 16. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi will sign the document on Monday as well, Tez Navarro, Muntinlupa City PIO, told CNN Philippines.

This comes after Metro Manila mayors signed a resolution recommending the curfew to contain the disease.

Muntinlupas PIO on Twitter cited the resolutions exemptions to the curfew, namely employees who work at night, such as call center agents and hospital personnel, delivery of basic goods, public transport services and peace and order personnel.

On the other hand, Las Pinas City will declare a state of calamity, its official Facebook account announced. The guidelines on this declaration will be released on Monday, the Facebook post said.

The Philippines has tallied over 111 cases of COVID-19. President Rodrigo Duterte has since declared a state of national health emergency and ordered travel restrictions to and from Metro Manila, where most of the cases are concentrated.
While the COVID-19 outbreak hitting the nation has sparked thousands of school districts to temporarily close, Gov. Charlie Baker on Saturday said he would not direct all public schools in Massachusetts to shutter.

Baker, in a news conference in which he announced a new COVID-19 Response Command Center to combat the crisis, noted different states and communities are handling the difficult issue of school closures in varied ways.

Lawmakers and the Massachusetts Teachers Union have urged state officials to order all public schools to temporarily close, a move that at least 100 school districts, college campuses, municipalities and private businesses have undertaken on their own. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced the closure of all Boston public schools for one month.

Baker earlier this week banned gathering or organizing events of more than 250 people in an effort to help prevent the spread of the disease, which has infected more than 2,000 and killed at least 50 in the U.S.

On Saturday, Baker noted that the Massachusetts Department of Health issued a guidance that if a school has an individual or parent who is symptomatic and tests positive, to close the school. If they dont have anybody who tests positive or symptomatic, they should continue to go to school."

Many adopted that guidance and many went in a different direction and thats exactly whats playing out across the country, Baker said.

He left the door open for a change, noting people are making the decisions based on the guidance they get from the experts and the information they have at the time. Its an evolving issue, as the issue evolves and facts change, the decisions change.

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All six Disney parks around the world are closing due to the global spread of the new coronavirus.

On Friday, Disney announced it will close its theme parks in Florida and Paris on March 15. Like Disneyland in California, which announced its closure earlier, the closing time is tentatively set until the end of the month.

Disneyland in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Los Angeles have all suspended operations.

The Shanghai Disney resort was the first Disney park to stop welcoming visitors amid the COVID-19 outbreak since January 24. Disneytown and Wishing Star Park followed suit a day later.

Shanghai Disneyland Resort said on March 9, it will reopen part of the shops and restaurants at Disneytown, Wishing Star Park and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. Disneyland Park will remain closed, with no reopening date set yet.

In February, Disney said it could lose 175 million U.S. dollars in revenue if its parks in Hong Kong and Shanghai remain closed for two months. With all six parks now closed, the damage could be even greater.
OTTAWA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's successful experience in containing COVID-19 may help the Canadian government beat the coronavirus in its country, a Canadian official said.

"I think Canada is coming into the virus somewhere China has been. And we are just learning in part to deal with it from the experience China did," Al Richmond, chair of Cariboo Regional District in British Columbia province, told Xinhua in an interview.

"China was ultimately, I think, successful in containing the virus. So I think our medical people and our government are using the experience in China as part of our approach to deal with the virus," said Richmond.

"The folks that I know in China, my friends, are more accepting government's recommendation to stay home, which our government is telling people (to do) if you are ill. Stay home, avoid large groups of people, these help stop the virus. I think those are the passive things we can do to contribute to the well-being of our community," said Richmond.

COVID-19 is a present menace in Canada. As of Thursday, at least 93 cases of COVID-19 and one death were reported in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau now stays in self-isolation after his wife Sophie tested positive for the disease on Thursday night. He called on Canadians Friday noon to avoid all non-essential international travel due to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic, and the House of Commons has voted to shut down for at least five weeks to limit COVID-19 spread.

The virus has led people to stock up goods from face masks, hand sanitizer to toilet paper, almost clearing up the shelves of local retailers like Costco.

"People are uncertain. They need something to do to feel secure. But I think it's overreaction," said Richmond.

Meanwhile, as the government of Canada said its public health system was prepared to respond, Richmond insisted that it would depend on how and to what extent people managed themselves.

"I don't think we can all (stay) in the hospital. We don't have that many beds for everyone. It will certainly challenge the system. But I convinced the government to announce its measures for more testing, (and) we are doing more testing which makes us more aware of where the viruses are," he added.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Apple has temporarily shuttered all of its retail locations outside China in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Staff at the companys location at the Staten Island Mall said Saturday that the store was closed, but referred further request for comment to Apples press relations.

In a letter to staff sent out Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the decision to close all of the companys retail locations outside Greater China until March 27.

I want to thank our extraordinary retail teams for their dedication to enriching our customers lives. We are all so grateful to you, Cook wrote. All of our hourly workers will continue to receive pay in alignment with business as usual operations.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

The company had closed its stores in Greater China after the outbreak began in Wuhan in January. All stores in that area have reopened.

One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the viruss transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance, Cook wrote.

Employees whose jobs allow them to work remotely should do so, those required onsite should maximize interpersonal space, and facility cleaning will continue.

***

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SPRINGFIELD  Mayor Domenic J. Sarno declared a state of emergency Friday and announced the temporary closing of the citys public schools as a measure against the spread of the new coronavirus.

This declaration not only gives me sweeping powers, but more importantly avails our city and schools to all federal and state relief and recovery assistance needed, Sarno said in a statement.

The shutdown of the schools, in effect through March 27, affects 26,000 students and 4,000 employees working in roughly 60 buildings.

We have kept our schools open for as long as we believe has been possible, as recommended by state and local public health authorities," said Superintendent Daniel Warwick. We know that in addition to education, schools provide vital support to our communities and that closure will have a major impact on our families.

Warwick said officials understand the closure will create a hardship for many families, and said further information and guidance will be forthcoming.

The action by the citys School Department comes as the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued a series of guidelines aimed at safeguarding students, teachers and staff.

The new state education policy includes: All schools must cancel or reschedule large assemblies of 250 people or more for the foreseeable future. Schools are strongly urged to limit other gatherings with fewer than 250 individuals and instances where students, staff and others are less than 6 feet apart from one another.

On Monday, the school system announced it was ending buffet-style meals in school cafeterias as precaution for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

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The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the United States put the outbreak on a collision course with the presidential primaries, threatening to disrupt the process at a pivotal moment for Democrats as they select their nominee.

Louisiana announced Friday that it would delay its White House primaries from April 4 to June 20, becoming the first state to reschedule because of covid-19. Shortly after, the four states set to vote Tuesday said jointly that their contests would proceed as planned, referring to guidance from public health officials who have declared voting safe if best practices are followed.

But a rush of developments heightened pressure on elections officials already struggling to minimize risks to voters and injected a sense of deep uncertainty about how the 2020 race will unfold amid the growing pandemic.

By the end of the week, the presidential campaigns had gone virtual: Former vice president Joe Biden invited voters in Illinois to a videoconference town hall Friday, while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., scheduled daily news conferences from Burlington, Vt., and President Trump temporarily suspended his rallies.

As the president declared a national state of emergency Friday, colleges shuttered and cities across the country banned large gatherings, there was building worry about the outbreak's impact on the voting process. The United States currently has 2,151 coronavirus cases, with 48 deaths.

Fear about exposure was expected to lower in-person turnout for Tuesday's contests in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, when 577 delegates are up for grabs - a potential risk for Biden as he seeks to lock up the Democratic nomination. The former vice president has had strong support from older voters, who are more at risk to suffer serious health issues if they contract covid-19.

"We've just never had a situation like this before," said Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida, who said Biden could suffer if seniors stay home, while Sanders could see his support diminish if students being sent home from college campuses are unable to participate.

"It's so hard to predict," he said.

The joint statement from the chief elections officials in the four states voting Tuesday came amid worries that fears about the coronavirus would keep people from showing up at the polls.

The statement noted that voting involves "people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration," as opposed to the kinds of large gatherings that are now banned in many jurisdictions.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said it came about after text conversations between his chief of staff and the top aides to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee and Illinois Elections Board Chairman Charles Scholz.

"My chief of staff was reaching out to the other [top staffers] and saying, 'Hey, listen, we need to push back on this so it doesn't become a disinformation thing or a misinformation thing,'" LaRose said.

"This is about pushing calm, accurate, decisive information out there where there is too much nonsense churning on social media causing people anxiety," he added.

Still, in local jurisdictions, election officials struggled to keep up with an onslaught of calls from concerned residents and the practical demands of obtaining guidance from election, public health and other leaders at every level of government.

"It is a difficult situation for everyone," said Adam Johnson, chief deputy clerk in DuPage County, Illinois. "We are actively reaching out and trying to get the information as quickly as people have it, but we understand that everyone is responding in real time to this situation."

Under guidance from state and local health departments, election officials around the country took action this week to increase their personnel and lower health risks, often by moving hundreds of polling places out of nursing homes and stockpiling supplies to disinfect voting equipment.

In DuPage County, officials announced Friday that volunteers would be paid $200 rather than $130 for Election Day and $15 per hour instead of $10 per hour during early voting.

In Ohio, amid a statewide campaign to recruit poll workers, the state auditor offered employees a paid day off if they sign up.

And in Maricopa County, Arizona, officials took the unusual step of proactively mailing ballots to eligible voters who were not on the permanent early-voting list, a decision that echoed recommendations from vote-by-mail advocates.

But the move was blocked on Friday by a superior court judge, who ordered Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes not to mail out the ballots after the state's attorney general, Republican Mark Brnovich, filed an emergency motion to block the action.

In the filing, the attorney general argued that the county official lacked authority to mail ballots to voters who had not requested them, and that the move risked "creating a swarm of illegal ballots and immense voter confusion."

Fontes said he was trying to help people fearful for their safety to participate in the primary." The ballots were at the door of the warehouse," he said in an interview Friday evening. "My job is to help voters vote. Especially in a time of a global pandemic, it's unfortunate that politics intervened."

Taking a different approach, Louisiana announced that the best way to protect public health - including the health of its elderly poll workers - was to use a special emergency provision in state law to delay its primaries until the summer.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said elections were delayed in 2005 and 2008 after hurricanes. He said his thought of postponing the primaries had unanimous support in across leaders in state government, both Democrats and Republicans.

"We spent most of yesterday working as a team, looking for ways to try to carry out the election. We kept running into barrier after barrier. . . . When I contacted the governor's office, I think that there was some relief in us coming to that decision," Ardoin said at a news conference Friday.

In addition to Louisiana's decision, the Wyoming Democratic Party announced this week that it would do away with the in-person portion of its caucuses, scheduled for April 4, and instead encourage voters to participate by mail, dropping off ballots on March 28 and April 4.

The Nevada Democratic Party also canceled its county conventions - precursors to the national convention in July - and the state party in Iowa postponed similar gatherings.

The prospect of a delayed nomination process drew concern from the Democratic campaigns.

"Our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials," deputy Biden campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a written statement. She encouraged people who feel healthy, are not exhibiting symptoms and don't believe they've been exposed to the virus to vote Tuesday.

"If voters are members of an at-risk population, exhibiting symptoms, or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of COVID-19, we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options," Bedingfield said.

Sanders said that "rescheduling elections is not something we do lightly or should do lightly." He said his campaign's decision to cancel in-person events is "hurting us."

"This is an issue where the doctors and public health officials are going to have to be weighing the risks," Sanders said Friday during a media briefing in Burlington.

Experts said there was no risk of the general election being postponed. Under federal law, it must take place on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The Constitution also mandates that the new Congress be seated on Jan. 3 and presidential terms begin on Jan. 20.

Marc Elias, a leading Democratic attorney who specializes in voting rights, said he knew of no special powers that would allow Trump to change the date of a general election, even in case of a national emergency.

"The answer is no," Elias said. "When it comes to federal elections, there's no wiggle room there."

In states with upcoming primaries, local election officials are now racing to figure out how to mitigate potential health risks of casting a ballot.

In New York, a critical state where voters will weigh in on the presidential nominating contest on April 28, state elections board Co-chairman Douglas A. Kellner said board officials have been coordinating with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's (D) office, as well as with legislative leaders, to discuss alternative voting options.

A move to delay April's presidential primary is "possible given the circumstances," he said. In the meantime, Kellner said, some local counties were making changes to their absentee voting procedures that exceeded their authority.

"At this time, public health officials are not advising us that's necessary or appropriate," he added. "One has to balance the risk against the priority of a stable democracy.

"Two counties have gone rogue and taken it upon themselves to take emergency actions that aren't authorized by law," he said.

Erie County had altered the application form to include the novel coronavirus as an excuse for requesting an absentee ballot, he said. And Dutchess County had signaled plans to mail absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters, according to Kellner, and to vastly reduce the number of polling sites.

Erik Haight, an election commissioner in Dutchess County, said local officials were determined to protect the elderly population and that it is customary to consolidate polling locations.

Jeremy Zellner, an elections commissioner in Erie County, said it was the commissioners' job "to make sure people are not disenfranchised, and we believe very strongly we do have the authority to do this based on the governor's emergency declaration and the illness provision in state election law."

In Georgia, which votes March 24, local Democratic leaders were encouraging people with health risks to request absentee ballots ahead of the March 20 deadline.

"It's a question we're all wrestling with, but until there's official guidance from the state, my reaction today is to encourage people to vote absentee," said Wendy Davis, a city commissioner in Rome, Ga., and a member of the Democratic National Committee.

Frustrations were similar in Florida, where state Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Penalosa said he was struggling to obtain a list of polling sites at senior centers that have been shut down. A request for comment from the Florida secretary of state's office was not immediately returned.

Paul Lux, supervisor of elections in the Florida Panhandle's Okaloosa County, said screens, styluses and surfaces will be disinfected throughout the day. Hand sanitizer will be available in most locations - but not necessarily all, he said.

"I have the same supply problem as everyone else," Lux said. "Hand sanitizer is not something I had on the shelf in our warehouse."

In Wisconsin, where the presidential primaries are scheduled for April 7, election officials were racing to provide voters with absentee ballots while waiting to see if the governor and the state legislature would take more drastic action.

Reid Magney, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said state officials have been attending webinars and conference calls with the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while also working with the state's Department of Health Services.

The commission this week suspended plans to dispatch special voting deputies to deliver absentee ballots to nursing homes. They will be placed in the mail instead.

- - -

The Washington Post's Colby Itkowitz, Chelsea Janes and Amy E. Gardner contributed to this report.
Srinagar, March 14 : National Conference President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah met with his son Omar Abdullah on Saturday at Hari Nivas, a day after the Public Safety Act (PSA) was revoked against him.

This is for the first time father-son duo met after the revocation of Artcile 370 on August 5.

Farooq was also accompanied by his daughter Safiya and her two sons.

"He came to see Omar at Hari Niwas today. It was the scheduled meeting day for the family," said Safiya Abdullah, Farooq's daughter.

She said the family is relieved with the release of Farooq and is now looking forward to the release of Omar Abdullah.

She said they are limiting the number of visitors for her father due to caronovirus threat and his surgery for cataract.

Soon after his release on Friday Farooq went to pay obeisance at his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's grave. On Friday, Farooq's younger brother Mustafa Kamal, elder sister Khalida and her son Muzaffar came to meet him at his residence.

This was for the first time the Abdullah siblings had a reunion after the BJP's Article 370 move.

Soon after being released, scores of National Conference workers came to meet Farooq from different parts of Kashmir.

Senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad met with him on Saturday. Azad has been a vocal critic of the BJP for revoking Article 370 and detention of political leaders in Kashmir.

He had taken on Home Minister Amit Shah in the Parliament on August 5, 2019, when the Article 370 was revoked and Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised and split into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 14 : Though no fresh cases of COVID-19 have been reported since Friday evening, the Kerala government on Saturday issued an all-around alert in Kerala, as the total positive cases continue to be pegged at 19, as authorities expect a few more might turn positive in the coming days.

As on Saturday afternoon, the following districts have coronavirus positive patients.

As many as seven cases in Pathanamthitta, 4 in Kottayam, 3 each in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram, one each in Thrissur and Kannur.

According to the health authorities, there are 6,000 people under observation in the state, of which 300 are in various hospitals.

On Saturday, across the 14 district headquarters a high level meeting presided by a state Cabinet Minister took place which took stock of things and the general guidelines that have gone is time is not yet come to relax and a high alert and awareness have to be maintained.

In the state capital, where on Friday three fresh positive cases were announced, the general advisory that has come is it's time that malls, beaches meeting places should be avoided. The state-owned indoor stadium has been closed.

An Italian tourist who was stationed at Varkala for the past two weeks, about 40 kms from here after testing positive has been moved to the Medical College hospital and the beach destination is more or less deserted.

The resort where he was staying for the past two weeks has been closed.

" Nine people who might have had direct contacts with the Italian have been quarantined. We have also traced the route map of the other two who turned positive. Things are in control but more caution has to be there,a said district collector K.Gopalakrishnan.

At Alappuzha two UK citizens who arrived from London and were under observation slipped out of the hospital, last night and very soon following an alert send out by the authorities, they were found out by the authorities at the Kochi airport and put them back under observation.

At Pathanamthitta, where the maximum positive cases have been registered, 12 suspects results that came turned negative. It came as a big relief as, it was from here, when three who returned from Italy on February 29th , started the second round of coronavirus scare in the state.

" We have got 12 results today and all are negative. Even though this is a big relief, time is yet not come for us to relax," said district collector P.B.Nooh.

At Kochi, on Saturday a flight arrived which had 21 passengers from Italy were found hale and hearty and all of them have been asked to remain confined to their homes for two weeks.

" 58 people are under observation," said District Collector S.Suhas.

At Thrissur, where the highest number of people are under observation (1571) State LSG Minister A.C.Moideen who led the meeting of officials said the good news is that 58 test reports that came today is negative and said things are well under control.

However the police found out a passenger on a luxury bus who came from Qatar to Bangalore and then took a bus to Thrissur.

He has now been send for observation.

At Kottayam where four positive patients are under treatment is stable while 15 are in quarantine and 26 results are awaited.

At Kannur the meeting was led by State Industries Minister E.P.Jayarajan and said the need of the hour is there need be no panic or fear as we are confident of able to keep things under check.

Meanwhile the general advisory also came on Saturday that as a matter of abundant caution all those who arrive from abroad should remain in isolation for 28 days.

And for the tipplers, there was a good news that while there has been decision to close down theatres, stadiums and to avoid large meetings, the excise department has decided they will not close down retail outlets that sell liquor and beer.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jaipur, March 14 : A 24-year-old male who returned from Spain on March 14 has been tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, said Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.

He flew in to Delhi from Madrid and then from Delhi to Jaipur by Air INDIA Flight 491.

We are getting the manifest of both the flights and have started extensive local contact tracing, he said.

Total 386 samples have been tested till date in SMS Hospital Jaipur out of which four have been tested positive and 10 are under process, he added.

Overall, 399 samples have been tested in state out of which 380 are negative while four are positive and 15 are under process.

The official recommended to avoid large gatherings and focus on respiratory hygiene and hand cleanliness.

Earlier, an Italian couple was tested positive in SMS Hospital out of which the wife tested negative on Thursday.

On March 10, a 85-year-old resident who came from Dubai on February 28 was tested positive.

All colleges, theatres, schools, cinema halls have been closed till March 30 in the state as per the orders given by Chief Minister on Friday late night.
Washington: United States President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) reiterated that he had a 'great time' in India and said he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed several issues.

"We had a great time in India. It was an incredible two days. He (PM Modi) is a great friend of mine. He is a friend of his people. I loved being with him. We talked about everything, far more than just borders," Trump said during a press conference on coronavirus crisis.

Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, made a two-day visit to India on February 24.

Over the course of his nearly 36-hour long trip, the US President participated in a host of engagements including a roadshow, visiting the Taj Mahal, addressing a mammoth crowd at the 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad, among others.

During the visit, India and the US further strengthened their defence cooperation, with the two countries giving a nod to an agreement, under which New Delhi will get USD 3 billion of advanced military equipment including Apache and MH-60 Romeo helicopters.

In the midst of dealing with the declaration of a national emergency to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, US President Donald Trump has recalled his "incredible two days" in India last month and said that he 'loved being with' Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:33:43|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to provide as much assistance as it can to South Korea to support the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy recently sent to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Xi said the Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the South Korean side to win the fight against the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the life and health of the people of the two countries and the wider world.

China and South Korea are friendly neighbors that help each other and stick together through thick and thin, Xi said, adding that the South Korean government and people from all walks of life have previously expressed their sympathies to China over the epidemic and provided a lot of help, and that President Moon stressed in particular that China's difficulties are South Korea's difficulties.

The Chinese leader pointed out that epidemics know no borders, and all countries worldwide are part of a community with a shared future, and that the Chinese government and people empathize with the South Korean side in its struggle against the epidemic and related difficulties.

Xi also said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-South Korea relations, and is willing to work with Moon to jointly lift the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership to higher levels for the benefit of the two countries and their people.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh assembly speaker NP Prajapati on Saturday accepted the resignations of six ministers from the assembly amid a continuing political standoff between the Congress state government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the status of 22 lawmakers of the ruling party.

Prajapati accepted the resignations by the ministers, who are among the 22 MLAs staying at a Bengaluru resort since the start of the week, minutes after he said he would make himself available even on Sunday to hear their explanations for the resignations letters handed to him by a BJP legislator.

The ministers are Tulsiram Silavat, Pradyumn Singh Tomar, Mahendra Sisodia, Imrati Devi, Prabhuram Chaudhary and Govind Rajpoot. These ministers and 14 other MLAs sent their resignations to the speaker on Tuesday. Two other Congress MLAs sent their resignation letters later.

Chief minister Kamal Nath, meanwhile, wrote to home minister Amit Shah on Saturday to ensure the 22 Congress MLAs held captive by the BJP be released to enable them to present their case to the speaker and attend the assembly session beginning on March 16, officials said.

The resignations by loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia dovetailed with the former Union ministers decision to leave the Congress, ending an 18-year-old association, and join the BJP, which has fielded him as one of its three candidates for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya :Pradesh.

The BJP has demanded that Kamal Nath face a floor test to prove a majority in the House, which has an effective strength of 228.

In his letter to the home minister, a copy of which was accessed by HT, Nath said there was no meaning to a floor test until the 22 members of the Congress are released. Its an unprecedented situation that on one hand BJP is demanding a floor test but on the other hand they have held captive many Congress MLAs.

He said Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon had told him the security of the MLAs (on their return to Bhopal) should be handed over to the Central Reserve Police Force.

 I can assure you that if these MLAs are released by Karnataka police I will ensure best security arrangements so that the MLAs could present their side before the speaker {of the } state assembly and take part in the assembly proceedings.

A delegation of BJP leaders including former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, leader of the opposition in the state assembly Gopal Bhargava, and chief whip of the BJP legislature party Narottam Mishra, called on the governor on Friday and urged him to prevail over the state government to face a floor test, arguing that Naths government had been reduced to a minority.

The Congress government is already in a minority, said Bhargava. The Congress doesnt have a moral right to remain in power any more. If the Congress government doesnt face a floor test and goes ahead with any other House business their act would be nothing but unconstitutional and undemocratic and thus leading to a constitutional crisis in the state.

On Saturday, the Congress legislature partys parliamentary affairs minister Govind Singh issued a whip to all the Congress MLAs to be present during the session beginning March 16 and vote in favour of the government in any circumstance.

The Congress has 114 MLAs against the BJPs 107. The Congress also has the support of four independents,two members of the Bahujan Samaj Party and one of the Samajwadi Party. With the resignation of six MLAs being accepted, the effective strength of the House stands reduced to 222.To prove a majority, the Congress will need the backing of 112 MLAs. A change in status of the other lawmakers may things tougher for the ruling party.

Efforts by Congress leaders, including Nath, to contact the 22 MLAs have failed.

Deferring of the state assembly [session] at least for a week or so is required as we are yet to ensure the presence of the Congress MLAs in the state assembly, a Congress leader said. Though technically we are still enjoying a majority in the House as the resignation of only six of the MLAs has been accepted, we will be having the sword of Damocles hanging over our heads all the time, even if there is no floor test, at the time of division of votes on the motion of thanks on the governors address and passage of the budget.

A cabinet meeting has been convened on Sunday, state government officials said. The BJP alleged that the meeting has been convened to pass a resolution to defer the budget session, a charge the ruling party denied.

Former principal secretary of the state assembly Bhagwandev Israni said the state cabinet would need to take a formal decision to defer a legislative session before making a request to that effect to the speaker and the governor.

Given the coronavirus spread and its impact across the world there should not be a problem for the government to get the session deferred. There is an example of Chhattisgarh in this regard. But it will all depend on the governor if he grants permission to a request from the government if there is really any such request, Israni said.

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Donatella Versace is the latest fashion personality to make a big and significant donation to help fight coronavirus infections.

According to E! News, the Versace chief creative officer along with her daughter Allegra Versace Beck donated 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy.

"In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can to help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives," said Versace in a statement shared on Instagram.

"This is why, Allegra and I have decided to make a personal donation of 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan. Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to all the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past weeks in the effort to take care of our loved ones. This is when we, as a society, need to stand together and care for one another."

Versace is the latest in a long list of Italian fashion brands and designers to offer financial assistance to help combat the country's growing coronavirus crisis.

The country is the second hardest-hit country after China, where the virus was originated, no less than 1,260 people have died and more than 17,600 have been infected.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service.

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It's the ski destination of choice for the rich and famous, but despite its exclusivity Aspen hasnt been spared an outbreak of coronavirus.

Emerald City hears a number of high profile Australians contracted the virus during a recent trip to the Colorado mountain. Melbourne GP Chris Higgins, the father of singer Missy Higgins, was among a group of Melburnians diagnosed with the virus upon their return to Australia.

Restaurant tycoon Dave Evans alongside brother Pete fled Aspen for Whistler. Credit:James Brickwood

Holidaying with Higgins were a number of high-profile Toorak residents, one with ties to Hollywood who has also caught the virus and since been in isolation at their St Georges Road compound.

Sydney restaurateur Dave Evans (brother of MKR judge Pete Evans) was holidaying in Aspen last week but he relocated to Whistler in Canada to avoid the contagion that's plaguing the mountain.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When we got in the car on the day of our escape, I turned to Latifa and said, Were like Thelma and Louise,  says Tiina Jauhiainen, with a small smile at the bittersweet memory. But then Latifa cried out, No, no, dont say that! Their story doesnt have a happy ending.  That was two years ago, on February 24, 2018, the day Princess Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, tried to escape her life as a Dubai princess, with the help of her best friend, Tiina. At 32, it was the first time Latifa had ever been in the front seat of a car, having always had a driver and travelled in the back. The escape was the result of a seven-year plan that involved driving into Oman, taking a dinghy into international waters, and boarding a yacht to Sri Lanka, from where Latifa hoped to fly to the United States and claim political asylum. Latifa was initially relieved when we got to the boat, but every day she was growing increasingly worried that her father might already be after her, says Tiina. At times, the days on the boat felt really, really long. It got hotter the closer we got to India, and the boat was full of cockroaches. Escaping on a yacht sounds glamorous, but it was the opposite. We spent most of our time downstairs, trying to contact journalists on our phones, as Latifa felt that might protect her. But after just eight days on board the yacht, captained by Herve Jaubert (a Frenchman whose help Latifa had enlisted after she read about his own escape from Dubai), the princesss short-lived freedom came to an abrupt end off the coast of Goa, when the two women heard gunshots from the upper deck. Latifa immediately realised theyd come after us, recalls Tiina. We were downstairs hiding in the bathroom. We were scared, hugging each other. There was nowhere to go. The cabin began to fill with smoke. We later realised they were stun grenades, explains Tiina, and the pair were forced onto the upper deck, where they were met by several commandos pointing machine guns at them. It was pitch black with the red lights of the laser sights pointed at different parts of our bodies. I was pushed to the floor, in a pool of blood [several crew members had been injured]. They tied my hands and shouted, Close your eyes! Dont move or well shoot you. We were taken back to Dubai. That was the last time I saw Latifa. She was being dragged off the boat, kicking and screaming, yelling that she was seeking political asylum. They ignored her. The whole situation was so unreal. I wish Id said something, but I was paralysed. They threatened to shoot my brain out if I spoke. It was shocking. It was beyond my comprehension.

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Along with Jaubert, Tiina was taken to a national security prison, where she was kept in solitary confinement for several weeks. [I was] in a cell, which was freezing cold with the fluorescent lights always on. There was a hatch in the wall that theyd open to give me food, she says. It was mental torture. I was sleep-deprived and the guards told me Id stabbed the ruler of Dubai in the back, so Id get the death penalty or a life sentence. They tried to make me do a false confession, saying Id tried to cheat Latifa into escaping. Sometimes theyd get so angry I felt like they were about to hit me. Tiina was released after a video that Latifa had made prior to the escape went up on YouTube, and it was made public that shed tried to leave the country with her. The powerful film, which Tiina helped her make and which has since been seen by more than four million people, begins, If you are watching this video  Either Im dead or Im in a very, very, very bad situation. She goes on to recount what happened to her after her previous escape attempt, and describes her father as the most evil person I have ever met. There has never been any response to the video, except a short statement from her family, released in December 2018. Her Highness Sheikha Latifa is now safe in Dubai, it claimed. Princess Latifa and best friend Tiina Jauhiainen during their escape from Dubai in 2018. Credit: Sheikh Mohammed, 70, is largely credited with turning Dubai into the global, glamorous city it is today. A keen equestrian who was partly educated in England, he is the founder of the Godolphin racing stable, owns a 75 million estate in Surrey in Englands southeast and is an acquaintance of the Queen. Since he began ruling Dubai in 2006, he has launched a number of major businesses,making his familys worth an estimated $US4 billion, all while managing to regularly post his own poetry on Instagram to his 4.9 million followers. Yet behind his public image as a progressive ruler of a forward-thinking country lies a more controversial side. Campaign group Human Rights Watch has called the UAE hypocritical, and says that any attempt to paint the government as tolerant is laughable. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of people, including foreigners, being imprisoned and allegedly badly treated at the hands of the countrys security services. The countrys laws are also some of the strictest in the world: people can be detained for free speech-related offences, and sodomy carries a 10-year prison sentence. The Emirates also enforces the law of male guardianship, where women can effectively only work with their husbands permission, must have a lawful excuse if they refuse to have sex with their husband, and must grant full custody of her children to her husband if she wants to divorce him and remarry. Rape victims are also often ostracised for going public.

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The Sheikh and his six wives. Credit: The strict oppression of women in the UAE appears to extend to the royal family itself. Each of the Sheikhs wives has her own separate home, and they are not encouraged to mix with each other. In some ways, the expectations of them as royals mean they have even more restricted lives than local UAE women  Latifa has alleged she had no freedom to travel, work, or even have relationships. People think, Oh, shes just a spoilt princess,  says Tiina. But shes not. Shes like anyone who deserves a chance to be free. Some people say she had access to money and was able to do a lot of activities, like skydiving, which she loved. But that was just a distraction from her reality. She didnt want to stay at home. She didnt even call her home a home. She called it a house, and hated it. She was treated like a minor, and felt like she was suffocating. Her mother was also very religious, so anything like dancing or music was haram [forbidden]. People think, Oh, shes just a spoilt princess, but shes not. Shes like anyone who deserves a chance to be free. Tiina Jauhiainen on Princess Latifa Tiina, now 43, never imagined shed end up befriending an Arab princess. She was born in Finland, where her parents have a flower business, and went to university in London, before moving to Dubai in 2001. She first met Latifa in 2010, after being hired as her capoeira (a Brazilian martial art) instructor. The pair slowly became friends, learning skydiving together, with Latifa going on to become a qualified instructor, with more than 2500 jumps to her name. It gave her a sense of freedom, and adrenalin, and a reason to get up in the morning, says Tiina. All she ever wanted was a normal life. To work. To study. To travel. Our goal was to see the world. I wanted to show her my favourite country, Nepal, and she was desperate to go to Hawaii. We used to talk a lot about what wed do after our escape. But it did take years for her to trust me fully and open up. Shed lived such a difficult life. It was like she was a prisoner in a gilded cage, with no freedom.

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Sheikh Mohammed with Queen Elizabeth II in Abu Dhabi; he is an acquaintance of the British monarch and owns a racing stable and an estate in the UK. Credit:Getty Images When Latifa, now 34, finally shared her story with Tiina, it proved to be an unthinkable contrast to the superficially luxurious appearance of her life as an Arab princess, living in her mothers private palace, complete with a staff of 100 and its own gym. In spite of her wealth, she hadnt left the country in more than two decades, and claims she wasnt even allowed to visit friends houses. She wasnt permitted to study  Her dream had been to study medicine, says Tiina  and, unlike most of her step-siblings, no plans had been made for her or her sisters to marry, which Tiina believes is due to her and her sister Shamsas previous attempts to flee. Latifa had tried to escape once before, as a teenager, by riding into Oman on horseback. But after being captured at the border, she was imprisoned for three-and-a-half years, during which time she alleges she was tortured. One person would hold her, and the other would cane her feet, says Tiina. She was given no fresh clothes, toothbrush or anything to wash with. Her older sisters story is even more harrowing. It appears Princess Shamsa tried to run away from her familys Surrey estate back in 2000, when she was just 18, after being told she wasnt allowed to go to university. But two months later, she was found in Cambridgeshire and taken back to Dubai. It is now 20 years since Shamsa was last seen in public. It is now 20 years since Princess Latifa's sister, Shamsa, was last seen in public. Credit: She was imprisoned for eight years after the escape in Dubai, says Tiina. She and Latifa used to be really close, but when she was released, she was never the same. Latifa always wanted to help her, though. Helping Shamsa was one of her motivations to leave in 2018, because you cant help someone else until you help yourself. There has been huge interest in Latifas case, including a BBC TV documentary that was broadcast in Australia early last year. Then, a third princess changed the narrative in a case that has made global headlines. Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, the sixth wife of the Sheikh and one of Latifas stepmothers, managed to leave Dubai in July 2019, taking her two young children with her as she went first to Germany, then the UK. She has now filed for divorce, and is living in a London mansion with her children, while fighting for their legal custody against the Sheikh in the British High Court.

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Unlike Princess Latifa, whose Algerian mother is considered one of the Sheikhs lower wives, Princess Haya had always enjoyed privileges and freedoms that many women in Dubai are denied. A princess in her own right, she was born to the late King Hussein of Jordan, was educated at the British private schools Badminton and Bryanston, studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford and is a renowned Olympic equestrian. She also claims she is the only woman in Jordan licensed to drive heavy trucks. Her marriage to the Sheikh, which took place after the death of her father, was said to be a love match: they bonded over their interest in horses. It isnt known exactly why she made the decision to leave, but it is believed that she was made aware of information concerning Latifas story, and that could have caused her to flee out of concerns for herself and her own young children. In a damning ruling released to the public in early March, the British High Court found the Sheikh conducted a campaign of fear and intimidation against Princess Haya and that he ordered the abduction of Latifa and Shamsa. The threats continued after the princess moved to London, the judge said, adding that the Sheikh had used the apparatus of the state to threaten, intimidate, mistreat and oppress with a total disregard for the rule of law. Latifa with ex-Irish president Mary Robinson in late 2018; this is the only proof her friend Tiina has that the princess is still alive. Credit: The only proof Tiina has that Latifa is alive are some photos of her taken in Dubai in late 2018: she is with Mary Robinson, Irelands former president, who is a friend of Princess Haya. Latifa looks confused and doesnt seem to be aware of the photos being taken. Tiina believes that until recently, Princess Haya may have believed the Sheikhs version  that Latifa was making up her claims. But not any more. Im obviously hoping this unfinished case will have an impact. If Haya talks about her reasons for leaving, it gives her leverage to help Latifa. David Haigh, a human-rights lawyer who helped Tiina create the #FreeLatifa campaign, adds, Weve spent a lot of time helping Haya and her legal team. Were hopeful that when shes able to talk publicly about what happened to her and her reasons for leaving, shell be able to help Latifa in the way we have helped her and her family. For us, this is a huge step. Shes one of the most high-profile women in the Arab world. It is the first sign of good news Tiina has had in the past two years. Shes been living with friends in London, without a stable job, trying to campaign for Latifas freedom. Anniversaries and birthdays are hard, she says. Nothing is happening. Its sad. Its changed my life completely. Ill never give up hope. But its coming to a point where I have to think about myself, too.

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Iraqis held a funeral procession in Najaf on Saturday (March 14) for those killed in U.S. airstrikes.

In a statement, Iraq's Joint Operation Command said three soldiers, two policemen and one civilian were killed, with at least a dozen injured.

Chanting slogans, mourners paraded the streets with coffins draped in Iraqi flags.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNNAMED MOURNER, SAYING:

"We condemn the American aggression against our security forces and we would like to tell the Americans to leave our country, those are our dear sons. You are occupiers and you kill our sons. This act is rejected and unacceptable."

Washington launched the strikes in retaliation for a rocket attack on Wednesday (March 11) on a base north of Baghdad that killed two U.S. troops and a British soldier.

The United States defended the air strikes, saying all five targets were legitimate and stored Iranian-supplied weapons used by the militia to attack U.S. troops.

The long-standing feud between the United States and Iran have mostly played out on Iraqi soil in recent months,

Deepening deep-seated tensions between elements of Iraqi society who oppose and support the U.S. military presence.
The rapid spread of coronavirus aka COVID-19 is indeed affecting everyone's life and work, globally. After the first death reported in India, many Indian states started shutting down major places like malls, schools, colleges, cinema halls and others to avoid large gatherings. Earlier, Allu Arjun's next, AA20 helmed by Sukumar was supposed to be shot in Bangkok but due to the outbreak of coronavirus, the makers cancelled the schedule. And now, the next film, which is affected by novel coronavirus is SS Rajamouli's directorial venture, RRR.

According to a report published in a leading web portal states that RRR shooting is getting affected majorly by COVID-19. After the Indian government passed the rule of not sanctioning any foreigners' visas and cancellation of work visas and tourist visas till April 20, RRR team can't progress the shoot due to unavailability of actors. For those who are unversed, RRR is set in the pre-Independence era. Hence, Rajamouli and Co are indeed in an unexpected shock.

Reports states that the Baahubali director is now heading to Goa to find a large number of foreigners who live there to rope in for RRR. However, some major actors including heroine Olivia Morris are likely to miss out the shoot. Apart from that, the RRR team also had to detain the shoot in Hyderabad and Pune due to outbreak of coronavirus.

Talking about the deadly coronavirus, Telangana has 2 positive coronavirus cases while Pune has 10. India has a total of 84 positive cases of COVID-19. Hence, as a precautionary measure, the RRR team has halted the shoot until the government's next intimation. Well, this hurdles might delay the release of RRR which is scheduled to hit the screens on January 8, 2021, on the occasion of Sankranti.

Also Read : RRR Title Details Out And It Has A Reference To Famous Bhajan; Find Out

Coming back to the film, RRR stars Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. Ajay Devgn will be seen in an extended cameo. Stay tuned for the next update about RRR.
Three suspected coronavirus patients who were quarantined left a government hospital in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district on Saturday evening without informing anybody, the police said.

By late night, however, two of them returned to the Ahmednagar district civil hospital. Search was on for the third patient, a Topkhana police station officer said.

Earlier, two women and a man, admitted to a isolation ward of the district hospital in Ahmednagar, left without informing the doctors, an officer said.

The civil surgeon contacted the Tophkhana police station in Ahmednagar city and sought polices help in tracing these persons, whose medical reports are awaited, the official added.

A person in Ahmednagar district is among the 31 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Maharashtra.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A major tragedy was averted on



Saturday as all 88 passengers on board a boat, which capsized off Mandwa coast near Mumbai after hitting a rough patch in the Arabian sea, were rescued, an official said.

The mishap took place around 10.15 am, when the passenger boat- Ajanta- was about to reach the Mandwa jetty in neighbouring Raigad district after leaving the Gateway of India in south Mumbai, he said.

"The boat carrying 88 people, hit a rocky patch around one km from the Mandwa jetty. Due to the impact, water started entering the boat and it began sinking," he said.

The passengers, including women and children, started shouting for help. The crew members of the boat called the authorities for rescue, he said.

"An alert was issued to Marine Police and other agencies. By that time, a police patrol boat with Police Naik Prashant Gharat and two crew members on board, reached the passenger boat," Superintendent of Raigad Police, Anil Paraskar, said.

With the help of the crew, Gharat launched a rescue operation and safely evacuated all the passengers from the boat, he added.

"Thanks to Gharat's presence of mind and timely action, the lives of all the passengers were saved," he said.

Gharat took 80 passengers in the police patrol boat, while the remaining eight were accommodated in another private boat. All the persons were brought to the Mandwa coast safely, Paraskar said.

The work of towing the boat to the coast is on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As shoppers panic-buy everything from hand sanitizer to toilet paper and beans, some Bay Area mothers are expressing concern on social media about whether supplies of infant formula, diapers and other essentials will run low.

Im so disheartened to hear about people going to buy diapers and wipes, or formula and cant find any, Facebook user Delaney Scantlebury wrote in a post to one local mothers group. People, stop hoarding.

Went to Target to get a pack of wipes and this aisle is completely empty, Amber San Miguel wrote.

Its not clear if the online chatter reflects actual shortages, and supply-chain experts have said most stores are able to swiftly restock heavily purchased items, with the exception of hand sanitizer. But a San Francisco nonprofit which relies on donations says its seeing a real shortage.

For days, clients who have showed up at the Homeless Prenatal Program in the Mission District seeking infant formula have been told that its out of stock

This can be devastating for families who rely on us, said Martha Ryan, executive director of the program, which serves many low-income families. Its shocking to me, weve never had a shortage before.

Ryan said the formula shortage began around the time news of the coronavirus took off, almost in parallel. She said it could be a coincidence or that people were donating less, to conserve their own supplies in case stores run short.

The center relies on donations to serve homeless pregnant women and families going through transitional housing. The nonprofit also runs a housing unit, Jelani House, in the Bayview, for expectant mothers. It officially opened last month with five residents, three of whom have given birth recently and two that are waiting to give birth. It can house 17.

Its unfortunate because theres no substitute for formula, said Serena Meyer, a lactation consultant in Oakland. Ive heard that people are thinking about inducing breast milk production but thats not for everybody.

Other options exist. There are groups like Bay Area Breast Milk Co-op, a Facebook page that arranges for parents to partake in milk exchanges. But with school out, and many low-income families now needing to figure out child care and food access, scheduling such exchanges may be difficult  and may go against health officials guidance to maintain social distancing.

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.

Ryan said the immediate need for supplies is at the main office on 2500 18th Street where all of its classes on breastfeeding, prenatal education, individual and group therapy, and classes on finances, parenting and cooking, take place. The nonprofit employs more than 100 and sees hundreds of clients a week.

We serve everyone. People who are in domestic violence situations, anyone who needs help with housing and people from all ages and backgrounds, Ryan said.

The Homeless Prenatal Program is reducing its hours starting Monday for three weeks as a safety measure. Emergency services will still be available.

We dont want to close, thats for sure, Ryan said. What we need to plan for right now is how to take care of people and what were going to do once this is over. Families will need support, people will need food and wed like to be prepared as best we can.

Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika
Experts warn world leaders will have to overcome nationalist tendencies to deal with the rapidly spreading disease.

By Joseph Stepansky

March 14, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The coronavirus outbreak has swept the globe and been declared a pandemic, but experts warn the response of some world leaders, including the administration of US President Donald Trump, has been anything but global.

With more than 140,000 people in some 120 countries infected in the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease, officially known as COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed that international cooperation is needed to contain the rapidly spreading virus.

But in recent days, both China, where the virus was first detected late last year, and the United States, which on Friday declared a national emergency, have shown nationalist tendencies in their political response.

In the US, Trump's approach to the virus has appeared more concerned with a political narrative than the public health threat, critics say, with some calling the president's declaration of a national emergency too little, too late.

"What we're seeing is kind of fragmentation and politicisation along nationalist lines as the pandemic spreads and globalises," Stephen Morrison, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and director of its Global Health Policy Center, told Al Jazeera.

In the Trump administration's portrayal of the outbreak, he said, there has been a "nationalistic, neo-isolationist perspective of trying to pin the blame on the Chinese, pin the blame on the Europeans and trying to minimise or downplay the fact that wherever the virus originated, it's among all of us, it's inside of our borders".

On Wednesday, the White House national security adviser, Robert OBrien, accused China of "covering up" the virus when it first appeared. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in recent days have taken to calling the coronavirus the "Wuhan virus", ignoring WHO's guidelines and inciting rebuke from Beijing.

At the same time, with the number of cases falling in China and soaring abroad, Beijing has started to reject the generally-accepted assessment that the virus originated in Wuhan, the capital of the central Hubei province and the outbreak's hardest-hit city.

On Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Twitter that "it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan", perpetuating a conspiracy theory that has been circulating online, without providing any evidence.

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In Europe, the current epicentre of the pandemic according to WHO, European Union leaders condemned a travel ban announced by Trump on Thursday, which excluded the United Kingdom despite the country having a comparable amount of cases to many states in the bloc.

Trump said that decision was because of the UK's "very strong borders" and not the two governments' close ties in the wake of Britain's departure from the EU.

"It's not a very promising environment for getting high-level political leadership organised around how they're going to deal with this as as a global community," Morrison said. "If we are fragmenting along strategic rivalries and nationalist tendencies, and denialism, that's moving in the opposite direction than what we should be moving towards - how are we going to figure out a way forward that bridges these divisions and emphasises the shared common good?"

Echoing that thought, Leana Wen, a physician and professor of public health at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera that leaders must heed the urging of the WHO to cooperate in overcoming the pandemic.

"This is a public health emergency that knows no boundaries," said Wen, who is also the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore. "We all need to see that we're in this together, and what will benefit one country will benefit the entire world. And similarly, what will harm one country will harm everyone else."

Coronavirus, politics and the US

A presidential response to the coronavirus that initially appeared to focus on downplaying the threat has also had implications for the outbreak in the US, according to experts.

In a March 7 op-ed in the New York Times, Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, said that initially, "federal officials responded in a way that suited the narrative Mr Trump preferred".

"Its no coincidence that the coronavirus has broken out across the country as the president has continued to brag about keeping the disease outside America's border," he wrote. "Pretending we could wall out the virus not only gave the public a false sense of security, it also left the United States unready for the threat it now faces."

Will the Coronavirus pandemic cause a global recession?

Others have criticised what at times appeared to be a greater focus on the economy over the global health risk. Trump compared the coronavirus, which has no vaccine or known treatment regiment, to the flu as markets tanked on March 9, appearing to insinuate the current situation was overblown.

Experts derided the comparison as misleading and inappropriate.

So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020

Since the first US case was reported in Washington state on January 21, the number of infections has ballooned to more than 1,200 in 46 states with at least 36 deaths.

'Most profound crisis that Americans have faced'

On Friday, Trump also pledged up to $50bn for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak, waiving interest on federally held student loans, and giving Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar the authority to waive federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals "flexibility" in treating patients.

However, the urgent tone was much delayed and Trump appeared to have missed the gravity of the moment early on in the outbreak, according to Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"This is the most profound crisis that Americans have faced in terms of how it impacts their daily lives," Miller, author of the End of Greatness: Why America Can't Have (and Doesn't Want) Another Great President, told Al Jazeera. "And as you can see from the profound changes that have occurred, which, in my lifetime, I've never experienced - this goes beyond 9/11, goes beyond the Cuban Missile Crisis in terms of its longevity, its capacity to endure, and the threat that it poses every single day to everybody."

Trump, however, "failed in responsibility number one" which is "levelling with the American public about the nature and the severity of this crisis".

US testing has also lagged behind other countries. Public health officials have attributed the slow response to a combination of factors, including the disbanding of the White Houses National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense in 2018 and the failure to heed the Director of National Intelligence's January 2019 warning of the country's vulnerability to a viral outbreak.

"I don't take responsibility at all," Trump said at a news conference on Friday, when asked about the slow testing, which he vowed had since been resolved.

" Source "
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 12:57:32|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Strained by the novel coronavirus outbreak, China's postal industry logged lower revenue and business volume in the first two months, official data showed.

The postal sector saw business revenue drop by 6.5 percent year on year to 128.6 billion yuan (about 18.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the January-February period, according to the State Post Bureau.

Business volume of the sector dipped by 2.9 percent from the same period of last year to 192.2 billion yuan.

In February, revenue and business volume of the industry edged up 3.3 percent and 5.7 percent year on year, respectively, the bureau said.

In the first two months, China's express delivery companies reported an 8.7-percent decrease in revenue, which stood at 86.49 billion yuan.

Courier firms handled a total of 6.55 billion express parcels, shrinking 10.1 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.
The rebel MLAs who have resigned



from the Congress in support of former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia have sent a letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon and demanded security, Raj Bhavan sources said on Saturday.

Out of 22 rebel MLAs, 19 are camping in Bengaluru.

They sent email to Tandon, saying they were unable to return to Bhopal due to security concerns, sources said.

The MLAs reached Benguluru airport on Friday for flying back to Madhya Pradesh, but dropped the plan at the last minute following a security scare at Bhopal where a large number of Congres and BJP workers clashed.

The rebel MLAs sent the letter to the governor on Friday, demanding security.

Following which, the newly-appointed state Director General of Police Vivek Johri visited the Raj Bhavan, giving rise to speculation that he was summoned by Tandon to discuss the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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The news in brief:

1) Red Sea corals and especially corals of the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea may be one of the last reefs to survive the century. Scientists estimate 70 to 90 percent of all coral reefs will disappear by mid-century, primarily as a result of climate change and pollution. 2) In the Frontiers in Marine Science paper, an exceptionally broad scientific perspective is shared in a call to action to save the Red Sea's coral reef, with authors who have studied it while based in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Australia and the United States. 3) The Red Sea's reef runs along 4,000 Km of coastline and is an important source of income and food for a rapidly growing population of more than 28 million.

STONY BROOK, NY, March 5, 2020 - An international group of researchers led by Karine Kleinhaus, MD, of the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), calls upon UNESCO to declare the Red Sea's 4000km of coral reef as a Marine World Heritage Site and recommends additional measures critical for the reef's survival. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the article cites that while Rapid Ocean warming due to climate change is predicted to decimate 70 to 90 percent of the world's coral reefs by mid-century, the coral reef ecosystem in the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba is strikingly resilient to rising sea temperatures.

Corals in the Gulf of Aqaba, at the northernmost portion of the Red Sea, withstand water temperature irregularities that cause severe bleaching or mortality in most hard corals elsewhere. This uniquely resilient reef employs biological mechanisms which are likely to be important for coral survival as the planet's oceans warm. But while the Gulf of Aqaba could potentially be one of the planet's largest marine refuges from climate change, its reef will only survive and flourish if serious regional environmental challenges are addressed.

"Corals of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the northern Red Sea, may constitute one of the last reefs to survive the century, so it's crucial that countries coordinate on Gulf-wide research and conservation efforts despite regional political tensions," said Dr. Kleinhaus, Visiting Associate Professor at SoMAS. "My co-authors have studied the Red Sea's corals while based in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, the United States and Switzerland. Their exceptionally broad scientific perspectives and deep expertise underpin our discussion of the value and significance of the Red Sea's coral reef, the threats it faces, and the steps that can be taken now to preserve it."

The authors point out that coral reefs of the Red Sea provide food and a source of livelihood to a rapidly growing population of over 28 million people living along its coastline, and are a uniquely rich potential source of new medicines. However, as towns and cities continue to grow along the Red Sea, these areas generate substantial local pressure on its reefs. Some portions of the reef have already been heavily damaged by uncontrolled tourism, human population expansion, overfishing, and coastal development that has led to pollution and a decline in coastal water quality.

Despite existing environmental stressors and newly emerging threats, there are currently no coordinated scientific research or management efforts that encompass the entire Red Sea reef complex.

The researchers assert that the most urgent objective is to advance immediate protection of the Gulf of Aqaba as a World Heritage Site as part of an initiative involving Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Ideally, they say scientists, conservationists, and policy makers should advocate strongly that UNESCO recognize the Red Sea's entire coral reef as a Marine World Heritage Site. Regional scientists and governments should work together to implement transnational research, monitoring and conservation efforts and seek UN support for a long-term scientific monitoring program. Considering political realities, the authors affirm that regional collaboration can be effectively facilitated by the Transnational Red Sea Center, a neutral organization which was established in March 2019 and is based at the Swiss Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The researchers recommend several additional measures including:

Full regional cooperation under the directive of high levels of government

Informing governments of the monetary value and vast medicinal potential of the reef to each nation

Long-term regional monitoring of the threat to the reefs from new coastal development and the accompanying population expansion

sustainable development of the Red Sea coastline

###

The study was co-authored by Prof. Maoz Fine, of Bar-Ilan University's Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, along with a group of scientists who have studied the Red Sea's corals while based in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, the United States and Switzerland. The Swiss Ambassador to Israel also contributed to the article.
It is interesting how defence diplomacy has taken centre stage in the pursuit of our foreign policy. In earlier years, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hardly ever looked at military interactions as a means to further the national interest, and economic issues, trade, cultural ties, and so on were at the forefront.

Now, it would appear that those diplomatic arrows in our quiver are somewhat depleted. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than recent events which have brought defence interactions into greater focus. Following its spectacular electoral victory in ...
Italians take to their balconies at midday to honour their doctors, nurses and healthcare workers battling the country's Coronavirus emergency.

Italy's impromptu singalongs are making world headlines as quarantined Italians rally together from their balconies in songs of hope and solidarity in the face of the deadly Coronavirus.

These marvellous events, centred around the slogan Andra tutto bene (Everything will be all right), have taken place in towns and cities across Italy on recent nights.

The uplifting movement saw widespread participation in Rome yesterday evening, where adults and children took to their windows to wave at each other, play music and sing, swapping fear for hope.

Many joined in rousing renditions of the national anthem, some played the guitar or the trumpet or shook maracas; there was even a performance of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

Children banged pots and pans. There were air horns aplenty. Dogs across Italy played their part enthusiastically.

In the Aventino area of the capital neighbours cheered on a gentleman with a karaoke machine doing his best to belt out nostalgic Roman classics such as Grazie Roma and Roma Capoccia.

Spurred on by this success, there are now growing requests for cooped-up Italians to come together again at noon today, Saturday, to let a round of applause ring out through the deserted streets up and down the country.

In addition to serving as a reminder of "everything that each of us is doing for the nation", organisers say the applause is devoted in particular to Italy's healthcare workers who are serving on the frontline.

Aside from the balcony singalongs there are other plans too. One of the more creative ideas comes from Naples, a city renowned for its ingenuity.

The title of the initiative Anche a casa Napoli non si spegne, translates literally as "Even at home Naples doesn't switch off." However it has a higher meaning too: Naples doesn't give in, Naples won't be snuffed out, the city's spirit won't be broken.

The 'home flash mob' involves residents in alternating neighbourhoods turning on and off their lights for two minutes at a time, between 20.00 and 20.30 tonight.

Inspired by Italo Calvino's lines: "Take life lightly, for lightness is not superficial, but gliding above things, not having weights on your heart", organisers say the idea is designed to "give an imaginary astronaut the spectacle of a wonderful game."

Children in Italy have played a central role in the movement, displaying their rainbow paintings outside the family home and delighting in a rousing break from the monotony of being stuck at home.

Italy's balcony festivities are expected to last for the duration of the quarantine and will likely become more lively as the nights and days wear on. The next session begins tonight, at 18.00.

In the meantime, for those of you in Italy, stick your head out at midday and join the standing ovation in gratitude to the doctors and nurses - Italy's saints and heroes - who are risking their lives to save others.

By Andy Devane

Photo credit: Anastasia Vereftenko / Shutterstock.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:54:46|Editor: huaxia

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The sunrise scenery at Yellow Crane Pavilion in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

The peak of the epidemic in China is over, but it is not time to celebrate.



BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- After an intense battle against COVID-19, the peak of the epidemic in China is over. It is time for China to gear up to help other countries and help themselves resume a normal life.

Although China is moving into a post-peak epidemic period, a worldwide pandemic is developing with the number of infections outside of China topping 60,000, according to reports.

China will never forget those who reached out with helping hands when it was hit hard by the epidemic. It is time to give back. As a line from the Book of Songs goes: "You throw a peach to me; I give you a white jade for friendship."

China always shares materials with others. Medicines, masks, detection kits and other medical materials were shipped from China to other countries in need. It also sent medical experts to countries such as Iran, Iraq and Italy to support local epidemic prevention and control and has decided to donate 20 million U.S. dollars to the WHO to support international cooperation in the fight against the virus.

Medical supplies, including masks, gloves and protective suits, donated to Italy by Lishui City, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 1, 2020. (Xinhua)

China always shares information with others. It keeps the world well-informed of its infection and death numbers and shares the genome sequence with the WHO, a critical move for other countries to work out solutions for treatment at the earliest time possible.

China always shares solutions with others. It published guidelines on COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control and shared them with more than 100 countries and over 10 international and regional organizations. Bilateral and multilateral working mechanisms have been set up to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against the virus.

In the post-peak period, with openness, transparency and a high sense of responsibility for global public health security and people's well-being, China will continue to tackle the epidemic alongside the international community.

The production lines run at a plant of Beijing Hyundai in Cangzhou City, north China's Hebei Province, March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Another task high on China's agenda is to resume normal production and work.

China faces many challenges in resuming production such as logistics, lack of funds and quarantine materials and an uncertain global environment. But there is no excuse for tardiness in making actions. Chinese authorities have coordinated efforts to help companies solve these problems.

Monetary and credit support are indispensable for helping industrial businesses restart. The central bank has decided to lower the proportion of funds for some banks to set aside, a clear signal to pump up liquidity and support recovery of the real economy. Financial institutions have extended credit worth over 1.4 trillion yuan (200 billion U.S. dollars) to companies hit by the epidemic.

Precise and targeted approaches matter. Favorable policies have been extended to many sectors especially private and micro-sized firms and those engaged in manufacturing and spring-plow activities.

The authorities also attach importance to stabilizing foreign trade and introduced a slew of measures in fiscal, credit and insurance sectors helping export companies ease capital strains. Since the epidemic is spreading all over the world, China's stabilization of foreign trade and foreign investment has contributed to the stabilization of the world economy, reflecting the responsibility of a major responsible country.

Outside of Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, the capacity operating rate of industrial enterprises with annual sales revenue over 20 million yuan has reached 95 percent on average, according to a news conference by a joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council held on Friday.

Although the peak of the epidemic in China has passed, it is not time to celebrate. Solid work and cooperation are still important to secure the final victory against the virus in China and in the rest of the world. 
Google's development of a website that will help Americans find a coronavirus testing center may be slower than President Trump hopes.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company expects to introduce a small-scale site next week for California-based patients that will gradually expand to serve a broader population. The website, which Trump said had a workforce of 1,700 engineers and would be available "very quickly," was one of several measures the White House announced Friday to combat the pandemic, which has sickened more than 132,000 people and killed 4,900 -- most in China.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

"What we're building is a triage tool that will live on ProjectBaseline.com, and we plan to pilot it in California next week," said Carolyn Wang, a spokesperson for the search-engine company's subsidiary Verily.

Little information is available on how the system would work but officials at the news conference said it would let people enter their symptoms to determine whether a test is needed, and if so, help them find a nearby site.

"Our aspiration is for the triage tool to be used much more broadly over time," Wang said. "Initially, we're linking it with several sites in the Bay Area to test and iterate, and collaborating closely with organizations like Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp, who are also working on additional approaches to making testing more accessible and expedient in other areas."

California has more than 247 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and five people have died.

Google's partnership with the White House shows that the administration is setting up a larger private sector partnership. It already has partnered with Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS in response to COVID-19

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"Seeing the spread of the virus around the globe, the president realized that our current approach to testing was inadequate to meet the needs of the American public," said Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator. "He asked for an entire overhaul of the testing approach. He immediately called the private sector laboratories to the White House, as noted, and charged them with developing a high-throughput quality platform that can meet the needs of the American public."

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media during a press conference at the Justice and Emergency Services precinct in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 13, 2020. (Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

New Zealand Requires All Travelers Entering Country to Self-Isolate

New Zealand will impose new travel restrictions requiring all travelers entering the countryincluding New Zealand citizens and residentsto unconditionally self-isolate for 14 days.

The Pacific Islands are exempted from this measure. They are the only ones, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Saturday after an emergency cabinet meeting. Anyone from this country, though, will be required to automatically self-isolate should they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival in New Zealand.

Small South Pacific island countries have no reported cases to date. New Zealand has a large South Pacific islander population.

The restrictions go into effect midnight Sunday local time and will be reviewed in 16 days.

New Zealanders are also being advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

Ardern says the latest decision means New Zealand will have the widest-ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world.

We do not take these decisions lightly, she said.

In addition to restrictions on air travel, we are also taking firm measures on cruise ships, the New Zealand prime minister added. As of midnight tonight, were issuing a directive to all cruise ships not to come to New Zealand until at least June 30, 2020that is for incoming cruise shipsat which time the directive will be reviewed.

New Zealand has six confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the latest case confirmed on Saturday. The country has not reported any deaths.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the country canceled a national remembrance service that would mark one year since the attack on Christchurch mosques, citing coronavirus concerns.

This is a pragmatic decision. Were very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldnt create the risk of further harm being done, Ardern said in a statement.
- with reporting from Sean ORiordan, and Evelyn Ring

Ireland is not in lockdown Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said just hours before Tanaiste Simon Coveney warned against travel to the EU in an unprecedented move.

Twenty new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, including four healthcare workers, bringing the total number of cases to 90.

As the country scrambles to find 10,000 more hospital beds to deal with the pandemic, the threshold for testing has been dropped so that anyone who has symptoms can now be tested.

Of the 20 new cases announced last night, six are associated with travel; 12 are associated with contacts of confirmed cases, four of which are healthcare workers; and two are cases of community transmission.

Mr Coveney announced last night on Twitter that in light of rapidly changing conditions & restrictions across a number of EU countries, my Dept is now advising people to exercise a high degree of caution before deciding to travel to other EU States.

Although he later clarified that this advice did not apply to the UK.

HSE boss Paul Reid has said that plans are now being made for the emergency phase of Covid-19 although he hopes that situation will be avoided.

Meanwhile, Dr Holohan emphatically denied rumours that Ireland is gearing up for a status red coronavirus emergency.

This is not a lockdown situation, said Dr Holohan. This is advice and guidance to the public around restricting the majority of social movements.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]

We are not locking down the country. Ive heard rumours of soldiers and gardai and things like that on the street but we have no plan to do anything like that.

However, the Irish Examiner can confirm that army troops will be put on emergency duties in all military installations from Wednesday to aid the Department of Health and the HSE in the battle against the virus.

The army is also considering using camps in Kilworth in Co Cork, the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow, and Kilbride in the Dublin Mountains to act as treatment centres for virus sufferers.

It comes as local garda commanders are scrambling to minimise the number of gardai who might contract Covid-19 and to assist members with children in a bid to maintain policing services.

Senior officers said that unlike other organisations they cannot scale down their business, as criminals will not only continue to operate but will try to exploit the crisis.

However, numerous hotels in Kerry may be forced to close as they face floods of cancellations resulting from the sudden restrictions on events and gatherings.

In other developments:
On Wednesday, two senior Congress leaders saw chief minister Uddhav Thackeray walk in the lobby of the state legislature. Is it that chilly, a former legislator asked his party colleague in reference to the blue-coloured windcheater that Uddhav was wearing.

Strange, said the other Congress leader, for it is the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that are experiencing the warmth of power, with the Congress being left in the cold.

This may be light-hearted banter, but more or less, sums up the thinking in the Congress, which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, with the Shiv Sena and NCP.

The Congress feels that while the NCP has walked away with a bulk of crucial ministries in the Uddhav Thackeray-led regime like finance, water resources, housing and home, it was left with just revenue and public works department (PWD).

The distribution of ministerial berths within the three parties ensured that senior leaders in the Congress, like former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, could not be accommodated in the cabinet.

While the NCP could get its nominee, Ajit Pawar, as the deputy chief minister of the state, the claims by the Congress to this position were turned down as it was given the position of the Speaker.

The Congress wanted Maharashtra to have two deputy chief ministers. Ajit, who launched a short-lived rebellion by being sworn in as the deputy chief minister with the BJPs Devendra Fadnavis, but returned to the party fold later, also holds the finance department.

Bureaucrats and politicians claim that Ajit, who is known for being upfront to the point of being rude, is driving the agenda in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, and is seen as the dominant alpha male of the dispensation.

Uddhav, who lacks experience in legislative politics, is seen as having left the field open for his deputy to run the show.

On Twitter, Sandeep Deshpande, general secretary of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), taunted the Shiv Sena that Ajit Pawar was seen as the de facto chief minister, with Uddhav retreating to the shadows.

Congress ministers and leaders grumble that Ajit often overreaches his authority by holding meetings of departments controlled by Congress ministers and decides on the postings of officials.

Some ambitious proposals floated by ministers from the Congress, like power minister Nitin Raut for free power up to 100 units for residential consumers serviced by the state power distribution utility, are also stuck, reportedly due to objections from the finance department over its financial implications.

The MVA has the bench strength to win four of the seven seats in the Rajya Sabha. The NCP fielded two candidates (Sharad Pawar and Fauzia Khan) and Shiv Sena fielded one (Priyanka Chaturvedi). The Congress, however, had to be content with just one (Rajiv Satav).

The Congress was eager to get the fourth seat that has gone to NCP's Khan, and this has added to the perception in the Congress about getting a raw deal.

However, on the contrary, NCP leaders point to how the Congress, which had all but given up on its chances in the 2019 state assembly polls, was almost riding piggy-back on the aggressive campaign by NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

This ensured that the Congress could get a chunk of the anti-incumbency votes, and 44 legislators in the lower house of the legislature, a marginal rise of two seats from 2014.

The squabbling between the Congress and NCP used to take place intensely even when they ruled Maharashtra for 15 years between 1999 and 2014. This is natural as the two parties compete for a similar political space in Maharashtra. However, at present, the grouse within the party is that the Shiv Sena is more influenced and led by the NCP and Sharad Pawar than the Congress. So eventually, it may come down to a Shiv Sena and NCP versus Congress situation in this regime, explained another source in the Congress.

According to him, the Congress was hence wary of any moves by the NCP, which may undermine the politics of the former.

Congress leaders complain that policy is driven largely by the NCP and the Shiv Sena, with the two parties walking away with the credit for welfare schemes such as the farm loan waiver and the Shiv Bhojan thali, which provides meals at Rs 10 for the underprivileged.

As a senior Congress minister admitted, the party may have been handed a raw deal, but this situation may be better than being on the opposition benches for the next five years. For, he said, as the adage goes, something is better than nothing. So, will the Congress come to terms with this arrangement, or will a Jyotiraditya Scindia rise from the ranks of the Maha Vikas Aghadi as BJP leaders claim?

(Dhaval Kulkarni is a Mumbai-based journalist and author of The Cousins Thackeray: Uddhav, Raj and the Shadow of their Senas. Views are personal)
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In the early hours of March 15, Ukraine will stop rail passenger communication with Poland, the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia reported on Facebook.

"In connection with the decision of the Government of the Republic of Poland on the temporary closure of international communications with other countries, passenger trains traffic to Poland will be suspended on Sunday midnight, March 15," it says.

Last trains from Poland will leave for Ukraine on March 14: two Intercity + trains from Przemysl and a night train from Warsaw. The last trains from Ukraine to Poland departed on the morning of March 14.

"For the period of suspension of passenger traffic with Poland, Ukrzaliznytsia will not send more trains to this country. Intercity trains will run to Lviv," the carrier reports.

Tickets for canceled flights are suspended. Refunds for previously purchased tickets are held at all Ukrzaliznytsia ticket offices.
With rise in Omicron cases, SC to conduct hearings virtually for next two weeks

Can't allow every person who thinks of some solution to COVID-19 to file petition: SC

Under COVID-19 scare, these 6 Benches will hear matters in Supreme Court

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 14: The Supreme Court has decided to limit its functioning due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and hold hearing of only six out of 15 benches on Monday.

The six benches will take up for hearing only urgent matters and no persons, except lawyers concerned, will be allowed inside its courtrooms.

According to the circular issued by the Supreme Court on Friday, the six benches will comprise of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah, Justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran, Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhatt, Justices S K Kaul and Sanjiv Khanna.

On Monday and Friday of every week, the Supreme Court usually functions with 15 benches and take up mostly miscellaneous matters.

China reports 13 new coronavirus deaths, toll at 3,189

Earlier in the day, a notification issued by the Supreme Court said it had been decided that from Monday, it would take up for hearing only urgent matters.

It said that instead of the courts already notified for Monday, only six benches would be taking up urgent matters and no constitution bench or special bench matters would be taken up.

The circular said a revised list of matters to be taken up by these benches would be issued and the benches for next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday would be notified later.

The Supreme Court has been mulling over the issue in its meetings held at the residence of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Thursday and Friday, as it took note of the Centre's March 5 advisory cautioning against mass gatherings and the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a 'pandemic'.

The Supreme Court's notification, issued by its secretary general Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar, said it had been decided that its functioning would be restricted to urgent matters.

"On reviewing the advisory issued by the Government of India and in view of the opinion of public health experts, including medical professionals, and also considering the safety and welfare of all the visitors, litigants, lawyers, court staff, security, maintenance and support staff, student interns and media professionals, the competent authority has been pleased to direct that the functioning of the courts shall be restricted to urgent matters with such number of benches as may be found appropriate," the notification said.

"It is hereby notified that no persons, except the lawyers who are going to act in the matter that is either for argument or for making oral submissions or to assist along with one litigant only, shall be permitted in the courtroom," it said, adding that the mentioning of matters for urgent hearing would be made only before the mentioning officer.

The Supreme Court has sought cooperation in this regard considering the importance of the safety measures to maintain public health.

Coronavirus: Positive cases spike to 83; 7 more recovered

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) secretary Ashok Arora had said on Thursday that a meeting was held at the residence of the CJI to discuss the coronavirus outbreak and the possibility of limiting the top court's functioning.

Besides the CJI and Arora , Justices Arun Mishra and U U Lalit, Attorney General K K Venugopal, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and officials of Union Health Ministry and Union Law Ministry attended the meeting to discuss the issue.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday after a 68-year-old woman, whose son with a travel history abroad had tested positive, died in Delhi.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of novel coronavirus cases in India stands at 82, which include 16 Italians and a Canadian.

Several states across India went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19, shutting down schools, theatres and colleges, and many public events, including the IPL, were postponed.

Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 13:13 [IST]
Clogher Valley Livestock Producers pleaded guilty to two breaches of health and safety legislation at Belfast Crown Court (stock photo)

A Co Tyrone company has been fined 12,500 following the death of a pensioner at a livestock mart.

Harry McAnespie, from Aughnacloy, was killed after being struck by a gate at Clogher Mart in June 2018.

Clogher Valley Livestock Producers pleaded guilty to one breach of health and safety legislation at Dungannon Court

Mr McAnespie had been struck by an inadequately maintained steel stock-proof gate when a young bull had attempted to jump over it.

The gate had a defective latch which meant it could not close properly. These type of gates are common in the mart and throughout the industry.

In a statement, Clogher Valley Livestock Producers Company Ltd said: "This was a tragic incident and our thoughts continue to be with Harry's wife Dympna, four children and the extended family."

It added: "We constantly strive to make the mart a safe place and our safety record over the 66 years the mart has been in existence has been very good."
NEW HAVEN  The Yale New Haven Health system confirmed Saturday that its chief nursing executive and several patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and another executive has been exposed to the virus, while a city resident has also tested positive for the virus.

The states total number of confirmed cases reached 20 Saturday night, according to an update from Gov. Ned Lamont. He said of those 20 cases, 15 are in Fairfield County, three in Litchfield County and one each in Hartford and New Haven counties.

Yale New Haven Health CEO Marna Borgstrom said in statement that the patients positive tests were not unexpected as the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and public health officials made it clear that community transmission is occurring in the state of Connecticut. However, it does underscore the nature of this virus which requires ongoing diligence and monitoring.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and the citys Health Director Maritza Bond announced in a joint statement Saturday confirmed a New Haven resident tested positive for coronavirus  the citys first positive case.

Bond said the reident will remain under self-isolation.

We have been anticipating this inevitable moment and anticipate many more cases, Elicker said.

The second confirmed case of a Connecticut resident contracting the virus was a health care worker at Bridgeport Hospital in her 60s from Bethlehem. She is believed to have contracted the virus on a trip to Nevada.

Borgstrom did not mention the Bethlehem woman in her letter nor she did disclose any additional information about the affected patients such as where they were being treated.

The Yale New Haven Health system includes Yale New Haven Hospital; Bridgeport Hospital; Greenwich Hospital; Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London; Westerly Hospital in Westerly, R.I.; as well as a number of outpatient centers.

At the same time, Yale New Haven Healths chief nursing executive, Beth Beckman, has tested positive and has self-isolated at home, according to Borgstrom.

Beth is doing well and remains engaged in our daily operations, Borgstrom said.

In addition, Yale New Haven Healths chief clinical officer, Dr. Thomas Balcezak, has been exposed to COVID-19, according to Borgstrom.

While Balcezak has tested negative and has no symptoms, he has self-quarantined at home for the next 14 days as a result of his wifes positive test, Borgstrom said. He remains engaged in our daily operations while working at home, Borgstrom said.

As always, our top priority remains the safety of patients, visitors and everyone that works throughout the Yale New Haven Health System, Borgstrom added. Anyone that has come into direct contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 should self-monitor and, should symptoms arise, contact their primary care physician directly.
Michael Caine opposite John David Washington on his one day of filming Tenet. (Image by Warner Bros)

Michael Caine has admitted that even he doesnt know what Christopher Nolans upcoming new blockbuster Tenet is about.

The 87-year-old Oscar winner will appear in yet another of the British directors films, having previously popped up in Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and even Dunkirk, although his role in the latter as the Fortis Leader was an uncredited voice cameo.

Read More: 'Tenet' trailer: Robert Pattinson and John David Washington join forces for Christopher Nolan's time-bending thriller

There is a huge amount of secrecy surrounding Tenet, which revolves around John David Washington and Robert Pattinsons secret agents trying to prevent World War III by using time travel.

But dont expect anymore details from Caine regarding the film, as he recent told The Hindu that he doesnt even know what the title means.

FRANCE - NOVEMBER 08: Hugh Jackman Christopher Nolan and Michael Caine in Paris, France on November 08, 2006. (Photo by Frederic SOULOY/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

He [Nolan] is so secretive he wont let me have the script. All I had was one days work and he gave me my pages. I did my part and shot only with John David. I havent heard anything since.

Its hardly a surprise that Nolan made sure Caine was involved in Tenet, even if it was in such a minor capacity. Thats because the actor admits that he has become something of a lucky mascot for the director.

Read More: Christopher Nolan is being given a ridiculously big budget for 'Tenet'

All the films I have made with him have raked in over a billion dollars, so he has to have me in a film even if he has no part for me. In Dunkirk, I was only a voice-over and I got billing in the credit title.

Well get to see if the duo can replicate the same success with Tenet, which also stars Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Dimple Kapadia, when it is released on July 17, 2020.
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Here is a running list of businesses that have permanently closed since the Bay Areas shelter-in-place orders began on March 17.

Dec. 29

Chili Lemon Garlic, a Thai restaurant in SoMa, has closed. A takeout-heavy spot popular with office workers in the area, the restaurant offered homestyle Thai American classics like green curry, pad thai and chicken wings.

December 21 was the last day of service for Cookiebar Scoop Shop in Alameda. On Instagram, the ice cream shop posted a note alluding to a conflict with its landlord as the reason behind its sudden exit. The shop was known for its eclectic flavors, ranging from ice cream swirled with spicy Lao Gan Ma chili crisp and a surprisingly on-point Yakult variety, based on the Japanese probiotic drink. Cookiebar Creamerys Oakland outpost remains open.

Opened in 1920, the 15,000-square-foot Far East Cafe is an elder statesman among Chinatowns restaurants, and well be losing a substantial slice of history when it closes this week. Until the pandemic, massive banquet restaurants like Far East Cafe have been a staple of San Franciscos Chinese American community, hosting events like weddings, political fundraisers and Lunar New Year parties. In response to news of the impending closure, San Francisco Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Sandra Lee Fewer introduced a $1.9 million relief plan for Chinatown restaurants, hoping to prevent Far East Cafes closure, among others.

In Oaklands Chinatown, dim sum restaurant Gourmet Delight has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside. It generated long waits on weekend mornings for its affordable, cart-presented Cantonese dim sum service. Opened in 2005, the restaurant has been a popular destination for East Bay Chinese families since day one.

Tea shop Julies Oakland has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside.

Berkeley Mexican cafe La Capilla has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside. Home of the very Californian mushroom and kale tacos (and also some really bangin fish tacos), the restaurant served homestyle, satisfying fare that resonated with its neighborhood.

Valencia Street cheese restaurant and shop Mission Cheese is closing on December 29 after 10 years in business. The closure was first reported by Tablehopper. Devoted to American artisan cheesemakers and pasture-farmed dairy, the restaurant used grilled cheeses and cheese plates to introduce lesser-known cheeses to the public.

After eight years, Old Oakland Caribbean restaurant Miss Ollies will be closing this week. Owner and chef Sarah Kirnon told Eater SF that she plans to refocus her energy into a new nonprofit project called Sanctuary, which will host community events featuring Black chefs- and artists-in-residence.

The temporary closure of downtown Berkeleys Tharaphu Burmese Street Food has become permanent, as reported by Berkeleyside. The restaurant specialized in quick dishes like mote let kauk, Burmese donuts drizzled in palm sugar syrup.

Heres a two-fer. Udon Underground and Ramen Underground, a pair of Japanese restaurants in the Financial District, have both closed. The sister restaurants (conveniently located next to each other) served bowls of soup and hearty rice bowls that were made for clammy San Francisco winters. Chef-owner Ken Matsumura opened Ramen Underground in 2011, and its sister restaurant followed in 2018.

Dec. 22

Ozaoza, one of few San Francisco restaurants focused on kaiseki, which is a traditional style of Japanese dining consisting of seasonal dishes served in a designated order, has closed. The restaurant was an intimate space in Japantown, with an eclectic menu that could one day have sea urchin served with kabocha squash, and the next feature red snapper rice infused with the gingery flavor of a dashi broth. The restaurant announced the closure on Instagram, but did not specify a reason for it.

Uptown Oaklands Soul Provisions restaurant and cafe has also closed. Over the last two years, the restaurant became known for its live music and its playful blend of Filipino and Thai-inspired dishes  think chicken adobo tacos with mango salsa, and crispy lumpia stuffed with pork or shrimp. On Facebook, the restaurant said the shutdown was due to months of struggling to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dec. 15

San Franciscos touristy seafood restaurant Cliff House  famous for its unparalleled views over the Pacific Ocean for 157 years  has closed after a split between the landlord, the National Park Service, and the longtime operators. Its unclear if the landmark will reopen as a restaurant in the future.

Modern Indian destination August 1 Five will permanently close Dec. 20 after four years. The San Francisco restaurants inventive dishes like kale chaat and Punjabi-style fish and chips earned it a spot on the Chronicles Top 100 for three years.

Olive Garden at Stonestown Galleria has closed after nearly 20 years in business, as reported by Hoodline. This was the only San Francisco location of the Florida chain, which means the end of endless breadsticks for city residents. (There are still several other Bay Area outlets, such as in Vallejo, Fremont and Hayward.)

Oaklands El Gusano has closed after seven years, according to Hoodline. The sister restaurant to San Franciscos Tropisueno operated as a casual taqueria by day and higher end Mexican restaurant at night.

Dec. 8

The Foster City location of Hong Kong-style restaurant chain Cooking Papa has closed and is now up for lease after nine years in business. Its prime waterfront location and faithful renditions of Cantonese standards were major draws for Hong Kong expats. Its two counterparts in Mountain View and Santa Clara remain open.

Per a posting on its door, DNM Hot Pot in the Richmond District has closed permanently. With its traditional Mongolian decor, custom-made pots and soups that didnt require dipping sauces to enjoy, it wasnt your typical hot pot place.

Leah Millis / The Chronicle 2015

Castro/Duboce Triangle dive bar Lucky 13 closed this past Sunday, as reported by BrokeAssStuart. The 27-year-old bars closure was inevitable in the face of its buildings pending redevelopment into condominiums, though the most recent lockdown hastened its demise.

Dec. 1

Berkeleyside reports that, due to the challenging business environment, Oakland gastropub Aisle 5 has closed. The craft beer bar and restaurant doubled as a live music venue and was a popular stop for Beer Week events.

Though 9-year-old French bistro Castagna in San Franciscos Marina District was reported to have been in the process of closing last year, owner Stephane Meloni posted on social media app Nextdoor that the weekend of Dec. 5 would truly be the restaurants last before closing for real.

Three-year-old Oakland cafe the Gastropig has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside. The popular neighborhood brunch spot was known for its creative, heart attack-inducing fare and industrial-chic ambiance.

Jen Fedrizzi / Special to the Chronicle

Iza Ramens SoMa location has closed, as reported to The Chronicle by a reader. It was opened in 2013 by chef Ritsu Tsuchida, first as a pop-up and then as a full-fledged restaurant, quickly becoming favored among Bay Area ramen connoisseurs. Its Lower Haight location remains open.

Formerly a popular study zone for university students, Berkeleys Sacks Coffee House has closed, as reported by SFGate and Berkeleyside.

Triple Voodoo Brewery, which had a taproom in the Dogpatch neighborhood, has closed, as reported by BrokeAssStuart. The brewery has ceased all operations due to a lack of revenue during the pandemic.

Nov. 24

Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle 2019

Mozzeria, known as San Franciscos first and only Deaf-owned-and-operated restaurant, closed earlier this month, as first reported by KQED. With staff who were Deaf and versed in American Sign Language, the pizzeria was a hub for the citys Deaf community as well as an entry point into Deaf culture for hearing customers. The business food truck will remain in operation, as will its new location in Washington, D.C.

In the Richmond District, Yiyis Mandarin Kitchen has closed. Opened in 2019, it was a home for traditional, chile pepper-laced Sichuanese dishes, fried beef short ribs and meat skewers heavily perfumed with cumin.

Nov. 17

Miminashi, which brought izakaya-style cuisine to Napa, will be having its last dinner service on Nov. 23. On Instagram, owners Jessica and Curtis Di Fede wrote, (A)s Winter and its challenges arrive, PPP funds dry up, and the ability to financially stay afloat after so many months of struggle leaves us adrift, we see the writing on the wall.

On Nov. 28, Walnut Creeks Sabores Del Sur will close for good. Owned by Chilean immigrant Guisell Osorio, the cafe was a reliable place to find delicious South American dishes like handmade empanadas, Peruvian lomo saltado and Chilean-style blood sausage. In her Instagram announcement, Osorio mentioned that she will be moving the companys catering arm to a commercial kitchen and seeking a new location for the cafe.

Casual Vietnamese restaurant Tam Tam has closed, as reported by Elena Kadvany at Peninsula Foodist. The restaurant, by Tamarine owners Tanya Hartley and Tammy Huynh, opened in Palo Alto last year with a menu that spanned the regional cuisines of Vietnam. Hartley and Huynh told Kadvany that they hope to reopen the concept in the same area.

Nov. 10

North Berkeleys Tuscan trattoria, Corso, has closed after 12 years, as reported by Berkeleyside, which wrote that the restaurant actually went dark in June after takeout and delivery did not prove to be sustainable. In addition, sister restaurant Rivoli has been sold to its former general manager, Blake Peters, and will stay open. Owners Wendy Brucker and Roscoe Skipper told Berkeleyside that, while theyre stepping away from restaurants, theyre developing meal kits and catering during the new year.

Nov. 3

Just steps away from the Downtown Berkeley Station, Little Hunan was a reliable dinner spot for university students. The family-owned restaurant has closed after 34 years, as reported by Berkeleyside.

The perfect East Coast-style bacon, egg and cheese sandwich was the focal point at Oaklands Binney Park. But as the office breakfast crowd shrank, so did the demand of delicious breakfast sandwiches. As reported by Berkeleyside, the cafe has now closed.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Per an Instagram post by the restaurant, Pesce e Riso has closed. In the Italian enclave of North Beach, the restaurant stood apart with its incorporation of Japanese culinary influences. Here, one could sample tempura-style fritti misti and risotto with Japanese-style curry.

Rosa Mexicano, an upscale Mexican restaurant in the Financial District, has closed. The nationwide chain is known for its glamorous decor and tableside guacamole service; this San Francisco location, open since 2012, was very popular for company parties.

Oct. 27

Albert Law

The three Nicks locations in the Bay Area (Nicks Kitchen, Nicks on Grand, Nicks on Mission) are now closed. They were owners Reina Montenegro and Kenny Annis outlets for plant-based Filipino cuisine, where sisig was made with mushrooms and tofu and crisp lumpia were stuffed with shreds of mock pork. In place of the restaurants, Montenegro has opened an online delivery service, where shell offer prepackaged meats, care packages and prepared food.

Last week, Cockscomb chef/owner Chris Cosentino announced that he would be permanently closing his meat-centric San Francisco restaurant Cockscomb after six years. Ive been sitting here trying to say this over and over again eloquently but ultimately it just sucks. We are closing Cockscomb permanently, he said on Instagram.

After five years, Forest Hill hotpot specialist My Pot has closed. While unable to serve its bubbling broths for in-person dining, the restaurant had been offering hotpot sets for takeout during the pandemic. It was also known of its extremely spicy dishes, like its ghost pepper beef broth and wings so spicy youd have to sign a waiver before ordering them.

As first reported by Palo Alto Online, Shalala Ramen is closing up shop after a decade in Mountain View. Owner Nobu Iwahashi told the publication that the restaurants sales went down by 50% during the pandemic, an issue exacerbated by its relative lack of outdoor dining space. Iwahashi now has plans to open a pickup-only venture called Fugetsu in San Jose.

Flights on Castro Street, a Mountain View restaurant that served every dish in sets of three, has also closed, Palo Alto Online reports. The closure follows a settlement between owner Alex Hult and the restaurants landlord over unpaid rent.

Oct. 20

Berkeleys Au Coquelet Cafe has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside. With its early morning and late night opening hours, the 46-year-old neighborhood cafe and restaurant was a popular meeting spot for community members of all ages.

Palio Cafe, a restaurant on UCSFs Parnassus campus, has closed permanently after 16 years. Owner Bettie Scodel attributed the closure to the pandemic, which resulted in fewer people coming to campus. Even after laying off staff, cutting opening hours and reducing menu options, the business remained untenable, Scodel said.

Oct. 13

John Storey / Special to the Chronicle 2016

San Franciscos oldest steakhouse, Alfreds Steakhouse, has permanently closed. For more than 90 years, the restaurant was an emblem of old-school culinary showmanship: orders of bananas foster were set aflame tableside and guys in suits sipped enormous martinis under crystal chandeliers. After a reformat, a fire and another reformat, the restaurant closed temporarily in 2019; but a real estate listing for the Merchant St. space confirms that the closing is now firm.

Located on the ground floor of the Pickwick Hotel, the casual Cafe Venue has closed, and its location is now up for lease. The restaurant was a favorite breakfast and lunch destination for office workers  particularly those of The Chronicles newsroom. Two other branches of the restaurant remain open in downtown San Francisco.

Cinema-themed coffee shop Orsons Belly has closed, per a recent announcement on its official Facebook page. The popular Richmond District cafe and vermouth bar opened four years ago, quickly garnering neighborhood support for its silent film nights and literary events.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2015

Following Neiman Marcus declaration of bankruptcy in May and the national retailers subsequent restructuring, the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus has closed, as reported by Hoodline. The restaurant, located under a stained glass ceiling in the retailers Union Square shopping center, was a favorite of tourists and those looking for an elegant lunch date.

As reported by KQED, popular music venue and bar Starline Social Club has closed, and its owners are currently seeking a buyer for the business and the building that houses it. Open since 2015, the club was a hotspot for Oaklands creative scene, hosting comedy shows, experimental music acts and rent parties for community members.

Oct. 6

Jean Ho / Special to the Chronicle 2017

Macaron maker Chantal Guillon is closing her eponymous shops in Hayes Valley, SoMa and Palo Alto after 12 years in business. Their final day of service will be October 10, with macarons available for pickup until then.

After 85 years, Harringtons Bar & Grill in San Franciscos Financial District has closed. On the announcement on the bars website, owner Michael Harrington wrote that, while the decision to close was difficult, reopening would be even more arduous. To wait out this pandemic was financially unreasonable.

Siam Bay Authentic Thai Cuisine in Old Oakland has closed, as reported by Berkeleyside. The cozy restaurant, whose centerpiece was an elaborate facsimile of a traditional Thai roof, was a reliable standby for its all-you-can-eat buffet lunches.

Slicer, a New York-style pizzeria in Oaklands Piedmont neighborhood, has closed permanently, per a sign in its window. Open for seven years, the pizzeria was known for throwing seasonal, organic toppings like roasted cauliflower and kale onto its formidable slices.

Sept. 29

Cake Gallery in SoMa, a purveyor of many delicious yet often-tasteless pornographic cakes, has closed, as reported by Broke Ass Stuart. Thank you for 38 years, a sign in the window says. While the bakery was notorious for its many cakes decorated with genitalia sculpted from frosting, it also specialized in airbrushed portrait cakes and 3-D cakes shaped like tacos, cameras and other inanimate objects.

Piedmont Sicilian restaurant Dopos last day of service will be Oct. 3, per an announcement on the business Instagram page. Since 2003, the restaurant was known for its daily tasting menus, handmade pasta and charred pizza pies. In the post, owners Kayta and Jon Smulewitz spoke to a sense of frustration: The government has failed restaurants and small businesses; each one lost is a small ecosystem down, a network of people negatively impacted. Each one lost is heartbreaking and infuriating.

Meat-free sandwich shop Love N Haight Delis last day will be Oct. 1. Opened in 2000, the Lower Haight deli was known for its broad vegetarian options: smoked vegetarian duck, Boca burgers and hummus sandwiches were just a few of the offerings.

During the Glass Fire, which has since torn through more than 42,000 acres of land in Wine Country, many of the buildings of the Meadowood resort in Napa Valley were destroyed, including the acclaimed Restaurant at Meadowood. The Michelin-starred restaurants last service was on Sept. 26; the owners have committed to rebuilding.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2017

One of the few Uyghur restaurants in the Bay Area, Sama Uyghur Cuisine, has closed. Opened in 2017 by veterans of Eden Silk Road, another Uyghur restaurant, the elaborately decorated Union City restaurant served Central Asian halal food, like whole lamb kebab marinated in warm spices and freshly baked flat breads.

Per an announcement on Instagram, Thai gelato shop Secret Scoops last day will be Oct. 18. The Berkeley shops gelatos were proudly Thai, with flavors like pungent durian, pandan and chocolate lemongrass. According to Berkeleyside, owner Funn Fisher, a Bangkok native, has sold the business to Ono Bakehouse, which will sell pastries and ice cream featuring Hawaiian flavors.

Sept. 22

In Jack London Square, 10-year-old craft beer taproom Beer Revolution has closed for good. The taproom had been closed throughout shelter-in-place. Its well-worn space, decorated with stickers and permanent marker signatures, was a favorite of craft beer fans throughout the East Bay.

John Storey / Special to the Chronicle 2012

Southern Pacific Brewing in San Francisco has closed, Eater SF reports. The brewerys 8,500-square-foot space, which served as a combination restaurant, bar and brewery, is now on sale. According to owner Chris Lawrence, the brewerys outdoor seating expansion in the summer, an attempt to recoup sales lost to the pandemic, was stymied by the heat wave and wildfire smoke.

Five-year-old Tenderloin restaurant Rustys Southern has announced that its last day of service will be on September 25. Purveyors of porky Carolina-style barbecue, Rustys was one of the few restaurants in the city that focused on Southern cuisine.

After five years in San Franciscos Parkside neighborhood, One Boiling Pot Mixian Noodles has closed. It was known for its Yunnanese crossing the bridge noodles: fresh noodles in hot broth accompanied by toppings like quail eggs, shaved pork belly and enoki mushrooms.

Sept. 15

The Fillmore Street location of southern Indian restaurant Dosa has closed, leaving the restaurants Oakland outpost as its only brick-and-mortar. The bulk of its operation will now be handled via its virtual kitchen in South San Francisco, which will offer takeout and delivery from hubs throughout the Bay Area.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2018

Thad Vogler, one of San Franciscos most prominent barkeepers, has permanently closed three of his four restaurants: Obispo, Trou Normand and Nommo. All three have been closed during shelter-in-place; now, Voglers sole restaurant is Bar Agricole.

La Boulangerie, a San Francisco bakery chain, has closed two of its Bay Area locations, in Rockridge and on Sutter Street in San Francisco. In an interview with SFGate, co-owner Nicolas Bernardi said that the closures were due to the business being unable to cement reduced rent agreements with the landlords for those spaces.

Oaklands Tribune Tavern has closed due to a contentious split between owner Chris Pastena and the restaurants landlord, Highbridge Equity, as reported by Berkeleyside. According to its reporting, while Pastena attributed the closure to the landlord declining his offer to pay a portion of back rent, the landlord claimed that offer was never made. The restaurants last day was September 11.

Sept. 8

Beach Street Grill Organic Restaurant at Fishermans Wharf, which had been closed through the duration of shelter-in-place, will not reopen. The restaurants management announced the closure on its website, which has since been taken down. One of the few health food-focused restaurants in an area that catered to visitors, Beach Street Grill was a fixture of the area for 15 years.

Inner Sunset Thai restaurant Bussaba closed in late August after 10 years in business. In its announcement, the team stated that they would be pivoting to a new home-delivery food project. Plans are still in the works, but they hope that it will be a more viable way to meet the challenges of the pandemic.

Sept. 1

David Paul Morris / San Francisco Chronicle 2005

On August 29, 16-year-old Laurel Village cafe Rigolo Cafe served its last tartines. In an announcement on the restaurants employee GoFundMe page, owner Douglas Mathieux wrote, We did our best to stay open, and endured for 5 months, but in the end, sales were just not high enough to justify staying open any longer. Sister restaurant Artesano will remain open.

Kinjo, Russian Hills acclaimed sushi bar, has closed and transitioned into a second location of its Noe Valley sister restaurant, Saru Sushi Bar. Saru is more casual than Kinjos kaiseki-inspired cuisine, with a broad range of maki rolls and a la carte nigiri on offer.

As reported by Eater SF and confirmed by restaurateur Mitchell Rosenthal, SoMa hotspot Salt House is closed for good. The restaurant opened in 2007 and shut its doors at the onset of the pandemic. That temporary closure became permanent as shelter-in-place continued.

Berkeleys Famous Bao, incidentally better known for its Shaanxi-style noodles than for its bao, has closed its two locations as reported by Berkeleyside. As UC Berkeleys student population, especially its international students, stayed home, the restaurants fortunes dimmed significantly.

Aug. 25

E Tutto Qua, one of former Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauers favorite restaurants in North Beach, has closed, per an announcement on Facebook. The lively Roman-style eatery had occupied a prime location on Columbus Avenue for 13 years and epitomized the North Beach experience for many San Franciscans and visitors alike.

Kirsten Ryczek

Dreamy seafood palace Farallon has closed after 23 years of entertaining happy hour crowds in its opulent dining room in Union Square. It was just not going to make sense given all the ramifications of the pandemic for Farallon to try to reopen either as it was  as a fine-dining restaurant with a lot of seats  or to try to think about how to pivot the restaurant, said restaurant partner Pete Sittnick.

The Little Chihuahuas Valencia Street location closed for good on August 23. While a spokesperson for the Mexican restaurant says its other three locations have been thriving in recent months, the Valencia location was the sole exception.

In San Mateo and Mountain View, two locations of Paul Martins American Grill will not be reopening, as reported by the East Bay Times. In a statement, the steakhouse chain stated, This decision comes after painstaking discussions and deliberations due to the devastating effects of the pandemic and its impact on our local business and community.

On August 20, Potrero Hill Mediterranean restaurant Pera announced that it would be closing on Facebook. We did our best to save Pera, the owners wrote, but their efforts couldnt combat the grievous financial impact of the pandemic. They plan to move their other restaurant, Papito, into Peras location.

In an email sent to customers and friends, the owner of Pica Pica Maize Kitchen announced that the 14-year-old Venezuelan restaurant would be closing its doors for good on August 30. As reported by Hoodline, owner Adriana Lopez Vermut did not exclude the possibility of a Pica Pica revival at some point down the line. The restaurant was one of the few places where one could get Venezuelan cuisine in San Francisco proper.

As reported by Sonoma Magazine, Tisza Bistro in Windsor closed on August 15 after a three-year run. To say that things have been difficult over the last several months would be a severe understatement, wrote chef Krisztian Karkus in an email to patrons. The Eastern European restaurant is just one of many Sonoma County businesses struggling from the double disaster of wildfires and the pandemic.

Aug. 18

Ton Kiang, one of San Franciscos longest-running dim sum parlors and Hakka-style restaurants, announced it will close in the Richmond District after service on Aug. 30. Richard Wong, whose parents started the business in Chinatown in 1978, said he was ready for retirement and that the coronavirus sped up the process.

A SoMa cafe that entrenched itself as a popular hangout among San Franciscos tech industry elite, the Creamery, permanently closed due to the pandemic, as first reported by SFGate. It had been in the area for 12 years.

Stephen Lam / Special to the Chronicle 2012

Recchiuti Confections is closing its retail shop in San Franciscos Dogpatch neighborhood, according to reports in Hoodline. The home-grown high-end chocolate company will continue to do manufacturing nearby in the neighborhood and will focus its efforts on its shop in the Ferry Building.

Great Gold, an Italian-American restaurant that replaced Foxsister in San Franciscos Mission District a year ago, has closed as reported by Tablehopper. Founded by David Steele, who is also behind Flour + Water and other restaurants in the Ne Timeas restaurant group, it was known for homey dishes like chicken Parmesan and had tried selling meal kits during the pandemic.

Douglas, an upscale corner store and cafe in Noe Valley that had recently become a pickup site for restaurant meal delivery as well as a hub for groceries and wine, is closing at the end of the month according to Eater SF.

The Polk Street cocktail bar and restaurant House Rules closed for business on July 27, as first reported by Eater SF. The business was launched in 2015 by the team behind Eddie Rickenbackers.

Another longtime restaurant that has served its last brunch is Seal Rock Restaurant, according to Eater SF, which reported that the owners decided to close after getting news of a large rent hike. Located at Lands End, the 46-year-old hotel diner was right near fellow breakfast stalwart Louis Restaurant, which also closed last month.

Aug. 12

Downtown South San Franciscos Armstrong Brewing Co. has closed, as reported by the Daily Journal. Prior to the pandemic, the brewerys taproom was a thriving event space and watering hole for the neighborhood. That source of income was cut off by myriad requirements of San Mateo Countys shelter-in-place order. I dont think there is a small craft brewery in the Bay Area that is turning a profit, a brewery spokesman told the Daily Journal.

In Berkeley, Maison Bleue, a French crepe shop and bistro, has closed after three years in business, though the space isnt sitting empty. It has already transitioned into Mise En Place Kitchen, a cafe that promises to keep some of Maison Bleues French items on its menu while introducing some novel Latin American and Californian influences.

After a pivot from restaurant to general store that seemed to keep San Franciscos Prairie thriving, chef/owner Anthony Strong told The Chronicle that the business would be permanently closing on Aug. 14. The reality is we traded a tough-to-run, low-margin business model that we knew, for a tough-to-run, low-margin business model that was completely foreign to us, Strong said.

Aug. 4

Castro nightclub Badlands, one of the neighborhoods most popular video bars, has closed, as first reported by SFist. The gay bar originally announced on Facebook that it would not be reopening and that a different bar will take its place later this year.

Novatos East Coast-style restaurant Checker NY Deli served its last sandwiches on July 31, after a year in operation. Owner Lynn Moffett spoke to the difficulty in sustaining the operation for takeout and catering in a Facebook post about the closure: (A)s the months have gone on and the pandemic continues to unfold, it is apparent that the restaurant industry will be changed for a very long time.

The SoMa location of Hinodeya, a ramen chain known for its light, seafood-flavored soups, has closed. Hinodeyas storefront at 303 Second St. opened in 2019, three years after its debut in San Franciscos Japantown. The Japanese chain has been around for 100 years.

Castro German cafe Mauerpark has announced that its last day would be Aug. 14, Hoodline reports. In an email to customers, owner Salome Buelow announced that she would be selling off decor and furniture from the cafe. In addition, she is hoping to obtain a cottage license so that she can continue to produce and sell German baked goods.

Due to a unsustainable drop in business during the pandemic, Mayfield Bakery & Cafe in Palo Alto has closed, Palo Alto Online reports. Bacchus Management Group opened the farm-to-table restaurant in the Town & Country Village shopping center in 2009. Despite receiving rent relief from the shopping center, the restaurants financial situation remained untenable, according to a statement by owner Tim Stannard.

Dogpatch restaurant Serpentine has closed, Eater SF reports. Owner Tommy Halvorson told Eater that the restaurant was financially unsustainable even before the pandemic, with income from his corporate catering business carrying the restaurants weight. Though a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan helped float the restaurant for a few months, the funds are running out, he said. Halvorson plans to revamp the space into something new, but he isnt sure what that will look like quite yet.

Carnival-inspired Straw, which gained notoriety for its towering donut burgers and lively brunch service, has closed. Carnivals dont last forever, the Hayes Valley restaurant announced on Instagram. That is what makes them so special. Straw will be back! We dont know what that will look like yet and we need some time to think about it.

On July 11, Vault 164, a 9-year-old restaurant inside of an old bank in downtown San Mateo, closed for good. Since the start of the pandemic, I have seen this day coming, owner Brad Goldberg wrote on Facebook. Fortunately for us, we were able to find a buyer that allowed us to leave on our terms.

July 29

Anchor & Hope, a seafood-focused restaurant by the owners of Town Hall and Salt House, has closed and its space is now up for lease. The real estate broker handling the location confirmed the closure and says that multiple parties are already interestedand its 100% restaurants. However, restaurant owner Mitchell Rosenthal told Eater SF that their landlord is letting them stay on in the meantime, even though the business remains closed.

Yesterday, Spanish restaurant Barvale announced its closure on Instagram. The 2-year-old NoPa restaurant will lend its space to a pop-up version of Italian sister restaurant Beretta in the Mission District. While sad to see this chapter close, we are optimistic about our future here on Divisadero, the owner wrote.

In an email to customers, CatHeads BBQ announced that its last day would be Aug. 2. The restaurant had stayed open through the pandemic, offering takeout and delivery. We have been trying to hang in there for the last few months in this difficult climate of uncertainty but we have to face the reality that we have to move on, the owners, Pamela Schafer and Richard Park, wrote.

Izakaya Roku, a Japanese pub in the Mission District, and JapaCurry, its curry-focused food truck, announced this week that their last day of service would be July 31. JapaCurry in particular was a favorite of office workers in downtown San Francisco.

Hoodline has reported that Mikaku, a neighborhood sushi bar in the Financial District attached to a hotel, has closed.

Osteria Stellina  an acclaimed California-Italian restaurant  is closing at the end of August after almost 12 years in Point Reyes Station because of the coronavirus, according to owner and chef Christian Caiazzo.

Peggy Sues, a retro diner in San Jose, has closed after 20 years, as reported by the East Bay Times. The restaurants 1950s memorabilia will be available for sale on its website soon.

Hoodline has reported that Sun Sing Pastry, a dim sum spot in Oaklands Chinatown, has closed due to its owner retiring. Its space is currently up for lease.

Belgian-inspired bakery Vive La Tarte has permanently closed its Ferry Building location. The kiosk was known for creating a viral sensation with its tacro, a flaky taco-croissant hybrid filled with meat and salsa.

July 20

Jeanne dArc, an old-school French restaurant that frequently topped the listings on TripAdvisor, has closed. Owners Micheline and Claude Lambert announced the closure on Bastille Day, a holiday that they would regularly commemorate at the 48-year-old restaurant. The restaurant, a fixture in the Francophone community here, was also known for its lavish Medieval-style murals and $58 prix fixe. In 2018, then-Chronicle writer Jonathan Kauffman wrote, Jeanne dArc is one of the rare restaurants that makes a San Franciscan feel like he or she has left the 7x7 and, when it comes to the menu, the 21st century as well.

Inner Sunset classic diner Arts Cafe has turned its temporary pandemic closure into a permanent one as owners Sarah and Hae Ryong Youn have decided to retire. The closure was originally announced on Instagram by a friend of the owners. The Korean American diner was cherished by its regulars, and the formica countertop, which held countless postcards sent in by fans from around the world, was a testament to that fact.

July 14

Louis Restaurant, located above the historic Sutro Baths at Point Lobos Avenue, is closing permanently after 83 years in business. This decision was very difficult to make but with everything we have seen and heard regarding reopening for indoor dining we felt it was an unsafe environment for us and our employees, the restaurant said in a statement posted on Facebook. To wait out this pandemic was financially unreasonable.

Combination wine bar-Indian street food restaurant Indian Paradox is closed for good, as first reported at Tablehopper. Owner Kavitha Raghavan had shut down the petite restaurant on March 15 ahead of San Franciscos shelter-in-place order and wont be opening its doors ever again.

July 9

Trailblazing Asian fusion restaurant the House has closed, per an announcement by its owners. Larry and Angela Tse, who opened the restaurant in 1994, announced the closure on the Houses website and on Facebook Thursday afternoon. After careful consideration, we have decided to close the House, the posts read. A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful House community for your generous support throughout. Its been a truly incredible, unforgettable journey of 26 years with so many special memories and friendships along the way.

Nico, the Michelin-starred French restaurant in Jackson Square, will be closing as its team, owners Andrea and Nicolas Delaroque and collaborator Paul Einbund, revamp the concept. Because they dont see a place for fine dining in the near future, they hope to transition the space into a new takeout-oriented restaurant. At the end of 2019, Nico temporarily closed to make way for a yearlong pop-up, Gap Year at Nico, but the project shuttered in early July due to fluctuating demand for its takeout options.

On July 8, Velvet Cantina owner Matt Tognazzini announced on Facebook that the Mission District Mexican restaurant and bar would be closing after 14 years in business. Given the health risks to both staff and customers and the financial uncertainty of running a restaurant in the age of coronavirus it doesnt make sense to continue operations, he wrote.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

El Meson de Violeta, Noodle Girl, Old Damascus Fare and A Girl Named Pinky, part of the collection of La Cocina businesses that populated the Martin Luther King Jr. building on the UC Berkeley campus, will not be coming back for the fall semester. According to a report by the Daily Californian, La Cocinas two-year contract with the student union ended on May 31, and the union is still developing a plan for their replacement. However, La Cocina business Pinky and Reds will continue its partnership with the campus and reopen.

July 7

A few weeks ago, Beachside Coffee Bar and Kitchen in the Outer Sunset quietly closed its doors for good. Hoodline broke the story after the cafe announced the closure on Instagram in early July. The announcement states that the pandemic was too difficult for the business. The laid-back cafe, opened in 2011 by Buffy and Patrick Maguire, was a favorite of the neighborhoods surfing community.

The Bay Areas only Lithuanian restaurant, Mama Papa Lithuania, will serve its last dumplings on July 31but its not closing because of the pandemic. Owner Vaidas Sukys is heading home to Lithuania to run for a seat on the Seimas: the countrys parliament. I was representing my small culture on the West Coast and now its an opportunity to do bigger things, he told The Chronicle. This patriotism is boiling inside of me to help this country, to go and do some changes and bring the knowledge Ive gained through all of these years.

In North Beach, the eccentrically named Pasta Pop-Up, an Italian brick-and-mortar restaurant that has never been a pop-up, has closed. Opened in a corner space on Green Street by seasoned restaurateurs Francesco Covucci and Peter Fazio, the restaurant was praised by former Chronicle critic Michael Bauer when it opened in 2018. A seafood restaurant, California Fish Market Restaurant, has taken its place.

On July 4, the Independent Brewing Company announced its permanent closure on Facebook. The announcement came on the brewerys seventh anniversary. The brewery was the first business of its kind to be established at Oaklands Jack London Square, which has since seen the opening of several craft breweries. The challenges of Covid-19 and an inability to find common ground on continuing our lease into the future have made it impractical to continue operations, the company stated in its announcement. We are currently evaluating our future as a company, but want to wish Oakland and the Jack London Square area, our fellow brewers in the Jack London Brewing District, and all of our regulars and friends (who are now like family), a fond farewell.

June 25

After a long temporary closure, Nopalito on 9th Avenue will be closing permanently. Nopas Mexican offshoot has been operating solely out of its Broderick Street location during the pandemic and will continue to do so. In the Instagram post that announced Nopalitos closure, the restaurant also broke the news of a new takeout window set to open by Dolores Park.

June 24

Ichi Sushis temporary closure in March due to the coronavirus pandemic has become permanent. News of the Bernal Heights sushi bars shut down was first reported by Tablehopper. Erin Archuleta, who co-owns the business with her husband, Tim, addressed the closure on Twitter.

June 22

Ma Sarap, a 4-year-old traditional Filipino food truck run by Phylisis Antonio and son Mark Antonio, has turned off its engine for good. According to an Instagram post penned by Mark, closing the business in response to the pandemic was the best move financially, mentally and physically. The truck was a frequent offering at food truck events in Antioch, Sacramento and other festivals around the Bay Area.

As first reported in Hoodline, Dobbs Ferry in Hayes Valley has closed after nine years of business and months of no revenue during shelter-in-place. Though the restaurant offered takeout for a short window of time in lieu of dine-in service, owners Lee Ann Frahm Izzo and Steve Izzo paused to regroup after two weeks; but they never managed to reopen.

June 17

Liba, an 11-year-old salad and falafel shop that grew out of an Oakland food truck, closed its doors permanently on June 10. On her Instagram announcement of the closure, founder Gail Lillian wrote that staying open would mean accruing thousands of dollars of debt. I just paid off Libas debt last year, she wrote; going through it all again wouldnt be worth it.

The San Rafael location of Yuzu Ramen, Yuzu Ramen & Taproom is now closed, per an announcement by the restaurant on Twitter that cited the loss of income from three months without dine-in services. Its Emeryville location will stay open, and the company will continue to deliver ramen through its own in-house channels.

Auf wiedersehen, Walzwerk. Open since 1999, the East German restaurant in the Mission has ended its two-decade run. We are as sad as you are! said a message owner Christiane Schmidt posted on the restaurants website. Our world has changed and we understand why. The only way to turn this sadness into new beginnings and new adventures is to adjust and move forward!

June 11

Per a post on Facebook, a San Francisco resident spotted the owners of Its Tops Coffee Shop, an 85-year-old cafe, transporting the diners neon signage in Potrero Hill early this morning. In the conversation that ensued, the co-owner, Bruce Chapman, who inherited the business along with his sister from their father, said that the restaurant would be closed for good. Hoodline originally reported the news that the sign was taken down.

Its Tops was one of the oldest businesses on Market Street, known for its retro, 1950s feel and all-day breakfast menu. The restaurants phone line has been disconnected.

June 9

Cambodian restaurant Angkor Borei will close after more than 30 years in business in San Franciscos Bernal Heights neighborhood. Signs posted in its window by the owners indicated that the restaurants last day will be June 15. In a 2008 review, Tara Duggan praised its fresh remodel and the warmth of its owners, couple Chin Han Yat and Tom Prabpan.

June 4

One of the only Nigerian restaurants in Oakland, Miliki, is permanently closed. Co-owner Ismael Okunade confirmed the closure with The Chronicle in an email. With its lively music events and home-style fare, Miliki was a center for the areas West African community, which had already fought to save the restaurant from an early demise in 2017.

Toy Boat Dessert Cafe, a fixture in San Franciscos Richmond district for 38 years, has been put on the market by its owners, Roberta and Jesse Fink. The cafe, which is filled with vintage toys, classic movie posters and Pez dispensers, has an aesthetic all its own that the owners hope its eventual buyer will preserve. In a recent Facebook post, Jesse wrote, It is our hope that someone full of vigor and vim will take over Toy Boat and keep The Boat afloat for many years to come.

June 2

Wildfox, a 20-year-old American restaurant in Novato, announced on its website that it would not be reopening. David Keegan, the restaurants manager, wrote, (W)e remain grateful for our generations of loyal customers and amazing employees over the years. Unfortunately, we cannot proceed as we once were, nor can we continue to chase the new normal... or the next normal.

June 1

Per an announcement on its Instagram, Perch Coffeehouse in Oaklands Grand Lake neighborhood has closed. In its place will be MudLab, a zero waste cafe, grocery store and coworking space, opening immediately.

May 28

Hakkasan, the international restaurant chain that brought glitzy, modern Chinese cuisine to locations around the globe, is permanently closing its outpost in downtown San Francisco, which cost $7 million to build. The impact of COVID-19 on our global operations has forced us to evaluate the viability of our venues and make a number of prudent yet difficult business decisions. To preserve the long-term stability of our business, we have permanently closed Hakkasan San Francisco, the company wrote in a statement.

May 26

Two dive bars in the Mission, Blind Cat and Thieves Tavern, both owned by Paul Bavaro, wont be reopening. According to a statement from Bavaro, both bars would host farewell parties on May 30. These were the last remaining outposts of Bavaros four-bar collective, which included the late Whiskey Thieves and Dear Mom, both in San Francisco. The bars were a charming anachronism in a scene that worships cocktails and craft liquors, offering mostly beer and shots.

Another bar, the Stud, also closed its South of Market location permanently. The 54-year-old bar was a fixture of LGBT nightlife in San Francisco and operated as a cooperative for the past four years. There are plans to relocate; in the meantime, a drag funeral to commemorate the bar will take place on May 31.

May 20

The Lede, a restaurant opened in Oakland by longtime Chez Panisse chef Cal Peternell, announced via Instagram that its landlord terminated its lease: Landlord canceled our lease. Thanks for all the support. Heres to better days. During shelter-in-place, the restaurant had been running a free meal program in partnership with nonprofits in the East Bay.

All 50 Specialtys Cafe & Bakery locations have closed. Spanning three states, the Pleasanton restaurant chain has fueled office workers here for 33 years. Current market conditions attributed to COVID-19 and shelter-in-place policies have decimated company revenues, said the company statement in setting Tuesday, May 19, as the final day of operation. We sincerely thank you for your business and support over the years.

The Stork Club, a century-old nightclub and bar in Oakland, announced on Facebook that it would not be able to reopen after shelter in place is lifted. The bar was a fixture of Oaklands live music scene.

May 14

The Garden Fresh company, which owns buffet chain restaurants Souplantation and Garden Fresh, announced that, due to new FDA regulations disallowing buffets and other self-serve formats, all of its 97 outlets will close permanently. This includes the Sweet Tomatoes restaurants in Mountain View, Pleasanton, Pleasant Hill and Sunnyvale.

May 11

Ten years after it opened on Valencia Street, the Crepe Houses third location has closed for good. Owner Shar Haddadin told The Chronicle that, on top of the anticipated impact of upcoming construction on the street, the decimation of the restaurants traffic due to COVID-19 was the last nail in the coffin. The Crepe Houses other location at 1755 Polk St. will remain open.

May 8

Ristorant Franchino, a 32-year-old homestyle Italian restaurant in North Beach, will not be reopening after shelter-in-place is lifted. Owner Maria Nozzolino told The Chronicle that the economic uncertainty brought on by potential limitations on service capacity, as well as difficulty negotiating a extension on the restaurants lease, drove the decision.

May 4

After a period of uncertainty, the Grove, a casual American restaurant group with several outposts in San Francisco, announced that its Hayes Valley location will close for good. According to a letter sent by co-founder Kenneth Zankel to Eater SF, the closure is due to an alleged snafu the company experienced with getting its Paycheck Protection Program loan application filed by Bank of America, which therefore significantly delayed any possible aid via federal loans. So far, only the Hayes Valley location is confirmed as closing: The other locations in Yerba Buena and the Design district are set to re-open, though Zankel writes that the Fillmore district spot will need some substantial rejiggering to do so.

April 29

On Instagram, Pietisseries founder, Jaynelle St. Jean, announced that the pie shop would be shuttering its Oakland storefront for good on April 30. However, she clarified that the 10-year-old company would continue to bake pies for delivery: We are cranking out pies. Everybody who used to work at Pietisserie two months ago still works at Pietisserie.

April 24

After 35 years in business, Lalimes in Berkeley announced its closure via its Facebook page. Owners Cindy and Haig Krikorian thanked many of their regulars and colleagues by name and pointed to the economic impact of the novel coronavirus as the reason for closing. They first opened the restaurant on Solano Avenue in 1985 before moving it to its final Gilman Street location in Berkeley in 1988.

A sign in the window of Oaklands Momo & Curry indicates that the Nepalese-Indian restaurant has closed due to the financial difficulties of surviving the Bay Areas current shelter-in-place order.

April 22

La Guerreras Kitchen has now closed its brick-and-mortar operation at the Aloha Club in Fruitvale. The owners, who are La Cocina graduates, who opened the location last May, will continue to serve tamales by the dozen for pickup at Ale Industries. The mother-daughter team are currently scouting a new permanent location elsewhere in Oakland.

April 20

After layoffs and a robbery, the 9-year-old Pause Wine Bar in Hayes Valley will not be reopening after its temporary closure during the shelter-in-place mandate. The owner, Chris Tavelli, and business partner Lindsay Sink have since started a wine delivery service called Quarantine Wine Club.

April 15

Dan Gordons, a Palo Alto brewery restaurant, has closed. Owner Dan Gordon announced the closure at the April 13 Palo Alto City Council meeting, which was conducted remotely via Zoom, and cited the economic impact of the novel coronavirus as the cause. If you want us to have open storefronts in the next nine months, he said, youre really going to have to start being proactive and working on brainstorming what you can do for the business community locally to give them an incentive to want to reopen and hire people.

April 14

Benchmark Oakland, a Cal-Italian pizzeria in Old Oakland, has closed permanently. According to a statement on its website, the restaurants pivot to takeout and delivery after the shelter-in-place order was not robust enough to sustain the business. The end is nowhere is sight, and it is likely that our industry will be forever changed when this is over. We lack the capital to navigate that future. Benchmarks original location in Kensington will remain open.

April 9

Oakland cafe and art gallery Black Spring Coffee has announced its immediate closure in a Facebook post, attributing the decision to a conflict with its landlord. Its roastery will continue to sell coffee beans online.

Mestiza in South of Market, which closed temporarily in response to San Franciscos shelter-in-place order, is gone for good. Jay Foster, whose former partner, Deanna Sison, is the owner, confirmed the closure of the Filipino-Mexican restaurant. Mestiza made its debut on The Chronicles Top 100 Restaurants list in 2019.

April 8

On April 7, the nearly 10-year-old Bica Coffeehouse, one of Oaklands earliest third wave coffee shops, announced its closure via its Instagram page.

Per a sign posted at the restaurant, Viognier Restaurant, which served Californian-French cuisine atop Draegers Market in downtown San Mateo, is now permanently closed.

April 7

Over in the Marina District, Naked Fish, a 13-year-old sushi bar on a bustling stretch of Chestnut St., has also closed. While the restaurants owners had originally planned to close out their lease on March 22, a sign posted on the restaurants window states they closed even earlier to protect the health of their employees. All of the furniture has already been cleared out of the space and its phone line has been disconnected.

Bistro Aix, a French bistro in San Franciscos Marina District, appears to have closed after 24 years in business. The phone line has been disconnected, and its OpenTable page lists it as permanently closed.

April 6

After 75 years serving the Mountain View community, Clarkes Charcoal Burgers final day in business was March 31. On the restaurants Facebook page, the owners wrote that, due to the coronavirus outbreak and shelter-in-place orders, it would be impossible for us to continue on.

Cafe du Soleils last day in business was March 31. The 15-year-old Lower Haight cafe was known for its old-school, French-inflected vibe and friendly service. Its storefront appears to be completely cleaned out, and the phone line is disconnected. The owners could not be reached at the time of publication.

In a Facebook post on April 5, Jonathan Sutton and Tony Ferrari, chef/owners of Hillside Supper Club in San Franciscos Bernal Heights, announced that the restaurant will not be reopening as originally planned after shelter in place.

March 27

San Leandros Cleophus Quealy brewery will shut down completely at the end of April. The brewery has already shut down its tasting room to comply with health orders from California and Alameda County, though its final beers are available through online ordering.

Grocery Cafe, a Burmese restaurant in Oaklands Jack London Square, has gone dark, and the phone line has been disconnected. In a recent Yelp review, a diner writes that the owner, William Lue, could no longer afford the rent.

March 20

Mission District restaurant Locanda has closed; owners Anne and Craig Stoll cited the impossibility of continuing to pay rent, payroll and other costs without any new revenue as the reason behind their decision.

Have you heard of or seen any permanent restaurant closures in the Bay Area? Send tips to soleil@sfchronicle.com.

Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicles restaurant critic. Email: soleil@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hooleil
Polish officials take the body temperature of passengers who arrived by train from Ukraine, as a preventive measure against the coronavirus (COVID-19) at a railway station in Przemysl, Poland, on March 10, 2020. (Patryk Ogorzalek/Agencja Gazeta via Reuters)

Poland Cannot Rule Out Delaying Presidential Election: Minister

Poland cannot rule out postponing a presidential election set for May because of the coronavirus pandemic, although no such decisions have been taken up to date, Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Pawel Szefernaker said on March 14.

The election is in two months. We will see. The coming days will be key and as this disease develops in Poland we will be observing this and taking further decisions. There is not such a decision today, but it does not mean that it is ruled out, Szefernaker told private radio RMF FM.

A model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus, the type of virus linked to the Wuhan COVID-19 outbreak, on Feb. 18, 2020. (NEXU Science Communication/via Reuters)

Poland has reported 84 cases of coronavirus, including two deaths.

The government announced on Friday it would close borders to foreigners and the central bank governor called for a rate cut to fight the impact of the illness on the economy.

Today no-one is thinking about the election, everyone is thinking how to stop this epidemic, Szefernaker added.

By Agnieszka Barteczko
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:48:33|Editor: yan

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HONG KONG, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Some households in a residential building in Hong Kong's Tai Po area were evacuated to a quarantine center on Saturday night after three residents of the building were diagnosed with COVID-19, Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said.

The CHP reported earlier Saturday three additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, one of them involves a 59-year-old male living in the same building with a couple who were members of a tour group to Egypt and were diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this week.

An inter-departmental response team of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government inspected the building on Saturday evening to identify the possible route of transmission.

Controller of the CHP Wong Ka-hing said at a media briefing after the inspection that the newly diagnosed patient lives in flat No. 13 on floor 34, the top floor of Heng Tai House of Fu Heng Estate, two floors above the couple. Out of prudence, the CHP decided to evacuate all the residents of flats No. 13 and No. 14 on the top six floors of the building to a quarantine center.

Yuen Kwok-yung, professor of the department of microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, said at the briefing that the epidemiological investigations are still ongoing and at the current stage the experts have not yet identified the route of transmission.

The evacuation decision was made as the experts assumed that the virus in the faeces of the couple might reach the rooftop through the exhaust vent and then carried down to the top few floors by the inter-building turbulence, Yuen explained.

The team have inspected the drainage pipes in the flats of the patients and found no problem that may lead to transmission. As for the remaining 28 floors of the building, engineers have examined the drainage pipes on 11 floors and are expected to complete the inspection of the remaining 17 floors on Saturday night, Wong said.

The CHP is proactively following up to see if any resident in the building is feeling discomfort, Wong said, adding that the CHP will collect the deep throat saliva specimens of the residents for tests on Sunday.
Failte Irelands CEO Paul Kelly has acknowledged the response of the Tourism and Hospitality sector in the face of the COVID 19 crisis which he said is having a catastrophic effect across the regions.

Tourism businesses are already doing what they can to support public health, with many restaurants offering free meals to healthcare workers and free delivery to the elderly. The sector has shown that it is there for the community even when it is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.

Kelly explained that the COVID-19 crisis has come at a time of year for tourism businesses when cashflow is difficult and revenue has all but stopped. These are truly unprecedented times for the tourism sector across the board and already we are seeing job losses as cash-flow and liquidity challenges mount for businesses. As an industry, urgent action is required to help businesses survive during these incredibly challenging times.

The National Tourism Development Authority has made a number of recommendations to Government in relation to the urgent supports most needed by the industry.



In addition, Failte Ireland has established a special Business Supports Taskforce focusing solely on supporting the tourism industry during the crisis.

These recommendations include measures to support business sustainability, employment as well as initiatives designed to kick-start demand. Failte Ireland is working closely with tourism businesses to provide advice on drawing down Government support packages; cashflow management and liquidity; managing cancellations and supplier relationships.

At the beginning of March, Failte Ireland established a COVID-19 Advisory Group comprising of industry and Government officials.

Failte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly said: We fully support Ministers Ross and Griffins proposals for immediate measures to stabilise cash flow, liquidity and working capital for Tourism and Hospitality businesses. We are looking at a wide range of supports and those discussions are ongoing. Government acknowledges the urgency in providing the supports for the industry which are needed in a matter of days.

The National Tourism Development Authority has taken several actions to focus on supporting businesses in the industry to come through the crisis and to help minimise the spread of the COVID-19 virus:

 A briefing by the Department of Health to the Tourism and Hospitality sector took place on Thursday, facilitated by Failte Ireland

 Failte Ireland is rolling out webinars with expert advisors next week to be hosted on failteireland.ie

 There is a designated email for tourism businesses for questions: businesssupports@failteireland.ie. Industry can also call 1800 242 473

 Failte Ireland has a dedicated webpage for industry-relevant news and support.

 Failte Ireland has submitted proposals to government for a kick start campaign, at the appropriate time.



Much of Failte Irelands usual activity has been postponed or cancelled with immediate effect:

 Meitheal 2020, Irelands largest Travel and Tourism Trade Fair has been cancelled

 Failte Irelands new domestic marketing campaign Keep Discovering has been paused

 Tourism Information Centres throughout the country have now been closed

 All international media trips to Ireland have been postponed

 All scheduled face to face training programmes and workshops have been cancelled. These will be replaced by digital learning workshops targeted at helping business manage their most urgent needs.



Paul Kelly is highlighting the resilience of the tourism sector: It is important to acknowledge that while this is a deeper crisis for the industry than any other, the Irish tourism industry has shown itself to be incredibly resilient and will bounce back.

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Canadian PM to be in quarantine after wife tests positive for COVID-19

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:26, March 13, 2020

OTTAWA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in isolation for two weeks after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for COVID-19, the Prime Minister's Office said Thursday.

The prime minister exhibits no symptoms of the virus, said the office in a statement, adding that "he will be in isolation for a planned period of 14 days," but will not be tested "at this stage."

There is no risk to those who have been in contact with the prime minister "recently," the office said.

Trudeau's wife "is feeling well, is taking all the recommended precautions and her symptoms remain mild," it said.

Health care workers will "reach out to those who have been in contact with Mrs. Gregoire Trudeau as they deem necessary," the statement said.

The prime minister's wife issued a personal note thanking those who have reached out to her.

"Although I'm experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon," she said.

Trudeau's wife showed flu-like symptoms on Wednesday evening after she returned from Britain where she carried out speaking engagements.

Local media reported that the couple's three children have not shown symptoms.

While self-quarantining himself, Trudeau is expected to address the country on Friday.

"The Prime Minister will continue to fully assume his duties and will address Canadians tomorrow," the statement said.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Trudeau over phone on Thursday, discussing developments related to the disease, the White House said in a statement.

As of Thursday, Canada has reported more than 140 cases, according to the country's Health Ministry.

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Noida airport in depth: India to get first net zero emission airport

854 persons in Noida under surveillance for coronavirus

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 14: More than 700 people working in a leather company in Greater Noida have been put under surveillance after a Delhi-based director of the firm tested positive for novel coronavirus, taking the number of individuals currently under observation for COVID-19 to 854, officials said on Friday.

According to Health Department officials, 1,222 coronavirus suspects have been under surveillance in Gautam Buddh Nagar since mid-January.

"Currently, 854 people are under surveillance, while 310 have been removed from surveillance. Samples of 170 people have been taken so far for the test, of which 115 have been negative, one positive (the Delhi-based man) and result of rest are awaited," an official told PTI.

Earlier on Friday, 707 workers of a private leather firm were put under surveillance for two days after its director, who lives in West Delhi's Janakpuri area, tested positive for coronavirus.

Kerala man admitted to coronavirus isolation ward dies

The 46-year-old man had recently travelled to Italy, Switzerland before returning to India, Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anurag Bhargava said.

"When the man, who lives in Delhi, returned home he felt weakness and consulted doctors who tested him positive for coronavirus. However, he kept visiting the company since returning from abroad because of which all 707 employees of the company have been put on surveillance," Bhargava told reporters.

"His family members and children are already under surveillance," Bhargava said, adding that the company is also being sanitised under the watch of experts.

He said the Health Department is in touch with the people under surveillance and anybody showing any symptoms for the novel virus will be tested.

"The man who has tested positive would sit in his office only during visits to the company so the chances of him contacting many people are less and hence employees are only on surveillance," he added.

Coronavirus: Death toll at 5,000 as Europe becomes epicentre of virus

The CMO said so far nobody has shown any symptoms for coronavirus in Gautam Buddh Nagar and advised people to exercise utmost precaution.

People with cough, fever, cold or lethargy should consult medical experts and put themselves in self-isolation in order to not spread it further, he said.

More than 1,30,000 cases of novel coronavirus have been recorded in 116 countries and territories, killing at least 4,900 people.

The number of novel coronavirus cases rose to 81, which include 16 Italians and one Canadian, Health Ministry officials said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 8:13 [IST]
UPDATE: State officials announced Friday night, March 13 that the number of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Michigan is now at 25.

WEST MICHIGAN -- Several West Michigan counties have released numbers on people tested for the coronavirus (COVID-19) so far, with a total of 76 in Kent, Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties.

In Kent County, 45 tests have been submitted to a state lab, with 14 coming back negative and three presumptive positive.

On Friday, March 13 state officials announced that four more adults have tested presumptive positive for coronavirus, bringing Michigans total to 16 cases.

Related: 3 people with coronavirus in Kent County recovering at home, officials say

Kent Countys presumptive positive cases were announced late Thursday, March 12 and all involved people older than 60 who had traveled to places with known COVID-19 transmission. Two have been in quarantine since they returned to the United States and third has had very limited contact with others.

In Ottawa County, 20 kits have been submitted for testing with nine coming back negative and none positive.

In Kalamazoo County, 11 tests have been submitted to a lab and all are awaiting results. Two people are being monitored because they traveled to China or Iran and recently returned.

See where coronavirus cases are in Michigan

Kent County Administrative Health Officer Adam London said there are simply not enough test kits and other testing supplies, such as swabs, also are running low.

Testing is very inadequate right now. There are just not currently enough test kits to handle the volume of people that want to be tested, even the volume of people that really should be tested, he said during a press conference Friday.

London is hopeful that President Donald Trump declaring a national emergency Friday over coronavirus will speed up testing and bring new testing methods to the fore will help the situation.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

 Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

 Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

 Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

 Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

 Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

 Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

 Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More from MLive:

Were going to get through this,' says Gov. Whitmer as she orders K-12 schools closed over coronavirus

All Michigan schools to close as coronavirus spreads, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announces

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Beijing will launch a reservation system for visiting tombs around the upcoming Tomb-sweeping Day for the prevention and control of the coronavirus, said Li Quanxi, deputy commander-in-chief of the capital's Tomb-sweeping Day service headquarters, at a press conference Friday.





All the funeral parlors, cinerary halls, operating cemeteries and large-scale public welfare cemeteries will adopt an appointment system for different tomb-sweeping timeslots so as to avoid the gathering of people as the epidemic has not ended yet.





Citizens can make an appointment to visit a tomb via an official WeChat account. Meanwhile, reservations can also be made over the phone. Reservations will be accepted from March 19, according to Li.





Li said in order to promote the reform and innovation of tomb sweeping methods, the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau has launched an online service platform for this year's Tomb-sweeping Day. The platform will be launched on March 21 to provide online memorial services such as sending messages, presenting flowers and lighting candles, so as to enable citizens to remember and mourn their ancestors online.





For those who are unable to visit tombs in person, they can ask the cemetery to offer sacrifices on their behalf through the reservation service system.





Li said that this year's reception day for the tomb-sweeping service will last 23 days from March 21 to April 12. In order to reduce gatherings and avoid cross-infection, mass activities such as collective public offerings and sea scattering of ashes will also be suspended.





Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival and an important occasion for Chinese to honor their ancestors and pay tribute to deceased family members. This year's Tomb-sweeping Day will fall on April 4.




There is a widening gap of digital skills, especially in AI, between Vietnam and high-income nations, according to the 2020 Global Talent Competitiveness Index.

The AI revolution has redefined global talent competitiveness

This years GTCI report addresses the theme of global talent in the age of AI. Notably, the report finds that high-income countries are progressing quickly and dominate the top 25. These "talent champions" are accelerating further away from the rest of the world, including Vietnam. This divide is being intensified by the rise of AI since more than half of the population in the developing world are still struggling with basic digital skills.

In GTCI 2020, Vietnam is ranked 96th out of 132 countries, falling five positions since 2019 and nine positions since 2018. Classified in the lower-middle-income group and in the Eastern, Southeastern Asia, and Oceania grouping, Vietnam performs particularly well against its region and rose 10 spots to 59th in Global Knowledge Skills. The greatest scope for improvement, meanwhile, is in Vocational and Technical (VT) Skills, in which Employability is the weakest sub-pillar. The ranking in the "Attract" pillar also dropped from 91st in 2019 to 105th in 2020.

Vietnam's global ranking (GTCI sample of 132 countries)

Andree Mangels, general director of Adecco Vietnam, commented that, "In Vietnam, there remains a significant inconsistency between education quality and employment requirements. The emergence of AI in the workplace calls for extensive re-skilling of the workforce.

Performance in GTCI 2020 and Technology Adoption variable

At all levels of qualifications, workers will need training on adaptability, social intelligence, communication, and problem-solving. The right talent is required not only to carry out new responsibilities and ways to work, but also to utilise the power of digital transformation for data-driven decision making." VIR

Thanh Van

High tech helps in fight against Covid-19 in Vietnam The latest technologies have been used by Vietnams agencies and organizations to fight against the spread of Covid-19
Were going to get back to living life, even if it kills us
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai arrives for his confirmation hearing for a second term as chair of the commission before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill July 19, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Internet service providers and telecom companies are participating in an FCC pledge to "keep Americans connected" to the internet during disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The pledge asks companies to keep internet online for customers who can't pay their internet bills, as well as waive late billing fees, as a result of the disruptions caused by the virus.

Much of the disruptions come from shifting work and study to homes, where internet connectivity may not be as strong as those at offices and schools.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The FCC has issued a pledge on Friday for internet and telecommunications companies to "keep Americans connected" during the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The pledge means that for the next 60 days, a participating internet service provider should:

Not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their

inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;

Waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their

economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and

Open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

Dozens of telecoms companies have endorsed the pledge already, including numerous regional companies, as well as larger entities like Charter, Comcast, Google, Sprint, and Verizon. You can see a full list of those companies that have endorsed the pledge here, although it's unclear if this list will be updated as more companies participate.

Some companies have also separately taken action to make it easier to stay connected online. On Thursday, AT&T lifted its overage fees for customers on internet plans with data caps. Also on Thursday, Comcast announced that it's offering its $10-a-month Essentials internet service designed for low-income households for free for 60 days. It's also increasing the speeds of its Essential internet service.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP stalwart and former Minister of Aviation, has blasted those calling for the recently dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Since after his dethronement, there have been speculations that the erstwhile monarch may return to politics.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, boss is seen by some as the best candidate to takeover from Buhari even though he officially does not belong to any political party.

However, Fani-Kayode wonders why the next President must come from the North, describing those making the call as accursed slaves.

Fani-Kayode tweeted, The kind of evil that some useful idiots and accursed slaves are wishing upon themselves with this SLS for 2023 thing baffles me. Must we be slaves to the north forever? Abi they don swear for una?

Sanusi, who was dethroned on Monday and banished to Nasarawa State few hours later, regained his freedom yesterday after an Abuja court ruled in his favour.
The first two questions from journalists at the prime ministers news conference on Thursday were How sure are you that the approach is right? and How many will die?

They are the right questions to ask, but the answers, in both cases, were, in effect: We dont know. Unfortunately, it is this uncertainty that people find hard to deal with, and which feeds the worst aspect of the social media response to the coronavirus crisis.

On social media, people seem to pay most attention to other people who seem most sure of themselves. The much derided mainstream media, including The Independent, try on the other hand to report what the most authoritative people are saying, which includes saying how much they do not know.

I thought Boris Johnson handled the news conference well. He seemed sombre, well informed, and properly deferential to the advice from the chief scientific adviser and the chief medical officer (CMO), who were both impressive.

They were at their most impressive in explaining the limits of their knowledge  Chris Whitty, the CMO, in particular, in setting out precisely why he wasnt going to answer the death toll question.

Perhaps I spend too much time on liberal Twitter, but it seems full of people who know better than the prime ministers top science people. It is as if some people have decided that Johnson is a Leaver, a Conservative and a buffoon and therefore must be wrong. He may be all those things but he seems to be doing exactly what Twitter would hope a Labour Remainer sage would do  namely listen to the best advice and act on it.

The polarisation of politics means that some strange views are expressed on social media. People who once tastelessly suggested that the Remain cause would prevail in the end because elderly Leavers would die are now accusing the prime minister of wanting to cull old people.

Others who mocked Michael Gove for saying the people of this country have had enough of experts are now claiming that the experts have got it wrong and that the government should shut down the country.

These could be the side-effects of our inability to cope with uncertainty. Some people react to uncertainty by inventing certainties of their own; but the rest of us have to learn to live with the not knowing.

 Jon Ashworth calls on government to publish scientific data to back up cautious coronavirus approach

That means, I think, taking the advice of experts. At which point I digress, to point out that Gove did not say what everyone thinks he said. What he actually said, during an interview in the 2016 referendum campaign, was: The people of this country have had enough of experts ... from organisations with acronyms saying that they know what is best and getting it consistently wrong.

He was talking about organisations that had urged Britain to adopt the euro, and who now said it would be economically damaging to leave the EU. As it happens, I think they were wrong about the euro and right about Brexit.

But that is the problem with experts: they can sometimes be wrong. Which is why different experts have different opinions. There appears to be a sharp difference today between the experts advising the World Health Organisation and those advising the UK government about the importance of testing.

I have no idea who is right, and neither does anyone else. You would have thought that no one could even have a useful opinion one way or the other, unless they were a specialist in a relevant field. But I would expect anyone who was prime minister to listen first to the governments experts.

That doesnt mean uncritically accepting what they say. One of the most important tests of an effective minister is whether they have the confidence and judgement to challenge expert advice  and to recognise the dangers of groupthink or outdated assumptions. But I do not see how anybody can be sure that Whitty, and Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, have got it wrong.

In the meantime I am grateful for two things.

One is that, whatever the similarities between support for Brexit and support for Donald Trump, and whatever you think of Boris Johnson, he is very different from the US president. The other is that the worst effect of popular irrationalism so far would seem to be people panic-buying loo rolls.
Several people are vying for states attorneys positions in Tuesday primaries in the region.

Brown County

Mark L. Vincent

Incumbent Mark L. Vincent, a Republican, is looking to hold his seat as states attorney for Brown County.

Should voters favor Vincent, it would be his fourth term since 2008. He carries with him experience as a former sheriffs deputy who graduated from Western Illinois University and has several years of experience in private practice. Vincent said he is deeply rooted in the area, which makes him the choice to continue in his position.

I have far more experience in the general area and law enforcement, Vincent said. I have an extensive and long connection to this area.

He and his wife, Heidi, have three children, Philip, Jakob and Liesel.

Jesse Gilsdorf

Republican Jesse Gilsdforf has been practicing law for 26 years and brings with him experience as an assistant states attorney who has tried criminal cases, was city attorney for Versailles and has handled cases in both the appellate court and Illinois Supreme Court.

If it has anything to do with law, I have done it, Gilsdorf said.

Gilsdorf said he brings with him experience from a large number of trials that have been successful.

The methamphetamine problem and drug dealers are going to be a focus for Gilsdorf is elected.

His wife is Rachel Gilsdorf.

Michael L. Hill

Republican Michael L. Hills is the assistant attorney for Scott County, but he made the announcement in July that he would not seek re-election. By December, Hill and his family made the decision to move back to Brown County and he was urged to run for the states attorney seat.

Im from Brown County, its in my blood, Hill said.

Hill has practiced government law during his years in private practice in Springfield, representing smaller communities. Hill graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in justice and law enforcement.

If elected, Hill said he plans to focus on drug addiction throughout the county and build relationships between constituents and law enforcement.

I want to work hand in hand with all sides, he said.

Hill and his wife, Kelley, have a daughter, Vanessa.



Cass County

Craig Miller

Current Morgan County Assistant States Attorney Craig Miller will be vying for the Cass County states attorney seat.

The Republican said the decision to run was based on his experience as a prosecutor and his desire to serve the people of Cass County.

I am running for states attorney because Cass County residents deserve a tough-minded prosecutor with the skills to do the job right. I believe I am that person, he said. There are many great people here in Cass County and I want to put my experience to work for those people.

R. John Alvarez

Incumbent R. John Alvarez, a Democrat, is seeking re-election in the hopes of continuing his presence within the community.

You dont just walk into this job, Alvarez said of his experience for the position.

Alvarez has worked civil and trial cases throughout his career, from murder to sexual assault, and said his aggressiveness in the courtroom makes him right for his position.

He was appointed to his position in February 2017 and elected in November 2017.

I have put drug offenders away, he said, adding that he wants to work on the methamphetamine issues through the area.

Alvarez and his wife, Babs, have two sons, Jeff and John.

Carrie Magerl

Democrat Carrie Magerl has been practicing law since 2009 and has worked civil, criminal and juvenile cases. She has also handled appellate court matters.

I really like juvenile law, Magerl said. It gives us to work for the future  a chance to help children and get them into a better place, she said.

Magerl lives within the community and feels that she knows whats going on.

I have the skills  less experience, yes, but that can change, she said.

Magerl believes prison is not necessarily the options for drug cases and would like to see a drug court in Cass County.

Magerl and her husband, Ryan Anderson, have three daughters, Esme, Alais and Ari, and a son, Roch.



Pike County

Walker Filbert

Republican Walker Filbert has been in private practice since 1992. He has been based in Pittsfield for 22 years and has argued cases in more than 35 counties in Illinois. Filbert has worked on various areas of the law in Pike Count,y including civil litigation, contract law and public defender work.

Filbert also served on the Pike County Board from 2010 to 2012 and he said his time at the board will help him with the civil part of the position.

He said that his unique resume gives him a fresh perspective on the position.

Im not your typical candidate for states attorney, Filbert said. Im coming at it after a long career in the private sector.

Filbert and his wife, Amelia Dean, have two sons, Rowland and Martin.

Zachary Boren

Incumbent Republican Zachary Boren first ran in an interim election when the seat became open in 2014. He was re-elected to a full term in 2016.

He said his tenure as states attorney has included complex cases that have required expertise as a prosecutor, such as second-degree murder and criminal sexual predator cases.

If re-elected, he said he plans to keep handling cases fairly.

The law should not be based on who you are, how much money you have, or who youre related to, he said.

Boren also would like to further coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys Office on sentencing.

Boren and his wife, Libby, have three sons, Benjamin, Ezra and Levi.



Scott County

John Paul Coonrod

Republican John Paul Coonrod started practicing law as a special prosecuting attorney in St. Charles County, Missouri, before opening a private law practice in Winchester in 2015.

Coonrod said his private practice and experience as a prosecutor has given him the requisite criminal law experience for the role and his role as the city of Winchesters attorney has made him the right candidate for the civil part of the position.

I believe that theres a real need to be active and involved in the countys civil affairs, he said.

He would like to address methamphetamine use and sales through stiff penalties and put in place a first-time offender program for young people that stresses community service.

Coonrod and his wife, Claire, have a son, Avery.

Bethany Doolin

Republican Bethany Doolin has been in private practice since 2013 after working for the Missouri State Public Defenders Office and the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

Doolin has spent most of her life in Scott County and believes her passion for the region is important for the role.

She would like to address the countys drug issue and how drug problems flow into other crimes, such as burglaries and juvenile cases. She also would like to assist the county board in finding important funding, including for a drug court.

Doolin and her partner, Chris White, have two daughters, Harper and Hadley.

Rick Crews

Republican Rick Crews has been practicing law since 1995. Throughout his professional career, he has worked at the Sangamon County States Attorneys Office, the Morgan County Public Defenders Office and a both a sole practitioner and a law partner.

Crews said he has been a trial lawyer longer than any of the candidates.

Its no different than an auto mechanic  a guy right out of school is not going to have near the skills an auto mechanic whos been doing it for 25 years has.

Crews said that Scott County has a methamphetamine problem and heroin from Greene County is coming north. He called for foreclosing on properties where methamphetamine is produced.

Crews and his wife, Laurie, have a son, Eli. Their son Wyatt died in 2008.
Archimedes of Syracuse was one of the greatest mathematicians in history. He was also a great inventor and scientist. Most of what we know about Archimedes today comes from his writings and those of his contemporaries. Born in Syracuse, Sicily (then part of Greece), in about 287 B.C., Archimedes traveled to Egypt at the age of 18 to study at the great library of Alexandria. Upon completing his studies, he returned to Syracuse, where he spent the remainder of his life. Archimedes was obsessed with mathematics. He would become so involved in his work that he would forget to eat. He scribbled notes and figures on any available surface. When outside, he used a stick to draw on the ground; when inside, he used his finger to trace figures in the olive oil on his skin. Out of this obsession came many of his greatest theories and proofs, such as the means for approximating square roots, the value of pi (the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter), and the creation of a way to describe very large numbers. He also devised methods for calculating areas and volumes 2,000 years before the invention of calculus. In addition, Archimedes proved that the volume of a sphere is two-thirds the volume of a circumscribed cylinder. He considered this proof his greatest accomplishment and even requested that a representation of a sphere inside a cylinder be inscribed on his tomb. Archimedes was well known for his inventions and scientific discoveries. The most famous of these were the Archimedes' Screw (a device for raising water that is still used in crop irrigation and sewage treatment plants today) and Archimedes' principle of buoyancy. Legend has it that he discovered this principle while in the bath, where he noticed that the more of his body he submerged in the water, the greater the amount of water that over-flowed the bath. Upon making this discovery, he is said to have run naked through the streets of Syracuse, shouting "Eureka!" (Greek for "I have found it!"). When the Romans invaded Syracuse in 214 B.C., Archimedes invented "engines of war" to defend the city, including cranes to drop rocks, claws to lift ships from the water, and machines to fire wooden missiles. He also devised a system of mirrors that focused the sun's light on enemy ships, setting the ships on fire. After the Romans successfully captured the city in 212 B.C., Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier after he allegedly told the soldier, "Don't disturb my circles"a reference to a series of figures Archimedes had outlined in the sand. As he wished, Archimedes' tombstone is marked with the figure of a sphere enclosed by a cylinder and the 2:3 ratio of their volumes.

Archimedes Timeline c. 287 B.C.

Born in Syracuse, Sicily. c. 269 B.C.

Travels to Egypt to study at Alexandria. Invents the Archimedes' Screw, a device used to pump water out of ships. c. 263 B.C.

Returns to Syracuse. 263-216 B.C.

Develops most of his major theories, including the fundamental principles of mechanics; and methods for finding the center of gravity, surface area, and volume of geometric figures. Also derives estimate for the value of pi; discovers the principle of buoyancy; and creates a system capable of expressing large numbers. 216 B.C.

The King of Syracuse, King Hiero, dies, and is succeeded by his son, Hieronymos. 215 B.C.

Hieronymos is assassinated. Civil war erupts in Syracuse. 214-212 B.C.

Romans try to invade Syracuse but they are held off by Archimedes' war machines, such as Archimedes' Claw and the catapult. 212 B.C.

Romans invade Syracuse. During the invasion, Archimedes is killed by a Roman solider. A.D. 300

Scribes copy Archimedes' writings onto parchment. c. A.D. 1000

Archimedes' manuscript containing The Method of Mechanical Theorems is copied onto vellum sheets and bound between wooden boards. This text tells how Archimedes developed his mathematical theorems. c. A.D. 1200

A monk reuses Archimedes' manuscript for a prayer book, creating the Palimpsest. This becomes the only copy of Archimedes' manuscript to survive to the present day. c. 1400-1800

The Archimedes' Palimpsest is stored in a monastery in the Judaean desert. Late 1600s

Calculus is invented. Early 1800s

The Palimpsest is moved from the monastery to a library in Old Jerusalem. 1846

Constantine Tischendorf, a German scholar, discovers the Archimedes' Palimpsest in Constantinople. 1906

The Danish scholar, Johan Ludwig Heiberg hears about the Palimpsest, travels to Constantinople, and attempts to transcribe the book using nothing but a magnifying glass. 1908-1998

The Palimpsest disappears. 1998

The Archimedes Palimpsest resurfaces in Paris and sells for $2 million at a Christie's of New York auction. 1999-present

The Palimpsest is loaned to the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland. Restoration and translation of the manuscript begin.

Archimedes Resources Infinite Secrets.

WGBH Boston Video, 2004.

Find out more about Archimedes' life, his work, and the Palimpsest in the NOVA program that airs September 30, 2003.

Call (800) 949-8670 or order through the WGBH Shop Web site at:

shop.wgbh.org Visit NOVA's companion Web site to learn more about Archimedes at:

www.pbs.org/nova/archimedes/






















Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 13:53:54|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Correspondents based in China have been busy covering China's prevention and control measures since the COVID-19 outbreak and recording the daily lives of ordinary Chinese people during the epidemic.

In a New York Times opinion piece named "China Bought the West Time. The West Squandered It," Ian Johnson, a Beijing-based writer, starts with comparing the airport health checks in Beijing and London.

"Officials would have had no easy way to track us if one of us came down with COVID-19" as there was "no temperature check and no health statement" in London airport like mandatory ones in Beijing, Johnson said after he got off the plane in London two weeks ago, and in the essay published on Friday.

"The attitude toward the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and much of Europe has been bizarrely reactive, if not outright passive -- or that the governments in those regions have let pass their best chance to contain the virus's spread," as if "China's experience hadn't given Western countries a warning of the perils of inaction," Johnson said.

He pointed out that China's leaders "acted far more decisively" than some of their colleagues in other countries, and "some of its policies were motivated by serious concern for the public good and executed by a highly competent civil service."

John Sudworth with the BBC has interviewed head of the World Health Organization in China Gauden Galea.

"We have seen how a dramatic rise, which should have led hundreds of thousands of more cases, through a concerted effort at the top-level of government has flattened that epidemic, has drawn it out in such a way that China's own health system can cope better and gained the time for other countries to learn those lessons and not to have to face that same issue," Galea said.

Sudworth has also visited classrooms without students, as all schools and colleges in China have been closed in the fight against coronavirus. In one clip, thanks to China's advanced teleschool facilities, a teacher in karate gi was demonstrating, with many others practicing from home at the same time.

Noting that the epidemic has produced a heavy mental health burden, Nathan VanderKlippe, Asia correspondent for Canada's The Globe and Mail, sheds light on a raft of counselling hotlines and online psychological assistance services amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The author said that thousands of people -- from local governments, trade unions, women's federations and provincial psychology groups -- have been appointed to help people in distress with offers of free therapy.

In an article published Tuesday on the British newspaper's website, Financial Times (FT)'s Yuan Yang in Beijing wrote that Chinese people's comfort with staying in the country is because "many see the government's strong measures as proportionate to the situation."

Yang also takes a close look at healthcare provision in China, saying that unlike the United States, the Chinese government has pledged to cover coronavirus-related healthcare costs.

Another FT feature bylined by Ryan McMorrow in Beijing and Qianer Liu in Shenzhen, depicts Chinese companies' beta-testing return to work, saying "coronavirus measures such as anti-crowding restrictions in elevators offer a road map for global peers."
Lenore Crawford of Midland often plays with the line between painting and quilting with award-winning results. One of her latest projects, a wall hanging titled "The Painter" recently won an honorable mention at the Road to California Quilter's Conference and Showcase in January and will be featured at the American Quilter's Society's Quilt Week, March 25-28 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

"I'm not an abstract artist. I like the realistic look; I think that's why the paintings work for me," Crawford said.

The Painter depicts an artist on the streets of Paris selling his work. Crawford designed the piece off of a picture she took in France on a recent trip and used a fusing technique, which involved laying out a design, sticking pieces of fabric on top of muslin and stitching everything together. The final effect melds the material together to create an accurate reproduction of the picture, with just a couple of minor adjustments.

"All of the art that he was doing I didn't like, so I just went in and switched them out for fabric," Crawford said.

Crawford doesn't consider herself a traditional quilter, but rather an artist who uses quilting as her medium. She began using a 2-inch square technique she learned from quilters at Material Mart in Midland. The pattern provided a good foundation, but Crawford wanted a little more freedom with her quilts. She has since tried several different techniques including shredding, fusing and painting.

"For me, the fun part is the designing and the painting and the creating," Crawford said. "The work is the stitching. I've tried so many things to avoid stitching them, but I still end up stitching them."

Crawford now tends toward more impressionistic designs, taking inspiration from places and people she's seen on her trips. Some of her artwork depicts European architecture in vivid detail while other pieces portray colorful floral arrangements. She enjoys picking out fabric from Park Bench Quilt Shop in Midland as well as selecting material while traveling. There are some pieces which incorporate watercolor and fabric paint for some added dimension. Crawford explained how she enjoys picking out color combinations and using fabric that might be considered ugly on its own.

"You got to be careful. It's not always obvious how stuff is going to come out," she said.

Crawford harbored an interest in art for several years; she retired from her 12-year job at The Dow Chemical Co. in 2001 to pursue a career in quilt art.

Unfortunately, her retirement came just two weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks; as a result, her sales dropped significantly.

"Nobody was doing anything at that point."

To supplement her income, Crawford turned to teaching quilting techniques across the country and even across borders. Her workshops took her to places including New Zealand, Spain and France, to name a few.

"I have been to so many places I never would've gone," she said.

Crawford has made no less than 300 pieces, some of which hang around her house. The American Quilter's Society Magazine has featured her art on the cover multiple times. Three of her pieces are currently on display in the Midland Artist Guild's exhibit on the mezzanine of Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. Crawford also has some pieces for sale through her website.

"I just really like doing them and I want someone to get them who loves them, who appreciates them," Crawford stated.

To learn more about Crawford and her artwork, visit lenorecrawford.com.
Health officials tied at least two new coronavirus cases to more RodeoHouston attendees on Saturday, as the Patton Village police officer who became the first-known case of community spread locally after attending the cookoff remained in critical condition.

Houston officials stood by their decision to allow the rodeo to hold events for 14 days before shuttering it Wednesday, even as they say more yet-to-be detected cases may have spread there. Mayor Sylvester Turner said he heeded the advice of medical experts in making the call. They did so when the city had a confirmed case of community spread, where a resident caught the virus locally, as opposed to while traveling.

That confirmation came Wednesday, when a Montgomery County man who had attended the barbecue cookoff tested positive. Within hours, the city announced the rodeo would close.

We moved quickly based upon the facts and the medical advice and the science that was presented to us, Turner said.

Medical experts described that course of action as prudent. Harris County Public Health Executive Director Dr. Umair Shah described the initial rodeo case as a milestone for the new coronavirus in Houston.

With that Montgomery case, there was no link to a confirmed case and no link to travel, Shah said. Now our concern was is this the beginning of community spread? Thats when the emergency declaration started.

The Houston area had 27 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Saturday, including a new case in Houston involving a man in his 50s who had traveled internationally and a woman in Montgomery County. A shortage of tests means this figure could represent only a fraction of people who are ill with the virus here.

The man in his 40s who became the first rodeo-related case, a Patton Village police officer, remained in critical condition Saturday evening.

For several days, that officer has been unconscious in the hospital, Patton Village Police Chief Shannon Sharp said, while the public has pointed fingers and pressed for more information on where he was before he was sick, including his exact contacts during the RodeoHouston cookoff that he attended Feb. 28.

Were all scared for him, Sharp said by phone Saturday. Were praying for the best.

Pressure has increased around trying to figure out what tent the officer visited at the rodeo  but Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Thursday that she did not know.

Hes not alone in facing the stigma, as concerned people across the area have tried to figure out who is sick and where theyve been, with government agencies releasing little information and urging general caution.

Many with mild symptoms recover. Even though he is young and was in good health previously, the officers situation worsened. In their last communication, Sharp said, the officer told him he was nervous  as anyone would be.

Literally all any of us can do, Sharp said, is just pray and wait.

Brazoria County reported its first two cases Saturday, both of which health officials believe were contracted at the rodeo.

Both patients, between the ages of 35 and 45, attended the barbecue cookoff and other events, said Sharon Trower, spokeswoman for Brazoria County Judge L.M. Matt Sebesta Jr.

Investigators are working to learn more details about those events and with whom the patients may have come into contact. The pair live together and are now quarantined in an Alvin-area home. They self-reported and were tested at a Harris County emergency room, Trower said.

Harris County officials expect an increase in confirmed cases in coming days as the coronavirus spreads through the community and more tests become available. Turner said that on a conference call, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan explained the issues city officials encountered in responding to the outbreak there. Turner vowed to stay ahead of the viruss spread here.

Hidalgo said the coming week is really a turning point for the region, dependent upon how many residents heed the governments warnings to avoid crowds and unnecessary gatherings of any kind.

It can put us in a very bad or very good position, Hidalgo said. That all depends on the community.

Drive-thru testing will be available sometime this week, though its not yet clear how many such facilities will open.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will also bring one or two mobile testing centers to the region, Turner told the Chronicle. That follows President Donald Trumps declaration Friday of a national emergency.

People can take some added comfort that now our federal partners are on board, Turner said. We will get through this.

zach.despart@chron.com

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com

emily.foxhall@chron.com
On Feb. 11, 2019, undercover detectives removed the trash from outside a 57-year-old paralegals home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in hopes of finding her DNA.

Police were led to Theresa Bentaas home by a new investigative technique that combines direct-to-consumer genetic testing and genealogical records. The detectives believed they were close to solving a crime that had haunted the city for 38 years: a newborn left to die in a frigid roadside ditch, tears frozen to his cheeks.

Once theyd taken the garbage from Bentaas home, the detectives pulled out beer cans, water bottles and cigarette butts, according to court documents. They sent the items to a state crime lab, where analysts extracted DNA that they said might belong to the babys mother.

Citing those results, one of the detectives got a search warrant to obtain a DNA sample directly from Bentaas. When he showed up at her home, Bentaas admitted to leaving the baby in the ditch in February 1981 after secretly giving birth, saying shed been young and stupid and scared, according to an affidavit submitted by the detective.

A few days later, according to court documents, Bentaas DNA swab revealed her as the babys likely mother. Police arrested her for murder.

The grave of Baby Andrew John Doe, an infant who was found dead in a ditch in 1981 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Loren Townsley / Argus Leader via AP)

Bentaas has since pleaded not guilty, and now, on the eve of her trial, she is fighting the charges against her. One of her main arguments is that police violated her constitutional protections against unreasonable searches when they used her trash to find her DNA and develop a genetic profile, without first asking a judge to sign a search warrant.

People do not have a privacy interest in the things they throw in the trash, but they definitely have privacy interest in their DNA that is on those items, Bentaas lawyer, Clint Sargent, said in an interview. And there's nothing a free person can do to not deposit DNA on the stuff they deal with every day.

The Minnehaha County prosecutor handling the case against Bentaas did not return a request for comment. Neither did a spokesman for the Sioux Falls Police Department.

Story continues

Do you have a story to share about how police use DNA to solve crimes? Contact us

The practice of going through a potential suspects garbage for evidence is not new. But it is facing new scrutiny from civil liberties groups and privacy advocates who see danger in law enforcements unchecked power to obtain peoples DNA  which is unavoidably left on just about everything anyone touches  without them knowing about it. The tactic has grown more frequent with the increased use of investigative genetic genealogy, which relies on DNA and ancestry records to find people with links to DNA left at a crime scene. Police try to confirm the connection by obtaining the persons DNA, often through surreptitious means.

Without protections, every one of us is vulnerable to having our DNA secretly tested and scrutinized by police without judicial oversight, said Nathan Freed Wessler, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, who specializes in technology and privacy.

The ACLU, along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit, filed a joint brief Monday in the Bentaas case in Second Judicial Circuit Court in Minnehaha County, arguing that while it is legal for police to rifle through someones trash for evidence, extracting and sequencing a DNA sample found on that item should first require going to a judge for a warrant. Not doing that, the groups said, violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The filing is the first in what the groups say will be a national effort to challenge cases in which police have used trash and other abandoned items to secretly access a potential suspects DNA. Among the cases they are watching is the upcoming trial of an Orlando, Florida, man charged with the 2001 killing of a college student.

The goal, they say, is to persuade judges to require police to first come to them for permission, in the form of a warrant.

Our DNA can reveal so much about us that our genetic privacy must be protected at all costs, an Electronic Frontier Foundation lawyer wrote in a blog post this week.

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Prosecutors say that argument is a stretch. They point out that the Supreme Court has ruled that it is OK for police to search through someones garbage, and criminal defendants have largely failed in the past to challenge the collection of DNA from trash and other items. The Minnehaha County state's attorney made those assertions in a brief opposing Bentaas motion to suppress the DNA evidence against her.

Duffie Stone, president of the National District Attorneys Association and a prosecutor in South Carolina, said police are allowed to go through someones trash or collect abandoned objects, regardless of whether they use those items to find DNA.

Making it more burdensome to test abandoned items for DNA would slow criminal investigations, which often rely on trying to find DNA not only from things left in the trash but also all sorts of objects found at crime scenes, from guns to gum, Stone said.

Theyre trying to extend the expectation of privacy to shedded DNA cells, Stone said. I dont think the courts are going to go with that, and from a practical standpoint it would be impossible for law enforcement to work with that on a regular basis.

Elizabeth Joh, a professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, who studies criminal procedure and police surveillance, said that as covert collection of DNA becomes cheaper and easier, there need to be more rules  from the courts or lawmakers  covering it.

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There is basically nothing regulating or guiding the police on what to do other than their own internal guidelines, Joh said.

On Friday, Bentaas defense team and Minnehaha County prosecutors argued the DNA collection issue before Second Circuit Court Judge Susan Sabers, who said shed make a decision by Tuesday, Sargent, Bentaas defense lawyer, said.

Bentaas trial is scheduled to begin April 20.

Mourners gather to bury Andrew John Doe on March 7, 1981, in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Argus Leader via AP)

The trial could mark the final chapter in a mystery that has haunted Sioux Falls for nearly four decades.

The baby died years before DNA became a crime-solving tool. Residents arranged for a funeral and burial and named the boy Andrew, which was inscribed on his gravestone. In 2009, a detective, hoping to use new DNA analysis methods to find a new lead, arranged for the body to be disinterred, according to court documents. But the baby's DNA profile wasn't closely related to any profiles in the state's crime database.

Last year, police turned to investigative genetic genealogy, which seeks DNA links outside of crime databases. Investigators built a family tree that pointed them to Bentaas, according to court documents.

Her arrest triggered a wave of relief across Sioux Falls.

Lee Litz, who found the baby at the side of the road, told a reporter last year that he considered the boy his long-lost son and saw Bentaas arrest as justice for a community that refused to let his death go forgotten.

"There are times when I wish I hadn't found him and there are times that I'm glad I did, Litz told the Argus Leader newspaper. I just wish I found him earlier, when he was still alive."


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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has arrested five more persons in connection with IB staffer Ankit Sharmas murder case during the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month, officials said. The accused have been identified as Feroz, Javed, Gulfam and Shoaib from Chand Bagh area and Anas from Mustafabad, they said. Earlier, a man identified as Salman was arrested in connection with the murder case. Meanwhile, Ankit Sharma died in shock due to haemorrhage caused by the grievous injury inflicted on lung and brain, his post-mortem report revealed.

ALSO READ: Goons threw petrol bombs, fired from Tahir Hussain's residence, says Ankit Sharma's father

Sharma was allegedly stabbed multiple times and his body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhis Chand Bagh area on February 27, a day after he had gone missing after riots broke out. The post-mortem report revealed that there were 51 injuries on his body and that they were fresh before the death. Cause of death: Shock due to haemorrhage due to injury to lung and brain, the report signed by Dr. Arvind Kumar, Dr. K.K. Banerjee and Dr. S.K. Verma, stated. Other injuries were caused either by a sharp weapon, heavy cutting weapon or a blunt force.

Sharmas face and some other body parts had allegedly been burnt to conceal his identity. The forensic experts have stated that all the injuries were sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature both independently and collectively. As per the report, the post-mortem was conducted in GTB Hospital about two days since the death of the IB staffer. Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and a man named Salman alias Haseen is in the eye of the storm for their alleged involvement in Ankits murder.

ALSO READ: Brother of IB staffer Ankit Sharma killed in Delhi violence seeks police protection for family

The AAP councillor was arrested on charges of murder, destruction of evidence and abduction on a complaint filed by the deceaseds father. He, along with the other accused, is currently in the custody of police and are likely to be confronted with each other soon. On March 13, the IO Amaleshwar Rai told the court that several thousand people in the mob need to be identified in connection with the killing.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 09:28:04|Editor: huaxia

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KUNMING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese border police in southwestern Yunnan Province have in recent years stepped up crackdown on drug and smuggling cases, yielding positive results.

Within this year, police in Yunnan have seized 42.4 million yuan (more than 6 million U.S. dollars) worth of smuggled goods and more than 2,100 kg of drugs as of March 8, according to local authorities.

On Feb. 21, police seized 14.4 kg of methamphetamine in five boxes of packages in Menghai County, the China-Myanmar border prefecture of Xishuangbanna. Four days later, another cross-border drug transportation case was cracked in Menghai County with 32.9 kg of opium seized.

On Feb. 18, Maguan police seized 198 boxes of smuggled frozen chicken feet worth more than 300,000 yuan.

Police have also intercepted more than 6,000 illegal entries and exits.

Yunnan is a major front in China's battle against drug crime, as it borders the Golden Triangle known for its rampant drug production and trafficking.
A passenger arriving from Brussels wearing a mask to protect himself from the new coronavirus looks for his relatives in the International arrivals zone at Dulles Airport outside Washington on March 13, 2020. (Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images)

US Coronavirus Travel Ban Expands to Include UK and Ireland

The United States expanded the travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Ireland, effective midnight Monday.

President Donald Trump implemented the ban for most European countries this week because of the explosion of coronavirus cases there.

All of our health experts presented information and made a unanimous recommendation to the president that we suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland, Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said in Washington after a task force meeting on Saturday.

Trump said earlier in the press conference that his administration was considering other travel restrictions.

Theyve had a little bit of activity, unfortunately, Trump said when asked about the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said that the decision was made due to the rising number of cases in the UK.

President Donald Trump speaks as Vice President Mike Pence (L) listens during a briefing about the coronavirus alongside members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington on March 14, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

These restrictions bar travel for certain foreign nationals who have been present in the UK or Ireland in the past 14 days, he said. The restrictions dont apply to U.S. citizens, officials said, but they will be funneled to certain airports for screening.

Trump on Wednesday said the Schengen Area countries, which include France, Germany, and Italy, failed to implement travel restrictions against China, where the virus started before spreading around the world, unlike the United States.

The European Union failed to take the same precautions to restrict travel from China and other hotspots. As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe, Trump said.

Italy has confirmed over 17,000 cases and over 1,200 deaths while Spain has over 6,000 cases. Germany and France both have over 3,600 cases.

Other countries in the region, including Switzerland, Norway, and Sweden, have faced rapidly escalating case counts in recent days.

Top U.S. health officials said that the travel ban against Europe made sense because over 70 percent of the new cases in America are linked to Europe.

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci answers a question during a press conference about the coronavirus as Vice President Mike Pence (L), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma (2nd L), and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar (R) look on, at the White House in Washington on March 2, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Patients from Europe are seeding other countries, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, told lawmakers, including the United States.

So it was pretty compelling that we needed to turn off the source from that region, he said.

Fauci said on Saturday that the travel restrictions were prompted by the epicenter of the virus moving from China, where the virus started, to Europe.

When this is all over, and this will end, you will see a curve of how the coronavirus outbreak evolved, he said, noting that cases have dropped sharply in both China and South Korea.

Domestically, cases will rise but will fall at some point, he added.

Trump told reporters that people shouldnt take trips if they dont have to.

If you dont have to travel, I wouldnt do it, Trump added when asked if people should be traveling, given the situation with the virus, after the Pentagon ordered a halt to domestic travel.

We want this thing to end. We dont want a lot of people getting infected. We want it to end and end as quickly as possible, he added.
INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI)  When it comes to the Coronavirus Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's message is unity.

He said Indiana and communities around the state including TIppecanoe County are going to to fight this outbreak together.

Governor Holcomb and Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box talked the next steps of the virus and how Hoosiers can diminish its impact.

"How am i going to get to next week," said Gov. Holcomb. "We want to ease that anxiety. The health and safety of our citizens is of paramount importance."

Holcomb said it's best to not overreact to Coronavirus concerns.

"What we want to make sure we do is make sure we are keeping an eye on the ball and we are most focused on the human cost, but understand there is an economic cost to this," said Gov. Holcomb.

Holcomb said Indiana will use its more than $2 billion surplus to help flatten the curve of the virus.

"Turns out mom was right growing up," said Holcomb. "Wash your hands and do it religiously now."

State Health Commissioner Kristina Box agreed with Holcomb.

No matter how little the step you take to prevent the spread, it could have a big impact collectively.

"I think the really important thing here is to remember that 80 percent of people have a very mild illness and get over this and don't have any long term complications or problems," said Dr. Box.

Box said the state had its issues with the virus initially, like many other states, but it is now seeing more help.

"We have several testing options coming on in the next couple of weeks," said Dr. Box.

One company already has more than half a million Coronavirus test kits ready to send out.

"Good news about this is that we are one of the last countries to really showing up with a lot of COVID-19 cases," said Dr. Box.

Only about 10 to 20 people could be tested per day, but with the help of pharmaceutical partners, testing will be accessible and widespread.
An American couple, which



allegedly gave the slip to police after being admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital here following complaints of fever and cough, was traced to Kochi airport and placed under observation.

The two were traced late Friday night and admitted to the Kalamassery medical college hospital isolation ward, police sources said.

They had visited the hospital here with fever and were sent to the isolation ward, but left the place shortly thereafter.

The tourists had come to Kochi from London via Doha on March 9, attended a Kathakali show in the port city, went for a houseboat ride the next day at Alapzuha, stayed at a Fort Kochi resort, before going to varkala near thiruvananthapuram and returned to Alapuzha, police said.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to track all those who may have come in contact with the Italian tourist, who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan said it was a herculean task as the tourist had come to the state from Delhi on February 27 and was staying at a beach resort at Varkala.

The Thiruvananthapuram district administration is in the process of preparing the route map of the places the tourist had visited after he arrived in the state.

"There was a 15 day gap from the time he reached the state to being detected positive for virus.

Efforts are on to trace all those he had come in contact during this period. He had gone out to purchase food and other things", the collector told reporters.

He urged people to stay indoors and not to move around and take precautionary measurers.

Those coming from abroad should be under home quarantine for 28 days.

Many are not following the restrictions while in quarantine, he said.

With three positive cases being reported from the state capital, the collector said all malls would be closed, while people should avoid mass gatherings and follow strict self isolation to ensure that the virus does not spread.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The hit-show Hamilton wont be performed at the Mirvish theatre anytime soon now that Torontos largest theatrical production company announced its shutting down shows for the next four weeks.

Out of an abundance of caution, and in an effort to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, all Mirvish theatres will suspend performances, effective from the matinee today through Sunday, April 12, David Mirvish said in a statement Saturday.

Our highest priority is the health and safety of our patrons, artists and staff. We will attempt to reschedule as many performances as possible when conditions become appropriate.

The Boy Friend will see its entire engagement with the theatre cancelled as the cast was coming from London. The cancellation follows the citys medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villas recommendation that those who have travelled internationally self-quarantine for two weeks.

Other shows impacted include Come from Away, Summer, and Us/Them.

Regarding performances beyond April 12, we will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves and will update the community on our website and via email, he said. For the sake of our entire community, I look forward to life returning to normal as soon as possible.

Anyone holding tickets to their show are being offered refunds. They can also use past purchases as credit to pay for future shows or exchange their tickets.

Torontos TIFF Bell Lightbox, the citys prestige destination for foreign and art-house films, also announced Saturday its closing for a month, only a day after adopting a more moderate policy of spacing its patrons out in its cinemas.

This has been a heartbreaking but necessary decision, wrote TIFF co-heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey on the TIFF website, stating that the King St. moviehouse will be closed at least until April 14. It had been screening films including the French period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire and the acclaimed western First Cow, which opened Friday and thus screened for barely a day.

Torontos Young Peoples Theatre and Tarragon Theatre have also cancelled their seasons, along with the shows slated for May.
The controversial and recently paroled king of Nelson Mandela's ethnic clan has been arrested after an alleged violent rampage in which he wielded an axe, a machete and a crowbar, a family member said.

Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, 55, king of the AbaThembu, allegedly targeted his family in the spree at the palace in the Eastern Cape province where his son lives.

Some royal family members were injured including the queen whose teeth were broken when she was hit in the face.

Dalindyebo's son, who has been the acting king since his father was jailed in 2015, fled by jumping through a window, said Siganeko Dalinyebo, the king's brother.

The king was jailed five years ago after receiving a 12 year sentence for arson, kidnap and assault. He was released on parole in December 2019.

"The king was wrecking havoc on the acting king's room. Taking documents throwing them around," Siganeko told AFP.

However, royal advisor to Buyelekhaya, Matthew Mpahlwa defended the king saying "the details of what happened upon his arrival in the royal palace remain sketchy".

"Allegations will remain allegations."

Traditional kings have no official power in modern South Africa, but still command loyalty among millions of people.

They are recognised in the constitution as traditional leaders and receive government funding.
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CALGARY, Alberta, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FluroTech Ltd. (TSXV: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF), a technology company focused on becoming the standard in the analytical cannabis and hemp testing market, announces that it has agreed to release CaryLand LLC from the non-exclusive distribution agreement (Agreement) that was announced on December 10, 2019.

Pursuant to the Agreement, CaryLand purchased and paid for three CompleTest devices during December 2019. However, due to CaryLands internal restructuring, CaryLand is no longer able to fulfill its obligations under the Agreement, and accordingly the parties mutually agreed to the termination of the Agreement. FluroTech is currently engaged in advanced discussions with several other US based distributors.

FluroTech still believes that the ever-evolving Federal Drug Administration regulations represent an exceptional opportunity for the CompleTest to be utilized by growers and regulators to distinguish hemp from marijuana. FluroTech believes it is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity, given the recent advances to FluroTechs technological capabilities and the accuracy of its testing, which have been independently validated.



About FluroTech (TSXV: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF)

FluroTech is a technology and marketing company whose core business is focused on the commercialization of new technologies in the cannabis and hemp industries. FluroTechs proprietary spectroscopy-based technology allows for the testing and identification of organic and inorganic compounds contained within biological samples. Using technology that was first developed at the University of Calgary, FluroTech has created a two-part solution comprising a platform technology called the CompleTest and consumable testing kits. Its accuracy has been independently validated. FluroTech continues to develop additional applications for the CompleTest platform technology.

To learn more, visit: www.FluroTech.com

Contact Information

Danny Dalla-Longa

Chief Executive Officer

403.680.0644

danny@flurotech.com



FluroTech Ltd.

7 - 3535 Research Road NW

Calgary, AB T2L 2K8

info@flurotech.com



This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit or account of U.S. persons, absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

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Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this news release due to certain material risk factors described in the Corporations Annual Information Form under the heading Risk Factors and the failure to realize anticipated benefits of the evolving regulations or the advancements in the CompleTest technology. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material risk factors and assumptions is not exhaustive.

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(Newser)  "American cities are facing a transportation crisis." That's how Aaron Gordon kicks off a lengthy Vice article about America's half-hearted commitment to public transit. Gordon argues that the US lags far behind Europe's tram and metro lines, and China's high-speed rail lines, which makes life harder for Americans. "There's terrible traffic," he writes. "Public transit doesn't work or go where people need it to. The cities are growing, but newcomers are faced with the prospects of paying high rents for reasonable commutes or lower rents for dreary, frustrating daily treks." He sees many causes for the problemlike sprawling cities, rising costs, distrust of government, and too much highway-buildingbut at heart, he says, it's a political issue.

story continues below

"If there's one point on which all the experts I spoke to agree the most, it is that transportation is politics." Even a vague transit plan, he says, can trigger long debates between competing factions (like developers focused on certain areas, or neighborhoods with racist concerns about who's traveling through). Add in government budget cuts dating back to the 1980s, and it's an even bigger boondoggle. Gordon's fix: Fund local transit agencies to create "long-term expertise," so they aren't hiring pricey contractors and "reinventing the wheel" with each project. He also wants transit "within the responsibility of one elected official who is clearly accountable." That may not solve every problem, he admits, but it's a start. Click for his full piece. (Or see how Uber affected traffic congestion.)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mastercard and Wellcome committed up to $125m in seed funding to speed-up the response to the COVID-19 epidemic by identifying, assessing, developing, and scaling-up treatments.

The Gates Foundation and Wellcome are each contributing up to $50 million, and the Mastercard Impact Fund has committed up to $25 million to catalyze the initial work of the accelerator. The Gates Foundations funding is part of its $100 million commitment to the COVID-19 response announced last month. The partners are committed to equitable access, including making products available and affordable in low-resource settings.

The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will play a catalytic role by accelerating and evaluating new and repurposed drugs and biologics to treat patients with COVID-19 in the immediate term, and other viral pathogens in the longer-term. Currently there are no broad-spectrum antivirals or immunotherapies available for the fight against emerging pathogens, and none approved for use on COVID-19.

The accelerator will work with the World Health Organization, government and private sector funders and organizations, as well as the global regulatory and policy-setting institutions. It will have an end-to-end focus, from drug pipeline development through manufacturing and scale-up. By sharing research, coordinating investments, and pooling resources, these efforts can help to accelerate research.

To identify candidate compounds, the accelerator will take a three-pronged approach:

testing approved drugs for activity against COVID-19,

screening libraries of thousands of compounds with confirmed safety data and

considering new investigational compounds and monoclonal antibodies.

Drugs or monoclonal antibodies that pass initial screening would then be developed by an industry partner.

The biotech and pharmaceutical industries will be critical partners, bringing their compound libraries and clinical data to the collaboration and lending commercialization and other expertise that will be required to scale up successful drugs and monoclonal antibodies.

In parallel to the development of the COVID-19 drug pipeline, the initiative will work with regulators to align criteria and develop manufacturing capacity with industry. An accelerated pathway to bringing effective treatments to patients is around one year for products that have current regulatory approval or candidates with existing clinical data. The timeline would be longer for compounds further upstream in the pipeline that have limited existing clinical data.

FinSMEs

14/03/2020
Two persons who had recently



returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal city on Saturday, a senior official said.

It took the number of confirmed cases in the state to 22.

The two patients were among a group of nine who had returned from Dubai on March 1, said district collector M D Sinh.

All of them were placed in quarantine, but seven of them tested negative while a man and a woman tested positive, the collector said. They have been admitted to Yavatmal government hospital and their condition was stable, he added.

Elsewhere in the state, ten coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, four each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two political odd fellows agree: if you don't have to go out during the coronavirus scare, don't.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got support Saturday from Sen. Ted Cruz after the 30-year-old liberal from the Bronx tweeted that New Yorkers should stop going to bars and restaurants amid the coronavirus outbreak that led President Donald Trump to declare a national state of emergency.

'To everyone in NYC but ESPECIALLY healthy people & people under 40 (bc from what Im observing thats who needs to hear this again): PLEASE stop crowding bars, restaurants, and public spaces right now. Eat your meals at home,' she tweeted.

'If you are healthy, you could be spreading COVID,' she added.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is ordering New Yorkers to stop going to bars and restaurants, just a few days after she called some members of the public racist for avoiding Chinese restaurants

The 30-year-old liberal took to Twitter to urge her constituents to stay indoors amid the coronavirus outbreak that led President Donald Trump to declare a national state of emergency

She urged the public to stay at least six feet away from other people

Sen. Ted Cruz offered the Bronx liberal some support.

She directed the public to stay at least six feet away from others to avoid potentially spreading the virus.

To Twitter's delight, AOC received support from the conservative Republican senator from Texas.

'Good advice  not just for NYC, but everywhere. If you can stay home, stay home. And wash your hands,' Cruz tweeted.

Sen. Ted Cruz, shown on Feb. 28, agreed with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the need for people to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak

'When Ted Cruz and AOC agree on something, I think it's time to listen," one Twitter user said.

'I just saw Ted Cruz retweeting AOC and am now convinced of the apocalypse,' another joked.

On Tuesday Ocasio rebuked the public for being racist toward Asian businesses due to the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, but it now under control there.

She blasted New Yorkers for refusing to support Asian shops and restaurants fearing infection, leading to a plummet in their business.

'Honestly, it sounds almost so silly to say, but there's a lot of restaurants that are feeling the pain of racism,' she said in an Instagram Live.

'People are literally not patronizing Chinese restaurants. They're not patronizing Asian restaurants because of just straight-up racism around the coronavirus.'

On Friday, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted the US response to the coronavirus crisis  saying that more needs to be done more quickly to protect working-class Americans from the disease. She said: 'It almost seems like the more wealthy and powerful you are, the more able you are to access a test'

As of Saturday night, there are more than 2,900 cases of the virus in the United States and 58 deaths.

On Friday, AOC blasted the US response to the coronavirus, saying more needs to be done.

The New York Democrat hit out at Donald Trump's claim that the US 'has the best healthcare system anywhere in the world', pointing out that South Korea is testing 10,000 per day compared to just a handful in the US.

'It almost seems like the more wealthy and powerful you are, the more able you are to access a test,' she told Fox News on Thursday.

'But the rougher the road you've got here, the more difficult it will be to access healthcare. That's exactly the recipe for a disaster in a pandemic.'

Widespread problems have been reported across the country with coronavirus testing, with medics unable to keep up with demand.

On Tuesday, Ocasio rebuked the public for being racist toward Asian businesses due to the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, but it now under control there. People in New York carrying groceries wearing face masks pictured Saturday

While the White House has promised that millions of Americans will get test kits, data available suggests that number is currently in the low tens of thousands.

The CDC admitted that it had only tested 77 people in the first two days of this week, while state numbers recorded by the COVID Tracking Project late Thursday reported 15,000 tests had been carried out.

But inconsistencies in the data  with some states only reporting positive results and others reporting none at all  means the true figure remains unknown.

On Friday Trump declared a national state of emergency, a move that would open the door to get $50billion in emergency funding to states.

He also announced a travel ban from foreigners entering the country through Europe, which was extended Saturday to include travelers from the UK. The ban excludes American citizens.
By AFP

CHRISTCHURCH: Aliya Danzeisen rises before dawn every day to hear the news so she can prepare her school-age daughters for any harassment they may face for being Muslim.

"We don't feel any safer," the Muslim community leader says, reflecting on the 12 months since the Christchurch mosque attacks, in which a self-declared white supremacist killed 51 Muslims at Friday prayers.

The abuse experienced prior to the attacks on March 15 last year died down immediately after the killings, Danzeisen said, adding: "It felt the entire New Zealand population was rallying behind us."

But she says it is now on the rise again, a year on from the killings that rattled the normally peaceful South Pacific nation, with unease among the Muslim community amid ongoing vitriol and threats.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern -- who received widespread praise for her handling of the aftermath of the massacre -- admitted Friday there was "much more" her country could do to tackle white supremacists.

Anjum Rahman, co-founder of the Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand said there was an "undercurrent or rhetoric of hate...it isn't just our community, we see it a lot in online hate (towards) the transgender community.

"I wouldn't say it's specifically just us, but we're feeling it."

Muslim women who wear headscarves were targeted "because they think we're vulnerable and can't fight back", she said.

Following the massacre at two mosques in the South Island city, New Zealand's government moved swiftly.

Gun laws were tightened, Ardern launched a global campaign to have terrorist and extremist content removed online, and a judicial inquiry was established to investigate what could have been done to prevent the attacks.

Danzeisen, a former corporate lawyer in the United States who moved to New Zealand 14 years ago, said she believes the support shown to Muslims in the immediate aftermath of the shooting "surprised those in the fringe supremacist movements".

"As a result it's made them more defensive and more vitriolic, they've become louder," she said.

In a recent threat to the Islamic Women's Council "they told us that they knew what we were doing, who we were, who we were meeting with and they were watching us and there was a mention of poisoning".

Danzeisen said she felt it was important to brief her high school-age daughters about global incidents so they could handle any intimidation.

"I did that for years, so they could go to school and be prepared, to be able to explain to peers or teachers when there is an international issue to explain why in their response. I am aware of children being harassed both by peers but also educators."

The impact spreads beyond New Zealand.

At the Al Noor mosque Jabara Akhter Juti said her family in Bangladesh remain "very concerned about me" since she moved to Christchurch last year with her husband.

The imam at Al Noor, Gamal Fouda, wanted the broader impact of extremism addressed and not just confined to Muslims.

"That was a war against New Zealand, not only against Muslims, because today it is against one group tomorrow against another group, people of other ethnic backgrounds are targeted," he told AFP.

Mosque spokesman Tony Green said a recent incident in Auckland where a Chinese doctor was abused in public because of coronavirus highlighted the problem.

"I don't know if she was born in New Zealand but she's been here for a very long time and she had people shouting at her 'go back to China'.

"This is part of a much wider issue and I think people need to come to terms with it."

"It's global issue, it affects communities all across the world."

The inquiry into the mosque shootings is due to report back at the end of April.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has commended Tanzania over its success in controlling drug trafficking, an official said on Thursday.



James Kaji, the Acting Commissioner General for the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), said the UNODC report for 2019 showed that Tanzania has controlled drug trafficking, especially of heroin, by 90 percent.



"The achievement made by Tanzania in controlling drug trafficking is a result of three consecutive years (2018-2020) of concerted efforts in fighting the illicit trade," Kaji told a news conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.



The UNODC, through the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), said Tanzania was among a handful African countries that have succeeded in fighting drug trafficking and drug abuse, said the official.



Kaji added that the achievements were made following the enactment of the drug control and enforcement legislation in 2015 and its amendments in 2017.



"Despite its porous borders, Tanzania has been able to control and monitor its borders in collaboration with international security agencies by conducting special operations that have hugely helped to control the illicit trade," said Kaji.



Following the achievements made by Tanzania in controlling drug trafficking, Kaji said a number of countries, including Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria and Ghana have requested to learn from the country on how it managed to control the illicit business.

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.

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MADRID (Reuters) - A consignment of medical supplies sent by China to help Italy and Spain contain the coronavirus has arrived in Europe, the Chinese embassy in Madrid said on Thursday.

The shipment includes 1.8 million masks, it said in a Tweet.

Earlier, a Spanish government source told Reuters that China, the first country to suffer from the epidemic, had offered to help Spain in its efforts to tackle the growing coronavirus outbreak. The assistance would include medical equipment.

The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the shipment.

Spain has stepped up its response to the outbreak in recent days, closing schools and suspending parliament after a minister tested positive.

(Reporting by Belen Carreno; Additional reporting by Clara-Laeila Laudette; Writing by Nathan Allen; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Giles Elgood)
Latest updates as of Monday, March 16

7:00 PM: Government spokeperson Cyrus Oguna says 3 more suspected cases of coronavirus put in isolation, 14 others under quarantine.

4:10PM: Somalia confirms it's first case of COVID-19 in the country. Health Ministry says the patient, a Somali citizen flew in from China.

3:10 PM: World Bank commits KSh 6 billion to Kenya to help fight pandemic. KSh 50M from COVID-19 financing facility and KSh 10M from contingency emergency response component of transforming health systems for universal care project.

3:02 PM: Safaricom announces waiver for M-Pesa transaction fees for person to person below KSh 1,000 and increases daily transaction limits from KSh 70,000 to KSh 150,000.

2:40 PM: Tanzania confirms first case of COVID-19. Country's ministry of health says patient is a 46-year-old woman who arrived in the country on Sunday, March 15 from Belgium aboard a Rwanda Air flight.

12.45 PM: Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha directs schools to ferry learners home using school buses

12:44 PM: National Transport and Safety Authority suspends driver tests, vehicle inspection and issuance of logbooks, driving licences, PSV badges, number plates indefinitely.

12:00 PM: The medical practitioners council raid a Nairobi clinic which claimed to sell coronavirus testing kits for KSh 3,000. Avane Clinic located in Yaya Centre, Nairobi had claimed to have the testing kits which it described as easy to use and that one would get the test results in 15 minutes.

10.58 AM: Nurses at the Mbagathi Hospital stage a go-slow, say they are not adequately trained to handle the virus. They also say there is little support to protect their families.

8:00 AM: Rwanda's Ministry of Health confirms four more cases of coronavirus. Three patients are Rwandese and one Ugandan.

Latest updates as of Sunday, March 15:

10:27 PM: Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrest 23-year-old Elijah Muthui Kitonyo who disputed government position saying he knew the coronavirus patient zero.

Kitonyo was arrested on Sunday, March 15, in Mwingi over allegations of publishing misleading and alarming information on coronavirus.

10:00 PM: University of Nairobi suspends learning in line with the government's directive to close all learning institutions.

9:00 PM: A hotel along Moi, Avenue, Nairobi is put on lockdown as a guest in the inn (woman) is claimed to have been in contact with a foreigner suspected of coronavirus.

7:53 PM: Ethiopia confirms 3 more patients test positive to virus. The patients an Ethiopian and two Japanese came into contact with the first patient.

5:38 PM: On Sunday, March, March 15, Uhuru confirmed two more cases of coronavirus in Kenya on Sunday, March 15, bringing the total number of infections to three.

5:40PM: In a press briefing at Harambee House, the head of state orders for the closure of learning institutions from Monday, March 16, for day primary and secondary schools whereas boarding schools were given up to Wednesday, March 18, to suspend learning.

5:42 PM: Uhuru suspends flights from all countries that have confirmed cases of COVID-19 and said only Kenyan citizens and foreigners with valid passports will be allowed into the country after self-quarantine.

5:43PM: Uhuru urges Kenyans to use cashless transactions as the virus is also transmitted through banknotes further urging mobile operators to reduce the cost of transaction.

The president urges Kenyans to avoid social gatherings such as weddings, places of worship, shopping malls and public transport. Where applicable, workers should be allowed to work from home.

Here are updates as at Saturday, March 14:

09:06 PM Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has said all churches will temporarily remove the holy water from the sanctuary in a bid to contain the possible spread of coronavirus.

The top organ-making body, however, advised congregants with flu to abstain from holy Communion celebrations until they fully recover.

8:00 PM The government has launched a manhunt for the originator of videos doing rounds on the internet about a woman who was accused of suffering from Coronavirus.

Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi announced that the information had been brought to the attention of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for the arrest and prosecution of the individuals.

7: 48 PM Kenya's first coronavirus patient is responding well to treatment, the government confirmed on Saturday, March 14.

The Ministry of Health Cabinet Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi, while giving a status update on the patient's progress, said the woman was cheerful and in stable condition.

7:00 PM At least 22 individuals who interacted with the first coronavirus patient have been placed under medical supervision at KNH's isolation unit at Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi.

Some of the persons were traced to their home in around Ole Kasasi area on Friday, March 13, by rapid response team after which they were all booked in at an isolation facility.

06:15 PM Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has suspended all nightclubs in the county for 30 days to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The drastic measure comes just a day after Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced the first case of COVID-19 in Kenya.

05:10 PM The news of coronavirus spread to Kenya has caused panic and anxiety among Kenyans who have now resorted to shopping for all that can help contain the spread of COVID-19.

So high is the demand for these products that Tuskys supermarket, which had earlier ensured the public of enough stock, issued a memo limiting its customers from buying more than 3 sanitizers.

12:50 PM The first case of coronavirus has been recorded in Rwanda barely 24 hours after Kenya and Ethiopia confirmed first cases in each country on Friday, March 13.

In a statement on Saturday, the nation's Ministry of Health said a patient who is Indian citizen arrived from Mumbai on March 8.

11: 07 AM A number of universities have taken various precautionary measures to prevent infection of its students and staff in the wake of coronavirus case in Kenya.

Africa Nazarene University announced it was suspending all its on-campus classes effective on Monday, March 16.

10: 43 AM: Investors at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) have lost KSh 119.6 billion in value after Health CS Mutahi Kagwe confirmed presence of the dreaded pandemic in the country.

8: 56 AM: The SDA church has advised its older members to worship at home. The church noted older people were the most vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic.

8:09 AM: Pastor James Ng'ang'a of Neno Evangelism church poured cold water on government's statement that it was prepared to deal with coronavirus after first COVID-19 case was reported in Kenya.

The controversial cleric said, established countries like US were having a difficult time in containing the virus and it was laughable for Kenya to claim it was prepared well enough.

Here are the latest updates on Friday, March 13:

19:30 PM: Government has embarked on tracing all the contact persons who may have interacted with the first coronavirus patient in Kenya. The Ministry of Health sent out its rapid response team to Ongata Rongai where the said woman stayed before seeking medical attention at a nearby hospital.

16: 20 PM: President Uhuru Kenyatta held an emergency meeting with the national security council over COVID-19 fears in the country. The council resolved that additional medical personnel will be recruited to deal with the pandemic.

16:00 PM: The planned Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) sensitisation rally Nakuru edition has pushed from March 21 to a later date. Host Governor Lee Kinyanjui and the Nakuru BBI organising committee attributed change of programm to the government's decision to ban all public gatherings over coronavirus scare.

15: 27 PM: Coronavirus in Kenya: Rapid response team sent to Ongata Rongai home of Kenyan patient. The said woman arrived in Kenya and stayed with her family in Ongata Rongai.

12 PM: Ethiopian health officials confirmed first case of the infectious coronavirus in Addis Ababa.

The city's mayor Takele Uma Banti made the announcement via his Twitter handle and said the affected person was a Japanese national.

10: 12 AM: First case confirmed in Kenya, becoming the first Eastern African nation to record the deadly virus.

In his updates, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the case was diagnosed on a woman who traveled to Kenya from the United States through London.

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.

Where is our son? Our only child after six miscarriages is missing, help us find him |Tuko TV.
Saudi Fund extends credit to Oceanpick Pvt Ltd to import feed material to Sri Lanka View(s):

Oceanpick Pvt Ltd, South Asias inaugural project for oceanic farming based in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, has entered into an agreement to receive import credit from Saudi Export Programme of the Saudi Fund for Development, with the agreement signed at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Colombo.

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), established in 1975, is a 100 per cent Government Agency which supports Saudi exports to the world through the Saudi Export Programme. The main objective of SFD is to contribute to financing development projects in developing countries by granting loans to these countries, providing grants for technical assistance to finance studies and institutional support and providing financing and guarantee for national non-crude oil exports, a media release issued by the chamber said.

Abdulmohsen Abdulrahman Al Khayal, Director General of Saudi Export Programme said the SFD was pleased to be associated with Sri Lanka and hoped this association will lead to more trade between the two countries.

Oceanpick Pvt Ltd, a member of the chamber, has established a supply arrangement with a Saudi based feed mill for their feed material requirements and have concluded an import credit arrangement with the Saudi Export Programme of SFD.

We are glad to facilitate the signing of the agreement at our premises. CCC has been continuously promoting the facilities provided by the SFD for the benefit of local companies. We organised a successful business promotion mission to Saudi Arabia in 2017 and thereafter, three knowledge sharing sessions were organised with senior officials attached to SFD consecutively between 2017 to 2018, said the CCC CEO Manjula de Silva.

Former Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Saudi Arabia, Azmi Thassim highlighted the benefits that could derive due to availability of this credit facility to expand business activities of local companies and mentioned more awareness programmes will be organised in association with the CCC in the near future. Mr. Thassim extended an invitation to officials of the Saudi Export Programme of SFD to organise an inbound business promotion mission to Sri Lanka.

Commenting at the occasion, Managing Director of Oceanpick, Irfan Thassim expressed delight at the significance of this milestone for Oceanpick and hoped this will encourage more entrepreneurship and investments into such out of the box projects in the future.

The agreement was signed by Abdulmohsen Abdulrahman Al Khayal, Director General of Saudi Export Programme and Irfan Thassim, Managing Director, Oceanpick Pvt Ltd in the presence of Rizvi Zaheed, Chairman of Oceanpick Pvt Ltd; Manjula de Silva, CEO of the CCC; Azmi Thassim, Former Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Saudi Arabia and Theyab Mohammed Al Sharif, Counsellor of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Colombo and the representatives of Amana Bank which will be executing the transfer of funds between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.
The Cliffs of Moher will be closed off to visitors until at least March 29.

It comes after the government announced that all schools, colleges and creches were to remain closed for two weeks to restrict the spread of Covid-19.
To help ensure that students who receive free and reduced lunches have easy access to daily meals while the district is closed this week, Conroe ISD will be hosting two food distribution events.

CISD chose to extend its spring break and remain closed March 16-20 in response to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Along with CISD, other districts have announced that they too will be closed next week: Magnolia ISD, Willis ISD, New Caney ISD, and Splendora ISD and The John Cooper School.

The Woodlands Christian Academy will be on spring break next week but will be extending the break the week after, returning to class on March 30.

On both Tuesday and Thursday at multiple district locations, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., families with students receiving a free or reduced lunch can come pick up a package of meals from CISD.

The district has a student population of around 65,000 students and just under 26,000 of those students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Thats the group that were targeting because we know thats the group that has the greatest need during our closures, said CISD communications director Sarah Blakelock.

The district is asking that the students be present when coming to pick up the meals. Distribution will be at the front of the chosen schools.

Distribution sites are: Conroe High School, Caney Creek High School, Hauke High School, Grand Oaks High School, Oak Ridge High School, The Woodlands High School, College Park High School, Austin Elementary, Knox Junior High, and Washington Junior High.

The meals will consist of sack lunches with sandwiches and some breakfast items. Items will be passed through the car windows. The food is perishable and will need to be consumed within the week, but if the district extends its closure Blakelock said the district would continue to distribute food.

I think that this is something that we would look to provide to our community as were able to, as were able to receive the food delivery, she said. Taking care of our students in need is a huge concern for us. Thats always one of the hardest factors that we grapple with whenever we have to close.

Blakelock said a meeting was set up for March 16 to learn more about each schools need and what community support is available at each campus.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
Of the first nine coronavirus cases to be reported in November  four men and five women  none has been confirmed as being 'patient zero'. They were all aged between 39 and 79, but it is not known how many were residents of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

Beijing: The first case of novel coronavirus can be traced back to 17 November last year in China's Hubei province, which subsequently became its epicentre as it rapidly spread at home and abroad before Chinese health officials could identify the deadly virus, according to a media report on Friday.

Chinese authorities have so far identified at least 266 people who were infected in 2019. All the 266 individuals came under medical surveillance at some point, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The first case of someone in China suffering from COVID-19 can be traced back to 17 November, the report said quoting government data.

A 55-year-old from Hubei province could have been the first person to have contracted the viral infection on 17 November last year and cases rapidly began piling up since then, it said, without revealing the gender of the individual.

The Hubei province is under lockdown since 23 January after it became a battleground for the novel coronavirus. The total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the hard-hit province so far is 67,786, which showed the extent of the spread of the virus in the area.

Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak here

Hubei's capital Wuhan, the ground zero, has so far reported 49,991 confirmed cases, including 2,436 deaths, the local health commission said on Friday.

According to the Post report, scientists have been trying to map the pattern of the early transmission of COVID-19 since an epidemic was reported in Wuhan in January, two months before the outbreak became a global health crisis.

Understanding how the disease spread and determining how undetected and undocumented cases contributed to its transmission will greatly improve their understanding of the size of that threat, it said.

Since 17 November, one to five new coronavirus cases surfaced each day. By 15 December, the total number of infections stood at 27  the first double-digit daily rise was reported on 17 December  and by December 20, the total number of confirmed cases reached 60, the report said.

On December 27, Zhang Jixian, a doctor from Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, told China''s health authorities that the disease was caused by a new coronavirus.

By that date, over 180 people had been infected, though doctors might not have been aware of all of them at the time, the report said.

By December 31, the number of confirmed cases rose to 266. On 1 January, the numbers jumped to 381.

Dr Li Wenliang, a 29-year-old whistle-blower who later died of COVID-19, was warned by local police when he first wrote about the virus on social media on 31 December.

While the government records have not been released to the public, they provide valuable clues about how the disease spread in its early days and the speed of its transmission, as well as how many confirmed cases Beijing has recorded, the report said.

Scientists are now keen to identify the so-called "patient zero", which could help them to trace the source of the coronavirus, which is generally thought to have jumped to humans from a wild animal, possibly a bat, it said.

Of the first nine cases to be reported in November  four men and five women  none has been confirmed as being "patient zero". They were all aged between 39 and 79, but it is not known how many were residents of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

It is possible that there were reported cases dating back even earlier than those seen by the Post in the government data, it said.

Interviews with whistle-blowers from the medical community suggest Chinese doctors only realised they were dealing with a new disease in late December.

According to the World Health Organisation, the first confirmed COVID-19 case in China was on 8 December, but the global body does not track the disease itself but relies on nations to provide such information.

A report published in the medical journal The Lancet by Chinese doctors from Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, which treated some of the earliest patients, put the date of the first known infection on 1 December.

Dr Ai Fen, the first known whistleblower, told People magazine in an interview, which was later censored, that tests showed that a patient at Wuhan Central Hospital was diagnosed on 16 December as having contracted an unknown strain of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the total confirmed coronavirus cases in China reached 80,813 on Thursday. The number comprised 3,176 deaths, 13,526 patients undergoing treatment and 64,111 individuals discharged after recovery, China''s Health Commission said on Friday.

The report tracing back the first COVID-19 case to 17 November came amid a war of words between China and the US over the origin of the virus.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian alleged that the US army might have brought coronavirus to Wuhan while reacting to US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield''s reported remarks that some flu patients may have been misdiagnosed and actually had coronavirus.

Zhao tweeted, "CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be the US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!"

He, however, did not elaborate about his allegation against the US army.

In a televised speech on Thursday, US President Donald Trump said coronavirus started in China and spread to other places.

On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang condemned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for branding the coronavirus as "Wuhan virus" and termed his remarks as "despicable behaviour" and an attempt to stigmatise the Communist country.
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As of yesterday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Sri Lanka rose to five, with three more people testing positive. Sixty Sri Lankans and two foreigners are under observation.

The Rajapakse government has imposed travel bans on 11 countries, including South Korea, Iran and Italy. Yesterday, one-week travel bans were imposed on France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria. This week, the government declared that all schools in the country will close until April 20.

The first coronavirus victims, who include a 52-year-old tourist guide believed to have contracted the virus from an Italian tourist group, are being treated at Colombos poorly-equipped Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH). It is the only hospital in the country capable of providing Covid-19 treatment.

An empty classroom in Colombo on Friday [Credit: AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena]

On March 6, President Gotabhaya Rajapakse proclaimed that Sri Lanka has been successful so far in the battle against the global health crisis. At the same time, the government has warned that the risk of the virus spreading is high and has called for public support for the health authorities in taking preventive measures.

In reality, the profit interests of the ruling elite are incompatible with properly-funded public health services, and could create a disastrous situation for millions of people.

The jobs and livelihoods of workers and the poor, who have been battered by the decades-long communalist war and government austerity measures, will be hard hit.

In January, a Chinese woman who visited with a tourist group was found infected with Covid-19. She left the country last month, following treatment at the IDH. After photo-ops with the woman, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi claimed the country was ready for any virus pandemic.

Wanniarachchi previously instructed health officials to consider using indigenous medicinal methods to treat the coronavirus. The minister met with traditional Ayurvedic practitioners and declared: Western medication would cost 120 billion rupees ($US650 million), which is not a good thing for the country.

Wanniarachchis nationalist rhetoric about indigenous treatments is not based on any medical research. What is required to deal with the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is the global mobilisation of scientific resources to combat the disaster.

Consecutive governments have slashed spending on the public health sector, leaving it in serious decay. In line with the austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), last years budget allocation for health was just 105 billion rupees, compared to 392 billion rupees for the military.

While health authorities have announced that 17 hospitals are currently on standby, they lack dedicated ICU facilities.

The IDH itself has limited resources. The hospital has no testing kits and has to wait on diagnoses from the Medical Research Institute (MRI). Only 10 beds are available for isolation and treatment of affected patients.

WSWS reporters found that doctors, nurses and other health workers have not been provided with proper clothing to protect them from the virus.

Only limited numbers of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are available. The test also costs 10,500 rupees, almost the minimum monthly wage of a worker in Sri Lanka.

The free public health service has been gutted. The number of public hospital beds is severely limited, with many patients forced to sleep on the floors of wards or in chairs. Poor patients have to pay for medicines and laboratory tests from private institutions and there are drastic shortages of doctors, nurses and other health workers. By contrast, the private health sector, which only the rich can afford, has prospered over the past three decades.

The globalisation of production has led to a massive growth of the international workforce. Around one million Sri Lankan workers are employed in the Middle East and tens of thousands in Italy and South Korea. Government authorities first instructed migrant workers returning from those countries to remain in their homes for two weeks due to the lack of quarantine facilities.

Rudimentary quarantine facilities have been established at Batticaloa University and the Kandakadu rehabilitation centre in the east. Both facilities are controlled by the military. Visitors from Iran, Italy and South Korea are being held there for 14 days.

Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Shavendra Silva proclaimed that the military is once again shouldering the national responsibility. This is yet another occasion for the army to boost its image as President Rajapakse militarises his administration.

This week, migrant workers arriving from South Korea protested at the Katunayake International Airport over being sent to the Batticaloa centre, because it would cost them 7,500 rupees per day. Later that day, the military said the quarantine service would be free of charge.

Addressing the media, an army spokesman had threatened the protesting workers, declaring that unless they supported the governments quarantine efforts, they should go back to where they came from.

Government authorities are more concerned with maintaining Sri Lankas position as a global low-wage labour supplier than assisting migrant workers. South Korean consulate official Gamini Senarath Yapa warned that the return of Sri Lankan workers might lead to smaller quotas in the future.

Tens of thousands of Chinese and Indian workers are employed in Sri Lanka. Those who returned home to celebrate Chinese New Year are trapped there because of Colombos transport restrictions.

According to the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association, disrupted global supply chains could see the closure of 50 or more garment factories in Sri Lanka, resulting in thousands of workers losing their jobs.

A Teejay Lanka garment factory worker in the Avissawella economic zone told the WSWS that overtime had been slashed by half at the plant due to supply shortages from China. The overtime cuts could reduce workers salaries by one third.

Fishermen, who are ruthlessly exploited by middlemen, are also struggling because major export markets in Europe, especially in Italy, are collapsing. Last week, hundreds of fishermen demonstrated at Dikovita, 11 kilometres north of Colombo, demanding income protection. The government has not offered any solution.

P.B. Jayasundara, an economist and secretary to President Rajapakse, declared this week that if the coronavirus situation worsens more drastic quarantine and disease ordinance measures will be activated.

The ruling elite has no progressive solution to the crisis and has a long record of penalising the victims of social catastrophes. The current government and the parliamentary opposition are all guilty of imposing the IMFs austerity demands, including drastic cuts to public health.
With the right mindset and experience, having trained numerous aspiring associates to survive and thrive in the Singapore real estate industry, Jimmy Poh has reformulated the path of becoming a trusted advisor.

SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / MARCH 12, 2020 / Singapore, being one of the most important locations right now in the real estate investment industry, has developed quite the reputation as being the center for regional real estate property investments, which makes being an advisor one can trust such a vital asset to anyone looking to profit off of property ownership. In Singapore, as a trusted advisor, one is mandated to be able to elegantly convince a client and be able to advise accordingly. There is a need for one to be able to give clear paths for a client to take and be able to deliver and fulfill the promises made. With his much-appreciated expertise in the real estate industry, Jimmy has continually redefined the path to become a trusted advisor. He has set up a systematic program to help thousands who have a knack for becoming trusted advisors.

"Friends and family members thought I was crazy when I've ventured out into the world of real estate advisory," says Jimmy. But his unique approach to always putting clients' needs and wants before your own' made him highly reputed among clients within a short period. Besides, he has an unmatched impact and influence on people and a good charm and demeanor, qualities that make him one of the best. He is also working on what is known as Marina One Residences, which is a collaboration between Singapore's Temasek and Malaysia's Khazanah Nasional Berhad. As Jimmy so succinctly puts it, "in an industry that's as dynamic as Singapore, property developers need to place the interests of people on top, and Marina One Residences is a fine example for that. That's exactly why it's gaining good momentum in the industry as the best buy at the moment."

Marina One Residences has an attractive entry psf. With the future transformation plans of Marina Bay being identified under the URA Master Plan 2019, it stands out as a good investment opportunity, historically what appears in the URA Master Plan will be realised. With the government's focus on The Greater South Waterfront (GSW), the future of the southern coastline will be flourished with Residential and Commercial properties inline with the lifestyle and recreation concepts envisioned in the next 10 to 15 years, which further enhances the value of Marina One Residences as the sole property that is nearest to the southern waters today. The vast majority of land space in front of Marina One Residences will propel its prices up a notch when the land is finally filled with newer and higher-priced, sea-facing prime properties.

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As a person who has diverse experience, Jimmy possesses such a strong passion in real estate which is coupled up by his dedication and enthusiasm all of which will make your property search experience in Singapore fun and successful. "On becoming a trusted advisor, the client is fully reliant on you and you should be able to put their interests in front of your own as well as work hard to understand the clients' needs. I don't want to just help my associates succeed in the industry, I intend to train them to become better and more responsible as a person as well" explains Jimmy. He has made it his mission to train steadfast achievers, groom sophisticated leaders, and build dynamic divisions. His vision is to lead an extremely dynamic group that empowers its realtors to be the best they can be.

Jimmy plays a key role in the Preeminent Group, which is the largest group in ERA Singapore in terms of the number of agents and revenue growth. Finding him as a true leader with capable mentoring skills, Jimmy was appointed as the group's trainer right after his first year in the industry, something that's rare and difficult to come by for most people. In January 2020, Jimmy has once again proved himself to be one of the Top 1% within the company, achieving 40th position out of 7000+ realtors. With a good attitude and knowledge about how to bind his time, Jimmy intends to lay down a simple and effective mentorship program that would help thousands to become trusted advisors.

More details about Jimmy's profile can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/jimmypoh

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Low-paid staff at an NHS hospital treating coronavirus patients have walked out after a private contractor failed to pay them properly.

Workers including cleaning, portering and catering staff at Lewisham Hospital "stormed off the job" during a row with outsourcing firm ISS, their trade union GMB said.

In November local NHS managers signed a contract that saw around 400 staff jobs privatised and transferred to the outsourcing company, pledging the deal would bring "change and innovation".

But the private company admits that problems with its payroll system have led to some employees not being paid correctly for weeks.

Workers who were not paid properly at the end of February were expecting the mistake to be corrected in their pay packets this week, but problems have continued and for many of the workers the money did not materialise.

As a result, around 30 workers in the hospital  the first in London to treat a coronavirus patient  walked off the job on Thursday, potentially disrupting the cleaning of wards as the pandemic bites.

Helen OConnor, an organiser for the GMB union, said: For many of these workers missing just one pay cheque means not being able to pay the rent, or put food on their families tables.

They are at the end of their tether following weeks of their pay being short - now today they get no pay at all.

This could not have happened at a worse time - we are facing a coronavirus pandemic and infected patients are now being admitted into the hospital.

Meanwhile the people who are meant to be keeping the hospital clean and safe are not getting paid

Once again the dangers of outsourcing in the NHS are laid bare for all to see.

One member of housekeeping staff told the South London Press local newspaper that the way they and their colleagues had been treated was "disgusting".

Cleanliness and hygene is particularly important during the pandemic (Getty Images)

We are working with coronavirus in the hospital and not getting paid for it," the staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

If we dont clean the ward it is a state and we have a chance of catching coronavirus here.

A spokesperson for ISS said: ISS has recently transferred a large number of employees on to their payroll at the University Hospital Lewisham.

This has involved moving to a different pay cycle and process for employees transferring to ISS.

Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK The usually busy Royal Mile in Edinburgh is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 13 March Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Ho bart's Amusement Arcade in Westward Ho!, Devon is offering toilet roll and soap as prizes in grabber machines Rob Braddick/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK An empty platform at Farringdon Station in London the morning after the Prime Minister said that Covid-19 "is the worst public health crisis for a generation" PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Shopkeepers Asiyah Javed and husband Jawad from Day Today Express, in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk are giving away facemasks, antibacterial hand wash and cleaning wipes to the elderly in a bid to stop the spread of Coronavirus Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A usually busy street in Cambridge is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 2 March James Linsell-Clark/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitiser dispenser is seen inside the stadium during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on 8 March Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Maaya Indian Kitchen in Milton Keynes is offerig customers a free roll of toilet paper with every takeaway order SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Oliver Cooper[L], was sent home from school for selling spurts of handsanitiser to fellow pupils at 50p a time. He poses with mum Jenny Tompkins by their home in Leeds Ashley Pemberton/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Empty toilet paper shelves at a supermarket in London on 12 March EPA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A member of the public is swabbed at a drive through Coronavirus testing site set up in a car park in Wolverhampton Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A passenger wears a protective face mask as she travels on a bus in the City of London AFP/Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A Southampton fan wears a face mask before the match against Newcastle United on 7 March Reuters Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A loudspeaker placed in grounds of St Mary's Catholic Church in Broughattin, Dundalk, County Louth ahead of funeral mass later this morning. The loudspeaker has been placed in the grounds after the Catholic Archdiocese said that funerals and weddings should not exceed 100 attendees within the church building PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitising station set up outside Cheltenham Racecourse during day four of the Cheltenham Festival on 13 March PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK People wearing protective face masks walk across London Bridge on 11 March AFP/Getty

We are very sorry that some employees have not been paid correctly and we have been taking urgent action to resolve any issues.

We have arranged drop-in sessions and 1:1s to meet employees who have had an issue and to ensure that they are paid in full.

We are committed to ensuring a smooth mobilisation and encourage any employees with queries to contact us directly so that we can answer any questions and rectify any issues as swiftly as possible.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust provided a further statement from Chris Ash, Managing Director of Healthcare from ISS, who said "the issue has not affected the service we provide: we continue to maintain high standards of hygiene at the hospital, with cleaning, portering and catering services provided as normal to patients, staff and visitors".
Just one episode of Sarah Fergusons documentary on paedophiles in the Catholic Church has been released to media.

But its so monstrously disturbing, I shudder to think what is coming next.

Episode 1 centres around Vincent Ryan, a Catholic priest who spent 14 years behind bars for abusing 33 boys aged 6  17 between 1973 and 1991.

There are men living among usordinary men.. you have to steel yourself to meet them face to face, Ferguson tells us.

They really should look like monsters.

Meeting the 80 year old Ryan one on one in his small flat, is a chilling experience, not just for Ferguson but for the viewer.

Is there anything worse than the sexual abuse of a young child? she asks.

I dont think so, he admits. It just goes to the root of a persons life.

Did you understand then that you were condemning those children to a lifetime of pain? she asks.

No. This is the weird part ..people cant understand. How didnt you know? Why didnt you know? You must have. Youre educated. Youre a priest. But I didnt.

His next words are so objectionable Ill spare you the explanation. But the documentary -for those who can stomach it- will go to the heart of how a paedophile justifies their actions in their mind.

Can you be forgiven? she asks.

By God most certainly, he defends.

Much of the first episode hangs around a new courtcase Ryan is facing, involving two former altar boys, now grown men, who claim they were abused at a Newcastle parish in the 70s and 80s.

Its the first time cameras have been allowed to film a sexual assault trial in the NSW District Court (there is no jury). Lengthy interviews with Ryan are edited with courtroom scenes. As we hear confronting testimony, including how he would desensitize children as part of grooming, Ryan himself is at a loss to explain his actions.

I have no answer. I dont know. I cant even begin to understand that

Bizarrely, its almost as if another person committed the crimes.

The documentary extends to interviews with former NSW Police & Justice Minister Troy Grant, who previously investigated Ryan when he was a police sergeant in Cessnock.

He was like the pied piper. Hed offer fun, lollies, food, experiences to the beaches, watching pornographic materials and intermittently amongst all that he would assault them, Grant explains.

Archival photographs, slides and super 8 movies give the grooming context.

But there are also interviews with survivors.

There would be touches .he would brush that off as just being accidental and just brush it off, says Peter Dawn.

Dawn was groomed and abused by Ryan at Maitland when he was just 10.

You carry a guilt that you didnt do anything about it and that led to other people being offended.

Another survivor, Jarrod, was abused in a sacristy in Merewether. Unbelievably he still lives in the beachside town. Another man, Scott, recalls a group abuse. Its breathtaking stuff but they did report it 20 years later.

Hollow tears from Ryan will do little to diminish community anger.

Yet Ferguson also looks to chart the Catholic Churchs role in the crimes.

Remarkably, there is even original footage of Ryan being ordained by the Pope Paul VI in 1966 (George Pell studied at the same Vatican college, Ryan attended his ordination).

The Churchs role is the bigger question raised here, from celibacy to moving such priests from parish to parish. These are questions that will loom large as the series progresses across its three episodes. Staggeringly, Ryan has not been defrocked, and there is a scene of him celebrating mass in the solitude of his own flat

Its difficult to conceive how Ferguson was able to keep her cool through this documentary (many viewers will not) and she resists the on-trend storytelling device of first-person perspective. But if docos live or die on their subject access then this is about as close as it gets.

Episode Two will feature an interview behind bars with Bernard McGrath, a former St. John of God brother, currently serving a 33 year sentence for 64 offences against 12 boys at Kendall Grange Boys Home. Episode Three is so under wraps she wont reveal its contents.

With previous works on Labors The Killing Season, and domestic violence doco Hitting Home, Ferguson remains one of our most compelling storytellers and truth-seekers. Revelation is her toughest sell yet.

Revelation begins 8:30pm Tuesday on ABC.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36

Bravehearts: 1800 272 831.

Child Abuse Protection Hotline: 1800 688 009

Child Abuse Report Line: 131 478.
The sled-worthy snow that Portland has watched and waited for all winter finally landed overnight Saturday, with about an inch falling across the metro area through the night.

As of early Saturday morning, the snow was still falling in parts of the region -- Hood River, the Interstate 5 corridor in Washington and in the far northern part of the Oregon Cascades.

Dan Miller, operations officer with the National Weather Service in Portland, said the snowfall was the most significant of the winter for the region.

Snow mingles with fallen petals from a flowering cherry tree in Northeast Portland, March 14, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

For downtown Portland and the majority of the lower elevations, we havent had much in the way of valley floor snow this winter, Miller said. Mid-March snowfalls are rare, he said, but not unprecedented.

As of 5 am the NWS office recorded 0.3 inches of snowfall. The latest snowfall greater than 0.1 inches occurred Mar 25, 1968 when 0.3 inches fell. The latest inch or greater snowfall was Mar 8, 1951 when 7.6 inches fell. #orwx #pdxtst  NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) March 14, 2020

The snow was already beginning to melt on roads and sidewalks at 7 a.m., but Miller said it could stick around on them through the morning. Patches of snow could stick around on grass through the day. Temperatures are expected to hit a high of about 40 degrees Saturday.

435 AM | The latest radar imagery shows Multnomah & especially Clark Counties have at least another 1-2 hours of heavy snow. There will even be some light accumulations on roads this morning. Fortunately, paved surfaces should melt by no later than midday. #pdxtst #pdxtraffic pic.twitter.com/1O3Nh3SCH9  NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) March 14, 2020

Snow moved up the Willamette Valley overnight, Miller said, changing over to snow first around Salem and Corvallis, and moving north between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Even though surface temperatures hovered around freezing, the snow moved through at night, without any solar radiation to interfere with it.

The fact this happened at night and the snowfall rates were pretty high with this, that resulted in decent accumulations in this part of the country in March, Miller said.

Portland got just more than a dusting of snow overnight, collecting about an inch throughout the metro region. (Ryan Fernandez/The Oregonian)

 Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657; @robwdavis

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MHK), which is in the consumer durables business, and is based in United States, saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$144 and falling to the lows of US$96.48. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Mohawk Industries's current trading price of US$96.48 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Mohawk Industriess outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for Mohawk Industries

What is Mohawk Industries worth?

According to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average, the stock price seems to be justfied. In this instance, Ive used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stocks cash flows. I find that Mohawk Industriess ratio of 9.33x is trading slightly above its industry peers ratio of 8.33x, which means if you buy Mohawk Industries today, youd be paying a relatively sensible price for it. And if you believe that Mohawk Industries should be trading at this level in the long run, then there should only be a fairly immaterial downside vs other industry peers. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Mohawk Industriess share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

Can we expect growth from Mohawk Industries?

NYSE:MHK Past and Future Earnings, March 14th 2020

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 20% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Mohawk Industries. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? MHKs optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around industry price multiples. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at MHK? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio?

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on MHK, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the optimistic forecast is encouraging for MHK, which means its worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Mohawk Industries. You can find everything you need to know about Mohawk Industries in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Mohawk Industries, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Sudan's security council condemned on Monday an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok while on his way to work earlier in the day in the capital Khartoum.

The council, in a statement, said it would seek help from friendly countries to identify those involved and bring them to justice.

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By Express News Service

NAGERCOIL: Kanniyakumari MP H Vasanthakumar urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repatriate the stranded Indian fishermen from Iran with the assistance of the Indian Air Force by Monday.

In his letter, which the parliamentarian handed over to the prime minister in New Delhi, he stated that the fishermen were not getting access to proper food and medical attention in Iran. Over 1,000 Indian fishermen, including those from Kanniyakumari, are stranded in Iran and its neighbouring islands owing to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Arabs are forcing them to leave and Iran had cancelled all its outward flights. With their lives in danger, the fishermen want to come back to India immediately, he said.
Pentagon Halts All Domestic Travel for Nearly 2 Months Over Coronavirus

The Department of Defense late Friday ordered service members, civilian employees, and their family members to stop traveling domestically until May 11.

The new travel restrictions goes into effect on March 16.

The reason cited was the spread of the new coronavirus, which started in China last year and has spread so widely that it has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Stop Movement for all Domestic Travel for DoD Components in Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019, read the subject line of Pentagon memo (pdf) announcing the new guidelines.

The continuing spread of the new virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, necessitates immediate implementation of the new restrictions, David Norquist, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, wrote in the memo.

These restrictions are necessary to preserve force readiness, limit the continuing spread of the virus, and preserve the health and welfare of Service members, DoD civilian employees, their families, and the local communities in which we live, Norquist wrote.

All Department of Defense military personnel will stop movement while the memo is in effect, he said. Civilian personnel and family members of department employees, whose transportation is funded by the government, will also stop movement.

David Norquist of the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 9, 2018. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Exceptions may be granted by superiors in writing for cases where travel is deemed mission-essential, necessary for humanitarian reasons, or warranted due to extreme hardship, according to Norquist.

Travel by patients and doctors for medical treatment is also authorized. People already in transit are allowed to continue to their final destination.

The new guidance comes days after the Pentagon said service members werent allowed to travel to nations most affected by the new virus. The countries included Italy, Iran, China, and South Korea. The Pentagon also said Friday that all unofficial visits were being suspended and all official visits would be suspended, with exceptions considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any employees or others with recent international travel were also banned from Pentagon facilities within 14 days from the date of their arrival back to the United States.

After President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency because of the virus on Friday, the National Guard said it was deploying 1,000 troops across six states to help respond to the pandemic. Troops were already in New York and several other states.

National Guard troops listen to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as people wait to be tested for COVID-19 at the states first drive-through coronavirus testing center at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York, on March 13, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Thew new virus has symptoms similar to the flu and has no vaccine or known treatment at this time. Many patients have recovered after becoming ill.

About 20 percent of the infected require hospitalization and the new disease hits the elderly and those with underlying health conditions the hardest, according to public health officials.

Americans are advised to avoid large gatherings and take a variety of precautions, including regularly washing hands, frequently cleaning highly-touched surfaces at home, and not touching ones eyes, mouth, or nose with unwashed hands.

Sick people should stay home and contact their healthcare provider or health authorities.
By PTI

MMUBAI: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday claimed former JNU student leader Umar Khalid gave a anti-CAA speech in Maharashtra's Amravati last month saying violence should be triggered in Delhi during US President Donald Trump's visit.

Fadnavis, who said several anti-CAA protests were staged to create anarchy, also alleged that two ministers were present in this programme where Khalid spoke.

Demanding that the state government take action against Khalid, Fadnavis said, "I exposed (in the House) how the state government is not making clarification on CAA, NRC and NPR to ensure there is no peace".

"The board of the programme (in which Khalid gave the speech) had photographs of two state ministers. What he (Khalid) said in his speech, happened in Delhi. But the state government is not even acting against him," Fadnavis alleged.

Fadnavis did not name the two ministers but said he would give evidence on this to CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking to reporters outside the state legislature building here, he said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) does not snatch away citizenship of any Indian.

He said no document is sought from citizens under the National Population Register (NPR), which he added, was brought by the Congress-led UPA in 2010.

"Notwithstanding this situation, protests are being staged to deliberately cause anarchy and funding is done for the protests through the Popular Front of India. Since the fund is used to spread anarchy, it has to be categorised as terror-funding. The court will decide on it," he said.

"The ED (Enforcement Directorate) has brought out evidences of such funding. The state government has been a mute spectator to all this for the sake of votes," Fadnavis said. He said some protests may have been spontaneous, but not all.

Fadnavis demanded the Uddhav Thackeray government clarify that the CAA was not against any Indian citizen.
By Express News Service

KOLLAM: The Italian tourist, who tested positive for COVID-19 in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, had visited Paripally, find authorities. The officials are currently trying to find means to deal with the situation. District Collector Abdul Nassar has instructed the authorities to take immediate steps to record the travel details of foreign nationals and natives, who arrive from foreign countries in the district, at the time of their arrival itself.

Denial of accommodation by hotel authorities had forced foreign nationals to roam around in public places. Such situations can lead to widespread infection. The collector instructed the authorities concerned to take immediate action to solve the issue.
 Flash

The European Union has condemned the decision by US President Donald Trump to halt travel from Europe's Schengen Area to the United States in a bid to combat the country's outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The suspension will apply for 30 days and was due to take effect on Friday at 11:59 pm US Eastern Time.

"The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation," EU Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement on Thursday.

"The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," they said.

Michel added:"Economic disruption must be avoided."

They rejected Trump's suggestion that Europe is not doing enough to combat the virus, saying that the 27-nation bloc "is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus".

All EU member states have reported infections of COVID-19, with the total number of cases within the bloc exceeding 22,000.

The restrictions do not apply to the United Kingdom, where the number of confirmed cases has reached 460, or Ireland, which is not part of the Schengen Area. The term applies to an area in Europe in which immigration controls have been removed for travel within it.

In Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe, President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday said "solidarity initiatives" from the EU on the coronavirus emergency are expected. By Friday morning, the number of infections in the country surpassed 15,000, and the death toll rose to 1,016.

In a brief note on the emergency, Mattarella said that Italy is going through a difficult condition, and its experience in fighting the epidemic will likely be useful to all member states of the EU.

"Solidarity initiatives, instead of steps possibly hampering operations, are therefore expected, and legitimately, at least in the common interest," he added.

The country remains under full lockdown, and all shops have been shuttered and all public gatherings banned since Thursday morning. The only exceptions are supermarkets, pharmacies, public transportation, post offices, banks, farms, and food production industries, which must be kept running in order to guarantee basic services to the public.

Spain has now confirmed almost 3,800 cases of the virus, making it the second-most affected country in Europe. So far, 84 people have died.

Four towns locked down

Spain's Catalan authorities on Thursday began locking down four towns around the village of Igualada50 kilometers north of Barcelonaafter a significant outbreak in the area, top regional police official Eduard Sallent said. Around 70,000 people would be under quarantine.

Every member of the Cabinet is being tested for the coronavirus after the country's Equality Minister Irene Montero became the latest politician to test positive for the virus.

Iran on Friday reported 85 new deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said, bringing the death toll to 514 in the worst-hit country in the Middle East. The total number of infections surpassed 11,000.

On Thursday, Iran said it had asked the International Monetary Fund for a loan of $5 billion to combat the outbreak in the country.

In Asia, South Koreathe hardest-hit country in the region outside Chinasaw the number of newly recovered patients exceed those for fresh infections for the first time on Friday, as it reported its lowest number of new cases for three weeks.

South Korea confirmed 110 new cases on Thursday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, taking the total to 7,979. But 177 fully recovered patients were released the same day, it added.

Despite the spread of the virus, Japan is on track to hold the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as planned, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, after Trump suggested a possible delay of a year. The number of confirmed cases in Japan stood at 676 as of Friday morning.

In Africa, Gabon and Ghana confirmed their first cases of coronavirus on Thursday, becoming the ninth and 10th countries in sub-Saharan Africa to register positive cases.
Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Shaun Burnie in front of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, five years after the accident. The environmental organization has launched an underwater investigation into the marine impacts of radioactive contamination on the Pacific Ocean resulting from the 2011 nuclear disaster. / Courtesy of Greenpeace



By Bahk Eun-ji



Shaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Germany, has been working in Fukushima since 1997 to stop the operation of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, with much of his time based in Japan.



Among a number of nuclear experts around the world who have been condemning the Japanese government's plan to discharge radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Burnie claims this issue is clearly important to Koreans as they understand the risks of nuclear energy and care about the environment.



"Fukushima is a defining issue of this time as it continues to pose a threat to the environment not just of Japan but the Asia Pacific region. This is a nuclear disaster with no end and Koreans realize that only by speaking up and opposing bad decisions can the progress be made in protecting our environment," he said.



The nuclear expert said the opposition in Korea to the Japanese government's plan to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima is entirely justified and essential, so the opposition should continue here in Korea. At the same time, Koreans also should be supporting the local Japanese communities who are opposed to the discharges.



Burnie also said the discharges of the contaminated water are a direct threat to the marine ecosystem and human health as all radioactivity has the potential to cause harm as technically there is no safe level of exposure. The discharges are more than tritium, which can cause damage to human and non-human DNA, but also many other radionuclides such as strontium that, even if processing of the contaminated water is successful, will still be discharged in enormous quantities.



"None of this can be justified from an environmental perspective when there is a clear alternative  long term storage and processing to remove radionuclides, including tritium."



The Japanese government has sought for many years to deny that there are radiation risks in Fukushima, which is a central part of their strategy to support nuclear power. By creating the illusion that Fukushima has recovered from the 2011 disaster, the Japanese government think they can convince people to support the restarting of nuclear reactors although the majority of Japanese people are against it.



"It is one reason why the human rights of tens of thousands of Fukushima citizens, including women and children, as well as tens of thousands of workers are violated consistently by the Japanese government," he said.


The 2020 census already was destined to be an even more daunting venture  the first ever conducted mostly online, in a deeply polarized nation where mistrust of the government and immigrants fearful of authorities could make an accurate count harder than in recent memory.

The coronavirus outbreak adds new layers of uncertainty, beginning with the efforts by thousands of civic groups and local governments to persuade their residents just to fill out the census form. This week the leaders of the Detroit 2020 census campaign, one of the nations most innovative efforts to boost census response, canceled a kickoff rally that was set for Monday at a local high school.

We were planning to have 700 people there, passing out materials, said Victoria Kovari, the campaigns executive director. We ordered thousands of posters for local businesses; we ordered cards. And we found out yesterday they closed the local schools.

In Columbus, Ohio, a statewide campaign by civic and philanthropic groups to boost response has hit similar headwinds. This morning I was supposed to meet with 99 Head Start directors, said Tracy Najera, the co-leader of the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition, and yesterday afternoon I got a call that the meeting would be much smaller, close to 40.

I got to the session this morning, and there were eight. So its having a real and immediate impact.

Both women said their groups are revising months of plans on the fly, canceling community events, shifting messages to social media and holding staff meetings by videoconference. The Ohio campaign, which had used grant money to plan town halls, block parties and other census-promotion events with 45 grass-roots groups, now must search for ways to get the message out without drawing crowds.
More than 600 British passengers  many of them elderly  were tonight stranded on a cruise ship in the Caribbean after it was blocked from a string of ports after a coronavirus outbreak onboard.

Five people on the Braemar, operated by British cruise firm Fred Olsen, have already tested positive for Covid-19 and passengers  including the sick  now face the prospect of a voyage back across the Atlantic lasting up to ten days.

The stricken ship, carrying 682 mostly British passengers and 381 crew, was refused permission to dock in Freetown in the Bahamas due to the outbreak.

Instead, it was yesterday forced to anchor 25 miles off the northern coast of the Bahamas, where extra food, fuel and medical supplies were delivered by helicopter.

MS Braemar docks into Jamaica on March 4th, 2020. Passengers now face a nightmare ten-day trip back home as five test positive for coronavirus

A doctor and nurse also joined the ship to support the existing medical team who are treating the four crew members and one passenger who have the virus.

British diplomats were last night in frantic talks with countries in the region in a bid to persuade them to allow the passengers to disembark and fly home. Sources said 'two realistic options' had been identified, but neither country had yet agreed to take the ship.

If negotiations fail, the Braemar will be forced to sail back to Britain with all its passengers  including those with Covid-19  on board.

Last night, relatives of those on the ship spoke of their fears over such a prospect.

'You have got the absolute target audience of the most vulnerable and at-risk on that ship,' said Helen Littlewood, 39, from Norfolk, whose 74-year-old mother is on board. 'My mum has high blood pressure, respiratory problems and she suffers from bronchitis and is asthmatic. She is one of hundreds.

'I am absolutely terrified that they might have to sail across the Atlantic. No one has told us medically how they would cope if more people get sick. What happens if the doctor gets sick? What happens if the captain gets sick?'

Speaking from onboard the vessel, Steve Dale, 68, from Stansted, Essex, who is with his wife Lynda, 62, said: 'We are worried about what is happening and when we are going to get home. It is getting more and more difficult to keep in touch with families because for some reason they have limited the wi-fi. The captain said yesterday, 'If necessary I will sail to Southampton'. Most people are showing the typical British stiff upper lip.'

Keith Livingstone, 55, from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, whose wife Suzanne, 52, is an art teacher onboard, said: 'Everybody wishes that somebody would make a decision as to what is happening.'

While a small number of passengers are self-isolating  including the five confirmed cases  most passengers are still permitted to leave their cabins and mingle in the ship's restaurants and bars.

One worried relative tweeted: 'My father-in-law, 85 with one lung, is on Braemar with his wife. He will be running short of medication. They are not at all IT savvy so contact is limited to calls to his wife's daughter.'

Other relatives expressed disbelief that passengers were allowed to board the ship on March 2 on the Dutch island of St Maarten despite possible signs that an outbreak may have started on board during its previous cruise.

Passengers appear cheerful as MS Braemar docks into Jamaica on March 4th, 2020, before five on board tested positive for the virus. The stricken ship, carrying 682 mostly British passengers and 381 crew, was refused permission to dock in Freetown in the Bahamas due to the outbreak

The Braemar had been due to complete a 14-day cruise of the Eastern Caribbean on February 27 in the Dominican Republic but port officials refused it entry after the captain reported that eight people on board were suffering from 'flu-like' symptoms. The ship was also refused entry in Antigua, but eventually allowed to dock at the Dutch island of St Maarten.

Hundreds of passengers disembarked and were allowed to fly home without being tested for coronavirus. At least two passengers who left the ship later tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers joined the ship for a new 14-night cruise of the Western Caribbean and South America.

Row over holiday insurance payouts Harry Cole Chancellor Rishi Sunak held a crisis meeting with insurance industry leaders on Friday night amid fears of a multi-billion claims bill from Britons forced to cancel their Easter getaways. The Treasury is insisting that no family should be out of pocket after the coronavirus triggered travel mayhem, but insurers plan to brand the event an 'act of God' to avoid having to pay out. Last night industry insiders warned that 'a major row is brewing and the bill could extend into the billions if there is a blanket travel ban coming down the line'. It is understood insurers are lobbying for the Government not to change travel advice, which often leads to automatic policy payouts and are seeking assurances that the Treasury will step in to save struggling firms. A Whitehall source hit back: 'If the insurance industry want to moan then so be it, but we will always put people's safety before profits.' An Association of British Insurers spokesman said: 'This is a fast moving situation and we are in constant dialogue with the Government. Individual insurers will be considering any claims they receive.' Last night a Treasury spokesman added: 'We are speaking to industry leaders and want to ensure that families do not lose out. 'The covid-19 package announced at the Budget was one of the most comprehensive economic responses in the world... We will not hesitate to take more action to protect people when necessary.' Advertisement

Fred Olsen last night said none of the previous passengers had tested positive for Covid-19 when the present voyage began and it had checked the medical and travel history of all those travelling.

However, rumours soon began swirling that people were falling ill after the ship set sail. During an unscheduled stop in Jamaica on March 4, passengers disembarked only to find all tours had been cancelled and they were allowed on shore for only an hour.

Last Sunday, the liner docked in Cartagena, Colombia, and an 85-year-old UK woman was taken off complaining of diarrhoea and vomiting. Officials later confirmed she had tested positive for Covid-19.

By the time the ship docked in Willemstad, Curacao, on Tuesday, six people were reportedly in isolation after showing symptoms of the virus and passengers were told they were not allowed on shore. Those who were ill were tested and five were diagnosed with Covid-19.

The final stop was due to be in Barbados on Thursday but, because of the positive tests, authorities there ordered the ship to stay away, as did other ports across the Caribbean.

In desperation, the ship sailed to the Bahamas  whose flag it sails under  but it was again refused permission to dock.

On Friday, passengers were asked to list their medication so that extra supplies could be delivered to the ship. They were also offered a free all-inclusive drinks package to keep their spirits up.

It was not, however, enough to appease worried relatives. 'Fundamentally, they should never have been allowed to embark,' said Ms Littlewood, a marketing director. 'That's what I am so furious about. It could have been completely avoided but they put their profits before people's lives.'

Last night, Peter Deer, managing director at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: 'When we took the decision to board people in St Maarten on March 2, we acted on the best advice available. No one who joined the ship declared illness and no passenger had travelled to a high-risk area nor been exposed to anyone with Covid-19 coronavirus.

'Anyone remaining on the ship had been in the Caribbean for at least 14 days and there had been no known instances of the virus in the region.

'No one who took our charter flights home was quarantined, and neither were they asked to be quarantined on their return to the UK.'

He added: 'The safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our absolute priority and we are working around the clock to get the passengers on board Braemar home as quickly as possible.'

The Foreign Office said: 'We are working intensively with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and the authorities in the region to urgently make arrangements to get British nationals safely home. The ship is being resupplied in the Bahamas.

'We are ensuring medical supplies are available  including by funding resupply by helicopter.'

For anyone with relatives on board Fred. Olsen has set up a Relative Support Team. If you have relatives on board please call them on +44 (0)1473 292 350 (open 8am to 8pm).
At the end of a week full of talk about bailouts and stimulus, President Trump said Friday afternoon that he was waiving interest on all student loans held by federal government agencies. Right away, the most obvious question was this: How much would monthly payments fall for the tens of millions of borrowers?

By nightfall, the Department of Education had a surprising answer. Monthly payments arent going to go down at all. Instead, the entire payment will go toward paying down the principal amount on the loan.

The result will be little short-term relief for many of the borrowers who celebrated the announcement. Instead, they will benefit later  say, if they pay enough principal during the waiver period to shorten the scheduled term of their loans.

There is a group of borrowers who could benefit a great deal: those whose incomes have fallen, or might fall soon, because of the economic contagion of the coronavirus.
Leader of Opposition in the



Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the Uddhav Thackeray government had failed to give relief to farmers.

He said 25 per cent of farmers were outside the coverage of the government's loan waiver scheme.

Fadnavis alleged the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was playing on CAA, NPR and NRC, stating it had formed a committee on these issues but "not a single meeting has taken place so far".

"I feel the government is doing this deliberately to ensure confusion prevails among people on CAA. It seems the state government wants protests against CAA, NRC and NPR for political gains," he claimed.

Claiming the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena were facing communication problems, he said, "State minorities minister Nawab Malik promised five per cent quota in education for Muslims, but CM Uddhav Thackeray claimed there was no such proposal before the government."



Both parties are misleading people, he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The sincere wish to be good is half the battle.  Marmee, in Louisa May Alcotts Little Women.

The other half of the battle, however, is the part where the ungrateful objects of your kindness are unleashing the Rottweilers on you.  Danny Tyree, in a shameless attempt to pad his word count.

According to the Associated Press, Michael Schur (creator of the critically acclaimed NBC series The Good Place) has signed with publishing house Simon & Shuster to write the humor/philosophy book How To Be Good: A Definitive Answer for Exactly What To Do In Every Possible Situation (scheduled for fall 2021).

In a world where were constantly bombarded with negative messages such as Only the good die young and Nice guys finish last, its uplifting to see the concept of goodness analyzed and promoted, even if in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

I thought it would be a hoot if I challenged each of you to write alongside Schur, spending the next year and a half pondering ethics and jotting down your thoughts on pivotal questions, such as What is goodness? Why does goodness matter? and Could I make amends for all my youthful indiscretions by depositing a sizable check in Danny Tyrees Cayman Islands account?

I anticipate that perspectives on goodness will vary wildly. Some of you will find its foundation in the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule. Others may embrace simply Doing the Right Thing with no acknowledgment of a Higher Power. Your motivations might involve an eternal reward or an upgraded reincarnation or leaving the world a better place before your consciousness blinks out of existence. Just dont let meditation sour you on the concept of goodness. (Becoming one with the universe makes my butt look really fat doesnt, doesnt it?)

When you wrestle with issues such as carbon footprints, animal rights, little white lies and mercy killings, you realize goodness isnt as clear-cut as you would like. Oscar Wildes character Dorian Gray certainly oversimplified when he remarked, To be good is to be in harmony with ones self. Yeah, I dont care if the voices in your head are harmonizing in a barbershop quartet  if theyre whispering suggestions like, Dude, lets spend another weekend frolicking and planting pipe bombs, we need a definitive answer to the situation of having a sociopath in our midst!

Doing good can generate great peace of mind, but it is no panacea. You can still wake up in the middle of the night with the chilling realization that Back in 2007 when I vacationed in Dollywood, Earl gave me strict instructions of Dont do anything I wouldnt do  but I did! May God have mercy on my soul, I did!

Part of goodness involves not overreaching. If you achieve goodness, stop. Dont show off by trying to be good and ready or good n plenty or any of those high-falutin variations.

Now get started writing your journal of the path to goodness!

Kind-hearted person that you are, youll probably wind up making allowances for people because of their baggage. Just dont set the bar as low as for your Good boy! four-legged family members.

That would radically change the standards for sainthood. (No, I cant document any miracles performed in Jasons name  but he always waited until visitors left to cough up a dead squirrel and scoot across the carpet.)

Danny Tyree welcomes responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com.

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Senate Bill 812, Clarify unemployment insurance "work search" requirements: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate

To require the state unemployment insurance benefits agency (the Michigan Employment Security Commission) to specify what an individual would have to do to be considered "actively engaged in seeking work" for the purpose of remaining eligible while receiving these benefits.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley, R - Attica, Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn, R - Frankenmuth, Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas, R - Midland, Y

Senate Bill 268, Gov. Whitmer's "Michigan Reconnect" scholarship proposal: Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate

To authorize a college grant program for individuals age 25 and above, with grants in the amount needed to cover tuition and fees for career-oriented classes at a community college that is above the amount covered by other scholarships and government aid. It would also authorize one-time grants of $1,500 for completing a private apprenticeship program.

This is the "Michigan Reconnect" program proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her 2019 State of the State address, and is projected to cost $46.3 million.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley, R - Attica, Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn, R - Frankenmuth, Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas, R - Midland, Y

House Bill 5576, House version, Gov. Whitmer's "Michigan Reconnect" program: Passed 93 to 14 in the House

The House vote on a bill that contains the same provisions as Senate Bill 268 (above), Gov. Whitmer's "Michigan Reconnect" program.

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., Y

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

House Bill 4454, Increase illegal dumping penalties: Passed 103 to 4 in the House

To authorize criminal misdemeanor fines of $2,500 for unauthorized dumping of between at least .3 cubic yards and 3 cubic feet of refuse or trash (with steepening amounts for subsequent violations), and up to $10,000 for dumping more than 5 cubic yards, plus remediation costs.

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., Y

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

House Bill 4587, Let landlords sue for delinquent late fees: Passed 80 to 27 in the House

To let landlords in eviction and delinquent rent collection actions claim unpaid monthly late fees of up to $50, or 10 percent of the rent amount.

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., Y

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

House Bill 4332, Permit airbows for hunting during firearms season: Passed 70 to 37 in the House

To permit the use of pneumatic air bows to hunt game during any open season in which a firearm may be used, and permit disabled hunters to use air bows during bow season. These devices are like crossbows but use compressed air to drive an arrow.

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., Y

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

Senate Bill 543, Authorize "secure identity verification device" to buy alcohol: Passed 100 to 7 in the House

To authorize the use by stores, bars and restaurants of a "secure identity verification device" to determine whether a person is old enough to buy alcohol. The methods could include the following, as described by the Senate Fiscal Agency: An electronic biometric scan referenced against certain photo identification cards; a photo identification previously verified by an electronic authentication process; a commercially available knowledge-based electronic authentication process; and an authenticated picture identification "securely linked to biometrics contemporaneously collected from the individual."

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., Y

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

House Bill 5286, Preempt local knife regulations: Passed 71 to 36 in the House

To preempt local government ordinances or rules on the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, purchase, manufacturing, etc. of a knife or knife-making components. A similar preemption restricts local gun regulations.

95 Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D - Bridgeport twp., N

96 Rep. Brian Elder, D - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Isabella County, Y

Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Visit www.MichiganVotes.org.
Maharashtra govt announced closure of shopping malls, schools and colleges on Saturday with new cases of coronavirus being detected in Mumbai, Nagpur and Yavatmal taking total number of COVID-19 cases in state to 26

Mumbai: With new cases being detected in Mumbai, Nagpur and Yavatmal, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 26 on Saturday.

Health minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday evening announced that shopping malls across the state will remain closed till month-end. Grocery stores which sell commodities of daily need will remain open, he said.

The state government also issued a directive that all schools and colleges in areas of municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats shall remain closed till 31 March.

Tope also said that examinations of classes one to nine will be postponed if they are being held currently, only the std 10th and 12th board exams will take place as per the schedule.

Four new patients of coronavirus were confirmed in Mumbai on Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Of the new patients confirmed in Mumbai, one is resident of the city while others are from Kamothe, Vashi and Kalyan, all peripheral towns. All are admitted to Kasturba Hospital here and their condition is stable, BMC deputy director, health, Daksha Shah said.

Earlier in the day, two persons who had recently returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal city.

Thus, so far across the state, ten coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, eight in Mumbai, four in Nagpur, two in Yavatmal and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.

Some of the persons who tested positive have history of traveling to the United States, Dubai, France, the Philippines and Qatar, a health department statement said.

A 71-year-old man, who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to have coronavirus infection, died during treatment in Buldhana district on Saturday afternoon. He was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

Click here for latest updates on Coronavirus

Minister Tope said it was not yet confirmed if the deceased was infected by the coronavirus.

Sixteen of the confirmed Covid-19 patients had returned from Dubai, four from USA, one each from France and the Phillipineswhile four had no foreign travel history but had come in contact with other infected persons, he said.

Till now, 949 individuals have returned to Maharashtra from coronavirus-hit countries, a government statement said.

At present, 72 persons are under observation in isolation wards in Mumbai, 17 in Pune, 16 in Nagpur, nine in Yavatmal and three in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The Mumbai-resident who was found to have the infection on Saturday is a close relative of another confirmed patient who was shifted to government hospital from a private hospital in the city.

Eight "high-risk" contacts, who were isolated at the private hospital when one of the patients was confirmed to have the infection, have tested negative, deputy director Shah said.

A total of 55 samples were tested in Mumbai on Saturday, of which four samples were found positive. Out of four who tested positive, three had travel history to foreign countries.

The BMC is setting up a laboratory at KEM Hospital in Parel in addition to the one at the Kasturba hospital for testing samples of suspected coronavirus patients, Shah said.

"There is no need to panic, but if you have returned from abroad and have symptoms, then immediately visit the Kasturba Hospital for tests," Shah said, adding that a traveller who does not have any symptoms too should isolate himself or herself at home for 14 days.

In Nagpur, four persons, quarantined at a government-run hospital for suspected coronavirus infection, returned home without permission. However, they all later returned to hospital, and tested negative for the virus.
The company has fixed IPO price at Rs 755 per share.

Shares of SBI Cards and Payment Services will debut on the secondary equity market on Monday, 16 March 2020. The company had priced the initial public offer (IPO) at the top end of the Rs 750 to Rs 755 per share price band.

The IPO of SBI Cards and Payment Services ended with robust subscription on 5 March 2020. The issue received bids for 225.09 crore shares, as against 10.02 crore shares on offer. The issue was subscribed 22.45 times.

The issue opened for bidding on 2 March 2020. It closed for qualified institutional bidders (QIBs) on 4 March 2020 and it closed on 5 March 2020 for all other investors.

The quota reserved for QIBs was subscribed 57.18 times with total bids for 138.52 crore shares as against 2.42 crore shares on offer for them. The non-institutional investors category was subscribed 45.23 times. The retail individual investors (RIIs) category was subscribed 2.50 times. The employees category was subscribed 4.74 times. The shareholders category was subscribed 25.36 times.

The company on 28 February 2020 raised Rs 2,769 crore from anchor investors, ahead of its initial share sale. The company allotted 3.66 crore shares to a total of 74 anchor investors, including 12 mutual funds, through 48 schemes, at the upper end of the price band at Rs 755.

SBI Cards and Payment Services is the second-largest credit card issuer in India with a 18.1% market share of the Indian credit card market in terms of the number of credit cards outstanding end November 2019 and 17.9% market share in total credit card spends in the eight months ended November 2019. The company offers an extensive credit card portfolio to individual cardholders and corporate clients, which includes lifestyle, rewards, travel and fuel, shopping, banking partnership cards and corporate cards covering all major cardholder segments in terms of income profiles and lifestyles.

The issue consisted of a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 500 crore and offer for sale of equity shares 13.05 crore equity shares. The offer for sale comprised 3.72 crore shares by the promoter selling shareholder and 9.32 crore share by the investor selling shareholder.

The net proceeds of the fresh issue are proposed to be utilized for augmenting capital base to meet future capital requirements. The net proceeds of the fresh issue are proposed to be deployed in the FY2020. Further, there will be the benefits of listing of the equity shares on the stock exchanges, enhancement of the brand name and creation of a public market for equity shares in India.

SBI Cards and Payment Services reported net profit of Rs 1161.21 crore and total income of Rs 7240.16 crore in the nine-months ended December 2019.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
U.S. troops will soon see a new question on routine workplace surveys: one asking whether respondents have ever "experienced or witnessed extremist activity in the workplace [or] reported such activity."

The addition is the result of a mandate from Congress in the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill. But it's not the first time the military has attempted such a survey in an effort to crack down on hate in the ranks. And documents obtained from earlier reports raise key questions about whether this method of monitoring the problem is reliable and effective.

The presence -- and possible surge -- of hate group, nationalist and racial supremacist behavior and thinking in the ranks was recently spotlighted by a rash of social media incidents and a high-profile Coast Guard criminal case.

After Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Hasson was arrested on drug and gun possession charges in February 2019, investigators reported an astonishing discovery at the officer's home: a draft letter to a "known American neo-Nazi leader" in which Hasson identified himself as a white nationalist; documents appearing to target a number of high-profile lawmakers; and lengthy missives to friends in which he said he was "dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on the earth."

Related: Coast Guard Officer Christopher Hasson Sentenced to More than 13 Years in Alleged Plot

In March 2019, military officials launched multiple investigations after the Huffington Post linked five troops and two Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets with the white supremacist group Identity Evropa. That June, procedures were started to kick a Marine lance corporal out of the service after he was found to have shared a number of racist social media posts, including a picture of a swastika.

Last month, Military Times published an eye-popping poll of 1,630 subscribers in which more than one-third said they had "personally witnessed examples of white nationalism or ideologically-driven racism" within their services in recent months.

According to testimony presented to lawmakers the same month by criminal investigative unit leaders from the services, there does appear to be wider cause for concern.

The head of the Army's Criminal Intelligence Division, Joe Ethridge, testified that the unit had seen in early 2019 "a small increase" in criminal investigations involving soldier participation in extremist activities: seven, compared with an average of 2.4 from the four previous years. FBI officials, he said, had also noted that domestic terrorism organizations are now actively seeking veterans for their skills.

Christopher McMahon, the executive assistant director of the National Security Directorate for Naval Criminal Investigative Service, cited a similar increase in the Navy.

The last major military reckoning on hate group activity came following a 1995 incident in which three white soldiers were charged with killing a black man and woman outside Fort Bragg, North Carolina. One of the soldiers had proudly displayed a Nazi flag above his bed on base.

After the murders, the military commissioned multiple force surveys, including one within the Air National Guard and another within the active-component Army. Both were led and staffed by minority service members. Air Force Lt. Gen. Russell Davis, one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, led the ANG effort, while Togo West, the second-ever African American Army secretary, oversaw the Army one. Military.com obtained copies of both, completed in 1999 and 1996, respectively.

The First Extremism Surveys

The now-retired Lt. Col. Terry Davis, deputy team chief for the ANG survey, told Military.com that that service component was included because extremist groups were considered a militia issue -- and the National Guard elements were seen as the U.S. military's militia force.

The 99-page ANG report -- completed after visiting all 50 states and surveying nearly 8,800 personnel in person or on paper -- was remarkably sanguine. While "community sightings of the Ku Klux Klan and skinheads were commonplace" as the survey team traveled, they reported no incidents of ANG members participating in extremist groups or activity.

Despite that, the survey authors reported an uncanny depth of knowledge among Air Guard members regarding regional hate groups and their symbolism. Davis showed Military.com a thick binder of symbols, markings and information about these groups -- all compiled, he said, from the regional knowledge of the airmen.

Included is an encyclopedia of elaborate gang hand signs; pages of graffiti tags and supremacist symbolism, ranging from swastikas to the less-recognizable logos for groups like American Front and the crosstar of the Nationalist Movement; and a detailed lexicon of insider terms used by these groups.

"Members occasionally offered altruistic views of the Klan and neo-Nazis," the report states. "At practically every installation the team found knowledgeable persons on the various extremist groups recognized by DoD. ... [At] times the reason for high levels of awareness was not apparent."

In this Aug. 21, 2018, photo, a man who wished not to be identified has a swastika tattoo covered up on his elbow by Justin Fleetwood, a tattoo artist at Queen City Tattoo Company in Springfield, Mo. Fleetwood is offering to cover up people's hate-tattoos at no cost. (Andrew Jansen/The Springfield News-Leader via AP) -- Military.com

Elsewhere, the report appeared to gloss over what would later be recognized as major military-wide problems, raising questions about the completeness of reporting.

"While reported instances of sexual harassment were few in number, it was quite apparent that ANG men and women do not believe the playing field is level for women," the survey found, concluding that "the human relations climate must continually be a command emphasis item."

The survey also suffered from a lack of specificity. Respondent gender and demographic data was not recorded, and answers to the 15 questions specific to extremist activity were condensed in the report to give a general sense of responses.

"Less than 10% of the respondents think that hate crimes are a great or very great problem," the report's authors write. "Of this 10%, it is difficult to truly assess the magnitude of this problem because all of the hate crimes cited may have been against a family member, or occurred in a community or place that is outside the ANG's responsibilities.

Despite the optimism in the survey, Davis, the project's deputy team chief, said it provided a cold wake-up call to military brass about the prevalence of hate groups and supremacist thinking in the communities of their troops; the depth of knowledge those in uniform had about these groups; and the lack of education provided about how to respond to the issue.

'Head in the Sand'

"At the command level, it was absolutely head in the sand in terms of action being taken or education being done without the survey being put in front of them," Davis said. "I just want to believe the commanders ... had more knowledge than they were willing to share about what they knew."

For Davis, another major concern was what the service did with the insights from the limited data it had managed to collect. From his perspective, the effort was lost to history after the survey team turned in the report.

Today, the report appears not to exist online, although Davis keeps his own hard copy of the findings in a thick binder.

"The ANG needs to make a firm determination on where it will maintain the data gathered in the assessment so that it may be used as a baseline for future initiatives on extremist activities or of the overall human relations environment," the survey's authors wrote in one of their five recommendations.

The other recommendations included: Develop an Air National Guard policy on extremism; issue a policy statement incorporating dignity and respect for others as an ANG core virtue; foster a climate where units will take appropriate actions to ensure personnel are well informed of extremist activities in the surrounding areas; and release the findings of the survey on extremism to units for their awareness and education.

A spokesman for the Air National Guard, Lt. Col. Devin Robinson, said he was unable to turn up any information specific to the 1999 survey and actions taken on its findings. However, he did note that, over the years, the National Guard Bureau has implemented a number of policies that address the concerns the survey found.

They include, he said, multiple policy instructions on diversity and inclusion, with the most recent, published in 2018, authorizing adjutant generals in all states and territories to develop their own initiatives and procedures in support of the goal of an inclusive force. And like the rest of the military, guardsmen participate in regular climate surveys administered by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.

"Each of the 90 Wings across the Air National Guard also have Human Resource Advisors who are considered the 'Diversity Practitioners' for the Wings," he said. "The ANG Diversity and Inclusion Directorate has developed an orientation course to train the HRAs and empower them to provide additional training at the local level."

Discipline, Not Data

The 87-page survey completed by the Secretary of the Army's Task Force on Extremist Activities, which does exist online, involved interviews with 5,957 soldiers at 28 different bases. It turned up 26 soldiers with ties to extremist activity and even noted a few common characteristics they seemed to share: "very short 'high and tight' haircuts," a taste for wearing "blue jeans, boots, suspenders" and "interest in the punk rock culture."

While it found most soldiers' views aligned with the Army's on intolerance and discrimination, it also called for clearer policies regarding active and passive participation in extremist groups; a new reporting process for information-sharing on extremism among law enforcement, judge advocates and equal opportunity officials. The Army, the report found, should "develop a process to evaluate soldiers' behaviors, adaptability and sensitivity to human relations issues during recruitment and initial entry training, and screen for extremist views and participation during recruitment and initial entry training."

Air Force Sgt. Cory Reeves, shown in this image pulled from social media, remains employed after the military completed its investigation into his ties with Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group. Twitter photo

Dr. Carter F. Smith, a retired Army CID special agent, was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when the Army's survey on extremism was completed. The findings, he said, were pretty sound, but the task force fell short of defining extremism, leaving that decision to individual unit commanders -- a move he said made effective discipline of extremist behavior nearly impossible.

"You can't function that way in our society," said Smith, now a recognized gang expert and professor at Middle Tennessee University. "You have to have bright-lined laws."

Where the U.S. military as a whole lost the thread on discipline problems in the ranks, including extremism and gang activity, he said, was in 2001 following the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks.

"On Sept. 10, 2001, you could call just about any gang cop and they would tell you about gang stuff," he said. "On the 12th, they were part of a joint task force ... terrorism was the new flavor of the month."

Issues like these don't fade and resurface so much as lawmakers and military leaders shift their focus to different priorities, he added.

Rather than asking troops about their subjective experiences with extremism and hate-motivated behavior, the military should focus efforts on working with law to pinpoint problems and discipline them consistently, he said -- something that in his experience has been lacking.

Policing Extremism

"Decide what it is we want to police and be consistent with that," he said. "If you act on your biases, and that action is contrary to the good order and discipline of the Army, you should be punished. And if you're not, everyone else will notice."

Discipline and its limits is an issue that grabbed lawmakers' attention at a February hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on white supremacist behavior in the military.

Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, expressed frustration that in some services, including the Air Force, membership in a nationalist or racial supremacist group isn't enough to get a service member investigated; the member would have to demonstrate "active participation," such as fund-raising for the group or helping to lead it.

"Active participation does not equal being a member of one of these extremist organizations. And I find that astonishing," Speier said.

Rep. Debra Haaland, D-New Mexico, raised the case of an Air Force master sergeant found to be an active, fundraising member of Identity Evropa, which she described as "one of the most visible neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations in Colorado." He was disciplined administratively, but procedures to dismiss him from the ranks were not initiated until the service faced intense public scrutiny as a result of media reports, she said.

Assessing the Units

While Smith, the retired CID agent, believes surveys are not what's needed to fix the military's extremism problem, the lawmaker who introduced the measure to restart an extremism survey process maintains the data has value.

Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Maryland, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told Military.com earlier this year that he'd like to see a more specific question added to climate surveys -- one that specifically references white nationalism and racism, rather than just extremism. He said he hopes the process will encourage more candid responses and give an accurate sense of what's happening unit to unit.

"Direct dialogue between commanders and their service members is critical to fostering an inclusive environment," Christian Unkenholz, Brown's press secretary, told Military.com in a statement. "Congressman Brown's hope is that the inclusion of these questions in the command climate survey will continue to improve it as a mechanism for addressing unacceptable behavior within a unit."

Unkenholz added that Brown wants to evaluate initial survey data and then assess what steps might need to be taken to improve the survey and responses.

Davis, the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who helped to lead one of the first survey efforts, believes the presence of extremist ideology and activities inside the military services may be even worse now than it was in the late 1990s, due to what he perceives as a permissive current political atmosphere and mixed messaging around concepts like nationalism.

Davis said he believes surveys are still a valuable way to collect information for commanders, but noted that he found the most insightful questions were the ones that got a sense of troops' attitude toward hate groups and racist ideologies, as those highlight areas vulnerable to division and discipline issues.

"You can't maintain a military force if you've got that kind of disarray and disagreement going on within the services," he said. "It just won't happen."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @hopeseck.

Read more: Air Force Academy Dismisses Cadets amid Coronavirus Spread
Australia is rapidly running out of coronavirus testing kits, according to the country's chief medical officer.

Professor Brendan Murphy said there was 'extreme pressure' on stocks in a letter publishes by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

He urged GPs to exercise caution in overusing the tests and to only test people who really need it.

'Unfortunately, the extreme pressure on our personal protective equipment (PPE) stocks continues,' he wrote.

'The situation regarding pathology test kits, reagents and swabs is deteriorating rapidly, with kits no longer being available in some regions of the country.'

Australia is rapidly running out of coronavirus testing kits because so many people want to check if they have the deadly infection

Professor Brendan Murphy sent a letter to general practitioners on Friday urging them to only test people who need it

'Pathology collection centres have also experienced large backlogs in testing appointments in some parts of Australia, and emergency testing facilities have had to be established in some areas to ensure that urgent patients can get access to testing.

'I am seeking your assistance in strictly applying the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) National Guidelines in deciding whether to refer a patient for a COVID-19 pathology test.'

Government guidelines state that people should only be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms within 14 days of international travel, have been in contact with a confirmed case or have a fever or pneumonia.

On Saturday, Professor Murphy said there 'had been quite a run on the testing'.

He had added that there had been some temporary shortages in testing materials.

Professor Murphy said people with ordinary cold-like symptoms should not go and get tested.

'We are focusing on testing on returned travellers or contacts of people who are symptomatic,' he said.

'We need to preserve the testing for those who need it.'

Australia currently has 227 cases of coronavirus. Three people have died in Australia due to the deadly illness

DO YOU NEED TO BE TESTED FOR COVID-19? You need to get tested for coronavirus if: Symptoms present within 14 days of international travel

You have been in close or casual contact with a confirmed case - however this needs to be assessed with reasonable sensibility

Fever symptoms

Respiratory infections

People with pneumonia and no other apparent cause Advertisement

At part of its coronavirus stimulus package the federal government announced that they would install 100 pop-up testing centres to help ease the burden on medical practices.

The aim of the clinics is to divert mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 away from hospitals and prevent its spread.

Each clinic is expected to see 75 patients a day for six months.

Some clinics in South Australia have opened a drive-thru service to help ease the pressure on testing facilities.

Australian Medical Association boss Dr Tony Barton said Australians need to take personal responsibility regarding testing.

'It's clear that there is a significant amount of people who are being tested at the moment for no other reason than just fear, anxiety or personal interest,' Dr Bartone told Guardian Australia.

The guidelines state you should only be tested for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms within 14 days of international travel or have been in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus

'The criteria that have been clearly outlined in the letter are in the interest of ensuring adequate supply at this crucial time while we're facing significant pressure on reagents and kits.

'We are really running out and it undermines the ability to identify true cases. We can't just be testing to relieve anxiety. We can't just be relieving anxiety in a population with no contact with a confirmed case.'

Dr Bartone said resources need to be reserved for people who need it.

There have been 227 cases of coronavirus recorded in Australia, including three people who have died.

Australian Medical Association boss Dr Tony Barton said Australians need to take personal responsibility regarding testing

The World Health Organisation declared coronavirus a pandemic on Wednesday last week.

A spokesman for the Department of Health told Daily Mail Australia: 'The Australian health system is very well prepared and is supported by a world-class network of pathology laboratories, both public and private.

'Given the global nature of a pandemic, from time to time it is anticipated that temporary shortages in global supply chains may occur.

'The Australian Government is working very hard to expand testing capacity and to make sure enough laboratory consumables are secured to last throughout the outbreak.

'It is also very important testing capacity is preserved by testing only being undertaken on people who meet the suspect case definition.'
The federal government has said travellers leaving or arriving the country will now mandatorily have to present their yellow card as proof of vaccination before entering or leaving the country.

The implementation of the revised policy became effective on Wednesday, March 11, and was also communicated to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for airlines to be informed.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made this disclosure in Abuja on Friday while giving a national update on the status of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Mr Ehanire said this has become necessary as a step to contain the ongoing transmission of yellow fever in the country.

Mr Ehanire said the position of the ministry is in line with global best practices and WHO recommendations.

This is also to prevent Nigerians from spreading the yellow fever virus to other countries as there are high risk of transmission of the disease to other parts of the world like the ongoing coronavirus, he added.

Though the policy of presenting the cards have always been in place, its enforcement has been lax as many travellers are hardly asked to present the cards when leaving or arriving the country.

New directive

Mr Ehanire said the new directive is based on concerns if transmission at the point of entries especially across land borders.

The surveillance at the point of entry policy, he said, is for the prevention and control of cross border transmission of yellow fever.

The new directive includes Nigerians (home and abroad) and foreigners living in Nigeria.

He said all nationals of other countries arriving from or haven transited countries with risk of yellow fever, would be required to show a yellow card certificate.

Mr Ehanire said this became necessary due to ongoing transmission of yellow fever in parts of Nigeria.

He said it has become pertinent to activate Nigerias point of entry policy on prevention and control of cross border transmission of yellow fever in line with WHO recommendation for all international travellers, nine months and older, arriving in areas with evidence of persistent or periodic transmission of yellow fever.

Nigerians are required to obtain a yellow fever vaccination if they have not done so, and to show their yellow card or proof of vaccination before any international travel and upon arrival.

Mr Ehanire also added that the ministry of health has also requested NCAA to communicate this to airlines for compliance.

Reverse policy

Mr Ehanire explained that the government had wavered in the presentation of yellow fever cards or proof of vaccination due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

He, however, said the country will be reverting the policy for the safety of Nigerians and every other nationality.

He said due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the FMoH had reviewed the policy to allow passengers without yellow cards or proof of vaccinations board their flights to Nigeria, with the understanding that they will be given a yellow fever vaccination, on arrival at our points of entry.

He said the vaccination is free of charge and the yellow card is at a nominal cost.

This is in the interest of the health security of the public and all passengers.

Mr Ehanire also said the ministry of health, through Port Health Services has prioritised measures for COVID-19 containment, especially the screening of passengers at Points of Entry.

READ AMORE:

However, other surveillance and prevention activities, including the implementation of the policy on prevention and control of cross border transmission of yellow fever, are still very important.

Electronic Yellow Card

The yellow card is an important document which is given to a person after getting a vaccine against the yellow fever disease.

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Henceforth, possession of e-yellow card (through an automated or online process) which replaces the old yellow card will now be a requirement for boarding flight out of the country, the minister said.

The Federal government as of July 1, 2019, had phased off the previous yellow card being issued for a new biometric yellow card.

The electronic yellow card would be issued for people who have been vaccinated and is aimed at stopping the racketeering in fake yellow cards which are issued at point of airports and borders.

The yellow card is also meant to forestall the problems of payment while collecting the card without getting the vaccination.

The holders of the old yellow cards could change it at any port health office, airport, borders or the ministry.

It is also assumed that those with the old card received the jab before acquiring it and as such, they can go to the website, fill in a form through remote and make payment in a bank..

However, it is advisable for people who have the old yellow card but had never received the vaccine, to do so when collecting the new card.

Travellers are to visit www.yellowcardnigeria.com to obtain their yellow card.
Improvement works will be carried out on the stretch between Talara and Paita, which is divided into five sectors.

They shall be completed within 15 months and are set to benefit over a million people.

"You can take Panamericana Norte Highway along Sullana to reach Talara from Piura, but you can also take Costanera Highway to get to Talara. Besides, it leads to Piura's beach resort area," he stated.

The top official guaranteed the transfer of S/173 million (about US$48.8 million) for the execution of the project to be carried out by Consorcio Vial Piura.

Improvement works will be monitored through the Reconstruction Office and the Regional Government to make sure the project will be completed next year.

However, he underlined that success will be achieved only if citizens fulfill hygiene and prevention requirements.

El presidente @MartinVizcarraC se encuentra en #Piura para inspeccionar el proyecto de mejoramiento de la carretera departamental Costanera. pic.twitter.com/QwkkgG2hor
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion curated for you. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

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Facepalm: US President Donald Trump today announced that search giant Google is in the process of creating a website focused on the COVID-19 virus outbreak. The website would act as a form of pre-testing triage and will help to give US citizens some much-needed direction in this challenging time... except Google is not working on such website, but a much smaller company called Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is on the early stages of developing one, but is not even ready to work on a single test location.

Update #2 (3/16): Alphabets Verily launched Sunday night a pilot website for COVID-19 screening and testing. Project Baseline currently serves the San Francisco Bay Area only and requires users to login with a Google account.

Update (3/13): Not long after President Trump claimed that Google was working with over a thousand engineers on developing a website for Coronavirus self-screening at home, the company was forced to issue a statement that essentially contradicts everything Trump announced.

Verily, not Google is working on this project. Verily used to be a division of Google X, and today is a research arm of Alphabet. Perhaps most importantly, the website project is on the "early stages of development" and is not ready to serve the first pilot city yet, let alone help citizens across the country. The company's statement can be read below:

We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort.

The site will help citizens screen themselves for the virus by answering a series of questions intended to narrow down symptoms. If the person is likely to have the virus based on their responses, the site will direct them to the nearest mobile test location for COVID-19, which will reportedly be set up in locations like store parking lots.

Results won't be given to visitors on the spot, of course -- samples will need to be sent back to a lab for testing. However, once the test results are in, they'll be displayed on the original screening website so that users can stay informed and more easily decide their next steps.

According to the President, roughly 1,700 Google employees are developing the website right now. Trump has been known to exaggerate from time to time, but given the high-profile nature of this virus, we wouldn't be surprised if that figure is accurate. In all likelihood, tens of thousands (if not millions) of Americans will visit this website over the coming months, so it's in Google's best interest to ensure it's bug-free and capable of handling high levels of web traffic.

Other details about the website and the partnership between Google and the US government are still scarce at the moment. However, we can probably expect to learn more (and perhaps even see the site launch) over the coming days.
In the backdrop of novel coronavirus outbreak, the state government has closed all educational institutions, Anganwadi centres and play-way schools till March 31.

Chief Minister Jairam Thakur announced the same while addressing the budget session at Vidhan Sabha on Saturday.

"All government, private colleges and schools, Anganwadi centers and play-way schools in the State are to remain closed till March 31, due to Coronavirus," said Thakur.

Several states, including Delhi, Chhatisgarh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, have already shut down schools amid the COVID-19 threat.

Coronavirus, which originated in the Wuhan city of China, has so far spread to more than 100 countries infecting over 1,20,000 people. India has reported two deaths and 82 confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concern.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 19:39:34|Editor: huaxia

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A medical worker gestures with a cured coronavirus patient who will leave the Wuchang temporary hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese governments at all levels have allocated a combined 116.9 billion yuan (16.7 billion U.S. dollars) of funds for epidemic prevention and control as of Friday, a finance ministry official said Saturday.

While continuing efforts to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Chinese government has rolled out a raft of measures to cushion the impact of the epidemic on the economy, Fu Jinling, an official at the Ministry of Finance said a press conference.

By the end of Friday, the virus has infected 80,824 people and killed 3,189 on the Chinese mainland, according to official figures.

The government's first-quarter fiscal revenue suffered an interim impact from the outbreak, as it has taken massive tax and fee cuts to support economic growth.

However, Fu said China's economy has great potential and resilience, and the size of its fiscal income remained large, allowing plenty of room for fiscal revenue adjustment. 
: In the wake of three



positive cases of coronavirus being reported from the state capital, Kerala government on Saturday imposed restrictions on visitors entry at malls, gyms and beaches and warned people not to venture out of their homes unless necessary.

So far, 19 people have been found positive for the virus, including three from Thiruvananthapuram.

The government had earlier closed schools, colleges and cancelled all public functions in the state to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"People are advised not to visit malls and beaches. Gyms and beauty parlours must also keep vigil. People must avoid being in a crowd," Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said in a Facebook post.

With an Italian tourist testing positive for the virus at nearby Varkala, the beach wore a deserted look on Saturday.

The government has also directed the resorts in the district not to allow foreign tourists staying there to venture out.

"Those in home quarantine must follow the directions of the government. Those who need help can approach the health department and strong action will be taken against those resorts which fail to comply with the state government's directions," Surendran said.

Kerala has been hit by the second round of COVID-19 cases after the country's first three positive cases in the state were successfully cured and discharged from hospitals last month.

The state capital, which would be crowded on a weekend was deserted on Saturday.

"Normally, the roads would be crowded. But today, there was no traffic. It's like this for last two days," Rajan, an auto-rickshaw driver, said.

The Thampanoor bus stand area, which also has the busiest Central Railway station, wore a deserted look with very few buses plying from the stand.

The city corporation has arranged a vehicle fitted with speakers announcing the precautions that must be taken by the public to prevent the spread of the infection.

A senior official from Kerala State Road Transport Corporation told PTI that they have not cancelled any service but there are less passengers.

"We have not cancelled any service but there are less number of passengers. Especially in the weekend," the KSRTC official said.

District Collector K Gopalakrishnan told media that those coming from abroad should remain under quarantine for 28 days.

"I would urge people to stay indoors and not to move around and take precautionary measures. Those coming from abroad should be under home quarantine for 28 days. Many are not following the restrictions while in quarantine," Collector said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bhopal, March 14 : Amid the ongoing political drama in Madhya Pradesh, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met Governor Lalji Tandon on Saturday and demanded a floor test before his address to the House and the budget session of the Assembly.

After meeting the Governor, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: "There is a minority government in the state, so there should be a floor test ahead of Governor's address and budget session." The BJP demanded that the voting should not be by a show of hands and the whole process should be filmed.

The BJP delegation included Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava and former Ministers Narottam Mishra and Bhupendra Singh.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati has indicated that action might be taken against two or three rebel MLAs out of the 22 who had resigned.

Prajapati on Saturday gave notice to seven rebel Congress MLAs to appear before him to discuss their resignations but they didn't turn up. The six rebel Congress MLAs who were asked to appear before him on Friday also didn't turn up.

Prajapati had asked the six MLAs to appear before him again on Saturday but none of the 13 MLAs turned up as the Speaker kept waiting for them for nearly three hours.

Speaking to mediapersons, Prajapati said: "I kept waiting for the seven MLAs, who were given time today, and for the six MLAs who didn't come on Friday, at the Assembly Secretariat. Now, I will work as per the legal process." "Two or three serious issues of legislators have come before me. Based on the papers that have been received, I am considering whether to keep them or remove them," he added.
Foreign women sunbathe at Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong.

Visitors coming from or going through the U.K. and Schengen area in the previous 14 days will be barred from entering Vietnam starting Sunday.

The restriction will be in place for 30 days and does not apply to those entering the country for state affairs or other special matters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Vietnam has recorded 31 new infection cases over the past week, after discharging the previous 16 cases and going 22 days straight without new infection.

Eleven of the new patients are foreigners - 10 British and one Irish. Many of the remaining active patients are those who'd come from Europe or had contact with them.

The Vietnamese government's latest decision follows the World Health Organization (WHO) saying Europe is now the world's Covid-19 pandemic epicenter.

Vietnam will also suspend granting visas at border gates, the government has decided.

Foreigners who are experts, business managers and skilled workers wishing to enter Vietnam must undergo medical examination and follow anti-epidemic measures at enterprises and accommodation facilities in accordance with the Health Ministrys regulations.

The Schengen area is a border control-free travel zone comprising 26 European countries, which are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Vietnam earlier halted visa waivers for citizens of eight European countries: Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, and the U.K.

The country has also suspended its visa waiver for Italian nationals and South Korean nationals.

Starting March 7, everyone arriving in Vietnam from overseas will need to fill out health declaration forms and follow quarantine protocols if found carrying symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

President Donald Trump has suspended all travel from Europe to the U.S. for 30 days starting Friday, except for U.S. citizens and travelers from the U.K, in response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 138 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to 5,400, including a record 250 deaths in one day reported in Italy.
The last rites of a 68-year-old woman, who died in the national capital after being infected with coronavirus, were performed on Saturday at the CNG crematorium at Nigambodh ghat here under the supervision of medical authorities. Doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital here and from MCD oversaw the funeral after the crematorium staff reached out to the authorities seeking directives on ensuring that the infection didn't spread from the body.

Officials said the Nigambodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti, which manages the operations at the crematorium, delayed the last rites by a few hours and approached municipal authorities to seek directives in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The situation is sensitive across the world. We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials have come to supervise the process," Suman Gupta of the Samiti said.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday with the Union Health Ministry confirming the death of the woman who had tested positive for the contagious viral disease after coming in contact with her son who also acquired coronavirus after travelling abroad recently. The death was caused due to comorbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the ministry said, adding that she had tested positive for COVID-19 following which she was admitted to the RML hospital.

The woman, a resident of west Delhi, became the second person to die of novel coronavirus infection in the country. The first and only other COVID-19 casualty so far was a 76-year-old man in Karnataka who died on March 10. He had recently returned from Saudi Arabia. The second victim came in contact with her son, who became the fifth coronavirus case in Delhi after travelling to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22.
Donald Trump has announced new measures to tackle the coronavirus crisis, including expanding the existing US travel ban to travelers from the UK and Ireland, The Guardian reports. On Saturday, Trump told the media he had taken a test after all. His daughter Ivanka Trump, a White House adviser, entered self-isolation on Friday after meeting an Australian politician later revealed to have tested positive.

News of Trumps test followed days of controversy highlighted by his continuing to shake hands with people, even as official advice recommended social distancing, The Guardian informs.
Emergency plans to prevent disruption in UK prisons have been drawn up by the government after riots over coronavirus restrictions in Italy left 12 inmates dead and more than 40 staff injured.

The proposals include ensuring that isolated prisoners can contact their families and providing extra reading material to combat boredom, according to the BBC.

In Italy,protests erupted in jails across the country  which is on lockdown over the virus  after authorities stopped or limited normal family visits.

Twelve inmates died, mostly as a result of overdoses on drugs taken from the medical room during the disorder, while 16 prisoners escaped.

Family and friends of inmates in the UK have been urged not to visit prisons if they have a high temperature or a new continuous cough, under new advice issued by the Ministry of Justice on Friday.

Alternative contact methods include the prison voicemail exchange service and writing letters.

We understand that prisoners and their loved ones might be concerned about the situation, said prisons minister Lucy Frazer.

But we can assure them that we will continue to operate normal regimes, with the minimum disruption, for as long as we can.

We are looking into ways to keep prisoners in close contact with their families in all eventualities, and will share further information as and when necessary.

So far there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the prison system but campaigners have warned of the risk of it spreading like wildfire.

Hygiene and cleanliness are essential to protect staff, prisoners and visitors and to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, said Frances Crook of the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Many prisons are filthy and disgustingly unhygienic. Staff, visitors and inmates are not able to wash and soap is frequently impossible to obtain.

According to the Whitehall plans seen by the BBC, inmates will be isolated in single accommodation if they have had contact with a known coronavirus patient.

Ministers have not ruled out releasing some prisoners or using other buildings as makeshift jails to cope with an epidemic, it is claimed.

However campaign groups have urged the government to immediately release detainees at immigration centres and prisoners reaching the end of their sentences.

Liberty and nine other human rights organisations have signed an open letter warning that there is a very real risk of an uncontrolled outbreak of Covid-19 in immigration detention.

And Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies charity, said: It should go without saying that by *not* starting a managed early release programme for prisoners now, the government is also increasing the risk to prison staff of contracting coronavirus.
New Delhi: In some of Indias most malnourished districts, voice messages and social media platforms WhatsApp and Facebook are emerging as the key mediums to reach out to women to teach them nutritional values.

A study conducted by NITI Aayog, the government policy think tank, to assess social and behavioural change among beneficiaries of the Centres key nutritional programme Poshan Abhiyan showed that these three forms of communication had recorded the fastest growth in reaching women.

Voice messages recorded a 13 percentage point increase in reaching women between November 2018 and November 2019 from 26% to 39%. WhatsApp expanded its reach from 9% to 20% in the same period and Facebook doubled its from 6% to 12%.

The private nature of communication over these platforms, and wider mobile phone penetration, is likely to be the reason why women prefer to use them. WhatsaApp and Facebook were unavailable to comment.

The study was conducted among 1,901 women in 16 of the countrys 112 so-called aspirational districts, which are underdeveloped and selected for a concerted government push to boost their level of development. The findings of the survey, reviewed by HT, were presented to officials of the Union ministry of women and child development in February.

The 16 districts were chosen from five states, and included Damoh, Singrauli, Barwani, Vidisha and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh; Katihar, Begusarai, Sheikhpura, Araria, and Sitamarhi in Bihar; Chitrakoot, Balrampur, Bahraich and Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh; Baran in Rajasthan; and Nandurbar in Maharashtra.

Yet, interpersonal communications and government-aided community events -- such as the Centres community programme to disburse health services, the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND), home visits by care workers and television programmes -- continued to reach the women the most in 2019.

In 2019, the VHSND and home visits had a reach of 65% respectively, while television programmes reached 46% of the beneficiaries in these districts.

Alok Kumar, adviser on health and nutrition at NITI Aayog, said that the government carries out these surveys routinely to assess the progress made Since we started in 2018, there has been a substantial change in nutritional habits. Many of the beneficiaries do not know that small changes can go a long way, he said.
Ivanka Trump, the First Daughter and senior advisor to the United States' President, worked from home on Friday "out of an abundance of caution" after she personally interacted an Australian official recently who tested positive for coronavirus infection, the White House said.

The White House medical staff has advised Trump that she does not need to self-quarantine, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere was quoted by The Hill, as saying.

According to media reports, Australian minister for home affairs Peter Dutton, on early Friday morning, was tested positive for COVID-19. Dutton traveled to Washington, last week and met Ivanka, Attorney General William Barr, and other officials on March 5.

"The White House is aware that Mr. Dutton tested positive for COVID-19. He was asymptomatic during the interaction," Deere said in a statement.

"Exposures from the case were assessed and the White House Medical Unit confirmed, in accordance with CDC guidance, that Ivanka is exhibiting no symptoms and does not need to self-quarantine. She worked from home today out of an abundance of caution until guidance was given," Deere continued.

Dutton participated in a news conference with Barr, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and ministers from the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand last Thursday. He later shared a photo of himself with Barr, Ivanka Trump, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, and others.

Dutton said in a statement, on Friday, that he woke up in the morning with a temperature and sore throat and was tested for the coronavirus, which yielded a positive test result. He said he had been admitted to the hospital on the advice of the government's health department.

However, Conway said on Friday that the White House medical staff advised Trump not the quarantine herself as she has not exhibited any symptoms of the viral disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Firefighters disinfect a street against the new coronavirus, in western Tehran, Iran on Saturday.
The Morrison government has quietly mothballed an inquiry which would have paved the way for long-promised laws to protect gay students and teachers from being expelled or sacked from religious schools.

The Australian Law Reform Commission has not yet started work on the inquiry, which was first referred to it nearly a year ago. President Sarah Derrington requested the deadline be extended until 12 months after the government's Religious Discrimination Bill passes Parliament - which is not guaranteed - making it highly unlikely any recommendations will be legislated before the next federal election.

Attorney-General Christian Porter made the change on March 2 but it was not announced by the government. The amendment appeared on the relevant webpage on the ALRC website last week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General Christian Porter. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Porter told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age the delay "makes good sense as it will enable the commission to take into account the extraordinarily far-reaching public consultation process we undertook in developing the Religious Discrimination Bill".
The deep connection between Ireland and the water that surrounds our island nation was made crystal clear to Poulfur NS pupils during a visit from a trainer from the Marine Institute's Explorers Education programme.

Eoin McMahon from Leave No Trace Ireland gave a two-hour session to fifth class pupils at the school, bringing with him a 6ft x 5ft map of Ireland - which had pride of place in the centre of the classroom - as he gave an insightful account of how important the earth's oceans are and the role we, as humans, have in ensuring they are kept free of plastic.

Scoil Mhaodhoig Poulfur was one of two Co Wexford schools chosen for the first ever roll-out of the Marine Institute's Explorers Education pilot outreach training programme, Horeswood NS being the other school.

Mr McMahon said the programme is funded by the Marine Institute of Ireland, adding that its aim is to improve ocean literacy among children.

He outlined to pupils how water covers 70 per cent of the earth and has a massive influence on numerous aspects of our lives. He will be guiding Poulfur pupils on a seashore safari in Carnivan beach later this month, but first quizzed the pupils on how much they knew about the oceans and taught them about how litter breaks down by using a time-line.

He said Horeswood pupils will be visited by Prof Gillian Wheatley, adding that the pupils of Scoil Mhaodhoig Poulfur were very engaged in the programme and one pupil, in particular, expressed great interest in the subject.
UPDATE: N.J. confirms 2nd coronavirus death, Monmouth County woman in her 50s

State officials on Saturday announced 19 new coronavirus cases in New Jersey, bringing the official statewide total to at least 69 positive tests since the outbreak began  though the number could be as high as 75 based on additional information from Bergen County.

The update was provided on the state Department of Health coronavirus website at 2 p.m. just before Gov. Phil Murphy held a telephone briefing with reporters about the ongoing spread of the virus, which has forced unprecedented shutdowns, cancellations, and school closures in the Garden State.

Were doing everything we can to get ahead of this challenge, Murphy said during the briefing. "We will get through this. It will not be mistake-free, Im sure.

The 19 new cases announced by the state include seven in Bergen County, seven in Middlesex County, two in Essex County, two in Hudson County, and one in Monmouth County.

The patients range in age from 18 to 80 years old. Thirteen of them are women and six are men.

State officials did not provide more details about the patients, such as where they live or are being treated.

While the state briefing was ongoing Saturday afternoon, Bergen County Executive James Tedesco issued a statement saying the county had 31 cases, six more than the states account, raising the possibility the state has 75 coronavirus cases. State and local officials have provided contradicting numbers in previous days, as well.

State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the discrepancy could be because private testing facilities are reporting directly to local officials, which is then relayed to the state. The state updates on the total number of cases once a day on its website.

Its at a point in time," Persichilli said. Because everyone here is working 24/7 to take care of things we take care of, we have to stop at some point.

Persichilli said officials expect the number of cases in New Jersey to jump further in the coming days and urged residents to practice social distancing. She added the spread of this disease will be stopped at the community level.

We expect them to increase from North Jersey to South Jersey, Persichilli said. We expect everyone will take the precautions necessary that we have discussed and shared over and over and over again.

Officials also said Saturday they will no longer use the phrase presumptive positive cases because the federal Centers for Disease Control said all positive tests conducted in public health labs are now considered confirmed.

Meanwhile, officials announced the state is working with Bergen County to set up New Jerseys first widespread coronavirus testing site, to be opened by Monday at Bergen County Community College in Paramus.

Persichilli said only those who show symptoms of the virus will be tested.

She also said there currently are 26 pending tests at the state laboratory.

And Persichilli announced a second hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, began testing at its lab Thursday. But she didnt have information on pending tests outside the state lab.

I have absolutely no idea what is pending at the commercial labs and at the hospital labs, Persichelli said.

As for schools, Murphy said Friday that a long-term shutdown of public schools across the state is inevitable." On Saturday, the governor said officials are not yet in a position to make a specific announcement on that."

We are close, he said. In a matter of days.

As of Saturday, 400 of the states 600 public school district had notified the state of planned closures, officials said.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Corrections is temporarily suspending visits at state prisons and halfway houses for the next 30 days.

And municipal court sessions in New Jersey will be suspended for two weeks to reduce exposure to the virus.

On Thursday, Murphy recommended all public gatherings with 250 people or more be canceled. He said Saturday he has heard of no blatant violation of the recommendation so far, but he reserves the right to make it a mandate if needed.

Well continue to keep our eye on it, the governor said.

Murphy said there are still no plans to require Atlantic City casinos to shutter gambling because while there may be 250 people on a casino floor at any given time, the enormous expanse of those buildings allow for people to keep their distance from each other.

The governor also said he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday night about the federal response to the virus. Murphy said he thanked Pence for personal protective equipment the federal government sent to New Jersey but pleaded with him that we needed more.

In addition, nine people who were on the Grand Princess cruise ship will soon arrive in New Jersey at Newark Liberty International Airport, officials said. The ship docked in California last week with 21 passengers testing positive for the virus.

The first coronavirus death in New Jersey, a 69-year-old man from Bergen County, was announced Tuesday.

Another suspected coronavirus death of a patient in Monmouth County remains under investigation, and the test was expected to be completed Saturday, Persichilli said.

The full county-by-county breakdown of total cases in New Jersey:

Bergen: 25, according to the state. County officials have raised that number to 31

Middlesex: 10

Monmouth: 8

Essex: 7

Hudson: 5

Burlington: 3

Morris: 3

Camden: 2

Passaic: 2

Mercer: 1

Ocean: 1

Somerset: 1

Union: 1

The novel coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, has three main symptoms: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. They usually develop 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the CDC.

There have more than 155,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus across the globe  more than 2,500 in the U.S., according to a running tally by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Of that number, more than 5,800 people have died, while more than 72,500 have recovered.

All but one U.S. state  West Virginia  has at least one case, according to a map by the New York Times. New Jersey has the seventh-most cases of any state.

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The police in Ekiti State said they are unable to identify those who carried out a violent attack on the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday.

Two factions of the party had been at daggers drawn over the outcome of the ward congresses that held across the state last Saturday.

One of the groups loyal to the former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, claimed its group swept the polls in victory, while the other led by a senator, Biodun Olujimi, has also claimed victory at the polls.

But while the appeals committee sat to hear the complaints arising from the congresses at the partys secretariat, hoodlums stormed the place with dangerous weapons and unleashed violence on the people.

A number of persons were reportedly injured in the course of the attacks, while the appeal committees sitting was disrupted.

Blame Game

Incidentally, both factions have engaged in a blame game over who perpetrated the violence.

Ms Olujimi blamed Mr Fayose and his supporters for portraying the PDP as party of violence by mobilising thugs to where the appeal panel was expected to sit.

Because we caught them in that dastardly act at Petim Hotel on Saturday, they thought they could right the wrongs with the appeal panel by being violent, she said.

Just because we caught them, they were on the offensive and they had to put up some violence. I dont like violence and we will not allow violence to define us as a party.

Whoever wants violence must either drop that and stay or ship out of the PDP, we wont tolerate that.

They beat some people, I mean some of my supporters, but I was not touched. If they were right why were they violent today?

You could all attest to the fact that no collation was done regarding the ward congress. We didnt do any collation, so the Taraba deputy has no results to present.

Mr Fayose, speaking through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, said Ms Olujimi was responsible for the attack.

They went to the Petim on Saturday with thugs and today, they went to the secretariat with thugs while going to submit their petition, so I have no reason to mobilise thugs because we won convincingly, Mr Fayose said.

I only went to the secretariat to submit how the election went and they went to submit their petition, so I needed nothing like thugs to do that, so they should be held liable for that thuggery.

Police intervention

The police in Ekiti had since intervened and deployed armed officers to ward off trouble makers at the secretariat.

Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, told PREMIUM TIMES that they were yet to identify the assailants despite the fact that the attacks were done in broad daylight.

He said the police were still investigating the attacks, but at the moment would keep the armed policemen at the secretariat until when peace could be guaranteed.

Since yesterday that the incident happened, we have been on investigation and we have not been able to identify who those hoodlums are for now, he said.

According to Mr Abutu, investigation is ongoing and the security men are stationed there not to allow further breach of the peace.

We did not envisage any crisis at the event, but we were prepared for it, he said. The men will remain there and we will only withdraw them at our discretion.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

I am telling all MPs: dont collude with anyone, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

In general, our activities within the framework of international organizations should be more focused. The MPs representing us there should be active, should not go there as tourists and submit a report on what they have done, who they met with and what issues they raised. Sometimes it looks like tourist trips  they go, get together, talk, eat and come back. In fact, some trips are completely unacceptable. I dont want to talk about this for a long time, but I know what is happening, what events are happening. Therefore, we must enhance the effectiveness of our international activities. We must demonstrate our intransigence in the organizations displaying an unjustified approach towards us and bringing charges against us. In other words, we should not try to be nice to them, but serve the interests of our state and people. We must not step aside under the pretext that we do not want to aggravate a particular issue, but rather speak our word. We must expose a biased approach. Just as I always do, and there is ample evidence of that. You don't have to be a politician to say that, said the head of state.

He noted that the average citizen can see this on television.

Look at the crimes committed by those who are trying to teach us a lesson in democracy. In the countries of Europe, which is considered to be the cradle of democracy", right under the nose of the whole world, peaceful demonstrators are beaten up, suppressed, their eyes are hollowed out, they are killed, they are arrested. Journalists are arrested on unsubstantiated charges and cast behind bars. Everything is visible. Dogs are set against peaceful demonstrators. People are dispersed using horses. This is happening not just in one or two countries, it has acquired a large-scale nature today  practically the whole region that is trying to criticize us. Look at the attitude towards Muslim migrants! In the 21st century, they are confronted with dogs and driven into cages. And then they throw pieces of food into the cages, as if those inside were animals. What kind of an attitude is this?! And now they intend to oppress them using all possible means. Where did these migrants come from? Why did they appear? Why did they leave their countries? Who attacked their countries? Who destroyed their countries? Who violated stability? Who contributed to the emergence of millions of refugees? Whoever has done this should reap the benefits now. Why should Turkey, our brotherly country, accept and feed 4 million refugees and spend billions of dollars? Has Turkey imposed this suffering on them? No! Let those who imposed this wandering on them take responsibility, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that it is necessary to talk about all this.

I am saying this from this podium, openly and without fearing anyone. Because I am right, and it is hard to argue against the truth. Of course, you will see a few days after these words that some dirty articles will reappear, as some far-fetched organization will make a statement that everything in Azerbaijan is bad. Never mind, let them talk. But if we dont tell this truth, then it will hit us tomorrow. Therefore, we must say this, and so must you. I am telling all MPs: dont collude with anyone. We need to work with international organizations, and we are doing that. But we have our own interests and sufficient arguments. Therefore, I urge you to wage this struggle  in the Council of Europe, in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and in all organizations. So I believe that steps in this direction will further strengthen the position of our country, said the head of state.
Monika Monalisa By

Express News Service

Chippi, the baby lizard, lost her tail and is trying to find one that suits her. Should she be worried that she is now ugly without a tail? Does looking beautiful matter? This is what the play, Chippi - The Chipkali, a Ranga Shankara production, is based on. After positive acclaim here, the play is currently travelling to be part of Turkeys 14th Izmir Kukla Gunleri (or the 14th Izmir International Puppet Days), one of the biggest global festivals for puppeteers. Team Chippi is joined by 50 theatre groups from across 23 countries, who will be performing across 37 venues across the city.

Director Surendranath S says, This is Chippis first international trip and has already been winning hearts. Kids loved all the shows that have been performed so far. They say it is the simplest story told to them, says Surendranath, adding that though the story was based on a baby lizard, none of the children were disgusted. The puppet used for Chippi has a small baby face, in order to make the lizard look friendly. The team has completed almost 20 shows.

The show is based on an Indian folk story that Surendranath had heard from a friend and it took the form of a puppet play as an extension from the puppet workshop by leading puppet maker and director Gertrude Troibinger from Austria, who also initially directed the play apart from making the puppet. I met Troibinger about four years in an international puppet festival in Jerusalem. The idea of her coming to

Ranga Shankara and direct a play occurred then, says Surendranath.

Puppetry as a form of theatre has a huge set of audience, but Surendranath says it is yet to deserve its share of popularity in India. More than 1,000 companies are making puppet plays for children. There is an international organisation called UNIMA that brings all puppeteers under one umbrella. Puppetry is yet to arrive in India, with just a few companies working with puppets. But I am sure this will be, in the coming years, the kind of theatre shows for children, says Surendranath, who directed puppet plays like Circle of Life, which talks about the importance of environment and Old man and the Sea, based on Earnest Hemingways novella. He will be travelling to Figuren Theatre Festival in Wels, Austria, which showcases the Austrian performances apart from some invited shows.
A 71-year-old man who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to be infected with Coronavirus died during treatment in Buldhana district of Maharashtra on Saturday afternoon, a hospital official said. The patient was already suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

A few days ago, the patient was admitted to a private hospital due to high blood pressure and was shifted to the isolation ward in Buldhana general hospital after showing symptoms of Coronavirus, Civil surgeon Premchand Pandit told news agency PTI.

READ | India's 2nd Coronavirus Death Reported In Delhi; 68-yr-old Victim's Son Tests Positive Too

"His sample was sent for lab testing. He passed away at 4.20 pm. The lab report is still awaited," Dr. Pandit added.

If the test results turn out positive, the number of Coronavirus deaths in India would rise to 3. So far, 19 people have tested positive for the deadly virus in Maharashtra. The state government declared COVID-19 as an epidemic, ordering all schools, colleges, gyms, theatres, to remain shut till March 30.

READ | CM Uddhav Declares 'Coronavirus Epidemic In Maharashtra'; Schools In Pune & Pimpri Shut

India's 2nd Coronavirus death reported in Delhi

On Friday, India's second death due to the novel coronavirus was reported. The victim was a 68-year-old woman from West Delhi, who passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. While she was suffering from diabetes and hypertension, she contracted COVID-19 reportedly due to being in contact with her son, who travelled to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 to 22. He too has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

READ | Maharashtra Govt Shuts Schools And Colleges After Coronavirus Cases Surge To 19

READ | Maharashtra: Crackdown Ordered On Mask-sanitiser Irregularities
As Australia contemplates the devastation that coronavirus might wreak on our health system and economy, schools are now either closing or thinking seriously about how to educate students banned from attending the campus.

As a year 12 student looking towards the culmination of my education this year, the scariest part of all this is the uncertainty. What will become of my final year at school? And how can I hope to have an uninterrupted run at the final exams we've been told will set us up for our lives and careers if my school is closed?

Students leaving Willoughby Girls High on Monday morning after a case of coronavirus was identified in the school. Credit:Nick Moir

The practicalities of learning at home are daunting. Most of us have experienced the aggravation of dodgy internet connections and blurry, disrupted FaceTime calls. With schools planning to move teaching online, I could not say that online video calls would be a reliable substitute for classroom teaching.

My own school, Mac.Robertson Girls High School, has attempted in past years to run e-Learning days. We weren't required to come to school, but had to sign in online to be marked as "present". The amount of work we were able to get through in one 70-minute period was equivalent to that of a 20-minute session in class. It was difficult to ask questions, with students on video calls either asking questions all at once, or having disrupted discussions with teachers via email.
The March 7 collapse of a hotel in China being used as a quarantine center for people possibly infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus has triggered public anger over the measures taken by the regime in Beijing to curb the virus.

Seventy-one people were inside the Xinjia Hotel, in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, when it collapsed. The death toll reached 29 last Thursday as the final victim was recovered from the rubble, the authorities said. All those in quarantine had previously tested negative for the virus.

The exact cause of the collapse is still not known, but the buildings first floor had been undergoing renovations. The building was opened in 2013, but its third, fourth and fifth floors were converted into a hotel in 2018. Construction workers reported a deformed pillar minutes before the collapse. The buildings owner, surnamed Yang, was summoned for questioning by the police.

People expressed outrage at the hotels collapse and solidarity with those trapped. On the evening of March 7, the accident was the top trending topic on the social networking site Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. One person wrote: The Quanzhou government must be scrutinized! This is not a natural disaster. This is a man-made disaster! Another wrote: Gravely hold those responsible accountable.

This anger is being fueled by the fact that millions in China have been forced to endure lockdowns of entire cities and forced quarantines. Despite these measures, nearly 81,000 people have been infected in China, and more than 3,000 have died, although the spread is said to be slowing, with just eight new cases officially reported on Thursday.

On Weibo, another person contrasted the feelings of being quarantined to being trapped in rubble: I feel despair after getting locked into a room for just one hour. I cant imagine those people trapped under rocks for many hours. Hope they are all surviving and strong.

Building collapses and industrial accidents are common in capitalist China, where companies often cut corners and ignore safety regulations to inflate profits. Last May, a building in Shanghai collapsed, killing 10 construction workers. It was also undergoing renovations.

Many people on social media referred to the hotel as another example of tofu-dreg construction, meaning shoddy work. This term gained wide use after the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, when several schools collapsed as a result of poor construction, leading to the deaths of thousands of children.

The collapse of the hotel threatens to crack the narrative that the measures taken by Beijing to curb COVID-19 should be emulated. On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, and claimed that the spread of the disease had been halted in the city.

However, a building collapse or other disaster could easily contribute to the further spread of COVID-19, for example, by exposing rescue workers to infected patients or preventing people from accessing medical care.

These types of construction accidents demonstrate the subordination of healthcare and other social services to the capitalist market, which Beijing defends. This greatly exacerbates any catastrophe, whether arising from a new virus, earthquake or other disaster.

Beijing is working to deflect criticism from inside China to prevent an explosion of social anger, as well as counter criticism from the US that is of an entirely different and right-wing character. Beijings state publishers recently put out a book for this purpose titled, A Battle Against Epidemic: China Combating COVID-19 in 2020. Social media users in China have circulated pictures of the book, denouncing it as totally shameless.

Wuhans new party secretary, Wang Zhonglin, also earned scorn by demanding residents of the city show gratitude to President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party. Journalist Chu Zhaoxin retorted: You are a public servant, and your job is to serve the people. Now the people you serve are broken, the dead are still cold, and the tears of the living have not yet dried. The sick have not yet recovered, and much of their dissatisfaction is completely reasonable.

Wang seemed to be responding, at least in part, to Wuhan residents who denounced the handling of the quarantine during Vice Premier Sun Chunlans visit to the city the previous week. As he toured a residential compound, people shouted, Fake! Fake! Its all fake! according to the Los Angeles Times. Residents said they had been neglected while the compounds management orchestrated a phony clean-up and grocery deliveries shortly before Suns visit.

However, China is under pressure from the United States government, which is using the virus outbreak as a pretext for ramping up tensions with Beijing.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week: Remember, this is the Wuhan coronavirus thats caused this, and the information that we got at the front end of this thing wasnt perfect and has led us now to a place where much of the challenge we face today has put us behind the curve.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang criticized Pompeo, saying: Despite the fact that the WHO (World Health Organization) has officially named this novel type of coronavirus, [a] certain American politician, disrespecting science and the WHO decision, jumped at the first chance to stigmatize China and Wuhan with it. We condemn this despicable practice.

Washington is similarly trying to deflect fear and anger in the United States as the COVID-19 outbreak grows and it becomes clear that the US government is completely unprepared. A number of American politicians have taken to calling COVID-19 the Wuhan virus or the Chinese coronavirus.

Pompeo claimed on Monday that this was being done to counter propaganda from Beijing. In reality, Washington is exploiting the health crisis to escalate its war drive against China.
Fox & Friends hosts discuss the coronavirus.

Screenshot/Fox News

Fox News opinion hosts aren't just downplaying the coronavirus pandemic  they're urging their viewers to fly on planes, despite US health officials' warnings about even domestic travel.

"It's actually the safest time to fly," Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt said Friday morning.

But the Fox hosts' recommendations contradict warnings from public health officials.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said he would only get on a plane if it was "absolutely" necessary.

Earlier this week, the US State Department recommended that older people and those with health issues avoid "non-essential travel such as long plane trips."

The Fox hosts' message is particularly dangerous for its viewers, who skew older and are thus more vulnerable to the effects of the virus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Fox News opinion hosts aren't just downplaying the coronavirus pandemic  they're urging their viewers to fly on planes, despite US health officials' warnings about even domestic travel.

"It's actually the safest time to fly," Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt said Friday morning. "Everyone I know that's flying right now  terminals are pretty much dead, ghost towns."

Co-host Steve Doocy interrupted Earhardt to offer his own, contradictory, anecdote.

"My wife was flying yesterday  every seat on the plane was taken," he said.

Earhardt then joked that New Yorkers are attempting to flee the city to get to Florida.

Also on Thursday, Fox prime time host Laura Ingraham tweeted that it's a "great time to fly" if you're not in an "at-risk" group.

"Great time to fly if not in at-risk population!" alongside a photo from inside a plane on Friday morning. "This is @united to ORDnew plane, wonderful flight attendants, passengers wiping down everything. (Some of us always did this when traveling!)."

Story continues

But the Fox hosts' recommendations are at odds with warnings from public health officials.

On Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN he would only get on a plane if it was "absolutely" necessary.

"I wouldn't do anything that's unnecessary," he said. "I certainly wouldn't get on a plane for a pleasure trip. It would have to be something that was really urgent ... if it was just for fun, no way I would do it."

The Fox hosts' recommendations also contradict rules in their own workplace. Fox executives have prohibited "all non-essential business travel" since last Monday, according to a Friday Daily Beast report.

Earlier this week, the US State Department recommended that older people and those with health issues avoid "non-essential travel such as long plane trips."

"CDC notes that older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should avoid situations that put them at increased risk for more severe disease," the state department's warning said, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "This entails avoiding crowded places, avoiding non-essential travel such as long plane trips, and especially avoiding embarking on cruise ships."

The CDC issued new guidelines on Wednesday urging Americans to re-consider domestic travel. It also said that going to an airport increases a person's risk of being exposed to and infected by the virus.

"If COVID-19 is spreading at your destination, but not where you live, you may be at higher risk of exposure if you travel there," the CDC said. "Consider the risk of passing COVID-19 to others during travel, particularly if you will be in close contact with people who are older adults or have severe chronic health condition."

On Friday, Jet Blue airlines banned an unidentified passenger after he allegedly boarded a plane from New York City to West Palm Beach, Florida after testing positive for COVID-19. He only informed the crew of his test results after the plane had landed.

Many of President Donald Trump's most vocal supporters in right-wing media, including on Fox, have repeatedly downplayed the threat posed by the coronavirus and accusing Democrats and other media outlets of overstating the crisis to score political points.

Notably, Fox News' viewers are more vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus than the average American, as they skew older. The virus is significantly more deadly for those over 50 years old, and even more so for even older people, according to a study of Chinese coronavirus patients. The media age of Fox's audience was 65 in 2018.

Paulina Cachero contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
In an abundance of caution and for the safety of customers, employees and the public, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum has made the decision to suspend all public rides effective March 14 with a hoped for reopen date of March 21.

Officials said, "We have also cancelled March 14th Summerville Local train rides. We will be offering to transfer ticket holders to future train rides or a refund. Updates to our schedule of rides will be posted on our website at tvrail.com and on social media channels."
Washington, D.C., March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What can the public do to defend against the COVID-19 coronavirus? One simple answer is to ramp up humidification at home and in the workplace, if humidity levels are low. Hospitals treating cases of viral respiratory infection may be advised to do the same.

Why has the novel coronavirus COVID-19 had only a minimal impact in tropical countries while temperate zone countries such as China, Korea, Italy, Iran and the United States have suffered outbreaks? Humidity, and especially indoor humidity, seems to hold the key.

In 2019, a research team at Yale University Medical School published a groundbreaking study (Kudo et al., National Academy of Sciences, 2019) which showed how low ambient humidity hurts the ability of the immune system to fight respiratory viral infection in animal hosts. As Yale immunologist Akiko Iwasaki repeatedly has tweeted, winter months require indoor heating, which leads to low indoor humidity, which in turn leads to reduced mucociliary clearance and innate antiviral immunity, resulting in more respiratory virus in the lungs and increased mortality.

Dr. Nancy Gough of Johns Hopkins University explained the Yale study thus (Medium, March 1, 2020): When the temperature drops, the heat comes on. This reduces the amount of humidity in the air. It turns out this isnt just uncomfortable; it also impairs the innate immune system in the respiratory tract.

What do all the places with severe community COVID-19 outbreaks have in common? As a group of U.S. and Iranian researchers (Sajadi et al. (2020)) concluded in a new study posted for review on March 9, 2020, To date, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has established significant community spread in cities and regions only along a narrow east west distribution roughly along the 30-50 N corridor at consistently similar weather patterns. In each of the locations of significant community spread identified by the researchers, indoor humidity ranged from about 20% to 30% in the weeks prior to outbreak, which is fairly dry. Because of geographical proximity and significant travel connections, epidemiological modeling of the epicenter predicted that regions in Southeast Asia, and specifically Bangkok would follow Wuhan, and China in the epidemic. Instead, the researchers noted, COVID-19 failed to spread significantly to countries immediately south of China.

Dr. Gough further explained the importance of humidity, The epithelial cells have small cellular protrusions called cilia that move the mucus to promote clearance of pathogens and particles that enter the respiratory system. Analysis of the mucus in the trachea showed that infection in low humidity resulted in the inability to of the cilia on the epithelial cells to move it. The low humidity made the mucus too thick.

What can you do when low humidity is unavoidable? Explained Dr. Iwasaki, A mask will certainly keep your nose and mouth warmer and more humidified. I always wear a mask on international flights for this reason, where 10% relative humidity and closed environment makes for a perfect transmission incubator.

What should be the target humidity? The Yale team found that 50% ambient humidity at room temperature led to dramatically increased survival in their animal subjects. What if a humidifier is not available? A large pot of water carefully kept at a low boil can humidify dry winter air to healthy levels.

This new research suggests that warmer, more humid weather will soon bring relief to countries now affected by COVID-19. Until then, indoor humidification and the use of facemasks may save many lives and ultimately help the world turn the corner in the fight against this epidemic.

Key Citations:

Kudo et al. (2019) Low ambient humidity impairs barrier function and innate resistance against influenza infection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019 Gough, March 1, 2020. Fighting the Flu with Humidity: Researchers discover immune system benefits of humidity https://medium.com/@ngough_bioserendipity/fight Fighting the Flu with Humidity Researchers discover immune system benefits of humiditying-the-flu-with-humidity-28d4ccb42bd7 Sajadi et al. (2020) Temperature and Latitude Analysis to Predict Potential Spread and Seasonality for COVID-19https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3550308

Further reading:
" " Flickr Onesimus, named by Cotton Mather for a biblical slave, is credited in historical accounts with sharing his knowledge of the practice of inoculation, which saved untold numbers of early colonists from the ravages of smallpox.

There aren't a lot of written accounts of African-American people living in the early American colonies between the year 1500 and the Revolutionary War. It's not that they weren't there, but the paper trail for people of African descent from this time largely consists of petitions for freedom from slavery, accounts of escape (or attempted escape) from enslavement and records of execution. But accounts of one enslaved man named Onesimus, living in Boston in the early 18th century, tell the story of a person very likely responsible for saving hundreds of lives in the Boston smallpox epidemic of the early 1720s, as well as countless others affected by future outbreaks all over the colonies.

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Cotton Mather

Considering that, by the mid-19th century, slave labor and the slave trade itself were powerful economic engines in the American South, it's surprising that, 200 years before, Massachusetts was actually the first colony to give human slavery the moral and legal thumbs up, codifying the right to own human chattel in 1641. By the time Onesimus was purchased for the famous Puritan minister Cotton Mather in 1706, there were about 1,000 enslaved people living in Massachusetts  about a third of them living in Boston. Some of these people were indentured servants, and not all were of African descent  some were from Europe and some were indigenous native Americans. However, the turn of the 18th century saw the colonies putting more restrictions on people of color, and disproportionately binding them to slavery for life.

Nobody knows Onesimus's original name  Cotton Mather named him for a biblical slave who escaped his master, but who later converted to Christianity. He was probably born in West Africa and brought to the colonies on a ship in his youth, as Mather described him as "a young Man who is a Negro of a promising aspect of temper" in his diary the week his congregation presented Onesimus to him as a gift.

Cotton Mather was an important Bostonian  his father, Increase Mather, was the president of Harvard, a job that Cotton Mather later turned down because what he really wanted to do with his time was read and write. Mather was considered among the most educated people in the colonies, and he published upward of 400 books in his lifetime, on everything from piracy to plant hybridization. Mather was also a religious zealot  in the 1690s, he figured prominently in the Salem witch trials, earning himself the reputation of being extremely anti-witch.

Because Mather lived in the city and spent most of his time reading and writing, he was ostensibly not much in need of a laborer in his home  Onesimus's main jobs in the Mather household seem to have been clearing snow, stacking firewood, carrying water and doing little chores around the house. However, Mather was extremely interested in converting Onesimus to Christianity, and he wrote in his diary about teaching his slave to read and write so that he could better understand the Christian catechism.

Perhaps because Mather was so adamant about converting Onesimus to Christianity, the two seem to have chatted a lot.

"It was a relationship between an owner and someone who was owned, but we know a lot more about Onesimus than we do about other African Americans of the time because Cotton Mather's diary is very detailed," says Steven Niven, executive editor of the African American National Biography at Harvard's Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. "We know, for instance that he had a son who died. We know, too, that Onesimus wanted to buy his freedom from Mather, which we can assume he eventually did."

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A Conversation About Inoculation

Mather's diary also details how sometime in the early 1700s, he and Onesimus had a conversation about the extremely deadly smallpox epidemics that swept through New England in the 40 years prior. At the time, smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases in the North American colonies, and Boston had been hit hard several times. According to Mather's diary, during one of these conversations, Onesimus made a remark that he wouldn't be getting smallpox if it came back through Boston because he had been inoculated before he left Africa. Of course he didn't use the term "inoculation," but he explained to Mather that he had,

...undergone an Operation, which had given him something of ye Small-Pox, and would forever preserve him from it, adding, That it was often used among [Africans] and whoever had ye Courage to use it, was forever free from the Fear of ye Contagion. He described ye Operation to me, and showed me in his Arm ye Scar.

The process Onesimus underwent back in Africa is now known as variolation, which was the deliberate infection with the disease in order to create immunity from it, and he explained to Mather that you could tell from the scar on someone's arm that they had been treated. Even people who are selling or purchasing slaves knew to look for the scar because that person was more likely to survive a smallpox epidemic, and therefore more valuable.

Mather didn't act immediately on this information, but in 1720, when Boston experienced another smallpox outbreak, he remembered the conversations he had had with Onesimus. Mather teamed up with a physician named Zabdiel Boylston and campaigned to inoculate the people of Boston against the disease in the same way Onesimus had been inoculated back in Africa.

"Although Cotton Mather was a very important figure in Boston at the time, and people listened to him, most of the community was opposed to this idea for a couple of reasons," says Niven. "One is because this was a practice the Africans used  it wasn't used in Western Europe at the time, and people were very wary of that. Secondly, there was a newspaper in Boston called "The New England Courant" run by Benjamin Franklin's older brother, James. It mounted a slander campaign against Cotton Mather, saying it was ridiculous to think you could protect somebody from a disease by giving them the disease."

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Edward Jenner and a Smallpox Vaccination

In the end, 242 people volunteered for Mather's inoculation crusade, and only 2 percent of those people died in that smallpox epidemic, compared to 14 percent of the uninoculated population who died of smallpox in Boston between 1721 and 1723. When the word spread that those who were inoculated had a seven times greater chance of surviving smallpox, it became a common practice in Boston and the rest of the Americas until 1796 when Edward Jenner developed the first smallpox vaccination.

What Onesimus thought of the part he played in saving the lives of countless colonists is unknown because, according to Mather's diary and other documentation, he succeeded in conditionally buying his freedom around 1716. He bought Mather a replacement slave, and agreed to do small jobs around the house, when necessary.

As far as anyone knows, though, Mather never succeeded in converting Onesimus to Christianity.

Now That's Interesting Onesimus is Greek for "useful."
The White House said Saturday it is now checking the temperature of anyone coming into close contact with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President," Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.

Trump said Friday he would "most likely" get a coronavirus test after coming into contact with several people who have tested positive.

A White House doctor reversed that statement later, however, saying Trump "remains without symptoms" and did not need to be tested.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ATLANTA, March 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the growing number of citizens being asked to remain in their homes or limit travel, Edible today announced it is eliminating fees for same day delivery. In addition, many Edible locations will begin offering free home delivery of fresh fruit and produce.

"Even though large gatherings are not happening, we recognize that many smaller events and celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries are still going on," said Edible President Cheikh Mboup. "We want to make it as easy as possible for people to continue celebrating special occasions, even during this stressful time."

The ability to order fresh fruit and produce in bulk is designed to alleviate concerns in several areas.

"There are many people who are not able to go to their local supermarket, may be afraid to go out, or may have a loved-one somewhere who is sick or stuck at home. This will help alleviate those issues by allowing people to order fresh fruit and other produce and have it delivered directly to their home," Mboup said.

Varieties of fruit and other produce available for delivery will vary from store to store depending on what is available in each market.

Free same-day delivery will be available for any orders place by 3 p.m. No timeframe has been set for how long these changes will be in place.

"Right now we are like everyone else," Mboup said. "We are monitoring the situation, remaining flexible and doing what we can to help our friends and neighbors lead as normal a life as possible."

More information is available at www.edible.com.

About Edible Brands

Edible Brands is the parent company of Edible, the world's largest franchisor of stores offering all-natural fruit snacks, dipped treats and fresh fruit arrangements with more than 1,100 locations worldwide. Since its founding in 1999, the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine's annual "Franchise 500," Entrepreneur's Top 40 of "Fastest Growing Franchises" and "America's Top Global Franchises" as well as being included among the "Inc. 5000" list of the fastest growing privately-held companies. Edible fresh fruit arrangements, chocolate Dipped Fruit and fresh fruit smoothies can be ordered through any local Edible store or online at edible.com. Edible has franchise opportunities available in a number of key markets in the United States and Canada. For more information about owning an Edible please visit ediblefranchise.com.

SOURCE Edible Brands

Related Links

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A woman infected with coronavirus escaped quarantine in Bengaluru, took a flight to New Delhi and travelled to her parent's place in Agra.

The woman is wife of Google employee who has also been tested positive for coronavirus.

The couple had visited Italy recently, one of the worst-hit countries with coronavirus, for their honeymoon.

Health officials tracking the woman faced resistance from her family members in Agra and cooperated only after the police and the district magistrate intervened.

Coronavirus in India Live Updates: 218 Indians evacuated from Milan land in Delhi; to be quarantined for 14 days

"After the medical team reached the house of the woman's parents, her father, a railway engineer, refused to cooperate with us and lied that his daughter had left for Bengaluru. But after the district magistrate's intervention, we were able to gain access to their house and took all the nine family members to the district hospital for screening," Agra Chief Medical Officer, Dr Mukesh Kumar Vats, told The Times of India.

The couple got married in early February and went on honeymoon to Italy and also travelled to France and Greece. They came back on February 27. Later, they were tested positive for COVID-19 in Bengaluru and subsequently quarantined. The woman, who was quarantined in an isolation ward in SN Medical College, returned to Agra on March 8 after talking to her parents, the official said.

Her travel details for the flight from Bengaluru to New Delhi and then a train journey to Agra to her parents' home are being verified.

Also read: Wall Street stages furious rally after Trump declares emergency

Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: 83 confirmed cases, 2 deaths in India; global death toll touches 5,436
By Trend

Azerbaijan and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a donor agreement at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. The document was inked by Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Vagif Sadiqov and WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The government of Azerbaijan has previously decided to donate $5 million in voluntary financial aid to the "COVID-19 appeal" fund as part of the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) of the World Health Organization (WHO) aiming to contribute to global efforts to contain coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, WHO Director General Ghebreyesus hailed Azerbaijans contribution, stressing that at the WHO they are closely following and highly appreciating the care and attention shown by the country towards its healthcare sector, especially the fight against COVID-19. Noting that the voluntary financial donation by Azerbaijan to combat the COVID-19 is the greatest expression of global solidarity, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep appreciation on behalf of the WHO for the Azerbaijani Governments decision.

Ambassador Vagif Sadiqov said that Azerbaijan attached great importance to cooperation with the WHO. He expressed his gratitude for the team of WHO experts who are currently in Azerbaijan at the request of the countrys Government, working with the national response committee to develop a national preparedness and response plan for COVID-19.

Azerbaijan highly appreciates WHO's efforts to fight COVID-19 globally. The recommendations of the World Health Organization for COVID-19 are taken into consideration and implemented by Azerbaijan, the ambassador added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Jain community in Aurangabad in Maharashtra on Saturday decided to cancel celebrations connected to Mahavir Jayanti and said money for these events would be given to the state government to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Mahavir Jayanti is on April 6 but celebratory events are set to begin from April 1 itself, former minister and Sakal Jain Samaj president Rajendra Darda told PTI.

"The Sakal Jain Samaj has decided to cancel all events connected with Mahavir Jayanti. We will donate the money to the Maharashtra government to fight the coronavirus outbreak. We took the decision in a meeting today," Darda informed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nicole Kidman is 'relocating back to Australia' to be closer to her mum, Janelle.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Nicole and husband Keith Urban have already enrolled daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret in a Southern Highlands girls' school ahead of their upcoming move from America.

According to the publication, Nicole 'wants to be closer to her ailing mum' Janelle, 80, who has a cardiac condition that 'first raised alarm bells' two years ago.

Family time! Nicole Kidman (right) is 'relocating back to Australia' to be closer to her mother Janelle (left), who has a cardiac condition that 'first raised alarm bells' two years ago

Until now, Nicole, Keith and their daughters have been based in their Nashville home, while making several trips back to Australia to visit Janelle throughout the year.

It is claimed that Nicole is now 'leaving nothing to chance concerning her mother' - following her father Antony Kidman's death in 2014.

Nicole's sister Antonia and her husband Craig Marran are also said to be relocating back to Australia, after living abroad in Singapore for a decade.

Big move! The Sunday Telegraph reports Nicole and husband Keith Urban have now enrolled daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret in a Southern Highlands girls' school ahead of their upcoming move from America. Pictured: Keith, Sunday, Nicole and Faith in March 2017

On Saturday, Nicole shared a loving birthday tribute to Janelle on Instagram.

'Happy Birthday to my darling Mumma. I love you so much. This photo is so US,' wrote Nicole, as she celebrated her mother's 80th birthday.

The two women are incredibly close, and Janelle often accompanies her famous daughter on outings and to red carpet events.

Staying local: It is claimed that Nicole is now 'leaving nothing to chance concerning her mother'. Pictured: Nicole, Janelle and niece Lucia Hawley in December 2018

In 2018, Nicole gave her mum a special mention after picking up the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Boy Erased.

'My mum has said a lot of things to me - pull your head in and get yourself up off the ground Nicole and get on with it, which is a great piece of advice,' she said, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

'She has loved me so much.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nicole Kidman's management for comment.
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Renowned Drogheda-based doctor and author, Dr Harry Barry, has been praised for his forthright comments on the Covid-19 outbreak on the Late Late Show last weekend.

Dr Barry told the Irish public to simply 'get on with living your lives' and urged people to stay calm in the face of growing hysteria in some areas.

Reports of panic buying in shops in Drogheda surfaced at the weekend.

But Dr Barry says such measures are 'crazy' and extreme.

'Anxiety happens when we feel we have no control over a situation,' he stated, adding that people can't control all the factors in relation to the virus.

He said panic buying 'is a waste of time' and the use of masks also won't help.

He urged people to continue their routine, because if they stop going to the cinema or for meals or shopping, people will lose their jobs and that will fuel anxiety in the community.

A man who has written extensively on mental health issues, he says such a scenario will impact badly on a lot of people.

He feels the response to Covid-19 must be 'proporationate and sensible'.

When there are reports of schools closing, parents become concerned and that's passed on to children. Present information says the virus has little impact on those under 18.

'Don't take your advice from social media,' he added, urging people to use the likes of HSE.ie for best information about Covid-19.
Public schools are being told how to deliver lessons remotely amid the growing likelihood of spot closures due to COVID-19 and speculation of a system-wide shutdown as the infection spreads.

In advice posted to its website on Friday, the NSW Department of Education advises teachers to develop digital resources such as Eddie Woo-style videos, draw up timetables for students to follow at home, and to prepare lessons they can post out in hard copy or on USB sticks.

The NSW Department of Education is preparing parents for the possibility their child's school may be closed to contain the spread of coronavirus. Credit:Janie Barrett

If students are in isolation or the school shuts, parents are asked to structure their children's days, not let bed and wake-up times slide, and to be mindful that being cooped up at home can cause "stress and conflict".

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the Department of Education had been working to prepare for all possible contingencies relating to COVID-19, including school closures. This included making information available to parents "as a precautionary measure".
A 15-member delegation of the National Conference (NC), led by its provincial president Devender Singh Rana, will meet party chief Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Sunday, NC sources said.

Abdullah (82) was released from home detention on Friday after the government revoked the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

Besides Rana, the delegation will comprise senior NC leaders, including former ministers and legislators, the sources said, adding that Ajay K Sadhotra, Surjeet Singh Slathia and Javed Ahmed Rana were among those who will visit Abdullah on Sunday.

The prevailing political and security situation in the Union Territory is likely to come up for discussion during the meeting, they said.

This will be the second meeting of an NC delegation from Jammu with the party president since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union territories last year.

On October 6 last year, Rana had led a 15-member delegation to meet Abdullah during his detention, after seeking permission from the administration.

They had also met NC vice president Omar Abdullah, who continues to be under detention.

Besides Omar Abdullah, another former chief minister, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, is also under detention since August 5 last year, the day the Centre announced abrogation of Article 370.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Celebrity finances are always a subject of fascination for many average people. The Kardashian-Jenner family are among the richest in Hollywood, so it is not surprising that fans are constantly curious about how much money they are spending and leaving for their children.

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye Wests oldest child, North, might actually never work a day in her life, if reports are to be believed. It has been said that the famous couple is leaving their daughter $10 million to claim when she turns 21 years old. Read on below to learn more about the details of Norths trust fund.

North West has been growing up in luxury

Kim Kardashian with her daughter, North West. | Rich Fury/Forum Photos via Getty Images

Ever since the day North was born in 2013, it was clear that she would not grow up like any other kid her age.

For one thing, the Kardashian-Jenner family is known for their wealth and luxurious lifestyle. They often show off their enviable net worths by throwing huge parties, taking pictures of their expensive cars and designer clothes, and traveling to many exotic locations.

Norths mother has a net worth of $350 million and is the second-richest of her siblings. Meanwhile, her father is worth around $240 million. The family lives in a $20-million mansion in Hidden Hills, California. The home reportedly has a movie theater, a hair salon, and two floors for North and her siblings to play on.

According to Kardashian, North is also interested in fashion and makeup. As such, she has a collection of designer handbags and has been seen wearing a lot of expensive outfits. This past Christmas, Kardashian even revealed that she and her husband gave North a jacket that was worn by Michael Jackson.

Kim and Kanye reportedly set up a trust fund for their daughter

It seems that Kardashian and West do not have any expectations for North to become financially independent in her adult years. Hollywood Life reported that, when North was a baby, the couple already set up a trust fund for her, which she will receive when she turns 21.

He and Kim already put $5 million each into an account for her that she can have free and clear when she turns 21, a source told of West. He wants her to always live the life shes going to be accustomed to. Thats just spending money for her when she reaches 21. They got a whole lot more set up for her in case something were to happen to both he or Kim.

The insider shared that West is living like a king and he wants the same for Nori.

Its not clear if Kardashian and West have set up trust fund accounts for their other children, but if they did it for North, its likely that they did it for her siblings as well.

The Kardashian siblings inherited a $100 million estate from their father

Kardashian seems to understand how valuable money inheritance can be since she herself also was given some wealth after her father passed away from cancer in 2003. Robert Kardashian Sr. was an attorney known for defending O.J. Simpson in the 1990s. According to reports, the Kardashian siblings were left with a $100 million estate after their fathers death.

While Kardashian and West are okay with letting their children inherit large sums of money, a number of other celebrities think differently.

For example, Ashton Kutcher has revealed that he and his wife, Mila Kunis, will be giving much of their wealth away to charity organizations. Additionally, people like Simon Cowell, George Lucas, and Sting also feel the same way and want their children to earn their own living.
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters)

* U.S. imports of titanium sponge: https://tmsnrt.rs/2wMdXMe

* Titanium sponge price: https://tmsnrt.rs/3cYb9Mi

By Andy Home

LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) - First there was steel. Then there was aluminium. Now titanium joins the list of metals found to be threatening the national security of the United States.

The U.S. Commerce Department launched a so-called Section 232 investigation into titanium sponge imports in March last year and submitted it to the White House in November.

Commerce found that U.S. import dependency, amounting to 68% of the country's consumption in 2018, threatens the viability of the last U.S. producer of this intermediate form of a metal critical to both civilian and military aircraft manufacturers.

President Donald Trump agrees.

However, there will be no titanium tariffs to match those implemented on imports of both steel and aluminium in 2018.

Rather, there will be talks with Japan, the dominant supplier of sponge to the U.S. market. And the Secretary of Defense is tasked with taking "all appropriate action" to support "domestic production capacity for the production of titanium sponge to meet national defense requirements." (Presidential Memorandum, Feb. 27, 2020).

The preference for cooperation over confrontation with importers is partly down to titanium's unique supply chain. But it is also a sign that the Trump administration's critical metals policy is evolving beyond simple tariffs.

LAST U.S. SPONGE PLANT MAY CLOSE

If TIMET Corp's "aging production facility" closes, the "United States will be completely dependent on imports of titanium sponge and scrap, and will lack the surge capacity required to support defense and critical infrastructure needs in an extended national emergency," according to the Department of Commerce.

TIMET, which is part of Precision Castparts, an industrial holding group owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is operating its Henderson plant in Nevada below capacity and needs to decide whether to invest in an upgrade of its chlorination plant.

Story continues

The company "has made it abundantly clear that substituting low-priced imports for domestic titanium sponge may be the most reasonable choice if the economics of domestic titanium sponge production do not improve," TIMET said in a May 22, 2019 submission to the Section 232 report.

Allegheny Technologies Inc. has already made its choice. In 2016 it closed the only other domestic U.S. sponge facility at Rowley in Utah in favour of using imported sponge to refine into metal.

FRAGILE SUPPLY CHAIN

That tells you there is no shortage of titanium sponge in the world. Indeed, it is a market that has been struggling with excess production capacity for many years.

Nor is there any shortage of the raw material that starts the titanium production process. Global reserves of ilmenite and rutile are plentiful and one of the world's largest producers, Rio Tinto Fer et Titane, is operating just over the Canadian border.

There is no obvious imminent threat to U.S. titanium supply, particularly given that the lion's share of titanium sponge imports come from Japan rather than potentially hostile China, which dominates many other critical mineral supply chains.

It is clear from TIMET's Section 232 "Rebuttal Comments" that both titanium metal product producers such as ATI and Arconic and end-users such as Boeing were against any punitive measures that would in their eyes artificially raise the price of a readily available input.

However, TIMET won the national security argument with the White House on the grounds that the sponge part of the titanium supply chain represents what the U.S Defense Department would classify as a potential "critical point of failure".

It's all very well having lots of raw material on your door-step but 90% of the world's ilmenite gets diverted into the pigments industry.

Converting raw material into titanium sponge prior to refining and casting is a specialised business to the point that the United States Geological Survey cites only six sponge producing countries outside the States: China, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and India.

China and Russia, the largest and third-largest producers respectively, are increasingly problematic suppliers for U.S. defence contractors, meaning U.S. imports in 2018 were sourced almost exclusively from Japan and Kazakhstan.

Sponge, moreover, is critical to many high-end titanium products. Although the titanium milling process generates lots of scrap that can be looped back into the production stream, many end-users specify a minimum input of primary material.

Stockpiling might be one option but sponge degrades over time, according to TIMET, which argues its unique role in the U.S. supply chain ticks nearly all the "risk archetypes" identified by the Defense Department.

PRODUCTION VERSUS PRICE

The Trump administration agrees but seems to accept that tariffs would only damage an already struggling aviation manufacturing sector and upset a key political and economic ally.

How then to square the circle of preserving domestic production capacity without penalising Japanese imports?

The Secretary of Defense is now supposed to be actively working on supporting domestic production capacity.

A government-funded chlorination plant at Timet's Henderson facility has already been suggested. ATI's mothballed Rowley plant will also surely come under government review.

But low-priced imports work against such investment.

The Presidential Memorandum paves the way for talks with Japan on "measures to ensure access to titanium sponge in the United States".

We don't know what those talks will encompass. The full Commerce Report on titanium sponge hasn't to date been made public.

However, TIMET's submission to the report, which is publicly available, contains some intriguing possibilities.

TIMET hasn't been calling for punitive tariffs but rather "believes the best solution would be achieved by implementing bilateral agreements with titanium sponge producing nations establishing reference prices for titanium sponge."

The target would be "reference prices (...) that restored titanium sponge prices to 2013 levels", which would allow Henderson to keep operating and encourage Japanese producers to make required capital investments, according to TIMET.

It claims that end-users such as Boeing could easily absorb higher prices for a product that is often only a blending input in the titanium production process.

A bilateral agreement with Japan, which accounted for 94% of all U.S. imports in 2018, might be structured as a win-win if it allowed for a mutually-acceptable increase in prices over time.

U.S. consumers could argue this would amount to tariffs by the back door but this administration has already shown it believes national security trumps markets.

Titanium sponge will prove an interesting example of just how far it will go to secure its critical metals supplies.

(Editing by David Evans)
Highlights The new case in Lucknow has taken the number of coronavirus-affected in the country to 83 UP has so far reported 12 coronavirus cases, including eight from Agra, two from Ghaziabad and one each from Noida and Lucknow On Friday, 23 suspected patients were admitted to different hospitals across the state

A 21-year-old man tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow on Saturday, the spokesperson of the King Georges Medical University said, taking the number of cases of Covid-19 in the capital to two and 12 across the state.

The new case in Lucknow has taken the number of coronavirus-affected in the country t0 83.

Dr Sudhir Singh, KGMU spokesperson, said the man is a resident of Indiranagar and was under observation since March 11. He had come in contact with the woman doctor, who had tested positive on the same day.

The woman had returned from Canada on March 8 and went to doctors at KGMU after she had difficulty in breathing.

She also gave a list of people whom she had met after coming to Lucknow to the health department. Her condition is stated to be near normal, said doctors at the KGMU, where she is admitted.

The man who tested positive was one of the people who were under observation at the hospital.

The state has so far reported 12 coronavirus cases, including eight from Agra, two from Ghaziabad and one each from Noida and Lucknow.

On Friday, 23 suspected patients were admitted to different hospitals across the state.

Those admitted included 10 in Agra, one each in Amroha, Azamgarh, Noida and Ghaziabad and nine in Lucknow.

There are 866 out of 3461 travellers who have been screened across the state and are under observation. Till now 651 samples from Uttar Pradesh have been tested and 549 have come back negative.

The state government has invoked the epidemic diseases act for a month and ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the state till March 22, among a slew of measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

HIGHLIGHTS
The EU executive on Friday unveiled a raft of measures to protect the European economy from the coronavirus outbreak, and promised it would do whatever it takes for hardest-hit Italy. The assurances by EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen came a day after ECB head Christine Lagarde stoked fury in Rome by implying that shoring up Italy's precarious financial situation was not her job. The answer by Brussels was made ever more urgent as the EU predicted that a recession, maybe even a very deep one, was very likely for all of Europe this year. Von der Leyen said the commission, the EU's powerful bureaucracy, would try to provide Italy with whatever it needs to overcome the challenge of the coronavirus. "Whatever is necessary, we support. Whatever they will need, we will answer," von der Leyen, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told reporters. - 'Maximum flexibility' - The commission's firepower to save Rome and others is limited and would mainly involve reallocating unused EU spending, as well as giving governments a free pass to bail out businesses. Brussels would also loosen rules on running high public debt and deficits, a sensitive topic for financially overstretched Italy. Italian Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri welcomed the commission's decision "with satisfaction". Von der Leyen said member states would receive "maximum flexibility" to boost spending beyond the legal limits, a promise that will also help France and Belgium, both chronic overspenders. Countries "should feel comfortable to take all the necessary measures", she said. Known as the stability and growth pact, the rules theoretically limit a country's deficit to three percent of annual output and debt to 60 percent, a number that Italy has more than doubled in recent years. Italy's debt pile will grow even more after it announced 25 billion euros in extra spending to pull itself out of its crisis. All eyes now are on a meeting Monday of EU finance ministers who between them have the financial muscle to earn respect on markets that have been punished by the virus fallout. This is especially pressing after the ECB's Lagarde was forced to row back her dismissal of Italy's debt problem in Frankfurt on Thursday. An EU official meanwhile warned that growth in the eurozone and across the EU would fall below "and potentially considerably below" zero in 2020. Von der Leyen's intervention followed several days of criticism for the EU's lack of collective response, which was most exposed by a series of border closures among partner member states. In the latest example, the Czech Republic announced that as of Monday, it would ban all foreigners from entering the country and all Czechs from leaving. Other member states including Austria, Slovenia and Hungary have suspended the rules of the passport-free Schengen travel zone and reimposed border checks, particularly with Italy. - 'Bans not effective' - "Certain controls may be justified, but general travel bans are not seen as being the most effective by the World Health Organization," von der Leyen said, calling instead for health screening at borders. Such tests could be carried out either at borders or within member state territory. "Any measure that is taken must be proportionate," she said. Home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson will present proposals on screening to a meeting of the 27 EU interior ministers later on Friday. The European response to the virus has stepped up dramatically in the last 24 hours with several countries including France, Ireland and Belgium closing schools and universities. Italy has imposed the continent's toughest response to a pandemic that has killed 1,016 people and infected more than 15,000 in the peninsula in less than three weeks. The government has shut all shops apart from pharmacies and groceries in the hope of stemming contagion and easing the burden on Italy's overstretched hospitals. Von der Leyen said the EU is also taking steps to deal with a shortage of protective equipment such as masks, after several countries including Germany and France abruptly banned exports to guard their own supplies. She said that after talks, Paris and Berlin had relented and are now "willing to adapt their national measures, as we requested".
Squash that sombrero was Boris Johnsons typically colourful summary of the best way to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, referring to the graphic showing the shape of the coronavirus cases expected in the coming months.

At his press conference, flanked again by his senior medical and scientific advisers, the prime minister did not venture much further into the field of epidemiology, which was probably just as well. He did, though, take the opportunity to level with the British people, with the warning that loved ones will be lost, taken before their time. It was the most sombre reckoning to take place in Downing Street in many years; and it will not be the last. The chief scientific adviser tells us that the peak rate of Covid-19 cases will arrive in about 10 to 14 weeks time  well into the summer months.

Contrary to some of the population, the government, guided by the science, is not, after all, going to implement draconian measures as we enter the delay phase of the action plan. The new announcements relating to England were relatively modest, compared to the lockdowns in China and Italy, the Scottish governments ban on gatherings of more than 500 people, and Irelands decision to close its schools until the end of March, for example. International school trips are off, as are cruises, and people with the slightest hints of coronavirus symptoms are asked to self-isolate for a week. Extra care should be taken when meeting elderly people. That, though, is about it.
Una Sinnott accepts the trophy on behalf of her UCD team at the Great Agri Food Debate in Belfast.

Wexford Camogie captain Una Sinnott was part of a winning team off the pitch recently after UCD were crowned winners of the fifth annual Great Agri-Food debate in Belfast's Queens University.

Organised by Dawn Meats and McDonald's Ireland, the event saw six third level colleges taking part and this was the first time it was hosted north of the border. In the familiar role of captain, Una led the UCD team at the debate and saw them overcome WIT in a hotly contested and well-informed final on the topic of 'Global free trade, not subsidies, will deliver a sustainable future for European agriculture'.

Una wasn't the only one flying the flag for Wexford either, as her opposite number Danielle Mulligan who captained the WIT team hails from near Carnew.

Victors UCD, now four-time winners of the Great Agri Food Debate, vigorously opposed the motion, with captain Una Sinnott leading her team in arguments that spanned three pillars of environment, economy and society to make their case. Carefully making the distinction between global free trade and free trade agreements, they stressed the need to 'meet the needs of the present without compromising on the needs of the future', warning that global free trade would lead to a race to the bottom, not least with regard to environmental sustainability.

Further they cautioned of the impact of global free trade on the fabric of rural communities and reminded the proposing team that we are the natural custodians of our land, and without subsidies, 'we will be the destroyers of our lands'.

In response, WIT, led by Danielle Mulligan in proposing the motion, maintained that via subsidies, loss making farm practises are being artificially sustained, with subsidies acting as a 'scaffolding' mechanism. They firmly proposed that free trade is the only option for a sustainable future for farming, arguing that subsidies favour big business over farmers, and claiming that 'multi-billion euro companies are receiving multi-million euro CAP payments'. They called for increased efforts to source new markets globally.

Una and UCD were delighted with the win and to head back south with the top prize.
Amitabh Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha, Kartik Aaryan And Others Appeal Fans To Stop Panicking; Take A Look
And in Maricopa County, Ariz., officials took the unusual step of preparing to mail ballots to eligible voters who were not on the permanent early-voting list, a decision that echoed recommendations from vote-by-mail advocates. But the move was blocked on Friday by a superior court judge, who ordered Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes not to mail out the ballots after the states attorney general, Mark Brnovich (R), filed an emergency motion to block the action. In the filing, the attorney general argued that the county official lacked authority to mail ballots to voters who had not requested them, and that the move risked creating a swarm of illegal ballots and immense voter confusion.
A local United Methodist bishop is mandating the cancellation of worship services and meetings in United Methodist churches under her supervision for at least two weeks, effective immediately.

Bishop Mary Virginia Dindy Taylor is resident bishop of Holston Conference, which includes 864 churches in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and North Georgia. Her office is in Alcoa, Tn.



Taylor said. The decision is unanimous and mandatory for at least two weeks. The decision was prayerfully made to cancel worship services across the three states that make up Holston Conference, Ms.Taylor said. The decision is unanimous and mandatory for at least two weeks.

Ms. Taylor said she made the decision with the support of her district superintendents, out of an abundance of caution and our concern for you, our churches, and communities.

A March 12 letter from Ms. Taylor to clergy and church leaders throughout the region cited medical advice to implement social distancing in faith communities to slow the transmission of COVID-19, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

We have learned from the spread of the virus that if we delay responding the virus spreads exponentially and overwhelms our hospitals and health care systems. It is my understanding that social distancing is the most effective way of slowing the spread of the virus, Ms. Taylor said.

This is an opportunity for creative ministry. How can we care for our neighbors? Ms. Taylor said in a letter to Holston congregations. Be aware of the needs of the people around you and how you can offer Christ during a challenging pandemic.
Six benches of the Supreme Court will on March 16 take up only 12 urgent matters each to avoid overcrowding of court rooms following the decision to restrict the apex court functioning in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Among the important matters which have been listed for hearing on Monday are anticipatory bail pleas of civil rights activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde, accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, and a petition by a Nirbhaya case convict.

The apex court, which had on March 13 announced that only six of the 15 benches will be sitting to hear only urgent matters, on Saturday issued instructions for the staff, including thermal screening of all employees and closure of cafeterias, as part of precautionary measures.

On March 6, the top court had extended till March 16 the protection from arrest granted to civil rights activists Navlakha and Teltumbde, while hearing the appeal against the last month's order of the Bombay High Court rejecting their anticipatory bail pleas. The matter will be taken up on Monday.

The top court will also hear the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case who has sought restoration of all his legal remedies, alleging that his lawyers had misled him.

The plea, filed through advocate ML Sharma, has sought a CBI probe into alleged "criminal conspiracy" and "fraud" by the Centre, Delhi government and advocate Vrinda Grover, who is the amicus curiae in the case.

The top court Cause list said that the six benches will first take up hearings in only six matters and then judges will take a break for half an hour and then resume hearing for another six matters.

In a circular issued on March 13, the apex court had said that no persons except lawyers concerned will be allowed inside its courtrooms.

It said the six benches will comprise of justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah, justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran, justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhatt, and justices S K Kaul and Sanjiv Khanna.

The judges will be sitting in court numbers 2, 3, 6, 8, 11 and 14 to avoid overcrowding of court corridors. On Monday and Friday of every week, the apex court usually functions with 15 benches and takes up mostly miscellaneous matters.

In a notice issued on Saturday, the top court said that the mentioning officer will be available on the premises from 2.30 pm to 5 pm for listing of any urgent matters on March 16. The officer will also be available from 10.30am to 5pm on March 15.

A circular issued by the apex court on Saturday said that in view of the advisory issued by the Government of India cautioning against mass gathering(s) to avoid the spread of Novel Coronovirus (COVID19) infection certain precautionary measures are being put in place.

It said that all the cafeterias, including the departmental canteen of the apex court are being advised to remain closed until further orders and all the staff members shall make their own arrangements in this regard.

It also said that all the staff members are advised to use alcohol-based sanitizer in order to keep themselves sanitized from coming into contact with any virus.

It pointed out that all staff members may be required to subject themselves to thermal-screening and persons detected with high body temperature would be denied entry and further, they may be subject to the SOP prescribed by the Government of India, Ministry of Health from time to time.

It said that all staff members who may have a travel history to the affected areas/countries, as may be notified from time to time by the Government(s), or who have symptoms of fever, sore-throat, cough, running nose or difficulty in breathing are advised to self-restrain themselves from attending their duties and may avail leave, if so advised.

The circular requested all the staff members to not to crowd at any particular place in the Supreme Court premises, except where their presence is officially required.

The apex court has been mulling over the issue in its meetings held at the residence of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on March 12 and 13, as it took note of the Centre's March 5 advisory cautioning against mass gatherings and the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a 'pandemic'.

The apex court's notification, issued by its secretary general Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar, had said it had been decided that its functioning would be restricted to urgent matters.

"It is hereby notified that no persons, except the lawyers who are going to act in the matter that is either for argument or for making oral submissions or to assist along with one litigant only, shall be permitted in the courtroom," it had said, adding that the mentioning of matters for urgent hearing would be made only before the mentioning officer.

The apex court has sought cooperation in this regard considering the importance of safety measures to maintain public health.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday after a 68-year-old woman, whose son with a travel history abroad had tested positive, died in Delhi.

Several states across India went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19, shutting down schools, theatres and colleges, and many public events, including the IPL, were postponed.

Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Advertisement

Western states and the Plains will be hit with severe rain, thunderstorms, and heavy snow this weekend.

A low-pressure storm system will move slowly across the Southwest battering it with rain and flash floods while bringing snow the Northern and Central plains.

Just last week the region was hit with one to three inches of rain. Storms already started to brew in southwest Texas overnight on Friday.

Artic air is forecast to blow over the northern Rockies and Northwest states this weekend, bringing rain and heavy snow in mountainous areas.

This week the Plains can expect light snow accumulations in Nebraska, lowa and Illinois. Meanwhile Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky will be hit with much heavier rain.

A low-pressure storm system will move slowly across the Southwest into the Northern plains this weekend, bringing rain, flash floods and snow. A woman braves the rainy weather on Thursday in Chino Hills, California

Hundreds of shoppers waited in line in the rain to enter a Costco Wholesale store on Saturday March 14, 2020 in Glendale

These Disneyland visitors felt the start of the rain storm on Friday in Anaheim, California

A visitor stands in the rain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on Friday. Cities from Northern to Southern California are slated to be hit with more rain this weekend

On Saturday a strong storm system will bring snow from California to Montana.

The Sierra Nevada Mountains are expected to see multiple days of severe snow and white-out conditions that could reach more than six feet in some regions through Wednesday.

'This particular setup may deprive the Washington and Oregon Cascades of more than a foot of snow, but the eastern slopes of the northern Rockies, and especially the Sierra Nevada, can pick up several feet of snow from the storm,' AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

Officials are warning that high country will see potentially three to five feet of snow through Tuesday in addition to rain, which could increase the risk of avalanches.

Fans endure a storm during a spring training game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Indians at the Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona

embers of the California State University San Bernardino women's cross country team run across campus during a moderate rain shower Tuesday morning

Cities from Los Angeles to San Diego will experience several rain showers as well. Rainy weather has drenched Southern California since Thursday.

In addition to rain and snow, strong winds with blast through the region peaking over speeds of 45mph through Washington state to Nevada.

In the Southern California mountains more than one foot of snow is possible.

In the same region two to four inches of rain is forecast which could trigger flooding.

This map shows the low-pressure storm system swirling over the Plains where it dropped rain on Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri

On Monday California and Nevada will be blasted with heavy rain

Through Thursday the Southwest will experience around two inches of rain and the North Plains, especially in mountainous areas, will be hit with heavy snow and white out conditions

This is the rain and snow forecast through Wednesday with over six feet of snow anticipated to hit the mountains in the Northwest

Portland, Oregon which saw temperatures in the 60s this week, will see a major dip in temperature, even down to the middle 20s at night this weekend, as well as snow.

Snow and wind is already battering northern Idaho where it covered streets in white and toppled trees.

A utility company in the area reported over 10,000 customers were without power in Bonner, Idaho.

The storm system will hit higher elevations and rain will spread southward along the Pacific Coast then it will spin offshore.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Starting on Friday at 5 p.m., visits at county jails in San Francisco have been suspended for the time being, in order to protect inmates and staff from exposure to the novel coronavirus.

While there are no known cases of the virus, also known as COVID-19, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto made the decision in consultation with the Department of Public Health Jail Health Services.

"As San Francisco and California move toward more restrictive measures to reduce the risk of everyone's exposure, we must follow suit to protect everyone's health and safety under our care," Miyamoto said in a statement.

"The COVID-19 public health emergency is constantly evolving," Dr. Lisa Pratt, Jail Health Services director, said. "We will reassess our operations each day and monitor recommendations from local and state health officials as cases decline in the community."

Although visits are suspended, inmates will still have non-contact access to their legal counsel in the jails.

Miyamoto said the Sheriff's Department is also looking into video visits and video conferencing as alternatives.

"We are sensitive to the difficulties that suspended visits may cause families of the incarcerated," Miyamoto said. "We value visitation as an essential part of rehabilitation and encourage families to stay in touch with their loved ones and friends through phone calls and letters. We are reviewing our jail operations and will make adjustments to accommodate future visiting."

On Thursday, the Sheriff's Department released its COVID-19 Response and Action Plan, which addresses every level of exposure, which includes a mobilization plan that outlines how deputies can protect themselves and inmates during an outbreak.

In addition, the Sheriff's Department has already implemented steps to stop the spread in jails and other public spaces where deputies provide law enforcement services.

Steps include working with DPH to identify and support vulnerable populations; posting notices for inmates and the public about prevention strategies like frequent hand washing and refraining from touching their face; issuing training bulletins, health and safety reminders, and video messages to staff about protecting the public from an outbreak; and identifying housing for medical isolation if needed.

Additionally, the department has also begun increased cleaning and sanitizing of its jails and workspaces.

Earlier this week, San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju called on Miyamoto to release inmates most at risk of contracting the coronavirus, including those who are over 60 years old, inmates with heart or lung disease, diabetes and those suffering from cancer, HIV or autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or multiple sclerosis.

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Passengers wait for news on coronavirus testing on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship in Long Beach, California, on March 7, 2020. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

4 Cruise Lines Suspending Trips From US for 30 Days

Four cruise lines are suspending trips from the United States for the next month at President Donald Trumps request.

Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises agreed to suspend outbound trips for 30 days starting at midnight on Saturday, Trump said.

It is a great and important industryit will be kept that way! Trump said in a statement.

Viking Cruises and Princess Cruises previously suspended all trips over the new coronavirus.

Carnival said in a statement to customers that it was pausing service from March 14 to April 9 for all North America-based ships.

People walk the platform after being aboard of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Anthem of the Seas in Bayonne, New Jersey, on Feb. 7, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

On behalf of all of us at Carnival Cruise Line, we extend our sincere apologies for the disruption to your vacation plans and trust you understand this decision was made with everyones best interest at heart, it said.

Passengers were offered future cruise credit or a refund if they fill out this form.

Royal Caribbean said it was suspending cruises set to depart from the United States for 30 days.

We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play, the company said in a statement.

Norwegian Cruise Line President Harry Sommar said in a letter to passengers that the company was voluntarily suspending all voyages across its fleet, effective immediately, through April 11.

The Norwegian Jewel cruise ship is in lock down while health authorities test a man for Coronavirus in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 14, 2020. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

While we have not had any confirmed cases across our 17-ship fleet and are taking this measure in an abundance of caution, we felt it necessary to do our part. Working closely and in partnership with local, state, federal and global agencies, we are committed to taking all appropriate steps and actions to combat the spread of COVID-19, he wrote.

The new coronavirus causes a disease called COVID-19 that can be deadly, especially in elderly people and those with underlying health conditions.

People who bought trips scheduled to take place during the time period will get a future cruise credit or a refund of their fare, Sommer said.

MSC Cruises said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times that it was temporarily stopping all of its U.S.-based cruise embarkations for 45 days until April 30.

This is not a decision we took lightly but under the current circumstances, the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities ashoreincluding our employees and their familiesmust come first, the companys executive chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago, said in the statement.

Cruise lines have struggled to attract passengers as COVID-19 spread around the world. One of the largest clusters to date exploded on the Diamond Princess after it docked in Yokohama, Japan, and was quarantined for two weeks. Nearly 700 of the thousands of passengers and crew were ultimately infected.

Two buses arrive next to the Diamond Princess cruise ship, with people quarantined onboard due to fears of the new coronavirus, at the Daikaku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port in Japan, on Feb. 16, 2020. (Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images)

Another ship, the Grand Princess, was held off the California coast for days before being allowed to dock after 21 passengers and crew tested positive. Passengers were flown to military bases for quarantine. Crew members remained quarantined on the ship, which went back out to sea.

A growing number of cities and countries refused to let ships dock in recent weeks, causing further turmoil in the industry.

American officials warned people in recent days not to get on a cruise ship, particularly those at higher-risk of getting severe cases of COVID-19.

U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship, the State Department said in an advisory.
Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned the contributions of the three Senators from Niger State.

The three senators from Niger State, Muhammad Bima Enagi, Sani Mohammed Musa, and Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi have been at the forefront of controversial bills in the Senate in recent times.

Also Read: Fani-Kayode Warns Nigerians Against Making Sanusi President

Senator Sani Mohammed Musa (Niger North East) is the sponsor of the controversial social media bill, Senator Bima Enagi (Niger South) is the sponsor of the generator importation ban bill, while Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi sponsored the hate speech bill.

Reacting to this development, the former minister expressed that the senators from the state are dumb.

See his tweet below:
If you are one of the brave souls leaving your home for a quick errand, there are a couple of things that you need to know.

Since Italian premier Giuseppe Conte announced Italys nationwide shutdown, I have been inside. Mostly, I have been sleeping until noon, writing articles and desperately trying to focus on school work. In my spare moments, I cook pasta and binge-watch Netflix: Emile Ardolinos Dirty Dancing, Netflixs documentary-series Dont F**k with Cats and a variety of other television shows and movies. Little moments like these, when I can keep myself occupied, help me cope with the lockdown, but today I had to go outside.

Also read:

My roommates and I are running out of toilet paper. So, one of us needed to make a quick stop at the store. Please be aware, only one person from each household is allowed outside to make trips like the one I was making. I went alone, excited to escape my bedroom and the cabin fever that was starting to creep in. The lockdown had officially started yesterday, 12 March. It had only been 24 hours, and I was truly starting to feel like Stephen Kings character Jack from The Shining. Im not murderous, but Im definitely going crazy. Yet, somehow going outside was worse.

Rome is becoming a ghost town. Hardly anyone is outside. Its apocalyptic. When I did see people, they were covering their mouths and noses with the now infamous surgical masks that they hope will spare them of the Coronavirus. The clouds that have taken over the sky made the situation worse. The overcast made everything dull and grey. I was used to sunny Rome, bustling Rome. Walking outside today, I felt like I had been transported to another time and place. I recognized everything around me, but it was somehow different.

If you are one of the brave souls leaving your home for a quick errand, there are a couple of things that you need to know. Most everything is closed. Book stores, clothing stores, gaudy souvenir shops all have a protective metal door barricading the entrance. This isnt something unusual. We see these doors on a daily basis, but that is typically at night. Now, it is all of the time. Restaurants, cafes, bars, all of the places that typically have an outdoor seating area are packed up and empty.

There are only a few places where you can go. Supermarkets, tabacchi (tobacco shops), pharmacies, petroleum pumps are all open, and as of right now, they will not be closed for the lockdown. Laundries, post offices, banks, newsstands will also remain open.

Also read:

However, in all of these public places, please take note of your surroundings. Some smaller supermarkets will only allow a maximum of two customers inside at all times. In every public place, you must stand at least one meter apart from all other patrons.

Museums and monuments are closed and sealed off from public view. All stores and restaurants are closed, including salons and hairdressers. Any big events, like weddings, baptisms and funerals have been canceled or postponed. Schools and universities continue to remain shut down, with most students working remotely from home.

While some places are set in stone, either they are open or closed. Other spaces are hovering in a grey area. Churches remain open. However, all places of worship will not be holding group worship. Funeral parlours remain open, despite the cancellation of funerals. People can still go to work, but the Italian government urges all places of employment to switch to a remote, online work place. All public transportation continues to run. However, time tables will be reduced. Plumbers and mechanics are allowed to remain open, but all workers are allowed to refuse service.

All in all, theres a lot to remember. Whats open? Whats closed? Whats stuck in this grey area? Above all else, in the midst of this confusion and fear, remember to stay inside, stay healthy and wash your hands.

Remeber to have your Identification document with you as well as a self-certification form to show police or caribinieri in case they ask why you are leaving your residence.

Ph: Em Campos
The head of Western Australias peak medical body says nightclubs, schools and universities should close to give frontline medical staff breathing space on the back of news three more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the state.

Australian Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller said research from China showed intervening in community gatherings and closing schools had an amazing effect in reducing coronavirus infections  a week's delay in bringing in closures could see an increase of up to three times the amount of cases.

AMA WA President Dr Andrew Miller. Credit:Lauren Pilat

Dr Miller said WA hadnt acted fast enough yet and called for universities to close from Monday and for a staged closure of schools from March 23.

"If closing the schools is the thing that we must do in three weeks' time, let's do it in one week's time, so that we can just reduce that number of cases and manage the flow because we don't have this under control yet on the frontline," he said.
A Canadian woman and her Italian partner have been released to the UN in Mali, and they appear to be in good health.

A Canadian woman and her Italian partner kidnapped in Burkina Faso in December 2018 have been released to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in neighbouring Mali and they appear to be in good health, a mission spokesman has said.

Edith Blais and Italian Luca Tacchetto went missing while travelling through Burkina Faso, where armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group are active and have kidnapped Westerners in the past.

A security official from the UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, told AFP news agency on Saturday that peacekeepers found the pair near the northern town of Kidal.

Both are well. They are under our protection. They will be transferred to Bamako on Saturday and then flown to their respective countries, the security official said.

It is not known who was responsible for Blais and Tacchettos kidnapping or if any ransom was paid.

UN mission spokesman Olivier Salgado told Reuters news agency that the two were received by peacekeepers on Friday evening and would be handed over to Malian authorities later on Saturday.

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He shared a photo of Blais and Tacchetto wearing UN human rights T-shirts and sweatpants. Both are grinning in the photo and appear to be healthy.

No information was immediately available about the circumstances in which the two were found.

Blais, from Quebec, and her partner Tacchetto, from Venice, disappeared in mid-December 2018 while travelling through the west African country.

The couple, who are in their 30s, were driving by car to Ouagadougou from Bobo-Dioulasso, more than 360km (224 miles) west of the capital, when all trace of them was lost, according to Blaiss family.

They had been planning to go to Togo to work on a humanitarian project.
KAIROUAN, TUNISIAMohamed Sid is waiting for the lights to go out  not for lack of oil, but because there is too much of it.

Unusually heavy rains have yielded a bumper crop of olives across Tunisia, and that oversupply has sent the price of olive oil plummeting, provoking a crisis in one of the worlds largest producers.

Sids olive trees in the inland province of Kairouan have borne twice as many olives as usual, about 30 metric tons, but he says his earnings are just half of those last year. He cannot cover his costs or pay the electric bill, and he worries the electricity company will soon pull the plug.

Im fed up, and I wrote on the farm wall For sale because I cant stand this anymore, he said.

With its largely chemical-free orchards, Tunisia is the largest exporter of organic olive oil in the world. Tunisian olive oils have won medals at international competitions in London and Los Angeles.

Yet Tunisian olive oil remains little-known to many foreign consumers. That is partly because it is largely exported in bulk, mostly to Italy and Spain, said former commerce minister Omar Behi. There, some gets mixed with local oils and sold in grocery stores around the world under Italian or Spanish brand names.

Tunisias production of olive oil has doubled in a year, about 350,000 metric tons of oil, turning Tunisia into the worlds second-largest producer after Spain. This glut exacerbated the effects of what was already a global slump in olive oil prices.

Tunisian producers are reporting dramatic price drops, with a kilogram of freshly produced virgin olive oil on average fetching about $1.50 in January, according to National Olive Oil Office chief executive Chokri Bayoudh. Prices for raw olives have dropped even more sharply, meaning small growers like Sid who do not make their own oil are bearing the brunt.

Its a catastrophe, especially for small farmers, said Faouzi Zayani, vice-president of national farmers union Synagri.

Olive oil constitutes half the countrys agricultural exports. More than 300,000 farmers rely on olives for at least some income, and the olive sector employs nearly 10 per cent of the entire workforce, according to the agriculture ministry.

The Phoenicians first introduced olives to the area nearly 3,000 years ago. Empires came and went, but the olive tree endured as a hallmark of daily life and cultural heritage. Proverbs herald its bounty, and olive oil remains a popular home remedy for sore throats and dry skin.

There is no Tunisia without olive trees, said Selim Ben Ali, a 22-year-old seasonal worker who spends each harvest camped out on a Sfax orchard.

Good harvests usually mean cash for weddings or home repairs, farmers say. But this year, they are sinking into debt. Some cannot afford to work their land, jeopardizing future crops. The crisis is having ripple effects as hard-pressed farmers are forgoing annual shopping trips for clothing or household items.

The current crisis began in Spain, where surplus olive oil from last seasons huge harvest saturated the market before this season even began. Olive oil prices around the world plummeted, and farmers across Spain staged protests.

Climate change, which is causing intense droughts punctuated by seasons of heavy rain, has made Mediterranean olive production even more unpredictable. More than 90 per cent of Tunisias olive trees are nonirrigated, leaving Tunisia especially vulnerable.

Abdelmajid Ezzar, president of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries, said low prices have hit those in the countrys poorer interior regions particularly hard. On Adel Jamaouis farm outside Kairouan, withered black olives litter the ground under trees that Jamaoui cannot afford to harvest.

In December, angry farmers blockaded the agriculture ministry in Tunis, demanding that the agriculture minister resign and the government stabilize prices.

The government responded by buying up some of the surplus and subsidizing exporters transportation costs. In January, it approved an emergency plan to store 100,000 tons of olive oil and pay a premium to producers and exporters. The central bank, meantime, has urged banks to continue extending credit to those affected. Tunisian officials have engaged in olive oil diplomacy, calling on foreign diplomats in Tunisia to promote the countrys oil back home.

The state has taken all necessary measures, said Boubaker Karray, the former agriculture ministers chief of staff. (A new government was formed late last month with new ministers.) He said the government is encouraging irrigation and has readied a fund to help farmers who face losses due to climate change.

In recent decades, successive governments have invested in expanding the olive oil sector to develop impoverished regions, reduce the trade deficit, and inject foreign currency into Tunisias struggling economy. The Tunisian government has also ramped up incentives in recent years for producers to bottle their olive oils  which increases their value  and promote them abroad.

The massive harvest this season has made the search for new markets more urgent. The European Union maintains a 56,700-ton annual quota for duty-free olive oil imports from Tunisia, aside from the quantity European importers buy and re-export.

Tunisia has asked the E.U. to raise the quota, and E.U. officials have said they are only open to discussing this as part of wider trade talks. When the E.U. temporarily raised the limit in 2015, however, it encountered fierce pushback from Italian producers and politicians.

So Tunisia is looking to Asia, Africa and the United States instead. Tunisia now supplies the United States with 5 to 15 per cent of its imported olive oil, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Now, Tunisia could be looking ahead to another year of losses  this time resulting from too little rain. Eyeing cloudless skies and dusty ground, farmers in Sfax and Kairouan say a recent drought portends a poor harvest next season. Last month, Tunisias minister of religious affairs called on imams across the country to pray for rain.

The destiny of Tunisia is a destiny of olive oil, said Bayoudh, the olive oil office head. We dont have a choice.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admins Effort to Tighten Food Stamp Program

A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration rule that aims to reduce the number of able-bodied adults from receiving food stamps if they do not meet work-related requirements.

Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the D.C. District Court on Friday granted a preliminary injunction (pdf) that blocks a new rule, set to come into effect on April 1, that would limit a states ability to seek waivers to extend benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, to able-bodied adults without dependents for more than three months.

Under the current rules, able-bodied adults without dependents are limited from receiving food stamps to three months unless they meet certain work requirements. Upon the request from a state, the department can temporarily waive that time limit in locales that have an unemployment rate of over 10 percent or a lack of sufficient jobs. Able-bodied adults without dependents are generally defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 49 who are not physically or mentally unfit for work and do not have responsibilities for a dependent child.

The time limit and work requirements for this group of adults were enacted by Congress in 1996 as part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The purpose of the 1996 law was to [promote] work over welfare and self-reliance over dependency, thereby showing true  compassion for those in America who need a helping hand, not a handout. It was Congresss attempt to reform welfare to make it more consistent with fundamental American valuesby rewarding work and self-reliance, encouraging personal responsibility, and restoring a sense of hope in the future.

In 2018, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility, which sets the administrations direction on creating more self-sufficiency and working toward moving people into the workforce and out of poverty.

The new rule, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last December, seeks to tighten conditions in which the department could grant these states requests for waivers to allow these adults to continue receiving food stamps without meeting the work requirements. The rule also attempts to limit the number of discretionary exemptions that can be used by states to extend SNAP eligibility for this group of adults subject to the time limit.

The department stated that they identified weaknesses in the current rule on time limit waivers upon review. It said that states have, over the years, taken advantage of the weaknesses and have made requests in areas where it is questionable whether they had met the requirements of receiving a waiver.

Following the rules promulgation, 19 states, the District of Columbia, the City of New York, and three private plaintiffs sued the Trump administration in multiple lawsuits in a bid to block the rule from going into effect. The states argued in their lawsuit that the rule was unlawful because it undermines Congresss intent for SNAP and was made for arbitrary and capricious reasons (pdf).

In her ruling, Howell agreed that the changes to the time limit waivers are unlawful because they are arbitrary and capricious, while adding that the department will be blocked from implementing that part of the rule pending final judicial review.

She also noted that the new rules will impact nearly 700,000 people and that programs to address the nutritional needs of people such as the food stamp program are particularly essential during the coronavirus outbreak.

Especially now, as a global pandemic poses widespread health risks, guaranteeing that government officials at both the federal and state levels have flexibility to address the nutritional needs of residents and ensure their well-being through programs like SNAP, is essential, Howell wrote.

Trump declared a national emergency on Friday to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic after more than 1,700 cases were confirmed in the United States. His action will provide up to $50 billion in disaster relief funds to state and local governments in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease the new coronavirus causes.

Meanwhile, Howell allowed the discretionary exemption portion of the rule to move forward. That portion was set to go into effect on Oct. 1.

Several state attorneys general celebrated the decision.

A judge ruled in favor of my lawsuit w/@AGKarlRacine against the Trump admins unlawful changes to SNAP, which would have denied over 700,000 Americans access to basic food assistance, New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the states leading the lawsuit, wrote in a Twitter post. Millions rely on SNAP to eat & this ruling is a huge victory for our entire nation.

This is a major victory for our countrys most vulnerable residents who rely on SNAP to eat, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, who is also leading the lawsuit, wrote in a post.

A USDA spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that the department disagrees with the courts reasoning and will appeal its decision.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.  Chelsea Manning was recovering Wednesday after attempting suicide while jailed here for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks, according to attorneys for the former Army intelligence analyst.

At the time of the incident, Manning was slated to appear for a Friday hearing where attorneys were preparing to argue for her release from civil contempt sanctions.

"In spite of those sanctions  which have so far included over a year of so-called coercive incarceration and nearly half a million dollars in threatened fines  she remains unwavering in her refusal to participate in a secret grand jury process that she sees as highly susceptible to abuse," Manning's legal team said in a written statement.

"Ms. Manning has previously indicated that she will not betray her principles, even at risk of grave harm to herself."

Chelsea Manning was jailed for contempt in Alexandria, Virginia after refusing to provide information about WikiLeaks to a grand jury.

Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne, who oversees the detention center where Manning has been held, referred to "an incident" involving Manning at 12:11 p.m. Wednesday.

"It was handled appropriately by our professional staff and Ms. Manning is safe," Lawhorne said.

U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga had said that Manning refused to testify because of a philosophical objection to the use of grand juries and that Manning has persisted in her refusal.

Manning's case has attracted heightened attention because of her status as a transgender soldier. She was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2013 for her role in leaking a cache of classified government material to WikiLeaks. At the time, she was known as Bradley Manning. President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in 2017.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chelsea Manning recovering after attempted suicide in jail
Actor Tiger Shroff on Saturday shared a post on social media expressing grief over the demise of his pet cat, JD, which was with his family for the past 17 years.

The 30-year-old actor penned a heartfelt note on Instagram, where he addressed his pet cat as "brother."

"God bless you my brotherthank you for 17 years of only happiness and love. hope you come back to us in every lifetime. Until then wherever you are happy healthy and keep playing until I come to join you again! I love you so much," the caption read.

Not only Tiger, but his entire family also expressed sorrow over their pet's demise on the social media platforms.

Father Jackie Shroff too reposted Tiger's post on his official Instagram handle.

Tiger's mother, Ayesha Shroff wrote: "Goodbye our JD you gave us 17 years of only pure love."

Meanwhile, his co-star Disha Patani too joined to share the sorrow and was quick to comment a sad emotion on the shared post.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked students at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here to look at their profession as a means to serve people, especially those in remote parts with no access to healthcare facilities.

At the second convocation ceremony of the institute, he said the Ayushman Bharat, providing a coverage of Rs five lakh for each poor family annually, or the Jan Aushadhi Kendras where one can get cheap medicines and medical equipment reflect Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to provide every section access to better health services.

Shah congratulated the 248 students of the institute who were conferred degrees and said it was a new beginning for them, a time to bring their knowledge and skill to the service of people in remote villages who are deprived of good healthcare facilities.

"The spirit of service on part of doctors is a must for improving healthcare systems in the country," the Union minister said and appealed to students to do their research here and work not just to build a good career for themselves but to serve the last man in the remotest villages.

This is the true goal of the medical profession, he said and cited Swami Vivekananda who defined true knowledge as the strength to rise above oneself and think about others.

Medical infrastructure across the country was being expanded under PM Modi with 157 new medical colleges opened by him, Shah said adding 29,000 more MBBS and 17,000 more post-graduate seats have been created throughout the country in the last six years.

"Measures like this are meant to make more doctors so that there is one in every village and every tehsil," he said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, in his address, asked the graduating students to have compassion which, he said, is the highest and most important value for a doctor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


On this week's Mom, the girls come together to help Marjorie with an unusual challenge - babysitting her infant granddaughter!



Marjorie's excited to babysit her granddaughter Sophia for the first time. After an overly-cautious Jerry and his very eager wife drop her off, Marjorie settles in for a fun afternoon with her granddaughter. Unfortunately, Boz Scaggs the cat starts throwing up everywhere and needs to immediately be taken to the vet. Marjorie calls Christy over and plans for her to take Boz to the vet, but being put in charge of one of Marjorie's four-legged children is the last thing Christy feels prepared to do, and she suggests she stay with Sophia will Marjorie takes the cat to the vet. Marjorie reluctantly agrees and since Christy's got her backed in, takes Christy's car to the vet.



Christy's forgotten her allergy medicine though, and she's super allergic to cats. For a while, she's able to get by with just blowing her nose every few seconds. Sophia also seems to be entertained by her pulling the tissues out of the box, but soon enough, they've run out of tissues and it's clear Christy needs meds. So she straps Sophia into the baby carrier and the two head to the store, where they run into Christy's meanest law school professor. ("Well, they're all mean, but she makes the boys cry.") Fortunately for Christy, Professor Meaniepants loves babies, and when she mistakes Sophia as belonging to Christy, Christy goes with it, as it seems she's nicer to her this way!



Back at Marjorie's, Christy's taken her allergy medicine and is still sick, causing her to realize she may actually be coming down with something. So, she calls in Bonnie to take over. Before she leaves, she admits to Bonnie she let her professor believe Sophia is her baby. Bonnie tells her not to worry about it, after all, her life is hard enough she deserves some slack. ("Your life is a crapfest, wrapped in a nightmare, on top of a dumpster fire.")



Soon enough, Bonnie's finished snooping through Marjorie's house and is bored, so she decides to take Sophia for a drive to show her all the wineries where she got drunk and/or did drugs at! They go in Marjorie's car since Christy took Bonnie's car back home. Things seem to finally be going well until Bonnie catches a flat. When she gets out to change the tire, she discovers that Marjorie doesn't have a spare tire in the trunk, but she does keep an emergency Christmas sweater back there! And that's not all. Bonnie realizes that she's accidentally locked herself out of the car, leaving Sophia in there by herself.



Fortunately for Sophia, "Aunt Bonnie knows how to break into cars." Bonnie's able to get into the main part of the car from the trunk by pushing in part of the middle seat, and from there, uses the hanger from Marjorie's emergency Christmas sweater to reach the lock. Except while doing this, the trunk closes on top of her, trapping her in it!



Bonnie calls Jill to come un-trap her and Jill takes Sophia back to her house while Bonnie waits for a tow. Once there, Jill begins to have a bit of a breakdown, worrying that she'll never be able to have a baby of her own. So, she takes Sophia and heads to a meeting. At the meeting, Sophia starts crying and when Jill offers to go stand outside with her, Tammy steps in and offers to take Sophia back to her and Marjorie's place, seeing as Jill obviously needs the meeting more than her.



On the way back, Tammy decides to teach Sophia a lesson in not taking crap from men. She stops by AJ's and angrily tells Adam she quits. He told her earlier that she wasn't allowed in his office anymore, and she assumes it's because she's an ex-con. A dumbfounded Adam (in between asking "Whose baby is that?") explains that he told all the employees they weren't allowed in his office, because he doesn't yet trust Joe, one of the new bartenders, and didn't want to make him feel singled out. Tammy agrees that Joe is definitely creepy, and asks why Adam hired him in the first place. Adam's answer? "Cause he's an ex-con and I'm trying to give him a break!"



Marjorie gets back from the vet to find her house empty. She quickly calls a now very sick Christy, who tells her she left Sophia at Marjorie's house with Bonnie. Obviously, Bonnie nor Sophia are there, so Christy conference calls in Bonnie, who's standing on the side of the road watching the tow truck driver change her tire. Bonnie says Sophia should be at the house with Jill, but since that's not the case either, they conference call in Jill, who says she handed Sophia off to Tammy to take home from the meeting. But again, the house is empty, so they dial in Tammy, who says she's just getting home. Marjorie's really starting to freak out, but Tammy walks right in the door, with baby Sophia in tow.



Jerry and his now very inebriated wife return, and Marjorie decides to admit that she had some "extra help" watching Sophia. She assures Jerry that Sophia "was safe and loved the entire time. Although she did go to a bar and attend her first AA meeting." Fortunately, Jerry doesn't seem to be particularly bothered, just shocked that Marjorie told him everything that happened. He even calls Marjorie "mom" for the first time in years.



Random Thoughts:

-Why am I not surprised that Bonnie once left Christy in a laundry basket at the laundry mat?



-Wendy hates babies! I just about rolled when Jill tried to hand Sophia off to her.



-Adam was pretty slick, playing the "Do you need a meeting card?" when Tammy went off on him.



-The best line goes to Bonnie talking to baby Sophia when she gets a flat tire. "You feel like helping me change a tire?... Don't pretend to be asleep!"



Did enjoy watching Mom's version of "Six Women and a Baby?" Let me know below!


BLOOMINGTON  Sunday morning services at Wesley United Methodist Church are expected to take place as usual, although not as usual, said its senior pastor, the Rev. Sara Isbell.

We have encouraged vulnerable persons (those who are age 60 or older and/or have other health conditions) to stay home, as well as anyone with symptoms of cold, flu or the coronavirus, she said. We will post our sermons on our website for anyone who does not attend in person, and we are working toward being able to live-stream our worship services in the future.

Following that service, the congregation will not gather in person again as a worshiping community until it is safe to do so, she said.

Its very sad to make these decisions. But if feels like the right thing to do, she said. It would be sadder yet to learn that some of our members had been exposed to the virus while at church.

Worshiping away from church appears to be the new normal for several Twin City congregations after many announced they will be ending services this weekend to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. As of Saturday, 64 Illinois residents had coronavirus, including a Woodford County resident.

The Catholic Diocese of Peoria canceled all public Masses as of Saturday, curtailing funerals, weddings and baptisms, and many churches said they hope to reach their congregations through online streaming.

Several church leaders took to social media to explain their decisions and invite people to participate online.

Every time we turn on the news, we hear about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the news is not good, wrote Bloomington First Christian Church Pastor Jim Warren in a message posted on the churchs website.

Warren said the church originally planned to continue with services after COVID-19 cases were reported in the Chicago area, but that changed when Pritzker announced Friday that he was ordering schools to close.

Following the example of many churches and per a recommendation from the CCIW (Christian Church of Illinois and Wisconsin), the First Christian Church, Bloomington, will not hold worship this Sunday in order to avoid potential exposure to the virus COVID-19. ... Decisions about future worship services will be made on a week-by-week basis.

A live sermon will be available on the churchs website page at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Also changing plans are Eastview Christian Churches, Journey Church and New Covenant Community, among others.

Twin City funeral homes, which coordinate services with churches, are trying to remain flexible while balancing the needs of their clients.

Tim Ruestman, owner of Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home, Bloomington, hasn't had to cancel or reschedule any services, but said that may change at any time.

In the meantime, his funeral home is encouraging social distance while recognizing loved ones' need to express their grief and affection.

Along with supplying a lot of hand sanitizer dispensers, he said his funeral home has printed signs that say, "Direct eye contact, loving words and a warm smile are as meaningful to the family as a traditional handshake or hug."

He noted funeral homes in some harder-hit areas, such as Washington state, are rescheduling services and encouraging people to forgo church gatherings in favor of graveside services or live-streaming services to people who can't attend.

Kindred: Coronavirus impact on sports unprecedented, unsettling ... but unavoidable In the end, each of those organizations protected us against ourselves. The lure of sports is strong enough to cloud judgment as to when to play and when to go watch others play. Rather than say "stop and think," they simply said "stop."

"Here in Central Illinois, we haven't had to do that yet," he said.

Kevin Smith, funeral director for Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home in Bloomington, has been working closely with Catholic parishes. Already scheduled funerals can proceed, he said.

Funeral homes have gotten guidance from state and federal associations about protecting the safety of their workers and clients, Smith said. While no one locally has died of coronavirus, Smith said funeral workers are trained to deal with deaths involving communicable diseases.

'Flattening the curve'

The Eastview Christian churches in Bloomington and Normal also are going online, streaming a service at 9 a.m. that will be repeated two hours later and then available on-demand.

We normally have more than 1,500 viewers watching online every week anyway, so its not that much different for us, said Pastor Mike Baker. "We wanted to have the congregation here, but when the governor came out with his announcement, we decided maybe we needed to shift gears, too.

Baker said more than 5,000 people sometimes attend a service. Future services will be evaluated on a week-by-week basis.

In an online message, he asked followers to be creative with the new format.

Invite friends or neighbors over to your house and watch online together, he said. Invite people to join us through your social media and share the links with family and friends. What if God actually desired to grow his Church in the midst of this season of uncertainty?

Clark Killingsworth, senior associate pastor at the Journey Church in Normal, said his church is making adjustments as well.

This weekend, we plan to offer a family meeting style service, he said. Our staff will provide a panel response that will offer simple, spiritual and practical guidance for the complex issues we are facing in these chaotic and confusing times.

New Covenant Community, Normal, canceled all services, including Sunday, for the remainder of March.

The past several days have seen a whirlwind of news about the coronavirus pandemic, including the suspension of most public gatherings, said New Covenant Community's co-pastors, Bob and Susan Ryder, in an email to The Pantagraph.

We believe we should do what we can to cooperate with public health efforts as a gesture of responsible citizenship by helping break the chain of transmission of the coronavirus, they wrote. Medical experts talk about the importance of flattening the curve of the pandemic, and our congregation will assist in these efforts by staying home.

SATURDAY UPDATE: What's happening with coronavirus in Central Illinois

Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow Contact Roger Miller at (309) 820-3233. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_rmiller

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OSLO, March 13 (Reuters) - The Norwegian government will suspend taxes levied on the airline industry, including the fee it charges for each passenger, newspaper VG reported on Friday.

The government said earlier this week it would initiate plans to help businesses cope with the impact of the coronavirus, including tax cuts and payments for workers facing temporary layoffs.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg is due to present the government's plan at 1130 GMT. (Reporting by Victoria Klesty and Terje Solsvik; Editing by Catherine Evans)
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Linkedin Jay Lehr and Tom Harris (The Jakarta Post) Ottawa  Sat, March 14 2020

For years now, the United Nations has been using the climate change crusade as a vehicle to increase its power across the world. Starting in 1995, they began holding massive annual conferences focused on stopping the planets temperature from rising.

That such a temperature was merely a statistical computation that had little or no significance in the real world made no difference  we must stop global warming became the clarion call of the yearly Conferences of the Parties (COP) to 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change treaty.

The 1995 Berlin COP was the first and so was designated COP1. COP3 was held in Kyoto where the Kyoto Protocol was created. And so it continued year after year until COP21 met in Paris in 2015 when the Paris Agreement was adopted.

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No more driving down the hill for an organic foods store.

Natural Grocers is moving into Rio Rancho between Starbucks and Verizon on NM 528, according to city building permits. The permits list Natural Grocers as the owner of the property with a building under construction just north of Southern Boulevard.

The store sells organic foods, natural remedies and other goods.

The company has over 3,000 employees and annual revenue of $912.1 million, according to Owler. Natural Grocers is headquartered in Colorado.

No more information was available at press time.
RTHK: NZ cancels massacre memorial services over virus

New Zealand has cancelled a national remembrance service to mark Sunday's first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks because of coronavirus fears, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

"This is a pragmatic decision. We're very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldn't create the risk of further harm being done," Ardern said on Saturday.

The service to mark the March 15 mass shooting, when a self-avowed white supremacist opened fire at two mosques during Friday prayers, killing 51, had been expected to attract several thousand people, with many travelling from overseas.

Ardern said New Zealand needed to take a precautionary approach.

"The advice we received for this event is that based on people travelling from different parts of the country and from overseas, if there was a case, it could be difficult to trace those who had come into contact with that person, so we are taking a cautious approach," she said.

"March 15 now becomes an opportunity for every New Zealander to reflect in their own way on the events of a year ago."

The unveiling of a remembrance plaque, also planned for Sunday morning at Christchurch's main al-Noor mosque, has been postponed as a precautionary measure.

Mosque spokesman Tony Green said they had taken the advice of health professionals and it was right not to go ahead with the two remembrance services.

"It would be unwise not to take health advice on coronavirus. It's very concerning," he said.

"It would only need one person to be infected and it would be very difficult to track where the carrier travelled from."

Six people have so far tested positive for the new coronavirus in New Zealand although there have been no reported cases in Christchurch.

The alleged mosque attacker Brenton Tarrant, an Australian national, is due to go on trial on June 2 facing terrorism charges plus 51 counts of murder and 40 of attempted murder over the killings. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The Goa government on Saturday



announced closure of educational institutes and public places including casinos, swimming pools and pubs in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country till March 31.

The order will come into force from Sunday (March 15) midnight.

No confirmed coronavirus case has been found in the coastal state, a tourist haven, as yet.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting which was attended by health minister Vishwajit Rane and officials.

After the meeting, Sawant announced a slew of preventive measures.

Schools and other educational establishments will be closed till March 31, while the examinations of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for std 10th and 12th will take place as per the schedule, he said.

Public swimming pools, cinema halls and casinos would be closed. The order will be reviewed at the end of this month, the CM added.

While the state does not have a single confirmed case of coronavirus, one suspected patient remains quarantined at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and some 30 others are in home isolation.

On Friday, health minister Rane had informed that his department had invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987, which empowers the government to ban mass gatherings.

Chief Minister Sawant, meanwhile, said the March 22 Zilla Panchayat elections in the state will go ahead as per the schedule, but candidates should avoid mass gatherings and indoor meetings.

The coronavirus outbreak and resultant closure of public places will have a huge impact on the tourism industry but the preventive measures are unavoidable, he said.

Among other steps, thermal guns at Goa airport would be replaced with a thermal scanner and all international and domestic passengers will be screened through the scanner to spot possible carriers of the virus, Sawant said.

Thermal scanners would also be installed at Mormugao Port Trust and the railway station. The port has already banned arrival of cruise ships till March 31.

As wedding season is underway, Sawant adviced people to avoid huge gatherings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW YORK As of Friday, New York State has the largest number of people confirmed to have the coronavirus just ahead of Washington and California. On the second day of containment zone in New Rochelle, New York, authorities opened the areas first drive-thru coronavirus testing outpost. New Rochelle is the epicenter of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in the state.

The drive-thru testing site is in Glen Island Park and operating with 6 lanes. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the estimated turn over time is around 15 minutes per car, and the site is expected to serve around 200 cars per day.

The tests are not open for just anyone, you have to make an appointment first and qualify for a test. To make an appointment, the city advises you to call either your primary doctor or the state hotline at 888-364-3065.

According to Business Insider, seven U.S. states have started drive-thru testing sites, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Washington.

Heres how it works: people drive to the facility, then the medical staff comes to the car to take a swab. The test is then sent to a lab and the person is contacted with the results.

Its not only faster an easier but its also smarter and safer because youre not exposing people to a person who may be positive, said Cuomo.

He says right now, they are prioritizing New Rochelle residents since thats the area with the most dense concentration of confirmed cases. Another priority is the elderly population and people with respiratory problems or other illnesses.

After President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday, more drive-through testing sites are expected to open. Some of the largest U.S. corporations such as Walmart, Walgreens, Target, and CVS will offer large-scale testing by setting up drive-thru sites in some of their parking lots.

President of Northwell Health Michael Dowling had some positive words of his own.

We will win this. It may take some time but we need a dose of optimism along with practicality as we deal with these issues, Dowling said.

The day before the drive-thru site was opened in New York State, Cuomo expressed appreciation for the medical staff involved.

It says something about their character, about who they are. It says something about their heart and their soul which is just truly beautiful, said Gov. Cuomo. Its humanity at its best.

Cuomo said by next week the state should be able to do around 5,000 tests per day.
Bogota, Colombia  Cesar Castillo and his partner beg for help on the street of a wealthy Bogota, Colombia, neighbourhood with their eight-month-old son.

Castillo, 26, left Venezuela three months ago, in search of opportunities as his economically crippled homeland continues to suffer a lack of medical and food supplies.

The last time he saw a doctor was in 2018 when he injured his leg in a motorbike accident in his hometown of Maracay, a 40-minute drive from the Venezuelan capital Caracas. His injury became infected in hospital, and the necessary antibiotics were not available. His leg was amputated.

If it (coronavirus) arrives in Venezuela, its going to be horrible. So many will die, he said, balancing on his crutches in the middle of the busy shopping street, recalling his hospital trauma. Theres no medicine; people literally die.

Castillos fears deepened this week when officials announced that two people inside Venezuela had tested positive for the disease. The cases sparked concern, not just in Venezuela, but also in Colombia where millions of Venezuelans have fled to in recent years.

Colombia has 22 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, which has now been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The government of President Ivan Duque announced late Friday that non-nationals would be barred from entering the country from March 16 if they have been in Europe or Asia over the past two weeks. It also announced the closure of the border with Venezuela, prompting fears of what such measures may mean for those who rely on medicine, medical supplies and other goods from Colombia. Venezuela slammed the decision as an act of gross irresponsibility.

Completely overwhelmed

Venezuelas public health system has been crippled for years, owing to its failing economy. Basic medicine is hard to come by, and treatment for serious illnesses like cancer, diabetes and HIV is even scanter.

More than 4.8 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015, and over 1.7 million now reside in Colombia, according to the United Nationss most recent figures. Most Venezuelan migrants arriving in Colombia are from poor, working-class backgrounds and, like Castillo, arrive with little to no resources and serious medical conditions.

Colombian migration officers are seen wearing protective face masks at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, on the border with Venezuela, in Cucuta, Colombia [Schneyder Mendoza/AFP]

Even before the announcement of the closure, those who work along the border feared what the situation would look like in both Venezuela and Colombia.

If coronavirus arrives on a large scale, the Colombian health system would be severely affected. Venezuelan migrants, especially those who are not registered in the Colombian social system, will be most vulnerable, said Dr Atilio Rivera-Vasquez from Cucuta, a city whose healthcare services have already collapsed under the high number of migrants there.

They (migrants) have little economic access to buy disinfectant gels and soap to wash their hands, as well as a lack of money to buy non-perishable foods to self-isolate themselves. There are also many migrants who live on the streets, meaning they wont be able to self isolate if they have coronavirus, Rivera-Vasquez, who specialises in epidemics, said.

Jaime Castellanos, a Bogota-based professor of virology, said the number would continue to increase in Colombia  as it is worldwide  but that Colombias technical capabilities to quickly diagnose the disease are not as sophisticated as other countries, like South Korea.

The installations, staff and medical supplies are not enough for what would be needed to deal with these kinds of cases. Our health system would be completely overwhelmed Castellanos said.

Colombias Ministry of Health said they were unable to give a comment to Al Jazeera at the time of publication.

Venezuelans will continue to cross

Analysts say the border closure will only push Venezuelans to cross via trochas, or informal border crossings.

I think it is a completely wrong decision made by the [Colombian] government, said Ronald Rodriguez, the director of Rosario Universitys Observatory on Venezuela.

Colombia has a huge responsibility being the country that has most Venezuelan migrants and whose role should be to lead a response on behalf of all the other countries in the region who share the issue of Venezuelan migration, he said.

Venezuelan citizens try to enter to Colombia while wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in Cucuta, Colombia [Schneyder Mendoza/AFP]

He added that because of the weak healthcare system, most Venezuelans who contract the virus would probably end up coming to Colombia for healthcare.

Colombia needs to prepare itself for what could come. Not only to care for people locally, but also in the event that more Venezuelans move towards the border area in search of medical assistance there and remembering that many Venezuelans are suffering with serious health issues that havent been treated by the Venezuelan health service like cancer, diabetes and HIV, and makes them more vulnerable in the face of a possible epidemic of COVID-19, Rodriguez said.

Another critical thing to point out about this population is that in Venezuela, tropical diseases are rife and anyone living with one of these diseases and gets infected with COVID-19 could face huge complications, he added. Venezuelans are going to try to get into Colombia in search of help to protect themselves from these diseases. The only thing the Colombian government has done is made the situation more difficult.

The government has not yet outlined exactly how it will manage the closure of the porous, 2,219km (1,379-mile) border with Venezuela. Colombian governors and mayors from around the country will meet Duque on Saturday to discuss how to work collaboratively to tackle the virus.

A man sells protective face masks at Simon Bolivar international bridge in Cucuta [Carlos Eduardo Ramirez/Reuters]

Jozef Merkx, head of UNHCR  the UNs refugee agency  in Colombia, said the agency was monitoring the situation and will work in close contact with Colombias Ministry of Health.

Sergio Guzman, a political analyst, said cooperation between the Colombian and Venezuelan government would be desirable under this scenario, but politically unrealistic going forward.

He said the Colombian governments containment strategy must quickly move to become a strategy to prepare for social isolation, economic malaise, and a severe strain on healthcare services and provisions.
KAMPALA  With support from Resolve To Save Lives, the Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Dr. Andrew Kambugu Friday March 13, 2020 handed over equipment worth UGX310Million to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats at Points of Entry (PoE).

Resolve To Save lives is an American organisation dedicated to ending epidemics.

The handover preceded a press conference at the Ministry Headquarters in Nakasero where the Health Minister Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng was present.

During the press conference, Dr. Andrew Kambugu, accompanied by his team that included the Head, Global Health Security Programme, Dr. Mohammed Larmode, thanked the Minister for the tireless efforts that led to the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Outbreak of June 2019.

This achievement was made possible under the guidance and leadership of the Ministry of Health officials, working hard to ensure importation of cases does not result in onward local transmission.

Even while the COVID-19 pandemic has generated concern as it spreads rapidly, including to some countries in Africa, we are pledging our efforts to work in line with International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) so as to strengthen capacity at Points of Entry (PoE) to respond to public health threats through trainings, he said.

Dr. Doris Kiconco, Assistant Commissioner of Animal Health, MAAIF (Right) shows off some of the PoE equipment worth UGX200M handed over by the Executive Director IDI-Dr. Andrew Kambugu (Left) on 11th March 2020 at the IDI-McKinnell Knowledge Centre, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.

The Executive Director said the equipment will be used to assist in risk mapping at border crossings using the Population Movement and Connectivity across Borders among other interventions.

The PoEs to receive the equipment are Entebbe International Airport as well as Busia and Mpondwe border points in Busia and Kasese Districts respectively.

Dr. Aceng applauded the partnership with IDI saying that the Government acknowledges both local and international partners that continue to provide support in capacity building for preparedness and response to public health threats of international concern.

Earlier in the week, in support of One Health and knowledge of the threat posed by diseases that transfer from animals to humans, IDI through the same funding partner handed over similar equipment worth UGX200Million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Dr. Doris Kiconco, Assistant commissioner of Animal Health at MAAIF was at the IDI Headquarters, Makerere University to receive the equipment on Wednesday 11th March 2020.

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Russia's Constitutional Court convened for an urgent session on March 14 to launch a review of constitutional amendments that, among other changes, would allow Vladimir Putin to run again for president in 2024.

The court session follows the 67-year-old Putin's signing of the package of amendments earlier in the day and is expected to yield a decision within a week.

News of the signing, via a state website, came a day after it was reported that all of Russias regional parliaments had voted in favor of the measures.

The constitutional changes are due to be put to a nationwide vote in April.

In January, Putin announced a major shake-up of Russian politics and a constitutional overhaul, which the Kremlin described as a redistribution of power from the presidency to parliament.

But earlier this week, Putin, who is in his fourth presidential term and has been president or prime minister of Russia for two decades, appeared in the State Duma to back a new amendment that would allow him to ignore a current constitutional ban on him running again in four years' time.

The previous rules forbade him from running for a third consecutive mandate, but that changes with the provisions of the amendments, meaning he can seek a fifth overall presidential term in 2024, and conceivably a sixth in 2030.

The Kremlin notes that Putin has not said whether or not he will run again in 2024.

Other constitutional changes further strengthen the presidency and emphasize the priority of Russian law over international norms -- a provision reflecting the Kremlin's irritation with the European Court of Human Rights and other international bodies that have often issued verdicts against Russia.

The changes also outlaw same-sex marriage and mention a belief in God as one of Russia's traditional values.

Both houses of the national parliament have already backed the changes as has every single regional parliament.



The Federation Council [the upper house of parliament] has received the results of voting in all 85 regional parliaments, said Andrei Klishas, chairman of the council's committee on constitutional law. They are all positive, RIA cited him as saying on March 13.

The list of 85 regions he referenced includes two which are part of Russian-controlled Crimea, which Moscow forcibly annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, urged its members on March 12 to rally behind Putin against what he said was a foreign campaign to discredit the constitutional reforms.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Russian Service, Current Time, Meduza.io, and Interfax
Disturbing footage has emerged on social media showing fights breaking out in stores across the country as panicked Americans rush to stock up on supplies amid the national coronavirus emergency.

Two separate videos were posted from New York and Georgia on Thursday which showed intense and brutal fights erupting between tense customers battling through the crowds flooding into stores.

A brawl erupted in a Georgia Sam's Club packed with shoppers during which two feuding men slashed each other with broken wine bottles.

A second incident in a Costco in Brooklyn saw an employee pleading with two women to calm down after a screaming match began when carts collided in the mobbed store.

Scroll down for video

Video from a Brooklyn Costco on Thursday morning shows shoppers screaming at each other on line after carts collide and an employee begs for calm among the panicked shoppers

A brawl in a Sam's Club in Georgia saw one man stretchered from the store on Thursday

In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday evening, a violent fight in a Sam's Club in Hiram, Georgia was captured by another shopper.

The incident took place at around 5.30pm at the Sam's Club location on Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway, which was crowded with people.

According to a statement from the City of Hiram, police officers responded to the store for reports of an assault in progress and came upon two men suffering from multiple cuts.

Two men came to blows and slashed each other with broken wine bottles inside a crowded Sam;s Club store in Hiram, Georgia, on Thursday

According to the local police, the fight was ignited after one of the men bumped a shopping cart carrying a child with his motorized cart. As the situation escalated, he grabbed a bottle of wine to defend himself from the child's parents

Based on statements from the injured men and multiple witnesses, investigators have concluded that the dispute ignited when two people bumped shopping carts.

One of them, a man using a motorized shopping cart because of a leg injury, reportedly slammed into a family's cart carrying a child as the shoppers were trying to get to the same aisle.

The child's mother confronted the man with the motorized cart and allegedly hit him.

The man tried to back away from the confrontation, but the woman and her male partner followed him and escalated the dispute, according to the police.

That is when the man with the motorized cart grabbed a wine bottle, purportedly to defend himself.

Cellphone video shows one of the fighters being taken away on a stretcher swaddled in bandages after suffering lacerations during the scuffle

This man and his opponent suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Charges will be filed against all three people linked to the clash after a violent argument erupted in a Georgia store

The other man followed suit and the two proceeded to hit one another with the wine bottles until they broke, then continued slashing each other with glass shards, inflicting lacerations.

Cellphone video that has been widely circulated on Twitter and Facebook caught the end of the scuffle, showing the brawling shoppers tussling on the floor slick with spilled wine and littered with broken glass.

According to police, bystanders, including Sam's Club staff, helped separate the parties until cops arrived.

The now-viral video of the altercation shows a heavily bandaged man being wheeled out of the store on a gurney.

The two men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the clash. Both of them, along with the woman who allegedly sparked the altercation over the bumped shopping cart, are facing criminal charges.

While it has been suggested on social media that the fight started over a pack of water, the local police department stated that was not the case.

'Despite rumors reportedly circulating social media, there are no indications that this incident was related to an altercation over water, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or any other supplies being sought in connection to the concerns over COVID-19 (Coronavirus),' the statement read.

'No traditional weapons (firearms or knives) were involved in this incident.'

This woman in a face mask screams at fellow customers and at an employee in a Costco in Sunset Park in Brooklyn on Thursday morning before a state of emergency was declared

A woman in a face mask and another unidentified woman are heard screaming at an employee. Pictured left a woman in a face mask demands an employee stop another customer from touching her with her cart. Picture right more confused shoppers look on

In a Costco in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on Thursday morning a screaming match between several women, one of whom was wearing a face mask, caused an employee to intervene as they were waiting in line.

As other confused shoppers looked on, one woman can be heard demanding that the Costco employee didn't 'let her touch me with that cart'.

The male employee is then heard pleading with the women to calm down as rushed shoppers collide in on top of the commotion.

'As human beings, weve got to come together at a time like this', he begs the crowd.

'As human beings, we've got to get together.'

The employee shown in a red vest on the right hand side of the picture begged customers to calm down as they began to scream about carts bumping into each other on the line

'I dont suggest going to Costco right now,' said the video poster.

Both shoppers are shown with packed carts just hours before a state of emergency was declared in New York, sparking a further frenzy among residents who cleared shelves of supplies.

The same Costco was later that day forced to close its main gates as the number of unnerved residents scouring for supplies became too heavy.

Inside the store, customers waited 40 minutes in line to check out with their carts piled high.
Air Mauritius wishes to inform its customers that the Government of India has issued a travel advisory, limiting travel to and from India. Customers are advised to review their travel plans accordingly.

Below is an extract of the travel advisory. The full document is available on our website at https://www.airmauritius.com/news/covid-19-outbreakupdates

 All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 12h00 GMT (16h00 Mauritian time) on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.

 Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 12h00 GMT (16h00 Mauritian time) on 13 March 2020 at the port of departure.

 Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission.

 Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

Air Mauritius also wishes to advise its customers that anyone falling within the scope of the visa restrictions mentioned will not be uplifted on its flights to India.

Air Mauritius regrets inconveniences caused.

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Ahead of the bye-election slated for today in Kwara State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Attahiru Madami, has assured that the electoral commission, INEC, is prepared for the conduct of the poll.

According to Mr Madami, six political parties fielded candidates for the Patigi constituency election into the Kwara State House of Assembly.

The constituencys seat became vacant owing to the death of Said Rufai, who represented the constituency under the All Progressive Congress (APC) but died on December 3, 2019.

The electoral umpire, who spoke with journalists on Friday evening, listed the political parties that fielded candidates for the election as Alliance Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, Nigeria National Peoples Party and Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Madami said the sensitive and non-sensitive materials were deployed for the election in time.

He added that 451 personnel would supervise the election which would be conducted in 105 polling units, while 43,695 people who collected their permanent voter cards would participate in the election.

Mr Madami also confirmed that the commission would deploy at least three-card reader machines to each polling unit to guide against any challenge.

He then urged all the participating political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the elections. He assured them of a fair and credible election.

It should be noted that there are 52,233 registered voters in Patigi state constituency, while 51,476 PVCs were received from INEC headquarters.

The REC had earlier disclosed that a total of 43,695 PVCs were collected, leaving 7,781 uncollected PVCs which he said were kept in the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Ilorin.
The Star Wars films have been around for over forty years, beginning in 1977. Although critics have panned many of the movies in the series, fans love them and often get deeply immersed in the mythology of the characters and locations.

One of the most beloved (and recognizable) characters in all the Star Wars films is undoubtedly the Wookiee best friend of Han Solo, known as Chewbacca. While the original actor who portrayed Chewbacca has sadly passed away, the legacy he created will live on. So will one of the most interesting stories about the filming of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Peter Mayhew was the original Chewbacca

Actors Kenny Baker (R2-D2) & Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) pic.twitter.com/kAuul4y0i1  History Lovers Club (@historylvrsclub) March 10, 2020

When the first Star Wars movie hit theaters in 1977, viewers had never seen anything like it. The film was full of amazing locations and exotic creatures, from humanoid aliens to sassy robots.

One of the most striking characters was Chewbacca, a Wookie who resembled a mix between a large bear and a very shaggy dog, walking on two legs. Chewbacca, often called Chewie, spoke in a language composed of guttural howls and grunts  but in his eyes shone a very relatable, gentle light.

Chewbacca was played in that film by Peter Mayhew, a towering actor who was over seven feet tall. Mayhew went on to reprise the role of Chewbacca in four additional Star Wars films: The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

He also appeared as the Wookie in several other made-for-television films and lent his voice to animated versions of the character. Mayhew became closely associated with the character of Chewbacca over the years and was much beloved by fans.

Was Chewbacca stalked by hunters?

Peter Mayhew: A Lost Interview With the Original Chewbacca  Rolling Stone  Pocket https://t.co/1Ma84mGn7Y  CurlingRiver (@CurlingRiver) March 11, 2020

For years, there was a rumor that during the filming of 1983s Return of the Jedi, Mayhew had to have special protection during certain scenes. Much of the second act of the movie takes place on the mythical planet of Endor.

Scenes for Endor were filmed in the forests of California, in and around Del Norte County. While the heavily-wooded area provided the perfect backdrop for the movies action-packed scenes, it presented some difficulties when it came to scenes involving Mayhews Chewbacca.

Reportedly, Mayhew required special protection on the set while wearing his Chewbacca costume, for fear of being mistaken for Bigfoot by hunters in the area. This special protection came in the form of crew members who stayed close to Mayhew while wearing brightly-colored vests, and ensuring that the lanky actor didnt wander too far off the film set.

For years, fans werent sure whether this story was a fact or just an amusing rumor. However, in 2015, Mayhew posted can confirm on Reddit in response to the rumor. While Mayhew didnt specifically talk about the circumstances of the protection he received, it is clear that something definitely went down in California during the filming of Return of the Jedi, and it is fortunate that Mayhew was able to stay safe.

Who plays Chewbacca now?

Chewbacca | Lucasfilm

Sadly, 2015s The Force Awakens was to be Mayhews final stint as Chewbacca. While he worked as a consultant on the 2017 movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he was suffering from poor health and allowed the young actor Joonas Suotamo to don the Chewbacca costume in his stead.

Mayhew passed away in April 2019 at the age of 74, and his death hit the Star Wars fan community quite hard.

Although Joonas Suotamo has been accepted by the fans, there is no one who will ever be able to replace Peter Mayhew  or the inimitable way that he inhabited the role of Chewbacca.
While Australians have become accustomed to this type of warning about local terrorist individuals and groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and Mr Burgess did not downplay the ongoing threat from such groups, he clearly signalled an equivalent threat from right-wing extremist groups similar to those in America and Europe.

The director general of ASIO, Mike Burgess, delivering his first annual threat assessment recently, made plain his concerns : "The extreme right-wing threat is real and it is growing. In suburbs around Australia, small cells regularly meet to salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons, train in combat and share their hateful ideology."

It should also be a moment to consider the source of hatred that led to such bloodshed. The resurgence in right-wing extremism in Australia is something that is real and tangible. That the alleged mosque shooter, Brenton Tarrant, grew up in New South Wales and engaged with local extremist groups is testament to that point.

On the first anniversary of the horrific Christchurch shootings, it is worth taking a moment to reflect and remember those who were brutally gunned down. For the families of the 51 people killed, and those that survived the ordeal, it must be a heart-rending time.

Law enforcement agencies are clearly taking heed. The most recent case in Australia involved Melbourne man Phillip Galea, who was found guilty of plotting terror attacks against left-wing targets and creating a handbook for would-be attackers. The 35-year-old was deeply troubled by the Islamisation of Australia. Sydney neo-Nazi Michael James Holt, who fantasised about shooting up a shopping centre, was jailed in 2017 for weapons and child pornography offences.

Various right-wing extremist groups have existed in Australia for decades. Originally anti-communist and anti-semitic in the 1930s, they increasingly targeted immigration as the white Australia policy, which excluded most non-whites, was slowly dismantled after World War II to accommodate the "populate or perish" policy. For the first time, migrants from across Europe and Asia were welcomed to help develop and potentially defend the nation.

Each wave of migration led to an equivalent rise in interest in right-wing extremism that fed on an ideology of ethnic exclusionism and a willingness to use violence. Like-minded groups in America and Europe have long provided support, with digital platforms rapidly expanding their ability to spread and share their ideology. Attempts by social media giants like Facebook to stamp out extreme views have been easily bypassed as they congregate on new digital platforms including Gab, The Base and 8chan.

Such groups must also be encouraged by the appeal of right-wing populists like Pauline Hanson, whose rhetoric, while not encouraging violence, thrives on the language of targeting migrants and divisions between "ordinary Australians" and "the elite". While Ms Hanson has mostly been kept at the fringes, the rise of US President Donald Trump has thrust similar rhetoric into the mainstream of global discourse.

ASIO boss Mr Burgess made clear he expects right-wing extremism to remain an enduring threat. His call for vigilance goes to the reality that there has always been an underbelly of extremism in Australia that prospers on an ideology of hate for "the other". Keeping it in check is not just a job for ASIO, but for everyone who engages in public discourse, from our political leaders down to those who engage in heated debate on social media. Extreme ideology and language can have very deadly consequences, and may the memory of Christchurch never let us forget that.
Timothy A Clary/Getty

When President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the 2019 novel coronavirus on Friday, he dangled billions in new federal aid to address a cascading pandemic.

But local doctors from Oklahoma City to New York to Lansing, Michigan, have been sounding the alarm in recent days about the lack of communicationas well as suppliestheyve received from federal and other authorities.

In other words, cash alone wont solve the problem.

Communication from the top through the local level about everything from testing to supplies is almost non-existent, said Farhan Bhatti, a family physician who runs a non-profit clinic in Lansing. Bhatti serves on the board of the Committee to Protect Medicare, a self-described public advocacy and grassroots lobbying group that works to persuade elected officials to support health care for all Americans.

The president himself is patting himself on the back for finally taking it seriously, Bhatti told The Daily Beast. But we have not yet seen the impact of that trickle down to the physicians who are on the front lines of seeing patients.

Perhaps the greatest scandal in a deeply troubled federal response to the outbreak has been a mix of inability and unwillingness to test patients for the deadly disease. Little about the presidents press conference, where he denied any responsibility for what his own infectious disease expert has called a failing on the testing front, seemed likely to change that soon.

Trump Shakes Everyones Hands at Coronavirus Press ConferenceIgnoring CDC Guidelines

The coronavirus tests are basically being approved or disapproved by local county health departments, but it is already the case that there are more people we want to test than enough to test themso the county health department is having to decide who gets tested and who doesnt, Bhatti said. The farther out that you go, as you get into more rural communities, the problem is even more exacerbated.

Story continues

We dont really know the extent to which the virus is actually spreading, he added. Theres really no guidelines or consensus yet for who to test, when to test, and how to test them in a way that protects public safety.

The latest numbers from the Associated Press on Friday afternoon put the confirmed novel coronavirus case count in the United States at 1,323, with at least 38 deaths.

One doctor based in Oklahoma City, who asked to remain anonymous because she was not cleared to speak to the press and did not want to draw undue attention to her local clinic, told The Daily Beast on Friday that she had symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and had not been tested, despite the fact that she treats high-risk patients.

I have a minimal cough, some body aches, some fatigue and chillsbut no fever, no runny nose, and I can suppress my cough, said the doctor. If I dont take care of my patients, it creates a huge problem, but if this is COVID-19, I could easily kill them, no matter how well I wash my hands.

I am a physician whose patients are mostly very elderly with lots of complicated medical problems, continued the doctor. They are all at high risk of dying. I am not a high priority person to test, by most standards, but I desperately want to be tested, for the sake of my patients.

To be clear, she said she had not tried to get a test herself but knows she does not fit the criteria, especially because she does not have a fever or serious cough.

How am I supposed to know whether to disrupt our whole clinic? she said. Who will take care of people when the providers get sick?

Rob Davidson, an emergency physician at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial in Fremont, Michigan, said he had five patients on Thursday night he would have liked to test. But they did not meet current CDC criteria for having either traveled, been exposed to a confirmed case, or become seriously ill with other respiratory infections ruled out.

In any other year, Id say no big deal, but in this case, I had to have a conversation with each of them about the fact that we dont have testing, he told The Daily Beast.

One of those patients had a spouse at home with lung disease, added Davidson. Obviously if there was an abundance of tests, I would have swabbed every one of them.

President Trump announced on Friday that several new diagnostic test kit-related initiatives will be rolled out in the coming days and weeks, including drive-through testing in select locations, as well as partnerships with private companies to expand the current U.S. testing capacity.

But even aside from the testing issue, it has been widely reported that, despite a national stockpile, theres a serious lack of supplies like respirators, masks, and even beds. Vice President Mike Pence has said that private companies signed on to help produce more masks, and Trump said on Friday that his administration had ordered a large number of respirators to try to meet the national need.

Were in the process and, in some cases, have already done it, ordered a large number of respirators just in case, said Trump. We hope we dont need them, but weve ordered a large number.

Theres not enough supplies, especially for medical professionals, Bhatti told The Daily Beast on Friday. For medical professionals to be able to do their job, Im concerned were coming up to a time where physicians will need masks and not be able to obtain them.

An internal medicine doctor and hospitalist in Ohio who asked to remain anonymous over fear of retaliation from her employer told The Daily Beast on Friday that she was personally treating a case of the virus at her facilityand feeling her own anxiety.

Fear is certainly the best word to describe the mood in my hospital right now, she said. Confusion would be another good word.

So far the only information we've gotten from administration has been in the form of emails, continued the Ohio-based doctor. There have been no formal staff meetings or forums where we've gotten any solid information about how to handle this crisis.

My coworkers and I feel very much in the dark and like were winging it until we get further instruction from the higher-ups, she said. Meanwhile the hospital is nearly full and every staff member seems to be working in a worried haze.

Multiple nurses and doctors I spoke with today reported sore throats and dry cough. Some have muscle aches and fatigue, she added. Many of us feel stuck and are just soldiering on. I dont know how the next few weeks will play out, but I pray I can stay healthy and don't bring anything home to my two little boys.

The same dynamic has been playing out across the country. As Tara OToole, a former undersecretary of science and technology at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told reporters on Friday:,It doesnt take a large number of people getting sick all at once to stretch or overwhelm our capacity to take care of the seriously ill.

What were trying to do is slow down the spread of the disease so everybody doesnt get sick at once, creating a tsunami of seriously ill people slamming into our healthcare system, said OToole, one that simply does not have the resources to handle a big surge.

OToole spoke during a Friday tele-briefing by the Council on Foreign Relations on the subject of American preparedness in the event of an epidemic.

We are in the age of pandemics, said Larry Brilliant, a world-renowned epidemiologist who previously served as chair of the National Biosurveillance Advisory Subcommittee at the CDC and was on the tele-briefing with OToole. He called COVID-19 the most dangerous pandemic of his lifetime, even if it is not the most fatal.

It will cause global disruption on a scale we have not seen in more than 100 years, said Brilliant.

Muni Tahzib, an attending physician at City MD in New York City, told The Daily Beast her employer had been great about giving her colleagues supplies and protection. But she said shes in a Facebook group with tens of thousands of female physicians, and estimates that half of them have expressed worry that they dont have enough gear.

How can you have doctors and nurses working in the field and not give them the proper protection?" she asked.

Gender reporter Emily Shugerman contributed to this story.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The World Health Organisation has repeated calls for all countries to find and test every coronavirus case after the British government claimed the practice was no longer necessary.

Announcing the next stage of the UKs strategy, the chief medical officer for England said on Thursday that only hospital patients would now be formally checked for the virus.

It is no longer necessary for us to identify every case and we will move from having testing mainly done in homes and outpatients and walk-in centres, to a situation where people who are remaining at home do not need testing, Professor Chris Whitty added.

The plan puts Britain at odds with international advice issued by WHO, which repeated appeals for efforts to track and trace all coronavirus cases on Friday.

Addressing a press briefing, director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: You cant fight a virus if you dont know where it is. Find, isolate, test and treat every case, to break the chains of transmission.

Every case we find and treat limits the expansion of the disease.

Around 800 people have tested positive for coronavirus so far in the UK, out of 32,771 checked, but the government's chief scientific adviser said the actual number of people infected could be between 5,000 and 10,000. Eleven patients with coronavirus have died in the UK.

Globally, the current outbreak has killed more than 5,000 people and more than 132,000 cases have been reported in 123 countries.

Europe has become the epicentre of the global pandemic, with more cases now being reported every day than seen in China at the height of its epidemic.

But Britains approach has diverged from other countries, including Italy, France and Spain, who are imposing more stringent measures to reduce contact between members of the public.

Following a meeting of the governments emergency Cobra committee on Thursday, Boris Johnson announced the UK was moving from the contain to delay part of its plan.

He did not announce a ban on mass gatherings, although scores of major sporting and cultural events have already been suspended by organisers and it is believed that the government is now drafting legislation to halt big events.

Emergency legislation bringing in enhanced powers will be published next week and there could also be a move towards more people working from home.

Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the government's approach to tackling coronavirus hopes to create a herd immunity to the disease.

But WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris said: We don't know enough about the science of this virus, it hasn't been in our population for long enough for us to know what it does in immunological terms.

 Jeremy Hunt criticises government's approach to coronavirus

"Every virus functions differently in your body and stimulates a different immunological profile," she said, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday.

We can talk theories, but at the moment we are really facing a situation where we have got to look at action.

Sir Patrick said modelling predicted a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in the peak of the epidemic through official advice for people to stay at home for a week if they have mild symptoms.

Moving to whole household isolation adds an extra 25 per cent reduction, while preventing the elderly from getting infected could reduce death rates by 20 to 30 per cent, he added.

Helen Whately, the care minister, insisted the government was following the evidence.

As the chief medical officer said, and I have been advised, the evidence tells us that stopping mass gatherings doesn't have a huge impact on the spread of the virus, she told the BBC.

But Dr Tedros called on all nations to take comprehensive action, after hitting out at a lack of political commitment to tackling coronavirus in unnamed countries.

Our message to countries continues to be: you must take a comprehensive approach, he said.

Not testing alone. Not contact tracing alone. Not quarantine alone. Not social distancing alone. Do it all.

Any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks that wont happen to us is making a deadly mistake. It can happen to any country.

Dr Tedros called on countries do to everything possible to reduce transmission by quarantining people who had contact with infected people.

Even if you cannot stop transmission, you can slow it down and save lives, he added. Do not just let this fire burn.
France closes down most shops, restaurants and entertainment centres and asks people to stay home as much as possible.

The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 5,000 on Saturday with the total number of cases rising to more than 140,000, as the infection continues to prompt countries to take unprecedented measures to help stave off a global health crisis.

France announced that it will shut most shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities from midnight on Saturday and urging people to stay home as much as possible.

Spanish media reported that the countrys government will be announcing a countrywide lockdown while declaring a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections.

The US announced that it was extending the travel restrictions imposed on the European nations to Britain and Ireland.

The World Health Organization (WHO), meanwhile, said Europe has now become the epicentre of the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus

Here are the latest updates:

Saturday, March 14

20:50 GMT  Latvia to stop all international travel

Latvia will stop nearly all foreigners entering the country from Tuesday in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the countrys prime minister said.

All international travel, by air, railway, sea and road, will be cancelled from midnight on Monday, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said at a news conference. In addition, all public gatherings of over 50 people are banned with immediate effect, he said.

The main aim is to do everything possible to avoid more people becoming ill with coronavirus, Karins said.

Latvians and foreigners with residency rights in Latvia will be able to enter the country, and tourists will be able to leave after the deadline, he said.





20:35 GMT  Palestinians suspend prayers at mosques and churches

The Palestinian Authority suspended prayers in mosques and churches in the occupied West Bank to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, and the Hamas-led government of Gaza said all the enclaves border crossings would be shut for travel.

The Palestinian Authoritys Religious Affairs Ministry asked Palestinians to worship at home.

In light of the Health Ministrys recommendation to minimize contact between people and to reduce gatherings as much as possible we call upon our Muslim people in Palestine to hold their prayers at home, a ministry statement said.

Gaza authorities said they web re closing Gazas border crossings with Israel and Egypt for travel, excluding life-threatening cases that required medical treatment outside the enclave. Gatherings would be limited to 100 people and schools were to remain shut through March.

20:15 GMT  France closes public places, tells people to stay home

France will shut most shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities from midnight on Saturday and people should stay home as much as possible as the spread of coronavirus is accelerating, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced.

He was speaking at a news conference after the public health authority said 91 people had died in France and almost 4,500 were now infected. I have decided to close all non-indispensable locations, notably cafes, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and shops, he said. We must absolutely limit our movements. Exceptions to the shop ban will include food stores, pharmacies and petrol stations. Philippe said the government had been left with no choice because too many people were still out in the streets and not sufficiently applying recently announced measures, including keeping a safe distance from each other. That, he said, was helping accelerate the spread of the virus. France previously ordered the closure of schools from Monday and had advised people over the age of 70 to stay hom

19:20 GMT  The Seychelles confirms first coronavirus cases

The Seychelles confirmed two coronavirus cases, the countrys health commissioner said.

Two Italian citizens visiting the country tested positive, Jude Gedeon said.

19:04 GMT  Norway to shut airports to stop coronavirus

Norway will temporarily shut all its airports from Monday 07:00 GMT in a move to curb the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.

The government is ready to do all what is needed to secure the countrys economy, hit by business shutdowns due to the virus outbreak, she told a news conference. She also said the country would seek to import equipment from China.

18:56 GMT  Isolated Italians sing in unison in show of solidarity

Italians continue with their lives under a nationwide lockdown as citizens use social media to display their solidarity.

Here is a video of Italians under isolation singing together in unison from their balconies and windows.

VIDEO:  Italians are beating the social isolation imposed by the country's coronavirus lock down by taking to their windows and singing in unison (Turn on the sound)https://t.co/kXRtybzSv3 pic.twitter.com/SrHMUgJXFV  AFP news agency (@AFP) March 13, 2020

18:39 GMT  Syria elections postponed over coronavirus

Syria said its parliamentary elections scheduled for next month would be postponed as part of measures to protect the war-battered country against the coronavirus epidemic.

The presidents office said on its official social media accounts that the vote will be pushed back to May 20, from the original date of April 13.

In other social distancing steps adopted by Damascus, which has not to date reported any case of the disease, weekly Friday prayers in mosques have been suspended as well as prayer gatherings.

18:29 GMT  Spains coronavirus death toll increases by 73 in a day

Spains coronavirus death toll reached 193 on Saturday, up from 120 on Friday, public broadcaster TVE said.

There are just over 6,250 coronavirus cases across the country, TVE said, up from 4,209 on Friday and also up from 5,753 cases reported earlier in the day.

18:10 GMT  Fauci: US has 2,226 coronavirus cases

The top US infectious diseases expert said that the country has recorded 2,226 case of the new coronavirus, but has not yet reached the peak of the outbreak.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said President Donald Trumps declaration on Friday of a national emergency meant now its all systems go to ramp up testing in efforts to contain the pandemic.

17:41 GMT  Trump says he was tested for coronavirus

US President Donald Trump said he had taken a coronavirus test, as the White House began protectively checking the temperature of anyone coming into close contact with him or Vice President Mike Pence.

Appearing at a White House news conference where he attempted again to provide guidance and assurance to worried US citizens, Trump said he had yet to receive the results of his own test.

Contrary to medical advice, the president was seen on Friday shaking hands all round as he gathered his coronavirus response team at the White House  a practice he said owed to long-time habit as a politician but which he said would have to change.

17:25 GMT  US extends EU flight restrictions to UK and Ireland

US Vice President Mike Pence said that Washington decided to extend the travel restrictions imposed on European nations to Britain and Ireland, starting at 04:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home. Legal residents can come home, Pence told a White House news conference, adding that such people would be funneled through specific airports and processed.

A 30-day US ban on travel from the EUs Schengen border-free zone took effect on Saturday, but notably excludes Britain and Ireland.

Trump had earlier confirmed the ban would be extended to those countries as the pandemic progresses.

Read more here.

16:43 GMT  Denmark registers first death of coronavirus patient

The first death of a person infected with coronavirus was confirmed in Denmark. An 81-year old patient died in a hospital in Copenhagen, the citys health authorities said in a press release.

Denmark reported 827 coronavirus cases as of Saturday.

16:34 GMT  Greece suspends all Italy flights amid two more coronavirus deaths

Greece said it would suspend all flights that were still operating to and from Italy, after reporting two more fatalities from the coronavirus, raising the total number of deaths in the country to three.

The deceased were two men, aged 67 and 90, both with serious underlying health problems, the health ministry said.

Greece has shut schools, bars, cafes and shopping malls and had already suspended all flights to and from northern Italy until March 23 to combat the spread of coronavirus.

It also reported 38 new confirmed cases of coronavirus since Friday, raising the total number of infections to 228.

16:20 GMT  New York records first coronavirus death

An 82-year-old woman became New Yorks first coronavirus fatality, authorities said, a day after US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the woman, who had previously suffered from emphysema, was hospitalized in Manhattan on March 3. He told reporters that the states tally of cases had risen to 524.

Nationwide, more than 2,000 people have been infected and 48 have died.

More than 2,000 people have been infected and 48 have died in the US due to coronavirus [Lucas Jackson\Reuters]

16:06 GMT  UAE to suspend visas starting from March 17

The United Arab Emirates announced restrictions on visas, as an additional measure to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The UAE will suspend visa issuance starting on March 17, the official news agency WAM reported, citing immigration authorities, adding that foreign diplomats would be exempted.

15:52 GMT  Jordan stops all international passenger flights

Jordan said it would stop all incoming and outgoing passenger flights into the country from Tuesday as it tightens border controls to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Announcing the move, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said universities and schools would be closed for two weeks and all tourist sites and all sports and cinemas would also be shut.

Read more here.

15:20 GMT  Qatar restrict visas as part of measures to contain virus

Qatar has announced restrictions on visas, as part of measures to contain the new coronavirus outbreak.

The country will on Sunday stop issuing visas on arrival to several European nationalities, the government communication office said.

The decision includes citizens of Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

Individuals travelling from these countries who are in possession of a Qatar residence permit are excluded from this decision, but they have to stay in a quarantine facility for 14 days as per the local procedures.

14:40 GMT  Spain reports 1,500 new cases amid reports of planned nationwide lockdown

Spanish media reported that the countrys government will announce that it is placing tight restrictions on movement for the nation of 46 million people while declaring a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections. News agency Europa Press and daily newspaper El Mundo reported the drastic step shortly before Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was due to address the nation. The draft decree, seen by the Reuters news agency, says the lockdown will enter into force on Monday at 8am (07:00 GMT). Health authorities in Spain said that coronavirus infections have reached 5,753 people, half of them in the capital, Madrid. That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours.

14:20 GMT  Moroccos coronavirus cases rise to 17: health ministry

Morocco confirmed nine new coronavirus cases on Saturday bringing the total number of infected people to 17, the health ministry said.

The new cases include the countrys first locally transmitted case while the remaining cases contracted the virus in Spain, Italy and France, the ministry said in a statement.

14:00 GMT  Dutch coronavirus infections rise to 959, with two more deaths

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the Netherlands rose by 155 to 959, Dutch health authorities said.

The number of deaths rose by two to a total of 12 from a day earlier, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said in a statement.

12:40 GMT  India suspends domestic football and cricket games

India suspended domestic football until the end of this month, while domestic cricket was put on hold indefinitely due to the coronavirus.

The All India Football Federation said in a statement, following Ministry of Health and state government-level advice, all footballing activities under the aegis of AIFF stay suspended till March 31.

All I-League matches have also been suspended but the final of the franchise-based Indian Super League was due to go ahead without spectators in Goa later on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended all domestic matches as well till further notice.

UPDATE: In view of the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak, all domestic matches have been put on hold. More details  https://t.co/4J2CtXzvr9 pic.twitter.com/RopOjSfYZX  BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) March 14, 2020

12:20 GMT  Spanish town suspends Easter processions

Sevilles Holy Week processions will be cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, said the mayor of the southern Spanish city.

I want to communicate the most difficult decision I have taken in my five years as mayor, the suspension of the Holy Week processions 2020, Seville Mayor Juan Espadas Cejas wrote on Twitter.

Quiero comunicaros la decision mas dura en la que he participado como alcalde en estos cinco anos y que significa la suspension de los desfiles procesionales de la Semana Santa 2020 de forma consensuada con @ElConsejoSev y el Arzobispado. @Ayto_Sevilla #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/nPXF6R1dKV  Juan Espadas Cejas (@JuanEspadasSVQ) March 14, 2020

12:05 GMT  Afghanistan bans sport and Nowruz events, closes schools

The number of cases in Afghanistan has jumped to 11, the Heath Ministry said, prompting the country to ramp up its efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.





Among new restricting measures, the country cancelled traditional Nowruz ceremonies usually held to celebrate the Persian New Year. The government has also cancelled all sporting events, and schools are closed until an unspecified date, tweeted Waheed Omar, the director-general of the presidents office of public and strategic affairs.

11:45 GMT  Austria announces coronavirus aid package

Austria is making 4 billion euros ($4.4bn) immediately available to deal with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the conservative-led government said as it ditched a central pledge to balance its budget.

A balanced budget is always important, but Austrians health, jobs and a stable economy is more important, Finance Minister Gernot Bluemel told a government news conference, referring to his and fellow conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurzs top economic target.

11:25 GMT  Religious event in Malaysia connects 41 new cases

Malaysia reported 41 new coronavirus cases, all linked to a religious event on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur that was attended by about 10,000 people from several countries.

Following the new findings, the total number of infected people rose to 238, the health ministry said in a statement.

A total of 81 cases in the country have now been confirmed as connected to the same event held at a mosque between February 27 and March 1.

To contain the wave of infections, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin cancelled or postponed all gatherings, including international meetings, sport, social and religious events until after April, he said.

A Muslim wearing a protective mask uses his phone while lying down after the Friday prayers at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur [Huey Teng/Reuters]

11:10 GMT  Yellow vest protesters take to the streets despite ban

Thousands of French security forces fanned out across central Paris as anti-government Yellow vest protesters took to the street despite a ban on mass gatherings issued to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Friday that all gatherings with more than 100 people had been banned. Paris police had already turned down requests for protesters to demonstrate at sensitive sites, including the Champs Elysees where violent clashes broke out between security forces and protesters almost a year ago to the day.

Its Saturday, demonstration day. Some people think that the coronavirus wont touch them and refuse to respect the advice, a riot police officer told Reuters in front of a heavily armed vehicle blocking the road that leads to the presidential palace.

10:45 GMT  Cambodia bars people from five countries

Cambodia has banned entry for visitors coming from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the US to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The 30-day ban on foreigners will come into effect on March 17, the Ministry of Health said in a statement as Cambodia recorded two new cases, bringing its tally to seven.

The Kingdom of Cambodia has subsequently detected the COVID-19 virus on different foreign nationals, which requires immediate measures to prevent the spread and importation of the COVID-19 virus into Cambodia, said Minister of Health Mam Bunheng.

10:30 GMT  Death toll in Iran surges to 611 amid 12,792 cases

The coronavirus has killed another 97 people in Iran, pushing the death toll to 611 amid 12,792 cases, Iranian state TV said.

Iran is at the epicentre of the outbreak in the Middle East and also the country with the highest number of infected cases among government figures, including at least seven top officials who lost their lives.

To combat the coronavirus, Iran asked the International Monetary Fund for $5bn in emergency funding.

09:55 GMT  Abu Dhabi shuts down major cultural venues

Authorities in Abu Dhabi have closed major tourism and cultural venues, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum and the Ferrari World theme park, from March 15 to 31, hoping the move will help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

In line with precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of visitors, #AbuDhabis main tourist attractions, theme parks & cultural destination will be temporarily closed from 15 to 31 March to limit large gatherings and protect public health in response to COVID-19     (@admediaoffice) March 14, 2020

09:40 GMT  Rwanda confirms first case

Rwanda has become the latest country to report a case of the new coronavirus.

The patient is an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8, according to Rwandas health ministry. He had no symptoms on arrival, but presented himself to a health facility on March 13.

He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the ministry said. The tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management.

Rwanda is the 19th African nation to register a case.

09:20 GMT  Indonesias cases rise to 96, five deaths

Indonesia reported 27 more coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infection to 96 in the Southeast Asian country, said Achmad Yurianto, a health ministry official.

The total number of deaths from coronavirus rose to five, Yurianto said.

Cases were found in several cities across the archipelago, including the capital Jakarta, some cities in western and central Java, Manado city on Sulawesi island and Pontianak on Borneo island, he said.

A worker wearing protective suit passes near Jakartas Dufan amusement park, which is closed amid the coronavirus outbreak [Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters]

09:05 GMT  Namibia reports first two cases

Namibia reported its first two cases of coronavirus, with a Spanish couple who arrived in the Southern African country on Wednesday both testing positive and quarantined, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said.

Despite the news, the government would continue with plans to celebrate Namibias Independence Day on March 21, Shangula told a news conference.

08:50 GMT  Philippines confirms 34 new cases

The Philippines reported 34 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 98, ahead of the implementation of quarantine measures in the capital Manila.

It marked the largest single-day increase in confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian nation, which has eight coronavirus deaths.

Details of the new cases are being validated and authorities are verifying reports of additional cases, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a news conference.

08:40 GMT  Chinas imported cases surpass number of locally transmitted

China appears to be facing a new challenge as the number of infections coming from outside its borders

is now higher than the one of locally transmitted cases, as China continues to slow the spread of the virus domestically.

The National Health Commission confirmed 11 new cases, but seven of those were all detected in travellers coming into China from overseas, specifically Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Later on Saturday, Shanghais city government confirmed a further two imported cases in travellers from France and Spain.

08:20 GMT  Iran stops Abadan oil refinery expansion until mid-April

Iran has decided to halt work on the expansion of its Abadan oil refinery until mid-April.





In order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, the second phase of the Abadan refinery project will be halted from next week until mid-Farvardin (first Iranian calendar month which starts on March 20), the semi-official Mehr news agency said, citing Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company (NIOEC) Saeed Sattari Naini.

In December 2017, Chinas Sinopec Engineering (Group) Company, signed a deal with National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company to carry out the work over a period of four years.

08:10 GMT  Cambodia to close schools in two cities

Cambodia has ordered the closure of schools in the capital, Phnom Penh, and the popular tourist destination of Siem Reap in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, local media reported.

An annual two-week school break next month during the Khmer New Year holiday would start early, the Education Ministry said.

Students will return to school after the holiday period, which will be observed from April 14 to 16 this year.

Cambodia has so far reported seven infections in total.

07:42 GMT  Apple to close retail stores outside China

Apple will close all its retail stores outside China until March 27 hoping to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission.

We will be closing all of our retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27, Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a letter posted on the companys website.

In all of our offices, we are moving to flexible work arrangements worldwide outside of Greater China, he added. That means team members should work remotely if their job allows.

07:21 GMT  Trump, coronavirus and the politics of a pandemic

Experts warn world leaders will have to overcome nationalist tendencies to deal with the rapidly spreading disease.

Read more here.

07:06 GMT  Jakarta shuts down schools for two weeks

Schools across Indonesias capital, Jakarta, will close for two weeks after 69 people tested positive and four people died from the novel coronavirus.

People have been calling for these measures for a number of days now as this growing sense of anxiety builds up about the coronavirus outbreak, said Al Jazeeras Jessica Washington, reporting from Jakarta.

There are concerns particularly around transparency and how Indonesias government is handling this crisis, Washington said.

A teacher checks a student with a thermometer at school before the government ordered the closure of schools for two weeks. [Antara Foto/Reuters]

06:54 GMT  Saudi to suspend international flights

Saudi Arabias foreign ministry said on Saturday it would suspend international flights for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Kingdoms government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks (Starting from Sunday March 15th) as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus, it wrote on Twitter.

Precautionary Health Measures |  @MOISaudiArabia: The Kingdoms government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks [Starting from Sunday March 15th] as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus  Foreign Ministry  (@KSAmofaEN) March 14, 2020

The kingdom, which has registered 86 cases so far but no deaths, had already halted flights to some countries and closed schools and universities.

It has also suspended the Umra year-round pilgrimage to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

06:01 GMT Saturday  Metro Manila imposes curfew during coronavirus lockdown

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), which oversees the Philippine capital and its surrounding districts, has announced that it is imposing a curfew in the metropolis from Sunday.

MMDA Chairman Jojo Garcia told reporters on Saturday that 17 Metro Manila mayors have approved the curfew from 8pm to 5am local time.

The move follows an announcement by President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday that the entire capital region, with a population of more than 12 million, would be placed under lockdown from Sunday.

There are now six deaths and 64 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Philippines.





05:40 GMT  US Congress passes coronavirus relief package

The US House of Representatives early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed a coronavirus relief package for Americans hit by the pandemic.

The measure, which seeks additional fund amounting to $50bn, passed by 363 votes to 40 and will now move to the US Senate.

President Donald Trump tweeted his support for the bill before the vote and urged both Republicans and Democrats to back it.  AFP news agency

05:30 GMT  Thailand reports seven new coronavirus cases, total at 82

Thailand reported seven new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country to 82, health officials said.

One person has died so far, according to Reuters news agency.

A worker sprays disinfectant at Wat Pho temple in Bangkok amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus [Sakchai Lalit/AP]

04:09 GMT  New Zealand says everyone entering country must self-isolate to contain coronavirus

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that everyone entering the country from midnight on Sunday must self isolate for 14 days in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

People from small South Pacific island countries, which currently have no reported cases, will be exempted, Ardern said in a news conference.

New Zealand has a large South Pacific islander population.

All cruise ships will also be told not to come to New Zealand until June 30, she said.

Ardern said these were far-reaching and unprecedented measures to tackle a global pandemic. New Zealand has six confirmed cases and has not recorded any deaths. (Reuters news agency)

04:03 GMT  Colombia shuts border with Venezuela

Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez has ordered the border with Venezuela closed as part of the countrys coronavirus containment measures.

As of Friday, there were nine coronavirus cases in Colombia, and at least two cases in Venezuela.

The two countries share a 2,200-km (1,370-mile) border that is crossed by thousands of Venezuelans each day, searching for food and medicine.



More than 4.5 million Venezuelans have left their country in recent years amid its economic crisis, many arriving in Colombia.

04:03 GMT  US military to halt domestic travel

The US military has announced that it will halt all domestic travel, with some exceptions, for service members, defence department civilians and their families amid the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The memo, signed by the deputy secretary of defence, David Norquist, said the policy would go into effect on Monday through May 11, according to the Reuters news agency.

It added that exceptions could be granted for mission essential travel, travel necessary for humanitarian reasons and travel warranted due to extreme hardship.

03:59 GMT  Czech govt closing most shops, restaurants

The Czech government will shut most shops and restaurants from 6am local time on Saturday as part of measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, it said in an overnight statement.

Exceptions on the shop ban will include food stores, pharmacies and petrol stations.

03:05 GMT  Cambodia bans entries of foreigners from five countries

Cambodia has announced a ban on the entry of foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the US for 30 days, the Khmer Times reported on Saturday.

The ban will take effort on Tuesday, March 17. There are an estimated seven cases reported in Cambodia.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic will cost world tourism at least $22bn, according to the head of the World Travel and Tourism Council [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

02:25 GMT  China coronavirus death toll hits 3,189

Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on March 13, the countrys National Health Commission said on Saturday, up from eight cases a day earlier.

That brings the total number of confirmed cases on the mainland so far to 80,824.

The death toll from the outbreak in China had reached 3,189 as of the end of Friday, up by 13 from the previous day.

All of the latest deaths were in the central province of Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak, and 10 of them were in Hubeis provincial capital of Wuhan.

The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 80,824. [Ng Han Guan/AP]

02:13 GMT  Philippines reports sixth coronavirus death

The Philippine Department of Health announced on Saturday the death of another coronavirus patient  the first reported from the southern island of Mindanao.

The health department statement said that a 54-year-old resident of Metro Manila died on Friday night at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in the city of Cagayan de Oro.

The Philippines has at least 64 confirmed coronavirus cases. President Rodrigo Duterte has imposed a lockdown of the capital Metro Manila beginning on Sunday.

Village emergency response teams in Metro Manila undergo training on Friday in using protective suits when responding to potential cases of coronavirus [Rolex dela Pena/EPA]

01:15 GMT  Mexican coronavirus tally increases to 26

Mexico has registered a rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 26 from 15 a day earlier, Reuters news agency reported on Saturday, quoting the Mexican health ministry.

There have been reports that Mexico is considering measures at its northern border to slow the spread of the virus from the United States.

Earlier, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell was quoted as saying that the contagion from the United States was a threat.

23:47 GMT Friday  Mauritania confirms first coronavirus case

Mauritanias health ministry confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the West African country in a statement on Friday, according to Reuters news agency.

23:10 GMT Friday  UK plans to ban mass gatherings next week

The United Kingdom is planning to introduce emergency laws next week to ban mass gatherings in an attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters news agency reported, citing Sky News late on Friday.

We have drafted emergency legislation to give the government the powers it needs to deal with coronavirus, including powers to stop mass gatherings and compensate organisations, Sky News quoted the source as saying, according to the report.





Im Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur.

You can read all the updates from yesterday (March 13) here.

The World Health Organization (WHO), meanwhile, said Europe has now become the epicentre of the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Hyderabad: After Indias first Covid-19 reported in Karnataka and the coronavirus scare in Hitec City two weeks ago, Hyderabads companies are now temperature-screening staffers at work, sending several of them home to work.

An employee running a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit was directed to the companys medical centre and then sent home. While there were no directives asking them to work from home, many employees were contemplating it all the same.

A Dell employee working the night shift said, When we walked in today, we were screened for our temperatures. We were told this will continue for a few weeks.

An employee of Googles Nanakramguda office said they were screened for their temperature for over a week. Due to the nature of our work, my colleagues and I are required to physically be present in the office, she said.

But to prepare for a possible shutdown, we were asked to submit information such as internet speeds at our home, bandwidth and so on. There has also been a pilot run to see if working from home affects our work, she said.

Companies are continuing to cancel non-essential parties and get-togethers. They are liberally distributing hand sanitisers. A Capgemini employee said they were given free round-the-clock access to a doctor.

We have been told that we can go to the doctor in case we exhibit any flu-like symptoms, he said.

The Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) general secretary, Krishna Yedula, said that measures such as temperature screening have not been prescribed to any company.

These companies say they have received instructions to do so from their head offices. We have left it to their discretion.

Yedula said that SCSCs coordination committee was set to meet on Saturday morning as part of its regular efforts to monitor the situation.

We will discuss the Bangalore situation, he said. I dont think day-to-day operations will be affected in Hyderabad.
Remembered by the common man as the propagator of scientific socialism, Karl Marx is perhaps one of the most popular figures in history. Father of Marxism -- the critical theory about society, economics and polity -- Karl Marx lived a significant part of his life in exile and in poor economic condition.

Born on May 5, 1818, Karl Heinrich Marx breathed his last on March 14, 1883 in London, England. The German philosopher was born to a classical liberal Heinrich, an attorney, who was aligned to the thought process of Kant and Voltaire. Heinrich made Karl study the philosophers since an early age.

He grew up in an atmosphere where literature advocating political liberalism was being hounded by a conservationist government. Police also raided Marxs school in an attempt to catch revolutionaries hiding there.

Marxs college life was characterized by drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He was jailed for a day for his association with the Trier Tavern Club, a drinking society that worked against some of the aristocratic organizations on the University of Bonn campus. Marx refused to bow down to the Prussian leadership and societal norms.

He got engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, daughter of his fathers friend when he was only 19. Not only did Jenny belong to a different social class, she was also 4 years senior to him. Marxs revolutionary writings saw him get banned from several countries. Starting with his home country Prussia, Marx was subsequently banned from France and Belgium. He spent his life as a stateless man and only a handful people came for his funeral in 1883.

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Being alienated by nations and capitalist regimes did not stop the revolutionary from publishing his prolific writings. While staying in Paris, he met Friedrich Engels and began a life-long friendship.

It is believed that in the year 1846, the duo wrote a few manuscripts Theses on Feuerbach and the Introduction to the Critique of Political Economy but failed to find a publisher. It was compiled in The German Ideology and published through the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow in 1932.

His most popular work on socialism, The Communist Manifesto, was co-written with Engels. In Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels own words, The Communist Manifesto covered The history of all hitherto existing society, which is the history of class struggles. Published in 1848, it dealt with their idea of how the capitalist society would eventually be replaced by socialism.

Also, Engels backed Marx financially, lending him money for sustenance and helped him publish Das Kapital. Engels was also the one to edit the second and third volumes of Das Kapital after Marxs demise.

In Das Kapital, Marx goes deeper into the nature of capitalist society, the relationship between the worker and the capitalist, wages and commodities. Capped with the historical instances of capitalist exploitation, Marx concludes that such a system cannot last forever and its end was inevitable.

Although a weak chest had saved Marx from attending to his mandatory military service, he suffered from various other ailments. Headaches, eye problems, insomnia, liver and gallbladder problems, joint pain and depression-related symptoms were part of his life.

Though Marx is mostly remembered due to his political writings, he took part in fictional literature as well. Aside from several love poems dedicated to Jenny, Marx wrote a satirical novel called Scorpion and Felix and a drama. But Marx could not see his works getting published during his lifetime.

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There has long been a prescient economic saying that when China sneezes, Australia catches a cold.

Well, we now know all the details of the $17.6 billion federal government stimulus package aimed at saving our economy from succumbing to coronavirus.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and and Prime Minister Scott Morrison reveal the government's economic stimulus plan. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

As more of us are required to stay at home  either in self-quarantine or due to widespread cancellations of public gatherings  its all about Australia avoiding a recession.

Expectations are that the March quarter is a lost cause and gross domestic product growth will go backwards  by more than 1 per cent  so, the June quarter is key. Two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth equates to a recession. It would be our first in 27 years.
Boston

Museums across the city, including the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston Childrens Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Science have closed, as has the New England Aquarium. The popular Faneuil Hall Marketplace is keeping its restaurants and bars open, though service has shifted to takeout or delivery only.



Chicago

Visitors hoping to visit the sculpture known as The Bean are out of luck, as Cloud Gate Plaza, the section of Millennium Park featuring the iconic work, has closed. Navy Pier, home of the Centennial Wheel and other attractions along Lake Michigan, and Lincoln Park Zoo are closed, as are the Museum of Science and Industry, Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum.



Detroit

The Motor Citys Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Motown Museum are closed, as are the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant (the birthplace of the Model T and a popular place for tours). The big downtown casinos, including MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino, are closed, as well. The MGM Grand Detroit is closed, but Greektown and MotorCity hotels are continuing to operate.



Florida

All of the states major theme parks  Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, Legoland  and the Kennedy Space Center are closed.



Zoo Miami remains open but has suspended all events and programming until further notice. Beachgoers should also note that Miami has shut down the public beaches in South Beach from Fifth through 15th streets (other public beaches around the state are closed, too).

Las Vegas

Sin City is effectively shut down, after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak called for the closure of all nonessential businesses through April 16.



On the strip, widespread hotel and casino shutdowns include the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, the Venetian, the Palazzo and the properties run by MGM Resorts: the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, the Mirage, Luxor, New York-New York, Excalibur and Park MGM.



Caesars Entertainment has closed its strip properties, including the Flamingo and Caesars Palace, and has suspended live entertainment, as have many other venues (no Penn & Teller or Cirque du Soleil shows), until further notice.

The Mob Museum and Neon Museum are also closed.
A New Ross woman has been left stranded in coronavirus-hit Rome, describing the atmosphere in the city as 'apocalyptic'.

Nikki Saridakis, 23, has been living in the Eternal City since October, working in restaurants and studying to be an English language teacher.

She said everyone is on high alert.

'I have never seen a city change so much in a matter of hours. I was at college in the IH (International House) on Wednesday and everything was completely normal. As I was leaving school, someone said there was a possibility that it would have to close but no one believed it would happen and then it did.'

With only five days left to go in her course, Nikki is hoping she can complete it by the end of the month, but is considering leaving Rome today (Tuesday) if the situation worsens.

'I have been out in the city the past few nights and it feels like the last days of Rome. There are only two or three people on buses and the metro was empty one time I used it. Even at rush hour, there is nobody around. It's not nice walking around this spectacular city when there is nobody there. It's so eerie and unusual not to see hundreds of people around the Colosseum. I pretty much had the city to myself.'

An outbreak of the coronavirus in the Lazio region, where Rome is, has seen widespread panic grip the city.

'I am 100 per cent in limbo. I will wait until Tuesday and if things have gotten worse, I'll most likely get out of here. The thing is there was a case in Rome before and the person went straight into isolation. The hysteria is far more now. We are hearing about it every day in the news. It's just spreading so rapidly.'

Nikki said, as in other affected countries, people are wearing masks and latex gloves and there are 'wash your hands' signs everywhere.

'A lot of things have been cancelled,' she said.

The problem she will face is travel within Italy is restricted so Nikki is considering moving to Greece.

'It all depends on the airline. It's 100 per cent hysteria and panic here. Everyone seems to be getting ready for the announcement that Rome is an affected area. It seems to me like it's a normal flu. I think if you are young, you are fairly OK but obviously if you have any major respiratory problems or if you are older, it's a serious concern.'

Deputy Verona Murphy's haulage company, Drumur Transport Ltd delivers to northern Italy.

She said deliveries of frozen prwans and beef supplies have been affected.

'We are down on tonnage. It's not currently at crisis levels but we will see what the next week brings.'

She said some of her drivers have been issued with personal protection kits, including gloves.
State regulators have closed all three Massachusetts casinos for at least two weeks in hopes of slowing the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously on Saturday morning to close Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino as quickly as possible. Casino floors will close a few hours after midnight and hotels on Sunday.

In coordination with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, MGM Springfield will temporarily close for the wellbeing of everyone in the community, said MGM Chief Operating Officer and President Bill Hornbuckle, in a statement. We sincerely regret the impact this will have on our employees, their families, and the community, but their health and safety is our number one concern.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Saturday the decision to close, while difficult, was the only real option.

I was not surprised by it, Sarno said. Wed been hearing from the gaming commission.

He said the decision allows everyone to focus on stopping or slowing the spread of COVID-19. He knows businesses will suffer. He said his administration is seeking out any state or federal programs that will help small businesses.

The casinos agreed to pay employees during the forced shutdown. A staff comprised of cleaning crews, security and human resource workers will remain on property at all three locations.

The shutdown will last two weeks, or until at least Sunday, March 29, and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission plans to reassess the situation at that time.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission hosted a telephone, call-in meeting Saturday morning, hours after notifying the press. A consensus opinion to close state casinos for at least two weeks was apparent early in the call.

Commissioner Bruce Stebbins, a Springfield native, asked all three casinos to share any information they are sharing with staff. He also asked MGM Springfield president and chief operating officer Chris Kelley about tenant business at MGM Springfield, such as the movie theater.

Kelley said they are still in discussion with those businesses.

On Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker tightened restrictions on public gatherings statewide and signed an executive order allowing for remote meetings and suspending open meeting laws.

In Las Vegas, MGM Springfield owner MGM Resorts International began laying off staff Friday.

Ohio closed its casinos last week, including MGM Northfield Park.

In Pennsylvania, a state of emergency forced the shutdown of a casino in Valley Forge.

In January, Encore Boston Harbor recorded $48 million in gross gaming receipts; MGM Springfield took in $20.6 million in gaming revenue; and Plainridge Park reported nearly $11 million in slots revenue.

Management at all three properties said hotels will close at midnight Sunday after guests make other arrangement.

The exact time the casinos will close is unclear, with the discussion Saturday vacillating between midnight Saturday to Sunday or sometime in the early morning hours when fewer people would be there.

Law enforcement worries about dumping large numbers of people on the street at midnight.

In a statement posted on its website after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission shutdown, Encore Boston Harbor said the health and welfare of our guests and employees has been our primary concern throughout this health crisis. Encore Boston Harbor has been operating in excess of the safety recommendations of the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Rival Connecticut casinos, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resorts Casino, remain open but have taken other steps to limit the spread of COVID-19.

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Social distancing  canceling large gatherings, closing schools and offices, quarantining individuals and even sequestering entire cities or neighborhoods  seems to be the best way to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But its a crude and costly public health strategy. Shuttering shared spaces and institutions means families lose child care, wages and social support. Whats more, its insufficient to protect the older, sick, homeless and isolated people who are most vulnerable to the virus. They need extra care and attention to survive, not societys back.

I learned this firsthand while studying another recent health crisis, the great Chicago heat wave of 1995. In that event, as in so many other American disasters, social isolation was a leading risk factor and social connections made the difference between life and death.

In Chicago, social isolation among older people in poor, segregated and abandoned neighborhoods made the heat wave far more lethal than it should have been. Some 739 people died during one deadly week in July, even though saving them required little more than a cold bath or exposure to air-conditioning. There was plenty of water and artificial cooling available in the city that week. For the truly disadvantaged, however, social contact was in short supply.

Good governments can mitigate damage during health crises by communicating clearly and honestly with the public and providing extra service and support to those in need. But as the heat settled into Chicago, the mayor focused more on public relations than public health. He neglected to issue an official emergency or call in additional paramedics until it was too late. He publicly challenged the medical examiners reports that hundreds were dying from heat. In news conferences, he insisted that his administration was doing everything possible. His health service commissioner blamed those who died for neglecting to take care of themselves.
Tuolumne County Public Health Department View Photo

Sonora, CA  In the wake of federal, state and regional actions, Tuolumne County has now enacted emergency measures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to Health Department spokesperson Michelle Jachetta, Interim Health Officer Eric Sergienko initiated the declaration Friday afternoon. It includes an order to cancel, postpone or modify large gatherings as per state guidelines. The Tuolumne County Supervisors are expected to ratify the action at a meeting next week. Pertinent information is as follows:

The Public Health Department has activated its Department Operations Center (DOC) to effectively respond to the COVID-19 incident, including communication and coordination with the Countys federal, state, and local partners.

While there are not yet any confirmed cases within the county, the Acting Tuolumne County Health Officer has declared a local health emergency in order to enhance the effectiveness of the response to COVID-19, to seek and utilize mutual aid, potentially obtain reimbursement, and ensure that the Countys public health professionals and providers have all necessary resources to provide quality care and keep our community safe. Along with this declaration, Dr. Sergienko has issued an order to support the guidance on mass gatherings released by the State this week.

Testing

Testing is being conducted at the discretion of health care providers in the community, based on their clinical assessment and currently recommended guidance. Tests that will be conducted through the Public Health laboratory system are coordinated with the County Public Health Department. Testing is available through Quest laboratories with a health care providers order. These tests are not required to be communicated through the Public Health Department, but local providers are strongly encouraged to do so. Any positive test result must be reported to the Public Health Department

Mass Gatherings

Guidance from the State was issued on March 11th regarding mass gatherings in an effort to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19 in California. You can review the guidance details here. Dr. Sergienko has issued an order to support and implement these state recommendations in Tuolumne County.

Schools

At this time it is not being recommended to close schools as Tuolumne county does not currently have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no evidence of community spread. It is of more benefit to allow students to continue to attend school with the implementation of the recommended increase in hygiene and monitoring practices, as well as suggested limitation of some activities. Recommended actions for schools can be found here. Please do not send your children to school if they are ill and/or have a fever without taking medication.

What You Can Do

The CDC has updated information and guidance for specific audiences such as businesses, healthcare professionals, schools, community- and faith-based organizations, vulnerable populations, and more here. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) also has specific guidance documents available here.

Practice everyday preventions to stay healthy. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or with hand sanitizer when soap is not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you are ill, stay at home. If other family members are ill, including children, keep them home.

Practice social distancing: put more space between yourself and others. About six feet is good, if possible. Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects often with soap and water or household cleaners. Dont forget your cell phone.

If you have symptoms or get sick

Stay home, unless you need to seek medical care. Call ahead before visiting your doctor, clinic, or hospital. Wear a face mask to avoid spreading germs.

Cover your cough with a tissue and immediately throw it in the trash, or cough into your bent elbow. Wash your hands after using a tissue. Wash your hands often and avoid sharing personal items.
Catholic churches across Rome shut due to virus

WORLD: All Catholic churches across Rome have been closed to stem the spread of a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 1,000 people across Italy.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthreligiontourism

By AFP

Friday 13 March 2020, 10:07AM

Faithfuls listen to Pope Francis speech as he delivers the Sunday Angelus prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peters Square, at the Vatican on Mar 1. Photo: AFP

The churches will reopen when a broader Italian government crackdown on public gatherings expires on April 3, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the papal vicar for Rome, said in a statement.

Catholic faithful have been exempted from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.

The Vatican had spent days resisting having to take the drastic measure of shuttering places of worship in the overwhelmingly Catholic country.

It closed its museums and even the Saint Peters Basilica  parts of its soaring dome designed by Michelangelo  to tourists as the death toll continued to mount.

All masses, weddings and funerals across the country have also been called off.

But some church buildings in the country will stay open as long as the faithful follow government regulations and remain a metre (three feet) apart while inside.

It was not immediately clear when Romes churches were last forced to close en masse.

The Nazis and Italian Fascists kept Pope Pius XII confined to the Vatican during World War II.

Some Rome churches kept their doors open during the war.

Domestic churches

The closures come with the pope himself suffering from a cold and communicating with the faithful by livestream as a safety precaution.

Pope Francis complained of feeling caged while reading his traditional Sunday Angelus Prayer into a camera from a Vatican library instead of his usual window overlooking crowds on Saint Peters Square.

The 83-year-old was also forced to miss his weekly Wednesday appearance on the square that he often uses to hug and shake hands with the faithful from across the world.

The new regulations cover the Italian capital and not the Vatican City statelet located entirely within Rome.

The Holy See has recorded one COVID-19 infection and is awaiting the results of another person who attended one of its functions at the start of the month.

The cardinals statement said access to churches of the Diocese of Rome open to the public  and more generally to religious buildings of any kind open to the public  is forbidden to all the faithful.

The statement added that monasteries would remain open to communities that habitually use them as residents.

This provision is for the common good, De Donatis wrote.

The Italian government on Wednesday (Mar 11) announced a comprehensive crackdown that closed all stores except for pharmacies and groceries.

De Donatis said he was finally moved to close Romes churches by the even more binding restrictions placed on the ordinary movement of people.
POINTE BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten Management was informed on Friday about the suspension of port calls from five cruise lines namely, Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL), MSC Cruises, Costa Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises. The suspension affects their global cruise itinerary due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures being taken by the cruise lines is to help curb the spread of the virus and keep guests, crew, and communities that the vessels visit, safe and healthy.

Port St. Maarten Management said on Friday that it will continue to advise the community of any further information that becomes available regarding cruise line developments.

Port St. Maarten received information that Carnival Cruise Lines is also suspending embarkation cruises for a 30-day period. Carnival Cruise Line was founded in 1972 and is part of a family of companies owned by Carnival Corporation, which includes sister lines Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard Line, among others. The cruise line has 25-ships.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also announced on Friday the suspension of cruising in the United States for a 30-day period which would be around April 15. Cruises that depart US ports before midnight tonight (Friday) and international cruises will operate their scheduled itineraries. US ships already at sea will finish their itineraries as planned.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that controls and operates four global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. RCL is also a 50% joint venture owner of the German brand TUI Cruises and a 49% shareholder in the Spanish brand Pullmantur Cruceros. Together these brands operate a combined total of 61 ships with an additional 17 on order as of December 31, 2019. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on all seven continents.

MSC Cruises informed Port St. Maarten that they have suspended all their cruises departing from Miami and the Antilles starting from March 14 until May 1. This is due to the worsening situation related to COVID-19.

Swiss-based MSC Cruises is the worlds largest privately-owned cruise company and the number one cruise line in Europe and South America. The MSC Cruises fleet currently comprises 17 ultra-modern, highly innovative and elegantly designed ships.

Costa Cruises announced on Friday that they will voluntarily halt the global operations of ships until April 3.

The Costa Crociere Group is Italys biggest tour operator. Part of the Carnival Corporation & plc Group, with a fleet of 103 ships (over 11.5 million passengers in 2016), the Costa Crociere Group is parent company of the Costa Cruise Lines and AIDA Cruises brands.

With 27 ships in service for an overall capacity of around 76,000 guests, the Group is headquartered in Genoa and operates at global level, mainly on routes in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, North and Central America, South America, the Arab Emirates, the Indian Ocean, the Far East and Africa.

Windstar Cruises last port of call to the destination will be on March 14. Windstar has temporarily suspended operations of all sailings embarking on March 14 through April 30, 2020. Cruises will begin operating again according to schedule on May 1, 2020.

Windstar Cruises operates a six-ship fleet of small sailing and all-suite ships visiting approximately 270 ports in 2018 sailing throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Asia, Alaska, Canada and New England, and cruising year-round in Tahiti.
(Bloomberg) -- One barometer of competence for the worlds governments and health-care systems as they battle the coronavirus pandemic lies in the testing itself.

How nations handle the most basic aspect of disease detection may be as important for the trust in governments, and even the survival of some administrations, as it is for the wellbeing of the populations they serve.In the U.S., a top medical official acknowledged on Thursday that the slow roll-out of tests to track down early carriers, and so contain the spread of Covid-19 across a nation of 330 million, was a failing for a medical system thats poorly designed for the task.

The idea of anyone getting it [a test] easily, the way people in other countries are doing it, were not set up for that, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Do I think we should be? Yes. But were not.Early, aggressive testing, shoe leather detective measures and so-called social distancing have been key to the success of countries such as Singapore, which have largely managed to prevent the spread of the virus into the wider population. Tests there are free, the government developed a kit it says produces results in three hours at 99% accuracy, and even the police get involved in administering them at checkpoints.

Drive-Throughs

South Korea has created drive-through facilities to help test as many as 20,000 people a day. Australia, where actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, recently tested positive (Hanks was on a shoot for an Elvis Presley movie), said on Wednesday that it will roll out 100 pop-up clinics to extend free testing coverage, in a $1.6 billion effort to stop the coronavirus.

For China, testing in the community outside the epicentre in Hubei province is thought to have helped slow the disease to other parts of the country.The contrast with the U.S. is stark. Anger has exploded over reports of faulty test kits, exorbitant charges and the inability of those fearing they have the disease to access them at all. The administration has sent mixed signals, with President Donald Trump saying tests are widely available while some health officials and lawmakers speak of shortages or restricted eligibility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says testing rose from 100 per day last month to 1,200 by March 5.Yes, I think it is a test for governments and health systems, said William Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard University. That isnt because the ideal way to fight Covid-19 has been found or that testing offers a panacea -- far from it, he said. Its because you cant wait until you know these things for sure to act, or until people show obvious symptoms. By the time they do, the disease has already moved on.

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Stop Agonizing

The message is clear for governments as they deliberate over whether to close schools, test widely, have people work from home or dedicate entire hospitals to treating the virus: It is going to happen to you, stop agonizing and waiting for data, Hanage said.

Making the wrong choices on coronavirus could have significant human, economic and political consequences.

We know that governments will shake as citizens judge them to have fumbled in their response, to the virus, Jon Alterman, Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a March 12 call with reporters. We know that economies will be disrupted, and some economies are likely to collapse.The U.S. is not alone in being slow to roll out timely, accurate and widely-available tests. A dearth of kits is thought to have contributed to the rapid spread of the virus in Iran, where medical personnel believe the official accounting of cases and deaths to be understated.

Mexican Hugs

In Mexico, where President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has downplayed the threat from the disease - he said Wednesday that people should hug more, not keep their distance - only 278 people had been tested by March 10, according to the health ministry. Thats spurred fears the disease could be spreading undetected in a country with a population of 127 million.

India, with a population of 1.4 billion, announced its first fatality on Thursday and medical experts have called for more testing, fearing the potential for the virus to move rapidly through the community.Having lost the battle to contain Covid-19  always a tough ask given it can be passed on before showing symptoms  nations have responded very differently to the value of further testing to slow the disease.South Korea stands out for ramping up mass testing after the disease had already exploded in the community. Forty-two companies have submitted 64 test kit samples for accreditation. Tests are free for anyone exposed or showing symptoms. Others can choose to be tested for $130, compared to thousands reportedly charged in the U.S.An official at South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who asked not to be identified said there was no doubt of the importance of mass testing. Queries had come from counterparts in the U.S., Japan, Singapore, Israel and countries in Europe, the person said.

U.K. Practice

Israel, which currently has no coronavirus deaths reported, tells anyone with a fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) or other symptoms to call an emergency service which dispatches someone with a testing kit. Thats happening hundreds of times a day, according to the health ministry. On Thursday the ministry announced it would quadruple the level of testing.Yet by no means all are following suit, including the U.K., a country with a centralized universal health-care system that has limited testing to those seen to be at risk.

That should have included a 24-year-old Vietnamese woman living in London, who sought medical help after traveling in Europe with a friend who contracted the virus. She was sent home twice without being tested, according to the Vietnamese health ministry.

Her parents, who founded a luxury retail company in Vietnam, hired a private plane to bring their daughter home, the government said. After landing in Ho Chi Minh City on March 9, she was placed in a special field hospital built in February, tested and found positive.

The U.K. government changed its protocols this week as it moved from attempting to contain the coronavirus to mitigating it. It will now focus testing efforts on diagnosing those sick in the hospital.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government stress they are relying heavily on scientific advice in their relatively relaxed response, treating it as a flu thats here to stay and which people will need to develop immunity to. Japan, too, has decided not to focus resources on mass testing.

Testing everyone who has flu-like symptoms would require a huge budget. So, were trying to come up with the best allocation of resources, Takuma Kato, director of the virus control office in Japans health ministry, told reporters on Monday.

Decisions, as U.S. infectious disease head Fauci said on Thursday, can have as much to do with the systems that are available as they can the science. Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and other countries in Asia have responded aggressively due to their previous experience with SARS and MERS and the infrastructure they put in place for a pandemic  infrastructure that many other countries just dont have.

Australias government is still smarting from the political beating it took over accusations of a lax response to catastrophic fires that swept the country, and is anxious to avoid a repeat. The starting point for U.K. officials, meanwhile, is to protect a hospital system that lacks emergency room beds and struggles to cope with the common influenza strains that rip through the population every year.

Once coronavirus is out in the community, even if someone is detected as having it there isnt much to do about it, said Rosanna Peeling, Chair of Diagnostics Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who previously ran diagnostics research at the World Health Organization. You have to allocate a lot of resources to testing that can be better used diagnosing and treating people who get very ill.

--With assistance from Sohee Kim, Kanga Kong, Nguyen Xuan Quynh, Faris Mokhtar, Isabel Reynolds, Josh Wingrove, Drew Armstrong, Robert Hutton, Dandan Li, Sharon Chen, Dong Lyu, Claire Che, Jason Scott, Andrea Navarro, Juan Pablo Spinetto and Jing Li.

To contact the reporter on this story: Marc Champion in London at mchampion7@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rosalind Mathieson at rmathieson3@bloomberg.net, Alan Crawford

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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In a media briefing Saturday afternoon, P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on P.E.I.

The Queens County woman is in her 50s and recently returned from a cruise, Morrison said.

She said the case is mild and the person is at home doing well, as is her family.

Morrison said the woman did exactly what she was supposed to do  upon her return, when she began to develop symptoms she went home and she called 811.

She said she received the confirmation of the case this afternoon.

'Delivering the news was difficult'

The woman returned to the Island on March 7 and began experiencing symptoms on March 10. She then called 811 and was tested on March 11.

Morrison said telling the woman she had tested positive was difficult.

"I spoke to the woman earlier and it was certainly hard to give her that news, and what that means for her close contacts and the worry for her."

The tests were done at the National Microbiology Laboratory, or NML, in Winnipeg. Morrison said P.E.I.'s cases go straight to the NML to be tested.

We expect results to come back every day. I'm called for every positive case and will continue to be, unless the numbers become too many.  Dr. Heather Morrison

"It makes me happy that we're doing all these things, given the direction we have. We're following suit with the rest of the provinces and the federal government," in preparing for COVID-19, she said.

"It just reminds us, let's be vigilant and the importance of why we're making these decisions."

Morrison said a decision on the closures of public schools on P.E.I. will likely be made later this upcoming week.

She said whether the province decides to open additional testing sites will be re-evaluated as the situation progresses.

"It really depends on resources, on the people who can do the testing and also the numbers as we go forth."

Morrison said the ultimate goal is to minimize the spread.

Story continues

"Because most of the cases have been linked out-of-country travel, that's the risk and that's why some of these measures have been put in place."

"We expect results to come back every day. I'm called for every positive case and will continue to be, unless the numbers become too many."

Since testing sites opened three days ago, the province has conducted 68 tests, Morrison said.

Self-isolation

Morrison said she will have more details on the positive case in the coming days.

She clarified that self-isolation is only recommended for those who have travelled outside of the country after March 8. Those who travelled prior to that date are still being asked to monitor for symptoms.

"If you have traveled from March 8 onward it is recommended you self-isolate for a total 14 days."

She said if people in self-isolation begin experiencing symptoms, those living with them should also self-isolate and monitor their symptoms until test results are confirmed.

Morrison elaborated that the movement of goods and the transportation industry are considered essential travel. People like truck drivers and airline crew will still be able to continue their daily activities but are being asked to self-monitor.

She said the province will continue to have live conferences every day as the situation develops.

The province has put up signs addressing travel, at the Confederation Bridge and at the Charlottetown Airport directing all international travellers to self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.
The Covid-19 outbreak is proving to be a party pooper for people who had wedding functions lined up for this month.

The cancellation of visas by multiple countries has sent the NRIs and their big fat wedding plans into a tizzy.

Owners of hotels and marriage palaces are flooded with calls to postpone the bookings due to the restrictions imposed on arrivals from other countries.

Hotel and Restaurant Association president Amarbir Singh said their business has been adversely hit due to the spread of coronavirus, especially in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia as majority of the Punjabi diaspora is settled in these countries.

Many people from the town are either studying or living abroad while their parents are still here. Thus, many NRI weddings scheduled in March have been either been cancelled or postponed for the time being till the situation turns normal, Amarbir said.

President of Punjab Marriage Palace and Resort Association Amarjeet Singh said, We are yet to receive any order from the government regarding cancellation of the events. However, deputy commissioner (DC) Pradeep Agrawal has issued some instructions pertaining to hygiene. We have been told to keep sanitisers at the marriage palace. Besides, we are in talks with the local relatives of NRIs and are trying to establish contact with the embassies so that we could gather information about their status. However, there has been no response so far.

A woman currently settled in Canadas Brampton was scheduled to marry on April 15. But, now she is now unsure if she would be able to make it to the wedding.

Wedding invites have already been sent and reservations have been made. So much money has been spent on shopping, but due to the spread of virus, everything has come to a standstill. I dont even know if I would be allowed to travel to India, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

While sharing details about dwindling turnout at hotel and restaurant, a hotelier, Jasram Singh Grewal, said, Leave alone weddings of NRIs, people are showing reluctance to even attend local functions. The hotel industry has been badly hit as occupancy has witnessed a massive drop.

Darshan Kumar, legal officer of NRI Sabha, said people holding an Indian passport could visit the country without fear.

There is no need to panic. People travelling from abroad have to follow the medical protocol set by the government, he added.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Specifically, the 50th patient is a 50-year-old man residing in Hanois Ba Dinh district. He returned home on March 9 from a working trip to Paris, France. On March 11, he developed a fever and coughing.

He is being quarantined at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in the outlying district of Dong Anh, and in stable condition.

The 51st is a 22-year-old student living in Hanois Bac Tu Liem district. From February 23 to March 12, she travelled through many countries in Europe. On March 11, she had high temperature and coughing.

On March 13, she arrived at Hanois Noi Bai international airport on flight QR968 and was sent straight to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh.

She is being treated at the hospital with stable health condition.

The 52nd is a 24-year-old woman residing in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province, who returned to Vietnam on a flight from London on March 9. After landing in Noi Bai international airport, she took a taxi to her home in Ha Long and was later sent to the provinces quarantine facility.

Her sample sent to the NIHE showed positive on March 14.

The 53rd is a 53-year-old Czech citizen, who had contact with some Italians while in his home country.

On March 10, he arrived at Tan Son Nhat international airport on flight QR970 from Qatars Doha. After entering Vietnam, he stayed in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

After showing symptoms of coughing and tiredness on March 13, he had a check-up at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine and was transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Tropical Diseases after his lung was found to be partly turned dark.

He is now receiving treatment at the HCM City Hospital of Tropical Diseases.
In traditional legislative terms, the process of coming up with a coronavirus response bill has been advancing steadily along. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, had literally been working around the clock to achieve a bipartisan agreement on a bill by Friday afternoon. She had been negotiating with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, one of the few Trump administration figures with whom she holds a decent working relationship, to reach agreement on something that the president and House Republicans could support. Pelosis deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, had been tweeting each call that the speaker had been having with Mnuchin. They had spoken nine times on Friday by 2:15.

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That ninth call came shortly after Pelosi spoke to the press about the package she was putting together, which would include free coronavirus testing, two weeks paid leave for those affected by the outbreak, and strengthening unemployment insurance and food assistance programs. In her remarks, she said nothing about whether she had reached an agreement on such a package with Mnuchin, or whether Trump would support it. Democrats expect to vote one way or another on Friday, either on a Democratic bill or on a bipartisan deal.

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A major sticking point: House Republicans, who passed $1.5 trillion in tax cuts largely targeted to the wealthy and corporations in 2017, say they have deep concerns about the cost of two weeks paid leave for people who cant work during a pandemic.

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That doesnt mean they couldnt support an agreement with such provisions. But like anything the legislative branch tries to do, it depends on something outside the halls of Congress. Republicans still need to know the only thing they ever need to know: that President Donald Trump likes it. As Politico reported Friday, House Republicans have grown skittish about a coronavirus package negotiated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and are hoping President Donald Trump openly embraces the bill to provide them political cover.

Mike Ricci, a former spokesman for House Speaker Paul Ryan, described the situation like so:

Ah, the we need a tweet whipping strategy. Dont miss that. https://t.co/jBw6LwQK5P  Mike Ricci (@riccimike) March 13, 2020

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There were countless occasions in the previous Congress, whether on health care, immigration, budget deals, or appropriations bill, in which the Republican rank and file may have had ideological objections to certain provisionsbut mostly hinged their votes on whether Trump would tweet his support. Given Trumps pathological interest in heightening suspense to draw more attention to himself, he could drag these decisions out for some time.

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At his press conference on Friday afternoon, after the president had given a roll call of blue-chip corporate CEOs an opportunity to pump the market ahead of the closing bell, Trump sounded sour on the negotiations.

We dont think theyre giving enough, Trump said of the Democrats, while adding that theyre still negotiating. Theyre not doing whats right for the country. What he did not do, however, was specify which provisions he had problems with, the sort of specificity that might have moved the process along.

If the two sides cant reach a deal, House Democrats will pass their own measure with mostly Democratic votes. It will then reach the Senate, where Republicans would be likely to reject it when they return to Washington next week. In other words, another week or so will pass with the legislature having provided bupkis in the form of aid or stimulus to combat the pandemic that has shut down the world.
Conroe Mayor Toby Powell issued a statement late Friday urging residents to stop the panic after hoards of residents flooded stores to stock up on items leaving most shelves bare in the wake of several COVID-19 cases confirmed locally and the city and county issuing disaster declarations.

Powell, like County Judge Mark Keough, said the declarations which canceled dozens of events including the Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo and the citys KidzFest, were an effort to stop the spread of the virus. However, residents quickly swarmed stores.

I will not minimize what we are facing, Powell said adding residents just needed to take simple precautions to avoid the virus. Coronavirus spreads quickly and easily. Most people experience mild symptoms, but some experience serious symptoms that will require hospitalization. The Montgomery County Health District is seeing indications that the virus will spread within our county. The number of people who will need specialized medical care will likely rise over the coming weeks and months.

Our goals are to slow the spread of the virus and protect our medical resources for those who will need them.

Powell said taking steps to help stop the spread is critical to ensure public safety including avoiding crowds, washing hands or using a sanitizing gel, avoiding retirement homes and communities, checking on elderly family members and friends, communicate with neighbors via text or social media and help those who are most vulnerable.

Powell stressed the community does not need to worry about water supply or fuel.

We do not foresee contamination of shortages of these resources, Powell said.

The city parks and recreation areas will remain open, but Powell asked residents to avoid large gatherings.

I have faith in this community, and I have faith in God, Powell said. The city is working diligently to care for the citizens of Conroe and know the heart and strength with which our citizens always respond to adversity.

We do not know what the coming days will hold but be assured that the city is here to assist you with your questions and concerns.

Both Powell and Keough, signed disaster declarations Thursday. The countys declaration will extend 30 days while the city issued a seven-day declaration with potential plans to extend it next week in a special council meeting.

According to information from the MCPHD, the three county cases are a Patton Village police officer in his 40s; a woman in her 40s who resides in South Montgomery County and traveled to New Orleans recently; and the third a man, who is also in his 40s, resides in Northwest Montgomery County whose only travel history was to Florida.

All three patients are being treated at local hospitals. As of Friday, there were no cases within the city of Conroe.

Grocery store response

As shoppers flock to stores for products, large grocers like H-E-B, Kroger and Walmart were taking action to keep stores clean and sanitized and working to keep shelves stocked.

In a statement from H-E-B, officials urged preparedness, not panic.

In order to help ensure all can secure the products they need, when they need them, weve implemented limits on certain items because we know limits will help protect the supply chain in Texas, the statement read. While our customers might find our supply of some products low or temporarily out of stock, please rest assured knowing that were maintaining close contact with our suppliers and our partners are working around-the-clock to keep our shelves stocked. We encourage customers to check back with us if they cannot find what they need, as well continue to restock our products.

H-E-B officials also temporarily stopped all in store food demos.

Rodney McMullen, CEO for The Kroger Co., along with Walmart officials said they were limiting the purchase of products as well.

We believe that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable food and essentials, especially in times of uncertainty, he stated in a release. Thats why our teams are working so hard to keep our stores clean, open and stocked. Thats why we took the precautionary step on March 2 to limit the number of cold, flu and sanitary products per orderso everyone can have access to the items they need. And thats why our supply chain teams are working to ensure that the food, medicine and cleaning supplies our customers need are reaching our stores as quickly as possible and are available through our pickup, delivery and ship services.

Walmart officials said they were monitoring the situation and making sure to get products to areas that are most in need.

As one would expect, paper products, cleaning supplies and other items are in high demand as customers prepare for the possible impact of COVID-19, a statement released by the company read. We are working to replenish those items quickly, including diverting products to areas of the country where they are needed most and routing deliveries directly to stores. We have also authorized our store managers to manage their inventory, including the discretion to limit sales quantities on items that are in unusually high demand.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
The beleaguered New Mexicans whose Hawaiian cruise aboard the Grand Princess sank into a morass of confusion, frustration and silence over COVID-19 concerns may finally be headed home this weekend, a full week after they had been scheduled to return.

Or not.

The New Mexicans had been among the 3,533 passengers and crew aboard the ship, docked since Monday in the Port of Oakland with ever-changing and rarely communicated plans on what to do next after two passengers and 19 crew members tested positive for coronavirus.

At a news conference Friday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she had secured two charter airplanes and that her goal was to have New Mexican passengers home by Friday or Saturday.

But late Friday, her spokeswoman, Nora Meyers Sackett, said the state was having difficulty obtaining approval from federal authorities to release the New Mexicans from the three military bases where they are being housed.

Four New Mexicans housed at Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego had been expected to depart Friday night, Sackett said.

The situation is in flux, she said. We are still working on it around the clock.

Other New Mexicans remain at Dobbins Air Force Base, in Georgia, and Travis Air Force Base, in Northern California, although it is unknown how many passengers were at each.

There are a lot of numbers going around, Sackett said.

But as of Friday night, eight of the New Mexicans whereabouts were unclear, after several of them staged a protest late Thursday aboard a transport bus.

Cindy Rizzo of Los Lunas, whose ordeal was featured in this column Thursday, said she, husband Mark and six other New Mexicans had been among the last to disembark from the ship and put on a bus heading to an airport to be flown to Miramar. But when they were told they would be flown instead to Dobbins, the passengers refused to leave the bus.

Please HELP! Rizzo posted in Facebook.

Rizzos last Facebook post said simply: Forcibly removing me.

Attempts to reach Rizzo since then have been unsuccessful. Her friends in Albuquerque also say they have not heard from her.

Sackett said the governor and her office were aware of the situation but did not say what had become of the passengers on the bus.

Lujan Grishams decision to bring the New Mexicans home was a reversal of her earlier plan to have all New Mexicans flown to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in Texas, to be tested and quarantined there.

But after Texas refused to take passengers from other states and complaints by passengers grew louder about how disorganized the federal agencies tasked with handling them were and how they were not being told what was going to happen to them, Lujan Grisham ordered that arrangements be made to bring the New Mexicans home to be tested, treated and self-quarantined.

They are frustrated, tired and exasperated, and it is a fair emotional response, Lujan Grisham said.

All New Mexicans are expected to be tested and receive a public health escort to their homes, where they will self-isolate, Hackett said.

As news of their pending homecoming, whenever it comes, spread Friday, several New Mexicans responded with relief and surprise.

Weve been in the same clothes for four days, and we just learned our luggage is in Miramar, so going home is a good thing, said Donald Sattler, who arrived at Dobbins earlier this week with his travel partner, Antje Muir.

Both say they have heard little about their fate since the ship went under quarantine March 5 and was diverted from San Francisco to Oakland. The two-week cruise had been scheduled to return March 7. The cruise began in Los Angeles, traveled to Hawaii and was diverted from a stop in Ensenada, Mexico, after COVID-19 was detected.

Muir said she and Sattler have not been tested for COVID-19.

Across the country in Miramar, Carolyn Wright reported that she and travel partner Beryl Ward were tested Friday afternoon.

The med techs told us that they had been instructed to prioritize testing for New Mexico and Nevada residents, said Wright, whose experience was also featured in Thursdays column.

We are hoping that means that we are one step closer to getting back to New Mexico.

Its just that no one yet knows how many steps it will take to get them home.

UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com.
Anmar Khalil / Associated Press

BAGHDAD  A barrage of rockets hit a base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi security officials said, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans.

The U.S.-led coalition said at least 25 107mm rockets struck Camp Taji just before 11 a.m. Some struck the area where coalition forces are based, while others fell on air defense units, the Iraqi military statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 09:45:30|Editor: zyl

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KAMPALA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his visiting Ethiopian counterpart Sahle-Work Zewde on Friday discussed the peace and security situation in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.

The two leaders condemned the recent attempted assassination of Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and encouraged all parties to Sudan's peace process to negotiate for the good of the country, according to a joint statement issued at the end of Zewde's one-day visit.

The leaders also said the formation of the transitional unity government in South Sudan is a key milestone in South Sudan's peace process, urging all the parties to commit to the restoration of peace and stability in South Sudan.

On the situation in Somalia, the leaders said the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) needs to continue supporting the Somali government to strengthen its capacity to maintain peace and stability ahead of the upcoming elections.

"They reiterated the need for AMISOM to maintain a strong presence in Somalia and to avoid the premature demands for a troop drawdown, which would affect the gains made so far," the statement said.

Since 2007, the African Union has deployed peacekeeping troops in Somalia to help stabilize the horn of African country.

The United Nations Security Council has approved a gradual reduction of the troops with Somali forces eventually taking over.
Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the first thing Nguyen Thi My Loan does every day at Mishow Ltd.Co in Tokyo is to wash her hands with sanitiser. This is a mandatory requirement for all employees at the company.

A Vietnamese trainee wears a mask while working at Mishow Ltd. Co in Tokyo.

I am from HCM City. I have been working at Mishow for two years. Currently, no COVID-19 cases have been reported at the company, she said.

I have been given a face mask. Every day, I wash my hands with soap distributed by the company every two hours. So we feel secure.

Trinh, another trainee at the same company, said the COVID-19 epidemic had not affected her job much.

I still work as usual and receive my full salary. To protect myself, I always wear a face mask, wash my hands with soap regularly and avoid travelling in crowded spaces. In addition, I also eat different kinds of food to boost my immune function, she said.

Hiroko Sudo, president cum general director of Mishow Ltd. Co, a knitwear manufacturer in Japan, said the company had adopted a number of measures to protect its staff from COVID-19.

The company cleans and disinfects places where people are often in contact with in the workshop such as door handles, toilets and handrails. The job is done twice a day, she said.

All employees were asked to wash their hands and disinfect with sanitiser after going out and returning to the company, Sudo said.

She recommended trainees avoid travelling to crowded spaces and only going out when necessary.

Mishow has so far received about 100 Vietnamese apprentices. Of them, 21 are working at its factory in Hachioji, Tokyo.

To prevent the spread of the disease, trainees who show flu or fever symptoms will be allowed to stay at home, she said, adding that going to hospital for check-ups immediately was not the right choice given the current outbreak of the virus.

Similar actions are also taken by other organisations in Japan.

Mikio Kesagayama, chairman of the board at Tokyo International Communication Committee (TICC), said the company had organised online meetings with its offices in prefectures such as Hokkaido, Sendai, Nagoya and Shiga to understand the situation and form a prevention plan.

We monitor the health of all staff and trainees. They are required to fill in health declarations every day, he said.

TICC has welcomed 2,000 Vietnamese trainees since 1999.

According to Kesagayama, TICC has asked companies that received trainees to take preventive measures including measuring their body temperatures regularly and recommending they wash their hands and gargle often.

It is understandable that the Vietnamese Government will take care of its people but once they work in Japan, we will take responsibility for managing and protecting their health, he said.

He also said the Japanese government had a policy to support businesses which were affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

Although there have been no COVID-19 cases among Vietnamese trainees managed by TICC so far, TICC and labour training companies have started interviewing trainees via Skype. For trainees who are about to finish their contracts and return home, they have been advised to take direct flights for safety reasons.

Collaboration

Phan Tien Hoang, an official from Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in Japan, said the ministry had worked with its Japanese counterparts to update the situation and offer the best health care to Vietnamese guest workers.

Masahiro Hirakawa, who is in charge of technical trainee affairs under the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, said Japanese authorities were providing support to trainees.

The ministry has supplied documents on preventive measures in Vietnamese to trainees, and instructed employers and organisations to equip them with adequate information, he said, stressing that the provision of accurate information was the most important thing.

We have done our best to make Vietnamese guest workers feel comfortable while they are living and working in Japan. If any of them get sick, they will be referred to a doctor. If the case is serious, well send them to a hospital and ask an interpreter to go with them, Hirakawa said.

The trainees could also contact the Organisation for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) if they needed assistance in Vietnamese.

The Japanese ministry has closely co-ordinated with the labour management board of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan on health care for trainees.

No Vietnamese guest workers in Japan have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 to date. If any cases are reported, the company theyre working for will take them to a local medical facility for treatment, he said.

According to the Government of Japan, there were about 250,000 Vietnamese workers in the country, including 200,000 trainees. VNS

Vietnam ranks second in number of guest workers in Japan Vietnam now ranks second in the number of employees working in Japan, according to the latest statistics of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
China details measures to boost consumption, mitigate virus impact

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/3/13 21:41:57

Chinese authorities on Friday released a guideline aimed at boosting consumption and unleashing the potential of the domestic market to cushion the blow of the ongoing epidemic on economic activities.

The guideline, jointly issued by 23 government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission, detailed 19 measures to remove institutional barriers for consumption growth and revive pent-up demands due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Efforts should be made to optimize domestic market supply, raise the competitive power of domestic products and services and upgrade cultural travel consumption, the guideline said.

It also set out policies to unleash consumption potential in lower-tier cities and rural regions, with an urban-rural integrated network to facilitate flows of agricultural produce to the cities and industrial products to rural areas.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed 70 percent of new online shoppers during the "Double 11" shopping spree last year were from less developed areas, making consumers in those regions a target for future consumption growth.

The guideline also called for strengthening market order regulation and keeping channels open to protect consumer rights.

"Government should improve regulatory capabilities and encourage innovation to facilitate the development of new consumption models," noted Wang Qiang, an economics professor at Renmin University of China.

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The major Asia-Pacific stock indexes whipsawed throughout Fridays session with most finishing lower, the exception being the Australian benchmark. Investors primarily followed the blueprint laid out by Wall Street the previous session, when fears over the global coronavirus outbreak weighed on investor sentiment enough to fuel a historic drop.

On the bearish side, Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged 10% during the trading session and is now more than 20% off its 52-week closing high, putting it deeper into bear market territory.

On the bullish side, Australian shares recovered from earlier losses and posted a dramatic rebound to finish higher after dropping as much as 8% on an intraday basis. Nonetheless, its benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index is still off more than 20% from its 52-week closing higher, putting it in bear market territory.

On Friday, Japans Nikkei 225 Index settled at 17431.05, down 1128.58 or -6.08%. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index finished at 24032.91, down 276.16 or -1.14% and South Koreas KOSPI Index closed at 1771.44, down 62.89 or -3.43%.

In China, the Shanghai Index settled at 2887.43, down 36.06 or -1.23% and Australias S&P/ASX 200 Index finished at 5539.30, up 234.70 or +4.42%.

Australian Shares Post Largest Market Turnaround on Record

Australian stocks staged a dramatic recovery in late trade on Friday, recovering earlier losses of more than 8 percent to close up more than 4 percent.

Having tumbled to 4873.70 in early trade, hitting the lowest level since early 2016 and extending the losses from the record high hit less than a month ago to more than 30 percent, the index staged a remarkable recovery into the close, gaining more than 10 percent in the space of 90 minutes.

Lack of Confidence in Governments Response to Coronavirus at the Forefront

The worlds financial system has become dislocated, Kim Mundy, currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, wrote in a note. Underlying the big moves is a lack of confidence governments have the right plan to contain the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus.

Story continues

Government Bureaucracy Slows Response

While investors are looking for immediate remedies from governments and central banks, the virus spread has far outpaced the typical reaction time by governments in devising new policies to deal with a largely unprecedented economic and social event, J.P. Morgan Asset Managements Tai Hui wrote in a note. Government bureaucracy simply has not kept pace with the nature of the outbreak and market expectations.

Travel Bans Putting Pressure on Global Airline Stocks

Governments are starting to take steps to curb travel as they seek to contain the coronavirus outbreak. India is temporarily suspending almost all travel visas starting Friday.

All existing visas, expect diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020, Indias health ministry said in a statement. The restrictions are due to come into effect from 12:00 GMT on March 13 as the port of departure.

Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. On their return, they can be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, the ministry added.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump imposed a travel ban on 26 European countries after the World Health Organization named the coronavirus a global pandemic. The U.S. imposed a travel ban on China in late January to try to reduce the coronavirus outbreak.

To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States, Trump said Wednesday.

The European Union on Thursday firmly objected to the plan, noting that the EU is taking strong action against the pandemic.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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Guiseppe Barranco / Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has temporarily suspended visitation at all facilities statewide until further notice due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, according to a Friday statement from the TDCJ.

"While we understand the value and significance of the visitation process at our facilities, we also understand the importance of providing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all involved," the statement read.
on Saturday said it has committed to investing Rs 300 crore in beleaguered for subscription of its 30 crore shares.

"The Bank has issued an Equity commitment Letter to invest Rs 300 crore in Ltd for subscription of 30 crore equity shares of at a price of Rs 10 per Equity share," a regulatory filing said.

According statement this equity commitment is pursuant to the scheme of reconstruction of Yes Bank proposed by the Reserve Bank of lndia and subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions as set out in the Letter.

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a reconstruction plan proposed by the RBI for bailing out fund-starved Yes Bank.

The authorised capital of Yes Bank has been increased to Rs 6,200 crore, Union minister said on Friday.

Under the plan, state-run SBI will infuse Rs 7,250 crore in the crisis-ridden private bank and take 49 per cent equity.

Private lender also announced investing Rs 1,000 crore for an equity in excess of 5 per cent. HDFC will infuse Rs 1,000 crore, while Axis Bank will invest up to Rs 600 crore to purchase 60 crore shares in the bank.

There will be a three year lock-in period for all the investors. However, the lock-in period for SBI would be only for 26 per cent of shareholding. It would be 75 per cent in case of other investors.

The government has notified the Yes Bank reconstruction scheme as per which the moratorium on the troubled private sector lender will be lifted on March 18.
The largest independent oil trader in the world, Vitol Group, is discussing the purchase of Venezuelan crude oil from a Mexican firm that had received the crude in exchange for aid, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing emails and documents that it has reviewed.

Vitol hasnt traded Venezuelan crude oil since the beginning of last year when the U.S. tightened sanctions against Nicolas Maduros regime and essentially banned Venezuelan crude oil exports into the United States.

Since then, the U.S. Administration has further increased the pressure on Maduro and Venezuelas oil industry by sanctioning last month a Geneva-based trading unit of Rosneft, saying that the company Rosneft Trading has been helping Maduros regime to evade sanctions and to continue selling oil to keep the regime alive. Washington sanctioned its second Rosneft subsidiary this week.

Vitol is negotiating the purchase of Venezuelan oil from Mexican firm

Libre Abordo, which had received the oil in a barter deal with Venezuela in exchange for aid.

Vitol fully complies with any existing laws and regulations, including sanctions on Venezuela, the oil trading giant told Bloomberg, noting that Vitol would only consider receiving product of Venezuelan origin if it had the relevant assurances that it could do so lawfully.

Last week, Reuters reported that privately owned Libre Abordo had received so far 6.2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude to resell on international markets and has another two cargoes of crude oil and fuel, to be loaded this month. The Mexican company received the barrels of crude from Venezuelas state oil firm PdVSA in exchange for corn and water, according to documents Reuters has seen.

The contract between the Mexican firm and Caracas was signed last year, Libre Abordo told Reuters, and was still in effect. Since there were no cash payments involved in the relationship, there was no danger of violating U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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FENI: A housewife from Chandpur Village with her son speaking at a press conference on torture of in- laws at Feni Press Club yesterday .
London: European Union negotiators will not travel to London next week for the second round of post-Brexit trade talks with the UK because of the coronavirus outbreak that is tightening its grip across Europe.

In a joint statement, negotiating teams from both sides said they were looking at "alternative ways" of continuing the negotiations, including by video conferencing.

"Given the latest COVID-19 developments, UK and EU negotiators have today jointly decided not to hold next week's round of negotiations in London, in the form originally scheduled," they said.

Michel Barnier, chief negotiator for the European Union, at a news conference following the conclusion of the first round of Brexit trade talks in Brussels, on Thursday. Credit:Bloomberg

"Both sides are currently exploring alternative ways to continue discussions, including if possible the use of video conferences."
The first two cases of coronavirus confirmed for Yucatan Peninsula

Merida, Yucatan  The Secretary of Health for Yucatan, Mauricio Sauri Vivas, confirmed Friday afternoon the first case of coronavirus in Yucatan. The news was made public at a press conference in the Government Palace.

Sauri Viva said the confirmed carrier of the virus is a 57-year-old female who had traveled to Europe. The woman reportedly traveled to Madrid and began to exhibit symptoms upon her return. He says there are three other suspected cases currently under evaluation.

Cancun, Q.R.  Hours later, the Ministry of Health of Quintana Roo also announced its first and only positive case of coronavirus. Alejandra Aguirre, head of the health unit, did not provide any details of the patient, only saying that the case was detected in the municipality of Benito Juarez.

Through social media, state governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez said The first case of # COVID_19 in #QuintanaRoo has been confirmed. The patient is isolated and under correct treatment. We are vigilant and the situation is under control.

At a press conference, Jose Luis Alomia, director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health and government spokesman for coronavirus reported that on March 13, 11 new cases were confirmed around the country, bringing the total number to 26 positive cases of COVID-19 in Mexico.

He added that in addition to the 26 confirmed cases, there are 105 suspected cases and 344 negative cases.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a charge-sheet before a special CBI court here against three people for bank fraud.

"In a major crackdown on corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, CBI has today filed a charge-sheet before the Special CBI Court at Jammu against three accused namely Hilal Ahmad Rather (private person) and two bank officials Iqbal Singh and Arun Kapoor (both then Branch Heads of J & K Bank, New University Campus Branch) for causing huge loss to the bank," the CBI said.

This charge-sheet was filed by CBI within 10 days of registration of FIR and the case was investigated by special investigation team.

The CBI had registered the case on March 4 on the request of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and taken over the investigation of the case earlier registered at ACB J & K.

The investigative agency said, "During CBI Investigation, it was alleged that accused Hilal Rather entered into a criminal conspiracy with the then officials of J & K Bank to get sanctioned a loan of Rs 177.68 crore (approx) in violation of rules and guidelines."

The loans that were sanctioned for construction of flats were allegedly diverted and misappropriated by the accused using the bank accounts of his employees, the CBI said.

It was further alleged that the accused submitted forged certificates and bills to the bank. It was also alleged that the bank officials did not verify the certificates and helped the said accused in siphoning off the loan amount and laundering of money. The bank officials allegedly overlooked the rules and guidelines of the bank.

Further investigation including the acquisition of assets by accused in India and abroad and to identify other transactions is continuing, the CBI said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Muslims gathered in smaller-than-usual numbers at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Friday after religious authorities decided to keep Islam's third holiest site open for prayers but enact health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Thousands of worshippers, some wearing face masks, were asked to keep their distance from one another as they filed into the Old City compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount. In Israel 126 cases of the disease have been reported and another 35 in the occupied West Bank

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Muslims gathered in smaller-than-usual numbers at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Friday after religious authorities decided to keep Islam's third holiest site open for prayers but enact health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Thousands of worshippers, some wearing face masks, were asked to keep their distance from one another as they filed into the Old City compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount.

In Israel 126 cases of the disease have been reported and another 35 in the occupied West Bank.

Israel has banned gatherings of more than 100 people and some religious authorities, including the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, have moved to implement crowd controls at places of worship.

But the Jordan-appointed council that oversees Islamic sites on Jerusalem's sacred compound kept it open for Friday prayers, encouraging faithful to congregate on the 35-acre complex's outdoor grounds rather than inside its covered shrines.

"Whoever has this sickness, this virus, needs to keep their distance so it won't spread. This is an obligation for Muslims," Sheikh Mohammad Hussein said in his sermon.

The Waqf council reassured worshippers in a statement that the entire compound, including its golden Dome of the Rock shrine, was being "sterilised continuously".

Muslim faithful believe the site to be where the Prophet Mohammad ascended to heaven. Jews revere it as the site of the Jewish temples of antiquity. It is one of the most sensitive venues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

(Reporting by Ammar Awad and Ali Sawafta, Writing by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
APO Group Founder and Chairman Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard made a guest appearance on CNNs Marketplace Africa on Friday 6 March, 2020, where he discussed changing the international narrative of Africa through positive press.

The interview, part of a regular Marketplace Africa segment called The Profit Point, was conducted by CNNs Business Africa Correspondent Eleni Giokos in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This is the first time CNN Marketplace Africa has featured the communications industry in Africa, and APO Groups position at the intersection of journalism and business means Mr Pompigne-Mognard is perfectly placed to provide insight into the African media landscape and the way corporations communicate.

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Sierra Leone will look to the African Development Bank to stimulate agribusiness development in the country with a focus on rice production, its president Maada Bio told a visiting delegation led by its president Akinwumi Adesina.

Adesina began a two-day visit to Sierra Leone on Wednesday, during which he will hold meetings to discuss curbing malnutrition, creating skills and jobs for young people, rapidly scaling up economic diversification and restoring the country to self-sufficiency in rice production.

Our government is working hard to recover the economy, which was on the brink of collapse. We want to focus on economic diversification, with agriculture as the main driver, President Bio observed, in a meeting with the Bank delegation.

We are serious about developing this country and will appreciate the Banks support to realize our dreams. Infrastructure is an enabler for development, so we appreciate what the Bank is doing in Sierra Leone, Bio said, identifying a productive workforce as a top national priority as well as jumpstarting economic activities in rural areas, where 73.9% of Sierra Leones poor live.

Commenting on the countrys capacity to enhance local production, and the export of rice, Sierra Leones staple food, Adesina said, Sierra Leone should not be spending over $200 million yearly importing rice because its climatic conditions are generally favorable for rice production.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry data, total rice demand in 2018 was 1.6 million metric tons, against local production of 700,000 metric tons. In July 2019, the Bank approved the $11 million Agribusiness and Rice Value Chain Support Project to stimulate agribusiness development in the country with a focus on rice.

Sierra Leone also sought the Banks support for the implementation of its free quality education programme, which aims to enhance human capital development and facilitate economic transformation.

Adesina encouraged the country to explore the Banks Africa Investment Forum to elicit investor interest for the proposed LungiFreetown bridge. The project will link the capital city, Freetown, to the countrys sole international airport, which is presently accessible by ferry or helicopter.

The Bank also expressed keenness to support the development of critical infrastructure in the West African country and to open up space for greater private sector participation in the economy. Adesina said the Bank would deploy the African Legal Support Facility to help the country better manage its natural resources.

Adesina commended President Bio for his decision to join the African Leaders for Nutrition as a nutrition champion in his country, and for Africa. Sierra Leone is an important country to the Bank, We will support you to build a more robust and resilient economy, to transform the lives of your people. That is our role as a bank, putting people at the heart of development.

The Banks footprint is everywhere in Sierra Leone, Chief Minister David Francis told Adesina. The Bank has remained committed to the post-Ebola reconstruction. You have remained a faithful partner, and the country is grateful.

Sierra Leone was one of the Bank Groups founding members, and the Bank has financed projects there since 1967, to a cumulative sum of $758 million.

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Birmingham contractor Capstone Building Corp. has announced the completion of two large projects in Huntsville and Knoxville, Tenn.

Huntsvilles the Legacy at Jones Farm Phase II is a $20 million apartment development, while The Village at Westland Cove, in Knoxville is a $29 million apartment project.

Legacy at Jones Farm Phase II is a 238,110-square-foot four-story apartment building with 173 units of one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans. It also includes a clubhouse, fitness center with dedicated on-demand spin and yoga studios, large zero-entry pool with built-in bar and tanning shelf, a dog park, fire pit and several garages.

It is located at 1 Legacy Farm Drive S.E. in Huntsville. Capstone Building served as the general contractor, RBJ Bailey was the developer and Pucciano & English was the architect.

The Village at Westland Cove is a 359,537-square-foot apartment development of nine buildings with 240 units available in one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans. It includes a clubhouse, fitness center, pool with tanning shelf, dog park, bocce ball court and garages.

For the Village, StoneRiver Company was the developer and Wakefield Beasely and Associates the architect.

We are proud to share the completion of these two recently completed luxury apartment developments, Capstone Building President and CEO Jay Chapman said. Both of these developments will provide long-term value and opportunities for their respective communities and Capstone Building Corp. is honored to have played a role in the development of these areas.
From five years in prison, Kang Sung Wook will only spend two and a half years in jail after he made an appeal to the court for his rape case. He has been behind bars since July 30, 2019.

Kang Sung Wook is a musical actor and became popular in his role in the 2017 drama "Heart Signal." He appeared in court for rape allegations in the same year.

Reports said that the incident happened in Busan In August of 2017. Kang Sung Wook, together with his male friend, went out for drinks and met two bar waitresses. The night went so well that they continued the party in his friend's house. The first lady decided to go home early, leaving the other woman alone with Kang Sung Wook and his friend.

When the lady tried to end the night, she was dragged inside and was forced by the two men to stay. She filed a rape case against Kang Sung Wook and his friend, claiming that they sexually assaulted her. During the trial, however, Kang Sung Wook counteracted and claimed he was not guilty, with the help of his lawyers who declared that she only wanted money out of this.

The court, nonetheless, sided with the victim through her consistent claims and allegations. The Seoul Central District court made his verdict, which was 5 years of imprisonment and 40 hours of community service.

Kang Sung Wook's legal defense team then appealed to the court. His appeal then worked because his initial sentence has been lowered. Instead of 5 years, he will only spend two and a half years in prison. His family cried during the hearing and raised concerns about Kang Sung Wook's future in jail.

Meanwhile, Kang Sung Wook's appearances in several dramas have been reportedly erased amidst his case. This includes "Love in Sadness" (2019), "Marry Me Now" (2018), and "Because This is My First Life" (2017).
Libreville, Gabon (PANA) - A non-governmental organization (NGO), Brainforest, and Forest Resources Management Engineering (FRMI) have signed a partnership agreement to contribute to better forest governance in the Congo Basin, PANA learned on Saturday, from informed sources
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  ANO BA TALAGA? Netizens are again asking that question all day today about the curfew thats supposed to take effect tomorrow in Metro Manila from 8pm to 5am, in line with the governments precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It was the very same question many were asking on Thursday after President Rodrigo Duterte said, Community quarantine is hereby imposed in the entire of Metro Manila. Ayaw naming gamitin yan kasi takot kayo... but its a lockdown.

The question that was asked over and over after the Presidents much-awaited address to the nation, community quarantine or lockdown? ANO BA TALAGA?

This time  curfew or no curfew? That is the question. ANO BA TALAGA?

Earlier Saturday, the Metro Manila Development Authority announced it would impose a curfew in the National Capitol Regions 16 cities and 1 municipality, from 8pm to 5am. MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said so himself at the presser, that all Metro Manila mayors agreed to issue a resolution to impose the curfew starting March 15 until April 14.

But it wasnt the case.

Later in the afternoon, the Department of the Interior and Local Government clarified that the imposition and implementation of the curfew would depend on ordinances which local government units would have to approve.

So you cant blame people for asking. ANO BA TALAGA?

@stphns_nt (Nathan Stephens) Tweeted, Las Pinas LGU says Metro Manila-wide curfew will start on Monday, March 16, then I have read something on the news that it will start tonight, March 14, then I have read another one saying it will be tomorrow, March 15. ANO BA TALAGA? Ang gulo po.

@lakwastsaray said, ANO BA TALAGA is trending because EVERYONE IS CONFUSED.

While @signortupe asked the same question  ANO BA TALAGA? Can yall fix your DISORGANIZED ANNOUNCEMENTS. GEEZ.

Amid the trending ANO BA TALAGA question, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar accused the media of proliferating fake news, despite the fact, that the MMDA did announce the curfew was happening.

So, @bbkalluto defended the media and replied to Andanar. Hindi po fake news just because you retracted your statements. Ill-informed, indecisives, pero hind fake. I mean recalled goods arent fake goods. Theyre just not quality goods. ANO BA TALAGA?

Once and for all  there is no curfew, at least until local government units in each of the 16 cities and 1 municipality in Metro Manila have approved ordinances to put this measure in effect.

So dont play with my feelings, begged a certain @Twammy Tam

While @Javixx_m said I care, I dont care... Ano ba talaga!
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The state Department of Health on Saturday ordered nursing homes to limit visitors in an attempt to stem an outbreak of coronavirus infections as New Mexico officials announced three additional cases.

The new cases bring New Mexicos total to 13.

Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokeswoman for the Governors Office, said those infected include a Sandoval County man and woman, both in their 60s and from the same household, and a Bernalillo County woman in her 50s. So far, Bernalillo County has six cases, Sandoval has two, Santa Fe has three and Socorro has two.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has warned people to prepare for more positives to turn up.

In its new order, the state directed nursing homes to allow visitors only for patients receiving end-of-life care.

Even then, the visitors should have their temperatures taken and be denied entry if they have a fever of 100 degrees or show signs of a respiratory infection. If allowed in, visitors are also to immediately wash their hands and be escorted to and from the patients room.

The state has 71 licensed nursing homes and 276 assisted living facilities. The order also covers facilities providing assisted living, adult day care, hospice and rehabilitation for older adult patients.

Facilities where older adults live or that provide services to them are strongly encouraged to implement the recommendations as is reasonably appropriate, the Governors Office said in a news release.

The state Aging and Long-Term Services Department is preparing to offer cameras and tablets that would allow families to visit electronically.

People can call the departments ombudsman at 1-866-451-2901 for more information or to request a camera/tablet link with a loved one.

The order is the latest example of how COVID-19  the disease caused by the new coronavirus  is quickly reshaping life in New Mexico.

In a matter of days following the first confirmed cases, public schools and colleges announced closures, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe halted Catholic church services, and Lujan Grisham banned large public gatherings.

The governor declared a public health emergency Wednesday morning, when testing confirmed the first infections.

Federal and state health officials have also asked people to limit their travel. In New Mexico, the Lujan Grisham administration is urging people to self-isolate for 14 days if theyve traveled outside the state.

A key strategy, the governor said, is to slow the spread of the virus enough to avoid overwhelming the health care system. At one point in recent days, just 54 of the 344 intensive care unit beds in the state were open.

For most people, the virus results in mild symptoms. But older adults and people with chronic illnesses are particularly at risk.

Health officials say even healthy adults should take steps to avoid the virus  so they dont later spread it accidentally to someone whos more at risk.

Journal Staff Writer Matthew Reisen contributed to this report.
By Trend

Operational Headquarters under Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers has held a meeting, Trend reports.

The meeting participants held discussions on preventing the spread of coronavirus in Azerbaijan.

A number of urgent and binding measures were taken at the meeting. Instructions were given to the relevant structures in accordance with these decisions. Urgent preventive measures continue to prevent the wider spread of COVID-19.

Azerbaijan fulfills all obligations in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization on ensuring the safety of citizens.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Ghanaian songstress, Sista Afia has canceled her musical tour in Italy scheduled for June due to the Coronavirus pandemic.



Italy, which is now the heart of the deadly outbreak in Europe is on lockdown and currently recording daily increases in deaths.



Mr. Emmanuel Arhin, professionally known as Bossu Kule, Manager for the multiple award-winning artiste in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said, "we have been monitoring the situation in Italy and we thought it wise to cancel our forthcoming show scheduled to take place in June, Modena. We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused.



"Anyone who has purchased the tickets would have a refund and when we do come out with a new date it would be announced,'' he added.



In all 129,386 cases have been recorded across the world with 4,749 deaths and 68,667 having recovered from Coronavirus.

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.

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Smart Dubai, the government body responsible for facilitating citywide smart transformation, offers a range of solutions to support the measures outlined by Dubai Government to offer its employees flexible working conditions amidst the sensitive health environment prevailing across the world, said a top official.

Its solutions enable both vendors and customers to interact and transact with Dubai Government departments without having to interface with them physically, stated Aisha bint Butti bin Bishr, the Director General of Smart Dubai.

Her comments came after the General Secretariat of The Executive Council outlined a range of measures designed to ensure a balance between safeguarding the health and safety of government employees and ensuring normal workflow in the government sector.

The measures seek to provide maximum flexibility in the working conditions of government staff, taking into consideration the needs of the family and community.

The Executive Councils measures include suspending fingerprint attendance machines and activating alternative attendance systems; as well as allowing pregnant female employees, elderly employees, employees with disabilities and immune-compromised personnel to work from home.

All government departments have also been directed to encourage their customers to use online customer service apps.

Bin Bishr pointed out that Smart Dubais robust digital infrastructure and range of smart solutions have been designed to enable Dubai Government departments to ensure strong business continuity in any environment.

"Our solutions offer easy options for employees to work from home seamlessly without compromising on productivity or operational efficiency. Furthermore, our solutions allow both vendors and customers to interface with Dubai Government departments completely digitally for transacting services or business," he stated.

"Our smart transformation achievements have enabled us to provide Dubai government departments with a range of both human resources and business solutions to avoid any disruptions to normal operations whatever the challenges may be," she added.

Bin Bishr said Smart Dubai had been working with a range of government and private sector partners to adopt advanced technologies and develop next-generation solutions that can transform Dubai into the worlds smartest cities.

Following the launch of Dubais remarkable smart transformation journey, Dubai has emerged as the undisputed Digital Capital of the Middle East, a profile recognized by leading global reports and indices, she added.

Key among Smart Dubai solutions that support the governments measures is the Government Resource Planning System, an integrated system of centralised technical solutions built by Smart Dubai and implemented in more than 70 government entities in the emirate.

The system allows all employees to digitally handle key internal government operations in the financial, logistics, procurement and human resources fields, including salaries, recruitment and asset management.

Smart Employee, another groundbreaking mobile app offered to all Dubai government employees in 58 Dubai government entities, allow them to access a range of HR and procurement services from the comfort of their home. Currently available to over 58,000 government employees, the app allows staff to register their attendance without having the need to use biometric attendance machines.

Also supporting flexible working options is Smart Dubais Messaging and Collaboration system that allows all employees to remain connected with the office anytime and anywhere through e-mail hosting services, the government correspondence system, and more.

Smart Dubais UAE Pass, the first national digital identity for all citizens and residents, allows them to access various government websites and apps with one digital ID.

Business customers and vendors of Dubai Government too can interact and transact with Dubai government department online through Smart Dubais apps without the need to physically visit the department.

Smart Dubais Smart Supplier, Dubai Governments gateway to doing business with suppliers, allows vendors access a range of services anywhere at any time, without the need to visit government offices or meet government employees, she stated.

Smart Dubais data platform Dubai Pulse, also known as the digital backbone of Dubai, hosts over 550 Open and Shared Dubai Government Data Sets, explained Bin Bishr.

These data sets act as the key ingredient in helping Data Scientists locally and internationally continuously develop use cases, fostering the citys data ecosystem and generating the most value out of the citys data.-TradeArabia News Service
A celebration of life service was held on Saturday for longtime Harrisburg author and speaker Vera Cornish.

Those who spoke at the service, which was streamed on Facebook, referenced how Cornish, who was 64 when she passed away in February, inspired them to pursue their dreams. She wrote her own book, Dare to Dream, and published the Urban Connection. She is also credited with creating two major events in the city  the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and The Women of Heritage Breakfast

There were certain stories my mom would tell over, and over, and over again, and now I just cherish it, Alana Cornish, Vera Cornishs daughter, said.

According to previous PennLive reporting:

When Vera Cornish first came to Harrisburg from Wilkes-Barre years ago, Harlon Robinson saw something special in her right away.

He was the head of human resources at HACC at that time, and was instrumental in hiring her for the community colleges new cultural diversity program.

Some of us like to work behind the scenes. Vera was right up front, Robinson said. I enjoyed watching her become a role model for others.

You can watch a stream of the service courtesy of The Urban Connection Facebook page by clicking here.

What a beautiful tribute to our dear Vera, Gloria Vazquez Merrick said in a Facebook comment.

Grateful got to watch from Maryland! So many inspirational messages - she lives in us still. Amazing!

PennLive opinion editor Joyce Davis shared the following thoughts:

It was a send-off that would have made Vera Cornish proud  carried live on Facebook and tweeted around the world.

Even on a day when the community was facing a pandemic and urged to stay home, many felt they compelled to attend the Celebration of Life service for Cornish, who died Feb. 25, 2020 at the age of 65. Many who could not attend watched it live on Facebook, commenting on the beauty of the ceremony and honoring the life of the founder of Cornish & Associates and The Urban Connection.

From the praise dance to the gospel music to the tributes from her daughter Alana and friends, Saturdays Celebration of Life memorial service at Life Center International for a community legend brought people from diverse backgrounds, professions, races and cultures to celebrate a life devoted to encouraging others.

In a fitting tribute, her daughter announced at the memorial service The Foundation for Enhancing Communities has started a special scholarship fund in honor of her mother. It is one way friends and family will continue her legacy of inspiring people to dream and to work hard to achieve them.

In her sermon, the Rev. Brenda Alton called on the government and business leaders to remember the spirit of love and unity that Cornish brought to the community and to find an appropriate way to honor her legacy.
Washington state legislators on Thursday passed a landmark law that, assuming it is signed by Governor Jay Inslee, will rein in how government agencies use facial recognition technology, according to a statement by the states House Democrats.

The law could provide a layer of protection to porn performers and other sex workers, who have become the targets of tracking online by facial recognition software, as AVN.com has reported, posing a threat to their anonymity and safety.

The law will mandate community input in how facial recognition technology is used and ensure that any use by the government is thoroughly vetted for accuracy, necessity, and fairness, according to Washington State Rep Debra Entenman, who had sponsored a bill calling for a full, three-year moratorium on face recognition technology.

The bill that passed the Washington legislature on Thursday would require public agencies to regularly report their uses of facial recognition technology, and also test that the tech is used fairly and accurately, as the technology has proven to show biases toward women, people of color, trans/non-binary people, children and seniors, according to the Democrats statement.

This is historic. I dont know of any other jurisdiction, for sure in the United States, maybe in the world, where it requires the company to expose their underlying data, state Senator Joe Nguyen, the sponsor of the bill, told the site GeekWire.

Ngyuen is also an employee of Microsoft, the tech giant based in Washington. Along with Amazon, also based in Washington, the two companies are among the most active in developing facial recognition technology. But both Amazon and Microsoft have called for government rules to control use of the technologywhich remains largely unregulated.

A study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that Amazons facial recognition software, Rekognition, was prone to incorrectly identifying women and people of color at a higher rate than white men, according to the GeekWire report.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which co-sponsored the MIT study, has also been active in attempting to place legal restraints on use of the technology. On Thursday, the ACLU sued the federal Department of Homeland Security over use of facial recognition technology at airports. The government claims that the technology helps identify immigrants who attempt to enter, or stay in the country without proper visas.

But the ACLU says that the government is keeping information about the facial recognition program secret, and has sued to force DHS to turn over hidden information about the program.

Photo by Transportation Security Administration / Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
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A practice known as ghost broking is on the rise with some victims being conned out of hundreds of pounds, in return for supposedly cheap car insurance, new research has revealed.

Ghost brokers claim they can obtain car insurance for drivers at a low price, in exchange for a fee, with many victims actually just sold a fake insurance document that doesn't even exist, according to exclusive data for This is Money from Which?.

Alternatively, a real policy is purchased, but some of the original driver's details will be changed to lower the price with the paperwork doctored to disguise this.

If a policy was bought from a ghost broker who changed the driver's details, it will seem that the car is insured at first but if that person ever needed to make a claim, it soon becomes clear that it is fake.

One of the adverts used by ghost brokers trying to encourage people to buy fake car policies

The victims of the scam are two fold as it is not only unsuspecting strangers who are having their details stolen  but the people who purchase the phony policies are also at risk of losing out on hundreds of pounds.

A ghost broker may just use another person's address in lieu of the actual 'customer's'.

All you'd need to do this is to find an address in a seemingly low-risk postcode area.

Some go further and include real people's names and others also, dates of birth, making the proposal more convincing to the insurer.

There are various sources of this data. For instance, the electoral register contains various names and addresses. Sometimes this and other info can also be found in people's social media profiles, if they're not particularly careful about privacy.

Fraudsters also manage to buy details such as names, addresses and ages online and they can originate from a range of sources such as data leaks or hacked emails.

Which? revealed that 50 of its members responded with examples suggestive of insurance fraud, with many in rural or suburban areas.

After speaking to the police about the issue, it confirmed that this sort of crime is on the rise.

Stephen Dalton, head of Intelligence and Investigations at the Insurance Fraud Bureau, also told Which? that ghost broking accounted for a third of its 65 ongoing fraud investigations at the end of 2019.

These are the details that Which? had to fill out for the ghost broker - including car details

Meanwhile, last year alone, Aviva nullified over 3,100 policies and quotes that were found to be linked to ghost broking. It is currently investigating a further 4,000 cases.

Ghost brokers can make a large amount of money from these scams with one fraudster jailed in 2017 after making 59,000 from the practice.

The practice mainly exploits drivers who are struggling to find cover elsewhere with one advert Which? found even saying: 'No license? No problem! Car insurance for unlicensed drivers.'

The Metropolitan Police reporting that such crimes cost victims an average of 1,209 each and motorists could also find themselves slapped with a fine, receive points on their licence and be charged more for their insurance in future as a result.

Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, said: 'Ghost-broking is an increasingly prevalent car insurance scam that can lead to serious consequences, including drivers being hit with fines, penalty points or even disqualification.

'Fraudsters are using sophisticated tactics online to trick vulnerable customers into thinking that they're buying a legitimate policy, when in fact it's bogus.

'Consumers should watch out for warning signs that the insurance may not be genuine, including suspiciously low prices, and always check that the provider is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.'

'My details were used for more than insurance' Ian Cooper, from Woking, was one such person who was targeted by a ghost broker. Ian said that he started receiving strange letters from People's Choice and Bet365 He received a letter from insurer, People's Choice, who advised him that it believed a fraudster had been using his details to take out policies. He said: 'The letter said that it had cancelled my car insurance policy and owed me a refund of 38. I had never had insurance from People's Choice so I was very confused.' After receiving the letter, he spoke to the insurer who explained that a fraudster had taken a policy out in his name, using his address but a London telephone number. Although he was able to establish that his credit card, phone number or email address hasn't been used, he was subsequently contacted by Bet365 confirming a recently opened account. Worryingly, whoever had set up the account in his name had at least part of his date of birth. Ian reported the fraud to Bet365 and asked to check if the password used to set up the account was one he normally used. Bet365 weren't able to confirm or deny this as its security systems prevent staff from having any access to passwords its customers used. However, legislation says that all customers must prove their identity when signing up to a betting site, usually by taking a picture of their driving licence or passport. This suggests that either the fraudster had more of Ian's details than just his date of birth or they managed to get around Bet365's supposedly tight security systems. Ian has since changed some of his passwords as a safety precaution. He hasn't changed all as he was never informed which password the Bet365 fraudster used, meaning he doesn't know which one needs to be altered.

How the scam works

The advert: Which? found numerous ads on Instagram from 'brokers' promising to secure quality insurance at unbelievable prices. Some emphasise the legitimacy of what they offer whilst others boast of their talents at covering the difficult to insure.

The quote: You give your details and get a quote  just as you would with a legitimate broker or insurer.

This is what one of the adverts on Instagram said, saying it saves drivers 40% on insurance

Confirmation: You may be allowed to 'check' how the quote was arrived at  usually via screenshots. These can be convincing but are easily faked, and probably won't give the whole story.

Reassurance: If you're having second thoughts, the ghost broker will have ways of assuaging doubt. This might involve dazzling you with jargon, or condence.

Commitment: You'll need to pay an 'admin fee' either before or after the policy is set up. Some brokers will part company with you from here. Others will be more controlling  buying the policy on your behalf and forwarding you the paperwork.

'Proof': Fraudsters will be keen to assure you they can be trusted  sometimes by not asking for their fee till after you receive policy documents, or the car shows up as covered on the Motor Insurance Database. Neither of these prove that the policy won't unravel.

Moving on: Sticking around under the same guise for more than a few months can be risky for a ghost broker, and setting up new online proles and switching phone numbers is easy. So if problems subsequently arise with your policy, you'll be hard pushed to track the broker down.

Which? told the ghost broker they weren't able to get the prices they were offering online

Which?'s investigation

Which? contacted several 'brokers', posing as a 20-year-old inexperienced driver. The cheapest quotes it gathered via comparison sites came out at around 1,500.

But two of the brokers it spoke to offered suspiciously low prices of 576, for a Provident policy, and 837 at Sheila's Wheels, respectively.

It was apparent from the quotes the 'brokers' shared with Which? that both had simply used comparison site MoneySupermarket.

The first broker, who offered 576 admitted that they'd changed Which?'s address, but insisted: 'Everything is legit, your details, car and licence details are correct.'

They downplayed the significance of the false address, promising that Provident wouldn't 'bother' Which? about it.

They paid the broker a 250 'admin fee', and were given login details to the MoneySuperMarket profile they'd constructed for them  although the broker tried to convince Which? beforehand that it should let them 'process' the policy themselves.

This would mean giving the fraudster their card details so that they could buy the policy on its behalf.

One of the quotes sent to Which? by a ghost broker, promising cheap car insurance

When Which? checked the profile, it was soon apparent that more than its address had been changed.

Among other things, a fictitious middle-aged named driver had been added, with whom Which? was apparently in a common-law relationship with.

The broker had also changed the date Which? had purchased the car, reduced its value significantly and invented various details about its driving habits.

The second broker, who offered a policy for 837, referred Which? to the broker's 'business partner' on messaging service WhatsApp, who sent more detailed screenshots of MoneySuperMarket's quotation form with its details on it.

Which? asked how this broker was able to get better prices there than it could.

They answered: 'I work with a lot of brokers and every year I invest into promotions and I then receive up to 40 per cent off from any quotes given from MoneySuperMarket.'

This broker  who was generally less transparent  wouldn't allow Which? to complete the purchase ourselves.

Instead of going ahead, Which? contacted MoneySuperMarket and an insurer on its panel to see if this broker had run quotes using its actual details. It learned that at least one of the screenshots the broker had shown us, to 'prove' their good faith, was fabricated.

Among other factors, they'd amended the date of birth, added a no-claims bonus, and changed the car's purchase date and mileage.

'I got letters about a new insurance policy - but it wasn't mine'

Sean Parker was one such individual who found fell victim to ghost broking. He received a letter in June of last year, addressed to Imre Nagy, from Saga.

The letter welcomed Mr Nagy to his new car insurance policy with Saga. However, Sean is not and has never been a Saga customer so contacted the firm to find out what was going on.

At first, Saga insisted that it telephoned the policyholder to confirm the address which this person did. But after further insistence, Saga said it would pass on the complaint to its fraud department.

Although he never heard back from the insurer, he continued to receive six follow up letters from Saga, still addressed to Mr Nagy, with the last cancelling his policy after he reportedly stopping paying for it.

After this, Sean found out that Imre Nagy is the name of a former President of Hungary  so clearly whoever was taking out the policy in his name was not using their own name.

What can I do to protect myself?

If you're seeking affordable insurance, watch out for the telltale signs that give away fake brokers. These include the use of mobile phone or messaging apps as primary means of contact, and not having a website outside social media.

Most importantly, check if they're registered on the Financial Conduct Authority's website. If they're not, they're probably not genuine.

If you've received suspicious correspondence from an insurer, the first step is to let the insurer know. In theory, this should put an end to you being hassled  although, as some Which? members have found, it doesn't always work.

It's also worth keeping a close eye on your credit report  this will allow you to pick up on any searches by companies you don't recognise, which could indicate a fraudulent application made in your name.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Yes Bank was the second failure of a new age private sector lender in the post-liberalisation era. After its collapse, there is a question mark on the future course of bank privatisation. The argument that private banks are more efficient than their state-run counterparts and private investors are guarantors of good corporate governance is open to debate.

Last week, the government approved a bail-out deal led by State Bank of India (SBI) after Yes Bank failed to raise survival capital. The bank collapsed after being hit by an alleged promoter fraud and careless lending. About two years ago, there was a similar quid-pro-case in ICICI Bank too.

Yes Bank has been trying to raise at least Rs 10,000 crore from prospective investors for months, but failed to do so. The banks stressed asset levels, estimated anywhere between Rs 30,000 crore and Rs 55,000 crore, and a series of corporate governance issues, repelled investors.

Rana Kapoor, the banks co-founder and promoter, is being investigated on charges of accepting 'kickbacks' against Yes Bank loans. The case has parallels with the 2018 ICICI Bank case with respect to a dubious loan deal involving Chanda Kochhar and Videocon Groups Venugopal Dhoot.

There is a case for a re-look (at the privatisation agenda), said a former executive director of IDBI Bank.

Pros and cons

There is a long standing clamour for privatisation of PSU banks from experts. Nearly 60 percent of assets in the Indian banking system is still under the control of state-run banks, leading to indirect government control over their operations.

When the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, the Prime Ministers statement that government has no business to be in business was seen as a precursor to the privatisation drive. But this promise has largely remained on the paper.

The consolidation exercise has been confined to mergers among weak state-run banks (the government, last year, merged 10 public sector banks in one go into four to build size) and Life Insurance Corporation of Indias takeover of bad loan ridden IDBI Bank early last year.

Those arguing in favour of privatisation have always pointed at the efficient running of private banks vis-a-vis their public peers and better professional management.

"PSB reforms remain very important," said Arundhati Bhattacharya, former Chairman of SBI when asked whether PSB privatisation should be re-looked at in the context of the Yes Bank crisis.

In May 2014, an RBI-appointed panel had recommended privatisation of PSBs and governance reforms. The panel, headed by former Axis Bank Chairman PJ Nayak had suggested privatisation, citing the low productivity and asset quality issues of state-run banks.

"The government should trim its holding in banks to less than 50 percent to make sure a level-playing field for state-run banks on vigilance enforcement, employee compensation and the applicability of the right to information," the panel said.

When the panel's recommendations came out, total gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of banking system was Rs 2.4 lakh crore. This chunk has swelled to Rs 9 lakh crore as of December 2019. The ratio of PSU bank NPAs to total bad loan stock has remained at a much higher level compared with private banks.

At the end of December, about 80 percent of bank NPAs are on the books of state-run banks. The governments burden on capitalising PSU banks ever year has been immense. At this juncture, there is Rs 7.16 lakh crore NPAs on PSB books, while the same for private banks stands at Rs 1.81 lakh crore.

As per Economic Survey 2020, the government has invested Rs 430,000 crore in PSU banks. In 2019, every rupee of taxpayer money invested in PSBs, on average, lost 23 paise. In contrast, every rupee of investor money invested in 'new private banks' (NPBs)  licensed after Indias 1991 liberalisation  on average gained 9.6 paise.

The Yes Bank episode raises a big question mark on this assumption.

Not every bank is a Yes Bank

Banking sector experts told Moneycontrol that bad events in one or two private banks do not make the idea of privatisation totally redundant. The failure of governance in some private banks does not mean that privatisation on PSBs is a bad idea because we all know that they have too much government interference (there are arguments to say that if the government is the owner it can intervene) and governance systems are weak, said Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, at CARE Ratings.

But former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan was of the view that privatisation alone wont solve the problems of the sector, saying that even private lenders are not immune to the problem of bad assets in a slowing economy. This is true if one looks at the latest NPA figures of leading private banks. In Q3, most private lenders had reported a spike in their NPA levels hit by a slowing economy.

Experts point out examples of well-run private sector banks that have consistently performed better than PSBs. In terms of performance indicators, private banks have fared better than PSBs. But then when we talk of privatisation, it has to be a complete release of the government and PSBs being allowed to work on their own in terms of people, compensation, decisions, etc. Partial disinvestment just to earn revenue or increase capital is not the answer, Sabnavis said.

Bank privatisation, as the Nayak panel proposed, has long-term merits. But the corporate governance mess at Yes Bank and ICICI Bank show that merely changing ownership to private hands may not be enough to improve efficiency in the operations of state-run banks. These banks will require fundamental governance reforms and well laid out regulations to adhere to good corporate governance practices.
Update:

The National Security Council is debunkinig claims that the president will use the Stafford Act to institute a national lockdown. Text message claiming every American will be placed under a two week quarantine have been circulating in recently days as concerns over coronavirus mount.

Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19. #coronavirus  NSC (@WHNSC) March 16, 2020

You can see more here.

Earlier:

President Donald Trump had declared a national emergency over the coronavirus, triggering a law known as the Stafford Act.

Today, I am officially declaring a national emergency, Trump said. "Two very big words.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act was signed into law in 1988, amending the Disaster Relief Act of 1974. The act gives statutory authority for federal disaster response activities provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

In other words, the Stafford Act can give FEMA, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an influx of tens of billions of dollars to use for disaster relief. It will also speed up federal actions in the state. Under Stafford, states will be allowed to request 75 percent cost-share for expenses such as emergency workers, testing, medical supplies and  when one is developed - vaccinations.

The president is the only one who can declare a major disaster under the law.

We have very strong emergency powers under the Stafford Act, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. I have it memorized, practically, as to the powers in that act. And if I need to do something, Ill do it. I have the right to do a lot of things that people dont even know about.

Previously, Trump has approved major disaster declarations via the Stafford Act to address flooding in the Midwest and California wildfires.

The president also declared an emergency under the National Emergencies Act, which allows the Department of Health and Human Services to waive guidelines related to Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP.

The U.S. Department of the Health and Human Services has already declared coronavirus a public health emergency, allowing the government to place restrictions on individuals entering the country from China.
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JERSEYVILLE  Chief Judge Eric Pistorius on Friday issued a statement that the Jersey County Court of the 7th Judicial Circuit remains open.

Although the present risk level in our area remains low, health care professionals advise that we should all minimize contact to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, he said.

The current situation is one that presents challenges to the courts normal operating procedures, Pistorius said. We are looking at all of the ways in which we might temporarily alter those procedures to minimize risk while still attending to the courts core responsibilities.

The circuit court in Jerseyville has intensified the cleaning and disinfecting efforts by its building maintenance staff, especially with respect to surfaces commonly touched such as railings and doorknobs. Patrons observed coughing or sneezing may be asked to wear a mask, which will be provide if there are sufficient supplies.

Pistorius said the court also is reviewing ways to minimize the need for jurors to be summoned to the courthouse. While some jurors will still be summoned, reducing the numbers summoned will create a less congested environment and increase personal space. Summoned jurors who are ill should call the number listed on their summons to discuss their situation.

Litigants who begin to feel ill should consider contacting the opposing party or attorney to explore an agreed continuance. If there is no agreement, they should contact the circuit clerks office to advise them you are unable to attend court. Judges will consider continuances on a case-by-case basis and may request medical documentation of conditions.

Marriages will still be performed in the courthouse but only the couple being married will be allow to attend.

Pistorius said the court has directed its employees to stay home if they feel ill. He said the Court also is formulating policies to soften the blow for employees affected by the COVID-19 virus to prevent unwell employees from coming to work.
Athens: Greece's first female president, a former high court judge, has formally sworn in to office, nearly two months after the country's parliament voted overwhelmingly to elect her.

The swearing-in ceremony for Katerina Sakellaropoulou, 63, took place in an almost empty parliament on Friday, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Only a handful of officials and a limited number of journalists were present.

Greece has shut down schools, universities, cinemas, theatres, gyms and nightclubs, and authorities have warned people to stay home and avoid large gatherings in an effort to contain the outbreak. The country so far has 117 confirmed cases and one death. The ceremony was being covered live on state television.

Greece's first female president Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after being sworn in. Credit:Getty Images

After the swearing-in, Sakellaropoulou lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the square outside parliament, before a presidential honour guard. Despite the warnings about the virus, a small crowd gathered to watch, standing behind a security cordon across the street.
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Spain PM calls for a debate to consider COVID-19 endemic disease

Flyone Armenia and Pegasus receive permission for Yerevan-Istanbul-Yerevan flights

Pope condemns "baseless" ideological misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines

Arab foreign ministers to visit Beijing

Azerbaijanis stoned an Armenian car on the Stepanakert-Goris road

Armenian FM has a phone call with his Polish counterpart

Macron travels to French Riviera to discuss internal security issues

Artsakh Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijan's aggressive behavior aims to disrupt Russian peacekeepers' activities

US COVID-19 cases reach 60 million

European Parliament President hospitalized due to immune system dysfunction

Washington and Ankara discuss normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey

WHO excludes emergence of deltacron strain

In Karabakh Azerbaijanis shelled tractor

Indian Defense Minister tests positive for COVID-19

US-Russia talks on security guarantees lasting for seven hours already

NEWS.am daily digest: 10.01.22

Pashinyan appoints Hayk Mkrtchyan as Deputy Governor of Kotayk province

Blast in eastern Afghanistan kills nine children

Pashinyan: One of key priorities of Armenia presidency at CSTO is strengthening of crisis response mechanisms

Internet cut off in Kazakhstan

Armenia, Kazakhstan ombudspersons confer on Armenian communitys rights

Armenia, Russia defense ministers discuss Kazakhstan

Turkey defense minister meets with their envoy in process of normalization of Armenia relations

Iranian Foreign Ministry reports progress in Vienna negotiations

Dollar continues going up in Armenia

New attempt by migrants in Belarus to storm Poland border

Skat Airlines resumes Yerevan-Aktau and Aktau-Yerevan flights

New Covid-related restrictions to be introduced in Armenia

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Azerbaijani military are protesting amid military awards deprivation

Azerbaijanis open fire in Nagorno-Karabakh

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Armenia army General Staff has new deputy chief

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Monroe County officials are seeking four people who rode on a Greyhound bus to Rochester this week because one passenger has tested for COVID-19.

That passengers status had already been announced by county officials. But now they are trying to find four others who rode on bus #252 that arrived in Rochester at 7:40 a.m. Tuesday. The announcement says it was bus number #282, but in fact it was bus #252.

If you or someone you know was on Greyhound #282 arriving in Rochester at about 7:40 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10 please call us at our main 753-5164, option 1 during business hours, or 753-5905 on nights and weekends. pic.twitter.com/WJJsOOffFb  Monroe County Health Department (@MonroeHealth) March 14, 2020

The man, who is the first confirmed case in the Rochester area, tested positive after a trip to Italy, the Democrat & Chronicle reported. He road on the bus from New York City to Rochester wearing a mask and gloves. Officials told the Rochester news outlet that the risk of viral spread was low. The infected man told the D&C he sat alone on the bus.

Seven passengers have been contacted, officials said. They are self-quarantining and show no signs of symptoms.

The bus also made stops in Binghamton and in Syracuse. before heading to Buffalo and Toronto. Onondaga Countys health department is working with Monroe County officials on this case, an Onondaga County spokesman said.

If you have information about the bus ride or the four people, call 585-753-5905 on nights and weekends. Weekday number during business hours is 585-753-5164, option 1.

Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274.

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.
In an interview, the public intellectual Malcolm Gladwell described the man who exposed Wall Street's crooked financier Bernie Madoff as an obsessive, "the sort to wipe down his keyboard with disinfectant after he opens his computer".

Welcome to the Covid-19 world in which we'll all use disinfectant on every surface, including our bodies, and call ourselves responsible rather than fanatical.

Trust is necessary for society to function. We'd never open bank accounts, work without payment up front, go on dates or step into vehicles without trust. When trust collapses, everything from commerce to social interaction suffers.

Our default is to trust others - to believe them when they tell us something. It's how so many cheating partners get away with it. How Harvey Weinstein was able to prey on women for so long. How Madoff ran the biggest Ponzi scheme in history. How spies infiltrate high security organisations including the Pentagon.

So, is trust too risky? On the contrary, despite the dangers, trust is essential - especially now when the air is dense with paranoia, suspicion and fear.

In these unprecedented, challenging and fluid times, trust requires us to rely on one another to do the right thing for the community. Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. And drastic actions - not draconian enough, say some, with an eye to what's happening in Italy - are being taken.

The situation accelerated in the space of a few days this week. I'm a PhD student at Trinity College Dublin. First, the university authorities decided to cancel lectures and move them online, but tutorials continued. On Wednesday afternoon, as usual, I taught two tutorials in the School of English, although attendance numbers were lower than normal.

I applied social distancing instructions and made sure everyone sat at least a metre apart. The atmosphere on campus was surreal and outside the streets were quiet.

By my third tutorial on Thursday morning, fewer than half the students turned up - they were voting with their feet. Those that did made sure to sit well apart without any prompting. That same day the Government announced all colleges, schools and creches throughout the Republic would close at 6pm. They remain open in the North at the time of writing, but such a situation cannot continue.

It's yet another reminder of the illogicality of two jurisdictions on this small island. Britain, now a non-EU member, appears to be adopting different policies to EU states.

Anxiety is widespread but we will get through this with co-operation, kindness and a lot of handwashing. Common sense goes a long way. We need to be patient, pragmatic and prepared to change plans. We should stay at home as much as possible. Employers have made arrangements for home-working. And we must give up on socialising as an unnecessary risk.

But there are dangers in implementing too many shutdowns too soon. If official policy goes gung-ho on lockdown and it lasts for several months, people will become bored and reluctant to abide by it. This is a balancing act. These measures rely on unity and voluntary co-operation.

Change to the way we live and work is unavoidable. We can expect video conferencing to replace face-to-face meetings and more online interaction. Perhaps as a work practice that was inevitable, given time, but Covid-19 has accelerated it.

Not everyone will return to previous workplace practices afterwards and remote working will become increasingly commonplace. That said, some businesses will not survive.

We should listen to the medics. Our political leaders must make policy based on experts' recommendations - and, by the way, thank goodness we have experts and recognise their value. Their interventions were routinely dismissed as part of the Brexit discourse.

Data needs to be collected, which can be done through random sampling, so we can establish how widespread the virus is.

Political decisions should be made on the basis of that data. We know that some of us will die from Covid-19 - death has already occurred - but we need to contain the virus and push back against it.

Respect to the medics who are treating people with this virus and to the scientists working on vaccines. Hospitals may begin to run into staffing problems as their personnel come into contact with people who have contracted the infection, and because some staff may be unable to work due to childcare problems with schools shut. A key message is not to go to hospital unless people are really ill because hospitals will be overwhelmed. Contact with medics can be made by phone or internet in the first instance.

Self-isolating at home if anyone has Covid-19 is important - but self-isolating must be a genuine version of this precautionary step in the interests of public health. It won't work if people stay off work but nip out to the shops for groceries or go for a walk because they're bored. Trust arises here, too - the community needs to know it can place its confidence in one another.

Some people aren't taking this virus seriously enough while others are overreacting. In cafes and shops, it's clear social distancing is not being maintained. There is also evidence of panic-buying (loo roll seems to be a magnet) but this behaviour isn't acting in the best interests of the community and will only cause shortages.

There are some uncomfortable truths which we need to accept. Children are a reservoir of infection and need to stay largely at home or play in open spaces. It is madness to close schools and nurseries if children congregate in the community. The good news is they are not likely to suffer from Covid-19 but the bad news is they are carriers, which means keeping them away from vulnerable groups. Grandparents can't be used as childcare stopgaps.

Irresponsible behaviour has to stop. It was Britain's decision to allow Cheltenham to go ahead, but Irish people were careless in travelling to it. They will need to self-isolate for 14 days when they return.

Speaking of self-indulgence, the same charge can be laid at the door of political parties which continue to delay a deal for government formation. It is unacceptably irresponsible. Just do it.

Finally, we have to think of the broader community and protect others. No more hugs, kisses or handshakes for now. Keep your distance from others. It's not standoffish but a loving way to behave.

Incidentally, the man who suspected Madoff was a fake long before anyone else was an investment analyst named Harry Markopolos. No one listened to his warnings, partly because he behaved in a manner viewed as untrustworthy, passing on his findings in an anonymous, cloak-and-dagger fashion. Trust will carry us through this pandemic.
An Indian national in Rwanda has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the east African country, health officials said on Saturday.

IMAGE: Kenyan health workers dressed in protective suits walk after disinfecting the residence where Kenya's first confirmed coronavirus patient was staying, in the town of Rongai near Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday. Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters

The country's health ministry, in a statement, said that the Indian citizen arrived in Kigali from Mumbai on March 8.

'The patient had no symptoms upon arrival in Rwanda and reported himself to a health facility on March 13, where he was immediately tested,' the ministry said on Twitter.

He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the statement said, adding that the tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management.

This is the second case in east Africa, after Kenya recorded the first case of COVID-19 on Friday.

The deadly novel coronavirus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 5,000 lives and infected more than 134,000 people across 110 countries and territories, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) describing the outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday.

In India, the number of coronavirus cases rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka.

The Rwandan health ministry advised all residents of Rwanda to continue to observe all instructions from health authorities, particularly by washing hands regularly, avoiding large gatherings, and reporting any symptoms by calling the toll-free number 114.
A young boy dangles from the top of a tamarind tree. Pick the ripe ones, Dwarkabai Namdeo Mohite calls to him, from the doorway of her house, followed by a warning: Be careful! It is evening, and the wall behind her catches the sunlight, shining like molten silver. The house is four walls and a roof, erected with metal sheets on the hard earthen ground. Most houses in this neighbourhood of Kole village are like hers; some more dilapidated than others. Dwarkabai is unsure of her age. Her neighbours say she is 70, she looks 80, and her laugh is that of a little girls. Her husband died early on and she has no children. She lives with her sisters family in Kole  the same village where her father lived too. Since she stopped working, her only source of income is a widows pension of Rs 600 per month. For unexpected expenses  mostly of a medical nature  she depends on her sisters son, who works as a daily wage labourer. When she still could, Dwarkabai worked as an agricultural labourer in the fields of Marathas, Lingayats, Dhangars and Malis  above her in the caste hierarchy. Dwarakbai is a Ramoshi  a Dalit. The people who own land here are upper caste, she says. We are the ones who work on this land. Till a few years ago, they would beat us upon flimsy pretexts. We would get paid a tiny portion of the grain that wed cultivate. Dwarkabai mentions repeatedly that she owns over 2.5 acres of land. Land that was part of the watan awarded to her grandfather Nana AppaMohite, she says. But the government is sitting on my land. *** Before Independence, rulers, including the British, awarded land to persons of certain communities for their services. These lands were called watan or inam land. In Maharashtra, land gifts were given to those of the priestly caste, Marathas, Chaugules, among others. They also awarded land to Mahar and Ramoshi communities, now categorised as Scheduled Castes (SC). These Dalit communities were awarded land for their services such as cleaning villages, management of dead animals, delivering government documents, protecting villages as watchmen, etc, says Lalit Babar, general secretary of the National Federation of Dalit Land Rights Movements (NFDLRM). After Independence, the government abolished the watansystem, through the enactment of the Bombay Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act, 1958. However, the Act recognised Mahar, Ramoshi and Matang (a small population in Maharashtra) communities need for this land for sustenance. Historically, ownership of land has been very low amongst the Dalits. Even today, only nine percent of total landholdings are held by Dalits, who form over 18 percent of the population. And most of them over 61 percent of landholders among the SCs are small and marginal farmers. Over 71 percent of Dalits involved in agriculture are labourers and dont own land (as per the 2011 Census). For non-SC/ST, this number is 41 percent. This is why Dalits often bring barren wasteland or village common lands under cultivation. Maharashtra has witnessed a long Dalit struggle for common lands. The 1958 Act aimed to protect Dalits access to land. It made provision for re-granting watan land to the individuals of watandar (holder of awarded land) communities. The families could claim the land from the government by paying three years annual tax on the land. And, on paying 13 years tax, they could have absolute ownership of this land. The Act also aimed to ensure that the watan land meant for Mahar and Ramoshi people doesnt fall out of their hands. This land cannot be transferred to persons of other communities. Moreover, Dalit families can use this land only for agricultural and allied purposes to sustain livelihoods.

Over 6.28 lakh acres of land was awarded in watan to Mahar and Ramoshi communities across Maharashtra, says Babar. Ownership of this land would benefit lakhs of Dalit families. *** Dwarkabai remembers how, as a young girl, shed frequent the village watan land. I have worked on that land with my own hands. Her family, like most Dalit families, cultivated with resources oxen, ploughs and water owned by the upper castes. In return, they paid them a portion of the crop. Her eyes close and her head tilts as she recounts how her family grew bajra, jowar, sesame, and green gram. The land was fertile. There was a pond close by, a rarity in this drought-hit region. We grew enough to last us the whole year. Her familys land is part of a single plot of 660 acres that was awarded to Mahar and Ramoshi communities of eight villages in Sangola block of Solapur district. The 660-acre is part of a bigger 945-acre watan plot 660 acres for Dalits and 285 acres for other upper caste communities. The 1958 Act cancelled entitlement to this land for upper castes, but made a provision for re-grant for Dalits. However, despite the provision of re-grant in the 1958 Act, no Dalit family actually made a claim for it, even as they continued to cultivate the land. We are illiterate; we didnt know about this law, Dwarkabai says, as her sister Sakhubai nods in agreement. Her neighbour Mukund Ramchandra More adds, Who had the courage to go talk to the sarkar? And the money to pay for the process? So the land slowly slipped away from their hands. In 1973, the government started using their land for a cattle breeding project. The government didnt notify the families since it didnt consider them owners of this land. They came to know about it only when government officials started frequenting the place to measure it. Machindralava ChandanShive of Gaudwadi says, I never imagined that the land my forefathers cultivated would be snatched from me. Out of fear, most families stopped cultivating the land, Dwarkabai says. The ones who continued stopped gradually. By the 1980s, they had stopped using the land altogether. Their options were to labour on the land of the upper castes or to migrate. Families exercised both options.

Dwarkabai started living solely on what she earned as an agricultural labourer. She often thought about old times. We were far from being rich but we could cultivate our own land and feed ourselves. There was enough food and some dignity. *** Today, out of 6.28 lakh acres of Mahar and Ramoshiwatan land across Maharashtra, 2.5 lakh acres is either used by the government or grabbed by upper caste farmers, according to a 2016 report by the Dr Ambedkar Sheti Vikas Va Sanshodhan Sanstha (ASVSS), an NGO. The government has used this land for public purposes like hospitals, schools and railways or has just left it vacant, the report mentions. This is illegal and forceful encroachment of Dalit land, says Babar.

In 2002, the revenue department issued a directive to return two acres of Ramoshiwatanland to its original owners. These two acres of prime land in Pune were being used by the state-owned Maharashtra State Sheep and Goat Development Corporation (MSSGDC). The district collector had rejected the application of the 13 original owners asking for the return of land. The Revenue minister Ashok Chavan overruled him. The MSSGDC appealed in the High Court. Finally, on Chavans insistence the corporation relented, the Times of Indiareported in 2002. Babar says that the state government has issued directions that unused acquired land, originally belonging to SC communities, should be returned. This should be followed for watan land as well, he adds. In Sangolablock, we have identified 5,220-acre watan land, says Babar. Out of this, 3,000 acres is occupied by the government, mostly the forest department. The upper caste occupies only a small portion  about 300 acres in this block, since the land is not very fertile, rainfall is scanty and irrigation facilities are scarce. The areas with more fertile land, better rainfall or irrigation facilities like Pandharpur have more illegal occupation by upper castes. Some of the 660-acre plot awarded to Mahar and Ramoshi communities of eight villages in Sangola is used by the Animal Husbandry department for a cattle breeding project. The remaining is under the control of the forest department. A huge portion of the land lies vacant today. Yogesh Kharmate, the tahsildar (block level revenue officer) of Sangola, refused to comment, when asked about the extent of this land being used by the government and the possibility of it being returned to Dalit families. The diversion of the 660-acre land has deprived 537 families 154 Ramoshi and 383 Mahar in eight villages, noted the ASVSS study. Only 46 out of 810 Dalit households in these villages hold titles of any (individual, not watan) land. In DwarkabaisKole village, eight persons of the Ramoshi community were awarded 100 acres of watan land. The land is now supposed to be divided among 18 families (all legal heirs of the eight original awardees), making her entitled to 2.5 acres. *** The saga of Dalits reclaiming watan land goes back to 1972. Solapur district saw a severe drought, followed by starvation deaths. Dalits also faced a social boycott by landholding Marathas, who stopped employing them as labourers, says Babar. With no other option for sustenance, Babar and a team of activists led Dalits, to cultivate a plot of 90 acre watan land. The land was in possession of 35 Mahar families, who didnt cultivate it for lack of resources. Other Dalits, inspired by this, began cultivating watan land in their possession in 22 other villages. Babar continued to work on ensuring Mahar and Ramoshi communities use watan land to generate income and founded the ASVSS in 1987. Gradually, their agenda included reclamation of watan land. In 2013, the ASVSS, along with NFDLRM and Dalit VikasParishad, started organising Dalits in Sangola to reclaim watan land. In August 2013, they organised a public hearing in Sangola in the presence of the tahsildar, and two members of National Land Reform Task Force. They presented a study on watan land possession in Pune, Satara and Solapur districts that showed that a lot of watan land had been illegally transferred. They demanded that this land be given to the families of the original awardees. The task force members also visited the 660-acre watan plot in Sangola. This development enthused Dwarkabai. She dreamt of a secure and independent old age. She, along with her sister Sakhubai, submitted her claim to the watan land. *** It was a muggy morning on 12 August 2013. Dwarkabai walked the 5 km that she had run across many times as a young girl. She reached the watan land, in a portion close to Junoni, one of the eight villages. It had been close to 40 years since she last set foot here. This is where she took Pahile Paul (the first step) to reclaim her land. I was thrilled when they brought a tractor to cultivate the land, she says. I sowed seeds of bajra. I also did manual labour to build a shed. Over 300 families from the eight villages, led by women, collectively cultivated a two acre plot. It was symbolic; a way of assertion and reclamation, says Archana NathaaHowal of Budhehal village, who led a group of women from eight villages. We just wanted to let the government know that we are the owners of the land and now we are here to reclaim it.

But disaster struck. After two months, in October, when bajra seedlings had painted the two acre plot green, government officials destroyed the crop, says Archana. The cattle breeding farm officers also destroyed the tin shed we had built there.

Above image: Archana Nathaa Howal with her family in her house at Budhehal in Sangola Dwarkabai was heartbroken, but she did not give up. *** As a single woman and landless labourer, Dwarkabai did not possess many documents. She started putting together her identification papers. She dug out papers to establish that the land she is claiming is part of Ramoshiwatan; her grandfather was an awardee of this watan; and to prove she is one of his legal heirs. All this took her over nine months. It involved running around offices, getting snubbed by officials, and holding several protests. All this cost me quite a lot of money, Dwarkabai says, but I had to do this. Garajaahekhaaye la (I need it to feed myself). Gathering these documents was part of the communitys strategy when it organised to reclaim the land. They made formal claims but the government delayed action. Babar says the revenue authorities, with a the flood of claims, recognised that the land belonged to Ramoshi and Mahar people but still raised many issues over the re-grant. They said the land is in the name of the communities and not as individual titles; or that the original awardees are dead and it is difficult to identify their legal heirs. In many cases, they held the documents of the claimants insufficient. Now, the community decided to support their claims with proof of ownership and other relevant documents. They began collecting records of land awards, preparing family tree charts to establish heirs, and holding meetings to discuss plans and outcomes. They also took to the street. Between 2013 and 2018, Dwarkabai, along with hundreds of women including Archana, travelled to Solapur, Nagpur and Mumbai and held several demonstrations. After the Pahile Paul crop was destroyed, in December 2013, they protested at VidhanBhavan (winter assembly) in Nagpur. They submitted memorandums to revenue offices and the then MLA. The year 2015 saw further action. Between August and October, several gram sabhas passed resolutions to reclaim watan land. They also got the watan plot mapped and constructed a tin shed. They held a dharna at the tahsildars office in Sangola. The ASVSS organised people in 13 other districts to submit memorandums to the collectors. By January 2016, family trees were completed and the families in eight villages were in a position to establish their claim to the 945-acre plot of watan land. In October 2017, land claimants held a hunger strike in front of the tahsil (block revenue) office and 500 of them sent letters to the Chief Minister. They also participated in the Bhumi AdhikariYatra, a demonstration for land rights in December 2018 held at Dindori in Nashik district. Prabha Yadav of ASVSS, who helped organise the protests, says that women led this movement. It was women who came out in huge numbers to protest in the cold winter and in the scorching sun. Its they who led the Pahile Paul movement. It is because we, the women, are affected the most by the lack of land, says Archana. Men go out in search of work. We are left behind to scrape through poverty and live with humiliation. Till today, over 450 Mahar and Ramoshi women have made claims to watan land in the eight villages in Sangola, says Babar. They are demanding joint titles (along with men) of the land. If they succeed, Dalit women from eight villages would collectively own titles of 660 acres of land.

So far, none of them have received land titles. *** The government is not willing to part with watan land under its possession, says ND Kamble, a retired government official based in Mumbai, who has independently worked on several cases of reclamation of watan. When people claimed their land, the land was in government control and the land record titles clearly showed the state government as its owner. They said no one could claim it. Shahjee Londe of Sangli says the government officials attempt to hide the truth about ownership of the Dalit workers on watan land. Londe, a retired school teacher, has been taking up cases of reclamation of watan land. He has no formal training in law but has educated himself to argue cases in favour of Mahar and Ramoshi families both in revenue and civil courts. Kamble has successfully got two watan land claims settled in favour of Mahar families in Ahmednagar and Sangli districts so far. Sangola MLA Shahajibabu RajaramPatil says he hasnt heard of the issue regarding the problem in re-grant of watan land. People should definitely get the land but, Ill have to look into what exactly the laws say on this and what the procedure is. On peoples pending applications over re-grant of land, he says: Nobody has ever approached me with a complaint regarding re-grant of this land. If I receive these applications, I can take it up. Despite little success, the struggle to reclaim watan land is informed by what access to land can do to the deprived communities. In Hatid, less than 30 km from Dwarkabais village, 14 Mahar families, who own titles to once-watan land, collectively farm 35 acres of land and share the profits. These families earn more and have better opportunities, says Archana, because they own the land. With land, we would also have the option to feed ourselves, without toiling in others fields or working in far off places. The ASVSS is looking to make this a model for development of all watan land that theyre hoping to reclaim. If divided amongst all owners, watan land would leave families with very small plots. It wouldnt be viable for them to cultivate it or get loans. If they use it collectively as a community asset, they would earn better. Also, it would give them better security against occupation by upper castes or the government, says Babar. In August 2018, the ASVSS got on lease a 90-acre watan plot in Dongargaon, the same land which Dalits started cultivating after the 1972 drought. The plot is owned collectively by 35 Mahar families. Not all of the 90 acres is fertile, which is often the case with watan land, says Yadav. Thats why weve taken up various kinds of projects on it. Weve used the fertile 35 acres to grow crops like chana, bajra, and jowar, and plant 1,000 pomegranate saplings. The rest of the land is used for watershed development projects and a small model organic farm. In June 2019, they started a small cattle (goat, sheep, chicken) rearing project on 2.5 acres, which currently has 75 goats, 15 lamb and 30 chicken.

A small cattle-rearing farm on the Mahar watan land in Dongargaon Over 120 Mahar women from the 35 owner families are shareholders in the project and receive a share in the profit, Yadav says. The profits havent been big yet but this is just a start. Were also looking to make it a farmer produce company.

*** Oh, look, now they will become landlords is a taunt Dwarkabai says her community has been hearing from upper caste people in her village since they started demanding land titles.

They hate the idea that Dalits might own some land someday, explains her neighbour and a claimant of Mahar watan land, Shankar Budhajee More. Who would labour in their fields then? Thats what they are afraid of. They like us powerless. Dwarkabai doesnt expect a positive response from the upper castes when Dalits get the land but is more disconcerted over why the government is not returning poor peoples land. I need it to sustain myself. If I had land, I could earn money, she adds,also some dignity and status in the village. She stares at the ground. Aamchijameenamhalamilalipahije (Its our land and we must get it), she murmurs. And, then, suddenly, she bursts into ladenge, jeetenge (well fight, well win). Its a slogan she learned and chanted at protests to reclaim the land.

She raises the slogan several times till other women from her neighbourhood join in. Dwarkabai beams, a broad toothless smile. *** Dalits in Sangola affected by land occupation for cattle breeding farm and by forest department (Source: ASVSS study)
Arlene Foster repeated her apologies yesterday for her role in the botched RHI scheme, but ultimately avoided what many had expected to be a major embarrassment.

The First Minister and DUP leader said she accepted inquiry chair Sir Patrick Coghlin's "very objective account" of what happened, but was not interested in dwelling on the past.

In a personal statement she said "with the benefit of hindsight" things should have been handled very differently.

This included admitting to "embarrassing matters" such as failing to read the technical legislation attached to the RHI scheme during her time as Enterprise Minister.

She said she was pleased there was no "alleged improper motivation" or that she or the DUP were found to be motivated by financial greed.

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Speaking to the BBC shortly afterwards, she was pressed on criticisms in the report of two DUP special advisers, Timothy Johnston and Dr Andrew Crawford.

"I think it's important to put into context that they have served very well in very many areas, but unfortunately they made mistakes and that is of their own admission as well," she said.

"They recognise that and we just have to move forward from there."

On Dr Crawford, her previous special adviser, sharing details about RHI with third parties and members of his own family, she replied: "That was admitted in the inquiry so I think he's already answered those queries."

She also said she regretted the treatment of whistleblower Jeanette O'Hagan, whose warnings about RHI went ignored in emails to Mrs Foster's constituency office and department.

"To be very clear, Jeanette O'Hagan was someone who was pointing out difficulties with the scheme," she said.

"She should have been taken much more seriously by the department and of course I regret that wasn't the case."

Mrs Foster denied that stepping aside as DUP leader would have spared Northern Ireland three years without government.

She said it had been a Sinn Fein-led demand, which had already wanted to exit Stormont for a number of reasons.

"We've had all of that, we now need to learn the lessons of that. We don't need to revisit that time again," she said.

In a personal statement, former DUP special adviser Mr Johnston said he was pleased there was no "objective evidence" over accusations made by the ex-DUP minister Jonathan Bell that advisers had kept RHI matters "off the agenda" at official meetings.

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Now chief executive of the DUP, he also welcomed no suggestion of a financial or improper motive, including his own family members benefiting from the scheme.

Mr Johnston said it remained "a matter of regret" that he did not read a submission for RHI in July 2015, which was described as a "missed opportunity".

He said he was "disappointed" the inquiry did not agree with some of his evidence but repeated that the arrangements set up between him and fellow DUP advisers Andrew Crawford and Timothy Cairns were not intended to delay cost controls.

He accepted that special advisers would have to adhere to, and be seen to, follow the rules to rebuild public confidence.

Concluding, he insisted he had always acted in good faith and said: "I apologise for my mistakes at the time and recognise that lessons must be learned."

Meanwhile, DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds said the report should be about "ending the disruption of the past".

She said her department, which succeeded the Department of Enterprise, had worked hard to fix "what was clearly broken" over the last three years.

This included the RHI taskforce, which worked to bring the overspending scheme under control. She said the long-term future of the scheme was currently being considered and the department remained committed to delivering a sustainable energy strategy.
Mobile phones are all set to get expensive after the centres decision to hike the Good and Services Tax (GST) on cellular handsets to 18% from the current 12%. The decision was taken during the 39th GST Council meeting held on Saturday in New Delhi.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the meeting also attended by finance ministers of States & UTs and senior officers from both center and states.

Unanimously it was decided that the GST on mobile handsets be raised due to the inversion, she announced in a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Watch | GST on mobile phones hiked to 18% from 12%: Nirmala Sitharaman

While the duty levied on mobiles was currently 12%, some of its components attracted an 18 % duty.

Agencies reported earlier this week that the GST Council may end up rationalising the tax rates for five sectors, including mobile phones, footwear and textiles.

The decision was taken to end the inverted duty structure. The mobile phone manufactures will have to decide if they want to raise the prices. The inverted cost structure was also an issue for the manufacturers, a senior finance ministry official said.

He added that the 6% increase in GST on mobile doesnt mean that it will translate into a hike in prices of handsets.

Manufactured goods like fertilisers, mobile phones, footwear, renewable energy equipment, and man-made yarns attract a GST of 5-12 per cent, thereby leading to an inverted duty structure, where GST on finished goods is less compared to the duty on inputs.

The inverted structure-- when the tax outgo on finished products is lower than the tax on raw materialsrequires the government to refund the excess amount.

It was also reported that the panel in its Saturday meeting may decide to postpone the implementation of the new return filing system and e-invoicing from the earlier proposed launch date of April 1.

The postponement, it was reported, was partially on the account of continuing glitches on the GST portal that had resulted in several complaints by end-users. The finance minister was reported to have raised the issue with Infosys, responsible for the back-end management of the GSTN website.

GST was launched on July 1, 2017, to create a unified tax regime to end complications resulting from the need to deal with over a dozen indirect taxes including excise and service taxes.
Border authorities examine boxes of face masks being illegally transported to Laos at the Cau Treo International Border Gate in Ha Tinh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Han.

A Vietnamese man caught in central Ha Tinh Province was carrying 30,000 face masks in 13 boxes to Laos.

Border authorities in the central province on Friday also found 98 sets of medical protective clothes made in Vietnam.

The boxes were kept in the trunk of a bus which was passing the Cau Treo International Border Gate.

Authorities said the bus assistant, 32-year-old Mai Trong Diep, confessed he was responsible for carrying them to Vientiane.

Diep, who is from the northern Nam Dinh Province, said he was hired by two strangers to transport the goods from Hanoi to Vientiane for VND6.5 million ($280).

Vietnam has banned the exports of face masks since February 28, with exceptions for government aid. Diep therefore faces fines of VND5-10 million ($215-430).

Face masks have been in high demand in Vietnam since the Covid-19 epidemic broke out in the country. Many local textile companies have shifted from making garments to masks, to cater to rising demand.

Many violations relating to masks have been found in recent weeks. Many violations relating to masks have been unfold. Early February, authorities seized 200,000 masks being transported to China in the border province of Quang Ninh.
Weve all made sure our own homes are well stocked for the possible (actual) pandemic, but what about those who cant stock up, who struggle to feed their families in regular times? she wrote on the groups Facebook page. So lets all get up Saturday, sit with a cup of coffee or tea and go through our own well stocked pantries to find what those who are food insecure might need.
Add Houston Zoo to the growing list of Houston-area closures amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, the zoo announced it will temporarily close through April 3.

"We have been closely monitoring the constantly evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and feel it is our responsibility to do what we can to help reduce the rapid spread of COVID-19," the zoo said in a statement.
Connecticuts number of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 20 on Saturday as the virus has spread into New Haven and Hartford counties with the states National Guard being called in to assist at hospitals.

The virus has begun to spread at a rate that the state is no longer providing confirmed cases by municipality. Instead, state officials said only county breakdowns were available Saturday.

State officials were not surprised by the spike in novel coronavirus infections, a total that includes 15 patients in Fairfield County, three in Litchfield County and one each in Hartford and New Haven counties. Several of those individuals have been treated or are being treated within the Yale New Haven Health system, which includes Yale New Haven, Bridgeport and Greenwich hospitals.

The number of cases announced (Saturday) reinforces for us what we knew was already going to happen: This virus is spreading, and it is here in Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. I urge all of my fellow residents to take preventative measures like limiting large gatherings and keeping a safe social distance. Our state has taken critical measures to maximize public health and those steps will continue.

Norwalk officials confirmed on Saturday the citys first case, involving a man in his 40s. In neighboring Darien, First Selectwoman Jayme Stevenson said she had been informed of two more of her towns residents testing positive.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the New Haven County case is a city resident. He said three other state residents who tested positive were being treated at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Local officials in Stratford said a Stratford High School student is being tested for coronavirus, but indicated results arent expected for a couple of days. Students, faculty and staff of the school have been urged to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms as a precaution.

In New York, state officials reported Saturday the states first fatality from the virus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday morning that an 82-year-old woman with emphysema died Friday at a hospital in New York City. Cuomo said Saturday night that the Rockland County Medical Examiners Office confirmed the coronavirus-related death of a 65-year-old man with underlying health problems.

More than 500 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with the virus. One of them recently worked shifts at Danbury and Norwalk hospitals, marking Connecticuts first confirmed exposure to the condition. Another was a physician who has seen some patients at Bridgeport Hospital.

More hospital cases

Area hospitals are increasingly feeling the effects of the pandemic.

The Yale New Haven Health system confirmed that its chief nursing executive and several patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and that another executive has been exposed to the virus.

Yale New Haven Health CEO Marna Borgstrom said in a memo Saturday to colleagues that the patients positive tests were not unexpected as the CDC and public health officials made it clear that community transmission is occurring in the state of Connecticut. However, it does underscore the nature of this virus, which requires ongoing diligence and monitoring.

Also Saturday, the Yale Daily News reported that a university community member had tested positive based on a preliminary test, while two others are undergoing evaluations at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Connecticuts second confirmed case of a resident contracting the virus was a health care worker at Bridgeport Hospital in her 60s from Bethlehem. She is believed to have contracted the virus on a trip to Nevada.

Yale New Haven Health officials have not said publicly whether the Bethlehem woman or the New York doctor who worked at Bridgeport Hospital interacted with any of the infected patients.

Borgstrom did not mention in her letter those workers nor she did disclose any additional information about the affected patients such as where they were being treated.

In response to a Hearst Connecticut Media inquiry Saturday, a Yale New Haven Health spokesman said that he did not have additional information about those patients beyond what Borgstrom shared in the letter.

At the same time, Yale New Haven Healths chief nursing executive, Beth Beckman, has tested positive and has self-isolated at home, according to Borgstrom.

Beth is doing well and remains engaged in our daily operations, Borgstrom said.

In addition, Yale New Haven Healths chief clinical officer, Dr. Thomas Balcezak, has also been exposed the virus.

While Balcezak has tested negative and has no symptoms, he has self-quarantined at home for the next 14 days as a result of his wifes positive test, Borgstrom said. He remains engaged in our daily operations while working at home, Borgstrom said.

At Bradley International Airport, a female passenger on a flight arriving Saturday morning was treated by emergency medical teams for flu-like symptoms. The plane was isolated to the de-icing area.

The woman was taken to the hospital, and the flight was cleared by officials to resume regular operations.

More state and local orders

In another effort to mitigate the virus impact, Lamont signed Saturday his third executive order since the enactment of state emergency declarations last week.

The latest order contains a number of provisions, including a loosening of open-meeting requirements  a change aimed at minimizing large gatherings, while maintaining safeguards to provide remote public access. On Thursday, Lamont announced an order that bans gatherings of more than 250 people in the state.

At the same time, Lamont gave permission for pharmacists to compound and sell hand sanitizer and waived requirements for pharmacists to use certain personal protective equipment when working with non-hazardous, sterile compounds.

In addition, Lamont authorized refunds of liquor permit fees for special events that have since been canceled and waived face-to-face interview requirements for cash subsidies distributed through the Temporary Family Assistance program.

Lamont also let the commissioner of Early Childhood and Office of Health Strategy waive certain requirements to help maintain adequate access to day care and health care.

The Connecticut National Guard has been mobilized and is helping deliver ventilators to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Danbury Hospital and Hartford Hospital. The state National Guard is also working to inventory medical equipment sets and reconfigure parts of the Mobile Field Hospital into small tents for possible rapid deployment to hospitals.

Following school closures announced across the state in the past few days, local officials have also rolled out more orders intended to slow the virus spread.

Norwark Mayor Harry Rilling declared Saturday a civil-preparedness emergency in his city.

Rilling said the proclamation would give him more authority to make decisions that might be related to closing various events and other forms of social distancing, while it would also allow the city to seek any available state or federal funding.

The declaration would remain in effect until Rilling ends it.

Its a good idea to declare a local emergency to allow me to exercise any authority that I have, Rilling said in a phone interview with Hearst Connecticut Media.

Federal restrictions grow, Trump tested for virus

In Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. would expand its European travel restrictions to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.

On Friday, Trump declared a national emergency  a move aimed at accessing up to $50 billion in relief funds. Last week, he signed an $8.3 billion emergency bill that passed Congress with bipartisan and near-unanimous support.

But Trump has faced strong criticism from many Congressional Democrats, who say his administration has generally been too slow and ineffective in its response to the pandemic. Those critics assert that limiting access from Europe would do little to stem the virus spread within the U.S.

Also Saturday, Trump announced that he had undergone testing for the virus.

Trump had held out on testing for days, despite interacting with at least three people who have since tested positive for the virus. He had said Friday that he would probably take the test at some point, but the White House doctor said as recently as Friday night that no test was needed because Trump was not showing symptoms.

By Saturday night, Trumps doctor said the president tested negative for the virus.

But Trump said he had gone ahead with the test after repeated questions from reporters at a news conference Friday. He told reporters at a White House briefing Saturday that he had his temperature taken before stepping into the room and it was totally normal.

The White House also announced that it had started conducting temperature checks on anyone coming into close contact with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Those checked include reporters attending the Saturday briefing.

Robert Marchant and Susan Shultz contributed reporting. This article also contains reporting from The Associated Press.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott

toneill@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @Tara_ONeill_
The coronavirus outbreak in Spain has reached the heart of the government. On Thursday, the executive announced that the equality minister, Irene Montero of left-wing Unidas Podemos, had tested positive for the Covid-19 disease. The minister is in a good condition, and the deputy prime minister, Pablo Iglesias, is in quarantine for this situation too, the statement read, in reference to Monteros partner, who is the leader of Unidas Podemos. The executive announced on Thursday that tests would be carried out on all members of the government for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. So far, only Carolina Darias, the minister for territorial policy, has also tested positive.

The coalition government has been widely criticized for not having canceled the Womens Day marches

The government is planning on reducing to a minimum the contact its members have with other people, given the chance that more ministers have picked up the virus. Both Montero and Iglesias have had contact with the other members of the Cabinet at meetings over the last week.

On Thursday, the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE), gave a press conference without the physical presence of journalists, although they were able to put questions to the politician. Another meeting he held later with union chiefs was also done via video link.

La Moncloa, the prime ministerial palace, is minimizing the number of meetings being held and its staff are also telecommuting. A Cabinet meeting was held, however, although the ministers kept a certain distance from one another and Montero and Iglesias were not present.

Spains King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have undergone tests for the coronavirus, according to the Royal Household, given their recent public activities, a spokesperson said. The queen was with Irene Montero on Friday during a working meeting with an association dedicated to assisting sex workers. On Friday morning, it was announced that the royals had tested negative, but that following recommendations from health authorities, Queen Letizia would remain in quarantine with no official duties, and her temperature would be monitored.

Montero was tested for the virus after starting to cough, although she has stated via Twitter that she is in a good condition. Sources from her party, Podemos, reported that she did not have a fever. Both Montero and Iglesias are currently in their home in the Madrid satellite town of Galapagar.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal, who has tested positive for the coronavirus. Ricardo Rubio (Europa Press)

Both the Podemos politicians took part on Sunday in the 8-M Womens Day marches, which went ahead across Spain despite the coronavirus epidemic already having spread throughout many parts of the country. The coalition government run by the PSOE with the support of Unidas Podemos has been widely criticized this week by opposition parties for not having canceled the marches.

Ana Pastor, a politician from the conservative Popular Party (PP) who is currently a member of the speakers committee in Spains lower house of parliament, the Congress of Deputies, has also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, four deputies from the far-right Vox party  leader Santiago Abascal, secretary general Javier Ortega Smith and deputies in Congress Carlos Zambrano and Macarena Olana  have all tested positive for the virus. Abascal confirmed via Twitter that he had contracted the coronavirus, explaining that he had gone to a private clinic for the diagnostic after his colleague Ortega Smith was confirmed to have it too.

Earlier in the week Vox apologized for having held a party rally on Sunday that attracted around 9,000 people to the Vistalegre arena in Madrid. In a statement, however, they roundly attacked the government for having let the 8-M Womens Day marches go ahead, and accused the coalition government of not having done enough to contain the effects of what has now been classed as a global pandemic.

The Congress of Deputies decided on Thursday to suspend all parliamentary activity for a week, in a bid to minimize the impact of the virus.

English version by Simon Hunter.
ATLANTA - A Georgia Tech police officer who fatally shot a student struggling with depression wont face criminal charges, a district attorney announced Friday.

Officer Tyler Beck shot and killed fourth-year student Scout Schultz in Sept. 2017 after Schultz refused to drop his weapon.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said Beck wont face criminal charges in Schultzs death, news outlets reported. Howard said two use-of-force experts concluded the shooting was justified.

Schultz, 21, called police and said a man was walking around the dorms with a knife and possibly had a gun. Schultz gave police a physical description of himself.

Beck and three other officers were dispatched to the parking deck where Schultz was waiting with a multi-tool knife. A video capturing the incident shows Schultz daring police to fire their weapons as he ignored officers commands to stand still and drop his weapon.

Beck shot Schultz in the chest.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation found three suicide notes and Schultzs parents confirmed he suffered from depression and tried to kill himself two years earlier.

Howard said evidence indicates Schultz provoked the officers so they could shoot him. Attorney Chris Stewart, who represents Schultzs parents, said the suicide by cop defence doesnt justify the shooting.

Schultzs parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Georgia Tech, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and Beck. The lawsuit said Beck used excessive force and wasnt adequately trained to respond to situations involving people experiencing mental health crises. If hed had proper training, Schultz would be alive, Stewart previously said.

Beck had been an officer for about 16 months at the time of the shooting, and training records do not indicate that he had training in crisis intervention techniques. Less than one-third of Georgia Techs police officers had undergone the 40-hour course, according to records released by the school at that time.
Cebu City (CNN Philippines, March 14)  Cebu will restrict inbound travel in 72 hours, its governor announced, with the province planning to ban the entry of anyone coming in from any port or seaport, in response to the threat of COVID-19.

The provincial government is gradually rolling out restrictions, with the first one being a ban on anyone flying in from Clark International Airport in Pampanga, Legazpi City Airport in Albay, Cagayan De Oro City and Dumaguete City, as these are entry points to Luzon and Mindanao which have reported patients with COVID-19.

There is a necessity to support efforts of Metro Manila in order to further suppress the spread of COVID-19, read Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcias executive order, issued Saturday to enforce the inbound travel ban.

Garcia still plans to issue an executive order to ban anyone from Dumaguete City from entering Cebu beginning March 15, and to ban all ferry passengers from the ports of San Carlos City, Guihulngan City, and Escalante City in Negros Oriental from entry starting March 16.

She also plans to ban flights from Cebu to any part of the Philippines starting March 16.

While the movement of people will be restricted, cargo and supplies will be allowed into Cebu, subject to stringent measures.

Garcia said this is not a lockdown as people can still travel out of the province  they just cannot go back in.

She added that the provincial government is still awaiting for new guidelines from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases before taking any action on international flights.

The Central Visayas police will monitor the boundaries of Cebu. Central Visayas police chief BGen. Albert Ferro assures that they have enough policemen to deploy at all seaports and at the airport.

The number of patients who have contracted COVID-19 in the country has topped 100, with the Health Department confirming 47 new cases on Sunday. Eight people have died because of the disease, bringing its fatality rate to seven percent  above the global average of between three to four percent.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is related to the virus which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but is not as deadly, with the fatality rate standing at around three percent.

According to the WHO, 80 percent of patients only experience mild illness and eventually recover. It added that some 14 percent experience severe illness while five percent were critically ill.

The disease is spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze.

To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular hand washing, cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms.

Commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. Those with severe and critical symptoms should call the Health Department at (02) 8-651-7800 local 1149-1150.

Cebu-based Stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
At least three civilians were killed and as many as 30 people wounded Friday when troops from Myanmars military launched an attack on two townships in northern Rakhine state near where the insurgent Arakan Army (AA) had carried out an ambush on government troops, according to residents.

Residents of Mrauk-U township and nearby Kyauktaw township told RFAs Myanmar Service that the attack, which took place early on Friday morning, involved light arms fire and the firing of mortars on several villages, a hospital, and a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Three residents of Tharsi village in Kyauktaw were killed in the attack, while around 30 peopleincluding at least four childrenwere injured in total, they said.

One villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal by the military, told RFA that in addition to the three killed, five people were wounded in Tharsi, and residents were not able to bring them to a medical center for treatment until Friday evening, as local roads were closed. More than a dozen homes were torched in both Tharsi and nearby Tinnma village, they said.

Military troops entered the village around 11:00 a.m. and fired their weapons, the villager said.

A girl and two men were killed on the spot. They were hiding in the paddy granary and [the troops] shot them on purpose. They said it was in response to an AA attack near a mine along the road east of the village, they added.

Five were injured. We were unable to call the ambulance from the humanitarian group in town. Everyone from the village fled.

An elderly resident of Kyauktaws Thayat Tabin Theintan village, who also declined to be named, told RFA that a convoy of eight military vehicles fired its weapons into the village as it traveled along the highway connecting Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships.

The eight military vehicles fired randomly into the village, leaving three injured, they said. One of [those injured], a girl, was critically wounded after being shot in the head.

The villagers were injured in their homes. This wasnt a battle. [The military] indiscriminately fired into the villages as they traveled from Mrauk-U to Kyauktaw."

The three injured villagers were transported to a hospital in the Rakhine state capital Sittwe by a local humanitarian group, the elderly resident said.

A Muslim resident of Paung Toke village in Mrauk-U said that nine Muslims were injured when the military opened fire there.

Residents of Tainnyo village in Mrauk-U, including the village chief Wai Hla Aung, said 16 people were injured when troops fired light and heavy weapons on an IDP camp and hospital in the area.

Wai Hla Aung added that the attack was in response to an ambush explosion set by the AAa mostly ethnic Rakhine force that seeks greater autonomy in Rakhine stateat an area mine.

They fired into Tainnyo village, including at a hospital and IDP camp, he said.

One resident of Tainnyo village was injured in the arm by a blast. A bullet grazed the neck of a patient at Tainnyo Hospital. Ten people from the IDP camp were injured. A total of 12 people were wounded.

Tainnyo Hospital was temporarily closed and all the staff were transported to the seat of Mrauk-U, he said.

Soldiers provoked

Khine Thukha, a spokesperson for the AA, confirmed that on Thursday evening, soldiers from his ethnic army had ambushed a military convoy of 17 vehicles near the mine as they traveled from neighboring Minbya township to Mrauk-U.

This morning, although there were no more clashes, the Myanmar military fired their guns into the villages along the road between Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw.

Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun of the Myanmar military's Information Committee said he was unaware of Fridays attack, but suggested that area villages harbor insurgent soldiers.

AA soldiers are taking shelter in these villagesthey use them as a shield to attack military troops, so our troops were likely firing back at them, he said.

There is nothing to attack between Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw. Military troops or convoys won't fire their weapons unless they are provoked first. We diligently follow the rules and regulations required for troops during battle  Every troop has the right to defend themselves if they are shot at first.

Reports of Fridays attack came after ethnic Rakhines told RFA earlier this week that at least two civilians accused of being members of the AA died in military custody in recent weeks.

At least 15 ethnic Rakhine civilians died in military custody last year, they said.

The Rakhine Ethnics Congress, a regional relief organization, said in January that the IDP population in the state had reached more than 100,000, up from the November tally of 92,500 villagers who had fled their homes due to fighting between Myanmar forces and the rebel Arakan Army.

Reported by Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Maung Maung Nyo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
An Oregon woman has described the moment an elderly couple sitting in their car asked her to help them buy groceries because they were too scared of coronavirus to enter the store.

Rebecca Mehra, 25, ended up tweeting about her experience after helping the couple in Bend, Oregon who were parked in their car outside Safeway Supermarket in the town.

Mehra tweeted about her actions on Wednesday afternoon. A story which has since been retweeted more then 100,000 times.

Rebecca Mehra, 25, was handed a $100 bill by an elderly couple for her to buy groceries

Rebecca Mehra, 25, helped an elderly couple from Oregon to get groceries after they were too scared to get out of their car and then tweeted about her experience

Mehra's tweets have since gone viral on social media after the chance encounter

'I went to the grocery store this afternoon. As I was walking in I heard a woman yell to me from her car. I walked over and found an elderly woman and her husband. She cracked her window open a bit more, and explained to me nearly in tears that they are afraid to go in the store,' Mehra wrote.

'Afraid to get sick as they are in their 80's and hear that the novel coronavirus is affecting older people disproportionately. And that they don't have family around to help them out. Through the crack in the window she handed me a $100 bill and a grocery list, and asked if I would be willing to buy her groceries.

Mehra took the money and list, which had basic necessities on it.

'Everyone's looking for toilet paper. It was crazy, actually, being in Safeway yesterday,' Mehra said to the Bend Bulletin. 'There was nothing in the cleaning section. There was no hand soap. There was no toilet paper.'

After her story went viral, Mehra said, 'It was the first time I thought about how much this is really affecting my community.'

'I bought the groceries and placed them in her trunk, and gave her back the change. She told me she had been sitting in the car for nearly 45 min before I had arrived, waiting to ask the right person for help,' Mehra continued.

There are now 2,299 cases of coronavirus in the US and 50 people have died

'I know it's a time of hysteria and nerves, but offer to help anyone you can. Not everyone has people to turn to,' she said.

'I did feel a sense of confusion and nerves in the store, but also a sense of  we're all in this. We all have to take care of each other,' Mehra told the Bulletin.

'It was the first time I thought about how much this is really affecting my community,' Mehra said to CBS News.

She says she wishes she had asked for the couple's names.

Mehra is a professional runner and works part-time as an assistant to Bend mayor Sally Russell

'It just felt like a no brainer thing to do in the moment,' she said. 'It seems like it's inspired thousands of people hopefully to check in on their neighbors, check in on their grandparents, and their parents.'

Mehra is a professional runner and works part-time as an assistant to Bend mayor Sally Russell.

'The cool thing about what she did yesterday is that's just who she is,' Russell said to the Bulletin. 'I just hope our entire community, and our entire world, steps up the way Rebecca did. It's heartfelt, generous acts like this that make our community special, and also that will get us through this really difficult moment in time.'

'Overwhelmed by the positive response. Over 11 million of you have seen my story and counting. Thank you to everyone who has shared it,' Mehra said in a follow-up tweet. 'Frankly most people I know would have done the same thing I did. I was just in the right place at the right time.'
In route news, United will drop hundreds of San Francisco flights next month but Air China plans to resume SFO non-stop service; Qantas is suspending two San Francisco routes; ANA suspends its San Jose-Tokyo nonstop; the State Department suggests Americans should not travel abroad after the U.S. bans entry for 30 days to foreign nationals traveling from Europe; as a result, Delta, American and United scramble to adjust international schedules; Lufthansa Group carriers and Norwegian suspend most U.S. flights; route news from KLM, Air France, El Al, Kuwait Airways, British Airways, SAS, Southwest; Amtrak suspends Acela trains; LAX gets an AmEx Centurion Lounge.

The air travel situation is getting more chaotic and uncertain by the day, especially for international flights, as coronavirus tightens its grip on the world. New passenger bookings are drying up and cancellations are rampant, and now the White House has sparked a major disruption of transatlantic travel. Airlines are trying to keep up by cutting schedules again and again.

At San Francisco International, United has revealed some details of its plan to cut back capacity during April. According to Routesonline.com, the total number of weekly flights operated by United at SFO will shrink from 1,743 at the end of March to 1,512 by the middle of April, a drop of more than 13 percent. There was no route-specific data on the cutbacks. United will also scale back flight operations at Chicago OHare, Denver, Los Angeles, Houston, Newark and Washington Dulles. You can see the specific numbers here.

But Routesonline.com also reported a planned resumption of service by Air China between San Francisco and Beijing Capital Airport as the coronavirus situation in China has reportedly started to ease. The Chinese carrier dropped the non-stop route on February 10, and now has filed plans to resume service on March 29, operating four flights a week at least through May 1, although it will use a 787-9 instead of the 777-300ER it was previously flying on the SFO route. These flights are in addition to the airlines temporary Beijing-Los Angeles-San Francisco routing currently operating four times a week.

ANA announced on Friday that it will suspend its San Jose-Tokyo nonstop starting March 24 "until further notice."

And as we reported earlier this week, Qantas plans to suspend two San Francisco routes as part of an overall capacity reduction of 25 percent. Effective from April 18 at least through mid-September, Qantas will end its new SFO-Brisbane route, currently operating three times a week, as well as its four weekly SFO-Melbourne flights. The airline will continue Sydney-San Francisco nonstops but will replace the 787 Dreamliner currently on the route with a larger 747, also effective April 18.

The big news this week, of course, was President Trumps decision on Wednesday (March 11) to ban entry to the U.S. for 30 days effective Saturday (March 14) to foreign nationals who have been in any of 26 European countries (the U.K. and Ireland are among a few exceptions) during the two weeks before their planned arrival in the U.S. The decision was taken without consulting any European governments or giving them prior notice, and the chaos it created for travelers was initially heightened by Trumps failure to mention in his televised speech that the ban did not apply to any returning U.S. citizens or legal residents. U.S. officials said later that returning Americans will be funneled through a dozen U.S. airports where they can be tested by the CDC for coronavirus symptoms, and they may have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department this week urged U.S. citizens to reconsider travel abroad for now. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice, State said. You can see the details of the advisory here.

On Friday, the Transportation Security Administration said that it is now okay to pack larger-thn-3-oz bottles of hand sanitizer in your carry on bag. Here's a tweet from a TSA spokesperson:

United said on its website Friday (March 13) that it will keep operating its regular schedule to European destinations through March 20. After that, we expect to fly daily to Zurich, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Manchester and Edinburgh, maintain multiple flights to Frankfurt and Munich, and operate 18 daily flights to and from London, three to Dublin and four flights a week to Lisbon, all while continuing to monitor demand, the company said. Passengers booked to fly to Europe after March 20 should check their flights status on United.com or the airlines mobile app.

RELATED: United eases up on onerous 25-hour rule

Following the White House announcements, Delta said would operate most of its Europe-U.S. schedule through this Sunday (March 15) to help customers get back to the U.S., but after that its Europe operations will be "significantly reduced."

Delta issued two updates of its Europe route plans after that, but those became outdated Friday afternoon when Delta revealed a startling memo to employees from CEO Ed Bastian stating that the airline now intends to suspend all service to continental Europe (not the U.K.) for the next 30 days, and possibly even longer than that. That is part of a massive system-wide draw-down, the memo said, which will see Delta reducing its overall capacity by 40 percent and parking 300 jets  the biggest capacity cut in the airlines history. Bastian said cancellations are coming in faster than new bookings for travel over the next four weeks, representing a fall-off in demand that is unlike anything weve seen. He also said Delta will seek financial assistance from the federal government to help it get through the current crisis and will cut spending by $2 billion this year. You can read the memo here.

OAG

American Airlines said on Thursday (March 12) that it will maintain service for up to seven days on routes from Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York JFK and Miami to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Madrid and Paris. But it has suspended flights from Charlotte and Philadelphia to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid, Munich and Zurich. American has also halted service from Raleigh/Durham to London Heathrow and will reduce frequencies to Heathrow from JFK, DFW and Chicago.

Earlier this week, American said Philadelphia-Rome flights have been suspended through the end of April, while Rome service from Chicago and Charlotte will be dropped through early summer. The airlines resumption of seasonal service to Rome from DFW and JFK will be pushed back to the end of April, while seasonal Charlotte-Barcelona and Chicago-Venice flights wont start until early June.

In other markets, AA said that its service suspension from Los Angeles to mainland China and Hong Kong will now continue through the summer, as will its suspension of Dallas/Ft. Worth-mainland China flights. DFW-Hong Kong service will resume on a limited basis in July, and the suspension of DFW-Seoul flights will remain in place through early May. The airline has also suspended flights to Buenos Aires from Miami, DFW, JFK and Los Angeles; to Sao Paulo from DFW and LAX; and to Santiago, Chile from DFW; and it has discontinued Miami-Cordoba, Argentina flights. Except for Asia, suspended flights are expected to resume as early as May 7, AA said.

In the U.S., Widebody aircraft will be redeployed on key domestic routes in Americans network, the company said. American will also introduce new seasonal service between ORD and Honolulu (HNL) this summer on a Boeing 787-9.

Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines), a member of Uniteds Star Alliance, said on Thursday (March 12) that it is suspending most U.S. service effective March 14. The only exceptions: Lufthansa will continue to serve Frankfurt-Newark and Frankfurt-Chicago, Austrian will keep flying between Vienna and Chicago, and Brussels Airlines will maintain operations between Brussels and Washington Dulles. All other U.S. flights will be suspended until further notice due to U.S. administration restrictions, including all departures from Munich, Dusseldorf and Geneva. The Lufthansa Group will continue to serve all destinations in Canada until further notice, the company said.

Transatlantic low-cost carrier Norwegian Air said on Thursday that it is grounding 40 percent of its long-haul fleet and thus will cancel the majority of our long-haul flights to the U.S. from Amsterdam, Madrid, Oslo, Stockholm, Barcelona and Paris through March 29. After March 29, all of those routes will go totally dormant through the end of April, and U.S.-Athens flights will also be dropped. All of its U.S.-Rome flights will be suspended from now through the end of May, Norwegian said. But since the U.K. is not included in the U.S. travel ban, All routes between London Gatwick and the U.S. will continue to operate as normal. Norwegian operates 11 routes between the U.S. and London Gatwick. Our goal is to reroute as many of our customers as possible through London during this difficult period, the company said.

KLM said on March 12 it will maintain the network to destinations in the U.S. where passengers are screened, for the next two weeks as long as possible, also to give customers the opportunity to travel home. But it urged travelers to watch its website and app for schedule changes.

On Air Frances website the airline said Thursday that through March 28, it will keep flying from Paris to San Francisco, Washington Dulles, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta, and that it is awaiting clarification from the U.S. authorities on the possibility of maintaining service to Miami, Houston and Boston. Meanwhile, We are working with our partners KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic on implementing a plan to continue service to the United States for our customers beyond 28 March 2020, Air France said.

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British Airways said it will keep flying between the U.S. and U.K., but it noted that passengers booked to travel on the airline between the U.S. and the mainland European countries subject to the travel ban through April 11 can rebook for a later flight up to August 1 or can receive a voucher for future travel.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) plans to continue its San Francisco-Copenhagen service as scheduled through March 17 and will maintain a reduced schedule from Copenhagen to Chicago and New York and from Stockholm to New York. Other than that, SSAS is suspending service to other U.S. destinations through March 28.

In other international developments, Israels El Al has suspended San Francisco-Tel Aviv service from March 17-28 and LAX flights March 22-28, and has pushed back the launch of Chicago-Tel Aviv service from March 22 to June 28  Finnair is suspending service from Helsinki to New York, LAX and Miami effective March 19-April 12  Kuwait Airways has suspended all commercial flights out of Kuwait City until further notice, including its daily service to New York JFK  From March 24 through October 25, British Airways is canceling its all-business-class service from New York JFK to London City Airport, which operates westbound via a stop in Shannon and uses a special 32-seat Airbus 318.

On the less chaotic domestic front, Southwest this week issued its latest schedule update, which included news that on August 11 it will boost its Bay Area schedules to Long Beach, increasing daily frequencies from four to five flights for both Oakland and San Jose. On October 8, Southwest will add two new routes to Mexico from Phoenix, including two daily flights to Los Cabos and one a day to Puerto Vallarta. However, a couple of Bay Area cuts are coming in June, including Americans elimination of Oakland-DFW service and Sun Country Airlines termination of San Francisco-Portland flights.

Its not just airline schedules that are being affected by coronavirus. On the east coast, Amtrak has suspended its high-speed non-stop Acela trains between Washington D.C. and New York City through May 26.

In airport news, American Express this week opened its 12th Centurion Lounge. This one is at Los Angeles International in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, and at 14,000 square feet, its the largest one yet. AmEx notes that the lounge is accessible post-security from Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Besides offering California-centric menu selections, wines and cocktails, the lounge has high-speed Wi-Fi, private noise-buffering workspaces, a family room, showers and plenty of artwork. Access to The Centurion Lounge is complimentary for Platinum Card holders, Centurion members and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card members. Platinum Card Members may enter with up to two travel companions at no additional charge.

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Colleges and other educational



institutes in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad area which are affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) will remain closed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, the varsity said on Saturday.

Examinations, though, will take place as per the schedule.

A notification by SPPU said all academic departments of the varsity, affiliated colleges and educational institutes in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad will remain closed from March 14 till further orders.

Praful Pawar, registrar, SPPU, appealed to students in the notification that they should not to roam around "unnecessarily" during this period in Pune and Pimpri- Chinchwad.

"If someone is found roaming in city areas unnecessarily, action can be taken against such students," the notification warned.

"If students roam around unnecessarily, the very purpose of the exercise (of closing colleges) will be defeated so college authorities have been asked to give strong instructions to students," Pawar said.

Administrative work of the varsity and colleges will continue.

So far ten confirmed cases of coronavirus have been detected in Pune.

Pawar also said that examinations will take place as per the schedule, and the candidates should come to their exam centres at the stipulated time.

Deemed universities, autonomous institutes and Agriculture College in the city too have been directed to remain closed till further notice. The order to this effect was issued by the joint commissioner (higher education).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

As more people across the country work from home to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, some internet service providers (ISPs) are pledging to raise broadband speeds, suspend data caps, and generally make life easier for all.

More than 60 companies have signed on to the Federal Communication Commission's Keep America Connected Pledge, promising changes that will protect Americans on a budget from service interruptions during the crisis.

"Consumer Reports is encouraged by these timely actions," says Jonathan Schwantes, a senior policy counsel in CR's Washington, D.C., office. "Not only are these moves pro-consumer, they're a no-brainer, and we call on all internet service providers and wireless carriers to suspend data caps, boost internet speeds, and provide free or discounted service for those consumers most in need."

According to the provisions of the Keep America Connected Pledge, companies have agreed not to terminate service for residential customers and small-business owners who can't pay their bills due to disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic. They will also waive late fees caused by the crisis and open their WiFi hot spots to anyone who needs them.

"This is a great first step and a necessary one," Schwantes says.

Jessica Rosenworcel, an FCC commissioner, has called on companies to offer even more assistance. "We need to expand these pledges and make adjustments to FCC programs so that even more Americans can get online during this crisis at little or no cost," Rosenworcel says. "Where data caps and overage fees are in place, they need to be lifted and eliminated."

AT&T and Comcast say they will suspend data caps for internet service to eliminate fees for consumers. T-Mobile is removing data caps for cellular customers, too (details below).



Comcast has announced that it will also boost internet service speeds in its lowest-tier plans and offer new residential customers free internet for 60 days. Altice, Charter Spectrum, and Cox Internet announced programs providing free internet to qualified low-income users for a limited time.

Story continues

Want to know what the ISPs in your area are doing to help consumers during the COVID-19 crisis? Consumer Reports reached out to ask about their plans.

Aside from Sparklight, all the companies listed below have signed on to the FCC's Keep America Connected program. As more information rolls in, we'll continue to update this article.

What's Your Internet Service Provider Doing?

Allo

The company is offering 50 Mbps broadband service for free for 60 days to households without internet service, reducing fees for 60 days for existing and new broadband customers in need, and waiving service-modification fees for businesses and residences.

Altice

The company is offering its Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband service free for 60 days to any new residential customer currently without internet access. According to the FCC, 25Mbps and above classifies as high-speed.

AT&T

The company says it will suspend data caps for its fixed internet service. It also offers a $10-a-month Access From AT&T program for qualifying low-income households.

BEK Communications

The company is doubling internet speeds for all customers at no additional charge, offering broadband service for free for four months to new customers with telehealth, education, and work-from-home needs.

C Spire

The company is offering free wireless data to K-12 students to access educational sites while they are home, and raising data limits and speeds for customers on many prepaid plans.

Charter Spectrum

The ISP will offer free Spectrum broadband and WiFi access for 60 days to households with students in kindergarten through 12th grade or college students who don't already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. The installation fees will be waived for new student households. To enroll, call 844-488-8395.



For eligible low-income households without school-age children, Charter offers Spectrum Internet Assist, a low-cost broadband program delivering speeds of 30 Mbps. Spectrum doesn't have data caps or hidden fees.



Comcast

Comcast will offer new residential customers who qualify its $9.95-per-month Internet Essentials program free for 60 days. The company says it will boost its internet service speeds from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps, which qualifies the service as high-speed broadband under FCC guidelines. Comcast will also suspend data caps for 60 days and refrain from disconnecting service or charging late fees for customers who contact the company regarding overdue payments.



Cox Internet

Starting Monday, new customers can receive a free month of internet service in the company's Connect2Compete plan, available to qualified low-income households for $9.95 a month. The company is also fast-tracking the application process to get families connected more quickly.

Cox will make its Complete Care support program free to all residential customers who have technical issues or need assistance installing features like education software or teleconferencing. The company is going to increase internet speeds from 25/3 Mbps to 50/3 Mbps for 60 days for the Starter, StraightUp Internet, and Connect2Compete packages, and speed up the implementation of a 50Mbps upgrade for users of Cox's Essentials service. That upgrade had been scheduled for later in the year.

Cox also has announced a $19.99 offer for new Starter internet customers with a temporary boost in download speeds to 50 Mbps. The company is also eliminating data usage overages to meet higher bandwidth demands. Customers with a 500 GB or Unlimited data usage add-on plan will receive credits on future bills.

GeoLinks

The provider is increasing broadband speeds for customers who are working remotely.

Hotwire Communications

Hotwire is offering free 100 Mbps broadband for two months to new customers that are students or live in low-income households.

Mediacom

The company is increasing broadband speeds for its Connect2Compete (low-income) customers from 10 Mbps to 25 Mbps. It's also offering broadband service for free for 60 days to new Connect2Compete customers as well as reducing prices for 60 Mbps broadband service for new customers, and suspending data usage limits through May 15.

Nelson Cable

Nelson is increasing broadband speeds for customers that need it for distance learning, telecommuting, or telemedicine, and offering 50 Mbps broadband service for free through June 30 to new customers in need.

Ninestar Connect

The company is increasing broadband speeds up to 1 Gbps through April 10.

Socket Telecom

Socket is increasing broadband speeds to 1 Gbps for 60 days for residential customers.

Sparklight

The company says it's making unlimited data available on all internet services and waiving late fees for the next 30 days. Customers can call to arrange payment deferrals, Sparklight adds.

Starry

The company is offering free 30 Mbps broadband service through the end of May for both new and existing customers who live in affordable housing.

T-Mobile

The company has no data cap for its home internet service. All current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile wireless customers who have cell-phone plans with data will be granted unlimited smartphone data for the next 60 days (excluding roaming). They'll also receive an additional 20GB of mobile hot spot/tethering service for those two months. The company is working to provide Lifeline low-income customers with up to 5GB of free data per month over the next two months.

Verizon

The company recently increased speeds at no extra cost on some mid-tier FIOS services, bumping the 100 Mbps tier to 200 Mbps and the 200 Mbps tier to 300 Mbps. The company reports that it places no data caps on its home internet broadband services. Verizon also offers a low-cost Lifeline plan for qualified families.

Washington Broadband

Washington Broadband is increasing broadband speeds for student customers and offering broadband service for free to students who cannot afford it and small business owners who have had to close their businesses.

Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to Jessica Rosenworcel as the FCC commissioner. She is one of four commissioners who serve alongside the FCC chairman. This story has been updated to include additional discounts and speed increases collected by the FCC. The article was originally published on March 14, 2020.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
A man accused of fatally beating a 19-year-old from Mount Wolf in York County three years ago was charged Friday with murder of the second degree.

Edia Lawrence, 21, of the Bronx, New York, was found guilty also of robbery, burglary, and other related offenses, according to the York County District Attorneys Office.

Authorities said he beat 19-year-old Ahshantianna Johnson to death in 2017.

Johnson died five days after she was found brutally beaten outside a home on the 100 block of South 2nd Street on March 25, FOX43 reported. Court documents explained that three men forced their way into Johnsons mothers house because Johnson had stolen money from Lawrence.

The motive behind her death is thought to be payback for stealing his money. Lawrence is supposedly a drug dealer and had mentioned to another person he would take care of the situation, which led to Johnsons death, police said.

Lawrence will now face a mandatory life sentence for the second-degree murder conviction.
The proceedings of the



Maharashtra Legislative Council were briefly adjourned on Saturday after some members of the opposition BJP objected to a legislator's remarks about the RSS during a discussion in the House.

Council member Kapil Patil, who represents the teachers' constituency, said that previous BJP-led state government's decisions in school department were motivated by the "RSS school of thought".

"Three government resolutions (GRs) had been issued by the previous government, which were motivated by RSS school of thought," he said.

Objecting to it, BJP MLCs Prasad Lad, Bhai Girkar and Ranjit Patil, urged deputy chairperson of the council Neelam Gorhe to expunge the remarks.

Refusing to do so, Gorhe asked state School Minister Varsha Gaikwad to respond to it.

"All the three GRs will be examined again and appropriate decision will be taken within a month. The decisions were wrong, but decision will be taken post examination," Gaikwad said.

Patil refused to accept Gaikwad's answer and demanded immediate withdrawal of the three GRs.

Patil continued protesting in the House.

After several requests by Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Power Minister Nitin Raut and Higher and Technical Minister Uday Samant, Patil returned to his seat.

However, Gorhe adjourned the proceedings of the House for five minutes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The coronavirus pandemic has raised all the worst attributes of President Trump: the terminal narcissism, the propensity to flat-out lie, the incompetence, the xenophobia. At a moment when Americans needed a president they could trust, who could soothe the jitters rising from sea to sea, they were reminded of the charlatan in the White House.

No leader on the planet has a better platform than a televised address from the Oval Office, scripted on teleprompter, to set the nation, the markets and the world at ease in the throes of crisis. Trump failed so miserably, so unsteadily, so disingenuously Wednesday night, that stock futures started diving as he spoke, and his staff had to move quickly to correct misstatements in the speech with global ramifications.

But the abysmal failure of Trumps leadership in the face of the worst crisis of his presidency neither began nor ended with one speech in which he tried to deflect blame on a foreign virus that was seeded by travelers from Europe.

The president of the United States has been trying to hoodwink us from the start as if we were just another group of suckers being pitched on one of his properties. This time, however, the Trumpian snake oil was at a severe cost to our health, our jobs and our 401(k) balances.

More Information It's no laughing matter, congressmen Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. The congressman was roundly criticized for seeming to mock the outbreak by wearing a gas mask on the House floor to vote on an emergency spending bill to combat the virus. Then Gaetz had to retreat into self-quarantine after coming into contact with an attendee at a conservative conference who later tested positive. "Made light"?!?! I was quite serious," he later tweeted, unconvincingly, that his intent was to draw attention to the threat to members of Congress. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. The "bad taste of the week" award goes to this congressman for his twee t that joked about intentionally infecting 87-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with coronavirus. Gosar had gone into self-quarantine after interacting with someone at a conservative political conference who was hospitalized with COVID-19. See More Collapse

On Feb. 26, Trump assured us that the number of infected Americans, then 15, is going very substantially down, not up  and within a couple of days, is going to be down to close to zero.

Wrong. As of Friday, it was approaching 2,000, with more than 40 deaths.

On March 9, Trump tweeted that the coronavirus was no more concerning than the common flu, which kills an average of 37,000 Americans a year, compared with the 546 coronavirus cases and 22 deaths at that point. Think about that! he tweeted.

Yes, think about the expert opinion of Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said the coronavirus was 10 times more lethal than seasonal flu. Bottom line, its going to get worse, Fauci told Congress on Wednesday.

Even if the president remains in denial. Especially if the president and his sycophants on Fox News and talk radio  heres looking at you, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh  remain in conspiracy-fueled denial.

Another flat-out fabrication from Trump was his March 13 claim that anybody who needs a test (in the U.S. can get one. That may be true in South Korea, where 20,000 people have been tested per day. But the process is moving at a glacial pace in this nation, where the Centers for Disease Control could count only 17,000 tests to date, as of Thursday.

Fauci, who earned his credibility with his studied and substantive leadership in the AIDS epidemic decades ago, was forthright about the nations slow response on testing: It is a failing. Lets admit it. He made those remarks Thursday, the day Trump continued to insist that testing was going very smoothly.

It is not, by any measurement.

Trump has treated the pandemic as a political problem that can be swept away with his usual bluster. He tried denying that he once said infected Americans can get better even going to work  he did, indeed  as just more fake news and disinformation by the Democrats.

On Friday, as he declared a national emergency to combat the outbreak he once tried to downplay, Trump said, I dont take responsibility at all for the lag in testing. The buck always stops elsewhere with him.

Even as American society was shutting down last week  schools, concerts, sporting events, group gatherings  the president refused to offer guidance on the closures wisdom or genuine expressions of empathy for those who were suffering physical or financial trauma. However, he did not spare any opportunity at self-congratulation for his administrations unprecedented response and early, intense action that prevented greater devastation.

This nation has rarely if ever been in more need of a real president, firmly grounded in reality.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron
New Zealand will impose new travel restrictions requiring all travelers entering the countryincluding New Zealand citizens and residentsto unconditionally self-isolate for 14 days.

The Pacific Islands are exempted from this measure. They are the only ones, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Saturday after an emergency cabinet meeting. Anyone from this country, though, will be required to automatically self-isolate should they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival in New Zealand.

Small South Pacific island countries have no reported cases to date. New Zealand has a large South Pacific islander population.

The restrictions go into effect midnight Sunday local time and will be reviewed in 16 days.

New Zealanders are also being advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

Ardern says the latest decision means New Zealand will have the widest-ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world.

We do not take these decisions lightly, she said.

In addition to restrictions on air travel, we are also taking firm measures on cruise ships, the New Zealand prime minister added. As of midnight tonight, were issuing a directive to all cruise ships not to come to New Zealand until at least June 30, 2020that is for incoming cruise shipsat which time the directive will be reviewed.

New Zealand has six confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the latest case confirmed on Saturday. The country has not reported any deaths.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the country canceled a national remembrance service that would mark one year since the attack on Christchurch mosques, citing coronavirus concerns.

This is a pragmatic decision. Were very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldnt create the risk of further harm being done, Ardern said in a statement.

From The Epoch Times
Switzerland's armed forces said Saturday that the army is prepared to deploy to help in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more tha 1,000 people in the country.

The army will as of Monday deploy one of its four hospital battalions, army chief Thomas Sussli said in a tweet.

The battalion will be carry out a "special service towards the security and protection of us all," he wrote.

While he did not clarify the specific service to be provided, he pointed out that more than 90 percent of the personnel in Switzerland's hospital battalions "work in other professions, but have civilian-recognised, military-acquired basic care training."



Army spokesman Daniel Reist told AFP that the battalion, made up of between 500 and 600 people, will be prepared to support work at hospitals across the country if requested.

"There has not yet been a request," he said.

The army has already deployed 23 people to support two hospitals in Switzerland's southern Ticino region, which borders hard-hit Italy, he said.

The Swiss government meanwhile warned Saturday that cybercriminals had begun sending out emails purportedly from the country's health ministry, playing on people's anxiety over the pandemic to try to infect their computers with malware.

The came after Switzerland on Friday announced a raft of measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, including school closures and tighter border controls, and said it would provide $10 billion to help businesses and workers get through the crisis.

According to the last count on Friday, 1,125 people have been infected in the small Alpine country and seven have died from the virus.

The overall death toll from the new virus, which first emerged in China in December, has jumped to more than 5,000 across the world, including nearly 1,500 in Europe, with total infections topping 140,000 internationally, according to an AFP tally based on official sources.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chennai, March 14 : Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on Saturday launched a "Career Back 2 Women (CB2Women)" initiative through its "Digital Skills Academy" to skill women who aspire to return to a technical profession after a break in their career.

Overall, as many as 150 hours of training will be offered to skill the women on their journey back to their careers. Candidates will get a choice to opt for any level as certificates will be issued for each level.

The IIT Madras Digital Skills Academy is using latest platforms and has tied-up with the Forensic Intelligence Surveillance and Security Technologies (FISST) to offer this programme, the Institute said in a statement.

"All participants will take "Back To Technical Track (BTCUBE)", which is a 20 hour programme that will bring them up-to-date on technologies and demystifies latest jargons. At the end of this programme, they will have a choice to select a specialisation. There are 4 tracks offered initially," said C. Mohan Ram, Chief Mission Integrator and Innovator, FISST.

"Track 1 - Data Science and Big Data, Track 2 - Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Track 3 - Cyber Security with Digital Forensics, Track 4 - Software Engineering with Programming in Python with MongoDB. Each track has a Basic (40 hours) and Advanced modules (90 hours)," Ram added.

"CB2W from IIT Madras' Digital Skills Academy is a progressive step that would help in getting more women into STEM occupations and I look forward to the positive impact this will make in the years to come," said Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras.

According to the Institute, job placement assistance will be provided to all candidates who complete the advance module in selected tracks.

"CB2W from IIT Madras' Digital Skills Academy is a progressive step that would help in getting more women into STEM occupations and I look forward to the positive impact this will make in the years to come," Amit Aggarwal, VP and CEO, IT-ITeS Sector Skills Council, NASSCOM, said.

The Institute also plans to offer more courses at various levels for students and working professionals in association with NASSCOM and in partnership with training companies incubated at IIT Madras Research Park and industry partners.
Manitobas three main defences to slow the COVID-19 pandemic are for citizens to wash their hands, keep a social distance from others, and stay home.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Manitobas three main defences to slow the COVID-19 pandemic are for citizens to wash their hands, keep a "social distance" from others, and stay home.

Most of this is impossible for people who are homeless. In Manitoba, the majority are Indigenous peoples  around 70 per cent, according to End Homelessness Winnipeg.

Most of this is also impossible for people on First Nations reserves.

How do you stay home when youre working paycheque to paycheque? How do you keep a "social distance" when there are 10 family members in your home? How do you stay home when your house is infected with mould?

COVID-19 may have started elsewhere, but the virus is going to become very Indigenous.

For many Indigenous peoples who become infected with the novel coronavirus, options are limited.

"Self-quarantining" is almost impossible, even if a home is available. If medical services are available, sterile conditions to recover in are hard to come by.

If you are sick  like many Indigenous peoples are, due to poor food and living conditions  and have diabetes, a breathing issue or are an elder, you are at risk of death.

If COVID-19 is to be stopped, all levels of authority must make Indigenous communities a priority. The past two days have seen most every poverty-fighting and Indigenous-based organization in Winnipeg respond.

Main Street Project has instituted new rules: staff are not to move freely between buildings and units, visitation is restricted, and spaces between shelter beds are increased.

The North Point Douglas Womens Centre has cancelled ceremonies, limited use of ceremonial and public items, and handed out premade sandwiches instead of hot lunches.

The Indigenous Student Centre at the University of Manitoba cancelled next weeks 16th annual Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering, the U of M cancelled the Manitoba First Nations Science Fair, and the University of Winnipeg announced the cancellation of next weeks graduation powwow and March 27 spring feast.

The Manitoba Metis Federation cancelled all in-person meetings, and asked all employees to cease any activities outside of its offices on 150 Henry St.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs cancelled all its events and, in a news release Friday, "encouraged" all First Nations in Manitoba to "close schools and daycares," while calling on provincial authorities to "ensure that medical supplies are available to each First Nation in Manitoba."

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network dedicated almost half of its national news show Friday to coverage of COVID-19 and became a de facto public service messenger (proving, yet again, the networks necessity).

The fact remains: COVID-19 will impact Indigenous communities differently than other Canadians  and much of it is due to conditions wrought by the Indian Act. One-hundred-and-fifty years of mistreatment has become Canadas biggest problem in the fight against COVID-19.

The federal government announced it was shipping isolation tents and temporary shelters to help Indigenous communities deal with any outbreaks. When asked what northern communities experiencing sub-zero temperatures would do, Valerie Gideon, senior assistant deputy minister for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch told media the department was "looking at" heating options and "field hospitals."

The Assembly of First Nations, which has cancelled all staff travel and events, has expressed concern Ottawa is moving too slow to deal with what is sure to become Canadas front line.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

There are also new issues with the nearly $100 million in federal dollars earmarked to support Indigenous communities. Much of the money wont go far enough to address issues in northern Inuit communities, and Metis communities cant access the money  only First Nations can.

This also means urban, impoverished Indigenous communities are left at the mercy of provincial and civic governments who have spotty track records.

This may mean regular, everyday Manitobans will have to step up where governments will not or cannot.

For business owners, in may be an open, available downtown bathroom. For individuals, a few dollars of spare change, a pair of gloves, a bottle of drinking water.

For all of us, a few moments of empathy, support and commitment to each other as Treaty people  as family, wherever you come from  will become the front line in the fight against COVID-19.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
Cambodia has banned entry of foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and United States for 30 days effective March 17th, as Phnom Penh recorded two more cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday.

A Ministry of Health statement released Saturday morning banned the entry of foreigners from the five countries, the first time Cambodia has introduced entry restrictions since the viral outbreak.

However, officials have not enforced similar restrictions for other countries with high number of cases, such as Iran, South Korea, Japan or China.

This measure was made after we rapidly found foreigners with COVID-19 [in Cambodia], those foreigners have different nationalities and were travelling from abroad, where there is a COVID-19 outbreak, said Or Vandine, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health.

However, Or Vandine did not clarify if only citizens of the five countries were restricted from entering Cambodia, or if the ban included other nationalities travelling through those countries.

She added that all but one case in Cambodia were imported cases, and that there had been no evidence of community transmissions. The one Cambodian who contracted the disease, she said, got it through direct transmission.

On Friday, health officials confirmed that two other foreigners  a Belgium and Canadian national  had tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Phnom Penh, according to Or Vandine. She added that two people had travelled abroad and returned with the virus, classifying it another case of imported infections.

The Belgian national has been quarantined at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital, with Canadian man quarantined at home, the Health Ministry spokesperson said.

The Canadian man works at the Canadian International School at Koh Pich, Or Vandine said, and the students have been placed in 14 days of self-quarantine.

We will continue to do contact tracing, close or indirect, in accordance with the epidemiology [guidelines]. We will have updates about our plan with the school, she said.

The Belgian man worked for an international organization, which had requested the ministry to not reveal its identity.

Cambodia has seen an uptick in cases recently, with three British nationals testing positive aboard a river cruise originating from Vietnam. The remaining 61 passengers and crew members have been quarantined at a hotel in Kampong Cham province.

A Cambodian man tested positive for the virus last week, after he came in contact with a Japanese man who also tested positive in Nagoya, Japan, hours after he left the Kingdom.

The total number of case worldwide has crossed 132,000 and there have been close 5,000 deaths, most from China where the virus is believed to have originated, according to the World Health Organization.

The global health bodys chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Europe had become another epicenter of the viral pandemic, recording more cases and deaths outside of China.
Recipe for Persuasion, (Morrow, June.) the second romance in Devs Jane Austeninspired Rajes series, sees an old flame reignite on the set of a reality cooking competition.

The Raje family are descended from Indian royalty. What inspired their unique backstory?

I grew up in India in a bit of an Anglicized bubble. Because of colonization, we grew up reading Western fiction, so there werent a lot of Indian protagonists. And once I moved to this country, whatever little presence I saw of Indian-American culture in media was what I could only describe as poverty porn or exotica porn. To me, that was unacceptable. I always knew that if I were allowed to tell stories on a stage where they were going to be heard by people, they were going to be about a different Indian experience. One of those experiences is privilege. In this country, privilege is seen as the realm of white people. But there is privilege in other cultures. Indias history of royalty was rudely interrupted by colonization. The power was stripped away, but the semblance of power was left. Thats where the Rajes came from.

Recipe for Persuasion centers on the complicated relationship between Ashna and her mother. What led you to focus on this dynamic?

From the day were born, were setting up our life based on blueprints. My blueprint is how Ive seen my mom and grandmother and aunts behave from when I was very young. You see these relationships around you and build your own vocabulary for relationships from that. Ashna doesnt have that. She has, for many reasons including that she doesnt really know her mother, been left almost incomplete. Until thats been healed, letting love into her life is not something she knows how to do. Thats what this story is about for me.

Cooking with the Stars makes for a fun backdrop. How did you choose this setting?

The whole theme, taken from Austens Persuasion, is power balance. The first time Ashna and Rico get together, hes a nobody and she has all the power, because her family does. Then he goes off and gains wealth and a name. Hes the celebrity on the cooking show and shes dependent on him for the win. The power dynamic is completely flipped, and I wanted to explore that. And of course, its fun and I love food. I spend so much of my life watching Food Network that it had to come out somewhere.

Tell me about your relationship with Jane Austens work.

At a young age, I connected very deeply with Austens writing. I read her in middle school, and I think at the time I was looking to shore up my belief that I was just as good as anyone else, even as a woman. Even though Austen wrote 200 years ago, the messaging in her books is always, always about female agency and self-worth. She very much took over my imagination, and I find her almost a part of the blueprint I was built on.
Ankita, a public relations professional has had to change the way she works over the past 10 days. Hired in the Mumbai team of a PR agency, the 25-year-old was responsible for an appliance launch event that now stands cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

"A product launch is a big event as far as the PR industry is covered. Since we cannot hold large gatherings, we are devising strategies to make this a closed-door digital event. Press kits will be individually sent to media houses. For me, it is my job and my career depends on this," she added.

While COVID-19 outbreak has impacted a host of sectors from IT, travel and tourism to aviation, and education, a mini-crisis seems to have hit the PR industry with some agencies looking to put employees on bench till the situation improves.

"A large portion of the staff is into client servicing and event management. With events being cancelled all across India, we do not know what to do with the additional staff hired for year-end product launches and events," said a senior HR head at a pan-India PR firm.

On one hand, large product launch events by retail/FMCG and automobile firms are cancelled, and on the other companies are deferring initial public offerings (IPOs). The immediate impact is on PR firm employees who now have to realign their daily responsibilities.

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

Travel and tourism, FMCG and auto are the biggest spenders when it comes to PR activity. With activity in these sectors curtailed, revenues for the PR industry are hit, which in turn translates into a lower number of hires.

A tourism-event in Dubai had to be called off - costing a Mumbai-based PR firm loss of several crores due to the tickets that had to be booked for guests and local arrangements for food and stay. However, the agency is now mulling an e-press conference.

Here, the idea is to hold a regular media event. The only difference being that media professionals login through a video link from their respective locations. One-on-one interactions would then be held over Skype calls. The promise, however, is that a Dubai trip would be planned later in the year once the effects of the coronavirus outbreak subside.

According to the PR Consultants Association of India, the PR industry is expected to grow at 15 percent to reach Rs 2,270 crore by FY21. Every year, an estimated 1,00-1,200 individuals join the estimated 30,000 professionals strong sector.

A Delhi/NCR-based PR firm that was hired for a 2020 listing for a financial services company is now in a fix as the client is looking to postpone the IPO. This PR firm had hired seven new freshers to handle the IPO right from filing of the draft papers to roadshows and media trips and is now uncertain about whether the firm will even list in 2020.

"The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent market crash have left investors worried. New staff members are too young to be put on crisis communications or regular client servicing. We are now discussing internally to see how they can be accommodated," said the Western zone head of the PR firm.

In the meantime, local visits are being arranged for individual media persons where they would get an opportunity to interact with the company management.

At a time when 81 positive cases for COVID-19 have been discovered, social distancing is being advocated as a priority across companies. For PR professionals, how they adapt to remote-working India and cater to their client needs for the next few months will determine their future.
An adult male from Bay County with history of domestic travel has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

According to a Saturday press release from state Sen. Kevin Daily, the man is a physician at Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw.

Covenant officials confirmed that once the individual in Bay County became aware that he was exposed to someone with the virus while out of state, he stopped working immediately, underwent testing and went home to self-quarantine awaiting results.

MDHHS and health departments in Bay, Charlevoix, Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties confirmed nine additional adults tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 , bringing the states total number of positive cases to 25 as of Friday night.

The specimens will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation testing.

It is recommended that residents avoid large crowds when possible, and especially avoid people who are sick. People should wash their hands regularly using warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds and do their best to avoid touching their face.

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. Patients with confirmed coronavirus infection have respiratory issues and symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. Residents who are experiencing any of these symptoms, or are not feeling well, should stay home and consult their doctor.

MDHHS has launched a statewide hotline to respond to health-related questions about COVID-19 and to direct residents, providers and more to the right resources in their local communities and other state government departments.

Beginning Saturday, March 14 at 9 a.m., the hotline is open seven days a week from 8 a.m.  5 p.m. at 1-888-535-6136.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is continuously updating its website as new information becomes available and state and local health officials are working to keep residents informed and up to date.

ALSO SEE:

 Coronavirus related cancelations for Midland, and elsewhere

 Health Department: Call ahead before visiting your doctor with coronavirus symptoms

The new cases also include:

An adult female from Charlevoix County with history of international travel.

An adult female from Detroit with history of international travel.

An adult male from Macomb County with history of international travel.

Two adult females and an adult male from Oakland County, one with history of international travel two with unknown travel history.

Two adult females from Wayne County, one with history of domestic and the other with no history of travel.

COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include: fever, cough, shortness of breath.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Updates will be posted to Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 09:25 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a87d0d 1 City COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,RS-Persahabatan-hospital,flee Free

A COVID-19 patient who was receiving treatment in the isolation ward of Persahabatan General Hospital (RSUP) in East Jakarta has reportedly escaped the facility with the help of family members.

According to Erlina Burhan, the hospitals spokesperson for matters related to COVID-19, the patient was able to slip away while medical workers were busy.

"[The patient] left through the front door, where her family members were already waiting to help her flee," Erlina told a press conference at the hospital on Friday afternoon.

Read also: Coronavirus pandemic 'could be over by June' if countries act, says Chinese adviser

The facility is currently treating five COVID-19 patients and eleven others who are under observation for showing symptoms, tempo.co reported.

Separately, Jakarta administration official Suharti said the patient decided to leave the hospital because she did not trust the test result diagnosing her as positive for COVID-19. She also demanded proof of her infection, she added.

"The patient claimed that she had shown no symptoms of COVID-19. So, she decided to run because she was afraid of eventually being transferred to a facility [for positive patients]," Suharti said, adding that all COVID-19 patients at the hospital were kept in the same room.

She added that the patient also had financial concerns.

"[The patients] family is poor and they have children to feed."

Suharti spoke during a recent meeting with Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan on the capitals measures to combat COVID-19. The meeting was recorded and can be watched on the Jakarta administrations official YouTube channel.

Indonesia has so far recorded 69 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Four patients have died during isolation.

However, the figures are believed to be far below the countrys actual number of infections, with many fearing that cases have gone undetected because of the governments inadequate handling of the health crisis.

Concerns also remain as to whether tests run by the Health Ministry's laboratory are accurate.

At least five people suspected of having the virus have died since late February before authorities eventually announced the first two confirmed cases last week. Some of the suspected patients died while waiting for their test results, although all of their tests eventually came back negative.

In one case, a health official reportedly confirmed the possibility of flawed results from lab tests. (vny)
Donald Trump Sundar Pichai

Getty

Verily, an Alphabet company, is building a website to help triage people for coronavirus testing in the Bay Area.

Earlier today, President Donald Trump appears to have exaggerated these claims, describing it as a nationwide website being built by Google to help with coronavirus screening.

A Verily spokesperson clarified the project and says it hopes to expand the project from the Bay Area over time.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump appears to have misspoken, and perhaps even significantly exaggerated, the details of a Google project to screen Americans for coronavirus.

Hours after Trump said Friday that Google is working to build a website to help screen Americans who may have COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Google sent out a tweet describing something very different.

The site is actually being built by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet  Google's parent company  and the website is being designed for people seeking testing in the San Francisco Bay Area, instead of nationwide as Trump claimed.

"We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing," a Verily spokesperson said in a tweet. "Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort."

Carolyn Wang, communications lead for Verily, told The Verge that originally, this website was only going to be made available to health care workers instead of the general public, but now anyone will be able to visit it since it has been announced. Still, the web site can only direct people to testing facilities in the Bay Area. It plans to expand over time.

Story continues

The contradictory information about the Google project comes as the Trump administration has faced fierce criticism for its handling of the outbreak. Shortages of test kits have made it difficult to assess the scale of the outbreak in the US and hampered efforts to contain it.

Earlier on Friday, Trump declared a national emergency because of coronavirus, which has infected over 1,200 people in the U.S. and killed 33. Worldwide, it has infected over 140,000 people and killed over 5,000.

Business Insider has reached out to Google for more clarification and to the White House for comment.

Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at rmchan@businessinsider.com, Signal at 646.376.6106, Telegram at @rosaliechan, or Twitter DM at @rosaliechan17. (PR pitches by email only, please.) Other types of secure messaging available upon request. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879. A man of genius, by the age of twelve he had taught himself algebra and Euclidean geometry over a single summer. The man who would go on to win the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to theoretical physics and discovery of the law of photoelectric effect, showcased his genius early in life, independently discovering his own original proof of the Pythagorean theorem when he was only 12 and going on to master integral and differential calculus by the time he was 14.

While Einstein had a romantic inclination towards Marie Winteler, the daughter of his professor Jost Winteler, the relationship never bore fruit and he went on to meet his future wife Mileva Maric at the Zurich Polytechnic, where he had enrolled in a four-year mathematics and physics teaching diploma.

While studying there, the two fell in love and later married in January 1903.

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Interestingly, it was later discovered that the couple had a daughter out of wedlock, but the fate of the child was never known. Various theories suggest that the child was either given up for adoption, or that she died of scarlet fever in infancy.

However, Mileva and Einsteins relationship did not last with them divorcing on February 14, 1919, mostly because of the physicists attraction for his cousin Elsa.

Einstein married Elsa Lowenthal in 1919 following five years of relationship. Elsa passed away in 1936 from kidney ailments.

It was in 1900 that Einstein published his first paper Conclusions from the Capillarity Phenomena and in 1905 published four groundbreaking papers on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity, and the equivalence of mass and energy. He was only 26.

By 1908, Einstein was already a leading scientist and in 1922, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics. However, Einstein did not win it for His Theory of Relativity. Even though Arthur Eddington had proved the theory of relativity in 1919, the Nobel Committee believed his work was too unreliable to serve as proof.

In 1939, a group of Hungarian scientists tried to alert Washington to regarding Germanys atomic bomb research. However, the groups warnings were discounted. The researchers reached out to Einstein who was asked to lend his support by writing a letter to President Roosevelt, asking the US to pay attention and engage in its own nuclear weapons research. It is believed that this led to US adoption of serious investigations into nuclear weapons before their entry into World War II.

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Einstein reportedly loved music and had said that if he were not a physicist, he would probably have been a musician.

The scientist was also deeply impressed by Mahatma Gandhi and the two exchanged written letters over the course of their lives.

On April 17, 1955, Einstein experience internal bleeding due to a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and died early next morning at the age of 76.

Best known for developing the theory of relativity and the mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which has often been dubbed as the worlds most famous equation, here are a few memorable quotes attributed to the scientist:

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and Im not sure about the universe.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.

A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.

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On the very first page of The Boy From the Woods, we meet the decidedly off-beat central character of this gripping thriller. A 1986 newspaper report reveals that two hikers found a feral boy living alone and foraging for himself in the New Jersey mountains. He is about eight years old, can speak, but has no memory of who he is or how he came to be alone.

Thirty years later, having been absorbed into the system and fostered by two good people, Wilde, as he is called, is quite literally a genius, but has always been a loner, even if he is a graduate of West Point and a decorated army special forces veteran.

He lives alone in the woods outside the town he grew up in, working as a private investigator. He is approached by his 17-year-old godson Matthew Crimstein, the grandson of Wilde's long-time mentor, successful criminal lawyer and feisty TV host Hester Crimstein, a tiny woman but a force of nature who has appeared peripherally in a number of recent Coben thrillers. Matthew, whose deceased father was a close friend to Wilde, tells him he is worried about Naomi Pine, a bullied classmate who has gone missing, Wilde springs into action.

His investigations stir up quite a hornets' nest, linking Naomi to the oddly named Crash Maynard, whose mega-wealthy parents, TV producer Dash Maynard and his wife Dot, are unaware of their son's mean streak. Dash is a close friend of reality TV star Rusty Eggers, a presidential hopeful running a far-right presidential campaign that would actually trump Trump.

Wilde finds Naomi, but a week later she disappears again, followed a couple of days later by Crash. Then a severed finger turns up, with a ransom note demanding that Dash hands over incriminating videotapes of Rusty Eggers that the kidnappers insist, despite his vehement denials, he possesses. The scene is set for a satisfying denouement which is followed by a sweetly sentimental coda that fortunately escapes being cloying.

With more than 75 million books in print and translated into 42 languages, Harlan Coben is one of America's most successful contemporary thriller writers. The secret of his success? Coben sets his hook deep very early on with a killer premise and then relentlessly reels in his readers as his deftly plotted tale ratchets up the tension and action to a violent, cathartic and ultimately satisfying climax. Each new novel is a textbook lesson in thriller writing.

Most recently Coben has successfully moved into film, forging a massive deal with Netflix that sees the American streaming giant taking options of 14 of Coben's books and first refusal on any stand-alone TV ideas he may have.

He has, as a police blotter might put it, 'previous' in this area. In 2006, his book Tell No One was filmed by former showjumper-turned-poster boy of French cinema, Guillaume Canet. It was a massive hit and won four Cesar Awards in 2007, What impressed Coben was that Canet involved him in every stage of the process of pre-production and filming, something unthinkably alien to the Hollywood machine.

It was exactly the same for the recent nail-bitingly tense eight-episode Netflix adaptation of his 2015 novel, The Stranger, set in England with a cast that includes Richard Armitage, Dervla Kirwan, Jennifer Saunders and Siobhan Finneran. He was on top of everything, from casting to dialogue, acting as a co-producer, while his 25-year-old daughter Charlotte wrote Episode 5. Interestingly, all Coben's film credits so far are in Europe, perhaps because his books travel so well.

There have been three English adaptations, three French and a forthcoming Spanish production El Inocente, a Polish Netflix adaptation of his 2007 novel The Woods and Julia Roberts is apparently currently making Coben's Fool Me Once. Talk about flavour of the month, but Coben's hugely immersive books and movies should come with a danger of addiction warning.

Video of the Day

In next week's Review, Harlan Coben talks to Darragh McManus
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Linkedin Laura Millan Lombrana (Bloomberg) Madrid, Spain  Sat, March 14, 2020 16:27 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206aa6563 2 Environment Italy,lockdown,air-pollution,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

The impact of Italys nationwide quarantine that began this week can already be measured in lower air pollution levels and falling nitrogen dioxide emissions, with the decline particularly evident in the northern region that entered lockdown ahead of the rest of the country.

The drop in pollution has been detected by the Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite, and researchers concluded that it was primarily the result of efforts to contain the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. We are very confident that the reduction in emissions that we can see coincides with the lockdown in Italy causing less traffic and industrial activities, said Claus Zehner, the satellites mission manager at the European Space Agency, in a statement.

Italy has reported the second-highest number of diagnosed cases of coronavirus, with more than 15,000 known infections and more than 1,000 deaths. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared a nationwide lockdown on March 9, making Italy the first country to implement such a measure.

The Copernicus Sentinel-5 satellite tracked nitrogen dioxide emissions across Europe from January 1 to March 11, using a 10-day moving average. Nitrous oxide accounts for 6% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, according to Rhodium Group, a research firm that produces annual estimates. Most of that comes from agriculture, although fossil fuels use also contributes to the total.

The drop in emissions might be short lived. Earlier this year, satellites also detected a dramatic decline in China, where the coronavirus outbreak started. Emissions dropped in February, as parts of the country halted activity to contain the spread of the disease, but picked up again in March with workers slowly returning to their jobs.
13.03.2020 LISTEN

A rift between United States and China this week can only be understood by the two of them. United States is accusing China of not being transparent. China is also saying it is the United States who should be transparent and admitting for the first time that the virus is not theirs, but the U.Ss. How did it find its way to China?

A patent document below shows that the virus was first patented by United States in 2006 and again in 2018. The patent is still pending till 2035. It belongs to the U.S military. How did it get to Wuhan laboratories?

Normally, if it is established that someone has stolen a patented intellectual property of another, the victim can charge the thief for monetary damages. But if it were you, would you come forward to claim damages, considering the tremendous damages the stolen property is causing around the globe, leaving huge humanitarian and economic devastations along its trails?

The Modified Coronavirus, Covid-19, as its affectionately called, is a deadly biological arsenal that has been developed by the U.S military. It was manufactured to destroy the enemies's front, and not for the civilian population. It is a weapon of mass destruction that cannot be easily controlled. Until today, March 13, it has killed 5,123 civilians, 140,214 are infected, of which 70,733 have recovered. Economies of the world are melting down, several global and local companies have lost their incomes and millions of workers and their families are on the threat to lose their daily bread.

Chinas economy and its citizens have suffered the most, the economy of the communist nation has been reduced to its humiliating lowest. Everything has to start again. And its going to take several years to come back.

It is not every item that should be stolen. There are items, if you steal, you will end up killing your household. This is exactly what has happened to China. If they come out of the problem, I am not sure they would steal intellectual properties again.

This will also serve as a warning to the nations, companies and individuals who are pirating others patent properties, especially dangerous biological and chemical substances without considering the consequences of spillage.

China took a great offence at comments made by U.S. officials accusing it of being slow to react to the virus, first detected in Wuhan late last year, and of not being transparent enough. On Wednesday, March 11, the U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said the speed of China's reaction to the emergence of the coronavirus had probably cost the world two months when it could have been preparing for the outbreak.

In a strongly worded tweet, written in English on his verified Twitter account, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said it was the United States that lacked transparency. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao wrote.

Who is saying the truth in these tweets of events?

Copyright infringes are common occurrences round the globe. The most frequent copyright violations are related to computer and digital technology, mainly software piracy. Software piracy includes file sharing, illegal uploading, burning of CDs and DVDs, etc,. But pirating of biological substances are not common, though they occur.

Countries and nations invest in strong data protection solutions, which involve large expenses. However, the workers, who have access to the national or company data become the source of data thefts and pilferages.

China is known globally as one of the top pirates of intellectual properties. Intellectual property theft or piracy involves robbing people or companies and nations of their ideas, inventions, and creative expressionsknown as intellectual propertywhich can include everything from trade secrets and proprietary products and parts to movies, music, and software.

Intellectual property (IP) theft occurs when someone uses ones intellectual property for any reason without the owners permission. Laws protect intellectual property rights, including trademarks, copyrights, and patents. If one has the proper protections, the one can sue for money damages.

To prove that a work, being reproduced, displayed, or distributed by someone was derived from ones exclusively copyrighted work, and no consent had been granted by the intellectual property owner for its use, the date and patent number must be provided. If a patented product or idea is found to be stolen, it amounts to fraud.

If one feels that he has been a victim of an intellectual property crime, there are national coordinating centers one can make a report. In the United States, the National Intellectual Property Registry or Coordination Center (IPR Center) is responsible for the offense. The victim can fill an online form or call 1-866-IPR-2060 , or contact a field office of the FBI.

Copyright infringement is generally a civil matter, which the copyright owner must pursue in federal court. Under certain circumstances, the infringement may also constitute a criminal misdemeanor or felony, which in United States, could be prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Country Which Owns The Patent For Coronavirus

The Coronavirus was first patented by United States of America. The patent number was US2006257852

Patent Submission Date was 2006-11-16

Patent Title: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Structure:

Status: Live

The Virus was modified eleven years later on 2017-01-24.

Available since 2011-12-03

Deposit on 2011-12-03

Patent Abstract

An outbreak of a virulent respiratory virus, now known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), was identified in Hong Kong, China and a growing number of countries around the world in 2003. The invention relates to nucleic acids and proteins from the SARS coronavirus. These nucleic acids and proteins can be used in the preparation and manufacture of vaccine formulations, diagnostic reagents, kits, etc. The invention also provides methods for treating SARS by administering small molecule antiviral compounds, as well as methods of identifying potent small molecules for the treatment of SARS.

Names of Inventors (country of citizenry)

CHIEN DAVID [US] DONNELLY JOHN [US] GREGERSEN JENS P [DE] HAN JANG [US] HOUGHTON MICHAEL [US] KLENK HANS D [DE] MASIGNANI VEGA [IT] POLO JOHN M [US] RAPPUOLI RINO [IT] SEO MI-YOUNG [KR] SONG HYUN C [US] STADLER KONRAD [AU] VALIANTE NICHOLAS [US] WEINER AMY [US]

The Chemistry of the Virus

Compound CID: 6

Name: 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene

Molecular Formula: C6H3ClN2O4

Molecular Weight, g/mol: 202.55

Compound CID: 107

Name: 3-Phenylpropionic acid

Molecular Formula: C9H10O2

Molecular Weight, g/mol: 150.17

Compound CID: 135

Name: 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid

Molecular Formula: C7H6O3

Molecular Weight, g/mol: 138.12

Compound CID: 196

Name: Adipic acid

Molecular Formula: C6H10O4

Molecular Weight, g/mol: 146.14

Compound CID: 227

Name: Anthranilic acid

Molecular Formula: C7H7NO2

Molecular Weight, g/mol: 137.14

Molecular Structures

Substance SID: 127354536

Compound CID: 11984

Substance Synonyms:

Data Source: IBM

Substance SID: 127362351

Compound CID: 0

Substance Synonyms:

Data Source: IBM

Substance SID: 127365630

Compound CID: 0

Substance Synonyms:

Data Source: IBM

Substance SID: 127373080

Compound CID: 11979

Substance Synonyms:

Data Source: IBM

Substance SID: 127384203

Compound CID: 65220

Substance Synonyms:

Data Source: IBM

The Modified Virus was registered a year later. The patent of the modified virus wax expected to expire in 2035.

Patent. Nr.: US10130701B2 United States

Inventor: Erica Bickerton, Sarah Keep, Paul Britton

Current Assignee: PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE

Application granted: 2018-11-20

Anticipated expiration: 2035-07-23

Abstract

The present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a mutation in one or more of non-structural protein(s) (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16. The coronavirus may be used as a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a disease, such as infectious bronchitis, in a subject.

C07K14/005 Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from viruses.

US10130701B2

United States

Classifications and Vaccines

C07K14/005 Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from viruses

A61K39/215 Coronaviridae, e.g. avian infectious bronchitis virus

C12N7/00 Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof

C12N9/127 RNA-directed RNA polymerase (2.7.7.48), i.e. RNA replicase

C12Y207/07048 RNA-directed RNA polymerase (2.7.7.48), i.e. RNA replicase

A61K2039/5254 Virus avirulent or attenuated

A61K2039/54 Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the route of administration

A61K2039/70 Multivalent vaccine

C12N2770/20021 Viruses as such, e.g. new isolates, mutants or their genomic sequences

C12N2770/20022 New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes

C12N2770/20034 Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein

C12N2770/20051 Methods of production or purification of viral material

C12N2770/20062 Methods of inactivation or attenuation by genetic engineering

C12N2770/20071 Demonstrated in vivo effect

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Description and Some Advices of Vaccines

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene, which causes the virus to have reduced pathogenicity. The present invention also relates to the use of such a coronavirus in a vaccine to prevent and/or treat a disease.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), the aetiological agent of infectious bronchitis (IB), is a highly infectious and contagious pathogen of domestic fowl that replicates primarily in the respiratory tract but also in epithelial cells of the gut, kidney and oviduct. IBV is a member of the Order Nidovirales, Family Coronaviridae, Subfamily Corona virinae and Genus Gammacoronavirus; genetically very similar coronaviruses cause disease in turkeys, guinea fowl and pheasants.

Clinical signs of IB include sneezing, tracheal rales, nasal discharge and wheezing. Meat-type birds have reduced weight gain, whilst egg-laying birds lay fewer eggs and produce poor quality eggs. The respiratory infection predisposes chickens to secondary bacterial infections which can be fatal in chicks. The virus can also cause permanent damage to the oviduct, especially in chicks, leading to reduced egg production and quality; and kidney, sometimes leading to kidney disease which can be fatal.

IBV has been reported to be responsible for more economic loss to the poultry industry than any other infectious disease. Although live attenuated vaccines and inactivated vaccines are universally used in the control of IBV, the protection gained by use of vaccination can be lost either due to vaccine breakdown or the introduction of a new IBV serotype that is not related to the vaccine used, posing a risk to the poultry industry.

Further, there is a need in the industry to develop vaccines which are suitable for use in ovo, in order to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of vaccination programmes. A major challenge associated with in ovo vaccination is that the virus must be capable of replicating in the presence of maternally-derived antibodies against the virus, without being pathogenic to the embryo.

Current IBV vaccines are derived following multiple passage in embryonated eggs, this results in viruses with reduced pathogenicity for chickens, so that they can be used as live attenuated vaccines. However such viruses almost always show an increased virulence to embryos and therefore cannot be used for in ova vaccination as they cause reduced hatchability. A 70% reduction in hatchability is seen in some cases.

Attenuation following multiple passage in embryonated eggs also suffers from other disadvantages.

It is an empirical method, as attenuation of the viruses is random and will differ every time the virus is passaged, so passage of the same virus through a different series of eggs for attenuation purposes will lead to a different set of mutations leading to attenuation. There are also efficacy problems associated with the process: some mutations will affect the replication of the virus and some of the mutations may make the virus too attenuated. Mutations can also occur in the S gene which may also affect immunogenicity so that the desired immune response is affected and the potential vaccine may not protect against the required serotype. In addition there are problems associated with reversion to virulence and stability of vaccines.

It is important that new and safer vaccines are developed for the control of IBV. Thus there is a need for IBV vaccines which are not associated with these issues, in particular vaccines which may be used for in ovo vaccination.

SUMMARY OF ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have used a reverse genetics approach in order to rationally attenuate IBV. This approach is much more controllable than random attenuation following multiple passages in embryonated eggs because the position of each mutation is known and its effect on the virus, i.e. the reason for attenuation, can be derived.

Using their reverse genetics approach, the present inventors have identified various mutations which cause the virus to have reduced levels of pathogenicity. The levels of pathogenicity may be reduced such that when the virus is administered to an embryonated egg, it is capable of replicating without being pathogenic to the embryo. Such viruses may be suitable for in ovo vaccination, which is a significant advantage and has improvement over attenuated IBV vaccines produced following multiple passage in embryonated eggs.

Thus in a first aspect, the present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a mutation in one or more of non-structural protein(s) (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16.

The coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention has reduced pathogenicity compared to a coronavirus expressing a corresponding wild-type replicase, such that when the virus is administered to an embryonated egg, it is capable of replicating without being pathogenic to the embryo.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a variant replicase gene as defined in connection with the first aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a protein encoded by a variant coronavirus replicase gene according to the second aspect of the invention.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a plasmid comprising a replicase gene according to the second aspect of the invention.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a method for making the coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention which comprises the following steps:

(i) transfecting a plasmid according to the fourth aspect of the invention into a host cell;

(ii) infecting the host cell with a recombining virus comprising the genome of a coronavirus strain with a replicase gene;

(iii) allowing homologous recombination to occur between the replicase gene sequences in the plasmid and the corresponding sequences in the recombining virus genome to produce a modified replicase gene; and

(iv) selecting for recombining virus comprising the modified replicase gene.

The recombining virus may be a vaccinia virus.

The method may also include the step:

(v) recovering recombinant coronavirus comprising the modified replicase gene from the DNA from the recombining virus from step (iv).

In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a cell capable of producing a coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a seventh aspect, the present invention provides a vaccine comprising a coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

In an eighth aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating and/or preventing a disease in a subject which comprises the step of administering a vaccine according to the seventh aspect of the invention to the subject.

Further aspects of the invention provide:

the vaccine according to the seventh aspect of the invention for use in treating and/or preventing a disease in a subject.

use of a coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention in the manufacture of a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a disease in a subject.

The disease may be infectious bronchitis (IB).

The method of administration of the vaccine may be selected from the group consisting of; eye drop administration, intranasal administration, drinking water administration, post-hatch injection and in ovo injection.

Vaccination may be by in ova vaccination.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a vaccine according to the seventh aspect of the invention, which comprises the step of infecting a cell according to the sixth aspect of the invention with a coronavirus according to the first aspect of the invention.

Coronavirus

Gammacoronavirus is a genus of animal virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae. Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome and a helical symmetry.

The genomic size of coronaviruses ranges from approximately 27 to 32 kilobases, which is the longest size for any known RNA virus.

Coronaviruses primarily infect the upper respiratory or gastrointestinal tract of mammals and birds. Five to six different currently known strains of coronaviruses infect humans. The most publicized human coronavirus, SARS-CoV which causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), has a unique pathogenesis because it causes both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and can also cause gastroenteritis. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) also causes a lower respiratory tract infection in humans. Coronaviruses are believed to cause a significant percentage of all common colds in human adults.

Coronaviruses also cause a range of diseases in livestock animals and domesticated pets, some of which can be serious and are a threat to the farming industry. Economically significant coronaviruses of livestock animals include infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) which mainly causes respiratory disease in chickens and seriously affects the poultry industry worldwide; porcine coronavirus (transmissible gastroenteritis, TGE) and bovine coronavirus, which both result in diarrhoea in young animals. Feline coronavirus has two forms, feline enteric coronavirus is a pathogen of minor clinical significance, but spontaneous mutation of this virus can result in feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a disease associated with high mortality.

There are also two types of canine coronavirus (CCoV), one that causes mild gastrointestinal disease and one that has been found to cause respiratory disease. Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) is a coronavirus that causes an epidemic murine illness with high mortality, especially among colonies of laboratory mice.

Coronaviruses are divided into four groups, as shown below:

Alpha

Canine coronavirus (CCoV)

Feline coronavirus (FeCoV)

Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E)

Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV)

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV)

Human Coronavirus NL63 (NL or New Haven)

Beta

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV)

Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV)Common in SE Asia and Micronesia

Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43)

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)

Porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV)

Rat coronavirus (Roy). Rat Coronavirus is quite prevalent in Eastern Australia where, as of March/April 2008, it has been found among native and feral rodent colonies.

(No common name as of yet) (HCoV-HKU1)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Gamma

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV)

Turkey coronavirus (Bluecomb disease virus)

Pheasant coronavirus

Guinea fowl coronavirus

Delta

Bulbul coronavirus (BuCoV)

Thrush coronavirus (ThCoV)

Munia coronavirus (MuCoV)

Porcine coronavirus (PorCov) HKU15

The variant replicase gene of the coronavirus of the present invention may be derived from an alphacoronavirus such as TGEV; a betacoronavirus such as MHV; or a gammacoronavirus such as IBV.

As used herein the term derived from means that the replicase gene comprises substantially the same nucleotide sequence as the wild-type replicase gene of the relevant coronavirus. For example, the variant replicase gene of the present invention may have up to 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or 99% identity with the wild type replicase sequence. The variant coronavirus replicase gene encodes a protein comprising a mutation in one or more of non-structural protein (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16 when compared to the wild-type sequence of the non-structural protein.

IBV

Avian infectious bronchitis (IB) is an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens which causes significant economic losses. The disease is characterized by respiratory signs including gasping, coughing, sneezing, tracheal rales, and nasal discharge. In young chickens, severe respiratory distress may occur. In layers, respiratory distress, nephritis, decrease in egg production, and loss of internal egg quality and egg shell quality are common.

In broilers, coughing and rattling are common clinical signs, rapidly spreading in all the birds of the premises. Morbidity is 100% in non-vaccinated flocks. Mortality varies depending on age, virus strain, and secondary infections but may be up to 60% in non-vaccinated flocks.

The first IBV serotype to be identified was Massachusetts, but in the United States several serotypes, including Arkansas and Delaware, are currently circulating, in addition to the originally identified Massachusetts type.

The IBV strain Beaudette was derived following at least 150 passages in chick embryos. IBV Beaudette is no longer pathogenic for hatched chickens but rapidly kills embryos.

H120 is a commercial live attenuated IBV Massachusetts serotype vaccine strain, attenuated by approximately 120 passages in embryonated chicken eggs. H52 is another Massachusetts vaccine, and represents an earlier and slightly more pathogenic passage virus (passage 52) during the development of H120. Vaccines based on H120 are commonly used.

IB QX is a virulent field isolate of IBV. It is sometimes known as Chinese QX as it was originally isolated following outbreaks of disease in the Qingdao region in China in the mid 1990s. Since that time the virus has crept towards Europe. From 2004, severe egg production issues have been identified with a very similar virus in parts of Western Europe, predominantly in the Netherlands, but also reported from Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark and in the UK.

The virus isolated from the Dutch cases was identified by the Dutch Research Institute at Deventer as a new strain that they called D388. The Chinese connection came from further tests which showed that the virus was 99% similar to the Chinese QX viruses. A live attenuated QX-like IBV vaccine strain has now been developed.

IBV is an enveloped virus that replicates in the cell cytoplasm and contains an non-segmented, single-stranded, positive sense RNA genome. IBV has a 27.6 kb RNA genome and like all coronaviruses contains the four structural proteins; spike glycoprotein (S), small membrane protein (E), integral membrane protein (M) and nucleocapsid protein (N) which interacts with the genomic RNA.

The genome is organised in the following manner: 5UTRpolymerase (replicase) genestructural protein genes (S-E-M-N)UTR 3; where the UTR are untranslated regions (each 500 nucleotides in IBV).

The lipid envelope contains three membrane proteins: S, M and E. The IBV S protein is a type I glycoprotein which oligomerizes in the endoplasmic reticulum and is assembled into homotrimer inserted in the virion membrane via the transmembrane domain and is associated through non-covalent interactions with the M protein. Following incorporation into coronavirus particles, the S protein is responsible for binding to the target cell receptor and fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. The S glycoprotein consists of four domains: a signal sequence that is cleaved during synthesis; the ectodomain, which is present on the outside of the virion particle; the transmembrane region responsible for anchoring the S protein into the lipid bilayer of the virion particle; and the cytoplasmic tail.

All coronaviruses also encode a set of accessory protein genes of unknown function that are not required for replication in vitro, but may play a role in pathogenesis. IBV encodes two accessory genes, genes 3 and 5, which both express two accessory proteins 3a, 3b and 5a, 5b, respectively.

The variant replicase gene of the coronavirus of the present invention may be derived from an IBV. For example the IBV may be IBV Beaudette, H120, H52, IB QX, D388 or M41.

The IBV may be IBV M41. M41 is a prototypic Massachusetts serotype that was isolated in the USA in 1941. It is an isolate used in many labs throughout the world as a pathogenic lab stain and can be obtained from ATCC (VR-21). Attenuated variants are also used by several vaccine producers as IBV vaccines against Massachusetts serotypes causing problems in the field. The present inventors chose to use this strain as they had worked for many years on this virus, and because the sequence of the complete virus genome is available.

The M41 isolate, M41-CK, used by the present inventors was adapted to grow in primary chick kidney (CK) cells and was therefore deemed amenable for recovery as an infectious virus from a cDNA of the complete genome. It is representative of a pathogenic IBV and therefore can be analysed for mutations that cause either loss or reduction in pathogenicity.
Passengers wearing face masks arrive as a worker sprays disinfectant at international arrival terminal of Soekarno-Hatta Airport near Jakarta amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

By Stanley Widianto

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia on Friday reported 35 new coronavirus cases, including two toddlers, bringing its total to 69, as a rights group urged authorities to be more transparent about the spread of the virus in the world's fourth most-populous nation.

Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto told reporters the new cases ranged in age from 2 to 80, and that three people out of the latest cases had died.

The patients were found after tracing their contacts back to earlier confirmed cases, Yurianto said without disclosing the location.

Indonesia only confirmed its first cases of the virus last week while some neighbours had reported scores of cases far earlier, raising concerns among medical experts about infections either not being reported or going undetected.

In addition, some officials have appeared to play down the risks from the virus as well as at times declining to specify the location of an outbreak.

"The central government is not transparent in fulfilling the public's right to know about the spread of the coronavirus in Indonesia," Amnesty International director Usman Hamid said in a statement.

"If this continues to happen, authorities could potentially breach the public right to information... and the public right to health."

Speaking at an event at Jakarta's airport, President Joko Widodo defended the stance of not revealing travel records and the history of contacts among patients.

He said this was to "consider the risk of panic among the public" and the effects giving out such information could have on patients when they recovered.

Authorities on Friday sanitised parts of Jakarta's airport and also disinfected mosques.

Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States said in a study last month Indonesia's lack of confirmed cases at that time "may suggest the potential for undetected cases", urging authorities there to strengthen outbreak surveillance and control.

Story continues

As of Friday, Indonesia has tested 970 people according to Health Ministry data.

Starting Monday, the health ministrys Yurianto said two additional labs will be available to help examine samples.

Indonesian media reported on Friday that one person confirmed to have the disease had fled a hospital in Jakarta.

But Yurianto told reporters that the patient had since returned.

Five people had recovered from the disease, Yurianto said, while another was expected to recover soon.

(Additional reporting by Fathin Ungku in Singapore; Writing by Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Ed Davies and Nick Macfie)
Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  A 35-year-old man drunkenly smashed a window of a home in the Cranbury neighborhood and then attacked one of the residents when they offered him a drink, according to police.

Police said a Jayne Way resident awoke around 1 a.m. Friday to the sound of their home window being smashed.
Photo: Disneyland

The superintendent of School District 23 says they are working to try and get full refunds for some Mount Boucherie Secondary students who had a band trip to Disneyland cancelled.

The band was scheduled to perform at the park.

Kevin Kaardal was responding to concerns from some angry parents who say their child is not being reimbursed for money they raised for the trip.

The district board of education cancelled five trips on Wednesday, and Kaardal says refunds are being given to students from four of those.

However, he says the Mount Boucherie band trip had slightly different insurance which is causing some issues.

"It had a 48-hour clause. When the board made the decision, we were within that time limit, so we are working with the tour company and the insurance company," said Kaardal.

Some parents of Grade 12 students contacted Castanet News after receiving an email from the district Thursday.

"The school district has decided that we will be postponing our California Field Study (trip) to next school year, and that there will be no refunds for the trip," reads the email.

"Our travel agent is currently negotiating credits with our vendors, and this will be used to fund a trip next school year.

"We do not have any details about this future trip, as we're still too early in this process to make any decision. We will communicate as soon as we are ready to share more details."

Those parents are upset because their kids are graduating, and naturally, won't be going on the trip next year.

One parent said her son worked extra hours at his part-time job to be able to get the money for the trip

"They don't get any money back, and that's wrong," the parent stated.

"That money needs to be returned to the students."

Kaardal asks parents to be patient.

"What we are doing right now is working through a process to make sure people can be as whole as possible based on agreements they signed with the travel companies and the insurance," he says.

"We are in mid process, so I think people are ahead of themselves."
Doctors in Australia could be faced with choosing between saving young or elderly patients because of a shortage of ventilators.

There are just 253 adult ventilators in hospital in Western Australia, including 14 for babies.

It means if there is a proper outbreak of coronavirus in the state medics would be faced with the same predicament facing Italian doctors who have been told to prioritise the treatment of young people over old.

Cases of the killer coronavirus soared to 237 on Saturday with 17 in Western Australia.

Hospital employees wearing a protection mask and gear tend to a patient at a temporary emergency structure at Brescia hospital, Lombardy, Italy

Hospital staff assist people waiting in line to be screened for COVID-19 outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital on March 11, 2020

A further 51 ventilators have been ordered by Premier Mark McGowan, an the WA Health Department has ordered 50 more, while another 50 are in storage units.

North Metropolitan Health Service chief executive Robyn Lawrence did not rule out calling upon private hospitals to use their equipment.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

Andrew Miller, president of the Australian Medical Association WA, said the state needs to 'double' the number of ventilators in case coronavirus patients develop pneumonia which could have serious effects on the elderly.

Italy has also suffered due to not having enough ventilators, and this led to a series of guidelines for doctors to triage patients based on their likelihood of survival.

'It may become necessary to establish an age limit for access to intensive care,' the document, from the Italian College of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, reads.

The guidelines were issued amid reports that elderly Italian patients are being left untreated while the young, who are more likely to survive were treated, The West Australian reported.

Coronavirus Emergency: Checkpoint and triage point at Civile Hospital in Italy

Health workers wearing protective suits and a face masks get dressed in the facility area set up on the outside of Brescia's Hospital

Dr Daniele Macchini took to social media and described the horrific conditions in the hospital he's treating at which saw a large amount of positive cases of coronavirus, causing the ER to collapse.

'(Some have been) incubated and go to intensive care. For others it's too late. Every ventilator becomes like gold,' he wrote.

'We need to double our capacity to ventilate patients in case we get a big surge of people with pneumonia, which is the big complication of this disease in some populations.

'We don't ever want to be put in a situation where we have two patients, both of whom we would normally provide the option of intensive care, and have to choose between them.'

Health Minister Roger Cook said the WA Government has done everything possible to prepare for the coronavirus but more ventilators would be needed,

'I understand people are looking for certainty out of the COVID-19 outbreak. The one thing I can not provide you with is certainty,' he said.

'As you appreciate there is a global shortage of all medical and health supplies at the moment.

'Our procurement team is literally working around the clock as they utilise the global time zones to try to access all the equipment we need.'

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles (centre) looks on as Janice Geary (right), Clinical nurse consultant of Infection Management Services is seen performing a mock coronavirus examination on a patient inside the fever clinic at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government will effectively ban 'non essential' public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday - and has warned Australians not to travel overseas.

'We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,' Mr Morrison said.

But Mr Morrison stressed the government's ban only relates to 'non-essential organised gatherings' and doesn't include schools, university lectures or catching public transport.

He said people should go about their 'normal everyday business'. The move has been hailed by infectious diseases experts, who say it will be critical in slowing the virus's spread and help prevent overloading hospital intensive care units.

A travel ban has been put in place for mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.

Mr Morrison said it is unclear whether the travel ban will be extended to other nations at this stage.
President Volodymyr Zelensky calls on Ukrainians to be receptive to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding measures to counter the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The head of state commented on the closure of borders and quarantine restrictions in the country in a video address on March 13, the presidents press service reported.

Fellow Ukrainians!

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine held a meeting today to counter the spread of coronavirus. As of March 13, there are only three confirmed cases in Ukraine. And, unfortunately, an elderly woman died.

A decision was made to introduce a number of measures for the safety and health of Ukrainians. Many of these measures are similar to those in countries where statistics is ten or even hundred times worse than in Ukraine.

But we will not wait for the official hundred or thousand of sick.

It cant be "too early" in the issue of life and health of Ukrainians. It may be too late. That is why we act decisively and proactively.

Today, the following is agreed:

First. We are closing the border for foreigners. Passenger border crossing points will be closed.

Starting from 00 hours 01 minutes on March 16, 2020, foreigners will not be able to enter the territory of Ukraine for two weeks either by plane, train, car or any other means.

Foreigners who are entitled to permanent or temporary residence in Ukraine are exceptions, in particular representatives of official international organizations and diplomatic missions.

This issue will be considered again in two weeks.

Cargo checkpoints - air, railway, sea and automobile - will continue to operate. Crews of ships, airplanes, trucks can enter Ukraine and are obliged to undergo medical verification with rapid tests.

Second. As for the Ukrainians who are now abroad. Those who departed from Ukraine by charter flights on a tourist trip will definitely return home according to the schedule.

Concerning other citizens of Ukraine. Three days later, we will close regular air traffic. You should return home within this period. Those who do not have time to do so for objective reasons should contact the Ukrainian consulate. In cooperation with Ukrainian airlines, they will be returned home by non-scheduled flights.

We have already successfully evacuated citizens from China. And this weekend a special aircraft will bring home Ukrainians who are stuck on the border of Italy and Slovenia.

But I urge all Ukrainians to get back in the next three days.

Everyone who returns will undergo a medical examination. In case of detection of symptoms of the disease, they will be sent for observation.

Next. We strongly recommend all citizens to refrain from traveling abroad unless absolutely necessary, especially for travel.

In the near future, infectious disease healthcare facilities in each region of Ukraine will be fully equipped with express test kits to detect symptoms of coronavirus.

Due to the order of the Cabinet of Ministers UAH 100 million have already been allocated for personal protective equipment. If necessary, UAH 500 million will be immediately allocated for the purchase of intensive care medical equipment under the accelerated procedure.

The Institute of Molecular Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine will produce 200 thousand rapid tests as soon as possible.

10 million masks were transferred from the state reserve to the healthcare facilities.

Also, mobile laboratories will be used for testing in the regions of Ukraine.

We had a conversation with manufacturers, suppliers and pharmacists. There are things you cannot make money at. This is war and people's health. Therefore, masks, disinfectants, tests and other necessary means will be on the shelves of pharmacies in sufficient quantity and at an affordable price.

The state will economically stimulate the launch of production of personal protective equipment.

I also urge suppliers and retailers not to drive up grocery prices or make money at people.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers banned the export of personal protective equipment from Ukraine. There are more than 12,000 hospital beds available in the infectious disease hospitals to handle complex cases, about 2,000 infectious disease physicians and more than five thousand nursing staff. Measures are being taken to maximize the ability of hospitals to receive the required number of patients for intensive care.

Negotiations with international partners on the provision of humanitarian aid, including medical equipment, are underway. Customs service of Ukraine is commissioned to carry out the clearance of such goods quickly, not more than in one day.

The State Food Quality Control Service will strengthen control over the water supply and drainage system.

The National Bank of Ukraine agreed to support my initiative and to develop a program of measures for credit support of business and population of Ukraine.

I earnestly ask the elderly, especially those with chronic diseases, to stay home. As the world experience shows, and especially the experience of China, where the virus has already declined substantially, the most effective way to fight is to stay home.

Particular attention is paid to the health of our military. They will be maximally secured and protected. They protect our country from the virus of encroachment on our territories. We will protect them from all other viruses.

I also want to thank every Ukrainian doctor for the daily selfless work. Just like our military on the frontline, you protect the lives of millions of Ukrainians.

We instructed local authorities to introduce additional financial incentives for the healthcare workers involved in anti-epidemic and treatment activities.

I also want to respond to some politicians. If we were afraid of public opinion, afraid of rallies - we would not open Bankova Street. The temporary ban on mass events is not an encroachment on the constitutional right to protest, it is the care of the health of Ukrainians. Let the situation stabilize, the incidence of a disease decline - and then you are free to protest.

I personally ask business executives - if possible, allow your employees to work at home, remotely. Especially those who have children and who cannot leave them because of quarantine in schools and kindergartens.

A lot depends on each of us. Everyone who has even mild symptoms of the disease must isolate himself for a minimum of seven days and consult a general practitioner.

Simple things help: wash your hands with soap. Thoroughly and more than 30 seconds. Use a disinfectant, greet each other without shaking hands or kissing each other's cheeks, keep one meter distance.

Keep in mind that buckwheat, matches and toilet paper do not save you from coronavirus. Critical thinking, cool head and hygiene measures are required. Among other things, information hygiene is needed.

Do not be driven by the provocations of Internet scammers who want to incite panic among us, among Ukrainians. The panic virus is worse than coronavirus. We have experienced many things. We have not been overcome by bird flu, swine flu and Spanish flu.

We are strong, and everything will be fine.

I wish you 36.6!

Keep well, dear Ukrainians!
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Trumps private club Mar-a-Lago that he has spent his presidency promoting has become a sort of ground zero for political figures being exposed to coronavirus.

CNN reported:

Two more members of a Brazilian delegation that traveled to the US, including one man who attended a dinner with President Donald Trump, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

.

The first in the delegation to test positive was Bolsonaros press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who confirmed his result on Thursday. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who shook hands with Forster during the trip, also tested positive on Friday. And Bolsonaros attorney, Karina Kufa, wrote on her unverified Twitter account Friday that she tested positive after visiting Miami on the same trip.

Trump didnt take the coronavirus seriously, and by not canceling his events, Trump turned his private club into a hot spot for political figures being exposed to the coronavirus. It is irresponsible of the president and his staff not to be tested for coronavirus.

Donald Trump spent years using taxpayers to promote his business. He didnt listen to warnings, and up until just a few days ago was still planning to hold political rallies. Trump is the reason why the United States is facing a pandemic. His selfish and irresponsible decisionmaking goes beyond public policy.

By putting his private business first, Trump spread the coronavirus.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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BATON ROUGE, La.  Louisianas governor Friday postponed the states presidential primaries due to fears of the coronavirus, making it the first state to push back its election because of the outbreak.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards signed an executive order delaying the April 4 primary until June 20, according to his spokeswoman Christina Stephens. In a statement, he described the step as necessary to protect the health and safety of the people of Louisiana from the risk of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Madhya Pradesh BJP on Saturday



submitted a memorandum to Governor Lalji Tandon demanding a floor test, by division of votes and not voice vote, before the budget session begins on Monday.

The Congress-led Kamal Nath government is on the brink after senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP, and several of the latter's supporter MLAs tendered their resignations.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Tandon, senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "We have submitted a memorandum to the governor. Twenty-two MLAs have resigned. They have confirmed their resignations by issuing videos. Now, the Kamal Nath government is in minority and does not have the constitutional right to continue."



"We have said there is no meaning to the governor's address, no meaning of the budget session. So, before the budget session, there should be a floor test," he said.

Chouhan said the trust vote should be held under an observer appointed by the governor, and must be videographed.

"The BJP also demanded that the trust vote should be done through the division of votes and pressing of buttons and not by voice vote," he said.

Chouhan said the trust vote must be done on Sunday, a day head of the budget session.

Chouhan claimed the state government was alluring, pressurising and threatening the kin of these MLAs, and cases were registered against the legislators.

"Our leader (Jyotiraditya) Scindia ji was attacked on Friday. MLAs (who resigned) have demanded security of Central forces and don't want to return (from Bengaluru) without it," he claimed.

The BJP delegation included leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava, former union ministers Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh and Rampal Singh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Forza Italia, We love you! PornHub has decided to donate its percentage revenue from ModelHub platform from March to help Italy during the outbreak," the PornHub press release read.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

PornHub is now offering people in mandated quarantine in Italy free premium subscriptions until April 3 as a way to help them cope with being cooped up inside indefinitely.

The platform is also donating profits from its ModelHub platform to Italy's coronavirus containment efforts.

Staying inside for long periods of time can lead to feelings of irritability and sadness, but virtually connecting with humans can help.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

PornHub is now offering people in mandated quarantine in Italy free subscriptions to its site as a way to help them cope with being cooped up inside indefinitely.

The free subscriptions will be available until April 3, providing those who sign up with access to the site's premium content, the Daily Mail reported. PornHub also said that they'll be donating money from its ModelHub platform, where erotic creators can sell their content, to Italy's coronavirus containment efforts.

"Forza Italia, We love you! PornHub has decided to donate its percentage revenue from ModelHub platform from March to help Italy during the outbreak," the PornHub press release read.

As of Thursday, March 12, Italy's death toll from the coronavirus outbreak was 631, and there have been at least 10,000 reported cases of COVID-19. This makes Italy the second-most affected country after China, and spurred government officials to enact a country-wide lockdown of its 60 million citizens to prevent further coronavirus spread.

If people in Italy break the mandated quarantine, they could be fined or arrested, Business Insider previously reported.

Connecting virtually could help mitigate the negative effects of quarantine

But staying in inside for so long can lead to stir craziness, or feeling irritable, sad, or frustrated, from having limited human and outside contact.

"If we think about loneliness as this adaptive response kind of like hunger and thirst, it's this unpleasant state that motivates us to seek out social connections just like hunger motivates us to seek out food," lead study author Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, previously told Insider.

Story continues

Holt-Lunstad said that connecting virtually with others could help mitigate some of these negative effects because video chats "maintain those connections without potentially putting ourselves at risk of being exposed to the virus."

It's possible, then, that watching porn could help generate virtual human contact, in addition to spending time with those you're quarantined with, to make the experience less anxiety- and depression-invoking.

Read the original article on Insider
The Earth has changed after the Second World War, specifically when Universal Law was promulgated and adopted to replaced the Moral Law commanded the World by the Almighty God, Creator and Judge in AD 1948, thus afflictions.

"I have written to him the great things of My Law, but they were counted as a strange thing" Hosea 8:12.

PROMISE OF HEALING DISEASES

Verily, the Almighty God has promised that if the inhabitants on earth will keep His Laws and walk uprightly before Him, He will not afflict them with the deadly Disease that came upon the Egyptians. "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee" Exodus 15:26. "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine" Ezekiel 47:12

CAUSES OF PESTILENCE ON EARTH

The Almighty God complained that the inhabitants of the nations have deliberately broken His Laws, Commandments and Ordinance, and defiled the Earth. "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left" Isaiah 24:5-6

The Almighty God, Creator, King and Judge shall therefore afflict nations that encourages societal wickedness in the Religio-Political world. "Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it" Ezekiel 14:13. The Lord God would afflict the wicked nations with deadly diseases, which are encouraging wickedness in the nations. "Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness" Ezekiel 14:19-20.

FOURTEENTH CENTURY PESTILENCE

It was predicted by Apostle John Zebedee that God will afflict with pestilence, which will destroy a third of world population. "And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" Rev 6:7-8. The deadly Prophecy was fulfilled when Medieval Europe had persecuted Jews for rejecting the Papal Christianity. It stipulated that a fourth part of the European population was killed by the Black Death Disease that originated from China, between 1347 and 1351 AD. "The greatest blow to Fourteenth Century Europe was the Bubonic Plaque, perhaps the worst natural disaster in the human history. Known as the Black Death, the Bubonic Plaque was carried by fleas on rats. It probably first struck in Asia in 1331-13-32 and moved West across Russia. Italian ships returning from Black Sea ports carried the Plaque to Sicily. In 1348 it began to spread throughout Europe with incredible speed. Perhaps twenty million people - between a third and a half of the European population - died from the Plaque" A History of the World(Marvin Perry), page 190

PESTILENCE AFTER WORLD WAR II

According to last day Prophecy, the world would be afflicted after Jerusalem had been restored, for that matter the Israeli State. Although the Religious and Political powers might reject this fearful Biblical prediction, it will surely be fulfilled. "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" Luke 21:24-27. Israel after 1878 years in diaspora has mushroomed in AD 1948. Jerusalem after 1897 was also librated from the Gentile powers in AD 1967. The libration of Jerusalem was Prophetically arranged as follows (1) AD 1948-1949 Independence War, (2) 1967 Six Day Israeli-Arab War, (3) and 1973 Yom Kippur War. These victorious wars have established the statehood of Israel with Jerusalem, its Divine Capital City

In fact, besides the warfares between the Western and Eastern European powers, the Middle East warfares between Israel and Arab world, and war between United States of America and the Al Qaeda terrorists network after World War II, there are recorded epidemics and pandemics that had killed many people. Ebola has killed thousands in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and is currently being battled by the Congo Government. The HIV/AIDS, which was detected in1985 among homosexuals, continuously infects the nations without any cure. Later in 2019, Coronavirus, called Covid-19 struck China, and that 90,000 people are currently infected and three thousand have already demised. "There are now almost 90,000 cases worldwide, although the vast majority - more than 90 percent remain in China, and most of those are in Hubei Province, where the virus originated last year" Ghanaian Times, page 06, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Globally, almost 90,000 people in 60 countries have been infected. More than 3,000 have died, the vast majority in China's Hubei Province" Daily Graphics, page 05, Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

ANY DIVINE INTERVENTION?

As already said, the World Powers have dethroned God Almighty on earth after the World War II. The Universal Law, promulgated by United Nations to govern the New World Order in AD 1948, replaced the Law of the Almighty God and Creator(Exodus 24:12). In the 1960s, the Human Rights Groups found occasion of the Universal Human Rights to force World Powers to recognize Homosexuality. "Homosexuality became a political issues in some countries during the late 20th Century, as a late offshoots of various Civil Rights movements of the 60s" The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 6, page 31. Thus United States of America Legalized homosexuality on June 25, 2015. It is results of numerous affliction among nations that also recognized and legalized Homosexuality. It is truth that the God of Israel can forgive the wickedness of the world. He will provide cures for HIV/AIDS and CORONAVIRUS if the Religious, Political and Socio-economic Leaderships acknowledge that God has power over the World Powers. "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" 2 Chro 7:13-14.

Also I. it is the Almighty God who plants medicinal plants and gives Medical knowledge to medical scientist for the benefit of humankind. "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee" Exodus 15:26
Islay distillery Ardbeg creates first-ever beer with Brewgooder

Islay distillery Ardbeg is dipping its toe into a new corner of the alcohol market for charity, with the launch of its first-ever beer.

The Shortie Smoky Porter, named after the distiller's beloved canine mascot, Shortie the Jack Russell, is a limited-edition release launched in partnership with Brewgooder which will be available exclusively in the UK.

Created by Alan McIntyre, global brand manager at Ardbeg, and Alan Mahon, founder of Brewgooder, the beer has been produced in aid of World Water Day (22 March) with all profits donated to support clean water projects in Malawi. Alongside 250 craft brewers from around the world, Ardbeg is the only distillery to be releasing a one-off brew for World Water Day as part of the Global Gathering campaign.

Ardbeg joined forces with William Bros Brewing Co. to make the Shortie Smoky Porter, which uses the same peated malt as the distillery's 10 Years Old whisky.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, said: "We all dig Ardbeg, and none more so than Shortie. So for this life-saving, well-digging clean water brew, it was only fitting that our canine mascot should represent Islay. As with most porters, this beer is smooth and creamy. However, our malt has helped make it distinctly smoky - the way we imagine an Ardbeg beer is meant to taste."

Mickey Heads, Ardbeg distillery manager, added: "Helping brew a beer may seem like unchartered territory for Ardbeg, but as any whiskyphile worth their malt will tell you, beer and whisky share the same DNA. We hope that Ardbeggians and craft beer lovers alike will enjoy this extra-special limited edition."

The beer will be on sale at the Ardbeg Distillery visitor centre, online at www.ardbeg.com and at select stores and Ardbeg Embassies across the UK from 24 March, priced at 14 for a four-pack.

14 March 2020 - Bethany Whymark
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Funeral services are today for Hunter Klompstra, the 18-year-old Coopersville man who went missing Jan. 1 and whose body was recently recovered in the Grand River.

Klompstra went missing about 2 a.m. Jan. 1 from a house in the 6100 block of Leonard Street.

In the following weeks and months, family organized search parties to look for him. Then on Saturday, March 7, searchers made a discovery in the Grand River near the location where he went missing.

His body was recovered that day by Ottawa County Sheriffs divers.

Police do not suspect foul play.

A Celebration Open House to celebrate Klompstras life is 3-6 p.m. Saturday, March 14 at the Coopersville VFW Post, 511 68th Ave N, Coopersville. Memorial donations may be made to the Career Line Tech Center, Welding Dept., 13663 Port Sheldon St. Holland.

Given concern about coronavirus COVID-19, Klompstras family ask that anyone feeling ill not attend the services. They said they also understand if people choose not to attend because of the pandemic situation.

More from MLIve

Body found in Grand River near spot where Hunter Klompstra went missing Jan. 1

Desperately looking for answers, family says of missing West Michigan teen
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park (Photo: VNA)

The PM hailed the WHO and Kidong Park himself for offering policy consultation and technical support to Vietnam over the past time.

He said Vietnam considers epidemic prevention as a major task of the government, all ministries, agencies, localities and the whole people.

According to him, the government also launched a scheme to support epidemic fighting, including ensuring sufficient supply of necessities for the people, and the country has undertaken many stronger measures to contain infections from different sources such as Europe or the UK.

The Government leader also agreed with the WHO representatives proposal on preventing discrimination against infected persons on the media, adding that the Ministry of Public Security has strictly punished those who spread fake news on social media, causing discrimination against COVID-19 patients, including launching criminal proceedings.

Vietnam hopes the WHO will provide latest technological advances and medical equipment to help the country in the fight against the epidemic, he said, adding that Vietnam has successfully treated 16 cases, including an elderly patient with complex diseases, thats why it has high determination to win in the fight.

PM Phuc noted that Vietnam always advocates openness and transparency in the fight against the epidemic, and is making efforts to maintain socio-economic development at the same time, thus ensuring a stable life for the people.

Park, for his part, expressed his impression on Vietnams two strategies to fight the epidemic, which are mobilizing on-the-spot resources and quarantine, which have so far proved effective.

As 115 countries and territories have reported infection cases by now, WHO encourages the Vietnamese government to continue taking drastic actions and suggests that Vietnam pays attention to protecting medical staff who are at the frontline in treating patients, the elderly living with diseases, and those who hold important positions, he said.

The WHO official also pledged to work closely with the Vietnamese Government and Health Ministry and pool all possible resources to assist the country.

He added that there are now 20 candidates for the production of vaccine against COVID-19, and was delighted to know that Vietnams vaccine production capability could meet requirements.

He once again spoke highly of the Vietnamese Governments leadership in the fight against the epidemic, saying that Vietnam remains a safe destination.
Brussels

The European Union urged member countries Friday to put health screening procedures in place at their borders to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus but said they must coordinate so people can still quickly get the medical care they need.

With Italy reporting the most virus cases and deaths anywhere in the world except China, the pandemic is increasingly wearing on the EU's cherished core principle, which envisions a border-free Europe where citizens can freely live, work and travel.

Countries that border Italy, including Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland have moved to reintroduce border controls and restrict traffic from outside. But several other EU nations, including Poland, Slovakia and Cyprus, announced restrictions that go far beyond travelers from Italy.

Poland's prime minister said that starting at midnight Saturday, the country's borders with all its neighbors would be closed and all foreigners denied entry unless they lived in Poland or had personal ties there. Non-citizens who are let in will be quarantined for 14 days.

Slovakia took similar action. An entry ban on foreign nationals in Cyprus only excepts European citizens if they live or work in the ethnically divided island nation. President Nicos Anastasiades said foreigners would also be prohibited from entering Cyprus' internationally recognized south from the breakaway north.

More than 22,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across Europe, and nearly 1,300 people with the virus have died on the continent.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The EU's executive commission recommended coordinated border health screenings as a way to address infections.

"We've seen travel bans and controls being put in place in a number of member states," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "Certain controls may be justified, but general travel bans are not seen as being the most effective by the World Health Organization. Moreover, they have a strong social and economic impact. They disrupt people's lives and business across the borders."

To avoid a patchwork of national policies that cause economic harm and are ineffective in guarding public health, "any measure that is taken must be proportionate" and coordinated with Brussels, she said.

Preliminary checks for signs of infection could be done at borders between the 26 nations that make up the passport-free Schengen Area, but also at the EU's external borders and within individual countries, von der Leyen said.

The ID check-free area, which includes many EU members but also non-members like Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, is a jewel in Europe's crown. Besides smoothing travel arrangements, it allows businesses and transportation to move easily across borders of the countries within the zone.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"Member states, especially neighboring ones, need to work very closely together," von der Leyen said. "In this way, and it's the only way, we can make sure that our citizens receive the health care that they need immediately wherever they are."

The screening recommendations were put to the interior ministers of EU member nations Friday as they try to build a unified response to the virus. The bloc's institutions have a very limited role to play in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Commission led by von der Leyen polices the Schengen Area's rules, but individual countries are responsible for their own health and public safety policies.

"The problem is on different levels in different countries," Swedish Interior Minister Mikael Damberg told reporters. "We hope that all countries that take new measures also inform other European countries."

"The transportation system must work when it comes to food and to health care materials and these kinds of things that are important to all European countries so that we don't make problems for each other handling the crisis," Damberg said.

Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, who is chairing the talks because his country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said, "This crisis shows that as a European Union we need to have models to act in a more coordinated way."

"If we are acting in one way, it would be much better for all of us," he said.
Charles Leclerc has defended both the FIA and Ferrari, amid rival teams' fury over the 2019 engine legality scandal.

Earlier, the seven non-Ferrari affiliated teams were not ruling out legal action after a secret settlement was agreed between Ferrari and the FIA.

It is believed the seven teams have now become six, after a phone call between Ferrari president John Elkann and Daimler's Ola Kallenius resulted in Mercedes withdrawing its complaint.

As for the remaining six teams' fury, Ferrari driver Leclerc said before Melbourne was cancelled: "I trust my team completely.

"I also believe the FIA checked everything and it was all in order. For me, the topic is closed."

But when asked if he understands why rival teams are upset, Leclerc answered: "Yes and no.

"Teams should trust the FIA, but in my opinion it is completely understandable that not everything has to be explained," he said.

"We invest a lot of time, money and effort in all of the parts we have, so it should be clear that the FIA cannot simply disclose all of our work.

"I have confidence in Ferrari and I trust the FIA," the 22-year-old added.

Sebastian Vettel made similar comments.

"For me it's easy - I trust my team to comply with the regulations at all times," said the German driver. "And as drivers we trust the FIA to do its job properly for all of the teams on the grid."

Meanwhile, Claire Williams was asked about the secret information that the six teams are demanding from the FIA, and said: "I think Ferrari should provide it."

(GMM)
Private hospital beds should be taken over by the state to cope with the impact of coronavirus, Labour and a major trade union said.

The GMB union and shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for the Government to requisition beds in 'plush private hospitals' to ease the burden on the NHS.

Mr Ashworth said it would be 'completely wrong' for Boris Johnson not to use all the resources available to tackle the crisis.

Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, pictured right, alongside Jeremy Corbyn, has called on the government to requisition beds in private hospitals in order to bolster the NHS efforts in dealing with the coronavirus

Mr Ashworth urged immediate action before the NHS is put under extreme stress during the impending coronavirus pandemic

The GMB said there are at least 570 private hospitals in the UK with around 8,000 beds.

The union's general secretary Tim Roache said: 'The Prime Minister says this is 'the worst public health crisis for a generation' - well he needs to start acting like it.

'It can't be right that we have plush private hospitals lying empty waiting for the wealthy to fall ill, while people are left in dying in hospitals for the want of a bed.

'Do the right thing and let these unused beds be requisitioned by the NHS to save lives.'

Mr Ashworth said: 'The Government should leave no stone unturned when it comes to supporting our NHS and making sure it is best equipped to protect life throughout the Covid-19 outbreak.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there were 'legitimate questions' around the Government's approach to tackling coronavirus, and urged Boris Johnson to publish the scientific evidence he was relying on.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there were legitimate questions about the government's handling of the crisis while leadership candidate Lisa Nandy, pictured right, said the government should publish the analysis behind its approach

It is feared the NHS will struggle once the pandemic reaches its peak in a few weeks' time

'Labour has supported a science-led approach, while recognising that leaves room for more than one possible response,' Mr Corbyn said.

'So we are asking the Government to publish its scientific modelling and explain transparently the conclusions it has drawn.

'We believe it is vital that the Government maintains public confidence.

'We also believe the Government must take more comprehensive steps to ensure insecure, self-employed and unprotected workers are not forced to choose between health and hardship, and are able to take time off work and self-isolate if necessary, in the interests of us all.'

Meanwhile, Labour leadership hopeful Lisa Nandy called for the Government to be more transparent about its approach and demanded extra resources for social care.

She was expected to tell the National Union of Mineworkers in Barnsley: 'We deserve answers about why our response differs from other governments, based on their own medical and scientific advice, and from the World Health Organisation.

'The Government must publish the analysis behind its decisions to reassure the public.

'Who conducted that analysis, and is it medical or behavioural science that is driving these decisions?'
Some 101 citizens of Ukraine whom Slovenian border guards did not allow to enter the country from the territory of Italy will be taken to Ukraine by special board on Saturday or on Sunday, Kyryl Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said.

"I have contacted them at the president's request. It was decided that we will take them by a special board of one of the Ukrainian airliners that will fly to Italy. The place where it will fly to will be determined within a couple of hours," he told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

The Ukrainian citizens have been informed about everything and they expect information on the place where they need to go to and from where they will be collected, Tymoshenko said.

"They will most likely be taken out tomorrow, the day after tomorrow at the latest," he said.

According to earlier reports, the Ukrainians are stuck on the border between Italy and Slovenia as the Slovenian border guards do not allow them to enter the country due to the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus
On March 15, 2019, a fascist terrorist armed with a military-style semiautomatic rifle drove to two mosques in Christchurch and murdered 51 Muslim worshippers and injured 49. It was New Zealands worst ever mass shooting and one of the most brutal in the world. The murderer, Australian-born Brenton Tarrant, whose racist views had been shaped by the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the Australian and American political establishment, livestreamed his attack. The massacre was widely viewed before being taken off social media.

The victims came from several countries and included elderly people and young children. Many survivors suffered debilitating injuries, inability to work and psychological trauma. The citys health authorities expect the anniversary to trigger painful memories and increased demand for mental health services.

The attacks prompted an outpouring of shock and grief in New Zealand, Australia and internationally. People from around the world have travelled to the mosques to show solidarity with the Muslim community. Remembrance events scheduled for tomorrow, expected to attract large crowds, have been cancelled due to fears of coronavirus transmission.

A vigil in Wellington after the Christchurch fascist terror attack

Twelve months on, however, the danger of the far right and fascism continues to grow throughout the world. While there is no mass support for fascism, it is being deliberately promoted by US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Australias Scott Morrison, and many other political leaders.

Over the past year, fascist and white supremacist terror attacks have included the April 27 shooting at Poway synagogue in California and the August 3 massacre of 21 people in El Paso, Texas. The perpetrators claimed inspiration from Tarrant.

In Germany, where the neo-fascist Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the main opposition party and its anti-immigrant policies have been adopted by the coalition government, there has been a series of neo-Nazi attacks. These include the murder of politician Walter Lubcke in June 2019 and the massacre of 11 people at two shisha bars in Hanau in February 2020.

Tarrant and others like him are the products of decades of xenophobic demonisation of Muslims by the media and politicians. Successive Australian and New Zealand governments sent troops to the US imperialist wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To justify their involvement in predatory neo-colonial interventions, the ruling elite claimed they were fighting Islamic terrorism. At the same time, their police and spy agencies turned a blind eye to the growth of far-right extremism.

The Islamic Womens Council, in its submission to a royal commission of inquiry into the Christchurch shootings, stated that the attacks would not have happened if government agencies had acted on warnings about rising xenophobia and threats to the Muslim community. These included violent threats against the Al Noor mosque by Christchurch neo-Nazis in 2016. Nothing was done and the warnings were dismissed.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continues to be glorified in the worlds media for her purported show of sympathy following the March 15 attack. She promised to make it her personal mission as prime minister to defend inclusiveness and diversity. She stated: I have the support of every single member of parliament, local government, at every level of New Zealand, absolute unity in that cause and in that mission.

These pledges have proven to be a fraud. Arderns Labour Party-NZ First-Greens coalition government has ramped-up anti-immigrant measures, including restrictions that prevent working class migrants from bringing family members to New Zealand. The government routinely deports vulnerable people, including a paralysed Tongan woman who was deported in January despite doctors warning she was at risk of dying.

Arderns government rests on the racist and nationalist NZ First Party. Despite receiving just 7.2 percent of votes in the 2017 election, Labour has given the right-wing party some of the most critical ministries. NZ First Party leader Winston Peters is both the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ron Mark is the defence minister and Shane Jones is regional development minister.

NZ First has long espoused anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim views similar to those in Tarrants fascist manifesto, The Great Replacement. Recently, Jones ranted against Indian students and migrants, depicting them as a threat to New Zealand and Maori culture. NZ First and Labour have also campaigned against Chinese immigration and influence, in an effort to align New Zealand with the US economic war and military build-up against China.

NZ First has been promoted for years by Labour, the Greens and their supporters, including the left-wing Daily Blog. In a significant admission six days after the Christchurch atrocity, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman told Radio NZ that every party, including her own, had scapegoated migrants for problems such as underfunded health services. Ghahraman admitted: Weve all done things that have fanned the flames of division.

The Greens, however, continue to prop up the government and work closely with NZ First. Co-leader James Shaw recently collaborated with Defence Minister Mark on a document justifying military spending as necessary to prepare for the effects of climate change.

The royal commission into the Christchurch attack is due to report its findings on April 30. It has held its hearings in secret to ensure that the public never knows what information the Security Intelligence Service, the Government Communications Security Bureau and the police had about Tarrant, and whether he had accomplices.

Tarrant has been portrayed as a lone gunman, but he had links with several fascist groups including in Australia, Austria and France. The extent of these ties and his connections within New Zealand has not been revealed.

State and media-imposed censorship surrounds the case. The Chief Censor suppressed Tarrants manifesto to prevent public discussion about its similarity to the views of NZ First, Trump and other politicians. The document expressed hatred of Marxism and socialism, and states that there are thousands of fascists in the armed forces internationally. Corporate and state-owned media have agreed to a request by Ardern to self-censor coverage of Tarrants views in his upcoming trial.

A book published late last year in Australia, which quotes from the manifesto, Fascists Among Us by pseudo-left author Jeff Sparrow, has not been distributed in New Zealand. The publisher Scribe told the WSWS it had received legal advice that it could lead to a contempt of court charge in NZ.

The government has exploited the tragedy to bolster the intelligence agencies resources, expand the number of armed police officers, and push for censorship of social media and the internet. None of these measures have anything to do with stopping fascism. They are instead part of preparations to suppress growing working-class opposition to austerity and militarism and will inevitably be used against workers with socialist views.

Significantly, Police Minister Stuart Nash recently told Radio NZ that police would not tolerate extremist activity from the far-right or the far-left ahead of the March 15 anniversary. He did not explain what he meant by far-left extremism.

There is ample evidence of how state agencies have protected fascists, including Tarrant. Australian police dismissed a report of a death threat sent by Tarrant in 2016 to a supporter of refugees. New Zealand police similarly dismissed a complaint in 2017 about violent and anti-Muslim language from members of the gun club where Tarrant trained for his attack.

Academic Paul Spoonley, who has spent decades researching the far right, wrote on the Conversation that there are about 60 to 70 groups and somewhere between 150 and 300 core right-wing activists in New Zealand. Given NZs population of around five million, the figure is proportionate to the estimated 12,000 to 13,000 violent far-right activists in Germany.

As in the US and Germany, leading NZ fascists are in the military. They include a soldier arrested and charged in January with disclosing information likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand. The soldier, whose name is suppressed, is a founding member of the fascist Dominion Movement, which was renamed Action Zealandia (AZ) following the mosque attacks.

Sam Brittenden, another AZ member, was arrested on March 4 for making an online threat to attack Al Noor mosque. The White Rose Society in Australia reported on March 10 on encrypted messages it had obtained from a third AZ member, Max Newsome, a former soldier. Newsome corresponded with members of US neo-Nazi terrorist group Atomwaffen Division and the Scandinavian Nordic Resistance Movement.

Action Zealandias agenda dovetails with the anti-Chinese campaign waged by military strategists in academia and sections of the media and the government. In January, AZ vandalised the office of Chinese-born National Party MP Jian Yang, who pro-US academic Anne-Marie Brady and NZ First have demonised as an agent of the Chinese Communist Party.

The working class must draw the necessary political lessons from the Christchurch terrorist attack and the ongoing promotion of nationalism, racism and militarism by the entire political establishment. The ruling elites and their political parties are resorting to anti-democratic and authoritarian methods of rule, and encouraging fascists, to defend the increasingly crisis-ridden and hated capitalist system.

There is overwhelming opposition to fascism, but historical experience demonstrates that mass hostility is not enough. The fight against fascism can only succeed if it is based on a clear socialist and internationalist strategy, aimed at uniting workers across all nationalities and ethnicities in a movement to end capitalism, the source of racism, war and social inequality.

The author also recommends:

The right-wing record of Jacinda Arderns government in New Zealand

[3 February 2020]

Sound the alarm! Political conspiracy and the resurgence of fascism in Germany

[14 February 2020]

Australian spy chief reveals fascistic networks, but minister attacks left-wing lunatics

[28 February 2020]
Dublin-based jet leasing firm Timaero has lashed out at Boeing's efforts to shift a $740m-plus case being taken against it by the Irish firm for late 737 Max deliveries from Chicago to Seattle.

"It is ironic Boeing - the world's largest aerospace company - argues it is inconvenient for its employee witnesses to fly to its world headquarters in Chicago," Timaero's lawyers said in court filings this week.

They added that it is "astonishing" that the jet maker is arguing that Illinois has no connection to the suit, given that its main offices are in Chicago.

Timaero Ireland signed an agreement with Boeing in January 2014 to buy 20 Max aircraft. In 2016, Timaero converted two Boeing 737-800 orders to Max orders. The firm is owned by controversial Russian state-owned development bank Vnesheconombank (VEB).

Max jets have been grounded all over the world since March last year following two fatal crashes linked to one of the aircraft's software systems.

Timaero was originally due to take delivery of four Max jets by early December, but had only received two aircraft out of its order. Timaero is understood to have made $316m (284m) in advance payments to Boeing between November 2013 and the end of 2018.

Timaero has claimed Boeing's delivery delays are in breach of the aircraft delivery schedule agreed to by the pair and is the result of "Boeing's fault and negligence in designing the aircraft with a defective flight control system that it did not properly test and analyse".

Boeing hasn't made a full response yet to the claim. However, it has told the Illinois court that allegations made by the Irish lessor that it sold the leasing firm aircraft that it knew at the time were unsafe, with the intent to injure Timaero in its aircraft leasing business, are "wholly implausible and fatally vague".

Lawyers for the aircraft maker have sought to have the case transferred to Washington state, where Boeing has its major manufacturing facilities.

They said Chicago is "not a convenient forum for this dispute", given all of the witnesses and evidence are located in Washington.

But Timaero this week told the court Boeing is attempting to "forum shop" by trying to have the case moved to Seattle.

"Boeing has not and cannot meet its heavy burden of showing that the interest of justice and the convenience of parties and witnesses warrants transfer," lawyers for Timaero said in court documents.

They added: "Boeing's motion is not about convenience or the interest of justice - it is an improper attempt to forum shop."

Timaero noted that Boeing executives and senior management work in Chicago and reside there.

"Boeing's board of directors sit and meet in Chicago and approved the 737 Max design in Chicago," Timaero's lawyers said.

"Boeing's three most recent CEOs worked out of the Chicago headquarters when they were involved in the decision to develop the 737 Max."

Timaero also said that 200 cases related to the troubled Max jet have been filed against Boeing in Chicago, but claimed that the aircraft maker has not sought to have any of those cases transferred out of the jurisdiction.

"To the extent Boeing argues that Washington is more convenient for other witnesses, the location of Boeing's own employees and documents is entitled to no weight under the law," it has asserted.

Its lawyers added: "Timaero had two main contacts at Boeing when it was deciding whether to purchase 737 Max aircraft. One is still employed by Boeing. The other is no longer a Boeing employee and is located in Russia, not Washington."

Those two contacts are Alexander Basyuk, a former Boeing employee based in Moscow, and Jorge Molina Acosta, who still works with the company. Boeing hopes to have the 737 Max flying again by the summer in the US.
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If Global Trust Bank (GTB) was bailed out by Oriental Bank of Commerce in 2004, Yes Bank, the only second new age private sector lender collapsing under alleged fraud and gross mismanagement, has a rush of rescuers.

According to the plan cleared by the Union Cabinet on March 13, the State Bank of India (SBI) is the lead rescuer in the consortium which will invest Rs 7,250 crore in Yes Bank.

SBI, Indias largest lender, will pick 725 crore shares at Rs 10 each. Other lenders too have joined the rescue act: HDFC Ltd and ICICI Bank will invest Rs 1,000 crore each (meaning 100 crore shares each), while Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank will invest Rs 600 crore and Rs 500 crore, respectively.

There is a likelihood of more investors, including Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). There will be a lock-in period for all investors.

As mentioned above, there have been private sector bank bailouts earlier as well. But, these were mostly involving one acquiring bank, nudged by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  the banking regulator.

In Yes Banks case, nearly all major private banks have come together to pay the price of alleged reckless lending by a promoter who hoped to make an HDFC Bank swiftly, and simultaneously believed he could use it as a family piggybank.

In other words, the losses spawned by Rana Kapoors banking actions are being bailed out by depositors and shareholders (considering that the government regularly infuses capital in SBI using taxpayers money).

To be sure, the Yes Bank rescue plan can be argued as inevitable to prevent a larger banking crisis. But, it leaves many questions unanswered. Why are shareholders bearing the brunt of the actions of a promoter? Should the losses of a private entity be bailed out by the public? Between financial years 2014 and 2019, Yes Bank's loan book grew to Rs 2,50,000 crore from Rs 55,000 crore. The loan book actually almost doubled between FY17 and FY19.

This implies a CAGR of around 38 percent while even in the best of times, Indian banks have not grown beyond 25 percent.

Remember, during this period, the average lending growth of banks used to be 8-10 percent. Most other banks were struggling to grow their books.

Non-performing assets (NPAs) were rising high as the economy slowed. Particularly after high value currency notes were demonetised in November 2016, economic activities had slowed to a trickle across sectors. Despite such debilitating factors, Yes Bank reported a huge growth in its loan books.

The RBI identified major NPA divergence in Yes Bank starting 2017-18. But it acted only towards the end of year 2018 by denying an extension to Kapoor and putting an RBI nominee on the board. In hindsight, if the RBI had done its job of identifying problems in the bank much earlier and clamped down on the lender, Yes Bank would have still needed a bailout but the cost of the exercise would have been much lower than what it is deemed now.

At the time of Ravneet Gill taking over as the new Chief Executive Officer after RBI's approval on March 1, the banks shares were trading at Rs 237.5 apiece. The gross NPAs in that quarter were just 3.22 percent. There was still a perception in the market that with a new CEO on board, the bank will be getting enough investors to sail through rough waters. Had the RBI acted at that point, the cost of Yes Bank rescue would have been, perhaps, far less.

Now, even as all the banking biggies lend their money and name to restore investor faith in Yes Bank, the bank will never be the same. The image of a failed bank will potentially deter all category of investors to park significant fresh money. The charges of quid-pro-quo deals and money laundering against former chief Kapoor are not minor. As more skeletons emerge out of the closet, Yes Bank will see more uneasy days ahead.

The bank is bailed out finally, but the massive erosion in shareholder wealth in Yes Bank will not be compensated. The late response that has come from the banking regulator in identifying and acting in the case will not be taken kindly by global investors looking at India.

The rescue will also set a bad precedent and send a wrong signal to other crony promoters and unrealistically aggressive banks in the private sector that a government bailout is on the way even if they mess up big.

Every bank in India is now a too-big-to-fail bank.
The country's largest carrier IndiGo on Saturday announced cancellation of some flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi from March 17 in view of travel restrictions.

National carrier Air India has also decided to curtail services to Dubai, Doha, Muscat and Riyadh for a month, an airline spokesperson said.

Amid coronavirus pandemic, many countries have imposed travel restrictions.

"Owing to the suspension of visas for all foreigners with exception of diplomatic passport holders, IndiGo will be cancelling some of its flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi w.e.f. March 17, 2020 until the travel restrictions are lifted," IndiGo said in a statement.

The airline also said that it would be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers.

"GoAir has convened a meeting on Sunday and a decision (about flight services to UAE) will be taken after that (meeting)," an airline spokesperson said.

The budget carrier operates flights to Abu Dhabi.

"We are reviewing the situation on a constant basis. No cancellations have been planned yet," a SpiceJet spokesperson said.

SpiceJet flies to some destinations in the Gulf region, including Dubai.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former Queensland GP who now works with an international medical aid group says more needs to be done to reduce rates of cervical cancer in developing areas of south-east Asia.

Australia has one of the lowest rates of cervical cancer in the world, thanks to an extensive screening program and the HPV vaccine, and is on track to eradicate the cancer by 2035.

A young girl from Tondo, Manila, is seen in a Likhaan clinic for her free HPV vaccination. Credit:Hannah Reyes Morales/MSF

But international medical aid group Doctors Without Borders stressed cervical cancer was still very much a problem for women outside of Australia.

Dr Tonia Marquardt, Doctors Without Borders deputy operations manager for the Asia/Pacific region, said the burden of the disease could be high, especially in countries such as the Philippines.
Bidens team is operating on painful lessons Democrats learned from 2016 on what could be the new realities of campaigning in a time of a pandemic. Its incredibly important that we start from a standpoint of how wide the landscape could be, said a senior Biden campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment of the race. It is a detailed belief that I have that you cant take anything for granted. . . . Im not willing to sit here and say, We dont need Florida, and Ohio is dead. 
RACINE  The streets and taverns of Downtown Racine were supposed to be packed on Saturday. A parade was supposed to bring out a thousand people or more to celebrate St. Patricks Day.

Runners were supposed to jog down the street, dangling green-and-gold beads and carrying four-leaf clovers. Kids and grown-ups were supposed to wave Irish flags, regardless of the flag-wavers actual heritage.

The streets were mostly empty instead, scared off by fears of spreading COVID-19, or just because people were no longer willing to come Downtown due to the cancellation of the formal events.

As of 2 p.m. Saturday, the number of total confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased to 27 in Wisconsin, up from 19 on Friday, according to the state Department of Health Services. No one in Wisconsin has died from the virus that has killed more than 5,800 people worldwide, and the first person diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in the state has already recovered.

One case was confirmed in Racine County on Friday. No additional confirmed cases in Racine County have been announced.

Following the guidance of state, national and international health organizations, state and local officials have been prohibiting (or at least strongly discouraging) gatherings of more than a few dozen people.

Bars, however, kept the beer flowing for the customers who remained.

Definitely worried

Marcis on Main, 236 Main St., kept the mood light, despite being emptier than anticipated on Saturday, three days before the actual holiday celebrating the patron saint of Ireland.

Inside the bars claw/crane game, usually filled with just cans of White Claw Hard Seltzer, rolls of much-desired toilet paper were thrown on top  a bit of a joke inspired by how stores nationwide have been running out of bathroom tissue as worried shoppers stock up.

For every drink purchased at Marcis, one raffle ticket was given out that could later be traded in for a free roll of toilet paper.

We were definitely worried, said Austin Krieger, manager at Marcis on Main, regarding the parade being canceled and how that immediately meant the bar would lose business. But we figured people will come out and have a good time.

People such as Gerardo and Julia Aquino proved Krieger right as they drank green beers at Marcis on Saturday afternoon.

Gerardo and Julia Aquino drink green beer at Marci's on Main Gerardo and Julia Aquino drink green beer at Marci's on Main on Saturday. They were undeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In my opinion, its just the flu. Just wash your hands, Gerardo Aquino said; the CDC would disagree with Aquinos assessment, considering COVID-19 is considerably more dangerous than influenza to older people or those with compromised immune systems than just the flu. There also arent any reliable treatments for COVID-19.

Downtown Racine bars are typically packed during the weekend celebration of St. Patricks Day.

The Ivanhoe Pub & Eatery, where Irish blood has flowed for decades, is usually stuffed wall to wall with imbibers. Often, patrons have to wait for their food out on the sidewalk.

At noon Thursday, about half of the tables were empty.

Those empty tables made manager Patrick Todd nervous.

If the trends stay like this, Todd said, its going to be hard for a lot of small businesses to keep going.

Staff at Ivanhoe spent the past two weeks preparing for St. Patricks Day weekend. Todd said they have more than 100 pounds of corned beef that hes praying wont have to go to waste because of the smaller crowd. A number of bartenders and other staff members were told not to come to work because business wouldnt be as good as projected.

That fear is part of why a group of friends  Shawn Pittsley, Janet Kinsley, Gary Kinsley and Rick Simon  made sure to come out this year.

Waiting to cross Shawn Pittsley, Janet Kinsley, Gary Kinsley and Rick Simon wait to cross Sixth Street while walking along Wisconsin Avenue on Saturday. Downto

Every year for at least a decade theyve gone out together on St. Patricks Day, but this year it felt more like a duty than anything else.

Its good for the economy, said Shawn Pittsley. The businesses, they expected us to come out.

They need us, added Janet Kinsley.

Its crazy  this isnt your typical St. Paddys Day Saturday, Kinsley added, looking around at a mostly empty Wisconsin Avenue just before 1 p.m.

They still got beer

Everybody say Virus!  calls a bartender at Ivanhoe while taking a photo of patrons smiling at the bar.

Jeff Sandberg said with a laugh: We drove 4 1/2 hours for a parade that was canceled.

Sandberg is from Mondovi, about 15 miles southwest of Eau Claire. He visits his uncle, Mike Conley, in Racine every year around St. Patricks Day.

I was so disappointed, Sandberg said when he heard the parade was canceled, in part because he had been looking forward to drinking green beer outdoors.

But they still got beer, Conley laughed while stroking his dyed-green beard.

Sandberg jumped in with a smile: The beer is cold!

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Two men from Maharashtra, who were travelling to Ernakulam in Mangala Express, were arrested by Kasargod railway police after being found in possession of Rs 1.4 crore unaccounted for money.

The arrested men were identified as Ankush (38) and Shankar (29), both residents of Sangli in Maharashtra.

Based on the tip off by Kumble Railway police, the police at Kasargod arrested the duo and seized the cash. The duo had boarded the train at Mumbai and were travelling to Ernakulam.

Commission

The arrested had Rs 40 lakh in Rs 2,000 notes and Rs one crore in Rs 500 notes in their possession. During the interrogation, they reportedly confessed to transporting the amount to Ernakulam for a commission of Rs 50,000.

The police have informed the Enforcement Directorate officials on the seizure of currency and investigation is in progress.
Weve done our research and weve been mapping out this plan with compensation experts for more than a year, Co-CEO and Chief Operating Officer AJ Kumaran said in the press release.

GreenPal in Waco

GreenPal, an app that connects homeowners with local lawn-care professionals who have been vetted by the Nashville-based company, has expanded to Waco, according to a press release.

After successfully launching in 200 other markets, we are excited to help homeowners in Waco find reliable, local lawn care, co-founder Gene Caballero said in the press release.

GreenPal now operates in 46 states, with more than 20,000 landscaping professionals running their business through the app and 1 million homeowners having signed up to use the service, Caballero said.

Homeowners can list their lawns with their service date and lawn care needs, according to the press release. Vetted lawn care pros can then bid on their properties based on the Google street and aerial images and any other lawn details the homeowner provides. Homeowners can then select who they want to work with based on the vendors ratings, reviews and price.
Ethiopia Confirms First Case of Coronavirus

By Simon Marks March 13, 2020

Ethiopia's Health Minister Lia Tadesse confirmed the country's first case of coronavirus Friday.

Tadesse said a 48-year-old Japanese national who had entered the country after visiting Burkina Faso has tested positive for the virus.

The confirmation fueled fears that COVID-19, which is now in more than 130 countries worldwide, could spread in Africa's second most populous country.

Tadesse advised Ethiopians to take measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

"At this point we have identified and confirmed the first case for Ethiopia," she said. "So we are giving the community, the public the preventive measures that we have been advising for a while now. Strengthening those advices in terms of personal hygiene and also avoiding very crowded places, especially if they are feeling sick."

She added that Ethiopia is not planning to cancel any flights abroad.

"This virus is now in 134 countries. So stopping flights is not going to be a solution," Tadesse said.

The health minister said Ethiopia currently has the capacity to quarantine 600 people, and that additional hospital sites are being prepared. Ethiopia has tested 60 people for the virus.

The Japanese patient is still in quarantine. According to Tadesse, he spent about 10 days in Burkina Faso before arriving in Addis on March 4. He fell sick after arrival, and was tested for coronavirus Wednesday.

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New Delhi: Taking note of global pandemic novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Supreme Court decided that from March 16 it will take up for hearing only urgent matters and no persons except lawyers concerned will be allowed inside its courtrooms. According to report, from March 16 onwards, only six benches of the apex court will function, instead of the usual 14 benches.

The apex court, which has been mulling over the issue in its meetings held at the residence of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on March 12th and 13th, took note of the government's March 5 advisory cautioning against mass gatherings in view of the fact that the World Health Organisation has declared COVID-19 a 'global pandemic'.

The apex court's notification, issued by its secretary-general Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar, said it has been decided that its functioning shall be restricted to urgent matters with such number of benches as may be found appropriate.

"On reviewing the advisory issued by the Government of India and in view of the opinion of public health experts including medical professionals and also considering the safety and welfare of all the visitors, litigants, lawyers, court staff, security, maintenance and support staff, student interns and media professionals, the Competent Authority has been pleased to direct that the functioning of the courts shall be restricted to urgent matters with such number of benches as may be found appropriate," the notification said.

"It is hereby notified that no persons except the lawyers who are going to act in the matter, that is either for argument or for making oral submissions or to assist along with one litigant only, shall be permitted in the courtroom," it said, adding that the mentioning of matters for the urgent hearing will be made only before the mentioning officer.

Hours after the Supreme Court's announcement, the Delhi High Court held an emergency meeting on Friday (March 13) and decided that from March 16, it will only hear urgent matters. It also decided not to insist on the personal appearance of parties (litigants) unless it is indispensable, said an advisory issued by the court after the meeting.

The high court also issued an advisory for regulating the entry of litigants in district courts to avoid crowding. It suggested that video-conferencing facilities be put to optimum use for recording evidence.
Its crystal clear we have to act fast to flatten the curve, the public health experts term used to describe the importance of reducing the pace of infection with COVID-19 to avoid overwhelming health systems. Its also becoming clear that flattening the curve of the health crisis will reduce the associated economic crisis. What act fast steps can we take?

Governments have shut down schools, organizations have cancelled big gatherings, travel is being sharply cut back. Now the toughest, most critical step is to prevent contagion through the workplace. This disruptive phase of flattening the curve will cost businesses and workers alike. Telework will be the new normal for those who can stay home for a bit.

But millions of workers in stores, restaurants and Uber/taxi drivers dont have that luxury, nor do people providing care for the young, the sick and the elderly. We have to make sure every sick worker can afford to stay at home. The federal government has already acted quickly to improve sickness benefits in Employment Insurance. This is a good but far-too-modest start.

Millions of low-income workers in Canada cant afford to lose any hours of work. Among modest-income self-employed workers, almost no-one will be able to claim EI benefits. More than 1 in 10 of Canadas 19 million workers are independent contractors without paid help. Among Canadas 16 million employees, 12 per cent have temporary jobs, a share that rises to almost 1 in 3 for workers under 25. While they dont get as ill, young workers needing to replace lost hours are more likely to spread COVID-19. Millions of people also provide low-wage work in child, elder and health care fields, making them prime carriers of contagion.

The federal government can do five things, unilaterally and immediately, so Canadians can reduce work-related contagion as quickly as possible, wherever they live and whatever kind of work they do.

1. Improve EI: One in 10 workers making less than $15 per hour pays into Employment Insurance but wont have enough hours to qualify for sickness benefits. The act permits the government to lower that hourly threshold qualification temporarily. Increasing the income replacement rate from 55 per cent of insurable earnings to 80 per cent for lower-waged earners (like we had in the 1940s) would also reduce peoples desperation to pick up extra hours of paid work. To support those not currently EI eligible, the federal government could fund a temporary unemployment assistance program, as sketched by an April 2019 Public Policy Forum report. A flat weekly benefit to those who dont have enough work or a forgivable jobseekers loans with repayment tied to income reported to the tax system would revitalize the feds support for the hard-to-serve unemployed, a role it played by funding extended regional jobless benefits until 1991.

2. Expand Paid Sick Leave: The tax system could aid small and medium employers with cash flow to provide or expand paid days of leave for the rest of 2020. Subject to a reasonable maximum, the additional payroll costs associated with new paid leave days could be made deductible from 2020 corporate income taxes.

3. Limit deepening debt: A single cheque via GST credits, Guaranteed Income Supplement or Canada Workers Benefit may not be enough to live on for two weeks, but would ease the financial stress of upfront out-of-pocket costs triggered by self-isolation. One-time supplemental payments of these income-tested federal credits could help households least likely to have emergency savings or access to affordable credit.

4. Secure housing: The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation could immediately provide a pool of capital to existing or new rent banks across the country so that those who cant make the rent because of falling incomes or illness dont lose their housing too. The federal government could also broker a deal with banks and major lenders to extend the mortgage default period and/or defer mortgage payments over the next six months, as Italy has done.

5. Prepare our social infrastructure for post-crash demand: People turning to key community services like food banks and child care after this period may find non-profit services have been hobbled by the triple whammy of losing fees for service and donation revenues even as demand rises. These agencies cant weather the storm like small businesses because they are less able to access lines of credit. Capital for low-interest lending could be handed to the Business Development Bank of Canada, or funded through the Social Innovation Social Finance sector.

As the public health and economic crises become more clearly intertwined, all federal parties should collaborate not just to suspend Parliament, but to support a package that works for all Canadians, especially those who need it most.
New York State is a center of the outbreak in the United States, and the number of cases has been spiking in recent days, both because the virus is spreading and because more testing is being done.

Officials on Saturday reported the first two deaths in New York State linked to coronavirus.

The state had 613 confirmed coronavirus cases, up sharply from Friday, including 269 cases in New York City. Statewide, 50 of those patients were being treated in hospitals as of Friday, including 18 who were in intensive care.

Late Saturday night, officials said that two State Assembly members from Brooklyn, Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron, both Democrats, had tested positive for the virus.

The spike in cases in New York has unsettled some health care administrators and doctors, who are mindful of what has happened in northern Italy, where in less than three weeks, the virus has inundated hospitals with patients, offering a glimpse of what countries face if they cannot slow the outbreak.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has predicted that there could be 1,000 cases in the city by next week, and some doctors are expecting many more. The fundamental question for hospitals is not how many New Yorkers will get sick during the pandemic. It is how many at any given time, and whether the hospitals will have enough beds, workers and ventilators, which the most seriously ill will need to breathe.
A man in Ho Chi Minh City has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after coming in touch with an infected person returning from the U.S., the Ministry of Health said on Saturday.

The 31-year-old man resides in Ward 14, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. He traveled on the same car as patient No. 45 to the south-central province of Binh Thuan and together met patient No. 34 and her husband there.

The man was asked to practice self-isolation at home after patient No. 34, a 51-year-old woman who recently returned from a U.S. trip that included transit time in South Korea and Qatar, was diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) this week.

He was transferred to a quarantine camp in District 10 and sampled there on March 13, without showing any symptom of the viral disease.

The Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases received his sample on the same night.

Results of novel coronavirus tests on the man's samples came out positive on Saturday morning.

He is now in stable health.

The new patient brought the number of infections in Vietnam to 48 and in Ho Chi Minh City to five.

The 46th patient is a 30-year-old Vietnam Airlines flight attendant residing in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, while the 47th patient is a 43-year-old woman who works as a housekeeper for patient No.17 and lives on Truc Bach Street, Ba Dinh District in the Vietnamese capital.

Of the countrys 48 COVID-19 patients, 16 have fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26, while the other 32 active cases are being treated.

No fatality due to COVID-19 has been reported in Vietnam so far.

Patient No. 17, a 26-year-old Vietnamese woman living in Hanoi, was diagnosed on Friday last week after the country had reported no infection since February 13.

Patient No. 34, a 51-year-old Vietnamese woman from Binh Thuan, allegedly caused at least 11 other people to be infected with the virus, including her husband, son, and daughter-in-law.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:10:35|Editor: yan

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by Julia Pierrepont III, Huang Heng

LAS VEGAS, the United States, March 14 (Xinhua) -- "I've wanted to come to the show for years. So now I'm here to shop and I think the Chinese products are worth checking out." Shane Miller from Washington state told Xinhua.

At the huge expo for heavy construction equipment such as cranes, excavators, dump trucks, drill-rigs, concrete mixers, lifts, aerial platforms, etc., Chinese companies rolled out the red carpet for American consumers at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, which concluded in Las Vegas this Saturday to largely favorable reviews.

REAL ADVANTAGE

Adam S., a concrete contractor from New Mexico, responded well to the products of Sany and Zoomlion. "Their concrete equipment is pretty impressive. They can pipe it in over longer distances and heights than a lot of these other brands. That's a real advantage."

Ashley and Jessica from Ohio, who came to the expo with their husbands, think the Sany's excavators are awesome. "I was attracted by these giant treads. They are so big!" Ashley laughed.

Their husbands, Tim and Erik, are excavating contractors who specialize in wetlands and swamps. "We do a lot of wet work, so these machines are great - they even float."

When asked how he likes Chinese equipment, Tim replied, "Most of these machines, regardless of the brand, seem to use a lot of parts made in China, and they all work fine. I think they need to make the cabs a little bigger over here, though," said the 6'2" inch contractor with a smile.

His advice was echoed by American contractor Brian Van Clief from the eastern U.S. state of Massachusetts.

"Chinese vehicle designs are cool and they're built to take a beating without breaking down," Clief said, "Parts are important though. They should manufacture more of their parts in the U.S. so there's never any delay for repairs and maintenance - like during this Coronavirus craziness."

Peter Cushion, of the United Kingdom who runs the UK dealership for Dingli explained that Dingli manufactures the machines in China, then ships them over to the British isles, to their dealership in the British midlands.

"Dingli is doing well in the UK. Sales are good. The big scissor-lifts are selling well and we're getting a lot of orders for the new products too," he told Xinhua.

When asked if the coronavirus had caused any problems with their supply-chain of parts from China, he replied, "No, that's not been a problem for us at all. We keep a stockpile of inventory in the UK and Ireland for times like this."

SUPPLY CHAIN

The supply chain issue has being resolved by Chinese companies by expanding a nationwide dealer network in the United States and huge local investment.

LiuGong, founded in 1958 as a wheel loader manufacturer, now has 19 product lines across a wide range of industry applications, including customized forestry equipment, demolition excavators, and fleet rentals, including their recent acquisition of Hertz China.

Their strategy shifted to global in 2002 and they now export to 300 dealers in over 100 countries, with 13 overseas distributors, 12 parts distribution centers and four overseas manufacturing facilities, in the United States, UK, Poland and India.

"In the United States, LiuGong continues to be committed to this market, our dealers and our customers," Stacie Adams, Director of Global Communications and Branding for LiuGong told Xinhua, "And to aggressively expanding our capabilities here."

XCMG, the 6th largest construction equipment firm in the world, now has 15 overseas manufacturing, 40 overseas offices, 300 overseas distributors, including a factory and R&D center in the United States.

Steven Chorney, president of the XCMG Crane dealership in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada told Xinhua, "I see XCMG as being very successful in the North American market and we feel very privileged to be partnered with them. I absolutely believe that XCMG from a crane perspective, will be the market leader at some point in time in the North American market."

LOOK TO FUTURE

Founder of Sunward, Professor Qinghua He, said it is Sunward USA's innovation that will enable the company to succeed in the U.S. Market. "We innovate and always look to the future," he told Xinhua, a sentiment vigorously seconded by his energetic CEO, Dick Cai.

"It's all about the customer and giving them what they need to succeed in their business," Cai said.

Wang Xun, President of Shantui USA told Xinhua, "We have a varied product line all over world, but in America we started with the Bull-Dozer line so we could build up an excellent, sophisticated team and do it well."

Currently, China is the largest manufacturer of construction equipment in the world. Export value of Chinese construction machinery in 2019 reached 24.2 billion U.S. dollars, a growth of 3 percent, with total sales, including China's domestic market, of 100 billion U.S. dollars.

And with the advent of 5G technology, operators could operate and control machines from hundred or even thousands of miles away - a real plus for construction projects in hostile climates or war zones.

Chinese industry leaders, LiuGong, Zoomlion, and others, showcased some of their cutting edge Internet of Things (IoT) wireless-connected products at this year's show.

"Bottomline is, the Chinese need to advance in the IoT. A lot of customers want that connectivity now." Albert Cervero, Vice President of American Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), told Xinhua, "For Chinese importers, every type of product has a different type of customer. And they are good at responding to the needs of the U.S. market. Look how far they've come."
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Linkedin Libby Sander (The Jakarta Post) -  Sat, March 14, 2020 11:04 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a8e4d9 3 Lifestyle The-Conversation,work-from-home,remote-working,remote-workers,work,COVID-19 Free

Imagine your employer asking you to work from home until further notice.

As COVID-19 continues to spread, this seems an increasingly likely scenario. Everyone who can work from home should work from home, said Harvard epidemiologist William Hanage this week.

In China and neighboring countries, millions are doing so for the first time.

In the United States, companies readying staff to work remotely include Twitter, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and JP Morgan.

This week, NASAs Ames Research Center in California joined them and declared a mandatory telework policy after an employee tested positive to COVID-19. NASA sites across the country have been testing their work-from-home capabilities.

In Dublin last week, Google sent 8,000 workers home for a day to trial an extended remote-work scenario after one employee came down with flu-like symptoms.

In Australia, Clayton Utz, Cisco and Vodafone temporarily closed offices last week as a precautionary measure.

The likelihood of extended workplace shutdowns seems increasingly likely. So what do we know about the pros and cons of working from home?

How common is working from home?

Perhaps not as common as you might think.

In Australia many companies now offer flexible work arrangements, but that doesnt necessarily mean employees can work from home. Even those permitted to work from home may only be allowed to do so on a limited basis.

As the list of tech companies mentioned may indicate, it is easier to do a job from home if you need only an internet connection and a telephone line.

In building a case for the national broadband network in 2010, Australias Gillard government set a target of 10 percent of the workforce teleworking half the time. This was up from an estimated 6 percent of employed Australians having some form of regular teleworking arrangement.

Consultancy Access Economics predicted this could save A$1.4 billion to A$1.9 billion a year  about A$1.27 billion of that being the time and cost savings of avoided travel.

Teleworking has many benefits

Governments since Gillards have been less focused on the idea, to the extent we lack reliable contemporary statistics for telework in Australia.

But with increased commuting times, caring responsibilities and the stress of modern workplaces, the research says most employees highly value being able to work from home. In fact, a 2017 US study found employees valued the option at about 8 percent of their wages.

Research has also highlighted benefits including increased productivity, rated by both the employees and supervisors. One study showed a 13 percent increase in performance for employees working from home.

Part of this may be due to an increased ability to focus and less distraction. My research shows employees who cant focus to complete their work are less likely to perform well.

Working from home usually means employees have greater autonomy over how they do their work, including the hours and conditions of their work, and how they manage their lives and other responsibilities. These benefits of teleworking have been shown to lead to greater job satisfaction, lower absenteeism and turnover, increased commitment to the organization and, importantly, reductions in stress associated with work.

Work-from-home arrangements may also give organizations access to a greater talent pool.

But there are downsides as well

That said, there are challenges associated with working from home that organizations and individuals often do not plan well for.

Studies have shown working from home for extended periods can leave employees feeling socially and professionally isolated.

When we work from home, we have fewer opportunities to interact and acquire information, which may explain why remote workers can feel less confident than their office-based counterparts.

This reduction in interaction and knowledge sharing is a key barrier to the take-up of working from home.

According to a meta-analysis of 46 studies involving more than 12,000 employees, working from home more than 2.5 days a week could negatively affect relationships with coworkers as well as knowledge transfer.

Further, resentment could arise if teleworking was not widely available.

Employees who work from home have also perceived negative consequences for their career. Out of sight can sometimes be out of mind. Research published last month, however, suggests telecommuters are promoted as much as office-based colleagues.

Another significant issue is maintaining boundaries with home life. It can be hard to switch off, particularly when we dont have a dedicated home office. Telecommuters often work longer hours, with 48 percent of employees increasing their work hours in one study.

How can we make it work?

Organizations can increase the success of working from home. Regular communication, particularly using video conferencing, can help ensure tasks are coordinated, knowledge is transferred, and social and professional isolation is reduced.

For organizations used to managing based on visibility and presence, letting go of traditional ideas of how to manage and focusing on outputs will be required.

If schools are also closed, employers will need to be sensitive to the challenges employees face working from home with children to care for and online schooling to incorporate.

Finally, employees need to establish boundaries between work and home life. Being able to switch off at the end of the day is important for both physical and mental health.

With no end in sight to COVID-19, many businesses are developing or implementing work-from-home policies to ensure business continuity. If employees and employers can get the balance right and enjoy the benefits of well-planned telework, this coronavirus outbreak could prove to be the tipping point for remote work arrangements to become the norm.

***

Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, Bond University

The article was first published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Five new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health (DoH) has said.

The news comes after First Minister Arlene Foster warned that, when schools in the region close due to the virus, they could remain shut for up to 16 weeks.

Following the nine new cases confirmed on the Friday, the latest update brings the total number of cases in Northern Ireland to 34.

The DoH has urged those with mild symptoms, such as a new persistent cough or a fever, to self-isolate at home for seven days.

Those displaying mild symptoms will not need to be tested, with testing being principally provided for patients requiring hospital treatment and those with certain medical conditions.

A DoH spokesperson said healthcare workers who have been in contact with any confirmed case or anyone displaying symptoms will also be tested.

"Protocols on case reporting are being updated in light of the new testing procedures. Further information will be provided early next week," they added.

Read More

The news comes following a meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Co Armagh, where the approach of each jurisdiction in dealing with coronavirus was discussed.

Following the meeting, First Minister Arlene Foster confirmed that schools in Northern Ireland would not follow suit with those in the Republic and close.

Mrs Foster said schools will only close "when the timing is right".

Schools will not be closed immediately but schools and parents should prepare because when they do they will close for at least 16 weeks Arlene Foster

"We will take that action when it is the right time to do it. There are two different jurisdictions on this island," she said.

She added that, when schools do close, it could be for several months.

She said: "Schools will not be closed immediately but schools and parents should prepare because when they do they will close for at least 16 weeks."

Her comments come after a split in the Executive appeared on Friday when Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill called for schools to be shut, less than 24 hours after jointly stating with Arlene Foster that schools should remain open, based on medical advice.

Speaking on Saturday, Michelle O'Neill stood by her view - one shared by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO).

INTO represents 40,633 primary school teachers in the Republic of Ireland and 7,086 teachers at primary and post-primary level in Northern Ireland.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday, INTO General Secretary John Boyle and Northern Secretary Gerry Murphy urged the Executive and Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBridge to close all schools.

"Our members are worried about the children and young people in their care and also for their own families. The confirmation by the PHA of a community transmission of the virus is a significant development which will add to the anxiety and concern expressed to date," they said.

"Concerned parents are already acting with their feet and taking their children out of school. Parents are concerned for their safety and that of other family members with underlying medical conditions. Conflicting medical advice in the different jurisdictions is adding to their frustration. A virus cannot be constrained by a border and we need joined-up, all-island thinking to respond to this crisis."

INTO advised authorities in Northern Ireland to outline an action plan for school closures to allow parents and schools to prepare.

Read More

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has urged the public not to stockpile medication, as authorities continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison said the virus is presenting "increasing challenges" to staff working in community pharmacies.

The Department is working to ensure that everyone continues to have access to their local community pharmacy. It is vital at this busy time that we are mindful of the pressure that community pharmacy staff are under," she said.

There is no need for you to do anything new or different when ordering or taking your medicines. People should order prescriptions and take their medicines as normal.

Extra supplies should not be ordered from your doctor. Stockpiling or purchasing medication that you do not need is completely unnecessary and could disadvantage other patients.

There are no prescription medicine shortages as a result of Covid-19."

See how today's developments unfolded in our live blog.
Liz Gurnee and her wife, Rachel Thiessen, spent part of Friday afternoon shopping for new bikes and balls for their nine children.

The York County couple figures that if the coronavirus pandemic is going to keep their kids home from school for an extended period of time, they might as well ensure their children have plenty of extracurricular activities on hand.

We have a nice size driveway where they can ride around, said Thiessen, whose children attend an array of districts, from York Suburban, York Vo-Tech and West Shore.

We figured if they are going to be stuck in the house, they might as well have new bikes and balls. We are thinking about what activities we can provide.

The extended spring break aside, across Pennsylvania, legions of parents are contending with the latest coronavirus-fueled reality: Pennsylvania schools have closed until the end of the month amid the pandemic.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday closed all K-12 Pennsylvania schools for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16.

"We understand that these are trying times and recognize the impact of the coronavirus on our students and communities, Wolf said. First and foremost, my top priority as governor  and that of our education leaders  must be to ensure the health and safety of our students and school communities.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



For legions of parents, school closure entails a slew of concerns: from how to provide child care for younger children to worries that the older children, in particular, will be able to fulfill all the graduation requirements.

Gurnee is concerned that neither she nor her wife are qualified to home school their children.

Its hard to find quiet time to give them the attention they need, she said.

They recognize that at least when it comes to work flexibility, they at least have that.

Chali Milic, the co-chair of the Lower Dauphin School District PTO, said many parents are worried about how they will provide child care for their young children for these next few weeks.

Its frustrating, she said. I have several friends who work who are like, If schools close you can bring them to us,  she said. But then you have the whole quarantine issue. Maybe having all these kids together is not the best idea. Thats the question playing out among a lot of moms and myself.

Milic, who has a son in fourth grade and another at Lower Dauphin High School, takes comfort in the fact the older one will be able to look after the younger one for a few hours each day.

Yeah we are going to have to do what we have to do, she said. Having an older child there is a bonus but theres only so much you can allow them to do.

Milic worries that Lower Dauphin is not certified to do online instruction.

For a high school student, missing four weeks of school can really be an issue, she said.

One of the most pressing issues regarding school closures is that of the thousands of children who depend on schools for the bulk of their nutritional needs. At the moment, with the growing number of school districts closing down, Congress is considering making it easier for school meals to be passed out at places like food banks.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education said all children who qualify for the federal reduced or free lunch or breakfast program would still be able to get meals and snacks from their districts.

Some districts have already rolled out their plan for providing meals to children.

The State College Area School District, for example, is distributing meals at several apartment community complexes and shopping centers.

Lunches will include sandwiches, fresh vegetables, fruit, milk and a dessert treat, the district informed parents on Friday. Cereal, yogurt, banana bread, and bagels are some of the items that will be provided for breakfast. Breakfast bags will also include fruit, juice, and milk. We encourage families to continue to be proactive in reducing the risk of coronavirus by not congregating at the pick-up site once meals have been distributed, continuing to wash your hands often, sneezing or coughing into a tissue, and staying home if you are sick.

More: President Trump declares coronavirus pandemic a national emergency

Looking ahead, Gurnee and Thiessen worry that their planned vacation, which is scheduled for just after the school year wraps up, will be impacted by the school closure.

We know its a minor concern compared to what some people are dealing with, Thiessen said. But we are concerned about our vacation plans.

Wolf on Friday assured educators that no school district will be penalized if it fails to meet the 180-day or school hours requirements.

READ MORE

Want the latest coronavirus news delivered directly to your phone? Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to receive breaking news and essential updates on your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.
A SERVICE of Welcome was held for the Reverend Olive Elizabeth Henderson in St Paul's Church, Banagher on Friday evening, during which the local community was told that their new Priest in Charge is known for her energy and enthusiasm, her kindness and her sense of fun.

Reverend Henderson was warmly welcomed by her new community. Her job title is Priest in Charge of the Clonfert Group of Parishes, a position which she will hold for at least the next four years.

The Service was conducted by the Right Reverend Dr Kenneth Kearon, Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, who said he was certain that Rev Henderson will prove to be a popular Priest in Charge.

A native of Ballickmoyler, County Laois, Olive is from a farming background. She was a nurse in the national children's hospital in Dublin. Her husband ran a carpet and floor covering business in Athy, while her seven children were growing up.

In the late 1980s she began training as a lay reader and undertook the Archbishop's course in Theology. She was ordained a priest in the grouped parishes of Rathdrum with Glenealy and Laragh in 1997, and a priest the following year.

Reverend Olive Mary Rose Donohue, Rector of the Athy Union of Parishes, gave the Sermon on Friday evening in a lighthearted, humorous style, telling the parishioners that she knew Rev Henderson very well and she could assure them that she's a good egg.

She quoted a bit of wisdom from the Book of Micah which said that what God wants from us is that we act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly. And that's really it, commented Rev Donohue, that is the essence of being a Christian. I have written those words on a card and I look at it from time to time and it gives me inspiration.

Rev Olive knows what it is to act justly and love tenderly. I can assure you that she will be there for you whenever you need her, in the bad times as well as during the good times. She will walk side by side with you, trying to help you as much as she can. She lives for her faith. It means everything to her. Those who know her admire her great reserves of energy and enthusiasm, her unerring kindness and her lovely sense of fun. But be warned  she will expect you to work just as hard. In fact the sweetest words any priest can hear is, Is there anything I can do to help you? As a priest it is bliss to hear that from one's community. If you bring that sort of attitude to the moment then I promise you Olive will be absolutely delighted and will go the extra mile for you.

Olive is a realist and an empath. She gets where you are coming from. She gets it that we can sometimes draw up unrealistic lists of things to do, that we can sometimes overextend ourselves. She can see through our unrealistic expectations, in an empathetic way.

Olive has had a long, rich and fulfilling life. She has several children and she is a grandmother. And yet she has the youthful outlook and energy of a woman many years younger. And she is a great preacher. You won't be bored during her Sunday sermons.

Rev Donohue recalled giving a Sermon when she was a young and green priest. I thought my congregation were spellbound and I was doing a great job. Then a lady put up her hand and matter of factly told me that the organ behind me was on fire! I turned around and was horrified to see smoke billowing from the organ. I asked Mr Hendy to bring forward the fire extinguisher beside him. His wife shook him and said, 'Wake up Jack. She needs you'!

She concluded by asking everyone to never forget the wise words from Micah: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.
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The Maharashtra Government on Friday lodged a complaint with Cyber Police about a fake central government 'notification' about closure of colleges, schools and offices in view of coronavirus.

The so-called notification, doing rounds on social media, claimed that it was issued by the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry.

It purportedly declared holiday for educational institutions and other organizations which have more than ten employees from March 14 to 21, and said a fine of Rs 5,000 per day will be imposed if the order was violated.

It claimed to be applicable to Maharashtra, Gujarat Utter Pradesh and Sikkim.

This notification was completely fake, and a police complaint has been registered, the Chief Minister's Office said.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced earlier on Friday that in view of coronavirus outbreak, schools and colleges in Pune and neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain closed till further orders.
Put the record on! By Shannine Daniel A worldwide trend of buying and collecting vinyl records among the younger generation has made its way to Sri Lanka in the recent past View(s): View(s):

Music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music give people access to large collections of music, and this is one reason why people moved away from buying and collecting any tangible forms of music, like cassettes, CDs and vinyl records.

Interestingly, over the past few years, there has been a resurgence in the buying and collecting of vinyl records among young people. A worldwide trend, it has made its way to Sri Lanka in the recent past.

The Society of Sri Lankan Record Collectors (SSLRC) President Roshan Wedagamage actively promotes the sharing, collecting and listening of vinyl records through the Analog Music Studio WhatsApp group he created sometime back. The group has almost 200 members of various ages, with the youngest member being 17 years and the oldest more than 70 years.

Roshan grew up listening to music on cassettes and the radio. Introduced to vinyl records by one of his Professors when he studied for his Masters degree at Sri Jayawardenapura University, for the past 15 years he has spent time locating other collectors and hobbyists who share the same passion for analog music.

This led him to Pradeep Wickramasinghe, who is now the secretary SSLRC. Pradeep has a large collection of records, including long play (LP) and extended play (EP) records, magnetic tapes, CDs, cassettes in English, Sinhala, Tamil, Hindi and other languages, belonging to many music genres. He has also a collection of jukeboxes and turntables at the societys headquarters in Nugegoda.

Roshan and Pradeep believe the collecting, preserving, sharing and even repairing of vinyl records, cassettes and other analog music and vintage music equipment is preserving our countrys culture.

Sometime back, UNESCO had declared music, oral traditions, festivals, folklore, folk songs and dances a part of each countrys Intangible Cultural Heritage. As members of the SSLRC we collect analog music that contains old Sinhala songs and traditional music so we can share them with the future generations, said Roshan.

Roshan and Pradeep encourage those interested in joining their society and their WhatsApp group to reach out to them on the following numbers: Roshan - 077 7339 051, Pradeep  071 1389 656.

This era of digital music and YouTube videos doesnt offer music listeners the same experience as vinyl records do, says vinyl enthusiast and collector Kaveen Rodrigo. His father collects and sells analog music from their home in Battaramulla.

Records demand people to be active listeners. You spend time listening to an entire album, and not just one track, he added.

Kaveens father, Asanka Rodrigo was a DJ and vinyl collector until the early 2000s when he embraced digital music. A few years ago however, he decided to begin collecting and selling analog music. Kaveen too began collecting records around the same time, but he has been a vinyl enthusiast since childhood.

There are a lot of young people as well as older people, who visit our home to buy records from my father, because he uses Facebook to post photos of the records he gets from abroad, he says.

Records with Sinhala songs and traditional music are rare, hard to find and usually quite expensive. The most common record of Sinhala music that can be found is The Sooriya Show which was pressed by Sooriya Records in the 1970s, Kaveen says.

Kaveen said the resurgence in vinyl records is good news for small, independent artists, especially those who create music that belongs to less popular genres. Streaming services like Apple Music mainly benefit popular international artists with millions of fans, but independent artists find it difficult to gain profit from streaming services.

Anyone with a laptop can make music. But vinyl records are definitely great for small, independent artists. Even if such artists release a few copies of their vinyl albums, they can gain a profit. Ive bought albums by new, obscure artists, not just vinyl records, but mixtapes as well, he said.

Kaveen is confident the trend of buying and collecting vinyl records will last for a long time. Not only does it benefit independent artists and cater to those with obscure music tastes, music fans in general can appreciate music better, he feels.

Rajith Maligaspe, another vinyl enthusiast and collector, said most people buy records as opposed to listening to digital music because they want a better experience.

Even some modern artists release vinyl records, because records offer higher quality music. Many people from our generation and even the older generations collect and listen to vinyl records because there is also a vintage appeal to records, Rajith said.

Rajith became interested in analog music when he was growing up, but didnt start collecting and listening to vinyl records until about two years ago. He buys his records from music stores and dealers who have been in business for a long time. He advises against buying records online as there is no guarantee the records will be in good condition.

More local musicians should release LPs Vinyl collector and enthusiast Tareeq Musafer is also a DJ who uses vinyl records to play music. DJ-ing has been a hobby of his since 1983, when he was 13 years old. In the early 1980s vinyl and cassettes were the only available mediums of music, so I started DJ-ing with cassettes and then graduated to vinyl, Tareeq says. I find the digital space easier to work with as opposed to vinyl. Digital music provides greater creativity whereas vinyl requires a higher level of technical skill to achieve the same, he says. Vinyl behaves very differently to digital music; perhaps the future is a combination of the two, which we are now seeing a lot of, he adds. According to Tareeq people have responded positively to vinyl records being played at events. I guess people like watching a DJ play vinyl, maybe because its a rare occurrence. I dont play very often now but the few times I have, the response has been good. For our local vinyl market to grow we need local artists to release their music on records. A few musicians in the electronic music circuit are doing this right now, but I hope the Sinhala and Tamil contemporary musicians also release LPs, which was something common back in the day, he says.
San Francisco, March 14 : As the world grapples with the novel coronavirus, Facebook has committed $20 million in donations to fight the disease.

The social networking giant worked with the United Nations Foundation and the World Health Organization to start a COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, where anyone can go to make a donation.

"Facebook is matching up to $10 million in donations, and 100% of funds will directly support the work to prevent, detect and respond to the outbreak around the world," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on the social media platform on Friday.

"We'll also match $10 million for the CDC Foundation, which will launch a fundraiser in the next few weeks focused on combating the outbreak here in the US," he added.

Facebook said on Friday that it is committing to match $20 million in donations, a fraction of its quarterly profit, to support global relief efforts for COVID-19 coronavirus.

Mark Zuckerberg, the social juggernaut's chief executive, said Facebook was committing $10 million for the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and an additional $10 million for the CDC Foundation, which will launch its Facebook Fundraiser in the coming weeks.

According to a report in TechCrunch, Chinese ride-hailing giant DiDi Chuxing on Friday announced a $10 million special relief fund for drivers and couriers in its international markets.

Among other tech giants, Microsoft and Amazon this week committed $1 million each to COVID-19 Response Fund.

To support COVID-19 relief efforts, Google.org and Google employees have donated more than $1 million.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Samsung Discreetly Launches Galaxy A11 With Punch-Hole Display, 4000mAh Battery News oi-Sharmishte Datti

Samsung has silently announced the Galaxy A11 on its website. In December last year, Samsung rolled out the Galaxy A51 and the Galaxy A71 in Vietnam. Now, features of the Samsung Galaxy A11 have surfaced online and it looks like one of the most affordable smartphones developed by the South Korean brand.

Samsung Galaxy A11 Launched

Some of the features packed on the Samsung Galaxy A11 include a punch-hole display with a 6.4-inch LCD panel and an Infinity-O design. The smartphone offers an HD+ 720 x 1560 pixels resolution. The punch-hole design houses an 8MP selfie camera.

Currently, Samsung hasn't updated the details about the processor powering the Galaxy A11. But we do know that the smartphone will be powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core chipset. There are two variants on the Samsung Galaxy A11, one with 2GB RAM and the other 3GB. There's an internal storage of 32GB for both models that can further be expanded via a microSD card slot.

The rear panel of the smartphone appears to be made of polycarbonate material. There's a triple camera setup packed on the upper-left corner at the back. Camera details include a 13MP main camera, 5MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. Samsung has also placed an LED flash in the back panel.

Samsung Galaxy A11 Features

Other details of the Samsung Galaxy A11 include a 4,000 mAh battery with a 15W fast charging support. There is also a fingerprint reader placed in the back panel for security enhancement. Plus, Samsung notes that the Galaxy A11 supports facial recognition for unlocking the system. The smartphone comes with 161.4 x 76.3 x 8.0mm dimensions and it weighs 177 grams.

The new entry-level smartphone is available in black, white, red, and blue shades. Many details haven't been revealed yet. We still don't know the price of the Samsung Galaxy A11 and when it will be available. The company notes that the color variants will differ depending on the carrier and the market of sale.

Best Mobiles in India

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A second San Antonio resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after contracting it elsewhere, bringing the known travel-related cases in the city to two.

The virus also has been identified in one of the evacuees who arrived several days ago at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday.

The local resident, whose diagnosis was confirmed late Friday, recently visited Japan, where more than 1,400 people are infected. The patient has underlying health issues and is more susceptible to the coronavirus, the Metropolitan Health District said.

On Saturday, Methodist Healthcare said a coronavirus patient with recent travel history was in isolation at Methodist Hospital but did not provide more details due to patient privacy laws.

Metro Healths epidemiologists are investigating the local residents recent contact with others to gauge their risk of exposure to the virus. They are doing the same for another patient who became the citys first confirmed travel-related case of coronavirus late Thursday, after a recent visit to California.

Health officials have said details of those investigations will be shared once they have been completed.

More Information Local hotline Call the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District for information about the coronavirus: 210-207-5779 (Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., English and Spanish) See More Collapse

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio has its first travel-related coronavirus case

Neither case is considered to have resulted from community  or person-to-person  spread in San Antonio, health officials say. The patients are thought to have contracted the virus elsewhere and became symptomatic only after returning home. However, they could have exposed others here to the virus before they were diagnosed.

The first patient was being self-quarantined at home with family members as of Friday, city officials said.

In a statement Saturday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the second case is unwelcome, if not unexpected, news.

He declared a public health emergency Friday that, in part, banned public gatherings of more 500 people, with some exceptions, in order to promote social distancing  one method of inhibiting the spread of the virus.

Metro Health, which began testing for the coronavirus in its lab Monday, also announced Saturday that it had revised its testing criteria to allow more people to get tested. Previously, testing was only recommended for those who had recently traveled to China, where the virus originated, and Iran, where hundreds of people have died from it.

Over the past few weeks, the coronavirus has reached into many other countries besides those two, and is spreading in communities across the U.S.

On ExpressNews.com: Lackland quarantine increases to 149 as second group arrives from Grand Princess cruise ship

Travel history has been removed from the guidelines, which now focus on recent contact with infected people, health care workers and first responders who could have come in contact with the virus at work, and those who become ill but have not received an alternate diagnosis.

While the department conducts the tests, it is asking the public to first consult with a doctor, who will determine whether a patient has relevant symptoms, including fever, coughing and shortness of breath.

At Lackland, the one evacuee who tested positive has been removed from the quarantine area on base and is being treated at a hospital, CDC spokesman Joe Smith said.

Last week, 149 evacuees, about half of whom are Texans, were flown from the Grand Princess cruise ship to Lackland for a two-week, federally mandated quarantine. They could have been exposed to the coronavirus on the ship, which docked in Oakland, Calif.

Its the third group of evacuees to stay at Lackland in the past five weeks.

About a dozen evacuees from two earlier groups have been treated for coronavirus at the Texas Center for Infectious Disease, a state tuberculosis hospital. Those patients have been isolated from personnel on base and the general public.

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
Demonstrations were held according to the invitation of the organizing committee of the Iraqs October Revolution, and showed impressive growth of the womens role in sociopolitical developments.

Observers consider Iraqi womens involvement in determining the countrys fate as an essential landmark in the protests that initially started against the corrupt government. However, in response to the Iranian regimes malign influence and crimes committed by its militias, protests directed against the mullahs meddling. Iran out to Baghdad remain free, Iraqi protesters frequently chanted in their rallies and marches.

On the other hand, womens active role in protests displayed their hatred against the Iran-backed mullah Moqtada al-Sadr, who was recruited by the Iranian regime. As an Iraqi version of outdated Iranian mullahs, he criticized the women for attending protests. Later, he demanded the implementation of gender segregation in Iraqi protests rows. Finally, demonstrators reacted by excluding him from their rows!

Khameneis Failure Over Replacing His Agents in Iraq

During their relentless protests, the Iraqi people toppled the former prime minister Adil Abdul al-Mahdi despite efforts by Iran-backed parties and militias. In this respect, they didnt succumb to terrorism, threats, betrayals, and the mullahs attempts to inverse the peoples wills. As a result, Iraqi demonstrators could overthrow an absolute appointee of the Iranian regimes supreme leader Ali Khamenei in their country.

In October, Khamenei deployed the slain chief of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force (IRGC-QF) Qassem Soleimani to Iraq to prevent the collapse of al-Mahdi. Soleimani contributed his best to halt Iran-backed prime minister from resignation. However, he eventually failed, and the Iraqi people succeeded to bring Khameneis appointee and his government down, which was synonymous with a strategic failure for the entire Iranian regime.

In response, the mullahs orchestrated an attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Khamenei, in fact, imitated his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini who mobilized his folk to attack the U.S. embassy in Tehran in November 1979. However, Khamenei not only failed in his hostage-taking path but also lost his right hand Qassem Soleimani during the U.S. precautionary airstrike on January 3.

Soleimani carried the position of regimes regional foreign minister. Commander Soleimani and I never felt we have any differences. We have been working together closely for over 20 years When I became minister, the two of us decided to make sure we meet at least once a week when we were both in Tehran to review the latest developments and undertake the necessary coordination, said the regimes foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an interview with the state-run daily Entekhab on September 1, 2019.

Additionally, the former commander of coalition troops General David Petraeus already mentioned Soleimanis massage through the then-Iraqi president, saying, General Petraeus, you should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy of Iran for Iraq, and also for Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan.

Indeed, Soleimani was the second man of the mullahs and his elimination accounted as irreparable blow to the mullahs regime in entirety, according to Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

Elimination of Qassem #Soleimani and head of Iraqs suppressive Bassij force is irreparable blow to mullahs regime; Time to evict IRGC from the region #Iranhttps://t.co/V9Vl9NjMUT pic.twitter.com/Xpom5xZROl  Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 3, 2020

In this respect, Khamenei hastily began to expose other Iraqi agents to remain his authority in this country. However, since al-Mahdis resignation, the regime has yet to fill the shoes of him and Iraqi demonstrators rejected all Khameneis mercenaries so far. Last week, protesters denied Mohammad Allawi candidacy who was styling himself as a moderate, technocrat figure.

Womens Presence Debunked Moqtada al-Sadr and His Task in Iraq

Iran-backed mullah Moqtada al-Sadr has also been employed to advertise another agent of the Iranian regime. In this context, he nominated Mohammad Tofiq al-Allawi and incited his allies to support him in the parliament. Barham Saleh, the Iraqi president, also admitted al-Allawi and ordered him to consist of his administration for approving.

However, the Iraqi peoples will forced Khamenei and his influential mullahs and agents in the Iraqi political structure to acquiesce to the peoples demand. Iraqi women played a key role in this development and gave a new spirit to protests despite vicious suppression and lengthening the peoples struggle for a prosperous future that passes from cutting off Irans interference.

In this respect, both Moqtada al-Sadr and his masters in Tehran lost their credibility and investments to compensating their failures in this country. Furthermore, Khameneis confusion has emerged in remarks of his internal and external mercenaries. On March 6, the state-run website Fararu published a piece titled, Moqtada al-Sadrs Isolation, and acknowledged Khameneis vanishing authority in Iraqs developments under the excuse of political vacuum. In addition, Fararu accused Moqtada al-Sadr of the regimes failures in this country, saying, In a relatively short period, [our] recent efforts missed to convert al-Sadr as the unrivaled politician in Iraq and diminished his influence.

Mohammad Saleh Sadaghian, who government-linked media refer to as the head of Arabic Studies Center, frankly slammed Moqtada al-Sadr. Mr. Moqtada al-Sadr and his movement should admit their end if Shiite movements concluded that it is necessary for the future of Islam and Iraq, the state-run website Diplomasi-e Irani quoted Sadaghian as saying on March 3.

Shamkhanis Effort for Playing Soleimanis Role Under the Cover of Countering the Coronavirus

Given the new chief of IRGC-QF Esmail Ghaani doesnt have Soleimanis authority, Khamenei dispatched another agent to impose his desired mercenary as the Iraqi prime minister. In this context, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani headed Iraq under the excuse of countering the coronavirus. However, the Iranian people wouldnt be in such a dire condition if the mullahs regime could resolve this major problem inside their own country.

The fact is neither the conflict among Iran-backed militias and so-called parties would cease by Khameneis order, nor the infighting problem inside the Iran-backed government would rescue. On the other hand, the tireless struggle of the Iraqi people has stricken major blows to the Iranian regime so far.

And due to the protesters resistance and continuation who never succumb to vicious crackdown on the barehanded people, let alone the political maneuvers, no doubt, the Iraqi people will achieve victory. [We] condemn the suspicious Ali Shamkhanis visit to Iraq [Shamkhani] has come to impose an agent as the Iraqi prime minister who frankly expressed his loyalty to Iran, the organizing committee of Iraqs October Revolution stated on March 18.

Iraqi protesters have only one demand what they frequently chanted the slogan, Iran[s regime] out, Baghdad remains free. The Iraqi people address Shamkhani, saying, Get back wherever you came from Because you are the symbol of murderous, massacre, and terrorism. Iraqs society by its all segments rejects your suspicious attendance in Iraq. Decisions that are made by you and your mercenaries are rejected and the freedom-loving people of Iraq give no care to them, the organizing committee ended.

Read More:

Iraq Heads Toward Freedom and Independence
Air Peace on Friday announced measures for protecting its numerous passengers and staff against the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The airlines Safety Manager, Captain Godfrey Ogbogu, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Friday.

Ogbogu explained that all passengers of the airline would be subjected to a thorough hand sanitisation at the boarding gate.

He said that the airline had also introduced temperature checking for all passengers before boarding.

Ogbogu revealed that any passenger whose temperature reads above 38 degrees would not be allowed to board while a refund will be issued.

We wish to state categorically that any passenger who fails to cooperate will be declined boarding on any of our flights

We want to assure the passengers that these exercises will be seamlessly carried out and passengers will not be inconvenienced in any way, he said.

Ogbogu enjoined all passengers to cooperate with the airline, as the World Health Organisation(WHO) had declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

He disclosed that the airlines aircraft was extensively sanitised before flying each day.

Ogbogu said the airline was cooperating with the Federal Government in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

He, therefore, thanked all the airlines customers for making it their airline of choice.

The official added that the safety of their passengers and workforce was its priority and this it would pursue vigorously.
Jordan said Saturday it would halt flights, close its land borders and shut down schools, places of worship and public gatherings to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.

Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz told official agency Petra that "all flights into and out of the kingdom will be suspended from Tuesday until further notice".

He said exceptions would be made for cargo flights and those carrying diplomats and staff of international organisations, providing they follow health ministry guidelines -- including a two-week quarantine.

"All land and sea crossings and airports are closed except for cargo," he added, saying Jordanians in neighbouring countries who needed to return could do so but would also face quarantine.

He also announced that the country's mosques and churches would be closed and that hospital and prison visits would be suspended.

Razzaz also announced a two-week closure of all educational institutions from Sunday, the start of the working week.

He said all public gatherings would be cancelled and urged citizens to stay in their homes as much as possible.

Jordan has so far announced one case of the COVID-19 illness, but Razzaz said the new measures were taken "in light of accelerating global developments, to protect the nation and its citizens.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research and the Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers staff and advisory board have selected and unveiled a new brand for the GO TEC project.

The selection process was facilitated by the Institute and completed with the input of students, educators, industry, economic developers and GO TEC advisory board members.

The logo features the GO TEC name in modern, high-tech font with the color grey and an energetic motion-oriented lime green. The O in GO incorporates the look of a power button to insinuate technology, movement and the concept of empowering talent with the skills to attract and retain top quality industry.

We are extremely excited to introduce and begin using the new GO TEC logo in our communication and branding efforts, said Dr. Tammy Hurt, GO TEC Program Manager. As we grow this talent development project into the full progressive model it is intended to be, a cohesive, well-positioned brand is critical to its success and ability to engage participants.

In March 2019, GO TEC received the largest grant to date from the GO Virginia competitive funding pool. The GO Virginia State Board approved an investment of up to $4.9 million, which will be matched 1-to-1 by support from more than 17 local partners.

The project will deliver workforce training and talent development through a hub and spoke model and will target in-demand occupations identified across Southern and Southwest Virginia.

Targeted career paths include IT/cybersecurity; robotics, automation and mechatronics; precision machining; welding; and advanced materials.

Participating GO Virginia Regions include 1, 3 and 4, an area that encompasses many of Virginias rural counties stretching from Wythe County to Greensville County.

The program extends the pipeline to about 1,414 students of the following six participating middle schools during the 2019-2020 school year and will continue to grow: Chatham and Gretna middle schools in Pittsylvania County, O.T. Bonner and Westwood middle schools in Danville, Cumberland (County) Middle School and Prince Edward (County) Middle School.

During the 2020-21 school year, Dan River and Tunstall middle schools in Pittsylvania County will be added.
The Academic staff Union of Universities, Kano zone, has called on the Federal Government to declare a five-year state of emergency in the education sector by allocating 26 percent of the Federal and state governments budget to education.

The ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Prof Mahmoud Lawan made the call in a press conference in Kano.

He said the zone firmly believe that the measures would go a long way in tackling some of the challenges bedeviling the education sector in the country.

Lawan urged the Federal Government to accept the ASUU ongoing innovation of a more robust system of human resource management and compensation, called the University Transparency and

Accountability Solution (UTAS).

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New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) Delhi has recorded its seventh coronavirus case, an Italian evacuee who has been kept in isolation at the Safdarjung hospital, the health department of the city government said on Saturday.

A 69-year-old woman, the sixth coronavirus case reported in the national capital, succumbed on Friday.

Her 46-year-old son has been infected by the virus, the health department said.

The man, a resident of Rajasthan, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and was kept in isolation at the Safdarjung hospital after being quarantined at an Army camp in Manesar, it said, adding that he was an evacuee from Italy.

Six passengers returned from Germany's Frankfurt on March 14 and were kept in a government quarantine facility in South district, the department said.

Till date, 1,73,814 passengers from coronavirus-hit countries have been screened at the Delhi airport and placed under surveillance. As many as 4,511 passengers from the affected countries were screened on Saturday.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal chaired a high-level meeting with the health minister and other top government officials to review the quarantine facilities in the national capital. PTI SLB RC
For years we've believed Scott Cam was the knockabout tradie with the touch of the common man, but in the past week we've seen a very different side to the popular TV host.

A loveable larrikin image has certainly paid off for the Gold Logie winner, who is estimated to earn more than $1 million a year from Nine (the owner of this masthead) for hosting The Block.

The working class hero to millions of Australians is anything but in reality. Credit:Eddie Jim

On top of that, he has signed up to several well-paying endorsement gigs on the back of his popularity, associating his name and image with Bisley Workwear, McDonald Jones homes and Mitre 10, along with publishing several books and various corporate gigs over the years.

And with the property portfolio he shares with wife Ann worth well over $10 million - including a $6.5 million luxury home in Vaucluse - Cam has clearly gone from Hi-Viz to High Society.
It was an emotional meeting when National Conference president Farooq Abdullah met his son Omar Abdullah in the sub-jail in Srinagar where he has been under detention for over the last seven months.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: NC chief Farooq Abdulah meets his son Omar Abdullah in detention in Srinagar.

Released on Friday after his detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was revoked, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah drove from his residence to nearby Hari Nivas where his son, also a former chief minister, has been held first under preventive custody since February 5 under the PSA. The two warmly embraced.

The 82-year-old leader had requested the Jammu and Kashmir authority for permission to see his son for the first time in seven months and the same was granted, officials said, adding that the two were together for about an hour.

Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and other leaders, including another chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, were detained on August 5 last year, the day the Centre withdrew special status of the erstwhile state.

The NC president was booked under the PSA on September 15 while his son was booked hours before his six month tenure of preventive detention was to come to an end on February 5 this year.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday met the National Conference president and demanded that all detained leaders from Jammu and Kashmir be freed and democracy restored.

After a two-hour meeting with Abdullah at the latter's residence in Gupkar area of Srinagar on Saturday afternoon, the Congress general secretary told reporters that for the progress of Jammu and Kashmir, its leaders should be released and 'not kept in cages like a parrot'.

Calling for release of all other leaders and individuals, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, to restart the political process in J-K, Azad said elections should be held and statehood restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

IMAGE: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad with Farooq Abdullah speak to media after a meeting at Gupkar residence in Srinagar, on Saturday. Photograph: S Irfan/PTI Photo

He was dismissive of the recently floated Jammu Kashmir Apni Party led by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari, saying J-K cannot be run through 'agency created parties'.

Azad said he met Abdullah on behalf of his party as well as all those MPs and parties who have been raising their voice inside Parliament and outside for the release of J-K leaders.

"First and foremost, democracy should be restored in J-K for any political process to start," Azad said.

Asked about the demand for restoration of Article 370, the Congress leader said, "Let us go one by one... Let democracy be restored. First, let this happen, then that (Article 370)."

"Let us first restore democracy and democracy can be restored once all the leaders who are behind bars either in jails or in guest houses or under particular Act, they have to be released first. Let the political process start first.

"Let every individual of J-K be released from the jail. Let democracy prevail first and then we can pick up other fights," he said.

Azad, who is also a former chief minister of J-K, said the political process should be started soon.

"J-K is the country's largest state. In 1947, 560 states were merged to form 12 states, but J-K was the only state in India which was not joined by any other state as it was large enough.

"It is disrespectful and disgraceful for the people of J-K that it was changed to a Union Territory. I want that the leaders be released sooner and J-K be changed to a state.

"Political process is a basic right in a democracy. India is not known for its size world over, but for its democracy. But, not this democracy where three former chief ministers are jailed for several months or another ex-chief minister has to come here with the Supreme Court's permission.

"When CMs, MPs, ministers MLAs, MLCs are in jail, then where is the democracy?" he said.

Azad said for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, it is necessary that the political process is started.

"If J-K has to progress and move forward and if we have to bring prosperity in J-K, then its key lies not in keeping leaders in a cage like a parrot, but in releasing them and starting a political process by which elections are conducted here. Whichever government is elected by the people of J-K, that will work on the development of J-K," he said.

Asked about his views on creation of Jammu Kashmir Apni Party and if it was a step towards restoration of political process in the Union Tterritory, Azad said, "In the last 47 years, several attempts have been made to form such parties. J-K and democracy cannot be run through agency (created) parties, but only through the elected governments."

Azad expressed happiness over his meeting with Abdullah.

"It is a matter of great happiness that I met him after seven-and-a-half months. He was detained for all these months and we do not even know the reason. Usually someone is detained if he breaks the law or has taken out a protest against the country or the government.

"However, he and Omar and Mehbooba and others were detained a day before Article 370 was revoked, so there is no question of any wrongdoing," he said.

The Congress leader said the members of Parliament were yearning for the release of the NC president and his detention was the 'biggest atrocity on him by the government'.

"I am here not only for myself. We have been friends for about 40 years and which will continue. I am here also on behalf of my party as well as all those MPs and parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha who have been raising voices inside Parliament and outside it for the release of these leaders. All those MPs were yearning for his release.

"I understand how many difficulties he had to pass through. It was too cold this time after so many years and then his health.... However, when God is with someone, no one can harm him," he said.

Abdullah expressed his gratitude to Azad and all those leaders who had pressed for his release.

"I thank him for coming here to enquire about my health. He had earlier also made attempts," Abdullah said.
The last rites of a 68-year-old woman, who died in the national capital after being infected with coronavirus, were performed on Saturday at the CNG crematorium at Nigambodh ghat in New Delhi under supervision of medical authorities.

IMAGE: Medics on duty at an isolation ward in the wake of coronavirus (COVID 19), at Railway Hospital, in Prayagraj (Allahabad), on Saturday . Photograph: PTI Photo

Doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in New Delhi and from Municipal Corporation of Delhi oversaw the funeral after the crematorium staff reached out to the authorities seeking directives on ensuring that the infection didn't spread from the body.

Officials said the Nigambodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti, which manages the operations at the crematorium, delayed the last rites by a few hours and approached municipal authorities to seek directives in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The situation is sensitive across the world. We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials have come to supervise the process," Suman Gupta of the Samiti said.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday with the Union Health Ministry confirming the death of the woman who had tested positive for the contagious viral disease after coming in contact with her son who also acquired coronavirus after travelling abroad recently.

The death was caused due to comorbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the ministry said, adding that she had tested positive for COVID-19 following which she was admitted to the RML hospital.

The woman, a resident of west Delhi, became the second person to die of novel coronavirus infection in the country.

The first and only other COVID-19 casualty so far was a 76-year-old man in Karnataka who died on March 10. He had recently returned from Saudi Arabia.

The second victim came in contact with her son, who became the fifth coronavirus case in Delhi after travelling to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22.

"She had history of contact with a positive case. The son had returned to India on February 23. He initially was asymptomatic, but developed fever and cough after one day and reported to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on March 7," a Health Ministry statement said.
Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill has said there can be no return to the "shameful disrespect" shown by the DUP over the Renewable Heat Incentive fallout.

The Deputy First Minister made the comments as the long-awaited inquiry report into the botched green energy scheme arrived, over three years after the Stormont institutions collapsed.

At the time Sinn Fein demanded that DUP leader Arlene Foster step aside as a condition of returning to government.

"The RHI and other DUP financial scandals such as Red Sky and Nama were unacceptable, as was its shameful disrespect to large sections of the community," she said.

"These scandals and the DUP's failure to engage in genuine power-sharing undermined public confidence in the Assembly and the Executive."

Sinn Fein is committed to the political institutions, but they must operate differently from what went before, with a new kind of politics, which is progressive, respectful, and has integrity Michelle O'Neill

She said the public now demanded confidence in their government in several key areas, including discharging duties in good faith, serving all people equally, preventing discrimination and a commitment to genuine power-sharing and mutual respect.

"Sinn Fein is committed to the political institutions, but they must operate differently from what went before, with a new kind of politics, which is progressive, respectful, and has integrity," she said.

"Public confidence has to be earned and trust rebuilt if the institutions are going to have any credibility. We now have a new five-party Executive which must be an inclusive partnership coalition government."

She said that scandals like RHI must never be allowed to happen again, starting with the need for competent ministers and a Civil Service with the proper checks and balances.

She added that special advisers must be accountable, after her own party had faced accusations of giving too much power to unelected aides.

"We need open government where decisions are properly scrutinised daily and with no hiding place for any risk of malpractice or cronyism. This is what Sinn Fein is committed to."

Read More

Speaking to the BBC afterwards, her colleague John O'Dowd MLA maintained the DUP should shoulder the blame over RHI.

He also defended criticisms against the former Sinn Fein Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir, which included claims he consulted a senior republican over the RHI scheme.

He said any criticisms made against him came long after the DUP had already started RHI.

"They do not relate to the RHI scheme itself," Mr O'Dowd said.

"The RHI scheme was designed, delivered and should have been scrutinised under a DUP minister. So, the RHI scandal was born and reared in a DUP ministry and it is the responsibility of the DUP to ensure that the failings, sometimes obvious failings, shouldn't have happened."

He called Sir Patrick's report "historically accurate" of the RHI saga, and said he was optimistic it would increase stability in Northern Ireland.

"There's certainly lessons in the report for governance, for civil servants.

"But this scandal came about because of the failings of one party," he said.

"I hope lessons have been learned there. The recommendations that relate to how we improve governance in this society has to be learned by all Executive parties and, indeed, Assembly members in the chamber and also our scrutiny committees."

Current Finance Minister, Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy, said new measures would include a revised ministerial code of conduct, further reform of the Civil Service and an independent panel to identify misconduct by civil servants.

He said: "We need effective governance and to manage public money in the public interest. This must never happen again."
LACoFD POSTPONES PUBLIC EVENTS DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Due to efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) is postponing all public events for the next 60 days to ensure the health and safety of our first responders, business professionals, residents, and communities. These postponements are in alignment with direction received from the County of Los Angeles (County) Board of Supervisors, County Department of Public Health (DPH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and California Department of Public Health. This postponement includes all community events, in-person trainings, recruitment information seminars, and youth and mentoring programs hosted by the LACoFD. Continued evidence of community transmission in Los Angeles County is continuing to expand; the LACoFD is taking the necessary measures to limit exposure to our team members, along with our residents and communities we serve to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19, said LACoFD Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 and its impact to public health. Please be assured the LACoFD will continue to be here for our residents and communities by providing prompt and skillful emergency medical service delivery during this challenging time. For the latest accurate information about COVID-19, please monitor the trusted sources below:

 DPH

publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/

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 California Department of Public Health

cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

 CDC

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

 World Health Organization

www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

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 County residents can also call 2-1-1

For additional information about this, please contact Battalion Chief Roland Sprewell, Public Information Office, at (323) 881-2403.

LA County Fire Foundation supports lifesaving programs throughout the region. To be a part of our team learn more or donate at SupportLACountyFire.org

Addressing Todays Challenges and Planning for the Future

To learn more and share your thoughts, visit WeAreLACountyFire.org
The Elgin Sams Club on Randall Road had a message on its phone line stating, if you are calling to check item availability, please know due to constantly changing inventory levels, we are not able to provide this information over the phone at this time. The best way to understand current availability is to visit your local Sams Club.
Nobles father was shot and killed in the North Lawndale area of Chicago when she was only 9 years old. Pirtle said she scooped up her six children and moved to Aurora because she did not want them to live near gun violence.
A cruise ship with more than 600 people onboard was docked in isolation at a port in Recife, northern Brazil, on Friday after two passengers reported symptoms resembling that of the new coronavirus. Brazil's Health Ministry said the two passengers were under medical surveillance and their diagnosis would determine if the whole Silver Shadow boat would remain under quarantine.

The measure was announced by the ministry after some passengers had left the boat, but they had since been returned. This decision isolated the 318 passengers and 291 crew members onboard.

Brazil has reported at least 77 cases of the virus, two of which appeared in Pernambuco, and no deaths. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
Appreciations View(s):

He was a role model, teacher and friend

Roland Silva

Deshamanya Dr. Roland Silva was a unique personality. I am yet to meet someone who can be compared as a close second to him.

My association with Roland goes back to 1972, when he was President  Sri Lanka Institute of architects (SLIA) and I was in his Council. Even at that time, I was amazed at his dynamism as he was always involved with many activities simultaneously. I benefitted enormously by watching his style of getting work done. With Rolandeven if you were reluctant to undertake what he had delegated, he would not accept such an excuse and would smile and charm you to get the work done.

We respected Rolandhe was a role model to all, not only to architects. In addition, he was a teacher and friend. His vision for archaeology and conservation of the heritage sites and monuments in Sri Lanka was astronomical. He was so knowledgeable that he knew the geography of Sri Lanka intimately especially, where archaeological and heritage sites and monuments were located. He was inflexible when it came to damage to any of the archaeological monuments or sites due to neglect or inefficiency of any of the watchers or supervisors or officers. The site staff were on their toes when they heard of Rolands visits. He was able to maintain some order due to his personal commitment and devotion to his job.

Roland also discussed his ideas with appropriate professionals before he undertook any major assignment. I recall, prior to him becoming the Director General of the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) -the apex body responsible for the implementation of the Cultural Triangle projects, he was strategising on how to implement the different projects at Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy and Dambulla as he had difficulty in mobilising consultants for conservation and excavation due to budgetary constraints. In 1985, when he checked with me regarding getting over this issue, I suggested he entrust the tasks to the three or four bigger architectural consultancy firms. I assured him that all the firms would consider working on this nationally important project by charging only for office expenses. Accordingly, Roland managed to convince the consultants, and all the consultants agreed and worked on the projects for many years.

Similarly, to finance the initial projects, Roland needed funding and I suggested visiting a few of the large corporates and arranged and accompanied him to the meetings. He once again convinced the Chairmen and the directors of the boards we met to help the CCF financially to meet part of the cost for the initial work. Two of the three corporates we visited agreed to support Roland to get the projects moving. The rest of his achievements with the Cultural Triangle are now history and many of the recent articles about him provided the details.

Roland, having given his innovative contributions to the conservation and restoration of the heritage sites and monuments in Sri Lanka after his retirement, ventured to serve as the World President of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Once again, in his characteristic style, he transformed ICOMOS by expanding the organisation from 67 countries to 112, and the number of World Heritage Sites to over 500. This position he held for nine successive years.

His scholarly work and prestigious contributions were universally recognized by many nations including Sri Lanka and also by religious, academic and professional organizations.He received many honours of appreciation by the respective countries.

Roland called his wife Neela- Neela Akki, for all his needs connected to his work, family and friends. Neela and the family doted on him despite the family not seeing much of Roland. Roland was their biggest love, strength and possession. Roland often spoke glowingly about the achievements of Neela Akki and the children. Neela, in addition to running the house, is a national Bridge player, son Professor Ravi  a world renowned authority in nano technology, daughter Nirma a multi-talented exceptional professional and the twins, Amitha and Prabha, who believed my stories for many years, are today both experts in their fields of international marketing and accounting. Rolands loss has no doubt left a huge void in their lives. So will it be for us.

May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.

Surath Wickramasinghe

He was so much more than a distinguished physician

K.S. De Silva

It was with great sadness I received the news of the demise of my former teacher, a fine physician and true gentleman. Kirthi S. De Silva had his education at Royal College Colombo. He went on to the Medical School of the University of Ceylon in 1949 and graduated in 1954 obtaining his MBBS degree. After junior appointments he set off to the UK in 1958 for further training. There he began his work in Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

In 1963 Dr De Silva passed the MRCP examination both in London and Edinburgh and made plans to return home to Ceylon. His enthusiasm for everything he did inside and outside of medicine seemed boundless. With his love for travel and adventure he planned an epic journey with two of his closest friends, Sivasambu Anandaraja and Prof. K.N (Bull) Seneviratne, to travel overland from Paris to Ceylon. The terrain was hostile all the way through Turkey, Middle East and Pakistan. It wasnt a journey for the faint-hearted as we realised when we were shown the slides while in medical school.

On his return to Ceylon he passed the difficult MD examination, joining the elite band of specialist physicians, having both the MRCP and MD. He remained simple and modest, wearing his learning and authority lightly. In 1963 Dr De Silva worked as a Consultant Physician in Colombo for a short period of time. During this time I was a medical student and had just started clinical work. A few of us were assigned to work with him. Dr De Silva was a brilliant teacher. He was then universally known as Kira. I still remember the aetiology, clinical signs, complications and the treatment of Rheumatic Fever that he taught us. He treated us with courtesy and respect, such a rare commodity in those days.

He was a fine clinician and dignified gentleman. Always polite and softly spoken he showed tremendous kindness to his patients and to the staff. In turn he received great loyalty and enormous respect. He showed us how to conduct ourselves calmly and with dignity in the ward. His patients adored him. His work ethic and bedside manner had a tremendous impact on me. Dr De Silva brought a certain style, polish and elegance to his ward rounds and we were all uplifted by it. Many of us felt we should have had a longer spell with him.

As a Consultant Physician, Dr De Silva worked in Anuradhapura and Badulla. The 1970s were uncertain times in Sri Lanka. There was serious political turmoil with an insurrection in 1971. The rising ethnic tension gave rise to unrest. This resulted in a mass exodus of the intelligentsia from the country. Dr De Silva and family emigrated to Masterton in New Zealand in 1972. They settled in well in their new country. He was awarded the FRACP in 1976 and then the FRCP (London) soon after. He was an outstanding physician and continued to work in Masterton as a consultant. Being a true generalist, he kept assiduously up to date with new trends and techniques.

Dr De Silva was however much more than a distinguished physician. He was one of the most likable, genuine persons you could ever wish to meet. He was always available to chat with his friends and colleagues, not only about medicine but about many other things, including the other great loves in his life, the arts, music and travel.

Many will perhaps remember Dr De Silva for his wit and humour and his extraordinary energy and enthusiasm for life. He was truly international, a bon viveur and raconteur, an expert on wine and whisky, and a most generous host.

Dr Sivasambu Anandaraja and Dr Rohini Anandaraja have been life-long friends with Dr K.S De Silva and family. I am greatly indebted to them for providing me with the information and inspiration to write this tribute. I am so pleased I have had this opportunity to pay my respects to a fine teacher and a wonderful human being.

Dr De Silva faced his final illness with courage and fortitude and had a peaceful end to his life. He took enormous pride in his three children and found profound comfort over more than fifty years in his marriage with Anna. He is survived by his wife and by their daughters Lilamani and Sonali and son Raja.

He wanted the funeral to be as simple as possible playing some of his favourite music.

May he find eternal peace.

Dr. Nihal D. Amerasekera

How does one best describe this inimitable enigma?

Diana Captain

How does one describe Diana? She was blessed with so many varied hues woven into the rich tapestry of her life. Born on January 2, 1927, she was a Zoroastrian at birth but much later converted to Catholicism when she met Father Laurie Sullivan of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and turned out to be an exemplary Catholic. She was blessed with 93 years of life and an illustrious high profile career at the US Embassy in Colombo for 43 years. She will be greatly missed both here and abroad.

I had the privilege of meeting Diana when working as Liaison Officer for Prima/Mitsui in Sri Lanka and we were able to fly in some medication needed for their adored mother, at the request of the late Lalith Athulathmudali.

They are truly a blessed family  Sohli built a hospital for cancer, Perin Dianas sister was and still is involved with the Cancer Society and Diana did her best for everyone. I already knew her brother Sohli, through Lalith but got to know Diana later and it was a friendship that grew over time. I always enjoyed meeting her and the lively discussions we used to have from cabbages to kings. How does one best describe this inimitable enigma? In essence what was she? Thoughtful and caring, her forte in life was helping people. She knew no fear and viewed life as a continuous challenge.

When my life disintegrated around me, Diana was one of the very few people who were there for me. I was always welcome in her home, where I even spent days and nights with her and she never let me leave without replenishing me with foodstuffs from her larder. She loved beautiful things and flowers and even when I was able to take her only one rose for her birthday, she still appreciated it so much. That was the inimitable measure of her caring.

Truth and justice were her raison detre and she walked the arena of life unafraid with Manik her lifes faithful companion and friend.

Rest now dearest Diana, close to the heart of the God you loved so much.

Karen

He learnt as much as possible and gave back to society

D.D.M. Harry Waidyasekera

Harry Waidyasekera was born to Martin and Grace Waidyasekera on November 6, 1931 at Beruwala. He was my mothers eldest brother and the eldest of four children.

All four children were rendered orphans due to the sudden demise of their parents when they were very young. They were brought up by their stepmother Lila Wijetilaka whom their father married following their mothers death at the age of 29, when Harry was eight years old. Harrys father Martin died at the age of 45 years.

Harry studied at St Peters College, Bambalapitiya, with his two other brothers Sam and Chandra.

All three were bright with an aptitude for scholarly work and were successful in entering University. Harry graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) Degree from the Faculty of Economics of Peradeniya University in 1956.Thereafter, he joined the Department of Commerce. He later joined the Department of Inland Revenue as an assessor and progressed steadily becoming the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

During his career at the Inland Revenue Dept. he was appointed as the Secretary of the Presidential Taxation Commission where he applied himself tirelessly to complete and submit the report to the President. He retired in 1991 at the age of 60 years.

Harry Waidyasekera was a past president of the Sri Lanka Institute of Taxation and Editor/Consultant, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka. He was also President of the Theosophical Society of Sri Lanka.

He served as a life member of the Royal Economic Society, London and as the Sri Lankan correspondent of Tax Notes International Amsterdam.

He has written extensively to books, journals and magazines published in Sri Lanka and abroad on taxation related topics.

His other main interest was historical research on the Kandyan Kingdom and in particular about artificers. He will be especially remembered for his ground breaking research on the life and work of Devendra Mulachari, one of the most brilliant designers and artificers produced by the Kandyan Kingdom. Devendra Mulachari designed and built the famous Octagon or the Paththirippuwa under the watch of the last King of Kandy, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe. My uncles research was later published as a book The Great Royal Artificer of the Kandyan Kingdom (Stamford Lake: 2017).

He led a very simple, down-to-earth life. A man of high integrity, he was honest to a fault. He was always helpful and went out of the way beyond the call of duty to serve others especially relations, friends and students. Being a bachelor he looked at his nephews and nieces as if they were his own children. He was a scholar heavily inclined towards research and writing. He was well versed in the western classics as well as Buddhist Philosophy. He was always correct in his conduct and dealings and a role model for others.

He attended to all his work independently. During his last few days we did our best to care for and comfort him. He passed away peacefully on December 16, 2019 at the age of 88 years. His remains were cremated at the Mount Lavinia cemetery the next day as per his wish.

My Uncle Harrys entire life was driven by a laudable motive: to learn as much as possible and give back the results of his learning to society.

May he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana.

Sudath Devanarayana
A South Carolina woman was formally charged with murdering her 11-year-old stepson Gannon Stauch at El Paso County Court House in Colorado on Wednesday.

Letecia Stauch, 36, was the last to see her stepson Gannon alive in Lorson Ranch, east of Fountain, Colorado, on Jan. 27. According to Letecia Stauch, Gannon went on foot to a friends home but never came home.

In surveillance video footage taken by Stauchs neighbor, Gannon can be seen in what appears to be a groggy state being escorted by his stepmom to a car and being driven away. Some four hours later Stauch returned without her son, The Denver Post reported.

In another statement provided to KKTV, Stauch said she went shopping with her stepson by car, and then they came back together.

Stauch was arrested at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and extradited to El Paso County. She was charged on Wednesday with first-degree murder of a child under 12 by a person of trust, child abuse resulting in death, tampering with a deceased body, and tampering with evidence in court.

Though a full body of evidence has yet to be found, Senior Deputy District Attorney Michael Allen said his office has assembled strong enough evidence to build a case against Stauch.

Its still ongoing, but with five weeks of really strong active investigation, its generated a lot of evidence, lots of reports, lots of digital evidence, that sort of thing, Allen told reporters.

Stauch appeared in a mint-green jumpsuit handcuffed in court and reportedly avoided any eye-contact with Gannons family, his father Al Stauch, and his mother Landen Hiott, who were sitting in the front row. Stauch did not seem to be emotional and did not say a word.

Allen ruled out the possibility of seeking the death sentence despite recent legislature repealing the death penalty, which is due to be signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

Prosecutors have 21 days to present a probable cause affidavit and to make the 107 warrants filed against Stauch available to the defense team. Allen said he is not looking for a plea deal.

Im not thinking plea right now, Im thinking trial, he told reporters.

According to The Gazette, Stauch also assaulted a police officer in Kansas while she was being transported to El Paso County.

Gannons father, Al Stauch, is currently reportedly filing for divorce.

Letecia Stauch is set to reappear in court for a status hearing on April 14.
Too many American Christians worship 'lesser gods' when engaging in politics, Democratic activist says

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A Democratic political strategist has warned that all too often Christians end up worshiping lesser gods when they're involved in politics.

Justin Giboney, an attorney who's also president of the AND Campaign, spoke at the Just Gospel 2020 conference at Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, last week.

Giboney said that when it comes to politics, while Christians should be shining like the North Star in the dead of night, too many sound like generic Republicans or generic Democrats.

Our faith is not evident in our tactics, in our posture, or in our rhetorical devices, said Giboney. Lets be serious, our politics isnt winning over any converts.

He said that many American Christians involved in politics have shown that they have become converts to lesser gods and lesser institutions, with Christians discipling backwards.

We have evangelicals using terms like patriotism to silence pleas for injustice. Even worse, we have some folks using the Gospel as a reason not to do justice, continued Giboney.

Then we have some Christians who rightly concern themselves with justice, but arent bold enough to speak on the necessity of obedience and personal transformation along with liberation.

Giboney felt that many Christians have placed their trust in methods and ideologies that are built on a foundation thats certain to collapse.

Weve placed our faith in the tenets of conservatism or the forecast of progressivism, he added. Weve outsourced our public witness to secular commentators and think-tanks that now do the thinking for us.

Christians have separated our faith from our politics and weve allowed our political affiliations to become religious in nature, liturgical in display.

Giboney believes Christians in the public square must advocate for both justice and moral order, arguing that conservative and liberal ideologies have failed to sufficiently lobby for both.

He cited as a positive example Catholic social activist Dorothy Day, who advocated against war and on behalf of impoverished Americans while opposing abortion and the sexual revolution.

Giboney also warned against Christians engaging in brain-dead politics, noting that Christians involved in politics should critique both parties.

You can be in a party and not approach politics as a partisan. To refuse to approach an issue along partisan lines doesnt mean you are necessarily playing the fence, he explained.

It could mean that youre being decisive on your own terms. It could mean that you understand that that Democrat rock is not our rock. That that Republican rock is not our rock. A prophetic witness wont conform to the current partisan frameworks.

Giboneys remarks came as part of the Just Gospel conference, held March 5-7, which seeks to help American Christians better engage politics.

We hope to model how Christians who differ in secondary and political matters can nevertheless do so charitably and in a way that preserves both unity and freedom of conscience, the conference website said. We need and want healing conversations that serve the Church. We need pilgrim politics that bear witness to Christ and Kingdom to which we are headed.

In 2018, Andrew Sullivan, author and columnist with New York Magazine, wrote a piece arguing that politics was filling the need for meaning found with increased secularization.

The need for meaning hasnt gone away, but without Christianity, this yearning looks to politics for satisfaction. And religious impulses, once anchored in and tamed by Christianity, find expression in various political cults, wrote Sullivan at the time.

Sullivan believed that these political cults threaten liberal democracy because of their rejection of compromise, doubt, reason, and the primacy of the individual.
Temporary ban on mass events isn't encroachment on constitutional right to protest, it is care of Ukrainians' health

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stresses that a temporary ban on holding mass events in Ukraine is not an encroachment on the freedom of peaceful assembly, but the government's care of its citizens.

"I also want to respond to some politicians. If we were afraid of public opinion, afraid of rallies - we would not open Bankova Street. The temporary ban on mass events is not an encroachment on the constitutional right to protest, it is the care of the health of Ukrainians," the president said in his video address to Ukrainian people posted on his Facebook page on Friday night.

"Let the situation stabilize, the incidence of a disease decline - and then you are free to protest," Zelensky noted.
Event organisers in the Bay of Plenty are keeping a very close eye on the coronavirus situation.

There are now six confirmed positive cases identified in NZ, although Tauranga, the Coromandel and wider Bay of Plenty continue to have no identified cases of COVID-19.

The organisers of the Tauranga Multicultural Festival, which is planned for next Sunday March 22, have posted an event update notice to their Facebook page today.

The health ministry of New Zealand has permitted public events at this stage, writes a Tauranga Multicultural Festival spokesperson.

We are closely following the situation and working with authorities. All participants especially our food vendors have been advised about the additional hygiene expected.

The advice is to stay at home if you are unwell.

The organisers also plan to have sanitising stations at the festival.

For those in our city who may be concerned about the festival going ahead during the coronavirus scare, please remember that those involved have been here for years and are part of our local society. None have arrived recently in the country, says Multicultural Vice President Premila DMello.

Now in its 21st year, the festival is held annually around NZ Race Relations Day. This year, the festival is on Sunday March 22, running from 10am  5pm at the Tauranga Historic Village.

Last year the festival was postponed one week, due to the Christmas mosque attack.

If anyone has been overseas, the advice is that you self-isolate for 14 days and not to attend public events," says an event organiser.

Once again, be assured that we will be following the direction of Ministry of Health. New Zealand has six identified cases of COVID-19 and they are all being treated. We wish them a quick recovery.

Waipuna Hospice Superhero Walk/Run

Organisers of the Waipuna Hospice Superhero Walk/Run have made the decision yesterday to cancel their fundraising event at Coronation Park next weekend.

Previous Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless and BOP MP Todd Muller walked alongside many other super heroes in the Waipuna Hospice walk in 2019. Photo: Cameron Avery.

A notice was posted to their Facebook page on Friday.

To all Waipuna Hospice Superhero supporters it is with great concern for your health and well-being that Waipuna Hospice management have decided to cancel the upcoming Superhero Walk/Run on Sunday 22 March at Coronation Park. With the recent events of COVID-19 (Corona Virus) it has been decided to take all precautions to ensure the safety of all supporters.

Unfortunately the Waipuna Hospice Superhero Walk/Run will be cancelled this year, but will return again next year.

Waipuna Hospice sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you all next year.

The Waipuna Hospice fundraising team are will be returning registration fees to participants.

If you have registered to be part of the Superhero Walk/Run, the Waipuna Hospice fundraising team will contact you directly in the following week to issue a full refund. However if you have any questions in the meantime please dont hesitate to contact us at events@waipunahospice.org.nz or phone Christine on (07) 552 6892.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health reported that Aged Care facilities, which care for our oldest and most vulnerable New Zealanders, have been advised by the ministry to ramp up their communications with visiting friends and relatives to warn anyone sick with coughs, colds or flu to stay away.

Our key advice, which is fundamental to our response, is not putting yourself or others at risk if you are unwell. This means not going to work or going to places where there are other people if you are sick. All of us have a role to play in stopping further spread. I need to emphasise how critical this is as New Zealand responds to COVID-19, says Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

This is particularly important for concerts and other large gatherings we have coming up. Please stay home if youre unwell.

This weekend, the Pasifika event in Auckland was cancelled, as well as the WSL Piha Pro surfing event.

The two-day Pasifika event was cancelled over concerns it could spread the virus to the Pacific Islands. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff made the announcement on Friday morning, ahead of the festival, which was to set to open at Western Springs today. The festival was expected to attract 60,000 over two days. Last year the festival was cancelled due to the Christchurch mosque attacks.

Repco Beach Hope 20

Organisers of the Repco Beach Hop 20 event next weekend in Whangamata have taken to Facebook to reassure their fans.

Whangamata Beach Hop event 2019. Photo: Chris Wilton-Jones

There have been a lot of rumours about the risk of Repco Beach Hop 20 being cancelled due to Covid-19, says an event spokesperson.

You can rest assured we are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and having discussions with relevant authorities. At this stage it's business as usual as there has only been five reported cases in New Zealand over the past two weeks and thankfully no deaths.

We have another important meeting next week with the DHB, however the message is fairly clear. If you have cold or flu symptoms, or feel unwell, then please stay home and look after yourself and call Healthline 08003585453. If you are worried - stay home.

We'll have an update for you later next week.

The Facebook post has attracted nearly 600 likes, over 300 comments and 80 shares, and the event itself attracts thousands of people from around NZ and overseas.

One person commented Plenty of us traveling from Australia, have had flights etc all booked since last year, if its going to be cancelled, we would prefer to know sooner rather than later, hoping it won't be but also understand the spread of the virus needs to be constrained.

Another took a more lighthearted approach posting the reply; Only thing we all have is Car Owner Virus, mine is the Chevy style, and i don't want it cured.

The organisers have continued to reply to questions over the last 24 hours, saying that at this stage the event will still be held.

We are waiting on MoH, DHB etc as they are the ones that will make the call on the expert opinion they have, but the event is still on at this stage. We take the advice of the experts. If the Officials say we have to cancel then we have no choice, says a Beach Hop spokesperson.
One case of infection was registered in the Dominican Republic, and three cases were found in the Czech Republic

The Sun

The first cases of coronavirus were reported in the Czech Republic and the Dominican Republic. The authorities of the Czech Republic announced about three cases of infection, according to Novinky.cz. The doctors inform that two patients are in Prague, another one is in Usti nad Labem town.



One of the infected returned to Prague after an internship at a university in Italy; the second is an American, who studied in Milan; the third one also returned from Italy, where he has spent his vacation at a ski resort.



The person registered in the Dominican Republic was an Italian citizen who arrived in the country without the symptoms of the virus.

Related: Louvre Museum temporarily closed for visiting due to coronavirus

March 1, Australia and Thailand officially confirmed the first deaths from the coronavirus CoVID-2019, as Reuters reported.

In Australia, the former passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, who was transported from Japan and quarantined, died. He died in a hospital in Perth. The man was 78 years old.

His widow is also infected with the virus. Her condition is stable. According to the latest government data, the number of viral infections in Australia has grown to 26.

"We monitor and respond to the information that we receive every day. We are not insured, but we are prepared as much as possible for any country, and we can handle it," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote.

In Thailand, a 35-year-old man who also had dengue fever died of coronavirus. This was announced by Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control.

The deceased man worked in retail and often contacted tourists. Doctors and authorities suggest that he was infected with the virus.
Ausserd (Saharawi Refugee camps) 13 March 2020 (SPS)- First International Youth Forum of Solidarity with Western Sahara (IYFSWS) adopted a Final Declaration on Thursday evening calling for an urgent resolution of the conflict of Western Sahara to allow its people to get their freedom.

The Declaration also tackled the Moroccan human rights violations, natural resources plunder, the ongoing crime against humanity embodied by the Moroccan military wall and many other issues.

Below is the complete text of the Final Declaration:

Final Declaration

We, youth organization, activists and officials participating to the First International Youth Forum of Solidarity with Western Sahara, organized by the UJSARIO in the Saharawi refugee camps from the 11th to 13th March 2020, under the theme: Sustainable future for Saharawi youth, the fair political resolution of the conflict, human rights, natural resources and the Wall of Shame in Western Sahara,

Call on the international community to:

Urgently resolve the question of Western Sahara through the implementation of the relevant UN General Assemblys and Security Councils resolutions regarding the Western Sahara. Recalling that this territory remains the last colony in Africa, whose people have an inalienable right to self-determination and independence, and therefore any solution must pass through a referendum and a vote by the people. Immediately intervene in Western Sahara to put an end to the Moroccan gross human rights violations, denounced by all international human rights organization. Morocco is an occupying force in Western Sahara and as such should not be allowed to kill, imprison and threaten Saharawi citizens under its occupation. Support Saharawi citizens in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, providing them with the necessary international protection due to them under the relevant Geneva Conventions as citizens of an occupied territory. Rigorously put the Saharawi natural resources under UN supervision and monitoring. The United Nations should constitute a special mechanism dedicated to the protection of the Saharawi natural resources as it did with Namibia back in the seventies. The UN should not allow Morocco, or any other entity to continue the plunder of the Saharawi resources. Closely work with Saharawi youth and women empowering them to actively participate in the Saharawi resistance against colonialism, occupation, human rights violations and other forms of violations. Dismantle the Moroccan military wall that constitutes a serious crime against humanity in Western Sahara. Morocco should not be allowed to maintain this crime with impunity. Support the Saharawi refugees with sufficient humanitarian aid, education, health support and help the Saharawi authorities build necessary institutions to serve them to the best possible. Release all the political prisoners in the Moroccan jails Setting a date for solidarity with the Saharawi people universally Establishing an internal youth network which aims to gather information and raise awareness about issue . To ban the anti personnel mines and clean the buffer zone to allow the international assistance to the victims and their families .

Finally, the persistence of the violation of international law in Western Sahara and the lack of a fair and just solution that allows the people of Western Sahara to get their freedom and independence without any condition will probably push the region to instability and war again in the future.

In that case, the whole region will be in a more serious state of instability that would affect other countries, including European. This failure will also give a serious blow to the credibility of the UN, the AU, the EU and the authority of their resolutions and decisions worldwide.

It is big time for the EU and its respectable members to say to Morocco enough is enough, we do no more accept the persistence of colonialism, human rights violations, natural resources plunder, and military occupation in Western Sahara." (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
Nagpur, March 14 : Panic gripped Nagpur as four suspected coronavirus patients ran away from a private hospital late on Friday night, officials said here on Saturday.

Following a manhunt, three were located and brought back to the Mayo Hospital where they were under observation since the past few days.

Search is underway for the one still missing. Worried district and health officials informed the media as 19 patients have tested positive in the state so far.

Of the absconders, one has tested negative, while the reports of the remaining three are awaited.

The official said that despite attempts by the medicos and para-medical staffers, the four left the hospital last evening.

The issue reverberated in the Maharashtra Assembly with several members demanding stringent action the hospital authorities for not safeguarding their patients in the midst of a global pandemic.

The development came hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered a partial lock-down for public places, shutdown of schools in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and other precautionary measures in Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur.

The Chief Minister also appealed to all companies to allow employees to awork from home' and curtailed the legislature's budget session by nearly a week to end later in the day.
Advice: Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan confirmed that the criteria for testing has been updated. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Four healthcare workers are among the latest group of 20 people to be diagnosed with coronavirus.

Two of the new cases also picked up the virus through community transmission and did not know the source.

It highlights how the virus is now circulating more in the community as the population faces into the first weekend of strict measures on social distancing behaviours aimed at slowing its spread.

Six of the cases were infected abroad and eight others got it from a confirmed case, bringing the total number of infections in the Republic to 90 so far.

The first analysis by the HSE shows the south of the country has borne the brunt of infection so far.

Most of those are in the 55 to 63 age bracket, followed by people between 34 and 44.

Smaller numbers of people aged between 45 and 54 and 15 to 24 have been struck by the virus.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan confirmed that the criteria for testing had been updated to include anyone with a temperature of 38C or more or chills. Other symptoms could include respiratory tract infection with a cough.

He also said people returning to Ireland from the list of at-risk countries, including Italy and Spain, should restrict their movements for 14 days even if they feel well, which means they cannot go back to work. Travel restriction for healthcare workers will be considered by the Department of Health's expert group, he added.

More laboratories around the country are to start testing for the virus next week.

Several GPs have highlighted delays in getting through to public health doctors in the HSE, who up to now referred patients before a decision was made on whether to test them.

GPs will in the future be able to make a decision. The HSE said it would have 12 testing centres across the country where patients could come to provide swabs for testing.

Dr Colm Henry of the HSE said the aim was to identify as many people as possible who had the virus.

He said the impact of the virus could be reduced by 30pc if more people who were positive cases were detected, people with the virus maintained self-isolation and followed the guidelines on social distancing. Meanwhile, Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney updated travel advice in relation to Europe.

Writing on social media, he said: "In light of rapidly changing conditions and restrictions across a number of EU countries, my Dept is now advising people to exercise 'a high degree of caution' before deciding to travel to other EU states.

"We will continue to update advice," he said, adding the hashtag #COVID19 to consult for updates.

The number of people attending A&E departments has fallen, including patients over 75, leading to a big drop in patients on trolleys.

However, several hospitals are continuing to curtail surgery and outpatient clinics in order to cope with the demands of the virus.

The Mater Hospital said it would be moving all fracture clinics to the Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic starting from Wednesday.

"We are taking these actions in order to preserve and prioritise emergency care and care for those with Covid-19 during these unprecedented times.

"The Mater Hospital regrets the impact that this will have on our patients, but these new arrangements are necessary in order to deal with the impact of Covid-19.

"Our staff are working extremely hard to deal with the virus and to care for all patients currently at the Mater Hospital.

"We are continuing to employ all infection control measures and every effort is being made by our staff to manage and control the spread of the virus.

"Visitor restrictions remain in place for public and patient safety."
While most people exert themselves to stay out of jail, 100-year-old Ruth Bryant sought to get into jail.

That was one of her bucket-list items, and the Person County, North Carolina, Sheriffs Office helped her fulfill it.

Deputies showed up at her assisted living facility and served a warrant charging her with  get this  indecent exposure.

They then handcuffed her to her walker and placed her in a patrol car.

She got the full treatment: sirens blaring and lights flashing on the way to jail; submitting to a mugshot, being placed in a cell and receiving an orange Person County Jail shirt once there.

According to WRAL, when deputies warned her not to put up a fight, she kicked at them.

Dont kick me; Ive got a bad knee! joked one deputy.

Ms. Bryant retorted, Ive got two bad knees!

With that kind of belligerent behavior, its a wonder her stay was so short, right? But after a brief time in the cell, authorities released her to return to the assisted living facility, where she enjoyed a rousing birthday party.

No word on whether the deputies were invited.
Russian oil firms plan to raise their oil production from April and they are comfortable with the current oil prices and even lower, oil executives said after meeting this week with Energy Minister Alexander Novak  a meeting which didnt discuss the possibility that Russia may return to the OPEC+ production cut deal as earlier reports suggested, OilPrice.com reports.

Top executives from the major Russian companies, including Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, Tatneft, and Surgutneftegas, met with the minister on Thursday to discuss the companies plans and the market situation after the collapse of the OPEC+ deal last week.

Alexander Dyukov, chief executive at Gazproms oil arm, Gazprom Neft, told reporters that returning to the OPEC+ deal was not discussed at the meeting.

The coronavirus outbreak and concerns about recession would have sent oil prices to $35 a barrel anyway, even if OPEC and its Russia-led allies had reached a deal last week, Dyukov said.

Gazprom Neft is disappointed with the OPEC+ break-up, Dyukov said, but noted that OPEC is to blame for the no deal outcome of the talks.

Gazprom Neft, Russias third-largest producer, could increase its production by between 40,000 bpd and 50,000 bpd in April, Dyukov said, as carried by TASS.

Gazprom Neft can work with $35 oil, the manager said, while Tatnefts CEO Nail Maganov boasted that even $8 oil is not critical for the company, Russias Prime news agency reports.
Ukraine will impose tough restrictions on crossing the disengagement line in Donbas to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus in the country, National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said.

"We have had a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council today. We adopted restrictive measures on the procedures for crossing the disengagement line. I can say we have adopted quite tough measures, but they are extremely necessary in the situation we are in today," Danilov said on the program Details of the week on Friday evening.

Residents of some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are Ukrainians and "they will definitely receive assistance" if they seek assistance in Ukraine, he said.

"But we have understanding that the measures we are taking will be unprecedented. If they need to be tightened, we will definitely do it," he said.

Twelve coronavirus cases have been registered on the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions uncontrolled by Kyiv: eight people from Horlivka and four from Yekaniyeve, he said.
Philadelphia, PA, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genlith Inc., a venture holding company focused on investing in the new energy ecosystem, is pleased to announce that Michael Devine has recently joined the company as Director of Business Development.



Michael joins Genlith with an impressive track record and having held numerous leadership positions. He last served as Vice President and Operating Partner for Symmetrical Investments, an investment firm focused on privately-held businesses in the lower middle market. Prior to Symmetrical, Michael served as Director of Logistics for Holt Logistics Corp, a third generation family-held business with holdings in marine terminals, warehousing, shipping, transportation, real estate, and renewable energy.

Michael holds an MBA from Villanova University School of Business, and a BA in Political Science from The Pennsylvania State University.

Genlith is growing and we are excited to welcome a talented leader like Michael to our organization. Michael has broad experience and a wide network that will be an asset to us. He shares a similar passion for clean energy and sustainability like every member of the Genlith team, said Govind Arora, Senior VP of Genlith.

About Genlith

Genlith is a venture holding company formed in 2017 to invest across the new energy ecosystem thematic. The company identifies and invests in innovations, projects, asset investment vehicles and companies related to the new energy ecosystem, including clean energy generation, storage, distribution and end user applications. We are investing in opportunities that have the potential to impact and accelerate the energy transformation.

Media contact:
Efforts Underway in US to Build Coronavirus Safety Nets for Most Vulnerable

By Eunjung Cho March 13, 2020

With cases reaching double digits in just a week, the coronavirus has hit home in the U.S. capital and surrounding areas.

Just three miles from Washington, Arlington County, Virginia, also has confirmed cases of the disease. Big medical bills for testing and treating coronavirus are a source of concern for the 11,000 low-income and uninsured adults in the county of more than 200,000 residents.

"They will be hit harder by the virus. If people aren't able to go to restaurants, if all of a sudden the schools closed and they can't go to work because their children are at home, they don't have a financial cushion, so they could easily be affected financially by it," Nancy White, president of the Arlington Free Clinic, told VOA.

Off-site Testing

Arlington Free Clinic has been serving an average of 1,600 patients per year since 1994. Now, amid the coronavirus outbreak, it is working with county health officials to set up an off-site coronavirus testing center.

Such a center would give the clinic "the ability to do testing away from the hospital with a primary focus on people who are hard to reach, hard to serve, and are low income and may be afraid to access the health system," White said, noting that details were still under discussion.

White said she expected hospitals to waive medical bills for those who needed treatment, or to charge on a sliding scale for those who were eligible for reduction in cost.

Out of the $8.3 billion federal emergency fund approved by Congress and the president to combat the coronavirus, about $1 billion will go to state and local public health efforts around the United States, including community health centers catering to uninsured and underinsured people.

Care for homeless

The nonprofit group N Street Village, supporting Washington's homeless women, is working with the District of Columbia Health Department and the Emergency Management Office to set up ways to provide aid in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Officials said the key was to screen for symptoms, identify infected patients and isolate them to avoid spreading the disease.

"If they were showing symptoms, we would refer them to see the doctors or nurses directly on site. And that person could then make a recommendation about whether they thought they needed to go somewhere," said Schroeder Stribling, CEO of N Street Village.

She said homeless people are particularly vulnerable to infections. They do not have a place to go to self-quarantine and often have underlying health conditions, such as chronic lung disease.

Stribling added that the lack of health insurance would not keep people from seeing doctors, as many homeless people have Medicare or Medicaid, the U.S. government's health care programs for older and low-income people, respectively.

N Street Village is also providing coronavirus information to residents through handouts and flyers and a series of meetings.

Global health security

Working to provide a stronger safety net for the vulnerable is an urgent task not only in the U.S. but also around the world, where at least 123 countries have seen coronavirus cases.

The Global Health Security Index, a study released last October by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and other organizations, has found severe weaknesses in each country's preparedness for epidemics. Countries with weak health care systems were cited as a particular concern.

"There are certainly countries in sub-Saharan Africa, some countries in Asia, some countries in South America. One thing about our index, which is important, is that the U.S. did score better  and the U.S. has been spending a lot of money on preparedness programs  but even the U.S. did not get a perfect score," said Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Inglesby said countries with weak systems might lack personal protective equipment, capacity to care for critically ill patients, and the ability to ramp up testing.

Dr. Jonathan Quick, adjunct professor of global health at the Duke Global Health Institute, said a number of low-income countries do not have universal health insurance coverage, whereas Western European countries like Germany and Britain have a very high level of insurance coverage.

His colleague, Dr. Wenhui Mao, expressed concern about the spread of coronavirus, particularly in Africa.

"In African countries, maybe it takes one hour to visit the clinics," she said. "We need to pay attention to them. If they can't come, then maybe we should take outreach methods to provide treatment for them."

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March 14 : Superstar Aamir Khan is turning a year older today and his friends and fans are going gaga wishing their loved star on social media. B-Town celebrities such as Bhushan Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Madhuri Dixit Nene took to their social media profiles and wishes the actor, A Very Happy Birthday.

Since morning, wishes are pouring in for Aamir Khan on social media. The actor is undoubtedly one of the most popular stars in India.

Many happy returns of the day @aamir_khan. May all lifes blessings be yours, on your birthday and always.  Bhushan Kumar (@itsBhushanKumar) March 14, 2020

T-series head honcho Bhushan Kumar took to his social media profile and wrote, Many happy returns of the day @aamir_khan. May all lifes blessings be yours, on your birthday and always

Aamir you are Kajol & my lucky mascot. Happy returns of today@aamir_khan  Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) March 14, 2020

Superstar Ajay Devgn also wished in style. He tweeted, Aamir you are Kajol & my lucky mascot. Happy returns of today @aamir_khan

Here's to the man who is not only wise but also kind and thoughtful. On your special day, I wish you lots of happiness. May you enjoy this fantastic day to the fullest. Happy birthday @aamir_khan, have a fabulous one. pic.twitter.com/ovXsl68g2i  Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) March 14, 2020

Madhuri Dixit Nene who has shared screen space with Aamir Khan in countless movies, wrote, Here's to the man who is not only wise but also kind and thoughtful. On your special day, I wish you lots of happiness. May you enjoy this fantastic day to the fullest. Happy birthday @aamir_khan, have a fabulous one

Aamir has been quite busy with the shooting schedules for his upcoming movie and it looks like the actor will be having a working birthday this year. The star has flown off to Amritsar to shoot for the next leg of his next project. He was even snapped at the Mumbai airport yesterday heading to Amritsar with his co-star Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Meanwhile, on the work front, the actor will be seen next in a remake of the Hollywood Classic Forrest Gump. Helmed by Advait Chandan, the movie also features Mona Singh in a key role. The film will hit the theatres on Christmas.
Upstate University Hospital officials have set up a phone bank to answer questions about COVID-19 throughout 14 Central New York counties.

The number is 315-464-3979. Call this number if you do not have a primary care provider or do not have health insurance, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said. If you do have a doctor, call that person first, he said.

The new Upstate phone line is for non-911 calls, according to Upstate officials.

The line will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. It will be staffed with volunteers from across the Upstate campuses, and a health care provider will be available at all times to assist with triaging calls.

If a member of the public has coronavirus-related questions, is showing possible symptoms, or may have had an exposure to someone diagnosed with a positive case of COVID-19, they would call this line to be guided on next steps.

The calls will be triaged using algorithms developed by clinical staff at Upstate University Hospital.

Upstates COVID-19 triage line is part of an ongoing effort to provide information to the public, while ensuring emergency departments and community physicians are not overwhelmed with non-emergency visits during this pandemic.

The triage line will serve the following counties: Onondaga, Cayuga, Oswego, Madison, Cortland, Chenango, Tompkins, Tioga, Broome, Oneida, Herkimer, Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence.

As of noon, McMahon says there are no confirmed cases yet in Onondaga County.

The state also has a coronavirus hotline: 1-888-364-3065.

McMahon also urged people to be smart and not overshop for foods and medicines. He also asked people to be creative about helping businesses.

My dads birthday is tomorrow, McMahon said. Instead of taking him to dinner, hes going to buy gift cards from his fathers favorite restaurant.

McMahon said his Sunday update will be at 1 p.m.

Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274.

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Mumbai, March 14 : With 22 COVID-19 positive cases in Maharashtra, the IIT-Bombay on Saturday suspended all classroom lectures and laboratory practicals with immediate effect till March 29.

Hostel inmates have been encouraged to leave and go home after informing the concerned Hall Manager though foreign students have been permitted to continue staying there, said a notification on Saturday.

Similarly, students pursuing their Masters or doctorates have been allowed to stay and continue with their projects only after exercising adequate precautions.

Today's directives were issued by IIT-Bombay Director Subhasis Chaudhuri, and other top officials A.K. Suresh and Prasanna Mujumdar after detailed consultations with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai officials, according to an official spokesperson.

Students who plan to return after completing internships/exchange programs/conferences have been asked to go home directly instead of coming to the IIT-Bombay campus.

Similarly those students/faculty/staff or their relatives who have returned from any of the COVID-19 affected countries in the past 14 days must inform the campus hospital for a health check-up.

The 24x7 reading room in the Central Library will be shut down until March 29 and the IIT-Bombay authorities are exploring alternative modes of delivery of courses.

Local staffers who commute have been asked to work-from-home wherever possible without affecting the functioning of their particular departments and heads have been instructed to prepare human resources plans accordingly.

Staffers in essential services will continue to attend duties as usual, construction workers and other employees of various campus bodies will follow the guidelines for the other campus residents and all security personnel will wear masks and gloves.

Besides these directives, campus residents have been told to keep their outings for essential purposes, refrain from inviting outsiders and adhere to all health advisories. Anybody showing symptoms of possible infection must report to the campus hospital.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Private budget carrier SpiceJet has signed an initial pact with GMR Hyderabad Airport alongwith Ras-Al-Khaimah International Airport for a dedicated freight corridor, which is expected to be operational from next month onwards.

In a release issued Saturday, the airline said the proposed freighter corridor aims at promoting agro-products export from India to the UAE and neighbouring countries via Hyderabad.

The partnership was signed in the presence of Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, Chairman of Ras-Al-Khaimah International Airport Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi and Hyderabad Airport Ltd (GHIAL) CEO, SGK Kishore, among others at the 2020 edition of India aviation show here.

The proposed freight corridor is in line with the Civil Aviation Ministry's Krishi Udaan scheme for farmers, announced in the 2020-21 Union Budget, the airline said.

"This partnership will immensely help boost our farmer's income by providing them ready access to international markets, strengthen the government's Krishi Udaan Scheme' and promote export of agro products from India," Singh said.

SpiceJet also said its dedicated freighter aircraft will be used for transportation of goods.

The agreement will leverage the agro and farming sector potential from centrally located Telangana and neighbouring region, it said.

The pact aims at promoting export of agro products such as mango, okra, chillies, curry leaf, herbs, other fruits and vegetables, spices, floriculture, livestock, animal husbandry, dairy, marine and seafood products from India to United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries via Hyderabad, the airline added.

"GMR Hyderabad International Airport is proud to partner with SpiceJet and Ras-Al-Khaimah International Airport to boost the export of Agro Products from India to United Arab Emirates and its neighbouring countries through Hyderabad," Kishore said.

Through this endeavor, we are also collaborating with farmer associations towards enabling a perennial supply of farm products through a dedicated freighter corridor, he said adding this agreement will also create a robust advocacy platform to harness our agricultural markets and help create an entire ecosystem for exporting perishable agro products from Hyderabad.

The association will target key UAE markets such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Bahrain while entailing extension of support to the agro trade by achieving operational efficiencies, on-time uplift/delivery and networking, as per the release.

According to the airline, a specially-designed equipment will be used for transportation of goods through the dedicated freighter aircraft of SpiceJet while Ras-Al-Khaimah International Airport would provide infrastructural and local support for the goods and facilitate the onward connection to the Middle-east Countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US President Donald Trump talk to journalists before a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House earlier this year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

An Emergency Department Nurse during a demonstration of the Coronavirus pod and COVID-19 virus testing procedures set-up beside the Emergency Department of Antrim Area Hospital, Co Antrim in Northern Ireland. Photo: Michael Cooper/PA Wire

A second person has died from coronavirus and 39 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

The second confirmed death from coronavirus in Ireland was that of a man in the east who had an underlying condition.

Of the 39 new cases, 29 patients are men and 10 are women.

This brings the total number of cases in the Republic of Ireland to 129, while 34 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

21 of the new cases are in the east of the country, 13 in the south, three in the north west and two in the west.

As the volume of cases health officials are going to prioritise hospitalised patients for tests. This means people with Covid-19 symptoms who are not in hospital can expect longer waits for test results.

Hospitalised patients will be prioritised for tests and can expect results within 24 hours.

Chief medical officer at the Department of Health Dr Tony Holohan said: "I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of the patient who died today...

"Today's increase in cases reinforces the necessity of the measures put in place last week, including hand and respiratory hygiene, social distancing, school closures and limiting the size of mass gatherings.

"I urge every citizen to follow these measures to protect our people, especially the most vulnerable in our society today."

Dr Holohan said he is concerned about people failing to adhere to social distancing measures introduced last week. He said he was particularly miffed to see pubs remained busy and people were socialising normally.

"Our message does not mean stay at home and hide. It can be appropriate for people to take walks and other exercise. Physical exercise is also important mentally. Reducing discretionary social activities does not mean necessarily hiding in the home.

"This is an opportunity for cigarette smokers to think about the role cigarettes have here and seeing now as the time to consider giving up cigarette smoking. We are starting to see some evidence emerging, which does not surprise us, that those with a history of smoking at a higher risk to serious forms of this particular illness."

The first death linked to coronavirus in Ireland was that of a woman at Naas General Hospital on Wednesday.

This comes as the US is expanding their travel ban to include Ireland and the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Trump said there will be a ban on flights between the US and Ireland the Britain, two countries originally exempted from his 30-day ban on travellers from 26 European countries that took effect at midnight on Friday.

Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US President Donald Trump talk to journalists before a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House earlier this year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US President Donald Trump talk to journalists before a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House earlier this year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Irish citizens have been advised against all non-essential traffic to six more European countries in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney announced the new measures for the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia today.

He said that further updates will be issued for Spain, which is recommended as essential travel only, while a travel ban remains in place for Italy.

Mr Coveney said that further travel disruptions are expected as countries attempt to contain Covid-19.

"A growing number of countries are also imposing restrictions on entry and exit.

"Given the consequences for travellers, Irish citizens should exercise a high degree of caution when making travel plans particularly in Europe.

"For this reason my Department is now advising against non-essential travel to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia. We will also be providing additional guidance on Spain, which remains at non-essential travel, while Italy remains at no travel," the acting Foreign Affairs minister said.

He said that the consular advice line will be open through the weekend and that embassies and consulates will also be using social media to keep concerns citizens updated.

Meanwhile, after days of resistance, President Trump says that he has been tested for the coronavirus as the White House stepped up precautions after his direct and indirect exposures to Covid-19.

President Trump also told reporters at a White House briefing that he had his temperature taken before stepping into the room, and it was "totally normal".

The president had held out on testing for days, despite his interactions with at least three people who have since tested positive.

President Trump had said Friday that he would probably take the test at some point, but the White House doctor said as recently as Friday night that no test was called for because he was not exhibiting symptoms.

But the president said he had gone ahead with it after repeated questions from reporters at a news conference on Friday.

This comes days after Mr Trump met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during his St Patrick's Day US visit.

On Saturday, the White House announced that it is now conducting temperature checks on anyone who is in close contact with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, including reporters attending the Saturday White House briefing.

The move is being taken as a precaution in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

President Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club on Florida.

On Friday, he declared a state of emergency as schools and workplaces across the country shuttered, flights cancelled and Americans braced for war against the health threat.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington said late on Friday that the country's charge d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at President Trump's dinner table.

President Trump has been known to flout public health advice - and was eagerly shaking hands during an event on Friday. On Saturday, he said that he continued to do so out of habit.

Earlier today Taoiseach Varadkar said the response to the coronavirus outbreak is complicated by the North-South divide in Ireland.

He made the remarks as he arrived in Armagh for a meeting with the Norths First and Deputy First ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill.

Five new positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland today.

Speaking as he arrived, Mr Varadkar said: "This virus knows no borders, knows no nationality.

"Its a problem for all of us."

He added: "Our response to it is complicated by the fact that we have two jurisdictions on this island.

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

"But that is all the more reason why we have to meet, why we have to work together, to cooperate and share information and thats what this morning is all about."

On Thursday the Irish government announced the closure of all creches, schools and universities in a bid to delay the spread of the disease.

Education facilities in Northern Ireland remain open.

DUP leader Ms Foster said at the time that the Stormont Assembly was disappointed it didnt get prior notice of the Irish governments measures to fight coronavirus.

Deputy First Minister Ms ONeill has since said that she believes all schools and universities in the North must be "closed immediately."

She said: "I think the fact that there has been contradictory medical advice out there is a problem.

"Its a problem for people when theyre trying to make the right decisions for them and their families so I believe given that is the situation hat we need to err on the side of caution."

More to follow...

With additional reporting from The Press Association
New Delhi, March 14 : Domestic airlines such as Air India and IndiGo will truncate some of their flight operations to the UAE due to the upcoming travel restrictions imposed by the gulf state.

The development comes after reports cited the UAE government as saying that it will suspend visas for all foreigners with exception of diplomatic passport holders from March 17 in the wake of the growing coronavirus scare.

On its part, Air India will truncate some of its operations to the gulf state from March 18. Besides, IndiGo said that owing to the curbs, the airline will cancel some of its flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi from March 17 until the travel restrictions are lifted.

"We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, and will be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers," the airline said in a statement.

However, a SpiceJet spokesperson said: "We are reviewing the situation on a constant basis. No cancellations have been planned yet."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 09:50:24|Editor: zyl

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OTTAWA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday noon called on Canadians to avoid all non-essential international travel due to rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to Canadians from outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa where he has been self-isolating, Trudeau said that additional screening measures are being implemented at Canadian airports, and a "significant" fiscal stimulus package will be implemented in the coming days.

Trudeau also reassured Canadians that he has no symptoms, is "feeling good" and will continue to work from home.

Trudeau addressed Canadians after his wife Sophie tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night.

He will be in self-isolation for the next 14 days alongside his family, but will continue his duties, according to his office.

Early Friday, Canadian House of Commons agreed to shut down to limit COVID-19 spread.
President Donald Trump has declared Sunday a national day of prayer in the United States. This is coming less that 24 hours after th...

President Donald Trump has declared Sunday a national day of prayer in the United States.





This is coming less that 24 hours after the president declared national emergency in the country over the coronavirus outbreak which has led to over 5000 deaths across the world.





The country confirmed its first case of person-to-person transmission of the virus on January 30.





At least 48 people have died in the US as a result of the virus, while more than 2,100 have been infected across 49 states.





In a Twitter post on Saturday, Trump urged the people to turn towards prayer in an act of faith for the country to prevail.





It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer, Trump said.





We are a country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.





No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!





Timothy Cole, rector of Christ Church, Washington DC, US, had tested positive for coronavirus after shaking hands with over 500 worshippers during holy communion.





According to latest data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are now more than 142,000 coronavirus cases globally and more than 5,300 related deaths across 129 countries.

It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer. We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
New South Wales and Queensland experienced a massive surge in coronavirus cases on Saturday.

Queensland's recorded 11 cases, bringing the state total to 46. Three of these were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan.

The infected people range in age from 19 to a 69-year-old man.

New South Wales and Queensland have had massive spikes in coronavirus cases in just one day

They were tested in Brisbane, Wide Bay, West Moreton, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

'Contact tracing is still underway for these new cases,' the health body explained.

'Our Public Health Units have confirmed the majority have travelled overseas or have had exposure to a confirmed case.'

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

New South Wales confirmed a further 20 cases at 11am on Saturday, bringing the state's total to 112.

They range in age from 24 to a 69-year-old male, who recently travelled from Italy.

Authorities did not know how 13 of the patients contracted the virus but said the other cases had recently returned from Germany, Italy, Finland, the UK and France.

Contact tracing is still ongoing.

New South Wales has the most cases out of any other Australian state.

The federal government has issued strict travel bans and a crackdown on mass gatherings in order to stop the spread of the virus.

Queensland's case toll rose by 11 cases, bringing the state total to 46. Pictured: testing in Brisbane

A travel ban has been put in place for mainland China, Iran, Italy and South Korea.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised against any other 'non-essential' overseas travel until further notice during a press conference on Friday.

The government also enacted a ban on gatherings of more than 500 people beginning on Monday.

Victoria's chief medical officer Dr Brett Sutton said it is guaranteed there will be more cases.

A travel ban has been put in place for mainland China, Iran, Italy and South Korea

He said while these measures won't stop the spread, they could help prevent a 'sharp spike' in cases.

Dr Sutton said those free of symptoms are free to catch public transport, attend work and school.

He reiterated that anyone who is ill should stay home, practice good hygiene and listen to health advice updates.

Face masks are only a good measure for those who are sick to stop them from spreading the illness, according to Dr Sutton.

He said they are a valuable resource and should not be wasted.
As COVID-19 precautions ramp up throughout the country, the White House on Saturday reportedly began checking the temperatures of anyone who comes near President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

Multiple outlets reported that a White House staffer met journalists upon entry of the press briefing room to check their temperatures on Saturday.

The president during a news conference noted that his temperature had been taken when he entered the room. He added that his temperature was totally normal and that hed been tested for coronavirus on Friday night. Results were not yet available.

Pence, who has not yet been taken, told reporters during the briefing that he and cabinet members in the room had all had their temperatures taken on Saturday.

Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President," Judd Deere, White House spokesman said in a statement, Politico reported.

Photo via CNN's Bill Alberter: An aide taking temperatures of members of the media before today's WH briefing pic.twitter.com/apBo5whe7Q  Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 14, 2020

Breaking: A reporter with a temperature declared too high was escorted out of the White House after. temp check.  AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) March 14, 2020

April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks tweeted that one reporter was escorted out of the White House with a temperature declared too high.

Politico reported that a man who appeared to be a journalist had a temperature of 99.9 and was blocked from entering the building.

Trump, who during news conference on Friday shook hands with multiple members of a coronavirus task force and corporate leaders who had collaborated on efforts to ramp up testing amid the crisis, said that he had decided to be tested for the virus as a precaution. He previously came into contact with a Brazilian official who has since tested positive for the disease.

Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus on Friday, freeing up tens of billions of dollars and easing federal regulations to help states and municipalities combat the deadly disease.

According to the COVID Tracking Project, the virus has infected more than 2,100 people and killed 49 nationwide. An overwhelming majority of those impacted overcome the disease in a relatively short period, but it can cause severe illnesses including pneumonia in some older people or some with existing medical problems like heart disease or diabetes.

Related Content:
A conspiracy theory that the United States military were the ones that could have brought the novel coronavirus, the causative agent of COVID-19 to China, rather than it originating in Wuhan was promoted by a Chinese official.

Chinese Foreign Minister Zhao Lijian took it to Twitter and posted to his at leat 300,000 followers a video of the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield during his address to a US Congressional Committee on the 11th of March.

The clip featured Redfield saying that there have been deaths recorded in the US which were primarily identified as due to influenza that have been later on confirmed were cases of COVID-19.

2/2 CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation! pic.twitter.com/vYNZRFPWo3  Lijian Zhao  (@zlj517) March 12, 2020

Whilst Redfield did not indicate the particular period that those people died, Zhao remarked that the statements support the conspiracy theories that the novel coronavirus did not originate in Hubei Province, China. However, he was not able to provide further evidentiary support to his claims.

The lack of evidence, however, did not stop Zhao from questioning the CDC and implying that the U.S. army brought the epidemic to Wuhan after hundreds of U.S. military athletes went to Wuhan in october to participate in the Military World Games. He also called out the United States government, saying that it owes people and explanation and to publicize their data.

Read also: VIRAL VIDEO: China Reportedly Cremates Alive COVID-19 Patients

Meanwhile, Geng Shuang a fellow Foreign Ministry Spokesman of Zhao said on Friday that the international community has varied opinions regarding the origin of the virus that has already caused a pandemic. He also stressed that even if China considers the claim as a scientific question, they believe that there is a right avenue to express such opinions in a scientific and professional way. He, however, avoided the questions asking if Zhao's tweets represented the views of the Chinese government on the issue.

Theories on COVID-19's origin

Since the first cases of infections were reported in Wuhan, it was assumed that it was the ground zero for the virus. It is also in the same city where the infections are most dense compared to anywhere in the world.

However, the origin of the coronavirus which has infected more than 150,000 world wide has been repeatedly questioned by Chinese netizens and the country's government. It also appeared that there have been campaigns launched to question the real origin of the virus.

On March 4, Zhao spoke at a press conference in Beijing and informed reporters that Chinese scientists are still tracing the origins of the virus and that there is still no conclusion that has been reached.

In addition, Zhong Nanshan a renowned Chinese expert in infectious diseases, also wuestioned the origins of the virus back in February. He said that even if the first case was spotted in Wuhan, this does not immediately imply that that is where the virus came from.

Late in December 2019, the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, China, at the moment the outbreak of the virus has spread around the world and caused a pandemic which has killed more than 5,600 and has infected more than 150,000 globally.

Related article: Washington Possibly to Aid U.S. Economy Amid Coronavirus

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Nacogdoches, TX (75965)

Today

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Farooq Sahab suggested me to speak with Pakistan but I will speak to the youth: Amit Shah in Srinagar

If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah

After 7 months in detention, Farooq Abdullah meets son Omar

India

oi-Deepika S

Srinagar, Mar 14: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who was released on Friday, after his detention for over seven months under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) met his son, Omar Abdullah in a Srinagar sub-jail on Saturday.

The two embraced warmly, according to news agency PTI.

Earlier Farooq Abdullah visited the grave of his father, former Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah, which , is located on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar. Dressed in a black kurta, a traditional ''Karakuli'' cap and sunglasses, he was accompanied by his wife Moile and grandson Adeem as he offered prayers.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, a five-time parliamentarian and a member of the present Lok Sabha, with immediate effect.

I am free beams Farooq Abdullah

According to an order issued by the Union Territory's home secretary Shaleen Kabra, the PSA ordered by the district magistrate of Srinagar on September 15 and subsequently extended for three months on December 13, stands revoked.

Abdullah was under preventive detention since August 5 last year, the day the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. He was the first chief minister against whom the PSA was invoked.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 14:48 [IST]
The only thing seemingly more contagious than Covid-19 are the mistruths, myths and hearsay surrounding it.

Thanks to technology and social media, misinformation travels quicker than a sneeze these days. With confusion and chaos looming large, people are attempting to seek solace - and occasionally answers - within their closest communities. And in a time when many are self-isolating, that often means retreating to WhatsApp goups.

WhatApp - the shared messaging app, within which it's possible to create several different groups and conversations - has played a central role in the last month. With two billion users worldwide, it's safe to assume that information is disseminated there as much as anywhere else.

According to the Ipsos MRBI Social Messaging Quarterly, published in January, 79pc of adults here now have WhatsApp installed on one or more devices. Of those using it, three-quarters are doing so daily.

On the one hand, WhatsApp groups are a place where people are gleaning information and, in some cases, support.

Earlier this week, one group of neighbours in Cabra created their own WhatsApp group, according to a post on a local Facebook group's page.

"Are you interested in providing and receiving support and help from your neighbours if any of us catch the virus?" a notice read. "For example, if you are self-isolating and need groceries, medication, fuel etc, or anything else brought to your house, you can contact that WhatsApp group for support and help."

On the other, it's a place where rumours and notions soon become 'fact', without there being any real way to prove or challenge them. Unguarded, unpoliced and unfiltered, people can posit as they please. The unvarnished truth of it is, we love a rumour. In many cases, we're not likely to let the truth get in the way of a good story, even in circumstances as singularly awful as this.

In a group of school parents, for instance, there are usually dissenters, stirrers and outliers. That is the very nature of the collective. Add something as strange, scary and unfamiliar as coronavirus into the mix, and - without putting too fine a point on it - watch the sparks fly. It's a breeding ground for misinformation. Fear-mongering is impossible to control.

In other more close-knit groups, some friends of mine have shared memes and jokes in what is supposedly their 'safe space'. Sick of the virtue signalling and the handwashing instructions, some of them are shutting out the flow of information from established news outlets and sticking to memes. Others, overwhelmed by the information wave, are sticking to their pals for updates, and panicking in the process. The important messages, for better or worse, are lost on them.

Already, medics have had to stamp out online rumours that have gone viral before they can even put their white coats on. Initially, rumours flew that Covid-19 was a flu that had come from snakes. A little later on, bat soup was the probable culprit. Conspiracy theories about Covid-19 being an American bio-weapon designed to target China have also travelled quickly.

The spread of misinformation is part and parcel of social media, not least because a lie or rumour can travel quicker than other platforms can complete their fact-checking or moderation process.

In India, Prime Minister Narenda Modi was moved to publicly appeal to citizens to stay away from fake news on WhatsApp and Facebook. The rumours the government have had to publicly thwart are plentiful: garlic is an effective protector; pneumonia antibiotics help; heat kills the virus. So far so humorous, but buying into falsehoods can be dangerous.

Sifting the fake news (or theories) from the truth has become harder than it looks. But the tech companies appear to be on the case.

Last year, Pinterest announced that it had rejigged its search result so that vaccine misinformation is now harder to access. And in the wake of the coronavirus episode, Google is attempting to optimise links authored by reputable health sources when people search for information. And Facebook is working to vet or remove harmful or false coronavirus-related content.

Carl Woog, a spokesman for WhatsApp, has told the Washington Post that the company had been vigilant in trying to reduce the reach of misinformation, stressing it is working with governments and others "to respond to the immense challenge presented by the coronavirus".

"WhatsApp is an important tool for health workers to coordinate and we have engaged health ministries around the world to provide simple ways for citizens to receive accurate information about the virus," he said in a statement.

Yet in the attempt to plug the dam of rumours, social media appears very much on the backfoot.

A digital concierge for the Conrad hotel in Dublin spent at least some portion of Friday telling people it was not in fact shuttered because of a suspected case of coronavirus on the premises, the Washington Post reported. It's estimated that many of these rumours originate in online channels.

In Singapore, the government is attempting to use WhatsApp in a positive way. Its health ministry gives daily - and crucially, accurate - updates on the virus to citizens via WhatsApp. "Fake news is typically propagated through Whatsapp, so messaging with the same interface can help stem this flow," Sarah Espaldon, Operations Marketing Manager from Singapore's Open Government Products unit has noted.

It seems as effective a way of stemming widespread panic as any. Once you keep away from those friend groups, mind.
A childhood prank ended up wreaking havoc in the life of a first-year junior high school student in Taiwan, leaving her to struggle with unbearable pain in the years that followed. Nevertheless, upon seeing Chiang Wan-Yuns radiant smile today, no one can tell what this young woman lived through in her teen years.

Chiangwho is now the co-founder of Cultivator, a Taiwanese health drinkhad to quit school in her third year of high school following her illness and overwhelming pain. However, a fortunate turn of events led her to regain health and find her life purpose.

Thanks to fate! I not only got my health back but also learned the meaning of life, she told Minghui.org.

Chiang Wan-Yun, the co-founder of Cultivator, a Taiwanese health drink. (Minghui.org)

Plagued by Illness

Since her young age, Chiang was a perfectionist who wanted to excel in life. However, when she was studying in the first year of junior high, everything changed for the worse. Chiang became the victim to a common classroom prank in which her classmate pulled her chair away as she was about to sit down.

The fall injured Chiangs lower back and hip bones. Her world suddenly turned upside down; she found herself surrounded by unendurable pain and illness.

If living must be accompanied with so much pain, I could not find a reason to live, the now-33-year-old said.

The Epoch Times

Finding it hard to manage the pain, Chiang left her prestigious high school for another school that was closer to her home. However, things didnt seem to get any better. While her friends focused on joining different student organizations or group tutors, Chiang was visiting hospitals.

When my classmates focused on academic performances and passing the college entrance examination with flying colors, I could only watch. I didnt have the strength to even cross the street, let alone pursue personal goals, she said.

Despite seeking treatment from both Western and Chinese medicine, nothing seemed to work for Chiang as she couldnt really pinpoint the exact location of the pain.

A Turning Point

Chiang quit school during her third year in high school to focus on chronic health issues. Almost for the next one year, she was searching for a way that would provide her relief from the pain.

In 2003, a man introduced Chiang to Falun Gongan ancient mind-body cultivation system practiced by over 100 million people across the world since its introduction to the public in 1992 in China.

Although Chiang had no idea about the practice or its much-acclaimed health benefits, the words health and free of charge caught her attention. When she showed the Falun Gong brochure to her parents after they returned home, her mother questioned her, Falun Gong. Isnt it banned in China?

During the early 1990s, Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) gained huge popularity in China and received many awards from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). However, in July 1999, as the number of people practicing Falun Gong exceeded the CCPs membership, the communist regime initiated a brutal persecution campaign to eradicate the peaceful practice.

Chiangs father had heard that the practice was good and told her to attend the classes. With her fathers encouragement, Chiang and her sisters signed up for the free Falun Gong classes.

Health Regained

By the year 2004, Chiang found that practicing the five gentle Falun Gong exercises regularly and living by its core principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance had renewed her health. She was also cured of the endocrine disorder that caused her to suffer from frequent breakouts. Her sudden transformation in health even surprised her former flute teacher whom she had not seen after quitting school.

I am a very healthy person. Nowadays I have no concept of pain, Chiang said.

Freed from her pain, Chiang was able to continue her studies. She enrolled in Tunghai University and earned a double major in law and finance. Looking at her clear and radiant skin, students from other departments asked her for recommendations of beauty products, and she often credited it to her meditation practice.

The Epoch Times

With the persecution of Falun Gong still ongoing in China, Chiang hoped that the people of Taiwan could pay more attention to the human rights abuses in China. She thus decided to join the Youth Union for Promoting International Human Rights Development. The union was formed in 2010 by college and university students across Taiwan, and Chiang, who was a student back then, was nominated as the convenor.

Chiang Wan-Yun at a memorial service held in Taiwan on July 16, 2011, to commemorate Falun Gong practitioners killed in China. (The Epoch Times | Su Yufen)

In 2014, after graduating from college, Chiang decided to set up her own business called Cultivator and co-founded an alkaline health drink along with her father. The companys signature drinks quickly became popular and are now sold in many parts of Taiwan.

Chiang remains grateful to Falun Gong as she is now no longer plagued by illnesses, and is continuing to achieve success in life.

Falun Gong has taught me the most incredible things about life and living, things I hadnt learned anywhere else! she said. I firmly believe that the incomparably lofty cultivation practice that is Falun Gong will help me prevail over all obstacles in life.
Theres no working from home when youre an EMT or a local cop walking the beat.

As novel coronavirus cases continue to climb in New Jersey and across the U.S.  and residents retreat to their homes to help prevent its spread  first responders remain in harms way.

Its hard to imagine this isnt going to touch us at some point, said Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell, referring to the likelihood someone in law enforcement will catch the virus in the course of their duties.

Amid the outbreak, there have been reports of mask-rationing and shortages of sanitizing wipes and other medical supplies. State authorities say more equipment is on the way, but the rapid spread of COVID-19 raises an uncomfortable question for first responders:

How do you self-distance when your job is up close and personal?

Some police departments have taken steps to limit direct person-to-person contact to situations where its absolutely necessary.

Authorities in Summit are taking police reports by phone until further notice. Howell cops are scaling back on responding to routine medical calls.

But while police departments and emergency crews are doubling back on their training and reiterating the importance of personal protective gear and sanitation, experts say there is not much first responders can do besides being extra vigilant.

Law enforcement, emergency services, health care providers in general are going to be at higher risk of exposure because of the nature of the jobs, said Brian Higgins, the former public safety director in Bergen County.

Youre going to see officers who normally hold off wearing gloves a little bit more, said Higgins, now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Officers are going to be given (respirator masks) and provided that opportunity, but its not ebola. Theyre not wearing gas masks.

Police and emergency responders interviewed by NJ Advance Media said theyre walking a tightrope, trying to keep the public  and themselves  informed and protected without stoking panic.

Jeff Behm, president of the medical transport company Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corp., said much of the precautions taken by his responders are the standard operating procedures  just a little more so.

We do have to go into places were not familiar with, and we dont always get the best information, Behm said. "You never know what youre walking into. That was the case before COVID-19.

Jim Ryan, a deputy chief at the South Brunswick Police Department, said his officers are seeing the same headlines about canceled seasons and closed schools as anyone else.

For an officer, that can create increased anxiety," Ryan said. "So we have to, from the local perspective, to keep them informed as best as possible.

Ryan said Police Chief Raymond Hayducka had ordered in January a supply of individual hand sanitizers for officers and re-issued policies on using gloves and keeping a safe distance when possible.

A spokesman for the New Jersey State Police said troopers are issued gloves, a disposable isolation gown, an N-95 respirator mask and eye protection and instructed to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for law enforcement.

Behm, from MONOC, said many of the preventive measures taken by his staff are the steps first responders should be taking even under normal conditions.

The company encourages employees to take off their service boots before entering their homes, for example, and not to commingle their uniforms with their regular laundry, he said.

Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said in a memo to his officers there would be no direct" police response to routine medical calls, unless the call is urgent," in which case officers would wear respirator masks.

Officers who are experiencing symptoms are expected to remain home, and if theres a spread within the department, it could force the entire police department to move its operation or call in mutual aid," Kudrick said in the memo.

Undoubtedly this will effect the community. We absolutely cannot be responsible for transmitting this virus to those we interact with during the course of our duties.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Irish Life was entitled to refuse to pay 250,000 life insurance for murdered gangster Eamon Dunne over his failure to disclose drug and alcohol misuse, as well as depression when taking the policy out, the High Court has heard.

Dunne (42) was shot six times in the head and back in April 2010 while attending a party in a pub in Cabra, Dublin. He was linked to several gang murders, drug trafficking and was on bail awaiting trial shortly before his death for the robbery of a cash-in-transit van in Kildare.

He had taken out the Irish Life Insurance policy, costing 103-a-month, with his partner Georgina Saunders two years before his death.

Ms Saunders, of Lanesborough Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, claims Irish Life failed to make payment wrongfully and was in breach of the terms and conditions of the contract.

However, Irish Life denied the claims, saying non-disclosure of material facts about Dunne when the policy was taken out voided it.

These included that in 2003 he had visited his GP for problems including his cocaine and ecstasy use, depression, feelings of paranoia and excessive drinking.

His GP told the court that his initial attendance at the surgery was in 2001 after a break-up.

Snorting

Dunne was prescribed sleeping pills and anti-depressants.

He attended the GP a number of times in 2003 when it was noted he was "drinking eight cans a night" and snorting substantial amounts of cocaine.

He was no longer suicidal but was still depressed and had trouble sleeping and he was referred to the psychiatrist in Grangegorman, Dublin.

Irish Life said in his insurance proposal form, Dunne had stated he drank six units of alcohol a week, never suffered from a mental or nervous disorder or had treatment for such a disorder in the past five years.

He also said he was not taking prescribed medication and did not take non-prescribed drugs.

The details were entirely misleading and, if disclosed, it would have led to the policy being declined, Irish Life said.

Martin Duffy, from Irish Life, said that because Mr Dunne was just 42 and died of multiple gunshot wounds the company sought his medical records.

It was also learned Mr Dunne had two life policies with Zurich which had also refused to pay out on them, Mr Duffy said.

After questions from Mairead McKenna BL, for Irish Life, Mr Duffy said it would be "completely unacceptable from an insurance point of view" to accept him as a policy holder given the illicit drug use and concerns about his mental health.

Ms Saunders was recalled to the witness box yesterday at the request of the defence.

She told Remy Farrell SC, for Irish Life, she thought there had been a misunderstanding in relation to these questions in the legal papers, known as "interrogatories".

"Maybe I did not understand it, I am not sure, but there were details about mental health issues and I did not know him back then and every answer was 'yes'," she said.

Mr Justice Tony O'Connor adjourned the case to May for legal submissions.
Public Health England has ruled out testing frontline NHS staff for coronavirus unless they are admitted to hospital suffering suspected pneumonia or acute respiratory illness.

Nurses, doctors, paramedics and other frontline staff have been told by NHS officials to self-isolate if they develop any coronavirus symptoms such as a cough or a fever.

The government has moved from trying to contain the outbreak and is currently transitioning into the 'delay' phase of the pandemic.

Frontline NHS staff have been warned they will not be tested for coronavirus unless they require admission to hospital with suspected pneumonia or acute respiratory illness

Public Health England said medics who have symptoms such as a fever or a cough should self-isolate in the first instance in order to help prevent the spread of the illness

It comes after it was revealed today that yet another healthcare worker had tested positive for COVID-19  the disease caused by the infection.

Health officials are now looking for anyone who may have come into contact with the East of England Ambulance Service paramedic from Hertfordshire.

At least six other healthcare workers  including one GP and an A&E doctor  have already been infected since the UK's crisis began in January.

Two doctors working in the private Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh tested positive after going on holiday to Italy, as well as a GP and hospital medic in Brighton who were in the UK's first wave of patients.

According to Public Health England: 'Most adults in good health who develop symptoms will fully recover, and the CMO has advised that it is not necessary for them to be tested.

'However, to protect the most vulnerable they should stay at home for seven days to reduce the spread in the community.

'People who are generally well will not be tested but should manage their illness at home.

'However, if people do develop more serious symptoms, they should visit 111 online or call the 111 helpline.'

The NHS has told staff that in the event of 'an established significant epidemic, the organisation will be put under 'extreme pressure'.

Officials acknowledge that staff shortages will occur due to 'sickness or caring responsibilities'.

In a letter sent to staff by England's Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty and his colleagues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, he outlined the task faced by the NHS.

Chief Medical Officer for England Prof Chris Whitty, pictured, has written to NHS doctors to warn them about the task ahead if there is a full-blown outbreak. He said some staff will have to work in areas which they are not familiar so they can continue providing a service to the public

He wrote: 'A significant epidemic will require healthcare professionals to be flexible in what they do. It may entail working in unfamiliar circumstances or surroundings, or working in clinical areas outside of their usual practice for the benefit of patients and the population as a whole.

'This can be stressful and you may have concerns about both the professional practicalities and implications of working in such circumstances.

'We need to stick to the basic principles of being a good doctor. All doctors are expected to follow GMC guidance and use their judgement in applying the principles to the situations they face, but these rightly take account of the realities of a very abnormal emergency situation.

'We want doctors, in partnership with patients, always to use their professional judgement to assess risk and to make sure people receive safe care, informed by the values and principles set out in their professional standards. A rational approach to varying practice in an emergency is part of that professional response.'
Network Rail has provided a huge boost to the Great British Spring Clean campaign by pledging to get all its 41,000 employees involved.

The firm, which owns and manages most of Britain's railway network, says litter, fly-tipping and graffiti can cause safety problems and delays for passengers.

All staff are being offered volunteer days to join litter-picks in their communities, while bosses are promising up to 2million for extra clean-ups and prevention in the worst-hit areas.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told the Daily Mail, which is backing the campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy, that litter is a 'disgrace' to our railways and said the company is 'determined' to tackle it.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines (pictured in Paddington Station, London) says that litter is a 'disgrace' to our railways and that the company is 'determined' to tackle it

The pledge now brings the total number of volunteers up to 665,943, with 18,020 litter-pick events organised across the country.

Litter is a huge problem for the railways, as it can attract rats that chew on cables, leading to signal failures, delays and accidents. Discarded metal cans and foil have also been known to cause short circuits.

Each year, Network Rail spends 3.5million removing graffiti.

The firm's 2million pledge will be targeted on bigger clean-ups and preventative measures. There is now less than a week to go before the Great British Spring Clean kicks off on March 20. It runs until April 13.

In light of coronavirus, Keep Britain Tidy advises volunteers not to attend a clean-up if they are suffering cold or flu-like symptoms. It also urges participants to wear gloves and stay three steps away from others.

Litter (fly-tipping scene pictured) is a huge problem for the railways, as it can attract rats that chew on cables, leading to signal failures, delays and accidents




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With the number of lawsuits facing the Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD) estimated by attorneys at more than 150, it is clear there is something terribly wrong with an agency that cant help but get it wrong when it comes to dealing with children. The stories of Victoria Martens, Omaree Varela, and the young child raped in foster care are glaring examples of CYFDs systemic incompetence. My family was victimized by CYFD in 2017 when it believed the retaliatory allegations of my daughters kindergarten teacher  at Calvary Christian Academy in Albuquerque.

Whether CYFD is allowing the abuse and murder of children it has received repeated calls concerning or whether it is actively engaged in the kind of misconduct my family experienced, CYFD cant seem to get it right. New Mexicans are supposed to give CYFD workers like  whom we dealt with, a pass when they engage in misconduct because they claim they are just trying to protect children, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The lack of transparency and corruption at CYFD is something New Mexicans are all too familiar with. Its time we stop giving CYFD Cabinet Secretary Brian Blalock and his minions a pass and shine a spotlight on an organization that does more harm than good. Lets not forget, according to CYFDs own data, 74 percent of the families that face an invasive and abusive investigation by the agency, like mine, are guilty of nothing more than angering a neighbor, teacher, or ex-spouse. It is time the New Mexico Legislature finally impose accountability on CYFD.

I am asking the Legislature to impose five reforms on CYFD that can dramatically reduce the misconduct of investigators and social workers by changing the incentive structure for these employees.

First, the state Legislature should pass Abbys Law, which will make it illegal to knowingly make a false child abuse allegation. Our family may have been saved from the emotional, financial and professional loss we faced if the teacher that retaliated against us for questioning her competence feared prosecution for making a false allegation.

Second, the Legislature should create an independent department of internal affairs to investigate the misconduct of CYFD employees. 

Third, it should become a standing CYFD policy that any employee who makes false or misleading statements in a sworn affidavit will be fired. 

Fourth, all CYFD investigations and interviews should be video recorded. This, too, would prevent CYFD employees from making false statements fearing misconduct would be recorded.

Finally, all records from CYFD and Childrens Court proceedings should be open to the public, with the names of minors redacted. The current system allows CYFD to escape public scrutiny and allows incompetent and corrupt employees to continue their activity unabated because media is prevented from viewing the sealed case files of Childrens Court cases. This practice hides misconduct. It does not protect children.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Blalock have had sufficient time to clean up the mess.  They have not.

Too many New Mexico families are poorly served. 
An Indian national in Rwanda has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the east African country, health officials said on Saturday

Kigali: An Indian national in Rwanda has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the east African country, health officials said on Saturday.

The country's health ministry, in a statement, said that the Indian citizen arrived in Rwanda from Mumbai on 8 March. "The patient had no symptoms upon arrival in Rwanda and reported himself to a health facility on 13 March, where he was immediately tested," the ministry said on Twitter.

Statement by Ministry of Health

14 March 2020 Rwanda confirms first case of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/OARD9vMpnX  Ministry of Health (@RwandaHealth) March 14, 2020

He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the statement said, adding that the tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management.

This is the second case in east Africa, after Kenya recorded the first case of COVID-19 on Friday.

Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The deadly novel coronavirus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 5,000 lives and infected more than 134,000 people across 110 countries and territories, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) describing the outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday.

In India, the number of coronavirus cases rose to 84 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka.

The Rwandan health ministry advised all residents of Rwanda to continue to observe all instructions from health authorities, particularly by washing hands regularly, avoiding large gatherings, and reporting any symptoms by calling the toll-free number 114.
In the aftermath of the Diamond Princess Covid 19 ordeal, the question of assigning responsibility is a complicated matter. Should it be the company, Princess Cruises, that owns the ship? Or the governments of the countries where the company is located, in the United States, or where the ship is flagged, in Bermuda, an island that is under the United Kingdom?

Or, in this situation where a possible coronavirus infection was discovered while the vessel was in the high seas, should it be the country, Japan, that was charitable enough to allow it to dock in one of its ports?

If one must point fingers, should China bear the responsibility for the disease transmission on the Diamond Princess, and the ensuing quarantine and infections? After all, the Covid 19 originated from one of its provinces.

Challenges that occur in ships while at sea need to be addressed immediately especially when the lives and safety of the people on board are at stake. Crucial decisions must be made without delay as time is of the essence. But on international waters where jurisdiction does not belong to any country, who will assume responsibility then?

Responsibility comes in many forms. The Princess Cruises, owner of the Diamond Princess, announced that it will refund all its passengers, including the cost of the cruise, payments for hotels before and after the cruise, on-shore excursions, and services requested. It will also pay for the medical facilities and hospital admissions even if unrelated to the Covid 19 outbreak. This is easy enough to do since only money is involved.

But for a country to allow an infected ship to enter its territorial waters, and accept the encompassing responsibility for all that follows, it's a tough decision to make.

When the Diamond Princess officers were informed that a passenger who had since disembarked in Hong Kong had been confirmed positive for Covid 19, they decided to cut the voyage short and return to Yokohama, Japan. There was no question of being denied permission. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and his ministers did not have a moment's hesitation. It accepted the burden of making decisions and creating action plans without ample time to consider the implications.

Further, the government had to coordinate with the ship's company on the supply of provisions, medicines and other basic needs, and the logistics of transporting them. The testing of passengers and crew, numbering more than 3,700, the hospitalization of the sick, whether from Covid 19 or another illness, the isolation of the sick from the healthy, and transfers to medical facilities all added up to a nightmarish scenario. That the quarantine could not be perfect is understandable, even expected, given that the disease is a newly discovered one, and the infection was fast-moving.

It's worth mentioning that another cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, was refused entry to four other countries over fears of the coronavirus, even though the ship was virus-free. Hong Kong, Philippines, Guam, and Taipei had enacted ordinances barring certain vessels and individuals from entering through their ports. The Diamond Princess was already in Japan at that time and the government had its hands full; hence, it denied entry for the Westerdam.

But these countries could not be faulted nor held liable for refusing entry to the cruise ship. They were not legally bound to do so unless the ship was in dire circumstances. Ultimately, it comes down to moral and social responsibility. It's reflecting on how one's actions will affect the passengers and crew on the ship.

It is a country's leadership that accepts accountability for its actions. Social and moral responsibility rests on one concept - ethics, a system of principles that determine responsible behavior. Its underlying elements are compassion, courage, fairness, and accountability.

The Diamond Princess being in Hong Kong at that time, it will naturally seek nearby ports, and its distance to the United States and the United Kingdom naturally eliminate them from consideration. But being American-owned and British-flagged, and with 400 American citizens and 78 Britons on board, that should have elicited a response from these two governments. Yet, in spite of some passengers calling on Pres. Trump to help them, it took the most powerful nation on earth 13 days since the start of the ordeal to announce that it would send chartered planes to evacuate its citizens and only those who were negative for the disease.

The UK government sent a plane much later, earning for PM Johnson the tag of "part-time minister."

And, for all that the Japanese did to help the cruise's passengers and crew, medical experts from US agencies and institutions had a media frenzy, criticizing and calling the quarantine a failure of epic proportions. It would have been laughable were it not tragic that people who pride themselves on being experts in their fields have turned into mere armchair critics, no better than an aging uncle who sits in front of his television telling a star athlete what to do.

If one cannot be involved in the actual mission and participate in the medical and logistical operations, the least a government can do is to give moral support, express its gratitude, and shut up with its censorious statements.
Political leaders on Friday welcomed the release of Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference, three-time chief minister (CM) of Jammu & Kashmir and a sitting Lok Sabha member.

Revocation of Dr Abdullahs Public Safety Act [PSA] is a step to correct one wrong among many wrongs. Though late, the decision to revoke PSA of Dr Abdullah is welcome. The government must also release political leaders, activists and civil society members, who have been detained arbitrarily since August 5, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

The politicians have been detained because of political vendetta by the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, he alleged.

The former J&K legislator said that some of the detainees were shifted to prisons outside the newly carved out Union Territory and they were still languishing there. The cases of all the detainees in Kashmir must be reviewed. The curbs on democratic activities, which have been going on since August 5, need to be lifted immediately, he said.

Panthers Party chairman and former education minister Harsh Dev Singh also welcomed Dr Abdullahs release.

He should not have been detained in the first place. He is always talking of India and has been used by successive governments for anti-Pakistan campaigns. He chants Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Who does this in Kashmir? Which other leader in Kashmir has the courage to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai? he asked.

Singh hoped that Dr Abdullah will contribute to restoring peace in the coming days.

He, however, also had a word of advice for the government. One should take opposition leaders into confidence rather than harassing them and muzzling their voice. I feel Dr Abdullah should work for the restoration of statehood. Article 370 is now gone and there is no use crying over spilt milk, he said.

J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said, Better late than never. But there was no logic behind Dr Abdullahs detention.

In the past few days, the BJP was embarrassed in Parliament and before the country for riots in north-east Delhi and for hate speeches of its ministers. Those in J&K who didnt speak anything were detained under the PSA. While Union minister [Anurag Thakur] and others [Kapil Mishra] who made hate speeches right under the nose of home minister Amit Shah were never taken to task. Had the government taken any action against them, it would have set an example. Double standards of the BJP wont work anymore. People are not ready to accept the BJP governments duplicity, Mir said.

J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina hoped that Dr Abdullah would work for the welfare of the people. I hope that Dr Abdullah being an MP will work for the betterment of the people of J&K and will help in maintaining brotherhood and peace in Kashmir. I hope he will abide by the Constitution of India and will not instigate the youth against the nation, he said.

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Theatres have shut down as a part of the governments efforts to curb the spread and influence of the novel coronavirus and thankfully, Angrezi Medium happens to be the last film that we watched for what seems to be an indefinitely long time.



Not to forget, it was a much needed sanity-restorer after Baaghi 3. Despite chugging quite a few cups of green tea and eating clean, this was the cinematic detox that we finally needed to get that monstrosity of a film out of our wits.



Although director Ahmed Khan did respond to criticism by frivolously saying: "People accept these things in Hollywood (eg Fast and Furious), but want logic in Bollywood. But dear Mr Khan, let me tell you that Hollywood doesnt send a young boy on a "paid vacation" from Agra to Syria or between two sets of Chinook blades for fun.



 Fox Star Studios

On a side note, congratulations to Jyotiraditya Scindia - his job switch was definitely better written than Baaghi 3. But lets come back to Angrezi Medium.



Cast:



Irrfan returns as Champak Bansal, a 'halwai' from Udaipur, a single parent who is perennially confused. He is in a legal battle with his cousin over the use of their ancestral shop.



The cousin, Gopi Bansal is played by the fantastic Deepak Dobriyal. Deepak and Irffans partnership is like a refreshing breeze on the screen: a treat we all deserve to watch. Deepak, being the more affluent one, is able to bribe the judge into a positive decision for him.



 Maddock Films

Radhika Madaan plays Tarika Bansal, the daughter of Irffan. Her only obsession has been to visit and/or migrate to The West. She eyes a certain competition where scoring well could get her a scholarship at a reputed London Uni. Irffan says what can roughly be paraphrased as: "Ye exam hai, koi election nahin ki apne MLA kam pad gaye toh doosre ke le liye."



Kareena Kapoor Khan, who's recently joined Instagram, plays Naina Kohli, a London-based cop. Kiku Sharda plays Gajju, a friend of both the brothers (Irrfan and Deepak), and owns a transport business. The three drink together at their designated spot.



 Maddock Films

Ranvir Shorey plays an NRI who cons people by showing them the English Dream.



Dimple Kapadia plays Kareena's Mother and is a "khadoos" businesswoman in London. Pankaj Tripathi makes a guest appearance as a Dubai based agent who helps people in illegally immigrating to the west.



Plot:



While we thought the film will be about education, it turned out to be about parenthood instead. The plot is essentially about a father-daughter relationship that is strained because of the same. When Radhika finally finds the scholarship, Irrfan fucks up and gets the scholarship cancelled.



 Maddock Films

The two then decide to opt for English citizenship and then claim their seats. After reaching England with the help of Ranvir Shorey, the two unfortunately get deported. Radhika, who is now alone in the UK, learns the art of fending for herself which pays her rent. She enjoys this new freedom and responsibility which she had yearned for since forever.



Irrfan reaches England on a fake Pakistani passport and sees his daughter transformed. From there, the film takes a very Baghban turn and is stretched on the back of preachy monologues. The film, in a way, belittles the ambitions of the kids and shows the father in a light of pity.



 Maddock Films

Three things we liked:



Cast, performances, authenticity (understanding of time and space).

Three things we didnt like:

One, the dialogues come across as very preachy and in fact, the second-half monologues are borderline cringeworthy.

Secondly, the film is made from a parents perspective: it doesnt make effort to understand the millennial mindset. You can clearly see that the directors politics is biased towards the previous gen, which, in my opinion, is slightly imbalanced.

And lastly, the great talents of Pankaj Tripathi have been grossly underutilised. Of course, he makes a guest appearance, but the impact that we have come to expect of him doesnt come across.

Rating: Full-unjoi (4/5)
Mossie Cashman and his wife Catherine with their children and grandchildren, celebrating the arrival of the first day limited edition of the War of Independence Stamp and envelope featuring The Men of the South.

There was great excitement at the Cashman home in Newmarket, last week when An Post delivered a 'first day' limited edition of the War of Independence Stamp and envelope featuring 'The Men of the South' as depicted by renowned artist Sean Keating.

The iconic portrait was selected as An Post's stamp of 2020 as the organisation commemorates the War of Independence.

It is of personal significance to Mossie Cashman because his father Jim Cashman is one of the six men featured on the stamp and the original painting.

The other men are Jim Riordan (Kiskeam), Denny Mullane (Freemount), Johnny Jones (Ballydesmond), Roger Kiely (Cullen) and Dan Browne of Meelin who were all members of Sean Moylan's Flying Column.

Speaking to The Corkman, while surrounded by his children and grandchildren, Mossie said he was delighted that An Post honoured these men by issuing the stamp.

He said An Post have invited the families of all the men featured on the stamp to attend a reception at the GPO.

Just across town from the Cashman's, Eoin O'Sullivan, great-grandson of Roger Kiely, also received a first day issue War of Independence commemorative stamp and envelope. Like the Cashman family, he too is proud to share his heritage with his children and is looking forward to the meeting all the other families at the GPO.

The original 'Men of the South' painting which is almost 100 years old hangs in the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork City and is well known to art students and historians alike.

"We know from a diary kept by Dan Browne that Keating's first meeting with the men was on Tuesday, January 3, 1922, when he observed that 'history belongs to posterity and should be documented in paint as well as print' local historian Sheila O' Sullivan said.

"Thanks to Keating, these men from Duhallow have become icons of Ireland's fight for freedom and part of our patriotic identity. Their image also features on the cover of The Atlas of the Irish Revolution and at Spike Island their image welcomes large amounts of visitors to the War of Independence Exhibition" Sheila added.
(Alliance News) - Jet2 planes from the UK to Spain turned back in mid-air as the airline announced it was cancelling all flights to the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.

New infections have risen sharply in Spain and the government put 60,000 people in four towns on a mandatory lockdown on Friday.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said a two-week state of emergency will come into force as the death toll reached 120.

Jet2 is owned by London-listed Dart Group PLC. It is based at nine UK airports and flies to destinations including Alicante, Malaga and Lanzarote. Jet2 said it was cancelling all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.

A spokeswoman for the airline confirmed on Saturday morning that flights had turned back.

A statement from Jet2 said: "In response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops, and activities including any water sports, we have taken the decision to cancel all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.

"We know these local measures will have a significant impact on our customers' holidays, which is why we have taken this decision.

"We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us.

"This is a fast-moving and complex situation and we are reviewing our programme as a matter of urgency, so that we can fly customers back to the UK.

"The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority, and we would like to thank our customers for their understanding."

By Catherine Wylie, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
By Belen Carreno and Jesus Aguado MADRID (Reuters) - Spain said it would declare a 15-day state of emergency from Saturday, signalling a sharp escalation in its fight against the coronavirus, as some regions shut shops and church authorities cancelled at least two Easter parades. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the number of cases could top 10,000 by next week - more than double the current level - and asked citizens to play their part. 'Heroism is also washing your hands and staying home,' Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation on Friday

By Belen Carreno and Jesus Aguado

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain said it would declare a 15-day state of emergency from Saturday, signalling a sharp escalation in its fight against the coronavirus, as some regions shut shops and church authorities cancelled at least two Easter parades.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the number of cases could top 10,000 by next week - more than double the current level - and asked citizens to play their part.

"Heroism is also washing your hands and staying home," Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation on Friday. "Victory depends on every one of us, in our home, our family, our work, our neighbourhood."

He did not spell out what emergency powers he would use, or what help shut-down businesses would get. The order allows the government to confine people, ration supplies and requisition factories and other buildings, apart from private homes.

Earlier on Friday, Catalonia, Spain's second-richest region, ordered the closure of gyms, nightclubs and shopping centres, apart from ones selling food.

The restrictions reached deep into Spanish culture. Church authorities cancelled Holy Week processions in Spain's largest northwestern city, Valladolid, and on the Balearic island of Mallorca. The events, which this year are due to start in early April, usually draw crowds of believers and tourists.

Madrid, which accounts for half of Spain's coronavirus cases, was unusually quiet on Friday, with shops, streets and cafes largely deserted.

"A DISASTER"

Spanish media said authorities has decided to close bars and shops - apart from supermarkets and pharmacies - in the capital and the surrounding region from Saturday.

"It is a disaster for employers and workers," 39-year old Mustafa Elkeneski, a waiter in a cafe in the centre of the city.

"We don't know how it will work out. The issue of pay is up in the air."

Spain has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe after Italy. The current Spanish tally stands at 4,209, up by about 1,000 cases from Thursday and seven times as much as on Sunday. About 120 people have died.

Schools have already closed across Spain, as have cinemas, theatres and playgrounds. Several regions have also suspended trials.

Catalan authorities on Thursday locked down four towns around the village of Igualada - 49 km (30 miles) north of Barcelona - after an outbreak in the area, the first large-scale action of its kind in Spain.

The government and regional authorities started ramping up measures on Monday, including banning flights from Italy and giving small and medium businesses a moratorium on paying taxes.

(Reporting by Belen Carreno, Emma Pinedo, Clara-Laeila Laudette, Joan Faus, Andrei Khalip; Writing by Ingrid Melander, editing by Catherine Evans and Andrew Heavens)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Parliament This Week in Parliament

Lawmakers vote on charter amendments at the Union Parliament on March 11. / The Irrawaddy

Monday (March 9)

Parliament took a day off to mark Full Moon Day of Tabaung.

Tuesday (March 10)

The Union Parliament began voting on proposed amendments to the 2008 Constitution.

Proposals that sought to end the defense services national political leadership role, gradually reducing the militarys share of seats and to end both the commander-in-chiefs role as the supreme commander of the armed forces and his right to take power during an emergency failed to receive the required support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers.

Only two proposals  the changes to the written term for disabled in Burmese  were approved.

Wednesday (March 11)

The National League for Democracys (NLD) proposal to scrap the Article 59(f), which bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from the presidency, ended in failure.

The article is widely viewed as targeting State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose children are British, as was her late husband.

The militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) lawmaker called being able to block the NLDs bid to scrap Article 59(f) a victory for the nation.

Meanwhile, the structure of the countrys most authoritative security body, the National Defense and Security Council, remains unchanged as the NLDs proposal to add two deputy parliamentary speakers to the 11-member council failed to receive the required support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers. The military, therefore, will retain its dominance of the council with six members.

Lower House USDP lawmaker U Thaung Aye expressed his concern that the NLDs fruitless attempts to change the 2008 Constitution will mar the image of Myanmars military with the international community.

Thursday (March 12)

A series of amendments proposed by the NLD to limit the special powers of Myanmars military chief during states of emergency failed.

The commander-in-chief will thus continue to enjoy sovereign powers in emergencies, including the right to exercise the powers of the legislature, executive and judiciary.

Friday (March 13)

The NLDs bid to reduce the requirement for approving a charter amendment from more than 75 percent of lawmakers to two-thirds of elected representatives ended in failure, meaning Myanmars military, which holds 25 percent of seats in the national legislature, will continue to retain its veto over any constitutional amendment.

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This Week in Parliament
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegal's National Assembly has called for the postponement of all religious gatherings in order to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country, which officially had 19 cases on Saturday
Indias mass poverty, teeming slums, and poor to non-existent public infrastructure provide an ideal environment for the coronavirus to quickly spread and produce a human catastrophe threatening the lives of millions. Yet Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government are stubbornly refusing to mobilize significant state resources to halt the spread of the virus, let alone expropriating resources from the rich and their private hospitals to protect the population.

After weeks of inaction, the BJP government announced a sweeping travel ban last Wednesday, but provided no significant injection of funds and resources to halt the spread of the coronavirus. New Delhi has suspended all travel visas to India, apart from a few highly specialized categories, such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15.

At least five states and territoriesthe national capital Delhi, Kerala, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmirhave issued social distancing orders, closing all or most educational institutions and cinemas till March 31, or in the case of Madhya Pradesh till further notice. In Kerala, which is on high alert, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that public gatherings must be avoided at any cost.

At a press briefing Friday evening, a Health Ministry official put the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India at 81, but said that 4,000 potential cases, identified through contact tracing, were being monitored. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, he and other officials denied India is facing a health emergency.

There is every reason to believe that the Indian government figures grossly underestimate the prevalence of the coronavirus. In a country of 1.3 billion people, just 6,700 people have been tested for the disease.

While most of the confirmed COVID-19 patients can be connected to travel to a country that was already affected by the coronavirus outbreak, reports show that at least 11 people contracted the infection through local transmission, pointing to the danger of large scale but as of yet undetected community transmission.

A 68-year-old woman succumbed to COVID-19 at a Delhi hospital Friday. Meanwhile, the son of the 76-year-old man who became Indias first coronavirus fatality last Tuesday is charging that his treatment was delayed for several days because multiple hospitals refused to admit him because they feared he had the disease, and that this delay led to his death.

The Indian state spends the equivalent of less than 1.5 percent of the countrys GDP on health care, among the lowest figures in the world.

The budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, tabled little more than a month ago as China was already engulfed by a coronavirus epidemic, allocated just US $9.7 billion for health, while setting aside a massive $66 billion for the military, so that New Delhi can pursue the predatory global ambitions of the Indian bourgeoisie.

On average, India has only a single state-run hospital for every 55,591 people, and a single hospital bed for every 1,844 people. It would require at least 500,000 more doctors to meet WHOs recommended doctor to population ratio.

In a tweet on March 12, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told people to Say No to Panic, Say Yes to Precautions and proclaimed: We can break the chain of spread and ensure safety of all by avoiding large gatherings. These empty and careless statements are an attempt to cover up his governments criminal negligence in taking timely action to halt the spread of the coronavirus and provide quality care.

Modis appeal to avoid large gatherings ignores the realities of contemporary India. With on average 420 people per square kilometer, India has one of the worlds highest population densities. Moreover, tens of millions live in cramped quarters in Indias slums, many of which are already ravaged by tuberculosis and other social diseases.

A further risk factor is Indias high rate of internal migration. Tens of millions of Indians migrate annually from their villages to do seasonal work, such as agriculture, or short-term work (e.g. construction).

In addition to the travel visa suspension, the government has mandated 14-day quarantine for all incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15.

On March 5, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued a travel advisory asking those arriving in the country including Indian nationals from COVID-19-affected Italy and South Korea to produce a certificate showing that they had tested negative for the deadly virus.

This has caused immense difficulties. On Wednesday, the Hindustan Times reported nearly two hundred Indian nationals were stranded at Milan and Rome airports because they either were unaware that medical certificates were required or had been unable to procure them.

The Modi government, which in recent weeks has been preoccupied with suppressing the mass opposition to its anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act, will undoubtedly seek to exploit the coronavirus pandemic to arrogate power and attack democratic rights.

On March 11, a Cabinet Secretary meeting decided that states and Union territories should invoke Section 2 of British colonial states Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. This empowers authorities to conduct searches of homes and passengers, forcibly segregate ill or affected persons, order the evacuations and demolition of infected places, ban large gatherings, public meetings and festivals and suspend pilgrimages.

Responsibility for establishing and running Indias quarantine facilities is being given over to the military.

Underscoring how necessary quarantining and other actions can be abused, the BJP government in Karnataka government issued a temporary regulation on Wednesday, Karnataka Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, under which persons, institutions or organizations found guilty of using print or electronic media to spread misinformation on COVID-19 can be punished. According to the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence National Health Profile 2017, Karnataka spent only 0.7 of its GDP on healthcare, the third lowest in the country after Maharashtra and Haryana.

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[13 March 2020]

For a globally coordinated emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic!

[28 February 2020]
A dozen countries, including India and the US, on Friday asked publishers to make all coronavirus-related research and data immediately available to the public to contain and mitigate the rapidly evolving pandemic.

The virus, which first surfaced in China in December, has now killed more than 5,000 people globally.

"To assist efforts to contain and mitigate the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, basic science research and innovation will be vital to addressing this global crisis. Given the urgency of the situation, it is particularly important that scientists and the public can access research outcomes as soon as possible, science officials from these countries said in an open letter to the Members of the Scholarly Publishing Community.

A copy of the joint open letter was issued by the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Member of President Donald Trumps Coronavirus Task Force, Dr Kelvin Droegemeier on behalf of the government science leaders including science ministers and chief science advisors from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

"We, as national leaders on science policy, applaud the efforts of researchers to understand and prevent the infection and spread of COVID-19. We also greatly appreciate the funders and publishers who play the important role of supporting, reviewing, and communicating research outcomes and making publications and data available to the global community for scientific research and public awareness, they wrote in the call-to-action.

These leaders requested that existing and new articles be made available in machine-readable format to allow full text and data mining with rights accorded for research re-use and secondary analysis. This will allow researchers to apply artificial intelligence to answer critical questions and identify trends and relevant information in their efforts to characterize this novel virus and address the global health crisis, they said.

They said that this information should be in both human and machine-readable format to allow for full text and data mining using artificial intelligence with rights accorded for research re-use and secondary analysis. We further respectfully request this arrangement apply to articles published to date as well as future articles for the duration of this crisis, they said. PTI LKJ NSA
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has denied reports that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

He took to Twitter to confirm he is awaiting the results of a second test on Friday.

Bolsonaro tweeted: Coronavirus exam done with the team that were with JB in USA have not yet been completed.

Reports in the US and Brazil said Bolsonaro has contracted the virus, which led to a strong denial from the president on social media.



He dined with US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Saturday night, along with his press secretary, who was diagnosed with the disease following the trip.

Pictures and video show Trump, Bolsonaro and his press secretary Fabio Wajngarten all in close proximity on March 7.

Wajngarten was tested in Sao Paulo and received his positive result on Thursday after showing signs of flu.

Trump however told reporters on Thursday: Im not concerned.

According to Fox News, a number of White House officials were called into an urgent meeting in the chief of staffs office.

Bolsonaro appeared on TV on yesterday asking people to avoid the streets, after initially playing down the crisis, saying: Other flus kill more than this and also called concern over coronavirus oversized.

His son tweeted on Thursday that his father is not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.

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Q: Why would God design a universe where such destructive events as the coronavirus can happen?  S

A: I was ordained to be a rabbi not a prophet so when it comes to explaining Gods ways with the world, I always begin with the disclaimer that I am in sales not management. Even so, this pandemic has clear spiritual implications that are at least as important as its medical elements.

Even the coronavirus is not evil. It is just a part of Gods plan for the governance of the world. Stripped of the fear they cause, viruses are just part of the natural functioning of the earth. Viruses may actually have played an important role in helping us to evolve into the species we have become. They weed out genetic material that is maladapted to the world and introduce new variants of the human species who are immune to their predations. Viruses do for us what lions do for herds of wildebeest. They make certain that the strong survive. This may seem harsh, but Gods plan is to give life an edge over death and this is one of the ways God nurtures life. Dont blame God because some get sick and die. Life is always the winner over death in the long run. That truth is also from God.

The coronavirus may be a lesson from God not to manipulate the natural world. We know the virus began in China, but we do not know how. If the virus was accidentally released from a lab that did not have enough protections against the release of pathogens into the environment, then the problem is our sin, not Gods malevolence. We need to be much more careful when handling germs that could eat the earth. If the virus was not released from a careless lab but was released as the result of eating unclean animals or eating animals kept in unsanitary conditions, then the problem is also on us. We need to be humble and hesitant in blaming God for evils we create.

The coronavirus may be a warning from God to help each other. We have created a world that is linked to make money but not always linked to keep us safe. The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis (Chapter 11) is the story of a unified and linked mankind that used its primitive globalism to Make a name (11:4) not to bring peace and healing to all. The global interconnectedness of the world is our contemporary Babel. We must use it distribute medicine and medical information, not hoard it. Our worldwide cooperation now is both a challenge and a test.

Finally, the uniform advice from all the medical professionals is deeply spiritual in its implications ... DONT PANIC. Panic produces irrational reactions that wildly exaggerate this threat. The problem is that we dont know the extent of this threat or its future and that uncertainty fuels panic. While we await a medical vaccine that will end this pandemic, our best course is to find a spiritual vaccine. That spiritual antidote is faith and hope and the biblical storehouse of this vaccine is Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The key is verse four, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The promise of faith is not a life without threats and dangers. The promise is a life with hope and the certain knowledge that we do not face danger alone. God is with us to calm us and to give us hope in the face of uncertainty and even death. This is the core of faith. It is not blind; it is the result of our experiences during past journeys through the valley of the shadow of death. This virus may infect our bodies, but it will not infect our faith if we embrace the belief that we are not facing this trial alone.

May we walk through the valley with God and together.

Send ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including Religion for Dummies, co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman.
New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday strongly condemned the hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel.

"Strangely, when international crude oil prices are falling sharply, the Narendra Modi government, as is its wont, has increased the excise duty on petrol and diesel. This is a criminal assault on people already suffering under economic recession", the party said in a statement.

The government has increased special excise duty by Rs 2 to Rs 8 per litre in case of petrol and to Rs 4 in case of diesel.
Seema Verma, who as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services heads the two government medical insurance programmes for senior citizens and for the poor, speaks at the White House news conference with President Donald, at le Image Source: IANS News

New York, March 14 : US President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in order to make more funds available for fighting the fallout of the disease while reflecting symbolically the seriousness of the situation.

Trump said on Friday that up to $50 billion will be available to states and territories to meet the challenge and declared, "No resource will be spared." The declaration came as the number of coronavirus cases in the US hit 1,800 with 41 deaths.

The stock markets zoomed as Trump made the declaration at a White House news conference. After having plummeted by more than nine per cent on Thursday, the markets gained about the same percentage on Friday, most of the gain coming while Trump spoke.

Trump said that states and local administrations will get the resources made available through the emergency declaration.

He said, "I'm urging every state to set up emergency operations centres effective immediately." However, Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi were at odds on a national coronavirus relief package.

Trump called the relief package proposed by Pelosi as not "what's right for the country" while Pelosi was adamant about going ahead with a vote on it in the Democratic Party-controlled House of Representatives.

The US President also said that under the emergency the rules would be made flexible to allow doctors and hospitals to deal with the crisis.

Health Secretary Alex Azar will be empowered to waive rules for developing medications and tests and for promoting telemedicine.

In keeping with the Republican philosophy of involving the private sector he announced several initiatives with corporations.

The main initiative is with Google that will enable to people to screen themselves online to see if they needed a COVID-19 test and where they can get it if needed.

Trump said that 1,700 engineers will be working on the projects with Google.

He met with several executives of private companies before the news conference and some of them spoke to the media about their programmes.

The retailer Walmart with a large national footprint and others like Target will make available their facilities to COVID-19 testing.

The pharmaceutical company Roche will be able to get a shortcut to offer its system for fast tests for the coronavirus.

Trump defended his administration's response saying that it was following the procedures in place that were not designed for a crisis like the coronavirus and that changes would be made to deal with similar crises should they arise in the future.

Seema Verma, who heads the two separate federal health insurance programmes for senior citizens and for the poor, noted that a lot of the deaths were among older people and said that several new regulations are being put in place to protect those in nursing homes for the elderly.

Pressed by a reporter who accused him of being "selfish" by not getting himself tested for the coronavirus after having been photographed in the company of someone who had come done with it, Trump said that he would undergo the test but would not say when or commit to making it public.

Trump and medical experts with him said that people should undergo tests only when a doctor advises them to take them.

Trump declared the emergency under a 1988 law for funnelling aid to states and local administrations.

Unlike in India, a state of emergency like this in the US does not involve limiting civil rights and it only paves the way for providing funds for dealing with the fallout of a disaster like the coronavirus and for relaxing laws and regulations to speed up medical response.

Senate Republican leader Chuck Schumer has said that under the law known as the Stafford Act $42.6 billion could be immediately available from the Disaster Relief Fund.

Trump has been under criticism for his handling of the coronavirus crisis by not responding soon enough or adequately.

Schumer and 35 other senators had written to Trump on Wednesday asking him to declare the state of emergency to make the funds available.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Photo credit: BBC

From Digital Spy

Simmering away under the high stakes of Our Girl's Army tours, the will-they-won't-they romance between Georgie Lane (Michelle Keegan) and her colleague Elvis (Luke Pasqualino) kept viewers invested while also allowing for a more relatable story to contrast the ongoing jeopardy.

Their intense relationship was always one that looked sure to burn out. Georgie never needed a man (and she knew it), but she also never quite managed to leave Elvis behind for too long.

The decision was torn away from them when Elvis' tragic death formed the shocking cliffhanger at the end of season three's first half. To say the move proved divisive among fans would be an understatement, but creator of the BBC One drama Tony Grounds stood firmly by it  largely, it seems, because he didn't have much choice but to write the fan-favourite character out of the show.

Photo credit: BBC

Admitting that there were a "combination of factors" involved in the decision, he acknowledged that the show's central romance was both "brilliant and toxic" and so, by pulling them apart, it was "honouring that story".

"It was a great dramatic way to go with it," Grounds also told the Radio Times in the same interview. "Being in the forces, [Elvis is] quite close to death all the time so that was the one thing that stuck in my mind."

Whatever was to happen in that particular concluding episode, which aired for the first time in October 2017, it was written in stone that actor Luke Pasqualino would not be coming back afterwards. "[He] had signed a contract to do another show which tied him up for five years with Snatch. So we had no choice," Grounds conceded in the same interview.

Photo credit: BBC

"We could have sent [Elvis] to prison or on holiday or just not seen him for five years but that seemed a bit daft, so we thought let's take this brave way  and he dies on the battlefield in Georgie Lane's arms. We were forced into that way of thinking because I love him and I would happily have had Elvis in forever."

Story continues

It seems clear that viewers agreed with this sentiment, as the latter part of season three (without Pasqualino) saw a decline in the ratings. While this can't conclusively be linked, the plot must have had at least some bearing on it. Following the loss of her second-time fiance, the story continued with Georgie throwing herself into her work, with tours in Nigeria, Belize and Bangladesh.

It also introduced some complicated romantic feelings between Georgie and Captain James (Ben Aldridge), whose marriage to season one's Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner) had come to an end. This, to be frank, pissed off fans of the show quite a bit.

Our Girl's season four (due to start on BBC One on March 24) will take a few steps backwards, revisiting Georgie's heartbreak and grief over losing Elvis, as she attempts to process her emotions. At a recent press event for the launch of the new series, Tony Grounds explained: "Georgie is still missing the love of her life. She hasn't come to terms with this  whether you'd call it PTSD, or just a sort of deep sadness that she's got."

In the new episodes, Georgie will return to Afghanistan to face her ghosts. Not only is this the place that saw the death of her ex, but it also means that the person responsible is still in the picture.

"We're following the British Army's tour there. She wants to heal, and reach some kind of conclusion," the show boss explained to Digital Spy and other media. "And then, of course, the warlord that they're after is still there. The warlord has been in that area of Kabul for a long time, and it's the person that killed her fiance."

Michelle Keegan also underlined that "this series really sums up [the fact she had no closure]. It's her grieving, and her trying to get over his death."

To account for the shift in tone and narrative, reverting back to Elvis' storyline, Tony Grounds explained: "We sort of tried to show at the end of the last series that, you know Captain James was in a bad place. He was definitely suffering from PTSD. Georgie was suffering. They did come together. There were moments in there where he kept calling Georgie the name Molly. There was confusion. There was an ambiguity. It was just a quick passing thing, but they both knew it shouldn't have happened, and they both wish it hadn't happened."

Photo credit: BBC

Explaining the backstory, Grounds added: "[Captain James] left the Army, and has gone back, and tried to make it work with Molly Dawes, who is his wife. [Georgie] thought it was the right decision. She encouraged him, and supported him in that. And she stayed with the army."

Through the weight of Georgie's emotional scenes, interspersed with flashbacks, Elvis' presence is very much felt once again  this was clear from the moment the season four trailer arrived online. It feels a lot like fan service, but we're not mad about it one bit.

For those that have committed to the show, this move feels like a direct nod to what captured imaginations seasons ago. We can only hope that the new season, as it unfolds, provides just closure for the relationship that we watched and, against our better judgement, probably, if we admit it, rooted for.

Our Girl series 4 will run for six episodes on BBC One.

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AMSTERDAM, March 13 (Reuters) - The Netherlands will ban all flights from countries considered to present a high risk for coronavirus for the coming two weeks, ANP news reported, citing the country's infrastructure minister.

The ban covers China, including Hong Kong, as well as Iran, South Korea and Italy, ANP reported, citing minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen. The government is looking at ways to bring Dutch citizens in those countries home, it said. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Catherine Evans)
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Facing a potentially historic vote on whether to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky, Republican lawmaker John Schickel is conflicted.

A retired law enforcement officer, Schickel once steadfastly opposed medical cannabis, but his stance has softened. Now he says hes approaching the question with an open mind.

One side of me says that with all the drug abuse we have right now, why are we opening up another avenue of abuse?" the state senator said in an interview. But the flip side of it is, if there are people who need medical attention and truly believe that it will help them, who are we to say they cant have it?

Schickels dilemma stands as yet another sign that views about marijuana are changing across the South, where efforts to legalize it have long been stymied by Bible Belt politics. While medical cannabis is legal now in 33 states, including Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida, other Southern states remain among the holdouts.

Whether wavering resistance will lead to legalization remains unclear. After years of setbacks, the Kentucky bills supporters cleared a historic hurdle when the House passed the measure. The Senate appears more skeptical.

Lawmakers in other Southern United States are also cautiously eyeing changes, though theres reason for hope among advocates.

In Alabama, a medical marijuana bill won approval in the Alabama Senate as advocates make headway after years of setbacks. The legislation moves to the state House next.

And in Mississippi, voters will decide for themselves whether to legalize medical marijuana in November, after a group submitted more than enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot. But that ballot question might have competition.

The Mississippi House voted to put a second medical marijuana proposal on the statewide ballot this year. People who petitioned to get the first one there say the second is designed to split the vote and kill both proposals. The alternative proposal would go on the ballot only if it is also approved by the state Senate.

The Kentucky bill would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis that patients could obtain at approved dispensaries in forms such as pills and oils. Smoking medical cannabis would not be permitted. A regulatory board would determine what conditions would qualify for prescriptions. The House-passed version would ensure that approved conditions would include chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and nausea or vomiting.

Opposition has come from socially conservative lawmakers who warn that legalizing medical cannabis would push Kentucky off a slippery slope leading to recreational use of the drug.

Marijuana isnt just a carefree, happy-go-lucky kind of thing you just do on a whim," Republican Rep. Stan Lee said. Its a drug. And I dont think its good for our society. I dont think its good for our people. And I fear thats where were going  step by step.

Looking to defuse that argument, the bills leading supporter said he too is opposed to recreational marijuana.

This is not about fun, Republican Rep. Jason Nemes said after House vote. This is about healing. This is about health.

Other opponents are uneasy about Kentucky getting ahead of federal marijuana policy. Despite increasing legalization in the states, marijuana remains federally classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD.

Others warn of aggressive marketing by the cannabis industry: Its an addiction-for-profit business model," said Garth Van Meter of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, an alliance that says it promotes a health-first approach to marijuana policy.

And some say more research is needed on marijuanas medicinal value before its prescribed.

If its a drug, well have the FDA deem it a drug and then allow our pharmacists to distribute it," said Kentucky prosecutor Chris Cohron.

Supporters see these arguments as misdirection meant to keep Kentucky out of step with most states.

The research has been done, and Kentucky is ... behind on cannabis legislation, said Jaime Montalvo, executive director of Kentuckians for Medicinal Marijuana.

Now the bills fate is in the hands of the Senate, with just a few weeks left in this years session.

Republican Sen. Wil Schroder is among the undecideds. He said hes always told voters he would be open-minded, and that hasnt changed. But he said theres a lot of hesitancy from members, myself included, when the federal government hasnt acted on this.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are hearing an outpouring of support from medical marijuana advocates who want cannabis prescriptions for their medical conditions.

Choking with emotion, Schickel said a lunch conversation with a constituent battling brain cancer reinforced his willingess to take another look. He was very passionate that it would help him, Schickel said.

Among the more prominent advocates is Eric Crawford, who has become a fixture at the Kentucky Capitol.

Crawford has told lawmakers he already uses medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids to deal with pain and muscle spasms, the legacy of spinal cord injuries he suffered in a vehicle crash decades ago.

I just want to be comfortable, Crawford said in an interview. Medical cannabis just makes me comfortable ... and takes care of my pain and spasms better than the pharmaceuticals can."
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Additional Chief Secretary, health and family welfare, Jawaid Akhtar on Friday held a meeting on COVID-19 with consulate-generals having their offices in Bengaluru, and updated them on advisories from the ministry of health and family welfare.

Ireland, Japan, Israel, France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada have their consulates in Bengaluru, while the British Deputy High Commission and other diplomatic offices are also in the city.

The Centre had on Wednesday suspended all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment and project visas until April 15. Visa-free travel facility for Overseas Citizen of India holders has been suspended for the same period as well.

A 14-day quarantine has been imposed on all travellers arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany, after February 15.

These restrictions come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13 at the port of departure.
A Hindu group hosted a cow urine drinking party on Saturday as they believe it wards off the coronavirus; many Hindus consider the cow sacred and some drink cow urine believing it has medicinal properties.

Experts have repeatedly asserted that cow urine does not cure illnesses like cancer and there is no evidence that it can prevent coronavirus.

The party hosted by a group called the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (All India Hindu Union) at its headquarters in the countrys capital, was attended by 200 people, and the organisers hoped to host similar events elsewhere in India.

We have been drinking cow urine for 21 years, we also take bath in cow dung. We have never felt the need to consume English medicine, said Om Prakash, a person who attended the party.

Chakrapani Maharaj, the chief of the All India Hindu Union, posed for photographs as he placed a spoon filled with cow urine near the face of a caricature of the coronavirus.

All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Show all 19 1 /19 All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party : Members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation hold earthen pots containing cow urine before drinking it as they attend a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation pour cow urine into cups before drinking it as they attend a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi India. Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Cups filled with cow urine are served during the Gaumutra party or Cow urine party organized by Hindu Mahasabha which they claim neutralises the effect of Coronavirus COVID19 in New Delhi, India, 14 March 2020 Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Altaf Qadri/AP All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Earthen cups filled with cow urine are placed on a table during an event organized by a Hindu religious group to promote consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus in New Delhi, India, Saturday, 14 March 2020. The vast majority of people recover from the new coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. Altaf Qadri/AP All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party A member of All India Hindu Mahasabha holds an idol of a cow after drinking cow urine during a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha serve a traditional drink with cow urine as an ingredient during a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party A policeman stands guard next to a caricature as members of All India Hindu Mahasabha attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha offer cow urine to a caricature of the coronavirus as they attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Leaders from prime minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist party have advocated the use of cow urine as medicine and a cure for cancer.

A leader from Indias north eastern state of Assam told state lawmakers earlier this month during an assembly session that cow urine and cow dung can be used to treat the coronavirus.

The pathogen, which has infected more than 138,000 people worldwide and left over 5,000 dead, has no known scientific cure and governments across the world are struggling to control the spread of the pandemic.

Reuters
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Saturday the coronavirus outbreak has killed another 97 people, pushing the death toll in the country to 611, as war-ravaged Syria announced a number of strict measures despite the government saying it has no confirmed cases.

Iran is suffering from the worst outbreak in the Middle East, with 12,729 cases and even senior officials testing positive. It is a close ally of the Syrian government in the civil war, with military advisers as well as Shiite pilgrims frequently travelling between the two countries.

There are concerns that the number of infections in Iran is much higher than the confirmed cases reported by the government, with some Iranian lawmakers having questioned the official toll.

Its also unclear if local hospitals are able to cope with the influx of new cases, with at least 2,500 new infections announced in just the last two days. State TV reported earlier this week that hospitals in some areas are overwhelmed. Authorities have vowed to set up mobile clinics, but have not provided figures on needs and capabilities.

The outbreak has not spared Irans top officials, with its senior vice-president, Cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Revolutionary Guard members and Health Ministry officials among those infected.

Iran has suspended schools and banned spectators from stadiums, but religious shrines remain open and the markets and streets are still crowded in the capital, Tehran, which has been hit hardest by the virus.

State TV said authorities would soon close the Masoume shrine in the holy city of Qom, the epicenter of the countrys outbreak, without giving a timeline. Iran has already applied some restrictions at the popular pilgrimage site, including forbidding the traditional practice of touching and kissing the metal grating.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus in a matter of weeks, but the outbreak has caused more than 5,000 deaths worldwide.

The virus is highly contagious, and even those showing no symptoms can spread it, making large gatherings particularly risky. A number of major sporting events, conferences and other gatherings have been cancelled across the globe.

The Syrian government announced a series of precautionary measures, including closing schools and universities until April 2.

Following a Cabinet meeting Friday evening, the government also said it was cancelling all cultural and sporting events, and all other large gatherings, for the time being.

Syria also says it has taken preventive measures at all ports and border crossings. It has suspended travel with neighbouring Iraq and Jordan, and it has halted religious tourism for a month.

Even in the tenth year of its devastating civil war, Syria had continued to receive large numbers of pilgrims from Iran, Iraq and neighbouring Lebanon. They particularly visit the shrine of Sayida Zaynab, the prophet Muhammads granddaughter, in a suburb of the capital, Damascus. The shrine itself remained open, and health officials were checking pilgrims temperatures before allowing them entry.

Other countries across the Middle East are scrambling to contain the outbreak.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday that restaurants and places of entertainment would be closed and said everyone should work from home unless absolutely necessary. But he stopped short of declaring a total lock down, saying essential services would continue and grocery stores would remain open.

Israel imposed sweeping travel restrictions and quarantine measures more than a week ago, but its confirmed cases have almost doubled in the last two days, to nearly 200.

The United Arab Emirates, a major global travel hub, suspended the issuing of visas to all foreigners except diplomats. It also suspended all flights to and from Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Iraq.

Saudi Arabia said it would halt all flights to the kingdom for two weeks starting Sunday.

Qatar said it would bar entry to all visitors from Italy, France, Germany and Spain, where the number of new cases is on the rise, and require holders of residency permits to enter quarantine for 14 days.

It also suspended entry from Sudan, which reported its first case, a fatality, earlier this week. Sudan, whose infrastructure has been devastated by decades of war and sanctions, banned public gatherings and closed schools and universities for the next month.

Egypt, which has reported more than 100 cases and two fatalities, said it would close all schools and universities for the next two weeks.

In Jordan, where the only known case was a man who recovered, the government suspended all flights into and out of the kingdom except for aid workers and diplomats. It said schools would close for two weeks and banned the smoking of hookahs, or water pipes, in cafes.

In the Gaza Strip, the ruling Hamas militant group has found itself in the odd position of sealing the Palestinian territorys borders.

For more than a decade, Hamas has demanded that Israel and Egypt lift closures they imposed on Gaza after the militants seized power from rival Palestinian security forces. But on Saturday, Hamas said exit via the Rafah crossing with Egypt would be restricted to urgent cases and all arrivals would be quarantined for 14 days at a field hospital near the crossing.

Last week Israel stopped allowing in even the small number of Gazan businessmen and workers with permits, limiting traffic to aid workers and humanitarian cases.

Authorities in Iraqs northern Kurdish region imposed a 48-hour curfew in the cities of Irbil and Sulaimaniyah that began overnight. The region has reported 27 cases, including one fatality.

___

Karam reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Salar Salim in Irbil, Iraq, Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan, Samy Magdy in Cairo, Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, and Josef Federman and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed.

___

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.
The nationwide measures follow similar moves by Italy as the coronavirus brings about a level of disruption to daily life on the continent unprecedented since the end of World War II. The World Health Organization on Friday declared Europe the epicenter of the global pandemic, with more cases reported from the continent every day than in China at the height of the epidemic there.
Specialist cleaners in hazmat suits have disinfected parliamentary offices, after home affairs minister Peter Dutton tested positive for coronavirus.

The teams were seen deep cleaning offices in Sydney, despite the government insisting Mr Dutton had not been contagious during meetings this week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, alongside numerous cabinet ministers, met with Mr Dutton on Tuesday to discuss the budget - just three days before his diagnosis.

But Mr Morrison's office has insisted neither he nor any other member of the cabinet needs to self-isolate.

On Saturday night, treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced he was also tested for the disease but it came back negative.

Cleaners (pictured) were seen cleaning parliamentary offices in Sydney on Saturday, after the home affairs minister tested positive for coronavirus

Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton (pictured in February) has tested positive for coronavirus

Mr Dutton became the first Australian politician to be diagnosed with deadly respiratory infection on Friday, as the number of cases nationwide rose to 227.

Decked out in full hazmat gear, the cleaning teams were seen on Saturday cleaning surfaces and disposing of potentially contaminated materials.

The offices being cleaned were the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Sydney, where the cabinet meeting was held earlier this week.

The Liberal Party politician, 49, was admitted on Friday night, sparking fears that the entire cabinet would be forced to self-isolate.

Scott Morrison sent a tweet (pictured) on Friday evening confirming he was not going to self-isolate despite meeting with Peter Dutton on Tuesday

He said in a statement that he woke up on Friday morning with 'a temperature and a sore throat' but 'feels fine'.

Mr Dutton then 'immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health' and submitted himself for a test, which came back positive.

The politician had recently returned from a work trip to the United States.

He met with officials from the US, UK and Canada in Washington on March 6 as part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing programme.

People wear face masks in front of the Sydney Opera House on Friday, as the number of cases in Australia soared to 201

Australia's number of coronavirus cases rose to 227 on Saturday, with 112 of those being in New South Wales

Speaking on Saturday on Sydney radio station 2GB, he confirmed he had not been a risk to the Australian cabinet nor those he met in the US - including President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) is seen on Friday, just three days after his cabinet meeting with Mr Dutton

'[Queensland Health's] advice to me is that they're concerned with people I've had close contact with since the morning of [Wednesday] the 11th,' Mr Dutton explained.

'There's some speculation about my visit to the White House etc, but all of the medical advice says that there's no issue in relation to that period, or even Cabinet earlier in the week, and that's very clear.'

On Saturday, the office for Mr Frydenberg confirmed he was also tested - not in relation to Mr Dutton - and the results came back negative.

Mr Dutton confirmed that officials had discussed the matter with the White House.

Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy backed Mr Dutton's claims, saying it was 'extremely unlikely' he could have infected the cabinet.

'He would have to be very unusually infectious three days before he became symptomatic,' Professor Murphy said.

'We have not seen anybody like that in Australia, you can't rule out anything but in our public health rules we are pretty clear that we think it is very unlikely.'

Peter Dutton (pictured, third from right) also met with US president Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka (fourth from right) during his trip overseas

'This morning I woke up with a temperature and a sore throat,' Mr Dutton said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

'I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for Covid-19.

'I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive.

'It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice.

'I feel fine and will provide an update in due course.'

Earlier on Friday, Mr Dutton didn't appear for his interview on the Today Show.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

The show's host Allison Langdon said the politician was suffering from a 'stomach bug'.

He also visited a campus of Southern Cross University at Moreton Bay on Monday.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce called for parliament to be held remotely after Mr Dutton's diagnosis.

Parliament is next due to sit on the week starting March 23.

'If we can send millions of dollars over the internet then we can surely find a way of holding parliament over the internet,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'If any MPs have had contact with Peter Dutton they have a duty to out themselves now. Its not about you its about the older people you may affect.'

Cabinet met on Tuesday to rubber stamp the $17 billion stimulus package designed to protect the fledgling economy.

'They could all have it,' Mr Joyce said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government will work with all sections of the population for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir "at an early opportunity".

A 24-member delegation of the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, led by its leader Altaf Bukhari, called on the Prime Minister at his residence Saturday evening and Modi engaged with them on various issues like concerns on demographic changes, the delimitation exercise and grant of state domicile, officials said.

"Referring to his statement in Parliament, the Prime Minister underlined that the government will work with all sections of the population to realize the hopes of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at an early opportunity," an official statement said.

During an interactive session with the delegation, the Prime Minister also called for 'Janbhagidari' (people's participation) in transforming Jammu and Kashmir and emphasised on the importance of an administration that gives voice to the people.

Modi also noted that democracy in the region could be strengthened through a fast-moving process of political integration, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Saturday reported 11 new coronavirus cases and 13 deaths, taking its total number of infections to 80,824 and deaths to 3,189, while South Korea reported more recoveries than new infections for a second day in a row, raising hopes that Asia's biggest epidemic outside China may be slowing.

Of the new infections in China, four were from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and seven were brought into the country, while 10 of the 13 deaths were in Wuhan, reports the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

In a statement on Saturday, the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said that it recorded 107 new coronavirus cases compared with 110 a day earlier, taking the national tally to 8,086.

In contrast, 204 patients were discharged from hospitals where they had been isolated for treatment.

For a second day in a row, the daily number of recovered people exceeded that of new confirmed cases since South Korea's first patient was confirmed on January 20.

With the latest figures, South Korea has continued to see a steady drop in the number of new cases, raising hopes that the outbreak may be slowing in Asia's fourth-largest economy, the SCMP report said.

Of the latest 107 cases, 62 were from the hard-hit southeastern city of Daegu where a fringe Christian church at the centre of the epidemic is located, while 15 and 13 were in Gyeonggi and Seoul, respectively.

Also on Saturday, New Zealand cancelled a national memorial to commemorate the 51 people who were killed when a gunman attacked two mosques on March 15, 2019 in Christchurch, as a precautionary measure against the virus which has so far infected six people in the country..

Thousands of people were expected to attend the memorial in Christchurch on Sunday.

"This is a pragmatic decision. We're very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldn't create the risk of further harm being done," Xinhua news agency quoted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as saying.

In the US, President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency "to unleash the full power of the federal government" against the outbreak in the country and that up to $50 billion will be available to states and territories to meet the challenge.

The declaration came as the number of coronavirus cases in the US hit 1,800 with 41 deaths.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a deal with the Trump administration for an aid package called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act from Congress that aims at direct relief to Americans - free testing, two weeks of sick pay for workers, enhanced unemployment benefits and bolstered food programmes.

Also on Friday, the European Commission said it will set up a 37 billion euro ($41 billion) investment fund and allow "maximum flexibility" on state aid and fiscal rules to help member states weather the economic hit by the outbreak, reports the SCMP newspaper.

This announcement came after Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the World Health Organization, said earlier in the day that Europe was now the "epicentre" of the global coronavirus pandemic.

As of Saturday, Europe's worst-affected country, Italy reported 17,660 cases with 1,266 deaths.

Italy was followed by Spain (4,231 cases, 120 deaths), France (3,661 cases, 79 deaths) and Germany (3,062 cases, eight deaths).

Globally there were 141,467 cases and 5,399 deaths. This figure also includes China.
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Linkedin (Kyodo News) Yokohama, Japan  Sat, March 14, 2020 21:06 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206aacf04 2 Lifestyle Chinese-restaurant,China,Racism,restaurant,Japan,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

With businesses in Yokohama's Chinatown near Tokyo already reeling from a decline in customers due to the spread of the new coronavirus, some have also received hate mail blaming Chinese people for the outbreak.

After Li Haowen, 48, owner of landmark Chinese restaurant Kaiinkaku received hate mail calling Chinese people "bacteria," and telling them to "get out of Japan soon," he said on the restaurant's Twitter account on March 4 that he was "saddened" and posted a picture of the mail.

His restaurant then began receiving postcards with messages of support such as, "There's no Yokohama without Chinatown," and customers also encouraged staff.

On Wednesday, scores of customers who came to support the restaurant lined up before opening, with the 10 seats on the first floor filled up until past 1 p.m.

The restaurant's signature dishes include noodles and rice topped with pork and beef, as well as dumplings that can be ordered to go.

Read also: Coronavirus: Can Indonesians stay calm and cool?

While many Chinatown restaurants have temporarily closed due to the fall in customers amid the outbreak of the pneumonia-causing virus, Kaiinkaku has been packed for days.

"Thanks to the support, the number of customers has returned to the same level as before," said Li, the restaurant's third-generation owner.

A couple who visited the restaurant Wednesday said it was appalling that someone would send hate mail at a difficult time.

"There is no reason (for the restaurant) to be slandered," said a 57-year-old man from Nagoya, central Japan. "I was finally able to come (to this restaurant) after hearing from an acquaintance that it was number one in Chinatown," he added.

"I hope more people will come to Chinatown," Li said.

The virus originating in the central Chinese city of Wuhan has been spreading globally. The total number of infections in Japan has surpassed 1,300, including around 700 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was under a 14-day quarantine at Yokohama Port in February.
I havent won a prize since, but I knew what I wanted to do, Mr. Johnson told the Star-Ledger in 2000. He went on to sell tens of millions of dollars worth of sculptures, with individual works going for as much as $500,000. In time, some critics were even won over, and his work can be found in private collections and museums all over the world.
Aggressive mitigation efforts to thwart the new coronavirus pandemic will extend into Bucks County starting Sunday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said in a joint announcement with state health officials.

That means the state government is asking all non-essential businesses and public spaces to close in the county immediately to the Lehigh Valleys south. Places like grocery stores and gas stations can remain open.

The voluntary restrictions are now being asked for four counties around the states COVID-19 epicenter. They first announced for Montgomery County, which now has 20 of Pennsylvanias 47 coronavirus patients.

They were requested of Delaware County on Friday, and then of Bucks and Chester counties on Saturday. Delaware County has six reported cases; Bucks has three and Chester has two.

The announcement follows Fridays order to close all Pennsylvania schools for 10 days, and mirror earlier requests to avoid gyms, theaters, malls and other crowded places.

Shutting down non-essential services will help slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, Wolf and state Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said Saturday. They are meant to encourage people to stay home and practice social distancing unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.

"The government of the commonwealth can only do so much, Wolf said, adding that success will depend on residents, businesses and institutions doing what needs to be done.

The mitigation efforts apply to higher education, gyms, child daycares and adult care centers. No-visitor policies are to be adopted by prisons and nursing homes.

Gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, government facilities, utilities and mass transit should continue to operate. There will not be restrictions on local travel.

Even if you do not think you have been exposed, please consider others who are considered high-risk," said U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Berks, Chester).

These are the main symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.CDC

The majority of COVID-19 cases are concentrated in the suburban Philadelphia area. There is one presumptive case in the Lehigh Valley. On Friday, officials announced the states first pediatric case in Monroe County.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov and the CDC website.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Lets take our minds off this coronavirus pandemic for a while, shall we? For an eerily suggestive drama about a different sort of viral panic, its an apt time to revisit director Todd Haynes 1995 drama about a Los Angeles an LA woman, played with a peculiar element of brainwashed calm by Julianne Moore, who believes herself to be the victim of an environmental disease. In its initial release Haynes film provoked various interpretations: AIDS metaphor, a suffocating marriage story where the suffering is made manifest, a minimalist evocation of psychological unraveling. Is it all in her head, or something in her everyday physical surroundings? At least with COVID-19 we know it actually there, and on the move! Streaming on sundancenow.com; 7-day free trial; memberships start at $4.99/month.
Thousands of French security forces fanned out across central Paris on Saturday as anti-government Yellow Vest protesters defied a ban on mass gatherings aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

In a televised address to the nation on Thursday, president Emmanuel Macron announced school closures and urged people to avoid close contact for fear of propagating the virus that has killed 79 people in France and infected more than 3,600.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Friday said all gatherings with more than 100 people had been banned. Paris police had already turned down requests for protesters to demonstrate at sensitive sites this Saturday, including the Champs Elysees where violent clashes broke out between security forces and protesters almost a year ago to the day.

Its Saturday, demonstration day. Some people think that the coronavirus wont touch them and refuse to respect the advice, said a riot police officer in front of a heavily armed vehicle blocking the road that leads to the presidential palace.

The government published an official decree on Saturday banning all non-essential gatherings, but hundreds of protesters, some wearing surgical masks, began convening outside the Montparnasse train station, chanting anti-Macron slogans. Such as in the video below:

The yellow vests, named after the high-visibility jackets they wear, were holding a 70 consecutive Saturday of action. The movement emerged late in 2018, triggered by fuel tax rises, and swelled into a revolt against Macrons government.

While protests are now much smaller, anger at Mr Macrons government remains. Saturdays demonstration serves as a reminder to the President a day before voters are set to go to the polls in local elections.

The elections are an important test for the former investment banker with opponents now particularly angered by his plans to reform the French pensions system. His party is not expected to do well.

We had to come and mark the day to tell Macron that were still here and that we wont accept his pension reform, said one pensioner.

Voters will begin choosing mayors for 35,000 town halls and almost half a million councillors on Sunday, overshadowed by the coronavirus outbreak which is expected to hit turnout at the vote, which is usually relatively high.

Mr Macron decided to go ahead with the elections despite the virus concerns, which have led the government to shut schools and universities, suspend major sporting events, curtail public transport and close tourism attractions. Disneyland Paris became the latest casualty on Saturday closing its doors until the end of March.

Reuters
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is facing mounting pressure to close the city's school system as the coronavirus spreads.

Since the crisis began, de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo have said they will keep schools open at all costs until it is no longer safe in an effort to keep working parents, particularly those in the healthcare sector, in the workforce.

But as the US case count topped 2,200 on Friday and the death toll climbed to 50, with many fearing the worst was yet to come, the United Federation of Teachers pleaded with de Blasio to close schools to keep people safe.

Their fear is not only keeping the children together in large groups, but having them and teachers commute across the city, potentially picking up the virus, then bringing it into their homes and communities where it may affect more vulnerable people.

'We understand the immense disruption this will create for our families.

'But right now, more than a million students and staff crisscross the city every day on their way to schools, putting themselves and others at risk of exposure and increasing the likelihood of bringing exposure into their homes and communities,' UFT President Michael Mulgrew told The New York Post in a statement.

Mulgrew said he appealed to de Blasio himself but that he denied his request.

Mayor Bill de Blasio gives a press conference in New York on Friday on New York's response to coronavirus

There are now more than 2,200 cases of coronavirus in the US and 50 people have died

NYPD officers say they have been given expired and half-empty bottles of hand sanitizer

Earlier this week, he said he was trying to avoid closing schools city-wide because it was a 'slippery slope' to creating chaos in the city.

Many kids' parents are doctors, nurses or healthcare staff who would be unable to find childcare and therefore would be unable to work if he closed the schools.

Additionally, half of the city's children rely on school meals.

Gov. Cuomo also said on Friday that children, even when they get the virus, are not particularly susceptible to it.

Attendance fell from 85 percent on Thursday to 68 percent on Friday across New York City.

One parent told the Post they were not going to wait for public officials to tell them what to do.

'Sometimes you cant wait for other people to make decisions. You have to make them for yourself,' they said.

Some private schools have decided to close themselves.

Schools in L.A., San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia are closed or are due to close next week.

New York City became a ghost town after de Blasio announced a state of emergency on Thursday.

De Blasio denied reports that the NYPD had been denied masks and insisted supplies were abundant

A medical health worker at the New Rochelle drive-thru facility in upstate New York which has the densest concentration of coronavirus in he country

Pedestrians wear protective masks in New York City on Friday while out walking

A person on the subway wearing a surgical mask. De Blasio has urged people to avoid the subway when possible

The Broadway theater district has closed and businesses are only allowed to operate at half their legal capacity. Gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned.

The subway system and buses remain operational and de Blasio firmly told people on Friday that rumors Manhattan was about to be 'quarantined' were untrue after they spread online.

NYPD officers are now patrolling the city with masks but some have complained they are only being given one.

Others say they have been given hand sanitizer that has expired.

The cops had to then top it off with rubbing alcohol.

'We have been fighting to get more safety equipment, but unfortunately for the time being this is what we have to make the best of,' an internal email that was seen by the Post read.

The Police Benevolent Association wrote a letter earlier this week complaining about the supplies its officers were receiving.

'We're all terrified,' a source said.

De Blasio denied their claims about expired sanitizer and a lack of masks.

'We have a request in to the FDA for 2.2 million more N95 masks from the strategic stockpile, de Blasio said, referring to the CDC-recommended masks.

'We can report right now that [the city Health Department] has 16 million surgical masks in their emergency stockpile and should be getting 25 million more in the next two weeks,' he said.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay has suspended classes with immediate effect till March 29, in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The institute has informed campus residents that they have taken this decision under the advice of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and after prolonged discussion with the management.

All classroom and laboratory instructions are henceforth suspended till March 29, 2020. The situation will be reviewed continuously and appropriate decision on resumption of classroom and laboratory instructions will be intimated through email. Updates will be made available on the IITB homepage, IIT Bombay Director Subhasis Chaudhuri said in a circular.

Further, all students have been encouraged to go home. In case a student wants to go home, he or she must inform the hall manager before leaving.

However, students having any difficulty in traveling may stay back. International students can also stay back in the hostels.

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

IIT Bombay also said that PhD and Masters' students engaged in thesis work can continue to stay in the campus and work towards their projects if they wish, provided they take adequate precautions.

For students who are planning to return to campus after being away due to internship or exchange programs or conferences, IIT Bombay has advised them to proceed to their respective homes instead.

The 24x7 Reading room in the IIT Bombay central library will also remain closed during this period.

Both, students and faculty members, who have returned to the campus in the last 14 days from any of the affected countries have to report at the IIT-B hospital for a mandatory health check-up.

We are currently exploring alternate modes of delivery of courses and any decision on this will be informed in due course of time. Meanwhile, students are requested to stay in touch with their course instructors through emails, the institutes circular said. Campus residents have been advised to avoid inviting outside guests during this period.

Staff members commuting from off-campus have been advised to work from home wherever possible, provided the working of the particular unit does not suffer.

However, staff members working for essential services shall continue to attend to their duties as it is being done currently.

Quarantine facilities are also being arranged in the campus and those displaying any COVID-19 symptoms have to immediately visit the campus medical facility.

In India, there have been 96 positive cases of COVID-19 so far. At least two deaths due to the infection have been reported. Several state governments like Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka have announced the shutdown of several non-essential facilities for the next few weeks.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, senior Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe on Saturday urged media representatives to not cover news stories from the hospitals where the coronavirus patients are being treated.

Speaking to the media after the Maharashtra Assembly session, Gorhe said: "The threat of coronavirus has engulfed the world. When this issue was raised in the Assembly, I instructed all media representatives to not telecast news from outside the hospitals where the coronavirus patients are being protected, as this increases the chance of infection spreading to other people."

Gorhe requested all media houses across the country to not film news from inside or near the hospitals, and further asked not to telecast news in such a way where the identity, home, society and family of a person is unveiled before the public.

"My objective is not to impose a ban on media houses. Rather I have made this decision for the good of media representatives," she added.

The coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and Europe as its epicentre with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kent County health leaders say hospitals and doctors are being overwhelmed by people concerned they have coronavirus COVID-19 and they ask people to call first for a screening.

Kent County Administrative Health Officer Adam London spoke Friday, March 13, about the growing burden on health care providers as they try to address the concerns.

We need to be very mindful about protecting our health care facilities, London said. Right now, our hospitals and doctors offices are absolutely being overwhelmed by people concerned they have COVID-19.

Related: State hotline created to take coronavirus questions

We need to make sure were first calling our doctors, our emergency rooms and not just showing up and expecting a test. Thats not helpful and its exhausting a very limited supply of testing resources," he said.

London said simply showing up also puts health care workers at risk to being exposed to illnesses such as the flu and the common cold, let alone COVID-19.

Many hospitals are offering virtual screenings for COVID-19 symptoms over the phone or through virtual online chats.

So far in Michigan, as of late Friday, March 13, the total number of presumptive positive cases of coronavirus COVID-19 cases is at 25.

London said another impact of the COVID-19 concern is a shortage in the blood supply now beginning to show up.

The issue, he believes, is that donors may be focusing on ways to prepare themselves for coronavirus and forgetting about other needs. Others may be concerned about going into places where people are gathered, such as blood donation centers.

To help, the Kent County Health Department is hosting a March 16 blood drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the health department, 700 Fuller Ave. NE.

To sign up, go to this link.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

 Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

 Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

 Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

 Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

 Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

 Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

 Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

More from MLive

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How Michigan churches are responding to coronavirus threat

Were going to get through this,' says Gov. Whitmer as she orders K-12 schools closed over coronavirus
Workers laid off by virus can file for unemployment

SANTA FE  The state Department of Workforce Solutions is making it easier for workers affected by COVID-19 to get unemployment benefits.

Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley said the agency wants to help workers who have been laid off or had their hours reduced because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The department is also temporarily waiving the work-search requirements for employees affected by COVID-19. They can receive benefits of up to $461 a week, McCamley said.

We are going to be as flexible and open as we possibly can, he said Friday.

He encouraged affected workers to file a claim online at www.jobs.state.nm.us or by calling 1-877-664-6984.

UNMH asks for more blood donations amid 60% drop

The University of New Mexico Hospital is asking for blood donations after seeing a precipitous drop since COVID-19 cases began surfacing, according to a news release.

The need for blood donations for trauma victims and other seriously ill patients remains constant, and they are asking members of the public to step up, the release states.

The New Mexico-Texas region has seen a 60% drop in donations from mobile blood drives in the past week, according to the release, especially as businesses and schools are canceling scheduled blood donation events.

The release advises those able need not fear exposure to visit the Vitalent blood collection center, 1515 University NE, where infection control measures are in place.

SF County senior centers closed until further notice

Santa Fe County senior centers are closed until further notice and all activities at county recreation centers are postponed, the county said in a news release Friday. The county will deliver meals to high-risk seniors instead of hosting congregate dining and transportation will still be provided to those with serious medical conditions.

The Santa Fe County jail has discontinued visitations. All incoming inmates will be screened for infectious disease, including COVID-19.

County offices will remain open for business, but officials want to limit face-to-face interaction with the public. The countys teen court program will also be suspended until April 6.

The city of Santa Fe will close all three branch libraries, as well as the Genoveva Chavez and Fort Marcy recreation centers, between March 16 and April 5. Books can be returned when the libraries reopen. City spokeswoman Lilia Chacon said library and recreation center employees are still on their regular schedule, but may be able to work remotely.

Wide range of Rio Rancho city facilities to close

The city of Rio Rancho and its mayor, Gregg Hull, who has signed a resolution declaring a local health care emergency, announced that, effective Saturday, March 14, a number of city facilities will close until further notice. The facilities  and associated services  include Meadowlark Senior Center; Cabezon Community Center; Haynes Community Center; Star Heights Recreation Center; Sabana Grande Recreation Center; Rio Rancho Aquatic Center; Loma Colorado Main Library; Esther Bone Memorial Library; and Haynes Community Center. For more information, go to www.rrnm.gov/covid19.

PERA offices in ABQ, SF to close until further notice

The Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico (PERA) offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe will be closed until further notice, the agency said Friday.

Its anticipated the closures will last until state public schools resume normal operations.

This is not an easy decision, but we are making it in the best interests of our members and staff, Board Chairman John Melia and Executive Director Wayne Propst said in a joint statement.

Essential services will continue and PERA retirees will continue regular, monthly retirement benefit payments throughout the period that our offices are closed. Also, all investment-related financial transactions will continue to be processed as a limited number of PERA staff, including senior management, will continue to come to the office to manage other day-to-day business transactions.

Go to www.nmpera.org for updates.

MDC discontinues in-person visits, classes

Officials are stepping up measures to avoid infection of COVID-19 at the Bernalillo County jail and juvenile detention center, according to a release.

Larry Gallegos, a Bernalillo County spokesman, said the Metropolitan Detention Center has temporarily discontinued visits to the jail and canceled classes at Gordon Bernell Charter School.

MDC intends for these restrictions to be in place for three weeks; however, MDC will assess these restrictions on a weekly basis, he said.

Gallegos said inmates will still be allowed to use tablets, phone and mail for communication with attorney and families.

As for the Youth Services Center, he said face-to-face visitation, volunteer activities and classes are canceled. Gallegos said YSC is allowing for more phone visits for families, and limited access is being made for probation officers, attorneys and other professional visitors, but they are encouraged to use phone contact whenever possible.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:33:48|Editor: yhy

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MANILA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Saturday that it has approved a 3 million U.S. dollars grant to support the Philippine government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the purchase of emergency medical supplies and the delivery of effective health care services.

The Manila-based bank said the assistance, incorporating ADB's most flexible, expeditious procurement approaches, allows the government to purchase diagnostic reagents and equipment, materials for makeshift hospitals, and personal protection supplies for health workers managing severe COVID-19 cases, among others.

"ADB's assistance will help the Philippines address the immediate financial and logistical constraints on the provision of emergency medical services during this extraordinary public health emergency," ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said in a statement.

"The assistance will allow the government to purchase key medical supplies and equipment, deliver health services, and minimize the social and economic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines," he added.

"This is the first step in what will be a broader program of working with the government to respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 to health and economic activity," Asakawa said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency in the country and placed the entire Metro Manila under "community quarantine" after raising the public health alert level to the highest Code Red Sub-Level 2.

As of March 14, the Philippines' Department of Health reported 98 confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country, including 8 deaths. A number of cases are believed to be caused by local transmission.

ADB said it will manage the grant, which will be financed by the Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Fund, and work closely with the DOH, the World Health Organization, and other United Nations technical agencies to ensure timely delivery of the medical supplies.

The ADB said the new assistance builds on ADB's previous response to the COVID-19, including 200 million U.S. dollars made available through ADB's Supply Chain Finance Program for companies manufacturing and distributing medicines and other items needed to combat the pandemic.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) is a World Bank finance assisted project.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES Business reporter, Oge Udegbunam, the General Manager FCT/CSDP, Shuaibu Adamu, highlights the successes of the project.

Excerpts:

PT: Many communities in Abuja are still undeveloped. How do you select and fund projects?

ADAMU: The FCT area councils have to give us a recommendation letter for the community we want to site a project. But, the selection of a project in a community must be in line with what the area council recommended. The community will also make available a commitment letter to show how committed they are.

This will help us to know that they can take certain responsibilities. After the completion of construction, the project will automatically belong to the community. After all the requirements are met, we will start considering the funding issues.

PT: How many communities have benefitted from this project?

ADAMU: Before the project began, we set out our first task which was poverty mapping. This task enabled us to locate resource-constrained communities.

Before December 2017, when the development plans began, the World Bank granted us golden certificate on April 23, 2018, after submitting three sets of community development plans. The implementation of the project actually started with a few communities in the first instance.

Today, the FCT/CSDP has funded over 160 micro-projects, while the World Bank is funding 40 supplementary projects, consisting of 30 community development projects and 10 group development projects.

PT: For the sake of accountability and transparency, how do you disburse money to the communities?

ADAMU: We give money in three tranches. After spending the first tranche, the benefiting communities will write to us that they have exhausted the allocation. They will state how they spent the money. Then, we will release the second tranche to them, after that is exhausted, another letter will be written before the third and final tranche of the money is given.

Between when the first tranche of funding is released and the next, we go for inspection unannounced, to see the speed of the on-going work in these communities and also to know if the money spent is commensurate with project carried out.

When the work is not done well, then its not our fault and vice versa, because it is the community that is in charge of engaging the contractor since the job is done in their domain.

PT: These communities have lots of projects they want. How do you determine the projects that are most important to them?

ADAMU: We do what is called transparent rural approval. This means that after they have indicated interest in the project to us, we visit the community, have a meeting with every member of the community, and we will ask certain questions.

During such meetings, they will be divided into groups (men, women and youth). These groups will nominate projects, followed by an election conducted on the projects.

The projects with the highest votes will be carried out, because it means they are the most important ones.

Also, the size of the project matters, because we cannot construct more than two macro projects in a community. Before the projects commence, they will state the kind of project they need.

PT: The projects are likely to cost much money, do you fund the entire project?

ADAMU: We give them 90 per cent of the money, while they provide the remaining 10 per cent, either in cash or kind. But, before we give the community the money, we will make sure they have an existing account in a bank credited with their 10 per cent. Then, we pay in our first tranche so the projects can start. We could use labour to quantify the money. If their contribution is in kind, we will go and quantify the labour to know how much inputs they can add or provide.

Since they have registered with the area council, they will use the document as evidence of the contribution of their counterpart funding. Otherwise, they will show us the evidence of the account they opened. Usually, the community brings a contractor that will evaluate the project. Therefore, the communities are in charge of the entire process.

For example, if they want to construct a healthcare centre and the standard they desire is above the estimated cost, then they will change their project, considering the cost.

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PT: How do you monitor the sustainability of the projects?

ADAMU: Any project we are doing, there is always a sustainability plan, which is first of all the ownership. Before we commence the project, we ask them questions on how they can maintain the project. There will be an election for the members of the monitoring committee, who will be the key people in charge of the project.

They will give periodic account on how they spent their money, including the auditing and procurement activities.

For example, some of these communities say they use monies obtained from the sales of drugs from the primary health centres (PHCs) to maintain them, while some sell water from the borehole to non-members of the community and the money realised is used to maintain/fix the borehole when its in a bad condition.

They have accounts where the money goes into. Also, communities that use flying boats get monies from passengers fare and use it to maintain the boat and the machine.

PT: Why do you ask these communities to contribute knowing that they are poor?

ADAMU: Well, its for the sake of ownership. When they contribute to the projects, they see the need to protect and maintain them. For instance, I went on an unannounced visit to one of the communities and I stopped beside the transformer that was part of the project carried out in that community.

Abuja City Gate.

A boy saw me moving towards the transformer in my car and he started raising alarm. He called people to come and harass me. So, I stopped the car and watched them move towards my car. When they got close and the elders realised that I was the one in the car, they became calm. If this project was funded by the government, they would have shown little or no concerns. So, by making them pay for a part of the funding gives them a sense of value for the project in a manner that makes them want to protect it as an owner should.

PT: Is it just communities you help to develop?

ADAMU: Well, no we have groups that we help to develop, like widows and people living with disabilities. When these groups of people are organised and they are helping themselves, and they indicate interest, we come in and help them.

We have different projects for them, just like the community projects. But, mainly lock-up shops, skill acquisition centres and boreholes. For example, Dorcas widows (an association) have where they stay, all we did was to expand it for them. They now have a computer training centre.

PT: Do these groups contribute 10 per cent of the funding of projects like the communities?

ADAMU: No. They pay five per cent. Usually, they are vulnerable. So, they may not have the money. So, we work with reliable non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The NGOs come in between us and the groups to facilitate the process, just like the area council does for the communities. The money they make from the projects is used for sustainability purposes.
Lovers Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor again had their strong bond on display when the duo exited a birthday party hand in hand on Friday, March 13. Other than being snapped hanging out together in Mumbai and abroad, the couple is also often seen attending Bollywood parties together.

The duo was captured leaving Malaika's good friend Bunty Sajdeh's birthday celebration. While the Panipat actor was seen wearing blue jeans under grey tee, the reality show judge was sporting a black jacket, trouser, high heels and purse look, contrasted with a white top.

After the party wrapped up, Arjun was seen to be leading his ladylove out to their car, playing the role of a perfect protective boyfriend.

Here are some other insiders, who were present for the house party. Celebs such as Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Karan Johar, Yuvraj Singh and Chunky Pandey were snapped attending the bash.

Malaika is currently seen on TV as the judge of a dance reality show, India's Best Dancer, alongwith choreographers Geeta Kapoor and Terence Lewis. Arjun, on the other hand, was last seen in Panipat, which received a mild response from the audience. He will be next seen in Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar opposite Parineeti Chopra, which garnered praises for its recently-released trailer.
Training on 'how to establish a new business' ended

Mohammad Bashiruddin, Vice President of DCCI, poses for a photo session along with the participants of a training on \"How to Establish a New Business\" organized by DCCI Business Institute (DBI) at its premises in the city on Saturday.

Business desk :

A two day-long training on "How to Establish a New Business" organized by DCCI Business Institute (DBI) concluded on Saturday.

Mohammad Bashiruddin, Vice President of DCCI , Dr Md Mohan Uddin, Professor of Finance of United International University and Mohammad Zahid Hossain, Chief Financial Officer of Rahimafrooz Bangladesh Limited, among others, were present at the concluding session. Some sixteen business professionals participated in the training. According to the participant's feedback this training has broadened their mental horizon and made them conversant with very important issues of establishing a new business.

Speaking at the occasion, Bashiruddin said that the most entrepreneurs are not adequately prepared to go into business, although they have the motivation, desire and talent. They may not have taken their time to properly investigate and research on their selective business, he added.

Md. Joynal Abdin, Secretary of DCCI and Executive Director of DCCI Business Institute (DBI) offered the vote of thanks on this occasion.

He also advised the participants to practice and share their knowledge among the fellow colleagues. He was thankful to the respective authorities for nominating officials at the training programme organized by DBI. All participants, Tamanna Sultana, Joint Secretary (Training) was also present in the occasion.
Hazel Crest police officers are in self-quarantine today after they learned they had contact with a resident with coronavirus, or Covid-19.
Karen Ayala, executive director of the DuPage County Board of Health, says its not surprising to see a case in DuPage. The county is contacting everyone that has been in close contact with the identified patient, she said.
Tran Thi Giang Huong, director of the Department of International Co-operation under the Ministry of Health, was appointed Director of the World Health Organisations Division of Programmes for Disease Control last year.

Tran Thi Giang Huong

She talks about her new role at an international body.

How did you become the director of a WHO division in charge of a very important field?

In recent years, thanks to Party and State policies on foreign affairs and international integration, the health sector in Viet Nam has made extensive and comprehensive achievements. These have made a positive contribution to the country's international integration process, as well as boosting the role and position of Viet Nam's health sector and the country in general.

I have been working at the Ministry of Health for 25 years, and have been the Director of the Department of International Cooperation for 11 years. I have knowledge and professional experience, and have also been able to create a network of international partners working in the global health field.

Viet Nam is become increasingly known as a reliable and responsible partner within the international community. In my role, I recognise that participation in international organisations is an expression of responsibility and a practical, effective contribution to addressing global health issues.

By chance, I learned that the WHO, the highest health professional agency of the United Nations, was in need of a number of important positions at the WHO Office in the Western Pacific Region, which is an area of 37 countries and territories with a population of 1.9 billion, including Viet Nam.

With the support of leaders from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I applied for the position of Director of the WHO Western Diseases Control Program in the Western Pacific region. And I was selected.

Having held the position of Director of the Department of International Cooperation for more than 11 years and now in your new WHO role, what are the similarities and differences in these two positions, and what will be the focus of your new job?

As Director General of International Cooperation for the health sector, I took charge and managed international co-operation activities across the sector, mobilising aid and technical cooperation from international partners.

During my time at the Ministry of Health, I have been constantly studying, researching and participating in many professional activities, including disease prevention, which is one of the strengths of the Vietnamese health sector.

My experience has helped me a lot in my new role at the WHO. I direct technical assistance in the areas mentioned above to 37 countries and territories in the region, while developing action plans, strategic frameworks for disease prevention, and management of non-communicable diseases in the area.

I was directly involved in professional fields at new levels, with a wide range of influence throughout the region. This is a very important but also challenging job, requiring good management and extensive knowledge and experience to guide and direct others in the Western Pacific region.

What is your impression of a multinational working environment? What is your future focus?

In the past six months in my new position, I have integrated well with the highly professional and demanding international working environment. I have been able to show my managerial and professional competence and affirm myself in my new position. This is great motivation for me to continue to strive to assert myself and fulfil my tasks.

In addition to receiving technical assistance from WHO and other countries, Viet Nam, in return, can share its experiences and strengths with other countries in the region, thereby contributing to the medical knowledge of the region and the world.

I also hope that Viet Nam's health sector will take correct and wise steps, learning from the experiences and successful lessons of other countries to build a fair, effective and inclusive health sector that meets the needs of the people.

The WHO is always ready to accompany and support Viet Nam in this process. I also hope there will be more Vietnamese people, especially young and capable ones, who wish to contribute to the community, and to work for the WHO and other international organisations.  VNS

WHO declares a pandemic of coronavirus disease covid-19 The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared coronavirus a pandemic, reflecting alarm that countries arent working quickly and aggressively enough to fight the disease it causes, covid-19.
New Delhi: Heavy rain accompanied by hailstorm lashed in several parts of Delhi - NCR and Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (March 14, 2020).

The meteorological department said that the weather will subside in about two hours. Taking to twitter IMD said, ''Very small ( about 5km*25km*8km dimension) but intense convective cloud is located over central parts of Delhi which is likely to cause moderate rain along with moderate thunderstorm & hail activity during next 2 hours. It will subside thereafter.''

Very small ( about 5km*25km*8km dimension) but intense convective cloud is located over central parts of Delhi which is likely to cause moderate rain alongwith moderate thunderstorm & hail activity during next 2 hours. It will subside thereafter.

2/3  India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) March 14, 2020

Delhi saw a cloudy morning on Saturday and the minimum temperature recorded here was 14-degree celsius. The few hours rain led to traffic jams in the national capital and water-logging was seen near AIIMS (All India Institute Of Medical Sciences) area.

Meanwhile, rainfall accompanied with hailstorm also lashed several parts of Uttar Pradesh since Friday which has also led to the deaths of at least 6 people. Thousands of acres of crops belonging to dozens of farmers have been destroyed due to hailstorm. Distraught villagers are demanding compensation from the administration.

On Saturday, Shimla, Dalhousie and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall intensifying the cold wave conditions in the state. "Popular tourist spots Shimla, Kufri, Chail and Dalhousie received overnight snowfall, while lower hill experienced rains, plummeting the minimum and maximum temperatures by several notches," Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office here, told IANS.

As per IMD, a cyclonic system lies over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir region which is under the influence of the Western Disturbance and it could cause heavy rains and snowfall at Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh on March 14.
Minister of Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations  Dinesh Gunawardena who leads the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council arrived in Geneva a short while ago.

The Minister is scheduled to address the High Level Segment of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on Wed 26 February, where he will formally inform the Council Members of the decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to withdraw its co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of March 2019 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, which also incorporates and builds on preceding Resolutions 30/1 of October 2015 and 34/1 of March 2017.

Minister Gunawardena will also respond to the Oral Update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner on 27 February.

He will meet the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday 28 February.

The Sri Lanka Delegation to the current Session includes State Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha, Additional Secretary to the President Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage, Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, Director General of the UN and Human Rights Division of Ministry of Foreign Relations Mr. M.R.K. Lenagala, Senior State Counsel Kanishka Balapatabendi, Brigadier E.S. Jayasinghe from the Ministry of Defence and Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Relations Subash Sri Wijethunga.

Acting Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Dayani Mendis and relevant staff will join the delegation during the session and meetings.

During his stay in Geneva, Minister Gunawardena will also meet with the Director Generals of the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Secretary- General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Sri Lanka Permanent Mission

Geneva

25 February 2020

Media Release in PDF
All Irish tourists returning from any part of Italy or Spain will be asked to "restrict their movements for two weeks", Health Minister Simon Harris has said.

The advice comes after the coronavirus situation in Spain began to significantly deteriorate and the Department of Foreign Affairs urged Irish people to avoid Spain and Italy unless absolutely necessary.

There are now more than 5,000 cases of the virus in Spain - a rise of more than 800 in 24 hours. Italy, which is under quarantine, has had 17,660 cases and at least 1,000 deaths.

Mr Harris said that regarding countries the Government is urging Irish people not to travel to, it should also be ensuring that they monitor the spread of the virus from Irish people returning.

"The national public health emergency team met last night. This is the team chaired by our chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan," he said.

Restrictions

"It was decided we should now give more advice to people coming back into our country from affected areas, currently Spain and Italy - countries that we were telling people not to make unnecessary travel to.

"As of today, people who come back to Ireland from those countries will be given information at the airport telling them to restrict their movements for the next two weeks - to not go to work, and to lessen their social context.

"We'll have to monitor this as we can see worrying trends in France and Germany."

Mr Harris was questioned on Morning Ireland on how thousands of Irish people were allowed to travel to Cheltenham Festival for the racing.

"I know it seems counter-intuitive in Ireland, as we're restricting mass gatherings, but the Public Health Emergency Team did consider this and as of now the UK is not deemed to be an affected area in the same way as Spain or Italy," he said.
Shimla, March 14 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday informed the state Assembly that all government and private schools, colleges and universities in the state will remain closed till March 31 as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"Though not a single positive case has been reported from the state so far, as a precaution we have decided to close all educational institutes, anganwadis and creches till March 31," the Chief Minister said.

A notification was issued earlier about postponement of all fairs, festivals, religious functions and sport events with immediate effect.

"A total of 593 people with travel history to coronavirus-hit countries have been reported in the state. The samples of seven suspected persons have tested negative," the Chief Minister said.

"We will ensure proper monitoring at all entry points as a lot of Nepalese are working in Himachal and they arrive here by road," he added.
Schools across the mid-valley and statewide will be closed through March on orders from Gov. Kate Brown who triggered the shutdown late Thursday night in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus.

Thursday morning, Brown had said closing the state's schools would be a last resort as the state worked to minimize the illness that, as of Friday, had impacted 30 people including 8 at a Lebanon veterans' home.

Gov. Brown's order goes into effect on Monday but locally, Greater Albany Public Schools and Lebanon Community Schools closed their doors on Friday with alerts going out to parents late Thursday night.

"I wish to thank students, parents, staff, and community members for your support and patience in these quickly changing times," GAPS Superintendent Melissa Goff said in a statement Thursday night.

In Lebanon, where there are 10 confirmed cases, East Linn Christian Academy closed on Thursday prior to Gov. Brown's order citing several parents who worked at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home where the Linn County cases originated.

Lebanon Community Schools closed on Friday following orders from the state, allowing staff and students a three hour window to collect things they may need prior to schools re-opening on April 1.

Corvallis School District, according to spokesperson Brenda Downum, will be closing March 16 and the Sweet Home School District also held normal classes on Friday.

"This will allow students to collect learning materials that they might need and take home any personal items they might want while schools are closed," Sweet Home Superintendent Tom Yahraes said in a statement to parents. "Our educators will also be able to talk with students and to help prepare them for this closure."

Spring Break for the districts was scheduled for March 23-27 but the additional time off, according to districts will not come with remote classes.

In Albany, GAPS spokesperson Andrew Tomsky said school work will not be sent home but the district is sharing several free education programs with parents to help continued learning while schools are closed.

The Corvallis School District will not be assigning, collecting or grading student work while schools are closed.

Logistics outside of school work are still being mapped out including how students who are experiencing food insecurity will be impacted.

"During the mandated school cancellation period, lunch will be available at no cost to any student 18 and younger at four meal sites in Corvallis. Meal sites will be open 12 - 1 pm, Monday through Friday," Downum said.

Lebanon is also offering free meals for children 18 and under at Lebanon High School between 9 and 9:30 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m. Children must be present to receive a meal.

Similarly in Albany, the district is working to provide food for students and families through FISH, Monday through Friday.

"They just have to let them know that the district sent them," Tomsky said. "We will also be setting up sack lunches for students 18 and under at several school locations."

Those locations will be announced as plans continue to be finalized.

Other logistics, such as childcare, is not being addressed by the districts at this time, leaving working families to find care for their children during the day.

There have been no confirmed cases in GAPS, Corvallis School District, Sweet Home School District or Lebanon Community Schools.

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control released guidance regarding school closures amid COVID-19.

The agency stated that there is a role for school closures in response to COVID-19 where cases have been detected in the school or as part of a community attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Closing schools for 2-4 weeks, according to the CDC, allows those who may be carrying the virus to develop symptoms while not out in the community, allows social distancing to be used widely and gives local health authorities a chance to evaluate the local impact of the illness.

The extent by which the missed school days will have to be made up will be decided by each district's school administration and school board. Goff said on Friday that the district calendar includes one week of make-up days between June 15-19 and it's likely those will have to be used.

"We understand that this plan will create hardships for many families, and we appreciation your patience and cooperation," Goff said in a statement Friday afternoon.

"The school day is the centerpiece of the lives of many people. Children count on the reliable routine the school day offers, from the classroom setting to the many people at school who know and care about them. Families too, count on count on the routine and knowledge that their children are cared for during the day... please know that we are doing our very best to make decisions that help care for all of us through this time."

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia on Friday banned mass gatherings until May at the earliest, and its prime minister said the coronavirus epidemic had taken hold in the country for the foreseeable future as a second wave of infections spread.

Muhyiddin Yassin also said Malaysia's tourism sector had likely suffered nearly 3.4 billion ringgit ($800 million) in losses in the first two months of 2020, and that the outbreak was expected to cut full-year gross domestic product by between 0.8% and 1.2%.

"Immediate steps need to implemented ...to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the nation's economy," he said in a televised address, adding that the government would ensure a $4.7 billion stimulus package announced last month was quickly and fairly implemented.

The health ministry said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen to 197, up 39 from Thursday, though with no fatalities.

At least 40 have been linked to a religious event on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur that was attended by about 10,000 people from several countries.

Muhyiddin said the country was facing a "second wave" of infections, adding: "Based on current trends, this epidemic is expected to go on for a reasonably long period of time. It will not end in the near future."

To contain the spread of the virus, all gatherings including international meetings, sports, social and religious events would be cancelled or postponed until after April, he said.

Southeast Asia's third-largest economy will also maintain a ban on all arrivals from Hubei, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in China, Hokkaido in Japan, and from Italy, Iran and South Korea.

On Thursday, Malaysia also imposed a travel ban on all arrivals from Denmark, effective Saturday.

(Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Alison Williams and John Stonestreet)
With no end to the clouds of crisis looming over his government, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath has written to Union home minister Amit Shah with the request to ensure the return of all 22 Congress rebels to Bhopal before the beginning of the budget session of the State assembly on March 16, said an agency report.

The MLAs are currently housed in a Karnataka resort protected by State police in the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The development follows the assembly speakers decision on Saturday to accept resignations of six Congress MLAs, who had earlier been sacked as ministers in the Kamal Nath government.

I have accepted the resignations of Imarati Devi, Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Pradyumn Singh Tomar and Prabhuram Chaudhari, Prajapti was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Speakers decision has effectively reduced the strength of the 228-member house to 222 and hit the strength of the Congress legislatures.

Before the rebellion, Congress had 114 members of its own and the support of four Independents along with two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs and one from the Samajwadi Party. Two seats in the assembly are vacant.

These six MLAs were sacked from the State cabinet after they resigned en-masse along with 16 other party lawmakers in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia who quit the Congress to join the BJP.

Speaker NP Prajapati had issued notices to all the 22 rebels on Thursday asking them to appear in person on Friday to explain if they had quit voluntarily or were under pressure.

I had given them time to appear in person on Friday and Saturday after their resignations came in for verification. But they did not turn up, he was quoted as saying on Saturday
It looks like Auckland International Airport Limited (NZSE:AIA) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 4 days. Investors can purchase shares before the 19th of March in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 3rd of April.

Auckland International Airport's next dividend payment will be NZ$0.13 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of NZ$0.23 per share. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Auckland International Airport has a trailing yield of 3.4% on the current share price of NZ$6.6. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Auckland International Airport's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Auckland International Airport

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Auckland International Airport is paying out an acceptable 51% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Auckland International Airport paid out more free cash flow than it generated - 121%, to be precise - last year, which we think is concerningly high. We're curious about why the company paid out more cash than it generated last year, since this can be one of the early signs that a dividend may be unsustainable.

While Auckland International Airport's dividends were covered by the company's reported profits, cash is somewhat more important, so it's not great to see that the company didn't generate enough cash to pay its dividend. Were this to happen repeatedly, this would be a risk to Auckland International Airport's ability to maintain its dividend.

Story continues

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

NZSE:AIA Historical Dividend Yield, March 14th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. It's encouraging to see Auckland International Airport has grown its earnings rapidly, up 21% a year for the past five years. Earnings have been growing quickly, but we're concerned dividend payments consumed most of the company's cash flow over the past year.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the last ten years, Auckland International Airport has lifted its dividend by approximately 9.5% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy Auckland International Airport for the upcoming dividend? It's good to see that earnings per share are growing and that the company's payout ratio is within a normal range for most businesses. However we're somewhat concerned that it paid out 121% of its cashflow, which is uncomfortably high. While it does have some good things going for it, we're a bit ambivalent and it would take more to convince us of Auckland International Airport's dividend merits.

However if you're still interested in Auckland International Airport as a potential investment, you should definitely consider some of the risks involved with Auckland International Airport. To help with this, we've discovered 5 warning signs for Auckland International Airport (2 are concerning!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Pujiths term ends; way clear to appoint new IGP View(s):

The term of Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara  who was under interdiction over the failure to take steps to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings  ended yesterday, paving the way for the the appointment of a new Inspector General.

Accordingly, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will now be empowered to nominate candidates for the post and the Constitutional Council will recommend one of the nominees.

Among the three most senior officers are the current Acting Police Chief C.D. Wickremaratna, Senior Deputy Inspectors General J. Abeysirigunawardena and Nandana Munasinghe.

Though the current Constitutional Council is operational despite the dissolution of Parliament, the President also could delay the nominations until the new Constitutional Council is appointed after the April 25 Parliamentary elections, sources said.

Mr. Jayasundara was appointed as the IGP on April 2016 and served in the post until his interdiction which came after he turned down a request from former President Maithripala Sirisena to step down following the Easter Sunday attacks on April 21 last year. The retiring IGP will be entitled to his pension and also a duty-free vehicle.
BAGHDAD, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Presidency on Friday condemned overnight U.S. airstrikes on military bases housing paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

In a statement, the Presidency said the U.S. airstrikes are a violation of Iraq's national sovereignty, and it reaffirmed that addressing the security issues in Iraq should be achieved by supporting the government of Iraq to implement its duties.

"The continuing violations, for the Iraqi government, are a systematic and grave weakening of its capabilities and prestige, which comes at the time that Iraq is facing grave and unprecedented challenges," the statement said.

The Presidency warned that "such challenges, if continued, will push Iraq into the status of non-state and chaos," according to the statement.

The Presidency also called on the international community to support Iraq and to respect its sovereignty, it added.

At least five security members and a civilian were killed in overnight U.S. airstrikes on military bases housing paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces south of Baghdad, the Iraqi military said earlier on Friday.

The airstrikes came after Wednesday's rocket attack on Camp Taji north of Baghdad that killed two U.S. soldiers and one British service member and wounded a dozen others.

The military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad have been frequently targeted by insurgent mortar and rocket attacks.

Over 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes.
The Chronicle

San Francisco police were looking for a suspect following a fatal shooting at Jones and McAllister streets in the Tenderloin early Saturday.

The shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m., police said. Homicide investigators were on the scene.
New sustainability pledges have been launched by First Milk including one which asks farmers to provide cows access to pasture for a minimum of 6 hours per day for 120 days.

The First4Milk scheme has been launched today (13 March) as a new way for the British dairy co-op to show off its environmental credentials.

The initiative sees the business asking its members to commit to improvements within three main areas - 'people, animals and the earth'.

The key elements of the pledge include farmer members guaranteeing that no healthy animal, including calves, will be euthanised on farm.

Farmers will also share antibiotic use data, enhance biodiversity and soil health on farm and help promote a positive image of dairy.

Members will provide cows with access to pasture for a minimum of 6 hours per day for 120 days during the grazing season.

Shelagh Hancock, the dairy co-op's chief executive, admitted they are challenging objectives, but the industry must do more in terms of sustainability.

"We are proud of the leading standards on First Milk members farms and know members exceed many of the national targets and outcomes in these areas," she said.

"But with livestock-based food production continuing to be under the spotlight, we need to demonstrate we are proactively addressing these areas of public concern in order to prosper long-term.

First Milk farmers members are being asked to sign up to the First4Milk Pledge by 30 June 2020.

Compliance with the commitments will be monitored through annual Farm Business Reviews and farm assurance audits, as well as through online data collection via the First4Milk platform including the member app.

What pledges are farmers being asked to take?

Animal Welfare

 Ensure cows have access to pasture for a minimum of 120 days per year for at least 6 hours per day during periods when the weather and ground conditions are suitable

 Implement animal health and welfare plans in conjunction with vets

 Record, monitor and share total use of antibiotics with First Milk

 Guarantee no healthy animal, including calves, shall be euthanised on farm

Earth

 Implement a soil and nutrient management plan to demonstrate responsible use of fertilisers and manures

 Maintain levels of soil organic matter to improve soil health and carbon storage

 Take measures on farm to enhance and promote biodiversity

People

 Ensure all individuals are appropriately trained to carry out their duties

 Help promote a positive image of dairy and support consumer and community engagement

 Ensure the working environment on farm is safe
A man who was caught with 100 worth of cannabis had his case struck out after he made a charitable donation.

Mark Maypotter (27) was in a car which was stopped by

gardai. A strong smell of cannabis was coming from the car.

When gardai searched the defendant they located a small white bag of cocaine on him and a summons was issued for him to appear before Swords District Court.

The defendant signed the prosecuting garda's notebook and admitted the cocaine was for his own use, the court heard.

The defendant, with an address at Minister's Park in Lusk pleaded guilty to being in unlawful possession of cocaine at Boroimhe Link Road in Swords on May 1, 2019.

He has no previous convictions, the court heard.

Defence solicitor Morgan Redmond said the defendant, who works in a warehouse and has one child, hasn't taken drugs since this incident.

'It was a wake up call and he realises the significance of it,' said Mr Redmond, asking the court to see if it would see fit to leave the defendant without a conviction.

'He has 300 with him,' said Mr Redmond.

Judge Miriam Walsh said considering the defendant has no previous convictions, she will accept 400 as a charitable donation.

Once the money was handed over, the judge allocated the donation to Blanchardstown Hospice and struck the case out.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pushing for a significantly more robust federal-government response to the coronavirus pandemic as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggles to strike a deal with the GOP.

The House is preparing to vote on Thursday on a coronavirus-relief bill that would provide Americans with paid sick leave, food assistance, free coronavirus testing, and more substantial unemployment benefits.

"This is not the time for half measures," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday. "We need to take dramatic action now to stave off the worst public health & economic affects."

Democrats are attempting to bring Republicans on board with their legislation  which doesn't include Ocasio-Cortez's far-reaching proposals  but the White House and GOP lawmakers are resisting it.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive lawmakers are calling for a significantly more robust federal-government response to the coronavirus than has so far been proposed by both Democrats and Republicans.

The House is preparing to vote on Thursday on a coronavirus-relief bill that would provide Americans with paid sick leave, food assistance, free coronavirus testing, and more substantial unemployment benefits.

But Ocasio-Cortez pushed for a more sweeping response, including expanding Medicare or Medicaid to cover all Americans, a freeze on evictions, a universal basic income, ending work requirements for food-assistance programs, criminal-justice reform, and freezing student-debt collection.

"This is not the time for half measures," she tweeted on Thursday. "We need to take dramatic action now to stave off the worst public health & economic affects. That includes making moves on paid leave, debt relief, waiving work req's, guaranteeing healthcare, UBI, detention relief (pretrial, elderly, imm)."

Story continues

Ocasio-Cortez said the expansion of unemployment benefits wouldn't help the many millions of Americans, including tipped and contracted workers, who are suffering economically as a result of the pandemic but aren't necessarily losing their jobs.

A fight over the coronavirus response

Democrats are attempting to bring Republicans on board with the legislation, but the White House and GOP lawmakers are resisting it.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called the bill "completely partisan" and "unworkable." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the legislation "an ideological wish list that was not tailored closely to the circumstances."

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has remained defiant.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on March 12.

Associated Press

"We cannot slow the coronavirus outbreak when workers are stuck with the terrible choice between staying home to avoid spreading illness and the paycheck their family can't afford to lose," she said in a Wednesday statement.

On Thursday morning, Pelosi told reporters that Congress wouldn't leave Washington without passing legislation to address the pandemic and resulting economic crisis. (Congress is scheduled to go on recess next week).

"We're bringing this bill to the floor," she said.

Meanwhile, the president has proposed a massive fiscal stimulus centered on a temporary Social Security payroll-tax cut that would add about $1 trillion to the national debt  more costly than both the 2008 Wall Street bailout and the 2009 stimulus bill designed to combat the Great Recession.

There is widespread bipartisan skepticism about the cost and effectiveness of Trump's proposal, and it would face an uphill battle in the Democratic-controlled House. Critics say the payroll-tax cut wouldn't be targeted enough and would disproportionately help higher-income Americans.

After calling for unity during an address to the nation on Wednesday night, Trump attacked Pelosi on Thursday morning for refusing to back his plan.

"Nancy Pelosi all of a sudden doesn't like the payroll tax cut, but when Obama proposed it she thought it was a brilliant thing that all of the working families would benefit from because if you get a paycheck, you're going to take home more money," he tweeted, quoting a host of "Fox and Friends."

Read the original article on Business Insider
An American couple, which allegedly gave the slip to police after being admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital in Alappuzha following complaints of fever and cough, was traced to Kochi airport and placed under observation.

IMAGE: A poster informing patients of a medicine distribution camp is seen at a government run hospital as part of a precautionary measure for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, in New Delhi, on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The two were traced late Friday night and admitted to the Kalamassery medical college hospital isolation ward, police sources said.

They had visited the hospital in Alappuzha with fever and were sent to the isolation ward, but left the place shortly thereafter.

The tourists had come to Kochi from London via Doha on March 9, attended a Kathakali show in the port city, went for a houseboat ride the next day at Alappzuha, stayed at a Fort Kochi resort, before going to Varkala near Thiruvananthapuram and returned to Alappuzha, police said.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to track all those who may have come in contact with the Italian tourist, who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan said it was a herculean task as the tourist had come to the state from Delhi on February 27 and was staying at a beach resort at Varkala.

The Thiruvananthapuram district administration is in the process of preparing the route map of the places the tourist had visited after he arrived in the state.

"There was a 15 day gap from the time he reached the state to being detected positive for virus. Efforts are on to trace all those he had come in contact during this period. He had gone out to purchase food and other things," the collector told reporters.

He urged people to stay indoors and not to move around and take precautionary measures.

Those coming from abroad should be under home quarantine for 28 days.

Many are not following the restrictions while in quarantine, he said.

With three positive cases being reported from the state capital, the collector said all malls would be closed, while people should avoid mass gatherings and follow strict self isolation to ensure that the virus does not spread.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild cases recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe cases may take three to six weeks to get better.

Local districts respond

Portage Community School Districts week-long spring break was scheduled to start Monday.

It feels things are changing every minute, said Superintendent Margaret Rudolph, who also advises families to follow Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on travel and disease prevention.

I cant tell people what they can and cant do on spring break, but if theyre going into an area thats considered high risk, we would appreciate them following the 14 days of self-quarantine, Rudolph said of CDC guidelines regarding travel to Warning Level 3 areas, which are listed at cdc.gov. Things change so fast and so if youre not sure about what to do, please reach out to us so that we can plan for your childs continued education.
The resignations of six MLAs out of 22 rebel Congress legislators were accepted by the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker on Saturday, even as the BJP claimed the Kamal Nath government has lost majority and demanded that a floor test be held before the Budget session starts on Monday.

These six MLAs were sacked from the Kamal Nath Government after they, alongwith 16 other legislators, resigned in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia who left the Congress and joined the BJP.

The Congress has, meanwhile, issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to be present in the house from March 16 to April 13 during the Assembly session and vote in favour of the government.

I have accepted the resignation of Imarati Devi, Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Pradyumn Singh Tomar and Prabhuram Chaudhari, Speaker N P Prajapati told reporters.

With this, the strength of the house is down to 222, with the majority mark 112.

Before the rebellion early this week, the Congress' tally was 114. It also had the support of four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one from the SP.

The resignations of its 16 rebel lawmakers, who are in Bengaluru, have not been accepted yet.

The BJP has 107 seats.

With his government teetering after the rebellion last Monday, Chief Minister Kamal Nath wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to ensure the "release" of Congress legislators who, he alleged, were held "captive" in Bengaluru.

"Please use your power as Union home minister so that 22 Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session beginning from March 16 without any allurement and fear," the four-page letter, shared by Congress spokesperson with the media, said.

The BJP too stepped up pressure as it submitted a memorandum to Governor Lalji Tandon, demanding that a floor test be held before the budget session, scheduled to begin from Monday, by division of votes and not through voice vote.

After meeting Tandon, BJP national vice president and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said that the proceedings of the trust vote must be video-recorded.

"Our delegation has submitted a memorandum to the governor. Twenty two MLAs have resigned. They have cleared about their resignation by issuing the videos. Now, the Kamal Nath government is in minority and in this situation they have not constitutional rights to run the government," Chouhan said.

"We have said that there is no meaning to Governor's address (customary address before the beginning of Budget session), no meaning of budget session. So, before the budget session, there should be a floor test, he said.

Chouhan alleged that the Congress government in the state has been alluring, pressurising and threatening the relatives of the MLAs who have resigned.

New cases are being registered against the MLAs and their relatives and their properties are being damaged, he alleged



It is imperative in such a situation that the trust vote should be conducted in the house, he said.

Chouhan also alleged that Scindia was attacked on Friday. He said the rebel MLAs, who have quit, don't want to return from Bengaluru without the security of central government forces



It could be conducted tomorrow (Sunday), he said when asked about the floor test.

Police on Saturday registered a case against around 35 unidentified persons in connection with the incident involving Scindia.

"A case against 30-35 unknown persons was registered under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 147 (rioting) in connection with the incident that took place on Friday evening when Scindia's motorcade was passing by the Kamla Park area," an official of Shyamala Hills Police Station said.

Congress workers had waved black flags at Scindia in Kamla Park area of Bhopal, when he was on his way to the airport on Friday evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By PTI

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh BJP on Saturday submitted a memorandum to Governor Lalji Tandon demanding a floor test, by division of votes and not voice vote, before the budget session begins on Monday.

The Congress-led Kamal Nath government is on the brink after senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP, and several of the latter's supporter MLAs tendered their resignations.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Tandon, senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "We have submitted a memorandum to the governor.

"Twenty-two MLAs have resigned. They have confirmed their resignations by issuing videos. Now, the Kamal Nath government is in minority and does not have the constitutional right to continue."

"We have said there is no meaning to the governor's address, no meaning of the budget session. So, before the budget session, there should be a floor test," he said.

Chouhan said the trust vote should be held under an observer appointed by the governor and must be videographed.

"The BJP also demanded that the trust vote should be done through the division of votes and pressing of buttons and not by voice vote," he said.

Chouhan said the trust vote must be done on Sunday, a day ahead of the budget session.

Chouhan claimed the state government was alluring, pressurising and threatening the kin of these MLAs, and cases were registered against the legislators.

"Our leader (Jyotiraditya) Scindia ji was attacked on Friday. MLAs (who resigned) have demanded security of Central forces and don't want to return (from Bengaluru) without it," he claimed.

The BJP delegation included leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava, former union ministers Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh and Rampal Singh.
Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Museums Close Over Coronavirus

Knotts Berry Farm and Magic Mountain announced today that they will temporarily close through the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Knotts officials said in a statement they continue to follow guidance from local and state officials, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and while there have been no confirmed cases of (coronavirus) at our properties, we believe this is the right decision for our guests, associates and community.

The Knotts Berry Farm Hotel will remain open. The park said it would work with guests who have prepaid tickets or booked rooms during the closure.

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Our guests and associates are considered family, the statement said. We have their well-being at the forefront of our decision-making. We are committed to responding to questions and requests over the days and weeks ahead and appreciate everyones continued support and patience as we manage through this ongoing situation.

Six Flags Magic Mountain followed with a similar announcement later Friday, saying the Valencia theme park has temporarily suspended operations until the end of March, at which time we will re-evaluate the situation. While

there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at (the park), the safety of our guests and team members is always our highest priority. We will continue to closely monitor these evolving conditions, and will follow the most current

guidance from federal, state, and local officials.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach said it is closing Saturday through March 31.

On Thursday, Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood announced that they will close to the public on Saturday.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the La Brea Tar Pits Museum and William S. Hart Museum will all close to the public beginning

Saturday, through at least April 10.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Hammer Museum in Westwood is also closing Saturday, with all public programs canceled through the end of April.



Other Los Angeles-area museums that have already announced closures include the Getty Center, MOCA, the Battleship Iowa Museum and the Autry Museum.
Watching the sun go down from a Bali beach cabana last year, Luke Behin suggested to girlfriend Juliana Junqueira itd be a nice place to marry.

But the Melbourne couple's plans to wed on the Indonesian island in May have been thrown into disarray, as the intensifying threat of coronavirus prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday to urge Australians to consider only essential travel.

Juliana and Luke are likely to postpone their May wedding in Bali. Credit: Jason South

They say that if the situation does not improve in the next fortnight, which appears unlikely, they will postpone their day.

Things escalated too quickly and we are very worried about our loved ones' health, Junqueira said. We cannot ask for anyone to put themselves at risk.
BAGHDAD, March 13 (Reuters) - Iraqi President Barham Salih condemned on Friday a series of overnight U.S. air strikes as a violation of national sovereignty and warned that the country could slip into chaos and become a failed state.

"The repeated violations the state is being subjected to are a dangerous and deliberate weakening of its abilities and reputation, especially at a time when Iraq faces unprecedented challenges on political, economic, financial, security, and health fronts," Salih said in a statement.

"These dangers could lead to chaos and Iraq becoming a failed state, especially if the security escalation continues while Islamic State militants attempt to regain their ability to threaten national security and the safety of citizens." (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Jon Boyle)
A cyber attack hit one of the major COVID-19 testing laboratories in Czech, the Brno University Hospital in the city of Brno.

While the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading on a global scale, crooks and nation-state actors are launching Coronavirus-themed attacks against targets worldwide. The healthcare systems of any country are under pressure, for this reason, the news of a cyberattack against a hospital is regrettable.

Media are reporting that the Brno University Hospital, in Brno (Czech Republic), has been hit by a severe cyber attack.

The cyber-attack took place Thursday to Friday night, it caused the collapse of part of the network, all the computers were disconnected.

The hospital was forced to shut down the IT network, the attack also hit two other of the hospitals branches, the Childrens Hospital and the Maternity Hospital.

The information on cyber attack was confirmed by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who was informed by Jaroslav Smid, who now manages the National Office for Cyber and Information Security. reported the Idnes website.

We are dealing with it, we are trying to secure the operation of the hospital, said the hospitals director Jaroslav Sterba .

The administration at the hospital did not disclose the details of the attack, but the media reported that it had a significant impact on the operations at the Brno University Hospital. The structure was forced to postpone urgent surgical interventions and to transfer new acute patients to nearby St. Annes University Hospital.

Our cybercrime specialists are already in place. We will not provide more information yet, Jaroslav Ibehej from the National Headquarters Against Organized Crime confirmed to Pravo.

It happened from Thursday to Friday night, part of the network collapsed, all the computers were disconnected, we cant operate. Currently, the crisis is currently being resolved by an operatively convened staff, said Pavel Zara, a spokesperson for the University Hospital Brno.

Gradually, individual systems were falling, so all computers had to be shut down, Sterba added.

Experts from the Czech National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), Czech police (NCOZ) and hospitals IT staff are now working to recover operations at the hospital.

There are laboratories, hematology, microbiology, biochemistry and more sophisticated laboratories for tumor diagnostics, radiological systems work, but there is no possibility of transferring information from these laboratories to the database system, Sterba explained. We are able to investigate patients, but we are not yet able to store data. Patient care is maintained and we are working to be able to store data in hours, 

It is not clear if testing capability at the hospital was impacted by the cyber-attack.

Pierluigi Paganini
McEgan College celebrated its very first Intercultural Day on March 10. There are over 20 different nationalities enriching the school community. Students shared some of their culture and history with teachers and classmates by creating flags, designing posters and displaying projects on their country of origin.

Some students brought in traditional dishes from Nigeria, Tanzania and New Zealand to share with the pupils and staff, which was greatly appreciated. It was a very enjoyable occasion for all the students who contributed and for the school community to learn about the diverse cultures attending McEgan College.

Many thanks to Ms Creedon and her second-year class for organising the event.
New Delhi: Experts are calling for an aggressive ramping up of testing in India to stave off the deadly infection that has claimed at least 5,500 lives across the world, pointing out that the current capacity to screen people may prove to be inadequate in case of a sudden surge in infections.

India has made arrangements to nearly double its capacity to test for the novel coronavirus and started random screening of samples, but in a country this large, the dangerous community transmission phase of the disease, when it spreads to people who have neither been to a global hot spot nor been in direct contact with someone testing positive, could have deadly ramifications.

India reported two deaths in the past week, and 84 confirmed infections, far lower than disease hot spots in China, Italy, Iran and South Korea. Medical authorities have, until Saturday, tested 6,700 samples.

Indias top medical body, the Indian Council for Medical Research, said it is ready for a sudden surge in cases, by adding to its network of laboratories capable of testing for Covid-19, and by procuring more testing reagents. We have added the number of labs to about 65 and at this point we can perform 100,000 tests, effectively about 10,000 tests in a day. We have made further arrangements to procure reagents to be able to do about 200,000 more tests, if required, said Dr Balram Bhargava, director general of the ICMR.

However, at the moment, only those with a history of travel to 12 countries designated as high-risk, or those who have come in contact with anyone testing positive for the coronavirus, or showing symptoms of the disease, are being tested.

Dr Lalit Kant, an expert in infectious diseases, said: The South Korea model [of aggressive testing] is good, as it worked well. It can be tried in India also as because of the high population we may soon be expecting large numbers to test.

In South Korea, which is experiencing the largest outbreak of the epidemic outside mainland China where the virus originated late last year, authorities have enforced a unique and aggressive testing regimen.

The country of 51 million people has devised rapid tests and told medical authorities to not deny screening to anyone, even if they are not citizens or residents. The administration worked with biotech firms to develop rapid tests and sanctioned local governments to test people at drive-through stations  where people pull up in cars and get tested for the virus.

Experts link these strategies with a fall in the number of new infections, and have now called for similar methods to be employed in the US, where authorities have drawn flak for slow rates of testing.

Other countries such as Vietnam and Singapore have also followed the model of South Korea, which has tested the highest number of people per capita in the world.

Some countries have been very aggressive and have actually done quite a good job. Other countries have been quite lackadaisical and, I think, have suffered immensely from it. And I think there are lessons to be learned for all of us, Ashish Jha, who runs the Harvard Global Health Institute, told NPR on Friday.

India has been able to manage the infection until now, but some experts worry that in the next few weeks, the country will be at risk of a dramatic rise in numbers  as has been seen in countries such as Italy, Iran, China and US. Bhargava admitted to reporters that the next month will be crucial to monitor and stop community transmissions.

We need to look at all alternatives, even rapid tests to be able to manage the numbers in future, said Kant.

A second expert said on condition of anonymity that it was unclear if India was testing enough people.

But look at the countrys population, and the numbers that have tested positive, it appears to be we arent testing enough. One of the reasons could be not all contacts are being traced adequately and that could lead in sudden jump in numbers, the expert said.

ICMR said it was ready for the challenge.

We are adequately prepared; however, we have not yet reached a stage where we get more samples than we can test. As opposed to the capacity of performing 90 tests per day in all our laboratories, we are getting about 60-70 samples daily in all the labs put together, Bhargava told HT.

ICMR has also begun lifting random samples of influenza-like illnesses from its network of viral research and diagnostic laboratories across India, to see if there is transmission in community.

The first batch of random samples (about 20 from each of its 13 laboratories) was tested between February 15 and 29. All the tests were negative for coronavirus. Another batch of sample lifting is to start on March 15.

A number of states have also enforced a partial shutdown of public places. Almost all visas have been suspended for a month, and the government has invoked the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, and Disaster Management Act, 2005, even though it maintained that there was no community transmission of the disease in India yet.

Invoking these acts does not mean there is Covid-19 epidemic in India. It means the government is working proactively to ensure the situation does not reach epidemic proportions. There is no community transmission in India so far, said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary of the health ministry.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), countries should test suspect cases, contacts of confirmed cases; test patients identified through respiratory disease surveillance, if there is local cluster transmission. In case of community transmission, the UN body calls for aggressive testing.

A section of experts, however, disagree on the need for aggressive testing.

Only symptomatic people, especially those with a travel history or contact of a laboratory positive case, need to get tested as there is a risk of getting false negative results in the early stages of disease. When there are no symptoms, that means viral load in the body is very low and it may not show up, said Dr Lalit Dar, professor of microbiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

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Wreaths laid for Phukets heroines

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana yesterday morning (Mar 13) led a wreath-laying and praising ceremony in honour of Phukets two heroines at the Heroines Monument in Thalang.

COVID-19culture

By The Phuket News

Saturday 14 March 2020, 11:33AM

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Wreaths were laid for Phukets heroines yesterday morning (Mar 13), but there will be no historical plays this year due to COVID-19 fears. Photo: Phuket PR Department

Present at the ceremony were various officials, police and navy officers, members of the Heroines Foundation and local people.

The beginning of the ceremony saw Gov Phakaphong place a wealth and light candles in front of the Heroines Monument. A speech of praise was then read out to honour Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn.

The ceremony is conducted annually to remind people of their brave ancestors who fought against Burmese invaders in 1785 and deserved honour with their bravery, Gov Phakaphong said.

Meanwhile, the three-night grand finale for the Heroines festival  a light-and-sound show and historical play at Phuket Historical Park in Thalang  has been "postponed" due to COVID-19 fears.

It has already been decided to postpone the light-and-sound show and historical play until further notice, Gov Phakaphong said.

It has been postponed following the suggestion of the Ministry of Public Health to postpone or cancel any big events in order to prevent COVID-19 spread, he explained.
A wanted criminal, who was allegedly planning to murder his uncle over a property dispute, was arrested from west Delhi, police said on Saturday.

The accused, Arun Kumar (28), a resident of Gurgaon, was previously involved in eight criminal cases, they said.

"On Thursday, police got a tip-off regarding Kumar and arrested him from Dichaon village," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said.

During interrogation, Kumar told police that he was planning to kill his uncle as he had misappropriated his father's share in an ancestral land. He was looking for an accomplice who could assist him, he said.

A country-made pistol with two live cartridges were recovered from the accused, the police said.

Kumar was a member of the Raju Basodiya group. In February this year, he and his associates had attacked a team of Haryana Police and rescued a criminal, Sandeep Jetharia, from custody, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Low-cost options for high-speed Internet services will be offered to Alabama students and low-income populations hit hardest by the closures and other impacts from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Alabama Cable and Broadband Association.

Charter Spectrum and Comcast are providing services at reduced costs or at no cost for the next 60 days. In some cases, the providers are increasing upload and download speeds for all customers going forward.

Alabamas cable providers are also coordinating with our local governmental and non-profit organizations across the state to make sure we have the highest awareness of these broadband options along those most affected by the COVID-19 preparations, said Michelle Roth, executive director with the Alabama Cable and Broadband Association.

She recommended people to check with their local cable provider if they are unclear on options for student and low-income access.

Charter Spectrum:

-Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and WiFi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395.

-Installation fees will be waived for new student households.

-Charter will partner with school districts to ensure local communities are aware of these tools to help students learn remotely.

-For eligible low-income households without school-aged children, Charter continues to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, which is a low-cost broadband program delivering speeds of 30 Mbps.

-Charter will open its WiFi hotspots across its Alabama service area for public use.

Comcast Xifinity:

-Xfinity WiFi hotspots will also be free. For a map, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi.

-Comcast is pausing data plans for 60 days giving all customers unlimited data for no additional charge.

-Comcast will not disconnect a customers Internet or access late fees if they contact the company and let them know that they cant pay their bills during this period.

-New customers will get 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95 per month. Additionally, the speed of the programs Internet service was increased to 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. There is no additional fee and it becomes the new base speed going forward.

Effective Monday for residents in the Beam service area in East Alabama, the following applies:

-Beam will partner with school districts to ensure the capability to learn remotely.

-Beam will partner with housing authority officials to accommodate their tenants with Internet service.

-Beam will offer free 50 Mbps Internet services for 30 days for ne customers with households including K-12 and/or college students who do not have current service. Call for details to sign up. Installation fees for these services will be waived for new customers meeting the above criteria. A valid school ID or proof of K-12 children in household is required.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.
The State of SVOD in Europe

In Europe, as in North America, the video-on-demand (VOD) market is overcrowding as major direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms pressurise an already heated business.

Apple TV+ was first out of the box in November. It will be joined by HBO Max; short-form mobile VOD platform Quibi; NBCU Peacock, which uses the same user interface (UI) as Comcast-owned Now TV (Peacock is likely to be an ad-supported service, free to existing Sky customers in the UK); and Disney+.

Disney+ is already live in the Netherlands, where the service was beta-tested in September. The country was chosen because of a propensity of its population to pay for content. (Among its 7.5 million inhabitants, Netflix and Spotify both have 3 million subscribers, while Videoland, a competing local service owned by RTL, has 1 million subs.)

That there is growth in premium VOD has been reported by several analysts. While TV viewing remains dominant in Europe, revenue has been broadly flat over the past 5 years, and national networks have seen their audiences erode, according to Digital TV Research. Meanwhile, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) figures are forecast by the analyst to reach 100 million subs in Europe by the end of 2021, with total SVOD revenue in the region expected to jump to $12.47 billion within 5 years.

Kantar's TGI Global Quick View data shows that 44% of consumers in Great Britain who pay for an online streaming service have at least two subscriptions, with 7% paying for four or more. The market could prove difficult for new premium streaming services as consumer attentionand walletsonly stretch so far.

"Whether people will sign up for multiple OTT services is yet to be seen, and there will be no one answer," says Steve Miller-Jones, VP of product strategy at Limelight Networks. "Pure cord cutters won't mind the idea of multiple subscriptions and will follow the content. There will be others who want everything wrapped up in one place alongside their TV and internet. To serve this second cohort of consumers, there will certainly be more integration of OTT and pay TV."

Disney+ launched in the Netherlands before it will in the rest of Europe, in part because of its residents propensity to pay for video services, such as the RTL-owned Videoland.

He adds, "One thing we can all be sure of is that competition in the streaming market is going to be fierce on all sides. After the initial hype dies down, and the first seasons of flagship shows end, the content war in the SVOD will really start as services look to prevent subscriber churn."

Kantar analyst Sushmita Jain suggests that the ever-increasing amount of available content and platforms "will lead to a paradox of choice.  [M]ore is not always better. Overwhelmed consumers will become more discerning."

It is widely expected that the streaming war will intensify into 2020, but Antonio Corrado, CEO of Mainstreaming, thinks the Apple and Disney challenge to Netflix and Amazon will benefit the consumer. "This could also mean that user experience and quality of service could become a real differentiator as these giants battle to gain market share," he says.

Netflix had a wide lead in market share as of October 2019, according to Goldmedias VOD-Ratings.

The arrival of Disney+ doesn't necessarily mean pay-TV operators will be excluded from carrying its content; "instead it heralds the beginning of a new commercial paradigm," David Sidebottom, analyst at Futuresource Consulting, writes in a blog post. "Disney will still be keen to maximise distribution and therefore will likely look to maintain relationships with pay-TV operators, seeking carriage of Disney+ as an app or through more sophisticated integration."

Netflix has made similar carriage pacts with Sky in the UK, Sky Italia, and Canal+ in France as defence against rival SVOD launches.

Netflix has an estimated 11.3 million UK subscribers compared to Amazon's 9 million Prime Video subscribers. Netflix, though, has a market share of 61% of daily SVOD usage, with Amazon Prime in second at 25% and Now TV in third at 11%. The figures are based on Goldmedia's VOD-Ratings for October 2019 as reported by Broadband TV News. According to that analysis, there are 2.6 users for every Netflix UK account, compared to 1.9 for Amazon Prime Video, which, in part, explains higher usage levels of Netflix. Now TV has 2.3 users per subscription.

Forging Alliances: Broadcasters Fight Back

To combat the threat from digital streamers, a number of broadcasters within and across European markets have allied to launch new online services. Although business models vary, they offer digital-first functionality like programme restart and content recommendations, with availability on as wide a variety of products and platforms as possible.

Some share a belief that ringfencing homegrown content is something that domestic audiences are crying out for. This concept is perhaps fatally undermined by the weak content budgets (in the low millions of euros) local broadcasters allocate for original content compared to the billions of euros of global SVODs.

Some have had to overcome anti-competition hurdles; others have been forced to get into bed with local rivals. Both dynamics have hamstrung speed to launch, ceding more advantage to SVODs.

Lovestv, a joint venture of Spain's three leading broadcasters, RTVE, Atresmedia, and Mediaset, went live in November 2018. Currently confined to smart TV devices based on hybrid broadcast broadband TV (HbbTV), it brings together catch-up VOD content and live rewind.

Spains Lovestv is a joint venture from broadcasters RTVE, Atresmedia, and Mediaset, but its limited to hybrid broadcast broadband TV (HbbTV)-based smart TVs.

German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 partnered with Discovery to introduce freemium service Joyn to the German market in June 2019. It comprises 55 free-to-air TV channels offered as live streams, including those of public broadcasters ARD and ZDF; commercial broadcasters Viacom, Welt, and Sport1; and Bloomberg and CNBC. Its attraction is multi-screen availability (smartphones, smart TV, tablets) without prior registration and a content mix including curated theme channels and catch-up.

In November, it launched subscription layer Joyn PLUS+, costing 6.99, and plans to introduce the Eurosport Player by mid-2020. ProSiebenSat.1 also plans to roll out Joyn in other European markets.

German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery joined forces to bring Joyn to the market in June 2019. The service offers 55 free-to-air channels from both public and commercial broadcasters.

The main terrestrial broadcasters in France (France Televisions, TF1, M6) will finally launch Salto, a joint venture, this spring, with the intent to become the default streaming video destination for French premium video. Since its initial announcement in mid-2018, however, Netflix has become increasingly dominant, with CanalPlay shuttering in mid-2018, although Canal+ Series launched in March 2019.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 19:03:26|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Saturday afternoon that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong has risen to 140, while another case has been preliminarily tested positive for the virus and is expected to be confirmed later on Saturday.

The CHP reported at a daily press briefing three additional cases confirmed on Saturday, including a 39-year-old female who has been to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Madrid, Spain during the incubation period, and a 28-year-old female who traveled to London, Britain on Jan. 23 and returned to Hong Kong on March 11.

The third additional cases involves a 59-year-old male living in the same building with a couple who were members of a tour group to Egypt and were diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this week.

The inter-departmental response team of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has been informed of the case and will inspect the building to identify the possible route of transmission, Head of the CHP's Communicable Disease Branch Chuang Shuk-kwan said at the briefing.

Apart from the three confirmed cases, a 59-year-old man has been preliminarily tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and is expected to be diagnosed on Saturday night. The man is a relative of a 54-year-old female who was diagnosed on Friday. Both of them traveled to Morocco during the incubation period.

Chief Manager for Quality and Standards of Hong Kong's Hospital Authority Lau Ka-hin announced at the briefing three more cured cases that were discharged from hospital on Saturday.

So far, 80 COVID-19 patients and one probable case have left hospital after recovery, while 54 patients are being treated in isolation in 10 hospitals, all in stable condition, and two are being arranged for hospitalization, according to Lau.
The video conference of Saarc leaders to frame a strategy to counter Coronavirus, mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be held on Sunday evening, people familiar with developments said on Saturday.

All seven other members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) endorsed the proposal made by Modi on Friday. Pakistan, the last member state to agree, has said its de facto health minister will join the video conference.

In a tweet, Modi had proposed the leadership of Saarc states should chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus and discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy.

The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the video conference has been scheduled for 5 pm on Sunday. Modi, the leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka and Zafar Mirza, special adviser on health to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, will join the conference, they said.

Saarc has been largely inactive since a summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in 2016 was called off after an attack on an army camp at Uri in Kashmir that was blamed on Pakistan-based terrorists. Since then, India has turned to alternative blocs such as Bimstec to bolster regional cooperation.

While the top leaders of six Saarc states agreed to Modis suggestion for forging a joint strategy on COVID-19 hours after he made it, Pakistan announced shortly after midnight on Friday that Mirza would represent the country in the video conference.

The threat of #COVID-19 requires coordinated efforts at global and regional level. We have communicated that SAPM on Health will be available to participate in the video conference of #SAARC member countries on the issue, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui tweeted.

The decision was also conveyed to India through diplomatic channels, said the people. Logistics for the exercise and the agenda for discussions were finalised on Saturday, they said.

This exercise shouldnt be seen as a revival of Saarc. This is a measure aimed at bringing together regional countries to tackle a common challenge, said a person who didnt want to be identified.

The people noted that Pakistans decision to field only an adviser to the prime minister reflected its reluctance to engage at the highest level with India.

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Western Texas College is monitoring all available resources regarding the Coronavirus COVID-19. Our highest priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, staff and community. We are in regular communication with local and regional health services, and continually monitor the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), the Center for Disease Control (CD), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

While the situation remains fluid and subject to change, Western Texas College classes will resume on Monday, March 16th. In the event that a change in college operations becomes necessary, a decision to provide online or alternate instruction may be made. Please check with your supervisor for authorization before leaving for any out of town travel.

Although there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in our immediate area, we are taking all necessary precautions to provide as healthy an environment as possible for our faculty, staff and students. In order to do that however, as with any communicable respiratory disease, we all need to be mindful of using appropriate precautions such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking our students, faculty and staff to be mindful of our campus and community and self-report any travel to CDC Level 2 or 3 areas. In addition, if you do not feel well, we ask that you please stay home. If you have traveled, or have had contact with someone who has traveled to a Level 2 or Level 3 area and do not feel well, please contact a medical professional and follow their advice, including any self-quarantine time limit.

While this is a challenging time for our campus and community, diligently following precautionary measures will help mitigate the risks. Please be patient as we work together to continue to provide an excellent education for our students and a conscientious, caring environment for our campus community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara R. Beebe

President

Centers for Disease Control Website
Enhancing solar power systems View(s):

In a recent video clip, Singapores Minister of Health Gan Kim Yong was seen giving a comprehensive overview in Parliament on the countrys health status vis-a-vis the new coronavirus.

We should regularly wash our hands with soap and avoid touching our faces. At a meeting of the Ministerial Task Force, while I was speaking I was touching my face until another minister nudged me not to do it, he said smiling, amidst laughter from the others.

In another incident, also from a video clip doing the rounds, a US public health official, speaking on the same subject, is seen licking her finger every time she turns a page while delivering a written speech!

Jokes aside, it goes to show that touching ones face is common and involuntary even though people may take the best of precautions.

Now that the WHO has declared the new coronavirus disease as pandemic, COVID-19 continues to be the topic of discussion everywhere including when the trio met on Thursday under the margosa tree. They were discussing the plight of Sri Lankans working in West Asia where some countries have closed their borders to some nationalities including Sri Lankans.

Than meda peradigata yana kattiyawa rajayen navathwei-da danne ne (I wonder whether the government will stop people going to the Middle East), said Kussi Amma Sera.

Ape Sri Lankikayan ehe sevaya karana eka gena monawada kiyanna puluwan? Egollanta ehata apahu yanna pulung wevida? (What about our Sri Lankans working there? Will they be allowed to return there?) asked Mabel Rasthiyadu.

Mema gataluva masa gananavak thiyewi kiyala mama hithanawa (I think this problem will continue for many months), noted Serapina.

Listening to their concerns, I was convinced that the Government appears to be way above its head in dealing with the crisis. While public health officials are actively engaged in dealing with the situation, there doesnt appear to be a coordinated effort (like the Singapore example) that would deal with issues pertaining to health, migrant workers, import and exports, sourcing raw materials, tea markets, apparel and anything connected to the crisis. There should be a constant flow of information not only on the health issues but also the other affected sectors of the economy. The absence of Parliamentary sittings means the issue doesnt get wider coverage.

It was at this point that the phone rang. It was Shifty Silva, the always-inquisitive IT expert, to whom I had not spoken to for a while. Hi friend, how are you doing, he said. Finefine, nice talking to you after a long time, I replied, expecting him to discuss the new coronavirus situation. It was not so.

Did you hear about the proposed new regulations permitting the introduction of hybrid inverters? he asked. No. What is happening? I asked in response.

He said a draft specification on hybrid inverters has been released by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) seeking public comment, which will be open till May.

This is a good idea because with your solar power home unit, while the solar power feeds the national grid, an inverter will also store power in a power bank. This means, unlike today your solar power unit will provide you uninterrupted power even when the national grid power is cut off, he said.

Reading from an explanation on the web, he said, a hybrid inverter is primarily used for grid-tie purposes but also has the added feature that it provides backup power to your home when the electric utility fails. A hybrid power system is the best of both worlds  you never need to worry about being without power, adding that: This is a great step forward.

Thinking this would be a great informative piece for my column this week, I began to search for more information on hybrid inverters and it so happened that the Business Times was running an article on this subject this week.

According to Jeremy Fernando, Founder /Managing Director of Innovative Smart Solutions (Pvt.) Ltd, who deals with solar power systems, on-grid inverters are designed to operate only when grid power supply is available and should shut-down during power failures or when the grid power is terminated for grid maintenance.

Hybrid inverters, in comparison, are capable of storing energy in batteries as well as exporting energy to the grid. Compared with hybrid inverters, on-grid inverters are unable to store energy in batteries, which is the main difference between the two types of inverters.

He said once approved, hybrid inverters will change the way people use solar energy now. Using hybrid inverters, people will be able to deploy much more efficient solar energy systems than what are seen today.

Solar power systems are becoming a popular commodity in homes and workplaces. There are special loan schemes available where you can install a solar power unit at home that would generate power that feeds your entire home and more. The monthly loan instalment is generally worked out to be equal to your monthly electricity bill and in, generally, five years the instalments end and you get free electricity after that. Now any excess power generated from your solar power unit (more than what you need) is accumulated to your account which can be used at a later stage.

The only disadvantage in this system is that when the grid power is cut, your supply is also cut  a fact that was not clearly understood in the early days of the net metering concept where there was a misconception that with a solar power unit, you have access to power all the time, even when electricity fails.

However, hybrid inverters dont come cheap. According to Mr. Fernando, hybrid inverters are costlier than on-grid as they have additional technology which is needed to handle battery storage, confirm safety when grid power supply is terminated etc. As a rough indication, a hybrid inverter may cost approximately 50 per cent more than an on-grid inverter of the same capacity, depending on the manufacturer, he says.

Even though it might be a cost too high for home units, it would be interesting to see whether the private sector, particularly many factories which have installed solar power units on their roofs, makes a further investment in hybrid inverters. A good sign: An increasingly number of companies are installing large solar power units, the latest case being Hayleys Fentons which is installing a 64,000 square feet of rooftop area with solar panels at the Hayleys Fabrics manufacturing facility at Horana, generating an initial 1MWp of solar power, with a total of 4MWp capacity .

However, our main power comes from thermal power plants while generation from the traditional hydro power has reduced and fluctuates based on seasonal rainy weather. While Sri Lanka has a long way to go in having a bigger slice of renewable energy like solar, wind and other sources, the plan to allow hybrid inverters is a step in the right direction.

Bringing in my second cup of tea, Kussi Amma Sera asks: Sar, korona vayrasaya nisa toga gabada kirima nisa, ahara hingayak eti vevi-da? (Sir, will there be a food shortage due to stock piling owing to the coronavirus?)

Eka mama balaporottu novemi mama balaporottu novemi (I hope notI hope not), I respond worriedly.

Sri Lanka needs to put all its energies into preventive care and to ensure firstly that the countrys people are safe before dealing with the fallout from the economy and business. The health and safety of the people are of paramount importance, without any doubt.
Police investigate the scene where Philadelphia SWAT team officer Cpl. James O'Connor, 46 was fatally shot early Friday morning on the 1600 block of Bridge Street in the city's Frankford section while serving a warrant for an arrest in a 2019 murder. Read more

Murder and related charges have been filed against one of several men present in a Frankford rowhouse during the fatal shooting Friday of Philadelphia Cpl. James OConnor IV  though not yet in connection with the SWAT officers killing.

Court records show that Hassan Elliott was arraigned early Saturday on counts of murder, conspiracy, and related crimes for the March 1, 2019, shooting of Tyree Tyrone in Frankford.

The charges will hold Elliott, 21, in jail without bail as authorities continue to investigate who was involved in OConnors death. He and other SWAT officers had been serving a warrant on Elliott for the 2019 killing of Tyrone on Friday morning when someone inside the Bridge Street rowhouse where Elliott had been staying began shooting through a closed door, authorities have said.

OConnor, 46, a 23-year veteran of the department, was struck in the arm and shoulder and declared dead at Temple University Hospital on Friday morning.

Court records also show that Elliott was arraigned Saturday on counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and related charges for an incident Dec. 27, the details of which were not immediately clear.

Police said Friday that Elliott was one of six people inside the rowhouse on the 1600 block of Bridge Street when at least one person began firing at OConnor and the SWAT officers. All six were in custody as detectives continued to investigate who fired and what charges might be filed, Homicide Capt. Jason Smith said Friday.

Police have identified only one other person allegedly in the house at the time: Khalif Sears, 18, who had been wanted as a second suspect with Elliott in the Tyrone killing. He has not yet been charged for either incident.

OConnor was a married father of two who had spent 15 years in the SWAT unit. His father and son were also city police officers, and his daughter serves in the Air Force, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Friday. Friends described him as honest, straightforward, and devoted to his family and his unit.

OConnor was shot about 5:40 a.m. when he and other Special Weapons and Tactics officers, along with members of a homicide fugitive task force, entered the two-story rowhouse.

The March 2019 murder for which Elliott was wanted happened around the corner from the house where OConnor and the other officers were serving the warrant Friday. Before they could reach Elliott, more than a dozen bullets flew through the door.

Sears was hospitalized but is expected to survive and face murder charges. Four other people were in the house at the time, police said Friday, one of whom was struck by gunfire but was quickly treated and released into police custody.

OConnor was taken to Temple, where he was declared dead at 6:09 a.m. He was the first Philadelphia officer to be fatally wounded in the line of duty since March 5, 2015, when Officer Robert Wilson III was killed in a gun battle with a pair of robbers inside a North Philadelphia video-game store.
Recently co-opted to the council following colleague Deputy Duncan Smith's election to Dail Eireann, Labour councillor James Humphreys admits he is a little 'nervous' of the task ahead and that has some 'large shoes to fill' in replacing Deputy Smith on the council.

The young councillor from Castleview in Swords, though, through his work with Deputy Smith, is confident in taking his first tentative steps and in setting out his plans to make Swords 'thrive.'

Speaking just days after his co-opting last week, Cllr Humphreys explained his surprise at gaining a seat on the council.

He says: 'I was co-opted on Tuesday; it was Monday that I found out the party was going to put me forward, then Tuesday was the vote on the council. There was a special council meeting and then the four vacant co-options were all done that day, then our first proper council meeting will be on the 9th of March.

'It wasn't something I'd been expecting, it all happened very fast, and running up to the election as the day was going on we were nervous about even Duncan getting elected because it was a close election.

'So it wasn't something that I was thinking about, and I don't think it was even something Duncan was seriously thinking about because our focus was on the General Election at the time.'

The new Labour councillor for Swords says: 'It was nervous and daunting (being co-opted).

'It's a huge responsibility and honour to represent your community.

'There's a large body of work that I have to catch up on and read up on, from Masterplans to the Development Plan to the Parks plan, so this week I've been studying.

'It's been a while since I've been studying so it's been a bit rusty getting back into writing letters and reading documents.'

Cllr Humphreys was an active party member of the Labour Party in Swords when he was nominated by Labour Party Deputy and former Swords councillor Duncan Smith following Deputy Smith's recent General Election victory.

A neighbour of Deputy Smith's in Castleview, Cllr Humphreys and Deputy Smith worked closely together on a number of local issues including the re-opening of Rathbeale Road, local planning issues and campaigning for a swimming pool for Swords.

Cllr Humphreys first became involved with the Labour Party through his father, he says, who himself was a councillor for inner city Dublin at the time.

The new Labour councillor soon became involved in a number of campaigns, becoming secretary for Labour Youth and working on youth issues.

Officially joining the Labour Party in 2001, Cllr Humphreys, who works in the hospitality sector, became involved in workers' rights, campaigning on work contracts and low pay.

On moving to Swords, Cllr Humphreys says: 'When we moved out here we moved for a better quality of life, like I moved from a small terraced house to an area that has good green open spaces, and I want to see a community that thrives.

'Things like the angling club that Duncan helped set up, a swimming pool, these sort of community facilities have to be promoted, because otherwise it's going to create more problems down the line as the community gets older and children turn into teenagers.

'There has to be proper joined-up thinking as the community grows, how it can still keep its character, and they were the reasons why I wanted to get involved.'

Speaking on Deputy Smith's recent General Election win, the new Labour councillor says: 'I was absolutely delighted for him, and not only that but I was delighted for Swords because we need strong candidates and a strong voice in Leinster House for Swords, especially with the Metro, Bus Connects still going on, with public transport and housing and making sure that the facilities around the new communities being built are done correctly.

'A lot of that work is done at national level and at local level, so it does make a difference when you have a strong voice in Leinster House for the community.

I joined a party that sits in the room and gets work done, and that's why I think it's beneficial to have a Labour voice for Swords and at a national and local level, because we get the work done.'
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav



Thackeray on Saturday rejected the opposition's charge that the budget session ended without people of the state getting any relief.

He was replying to a query on the opposition giving his government "15 out of 100 marks".

"What was the budget for? Wasn't it for the common man?" he asked.

Thackeray said the opposition was not serious about the situation caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

He added that his government was committed to enact a law to curb crimes against women, which could not be tabled this time as the session was curtailed.

"The beginning is good and I am confident that in the next five years, the government will take strong steps to make the state prosperous," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

I am telling all MPs: dont collude with anyone, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

In general, our activities within the framework of international organizations should be more focused. The MPs representing us there should be active, should not go there as tourists and submit a report on what they have done, who they met with and what issues they raised. Sometimes it looks like tourist trips  they go, get together, talk, eat and come back. In fact, some trips are completely unacceptable. I dont want to talk about this for a long time, but I know what is happening, what events are happening. Therefore, we must enhance the effectiveness of our international activities. We must demonstrate our intransigence in the organizations displaying an unjustified approach towards us and bringing charges against us. In other words, we should not try to be nice to them, but serve the interests of our state and people. We must not step aside under the pretext that we do not want to aggravate a particular issue, but rather speak our word. We must expose a biased approach. Just as I always do, and there is ample evidence of that. You don't have to be a politician to say that, said the head of state.

He noted that the average citizen can see this on television.

Look at the crimes committed by those who are trying to teach us a lesson in democracy. In the countries of Europe, which is considered to be the cradle of democracy", right under the nose of the whole world, peaceful demonstrators are beaten up, suppressed, their eyes are hollowed out, they are killed, they are arrested. Journalists are arrested on unsubstantiated charges and cast behind bars. Everything is visible. Dogs are set against peaceful demonstrators. People are dispersed using horses. This is happening not just in one or two countries, it has acquired a large-scale nature today  practically the whole region that is trying to criticize us. Look at the attitude towards Muslim migrants! In the 21st century, they are confronted with dogs and driven into cages. And then they throw pieces of food into the cages, as if those inside were animals. What kind of an attitude is this?! And now they intend to oppress them using all possible means. Where did these migrants come from? Why did they appear? Why did they leave their countries? Who attacked their countries? Who destroyed their countries? Who violated stability? Who contributed to the emergence of millions of refugees? Whoever has done this should reap the benefits now. Why should Turkey, our brotherly country, accept and feed 4 million refugees and spend billions of dollars? Has Turkey imposed this suffering on them? No! Let those who imposed this wandering on them take responsibility, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that it is necessary to talk about all this.

I am saying this from this podium, openly and without fearing anyone. Because I am right, and it is hard to argue against the truth. Of course, you will see a few days after these words that some dirty articles will reappear, as some far-fetched organization will make a statement that everything in Azerbaijan is bad. Never mind, let them talk. But if we dont tell this truth, then it will hit us tomorrow. Therefore, we must say this, and so must you. I am telling all MPs: dont collude with anyone. We need to work with international organizations, and we are doing that. But we have our own interests and sufficient arguments. Therefore, I urge you to wage this struggle  in the Council of Europe, in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and in all organizations. So I believe that steps in this direction will further strengthen the position of our country, said the head of state.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks told CNBC on Friday that his company aims to start testing a treatment for the globally spreading coronavirus in the coming months.

The pharmaceutical giant on Thursday announced that it has teamed up with the privately held AbCellera Biologics to co-develop a medicine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus that has sickened more than 137,000 people across the world and at least 1,700 in the U.S. as of Friday.

"The speed at which [pharma research] is unfolding is unprecedented in our industry. Literally, AbCellera started this work 11 days ago," Ricks said in a phone interview with Jim Cramer on "Mad Money." "We hope to be in a clinical trial this summer."

To begin developing a cure, AbCellera screened and isolated antibodies of the first U.S. patients to recover from the illness, Ricks explained. Eli Lilly will assist in replicating the antibodies that may respond to the virus to produce and manufacture a drug, he said.

"We're partnering to find the best one, scale up production and bring it to the marketplace," he said.

A potential COVID-19 treatment may require more than one medicine for the most ill patients, Ricks added. He expects that the drug, if and when it's available, will be administered in intensive care units first, but it could be available outside the hospital and can act as a preventative treatment for those most at risk.

The creation of a vaccine would take more time because it would have to be tested on healthy people, the chief executive told Cramer.

"We're starting this because we believe it could work," he said, "and by starting with the very material that helped someone survive, we think it's a good starting place to find an antibody or a cocktail of antibodies that can be given to patients when they do become sick."

Eli Lilly and AbCellera are not alone in the race to create a treatment to slow the spread of the disease.

Biogen also announced a partnership, with drug developer Vir Biotechnology Inc. for the development of infection-fighting proteins known as monoclonal antibodies.

Drugmaker Gilead is also testing its experimental therapy remdesivir in treating COVID-19 and is expected to announce results from its ongoing clinical trials over the next month.

AbCellera and Lilly will equally share initial development costs toward a product, the companies said.

Eli Lilly will be responsible for all further development, manufacturing and distribution of the product.

Goldman Sachs on Wednesday placed Eli Lilly on its "Conviction Buy" list saying that the drugmaker's growth profile ranks among the strongest in the U.S. large-cap biopharma sector.

 Reuters contributed to this report.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which started from Wuhan, China, has reached 122 countries. The number of people who died after contracting the virus has crossed 4,600. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the outbreak a pandemic, and given the situation governments around the world are uniting in finding a cure for the disease while also spreading awareness on the matter. At the frontlines, here's how authorities around the world are uniting in the war against coronavirus:
I told them I knew it was absurd, but (SJS) is whats happening and he needs to be in a burn unit, please listen to me, she said. Then we started looking at hospitals, and I told them they had to release him because I was ready to take him in my car to Indianapolis if I had to. The doctor thought I was nuts, but he also admitted (St. Marys) wasnt equipped to handle whatever was going on. So, within 30 minutes, they transferred him by ambulance to Eskenazi.
Chicago

Joe Biden held a town hall in Illinois  or at least tried to  from 800 miles away in Delaware. Bernie Sanders is staging daily news conferences from Vermont, instead of his usual rallies around the country.

The global coronavirus pandemic has sent the 2020 presidential campaign into a virtual phase.

Big rallies and handshakes are out. Virtual phone banks and town halls are the new normal. Political parties and groups are canceling in-person gatherings.

States holding primaries in coming weeks have urged more voters to cast ballots by mail and extended hours for early voting centers in an effort to avoid election day crowds. On Friday, Louisiana's governor said he planned to postpone his state's April 4 primary to June.

The Biden campaign scrapped plans for a Chicago rally ahead of Illinois' Tuesday primary due to warnings from public and health officials against large gatherings. Instead, the Democratic front-runner was supposed to take questions Friday in a virtual town hall via Facebook live.

But it was a rocky start. The livestream started after Biden had begun speaking, cutting off his introduction, and at one point Biden turned and walked partially off camera, so viewers could no longer see his face. The stream lasted less than five minutes before wrapping up, with the campaign apologizing for "technical difficulties."

"I'm sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections," Biden said after answering a question. "There's a lot more to say but I've already probably said too much to you."

Sanders, Biden's rival for the Democratic nomination, has been holding daily press briefings from his home state, where he has blasted President Donald Trump and his administration's response to the virus. Biden did the same in an address Thursday.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Sanders was subdued. Sanders said his team has mastered the use of internet campaigning, livestreaming almost all of its events already.

With the coronavirus causing a sea change in presidential campaigning, candidates and their supporters worry that the virtual events won't have the same impact.

"We do more rallies than anybody else, and (they're) often very well attended. I love to do them," Sanders told reporters at a hotel in his home state of Vermont. "This coronavirus has obviously impacted our ability to communicate with people in the traditional way that we do. That's hurting."

In Chicago, Biden volunteer Lally Doerrer was preparing to have a few other supporters over to her home Friday to watch the virtual town hall. The retiree finished an online MBA program a few years ago and said it helped familiarize her with technology like virtual classrooms and the potential for it to reach many more people than a rally. And while she believes canceling large gatherings is the right thing to do, she doesn't think the virtual events will have the same impact as when people come together in person.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"There is a common physical element that comes from being face to face, or better yet marching side by side, and that's what is lost in this," Doerrer said.

At Biden headquarters, Friday is the last day before the campaign moves to a work-at-home model for everyone, from the most senior advisers to the newest organizer.

The policy extends to field offices around the country, as well  just as the campaign was looking to build out the campaign toward a potential general election matchup against President Donald Trump. Trump himself has canceled rallies, for now.

Biden advisers are reluctant to talk about what the coming weeks may look like, mostly because they don't know. They've not announced a public schedule beyond Friday's town hall and a similar event in Miami on Monday.

If anything, those events are tryouts for a new style, while aides continue monitoring public health advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's not the first time this election cycle that candidates have had to get creative about reaching voters. Stuck in Washington for Trump's impeachment trial in the weeks before the kickoff Iowa caucuses, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar held telephone town halls with Iowa voters, and Sanders held nightly online chats where he spoke to supporters via live stream, offering updates on the impeachment trial and his campaign.

Biden has held at least one virtual fundraiser, a rather uneventful telephone gathering on Dec. 5, when he called in and essentially delivered a modified version of a stump speech that he's since overhauled. Last week, he called in to a fundraiser being held at a private residence in northern Virginia.
Related AUC shifts to online modes of instruction in wake of coronavirus pandemic Egypt's confirmed coronavirus cases increase to 93 A student at a Zamalek school tested positive for coronavirus a day after the campus had been closed as a precautionary measure, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said.

Megahed said in a televised statement on Friday that the student contracted the virus from his parent, who had had contact with a foreigner who tested positive for the virus. T

The education ministry closed City International School on Thursday as a precautionary move against the spread of the virus.

The school is scheduled for sterilisation on Saturday, Megahed said, adding that the students will isolate themselves for 14 days to know whether the infected student had transmitted the virus.

Egypt has not yet suspended schools and universities nationwide over the coronavirus pandemic as a precautionary measure taken by Gulf and European countries.

However, education minister Tarek Shawky suspended on Wednesday school activities, without providing details about the activities which would be suspended.

Egypt registered 13 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 93, the health ministry said.

Of the total number, 32 later tested negative and 21 have since recovered and were released from quarantine, it added.

Two of the cases detected in the country died: a 60-year-old Egyptian woman and a German tourist.

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Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has reportedly told close friends that Kate Middleton and the royal family were "so uptight" following her exit as a senior royal member.

Meghan told her friends her farewell tour in the UK had confirmed she "made the right choice" to leave the royal family.

A close friend of Markle said the duchess wanted to raise her son, Archie, in a home filled with laughter and joy.

She also said Markle is aware of Kate and William's disapproval of her choices, which created a lot of tension.

The news comes after the awkward exchange between the royal couples during the Sussexes final royal engagement earlier this week during the annual Commonwealth Day service.

Harry and Meghan were seen greeting William and Kate after they made an entrance. Kate reported reportedly gave them both a blank stare while William gave a brief smile and a nod.

The event spurred further animosity when William and Kate turned to speak with Edward and Sophie but did not talk with Harry and Meghan who sat beside the former couple. (AWKWARD!)

The Duchess of Sussex told friends she is relieved she did not bring Archie to the UK but claims she was not keeping him away. It just "made no sense to put him in harm's way."

Meghan also said she was afraid of the health threat coronavirus imposes and admitted she hadn't educated herself on the disease yet.

In a recent article, a royal insider said Queen Elizabeth still holds a place in her heart for the Sussexes despite their commitment to taking a break from the royal family.

The insider said their invitation to the Commonwealth Day Service was Queen Elizabeth's sign of support for them.

Meghan and Harry formally announced their decision to "step back" as senior members of the royal family on January 8. They said their decision came after many months of discussions.

Their decision came after an ITV documentary where Meghan and Harry offered a glimpse into the hardships they've faced following numerous ruthless tabloid rumors. Meghan also said she was struggling with handling all the scrutiny because it "was not fair."

She also shared her concerns with seeing her name splattered across headlines where the stories were not true.

She also got candid with the report when she shared the negative reaction she received during her pregnancy with Archie left her vulnerable and distressed. When asked if it has been a struggle, Markle answered, "Yes."

Meghan said Harry and her son helped her get through it, saying, "The good thing is that I've got my baby and I've got my husband and they're the best."

Markle has gone back home to Canada to be with her 10-month-old son Archie after the Commonwealth Day Service, while Prince Harry stayed in the UK.

Meghan was said to have shed tears while saying her farewells to staff.

Harry and Meghan are now planning to have a bright future when they formally leave their royal duties in April.
A couple wearing a protective facemask due to the coronavirus COVID-19 are trying to find some transport while crossing the Bratislava-Jarovce border crossing between Austria and Slovakia. AFP Photo

Moscow: Russia will close its land borders with Poland and Norway to foreigners in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, the country's prime minister said on Saturday.

The ban will come into force at midnight on Sunday and apply to all foreigners travelling "for professional, private, study or tourist reasons", apart from Belarusians, members of official delegations and residents of Russia, said premier Mikhail Mishustin in a statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 01:51:08|Editor: zyl

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LONDON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The British government on Friday postponed the local and mayoral elections in England slated for May 7 for one year, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country reached 798.

"We will bring forward legislation to postpone local, mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections until May next year," said a government spokesperson.

The postponement came after England polling watchdog recommended delaying the local elections to "mitigate" the impact of coronavirus.

The Electoral Commission said that there were "growing risks to the delivery of the polls" and "significant numbers" of people may not be able to cast their ballots, with the number of COVID-19 infections rising, according to the English newspaper Daily Telegraph.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain saw the highest 24-hour rise of 208. It is also the first time the day-on-day increase has been higher than 200.

A London Underground driver tested positive earlier on the day for the novel coronavirus and at least 11 MPs were in self-isolation following advice from public health authorities.

According to health authorities, the true figure for people infected with the novel coronavirus in Britain might be between 5,000 and 10,000.

Meanwhile, the Scottish government confirmed the first death in Scotland of a COVID-19 patient, bringing the total death in Britain to 11.

"The patient, who was being treated by Lothian Health Board was an older person who had underlying health conditions. No further information will be available to protect patient confidentiality," said Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Catherine Calderwood in a statement.

Also on Friday, Queen Elizabeth II cancelled her scheduled visits to Cheshire and Camden in North London due to the coronavirus outbreak, said a Buckingham Palace statement.

Earlier Friday, a Foreign Minister spokesperson issued travel advice to Spain, saying that "we are advising against all but essential travel to the regions of Madrid, La Rioja and the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro."

"The travel advice has been updated because these areas have been designated by the Spanish authorities as 'areas of community transmission'," the spokesperson said. "We are not advising those in Spain to leave as transport routes out of the country remain open."

The British government announced Thursday that the country has switched from the "containment" phase to "delay" in response to the spread of virus in the country, a move to encourage more "social distancing" among the Britons.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the threat of coronavirus as "the worst public health crisis in a generation," but he would not follow the example of other countries to close schools.

Johnson insisted that his government was being guided by scientific advice, saying closing schools "could do more harm than good."

However, Jeremy Hunt, the former British health secretary, called for more aggressive steps, including closing elderly care homes to outside visitors.

Meanwhile, experts criticized the measures as too limited to have a major effect and inadequate given the scale of the looming threat to health.

"I can't see that any of these measures are going to have a big impact...None of that is really going to affect transmission in the UK," Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:50:25|Editor: huaxia

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RAMALLAH, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Saturday called on Israel to release Palestinians in its jails in fear for their safety amidst a rise in coronavirus cases in Israel.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in a post on his Facebook page that Israel must "release all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention, especially the sick prisoners and those suffering permanent diseases."

"We will send a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) asking them to work to release the prisoners and ensure their safety, and that Israel Prisoner Service ensures and maintains public safety measures to protect our prisoners," Shtayyeh said in his post.
Thousands of tourists were stranded in Morocco on Saturday after the kingdom suddenly announced strict border restrictions in response to the coronavirus, leaving travellers stuck at borders, ports and airports. "We are lost!" said David, an Italian tourist waiting at the closed border with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in northern Morocco. Late on Saturday, Rabat announced a suspension of air links with 21 countries including Austria, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland in Europe, as well Turkey and Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Africa's Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, and Canada and Brazil were also in the list. Morocco had already suspended air, sea and land links with European countries and Algeria on Friday, as well as taking measures to confine citizens to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Flights to and from Algeria, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Italy were suspended "until further notice", while sea links for passengers and Morocco's land borders with Ceuta and a second Spanish enclave, Melilla, were closed. But France announced that Rabat had agreed to allow repatriation flights for French nationals. "New flights are being organised to enable (stranded French tourists) to return to France," President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Saturday. The first flights back to France had already taken off that day, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said earlier. The closure of the only land border between Africa and the European Union at Cueta and Melilla saw Spaniards rushing to leave on Thursday evening, as Moroccan day workers hastily returned in the opposite direction. The land borders are busiest in summer and the border sees regular traffic throughout the year. Now though a Moroccan police roadblock bars the road towards the border with Cueta. - 'Who will pay?' - David said he tried to go to Spain because links with Italy, a hotspot of the disease, are suspended. After arriving in Morocco for a motorcycle tour with his partner earlier this month, the 33-year-old Italian was stuck at a service station outside Cueta. The border at Cueta, like that at Melilla, was reopened Friday only for Spaniards. The Spanish embassy in Morocco tweeted Saturday that ferries were still operating between the enclaves and mainland Spain. Its French counterpart also tweeted that "passage (into Ceuta and Melilla) is open to French ferry ticket holders with vehicles." But except for a few travellers, the normally busy border post near the Moroccan town of Fnideq was deserted. At the service station, camper vans bearing various European license plates were parked waiting. "We don't know how long this will last, no one has told us anything," said Rene, a 71-year-old French man, speaking before Le Drian and Macrons' announcements. "The weather is good here, there's surely fewer cases of coronavirus in Morocco than in France," he said. Moroccan authorities have reported 17 cases of COVID-19, including one death. France and Spain have together announced more than 210 COVID-19 deaths. Morocco's Transport Minister Abdelkader Amara has tested positive for the disease after an official visit to Europe, his ministry announced Saturday. On the Spanish side at Cueta, stuck Moroccans were wondering why their country would not let them back in. "If I need to get a hotel, who will pay?" asked a man hoping to return home. At Tangiers port some 30 kilometres to the west, containers and trucks were unloaded as usual but the passenger terminal was closed. The busiest port in North Africa, the facility welcomed 568,000 foreign tourists in 2019, while some 473,000 entered from Cueta and Melilla, according to official figures. The travel restrictions are causing panic in the kingdom's tourism sector, which accounts for 10 percent of GDP and is a key source of foreign revenues.
Fresh from a fruitless military intervention in Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pitched a proposal to Moscow to strip the Syrian Kurds of oil revenues and use the money to finance Turkish construction projects in Syria.

At his March 5 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Erdogan agreed to a deal that preserves the Syrian armys gains in Idlib since January and calls for a security corridor stretching to a depth of 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) on either side of the key M4 highway. He has since revealed some intriguing details about his talks in Moscow.

Speaking to a group of journalists earlier this week, Erdogan said he had made a proposal to Putin to remove the control of oilfields in Qamishli and Deir ez-Zor from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara views as a terrorist group, and use oil revenues to finance Turkeys construction of housing projects in northern Syria.

Qamishli is a place with oil reserves. So is Deir ez-Zor. Terrorists are exploiting the resources there. America has plans over the place and Putin has a plan over Qamishli, Erdogan told journalists accompanying him on a flight back from Brussels. He continued, I proposed Putin this: With the help of oil revenues generated there, we could assume the construction side, if you extend support in terms of financing. Lets bring ruined Syria to its feet. And Putin said that this could be possible. I could make the same proposal to [US President Donald] Trump. Thanks to those resources, we have the possibility to reconstruct Syria instead of [letting] terrorists benefit from them.

Referring to a phone call with Trump amid the escalation in Idlib in late February, Erdogan quoted the US president as saying that he was planning to withdraw American troops from Syria and did not wish to do any big spending there. We are now on the wait, Erdogan said.

Linking his Syria policy to the SDF or the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and its political arm, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), helps Erdogan to both pressure his counterparts on the ground and suppress domestic questioning of Turkeys military campaigns in Syria. The YPG and the PYD are seen as affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the armed group that has fought Ankara since 1984 and is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community. Turkeys Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch and Peace Spring operations in Syria were justified as efforts to prevent a Kurdish corridor along the Turkish border, which was why they drew little objections at home. Yet, Turkeys recent operation against the Syrian army in Idlib, which, many believe, has boiled down to assisting designated terrorist groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has failed to convince not only the opposition, but reportedly also some quarters in the military. The campaign, dubbed Operation Spring Shield, has been openly criticized by a number of senior retired officers and fueled public questioning over the high number of Turkish casualties.

To smokescreen the flop in Idlib and revamp his Syrian venture, Erdogan has now turned to the issue of oil. In addition to the PKK-YPG argument, which aims to muzzle domestic critics, two other aspects stand out in his move. Erdogan, who has long prioritized the construction sector as a key driving force in the Turkish economy, is seemingly entertaining hopes to prop up the sector, badly hit by economic turmoil at home. Also, by raising the prospect of moving refugees from Turkey to housing in Syria, he hopes to placate and win over a domestic public that has grown increasingly frustrated with its Syrian guests.

Ahead of Operation Peace Spring in October, Erdogan had sought to sell a plan to move up to 2 million refugees to new settlements in a safe zone to the east of the Euphrates in northeastern Syria. Aiming at the return of 1 million refugees in its initial phase, the plan involved the construction of 140 villages and 10 towns to accommodate, respectively, 5,000 and 30,000 people each. The cost of a total of 200,000 housing units was estimated at some 151 billion Turkish liras or $26 billion at the time.

The initial phase of the plan directly targeted Kurdish areas, leading critics to charge that Ankara sought to de-Kurdicize border regions, redesign local demographics or create an Arab belt against the Kurdish corridor. Some Kurds even called it an attempt at ethnic cleansing or genocide.

Giving Turkey a share in Syrias postwar reconstruction in return for Ankara cutting support for armed groups, ending the fighting and ultimately withdrawing its troops from Syria is a notion that Putin himself has tried to use to entice Erdogan. Yet Erdogans latest proposal targets the Kurds directly and looks like a recipe for renewed fighting. Such an approach threatens to undermine the Kurds dialogue with Moscow and Damascus as the Kurds seek to preserve the de facto self-rule they have established during the war. Last but not least, the proposal flouts the Syrian states sovereignty over its territories and energy resources, despite Erdogans repeated assertions that unlike others Turkey has no eye on Syrias oil.

To press harder on his proposal, Erdogan appears to be awaiting the US withdrawal, hoping that Russian influence would somehow get Damascus to acquiesce. The regime would not resist much to any instructions from Russia, he said in comments on the viability of the latest Turkish-Russian deal in Idlib, reflecting how he views Putins influence over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The relationship between Moscow and Damascus, however, is rather different from how Erdogan imagines it to be.

Nevertheless, many believe Syrias reconstruction process will be too costly, slow and difficult without Turkish involvement amid the ongoing sanctions on Syria. Partnership with Turkey in reconstruction projects is a carrot in Russias game plan and, indeed, Damascus might eventually acquiesce to it in return for the withdrawal of Turkish troops. The Assad government, however, has been trying to mend fences with Arab states, especially the Gulf monarchies, while arguing that Turkeys policies threaten not only Syria but the whole Arab world. One of the aims of those efforts is to secure alternative financial resources.

There is no evidence or sign at present that the Syrian state could consent to a scenario where its oil revenues are funneled into construction projects lining Turkeys pockets.

The Kurdish aspect of the matter is equally crucial. As long as the United States remains the guardian of the oil, neither Damascus nor any other actor can approach the oil wells. But if the US troops leave, the Kurds will find themselves in a very vulnerable position. Hence, the Kurds place importance on reaching a deal with Damascus before things come to that point  a deal that will seal the status of the SDF and self-rule institutions, including the sharing of oil revenues.

Syrian Kurdish sources told Al-Monitor that contacts with Damascus have yet to evolve into negotiations on fundamental matters. Similarly, no understanding has been reached on the issue of oil. The Kurds believe the Russians are playing the Kurdish card in a bid to keep Erdogan at the negotiating table. Many uncertainties continue to linger for the Kurds, but one question stands out: How could Russia win over the Kurds peacefully if it opens more room for Erdogan, who is seeking to undo all Kurdish gains? Moreover, despite his failure in Idlib, Erdogan has continued to reinforce the Turkish military presence in the area and sustained efforts to secure military support from NATO and Patriot missile defense systems from the United States.
Scientists have designed and synthesized chains of molecules with a precise sequence and length to efficiently protect 3-D DNA nanostructures from structural degradation under a variety of biomedically relevant conditions. They demonstrated how these "peptoid-coated DNA origami" have the potential to be used for delivering anti-cancer drugs and proteins, imaging biological molecules, and targeting cell-surface receptors implicated in cancer. Their method for designing peptoids to stabilize DNA origami in physiological environments is described in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of Mar. 9.

Similar to the Japanese art of paper folding, DNA origami is the folding of long, flexible DNA chains into desired shapes at the nanoscale (billionths of a meter) by "stapling" different parts of the chain with the complementary base pairs of short DNA strands. These programmable and precisely controlled nanoscale architectures could be beneficial for many biomedical applications, including the targeted delivery of drugs and genes to desired tissues or cells, imaging of biological processes inside the body, and biosensing for disease detection or health monitoring. However, enabling such applications will require solutions for protecting DNA origami structures in complex biological fluids and enabling new functions that are not inherent to DNA.

"One of the limiting factors in applying the structure and shape benefits of DNA origami to nanomedicine is that, placed inside the human body, the DNA nanostructure would easily be digested by enzymes or degraded in response to changes in solution composition or pH level," explained first author Shih-Ting (Christine) Wang, a postdoc in the Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory. "In this research, we synthesized biocompatible molecules called peptoids with a well-defined molecular sequence composition and length. We coated octahedral-shaped DNA origami -- which has high mechanical stability and a large open space for carrying nanoscale cargo such as small-molecule anti-cancer drugs -- with these peptoids. Our demonstrations showed that the peptoid coatings efficiently protected the DNA origami in various physiological conditions and supported the addition of different chemical functionalities for biomedical applications."

Peptoids resemble peptides, or short chains of amino acids. However, in peptoids, the side chains (chemical groups attached to the main chain or backbone of the molecule) are attached to nitrogen rather than to carbon. Moreover, peptoids are more flexible, owing to the lack of hydrogen bonds in the backbone. This flexibility can be leveraged to control how the peptoids bind to the DNA origami.

"Our goal was to make a minimalistic coating that would not add bulk to the origami but at the same time be efficient enough to offer protection, solubility, and compatibility with different biofunctions," said corresponding author Oleg Gang, leader of the CFN Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group and a professor of chemical engineering and of applied physics and materials science at Columbia Engineering. "If the coated origami becomes bulky, its shape and how it interacts with and accommodates other biomolecules and origami would be affected, introducing a variety of complications."

Wang and Gang, assisted by a collaborator from Imperial College London, used facilities at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Molecular Foundry (MF) to synthesize two kinds of peptoid architectures for the protection of DNA origami: brush type and block type. Both architectures have a DNA binding domain (positively charged part that binds to the negatively charged DNA) and a water-soluble domain (part that ensures DNA is surrounded by water molecules, which are required for stabilization). The brush-type architecture alternates between these two domains, while the block-type architecture clusters them to form distinct "blocks."

To determine which type was better at providing protection, the scientists studied the binding between two-stranded (duplex) DNA and peptoids. Experiments with fluorescent dye (which binds to the DNA) showed that a specific brush-type architecture was most efficient at stabilizing duplex DNA coated with peptoids at high temperature. A collaborator at RMIT University in Australia simulated the molecular-level DNA-peptoid interactions to understand why.

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"We believe that the alternating structure achieves a balance, in that some pieces sit within the groove of the DNA double-helix structure to confer protection, while other pieces stick out to interact favorably with water," said Wang. "An optimal configuration is the brush type with 12 DNA-binding and 12 water-soluble groups."

Guided by these studies, the team investigated the structural stability of the peptoid-coated DNA origami in several types of physiologically relevant conditions: in a solution containing a low concentration of positively charged magnesium (Mg) ions, in a solution containing a DNA-specific nuclease (type of enzyme), and incubated in cell culture media (containing both nucleases and Mg ions at low concentration). Typically, a high Mg-ion concentration is required to stabilize DNA origami by reducing the repulsion of DNA-DNA negative charges, but physiological fluids contain much lower concentrations.

For their investigations, they used a combination of experimental techniques: agarose gel electrophoresis, a method for separating DNA fragments (or other macromolecules) on the basis of their charge and size; transmission electron microscopy imaging and dynamic light scattering at the CFN; and real-time small-angle x-ray scattering at the Life Science X-ray Scattering (LiX) beamline of Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). The results indicated that the structure of the origami had remained intact after it was coated with specifically designed peptoids and placed in the different physiological conditions.

Following these experiments, the scientists conducted a series of demonstrations in collaboration with the Bertozzi Group at Stanford University to explore how the peptoid-coated origami could be used in biomedical applications. For example, they loaded the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin into the coated origami. Doxorubicin is one of the commonly administered drugs to patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, in which an overexpression of the HER2 protein (a receptor on breast cells) causes cells to divide and grow uncontrollably. Over 48 hours, the coated origami released less of the doxorubicin than its noncoated counterpart, as measured through the intensity of the drug's intrinsic fluorescence.

"The ultimate goal is to be able to modulate the release rate during the drug delivery process to control biological and toxic effects," explained Wang.

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In a second nanocargo demonstration, they investigated whether proteins could be delivered in a similar way. They encapsulated a cow-derived protein (attached to fluorescent molecules for visualization) inside the coated origami in the presence of the protein-digesting enzyme trypsin. Digestion of this encapsulated protein by trypsin was reduced and slowed due to a combination of the DNA origami itself and the peptoid coating.

In a final demonstration, they functionalized the surface of the peptoid-coated DNA origami with trastuzumab. More commonly known by the brand name Herceptin, trastuzumab is an antibody that targets HER2 receptors. Upon binding to these receptors, trastuzumab blocks the cancer cells from receiving the chemical signals they need to grow. They achieved the surface functionalization by adding chemical groups to specific sites on the trastuzumab molecule and into the peptoid sequences. Through "click chemistry," these groups selectively react to form covalent bonds (akin to clicking a seatbelt buckle).

In follow-on experiments, Wang plans to explore the potential of combinatorial therapy, in which peptoid-coated DNA origami carrying doxorubicin and featuring a trastuzumab-functionalized surface targets HER2-positive breast cancer cells.

Wang was awarded funding through Brookhaven's Technology Maturation Program to further develop this technology on the basis of a pitch she developed as a participant in the second entrepreneurship training workshop hosted by Brookhaven's Office of Technology Transfer in April 2019. Brookhaven's Intellectual Property Legal Group recently submitted a provisional patent application for the peptoid design methodology to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

"We are now moving into the translational stage, conducting experiments using cells and potentially whole organisms," said Gang.
PANCHAGARH: The two day-long Science Festival was held at Panchagarh Sadar Upazila Parishad premises organised by Anusandhisu Chakro Bigyan Sangtha, Panchagarh District Unit on Friday.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2020 -- Advance Market Analytics released a new market study on Global Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed analysis. At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are XRHealth (United States), Pear Therapeutics, Inc. (United States), Firsthand Technology Inc. (United States), SYNCTHINK, Inc. (United States), ImmersiveTouch, Inc. (United States), Osso VR Inc. (United States), EchoPixel (United States), FundamentalVR (United Kingdom), SentiAR, Inc. (United States) and Proximie (United Kingdom)



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Virtual reality in medical and healthcare has huge possibilities in the future which are limited only by creativity & ingenuity of creating and applying the technology. It has not just shifted the imagination of science fiction lovers but also clinical researchers and real-life medical practitioners. The virtual reality (VR) provides real life-like visuals for better practice and training to medical professionals and enhanced learning experience. Although, it is quite a new field in medicine and healthcare there are still surging great examples coming up about VR having positive effects on patients' treatment and recovery especially in mental health treatment. It has a wide potential of developing new life-saving techniques and medicines along with helping training the doctors of the future. The market is approximately becoming worth upwards of USD 3.8 billion.



Market Trend

- Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare is also being Used to Help Women get through Labour Pain

- Emerging Use of Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare in their Conferences

- The Adoption of Virtual reality in Medical Research for Developing Medicines



Market Drivers

- Demand for Patients Suffering from Gastrointestinal, Cardiac, Neurological and Post-surgical Pain to Distract them from Painful Stimuli

- Demand for Medical Training to Professionals for Enhanced Experience



Opportunities

- Increased Fundings for Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare

- Significant Improvement and Results of Using Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare in its upcoming Phase



Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report:

1) What all companies are currently profiled in the report?

Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the report XRHealth (United States), Pear Therapeutics, Inc. (United States), Firsthand Technology Inc. (United States), SYNCTHINK, Inc. (United States), ImmersiveTouch, Inc. (United States), Osso VR Inc. (United States), EchoPixel (United States), FundamentalVR (United Kingdom), SentiAR, Inc. (United States) and Proximie (United Kingdom)

** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc.

2) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need?

Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey.

** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost.

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Yes it can be provided, however ETA would vary and final confirmation would be given only after checking data in data repository.

4) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible?

Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our research before giving final confirmation to client.

** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary.



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To comprehend Global Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare market is analyzed across major global regions. AMA also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas.

- North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico.

- South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.

- Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa.

- Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia.

- Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia.



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Major Highlights of TOC:

Chapter One: Market Overview

Chapter Two: Executive Summary ---------- Free of Cost

Chapter Three: Market Dynamics ------ USD400

Market Drivers, Market Challenges, Market Trends, Restraints & Opportunities

Chapter Four: Market Factor Analysis ------ USD400

Supply/Value Chain, Porters Five Forces, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent & Trademark Analysis, Bargain Power

Chapter Five: Global Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare by Market Segmentation and Geography (value, volume**) (2013-2018) ------ USD1400



Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare Region

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Nordic, Others)

Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Middle East & Africa, Others)

Chapter Six: Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare - Manufacturers/Players Analysis ------ USD1200

Competitive Landscape, Comparative Market Share Analysis (2017-2018), Peer Group Analysis (2018), BCG Matrix, Company Profile, Product/Service Offering Matrix

Chapter Seven: Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare by Market Segmentation and Region (value, volume**) (2019-2024) ------ USD1400

------ Sections same as Chapter Five ------

Chapter Eight: Company profiles / Competitive Landscape [12 Players] ------ USD1250

Chapter Nine: Methodology/Research Approach, Data Source, Disclaimer

** If applicable

Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report.



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FM Spox highlights skill, efficiency of Iranian medical staff in coronavirus combat

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 13, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi highlighted the skills and efficiency of the Iranian medical staff in fighting coronavirus outbreak and said Iran does not need American doctors because it has one of world's best, most efficient and zealous healthcare sector.

We have the best, most efficient and courageous medical staff in the world and do not need an American physician, Mousavi said Friday morning in a tweet.

Instead of hypocritical compassion and disgusting boasting, stop economic and medical terrorism so that medicine and medical equipment reach the medical staff and people of Iran, he also wrote.

"By the way, pay attention to the American people too!," the spokesman advised the US officials.

The US President Donald Trump said on Thursday on the sideline of a meeting with the Irish Prime Minister at the White House that some countries were in critical condition in regard to the coronavirus issues.

He also said that we have the best doctors in the world and we have offered to help Iran.

Trump's remarks came while Iran has done a great deal to stop the spread of the disease, from shutting down schools and universities to canceling cultural and religious gatherings. It is also constantly disinfecting and sanitizing public places.

According to a senior Iranian Health Ministry official on Thursday, 3,276 people out of the total 10,075 infected so far in the country have recovered from the virus while 429 lost their lives.

9455**1424

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 11:57:19|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- All staffers at UN Headquarters (UNHQ) in New York, unless their physical presence is indispensable for essential services, have been ordered to work from home in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, while UN branches in other places have also tightened measures.

"I have therefore decided that from Monday, March 16, to Sunday, April 12, 2020, all staff will be required to telecommute and work remotely, unless their physical presence in the building is needed to carry out our essential work in New York and around the world," said the UN chief Antonio Guterres in a letter sent Friday to all UN staff seen by Xinhua.

The decision represented a major step-up in response to the virus that causes COVID-19, following the World Health Organization's declaration of a pandemic.

The decision also came after the first case of the novel coronavirus infection was confirmed on Thursday at UNHQ in New York.

A diplomat from the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, who visited the premises on Monday to meet with two other diplomats in a small conference room, tested positive for the virus.

The entire Philippine mission is in self-isolation.

Since Tuesday night, the UN complex has been closed to the general public and all guided tours have been suspended indefinitely.

Explaining his decision to step up precautionary measures, Guterres said the intention is twofold: "reduce our physical presence at United Nations headquarters; and continue delivering on our mandates."

"It is essential that we reduce social contact to a minimum and follow the clear instructions of the World Health Organization to minimize the risks of transmitting the infection," he said.

The UN chief pledged that the staff in the headquarters "will continue to provide critical support to our offices and missions in the field, as well as to the intergovernmental processes."

Guterres' Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday that the United Nations will assess the necessity of maintaining a reduced level of staff in the building after three weeks.

UN staff members around the globe have been doing what they can to slow the spread of the virus in their workspaces, mostly by not working in them, Dujarric said.

As an example, security staff at UNHQ in New York reported 11,033 swipes at the different entrances to the compound on March 4, the day before the first measures were put in place. One week later, that figure dropped to 5,393.

"The preliminary numbers for today (Friday) showed an even steeper drop," he said. "The UN will continue to reduce its footprint" of staffers working on the nearly 7-hectare campus.

But Guterres, in overall charge of the fight against the coronavirus in the UN system, is overseeing the battle from his 38th-floor offices in the UN Secretariat building and not from home, the spokesman said.

The UN chief, however, is holding meetings in larger rooms with more space between participants heeding "social distancing" recommendations, he said Friday.

UN work will continue, including peacekeeping operations, humanitarian work, budget negotiations and essential meetings of the Security Council, he added.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has decided to close its building just across the street from the complex that houses the Secretariat, the General Assembly and the conference building.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken the decision to close the UNICEF building and are strongly encouraging all our New York-based staff to work remotely for the next four weeks," it said in a statement.

"Three people working in UNICEF House in Midtown East, New York, have developed flu-like symptoms," the brief statement said. "They have not been confirmed positive to COVID-19."

At UN Headquarters in Nairobi, remote working has been mandated in order to substantially reduce personnel exposures to transit and other crowded areas, said Dujarric.

The UN resident coordinator in Iran has recommended working from home, he said. The decision followed steep increases in COVID-19 cases in Iran, including one UN staff member, he said.

In Geneva, guided tours have been suspended. Cultural events organized by member states and international organizations have also been suspended. As of next Monday, entrance to the Palais des Nations will be reserved for UN and non-UN personnel whose workplace is located in the complex, said the spokesman.

He added that people coming into the Palais for essential official meetings and journalists with permanent accreditation will be allowed in.

Dujarric said he would continue briefing correspondents daily from the usual briefing room in New York. But if necessary, he could brief from his living room.

The spokesman said he was planning to meet with officers of the UN Correspondents Association to arrange such briefings and the infrastructure to support them.

Journalists attending Friday's briefing, fewer in number than most days, spread themselves throughout the room, apparently to keep social distancing.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would shut down eateries, shopping centres and gyms in a bid to halt the spread of novel Coronavirus. "Everything pertaining to leisure activities will be halted tomorrow morning," he said in a televised address on Saturday.

A treasury official speaking after Netanyahu said that besides a shutdown of restaurants, shopping malls, cafes, hotels and gyms, a school closure announced Thursday would be expanded to include kindergartens. Netanyahu also said he would ask the government's approval -- at a cabinet meeting to be held via video conference -- to allow "technologies used in the war against terror" to be used to track the movements of Israelis with Coronavirus.

The new instructions also prohibit gatherings of over 10 people and advise people to stay at least two metres (six feet) away from one another.

The army meanwhile told combat soldiers set to return from a weekend at home to prepare to stay in their bases for a month.

Israel's health ministry announced late Saturday there were 193 COVID-19 cases in the country.

In the West Bank, where there were 38 COVID-19 cases, the Palestinian Authority told worshippers to pray at home rather than mosques and churches. And Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the besieged Gaza Strip, took the unusual step of shutting its borders with Israel and Egypt as a precaution against the virus.

There are so far no documented COVID-19 cases in the enclave.

Netanyahu took advantage of his address to repeat his call to his political opponents to join him in a unity government. "We need to stabilise Israel with a national emergency government," he said.

Three elections in less than a year and grinding negotiations among political factions have so far failed to produce a viable governing coalition. Israeli parties are set to meet with Israel's President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday to name their preferred candidate to form a government.
Chan Kin-man (C), co-founder of Occupy Central and pro-democracy activist, gestures as he is released from Pik Uk prison in Hong Kong on March 14, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong Umbrella Movement Leader Freed From Prison, Says No Regret

HONG KONGHong Kong democracy activist Chan Kin-man walked free from prison on March 14 saying he had no regrets for his leading role in the 2014 Umbrella civil disobedience movement and that sacrifice was needed to achieve universal suffrage.

Life in prison was difficult, but I have no regret at all as this is a necessary price to pay for fighting for democracy, Chan said, chanting I want universal suffrage with dozens of supporters.

I think after the last few months, Hong Kong people understand more why we had to use civil disobedience to fight for freedom.

A retired sociologist and one of the three leaders of the pro-democracy movement, Chan was found guilty last year of conspiracy to commit public nuisance for his role in planning and mobilizing supporters during the 79-day protest that brought parts of the Chinese-ruled city to a standstill.

The Umbrella protests staged peaceful sit-ins, blocking major roads in the Asian financial hub, in a push for full democracy, although they failed to wrest concessions from Beijing.

The Umbrella movement got its name because activists used umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and pepper spray.

The symbolic umbrella tactic re-emerged in 2019 during turbulent anti-government protests triggered by a now withdrawn extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to the mainland for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts.

Many protesters last year said the 2014 movement prepared them for further fights for democracy.

Chan said he understood why the young protesters resorted to intense actions in the last few months because they felt the government was no longer fair and just.

Chan, 61, said he plans to visit the young protesters arrested during the recent unrest and share with them his experience in how to mentally deal with the charges they face.

Hong Kong returned to China from British rule in 1997 under a one country, two systems formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland but many activists accuse Beijing of tightening its grip on the city and eroding those freedoms.
(TNS)  A Hennepin, Minn., County sheriff investigators request to obtain a criminal suspects encrypted messages on Facebook has sent a chill through digital privacy circles  even if most experts doubt whether it can be done.In a search warrant filed late last month, the investigator asked Facebook to disable the Secret Conversation feature on its popular Messenger app  which offers end-to-end encryption on some messages so they can be only read on the mobile devices that the users are communicating with. The messages, the warrant argues, could hold the key to finding the suspect, who is wanted for weapons and drug possession.Your affiant also knows that if ordered by the court, Facebook can and will disable this feature and unencrypt the communications to allow this data to be collected by law enforcement, sheriffs deputy Anthony Glanzer wrote in an affidavit for the warrant, unsealed last week.The request comes amid a standoff between the government and tech giants over whether secure messaging services like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram that are being used by tech-savvy criminals to cover their tracks should be open to law enforcement. Authorities say that strong encryption makes it harder to gain an edge in the fight against drug cartels, child pornography and terrorism.While the warrant raised some alarms among civil libertarians and privacy advocates, most believed that even if Facebook could grant the request it likely wouldnt, for a host of reasons  namely, that doing so would further damage its reputation for guarding the privacy of its members.If Facebook abided the law enforcement request, it would involve the rewriting of software code to capture and decrypt messages, said Andrew Crocker, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. This would turn into a costly and time-consuming undertaking  if such as thing is possible at all, he said.Ordinary communications on Messenger are decrypted during transit, making them fair game for court-ordered interception. But, like other encryption services, Secret Conversations, which debuted in 2016, works by scrambling messages in such a way that they can only be deciphered by the sender and the intended recipient.Facebook, as far as Im aware of, doesnt keep the encrypted conversations, let alone have the keys to decrypt them, so I dont think that its technically possible, Crocker said.But, Riana Pfefferkorn said that the warrant highlighted the lengths to which law enforcement officers are willing to go pursue a suspect, likening it to the well-publicized dispute between the FBI and Apple over the iPhone makers refusal to unlock the phone of one of the perpetrators of the San Bernardino, Calif. Mass shooting. In that case, Apple refused to budge, and federal investigators eventually announced that theyd found another way to get into the locked phone.Weve seen repeated efforts by law enforcement to try to stretch the law and to convince judges to take an expansive view of what existing surveillance laws authorize, said Pfefferkorn, associate director of surveillance and cybersecurity at Stanford Universitys Center for Internet and Society. When providers such as Facebook are the subjects of these efforts to push the envelope, its important that they push back and stand up for user privacy and security.Facebook spokesman Pete Haviland-Eduah said in a statement that the company does not comment on specific cases, but as always, we remain ready to respond to law enforcement requests that comply with applicable law and our terms.Digital privacy has become a mainstream concern in recent years, particularly after the high-profile hacking attempts on foreign officials and celebrities, like Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.Last fall, U.S. Atty. Gen. William Barr and other U.S., U.K. and Australian officials asked Facebook to hold off on extending default end-to-end encryption to the rest of Messenger and to Instagram Direct, according to areport. For now, Facebook users must opt-in to the Secret Conversation service, but the feature is still not widely known.In response to Barrs request, the tech giant wrote that creating a backdoor for law enforcement would be a gift to criminals, hackers and repressive regimes, creating a way for them to enter our systems and leaving every person on our platforms more vulnerable to real-life harm.Just last month, the European Unions European Commission instructed all staff to switch to the Signal messaging app instead of using messaging apps such as Messenger, WhatsApp and Apples Messages due to increasing cybersecurity fears.With police departments relying more and more on social media sites as intelligence-gathering tools, authorities argue that the spread of encryption hinders their investigations.analysis documented a 44 percent increase in search warrants filed in Hennepin County for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts over the past three years, with such requests growing from 145 in 2017 to 219 in 2019. In particular, Snapchat-related warrants saw the biggest jump in that span.The target of the Hennepin County investigation is a suspected gang member, who first came to authorities attention earlier this year after a police informant said he was selling marijuana and ecstasy, while carrying around a handgun, according to court filings.The trouble was that law enforcement couldnt find him, so Glanzer asked the court for permission to mine the suspects Facebook page for clues to his whereabouts, gaining access to a trove of data kept by the site on each of its users, including subscriber details, locations, IP addresses and records of any device facial recognition used to access the account.Therefore, your affiant would like the courts to compel Facebook to Un-encrypt ANY/ALL end-to-end communications to include Secret Conversation feature on the TARGET FACEBOOK ACCOUNT for 30 days from the date this search warrant is signed, it read.Glanzer wrote that suspects will use Facebooks Secret Conversation feature to mask their conversations, IP access information, as well as any GPS related information from normal legal processes that dont specifically request that Facebook disables this feature. Similarly-worded search warrants have popped up going back at least to last summer.Crocker, the attorney for Electronic Frontier, said that the digital rights nonprofit has for months fought to obtain records about a 2018 case, first reported on by, in which the Justice Department demanded that Facebook break its end-to-end encryption so that the government could spy on a suspects ongoing voice conversations in a criminal investigation related to the MS-13 gang. The matter has made its way before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is expected to rule on it later this year.Facebook complies with normal, uncontroversial law enforcement requests for user data a significant amount of the time, as their transparency reports show. Thats par for the course for big tech companies, said Pfefferkorn, of Stanford. But when an agency tries to push the limits of what the law requires Facebook to do, then that secret sealed case involving Messenger  about which we know very little  suggests that Facebook may be unwilling to go along with that, at least where fundamental questions of the security of its products are at stake.The warrant in the Hennepin County case, which requested that its existence not be disclosed for 90 days for security reasons, says that its not clear whether the suspect was actually using the feature. The results of the warrant show that Glanzer obtained electronic data, but dont offer specifics. A spokesperson for the sheriffs office declined to comment.Hennepin County District Judge Kristin Siegesmund, who signed off on the warrant, declined to comment on the matter through a spokesman on Tuesday, citing state rules that bar judges from discussing their decisions. The Hennepin County Sheriffs office also declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate because the case was ongoing.A search of the Ramsey and Hennepin County online jail rosters show that the suspect hadnt been arrested as of Monday.
A retired surgeon who has been accused of raping or sexually abusing up to 349 children has gone on trial in France.

Joel Le Scouarne went on trial, in Saintes, western France, on Friday for the alleged rape and abuse of four children between 1989 and 2017.

But the case is only the first of hundreds of complaints against Le Scouarnec to come to court. Most of the former surgeon's alleged victims were his patients.

Le Scouarnec was first arrested in 2017, when a girl who lived next door told her mother he had molested her and exposed himself through a fence.

Sketch of defendant Joel le Scouarnec in his trial for alleged child abuse / AFP via Getty Images

When police started investigating, they discovered thousands of images of child pornography, as well as notebooks where Le Scouarnec detailed his alleged crimes.

Le Scouarnec told police he "acted out" with children but denies full penetration. He said that what he wrote in the notebooks were fantasies.

Many of the allegations against Le Scouarnec are for incidents that would have taken place too long ago to prosecute, according to the Associated Press.

The former surgeon was convicted of possession and importation of a child pornographic imager in 2005, and given a four-month suspended prison sentence.

The trial is taking place behind closed doors because it involves child victims.
The grammar gods have no patience with mortals; they correct us for their sport.

There, I used it  the semicolon. The aberrant, monstrous creation that reigned during the Medici empire was introduced by a printer, who invented the semicolon as we know it.

The semicolon has its lineage with the ancient Greeks (it was used as a question mark), and classical scholar and master printer Aldus Manutius revived the symbol in a 1494 font set spreading across Europe.

In his article, Has modern life killed the semicolon? Paul Collins argues: Though London first saw semicolons appear in a 1568 chess guide, Shakespeare grew up in an era that still scarcely recognized them; some of his Folio typesetters in 1623, though, were clearly converts.

Cecelia Watson was so intrigued by the semicolon that she wrote a book, Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark, after an argument with her dissertation director. She described the semicolon as a comma-half intensely coiled, tail thorn-sharp beneath the perfect orb thrown high above it. The book is based on her erudite essay published in the journal Critical Inquiry in 2012.

Of course, not all writers rejoice in its creation. Some have balked at its use. Kurt Vonnegut, for instance, condemned semicolons, calling them transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. George Orwell, the godfather of clear writing, wasnt fond of them, either. But Herman Melville  one of Americans great writers  was drunk happy with semicolons, using about 4,000 of them in his classic Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.

Even the immortal Jane Austen, whose Victorian novels have taken Hollywood by storm, has been accused of semicolon abuse, with more than 1,100 pages of her fiction pockmarked with faulty spelling, poor grammar and downright sloppy writing, according to Oxford professor Kathryn Sutherland. Oxford Universitys Digital Jane Austens Fiction Manuscripts is free and open for public viewing  warts and all. Sutherland adds a stinging rebuke, saying Austens prose was heavily edited by critic William Gifford.

Using a semicolon when a colon would suffice can have deleterious consequences, as in the case of two French law professors, clashing in 1837, on account of passage of the Pandects. According to the Times of London, the dispute was over the point virgule, French for semicolon. One legal scholar argued the passage needed a semicolon, while the other contended a colon was unnecessary. Deadlocked, they decided a duel would settle matters. The supporter of the semicolon lost out, suffering a minor flesh wound.

I dont see any long-term cerebral harm from using the semicolon; its a matter of stylistics. Novelist Cormac McCarthy told Oprah Winfrey in an interview that he prefers simple declarative sentences, but never semicolons. Even Gertrude Stein didnt acknowledge the semicolon, calling it more powerful more imposing more pretentious than a comma but they are a comma nonetheless.

Nevertheless, semicolons are hybrid beasts of punctuation. Many readers  and writers, too  are fascinated by them. They are the sirens of the grammar stratosphere that beckon the novice writer.

Use them at your peril. Rene J. Cappon, managing editor of the Associated Press Guide to Punctuation, cautions, Good stylists try to avoid it as too formal; decked out, as it were, in a starched shirt and a black suit. You would do well to keep semicolons at a minimum. My good friend Fernando Esteban Flores adds, The semicolon is a period with a chip on its shoulder.

Id say, Go ahead; make my day!

Rafael Castillo, who teaches writing and humanities at Palo Alto College, is a member of National Book Critics Circle, PEN America, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Closing schools can be one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of infectious diseases. But for COVID-19, the respiratory illness linked to the highly contagious new coronavirus, research suggests school and public health leaders will have to weigh those potential benefits against the costs of keeping childrens parents home, too.

If you close all schools, theres going to be very, very large scale absenteeism for people who have to stay home with their kids, said Joshua Epstein, an epidemiology professor at New York Universitys school of global public health.

As of Friday evening, at least 46,000 schools nationwide have closed in-person classes for at least 26 million studentsincluding scheduled statewide closures for Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. If similar closures extend a month or spread nationwide, it could cost the U.S. economy some $50 billion, or nearly a quarter of 1 percent of the United States gross domestic product, according to a new analysis by Epstein and Ross Hammond, an associate professor of public health and social policy at Washington University in St. Louis and the Brookings Institution.

Its going to be very heterogeneous around the country. You know, its going to be radically different closing Manhattan schools than closing schools in Fargo, N.D., Epstein said.

But regardless of the region of the country, the economic pain would fall hardest on poor and working-class families, the researchers noted. Not only are those in minimum wage construction, retail, and other fields unable to telecommute and less likely to have flexible leave policies, but their children are more likely to use school meals, campus wellness centers, and other school-based supports.

We know that some New Yorkers are going to lose work & even their jobs because of #Coronavirus . NYS will immediately waive the 7-day waiting period for unemployment insurance for people who have been laid off due to virus.  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 13, 2020

While district leaders dont always have the choice of whether or not to close their schoolsmany so far have been advised by local health authorities to close in response to student exposure or community spreadschools can reach out to their communities in advance to find out more about parents needs in the event of a closure, including:



Will the parent have the ability to telecommute or take off work, or will they be looking for care for their children? (Since the swine flu, telecommuting increased by about 100 percent, but at the moment, still only about 3.4 percent of the workforce is telecommuting. And so thats not going to change the impact, Epstein noted.)

If the school is moving to online learning, is there digital capacity in the home for both the students and working parents?

Does the family rely on school meals, mental health services, or other supports that will need to be replaced while the school is closed?

Does the student have elderly or medically vulnerable family members at home?

One thing you dont want to do is have the parents have no paid leave and they have to go to workand so the kids go home and stay with their grandparents, Epstein said. Thats your most vulnerable group, right? So I think if theres a way to offer people paid leave or relieve that pressure or find a way to avoid sending the kids home to elderly people, that would be very useful.

Slowing Spread Versus Losing Health Support

In prior outbreaks of pandemic influenza, children were especially vulnerable to catching and spreading the disease, so closing schools helped slow the contagion and delay its peak, giving medical practitioners time to catch up. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so far have found closing schools for less than four weeks has not been effective at either limiting the spread of the new coronavirus or hospitalizations related to COVID-19. Moreover, other efforts such as increasing hand-washing and isolating those exposed to the virus have been more effective than closing schools, even for more than two to four months.

If children do not turn out to be main vectors for the disease, Epstein said, then closing schools may even cause hurt the effort to slow outbreaks.

One of the most affected sectors is health-care workers, because its predominantly women, many with school-age kids, Epstein said. Many of them are low- and middle-incomethese are not white-collar workersand you cant really telecommute if youre an ICU nurse or a nurse in general. I mean, its not the kind of job you can do over the phone. And so those are real losses to the health-care workforce.

The new analysis updates a 2009 study of the economic effects of closing schools during the swine flu outbreak that year. During that outbreak, researchers estimated closing U.S. schools could strip 6 percent to 19 percent of key health care personnel. But that was when unemployment was closer to 10 percent, providing a cushion of temporary workers to replace those who had to leave to stay home with children. Today, with unemployment hovering at 3.6 percent, theres a smaller pool of additional workers to compensate for parents who have to take care of their childrenparticularly in the most urgently needed fields.

Moreover, American Enterprise Institute fellow John Baily noted in Education Next that school closures wont be effective at controlling contagion unless parents and children are willing to stay home :

A survey of students in a closed school during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic found students had "significant interaction with the community and other students." Students went shopping, visited friends, used public transportation systems, and ate out at restaurants. Communicating to students the importance of social distancing will be critical to maximizing the public health benefits of any closures.

During the 1918 pandemic flu, some communities reopened schools early, following extreme community pressure. That led to secondary waves of disease. Epstein said it is critical for district leaders and local governments to make careful decisions about closures, and help communities weather the closures for as long as it takes for the contagion to die down.

New CDC guidance recommends that districts limit school closures to:
By Trend

Azerbaijan is one of the countries which undertakes effective measures to minimize the impact of the global threat of coronavirus pandemic on the population, Chairperson of Public Health Safety Association Yazgul Abdiyeva told Trend on March 14.

The introduced rules impose respective responsibility upon every citizen of Azerbaijan, she said.

At a time when coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is spreading around the world, and World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic, world countries are taking serious measures to protect public health and stop the spread of the virus. Minimizing or temporarily stoppage of communications with many countries, the application of severe restrictions on public life and mass events have become characteristic for many countries. Ensuring the safety of Azerbaijani citizens and protecting them from the impact of the global problem is one of the most important and priority issues of the agenda, Abdiyeva noted.

The chairperson appreciated the quality of preventive work carried out against coronavirus in the country, taking into account WHOs recommendations and international experience.

She considers the restriction of the movement on the borders with Iran and Georgia introduced by Azerbaijan as a right decision. Abdieva added that all these measures are aimed at solid protection of public health and preventing the spread of the virus.

The chairman expressed confidence that not only the state, but also individual citizens will make efforts to prevent the spread of this disease in the country, and will faithfully comply with the rules.

The implementation of this decision imposes responsibility not only on state bodies, but also on the whole society and each citizen individually. Each citizen will contribute to the safety of society if they support the work of state bodies, protecting themselves and their families, the Abdiyeva stressed.

The Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers is conducting the measures on social isolation that have been applied in the country from 00:00 (GMT+4) on March 14, 2020.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
(Newser)  President Trump's doctor says the test results are inand came back negative, the Hill reports. "One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the President remains symptom-free," says his physician, Sean Conley. The AP notes that Trump had resisted being tested after he was in contact with three people later diagnosed with coronavirus, including people in the Brazilian president's team that visited Trump in Florida. Officials say anyone who comes in contact with Trump or Mike Pence will now have their temperature checked. In related news:

story continues below

The president said Saturday that America is widening its travel ban against European countries by including the UK and Ireland. The AP notes that the ban will allow US citizens, people with green cards, and others to come home provided they accept health screenings and quarantine orders at 13 specific airports.

The New York Times reports that New York state has its first coronavirus fatalityan 82-year-old Manhattan woman with emphysema, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo says was a factor in her death.

So far the virus has spread to over 2,100 people in 49 states, including Washington and Puerto Rico, killing at least 48 people.

(For more, read about Disney's positive coronavirus news or the "panic" buying in US stores.)
AccuWeather

A substantial snowstorm is poised to unload hefty accumulations over parts of the Plains and Midwest late this week and early this weekend, and it won't stop there. AccuWeather forecasters warn that it may go on to bring snow and ice, leading to the potential for dangerous travel conditions, across parts of the Southeast. The storm will be what meteorologists refer to as "Saskatchewan screamer" rather than an "Alberta clipper," AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz explained. The storm is forecast
'The government has made good arrangements to tackle this situation.'

'At the ITBP camp, doctors have arrived from different hospitals from every state of India.'

'They have training on how to deal with suspected coronavirus cases.'

'So I am sure India will handle the coronavirus situation well.'

IMAGE: Neha and Ashish Yadav step out of the ITBP's quarantine facility in Haryana on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Ashish Yadav, a resident of Etah in Uttar Pradesh, is an associate professor at the Wuhan Textile University in Wuhan city, China, epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.

He was trapped along with his wife Neha in Wuhan due to a medical emergency after they missed the Air India flight arranged by the government to evacuate Indians.

Ashish was stuck in China for a month after that till the government sent a special Indian Air Force plane to evacuate all Indians on February 27, 2020.

Though he landed in India with his wife Neha and no symptoms of coronavirus was found on them, they were still quarantined for 14 days at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's quarantine facility in Chhawla, Haryana.

Along with Ashish there were other 76 Indians at the camp, apart from 23 Bangladeshis, one American national, two Chinese and four Myanmarese and five Maldivian citizens.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, Ashish and his wife Neha were discharged from quarantine after testing negative. Soon after he left the facility, Ashish Yadav spoke to Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf about the experience of being cooped up among coronavirus patients and how not to catch the deadly virus by leading a quarantined life.

The life of a coronavirus patient can be described only in one word: Depression.

The patient is kept in isolation. He cannot talk to anyone. And even if you don't carry the coronavirus and are still quarantined as a suspect, you are sure shot going to go in depression.

If you don't have a phone or Internet access, then life will be even more of a hell.

As far as food is concerned, you can eat anything cooked at home.

Our schedule at the ITBP outpost was that we had to get up at 6.30 am and between 7 and 8 am we used to get our morning tea. And then between 8.30 am and 9.30 am we used to get breakfast.

After 9.30 am we used to go for medical check-up and that used to last for one hour. Our blood pressure and temperature were checked.

Between 12 noon and 1 pm we used to get lunch, after which we could go for a siesta.

At 3.30 pm we used to get either tea or some snacks depending on availability.

After that we were free and in this free time we used to watch movies or chat with friends on the Internet as we were given wi-fi access. And between 8 and 9 pm we used to go for dinner.

This was our daily schedule.

Paneer was a fixed food item on the menu for sure. Either we used to get mattar paneer, shahi paneer or mushroom paneer. And for lunch it used to be one vegetable or dal. The choice of vegetables changed every day.

The most fearsome thing was the testing of body temperature. One boy who was with us, his body temperature rose suddenly and so was immediately moved to the Safdarjung hospital in Delhi for three days.

All his tests were re-done at Safdarjung hospital and luckily it came out negative. The same was the case with all of us who came from Wuhan.

What I have learnt from my stay at the ITBP camp is that the first precaution we should take is to keep away from any suspected patient.

To protect oneself one must use a mask to cover the mouth, and if you don't have a mask then keep a handkerchief.

If a person carrying coronavirus sneezes or coughs, if her/his spit falls on you then you will get infected.

One way to prevent this is if you drink morning tea then you can put ginger in it or kaali miri in it which makes your immune system strong. This can stop coronavirus from spreading to some extent as tea with ginger makes your immune system stronger.

The most dangerous way of spreading of coronavirus is metal. If a coronavirus patient holds a metal door handle the coronavirus attaches itself to it.

Coronavirus can easily stay alive longer on any metal. Therefore, whenever you touch any metal object, then you must wash your hands instantly, use a sanitiser or wash your hands with soap. Train metal doors and handles are also very dangerous.

There is no vaccine to cure, but the HIV vaccine can help. There is no guarantee, but China has done so and managed to save some patients, I have learnt.

The worst part is that one patient can spread the virus to at least 10 people and those 10 people can in turn spread it to 100 and those 100 to another 1,000 and so on.

Therefore, prevention is better than cure so ensure that you follow all precautions to avoid contacting coronavirus.

We were told by the ITBP that if any of us had been found positive, then all of us would have to stay in quarantine for 14 days more.

We all were very scared of this. If anyone sneezed by mistake then there used to be a fight. Because no one wanted to add another 14 days because of just one patient.

There were three South Indians who sneezed and they were taken away immediately. Again, thankfully, it was found out that it was because of the little weather change and therefore they were sneezing.

At the end of it we all became friends. We now have friends the world over right from Myanmar, Maldives to China because we were on that floor at the ITBP hospital.

I am planning to go back to China at the end of April, to Beijing. I am not tense about it because life in Beijing is normal and I am getting scared in India.

Just now, when I sat in the car, the driver saw us wearing maskS and he got scared because we had just come out of the ITBP hospital. We immediately took our masks off. If not, I felt he would have asked me a lot of questions about why we were wearing the maskS.

I feel India is fully prepared to take on coronavirus. Right now I have come to know that at the ITBP camp there are 1,800 beds that have been made available.

There are Indians who are going to come from Iran and around 5,000 of them are coronavirus suspects. The government has made good arrangements to tackle this situation.

At the ITBP camp, doctors have arrived from different hospitals from every state of India. They saw our camp and saw what kind of systems are in place to tackle coronavirus.

They have got first-hand information and training on how to deal with suspected coronavirus cases. So I am sure India will handle the coronavirus situation well.

Today I am leaving the ITBP centre and going back home, but I have been told by doctors that I must keep away from my ageing parents for 14 days because coronavirus is lethal for old people.

I am happy that finally I will be out in the open air and breathe rather than live a quarantined life for nearly almost two months.
China is recognized as the world's premier car parts, toys, and electronics manufacturer. However, it is also the world's largest producer of penicillin, antibiotics, and pain medications, as well as that of face masks and medical equipment.

Although the United States continues to be a global leader in pharmaceutical research, several manufacturing companies have moved overseas. The last American facility to produce essential penicillin ingredients reported its operations closed in 2004.

The Trump administration's concern of the global spread of coronavirus is reigniting efforts to promote more American pharmaceutical production and reduce reliance on China for the medications and medical devices that power the government healthcare program.

The initiatives have included the drive towards "Buy American" law by Peter Navarro, a trade advisor for the White House, so that federal agencies are needed, according to people knowledgeable of the program, to buy American pharmaceutical and medical appliances.

In the absence of American-made medications, the state will still be able to purchase imported drugs. But the government intends for the policy in the long run, to foster more investments by manufacturers in the United States.

The White House also urges simplified regulatory approvals for the United States-produced goods and specific labeling on the source of products manufactured overseas in order to facilitate such development, according to them.

The government has prepared an executive order, that could be made available over the next few days, which would reform the system in order to allow the administration to buy pharmaceuticals, face masks and vents from abroad. The hope is that the growing demand of medicines from the government and US-made drugs would give companies a motivation to manufacture their own products instead of buying from China.

Many who are committed to reducing their reliance on China have used the coronavirus outbreak to demonstrate a long-standing disadvantage that could potentially leave Americans without medications in an event of war, trade tensions or pandemics.

On Tuesday, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida called on legislators to act urgently in utilizing federal programs including the loans from Small Business Administration to improve United States production, during his lunch meeting with Senate Republicans. According to Mr. Rubio, President Trump agreed with his proposal.

Officials from the administration have claimed that the "Buy American" law will allow the federal government to purchase U.S. goods in which they can deliver a strong leverage.

Critics of China's international pharmaceutical supremacy argue that Beijing has adopted the same approach to gaining a foothold as in other industries which includes generous government tax and weak environmental regulations.

The federal government retains a strategic supply of medical drugs and equipment, however they might be short during a pandemic. Like in many other businesses in the private sector, pharmaceutical businesses have moved from storing goods in warehouses to a distribution model that ships items when they need them, lowering costs and raising the risk of deficiency.

The FDA has indicated that these processes, which could theoretically be modified to manufacture a variety of antibiotics as needed, could allow American production to restore competitiveness with China and possibly maintain a reliable supply of drugs.
A doctor (R) from the White House Physicians Office checks temperatures on a journalist outside the Brady Press Briefing Room prior to a press conference at the White House in Washington on March 14, 2020. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

White House Starts Temperature Checks for People Around Trump, Pence

The White House has started to check the temperature of anyone around President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday.

Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President, the White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

Before a press conference held in the White House which Trump and Pence attended, a doctor from the White House Physicians Office checked the temperature of reporters at the door of the press briefing room with a no-contact thermometer.

A member of the media was rejected from entering the White House press briefing room and was held by the press office on the White House driveway because he had a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the vice presidents press secretary, Katie Miller.

Miller said that the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period.

The White House didnt provide more information about the male who was turned away.

According to the White House Medical Unit, the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period  all three registered above the @CDCgov 100.4 guidelines. https://t.co/E2uORqvcxS  Katie Miller (@VPPressSec) March 14, 2020

During the press conference, Trump said he has been tested for coronavirus and will extend the Europe travel ban to the United Kingdom and Ireland starting midnight on March 16.

The White House said that any U.S. citizens abroad can return to the United States during the ban.

2 Near Trump Test Positive

Two people who were recently at the presidents Florida resort, where he spent time last weekend, have tested positive for COVID-19, the virus the disease causes.

Two members of Brazils delegation to the United States interacted with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The president briefly came in contact with one, physician Sean Conley said. Trump spent more time with the other Brazilian but all interactions occurred before any symptom onset, according to Conley.

They were identified as Fabio Wajngarten, press secretary to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and Nestor Forster Jr., Brazils acting ambassador in Washington, the Embassy of Brazil said in a statement.

Conley said that the risk for transmission in both cases is low and did not suggest the president self-quarantine.

These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time, Conley said in a statement.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Hundreds of jazz lovers will have to listen to their favorite tunes at home or in the car, but not at a large social gathering in Berks County.

At least not for 2020 anyway.

Organizers of the popular annual event agreed to cancel the March 27, 2020 show to do their part in sparing people from contracting the novel coronavirus. Berks Arts Council, Boscovs Berks Jazz Fest, TicketMaster, and ASM made the announcement in a statement on Saturday.

The show will go on in April 2021.

In a letter to Jazz Fest ticket holders, organizers wrote:

In the coming days, we will be sharing the ticket refund process with you via social media, website and direct emails to ticket purchasers. Please understand that concerts all over the country are being cancelled and we are all working hard to make the ticket refund process simple for you. The artist lineup and schedule for the 2021 30th Annual Boscovs Berks Jazz Fest will also be released in the coming days. Stay tuned to the website.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



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By Trend

The parliament should play a more active role in the economic sphere, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

I believe that members of the government should also be in closer contact and communication with the parliament. It is necessary to ask them questions so that they report on the work done, speak, and we must make this systematic. Because this will enhance the responsibility of members of the government. At the same time, the role of the parliament will grow  I want the role and capabilities of the parliament in Azerbaijan to increase, as this will also have a positive impact on our work. After all, responsibility is one of the most important issues. Responsibility and control. Where these are not available, nothing will work. On the contrary, we may face a very negative picture. Therefore, this should also become a kind of control mechanism, said the head of state.

I always appeal to citizens in connection with public oversight, he added.

This process is moving slowly, we are not used to it yet. We still believe that some head of the executive authority is a master, a khan who can do whatever he wants, make people work like slaves, and people should put up with it. I am saying this: report it, send letters. The situation at the Presidential Administration is completely different now. Previously, certain people concealed these letters from us. They were sent to those who were being complained about. And then that person oppressed the complainant. That practice is over now. True, it takes time, but this is already a trend. Therefore, citizens should be more active in public oversight. I used to get information about many issues from the media. It did not reach me, it was concealed, covered up, and this created great difficulties. Therefore, I believe that constant contact with members of the government is necessary. A special department for work with the parliament has been set up in the Presidential Administration. Of course, this once again shows that we attach great importance to the work of parliament, said President Ilham Aliyev.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan have had a telephone conversation today.

The heads of state exchanged information on the measures taken by the two countries to combat coronavirus infection.

The presidents agreed to temporarily suspend reciprocal visits of Turkish and Azerbaijani citizens by air and land at 00.00, March 15, 2020 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection.

The heads of state hailed the successful development of brotherly and friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Saudi Arabia foreign ministry has announced on March 14 that the kingdom's government has decided to suspend all international flights for 14 days starting from March 15.

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, governments around the world have decided to halt international flights in order to contain the spread which has already reached more than 140 countries. This announcement of Saudi Arabia came just a week after an industry body warned that the airline industry could lose up to USD 113 billion in revenue in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19 outbreak.

Precautionary Health Measures |



- @MOISaudiArabia: The Kingdoms government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks [Starting from Sunday March 15th] as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus  Foreign Ministry  (@KSAmofaEN) March 14, 2020

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has estimated the revenue losses to airlines' passenger business of between USD 63 billion and USD 113 billion with the higher figure for a scenario where the COVID-19 spreads more widely around the globe.

Read - Delta Slashes Flights By 40% As Virus Cripples Global Travel

Read - Coronavirus Pandemic: AI Express To Prepone Flights To Saudi Arabia; Stop Services From Mar 15

'Global financial crisis'

IATA said that a more intense prediction would amount to 19 per cent loss in worldwide passenger revenues. It also added the cost of COVID-19 spread worldwide would be equivalent to what the industry experienced in the global financial crisis. It was comparatively a more bare assessment than what it released two weeks ago when it said that the revenue losses would come in at USD 29.3 billion. However, since then, the virus which had originated in China in late December has spread rapidly in other countries.

More than 145,963 people have been infected with the fatal virus worldwide and more than 5,440 people have died. After a meeting in Singapore, IATA head Alexandre de Juniac had said that all events in relation to the virus outbreak have been unprecedented and he called the turn of events as dramatic and that it is for worse of the industry. According to the official statement, Juniac also noted that many countries have cancelled flights and are reducing their capacity while taking emergency measures to reduce costs.

IATA head said, The turn of events as a result of COVID-19 is almost without precedent. In little over two months, the industry's prospects in much of the world have taken a dramatic turn for the worse."

Many airlines are cutting capacity and taking emergency measures to reduce costs. Governments must take note. Airlines are doing their best to stay afloat as they perform the vital task of linking the worlds economies,  he added.

Read - Over Half Of Flights Cancelled In Asia Pacific Due To Coronavirus Scare

Read - Air India Announces Partial Cancellation Of Flights To 8 Nations: Read Full Details Here
Moscow police detained dozens of people at a protest against "political repressions" near the headquarters of the Russian security service, including a well-known human rights activist. The protest demanding to free political prisoners was called by supporters of men convicted this year on terrorism charges, many of whom said in court they had been tortured by the FSB security service. Mostly young protesters turned up to participate in picketing near the FSB building, with some unfurling signs calling the security service the "Federal Service of Lawlessness" while others shouted "Shame!" The OVD Info website, which tracks detentions at political protests, listed 49 people as detained by police, adding that some were hurt in the altercations. An AFP correspondent at the scene saw about 30 detentions. Some at the protest spoke out against the planned constitutional reforms currently in process of being adopted, which will give President Vladimir Putin a chance to run for two more terms. "The authories are using targeted repressions in order to rule forever," said leftist politician Sergei Udaltsov. "We are seeing an attempt to overthrow the constitutional regime, to reset the (presidential) term limits, solidarity is more important than ever," he told AFP prior to getting arrested. Putin on Saturday signed the constitutional reform law, but it still needs to be backed by the constitutional court as well as a simple majority in a public vote announced for April 22. Veteran human rights campaigner Lev Ponomaryov, who chairs the For Human Rights organisation, also was among those arrested in the sweep by national guard and police, which announced via loudspeaker the action is not authorised. He was seen arguing with police that pickets don't require authorisation, before being led to a police bus. OVD Info later said that Ponomaryov was beaten at the police station by masked officers, posting a photo of the 78-year-old campaigner sporting what looked like a bruise on his face. A court in Penza region last month handed terms between six and 18 years to seven young men who were accused of creating a terrorist organisation called "Network" with the goal of overthrowing the government. They all denied charges in court, and most said they had been tortured in custody with electrodes and beatings to extract confessions since their arrests in 2017 and 2018. Two other defendants in the case are still on trial in St. Petersburg. video-ma/cdw Russian riot police detained around 30 people at an unauthorised protest against "political repressions" outside the headquarters of the FSB security services in central Moscow
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

We must be active in all organizations in connection with the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

We must pursue offensive diplomacy because the truth is on our side, said the head of state.

In connection with international activities, I want to say that our MPs are represented in several international organizations. Of course, our activity there was quite extensive in previous years. It should be even higher now because we must communicate the realities of Azerbaijan to the world. In particular, we must communicate the historical realities associated with the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said the president.

Historical justice is on our side. International law also supports our position, said President Ilham Aliyev.

Therefore, the Armenian side cannot put forward a single serious argument against ours  only lies, slander, historical falsification and mythology. This is actually their essence. Within a broad network, they bribe certain politicians. This is no secret to anyone. Under such circumstances, their historical falsification seems to be justified. Therefore, our MPs in all international organizations must present the historical truth. After I mentioned the Kurekchay peace treaty in Munich, I know that people in Armenia are reading it carefully. It clearly indicates who and when concluded this agreement. There is no question of the Armenian people there at all. On the one hand, there was Russian general Tsitsianov and on the other Ibrahim Khan. In fact, it is written in Russian  Ibrahim Khan "of Shusha in Karabakh". This is real history, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that suffice it to look at the maps published by the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century to see that the vast majority of place names in the present territory of Armenia are of Azerbaijani origin.

It is necessary to say all this. It is necessary to show these maps. It is necessary to show the maps of our occupied lands. They must be shown to all international organizations and their representatives working there. At the same time, during meetings with representatives of the parliaments of Muslim countries, it is imperative to show pictures of our mosques destroyed by the Armenians. I am doing that. I show these pictures to the leaders of many Muslim countries. If the broad political elite sees them, the leaders of these countries will be embarrassed to kiss the leaders of Armenia, of course. We must talk about this. We must say that this fascist regime declared war not only on us, but also on the entire Muslim world. Our mosques and historical monuments have been destroyed. However, we cannot communicate this information adequately. Therefore, this should become a special direction, said the head of state.

Of course, we must be active in all organizations in connection with the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We must pursue offensive diplomacy because the truth is on our side, said President Ilham Aliyev.

The Khojaly genocide. It has already been officially recognized by the parliaments of more than 10 countries. This process should be continued, and MPs should be active in this process because state bodies play a major role in making these decisions. Therefore, the parliament should be active. This is a fact accepted within the framework of international relations. Inappropriate, deceitful and insignificant attempts of Armenia manifested themselves at the Munich Security Conference and exposed them again. Because their whole story is a falsification. They built a state on historically Azerbaijani lands  unfortunately, with the help of our Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Having changed all our historical names today, they are trying to appropriate our history and monuments. Therefore, MPs must always raise this issue, said the head of state.
Spanish Government to Order Lockdown of Country Over Coronavirus Pandemic

Spains government will on Saturday order the lockdown of the country, ordering people to stay home with few exceptions, according to a draft decree reported on by local outlets. Spain has one of the highest coronavirus case counts in the world.

People will only be allowed to leave their homes for limited purposes such as buying food or drugs, going to the hospital, going to work, or attending to emergencies, according to the decree, which was obtained by Cadena SER radio, El Pais, and other outlets.

According to El Pais, the draft states that journeys must be for the following:

1. Acquiring food, medicine, and essential items.

2. Getting health care.

3. Going to work.

4. Returning to home.

5. Assisting seniors, minors, dependents, and the disabled.

6. Going to banks and other financial institutions.

7. Other actions that are necessary under the circumstances.

The measures will go into effect at 8 a.m. on March 16.

The decree gives the head of the Interior Ministry the power to order closing freeways or other roads to help implement the lockdown. Public transportation will remain open but the number of buses, trains, and other means of travel will be cut by at least half.

Businesses were told to allow workers to work from home if possible.

People wearing masks walk out of a supermarket, amid concerns over Spains coronavirus outbreak in central Madrid, Spain, on March 14, 2020. (Javier Barbancho/Reuters)

Spain has seen a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, including a jump of more than 1,500 in the last 24 hours. The country now has 5,753 infected. Spain has the fourth highest number of deaths in the world, with 133, behind only Iran, Italy, and China.

Airlines in the United States and United Kingdom halted all flights to Spain and some other countries in the area. President Donald Trump banned travelers from the Schengen Area of Europe from traveling to America, citing the explosion of coronavirus cases in the area and a lack of decisive restrictions cutting off travelers from China earlier in the pandemic.

The virus started in Wuhan last year.

The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hotspots. As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe, Trump told Americans in an address from the White House this week.

Jet2, a UK airline, turned a flight back in midair and said it was no longer flying to Spain.

In response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops, and activities including any water sports, we have taken the decision to cancel all flights to Mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect, it said in a statement.

The airline previously canceled flights to Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, and other countries.
The county also has been struggling with the loss of election judges who changed their minds about working on Election Day. Initially they were down about 300 Republican judges, and the number continued to climb over the course of the week, officials said.
VANCOUVERIts there as a whisper for some of us  that inner rebellious voice asking the unspoken question when authority demands compliance.

And, as Canadas chief public health officer told citizens Friday that no one should travel outside the country unless they have to, out of concern over the growing COVID-19 pandemic, that unspoken question was on many peoples minds.

What if I want to anyway?

Fridays announcement was the first national call against international travel, after British Columbias health minister advised the same Thursday and said people returning from travels should stay at home for 14 days.

The timing is poor to say the least, for many Canadians who have already booked spring break holidays, and others who travel frequently for work and fear losing their jobs if they stay at home for weeks to self-isolate.

But the truth is, government officials have the power to force citizens to comply with quarantine and self-isolation policies during a health crisis.

Under the Public Health Act  We have quite broad powers to compel people to take action, to be assessed by a clinician, to have testing done and get treatment in some cases or be isolated, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.s top provincial health officer.

We dont need to declare an emergency to do a lot of what we can do under the Public Health Act, Henry added.

This includes potentially forcing people to leave their homes and enter a specially designated quarantine health facility.

While similar provisions exist across the countrys provinces and territories, Henry told the Star that officials tend to tread carefully so their actions dont erode public trust.

Weve been very careful to protect peoples privacy so people are confident they can come to us for the health care they need to deal with the disease and not be subjected to (stigmatizing) behaviours  Its a balance but we want to make sure they have trust in the the public health system, she said.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix also assured Thursday that the provinces travel guidelines are currently voluntary.

Thats not our jurisdiction to be at the border and stop people from going. But it is our expectation that should people go to the United States and there is something so important that they feel they have to go, that they think it would be important enough to choose to self isolate when they come back, he told reporters.

Its unclear if other provinces will adopt a similar approach, since under the Constitution, health care is a provincial responsibility and the federal government would need to assert a state of national emergency to pass legislation in the area.

However, across the country, Canadian physicians must report both confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus to the Public Health Agency of Canada within 24 hours.

Patient confidentiality does not apply since doctors keeping coronavirus cases a secret could put other lives in danger.

Given the possible restrictions, will Canadians with mild cases of coronavirus choose to avoid seeing a doctor in order to go about their daily lives as they please?

Most coronavirus cases do not require hospitalization and patients can recover at home, but that might not be flexible enough for gig economy and non-unionized workers who are at higher risk of losing wages or even their jobs if they cant work.

Mass quarantines of large groups hasnt happened in Canada yet, but a York University sociologist says looking at levels of public trust toward the government can predict how people could respond to mandatory quarantine orders.

If you have doubts about the government, or dont have trust in the health system, you might not want to deal with authorities at all, even if youre sick (with the coronavirus). We could see that become very common, Cary Wu told the Star.

When China imposed a massive quarantine of twelve cities near the epicentre of Wuhan on January 24, most of the 35 million people who were affected obeyed.

Chinas authoritarian system and ubiquitous police surveillance may have been a factor, but high public trust in the government could also have been a factor.

According to the latest World Values survey, more than 85 per cent of Chinese citizens have a great deal of confidence in their government. In Canada in 2013, only 39 per cent said the same.

In democracies, people tend to be more individualistic and more critical, says Wu, who has recently received funding to study the role public trust plays in global efforts to stop the coronavirus.

However, according to more detailed Statistics Canada data, the average Canadian tends to have more trust in local municipal- and provincial-level governments than the national government.

During a pandemic, it is advantageous for Canada to have a federal political system, says Stewart Prest, a Simon Fraser University political scientist.

The authorities responsible for making most decisions are closer to the areas being affected, and given that COVID-19 challenges vary significantly province to province, this allows for a more tailored approach.

If the federal government were to step in to take charge, we could end up with a one-size-fits-all approach that might not work everywhere, Prest said.

And how might Canadas leaders inspire higher public trust so more people voluntarily comply with guidelines issued to fight coronavirus?

Communicate.

There are just so many questions Canadians have and the federal government has the power to communicate in a way provinces dont, Prest said.

They can make clear what the response is across the country and whats being asked of Canadians and why. Keep the updates flowing regularly.

Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu

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BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has released a regulation to ensure full and strict governance over the Party.

As an important measure taken by the CPC Central Committee, the promulgation of the regulation aims to improve the responsibility system of exercising strict Party self-governance, the office said.

All localities and departments were asked to study and implement the regulation, enhancing political awareness and improving their abilities to perform duties and overcome risks and challenges, so as to advance the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance, said the office.

It also urged Party committees or leading Party members groups at various levels to assume the primary responsibilities in exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party.
Ukraine said Friday it would close its borders to foreigners for at least two weeks and stop all flights to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, as it reported its first COVID-19 fatality.

"Ukraine's borders will be closed to foreign citizens for two weeks," Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the country's Security and Defence Council, told reporters, adding that the measure will take effect in 48 hours.

The was announced minutes before the country reported its first death from the virus.

Later Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook: "In three days, we will suspend all regular flights" for at least two weeks.

He also asked Ukrainians who were on vacation or work abroad to return home by that time.

Zelensky asked elderly people to remain at home and asked employers to let workers work from home, wherever possible.

The ex-Soviet country, which has a population of 42 million, has so far reported three confirmed cases of the COVID-19 infection.

Danilov said that all Ukrainians would be allowed to return to the country, and those coming back from the nations most affected by the pandemic will have to be quarantined.

The ban on foreigners would only be waived for diplomatic workers, he said.

Ukraine's deputy health minister, Viktor Lyashko, speaking alongside Danilov, said a woman who was diagnosed with the coronavirus on Thursday has died.

He added the woman who lived in north-west Zhytomyr region was in her seventies and was suffering from double pneumonia after she returned from a trip to neighbouring Poland.

"Doctors, unfortunately, could not save her life," Lyashko said.

On Thursday Ukraine closed schools and universities nationwide and banned all major public events as part of containment measures, while Ukraine's Orthodox Church told worshippers they could avoid kissing icons.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian medical team in Italy to test stranded Indians amidst coronavirus outbreak

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 14: A medical team from India reached Italy to test stranded Indian nationals including students for coronavirus. The Indians will be brought back home after the tests are completed.

Initially the embassy had requested Italy to arrange for testing of Indian nationals. However Italy expressed its inability as it was already under pressure owing its own health emergency. Hence it was decided to send an Indian medical team so that the stranded Indians could be tested and brought back.

The team will stay in Italy for the next couple of days and carry out tests. Those who test negative will be able to travel back. Further on their arrival they would be quarantined for 14 days.

Coronavirus outbreak: 120 Indians from Iran to come back today

There are around 1.6 lakh Indians who are in Italy. Further around 3,800 students too have been studying at the various universities. For the benefit of the Indians a second helpline number has been added in Rome and a third in Milan. This decision was taken owing to the large number of phone calls. Indian authorities have also been responding to the large number of emails that they have been receiving from Italy. Further advisories are also being issued on the social media and WhatsApp groups.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 8:32 [IST]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:22:43|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said the Chinese government and its people firmly support Italy's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy sent recently to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Xi said that at this difficult time, China is willing to cooperate with Italy and offer assistance.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed sincere sympathies to the Italian government and people on the recent COVID-19 epidemic in Italy.

Xi stressed that mutual support and win-win cooperation have always been the main theme of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Chinese president said that mankind is a community with a shared future and that only through unity and coordination can humanity tackle various global risks and challenges.

As long as the two countries and the broader international community make joint efforts, they will certainly overcome the current difficulties and prevail over the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the well-being of people in both countries and across the world, Xi added.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, Xi said he believes that in the joint fight against the epidemic, the traditional friendship between China and Italy will grow stronger and their cooperation broader.
A first-of-its-kind program is getting underway to teach lawyers and judges how Indigenous history and culture affect the criminal justice system, and vice versa.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A first-of-its-kind program is getting underway to teach lawyers and judges how Indigenous history and culture affect the criminal justice system, and vice versa.

In Manitoba, home to one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, where about 75 per cent of inmates in provincial jails are Indigenous, the legal lessons are getting off the ground to address a "knowledge gap" between what the law says and what is sometimes practised in criminal courts, according to two local lawyers who have been working for nearly three years to develop the certificate program through University of Manitobas law school.

Crown attorney Melissa Serbin and child-protection lawyer Stacey Soldier, both sessional instructors at U of M, developed a four-session intensive course targeted at final-year law students, articling students, working Crown attorneys, defence lawyers and judges. They noticed a "huge knowledge gap," Serbin said, in the ways different Crown attorneys and defence lawyers approached cases involving Indigenous people.

"What we want is just for a deeper understanding of how to deal with Indigenous offenders," Serbin said.

"What wed like to see is that when we have Crown and defence counsel going to northern circuit points, that they start to develop an understanding of the community, and they arent flying in, flying out, and sort of imposing what would look like a colonial justice system on the community that then isnt embraced by the community."

More education about how the legal system disproportionately affects Indigenous people could lead to changes in the process, from bail to sentencing, Serbin said.

"We can work towards addressing the root issues here. Its not going to change overnight, but if were approaching a case with this context, I think we can probably see some changes," she said.

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Soldier, who is Anishinaabe from Swan Lake First Nation, started practising as a criminal defence lawyer more than a decade ago. She said its a lawyers responsibility to keep learning.

"What we see often are people who self-medicate, so they drink a lot, they use drugs, because that helps them forget some of the things theyve been dealing with and have dealt with since they were a child. What, in particular, Im hoping for the students to learn from this is to have an understanding of how those issues affect their clients that are before them, and offering... tools so that they can use that information as part of their advocacy for their clients within the court," Soldier said.

The course filled up with 60 participants, including some judges, and has a lengthy wait-list. It was set to begin March 14, but it is being rescheduled due to cancellation of events at U of M amid concerns about preventing the spread of COVID-19.

While there are some training sessions and law school courses currently offered that include Indigenous history, the intensive course is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada. It is a result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions call for all lawyers to have appropriate cultural competency and anti-racism training, including education about the history of colonialism and residential schools.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
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Linkedin Sausan Atika and Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 07:43 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a7e070 1 National Jakarta-administration,coronavirus,COVID-19,regional-government,outbreak Free

Regional administrations are stepping up measures to prevent a potential community spread of COVID-19 as concerns heighten over the central governments lack of transparency in handling the health crisis.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, for instance, have requested to conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests independently.

Jakarta can do [the test] but we have limited authority. We have sent a letter to the Health Ministry, asking it to give our city laboratory the authority to help test [suspected COVID-19 patients], Anies said in popular weekly talk show Mata Najwa on Wednesday.

These test results, which would come out faster if done in Jakarta, would allow the city administration to act quickly in tracing the movements of people declared COVID-19 and, therefore, better contain the spread of the virus.

Ridwan Kamil has made a similar request, saying that relying on a single institution for testing would be time-consuming.

Please allow us to do the tests. If a result is positive, we will not announce it to the public but communicate it to the central government in accordance with protocols, Ridwan said on the same occasion.

Speaking at a different occasion, Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo shared a similar concern on Friday after a COVID-19 patient died during isolation in Moewardi Hospital in Surakarta, Central Jakarta.

The patient was the eighth suspected COVID-19 patient who had the results of her throat culture announced after she had succumbed to the disease.

Critics say similar incidents keep occurring because the government has a monopoly on COVID-19 testing.

Indonesia, which already has 69 confirmed cases as of Friday evening, only allows one lab run by the Health Ministrys Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) to test swab samples of suspected COVID-19 patients.

On Friday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo ordered Health Minister Terawan Agus Puteranto to allow other agencies such as the Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java, and the Eijkman Institute in Jakarta to also conduct PCR testing.

The ministry has complied, announcing that Eijkman would be able to test suspected patients starting on Monday.

It is unclear, however, if regional administrations could conduct testing, too. Achmad Yurianto, the Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general, argued that regional hospitals did not have a Type 2 biosafety level (BSL) license, which means they are not equipped to conduct testing.

BSL-2 is a research lab; were talking about a type of lab that is usually owned by higher educational institutions, Yurianto said on Thursday.

Despite their limited authority, some regional administrations have taken their own measures to prevent a wider contagion.

Jakarta, for example, has restricted public gatherings.

We decided to be proactive as it is our responsibility to prevent residents from contracting COVID-19," Anies said on Wednesday.

The administration, Anies said, had been inspired to take action by policies taken by Singapore, Vietnam and New Zealand.

It has set up a special team to review the permits of events that are slated to take place across the city and decide whether they could go on with additional requirements, be postponed or be canceled altogether.

[By reviewing their permits], we aim to limit public interaction to prevent the transmission of [COVID-19], he said.

The administration has already canceled the Jakarta E-Prix, the capital's first-ever Formula E race initially set to take place on June 6, and Car Free Day (CFD) on Sunday and March 22.

According to corona.jakarta.go.id, the administration is monitoring 486 people in both homes and hospitals and closely observing 238 people at hospitals for showing COVID-19 symptoms and having traveled to countries with high infection rates.

Most are in South Jakarta, where 190 people are being observed, followed by 112 in East Jakarta, 102 in West Jakarta, 97 in Central Jakarta and 74 in North Jakarta. The remaining 112 are outside of the capital.

The central government has refused to reveal the locations of suspected COVID-19 patients, triggering a barrage of criticism from the public, arguing that the policy would deprive them of crucial information to avoid contagion.

Unofficial data from the city administration on Tuesday showed that 14 people who tested positive of COVID-19 are Jakarta residents. On the same day, the central government announced a total of 19 cases but refused to disclose where they live.

Syahrizal Syarief, an epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia, demanded that the central government improve its coordination with regional administration to have greater control of the virus.

He also slammed the government for concealing the location of COVID-19 patients, which he believed was not a privacy violation.

I regret the fact that the central government refuses to disclose information on the geographic location of confirmed cases  for whatever reason. Without such information, how can the regional administrations prepare themselves? How can the public assess the risks they are taking in their daily lives?

He added that regional administrations should be given a greater role in preventing the spread of COVID-19, but the central government must first provide a standard operating procedure and set official protocols.

Tracing the movements of diagnosed patients, monitoring them  this needs to be done by the regional administrations, he said. However, they must be careful not to make any decisions that could lead to controversy. (dfr)
Liberty County officials are counting their blessings because there are no cases of the new coronavirus in the area. The outbreak is affecting their neighbors to the south, Harris and Montgomery counties, but they know it could only be a matter of time.

We know how to handle hurricanes, floods, train wrecks and if we ever had one, earthquakes too. Weve never had anything like this, said Liberty County Judge Jay Knight.

When the outbreak began and the potential for spread appeared imminent, Knight met with Crista Beasley-Adams from the Liberty County Office of Emergency Management to stake out a plan.

Weve been working on this for a while, he said.

Knight has gathered county officials along with representatives from the hospitals in Cleveland and Liberty, school district officials, healthcare representatives, EMS reps and more to gather their information and share whats going on in Liberty County.

The worst thing we could do is have a breakdown in communication, Knight said.

More Information HOW TO PREVENT INFECTION FROM THE CDC --Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60 percent alcohol or more). --Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. --Avoid close contact with people who are sick. --Stay home when your are sick. --Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. --Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. See More Collapse

Everybody is onboard, and were sharing information. Well continue to pass it along including if there is ever a case in Liberty County as far as HIPAA laws will allow, he said.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations are privacy laws for individuals regarding their medical records and status.

The good news?

No confirmed cases of the virus in Liberty County, he said. Theres not even a soul being investigated at this point and Knight hopes it stays that way.

The county does have a protocol on how to deal with a suspected case.

Since we dont have a health department like Harris or Chambers counties, we take our lead from the Texas State Department of Health Services, the judge said.

The situation in which a person may potentially need to be quarantined will be investigated by an epidemiologist and the Department of Health Services. The information will be disseminated to the DHS and the Liberty County OEM for distribution to city offices and their offices of emergency management that may be required to investigate any potential contact of that person with others, the judge said.

Adams has been appointed as the public information officer and will be reporting positive cases to the public through the OEM site.

If we get someone who is a potential case, the DSHS will be notified. They will send a state investigator to test that person, the test is hand-carried to a lab in Houston by courier, and we will receive results back in 24 hours, the judge said.

At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19, and no medications approved to treat it. However, there are researchers fast-tracking potential vaccines ignoring normal protocols to test in animals first to get the vaccine to the public as soon as possible. Normal vaccine approval can take years.

I dont think proving this in an animal model is on the critical path to getting this to a clinical trial, said Tal Zaks, chief medical officer at Moderna, a Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech that has produced a Covid-19 vaccine candidate at record speed. He told STAT magazine that scientists at the National Institutes of Health are working on nonclinical research in parallel. Meanwhile, the clinical trial started recruiting healthy participants in the first week of March.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions like hand washing, disinfecting surfaces around your home, and staying home when you are sick are the most important response strategies available to the general public.

Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others within 6 feet through respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands, touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.

Patients with confirmed the novel coronavirus infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta believes that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

The threat of COVID-19 to Liberty County remains low and there is no need for residents and the public to take additional precautionary actions other than what is already prescribed.

Many of the countys youth are feeling the brunt of the cancellation of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Students had moved their projects in earlier in the week in preparation to show at the HLSR when the news came down that the show had been canceled. Its a disappointing and financial loss for those students who sell their projects to earn money for college.

Knight said the courthouse is still open for business and all county offices will remain open.

We are on top of it, but until we hear of a case in our area, were going to say, Praise the Lord! and keep on working, he said.

Updates on COVID-19 can be found at the Texas Department of State Health Services website www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus or the Centers of Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

dtaylor@hcnonline.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 01:04:43|Editor: huaxia

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RAMALLAH, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian officials praised on Saturday China's experience in fighting the novel coronavirus, saying that Palestine follows China's steps to stop the spread of the virus.

Ibrahim Melhem, spokesman of the Palestinian government said that "China has a strong basis in dealing with economic, political and medical crises. This is obvious when we see how China deals with the coronavirus."

"The full cooperation between the Chinese government and its people and securing food that was sufficient for two weeks have all contributed to limiting the spread of the virus," said Melhem.

On March 5, the Palestinian Authority (PA) declared a status of emergency for one month after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in the West Bank district of Bethlehem.

According to the status of emergency, the PA took a series of tight measures which included the closure of hotels, canceling foreign tourists' reservations in the Palestinian hotels and shutting down cafes and restaurants.

Adnan Samara, chairman of the Palestinian-Chinese Association said that the precautionary measures taken by the PA are inspired from the Chinese experience, which is fully successful because China has managed to unify its people.

Islam Ayyadi, a political science professor at the Arab-American University in Palestine said the Chinese measures taken to combat the coronavirus have become a model for the entire world.

"The unity of the Chinese people and their full cooperation with the Chinese government in dealing with the crisis is an example that could be followed by the whole world to put an end to the spread of the virus," Ayyadi added.
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Jurassic World: Dominion has become the latest big Hollywood title to halt production amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The blockbuster joins other Universal projects like Flint Strong and the untitled Billy Eichner project in going on hiatus Friday.

The latest installment has been filming in London since February, and the studio will determine when to resume production in the coming weeks.

Postponed: Jurassic World: Dominion has become the latest big Hollywood title to halt production amid the coronavirus pandemic

It's unknown when the production was scheduled to end or if the hiatus will delay its June 21 release date.

Dominion brings back Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, as well as Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill, who are reprising their roles from the original 1993 film Jurassic Park.

Disney will also temporarily 'pause production' on a slew of its live-action films as a result of the growing coronavirus threat.

'We have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time,' announced a Disney representative in a statement released Friday.

Although 'there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19' on Disney sets, the halt comes as a result of the company 'considering the current environment and the best interests' of cast and crew.

Projects currently suspended include the live-action The Little Mermaid.

On pause: Disney will also temporarily 'pause production' on a slew of its live-action films, including the live action The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey (right), as a result of the growing coronavirus threat

The rep confirmed that Disney will 'continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible.'

Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid, which was scheduled to being production next week, will be one of the many films affected by the sudden production suspension.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Pan & Wendy and Shrunk, the Honey I Shrunk The Kids sequel, 'both in pre-production' will be delayed.

Disney films currently in production, like Ridley Scott's The Last Duel and Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, will shut down until further notice.

Disney already delayed the release date for the highly anticipated live action Mulan film, which had been scheduled to hit theaters on March 27.

Delayed: Disney already delayed the release date for the highly anticipated live action Mulan film, which had been scheduled to hit theaters on March 27

The film's director, Niki Caro, took to Instagram on Thursday to address the postponement.

'We are so excited to share this film with the world, but given the current ever-shifting circumstances we are all experiencing, unfortunately, we have to postpone the worldwide release of,' captioned Caro, who shared a photograph of one of the many Mulan promotional photos plastered around Los Angeles.

Disney has yet to set a new release date for the film.

Emptiest place on earth: The Walt Disney company made a landmark decision on Thursday by announcing the temporary closure of their parks in California and Florida, expected to last through March

The Walt Disney company made a landmark decision on Thursday by announcing the temporary closure of their parks in California and Florida, expected to last through March.

President Donald Trump addressed the nation during a press conference Friday morning where he officially declared coronavirus a 'national emergency.'

The declaration will allow Trump to access $50million in emergency funds and unveil 'drive-thru testing' for the virus at Walmart, Target, and CVS parking lots across the nation.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 14:09:18|Editor: huaxia

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Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Kazakhstan, speaks in an interview with Xinhua at her office in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Feb. 29, 2020. The COVID-19 would not have a long-term and systematic impact on the Chinese economy, "given the size of the Chinese economy and effective measures to control the outbreak," Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Kazakhstan told Xinhua recently. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

NUR-SULTAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 would not have a long-term and systematic impact on the Chinese economy, "given the size of the Chinese economy and effective measures to control the outbreak," Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Kazakhstan has said.

"China has quickly mobilized nationwide resources to bring the epidemic under control. Kazakhstan speaks highly of measures taken by the Chinese government to control the epidemic, hoping that China would develop a vaccine as soon as possible," Shaimergenova told Xinhua recently.

China's ongoing war against COVID-19 also reflects the knowledge and expertise the country has accumulated from previous experience with such epidemics as H1N1 influenza, bird flu and SARS, she noted.

Describing the COVID-19 outbreak as a test of China's economic resilience, she said that "China is soon going to pass the exam while gaining experience in dealing with emergent public health issues."

Although the epidemic might have a short-time impact on Kazakhstan-China trade and investment cooperation, "when the epidemic comes to an end, business contacts and cooperation between the two neighbours will quickly bounce to the previous level," she said.

Kazakhstan has little concern about bilateral cooperation in the post-epidemic future, since China is always a reliable neighbour, a helpful trading partner, an interesting tourist destination and a good place for overseas study, she explained.

The coronavirus has become a global challenge, with no single country being absolutely safe, she said, urging further international coordination and cooperation in the global fight against the disease.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping said the Chinese government and its people firmly support Italy's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy sent recently to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Xi said that at this difficult time, China is willing to cooperate with Italy and offer assistance.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed sincere sympathies to the Italian government and people on the recent COVID-19 epidemic in Italy.

Xi stressed that mutual support and win-win cooperation have always been the main theme of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Chinese president said that mankind is a community with a shared future and that only through unity and coordination can humanity tackle various global risks and challenges.

As long as the two countries and the broader international community make joint efforts, they will certainly overcome the current difficulties and prevail over the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the well-being of people in both countries and across the world, Xi added.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, Xi said he believes that in the joint fight against the epidemic, the traditional friendship between China and Italy will grow stronger and their cooperation broader.
Thumbs Down on Social Media To Cosy Nook Plans



The visual mock up of proposals for the Cosy Nook Cafe in Port Erin.

There has been an angry reaction to Port Erin Commissioners plans for the Cosy Nook Cafe.

The popular tourist spot closed last year after the former tenants lease expired

Phillip and Sue Maltby had run the cafe for many years and were informed that Commissioners planned to put any further use of the building out to tender.

The Port Erin Local Authority has now published the plans on its social media pages. It shows proposals to demolish the existing building and replace it with a modern multi story building.

Angry people have given the proposal a thumbs down with some saying they thought it was April Fools Day.

Some however welcomed the design but feel it would be more suited to the site of the former Marine Biological Station.

Ellis Brown Architects have been commissioned to develop the project.

Port Erin Commissioners Facebook Page

What do you think? Join the debate on our Facebook Page.
A fleet of shows have stopped shooting because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But Mark-Paul Gosselaar was busily getting ready this Friday to film the upcoming reboot of his show Saved By The Bell.

The 46-year-old posted an Instagram snap of himself in the makeup chair, having his luscious locks dyed blonde for his role.

There's that hairdo: Mark-Paul Gosselaar was busily getting ready this Friday to film the upcoming reboot of his show Saved By The Bell, he revealed on Instagram

'One of these blondes is going be Zack Morris. #sbtb #reboot,' he captioned the photo, in which his colorist could be seen behind him with the exact same hair color.

Mark-Paul also tagged three of his co-stars in his new Instagram post - Elizabeth Berkeley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen.

Saved By The Bell, an NBC show that originally ran from 1989 to 1993, is being revived for the network's streaming service Peacock.

Mark-Paul starred as a high school student called Zack Morris on the original series and on the revival his character will have become Governor Of California.

It's a go: Saved By The Bell, an NBC show that originally ran from 1989 to 1993, is being revived for the network's streaming service Peacock

He will only be on three episodes of the new version because his schedule is taken up by the Black-ish spin-off Mixed-ish, The Hollywood Reporter revealed.

His latest Instagram post comes a day after it emerged that NBCUniversal has stopped the shoot of a staggering 35 shows, according to Deadline.

Among them is Angelyne, a mini-series starring Emmy Rossum as the 1980s kitsch icon famous for her pink Corvette and towering blonde hairdo.

Who's who: Mark-Paul starred as a high school student called Zack Morris on the original series and on the revival his character will have become Governor Of California

The Kelly Clarkson Show will go on hiatus after one last episode tomorrow and Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire and Chicago Med are to suspend filming too.

Production on Superstore and New Amsterdam has been halted and the old mainstay Law & Order: SVU will have to take time off the shoot as well.

On Friday morning The Flash stopped its shoot in Vancouver - also the filming location of Riverdale, which shares its production companies.

Remember when: Mark-Paul is pictured on the original series with his co-star Elizabeth Berkeley who is back full-time for the revival

Riverdale shut down its production in Vancouver Wednesday after someone who works on the show encountered a person who has come down with COVID-19.

The coronavirus patient is not part of the production, according to a Warner Brothers representative who spoke to TMZ.

Supernatural has halted production on its final season, meaning the series finale may have to be postponed from its May 18 broadcast date, according to Deadline.
Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

The Elections Commission of Midland County is scheduled to meet at Monday regarding the election administrator.

The agenda that was posted Friday evening included the item: discuss and take action on resignation of election administrator.
All Nippon Airways Co. and Japan Airlines Co. said Friday they will cancel more domestic flights as travel demand is drying up in the wake of the global coronavirus outbreak.

ANA will also cancel some international flights bound for Europe and North America from late March after suspending some Asian services following the outbreak of the virus in China.

Flights connecting Haneda Airport in Tokyo and New York, and those between Narita Airport and Los Angeles will be suspended, while flights between Haneda and Paris would be reduced, ANA said.

An additional 1,360 ANA flights on 42 routes will be cut this month, raising the total number of canceled flights to 2,224.

JAL will cut another 1,468 domestic flights on 60 routes by March 28, bringing its total cancellations due to the virus to over 3,000.
International bidders cry foul over latest LPG tender View(s):

The awarding of a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) procurement contract to Oman Trading International Ltd (OTI) recently has become a questionable issue owing to alleged failure to follow government tender guidelines and the suppliers previous track record.

The cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal recently to award a 2-year LPG procurement contract to OTI despite a Special Cabinet Appointed Procurement committee earlier deciding not to award the tender to the OTI previously due to its failure to supply LPG on several occasions in 2017 and 2018, a senior government official who wished to remain anonymous told the Business Times.

Litro Gas, the largest national importer and market leader of LPG in Sri Lanka, will accordingly purchase 740,000 Metric Tons (MT) of LPG from March 1, 2020 for a period of two years from the Oman company.

The main reason to reject the OTI at that time was their failure to supply gas consistently due to lack of sufficient vessels, he said adding that OTIs efficiency is not satisfactory and the number of vessels they have to supply LPG is very much lower than other suppliers.

OTI was blacklisted earlier but when the Oman Minister made a request to former Minister Kabir Hashim to grant this company the contract of supplying LPG to Sri Lanka on a government to government basis, his request was accepted during the previous regime, he disclosed.

However, a senior officer at Litro Gas speaking to the Business Times on condition of anonymity said that those past records cannot be considered after lifting the 1-year ban on OTI.

He noted that the allegations that have been leveled against awarding the tender were baseless and it was carried out following proper procedure and in a transparent manner.

Tenders were called from international bidders earlier this year for the supply of 740.000 MT of LPG to Litro Gas.

Without considering those bids, OTI had been awarded the tender on an unsolicited bid without following proper tender procedures, several international bidders of this LPG tender told the Business Times.

One of those bidders has sent a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa protesting against the awarding of the tender to OTI without opening the bids of other international bidders, they revealed.

They said that this international company has received a letter of acknowledgment from an additional secretary to the president but no action has been taken to rectify the situation up to now.

These disgruntled bidders have urged the president to review the LPG tender to select suitable international company to supply the countrys requirement on time with high efficiency.

(BS)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:05:40|Editor: yhy

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LUANDA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The oil price war together with COVID-19 outbreak is affecting Angola, Angolan economist Carlos Rosado de Carvalho said in an interview to Xinhua.

COVID-19 is reducing the economic activity worldwide, affecting practically all sectors, according to Carlos Rosado.

The specialist reinforced that "when there is less economic activity, there is also less need for oil and demand is reduced." This also compromises the sale of the crude on the international market.

The main impact on the Angolan economy, said the expert, was the reduction in the price of oil, since Angola is a country dependent on oil in more than 90 percent of exports.

"Oil is the biggest source of revenue for the Angolan State, and if the State is going to have less revenue, it means that it will invest less, that way the economy ends up suffering," he stated.

For the economist, taking into account that Angola is already going through a difficult phase, the actual moment complicates further the situation.

The economist said, "We hope that it will be a temporary situation and that in a short time, we will be able to be more optimistic about the future of Angola, Africa and the world in general."

However, he said that there is still a lot of uncertainty as to what will be done, as some people advocate for example the review of the General State Budget, taking into account that the base of the budget is the price of the crude.

He added that if oil prices continue falling as they are, it will even be necessary to restructure the debt, aiming at macroeconomic stabilization.

Also if the oil prices continue going down and this year's budget is not enforceable Angola will not be able to settle the debts, thus getting into default.

Carlos Rosado de Carvalho is currently the editorial director of the newspaper specialized in economics EXPANSAO and professor at the Catholic University of Angola.
Kampot police officials on Wednesday made an underage student publicly apologize for allegedly spreading fake news in a private Facebook audio message, with police officials not revealing how they accessed her private texts.

The girl, who studies in a school in Kompong Trach district, was made to publicly apologize in a video, which was then published on Facebook by the provincial and district police, where she is made to reveal her name and address.

The girls alleged crime was sending a private audio message saying there were three people sick with COVID-19 in the school and three others had died from the disease. But these were sent on private chats and it was unclear how the police accessed them.

"I would like to point out to all the people on Facebook that this school has no coronavirus. So, I am sorry. This information that I talked about yesterday wasn't true," she is heard saying in the video, in the presence of police officers, school officials and other students.

A post on the Kampot Provincial Police Facebook page said that they had questioned the 14-year-old suspect after she shared false information in an audio message on the Facebook Messenger application. It added that she had been asked to sign an agreement and make a public apology before she was allowed to go home.

Mao Chanmathurit, Kampots provincial police chief, said they had found out about her audio message from Facebook Messenger, though not clarifying how they accessed a personal message or how it was spreading fake news if it was within a private messaging group.

We didn't detain her. We asked her to come to school to educate her and made a paper agreement, he said. We have to let the public know so they will not worry.

However, a rights advocate and mental health expert said the public shaming of the girl was a serious violation of her rights and the potential humiliation could negatively impact her.

Am Sam Ath, a senior investigator for rights group Licadho, said that the measures taken by the authorities were a violation of the rights of children.

He added that the authorities should have instead invited the parents of the girl and asked them to advise the child, but in a private setting.

"We have to figure out what she is saying, what to do about it and to prevent her from being fearful of continuing in school," he said.

Hoeur Sethul, a psychologist at Khmer Counseling Psycho-education Services, said asking the student to apologize in front of her peers and on social media could result in humiliation that will affect her adversely. She might quit school and it will affect her future.

This week, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap police arrested three others social media users, accusing them of spreading false information related to a coronavirus.

Chin Malin, a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, told VOA that from a rights and mental health perspective the experts were correct, but defended the polices actions, adding that they still have to ensure the security and safety of the people in order to prevent social unrest.

"It is in the interest of the public as a whole. It means thisis to educate other youths not to commit such acts. Such actions are acceptable [now], he said.
Denmark has recently announced that it will be closing its borders to all foreigners for at least a month. According to reports, the ban will go into effect from March 14 onwards. The decision was taken in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. Denmark has over 800 reported cases of the deadly coronavirus but no deaths.

As per reports, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on March 13 announced that all foreigners who could not prove that they had pressing matters in Denmark would not be allowed entry. She added that Danish citizens would still be allowed inside.

Europe the Centre of Pandemic

Addressing a press briefing on March 13, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that Europe had become the new epicentre of the novel coronavirus. To buttress this point, he highlighted that more cases were being reported every day in Europe than they were in China at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, he termed the spread of the pandemic resulting in 5000 deaths as a tragic milestone. On Wednesday, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak as 'pandemic'.

Read: "Europe Has Now Become The Epicenter Of The Coronavirus Pandemic": WHO's Big Statement

Read: Flame For 2020 Tokyo Olympics Lit In Greece Amid Virus Lockdown

"Europe has now become the epicenter of the #COVID19 pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from #China.



More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in  at the height of its epidemic"-@DrTedros #coronavirus  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 13, 2020



WHO advises nations to adopt a comprehensive approach

Dr Tedros mentioned that the WHO had shipped supplies of personal protective equipment to 56 countries, which would be extended to 28 more nations. He advised the countries to take a comprehensive approach rather than focus on one particular aspect, whether it is contact tracing or social distancing. Furthermore, he contended that any country which looked at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and assumed that it wont happen to us was making a deadly mistake.

"Were continuing to support countries to prepare and respond.

We have shipped supplies of personal protective equipment to 56 countries, were shipping to a further 28, and weve sent almost 1.5 million diagnostic tests to 120 countries"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 13, 2020

Read: Turkish President Compares Greeces Response To Refugees With Nazis

Read: Fears Of Virus Cases Among Migrants In Greece
Orphans and neglected children were obviously present in Nebraska literally from the inception of its becoming a territory in 1854, but they were few in number and simply cared for by individuals, relatives and churches.

Orphan trains were established in New York City in 1854 to move children out of the city, but Nebraska was inaccessible in any meaningful way until the mid-1870s and 1880s when Nebraskas own children in need of aid had reached a point where concern began to be voiced, not just locally but nationally.

Burwell Spurlock was born in Virginia in 1835, moved to Illinois then to Glenwood, Iowa, and later Nebraska City in 1858 where, as county clerk, he married Isabella Davis. After being instrumental in the Rock Bluff vote count surrounding statehood, the couple moved to Plattsmouth, then to York.

In the mid-1880s Dr. W. L. Armstrong dedicated his 160-acre Platte County farm to the care of children, although the proposition did not gain immediate support.
Another group of cruise lines are halting sailings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak as both parent companies Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings decided to pull its many brands from service.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will cease operations from March 13-April 11.

The safety, security and well-being of our guests and crew is our highest priority. With the COVID-19 coronavirus impacting communities around the globe, we have enacted a voluntary temporary suspension of cruise voyages across our brands effective immediately, said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. We understand the inconvenience that this disruption may cause our guests and travel partners during these quickly evolving and challenging times, and we appreciate their understanding as we partner with local, state, federal and global agencies to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Royal Caribbeans brands include Royal Caribbean International with the largest cruise ships in the world such as Harmony of the Seas based in Port Canaveral, but also Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea,

We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play. So, beginning at midnight tonight, we are pausing the fleets US sailings for 30 days, the line stated in a press release Friday.

Princess Cruises, which is one of several cruise lines under the Carnival Corp. umbrella, was the first line to announce it was halting operations on Thursday morning when it said it would cease sailings for 60 days, pulling its 18 ships from service until May 10.

The line has had two ships with coronavirus outbreaks including the Diamond Princess that had to be quarantined in Japan in February with nearly 700 cases including six fatalities. More recently, Grand Princess had 21 confirmed cases while sailing off the coast of California. On Monday, nearly 3,500 passengers and crew were taken off the ship and either sent to U.S. military bases to last out a 14-day quarantine or flown back to their home countries.

Another Carnival Corp. line, Costa Cruises, said Friday it would discontinue cruises through April 3.

Late Thursday, the Walt Disney Co. said it was shutting down both its theme parks, but also Disney Cruise Line sailings through the end of March. The last sailing for DCL left Port Canaveral today for a three-night Bahamas trip that will return Monday, March 16. Disney Fantasy will return to Port Canaveral at the end of its seven-night sailing on Saturday while Disney Magic will return to PortMiami on Saturday. Disney Wonder is headed across the Panama Canal and should arrive to San Diego on Friday, March 20.

Also, new cruise line Virgin Voyages announced it would hold off its plans for its debut season that was to begin this month until July. Scarlet Lady arrived to Miami this month, but will now delay until July 15 before it begins some showcase sailings followed by its official maiden voyage on Aug. 7.

All lines have lined up refunds for canceled cruises, but many have offers to transfer cruise payments to a future cruise with several enticing its passengers with cruise credit to recommit vacation funds. Virgin Voyages, for instance, if offering those who had booked cruises in the next 3 1/2 months a 200% credit if they rebook.



2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)
The Delhi government will make quarantine facilities for around 1,400 people at police training schools in Jharoda Kala and Wazirabad in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In the second phase, DDA Flats at Narela will be prepared with quarantine facilities and required infrastructure to accommodate around 4,000 persons, according to a statement issued by the Lt Governor's office.

LG Anil Baijal on Saturday held a high-level meeting with Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain and top officials of the Delhi government to review measures.

According to a statement issued by the LG office, Delhi Police will provide security at these centres while the health department will ensure availability of medical teams at each quarantine centre.

The district magistrate concerned will be over-all in-charge of these centres and provide all facilities, it stated.

It was also decided in the meeting that DTC will provide buses for transportation of passengers from the airport to quarantine centres, the statement said.

The lieutenant governor has directed to start the preparation work immediately.

"Our strategy should be to contain the disease and break the chain of transmission in order to prevent further spread to new area," Baijal was quoted as saying.

He also appealed to Delhiites to follow all precautions.

The number of coronavirus positive cases in the country has risen to 84 which includes the two deaths in Delhi and Karnataka. Delhi has reported seven positive cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hong Kong: 6 more cases confirmed

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating six additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 137.

Two of the new cases involve the 16-month-old son of a couple who were confirmed to be infected on March 11 and 12 and one of the patients 66-year-old father.

The baby boy arrived in Hong Kong with his parents from England on February 29. He stayed at his maternal grandparents' flat at iPlace on Castle Peak Road in Kwai Chung.

He developed a runny nose on March 12 and was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment during the centre's contact tracing.

The 66-year-old male had no recent travel history and is asymptomatic. He has also been arranged for management at the same hospital.

His wife is asymptomatic and has been quarantined.

The third case involves a 67-year-old man who lives at Ng Tung Chai, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po.

He developed a fever and cough since March 10 and attended the Accident & Emergency Department at Ruttonjee Hospital on March 11.

He is now under treatment at Prince of Wales Hospital and is in a stable condition.

During the incubation period, he had been to London between February 27 and March 8. He departed London on Cathay Pacific flight CX250 and arrived in Hong Kong on March 8.

His wife, who lives with him, has developed a sore throat and was admitted to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital for treatment.

The fourth additional case is a 30-year-old woman with good past health, who lives alone in View Villa, Sheung Wan.

She developed a fever since March 8 and attended the Accident & Emergency Department at Ruttonjee Hospital on the same day. She has been arranged for management at Queen Mary Hospital and is in stable condition.

The patient had been to Greece between February 10 and 26. She then travelled from Athens, Greece, to London in the UK on February 26 and then from London to Paris, France, on February 27.

She stayed in Paris until March 4 when she took a flight from Paris to Istanbul, Turkey, for transit and then returned to Hong Kong on March 5.

The fifth case involves a 61-year-old man who lives alone in 18 Stanley Main Street, Southern. He developed a cough and sore throat on March 7.

He sent his sputum specimen to be tested for COVID-19 through his family physician on March 12. He was admitted for management at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) and is now in stable condition.

During the incubation period, he had been to Colorado in the US between February 27 and March 9. He returned to Hong Kong from Colorado via Tokyo, Japan, by All Nippon Airways flight NH811 on March 10.

The sixth case involves a 54-year-old woman with good past health, who lives alone in Tai Hang Terrace, Tai Hang. She developed a cough since March 6 and attended the Sai Ying Pun Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic on March 12.

She was admitted for management at PYNEH. The patient travelled to France and Morocco between February 13 and March 8.

On March 8, she took Transavia flight HV5760 from Morocco to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and then departed Amsterdam on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight KL887, arriving in Hong Kong on March 9.

The centre's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on confirmed cases are ongoing.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan feel well and have no temperature, Anna Hakobyans spokesperson Hasmik Harutyunyan told ARMENPRESS.

''Both Anna Hakobyan and the Prime Minister were tested for coronavirus this morning. The results of the test will be known in the evening. Anna Hakobyan feels good, is in high mood and urges everyone not to be panic, Harutyunyan said, adding that the PM also feels good. The couple has no symptoms of coronavirus.

Yesterday PM Pashinyan announced that he, together with his wife, have self-isolated.

Today we saw a headline in the press that the Brazilian presidents test results were positive, and you know that on March 7 Anna had a meeting with the Brazilian First Lady, and a photo of them embracing was published. We arrived in Sevan for self-quarantine, and the first thing we did was check ourselves for fever, we didnt have it. We checked again, and again we didnt have fever. But then the Brazilian President officially refuted the report, he said that his test results were negative. However, in any case we will remain isolated, tomorrow morning we will be tested to be convinced that everything is all right, despite many professional medics telling us that the possibility [of infection] is very low, the PM said.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Verizon will waive late fees and not cut off residential and small business customers for the next 60 days because of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak, the company said Friday.

Now more than ever, we need to ensure that our customers, their families and businesses have the ability to connect to the internet even if theyre facing financial hardship from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg said in a statement.

The pledge applies to the companys broadband and wireless customers.

Coronavirus: Spectrum to offer free high-speed internet to households with students

On Thursday, Verizon said it would increase its planned capital spending on its network infrastructure by $500 million, to $17.5 billion to $18.5 billion, in 2020.

Both of these measures are indicative of our companys confidence that the nation and the world will emerge from this current health issue stronger than ever, Vestberg said.

The coronavirus outbreak has begun to disrupt businesses, particularly in the travel, leisure and education industries, raising fears that the incomes of hourly and other workers will be interrupted.

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a sometimes-deadly respiratory disease that the World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic.

Earlier Friday, Spectrum announced it will offer free high-speed internet service for 60 days to households with students. The offer, which applies to households that do not already have Spectrum broadband service, comes as many schools are closing and colleges are switching to online classes because of the health threat posed by the coronavirus.

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148

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Kalaburagi : , March 14 (IANS) Two journalists and a cameraman of a national news channel were quarantined in North Karnataka's Kalaburagi for interviewing the coronavirus victim's son two days ago, a top official said on Saturday.

"The three media persons have been quarantined in their respective homes for having interviewed on Thursday the son of the 76-year-old man who died of COVID-19 on Tuesday night," Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner B. Sharat told IANS.

"As a precaution, we have advised the three media persons to remain in their homes and take steps to ensure they were not affected by interviewing a person who was son of the victim," said Sharat.

The victim's son, his wife, sister and his son have been under observation in an isolated ward at the state-run ESI Hospital in the city since Friday.

"Blood samples of the victim's four family members were sent to Bengaluru for test. We are awaiting the test report to ascertain if they too were affected, as they were with the victim, since his return from Saudi Arabia. He had been admitted to private hospitals at Kalaburagi and Hyderabad before he succumbed," said Sharat.

The victim's body was buried at Kalaburagi on Wednesday after it was disinfected and sanitised as per the state health guidelines.

"About 70 people in the victim's neighbourhood are also kept under self-isolation in their respective homes, as they too would have come in contact with him or exposed to secondary infection," Sharat pointed out.

Admitting that it was an emergency health situation, the Karnataka cadre IAS officer advised the people to avoid going out unless it was a must.

"We are creating awareness about the fatal disease and have taken measures to remain safe and healthy," Sharat said.

Though the state government has shut down schools, colleges, theatres, malls, weddings and bars/pubs for a week from Saturday across the state, Sharat said the ban would be for two weeks till March 28 in the city to prevent social gatherings in large numbers.

The district administration also evicted roadside eateries and sale of cut-fruits in the open to prevent spread of the deadly virus.

"We have set up a 24x7 control room and help desk in the district secretariat to enable the people call us at for advice on the virus and reach out to the affected at the earliest," said Sharat.

"Board exams in schools, colleges and universities are allowed to be held as scheduled as postponing them will upset the yearly academic cycle. Government offices and e-services are open though some services like asset registrations, issue of driving licence and road transport corporation (RTC) documents have been suspended as they draw more people to our offices," he added.

In a related development, district health officer Jabbar denied the charge by the son of the country's first victim that his father did not get timely help or advise to survive the ordeal.

"The victim's family shifted him to Hyderabad from a private hospital in the city without informing us and brought him back to Gulbarga, where he was declared dead due to coronavirus," Jabbar asserted.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Tucked in the rocky coastline of rural Maine, a grisly murder occurs late one night. A young woman stabs a man with a harpoon, later finding a bag of cash tucked under the floorboards of his seaside cabin. Unbeknownst to her, the man shes killed is embroiled in a larger criminal scheme that goes back generations and includes a town brothel, a group of elderly women with a history of shady dealings, and the local cops who turn a blind eye.

If this sounds like the start to a Coen brothers movie, youre right on the money. Blow the Man Down, the first feature from writer-director duo Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole, plays like an update on the Coen brothers crime comedies, balancing noir themes with dry humor and wit. Like Fargo before it, Blow the Man Down is set in a highly specific time and place  a salty Maine village called Easter Cove  which, when its not being lit up by a colorful crew of shanty-singing fishermen, is rendered bleak and forbidding. When the film opens, sister pair Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor) have just lost their mother, and their sense of grief and isolation are reflected in their grim environs. From the get-go, the film drips with a distinctly noir mood, and it feels fitting when Mary Beth, reeling from her moms death and wrapped up in a dangerous situation with a strange man, accidentally kills him.

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Like many noir protagonists, Mary Beth is wry and withdrawn, a loner whose only goal is to get out of her small town. But the murder causes Mary Beth  and Priscilla, who agrees to help her sister cover it up  to tumble out of her otherwise normal routine into a fraught chain of events. The sisters swallow their disgust and fear as they snap into crime mode, hastily concocting a plan to clean up the mess without getting caught.

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Krudy and Cole are deliberate in employing noir hallmarks here: a stormy ocean, a corpse jammed into a cooler, a bloody knife that the camera lingers on until it goes missing. Each image in the sequence is a winking reference to crime genre cliches, placing the movie in a tradition of purposeful noir pastiche.

But as the plot grows knottier and the story continues to unfold, the film complements its neo-noir atmosphere with a notable theme of female camaraderie. Soon after Mary Beths doomed evening, another murder comes to light: this one of a young female employee of the town inn, which is really more of a brothel. No ones sure whos behind the death, but a cabal of mysteriously powerful elderly ladies have their eyes on the inns manager Enid (Margo Martindale). In a more conventional movie, these women  with their pastel sweaters, white hair, and freshly baked berry pies  could be pictured giggling over Fifty Shades of Grey. But dont mistake them for latter day Golden Girls: These women have presided over the towns underbelly for decades.

Such is the delicious allure of the world of Blow the Man Down, in which all of the major characters, including the duplicitous villain, are women. Mary Beth and Priscilla are wonderfully realized as the duo at the center, pairing divergent personalities  Priscilla is straitlaced and sensible while Mary Beth is wry and wild  with a genuine sisterly chemistry which they convey through witty exchanges and meaningful looks.

The trio of elderly women are sly and funny as the town mobsters, serving their visitors slices of pie as they extract information and acting innocent when a stray husband interrupts their meeting. Krudy and Cole are also devious in alluding to the distinctly feminine nature of their characters business dealings: Following one covert gathering, the camera abruptly cuts to a shot of a pancake mix box that reads Mothers Secret Pancake. Later, when Enid faces the group, Martindale utters the movies best and most memorable line: toodaloo, catty bitches.

A mystery punctuated by moments of pitch black comedy, Blow the Man Down nods to hard-boiled thrillers while forging its own feminine path. Themes of female empowerment are never played too heavy-handedly, and are instead taken as a given in a world seemingly run by women. By the end, its clear that that the films title, which refers to a fisherman ditty that recurs in the film, is also an apt descriptor for the movie as a whole: a uniquely female project from start to finish, both in making and in message.

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The multiplicity of initiatives is not conducive to settle the Libyan crisis as it disperses efforts and wastes time, Moroccos Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said.

Libyans should come together around the SKhirate agreement, which paves the way for a transitory period and elections to end the crisis politically, Nasser Bourita said after talks with President of the High Council of State of Libya, Khaled Meshri.

Morocco has no agenda in Libya, Bourita made it clear, adding that there would be no military solution to the conflict in the oil-rich North African country.

Khaled Meshri noted that the political agreement, which serves as a reference for the Libyan institutions, was achieved thanks to the support provided by Morocco and to the directives of King Mohammed VI to offer the Libyans all the means to reach a Libyan-Libyan solution.

There may be new reconciliation initiatives, but Libya no longer needs political initiatives and has a clear road map aimed at respecting the Skhirat political agreement and organizing as soon as possible a constitutional referendum, ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections, he said.

In addition, nothing guarantees the application of new initiatives or new agreements, whether in Berlin or Geneva, said the Libyan official, stressing that the international and individual efforts of some countries do not help to resolve the Libyan crisis, but complicate it more.
Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement, which has strongly opposed foreign interference in the country's crisis-hit economy, said Friday it could accept Beirut receiving an International Monetary Fund financial rescue package under "reasonable conditions". "Any help within reasonable conditions, there's no problem with it in principle," the Shiite movement's chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address. But he warned that "Lebanon must not fall under anybody's trusteeship or hand over its financial and economic administration" to outside parties. One of the most indebted countries in the world, Lebanon has been rocked by a months-long political and financial crisis. The country's pound has tumbled in value and banks have imposed strict limits on dollar withdrawals amid a strangulating liquidity crunch and mass protests against the political class. Lebanon said last week it would default on its Eurobond debt for the first time, saying that was the only way to shore up its foreign currency reserves. Banking experts have called for an IMF rescue package, saying it would secure desperately-needed international assistance and reassure creditors. But the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah, which along with its allies holds a majority in parliament, has opposed such moves. It has rejected conditions and "ready-made recipes" which global bodies could impose, warning against what it called "foreign guardianship" over the economy. Hezbollah is backed by Iran, whose arch foe the United States has a virtual veto on IMF decisions. The IMF on Thursday urged Lebanon to quickly implement reforms to stabilise the economy. "Given the severity of economic conditions in Lebanon, it's important that the government designs and implements promptly a comprehensive package of reforms to effectively address the economic challenges and improve Lebanon's economic prospects," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters. While the country has not requested aid from the Washington-based crisis lender, "We stand ready... to assist the authorities in those efforts." Lebanon's debt burden is now equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product. Despite a series of crises, the country had never before defaulted, but in recent months it has grappled with its worst economic turmoil since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (NYSE:PLOW) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 days time. Investors can purchase shares before the 19th of March in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 31st of March.

Douglas Dynamics's next dividend payment will be US$0.28 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$1.09 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Douglas Dynamics has a trailing yield of 3.1% on the current share price of $36.56. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to investigate whether Douglas Dynamics can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for Douglas Dynamics

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Douglas Dynamics is paying out an acceptable 51% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 38% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio.

It's positive to see that Douglas Dynamics's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

NYSE:PLOW Historical Dividend Yield, March 14th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Douglas Dynamics, with earnings per share up 3.7% on average over the last five years. Earnings per share growth has been slim, and the company is already paying out a majority of its earnings. While there is some room to both increase the payout ratio and reinvest in the business, generally the higher a payout ratio goes, the lower a company's prospects for future growth.

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Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Douglas Dynamics has delivered 4.4% dividend growth per year on average over the past ten years. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

Final Takeaway

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Douglas Dynamics? While earnings per share growth has been modest, Douglas Dynamics's dividend payouts are around an average level; without a sharp change in earnings we feel that the dividend is likely somewhat sustainable. Pleasingly the company paid out a conservatively low percentage of its free cash flow. Overall, it's not a bad combination, but we feel that there are likely more attractive dividend prospects out there.

So while Douglas Dynamics looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Douglas Dynamics and you should be aware of them before buying any shares.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
In November, Russian authorities arrested Yulia Tsvetkova, a 26-year-old artist and LGBTQ activist for supposedly distributing pornography and violating a law signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2013 banning gay propaganda. Her alleged crime was the posting of a series of drawings of vulvas on social media, in an online exhibit she titled Vagina Monologues.

Tsvetkova has been held under house arrest ever since, at her home in the far-eastern Russian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, awaiting trial. But with no time frame for when she may actually face the charges in a Russian court, the artist will now have a hearing on Monday as to whether her house arrest will be extended, according to a report by The French Press Agency, AFP.

Last month, Amnesty International named Tsvetkova as a prisoner of conscience.

"It gives me confirmation that yes, my case is politically motivated," the activist said, in an interview with AFP.

She faces up to six years in a Russian prison and a fine equivalent to about $780. The average Russian worker earns a wage of approximately $1,000 per month.

Yulia now faces the possibility of years in prison for merely sharing her artwork online, said Julie Trebault, of the free-expression activist group PEN America. The Russian authorities are making the stakes clear: if artists speak out in support of normalizing different body types or sexual orientations, their work will be quashed and their actions criminalized.

But the artist says she is realistic about her chances in a Russian courtroom.

"Looking at the statistics on guilty verdicts in Russia, I have very few chances," Tsvetkova told AFP. "I'm not under any illusions."

Even before her arrest over her drawings of female genitalia, Tsvetkova was questioned by Russian police over a local youth theater performance that centered on the theme of gender stereotypesbut Russian security services told her the show violated the 2013 gay propaganda law.

Photo by Yulia Tsvetkova Facebook
For reasons unknown, children rarely have severe symptoms when infected by COVID-19 and may even be a bit less likely to get the disease in the first place, experts told AFP. But that doesn't mean infants, toddlers and teens are not carriers for the new coronavirus, which jumped from animals to humans in central China at the end of last year. As of Friday, there were over 140,000 confirmed cases in 124 countries, with more than 5,000 deaths. Experts estimate that the true number of infections -- many with mild or no symptoms -- is far higher. "We know children get infected with the virus, but they don't appear to get very sick or die," said Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "What we don't know is how much these asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic kids transmit," he told AFP. "This is key to understanding their role in the epidemic." In a study from mid-February of 44,000 confirmed cases in and around the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began, the 10-to-19 age bracket made up one percent of infections and a single death. Patients under 10 comprised less than one percent, with no deaths reported. "We are still trying to wrap our heads around the deficit of cases among those under 20," said Cecile Viboud, an epidemiologist at the US National Institute of Health's Fogarty International Centre. There are several theories as to why kids, especially young ones, are less prone to serious symptoms. "Children see so many illnesses in the first years of life that their immune systems are tuned up and respond nicely to novel infection," commented Sharon Nachman, head of paediatric infectious disease at Stony Brook Children's Hospital in New York state. Whatever the reason, how easily children transmit the disease despite their relative imperviousness to illness "is directly relevant to the idea of closing schools," according to Viboud. - 'Flattening the curve' - On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron said all schools in France -- from kindergarten to college -- would shut their doors as of Monday, until further notice. So far, 29 countries -- including Ireland, China, Italy, Poland and Japan -- have suspended classes nationwide, affecting nearly 400 million kids, according to UNESCO. Another 20 nations having taken partial measures. Some argue that locking children out of the classroom is not worth the social disruption caused, and that keeping kids at home may further expose older people to the disease. "It might make the epidemic or the ability to manage the consequences worse," suggested Keith Neal, an emeritus professor of epidemiology and infectious diseases at the University of Nottingham. It could, for example, result in a reduction in the number of healthcare workers to care for the sick, and "an increase in grandparents delivering childcare -- an age group at much greater risk," he told AFP. Thomas House, a statistician at the University of Manchester, said there are pros and cons. "It helps to contain the spread of infection, but it creates a wider problem in society, like missing out on an education," he said. But most experts come down in favour of shuttering schools in order to slow the disease's progress and distribute the number of critical cases over a longer time period in order to avoid overwhelming critical care units in hospitals, as happened in Wuhan and Italy. Doctors in both places described war-like triage in which they incubated a patient on the last available respirator knowing that one or more others in equal need was likely to die. For Nachman, pulling children out of school is "a very reasonable measure." "We assume that all children will get infection," she said in an interview. "But if they pass it to their parents and household contacts, it will be over a longer period of time." "Instead of getting a hundred people sick tomorrow, we'll get ten sick for the next ten days, which means less people coming into the hospital all at once." In a study from mid-February of 44,000 confirmed cases in and around the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began, the 10-to-19 age bracket made up only one percent of infections So far, 29 countries -- including Ireland, China, Italy, Poland and Japan -- have suspended classes nationwide, affecting nearly 400 million kids Some experts argue that locking children out of the classroom is not worth the social disruption caused, and that keeping kids at home may further expose older people to the disease
India captain Virat Kohli has urged his countrymen to take all necessary precautions in the wake of novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed lives of over 4000 people across the globe.

In India, there has been two deaths along with 80 plus positive COVID 19 cases which has prompted suspension of all sporting activities including an ODI series against South Africa and the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

"Let's stay strong and fight the #COVID19 outbreak by taking all precautionary measures. Stay safe, be vigilant and most importantly remember, prevention is better than cure. Please take care everyone," Kohli tweeted.

On Friday, the Indian captain was seen coming out of the Lucknow airport wearing black face mask.

The Indian team were supposed to have a training session on Saturday but in the evening, the BCCI and South Africa mutually agreed to call off the series after visiting team players made it clear that they wanted to return home at the earliest.

Former India batsman VVS Laxman also took to twitter, asking people to come together to deal with this deadly disease.

"One who stays away can save the rest. Requesting everyone to take the necessary precautions & be responsible. If you have symptoms, please get yourself tested. If you have tested positive please be in isolation and help prevent others. Together we can overcome this soon #COVID19," Laxman wrote on his twitter handle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Cold War attention shifted in the early 1980s to Central America, the Reagan administration bankrolled the Salvadoran governments war against leftist guerrillas, making what was then a nation of fewer than 5 million one of the biggest beneficiaries of U.S. aid. The U.S. military trained Salvadoran officers at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga., and sent U.S. military advisers to El Salvador. In the guerrillas, President Ronald Reagan saw the specter of communism on the doorstep of the United States.
Govt declares coronavirus a notified disaster, Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia for kin of victims

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Mar 14: The government on Saturday declared the new coronavirus disease, Covid-19, as a notified disaster for the providing purpose of assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

It listed assistance norms in a release published today, and said Rs 4 lakh would be paid to the families of victims, "including those involved in relief operations or associated in response activities, subject to certification regarding the cause of death from the appropriate authority."

The total number of people infected with the coronavirus has spiked to 83 in India, while seven more people have been cured of the disease.

Coronavirus: US couple traced from Kochi airport, placed under isolation

A 68-year-old woman in Delhi became the country's second victim of coronavirus on Friday as several states went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.

Coronavirus, a pandemic that has infected 1,31,500 people in 116 countries and territories and killed more than 5,000 is not a health emergency and there is no need to panic.

The Centre has also decided to allow international traffic only through 19 border checkposts out of 37 and continue the suspension of Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses till April 15, or earlier, if so decided.
A man wearing a face mask passes by an electric screen about precautions against the COVID-19 at a railway station in Seoul, Saturday, March 14, 2020. AP



The government set new guidelines regarding the private information of coronavirus patients Saturday advising local administrations to hold back releasing unnecessary details.



Regional governments across the country have alerted their residents against coronavirus infection risks, releasing detailed routes and destinations used by coronavirus patients within their jurisdiction



During the process, the private information of some patients, including the names of their employers, occupations and identities, have been leaked to the public, sparking a controversy over invasion of privacy.



In a bid to counter this, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) authored the guidelines and released them to regional governments.



Under the guidelines, the authorities are advised to disclose information on the places patients visited, as well as how they traveled there, but to withhold any detailed information that could clarify their identity, including their addresses and companies they work for.






Michigan State Police Caro Post

The Michigan State Police Caro Post covers a three-county area in Michigan's Upper Thumb Region -- Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac counties.

March 6

Trooper was dispatched to a missing juvenile complaint on Van Dyke Rd. Filion Twp., Huron County. Complaint advised she has not heard from her 15-year-old daughter in five days. Trooper made contact via cell phone and found the 15-year-old to be staying with a friend.

Trooper was interviewing a female witness on a prior flee and elude complaint on Van Dyke Rd. Bad Axe, Huron County. The female was taking into custody after the interview for a felony warrant out of Huron County for smuggling contraband into a prison. Lodge Huron County Jail.

Trooper was dispatched to a single car PDA on Millington Rd. Arbela Twp., Tuscola County. Driver was westbound on Millington Road and stated he swerved to miss a deer hitting a "stop ahead" sign. He later stated that he may have been changing a radio station that cause him to go off the road. Citation issued for improper lane use.

Trooper received a DHHS referral for a alleged CSC that occurred of a ten-year old female Sheridan Rd., Indianfields Twp., Tuscola County. Forensic interview scheduled.

Trooper was dispatched to a single car PDA on Clifford Rd., Dayton Twp., Tuscola County. Driver was w/b on Clifford Rd. when he swerved to avoid hitting an animal going off the road hitting a tree. Cited for improper lane use.

Troopers were dispatched to a felonious assault complaint on Waterman Rd., Vassar Twp., Tuscola County. Caller stated he heard a vehicle in front of his property driving very recklessly. He went outside, getting into his vehicle to talk with the man. He parked his vehicle and the side of the roadway and walked over to the man inside the car. Once he reached the vehicle the man punched him in the face, the suspect then backed his vehicle up hitting the caller's car. The suspect then fled the scene. The suspect was identified by the caller. The suspect could not be located on this night. Warrant request submitted to prosecutor's office.

March 7

Trooper stopped a vehicle on Beck St. in Sebewaing, Huron county for registration violation. As a result of the stop, the driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance less 25 grams, driving while license suspended. She also consented to a blood best. The driver was lodged at Huron County Jail. Pends lab results drugs/blood.

Trooper stopped a vehicle on Hanselman St. Bad Axe, Huron County for registration violation. Driver was suspended and was lodged at the Huron County Jail.

Trooper was dispatched to a subject trespassing on the caller's property on Lakeshore Rd. Worth Twp, Sanilac County. Trooper talked with both parties and found that this dispute was civil in nature and been reoccurring for some time. The alleged trespasser was arrested for a warrant out of Oakland County for failed to appear on an Arson charge. Subject was lodged at Oakland County Jail.

Trooper was working patrol on Waltan rd., Vassar Twp., Tuscola County stopping a vehicle for speed 72/55 mph zone. He was arrested for No Operator's License.

Troopers were dispatched to assist Tuscola County sheriff's department with a 2-car personal injury accident On Gilford Rd. Fairgrove Twp., Tuscola County. Troopers directed traffic and assisted with the subject being air lifted to hospital.

Trooper received an assault complaint on Hess Rd. Vassar Twp., Tuscola County. No info available.

March 8

Trooper was dispatched to Burnsline Rd. Worth Twp., Sanilac County for an open-door complaint. Trooper met with the complainant who stated she had not been to the residence in about one week. The door showed no forcible entry. Trooper checked, cleared/unfounded.

March 9

Trooper was dispatched to Ridley Rd. Delaware Twp., Sanilac County for a subject failing to leave after being evicted. The caller also stated she was assaulted by the subject who was here live-in boyfriend prior to being evicted the week prior. Trooper interviewed both subjects and the ex-boyfriend. The caller stated she was assaulted last week by him in which he hit her in the face with the heel of his hand. Troopers advised the ex-boyfriend to leave the residence and not return. Warrant request being submitted for domestic assault.

Trooper was dispatched to Bradleyville Rd. Gilford Twp., Tuscola county for a neighbor dispute over loose dogs and possible threats. The trooper talked with both parties and no assault or threats occurred. Neighbor was advised to get his dogs on his own property.

Trooper was working patrol on Mertz Rd. Indianfields Twp., Tuscola County. A vehicle was stopped for speed 70/55 mph. Contact was made with the driver for requested paperwork. Driver had a very difficult time locating paperwork. The trooper also detected a strong odor of alcohol. Sobriety tests were requested, and he eventually was arrested for operating under the influence 3rd offense. A search warrant for blood was obtained. Subject was lodged t Sanilac County Jail.

March 10

Trooper was dispatched to check the well-being of an elderly woman who lives alone On Sherman Rd. Worth Twp., Sanilac County. The son who called dispatch gave the trooper authorization to enter the residence when the owner failed to answer the door. Trooper checked the residence and found the owner was not inside the house. Son stated that she probably was with a friend. Trooper cleared.

Troopers were dispatched to Akron Rd., Ellington Twp., Tuscola County for a family dispute. No info available

Troopers were dispatched to Main Rd. Applegate Sanilac county for a juvenile complaint. No info available

Troopers were dispatched to check the well-being of three children On Northland Rd. Lexington Twp., Sanilac county. DHHS requested this check to verify that the biological mother was not at the kid's grandparents' house where they reside. Troopers checked the residence and the children were ok. Mother was not at the residence.

Troopers were dispatched to Deckerville Rd. Almer Twp., Tuscola county for an argument complaint. Troopers arrived and found that the caller's live-in care taker had moved out of her home. She was staying there for about four weeks and decided to leave the house. She failed to let the caller know she was moving. The worker was not at the residence when the troopers arrived.

March 11

Troopers were dispatched to a single vehicle PDA On Birch Run Rd. Arbela Twp., Tuscola. Officers arrived and found the vehicle in a ditch with the driver not in the immediate area. The driver was located walking down the road. She admitted to drinking earlier and driving her vehicle into a ditch. She refused a breath test and a search warrant was obtained for blood. Female driver was lodged for OWI 2nd offense, Tuscola County Jail.

Trooper gave a sexting presentation on at Head start Millington schools.

Trooper was dispatched to Bugrien Rd. Moore Twp., Sanilac County for a vehicle fire. Troopers arrived and talked with the owner of the vehicle. He stated that he has been storing his vehicle at a friend's house. He stated he went to start the car and a small fire started under the hood. He believes his friend disconnected the fuel line. Troopers advised the vehicle owner to take the matter to civil court if he wishes to get compensated.

Trooper as dispatched to McKenzie Rd. Colfax Twp., Sanilac county for a house fire. No other info currently.

March 12

Trooper was dispatched to Millington Rd. Millington Twp., Tuscola county for suspicious situation. The caller stated her husband has stage 4 cancer and believes he is being poisoned. The wife feared her husband's state of mind at the time. Troopers went to the residence and called their son to sit with his mother and father until hospice arrived.

Trooper pulled up behind a vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the road on Lakeshore Rd. Burtchille Twp., St Clair county for a passenger urinating next to the vehicle. Contact was made with the driver who stated there might be methamphetamine inside the vehicle, giving verbal consent to search the vehicle. During the search, suspected crystal meth was located. Driver arrested and lodged.

Trooper was dispatched to Underwood Rd. Wells Twp., for a possible suicidal subject. Contact was made with the woman who appeared to be in a good state. The daughter called dispatch who stated she had proof her mother was suicidal on video. She furnished the video to the trooper at the post which just showed her arguing in the background of the video.

Trooper dispatched to assist Caro police department/MMR with a medical call on Hooper St. City of Caro, Tuscola county. Transported to Covenant Hospital.

Troopers stopped a vehicle on Cemetery Rd. Novesta Twp., Tuscola county for a traffic offense. Driver was arrested for Driving while license suspended.

Troopers policed 16 car/deer accident during this time.
PARIS  France on Saturday ordered the closing of all non-essential businesses as of midnight in response to the coronavirus, including restaurants, bars and movie theaters.

The only exceptions will be grocery stores, drugstores, banks, gas stations and tobacconists where the French buy official government payment coupons, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.
People often wonder where artists get their ideas, which is not always a question we can exactly answer. But for Montreal-based artist Karen Tam, her latest solo exhibition all plainly started with this photograph of her great-grandfather Wong.

While her family doesnt have much information about this photo, they do know that her fathers mothers father migrated to San Francisco in the early 20th century and this photograph was taken some time in the 1940s. Like other immigrants at the time, Wong had his portrait taken and sent it back enclosed in a letter to family; in this case to his wife, children and grandchildren in Taishan, China.

Karen remembers first seeing this photograph when she was in high school in the 90s, coming across it in an album while visiting her grandparents in Mississauga. Many years later, her grandmother gave her this image, along with other more recent pictures of her family.

Without any information on the back of the photo, or stamps or embossed signatures on the front to identify the photographer or photo studio, Karen was prompted to reflect on the emotional significance of these types of images, as well as the studios in which they would have been captured.

Building on her installation work in which she reconstructs North American Chinese cultural spaces such as restaurants, karaoke lounges, and curio shops, these reflections have become exquisite recreations of early Chinese-Canadian photo studios, and they currently fill the Koffler Gallery in downtown Toronto.

During an ugly period of coronavirus-related racism and xenophobia against Asians, these recreated settings are asking us to stop and do some reflecting of our own, both on the importance of these specific places and on the history and representation of Chinese communities in Canada.

Photographically, on the one hand, those communities have often suffered exclusion and erasure from the historical record, and just as often endured racist and stereotypical images being produced and circulated to construct Chinese Canadians as deviant, threatening and other.

These are tried and true methods from the colonial photographic playbook, and the for us by us photography studio has repeatedly been a crucial site of resistance, allowing colonized and oppressed people an opportunity to take control over their own photographic images.

For Chinese Canadians, these early 20th-century studios included Chow Dong Hoys, founded in 1911 in Quesnel, B.C., and Yucho Chows in Vancouvers Chinatown, which operated under his ownership from 1906 to 1949 and then under his sons up to 1986.

Both Hoy and Chow documented Chinese Canadians and their families, and notably, both also photographed Indigenous peoples. Chow further served as the go-to photographer for many of Vancouvers other marginalized communities, as illustrated by curator Catherine Clement in her exhibition and recently released book, Chinatown Through a Wide Lens: The Hidden Photographs of Yucho Chow.

Visiting one of these photographic studios afforded the possibility of self-representation, with most sitters choosing to challenge invisibility and negative depictions by presenting themselves as conventionally respectable members of Canadian society.

Note how great-grandfather Wong is dressed for example  not in Chinese traditional clothing, but rather in the Western businessmans timeless uniform of an elegant suit, buttoned-up shirt and tie and shiny, well-polished shoes. Such a respectable appearance sought to reassure family back home that you were prospering, while simultaneously reinforcing your right to be where you were.

This photographic appeal for membership and belonging is particularly poignant for Chinese Canadians of that era, given that these images were visually attempting to stake a claim to their presence in Canada at a time when that presence was systematically inhibited by discriminatory immigration policies.

Beginning at $50 in 1885, the Chinese Immigration Act levied a head tax to discourage immigration, eventually landing at $500 per person before being replaced by the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1923, which outright banned all Chinese immigration until 1947.

If youre familiar with this history, you may have heard of head tax certificates, which were identity documents used to track Chinese migrants in Canada. What you may not know, and what I didnt know either, is that the thousands of photos required for these certificates were most likely made in these same community-based studios, and not by government photographers as I had previously assumed.

There is somehow an inherent tension in having to go to the same photographer to make an honorific portrait of yourself as well as to make the surveillance image mandated by the state. But people always find a way to resist, as noted by York University associate professor Lily Cho, who has written extensively on a class of certificates known as CI9s, for Chinese immigrants who wished to leave Canada temporarily. In a chapter in the 2014 book Feeling Photography, she describes these photographs as entirely self-aware and consciously styled portraits, and observes that Chinese immigrants transformed a repressive demand by the state into an opportunity for self-representation.

Though most of those photography studios are long gone, the spread of COVID-19 has too easily exposed the anti-Chinese racism that is still expressed daily in Canada. Despite the repeal of racist laws and government apologies, Chinese Canadians have never quite been granted full Canadianness; but if you look, you will see that in the news, on social media, and yes, in art galleries too, they still continue to resist.

The exhibition the chrysanthemum has opened twelve times runs at the Koffler Gallery, 180 Shaw St., until Sunday, March 29, 2020. Admission is free.
After reporting 2 more COVID-19 related cases and as Coronavirus cases rapidly rise in Greece, the government suspended all flights to and fro from Italy. The two more deaths which were reported now take the Coronavirus death toll of the nation to three. According to reports both the deaths were men aged 67 and 90.

Ban flights to and from Italy

As per reports, the Health Ministry announced that both the recent victims had serious underlying health problems. Greece has reported a total of 190 coronavirus cases. Greece has already closed schools, bars, cafes and shopping malls. Earlier it had announced that it was cancelling all flight to and from northern Italy but now it will be extending that ban to southern Italy as well.

Read: China Sends Experts And Medical Supplies To Italy To Help Fight Coronavirus

Read: Wuhan: Photo Of Doctor Lying On Empty Bed Of Last Makeshift Hospital Goes Viral

The exact date when the restrictions would go into effect were not specified. The deadly coronavirus that began in China's Wuhan province has been officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation. While the majority of reported cases are still present in mainland China, the virus has spread to multiple countries around the world and infected 1,50,054 people worldwide. The death toll from the virus stands at 5,617 worldwide.

China sends aid to Italy

Medical supplies, including face masks and respirators sent by China, have recently arrived in Italy. The supplies were sent by China to help Italy battle the growing coronavirus crisis there. Italy is the worst-hit European country with 17,660 reported cases and 1,266 total deaths.

Read: 'Huge Relief,' Remarks Indian Ambassador To Italy Amid Govt's Efforts To Rescue Citizens

Read: Medical Team Arrives In Rome To Test Indian Students Stranded In Coronavirus-hit Italy

According to reports, a team of nine Chinese doctors also arrived in Italy on March 12. They brought with themselves 30 tonnes of equipment on a medical flight that had been organised by the Chinese Red Cross. As per reports, the head of the Italian Red Cross, Francesco Rocca has said that Italy is going through a moment of great stress and one of great difficulty and therefore they are relieved to have this arrival of supplies.

(with inputs from agencies)
MONTREAL - A Canadian woman and her Italian travelling companion who were suspected to have been abducted in West Africa 15 months ago have been released.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto are seen in this handout photo provided by United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. A Canadian woman and her Italian travelling companion who were suspected to have been abducted in West Africa 15 months ago have been released. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali *MANDATORY CREDIT*

MONTREAL - A Canadian woman and her Italian travelling companion who were suspected to have been abducted in West Africa 15 months ago have been released.

Edith Blais, 35, of Sherbrooke, Que., and Luca Tacchetto, 31, had been travelling by car in southwestern Burkina Faso, heading to Toga to do volunteer work when they vanished around Dec. 15, 2018.

A month later, Burkina Faso's security minister referred to the pair's disappearance as a kidnapping, but the Canadian government did not confirm that, saying only that officials hadn't ruled out any possibilities.

On Saturday, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed in a tweet that Blais was coming home.

"I just spoke to Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto. I can confirm they are safe," Champagne tweeted, thanking his counterpart in Mali, the country's president and the United Nations Mission in that country for their support, as well officials in Burkina Faso.

"We look forward to Edith returning home."

A source told The Canadian Press they arrived in Bamako, the capital of Mali, just before noon local time on Saturday after spending the night at a UN camp in Kidal, in the northeastern part of the country.

The source said the pair apparently fled their captors, flagged down a private vehicle and asked to be taken to United Nations camp in the area.

Instead, they were dropped off at a UN checkpoint where soldiers with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the area took them the rest of the way. After spending the night at the camp, they were flown to the capital on Saturday.

The UN mission's spokesman tweeted a photo of Blais and Tacchetto, both wearing white UN human rights T-shirts and sweatpants and smiling, with the caption "They are free." He later tweeted photos of the pair meeting with Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Al Qaeda and other militant groups have operated in northern Mali for more than a decade and have kidnapped a number of Western hostages, typically holding them until ransoms are paid.

Senior Liberal cabinet ministers met with Blais' family in Quebec's Eastern Townships region in January 2019 and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the time he believed Blais was still alive.

In March 2019, Human Rights Watch had indicated in a report the pair had been abducted and taken to Mali.

Another Canadian, Kirk Woodman, was found dead in northern Burkina Faso in 2019, near the border with Mali and Niger. An executive with a Vancouver-based mining company, Woodman had been kidnapped a day earlier by gunmen as he worked on a gold mining project.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Mar. 14, 2020.
Tuolumne County CAO Tracie Riggs is alerting the public about changes being made ahead of upcoming board of supervisors meetings. They come in response to COVID-19 concerns.

Riggs has released the information below:

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-25-20 on March 12, 2020, relating to the convening of public meetings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The County of Tuolumne hereby provides notice that it will continue to convene its regularly scheduled public meetings of the Board of Supervisors in the Board Chambers, as provided in the publicly posted agenda notice, and until further notice.

Pursuant to the Executive Order, and to maintain the orderly conduct of the meeting, the County of Tuolumne will allow Board Supervisors to attend the meeting telephonically and to participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were present. Members of the public who wish to participate may appear at the public meeting held in the Board Chambers, where efforts will be made to allow adequate social distancing and to ensure that exposed surfaces are sanitized.

Members of the public who plan to attend are hereby notified that there will be limited capacity due to the Governors Executive Order. For members of the public who wish to participate, but not to attend in person, you may submit written comments on any matter within the Boards subject matter jurisdiction, regardless of whether it is on the agenda for Board consideration or action, and those comments will be entered into the administrative record of the meeting.

To submit written comments by U.S. Mail or email for inclusion in the meeting record, they must be received by the County Clerk no later than 9:00a.m. on the morning of the noticed meeting. To submit written comments by email, please forward them to Alicia Jamar, Chief Deputy Board Clerk at ajamar@co.tuolumne.ca.us.

To submit such comments by U.S. Mail, please forward them to:

County Clerk

Board of Supervisors

County of Tuolumne

2 South Green Street

Sonora, CA 95370
Indigenous tattoo artists from around the world have gathered to share their craft and traditions at the Tattoo and Art Extravaganza at TECT Arena.

The Ta Atea space at the exhibition is hosting over 20 indigenous artists from around the world with artists coming from as far away as Iceland and Northern Canada.

Ta Atea organiser Julie Paama-Pengelly says Ta means to tap and Atea is a sacred space.

It's a space where indigenous people that are in various stages of reviving their hand and machine tattoo traditions, skin marking traditions, they've gathered together from all over the world to profile their traditions here today, but they spent a whole week sharing those traditions on the marae.

The artists all spent time on Whareroa Marae sharing their stories and showcasing other elements of their cultures.

The week before we came here, we welcomed all the indigenous nations on the marae and they stayed on the marae.

Ta moko and skin marking is not an isolated practice, it's related to all the other arts and, and a lot of the practices. So Maori made an offering of all those practices, like carving, clay work and weaving, and they went all week and all the indigenous cultures represented on behalf of their nations, their developments and their designs."

One of the reasons we organised it here is because what we found is a lot of these indigenous nations look to Maori to see how their revival went and how things were manifesting for them.

Because a lot of them are in various states of new revival they looked at us as sort of senior to that and we look at them with awe because their cultures are so intense as well.

We just thought it was right to invite them to engage in Maori culture first, and to share those developments and traditions.

She says everyone attending the extravaganza has been receptive to the Ta Atea space.

People are really receptive and I think seeing genuine culture allows people to understand the differences with traditional cultural skin marking and maybe the world of tattoo, which has a different world again.

The indigenous artists make up just a fraction of the 230 artists at the exhibition, with many from New Zealand as well as overseas.

Tattoo and Art Extravaganza organiser Pepa Heller says they really appreciate having the indigenous element because it is unique.

It's really nice for people to see real and true indigenous tattoo artists. Normally they don't go to mainstream tattoo conventions.

Also happening throughout the day are live performances and tattoo competitions as well as the Creative Village.

We are really proud of our Creative Village. The Creative Village is complimentary workshops for people that like and enjoy painting, sculpting, or a stencil drawing. This is available for everyone and we are fundraising for I am hope.

A small donation is required to take part in the workshops and all money raised will go to the youth mental health charity I am Hope.

The Tattoo and Art Extravaganza continues today at TECT Arena from 10am.
(CNN)  Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is postponing engagements in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Buckingham Palace said in a statement Friday.

The 93-year-old monarch's diary is being rearranged "as a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances," the statement said.

Her planned visits to Cheshire, in the northwest of England, and Camden in north London are being rescheduled, the palace added, but the Queen's audiences with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will continue as normal.

The changes affect the Queen's diary in the "coming weeks," and other events "will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice," the statement said.

The announcement comes as Britain moves into the "delay" phase of its coronavirus response and scores of public events are canceled around the country.

Earlier on Friday, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, announced they were canceling their spring tour due to the escalating coronavirus pandemic.

The pair were set to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan but have postponed those trips.

Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people around the world.

In the UK, nearly 800 people have tested positive, though the government's chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, said on Thursday it was possible that the true number of infections was around 5,000 to 10,000.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Queen Elizabeth postpones engagements amid coronavirus pandemic"
Microsoft on Friday (local time) announced that its co-founder Bill Gates has stepped down from the company's board of directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health and education.

IMAGE: Bill Gates with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna, on November 17, 2019. Photograph: Deepak Kumar / ANI Photo

Gates will, however, continue to serve as the technology advisor to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

"Microsoft Corp today announced that co-founder and technology advisor Bill Gates stepped down from the company's board of directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health, development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change. He will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders in the company," the company said in the statement.

Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Gates was CEO of the company until 2000.

In 2008, Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

With Gates's departure, the board will consist of 12 members including John W Thompson, Microsoft independent chair, Reid Hoffman, partner at Greylock Partners, Hugh Johnston, vice chairman and chief financial officer of PepsiCo, Teri L List-Stoll, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Gap, Inc, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

Nadella said that it was a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with Gates.

"It's been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratising force of software and a passion to solve society's most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it," the statement quoted him.

"The board has benefited from Bill's leadership and vision. Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill's ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward. I am grateful for Bill's friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realise our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more," he said.
By Trend

The work is underway to prepare rapid tests of the World Health Organization (WHO) on coronavirus, Head of the WHO delegation Carolina Brown said.

Brown arrived in Azerbaijan to support the preventive measures undertaken by the Azerbaijani government against coronavirus (COVID-19), Trend reports on March 13.

In current conditions, analysis upon the WHO tests in Azerbaijan is carried out in special laboratory conditions, head of the delegation added. As this type of virus is new, many countries do not have tests that determine it, so they obtain them from WHO.
The Wicklow finalists for the Irish Restaurant Awards have been announced at the Leinster regional final of the competition.

All of the Wicklow winners will go forward to compete for the Regional and All Ireland titles, which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards on Monday, May 18.

The Pigeon House in Delgany scooped the title of Best Restaurant. Chef Oisin Kehoe-Clarke of The Pigeon House was named Best Chef.

Double 8 in Bray was picked as Best Newcomer.

The Best Restaurant Manager Wicklow award went to Jay Johance of Pink Salt. Strawberry Tree Restaurant at Brooklodge and Macreddin Village was named Wicklow's Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant and picked up top honours in the Best Emerging Irish Cuisine category.

The Best Customer Service award was awarded to Chakra by Jaipur. The restaurant was also named Best World Cuisine, sponsored by Stafford Lynch. While Wicklow Heather Restaurant and House was named Best Gastro Pub.

The Fat Fox won the title of Wicklow's Best Cafe. The Glenmalure Lodge won the title of Pub of the Year.

Ripasso Restaurant and Wine Bar was named Wicklow's Best Wine Experience. The Happy Pear was named Wicklow's Best 'Free From'.

Tiffin by Sunil was named Best Kids Size Meal while Hilda Crampton and Dominic Quinn of Castleruddery Organic Farm were named Best Local Food Hero.

Box Burger won in the category of Best Casual Dining.

Speaking at the awards, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said; 'Now in their 12th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the incredible food that is on offer in the cafes, pubs and restaurants of Ireland, as well as recognising the teams behind these establishments and the hard work and dedication that they put in. With well over 100,000 nominations received from the public this year, the standard for the judging process was higher than ever.

Ireland may be a small country, but it boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the comfort of traditional Irish food to exploring the world though exotic world cuisine, the Irish restaurant industry has much to offer. We have an appreciation for what we eat and where our food comes from, as well as the dedication of those working in the food industry.'

Over 700 restaurant owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the awards, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Leinster turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.
As the rest of the world is engulfed in the coronavirus pandemic, China says it has turned the tide against the disease that has killed thousands of people. From initial attempts to cover up the outbreak to later locking down cities and now declaring it "basically curbed", here is a look at how China grappled with COVID-19: Mystery virus The first case emerged in the central city of Wuhan on December 8 before several workers at Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market began to fall sick with a fever. On December 31, Wuhan health authorities announced 27 cases of suspected viral pneumonia linked to the market and notified the World Health Organization. But officials insisted there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission and that it was "preventable and controllable". A day later, eight people were reprimanded by Wuhan police for "spreading rumours" about the then mysterious disease. There had been social media talk of a re-emergence of SARS, another coronavirus, which killed nearly 650 people in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003. Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital, was among those punished for raising the alarm. Cover-up and lockdown The number of cases in Wuhan jumped to 44 on January 3 and health authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore issued travel alerts. China announced the existence of a "new type of coronavirus" on January 9 and the first death two days later. But between January 5 and 17 China reported no new cases of the virus, while Japan and Thailand declared their first infections. During this time, Wuhan and Hubei province pressed ahead with their annual legislative meetings despite the outbreak. Meanwhile, doctors were ordered to keep quiet about the virus and evidence of human transmission they had seen, according to an interview with Ai Fen, one of the earliest medical whistleblowers on the outbreak and a colleague of Li. An annual mass banquet for 40,000 families organised by Wuhan authorities went ahead on January 18. The same day Beijing sent a team of scientific experts to Wuhan to investigate. On January 20, President Xi Jinping ordered that the virus be "resolutely contained" in his first public comment on the issue. Human-to-human transmission was finally confirmed by a leading Chinese expert that day. This marked a major turning point in the epidemic, with 291 infections reported nationwide. Panic took hold in Wuhan, a city of 11 million, when it was abruptly placed on lockdown on January 23. The rest of Hubei province was sealed off in the following days. Wuhan hospitals, inundated with patients, reported dire shortages of medical supplies. Many who could not get timely treatment for themselves or relatives relayed personal tragedies on social media. The virus spread as hundreds of millions of people travelled across the country and abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday, before travel curbs were imposed. On January 30, the WHO declared the outbreak a "global emergency". 'Hero' doctor dies Between February 1 and 7, cases in China ballooned from 11,791 to 31,161, while deaths reached 636. On February 7 the Wuhan medical whistleblower Li died from the coronavirus, triggering a wave of public grief and anger. Many grievances against the authorities were swiftly censored on social media. Days later, four high-profile local officials were purged and replaced to appease public disquiet -- including the Communist Party secretaries of Wuhan and Hubei. The province recorded a huge jump of 14,840 new infections on February 13 due to a change in diagnostic criteria, raising questions about the credibility of China's data. Xi, usually a ubiquitous presence on state media, remained out of the spotlight. But on February 15 Beijing released a speech by Xi showing he had urged officials to contain the outbreak as early as January 7 -- well before authorities announced human-to-human transmission -- in an attempt to boost the leader's public image. Xi tours Wuhan In late February and early March, the number of new cases in Hubei and other parts of China steadily declined as outbreaks flared up in Italy, Iran and South Korea. On March 10, Xi visited Wuhan for the first time since the outbreak began, suggesting the Communist Party was confident it had the situation under control. Wuhan officials touted the sealing off of all residential estates from February 11 as "critical" in curbing the spread in the city, although some experts believe it led to more cross-infections within households. After more than 4,600 deaths and 126,000 infections across the country, China is now trying to reshape the global narrative in response to overseas criticism, casting itself as a leader in the heroic fight against the virus while other countries struggle to cope.
A local court in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada has granted bail to former chief executive officer of NCL after he was arrested by the states forest department on the charges of illegal deforestation of forest land at Bailadila iron deposit, officials said.

The NCL is a joint venture of NMDC and Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC).

VS Prabhakar, who is the present executive director with NMDC in Hyderabad, was booked under various sections of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, on May 5, 2019, by the Chhattisgarh forest department.

Prabhakar was granted bail by the local court in Dantewada on Thursday evening on medical grounds when he fell unconscious in the court after hearing that he has been arrested under non-bailable sections.

According to the first information report (FIR) registered against him, Prabhakar had illegally issued a tender for deforestation of forest land in deposit number 13 of Bailadila hills and the tender was granted to one private contractor BK Lala.

Subsequently, 582 trees were cut in the area due to which the department suffered a loss of Rs 457,830, the FIR said.

Prabhakar refuted the charges of Chhattisgarh forest department and claimed he is not guilty.

I acted on the behalf of an organisation but the Chhattisgarh forest department is targeting an individual, which I feel is not correct, said Prabhakar.

The current CEO of NCL, Pankaj Sharma, refused to comment over the development.

In the Bailadila, deposit 13, the case against an official of NMDC for the illegal deforestation without the knowledge of the forest department should be welcomed but the case should also be registered against the operator of the mine, Alok Shukla of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, who has been tracking environment regulations in the state for the past 15 years, said.

On March 4, a Chhattisgarh government probe report had revealed that no consent was taken from the gram sabha in 2014 by NCL for iron ore mining Bailadila Hill, considered sacred by local tribal communities.

The mine was being operated by Adani Enterprises Limited under the central governments mine developer and operator (MDO) scheme. Under the scheme, the original lessee, a government public sector enterprise, can give the mine to a third party for operation purposes.

On March 6, following the probe report, Chhattisgarh forest department issued a notice to NMDC asking why the second stage clearance for forest land allotted for an iron ore project in Dantewadas Bailadila Hill should not be cancelled. The forest department also asked NMDC to file its reply within seven days.

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REGINAThe Saskatchewan government followed the lead of other provinces in banning large gatherings Friday, as it announced its second presumptive case of COVID-19.

The provinces chief medical health officer said that starting Monday, there will be no public gatherings allowed of more than 250 people in the same room and no events of more than 50 people with anyone who has travelled internationally in the past 14 days.

While these are significant steps that will help limit the transmission of COVID-19, most important is the responsibility that we all have to ensure that we do what we can to reduce the risk to ourselves, reduce the risk to our families and reduce the risk to our communities, Premier Scott Moe told a news conference.

Dr. Saqib Shahab, the provinces chief medical health officer, said he believes most people will follow the order restricting the size of events. But there are penalties for those who violate it.

There is no plan to close schools at this point, Shahab said, but the government is monitoring the situation.

The government is also asking anyone who has travelled outside Saskatchewan in the past 14 days or has flu-like symptoms to avoid visiting nursing homes and hospitals.

Right now our risk is low in terms of ... community transmission. But the risk can ramp up very quickly, as weve seen in other jurisdictions. And what we do today can minimize the risk ramping up quickly, Shahab said.

Most of us, over the course of the next year or two, will get exposed to COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health said the second COVID-19 case involves a person in their 60s who tested positive in Saskatoon after travelling from Oregon. The person is in isolation at home.

On top of the new measures announced, Moe encouraged people to practise social distancing.

If you do have to go to the grocery store and it is a large grocery store ... maybe take some wipes and wipe the handle of the shopping cart down.

The government says a little more than 300 tests have been done and its prioritizing them for people who have recently travelled and those they have had close contact.

Moe said that as the number of confirmed cases rises, there will be more pressure on the health-care system, but people should be confident officials can handle it.

The government will table its budget next week as planned, the premier added, but without invited guests. Public access to the legislature will be suspended.

International travel for government employees on work business, including to the United States, is now prohibited and any out-of-province travel for work will be subject to approval.

Health Minister Jim Reiter said the province has doubled the capacity of its 811 health phone line. The government also plans to open assessment sites in the coming days.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus, Syracuse University has been proactive to keep the disease from spreading among its students and employees.

Recently, SU announced it would suspend a study abroad program in Madrid, which followed a series of other closures and travel bans.

Then, on March 10, the university announced that it would shift classes to completely online after spring break next week.

It got us to thinking how the university dealt with a similar situation in the past.

A search through the Post-Standards archives found a story about Miss Edith Smith, of Oneida.

The sophomore Liberal Arts student was diagnosed with a case of smallpox in April 1913 and sent to the City Hospital.

Three University buildings were quarantined by the health officials, which aroused the anger of Syracuses Chancellor at the time, James Day, who called the decision cruel as it was needless.

**

Headlines from the April 11, 1913 Syracuse Herald outs Edith Smith as the Syracuse University, of Oneida, as having smallpox.

Smallpox is the only human disease that has been completely eradicated. But before it had in 1977, it was responsible for hundreds of millions of deaths.

Three out of every ten people who were infected with smallpox died, so when there was a confirmed case there was justifiable concern.

According to newspaper accounts, Syracuse University student Edith Smith began feeling ill on April 9, 1913, shortly after returning to campus from an Easter break trip back to her parents home at Bennett Road, a short distance outside Oneida.

Thats right. The young woman was given zero privacy. Reporters identified her, where she was from, who her parents were, what illness she had and where she was taken for treatment.

It was a potentially serious situation. Besides, being a student, Smith also worked as a waitress at Winchell Hall.

She stayed at work and did all her duties until the appearance of the rash this morning, the Syracuse Herald reported. She is understood to have waited on tables at dinner last night.

She had felt well in the morning when suddenly a mysterious rash spread across her face. Fellow students mistakenly told her she had come down with German measles. She also reported chills and a pain in her back.

I was called about the middle of the morning, Dr. Edwin Shepard said. The rash looked suspicious and I notified (Syracuse Health Officer) David Totman.

Totman confirmed that she had acquired smallpox. The fact that she had continued working as a waitress the night before, Totman said, is an unfortunate feature of the case.

He ordered a quarantine of three buildings, Reid Hall, Winchell Hall and Tyler Cottage. This affected about 150 female students.

All buildings on campus were to be fumigated and wholesale smallpox vaccinations for anyone who needed one were provided. Doctors and nurses from across the city were recruited for the duty.

Guards were stationed at once, front and rear, the Herald reported. Students returning to their room were sent in and are now prisoners with the others.

Totman hoped students would not take fright and scatter, and they did not.

The quarantine was obeyed and there were no signs of panic.

But Syracuse University Chancellor James Day was livid over the decision.

He said that Totmans decision lacked reason and good sense, called it cruel and needless and likened the quarantine to imprisonment.

He wondered how the university could carry out its duty if its students were quarantined and implied that SU was treated differently than other Syracuse institutions.

Syracuse University James Day was livid over the quarantine that was imposed on three buildings. Headlines are from the April 14, 1913 Herald.

If every time a form of contagion is brought into one of our dormitories, however mild it may be, the doors are to be slammed shut and a guard set over 100 to 200 students, some other way of housing our students will have to be devised. In fact, instruction and work will be rendered well-nigh impossible.

If our health officer were to find a smallpox case in bed in the Onondaga, would he close the hotel and shut up for a fortnight the people there, even if the case had been around the corridors, or would he fumigate and vaccinate those who had come in contact with the patients?

On April 15, 1913, Dr. E.C. Curtis of Albany, expert in disease for the State Department of Health, arrived in Syracuse and studied what had happened there.

He declared that Miss Smith had a mild form of smallpox and then declared that the health officials had not overreacted by ordering the quarantine.

If Dr. Totman had not taken the precautions which he did, Curtis said, he would have laid himself liable to criticism by the State Board of Health. By imposing a quarantine where it was essential, he has protected the university from the danger from having to close all its colleges, as it must have done had the disease become epidemic.

Miss Edith Smith survived her bout with smallpox. In 1916, she was a teacher in Verona.

READ MORE

1925: To halt the spread of disease, Syracuse declares a war on spitting

Syracuse is a silent city: Remembering the influenza outbreak of 1918

1935: Cops and robbers stage a 150-mile gun battle across the heart of CNY

This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.

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For many in Pakistan, no other group better exemplifies the USs long history of playing sides to suit its own ends.

On February 20, days before the signing of a landmark deal between the US and the Taliban in Qatars capital, Doha, American paper of record The New York Times published an opinion editorial by Haqqani Network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani, who is also the deputy leader of the Taliban, was labelled a specially designated global terrorist by the US in 2008. The State Department is still offering a reward of up to $5m for information directly leading to his arrest.

The timing of the piece was not a coincidence  it appeared as the US was readying a partial truce with the Taliban that could set in motion a potential end to Americas longest war.

The newspapers decision to publish the article, provocatively titled What We, the Taliban, Want, jolted not only ordinary readers and US foreign policy hawks, but also Washingtons biggest detractors abroad. As the criticism mounted, The Times opinion editors issued a statement to try and justify their decision to give a platform to Haqqani.

Our mission at Times Opinion is to tackle big ideas from a range of newsworthy viewpoints, they stated. Weve actively solicited voices from all sides of the Afghanistan conflict, the government, the Taliban and from citizens. Sirajuddin Haqqani is the second in command of the Taliban at a time when its negotiators are hammering out an agreement with American officials in Doha that could result in American troops leaving Afghanistan. That makes his perspective relevant at this particular moment.

What the Times did not mention, however, was the extent to which the Haqqani question has prickled the relationship between the US and Pakistan  a major non-NATO ally historically accused by many in Washington of not doing enough to facilitate American objectives in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Back in 2011, following an attack on the US embassy in Kabul believed to be perpetrated by the Haqqanis, the then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, called the network a veritable arm of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan to eliminate the network and paving the way for more American drone strikes in the country.

Mullens assertion caused widespread anger and disappointment in Pakistan. In the years that followed, consecutive civilian governments in Pakistan maintained that the infrastructure supporting the network had shifted to Afghanistan and that scapegoating Pakistan for American failures in an interminable war next door was disingenuous and unjust.

For many in Pakistan, no other political group better exemplifies Americas long history of playing sides to suit its own strategic objectives. Few American diplomats today care to recount that the Haqqanis started as Washingtons closest allies in Afghanistan; that the networks founder Jalaluddin Haqqani was a CIA darling kept flush with money and weaponry, including shoulder-fired Stinger missiles that would ultimately down Soviet aircraft. Fewer still have any compunction over the diplomatic arm-twisting meted out to Pakistan, including the cutting off of vital Coalition Support Fund aid, for allegedly not doing enough to combat the group.

As the US continued to pressure Pakistan for not doing enough to curtail the Haqqani Networks activities in Afghanistan, the grievances against Washingtons regional policies started to pile up in in the country. Many in Pakistan came to believe that the US was scapegoating Islamabad to camouflage the deeper contradictions in its military strategy against the Taliban. And they had ample reason to hold this view. In 2015, for example, the US and the Haqqanis came face-to-face during the ill-fated Murree talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Conveniently, the US raised no objections to the Haqqanis being in the meeting.

For the past decade and a half, the Pakistan-US relationship has been bedevilled by a host of structural difficulties; chief among them an American tendency to use progress on the Afghan battlefield as a barometer for the costs to be imposed on Pakistan for failing to do more. All that time, the Haqqani Network had been the primary subject of countless rancorous conversations between successive US administrations and Pakistani governments, even as US drone strikes claimed the lives of Pakistani civilians, and Pakistan argued that expecting it to do the heavy lifting to suit US objectives was unrealistic.

This is why many in Pakistan today find the slick public rehabilitation of Sirajuddin Haqqani to be a distasteful reminder of how easily the US has managed this past decade to burden Pakistan with the costs of non-compliance, while staging a war on Pakistans front-lines when it suited them, and locating the bilateral relationship in apathetic conditionalities that ignored Pakistans own strategic concerns.

Going forward, peace in Afghanistan and gains made in recent years including on rights and the status of Afghanistans women are far from guaranteed. Days after the US-Taliban peace agreement in Doha, a suicide attack on a ceremony in Kabul killed at least 29 people, injuring dozens more. While the attack was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), it aptly demonstrated the extent to which spoilers litter the Afghan battlefield.

The worry in Islamabad is that the US, in its rush to reach a deal in light of domestic compulsions at home, may be guided by short-term intent rather than a long-term strategy, and will consequently short-change on brokering regional stability.

For instance, whether the US can achieve its counterterrorism objectives with a reduced military footprint is an unanswered question. It is almost certain that Taliban commanders now view the signing of a peace deal with the Americans as a resounding validation of a 19-year-long struggle to end an illegal foreign occupation. This is already proving to have major implications for the intra-Afghan negotiations, which are shrouded by a deepening and fractious power struggle in Kabul.

Following an election recount and a delay of nearly five months, both Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah declared themselves president at rival inauguration ceremonies. Pakistans concern is that political insolvency in Kabul will trigger further regional instability and potentially a war of attrition, after the USs exit from the country. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is, meanwhile, trying to work out a power-sharing arrangement between the two camps.

As for Pakistan-US relations, the big question is whether a future strategic equilibrium can emerge from the mistrust engendered by years of fraught, at times toxic conversations, including on the Haqqani Network. There is a keen desire in Islamabad for a broader, stronger relationship with the US, and there are signs that under President Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan, this might be possible.

On his recent visit to India, President Trump took a softer line on Pakistan, reflecting the hard work that both sides have put into resuscitating the relationship from its worst days. Indeed, Washingtons listing of the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army as a terrorist group and the recent targeting of Pakistani Taliban commanders in eastern Afghanistan speaks to a gradually changing equation  one that, for once, optimises both parties strategic interests.

For Pakistanis, that alone is a welcome shift, even if an official public apology for taking the flak for the Haqqanis, takes time.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Huawei is getting ready to unveil its P40 series, of which the Premium Edition (PE) will have 5 rear cameras.

Huawei P40 Pro PE specs leak via South Korean retailer

The leak comes from a South Korean online retailer.

According to the spec sheet leak, the Huawei P40 Pro PE (Premium Edition) will have a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 3160 x 1440p screen resolution. The display is Quad HD+, among the best in the business, and the display size is excellent for Android buyers.

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There is a 120Hz refresh rate here as well. The 120Hz refresh rate is the newest flagship trend, as phones are shedding their 60Hz and 90Hz refresh rates for the very best smartphones can afford. The trend will continue upward, as 120Hz will lead to something greater, of course.

The P40 Pro PE will utilize Huaweis own 7-nanometer, Kirin 990 5G SoC chip, bringing 12GB of RAM to the device and true 5G (NR). 256GB and 512GB storage options are available.

LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) is here too, which brings greater 4G speeds than regular LTE. There is also IP68 water and dust resistance, USB-C charging, and Qi wireless charging onboard. The P40 Pro PEs 5,500mAh battery with 50W wired charging and 27W wireless charging will make battery concerns obsolete.

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Huawei P40 Pro PE will feature 5 rear cameras, Huaweis first

All the spec goodness above is fantastic, but the main selling feature of the P40 Pro PE will be its 5-camera setup, Huaweis very first smartphone to feature 5 rear cameras (a penta-camera setup).

First there is a 52MP main camera, followed by a 40MP secondary and an 8MP third lens. A 3D ToF (Time-of-Flight) sensor will add to the camera setup alongside a periscope zoom camera. Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) combine to prevent motion blur and photos that are taken compliments of shaky hands.

The Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition could sell for between $1338 and $1450 (or 1,199-1,299).

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The P40 Pro PE is only one phone of the series. Huawei plans to introduce three P40 series phones: the P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro PE.

P40 series to come without Google Play, apps, and services

Though it is a sore spot with Huawei buyers, it bears repeating: the P40 series will launch without Google Play or Google apps and services. It will have Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) on it but no Google services. What this means is that users will not be able to download apps at Google Play but will have to rely on Huaweis AppGallery app store for their download needs. Android 10 has been released to Android Open Source Project (AOSP), though, so users can expect something akin to Googles Android setup. And yet, though similar, it wont be the same without Google.

The P40 series looks to be a good one for Huawei buyers, though its lack of Google is the one mobile eyesore on what are otherwise excellent devices. This is due to the current political situation in which Huawei finds itself. Now under a Trump Ban in the US, Google has revoked Huaweis Android license. This license revocation prevents Huawei from using future Android updates on its devices.

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Huawei has received its fifth license extension this week with regard to current Android devices. The company cannot install Android 10 on new devices, however. The South Korean retailer leak that shows Android 10 is simply a placeholder more than a sign that Huawei is back in the Android fold.

Of course, Huawei devices in China dont rely on Googles Android, but devices sold in Europe and the US do. The company will suffer decline because of the P40s lack of Google Play access.
Chris Patterson still remembers comparing the cost of existing colocation facilities with the cloud, an exercise that contributed to Navisites decision to launch its first multi-tenant cloud, Navisite Sphere, based on VMware vSphere, in 2011.

The numbers were outrageous. It was very successful and very popular with customers, and from a service provider perspective it was great, Patterson, Navisites senior director of product management, recalls. We are able to provide self-service for some customers and fully managed environments for others without requiring us to limit each physical server to one workload.

It wasnt the companys first collaboration with VMware. Years earlier, Navisites engineers worked with VMware to support complex applications in a private cloud environment. The work with VMware Sphere led to a connection with Time Warner Cable, and in 2012 it acquired Navisite.

Time Warner ended up teaching us a lot about scaling at a much greater level, Patterson says. Navisite Sphere was and is still great for customers that want a private cloud environment they can just leave on 24/7. But our second cloud, based on VMware Cloud Director, introduced a wide range of new capabilities for those who want the flexibility of the cloud, dynamic pricing capabilities, and true cost optimization.

Simultaneously, Navisite continued to offer a wide range of managed services and solutions. Its portfolio today includes application services, managed infrastructure, platform services, security, data analytics, custom development work, compliance (GDPR and HIPAA), and more.

Providing customized solutions to the mid-market

As the result of a series of acquisitions, Navisite, along with three other IT managed service providersRDX, clckwrk and ClearDBhave combined under the Navisite name to create a modern managed cloud service provider. The new Navisite features the core cloud, application and hosting services of the legacy Navisite company, combined with the next-generation cloud services and expertise of RDX, clckwrk and ClearDB, to help businesses accelerate IT transformation.

The combination is already proving attractive to Navisites customers  mid-market companies in a wide range of industries that serve consumers around the globe.

Navisite has never been about cookie-cutter solutions, says Patterson. The big systems integrators can create super-customized solutions for the Fortune 500, but at a price point most companies cant bear. We have the experience to provide customized solutions to the mid-market  companies that are big technology users and need more than the SaaS offerings relied on by SMBs, but that are still grappling with the innumerable tasks that keep IT teams overworked. We help them put the cloud to work and free them to focus on making IT a strategic asset.

He adds that the mid-market is where many of the greatest challenges and opportunities lie. Most companies in this segment have been investing in technology for 20 years and just keeping up with it all can be a crushing weight.

Patterson notes that being VMware Cloud Verified significantly contributes to the companys success. While Navisite has a longstanding relationship with VMware, the designation lets customers know that VMware has looked under the covers and confirmed that Navisite is doing it right, he says.

Everyone knows they want to go to the cloud, but question how to get there, Patterson adds. CIOs can pull their 10 best employees out of their day-to-day activities to focus on the cloud and its integration and implementation, but they still need those 10 experts putting out fires every day. Thats where we can really help. We combine our infrastructure and application expertise with deep industry knowledge to help IT leaders achieve their transformation goals. Soon those fires start going away and their experts can focus on being strategic.

IDGs 2020 State of the CIO survey backs up Pattersons contention. Nearly half of the respondents said that integration and implementation skills were the most highly sought after to support ongoing digital business initiatives.

Not surprisingly, given Navisites extensive customer base, Patterson has strong opinions on two of the most discussed cloud-related topics: multi-cloud deployments and the impact of software-defined data centers.

Many of the organizations we work with have sites with applications and data in different clouds, so the question becomes: How do I tie it all together? he says. VMwares approach is really powerful because our customers can still have that common management framework, still have that common stack, and run their normal VMware-based workloads on the VMware technology they trust in multiple clouds. And they can manage it all from a single pane of glass.

And the impact of software-defined data centers? Patterson says it can be seen in terms of innovation.

In the old days, the process of getting code from developers to production could take weeks, and if there was a problem it could be catastrophic, he says. With the cloud and snapshots, developers can work much faster without fear. Now we have apps that are developed, rolled out, and monetized rapidly. As a result, consumers receive and benefit from innovation so much faster.

Learn more about Navisite and its partnership with VMware here.
The Supreme Court created Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, may have dared President Muhammadu Buhari, vowing to join forces in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the removal of the embattled APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Uzodinma in Owerri on Friday boasted that those agitating for the removal of Oshiomhole will fail. The court created governor was speaking at a time APC governor are waiting for the decision of President Buhari on the agitation for the removal of APC national chairman who has been on suspension.

While APC governors are still waiting for the Presidents position on the matter, Uzodinma declared that forces within the ruling party will not allow Oshiomhole to be humiliated out of office.

Appealing to sentiments, the creative governor said that some APC members are working with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to create a crisis.

Uzodinma, however, exposed his seeming hypocrisy on the crisis; the conflict between Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State was not instigated by PDP neither is Obaseki working with the opposition PDP. Other conflicts before and during the 2019 general elections, such as the conflicts between Oshiomhole and former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; former Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, among others, did not have their roots in PDP.

However, the creative Imo governor declared: Many of us, leaders of the party, are aware that those clamouring for the chairmans removal are working with the PDP to destabilise the party but they will fail.

We will not allow them to humiliate our National Chairman out of office through illegal means or allow any action that will bring the party to public ridicule.

The inherent lies from the Uzodinma postulation is obvious; his disguise cannot be hidden.

The creative governor subsequently vowed that every arsenal will be deployed to ensure that the plan of those plotting Oshiomholes removal is foiled, insisting that the national chairman has done nothing to warrant his removal.

Meanwhile, some ministers in the federal cabinet were insinuated to have deepened mobilization for the removal of Oshiomhole while their principal had maintained silence on the issue.

And Uzodinma maintained that APC guidelines are clear on how the National Chairman can be removed from office which must be through the National Executive committee (NEC), adding that anything outside that was illegal. However, APC will be holding its NEC meeting on March 17 in Abuja. Uzodinma appears to be already consumed in defeatist counter battle and arguments.

In further contradictory argument, he stated that those battling to unseat the national chairman would have come through the proper channel which is the partys NEC, adding that they refused to do so because they know they have no genuine case against him.

However, except last minute reversal, APC will be holding NEC meeting on March 17, four days from now.

Meanwhile, APC governors are still waiting for President Buhari on the crisis but Uzodinma may have gone ahead to dare the president.

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Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday raided stores at two popular shopping places, including the iconic Ben Thanh Market, in downtown District 1 on Thursday, seizing thousands of fake luxury fashion items.

The surprise inspection was carried out at 20 stores operating at Saigon Square and Ben Thanh Market following the direction of the General Department for Market Management and its Ho Chi Minh City unit.

During the inspection, functional forces confiscated 1,500 items including watches, bags, purses and wallets copying various foreign brands including Valentino, Calvin Klein, Prada, Montblanc, Gucci, Cartier, Rolex, and Seiko.

The total value of these counterfeit items is estimated at nearly VND146.2 million (US$6,282).

Located in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Square and Ben Thanh Market are considered two hotspots for fashion copycats in the southern metropolis where the sale of luxury counterfeits remains rampant despite the local market watchdogs efforts to bring about its end through regular inspections, confiscations, and punishment.

In the coming time, the unit will continue to promote the fight against counterfeit goods, pirated goods and those infringing upon intellectual property rights, with focus on business hotspots that offer these items, said a representative of the General Department for Market Management.

Market watchdog officers examine a store at Ben Thanh Market in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, March 12, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Tri / Tuoi Tre

Market watchdog officers examine a store at Saigon Square in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, March 12, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Tri / Tuoi Tre

Market watchdog officers examine a store at Saigon Square in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, March 12, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Tri / Tuoi Tre

Market watchdog officers examine a store at Saigon Square in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, March 12, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Tri / Tuoi Tre

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Orphans and neglected children were obviously present in Nebraska literally from the inception of its becoming a territory in 1854, but they were few in number and simply cared for by individuals, relatives and churches.

Orphan trains were established in New York City in 1854 to move children out of the city, but Nebraska was inaccessible in any meaningful way until the mid-1870s and 1880s when Nebraskas own children in need of aid had reached a point where concern began to be voiced, not just locally but nationally.

Burwell Spurlock was born in Virginia in 1835, moved to Illinois then to Glenwood, Iowa, and later Nebraska City in 1858 where, as county clerk, he married Isabella Davis. After being instrumental in the Rock Bluff vote count surrounding statehood, the couple moved to Plattsmouth, then to York.

In the mid-1880s Dr. W. L. Armstrong dedicated his 160-acre Platte County farm to the care of children, although the proposition did not gain immediate support.

In 1888 the Womans Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church held a national meeting to promote the founding of the Mothers Jewels Home for Children at some point in the U.S., with 19 states vying for the location. The case for Nebraska as its home site was presented by Isabella Spurlock and Angie Newman. While both Lincoln and Omaha offered 160-acre tracts for the site, Newman and Spurlock felt the home should not be in a metropolitan setting.

Spurlock and Newman convinced Dr. Armstrong to donate his farm operation to the proposition, then the citizens of York pledged $7,000 for the project. The Womans Home Missionary Society accepted the Nebraska concept, and the following year purchased the Munson Dairy Farm just west of York.

The idea, as accepted, showed that the orphans, half-orphans and abandoned children would live and help maintain the farm where they would be taught to earn an honest living and become useful members of society. Dr. Armstrong was made the first administrator of the first childrens home established by the national society, however his bad health soon forced his retirement. The Spurlocks, known as Uncle Burwell and Auntie Spurlock, then assumed the homes administration.

Within a few years 40 to 50 children from all races and nationalities including India, Arabia and far off Alaska were being housed and educated in their own school, which had grades one through seven with a few also placed in individual homes. Children above seventh grade attended public school in York.

The original cottage with room for about 15 boys retained facilities for cooking and dining while a new main building was built in 1894 and described as being of three-stories plus basement. The lower floors were of brick with the upper two of frame construction.

A report issued in 1921 showed 12 Womans Home Missionary houses across the United States. A 12-acre addition to the original York property allowed the erection of the Jessie Dinger Hospital just east of the cottage while the farm and associated buildings on the southeast quarter section allowed the boys to learn carpentry and farming while girls were taught fancy work and sewing in the new building.

The report added that the need of the child dictated admission, if parents could afford boarding school, the child was not accepted. There were no school uniforms, individuality was encouraged in everything from haircuts to the style and color of clothing.

The 1930 census showed 122 inmates which dropped to 100 a decade later while a fire-proof nursery had just been completed. In 1959 the orphanage function of Mothers Jewels ceased; the emphasis moved to serving children with emotional and behavioral problems while the name was changed to Epworth Village with an official address of North Division Avenue. 1995 saw the purchase of the former Edison Public School building in York and four years later a group home for 10 boys, who were wards of the state, opened by Epworth Village in Grand Island.

The Grand Island operation proved difficult, resulting in its closure in 2014 with the boys moving to York. At the same point in time a new girls' group home opened in York.

Very little evidence remains of the original village but a marker in the northwest corner of Yorks Greenwood Cemetery, which was purchased with a suitable tract for $25 in 1896 which simply says Mothers Jewels Home. In 2018 the Little Jewels Childcare and Enrichment Center opened at 216 W. 16th St. with both York facilities serving about 70 children per month.

Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 02:24:34|Editor: yan

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LOS ANGELES, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The novel coronavirus spreading across the United States took a heavy toll on the San Pedro Bay ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in southern California, the largest container port complex in the country.

According to report of local ABC 7 news channel Friday, the two ports reported continued disruption to the supply chain as coronavirus affected their shipping operations then impacted the transportation industry further.

"First, we have the trade war, which was severely affecting our volumes," Phillip Sanfield, spokesperson for the Port of Los Angeles told ABC 7. "Now with that comes the coronavirus. We are now looking at a 25 percent volume decline in February of this year versus February of 2019."

The Port of Los Angeles announced early this week that it moved just 544,037 TEUs in February, a 22.9 percent decrease compared to February 2019, while the Port of Long Beach said it moved 538,428 TEUs, down 9.8 percent compared to February 2019.

Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on March 9 that Rick Cotton, executive director, has tested positive for the virus, but is maintaining a full schedule while quarantined.

Weston LaBar, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association also was quoted by ABC 7 as saying that the disease outbreak strongly hit the ports, which is a massive economic generator for local economy, saying 40 percent of the goods flowing through this country come through the ports and over 18,000 truckers service the Ports.

The San Pedro Bay Port Complex handles approximately 40 percent of all containerized imports and 30 percent of all containerized exports for the United States, according to data released by the port of Los Angeles last June.
Pro Romania party leader Victor Ponta announced on his Facebook page on Saturday that his vote against the investiture of the Orban Government is "a protest to the selfish and disastrous manner in which the National Liberal Party (PNL) is treating the country during this crisis moments."

MPs are voting on Saturday on the investiture of the Orban Government following a special procedure due to the restrictions generated by the measures against the coronavirus spreading.
A 52-year-old civilian was injured in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.

Mohammad Rafiq was hit by a bullet from across the border outside his house at Gohlad village in Mendhar sector, they said.

The officials said Rafiq was evacuated to a local hospital and is undergoing treatment for an injury in his thigh.

They said Pakistan resorted to unprovoked small arms firing in the sector, prompting retaliation by the Indian Army.

The cross-border firing between the two sides lasted for sometime, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Argentina announced its second coronavirus-related death on Friday as Ecuador reported its first, taking the total death toll in Latin America to five as the virus shows signs of spreading rapidly.

Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and Suriname reported their first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall cases in the region have more than doubled in the last two days to over 340 as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned governments on Thursday to prepare their health services to cope.

Several Latin American countries have tightened restrictions on travel links with Europe, from where many people in the region are descended and still have family.

A 61-year-old Argentine man who returned from Italy on February 24 and had previously suffered from pneumonia died of respiratory failure, the Chaco provincial health ministry said in a statement.

Italy is the worst affected country outside of China, where the virus originated.

Argentina reported the first Latin American coronavirus death on March 7.

In Ecuador, a 71-year-old woman who had traveled to Spain died of a severe respiratory failure, Health Minister Catalina Andramuno said.

The woman was also the first person in Ecuador to have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease.
More than 1,45,000 cases of virus have been reported worldwide

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it would suspend international flights for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"The Kingdom's government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks (Starting from Sunday March 15th) as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus," the foreign ministry tweeted.
Georgia Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler commented on President Donald Trumps national emergency declaration and Governor Brian Kemps public health emergency declaration, which will provide federal, state, and local authorities with additional resources to combat the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

President Trump and Vice President Pences top priority is keeping Americans safe, said Senator Perdue. The Administrations early action helped slow the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, and by declaring a national emergency today, the President is providing new, critical resources to help authorities safeguard public health. Since day one, Governor Kemp, the Georgia Department of Health, and the CDC have worked tirelessly to prepare our state for this threat, and all Georgians should continue to follow their guidance. Together, we are taking strong action to ensure our federal, state, and local authorities have every resource they need. All Georgians and Americans play a role in combatting the spread of this virus, so please continue to take extra precautions to protect yourself, your families, and your communities.

COVID-19 is being addressed by a coordinated response by all levels of government, medical professionals, the business community and individuals, said Senator Loeffler. Our collective ability to mitigate the effects of the outbreak depends on us being knowledgeable and taking responsibility for prevention while unleashing the resources and innovation of the private sector. By declaring an emergency, both President Trump and Governor Kemp are reducing regulatory red tape and ensuring immediate access to vital resources to protect the American people. I will continue to work closely with the Trump Administration, Governor Kemp and health officials to take every step necessary to protect the well-being of Georgians and the American people.
Yoshi, an extraordinary loggerhead turtle that was released from the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.

The turtle was kept in captivity for 20 years, and now after her release, Yoshis ocean journey has become the longest-ever recorded journey of any tracked animal ever.

Twitter

According to researchers who are keeping a track, the 180-kg turtle has travelled 37 000 kilometres in the 26 months since her release in December 2017.

Through her journey, Yoshi has averaged and maintained a swimming distance of 48 kilometres per day.

Incredible journey of a loggerhead turtle to locate its home. This is Yoshi & she just traveled 37000 kms from Africa to Australia probably to find here nesting grounds. Also incredible to observe how these creatures move to such a length & why we need to protect nesting grounds. pic.twitter.com/P9Fqb2j0wF  Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) March 11, 2020

The heartwarming post was shared by an IFS officer Parveen Kaswan with the caption, Incredible journey of a loggerhead turtle to locate its home. This is Yoshi and she just travelled 37000 kms from Africa to Australia probably to find nesting grounds. Also incredible to observe how these creatures move to such a length and why we need to protect nesting grounds.

Reports state that in her initial phase she only circled around South Africa, Namibia etc. while coming to coasts for food, last year, her trajectory shifted outside of Africa and now she is merely 66 kilometres away from the Western Australian Coast.

Yoshi was captive for twenty years. She was found damaged. Later trainers helped her in getting back in right health. She was fitted with a satellite tag. Researchers released her and monitored the journey. In which case she was going where she was once hatched. Her home!! he wrote while replying to his own post.

Turtles are known for going back to their nesting grounds. She swam for two years to reach its home. Once found damaged and soon learned to swim. Incredible story of a 180 KG turtle.



Photo and Information courtesy: Two Oceans Aquarium  Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) March 11, 2020

"These are incredible animals. The ocean deserves more respect and treatment against plastic rubbish. I am glad she made her way! Many of them don't..." read one comment.

Twitter

A user remarked, "Travel as much as you can, as long as you can. Life is not meant to be lived in one place. Left pointing backhand index."

Yoshi was released 27 nautical miles south-west of Hout Bay in 20.6C water. Her journey took her along the west coast of Africa to Namibia and Angola, where she spent some time.
To the Editor:

I Am Burning With Fury and Grief Over Elizabeth Warren. And I Am Not Alone, by Sarah Smarsh (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, March 6):

I am an Elizabeth Warren supporter. I share the grief. But I think the tendency to blame any failure by any woman politician on misogyny is misguided and possibly harmful to the advancement of women as a whole. If every failure is the result of misogyny, then there is no reason to consider the candidates own actions, choices or other circumstances. There are many reasons Ms. Warren didnt do better. I dont think misogyny was one of them.

Ms. Warren proved to be an agile thinker and an articulate orator, and attracted both men and women in pretty equal numbers. But she was largely occupying a slot that Bernie Sanders, with a four-year running head start, already occupied.

We are ready for a female president. And perhaps Ms. Smarshs grandmother will live to see it next election.

John Dorchester

Media, Pa.

To the Editor:

Thank you, Sarah Smarsh, for making me feel a little less alone. I, too, am burning with fury and grief over Elizabeth Warrens fate. The news that she suspended her campaign knocked the air out of me. It is beyond depressing that Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are my only options. Oh, I will dutifully vote for whichever one of them wins the nomination, but I may not vote at all in the primary.
PORTLAND, Ore., March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Succession Resource Group (SRG) is announcing the sale of deceased Hawaii advisor, Mr. Glenn Yabuki's book of business ("Yabuki") to Gail Hamada and Lincoln Koike of Hawaii Wealth and Legacy Planning Group ("HWLPG"). The sale represented over $97 million in assets under management, with all assets successfully retained by Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. ("Ameriprise"), allowing Ms. Hamada and Mr. Koike to continue honoring Mr. Yabuki's legacy.

After Mr. Yabuki unexpectedly passed away, Ameriprise field leadership immediately reached out to SRG to help work with the family to ensure the business was sold, assets were maintained, and a fair value was received. After speaking with Yabuki's Family, their primary concerns were finding a Hawaii-based Ameriprise firm who would carry on Mr. Yabuki's legacy, client service, dedication to his clients, and retain Mr. Yabuki's key employee, Rie Shoji.

According to David Grau Jr., President of SRG, "Less than 10% of advisors we work with have a written death or disability plan. When something tragic like this happens, typically clients are reassigned, and the family receives nothing. Because Ameriprise field leadership immediately connected us with the family, we were able to work nights and weekends to ensure the Yabuki family had a better outcome."

Through SRG's Seller Advocacy Program, the deal was negotiated, funded and closed within 71 days. After careful consideration and meetings with the eight best candidates, the Yabuki Family selected HWLPG, receiving 100% cash down with a multiple of 2.59x, and a long-term employment contract for Ms. Shoji, including being promoted to the position of Financial Advisor. Based on past distressed sales data from SRG, the average multiple received is 1.94x, indicating the Yabuki's received 33.5% premium for Mr. Yabuki's practice.

"Securing Glenn's legacy for his family and clients was of the highest importance to our team, and when these kinds of tragic events happen, we know time is of the essence," said Kristen Grau, Executive Vice President of SRG. She went on to say, "In the wake of tragedy, having to deal with the sale of a practice is one more added stress. We were happy we could assist during this challenging time for the Yabuki's and have to thank their field leader Debra Bennett for taking such swift action and helping coordinate everything until the deal was complete. She went above and beyond for their family."

The Yabuki family stated, "The entire SRG team was extremely helpful in guiding our family through this unexpected and unknown process. They were professional, knowledgeable, and understanding"

About Succession Resource Group

Succession Resource Group is a succession consulting firm specialized in helping advisors value, protect, merge/buy, and sell their financial advisory practice. With decades of combined industry experience, SRG brings a unique combination of skills, resources and industry expertise to help advisors.

Contacts

Succession Resource Group

David Pan  Marketing and Brand Manager

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Succession Resource Group, Inc.

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Presbyterian Healthcare Services is launching COVID-19 drive-up testing Sunday morning after Lovelace Medical Center tested hundreds of people in two days, depleting its supplies and forcing it to reduce hours.

Presbyterians testing will be held at its PresNow location at 4515 Coors NW, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday.

If a patient is screened and ordered for a test, there will be a test provided onsite, Presbyterian said in a news release.

Whitney Marquez, a Lovelace spokeswoman, said the hospital conducted 860 COVID-19 tests at its drive-up facility in the 600 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. NE between the hours of 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Those hours will be changed to 7 a.m. to noon on Sunday due to them running low on supplies.

Our current supplies have resulted in limited hours of operation tomorrow at our drive-through screening site, as we seek additional supplies, she said. We encourage only those experiencing symptoms to utilize this drive-thru screening site.

Lovelace officials initially said the hospital planned to offer those services from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, for the foreseeable future.

We are doing our part to serve our community during this time of concern, Troy Greer, CEO of Lovelace Medical Center, said. I want our community to know that Lovelace is committed to their health and wellbeing. Our employees have been dedicated to these screening efforts and we thank them for their hard work and commitment to our community.

All samples taken are sent to TriCore Reference Laboratories and results should be available in 48 to 72 hours later.

Roughly three dozen vehicles  including an Albuquerque Police Department SUV  lined Walter Street near Downtown Albuquerque on Saturday morning as those hoping to get tested for COVID-19 waited for the 7 a.m. opening of the drive-up site outside Lovelace Medical Center.

An officer was not feeling well this morning and his supervisor allowed him to go get tested and go home, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Saturday.

The tests appeared to take only minutes to complete.

As a driver pulls in, a staff member in protective clothing approaches and asks a series of questions. This questionnaire step takes about two minutes.

The driver is then directed to pull forward to a swabbing station where another staff member approaches and helps those inside gather a sample to be tested at a local lab. This takes about a minute.

The entire testing process, from pulling in to pulling out, takes about five minutes.

The testing site staff is asking patients for insurance information, but they arent turning away those without it.

On Friday, Insurance Superintendent Russell Toal issued an emergency order banning insurance companies from charging copays or similar costs on those seek testing and treatment for COVID-19.

Journal photographer Roberto E. Rosales contributed to this report.
U.S. Washington state announces school closures in 3 counties hit hardest by coronavirus

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:29, March 13, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced Thursday that all K-12 schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties will close for the next six weeks as the coronavirus continues to spread.

"We do not take these decisions lightly and I am fully aware of the various impacts this has on families and communities," Inslee said during a press conference Thursday. "Today's decision has a full range of implications... I anticipate this will cause ripple effects throughout our state. But we can't afford not to do it. We must ensure that we slow the spread of this virus."

Across the three counties, nearly 563,600 students attend public or charter schools. Under the executive order, schools will close from Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, April 24. The earliest possible day that schools can reopen will be April 27.

"Our systems need to be prepared for a potentially longer closure... We have to be prepared that this is back in the fall or still with us in the fall," Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said.

Dave Somers, Snohomish County executive, expressed his full support for the decision. "Closing schools has been shown to disrupt transmission and flatten the curve. We need consistency across the region, and these closures will give schools time to plan, ensuring our kids all have access to nutrition and instruction."

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What is at stake? Is it limited to gestures and symbolism? Or is it about power, and the possible transfer of some of it? Is it conceivable that our elected Parliament will negotiate to hand over some of its authority?

Victoria is both the most and least likely place for a summit. We have a state government that has taken the lead in triggering a debate and creating a process. Premier Daniel Andrews has said he does not want to wait for a national treaty, yet it is an issue that the state Liberal and Nationals opposition is yet to commit to support. There is goodwill but division.

In a few weeks, at the University of Melbourne Law School, a treaty summit brings together the nation's leading treaty advocates, Indigenous elders, lawyers and politicians keenly searching for the path or paths to settling our nation's longest-running problem.

Victoria has a proud and long history of supporting Aboriginal rights. We also have a lower proportion of First Nations citizens than other mainland states. But there is still plenty of disadvantage.

Unlike all other colonial outposts, when European settlers overwhelmed the Indigenous population, our forebears never sat down to talk nor negotiated in any meaningful or sincere way with those we pushed aside. Canada, New Zealand, the USA all went down a more conventional treaty path, although there was plenty of blood spilt even with a treaty process.

Our foundation myth was that the Aboriginal people were but noble savages, that the land was terra nullius and as any baby boomer schoolboy or girl will testify, the prevailing attitude was to smooth the pillow of a dying race. Thankfully, we have moved on since then, but the legacy of those attitudes prevails in many quarters. This nonsense stays deep in the national psyche.

What can we expect from a Makarrata? The process in many ways is as important as the outcome. It can be a force for healing, reconciliation and truth telling  or a path towards division. Which way we go will depend on two factors at least: how the governments drive the process, as well as how the community reacts to those who will want to stop the treaty process in its tracks.

And make no mistake, there will be attempts to derail it. Some will be motivated by fear, some from vested commercial, pastoral or mining interests. Some will see it as an extension of the culture wars, where even just admitting and recognising years of disadvantage is seen as an assault on long-held and jealously guarded privilege.
Promoting married women to senior level jobs increases their probability of getting a divorce, Swedish research has found.

The paper published in the American Economic Journal is the first research to empirically establish the link between female promotion and marriage dissolution.

The paper analyses 30 years of Swedish register data and concludes that when a Swedish woman is successfully promoted to CEO her chance of divorce is doubled when compared to the women who tried and failed to be promoted.

Anne Miles got divorced when she was in charge of a $20 million business and had a young son. Credit:Justin McManus

The data solely focuses on heterosexual marriages and also establishes that promoting a man has no influence on the durability of his marriage.


Zhou Chenglong has been a disc jockey (DJ) for more than a decade, but blasting beats at the bar where he works has been restricted lately.

"Who would ever think that I would be a livestreaming DJ on the Internet," said Zhou, music director of the Beehive bar in Shanghai.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, many bars in China have resorted to "cloud dancing" amid tepid business, which is a new experience for many DJs.

In the past, Zhou played music for a big, live crowd at Beehive, but now he has to pretend to be performing in front of a lot of people.

"I feel like I have to be more active, even though there is no one around," Zhou said. "The cameras are relentlessly focusing on me, and my moves can be seen all over the Internet."

Dong Jie, video director of Beehive, said that such live broadcast is very different from live shows such as music festivals.

"For traditional live shows, 70 percent of the time the cameras focus on the faces of the audience to show the bustling environment, but there is no audience in the bar," Dong said.

Dong was a DJ himself for seven years. He later came up with the idea of having multiple cameras for livestreaming in the bar, in addition to split-screen technology during livestreaming.

"A close-up camera focuses on the hand movements of the DJ, while a big camera captures the entire stage and its light show," Dong said. "Several other cameras also zoom on the DJ's face."

Such ways of DJing warmed up the atmosphere in the bar and effectively grabbed attention on the Internet.

Since Beehive began livestreaming its DJs playing music on Feb. 16, viewing streams have topped 700,000 on the Internet. Peak online participants exceeded 20,000, and the average number of viewers stood at 12,000. Most of the viewers are aged between 25 and 30.

Before the epidemic, the number of visitors to the bar stood between 1,000 to 1,500 each night, mostly aged between 25 to 40, according to Beehive.

"In the first few days of the livestreaming, each viewer usually stayed in the livestreaming room for one or two minutes," said Zhuang Wanci, brand director of Beehive.

To make them stay longer, the bar came up with a variety of themes, including interactive games such as "Guessing the songs" and the cardio exercise theme "Burning your calories."

"It's not just about playing the latest music singles anymore," Zhuang said.

Some viewers even started chat groups and began sharing their lives with others while watching.

The livestreaming session generated revenue from online rewards from the viewers, Zhuang said, adding that they will possibly continue livestreaming even after the epidemic.

"In the past, competition was basically regional," Zhuang Wanci, brand director of Beehive. "Now it is a national competition as we go online."
A US national of Lebanese descent died on Thursday in Casablancas University Hospital with cocaine capsules in his intestines, said a press release issued by the Moroccan national police.

The 66-year old man was captured on Wednesday at Mohammed V International Airport upon his arrival from Sao Paulo after he was suspected of carrying drugs in his body. The cocaine mule was heading to Cairo.

The body packer was rushed to the Ibn Rochd Hospital after he was not feeling well at the airport, the police said. The 68 cocaine capsules weighing 795 grams were removed from his intestines before the man expired in hospital.

An autopsy will be performed by medical authorities to determine the cause of his death, while investigations are underway to shed light on the circumstances of this drug-smuggling attempt.
The strategic Srinagar-Leh highway is expected to open by the end of this month as Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has cleared the avalanche-prone Zojil La (Pass) much ahead of scheduled, officials said Saturday.

The only arterial highway which connects Ladakh to Kashmir was closed in early December last year after heavy snowfall.

Our men by using 12 modern equipments cleared the highway till Zojil La in just 18 days, which is a record-breaking achievement in the last 60 years and the road will be thrown open in March, said Colonel Mukesh Kumar, Commander, 32 Border Road Task Force of Project Beacon.

He said that till last year the snow clearance operation used to begin in March and the road was opened in April.

This year we are much ahead than previous years and it is record of sorts despite the unprecedented snow accumulation in the region, he said, adding the men of BRO will continue to carry out snow clearing operations till the team connects with another snow clearance team of Project Vijayak on the other side of Zoji La.

Captain Shubham Sood in-charge of snow clearance team said the Beacon teams had to face many difficulties during the clearance because the area is avalanche-prone.

Opening the road in March is a very big achievement for us as we did it in short duration of 18 days in sub zero temperature and braving avalanche-prone areas. Our priority is to connect Leh with rest of the country as early as possible and that will happen at the end of this month, he said.

During the winter, blizzards often sweep across Zoji La which is at an altitude of 11,578 feet and dump huge quantity of snow forcing the shutdown of the strategic road between November and March.

Work in under way for the 14-km long Zoji La tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh.
Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship RK Singh on Friday launched the new website of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The Minister directed that sectoral updation of the site should be personally ensured at the senior level so that it maintains pace with time.

According to the press note, the new website is developed looking into the present need for quick and accurate information dissemination needs of the Ministry with the latest techniques to make it more informative, interactive and user-friendly including persons with visual disabilities.

"The key feature of the website includes optimized user interface, three-click interfaces, rubik's cube structure, and improvised search options. Structured back end content management system (CMS) is developed to manage the website with minimum sources and less time consuming," the press note said.

"It has additional portals such as 'Akshay Urja Portal' and 'India Renewable Idea Exchange' (IRIX). Well, identifiable links are provided for all the activities of the Ministry to provide the information at ease. Two language interfaces have been provided in the website to make the contents reachable to a wider public. Additionally, social media handles of the Ministry such as facebook, YouTube and Twitter are linked on the homepage of the website. The NIC server is hosting the website," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged people not to panic a day after a couple in Bolangir district was admitted to a hospital for suspected coronavirus.

In the absence of any vaccine or treatment, our collective responsibility is the only hope we have to fight this epidemic. We must remain prepared, but not panic. I appeal all to practice frequent hand washing, strict sanitation protocols, Patnaik tweeted.

The chief minister also advised people to be at home, reduce social interactions and avoid gatherings, wash hands frequently and follow strict sanitisation protocol. He also appealed to the people to stop chewing paan and spitting in the open to stop spread of the virus.

On Friday, a Canada-based Odia couple visiting Titlagarh in Bolangir district was quarantined for suspected Covid-19 at Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital after showing symptoms of flu. The couple had come to their native village in Titlagarh to attend a funeral. Doctors said their blood and swab samples have been sent for tests.

We are sufficiently prepared if at all there is any positive case, we can sufficiently treat them, said state health secretary NB Dhal. As of now, we have ventilator support available in seven medical colleges and Capital Hospital.

The State government has announced the opening of an additional coronavirus ward in the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack with at least 60 beds for infected patients.

One hundred and forty three people who returned to Odisha from coronavirus-affected countries after January 15 and identified by the state surveillance system were kept under isolation as well as home quarantine according to the Union health ministrys protocol, the states health officials said Saturday.

No one has yet tested positive for coronavirus in Odisha which has declared it as a state disaster and ordered the closure of all educational institutions till March 31 to stop the possible outbreak of the disease, the officials said. Twenty one suspects including an Irish national and a Japanese national have tested negative for the virus.

Earlier Friday, Patnaik had told the State Assembly that Covid-19 has been declared as State disaster under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to adequately empower public officials to combat its spread. Patnaik said an amount of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked to augment the Public Health Response Fund to combat the threat of the pandemic and for making required expenditure.

In Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, police cancelled all permissions for processions and protests.

In Rayagada district, police arrested a 32-year-old man for posting fake news about a Covid-19 positive case in a local hospital on his Facebook page. The accused, Satyanarayan Samal had claimed that coronavirus had reached Rayagada and one man who had arrived from Kerala was infected with the virus.

The Orissa High Court on Saturday limited the proceedings and imposed restrictions on entry and listing of cases. It urged lawyers and visitors to avoid congregation inside and outside the courtrooms to reduce chances of spreading coronavirus.

The threat of the virus has also severely affected the poultry industry in the State where the prices of the broiler chicken have fallen from Rs 160 a kg last month to as low as Rs 30 per kilogram in places like Balasore as people are reluctant to eat meat.
Yoga as a path to wholeness A decision to turn to yoga for stress relief can become a journey to wholeness, writes Daleena Samara View(s): View(s):

In times of mounting stress, who do you call? I ventured into formal yoga lessons at the turn of the millennium in response to frequent bouts of influenza and insomnia caused by workstress. Discarding a DIY philosophy of sporadic yoga practice at home, I took my first formal lesson with an Indian yoga master in a serene studio in Hong Kong. That first step unleashed yogas infinite possibilities.

Within months there were physical benefits:Improved posture and flexibility, a sense of wellness. Frequent influenza became and still is a thing of the past. I bid adieu to chronic insomnia, sometimes week-long. Impatience and anxiety took the backseat. I transited from overstressed to calm.

But I also stumbled into something bigger: yoga taught me about myself.As the late yogi Parmahansa Yogananda said, You realise that all along there was something tremendous within you, and you did not know it.

Yogas true wealth lies beyond the branded profit-driven yoga industry; yoga has the ability to impart not only health and wellness, but physiological and spiritual transformation. Yoga means union or to yoke body, mind and spirit. This it does through varied combinations of asanas (physical postures), mudra (hand positions that facilitate prana circuits), banda (energy locks) and pranayama (breath work). Traditionally, yoga was the forerunner of meditation, balancing and aligning body, mind and spirit in preparation for spiritual development.

With practice, yoga introduced me to an entire new inner physiology. I learned about and experienced prana, the lifeforce that propels our actions and decisions. I discovered and experienced the chakras, and the pancha kosha or fivebodies, loosely translated as layers of consciousness. As such, yoga has the potential to make you a whole and better human. By balancing and aligning body, emotions and mind, yoga prepares the body for meditation, opening pathways to deep spiritual development and awareness of subtle levels of consciousness.

After a period of learning yoga and even teaching it, I abandoned yoga to pursue the spiritual impulse it had fired within. I returned to formal yoga more than two decades later in Sri Lanka to address the needs of a body reaching seniority. What a joy to find that yoga had matured at home with local teachers dedicated to imparting an authentic yoga experience.

For the aspiring beginner, Sri Lanka offers the opportunity for both outer and inner transformation. And even if you dont have or desire a direct experience of the chakras or prana, you will find yoga induces a stillness within that enables you to stop and take stock of yourself, a great strength in a world spinning out of control.

So where do you start in a market crowded with yoga teachers? Caveat emptor is the key. Commercialised yoga schools abound across the world, and there are establishments offering profit-driven teacher certification. Its pretty much like any other branch of the education industry. So look around and choose wisely.

Check credentials and experience; your teacher should keep you safe in your practice and nurture your mind-body connection. Perhaps the most important qualities of the yoga teacher, aside from being a master of yoga, is a strong moral foundation. Also know what you want  My goals were increased flexibility, fitness and stamina and not necessarily mastering advanced asanas.

Here are a few recommendations from my own search for a teacher:

For fun fitness and stretching cramped muscles, the yoga class by Nilmini Mullegama at Zimantra Fitness Centre in Battaramulla, is pretty good. The stretches are fluid, one asana gliding into the other, and Nilmini is gentle and nurturing. Mondays and Thursdays 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, contact Zimantra Leisure Centre, Battaramulla, +94 11 33 55 666.

For an informative and compelling experience, its dynamic Miuru Jayaweera. I am convinced Miuru has digested the entire anatomy of yoga because anatomical terminology rolls smoothly off her tongue.

Her classes combine asanas, pranayama and bandas and she guides on correct body placement so that you know what muscles you are using for an asana and how they work, which allows you to sink into the practice fully aware of whats going on in your body. The atmospheric Light of Asia in Battaramulla, one of Miurus venues, adds sacred ambiance especially at night. Students also get a lot of aftercare via WhatsApp and frequent videos that recap points learned in class, as well as weekend yoga retreats. Under Miurus guidance, I regained muscle memory of old yoga practices that I had left behind. The muscles never forget, Miuru told me.

For more information, login to https://myrus.lk/

For a deep spiritual experience, sign up for a Babaji Kriya Yoga Trust initiation weekend. Regular progressive initiation seminars teach essential Kriya techniques to awaken and circulate subtle energies, vitalise, purify, deep heal and strengthen body and mind connection. My first encounter with the Kriya yogis was intensive, a traditional presentation of yoga that involved focus and veneration of the lineage guru Babaji. That said, they also tell you how to switch focus from Babaji to ones own spiritual guru. Kriyanandamayee, the Kriya yoga archarya, is fully committed and the techniques introduced are incredibly transformational. This highly spiritual approach requires faith and perseverance for benefits. However, because I have my own intensive spiritual practice, I did not continue on this path.

Babaji Kriyayoga Institute.

94 77 4670 834,info@thekriyayoga.com

In my search, I settled on SethminYoga run by husband and wife team Amila Wijerathne and Tharinda Samanthi, for two reasons: I felt the strength and stamina boost after about the third lesson, and because I found myself among a few students older and even more agile than me. Amila and Tharindas classes are attended by students aged from 17 to 72. The one- and-a-half hour class has a good mix of 20 minutes of pranayama along with intensive asana, banda and mudra practices.

Sethmin is not your regular plush studio but a modest hall with an airy welcoming vibe. While some may find the lack of airconditioning a drawback, authentic yoga trains the body to adjust to its natural surroundings, so this was a plus point for me.With global heating, developing coping skills is a good idea.

For more information: https://web.

facebook.com/sethminyoga/

Amila who has also studied ayurveda and the healing arts, says yoga is less about image and getting a designer body and more about getting your body to work the way it should. Yoga is a life science that can even lead you to enlightenment, he says. He advises beginners to invest at least three months of regular practice in yoga to reap its rewards.

The surya namaskar (sun salutation) is the foundation of many yoga routines and the firm base of many yoga classes. Amila describes surya namaskar as the perfect routine because it lubricates the system, provides a good cardio workout, and balances the endocrine system.Daily practice will address any imbalance in the body, he says.

There is no one yoga system, he points out. We know that yoga developed over millennia because there are allusions to yoga practices in India and elsewhere in primitive art. There are said to be over a million asanas. Yoga took firm root in India where in the first or second centuries CE the sage Patanjali collated all knowledge of yoga in the four-volume classic entitled Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.Today, yoga continues to evolve, with various systems aligned with the goals of different schools. The best known systems are Ashtanga, Sivananda and Iyengar.

I started yoga at the turn of the millennium and have never looked back again. I am still accruing its rewards. Once you start living the yogic way, all of life becomes yoga.You go through life with body, mind and spirit in sync, guided not just by the drives of the materialistic world, but also by a call from deep within to live life correctly. Of course, life is never perfect and problems do not cease. But when your family and work become your karma yoga, your spiritual pursuits your bakti yoga, your intellectual pursuits your jnana yoga, problems fall into perspective far more easily. This happens when your life becomes your yoga, rich and balanced inside and out.
A leading immunologist has slammed 'virus parties' as being irresponsible and selfish amid reports of thousands of students hosting impromptu house parties and large pub gatherings.

Hours after the Government ordered all schools and colleges to close until further notice to combat Covid-19, hundreds of students in Cork were seen packing pubs around College Road and other student neighbourhoods.

Similar parties were also reported in Dublin, Galway, Waterford and Limerick with many off-licenses reporting a surge in sales.

But Kingston Mills, professor of experimental immunology at Trinity College, said packed pubs and house parties are perfect breeding grounds for the virus and attending them completely defeated the purpose of closing schools and colleges to reduce the risk of transmission.

While young people are unlikely to get sick if they contract the virus, they can still pass it on to the elderly and infirm which could potentially kill them.

"This is completely irresponsible behaviour and it's selfish behaviour. It flies in the face of advice of everyone as gathering in a pub is a very good venue for transmission," he said.

He also advised people to err on the side of caution and avoid pubs over the St Patrick's Day holiday or attending house parties.

"Anyone who has common sense needs to look at the risks they're putting themselves in," he said.

Read More

Meanwhile, a Cork University Hospital medic said the behaviour was "beyond belief given the situation the country finds itself in", while Prof John Crown posted on social media: "I am not sure people will understand the importance - the necessity - of extreme social distancing until pub hours are curtailed and numbers allowed in are limited."
With the novel coronavirus spreading across New York, Democratic congressional hopeful Dana Balter is asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers to reduce the number of signatures for candidates to qualify for the ballot this year.

Balter sent a letter to Cuomo that was signed by four central New York doctors. She requested a lower threshold because "the process of collecting petition signatures puts both the voter and the witness at risk of contracting and/or spreading the virus."

Congressional candidates in New York are required to collect 1,250 valid signatures to qualify for the primary election. State Senate and Assembly candidates must gather 1,000 and 500 signatures, respectively, to be eligible for the primary.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Balter is recommending the state lower the requirement to 800 signatures for congressional candidates.

There is another proposal Balter hopes state leaders consider. She wants the state to permit no-excuse absentee voting for the April 28 presidential primary and the June 23 primary election.

County boards of election should mail absentee ballot request forms to all registered voters, according to Balter's proposal. She believes the state should fund that effort.

"In light of the current COVID-19 circumstances and out of an abundance of caution, we believe that modifications to our election procedures are necessary to protect public health and ensure everyone maintains access to democratic participation," Balter said. "The people who volunteer and vote are disproportionately older adults who are at especially high risk for contracting and dying from the virus.

She added, "These steps will help protect them and the larger community following the social distancing guidelines recommended by the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)."

After saying earlier in the week that there weren't conversations about changing the petition requirement, Cuomo acknowledged Friday that it's an issue the state must address.

"This is not the best time to be sending people door to door," he said.

Before Balter sent the letter, her campaign emailed its supporters to ask that volunteers who are considered a high risk of contracting the virus stop circulating petitions. The vulnerable populations include older Americans and those with chronic health conditions.

Balter is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 24th Congressional District. The district includes the western part of Oswego County and all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties.

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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A 71-year-old man who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to have coronavirus infection died during treatment in Maharashtra's Buldhana district on Saturday afternoon, a hospital official said.

IMAGE: Men enter a hospital where a special ward has been set up for the coronavirus disease in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/ Reuters

He was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

Civil surgeon Premchand Pandit told PTI that the patient was admitted to a private hospital for high blood pressure a few days ago, and shifted to isolation ward of the Buldhana general hospital for symptoms of coronavirus on Saturday morning.

"His sample was sent for lab testing. He passed away at 4.20 pm. Lab report is still awaited," Dr Pandit said.
For Survivor 40: Winners at War, executive producer Jeff Probst and his team have included a few new features, including a type of currency, fire tokens, and immunity idol pairs.

While other previous idols have had twists where theyre more powerful paired together, every idol this season requires the finder to give half of it to another contestant before its fully activated. How do the pairs work, and is there a way contestants could be devious with them?

Kim Spradlin | Robert Voets

Who has an immunity idol so far in Survivor 40?

After San Juan del Sur champ Natalie Anderson arrived at the Edge of Extinction, she found a clue to an immunity idol that had power for three tribal councils. Because it has no value at the Edge, she sold it to two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine for one fire token.

Philippines champ Denise Stapley, with the help of Ben Driebergen, found a hidden immunity idol at the Sele tribe. Per the directions, she had to give another player half of the idol before sundown to activate it.

Denise initially wanted to use it to pull in Parvati Shallow. But Adam Klein advised her against it, and she gave it to him. He then returned it the following day, and she explained she now possessed a fully activated hidden immunity idol in a confessional.

One World Sole Survivor Kim Spradlin-Wolfe located the advantage on the Dakal tribe and gave the other half to Sophie Clarke, as she had no other alliances but trusted the South Pacific champ.

Wait! Sandra is Safe another week and still has her idol good for one more tribal council!!! Yasss she really is the Queen! @SandraDTwine #SurvivorWinnersAtWar #Survivor #Survivor40 pic.twitter.com/Fc6Oz8oI4N  Naomi Hearts (@naomixheartss) March 12, 2020

Even though Sophie implied Kim made a mistake by giving her half, she returned it before they switched tribes. The South Pacific winner swapped in the minority alongside Sarah Lacina to a new tribe, Yara, with former Sele tribemates Boston Rob Mariano, Adam, and Ben.

When the entire tribe embarked on an idol hunt, Sophie found it and trusted Sarah Lacina with the other half. The Game Changers champ gave it back before Tribal Council, as they werent sure what would happen. But neither ladies used their advantages.

Because the idol pairs with those specific instructions are new this season, many viewers didnt understand how they worked.

How do the immunity idol pairs work?

When Sophie found her idol, the camera showed her holding up the letter and reading the instructions. This allowed viewers to read the note, as well. It explained the finder must give one-half to another player by sundown. And they can restore the idols power by pairing it back with its original half, or any other identical half, regardless of color.

Therefore, there is no specified amount of time the halves need to be apart to activate, as one can give it back right before Tribal Council. Additionally, it does not state that the other person must return the half.

One Reddit user pointed out the castaway can be devious with the idol pairs. For example, Sophie could have kept Kims half and then given half to Sarah and not ask for it back to build trust.

Sophie, Kim, and Denise win back to back seasons and find back to back idols #Survivor pic.twitter.com/0p9fGm8OyE  Brian Scally (@Brian_Scally) March 12, 2020

Therefore, Sarah would think Sophie only had a half when the South Pacific champ actually had a full (because of Kims). Will viewers see this type of strategy come into play this season?

Watch Survivor 40: Winners at War Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS to find out.
The U.S. government has expanded its European travel restrictions, barring those from the United Kingdom and Ireland from entering the country.

The new restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens, Vice President Mike Pence said at a press briefing at the White House.

The travel restrictions involving the United Kingdom and Ireland take effect Monday at midnight.

Earlier this week, President Trump announced a 30-day ban on most Europeans entering the United States, including citizens of Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



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Coronavirus: How dangerous is it to travel? Also how travel bans, advisories could impact your trip
Canceling nearly every conceivable plan, Hanoi urbanites opted to remain indoors following confirmation of the capitals first Covid-19 infection last Friday night.

On the afternoon of March 8, Phuong, 35, turned blue right after reading messages from a group chat with her university friends. Two days prior, she had hung out with some of them, including one who had contact with Vietnams 21st Covid-19 patient.

"So I am the F4 generation," she thought, referring to those suspected of having contracted the virus indirectly. Accordingly, Phuong immediately called her sister to cancel the familys annual International Women's Day party on March 8, deciding instead to stay home in self-quarantine.

Phuong's daughter has been with her grandparents in central Thanh Hoa Province for the past three weeks, with the busy mother unable to visit.

"I would draw a lot of ridicule if I visited my hometown from an infected area," Phuong explained.

On Saturday morning, her parents in Thanh Hoa made sure their five daughters in Hanoi stayed put for the time being.

"If you need anything, we will deliver," they assured each in turn.

Truc Bach Street residents relocate on March 6, 2020, following confirmation of Vietnams 17th Covid-19 case. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Many urbanites are worried about even the slightest contact with infected people. Nguyen Thanh Thao could not sleep after authorities confirmed the country's 17th Covid-19 case. Residing on Trung Van Street with a roommate whose boyfriend often hangs out on the street where "number 17" lives, Anh became a bundle of nerves.

The next morning, after cleaning her house, she entered voluntary self-quarantine for 14 days as the roommate's boyfriend started doing the same thing.

"I cancelled my plans to visit Hai Duong Province this weekend. Hanging out with my friends will also have to wait," Thao said as she stocked up on meat, peanuts, and eggs for a weeks worth of meals. Her neighbor has spent VND3 million ($130) on supplies, according to the teacher.

Owner of a Hanoi wedding studio, Tran Phuong Nga and her 5-member family had booked flights to Malaysia for mid-March to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her parents wedding.

"I would rather lose money than help spread the virus," said Nga, after learning about the 17th Covid-19 case.

A Times City resident stocks up on necessary supplies during the panic-buying spree on March 6, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Ngas sister had also decided to let her children stay in Vietnam instead of returning to Singapore, even though thousands of dollars would be wasted in school fees.

"Not traveling is a way to protect ourselves and our families. Doing this simple thing could reduce the burden on those forced to stay up all night or sleep in the forest to fight the epidemic," Nga commented.

Adequate protection

After two days living in fear, Khanh Huyen, 30, drew comfort from netizens suggesting Hanoians keep calm and adopt protective measures.

Residing in Hoang Mai District, Huyen experienced a few disturbing nights as her child had a weak immune system. To protect her family from the coronavirus, the mother strictly follows Ministry of Health recommendations to regularly wash hands, wear masks, and avoid crowds.

The epidemic somehow had a positive effect on Hai Yens family in Hanois My Dinh District. Since the outbreak, she and her husband have brought lunch to the office instead of eating out.

Yen's lunch at her office on March 6, 2020. Photo courtesy of Hai Yen.

Yen also carries a pack of wet and dry tissue paper, used before touching doorknobs and elevator buttons.

"I sanitize my hands back home and hang my clothes on the balcony to air out in natural light," Yen said, adding people should do everything they can to protect themselves and society instead of solely depending on the government. Yen sometimes uses a hairdryer to air out her clothes on the balcony.

Vietnam has confirmed 53 Covid-19 infections so far, but 16 of them were discharged weeks ago. The nation had gone for 22 days without a new infection before Nguyen Hong Nhung, a 26-year-old woman returning Hanoi from London on flight VN54 on March 2, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on March 6.

The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 145 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to over 5,400.
Canadian lawmakers approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on Friday, helping ensure that predictability can return to North American supply chains once the dust settles from the coronavirus pandemic.

Members of the House of Commons and the Senate voted unanimously to approve the trade agreement before suspending sessions because of the coronavirus.

"It brings certainty to the trade community and the trucking industry," Steve Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, told FreightWaves.

USMCA isn't expected to bring significant changes to Canada's trucking industry. The Canadian Trucking Alliance plans to closely examine the final text of the agreement and its annexes.

The news came as almost a footnote as Canada grappled with the growing crisis of coronavirus. On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau  self-quarantined with his wife, who has the virus  said the government was considering tightening border controls as it urged Canadians to avoid nonessential travel.

The implications, if any, for cross-border trucking remain unclear.

But Laskowski, whose organization represents carriers across the country, urged caution for any potential restrictions that would create barriers for healthy truckers to cross the border.

"It's not workable for the economy. The economy moves by truck," Laskowski said. "Thousands of trucks cross the border each day."

Image Sourced from Pixabay

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Tanzania's opposition leader Freeman Mbowe was released from jail on Friday, after paying a fine following his conviction alongside other opposition figures and lawmakers on charges related to a banned demonstration.

Mbowe and seven other opposition MPs and officials -- some released on Thursday -- were freed after the party raised most of the 350 million shillings ($152,000) in penalties required.

The demonstration had been banned by President John Magufuli's government, which has been accused of crushing dissent, jailing critics and passing draconian laws that weaken basic freedoms in Tanzania.

"Our chairman Freeman Mbowe is now free. People's power has finally opened the gates of prisons. Congratulations to Tanzanians," the opposition party Chadema wrote on Twitter.

A Dar es Salaam court on Tuesday ordered the eight Chadema officials and a fellow co-accused to pay a fine or serve five months in prison on what the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee slammed as "spurious charges".

On its Twitter account the committee said the case was "more evidence of deteriorating political space and freedoms in Tanzania."

Mbowe and the others were charged in 2018 with sedition, unlawful assembly and inciting violence, among other offences, over a rally in which police fired live rounds to disperse Chadema supporters demanding accreditation in a local election.

A 22-year-old student who was not taking part was shot dead by a stray bullet from police.

Some of the charges were linked to a speech Mbowe gave during the demonstration in which he said Magufuli would not last long in his job.

The strongman leader, who was elected in 2015, is expected to run for another term later this year in a country once seen as a bastion of democracy in a tumultuous part of Africa.

Magufuli took office as a corruption-fighting "man of the people" but has been criticised for his authoritarian leadership style.

In September 2017, lawmaker Tundu Lissu, a member of Chadema, was shot and seriously injured at his home.

The following year two local Chadema officials were killed by unknown gunmen, in murders described by the opposition as political assassinations.
The United States announced Saturday that a travel ban imposed on European nations over the coronavirus pandemic will be extended to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

President Donald Trump has decided to "suspend all travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland. That will be effective midnight Monday night EST (0400 GMT Tuesday)," Vice President Mike Pence told a White House news conference.

"Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home. Legal residents can come home," Pence said, adding that such people would be "funneled through specific airports and processed."

Trump's sweeping travel ban has drawn an angry response from European officials, who have called for cooperation to fight the pandemic.

The 30-day US ban on travel from the 26 countries of Europe's Schengen border-free zone took effect on Saturday, but notably excluded Britain and Ireland.

The move caused widespread consternation among travelers, with even exempted American citizens uncertain about their status after the deadline expired.

Trump had earlier confirmed the ban would be extended to those countries as the pandemic progresses, saying: "They've had a little bit of activity, unfortunately."

Britain's death toll from the novel coronavirus nearly doubled on Saturday, to 21.

Official figures showed the country has 1,140 confirmed cases -- an increase of 342 from the day before, but a senior health official has estimated that the number of infected people is more likely to be between 5,000 and 10,000.

The Republic of Ireland -- which has taken strict steps to stem the spread of the coronavirus -- so far had 70 confirmed cases and one death.
Overall, there are now 44 cases, including a doctor at a children's hospital.

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Slovakia has 12 new cases of the coronavirus, PM Peter Pellegrini reported on March 14. That makes the overall number of infected patients in Slovakia 44.

The 12 cases according to their place of residence are from:

- Bratislava (four men, three women)

- district Bytca (one man)

- district Svidnik (one man)

- district Senec (two women)

- district Nove Zamky (one man)

Pellegrini stated that the government will consider announcing more stringent restrictions on Sunday, March 15, in an attempt to prevent spreading the coronavirus. He criticised people sitting in pubs and not taking the recommendations of the authorities seriously. It seems that only such big and serious restrictions will help here," he told media.

Other news on coronavirus:

Our paywall policy The Slovak Spectator has decided to leave all the articles about the coronavirus available for everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.
NEW YORK (AP)  Bank of America is slashing the amount it charges customers when they spend more than they have in their accounts and plans to eliminate entirely its fees for bounced checks.
A national campaign to create heightened awareness and knowledge about cancer-insurance and critical illness insurance will be undertaken by the director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.

"There is an enormous segment of the American population that has zero knowledge about the risk of developing cancer prior to retirement ," explains Jesse Slome, director of both the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance as well as the relaunched American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.



A little-discussed form of valuable protection, critical illness insurance can pay a lump-sum of cash upon diagnosis of a critical illness. "Cancer is no longer a death sentence, especially if you are between the ages of 35 and 70," Slome notes. "You are going to get treated and you are going to likely survive but that will come with a price tag that most are unprepared to pay."



The first step in the educational effort was the re-launching of the organization's website. "We intend to make this the leading national resource for consumers seeking relevant information along with options for those who want to take next steps," the insurance expert explains.

Slome who founded the national long-term care insurance in 1997 was recruited by industry leaders to create a critical illness insurance focused organization in 2009. "There was an initial surge of interest and support, but ultimately we focused more of our efforts on long-term care insurance education," Slome admits. "Things do change and there are several new generations of young adults who have no knowledge about this important topic, and I am very pleased that we'll be kicking things back into gear."

To learn more visit the Association's website at www.criticalillnessinsuranceinfo.org.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Saturday welcomed the revocation of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) imposed on Conference chief and former CM of J & K Farooq Abdullah and demanded the immediate release of all political detainees in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The CPI has demanded the release of all the political detainees in Jammu and Kashmir. It is good that the government issued orders to revoke detention of Farooq Abdullah, but what about the release of Farooq's son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Why are not releasing the other political detainees," D Raja CPI General Secretary told ANI on Saturday.

The government on Friday issued orders to revoke detention of Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, who was detained under the Public Safety Act following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Commenting upon the Delhi government and several state governments passing a resolution against the implementation of the process of Population Register (NPR) enumeration in their state, D Raja said: "What Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha is not convincing at all. Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), NPR and National Register of Citizens (NRC) should be seen as one entity. They can be not de-linked from each other. Hence, several states refuse to implement the current form of NPR."

The Centre on Thursday reiterated that no documents would be needed for NPR and there will be no 'D' (doubtful) category.

"I am again repeating that no documents will be needed for the NPR. All the information asked is optional. Nobody has to fear from the process of NPR. There will be no 'D' (doubtful) category," Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Last month, the Centre had said that during the updation of NPR, "no verification is done to find individuals whose citizenship is doubtful.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bishops for the Catholic and Episcopal churches have suspended worship at all churches in Western Washington because of coronavirus concerns, while several other Cowlitz County churches plan to hold Sunday services with added health safety measures.

Leaders from several local churches say theres little modern experience for dealing with pandemics, so for now churches are following federal, state and local health recommendations and abiding by any specific denominational requirements.

This is just not a situation anyone alive has ever had to deal with, said Nic Mather, the pastor at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Longview.

St. Stephens building is closed to public services or group meetings until at least March 29, Mather said.

Being a church with the hierarchical structure we have, when the bishop asks us to something, we do it, Mather said. But also, at least for us, it makes the most sense to try to institute some of those social distancing procedures now even though we dont have any identifies cases in the county. If we can help our community get out in front of it, its a good thing.

The church will continue its Radical Love feeding program, though meals will be given to-go instead of served in a church building, Mather said.

For people who are vulnerable ... we just cant (totally) shut the door on them, Mather said.

St. Rose Catholic Church in Longview, Immaculate Heart Mary in Kelso, St. Marys in Castle Rock and St. Catherines in Cathlamet have canceled public masses until further notice, following an order from the Archbishop of Seattle. St. Rose will open 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays for drop-in visits for private prayers, confession or to meet with priest, said Pastor Bryan Och.

Without the ability to collect Sunday offerings, some churches could suffer financial strain from long-term closures.

But thats really a minor piece of what we bring in, Mather said. Most of our finances are tied to what we call pledges. The only issue well run into is if this really stretches out into a long time and people arent able to make their pledges because of loss of income.

And Mather and Ochs remained optimistic their churches will weather a short-term closures and come out with spiritually strengthened congregations.

Its hard to tell how this will affect us. I think that it actually brings about a lot of opportunities for ... personal prayer and private study of our faith, Ochs said. Shake-ups like this cause people to think about how they spend their time. It brings a lot of change into peoples lives, and a lot of that change can be very positive.

Longview Presbyterian Church independently chose to suspended its worship and church activities until further notice. Church officials plan to live-stream the Sunday service, said Pastor Dexter Kearny.

As we are hearing from colleagues in Italy and also communities closer to home like Seattle  we are hearing over and over that they wish they had done something sooner, that that wished they had been proactive instead of reactive, Kearny said.

We are praying for all the other churches and other communities as they make the difficult decision to face coronavirus and what that means for our communities, he added.

Area churches that are staying open have adapted worship practices to follow health recommendations. Longview Community Church, for example, is asking congregants to avoid physical touching.We are trying to reduce those contact points, so we will not be encouraging shaking of hands during our welcome time, and we also will not be passing an offering plate, said Pastor Dave Hendrickson. We will allow people to drop it off in a basket in the lobby of the church. We are trying to do the best that we can in reducing the number of contacts.

Church leaders decided Friday to hold the usual Sunday worship services at 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m., Hendrickson said.

I didnt want fear to keep people away, but I wanted to make sure we were complaint with what the state and local health authorities as asking, he said. I just felt I wanted to give people the opportunity to come and gather and to worship, especially during times of crisis (like this).

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Epidemiologists have hit out at Britain's approach to coronavirus as other countries around the world are 'firefighting' the pandemic.

As the world remains in the grip of the deadly pandemic, many are questioning why Britain has failed to implement similar draconian measures seen in other countries.

While Italy, Spain and France are in total lockdown, America shuts its doors to travellers from Europe and the streets of China are desolate, the UK appears to be carrying on as normal.

'They're trying to walk this terrible balance between not alarming the public, not hurting the economy, but making sure you try to flatten this epidemic,' Roy Anderson, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London told The New York Times.

Commuters on the London Underground are continuing to go about their daily lives amid warnings Britain is on the same trajectory as Italy

'Is it going to work? I'm not sure, to be honest.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency Cobra committee on Friday where he declared the UK's tactics will shift from 'containing' the killer disease to merely 'delaying' its inevitable spread.

Mr Johnson branded the coronavirus as the 'worst public health crisis in a generation' and warned that 'many more' will die.

But he said that the government would still not impose bans on sporting events and added that closing schools 'could do more harm than good'.

'The idea is more to minimize the number of casualties over the long term,' Professor Francois Balloux an infectious disease epidemiologist at University College London said.

'And that's completely unique. All other countries are firefighting in the short term.'

Jeremy Hunt, who is now chair of the Commons health and social care select committee, has said he believes the PM must do more to encourage social distancing  and was particularly concerned care homes are not being told to ban visitors.

While Italy is in total lockdown, America shuts its doors to travellers from Europe and the streets of China are desolate, the UK appears to be carrying on as normal

Mr Stewart, who led the UK's effort to fight ebola in Africa in 2019, said: 'I think we can be very tough, and clear, [with the British public]. This is the worst pandemic we have had for 100 years.

'The Government's approach is essentially defeatist. They are saying we cannot suppress this. They say there is no point in spending a huge amount of money trying to suppress this, instead they are trying to manage the increase. We are taking far too much risk.

'I think that is a dangerous thing to do. I don't think if we allow this to spread it can be managed in that way.

'And when you start getting serious numbers of people dying and the terrible choices that have to be made in hospitals, people will think that paying the cost early, now, was the right thing to do'.

Italy, Spain and France are now on lockdown as the number of cases have surged across Europe

Worried residents queued up outside a supermarket in Irun near San Sebastian, Spain, after the Spanish government declared a state of emergency

Debate is raging over whether the Prime Minister has gone far enough to protect the UK's 66million people from the pandemic.

The total number of cases in the UK leapt from 820 this morning to 1,145 this afternoon. 21 people have so far died from the virus in the UK.

Italy, Spain and France are now on lockdown as the number of cases have surged across Europe.
Controversial plans for the construction of 172 apartments at the site of The Lord Mayor's pub in Swords have been met with strong objections from local residents and a decision the application will ultimately fall outside the control of Fingal County Council.

The planning application, by Jacko Investments Ltd, will involve the demolition of the landmark building, and apartments of four to seven-storey blocks being constructed.

The size of the development means it qualifies as a Strategic Housing Development, meaning the application will go directly to An Bord Pleanala which will then decide if the development goes ahead.

Local Fianna Fail councillor, Darragh Butler, who met with a number of his fellow councillors from Swords recently to discuss the planning application, explained local residents' concerns.

He said: 'The main thing that we're getting from the public is that the pub itself is not protected, that it can be demolished because it's not on the list of protected buildings around Fingal.

'The second area is that seven stories is too high, and other residents are concerned about the traffic.

'An Bord Pleanala did consult with Fingal County Council, and what will happen at one of our upcoming Area Committee meetings is that it will be on the agenda and the council will be able to have their say on it, and the councillors' feedback will feed into the submission by Fingal County Council that will go to An Bord Pleanala.'

He said: 'People aren't against housing, we obviously need it badly and you're not going to build houses there, it's always going to be apartments in a town centre location like that, but people just want to make sure it's done right.

'My problem with these Strategic Housing Developments is if there's going to be too much, and in years to come that's going to lead to other problems.'

Cllr Butler said he believed Swords and other parts of Fingal will see similar Strategic Housing Developments being built, giving rise to more public outcry.

The Fianna Fail councillor said he and other councillors are encouraging members of the public to send submissions on the planning application to An Bord Pleanla so that their objections may be heard.
KELOWNA, British Columbia, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allied Corp. ("Allied" or the "Company") (OTCQB: ALID), an international medical cannabis company focused on creating and providing targeted cannabinoid health solutions to address todays medical issues is pleased to announce that March 6th, 2020 marked the beginning of the third healing retreat held at The Haven on Gabriola Island, BC Canada.



This Allied Charitable Foundation (ACF) three day retreat was conducted under the same format as the previous success retreats. The focus of these retreats is to allow Veterans and First Responders to experience evidence based healing modalities such as therapeutic drumming, iRest Meditation, Yoga and Shinrin-Yoku nature therapy in their recovery. The breakdown of the day begins with an orientation and introduction meeting in the morning and the rest of the day will be spent together in roundtable discussions and group activities. Like the previous retreats all meals were provided giving attendees as much time as possible to network and to get to know the fellow attendees.

John Hughes explained, The healing retreats we put together offer Veterans and First Responders the time and place to learn and become proficient in self-regulating techniques with community influences. Its a time to build up techniques for resilience and resetting the nervous system. We learn how anxiety can best be handled and a plan for overall life change.

ACF has been created in accordance with Allieds overall mission to help promote healing for as many Veterans and First Responders as possible. With financial support from Allied Corporation, these retreats are able to be offered free of charge to Veterans and First Responders on their road back to health. It is Allieds vision to create a legacy that will perpetuate the opportunities for those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress to embark on their own healing journey.

We are partnering with veteran-led organizations to offer healing programming between retreats with the goal of increasing community outreach and cohesion following retreats. John explained, We are also teaming up with Dr. Anna Baranowsky from the Traumatology Institute in Toronto, Ontario to offer follow-up support through our online community and whatisptsd.com 's seven week online, self-guided trauma recovery program. We look forward to spring and deepened connections with the Veteran and First Responder communities across Canada as we extend our partnerships beyond healing retreats. We are very excited our next retreat set for June 2020.

Story continues

For more information on Allied Corp., visit www.allied.health

About Allied Corp.

Allied Corp. is an international medical cannabis production company with a mission to address todays medical issues by researching, creating and producing targeted cannabinoid health solutions. Allied Corp. uses an evidence-informed scientific approach to make this mission possible, through cutting-edge pharmaceutical research and development, innovative plant-based production and unique development of therapeutic products.

Media Contact:

allied@5wpr.com

Investor Relations:

Anthony Zelen

ir@allied.health

+1-778-388-5258

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada or forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, forward-looking information). Forward-looking information may relate to the Companys future outlook and anticipated events, plans or results, and may include information regarding the Companys objectives, goals, strategies, future revenue or performance and capital expenditures, and other information that is not historical information. Forward-looking information can often be identified by the use of terminology such as believe, anticipate, plan, expect, pending, in process, intend, estimate, project, may, will, should, would, could, can, the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on the Companys opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of managements experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. Forward looking statements in this press release include the following: that Allied is leveraging the conditions in its Colombia grow operation and future Kelowna location to support its Research and Development efforts; that Allied is making important strides forward to position itself as a leader in the medical cannabis space, that Allied intends to make a series of proposed trademark and other intellectual property protection filings, as part of the Companys Intellectual Property and Pharma Development (IP&PD) Strategy, statements respecting the joint development, manufacturing, and introduction of TACTICAL RELIEF branded products, and the use of proceeds from the offering of convertible notes.

There can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information in this release include: the Companys exposure to legal and regulatory risk; the effect of the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Canada and Colombia on the medical cannabis industry is unknown and may significantly and negatively affect the Companys medical cannabis business; that the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabis are not as currently expected; that adverse changes or developments affecting the Companys main or planned facilities may have an adverse effect on the Company; that the medical cannabis industry and market may not continue to exist or develop as anticipated or the Company may not be able to succeed in this market; risks related to completion of the greenhouse construction in Colombia, risks related to market competition; risks related to the proposed adult-use cannabis industry and market in Canada and Colombia including the Companys ability to enter into or compete in such markets; that the Company has a limited operating history and a history of net losses and that it may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future; risks related to the Companys current or proposed international operations; risks related to future third party strategic alliances or the expansion of currently existing relationships with third parties; that the Company may not be able to successfully identify and execute future acquisitions or dispositions or successfully manage the impacts of such transactions on its operations; risks inherent to the operation of an agricultural business; that the Company may be unable to attract, develop and retain key personnel; risks resulting from significant interruptions to the Companys access to certain key inputs such as raw materials, electricity, water and other utilities; that the Company may be unable to transport its cannabis products to patients in a safe and efficient manner; risks related to recalls of the Companys cannabis products or product liability or regulatory claims or actions involving the Companys cannabis products; risks related to the Companys reliance on pharmaceutical distributors; that the Company, or the cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavourable publicity or become subject to negative consumer or investor perception; that certain events or developments in the cannabis industry more generally may impact the Companys reputation or its relationships with customers or suppliers; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in respect of the risks that it faces, that the premiums for such insurance may not continue to be commercially justifiable or that there may be coverage limitations and other exclusions which may result in such insurance not being sufficient; that the Company may become subject to liability arising from fraudulent or illegal activity by its employees, contractors, consultants and others; that the Company may experience breaches of security at its facilities or losses as a result of the theft of its products; risks related to the Companys information technology systems; that the Company may be unable to sustain its revenue growth and development; that the Company may be unable to expand its operations quickly enough to meet demand or manage its operations beyond their current scale; that the Company may be unable to secure adequate or reliable sources of necessary funding; risks related to, or associated with, the Companys exposure to reporting requirements; risks related to conflicts of interest; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to the Companys potential exposure to greater-than-anticipated tax liabilities; risks related to the protection and enforcement of the Companys intellectual property rights, or the intellectual property that it licenses from others; that the Company may become subject to allegations that it or its licensors are in violation of the intellectual property rights of third parties; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of the clinical trials or studies that it participates in; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of its licenses if the licensed material has less market appeal than expected and the licenses may not be profitable; as well as any other risks that may be further described in and the risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure including its Management's Discussion and Analysis sections in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under the Company's profile at www.sec.gov.

Although management has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information in this presentation, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information in this presentation. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers and viewers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made. The forward-looking information contained in this release represents the Companys expectations as of the date of this release or the date indicated, regardless of the time of delivery of the presentation. The Company disclaims any intention, obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws.
By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak, a government minister said on Friday. Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, earns about $4.4 million a year in permit fees from climbers aiming to scale the world's highest peak and other mountains

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak, a government minister said on Friday.

Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, earns about $4.4 million a year in permit fees from climbers aiming to scale the world's highest peak and other mountains.

Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai said expeditions to all peaks in the March-May spring season had been suspended.

"Climbing this season has been closed, Bhattarai told Reuters.

Asked if the closure was because of the coronavirus, he said: "It is as a precaution for that."

Nepal has confirmed just one case of the coronavirus - a student studying in China on a trip home - out of 450 people tested.

The suspension of expeditions in Nepal will affect hundreds of foreign climbers now preparing for the spring season, a window or relatively good weather between the end of the bitterly cold winter and the rainy season, which begins in June.

Everest rises to a height of 8,850 metres (29,035 feet) on the border between Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet. China announced the closure of its side of the mountain on Thursday.

It is the second time in recent years that the climbing season has been disrupted. Expeditions were suspended in 2015 after a major earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 that year, killing some 9,000 people.

Eighteen people were killed at the Everest base camp when an avalanche triggered by the quake roared down a slope.

"This is disappointing news for both our expedition leaders and our clients who have trained for months for this years climb," said Lukas Furtenbach, of the California-based guiding company Furtenbach Adventure.

BIG LOSS

Adrian Ballinger of the Alpenglow Expeditions company said he understood the decision.

"While cancelling a climb is never an outcome we want, this time, its the responsible thing to do, Ballinger said in a statement.

"A COVID-19 outbreak at base camp would be dangerous and potentially devastating," he said.

Nepali expedition operators said the cancellation of all climbing expeditions would not only mean no permit fees for the government but the loss of income to hiking agencies, sherpa guides, porters and support staff.

Many porters and guides rely on the short climbing season for their annual income and support families for the year on the earnings.

Nepal has more than 400 mountain peaks open to foreign climbers.

A permit for Everest costs $11,000 but Dambar Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators' Association (EOA), said a foreign climber hoping to climb Everest spends up to $60,000 in all, on the permit, wages for guides, porters, kitchen staff, transport, hotels and food.

Last year, 381 climbers went to climb Everest.

"The financial cost of the cancellation hasn't been calculated but it's a very huge amount," Parajuli told Reuters.

Indian mountaineer Debashish Biswas had planned an expedition to Everest this spring to mark the 10th anniversary of his first ascent.

"This is a big setback," Biswas said

Nepal would also stop issuing visas on arrival until April 30, an official said.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; additional reporting by Abhirup Roy in Mumbai; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani, Robert Birsel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Countries across Europe were placed into lockdown yesterday in a desperate attempt to stem the soaring tally of coronavirus cases after the Continent became the new 'epicentre' of the global pandemic.

France last night took the decision to close all non-essential public locations.

Restaurants, shops, cinemas and cafes have shut for the foreseeable future as French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe branded the virus the 'biggest health crisis in a century'.

In Spain, the government declared a state of emergency as the death toll there rose by 120 and the number of confirmed cases leapt from 1,500 to more than 5,700 in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Poland shut down all its airports - forcing thousands of stranded British tourists to head out of the country by car.

Borders were also closed to foreign visitors in Denmark, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine.

TOURISTS on the Spanish Costas for some warm winter sunshine have been warned: 'Don't act as if you're on holiday.' Beaches are being closed along the Costa Blanca which covers resorts like Benidorm and the Costa del Sol

general view at the main entrance of Disneyland Paris resort and parks as Disneyland Paris joins Disney parks closures amid coronavirus concerns on March 14. The park is closing its doors to visitors due to Covid-19

A sign informing people that the Eiffel Tower is closed is displayed on March 14, due to a sharp increase in the number of cases of coronavirus declared in Paris and throughout the rest of the country

Across the Continent, hundreds of tourist attractions and sites were closed including Disneyland Paris, the Eiffel Tower and Barcelona's Sagrada Familia.

In Spain, police patrolled popular beach resorts such as Benidorm and the Costa del Sol urging people to stay inside. There were 3,000 new diagnoses in the capital, Madrid, and health authorities stopped testing those with only mild symptoms in the city.

The state of emergency means millions of Spanish people - and 300,000 British expats - will be allowed to venture outside only to commute to work, buy food and medicine, or to go to hospital.

Sarah Cowie, a British expat living in Spain, said: 'I've been living in Granada since September and am now preparing to leave the country as it goes into lockdown.

'It's very, very real and I hope I can get on my Tuesday flight.'

Eva Marie, from Leicester, who is studying in Madrid, said she was 'spending the day watching Netflix in my apartment, following the news and packing my case in hopes my flight to the UK tomorrow will still go ahead'.

Police in Benidorm had run-ins with British holidaymakers who had spent much of the day drinking on the streets after bars and clubs were shut.

In Poland, British tourists were in a race against time as the country announced that all planes and trains out of the country would be stopped from midnight last night.

As the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Poland, many travellers were fleeing for the border in taxis after their flights were cancelled.

Soldiers from the military's chemical units take part in a drill organised by the New Taipei City government to prevent the spread of thecoronavirus, in Xindian district in Taiwan, March 14

Global map shows total number of Covid-19 cases and death tolls. In many countries, the number of infections is set to rise

One group of Britons on a two-day stag party in Krakow were told by their travel reps that they should leave the country by midnight.

Charlie Leather, 32, from East London, told The Mail on Sunday: 'We've been told we need to leave the country otherwise we won't be able to get out. We've paid 1,400 to get two seven-seater cabs to Berlin, where we've booked flights out on Monday morning. It's going to take us five hours and forty minutes to get there.'

Ruth Robertson, from Inverness, who flew in to Krakow on Thursday, said she had been left stranded.

'At about 10 o'clock on Friday night our receptionist told us that all of the restaurants and shops were closing.

'In the morning, we were told they were closing the hotel and we would have to leave immediately.

'We went to the airport because we had nowhere to go. They've cancelled our flight for tomorrow and we've phoned British Airways but they are offering no help.

'I came with five friends for a weekend, just for a visit, and we were told on the way out that our travel would be safe.'
L.A. Attorneys Create Task Force to Address Swindling in State of Emergency

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and District Attorney Jackie Lacey today announced the formation of a task force aimed at protecting people from price gouging and false claims on products sold during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Price gouging during this time is defined as raising the cost of goods more than 10% during a state of emergency.

As we know, there is tremendous fear and anxiety about the coronavirus, and its making Angelenos vulnerable, Feuer said. Our offices are here to protect the public from being taken advantage of.

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The city attorney said the task force has scoured the internet to look for any significant increases in prices. He said the task force bought on Amazon a half-gallon of bleach listed for $100, as well as a pair of one-liter bottles of hand sanitizer for $149, well above their market prices.

`Those goods have yet to arrive. We anticipate receiving them in the next day or so, Feuer said. The mere posting of  an exaggerated amount fuels panic, and that panic will lead to a lack of necessities at stores when people really need necessities.

The city attorney said he will take legal action against the online sellers if they can identify them as well as out-of-state criminals, and his office has contacted Amazon about the issues.

Criminal penalties for price gouging can lead to up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.

We have other claims under investigation right now, and we are prepared to take further action, Feuer said.

Feuer said his office has already identified some companies that have made questionable claims, such as a company that advertised that its Vitamin C products could prevent or reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, as well as

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The Jim Bakker Show, which recently featured people peddling silver tonics they claimed could prevent people from getting the virus. Both claims have either been debunked or are unproven, Feuer said.

Feuer said his office gives companies five days to either provide evidence of the claims or remove any content related to the questionable claims from their broadcast and websites. He also said that people should be skeptical of companies that say certain masks can further reduce risk to the virus.

Lacey said her office has been releasing Fraud Friday alerts to let people know of recent scams, and said her office would prosecute anyone involved in text, email, social media or any other kind of scam advertising.

This week, weve really seen a heightened fear, Lacey said. Its important to remember that there are no approved vaccines, drugs or supplements of any type currently available to treat and prevent the coronavirus. Consumers who fall prey to these scams put themselves and those around them in danger with the false confidence that comes with using these so- called cures.

Lacey said people should also check the validity of organizations claiming to collect money for coronavirus patients through an independent source or the Better Business Bureau.

She said people should save their receipts of products that they bought which are believed to be fraudulent or overpriced and give them to the District Attorneys Office.

People who believe theyve been victims of price gouging or false claims can visit the city attorneys website at lacityattorney.org or call 213-978-8340, or call the district attorneys consumer protection division hotline at 213-257-2450.
CLAIM: Billionaire philanthropist George Soros owns Smartmatic voting machines. Dont throw your vote away if you live in a state that uses them. Ask for a paper ballot. Under federal law the polling place must provide one.

APS ASSESSMENT: Soros, who donates to liberal political causes, does not own Smartmatic, a company that specializes in voting technology.

A post circulating on Facebook featuring a photo of Soros and titled Defeat Election Fraud falsely claims he owns the company and names 16 states as places that use them. Three of the states  Michigan, Missouri and Washington  were holding primaries on Tuesday.

Similar false claims have circulated previously with posts dating as far back as 2016. Michigan has three voting system vendors approved for the state, which are Dominion Voting Systems, Election Systems and Software and Hart InterCivic. Samira Saba, a spokeswoman for Smartmatic, told The Associated Press in an email that Los Angeles County is currently the companys only client in the U.S.

While the chairman of SmartMatics and the SGO Group, Mark Malloch-Brown, serves on the Open Society Foundations Global Board  founded by George Soros  SmartMatics is not owned by Soros himself, despite what the post circulating widely on social media suggested. The companys website noted that George Soros does not have and has never had any ownership stake in Smartmatic. Smartmatic took part in its first U.S. election during the 2005-06 election cycle, when it offered its services to 16 states, according to their website.
A man in jeans and a black shirt walked into the East Flagstaff Community Library, right around dinner hour, bearing not books but a covered dish extended in front of him like an offering. Even the most dispassionate patrons, even those with noses buried in a tome or laptop, could not help but look up as the man headed toward the community room in the back.

That aroma of freshly-made Bolognese  oh my, how pungent, how alluring. The scent lingered, wafting through the stacks where people browsed and past the bank of computer terminals where others diligently tapped away.

Michael Carrigg, only a little early, was the first of a half dozen participants in the librarys monthly Cooking the Books club, in which food lovers are asked to check out a cookbook from the library, choose a recipe and bring it to a potluck where the intricacies of preparation and challenges of hewing to the instructions are mulled with open arms  and mouths.

In a few minutes, the others would arrive with pans and books in tow. Babs Felix and John Sears, newlyweds who found each other later in life and now share a life and a kitchen, would arrive next with a cranberry apple salad (Babs) and a zucchini-crusted pizza (John) culled from different cookbooks. Therese Gribbons would bring an Irish dish, mashed potatoes infused with cabbage, Lee Leary a pan of Snow-White Raspberry Brownies, sans chocolate, and Ann Garner a cocoa avocado mousse.

But, for now, Carrigg waited and fretted, somewhat, about his choice. He is something of a Bolognese connoisseur, ate it as a child and has made his own for two decades. He found the recipe for meat sauce (ground beef and pork) Bolognese from a book titled Lidias Italian-American Kitchen, but, with apologies to author Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Carrigg made a few strategic recipe tweaks: sun-dried tomato paste, a splash of red wine, heavy cream and  anchovies.

Yes, anchovies  it really spices it up, Carrigg said. Just two fillets. It enhances the meat without overpowering it. Anchovies are controversial. I love them, eat them raw, but my wife wont tolerate it.

Recipes changes are, indeed, not only permitted but often encouraged as part of the unwritten rules of the Cooking the Books club, which for the past two years has met monthly first at the librarys main branch but now at the eastside location. Whereas, in most book-club settings, someone would be discouraged to, say, change the ending of Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse, here there is no such thing as a sacrosanct text.

Carrigg would not be alone in doing tweaks. Garner, for instance, took liberties with the cocoa avocado mousse recipe from Jae Steeles Get It Ripe vegan cookbook. She used dates (rather than agave nectar) for her sweetener and coconut cream (in lieu of canned milk). And Barbara Tait, librarian hosting the event, used gluten-free flour for some of the cranberry pistachio cookies she made from the book The Two-Pan, One-Pot Cookbook.

The verdict on Carriggs version of Bolognese  not to mention everyone elses offerings  would not be rendered until the end of the night, once members had finished tucking into the meal and the chefs are called upon to stand and explain choices.

That might sound like the stuff of cutthroat reality TV, but, no, Cooking the Books is a welcoming, safe space. Talk turned to other matters besides the dishes at hand. Felix and Sears told of how they met (on the internet) and married in 2018 and how Sears has lost 60 pounds (from a high of 245) through Felixs food influence. Sears then mused on the steps he needed to make his zucchini-crusted pizza from The Moosewood Cookbook, how he had to shred the vegetable and then squeeze the juice out of it in a handkerchief.

Dont you find, Gribbons mused, that some of the things were doing now our grandparents and parents did in the kitchen? I can still remember my mother doing that.

The group bonded so much over its love of cookbooks that nobody batted an eye when Garner confessed that she has two nightly rituals to relax before bedtime: Reading cookbooks and looking at floor plans. Its quirky, I know.

At last, it was Carriggs turn to explain his Bolognese choices. When he got to part about the anchovies, Felix exclaimed, Oh, wow! But the group raved about his creation. On the table across the way, only a few pasta strands remained.

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March 13, 2020

News

By David Vergun

Defense.gov

DOD Officials Describe Missile Defense Efforts

Defending the homeland and deployed forces, allies and partners from missile threats of any type is the military's top priority.

The Defense Department continues to invest in technologies that accomplish this, particularly in the space-based sensor-tracking of advanced cruise missiles and hypersonic threats, said Rob Soofer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy.

Soofer and DOD officials testified yesterday at a hearing before a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on strategic forces.

DOD also plans to field 20 additional ground-based interceptors to address rogue-state missile threats coming from North Korea, he said. The department is also deploying additional advanced radars in Alaska.

Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, commander of the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, described a layered missile defense system that can detect threats from the sea, land, air, space and cyber domains.

While ground-based interceptors can intercept missiles now, a next generation interceptor will be needed in the future as adversaries' missiles become more advanced, he said.

Navy Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said a year ago the ground-based, midcourse defense system successfully intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile target.

Later this year, Missile Defense Agency will be preparing for initial fielding of the Long Range Discrimination Radar, he said.

MDA is also working to integrate various missile defense systems, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriot Missile Defense System, he said.

Army Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said air and missile defense is among the Army's top six modernization priorities.

Examples of the work being done by the Army is testing of the first five prototype systems of interim, mobile, short-range air defense, he said.

Also, the Army selected the Iron Dome Weapon System as the indirect fire protection against cruise missiles, he said.

The Army is also experimenting with high-energy lasers, which are a low-cost complement to kinetic energy weapons to counter artillery, rocket, mortars, cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft threats, he said.

To sum up, Karbler said the Army is working on defensive and offensive systems to counter missile threats in all phases of flight, including pre-launch; all-weather conditions; and in any denied, degraded or contested environment.

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Coronavirus pandemic has left people hunting for two things in particular, face masks and hand sanitiser, to the extent that shops are running short of supplies. The limited supplies of hand sanitisers and face masks, declared essential commodities by the government, are available at higher prices than normal.

However, a surgical shop in Keralas Kochi is acting like a good Samaritan and has made the masks available at a price of Rs 2 per piece to the the most needy- hospitals and medical teams. The shop has sold over 5,000 masks in just two days, The News Minute reported.

The shop owner bought the masks for Rs 10 per piece from the manufacturers and sold them at Rs 2. The owners of the shop Cochin Surgicals, Thasleem and Nadheem, said that despite incurring losses by selling the masks at lower price, they were not worried about the business.

"Kerala is going through a one-of-a-kind situation now. We don't know what's going to happen, maybe tomorrow I might contract the disease. When we heard there was a shortage of masks, especially for hospital staff, we suddenly decided to sell all the stock we had at a low price. And within two days, our stock has been completed. Most was sold to medical teams and hospitals," Thasleem was quoted as saying by The News Minute.

The COVID-19 virus has infected 83 people in India so far, while two lives have been lost to the disease declared as pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Kerala has reported 19 cases of the infection so far.

The government on Friday declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for the next 100 days as it stepped up efforts to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of Coronavirus.

The Centre has also invoked the Disaster Management Act to ensure price regulation and availability of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitisers and gloves.

The government pointed out that masks and hand sanitisers are either not available in the market or are available with great difficulty at exorbitant prices, in view of the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. It has also issued an advisory under the Legal Metrology Act.

The demand for the masks has spiked amid the virus scare even as the Health department has said that there is no need to wear a mask all the time.

(With inputs from agencies)
(Photo : Radiological Society of North America ) Coronavirus Update: Ravage Lung X-Ray Photos Show How Coronavirus Could Kill You Softly... But Surely? (Photo : Radiological Society of North America ) Coronavirus Update: Ravage Lung X-Ray Photos Show How Coronavirus Could Kill You Softly... But Surely? (Photo : Radiological Society of North America ) Coronavirus Update: Ravage Lung X-Ray Photos Show How Coronavirus Could Kill You Softly... But Surely?

If you are one of the thousands of victims of Coronavirus or COVID-19 in the world, what would be the status of your lungs? This question intrigues most scientists in the Radiological Society of North America or RSNA, which brings their studies to published the lung x-rays of those people with COVID-19. What they found out might shock you.

[IMAGES] Inside the lungs of a Coronavirus patient: What does it look like now?

According to the updated published report of RSNA, the first victim of Coronavirus came from Wuhan, China-- which the virus originated-- was a 44-year-old man when he died from the virus.

He was diagnosed on Dec. 25, 2019, Christmas Day, and suffers from high fever and terrible cough for almost two weeks starting on the day he was admitted to the hospital.

RSNA achieved to have copies of his lung x-rays in order to know how bad Coronavirus can be, especially since it is a respiratory viral disease that mainly targets the human lungs. According to their findings, the 44-year old Chinese man was first diagnosed with pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome wherein the doctors treated at that time; however, shortly after a week, the patient still died from the viral disease.

As explained by RSNA through the above image, the images from A to F explain how Coronavirus slowly kills its victim by filling up fluid on the person's lungs that add abnormalities to his system over time. This has the same effect as people that have diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Another picture of a lung x-ray from another victim of Coronavirus was shown by a 54-year-old woman that was also located at Wuhan. She had the same symptoms as the very first victim of COVID-19, and her lung x-ray also showed white patches and a "reversed halo sign" in her left upper lobe lung.

World Health Organization still not accurate with how COVID-19 works for different people

The World Health Organization or WHO is currently still studying more about the disease since there were reports that this virus can have various impacts on each individual. RSNA advised that these x-ray results do not merely identify whether a person has Coronavirus or not. Since it is a respiratory disease, there were also cases that other respiratory diseases were the result of the white patches and not COVID-19 itself.

"Although chest CT has demonstrated high sensitivity relative to RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 diagnosis, it may not reveal distinct patterns for COVID-19 in all cases. This can make it hard to distinguish COVID-19 from other causes of viral pneumonia," said RSNA.

WHO still advises proper hygiene to all citizens around the world to battle against the viral disease. But for now, no vaccines are yet being offered by the agency.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday called off its 'Gudi Padwa' celebration rally for this year amid coronavirus outbreak.

"Due to the serious situation because of coronavirus, we are cancelling the 'Gudhpadwa Melava' of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Also, municipal elections are going to take place in the coming weeks, but in view of the overall situation, the government should postpone these elections for at least six months," an MNS tweet, roughly translated in English, reads.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic. The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An entire collection of Dead Sea Scroll fragments on display in Washington D.C. are actually forgeries, according to new research.

National Geographic reports that a group of independent researchers has confirmed that the 16 fragments owned by the Museum of the Bible are fakes that fooled collectors, some biblical scholars, and the museum that had the scrolls on display.

In October 2018, Museum of the Bible announced five of the fragments it had on display were apparently faked and decided to retain to commissions experts to investigate its entire collection.

In 2018, the museum found that five of its fragments like the one pictured were actually faked, prompting it to launch an investigation into the others

Real pieces of Dead Sea Scrolls like the one pictured had a number of discrepancies compared to the faked counterparts, including the materials on which they were inscribed (stock)

The more than 200-page report conducted by researchers from Art Fraud Insights, says that the fakes, though likely printed on ancient leather, actually bore a number of glaring differences compared to the more than 100,000 real fragments of the ancient text.

For one, a team lead by art fraud investigator Colette Loll says that real scrolls were made from tanned parchment as opposed to the museum's leather versions.

Investigators hypothesize the forgeries could have been re-purposed from ancient leather sandals found during the Roman-era.

The fakes also appear to have been soaked in an amber-colored solution thought to be some kind of animal-skin glue which smoothed out the leather and made it look aesthetically similar to the real versions.

As explained by National Geographic, collagen in the parchment on which the real Dead Sea Scrolls are written broke down to form a gelatin that gives them their characteristic look.

Microscopic analysis of the fakes also revealed characteristics like ink pooling and torn edges caused by the inscription that wouldn't have been likely if the leather was new at the time they were made.

'The material is degraded, its so brittle, so inflexible,' investigator Abigail Quandt, the head of book and paper conservation at Baltimores Walters Art Museum told National Geographic.

'Its no wonder that the scholars were thinking these were untrained scribes, because they were really struggling to form these characters and keep their pens under control.'

Findings cast doubt on scrolls that surfaced in the early 2000's which may now be reexamined as a result

While the report doesn't illuminate much about the provenance of the fakes, it does cast doubt on an entire class of Dead Sea Scrolls that surfaced after 2002 - a class the Museum of the Bible's fakes belong to.

According to National Geographic, about 70 snippets of biblical text suddenly poured into the antiquity market in the early 2000's.

The origins of the scrolls have never been determined, but scholars have long cast doubt on their authenticity.

'Once one or two of the fragments were fake, you know all of them probably are, because they come from the same sources, and they look basically the same,' Arstein Justnes, a researcher at Norways University of Agder who also is invovled with Lying Pen of Scribes, a project tracks the post-2002 fragments, told National Geographic.

The museum says it plans to reorganize its exhibit to show how the scrolls were proven to faked and is revaluing the origin of other artifacts in its collection.
For the first time, devotees will be allowed to attend 'aarti' during Ram Navmi celebrations on the Ram Janmabhoomi premises next month as arrangements are being made to shift the Ram Lalla idols to a place 200 metres from the present makeshift temple.

Everyday it's only the main priest Satendra Das and his four assistants who perform the 'puja' with devotees kept out of the worship proceedings.

But this Ram Navmi, observed as the birth anniversary of Hindu deity Ram, is falling after the historic Supreme Court verdict paved the way for handing over of the disputed land to a trust to build the Ram temple.

There have been demands that Ram Navmi celebrations on April 2 be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the local administration is keen to carry on.

The trust has allowed the devotees to witness the proceedings and also raised the budget for celebrations from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1,50,000.

Mahant Satendra Das, who has been a priest at the Ram Janmabhoomi since 1992, before the Babri Masjid was brought down, said they can make better arrangements with the new allocation of funds.

"Yes, this year, the devotees can see the aarti on Ram Navmi. The idols are being shifted to a new place (250-300 metre from the existing place) on March 25," Mahant Das told PTI.

"Every month, the offerings come to the tune of Rs 10 lakh but we used to get only Rs 51,000. With the increased budget, the quantity of 'Prasad' will also be more this year.

"New velvet clothes will be made for God this year. Also, every year we distribute one quintal of panjiri (north Indian sweet) and 50kg of panchamrit (sweet crystalline substance) but this year, we will distribute three quintal of panjiri and one quintal (100kg) of panchamrit," Das added.

It has also been learnt that the idols of Ram and his three brothers Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan -- will be shifted from the sanctum sanctorum (Garbh Grah) to the new temporary place under a bulletproof structure in the early hours of March 25, the first day of Navratri.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also be present on the occasion and he is likely to carry one of the idols.

"If he wants to carry the idol, we have no problem. He can do it. The idols will be shifted while chanting the Swasti Vachan mantra," Das said.

The trust, headed by Nritya Gopal Das, will meet on April 4 here to decide the dates for the 'bhumi pujan' and construction of the temple.

Ayodhya CMO Ghanshyam Singh has suggested that the programme be cancelled due to the coronavirus threat but District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said the function will go on.

"Ram Navmi will be celebrated as per tradition and with requited care and precautions. The administration will issue a timely advisory for people and take all necessary care of the health of visiting devotees," Jha said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Another case of was confirmed in Telangana on Saturday taking the total number of those infected to two, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said here.

The patient with travel history to Italy has been admitted to the state-run Gandhi hospital in the city for quarantine purpose, Rao told the assembly.

The samples of two others with suspected symptoms of the virus have been sent to the Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, he said.

Asserting that his government was taking all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, the Chief Minister said a meeting of senior officials has been convened to discuss the COVID-19 situation.

Noting that some states in the country have initiated measures such as temporarily shutting down cinema halls, malls and educational institutions to contain the spread of the viral disease, the Chief Minister said a cabinet meeting has been called on Saturday to finalise its course of action.

A 24-year-old software professional, who was the first COVID-19 patient in the state, was discharged from the hospital here on Friday night following his recovery.

He had a travel history to Dubai in February.
Bottom line: After more than four decades of wielding executive power at a company he created to change the world, Bill Gates is stepping back. And Microsoft wont be the same without him.

In a statement, Bill Gates says it's his wish to focus on philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change. This will likely manifest as an uptick of activity from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which spends several billion dollars of Gates fortune each year.

Forty-four years ago to the day, Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen. He served as CEO until 2000, and then as a full-time executive until 2008. In 2014 he stepped down from the role of executive chairman. Until today his official role was as technical advisor and general board member, and though he is retiring from the latter, he will continue as the former at the request of current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Its been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve societys most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it, Nadella said. I am grateful for Bills friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Gates expressed a similar cheerfulness about Microsofts future, saying that he felt more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world.
The Management and Board of Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-GH) commends the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo for the directive given to government officials to temporarily suspend all foreign travels as an additional measure aimed at safeguarding Ghana from the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) which has already been declared as world pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

We further wish to thank His Excellency the President sincerely for the release of One Hundred Million United States Dollars ($100M) to combat COVID-19 in Ghana.

Inasmuch as we commend governments efforts at putting in place some preliminary measures to prevent any outbreak of the virus, we are however not too satisfied with the countrys preparedness towards any outbreak. From our checks so far, it is only the Kotoka International Airport (one of our major entry points) which has standardized facilities and put in place stringent measures for effective screening.

It is interesting to note that surveillance at most borders linked to our neighbouring countries including Togo, Burkina-Faso, Cote dIvoire where the COVID-19 has been recorded cannot be said to be satisfactory per the established protocols.

Public education about the deadly virus among citizens especially those around border towns is very low and we do not think this is good for Ghana, a country listed as one of the vulnerable that could easily be hit with the pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our other fear and grave concern has to do with the multiple entries by travellers through unapproved routes into Ghana. These individuals do not get screened for the basic symptoms posing public health threats to the country. For instance, some officials and residents of Paga have expressed their displeasures about these worrying developments.

The big question however is in the midst of the troubling issues raised; can Ghana be said to be fully prepared to prevent or contain an outbreak in the unlikely event that it does occur?

Whiles at it, we recommend the following measures to help prevent or contain any outbreak in Ghana:

1. That Government should take action and actively engage NGOs/CSOs with proven track record including CFF-GH, GNECC, CSOs Platform on the SDGs, Sub-Platform3 (SDG3), CONFSEC, CONIWAS, and Coalition of NGOs in Health among others to support in its public education campaigns.

2. That citizens must strictly adhere to personal hygiene (frequent washing of hands under running water and use of alcohol based sanitizers etc). The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Sanitation Ministry should take collective action and engage water service providers to install hand washing facilities at all lorry parks and market places. Hand washing must be declared and enforced as a means of maintaining personal hygiene.

3. Government must take a bold decision and temporarily ban travels from the hard hit countries.

4. Any traveller (government official, diplomat, business man or woman, student etc) from the hard hit countries must be quarantined for the stipulated 14 days before reintegration into mainstream society.

5. Avoid hand shaking at least for now. This declaration should be made by the Minister of Health.

6. That citizens should have keen interest in the usage of the COVID-19 allocated funds ($100M+Ghc2.5 M previously released and other supplementary amounts) to ensure funds are strictly used for its intended purpose(s).

7. Citizens, the President inclusive and foreign nationals based in Ghana must suspend all foreign trips to the affected countries for now.

8. The scientific community should also take action and conduct investigations and come out with home-grown solutions within the shortest possible time.

9. Action should be taken quickly on the construction of the isolated treatment centres (make-shift) outside Accra. What we have in place now is nothing to write home about.

10. More essential logistics and protective clothing should be procured for frontline workers without delay.

We are of the strongest view that our 10 point recommendations would go a long way to support the fight against the deadly coronavirus in Ghana should government consider them.

Signed

Mr. Richard Kasu

(EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CFF-GH)

0248640364
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:00:04|Editor: yan

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MALE, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Maldives will impose entry restrictions on people arriving from Spain, and areas in Germany and France in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19, local media reported here Saturday.

Maldives Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed announced that individuals who have been to Spain, the regions of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany, and the regions of Ile-de-France and Grand Est in France in the last 14 days will be denied entry and transit as a precautionary measure.

The Maldives also has ongoing entry restrictions for travellers arriving from China, Italy, Iran, Bangladesh and parts of South Korea.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced temporary regulations prohibiting guest houses and hotels in the Greater Male' Area from checking-in new foreign tourists for 14 days starting midnight Saturday.

Furthermore, all travel between the country's resorts and inhabited islands have been banned for 14 days.

The Ministry of Health has so far confirmed 10 COVID-19 infections, all of whom are foreign citizens.
A man wears a mask on Preciados Street in central Madrid on Friday.

REUTERS/Sergio Perez

Spain said on Friday that it would declare a state of emergency as it struggles to deal with one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Europe.

The number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to more than 4,200, with at least 120 deaths.

The Madrid region will also close restaurants, bars, and most shops starting Saturday.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Spain said on Friday that it would formally declare a state of emergency as the number of coronavirus cases in the country jumped to more than 4,200, with at least 120 deaths.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said a special Cabinet meeting on Saturday would place the country in a "state of alert," the first of three stages of a state of emergency, according to Reuters.

"The government of Spain will protect all its citizens and will guarantee the right life conditions to slow the pandemic with as little inconvenience as possible," Sanchez said.

The state of emergency will last at least 15 days and give the government wide-ranging powers, including the ability to confine people and order evacuations, Reuters reported. The military will also be mobilized, Sanchez said.

The number of cases and deaths in Spain make it the second-worst outbreak in Europe after Italy.

Schools and other public spaces have already been closed across Spain.

The Madrid region will also close restaurants, bars, and most shops  except for supermarkets and pharmacies  starting Saturday, Reuters reported, citing Spanish media.

The UK Foreign Office on Friday advised citizens against traveling to Madrid and the surrounding regions.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Prince Harry was recently tricked into sharing his personal views about his royal resignation. He was targeted by two Russian Youtube stars with a history of duping celebrities and politicians. So who are these Russian pranksters and who else have they targeted?

Alexei Stolyarov and Vladimir Kuznetsov | Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/ Getty Images

Who are the Russian hoaxers that tricked Prince Harry

Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyarov are famous in Russia for their elaborate prank phone calls. The pair, who is also known as Lexus and Vovan, has been duping Russian celebrities and politicians for years.

In a 2016 interview with The Atlantic, the duo revealed that they began targeting celebrities in 2014, but found it boring. Its more interesting talking to people who decide peoples fates, Kuznetsov told the outlet.

Alexei Stolyarov and Vladimir Kuznetsov | Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/ Getty Images

They also claimed that they have no official ties to the Kremlin, but do see Vladimir Putin in a positive light and agree with him on many issues. Because Kuznetsov and Stolyarov have had shows on Kremlin-controlled TV stations and speak highly of the Russian government, many believe that they mislead world leaders just to get information.

How did they trick Prince Harry ?

As first reported by The Sun, Prince Harry spoke to Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyarov on two separate occasions  once on New Years Eve and then again on Jan. 22. During the calls, the pranksters pretended to be Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and her father, Svante.

With Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex officially stepping back from their royal positions, the tricksters made sure to ask questions about their exit. I can assure you, marrying a prince or princess is not all its made out to be, Prince Harry apparently said in the call. But sometimes the right decision isnt always the easy one, and this decision certainly wasnt the easy one but it was the right decision for our family, the right decision to be able to protect my son.

Pretending to be Thunbergs father, the pranksters also asked Prince Harry about his transition to normal life. You forget, I was in the military for ten years so Im more normal than my family would like to believe, Harry responded. But certainly being in a different position now gives us the ability to say things and do things that we might not have been able to do  And seeing as everyone under the age of 35 or 36, seems to be carrying out an activists role, gives us the opportunity to try and make more of a difference without being criticized.

Who else have they pranked?

The pairs Youtube channel, Vovan222prank, features numerous videos asserting to contain recorded prank calls with various notable figures. Kuznetsov and Stolyarov have duped numerous American politicians, and they managed to trick Congresswoman Maxine Waters twice.

In a statement to The Washington Post earlier this year, Waters addressed her recent phone call with Kuznetsov and Stolyarov in which they misled her using the voice of a fake Greta Thunberg.

Alexei Stolyarov and Vladimir Kuznetsov | Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/ Getty Images

This was just another stupid prank by the same Russian operatives who have targeted many U.S. elected officials, including Rep. Adam Schiff, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and late-Senator John McCain, and international heads of state such as Emmanuel Macron, wrote Waters.

Why do they target politicians like Prince Harry?

The duo has hoodwinked notable celebrities, like music legend Sir Elton John. But they tend to target high-level politicians. Theyve duped numerous heads of state including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti, Belorussian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

When talking to The Atlantic, Kuznetsov and Stolyarov admitted theyd like to prank more Hollywood celebrities but dont because theyre much harder to reach than American senators.
The Afghan government has postponed its plan to release Taliban prisoners, a senior official said Saturday, throwing a precarious peace process between the insurgents and Kabul into deeper crisis.

President Ashraf Ghani earlier this week announced that the authorities would free 1,500 insurgents as a "gesture of goodwill" before negotiations begin, in an attempt to resolve one of the long-running disputes that had roiled talks.

The insurgents had earlier rejected the offer and demanded that up to 5,000 captives are released ahead of talks, citing the US-Taliban deal signed last month that excluded Kabul.

On Saturday Javid Faisal, spokesman for the National Security Council, told AFP that "the prisoners' release has been delayed" to allow more time to review their identities.

"We have received the lists of the prisoners to be released. We are checking and verifying the lists, this will take time", he said.

Ghani's decree said the government would release 1,500 captives starting Saturday if the insurgents cut violence, with plans to free another 3,500 prisoners after negotiations begin.

"We want guarantees that they will not return to fighting," Faisal said. Since the US-Taliban agreement was signed in Doha on February 29, violence has flared up, with the insurgents carrying out dozens of attacks across the country, killing Afghan forces and civilians.

There was no immediate reaction from the Taliban to the delay announcement, which is likely to further stall peace talks, which were originally expected to begin on March 10.

On Wednesday, the government warned it would resume offensive operations against the militants if violence continues, ending a unilateral partial truce put in place ahead of the talks.

Political chaos in Kabul has complicated matters further, with Ghani's former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah also claiming the presidency following last September's election, which was marred by delays and allegations of voter fraud.

On Monday, Abdullah swore himself in as president minutes after Ghani took the oath of office.

According to the Doha agreement, foreign forces will withdraw from the country within 14 months in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and a pledge to hold talks with Kabul.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) - Prince Charles and his wife Camilla have cancelled their tour of Bosnia, Cyprus and Jordan after being advised to do so by the British government, a spokesman for the royal couple said on Friday.

"Owing to the unfolding situation with the coronavirus pandemic the British government has asked their royal highnesses to postpone their Spring tour," a spokesman said.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; editing by Kate Holton)
BRUSSELS, March 14 (Reuters) - Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma has pledged to donate two million protective masks for distribution across Europe, with a first consignment arriving in Belgium late on Friday.

A cargo plane loaded with 500,000 masks and other medical supplies such as test kits landed at Liege Airport. The consignment will be sent to Italy, a joint statement by the Alibaba and Jack Ma foundations, the Belgian region of Wallonia and Liege Airport said.

Further flights are due arrive in coming days to the airport, which is set to become Alibaba's main European hub for e-commerce shipments.

Ma has also said he will donate 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million masks to the United States, while urging international cooperation to fight the health crisis. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
San Francisco banned almost all hospital visitors Saturday, including family, clergy and in some cases the partners of expectant mothers as the Bay Area continued to tighten rules on all gatherings in an effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Cities slashed the size of allowed events, more local facilities were closed, and Stanford planned to shutter its campus and send its students packing. Its all part of a growing recognition by civic leaders that the threat of a deadly disease requires extreme measures.

Bay Area roads were virtually empty Saturday as people stayed home and tried to limit contact outside their families. BART ridership was down 50% on Friday and many business areas were virtual ghost towns.

In Oakland, public officials hurried to support small-business owners. At a news conference in Oaklands Chinatown on Saturday, Mayor Libby Schaaf announced an expansion of a zero-interest loan program that could support small struggling businesses. She encouraged business owners to document online how the outbreak is impacting them as Oakland pursues philanthropic partnerships for possible grants.

As youre cuddling up with loved ones at home, remember your local businesses, Schaaf said. Instead of cooking, order delivery from one of your favorite local restaurants, go online and buy some items from favorite local stores, buy a gift certificate for use when we feel like coming back into restaurants and shops.

But news about the virus was grim. In the Bay Area Saturday, 27 new coronavirus cases were reported, with 12 in Santa Clara County, six in San Mateo County, five in San Francisco and four in Contra Costa County. Santa Clara County also reported its second death late Friday night, a woman in her 80s. That brings Californias death total to five, and public health officials nationally warned that the toll from the pandemic will get worse before it gets better.

Contra Costa County barred public gatherings of more than 100, following San Franciscos lead. San Mateo County banned gatherings of more than 50. The California Department of Health issued new guidance to cap numbers to 250 in one room at casinos, movie theaters and performances. Nursing homes were told to bar most visitors, end group activities and even communal meals.

Limiting contact with other people is key to slowing the virus, health officials said.

Social distancing and mitigation arent to protect the 30- or 20-year-old, theyre to protect your nana, your granddaddy, the people who you love in your lives, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said at a White House news conference Saturday.

San Francisco took some of the areas toughest actions Saturday when officials ordered hospitals in the city to ban nonessential personnel and most visitors from their facilities until April 30.

Those visitors who will be barred include many that patients are anxious to see, such as spouses, partners, family members, friends and clergy. The restrictions are an effort to curb the risk of infecting vulnerable patients.

The citys ban was especially troubling to expectant mothers, who might not even be allowed to have the newborns father in the hospital, much less the delivery room.

The citys order allows hospitals to make exceptions, and a number of them already have decided to allow a support person in the delivery room. Special permission also can be given to visitors with critical duties, such as end-of-life consideration or the care of minors, the order issued Friday said.

Its not only hospitals. San Mateo County has closed all its libraries, the PAC-12 has canceled all sports for the rest of the academic year, and Stanford and UC Berkeley will be virtually deserted.

When a Stanford student tested positive for the virus, school officials announced that almost all students must leave campus by 5 p.m. Wednesday. They said they could provide on-campus undergraduate housing and dining for a very limited number  prioritizing international students who cant go home, those who have known severe health or safety risks, and students who are homeless, plus a small number of residential staff.

On Saturday, UC Berkeley announced a graduate student tested positive  but the campus had already scrapped in-person classes through May, when the semester ends.

Seeing the potentially devastating impact of closing down much of society, federal and local officials have freed up funding and promised free virus testing, financial support for businesses and help for families with kids out of school.

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.

Public health officials are urging people to stay home, which is emptying local businesses and hurting workers losing out on pay. San Francisco will not shut off utility services because of unpaid bills for 60 days, Mayor London Breed announced Saturday, following PG&Es similar announcement.

State Sen. Scott Wiener plans to introduce emergency legislation that would halt evictions of small businesses that fall behind on their rent during the coronavirus crisis. The San Francisco Democrat said he and Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, were also calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue an executive order to prohibit such evictions.

While much of the public is staying home, some of the several hundreds of Californians who disembarked from the Grand Princess cruise ship in Oakland raised alarms about what they said was a lack of social distancing and cleanliness as they remained under quarantine at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield.

Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove (Sacramento County), sent a letter to top U.S. officials Saturday saying he heard that the cleaning agency used by the Department of Health and Human Services was understaffed, leading to questionable sanitation.

Those quarantined only had one bar of soap for hand-washing in their rooms, he said. They touched serving utensils with their bare hands and waited in line close to one another for food. Meals are now being delivered to rooms after the issue was raised, he added.

The agency has started town hall meetings by phone to keep the quarantined passengers informed.

The quarantine has presented significant logistical challenges, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services said Saturday.

Chronicle staff writer Lizzie Johnson contributed to this report.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
First Four Towns Quarantined in Catalonia Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

Sputnik News

07:50 GMT 13.03.2020(updated 08:02 GMT 13.03.2020)

BARCELONA (Sputnik) - The Catalan government has put four towns with a population of more than 66,000 under quarantine after over 60 cases of the coronavirus disease with three fatalities were recorded in the Igualada municipality, located in the province of Barcelona, over the past 24 hours, Catalan Interior Ministry spokesman Mikel Buk said.

"Starting at 21:00 12 March, [residents of] Igualada, Santa Margarida de Montbui, Odena, and Vilanova del Cami will be banned from leaving the towns", Buk said at a press conference late on Thursday.

Over the next 24 hours, only those who are not permanent residents of the given towns will be able to leave the area. Entry will only be authorised for trucks with groceries and essential goods.

So far, Spain is the second most affected country in Europe after Italy, which has confirmed over 15,000 cases of the disease in the country. According to the latest official figures, Spain has reported over 3,000 cases and 87 deaths.

 Sputnik

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Devotees to witness devotional worship at Ram Janambhoomi next month

India

oi-PTI

Ayodhya, Mar 14: For the first time, devotees will be allowed to attend 'aarti' during Ram Navmi celebrations on the Ram Janmabhoomi premises next month as arrangements are being made to shift the Ram Lalla idols to a place 200 metres from the present makeshift temple.

Everyday it's only the main priest Satendra Das and his four assistants who perform the 'puja' with devotees kept out of the worship proceedings.

But this Ram Navmi, observed as the birth anniversary of Hindu deity Ram, is falling after the historic Supreme Court verdict paved the way for handing over of the disputed land to a trust to build the Ram temple.

There have been demands that Ram Navmi celebrations on April 2 be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the local administration is keen to carry on. The trust has allowed the devotees to witness the proceedings and also raised the budget for celebrations from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1,50,000. Mahant Satendra Das, who has been a priest at the Ram Janmabhoomi since 1992, before the Babri Masjid was brought down, said they can make better arrangements with the new allocation of funds.

"Yes, this year, the devotees can see the aarti on Ram Navmi. The idols are being shifted to a new place (250-300 metre from the existing place) on March 25," Mahant Das told PTI.

"Every month, the offerings come to the tune of Rs 10 lakh but we used to get only Rs 51,000. With the increased budget, the quantity of 'Prasad' will also be more this year. "New velvet clothes will be made for God this year.

Also, every year we distribute one quintal of panjiri (north Indian sweet) and 50kg of panchamrit (sweet crystalline substance) but this year, we will distribute three quintal of panjiri and one quintal (100kg) of panchamrit," Das added.

It has also been learnt that the idols of Ram and his three brothers - Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan -- will be shifted from the sanctum sanctorum (Garbh Grah) to the new temporary place under a bulletproof structure in the early hours of March 25, the first day of Navratri.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also be present on the occasion and he is likely to carry one of the idols. "If he wants to carry the idol, we have no problem. He can do it. The idols will be shifted while chanting the Swasti Vachan mantra," Das said.

The trust, headed by Nritya Gopal Das, will meet on April 4 here to decide the dates for the 'bhumi pujan' and construction of the temple.

Ayodhya CMO Ghanshyam Singh has suggested that the programme be cancelled due to the coronavirus threat but District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said the function will go on.

"Ram Navmi will be celebrated as per tradition and with requited care and precautions. The administration will issue a timely advisory for people and take all necessary care of the health of visiting devotees," Jha said in a statement.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 18:31 [IST]
A 20-year-old resident of Hoshiarpur with travel history to the United States was admitted to the isolation ward of the civil hospital here on Saturday after he showed symptoms of coronavirus.

The youngster had gone for a check-up to a private doctor who referred him to the civil hospital where he was placed under observation.

Senior medical officer Dr Jaswinder Singh said the samples had been collected and sent to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, for examination.

He said that the patient had returned from the US about two weeks ago.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020

Businessman-turned-politician Sandiaga Uno may have to bury his intention to become Gerindra Party chairman as incumbent Prabowo Subianto looks to retain his chairmanship at a party congress in April.

Sandiaga claimed several Gerindra members wanted him to run for the party chairmanship at the April congress. However, the former vice-presidential candidate is aware of the fact that whether he will run or not depends on Prabowo, his running mate in the 2019 presidential election, who has held the position since 2014.

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Chief Minister meets NASUWT, Unite and the GGCA

The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, met today with representatives of the NASUWT, Unite and the GGCA at No6 Convent Place.

At the meeting with the NASUWT, the Minister for Education was also present, as well as the Director of Education, the Director of Public Health, the acting Medical Director and the Civil Contingencies Coordinator. The Chief Minister shared the medical advice the Government has received from the Public Health professionals and the logic behind the decisions being made by the Government to keep schools open, as well as the concerns of the Department for vulnerable children in the general school population and the concern for teachers who have underlying conditions themselves. This was very much also the concern brought to the attention of the Government by the NASUWT representatives. A number of ideas were shared as to how to improve the work being done on the schools issue and the Chief Minister committed to continue to consult with NASUWT colleagues on a regular, 48 hourly basis, as the situation develops.

The advice in respect of schools received by the Director of Public Health was also shared by the Chief Minister with the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Keith Azopardi QC MP and with Ms Marlene Hassan Nahon MP, with whom the Chief Minister has also spoken today to brief them on aspects of the developing situation.

The meeting with the GGCA was also positive and productive, as was the meeting with Unite the Union. In both cases the Chief Minister expressed the importance of the public sector workers in keeping functioning, deliverable public services in Gibraltar, in particular on the front line of health care. It was agreed to continue to meet regularly also and to work offline on how best to introduce interim working mechanisms in case separate teams are needed in departments or if remote working may be required.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: "I want to thank the members of the respective unions who met me today. All have been highly responsible in the attitudes they have taken to the decisions we have to make. We have agreed to continue meeting, talking and working together. We will need to ensure that decisions we make which are right when we make them are kept under constant review and that we are working with the unions on decisions going forward. I have also briefed the Leader of the Opposition and Ms Hassan Nahon this evening on the events that have transpired. I will also continue in contact with them in coming days as we need to take other decisions to slow the inevitable spread of the virus in our community. Further meetings will be held tomorrow and in coming days at No6 on this subject."
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From left, Joe McDonald, Asda NI corporate affairs manager, Henry Wilkinson, David Brown UFU deputy president and chairman of Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend, Conor Kiss, Sophie Hamilton and Lexi Armstrong

Schoolchildren across Northern Ireland are being asked to put their creative skills to the test to "dig in" to why farming matters.

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), in partnership with Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend and Asda, has launched its annual schools' competition.

Open to all nursery, primary and special schools, this year's theme relates to the UFU's food and farming education resource 'Dig in!', which encourages pupils to learn more about food, farming and the countryside.

UFU deputy president David Brown said: "The aim of the schools' competition and 'Dig in!' resource is to get school children thinking about farming and where their food comes from."

Entry forms have been sent to schools. The closing date for entries is Friday, April 3.
Srinagar, Mar 14 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday met National Conference (NC) president and MP Farooq Abdullah, who was released on Friday after remaining under detention for over seven months.



Official sources said that Azad arrived here on Saturday and went straight to the residence of Dr Abdullah in Gupkar. The two leaders discussed various issues, including the situation in the newly created Union Territory post August 5, they added.



Azad visited Kashmir valley once in September last year after the Supreme Court (SC) granted him permission to travel to the valley post abrogation of special status of J&K. Azad was not allowed to enter Srinagar and Jammu, and was sent back by authorities from the airport twice before the SC order last year.



Earlier in the day, Dr Abdullah, who is a former chief minister of J&K, met his son and also a former chief minister Omar Abdullah in a sub-jail in the summer capital, Srinagar, following his released on Friday from detention after seven months under Public Safety Act (PSA).

Dr Abdullah, who is MP from Srinagar, drove from his residence to nearby Hari Nivas in Srinagar, where Omar Abdullah remained under custody under PSA since August 5, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked detention of Dr Abdullah after over seven months. The revocation of detention of the former chief minister comes just two days after Public Safety Act (PSA), which was slapped on him in September last year, was extended for another three months on March 11.



In exercise of powers conferred under Section 19(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, the government hereby revokes the detention order bearing No DMS/PSA/120/2019 issued by District Magistrate, Srinagar, a statement issued by the newly created UT administration of J&K said.



Dr Abdullah and two other former chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- besides dozens of other former ministers and legislators were detained on August 5, post abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A.



However, the NC president was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 15, 2019 when MDMK chief Vaiko approached the Supreme Court (SC), seeking directions to the government to allow Dr Abdullah to attend a peaceful and democratic annual conference in Chennai. The Gupkar residence of Dr Abdullah was turned into a jail for him and a large number of security force personnel were remained deployed there.



Detention of Dr Abdullah, first under house arrest, and later under PSA evoked sharp reaction from different national and regional political parties. The detention of Dr Abdullah, who is a former Union Minister, under PSA was extended for three months in December which was again extended on March 11.

UNI BAS JW1640
The Covid-19 virus is a vicious new organism that is ravaging communities all over the world causing The World Health Organization to declare it a Pandemic. There are all kinds of social media hype adding to an enormous load of garbage news. Legitimate medical organizations worldwide are working tirelessly to arrest the menace of the disease.

It is reasonable to leave the clinical/medical aspect of the fight against C19 to the medical community but there is one area that falls within the purview of all of us especially those social leaders capable of influencing our behaviors. That one area where our Traditional Leaders especially the chiefs can make a difference is called SOCIAL DISTANCING.

The viciousness of C19 can be appreciated by looking at the speed of its spread. Around January 23, the city of Wuhan reported 444 confirmed cases of C19. 7 days later the number had jumped more than 10 times to 4903. By February 6 ( a week later) the number of cases was 22,112.

In Italy, it started with 62 cases and a week later jumped to 888 and after another week increased to 4,636. It seems that once C19 takes residence in an area the spread is almost 10 times every week. If not well thought out no government can effectively support the fight against C19.

This is why we need our Traditional Leaders as well as churches to join hands in promoting Social Distancing. Social distancing involves all aspects of limiting the gathering of people such as in funerals, churches, parties, etc.

This is the time to re-examine some of our habits and cultural norms in conformity with the fight against C19. We can learn from the experience in China which is now able to exercise some control over the spread of the disease in great part because it demanded self-quarantine and in some situations forcibly separated suspected cases. The nature of The China government made some of these demands easy to implement whereas in our form of government demanding/enforcing behavior changes could be problematic.

The influence that our chiefs have on us can be well utilized in these challenging times. For example announcing to their subjects to suspend funeral celebrations for some time would be better coming from the chiefs than from the government. Currently our visionary president in his Independence message to the nation encouraged a new way of our social interactions. Limiting handshakes is an attempt in the right direction alright and we need our social and traditional leaders to emphasize that.

Limiting social gathering is even more impactful. We dont know enough about C19 to think that the climate and other ecological factors will spare Ghana. We cannot be complacent. If we dont do our social responsibilities by helping President Nana Akufo Addo, the $100 million pledged for C19 fight in Ghana will go nowhere.

This is the time in Ghana we need our Traditional Leaders to join the government in fighting this enemy which can wipe out an entire generation. I am not proposing that every chief or church come up with their own way of Social Distancing, rather we need engagement with The MOH so we all dance to the same tune and follow their guidance.

Hopefully, this article can stimulate a healthy non-political discussion to combat the common enemy.

Manny Tuffuor

Cleveland, Ohio.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday met National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who was released from home detention after seven months, and demanded that all detained leaders from Jammu and Kashmir be freed and democracy restored.

After a two-hour meeting with Abdullah at the latter's residence in Gupkar area of the city here this afternoon, the Congress general secretary told reporters that for the progress of Jammu and Kashmir, its leaders should be released and "not kept in cages like a parrot".

Calling for release of all other leaders and individuals, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, to restart the political process in J-K, Azad said elections should be held and statehood restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

He was dismissive of the recently floated Jammu Kashmir Apni Party led by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari, saying J-K cannot be run through "agency created parties".

Azad said he met Abdullah on behalf of his party as well as all those MPs and parties who have been raising their voice inside Parliament and outside for the release of J-K leaders.

"First and foremost, democracy should be restored in J-K for any political process to start," Azad said.

Asked about the demand for restoration of Article 370, the Congress leader said, Let us go one by one... Let democracy be restored. First, let this happen, then that (Article 370).

Let us first restore democracy and democracy can be restored once all the leaders who are behind bars either in jails or in guest houses or under particular Act, they have to be released first. Let the political process start first.

"Let every individual of J-K be released from the jail. Let democracy prevail first and then we can pick up other fights, he said.

Azad, who is also a former chief minister of J-K, said the political process should be started soon.

J-K is the country's largest state. In 1947, 560 states were merged to form 12 states, but J-K was the only state in India which was not joined by any other state as it was large enough.

"It is disrespectful and disgraceful for the people of J-K that it was changed to a Union Territory. I want that the leaders be released sooner and J-K be changed to a state.

"Political process is a basic right in a democracy. India is not known for its size world over, but for its democracy. But, not this democracy where three former chief ministers are jailed for several months or another ex-chief minister has to come here with the Supreme Court's permission.

"When CMs, MPs, ministers MLAs, MLCs are in jail, then where is the democracy? he said.

Azad said for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, it is necessary that the political process is started.

If J-K has to progress and move forward and if we have to bring prosperity in J-K, then its key lies not in keeping leaders in a cage like a parrot, but in releasing them and starting a political process by which elections are conducted here. Whichever government is elected by the people of J-K, that will work on the development of J-K, he said.

Asked about his views on creation of Jammu Kashmir Apni Party and if it was a step towards restoration of political process in the Union Tterritory, Azad said, "In the last 47 years, several attempts have been made to form such parties. J-K and democracy cannot be run through agency (created) parties, but only through the elected governments.

Azad expressed happiness over his meeting with Abdullah.

"It is a matter of great happiness that I met him after seven-and-a-half months. He was detained for all these months and we do not even know the reason. Usually someone is detained if he breaks the law or has taken out a protest against the country or the government.

"However, he and Omar and Mehbooba and others were detained a day before Article 370 was revoked, so there is no question of any wrongdoing, he said.

The Congress leader said the Members of Parliament were yearning for the release of the NC president and his detention was the "biggest atrocity on him by the government".

I am here not only for myself. We have been friends for about 40 years and which will continue. I am here also on behalf of my party as well as all those MPs and parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha who have been raising voices inside Parliament and outside it for the release of these leaders. All those MPs were yearning for his release.

I understand how many difficulties he had to pass through. It was too cold this time after so many years and then his health.... However, when God is with someone, no one can harm him, he said.

Abdullah expressed his gratitude to Azad and all those leaders who had pressed for his release.

I thank him for coming here to enquire about my health. He had earlier also made attempts, Abdullah said.

After being in home detention for over seven months, Abdullah was released on Friday with the government revoking the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

The 82-year-old NC leader was initially taken into preventive detention on August 5 last, the day the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and later slapped with the PSA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mas organisation had provided similar supplies to virus-hit countries such as Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Spain, he said.

Beijing: Chinese billionaire businessman Jack Ma on Friday offered the United States 500,000 coronavirus test kits and a million masks, as the country faces a shortage of kits for diagnosing the potentially deadly disease.

In a statement on Twitter, the founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba said, "Drawing from my own country's experience, speedy and accurate testing and adequate protective equipment for medical professionals are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus."

"We hope that our donation can help Americans fight against the pandemic!" he said in the statement, which was posted by the Jack Ma Foundation.

Ma, who is China's richest man, said that over the past weeks, his organisations had helped provide similar supplies to virus-hit countries such as Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Spain.

"The pandemic we face today can no longer be resolved by any individual country," Ma said. "We can't beat this virus unless we eliminate boundaries to resources and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons," Ma said.

The US government has come under heavy criticism for the slowness of testing for the virus, and public health officials have rebuked President Donald Trump for playing down the seriousness of the fast-spreading pandemic.

Joe Biden, the Democratic frontrunner in the race to face Trump in elections in November, slammed the lack of test kits on Thursday.

"The administration's failure on testing is colossal, and it's a failure of planning, leadership and execution," the former vice president said.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Margaret Hynes, head of business, making a presentation to the Kinsella family  Noirin, Gary, Tommy and Katelyn  at the Health, Fitness and Wellness event at Donohoe BMW in Enniscorthy.

Donohoe BMW in Enniscorthy played host to a health and wellbeing event recently that was very well attended.

The organisers expressed delight to this newspaper at the level of support the event received from local business and people within the community.

The event also served a duel purpose as a cheque was presented to the Kinsella family in support of the 'Team Tommy' fundraising drive to raise money for the Children's Heart Centre in Crumlin.

The cheque for 1,000 was presented to the Kinsella's who thanked everyone for their generosity.

The team at Donohoe BMW were equally delighted to be able to give their support to such a worthy cause and they thanked everyone who turned up for the event at their state-of-the-art showroom.

The business recently announced that Wexford senior hurling star, Lee Chin, is its brand ambassador for 2020.

He was presented with the keys to a 420d M Sport Gran Coupe from the company's head of business, Margaret Hynes, and John Bolger, from BMW Ireland.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Record Store Day is pushing back its April 18 promotion to a new date in June. Many Northeast Ohios record store owners say they are relieved.

Record Store Day is an annual event that brings customers into brick-and-mortar record stores globally for exclusive vinyl releases and other specials. The 2020 event is being moved to June 20 due to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus.

With the coronavirus, April 18 is when its probably getting into its peak, said David Wolfe, the owner of The Vinyl Groove record store in Bedford. Were at the beginning of it right now and with all the pandemonium, youre not going to get a lot of foot traffic from people.

Wolfe said hes already seen a decline in customers inside his shop for the past few weeks. His repair business, which also occupies part of his shop at 679 Broadway Ave. has been keeping the shop afloat financially.

Shop owners are optimistic about the new date in June, hoping it brings even more customers in for Record Store Day deals.

Dave Ignizio, the owner of Square Records in at 824 West Market St. in Akron thinks the move will present better weather and more attendees.

We always have lines of people waiting out here to get in when we open. Itll be a little more pleasant of a wait for them, as they wait for the doors to open on that day, Ignizio said. It might be good to give it that distance, and hopefully by June things are back to a state of semi-normalcy.

Other shops share the same thoughts about Northeast Ohios weather -- and are also grateful to have extra time to plan festivities like in-store DJs and giveaways. Brittany Benton, the owner of Brittanys Record Shop at 6410 Fleet Ave. in Clevelands Slavic Village neighborhood said shes not concerned about the shifted date.

I thought, it might be even better. Record Store Day is always a great day for the shop. But part of the thing that makes it great, is traditionally, in April, its right when the weather breaks in Cleveland, she said. It being right at the beginning of summertime now, we all know June is very nice in Cleveland. It gives me more time to prepare for things I want to do."

Benton, who is also a school teacher and DJ, said that her record store hasnt been high on her list of concerns. Ohio schools will be closed for the next three weeks. Additionally, a few of her nightclub DJ gigs have been postponed, Benton said.

All three record stores -- Brittanys Record Shop, The Vinyl Groove and Square Records -- plan to host their Record Store Day events on June 20. They all also plan to remain open as coronavirus concerns continue to escalate in the near future.

Im going to stay open until they tell me I cant. If they decide to come down and say all retail stores need to close outside of big box stores, I have to comply, obviously, Wolfe said. Its going to hit small businesses really hard.

Ignizio plans to keep Square Records open, and perhaps reduce hours or shut down the store if necessary.

Im just taking it as it comes, he said. I plan to be open at least today and tomorrow, and just keep an eye on the situation.

Updates about each stores hours can be found on their various social media platforms below:

Read more recent coronavirus coverage:
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he has instructed the Secretary of Energy to begin buying tens of millions of barrels of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. "We're going to fill it right up to the top," he said in a White House speech that primarily focused on the response to the coronavirus.

The move is expected to provide some relief to U.S. oil producers like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), which have been hurt by the fall in crude oil prices triggered by the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war.

Choosing a path

According to Trump, the oil purchases will have numerous benefits, including "saving the American taxpayer billions and billions of dollars, helping our oil industry, and ... it puts us in a position that's very strong, and we're buying at the right price."

The Trump administration has been mulling over various steps to help the troubled oil industry in the wake of the oil price crash and projected declines in demand triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, the administration suspended a previously announced sale of oil from the Reserve and met with oil industry lobbyists on Wednesday.

Right up to the top

According to the Department of Energy, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently holds about 635 million barrels of oil. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette announced on Twitter that the Reserve currently has an additional 77 million barrels of unused capacity. Trump apparently intends to purchase that entire amount in coming days and weeks.

The move seemed to have an immediate effect: Crude oil prices rebounded by 5% after the announcement. But it was still the worst week for oil prices since 2008.
A Nigerian man, Salami Olajide a.k.a Stubborn has been accused of beating his wife.

According to PM News, the suspect beat his wife and mother of his three children, Salami Ruth to coma.

He then tried forcing the deadly insecticide, sniper down her throat. All these he did because Ruth wanted to end their marriage of 6 years.

The incident reportedly happened in the couples apartment at Ijede Road in Ikorodu on Saturday, March 7.

The 33-year-old Ruth, 33, who is nursing a six-month-old baby, was taken to Ajayi Hospital within the community where she is receiving treatment.

Read Also: How I Divorced My Husband So He Could Marry His Sidechick: Nigerian Woman

Alhaji Lawal Tanimola, the couples landlord who spoke with newsmen said he had to cut short his prayer and called other tenants with whom they forced the door open after hearing Ruths continuous call for help.

He further disclosed the couple fight every other week since moving in 2 years ago.

Tanimola further revealed that the police let Salami go barely 24 hours after he was arrested.

Tanimola told PM Express;

We tried to intervene, but the husband stopped us, warning us to back off as we are not party to their marriage.

Just like ever before, he was arrested and we all heaved a sigh of relief. But we were stunned to see the man released the next day on the order from above as it was a pure family affair.
The third batch of Indians evacuated from Iran-- the third-worst coronavirus affected country after China and Italy-- will land Saturday midnight at Mumbai international airport, health ministry officials said.

A Mahan Air flight will be bringing back Indian passengers from Iran. The flight will land in Mumbai at midnight today, ANI quoted Special Secretary from the ministry of health Sanjeeva Kumar.

102 Indian nationals stuck in Iran have been evacuated so far by two special flights on Tuesday and Friday this week, 44 of those who arrived yesterday in an Iran Air flight have been quarantined for two weeks at an Indian Navy facility in Ghatkopar, near Mumbai.

Officials at the airport said the passengers were screened at an isolation unit by the airport health organisation (APHO) team and were handed over to the Indian Navy, which took the evacuees to the Navy Material Organisation, Ghatkopar, where a warehouse has been converted into a quarantine centre with a facility of 100 beds.

Iran is the worst coronavirus affected country in the Middle East with over 600 reported deaths and close to 13 thousand confirmed infections. The Indian government has said that it was working with the Iranian government to facilitate return of around 2000 citizens, mostly pilgrims, stuck there after suspension of commercial flights between the two countries.

An Indian team of medical experts is currently testing Indian nationals looking to return home in Iran. Their samples are being tested in India and those found negative are being cleared to board the special flights back home. The experts are also trying to set up a testing lab in Iran itself to expedite the process.

According to the ministry of health at least one more flight carrying Indian evacuees from Iran may arrive either on March 16 or 17.

Another special flight is being sent to bring back Indians from Italy, the second-worst coronavirus affected country after China.

Another special flight of Air India will be flying today to bring back Indian students from Italy, health ministrys Sanjeeva Kumar was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Air India flight is expected to evacuate 220 students from Italy. A team of medical experts from India has already begun testing citizens before clearing them for evacuation.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work together to overcome the challenges posed by the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The situation we are facing marks an unprecedented time for our University and for our state, nation and world. Although we are in uncharted territory, we want to assure you that one commitment remains first and foremost in our planning: the health, wellbeing, and safety of our campus community.

Our leadership team and the many staff members who provide critical campus support are working tirelessly, around the clock, to mitigate the impact of this pandemic on our community. We are devoting every available resource at our disposal to addressing this significant challenge. We will not waver in this commitment.

As we hope you are aware, UGA has temporarily suspended instruction for two weeks beginning Monday, March 16, 2020. This email includes the latest information regarding that decision. This information will be posted to www.uga.edu, and we encourage you to begin checking the University of Georgia coronavirus website regularly for updates.

Telecommuting and Flexible Schedules

Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, the University of Georgia will move to telework options for those staff members who can conduct their job duties remotely without interruption. Supervisors also have been directed to implement flexible schedules that will reduce the number of employees physically on campus to the minimal level required at any given time to sustain service, safety, and compliance. Staff members should consult with their supervisors to determine their individual status and options.

Undergraduate and graduate student workers should be allowed to work if they fit reasonably into unit business continuity and associated staffing plans. Telework options are recommended, when appropriate. Students should consult with their supervisors to determine their individual status. The Graduate School will offer more specific guidance for graduate students on assistantships.

Online Instruction

During this two-week suspension of classes, all faculty are asked to telework and plan for their courses to transition to online instruction and test their readiness. Resources to aid faculty in making this transition can be found at https://ovpi.uga.edu/initiatives/teaching_learning_continuity/.

At this time, no other adjustment to the academic calendar is anticipated for the Spring 2020 semester. However, as this situation is evolving, faculty are asked to anticipate the possibility that the remainder of their courses may need to be delivered online. Faculty are asked to plan appropriately and exercise judgment in ensuring that required contact hours are met through online instruction by the best means appropriate in their fields. Additional academic planning information will be forthcoming.

Students should not be required to complete academic work during this two-week period; however, faculty are encouraged to maintain contact with their students and support them during this period.

Exception: Current Online Courses

The only instruction that will continue during this two-week period will be courses that are currently operating online. Per an exception granted by the University System of Georgia, these courses will continue as scheduled to minimize disruption.

Student Advising

Although classes have been suspended for two weeks, academic advising will continue as scheduled so that students will be ready to register for fall classes when registration opens in early April. All appointments will be handled remotely.

Students  if you already have an appointment scheduled during the next two weeks, keep your appointment and check your UGA email for instructions from your advisor on how you will be advised remotely, as no appointments will be conducted face to face during this time. If you do not yet have an appointment, use SAGE to schedule one as soon as possible. If you have any questions or issues, do not hesitate to email your advisor directlyalthough response times may be delayed, UGA academic advisors are committed to supporting you during this time and will regularly provide information on Advising at a Distance during this period.

Non-Essential Travel

All non-essential travelincluding travel to conferences (particularly those held internationally and out-of-state), training, site visits and any non-essential activitiesis suspended during this period. We encourage you and your supervisors to consider online opportunities for professional development and scholarly activity.

Return from International Travel

Any students, faculty or staff who have returned from international travel in the past 14 days must self-quarantine until they have been without symptoms for a period of 14 days from the date of entering/reentering the United States before returning to the University of Georgia. This requirement is issued in the best interest of the health and safety of our entire campus and surrounding community. It is necessitated by the U.S. State Departments declaration of a Global Level 3 Health Advisory.

Virtual Meetings/Gatherings

We strongly encourage any required in-person meetings to be moved to an electronic format.

Visits to campus are strongly discouraged. Any tours that were to be held during this time should be canceled and replaced with virtual options for online content.

Campus Events

Unit heads are asked to review all of their events that are scheduled through March 29, 2020, to determine whether they should be continued. Virtual options are encouraged to support the need for social distancing.

Decisions regarding campus events after March 29, 2020, will be made at a later date.

Sick and Annual Leave

We are aware that employees are going to be faced with many challenges. Some may need to provide for care of children, sick family members, and other situations related to COVID-19. Others may be at high risk of illness or exposure. In all such matters, supervisors are encouraged to exercise flexibility in accommodating these situations.

It is imperative that you stay home if you or a member of your family are ill.

In the interest of maintaining a workplace that is safe for all, supervisors are permitted to ask an employee who is showing signs of illness to leave the workplace and take appropriate leave.

All available leave will be allowed for COVID-19 illness or to minimize exposure for those that are high-risk and unable to telework.

Development of plans for employees who exhaust their paid leave options are under consideration. FMLA leave will be available to eligible employees who contract COVID-19 or are caring for a qualified family member that has contracted COVID-19.

We will continue to work with the University System of Georgia to develop plans that are tailored to meet the specific needs of our institution. Further decisions that affect the continuity of our operationsincluding the status of campus events and instruction beyond March 29, 2020will be provided to you via updates as the situation evolves.

In closing, we would remind you that each us has important responsibility in managing this public health crisis. You can find the latest CDC guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html.

We are calling on each of you to closely review and abide by these guidelines. We must stand together, support each other and protect each other during this difficult time. We know we will because we have often demonstrated a great capacity to care for one another and to care for others. That is a big part of who are.

Together, the members of the Bulldog Nation will persevere.
The Rajasthan government has ordered closure of schools, colleges, theatres till March 30 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

However the ongoing Board exams will continue as scheduled. The decision will also not affect medical and nursing colleges.

The order came after chief minister Ashok Gehlot chaired a review meeting with officials at his residence late on Friday on the status of coronavirus in the state.

Gehlot said the decision was taken after a central government advisory to this effect.

The government also advised that marriages be low-key affairs without a large gathering.

During the lockdown, all musical and cultural programmes and staging of plays will also remain suspended.

Gehlot asked people not to panic but asked them to be vigilant. I appeal to the people to restrict moving in crowded areas and use public transport only if necessary, he said.

He said the state government took the severe decision for a lockdown after the central government advisory and the WHO and UN declaring coronavirus a pandemic.

The CM asked officials to undertake widespread publicity campaigns and issue advisories regularly.

Rohit Kumar Singh, additional chief secretary (health), said so far 370 people have been tested for the virus so far and only three have tested positive. He said three lakh people have been screened for the virus in the state.

Singh said the state has adopted the standard operating procedures handed out by the centre.

Patients will be divided into three categories based on travel to China, Democratic Republic of Korea, Italy, France, Germany Spain and Iran.

Category A are high risk passengers who have cold, cough shortness of breath and a history of travel to these countries 14 days prior to symptoms.

These patients will be segregated from other patients and kept in isolation.

Category B is moderate risk patients who are asymptomatic and have travelled to the above-mentioned countries. People above 60 years of age and those who have high blood pressure or diabetes are also covered in this category.

These patients would be shifted to quarantine facilities and will be monitored for 14 days.

Category C comprises asymptomatic patients coming from any Covid-19 affected countries. These patients will be quarantined at home and monitored by health officials, he said.

The civic bodies have been asked to identify buildings that can be used if the situation worsens.

The coronavirus spread could also impact the Rajasthan Diwas or Foundation Day celebrations of the state. The four-day celebrations from March 27 to 30 are likely to be scaled down.

Meanwhile, the Great Indian Travel Bazaar has been cancelled in view of coronavirus.

The travel and tourism mart was scheduled to be held from April 19-21 in Jaipur.

With the government suspending visas till April 16, foreign buyers would not be able to participate in the mart which depends on such buyers. Last year, 280 foreign buyers took part in the event. The GITB is organised jointly by the department of tourism and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry FICCI since 2008.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with MoS Finance Anurag Thakur, is chairing the 39th GST Council meeting in New Delhi today. The meeting is also being attended by finance ministers of different states and UTs and other senior officers.

Also read: GST Council Meet: Mobile phones prices to go up as govt hikes tax rate to 18%

As per speculations, the GST Council may rationalise tax rates on five sectors, including mobile phones, footwear and textiles, and defer implementation of the new return filing system and e-invoicing.

FM @nsitharaman in the presence of MoS @ianuragthakur is chairing the 39th #GST Council meeting in New Delhi today.



The Meeting is also being attended by Finance Ministers of States & UTs and Senior officers from Union Government & States.



| @FinMinIndia @GST_Council | pic.twitter.com/CfQcXHdqa4 Office of Mr. Anurag Thakur (@Anurag_Office) March 14, 2020

The Council may also discuss operational glitches on the GST Network portal and seek a resolution plan from Infosys, which has won the contract for managing back-end for GSTN in 2015, officials told PTI.

Further, ways to augment revenue collection would also be discussed as the Centre has made it clear to the states that it does not have money in compensation funds to pay off the states for loss in revenue due to the goods and services tax (GST) implementation.

The Council may also discuss the integration of the GST e-way bill system with the NHAI's FASTag mechanism from April to help track movement of goods and check GST evasion, while also discuss preparedness for Aadhaar-based authentication of GST-registered taxpayers.

The planned lottery scheme under GST, which is proposed to be launched from April 1, will also be discussed in the meeting, officials said.

Also read: Firm gets GST notice to pay up 'Rs 5.9858630140000004'
The West Bengal government has sealed the state's border with Bhutan in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Police, which mans the border gate on the Indian side in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district, stopped the movement of goods and travellers from India to Bhutan on Friday evening, the official said.

The move comes after Bhutan recently issued a notification to the Alipurduar district administration informing it about a halt in tourist and business activities in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, he said.

The Himalayan kingdom had earlier this month banned the entry of foreigners after an American tourist tested positive for the coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Air India special flight left on Saturday to evacuate over 200 Indian citizens from Italy which is the new global epicenter of coronavirus with close to 1300 deaths and 18,000 infections. The special plane left Delhi late afternoon and will land in Milan early Sunday morning. The return flight is also planned for Sunday morning.

A team of Indian medical experts has begun testing Indian nationals at the embassy in Rome for the covid 19 since yesterday afternoon before clearing them for the flight back home.

Close to 1.6 lakh Indians live and work in Italy apart from around 3,800 students who study there in various universities. So far 83 Indians from Italy have already arrived in the country.

India decided to send its own medical team to facilitate mandatory testing for evacuation which was getting delayed due to the heavy pressure on the Italian medical infrastructure due to the meteoric rise in the number of domestic Covid 19 suspects post the infection explosion there.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar retweeted pictures of Indian medical team testing Indian students at the Indian embassy in Rome.

The embassy has also circulated four helpline numbers: +39 3201749773 / +39 3248390031 / +39 3316142085 / +39 3311928713 for all Indian nationals requiring assistance in Italy.

Italy has implemented tough measures leading to a virtual lockdown resulting in people being confined at homes.

Public playgrounds and parks in many Italian cities, including Rome and Milan are now out of bounds for residents.

Indian Ambassador to Italy Reenat Sandhu told Hindustan Times that the Indian medical team will stay put for a few more days to carry out as many tests as possible. She said those who test negative will be quarantined on arrival in India for 14 days.

Union minister Hardeep Puri said on Saturday that India had so far screened 10,876 flights including 11,71,061 passengers at airports for coronavirus.

Centre also announced restrictions on international passenger traffic through land check posts in order to contain the disease and declared Covid 19 to be a state disaster.
The first patient died of the coronavirus disease in Ecuador, national health minister Catalina Andramuno said.

"Unfortunately, I have to inform you that today our first patient, who was diagnosed with the coronavirus in Ecuador, has died. The national government expresses its condolences to her family," Andramuno said at a press conference.

According to the minister, three new cases of COVID-19 were registered in Ecuador on Friday. The whole number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 23.

The Health Organisation (WHO) declared on Wednesday the spread of the COVID-19 a pandemic.

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 140,000, with over 5,000 fatalities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Health authorities are preparing for a hospital surge as the spread of the coronavirus accelerates in Australia, with the peak body for intensive care medicine outlining an ambitious plan to double the number of ICU beds equipped with ventilators to more than 4000 to deal with a spike in demand.

The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society will on Monday hand new guidelines on critical care for patients with COVID-19, quickly drawn up by a working group of 30 intensive care experts, to Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy, to guide the federal government's planning for a rapid increase in cases.

"If it was a truly catastrophic situation, we could potentially in Australia double the number of ICU beds for a period of time," the society's president Anthony Holley told the Sun-Herald and Sunday Age.

Australia would need 2000 extra ICU beds to cope with a 'catastrophic' spread of COVID-19. Credit:AP

This would mean adding more than 2000 new intensive care beds to hospitals around the country, he said, a task that would require some hospital wards to be converted into intensive care units and fitted with ventilators - machines that help patients with pneumonia to breathe.
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LAS VEGAS  The pandemic is here, but you wouldn't know it.

Elmo rides the escalator. Elvis circles vacationers with his scooter. Yard glasses overflow with bright, frozen drinks. Perched on a restaurant balcony, the hair-of-the-dog crowd watches it all unfold, hiding behind designer shades.

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas?

Not among the tourists partying through the apocalypse.

Some tourists watched the activity on the Strip below, leaning over drinks.

But the powers that be here are taking no chances.

Buffets are closing, nightclubs and day clubs are shuttering, conventions are cancelling and putting people out of jobs and resorts are using thermal cameras to screen guests for fevers  a symptom of the coronavirus causing grocery store calamity and self-imposed isolation across the globe.

The Nevada governor Thursday declared the spread of COVID-19 a state emergency. President Donald Trump Friday declared it a national one.

Yet thousands of people are walking up and down the Las Vegas Strip.

They pick through Sin City t-shirts at Planet Hollywood. They pack the buffet at Bally's, one of the few left open. They stand elbow-to-elbow at crosswalks.

They lean over the edge at the Fountains of Bellagio and wait for the music to begin.

Who are the people partying through the pandemic?

An Elvis impersonator rolls down the Strip on a motorized scooter.

Sitting near the food court in Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile Shops is 41-year-old Burt Harshman, a hulking construction worker from Kansas.

He's been in town since Tuesday for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020  one of the conventions that went on as planned despite coronavirus concerns.

"I think it's stupid," Harshman said of coronavirus fallout. "All of it."

To his left is another construction guy named Mitch Evans, a 31-year-old worker also in town for the convention.

"You know how much money Las Vegas is losing because people are freaking out?" Evans asked.

"The whole country's losing money," Harshman said. "If we're not tough enough to deal with a bug, society has gotten to be a bunch of pansies."

Story continues

'I don't understand the toilet paper thing'

Tina Flores and Paul Trombley visited Las Vegas for the first time this week. COVID-19 did not deter them from traveling.

Tina Flores and Paul Trombley have been dating about a year.

Over the holidays, the Michigan couple booked a hotel room at Bally's for their first big trip together. They had no clue it would be love in the time of COVID-19.

Trombley works for General Motors. Flores is a registered nurse. She eased the worry of traveling through the spread.

Flores has treated patients with multiple infections at the same time. While COVID-19 is a serious condition, washing hands is one of the best ways to protect against it, she said.

"We've see a handful of people with masks," Flores said. "We carry bleach wipes."

There were very fews masks on the Las Vegas Strip on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Walking through a nearby shopping mall, a vendor selling eye shadow touched Flores' face as she passed.

It was a lesson learned: In Las Vegas, don't get too close to people selling things.

The couple stopped at the Bally's buffet to eat. The resort had culinary staff serve guests to put distance between tourists and the food.

"It's a lot of media hype," Trombley said.

"I don't understand the toilet paper thing," Flores said.

"Yeah," Trombley said, "it's not a diarrhea thing."

Ed Komenda writes about Las Vegas for the Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network.

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Coronavirus: Who is partying through the pandemic in Vegas?
Researchers, studying the novel coronavirus, have found that the time between cases in a chain of transmission is less than a week, and over 10 per cent of patients are infected by someone who has the virus, but does not show symptoms yet, a finding that may help public health officials contain the pandemic.

The study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, estimated what's called the serial interval of the coronavirus by measuring the time it takes for symptoms to appear in two people with the virus -- the person who infects another, and the infected second person.

According to the researchers, including those from the University of Texas at Austin, the average serial interval for the novel coronavirus in China was approximately four days.

They said the speed of an epidemic depends on two things -- how many people each case infects, and how long it takes cases to spread.

The first quantity, the scientists said, is called the reproduction number, and the second is the serial interval.

Due to the short serial interval of the disease caused by the coronavirus -- COVID-19 -- they said, emerging outbreaks will grow quickly, and could be difficult to stop.

"Ebola, with a serial interval of several weeks, is much easier to contain than influenza, with a serial interval of only a few days," said Lauren Ancel Meyers, study co-author from UT Austin.

Meyers explained that public health responders to Ebola outbreaks have much more time to identify and isolate cases before they infect others.

"The data suggest that this coronavirus may spread like the flu. That means we need to move quickly and aggressively to curb the emerging threat," Meyers added.

In the study, the scientists examined more than 450 infection case reports from 93 cities in China, and found the strongest evidence yet that people without symptoms must be transmitting the virus -- known as pre-symptomatic transmission.

More than one in ten infections were from people who had the virus but did not yet feel sick, the scientists said.

While researchers across the globe had some uncertainty until now about asymptomatic transmission with the coronavirus, the new evidence could provide guidance to public health officials on how to contain the spread of the disease.

"This provides evidence that extensive control measures including isolation, quarantine, school closures, travel restrictions and cancellation of mass gatherings may be warranted," Meyers said.

The researchers cautioned that asymptomatic transmission makes containment more difficult.

With hundreds of new cases emerging around the world every day, the scientists said, the data may offer a different picture over time.

They said infection case reports are based on people's memories of where they went and whom they had contact with, and if health officials move quickly to isolate patients, that may also skew the data.

"Our findings are corroborated by instances of silent transmission and rising case counts in hundreds of cities worldwide. This tells us that COVID-19 outbreaks can be elusive and require extreme measures," Meyers said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday told media that two more people have contracted the coronavirus in the state, taking the number of cases in the state to 19.

One patient is the resident of Ahmednagar while the other one is from the capital city Mumbai.

"Two more positive cases of Covid-19 reported yesterday, one each from Ahmednagar and Mumbai. Total positive coronavirus cases in the state have risen to 19," he said while speaking to ANI in Mumbai.

It should be noted that so far, two deaths due to the lethal infection have been reported in the country.

The coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and Europe as its epicentre with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  The Catholic Bishops Conference to the Philippines (CBCP) encouraged the public to practice sanitary measures in celebrating the Holy Week in April.

The Archdiocese of Manila, and Dioceses of Cubao, and Pasig have suspended masses starting March 14 due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country, in line with the governments advice to avoid mass gatherings.

The CBCP asked people to take precautionary measures during the Lenten season in order to avoid the spread of the virus.

'Yung unang ginawa rito, ang veneration of the cross that's being done on Good Friday. Ang sabi ng Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines dito ay we refrain from touching the cross, from kissing the cross or from wiping the cross with our handkerchief, CBCP Public Affairs Executive Secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: The first thing that we did here is the veneration of the cross thats being done on Good Friday. What the Catholic Bishops Conference to the Philippines said is that we refrain from touching the cross, from kissing the cross, or from wiping the cross with our handkerchief.]

He added that some activities like the Way of the Cross and Kumpisalang Bayan have been cancelled in some dioceses.

However, Secillano assured devotees that there is nothing to worry about because masses will be streamed via Facebook live, through television, and radio.

Especially with the advent of social media, there are so many platforms where we can still celebrate the Holy Week, Secillano said.

RELATED: CBCP tells priests, bishops to sprinkle dry ash instead of marking forehead on Ash Wednesday
Vietnam reported 6 more Covid-19 cases by 5pm March 14, raising the national total to 53.

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The latest case is a 53-year-old Czech national man who had contacted with Italian people while in the Czech Republic. The patient is under quarantine at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The 52nd patient, from Quang Ninh province, is a female passenger on flight VN0054 from London to Vietnam on March 9 and tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 on March 13. The patient has been quarantined at Quang Ninh field hospital.

A 22-year-old girl in Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi was confirmed the 51st patient. The overseas Vietnamese studying in Europe had travelled to many countries from Feb. 23 to March 12. She was transported to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases after she had landed Noi Bai International Airport on March 13.

Meanwhile the 50th patient is a 50-year-old man in Hanoi who had been on business in Paris. He is now under quarantine at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The 49th case is a 71-year-old British man, whose wife had been confirmed the 30th patient in Vietnam. The man has also been quarantined from March 8 and is now being treated at the Hue Central Hospital.

The 48th case of COVID-19 in the country is a 31-year-old man in Ho Chi Minh City.

The patient rode in the same car with patient No 45th and together with No. 45th met with patient No. 34th in Binh Thuan province.

Of the 53 patients, 16 were cured and discharged from hospital./.VNA
In Russia, the number of people infected with coronavirus over the past day has increased to 56, the Operational Headquarters reports. It is specified that all 14 new patients visited the European Union in the past two weeks, TASS reports. Recall that earlier WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
Courtesy of MTA

Ridership down

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It appears commuters are heeding the advice of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to avoid mass transit whenever possible, with ridership down across the MTA system amid growing fear of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

On Wednesday, March 11, ridership on MTA subways was down 18.65%, compared to this time last year, with bus ridership down 15%, according to MTA Communications Director Tim Minton. Traffic on MTA bridges and tunnels was also down 6.7%.

On Thursday, March 12, during the morning rush hour, ridership on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) was down 31%, with Metro-North ridership down 48%, according to Minton.

During a Thursday radio interview, MTA New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg said that the agency expects ridership to continue to drop, which could potentially lead to service reductions.

If ridership goes down significantly, that gives us farebox issues, Feinberg said. Im not sure were in a different position than any other agency of our type in the country.

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Commuter concerns at Staten Island Ferry

On Wednesday morning, commuters at the St. George ferry terminal voiced varied levels of concern regarding the use of mass transit during the coronavirus outbreak.

Westerleigh resident Michael Watt and Huguenot resident Nash Hasan both said that they are not overly concerned about the virus and that they are going about their business as usual.

Im not too nervous about it. If it happens, it happens, Hasan said. Any time a difficulty arises, the public starts to panic. I say dont worry about it too much, the sun will rise again tomorrow.

However, some commuters said the growing number of cases and public perception of the outbreak have led them to be a bit more nervous when traveling in large groups.

Im a little bit more nervous now because people are so scared, said Stapleton resident Camela Glauss. I know that I dont need to freak out about it, but other people are -- and its making me a little more cautious. Im just trying to be careful.z

Most commuters said they hadn't seen a significant difference in cleanliness since the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced enhanced cleaning protocols at the ferry terminals and on the boats, though Hasan said he's noticed an uptick in commuter hygiene in recent weeks.

Theres been more awareness of sanitizing efforts, and theres been a big emphasis on people washing their hands, Hasan said. People are trying to stay away from other commuters they see coughing.

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Express bus riders

Some Staten Island express bus riders said that traveling within a confined space for multiple hours a day has them and other passengers worried about potentially catching the virus.

I would say Im definitely nervous. The buses are a confined space thats usually packed with upward of 40 or 50 people, said Rosebank resident Anthony Parisi. Its a bit nerve-racking. You can tell that people are a lot more tense.

Parisi, who boards the SIM10 on the last stop on Staten Island, said that the typically-packed bus has seen a decrease in passengers in recent days.

Usually my bus is at full capacity, because I take it from the last stop on the Island, so its usually pretty full. Today was like the first time that there were multiple open seats, so maybe people are starting to stay home, he said.

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MTA's cleaning procedures

The MTA's mass transit divisions -- New York City Transit, MTA Bus, Access-A-Ride, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North -- have doubled the frequency of their ongoing sanitizing efforts, using products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Our top priority is to ensure we are doing all we can to make the system as safe as possible for customers and employees, said Patrick J. Foye, MTA chairman and CEO. We are investigating new advanced disinfectant methods to build on the round-the-clock efforts our hard-working employees are undertaking to sanitize the system.

Frequently touched station surfaces like turnstiles, handrails and MetroCard vending machines are now being disinfected twice a day, as opposed to the originally announced once-daily cleanings. The agency's full fleet of trains, cars and buses continue to undergo full sanitization every 72 hours or less.

This includes 472 stations throughout the subway system, 21 stations along Staten Island Railway, 124 stations and terminals along Long Island Rail Road and 101 stations throughout Metro-Norths New York territory, as well as 6,714 New York City Transit subway cars, 64 Staten Island Railway cars, 1,100 Long Island Rail Road and Metro-Norths cars, 5,700 buses and 1,341 dedicated Access-A-Ride vans.

The agency continues to deploy health guidance public service announcements (PSAs) both in stations and on trains and buses. The PSAs complement existing advisories that have been deployed on 3,600 subway screens, 2,000 bus screens, 550 railroad screens and at 84 subway station street entrances.

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Courtesy of DOT

Staten Island Ferry cleaning procedures

The Department of Transportation (DOT), responsible for maintaining and operating the Staten Island Ferry, has stepped up its cleaning efforts in an attempt to curtail the spread of the potentially deadly illness.

The DOT has maintained its around-the-clock cleaning of the St. George and Whitehall ferry terminals, with preparations being made to provide supplemental cleaning on the boats throughout the day, according to the agency.

The DOT says ferryboats will be subject to deep cleanings of all surfaces and touch points at least once every 72 hours, similar to the measures being undertaken by the MTA on the city's buses and trains.

The Staten Island Ferry provides a crucial link between Staten Island and Manhattan for approximately 70,000 daily weekday passengers.

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Port Authority cleaning procedures

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has also announced enhanced cleaning efforts at the region's airports and bus stations in response to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

On Wednesday, the agency announced increased facility-wide cleaning and sanitizing protocols developed in consultation with the New York State Department of Health, New Jersey Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As part of our commitment to the passengers at our facilities, the agency will increase cleanings in response to the coronavirus, said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. Across our facilities we are utilizing EPA-approved, anti-viral cleaning agents to maintain the highest levels of sanitation.

At the international arrivals areas of the regions four airports -- John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International -- all terminal operators have been instructed to intensify cleaning procedures.

This includes increased wipe-downs of frequently touched surfaces, such as doors, countertops, handrails on stairs and escalators, elevator cabs and buttons, information kiosks, ticket vending machines, ticket counters, seating areas, charging stations and water fountains.

Additionally, restrooms will receive increased cleanings using EPA-approved and CDC-endorsed cleaning products. Terminal operators will also deploy additional hand-sanitizing stations near federal inspection areas.

The agency has also increased the frequency and intensity of all cleanings at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, George Washington Bridge Bus Station and the Oculus World Trade Center Transportation Hub. All frequently touched surfaces will be sanitized on a regular basis with EPA-approved and CDC-endorsed cleaning products, similar to the measures being undertaken at the airports.

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Photos of sanitizing efforts

Continue scrolling to see more photos of the ongoing sanitization efforts of the MTA, DOT and Port Authority.

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Courtesy of MTA
HARTFORD  At least seven more state residents have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to at least 12 as of Friday night, state officials confirmed, on a day when President Donald Trump declared the pandemic a national state of emergency.

The national declaration clears the way for as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to deploy in fighting the crisis. It came with a range of executive actions, including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations, as Trumps administration has come under fire for being too slow in making the test available.

Trump, however, shirked any blame for delays in making testing available for the new virus, saying, I dont take responsibility at all.

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In Hartford, state epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Cartter talked about ways the tests are becoming more widely available for Connecticut residents, including hospitals ramping up capacity with testing from private companies. Testing this week is much more available than it was last week, Cartter said. We expect that to continue.

The state also announced several new initiatives, including closing some park centers; approval of video appointments for Medicaid patients; and efforts to work with closed schools, which now cover more than half of all K-12 students in Connecticut.

Newly diagnosed

Cartter said newly diagnosed patients with COVID-19 are from Darien, Greenwich, Westport and Bethlehem. In an interview after the daily news conference in response to the outbreak, he said he didnt know whether any are hospitalized.

The new patients were broken down by Cartter as a woman between the ages of 30 and 40 from Bethlehem in Litchfield County; a man in her family between 60 and 70, also from Bethlehem; a woman between the ages of 40 and 50 from Westport; a man ages 50 to 60 in Darien; and a Greenwich man between 40 and 50.

A Greenwich man between 20 and 30 who tested positive for coronavirus in Utah, remains there. Another case that had previously been counted in the Connecticut total has been removed from the states list because they are from New York. The new cases are not related to international travel.

Griffin Health in Derby said in a news release Friday night a community-based physician, who is a member of the medical staff, tested positive for coronavirus Friday.

The release said the physician was not in his office and did not see patients in the 24-hours prior to exhibiting symptoms, so no action is being taken in regards to staff and patients he interacted with. He is being quarantined.

Officials at Griffin Health claimed it would violate patient privacy to confirm whether the physician was a state resident.

Jeff Flax, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, announced during a pres conference late Friday night that the Hartford region has its first confirmed case of coronavirus: a Rocky Hill resident in her 80s who is being treated at Hartford Hospital.

State officials told Hearst Connecticut Media the states total number of coronavirus cases as of Friday night was at least 12.

Thirty percent of the states school districts with 56 percent of the states pupils have closed, Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said. Closed schools will be working with the state Department of Education to provide meals to students who rely on meals in schools. Many district have developed off-site learning programs via the internet.

If they dont have Wi-Fi access at home, materials are going to be developed and picked up by parents, Cardona told reporters in the Gov. William A. ONeill State Armory.

Utility companies are prohibited from any shutoffs during this time, Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said.

More tests available

As of Friday, 136 coronavirus tests have been completed in Connecticut  125 of which were negative. This data includes tests from the state lab  which conducted 115 tests  and private labs  which have performed 21 tests.

So-called drive-through tests are available at Greenwich Hospital, Waterbury Hospital and Bristol Hospital.

Greenwich has been open for a few days and Waterbury and Bristol hospital started today, Cartter said. On Friday, Yale-New Haven Hospital announced it expects to be able to soon begin testing as many as 200 samples a day.

Cartter said that rather than go into a doctors office, those with symptoms are urged to call their doctor ahead of time and let them know so someone from the office can bring an order out to the patient in the parking lot to limit any potential exposure.

The states ability to detect the virus will soon ramp-up, Cartter predicted.

I think our focus for the next two weeks is to bring, as a plan, we have the Yale-New Haven Hospital Lab coming on board, Cartter said. We have three of these test sites at acute-care hospitals that are separate from the main hospital, at Greenwich, Waterbury and Bristol hospitals. We have additional ones that will be coming on line next week. These sites are using commercial laboratories for tests.

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There are still obstacles, however.

Right now I think the biggest issue with testing is getting the sample taken, Cartter said. Many doctors offices are reluctant to have somebody come into the office and get a throat swab done because they dont have enough personal protection that is routinely used. And we cant send them to the emergency departments because they are full-up right now seeing people. So its really a question of accelerating these sites for testing.

Tele-medicine approved for HUSKY

Geballe announced that 850,000 people in the states low-income HUSKY Medicaid program, will now be eligible for so-called telemedicine, in which they can have video appointments with doctors, who can then be reimbursed for those services.

The new rule by the state Department of Social Services applies to both behavioral and general health treatment. The move follows lobbying by some community health care centers, which has intensified since the state allowed tele-medicine appointments in 2015.

More recently, the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut sent a letter last Friday to DSS urging the change. Hearst Connecticut Media published a column on the same topic Monday, and on Tuesday, Commissioner Deidre Gifford met with health providers.

Appointments must be by video connection, not just audio. The behavioral health coverage is permanent, Gifford said, and the general health waiver will last through the COVID-19 crisis.

Congratulations to the Lamont administration for doing the right thing, said Mark Masselli, founder and CEO of Community Health Center Inc., the largest primary care provider for Medicaid with 70,000 patients all over the state. This is going to redefine and reimagine the way primary care is delivered in Connecticut.

Masselli said CHC immediately notified patients and began enrolling people into the tele-health service Friday.

Other developments on Friday included an announcement that the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will immediately close all visitor centers, including the popular Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill and the Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset State Park in Madison.

Geballe also said those applying for unemployment benefits may be eligible even if they are not actively looking for work, such as an employee whose place of work is temporarily shut down.

Geballe defended Gov. Ned Lamonts expanded prohibition of any visitors, even lawyers and guardians, at state nursing homes.

The way you can best show your love for that person is to keep your distance, Geballe said.

Associate Editor and columnist Dan Haar contributed to this report
A TRADITIONAL Slovenian hay rack could be installed at Gillotts Corner Field in Henley to mark the towns twinning relationship with Bled.

The rack, which is known in Slovene as a kozolec and is one of the countrys cultural symbols, currently stands at the University of Oxfords Harcourt Arboretum, near Nuneham Courtenay, as part of the citys Pitt Rivers Museum collection.

However, the site is to be redeveloped as a visitor centre so the British-Slovene Society has suggested gifting it to Henley, which twinned with the Slovenian town of Bled almost exactly seven years ago.

It could then be used as a gathering place for the societys annual picnic for the Slovenian community living in Britain, which typically attracts 40 to 60 people.

Henley Town Councils recreation and amenities committee has agreed in principle to accept the rack and set aside 500 in its budget to pay for concrete foundations to be laid.

The rack, which is about 25 years old, is made from reconstructed timber and is about 3m tall, 7m long and 1m wide.

It will need to be restored as its condition has deteriorated and the society, which will pay for the relocation, could make it smaller if necessary. The town councils parks services team considered several possible locations before settling on Gillotts field, a designated town green off Gillotts Lane, as it is far from water so safe from flooding and is a suitably rural setting for a piece of farm equipment.

It could go near a parcel of woodland at the boundary of the site and Henley Wildlife Group has suggested using it for its intended purpose of drying hay.

Mill and Marsh Meadows were considered but ruled out due to the flood risk and the fact that large numbers of visitors pass by, increasing the risk of vandalism.

The chalk bank off Valley Road was considered a suitable setting but the team felt it wasnt a good meeting place.

Makins recreation ground, off Greys Road, Freemans Meadow, off Fair Mile, and Station Park in Station Road were also considered but all were deemed to be too urbanised.

Marcus Ferrar, of the British-Slovene Society, told the committee: This is a cultural artefact and a national emblem of Slovenia, much like the British red telephone box.

I went to Mill Meadows and thought it looked like a nice level location. A wooden hayrack could probably survive flooding there if it was on a concrete base, which is something to think about.

Councillor Laurence Plant said: My preference would be Mill or Marsh Meadows as it would look beautiful surrounded by the long grass and lots of people would see it. Youd hope they would behave respectfully.

But Mayor Ken Arlett said: If you put it at Mill Meadows, it almost becomes a climbing frame and were more concerned about someone being injured than it being damaged.

Councillor Sarah Miller said: It probably would be climbed upon or painted so it would need to be in a secure location if it went there.

The decision to accept the gift will have to be ratified by the full council. If it is accepted, the society has offered to help the Henley-Bled Twinning Association in organising activities.

There are only two Slovenian hayracks in Britain, both donated when the country became independent in 1991.

The other belongs to the Prince of Wales and is on his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Blair House, Washington DC, during a press conference on the status of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

HEALTH Minister Simon Harris has deemed people ignoring expert coronavirus advice by going to crowded places amid the coronavirus pandemic "an insult to the efforts" of healthcare staff.

His comments come after a clip of people socialising in a pub in Dublin was circulated online yesterday, leading the hastag #CloseThePubs to trend on Twitter.

Mr Harris is among a growing number of politicians, healthcare professionals and social media users who have criticised people who flocked to pubs, despite the Department of Health urging the public to social distancing in a bid to tackle the spread of the virus.

As it was confirmed that a second person has died from Covid-19 and 39 more people were diagnosed with coronavirus in Ireland, #CloseThePubs trended on social media.

Simon Harris urged the public to think of those of frontline health workers and those who are vulnerable.

He said: "Not far from here, nurses & doctors are working to prepare for the impact of a global pandemic. Everyone is working 24/7. This is an insult to their efforts. There is very clear public health advice. Follow it. All options will be kept under constant review #CoronaVirusUpdates."

Not far from here, nurses & doctors are working to prepare for the impact of a global pandemic. Everyone is working 24/7. This is an insult to their efforts. There is very clear public health advice. Follow it. All options will be kept under constant review #CoronaVirusUpdates https://t.co/XQvJ7tC13D  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 14, 2020

Fianna Fail Micheal Martin urged people to exercise caution and said we must work together to stop the virus from spreading.

"A message to those in our pubs and restaurants who are ignoring #COVID19 recommendations on social distancing. You may think youre fit and healthy and unstoppable, but youre jeopardising people who arent. Please think of them and follow the advice. We can beat this together," he wrote on Twitter.

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald echoed this as she pleaded with people to stay at home.

"Today we had a second #coronavirus death. The virus is here and spreading. This is a public health emergency.

"It is important to stay at home and keep all contact to a minimum.

"So no parties, no gigs, no pubs, no clubs.

"Stay apart from people. Stay in touch with people."

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan earlier said he is concerned about people failing to adhere to social distancing measures introduced last week. He said he was particularly miffed to see pubs remained busy and people were socialising normally.

"Our message does not mean stay at home and hide. It can be appropriate for people to take walks and other exercise. Physical exercise is also important mentally. Reducing discretionary social activities does not mean necessarily hiding in the home.

"There are a lot of anecdotal reports of busy restaurants and pubs. It's important to get the message out: listen to the message, take personal responsibility... reduce as much as possible discretionary social activity.

"This is an opportunity for cigarette smokers to think about the role cigarettes have here and seeing now as the time to consider giving up cigarette smoking. We are starting to see some evidence emerging, which does not surprise us, that those with a history of smoking at a higher risk to serious forms of this particular illness," he said at a press conference this evening.

He later wrote on Twitter that people may feel fine to socialise but could inadvertently put their loved ones at risk.

He said: "Social distancing applies to all age groups, all people in Ireland. We need our younger generation to follow social distancing measures to protect their grandparents, parents or family members who may have underlying health conditions."
A British man quarantined in the central city of Hue has become Vietnams 49th novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient and the 14th passenger on a London-Hanoi flight to have caught the disease.

The 71-year-old man has been quarantined in Hue, the capital of Thua Thien-Hue Province, since March 8.

He arrived in Vietnam on March 2 on a London-Hanoi flight operated by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.

Thirteen other passengers on the same flight, including the countrys patient No. 17, have contracted the novel coronavirus.

His wife, who was also on the flight, was among nine foreigners diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 8.

The mans samples were collected by the Thua Thien-Hue Center for Disease Control and tested by the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang in the namesake south-central city, which announced results have come out positive on Saturday.

He is being quarantined and treated at the Hue Central Hospital.

The new case brings Vietnams total number of COVID-19 patients to 49, with 16 having fully recovered.

Earlier on Saturday, Vietnam confirmed its 48th infection -- a 31-year-old man residing in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City who had interacted with patient No. 34 after she returned from the United States.

Thirty-three people have become infected with the novel coronavirus in Vietnam since Friday last week, when the countrys patient No. 17 was confirmed after three weeks of no new infection.

All 16 cases of recovery had been discharged from the hospital by February 26. There has been no reported fatality from COVID-19 in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese government has decided to temporarily stop allowing visitors from 26 countries in Europe's Schengen Area and Britain to enter the country for 30 days starting from Sunday, as well as halt issuance of visas on arrival for all foreign nationals, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
By The Associated Press Mar. 13, 2020 | 11:18 AM | WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump's administration announced Friday it is awarding $1.3 million to two companies trying to develop rapid COVID-19 tests that could detect whether a person is positive for the new coronavirus within an hour.

The Department of Health and Human Services said it is awarding $679,000 to DiaSorin Molecular, of Cypress, California, and $598,000 to QIAGEN, of Germantown, Maryland, to accelerate development of their tests.

DiaSorin's test could be ready within six weeks for consideration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the QIAGEN test could be ready within 12 weeks for FDA consideration, according to HHS.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, about 81,000 people have been diagnosed and about 64,000 have recovered.
Theatergoers Mark Burns (L) and Mark Chai (R) attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Capitol Theatre, in Sydney, on March 14, 2020. (The Epoch Times)

SYDNEYTwo Shen Yun Performing Arts audience members said they were captivated by the rich heritage depicted in the classical Chinese dance performance.

Mark Burns, a manager at a bank in Sydney, and Mark Chai, a manager at an Australian airline, saw New York-based Shen Yun at Sydneys Capitol Theatre on Saturday afternoon, March 14, 2020.

Burns said he was surprised upon learning that the various dance styles depicted in Shen Yun date back thousands of years.

Chinese dance is at the heart of what Shen Yun does. Known for its incredible flips and spins, and its gentle elegance, it is one of the most rigorous and expressive art forms in the world, reads the companys website. Shen Yun also uses folk and ethnic dances in its performances.

Chai observed how it was interesting to learn that aspects of the dances such as tumbling techniques, and elements in the dance that he would call gymnastics, all originate from classical Chinese dance.

It all came from classical Chinese dance, which I didnt know, which was amazing, Chai said.

The New York-based company writes on its website that the difficult jumping and tumbling techniques, as depicted in some of the Shen Yun dances, all originate from classical Chinese dance, which has a history of thousands of years. Such moves were later introduced to gymnastics and acrobatics over the recent decades.

Enjoying the artistic dancing, Burns said. Of the dancers skills, he commented, Fantastic. Fantastic flexibility.

The dances, performances are amazing, Chai said. The skills that [the performers] have and hours and hours of training they would have done were really good.

According to the company, China was once known as the Land of the Divine, reflecting the belief that its culture was imparted from above. Shen Yun seeks to inspire theatergoers by bringing back to life the spirit of Chinas traditional culture, where harmony is emphasized between heaven, earth, and humankind.

Chai said he was proud to see the traditions brought to life on stage.

I think we shouldnt forget [the] traditional, he said. That its always going to be a part of our culture, so thats something that we need to embrace and maintain and keep for generations.

It Brings Hope

For another theatergoer, IT professional Deanna Rami, who also enjoyed Shen Yun at Capitol Theatre on March 14, Shen Yun brings hope.

Great show. It was just gorgeous. Beautiful costumes. The music was incredible and of course the dancing, phenomenal, Rami said.

It brings hope, she later said, adding that she took away an understanding from the vocal performances.

According to the company, the lyrics in Shen Yuns songs probe the mysteries of life, and transcend the boundaries of race and culture, resounding with a message of hope and peace.

I think the singing, the twothe soprano and the tenor, and the messages that they had to bring, I think, is a real true depiction of the world today and that if we just have faith, well get through this, some of the challenging times, she said.

She also shared her understanding of one dance piece that she described as lovely, adding that it all really comes down to faith.

I think we just have to have faith that the Creator is the best intentions for us and then that through time, our light will shine through the darkness, Rami said.

Rami said that if she were to tell others about the show, shed say its absolutely worth it. Definitely come to see it. Its a delight. It really is delightful.

With reporting by Steve Xu, Anne Wang, and Mimi Nguyen Ly.

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.
By Tom Arnold

BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - An emerging debt fund run by investment manager Ashmore Group loaded with securities from troubled Argentina, Lebanon and Ecuador has been hit by net investor outflows of more than $1 billion since August, according to Morningstar data.

Net returns of the Ashmore SICAV Emerging Markets Short Duration Fund, which has net assets of $5.1 billion, are down 20.3% in the year to date, compared to a 3.5% loss for the benchmark JPMorgan EMBI Global index, Refinitiv data shows.

Around $318 million left the fund in February after monthly outflows in August, October and November. Between the end of last month and February last year, the fund had net inflows of $1.04 billion, the Morningstar data showed. Since August, net outflows totalled $1.1 billion.

The reason is likely heavy exposure to troubled credits -- nearly a quarter of the fund is invested in Argentina and Lebanon, up from around 8% from the same period last year, according to Refinitv data from the end of January, as the emerging markets specialist bought up bonds hammered by last year's financial turmoil in those countries.

Ashmore, which in total has about $100 billion assets under management, declined to comment.

But it last month defended the short duration fund's strategy, saying it was designed to take account of bouts of volatility in high-yielding emerging markets. It was too soon to judge the success of its "dislocation" trades on Lebanon and Argentina, it argued.

Among the fund's holdings is a Lebanese $1.2 billion Eurobond which matured on Monday and will not be repaid. That issue has lost nearly half its value in the past week.

Lebanon declared on Saturday it could not continue servicing debt.

Argentine bonds have also fallen and economy minister Martin Guzman said this week the country will need "substantial relief" as it restructures nearly $70 billion in debt with international bondholders.

The fund's largest weighting of 15% is in Ecuador, the data showed. While Ecuador has not defaulted, it is reeling after huge unrest last year and the recent oil price collapse; its sovereign bonds have tumbled around 50% this year.

(Editing by Toby Chopra)
UPDATE: State officials announced Friday night, March 13 that the number of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Michigan is now at 25, up from the 16 referenced in this story.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  In an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Diocese of Grand Rapids has canceled all weekend Masses through March 29, Bishop David Walkowiak announced Friday.

The celebration of the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, the diocese said in a statement.

We enshrine the divine law to give praise and worship to God on the Lords Day by the obligation to participate at Mass. We are, however, now in the midst of a pandemic which calls for extraordinary measures. Promotion of the common good is one of the pillars of Catholic social teaching and Catholic life.

The diocese represents 80 parishes in 11 counties: Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newyago, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa.

While weekend Masses are canceled, Walkowiak said daily Masses where less than 100 people can continue.

As of Friday, the state had confirmed 16 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Michigan.

The bishop also announced the following:

Churches should remain open for private prayer during normal weekend Mass times and other times as normally scheduled.

Mass will continue to be livestreamed from the cathedral for those who wish to view it. It can be viewed on FOX 17, on the diocesan website and Facebook page.

While weekend Masses are canceled, please tune in to watch 10 a.m. Mass from the cathedral on Sunday, March 15, which will be celebrated by Bishop David Walkowiak.

Catholics are encouraged to make a spiritual Communion , pray the rosary, or meditate on Sacred Scripture to keep holy the Lords Day.

, in place. Daily Masses, where less than 100 people are gathered, should continue in accord with the guidelines from March 11, 2020 in place.

Visits to the sick and homebound should continue. Normal cold/flu season guidelines should be followed.

Funeral Masses may be celebrated.

Confirmation Masses through Wednesday, April 1 have been canceled and will be rescheduled.

All Catholic Schools in the diocese are closed in accordance with the Governors order.

Faith Formation classes should be suspended until Monday, April 6 in accordance with the Governors order. Plans should be made to deliver religious instruction curriculum to families if possible.

Any event at a parish/school where more than 100 people are gathered in a single space indoors should be postponed or canceled until further notice.

Schools and parishes may consider drive thru or take-out options for fish fries where less than 100 people are gathered in a single space indoors.

Any event at a parish/school where less than 100 people are gathered in a single space indoors may continue at this time at the organizers/pastors discretion.

The March 26th evening of penance, The Light is ON for You should take place as scheduled. Any other communal penance services should be modified accordingly.

Meetings for the Our Shepherds  Our Future Capital Campaign will be postponed at this time. Updates will be communicated as we receive them.

Also Friday, the Archdiocese of Detroit announced that its suspending all public Masses in churches under the organizations jurisdiction until April 6.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more:

Kroger takes steps to protect customers, workers amid coronavirus pandemic

Ann Arbor water treatment process extremely effective against viruses, city says

Friday, March 13: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Daniela Bosco is planning to set up her dining room table as a triage center, she said, for her to work from home and her three kids to be homeschooled.

It will be the new normal for many New Jersey families over the next few weeks as coronavirus concerns shutter schools across the state at a dizzying pace.

Oradell schools, which Boscos children attend, along with the 74 other school districts in Bergen County, closed Friday and will not reopen for two weeks. The decision was made Thursday by Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, whose county has the largest number of coronavirus cases in the state.

Between Thursday and Friday, other school districts across the state also decided to send students home to do distance learning. Plans for home schooling are being put together quickly and while many districts are communicating with parents, there are still a lot of unknowns.

I just thought, holy crap, when we got the call, said Sharon Grenham, who has a son, 11, and daughter, 7, in North Plainfield public schools. Im very lucky I have a great employer where if I needed to I could take PTO, function from home, and my husband can too  but what on earth are parents going to do that dont have that option?

Bosco also said she feels lucky that her employer is allowing her to do her finance job from home. But shes still feeling a lot of uncertainty about what distance learning would entail for her three children, who are in sixth, fourth and first grades.

"Im nervous about being a worker, a mom and a teacher all at once, she said.

The fourth grader came home with a packet of work on Thursday. Will that be it, she says she wondered. The sixth grader was expected to bring home his lesson plans and a laptop on Friday.

Will he have to be online from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.? Will they do their classes through video chat? Bosco said.

But its her first grader that Bosco is most worried about.

Having a first grader doing their own homework isnt going to work, she said.

Some parents questioned the quality of the education that their children will receive, from a distance.

John Ruckstuhl, of Kinnelon, is afraid students wont be prepared for state tests or other benchmarks in time.

The schools in his district will close Monday for two weeks. I have clients responsibilities, but at the same time Im going to have to be like, Okay. Did you do your math homework? Ruckstuhl said as he picked up his 12-year-old son outside Pearl R. Miller Middle School. Its going to be an extra job but were all going to have to adapt.

Other parents, like Jacy Sharbaugh, also of Kinnelon, were less concerned. His wife can work from home and he can do his job in the hospitality field remotely if needed.

If theres any loss, itll be minimal, Sharbaugh said of the quality of the education his son would receive through temporary online classes. With the given situation, its kind of give and take.

His 13-year-old son, Logan, said he thinks hell manage, too. I think Im gonna be fine, he said as he stood alongside his dad. Its just all the homework Im going to get now.

In Ocean Township, Ruby Howell said her kids schools havent closed yet, but she expects they will.

Earlier in the week the district did a survey of students to see who had access to the internet and could do schoolwork from home, Howell said.

She expects her boys, 10 and 15, will make the transition without too many issues, though, because they already do so much schoolwork on the computer.

Ocean Township high school students receive Chromebooks freshman year. Both of her sons have also done online tutoring and are used to assignments through Khan Academy, a program the district uses.

It would be like a video of the teacher giving the lesson followed by quick questions, Howell says. And they already post work on Google Classroom, so this is something theyre used to.

She added that shes grateful both she and her husband have the ability to work from home if necessary. Even if that means theyll also have to play teacher a bit.

The parents will have to lay the law down and be like no, were not going to play video games, she said with a laugh.

As far as whether shes worried about being cooped up together, Howell said she thinks shell survive  as long as they can get outside.

We like to go on hikes and be outdoors, she said. As long as I can go for a walk outside of my house, I think Ill be okay.

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At least 11 people were killed and three others seriously injured after a truck and cabin pickup collided on Saturday morning on a highway in Rajasthans Jodhpur district, police said.

The dead include six women, four men and a child mostly from the Bolero Camper and, according to the police, their identity is being ascertained.

Police and administrative officials and local representatives rushed to the spot near Sointra village on the Phalodi-Balotra mega-highway. They were helped by the villagers in removing the dead bodies and taking the injured to the ambulances.

The three injured are undergoing treatment at MDM Hospital in Jodhpur.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted his condolences.

Deeply saddened to learn about the tragic accident on Balotra-Phalodi Mega Highway in Shergarh area, Jodhpur in which 11 people have lost lives. My heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved ones, may god give them strength to bear this loss. I wish speedy recovery to the injured (sic), Gehlot said.

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He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The two wounded people were stable, and their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, authorities said. Their names were not released.

Several people were arrested, including Hassan Elliott, the 21-year-old fugitive wanted in a robbery and slaying last year not far from the scene, District Attorney Larry Krasners office said. Elliott was not among those injured, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

New York

Opinionated composer Charles Wuorinen dies

NEW YORK  Charles Wuorinen, winner of the 1970 Pulitzer Prize in Music and composer of the operas Brokeback Mountain and Haroun and the Sea of Stories, died from injuries sustained in a fall last September. He was 81.

Wuorinen, who composed more than 270 works, died Wednesday at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, a spokeswoman said.

Known for much of his career as an admirer of the 12-tone system of composition, Wuorinen was opinionated.
Despite growing concerns related to COVID-19, hundreds of Sugar Land residents flocked to Sugar Land Town Square to shop or visit one of the many restairants and bars on Thursday evening, March 12. The weather was inviting and for much of the evening a large group of children played on the lawn outside Sugar Land City Hall while smiling parents watched from the nearby patio of Jupiter Pizza and Waffles Microbrewery and sipped their beers. Couples walked hand and hand down the sidewalk and the tables were full inside Starbucks where people sat talking in groups of two or three people. Outside, others sat quietly with their laptops open under big Texas skies. While business appears to be booming there, some business owners say sales have declined slighty and many are creating new strategies to adapt to the changing times.

A sign in the window of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio reads COVID-19 Concerns and outlines new cleaning and hand-washing measures put in place. Inside, classes remain busy with more than a dozen customers dancing in pairs.

Chef Ryan Wittig, who teaches cooking classes at Sur La Table, said he is currently planning ahead to make sure he can find alternative resources for fresh foods and other supplies he needs for his classes. Although there may been a few cancelations, in general he said classes were still filling up, especially for the most popular ones such as his class featuring New Orleans flavors and French cooking techniques.

We see this as an opportunity to connect with new customers, people who may not have had time in the past may be bored at home and looking for interesting things to do, Wittig said.

Related: Federal lawmakers approve $8.3 billion emergency funding to deal with coronavirus impacts

Pat Hauck, owner of Sugar Lands House of Blooms said although sales from walk-in purchases were down slightly, her business is fortunate to has numerous wedding contracts signed months in advance. In addition, the shop receives orders from all over the world through their website and from customers who call to order flower deliveries for special occasions as well deliveries to area hospitals and funeral homes. Overall, she said sales still very strong. However, with the issues related to COVID-19 changing rapidly, she is aware things could change in the future that would affect buying patterns.

All in all, we have to realize, is this purchase a luxury or not? she said.

Diana Mojica is the owner of Pinots Palette, which hosts two or more wine and painting parties every day.

During Hurricane Harvey, we were closed for three weeks, but we came back strong. So, were trying to have a positive outlook, She said. We want to be respectful if people dont want to go to large gatherings; but we offer an intimate setting with less than 15 people. You can even have a private party and not have any strangers in the room, she said.

Earlier that day, Fort Bend County Judge KP George signed a declaration of local disaster for public health emergency statement, which allows the county access to disaster-relief funding from state and federal resources.

This is a serious health issue, but I want our residents to live their lives, but carefully. That is our message. You cannot live in fear. Fort Bend County is working with our city governments as well as state and federal officials, we are all working together and we will get through this, George said in a telephone interview. Fort Bend County has set up a special call center where people and business owners can call and ask questions and get information about COVID-19. I want people to call us if they have questions and concerns. Thats why were here.

Related: Fort Bend County voters elect first South Asian county judge in states history
Victor Giadom

The plan to replace embattled national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has taken serious dimension after South South leaders endorsed Victor Giadom as Oshiomholes replacement.

According to Sunnews, they also insisted that the partys National Executive Committee scheduled for next week Tuesday, must hold.

They have also urged all members of the party from the six states in the geographical zone to attend the meeting, saying the NEC is the only democratic instrument of the party authorized to do so by its constitution.

These decisions were reached on Thursday night in Abuja, at Edo State Governors Lodge in Asokoro, despite the call by the national vice chairman, South South, Hillard Eta, for the boycott of meeting of the ruling party.

A communique released at the end of the meeting was read by the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.

It said seven ministers, serving National Assembly members, former ministers, former governors, former NASS members, and all zonal and state executive members of the party attended the zonal caucus meeting.

The leaders included the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Power, Goddy Agba; Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; former Edo State governor Oserheimen Osunbor; immediate past Director General of Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside and Senator Ndoma Egba.

Others present were former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani; factional chairman of Edo State chapter of the party, Anselm Ojezua, Senator Domingo Obende and Senator James Akpan Udoedege, including Sam Sam Jaja, former TUC President, Peter Esele among others.

The communique noted in part, at the meeting, the leaders of the zone deliberated extensively on situation in the party and at the end of the meeting, they adopted the following resolutions:

That as a party, we commend our brother, the acting chairman of the APC, Victor Giadom, for rising to the occasion by providing leadership for the party in this trying times.

That we fully support the convening of the National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday March 17, as the NEC is the only recognised organ under the constitution of our party to resolve the APC crisis.

That we insist that the party should respect the current zoning arrangement by retaining the chairmanship of our great party in the South-South zone even in an acting capacity.

We resolved that the most senior officer of the party from the zone, being the national acting secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, should be confirmed acting national chairman for the time-being.

We urged all our brothers and sisters from the zone to fully embrace the NEC meeting and not boycott the emergency NEC meeting, which has been slated for Tuesday March 17th. Because boycott in a democratic environment is always counterproductive.
The final planeloads of European passengers flew into an eerily quiet Los Angeles airport Friday, wheeling their luggage past hand sanitizer stations as the hours ticked down to a 30-day travel ban. US President Donald Trump's sweeping moratorium over the coronavirus pandemic has created uncertainty for many tourists who planned their vacations to California months in advance. Waiting inside the arrivals terminal was Eugenio Stewart, a 46-year-old limousine driver. He had donned sunglasses and two sets of gloves, and bought a $6 mask from a hardware store, after learning he was picking up a passenger from badly virus-struck Italy. "If the passenger was from another country I wouldn't wear this," he said. "I've been doing this for a year, and a half and clients are always coughing and sneezing -- so in this case I don't want to take any risks." Hoping he wouldn't offend his client, Stewart added: "Safety first, feelings after... hopefully he'll be wearing a mask too." Janne Gartman, 31, clutching a giant, bright-red snowboard bag after arriving from Copenhagen said: "We are here for 10 days but haven't bought our ticket back so the return is really a question mark." The travel restriction on the EU's Schengen border-free zone from midnight Eastern Time (0400 GMT Saturday) notably excludes Britain and Ireland, and does not include US citizens returning from Europe. But for those like Mathilda Tennysdotter, living in the US on a work visa, the ban meant she had to dash back to Los Angeles immediately from a visit home. "My mom woke me up at like six in the morning," said the 29-year-old Swede. "I wouldn't be let in past today, so I had to be here today... it's a 30-day ban but you never know how long it's going to last. "This is a big, big pandemic." Solveig Djonnelian, 26, from Norway, also had to change her flights at the last minute to beat the deadline. "It's been a crazy couple of days," she said. One Italian woman arriving via Paris expressed relief that she had been allowed in without problems. "All good, thank God!" she said, adding she had encountered "no tests, no questions." Gartman said plane attendants on his flight from Denmark had tried to keep their distance from passengers where possible. Customs and immigration "was more flexible than ever" with no additional questions or temperature control, and only short lines, he added. Janne Gartman (C) travelled from Copenhagen to California for a snowboarding holiday Limousine driver Eugenio Stewart, 46, awaits the arrival of a passenger coming from Rome Japan Airlines flight crew wearing face masks arrive for a flight at Los Angeles International Airport Passengers wheeled their luggage past hand sanitizer stations at LAX airport as the hours ticked down to a 30-day travel ban
The State Election Commission on Saturday said it has the "requisite infrastructure" to use ballot papers in the upcoming polls to 111 civic bodies, if stakeholders demand so instead of EVMs in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The Constitution has provisions and we are also capable of conducting the upcoming civic polls through ballot papers. We also have the required infrastructure for doing so," a senior state EC official told PTI.

People touch a single device while voting through EVMs, which is not the case with ballot papers.

"If there is a demand for ballot papers (because of coronavirus outbreak), we are ready," the official said.

Currently, EVMs are used in all elections in the country, though there had a been a demand from certain political parties to return to ballot papers claiming that the machines could be programmed.

The state Election Commission has convened a pre-poll all-party meeting on Monday, where it will take opinions of the parties regarding fixing of poll dates.

The coronavirus outbreak will be taken into account before the dates of the elections are finalised, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
They just found 43 cases in the little town I was going, mainly because people didnt listen and did not quarantine themselves," Pandya said via messaging. "The small group of people ended up infecting others, and now I am worried how many more will be identified by the time I get there.
A section of Maratha youth,



protesting against delay in appointments despite clearing various government department examinations three years ago, on Saturday called off their 47-day stir after the government assured to look into the demands.

A delegation of Maharashtra ministers Eknath Shinde and Vijay Wadettiwar met the protesting youth at Azad Maidan here along with MLC Vinayak Mete and assured them of a meeting within eight days to address the demand, a statement said.

Mete had raised the issue in the state Legislative Council following which Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had assured that the demand raised by the youth will not be ignored.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Other courts across the state will continue as planned until further notice

The Supreme Court and the County Court in Victoria have suspended any new jury trials for the first time ever amid coronavirus fears.

The unprecedented move was announced on Saturday following crisis talks on Friday.

Any new criminal trials requiring juries will be suspended from Monday.

The suspension is indefinite.

The Supreme Court and the County Court in Victoria have suspended any new jury trials for the first time ever amid coronavirus fears

'This precautionary decision was made after consideration of the latest expert health and government advice and recognises that members of the community may hold concerns about attending Court in large groups,' a statement read.

'This suspension does not apply to trials in which the jury has already been empanelled, which will continue as usual.'

Anyone who has received a summons to attend the Supreme Court and the County Court on Monday should be contacted by Juries Victoria to inform them of the change.

Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said she was confident in the decision made by the court

Other courts across the state will continue as normal until further notice.

'The Courts acknowledge this is an unprecedented decision and we are confident it is in the best interests of the Victorian community,' the statement read.

The move is expected to cause significant delays in the justice system - despite the court's attempts to keep it at a minimum.

Eight trials were due to be empanelled across the two courts on Monday.

Anyone who has received a summons to attend the Supreme Court and the County Court on Monday should be contacted by Juries Victoria to inform them of the change

The backlog is set to be unlike anything the justice system has ever seen.

'We're sailing into uncharted waters. It's a bit scary,' one senior justice figure told The Herald Sun.

The Northern Territory local court also suspended all circuit court services,

'At this stage they will resume on 1 May 2020 as per the current court calendars, and additional days may be required,' NT courts and tribunals said in a statement, according to The Guardian.

Australia clocked up 227 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday after three South Australians, three Western Australians, 13 Victorians, one Tasmanian and 20 people in NSW tested positive for the coronavirus

'These measures will not affect Tennant Creek local court dates.'

The Prime Minister said on Friday the federal government will ban 'non essential' public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday.

The government is taking the drastic move in the wake of growing evidence the coronavirus pandemic is spreading throughout the community.

'We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,' Mr Morrison said on Friday.
New York: US President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in order to make more funds available for fighting the fallout of the disease while reflecting symbolically the seriousness of the situation.

Trump said on Friday that up to $50 billion will be available to states and territories to meet the challenge and declared, "No resource will be spared."

The declaration came as the number of coronavirus cases in the US hit 1,800 with 41 deaths.

The stock markets zoomed as Trump made the declaration at a White House news conference. After having plummeted by more than nine per cent on Thursday, the markets gained about the same percentage on Friday, most of the gain coming while Trump spoke.

Trump said that states and local administrations will get the resources made available through the emergency declaration.

He said, "I`m urging every state to set up emergency operations centres effective immediately."

However, Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi were at odds on a national coronavirus relief package.

Trump called the relief package proposed by Pelosi as not "what`s right for the country" while Pelosi was adamant about going ahead with a vote on it in the Democratic Party-controlled House of Representatives.

The US President also said that under the emergency the rules would be made flexible to allow doctors and hospitals to deal with the crisis.

Health Secretary Alex Azar will be empowered to waive rules for developing medications and tests and for promoting telemedicine.

In keeping with the Republican philosophy of involving the private sector he announced several initiatives with corporations.

The main initiative is with Google that will enable to people to screen themselves online to see if they needed a COVID-19 test and where they can get it if needed.

Trump said that 1,700 engineers will be working on the projects with Google.

He met with several executives of private companies before the news conference and some of them spoke to the media about their programmes.

The retailer Walmart with a large national footprint and others like Target will make available their facilities to COVID-19 testing.

The pharmaceutical company Roche will be able to get a shortcut to offer its system for fast tests for the coronavirus.

Trump defended his administration`s response saying that it was following the procedures in place that were not designed for a crisis like the coronavirus and that changes would be made to deal with similar crises should they arise in the future.

Seema Verma, who heads the two separate federal health insurance programmes for senior citizens and for the poor, noted that a lot of the deaths were among older people and said that several new regulations are being put in place to protect those in nursing homes for the elderly.

Pressed by a reporter who accused him of being "selfish" by not getting himself tested for the coronavirus after having been photographed in the company of someone who had come done with it, Trump said that he would undergo the test but would not say when or commit to making it public.

Trump and medical experts with him said that people should undergo tests only when a doctor advises them to take them.

Trump declared the emergency under a 1988 law for funnelling aid to states and local administrations.

Unlike in India, a state of emergency like this in the US does not involve limiting civil rights and it only paves the way for providing funds for dealing with the fallout of a disaster like the coronavirus and for relaxing laws and regulations to speed up medical response.

Senate Republican leader Chuck Schumer has said that under the law known as the Stafford Act $42.6 billion could be immediately available from the Disaster Relief Fund.

Trump has been under criticism for his handling of the coronavirus crisis by not responding soon enough or adequately.

Schumer and 35 other senators had written to Trump on Wednesday asking him to declare the state of emergency to make the funds available.
A convicted robber who escaped HMP Sudbury by placing a dummy in his cell, climbing a 10ft high wall and fleeing for a weekend away in Skegness with his girlfriend has had ten months added to his 12-year sentence.

Luke Harvey, 30, was caught by police when he and mother-of-one Hannah Smith drove down the M6 near her home in Birmingham a week after his jailbreak.

Smith has been handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work at Derby Crown Court after she admitted harbouring a criminal.

Harvey was put behind bars for in 2014 after he broke into a house in Leicester brandishing metal bars, punched the couple that lived there in the face and stole 3,500 worth of jewellery.

Prosecutor Mark Achurch said he had been due to be released next year, halfway through his sentence.

Luke Harvey, 30, was caught by police when girlfriend Hannah Smith, 30, drove him down the M6 near her home in Birmingham a week after his jailbreak

Smith was handed a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years at Derby Crown Court. She has also been told to complete 150 hours unpaid community work

Police put out an alert for Harvey in August last year after finding he had stuffed his bed when they did their final check at 10pm.

CCTV footage showed him climbing over the prison wall before getting into a car driven by his partner.

The court heard how the couple fled for a weekend away in Scotland, with Harvey telling Smith he was due back on Monday.

However, when they returned he went on the run. Harvey saw his partner again days later, and asked her to drive him to a friend's house.

He had his sentence extended at Warwick Crown Court in October. Smith was handed a suspended sentence at Derby Crown Court yesterday.

Judge Shaun Smith QC, giving her sentence, said: 'Had you been harbouring him secretly making sure people did not know where he was then doubtless you would be going into immediate custody.

'But you weren't as he was travelling in your car when you were pulled over and he was arrested.

Harvey escaped HMP Sudbury, pictured, by climbing its ten-foot high walls

'But you did realise he was an escapee and could have told the police but for whatever reason chose not to.

'You are a mum to an 11-year-old child and if I send you to custody that child would be taken into foster care.'

Patrick Williamson, mitigating for the mother, said: 'She has a relative who could look after her child for a short period of time but after that it would need to be placed into foster care if she is handed immediate custody.'

The hearing was told how the couple are now no longer together.
One of the most rewarding additions to the annual fashion calendar to emerge in recent years has been the design-focused exhibitions, which deliver powerful insights into the world of couture and the icons who fashion our style. The Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at London's V&A museum last year was incredible and before that, the V&A did an amazing job on showing the genius of Alexander McQueen in Savage Beauty. And two years ago, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art pushed out the boundaries on the enthralling Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.

This year, Paris beckons with a retrospective of the work of Christian Louboutin whose red-sole shoes have made him one of the most recognisable designers in the world.

Standing at the entrance of the Palais de la Porte Doree on Avenue Daumesnil the day before the exhibition officially opens to the public, there's a palpable excitement. Christian has brought us to his neighbourhood. The designer grew up in the 12th Arrondissement and used to visit the Palais on Sundays (at the time it was it was called the Museum of African and Oceanic Arts).

As a young boy, he was fascinated by the architectural beauty and ornamental richness of the building and it influenced his love of art. Stepping inside, it is entirely appropriate then that we are welcomed first by the very object that serves as the key to this exhibition. It is a sign from Christian's childhood days which forbade the wearing of heels inside the Palais. By his own admission, its sketch of a vertiginous 1950s-style stiletto with the giant X over it mesmerised the young Christian. Between that and his love of Paris music-hall girls - who he poetically refers to as birds of paradise - his fate was sealed. Shoes became a passion and the forbidding sign at the Palais subsequently inspired his iconic 'Pigalle' shoe which he has reinvented time and time again.

Expand Close Walk this way: the Mary Janes that Louboutin road-tested his red soles on for the fist time in 1992 / Facebook

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Wearing statement two-toned shoes, with a checked suit, Christian moves with speed across the rooms. The exhibition opening is being covered by all the top glossy fashion magazines and is destined to have international appeal because so many women - and men - collect his shoes.

Louboutin topped the Luxury Institutes's annual Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) for three years and former collectors of his footwear include the novelist Danielle Steele, who reportedly owns 6,000 pairs.

Controversially, Christian sees his six-inch stilettos as a "form of liberty". Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshsaw character in Sex And The City famously had an expensive shoe fetish wrapped around Louboutin heels and here in Ireland, there is brisk business at Brown Thomas, his only outlet in Ireland. I've always suspected that Irish women tend to go for the very highest heel - the 120mm - because with its angled arch, it allows more of the iconic red sole to be seen.

For the uninitiated, the single biggest feature that sets Louboutin apart in the shoe world is his red soles and the exhibition affords the opportunity to see shoes from his own private collection.

The signature soles are a valuable symbol of recognition on the retail scene and far from being planned, he describes the birth of the red sole as "a happy accident".

It all started around a prototype for a Mary Jane-style shoe with pointy toe and a three petal-flower detail tie (pictured right) and these have place of pride in the second room of the exhibition.

Expand Close Christian Louboutin as a boy in the 12th Arrondissement / Facebook

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When the prototype arrived back in his Italian factory, Christian looked at the shoe and at his original drawing. There was something amiss. It was supposed to be a colourful collection inspired by pop art and when he saw the black sole, he realised the problem. As it happens, the model who had been trying on the shoes for size, was now painting her nails with red varnish at the end of the day.

Christian took the nail polish, tried it on the shoe and the rest is history. But it could have been so different.

I'm a little surprised to discover that Christian once flirted with the idea of doing green soles for winter followed by different coloured soles for spring/summer. However, the red nail polish incident in the factory further backed up his theory that while women in the 1990s always wore black because they claimed they did not like colour, the exception was red, which they wore on their nails and lips.

Born to parents from Brittany who raised Christian and his three sisters just two blocks away from the exhibition space, the 57-year-old designer has spent two years working on the retrospective.

Standing before us in the antechamber, he tells us about the Bhutanese theatre which he had painted, engraved and shipped here by boat. The southern asian kingdom of Bhutan, which he first visited 10 years ago, has been an important part of his imagination.

"It took three months to arrive. We were very worried that it was not arriving on time but it did," Christian explains to us.

He has spent two years working on the exhibition and it has become more than just a labour of love.

"This exhibition showcases the precious relationships that have marked my journey, through working with craftsmen who possess unique expertise as well as collaborations with artists who are dear to me," Christian explains.

The exhibition is divided into 10 sections and covers 29 years of his work, highlighting the different sources of inspiration and creative processes that characterise the shoemaker's approach. It features a large selection of shoes and sketches, many of which have never been exhibited before and has been designed as an opportunity to discover Christian's interests. It is like a personal tour of his creative mind. Visitors encounter his work and collaborators in the first half, while the last part is filled with the treasures he adores.

Walking up the stairs to the first-floor entrance, the walls are decorated with a mesmerising graphic made up of the names of his shoes. Since 1991, he has designed more than 40,000 styles.

The designer stands before us in the antechamber of the exhibition. He is charming and very businesslike. In his introduction, Christian explains that L'Exhibition[niste], the title of the exhibition, came to him quite quickly.

"It is a play on the idea of an exhibit and the act of exhibitionism. Both are quite close, but I like the more subversive notion that in exhibiting my work, I am exposing myself in a more intimate way. I've put a lot of myself in this project from both a professional and personal perspective. I reveal a lot of myself, of my inspirations, of my creative processes in this exhibition and I wanted this to be reflected in the title."

The second room displays Christian's work, from early shoes that preceded the iconic red sole to the early 2000s models. There are the slippers inspired by the sight of Princess Diana sitting alone in front of the Taj Mahal, staring at her feet. Its inspired him to create a pair of slippers bearing the word 'LOVE' so that Diana would never forget how much she was cared for.

The second room is home to the shoes with carved wooden heels and the 'Maquereau', which was made with metallic leather and inspired by the iridescence of fish. They are surrounded by a series of stained-glass panels created by the Maison du Vitrail. Full of colour, the stained-glass panels seek to elevate the shoe beyond a mere accessory and present it as a part of the history of fashion.

There are references to Andy Warhol and feathers from Folies Bergeres, the cabaret music hall where Christian worked as a young man after quitting school early. There are lots of personal touches and one stained-glass panel captures his Parisienne life and takes in everything from the Concorde monument, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, his red moped, red wine and croissants.

We are joined by the curator, Olivier Gabet, who has imagined the exhibition as "an immersive presentation of a multi-faceted expression". He is full of insights. I lean in for a better look at the black patent shoes from 1994 where the bobbin heel resembles the logo of a Guinness stout can. Surely the only shoe to declare "brewed in Dublin"...

If he wasn't a shoe designer, Christian could so easily have been a comedic actor. He loves theatre, cinema, cabaret and circus, and he is hilarious in the videos which are shown the exhibition's The Atelier Room and which tell the story of the processes involved in making shoes.

The Treasure Room brings together some of his most iconic creations. The gigantic carved Bhutanese theatre is stunning and you can view the installation with an original hologram of Dita Von Teese, the burlesque dancer who has been a close friend of his for years. The 'Pop Corridor' will appeal to those who crave a closer view of the shoes worn by his celebrity fans such as Tina Turner, Beyonce, Leonardo Di Caprio and J-Lo.

The exhibition includes creations by artists who are important to Christian like New Zealand multimedia artist Lisa Reihana who retraces the moments, places and key figures of Christian's life and career.

British designer duo Whitaker Malem created nine leather-clad sculptures in the nine colours of the extended 'Nudes' shoe collection to deliver diversity for customers across all races. The fetish room is a collaboration with film producer David Lynch and is off-limits to under-16s.

Some people might castigate Christian for making shoes that are difficult to wear, but he is clear that he does not design with comfort in mind. "No shoe with a 12-cm or 5-in heel is comfortable but people do not come to me looking for a pair of slippers."

Christian Louboutin : L'Exhibition[nist] runs until July 26. See www.palais-portedoree.fr/en/christian-louboutin-exhibition

L'Exhibition[niste] runs until July 26. The Palais de la Porte Doree can be reached by the Paris Metro Line 8 (direction Pointe du Lac) from central stations such as Concorde. Madeline and Opera. Tickets from 9. Guided tours in English on Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

palais-portedoree.fr/en/christian-louboutin-exhibition
Hundreds of universities and colleges around the United States have canceled in-person classes in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. A reported 520 campuses across 47 states shut down before Friday. For many students the shutdown comes just days before the spring semester recess.

University and college students in the United States are joining over 300 million students across Asia, Brazil, Iran and Europe to have their schooling affected by the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus which first emerged late last year in Chinas Hubei province.

There is no doubt that school closures are a necessary and important measure from a public health standpoint. However, the haphazard manner in which these school closures have taken place is another stark indication of the complete lack of preparedness within the political establishment to handle a public health crisis of this magnitude. The consequences for workers, students and youth have already been immense.

Many universities followed the announcement to end in-person classes with a notification that students had to leave campus midweek, or in the most sudden cases within 24 hours. The University of California system was among the first to close down. They announced plans to close eight of their nine campuses by Thursday, just over a week before spring break, forcing the tens thousands of students with homes across the United States to hastily make arrangements for travel across the country.

In many cases little or no thought was given to what the implications would be for the tens of thousands of homeless and home-insecure students as well as hundreds of thousands of international students.

Alek, a student at the University of Dayton (UD) in Ohio, spoke to the WSWS about his experience with the schools sudden closure: Lots of my friends had to kind of scramble to find ways home or places to stay since the school did not make it very easy to apply for an ability to stay on campus. And to put it into context the school owns most of the housing around the campus as well so Id estimate anywhere from 80 to 90 percent of students live in school owned housing.

Alek expressed particular concern for low-income students: Housing subsidies, for the unused housing that students have already paid for, have yet to be provided so low income students are really getting screwed Ohio is a state with lots of rural poverty too and thats really endangering those kids who dont have great social nets near them.

He contrasted the lack of support for students with the enormous resources at the school, noting, UD has an endowment over half a billion dollars.

Thousands of students are suffering from similar experiences. One Harvard student posted on Twitter, 72 hours Harvard told me to leave campus. My mom and I are homeless and I no longer have my term-time job I use to support my family. The full impact these measures will have on students and their families is yet to be determined.

International students face similar obstacles. At Princeton, classes were canceled preemptively on Monday and students told to leave before the end of the week, at first with no exceptions and also applying to the nearly two thousand international students.

By Wednesday morning, students had circulated a petition with over 4000 signatures calling for temporary options to be available for those on financial aid, those with unstable home conditions and international students. The petition also raised the concern of sending international students home without testing them for the virus, especially those from both East Africa and East Asia, regions with no reported cases and regions with high risk travel warnings.

As one student wrote on Twitter, I am signing because as an international student from 4000 miles away, I cannot travel on a whim back home. This situation applies to most international students, particularly the hundreds of thousands of Indian and Chinese students studying in the United States, who would in addition have to log into online classes in the middle of the night local time. Other students expressed concern if their American visas would even allow them to continue officially studying in different countries.

Some universities and schools have already decided to suspend classes for the rest of the semester, including the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) systems and Temple University in New Jersey. Hundreds of thousands of students trying to pack up and leave campus within a week has caused immense anxiety and confusion on the campuses. For these schools with mostly in-state residents, the move also means that parents and student workers have to take time off from their jobs to spend a day packing and driving home.

Rutgers University closed campus a day early on Thursday after trying to switch to online classes in the middle of the week, a move which many universities are attempting to implement in order to keep education disruptions to a minimum.

Already there are growing concerns from students about the quality of learning online, often taking place in bedrooms and living rooms. Students are also forced to rely on their personal technology and varying levels of access to the internet in their homes.

Over the last week, the transition to online class for grade school students in Seattle forced the citys Department of Education to provide Wi-Fi routers to dozens of households who didnt previously own one. A similar crisis will be met by tens of thousands of college students without Wi-Fi routers in their homes or who are in more precarious situations.

At the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in the city of New Brunswick, the related hospital for Rutgers-New Brunswicks health department and nursing school, nursing and pharmaceutical students that normally would have worked over the spring break were asked to continue coming into the hospital and connected labs. EMT nursing trainees were also asked to work over the break to build up their training hours but forcing students to either commute for early morning or night shifts, or scramble for the limited housing available over the spring break period.

Nursing students have reportedly been told that this will be a learning experience like no other.

While there is certainly much confusion among students, youth and workers regarding the political and social causes and consequences of the crisis, there is also an immense level of anger with the current state of affairs.

Alek told our reporters that he thought the response from the Trump administration was very poor so far: His CDCs initial test failed. They de facto banned private testing from being rolled out until after the CDC had a working one. The travel ban from Europe is stupid if American citizens cannot come back, but regardless no travel ban would ever work Im not optimistic.

One student from University of Maryland, Kelly, told the WSWS, What is taking place is the beginning of a complete catastrophe. People will die because of how unprepared the political figures have been on these issues. If they think the whole world does not see this, they have another thing coming.
Such an agreement was reached at a meeting of the Tripartite Contact Group in Minsk

Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Reuters

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will receive access to Ukrainian prisoners who are illegally detained in certain territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO). This was stated by the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, the press service of the office reports.



It is noted that such an agreement was reached at a meeting of the Tripartite Contact Group in Minsk.



"We agreed in the TCG that the Red Cross will be admitted to the places where our people are in uncontrolled territories," Yermak said.



He noted that he decided to participate in the meeting of the Tripartite Contact Group due to the fact that within three months many of the agreements reached by the presidents during the Paris Summit were not implemented.

Related: Ukraines Interior Minister reports 12 cases of coronavirus in occupied Donbas

Earlier Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Russia Dmitry Kozak believed that the creation of the Advisory Board at the Trilateral Contact group with the participation of the representatives of the Normandy Format will enable the dialogue of Kyiv and Donbas as RBK reported.

It is offered to create the dialogue platform with the participation of the representatives of the Normandy Format (Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France), the sides of the conflict, in other words, Donbas, Kozak said.

The statement of Kozak is confirmed by representative of the separatists in Donbas, Head of Foreign Ministry of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic Natalia Nikonorova.

"It does not matter how this body will be called. The important fact is that it will be the platform for the direct dialogue, communication of two sides of the conflict  Donbas and Ukraine, Nikonorova said as TASS reported.
With two toddlers who were born premature at home, Lucy Huie feels it is "just not worth it" to keep sending her two older children to school between now and the start of the Victorian school holidays on March 27.

The mother of four from Rockbank is "seriously considering" keeping her five-year-old daughter Estelle and eight-year-old son Isaia home for the next three weeks, during which time the nation's coronavirus outbreak is predicted to escalate.

Estelle, 5, her brother Isaia, 8, and their 16-month-old twin little sisters Mila (L) and Isla (R) at home in Rockbank. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Ms Huie's one-year-old twins Mila and Isla were born two months premature, have weakened immune systems and have spent numerous stints in hospital with Bronchiolitis. Isla also suffers from a breathing condition which can cause her to become unconscious when she cries.

"When the twins get sick, they get really sick," says Ms Huie. "And when Isla is sick, she cries more. With those things in mind, it's just not worth it for just a few more weeks."
Under the temporary Telework Policy for COVID-19 Outbreak, city employees who have received a quarantine order or been told to stay home because they were exposed to the coronavirus would be eligible to get approval from supervisors to work from home. The policy also could apply to people whove returned from countries with virus outbreaks, or those with underlying medical conditions that could put them at greater risk from the outbreak.
A team of doctors on Saturday screened as many as 230 passengers and railway staff at Naharlagun station for possible novel coronavirus infection, officials said.

The passengers arrived at the station from New Delhi by the Arunachal Express.

They were screened with the help of non-contact infrared thermometers, a senior health official informed.

It was found that no one had fever, their body temperatures were normal and all of them were allowed to enter the state, the surveillance officer of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Dr L Jampa, said in a statement.

A total of 24 passengers and crew members were screened at Naharlagun helipad, he said.

All the passengers coming from Guwahati by chopper were found to be afebrile (having normal temperature) and allowed to enter the state.

Leaflets were also distributed to the passengers and others on precautionary measures against the virus infection, Dr Jampa said.

He said that personal protective equipment, gloves, 3 -layer surgical masks, N-95 masks, posters and leaflets were issued in sufficient quantity to the districts for taking preventive measures.

The state health department has already taken adequate measures to stop the spread of the disease in the Himalayan state.

Arunachal Pradesh has decided to temporarily stop issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners in an attempt to prevent the epidemic from reaching its borders.

The ban has been imposed as a precautionary measure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 14, 2020] Quantzig Explains the ABCs of Evaluating Social Network Analytics Initiatives in Its Recent Article

Quantzig, a global data analytics and advisory firm, that delivers actionable analytics solutions to resolve complex business problems has announced the completion of its recent article that offers insights into how businesses can gauge the success of their social media analytics initiatives. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005012/en/ ABCs of Evaluating Your Social Network Analytics Initiatives (Graphic: Business Wire) The article also offers comprehensive insights on: The key questions to be answered to gauge the success of your social network analytics initiatives The growing importance of social media from a business perspective Request a FREE proposal to gain comprehensive insights into our social network analytics capabilities. As businesses across the globe try improving outcomes using online channels, social media comes under increasing scrutiny as a platform that can be used to improve business outcomes. As such, social media analytics has experienced widespread adoption by small and medium-sized firms. However, the growing data volumes have made it challenging for businesses to analyze and store data from various platforms. And to address this issue, sophisticated algorithms and social network data analytics tools have been developed and the computational power of data management systems has been doubled. In the wake of such advancements, it's crucial to note that the convergence of these trends has not only fueled technological advancements but has paed the way for businesses to make the most of social media reporting and insight generation capabilities.



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Gather insights, gauge performance and improve business efficiency by understanding what works best for your brand. Request a FREE Proof of concept now! Evaluate the success of your social network analytics initiatives by finding answers to the following questions: 1: Are your social media objectives tied to the business goals you wish to achieve? 2: What social media metrics determine success? 3: Are you well-prepared to measure the success of your social media platforms? 4: Did the insights obtained from social network analytics campaigns help drive outcomes? Read the complete article to gain detailed insights on how we can help you find answers to these questions: https://bit.ly/38O2JUs Quantzig's Social Media Analytics Solutions Cover Sentiment Analysis

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Lead Mining The growing popularity of social media analytics across industries has made it a crucial for businesses to analyze data generated by social platforms. To help them do so, we've developed a comprehensive portfolio of social media analytics solutions that are designed to help companies improve their business operations using accurate data-driven insights. Discover more about your customers, the languages they speak, and the demographics they belong to with the help of advanced social media analytics dashboards. Get in touch to gain limited period complimentary access to our analytics platforms. About Quantzig Quantzig is a global analytics and advisory firm with offices in the US, UK, Canada, China, and India. For more than 15 years, we have assisted our clients across the globe with end-to-end data modeling capabilities to leverage analytics for prudent decision making. Today, our firm consists of 120+ clients, including 45 Fortune 500 companies. For more information on our engagement policies and pricing plans, visit: https://www.quantzig.com/request-for-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005012/en/

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The Duke of Edinburgh is now considered as part of the Royal Family's backbone, Philip has been married to Queen Elizabeth for 72 years. Back in December during the Christmas Holidays, Philip was hospitalized for a "pre-existing condition" which had royal fans worried due to his age.

Despite retiring from his royal duties back in 2017, the Duke still spends most of his time with his family and is usually at the Queen's Sandringham estate.

"Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life"

In 2011 the biography written by Philip Eade entitled "Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life," it was revealed how there was one moment in his life that his choice may have led him to a path away from being part of the British Royal Family.

It was written that Prince Philip was torn between his loyalties in 2963 when he was choosing where he was going to attend nautical college. The family of young Prince Philip was part of the Greek royal family, however, when he was a child they were exiled. It was only when a regal family died that he went home to Greece at 15 years old.

Prince Philip attended school in Scotland, but it was in his brief trip back in Greece that he considered to move back to his original home. According to Eade, at this time, it was still a huge possibility that Philip would ascend to the Greek Throne.

Read Also: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Likely to Divorce Following Megxit

The Choice

At this time, Prince Andrea, Philip's father was advised by his cousin and Greek monarch George II to have Philip enter the Greek Nautical College instead of returning to the UK to train. Prince Andrea, however, was still wary of his banishment from the country. in a letter he sent to a friend, he said that he will never send Philip to the Greek Navy. He said that Greece may do to Philip what was done to him before and kick his son out as well.

There were claims that Philip was tempted to stay in Greece and join the Navy. However, Philip still chose to return to the UK and sat through the Special Entry Examination for the Royal Navy. He even told his teacher that England was his new home.

After then, Philip went to fight for Britain during World War II despite having family members, including two brothers-in-law fighting for the other side.

After his success in the war, Philip was then granted permission to wed then Princess Elizabeth, who later ascended to the throne and is now the monarch of the UK Queen Elizabeth.

The current royal family has been facing a lot of issues lately, the infamous Megxit, royal divorces and Prince Philip's health. Reports say he 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh is now frail and it might not long before the end of the life he has led. However, the question stands, where would Philip be right now if he had made a different choice.

Related article: Meghan Markle Sparks Pregnancy Rumors Anew, Reports Claim She's 'Fuller' and 'Glowing'

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

The MPs representing us abroad should not go there as tourists and submit a report on what they have done, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

In general, our activities within the framework of international organizations should be more focused. The MPs representing us there should be active, should not go there as tourists and submit a report on what they have done, who they met with and what issues they raised. Sometimes it looks like tourist trips  they go, get together, talk, eat and come back. In fact, some trips are completely unacceptable. I dont want to talk about this for a long time, but I know what is happening, what events are happening. Therefore, we must enhance the effectiveness of our international activities, said the head of state.

We must demonstrate our intransigence in the organizations displaying an unjustified approach towards us and bringing charges against us, he said.

In other words, we should not try to be nice to them, but serve the interests of our state and people. We must not step aside under the pretext that we do not want to aggravate a particular issue, but rather speak our word. We must expose a biased approach. Just as I always do, and there is ample evidence of that. You don't have to be a politician to say that, added President Ilham Aliyev.

He noted that the average citizen can see this on television.

Look at the crimes committed by those who are trying to teach us a lesson in democracy. In the countries of Europe, which is considered to be the cradle of democracy", right under the nose of the whole world, peaceful demonstrators are beaten up, suppressed, their eyes are hollowed out, they are killed, they are arrested. Journalists are arrested on unsubstantiated charges and cast behind bars. Everything is visible. Dogs are set against peaceful demonstrators. People are dispersed using horses. This is happening not just in one or two countries, it has acquired a large-scale nature today  practically the whole region that is trying to criticize us. Look at the attitude towards Muslim migrants! In the 21st century, they are confronted with dogs and driven into cages. And then they throw pieces of food into the cages, as if those inside were animals. What kind of an attitude is this?! said President Ilham Aliyev.
Chinese medical supplies on COVID-19 for Europe are ready to be unloaded at the airport of Liege in Belgium, on March 13, 2020. A plane carrying Chinese medical supplies for Europe, including face masks and testing kits on COVID-19, landed here on Friday night. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
Ryan Welch, Beaumont Enterprise / The Enterprise

Bishop Curtis Guillory of the Diocese of Beaumont issued a dispensation Friday excusing certain parishioners from attending Mass in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

His decree applies to those older than 60; those with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and cancer; those with severely compromised immune systems; and caregivers for such individuals.
The man returned from a trip to Saudi Arabia and performed an operation in the hospital

Passengers wear protective masks in the wake of novel coronavirus scare at Guwahati Railway Station in Guwahati. (PTI)

Guwahati: The coronavirus shutdown reached the northeast today with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal deciding not to participate in any public programme till March 31 and Mizoram banning the entry of any non-native into the state.

There was panic at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta when a doctor couple who had returned from a trip to Saudi Arabia were found to be having symptoms similar to coronavirus.

The superintendent of the medical college, Dhrubajyoti Bora told reporters that the couple were asked to stay away from work and self-isolate themselves at home for 14 days. He added that the doctor had not informed the hospital authorities about their visit abroad.

They went on a vacation and upon returning, he rejoined duty without reporting his foreign visit.

We have cleaned and sterilised the operation theatre in which he operated on a patient, said Bora.

Local television channels flashed news of the episode, which created panic among hospital staff and patients.

Assam transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary reviewed the states preparedness to handle an emergency arising from the coronavirus threat. The meeting was attended by health officials, officials of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), Inland Water Transport (IWT), and bus, cab and auto-rickshaw operators.

The minister said all ASTC buses and IWT ferries are being cleaned thoroughly after each trip they make. We have made sanitizers available to the bus drivers, conductors and passengers, he said.

The minister said that they have issued advisory to Ola and Uber representatives to sensitize their drivers about the precautionary measures to be taken while transporting passengers.

If a passenger shows symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, cough, and fever, enquire courteously his/her travel history and guide the passenger to the nearest PHC (primary health centre) or hospital, he urged.

The Mizoram government, which had on Friday banned mass gatherings and social events to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus, banned the entry of non-natives to the state today.

Informing that the state has stopped issuing Inner Line Permits (ILPs) which are mandatory for outsiders to enter the state, sources said chief minister Zoramthanga has also appealed to churches to avoid organising conferences and pilgrimages for some time.
Mayor of Luxembourg City Lydie Polfer presented the measures that were taken to stand up to the rising coronavirus threat in Luxembourg City.

Mayor of Luxembourg City Lydie Polfer began the press briefing by stressing that Luxembourg is doing everything in its power to bring the virus under control. Yesterday, the government took drastic measures that also apply to Luxembourg City. However, there will be additional measures in Luxembourg City.

"The goal and the objective of the government is to limit social activity in the coming months," Polfer explained. All schools are closed as of Monday - including creches, primary schools, secondary schools, and the University of Luxembourg. Teachers will be in contact with their pupils to assign them homework. All events over 100 people are cancelled. Large gatherings should be avoided.

For this reason, the vast majority of events will be cancelled. This includes concerts, cultural events, exhibitions. Emaischen in Luxembourg City will not take place. Theatres, libraries, museums, and the Conservatoire will close their doors for at least two weeks. Organisers are working on postponing the events.

Editorial note: you can find a list of cancelled events on RTL and Luxembourg City's respective websites.

Bars and nightclubs will have to close at 1 am. Polfer also stressed that the 100-person rule will apply before 1 am. Polfer conceded that the measures are far-reaching but explained that the goal was to contain the virus as much as possible. The same rule also applies to Luxembourg's buses. There will be more buses at peak times but it is crucial to keep bus drivers as safe as possible - if too many of them fall ill, the public transport system risks collapse.

The weekly market in Luxembourg City is not affected by the ban. Playgrounds for children will also remain open - but parents are urged to act responsibly. In other words, if a playground is too busy, parents are encouraged to take their children somewhere else.

Public life will be impacted by the virus but some services will have to keep functioning, Polfer explained. This includes the cleaning sector (hygiene remains key), energy (water, electricity, sewage systems), administration, public transport. As of Monday, school will close and the government decided that one parent can take additional leave to look after children. This of course means that fewer people will be available, Polfer explained. Officials will do everything in their power to actively work on keeping these services functioning and prevent them from becoming understaffed.

When questioned about the impact of the virus on businesses in Luxembourg City, Polfer explained that the situation was somewhat ambivalent. In general, fewer people seem to be heading to the centre but, at the same time, some supermarkets were flooded by shoppers this Friday. Stores will remain open - again, the situation depends on future developments. Polfer also explained that city officials were working on finding ways to support freelance workers. In the cultural context, Luxembourg City is for example attempting to postpone rather than cancel events.

Polfer added that all these measures may be revised depending on future developments. The mayor appealed to the public to assume a personal responsibility. She recommended that individuals avoid hand shaking, kissing, or other forms of close physical contact. These simple gestures can help contain the virus.
A baby has tested positive for coronavirus shortly after being born at a London hospital, becoming one of the worlds youngest patients.

The childs mother was tested for the illness before giving birth at North Middlesex Hospital, in Edmonton, but the result was not confirmed until after she had her child.

The Sun reported that the infant was tested within minutes of being delivered, and doctors are working to establish whether it was infected during birth or while in the womb.

The mother, who was originally being treated for suspected pneumonia, has been moved to a different hospital for specialist treatment.

A spokesperson for North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust told The Independent: Two patients at North Middlesex University Hospital have tested positive for coronavirus.

One has been transferred to a specialist centre and one is being treated in an isolation room.

The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, so in following guidance from Public Health England, we are regularly deep cleaning the areas where the patients are cared for and staff who were in close contact with these patients were advised to self-isolate.

London has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus of any region in the UK, with Kensington and Chelsea currently the countrys second-worst affected local authority.

The London borough of Enfield, where North Middlesex Hospital is situated, had only recorded two cases by Friday morning.

The NHS website says that because the current coronavirus pandemic is a new illness, doctors do not yet know how exactly it spreads from person to person.

Advice released by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says that pregnant women are more vulnerable to catching infections, but do not appear to be more severely unwell if they develop coronavirus than the general population.

It is expected the large majority of pregnant women will experience only mild or moderate cold/flu like symptoms, the body stated.

More severe symptoms such as pneumonia appear to be more common in older people, those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions. There are no reported deaths of pregnant women from coronavirus at the moment.

The World Health Organisation has repeated calls for all countries to find and test every coronavirus case after the British government claimed the practice was no longer necessary.

Announcing the next stage of the UKs strategy, the chief medical officer for England said only hospital patients would now be formally checked for the virus.

 Coronavirus: Can herd immunity help the UK battle the outbreak?

We will move from having testing mainly done in homes and outpatients and walk-in centres, to a situation where people who are remaining at home do not need testing, Professor Chris Whitty added.

The plan puts Britain at odds with international advice issued by WHO, which repeated appeals for efforts to track and trace coronavirus on Friday.

Addressing a press briefing, director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: You cant fight a virus if you dont know where it is. Find, isolate, test and treat every case, to break the chains of transmission.

Every case we find and treat limits the expansion of the disease.

Amid criticism of the British governments response, parliaments Home Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the preparedness of police and the Border Force.
(Photo : Soe Zeya Tun on Reuters ) Coronavirus Secret Cure: Blend These Herbs and Drink it, Says Indonesia President Joko Widodo (Photo : Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash) Coronavirus Secret Cure: Blend These Herbs and Drink it, Says Indonesia President Joko Widodo

If you are looking for a cure or how to battle against Coronavirus or COVID-19 that is widely spreading today, Indonesian President Joko Widodo might have an answer to this question. The president recommended and shared a recipe that he commonly drinks every day in order to protect his body from the virus. Are you willing to try it?

How to cure Coronavirus? Indonesia President shares his secret!

If you believed that medicinal herbs could cure diseases, President Joko Widodo thinks so. As reported via Bloomberg, President Widodo has a tip for all people battling to cure or prevent getting the viral disease Coronavirus that now infected over 100,000 people around the world.

Widodo said in a statement posted on their website that he has been drinking a specific type of tea that makes his body more immune to getting the disease. A common drink in Southeast Asia called 'Jamu,' is a mixture of red ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, and Curcuma, a type of tumeric native to Southeast Asia.

As explained, Widodo has been drinking Jamu three times a day since the spread of the virus and has not felt any negative effects on his body, aside from the fact that he interacts with a lot of people every day.

"I drink the mixture instead of tea now," Jokowi said in the statement. "I give the drinks to my guests, be it the morning, afternoon, or evening."

Jamu was said to be a native herbal medicine used in Asian countries that claim to cure diseases, from common flu, uric acid, and even stomach ache. Aside from that, Jamu drink also claims to have an effect on sexual factors for men, which increases stamina.

As of now, medicinal herbs are not yet verified by the World Health Organization or any health experts that can cure or battle against Coronavirus or COVID-19. However, President Widodo claimed that demand for this blended mixture is now increasing than before and even advised citizens to grow their own herbs in order to have their supply for the common herb ingredients.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country and was criticized for its lack of proper medical care for all confirmed cases of Coronavirus. As of now, the country has recorded 34 confirmed cases and one death reported on Wednesday, Mar. 11.

Is there a cure for Coronavirus?

Currently, the World Health Organization has not yet confirmed any medicinal cure for the widespread COVID-19. There were reports of potential ones, but the confirmed patients around the world are taking no certain medicine.

Despite this, the agency said that the proper way of battling against the virus is self-cleaning such as regular washing of hands, no touching of face and mouth with your hands, and social distancing from people that are sick or crowded places.

Or you can try Widodo's recommendation.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
At Matterhorn, a cozy Swiss restaurant in San Francisco, cheese fondue is the highlight of the menu. On a good night, the tables are packed with groups of people hunched over pots of melted Emmenthaler cheese, dipping hearty chunks of sourdough bread and boiled potatoes into them with elongated forks.

But this week, as COVID-19 sank its fangs deeper into the region, declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization, the crowd at the restaurant shrunk to half the usual number.

By the nature of the virus contagiousness, were already looking at doorknobs, stairway rails and handshakes as potential vectors of disease. At restaurants and other food events, where the motion of dipping food in a communal pot or rifling through a pile of French fries is part of the experience, how do you keep your body an immunological island?

Can we be as enthusiastic about buffets, fondue, kamayan and other family-style meals that ask us to be more intimate?

Jen Fedrizzi / Special to the Chronicle

Signs point to the negative. Peony Seafood Restaurant, a dim sum banquet hall in Oaklands Chinatown, is closed through the end of March; a sign posted in its window cites the current situation as the cause. And Buffet Fortuna, an all-you-can-eat buffet nearby, is also now closed until further notice.

Some restaurateurs are trying to adapt their communal formats to comfort guests who dont want to get so touchy while they eat.

Sophie Speer, founder of Ripen, a catering company that specializes in gourmet cheese and charcuterie boards, has seen a 100% drop in sales in the past week. My customers are almost all corporate, and my food is made for gatherings, she wrote via Instagram DM. Facebook, her biggest client, told her that the company isnt allowing guests, events or large meetings for now.

Natalie Horwath, who co-owns Matterhorn with her husband Jason, has noted an increase in orders of single-serving fondues, Theyre an anomaly in Switzerland, and purists may pooh-pooh the idea. But the model may be what ensures Matterhorns relevance. I don't know if that was related, or it was just our diners for the week, she said. But given what's going on, it's probably going to be even more popular.

Jen Fedrizzi / Special to the Chronicle

Francis Ang, owner and chef of Filipino pop-up Pinoy Heritage, is also making adjustments to his dinner formats. On March 28 hes hosting a sold-out kamayan feast at Picnic on Third in SoMa. Traditionally, kamayan is enjoyed at a communal table where diners are presented with twenty-plus items atop a table covered with banana leaves rice, fried pork, shellfish skewers, pickles, roasted vegetables. To eat, diners grab what they want with bare hands from central piles. There are no plates, no individual silverware.

But at this upcoming dinner, Ang and his team are dividing up the feast into individually presented trays. He also plans to urge guests to stay home if they feel even slightly ill. Ang isnt worried about the modified format ruining the experience. It's definitely a change, he said. But people understand that this is what needs to happen. For diners who cant bring themselves to come at all, Ang is making sure they wont be penalized for canceling or rescheduling their reservations.

Short of a massive regional lock down, a measure that China, Iran and Italy have adopted to stem its spread, COVID-19 is forcing us to be more dependent on our community to maintain our health. Health departments and city officials have urged the public to limit large gatherings, to wash their hands, to monitor their body temperatures. We're still at the point where we have to just trust other people.

Patricia Chang 2019

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Ang said customers are probably aware of that. You know, like, there's going to be risk involved, right? Just like in general, every time you go out of your house, there's risk, right?

For its proponents, communal eating is about sharing space  literally enacting the philosophy of breaking bread to create a sense of partnership with others. Its an act of vulnerability. At the same time, were currently being called upon to think more broadly about our bodily connections to others in order to protect the vulnerable.

Horwath said that even if business continues to decline, she and her husband will do everything they can to keep the restaurant open and continue paying their staff. We want to, even if it's just five customers in here. If there's people that want to come in and dine, we want to be available to the community, especially right now. While everything but the fondue is already available for takeout, the Horwaths have been toying with the idea of take-home fondue kits, complete with a bottle of wine to mix with shredded cheese precoated with cornstarch.

For business owners like Speer, the drop in sales is extremely worrying: With no money coming in, her and her staffs livelihoods are in jeopardy. Its especially hard not knowing how long it will last. I really hope the city steps up to support small biz in some significant way.

Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicles restaurant critic. Email: soleil@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hooleil
The students performed at three different places in the town, on the steps of a church, in a courtyard and on an overlook with a picturesque view. They played a 10-minute set at each spot and then headed to the next.
Queensland authorities have confirmed 11 new COVID-19 cases, the state's highest single-day jump, the day after a third person at the University of Queensland was diagnosed with the virus.

Among the newly diagnosed cases were four across greater Brisbane, three on the Sunshine Coast and two on the Gold Coast. The West Moreton and Wide Bay public health units were managing two further cases.

Public health units have been able to confirm the majority have travelled overseas or have had exposure to a confirmed case," Queensland Health said, in a statement.

The updated figures came shortly after the state's first drive-through testing site was opened in further efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic. Many large Brisbane events have already been cancelled and there are calls for an extension of the statewide council election postal voting period.
King of Prussia Mall, the largest mall on the East Coast, remains open, despite the Pennsylvania governor recommending the closure of all nonessential retail in Montgomery County, where it is located.

Mall management said in a message on its website Friday that the mall is leaving it up to individual stores to decide whether to stay open through the coronavirus pandemic.

With respect to Gov. Wolfs statement, the governor did not mandate store closures and did not define what nonessential retail is, the statement read.

Wolf and Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said they considered supermarkets, pharmacies and gas stations to be essential.

King of Prussia Mall is owned and operated by SIMON Property Group, which did not return calls and emails for comment.

The states own wine and spirits stores will also be staying open. After consulting with the governors office, we have determined not to close any stores or limit hours at this time, spokesperson Elizabeth Brassell said.

Asked why any private retailer should close if Pennsylvanias own liquor chain is exempt, Brassell replied: We cant speak to how anyone else operates. Last year, the PLCB set record profits on total sales of $2.67 billion, according to the agencys most recent quarterly report.

Meanwhile, three of the Philadelphia regions biggest employers are telling employees to work from home due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Starting Monday, Independence Blue Cross will require all associates in its Philadelphia-area and New Jersey offices to work remotely until at least April 15.

Comcast on Friday encouraged headquarters employees in the Philadelphia region to work remotely through April 12  if they have virtual work capabilities and can maintain important business functions. The Comcast Center campus will remain open for those who cant work remotely, though the company is strongly discouraging external visitors.

The University of Pennsylvania is recommending that employees work remotely, beginning Monday and lasting at least through March 31. Penn, including its vast health and hospital system, is Philadelphias largest private employer.

As retailers ignored Wolfs request to close, the Department of Health suggested that merchants rethink.

Before utilizing his full authority to compel businesses to close for the purpose of protecting the publics health, it is the governors hope that they will heed his strong recommendation to mitigate the spread of this disease, said Nate Wardle, a health department spokesperson.

The Willow Grove Mall and Plymouth Meeting Mall, both owned by PREIT, have closed for the duration of the virus threat.

One manager of a store in the King of Prussia Malls luxury wing  a stretch that includes Bulgari, Tiffanys, Christian Louboutin, and Cartier  said the mall sent a letter to merchants saying the decision to close would be left up to each individual retailer. Shops that go on hiatus would not be fined if they decided to shutter for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

Were taking it day by day, said the manager, who did not wish to be identified. Approximately 50 stores have closed, so already theres much less foot traffic.

By Sam Wood, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

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As stores across the nation run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, an executive order signed by Gov. Tony Evers Thursday limits how much Wisconsin retailers can raise prices for consumer goods during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Evers' declaration authorizes the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, or DATCP, to enforce a prohibition on "price gouging", the practice of increasing prices of goods much higher than what would be considered fair.

With some exceptions, retailers are not allowed to raise prices more than 15% higher than what the prices were pre-emergency, the DATCP said in a Friday statement.

The DATCP said wholesalers and retailers are permitted to raise prices higher than that 15% benchmark if their costs of producing the good increase.

"Sellers may charge higher prices during a period of economic disruption as long as those price increases do not exceed the sellers actual cost plus a reasonable markup," the DACTP said.

The only other exemptions are when a price is set by law or when an emergency declaration allows for a certain price increase, the DACTP said.

The price gouging prohibition applies to any consumer good or service being sold in Wisconsin.

Prices will likely still go up, the DATCP warned, but any increases that seem unreasonable or out of the ordinary can be reported.

"It is not uncommon for prices of consumer products to increase during times of high demand and/or low supply," the DATCP said. "Most of the time, these increases are legitimate due to an increase in the cost to bring these products to market."

Consumers can report suspected price gouging to the DATCP's consumer protection hotline at DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov or (800) 422-7128, or by filing an online complaint.
TROY  The city is seeking a company to install a new network of 120 police surveillance cameras to replace the existing nearly decade-old network in three neighborhoods that often fails to operate, costing the police force information for solving crimes.

The police cameras are placed at crucial intersections in Downtown, North Central and Lansingburgh through which traffic funnels. The surveillance equipment is supposed to give the cops an edge in crime fighting, but that depends on it working.

Surveillance cameras are one of many tools available to law enforcement that can provide valuable information for detectives during investigations. Replacement of older technology is a routine, but important, part of the departments continued modernization, Chief Brian Owens said.

The importance of having video images has been seen in the current quadruple murder case in Rensselaer County Court where a city surveillance camera caught images in December 2017 of the two suspects, James White and Justin Mann, in the crime. White is on trial for 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. in the Lansingburgh neighborhood on Dec. 21, 2017. Mann took a plea deal admitting his role in killing the two women and two children.

A non-functioning camera drew attention a year ago when it failed to record a stabbing on Congress Street near Second and Third streets drawing recriminations from the citys largest police union.

Police officers support getting a new system in place.

The officers are glad they will once again have an effective tool to investigate crimes that affect the residents of Troy, said Officer Nick Laviano, president of the Troy Police Benevolent, which represents the citys patrol officers, sergeants and detectives.

The costs of installing the new city surveillance video system wont be determined until the bid is awarded, said John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden. The bids are due April 2 at City Hall.

The city provided maps to show 23 intersections where the surveillance camera system is deployed. These include 13 intersections in Downtown, seven in North Central and three in Lansinburgh. The cameras are deployed to record traffic headed toward the Route 7 interchange, the Waterford-Troy Bridge, the 112th Street Bridge to Cohoes, the Green Island Bridge, access to Hoosick Street and access to the Congress Street Bridge. Often police find suspects rushing to get out of town.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Upgrades to the police departments street camera network is part of the Citys ongoing investments in public safety, Madden said, we can take advantage of new technology to create a system that will meet current and future needs of the Troy Police Department.

The purchase and installation of the cameras with the network and computers to run them effectively is supported by the City Councils Republicans and Democrats.

This is critical. Lets get the cameras working 100 percent all the time, said City Council President Carmella Mantello, a Republican.

We need it desperately, said Democratic Councilwoman Eileen McDermott, who chairs the councils Public Safety Committee.

Mantello and McDermott said the surveillance videos capture evidence that can prove essential to solving crimes on city streets.
EUGENE, Ore. -- As fears and uncertainty spread regarding the coronavirus, some people are canceling their plans while others continue to hit the town.

Ryan Walla said he had plans to go out and play board games with his friends and mentor some middle school students with his church. He said all of those plans have been canceled.

"We figured it would just be better to stay out of big settings and not spread the germs," Walla said.

As other people draw the same conclusion, businesses are stating feel the impacts.

Jennifer Santos is the manager of Bon Mi Vietnamese French Cuisine downtown. She said since Monday, they've seen about $300 less in sales every day. She said while they are keeping the restaurant clean, they are seeing more people order take out or use delivery services like DoorDash and GrubHub.

"So they don't have to have any contact with anyone, or even go to the restaurant," Santos said.

University of Oregon student Jennisis Christianson said she and her friends aren't letting the bug stop them from having a good time. They're starting the weekend by getting tattoos.

"I think if we make a big deal about it, it's just going to corrupt the community and make it so were all freaking out," Christienson said. "I think if you stay calm, cool and collected, it will make so us, as a community, go better as well as our daily lives will be less hectic."

Public health experts said as long as you are engaging in good hygiene practices, do what you feel comfortable with and keep your individual health risk in mind.

They are urging people who are sick to stay home.
UPDATE: Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a press conference Saturday said the resident in Cumberland County tested positive for the virus. The person is identified as a resident in his 70s.

Our earlier story ...

MATTOON  Gov. J.B. Pritzker is scheduled to deliver a 2:30 p.m. update on coronavirus. A case on Saturday was confirmed in Coles County, the first outside of the Chicago area.

The patient was seen at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon. The patient is from the 10-county service area of the hospital, an official said, which is Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Edgar, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby, Effingham, Jasper and Fayette counties. READ MORE HERE.

Coles County officials plan to meet this week to discuss a response to the coronavirus outbreak. The decision to conduct the meeting was made after the report of the case at SBLHC, county Board Chairman Mike ZuHone said.

What we know so far about coronavirus case in Coles County patient The latest on a patient at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Coles County who has tested positive for coronavirus. This is a developing story.

The time and day of the meeting will be announced on Monday once arrangements are made, ZuHone said.

He said board members along with representatives of the county emergency management agency, sheriff's office, health department and other departments will attend.

He said the goal of the meeting is to prepare for "whatever scenario arises."

"We'll take direction as soon as we can," ZuHone said.

Charleston and Mattoon city officials plan to meet with representatives of the Coles County Health Department on Monday, according to Charleston Mayor Brandon Combs and Mattoon city Administrator Kyle Gill.

MORE COVERAGE

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By Praveen Menon and Sonali Paul

WELLINGTON/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - New Zealand on Saturday announced the world's tightest border controls to combat the spread of coronavirus, requiring all incoming travellers, including its own citizens, to self-isolate for two weeks starting midnight Sunday.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the extreme measures were needed to prevent the rapid spread of the virus.

"Alongside Israel, and a small number of Pacific Islands who have effectively closed their border, this decision will mean New Zealand will have the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world," Ardern said.

The country has just six confirmed cases and has had no deaths, but Ardern said that number inevitably would rise.

"That is why ultimately, we must go hard and we must go early. We must do everything we can to protect the health of New Zealanders," she told reporters.

People from small South Pacific island nations, which have no confirmed COVID-19 cases, will be exempt from the self-isolation rule, Ardern said.

And to protect those nations from the virus, New Zealand would impose strict exit measures, barring anyone who has been overseas from travelling to South Pacific islands for two weeks, and barring anyone who has had symptoms or been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 from travelling there.

The travel restrictions will be reviewed at the end of the March. Ardern also encouraged all New Zealanders to reconsider all overseas trips. Australia did the same on Friday.

New Zealand also asked all cruise ships to stay away until the end of June.

Air New Zealand <AIR.NZ> on Saturday offered fare refunds or 12-month credit on the value of fares to anyone affected by the new restrictions. Qantas Airways <QAN.AX> and Virgin said they were assessing their responses.

"We know these travel restrictions will place significant strain on the aviation industry, and we anticipate some routes will reduce or cease for a period of time," Ardern said.

Story continues

In Australia, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 203 on Saturday, with all six new cases involving people who had recently travelled overseas. There have been three deaths in Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has called for an end to all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday, cancelled plans to go to a rugby game on Saturday after a senior minister was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had attended a cabinet meeting with Morrison on Tuesday, but Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Saturday it was "extremely unlikely" anyone at the meeting would have contracted the infection from Dutton.

Australian Broadcasting Corp showed footage on Saturday of cleaners in biohazard suits scrubbing the government offices in Sydney, floor to ceiling, where the meeting was held.

U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who met Dutton in Washington on March 6, decided to work from home on Friday.

New Zealand minister Tracey Martin, who also attended the meeting in Washington, was self-isolating while awaiting results from a coronavirus test, New Zealand media reported on Saturday.

In a move by business to slow the spread of the virus, Australia's biggest telco, Telstra Corp Ltd <TLS.AX>, on Friday ordered 20,000 staff, 70% of its Australian workforce, to work from home starting on Monday, a spokesman said.

($1 = 1.6176 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Sonali Paul and Praveen Menon; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Richard Pullin)
By Trend

Third case of coronavirus infection has been detected in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstans Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov said at a press conference on March 13, Trend reports.

Birtanov said that it is a woman who is a Kazakh citizen and who arrived in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan from Italy on March 12, 2020.

She was immediately put on quarantine straight from the airport, said the minister.

On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 4,700. Over 128,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 68,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects. In mild cases, according to the Chinese authorities, treatment takes about a week, in severe cases - two or more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Celia Larkin, the ex-partner of Bertie Ahern, is taking up a new job as a shopping guru.

Ms Larkin's role will involve encouraging more people to Limerick city centre and solve the problems facing the retail sector in the city.

Her job title is the Limerick City Centre Revitalisation Manager, aimed at increasing the footfall to fight back against online shopping and out of town shopping centres.

Ms Larkin is no stranger to the retail sector. She was controversially appointed to the board of the National Consumer Agency during the Celtic Tiger.

She also ran a chain of beauty salons, the Blue Door, in Dublin and Limerick.

However, Ms Larkin is best known from her time as Mr Ahern's partner and personal assistant, which resulted in an appearance before the Mahon Tribunal inquiry into the former Taoiseach's finances.

Limerick is undergoing a revamp. The county has just launched a 700,000 branding campaign, aimed at promoting the city nationally and internationally, called 'Limerick: Atlantic Edge, European Embrace'.

Ms Larkin's appointment follows confirmation the 180m Opera Centre development has received planning permission with building work starting this year, as well as the redevelopment of O'Connell Street.

A spokesman for the council said Ms Larkin has been appointed on a three-year contract at Grade 7 of the Local Authority Operative Scales, which ranges from 49,835 to 64,786, depending on experience and service.

Ms Larkin will work with a new city centre action group, including the council, Limerick Chamber of Commerce and representatives of city centre businesses.

After her split from Mr Ahern, she moved to Killaloe in Co Clare.

She went on to study a degree in Politics and International relations at the University of Limerick, graduating with first class honours. She studied a postgraduate Masters in Democracy and Comparative Politics at University College London.

She worked for nearly five years with Thames Water as local and regional government liaison and stakeholder and customer manager.

She returned to the mid-west last year, working in financial services for the Support Services Directorate at Limerick City and County Council.

Ms Larkin's CV says she has: "30 years' experience in strategic planning, stakeholder management, communication, presentation, campaign management, event organisation, lobbying, policy research/monitoring/analysis, people management and policy influencing across government, local government, business and voluntary sector. Extensive experience in leading local/national government, private sector consultation initiatives."

She worked in the civil service for 18 years across a range of Mr Ahern's departments, including the Department of Finance and Taoiseach's office.
SYDNEY, March 13 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday urged locals not gather in groups of more than 500 people as Canberra accelerates its efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Australia has recorded 156 infections and three deaths from the flu-like disease but authorities expect this to increase rapidly in the coming weeks with the arrival of the southern hemisphere winter.

Desperate to contain the spread, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that his government will from Monday advise against non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people, though this does not include schools, airports or public transport.

"We will be advising against organised non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday," Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

Morrison also said Australians should also reconsider their need for any overseas travel.

The virus has so far infected almost 135,000 and killed more than 4,900 worldwide. (Reporting by Colin Packham Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
A number of wealthy merchant Italian families, mainly from the Lombardy region, followed the Normans in their conquests across Western Europe, into England and eventually to Ireland in the late 1200's. They built up a strong shipping trade in exporting wool, importing wine, banking and in taking indulgences back to Rome.

They became collectively known as Lombards and were staunchly Catholic. However, because of inheritance issues due to the penal laws one of them turned Protestant in 1717 so he could inherit the entire Lombardstown estate, near Mallow.

James Lombard, who died in 1683, stated in his will that he should be buried in the family tomb in Kilshannig Graveyard. He was a direct ancestor to both Nano Nagle and Princess Diana and therein lies a most unlikely kinship, and a strong connection to the British Royal Family.

In 1740, James Lombard built a four storey mansion and in 1750 he became Sherriff of County Cork. This prestigious position seems to have gone to his head as he decided the family needed a place named after themselves and so in 1752 he created a new townland out of the original 358 acres in Gortmolire and named it Lombardstown, which is exactly as it is today.

During the 1798 rebellion William Lombard, a major in the notorious North Cork Militia, was killed at the Battle of Oulert in Wexford by Fr. Murphy's insurgents when his company of 100 soldiers were wiped out. This incident was unfortunate for Lombardstown as he died without a will and his property was divided between his four daughters, which eventually led to the break-up of the estate.

Following a Whiteboy raid on the house in 1826, the marriage of two of his daughters and the death of his widowed wife, his other two daughters, in 1830, moved to Mallow and the estate was leased out to three Bolster families. They, in turn, were replaced by tenants such as Smith, Ludgate, Fleming, Gardiner and Horgan in the 1880-1900 period.

Lombardstown House was reduced to a three-storey dwelling with a slated roof in about 1885 and, unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in 2012.

A descendant from Australia, John Lombard, visited a few years ago and showed some interest in acquiring the house only to find a burned out ruin instead.

Following the Gladstone and Wyndham Land Acts, the British government subsidised both landlords and tenants to enable the latter to buy out their tenancies and by about 1915 most transfers were completed, and the Lombard association with Lombardstown had now come to an end, only the name lives on.
Spain has confirmed it is going into partial lockdown with only essential shops for food and medicine staying open.

It is part of a 15-day state of emergency in the country, as it deals with the coronavirus outbreak.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed the country's 46 million citizens today in a televised address outlining the new measures being taken as part of the lockdown.

Citizens were told that the government would do "everything in its power" to cushion the social and economic effects of the virus.

People will only be allowed to leave their homes in order to buy food and medicine, travel to work, go to hospitals and banks and to visit and take care of young and elderly people.

The latest figures from Spain show the the number of confirmed cases as of Saturday morning was 5,753. It marked an increase of more than 1,500 in one day.

There have been 136 deaths in the country so far.

France has also announced further restrictions to take effect from midnight tonight (11pm Irish time).

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe addressed the nation and said that with President Emmanuel Macron the decision was made to close all places "not essential to the life of the country".

This means that restaurants, cafes, cinemas, nightclubs and some shops will be closed.

Shops and markets selling food, pharmacies, petrol stations and banks will remain open.

Mr Philippe urged people to limit gatherings with others, to only use public transport to commute to work if they are required to attend and to only go out for essential shopping and short walks for exercise.

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A total of 130 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or strict quarantine procedures for travelers from South Korea as part of their moves to contain the new coronavirus Saturday, up three countries from a day earlier, according to the foreign ministry.







As of Saturday morning, 61 countries and territories, including Uzbekistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina, were barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the previous two weeks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.







Uzbekistan was one of the three countries that introduced new border control measures against South Korea on the day. Starting Sunday, the entry of all non-Uzbekistan nationals traveling from Korea will be prohibited for two weeks due to the novel coronavirus infection.







Under their own new quarantine measures, Eritrea and Brazil will also start to quarantine travelers from overseas.







Eritrea will put travelers from South Korea, China, Italy and Iran under mandatory quarantine upon arrival in the country, while Brazil will recommend all travelers coming from overseas, both Brazilian and non-Brazilian, stay away from other people for seven days.







Including Eritrea, a total of 18 other countries and territories will be applying a mandatory quarantine for travelers from South Korea upon arrival in their countries.







Fifty-one other nations and regions have stepped up quarantine efforts for travelers from South Korea, including an advisory for self-isolation or stricter health checkups at the time of entry.







As of Saturday, South Korea's total confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 8,086, up from 107 a day earlier. It was the third day in a row that the daily new infection tally has come down to the 100-person range here. (Yonhap)


Why do we so often find ourselves fighting in a guerrilla war at home?

You know what I am talking about. Its the silent, often mean and passive-aggressive, wars that are raged behind closed doors.

A comment is made by mom, a text is sent to a sibling, dad calls you back, whispers are exchanged in a back room, plans are rearranged, feelings are hurt, the husband says something, more whispers. Repeat.

(Honestly, I think this is most common between old women and their grown daughters.)

But what do I know?

Being an only child, I think I have much less experience in this than most.

And yes, its not gorilla war  its guerrilla war.

I close the drawer, and have another cup of coffee with my mother. We get along very well, veterans of a guerrilla war we never understood.

-Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati on Saturday (March 14, 2020) terminated the membership of Tulsiram Silawat, Pradyumn Singh Tomar, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Imarti Devi and Prabhuram Chaudhary from the House.

Earlier, the Governor had removed them from the ministry on the advice of the Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday.

The Speaker said that he had called the six MLAs to meet him personally for verification of the resignations. Since they have not reported to him so far their membership has been terminated.

The strength of the House is now reduced from 228 to 222. The Congress strength in the House will now be reduced to 108 and with the support of four independents and two BSP and one SP MLAs the Congress still has a majority in the House while the BJP with 107 will have to wait to get there.

Experts consider it to be a masterstroke as it would send a strong message to the MLAs who have grossly underestimated the gravity of the matter. The fence-sitters who still don`t wish to all the way by joining the BJP may be losing their membership and indirectly be benefiting the BJP earn the majority at their expense.

Prajapati had sent notices to rebel MLAs to appear before him by March 15. Earlier, Prajapati called all 22 MLAs on three different dates. Now, these MLAs can meet him till 5 pm on March 15.

However, some members feel the government could postpone the floor test if all MLAs do not appear before the Speaker. The government can also move the Supreme Court. According to the rule, all legislators are required to appear before the Speaker.

On Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Govind Singh requested the Speaker to get a detailed inquiry conducted into the resignations of the 19 MLAs. He said that the MLAs should asked under what circumstances they resigned. If they were not voluntary, they should be cancelled.

The 19 Congress MLAs held captive at a resort in Bengaluru had sent their resignations to the speaker through BJP MLA Bhupendra Singh. Three more had resigned later.

Six of the MLAs were expected to reach Bhopal on Friday after the assembly speaker issued a notice, but they kept the Speaker waiting all day. The second batch of seven MLAs was to reach on Saturday BJP President JP Nadda went to meet the MLAs in Bengaluru.

The MLAs are in touch with Nadda. On March 12, Kamal Nath government minister Jeetu Patwari also reached Bengaluru to meet the legislators, but they were not allowed to meet them.
/ -- Coastal Karnataka's multi-state top selling brand Hangyo ice cream will scale up its product range and launch it in the Financial capital of India - Mumbai on March 15, 2020. They are all set to launch their new brand 'YO'. With an exciting range of seven gourmet varieties, it is created to win the hearts of Mumbaikars and that of millions of ice cream lovers across the southern states of India. YO, the new super premium brand from multiple award winning Hangyo ice creams manufacturing will see a grand launch in Mumbai on 15th March 2020 at Hotel Kohinoor Continental on Andheri-Kurla Road in Andheri.

Film and TV artistes Ms. Priya Bapat and Ms. Rashmi Desai will be a special attraction at the launch ceremony. A galaxy of guests including Shri Ullas Kamath, Joint Managing Director, Jyoti Laboratories of Bengaluru; Madam Grace Pinto, Managing Director, Ryan Group of Institutions Mumbai; Shri Shyamsundar Keshkamath, IRS, Commissioner of Income Tax Bhubaneshwar, Odisha; Shri Rajendra Kamath, CFO Reliance Retail Limited, Mumbai and Shri Shivanand Shetty, President Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) Mumbai will make the inaugural function a grand success with their gracious presence.

Hangyo is one of the top-selling brands in entire South India, it is now poised to launch a scintillating range of premium ice creams in great flavours which will leave ice cream aficionados spellbound with the aroma and taste. YO would be an associate brand which will comprise of premium gourmet series of ice creams with the catch line 'Made From Milk and Cream'. Hangyo believes in delivering quality in line with the expectations of the consumers and for this the brand even goes an extra mile. It has taken a lot to bring this spectacular brand to what it is today. With the new YO brand hitting the market on March 15, 2020 the portfolio of Hangyo will be in an enviable situation. The YO range has been fortified by nutrients like Omega -3, 6 and 9 with 14 per cent fat. Behind the great taste, essential nutrients, wonderful and unique packaging their Research and Development team contribution is the most, that is always eternally hungry for innovation. The affinity for experimenting and a positive spirit fits perfectly into the company's slogan 'Share a Smile.'



The series of YO will be mainly marketed in all A class retail outlets of Hangyo and in all modern trade outlets present in all the seven states of distribution to begin with.

About Hangyo:



Hangyo Ice cream started its journey from the revolutionary Softee ice cream in the 2000. Today Hangyo ice creams is part of Rs. 250 crore Group which diversified into ice cream production as early as 2003 diversifying from its line-up of dairy products. Hangyo Ice Creams Private Limited, being also an ISO 22000 - 2005 certified company, has won many awards at the national level. Hangyo won the WCRC Mumbai award for the India's Fastest Growing Brand in the top 50 Brands. Next being The Dupont Great Indian Ice Cream Contest in the year 2017 in which Hangyo won 2 Gold , 3 Silver 1 Bronze award. Hangyo ice creams received the Indywood Business Excellence (IBC) Award-F&B sector, powered by IBC. Today Hangyo Ice Creams Private Limited has been one among the Top 15 companies in the ice cream industry in India. Hangyo has successfully established itself in seven states with more than 16000 retail outlets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Saturday dismissed a bail plea of EPFO worker who was accused of siphoning a huge amount of provident funds (PF) and causing a misappropriation of approximately Rs 3.88 crores.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait dismissed the bail plea of Uaday Singh who has been in judicial custody since March last year. The accused was working as a Data Base Administrator at EPFO before he was put behind the bars.

Initially, an FIR was registered by the Delhi Police but later it was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that petitioner Singh joined EPFO in October 2011 and his co-accused Devender Choudhary was also working as Project Engineer with EPFO.

Both Choudhary and Singh were engaged in developing the software of EPFO Department and were dealing with online claims and deductions.

Singh was acquainted with the loopholes of the software programme following which he conspired with Choudhary and planned to withdraw the amount from the Central Account of EPFO, the investigating agency alleged adding that it was decided by them that share of each person would be 20 per cent.

According to the agency, all the accused filled in the details of the fake members in the EPFO portal and the huge amount was transferred in various fake accounts.

The agency further claimed that the EPFO data created by the accused has caused a misappropriation of approximately Rs 3.88 crores. According to an FIR, Singh is alleged to have information about receiving the amount by co-accused Neeraj Kumar in his account from Devender Chaudhary.

However, Singh's counsel said that there are no allegations of misappropriation or transferring of money by his client. But the investigating agency said that co-accused Kumar, in his statement has alleged that Singh had knowledge about the crediting of the sum of money in his account, which allegedly he, later on, shared with Singh and Devendra Chaudhary.

Neeraj Kumar was granted bail on April 13, 2018, by a trial court. Singh has moved the bail plea seeking parity with co-accused Neeraj Kumar. However, Singh bail plea was dismissed by the trial court on the grounds that he had played a key role and has siphoned off a huge amount.

CBI has also opposed Singh's bail plea in the Delhi High Court saying that the investigation is at the advanced stage and probe agency has decided to file an application for cancellation of bail of Neeraj Kumar. It also stated that further investigation is required as to how the money was siphoned off.

"In view of the serious allegations and fraud played upon the EPFO department and the fact that Devender Chaudhary is absconding, I am of the view that present case is not fit for bail," Justice Kait added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KAMPALA  Military has arrested and detained Amanya Nduhura Tumukunde, a son to Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde.

This is the second son of Gen Tumukende who is also under coolers to be arrested.

Military on Friday March 13 also arrested Philips Tumukunde and other people in the generals consultation team including Tororo North MP, Nyakecho Annet.

Amanya according to reports was plucked from their home in Kololo home near Kampala to Kabalagal Police Station where he spent the night.

Sources say, he was arrested in a joint security agencies operation of military, Anti-Terrorism and Police.

Police is yet to issue any statement on why Gen Tumukundes sons are involved in the matter.

This website understands that Gen, according to Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga faces treason charges.

Mr. Enanga in an earlier statement on Friday said Gen. Tumukundes arrest follows his utterances in a series of radio and television interviews, which the police say seek to foster hatred that might lead to inter-community violence, fomenting and glorifying violence in general.

He is therefore, being charged under Sections 23 (2) b and 23 (3) b, of the Penal code Act, which deals with instigating persons to invade the Republic of Uganda and inciting any persons to make a mutinous assembly.

Gen. Tumukunde last week announced he will run for president in 2021.

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Opinion banner

President Trump has never been known for his oratory skills, but his inability to process information and communicate clearly is now having dire consequences.

Trump couldn't even read off a speech off a teleprompter without misstating several crucial facts, infuriating allies, and causing chaos for Americans both here and abroad.

That's why for everyone but the hardest-core of partisans, the US' response to the coronavirus pandemic feels like chaos, not competence.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Trump has never been known for being an eloquent man. But his inability to effectively synthesize information and communicate coherently is now having dire consequences on the health and economy of the country.

President Donald Trump addresses the nation about the government's coronavirus pandemic response from the Oval Office on March 11, 2020.

Doug Mills/Pool via REUTERS

Travel ban confusion

In an address to the nation Wednesday, Trump did something he rarely does: read off the teleprompter without adding flourishes or ad-libs.

And he still couldn't get the facts right.

The big reveal of Trump's address was a ban on "all travel from Europe," with the United Kingdom exempt. But that's not actually true. The ban applies only to the 26 EU member nations in the Schengen Zone  which don't conduct checks at their contiguous borders. That means EU countries outside the Schengen Zone, like Ireland, are also exempt, despite Trump not making that clear.

That's not an insignificant detail. And it's not just a lack of clarity, it's a fully inaccurate statement.

Those mistakes can lead to chaos. For instance, at New York's JFK airport last night, travelers waiting to board a plane to Dublin weren't sure they'd be able to come back. CNN reporter Donie O'Sullivan tweeted a video of an airline employee trying his level-best to reassure the spooked passengers that: "If the leader of the free world is telling you  your travel is being affected I would think that we have to give you your money back."

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Those Dublin-bound travelers were surely relieved when the White House later corrected Trump's misstatement, but the implicit message is clear: the leader of the free world is causing chaos through his miscommunications.

An inexcusable bevy of misstatements

The Schengen mishap didn't represent the only crucial bit of information Trump flubbed in what will certainly go down as a historic address to the nation.

He said Americans "who have undergone appropriate screenings" would be exempt from the travel ban. That statement left out the pertinent caveat that the screenings would happen in the US, not abroad. And permanent resident non-citizens and their immediate family members would also be exempt.

He also said the ban would apply to goods and cargo, which would represent a massive economic disruption since the European Union is the US' largest trading partner. But this sudden proclamation was immediately walked back. As Insider's Grace Panetta noted, Trump himself later tweeted, "trade will in no way be affected by the 30-day restriction on travel from Europe. The restriction stops people, not goods."

Trump also claimed to have "met with the leaders of health insurance industry [sic]" and said they had agreed "to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments." Also not true. They agreed to waive copayments for testing, not for treatments.

Trump in his address also claimed he was "in frequent contact with our allies," which was swiftly refuted by stunned European Union leaders, who denounced the ban which they said had completely blindsided them.

In classic Trump fashion, on Thursday he dismissed US allies' consternation not with diplomatic rejoinders, but with trade war rhetoric  one of the only forms of communication he appears to understand: "I mean, when they raise taxes on us, they don't consult us, and I think that's probably one in the same."

He added, "It takes a long time to make the individual calls."

These are absurd excuses, especially coming from a world leader who reportedly makes time to chat with various right-wing media personalities before he tucks himself in at night.

A leader needs to effectively communicate in a global crisis

A president doesn't need to be an accomplished orator to effectively lead during a crisis. But they need to demonstrate that they understand the gravity of the situation.

When Trump stunned the nation  and the world  with his ban, he did it with incorrect information.

He caused chaos at airports and terrified Americans who didn't have the luxury of waiting for the media to fact-check "the leader of the free world" before they had to take action.

When he claimed to have consulted with European allies, he was flat-out lying, and then he made a petty excuse to try and cover his tracks.

According to The New York Times, the speech was cobbled together at the last minute at the urging of the president's daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner, and recently returned White House adviser Hope Hicks. Kushner reportedly oversaw speechwriter Stephen Miller's drafts, but "only two hours before the camera was to go on, it was still not entirely clear what Mr. Trump was going to say," the Times reports.

This all reads like the same old Trump: inarticulate, arrogant, reckless. And that's why for everyone but the hardest-core of partisans, the US' response to the coronavirus pandemic feels like chaos, not competence.

Business Insider
Update: Governor clarifies coronavirus-related hospital visitation restriction, allows parents

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered late Friday night that entry to Michigan health care facilities be restricted to personnel who are essential for medical and daily care.

The governor is also urging public agencies to postpone meetings or conduct them remotely to promote social distancing amid the recent uptick in confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Michigan coronavirus cases jump to 25

Starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, all health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities and juvenile justice facilities must prohibit visitors that dont serve essential needs such as medical care, bathing or eating, the governor mandated in an executive order shortly after the state announced the number of Michigan COVID-19 cases had jumped to 25.

Health care facilities must also screen visitors for COVID-19 and deny entry to those who exhibit symptoms, the governor ordered. Visitors are encouraged to connect with facilities using email, texting or other electronic communication.

These measures will remain in place until 5 p.m. on April 5 at the earliest, the governors office announced.

We believe these actions, along with those the governor has announced in the past few days, will help us slow the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan and protect our communities, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive of the Department of Health and Human Services, in a news release. We encourage every Michigander to remain flexible and take care of each other at this time.

In a second executive order the governor urged government boards, commissions, committees, authorities and councils across Michigan to consider postponing public meetings that may be moved to a later time."

For meetings that will remain as scheduled, the state is encouraging remote participation via real-time streaming or other platforms, as long as the public may witness and participate in the meeting, the governors office announced.

During this crisis, we must ensure that state meetings remain open and accessible to the public," Whitmer said. "I also want to remind everyone to continue doing everything they can at an individual level to protect themselves and their families, like washing their hands and practicing social distancing. We will get through this together.

Whitmer earlier Friday ordered the prohibition of gatherings of more than 250 people.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans gatherings of more than 250 people as coronavirus spreads

VIEW FULL MICHIGAN CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE HERE

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
Local garda commanders are scrambling to minimise the numbers of gardai contracting Covid-19 and assist members with children in a bid to maintain policing services.

Senior officers told the Irish Examiner that unlike other organisations they cant scale down their business, as criminals will not only continue to operate but will try to exploit the crisis.

Our primary responsibility is to keep our guards healthy so they can do policing, said one commander.

This is a health issue, not a police issue, but to do police work our guards need to be healthy  thats the real issue from a garda point of view.

Another senior officer said that while he had only one or two members having to self-isolate, that he expected the situation to change as the weeks go by.

Im assuming a significant amount of gardai will get the virus, so my aim is to try and spread out when they get it, through hygiene in stations, having them rested, keep units separate, hygiene in cars, close off areas in stations, all to minimise it.

One local commander said childminding for gardai was a big issue: You could have a guard married to a guard, or married to a nurse or whatever and are in a situation where no one can mind their children, particularly those of school age.

They are now doing a 12-hour shift [up from 10-hour], so they are starting at 7am, leaving home at 6am, and not back till 8pm.

In addition, prior to that they might have had their grannies minding the children and thats now out, or advised. Thats an issue, but has to be managed.

Another senior officer said: This is going to be a big practical issue and we are going to be no different than any other employer  but the big difference is we cant scale down our business and the vast majority of guards cant work from home.

'They will still be prosecuted, but it will kick the can down the road'

A number of local commanders said that instead of arresting people for minor offences and bringing them back to stations to charge them, that members are being advised to issue them with summons to appear in court at a later date.

There is no instruction from HQ not to arrest people, said one senior officer, its just, for certain minor offences, where the garda knows the offender, that they will issue a summons. They will still be prosecuted, but it will kick the can down the road.

This is in addition to options of issuing fines and cautions, which were mentioned by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, who stressed there was no ban on arrests and that alternatives should only be used if appropriate.

One source said: Criminals will not agree to self-isolate so there will still be arrests.

Another said: For our clientele, it will be business as usual and many of them will look to exploit this and we will have to respond to that - they need to know we will be full on.

One commander did not envisage members having to go into shopping centre or pubs and having to disperse people.

This will probably be self-policing, with people either not going out or staying away from people, because they dont want to get infected, said one source.

Guards going into pubs and the like and dispersing people is not on the radar as an issue.

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In legislative action on Friday, both chambers gave initial approval to a bill that gives Hogan the authority to reduce costs for testing for the virus, ban price gouging, improve access to telehealth and ensure private and public employees who are under quarantine do not lose their jobs. The legislation was introduced earlier this week by the presiding officers and Sen. Clarence K. Lam (D-Howard), the only doctor in the state Senate.
A 67-year-old man, who had returned after a tour to Nepal and various cities in India, was quarantined in a hospital in Kota town of Rajasthan following suspected symptoms of the novel coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

The elderly man has been admitted in the isolation ward of the MBS hospital, an official said, adding that his sample had been sent for testing and the report was expected on Sunday.

In another case, a 58-year-old woman tested negative for the COVID19, a hospital official said.

The doctor, who had recently returned from tour to various cities and had interactions with several people, including foreigners, during the trip, was admitted on Friday with a complaint of cold and cough.

At least 18 people have been screened for suspected coronavirus infection at the MBS hospital and all of their samples tested negative, hospital superintendent Naveen Saxena said, adding that sample report of a person was yet to be received.

Meanwhile, District Collector Om Kasera has written a letter to the secretaries of local bodies, asking them to defer the April 7 local bodies polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Voting booths are setup at the Yuengling Center on the campus of University of South Florida as workers prepare to open the doors to early voters in Tampa, Fla., on Oct. 22, 2018. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

4 States Plan to Proceed With Primaries Despite Coronavirus

Four states with primary elections scheduled for March 17 plan to proceed despite restrictions on many types of gatherings due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Officials from Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and Illinois reassured voters in a statement on March 13 that they were working closely with state health officials to ensure that voting is safe.

Unlike concerts, sporting events, or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration, the officials said in the statement.

Further, guidance from voting machine manufacturers on how best to sanitize machines, guidance from CDC on best practices for hand washing, and guidance from our respective state health officials is being provided to every polling location, they added.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that the election would occur despite the virus.

Were definitely voting. They voted during the Civil War. Were going to vote, DeSantis said during a press conference, while adding that the primary outcome will likely not be affected by the virus, as President Donald Trump and Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden are both on track to win their respective races in the state.

The primaries, the way this has worked out quite frankly, are not going to be cliffhangers, he said.

This comes on the same day Louisiana officials said they will be postponing its April 4 primary over the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. The state has rescheduled its election to June 20.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance to prevent the spread of coronavirus at election polling locations. They are urging voters to use other ways to vote to minimize direct contact with other people such as by mail-in methods or early voting.

The CDC is also recommending that voting-associated equipment and other surfaces be frequently cleaned and disinfected, hand sanitizer, soaps, and other cleaning products be readily available at locations, and incorporate social distancing strategies such as increasing distances of voting booths.

On Friday, Trump declared a national emergency in an attempt to curb the spread of the pandemic. There are currently over 2,560 confirmed cases of the virus across the country and 51 deaths as of Saturday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The president announced a number of steps the federal government will take to ease the impact of the virus on the American people.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an emergency stimulus package to tackle the coronavirus outbreak early on Saturday, which is now headed to the Senate.

If it passes, the bill (pdf) will provide financial assistance to those impacted by the crisis, including two weeks of sick pay for workers. Employees will also be able to take up to three months of unpaid leave if they are quarantined or need to care for sick family members. Meanwhile, businesses will get a tax credit to help cover the expense.

Mimi Nguyen-Ly contributed to this report.
After ordering closure of all educational institutions in the state till March 31, the Punjab government is likely to shut down cinema halls, restaurants and clubs till the end of this month amid coronavirus scare.

Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the government is contemplating to take this step keeping public health in view.

"Keeping public health in view, we are contemplating closure of cinemas, restaurants, gyms, clubs till March 31. Besides, we are also thinking to impose ban till the end of this month on all such public functions which attract big crowds," Sidhu told PTI over phone.

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Punjab government on Friday ordered closure of all universities, colleges and school till March 31.

Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla had earlier said, "Holidays have been declared in all government and private schools in the state till March 31 as a precautionary measure."



Punjab'sHigher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bjawa had said the government has decided to close all government, private colleges and universities till March 31.

A seven-member Group of Ministers (GoM), formed by the Punjab government to review the situation on a daily basis triggered by coronavirus scare, on Friday asked the deputy commissioners not to grant permission for mass gatherings.

In a meeting held here under the chairmanship of local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra here, the GoM also urged religious leaders and Dera (sect) heads to postpone their scheduled religious congregations.

According to Punjab's health department, more than 88,000 passengers, including at Amritsar and Mohali international airports, had been screened so far for COVID-19.

More than 6,600 passengers with travel history to coronavirus hit countries were screened and 335 passengers were found untraced.

One passenger, who returned from Italy, tested positive and is currently admitted to government hospital in Amritsar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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 U.S. team. Global cases: At least 145,374, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University

Global deaths: At least 5,429, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University

US cases: At least 2,174, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. All times below are in Beijing time.

8:12 pm: Italians are singing songs from their windows to boost morale

Videos have been shared on social media of Italian citizens singing and dancing during a nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. One widely shared video shows neighbors singing a patriotic folk song in Siena, a city in central Italy's Tuscany region. Clinch https://twitter.com/valemercurii/status/1238234518508777473

8:09 pm: Lululemon shortens store hours across North America

Lululemon will reduce the hours of all stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in response to the growing coronavirus outbreak. Starting Monday, stores in North America will only be open from noon to 6 p.m., according to an email to customers. Celeste Burgoyne, the company's executive vice president of the Americas and global guest innovation, said in the email that the decision is intended "to help our people and communities through this difficult time." She did not say when the athletic wear retailer would resume regular store hours. She said the stores have also suspended all workout classes and events. During the height of the coronavirus in China, the majority of Lululemon's 38 stores in China were closed and some others had reduced hours. Other retailers have announced changes, too. Apple said Friday that it would close all stores outside of China until March 27, but keep its online store open. Patagonia said Friday it would close all of its stores and online operations. Repko

6:32 pm: Cases rise in Iran, Malaysia and Vietnam

Iran's health official reportedly said that 12,729 had now been infected, with 611 deaths. On Friday, it had reported a death toll of 514 and 11,364 infections. In Vietnam, five more cases of the coronavirus were confirmed, including a British, a Czech and three Vietnamese citizens, according to Reuters. That brings the country's total to 53 confirmed infections. Malaysia reported 41 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, according to Reuters, with all of them linked to a religious event just outside of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Clinch

6:24 pm: Japan's Abe considers lowering sales tax

Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo Saturday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was mulling over fiscal options to combat the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters. He said he would consider various options when asked about a proposal to lower the country's sales tax to 5% on a temporary basis. The country has 725 confirmed cases of the virus with 21 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Clinch

4:49 pm: Jakarta shuts down schools for 2 weeks

Indonesia's capital will be shuttering all schools for a fortnight, and all teaching will take place remotely for at least two weeks, Reuters said citing Jakarta's Governor Anies Baswedan. The capital city of Jakarta, where 10 million people reside, is battling to stem the spread of the coronavirus. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there are at least 69 cases of the virus nationwide, of which four have died. Joanna Tan

4:37 pm: Florida reports 25 new cases and 1 additional death

Florida said there were 25 new people who tested positive for the coronavirus, and one additional death. "One Orange County, FL resident tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling and has died in California," the health department tweeted. According to the latest data from the health department, at least 3 Florida residents have died from the flu-like disease that has spread rapidly across the world. Joanna Tan Tweet: DOH has confirmed 25 new individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in Florida. All are being cared for and isolated. One Orange County, FL resident tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling and has died in California

2:55 pm: Apple to temporarily shut all stores outside Greater China

Apple will be temporarily closing its stores outside Greater China until Mar. 27 but its online stores will still be open. In a tweet, CEO Tim Cook said that "we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19." He added that the iPhone-maker will also be committing $15 million to help with the recovery. Tweet: In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15M to help with worldwide recovery. As of Friday, all of Apple's stores in China were set to open after the outbreak forced a prolonged closure of its retail locations. The U.S. technology giant has 42 stores in China and while all have opened their doors, some are operating on limited hours. Joanna Tan

Apple logo at a store in Honolulu. Alex Tai | SOPA Images |LightRocket via Getty Images

2:40 pm: Taiwan wants travelers from Europe to be quarantined

Taiwan has raised its travel alert for countries in Europe's Schengen area, as well as for Britain and Ireland, advising its citizens not to travel there unless necessary, Reuters reported. The government announced that travelers from those countries will have to be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival from Mar. 17, according to the report. The so-called Schengen area in Europe has no passport checks between internal borders. People arriving from Dubai, and those who transit from there, will also be quarantined, Reuters said. Joanna Tan

12:56 pm: House passes relief bill, sending it to Senate

The House passed a coronavirus relief plan early Saturday after hours of talks between Democrats and the Trump administration on how to blunt the economic damage of the global pandemic. The chamber approved the 110-page bill to provide relief to consumers and workers walloped by the outbreak less than an hour after text was released. The measure passed in an overwhelming 363-40-1 vote. The legislation now heads to the Senate. The upper chamber left Washington for the weekend and will not have a chance to approve it until next week. (See updates at 7 p.m. ET and 7:50 p.m. ET) Jacob Pramuk

12:15 pm: White House physician says Trump shared table with guest who tested positive

Donald Trump was at the same dinner table as a guest who later tested positive for COVID-19, the president's physician said Friday. The incident took place last weekend, while Trump was hosting a delegation from Brazil at Mar-a-Lago, where he was briefly in contact with the press secretary of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro who also tested positive after the event. In the second case, Trump shared the dinner table with the guest who "was symptom-free until this morning," Dr. Sean Conley said in a statement which did not mention the name of the guest. "There is no indication for home quarantine at this time" as the interactions would be considered low risk for transmission, in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he added. Joanna Tan

11:49 am: Pentagon halts domestic travel for those affiliated with the Department of Defense

The Pentagon has halted all domestic travel for service members, Department of Defense civilians, and their family members. The new measures take effect from Mar. 16 through to May 11, according to a statement by the Pentagon Public Affairs. "Similar to other travel guidance regarding COVID-19, travel exceptions may be granted for compelling cases where the travel is mission-essential, for humanitarian reasons, or warranted due to extreme hardship," the statement said. "Our goal is to remain ahead of the virus spread so our military force remains effective and ready." The United States has so far reported at least 2,174 confirmed cases and President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic.Joanna Tan

11:10 am: Saudi Arabia suspends international flights for two weeks

Saudi Arabia will suspend international flights for two weeks starting from Sunday, 11 a.m. local time, the state news agency reported. According to the Saudi Press Agency, an official source at the interior ministry said the new measures will be taken to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The kingdom has at least 86 confirmed cases, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. Last month, Saudi Arabia temporarily barred the entry of foreign pilgrims and tourists, in order to stem the spread of COVID-19. Joanna Tan

10:25 am: China reports 11 new cases and 13 additional deaths

China said there were 11 new confirmed cases and 13 additional deaths as of Mar. 13. All the fatalities in the latest report came from Hubei province  the epicenter of the outbreak where most cases have been found. The latest numbers from the National Health Commission brings to total number of confirmed cases in the mainland to 80,824, and the cumulative death toll to 3,189. Joanna Tan

Community volunteers transfer bags of vegetables for residents in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province on March 13, 2020. Stringer | AFP | Getty Images

10:08 am: New Zealand cancels memorial service for Christchurch mosque shooting

New Zealand has canceled the national memorial service to commemorate the first anniversary of the Christchurch shooting where 51 people were killed when a gunman stormed two mosques. The event, which was initially set to be held in Christchurch on Sunday, was canceled over fears the new coronavirus could spread in crowded places. "This is a pragmatic decision," said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "We're very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldn't create the risk of further harm being done." As of Saturday, 1 p.m. local time, New Zealand reported 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the health ministry.Joanna Tan

9:33 am: South Korea adds 107 new cases

South Korea reported 107 new cases as of Mar. 14, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 8,086. There were 5 additional fatalities, bringing the death toll to 72, according to data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Joanna Tan

Workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a subway station in Seoul on March 13, 2020. - UNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images) Jung Yeon-Je | AFP | Getty Images

All times below are in Eastern time.

7:50 pm: Trump urges Republicans to back Pelosi and Mnuchin's coronavirus response deal

President Donald Trump voiced his support for a House coronavirus relief plan Friday after a day of talks between Democrats and his administration on how to blunt the economic damage of the global pandemic. In a series of tweets, the president said "I fully support" the legislation negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. He urged Republicans and Democrats in the House to support the bill and and he looks forward to signing it "ASAP!" Jacob Pramuk

7 pm: Deal to pass coronavirus relief bill hits last-minute snag

Efforts to pass a coronavirus relief package hit another roadblock Friday night as negotiators in Washington sent mixed signals about whether they reached agreement on a plan. Earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote to colleagues that "we are proud to have reached an agreement" on a proposal to blunt the economic damage of the global pandemic after hours of back-and-forth with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. But after 7:30 p.m. ET, the second-ranking Democrat in the House said his party had not actually reached a deal with the White House. "She thought there was" a deal, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told NBC News when asked why Pelosi announced an agreement. Jacob Pramuk

5:30 pm: Trump says UK could be added to European travel restrictions

President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.K. could be added to sweeping restrictions on travel for much of Europe, measures aimed at curbing the coronavirus. The restrictions that Trump announced earlier this week and that take effect at midnight prohibit the entry of foreigners who have been in 26 European countries for 30 days. They currently exclude the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. Leslie Josephs

4:40: Trump says he will 'most likely' be tested for coronavirus
(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

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After months of piling pressure on Tehran, the United States is seeing an unexpected new variable -- the novel coronavirus, which has taken a substantial toll not just on Iran but inside its government. US policymakers are asking whether deaths within the regime are widespread enough that they could alter decision-making -- although a deadly rocket attack Wednesday in Iraq, which Washington blamed on Iran, showed at least that the cycle of conflict between the countries is not abating. COVID-19, which has infected tens of thousands of people around the world, has hit Iran's government unusually hard, with a number of senior politicians and officials killed or infected by the disease including a vice president, a senior adviser to the foreign minister and a powerful cleric. General Kenneth McKenzie, head of Central Command which covers the Middle East, said the United States believed the impact was worse than the more than 500 deaths reported -- the world's third highest toll after China and Italy -- and said US policymakers were assessing the political ramifications. "Of course, death is permanent," McKenzie told reporters Friday. "In the short term, it's going to make it a lot harder to make decisions. People are separated." A day earlier, McKenzie told a Senate hearing that the health crisis -- two months after Iranian public outrage over the accidental downing of a civilian Ukrainian plane -- made the leadership "more dangerous" as it would likely seek to "unite the masses of its people against an external target." "There is very little evidence in the history of warfare of a regime that has a crippling internal problem that decides to focus on the crippling internal problem," he said. - Weakened by US sanctions - President Donald Trump, closely allied with Iran's regional adversaries Saudi Arabia and Israel, has sought to debilitate the Shiite clerical regime through sweeping sanctions including on Iran's key export of oil. Nearly two years ago, Trump bolted from an agreement brokered by his predecessor Barack Obama under which Iran drastically scaled back nuclear activities in return for promises of economic relief. Even with Trump exempting humanitarian goods from sanctions, few companies are willing to risk US wrath by selling to Iran. "The current crisis in Iran is really one that has been the result of the government's own missteps in its policies rather than the American sanctions," said Amir Afkhami, a professor at George Washington University who has studied Iran's public health system. "But the American sanctions have certainly contributed to worsening an already very bad situation." Iran has historically boasted one of the region's strongest public health systems. Afkhami cited unconfirmed reports that some officials have flown to Lebanon for treatment as a sign of the burden on Iranian hospitals. While Iran recently ordered a nationwide lockdown for coronavirus testing, Afkhami said action had come too late. Reliant on Chinese trade in the face of US sanctions, Iran failed to cut off air links with China when the epidemic emerged and as late as February was still exporting domestically-made face masks, Afkhami said. "As a physician, I can say it would make sense that the disease has taken a particularly significant toll amongst Iran's aging leadership. "How much that has arrested the ability of the leadership to make policy decisions, that's very difficult for me to say, partly because the policy towards the coronavirus was anemic even before the outbreak made its way into Iran." - Regime still standing - Trump has volunteered to assist Iran, with the State Department communicating US willingness formally through Swiss intermediaries, although it was unclear if Washington has made concrete offers or if Tehran would accept them. One key test will be if the United States blocks Iran's request for an IMF loan -- the first sought by Tehran since the late shah's era. Barbara Slavin, director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, doubted the impact of coronavirus deaths on the sprawling leadership. "Iran has experienced extraordinary pressure since the US imposed the oil embargo, with blow after blow, but the regime is still there," she said. The big exception, she said, would be if the pandemic somehow reaches Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an 80-year-old whose health has long been the subject of speculation. Khamenei has described COVID-19 as a biological weapon, a charge Washington scoffed at. With Trump under fire at home over his handling of the outbreak, a rocket attack Wednesday on an Iraqi base killed two US personnel and a British soldier. The United States attributed the attack to a pro-Iranian paramilitary force and launched retaliatory air strikes -- the latest round in a conflict that included the US killing of a top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, in January. "I think this pattern will continue, especially because the Trump administration, like so many other governments, is completely distracted," Slavin said. "The calculation in Iran must be that he can't handle one crisis, so how can he handle two at the same time?" Iranian firefighters and municipality workers disinfect streets in the capital Tehran in a bid to halt the wild spread of coronavirus A municipality worker cleans a bus in Tehran to halt the the spread of coronavirus An Iranian medic treats a patient infected with the COVID-19 virus at a hospital in Tehran in March 2020 Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi wipes the sweat off his face during a February 2020 news conference before testing positive for the novel coronavirus Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts a ballot in February 2020 parliamentary elections in a photo distributed by his office
Why it matters: Government agencies are notoriously slippery when it comes to any attempt at probing their use of controversial technologies, but that won't stop the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) from trying. Privacy advocates believe that facial recognition, in particular, can enable persistent, undetectable government surveillance on a massive scale that erodes everyone's expectations of privacy.

Back in December, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Homeland Security for its 'stingray' phone surveillance program that has long been in use by US' border protection and immigration offices with little transparency about the details, especially when it comes to privacy protections.

Now the ACLU is filing another lawsuit in a New York federal court, but this time it's targeting airports' face recognition program. The civil liberties group claims the agency is being too secretive considering the privacy implications of such a system. ACLU attorneys are demanding Homeland Security, ICE, CBP, and the TSA provide records related to the face-scanning software used and its exact purpose at US airports and along the border. They are hoping to uncover details about a technology they think raises "profound civil liberties concerns" and "can enable undetectable, persistent government surveillance on a massive scale."

It should raise concern that it's believed that Chinese tech giants like China Telecom, ZTE, and Dahua are shaping the United Nations' standards for facial recognition. These companies are prominent for proposals on specifications that would unify the kind of face, video and vehicle monitoring adopted for surveillance purposes around the world. It's also well known the Chinese government makes extensive use of the technology.

The Trump administration's face recognition program is controversial for a number of reasons. First of all, it's being fast-tracked despite concerns about accuracy, bias, and the possibility for false positives when trying to identify criminals. It's also unclear how the face recognition data is shared with state and local authorities, as well as third parties like airlines and commercial vendors.

If you're an American citizen, you should know you can opt out of the facial recognition program, and CBP's insistence on making it mandatory has so far been met with a mountain of resistance. But even so, it's important to make sure that there is little potential for data breaches, especially given the CBP's poor track record with protecting the data it collects.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the EU is considering tighter rules around facial recognition tech, so that citizens can have more control over the data generated and the way it is used by governments and corporate entities.
ZAGREB, March 13 (Xinhua) -- "We heard a lot of new information which will be very useful," top Croatian epidemiologist Bernard Kaic told Xinhua after a three-hour video conference on Friday between Chinese health officials, experts and their European colleagues.

The video conference was held at the Chinese Embassy here as part of the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (17+1). Chinese health officials presented their latest conclusions on COVID-19, shared their insights on the virus outbreak and offered feasible measures to fight the virus and illness.

Five new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Croatia on Friday, bringing the country's total cases to 32. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced that all schools and universities will be suspended for two weeks from next Monday.

Kaic, an epidemiologist of the Institute of Public Health of Croatia, believed that Croatia is at the beginning of the outbreak and that it is very likely that the virus would spread due to travel between Croatia and Italy.

"For the time being, for this number of cases which is quite low at the moment, we do have enough protective equipment, isolation units and personnel, but if it continues increasing, and it is very difficult to anticipate how fast it will increase, we might be in shortage of both medical supplies and medical personnel because we are already close to our limits," Kaic told Xinhua.

Although Croatia is a small country with four million people, Kaic said, tracking contacts of those infected is very difficult. "I really don't know how you succeeded," Kaic noted, referring to China.

He noted that all initial cases in Croatia are imported and the country still hasn't seen community transmission.

Vera Katalinic-Jankovic, assistant health minister, told Xinhua that the video conference was "very useful" and spoke highly of China's effective measures. She noted that there is a lot to learn from the Chinese experience, adding "We know that China has some test kits that could be used in Croatia."

The prime minister said on Friday that Croatia is at war with coronavirus and its consequences to the society and economy. He stressed that the government will introduce economic measures to preserve jobs.

"We will allow postponement in payments of income and profit taxes as well as contributions from salaries. Lower income for municipalities on that basis will be compensated from the state budget," he said at a press conference.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said on Friday that Croatian authorities did a great job so far and voiced his support for the latest decision to close schools.
In the 10 years since Saigon retired from a long circus career, the female elephant has had little companionship save a flock of sheep, a donkey, a miniature pony, and lately, three water buffaloes named Larry, Curly and Moe.

But an end to Saigon's solitude is in sight, after supporters rescued the animal from ageing Victorian handlers who were struggling to cope with the needs of 60-plus year-old elephant.

Saigon, a solitary female Asian elephant at Sydney Zoo, will finally get some companionship - as required by NSW government policy. Credit:Getty Images

The Berejiklian government approved Saigon's move to Sydney Zoo and - in accordance with an unusual NSW policy requiring elephants not be left solitary for more than three months - set in train approvals to import two elephantine pals from Dublin.

No other state or facility has been willing to provide this former grand dame of the circus with a secure, safe and healthy home she requires in her old age," Adam Marshall, NSW's agriculture minister, said.
Shelves are empty of toilet rolls in a supermarket in Sydney on March 4, 2020. Australia's biggest supermarket announced a limit on hand sanitisers and toilet paper purchases after the global spread of coronavirus sparked a spate of panic buying Down Under.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus: Doctor couple, who returned from Saudi, quarantined in Assam

India

oi-PTI

Guwahati, Mar 14: A doctor couple, who returned from Saudi Arabia recently, has been quarantined for fourteen days in their home in Assam's Barpeta district, officials said on Saturday.

The couple, who work at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital, will be under observation of the state health department for the next fourteen days, they said.

All the necessary tests regarding coronavirus have been done and if any symptoms are found, necessary steps will be taken immediately, officials said.

The couple stays at a rented house in the Metuakuchi area of the Barpeta town. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked people to take precautions in the wake of the pandemic and not pay heed to any rumours.

"In case of any doubt or query, please call the Helpline number for #Assam - 6913347770," he said in a tweet.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 17:29 [IST]
New York, March 14 : In pioneering research that can help explain infertility cases of unknown cause, researchers at the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine have discovered that an enzyme called 'SPRK1' leads the first step in untangling a sperm's genome, kicking out special packing proteins, which opens up the paternal DNA and allows for merging with mother's DNA -- all in a matter of hours.

To date, researchers did not really know much about these relatively brief, yet crucial, incipient moments in fertilisation.

"In this study, we were simply interested in answering a fundamental question about the beginning of life," said senior author Xiang-Dong Fu.

"But in the process, we've uncovered a step that might malfunction for some people, and contribute to a couple's difficulty conceiving. Now that we know SPRK1 plays a role here, its potential part in infertility can be further explored,' he added in a paper published in the journal Cell.

While sperms carry only half as much genetic material as a regular cell, it needs to be folded and packaged in a special way in order to fit.

One way nature does this is by replacing histones -- proteins around which DNA is wound, like beads on a necklace -- with a different type of protein called protamines.

Fu's team has long studied aSPRK1' for a completely different reason: its ability to splice RNA, an important step that enables the translation of genes to proteins.

They previously showed that SPRK1 is over-activated in colon cancer, and they developed inhibitors to dampen the enzyme.

According to Fu, SPRK1 most likely started out playing this role in early embryogenesis, then later evolved the ability to splice RNA.

In this way, SPRK1 gets to stick around even when it's no longer needed for embryogenesis.

Fu and his team want to determine the signals that instruct sperm to synchronize with the maternal genome.

"We have a ton of new ideas now," Fu said.

"The better we understand every step in the process of spermatogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis, the more likely we are to be able to intervene when systems malfunction for couples struggling with reproductive issues."
(Bloomberg) -- The lack of widespread testing for the coronavirus is a failing of the U.S. public health system, the governments top infectious disease scientists told lawmakers, even as the nations surgeon general said separately that not everyone needs to get tested.

The system is not really geared to what we need right now -- what youre asking for -- that is a failing, said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It is a failing. Lets admit it.

Fauci said the U.S. system isnt set up to facilitate rapid distribution of testing for a disease that hasnt been previously encountered. He spoke as lawmakers expressed frustration that the U.S. wasnt able to match the response of nations such as South Korea, which is testing 10,000 a day.

The idea of anyone getting it easily, the way people in other countries are doing it, were not set up for that, Fauci told the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Do I think we should be? Yes. But were not.

Fauci did deliver some good news: he said the first human test of a novel coronavirus vaccine could begin in a few weeks, faster than expected, though he added it still would be a year or 18 months before its available to the public.

Separately, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said limited testing resources meant people who werent feeling well needed to talk with their doctors about whether they were at such a high risk and needed to be tested.

Not everyone should be getting tested right now, Adams said at a news conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The nation has reached an inflection point and is shifting from a containment posture to a mitigation posture, he said.

Before Fauci testified, he privately briefed members of Congress. Republicans and Democrats emerged from those sessions saying they are frustrated by the limitations and lack of details on when more testing will be available.

Deep Frustration

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said there was deep frustration from senators in the meeting about the lack of better answers about the availability of test kits.

Story continues

Im appalled and stunned by the lack of planning and strategy, particularly no timetable for the availability of testing at the scale it has to be done, Blumenthal said. We lost two months because of the failure of this administration to face the truth.

Representative Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat, said the officials told lawmakers the U.S. can now test 16,000 people a day, although he noted that South Korea, a smaller nation, handles 10,000 a day.

So that makes you nervous that people who should get tested wont be able to, Himes said Thursday after the closed-door briefing.

Several lawmakers said the officials told them the health-care system isnt set up to handle testing on the scale of South Korea.

Its not just developing tests. Its a matter of if we have enough cotton swabs in our stockpiles to do them, Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, said.

The Trump administration is briefing Congress on steps to combat the coronavirus, which has killed more than three dozen in the U.S. as confirmed cases top 1,200. Stumbles over testing for infections has been a focus for lawmakers on Capitol Hill as well as state and local officials.

Coated With Confusion

Representative Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat, came out of the meeting saying the briefing was coated with confusion.

Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, said the administrations explanation for testing flaws was not satisfactory and the officials blamed the private sector for not delivering on the tests.

Our testing process has been lacking, Romney said. Our system has just not been up to snuff and I think a lot of people are frustrated by it and Im one of them.

Himes said the officials also were unable to answer on what he said is the critical question he and other lawmakers get asked every day.

Which is, am I going to be able to get tested? he said of constituent concerns. So, I dont think we have confidence in an answer there.

A spokesman for Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, said the lawmaker, who is self-quarantining after coming into contact with an infected person, was unable to get tested because there werent enough kits.

--With assistance from Steven T. Dennis and Billy House.

To contact the reporters on this story: Daniel Flatley in Washington at dflatley1@bloomberg.net;Erik Wasson in Washington at ewasson@bloomberg.net;Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Steve Geimann

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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A Sinn Fein MLA has criticised the British Governments approach to tackling Covid-19.

John ODowd accused the Government of using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment.

Mr ODowd tweeted: Lets be clear, this shire of b*****ds are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment. Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong & this balloon and his ilk are right. If you are not angry its time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster!

The Northern Ireland Department of Health confirmed five new cases of the virus had been detected bringing the total number to 34.

Lets be clear, this shire of bastards are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment. Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong & this balloon and his ilk are right. If you are not angry its time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster! pic.twitter.com/AZZiIpdzhV  John O' Dowd (@JohnODowdSF) March 14, 2020

Mr ODowd made his criticism a day after Northern Irelands Deputy First Minister diverged from Arlene Foster when she called for schools in Northern Ireland to follow the Republics lead to close.

Mrs Foster said on Saturday she would only close schools when we are advised on the medical evidence.

Children will be at home for quite a considerable period of time, given that when we do close the schools they will be closed for at least 16 weeks.

Then of course you are into the summer period, so they will be off school for a very long time.

Ulster Unionist councillor Stuart Hughes criticised Mr ODowds tweet: Most un-parliamentary language that does nothing but ratchet up tensions and divide our communities. John ODowd is also trashing the credentials of people who have significant scientific experience and expertise as opposed to being a rent a quote like him.
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva marked the 72nd anniversary of Sri Lankas independence at a solemn ceremony held on 4 February 2020 at the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) premises in Geneva.

The event, attended by a large gathering of members of the Sri Lankan community in Switzerland, commenced with hoisting of the national flag and singing of the national anthem, followed by observing two minutes of silence for patriots who laid down their lives to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

Following the lighting of the traditional oil lamp, multi-religious observances were conducted. Ven. Thawalama Dhammika Thero of Geneva International Buddhist Centre, Ven. Halyale Wimalarathana Thero of International Buddhist Foundation and Ven. Karuwalagaswewa Anuruddha Thero of Zurich Buddhist Vihara invoked blessings according to the Buddhist religious tradition. Rev. Uma Shankar Kurukkal conducted the Hindu religious observances while Mr. A.M. Zawahir conducted the Islamic religious observances and Rev. Father Paul Friel along with Rev. Sister Philo Jesudasan conducted the Christian religious observances.

The independence day messages of H.E. the President, the Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Relations were read out at the ceremony. The welcome address was delivered by Actg.Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, Ms. Dayani Mendis, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Ambassador Gothami Silva, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the WTO.

The event concluded with a traditional Sri Lankan dinner and Sri Lankan music for the participating community members.

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Geneva



04.02.2020
With new cases being detected in Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur and Yavatmal, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 31 on Saturday.

Late Saturday night, state disease surveillance officer Dr Pradip Awate informed that five persons from Pimpri-Chinchwad area near Mumbai had tested positive for the virus.

Four of them had come in contact with a group which had returned from Dubai. Some members of this group have alredy tested positive. Another person had visited Thailand recently, Dr Awate added.

It took the number of coronavirus patients in Pune area to 15 and that in Maharashtra to 31.

Health minister Rajesh Tope earlier on Saturday evening announced that shopping malls across the state will remain closed till month-end. Grocery stores which sell commodities of daily need will remain open, he said.

The state government also issued a directive that all schools and colleges in areas of municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats shall remain closed till March 31.

Tope also said that examinations of classes one to nine will be postponed if they are being held currently, only the std 10th and 12th board exams will take place as per the schedule.

Four new patients of coronavirus were confirmed in Mumbai on Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Of the new patients confirmed in Mumbai, one is resident of the city while others are from Kamothe, Vashi and Kalyan, all peripheral towns. All are admitted to Kasturba Hospital here and their condition is stable, BMC deputy director, health, Daksha Shah said.

Earlier in the day, two persons who had recently returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal city.

Thus, so far across the state, fifteen coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, eight in Mumbai, four in Nagpur, two in Yavatmal and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.

Some of the persons who tested positive have history of traveling to the United States, Dubai, France, the Philippines and Qatar, a health department statement said.

A 71-year-old man, who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to have coronavirus infection, died during treatment in Buldhana district on Saturday afternoon. He was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

Minister Tope said it was not yet confirmed if the deceased was infected by the coronavirus.

Sixteen of the confirmed Covid-19 patients had returned from Dubai, four from USA, one each from France and the Phillipineswhile four had no foreign travel history but had come in contact with other infected persons, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The cruise industry is reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, with many operators suspending operations.

Only a few days ago, the cruise market was awash with special deals to win back anxious customers, and operators were touting their hygiene measures.

But now a number of major operators have announced they are cancelling cruises. On Friday Princess Cruises announced a global suspension for 60 days.

The company's Diamond Princess was quarantined for two weeks off the coast of Japan in February after a coronavirus outbreak on board. More recently the Grand Princess has been quarantined off the shore of Oakland, near San Francisco, California, with 21 confirmed cases.
Bill Gates is finally exiting the company he co-founded in 1975. Nearly 20 years after he relinquished his post of CEO and nearly 12 years after he gave up his full-time role at Microsoft, Bill Gates is now stepping down from the company Board. This marks a formal exit for him from Microsoft, a company that made him world's richest man until a few years ago when Amazon's Jeff Bezos overtook him. Currently with nearly $110 billion in net worth, Bill Gates is world's second richest person.

Microsoft, while announcing the changes in the company Board, noted that Gates will still continue to advise Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. "He will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders in the company," the company said.

Microsoft said that Gates now wants to focus on his philanthropy work and on tackling bigger problems like climate change and global health.

"It's been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years... I am grateful for Bill's friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

The exit of Gates from Microsoft Board is unlikely to impact the company in any significant way. Since 2008 when the Microsoft co-founder gave up his full-time role to focus on philanthropy work, Gates has not been involved in the running of the company or its product development. After Steve Ballmer left and Satya Nadella became the CEO in 2014, Nadella has steered the company in a new direction, focussing on services, cloud and enterprise, and increasingly it has been a show run by the team that Nadella heads. Microsoft has done well under Nadella, with its stock market performance exemplary and its financials strong.

Apart from leaving Microsoft Board, Gates is also leaving the Board at Berkshire. In a linkedIn post, Gates said that now he would be "dedicating more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change."

As far as his baby, Microsoft, is concerned, he will continue to maintain a connection. "With respect to Microsoft, stepping down from the Board in no way means stepping away from the company. Microsoft will always be an important part of my life's work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company's ambitious goals. I feel more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world," he wrote.
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.




* U.S. House passes coronavirus aid package

* Apple to shutter stores outside Greater China

* Colombia to ban visitors from Europe, Asia

* U.S. travel ban on EU starts midnight Friday

* NZ imposes mandatory quarantine for all visitors

* China new infections continue to fall

March 14 (Reuters) - Countries around the world on Saturday continued to close borders, impose strict entry and quarantine requirements and restrict large gatherings in efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Apple Inc said it will close all its retail stores outside Greater China until March 27. Apple reopened all 42 of its branded stores in China on Friday as the spread of the virus on mainland China slowed dramatically.

Countries have shuttered museums, tourist attractions and sporting events to minimise the risk of transmission.

In a bid to limit the economic damage from a pandemic that has infected more than 138,000 people worldwide and left more than 5,000 dead, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an aid package that would provide free testing and paid sick leave.

Colombia said it will close its borders with Venezuela and stop visitors who have been in Europe or Asia, while a U.S. ban on entry for most people from continental Europe was due to start midnight Friday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Europe has become the pandemic's current epicentre after reporting more cases and deaths than the rest of world combined, apart from China where the coronavirus originated last December.

Saudi Arabia will suspend all international flights for two weeks, starting Sunday, state news agency SPA said, Taiwan will require travellers from mainland Europe, Britain and Ireland to self-isolate for 14 days, while New Zealand implemented a similar measure for all those entering the country.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also called on cruise ships, a major source of infections in some countries, not to come to New Zealand until June 30.

"Alongside Israel, and a small number of Pacific Islands who have effectively closed their border, this decision will mean New Zealand will have the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world," she said.

Story continues

The country has just six confirmed cases and has had no deaths, but Ardern said that number inevitably would rise.

"That is why ultimately, we must go hard and we must go early," she told reporters.

The U.S. military also said it will halt most domestic travel, extending earlier restrictions on international travel for its more than a million active-duty troops around the world.

CHINA NEW INFECTIONS FALLING

While infections continue to climb around the world, in mainland China the number of new cases is falling.

The number of new coronavirus cases imported into mainland China from overseas surpassed the number of locally transmitted new infections for the first time on Friday, data released by the National Health Commission showed on Saturday.

Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases on Friday, up from eight cases a day earlier, but only four of those - all in the virus epicentre of Hubei province - were locally transmitted.

Hubei has now seen new infections fall for nine straight days. All four of the new cases on Friday, down from five a day earlier, were in provincial capital Wuhan.

The flu-like virus has infected 80,824 people in mainland China, the commission said.

SHOPS, SPORT, MUSEUMS SHUTTER

Travel bans have hammered airlines and travel companies worldwide, while financial markets have been hit by panic selling this week.

The impact of the coronavirus on everyday life is also deepening.

The Czech government will shut most shops and restaurants from early Saturday, with exceptions including food stores, pharmacies and gas stations.

The Philippines capital Manila, home to 12 million people, announced nighttime curfews on Saturday and urged shopping malls to close for one month.

"To limit the spread of the virus, we need to limit the movement of people. We are slowing down the movement of people in Metro Manila," said Jose Arturo Garcia, general manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Chile announced a ban on public events with more than 500 people, joining countries such as Australia where the ban will come into force on Monday.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum and the Moulin Rouge cabaret closed their doors. The Smithsonian museums in Washington were preparing to do so on Saturday and Broadway theatres in New York went dark.

The kissing of the Blarney Stone, one of Ireland's oldest tourist traditions, was suspended.

The global sporting calendar has also been left in tatters with major tournaments cancelled, postponed or forced to continue without spectators.

But sport's biggest showpiece, the Olympics, will still proceed as planned, according to Tokyo organizers.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon in Wellington; Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Tom Daly and Muyu Xu in Beijing; Samar Hassan in Cairo; Oliver Griffin in Bogota; Sarah Kinosian in Caracas; Idrees Ali, David Morgan and Andy Sullivan in Washington; Writing by Michael Perry; Editing by Richard Pullin )
Vietnam will quarantine nearly 200 engineers of Samsung Electronics display unit from South Korea at their hotel, instead of isolation camps, where they will work remotely, after allowing their entry to the country amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

The information is confirmed with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper by Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung on Saturday.

Dung said that the Vietnamese Government assigned the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh to arrange local police and medical forces to monitor the Samsung Display engineers.

All their activities during this time, including work-related activities, must be carried out in isolation, separated from other peoples activities, Dung affirmed.

These engineers will be quarantined and work [from their hotels] at the same time, ensuring that if an [outbreak] incident happens, it will not spread to the community, the Minister added.

Samsung Display, a supplier for Samsung Electronics and Apple, had earlier asked Vietnam to exempt 700 engineers from mandatory quarantine, saying they need to prepare for the production of screens for new smartphones, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters this week.

South Korea has Asias second-biggest coronavirus outbreak outside China, with 8,086 cases as of Saturday, and Vietnam, which has just 53 cases, tightened up entry regulations for South Koreans, including making them undergo 14-day quarantine upon entry.

But despite the controls, a chartered Asiana Airlines plane carrying 186 Samsung Display engineers flew from South Korea to Vietnam on Friday, according to Reuters.

There will be more flights carrying more Samsung Display engineers to the Southeast Asian country, Reuters said.

According to Minister Dung, the Samsung Display engineers were transported from South Korea to Vietnam by a charter aircraft and picked up by company buses from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to separate isolation hotels in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen.

Each trip was accompanied by police and medical forces, as well as local authorities.

Dung emphasized that the solution is meant to ensure both the quarantine and normal working activities of the South Korean engineers are not interrupted.

A representative of Samsung Vietnam told Tuoi Tre that the company will strictly comply with Vietnams policies and regulations for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

We will make every effort to take effective measures, including effective and thorough isolation, to protect the health and safety of Vietnamese employees, South Korean experts, and the local community, the representative said.

Samsung Electronics accounts for a quarter of Vietnams exports, and the Southeast Asian country is South Koreas third-biggest export market, and the fifth-biggest source of South Koreas imports, according to Reuters.

Park Noh-wan, South Korea's Ambassador to Vietnam, earlier also sought quarantine exemptions from the Vietnamese government for diplomatic officials and government officials with official passports, as well as South Korean experts who have health certificates proving that they are negative with COVID-19 issued by South Korean health authorities.

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On January 3 the U.S. assassinated the Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani and the deputy chairman of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Abu Mahdi al Muhandis near the airport of Baghdad. In response to the infraction of Iraq's sovereignty the parliament voted to evict all U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq. The U.S. rejected the request to leave.

On March 11, the birthday of Qassem Suleimani, unknown guerilla fired 18 Katyusha rockets against a joint base at Camp Taji, about 17 miles north of Baghdad. Two U.S. and one British soldiers were killed by the strike and twelve others were wounded.

Only hours later the U.S., or one of its allies, responded by striking ten targets near Bukamal with drones. Bukamal is a border crossing where Iraqi units aligned with Iran are guarding the Syrian-Iraqi border. While some sources claimed that 18 people were killed in those strikes others denied that there were any casualties.

Last night the U.S. hit five additional targets in Iraq.

It claimed that these airstrikes were aimed at Khatib Hizbullah, one of the PMU units that is supported by Iran. It said it 'believes' that Khatib Hizbullah was responsible for the rocket attack. But neither the targets nor the casualty list is not consistent with that claim. Three soldiers of the 19th Commando Division of the Iraqi army were killed and four more wounded. Two men from the Iraqi Federal Police were killed and two more wounded. Five Khatib Hizbullah members were also wounded.

One of the targets was a former military airport near Karbala which is one of the Shiite holy pilgrimage cities. The airport is supposed to become a civilian one and is currently under renovation. Its main building is now destroyed (vid). One civil worker sleeping at the site was allegedly killed as were two soldiers who were guarding the place.

The U.S. either has no information where Khatib Hizbullah units really, or it is intentionally targeting sites and units that will further inflame Iraq's Shia majority:

Another Iran-backed militia, Harakat al-Nujaba, accused the United States of hitting militia and Iraqi army headquarters, as well as a civilian airport. In a statement early Friday, it said that further strikes could prompt retaliation involving an eye for an eye. The group did not elaborate on what that might be, and it was not immediately possible to confirm the U.S. statements that the strikes had only targeted militia facilities, or the militia claim that a civilian-related location had been struck.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani condemned the attack.

The 'western' media depict this war as if it were between Iran and the United States. But the U.S. troops involved are in Iraq without the consent of the Iraqi government. They are occupiers against whom resistance is legitimate. They are bombing official Iraqi government troops on Iraqi ground.

That is at least how the majority of Iraqis see it and that is why they will respond until the U.S. has left their country.

Why the U.S. is doing in Iraq what it now does is beyond me.
Aston Martin's white knight will pump even more cash into the luxury car maker in a desperate bid to keep it afloat.

James Bond's favourite marque had already seen its market value crash before the pandemic-induced stock market rout.

But the coronavirus outbreak's effect on sales of cars in China and the delay to the release of the 25th Bond film No Time To Die have pummelled its stock even further.

James Bond's favourite marque had already seen its market value crash before the pandemic-induced stock market rout

Formula 1 billionaire Lawrence Stroll and a group of other investors struck a deal to save Aston in January, which included pumping 55.5million into the company through a short-term loan.

The consortium has now agreed to raise this by 20million, to 75.5million in total, to keep it afloat in the immediate future.

But because of the fall in Aston's share price, other parts of the deal have been renegotiated, because they were based on a share price of 400p.

Stroll's group will now take a bigger stake in the company  25 per cent, rather than 20 per cent  for less money.

And Aston will raise more money through an issue of new shares than previously planned - 536million instead of 500million.

Stock Watch - UK Oil & Gas UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) soared after regulators approved its development plan for an oil field in Surrey. The energy minnow said the green light from the Oil & Gas Authority for the Horse Hill site means it will be easier to raise more money in future. And it will also cut costs at the field because it can enter into longer-term  and cheaper  deals with contractors. Shares in UKOG, which owns and 86 per cent interest in the field, surged 26.7 per cent, or 0.1p, to 0.47p yesterday.

In a statement, Aston said the coronavirus pandemic has not yet affected production but it has affected sales in China and Asia - adding that it 'has the potential to do the same in other markets'.

Aston floated on the London Stock Exchange for 1900p in October 2018  valuing it at 4.3billion  but profit warnings, huge losses and emergency fundraisings had hammered the company's share price by late 2019.

Its shares fell 3.9 per cent, or 8.3p, to 206p last night, though this was before the 107-year-old company made the announcement about Stroll's increased investment, which was revealed after the market had closed.

Volatility was the word on the stock market yesterday, though the FTSE 100 managed to rise 2.5 per cent, or 128.63 points, to 5366.11 by the closing bell.

Miners led the index higher as China recorded a sharp drop in the rate of new infections, as traders prepared for the commodity-hungry country to ramp up industrial production.

Steel maker Evraz rose 12.5 per cent, or 25.4p, to 228.8p, the world's biggest mining company BHP added 12.2 per cent, or 114.2p, to 1054p and Rio Tinto climbed 10.3 per cent, or 306p, to 3274p.

The FTSE 250 fell 1pc, or 155.42 points, to 15562. Elsewhere on the FTSE 250, Travelex-owner Finablr staged a staggering rebound, increasing in value by 158.4 per cent, or 7.13p, to 11.63p, a day after it warned investors that its very survival was in doubt.

Citi brokers took kindly to Next's shares, upgrading them from 'sell' to 'neutral'. They think the stock is cheaper than it should be after a 40 per cent plunge since the coronavirus outbreak began rattling stock markets.

Analysts also said the High Street retailer is well-placed to cope with the pandemic, which could postpone a share buyback scheme but not hit its books.

Citi believes Next's shares are worth 4800p, from 5000p.

The retailer's stock rose 2.1 per cent, or 94p, to 4481p.

Over on AIM, pharmaceutical group Redx Pharma skyrocketed 190 per cent, or 9.5p, to 14.5p, after it confirmed a private company has made another offer to buy it after takeover talks ended two weeks ago.

Yesod Bio-Sciences wants to buy it for 15p per share.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said on Friday that he is stepping down from the company's board to focus on philanthropy.

Gates was Microsoft's CEO until 2000 and since then has gradually scaled back his involvement in the company he started with Paul Allen in 1975.

He transitioned out of a day-to-day role in Microsoft in 2008 and served as chairman of the board until 2014.

The billionaire announced Friday that he's leaving the Microsoft board entirely as well as his seat on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by fellow billionaire Warren Buffett.

Gates said he plans to dedicate more time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Also read: China minted 3 times more new billionaires in 2019 that US

Also read: Elon Musk defies skeptics, meets Tesla delivery goal; shares hit record high
- Senegal is to make a positive impact in the push for a solution to the coronavirus pandemic spreading across the world

- The African country is now to produce a testing kit with the ability to detect coronavirus in just 10 minutes

- The country is doing this in Dakar, its capital, collaboration with the United Kingdom

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There is optimism that something good is about to come from Senegal, Africa in relation to coronavirus which is threatening the world and currently recognised as a pandemic.

This is because innovators from the African country are now assisting the United Kingdom with the creation of the fastest testing kits that could detect the virus in an individual within 10 minutes.

The world is held in surprise at the way the virus spreads with cases now above 120,000.

The test kits for coronavirus is to be produced in Senegal Credit: CNN

Source: UGC

Mologic, a British biotech firm, is partnering with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, for the manufacturing of the testing devices which will be done at DiaTropix, which Quartz described as "a new custom-built facility for epidemics-related innovation, in Dakar, Senegal."

The report said the creation of the test kits is to be facilitated partly with a 1 million pounds grant to Mologic, which is a British organisation.

The amount is part of the 46 million (GHC312,688,680.00) fund for UK meant for the prevention of coronavirus and research into it.

The testing kit, which manufacturing would commence in June 2020, is said to be designed as a hand-held device.

Mologic, on the one hand, is an organisation that previously produced similar test kits for diseases like Ebola, measles and yellow fever.

This may be a reason it is trusted to produce prototypes of its coronavirus test kit which would then be validated by some specialists.

Those billed to validate the test kits are in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the University of London, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the University of Malaya, Malaysia and Fiocruz in Brazil.

Once it is approved, it means the world would have a faster means to detect the virus.

Currently, testing for the virus takes a bit longer and it is complex. It includes a throat swab, taking samples to dedicated centers and laboratories and spending many hours waiting for results.

It is believed that the slow method of testing and diagnosing the virus adds to its spread.

The report says Africa had been proactive in setting up testing capabilities.

In other news, YEN.com.gh earlier reported that YEN.com.gh has gathered that Ghana will be announcing its third suspected case of the deadly coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19. Our

The suspected person, who works with a mining company, is said to have returned to the Kotoka International Airport after a trip abroad this week, in March 2020, and jetted off to Obuasi upon arrival. Sources reveal, the sufferer, who appeared sick avoided contact with any one and would not allow attendants at the airport to touch his luggage.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:22:43|Editor: yan

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BANGUI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Central African Republic confirmed on Saturday its first case of COVID-19, according to the country's Ministry of Health and Population.

The patient is a 74-year-old Italian national who has recently been in Milan. He arrived in Bangui on Sunday on a Royal Air Maroc flight, according to the ministry.

The test was carried out by the Pasteur Institute of Bangui. The patient is now being taken care of by health authorities, who are now tracing the patient's close contacts.

This first case came a day after the country took a series of updated measures to contain the new coronavirus, including a ban on mass gatherings and travel restrictions, shutting down of nightclubs, and massive installation of hand washing device in public places.

Public servants including ministers are no longer authorized to travel to high risk countries. A toll-free line, 1212, has been established for reporting any suspected cases.
In a roundabout way, coronavirus may have been responsible for the deaths of two American service personnel and a British soldier in a rocket attack in Iraq on Wednesday. As Spectator writes, this triggered a prompt US military retaliation  American forces launched strikes at five sites in the early hours of this morning  and the prospect now is of an escalation while the rest of the world is consumed with a global health crisis.

Whats going on? It was Gen. Qasem Soleimanis birthday on Wednesday and a Shiite militia  probably Kataib Hezbollah  chose to mark the occasion by firing Katusha rockets at Camp Taji, the US base just north of Baghdad. This was delayed revenge for the US missile strike in January that killed Soleimani, who, as commander of Irans Quds Force, ultimately ran Kataib Hezbollah and other Iraqi Shia militias. Why now? One answer is that the Iranian leadership is in chaos because of coronavirus and so the Shia militias in Iraq are off the leash.

US military commanders think thats a possibility. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was asked why the attack had taken place. He replied: There could be a lot of reasons, it could be coronavirus, it could be rogue Shia militia groups, it could be Soleimanis birthday, it could be a lot of things. The general in charge of US forces in the Middle East, Kenneth McKenzie, said the coronavirus outbreak in Iran was far worse than the regime was admitting and the crisis was having an effect on how they make decisions. He went on: Their inability to effectively respond to the coronavirus is I think inducing pressure on and inside the leadershipI think it probably makes them, in terms of decision making, more dangerous rather than less dangerous.

Could it be that the mullahs are themselves trying to provoke a new confrontation with the Great Satan to distract from their handling of the virus? I doubt it. They took only symbolic action against American military targets in January, when Soleimani was killed, knowing that pushing President Trump too far might lead to a war that would end the regime. Acting on the assumption that Trump is too busy dealing with his own coronavirus crisis to retaliate now would be an extraordinary gamble. Though ruthless, the mullahs have always been rational  and the basic calculus of regime survival has not changed. It seems unlikely that they are playing Iraqi roulette.

But whether the Iraqi Shia militias are fully under Tehrans control is another matter. Its true that they get arms and money from Tehran, and answer to the Iranian general who replaced Soleimani. But they are, first and foremost, Iraqis and they have promised to fight to get rid of the American occupier in Iraq. They have the support of many Iraqis  the democratically elected Iraqi parliament has voted to tell the Americans to leave.

This mornings US airstrikes in retaliation for Wednesdays attack were aimed at Kataib Hezbollah weapons storage facilities. In response, another Iranian backed militia warned that it might ramp up its own attacks on US forces. That militia, Harakat al-Nujaba, accused the US of hitting an Iraqi army headquarters and a civilian airport. Any further strikes, it said, would lead to an eye for an eye.

The risk is that Shia militias in Iraq escalate the conflict with the US while Tehran is simply distracted; then the US and Iran make a fatal miscalculation. Coronavirus has probably not improved the quality of decision making in either Washington or Tehran: the Persian Gulf remains as dangerous as ever.
A tourist wearing a protective mask takes a selfie outside the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona on March 11, 2020 after Spain banned all air traffic from Italy, closed schools and blocked fans from football matches after being caught off-guard by a near tripling of coronavirus infections in less than 48 hours. Lluis Gene | AFP | Getty Images

9:10 pm: Walmart reduces hours at all 24-hour stores in US

Walmart is reducing hours at its U.S. stores to allow more time to replenish shelves and clean and sanitize stores. The national retailer said its stores will be open from 6 am to 11 pm until further notice. The new hours take effect Sunday. Walmart has more than 4,700 Walmart and Neighborhood Market locations in the U.S. The shortened hours affect about 2,200 stores across the country that are open 24 hours a day. Other grocers are taking different steps to deal with a surge of shoppers stocking up on food, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other items. Some, including H-E-B, are limiting customers' purchases of food and cleaning supplies. Others like Kroger are advertising immediate job openings to keep up with heightened demand.  Melissa Repko

7:54 pm: Georgia becomes second state to delay presidential primary

Georgia will delay its presidential primary scheduled for next week over concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Democratic Committee confirmed to CNBC. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday said he was declaring a public health state of emergency in response to a growing number of coronavirus cases. He also encouraged faith-based organizations and similar entities to consider canceling public events and services The state will now hold its presidential primary on May 19 instead of March 24. Georgia's decision follows a similar move by Louisiana, which announced Friday it will push back its presidential nominating contests planned for April 4 to June 20.

7:48 pm: Trump tests negative for the coronavirus

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to the White House physician.



Trump opted to take the test after the press secretary for Brazil's president tested positive for the virus. Trump dined with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his press secretary at Mar-a-Lago. Bolsonaro said Friday that he tested negative for the virus. According to the note from the White House physician, "last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed." "This evening," the White House physician said, "I received confirmation that the test is negative." The White House physician added that he has been in "daily contact" with the Center for Disease Control and White House Coronavirus Task Force. "We are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation," he said. Lauren Hirsch

6:31 pm: Delta to offer pilots partial paid time off

Delta Air Lines and the union that represents its more than 14,000 have agreed to let the carrier offer partially paid time off for aviators through June, and possibly longer, as coronavirus devastates travel demand. Delta and other carriers are scrambling to cut costs, instituting hiring freezes, asking employees to take unpaid leave and other measures to save cash. The Atlanta-based carrier on Friday announced it would cut its flying by 40% in the next few months, the biggest cuts in the airline's more than 90-year history. Some executives have told CNBC that they expect further cuts from other airlines. Leslie Josephs

5:18 pm: North Carolina closes schools

North Carolina is closing its K-12 schools for at least two weeks starting Monday, Governor Roy Cooper announced. As part of the executive order, events with more than 100 people are banned, Cooper said on Twitter. cooper tweet The state has 23 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to Cooper. The state joins Ohio and Illinois and others in statewide closings, with major school districts in cities like Los Angeles also being shuttered. Jesse Pound

5:13 pm: Grocers limit food purchases, Kroger ramps up hiring

Texas grocery chain H-E-B is limiting purchases of at least a dozen popular food items, including eggs, milk, bread and boxed pasta. Limits vary by item. Eggs, pasta and milk, for example, are limited to four units per customer. Kroger said it's ramping up hiring across the country to keep up with the spike in demand. Melissa Repko

4:39 pm: Spain imposes nationwide lockdown

Spain's government is placing tight restrictions on movements and closing restaurants and other establishments in the nation of 46 million people as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections. According to the government decree, people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to medical centers and banks, or take trips related to the care for the young and the elderly. Those limitations are effective immediately. Effective immediately, Spain is also closing all restaurants, bars, hotels, schools and universities nationwide, and other non-essential retail outlets, a move some of the hardest-hit communities have already carried out. --Associated Press

3:50 pm: Israel orders hotels, restaurants to close

Israel will impose a partial shutdown of its economy beginning Sunday and implement anti-terrorism technology to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Malls, hotels, cafes, restaurants and theaters will shut down, employees should not go into their workplaces if not necessary while vital services, pharmacies, supermarkets and banks will continue to operate. Subject to cabinet approval, anti-terrorism monitoring tools will be used to isolate people carrying the virus, Netanyahu said at a news conference in Jerusalem.  Reuters

3:19 pm: France closes restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, other nonessential shops

A man sits in a cafe near Place de la Republique wearing a face mask as cases of Coronavirus rise in France on March 1, 2020 in Paris, France. Kiran Ridley

France will close all nonessential stores in order to stop the rapid spread of the coronavirus in Europe, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced in a press conference.



The order applies to restaurants, cafes, movie theaters and nightclubs, Philippe said. Grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations will remain open to the public.



There are at least 3,667 confirmed cases of coronavirus in France, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Spencer Kimball

3:11 pm: GOP Chairwoman awaiting test results

Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, is awaiting results from a coronavirus test, the RNC's communications director said on Twitter. McDaniel tested negative for the normal flu and strep throat, and she and her family are self-quarantining, according to the statement. McDaniel is the latest high-profile Republican to either take a test or self-quarantine because of the virus. President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has also taken the test and is awaiting results. Several Republican senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, are self-isolating after coming into contact with people who contracted the virus. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were at a major RNC donor event in Florida last weekend. Jesse Pound

2:54 pm: Second Amazon employee in Seattle tests positive for the coronavirus

Amazon notified employees Friday that an employee in Seattle tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The employee has not returned to the office since they were diagnosed with the virus. Amazon employees at the company's Seattle and Bellevue, Washington offices have been working remotely since March 5. It marks the second known case of an Amazon employee contracting the coronavirus. Amazon confirmed March 3 that an employee working out of its Brazil office building in Seattle tested positive for the virus. Annie Palmer

2:25 pm: Trump considers domestic travel restrictions

Speaking at a coronavirus briefing on Saturday, President Donald Trump said further travel restrictions, possibly within the United States from places with high numbers of cases, is possible. "If you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it," Trump said, when asked whether people should travel domestically. His administration is considering domestic travel restrictions "from certain areas," he said, without elaborating. "We're working with the states and considering other restrictions."

1:26 pm: Trump says he has the right to remove Powell as Fed chair

President Donald Trump launched another barrage of criticism at the Federal Reserve, saying Saturday that the central bank is behind its global peers in the economic fight against the coronavirus. He said he is not yet looking at removing Jerome Powell as chairman, though he believes he has the right to do so. He has harshly criticized Powell previously, saying the Fed should be more aggressive in easing the stance of monetary policy. "I have the right to remove him. No, I'm not doing that," Trump said. "I also have the right to put him in a regular position and put someone else in charge, and I haven't made any decisions on that." Jeff Cox

1:19 pm: NY will require insurance companies to waive co-pays for telehealth visits

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the State Department of Financial Services will require insurance companies to waive co-pays for telehealth visits. The new policy will encourage people to seek medical help from their homes, reduce strain on the healthcare system and prevent the virus from spreading, according to the governor. New York has also been authorized to open a drive-through testing center on Long Island in the coming week. New Rochelle, N.Y., which has a containment zone in response to multiple cases of the virus, had a mobile testing facility open Friday. Cuomo also confirmed 100 additional cases of the coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 524 confirmed cases. Hannah Miller

12:56 pm: US extends travel restrictions to UK and Ireland

The U.S. will add the U.K. and Ireland to travel restrictions as the coronavirus spreads, President Donald Trump said Saturday, discouraging the broader public from traveling unless necessary. Trump earlier this week announced that foreigners who have been in 26 European countries over the last two weeks won't be allowed in to the U.S. for 30 days. Vice President Mike Pence said the rules will take effect midnight Monday. Leslie Josephs

12:48 pm: Trump says he took the coronavirus test as a precaution

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has taken a test for the coronavirus and that results are pending. "I had my temperature taken coming into the room  I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference last night," Trump said. Trump said the test was sent to a lab and he doesn't know when he will get the results. Jesse Pound

12:22 pm: The White House is taking temperature checks for people near Trump and Pence

The White House is taking new precautions to prevent the coronavirus from spreading to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, according to a statement from Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere. "Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President," Deere said. The temperature checks are also being given to members of the press. Hannah Miller

11:53 am: New York state confirms first coronavirus death

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported the state's first death due to the coronavirus. The individual was an 82-year-old woman in New York City who had emphysema.

11:46 am: Massachusetts is temporarily suspending operation at its casino properties

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted to temporarily suspend operation at the state's three casino properties: Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino. "This decision will be re-assessed in two weeks," the commission said in a statement, "while an orderly shutdown process is actively underway." It expects the gaming floor to be closed to patrons at 5:59 a.m. on March 15, 2020.  Kathleen Elkins

11:32 am: Vice President Mike Pence to hold press conference on coronavirus response at noon ET

Vice President Mike Pence and the coronavirus task force will hold a news conference at noon eastern time on Saturday to discuss the pandemic, according to the White House press secretary. This will be the first press conference from the administration since the House of Representatives passed a relief bill. The Senate has not yet voted on the bill. Jesse Pound

11:10 am: MGM is temporarily closing Empire City Casino in NY, furloughs and layoffs to come next week

MGM will temporarily close Empire City Casino in Yonkers, New York, effective today. It also suspended operations of all nightclubs and day clubs, and all spas and salons will be suspended as of Monday. In a letter to employees, Bill Hornbuckle, President and COO of MGM Resorts International, announced that furloughs and layoffs will begin next week. "As the nation grapples with the effort to contain the coronavirus, the travel industry has been challenged, and our company is no different," he wrote. "Business demand has decreased significantly."



The letter came after "several of our employees have tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus, and we expect that there will be more in the coming days," added Hornbuckle.  Kathleen Elkins

10:55 am: Deaths in England rise by 10

Health authorities in England announced a further 10 deaths caused by coronavirus, almost doubling the number of fatalities in Britain since Friday. "I am sorry to confirm 10 further patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 in England have died," Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said in a statement. "All 10 individuals were in the at-risk groups."  Reuters

10:29 am: Trump attending meetings at White House

President Donald Trump said in a tweet that he is attending meetings on the coronavirus at the White House and will issue a report later. The federal government is working with state and local governments, Trump said. trump tweet The president declared a national emergency for the pandemic on Friday, releasing up to $50 billion that can be used in relief efforts. The U.S. House of Representatives has also passed a relief package, which includes more money for Medicaid, but the Senate has not yet voted on the bill. Trump said on Twitter that the bill showed "good teamwork" by Democrats and Republicans. Jesse Pound

10:06 am: Students may not get refunds after colleges close early because of coronavirus

More than 200 colleges and universities across the U.S. have closed in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. College administrators find themselves in a chaotic situation with little precedent. Still, many families who find their children sent home early from college will want to see a refund for the meals and housing their children won't be able to use. Many colleges have swiftly devised plans to pay back families. Erin Kramer, associate vice president for news, communication and media at Duke University, said the college is "planning to reimburse residential students for paid but unused housing and dining fees." Other colleges aren't making it so easy. "Some colleges do not mention refunds," said Mark Kantrowitz, a higher education expert. "I would not be surprised if colleges that refuse to provide room and board refunds will face class action lawsuits." Annie Nova

9:54 am: Italians are singing songs from their windows to boost morale

People look out of their apartment windows as part of a flashmob organised to raise morale during Italy's coronavirus crisis in Turin, Italy, March 13, 2020. Massimo Pinca | Reuters

Videos have been shared on social media of Italian citizens singing and dancing during a nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. The videos, from various cities and towns, show people singing from balconies and windows in an attempt to boost morale, with all non-essential shops and services still closed in the country. Italy is one of the worst affected countries in the world by COVID-19, with 17,660 confirmed cases and 1,266 deaths, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. That's the largest outbreak outside of China. Matt Clinch

9:31 am: Spanish government to impose nationwide lockdown

Spain's government is set to announce Saturday that it is placing tight restrictions on movement and closing restaurants and other establishments in the nation of 46 million people as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections. The Associated Press has access to the draft of the battery of measures that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will announce in a nationally televised address. According to the draft of the government order, people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to medical centers and banks, or take trips related to the care for the young and the elderly. Those limitations will take hold at Monday at 8:00 a.m. Effectively immediately, Spain is also closing all restaurants, bars, hotels, education centers nationwide, and other non-essential retail outlets, a move some of the hardest-hit communities have already carried out. Health authorities in Spain said Saturday that coronavirus infections have reached 5,753 people, half of them in the capital, Madrid. That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours. Associated Press

9:08 am: Trump cheers Friday's stock bounce, which came after the worst drop in three decades

President Donald Trump praised the Friday rebound in stocks, which came amid an ongoing bear market stemming from the coronavirus crisis and a day after the worst decline since the 1987 Black Monday market crash. "Biggest stock market rise in history yesterday!" Trump tweeted Saturday morning. Tweet The S&P 500, the U.S. stock market benchmark, jumped 9.2% on Friday, its biggest climb since October 2008 in the wake of the financial crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 9.4%, also for its biggest gain since October 2008. Its 1,985-point rise was its biggest point gain ever. The bounce in stocks follows a 10% plunge in the Dow of 2,352.60 points. Thursday's drop was its worst percentage decline since the 1987 crash and its biggest point decline ever. On Thursday, the S&P 500 plunged 9.5% and entered an official bear market, down more than 20% from its high. John Melloy

8:44 am: Restaurants, cafes and concert venues are getting pummeled

Servino Ristorante, an upscale Italian restaurant in Tiburon, California, is a short drive or ferry ride from San Francisco, where scores of software and internet companies have emerged over the past decade. Normally the 42-year-old restaurant, with picturesque views of the Bay, benefits from the thriving local tech economy. But with companies including Google, Facebook and Salesforce instructing their employees to work from home amid concerns about the spreading coronavirus, Servino has to figure out how to survive a looming crisis. Corporate events in the banquet hall have all been canceled, said Natale Servino, general manager of the family-owned business. And there's been a big dip in diners coming in from San Francisco. For people with full-time salaried jobs that come with health coverage and paid leave, the current state of affairs is very inconvenient, and many retirement accounts are looking scary. But for those working at businesses like Servino, who are facing either dramatically reduced income or the prospect of having to find childcare should their kids' school close, the potential impact of the coronavirus is dire. It may be hard to pay rent or put food on the table. Ari Levy

8:30 am: Hospitals are canceling elective surgeries to make space for a potential flood of patients

Tufts Medical Center in Massachusetts started calling patients earlier this week to reschedule elective procedures, such as knee and hip replacements and even annual physical exams, so it could prepare for an influx of patients with coronavirus. "As we began to see that we were going to face a significant issue with the pandemic, we started to look at what we could do to slow down the cases with social distancing," explained the health system's CEO Michael Apkon by phone. "We also saw a reality of limited stock, including personal protective equipment, across the industry," he continued. Hospitals in the U.S. are facing mounting pressure to stop performing elective and non-urgent procedures, which represent a major chunk of their annual revenues. Public health officials fear that if these surgeries continue, they'll sap important supplies and resources that might be needed for the most serious coronavirus cases.  Christina Farr

4:37 am: Florida reports 25 new cases and 1 additional death

Florida said there were 25 new people who tested positive for the coronavirus, and one additional death. "One Orange County, FL resident tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling and has died in California," the health department tweeted. According to the latest data from the health department, at least 3 Florida residents have died from the flu-like disease that has spread rapidly across the world. Joanna Tan

2:55 am: Apple to temporarily shut all stores outside Greater China

A picture taken on March 14, 2020 shows the Apple Store closed in Grote Houtstraat in Haarlem. - Apple is closing all of its stores outside China until March 27 in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus outbreak, CEO said. Olaaf Kraak | AFP | Getty Images

Apple will be temporarily closing its stores outside Greater China until Mar. 27 but its online stores will still be open. In a tweet, CEO Tim Cook said that "we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19." He added that the iPhone-maker will also be committing $15 million to help with the recovery As of Friday, all of Apple's stores in China were set to open after the outbreak forced a prolonged closure of its retail locations. The U.S. technology giant has 42 stores in China and while all have opened their doors, some are operating on limited hours. Joanna Tan

12:56 am: House passes relief bill, sending it to Senate

The House passed a coronavirus relief plan early Saturday after hours of talks between Democrats and the Trump administration on how to blunt the economic damage of the global pandemic. The chamber approved the 110-page bill to provide relief to consumers and workers walloped by the outbreak less than an hour after text was released. The measure passed in an overwhelming 363-40-1 vote. The legislation now heads to the Senate. The upper chamber left Washington for the weekend and will not have a chance to approve it until next week. (See updates at 7 p.m. ET and 7:50 p.m. ET) Jacob Pramuk

12:15 am: White House physician says Trump shared table with guest who tested positive
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has stepped down from Microsoft's board of directors -- another step back from the tech giant he founded 45 years ago to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities.

Gates who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders in the company.

"It's been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society's most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it," Nadella said in a statement late Friday.

"Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill's ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward," he added.

On June 27, 2008, Gates, who is now 64 with a net worth of over $100 billion, transitioned out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

He served as Microsoft's chairman of the board until February 4, 2014.

"With respect to Microsoft, stepping down from the board in no way means stepping away from the company," Gates said.

"Microsoft will always be an important part of my life's work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company's ambitious goals. I feel more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world," he added.

With Gates' departure, the Microsoft board will consist of 12 members.

"As a member of the board, Gates challenged us to think big and think even bigger. He leaves an enduring legacy of curiosity and insight that serves as an inspiration for us all," said John W. Thompson, Microsoft independent board chair.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last month announced that it would immediately commit up to $100 million for the global response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

A significant portion of the commitment that the foundation made is focused particularly on developing countries, Gates said in a blog post.

Saying that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has started to behave a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen the world has been worried about, Gates has called upon donor governments to help low- and middle-income countries prepare for this "pandemic", in addition to helping their own citizens respond.
Lamidi Adeyemi, alaafin of Oyo, has asked Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, to tread softly in his handling of the leadership cr...





Lamidi Adeyemi, alaafin of Oyo, has asked Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, to tread softly in his handling of the leadership crisis rocking the state traditional council.





The governor had issued warning letters to 11 first-class traditional rulers over alleged non-cooperation with government and leadership of the traditional council.





The monarchs had boycotted state functions and monthly meetings of the state council of traditional rulers after Fayemi appointed Ajibade Alabi, alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, as chairman of the state traditional rulers council. The first-class monarchs were said to be displeased with the way the governor appointed a subordinate king to lead them and headed to the court to challenge the appointment.





However, in a letter dated March 12, alaafin described the development as a sad one and warned the governor against treating the traditional institution with levity.

Let me start by saying that the sacrosanct of the Pelupelu that grades the sixteen crowned obas in Ekiti land is not in doubt. Suffice to say Your Excellency that in any human society and more so in Yoruba Land, order of hierarchy and seniority are of vital consideration in position placement, the alaafin said.





From time immemorial, Obaship leadership in Ekiti Land had been within the sixteen Obas without any dispute or quarrel among them and indeed to the admiration of other Yoruba kingdoms.





It was therefore with total displeasure and indeed total discomfort that we learnt of Your Excellencys neglect of the hierarchical order by appointing a subordinate Oba as the Chairman of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the State over and above the recognized order.





It is in this note that I along with my fellow Traditional Rulers across Yoruba Land feel very sad that Your Excellency issued a query to the sixteen Ekiti Crowned respected Traditional Rulers of high esteem in Yoruba Land for not bowing their heads to their subordinate by not attending the council meeting under their subordinate. That exercise and without mincing words is to say the least sub judice.





It is on this basis that we will advise against any attempt to treat traditional institution in Yoruba Land with levity and to avoid any attempt of importing any subculture of traditional degradation into Yoruba Land. Your Excellency as one of the beneficiaries of the legacy bequeathed by these Kings of Yoruba history is now embarking on an exercise that will rubbish the contributions of your ancestors.





Finally, as fathers, we should like to advise Your Excellency to tread softly any relationship with traditional institution in the name of Oduduwa and our other ancestors in Yoruba Land. Let us employ diplomacy to settle this issue. We have the mechanism of conflict resolution in ways of our ancestors.





The disagreement with Ekiti monarchs comes after Abdullahi Ganduje, Fayemis counterpart in Kano, dethroned Muhammadu Sanusi as emir.





Gandujes action has attracted widespread criticisms.




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As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) makes its way across the country and globe, I have been thinking about how we fourth-year medical students fit into the picture. Not quite out one door, yet not quite in the other, our liminal perspective is liable to be overwhelmed by the many other considerations that predominate the public discourse. To that end, I offer three humble proposals relating to the fourth-year student experience: 1) testing symptomatic medical students for COVID-19, 2) accelerating the Match process; and, 3) allowing fourth-year students to graduate early to join the global effort to contain and mitigate the pandemic.

1. Allow symptomatic medical students to be tested for COVID-19

First and foremost, I worry about the safety of my community, my loved ones, and myself. To that end, I would propose that medical students with coronavirus symptoms be tested, without regard to previous travel or contact.

Medical students spend significant amounts of time a) with hospitalized patients and b) with other medical students who, in turn, are frequently in inpatient settings. If a medical student has any constellation of symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 like fever, cough, or dyspnea, it behooves health authorities to allow us to be tested. Since community spread, with no identifiable source, has begun, it would make sense to employ a low threshold for testing.

Relying on travel criteria to limit testing ignores the real possibility of community spread, and the fact that senior medical students are in close contact with sick patients day in and day out. This testing would help mitigate spread to the hospital setting and help administrators to make decisions regarding clinical rotations during this time of pandemic.

2. Accelerate the Match process

Match Day, when many senior medical students learn their residency placements, is currently scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2020. The SOAP process for un-matched or partially matched candidates is currently scheduled to start on Monday, March 16, 2020. While Match Day is often ceremonious, anecdotal evidence points to cancellation or restriction of medical school Match Day festivities to students only (i.e., no guests).

If Match Day events are being canceled or curtailed, serious thought should be given to releasing Match results early, perhaps as soon as possible. First, it would give matchees and their loved ones a chance to celebrate in whatever time remains before more severe restrictions on movement and gathering take place. If the situation becomes akin to Italy, where the entire country is under lockdown, it would make celebration more difficult with venue closures and travel restrictions.

Moreover, the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) is headquartered in Washington, D.C., which, like much of the world, is experiencing fear of community spread and concomitant recommendations to restrict group activity. If COVID-19 impacts the ability of NRMP staff to be present for management and technical support of the Match process, we could find ourselves with disruptions to the Match process. The fear of logistical kinks is real, as the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) process (by which non-matchees can attempt to secure a position) experienced technical difficulties just last year in 2019. By accelerating the Match to occur before key technical support staff face movement restrictions or personal illness, we would be getting ahead of these potential problems.

Lastly, getting results early will allow matched graduates to begin the licensing process earlier. Earlier licensing would then allow graduates to start working sooner, especially if paired with early graduation, my final proposal described below.

3. Allow fourth-year medical students to graduate early and begin working to fight COVID-19

Many of us senior medical students have completed graduation requirements for our M.D.s or D.O.s and are spending our final months of medical school on electives or vacations. Given that we were drawn to medicine out of a desire to do good, the current crisis offers the chance to offer our modest skills to help contain and mitigate the crisis. I would suggest that medical schools consider granting fourth-year students their degrees early, and that state licensing boards allow these newly-minted physicians to help in the fight against coronavirus.

This surge of new doctors, while admittedly green in their new role, would provide valuable extra hands in a potential situation where health care facilities are short-staffed. Other healthcare workers will increasingly find themselves quarantined due to illness or exposure, or potentially caring for loved ones such as children whose schools have closed. Why wait a few months into the summer, when senior medical students will start practicing as resident physicians anyway, when this workforce is ready and able to assist now as the crisis peaks?

An additional benefit of early graduation is that these new doctors are more likely to be on the younger side. They will thus be less susceptible to the more serious presentations of COVID-19, which appears to have a low death rate for those under 40. These younger physicians, armed with strong generalist medical educations, could be the first line of contact with patients and report in (possibly remotely using telemedicine) to more senior physicians who would remain in charge. The influx of younger physicians could thus help keep seasoned physicians out of the line of fire, improving overall capacity to treat and protecting veteran practitioners, whose experience makes them especially valuable.

I am not alone in the idea that senior medical students could contribute to efforts against COVID-19. In fact, our British colleagues in medicine are considering drafting medical students in their final year of school. To be clear, I am suggesting voluntary early graduation for those who are able and willing to help. I also propose that state licensing boards help new graduates get out to the workforce as soon as possible, especially in cases where graduates will be staying in-state for residency, in which case it would be the same medical board.

Conclusion

I recognize that I am a fourth-year medical student, and there is much I have yet to experience and learn. With that in mind, I put forth these three modest suggestions to the medical community in an effort to find the courses of action that best serve those who entrust themselves to us for care in these turbulent times.

Lee Hiromoto is a medical student and served as a judge advocate (JAG) in the U.S. Navy from 2013-2016.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The United States on Friday announced it was funding development of rapid diagnostic kits for the novel coronavirus as people across the country reported they were unable to get tested for the illness because of shortages.

Follow live updates on the coronavirus outbreak here

US authorities have come under fire for lagging behind in deploying test kits, which leading health experts have said allowed the virus to spread beyond the country's ability to detect it.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Friday it was providing almost $1.3 million in funding to two labs to develop tests that return results in about one hour. At present results generally take several days.

The HHS said it was providing almost $700,000 to DiaSorin Molecular of California and just under $600,000 to QIAGEN of Maryland to develop the tests, but provided no timeline about when these would be available.

Also Read: Coronavirus FAQs: All you need to know about the pandemic

As of Friday morning there were more than 1,700 confirmed US cases and 40 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.

At the start of the outbreak testing was only occurring at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC then started sending its kits out to state labs, but the first batches were faulty and had to be modified.

Regulatory hurdles meant that state authorities were prevented from developing and using their own tests based on protocols provided by the World Health Organization.

These roadblocks were finally lifted on February 29, a month after the first US case, and private laboratories including major players LabCorp and Quest have announced their kits have entered the market.

But on the ground, people are still reporting they are unable to be tested -- even when clinical signs suggest they have the pathogen.

Amy, a 39-year-old IT manager from northern Virginia who asked to go by just her first name, told AFP she began to get symptoms of the virus on March 7 -- a dry cough and later a shortness of breath when she went up the stairs.

She had recently traveled to Egypt with her boyfriend, and been around her mother, who has also been sick with an unidentified respiratory illness.

By March 10, she had a raging fever and headache and went to a local hospital, where she was placed in isolation and subjected to a battery of tests that ruled out flu and other viruses.

Her doctor said he suspected the novel coronavirus but told her he did not know if he was meant to keep her in isolation because tests were not available and the local health authority was not answering calls.

Eventually she was sent home and told to self-isolate. "They gave me two papers for release: One says unidentified upper viral respiratory infection, the other one is COVID-19 instructions and how to contact the health department," said Amy.

She was informed by the hospital that the local health department refused to provide a test because they are being rationed and as a person under 60 she was not considered a priority.

"I'm sitting in isolation right now with no real answers, and frankly the health department's not tracking me," she said.

"I do have children, I do have people that live with me, I do have a job, I do have responsibilities in the community, and I can't get an answer so I have to stay away from everyone right now."

Earlier this week Vice President Mike Pence said that through a combination of government and private efforts a million test kits had now been deployed and millions more were on the way -- figures that were later revealed to be misleading because these kits still lack vital components to activate them.

Testifying to Congress on Thursday, the CDC's director Robert Redfield said that the kits were not operational because there was a shortage of re-agents, the activating substances, and they also required more nasal swabs and trained staff.

Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was even more stark when quizzed on the subject by a Democratic lawmaker.

"The system is not really geared to what we need right now, what you are asking for. That is a failing," he said. "Let's admit it."
Sri Lankan fishermen arrested in Indian waters, but not detained View(s):

At least fifteen Sri Lankan fishermen who were taken into custody by the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday for fishing in Indian waters were handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy hours later.

Indian Health authorities refused to allow them into the country to take legal action against them, due to the ongoing novel coronavirus threat in the region.

The Sri Lankan fishermen from the south were arrested close to the Kanyakumari sea of Indian territorial waters.

They were arrested on the charges of engaging in fishing activities in Indian territorial waters.

Three fishing boats were also seized by the Indian Coast Guard and handed over to local authorities.

Usually, fishermen arrested are escorted ashore to be detained until their repatriation.

Last month, five Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard under similar charges when they trespassed into Indian territorial waters.
New Zealand bowler Ferguson in isolation over virus fears



New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is to be tested for coronavirus and has been placed in isolation after complaining of a sore throat following the Black Caps' opening one-day international against Australia, team officials said.

The right-armed quick was quarantined immediately after the 71-run defeat in Sydney on Friday and would remain isolated for at least 24 hours while tests are conducted.

"In accordance with recommended health protocols, Lockie Ferguson has been placed in isolation at the team hotel for the next 24 hrs after reporting a sore throat at the end of the first ODI," New Zealand Cricket said late Friday.

"Once the test results are received and diagnosed, his return to the team can be determined."

The scare followed Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson being isolated and tested for COVID-19 after suffering a sore throat on Thursday. He missed the opening ODI, but was cleared of the virus late Friday.

Fans have been barred from the three-game series in Sydney and Hobart to curb the spread of coronavirus, which has forced a swathe of sporting events behind closed doors.


Two foreign nationals were isolated while crossing Armenias Bavra border from Georgia in the framework of preventive measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. Shirak Province Governor Tigran Petrosyan noted this on Facebook.

"The Armenian-Georgian border is under surveillance," he wrote, in particular. "Today, when crossing the Bavra checkpoint, a slight deviation from the normal body temperature was recorded at two foreign truck drivers. But according to the procedures, they were isolated, sampled; the results will be received tomorrow. According to the preliminary assessment of the doctors, they will be on their way home very soon."

The governor told reporters that, overall, the situation was stable in Shirak Province and there were no serious concerns regarding the coronavirus. "Due to the existing risks in the republic, we are now taking preventive measures," he added, in particular.

Petrosyan also held a working consultation with representatives of a number of relevant divisions of the provincial hall and of interested organizations. During the consultation, the measures and steps being taken against the coronavirus were discussed.

Referring to recent events in the spotlight, including the state of health of an infant, the governor assured that the test results were negative.

Speaking about establishing rapid response headquarters in Shirak if necessary, Petrosyan noted that there were clear respective formats.

By the instruction of the governor Tigran Petrosyan, disinfectant measures have been carried out in the public transport vehicles of Shirak Province.

The same monitoring procedure will continue to be applied at the Bavra checkpoint and at Shirak International Airport of Gyumri.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

There are no patients infected with coronavirus at the Educational - Surgical clinic of Azerbaijan Medical University (AMU), Director of the clinic Samir Allahverdiyev said, commenting on the information circulated in social networks, Trend reports referring to AMU's press service.

Allahverdiyev noted that the Educational - Surgical clinic of AMU was unreasonably mentioned in the social networks in connection with the coronavirus, and information was circulated that supposedly, there is patient infected with coronavirus in the clinic.

One of those who returned recently from abroad and applied a few days ago to AMU's Educational - Surgical Clinic, was sent to the Scientific Research Institute of Pulmonary Diseases, said the director.

"All staff members who were in contact with him, passed a medical examination as a precaution. The floor on which the department is located was closed, and additional disinfection was conducted. Currently, there are no patients with coronavirus or even with fever at the clinic," said Allahverdiyev.

If a patient with a high fever appeals the clinic, he is sent to the Semashko City Clinic Hospital #1. We dont have an infection department and an infectious disease specialist. Therefore, we dont have conditions to test and treat such patients, and accordingly, it is not possible to accept patients with suspected coronavirus, the director added.

Allahverdiyev also added that such false and unreasonable information disseminated in social networks only leads to the creation of panic.
Laura Byrne won the heart of Bachelor hunk Matty 'J' Johnson in 2017 and the couple welcomed their first child in June last year.

And on Tuesday, she revealed on her Life Uncut podcast that she thinks it's healthy in a long-term relationship for couples to fantasise about having sex with other people.

'If you have been with your partner for a really long time and you have a fantasy or you're imagining having sex with someone else, I would rather that (than cheating),' she told podcast co-host Brittany Hockley.

Open minded! Laura Byrne (right) revealed on her podcast on Tuesday that she's fine with fiance Matty J (left) 'watching porn' or 'fantasising' about other women during sex'

While Laura admitted she didn't want to know who Matty's fantasy was, she said she was okay with him 'watching porn' and 'doing whatever he wants to satisfy his urges as long as he eats at home'.

She also revealed that she sometimes fantasises about being with Aquaman star Jason Momoa.

'He's not someone I would ever date - he's not my usual type of guy, but for a fantasy, hello!' she gushed.

Laura's crush: Laura admitted she sometimes pretends she's with Aquaman star Jason Momoa (pictured)

Laura also spoke candidly about being cheated on in previous relationships and said she 'lowered her standards' to the point where she accepted her former boyfirend 'sexting other women'.

'I didn't have the strength to be single,' she revealed.

It comes after the accessories designer admitted in January that her New Year's resolution was to have more sex with Matty after becoming new parents had taken some of the spark out of their relationship.

'I didn't have the strength to be single': Laura also spoke candidly about being cheated on in a previous relationship

'I'm getting back on that bandwagon,' Laura revealed, referring to her sex life with Matty.

'The less of it you have, the less of it you need,' she continued. 'But I know that when I do it, I will like it.'

Laura added that the 'full-time consuming nature' of parenthood had gotten the better of her and Matt.

'I'm getting back on that bandwagon': Laura previously revealed her New Year's resolution was to have more sex with Matty after some of the spark went out of their relationship when they become new parents to daughter Marlie Mae in June (all pictured)

'As much as we absolutely love each, there are aspects of our relationship that have been massively put on the back-burner,' she said.

'I just want to reshuffle my life and put our relationship back up the pile.'

The pair became engaged while on vacation in Fiji in April 2018, two months before they welcomed their daughter. They plan to marry later this year.
Public accessible toilets will be open during regular toilet opening hours, rather than requiring a key, as decided last week by members of Bray Municipal District.

'This came up again at last months meeting and we were to research other options,' said Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy who had suggested the move.

'All solutions presented an accessibility issue and involved someone not having equivalent access. I would like us to just open them,' she said.

'I know people are concerned about damage and it's not the practice of other areas,' she said.

'What we would be doing would be very different to the rest of Ireland and the UK. I don't think there's any reason we can't be different.'

Members decided to open the toilets on a three month trial basis.

District engineer Liam Bourke said that if that was the wish of the members it could be done. He said that they can put up signs asking people to respect the facility.

Cllr Dermot O'Brien suggested doing a public awareness campaign, looking to the public to monitor the situation and build a sense of respect.

'What we are doing by opening the toilets isn't being practiced elsewhere,' said Cllr Flynn Kennedy. 'But people have a basic right to use the bathroom when they want.'

She said that this was a decision the eight of them had made together, because citizens in the town were not able to use the bathroom when they wanted.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Anne Ferris thanked Cllr Flynn Kennedy for raising the issue, and 'sticking to your guns on it'.

Cllr Flynn Kennedy said that she has faith that they will not be vandalised or abused.

Mr Bourke said that it would take approximately a week to get the signs and publicise the fact.
Dear Bel,

Im the eldest of four. Three of us have done well and have thriving families. The youngests life was different: bad luck, poor relationship and lifestyle choices. She has also lived with borderline personality disorder (BPD) throughout.

Recently  tragically  she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Weve all rallied to try to support her and her family but its difficult. Ive always needed to tread on eggshells around her, not knowing what might trigger an outburst.

Her life was difficult, becoming a single parent with three young children who were emotionally neglected, as she couldnt cope.

They witnessed her being horribly abused by her partner, slipping in and out of depression, feeling overwhelmed and finding solace in alcohol. She tried suicide twice. Our parents helped her a great deal financially and practically.

My relationship with her was quite distant, especially as there is a 15-year age gap, I worked abroad a lot and found her chaotic way of life exhausting. Everything would seem fine, but shed then become indifferent, distant or verbally abusive  all part of BPD.

Thought of the day Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you. L.R. Knost (U.S. author and childrens rights activist) Advertisement

Each of her (grown-up) children has struggled to make lasting relationships. Her youngest daughter also has BPD and displays irrational and manipulative behaviour with huge emotional highs and angry manic outbursts when triggered.

This has led to a stormy relationship with my sister and her daughter over the years. Youre either best friends or indifferent enemies. Everything is black or white.

Due to false allegations made by her daughter, my sister fell out with our father. She was always very close to him so I believe my niece felt she needed all her attention. It worked: my sister withdrew and is still estranged. My niece has taken on the role of her carer (a good thing in the circumstances) and theyre now inseparable.

My parents are very elderly and frail. They desperately want to see my sister, but she refuses to see Dad. Its tragic.

I have compassion for my sister and her family, but dont know how to cope with this added tragedy of her terminal illness and estrangement from our parents.

I feel I need to look after our aged parents and protect myself from the trauma Im left with in the aftermath of a manic outburst. I have a sense of sadness and guilt because I know my sister is dying and I am powerless to change or help what is happening.

JANETTE

This week Bel Mooney advises a woman whose youngest sister is dying and estranged from the family on how to reunite them

Your subject-line was, Sadness and guilt  surely the story of humankind.

We experience sadness from babyhood and learn guilt as soon as we are aware of the feelings of others, as when a small child knows it has made mother sad.

Yet why do people tend to regard these feelings with suspicion and shame?

To me they are profoundly important as proof of all thats best in the human condition. How we recognise our fates as thinking, feeling people  and learn to accept and cope.

The story of your youngest sisters broken life is indeed tragic: the one member of the family who, for whatever unknown reasons, went wrong. Its easy to imagine how annoying this was at first, before you realised the full extent of her damage.

Thought of the day The night is mother of the Day The Winter of the Spring And even upon old Decay The greenest mosses cling. John Greenleaf Whittier (U.S. Quaker poet, 1807-1892) Advertisement

Its also clear to me that for you, as the oldest sibling always concerned about your parents, it must also have been a cause of resentment, as you witnessed how she broke their hearts and used them as well.

If part of your current guilt dates back to those years, then I beg you to realise that there was nothing you could have done. Guilt with the intention of making things better is fine, but guilt at what is past and cannot be recalled or helped is just pointless  and can become corrosive.

Whats more, it is hardly your fault that you were never close to her  15 years older, with such reservations about her as well as your own life to live.

I suggest the situation is not so different now. What can you change by feeling guilty? But sadness  yes.

Sorrow for a life seemingly wasted, which brought unhappiness to others. Sorrow for three fatherless children and their unhappy lives. Sorrow for your old father, falsely accused, yet longing for reconciliation. Sorrow for your mother who will inevitably have wondered, over many years, what she did wrong.

Now is the time for you to take good care of your parents, and for your niece to take care of the mother who failed her.

What else can be done?

I chose your letter because you recognise all that and know your sisters diagnosis has directed a pitiless spotlight on all that has gone before. It is not so much a problem as an important lesson for others  all of us who understand Reinhold Niebuhrs words:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Dear Bel,

I met my husband in our teens. We had two lovely daughters and a lot of hard-up times.

He worked long hours, while I worked part time. Fast-forward 40 years. Were close to retiring  with our eldest daughter, her husband and three grandchildren all living in our house split into a lower and upper villa.

Im not sure for how much longer, as my daughter and son-in-law are now able to buy a house after living abroad. This will really change things; Im expecting the empty nest to be hard.

Ten years ago, I discovered my husband had had a seven-year affair. Hed ended it before I knew, but I couldnt believe it, so even met his lover for her side of things. Ive never felt hurt like that.

Things were never the same, but I carried on, no one knowing apart from my youngest daughter, still at home. After that, we both lost our parents and I find this very hard as well as coping with the menopause for which (at last) I take HRT.

We dont socialise much and most of the time do our own things.

A year ago, I read text messages between him and another woman. It may not have got as far as sex, but (from the texts) was building up to an affair. Im still with him, though I always thought Id leave with no explanations allowed.

I dont want my eldest daughter to know, as shed never speak to her dad again. Id find it too hard to walk out and start over on my own but also cant be false and make out were a happy couple.

I just dont know whats best for me.

JOSEPHINE

This is one of the hardest tests of any marriage, so its easy to understand why you feel so confused.

Your email laid out your life in stages: courtship, marriage and children, work, close adult children, husbands first affair, menopausal middle age, bereavement  and now the double whammy of discovering your husband is at it again as well as the sudden dread of an empty nest. What is the next stage?

Will or will he not still be sitting in that nest, like a great cuckoo who doesnt have the right (any more) to be there? Thats the question you cant resolve. I dont mean you are unable to, but that I believe its too early even to try.

You are still tortured by the memory of his seven-year affair, because such a hurt can never go away. It can be processed and lived with, but it does change things for ever.

You always believed such a shock would end the marriage. But it didnt. Why?

You might answer that you were cowardly; too afraid of throwing everything away. But perhaps you were/are much too strong to let a middle-aged mans predictable lust/need for adventure destroy what the pair of you have built since first love. A life of hard work and family love  until ten years ago.

You havent said whether you have confronted him over the texts. What has happened in the intervening year to make you write now? I wish I knew whether you and he have talked about the latest betrayal and its implications.

To your closing sentence . . . I suggest you wont be able to know whats best for you until youve faced the next stage.

If/when your elder daughter and her family move, it will be very hard. But do you know for sure they intend to?

If theyre comfortable where they are, it could be wise to buy a place, renovate it and rent it out. They have a lot to think about and I imagine theyll talk it through with you, too.

Meanwhile, keep on with the HRT, but I also suggest some counselling, whether on your own or with your husband. Relate is an obvious choice, but there are many forms of therapy  and I think it will help you to talk to a professional about all these issues.

You dont want to pretend to be a happy couple.

Oh, what does that mean? If you talk through his mid-life crises, reminisce about your shared past, ask what future he imagines, perhaps find something new and fun you could enjoy together, discuss selling the property if your elder daughter does move . . . all this may in time lead you to the solution to the dilemma you express today.

In my heart, Im not convinced you want to end the marriage. In a year it might seem better to stay with a bloody fool (so many of em about) than set off alone.

And finally... we should all write our life stories

A while back I had a long email from Susan B, recounting the story of an extraordinary life full of drama, trauma, unhappiness, making do, discoveries, faith, upsets, quarrels, volunteering  to a new love and marriage in her 50s.

It wasnt a problem but she concluded: Should I write a book? A lot of my friends think I should, but how would I go about it?

Some weeks later Susan wrote again. Shed just read somebodys problem on the page. . . . omg  enough said . . . Bel, just dont bother reading mine or think of featuring it in the newspaper because obviously the likes of poor Richard need your help and advice more than me.

Contact Bel Bel answers readers' questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement

This column often works for people by putting their own issues into perspective. Yet the only question Susan had asked me was about writing a life story  a question Ive been asked before.

A warning first. It sometimes distresses me a little that people put a lot of work into writing a memoir and then expect it to be published, only to be bitterly disappointed.

Private printing (or using Amazon for this purpose) is always a possibility, but not if you then expect your hard work to be rewarded in any way other than the satisfaction of seeing your (costly) book on your own shelf.

Yet I agree with the Russian poet Yevtushenko who wrote, No people are uninteresting, likening our individual fates to the chronicles of planets.

Each person is a star in their own story, although obviously some lives are more exciting than others.

So yes, write out your own life story, for the love of doing so. Believe me, its a fearful slog getting words on to the page  and I do this for a living!

But if you have children, write it for them, just a neat typed document in an ordinary binder, so that your individual history (with plenty of detail and description) remains in the family when you have gone. A wave to the future.
Thalaiva Rajinikanth announced the sensational decision of entering into the political world on Thursday (12th March). In his speech in the press meet, Rajini had said that he doesn't want to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu but just wants a change in the system in politics by being the head of his political party. Well, Rajinikanth's plans and policies about the party and government headed by different people was welcomed by many.

However, his co-star from Chandramukhi took it in a fun way. Recently, Vadivelu was spotted at the Tiruchendur Temple where a journalist asked him about Rajinikanth's political entry. The comedian answered the question in a funny way. He said that neither he, press nor Rajini himself knows whether or when he would start a party. But on the other side, he also welcomed the idea of dual leadership by his co-star.

Moreover, Vadivelu also joked that he has ambitions of becoming the Chief Minister and asked the crowd whether they would vote for him as many are trying to stop him. He in his 'Naanum Rowdy Dhaan' voice modulation shouted 'I'm going to be the CM in 2021'.

Meanwhile, Vadivelu has recently signed a film starring Simbu and directed by Mysskin. He is also a part of Kamal Haasan-starrer Thalaivan Irukkindran. Coming back to Rajinikanth, the actor is going to have a tough journey in politics. But on the other side, Thalaiva fans are super-excited for his political inning.

Rajinikanth's Political Entry! Thalaiva Says He Can't See Himself As CM; Will He Stay In Showbiz?
By Trend

Kazakhstan has introduced temporary restrictions on crossing of Kazakh-Russian and Kazakh-Kyrgyz borders amid coronavirus spreading, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kazakhstans government made the decision to introduce temporary restrictions on using internal documents for Russias and Kyrgyzstans citizens when crossing Kazakh-Kyrgyz and Kazakh-Russian borders.

The prohibition is not applied to Kazakh citizens who wish to return from Kazakhstan and Russia.

On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 4,700. Over 128,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 68,000 people have reportedly recovered. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects. In mild cases, according to the Chinese authorities, treatment takes about a week, in severe cases - two or more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:54:15|Editor: Liu

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People walk past closed stores in Barcelona, Spain, March 14, 2020. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday confirmed the "State of Alarm" in Spain, announcing that the country will go into lockdown for 15 days from 8 a.m. on Monday morning in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Photo by Zhou Zhe/Xinhua)

BRUSSELS/MADRID, March 14 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, continued to spread across Europe on Saturday with a spike in new cases, prompting European governments to roll out more strong measures to combat the pandemic.

On Saturday evening, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a 15-day partial lockdown for Spain, with immediate effect, in a bid to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Altogether, there are more than 40,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in 42 European countries. Of them, seven nations reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases -- Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Britain and Norway.

SPIKE IN NEW CASES

In Italy, the number of people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus reached 17,750, according to the latest update provided by the Civil Protection Department which is coordinating the national emergency response.

That marked an increase of 2,795 cases over that of the previous day. The death toll also grew by 175 on a daily basis to 1,441.

Considering all data including deaths and recoveries, the total number of assessed coronavirus cases in Italy was 21,157, the largest number for a single country outside China.

Among the 17,750 people positive for COVID-19, some 1,518 were currently in intensive care (190 new cases), while 8,372 were hospitalized with symptoms, and 7,860 under home confinement as they were asymptomatic or with light symptoms.

Spain reported the second most cases in Europe after Italy.

Spanish health authorities said on Saturday that more than 6,300 people have confirmed coronavirus infections. That's an increase of more than 1,500 cases in 24 hours. The death toll rose to 191.

France has confirmed 4,500 cases of coronavirus infection, "twice as much as 72 hours previously" and an increase of 838 cases in 24 hours. Ninety-one people died and 300 patients are now hospitalized in intensive care, said French Health Director-General Jerome Salomon.

Germany reported 3,795 confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. Saturday, with death toll rising to eight, according to the country's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute.

Also on Saturday, Denmark reported its first death related to COVID-19, after an 81-year-old under hospital care for other serious illnesses tested positive for the virus before death. Total infections in Denmark have risen to 827.

Slovenia also reported its first death on Saturday, after an elderly man died of coronavirus at UKC Ljubljana hospital.

In other parts of Europe, confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 217 in Finland, 169 in Portugal, 150 in the Czech Republic, 51 in Luxembourg, 38 in Albania, 31 in Bulgaria, 26 in Cyprus and 12 in Moldova.

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN IN SPAIN

Following an emergency cabinet meeting, Sanchez confirmed the state of emergency in Spain and announced the country will go into partial lockdown for 15 days.

The nationwide lockdown requires all residents in Spain to stay at home unless purchasing food, going to work with no option, or seeking health care.

Other measures include mobilizing the Spanish military to assure food and medical supplies, closing schools, restaurants and bars on a nationwide level, promoting work from home and reducing the number of inter-city trains and buses.

"We are going to give a united answer with the Government of Spain leading the rest of the Administrations to give a united solution," said Sanchez.

"The measures we are going to adopt are drastic and will have consequences," the prime minister said, adding that they would be "added to others we will develop in the coming days and weeks and those which are already activated."

In France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that starting from Saturday midnight, all cafes, restaurants, cinemas, discotheques as well as non-essential shops in France will be closed until further notice. Public transport will be maintained but limited.

Philippe reiterated his call on the French people to limit trips as much as possible. "Facing a virus which is rapidly spreading, we decided to step up measures which hit social life," he said.

Starting on Saturday, France entered "stage 3" of its epidemic response plan, which means it is now at highest epidemic alert at national level, Salomon said.

Under France's epidemic response plan adopted in 2011, the authorities' objective in stage 3 moves from "slowing down the spread" to "attenuating the effects of the epidemic wave".

Also on Saturday, the Czech government ordered the closure of all shops and restaurants except for grocery stores, pharmacies, and petrol stations until at least March 24, as extra measures to curb the spreading virus.

"We must limit people's contact to prevent the spread of infection," Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech said on Twitter.
The sight of an empty blood donation ward has prompted a British expatriate to appeal to his peers in Hanoi to become donors.

With many people scared to donate over the Covid-19 epidemic, blood banks are in short supply. It is now "our turn to come together and help each other. Not only are you helping someone who needs it but you will also receive a few little gifts of thanks," Wayne Worrel told people in a Facebook group for expats living in Hanoi on Friday.

He said medical staff at the blood donation spot can converse in both English and Vietnamese.

Worrel donates his blood at a collection spot on Luong Ngoc Quyen Street on March 13, 2020. Photo courtesy of Wayne Worrel.

He also attached a map showing people how to get to the collection spot at 26 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, Hanoi's Hoan Kiem District.

The 54-year-old teacher told VnExpress that he decided to donate his blood after learning that blood banks in the capital city are running dry over the novel coronavirus fears. "I have lived in Vietnam for 10 years. I want to support this country," he said.

Worrel said he went to the blood collection spot on Friday afternoon and finished all procedures in just 20 minutes. As he saw no one around, he asked a nurse to take a photo of him and posted it on Facebook to call for support from local residents.

"I know you are afraid of the virus, but life goes on. Lets imagine, someone has an accident and there is no blood left," said Worrel, father of three.

"The community must give a hand. No matter what color our skins are, our blood is red."

Waynes post has attracted more than 3,000 likes and 200 comments. Many expats in Hanoi said that they would donate their blood.

"I have never donated my blood in Hanoi but I think I should do it to help the country thats giving us a lot," said Daniel Burke, 30, teacher at an international school.

As the number of Covid-19 infections rises in Vietnam, donors have stopped visiting blood banks for fear of contracting the virus.

Since last Saturday, up to 70 registrations for donating blood at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Hanoi had been cancelled. This meant that some 12,000 blood units, or 3,000 liters of blood, would not be added to the blood bank this month.

Vietnam has officially confirmed 53 Covid-19 cases so far, 37 of them within the past week.
Cleaners at a coronavirus-hit hospital walked off the job after their employer failed to pay them for almost a month.

The workers at University Hospital Lewisham, who earn 8.23 an hour, were due to be paid on February 27, but many discovered their wages were wrong with some not receiving any cash at all.

The hospital had switched outsourcing company to ISS UK who took over the contract at the start of February.

Cleaners earning 8.23 an hour at University Hospital Lewisham have seen their pay disrupted after they were transferred to an outsourced private company at the beginning of February

The staff are now with international service provider ISS who admitted problems after taking over the contract, however the firm said they aim to resolve the situation 'swiftly'

Having received several assurances from management that their money would be paid in full, staff walked off the job on Thursday.

GMB Regional Organiser Helen O'Connor told MailOnline: 'A company that last year made in excess of 39m profit can have no excuse to fail to pay the wages of NHS workers on time.

'These cleaners are on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. The company is not only driving these workers deeper into poverty, they are also taking risks with the health and wellbeing of hospital patients and the public.'

Ms O'Connor said some of the staff can no longer afford to travel by bus to work and are instead walking. Others are facing difficulties providing food for their families and paying rent.

She said she met with ISS management to try and resolve the situation, however she said the company suggested it could take a week to resolve the pay issue.

Ms O'Connor said the company should pay each of the affected staff 100 in compensation for the additional stress and trauma they have suffered.

Some 400 were involved in the transfer.

According to Ms O'Connor, cleaners at the hospital are incredibly angry that their pay has been interrupted. She said some of the staff work in excess of 60 hours a week because of the low level of pay.

Ms O'Connor said the company confirmed that no members of management have had their pay affected since the transfer took place.

Some staff members spoke with the South London Press anonymously as they were afraid that they might lose their jobs.

One housekeeping member of staff said: 'It has been disgusting the way they treat us. We are working with coronavirus in the hospital and not getting paid for it.

'If we dont clean the ward it is a state and we have a chance of catching coronavirus here.'

Another worker said: 'They short paid me on February 27. Today I received nothing at all. Zero.

'Ive never seen a payslip so I dont know anything about how much they pay me, my pension, nothing. I need to pay rent today. I am so stressed the whole day. I cant get the strength to work. We need to get money today.'

Ms O'Connor said the contract should be taken back in house to prevent further mistakes in future.

A spokesman for ISS told MailOnline: 'ISS has recently transferred a large number of employees on to their payroll at the University Hospital Lewisham. This has involved moving to a different pay cycle and process for employees transferring to ISS.

'We are very sorry that some employees have not been paid correctly and we have been taking urgent action to resolve any issues. We have arranged drop-in sessions and 1:1s to meet employees who have had an issue and to ensure that they are paid in full.

'We are committed to ensuring a smooth mobilisation and encourage any employees with queries to contact us directly so that we can answer any questions and rectify any issues as swiftly as possible.

`We have apologised to these staff and taken urgent steps to resolve this issue - making immediate additional emergency payments where there were shortfalls.

`It is important to note that the issue has not affected the service we provide: we continue to maintain high standards of hygiene at the hospital, with cleaning, portering and catering services provided as normal to patients, staff and visitors.'
The Union government has notified the YES Bank reconstruction scheme according to which the moratorium on the private sector lender will be lifted on March 18. The notification states that there shall be a lock-in period of three years to the extent of 75 per cent of equity shares for investors holding over 100 shares and those who have been allotted shares under the reconstruction plan.

The lock-in is effective from March 13. Investors holding less than 100 shares of YES Bank are exempted from this rule. Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said there would be a ...
A judge last month issued an order at Amazons request temporarily blocking the US military from starting work with Microsoft on the multi-billion dollar Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract. (Photo | Pixabay - Gerd Altmann)

San Francisco: The US Department of Defense said Thursday it wants to reconsider its decision to award a multibillion-dollar military cloud computing contract to Microsoft in a bidding process Amazon claims was tainted by politics.

A judge last month issued an order at Amazons request temporarily blocking the US military from starting work on the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract, or JEDI.

In a filing late Thursday in a federal court, government attorneys asked for the matter to be remanded, or sent back, to the Pentagon for 120 days to reconsider certain aspects of the challenged agency decision.

Amazon argues it was shut out of the deal because of President Donald Trumps vendetta against the company and its chief executive Jeff Bezos.

It is seeking testimony from the president and other top officials on the reasons for awarding the $10 billion, 10-year US military cloud computing contract to Microsoft.

DoD wishes to reconsider its award decision in response to the other technical challenges presented by AWS, the government attorneys said in the filing.

The JEDI program will ultimately see all military branches sharing information in a cloud-based system boosted by artificial intelligence.

Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, is a frequent target of the US president, who claims the newspaper is biased against him.

Amazon was considered the lead contender to provide technology for JEDI, with AWS dominating the cloud computing arena and the company already providing classified servers for other government agencies including the CIA.

Amazon argued in court documents that the Pentagons choice of Microsoft was mystifying if not for Trumps repeated expressed determination to, in the words of the president himself, screw Amazon.

Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw told AFP Friday that the Redmond-based technology titan believes it fairly won the contract but that we support their decision to reconsider a small number of factors as it is likely the fastest way to resolve all issues and quickly provide the needed modern technology to people across our armed forces.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Andhra Pradesh DGP Gautam Sawang on Saturday said that 43 incidents of violence were reported during the nominations for Zila Panchayat Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC). As many as 14 incidents of violence were reported during municipality nominations.

Sawang said that in total, 57 incidents of violence were reported in the local body election nominations last week. "Police will verify every complaint and investigate the matter. Control rooms are set up all over the state. We are closely coordinating with the Election Commission officials," he said.

The DGP informed that out of 10,514 weapons in the state, 8,015 have been deposited with the police. During checkings across the state, Rs 1.84 crore unaccounted cash has been seized. Gold worth Rs 1.4 crore and silver worth Rs 18 lakh have also been seized.

The Excise Department has filed 1,605 cases and arrested 1,562 persons. As many as 7,752 liters of country liquor seized. 5400 liters of IML was also seized. 2 lakh litres of jaggery wash is seized. 4,752 kg ganja was also seized.

The DGP informed that as of now 1,915 hypersensitive areas have been identified in ZPTCs, MPTCs. More than one lakhs police forces along with all ancillaries will be deployed for the elections.

The DGP did not react to opposition parties' allegations that police have surrendered themselves to the ruling party.

He said that three persons have been arrested in Macharla incident where the TDP leaders were attacked. An investigation is going on in Tenali case where a liquor carton was placed in a TDP leader's house.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

A Washington, D.C., lobbyist has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the federal government while lobbying for the Big Crow Program Office, a government program based at Kirtland Air Force Base that couldnt legally pay for lobbying activities from government funds under federal law.

George Lowe, 58, of Fort Washington, Maryland, became the third person indicted in the scheme to plead guilty in the case.

Lowe was charged with participating in a conspiracy to defraud the United States through false claims for payment of federal appropriated funds in violation of federal law.

The 2017 indictment also charged Milton Boutte, 75, of Moriarty, and Joe Diaz, 60, and Arturo Vargas, 57, of El Paso with conspiracy and other offenses in a scheme to defraud the government through false claims filed for payment from federal appropriations.

The Big Crow program was involved in the field of electronic warfare, and court records indicated Lowe was seeking records and testimony from the CIA in his defense. Those efforts were denied in court rulings, but the exact nature of the information Lowe was seeking from the CIA wasnt revealed in public court records.

In 2004 and 2005, Lowe received payment for his lobbying services with appropriated funds provided by third-party private contractors hired to provide technical, managerial and analytical support to Big Crow.

Lowe received approximately $750,000 from Miratek Corp., a company in Texas owned by Diaz. Lowe submitted false invoices to Miratek to obtain these payments, according to court records.

Lowe is out of custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

Boutte, who headed the program, is scheduled to stand trial on April 6.

Diaz and Vargas, who ran firms that subcontracted work from the Big Crow program, have both pleaded guilty and await sentencing in the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 01:51:29|Editor: huaxia

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Robert Kuhn, a U.S. expert on China, also chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, speaks in an interview with Xinhua in Los Angeles, the United States, Oct. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

History may well thank China for pioneering how to deal with virulent contagions in a globalized world, said Kuhn.

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's progress in containing the novel coronavirus is setting "a high standard that the rest of the world must not only admire but also must seek to emulate," a leading U.S. expert on China has said.

In dealing with the COVID-19, China has adopted resolute and rigorous lockdowns and restrictions, which are "unprecedented in the long annals of global health," Robert Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, told Xinhua via email on Thursday.

History may well thank China for pioneering how to deal with virulent contagions in a globalized world, said Kuhn.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China has implemented the most comprehensive and rigorous measures to prevent and control the spread of the virus, including locking down cities, to protect public health both domestically and globally.

Cured coronavirus patients line up to leave a rehabilitation center after a 14-day quarantine for medical observation in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

Thanks to the arduous efforts of the Chinese government and people, China's prevention and control have achieved progress with daily new confirmed cases declining from thousands to eight on Thursday. Beijing has also sent medical teams to other countries to help contain the spread of the virus.

China said on Thursday that the peak of the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in the country is over, hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the epidemic a pandemic.

The WHO characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic as the virus continues to spread worldwide while urging the international community to take urgent and aggressive action to contain the disease.

The dramatic reduction of new cases in China has surprised most foreign experts and observers, Kuhn noted.

Though Western media have expressed different views, "there has been a general shift, now recognizing China's success in containing the virus," even though extraordinarily tough measures were imposed and enforced compared to some other countries, Kuhn said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 20:28:55|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China has been helping individuals stranded by the coronavirus outbreak and other disadvantaged groups get through difficulties with measures including funding their board and lodging and granting them temporary allowances, a senior official said Saturday.

"By the end of Friday, Wuhan had set up 69 temporary shelters and accommodated 4,843 nonresident individuals stranded in the epicenter of the outbreak," Liu Xitang, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, told a press conference in Beijing.

A total of 5,839 stranded people in the city had received temporary basic allowances for subsistence, the total amount of which reached 16.10 million yuan (around 2.30 million U.S. dollars), he added.

The country also offered temporary subsidies to disadvantaged groups, Liu said, noting preliminary statistics showed that 1.69 billion yuan were delivered during the first two months in 2020 and some 31 million individuals benefited from the policy.

Just in January, a total of 190 million yuan were granted to residents in virus-hit Hubei Province, helping about 1.89 million people facing difficulties in their lives, he said.

Eligible households suffering substantial income shrink due to the epidemic that keeps them from returning to their jobs will draw support from the social security system for low-income families, Liu said.

Based on the prevailing low-income line, urban households with their monthly income below 624 yuan and rural families with the annually income below 5,336 yuan are eligible for stipends provided by the social security system, according to Liu.
Spains government will on Saturday order the lockdown of the country, ordering people to stay home with few exceptions, according to a draft decree reported on by local outlets. Spain has one of the highest coronavirus case counts in the world.

People will only be allowed to leave their homes for limited purposes such as buying food or drugs, going to the hospital, going to work, or attending to emergencies, according to the decree, which was obtained by Cadena SER radio, El Pais, and other outlets.

According to El Pais, the draft states that journeys must be for the following:

1. Acquiring food, medicine, and essential items.

2. Getting health care.

3. Going to work.

4. Returning to home.

5. Assisting seniors, minors, dependents, and the disabled.

6. Going to banks and other financial institutions.

7. Other actions that are necessary under the circumstances.

The measures will go into effect at 8 a.m. on March 16.

The decree gives the head of the Interior Ministry the power to order closing freeways or other roads to help implement the lockdown. Public transportation will remain open but the number of buses, trains, and other means of travel will be cut by at least half.

Businesses were told to allow workers to work from home if possible.

Spain has seen a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, including a jump of more than 1,500 in the last 24 hours. The country now has 5,753 infected. Spain has the fourth highest number of deaths in the world, with 133, behind only Iran, Italy, and China.

Airlines in the United States and United Kingdom halted all flights to Spain and some other countries in the area. President Donald Trump banned travelers from the Schengen Area of Europe from traveling to America, citing the explosion of coronavirus cases in the area and a lack of decisive restrictions cutting off travelers from China earlier in the pandemic.

The virus started in Wuhan last year.

The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hotspots. As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe, Trump told Americans in an address from the White House this week.

Jet2, a UK airline, turned a flight back in midair and said it was no longer flying to Spain.

In response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops, and activities including any water sports, we have taken the decision to cancel all flights to Mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect, it said in a statement.

The airline previously canceled flights to Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, and other countries.

From The Epoch Times
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has taken a decision to ask all staff working at the headquarters complex in New York to telecommute until April 12 to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Following extensive consultations with senior management, including the Medical Director, the Secretary-General has taken the decision to step up precautionary measures at UN Headquarters to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus," the United Nations Office of the Spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

"All staff will be required to telecommute unless their physical presence in the workplace is needed to carry out essential services. This will be effective Monday, March 16, until Sunday, April 12," it added.

The statement further said that the Secretariat will assess the necessity of maintaining the reduced number of staff on the headquarters' premises after three weeks.

The UN Children's Fund also decided to close its headquarters in New York for a month after three employees there developed flu-like symptoms.

Earlier on Friday, the UN confirmed the first case of COVID-19 infection among diplomats working in New York.

New York state earlier confirmed 86 more cases of COVID-19, bringing the total of infections to 421 -- the highest number in the United States. A total of 154 cases have been confirmed in New York City alone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Photo : Screenshot from: AAFP Official Website)

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has the globe panicking for resources. With the threat at large, many organizations are doing their part in helping the globe reduce the mass hysteria. One of those that are responding are the internet providers.





Read Also: Oof! Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Put to Shame by RedMagic 5G

T-Mobile, Sprint Is Now Offering Unlimited Data for Smartphone Users



T-Mobile and Sprint had announced on Friday, setting a slate of measures designated to aid the public as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread widely, with the provisions allowing unlimited smartphone data to all of their subscribers. All current T-Mobile or Metro by T-Mobile customers with data plans will have unlimited access to the carrier's network for about 60 days effective immediately, the company said. In addition to that, their customers are also granted an additional data amount of 20GB mobile hotspot service for the same period and free international calls to all Level 3 impacted countries, the countries that are listed includes China, Iran, South Korea and around 29 European countries.

Furthermore, students who are enrolled in a program that takes advantage of T-Mobile's EmpowerED digital learning program also gets at least 20GB of data per month for 60 days.

The telecom company has also noted its network is operating at 100% and that the proper measures are set to respond to any issues that would come up.

The company is encouraging work from home options for their employees through the end of the month. While others are being offered flexible schedules or additional paid time off for sickness and family support.



Sprint also announced on Friday has almost the same provisions for its valued customers, they note that customers with international long distance calling plans will receive free international calling rates from the U.S. to Level 3 countries next tuesday. While on Thursday, the carrier will be offering free unlimited data access and an amount of 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month to current subscribers for a period estimating 60 days.

T-Mobile and Sprint are one of the first mobile carriers in the U.S. to be able to provide such benefits to their valued customers amidst the coronavirus crisis.

Are Other Major Mobile Carriers Are Coping Up as Well?



Earlier this week, Internet Providers like AT&T and Comcast have decided to suspend broadband data caps.Comcast is among the companies who have announced suspensions of their internet data cap policies. This is in response to the coronavirus pandemic that is circulating around the globe. Comcast states that they will no longer charge past remaining fees for home internet customers that go overboard its broadband data caps, while. AT&T and Verizon have taken similar measures in removing all data caps for their valued customers.

All four major mobile carriers signed the Federal Communications Commission's "Keep Americans Connected Pledge," The pledge basically asks that companies should not terminate service for residential or small business customers, waive any overage fees incurred due to the economic effects of the pandemic, and to give open access to public Wi-Fi hotspots to every American that needs the service.



Read Also: Did Robert Downey, Jr. Just Leak the OnePlus 8 Pro Phone?

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Trinity College Dublin is encouraging students living in college accommodation to return home and offering them a partial refund.

The university has about 1,800 students living on its city centre campus or at its Trinity Hall residence, in Dartry, Dublin.

The move to empty rooms comes amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus, which has hit the Trinity community directly, with two cases reported in the past week.

While Trinity is not closing its student accommodation, it is encouraging all students, whether Irish or international, to go home if it is possible to do so.

They have been advised that anyone who decides to vacate their accommodation permanently for the remainder of the term should write to the Accommodation Office to let them know.

"A pro rata refund will be provided at the end of the academic year," the college stated.

Trinity is the only university to have taken such a decision, with none of the others actively encouraging live-in students to go home, for the moment, at least.

At NUI Galway, a spokesperson said they would continue to act on the advice of public health officials and would review requests for accommodation refunds "when we a have clearer understanding of the implications of this ever changing global health crisis."

The University of Limerick said its residences were open and supported by a team providing security and student services to those who chose to remain on campus. "As such, there is no plan to offer a refund," a spokesperson said.

Dublin City University said its campus accommodation remained open for all resident students.

University College Dublin is keeping accommodation open and is understood to have no plans to offer refunds to students who leave.

Similarly, residences at Maynooth University are remaining open, although students who were planning to go home for study week, which starts on Monday, have been advised to go home and to stay until lectures resume.

International students and others who are unable to leave or do not wish to leave will continue to be accommodated as normal.

University College Cork said all the UCC-run student residences remained open, and management would "closely monitor the ongoing situation and tenancy arrangements as it develops and respond accordingly".

Meanwhile, the annual teacher conferences at Easter have been called off.

The only other time the 152-year-old Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) the oldest of the unions, cancelled its annual congress, was during WWI.

The INTO, along with the Teachers' Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland announced the joint decision yesterday.

In a statement, the unions said the conferences, which run in the week after Easter Sunday, were being postponed.

It is difficult to see when they could be rescheduled as they run for three days and make use of the Easter break to assemble union members.

In the current circumstances, there was no alternative to cancelling, as they each attract hundreds of delegates, as well as large numbers of guests.

The INTO, the largest of the unions, typically has about 800 delegates as well as 150 guests.

In the current circumstances, public health officials are advising that indoor gatherings of more than 100 people should not go ahead between now and March 29, and there is widespread acceptance that date will be pushed out to Easter, if not beyond.

"At all times, the health and safety of our members, our students and the general public is of paramount importance," the unions stated.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is making a recovery and feels "much better" following his diagnosis with coronavirus, as medical officials rush to assure the public he did not pass the disease on to any other cabinet members.

Mr Dutton is an asthmatic and tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. He said on Saturday his fever had subsided and he was still getting treatment at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton's positive test result for coronavirus sparked a dispute about the formal medical advice. Credit:AAP

Mr Dutton told Triple M he had provided details for close contacts to medical authorities, who were "most concerned" about people he had been with for more than two hours since the morning of March 11. His wife, Kirilly, and children are in self-isolation without any symptoms.

"I had a sore throat - nothing different than what youd get in a normal flu. So not a sort of a phlegmy cough or anything like that just a dry cough," he said.
All checkpoints on Ukrainian border to be provided with express tests for COVID-19 in a week - NSDC secretary

All checkpoints on the Ukrainian state border will be provided with express tests for COVID-19 coronavirus in a week, National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said.

"All checkpoints must be provided with express tests in a week, everyone will be able to take these express tests. It will apply to all border checkpoints that will remain [functioning] at the time in our country. And all medical establishments will be required to have these tests," Danilov told a briefing after the NSDC meeting in Kyiv on Friday.

The situation with the coronavirus in the country now is "rather calm" and there are only three cases in Ukraine: one in the Zhytomyr region and two in the Chernivtsi region, he said.

In the meantime, it was reported on Friday that a resident of the Zhytomyr region had died of the coronavirus. It is the first death from the novel infection in Ukraine.
I raq security officials say a barrage of rockets has hit a base housing US troops in second attack this week.

A British servicewoman was killed in the previous rocket attack.

Lance Corporal Brodie Gillon, 26, died alongside two American troops following an attack on the Camp Taji Base on Wednesday.

Saturday's strike was also on Camp Taji, according to the Associated Press.

According to officials speaking anonymously, over a dozen rockets landed inside the base, and some struck the coalition quarters while others fell on a runway used by Iraqi forces.

Wednesday's attack on the Camp was the deadliest to target US troops in Iraq since a late December rocket strike on an Iraqi base.

That attack killed a US contractor and set in motion a series of tit-for-tat attacks that brought Iraq to the brink of war.
[March 14, 2020] During the Pandemic of Coronavirus, IIT Kanpur Will Provide Free Online Python Courses to Universities Worldwide

KANPUR, India, March 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Prutor.ai, developed by Dr. Amey at IIT Kanpur, offers many online courses. It is making the online content and access to Prutor free to any university and college in the world which cannot take physical classes anymore due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most colleges have to cancel taking the physical classes in the classrooms, to prevent the virus from spreading. IIT's, IISc, NIT's, and other institutions are just a few of the list of colleges cancelling the classes. Interested educational institutions can sign up through an online portal (https://prutor.ai/) and will have free access through July 31, 2020 for any number of students. On March 14, following the announcement of Dr. Amey decision, IIT Kanpur Prof. Mahendra K. Verma said that he thinks that "given that the classes are off, this is a wonderful opportunity for anyone to explore the wonderful world of Python." He has also made his online course on advanced Python available for free during this duration. Dr. Amey said that only the top Indian universities are prepared to introduce onlne learning, but that many others do not have the necessary infrastructure to run the courses on their own. IIT Kanpur says Dr. Amey and Dr. Sandeep Shukla are successfully teaching thousands of engineering students through Prutor.



Prutor is a revolutionary and proprietary technology developed at IIT Kanpur over the last six years utilizing thousands of hours of teachers and students. It has already been adopted by IIT Mumbai, IIT Goa, IIT Madras and other leading institutions to teach coding. According to Dr. Amey "Any student above 8th grade can learn programming using Prutor". He is also making available lectures in both Hindi and English to any college or university that is interested. "Prutor.ai is a technology that is not available anywhere else, and IIT Kanpur would be happy to provide it to any university and college willing to adopt it. We want to teach coding to as many students as possible, if any company can share some CSR funds with IIT Kanpur, we can help accelerate this," Dr. Amey said.

Until recently, this advanced tools and associated video lectures were available only to IIT's like IIT Bombay, IIT Madras and IIT Goa, who have used Prutor to teach programming to thousands of students. But seeing that due to virus, a lot of students will have free time, Dr. Amey and Dr. Mahendra K. Verma are making these courses and tools available for free so that Universities and colleges can benefit their students. About IIT Kanpur Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, is one of the premier institutions set up by the Government of India. Registered in 1959, the institute was assisted by nine leading institutions of U.S.A in the setting up of its academic programs and laboratories during the period 1962-72. With its record of path-breaking innovations and cutting-edge research, the institute is known the world over as a learning centre of repute in engineering, science and several inter-disciplinary areas. In addition to formal undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the institute has been active in research and development in areas of value to both industry and government. For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in. For any query please contact Rahul Garg at +91-9910043510, visit https://prutor.ai/

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The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has threatened to sanction some unidentified former directors of the National Intelligence
The pastor of St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Orangeburg said the church will for the first time ask people to not attend Sunday morning worship activities on March 15 out of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

"We have made the determination to cancel our Sunday morning activities with the exception of streaming our worship service online. So we'll ask the folks that are going to be helping to lead the worship and to get our service online to come in. Otherwise, we're encouraging folks to just stay home and connect with us over the Internet," the Rev. Robert Cannon said.

While worship services have been streamed online for over two years, asking people to not gather at the Sunday morning worship service is new.

"This is the first Sunday. It won't go on in perpetuity. We have not made any decisions about future gatherings beyond this Sunday," Cannon said.

The church will holding those discussions in the meantime.

"We will be making decisions as the circumstances change. Certainly when the coronavirus threat has passed, we look forward to being able to safely gather together once again," the pastor said.

He said the threat of the coronavirus creates "a different type scenario" when it comes to church worship.

"We have two priorities. One, to encourage people to act safely. When we met this past Sunday, instead of greeting one another with handshakes and with hugs as we usually do, we made the decision to bump elbows, or to wave as we stood a few feet apart," Cannon said.

He said the other priority is to encourage people to continue to lean on God during these challenging times.

"We also want to provide people the assurance that God cares for them and will be with us through these challenging days. We want people to continue to find ways to worship and serve God," Cannon said.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD.

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Kourtney Kardashian, who has been cooped up in her Calabasas mansion this week, appears to be feeling a bit under the weather.

But the reality star's son Reign, five, conjured up a homemade remedy for his potentially ailing mom that featured some unconventional - and indigestible - ingredients perfect for 'when you are sick.'

In the video shared to Instagram, the five-year-old can be seen attempting to coax Kardashian into drinking a mixture of 'soap and glitter and shower water' that he posed as 'yummy stuff.'

Just drink it: Kourtney Kardashian shared a video to Instagram on Friday evening of her son Reign, five, attempting to get her to drink a mixture intended 'for when you are sick'

Yikes: The five-year-old, who original advertised the mixture as 'little bit milk, little bit water, yummy,' later revealed he mixed 'soap and glitter and shower water' to make the healing elixir

'I made this for my mom...it is for when you are sick,' said Reign to the camera.

In the short clip, shot from Kardashian's perspective, Reign can be seen by his mom's bedside with a golden cup in his right hand.

'What did you put in there,' asked Kourtney after taking a suspicious sniff of the mystery concoction.

Reign explained: 'Just some, like, little bit milk, little bit water, yummy. Both yummy stuff that you'll like.'

Playing nurse: In the short clip, shot from Kardashian's perspective, Reign can be seen by his mom's bedside with a golden cup in his right hand

Kourtney, who was visibly tucked under a thick comforter, watched on in amusement as Reign struggled to come up with convincing answers.

The 40-year-old graciously grabbed the cup from her youngest son's hands and thanked him for his gesture.

'Wait. Why does this smell like soap,' asked Kardashian, who let out a light giggle.

Avoiding eye contact with his mom, Reign replied: 'I don't know. Just drink it! it won't [taste] like soap. Ok?'

In the video, Kourtney refused to take a sip from the cup, while Reign expressed his frustrations over his mother not taking his word.

Believe me! In the video, Kourtney refused to take a sip from the cup, while Reign expressed his frustrations over his mother not taking his word

The truth: Towards the end of the darling string of clips, Reign finally admits to his mother that the drink 'was soap and glitter and shower water'

'Oh my god, she doesn't believe me,' he exclaimed, while pressing his hand to his head.

'This is definitely soap,' said Kourtney between giggles. 'It smells like a lot of chemicals'

Towards the end of the darling string of clips, Reign finally admits to his mother that the drink 'was soap and glitter and shower water.'

'What? And you want me to drink this,' replied Kourtney as she zoomed in on the foamy substance occupying the glass.

Her little boy: Kourtney shares five-year-old Reign with her ex boyfriend Scott Disick; picture posted on Kourtney's Instagram page in December

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star recently told her fans via social media that she will be staying at home in her Calabasas, California mansion amid coronavirus fears.

Earlier in the day on Friday, Kourtney shared a message with religious context, where she pleaded God to 'protect my family, friends, and humanity.'

The post continued: 'Make us invisible to the virus or whoever contains it, help those who are sick and take care of the most unprotected.'

She also posted a long list of tips for her followers to read through in order to protect themselves during the pandemic panic.

Kourtney shares five-year-old Reign with her ex boyfriend Scott Disick. The former couple also share their 10-year-old son Mason and their seven-year-old daughter Penelope.
A new research has found that intermittent fasting works well for overall as it changes the metabolism of the liver. Researchers said that it can help regulate diabetes.

It was found that every-other-day-fasting -- where no food was consumed on alternate days -- changed the metabolism of fatty acids in the liver, knowledge that could be applied to improvements in glucose tolerance and the regulation of diabetes.

Dr Mark Larance at the University of Sydney said that the information can now be used in future studies to determine optimum fasting periods to regulate protein response in the liver.

In experiments with mice, researchers led by Dr Larance identified how fasting on alternate days affected proteins in the liver, showing the unexpected impact on fatty acid metabolism and the surprising role played by a master regulator protein that controls many biological pathways in the liver and other organs.

"We know that fasting can be an effective intervention to treat disease and improve liver But we haven't known how fasting re-programmes liver proteins, which perform a diverse array of essential metabolic functions," said Dr Larance.

"By studying the impact on proteins in the livers of mice, which are suitable human biological models, we now have a much better understanding of how this happens," said Larance.

The results of the research were published in the journal Cell Reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of millions of native fish are sucked up into irrigation pipes and killed every year and recreational fishers are pleading with farmers to help stop the massacres in rivers across NSW.

Dubbo real estate agent and fisherman Matt Hansen travelled to Sydney for a public meeting with the cotton industry to deliver his message: let's work together to screen irrigation pumps and save the fish.

OzFish director Matt Hansen relocating a yellowbelly, also known as golden perch, from the drying Macquarie River near Warren, NSW to upstream reaches with more water.

"Unfortunately, we're about 100 years behind the United States in terms of protecting our fish from being sucked up in pumps," said Mr Hansen, the director of OzFish - a recreational fishing group that lobbies to boost the health of native fish and the environment.

Studies have shown 12,000 fish can be extracted by one irrigation pump in a single day, Mr Hansen told the forum. There are more than 4000 pumps in rivers across NSW that are eight inches or more in diameter.
After months of piling pressure on Tehran, the United States is seeing an unexpected new variable -- the novel coronavirus, which has taken a substantial toll not just on Iran but inside its government.

US policymakers are asking whether deaths within the regime are widespread enough that they could alter decision-making -- although a deadly rocket attack Wednesday in Iraq, which Washington blamed on Iran, showed at least that the cycle of conflict between the countries is not abating.

COVID-19, which has infected tens of thousands of people around the world, has hit Iran's government unusually hard, with a number of senior politicians and officials killed or infected by the disease including a vice president, a senior adviser to the foreign minister and a powerful cleric.

General Kenneth McKenzie, head of Central Command which covers the Middle East, said the United States believed the impact was worse than the more than 500 deaths reported -- the world's third highest toll after China and Italy -- and said US policymakers were assessing the political ramifications.

"Of course, death is permanent," McKenzie told reporters Friday.

"In the short term, it's going to make it a lot harder to make decisions. People are separated."



A day earlier, McKenzie told a Senate hearing that the health crisis -- two months after Iranian public outrage over the accidental downing of a civilian Ukrainian plane -- made the leadership "more dangerous" as it would likely seek to "unite the masses of its people against an external target."



"There is very little evidence in the history of warfare of a regime that has a crippling internal problem that decides to focus on the crippling internal problem," he said.

President Donald Trump, closely allied with Iran's regional adversaries Saudi Arabia and Israel, has sought to debilitate the Shiite clerical regime through sweeping sanctions including on Iran's key export of oil.

Nearly two years ago, Trump bolted from an agreement brokered by his predecessor Barack Obama under which Iran drastically scaled back nuclear activities in return for promises of economic relief.

Even with Trump exempting humanitarian goods from sanctions, few companies are willing to risk US wrath by selling to Iran.

"The current crisis in Iran is really one that has been the result of the government's own missteps in its policies rather than the American sanctions," said Amir Afkhami, a professor at George Washington University who has studied Iran's public health system.

"But the American sanctions have certainly contributed to worsening an already very bad situation." Iran has historically boasted one of the region's strongest public health systems. Afkhami cited unconfirmed reports that some officials have flown to Lebanon for treatment as a sign of the burden on Iranian hospitals.

While Iran recently ordered a nationwide lockdown for coronavirus testing, Afkhami said action had come too late.

Reliant on Chinese trade in the face of US sanctions, Iran failed to cut off air links with China when the epidemic emerged and as late as February was still exporting domestically-made face masks, Afkhami said.

"As a physician, I can say it would make sense that the disease has taken a particularly significant toll amongst Iran's aging leadership.

"How much that has arrested the ability of the leadership to make policy decisions, that's very difficult for me to say, partly because the policy towards the coronavirus was anemic even before the outbreak made its way into Iran."



Trump has volunteered to assist Iran, with the State Department communicating US willingness formally through Swiss intermediaries, although it was unclear if Washington has made concrete offers or if Tehran would accept them.

One key test will be if the United States blocks Iran's request for an IMF loan -- the first sought by Tehran since the late shah's era.

Barbara Slavin, director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, doubted the impact of coronavirus deaths on the sprawling leadership.

"Iran has experienced extraordinary pressure since the US imposed the oil embargo, with blow after blow, but the regime is still there," she said.

The big exception, she said, would be if the pandemic somehow reaches Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an 80-year-old whose health has long been the subject of speculation.

Khamenei has described COVID-19 as a biological weapon, a charge Washington scoffed at.

With Trump under fire at home over his handling of the outbreak, a rocket attack Wednesday on an Iraqi base killed two US personnel and a British soldier.

The United States attributed the attack to a pro-Iranian paramilitary force and launched retaliatory air strikes -- the latest round in a conflict that included the US killing of a top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, in January.

"I think this pattern will continue, especially because the Trump administration, like so many other governments, is completely distracted," Slavin said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Conference president Farooq Abdullah met his son and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday in the sub-jail in Srinagar where the latter has been under detention for a couple of months.

Farooq was released from detention on Friday after the Centre has issued orders to revoke detention of Conference chief, who was detained under the Public Safety Act following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah told media persons: "Today I don't have words. I am free today. Now, I will be able to go to Delhi and attend Parliament and speak for you all."

The three-term chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state Farooq was under house arrest for several months.

Many mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq's son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti have been also put under house arrest following the abrogation of Article 370 in August that granted special powers to the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese Expats Believe in State Medias Propaganda that Outbreaks Outside China Are More Severe

Chinese expats are wondering whether to extend their stay in South Korea.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China, the Communist regime has covered up the severity of the epidemic within its borders. Chinese state media have spread the propaganda that the virus outbreak in South Korea is worse than in China.

Many Chinese nationals in South Korea believe the propaganda and thus wish to return to China.

However, there are also some Chinese who are trying to find a way to stay in South Korea.

Staff at the immigration office of South Korea speak with Chinese nationals

Case 1:

Woman: If Chinese peoples tourist visa expires, is it okay not to leave?

Staff: Let me tell you. The epidemic is getting worse by the day. As long as you have a [temporary] ID card and keep your ID cardthe South Korean government upholds humanitarian relief, so even if your [non-tourist] visa expires, they wont force you to go back. Understand? If they do that, it is indirect killing. So you have to keep your ID card, because the situation is different now. If it is a communist government, it will force you to leave the country.

Man 1: You can consult the governmental website, and see when a visa expires, whether its okay to leave.

Staff: You can check the website of the disease prevention center.

Man 2: I wont check it. Ill just have the travel agent help me with it.

Staff: Be safe. Dont wander around.

Man 1: Ones life is important. Who would mess with that?

Staff: Be safe. Dont wander around. Try not to get caught. Be careful.

Man 2: Yes, Okay. Thanks.

Staff: Good bye.

Case 2:

Woman: If Chinese peoples tourist visa expires, is it okay not to leave?

Staff: No.

Woman: You have to leave?

Staff: Right. With a tourist visa, you wont have an ID. You must leave if it expires, unless you are willing to be illegal.

Woman: It seems the North Koreans dont have to go back?

Staff: That I dont know. But I know that there is no need to go back for the time being for people who have an ID, an auto-renewed alien registration card. If you are on a tourist visa, you must go back when it expires.

Woman: You dont have to leave with the one thats good for three years, right?

Staff: You have to have an ID. Do you have one?

Woman: I do have one. I am asking for someone else.

Staff: I know. Does that person have an ID?

Woman: No. Its a tourist visa.

Staff: Then he or she must leave if he or she doesnt have an ID.

Woman: Must?

Staff: Right, or its illegal.

Woman: Would a marriage resolve it?

Staff: Thats a different issue. It depends.

Woman: He or she still must go back?

Staff: Once a tourist visa expires, youll become illegal. Think about it yourself. Theres no other way.

Woman: Thanks.

Staff: You are welcome. Be safe. Try not to walk around. It is very dangerous now.
We are pleased to welcome Micol Haimson to Raymond James Ltd., as the Senior Vice President and Branch Manager of our flagship Montreal Private Client Group branch.

Micol was appointed to join our Montreal team on May 6, 2019, off the back of an illustrious career spanning over 20 years in senior executive positions in wealth management at a top Canadian. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the McGill University and is an active volunteer with service as Board member and President, Investment Committee of the McGill University Health Centre Foundation; Vice Chairman, The Trafalgar Ross Foundation; past Director of Membership of the Treasury Management Association of Canada; and past Committee Member, MS Society of Quebec.

Micol will be focusing on growing the Raymond James Ltd. footprint in Montreal by supporting advisors and attracting top wealth management professionals to the firm.
The United South and Eastern Tribes are opening their Impact Week 2019 meeting Monday morning. The Burnurwurbskek drum group is here from Maine. USET is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

USET SPF Statement on DOI Withdrawal of M-Opinion 37029

The right of a Tribal Nation to have a land base is a core aspect of Tribal sovereignty and cultural identity, and it represents the foundation of our Tribal economies.

In response to federal policies that stripped us of our land base, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has, for nearly 86 years, as a result of the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act (IRA), provided the framework for Tribal Nations to restore our homelands through trust acquisitions. These trust acquisitions have enabled Tribal Nations to build our schools, health clinics, hospitals, and housing, to exercise jurisdiction over our land and people, and to provide other essential services to our Tribal citizensto rebuild our Tribal Nations.

Over this same period of time, Tribal Nations have restored approximately 5 million acres of our former Tribal homelands, far short of the more than 100 million acres that we lost through Federal policies of removal, allotment, and assimilation. We still have more work to do in restoring our Tribal homelands, and DOI maintaining its IRA framework is essential for that work.

The federal governments shameful treatment of Tribal Nations throughout history, particularly the millions of acres of land that we lost as a direct result of intentionally harmful federal policies, should compel every justice-minded and honorable American to support the restoration of our Tribal homelands. However, since taking office, this Administration has made clear its intent to disrupt and restrict trust land acquisition.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney addresses a meeting of the United South and Eastern Tribes in Arlington, Virginia, with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development Mark Cruz, center, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Darryl LaCounte on March 4, 2019. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

As early as July 2017, DOI stated during a Congressional hearing that it had concerns about the fee-to-trust process overall and, in particular, about M-Opinion 37029 , which has allowed fee-to-trust acquisitions under the IRA to move forward in a measured and predictable manner under the current circumstances created by the flawed 2009 SCOTUS decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. In its testimony, DOI expressed its opinion that the criteria of M-Opinion 37029 were loose and wide, despite the courts acceptance and deferral to the interpretation, analysis, and guidance encompassed within the 2014 M-Opinion.

In the months following the hearing, DOI proposed its own revisions to the Part 151 Fee-to-Trust process, and those proposed revisions were withdrawn after strong Tribal opposition. A subsequent consultation regarding the Part 151 Fee-to-Trust process yielded no results. Despite consistent concerns and questions expressed by this organization and many others across Indian country regarding this Administrations dedication to the restoration and rebuilding of Tribal homelands, it has repeatedly publicly expressed its strong commitment, despite its actions indicating otherwise. In addition, on numerous occasions, this Administration has also underscored its commitment to a positive Tribal Nation-Federal partnership and working relationship.

On February 4, 2020, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) reached out directly to the DOI Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs (AS-IA) after we became aware of a rumor circulating that DOI intended to take action on M-Opinion 37029 that could potentially be detrimental to the interests of Indian country. Unfortunately, and disappointingly, DOI chose not to respond to our proactive outreach.

On March 10th, we learned that DOI withdrew M-Opinion 37029 and would be replacing it with new procedures that it claims will guide DOI in determining whether a Tribal Nation is a recognized Indian tribe now under federal jurisdiction for purposes of the IRA. Not only was this action taken without any Tribal consultation or input, but DOI also did not find it necessary to issue a Dear Tribal Leader Letter (DTLL) to notify Tribal Nations directly of this significant change. Instead, it simply posted notice of its withdrawal of M-Opinion 37029 to its website for Indian country to discover on its own.

Well they did it. The Trump administration withdrew a legal opinion that was meant to help tribes restore their homelands in the wake of a disastrous Supreme Court decision. #Carcieri #TribalHomelands https://t.co/DAZvUFdrgl pic.twitter.com/4v6GatwZoN  indianz.com (@indianz) March 10, 2020

The flawed 2009 SCOTUS decision in Carcieri v. Salazar has created tremendous confusion and instability across Indian country. It has made the effort to rebuild our Tribal Nation homelands much more complicated, costly, and time consuming. Unfortunately, despite great effort by Indian country, Congress has failed to pass a fix for reasons that have nothing to do with the principle of restoring and rebuilding Tribal homelands.

Fortunately, for the past 6 years, Indian country has been able to rely on M-Opinion 37029s measured and consistent interpretation of the phrase under federal jurisdiction that supports fee-to-trust land acquisitions for Indian country. The M-Opinion has governed DOI's analysis of whether a Tribal Nation was under federal jurisdiction in 1934, and it has allowed fee-to-trust acquisitions to move forward in spite of the flawed 2009 SCOTUS decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. Its consistent framework has reduced uncertainty and thereby reduced costs associated with fee-to-trust acquisitions, benefiting Indian country and DOI alike. Courts reviewing decisions that rely on the analysis of M-Opinion 37029 have upheld the analysis as a reasonable and valid interpretation of the IRA as interpreted by Carcieri v. Salazar.

In its withdrawal of M-Opinion 37029, DOI alleges that it is not consistent with the intent of the IRA. USET SPF disagrees in the strongest possible terms. In giving the Secretary broad authority to acquire land in trust through the IRA in 1934, Congress aimed to end the devastating loss of Tribal land that marked the federal policies of removal, assimilation, and allotment. Successfully fulfilling the IRAs promise requires DOI to fully implement its IRA authority by favorably viewing land acquisition requests from Tribal Nations, thereby promoting Tribal self-determination and economic development. The restoration of Tribal homelands through trust land acquisitions should be considered part of DOIs core responsibilities in its relationships with Tribal governments and individual Indians. DOI must work to fulfill this objective, as Congress mandated in enacting the IRA.

Late in the evening on March 10th, the Department posted M-Opinion 37055 that withdraws M-Opinion 37029 . On Wednesday, the Department posted (1) a March 5, 2020 memo titled  Determining Eligibility under the First Definition of Indian in Section 19 of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 , and (2) a March 10, 2020 memo titled  Procedure for Determining Eligibility for Land-into-Trust under the First Definition of Indian in Section 19 of the Indian Reorganization Act . These two memos contain 40+ pages of detail that warrant close review and examination that our organization, as well as many others, will be conducting in the coming hours and days.

The restoration of our Tribal Nation homelands should not be held hostage by the politics of Washington D.C. or the interests of those working against Tribal sovereignty. Any efforts that support these intentions stand in direct contrast to the intent of Congress in passing the 1934 IRA. Through the IRA, as a matter of justice and principle, Congress intended to affirm the equal right of all federally recognized Tribal Nations to rebuild and restore our homelands.

The Department is taking the position that these changes will be favorable to the interests of Indian country. We will reserve final judgement until the nuances of the actual effects of the changes on Tribal Nations trust acquisition applications are fully understood, but we are deeply alarmed with the manner that the Department chose to move forward with these changes.

We will follow up with an additional communication once our review and analysis is complete.

Relevant Documents

Established in 2014, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization representing 30 federally-recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET SPF is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations while assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues and serving the broad needs of Indian people.

Join the Conversation
Supermarkets across Australia have been thrown into chaos, with some shoppers waiting in lines up to 50 metres long to get their hands on toilet paper.

Customers were spotted lining up outside stores before they opened in a desperate attempt to stock up on supplies this weekend in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

One staff member at a Coles store in Melbourne was spotted buying a pack of toilet paper at the checkout while customers waited outside for the doors to open.

The panic has grown over the weekend after Scott Morrison announced there would be no 'non essential' mass gatherings of more than 500 people.

A queue of people stretch across a Coles store while they wait to receive one pack of toilet paper

One staff member at a Coles store in Melbourne was seen buying a pack of toilet paper at the checkout while customers waited outside for the doors to open

A Coles spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the one pack limit applies to everyone including staff members.

'The temporary purchase limits in place apply to everyone,' the spokesperson said.

'We appreciate our customers continuing to respect and support our team members and our Customer Care and Coles Online call centres, particularly if a product is unavailable or the checkout queues are longer than normal.'

Footage showed a line stretching around the corner of one Coles supermarket as a staff member handed out one pack of toilet paper to each customer.

Many shared their experiences online and warned others to stay at home.

'So, I went to ALDI again this morning. All I wanted was wheat and yeast to make bread. People saw me arrive and were worried. I shouted out to 200 people 'don't worry guys, I'm not here for toilet paper,' one shopper tweeted.

Another Australian Coles store is seen flooded with anxious shoppers

Shoppers are seen queuing outside an Aldi store waiting for the doors to open

'Avoid big crowds, they said. Goes to Coles/Woolies to panic buy random s**t, ends up in a big crowd. Yep nailed it Australia,' another said.

'I'm in Woolworths - one woman has four trolleys. Coronavirus panic is definitely here,' wrote a third.

'I'm at Woolies in a 50-metre queue at the checkout. What is actually happening?' added another.

'If you are thinking of heading to Woolies in Hornsby this morning, abort! Abort! It's freaking crazy. Only 8.30am and the queues for checkouts are insane.'

A line stretches all the way to the back of Woolworths as shoppers try to buy what they can

Both Coles and Woolworths were forced to set limits on products including as toilet paper, hand sanitiser and rice.

In Woolworths, tissues are limited to just two packs per shop, paper towel, serviettes and wipes are restricted to just one pack, only one pack of toilet paper can be bought and just two bottles of hand sanitiser.

At Coles, customers will be allowed only two items of pasta, flour, dried rice, paper towels/tissues and hand sanitisers - along with the one pack limit of toilet rolls.

On Friday, Mr Morrison announced the ban on mass public gatherings.

'We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,' Mr Morrison said.

But Mr Morrison stressed the government's ban only relates to 'non-essential organised gatherings' and doesn't include schools, university lectures or catching public transport.
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion at 9am. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Govt notifies Yes Banks restructuring plan, moratorium to be lifted in 3 working days

The Union cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had on Friday approved the Yes Bank rescue plan backed by the State Bank of India (SBI). The restructuring plan was notified with details on Saturday according to which the moratorium that was imposed on March 5 will be lifted within three working days. Read more

India fights coronavirus on war footing as it records second death

India recorded its second coronavirus disease (Covid-19) fatality on Friday as the pandemic continued to spread in the country, sickening seven more people and forcing more states to order restrictions on businesses, educational institutions and public gathering even as authorities faced new challenges in keeping people from potentially infecting others. Read more

No cause for celebrations: Local residents indifferent to Farooqs release

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah will be released from detention after months of custody under the Public Safety Act or PSA, officials said on Friday. Many locals, however, were not enthused by his release. Read more

MBBS graduate, friends kill man over ice cream, arrested

A 27-year-old man, out to celebrate his MBBS graduation, allegedly beat a man to death with the help of his brothers and three friends on Thursday morning after a spat over refusal of an ice-cream treat. Read more

Sanjay Manjrekar axed from BCCIs commentary panel, may not be included in IPL 2020: Report

Former India batsman and now a renowned broadcaster Sanjay Manjrekar has been reportedly dropped from the commentary panel of BCCI. Manjrekar, who has been a regular feature in the commentary box during Indias home matches for the past couple of years or so, may not be included in IPL 2020 too. Read more

On Aamir Khans birthday, heres proof that he has always bounced back after disasters like Thugs of Hindostan

A lot is at stake for Aamir Khan this year. As the actor turns 55 on Saturday, and in 2020 will be hoping for a bounce back after the critical and commercial disaster of his last release, Thugs of Hindostan. Read more
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A court sent suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain to three-day police custody on Friday in connection with the alleged killing of Intelligence Bureau official Ankit Sharma during the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month, sources said.

Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Kumar Gautam remanded Hussain to police custody till Sunday after the expiry of his seven-day custody.

Hussain was arrested on March 5 after a court in Delhi dismissed his plea seeking to surrender before it in connection with the case and was later sent to seven-day police custody the next day.

The suspended Aam Aadmi Party councillor had moved the surrender application before the court, saying that he was willing to join the investigation and wanted to surrender in the case.

Hussain has been booked in the murder case of the IB staffer in northeast Delhi during the violence over the new citizenship law.

The ruling AAP had then suspended him for alleged involvement in the violence, which has left at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

The family of Sharma (26), who was found dead in a drain near his home in riot-hit Chand Bagh area, has accused Hussain of being behind the killing.

On the complaint of Sharma's father, the police registered an FIR against Hussain, who has rejected the charge.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control.

Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at local residents and police personnel.
Travellers from or having travelled to the 27 European countries to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Photo: CBC)

This temporary entry refusal is applicable to travellers who come from, or have been to, these 27 nations 14 days prior to their intended arrival in Vietnam.

The Schengen area covers 26 countries without border controls between them. These countries are: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The Vietnamese government has also decided to suspend its visa on arrival policy.

Arrivals for diplomatic or public service purposes are not subject to the ban taking effect for 30 days from 12am on March 15.

The MoFA also noted that foreigners who are experts, business managers, and skilled workers are required to undergo medical examination upon entering the country and need to make health declarations, as well as comply with the preventive measures at their working sites and accommodation, in strict accordance with local regulations.

Not submitting a health declaration, providing untruthful information, or not following quarantine procedures as instructed are punishable by strict penalties outlined by law.

Vietnam will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation and co-ordinate with other countries and territories, international organisations, and partners to promptly adjust appropriate preventive and control measures in an attempt to restrict the COVID-19 from spreading wider in the community.

As of March 14, Vietnam has reported a total of 53 cases diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in over 12 cities and provinces, with many new cases having returned or arriving to Vietnam from overseas. While 16 of the patients have recovered (before March 6), the remainder are being treated in hospital and are showing good signs of recovery. Most recently, two British patients have tested negative for COVID-19 after one week of treatment at an isolation site in Danang General Hospital.
After Disney officials announced Thursday that they will temporarily be closing parks and resorts to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Disneyland said it will be donating excess food that would have otherwise gone unused as a result of the sudden closure.

An announcement posted to the Disney Parks Blog Friday explained that an "excess inventory of dairy, fruit, vegetables, packaged goods and banquet meals" from Disneyland stocks will be given to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

After closing temporarily due to coronavirus concerns, Disneyland announced they will donate excess food to a local food bank. (Disneyland Resort)

"The Disneyland Resort has an ongoing commitment to reducing food waste," read the blog post. "Last year, the Disneyland Resort donated over 20,000 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County through the food donation program, and Disney VoluntEARS regularly volunteer there, supporting the mission of ending hunger."

Second Harvest Food Bank took to Twitter to thank the theme park for its donation.

"Thank you to the team at @DisneyParks for helping us #FeedOC during the parks temporary closure due to #coronavirus," the tweet reads.

Thank you to the team at @DisneyParks for helping us #FeedOC during the parks temporary closure due to #coronavirus https://t.co/rT0rOAGX8i  SecondHarvestFB (@SecondHarvestFB) March 13, 2020

Harald Herrmann, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County, told TODAY that his organization is "deeply appreciative" of the donation, and added that the items will go toward feeding the 290,000 people in need served by the food bank.

"We are working closely with our partners, including food pantries and distribution sites, to put this food into the hands of those who need it most as quickly as possible," said Herrmann.

Story continues

"While we do not yet know the amount of food that will be donated, we are working to ensure this vitally important donation will support those most at-risk during this rapidly developing crisis," he continued. "In the coming days and weeks, donations of shelf-stable foods and funds will be more important than ever to ensure that we are able to address the anticipated need."

Food

Disneyland has operated a food donation program since 2014, and donates prepared, unserved meals to many groups that support those in need in Southern California.

Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, as well as Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, will remain closed until at least the end of March.
Hello Manistee County! How lucky can we be? The weather has been so nice, the other day I had to go to Lansing for a meeting at Michigan State and wow, was it beautiful. I needed sunglasses and the car was so warm from the sun it felt so nice. Welcome Spring!

Every meeting I have attended lately, everyone is discussing the coronavirus. The big question in the older adult arena is how to prevent it from spreading once it is here. We started washing surfaces that are touched a lot throughout the building every hour. We are also asking people to wash their hands throughout the day, before and after lunch, after coughing or sneezing and of course after using the bathroom. The other big thing is if you are sick, please stay home so you don't bring anything to the seniors at the Senior Center. I am not someone who gets crazy about things like this, but I am trying to be on top of it. We had Bret from the health department in on Friday before lunch to share information and answer questions about the coronavirus. It is so great to have so many knowledgeable sources in Manistee County to turn to in these cases.

As seniors are at the highest risk for COVID-19, Manistee County Council on Aging / Senior Center will be CLOSED to the public beginning Monday, March 16, 2020. We will continue to serve seniors, it will just look differently. Below is information related to the mitigation strategy for the Manistee County Council on Aging related to COVID-19 effective Monday, March 16, 2020 in regards to programs and services offered by the Council on Aging. This strategy is based on recommendations from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and are in place until further notice.

MCCOA Community Mitigation Strategy 03/13/2020

Manistee County Council on Aging/Senior Center building will be CLOSED to the public. The COA Office will be open for phone calls and emails.

ALL Senior Center meetings, programs, classes, activities and services are also SUSPENDED until further notice.

ALL Manistee County Council on Aging/Senior Center staff will continue to follow an enhanced protocol of sanitation to mitigate the possibility of the spread of germs.

We ask that you please be patient with this process as it is our priority to keep our Manistee County Seniors safe during this pandemic.

We had a bunch of events planned throughout the Manistee County for the Census Count. Unfortunately, those events will be postponed. Please watch for more information in the weeks to come.

Last week we had a lot of fun going on at the senior center. We had a class with Vickie Mackey teaching how to make beautiful stretch bracelets. Everyone seemed to enjoy doing this. Vickie brought so many beautiful beads for everyone to choose from. Thank you, Vickie. You are wonderful to come in and teach this great craft and we can't wait to do some more.

The Cardio Drumming Class is going really well. Two Tuesdays in a row I was out of town. I hope I can get to one of the classes when we open our doors again.. but I have heard some people are a little sore. I am so out of shape; I may need to crawl into work the next day. Zumba is so much fun to listen to. Our walls are pretty thin and I can hear the music and everyone having fun. I am thinking about wearing exercise clothes to work one day, once we're back to our normal schedule here, and just join everything that is going on that day.

Don't forget to sign up for the Tiger's game that is on June 11, 2020. Everyone is welcome to join in, if you want to take family, friends or go alone that is fine. We usually have so much fun, some people are huge Tiger Fans and some people just want to go to a major league game. I want to schedule a trip if people are interested to see a concert or a musical. If you have any ideas let me know. I like all kinds of music so if you have someone or a group that you want to cross off your bucket list let's check it out.

I hope you have a wonderful week and remember to try something new!

KNIT & CROCHET CIRCLE

This program has been cancelled until further notice

FOOD BANK

The March food bank has been cancelled. Please watch for further information on the April food bank.

(MMAP) MEDICARE MEDICAID ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

This program provides people on Medicare with free assistance and education so they can make informed health care coverage decisions. Fran Wallace is our local counselor and she can help you understand eligibility, enrollment, coverage, claims and appeals; identify resources for prescription drug assistance; understand options under Medicare Advantage plans; solve problems related to Medicare/Medicaid coverage; and understand Medicare notices summary. Please call the senior center at (231)723-6477 to make an appointment with Fran. Fran will be conducting meeting via phone only.

SENIOR PROGRAM

The MCCOA has a program designed to help seniors remain independent, by reimbursing qualifying expenses. If you are a senior from Manistee County, you could receive reimbursement for payments you have made for house cleaning, yard work, snow removal services. For current clients in the Senior Reimbursement Program, please take note, all receipts must be current, no more than 30 days old. Income requirements apply. New clients must fill out registration form. Please call the Senior Center at (231)723-6477 for more information. Please do not drop off your receipts, as the senior center will be closed. Please mail them to MCCOA Chore Program, 457 River St., Manistee MI 49660

DIABETIC SUPPORT GROUP

There is a Diabetic support group that meets at 10 a.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Senior Center. The next meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 6 only if the center is reopened at that time.

PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP

There is a Parkinson's support group that meets the third Thursday of every month at the Munson Manistee Hospital's Education Center, Room #1. For more information call Sean Knudsen (517)554-6938 or Linda Nickelson 690-5048.

DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP

The support group for caretakers of loved ones who live with dementia will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 9 at the senior center if the center is reopened at that time. The group will meet monthly on the second Thursday of the month.

MCCOA WISH LIST

The MCCOA is asking local businesses and individuals for donations of non-perishable foods for the senior food bank, Dial-a-Ride tickets. These donations are always appreciated. Please contact the senior center at (231)723-6477.

DONATED ITEMS

The senior center has access to adult briefs and pads if you or a loved one are a senior and are in need. Call the senior center to check on availability.

SIT & GET FIT & OTHER EXERCISE OPPORTUNITIES

Please confirm with the exercise programs in places other than the senior center, as we do not have information on those classes at this time. All exercise classes at the senior center are cancelled until further notice.

MONDAY NIGHT PINOCHLE

No pinochle until further notice

CRIBBAGE/CHESS

No cribbage or chess until further notice

WEEKLY PROGRAMS

All programs, classes, services and events are cancelled until further notice

MENU FOR WEEK OF March 16-20

No congregate meals until further notice

UPCOMING EVENTS

All events have been cancelled until further notice
House Democrats have introduced legislation that would undo President Trumps travel bans from coronavirus stricken areas, despite the fact that the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has said that the impact of the crisis would be much worse had the travel bans on China and Iran not been in place.

Democrats want to strip the President of the authority to implement the bans, introducing a bill titled the No Ban Act, which would allow travellers from Wuhan and other infected areas to keep arriving in the US unimpeded.

This bill imposes limitations on the Presidents authority to suspend or restrict aliens from entering the United States and terminates certain presidential actions implementing such restrictions, the bill summary reads.

The legislation vaguely says that Trump should only be able to issue a restriction when required to address a compelling government interest.

The bill further declares that before any travel ban is imposed, the President would be mandated to consult with Congress.

Democratic Presidential contender Bernie Sanders also said this week that he would not impose any travel bans during the coronavirus crisis.

The action flies in the face of advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID, who told lawmakers during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing Wednesday that I believe we would be in a worse position, had such travel bans not been imposed by Trump.

Faucis comments come at the 1:00:39 mark

Whenever you look at the history of outbreaks, what you see now in an uncontained way and although we are containing it in some respects, we keep getting people coming into the country that are travel-related, weve seen that in many of the states that are now involved. Fauci said. We will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now. How much worse they get will depend on our ability to do two things: To contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country. Bottom line, its going to get worse. he added.

Faucis comments regarding travel restrictions have been echoed by The New England Journal of Medicine, which recently reported: At least on a temporary basis, such restrictions may have helped slow the spread of the virus.

Trump extended the travel ban Wednesday night to most of Europe (but not the UK) for at least 30 days.

The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots, the president said, adding As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe.

Trumps words, and the announcement of the travel restriction drew anger from some European officials, who reportedly described it as unbelievable and very strange.

Taking an emergency such as the #Coronavirus epidemic as another opportunity to wage his personal war against #China and the #EU  that says everything!  Alessandro Motta (@MottaIT) March 12, 2020

Any attempt to contain the #CoronaOutbreak is welcome, but the decision of @realDonaldTrump to exclude the UK from a European travel ban is nothing short of irresponsible. Viruses do not recognise borders. Decisions should be based on facts, not politics.  Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) March 12, 2020

The European Commission and Council issued a joint statement declaring that The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation.

The Coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action. the statement continued.

Trump was unwavering in his belief that his administration can mitigate the spread of the virus:

I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020

.Together we are putting into policy a plan to prevent, detect, treat and create a vaccine against CoronaVirus to save lives in America and the world. America will get it done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020

Someone needs to tell the Democrats in Congress that CoronaVirus doesnt care what party you are in. We need to protect ALL Americans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020
In 1837, a young, talented woman named Clara Wiek broke social conventions by giving a series of public piano concerts in Vienna. Wiek was a musical prodigy; she not only excited crowds with her piano playing, but she composed her own music. She became a celebrity.

In the mid nineteenth century, public music was a man's world, so Clara's success was quite exceptional. At the age of 20, she married composer Robert Schumann and took his name. She continued to compose and perform, although pregnancies and her husband's multiple illnesses eventually led her to withdraw from her musical career.

"I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up the idea," she wrote. "A woman must not desire to compose - there has never yet been one able to it. Should I expect to be the one?"

Conventional norms limited women for centuries, not only by restricting their participation in fields of study, careers, and aspects of public life, but by causing women to internalize those messages and doubt themselves.

In the United States, another talented woman's story echoes Clara's. Although Antoinette Brown had to fight for her theological education and was denied conference of her degree, her intellect challenged and changed Protestant theology.

For completion of her studies at Oberlin College, Brown presented her analysis of Pauline scripture, arguing that in the original Greek, Paul did not, in fact, forbid women from public speaking. Charles Finney, leader of the Second Great Awakening, secured the publishing of Brown's work. She took on the pastorate of a congregational church (precursor to the United Church of Christ) in South Butler, New York, and in 1853, with the church's support, she became the first woman ordained in any Protestant denomination.

Presiding at her ordination, Luther Lee further argued that because scripture states, "There is neither male nor female, for all are one in Christ," women could preach publicly as ordained clergy.

Breaking boundaries would take its toll, just as it had for Clara Schumann. Brown did not receive much support from male clergy and she even faced criticism from female congregants who expected ministers to act as father-figures. Isolated and feeling doubts about supporting certain doctrinal teachings, Brown resigned the pastorate.

Unlike Schumann, Brown did not entirely withdraw from the public sphere, and she later returned to preaching, but the lack of support and internalized doubts that plagued both women are not unfamiliar to many women, even today.

Despite centuries of deliberate limitations, women have continued to challenge and alter those limitations. Schumann and Brown's stories shine a light of how much we can still learn and appreciate from women's experiences. In the spirit of the UCC tradition to honor and uphold women leaders in our world, the United Church of Christ - Midland will use its Founders Series to celebrate and truly hear women's stories with a concert called "Hearing HerStory: Women & Music."

"Hearing HerStory" organizers asked the performers to select pieces that spoke to them in some personal way. The concert will feature pieces composed by women over the last two centuries, including Clara Schumann, Maud Powell, Grazyna Bacewicz, Carole King, Sara Bareilles, and more. Combined with historical insight and storytelling, the audience will see that despite societal limitations, women have always had a role in shaping our world, in music and beyond.

The free concert takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 5, at the United Church of Christ, 4100 Chestnut Hill Drive, Midland. A free will donation will be collected. All are welcome.

Jennifer Vannette authored this piece as part of the Midland Daily News' Community Connections' initiative.
Death toll in China rises to 3,200

Anadolu Agency, Beijing :

The death toll in China from the novel coronavirus outbreak rose to 3,193, the country's National Health Commission said Saturday.

The agency said 13 people died in the last 24 hours while 11 new cases were detected by authorities, bringing the number of diagnosed cases to 80,824.

After emerging in Wuhan, China in December, the virus has spread to at least 123 countries and territories.

The global death toll nears 5,000, with more than 132,500 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a "pandemic."


New Delhi: The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has filed a case under conspiracy charges against suspended DSP of Jammu and Kashmir Police Davinder Singh. The special cell had filed the lawsuit 15 days ago.

According to sources, a team of Delhi police arrived in Jammu earlier to take Singh with them on a 7-day production warrant. The tainted DSP will be produced at the Patiala House Court on Saturday (March 14) in a Delhi related case, sources said.

Singh has been accused of assisting the terrorists and of alleged involvement in the anti-India activities.

On January 11, police arrested Davinder Singh on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway when he was transporting Naveed, Rafi and Irfan to Jammu. Police had said that the two terrorists and the lawyer had planned travel to Pakistan after reaching Jammu.

After initial investigations by the J&K Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) intervened and on January 16 asked NIA to start the investigation into Singh's arrest and take a close look at his alleged involvement with terror groups.

Singh was earlier shifted from Srinagar to Jammu on a transit remand where an NIA team questioned him. After his arrest by the J&K police, multiple raids were conducted at his residence in Srinagar.

Since the arrest of Singh and the two Hizb militants, security agencies carried out multiple raids across the Union Territory, especially Srinagar and south Kashmir, and seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition stashed by the officer and the terrorists.

Singh was posted with the anti-hijacking unit at Srinagar Airport and was one of the officials that received the 16-member delegation of foreign ambassadors which visited Kashmir. On January 13, he was suspended from his services.
President Donald Trump has been tested for COVID-19 as a precaution after coming in contact with a Brazilian official who tested positive for coronavirus  a deadly disease thats infected more than 2,000 Americans and shuttered schools and businesses across the country.

With the White House coronavirus task force behind him, Trump during a Saturday afternoon news conference revealed that hed undergone the test on Friday night. The results of the test were not yet known, Trump said.

I decided I should, he said, noting he took the test last night just hours after he declared a national emergency to release tens of billions of dollars and ease federal regulations to combat the disease.

He noted that his temperature, which along with reporters was taken as he entered the White House press briefing room, was totally normal.

The president also sought to calm Americans concerned about the disease.

Were all in this together, he said. Its something nobody expected. It came out of China. Its nobodys fault. The American people have been incredible.

Pressed about why he shook so many hands of task force officials and corporate leaders whod collaborated on ramping up testing efforts nationwide, Trump acknowledged it becomes a habit.

Many are getting away from shaking hands, its a good thing, maybe people shouldnt be shaking hands for the long term, he said. It does transmit flu and other things.

He added that the flu kills tens of thousands of people.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters that he had not been tested but that he would consult with the White House Physicians Office Saturday afternoon. He noted that the office previously determined that neither he nor his wife had the symptoms or contacts with infected persons that would necessitate a test.

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The BJP in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday submitted a memorandum to Governor Lalji Tandon, demanding a floor test by division of votes on Sunday before the budget session of the state Assembly starts on Monday.

Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said that the proceedings of the trust vote must be video-recorded.

The Kamal Nath-led Congress government was pushed into a crisis earlier this week after senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP and 22 MLAs who support him tendered their resignations.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Tandon, Chouhan said, "We have submitted a memorandum to the governor. Twenty-two MLAs have resigned. They have confirmed their resignations by issuing videos. Now the Nath government is in minority and does not have the constitutional right to continue.

"We have said there is no meaning to the governor's address, no meaning to the budget session. Before the budget session, there should be a floor test," he said.

Further, the trust vote must be held in the presence of an observer appointed by the governor and videographed, he said.

"We also demanded that the trust vote be held through division of votes and by pressing buttons and not by voice vote," he said.

It must be held on Sunday, a day head of the budget session, he added.

The Kamal Nath government was luring, pressurising and threatening the kin of rebel MLAs and cases were being registered against the legislators themselves, he alleged.

"Our leader (Jyotiraditya) Scindia ji was attacked on Friday. MLAs (who resigned) have demanded security of Central forces and don't want to return (from Bengaluru) without it," he said.

The BJP delegation included Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava, former union ministers Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh and Rampal Singh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
350 Nigerian Christians killed in first 2 months of 2020: NGO report Group estimates at least 11,500 Nigerian Christians killed since June 2015

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A Nigerian civil society organization claims that no fewer than 350 Christians have been killed across the West African country since the start of 2020 and estimates that about 11,500 Christians have been killed since 2015.

Nigeria has fully become a killing field of defenseless Christians, the Anambra-based nongovernmental organization International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) said this week in a new special report, titled Nigeria: 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 4,000 and the Highway Bandits 150-200.

The organization, which is headed by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi, has monitored violence against Christians in Nigeria since 2010 through a team of criminologists, lawyers, journalists, security, and peace and conflict studies graduates.

Nigeria has been marred by violence in the last decade-plus due to the rise of extremist organizations in the northeast like Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic States West Africa Province.

In recent years, massacres carried out by radicalized Fulani herders against predominantly Christian farming villages in Nigerias Middle Belt have also driven communities from their homes.

Additionally, bandit gangs have been responsible for carrying out kidnappings along some major highways.

The United Nations estimates that about 2 million people have been internally displaced across Nigeria and 11 million people in need of assistance. An additional 550,000 are said to be displaced in neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

While 100 percent of the victims of Jihadist Herdsmen attacks across Nigeria are Christians, the estimated 4,000 Christians killed by Boko Haram were part of the estimated 6,000 [people in total] massacred by the sect since June 2015, the report explains.

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 roadside victims are Christians traveling to northern or southern parts of the country using the Birnin-Gwari Federal Road, near Kaduna, etc.

For its monitoring and documentation, Intersociety relies on what it deems to be credible local and foreign media reports, government accounts, international rights groups, eyewitness accounts and reports from various Christian bodies in the country.

Intersociety reports that Fulani herdsmen accounted for 250 of the 350 deaths recorded in January and February 2020 while Boko Haram and highway bandit gangs are responsible for 100 deaths.

In the past two months, Intersociety reports that radical Fulani militants have carried out attacks in Nasarawa, Adamawa and Edo in addition to some other locations throughout the country.

Last year, Intersociety reported that no fewer than 2,400 Christians were killed by Fulani radicals in 2018. In 2019, according to the group, between 1,000 to 1,200 Christians were killed by Fulani attackers.

While reports have indicated an increase in deadly Boko Haram attacks beginning in December 2019, Intersociety noted that Boko Haram attacks targeting Christians since January 2020 intensified in Borno, Adamawa and Taraba States.

[The attacks are] claiming between 50 and 70 Christian lives and loss of churches and other buildings belonging to Christians, the report explains, adding that Boko Haram was responsible for killing at least 1,000 citizens in 2019.

Additionally, between 100 and 150 Christian travelers were said to have been abducted on highways since the beginning of the year.

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, the report reads. Among the worst hit in the latest round of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen attacks are Plateau State with 70-80 deaths, Kaduna [with] 50 deaths, Kogi [with] 30 deaths, Benue [with] 15-20, Delta [with] 16 and Taraba [with] 10.

In the past 57 months, no fewer than 20 clergymen (including eight Catholic priests and seminarians) have been hacked to death, while no less than 50 were abducted or kidnapped, Intersociety reported.

Earlier this year, Boko Haram kidnapped and then executed the Rev. Lawan Andimi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigerias chapter in the Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa state.

Other slain religious leaders killed in Nigeria in the past 12 months include the Revs. Clement Ugwu and Paul Offu.

Intersociety also estimated that over 2,000 churches and Christian worship centers have been burned since June 2015, with Fulani herdsmen being responsible for about 1,500 and Boko Haram accounting for 500.

Churches in Benue, Plateau and southern Kaduna states were among the most targeted by Fulani radicals.

In eight years, between 2011 and 2019, Benue State had lost 600 churches and other Christian worship centers to Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen," the report states.

Intersocietys claim that most of the people killed by Boko Haram are Christian contradicts data given out by Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari in early February.

In an op-ed, Buhari stated that 90 percent of all Boko Harams victims have been Muslims. Buhari claimed that the now-failing terrorists have targeted the vulnerable, the religious, the non-religious, the young and the old without discrimination.

However, weeks later, a member of the Nigerian government, Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed, acknowledged that terrorists are focusing their attacks on Christians, noting that in the past, that was not the case.

"They have started targeting Christians and Christian villages for a specific reason, which is to trigger a religious war and throw the nation into chaos," he said while distancing the perpetrators from Muslims and noting that Muslims have also been victimized.

Death toll statistics in Nigeria can vary depending on which organization is providing them because of the lack of adequate government record-keeping, International Committee on Nigeria co-founder Stephen Enada previously told The Christian Post.

Enada, who fled to the United States in 2016 after his cousin was killed by Fulani radicals, believes that reported death tolls should be construed as nothing more than estimations.

When you talk about data mining statistics, Nigeria doesnt even have a national data record to even say [what is] our population, Enada explained at the time. So sometimes, if somebody is killed, you dont even have a way to trace a person to his family outside his community because we dont have data.

Because we dont have such data, it is very complicated. Sometimes, when people are killed, they will just do a mass burial where there is no autopsy, post mortem, no record. If you go to these communities, you will see that they dont have any record for the people who died. That is what we are working with.

Last November, the U.K.-based NGO Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust estimated after a fact-finding mission that at least 1,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria from January 2019 until November 2019.

HART, founded by Parliament member Baroness Caroline Cox, estimated that at least 6,000 Christians were killed since 2015.

A HART spokesperson clarified to CP that the 1,000-deaths estimation counts predominantly people killed in Plateau, Southern Kaduna and Taraba states by Fulani Herdsmen but also includes some killings by Boko Haram in Borno state.

The HART spokesperson added that the estimation was partly based on reports from the Kaduna state government and reports from the Plateau state. HART's estimations also include Boko Harams killing of security officers and soldiers believed to be Christians.
Heidi Klum has addressed her absence as a judge on Americas Got Talent this week, explaining that she is sick and has not been able to get a coronavirus test.

Earlier this week, the model left taping of the show after displaying symptoms of illness, which NBC described as a common cold, according to a statement obtained by Deadline.

However, on Friday, Klum shared an update to her Instagram Stories, where she told her more than 7.1m followers that she has felt feverish and has stayed home so she doesnt infect any other people.

Hi, everyone, I just wanted you to know why I have not been sitting in my Americas Got Talent seat, Klum said from what appears to be her bed. It started all with like a chill, feeling feverish, cough, runny nose. Im just not feeling good, so thats why Ive stayed home, to not infect any other people.

I hope its just a cold. I would love to do the corona test, but there just isnt one here, she added. I tried with two different doctors and I just cant get one.

The 46-year-old concluded the video telling her followers to stay safe, before reminding them to stay home if you dont feel good.

Klums inability to get tested for the virus comes amid criticism aimed at the US government over the lack of coronavirus tests available.

On Friday, President Trump declared a national emergency amid the ongoing pandemic.

As of Saturday, 2,499 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the US.
Restaurants to Close Completely on the Advice of Public Health Professionals

The Cabinet has decided, on the advice of the Director of Public Health and the acting Medical Director of the Gibraltar Health Authority, that all catering establishments (other than in hotels) should shut completely to the public as from Monday.

Hotel catering establishments will be available only to hotel guests. The facilities at Gibraltar Airport will also remain open.

All catering establishments will be free to provide meals for take-away delivery or collection. This means that restaurant kitchens only may remain open.

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that elderly members of the community do not congregate in these establishments.

The initial period of application of this measure shall be 21 days from Monday 16th March.

The measure will be kept under constant review.

In taking this measure, the Chief Minister consulted also with the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Dr Keith Azopardi MP, and the independent Member of Parliament, Hon Marlene Hassan Nahon MP.

The Minister for Public Health, the Hon John Cortes MP, spoke to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and the Chairman of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Business.

The Chief Minister said: "We started the process of slowing this trade down on Friday and now we need to shut it completely not just to avoid the spread of the virus but also to stop areas of congregation for the elderly members of our community. We are doing this for a good reason and we are acting in good faith and on the basis of the best medical advice. We need everyone to cooperate with us to try to slow the inevitable spread of the virus so that we can best maximise the resources of the GHA to give the most vulnerable in our community the best possible care."
MIDDLETOWN  St. John Paul II Catholic School's own Dr. Triay has been awarded the Philip and Dana Zimmerman Gold Medal in the 2019 Florida Book Awards, Florida Nonfiction category for his book The Mariel Boatlift, A Cuban-American Journey.

Dr. Triay, an award-winning historian, portrays the repressive climate in Cuba as the democratic promises of Fidel Castros 1959 revolution gave way to a communist dictatorship under which the people of the island became virtually cut off from the outside world, school officials said in a statement. He illustrates how escalating internal tensions during the regimes second decade in power culminated in an exodus of over 125,000 Cuban refugees across the Straits of Florida during the spring and summer of 1980. Dr. Triay and his wife have taught Spanish at St. John Paul II Catholic for more than 10 years. Together they enrich the lives of our students with their Spanish immersion program as well as sharing their personal experiences involving this tumultuous time in history.

Buckley named churchs Director of Faith

MADISON  Amy Buckley, a graduate of The Juilliard School and winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council regional audition, has been chosen as Director of Faith Formation at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society (SUUS) in Madison. She made her way from her Carnegie Hall debut in 2010 in New York City to lead the religious education program of Unitarian Universalism, a faith founded during the Protestant Reformation nearly 500 years ago.

Raised a Catholic, she began to find meaning in a variety of other religious traditions, both Christian and Jewish, two sources of Unitarian Univeralism. She worked with the Union for Reform Judaism and was a long-term substitute teacher at the Rodeph Sholom School in New York City.

This Unitarian Universalist faith aligned with my belief system and moral compass. I thought I was already living the UU faith by honoring all faith traditions in one place, Buckley said in a statement.

Music originally brought her to the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist congregation when she was hired as Vocal Music Leader in 2017. Buckley also presents her storied vocal talents by regularly performing a solo repertoire for weekly services and holidays at SUUS. Through planning music for Sunday services for both children and adults, and working with the multi-generational SUUS orchestra, her knowledge of the Unitarian Universalist faith deepened and grew into appointment as Director of Faith Formation last fall.

As Director of Faith Formation, Buckley oversees the religious education program for children and youth. The age-appropriate lessons incorporate knowledge and understanding of all faiths and their honored prophets including Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Mohammed, Buddha, and the history of religious faiths. In grades 4-6, the program uses a curriculum that immerses children in how to make the world a better place through social action. SUUS children and youth currently participate in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program of lifespan sexuality education with other local churches, on alternate years. The current OWL program for grades four to six includes physical and emotional development.

Buckley is known locally as the former music director of the theater program at Walsh Intermediate School in Branford and as a former member of the Vocal Faculty at Community Music School in Centerbrook. She made her Ivoryton Playhouse debut in 2015 and was last seen there as Mrs. Abromowitz in Coney Island Christmas. She was Executive Director of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Music Festival from 2008 to 2012. Her undergraduate music degree is from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. She also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England. Buckley maintains a private teaching studio in Westbrook.

Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society is located at 297 Boston Post Road in Madison; 203-245-8720. www.shorelineunitarian.org. The minister is The Reverend Jeanne Lloyd. Further information about the international faith is available from the Unitarian Universalist Association at www.uua.org

Descendants of Philemon Freeman sought

MIDDLEFIELD  African-American Revolutionary War veteran Private Philemon Freeman was buried without a marker on his grave in May 1820. That will change May 16 when Middlefield area groups will gather to commemorate his service with a ceremony unveiling his headstone. Family is sought to attend and participate in the ceremony.

Any descendantS of Private Freemans five children - Philena, Aaron, Elam, Sena or Loretta - are asked to contact the Middlefield Historical Society at historicalsociety@middlefieldct.org for more information.

Empty Bowls rescheduled, donations wanted for food banks

HEBRON  RHAM High & Middle School, 85 Wall St., Hebron, is rescheduling its Empty Bowls Dinner to Oct. 8, 2020.

With the anticipation of community members being out of work and in need, organizers are asking residents to consider purchasing tickets now for the fall event, and to donate to local food banks. Needed items as noted on the food bank websites include:

Personal Care/ Household Cleaning (cannot be purchased using SNAP benefits), toilet paper, facial tissues, paper towels, body wash, bar soap, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste and brushes, feminine supplies, liquid hand soap, toilet cleaner, disinfectant, laundry detergent; vegetables no salt; diced tomatoes (preferably no or low salt); Healthy Request or low sodium soups; fruit cups (in juice or water); applesauce cups; juice boxes- 100% juice preferred; jelly/jam (plastic or squeezable); individually packaged snacks (pretzels, goldfish, smartfood, etc); spices (dollar store); salt & pepper; cereal; tuna and other canned meats; mac and cheese; pasta; peanut butter; oatmeal; beans; canned ravioli; pancake mix; rice; condiments- mayonnaise, catsup, mustard, bbq sauce, salad dressing
HAMDEN  Even though public meetings have been canceled, the Legislative Council needs to continue business.

In order to reduce public health and safety risks, Mondays public hearings were canceled and a special council meeting was scheduled for Saturday at Memorial Town Hall.

We dont want people to choose between their public health and safety, Council President Michael McGarry said on the decision to postpone any public hearings.

Hamden has indefinitely closed all its schools and canceled public meetings and gatherings. The Hamden Board of Education is also placing restrictions on large public gatherings and sporting events.

I dont know when the next regularly scheduled council will be, McGarry said. Well continue to take our cue from Hamden emergency management team and will resume regular meetings when they say its OK.

The council had scheduled a special meeting for Saturday to get some necessary business accomplished.

McGarry said they want to have it filmed and planned to try to live stream the meeting, which he said Councilman Justin Farmer, D-5, offered to do.

We're in a difficult position because our meetings are public but in order to reduce virus risk, minimal group contact is important, McGarry said.

On the agenda are some transfers that are important for the operations of the town, he said.

If more essential business comes up while quarantine is recommended, McGarry said the town charter allows for all the council members to conference call in while he holds the meeting in council chambers with a recording secretary.

For that reason, McGarry said the council is trying to arrange for more phones and technology to allow for that possibility.

The council had a regular meeting scheduled for Monday, but because they are concerned about the increasing risk thats expected to rise in the next week, McGarry said they decided having the meeting as early as possible was recommended.

We have to accept things as it comes, he said. Im worried about the vector which is why were meeting earlier, but hopefully by distancing ourselves socially we can keep the infection rate low.

I have a lot of confidence in our fire chief and our team responding to this and that theyll give us the correct advice, McGarry said.

The Board of Education has canceled all its meetings for the rest of the month.

mdignan@hearstmediact.com
By Beth Pinsker

NEW YORK, March 13 (Reuters) - George Curtis is facing a severe financial crisis.

He has to be out of his Swarthmore College dorm room by Sunday. He lost his campus job and cannot travel home to Montana from the Philadelphia-area liberal arts college because he is not feeling well.

Nor does he want to endanger the health of his 71-year-old father.

Curtis, a 20-year-old Classics junior, is just one of some 20 million college students in limbo because of coronavirus closures on campus. Swarthmore, like most every major institution of higher education, is moving to remote learning in the coming days and sending students packing, except a few who receive exemptions to stay on campus.

The competition for those spots is tough, and Curtis was denied.

College communities are responding in a variety of ways, some offering pro-rated refunds for room and board, covering travel for those on financial aid and offering stipends for moving and packing expenses. U-Haul is also offering free storage for students across the country (https://bit.ly/2QcqKhK).

Harvard's Primus organization, for first-generation low-income students, reached out immediately to the school's vast alumni network with a set of Google spreadsheets to find out who could take in students, store boxes and offer jobs.

At Berea College in Kentucky, a free-tuition institution that serves a low-income population, President Lyle Roelofs said he expects to house more than 200 students out of 1,660 because they have nowhere else to go. Remote instruction is being tailored to a population that does not have reliable internet at home, and drop deadlines for classes have been extended.

There are also crowd-sourcing appeals coming from all over to help American students. As these are not vetted or registered charities, potential donors should do their own research before sending funds.

To help students beyond just one's own school affiliation, there are national efforts that are official charities, like the Student Relief Fund (studentrelieffund.org).

Story continues

For Sara Goldrick-Rab, the founding director of the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice and a professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, the current situation just highlights an ongoing crisis of income instability for many college students. She has a running hashtag on social media (#RealCollege) to help and raise awareness.

One plea Goldrick-Rab received was from a young woman who is being raised by her sister, who is also in college. With her school closing, she needed to get from Florida to Ohio, but she had no funds, so she was going to try to hitchhike.

"People think that these students will go home and party and chill and mom and dad will take care of them. Some of them will. Good for them. But a lot of them aren't in that situation," Goldrick-Rab said.

CONTINUING ED

Sustained online learning presents a few particular financial issues for students:

* Students using military stipends via the GI Bill may face a lower housing payout "for any subsequent terms pursued solely online," according to Christina Mandreucci, press secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs. If the program is not approved by the relevant authority, all funding could stop, she noted.

*Students who chose to discontinue or pause their studies rather than continue with online learning may go into repayment status on their student loans, or use up their six-month grace period.

"The best advice is to make a phone call to the loan servicer and see what applies to your situation," said Sabrina Manville, co-founder of Edmit.me, a college financial information site.

*Students already in repayment status who are facing income disruptions should also heed the advice to call their loan servicer and check into their options, Manville said. Those who think this might be a long-term issue can look into income-driven repayment plans, and for just short-term issues there are forbearance options that can pause your payment. Deferment is a middle option, Manville said, because interest still accrues on the loan balance.

*Students who are no longer on campus also no longer have income from their student jobs. This is still a developing situation, so most schools have not announced how they will help. At Berea College, though, Roelofs said students would continue to be paid.

For now, Curtis is just planning to couch-surf somewhere in the Northeast and get by the best he can. He and his friends still on campus are using up as many of their meal credits as possible.

"Its like Belshazzars Feast, Curtis said, referring to the biblical story and the Rembrandt painting depicting it. (Follow us @ReutersMoney or at http://www.reuters.com/finance/personal-finance. Editing by Lauren Young and Dan Grebler)
The whine you hear when the aircraft engine is turned off, it was once said, is the sound of the aviation industry complaining.

The industry always complains.

It seems to lurch from turbulence to turbulence, and has proved adept over the decades at losing money in the good times and leaving people stranded in the bad.

Industry bodies have been compiling increasingly gloomy statistics in recent weeks as Covid-19 - a virus not a call sign - gained altitude.

The International Air Transport Association industry body put the lower-end industry losses at $63bn (57bn) in a scenario where Covid-19 is contained in current markets, and $113bn (102bn) in a scenario with a broader spread. But that was a week ago. All has changed.

Last week when the continent's leading aviators gathered in Brussels, we asked: Was this a groundings Groundhog Day?

We pressed them for comparisons with the financial crisis, which saw off Malev and XL; 9/11, which buried familiar brands like Sabena, Swissair and TWA; and the first Gulf war, which killed Pan-Am.

A veritable cockpit of CEOs - Willie Walsh of IAG, Michael O'Leary of Ryanair, Carsten Spohr of Lufthansa, Ben Smith of Air France/KLM, and Johan Lundgren of EasyJet - each dismissed the comparisons in their own way, expecting coronavirus to disappear with the daffodils after Easter.

It is now increasingly clear they were wrong. The world's skies could look very different when coronavirus gets relegated back from pandemic to wherever it will end, perhaps a new variation of seasonal flu.

Lufthansa has grounded 50pc of its aircraft. Air France may be about to do the same. IAG is revising its calculation of a 2pc hit on its revenue.

Cathay Pacific asked 27,000 staff to take unpaid leave. Finnair, which uses Helsinki's geographical advantage like Aer Lingus uses Dublin's in the other direction as the hub to China and Japan, is in talks with pilots to take pay cuts.

The cancellation of flights to and from Italy and, most notably, Donald Trump's erratic attempt to ban passengers who have been in the 26 Schenghen countries, have shredded schedules and upset plans by major airlines.

Ryanair is particularly exposed to Italy. It is the country's largest carrier, ferrying 34 million Italians to, from and within the elongated boot.

The airline's 33pc market share in Italy is ahead of national carrier Alitalia's 22pc. Spain is its second biggest market and Britain the third largest.

As Italy's access points were shut down one by one by governments, it cancelled flights.

Michael O'Leary does not expect the virus hit to impact on year-end results, due in three weeks' time. Indeed many of the routes he shut operate at a loss at this time of the year. But the target of 155 million passengers this year now looks unlikely if coronavirus hangs around after Easter.

The Boeing Max debacle may have done Ryanair a favour by leaving it with 58 fewer aircraft to fill. Ryanair, at least, is sitting on a Jumbo load of cash.

Alitalia is under investigation by the European Union, having received 1.4bn in bailouts since 2017. It has been carrying a 'for sale' sign for three years in order to protect 11,500 employees - with no buyer. Its only prospect of survival is a further tranche from Rome.

Norwegian, also with 11,000 employees, saw shares plunge by 70pc in recent weeks, and by 25pc on Friday. In the last year the airline has been turned around, but is short of cash and may have to wait a while for compensation from Rolls-Royce and Boeing over engine and aircraft delays, although nobody is likely to be in a rush to impound its fleet of 171 aircraft.

But it is short of money at a time when the burning smell around airline offices is of dollars rather than aviation fuel.

The coming days will see airlines trim their transatlantic schedules in accordance with Trump's ban.

Even though Ireland is excluded, it is unlikely we can sustain the 122 flights a week which operate from Dublin to 13 destinations in the USA at this time of the year, with two more from Shannon. This is due to rise to 189 flights a week to 18 different destinations in summer.

Aer Lingus is leaner and fitter than its competitors on the transatlantic and should be able to brush off the interruption in its growth.

Airbus may even have done it a favour with delayed delivery of aircraft it would prove more difficult to fill.

Vertigo, rather than an exotic virus with a codename, may be the illness of this season.

Our departure boards will look very different when all of this is over.
Vietnam will temporarily deny entry of tourists coming from or transiting Schengen countries and the UK within 14 days before their intended arrival in Vietnam, and suspend visas-on-arrival at border gates amid COVID-19 epidemic.

Vietnam suspends entry of tourists from or transiting Schengen countries, UK. Illustrative image (Source: independence.co.uk)

The travel ban is taking effect at 12:00 on March 15, 2020, and will last 30 days. It is not applied to those who arrive on diplomatic or official purposes.

Foreigners who are specialists, managers and skilled workers must undergo medical checks at the point of entry, and must follow epidemic prevention measures at enterprises and accommodations as required.

Vietnam has informed foreign diplomatic representative and consular agencies and representative agencies of international organisations in Vietnam on this decision.

The country will continue to keep close watch on the epidemic situation and work closely with other countries, international organisations and partners, and will timely adjust its measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic./.VNA

Vietnam suspends visa waiver for 8 European countries over Covid-19 concerns Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to temporarily suspend a visa-waiver program for citizens from eight European countries due to growing concerns over the spread of Covid-19.
Book by former PGC officer highlights unusual wildlife encounters

Dick Bodenhorn has published a book highlighting some of the unusual encounters he had while working with the Pennsylvania Game Commision.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has warned the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, against treating the traditional institution in Yorubaland with levity.

Alaafin said unlike in some tribes, where there was nothing attached to their traditional institutions, the Yoruba traditional institution was ancestral and spiritual.

The monarch stated this in a letter to the state governor dated March 12, 2020, following a query issued by Fayemi to some prominent traditional rulers in the state over alleged insubordination.

Fayemi, in the query issued individually to the affected traditional rulers by the Bureau on Chieftaincy Affairs dated March 11, gave the monarchs 72 hours within which to reply.



The query, which was entitled, Re: Absence from State Functions and Council of Traditional Rulers Monthly Meetings, was signed by A.O. Adeoye on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the bureau.

However, in a letter reacting to the query, the Alaafin said he wrote on behalf of other prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona; and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo Adedotun.

The letter read in part, Since the case is still in court, we will not want to comment further on it as law-abiding citizens. I, however, would have expected that Your Excellency waits till the end of the court process before acting on the matter.

It is in this note that I, along with my fellow traditional rulers across Yorubaland feel very sad that Your Excellency issued a query to the 16 Ekiti crowned respected traditional rulers of high esteem in Yorubaland for not bowing their heads to their subordinate by not attending the council meeting under their subordinate. That exercise and without mincing words is to say the least subjudice.

To some races, nothing outside the mundane is attached to their traditional institution. Whereas, that of Yoruba is beyond the mundane as it is also ancestral and spiritual. The Yoruba oba is the representative of the ancestors, the real owner of the land or ground.

It is on this basis that we will advise against any attempt to treat traditional institution in Yorubaland with levity and to avoid any attempt of importing any subculture of traditional degradation into Yorubaland.

It is ironic that while the predecessors in office and ancestors of these 16 crowned obas and their subjects displayed uncommon patriotism, courage and commitment to confront the intimidating military prowess of Ibadan Army for 16 years (1870-1886), Your Excellency as one of the beneficiaries of the legacy bequeathed by these Kings of Yoruba history is now embarking on an exercise that will rubbish the contributions of your ancestors.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to Fayemi, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said he was not sure if the governor had received the letter.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
At some point, CNN will have to make a tough decision regarding Jim Acosta. Unfortunately, he keeps making a fool of himself and dragging the network down as well.

This is the latest from "The Acosta Show":

CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's latest report has been labeled "idiotic" and a "'so what?' moment" by critics who feel it's simply the liberal network's latest attempt to weaponize coronavirus against President Trump. Acosta's story headlined, "Source: Trump is concerned about coming into contact with people infected with coronavirus," cited a single source "close to" the president who said Trump is uneasy after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who tested positive for coronavirus. The Brazilian president also later tested positive for the virus.

Where is a psychiatrist when we really need him?

Like any rational person, President Trump is concerned about coming into contact with a person carrying the virus. Isn't Jim Acosta also?

Furthermore, the good news is that the public is daily passing judgment on "The Acosta Show" and CNN: "CNN's Ratings Collapse In 2019"!

What's going on? Maybe there is too much Acosta at CNN.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
QAMISHLI, Syria  A small radio station in the town of Qamishli, on the border of Turkey and Syria, has been broadcasting in the ancient Christian liturgical language of Syriac. The station, run by a husband-and-wife team, is a newcomer to the multilingual radio scene in Rojava, ruled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Suroyo FM settled into its regular broadcasts in Syriac and Arabic on Feb. 2, after three months as a pilot project. Broadcasts in Armenian and Kurdish are expected to follow within the year.

The station will offer news reports from correspondents on the ground throughout the volatile region. It will also broadcast on social issues and the rich cultural heritage of the area inhabited by Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians and Armenians.

We will have a variety of programs that cover politics, social issues and culture, co-director Samer Hanna told Al-Monitor. We will address the culture and history of the Assyrians and mark historical and religious occasions. We will have special programs on health and women.

We are now broadcasting for 12 hours  from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  our news and cultural programs to this region in the northeast of Syria, including Qamishli, Amouda, Al-Darbasiyah, Tal Tamr, Al-Hasakah, Qahtaniya and Derik and their suburbs, co-director Maria Hanna told Al-Monitor. She is also a producer and presenter of news programs in Arabic and Syriac.

The station's Feb. 2 official opening, held at the station in the neighborhood of Al-Arbawiya, was attended by representatives of the Assyrian community, the autonomous administration and the local police force.

The radio station, whose slogan is Giving a United Voice to Everyone, employs seven journalists full time and many correspondents on the ground.

We also have correspondents in most cities of northeast Syria who have their ears to the ground, including the military front lines, such as Tal Tamr and Ain Issa, Samer said, referring to the venues of intensified fighting during Turkeys Olive Branch Operation.

These diverse programs are to be broadcast in Syriac, Assyrian, Chaldean and Arabic, he said. We will tackle the rich heritage of the region  from Assyrian to Chaldean.

He said that Suroyo FM is an affiliate of Suroyo TV, an Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac satellite television channel that has been broadcasting for 15 years from its studios in Sodertalje, Sweden.

Journalist Nalin Boutan told Al-Monitor that media has an important role to play in promoting cultural and linguistic diversity in the region. Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac or Armenian-language journalism, whether print, visual or audio, is important for developing a multicultural society, she said.

Khaled al-Qassem, a photojournalist who works for several foreign agencies in Raqqa, agreed, saying that linguistic diversity was already present in the media. There are radio and TV stations, newspapers and online publications that come out in the various mother tongues in the region, he told Al-Monitor. In Raqqa, there is Arabic-speaking BISSAN FM, whose programs mainly cover the cultural and social life of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Tabaqa and highlight art expos and festivals. In Amouda city, Arta FM broadcasts its programs online in Kurdish, Arabic, Syriac and Armenian. Almost all stations broadcast music in all the languages of the region.

Boutan told Al-Monitor that female journalists have a strong presence in Rojava. Women journalists have successfully covered battles in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Manbij and Kobani, among others. They have also succeeded in managing media platforms. Arta FM has been managed by program presenter Shirine Ibrahim since 2014 and it is a success.

Boutan noted that the region also has an all-women radio station. JIN FM has been broadcasting from Amouda since 2014. It was the first all-women station broadcasting in Kurdish. JIN means womens station in Kurdish. The station launched the all-women JIN TV on March 8, 2018, on International Womens Day," she said.
Juana Ruiz, a 64-year-old Peruvian street vendor, says her priority is to wash her hands amidst warnings of the global coronovirus pandemic. Although she, like many on the Virgen de Lourdes settlement on the outskirts of Lima, does not have access to running water at home.

"The water I buy lasts for three or four days, and then I have to wait for the water truck for days" said Ruiz as she bought water from one of the few delivery trucks who supply water to the hills.

Virgen de Lourdes is one of many settlements in Peru without access to a constant water supply. According to the United Nations, over three million lack access to safe water and eight million lack access to improved sanitation in the country.

The price of water can be three to ten times higher on impoverished settlements compared with the price on urban neighbourhoods.

Despite more than 25 years of protest, demanding clean water and basic services, people from Virgen Lourdes continue to be ignored by authorities. Ruiz recalled her last time at a rally some 16 years ago; a police officer outside Congress beat her.

According to the World Health Organization, from 50 to 100 litres of water are needed to ensure the most basic needs per person.

Ruiz said what she receives from the water truck is not enough for her daily needs.

The United Nations reported in 2019 that around 25 million people in Latin America do not have access to a safe water supply.

Residents of Virgen de Lourdes are concerned about the possible arrival of COVID-19.

"Clearly, we will suffer, if that sickness (COVID-19) arrives here, how we will defend if there is no water friend? We do not have water," Said Carlos Ramos Huayta, who works as a bricklayer and follows the news about the virus outbreak.

The local church already reported the first severe case of COVID-19, a local priest who is in hospital.

The disease can cause varying degrees of illness and is especially troublesome for older adults and people with existing health problems, who are at risk of severe effects, including pneumonia.

But for most of those affected, coronavirus creates only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, with the vast majority recovering from the virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe ailments may take three to six weeks to rebound.

In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed, but more than 60,000 already have recovered.
A woman admin of a WhatsApp group and its member were given a stern warning by the police at Sangamner in Maharashtras Ahmednagar district on Friday over a false message posted in the group about a suspected coronavirus patient, an official said.

The police warning came after a medical officer of First Referral Unit (FRU) and Rural Hospital in Sangamner lodged a complaint against the admin of the WhatsApp group and its another woman member for spreading rumours about coronavirus, the official said.

The complaint said that the female member of the group named Buland Rajkarni posted a message which read- A suspected patient of coronavirus spotted at Sangamner bus stand and has been rushed to a local hospital. Requesting everybody to dont go to crowded places and put a mask or handkerchief on mouth. As the message was put in the group without verification of facts, it created panic. Therefore, the complainant demanded action against the group member and its admin, the official of Sangamner Police Station said.

Accordingly, the city police called both the women and gave a stern warning to them asking them not to indulge in spreading such rumours, he said adding that both of them were allowed to go home later. PTI DC NP NP

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Kendall Jenner is the epitome of a California girl, born and raised in the affluent suburb of Calabasas, California. She became famous on the reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and has become one of the most popular models in the world. Jenner is often associated with the finer things in life, including exclusive designer labels and the most expensive clothes. Still, as Jenner recently revealed in an interview, she actually envisions herself living in a surprisingly rustic location.

Where would Kendall Jenner choose to live?

For most of her life, Kendall Jenner has been based in California, close to other members of her family. She has traveled all over the world during her tenure as a model, spending weeks at a time in locations like Paris, Italy, and London. However, one of her favorite places is actually really close-to-home.

In a recent interview with Garage, Jenner revealed a few lesser-known facts about herself. Some of these included her favorite scent (vanilla) and her favorite type of food (Thanksgiving and holiday dishes). When asked where she would choose to live for a year, Jenner responded, Wyoming. While her answer certainly surprised many fans, Jenners family has a strong connection to the state of Wyoming.

Kendall Jenner | Presley Ann/WireImage/Getty Images

The Kardashian familys connection to Wyoming

In 2019, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West expanded their empire by purchasing two massive pieces of property in Wyoming. In September 2019, West bought a ranch called Monster Lake Ranch, a $14 million piece of land located just outside of Cody, Wyoming. Then, only a couple months later, West purchased another ranch, known as Bighorn Mountain Ranch. With multiple different buildings on both properties, including buildings for lodging, private helicopter pads, and horse stables, the properties are truly fit for show-business royalty.

West and his family have been using the properties for rest, relaxation, and writing music. There have also been reports that West plans to eventually develop the ranches to use for his Sunday Services. While neither Kanye West nor his wife lives there full-time, they take periodic getaways to the land to enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere.

Could Kendall Jenner move to Wyoming in the future?

Kendall Jenner visited the state of Wyoming about the same time her sister and brother-in-law set up shop there. In season fifteen of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Jenner and some of her family took a trip to Wyoming. While there was definitely some drama that went down during the trip, like Kylie Jenner pulling out of the trip at the last minute, it seems as though Kendall Jenner took a shine to the landscape, and to the more relaxed, rustic atmosphere.

In her interview with Garage Magazine, Jenner didnt reveal if she had plans to move to Wyoming in the future. It seems unlikely that she would ever set up residence there full-time. Similar to her sister, Kim Kardashian West, Jenners whole life is based out of California. Still, having family in Wyoming gives Jenner great reason to escape there whenever she needs to enjoy a less-stressful existence.
Amid a controversy over the cremation of the 68-year-old woman who died in Delhi after being infected with novel coronavirus, the Union health ministry has begun working on framing guidelines for handling the bodies of those who die of the disease

New Delhi: Amid a controversy over the cremation of the 68-year-old woman who died in Delhi after being infected with novel coronavirus, the Union health ministry has begun working on framing guidelines for handling the bodies of those who die of the disease.

Though it is unlikely that coronavirus infection could spread from handling of a body, the guidelines are being drafted to dispel any misconception and raise awareness regarding spread of the disease from a deceased, a health ministry official said.

"Coronavirus infection is a respiratory disease which spreads through droplets and the probability of mortuary or disposal staff contracting the virus from the dead is unlikely as against in case of high-risk pathogens like Ebola and Nipah which have very high chances of spreading through direct contact with body-fluids of the deceased," the official said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on 'Infection prevention and control of epidemic and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections in health care' recommends proper use of personal protection equipment in accordance with standard precautions to avoid direct contact with body fluids while moving a body from isolation room or area.

About mortuary care and post-mortem examination, WHO recommends packing and transporting a body with acute respiratory infection to a morgue, crematorium or burial by ensuring it is fully sealed in an impermeable body bag before being removed from the isolation area to avoid leakage of body fluid.

"When properly packed in a body bag, the body can be safely removed for storage in the mortuary, sent to the crematorium, or placed in a coffin for burial," it said.

The global health body advises using personal protective equipment such as disposable, long-sleeved, cuffed gowns for handling bodies; if the outside of the body is visibly contaminated with body fluids, excretions, or secretions, it has to be ensured that the gown is waterproof.

It further recommends that mortuary staff and burial team apply standard precautions like proper hand hygiene and use appropriate personal protective equipment, including facial protection, if there is a risk of splashes from the patient's body fluids or secretions onto the body or face of the staff member.

"Transmission of lethal infectious diseases associated with mortuary care has been reported... manage each situation on a case-by-case basis, balancing the rights of the family with the risks of exposure to infection," WHO said.

Respiratory pathogens which are transmitted through large droplets, include adenovirus, avian influenza A (H5N1), human influenza and SARS-CoV.

"During an influenza pandemic, the circulating human virus is expected to be transmitted in the same manner as seasonal influenza viruses. Hence, droplet precautions should be applied in addition to standard precautions," it said.

The cremation of the 68-year-old west Delhi resident was performed on Saturday under the supervision of medical authorities.

Doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and from civic bodies oversaw the cremation after the crematorium staff reached out to the authorities seeking directives on ensuring that the infection didn't spread from the body, delaying the last rites by a few hours.

"The situation across the world is sensitive. We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials had come to supervise the process," Suman Gupta of the samiti said.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday with the Union Health Ministry confirming the death of the woman who had tested positive for the contagious viral disease after coming in contact with her son who acquired the virus after travelling abroad recently. The first casualty was a 76-year-old man in Karnataka who died on March 10.

The ministry said on Saturday that the number of coronavirus positive cases in the country has risen to 84.
Westerners seeking spiritual enlightenment, new philosophies or their true selves in the East or from its teachers have long fed the literary canon.. Think The Razor's Edge or Eat Pray Love.

Liam Pieper appreciates the fine line between the exploration of Eastern cultures and exploitation, the inevitable result of an encounter between privilege and poverty. His new novel, Sweetness and Light, is set in the poverty-stricken, superficially beautiful Shanti Beach  an amalgam of south Asian tourist towns where expats and visitors seek a hedonistic escape from real life.

Liam Pieper was struck by the disapirities he saw between Westerners and Indians. Credit:Simon Schluter

There we meet troubled, manipulative and traumatised Australian expat Connor and the recently divorced, restless American Sasha, who has pinned her hopes of fulfilment on a guru and a strict daily yoga regimen.

The seeds of the novel were sown during a three-month residency not far from Bengaluru (Bangalore). Pieper's acclaimed previous books and a promising pitch won him a place in the residency program at Sangam House, where poets, translators and writers from around the world live and work together.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, has written to the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, over a recent query sent to 16 monarchs in the state.

In the letter, the respected monarch pointed out to the governor that the Yoruba race is different and as such he should not follow the step taken by Umar Ganduje, Kano state governor, in dethroning Emir Sanusi Lamido.

The letter reads:

Let me start by saying that the sacrosanct of the Pelupelu that grades the sixteen crowned obas in Ekiti land is not in doubt. Suffice to say Your Excellency that in any human society and more so in Yoruba Land, order of hierarchy and seniority are of vital consideration in position placement.

From time immemorial, Obaship leadership in Ekiti Land had been within the sixteen Obas without any dispute or quarrel among them and indeed to the admiration of other Yoruba kingdoms.

It was therefore with total displeasure and indeed total discomfort that we learnt of Your Excellencys neglect of the hierarchical order by appointing a subordinate Oba as the Chairman of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the State over and above the recognized order.

It is in this note that I along with my fellow Traditional Rulers across Yoruba Land feel very sad that Your Excellency issued a query to the sixteen Ekiti Crowned respected Traditional Rulers of high esteem in Yoruba Land for not bowing their heads to their subordinate by not attending the council meeting under their subordinate. That exercise and without mincing words is to say the least sub judice.

READ: Fayemi Speaks On Dethroning Top Traditional Rulers

It is on this basis that we will advise against any attempt to treat traditional institution in Yoruba Land with levity and to avoid any attempt of importing any subculture of traditional degradation into Yoruba Land. Your Excellency as one of the beneficiaries of the legacy bequeathed by these Kings of Yoruba history is now embarking on an exercise that will rubbish the contributions of your ancestors.

Finally, as fathers, we should like to advise Your Excellency to tread softly any relationship with traditional institution in the name of Oduduwa and our other ancestors in Yoruba Land. Let us employ diplomacy to settle this issue. We have the mechanism of conflict resolution in ways of our ancestors.
79 death in France

AFP :

Another 18 people have died from the coronavirus in France over the last 24 hours, bringing the total deaths from the virus to 79, Health Minister Olivier Veran said Friday.

Another 154 people were still in a serious condition, the minister added, while the total number of people infected with the virus had jumped to 3,661 -- from 2,876 Thursday evening.
Netizens lauded the efforts of an anganwadi teacher who delivered the mid-day at a childs home amid novel coronavirus outbreak after her photo went viral on social media.

The heart warming post was shared by a Twitter user with the caption, Priceless! This boy is really happy to see his Anganwadi teacher who came to his house with the midday meal stuffs as the schools in Kerala are closed in view of #CoronavirusPandemic!

On Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to social media to announce that all schools will be shut down due to the outbreak, but however food will be supplied to people under concern.

In the wake of COVID-19 in the state, distribution of Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) including the mid-day meals, for anganwadis under Women and Child Development Department, has already started. About 3.7 lakh students in 33,115 anganwadis in the state will benefit out of the initiative, Minister for Health and Social Justice K.K. Shailaja wrote in a Facebook post.

As the post went viral the people hailed the initiatives of the Kerala government and flooded the social media with their reactions.

A user wrote, Such a heartwarming picture. The Kerala government has shown us how a pandemic should be contained without people despairing. Another wrote, Keralites are amazing in all possible ways! A post read, His joy shows everything. God bless the kid and his teacher! a user remarked.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced that two fresh cases of coronavirus cases have been reported. With this the total number of positive cases has touched 19.

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A US judge on Thursday ordered former US military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning released from jail, a day after a support group said she tried to kill herself. She had been imprisoned since May 16 last year for refusing to appear before a grand jury targeting anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. Because the grand jury was discharged on Thursday, "the court finds that Ms Manning's appearance before the grand jury is no longer needed, in light of which her detention no longer serves any coercive purpose," US District Judge Anthony Trenga wrote in his decision from Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington. However, the judge ordered Manning, 32, to pay $256,000 in fines levied for her refusal to testify. Under the order detaining her last year, Manning was to be held either until she agreed to testify or for the life of the grand jury, but no longer than 18 months. Manning's leaks years earlier of classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan made her a hero to anti-war and anti-secrecy activists, and her actions helped make WikiLeaks a force in the global anti-secrecy movement. "I object to this grand jury... as an effort to frighten journalists and publishers, who serve a crucial public good," Manning said in a letter to the court last year, according to the Sparrow Project support group. Manning has also said she answered all questions about her involvement with WikiLeaks years ago. The Sparrow Project said on Wednesday that Manning was recovering in a hospital after trying to commit suicide. Manning was ordered to testify last year for an investigation examining actions by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010. At the time Manning, a transgender woman then known as Bradley Manning, was a military intelligence analyst. She delivered more than 700,000 classified documents into WikiLeaks's hands. The documents exposed cover-ups of possible war crimes and revealed internal US communications about other countries. Sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in prison, she was released in May 2017 after the commutation of her sentence by president Barack Obama.
Popular coffee chain Starbucks announced that some of its shops may transition to just drive-thru and mobile ordering over coronavirus concerns.

The decision will be made on a store-by-store basis. There are over 250 Starbucks locations in New Jersey.

In some cases, only a drive-thru will be open, Starbucks chief executive officer Kevin Johnson said in the statement. Mobile orders can be made through the Starbucks App or Uber Eats.

Johnson also said in-store seating could be limited to improve social distancing.

As a last resort, we will close a store if we feel it is in the best interest of our customers and partners, or if we are directed to do so by government authorities," Johnson said.

Starbucks first announced changes amid coronavirus concerns on March 4 when the use of personal cups and for here dish-ware were halted. The companys 10-cent discount still will be honored for anyone who brings a personal cup or asks for for here dish-ware.

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MORE RETAIL AND SHOPPING COVERAGE:

Trader Joes suspends food and beverage sampling at all stores over coronavirus fears

Retail store closings 2020: A list of chains that have closed stores this year

A list of retailers offering paid sick leave as coronavirus cases spread
Eleven people including a bride and a groom were killed when the car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a truck near Sointara village in Shegarh subdivision of Jodhpur on Saturday morning, police said.

Those who died included women and children who were accompanying the newly-weds identified as Vikram and Sita.

The occupants of the car were on their way to Ramdeora from Balotra city of Barmer to pay obeisance at the shrine of famous folk deity Baba Ramdeo, police said, adding three others were seriously injured and taken to a hospital in Jodhpur.

Superintendent of Police, Jodhpur (rural) Rahul Barhat said: "While negotiating a turn on the highway, the vehicle collided with the truck. Eleven people died on the spot and three were injured."



Police and villagers rushed to the spot and initiated a rescue operation while a crane was used to separate the mangled vehicles and extract the bodies, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Atlanta police have charged, but are still searching for, a suspect accused of fatally shooting a man outside an upscale Atlanta mall after an argument over a parking space.

Police said the man was charged Thursday with felony murder, news outlets reported Friday. The departments Fugitive Unit is searching for the suspect, who has not been publicly identified.

Thuan Nguyen, 31, of Antioch, Tennessee, was fatally shot Sunday at Lenox Square, a high-end mall in Atlantas Buckhead district, police said.

Two groups of people in separate vehicles had been arguing over a parking space, authorities said.

The groups went inside the mall, but the argument escalated when both parties came back outside, police said. Nguyen was shot in the head during the fight that ensued.

An officer was able to capture one suspect who attempted to flee the scene, but that person was later released after investigators determined he was not the shooter, the department said in a Facebook post Monday.

This was the fourth shooting in four months at the mall.

In December, a mall employee was shot and robbed as she walked to her car in a parking garage.

The following month, an officer shot a man who refused to put down his gun in a parking deck. Kentucky rapper 2KBABY said the man was attempting to stop a robbery.

In February, a man was shot in the stomach while meeting for a prearranged sale at the mall, according to news outlets.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 08:45:10|Editor: Wang Yamei

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Editor's note: The decree of the Italian government putting the country under lockdown goes into effect on Tuesday, in a bid to prevent the ongoing coronavirus epidemic from spreading.

What does life look like under a lockdown? Below is the diary from Grandesso Federico, an Italian national residing in Padova, northern Italy, recording his life on the fourth day of the national lockdown.

By Grandesso Federico

PADOVA, Italy, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The news that Chinese medical experts and supplies arrived in Rome to help Italy fight the novel coronavirus made headlines last night. So I was intrigued what my friends and acquaintances think about it.

Giorgio Ronzani is a lawyer who has quite some Chinese clients. He came to my house today and said that during the emergency of increasing infections, the unavailability of masks was a big problem.

"Everywhere you can see signs indicating that the masks are finished. For this reason this cargo of masks from China can be vital in the areas with lots of patients. It was a godsend," he told me.

He said: "If we don't have the masks the contagion is going to continue. The masks together with other medical equipment and the doctors coming from China will for sure give a boost to our medical staff and hospitals."

"The Chinese ventilators will also be key to helping patients with acute symptoms to breath," he added.

The lawyer said he hopes that more help would come from other parts of the world.

Eva Dal Pozzo, a senior business consultant, agreed. This is a nice initiative that should be emulated by other countries, she said. These supplies from China are vital, expecially the devices for intubation, as many Italian hospitals don't have spaces for new patients.

Dal Pozzo explained that foreign supplies are welcome also because Italian factories are not able to produce medical devices in a short time. "I appreciate a lot this lovely gesture from China," she said.

Cinzia Pasquale, a senior consultant on European Union affairs and connectivity, told me over the phone that "the arrival in Italy of the Chinese plane loaded with medical equipment, masks and medical personnel specialized in the treatment of COVID-19 is certainly more than welcome to Italy's struggling health services."

Citing a concrete case, she said: "My family had long been looking for protective masks and everything needed to be safe. In Lombardy, where we live and which is also the epicenter of the Italian epidemic, we have not found any. Yesterday we purchased online, but delivery is only scheduled for April 9."

She added that online shopping in Italy is handicapped by inadequate delivery service due to the sanitary restrictions, so one can imagine how the load of Chinese medical material had been welcomed.

"Comparing logistics between China and Europe, I am well aware of the situation on the ground and the need to maximize the effectiveness of the last mile," Pasquale said.

My homeland recorded 250 fatalities from the pandemic today. We are really devastated.

"I would add that seeing how China has managed the outbreak in Wuhan, I am, personally very confident of the contribution that the Chinese medical staff will make to the heroic Italian doctors who have been overwhelmed by this health emergency," she said.

She spoke highly of this bilateral cooperation. "My country, Italy, should learn from China and from the sense of dedication and responsibility the Chinese have shown towards the whole world."

Just as I'm about to finish this diary, I saw a Facebook post by Michele Geraci, former Italian Undersecretary in the Ministry of Economic Development.

"We received a big help from China, now the doctors of both sides can share experiences. I hope that now that we have taken the first step in the potential cooperation, we could in this way look with urgency to the Wuhan model, adapting it also to our system," he wrote.

Let me finish by this: "Zhong guo jia you/Yi da li jia you-Grazie Cina."
Torontos shelters and food banks are working to contain the spread of COVID-19, while struggling to maintain services to some of the citys most vulnerable residents who dont have a place to isolate or the means to stockpile food.

City Coun. Joe Cressy, who chairs the Toronto Board of Health, said increased infection prevention practices, including cleaning and disinfectant measures, have been introduced in all 63 city-run shelters and its eight respite centres, as well as Out of the Cold and other agency programs that Toronto supports.

Torontos shelter intake desk is screening clients for their health and travel history and it has secured motel rooms so that homeless residents have a place to isolate in the event they are ill or quarantined. Those individuals will also be provided with food and the city is talking to the province about the provision of substances for people with addictions.

If you have an addiction and you need to be in self-isolation so you are not transmitting a disease, how do we provide a safe supply in a legal mechanism to you, he said.

He said that Toronto is also scaling up space to alleviate crowding in respite centres. Refugees and asylum claimants arriving in the city will remain at a centralized location for 14 days isolation to ensure they exhibit no COVID-19 symptoms. That facility has the required space. After that period, those people will be allowed to access the shelter system, said Cressy.

The city has also asked hospitals not to release homeless people being investigated for COVID-19 directly into the shelter system or onto the street so those individuals can access isolation facilities, Cressy said. Torontos Streets to Homes staff will be monitoring people who dont use the shelter system, he said.

The homeless population is disproportionately vulnerable to the virus, with a large number of elderly people and many people who have underlying health conditions.

Its a vulnerable population to begin with and the absence of housing can make containment harder, Cressy said.

The Daily Bread Food Bank is radically altering its operations as it tries to balance its mission to feed the hungry with concerns about the health and well-being of its staff and volunteers, CEO Neil Hetherington said.

If we close down, thousands go hungry, he said.

Instead of inviting clients inside the food bank to select their groceries, users will receive a box of food outside the facility with the appropriate quantity to feed their families

That limits the number of clients who are coming in and having that interaction, he said.

Inside the food bank, volunteers and staff will work in teams of five instead of 15 and Hetherington said he expects it will move to weekend operations so they can have more shifts with 20 people inside the facility at one time rather than the 120 who are typically working there.

Its too soon to say if the precautions around COVID-19 are affecting donations, but it has impacted volunteers. Two-thirds of the 60 students who had signed up for a March Break camp at the food bank have dropped out and Hetherington said he isnt looking to make up those numbers.

The average food bank user has $7.83 a day to survive on so its not a viable option to go say go buy two weeks worth of food, he said.

If more people are forced to isolation, the food bank will look at ordering food and having it delivered to clients homes but Hetherington said that will be an onerous expense.

Torontos Out of the Cold shelter beds will be discontinued this week ahead of the usual April closing, said David Reycraft, director of housing services at Dixon Hall, an agency that supports the program. He said Out of the Cold provides about 90 beds a night through churches, synagogues and agencies around the city.

The St. Lukes site on Sherbourne St. was expected to have 40 beds on Sunday and 188 Carlton St. is expected to have 45 beds on Wednesday.

Next week we know a good number of the sites have decided not to open up, he said, while some sites are providing food only to overnight guests and reducing the number of beds available.

He said Out of the Cold providers are working with the city to ensure that everyone is served.

The Interfaith Coalition to Fight Homelessness has written to Mayor John Tory asking that he authorize the Red Cross to open a replacement shelter for 100 people who wont be able to access that program any more.

The letter, signed by nine Out of the Cold providers, says the replacement shelter should be built to shelter standards with six feet of space between sleeping mats or cots, sufficient toilets, sinks and showers, as well as hot meals for the duration of the pandemic.

In some of the Out of the Cold facilities, the mats are inches apart. There are 10 people at a table where there should be six, said coalition spokesperson Rafi Aaron.

Social distancing to avoid the spread of the virus is difficult in some of the locations, Reycraft added.

In many ways I think the greatest fear is that the volunteers and community church and synagogues might be transmitting the virus to the guests who often have primary health issues and compromised immune systems, Reycraft said.

The Stop Community Food Centre is also suspending programming and drop-in meals during the crisis, said executive director Rachel Gray. The Stop operates three community programs for homeless and low-income residents in the citys west end.

We are making sure our staff, volunteers and community members are as safe as they can be. We recognize you cant meaningfully run a drop-in program with hundreds of people sitting together  as we want people to be able to do  and protect them in the face of this kind of contagion and the potential for community contagion.

We couldnt see any other way to keep people safe and to continue with business as usual, she said.

The Stop has also closed the Saturday morning farmers market at the Wychwood Barns.

We know this is a profound hardship on these farmers who rely on these markets. But we cant have somewhere between 500 to 1,000 people safely in a confined space and be doing what the government of Canada is asking everyone to do, which is limit public gatherings over 250 people.

Its been a very hard decision to make, but between the concerns of community volunteers and staff, its one that we just felt we had to make.

At the organizations Davenport Avenue food bank, staff are prepackaging food hampers. This diminishes choice, but we think its probably the safest way to do things.

The Stops drop-in food programs at the Davenport and St. Matthews United Church sites will have menus converted into takeout meals.

There were about one million food bank visits in the Toronto region last year, according to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Avantcard, the Carrick-on-Shannon based consumer finance provider has formally been recognised as one of Ireland's Best Workplaces for the second year running.

The team celebrated with organisations from industries all across the country, at the annual 'Great Place to Work' gala dinner in Dublin.

The credit card and loan provider jumped two spots to 12th in the overall ranking of the Top 25 medium-sized companies.

Avantcard was also one of only 20 companies to be accredited as a 'Best Workplace for Women'.

Helen Richardson, Avantcard's Head of HR, said: "I am delighted that we have been recognised as one Ireland's Best Workplaces again this year. Given that part of the assessment is based directly on feedback from our employees, we feel that it is a real endorsement of the value that we place on our staff. We are continually working to improve our workplace culture for the benefit of those who work for us."

"We are also particularly proud of being included on the 'Best Workplaces for Women' list for the first time.

"It is so important for us to continually foster a supportive culture where all employees, irrespective of their gender, can develop both personally and professionally while maintaining a positive work life balance.

Avantcard was in good company with some of Ireland's leading organisations, including other employers in the North West such Abbvie, Lotusworks, Tesco and Woodies.

IN 2019 Avantcard won several industry awards such as 'Consumer Credit Team of the Year' for the third year in a row along with being crowned the CCMA 'Contact Centre of the Year - Medium-sized Company', along with 'Industry Professional of the Year - Customer Service Advisor.'
The Brotherhood of the Cross and Star has called on the Federal Government to be more proactive and to involve religious organisations in efforts at ensuring peace in the country.

David Irefin, an archbishop and national coordinator of the Association of Brother Academic Scholars, made the call on Saturday at the 2020 ABAS Evangelical Peace March in Abuja.

Mr Irefin said the march was meant to pray for divine solutions to the lingering insecurity in the country.

Our message to the Federal Government is to continue to explore holistic ways of ensuring peace and stability in the country, including involving religious organisations like the BCS.

We will continue to pray for this country so that sustained peace and stability will return to our land, he said.

Another leader of the group, Boma Ambille, ABAS international president, said the week-long event which started on March 9, will end on Sunday with special prayers for the country.

He said peace and stability were crucial to the development of any country.

He called for all hands to be on deck for sustained peace in the country.

Mr Ambille said the spiritual head of the BCS, Olumba Olumba Obu, had called for intensified prayers to stem the tide of insecurity in the country.

The peace march which kicked off by 7a.m. had hundreds of faithful walk from Eagle Square to the National Centre for Women Development in the city centre.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Saturday wrote to Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh, requesting him to take penal action against persons spreading misinformation regarding coronavirus on social media platforms.

"The rumours about the virus are being spread on social media due to which there is a panic among the public," said Pardeshi in his letter to the Police Commissioner.

The Maharashtra government has ordered the closing of all schools, colleges and other educational institutions till March 31. However, the exams for Class 10, 12 and that of the university will be held as per schedule, the government said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COLLINSVILLE  The decision by U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, not to seek reelection to the 15th Congressional District has created one of the largest lists of candidates in Tuesdays primary.

Eight people  four each from both political parties  will be on the ballot. The top vote-getters for each party will square off on Nov. 3.

The 14,696-square-miles district include part of Madison County as well as all or part of 32 other counties.

Democrat candidates include Craig Morton of Salem, Erika C. Weaver of Mattoon, Kevin Gaither of Charleston and John W. Hursey Jr. of Collinsville. Republican candidates are Darren Duncan of Rossville, Mary Miller of Oakland, Kerry Wolff of Altamont and Dr. Charles Ellington of Camargo.

Morton, 50, is the owner of the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Salem. The University of Illinois graduate has served on the Salem City Council since 2015. Hes also involved in the Elks, the library board, the St. Theresa Parish Council and the St. Theresa school board.

He and his wife have three children.

Weaver, 46, says on her website that she found herself and her three children homeless before moving to Coles County. There she earned an associates degree at Lake Land College, bachelors and masters degrees at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and a law degree from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

In her last semester of law school, she was elected to the Mattoon school board. After law school, she worked with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid and as a part-time employee in a local factory. After passing the bar exam, she briefly worked in private practice before joining the Coles County Public Defenders office.

Hursey, 38, was born on Scott Air Force Base and pursued his undergraduate education from Black Hills State University, San Antonio College, Southwestern Illinois College and Southern Illinois University.

His career experience includes working as an English teacher, waiter, construction worker and telemarketer. He also worked for the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Gaither, 42, has a bachelors degree in chemistry from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. An HIV/AIDS health care activist and former Americorps public school educator, he runs his own tutoring business for grade school and high school students.

He lost the 2018 15th District to Shimkus.

Duncan, 48, is a seventh-generation farmer and has been Vermilion County Treasurer since 2017. He also has served on the Vermilion County Board and the Rossville-Alvin school board.

He and his wife have four children.

Miller, 60, She has bachelors degrees in business management and elementary education. She helps manage her familys farm, teaches children through a network of home schools and is a volunteer at her church.

She and her husband, state Rep. Chris Miller, have seven children and 16 grandchildren.

Wolff, 52, is vice president of the Altamont school board and a sales consultant for Effingham-based solar installer Tick Tock Energy. A graduate of the U of Im, he worked professionally in agriculture 19 years and also was a financial adviser and learned how the financial industry functions before returning to Altamont home in 2010.

He and his wife have two children.

Ellington, 52, is a family physician, a licensed attorney, a health policy expert and assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine. He is on the faculty of the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.

He and his wife have two children.
With coronavirus a pandemic now, technology companies are cancelling events left, right and centre. Or turning them into online-only event. Apple is the latest company to change its upcoming event. The iPhone maker has said that this year its developer conference called WWDC will be online-only event. Earlier, Google also made similar changes to the Google IO whereas in February, the Mobile World Congress scheduled to be held in Barcelona was cancelled.

The WWDC 2020 will be held in June. The exact dates will be announced later. "Now in its 31st year, WWDC 2020 will take on an entirely new online format packed with content for consumers, press and developers alike," Apple said in a note to media. "The online event will be an opportunity for millions of creative and innovative developers to get early access to the future of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS, and engage with Apple engineers as they work to build app experiences that enrich the lives of Apple customers around the globe."

This year at the WWDC, the most exciting announcement is likely to be that of the iOS 14, which will bring a host of new features to the iPhones.

We are delivering WWDC 2020 this June in an innovative way to millions of developers around the world, bringing the entire developer community together with a new experience, said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format... we will be sharing all of the details in the weeks ahead.

While announcing the details of the next WWDC, Apple also said that it would "commit $1 million to local San Jose organisations to offset associated revenue loss as a result of WWDC 2020's new online format."

The coronavirus pandemic has affected events and fests across the world. It has disrupted travel plans in all countries as cities have gone into lockdown and governments have closed borders. It has also affected business plans. Apple, according to reports, has also delayed the launch of the new iPhone SE 2 aka iPhone 9 because of the pandemic. This phone, rumours suggested, was supposed to launch this year, probably at an event planned for March 31, but those plans had been likely cancelled.

It is not clear yet if the coronavirus will impact the launch of the new iPhone 12 or not. Though chances are that if the outbreak is not under control by summer, it is possible that the iPhone 12 launch may get pushed towards the end of the year.
JERSEY CITY  A man was shot Friday morning on Bergen Avenue in Jersey City, city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

Responding to a call of shots fired at 10:44 a.m., police found a 31-year-old with at least one gunshot wound in front of 91 Bergen Ave., Wallace-Scalcione said.

The victim was taken to the hospital and was treated for injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Wallace-Scalcione said.
VANCOUVERWhen the overdose crisis struck British Columbia four years ago, Dave Apsey was among a small group of people in a unique position to respond.

As a drug user who helped open a needle exchange in 2003, Apsey said he knows first-hand about addiction and is trusted in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside as a member of the community. His position as a peer enabled him to respond to more than 2,000 overdoses.

Until last April, wages at the needle exchange had only increased by $1 an hour over a 16-year period above the $13.50 that Apsey was originally paid, even as the cost of living in Vancouver skyrocketed, he said.

He is among a group of peer harm reduction workers who are pushing to join a union.

This has been a long time coming. We pay our own medical, buy our own prescriptions, things arent cheap, Apsey said, adding that many of the workers live in the citys lowest income housing units, known as single-room occupancy buildings.

After 20 years of work I should have something, and I dont even have a retirement plan.

The union drive has run into an obstacle, however. After dozens of the 50 to 70 peer workers at PHS Community Services Society cast ballots on whether to unionize, the ballot boxes were sealed without being counted.

Andrew Ledger, president of CUPE Local 1004, said PHS is disputing the definition of peer workers as employees.

We would have loved to have been able to open up the ballot box and get that counted but, unfortunately, the PHS Community Services Society is taking the position at the labour board that these peer workers are not, indeed, employees, Ledger said in an interview.

We are taking the position that they are.

PHS spokesperson Micheal Vonn declined an interview while the matter is being considered by the Labour Relations Board of British Columbia. The society is a charitable non-profit organization that provides supportive housing, harm reduction and overdose prevention in the Downtown Eastside.

Julie Griffith, the labour boards information officer, said the ballot box will remain sealed until the matter is adjudicated. A hearing is scheduled for March 31.

Some say if the union drive is successful, they hope it wouldnt threaten casual work opportunities.

Sarah Blyth of the Overdose Prevention Society said peer workers range from volunteers to full-time employees at various organizations in the Downtown Eastside.

Im just supportive of being able to hire a person whos in the alley to do the work immediately. Its really important to have really low-barrier frontline work and theres also an importance that people can move up and on in positions where they have some security, she said.

Dean Wilson started volunteering before working a few hours per week for a stipend. He reached full employment with the B.C. Centre on Substance Use and has a small contract with PHS.

People who are able to achieve stable employment are perfect for a union, he said, but he wants to ensure that those who arent still have a chance to get their foot in the door.

There will always be some people who arent capable of holding down a regular job from the outset, and others who never will be, he said.

Without those original opportunities I wouldnt be around, Wilson said, adding that he is neither for nor against unionization.

Wilson also expressed concern that the realities of life in the Downtown Eastside could conflict with typical union structures, which he said needs to be taken into consideration.

Casual workers are paid immediately and people living at the poverty line cant always wait the typical two-week period for a $40 paycheque, he said. Those who depend on welfare benefits also shouldnt risk losing them, he added.

Is the union going to give them the same medical theyre getting through welfare if theyre only working four hours (a week)? he asked.

But Wilson said he also hopes unionization would mean greater mental health support for peer workers, some of whom respond to between six and 10 overdoses in a day.

You see the police talking and the fire department about their guys needing to take stress leave, he said. Were the real first responders a lot of the time and handle way more overdoses than they do.

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The GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council has decided to increase the levy of tax on mobile phones and specific parts from 12 per cent to 18 per cent. The council decided to work towards boosting the capacity of the GSTN system and improving staff response and solutions, as proposed by Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani. The task will be completed by July 2020 instead of January 2021, the council stated.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: It was decided to raise the GST rate on mobile phones and specific parts, presently attracting 12% GST, to be taxed at 18%. pic.twitter.com/RnSoRN9sKl ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020

The council gave relief to domestic maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service providers. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during a press meet after the GST Council meet, said it was decided to reduce the GST rate on MRO services in respect of aircraft from 18 per cent to 5 per cent with full ITC (input tax credit) and to change the place of supply for B2B MRO services to the location of the recipient.

She said there would be one rationalised rate of GST, which is 12 per cent for both hand-made and machine-made matchsticks.

The council has extended the deadline for filing the GST9R and GSTR9C for FY18-19 till June 30. The earlier deadline was March 31. "Late fees not to be levied for the delayed filing of the annual return & reconciliation statement for 2017-18 & 2018-19 for taxpayers with aggregate turnover less than Rs 2 crore," Sitharaman said.

Taxpayers with over Rs 5 crore annual turnovers will have to file for GST mandatorily. Earlier, the turnover limit was Rs 2 crores. The council has decided not to hike rates of fertilisers and footwear given the current economic scenario and effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

She also said the government had given GST compensation worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore to states. She added the Centre would first seek a legal opinion on borrowing and subsequent repayment of funds by the member states. Sitharaman said the GST Council would hold a separate meeting to discuss the issue of delay in payment of compensation cess to states.

Infosys founder Nandan Nilekani, during a detailed presentation to the council, proposed a plan to overhaul the GST network to identify glitches. He promised that all changes would be accommodated and all glitches would be sorted out by January 2021. Bihar CM Sushil Modi made a presentation on the current Income Tax challenges and presented a detailed review of the glitches to the council.

On the issue of hike in excise duty by Rs 3, the FM said: "I don't think excise hike will result in any increase in fuel prices. Fuel prices have actually gone down, I can confidently say there is no increase in fuel prices in any part of the country, in fact, there's a reduction." The GST Council members didn't discuss the issue of coronavirus during the meeting.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Also read: FinMin unsatisfied with Infosys-designed GSTN
50% Comedian. 50% Magician. 100% Dragon.

After earning national acclaim as the standout star of NBCs America's Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff The Magic Dragon continues to win over audiences across the globe with his mythical mixture of wizardry, wit and sarcasm that ignites a one-of-a-kind comedy magic show you must see to believe! Joined by his trusty sidekick Mr Piffles, The Worlds Only Magic Performing Chihuahua, the dynamic duo performs nightly to sold out rooms at his residency at the world-famous Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas in the newly renamed Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre. In addition to the residency, Piff along with Jade Simone, a genuine Las Vegas Showgirl, are currently performing across the US and Canada on The Fun Size Tour.

Although he might not be as famous as his older brother  Steve theres no doubt the recent years following his loss on season 10 of AGT have been monumental for the act voted Best Comedian, Best Magician and Best Headliner in the 2019 Best of Las Vegas Awards and the 2019 CEA Casino Comedian of the Year Award. Piff and Mr Piffles have performed to hundreds of thousands in some of the most iconic venues across the globe including Radio City Music Hall, Shakespeares Globe, the O2, and the Sydney Opera House. His Las Vegas residency just announced the addition of a second performance each night due to popular demand. Additionally, Piff is in the final production stages of his first one-hour special featuring good friend, Penn Jillette. And most recently, Piff was named one of the 10 Comics to Watch in 2019 by Variety.

Previously, Piff opened for Mumford & Sons on their 17 date UK tour and even graced the cover of their Grammy award winning album Babel. He also performed five record breaking runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, had two sellout seasons at Soho Theatre in Londons West End, and completed a national tour of the UK and Australia.
This article was last updated on March 19, and is no longer being updated. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated. For the latest updates, read The New York Timess live coronavirus coverage here.

Schools and day care centers are closing, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling us to limit close contact with others if the coronavirus is known to be spreading within our community. But what does close contact mean, exactly? Should we stop letting our kids have play dates? Is it OK to go to the museum or playground or indoor trampoline park? And what about birthday parties?

We know that kids tend to be at low risk for serious symptoms associated with Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and may have a fever, a dry cough or sometimes a runny nose. In other words, most kids dont end up really sick  although those with compromised immune systems, heart or lung problems or diabetes may be more at risk.

Still, kids are likely to be able to spread the infection, and one key priority right now is to slow the viruss spread through communities so we dont overwhelm our health care system and end up with more serious cases at once than doctors can handle. We also want to protect our older family and community members, who are at much higher risk for serious symptoms. Even some younger adults get quite sick: In a report released on March 18, the C.D.C. found that 40 percent of patients hospitalized for Covid-19 in the United States were between the ages of 20 and 54.

Given all these complexities, its hard to know what to do about play dates. No one knows how long this pandemic will last, but what is certain is that well all lose our minds if the characters from Frozen become our kids only social companions for the next four weeks.
A patient arrives to be tested for COVID-19 at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, N.Y. on Friday, March 13, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

NYC Keeping Schools Open, Defying Coronavirus Trend

NEW YORKThe nations largest public school system is staying open during the coronavirus crisis, New York Citys mayor said Friday, defying mounting pressure to close as he raised concerns about the unintended consequences of leaving more than 1.1 million students with no place to go.

Mayor Bill de Blasios decision leaves the Big Apple as an outlier among a growing list of cities and states, from Pennsylvania to Oregon, that are closing schools for a week or more as part of a nationwide attempt to limit the spread of whats known as COVID-19.

The disease has already turned the lights out on Broadway and shuttered big New York gathering spots from art museums to Carnegie Hall. Still, de Blasio said shuttering schools could hamper the citys ability to respond to the crisis by forcing parents who are first responders and healthcare workers to scramble childcare or stay home.

Many, many parents want us to keep schools open, the Democratic mayor said. Depend on it. Need it. Dont have another option.

New York teachers unions and several local politicians disagreed, worried about the risk of teachers and students being exposed to the disease. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Democrat, argued that teaching and learning can not take place under these circumstances. Student attendance plummeted on Friday to 68 percent from 85 percent the day before, the city said.

Medical personnel arrive to perform COVID-19 infection testing procedures at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, N.Y. on Friday, March 13, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

But a major healthcare workers union, 1199 SEIU, backed de Blasios position.

De Blasio said the citys public schools would make adjustments to put more space between students in what is known as social distancing, such as moving meals into classrooms to avoid cafeteria crowding and moving gym classes outside when weather permits.

The mayor said that as of Friday morning, there was one confirmed case of a student with coronavirus, on Staten Island. A teacher who works at a school for medically fragile students in Brooklyn has also tested positive, he said.

The city is temporarily closing individual schools where people have tested positive or are suspected of having coronavirus. De Blasio said, it is a very high bar to shut down the entire system.

Still, he said that could happen if conditions change.

I think there is an illusion out there that you can shut down schools temporarily in the midst of a growing crisis, de Blasio added. He said a shutdown could end up lasting the rest of the school year, or even the calendar year, once momentum is lost.

As officials deliberated the schools conundrum on Friday, restaurants, subway cars, and sidewalks were noticeably emptier as people telecommuted to work and avoided public placesand some were closed.

Gatherings with more than 500 people were temporarily banned in the state as of 5 p.m. Friday, though Broadway shows were called off a day sooner. Many smaller gathering spaces, such as bars and restaurants, now must cut capacity in half. The restrictions dont apply to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, shopping malls, and mass transit, and there were exceptions for other types of businesses, such as casino floors.

Courts across the state curtailed operations, halting selection of new juries, and encouraging proceedings to be done by video. Store shelves were wiped clean of necessities, such as toilet paper and tissues, and products like hand sanitizer and wipes.

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket in Larchmont, N.Y. on Friday, March 13, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

Restaurants and nightspots are reporting drop-offs of 20 percent-80 percent over the past week, particularly around touristy Times Square, said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance.

People are scared to come outside, Central Park tour guide Justin Rahim said. He said several of his pedicab driversreliant on tourists for their livingquit Thursday to drive for Ubers food delivery service. Its crazy. How am I going to survive this?

De Blasio encouraged people to continue working and living their lives, albeit with extra care.

The virus, as of Friday afternoon, had been confirmed in more than 420 people in New York state, including over 150 in the city, and had caused one death in the metropolitan area, in neighboring New Jersey. About 50 New York patients are hospitalized.

The number of illnesses may be higher because of a shortage of test kits.

The state on Friday opened a drive-through testing center in New Rochelle, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York had gotten federal permission to work with 28 laboratories to amp up testing. He said he hoped the statewide capacity could hit 6,000 tests a day next weekcompared to about 3,200 tests done, in total, to date.

The governor revealed that one of his three daughters had been in a precautionary quarantine after coming into contact with someone who had traveled to a coronavirus hotspot. Her precautionary seclusion has now ended, he said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

Recent data from China suggests children are at similar risk of infection as the general population, though less likely to have severe symptoms. Evidence from China also indicates that even if mildly affected, children can spread the virus to others.

Still, without school to occupy their days, kids would become restless and find their friends, bringing the same potential for transmitting coronavirus as theyd have in a classroom, de Blasio said.

What do you think would happen if you let a bunch of New York City school kids out for not a day, not a week, but three months? he said. You think theyre going to stay in isolation in their apartment?

By Jennifer Peltz, Michael R Sisak, Marina Villeneuve, Karen Matthews, Deepti Hajela, Adam Geller and Jim Mustian

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.
What are some of your more interesting assignments?

The pet therapy work we do with the reading programs in the schools and in the libraries  the Read to a Dog (program). Many of the kids come from backgrounds where they dont have pets. They cant have them in their apartments or they cant afford them or the parents are gone all the time and they just dont have time to deal with something besides their children.

One of the points of the program is if the kids are more relaxed  this is not a teacher watching them, this is not a teacher expecting a certain number of words per minute  they tend to work a little harder at their books or be more interested in them. After a while (one little boy) was sitting there just kind of (petting) Rocky and holding the book with one hand. He was better able to sound out words. He was less self-conscious. That sort of thing happens fairly often.

Are people nervous about flying?
Kopel Burk canceled plans to attend a New Jersey Symphony concert earlier this week in acknowledgement of the CDCs warnings to avoid crowds.

But on Monday, the evening of Purim, the 91 year old stood in front of a sizable crowd at Congregation Bnai Israel in Millburn, unrolled his copy of the Megillah and began reciting in Hebrew the retelling of the Biblical plot in the city of Shushan against the Jewish people.

As a physician, Burk has been through measles epidemics and bad periods of the flu and well understands the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak. Its a pandemic, he said simply.

But for him, Chapter Four of the Book of Esther was his obligation.

I felt I had some responsibility about that, he said. I went fully aware of the fact that I probably should have stayed home, but reading the Megillah was important.

As the coronavirus continues to spread across New Jersey and the rest of the country, Burk and other people of faith have to decide if they are still going to attend religious services or worship at home.

At the same time, New Jersey churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship are weighing how to continue holding services without contributing to the spread of the virus. Some have announced they are canceling services entirely for the foreseeable future.

The decision to scale down on public worship services comes just as many religious leaders say the faithful may need their religious communities more than ever to help calm their fears, pray for those who are sick and process the rapidly changing situation.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday the state recommends the cancelation of all public events of more than 250 people. As of Thursday afternoon, New Jersey had coronavirus cases in 11 of 21 counties.

The Archdiocese of Newark, the largest Catholic diocese in New Jersey, announced late Thursday it was canceling public Masses this weekend. Cardinal Joseph Tobin also relieved Catholics in the archdiocese of their obligation to go to Mass and said funerals, weddings and baptisms will be allowed, but limited to immediate family only.

It is believed to be the first time the Archdiocese of Newark has ever canceled all public Sunday Masses.

Tobin will livestream a Mass on the Archdiocese of Newarks YouTube channel at youtube.com/nwkarchdiocese on Sunday at noon.

The states four other Catholic dioceses -- Trenton, Metuchen, Camden and Paterson -- said their Catholic Masses will go on as scheduled this weekend, but the bishops gave dispensations to all Catholics who chose to skip the services.

Some of the Catholic dioceses had already adopted strict new rules, including banning the shaking of hands during the sign of peace and suspending the use of communion wine typically sipped from communal cups.

The Episcopal Diocese of Newark, which oversees churches in North Jersey, said it will cease public services through March 29 for all of its congregations east of Dover in Morris County.

The Right Rev. Carlye Hughes, the Episcopal Bishop of Newark, told her congregations to remember they are not alone even though they may feel isolated.

As our routines are disrupted, God is with us. When we discover how to be church in new and unusual ways, God is with us, Hughes wrote in a message to her diocese.

Many synagogues, mosques and temples have also encouraged less personal contact during services. But some have also begun canceling weekly services.

On Thursday, the council representing Orthodox synagogues in Bergen County ordered the temporary closure of more than two dozen temples in the area and a ban on public services. The Rabbinical Council of Bergen County, which oversees the areas synagogues, said funerals would be for families only and kosher restaurants should only serve take-out food.

The Life Christian Church, which has locations in West Orange and Paramus, is encouraging its members to stay home and watch a live stream broadcast of its services due to coronavirus fears. (Life Christian Church)

Other places of worship are experimenting with offering services for viewing online.

Pastor Terry A. Smith usually leads high-energy Sunday services at the Life Christian Churchs locations in West Orange and Paramus.

A worship band revs up the crowd. Members of the congregation raise their hands and sing. Smith delivers his sermon from the stage for the adults, while a childrens ministry leads activities for the younger kids.

The non-denominational church usually attracts about 1,100 people at its three Sunday services. This week, Smith is telling the faithful to stay home.

Were really encouraging people to join us for our livestream services, Smith said, referring to the live video of the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services on Life Christian Churchs website.

Anyone who does show up for services will be told to maintain a safe social distance of a few feet from each other.

No touching whatsoever, Smith said, unless its a coronavirus elbow bump.

Archdiocese of Newark Issues Guidance to Priests, Religious, and Parishioners regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://t.co/UXuAS6LmI1. pic.twitter.com/iTlyoVwsHK  Newark Archdiocese (@NwkArchdiocese) March 2, 2020

At Neve Shalom, a conservative congregation in Metuchen, Shabbat services were canceled for Saturday morning.

It was a very difficult decision, acknowledged Rabbi Eric Rosin, who heads the congregation. Weve kept going through rainstorms and snowstorms. The added element here is the danger we expose people to just for showing up.

Even before services were canceled, the congregation of about 300 families had earlier sent out emails urging people not to shake hands and to stay home if they were feeling ill. Congregants were also asked not to touch the Torah  as is the tradition when the religious scroll is taken down and later returned to the Ark during services.

Now with Saturday morning services on hold, Neve Shalom is exploring whether it can stream prayer services for members. That is no small a problem for Jewish congregations that are shomer Shabbos  respecting Jewish law on the Sabbath. Observant Jews do not cook, spend money, write or operate electrical devices on Shabbat.

Theres ways of doing it without violating prohibitions of the Sabbath, Rosin said of streaming, such as setting up the camera beforehand and not recording the video. Where it will end up, well see.

At Congregation Bnai Israel in Millburn, the reading of the Megillah on Purim last Monday was offered for the first time on a video conferencing link to those who did not want to gather in the sanctuary.

It was very rudimentary, said Harvey Brenner, the executive director at Bnai Israel. We used a Zoom Meeting account with a cell phone. The sound wasnt great. But the fact they could participate, those who participated said, was a wonderful thing.

Many younger families with kids attended services Monday, but Brenner said it was obvious a number of older congregants who always come to hear the Megillah were not there, probably due to coronavirus concerns.

On Friday morning, meanwhile, Bnai Israel decided to also cancel religious services for the next two weeks.

This is a painful decision, but one in which we take comfort in knowing is being embraced by many communities of faith, the synagogue announced.

Though some religious leaders say the experience of participating in religious services cant be duplicated with an online livestream, the virus threat to those leading services before large numbers of people is real.

A rabbi in Westchester County, New York, has been at the center of a coronavirus outbreak in his synagogue. Rabbi Reuven Fink of Young Israel of New Rochelle said last week he tested positive for coronavirus.

The sister of actor Matthew Broderick, who until last spring was a church pastor at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Morristown, is hospitalized in California with coronavirus after attending a religious conference in Kentucky.

Rev. Janet Broderick, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, is in stable condition and being treated for a severe form of pneumonia," her diocese said Thursday.

It remains to be seen how long restrictions on religious gatherings will last. The coronavirus crisis comes as Christians are marking Lent and preparing for Easter, the holiest season of the year, and Jews are preparing to observe Passover, one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays.

Ramadan, the month-long period of fasting, prayer and community events for Muslims, is scheduled to begin April 23.

Many Hindus held gatherings earlier this week to celebrate Holi, the popular Indian festival of colors.

Families of all religions may be forced to decide soon whether to celebrate any upcoming religious holidays with their extended families and friends at home.

Kenneth Pall, of Park Ridge, said his family has already canceled its traditional Passover seder, which is usually attended by 20 or so relatives. Palls 91-year-old father and 86-year-old step mother have already canceled their plane tickets to New Jersey from their home in West Palm Beach, Florida.

We basically said, please dont come up. Dont travel, said Pall, 55.

Instead, Pall plans a small Passover seder with just his partner and her son at their home. He will miss the big family celebration.

Its a sad thing, he said. I love our traditions and my religion -- and we could definitely use a Biblical miracle right now.

Several religious leaders who are still planning to hold services said they plan to talk about the coronavirus pandemic with their congregations this weekend, focusing on how faith can help lead them through any crisis.

We can not focus all of our attention on what were afraid of, said Smith, pastor of the Life Christian Church, as he worked on his Sunday sermon in his study Thursday morning. We still need, in my world view, to hear the word of Jesus.

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A woman covers her mouth and nose with a wash cloth on a subway platform in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo

Caracas: Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus Friday, deepening anxiety in a crisis-stricken nation where many hospitals lack basics such as water and soap and struggle to treat even basic ailments.

The announcement prompted President Ivan Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nations border with Venezuela closed as a coronavirus containment measure.

Earlier Friday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez delivered the news that Venezuelans feared was coming: A 52-year-old man who had recently traveled from Spain and a 41-year-old woman who had returned from a trip through the U.S., Italy and Spain had been diagnosed with the virus.

Schools across Venezuela immediately closed, a day after President Nicolas Maduro suspended flights with Europe and Colombia in an attempt to ward off the illness.
Jaffna water project cost swells by 580 percent; engineers cry foul By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):

The Irrigation Department has floated a proposal to implement a water supply project for Jaffna at a cost of Rs 13.6bn despite the project already having been approved by the Cabinet at Rs 2bn in 2018.

The new price quoted by the Department is nearly 580 percent higher than what was proposed by the Department and sanctioned by the Cabinet in September 2018 as a joint proposal of the Prime Ministers office and the Ministry of Agriculture. The foundation stone for the project was laid in August last year.

But the Department is now proceeding with the new estimate which, engineers say, is based on improper application of engineering and adoption of unnecessary construction methods, among other things. This was pointed out to the subject Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, and the Director General of National Planning at a meeting in late January but there has been no action.

This is mismanagement, waste and robbery, a senior engineer said, requesting anonymity. The technology is simple. Rainwater is collected in compounds and in an artificial tank of 1,500 acres with a 25-foot tall dam. There will be a pump house and the initiative is expected to issue 50,000 cubic metres of water to the 650,000-strong population every day of the year.

The project proponent is Dr R.K. Guganesharajah of the University of Surrey. He selected the Irrigation Department. A team of 12 post-graduate students examined its suitability from 1999 to 2011.

A feasibility study has already been done by the Irrigation Department and experts. And the estimate placed at Rs 2bn. Environmental clearance was obtained in 2019. The project can be completed in one year with the possibility of further cost reductions if done prudently, engineers said.

The work is already delayed. The Cabinet also authorised in 2018 for a supplementary allocation of Rs 300mn to the Irrigation Ministry to start implementation and to provide the remaining Rs 1,700mn the following year.

At present, Jaffna has 17 projects run by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board issuing just 5,000 cubic metres of water a day.

It is also learned that at a Galgamuwa meeting chaired by the Irrigation Ministry Secretary last week, it was suggested to abandon the project altogether in favour of an Asian Development Bank-funded desalination plant for the Jaffna Peninsula. It has already been opposed on the grounds that turning salt water to drinking water would negatively impact fisherfolk, the ecosystem and the coastal environment.

In October last year, the Cabinet also approved a freshwater project called A River for Jaffna at a cost of Rs 3.6bn. Irrigation officials in the North have repeatedly warned that the shortage of potable water is dire and needs urgent attention. And that the River for Jaffna initiative was actually proposed 50 years ago.

There is extensive groundwater use in the peninsula. This has led to increased salinity in the water and the availability of freshwater is rapidly declining. The region is otherwise dependent on rainfall which is scantier now with increased periods of drought.
Independent early years artist Cliodhna Noonan continues to bring fairy tales to life through her unique brand of performance art, captivating children in libraries, schools and creches around Fingal with age-old fables and stories.

Skerries artist Cliodhna produces fairytale productions aimed at a 0-6 audience and their carers, complete with the accompanying puppetry of a master puppeteer, in Cliodhna's own interpretation of famous tales.

Speaking from Loughsinny Boathouse last week - where she currently holds a residency - Cliodhna explained how she first became involved in children's productions, and of her love for fairytale stories.

She says: 'I came to get involved in it because around 2008 or 2009 I followed a European Union network called 'Small Size', and I did some training with them. Basically I've always been a theatre artist but I just decided then to go out on my own and try it, so I have a storytelling style and it's very successful.

'In 2008 it was a very new thing, but now it's everywhere. Everywhere is doing early years work and that's great to see. There's funding that has become available for different projects in different county councils as well, so I would have been an advocate back in 2008 with the Irish Arts Council, then we travelled and I never got involved in the bigger projects in Ireland, I just kept my own work very small and local.'

She says: 'Back in 2018 the residencies opened for the Boathouse and I thought 'sure why not?, I'll see', and was accepted for a residency and I couldn't believe my luck, it was brilliant. I'm part-time down there, because I'm doing about 60,000 other things as well, but the idea is that I will be developing a new show for that age group with the puppets of a master puppeteer from Lithuania called Vitalijus Mazuras. He's in his eighties and has lived through two occupations and a world war in Lithuania, and he's always developed his own puppets. They had nothing back in the day so he's a real master of making things from nothing. He has made these nine beautiful puppets for me and I'm developing the story from a fairytale book that my friend gave me as a gift, then the two combined will make up the performance that will go out to schools and libraries in Fingal in the future I hope.

'It's amazing, because I visited him in Lithuania a few times and I described Skerries and Loughshinny to him and I showed him photos, but with the puppets it's like they were made there. They're the same colour, the right style. Then there's 'Wind', 'Rock' and 'Stone', they're the three puppets and the landscape around the boathouse is wind, rock and stone, so it's perfect from an artistic and creative point of view. I'm being mentored by a really good director in Denmark, so I send a video of the work I've done then he sends it back to me with feedback. We have a week together at the end of the year where we just finalise the details and then the show will be ready to go. It's the first time the boathouse residency was given to someone who does work for children, so it's fantastic.'

At the moment, Cliodhna is performing two of her fairytales at ten different Fingal libraries, which she has run since January. Pending funding, those productions will then run in various libraries in 2021, at which stage Cliodhna's new show, 'The Election' (about a troll who runs for election) should be ready to tour.

Cliodhna's new show is aimed at four years and upward, she says, using handmade puppets by master Lithuanian puppeteer Vitalijus Mazuras. A documentary on the work carried out for the production and on the collaboration between artist and puppeteer will screen in Canada in May, as part of the World Puppet Intervention and funded by the Irish Arts Council.

Cliodhna has performed in local and national festivals, and started her own festival, 'Grasshoppers', in Balbriggan last year. Aimed at 0-6 year olds, 'Grasshoppers' saw international performers perform at the new town festival, which Cliodhna says proved to be a resounding success.

On the attraction of this form of performance art, Cliodhna says: 'I've always been an advocate for legends and fairytales, I think there's a way you can present them, and the beauty of fairytale storytelling is that these are stories that have been around for so long, they're tried and tested and they have amazing messages that are relevant.

'I suppose there's a contemporary way of telling with fairy stories and fairytales, and that's what I had been researching and tried to do. But I actually believe that more and more young children need human contact, they understand that you're telling them a story and they understand that it's a human being that has connection with them who's standing in front of them. The audience stay very close to you when you do this kind of work, they're not sitting out in the back of an auditorium. That's really important because life has become so busy, we all use digital technology, but I just believe that these experiences are keeping a human touch alive for audiences of very young children.'

She says: 'Sometimes a creche will come to my work in a public setting and I would love to develop that side of the business, to go around to creches with the storytelling because the human touch is being lost, and the old stories were good and we can contemporise them and make them more relevant to today. I'm not anti-technology, but this works for me. I'm very charismatic and definitely, everywhere I go, people I'm in contact with are touched by the experience of a storyteller for babies.'

Cliodhna says she began storytelling for babies before her current work, which led to her shows being quite sensory and interactive due to a baby's underdeveloped language skills. This has translated very well in storytelling for children in ASD settings in primary schools, she explains, which she now undertakes as part of her work.

Cliodhna says her target audience is primarily schools and creches, with the local libraries also targeting this audience. In the Grasshopper festival last year, performances were aimed at families and a general audience. This is important also, she says, to offer parents some novel ideas of how to spend some time with their children.

A language graduate who trained in speech and drama, Cliodhna explains this is probably where her love of storytelling first came from. She is, she says, a performer by nature, but having studied languages and having been afforded the opportunity to travel to different countries, this has helped her to understand there are certain crafts that we know little about, including the art of storytelling.

On her plans for the future, she says: 'I'm hoping that the performance will have a structure that will need to be rehearsed in Denmark to complete it, and then to have the performance ready to go, that I can sell. After March - because at the end of March my contract with Fingal libraries stops as well - I have been approached by a few other libraries around Ireland who liked the sessions that I run. So I'm in two minds as to what I'm going to do next.

'My dream would be to find a group of say ten creches in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk to roll out the performances inside the creches locally and see if that is a model of business that I can do. I suspect it is, I have done some local advocacy work and it's just a question of the timing of it, so I may knuckle down and set up that side of the business locally, just to be doing five performances a week, and then changing them around.

'Im very active in the early years side of things as well, and it's very difficult when you are running an early years establishment now to stay creative in your thinking. It's really hard, there's so much paperwork and there's so much else to do that sometimes the creative side of being with small children and so it may be easier for me to come in and do these storytelling sessions with the children than it is for the person who's running the creche to be creative all the time. So it would be a partnership that I'd like to do.'

With a number of successful productions behind her, and another on the way, Cliodhna has plenty more tales to tell. If things go to plan, it might just be a fairytale ending.
The Peel public school board must immediately address the deeply disturbing systemic racism, discrimination and dysfunction uncovered by provincial reviewers, says Education Minister Stephen Lecce.

And among the first orders issued by the minister  and one he expects to be completed as soon as possible  is for the board to say it is sorry.

In light of the harm to the community, particularly to the Black communities, the board shall give full and fair consideration to making a responsive and respectful apology, says one of Lecces 27 directives.

Speaking to reporters at Queens Park on Friday, Lecce said he expects a sincere apology.

There is no reason for further delay, he said.

I think the report unveiled a deep-seated culture of discrimination, of racism, that is deeply disturbing to be quite frank, Lecce added.

The report sheds light on a culture that must change.

Lecce sent in three reviewers late last year to the troubled Peel District School Board amid allegations of racism  especially anti-Black racism  as well as trustee misconduct, and governance issues. Their final report was officially issued Friday.

The education minister said he (wants) the board to know we are watching them and that he will swoop in and force change if it doesnt act.

The board has indicated they will take action, he said. In the absence of action, I will take action.

A statement from Education Director Peter Joshua and Chair Brad MacDonald promised action will be swift, bold and transformative  those we serve deserve nothing less.

Lecce has given the board tight timelines to make change  including that it hire an additional integrity commissioner, trustees immediately cease any involvement in staff hiring and promotions, better trustee training, hiring a mediator to improve relations among trustees and between trustees and senior staff and conduct a full performance appraisal of the director.

He has also said the board needs a comprehensive, four-year strategy and action plan to eliminate significant disproportionalities in enrolment, achievement and outcomes of Black students, other racialized students and Indigenous students in applied courses and special education, and their low numbers in specialized programs such as International Baccalaureate and arts programs.

The Peel board said trustees and senior leadership are reviewing the report, and will be taking immediate action on the directives.

It is clear to all trustees that the consultation surfaced serious and deeply concerning accounts of traumatic experiences, especially for members of Peels Black community and other racialized communities. These speak to systemic and historical barriers related to access to pathways and programming, academic achievement, transitions to post-secondary education and the workforce, hiring and promotion, community engagement, as well as disciplinary measures both in education and employment.

It also acknowledged a lack of confidence in the board of trustees and senior leadership, particularly with respect to racism and equity. To restore confidence, the board commits to taking immediate action on all of the directives.

New Democrat MPP Laura Mae Lindo, her partys critic for anti-racism, said the reviewers findings are horrifying, but sadly not surprising.

She said Lecce must create a clear way for incidents of anti-Black racism within the board leadership to be reported, which his directives dont cover.

Similarly, the minister has failed to provide reporting mechanisms for the same parents, students and staff whose experiences should have prompted this review many years ago, she said.

The provincial reviewers  Ena Chadha, Shawn Richard and Sue Herbert  heard difficult and painful stories from more than 300 people, and took issue with senior leaders at the board for being paralyzed by inaction to make changes.

Their investigation was assisted by Patrick Case, a human rights lawyer and assistant deputy education minister.

Black students comprise 10.2 per cent of high school students, but make up 22.5 per cent of those suspended. They found examples where Black students were suspended from school for reasons such as wearing a hoodie, do-rags or even hoop earrings.

Black students, they found, are also the target of degrading, inappropriate and racist comments made by teachers and principals, and often hear other students use the N-word without punishment.

Islamophobia was also cited as a concern, including offensive curriculum materials, as well as the presence of white supremacists at a board meeting.

The report also notes that more than 80 per cent of students are from diverse backgrounds, while just one-quarter of staff are, almost the opposite of the demographics of the student body.
The major donation, is aimed at supporting the diocesan Caritas in their work to support people in difficulty due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

By Vatican News

The Italian Bishops Conference said in a statement the 10 million Euro donation will be distributed to the 220 diocesan Caritas throughout Italy.

The donation will be used to identify the most urgent needs, giving priority to forms of economic support for families already in situations of hardship. This includes the purchase of basic necessities for families and people in difficulty, support for lonely elderly and frail people, and the maintenance of services for people in situations of extreme poverty, such as canteens with take-away services or sheltered dormitories.

The director of Caritas Italy, Fr Francesco Soddu said, "this extraordinary donation from the Italian Episcopal Conference (IEC) is a concrete sign of hope and comfort for the diocesan Caritas (network). In this way, the local Churches will be able to continue the strong dynamism of charity".

Caritas Italy is also renewing its call for solidarity by inviting everyone to support the initiatives and work of the dioceses and local Caritas that are aiding people in difficulty and in increasingly precarious conditions.
A week and a half ago, I wrote about how the Wuhan coronavirus had spread in a big way to Iran and had infected some prominent members of the regime. Since, then, as one would expect, things have gotten worse.

The official count is 92 deaths and 3,000 known infections. However, few put any faith in these numbers. According to the Washington Post:

[D]ata obtained from a group of hospitals in Tehran strongly suggests that the epidemic has spread even more than the government has acknowledged. About a dozen hospitals in the capital city have reported 80 deaths from the coronavirus during the six days ending Wednesday, according to records from the medical centers. And these hospitals represent only a small fraction of the total in Tehran. The data set  including demographic details and status of the cases  shows a 17 percent surge in deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Keep in mind that Tehran is not the epicenter of Irans outbreak. The epicenter is the holy city of Qom. This is thought to be the reason that the virus hit Irans ruling elite so quickly. Irans top clerics have close ties to the nations spiritual center and top clergymen and policymakers travel frequently between Qom and Tehran.

Aerial photos of Qom show evidence that a massive grave site has been constructed to bury victims of the coronavirus. The size of the burial space belied government claims that only 34 people had died of the virus in Qom as of the end of last month. You can see the aerial photos here.

Critics argue that the Iranian regimes response to the Wuhan coronavirus has contributed to the spread of the illness. Nurses say some medical staff members were prevented from wearing masks to avoid causing panic. In addition, during the early days of the outbreak, officials reportedly rebuffed calls for quarantines, urged Iranians to participate in national elections, and balked at closing holy shrines to the public.

Kamiar Alaei, an expert on communicable diseases and global health policy at the University of Oxford, contends that the regime downplayed the seriousness of the disease and misled and misinformed the health system. As a result, medical professionals were not prepared, and a lot of doctors and nurses were infected due to unexpected exposure, Alaei says. There was clear mismanagement and the elevation of political interests above health concerns, which resulted in the outbreak.

Its always easy to second guess a governments response to an unexpected crisis like this one, and its inevitable that not all of a governments decisions will be the right ones. Thats true of the U.S. response to the Wuhan coronavirus.

However, the criticism of Irans response goes beyond second guessing and expecting perfection. It describes outright deceit and wanton disregard for the health of Iranians.

What is the current scope of the pandemic in Iran? Given the unreliability of government figures, no one knows for sure. However, based on the figures from Tehran, Ashleigh Tuite, an infectious-disease epidemiologist, estimated that the current outbreak in Iran has already reached 28,000 cases with many more to come. Thats nearly 10 times more than the regime admits to.

I hope the coronavirus epidemic abates soon in Iran. I also hope that Iranians long remember the mullahs disgraceful response to the epidemic.
When the curator mentioned a huge saber-toothed tiger skull stored behind the scenes of the National Museum of Natural History in Montevideo, Uruguay, Aldo Manzuetti had to see for himself.

The skull belonged to Smilodon populator. Extinct for about 10,000 years, the heavily muscled species once Hulk-smashed its way through South American fauna in the Pleistocene. To picture a normal individual, start with an African lion. Then double its size and add giant fangs.

But this one wasnt normal. The skull was 16 inches long, making previous large specimens from the species look small. I thought I was doing something wrong, said Mr. Manzuetti, a doctoral student in paleontology at Uruguays University of the Republic. He was using the head to infer the likely size of the animals body. I checked the results a lot of times, and only after doing that I realized I hadnt made any mistakes.

His analysis showed the skull sat atop a beast that likely tipped the scales at around 960 pounds. The specimens existence, he and colleagues reported earlier this month in the journal Alcheringa, suggests that the largest saber-toothed tigers might have been able to take down giant plant-eaters, heavy as pickup trucks, that researchers had thought were untouchable.
Four new patients of coronavirus were confirmed in Mumbai on Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

It took the number of confirmed cases in Maharashtra to 26 and those in Mumbai to eight.

Of the new patients confirmed in Mumbai, one is resident of the city while others are from Kamothe, Vashi and Kalyan, all peripheral towns.

All are admitted to Kasturba Hospital here and their condition is stable, BMC deputy director, health, Daksha Shah said.

Earlier in the day, two persons who had recently returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal city.

Thus, so far across the state, ten coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, eight in Mumbai, four in Nagpur, two in Yavatmal and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lenten series continues: First United Methodist Church in Corvallis will continue a Lenten series on "The Grace of 'Les Miserables'" at the 9:30 a.m. service this Sunday.

In response to coronavirus health concerns, worship will be offered only through live-streaming. Watch the church's Facebook page for more details.

This week participants will look at "The Poor Are Always with You," understanding how differently people respond to poverty. Scripture: Matthew 26:11.

Baha'i devotional gathering: "Immortal Passages, Part 1" is set for 9:45 a.m. Sunday at 5006 SW Hollyhock Circle in Corvallis.

Over this and next Sunday, participants will share a particularly poignant compilation of passages gleaned from the writings of Bahaullah that address the greatness of this day. In these writings, Bahaullah foreshadows certain dangers, issues counsels and warnings, and provides assurances and promises. These readings are bound to inspire the reader. All are welcome to join in reading and discussing these passages.

Organ series canceled: Albany First United Methodist Church has canceled today's Lenten organ recital.

The remaining concerts, scheduled for March 22 and 29 and April 5, also have been canceled.

Writing contest: The nonprofit agency Oregon Christian Writers is sponsoring the 2020 Cascade Writing Contest through Sunday.

Each entry will be reviewed by three preliminary judges, with feedback provided to every contestant. The final three in each category will be submitted to top professionals in the field of Christian writing and publication for judging. Winners will be announced at the OCW Cascade Writing Contest Awards at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Red Lion on the River Hotel in Portland.

One does not need to be an OCW member to enter, and contestants need not be present at the summer conference to win. Unpublished writers can enter.

Categories include Contemporary Fiction Book, Historical Fiction Book, Speculative Fiction Book, Nonfiction Book, Memoir Book, Young Adult Book/Middle Grade Book, Fiction and Nonfiction, Childrens Chapter Book/Childrens Picture Book Fiction and Nonfiction, Poetry (a single poem), Devotional (a single devotional), Article, Column, Nonfiction Short Story or Blog Post (Blog Post published division only), and Short Story/Flash Fiction.

Further information is available at https://oregonchristianwriters.org/cascade-writing-contest/.

Meditation opportunities canceled: Silent meditation opportunities on Tuesdays at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan in Corvallis have been canceled for the time being.

The building will be closed to all events through April 1.

Centering Prayer: A Christian Centering Prayer group will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the parish center of St. Marys Catholic Church, 815 Broadalbin St. SW in Albany.

Centering Prayer is a practice of silent prayer in which Gods presence is experienced within. This nonverbal method of prayer adds depth of meaning by learning to rest in God. This method is not meant to replace other types of prayer.

Those attending are asked to enter by the front door of the parish center. The meeting will take place in the St. Rose of Lima Room. Information: livinggreen@comcast.net.

Stained glass program: "Windows 50: A Celebration of Gabriel Loires Art" is set for April 4 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan, 333 NW 35th St.

Visitors can view, touch and celebrate the work of French artist Gabriel Loire at this 50th anniversary thanksgiving for his stained-glass window collection. Carlotta Collette, author and artist, and David Mayfield, artist, will present the story of the windows, their place in art and world history, and the technique used to make them. Doors will be open from 9:30 a.m. to noon for guided and self-guided tours.

Admission is free. A light reception will follow the presentation. Further information is available at 541-757-6647.

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City Councilman Manny Pelaez and his family will self-quarantine for two weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic after they return from a trip to Colombia, Pelaez said Saturday.

Pelaez, who represents the citys Northwest Side, said he, his wife and two children arent showing symptoms but plan to isolate themselves out of precaution when they return to San Antonio on Sunday.

I anticipate that cabin fever will set in within 30 minutes, Pelaez said.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Pelaezs decision comes after San Antonio officials confirmed the citys first case of COVID-19 unrelated to the evacuees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Since then, a second case has been confirmed. In both cases, the infection was connected to travel and is not believed to have resulted from person-to-person spread in San Antonio.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg declared a public health emergency Friday morning, ushering in sweeping measures to guard against further spread of the virus.

The same day, City Manager Erik Walsh ordered employees returning from travel outside of the country to self-quarantine for 14 days and work from home. Its too soon to tell how many employees the order will apply to, city spokeswoman Laura Mayes said.

Walsh also issued a moratorium on business travel for city employees until next Friday.

The citys 12,500 employees must report to work unless theyre feeling sick or department heads tell them they can work remotely, Walsh told employees in a memo Friday afternoon.

Department directors will work with city employees with children affected by school and day care closures to figure out whether they can work from home, he said.

Full-time civilian employees will get an additional eight hours of leave to care for themselves or family members who get sick, Walsh said. Part-time and temporary city workers get four additional hours.

Walshs directive doesnt apply to Pelaez because hes not a city employee. But, Pelaez said, thats a technicality I dont think the virus cares about.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio residents race to the store to stock up after coronavirus declaration

Pelaez and his family have been in Colombia for eight days, he said.

The family spent four of those days in Cartagena, a port city with a lot of cruise ship traffic. Colombian President Ivan Duque has since ordered cruise ships not to dock at the countrys ports.

Everywhere they went, Pelaez and his family saw face masks: on workers at the Bogota airport, motorcycle cops and toll booth cashiers.

The family stayed in Anapoima, a city about 50 miles outside Bogota where Pelaezs uncle owns a ranch. On Friday nights, the town square there is usually bustling with ranch hands and their families, he said.

But on Friday, there were no people or cars in sight.

They all stayed home because theyre spooked, Pelaez said.

Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio city government and politics. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  Foreign travelers arriving in the Philippines from Italy and Iran will only be allowed to enter the country if they show medical certificates, the Bureau of Immigration said Saturday.

The bureau said those who have passed through the two countries in the past 14 days will have to prove they are free from the coronavirus disease officially known as COVID-19. This rule will be enforced beginning midnight of March 16 or Monday, it added.

Passengers coming from, or have transited through Iran and Italy in the last 14 days, shall be required to present a medical certificate issued by competent medical authorities within the last 48 hours prior to arrival in the country certifying that they are COVID-2019 free, said Jaime Morente, Immigration commissioner in a statement.

He said those who fail to present a medical certificate will be denied entry.

Italy has 9,172 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 463 deaths. It has the most number of cases in Europe, which the World Health Organization early announced as the new epicenter of the disease. Meanwhile, Iran tallied at least 10,075 confirmed cases and 429 deaths - the third highest number of cases after mainland China and Italy.

The new rules exempt Filipino citizens including their foreign spouse and children, holders of permanent resident visas and members of diplomatic corps, Morente said.

However, Filipino passengers and the foreign visitors who have medical certificates will all still have to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea may also exempt others based on "humanitarian considerations."

The travel ban on China, Hong Kong, Macau and North Gyeongsang including Daegu and Cheongdo in South Korea is still in place, the agency maintained.
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Linkedin Ian King and Katherine Chiglinsky (Bloomberg)  Sat, March 14, 2020 09:58 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a8950e 2 People Bill-Gates,Microsoft,philanthropy Free

Bill Gates said hes stepping down from the board of Microsoft Corp., the company he co-founded in 1975 and built into the worlds largest software maker, to devote more time to philanthropy.

Gates, 64, has been scaling back his involvement in the Redmond, Washington-based company for more than a decade. Most recently hed been serving as an adviser to current Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella on technology areas including productivity, health software and artificial intelligence, and he will continue to do so.



Microsoft will always be an important part of my lifes work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the companys ambitious goals, Gates wrote in a blog post Friday. I feel more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world.

Gates hasnt been active in a day-to-day role since 2008, Microsoft said in a statement. Thats when he switched to devoting the majority of his time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates now wants to spend more time working on global health, education and tackling climate change, according to the statement. He served as CEO of Microsoft until 2000, the same year his foundation was started, and was chairman of the company until February 2014.

Under Gatess leadership, Microsoft grew from a provider of the basic software code used to run business and home machines in the early years of personal computers into the dominant provider of software in computing from workplace productivity to internet and gaming. At the peak of its reach, the company attracted challenges from antitrust regulators, with the U.S. calling it a monopoly and suing to break it up. Microsoft ended up settling the case and avoiding the harshest penalties. Under Gatess successor, Steve Ballmer, Microsofts position in the tech industry was challenged by competitors like Google and a resurgent Apple Inc.

Read also: Gates, other charities pledge $125 million towards COVID-19 treatments

Nadella took over from Ballmer in 2014. Since then, the company has focused on cloud computing as growth evaporated in the PC market, which Microsoft helped pioneer in the 1980s. Microsoft has posted revenue growth of 14% for the past two fiscal years, helped by increasing sales of software and computing over the internet. Even after steep stock declines in recent weeks along with the rest of the market amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the company still has a market capitalization of more than $1.2 trillion.

Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bills ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward, Nadella said in a statement. I am grateful for Bills friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

The companys successful transition to new businesses and return to growth under Nadella means that shareholders are unlikely to be concerned that its founder will be even less involved, said Michael Levine, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group, on Bloomberg Television.



I think people would feel differently if they had not done such a tremendous job of transforming the business, he said.

Gates will also exit the board of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the company run by his longtime friend Warren Buffett. As part of the shuffle, Kenneth Chenault, former CEO of American Express Co., will join Berkshires board, Buffetts company said Friday in a regulatory filing. American Express ranked as Berkshires fourth-largest common stock investment at the end of 2019. Chenault also stepped down from the board of Facebook Inc.

Gates and Buffett, 89, have been friends for years. Gates joined Berkshires board in late 2004 and the pair deepened their ties in 2006, when Buffett said he would plan to give away the bulk of his fortune to charitable groups including the Gates Foundation. Buffett and Gates, both billionaires, have continued to push for more philanthropic efforts among the wealthiest, with initiatives such as The Giving Pledge.

He leaves an enduring legacy of curiosity and insight that serves as an inspiration for us all, Microsoft Chairman John Thompson said in the company statement.
Tea, apparel hope to break COVID-19 barriers View(s):

Sri Lankas tea and apparel industry are working out mechanisms on overcoming the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak by breaking barriers to get to markets and suppliers and provision of loans to cushion the industrys vulnerable sectors.

Ceylon Tea Traders Association Chairman Jayantha Karunaratne said that production had dropped but prices were much higher for low grown teas and since there is a shortage in supply the teas are being picked up at the auctions.

He noted however, that exporters were working around the border closures to get to their key markets like Iraq through Turkey.

Problems persist in the Commonwealth of Independent States countries as the industry is looking at avenues via China through the railway lines to channel Ceylon Tea into these markets. Russia is one of the biggest buyers of Ceylon Tea.

The industry is further hit by the drop in the Ruble due to the drop in oil prices in the world market. Shipments are held up in the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran as borders of other countries remain closed, he said.

Commenting on receiving their stocks of packaging material sourced from China, Mr. Karunaratne said that supplies are coming in. Metal caddies use to pack teas come from China and are used for export to some markets.

Production stopped for about two-and-a-half months but now suppliers in China were said to be in correspondence with them and shipments are coming back, he said.

Moreover, over the past few months lesser vessels plying from China had also affected shipments of tea to the West but now some movement is happening, he noted.

In addition Ceylon Tea is taking a further beating as the tea hub of Dubai is refusing to buy large quantities as most markets are closing. Dubai is limiting purchases of new stocks.

The situation in Iran is said to be bad as neither shipments of airline movements is happening between Dubai. With no mode of transportation Mr. Karunaratne explained even sending documents is not possible.

He noted that production by companies has also dropped and so have their prices due to the poor quality of the leaves. The industry is faced with an overall drop in production due to the drought.

Meanwhile, the apparel industry is likely to be further affected by an anticipated less number of orders as Europe takes a beating from the coronavirus.

Joint Apparel Association Forum General Secretary Tuly Cooray said the SME sector in the apparel industry is the worst affected.

The payment of salaries and bonuses will become a problem and the crisis would be severe due to the New Year holidays in April that would impact on salaries, overtime, attendance bonuses, bonuses and festival advances.

We requested the government to give a guarantee on a loan to be obtained from the bank to meet the salary related costs for a period of two to three months at a discussion with the relevant authorities this week, Mr. Cooray explained.

Under the government SME concession package offered this year for companies with a turnover of less than Rs.750 million those companies have been given various moratoriums and reduction of interests among others applicable only in relation to rupee loans. Now under the current crisis, the industry has requested that the government extend this to cover loans obtained in foreign currency.

At the moment we really dont know the situation  until the Italian situation gets stabilised we wont know  restriction on mobility means people are not going to malls, he said. This would mean less spend on non essentials like garments. We are expecting for the worst, Mr. Cooray said.

Large and extra-large cash flow companies are able to withstand the production and continue to be there as COVID-19 is a short term scenario, he explained.

The apparel sector is currently facing the problem of a lack of material from China but with the number of infections slowing down the industry expects all delayed shipments to come in by June or July.

We will be able to sustain the levels of last year, Mr. Cooray said adding that they remain hopeful and worried at the same time.

(SD)
A young man who was before Naas District Court on Thursday, March 5, for dangerous driving was fined 2,500.

Cillian Maher, with an address listes as 6 The View, Johnstown Manor, Johnstown, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving on July 13, 2016, at Newtown, Baltracey, Naas.

The court heard that the defendants car lost control at a bad bend around 7pm that evening and started to spin, hitting another car coming in the opposite direction.

The court heard evidence from a number of witnesses including the driver and two passengers of the car with which the defendants vehicle collided.

The injured party told the court that she was on the way to see her mother in a nursing home with her two sisters at the time of the incident. She said on going round the bend she noticed the defendants car had lost control.

I couldnt avoid it  I had nowhere to go, she said.

It was a summers evening and I was doing 40kph. It is a blind bend and I think he was going too fast for that bend. The impact blew off the bonnet and lifted the engine.

All three passengers suffered injuries from the impact and the court heard that they were lucky that they were not killed.

The solictor for the defendant, Conal Boyce, argued that the fault lay with the surface of the road which has since been resurfaced by the council.

An engineer testified in court that there was a dip in the road which, coupled with the rainfall earlier that day, caused the defendants car to spin when he breaked.

Judged Desmond Zaidan said that this was not a balanced argument. He took into account garda evidence and several witnesses. He said it was bad driving that caused the accident. He gave Mr Maher six months to pay.
Mr Osita Okechukwu, the director-general of Voice of Nigeria and chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC), has spoken on why it is imminent for Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the party to be removed including how he allegedly betrayed the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Read Also: Oshiomholes Adversaries Plotting To Weaken Party Ahead 2023  APC Chieftain

Speaking in an interview with the Sun newspaper, he further accused the embattled former labour leader of pushing the party towards the path of extinction.

His words:

Without being immodest or writing off Comrade Adams Oshiomhole entirely, I belong to the group that proposed that his urgent removal as chairman would be good for the immediate repositioning of our great party. His exit will stem the gross mismanagement of our dear party and help us to pick the broken pieces.

I read the advertorial and Im conversant with my leaders, I have great respect for them but no sincere APC member will deny the incontrovertible fact that Oshiomhole mismanaged our great party and unintentionally resurrected PDP, a political party which was on the verge of collapse in 2019 after serious internecine intra-party crisis. There is no doubt that his narcissism and dictatorial tendency cost APC several states including Adamawa, Bauchi, Rivers, Zamfara, FCT and some legislative seats in the Southeast. Recently we lost Bayelsa due to his recklessness. Otherwise who is a sane chairman that will allow a sitting senator to go for Deputy Governor? Or that will not diligently scrutinize the credentials of candidates?

Thirdly, he breached our great partys constitution and even the rules he enacted himself, like the choice he placed on advertorial for states to choose either direct and indirect mode of primary. Some states like Enugu chose indirect and he reversed it arbitrarily in the midst of gubernatorial primary. Lagos also chose indirect primary and he went ahead contrary to the choice of Lagos State Stakeholders of APC to print ballot papers for direct primary. In fact, Comrade nearly shunted Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who made him governor and chairman. If not for his sagacity, of conducting the primary with his men, Asiwaju had almost lost Lagos to his estranged godson, former governor Ambode. He quickly brushed aside the Oshiomhole primary panel and took his fate in his hand. Please cross check this fact, for I stand to be contradicted. If he can betray Asiwaju, whoelse can he spare?
: It was heartbreaking for 30-year-



old Lino Abel to helplessly watch through the window of an isolation ward the body of his father being taken home for the final journey by an ambulance.

Having rushed from Qatar, one among the coronavirus affected nations, on March 8, Abel wanted to be with his father who had been hospitalised following a fall from his bed.

However, having travel history from a COVID-19-hit country and having mild cough, he immediately reported himself to the health authorities and was admitted to the isolation ward of the medical college hospital here.

The condition of his father worsened after he suffered a stroke and he passed away on March 9.

Though Abel was in the same hospital, he could not see his father for one last time as he was in the isolation ward. As the ambulance carried his father's body, he took one last glimpse from the window of his room.

He saw the last rites of his father through video call.

"If I had not reported myself, I could've seen my dad for one last time. But I did not, because I decided not to spread the disease in case I was affected. The expats here please report to the health authorities. If you can spare a few days, you can spend rest of your time happily with your family," he wrote.

"Isolation ward is not a concentration camp", Abel wrote in his Facebook page on March 12 in which he describes his plight but points out at the importance of expatriates self quarantining themselves to protect their families.

The decision of Abel to quarantine himself despite reaching the state to visit his hospitalised father was praised by many, including chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for his (Abel's) social commitment.

"It was an extremely sad situation. The youth travelled all the way to visit his father at hospital. Though he reached here, he was unable to meet his father. He showed exemplary courage and social commitment and responsibility by getting quarantined on his own," Vijayan had said on Friday.

In the Facebook post that has become viral, Abel says he reached Kerala to spend time with his father who was hospitalised and had developed internal bleeding following a fall.

"I filled the necessary forms at the airport and reached the hospital. I kept a distance from everyone, even though my temperature reading was normal. I developed a slight cough and irritation in my throat. I thought about my family and friends and decided to meet the doctor," Abel wrote.

He met the doctor at the corona ward of the same hospital and got admitted to the isolation ward due to his travel history from Qatar.

"Later in the night, dad suffered a stroke and passed away. I was very near him but was unable to meet him because I was in the isolation ward too," he wrote.

However, his blood test result turned out to be negative on Saturday and Abel would be returning to his home in Thodupuzha in Idukki district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's opposition has staged a protest mocking a move by lawmakers to keep President Vladimir Putin in power past 2024, releasing a set of their own satirical amendments to the country's constitution. Humour and anger reign over Russians as the Kremlin-controlled lower house, the State Duma, endorsed this week a set of amendments to the constitution and a provision that resets the term count for Putin once the revisions come into force.

The measure had to be approved by two thirds of regional parliaments, the country's Constitutional Court and by a nationwide vote next month before they come into force.

All 85 regional parliaments endorsed the amendments on Thursday with very few deputies voting against. Daria Besedina was one of those few lawmakers who publicly criticised the measure at a Moscow City Council plenary.

An opposition deputy from the "Yabloko" party, Besedina attended the plenary wearing a t-shirt reading "Reset", alluding to the provision that resets Putin's terms.

The t-shirt sparked outrage and indignation from deputies of the ruling party as the writing could also have been read as "You've gone insane".

"It's incredible how painful it is for them (United Russia lawmakers), when someone mocks them, mocks Putin, his amendments and his constitution," she told the Associated Press.

Sanctioned for her outfit Besedina could not present her list of satirical amendments that included provisions calling Putin "Majesty Eternal President" and forbidding women to become president because "Vladimir Putin is a man".

"I have proposed these 50 absurd amendments to make an absurd situation more absurd," she said.

It is unclear when the Constitutional Court will now rule on the amendments approved by regional parliaments, but a nationwide vote is set for April 22.

Putin's critics called for protests, condemning the move as a way to keep him in office after he hits his term limit in 2024.

Solo pickets - the only form of protest in Russia that is legal without prior authorization from the government - have been held in Moscow since the vote in the State Duma.

Activists and analysts agree that large-scale protests will be harder to organize because of coronavirus fears that are likely to deter people from taking to the streets.
Measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic finally hit Manitoba schools on Friday with a round of closures being announced.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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13032020 School buses transfer students at Ecole Secondaire Neelin High School on Friday. The province announced Friday that all schools would be closing for three weeks beginning on March 23rd as a proactive measure to contain the spread of Coronavirus. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic finally hit Manitoba schools on Friday with a round of closures being announced.

"Today we are announcing that we will be suspending classes in Manitoba effective March 23 for a period of three weeks  a week before spring break and week after the regularly scheduled spring break," Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said at a press conference Friday afternoon at the Manitoba legislature, alongside Premier Brian Pallister, Health Minister Cameron Friesen and chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin.

"We will be asking teachers to be on the job the week before and after the regularly scheduled spring break to prepare lessons for students to do at home where possible," and for support staff to prepare schools for the return of students by doing cleaning and maintenance, Goertzen said. Child-care centres in schools will remain open during that time.

Goertzen also addressed why the school closures are not taking place immediately.

"We are announcing this impending suspension in advance so that parents and those in the education system can plan and prepare for this additional time that schools in Manitoba are not open," he said.

Brandon School Division chairwoman Linda Ross, speaking to the Sun over the phone from the ongoing annual Manitoba School Boards Association conference in Winnipeg, said the division had not had enough time to process the news to comment on the announcement.

However, she said that personally she agreed with the decision to cancel classes. "I think its in everyones best interest to do whatever we can to inhibit the spread of the virus."

She added Goertzen visited the conference after his afternoon press conference to advise those in attendance at the school boards conference.

Brandon University announced it would be cancelling all classes next week (March 16 through 20). The campus will remain open during that time.

"Our primary concern is the safety of all members of our community, and we are taking this action after careful consideration," university president David Docherty wrote in an email to members of the BU community. "There is no reason to think that anyone on campus is at immediate chance of exposure, but we are taking these prudent precautionary measures to avoid bringing people together in groups and to help prevent and slow the spread of coronavirus."

Assiniboine Community College has not cancelled any classes at this time.

The following is a roundup of how schools in Brandon are dealing with the coronavirus and what their policies for the situation are:

Brandon School Division

The Brandon School Division announced its plans for dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Friday.

While classes are cancelled from March 23 through April 13, the division posted a bulletin late Friday afternoon saying if parents needed to self-isolate their children or keep them home for social distancing, they would provide programming and support.

The same bulletin said plans are being developed to address complications that might arise as a result of the class cancellations and will be shared with parents next week.

All student trips outside of the province were cancelled during last Mondays board of trustees meeting and now all overnight student trips have also been cancelled. All off-site day trips are also being reviewed for potential cancellation.

Student assemblies and public school events have been cancelled, as well.

Staff attendance at conferences and out-of-country professional development events have been cancelled. The division had said on Monday it needed to consult with unions representing teachers and other staff before making that decision.

Students and staff are getting extra hygiene training to ensure they know how to limit the spread of any illnesses. Custodial staff are also getting extra training to make sure division facilities are getting appropriately cleaned.

Schools are being instructed to provide extra support for distance learning for any students who need to be self-isolated. Extra resources are being allocated to schools to help manage students stress related to the situation.

Staff and students who are feeling ill have been instructed to stay home and to follow self-isolation guidelines if they travel out of the province.

School buses are being disinfected twice a day to ensure cleanliness.

Updates for the divisions handling of the situation will be posted on its website at bsd.ca.

Assiniboine Community College

Assiniboine Community College launched a website on Friday outlining the colleges plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective today, all college events with 50 or more people are being cancelled or postponed until April 30. Campus group tours and the Spend A Day program for prospective students are cancelled until April 30 as well.

Campuses are staying open and no classes are being cancelled. Director of public affairs Danielle Adriaansen told the Sun on Friday that several scenarios are being considered.

These scenarios could include students being migrated to distance learning classes where possible or some classes being indefinitely postponed if they cannot be migrated to distance learning.

Staff travel outside of Manitoba has been cancelled and any exceptions must receive the approval of the colleges president. Student travel to college-sponsored events both inside and outside Manitoba have been cancelled with exceptions needing approval from the colleges vice-president academic.

External gym bookings have been cancelled and full refunds are being issued to those impacted.

Additionally, the college is stepping up its cleaning efforts and is increasing staffing to accommodate those needs.

Staff or students feeling ill are encouraged to not travel to campus. Those on campus are encouraged to practise social distancing and good hygiene habits.

A decision on if Junes graduation ceremonies will proceed has not yet been made, but the college is pledging to decide by May 1.

For the latest updates from the college, visit assiniboine.net/community/news-events/covid-19-updates.

Brandon University

While classes and events are cancelled next week, university president David Docherty said in an email to faculty and students on Friday that it will be treated like Reading Week and staff will still need to report to work.

The university is keeping its existing schedule for final exams and convocation. All university residences are staying open, but those able to return home for the week are encouraged to do so.

Despite rumours, Docherty said Thursday there were no confirmed cases of the coronavirus at the university. However, a small number of students and staff were recently at a conference where someone tested positive.

The university has set up a page on its website to outline its preparations and prevention measures being made for the coronavirus. The page outlines several actions the university is currently taking.

That includes distributing more hand sanitizer stations across campus, though the university says washing hands with soap and water is more effective when available.

Additionally, the university says it is "diligently" cleaning the campus and preparing for deep cleaning and sanitization efforts if they become necessary. Brandon University-related non-essential travel out of the province will not be approved for the time being.

The university is advising students and employees to stay home if not feeling well. Students and employees are being advised to talk with their instructors and supervisors about what they should do if they end up needing to self-isolate and work from home.

Updates at BU will be posted at brandonu.ca/safety/coronavirus/.

Keeseekoowenin School

A letter posted on Facebook dated March 13 indicates that the school at Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation will be closed from now until April 6.

 cslark@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
UPDATE: State officials announced Friday night, March 13 that the number of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Michigan is now at 25, up from the 16 referenced in this story.

LOWELL, MI -- More than 100 people lined up Friday afternoon to purchase some of the first legal recreational marijuana sold in Kent County.

First in line was Val Miller, who arrived a little more than an hour before the 4:20 p.m. Friday, March 13, opening at Meds Cafe in Lowell.

The 69-year-old Lakeview resident and longtime marijuana smoker said he never thought hed see the day when marijuana was sold in stores.

It feels good, he said. Its a free country.

Also in line was Fredrick Miller, The Stoner from Michigan. The New Paris, Indiana resident appeared in January on Jimmy Kimmel Live after a humorous interview with a local TV station at the opening of a dispensary in Niles went viral.

Its like a candy store -- anything that you could possibly want, Miller said of Meds Cafe. I imagine that everyone who steps in there is going to take their time and ... window shop a little bit, because theres weed in there I havent even heard of before, man.

Miller was paid by Meds Cafe to attend the opening, he said.

I couldnt have ever imagined this happening to me, so I am super thankful, he said. Its been a great opportunity. I get to be myself and hang out with people.

Related: Stoner from Michigan interviewed on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Meds Cafe opened Friday with 16 strains of marijuana flower, some edibles, THC extracts, smoking paraphernalia and more.

Despite coronavirus concerns, two other West Michigan recreational marijuana shops -- KKind in Kalamazoo Township and Bella Sol Wellness Centers in Muskegon -- opened Friday as well.

Related: Kalamazoos first recreational marijuana shop opens despite coronavirus

Meds Cafe staff encouraged anyone with symptoms to remain home and ensured crowds were under 250 people. Certain types of gatherings of more than 250 people are prohibited in Michigan, per an executive order signed Friday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

As of Friday, 16 positive cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Michigan. Whitmer has declared a state of emergency and ordered all K-12 school buildings to close from March 16 through April 5.

Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack, who represents a portion of Grand Rapids, was in attendance for what he called a historic day.

Its just good to see this underground industry finally be regulated, Womack said. Our citizens are going to travel to buy it, so we might as well have them here where the taxes can go back into public safety, education and things that can help them and their children here in our county.

Meds Cafe officials estimate theyll hire around 20 employees. Scott Schroeder and Michael Atkins, the founders and owners of Meds Cafe, have one other Meds Cafe location. That dispensary is located near Rogers City.

Related: Lowell is one of a handful of cities in West Michigan allowing recreational marijuana.

The only other city in Kent County currently allowing recreational marijuana facilities is Grand Rapids. City leaders wont be taking license applications for recreational marijuana shops until at least April 20, 2020.

Grand Rapids only has one medical marijuana provisioning center open for business.

Read more:

Its about time: Patients can get medical marijuana from facility in Grand Rapids

Weve been waiting our whole lives for this: recreational pot shop opens in West Michigan

Grand Rapids reverses delay on marijuana applications hours after voting for it
Gardai have said that drug units across the country "need to pay particular attention" to which properties they raid in the coming weeks because of coronavirus, according to senior sources.

"All planned drugs searches need to be operationally accessed now. That does not mean that the drug dealers are going to get off," a senior source said last night.

"But what it might mean is that gardai will not be carrying out the raid as originally planned in a normal environment before this crisis developed."

Gardai said it was a "decision-making process" in relation to which properties they may raid in the coming days, based on "multiple factors" and not just the quantity of illegal drugs stored in a suspected location.

"Drugs units and all specialist national units are working as normal. Of course, the virus situation has meant their work requires particular attention," a senior source said last night.

Senior garda management have also denied that they will discontinue large-scale checkpoints targeting drink and drug-drivers because of hygiene concerns over the virus.

"There could still be checkpoints, but that will be up to local garda management, but perhaps they need to be minimised in a major way to stop any infection," a senior source said.

"Gardai are now more likely to use traditional powers of arrest in relation to drink and drug-driving offences.

"For example, detecting drivers who are driving erratically or having a smell of alcohol from their person, but at this stage Garda HQ are not saying that the checkpoints are over."

Meanwhile, the cell areas of two of the biggest garda stations in the country remained in lockdown last night because of virus concerns.

A number of gardai have been placed in isolation after three foreign nationals were taken to Store Street and Kevin Street stations by officers from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

In Store Street, a Brazilian couple were awaiting test results for a second day with a source describing it as a "complete and utter joke that these prisoners have not yet been tested".

Drafted

It came as it emerged yesterday that more than 300 garda students are to be drafted into the force in an effort to limit the effects of coronavirus.

Gardai announced several measures in relation to the delay phase of Covid-19.

A contingency roster will come into effect from Monday and will see current garda members rostered, along with around 325 students at the Garda College who will be attested as garda members next week and allocated to stations nationally in the coming weeks.

In a letter to members yesterday, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris described the situation as an "exceptional event" and said a "Covid-19 co-ordination unit" had been set up in Garda Headquarters "to ensure a co-ordinated approach when dealing with issues around the Covid-19 virus". The unit will operate on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week.

As part of the measures announced yesterday, members of An Garda Siochana scheduled to avail of the severance package on April 1 have now been invited to defer their retirement for three months so that they too can help to bolster the garda team.

Annual leave will also be restricted to no more than 5pc of a Divisional/Bureau workforce at any given time.

As a result of the special circumstances, garda members of all ranks who have reached compulsory retirement age can apply to remain in the force for an extra 12 months.

Garda members working as tutors and instructors at the Garda College will also be deployed to operational duties or essential training services.

Training at the college will be deferred until further notice except for specialist training activity like firearms, driver and armed support.

Meanwhile, last night the Irish Prison Service said it was in discussion with the Department of Justice about a number of contingency measures to reduce the number of people in custody "in a controlled manner".

"The primary factor in the consideration of any prisoner for early release is public safety," the statement said.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 14, 2020 - 08:24 | Japan, All

The Japanese government has said it will provide $7.5 million in emergency aid to three East African countries affected by locust infestations that are threatening agricultural production in the area.

The aid for Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia, which are facing food shortages due to locust swarms, will be used for food distribution and to boost the resilience of small-scale farmers against natural disasters, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.



(Locust)

[Getty/Kyodo]

The food aid to prevent malnutrition will be provided through the World Food Program. Kenya will be allocated $3.6 million, while Somalia and Djibouti will receive $3.1 million and $800,000, respectively.

"Kenya is facing its worst locust outbreak in 70 years," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. "We are concerned about the serious damage."

The desert locust plague, which originated in Africa, is currently also affecting Middle Eastern and South Asian countries. Swarms can vary from less than 1 square kilometer to several hundred square km, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Such swarms can move 150 km each day, devastating rural livelihoods.

Each adult can eat roughly its own weight in vegetation per day, about 2 grams, meaning a swarm 1 square km in size containing about 40 million locusts can consume the same amount of food as around 35,000 people in a day, according to the FAO.

Recent weather in East Africa has created conditions conducive to rapid locust reproduction. Left unchecked, the numbers of crop-devouring insects there could grow by 500 times by June, the U.N. organization warned in January.
Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders both outlined plans to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus this week, but laid out remarkably different visions of how best to tackle the deadly outbreak.

The 2020 rivals slammed the Trump administrations approach to containing the virus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, while trying to position themselves as the best person to steer the U.S. through the crisis in separate speeches from their respective hometowns in Burlington, Vermont and Wilmington, Delaware.

Biden, the party frontrunner and building a nearly insurmountable delegate lead during Tuesdays primaries, released a litany of policy proposals and emphasized the need for solidarity and trust in science.

CORONAVIRUS PUTS PAID SICK LEAVE BENEFITS UNDER SCRUTINY

Unfortunately, this virus laid bare the severe shortcomings of the current administration, Biden said. Public fears are being compounded by a pervasive lack of trust in this president fueled by [an] adversarial relationship with the truth that he continues to have.

Biden laid out a multi-pronged plan for combating the disease, including guaranteeing free tests for those who need it, rushing resources to hospitals and health care workers to ensure theyre equipped to handle the pandemic and creating a fund for paid sick leave, capped out at $1,400 per week, or about $72,800 in annual earnings.

The former vice president also used his 20-minute speech to attack President Trump for the slow rollout of testing kits and called for the creation of hundreds of mobile sites and drive-through testing centers to speed up the process. The U.S. has tested an estimated 10,000 individuals for the disease, according to Politico, while countries like South Korea have been testing about 10,000 per day.

WHAT COULD A BAILOUT FOR THE CRUISE, HOTEL AND AIRLINE INDUSTRIES LOOK LIKE?

Ninety minutes after Biden spoke, Sanders offered his own dark assessment of the outbreak, calling for swift and drastic measures to stem the spread of the disease. That includes guaranteeing unemployment insurance and building homeless shelters to an immediate moratorium on evictions.

Story continues

The crisis we face from the coronavirus is on a scale of a major war, and we must act accordingly, he said. The number of casualties may actually be even higher than what the armed forces experienced in World War II. In other words, we have a major, major crisis and we must act accordingly.

Sanders also used coronavirus to make the argument for his signature policy issue, Medicare-for-all, which would extend government-run insurance to all Americans.

During a crisis, we must make sure that we care for the communities most vulnerable to the health and economic pain that is coming, Sanders said. The coronavirus is already causing a global economic meltdown, which is impacting people throughout the world and in our own country  and it is especially dangerous for low-income and working-class families.

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- Actor Uche Maduagwu is back again with a message for yet another Nollywood star

- The actor took to his Instagram page to prophesy into the life of Genevieve Nnaji

- According to him, she will give birth to a baby boy after she gets married

Controversial Nollywood actor Uche Maduagwu recently took to social media to prophesy some pretty interesting things into the life of an icon in the movie industry, Genevieve Nnaji.

According to him, Nnaji will become the proud mother of a handsome boy. Describing her as a colleague and a legend, he urged her to write down the prophecy before others claimed it by faith.

Maduagwu went on to mock the actresses who he claimed were of the belief that Nnaji would never carry her own son.

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He wrote: "#Omg, congrats in advance to a colleague and legend... Its a boy, #wow, finally my dear sister too will become a proud #mother of a #handsome boy, dear @genevievennaji kindly write this prophecy before other women claim it by faith.

#GenevieveNnaji is not just a colleague but also a legend in #Nollywood, shame on all the actresses who thought this beautiful #actress will never carry her own son, are they God that gives male children? Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning, congrats Genevieve, after #marriage, you too will carry a #baby boy."

See post below:

Still on celebrities, beautiful and talented Nollywood actress, Ini Edo is one lady who knows how to make her fans go crazy with excitement over her fashionable photos.

Just recently, the Akwa Ibom-born actress took to her Instagram page to share a series of beautiful selfies.

In the photos, the actress is seen rocking a black full lace front wig, with stunning makeup on. A fan took to the comment section to imagine her as his spiritual wife.

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In other news, Nollywood actress, Ronke Ojo-Anthony popularly known as Ronke Oshodi Oke, recently opened up about herself in an interview with The Culture Newspaper. She spoke about her life as an actor and how fame has changed her life.

Speaking on how she got into the movie industry, Ronke revealed that while her mother was partially supportive of her dreams, her father kicked against it. However, it did not stop her from pursuing her acting career.

Omotola Jalade vs Genevieve Nnaji: who is a better actress? | Legit TV

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Children have fewer symptoms and less severe disease from infection with the novel coronavirus, according to a review of studies which suggests that kids infected by a household contact often show symptoms before them.

The review, published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, noted that the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, seems to cause fewer symptoms and less severe disease in children compared with adults.

According to the researchers, including Petra Zimmerman from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and Nigel Curtis from the University of Melbourne in Australia, children are just as likely as adults to become infected with the virus, but are less likely to be unwell or develop severe symptoms.

"However, the importance of children in transmitting the virus remains uncertain," the scientists cautioned in the study.

"Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infection and disease in animals, capable of rapid mutation and recombination, leading to novel viruses that can spread from animals to humans," they said.

According to the study, there are four coronaviruses that circulate in humans, mostly causing respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms -- ranging from the common cold to severe disease.

Over the past two decades, the scientists said there have been three major disease outbreaks due to novel coronaviruses -- SARS-CoV in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and now SARS-CoV-2 in 2019. "The term COVID-19 is used for the clinical disease caused by SARS-CoV-2," the researchers explained.

While transmission of SARS-CoV-2 appears similar to that of the related SARS and MERS coronaviruses, the new virus has a lower fatality rate, they said.

While it can still cause serious and life-threatening infections -- particularly in older people and those with pre-existing health conditions, the scientists said, children appear to have milder clinical symptoms than adults, and tend to be at substantially lower risk of severe disease.

They said this was also true in the SARS and MERS epidemics.

Based on data from China since February 2020, the study noted that children and adolescents accounted for only two percent of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations.

However, they said children are less frequently symptomatic, and have less severe symptoms they are less often tested, leading to an underestimate of the true numbers infected.

The researchers added that children are also less frequently exposed to the main sources of transmission.

"Most infected children recover one to two weeks after the onset of symptoms, and no deaths had been reported by February 2020," the researchers wrote in the study.

The scientists said most reported infections with SARS-CoV-2 have occurred in children with a documented household contact, adding that kids with COVID-19 may be more likely to develop gastrointestinal symptoms.

In the review, the researchers also assessed the diagnostic findings of children with COVID-19.

They said whole genome sequencing approaches have enabled rapid development of molecular diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2, adding that treatment, for now, is supportive without any specific antiviral medications available.

For developing new drugs and vaccines against the deadly virus some approaches target a "spike glycoprotein" involved in interactions between coronaviruses and human cells, the study noted.

Until such treatment and preventive measures are available, the researchers said the need of the hour is a "highly effective global public health response" similar to the one that led to containment of the SARS epidemic.
Made In Chelsea star Olivia Bentley has emotionally revealed that she thought she would never date anyone after losing her hair at 16.

The Celebs Go Dating star, 24, has spoken about alopecia in a bid to raise awareness of the condition in a new candid interview.

Olivia emotionally admitted that when she was first diagnosed she thought she was 'ugly' but has now used humour as a coping mechanism.

Confident: Made In Chelsea star Olivia Bentley has emotionally revealed that she thought she would never date anyone after losing her hair at 16 (pictured earlier this week)

Talking to The Sun, she said: 'When I first got alopecia, it stressed me out beyond belief. I thought, no one is going to want to date me, I'm so ugly, I'm so un-girly.

'For a long time I felt ugly because I didn't have the thick long hair that everyone else had.'

Olivia, who wears a wig on Celebs Go Dating, went on to talk about her experience on the E4 show and added that she wears sunglasses on the top of her head to stop it 'f***ing flying off'.

Candid: The Celebs Go Dating star, 24, has spoken about alopecia in a bid to raise awareness of the condition in a new candid interview

Dating: Olivia, who wears a wig on Celebs Go Dating, went on to talk about her experience on the E4 show and added that she wears sunglasses on the top of her head to stop it 'f***ing flying off'

She said: 'When the wind blows and there's no hair on the back of my head I always think what the hell do people think is going on.'

The star revealed that she always tells a love interest before kissing them and that she removes her wig at night if she's seeing someone, adding that her suitors are always so 'unfazed'.

It comes after Olivia caught the fancies of two suitors who arm wrestled for her attention on a recent episode of Celebs Go Dating.

On a date with roofer Dom, the star put aside her usual jokey demeanour and was upfront about her wig, adding that she wanted to use her platform to raise awareness for her condition.

Romance? Earlier this week, the reality star and her Celebs Go Dating pal Joshua Ritchie, 25, were seen arriving at the Park Lane Hilton in London, following the TRIC Awards (pictured with Dean Gaffney, right)

Later in the series the star shared a sneaky snog with former Oxford University student Alex who she called her 'perfect man'.

On Thursday Olivia sent temperatures soaring as she shared a racy topless snap on Instagram.

She left little to the imagination as she posed in nothing but a neon orange lace thong for the steamy bathtub post.

Earlier this week, the reality star and her Celebs Go Dating pal Joshua Ritchie, 25, were seen arriving at the Park Lane Hilton in London, following the TRIC Awards.

Sizzling: On Thursday Olivia sent temperatures soaring as she shared a racy topless snap on Instagram
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: With nine more coronavirus cases confirmed in Maharashtra on Saturday, the state has overtaken Kerala to have the highest number of cases in the country with 26. Of these, ten have been quarantined in Pune, five in Mumbai, four in Nagpur, two in Yavatmal and one each in Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Thane, Panvel and Ahmednagar.

Most of the coronavirus patients in the state had returned from the UAE, France and the US and their average age is 40. The Maharashtra government has already invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 to prevent large gatherings and cancelled religious and public functions across the state.

The government also issued a notification on Saturday to close down schools and colleges across the state till March end although the exams will be held as per schedule. Theatres, gyms and swimming pools will be also closed till the end of the month.

LISTEN | India's first coronavirus patient on how she was cured

Four coronavirus suspects who were admitted to the Nagpur Mayo civil hospital had run away late on Friday night without informing hospital authorities. However, the police tracked them down and brought them back to the hospital on Saturday afternoon.

"These patients came to know that one coronavirus positive patient is also in the same hospital. They were afraid that if they came in contact with the patients, then they would also be infected. People should take the epidemic seriously and not put the lives of others in danger," said Nagpur collector Ravindra Thakre.

Thakre said they had also identified the families of these four patients and others who had come in contact with them. "We are taking their blood samples and asked them not to mingle with anyone else until their test reports are out. People should come forward and cooperate to prevent the virus spreading to other regions," he added.

Dr Rajendra Shingane, the food and drug minister, said a couple in Yawatmal was also suspected to have been infected with the virus. "We told them not to come in contact with other people. Despite this warning, they left their homes. Then we have to use the police force to detain them in their home only. We have taken their samples for testing. We have also deployed the police permanently at their house," he said.

He also said that he had called a meeting with sanitizer producers. "We told them this is an emergency situation so there should be no shortage of sanitizers. People should not hoard it. We also appealed to them to increase the manpower in their firms so that they can raise production. The sanitizer is not the solution to end the coronavirus but it is one of the preventive measures to keep ourselves clean," he added.

Shingane said the raw material for sanitizers comes from China. "China is also facing the coronavirus so there are some difficulties in importing the raw material. However, we will find a solution soon. We have told the firms to find an alternative that can be used to produce sanitizers," he said.
Due to the global health crisis, she's been forced to continue her international vacation, and she's taking full advantage and living up life in Abu Dhabi to the fullest.

Model and influencer Jordyn Woods updated her Instagram Story Saturday morning with images from a racetrack in the premiere United Arab Emirates destination, where she's been marooned since being unable to secure a flight back home as planned due to coronavirus.

Jordyn, 22, uploaded a stream of selfies and video from inside a race car around the track, as well as from a Ferrari showroom.

Making the best of it: Jordyn Woods updated her Instagram Saturday morning with images from a racetrack in Abu Dhabi, where she's been marooned since being unable to secure a flight back home as planned due to coronavirus

In one snap, the former friend of Kylie Jenner has a frank look on her face as she site in the vehicle with a helmet on, underneath which is a white sheer headwrap.

She wears a textured pink tank top and a leather jacket in the image.

Jordyn's makeup is beyond impeccable, with perfect eyebrows, heavy lashes and very shiny glossed pink lips.

Another image shows Woods kneeling near the track in olive green pants and black combat boots, with her hands up making a 'westcoast' sign.

West coast represent: Another image shows Woods kneeling near the track in olive green pants and black combat boots, with her hands up making a 'westcoast' sign

Wistful: Jordyn's makeup is beyond impeccable, with perfect eyebrows, heavy lashes and very shiny glossed pink lips

She also wears an on-trend bum bag across her frame.

The day prior, she documented her encounter with another vehicle on the trip, although that one involved a thankfully not-serious mishap.

Both Jordyn and her younger sister Jodie were on a jet ski, which they somehow managed to capsize in the ocean waves.

Ride or die: Woods uploaded a stream of selfies and video from inside a race car around the track, as well as from a Ferrari showroom

The day prior: Jordyn documented her encounter with another vehicle on the trip, although that one involved a thankfully not-serious mishap

Oops: Both Jordyn and her younger sister Jodie were on a jet ski, which they somehow managed to capsize in the ocean waves

She wrote over that snippet, 'Leave it to @jodiewoods and I to flip this' adding crying laughing emojis.

Before that, Jordyn headed out clubbing and spent a day at the beach with mom Elizabeth and Jodie, sharing further photos and videos on Instagram on Thursday and Friday.

While the Woods family are trying to cut the trip short and return home amid the global virus pandemic, Jordyn also explained to her fans on Instagram that the 'first available flight for us isnt for a couple of days so Im taking full advantage & enjoying this view'.

For that post, she modeled a yellow bikini in the stunning turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf.

Taking advantage: Jordyn explained to her fans on Instagram that the 'first available flight for us isnt for a couple of days so Im taking full advantage & enjoying this view'
The FDAs decision, years in the making, to ban the use of the electric shock device is a hard-fought victory and a testament to what is possible when disability advocates fight their hardest for change and for the civil rights of people with disabilities, said Peter Berns, the organizations top executive. We hope the ban is a significant step in ending the use of all aversive procedures on people with disabilities, who deserve to be supported with dignity.
In a tweet on 9 March, Faghihi accused Saeed Namaki the Minister of Health of the Iranian regime, and said, Mr. Namaki, dont you want to announce the real statistics of the coronavirus deaths? OK, I will do your job.

Dear Iranian people! The number of Coronavirus suspected fatalities is close to 2000 in the country (ten times the official figure). More than 130 people died in Tehran and Gilan only yesterday. Mr. Namaki, dont add salt on peoples injuries!

Mostafa Faghihis tweet over the coronavirus death toll

The death toll provided in Mustafa Faghihis tweet, which was very close to that of the Peoples Mojahedin (MEK/PMOI), forced the regime to quickly retract this revelation.

Faghihi who, by this inevitable confession, had crossed the red line of the regime, was forced to step back just two hours later, denying his tweet, and wrote:

The statistics I released a few hours ago were incorrect; my previous tweets about the coronavirus were misinterpreted. My emphasis was on suspected coronavirus (infections), which could be flu or any other disease.

There is no place in the cemeteries the statistics are not real.

Given this fact, it can be said that the mullahs have lost control over the death toll. This is not the first example of a leak in the actual news of the coronavirus victims outside the government circle.

Jafar Imanzadeh, the representative of Gilan in the regimes parliament on 8 March, revealed in a conversation with the regimes Ruydad website the real statistics about the coronavirus deaths:

To be frank, the statistics of the coronavirus infections and deaths are correct, but not true because we do not test everyone. So, people who are suspected or die of coronavirus symptoms are not in the statistics. The cemeteries dont have enough places and the bodies are buried on top of each other. I do not want to cause panic, but I must be frank and say that many people with coronavirus symptoms have died in the province, but they are not included in the statistics because they were not tested. It seems that only 30 to 40 people in the province die every day from the disease, and the statistics are not accurate.

He further stated that more than 300 people had died in Gilan province because of the coronavirus and said:

The statistics of coronavirus sufferers and victims are horrible and even test kits are not available for testing suspicious people There is no bed for new Coronavirus patients in Rasht and the vicinity We need new medical staff in the city of Rasht and its surroundings because many doctors and nurses are infected with coronavirus or are unable to serve because of fatigue.

The denial of this news shows how much the regimes top officials are frightened of peoples awareness of the more realistic statistics of the coronavirus deaths, especially if expressed by regime insiders. This is because the difference between the real statistics and the announced statistics of the regime again highlights the mismanagement and corruption by the criminal rule of this regime.

Read More:

Iran Regimes Criminal Secrecy of Coronavirus Outbreak Resulted in Growing Fatalities

Coronavirus Cover-up in Iran Is Killing People

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The truncated week for the Indian market turned into a nightmare for bulls as investors lost over Rs 15 lakh crore in terms of market capitalisation (m-cap) on the BSE in just four trading sessions.

Benchmark indices, after witnessing their worst fall in absolute terms, staged a smart recovered once the lower circuit filter was lifted on March 13. The Sensex reclaimed the 34,000 mark and the Nifty is back above 9,900.

For the week-ended March 13, the Sensex and Nifty plunged 9.2 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively. The benchmark indices logged their worst week since July last year.

Investor wealth, as defined by m-cap, fell more than Rs 15 lakh crore on the BSE. The average m-cap of the BSE-listed companies fell to Rs 129.26 lakh crore as on March 13 from Rs 144.31 lakh crore on March 6, a fall of 10.43 percent.

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

Over 300 constituents of the BSE 500 index fell 10-40 percent. Of these, around 75 stocks plunged 20-40 percent. These include: NCC, Corporation Bank, Adani Power, Welspun Corp and Future Retail.





The market recovery was led by positive global cues after reports suggested that a stimulus package by the US Federal Reserve would help limit the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, panic selling was seen across global markets after the virus was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. European nations, US, Iran and others too registered an increase in the number of infections. Foreign investors have been net sellers to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore this week. In March so far, they have pulled out over Rs 30,000 crore from the cash segment, provisional data from SEBI showed. Experts feel sentiment around the spread of the virus will continue to drive market sentiment in the near term and hence advise investors to tread with caution. Ritesh Asher, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at KIFS Trade Capital, expects the Nifty to pullback to 10,000-10,500 levels. However, he does not rule out further selling pressure if the solution for the coronavirus pandemic is not discovered soon.

Note: Here is a list of top 50 constituents from the BSE 500 index that fell 20-40%
Numerous churches cancel public worship services

Numerous churches in the area canceled services Sunday, including at least two large downtown and the six campuses of Biltmore Church.

Here are some updates. (The list is by no means complete, as this is an evolving situation and not all churches update their websites or make announcements to the news media about closings and cancellations.) Several large churches said they plan to livestream Sunday services without public worship.

Biltmore Church: As the largest public weekly gathering in Western North Carolina, Biltmore Church feels a burden to protect the health and safety of the community were blessed to call home. In light of the increasing concerns about COVID-19 and based on the recommendations of government agencies and officials, we will not be having public worship services at any of our six Western North Carolina campuses this Sunday, March 15. Instead, we invite you to join us at 9:15 or 11 am on www.biltmorechurch.com/live or on Biltmore Church Facebook page for a full online worship service.

First United Methodist Church, March 15 and March 22. Services are livestreamed.

First Baptist Church. Services are streamed on the church's Facebook page and broadcast on WHKP-1450 AM. The Rev. Steve Scoggins will preach a sermon entitled "Calm & Cautious."

First Presbyterian Church on Yarborough Street canceled Sunday services.

Visit church websites for updates and complete statements.
Mumbai, March 14 : As the government on Saturday notified the reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank, major private banks have come out with investment commitments for the crisis-hit bank.

Federal Bank on Saturday announced that it would invest Rs 300 crore in Yes bank by subscribing to its 30 crore shares of Rs 2 each for cash, at a premium of Rs 8 per equity share.

With this, six private banks have now committed investment of Rs 3,700 crore in the cash-strapped private sector bank.

On Friday, ICICI Bank and Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd announced that they will be investing Rs 1,000 crore each in Yes Bank's equity. Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank will be investing Rs 600 crore and Rs 500 crore respectively, while Bandhan Bank will be investing Rs 300 crore.

State Bank of India's board has already approved up to 49 per cent stake purchase in Yes Bank, as per the RBI's reconstruction scheme for the bank. It had said on Thursday that an investment of Rs 7,250 crore would be made in Yes Bank to pick up 725 crore equity shares.

Both ICICI and HDFC Bank are likely to have five per cent shareholding each in the restructured Yes Bank. In its regulatory filing, HDFC Bank had said its investment of Rs 1,000 crore would be completed by March 31.

In a regulatory filing on Saturday, Federal Bank said the Bank has issued an equity commitment letter to invest Rs 300 crore in Yes Bank Ltd.

The banks will acquire equity shares of Rs 2 each of Yes Bank Limited, at a premium of Rs 8 per equity share, which means they would buy shares at Rs 10 each under the proposed Scheme of Reconstruction of Yes Bank Limited under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

On Friday, the Union Cabinet approved the Reserve Bank-proposed reconstruction plan for Yes Bank that got notified the next day. Under the terms of the scheme, the State Bank along with other private investors would pump in equity.

While SBI will be anchor bank with investment upto 49 per cent equity of Yes Bank, it will have to hold at least 26 per cent stake in the private bank for a minimum period of three years. Similarly, the other investors, including the private banks and existing shareholders of Yes bank holding more than 100 shares will also be mandated to have a similar lock-in period for 75 per cent of their investment in the bank.

The authorised share capital of the Yes Bank will be revised upwards from Rs 1,100 crore to Rs 6,200 crore.

Sources said that Radhakishan Damani, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Azim Premji Trust may also pick up some equity in Yes bank. However, this could not be independently verified.

As per experts, Yes Bank would require over Rs 20,000 crore to avoid a collapse. So far the committed investment amount stands at over Rs 11,000 crore, which is just about half of the initial assessment.

Sources said the government and SBI are trying to get in more investors including overseas funds. It is felt that presence of SBI and other private banks will encourage other investors to put their money in Yes Bank.

Life Insurance Corp, which has over 8 per cent stake in the bank is also being looked at for participation, but SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar has reportedly said that they have not approached the insurer.

As per the terms of reconstruction scheme, Yes Bank's moratorium will be lifted at 1600 hours on Wednesday. The office of the administrator shall also stand vacated after seven days from the cessation of moratorium and the new Board will take over the bank.

Last week, the RBI placed Yes Bank under moratorium and capped the withdrawal limit at Rs 50,000 till April 3, due to deteriorating financial health of the bank. The central bank also superseded Yes Bank's board of directors and appointed former SBI CFO Prashant Kumar as its administrator. He has now been nominated as the new CEO qand managing director of Yes Bank.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Girl Scouts of North East Ohio has canceled selling cookies at grocery store booths, reconsidering their stance after Gov. Mike DeWine banned mass gatherings.

Girl Scouts were slated to begin their annual cookie booths on Friday. But after DeWine called off mass gatherings, including school for three weeks, the organization reconsidered.

Girl Scouts are working to reschedule as many booths as possible for April. Meanwhile, digital cookie sales will reopen on Friday so that girls can sell online and drop cookies off on porches.

The cookies -- $5 a box -- are the main fundraiser for troops, to pay for patches and activities, including camp.

We dont want troops to worry about the economic impact of their unsold cookies, CEO Jane Christyson wrote in a letter.

Girl Scouts on Tuesday had sent a letter stressing that the decision whether to sell was up to each troop.

I believe our volunteers are very smart, know how to seek expert advice, inspire our girls rise to a challenge and most of all know how to keep our girls safe. I also think our girls are very smart, have grit, think critically, and trust the volunteers that lead them. I know each member will monitor trusted expert sources, like the CDC, and will make the best decision for themselves and their Girl Scout sisters, every day in this ever-changing landscape called life. Thats what a Girl Scout does, the letter says.

The news worried cookie managers and troop leaders on the Girl Scouts Facebook page. In full disclosure, Im a Girl Scout leader.

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio have 40,000 members and 8,000 booth slots at grocery stores.

Read more Ohio coronavirus coverage:

Hypertension could be a leading factor in coronavirus deaths: Heres what to know

Coronavirus timeline: How the coronavirus spread from cases in China to Ohio in less than three months

Mad about coronavirus cancellations? Heres why mitigating the curve matters

Cleveland Cavaliers not currently showing symptoms of coronavirus, wont be tested unless they do, sources say
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a 24 member delegation from Jammu and Kashmir's Apni Party on Saturday (March 14, 2020) at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi. The party delegation was led by Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari.

During the interaction, PM Modi called for Janbhagidari in transforming Jammu and Kashmir and emphasized on the importance of an administration that gives voice to the people. He also said that democracy in the region could be strengthened through a fast-moving process of political integration.

Speaking on youth empowerment, Prime Minister said that youth should act as catalytic agents for the development of Jammu & Kashmir. He highlighted the importance of skill development and creating new employment opportunities for the youth to bring in an overall transformation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister also discussed various issues like concerns on demographic changes, delimitation exercise and grant of state domicile with the members of the newly formed party.



Prime Minister assured full support to the party delegation and asserted that the government is committed to the economic development of the region through an extensive focus on infrastructure development and creating new investment opportunities in sectors like tourism and assured full support by the government to resolve all the issues being faced by the territory.

PM underlined that the Government will work with all sections of the population to realize the hopes of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at an early opportunity.

Meanwhile, Altaf Bukhari lauded the governments decision to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35-A in Jammu and Kashmir and thanked the Prime Minister for his unstinted support and untiring efforts towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation of the newly formed party also appreciated the efforts of the government, security agencies and the people of Jammu and Kashmir towards maintaining peace and security in the region.
Belfast: Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster was one of a number of policymakers criticised in an inquiry into the so-called "cash for ash" scandal that caused a three-year suspension of the province's government.

Northern Ireland's political establishment was rocked in 2016 when it emerged that farmers were heating barns night and day to burn as many wood pellets as they could to take advantage of a flawed green-energy subsidy that gave them 1.60 ($3) for every 1 spent.

First Minister of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster attends the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 at Westminster Abbey on Monday. Credit:Getty Images

The scheme, which was overseen by Foster, then enterprise minister, exposed Northern Ireland to hundreds of millions of pounds in costs and led to Irish nationalists Sinn Fein walking out of the power-sharing government with Foster's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) over her role.

A judge-led inquiry found that Foster should not have signed off on documents provided by officials which did not contain all necessary information, but that she had been ill advised by her special advisors and department staff.
The Cannes Film Festival has not yet been cancelled because of coronavirus, but an insider has stressed its extremely unlikely it will take place following the pandemic.

A new report with the headline Le Festival de Cannes naura pas lieu  which translates as Cannes Festival is not going to take place  started doing the rounds on Saturday afternoon (14 March).

However, it has only been reported that an official decision will not be made until 15 April, when the full programme is set to be unveiled.

The organisers decision will then be reported the following day.

Despite the fact the festival is yet to be called of, an official associated with Cannes said that it will be difficult, if not impossible to select films from China, Iran etc knowing that actors cant move around.

The insider added that, should the event proceed, "showing the films in a large room will not longer be authorised."

Another point to note is that the events sponsors are reportedly hoping it will be cancelled so they do not have to be involved in a festival under intense scrutiny.

Should Cannes go ahead, it will be one of the only events to have evaded cancellation following the coronavirus pandemic, which has been labelled the biggest health crisis in a century by French president Emmanuel Macron

Speaking after the French governments ban on gatherings of more than 100 people on Friday (13 April), a festival spokesperson said: The latest restriction comes from a plan (by the government) that we hope will start to bear results in April, and by then we will know if the events scheduled for May, at Cannes and elsewhere, will be maintained.

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The festivals director Thierry Fremaux said in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde that preparations were continuing with the hope that coronavirus cases will start decreasing by May.

We have a tradition of saying the Cannes Film Festival is the first sign of summertime, he said. To remain optimistic and keep our fighting spirit, lets say that this year Cannes will be the first world event where well (celebrate) life again.

Find a full list of everything thats been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the outbreak here.
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Prenatal yoga encourages future mamas to embrace their innate wisdom enabling empowered parenthood from the womb to the wonder years. Pregnant women prepare for birth and parenthood, connect with like-minded women to build community and help to alleviate pregnancy discomforts. Our gently flowing practice will help you to improve circulation, ease digestion, strengthen your uterus and pelvic floor muscles, and simply make you more at ease throughout your pregnancy. We take plenty of time to share and address common challenges we face over the prenatal journey. Through strengthening and stretching, breath work, meditation, and relaxation you will enhance your confidence and nurture connection with your baby and enjoy the beauty of pregnancy and birth.
March 10 marked 1,000 days since the Grenfell fire. With the reopening of the inquiry on March 2, witnesses from the companies and entities responsible for the tragedy provided further revelations of wanton criminality.

Phase two of proceedings were halted on January 29, shortly after opening, pending a decision by the Attorney Generals office granting immunity from prosecution to witnesses in relation to anything they tell the inquiry. The reopened hearings focused on three witnesses from Studio E Architectsdesigners of the 201416 Grenfell Tower refurbishment. These included Andrzej Kuszell, founder, senior architect and a director; Bruce Sounes, another senior architect; and Neil Crawford, who had responsibility for day-to-day management of the project.

It emerged that Studio E had been chosen to oversee the refurbishment of the tower without any competitive process, interview, or other competence check. Council to the Inquiry, Richard Millett QC, noted that their selection after designing neighbouring Kensington Aldridge academy was cheap, convenient, quick, even though Grenfell Tower was a completely different kind of project with different challenges.

Kuszell admitted that if the project had been contested, Studio E would not have been chosen.

The company had no experience with such a project. The Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO)which managed Grenfell Tower on behalf of the Conservative-run Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelseaknew exactly what our skill set was. He confirmed his team was not experienced in overcladding a residential tower block. The designers confessed they were so green on process and technicality, they would have to learn rapidly.

Project manager Neil Crawford was not fully qualified as an architect. Bruce Sounes had never worked on a high-rise project or with polyethylene composite materials. Internal emails showed the architects concern that the early budgets and fee of 99,000 were too low to cover the needed work. As for the KCTMO, Sounes had described its early design idea changes as headless chickens, a chaotic mess, warning Kuszell that the project was being treated like a poor relative.

Sounes admitted he never read cladding fire regulations, requiring external walls can adequately resist the spread of fire. He never viewed a diagram showing how buildings of different heights needed to meet specific safety regulations. He did not know aluminium panels could melt and spread flames, had no idea that cladding had caused fires on other buildings, confessed no knowledge of the rapid spread of fire in such circumstances, and had no experience designing cavity barriers.

For all these protestations, for Sounes and Studio what mattered above all was the bottom line. Sounes admitted that Studio E, at the request of KCTMO, manipulated its fees to stop the contract from being put to open tender. He deferred charging some fees, and by December 2012 stopped invoicing entirely when it approached the cost threshold of 174,000. This limit was set at the time by the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), under the European procurement rules.

Documents from the time clearly indicate that both parties were far more concerned with costs than safety. Writing a note for a July 24, 2012 meeting, Sounes observed that the TMO would like ... the total fee up until stage D not exceeding 174k which is the OJEU threshold for requiring work to be tendered. This will probably mean deferring some fees.

Engineers had agreed to massage fire safety at Grenfell to allow it to pass checks. In August 2012, Cate Cooney, a senior consultant engineer at Exova, a firm of fire engineers, emailed a colleague after a conversation with Sounes: Basically I have told him that we can massage the proposal to something acceptable with separation, lobbies, etc., but there are approval risks in the project on the ff [firefighting] shaft/ MOE [means of escape] front... They are making an existing crap situation [in Grenfell Tower] worse 

Sounes said the Exova email raised a level of concern I was not aware of. After two hours of questioning on his third day of testimony, he became ill, and was unable to continue after the recess before the afternoon session.

By March 9, the inquiry heard about the misrepresentation of its foam insulation marketed by cladding manufacturer Celotex. Architect Neil Crawford explained, Its deliberately misleading. Its masquerading horse meat as beef lasagne and people bought it.

Celotex marketing claimed their RS5000 cladding product that caused the devastating Grenfell blaze was acceptable for use in buildings above 18 metres in height and had passed a fire safety test. But the test used cladding panels less combustible than the plastic-filled products proposed for Grenfell. Crawford claimed he had not known that Celotexs claims related to a test on less dangerous materials. He also argued he had relied on expert knowledge from fire engineers at Exova, which he said was fairly emphatic that the new insulation was appropriate.

In 2012, Studio E nearly sacked Exova for failing to agree to fire strategies for both Grenfell and the nearby Kensington Aldridge Academy. On October 10, 2012 Colin Chiles, executive at building contractor Leadbitter, complained about Exovas response to the concerns of the Grenfell Action Group (GAG): I am not willing to commence the works until I receive demonstration that the fire safety of the estate has been considered on the design  Should I issue this to GAG it would further exacerbate an already high-risk project.

The following year Exova claimed the proposed changes will have no adverse effect in the building regarding regulations about external spread of fire. It said that this will be confirmed by an analysis in a future issue of this report. This never happened.

The Grenfell Action Group warned for years about the dire consequences of cost cutting, finally warning, in November 2016seven months before the fireonly a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord.

Tuesdays hearing revealed more of the obsession of cost over safety by the corporations involved. E-mail discussions between subcontractor Harley Facades, lead contractor Rydon, and Studio E observed that upgrading flame-resisting cavity barriers from the minimum requirement of 30 minutes to 120 minutes would cost an extra 12,000. Architect Crawford agreed there had been pressure to avoid recommending the upgrade.

An expert report to phase one of the inquiry by Dr. Barbara Lane in 2018 found missing and defective cavity barriers and that horizontal barriers had been incorrectly installed vertically in the refurbishment. After claiming that the sub-contractor had been at fault, Studio Es Crawford opined, Unfortunately, the industry only reacts to the regulations that are in place, therefore you need to have regulations in place that are fit for purpose.

What is revealed in everything coming out of the inquiry is that the drive for cost savings at Grenfell, at the expense of public safety, was endemic and epitomised what corporations are allowed to get away with in Britain and internationally in highly de-regulated economies.

Former employee of Studio E, Tomas Rek, gave evidence Wednesday about a meeting with cladding subcontractor Harley Facades on September 27, 2013 at Londons Hays Galleria. Rek believed the meeting was more to do with the appearance and price of the various materials and not their fire performance or fire rating.

Sounes later sent an email to Harley Facades saying the cladding costs were over budget. The following month Harley emailed Rek saying from a Harley selfish point of view our preference would be to use ACM [aluminium composite material]. Rek said he was unaware of fire safety requirements but emphasized that RBKC had been putting Studio E under some kind of pressure to switch to the cheaper materials.

Sounes sought to withhold vital information from the London Fire Brigade service regarding the Grenfell project. On Thursday, the inquiry found that when he emailed the KCTMO in April 2014 regarding the provisional fire safety plans drawn up by Exova, Sounes advised, I would not show this to the LFB [London Fire Brigade].

He feared the plans would support a severe interpretation of the regulations. He claimed they had not been finalised, so thought it best to be sure what we were proposing before we did so.

There can be no doubt that such practises, compromising safety, were, and are standard throughout the construction industry.

This weeks testimony shows exactly why the individuals involved demanded immunity. Their immunity from personal responsibility is being used to conceal corporate responsibility. If those personally involved in events that led to the fire cannot ultimately be prosecuted, then neither can the corporations they represented.

The Grenfell community and their supporters, who were given only a brief moment to air their opinions in Phase 1, are now being forced to sit and watch while representatives of the corporations and RBKC recount their detailed attempts to subvert safety regulations for profit, all the while knowing they are evading prosecution. The entire Grenfell community must demand that the inquiry is halted and that their legal teams withdraw co-operation. Prosecutions against the guilty parties must proceed without further delay.
True magic is the invisible bond between family and friends, which inspires courage, daring and self-sacrifice, in Disney Pixar's life-affirming tale of two siblings who repair their strained relationship on an epic quest of self-discovery.

Inspired by the childhood loss of director Dan Scanlon, Onward is an unabashedly heartfelt valentine to brotherly love set in a fantastical world, which has gradually surrendered ancient tradition to the steady onslaught of technological invention and convenience.

Electric light bulbs have replaced the need for wizards to illuminate homes with wands, fire-breathing dragons are reduced to household pets, stray unicorns forage for scraps in dustbins and centaur police travel by car rather than relying on their clattering hooves.

Scanlon's script, co-written by Jason Headley and Keith Bunin, trades predominantly in goofy humour, concealing the inevitable knockout blows in a final act that will have grown men weeping uncontrollably in the dark.

Compared to Disney Pixar's recent offerings Coco and Toy Story four, Onward feels emotionally lightweight and lacks some of the verve and wildly imaginative flourishes we have come to expect from the California-based animation house.

However, the film towers above the best efforts of many rival studios and is utterly ruthless when it comes to targeting leaky tear ducts.

Painfully shy, self-doubting teenager Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) and his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) live in New Mushroomton with their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) many years after ancient magic has been forgotten.

The boys' father Wilden (Kyle Bornheimer) lost his battle to serious illness before Ian was born and when Barley was just a wee elfling.

'When your Dad got sick, he fought so hard because he wanted to meet you,' Laurel reassures Ian.

The boys' emotional connection to their old man is kindled by photographs and a cassette recording of his voice.

When Ian turns 16, Laurel retrieves a rope-bound bundle from the loft.

Inside, the siblings discover a wizard's staff, a glittering Phoenix Gem and instructions for an incantation to reanimate their father for one day.

The spell casting goes awry and Ian and Barley have 24 precious hours to locate another Phoenix Gem to conjure the man whose love brought them into the world.

Onward balances eye-popping visuals with sincere sentiment, alternating between heart and head as Holland and Pratt bring to life their seemingly mismatched kin.

Action set-pieces are orchestrated with typical aplomb - a motorcycle chase is frenetically paced and punctuated with booming belly laughs - but Scanlon's film leaves its indelible mark with rich, nuanced characterisation.

'You have to take risks in life to have an adventure,' professes Octavia Spencer's manticore restaurant owner.

Scanlon's picture largely plays safe but still delivers a rollicking romp to delight the whole family.
The Pixel 4a will still retain its budget-friendly status, but it will also have this major storage improvement over the Pixel 3a: UFS 2.1 instead of eMMC storage.

Pixel 4a storage from SK Hynix

The team over at XDA Developers got its hands on the bootloader screen of the upcoming Pixel 4a. The bootloader screen shows the phrase Ufs: 64GB SK Hynix. The output confirmed that the storage chip is indeed the SK Hynix UFS. SK Hynix does indeed make UFS storage, as South Korean Android giant Samsung has relied on SK Hynix for its UFS storage in Galaxy flagships such as the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge back in 2015. When the Galaxy S6 series was first launched, Samsung had exclusive rights to UFS 2.0 storage. Only a few months later did Korean firm SK Hynix release its UFS chips to global OEMs.

Just as a refresh, the Pixel 3a uses eMMC storage, as the Pixel 3a teardown by iFixit reveals. The Pixel 3as eMMC storage is inferior to the Pixel 3s UFS 2.1 NAND storage. And yet, keep in mind that the Pixel 3a was more budget-friendly than its beefier counterpart. Google had to cut corners and make concessions to bring a budget Pixel to market.

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Whatever the reason, the Pixel 3a had inferior storage. The upcoming Pixel 4a will make up for it.

Pixel 4a will have this major storage improvement

Based on the above UFS discussion, then, what is the storage improvement of the upcoming Pixel over its predecessor? The Pixel 4a will trade out the 3as eMMC (embedded multimedia card) storage technology for UFS 2.1 (Universal Flash Storage). UFS 2.1s superiority to eMMC can be seen in two things. First, eMMC can only read or write data at one time; it cant do both simultaneously. In contrast, UFS storage can read and write at the same time. Next, eMMC storage is also sluggish at processing commands. While eMMC can only process one command at a time, UFS can process multiple demands at once.

The importance of UFS 2.1 and faster flash storage

This boils down to UFS 2.1 being superior in multitasking as compared to its more veteran storage counterpart in eMMC. And multitasking superiority is necessary for next-generation smartphones. With cameras increasing in megapixel count in smartphones, photo quality will increase. And yet, photo quality increases demand not only more storage but better storage technology improvement so as to process photo uploads from the phones camera app.

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As smartphones become stronger multitasking powerhouses, they will demand advancements in storage technology, in read and write speeds, in data speeds, and data conversion speeds. Moving from eMMC to UFS 2.1 is a natural progression in technology as smartphones are made for more than just the occasional photo nowadays.

Pixel 4a rumors: No 5G, no XL model

Other rumors circulating around the Pixel 4a series include the disappointing notion that therell be no XL version available this time. Thatll prove disappointing to some buyers but may help make the 4a more affordable than ever. The lack of 5G access on the 4a, due to its rumored Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor, will also keep costs low. A rumor says that Google may release a 5G-capable mid-range handset later this year.
Ludovic Orbans self-quarantine may yet be extended to other members of his administration.

Romanias interim Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has been asked by centrist President Klaus Iohannis to form a government and get a parliamentary vote of confidence as early as Saturday.

I got assurances from all parties, Iohannis told reporters after carrying consultations on the phone with political parties. We aim to have the Parliament vote on Saturday.

Orban, whose cabinet was removed in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last month, said earlier on Friday he would self-quarantine after attending the same meeting as a senator from his party who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

I will put myself in isolation  while continuing to exercise my duties, Orban told journalists.

Orban, 56, and his ministers will all be tested for COVID-19 on Friday, possibly leading to a decision to put the whole government in quarantine, government spokesman Ionel Danca told the AFP news agency.

Apart from the premier, most cabinet members and all senators on Monday attended the meeting with the senator who was later found to be infected.

Romania, which has reported 70 cases of coronavirus infection, has ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural establishments as well as quarantining passengers arriving from a number of countries, including Italy.
She recently split from on/off boyfriend Sam Gowland again.

But Chloe Ferry was not one to let her romance woes define her, as she posed in a racy lingerie set for a sultry snap shared via Instagram on Saturday.

The reality star, 24, left little to the imagination as she displayed her surgically-enhanced assets in the lacy white underwear.

Sizzling: Chloe Ferry was not one to let her romance woes define her, as she posed in a racy lingerie set for a sultry snap shared via Instagram on Saturday

Chloe posed atop her bed in the lacy white number which accentuated her very ample assets and was sure to set pulses racing with its revealing nature.

Wearing a sultry expression, the reality star wore her blonde locks in a sideswept style that covered half her face.

In her caption, Chloe teased: 'Stay with me....'

Chloe also showed off her outfit in full while posing in front of a mirror, making sure to highlight her peachy posterior for the post.

Sultry: Chloe also showed off her outfit in full while posing in front of a mirror, making sure to highlight her peachy posterior for the post

Earlier this week, Chloe took her mind off her heartbreak as she recently treated herself to a spa day with Geordie Shore co-star Bethan Kershaw.

The reality star left little to the imagination as she displayed her jaw-dropping assets in a sultry bikini snap.

Chloe set pulses racing as she donned a tiny neon green bikini that accentuated her ample bosom and toned abdomen.

Relaxation: Earlier this week, Chloe took her mind off her heartbreak as she recently treated herself to a spa day with Geordie Shore co-star Bethan Kershaw

Arching her back as she reclined in the pool, Chloe let her platinum blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders.

Captioning the snap: 'Big fish', Chloe completed her look by donning a gold necklace and matching earrings.

The Geordie Shore star was joined on her spa day by Bethan, 25, who also looked sensational in a hot pink two-piece.

Wow! The reality star left little to the imagination in a series of steamy snaps that showed off her peachy posterior

Rub a dub dub: Chloe set pulses racing as she donned a tiny neon green bikini that accentuated her ample bosom and toned abdomen

Chloe's girly day out came after she split from on/off beau Sam, 24, again - despite having just rekindled their romance over the New Year.

The couple have had their fair share of break ups since their romance first went public back in 2017.

The pair split in May last year after Chloe accused Sam of cheating with Love Island beauty Amber Davies - something he vehemently denied.

Sam hit back by claiming that Chloe was the one who had been unfaithful, and thus a war of words between the pair ensued.

Peek-a-boob! Chloe looked every inch the blonde bombshell as she struck a sultry pose in the jacuzzi

Two's company: Chloe was joined on her spa day by Bethan, 25, who also looked sensational in a hot pink two-piece

Despite this, the couple appeared to have patched things up by November, with rumours circulating that Sam had moved back into the home they share in Newcastle.

After reuniting on a trip to Thailand in December, things fell apart for the couple yet again last month.

A source revealed to The Sun: 'Chloe's finally cut ties with Sam and is moving on by herself. Today is Chloe's official moving day and she's so excited for the fresh start.

'It feels like the dawn of a new beginning for Chloe. No more Sam riding on her coat tails or trying to muscle in on what is hers.'
CHICAGO  What at one time had looked to be a traditionally raucous final weekend before a St. Patricks Day Illinois primary has turned eerily silent, with parades, rallies and door-knocking giving way to phone banking and social distancing amid the threat of COVID-19.

Instead of concern over Russian hacking of election systems, as occurred in Illinois four years ago, the threat is about a bug  a dangerous virus whose potential for contagion prompted state officials to encourage voters to cast a ballot by mail or vote early to avoid crowds at polling places on Tuesday.

Were very serious when we say vote once and wash your hands early and often, Chicago Election Board Chairwoman Marisel Hernandez said, playing off the cliche, Vote early and often.

After city and state officials canceled Chicagos traditional St. Patricks Day parades  a staple of election year campaigns as politicians jostled for front-of-the-line photo opportunities  suburban communities followed suit. Then, candidates across the ballot abandoned even small rallies and get-out-the-vote gatherings in favor of volunteers working the phones from their homes.

For local candidates lacking the big money for TV ads, the lack of face time with supporters and potential voters left them scrambling to try to use social media or email to get out their final message.

As city election officials sought to switch some polling places, largely those on private property or in senior living facilities, Hernandez said the events are uncharted.

That leaves questions about voter turnout, which among Democrats has ramped up in earlier primary states, as well as about the voting apparatus that includes poll workers and judges who traditionally are older.

Such questions and concerns have taken much of the oxygen out of politics just days before an election that could decide the fate of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders insurgent bid for the Democratic presidential nomination against former Vice President Joe Biden. Both men canceled planned Illinois rallies in recent days.

Biden enters the week as the front-runner and presumptive favorite to take on President Donald Trump in the fall after racking up delegates over two weeks of significant victories.

With Louisiana postponing its April 4 primary, Biden officials sought to counter fears in Tuesdays voting states. Kate Bedingfield, Bidens deputy campaign manager, issued a statement saying that election officials working with public health officials are demonstrating our elections can be conducted safely. Those voters feeling healthy please vote on Tuesday, she said. Those at risk, she said, should get absentee ballots.

Chicago Board of Election officials said they had received 117,813 applications for voting by mail by the midnight Thursday deadline, an all-time record. And Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said voters in the countys suburbs were on track to surpass 2016s early vote record.

There are 155 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July coming out of Illinois  101 of them to be selected by primary voters from throughout the states 18 congressional districts, and 54 decided by the statewide results.

Big wins by Biden in Illinois, as well as Florida, Ohio and Arizona, which also vote Tuesday, could all but make Sanders mathematically ineligible to overtake the former vice president in the race for the 1,991 convention delegates needed to win nomination.

Chicagos suburbs have always played an influential role in state elections and look to do so again in Tuesdays Democratic primary  despite a long but evolving history from being a hotbed of Republicanism to swing status.

Four years ago, Hillary Clinton narrowly won Illinois over Sanders  by roughly 2 percentage points, or about 40,000 votes out of more than 2 million ballots cast.

But that victory, which earned her only two more national nominating delegates than Sanders, came largely from voters in Chicago and Cook County, where she ran up a 96,495-vote advantage out of nearly 1.2 million votes.

Statewide, Clinton won only 23 of the states 102 counties and only one in the collar counties, Lake, and that by fewer than 5,500 votes. Sanders won the remaining collar counties: DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Will, though the region only netted him 17,240 votes.

In previous primary states, Sanders has done poorly in suburban areas, while they have become a source of strength for Biden, exit polls showed.

In the suburbs of Michigan last Tuesday, it was 54%-36% Biden. Bidens suburban totals were also strong in the March 3 Super Tuesday states that rejuvenated the former vice presidents campaign: It was 49%-27% in Virginia, 35%-29% in Massachusetts, 44%-30% in Minnesota and 44%-33% in Tennessee.

Sanders did win in the suburbs in a few states: 32%-26% in California and 26%-17% in Colorado and he split Texas with Biden, with each getting 33%.

In addition, overall Democratic turnout in the primaries is up from 2016 levels and much of the increase is attributable to the suburbs.

We know theres an increase in (early vote) turnout, but its not clear where theyre landing, said Kristina Zahorik, president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association and chair of the McHenry County Democrats.

One day it seems with conversations with friends, Its Biden all the way, or the reverse and Its Bernie all the way. Im not sure we know, said Zahorik, who has not endorsed a presidential candidate.

Zahorik noted that in 2016 Clinton was a polarizing figure, either loved or hated by voters, and neither she nor Trump was an incumbent.

There was a certain amount of animosity toward Clinton, she said. Now, with Trump in office, unlike the last go-round, there are people willing to band together against the president  a factor that could be helping Biden with suburban voters, she said.

Christopher Mooney, a political scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, also cited the potential Trump factor for a coalescing around Biden among the important demographic of suburban women.

Its because the suburban women are afraid of Trump and want to go with a safe candidate. They do not like Donald Trump in the least little bit  Were starting to get to the point where people are saying weve got to focus on November, he said.
The United States on Friday summoned China's ambassador after a senior official in Beijing tweeted the "ridiculous" suggestion that the US military started the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department said.

David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for Asia, issued a "stern representation" to Ambassador Cui Tiankai a day after foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted the conspiracy theory.

"China is seeking to deflect criticism for its role in starting a global pandemic and not telling the world," a State Department official said.

"Spreading conspiracy theories is dangerous and ridiculous. We wanted to put the government on notice we won't tolerate it, for the good of the Chinese people and the world," the official said.

Zhao, in tweets in both Mandarin and English that gained wide traction on Chinese social media, a day earlier suggested that "patient zero" in the global pandemic may have come from the United States -- not the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, where cases were first reported in late 2019.

"It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation," tweeted Zhao, who is known for his provocative statements on social media.

His comment came as President Donald Trump's administration, which has faced increasing criticism over its own coronavirus response, has increasingly highlighted the illness's foreign origins, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dubbing it the "Wuhan virus." Cui, in contrast to Zhao, is known for his diplomatic approach.

A day before he was summoned, Cui tweeted that China hoped to work closely with the United States to fight COVID-19 for "a more prosperous shared future." Scientists widely believe that the pandemic started in a market in Wuhan that sold exotic animals for human consumption.

Trump, speaking to reporters to announce a state of emergency over the pandemic, also dismissed the Chinese conspiracy theory when asked about it.

"They know where it came from. We all know where it came from," said Trump, who also voiced confidence that the row would not affect a first-phase deal to resolve a trade war.

Conspiracy theories have been widely disseminated over social media as the novel coronavirus takes a heavy impact, with more than 5,300 people dead and 140,000 infected worldwide.

US officials earlier told AFP that Russia had systematically spread disinformation in an effort to damage the US reputation, with coordinated Facebook and Twitter posts that suggested that the United States was behind the novel coronavirus.

Russia denied responsibility for the social media effort, which recalled the former Soviet Union's campaign in the 1980s to link HIV to the US government.

Iran's firebrand former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has written the World Health Organization to urge an investigation into the "biological war against humanity," questioning why US adversaries China and Iran have been so badly hit.

Italy, a close US ally, officially has the most cases of COVID-19 after China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The coronavirus is a very contagious disease. In January, information coming from the Wuhan region suggested that an infected person could infect two to three others  a frightening exponential growth rate. That may have led to Angela Merkel announcing up to 70% of Germany's population  around 58 million people  might catch the coronavirus. Merkel said this even though 70% of China's population  1,006,363,300  people did not get infected. Had Merkel paid attention to Nobel laureate Michael Levitt, she might not have said anything so foolish and frightening.

Levitt is an American-British-Israeli biophysicist and a structural biology professor at Stanford. Although he's not a virologist or an infectious disease specialist, he is a very good number-cruncher. As the infection seemed to crest in Wuhan, Levitt concluded that the numbers were encouraging and wrote as much to worried friends in China. The data went viral in China, especially as time proved that Levitt was correct.

What Levitt realized was that, rather than continuing to grow at an exponential rate, the number of people infected would start to fall at a predictable rate. He was correct: although infections in China continued to occur, what mattered was that they were happening more slowly until, finally, they ceased.

In an interview with Calcalist, Levitt noted that, when people practice good hygiene and social distancing, the virus's progress slows until it can no longer find enough hosts to sustain itself:

"In exponential growth models, you assume that new people can be infected every day, because you keep meeting new people. But, if you consider your own social circle, you basically meet the same people every day. You can meet new people on public transportation, for example; but even on the bus, after some time most passengers will either be infected or immune." Another reason the infection rate has slowed has to do with the physical distance guidelines. "You don't hug every person you meet on the street now, and you'll avoid meeting face to face with someone that has a cold, like we did," Levitt said. "The more you adhere, the more you can keep infection in check. So, under these circumstances, a carrier will only infect 1.5 people every three days and the rate will keep going down." Quarantine makes a difference, according to Levitt, but there are other factors at work. "We know China was under almost complete quarantine, people only left home to do crucial shopping and avoided contact with others. In Wuhan, which had the highest number of infection cases in the Hubei province, everyone had a chance of getting infected, but only 3% caught it," he explained. "Even on the Diamond Princess (the virus-stricken cruise ship), the infection rate did not top 20%." Based on these statistics, Levitt said, he concluded that many people are just naturally immune to the virus.

Here's a video in which Levitt explains people's struggles with exponential numbers:

Both Merkel and the media would do well to pay attention to what Levitt has to stay, rather than spreading panic due to their innumeracy.

Because Americans are changing their habits, they will slow the virus's trajectory. While the virus and its risks are real, the panic is a Democrat project intended to destroy President Trump. In other words, one can accept that there is a serious health problem in America that requires individual responsibility while refusing to accept the media's narrative.

As an almost random aside, the fact that the virus is running rampant now does not necessarily mean that it will be around forever, even if we can't develop an effective vaccination. Some diseases run their course and vanish. That was the case with the sweating sickness, which struck England and Europe between 1485 and 1551. It was a remarkably aggressive illness that could kill people within hours. However, after 1551, it was never seen again.

There will be an end to coronavirus, and the steps that President Trump has taken  closing the borders, lifting regulations that slow testing and treatment, and partnering with the innovative and responsive private sector  all suggest that it will end in America sooner rather than later.

Or as Scott Adams said even before Trump freed the private sector to react:
Public Meeting Over Snuff The Wind Closure



Picture: Facebook

A public meeting is to be held for people to voice their opposition to the closure of land at Cross Vein Mine near Foxdale.

Last Monday, DEFA closed off the area citing pollution from the site was ending up in Peel Marina.

The land at Snuff The Wind, which is a local name for the mine, had been used casually by motorcycle riders for over 50 years. It is not uncommon at weekends to see families taking their children, some as young as 4 years old, to the area so they can learn to ride bikes and experience motorcross riding.

Hundreds of local people and also famous names like Enduro World Champion David Knight and TT star John McGuinness have blasted the decision. Knighter himself has practiced at the site and fears this decision will mean youngsters are going to miss out.

Over 1500 people have joined a Facebook Protest Group where they have shared their

The public meeting is to be held at Vagabonds Rugby Club near Nobles Hospital this coming Thursday (19th March) at 7pm.

Energy FM has asked DEFA if they are going to be sending a representative to the meeting, but so far DEFA has not responded to our enquiry.

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Local film maker Dario Leonetti captured the action on the final day of access at this popular spot - He also heard the thoughts of those who have used the land for many years. See his video below.

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Snuff The Wind - The Final Day Open Video by Dario Leonetti

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Yoo Jae Suk turned emotional while filming "You Quiz on The Block." He listened to the story of his guest who's working hard amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

tvN's variety show "You Quiz on The Block" is currently on its third season, hosted by Jo Se Ho and Yoo Jae Suk. One March 11, the show featured a live video telecast wherein a nurse was working in one of the hospitals in Daegu, South Korea. The guest nurse, Jung Dae Rye, worked hard in one of the highest cases of COVID-19 patients.

On the set of the interview, the nurse shared they are providing non-stop service to the patients. She understands that it is already out of control and the country needs her help. She also mentioned that until now, as she works in the hospital, she has not seen her family yet.

The guest nurse felt sad at first because her family wanted her not to work, but she explained to her family that her profession is to help and save lives, that her country needs her and she never regrets joining the force.

In the middle of the discussion, host Yoo Jae Suk's voice already shattered while talking. His eyes red and tears fell on his cheeks. The nurse told Yoo Jae Suk that she is fine and although she misses her family, she will continue to work hard.

The whole crew of the show was not able to contain the scene and cried along with Yoo Jae Suk. Everyone got carried away by how the conversation transpired. The nurse never showed any sadness and smiled always in the video. Host Yoo Jae Suk praised nurse Jung Dae Rye's strong heart. He mentioned that he is very thankful to all the hospital staff who are helping South Korea beat coronavirus.

At present, South Korea's number of cases decreased after the government made a huge nationwide testing. According to the reports of KCDC, the government pushed 250,000 tests last Friday. The government made a massive approach in conducting test measures to all people even if they don't have any symptoms. They also set checkpoints around the Daegu area to test cars passing by. The numbers slowed down from the past death tolls that they had since the outbreak hit Daegu.

Joo Jae Suk's tears of sadness drew more than 1.5 million views. The director and the crew did not expect it and nor did the viewers.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to do more active campaigning for Bernie Sanders in protest of the presidential candidates embrace of controversial podcaster Joe Rogan, it has been reported.

The House rep, who has become a rising star among progressives since her shock election victory in 2018, did not deny a report that she turned down repeated requests by Sanders campaign to appear at his rallies in recent weeks.

While Ocasio-Cortez did speak at two large-scale rallies on behalf of Sanders in New Hampshire and Michigan, the senators presidential campaign had to make a considerable effort just to get her there.

It was like pulling teeth to get her to New Hampshire, a source told Huffington Post.

After several invitations, Ocasio-Cortez finally agreed to speak at the rally in Durham, New Hampshire, just days before the February 12 first-in-the-nation primary.

In the weeks that followed, however, the New York congresswoman was nowhere to be found, a fact noted by several political observers.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) appears at a rally for Senator Bernie Sanders (right) in Durham, New Hampshire, on February 10. The New York congresswoman reportedly declined several invitations from the campaign to do more appearances

From February 11 until March 8, Ocasio-Cortez declined several invites to speak on behalf of Sanders.

The campaign asked her to appear at rallies in Nevada, South Carolina, and some of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday, the Huffington Post reported.

During that period, Sanders went from being the front runner following his impressive showings in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, to falling behind the current delegate leader, Joe Biden.

Biden crushed Sanders in the South Carolina primary and went on to capture the most delegates on Super Tuesday - capping a stunning reversal from just days earlier.

With Sanders campaign reeling and in desperate need of help, it was again turned to Ocasio-Cortez, who agreed at the last minute to deliver a get-out-the-vote speech at a rally for the Vermont senator in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last Sunday.

On the night before the rally, Sanders campaign issued a revised media advisory noting that Ocasio-Cortez would be speaking at the event.

The recent absence of Ocasio-Cortez at Sanders rallies is in marked contrast to the intense stumping she did for the senator in the fall and winter.

Ocasio-Cortez spoke for Sanders at 15 rallies and demonstrations beginning in October and stretching into January - the most notable appearance being at a major demonstration in Queens, New York, that drew an estimated 26,000 people.

She agreed to appear on behalf of Sanders while the senator was stuck in Washington, DC, where he needed to be present for President Trumps impeachment trial.

Ocasio-Cortez was reportedly upset by the Sanders' campaign's decision to tout an endorsement by controversial podcaster Joe Rogan (left)

Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders in mid-October, and the campaign praised her for the support, especially after the senator suffered a heart attack.

Senator Sanders and our campaign will never forget that in one of the most difficult moments for us, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez gave us a boost with her strong endorsement, campaign manager Faiz Shakir told Huffington Post.

And she has remained a steady and consistent ally, supporter, surrogate and adviser to the senator ever since.

A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez denied there was any lingering tension between the congresswoman and Sanders.

The plan was always that she would slow down her surrogate work in February, after Iowa, to focus on her re-elect and congressional duties, Lauren Hitt said.

Reports, however, indicate that there was friction between Ocasio-Cortez and the campaign starting in late January.

During a rally in Ames, Iowa, on January 25, Ocasio-Cortez did not mention the senators name - an omission noticed by Fox News.

At the rally, Ocasio-Cortez also encouraged people to warn others whenever immigration authorities were in their communities looking for undocumented immigrants.

According to Vanity Fair, Shakir expressed his dissatisfaction with Ocasio-Cortezs remarks about helping others avoid immigration authorities.

Ocasio-Cortez did appear at a rally for Sanders in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last Sunday, but her absence at other events was notable

While the Sanders campaign supports providing a path of citizenship for those who are undocumented in the United States, it has been working to shed the impression that it is encouraging non-cooperation with federal authorities.

The campaign denied the Vanity Fair report that Shakir admonished Ocasio-Cortez over her remarks.

Two days prior to the event in Ames, Sanders ignited controversy among progressives and liberals when his campaign promoted a friendly interview he gave to Rogan.

Sanders had recently appeared on Rogans popular podcast, Joe Rogan Experience. The episode was one of Rogans most listened to and watched.

When Rogan mentioned in a later podcast that he would probably vote for Sanders, the senators campaign tweeted the comment.

This angered a large number of progressives who noted that Rogan has made comments in the past viewed as transphobic and racist.

While Rogan has expressed political views that are mostly liberal, others have faulted him for inviting far-right figures onto his podcast, including Alex Jones, Stefan Molyneux, Proud Boys founder Gavin McGinnes, and actor Roseanne Barr.

The Sanders campaign tried to portray Rogans comments as proof that the Vermont senator can widen his appeal to those who may not be inclined to vote for Democrats.

After the Rogan controversy and the Ames speech, Ocasio-Cortez did not make an appearance on Sanders behalf for another 16 days.
MOVIE PASSES

TO GREED

British billionaire Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) has ruled the world of retail fashion for 30 years, but a damaging public inquiry sends his business empire into crisis. To save his reputation he decides to throw an extravagant party celebrating his 60th birthday on the Greek island of Mykonos. Director Michael Winterbottom's satire on the grotesque inequality of wealth in the fashion industry releases in selected cinemas on April 23 and we have 20 doubles to catch a screening. Send your details to SPR_Melbourne@spe.sony.com before midnight tonight for the chance to win.

Steve Coogan in Michael Winterbottom's Greed Credit:

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER CHOIR

Revisiting the Romantic period, artistic director Douglas Lawrence has set Gabriel Faures Requiem as the centrepiece for the choirs first concert for 2020 to be held on Sunday, April 19 at Scots Church in Collins Street. There are five double passes (worth $600 in total) to join the audience for the program that will also include Faures choral work Cantique de Jean Racine to be presented in its original version with only piano accompaniment along with Svyati, an austere work for choir and solo cello by Sir John Tavener. Register your details on pbptickets@netspace.net.au before midnight tonight for the chance to win.
Amid an unprecedented health crisis due to coronavirus, Donald Trump has begun spreading unproven suggestions a former Democratic mayor was involved in a drug-fuelled "sex orgy".

The US president spent part of Saturday morning sharing posts by Candace Owens, a right-wing pundit, which attacked Andrew Gillum over an incident in a Florida hotel room on Thursday.

Mr Gillum, a former candidate for governor in Florida, was found "inebriated" in the room when police responded to a cardiac arrest call for another individual there.

When they arrived, police found Mr Gillum and a friend under the influence of an unknown substance and transported the friend to a local hospital. Mr Gillum was apparently too inebriated to answer questions, but was not taken to the hospital.

Police found clear plastic baggies in the room that police suspect was crystal meth.

The posts retweeted by Mr Trump cast doubt on Mr Gillum's claim he was simply drunk following a wedding and had never taken methamphetamines. The tweets also included unverified accusations of "nudity and puking", and that a "sex orgy" was suspected.

Mr Gillum issued a statement on Friday apologising for the incident.

I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologise to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement, Mr Gillum wrote.

He went on to thank Miami beach paramedics and said he planned to spend the next few weeks with my family and [would] appreciate privacy during this time.

Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Show all 29 1 /29 Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Saudi Arabia An eerie emptiness enveloped the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, where attendance at Friday prayers was hit by measures to protect against coronavirus AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world China An empty street in Wuhan. Hubei will relax travel restrictions to allow healthy people to move within the hard-hit province AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Thailand The Legend Siam theme park, usually attracts up to 20,000, mainly Chinese customers, a day in the high season, is temporarily closed due to the lack of visitors during the coronavirus outbreak AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy An empty Piazza Duomo in Milan Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world US Aerial photo shows the Covid-19 isolation and monitoring site, where the first patient Joey Camp is being isolated at Hard Labor Creek State Park, about 50 miles east of Atlanta Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Spain Aerial view taken of the Ipurua stadium in Eibar while the Spanish league football match SD Eibar against Real Sociedad is played behind closed doors in light of the coronavirus outbreak AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Albania An aerial view of empty Tirana's outer ring. Albania has stepped up measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 caused by the novel coronavirus and banned circulation of all cars (except ambulances and supplies) for 3 days and urged people to stay home as the number of infected people increased to 33 AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Iraq An empty cafe during a curfew imposed by Iraqi Kurdish authorities, following the outbreak of coronavirus, near the castle in the old city of Erbil Reuters Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world South Korea An aerial view shows hygiene officials riding a vehicle disinfecting public buses at a depot in Gwangju EPA Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Belgium A woman runs though the nearly empty historic center of Antwerp AP Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world China Jingyue bridge, spanning the Yangtze river, leading to Hubei province AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Vietnam Formula One Vietnam Grand Prix race track in Hanoi AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Spain Restaurant terraces remain closed at the usually overcrowded Plaza Mayor in central Madrid AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Thailand Tourist buses parked on a lot near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Poland An aerial view of Jagiellonian University's new campus during the 2 weeks closure of universities, schools, museums and other public facilities in Krakow Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy A canal and the roads next to it are seen completely empty in Venice Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Greece An aerial view taken with a drone showing the yard of an empty school at Nafplio, Peloponnese EPA Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Saudi Arabia An aerial view shows an empty white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy Rome's office district EUR, at what would have otherwise been rush hour, virtually empty after a government decree has limited circulation AP Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Thailand Legend Siam theme park in Pattaya AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Belgium Empty shelves in a supermarket in Brussels AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Iran A satellite view shows Tehran airport Maxar Technologies via Reuters Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy The deserted Via Manzoni street in Milan Reuters Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Saudi Arabia AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Italy An empty street and canal in Venice Reuters Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Thailand An aerial photo shows unused tourist buses parked on a lot near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world China An almost empty street in Wuhan AFP via Getty Coronavirus: Empty streets across the world Poland A view of the deserted Krakowskie Przedmiescie and tahe Old Town Square in Warsaw EPA

There does appear to be some conflict in Mr Gillums statement and of that given by Mr Dyson. In an interview with the Miami New Times, his friend said he did not know anything about a wedding.

Mr Trump's intervention over the events in Florida came just hours after he announced on Friday a national emergency over the spread of coronavirus.

After weeks of playing down the severity of the illness, which has claimed thousands of lives globally, Mr Trump made the move in order to free up money and resources to fight it.

The House later approved legislation to provide direct relief to Americans suffering physically, financially and emotionally from the coronavirus pandemic.

"I am officially declaring a national emergency," said Mr Trump, unleashing as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the crisis.

Trump also announced a range of executive actions, including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations, as Washington tries to subdue the new virus whose spread is roiling markets, shuttering institutions and disrupting the lives of everyday Americans.
SEIU California Applauds Governors Executive Order on School Funding During COVID-19 Closures

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99 and SEIU California executive board member, after Governor Newsom signed an executive order that will keep dollars flowing to schools closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The order means schools closed to protect communities health can safely safely serve meals, deliver online instruction, and support special education and other crucial student needs.

The Governors Executive Order is welcomed by Californias school employees, parents, and families who are facing a significant amount of anxiety and uncertainty over their health as well as their ability to provide the basics for their families, Arias said. We applaud the Governors action to protect everyone in our communities, including the workers who serve Californias students and their families. The values we hold most dear  dignity, inclusion, and justice for all  must be our guideposts in this time of crisis. School employees are at the frontline of the safety and well-being for our children and communities and we stand ready to work with our schools and families to keep us all safe.

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When the Battle of the Atlantic neared Americas East Coast, a small group of British sailors came to help, with tragic results.

WHILE PATROLLING the beaches of Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, on May 14, 1942, two young Coast Guardsmen glimpsed an unusual shape bobbing in the surf. They stopped their truck to investigate and one of them, Arnold Tolson, took off his shoes and waded into the ocean, where a lifeless body tossed among the waves.

The Coast Guardsmen retrieved the corpse from the water and placed it in the bed of their truck. It belonged to a man in his late twenties with a black beard, wearing a dark-colored uniform and a blue turtleneck. Before the young sailors could reach their Coast Guard Station with news of their gruesome discovery, a man flagged down their truck as they sped across the island and through its small village. He had spotted another dead young man in the tide wearing a similar dark ensemble and informed the Coast Guardsmen of the bodys location.

Identifying the waterlogged bodies proved straightforward once they were laid out at the Coast Guard Station. Inside the bearded mans pocket were papers, including a bank book, that revealed his identity: Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham, 27, a British Royal Navy volunteer reservist. The second man, who wore a shirt with his name written inside, turned out to be another Royal Navy sailor, 24-year-old telegraphist Stanley Craig. Both belonged to the crew of the HMT Bedfordshire, a British armed trawler that had arrived in North Carolina from England around a month and a half prior.

The Bedfordshire hadnt been officially declared missing. But the two dead men, likely casualties of one of the distant offshore explosions frequently heard by the North Carolina barrier islands residents, were a strong indication the ship would not be returning to its homeport. Home, though, would come to Ocracokes quiet shores. Long after the wars end, a small parcel of North Carolina became British soil, in memory of the Bedfordshires crew.



Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham, who went down with the torpedoed HMT Bedfordshire, was recently married and awaiting his first child. (Courtesy of the author) Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham, who went down with the torpedoed HMT Bedfordshire, was recently married and awaiting his first child. (Courtesy of the author)

IN THE FOUR MONTHS PRIOR to the discovery of the bodies, German U-boats had sunk some 150 ships off the U.S. East Coastnearly one a day, many of them transporting fuel oil and freight. Because the U.S. Navys gunships and destroyers were off fighting in the Pacific or escorting convoys across the North Atlantic to England, important ports were left vulnerable. Compounding the danger, mandatory blackout regulations for coastal cities and towns would not be enforced until mid-1942, making unescorted merchant ships easy targets against the illuminated horizon.

U-boat crews dubbed this shooting gallery off the East Coast the Second Happy Time, a reference to the initial Happy Timea victorious streak from July-October 1940 when U-boats sank 282 Allied ships while losing only a half-dozen subs. On the defensive, American sailors and antisub aircrews grew increasingly skittish, judging from daily incident reports that detail frenzied responses to the threat as they attacked anything that remotely resembled a submerged U-boat, whales included. Meanwhile, beaches from Maine to Florida were awash in wreckage and oil that intrepid swimmers scrubbed off their skin with kerosene. Ships transiting the coast frequently picked up shipwreck survivors in life rafts from vessels that not long before had vanished beneath the waves.

In its April 1942 war diary, the navys Eastern Sea Frontier Command, responsible for some 1,400 miles of coastal waters from the Canadian border to Jacksonville, Florida, reported that the Germans had sunk 24 vesselsmostly tankers and freightersin the preceding 30 days. Thus, once again, the Eastern Sea Frontier was the most dangerous area for merchant shipping in the entire world, the report stated, chalking American losses up to inadequate strength.

The outlook for May appeared better, thoughthanks in part to Britain. The Royal Navy had just sent over 24 fully-crewed armed trawlersincluding the Bedfordshireto conduct antisub patrols and accompany convoys of merchant ships. American officials were cautiously optimistic that these loaned vessels and crews could help mitigate the U-boat threat.

That spring, the Bedfordshire, based at Morehead City, North Carolina, began patrolling shipping lanes off Hatteras Island in North Carolinas Outer Banks. Trawlers of its ilk were cramped and temperamental; while armed with machine guns, four-inch deck guns, and racks of depth charges, they had originally been built for commercial fishing. Fish holds often doubled as crew messes and crewmembers shared the dirty work of shuttling coal for fuel. Still, the Bedfordshires British and Canadian sailors enjoyed some comfortsincluding collecting their traditional dram of rum around 11 a.m. each day. Cunningham, who was the Bedfordshires second-in-command, wrote home about friendly townsfolk and kept the tone of his letters to his pregnant wife, Barbara, upbeat.

Onshore in Morehead City, where the crew frequently stopped to stock up on provisions, they pursued the typical activities of young men: carousing, drinking, and wooing women. Some Bedfordshire sailors enjoyed an evening on the town on May 10, 1942, before the call came to weigh anchor the following afternoon. Four crew members ultimately never made it aboardincluding stoker Samuel Nutt and cook Richard Salmon, who found themselves in jail following the previous nights alcohol-fueled antics. But the Bedfordshire and its remaining crew set off to sea, escorting a convoy to Hatteras before joining another British trawler, the St. Loman, to search for a U-boat just east of the islands shipping lanes. It would be their last mission.

Cunningham was likely on duty the night of May 11-12, in charge of a skeleton crew that may have included telegraphist Craig, a sonar technician on the alert for submarines, and several lookouts. The hunters were unaware that they made tantalizing prey to a watchful crew aboard a nearby U-boat.



Built for fishing, the Bedfordshire would meet its end off North Carolinas shores as a hunter of U-boats. (Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum) Built for fishing, the Bedfordshire would meet its end off North Carolinas shores as a hunter of U-boats. (Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum)

GERMAN U-BOATS like U-558a Type VIIC, with a range of nearly 10,000 mileswere capable of crossing the Atlantic, spending several weeks patrolling the American coast, and returning to port in Europe without refueling. When U-boats returned to their home pens, they flew flags from the rigging to show how many ships they had sunk; Nazi propagandists broadcast these successes to offset disappointing war losses in other theaters. Successful crewmen and commanders found themselves in the spotlight as German towns adopted individual U-boats and hailed their crews as heroes. Naturally, the men turned this attention into a competition to sink the most tonnage and collect more accolades than their peers. This competitive drive was surely turning to frustration for the 44 crewmen aboard U-558 on May 11, 1942. Theyd been at sea for a month on their seventh war patrol without so much as firing a torpedo.

U-558 had left occupied France on April 12. At its helm was Kapitanleutnant Gunther Krech, 27, a focused yet cheerful man who commanded his crews respect. The Kriegsmarine initially routed the U-boat to Bermuda before assigning it to hunt Allied ships off the Outer Banks. U-558s crew was aware that other submariners had found plentiful targets there, and they undoubtedly yearned to add to their tally from previous missions. Still, they had spent their first days off North Carolinas coast sitting on the ocean bottom during daylight hours and, at night, fruitlessly patrolling a nearly 200-mile swath of shipping lanes.

On May 7, a destroyer had passed nearby during daylight, headed toward Cape Lookout, but Krech declined pursuit. He determined the situation was no shooting opportunity because the ship was out of range. Then, two days later, a tantalizing convoy had slipped through the crews fingers. The U-boat waited several hours as night approached to pursue the group of shipsthree steamers and four tankers, protected by a Coast Guard cutter and two gunshipswith plans to catch them near Cape Lookout, at the southernmost point of the Outer Banks. At 6 p.m. the submarine surfaced to intercept the convoy, but had to dive when a large patrol plane flew overhead. By 9 p.m., the convoy had vanished into the fog and darkness.

Early on the afternoon of May 11, U-558s luck finally turned after a fashion when it came across two enemy targetsthe trawlers Bedfordshire and St. Loman on patroland dove to hide. When dusk fell, the vessels were still within sight. Krech maneuvered U-558 to go on the attack and gave the command. Two torpedoes streaked through the water toward the Bedfordshirean unusual double shot that expelled torpedoes from two tubes simultaneously, with the potential to result in a decisive and spectacular explosion. Several moments later, the crew realized both torpedoes had missed their mark.

U-558 lined up another shot. This time Krech was more deliberate, closing the distance to his target by nearly half and firing just one torpedo broadside at the trawler. Thirty-six seconds later, the commander and his crew witnessed an enormous explosion through the periscope as the underwater missile struck just behind the trawlers bow. The Bedfordshires stern dramatically popped above the water as the ship began to sink.

The U-boat then turned its attentions toward the St. Loman, pursuing the second trawler until a single missed torpedo shot prompted the ship to fire star shells that lit up the night sky. Spooked, U-558 fled the sceneleaving well behind it the Bedfordshire and its doomed crewmen, as the trawlers wreckage settled onto the ocean floor in the early hours of May 12.



As commander of the German sub U-558 (above), Kapitanleutnant Gunther Krech (below) sank or damaged 21 shipsincluding the HMT Bedfordshirebetween 1941-43. (Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe) As commander of the German sub U-558 (above), Kapitanleutnant Gunther Krech (below) sank or damaged 21 shipsincluding the HMT Bedfordshirebetween 1941-43. (Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe)



(Bundesarchiv Bild 1015-257-1889-15; Photo: O. Ang) (Bundesarchiv Bild 1015-257-1889-15; Photo: O. Ang)

TWO DAYS AFTER Cunninghams and Craigs bodies washed ashore, the Eastern Sea Frontier Commands Enemy Activity and Distress Report recorded their deaths along with another beachside find: an empty life raft. Noting that the Bedfordshire hadnt been heard from since May 11, officials recategorized the ship as missing and possibly sunk in their daily log. Four other bodies were later recoveredone identified as and the others presumed to be Bedfordshire crewmenbut 31 crewmembers remained lost, many likely trapped aboard the wrecked trawler, which sits today beneath 105 feet of water, 17.2 nautical miles offshore of Cape Lookout.

Rallying to do right by Cunningham and Craig, an Ocracoke family donated a tiny burial plot adjacent to their own cemetery; wooden sink boxessubmersible, human-sized enclosures used for waterfowl huntingserved as makeshift coffins. In a poignant twist, the British flags draped over the caskets before burial had been provided by Cunningham himself; he had lent them to Naval Intelligence officer Aycock Brown just weeks before his own death, to honor the victims of another torpedoed British boat, the tanker San Delfino. Two of the other recovered bodies, never identified but also wearing Royal Navy uniforms, were buried with care alongside Cunningham and Craig. (The remaining two bodies, including identified seaman Alfred Dryden, were buried in other local cemeteries on the Outer Banks.)

Today, the 2,290-square-foot graveyard sits in the heart of Ocracoke Village, surrounded by trees and a white picket fence; a British naval flag billows overhead in the salty breeze. Each May, Ocracoke Coast Guardsmen, Royal Navy members, and dozens of local citizens hold a ceremony at the site, reading the names of the Bedfordshires 37 deceased crewmembers aloud, in memory of them and their sacrifice.

A commemorative plaque explains that in 1976 the North Carolina State Property Office granted a perpetual lease for the gravesite to the United Kingdom. Thanks to this, Cunningham, Craig, and their two crewmates will rest forever in British soil. Quoting poet Rupert Brookes World War I poem, The Soldier, the plaque reads:

If I should die, think only this of me / That theres some corner of a foreign field / That is forever England. 



Following their 1942 burial (above), the lost Bedfordshire sailors became an intrinsic part of Ocracoke Islands heritage, thanks in part to an annual memorial ceremony (below). (Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum) Following their 1942 burial (above), the lost Bedfordshire sailors became an intrinsic part of Ocracoke Islands heritage, thanks in part to an annual memorial ceremony (below). (Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum)



(U.S. Coast Guard) (U.S. Coast Guard)

This article was published in the April 2020 issue of World War II.
By Express News Service

The government late notified the Yes Bank Limited Reconstruction Scheme, 2020, late on Friday. It means, the 30-day moratorium is likely to be lifted in three working days or by March 18 evening and depositors' withdrawal limits will be relaxed from Wednesday latest.

The government also appointed Prashant Kumar, former Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Managing Director of State Bank of India, as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director and Sunil Mehta, former Non-Executive Chairman of Punjab National Bank, as Non-Executive Chairman. Besides, it also appointed Mahesh Krishnamurthy as Non-Executive Director and Atul Bheda as Non-Executive Director.

The investor bank, SBI, shall nominate two officers as Directors in addition to the members appointed, while the RBI may appoint one or more persons as additional directors as it may consider necessary.

Interestingly, the notification doesn't make any mention of write off of Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds mentioned in the draft reconstruction proposal.

Sources said, though the government notification has no mention of AT-1 bond write off, the RBI is likely to include in its notification in line with the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned on Friday, the bank's authorised capital shall stand altered to Rs.6,200 crore and the number of equity shares to 3,000 crores of Rs 2 each.

The authorised preference share capital shall continue to be Rs 200 crore. A clutch of banks including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank pledged to invest in Yes Bank, taking the combined capital pool to over Rs 11,350 crore.

While SBI, which is picking up 49 per cent stake for Rs 7,250 crore, is mandated to maintain 26 per cent stake until 2023, both ICICI and HDFC, which are investing Rs 1,000 crore each will have to hold 75 per cent stake for three years.

Similarly, Axis and Kotak agreed to plonk down Rs 600 crore and Rs 500 crore respectively and will hold 75 per cent of their respective stakes until 3 years.
Investors in Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Apr 17, 2020 $47.50 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?

Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?

Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Alaska Air Group shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Alaska Air Group is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Transportation - Airline industry that ranks in the Top 29% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter moved from 30 cents per share to 22 cents.

Given the way analysts feel about Alaska Air Group right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

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The Ministry of Health on Saturday afternoon confirmed four new patients have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Vietnam, bringing the countrys total to 53.

The 50th patient is a 50-year-old man residing on Nui Truc Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

He returned from a business trip to Paris on March 9 and began developing symptoms including a fever and coughing on March 11.

The man went to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for a health check on March 13 and was sampled by the infirmary. His samples were sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on the same day.

His test results have come out positive for the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Health said on Saturday.

He is now in stable health and under quarantine for treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi.

The 51st patient is a 22-year-old woman residing in Xuan Dinh Ward in Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi.

She is an oversea student and visited many European countries between February 23 and March 12.

She began developing a fever and coughing on March 11. On March 13, the young woman boarded flight QR968, operated by Qatar Airways, from Doha, Qatar to Hanoi.

She was admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the Vietnamese capital immediately after arriving.

Her samples were tested by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and came out positive for the novel coronavirus.

The 52nd patient is a 24-year-old woman residing in Hong Hai Ward in the northern city of Ha Long.

She was on a flight from London that landed in Hanoi on March 9.

The young woman hailed a taxi from Noi Bai International Airport heading straight for her home in Ha Long after landing and practiced self-quarantine at home.

She was later transferred to a quarantine zone in the northern province of Quang Ninh, where she was sampled.

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said on Saturday the womans samples tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

She is now in stable health and quarantined at a field hospital in Quang Ninh.

The 53rd patient is a 53-year-old man from the Czech Republic who said he had interacted with Italian nationals while in his home country.

On March 10, the man arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on flight QR970, operated by Qatar Airways, from Doha, Qatar.

After arriving in the southern metropolis, he stayed in downtown District 1.

He began developing coughing and fatigue on March 13 and went for a health check at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, where X-ray images show damages to his lungs.

He was then transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, where he was sampled.

His samples were tested by the Pasteur Institute Ho Chi Minh City, which confirmed he was positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday.

The four new cases bring the total number of COVID-19 patients in Vietnam to 53, with 16 having fully recovered.

Thirty-seven cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since Friday last week after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 144,700 people and killed more than 5,400 globally as of Saturday afternoon, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

The Czech Republic has so far reported 116 infections, with no deaths, according to the same source.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Ohio will not follow a new federal option allowing states to extend unemployment insurance to workers who lose pay because of the novel coronavirus but are usually ineligible for such benefits.

These are often low-wage workers with no paid sick days or other leave to cover them if they are exposed to the coronavirus or if their employer temporarily shuts down because of business lost to the outbreak. These include restaurant workers, who may lose hours as many public events are canceled in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, or a home health aide, who has to be quarantined.

See: Many out of work due to coronavirus arent eligible for unemployment benefits

On Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department gave states flexibility in administering unemployment insurance programs in response to the coronavirus pandemic. For now, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is passing on the offer.

[W]e have been and will continue to assess the impact that COVID-19 will have on our operations agency wide, including unemployment, said an ODJFS statement emailed to The Plain Dealer. Clearly, this is an evolving situation, so our guidance will also evolve.

The guidance covers a number of scenarios, including quarantined employees who are expected to return to work after the quarantine is over; workers whose employers temporarily shut down due to COVID-19; and employees who stop working due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member. A worker isnt required to quit his or her job to become eligible for benefits. While many public-sector workers are guaranteed pay under such scenarios, either contractually or by administrative orders, large segments of the private-sector labor force could be left without a salary.

"Clarifying the flexibility in which a person may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits during the coronavirus outbreak will ease financial burdens for those workers affected by the virus, said John Pallasch, assistant labor secretary for the Employment and Training Administration, in a news release.

Enhanced unemployment benefits are included in an economic rescue package the House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on as early as Friday night.

Many low-wage and part-time workers in Ohio wouldnt qualify for unemployment insurance without the guidance. In order to be eligible, a worker must average $269 a week over at least 20 weeks.

That means that even if you work 25 hours a week at $10 an hour you will never be eligible for unemployment insurance in Ohio, said Zach Schiller, research director at the liberal Policy Matters Ohio. That needs to change. This is why only about 1 in 5 Ohioans, who are unemployed, are receiving unemployment insurance right now.

Ohio lags the nation in paid sick days, according to a recent analysis of Labor Department data by the liberal Economic Policy Institute. About 75% of private-sector workers in the United States had access to paid sick leave in 2019, according to Labor Department data. Only 65% of private-sector employees in Ohio and other industrial Midwest states have access to paid sick time. Many fear this will put the state at risk of a coronavirus outbreak as sick workers continue on their jobs because they dont have paid sick days.

It does not explicitly deal with eligibility if [workers are] without sick leave or after sick leave expires, but this is implicit, wrote Stephen A. Wandner, a research fellow at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

He and Christopher J. OLeary, a senior economist at the institute, have proposed unemployment insurance be expanded to not only cover those in the federal guidance, but also the self-employed, contract employees and gig workers.

The COVID-19 virus is likely to cause major disruptions in U.S. labor markets for at least 18 months  until a vaccine is developed and widely administered, Wandner and OLeary wrote on the Upjohn Institutes website. Any program to help affected workers and stimulate the U.S. economy should be carefully targeted to workers who are most in need of income support and most likely to quickly spend these funds in the local economy.

Schiller posted a brief on Policy Matters website this week that essentially makes the case for much of what is covered by the federal guidance to be permanent.

What this does is exposes the flaws in our existing protection, he said of the need for the Labor Department to have to issue a guidance.

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Mumbai, March 14 : Amid the coronavirus outbreak, actor Amit Sadh has cancelled his New York trip where he's supposed to attend an acting workshop for two months.

"I was looking forward to this trip but health comes first. Before travelling becomes more difficult I wanted to be in my own motherland. There's no way to know how long it will take to contain the pandemic. I think the responsible thing to do now is to follow the precautionary guidelines," Amit Sadh said.

On the professional front, Amit will be seen in the second season of web show "Breath". He is also awaiting the launch of his digital series, titled "Avrodh".

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A gaggle of major grocery store chains will begin closing early daily or scaling back from 24-hour service in order to restock and clean stores, as the coronavirus pandemic drives panic buying.

Chains such as Publix, Giant, Harris Teeter and Wegmans are all scaling back hours, while retail titan Walmart has admitted it is evaluating whether to close 24-hour stores at night during the crisis.

Across the country, desperate scenes have played out as shoppers prepare to quarantine, whether via a period of self-isolation or possible containment measures imposed by authorities.

In Fairfield, California, police were called when fights broke out over shopping carts at a Costco, according to KNTV reporter Jodi Hernandez.

At the same store, a fight also erupted when a man took a package of toilet paper out of someone else's cart, an employee told Hernandez.

Coronavirus-fearing masked shoppers panic buy in Miami Beach, Florida emptying shelves of toilet paper. Every roll of toilet paper was gone in Publix Superstore in South Beach and there was dwindling supplies of eggs, meat and pasta

Customers line up to check out at a Costco store on Saturday in Novato, California. Some Americans are stocking up on food, toilet paper, water and other items after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic

A customer carries a package of toilet paper at a Costco store on Saturday in Novato, California

Shoppers line up to enter a Costco warehouse store in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday. The store was sold out of numerous items including toilet paper, paper towels and sanitizing wipes

Experts say that supply chains are robust, and there is little to no chance of a food shortage in the U.S.

But grocery stores have struggled to keep up with demand, hiring more workers and doubling deliveries as items fly off the shelves in the virus frenzy.

In response, grocery chain Publix, which has more than 1,200 stores in southern states, will begin closing two hours early, at 8pm, every day.

The Florida-based chain said it wants to give employees time to restock produce and sanitize shelves.

'Publix will continue to focus on keeping our associates healthy  and our stores open and stocked  to serve and support all our communities,' Todd Jones, Publix CEO, said in a statement on the chain's website.

The Giant Company, which has nearly 200 stores across the mid-Atlantic, announced Saturday that its 24-hour locations would start closing at midnight and reopening at 6 am ET the following day.

The Pennsylvania-based chain cited the same reasons as Publix in a press release: 'The decision comes as part of the company's continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will allow store team members additional time to sanitize and restock shelves as daily deliveries arrive.'

A customer wears a protective mask as she picks up a box of diapers at a Costco store on Saturday in Novato, California

Costco customers wait in the rain to enter the store on Saturday in San Leandro, California

Hoards of shoppers rushed to stock up on toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies at this Costco in Novato, California on Saturday as communities begin hunkering down as a result of coronavirus

Customers push shopping carts filled with supplies at a Costco store on Saturday in Novato, California

In the Northeast, Wegmans is also ending 24-hour service, to allow the stores to be cleaned and items to be restocked, the supermarket chain announced Friday.

'We are changing our hours of operation to better serve our customers and communities,' the New York-base company stated.

Except for Brooklyn, all Wegmans stores in New York will close at midnight, while its Brooklyn store will close at 11pm.

Stores in New England, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania (excluding Erie) and North Carolina will also close at 11pm, while the store in Erie will close at midnight. The Maryland stores will close at 10pm.

Panic shopping hits Plano, Texas on Saturday as this Target limits the quantity of bottled water per customer

Shoppers lined up at this Target in Plano, Texas on Saturday as the frenzy of panic buying continues

Shoppers exit a Costco on Friday in San Leandro, California. Officials said Friday the Los Angeles Unified School District and San Diego school districts will close starting March 16 because of the coronavirus threat

This Publix in Miami Beach has placed signs inside their store saying hand soap and sanitizer items are limited to two of each item per customer. The meat, toilet paper and hand sanitizer sections were almost empty

View of empty shelves at Wegmans as patrons purchase supplies due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Alexandria, Virginia

Harris Teeter, a large supermarket chain serving the Southeast, said Saturday that it will close its stores at 9pm each night in order to focus on cleaning and replenishing, and for the health of their employees

Harris Teeter's new hours go into effect starting Sunday night, the North Carolina-based store said.

Other major grocery chains have said they are considering cutting hours.

Walmart said on March 10 that it was 'evaluating whether to modify store hours at some 24-hour facilities to allow for additional cleaning.'
After the Delhi government passed a resolution against the implementation of Population Register (NPR) and Register of Citizens (NRC), Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing it of misleading the people.

Speaking to the reporters, Vij said: "On the issue of NPR, Home Minister Amit Shah had already cleared everything in Parliament, where he said that no person needs to show their papers. AAP wants to spread misinformation on every issue, they even spread false information on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Their party members were involved in the spreading of rumours, and the party did not try to stop them."

He further alleged that AAP wanted to create an atmosphere of unrest and disorder in the country.

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw and not to carry out the whole exercise of NPR and NRC.

"Earnestly appeals to the Government of India that in the interest of the nation, particularly when the economy is witnessing worst ever downslide and the unemployment is witnessing terrifying growth and with the threat of corona pandemic looming large, it invest all its energies and resources on real needs of the people of India rather than unnecessary issues like NPR/NRC," reads the resolution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A barber in Beijing is supporting his wife and child by charging food and other expenses to a credit card while he waits for his employer's shop to reopen. A waiter at a barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, washes his hands more often and hopes for the best. A parcel delivery driver in Britain worries about getting sick from the people who sign for their packages.

While white-collar workers trying to avoid contagion can work from home or call in sick if they experience symptoms of the virus, that's not an option for the millions of waiters, delivery workers, cashiers, ride-hailing drivers, museum attendants and countless others who routinely come into contact with the public.

Their dilemma is often compounded by spotty sick leave policies or inadequate health insurance coverage, leaving them vulnerable to the fast-spreading coronavirus that has already claimed thousands of lives and put them in a financially precarious position.

"The recommendations on what people should be doing to protect themselves really gives a sharp indication of the divide between white-collar and blue-collar workers," said Shannon Liss-Riordan, a workers rights attorney in Boston. "Our social safety net is just not equipped at this moment to deal with a crisis like this, and it will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable low wage workers."

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

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 vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the outbreak emerged in December, almost three-fourths of more than 80,000 patients have recovered.

While tech companies like Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft have implemented work-from-home policies, only 29 percent of U.S. workers have that option, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means retail workers like Mendy Hughes must fend for themselves. The Walmart cashier in Malvern, Arkansas, serves hundreds of people a day and her big worry is what will happen to her income if she catches the virus or comes in contact with someone who's had it and must self-quarantine for 14 days.

"If I can't go to work, I could try to take a leave but it will be unpaid," said Hughes, who earns $11.60 an hour. "I don't know what I would be doing about taking care of my family."

Hughes, a diabetic and mother of four, gets 48 hours of sick leave a year but she fears it wouldn't be nearly enough time to recover.

On Tuesday, Walmart announced a new policy that might offer her some relief: employees who work in a region that is required to quarantine by the government or by the retailer, as well as those who have a confirmed case of the new virus, will receive two weeks of pay. If they are not able to return to work after that time, an additional payment may be provided for up to 26 weeks for both full-time and part-time hourly workers.

In the United States, about 27 percent of private-sector workers don't have access to paid sick leave, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some countries, like Britain, are looking into helping out non-permanent workers. There is no federal sick leave policy in the U.S., but 12 of the 50 states and Washington D.C. require employers to offer paid sick leave.

Some House and Senate Democrats have been pushing legislation that would require employers to allow workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave and to provide an additional 14 days in the event of any public health emergency, including the current coronavirus crisis. President Donald Trump said he was seeking help for hourly-wage workers to ensure they're "not going to miss a paycheck," and he would outline the proposals Tuesday.

In Britain, parcel delivery driver Ed Cross worries about catching the virus from the machine he hands people who sign for their packages.

"People have coughed on their hand and then got hold of my machine and you sort of make a joke of it trying to point it out," Cross, 53, said. "But yeah, it's what we face daily."

"We only have to go to the wrong house and we could catch it, as simple as that," said Cross, who on a recent day handed packages to 110 people on his route in Whitby, northern England.

The British government last week made it easier to collect statutory sick pay and is working on changes to help millions of non-permanent workers like Cross who aren't eligible for it. In a sign the industry is waking up to the problem, his parcel company, Hermes, announced a 1 million pound ($1.3 million) fund to help couriers who need to self-isolate.

Uber, meanwhile, said it would compensate drivers and couriers for up to 14 days if they get sick or have to be quarantined.

The viral outbreak has revealed gaping holes in health care coverage at a time when people may need it most. Most European countries and Canada have universal healthcare systems, but the U.S. relies on a patchwork of public and private insurance. About 69% of private industry workers in the U.S. have access to healthcare benefits, but that drops to 43% of service workers. U.S. employers with 50 or more employees are required to offer health insurance. But the same protection isn't provided to part-time workers or independent contractors.

Waiter Joey Ingham, who works at a barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, popular with business travellers, says he doesn't have insurance. His protection? Washing his hands more often.

"If I wasn't able to come into work, it would be hard to make ends meet," said Ingham, who waits on 80 to 120 people a shift. If he felt sick, he'd "probably talk to a manager" about what to do, but noted management hasn't yet outlined any policies.

Liss-Riordan said most gig workers  independent or temporary contractors  she represents don't have health insurance.

"We won't have a fully insured population until we get universal healthcare," he said. "There are going to be these huge gaps. The burden is falling on the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. This is just another example."

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends workers without insurance contact a local health department or community health centre for help. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends emergency room visits only for patients who are very sick.

In France, where people have the right not to work and get full pay when they consider their workplaces to be dangerous, some service staff briefly stayed home because of contagion concerns. Workers at the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, refused to work for two days and were only coaxed back after management introduced a raft of new anti-virus measures.

"We are asking for gloves. We are asking for disinfectant gels, and masks for the drivers," said Bastien Berthier, of the Paris metro's UNSA union.

In China, where the outbreak has been raging for two months, many service industry workers have it far worse, with business evaporating as people are forced to hunker down at home.

A barber in Beijing who would give only his surname, Long, said he is supporting his wife and child by charging food and other expenses to a credit card while he waits for his employer to reopen.

"I can ask for sick leave or compassionate leave, but I get nothing without working," said Long, 33.

Jiang Yanlin, a tour guide in eastern China's Huangshan region, said she hasn't earned anything since mid-January and doesn't have any social welfare benefits to fall back on. Usually, she can earn up 300 yuan ($42) a day during the normally busy Lunar New Year holiday.

"If I don't work, I don't get paid. Everyone here in the Huangshan tourist zone is like this," said Jiang, 33. "No one is coming to travel. Everyone is so scared."
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday met National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who was released from home detention after seven months, and demanded that all detained leaders from Jammu and Kashmir be freed and democracy restored.

After a two-hour meeting with Abdullah at the latter's residence in Gupkar area of the city here this afternoon, the Congress general secretary told reporters that for the progress of Jammu and Kashmir, its leaders should be released and "not kept in cages like a parrot".

Calling for release of all other leaders and individuals, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, to restart the political process in J-K, Azad said elections should be held and statehood restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

He was dismissive of the recently floated Jammu Kashmir Apni Party led by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari, saying J-K cannot be run through "agency created parties".

Azad said he met Abdullah on behalf of his party as well as all those MPs and parties who have been raising their voice inside Parliament and outside for the release of J-K leaders.

"First and foremost, democracy should be restored in J-K for any political process to start," Azad said.

Asked about the demand for restoration of Article 370, the Congress leader said, Let us go one by one... Let democracy be restored. First, let this happen, then that (Article 370).

Let us first restore democracy and democracy can be restored once all the leaders who are behind bars either in jails or in guest houses or under particular Act, they have to be released first. Let the political process start first.

"Let every individual of J-K be released from the jail. Let democracy prevail first and then we can pick up other fights, he said.

Azad, who is also a former chief minister of J-K, said the political process should be started soon.

J-K is the country's largest state. In 1947, 560 states were merged to form 12 states, but J-K was the only state in India which was not joined by any other state as it was large enough.

"It is disrespectful and disgraceful for the people of J-K that it was changed to a Union Territory. I want that the leaders be released sooner and J-K be changed to a state.

"Political process is a basic right in a democracy. India is not known for its size world over, but for its democracy. But, not this democracy where three former chief ministers are jailed for several months or another ex-chief minister has to come here with the Supreme Court's permission.

"When CMs, MPs, ministers MLAs, MLCs are in jail, then where is the democracy? he said.

Azad said for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, it is necessary that the political process is started.

If J-K has to progress and move forward and if we have to bring prosperity in J-K, then its key lies not in keeping leaders in a cage like a parrot, but in releasing them and starting a political process by which elections are conducted here. Whichever government is elected by the people of J-K, that will work on the development of J-K, he said.

Asked about his views on creation of Jammu Kashmir Apni Party and if it was a step towards restoration of political process in the Union Tterritory, Azad said, "In the last 47 years, several attempts have been made to form such parties. J-K and democracy cannot be run through agency (created) parties, but only through the elected governments.

Azad expressed happiness over his meeting with Abdullah.

"It is a matter of great happiness that I met him after seven-and-a-half months. He was detained for all these months and we do not even know the reason. Usually someone is detained if he breaks the law or has taken out a protest against the country or the government.

"However, he and Omar and Mehbooba and others were detained a day before Article 370 was revoked, so there is no question of any wrongdoing, he said.

The Congress leader said the Members of Parliament were yearning for the release of the NC president and his detention was the "biggest atrocity on him by the government".

I am here not only for myself. We have been friends for about 40 years and which will continue. I am here also on behalf of my party as well as all those MPs and parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha who have been raising voices inside Parliament and outside it for the release of these leaders. All those MPs were yearning for his release.

I understand how many difficulties he had to pass through. It was too cold this time after so many years and then his health.... However, when God is with someone, no one can harm him, he said.

Abdullah expressed his gratitude to Azad and all those leaders who had pressed for his release.

I thank him for coming here to enquire about my health. He had earlier also made attempts, Abdullah said.

After being in home detention for over seven months, Abdullah was released on Friday with the government revoking the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

The 82-year-old NC leader was initially taken into preventive detention on August 5 last, the day the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and later slapped with the PSA. PTI SSB

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President Klaus Iohannis announces state of emergency starting next week.

"It is very important that the measures that will be taken be taken on time, so that they bear fruit, and to make this fight possible with all instruments provided by law, I have decided to decree state of emergency at the beginning of next week," the head of state said after the swearing-in ceremony of the members of the Orban III Cabinet.

He underscored that the state of emergency will allow the allotment of new important resources for the management of the coronavirus crisis.

"This way, the Government will be able to earmark more money to the healthcare area, more money for medicines, more money for the medical equipment which is absolutely necessary. Likewise, this situation will allow acquisitions in a very short time with simplified procedures, thus putting at the Government's disposal all necessary instruments to manage in the most efficient manner the crisis generated by the coronavirus," Iohannis explained.

The President made a call on Romanians to avoid contacts that are not absolutely necessary and to get informed from public sources.

"Dear Romanians, the authorities are doing their job, the Government has also done its job very well so far, but alone we will only be able to do a part of the job that needs to be done. We need you, dear Romanians! We need you to respect the advice, the indications of the authorities, we need you to respect the hygiene rules that are broadcast on the public channels and, yes, we need you to avoid contacts that are not absolutely necessary - I know this is a bit harder - and, yes, we need you to get informed correctly, from public sources, straight from the authorities," Iohannis said.
By PTI

PUNE: Pune police booked three people, including a relative of jailed gangster Chhota Rajan, for allegedly extorting Rs 50 lakh from a man over a domestic dispute, an official said on Saturday.

A case of extortion has been registered against Priyadarshani Nikalje, niece of Rajan, and two others, the anti-extortion cell official said.

"A man was having a dispute with his wife. Nikalje intervened and gave a complaint against the man and then demanded Rs 50 lakh from him to withdraw it. He has said he was threatened with a gun," he said.

"On Friday evening, one of the accused, Dhiraj Sable, came to collect Rs 25 lakh in the cantonment area from the complainant. We arrested him. Nikhalje and one more accused are at large," he added.
New Delhi [India], Mar 14 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tom Vadakkan on Saturday said that Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit could open the floodgates in Congress as no leader having "self-respect can survive in a suffocating environment".

Vadakkan, who had joined BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls last year, said Scindia would prove to be an asset to the BJP.

"While Scindia joining the BJP would prove to be an asset for the party, this begs reiteration that no self-respecting leader can survive in a suffocating environment of sycophants that now exist in Congress. His exit has also signalled the opening of flood gates. I am sure that filters are in place to weed out the migratory," Vaddakan told ANI.

Vadakkan, who completed a year in BJP on Saturday, had left the Congress. He was considered close to Congress leadership.

Vadakkan said that he did not join the BJP for a position and he has strived to carry out responsibilities given to him.

"My focus was and is the spirit of nationalism. While divisive forces were trying to tear our country apart, BJP stood up against the tirade of pseudo secularists and their international ecosystems," he said.

Vadakkan, who was also an AICC secretary and worked in Congress for many years, said "leadership crisis, ideological vacuum and lack of policy and direction had created the present state of affairs in the Congress".

Some leaders of Delhi Congress, who had joined BJP, went back to the party. They include former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely.

"Leadership crisis is only one of the factors for the crisis in Congress. Ideological vacuum, lack of policy and direction along with the betrayal of workers are the key factors that have grounded the Congress," Vadakkan said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Legal experts have warned that LGBTQ people in aged care facilities will be at risk of ridicule, humiliation and intimidation under the federal government's religious discrimination bill.

Luke Beck, associate professor of constitutional law at Monash University, said an aged care home would be able to hang a sign in a communal area or person's room that says "homosexuality is a sin", or a nurse could tell a patient "being gay is a form of brokenness" under the proposed law.

Geoff Ostling at his aged care facility in inner-city Sydney. Credit:Christopher Pearce

"The bill would diminish the rights of LGBTQ people in aged care homes," he said. "The bill allows religious-run aged care homes to subject LGBTQ residents to 'statements of belief' that ridicule, humiliate or even intimidate."

Dr Beck said the bill also gave doctors, nurses, pharmacists and psychologists the right to refuse to provide healthcare - such as hormone therapy for trans people - if they have a religious objection.
UTC Chancellor Steve Angle said Saturday afternoon that the university is still considering when it may resume normal classes.

He said:

The Coronavirus health crisis has quickly changed our lives. The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department has received a positive Coronavirus (COVID-19) test result for a Hamilton County resident. The patient has been isolated at home and has already recovered from their illness. The source of the patients exposure to COVID-19 was a contact to a confirmed case in another state.

While the risk to the general public remains low, the Health Department continues to conduct surveillance for other possible COVID-19 cases.

I want to assure you that UTC experts in health, emergency management, safety, housing, academics, communication, facilities and administration are working around the clock to ensure that we continue to follow the most effective course of action to protect the safety and health of our Mocs family.

We continue to be in close contact with the Hamilton County Health Department and Hamilton County Emergency Management, as well as experts from the UT System, TEMA, the Tennessee Department of Health, CDC and others. We will provide additional updates as we receive them, but I ask you to keep an eye on the UTC website (utc.edu/coronavirus) for the latest information from UTC.

I want to thank each student, staff and faculty member for all they are doing to help deal with the challenges we face. We will continue to focus on our students and provide a path to graduation. We remain dedicated to our mission to provide the best possible educational experience for our students in spite of the hardships and difficulties we are facing. Our students and their families are counting on us. The task of bringing up our entire curriculum online is indeed daunting but working together we will succeed. Our students are faced with mastering material in ways that may be new and sometimes more difficult for them. We must all understand the difficult circumstances everyone is facing.

Over the next few days, we will evaluate when we can resume face-to-face instruction and the impact this decision would have on specific programs.

The health and well-being of our campus community remains our top priority. We will continue to keep you updated by email and at utc.edu/coronavirus as this situation evolves.
Postal workers in several depots across south west London and other parts of the capital have mounted a de facto wildcat strike/work to rule over concerns regarding coronavirus safety. They did so in the face of the refusal of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) to mount any protest against Royal Mail management.

Workers have accused Royal Mail management of inaction over concerns that they are being exposed unnecessarily to the virus. As one worker told the WSWS, it seems to be the policy of Royal Mail to keep quiet and hope it goes away.

Managers are telling staff that they will not even be issued with hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes. Other managers have been trying to order sanitizers from Amazon to no avail.

Postal workers are asking why if a member of staff phones in sick with suspected but not clinically verified coronavirus, arent the rest of the office being informed of the suspected case. Symptomatic staff are being told to stay at home and to self-isolate without being tested.

Postal workers are demanding action from Royal Mail to protect not only their work colleagues but family members as well. However, all Royal Mail is interested in is keeping costs down. Management has said they will only clean an office if there has been a clinically verified case of coronavirus.

Like all public services, postal workers come into daily contact with the members of the public. Handheld computers that the public sign to receive their mail are a possible source of spreading the virus both ways. Customer services points where people collect their mail are another source of potential contamination. One South West office has closed its customer service counter until further notice. Another office has suspended deliveries and collection of mail from post offices and pillar boxes.

The primary concern for postal workers across the country is the wall of secrecy from Royal Mail. Although there has been one confirmed case of a postman catching the virus in Greater Manchester, Royal Mail have so far refused to say if he went out on delivery and whom he met. All that is known is that the man returned to work after having travelled to Italy and worked for a day before self-isolating himself having developed flu-like symptoms.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the worker, is understood to be based at the South West Delivery Office in Old Trafford. It was only after he tested positive for coronavirus that Royal Mail carried out a deep clean of the office. It is unclear if some or all his work colleagues have been or will be forced to self-isolate. Royal Mail would only say that the man was recovering at home under clinical advice.

Postal workers around the world are faced with the same hazards and deliberate inaction by their employers and governments. An employee with the US Postal Service has tested positive for coronavirus in Seattle, Washington. The infection came in the same state that saw the first US death from the virus.

The same issue confronts workers employed in other public service industries. Railworkers have told the WSWS that conductors on their franchises are refusing to pass through the train to collect ticket revenues due to the absence of protection. Drivers secured an agreement for extra time to sterilise controls after a change of shift.

Yesterday, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that a London Underground train driver on the Jubilee Line tested positive for coronavirus. The driver, based at the North Greenwich depot, had recently returned from a holiday in Vietnam. The areas where the driver worked are being cleaned, including the depot and the trains. The Jubilee Line, between Stratford in east London and Stanmore in suburban north-west, is the third busiest tube line. Labour Party London Mayor Sadiq Khan has insisted that the network will continue to run as normal.

The Royal Mail walkouts in south London come after the CWU identified over 30 local disputes at depots and sorting offices nationwide. These attest to a growing level of militancy by workers in the face of a continual management offensive against their terms, conditions and jobs.

Next Tuesday, the CWU will announce the result of a nationwide industrial action ballot of 110,000 workers, which is set to record a large majority in favour of strikes.

This follows the annulling of the previous ballot by postal workers by the High Court on November 13. In October, CWU members voted by a 97 percent majority on a 76 percent turnout to strike. Refusing to defy the judgment, the CWU appealed it to the High Court with predictable results. Still refusing to call any strike to defy this attack on the democratic rights of its members, the CWU eventually concluded that to save face, and to maintain control of the workforce, meant calling another national strike ballot.

Yesterday, the Aslef train drivers union announced that nearly 2,500 London Underground (LU) drivers have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay. A further 10,000-plus LU workers, including drivers and signallers, are being balloted by the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) in the same dispute. Any action by both sets of workers would completely shut down the London Underground network.

The walkouts by postal workers in Britain come after earlier developments in France. Around 70 percent of bus drivers in the Paris region working for Transdev and Keolis struck last week over the lack of proper action over the spread of coronavirus. There was a strike by workers in the RATP Paris public transport network at the Gare de Lyon. Action over coronavirus has also been taken by some teachers as well as a two-day work stoppage at the Louvre museum.
Guardian Glass, a leading manufacturer of float, coated and fabricated glass products, has announced that one of its Saudi projects, the Maraya Concert Hall, has been declared as the worlds largest mirror-clad building by the Guinness World Records.

Saudi Arabias latest architectural wonder, Maraya Concert Hall is located 22 km from Al Hijr Archeological Site, the kingdoms first Unesco Heritage site that showcases a mirage effect of its surrounding environment and is now being enjoyed as part of the Al Ula regions Winter at Tantora festival.

Guardian Glass said it had developed a first-of-its-kind solution specifically for the project that had to be completed within a short period of time to be ready for the winter seasons events and performances.

An exterior mirror based on its UltraMirror interior glass solution, Guardian UltraMirror was locally manufactured following the highest level of environmental, health, and safety standards.

Known for its durability, Guardian UltraMirror was designed in a way to withstand corrosion and stand up to chemicals and clouding.

The 500-seat Maraya Concert Halls unique design and purpose promises to contribute significantly to Saudi Arabias tourism efforts to create a new heritage hub in the Middle East following the declaration of Al Ula as among the UNESCO heritage sites in the world.

Now hosting prominent guests and visitors from around the world, the project had been completed in December last year, it added.

Expressing delight on the feat, Jasmin Hodzic, the Marketing Director at Guardian Glass, said: "We are proud to have been a catalyst for the Guinness World Records title for Maraya Concert Hall as the worlds largest mirror-clad building."

"Moreover, we highly value the opportunity to support the Royal Commission of Al Ula to achieve its vision for Maraya Concert Hall and capture the essence and mystery of the Al Ula valley through the mirrored glass facade of the building," she stated.

Ingenuity and perseverance paid off well for Guardian Glass as we had to develop the solutions for Maraya Concert Halls unique needs. The challenges posed by the terrain and time frame were in front of us, but we proceeded and customized our interior glass product - Guardian UltraMirror - expanding its capability for use externally."

"With this development, we have created a new value-added product for the construction and architecture industry that meets the quality standard of challenging weather conditions," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine has recorded its first coronavirus death and foreign nationals will be barred from entering the country for two weeks to contain the spread of the illness, officials said at a televised briefing on Friday.

A 71-year-old woman in the Zhytomyr region died, having recently returned from Poland. Ukraine has two other confirmed cases of the virus.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; editing by Matthias Williams and Kevin Liffey)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 03:28:58|Editor: zyl

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TRIPOLI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Friday called for reopening the country's oil fields and ports, closed in January by tribal leaders in protest against the UN-backed government.

"We call on those responsible for the closure to immediately lift the blockade and spare oil sector workers and citizens further suffering," state-owned NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said.

On Thursday, the NOC said the country's daily oil production has dropped from more than 1.2 million to less than 100,000 barrels per day, causing losses of more than 3 billion U.S. dollars so far.

Tribal leaders in eastern Libya had closed oil ports and fields, accusing the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj of using oil revenues to support armed groups against the east-based army led by rival General Khalifa Haftar.
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
Morrisons has become the first major UK supermarket to agree to pay small suppliers immediately to ensure businesses do not collapse due to coronavirus.

Bosses at the grocer have also broadened their definition of what constitutes a small supplier to ensure more firms benefit.

The term will apply to firms with an annual turnover of up to 1million. Its usual definition of a 'small supplier' is one earning 100,000 a year or less.

Morrisons has become the first major UK supermarket to agree to pay small suppliers immediately to ensure businesses do not collapse due to coronavirus

The rules will be reviewed at the end of May. Until then 'small' suppliers will receive instant payment  subject to bank clearing times  instead of the current 14-day period.

Increasing the threshold will mean an extra 1,000 small food businesses will qualify for the payment terms, the supermarket added.

Chief executive David Potts said: 'We are Britain's biggest single food-maker and we want to be there for the smaller food-makers, farmers and businesses that supply Morrisons.

'We're a British family business and we will be doing our best to support them through this period.'

The move will put pressure on rivals to follow suit. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland were contacted for comment.
Guyanas electoral authorities set the stage for the re-election of the countrys president late Friday, when they declared the countrys ruling party the winner of the capital region, in a widely denounced process that threatens to isolate the small South American nation and new oil producer.

A president sworn in on the basis of those results will not be considered legitimate, the American, Canadian, British and European Union embassies said Friday in a joint statement.

Guyana in January began to export the first trickle of the massive crude reserves discovered off its coast, a move that is expected to transform the poor former British sugar colony into a petrostate in the coming years. A new term would give the president, David E. Granger, power to manage proceeds from those exports.

However, the flawed vote signals for many Guyanese a return to the political malaise of the 1980s, when the predecessor of Mr. Grangers party ruled the country through a series of sham elections and with the support of the army.
A Peruvian national and three Indians, including a nine-month-old infant, who were admitted to an isolation ward of a government hospital here with symptoms of coronavirus were discharged on Saturday afternoon after they tested negative for the infection, officials said.

However, six others were admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital with symptoms of coronavirus, they said.

The 27-year-old man from Peru and the remaining three persons were admitted to the Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The man has a history of asthma and bronchitis and was down with fever and cough, both symptoms of novel coronavirus, a senior state health department official had said earlier.

Two Indians had travelled to Mayapur, the headquarters of the ISKCON, during the Holi celebration last week, he said.

"One of the two recently returned from Saudi Arabia and complained of fever and cold. Their blood samples and swabs have been collected," he added.

The infant has a travel history to Kuwait, the official had said.

The six persons who were also admitted to the isolation ward of Beliaghata Hospital have a foreign travel history, the official said.

"They have been kept under observation. We will collect their swab samples on Sunday and send for tests," he said.

A man who arrived here from Paris via Delhi was the first person to be admitted to the new isolation facility set up in the second complex of the Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital in New Town, the officials said.

The man, who is in his 60s, was brought to the facility from the airport and has been kept under observation, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In 2018, the me too movement claimed casino owner Steve Wynn as one of its most famous victims. The Associated Press obtained a police report showing that a woman named Halina Kuta had accused Wynn of raping her in the early 1970s. The AP ran with the story, and it was repeated by other news outlets. This is the New York Times version:

The fallout for Mr. Wynn and his empire has been swift since the first allegations were disclosed. He resigned as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, and his name was stripped from buildings and programs at various universities. In one police report obtained by The A.P., a woman told police officers that Mr. Wynn raped her at least three times around 1973 and 1974 at her Chicago apartment. She reported that she became pregnant and gave birth to a girl in a gas station restroom. In one instance, the woman claimed that Mr. Wynn pinned her against the refrigerator and raped her. She said he then made a phone call, kissed her on the cheek and left. The report does not explain how Mr. Wynn would have entered the apartment or whether they had known each other. The woman said she did not give him a key.

There were other allegations of sexual harassment, but the rape claim by Ms. Kuta was by far the most serious. As the Daily Wire reports, however, Kutas assertions were ridiculous on their face. She claimed to be the mother of Wynns daughter, but the daughter was born years before the purported rapes. She also said the was the model for a Picasso painting called Le Reve, which Wynn owned at the time. Picasso painted Le Reve more than a decade before Kuta was born. The AP and other news outlets simply omitted the elements of Kutas story that should haveto put it mildlyraised suspicions.

Wynn sued Kuta for defamation, requesting $1 in damages. The case was tried to a Las Vegas judge, who has now ruled in Wynns favor. The judge found that Kuta knowingly made a false report to the Las Vegas police, and that her story seems to be totally fanciful. It also came out in court that Kuta had demanded $150 million from Wynn in exchange for retracting her allegations.

This isnt the first time, of course, that the Associated Press and the New York Times have peddled totally fanciful stories that served their agendas, and it wont be the last. Wynn sued the AP as well as Kuta, but the judge found in APs favor because its story relied on a police report. Wynn has appealed that part of the courts ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court. This case illustrates why President Trump is correct in believing that our defamation laws need to be reformed.
Private bus operator JJ Kavanagh & Sons is to suspend most of its routes from next Tuesday, March 17, due to coronavirus / Covid-19 restrictions.

Several Kildare routes will be affected by the move, including:

TOWNS ROUTES: The 846o Naas to Clane route which also serves Sallins; the 129o Newbridge to Kilcullen route which also serves Athgarvan;

AIRPORT ROUTES: The 737 Naas to Dublin Airport route; the 717 Clonmel to Dublin Airport route serving Athy; the 736 Waterford to Dublin Airport route which serves Castledermot; the 735 Limerick to Dublin Airport route which serves Kildare Village;

COLLEGE ROUTES: The N08 Portlaoise to Maynooth University college route which serves Monasterevin, Kildare, Newbridge, Sallins and Clane; the 736A Carlow to Naas college route which also serves Castledermot and Kilcullen; the N12 Kilkenny to Maynooth University college route which also serves Kilcullen, Naas, Sallins and Clane; the N06 Athy to Maynooth University college route which also serves Kilmead, Ballytore, Kilcullen, Naas, Sallins and Clane; the ICT5 Curragh to Carlow IT route, which also serves Kildare, Monasterevin and Athy;

The 139 Naas to Blanchardstown route which also serves Sallins, Clane, Maynooth and Leixlip will remain operational.

The company said in a statement: "On behalf of all of us in JJ Kavanagh & Sons, we are truly sorry for any inconvenience the Covid-19 crisis may be causing you and your family.

"The safety and the well-being of our loyal staff and customers is our main priority.

"All customers who booked their tickets online and were due to travel in the coming days and weeks we have waived our changed your ticket fees to give you flexibility and choice. You can change the ticket up to two hours prior to your journey."
RJD leader and Leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has criticized Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for being ill-prepared to control the spread of Coronavirus in Bihar.

Even though Bihar Govt has taken some measures and decided to close all schools, colleges, cinema halls, parks, zoos, and other places where there is a congregation of people, Tejashwi feels the effort is not enough from the Bihar govt to save the lives of the people.

Tejashwi in a press release said that "Although implementing social distancing measures are a welcome step, with no health screening measures this closure order serves no purpose. I request Bihar CM to aggressively set up screening centres at inter-state entry-exit points, airports & railway stations. Specialized labs & isolation wards should be set up at all district HQs.  Government should make testing & treatment free. Distribution of masks & sanitizers should be done. Public Awareness about this pandemic is maximized. Remember, Preparation is half the battle won."

READ | Farooq Abdullah Meets Son Omar Abdullah After 7 Months, Post Release From Detention

JDU on Tejashwi

JDU spokesperson Sanjay Singh said, "This is an hour of crisis and 115 countries across the world are gripped with Coronavirus. The Bihar govt has already taken some initiatives to check the spread of the Virus. Instead of criticizing the efforts of Govt, Tejashwi should spread awareness."

Around 150 samples have been collected in different parts of Bihar and no tests have been reported to be positive.

READ | Owaisi Slams Kejriwal's 'weak' Anti-NPR Resolution; Warns To Not Fool Muslims & Dalits

Precautionary measures by Bihar govt

Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi said, "We have closed all schools and colleges till March 31. People should not be scared of Coronavirus. People should maintain a certain distance at a public place and instead of shaking hands, they should follow the Indian tradition of Namaste."

Bihar govt in a precautionary measure has decided to shut all schools, colleges, and all public places till March 31. Nitish Kumar is also contemplating to prorogue the Budget session of Bihar assembly from March 17. Bihar faces the maximum threat from tourists visiting, Bodh Gaya from Buddhist countries. People entering through the 1400 km porous border of Indo-Nepal in Bihar is also an area of concern.

READ | DMK Chief MK Stalin Claims 'vindication' As Farooq Abdullah Is Released From Detention

READ | Amid Corona Outbreak, Baba Ramdev Asks People To Take Precautions, Suggests Yoga Practice
She's a stunning reality star who rose to prominence in the villa.

And Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague was proudly displaying her toned abs in a nude crop top as she enjoyed a night out at The Ivy in Manchester on Friday.

The reality TV starlet, 20, looked sensational as she joined Kendall Rae Knight at a birthday celebration for villa beauty Stephanie Lam.

Stylish: Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague, 21, proudly displayed her toned abs in a nude crop top as she joined Kendall Rae Night (right) for a night out at The Ivy in Manchester on Friday

Molly-Mae cut a stylish figure as she opted for the tight nude crop top with white ripped jeans and teamed the look with a matching blazer.

The blonde beauty appeared to have indulged in a few new purchases, as she carried her essentials in a faux fur clutch bag.

Molly-Mae pulled her glossy blonde tresses into a sleek low bun and added an edgy twist with chunky gold earrings.

Chic: The reality TV starlet teamed the top with ripped white jeans and a matching blazer as she carried her extravagant purchases into the venue

Kendall put on a leggy display in a plunging black and white blazer and matching mini dress as she headed out for the evening.

The brunette beauty accessorised her look with knee-high boots and a chain-strap bag as she flashed a beaming smile ahead of the birthday celebration.

As the guest of honour, Stephanie ensured she was the centre of attention as she donned a casual black and white gingham shirt and ripped jeans.

Glamorous: Kendall put on a leggy display in a plunging black and white blazer and matching mini dress as she headed out for the evening

Perfect: Stephanie ensured she was the centre of attention as she donned a casual black and white gingham shirt and ripped jeans

Molly-Mae recently returned from a relaxing getaway to Thailand, and revealed to fans that she'd self-diagnosed herself with gout.

The reality TV starlet said she feared she has gout on YouTube, telling her 686,000 subscribers she is experiencing 'every single symptom' including a 'burning toe'.

Taking to her vlog, she explained: 'The whole day yesterday my big toe on my right foot was literally like the worst pain running through it like I can't even explain it.

'I thought my toe was on fire. I literally thought I'd broken my toe but I hadn't hit it, I hadn't cut it, I haven't done anything to the toe... It was just in absolute agony!
Yes, you are right. We have gone quite mad. I know that many people are thinking this, but dare not say so.

I will be accused of all kinds of terrible things for taking this view  but that is another aspect of how crazy things are.

Yes, coronavirus poses a risk. No, our response to it is not intelligent or useful. In fact, I think it is increasingly damaging and will soon become more so.

They create the idea that we are in the midst of a terrifying plague that will kill us all, when the truth  though disturbing  is far less frightening. Their worst effect is to savage the economy by scaring people away from normal activities. Empty shelves are pictured above in an Asda store in London

The key word here is proportion. There is nothing wrong with simple, practical precautions.

I have for many years believed that door handles pose one of the greatest threats to health, and try never to touch them with the naked hand. I was taught from my earliest years to wash my hands before eating.

I am a health faddist. I work at a standing desk. For many years I have walked and bicycled wherever I can.

I often take the stairs rather than the lift. I cant understand how anyone in my generation or younger can smoke, given what we know about it.

I regard sugar as a delicious poison to be avoided as much as possible. I drink little. I get up early and go to bed early.

I believe cars are heart-attack machines, noisy, smelly, ugly devices, which depreciate in the gutter while they are not stopping us from exercising and wrecking our lower backs.

Yet our country is so badly planned that few families can manage without them nowadays.

For these reasons, I reckon that my risk from coronavirus is quite small. If I catch it, and I quite possibly will, I doubt it will trouble me all that much.

We have gone quite mad. I know that many people are thinking this, but dare not say so. I will be accused of all kinds of terrible things for taking this view  but that is another aspect of how crazy things are

The truth is, people with what are called underlying conditions, many of which follow decades without exercise, are in danger not just from coronavirus but from almost everything.

If the Government is so worried about them, why has it followed transport and housing policies that have made it hard and dangerous to walk or bicycle, and so devastated the health of the people?

Why is the sale and possession of cigarettes still even legal? I wouldnt normally raise these questions quite so fiercely, but the ever-increasing panicky bossiness of the authorities is annoying me.

I must ask them: are you really worried about our health, or are you just afraid of being blamed for a small number of the deaths that your policies are causing?

And are you just anxious to try to demonstrate how good you are? In such matters, we fuss where we do not need to, and do nothing where urgent action is required.

If a train crashed tomorrow and ten people died, it would be huge headlines for days, even though railways are, in fact, extremely safe. An inquiry would be held.

But each year more than 1,700 people die in road crashes, and another 25,000 are seriously injured, and it barely registers, because their lives are ended or ruined in ones and twos.

Governments distil fear into power. In a way, they are right to do so. We fear foreign invasion. The State builds a navy to protect us. We fear crime and disorder.

I have for many years believed that door handles pose one of the greatest threats to health, and try never to touch them with the naked hand. I was taught from my earliest years to wash my hands before eating

The State hires police and builds prisons. But they have become less and less good at these basic tasks, and perhaps they now seek other fields, where they can show how much we need them.

I have serious doubts about whether our Government has any idea how to slow the spread of this virus. I suspect it quietly reached these shores long before anyone noticed.

But I am quite sure that many of the current panic measures do far more harm than good. They create the idea that we are in the midst of a terrifying plague that will kill us all, when the truth  though disturbing  is far less frightening.

Their worst effect is to savage the economy by scaring people away from normal activities.

I went to the cinema last Sunday evening and there were six people in the theatre for what ought to be a successful film.

A florist known to me has just lost hundreds of pounds in business from cancelled events this weekend.

We have all seen the staggering, tottering behaviour of the stock markets, possibly triggered and certainly worsened by virus frenzy.

No doubt it will soon become impossible, under some frantic Emergency Powers Regime, to make this point.

Ill be accused of giving aid and comfort to the virus, or of spreading Alarm and Despondency.

But before the roadblocks go up, and you need a pass to go to work, I thought Id say it anyway.

End this wicked trap

I learned last week that a large group of military widows have been caught in a stupid legal trap.

Because they have remarried, they have lost pensions, under former strict rules.

These rules were abolished in 2014 for those bereaved in later years, but the change does not apply to 300 women, widowed by long-ago conflicts such as the Falklands.

According to Julian Lewis MP, these 300 can get the money they are entitled to only if they divorce, and then marry again. This is obviously absurd.

Can Mr Johnson please put it right?

Moving reminder of a pointless war

Normally, I might be a bit cool about a movie such as Military Wives, which dramatises the foundation and success of a choir of women worrying at home, as their soldier husbands face danger far away in Afghanistan.

It barely brushes against the other problem  that it was very hard to work out what those soldiers were risking their lives for.

But the film  pictured above  moved me because it reminded me very strongly of that stupid, utterly pointless war whose victims often returned home in their flag-wrapped coffins, along a road not far from where I live.

I went, whenever possible, to stand with my head bowed as they went past, while silently cursing the governments that had sent them there.

It barely brushes against the other problem  that it was very hard to work out what those soldiers were risking their lives for

I notice that a group of senior officers and MPs have recently written to The Times daftly attacking the new peace deal in Afghanistan  which might at last get Western troops out of a place they should never have entered.

In some way, apparently, the deal will tarnish the memories of the British dead.

Idiotically, they wrote: These hasty negotiations may compromise the Afghan people and the gains that they have made in the past 19 years. They do not want to surrender womens rights, freedom of speech and their democratic institutions.

Well, do you know what? I dont care. If anyone really wants to impose third-wave feminism on Afghanistan, let them get up an international brigade of volunteers and see how they get on.

Our soldiers, who joined to serve Queen and Country, went because they were ordered to.

The real problem with the planned deal is that it exposes the stupidity and vanity of the politicians who sent troops to Afghanistan, and never should have done.

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here.
First of all, Wuhan is a place and not a race, and to identify the coronavirus by its place of origin, like naming the Ebola Virus for a river in Zaire, is not racist or xenophobic  it's merely accurate. There is no racism or xenophobia in labeling an infection "Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever" or calling something "Lyme Disease" after a nearby town in Connecticut.

What calling this latest virus the Wuhan Virus is is a reminder of the multiple contagions China has spawned and released on an unsuspecting world. Nor is connecting some very big, ugly, and obvious dots just another conspiracy theory to be dismissed out of hand.

From the beginning China has been less than forthcoming about this virus and resisted sharing critical data and access to WHO and CDC specialists. And have we forgotten Dr. Li Wenliang, the 33-year-old ophthalmologist based in Wuhan, the epicenter of the contagion, who tried to tell the world that China was hiding something malevolent, only to be silenced and imprisoned by Chinese authorities for allegedly fabricating lies about the disease's deadly potential? He would later die of the disease he tried to warn us about and the Chinese tried to keep under wraps:

In an interview with the Communist Partycontrolled Beijing Youth Daily newspaper in late January, Dr. Li recalled seeing reports in December of an unusual cluster of pneumonia cases linked to an animal market in Wuhan. On Dec. 30, Dr. Li told the newspaper, he sent a message to former classmates on WeChat, a popular messaging app, warning them of new cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. He later corrected that, saying it was an unknown coronavirus. Dr. Li was later interrogated by party disciplinary officials and hospital management, who accused him of spreading rumors and forced him to write a self-criticism, he told the newspaper. "They told me not to publish any information about this online," Dr. Li told the Beijing Youth Daily in late January. "Later, the epidemic started to spread noticeably. I'd personally been treating someone who was infected, and whose family got infected, and so then I got infected." In speaking out about the virus and about government efforts to silence him, Dr. Li drew comparisons to Jiang Yanyong, a surgeon who became a hero after blowing the whistle on Beijing's efforts to cover up the extent of the SARS crisis in 2003.

Initially, a live animal market in Wuhan, where exotic animals are sold for food, was blamed as the source of the virus. It may yet be proven to be the epicenter of the outbreak, but it was not the source of the virus. That honor goes to the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, housed at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a scant 20 miles away from Wuhan's live animal market. It was set up in the wake of previous leaks of the SARS virus from Chinese labs and to do research on the world's most dangerous viruses. As the Daily Mail Online reports:

It was the first ever lab in the country designed to meet biosafety-level-4 (BSL-4) standards  the highest biohazard level, meaning that it would be qualified to handle the most dangerous pathogens. BSL-4 labs have to be equipped with airtight hazmat suits or special 'cabinet' work spaces that confine viruses and bacteria that can be transmitted through the air to sealed boxes that scientists reach into using attached high-grade gloves[.] ... Upon opening, it planned to first take up a project that required only BSL-3 precautions to be in place: a tick-borne virus that causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. It's a highly fatal disease, killing 10 to 40 percent of those it infects. SARS, too, is a BSL-3 virus. According to Nature's interview with the lab's director, Yuan Zhimin, the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory planned to study the SARS virus[.] ... 'After a laboratory leak incident of SARS in 2004, the former Ministry of Health of China initiated the construction of preservation laboratories for high-level pathogens such as SARS, coronavirus, and pandemic influenza virus,' wrote Guizhen Wu. ... The Wuhan lab is also equipped for animal research.

To be clear, this is not to say the Wuhan Virus was part of any biological weapons program or that its release was intentional. It could just be that it was the result of Chernobyl-like sloppiness resulting from a bizarre blend of Chinese culture and global ambition. Indications of military involvement in the Wuhan lab are there and troubling.

In a New York Post op-ed, Steven W. Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute and the author of Bully of Asia: Why China's "Dream" Is the New Threat to World Order, documents the linkage connecting the Wuhan lab, the nearby live animal market, and the spread of the Wuhan Virus:

At an emergency meeting in Beijing held last Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke about the need to contain the coronavirus and set up a system to prevent similar epidemics in the future. A national system to control biosecurity risks must be put in place "to protect the people's health," Xi said, because lab safety is a "national security" issue. What Xi didn't say is that the coronavirus that has sickened more than 76,000 and claimed more than 2,200 lives escaped from one of the country's bioresearch labs. But the very next day, evidence emerged suggesting that this is what happened, as the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released a new directive entitled "Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus."

As Mosher points out, not only is the Wuhan lab China's first level-4 facility, but it is the only one, and it is under close and active supervision by the Chinese military:

[T]he People's Liberation Army's top expert in biological warfare, Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, was dispatched to Wuhan at the end of January to help with the effort to contain the outbreak. According to the PLA Daily, Chen has been researching coronaviruses since the SARS outbreak of 2003, as well as Ebola and anthrax. This would not be her first trip to the Wuhan Institute of Virology either, since it is one of only two bioweapons research labs in all of China.

Clearly, this People's Liberation Army officer was there not just to preserve the public order after something went awry in their quest to find a cure for the common cold. You don't need a general doing research on coronaviruses at bioweapons research labs to impose a quarantine.

Worse yet, the virus may have been released by underpaid researchers who sold contaminated lab animals to make a little extra cash on the side:

And then there is this little-known fact: Some Chinese researchers are believed to sell laboratory animals to street vendors after they have finished experimenting on them[.] ... Instead of properly disposing of infected animals by cremation, as the law requires, they sell them on the side to make a little extra cash. Or, in some cases, a lot of extra cash. One Beijing researcher, now in jail, made the equivalent of a million dollars selling monkeys and rats on the live animal market, whence they likely wound up in someone's stomach.

This isn't the first made-in-China virus Beijing has sprung on the world. And it won't be the last unless we stop worrying about political correctness and sanction China for what amounts to economic warfare and negligent homicide on a global scale.

Correction: Lyme disease originated in Connecticut, not Ohio.

Daniel John Sobieski is a former editorial writer for Investor's Business Daily and freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
The latest developments related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, around the region as of Friday morning include:

San Mateo County's health officer has issued a legal order banning mass gatherings of 250 or more people because of the spreading coronavirus, which has infected 20 people in that county.

Many colleges and universities and school districts around the region have canceled in-person classes for several weeks, including in San Francisco, West Contra Costa and Berkeley.

BART ridership has plummeted this week, down as much as 35 percent, as a result of people working from home and avoiding crowds to prevent the spread of the virus.

As of Friday morning, officials have confirmed the following number of cases in the greater Bay Area region:

Alameda County: 7 cases

Contra Costa County: 17 cases

Marin County: 3 cases

Monterey County: 0 cases

Napa County: 0 cases

San Francisco County: 18 cases

San Mateo County: 20 cases

Santa Clara County: 66 cases, 1 death

Santa Cruz County: 7 cases

Solano County: 6 cases

Sonoma County: 3 cases

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting on Tully Road in San Jose on Tuesday, according to police.

Marlon Hayward Black III was arrested in Oakland on Wednesday in connection with the shooting reported at 9:46 a.m. Tuesday. Officers responded to the 1600 block of Tully Road and found the victim, who was taken to a hospital and died a short time later.

The victim's identity is not yet being released by the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

Police didn't specify how they identified Black as a suspect, but said members of their Covert Response Unit arrested him in Oakland on Wednesday, then booked him into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of murder.

Anyone with information about the homicide, San Jose's seventh of 2020, is asked to contact Detective Sgt. TJ Lewis or Detective Brian Meeker at (408) 277-5283.

BART ridership remained in freefall Friday as concerns grew about the spread of the novel coronavirus.

BART tallied 231,820 riders Thursday, a 45 percent drop from ridership on an average Wednesday in February.

On Thursday, BART General Manager Bob Powers said ridership has fallen exponentially over the last two weeks, from a 5 percent drop March 2 to 12 percent March 6, 25 percent Monday, 30 percent Tuesday and 35 percent Wednesday.

BART continues to run its regular service schedule throughout the Bay Area and has no plans to reduce or suspend service entirely unless ordered by the governor's office or state and local health officials. The agency has also made hand sanitizer available at every station.

The agency dismissed rumors that any BART employee has tested positive for the virus. No coronavirus cases have been confirmed on BART, to date.

The agency has increased sanitation standards on all of its train cars and at all of its stations to protect against the virus' spread.

The Oakland Unified School District announced on Friday that it is joining other districts in the area in closing schools because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell wrote in a message to the community that the district's schools will be closed to students starting on Saturday and remained closed through at least April 5, which is the end of spring break.

Johnson-Trammell said school district offices will remain open but in-person public access will be limited.

She said all district employees will continue to work and be paid throughout this period, although exact responsibilities and worksite locations may vary.

Each school will receive a deep cleaning during the school closures.

Johnson-Trammell said the district hopes to be able to resume instruction on April 6 but will continually assess the conditions to determine the best time for reopening schools.

Dr. Erica Pan, Alameda County's health officer, told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that closing schools "is not necessarily the best measure" for stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

But Johnson-Trammell said, "After much deliberation and consulting with the Alameda County Public Health Department, the Alameda County Office of Education, city leaders including Mayor Libby Schaaf and our labor partners and partner organizations, I decided that it was the right time to close our schools."

She said, "It will allow all students, school staff and families to do what they need to do to keep themselves healthy, and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. This is an imperfect solution, because county health experts tell us that unless children stay in their homes away from other people for the duration of the closure then they still run the risk of potential exposure."

Johnson-Trammell wrote, "Closing schools deeply affects so many of our families who depend on schools to provide a safe place for their children, food, and many other services. School sites have been and will continue to be crafting continuity of education plans, with each school preparing to provide assignments to students."

But she said that effort is not designed to replace the value of instruction at school with teachers.

Johnson-Trammell said each school plan will be posted on the district's website and she expects all plans to be posted by Tuesday or Wednesday.

She said that during the closure the district's Nutrition Services Department will open twelve schools throughout the city where "Grab and Go" breakfast and lunch meals will be available for students.

Alameda County Superintendent L. Karen Monroe said she supports Johnson-Trammell's decision to close Oakland's schools.

Monroe said, "As an education leader, the health, safety, and welfare of students and staff is of the utmost importance to me."

Johnson-Trammell, other school district leaders and Mayor Schaaf will hold a news conference at the district's office at Suite 300 at 1000 Broadway in Oakland at 2 p.m. on Friday to provide additional details about the school closures.

All public, private, and charter schools in San Mateo County will be ordered to close beginning Monday to limit the spread of coronavirus, county health officials announced Friday.

The closure will last through April 3, and applies to all schools, including adult school. Private preschools and childcare programs are not under the order, but may choose to close on their own.

"Schools have anticipated and been preparing for this order for weeks," county schools Superintendent Nancy Magee said in a news release. "Moving an entire system to at-home or distance learning is highly complex and weighty. Our districts and schools are ready for this transition, and I applaud every member of our educational community for demonstrating incredible focus, strength, and courage in this challenging time."

There are currently 20 cases of coronavirus in the county. San Mateo County Health Officer Scott Morrow issued a legal order Thursday banning the mass gathering of 250 or more people until April 3, and also recommends canceling all non-essential gatherings and staying at least six feet away from other people to mitigate the spread of the virus.

The San Francisco Unified School District will offer free breakfast and lunch to children throughout the city during the temporary closure of schools to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The district will provide up to 11,600 healthy breakfasts and lunches per day to students at pick-up sites around the city to ensure they do not go hungry during the closures. The district also announced Thursday that it would close schools through April 3, when students would have returned from spring break under normal circumstances.

Breakfast and lunch will be made available at eight locations around the city beginning March 17 and an additional six locations beginning March 18. Meals will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will include vegetables, fresh fruit and milk. The district is also exploring offering dinner to students in need.

"We are committed to continuing to provide healthy meals for our students over the next several weeks while students are not in school," district Superintendent Vincent Matthews said. "We are grateful for the support we already receive to make this happen and would appreciate additional support from the community to help us keep our students fed."

When schools are in session, the district provides meals to nearly 10,000 students every day. The district will coordinate meal services with the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management and the Red Cross.

The district also plans to collaborate with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank to co-locate food pantries at meal pick-up sites during the closures, which would offer adults access to groceries as well.

"Now, more than ever, it is important that we are able to get healthy food out to the community," San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Executive Director Paul Ash said. "We are collaborating closely with SFUSD and will be working to provide food pantry distributions at all of the sites that remain open."

District officials announced the three-week closure Friday as a pre-emptive measure to prevent the coronavirus' spread rather than close schools reactively as confirmed cases pop up. The district had already closed Glen Park Elementary School, Lakeshore Elementary School and Lowell High School due to potential exposures.

All schools across the district will undergo a deep cleaning during the closure window in an effort to eradicate any potential remnants of the virus. During that time, the district will also cancel its supplemental services such as childcare, health services and extracurricular activities.

The San Francisco Public Library and the city's Recreation and Park Department said Friday that they will help pick up the slack for childcare, beginning Monday. Recreation and Park facilities will support students in kindergarten through fifth grade from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. while public library branches will support students in grades six through 12 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Parents of children up to 5 years old can contact the city's Office of Early Care and Education for information on private childcare providers.

K-12 childcare will be available Monday through Friday until at least March 31. All childcare locations will be subject to disinfection and sanitation standards for coronavirus as recommended by public health officials.

"During this time, health care workers and other essential staff need to be able to keep working and responding to this public health emergency," San Francisco Mayor London Breed said. "With this change to our libraries and recreation facilities, young people whose parents need to respond to (coronavirus) will have a safe place to go."

As a result, all 28 of the city's libraries will close to the public through March 31. Online library services like e-books, audiobooks, online magazines, streaming movies and more will still be available to library patrons, according to the city.

The district will offer free meals through March 27 with the potential to expand to the end of spring break April 3. Students can pick up breakfast and lunch at applicable sites between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

A list of pick-up sites can be found at sfusd.edu/schoolfood. Local residents and organizations can also contact the district's Student Nutrition Services program at cauchonr@sfusd.edu to provide funding for student meal services.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo announced a temporary closure Friday to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus, along with Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles County.

The two parks announced they will close operations through the end of March, at which point they will re-evaluate the risk of spreading the virus to determine whether to continue the closure.

"While there have been no reported cases of (coronavirus) at either property, the safety of our guests and team members is always our highest priority," the parks said in a statement. "We will continue to closely monitor these evolving conditions and will follow the most current guidance from federal, state and local officials."

Park guests can visit sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/coronavirus for information about previously scheduled visits.

The Marin County Office of Education and the county's Department of Health and Human Services Friday said public schools will suspend classroom instruction for at least two weeks beginning Monday to mitigate the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

The suspension was based on the recommendation of Marin County Public Health and supported by Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools.

"The landscape related to the COVID-19 virus is rapidly changing, especially on the Bay Area," Public Health Officer Dr. Matthew Willis said. "This is one part if a series of steps we're taking to support social distancing to better protect the community at large," Willis said.

The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services previously recommended policies limiting large gatherings and tightening visitation protocol at nursing homes.

Public schools will continue to offer subsidized meals for students who rely on them, special care and other resources. Families will receive information from respective schools related to those needs and students will to continue learning online at home.

"Given this unprecedented situation around the globe, we are acting in step with Marin Public Health and out of concern for all members of the community," Burke said.

The Marin Office of Education oversees 34,000 students in 90 schools, Burke said.

San Rafael police said the body of a male was found in a vehicle behind San Rafael High School Friday morning.

Police responded to a call for a welfare check around 8:20 a.m. The death is considered suspicious, San Rafael police Lt. Dan Fink said.

In an email to the San Rafael City Schools community, Superintendent Jim Hogeboom said a Madrone High School student passed away.

Members of the school district's crisis response team met with Madrone and San Rafael high school students individually and in groups and will be available over the coming days and weeks, Hogeboom said.

Pacific Gas & Electric announced Thursday it has voluntarily implemented a moratorium on service disconnections for customers due to non-payments.

The move is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to PG&E officials.

The suspension of service disconnections went into effect immediately, applies to both residential and commercial customers and will remain in effect until further notice, according to PG&E.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's office suspended in-person visits with jail inmates as of 7 p.m. Thursday to prevent the potential transmission of the coronavirus.

The in-person ban does not affect legal visits, and regular non-contact visits will continue but will be evaluated daily, Assistant Sheriff Al Vernon said.

"The Detention Division is aware this may cause hardships on inmates and their families and friends. We realize the ability to maintain positive relationships with loved ones will be challenged. We have not made this decision lightly, but under the circumstances and in consultation with medical experts we believe it is the best way to safeguard the health of those in our custody, the staff responsible for their caretaking and the community," Vernon said in a news release.

"This is a challenging time for our community, and we are working through this evolving situation together. We assure you that we will reassess this moratorium on in-person visitation as new information becomes available from our county, state and federal public health partners and state correctional authorities," Vernon said.

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.
Madhya Pradesh Congress on Saturday said that Jyotiraditya Scindia left the party and joined Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) because he was insecure about his future in the party.

"It is sad to see Jyotiraditya Scindia leaving the party. He was insecure about his future in Congress, hence he left the party and joined the BJP. He thought his career will be finished in Congress. He did not leave the party for farming distress. 'Kami to sab ki khalti hai lekin poorti bhi sabki hoti hai' (Someone's absence is felt, but can be compensated as well)," Ramnivas Rawat, Working President of Madhya Pradesh Congress said while addressing a press conference.

"Around 70 lakh farmers have been benefited from farm loan waiver in the state. Mandsaur incident in which several farmers lost their lives, happened in Shivraj Singh's tenure, now Scindia has joined him," he added.

Rawat said that Scindia will not get respect in BJP.

He said: "On Thursday Shivraj Singh used 'Vibhishan' Word for him, I leave it to him whether he takes it as a compliment or insult. But in India, nobody names his child as 'Vibhishan', since it holds a negative connotation. We talked to Scindia. He was given immense respect in the party. He was given many posts in the party. He will not get respect in BJP."

Speaking upon the future prospects of the Kamal Nath government, Rawat said: "In an unconstitutional act, BJP held hostage to our MLAs. Speaker of the Assembly has issued notice to the rebel MLAs to come and resign without any pressure. Around 10 MLAs are not in the mood to resign. They are being forced for resignation."

22 Congress legislators resigned from the party following Scindia's resignation earlier this week, putting the Kamal Nath-led government in crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Examining Barnes Group Inc.'s (NYSE:B) past track record of performance is a valuable exercise for investors. It enables us to understand whether the company has met or exceed expectations, which is a powerful signal for future performance. Below, I will assess B's latest performance announced on 31 December 2019 and weigh these figures against its longer term trend and industry movements.

View our latest analysis for Barnes Group

How Did B's Recent Performance Stack Up Against Its Past?

B's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2019) of US$158m has declined by -4.7% compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 1.9%, indicating the rate at which B is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Well, lets take a look at whats going on with margins and whether the entire industry is facing the same headwind.

NYSE:B Income Statement, March 14th 2020

In terms of returns from investment, Barnes Group has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 12% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 6.5% exceeds the US Machinery industry of 6.4%, indicating Barnes Group has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Barnes Groups debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 11% to 10%. This correlates with an increase in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio rising from 45% to 65% over the past 5 years.

What does this mean?

Barnes Group's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Companies that are profitable, but have volatile earnings, can have many factors influencing its business. I recommend you continue to research Barnes Group to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for Bs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for Bs outlook. Financial Health: Are Bs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2019. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
A woman says she was intimidated and wrongly charged with shoplifting after a miscommunication at a Coles checkout, then publicly humiliated as an onlooker called her a "coronavirus carrier".

The woman, a young Asian single mother with a heavy accent whose name WAtoday has chosen not to publish, afterwards sought help from the office of her local MP in Perth's southern suburbs.

Tensions are running high at supermarkets across the country. Credit:Composite image

She told Armadale MLA Tony Buti's electorate officers her version of the events on March 5 at Armadale Shopping City, and gave them a written statement to try to more clearly explain herself.

"I brought some goods from Aldi supermarket and other shops in Armadale shopping centre," it said.
Aramark and Servpro will begin three-day deep clean and disinfecting" of Fenway Park on Saturday morning as the Red Sox respond to the coronavirus outbreak, president Sam Kennedy said Friday.

Every square inch will be disinfected and cleaned, Kennedy said.

Kennedy also said all Red Sox and Fenway Park employees, except for security members, have been directed to work from home for now.

Were still open for business and were just doing it in a way thats a little bit safer and in line with the recommendations from the health experts, Kennedy said.

Public tours at both Fenway Park and JetBlue Park have been suspended.

The JetBlue Park facility remains open to players, staff and the medical team. But the complex is closed to media and fans through Sunday.

Governor Charlie Baker called Kennedy on Thursday to tell him he was limiting all public gatherings in Massachusetts to fewer than 250 people.

That absolutely applies to us," Kennedy said.

No Red Sox players or staff members have tested positive for coronavirus.

We are realistic that, given whats happening whats happening in Boston and Massachusetts, there feels like a sense of inevitability that we would have a positive test either from someone who had been at Fenway Park or a member of our front office family, Kennedy said.
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In order to make his policy proposals perfectly clear, presidential candidate Joe Biden has announced, The Biden Plan to Advance Lgbtq+ Equality in America and Around the World. He should have titled it, The Biden Plan to Restrict Religious Freedoms in America and Around the World. Or, The Biden Plan to Undo the Freedoms Secured Under President Trump. The cat is out of the bag.

To be sure, there are some praiseworthy elements of the Biden Plan, emphasizing compassionate care for hurting people. But overall, if put into law, it would mean the most aggressive, government-sanctioned attack on Christian values in our nations history. Do not be deceived.

Lets not forget that Vice President Biden declared his support for same-sex marriage in May 2012, before President Obama subsequently did the same.

And it is that very Biden quote which adorns the webpage announcing the Biden Plan. As he said on Meet the Press, May 6, 2012, Who do you love? Who do you love? And will you be loyal to the person you love? And thats what people are finding out is what all marriages, at their root, are about.

Lets also remember that on January 25 of this year, Biden tweeted, Lets be clear: Transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time. There is no room for compromise when it comes to basic human rights.

Unfortunately, what this translates out to is a war on the rights of those who do not embrace radical transgender activism. And that means a war on those who hold to biblical ethics. A war on those who recognize only male and female sexes. A war on you and me.

Lest you think Im exaggerating, note that the Biden Plan explicitly states, Donald Trump and Mike Pence have given hate against LGBTQ+ individuals safe harbor and rolled back critical protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

Put another way, if you affirm what the Bible says about homosexual practice and biological sex and you oppose the LGBTQ+ indoctrination of your children, you are guilty of hate. And you will be punished by the law.

Make no mistake about it.

More specifically, the Biden Plan says this: Religious freedom is a fundamental American value. But states have inappropriately used broad exemptions to allow businesses, medical providers, social service agencies, state and local government officials, and others to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. The Trump-Pence Administration has deliberately and systematically attempted to gut protections for the LGBTQ+ community by carving out broad religious exemptions to existing nondiscrimination laws and policies across federal agencies. Biden will reverse Trumps policies misusing these broad exemptions and fight so that no one is turned away from a business or refused service by a government official just because of who they are or who they love.

In case this is a little wordy, let me reduce this paragraph in the Biden Plan to 8 words, with one word highlighted: Religious freedom is a fundamental American value, but ...

Thats everything you need to know. The but says it all.

As noted by Calvin Freiburger on LifeSite News, the plan lists as a top priority enacting the so-called Equality Act, which would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among expressly recognized non-discrimination categories in public accommodations (the definition of which would be dramatically expanded); and force employers of 15 or more people to recognize their claimed gender identity, forbid them from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and mandate transgender access to sex-specific facilities.

Need I parse these words for you? Need I explain the implications of putting ones self-perceived sexual orientation or gender identity on the same level as race?

In December 2018, Christian educator Everett Piper responded to what he felt was a disastrous proposal by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). As Piper rightly observed, They just conceded that human beings, human purpose and human rights will, henceforth, be defined by feelings and desires rather than by objective biological facts, free will and personal responsibility a position that, by definition, supplants the rights of real women and other true minorities who will now be required to forfeit their legal position, their personal privacy and even their own identity to those claiming to have equal status simply because of their dysphoric feelings.

The Biden Plan would codify such subjective feelings, branding those who differed as bigoted and hateful. Thats how extreme and draconian it really is.

In an article on Christian Headlines, Michael Foust notes that, Bidens 7,000-word plan would also ban conversion therapy, guarantee transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms of their choosing, and add a third gender option on government forms for non-binary individuals.

This is absolutely stunning.

Biden would make it illegal for someone to get professional counseling to deal with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender-identity confusion. And he would force schools to allow biological males to share bathrooms and locker rooms with biological females if the boys identify as girls.

In addition, Foust points out, The Biden plan pledges to overturn a 2019 Trump religious liberty proposal that would allow faith-based adoption and foster care agencies to receive federal grants if they dont place children in same-sex homes. The Trump proposal would reverse an Obama-era rule that prevented federal grants from going to any entity that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. . . .

As President, Biden will repeal the rule, if implemented, the Biden Plan.

This means penalizing faith-based adoption and foster care agencies which do not want to place children in same-sex households. This means government-sponsored persecution of Christian conservatives. And much more.

I encourage every potential Biden voter to read this document carefully, grasping the full implications of the but that follows our religious freedoms. In short, to repeat, it would mean the most aggressive, government-sanctioned attack on Christian values in our nations history.

Thats what you will be voting for if you vote for candidate Biden.
Bhopal: Governor Lalji Tandon has asked Chief Minister Kamal Nath to face a floor test on Monday, the beginning of the budget session of the Assembly.

Earlier on Saturday, in a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, Kamal Nath urged him to ensure the "release" of 22 Congress legislators he alleged were being held "captive" in Bengaluru.

Please use your power as Union home minister so that 22 Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session beginning from March 16 without any allurement and fear," the four-page letter, shared by the Congress with the media, said.

Nath assured Shah in the letter that his Congress government in the state will provide excellent security to these 22 MLAs, if they are "released", referring to the demand of CRPF cover for the legislators.

The CM added that on March 3, BSP MLA Rambai and his family members were freed from the "captivity" of BJP leaders in Gurugram (Haryana). Later, three Congress MLAs and an Independent were taken to Bengaluru by BJP MLA Arvind Singh Bhadoriya as was evident from the list of passengers of the charter plane, he alleged.

On March 9, 19 MLAs were taken to Bengaluru by BJP leaders by three charter planes, Nath claimed. Their "personal communication facilities" (mobile phones) were taken away and they were held captive and the Karnataka BJP is bearing the expenses of their stay in Bengaluru, he alleged.

"This is an unprecedented situation" because on the one hand the BJP is holding them captive and on the other hand it is demanding a floor test, Nath said, adding that a trust vote has no meaning in this situation.

I am concerned about the safety of these MLAs and in my opinion, floor test in assembly is meaningless as 22 MLAs are being held captive, Nath wrote.

Twenty-two Madhya Pradesh MLAs, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia who left the Congress to join the BJP, have resigned, reducing the Kamal Nath-led government to minority in the Assembly.

Resignations of these MLAs were submitted to Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker in Bhopal by BJP MLA Bhupendra Singh. Of these, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs, all ministers in the Kamal Nath cabinet.

Earlier in the day, a BJP delegation, led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had called on the governor and demanded floor test before the beginning of the budget session on March 16.
BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent a congratulatory message to Denys Shmyhal on his assumption of office as prime minister of Ukraine.

In his message dated Thursday, Li spoke highly of the positive achievements in the development of China-Ukraine relations in recent years.

Li said that he stands ready to work with Shmyhal to push forward in-depth development of bilateral relations and practical cooperation so as to bring more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.
The coronavirus outbreak has swept the globe and been declared a pandemic, but experts warn the response of some world leaders, including the administration of US President Donald Trump, has been anything but global.

With more than 140,000 people in some 120 countries infected in the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease, officially known as COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed that international cooperation is needed to contain the rapidly spreading virus.

More:

But in recent days, both China, where the virus was first detected late last year, and the United States, which on Friday declared a national emergency, have shown nationalist tendencies in their political response.

In the US, Trumps approach to the virus has appeared more concerned with a political narrative than the public health threat, critics say, with some calling the presidents declaration of a national emergency too little, too late.

What were seeing is kind of fragmentation and politicisation along nationalist lines as the pandemic spreads and globalises, Stephen Morrison, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and director of its Global Health Policy Center, told Al Jazeera.

In the Trump administrations portrayal of the outbreak, he said, there has been a nationalistic, neo-isolationist perspective of trying to pin the blame on the Chinese, pin the blame on the Europeans and trying to minimise or downplay the fact that wherever the virus originated, its among all of us, its inside of our borders.

On Wednesday, the White House national security adviser, Robert OBrien, accused China of covering up the virus when it first appeared. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in recent days have taken to calling the coronavirus the Wuhan virus, ignoring WHOs guidelines and inciting rebuke from Beijing.





At the same time, with the number of cases falling in China and soaring abroad, Beijing has started to reject the generally-accepted assessment that the virus originated in Wuhan, the capital of the central Hubei province and the outbreaks hardest-hit city.

On Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Twitter that it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan, perpetuating a conspiracy theory that has been circulating online, without providing any evidence.

In Europe, the current epicentre of the pandemic according to WHO, European Union leaders condemned a travel ban announced by Trump on Thursday, which excluded the United Kingdom despite the country having a comparable amount of cases to many states in the bloc.

Trump said that decision was because of the UKs very strong borders and not the two governments close ties in the wake of Britains departure from the EU.

Its not a very promising environment for getting high-level political leadership organised around how theyre going to deal with this as as a global community, Morrison said. If we are fragmenting along strategic rivalries and nationalist tendencies, and denialism, thats moving in the opposite direction than what we should be moving towards  how are we going to figure out a way forward that bridges these divisions and emphasises the shared common good?

Echoing that thought, Leana Wen, a physician and professor of public health at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera that leaders must heed the urging of the WHO to cooperate in overcoming the pandemic.

This is a public health emergency that knows no boundaries, said Wen, who is also the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore. We all need to see that were in this together, and what will benefit one country will benefit the entire world. And similarly, what will harm one country will harm everyone else.

Coronavirus, politics and the US

A presidential response to the coronavirus that initially appeared to focus on downplaying the threat has also had implications for the outbreak in the US, according to experts.

In a March 7 op-ed in the New York Times, Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, said that initially, federal officials responded in a way that suited the narrative Mr Trump preferred.

Its no coincidence that the coronavirus has broken out across the country as the president has continued to brag about keeping the disease outside Americas border, he wrote. Pretending we could wall out the virus not only gave the public a false sense of security, it also left the United States unready for the threat it now faces.





Others have criticised what at times appeared to be a greater focus on the economy over the global health risk. Trump compared the coronavirus, which has no vaccine or known treatment regiment, to the flu as markets tanked on March 9, appearing to insinuate the current situation was overblown.

Experts derided the comparison as misleading and inappropriate.

So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020

Since the first US case was reported in Washington state on January 21, the number of infections has ballooned to more than 1,200 in 46 states with at least 36 deaths.

M ost profound crisis that Americans have faced

On Friday, Trump also pledged up to $50bn for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak, waiving interest on federally held student loans, and giving Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar the authority to waive federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals flexibility in treating patients.

However, the urgent tone was much delayed and Trump appeared to have missed the gravity of the moment early on in the outbreak, according to Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.





This is the most profound crisis that Americans have faced in terms of how it impacts their daily lives, Miller, author of the End of Greatness: Why America Cant Have (and Doesnt Want) Another Great President, told Al Jazeera. And as you can see from the profound changes that have occurred, which, in my lifetime, Ive never experienced  this goes beyond 9/11, goes beyond the Cuban Missile Crisis in terms of its longevity, its capacity to endure, and the threat that it poses every single day to everybody.

Trump, however, failed in responsibility number one which is levelling with the American public about the nature and the severity of this crisis.

US testing has also lagged behind other countries. Public health officials have attributed the slow response to a combination of factors, including the disbanding of the White Houses National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense in 2018 and the failure to heed the Director of National Intelligences January 2019 warning of the countrys vulnerability to a viral outbreak.

I dont take responsibility at all, Trump said at a news conference on Friday, when asked about the slow testing, which he vowed had since been resolved.
It was a mini Kings College Lagos reunion as Ituah Ighodalo, seasoned economist and senior pastor of Trinity House, met up with Muham...





It was a mini Kings College Lagos reunion as Ituah Ighodalo, seasoned economist and senior pastor of Trinity House, met up with Muhammad Sanusi II, the former emir of Kano as he arrived Lagos on Friday night.





Ighodalo, who is a close friend of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), visited Sanusi after he arrived in Lagos from Abuja.





Ighodalo and Sanusi belong to a long list of Kings College Lagos alumni, which includes Atedo Peterside, former chairman of Stanbic IBTC; Hakeem Belo-Osagie, former the chairman of the board of directors of the United Bank for Africa (UBA); and Anthony Enahoro.





After a warm meeting, Ighodalo, who prayed for the deposed emir, thanked God for Sanusis safe return to Lagos.





When one door shuts, you open another one; what people meant for evil you always turn to good, so we thank you for the safe return of your son, our emir, our friend, our brother, our husband, our uncle, he prayed.





We thank you for keeping him, we thank you for not putting him to shame. We thank you that you are going to make something great out of this, so blessed be your name forevermore.





While praying for the greatness of the nation, Ighodalo prayed that Nigeria will be more tolerant of the truth.





Ighodalo is not just a pastor but a revered accountant and economist who has served at different levels in Nigeria.





He obtained a BSc combined honours degree in economics and accounting in 1982 from the University of Hull, England, and qualified as a chartered accountant in July 1986.





He attended a business management course at the Harvard Business School, Boston, in 2011.





Sanusi travelled from Awe to Lafia, Nasarawa, then to Abuja, and finally to Lagos, where he was reunited with his family  all in less than 12 hours.




The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) continues to pursue Russian state-controlled Rosneft Oil Co. (OTCMKTS: RNFTF) and its overseas affiliates involved with international transactions of Venezuela oil.

On Thursday, OFAC added TNK Trading International S.A. (TTI) to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List.

U.S. individuals and companies are generally prohibited from conducting business with individuals or entities on the SDN List. Additionally, entities owned 50% or more in the aggregate by listed individuals or entities are blocked.

OFAC said following its Feb. 18 addition of Rosneft Trading S.A. to the SDN List that cargoes of Venezuelan oil were shifted to TTI to evade U.S. sanctions. Both Rosneft Trading and TTI are located in Switzerland and operated by Didier Casimiro.

"TNK Trading International S.A. is another Rosneft subsidiary brokering the sale and transport of Venezuelan crude oil, which is subject to sanctions," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement. "The Trump administration remains committed to targeting those who support the corrupt regime's exploitation of Venezuela's oil assets."

Rosneft Oil Co. obtained control over TTI in December 2017. The company is involved in the trading, processing and transport of raw materials, in particular unrefined petroleum and petroleum products.

Together, TTI and Rosneft Trading handled a large percentage of Venezuela's oil exports in 2019. According OFAC, TTI in January 2020 purchased about 14 million barrels of crude oil from Venezuela state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA), which has remained a significant funding source to the country's embattled President Nicolas Maduro.

In addition to this action, OFAC on Thursday issued a general license, which authorizes the continuation of certain business transactions with Rosneft Trading and TTI during a "wind down" period, expiring May 20.

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Boris Johnson's Brexit deal was ferried around in a chauffeur-driven car to be signed, at the cost to the taxpayer of over 900, its has been revealed.

The withdrawal agreement was taken from Brussels to London and back again by high-speed Eurostar train, with no expense spared, according to receipts uncovered by The Independent.

The Foreign Office says that the gold-plated arrangements were needed "for the safe and timely transport of the withdrawal agreement, in order to ensure the UKs departure from the EU on 31 January 2020".

A freedom of information request found the total cost of transporting the document was 902.56, money which came out of the existing Foreign Office budget.

"The withdrawal agreement was transported from Brussels to London and back on 24 January 2020," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"The text was transported by EU officials from the Council Secretariat, accompanied by one UK civil servant.

"The total UK-related cost of the associated travel  Eurostar and transport in a secure car with a security cleared driver  was 902.56 inclusive of VAT."

Many commercial couriers, including Royal Mail, offer international next-day or same-day services for a fraction of the price.

Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: Yet more money thrown away for the Tories' ideological Brexit experiment. But this is just the thin end of the wedge compared to all the billions drained out of the UK economy. This was the most expensive taxi ride in history.

Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Show all 37 1 /37 Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro-Brexit supporters celebrating in Parliament Square, after the UK left the European Union on 31 January. Ending 47 years of membership PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Big Ben, shows the hands at eleven o'clock at night AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro Brexit supporters attend the Brexit Day Celebration Party hosted by Leave Means Leave Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage smiles on stage AFP/Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square People celebrate in Parliament Square Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A Brexit supporter celebrates during a rally in Parliament square AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Police form a line at Parliament Square to prevent a small group of anti-Brexit protestors from going through to the main Brexit rally PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Nigel Farage speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square JD Wetherspoon Chairman Tim Martin speaks as people wave flags Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters wave Union flags as they watch the big screen AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage arrives Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters gather AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Ann Widdecombe speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters wave Union flags as they watch the big screen AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square People wave British Union Jack flags as they celebrate Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro-Brexit demonstrators celebrate on Parliament Square on Brexit day Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A pro-Brexit supporter jumps on an EU flag PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A man waves Union flags from a small car as he drives past Brexit supporters gathering AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A pro-Brexit supporter pours beer onto an EU flag PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square An EU flag lies trampled in the mud Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty

The red-carpet treatment for the document was arguably better value than a similar diplomatic trip undertaken by British diplomats nearly three years earlier.

In 2017 Theresa May spent 985.50 delivering her Article 50 letter to Brussels and firing the starting gun on Brexit talks. That earlier expedition took two UK civil servants, and the letter only needed to travel in one direction.

Both the cost of both pale in comparison to Brexit itself, which the Office for Budget Responsibility said this week had cost to the British economy around 2 per cent of GDP, or about 40bn since the referendum  mostly in lower business investment. That figure amount to 1,200 per person.
Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, released on Friday after seven months in detention on , may respond to overtures if the government reaches out to him, AS Dulat, the former chief of Indias spy agency, has said.

Dulat, who headed the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) from 1999 to 2000, met Abdullah on February 12 in an interaction that was cleared by the Union government, and one that National Security Adviser AK Doval was fully aware of, Dulat said in an interview with Karan Thapar published on the website The Wire on Saturday.

He added that the meeting was facilitated by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Hindustan Times first reported on February 27 that the government sent Dulat on a top secret mission to Srinagar, to meet the former CM and suss out his mood after the nullification of Article 370 in August last year.

When asked about the meeting, Dulat had told HT: No comments. If the officials and family have told you so, I have nothing more to say. Speaking about his meeting, Dulat told The Wire that Farooq Abdullah was particularly concerned about the use of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, and former CM Mehbooba Mufti.

Dulat said in the interview that Farooq Abdullah also expressed concern about the impact of the nullification of Article 370 and all the subsequent developments in Kashmir on his grandchildren. He said he himself was fully committed to India and had brought up his children in the same way. But now he did not know how to answer questions his grandchildren may ask.

His basic concern was that so many people are locked down and he was a little disturbed on the PSA that was slapped on Omar and Mehbooba, Dulat said in interview. He did say that Id like to come to Delhi and Id like to speak in Parliament, he added.

Also read- No cause for celebrations: Local residents indifferent to Farooqs release

Dulat said his meeting with Farooq lasted for an hour during which time he also met his wife, Molly, and daughter, Safia.

In another revelation, Dulat said that the Narendra Modi government tried to form a government with the Abdullahs and National Conference (NC) after the 2015 state elections before choosing Muftis Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a partner. Farooq was in London and in hospital at the time, and the government sent an emissary to meet him. The emissary was then referred to Omar, Dulat said

Speaking about the situation in Kashmir, Dulat said that the situation in Srinagar was normal. He said shops were open and there were traffic jams in all the places you would expect to have them. Dulat said that after his first two attempts to check with authorities in Delhi about visiting Farooq did not elicit a response, three days later a person in the government said who can stop you if you want to go?

Dulat said that people of Kashmir were still in shock after the nullification of Article 370, which gave special status to the state; he ascribed this as one the reasons why there had not been widespread popular protests, and presence of security forces as the other. He added that he believes at least 50 foreigners (Pakistanis, Afghans, Arabs, Turks) crossed the Line of Control three or four months ago, and then seemed to have disappeared, and described it as worrying. He said, however, that he would tell the government to start talking to Pakistan.

Also read- I am free today, says Farooq Abdullah after release from 7-month long detention
In a move that epitomizes the utter criminality of the ruling elites response to the coronavirus, the City of Toronto is threatening to lock out 1,700 public health workers as early as today in a contract dispute. The news came as cases of the potentially deadly virus spiked in Toronto and across Canada, with even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau forced to go into two weeks self-isolation after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for the disease.

The workers include nurses responsible for performing coronavirus testing, as well as other professionals working to contain the pandemic, including medical workers staffing helplines. Absurdly, the city, having declared a public health emergency Thursday, has asserted that losing 90 percent of its public health care staff would not impact its ability to cope with the disease. The city is determined to impose a concessions-laden contract on the health care workers, along with approximately 20,000 early childcare educators, cleaners, clerical staff and staff at Torontos events facilities.

Dr. David Fisman of the University of Torontos School of Public Health, a veteran of the 2003 SARS epidemic when at least 32 people died in the city, sharply criticized the citys actions. To assert that a lockout of public health workers at this time would not endanger the public is, frankly, ridiculous, he told the Toronto Star.

The criminal disregard of city authorities for the health and well-being of local residents is but one expression of the ruling elites indifference to the mass suffering threatened by the spread of the coronavirus. On Wednesday, after loudly proclaiming its intention to pull out all the stops to combat the disease, Justin Trudeaus Liberal government announced it was making available a paltry C$1 billion to fight the infection across the country. C$500 million was earmarked for the provinces, where many hospitals have already warned about severe shortages of medical supplies. This funding is a drop in the bucket, given that health care facilities are in most cases already running at or over capacity.

The government also unveiled a plan to waive the one-week waiting period for workers to obtain Employment Insurance if they test positive for COVID-19 or go into self-isolation. However, the vicious austerity measures of the past three decades mean that barely 40 percent of Canadas workforce is eligible for Employment Insurance. The vast majority of low-paid workers have no access to sick pay and cannot afford to miss a day or two of work without pay, never mind two weeks.

At the provincial level, steps have been taken in a haphazard manner. Schools are being closed in Ontario and Quebec, and gatherings of 250 people or more have been ordered canceled in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. Federal government figures on Friday showed 152 confirmed infections nationally, but figures from provincial authorities indicate at least 175 people have contracted COVID-19.

Government inaction at all levels has prompted some medical professionals to sound the alarm bells. Timothy Sly, an epidemiologist at Ryerson University who was involved in managing the 2003 SARS outbreak, wrote in an article for Macleans magazine that the current pandemic threatens to reach the same scale as the 1918-1919 Spanish flu pandemic. The outbreak of Spanish flu under conditions of the social devastation produced by the First World War led to between 50 million and 100 million deaths globally.

Sly sketched a possible scenario for the coming year, saying it is likely that between 40 and 70 percent of the global population could be infected with the coronavirus if no serious measures are taken to curb its spread. At least 1 percent of these cases would result in death, he adds. His description of the impact on hospitals is worth quoting at length:

A large hospital may have 1,000 nursing staff. Now consider, hypothetically, the prospect of 300 (30 per cent) of the nursing staff unable to come into work due to an outbreak of acute viral respiratory sickness, and another 100 (10 per cent) who are staying home because they are quarantined due to being contacts of family members who are ill, all during a one-month period at the peak of the outbreak. Anything even remotely resembling normal will be a distant memory, with 40 per cent of staff missing. Wards, units and entire departments may have to close.

It gets worse. On a daily basis, a formidable surge of anxious citizens will be heading toward the hospital with sick family members in tow. With a possible incidence rate in the community of at least 30 per cent (possibly much more), worried crowds will be lined up outside the ER entrance, banging on the door, trying to find someone to attend to their elderly family members who are already turning slightly blue as their cough becomes worse and pneumonia sets in.

The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians issued a statement Thursday warning of a looming crisis for hospitals, which have little to no surge capacity. Dr. Robert Fowler, a critical care physician and chief of the Tory Trauma Program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, commented, Even though only a minority get critically ill, that may still overwhelm our system, even on a good day. We operate our system with very slim margins of capacity. If Ontario happens in the same way as Europe, we could quickly exceed our capacity.

In British Columbia, reports are already emerging of doctors turning patients away from their offices due to a lack of protective equipment. One doctor told CTV News she was forced to tell 20 patients to call the 811 helpline, which is hopelessly overburdened. Doctors of B.C., a doctors association, expressed concern that face masks in particular are running out, and no timetable is in place for new supplies.

The threat confronting the tens of thousands of homeless people across Canada is severe. At Oppenheimer Park on Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, where hundreds of homeless people live, self-isolation for anyone who contracts the coronavirus is just not possible, according to camp liaison worker Chrissy Brett. There are two (shared) bathroom stalls currently and one with a urinal, she added.

Although campaigners have been calling for basic measures to improve public hygiene, including the installation of hand sanitizers and temporary bathroom facilities, nothing has yet been done.

It appears only a matter of time before the disease hits the homeless community. B.C. has reported a significant rise of cases over the past two days, including the first case of community transmission. On Friday, the total confirmed cases for the province rose to 64.

Ontario has also seen a major spike in coronavirus cases. They rose by 19 to 59 over a 24-hour period ending Thursday evening, and then to 79 by Friday afternoon. On Thursday evening, Ontarios right-wing populist Doug Ford-led government announced the closure of all public schools till April 6. The move marked a sudden change of course, coming just hours after the premier had reassured families to go off and enjoy their weeklong March break.

School closures are undoubtedly a necessary measure to stem the spread of the disease. However, it is clear that the provincial governments decision has an ulterior motive, as it tries to ram through concessions contracts on 200,000 teachers and education support staff. The two-week closure will undoubtedly be used to further intensify pressure on teachers to accept real-terms wage cuts and reductions in funding, or to justify the introduction of legislation outlawing strikes on the grounds that the completion of the school year is in jeopardy.

The Ford governments actions only underscore the need for working people to advance their own independent response to the coronavirus crisis. If the necessary measures to combat its spread, such as school closures, quarantines, and social distancing, are left to the capitalist politicians to oversee, they will be used to accelerate the decades-long onslaught on the working class that has prepared the conditions for the coronavirus to have such a devastating impact.

An indication of the mounting anger among the working class was provided early Thursday, when about a dozen transit workers in Toronto refused to work due to safety concerns. Citing their legal right to refuse work they consider to be unsafe, the workers refused to continue cleaning the streetcar fleet until better protection was provided, delaying its rollout Thursday morning.
FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government is closing all public schools in the province for two weeks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government is closing all public schools in the province for two weeks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The government says an all-party cabinet committee made the decision that is to go into effect on Monday.

It says the closure will be reassessed on an ongoing basis.

The government says early learning and child-care facilities, including those located in schools, are not being closed.

Currently New Brunswick has one confirmed case of COVID-19.

The province is asking anyone who has travelled internationally on or after March 9 to avoid early learning and childcare centres for 14 days.

On Thursday, Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, recommended that all non-essential gatherings of 150 people or more be cancelled or postponed until health officials are better able to determine the risk to people.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2020.
The Delhi Police on Saturday said that they had arrested five more people in connection with the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma, who was killed in Chand Bagh area during the north-east Delhi violence on February 25.

Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, who is already in police custody in connection with a case of rioting, is now being interrogated to ascertain his involvement in the IB staffers murder, the police added.

The police had made the first breakthrough in Sharmas murder case when they arrested a suspect, identified as Salman, from north-east Delhi on Thursday. Saturdays arrest of five men took the number of people nabbed for Sharmas murder to six.

All the six arrested men were directly involved in Sharmas killing and the same has been confirmed through the evidence we have collected and statements of eyewitnesses, said a senior police officer, associated with the special investigation teams (SITs) probing the riots cases.

The police, however, are yet to recover the weapons that were used to stab Sharma multiple times. At least four more suspects have been identified while the sketches of two unidentified suspects have also been prepared, the officer said.

The five arrested were identified as Feroz, Javed, Gulfam, Shoaib, and Anas. Except Anas, who is a resident of Mustafabad in north-east Delhi, all the other suspects lived in Chand Bagh, the area where the IB staffer was killed. Salman, who was nabbed on Thursday, is a resident of Nand Nagri. Police said they have identified the suspects through CCTV footage and information provided by eyewitness and local informers.

Sharma was allegedly stabbed multiple times and his body was found in a drain near his home in north-east Delhis Chand Bagh area on February 26, a day after he had gone missing after violence broke out in the area. His face and some other body parts had allegedly been burnt to conceal his identity. The IB staffers murder has been one of the most highlighted cases of Delhi riots, which claimed at least 53 lives within 36 hours and left more than 400 injured.

The probe so far into Sharmas murder case has revealed that he had gone to rescue some women and girls, who were trapped in the in the neighbourhood during the violence, when he was attacked and killed, said an SIT officer.

The eyewitness told us that Sharma went to rescue the women and girls along with some other persons from his neighbourhood. They safely rescued them and were bringing them back when stone pelting started. While others managed to escape, Sharma was hit by stones and he fell on the Chand Bagh Puliya (culvert). A mob surrounded Sharma and stabbed him multiple times before taking his body away, the officer said.

A total of 718 cases related to the riots were registered till Saturday, while 60 people were arrested in 55 separate cases registered under the arms Act. Police have received and are studying 1,330 video footage related to the violence.

We are investigating the cases from all angles and the police personnel are analysing the footage. Around 150 weapons have also been recovered which were used during the violence, another senior police officer said.

Ends
A 60-year-old farmer was killed and crops were damaged after heavy rain lashed many parts of Jharkhand since Friday night, officials said on Saturday. The farmer was killed in Palamau district and crops were damaged in Hazaribag and Giridih districts, they said.

The man died after the rain-soaked walls of his mud house fell on him following heavy rain at Noudiha village in Palamau district on Friday night, a police officer said.

The rainfall caused heavy damage to rabi crops, the District Agricultural Officer of Hazaribag, Sanjay Kumar, said.

Hazaribag Deputy Commissioner Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh said that there was a heavy loss to crops and properties in the district. He said that the additional collector of the district and the BDOs of all the 16 blocks in the district were asked to assess the losses so that he could send a report to the state government. According to P N Singh, the Executive Engineer of the Jharkhand Vijli Nigam Limited, (Hazaribag circle), electricity supply was disrupted following damages in nine feeders of Hazaribag town due to which it remained without power for nearly 16 hours. Several trees fell on overhead transmission lines and transformers in Hazaribagh, he said.

The heavy rainfall caused flooding in the Harda river and water is flowing over the road bridge.

As a result, the administration suspended movement of vehicular traffic on the bridge which connects Barkagaon, Keredari and Tandwa, a government official said in Hazaribagh. The 'channa' (pulse) crop was damaged due to heavy rainfall in Giridih district, officials said. According to a weather bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre in Ranchi, a maximum rainfall of 98.2 mm was recorded in Hazaribagh district, while hailstorm lashed some parts of the district. A trough runs from the above cyclonic circulation to Jharkhand across Haryana and south Uttar Pradesh at 1.5 km above mean sea level, it said. It said almost all districts in the state received rainfall.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Money owed by criminals in England and Wales has soared to a record 1.2billion, figures have revealed.

The total amount owed in unpaid fines and fees, which are imposed by the courts, has more than doubled in five years, meaning thousands of offenders are escaping part of their punishment.

In June last year, a staggering 1.16billion was outstanding, up from 557million in 2014. A chunk of this will be compensation for victims.

Experts said the money could have been injected into the cash-strapped Ministry of Justice or helped tackle the crisis in the UK's prisons.

Pictured: Wing in Bush House inside Maghaberry prison near Lisburn, County Antrim

Last night critics said offenders were 'laughing in the face of the courts' by failing to pay debts.

David Spencer, of the Centre For Crime Prevention think-tank, said: 'It is ludicrous so many criminals are able to escape justice in this way.

'Sentencing guidelines should be changed to ensure failure to pay a fine results in subsequent action being taken.'

But the MoJ insisted it collected 423million in 2018 - the last full-year figures available - up 40 per cent on the amount taken in 2014.

This was still down on the 461million collected in 2017.

It said the rise in debt is largely due to fines, which accounted for 375million of the money demanded by judges in 2018.
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Hampden, MA  Four Hampden teenagers got a dose of police state reality when they were both given hundreds of dollars in fines by environmental cops for riding their motorcycles on their own familys property. Yes. Thats right, America. Massachusetts has its own police force called environmental police, AKA Game and Fish wardens in other states. Each one of the four teenagers was hit with $750 in fines for a grand police state total of $3000 for just the one incident.

The teenagers (their families if the truth be known) will have to pay a $250 fine for operating an unregistered recreation vehicle and a $500 for operating recreation vehicles without mandated safety certifications  literally in their own backyard. As TFTP has consistently warned its readers, even though the so-called authorities claim permitting is for safety its simply a money grab by the state.

Unfortunately, most states it seems are adopting each and every regulatory permit they can invent or idea steal from another state, even going so far as permitting pets for example, so they can legally demand more of your hard-earned money when you break their newly invented rules. If the regulations didnt have the name permit written into the paperwork, it would otherwise be known as tax and we know that taxation is theft.

One of the teens mothers, Melanie Beck gave permission for the teens to ride on her property. She said making contact with police on her own land has put a bad taste in the mouths of the teens who wanted nothing more than to go riding in the woods.

My son was very upset when he was approached by the officers. All the boys had respect for the officers and after 2 1/2 hours of standing there being questioned, having to show VIN numbers, and writing citations for each kid, thats 2 1/2 hours. They were very upset, they left my house and, honestly, I feel like its pushing them further away from being kids and hanging out in the woods and having fun riding dirt bikes.

If a gun toting gang off the streets had done the exact same thing to the kids we would call it kidnapping and extortion. And to the teenagers and their families it likely feels the same. People with badges, without warrants, came onto their property, held their children against their will, and are now demanding money be paid because some arbitrary permit fee was not paid first before engaging in the exercise of ones own free will to play in the woods on their own land. Its ludicrous! And the permitting process will continue unless citizens put an end to if first.

As an aside, its embarrassing really for a state like Massachusetts to have to pay permits to their government to keep them from invading their privacy, kidnapping their kids, and fining the families hundreds of dollars all so teenagers can ride two-wheelers in the woods on their property. After all, the American Revolution had its foundings in the great state and yet now seems to suffer from taxation far worse than the Redcoats demanded. Worth noting is the fact permitting of ATVs is not limited to MA. The permitting of your God-given freedoms is taking place in every state in the Union. And its pathetic.

Beck claims she didnt even know about the motorcycle permitting regulations and says her son and his friends are very upset about causing their families to incur such an expensive fine. She made an interesting point when she said the family has recently entered competitive races and none of the race officials asked to see their bike registration paperwork.

Just in the last year, my husband and my son participated in two races and not one of those places in Massachusetts asked for the registered vehicle or if my son being 16 had taken the (safety) class.

Unfortunately, the average MA resident will likely read this article and think to themselves, thats unfortunate. Theyll do nothing about it. They wont get angry and even if they did would not likely have the courage to confront the egregious extortion practices. Beck, however, if feeling not only anger but experiencing dismay as well.

I think its outrageous that these people have been riding on there own properties for, I dont even know how long, and they have no problems. EPA can just show up on your property and ticket you $750. Its kind of ridiculous.

Go ahead. Try and think of any of your daily freedoms with which you dont need a permit from the oppressors to enjoy. Oh yeah, and just as a reminder, dont forget to get your real ID by October or you wont be able to fly the friendly skies. Enjoy that freedom Murica, you earned it!
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) welcomes US President Donald Trump (L) to the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London on December 4, 2019.

The U.S. will add the U.K. and Ireland to sweeping travel restrictions as the coronavirus spreads, President Donald Trump said Saturday, as he discouraged the American public from unnecessary travel.

Trump earlier this week announced that foreigners who have been in 26 European countries over the last two weeks won't be allowed in to the U.S. for 30 days. Vice President Mike Pence said the rules will take effect midnight Monday.

Airlines have scrambled to slash flights amid the pandemic and unprecedented travel restrictions to stop the spreading virus have crushed demand. Air cargo and ocean freight are exempt from the rules. The new ban to entry on foreigners who have been in the U.K. and Ireland takes effect at midnight Monday.

Speaking at a coronavirus briefing on Saturday, Trump said further travel restrictions, possibly within the United States, from places with high numbers of cases, is possible.

"If you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it," Trump said, when asked whether people should travel domestically.

Trump said his administration is considering domestic travel restrictions "from certain areas," he said, without elaborating. "We're working with the states and considering other restrictions."

Airlines will likely run flights for several days to allow citizens to return home and then will begin cancellations, according to a person familiar with the matter.

On Friday, a day before Trump added the U.K. and Ireland, Delta Air Lines said it would cut capacity over the next few months by 40%, the most in its history as it scrambles to save cash. It also said it would defer some of its ordered aircraft and park up to 300 of its planes. It is freezing hiring and asking employees to take unpaid leave. Other airlines have also made deep flight cuts and similar staffing changes as they try to preserve jobs.

"The speed of the demand fall-off is unlike anything we've seen  and we've seen a lot in our business," wrote Delta's CEO Ed Bastian in a note to employees.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly said they are working with airlines but it is not yet clear what kind of support the government could offer. Some measures, such as waiving ticket taxes or airport fees could have a limited impact if travel demand falls more steeply or if the Trump administration institutes domestic travel measures, since that money is collected when consumers buy tickets.

"We are in discussions with the White House and Congress regarding the support they can provide to help

us through this period," Bastian said in his note. "I'm optimistic we will receive their support. That said, the form and value is unpredictable, and we can't put our company's future at risk waiting on aid from our government."

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz, who is scheduled to hand over the reins to the company's president, Scott Kirby in May, said he met with senior Trump administration officials and lawmakers to "understand what government policies they may be considering and explain to them the impact that the coronavirus has had on our business."
Jan Jekielek Senior Editor Follow

Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, "American Thought Leaders." Jans career has spanned academia, media, and international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as website chief editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film "Finding Manny."
We also found that the statistics stalkers believed they were more likely to get the coronavirus. Fourteen percent of them said they were at least somewhat likely to get the coronavirus, compared with only 5 percent of non-stalkers.

Of course, we dont know whether the stalkers were wrong to think that they were so likely to get infected, given the small amount of available data about infections in the United States at the time of our survey. However, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, Hubei, the Chinese province where the virus emerged, has reported 67,760 infected people out of a population of about 59 million, an incidence rate of 0.11 percent. This means that 99.89 percent were not infected, suggesting that the American stalkers are probably overestimating their level of risk.

Stalkers also agreed more than non-stalkers did with the statement that it was important to stock up on water, food and toilet paper to prepare for a virus outbreak. While amassing supplies can be warranted in some situations, stalkers also reported that they were more likely to purchase a surgical mask to protect themselves from infection from others, giving the impression that they were less informed. (Wearing a surgical mask does little to protect you against virus spread unless youre caring for someone with the virus.)

Our findings suggest that people who look frequently at coronavirus statistics may focus too much on the scary stuff  the numbers of infected people and deaths  and not enough on the numbers of people not infected and of those infected who survived. The stalkers become unduly afraid, and their fear distorts their sense of how dangerous the situation is.

To be sure, we do not know for sure that looking more at the statistics caused increased fear. It may be that fearful people were driven to look more at the statistics. (Well continue to study these people over time to see what more we can learn.)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Nouakchott, Mauritania  Sat, March 14, 2020 08:40 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a8399a 2 World Mauritania,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Mauritania has confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus, the country's health minister said on Friday, adding to the growing number of cases in West Africa.

In a televised statement, Health Minister Mohamed Nedhirou Ould Hamed said the case involved a foreigner who tested positive on Friday.

"He was immediately isolated and the state has all the means at its disposal to take care of those suffering from the virus," the minister said.

A statement from the health ministry, also released on Friday, said the man was an expatriate who had flown into Mauritania from Europe on Monday.

He isolated himself after a friend in Europe tested positive for the virus, the statement added.

Health officials discovered he was feverish on Friday morning and he was confirmed positive for coronavirus later in the evening.

The health minister also promised, in his televised address, that the government would stop charter flights coming to Mauritania from France.

The West African state of Guinea registered its first coronavirus case on Friday too.

And Senegal, which shares a border with Mauritania, registered 11 new coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing its total number to 19.

Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria have all also recently registered coronavirus cases.

Gabon, which announced its first case earlier this week, said Friday it would close schools for two weeks and stop issuing tourist visas to areas hit by the pandemic.
When considering a vacation by the Mediterranean Sea, most travelers opt for the more obvious holiday destinations such as Spain, Italy, or Greece. However, an increasing number of tourists are making their way across the Mediterranean to Tunisia.

From a number of beautiful beaches, to a variety of ancient ruins, to a range of gastronomic tourism experiences, there is something for everyone to enjoy in Tunisia.

Before embarking on a trip to Tunisia, travelers should make sure they inform themselves about the must-see attractions in the country, how to get around, and whether they need a travel document to enter the country. Read on for the top tips you need to know before traveling to Tunisia.

Check if You Need a Visa for Tunisia

Before planning to visit the North African country, all foreign citizens should first check if they need a visa for Tunisia to gain entry at the border. Check here: https://www.visatunisia.com/

Citizens of 97 countries, including the United States, Canada, and all European Union countries except Cyprus, are able to visit Tunisia for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days.

Nationals of these countries who wish to visit Tunisia for longer periods, as well as travelers from all other countries, are required to get a visa in advance of travel from an embassy or consulate.

However, the Tunisian government is planning to launch an electronic visa system later this year, which will permit eligible citizens to obtain travel authorization exclusively online without having to visit a diplomatic office in person.

Train is the Best Way to Get Around

While it is entirely possible to drive around the country and enjoy a road trip across Tunisia, travelers should be aware that renting a car in Tunisia is quite expensive.

The most economical and hassle-free way to get around Tunisia by train, as the country boasts a cheap, comfortable, and well-connected rail network that connects all the major cities and tourist destinations.

Most of the trains in Tunisia are air-conditioned and come with three classes of cars to choose from: classe confort, first class, and second class. The difference in price is quite small, so those who want to upgrade won't need to break the bank to do so.

Make Sure You Visit Carthage

Most travelers to Tunisia initially arrive in Tunis, the capital city, before heading out to discover the rest of the country. However, before leaving the capital, you shouldn't miss out on a visit to the ruins of ancient Carthage in the north of the city.

The Archaeological Site of Carthage was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and comprises the extensive remains of an ancient city first founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th Century B.C.

Carthage was later overtaken in 146 B.C. by the Romans, who built a wide array of villas, theaters, and baths, the ruins of which remain in good condition and now comprise one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tunisia.

Take a Camel Ride in the Sahara Desert

While Tunisia's coastlines border the Mediterranean, much of the south of the country is taken up by the vast Sahara desert, and a trip to the country offers the perfect opportunity to explore this striking landscape.

One of the best ways to experience the Saraha is by taking a camel ride across the dunes. A number of companies based in the city Douz offer camel tours, which can range from a single overnight trip to a full 4-day trek.

While in the area, film fanatics are advised to pay a visit to the numerous filming locations used for the Star Wars series, which includes both sites with traditional Berber arcitecture, as well as the custom-built alien town of Mos Espa, which still stands intact in the desert.

Enjoy Gastronomic Tourism in Tunisia

Finally, travelers are advised to sample as much of the unique and delicious cuisine of Tunisia while in the country, such as Harissa (a spicy dip) and Fricasse (a savory doughnut).

Visitors are also advised to sign up for one of the unique gastronomic tourism experiences on offer in the country, whether enjoying an authentic meal in a dar (a traditional Tunisian restaurant), undertaking a workshop on olive oil tasting, or taking a wine tour through Tunisia's vineyards.
Two French academics jailed in Iran for over half a year on national security charges went on trial Tuesday in a case that has raised tensions between Tehran and Paris, their Paris-based support group said.

Fariba Adelkhah and Roland Marchal were detained in June on charges of conspiring against national security that rights groups and fellow academics have denounced as outrageous.

Their support group and the French foreign ministry have sounded the alarm over their health -- 60-year-old Adelkhah went on hunger strike for 49 days and 64-year-old Marchal's health is said to be deteriorating -- with the coronavirus outbreak only adding to the concern.

"A closed door 'trial' took place this morning in Tehran," the support group said, denouncing a "masquerade of justice".

Adelkhah appeared to be present, it said, although Marchal was not in attendance for reasons that are currently unclear. It added that Adelkhah did not appear to have her lawyer present at the hearing and neither were any French diplomats present.

The hearing was adjourned to a later date, it said.

The support group said holding them in jail was particularly dangerous given the intensity of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, which has killed 77 people nationwide according to a new toll.

"The Iranian authorities are deliberately putting in danger the lives of our two colleagues -- already weakened -- by keeping them in an overcrowded jail while the country is hit by a serious coronavirus epidemic whose scale is being played down and which is not under control," it said.

Persian-language media and activists outside of Iran have claimed the scale of the outbreak is far higher than admitted by the authorities but that has been vehemently denied by Tehran.

Iran does not recognise Adelkhah's dual French-Iranian nationality and has lashed out at Paris for what it has described as "interference" in the cases.

Adelkhah and Marchal, both researchers at Sciences Po University in Paris, are not the only academics being held by Tehran which has been accused by the West of arbitrarily detaining foreigners as bargaining chips.

Australian Kylie Moore-Gilbert of the University of Melbourne is serving a 10-year sentence after being found guilty of espionage.

Tehran is still holding several other foreigners in high-profile cases, including British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Mohammad Bagher Namazi.
Kolkata: Abbas Siddiqui, one of the most prominent Muslim clerics in Bengal, has decided to contest the West Bengal assembly elections in 2021.

The decision by Siddiqui, an influential cleric of Furfura Sharif Darbar located in Jangipara in Hooghly district, could be a cause of worry for the ruling Trinamool Congress and CM Mamata Banerjee as the new entrant could into the Muslim vote share. In few public meetings, Siddiqui has even claimed to be a fan of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

We will be contesting in at least 45 seats in Bengal. So far, we have not yet decided who we will support, but yes, our fight is against those who are trying to divide us, a spokesperson for Abbas Siddiqui said.

With more than 31 per cent vote share, Muslims are a deciding factor in West Bengal elections, having swayed the 2011 assembly elections in Mamata Banerjees favour.

Banerjee is well aware that any significant division in Muslim vote share, significant in 90 of 294 Assembly seats in the state, could jeopardise her re-election prospects next year.

Besides Siddiqui, another contender for the Muslim votes could be Owaisi himself.

Abbas Siddiqui is an influential leader among Muslims. On many occasions, he has openly supported the AIMIM. Now, if both of them (Abbas and Owaisi) contest, then our vote share will reduce significantly. It is going to be a big headache for us, a senior TMC leader admitted while speaking to News18.

Sensing a political opportunity in Bengal, Owaisi has been working on the bordering areas of the state where the Muslim population is high since 2011.

After winning the Kishanganj seat in Bihar for the first time, Owaisis AIMIM paid more attention to Bengal. Though he yet to launch AIMIM officially in the state, Owaisi has already engaged local youths to spread the partys ideology and stand among Muslims in Kolkata, North Dinajpore, Malda, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri and Nadia districts.

Speaking to News18, AIMIMs West Bengal head Jamirul Hassan, said, We will contest in all the seats in Bengal in 2021. Our agenda will be the betterment of Muslims in Bengal.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, the state witnessed a polarised two-way contest. The BJP openly played the Hindutva card, while the TMC banked on Muslims. Such was the polarisation that even Matuas (strong supporters of the TMC) voted for the BJP, which repeatedly raised the citizenship controversy during campaigning.

Given the context, Siddiquis candidature could actually help the BJP since Muslim votes would then get divided. While the polarisation came as a concern for TMC (as Hindu votes are shying away towards BJP), Abbas Siddquis and AIMIMs plan to contest 2021 Assembly poll in Bengal, could be a boon for BJP due to inevitable division in Muslim vote share.

In 2019, the TMC got 43 per cent votes (despite losing 12 seats), which is 5 per cent more as compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, the TMC got 34 seats, while in 2019 it managed to secure only 22 seats.

On the other hand, in the 2016 Assembly elections, BJPs vote share was 12 per cent and in 2019 Lok Sabha it went up to 39 per cent. There was an increase of 27 per cent vote share mainly because of Hindus moving towards the BJP.

In West Bengal, nearly 22 per cent Muslims live in Kolkata city, while majority of them (nearly 67 per cent) live in Murshidabad district. The second and third highest Muslim population is in North Dinajpur and Malda, respectively. In North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur, the Muslim population is 49.92 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.

West Bengal accounts for the second highest Muslim population in India, nearly 2.47 crore, who form nearly 27.5 per cent of the states population.
Man is 77 years old and he is in hospital in Madrid

Open source

Former NATO Secretary-General, 77-year-old Javier Solana was hospitalized in Madrid after his test for a new type of coronavirus infection tested positive, as Reuters reports, citing its own sources.

The man felt ill and had certain suspicions about the disease. The test results were positive. He was hospitalized in Madrid. Now his condition is being monitored by doctors. According to sources, the man feels good.

On Monday, March 9, Solana was present at an event next to Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya.

It should be noted that Javier Solana, 77, served as Secretary-General of NATO from 1995 to 1999, from 1999 to 2009 he was the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, and from 1992 to 1995 he was Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain.

As we reported before, this weekend, a special board will fly for the Ukrainians who are stuck on the border between Italy and Slovenia. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this

We successfully evacuated citizens from China. And this weekend (March 14-15), a special board will return the Ukrainians who are stuck on the border of Italy and Slovenia home. But I urge all Ukrainians to return in the next three days, - Zelensky said.
Faith leaders are heeding the call  and doing their part to reduce the transmission of coronavirus  even if that means canceling services and closing their doors.

On March 12, the Greater Houston Partnership convened area health experts and religious leaders to discuss how they could work together in the face of mounting concerns.

Dr. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson Cancer Center; Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann and Dr. Umair Shah, president of Harris County Public Health provided background and updates related to the global pandemic.

We looked at the medical basics of coronavirus, what we learned in China, whats happening in Italy and whats been happening in South Korea, said Bob Harvey, CEO and president of the Greater Houston Partnership.

Then the partnership made a recommendation to the 120 faith leaders gathered  to consider canceling services as early as March 15.

We put a hard ask right on the table, Harvey said.

Requesting congregants skip worship this weekend was a difficult call, he said.

This is a time when people want access to their spiritual leaders and fellow congregants, Harvey said. Peoples emotional and spiritual well-being is serious.

Because churches and temples are places where large groups assemble, however, means that members risk coming in contact with infected individuals at services.

Flattening the curve is the goal  and it may be Houstons best bet, Harvey said.

He was referring to a line on the graph of daily new confirmed cases, which maps time since the outbreak and the number of diagnoses that follow.

If nothing happens to contain transmission, the number increases and quickly spikes. The number of infected individuals could overwhelm hospitals and stress the entire system.

To flatten that spike on the graph, measures have to be taken to reduce transmissions. At the top of the list is limiting contact with individuals carrying the virus.

The same is true in the pews as it is in the workplace and in the grocery store, Harvey said.

Hearing that attendance at church or temple is not mandatory directly from faith leaders can be helpful, he added.

Its not just about keeping congregations safe, Harvey said. The entire community benefits in the long run. Faith leaders are positioned to reach a lot of individuals, and keeping their congregations safe and healthy ensures they are ready to respond to the crisis.

As a community, were going to face many issues in the coming weeks, Harvey said. This is the beginning, not the end. How do we stay productive as a community? We need to take the necessary steps.

That includes finding new ways to hold on to faith  even if its not within the physical church walls.

Pastor Steve Wells at South Main Baptist Church said moving online was an easy decision. The church already livestreams its sermons.

South Main has closed its campus for at least the next two weeks, asking staff to work from home. Were also asking them to volunteer in their neighborhoods, Wells said. Just be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever you are in the city.

Pastor Gregg Matte, with Houstons First Baptist Church, also elected not to host any in-person services at its campuses this Sunday. Instead they will make the sermons available online

The Bible says, A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the inexperienced keep going and are punished, Matte said. We want to be sensible in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. We are not acting out of fear; rather, we are using the wisdom and discernment God gives us as we follow Him in faith knowing that He is in control of all things.

Bishop Scott Jones, who leads the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, said a number of Methodist churches are also broadcasting services online.

He recommends that individuals join in prayer groups, Sunday school, support groups and Bible study  just through video chats and their phones.

I can use my iPhone to conference call three people, and the four of us can hold a prayer meeting without being in the same room, Jones said. We need to get creative and find ways people can still experience the grace of God.

Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo has suspended the Catholic obligation to attend Mass until further notice. He requested that certain individuals stay home, including the ill, immune compromised, elderly and those with chronic health issues. Members concerned about the risk of COVID19 are also asked to not attend.

I want us to pray for each other and the whole community of Galveston-Houston to do our part to be good agents and citizens, DiNardo said in a statement released Friday.

Catholic Charismatic Center, St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands, and St. Charles Borromeo, will be livestreaming their masses on Sunday.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has suspended all faith gatherings worldwide, including conferences, worship services and sacrament meetings until further notice. The action also applies to local branch, ward and stake activities.

Even the local service project which had a church work crew unloading the 50,000 pounds of food that the church donated to Humble Area Assistance Ministries might not have taken place a week later, church member Kelly Foss said.

Missionaries will take to training videos and video conferencing. The upcoming Worldwide Church General Conference will be broadcast instead of held in person.

The church has also been upgrading technology and increasing gospel content that can more easily be accessed by anyone, anywhere, at any time, Foss said. Modern technology also allows people to more easily stay connected at a time when gathering is restricted.

Partha Krishnaswamy, past president of Hindus of Greater Houston, said that temples are finding ways to make offerings without being present.

They can call the temple, and the priest can do the prayer on your behalf, Krishnaswamy said. You dont even have to come.

The rice they receive after the offering can then be mailed to their home.

The temples are also pressure-washed, and worshippers are encouraged to maintain their distance from others. All gatherings of more than 100 people were canceled, and signs were posted to ask visitors to wash their hands upon entry. Guests who bring offerings are asked to take them back home when they leave.

Imam Waleed Basyouni from Clear Lake Islamic Center has always adopted creative measures for guests at the mosque.

Like everyone else, our daily and weekly routines have been turned upside down, he said. Our daily prayers that are normally done shoulder-to-shoulder. Now we have individuals praying 6 feet apart from each other.

Some mosques have canceled Friday prayers for the first time, Basyouni added. Our doctors and health professionals are in the front lines, asking if sermons are being live-streamed, he said. Instead of imams speaking from the pulpit of the mosque, they are giving their sermons from the pulpits of social media.

Pregnant women, the elderly and those with health conditions were asked to remain home from the mosques that remained open. Weve stopped shaking hands and hugging, Basyoui said. As much as we can, were doing our best to minimize risks.

Rabbi David Lyon at Congregation Beth Israel canceled services and Torah study on March 14.

Judaism is not without guidance on matters of health and well-being, he wrote in his blog. So important is it to maintain ones health and to care for others health, that Jewish law permits one to set aside traditional Sabbath prohibitions to refrain from work in order to tend to the needs of the sick. Therefore, our first priority, no matter our level of observance, is the preservation of good health and our efforts to restore it when one is ill.

Rabbi Lyon also offered to provide counsel by phone, Facetime, or SKYPE to help members find calm and relief during COVID-19.

While prayer is helpful, it cannot replace extra steps to improve hygiene, such as regular hand-washing, and social distancing, such as a no-hugging rule, he wrote. When we pray, let it be for the purpose of keeping control of our emotions and anxieties while we keep faith in our community to be mindful of our shared hope for a healthy future for all.

Rabbi Steve Gross with the Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism canceled Sabbath services but will be streaming and teaching online. Our greatest challenge will be to keep people feeling hopeful and connected despite the distance, he said.

Houstonians are encouraged to practice social distancing, but Rabbi Gross does not want individuals to feel isolated or alienated.

While we are determined to maintain a healthy Houston and do everything we can to support the health of our community, we recognize that we need each other and need faith in times of uncertainty, he said.

He quoted Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, a leader in Los Angeles, who said COVID19 can call individuals to serve others: Every hand that we dont shake must become a phone call that we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression of warmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another, must become a thought as to how we might be of help to that other.

Basyouni had the same advice  to remember others during this time. Already, his congregation started delivering food to members who cannot leave their homes and checking up on the elderly.

Sometimes God challenges us with a difficulty in our lives to bring out the best of us, to make us better, he said. The virus reminds us to care about the well-being of everyone, especially the less fortunate. We are reminding ourselves to pray a lot, check up on our neighbors a lot, and wash our hands a lot.

Bishop Jones also said that even at a distance, Houstonians can demonstrate care and love. He encourages them to pray for those infected and to consider the less fortunate.

We are concerned about the economic impact, especially on the poor who live paycheck to paycheck, he said. We need to stress generosity.

Jones asks that individuals contribute to food pantries and ministries that can help  and to not panic. Im trying my best to radiate joy, peace and hope. I think thats the best thing we can do, he said.

Martin B. Cominsky, CEO of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, said that the nonprofit will continue its service and is also researching ways to provide meals without entering homes for the safety of its clients. Interfaith is limiting its meetings as well.

Were trying to be very cautious, Cominsky said. We have a responsibility to serve too.

The Rev. Gregory Han, the organizations director of interfaith relations and education, said the message he continues to hear among religious leaders is of compassion, hope and resilience in the midst of struggle.

Faith communities are just reconceiving what it means to gather, he said. Thats the real challenge.

Pastor Wells said that acting early is imperative. We have hard data from China and Italy, he said. We have smart doctors. All we have to do is be creative and still serve our congregations  and we can.

The churches in Houston were able to band together and make a difference after Hurricane Harvey, Wells added. We knew it was coming, but we couldnt stop it, he said. This is just like that  but we can stop it. We can take action now that can save peoples lives.
Silence by Jakarta for Commissioner to visit West Papua prompts calls to suspend Indonesia from MSG
COVID-19 Tracking Survey: Who do New Yorkers trust during the Coronavirus outbreak?

New York, NY | Researchers from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) and Emerson College are rolling out a weekly survey to capture where New Yorkers get information on COVID-19, how they perceive their personal risk, and what actions they are taking to protect themselves.

The COVID-19 Tracking Survey is designed by CUNY SPH in collaboration with the Journal of Health Communication, a peer-reviewed publication edited by CUNY SPH Distinguished Lecturer Scott Ratzan, MD. Professor Spencer Kimball of Emerson Polling will provide technical consultation and conduct this survey with a representative sample of over 1000 New York adults via phone and online.

Survey questions will include:

What do you think are your chances of getting sick with Coronavirus?

Do you have a regular healthcare provider?

Have you ever shared information on Coronavirus on social media without knowing if it was accurate?

What is your most trusted source for information about Coronavirus?

CUNY SPH will report on the first round of the survey's findings in the Journal of Health Communication and at sph.cuny.edu/news on Monday, March 16 at 12pm. A media advisory with the survey results will also be sent.

"In our role as the public school of public health in New York City, we continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in our city and state," says CUNY SPH Dean Ayman El-Mohandes. "This is an effort from our research scientists to communicate to all concerned parties, through a representative polling survey, perceptions, sources of information, and changes in behavior of NYC and NYS residents related to the epidemic." -

###

This story has been published on: 2020-03-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
With the Congress government



in Madhya Pradesh on the verge of collapse, state minister PC Sharma on Saturday performed a 'havan' (fire ritual) at the famous Baglamukhi Temple in Agar Malwa district.

The temple is known for 'tantrik' (occult) rituals and people often carry out 'havan' for wish fulfillment.

Congress MLAs from the state, currently sequestered in Jaipur in neighbouring Rajasthan, also prayed at temples, including the famous Khatushyam Temple, as per channels.

The Kamal Nath government is staring down the barrel after Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP, with several of the latter's supporter MLAs announcing their resignations.

The BJP has maintained that 22 Scindia loyalist MLAs have resigned.

The effective strength of the Assembly will come down to 206 if resignations of the 22 MLAs are accepted, giving the BJP a clear majority with 107 legislators.

Earlier in the day, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded a floor test on Sunday ahead of the budget session set to begin on Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The exchange came after President Donald Trump, while addressing the nation on Wednesday night, incorrectly implied that coronavirus patients could access free treatment . Many insurers have said they will pick up the cost of coronavirus testing for some policyholders, but not the treatment -- and a test or treatment that is covered is not necessarily free.

(CNN) Democratic Rep. Katie Porter successfully pressed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief during a congressional hearing on Thursday to agree that the agency will pay for testing for the novel coronavirus .

"Dr. Kadlec, for someone without insurance, do you know the out-of-pocket cost of a complete blood count test?" Porter, a California Democrat, asked Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, who said that he did not.

Porter, who is known for her incisive questioning of witnesses , then asked Kadlec whether he knew the prices of several medical services that could be associated with a coronavirus test, writing down her own figures for each service on a whiteboard she had brought to the House Oversight Committee hearing. All of his guesses were slightly to significantly above the amounts that Porter cited.

"This is like 'The Price Is Right,' " she said, writing down the different figures for a grand total of $1,331.

"Fear of these costs are going to keep people from being tested, from getting the care they need and from keeping their communities safe," Porter said, citing statistics on how many Americans cannot afford unexpected medical expenses, "and we have a $1,331 expense, conservatively, just for testing for the coronavirus."

Porter then turned her attention to Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the CDC, asking him, "Do you want to know who has coronavirus and who doesn't?"

"Yes," Redfield replied.

"Not just rich people, but everybody who might have the virus?" Porter asked.

He responded, "All of America."

The cost of coronavirus testing became more of an issue last week when the test kits started becoming available in commercial and hospital labs. Prior to that, the CDC was picking up the tab for testing in public health labs.

Porter then pressed Redfield on whether he was familiar with 42 CFR 71.30 , reading aloud the statute, which states that the CDC "director may authorize payment for the care and treatment of individuals subject to medical exam(ination), quarantine, isolation and conditional release."

"That I know about and my office did tell me that, I just didn't know the numbers, ma'am, congresswoman," Redfield said.

Porter then asked, "Dr. Redfield, will you commit to the CDC, right now, using that existing authority to pay for diagnostic testing, free to every American, regardless of insurance?"

Redfield responded, "Well, I can say that we're going to do everything to make sure everybody can get the care they need --"

"Nope, not good enough," Porter interjected, reclaiming her time and reiterating the question, "yes or no?"

Redfield replied, "What I'm going to say is, I'm going to review it in detail with CDC and the department --"

"No, reclaiming my time," Porter interjected, citing a letter that she and other Democratic lawmakers had written him on the issue "one week ago" requesting a response by Wednesday -- before reiterating her question again.

"What I was trying to say is that CDC is working with HHS now to see how we operationalize that," Redfield replied.

"Dr. Redfield, I hope that that answer weighs heavily on you, because it is going to weigh very heavily on me and on every American family," she said.

He responded, "Our intent is to make sure that every American family gets the care and treatment they need at this time in this major epidemic and I am currently working with HHS to see how to best operationalize it."

"Dr. Redfield, you don't need to do any work to operationalize," Porter continued. "You need to make a commitment to the American people so they come in to get tested. You can operationalize the payment structure tomorrow --"

"I think you're an excellent questioner, so my answer is yes," Redfield said. CNN has asked the CDC for comment on how this commitment will work going forward and how Americans -- particularly the uninsured -- can access this benefit. It is unclear whether Redfield was committing to pay only for the coronavirus test itself or also for visits to the emergency room or doctor's office and for other tests.

"Excellent! Everybody in America hear that -- you are eligible to go get tested for coronavirus and have that covered, regardless of insurance," Porter said. "Please -- if you believe you have the illness, follow precautions, call first, do everything the CDC and Dr. Fauci -- God bless you for guiding Americans in this time -- but do not let a lack of insurance worsen this crisis."

Redfield responded, "And I would just like to echo what you said: It's ... very important (to) public health that ... those individuals that are in the shadows can get the health care that they need during this, the time of us responding to this outbreak."
By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante

ROME, March 13 (Reuters) - The northern region of Lombardy, at the epicentre of Italy's coronavirus epidemic, asked on Friday for a further, final push to combat the contagion, which has killed more than 1,000 people and pummelled the economy.

The government this week imposed drastic curbs on all of the country, shutting bars, restaurants and most shops, and banning non-essential travel in an effort to halt the worst outbreak of the disease outside China.

However, it said factories and public transport should remain operational to prevent a total shutdown. Lombardy, which has accounted for 73% of all the deaths, said even these activities needed to close to stamp out the illness.

"We are asking for an exception to be made for Lombardy, which is the hardest hit region, with additional closures of shops and businesses," said Giulio Gallera, the local councillor responsible for welfare.

"If we can resist for at least eight days, perhaps we will see things turn around," he told RAI 3 television.

Some companies, such as car maker Fiat Chrysler, have decided to shut down some operations, while premium brakes maker Brembo announced on Friday it would temporarily stop work at its four Italian plants.

THE SICK, THE ECONOMY

There was no immediate word on whether Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte would agree to further curbs in Italy's business heartlands, with the government increasingly concerned about the long-term scars the virus will leave on the fragile economy.

"Today we have two objectives: Taking care of the sick and preventing infections, and taking care of our economy," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday.

Di Maio was speaking at an event to thank China for sending 31 tonnes of medical supplies, including masks and respirators, to Italy, as well as a team of doctors.

"Italy is not alone," Di Maio said. "China is getting back on its feet and soon we too will be back on our feet."

Story continues

Italy has been dismayed by the response of some of its closest European allies to the crisis, with EU states refusing earlier this month requests for help as they stockpiled face masks and other medical equipment for their own citizens.

Austria and Slovenia have also drawn diplomatic displeasure by drastically limiting cross-border road traffic, leading to lengthy tailbacks and widespread confusion.

Four buses carrying Ukrainian nationals trying to get home from Italy were turned back at the Slovenian frontier overnight.

"We can't continue our journey. We have children on board, we are tired and we can't continue," said an upset woman, who did not give her name. "If something happens, we want to die in our homes, in our country," said a Ukrainian man next to her.

In Rome, Pope Francis rebelled against a decision by his Roman Catholic Church to close all the 750 churches in the Italian capital - an unprecedented move in modern history.

"Drastic measures are not always good," the pope said on Friday in improvised remarks at the start of his morning Mass, streamed on the Internet.

Within hours, the Church in Rome rowed back on the order and said all parish churches and those run by religious communities could remain open. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
The number of persons confirmed as carrying the novel coronavirus has reached 97, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) announced on Saturday.

One is a 47 year-old woman from Bucharest, direct contact of case 45, without symptoms and self-isolated at home, and a 39 year-old man from Dolj County who returned on March 5 from Brescia and had been self-isolated until March 12, when he was admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Craiova, with "specific symptoms.
A Harrison County resident is among the latest to test positive for novel coronavirus -- COVID-19 -- in Iowa.

The Harrison County Department of Public Health confirmed Friday evening that a resident between the ages of 61-80 has tested positive and is in self-quarantine at home.

Harrison County Public Health Administrator Brad Brake said the person had recently traveled to England and returned stateside within the last few weeks.

Both Brake and Alex Carfrae of the Iowa Department of Public Health said they were unable to release information on where the person lives in Harrison County, if anyone else connected to the person is in self-quarantine or if the person is a man, woman or non-binary. Brake said he was unaware of any exposure risk at public places or at recent public events.

The patient was tested in Nebraska, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said during a Friday afternoon press conference with Iowa Public Health Medical Director Dr. Caitlin Pedati.

Asked if the Harrison County and Pottawattamie County cases are connected, Pedati said they are not, as the cases involve separate travel. Reynolds stepped to the podium to add, but they do have a tie-back, to an event.

Brake and Carfrae said they were unaware of a tie to an event.

We know there is no link to the patients, Carfrae said. There is no tie-back to an event.

There has been one positive coronavirus case in Pottawattamie County, a Council Bluffs woman between the ages of 41-60 who recently traveled to California. The woman has been in self-quarantine since last weekend. Additionally, three others are in self-quarantine while a fifth person is self-monitoring -- all connected to the positive case -- according to county Planning Director Matt Wyant, who oversees the public health division.

Wyant explained that self-monitoring is a grade below quarantine. The person is not ordered to stay at home, because they had less of an exposure, but should be paying attention to possible symptoms.

All other COVID-19 tests in Pottawattamie County have been negative.

Wyant said rumors of possible exposure at a Council Bluffs pharmacy were unfounded.

Were starting to get a few of these false claims, he said.

Additionally, epidemiologists at the Douglas County (Nebraska) Health Department have identified an area of Council Bluffs as one of two locations that had a low-risk exposure to the novel coronavirus, according to a release.

Visitors of the Subway inside of the Walmart Supercenter at 1800 N. 16th St. between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on March 8 are asked to self-monitor symptoms for 14 days. Possible symptoms of this exposure could be fever, cough or trouble breathing.

Phil Rooney with the Douglas County Health Department said someone in the family group of a 36-year-old Omaha woman who tested positive for coronavirus is believed to have eaten at the Subway and an Omaha Pepperjax Grill.

DCHD said the other location, in Omaha, under low risk of exposure is Pepperjax Grill at 1221 Howard St. Patrons that ate there between the hours of 5:30 to 9 p.m. on March 8 are asked to self-monitor for 14 days.

Also in the Council Bluffs area, local entities have formed the Pottawattamie County COVID-19 Response Task Force. The group consists of officials from Pottawattamie County -- including elected, public health and emergency management officials -- City of Council Bluffs staff and elected officials and leaders from local schools, health systems and other agencies.

The group is recommending limiting nonessential large-scale community activities to reduce the opportunities for people to gather and potentially share the virus. The group is not recommending canceling schools, closing businesses or altering daily routines at this time.

There is not yet evidence of COVID-19 community spread in Pottawattamie County, task force officials said in a release. The task force noted this is a rapidly evolving situation.

Our community goal is to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the group said, mentioning large gatherings and canceling or postponing events.

The elderly and people with underlying health conditions should avoid large crowds, as these individuals are most at risk.

There are a total of 17 coronavirus cases in Iowa, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health, including 14 in Johnson County connected to an Egpytian cruise. An additional case is in Carroll county.

The Pottawattamie County COVID-19 hotline is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 712-890-5368 or 712-890-5369. The Methodist Health System community hotline and screening tool at 402-815-SICK (7425) is available 24 hours a day. Additionally, 2-1-1 is available for information on coronavirus.

Lastly, pcema-ia.org and idph.iowa.gov are resources for information and guidance.
Mumbai, March 14 : The release date of the upcoming Parineeti Chopra-Arjun Kapoor crime drama "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" has been pushed again, this time owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dibakar Banerjee directorial was slated to open on March 20. On Saturday, less than a week away from release date, the film's producer Yash Raj Films (YRF) tweeted to inform: "Given the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, we have decided to postpone the release of Dibakar Banerjee's Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. The health and safety of everyone is of utmost importance at this time." The post, put up on the banner;s official handle @yrf, was retweeted by the film's lead actors, Arjun and Parineeti.

"Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" has been jinxed by delay in schedule, Unconfirmed reports state that the film was originally scheduled to open over a year ago. It was finally readied for release next Friday, but it seems like Parineeti and Arjun will have to wait a while longer for their film to see light of day, once the COVID 19 storm passes away.

The two actors worked together in the 2012 release "Ishaqzaade", which marked Arjun's Bollywood debut. The film was critically acclaimed. They reunited in the 2018 release, "Namaste England", which performed below expectations.

Parineeti and Arjun's third outing together, "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar", marks Dibakar Banerjee's return as director to the Bollywood screen for the first time since the 2015 release, "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" Parineeti plays a corporate executive named Sandeep Kaur while Arjun is Pinky Dahiya, a policeman. The duo go absconding under unusual circumstances.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
President Trump is lashing out at former President Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden after calling for unity in the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump in a tweet on Thursday night attacked "Sleepy Joe Biden" for the Obama administration's response to the swine flu, suggesting his own administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic is drawing high approval ratings. On Friday morning, an ABC News poll found a majority of Americans, 54 percent, disapprove of Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic compared to 43 percent who approve.

Trump in his tweet suggested he has a 78 percent approval rating on his coronavirus response, but the poll he cites was conducted in February prior to the first death in the U.S. from the novel coronavirus, CNN's Daniel Dale notes. It found that 77 percent of Americans were confident in the federal government's ability to handle a coronavirus outbreak, not mentioning Trump.

On Friday morning, Trump also lashed out at the CDC for doing "nothing about" its testing system and again attacked the Obama administration over the swine flu, calling their response a "full scale disaster" and claiming Obama "made changes that only complicated things further" when it comes to testing.

Trump had previously been placing blame on Obama amid scrutiny over the amount of coronavirus tests being made available in the United States, recently claiming the former president "made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental." CNN writes that "there is no Obama-era decision or rule that impeded coronavirus testing. The Obama administration did put forward a draft proposal related to lab testing, but it was never implemented."

The Washington Post notes that Trump's tweets swiping Obama and Biden came after his Wednesday Oval Office address, during which he said now is the time to "put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together as one nation and one family."

More stories from theweek.com

Coronavirus and the end of the conservative temperament

7 scathingly funny cartoons about the Democratic presidential race

A coronavirus vaccine begins clinical trials Monday  but it could be well over a year before you can get it


It's understandable if you feel frustrated when a stock you own sees a lower share price. But sometimes broader market conditions have more of an impact on prices than the actual business performance. So while the Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Co., Ltd. (HKG:3768) share price is down 16% in the last year, the total return to shareholders (which includes dividends) was -8.4%. That's better than the market which returned -14% over the last year. We wouldn't rush to judgement on Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment because we don't have a long term history to look at. It's down 4.1% in the last seven days.

See our latest analysis for Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Even though the Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment share price is down over the year, its EPS actually improved. It's quite possible that growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past.

The divergence between the EPS and the share price is quite notable, during the year. So it's well worth checking out some other metrics, too.

We don't see any weakness in the Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment's dividend so the steady payout can't really explain the share price drop. From what we can see, revenue is pretty flat, so that doesn't really explain the share price drop. Unless, of course, the market was expecting a revenue uptick.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:3768 Income Statement, March 14th 2020

Take a more thorough look at Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.

What About Dividends?

Story continues

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment, it has a TSR of -8.4% for the last year. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

While they no doubt would have preferred make a profit, at least Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment shareholders didn't do too badly in the last year. Their loss of 8.4% , including dividends, actually beat the broader market, which lost around 14%. The falls have continued up until the last quarter, with the share price down 5.8% in that time. This doesn't look great to us, but it is possible that the market is over-reacting to prior disappointment. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks, for example - Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment has 3 warning signs (and 1 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
14.03.2020 LISTEN

A group calling itself "Period Matters" is soliciting for signatures on social media to petition President Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament over tax on sanitary products.

The group is asking the government to reduce the import duties on shampoos and further waive the tax component on sanitary pads.

They said they are not happy that government is taxing menstruation, the pride and dignity of every woman.

Read Full Petition Below:

"Period Matters would like to bring to your notice an injustice embedded in the 20% import tax and 12.5% VAT levied on Sanitary Pads in Ghana under the HS Code 9619001000 of the Ghana Revenue Authority."

People importing sanitary pads into the country pay 20% tax under the Harmonized Code (HS code 9619002900) of the Ghana Revenue AuthorGovernment as such products are recognized as luxurious goods.

Some students already are unable to attend classes during their menstrual periods because of the lack of necessary sanitary materials and a further tax on these materials will aggravate the situation.

Some girls miss school between 3 to 5 days every month, due to no fault of theirs, totalling 10 to 20% of every academic year.

There are risk of infections if women are not able to afford hygienic products indicating that women have a high risk of urinary tract infections, as a result of their short urethras.

About 250 people have already signed the petition but Period Matters says it wants 500 netizens (social media users) to sign the petition to the Speaker of Parliament.
(Newser)  After what the New York Times says was a "roller-coaster day of negotiations" between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Trump administration, the House passed a coronavirus relief bill in the early hours Saturday that will help families across the nation impacted by the illness. Per CNN, the bipartisan package passed 363-40, with 40 Republicans voting against it. Michigan's Justin Amash (now an independent after defecting from the GOP) voted "present," explaining on Twitter that, in his view, the process was rushed and "key provisions appeared unworkable as drafted." According to a letter that Pelosi drafted to House Democrats Friday evening, the bill includes free coronavirus testing (even for those without insurance), as well as two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave for qualifying workers.

story continues below

The bill also includes enhanced unemployment benefits, expanded federal funding for Medicaid, and more food aid. In a series of tweets before the vote, President Trump indicated Friday night he would sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk. "I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES!" he posted. "I will always put........the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!" Trump added he would direct Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia "to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt." Earlier Friday, during a press conference in which he declared a national emergency, Trump had criticized the bill, saying, "We don't think the Democrats are giving enough." The bill will likely see a Senate vote Monday, per USA Today. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
The alumni association of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) of the U.S Consulate in Nigeria has held a sensitisation exercise for secondary school students in Lagos State on drug abuse prevention.

The two-day programme, themed, Combatting Drug Addiction and Crime Prevention in Public Secondary Schools, ended on Friday.

The group said the project is part of their contribution to developing the local communities.

The IVLP is an international exchange programme organised to foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations through short-term visits to the U.S.

The first day of the sensitization programme held at Obele Community Senior High School, Surulere, on Thursday.

On Friday, the group took the programme to Ansarudeen Comprehensive High school, Okota, with students from Okota High School, Ijeshatedo Senior Grammar School, and Ireakari Grammar School in attendance.

Adetoun Tade, the IVLP president, Lagos chapter, said the group is committed to making as many impacts as possible, especially at the grassroots level.

According to her, the community impact programme is another one of the mentorship programmes that the group organises every quarter for secondary school students.

Mrs Tade said the theme of the programme was conceived as a result of the alarming increase of substance abuse and crime among the youth.

We now have students selling drugs to other students, you find knives and different harmful things on students and youll be like, these are supposed to be kids, she said.

You realise they even know more than adults. When you talk to them, they tell you its an uncle or brother on their street that introduced drugs to them. You realise that they are being introduced to these things by the adults they look up to and respect.

We hope to have more enlightened students at the end of this programme. Weve taken attendance and we hope to follow this up and check on them. We also believe that word of mouth is very powerful. As the negative motions are coming from some people, these ones that have become informed and enlightened will impact some others.

READ ALSO:

The students were taken through the basics of drug abuse as well as the causes and consequences of abusing substances.

They were also enlightened on the consequences of keeping bad company, engaging in criminal activities and getting involved in unlawful sexual activities as well as the negative results like unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

Remy Shittu, the leader of Isolo local council, said it is essential to begin to inform and enlighten the youth about the consequence of substance abuse right from the secondary school level or even before, as it would be wrong to assume teenagers are too young to use drugs.

On Wednesday, a junior secondary school student was caught selling Indian hemp, Mr Shittu said.

The grandmother gave her Indian hemp to sell in school. It has gotten that bad. We cannot just sit back and allow their lives to get ruined. We need to keep telling them, we need to encourage them and enlighten them that they dont need drugs to function properly.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three U.S. troops have been wounded in a rocket attack in Iraq on the same base where Iran-backed militia struck on Wednesday, killing two Americans and a British soldier, a U.S. official told Reuters on Saturday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not detail the extent of the injuries or speculate about any U.S. response.

The rocket attacks came less than two days after the United States launched retaliatory air strikes at facilities in Iraq that the Pentagon linked to the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia, which it blamed for Wednesday's attack. Iraq protested the U.S. air strikes and said members of its security forces were among the dead.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
They say, 'What goes around, comes around' and for this Islamic scholar things came back full circle in the most deadly ways possible.

Shia scholar Hadi Al-Modarresi made a ridiculous claim that the Coronavirus outbreak in nothing but 'Allah's punishment against China'.

Twitter

The 63-year-old cleric who is regarded as one of the most prominent Shia leaders in Iraq was quoted saying in a video"



Iraqi Islamic Scholar Hadi Al-Modarresi, Prior to Being Infected with Coronavirus: The Virus Is a Divine Punishment against the Chinese pic.twitter.com/7NiQki6qBy  MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) March 9, 2020





It is obvious that the spread of this virus is an act of Allah. How do we know this? The spread of the coronavirus began in China, an ancient and vast country, the population of which makes up one-seventh of humanity."

The scholar goes on to make a racist claim that the "tyrannical authorities in China have laid siege to more than a million Muslims and placed them under house arrest."

"Allah sent a disease upon them and this disease laid siege to 40 million [Chinese people]. The same niqab that they mocked has been forced upon them, both men and women, by Allah, by means of the state authorities and officials.

AFP

Minutes after the video of his outrageous claim went viral, people started slamming him left, right and centre. One twitter user wrote.' He shows a great capacity for convoluted reasoning. Of course it is all based on 7th century logic.'



'Unfortunately, ignorance of "Islamic scholars" need to be educated to understand how their religion destroy their ability of understanding in many directions,' wrote another.



But things didn't end there, Hadi Al-Modarresi ended up testing positive for the deadly COVID-19. and people couldn't look past the irony of it all.

#

Karma as a result of his hypocrisy   RSingh (@RSingh08970711) March 9, 2020

#2

Allah 0 - coronavirus 1  Le kyste cosmique (@barttosh21) March 9, 2020

#3

Is it possible that Hadi Al-Modarresi need to do a DNA test? Did he have secret unprotected meetings with the Chinese?

How will he spin is infection?

Oh Allah is so great!  Winter Bearded DoH (@DohMtl) March 9, 2020

#4

Unfortunately, Coronavirus sees you as a potential host like everyone else.. no question of special offers here..  Constable The_Raack (@The_Raack1) March 12, 2020





#5

because virus does not know the borders , faith or race  Srinivasa Rao Chava (@SrinivasaChava) March 9, 2020





According to Reuters, the total number of Coronavirus cases in Iraq has climbed to 54 so far, according to health officials.

As reported by the state news agency, the country has stopped all flights to India and Lebanon over the coronavirus outbreak.
Employees, customers and the public all expressed hostility to the announcement by Art Van Furniture last week that it was going out of business. On Sunday, the Detroit-area furniture and mattress retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after it began liquidation sales on Friday with plans to permanently close all company-owned stores within 60 days.

The Art Van showroom located in Warren, Michiganalso the home of the companys corporate offices and primary warehousewas closed early Saturday afternoon, when long lines of angry customers began creating a traffic jam amid concerns of potential violence breaking out on 14 Mile Road in the Detroit suburb.

Art Van Furniture Showroom and Clearance Center in Taylor, Michigan

Jim Fouts, mayor of Warren, told the news media, Its too dangerous. We are shutting them down at 4 oclock. We could come close to a riot. Ive never seen anything this bad. Employees are extremely mad and upset, and customers are extremely mad and upset.

Other locations in the area experienced similar lines as confusion mounted among customers who had previously made purchases and were told that their furniture and other household items would not be delivered as agreed to at the time of their order. Customers were also told that their money could not be refunded, but they could use it for in-store credits only.

Art Van has approximately 3,000 employees, many who have worked for the company for decades if not their entire working lives. In response to a widespread sickout action by staff people during the liquidation sales, Art Van management posted notices on Monday threatening employees with termination if they reported to work without a medical note after one unexcused absence.

On social media, workers and others expressed their anger toward the private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners that bought a controlling stake in the furniture company two years ago and was behind the decision to declare bankruptcy and liquidate.

One tweet said, Art Van didnt fail. A hedge fund (Thomas H. Lee and Partners) bought the company from the Van Elslanders and then proceeded to pull a bunch of money out of it until it could no longer pay its bills. This was done intentionally. And what THL did is completely legal.

Others pointed to the connections between the private equity firm and prominent Democratic Party officials such as the Clintons and the leading Democratic candidate for president Joe Biden. One tweet said, Thomas H. Lee Equity Partners of Boston drove thriving Art Van Furniture into the ground in Warren, MI in three short years. They held a fundraiser for Joe Biden in December.

According to information on Wikipedia, Thomas H. Lee, the founder of the private equity company is a friend of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. In June 2008 at the conclusion of Hillarys unsuccessful presidential run, she and Bill were reported to have stayed at his East Hampton, New York beach front home for a few days for the period when she was out of the public eye.

The Chapter 11 filing in US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, along with other documents submitted to the government by Art Van executives, sheds light on the condition of the firm that was founded by Archie Van Elslander in East Detroit in 1959.

According to the Voluntary Petition for Chapter 11 submitted by Art Van Furniture, LLC, the company has 13 business entities with between $100 million and $500 million in debt owed to more than 50,000 creditors. The document lists Art Vans top 30 unsecured creditorsall of whom are suppliers, such as marketing and advertising suppliers and furniture manufacturers. Among them are the advertising company The Sussman Agency, La-Z-Boy Chair Company and Sealy Mattress Company, which are owed $7.8 million, $5.2 million and $4.1 million respectively.

An accompanying statement from David Ladd, Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer of Art Van Furniture, states the company has worked in concert with its secured lenders to develop a budget for the use of cash collateral to facilitate an expedited sale and orderly winddown process that will maximize value and recoveries for stakeholders in these cases. In other words, the secured investors and banks will be paid off first with the assets of the company, and whatever is left after that will go to the remaining creditors.

The 22-page declaration from David Ladd, who has been the EVP and CFO since before the sale of Art Van to private equity, also explains that the firm was sold to Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) in 2017 for $612 million in a financial manipulation called a real estate sale-leaseback.

As the David Ladd declaration states, At the closing of the 2017 Transaction, THL acquired the operating assets of the business, and certain real estate investment trusts acquired the owned real estate portfolio. The proceeds from the sale-leaseback transaction were used to fund the purchase price paid to the selling shareholders.

What this means is that the furniture store properties were sold to real estate investors, and the funds from these sales were used by THL as part its $612 million deal to purchase Art Van from the former owners. The furniture company then had to make lease payments to the real estate investors going forward, adding a significant financial obligation to the company.

As Carter Dougherty of Americans for Financial Reform told the Detroit Free Press, The sale-leaseback approach is a common technique of private equity, not only for forcing target companies to handle crushing debt loads imposed through the takeover process. Its also a mechanism that helps ensure that private equity executives profit handsomely, even if the company goes bankrupt.

The World Socialist Web Site spoke with the wife of an Art Van employee, who said, My husband has worked there for four and a half years. He is a floor manager. Like everyone else, we first found out Art Van Furniture (AVF) was considering their options approximately one month ago. At that time, we were told they were hoping to avoid bankruptcy by selling and/or restructuring.

On Wednesday, March 4, my husband was at work when he found out via the rumor mill that the employees in the buying department had been told they would only have a job for 60 more days. The following morning, my husband and other managers all took part in a phone conference in which they were informed the company was going out of business. They would not be offered any severance, healthcare would cease immediately upon termination, and that the termination could occur any day between now and 60 days without further warning.

When smaller stores sell off enough of their stock that it can be transferred to a larger store, the stock will be moved and the smaller store will be shut down. The larger stores will not be open for more than 60 days and smaller stores...

Theres just no way to determine how long the smaller stores will stay open as it is all contingent upon sales. Employees and spouses (my husband and myself included with others we know) are all devastated. Some of our AVF friends have worked for the company for 20, 25, 30 years.

Prior to the sale, it was a great company to work for with an amazing earning potential. My husbands job at AVF was a Godsend for us four years ago and were still grateful for what it has provided us. Thomas H. Lee Partner? Its very hard not to feel angry and bitter. Were all confused. How does a company they deemed to be worth $550 million four years ago end up being worth zero three years later?

I dont understand how they werent able to save anything, not even one store. How is that possible whenif its trueArt Van owned the vast majority of its buildings and fleet of trucks? The AVF family is an amazing group of people, some of whom have been friends with each other for a lifetime. To say its sad is an understatement, but thats just what it is, sad.

During that conference call eight days ago, the employees were all placed on mute and were not allowed the opportunity to ask any questions. It was so disrespectful. Its disgusting.
Over a week after rolling out new hostel timings for students, Punjab Engineering College (PEC) on Saturday called off the March 6 circular.

As per the circular issued with an objective of in-time parity, the entry timing for girls was increased from 10pm to 11pm, while for boys, the curfew timings were imposed at midnight.

With suspension of the recent circular, once again, the boys will have no in-timings, while the girls will have to be inside their hostels by 10pm.

However, before reactions from students could pour in, the PEC administration asked them to vacate the hostel premises as a precautionary measure amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Sources said the agitation launched by the college boys after the new curfew timings were imposed, was the primary reason behind suspension of the order. Moreover, the social media was also flooded with criticism by alumni of the institute, questioning the intent behind the move.

1,400 ENROLLED IN CAMPUS HOSTELS

There are 2,051 boys and 482 girls enrolled in four-year undergraduate courses at the engineering college. Out of the total number of students, around 1,400 students are enrolled in the campus hostels.

PEC director Dheeraj Sanghi said, We were going to review the decision on Monday and hopefully, come up with a better alternative. In the meantime, due to Covid-19, we are getting the hostels vacated and the issue of in-time has become a subject of moot.

A girl student from Vindhya hostel, seeking anonymity, said, It is very unfortunate that PEC is backtracking on its decision but right now, the prime responsibility is the safety of students. Amid the coronavirus scare, all of my friends and me are thinking of vacating the hostel premises as soon as possible. We will consider the further course of action once the college reopens.

GIRLS PARENTS OBJECTED REMOVAL OF IN-TIMINGS

After the timings revision notice was rolled out last week, a delegation of boys had met Sanghi, asking him to reconsider the decision. A member of the delegation said, We are pitching in to remove the in-time completely for both girls and boys, however, we were told that there was a survey conducted by the college some time back in which the parents of girls objected to it, citing security concerns.

Meanwhile, penalties were also imposed on students disobeying the order. The first time offence will call a fine of 500, while 1,000, 5,000 and 1,000 will have to be paid as fine for the second, third and fourth time offences, respectively.
Rossett Coronavirus testing unit closed  along with all three others in North Wales as routine community testing ends

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Mar 14th, 2020

The Rossett testing unit has been closed, along with the others in North Wales, as routine community testing for Coronavirus stops.

Earlier today the Public Health Wales update stated there were now 60 confirmed cases in Wales, however with the routine community testing ceasing and request for self isolation with however mild symptoms, those numbers may not show a wider picture.

The unit became active on March 6th and was stopped yesterday as the coronavirus situation moves to a new stage. A few days after opening the choice of location was criticised by local councillor Hugh Jones.

Today Cllr Jones said I have had confirmation this morning from BCUHB that the Rossett Testing Station for Covid-19 will cease operations probably within 24 hours.

We asked the Health Board today if that was the case, why it was closed and if it was going to be relocated.

A Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board spokesperson told us, As of 13 March all three of our Community Testing Units (CTUs) are no longer in operation.

This is part of a national decision that has been taken to end routine community testing as the UK moves into the next phase of the response to slow down the spread of Coronavirus.

Official advice now states anyone with a new, continuous cough or high temperature is now advised to self-isolate for seven days, stay away from your GP, pharmacy or hospital.

Only contact 111  which is available in the Wrexham area  if your condition worsens considerably.

For those with concerns https://gov.wales/coronavirus is a good starting point for official information.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

new continuous cough and/or

high temperature

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

Key messages

if you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See Ending Isolation section below for more information)

this action will help protect others in your community whilst you are infectious.

plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home.

ask your employer, friends and family to help you to get the things you need to stay at home.

stay at least 2 metres (about 3 steps) away from other people in your home whenever possible.

sleep alone, if that is possible.

wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water.

stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible.

you do not need to call NHS111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Who this guidance is for

This advice is intended for people with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), including those with a diagnosis of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, who must remain at home until they are well.

Will I be tested if I think I have COVID-19

We will not be testing those self-isolating with mild symptoms. The following advice is designed to help people prevent the spread.

All the latest information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/ coronafeirws.
A young Co Tyrone woman who lived with a rare genetic disorder for years before being diagnosed is hoping people in a similar situation can take heart from her experience.

Twenty-three-year-old Aine Owens from Cookstown didn't find out she had the extremely rare 18p minus syndrome until she was 16.

The condition can cause a host of problems, including growth deficiencies, speech and language problems, learning difficulties and facial abnormalities.

Aine travelled to Dublin with her mum Teresa and dad Paul to meet the Irish President Michael D Higgins in Aras An Uachtarain to celebrate Rare Disease Day on the rarest day in the calendar - February 29.

She believes there is only one other person with the same disorder in Northern Ireland.

"Don't give up fighting to find a diagnosis," she said. "There is support out there for you."

The visit to meet President Higgins was arranged by the charity Rare Diseases Ireland, which helps people struggling with various disorders.

Aine was first diagnosed with speech dyspraxia and development delay while she was still at primary school.

"After P7 things went downhill as I acted differently and a lot of people thought I had autism. Instead I had the rare genetic disorder called 18p minus syndrome," she explained.

She said she was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 16 following an MRI scan.

She described being told the news as "a shock but also a relief" because she finally knew what she had.

"So I did a bit of research and I found a charity down south called Rare Diseases Ireland and messaged them," she said. "They are all amazing people."

Aine, who has two older brothers, said she had been bullied at school because of her condition and eventually had to attend a special school in Omagh.

But that hasn't stopped the Cookstown woman from carving out a career.

She currently holds down two jobs - one in a retail premises in Cookstown and another as an assistant youth support worker.

"In one of my jobs I work with a group of young people in the area with learning disabilities and autism. I really enjoy helping others," she said.

"But what I would really love to see is a conference similar to the Rare Disease Ireland event.

"We need to bring more people with rare genetic conditions together from Northern Ireland and the south to share and exchange their experiences, support and learn from each other.

"I know my genetic disorder is rare. I know of two people in the whole of Ireland who have been diagnosed but I know I am not the only one in Northern Ireland with a rare genetic disorder."

She added: "I would love to create more awareness around that and my learning disabilities."
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"F/TDF has a strong record of safety and efficacy," said Tim Horn, director, Medication Access and Pricing at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors and a study co-author. "The imminent arrival of a far cheaper, equally safe and effective, generic alternative is a golden opportunity to expand access to PrEP in some of the most difficult-to-reach segments of the at-risk population."Complicating the roll-out of generic F/TDF is the arrival of a second PrEP agent:emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (F/TAF), sold under the brand name Descovy and also marketed by Gilead. F/TAF was approved by the FDA in October 2019 for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women, based on evidence of its "non-inferior" efficacy and lower impact on markers of bone and renal safety. Anticipating the entry of a generic competitor, Gilead has been moving quickly to recommend that doctors switch patients to the new formulation, which it claims is considerably safer than F/TDF. Gilead's own projections are that it will succeed in transitioning as many as 45 percent of current patients on F/TDF for PrEP to branded F/TAF before F/TDF becomes generically available.The study examined whether there was evidence to justify the rush to get patients to use the newly branded F/TAF. "How much is 'better' worth?" said lead author Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, chief, MGH Division of Infectious Diseases and a professor at the Harvard Medical School.To answer that question, the researchers used data obtained from publicly available sources and recently completed clinical trials to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of F/TAF and to identify the highest possible price premium that branded F/TAF could command, even under the very best of circumstances, over generic F/TDF. To that end, the researchers intentionally overstated any adverse clinical and economic consequences of generic F/TDF, inflating rates of bone and renal disease incidence, assuming that all fractures would require surgical repair and that all cases of renal disease would require dialysis and be irreversible."Even when we cast branded F/TAF in the most favorable light possible, we found no plausible scenario under which F/TAF would be cost-effective compared to generic F/TDF, except perhaps for the vanishingly small number of persons with exceptionally high risk of bone or renal disease," Walensky said.The researchers are quick to point out that while it is difficult to predict the price of generic F/TDF, it is unlikely to exceed $8,300 annually. Their analysis identifies a fair price markup over generic F/TDF of, at most, $670, suggesting that payors ought to be willing to pay no more than $8,970 for F/TAF, a price far below its current $16,600 market price."In the presence of a generic F/TDF option, branded F/TAF's price cannot be justified by its modest benefits," said study senior author A. David Paltiel, professor of public health (health policy) at the Yale School of Public Health. "If branded F/TAF succeeds in driving out its generic competitor, PrEP expansion in the US could grind to a halt and the new drug could end up causing more avoidable HIV transmissions than it prevents."Source: Eurekalert
In a sleepy rural area in South Africa's northern Limpopo province, a military operation is underway preparing to quarantine dozens of citizens being evacuated from China's Wuhan province, epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

At least 120 South Africans working and studying in Wuhan have pleaded to be repatriated after spending nearly two months there in lockdown.

The government has given assurances that none of them are infected and the quarantine in a local resort hotel is a precaution. But already panic is emerging in the region that will host them.

Residents from the province have criticised government for putting people's lives in danger by hosting the quarantine site in Limpopo.

"I'm worried," said 25-year-old labourer Mavunda Benedicto in Limpopo city, the province's capital. "Out of all (the) provinces, our province is the one that is much poorer."

"You can call an ambulance now and it will come maybe after five hours."

The Protea Hotel Ranch Resort in Polokwane is being prepared for the quarantine. By GUILLEM SARTORIO (AFP)

He said he feared the lack of services would make it easier for the virus to spread.

On Twitter, hashtag #LimpopoIsNotADumpingSite trended before the arrival of the aircraft from Wuhan, expected at the weekend.

Two weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the repatriation of South Africans who asked to be evacuated from Wuhan, which has been under lockdown for nearly two months.

The entire operation - from screening the passengers, airlifting, quarantining -- will be led by the military. The aircraft, a South African Airways Airbus jet, will be flown by civilians.

'Worried'

The Wuhan group will be kept for 21 days at the heavily guarded Protea Hotel Ranch Resort, a vast 1,000 hectares conservation area 25 kilometres south of Polokwane city.

They will only be released after they get a clean bill of health at the end of the mandatory quarantine.

"There are no patients we are bringing here, there is no sick people," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told journalists before the repatriation adding that nervousness was "expected".

But for some locals in Polokwane, repatriating the trapped citizens was non-negotiable.

"It's good for our government to bring back our children home, we can't allow our children to die outside of our country," said Mokoena Vhutshilo, 34, who works at a car wash in Polokwane.

South Africa is the first sub-saharan country to extricate its nationals from Wuhan, where the deadly virus first emerged in December.

Uganda and Senegal refused to repatriate their citizens because they could not afford to fund the operations.

South Africa has not said how much the operation will cost, but local media speculate it will run into millions of rands.

The country has recorded 24 positive cases of coronavirus infections so far -- one of the highest numbers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Richard Friedland, CEO of Netcare, the country's biggest private healthcare provider, has allayed fears of those repatriated bringing the virus with them.

The Chinese government has done a superb job in isolating people and shutting down Wuhan, he said.

"We should not have any fear about them," he told AFP.
Chantel Jeffries has her priorities in order.

And the 27-year-old proved as much when she and her younger sister Selah were glimpsed on a Whole Foods run in Los Angeles this Saturday.

Amid a storm of panic buying brought on by coronavirus fears, Chantel was seen with a grocery haul that included a whole five cases of White Claw.

Having a ball: Chantel Jeffries (left) proved she has her priorities in order when she and her younger sister Selah were glimpsed on a Whole Foods run in Los Angeles this Saturday

White Claw, a brand of canned alcoholic seltzer, made its big debut in 2016 but entered new heights of popularity last summer.

The online supermodel slid into a pair of casual black leggings that emphasized her sculpted gams as she pushed her cart.

Sweeping her luxurious hair into a ponytail, she pulled her sunglasses up onto her head and warded off the wintertime chill with a hoodie.

Stocking up: Amid a storm of panic buying brought on by coronavirus fears, Chantel was seen with a grocery haul that included five cases of White Claw

Chantel, who recently dished on Instagram that 'were plant shopping for our new house,' appeared to have a potted plant in her shopping cart as well.

She swung by a sold-out Tame Impala concert at the Forum in Inglewood this Tuesday and posted some Tik Tok footage she took from the stands.

Their next tour date was supposed to occur this Friday night in San Francisco but has now been bumped to a currently undetermined date owing to coronavirus.

Having a ball: She swung by a sold-out Tame Impala concert at the Forum in Inglewood this Tuesday and posted some Tik Tok footage she took from the stands

The postponement became necessary Wednesday when San Francisco Mayor London Breed banned events of over 1,000 people.

'We know that this order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health,' said the mayor, according to The Hill.

Chantel has herself broken into the music business, becoming Ceejay The DJ and releasing her first EP Calculated Luck in 2018.
Williams Township Supervisor Paul Wasek has announced that township offices will be closed to the public, effective Monday, March 16. The townships 10-full time employees and two part-timers are expected to report to work with plans for business operations to continue as normal.

Wasek said he sent an email to the township board and staff notifying them of the decision that was made as a precautionary measure amidst the growing coronavirus pandemic that is forcing mass cancellations across the country.

None of our employees are sick and weve told them if they do become ill to stay home, Wasek said. We do have a lot of retirees that stop by township hall and we are being extremely cautious regarding our elderly population, who are most vulnerable to the disease.

Since the coronavirus pandemic is a rapidly developing situation, Wasek said the township will be carefully monitoring it to determine when it would be appropriate to reopen township hall.

Its week to week and even day to day, he said. Until further notice township offices are closed to the public.

The township also has closed its Senior Dining Center indefinitely.

I think closing senior centers has been a move done across the board, he said. As employees, we are educating ourselves and taking precautions to safeguard ourselves as well.

The Michigan Township Association has cancelled its annual convention, scheduled for April 27-30, in Traverse City. Its yet another example of the dramatic effect the pandemic is having on Americans lives and their institutions.

The ripple effect is incredible, Wasek said. Our annual township convention is a huge event. There are over 1,150 townships in Michigan and everyone one of them is represented.

Wasek was scrambling Saturday trying to reach the townships cleaning company, mindful of how busy they are now.

We want to do a deep clean before Monday or as soon as possible, he said.

Wasek said currently there are no plans for employees to work remotely but if need be it can be done.
By Barbara Goldberg PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - On a follow-up visit after Sophie Cortellino's life-saving cardiac procedure, Dr. Anna Gelzer was delighted and family members were relieved to see her responding so well. Sophie agreed, her tail wagging excitedly

By Barbara Goldberg

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - On a follow-up visit after Sophie Cortellino's life-saving cardiac procedure, Dr. Anna Gelzer was delighted and family members were relieved to see her responding so well. Sophie agreed, her tail wagging excitedly.

As the 9-year-old boxer lay on a metal table, Gelzer tried to push up her heart rate as part of a stress test following the procedure in August - a ventricular ablation for an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, the first performed on a dog in the United States.

"You want a cookie?!" Gelzer teased. "Want to go for a walk?!"

The jagged line tracing Sophie's heartbeat on a monitor spiked dramatically but she lay calm and alert, and Gelzer grinned with satisfaction.

Sophie is one of countless aging American dogs undergoing cardiac treatments, stem cell transplants, tracheal stents, pacemakers and other sophisticated, expensive procedures to prolong their lives.

Owners of the dogs, many of whom have been around long enough to watch children grow up and provide support through countless family joys and traumas, are going to great lengths to prolong their lives, paying bills of up to $3,000 for stem cell therapy for arthritis and $7,000 for cardiac procedures like Sophie's.

"Dogs are like a person, a family member," said Gelzer, cardiology professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia.

Nearly half of the nations 77 million pet dogs are aged 6 or older, a 15 percent increase since 1987, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Larger breed dogs are considered geriatric at 6 years old, smaller breeds at 7 years old.

Aging dogs contend with many of the same illnesses as elderly humans, including heart disease, diabetes and senility. Cancer ravages canines at roughly the same rate as humans, striking nearly half of all dogs over age 10, experts say.

In Sophie's case, it was an arrhythmia, a condition that has been treated successfully in humans.

In the procedure, a catheter was snaked through blood vessels into her heart's lower chamber, which pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body, and trouble spots were cauterized. Gelzer was joined in the operation by her counterpart who handles human patients, Dr. Cory Tschabrunn, on the Philadelphia campus.

LOYAL COMPANION

Karen Cortellino, a radiologist, recalled the time nearly a decade ago when she first met Sophie, an 8-month-old puppy who had been rejected by another family. Sophie has since helped celebrate Cortellino's son's college graduation and her daughter's law school commencement, and dressed up as a member of a family wedding party.

When Cortellino's elderly mother moved into their home in Montville, New Jersey, Sophie was her sole companion after others left each morning for work or school.

"They were the best of friends. My mom died last May and Sophie was there for that," Cortellino said. "I would definitely sacrifice what I needed to in order for Sophie to have any procedure that would help her live longer - but well."

When Sophie collapsed last summer and was diagnosed with an arrhythmia, Gelzer had just won a grant for a clinical trial to test canine ventricular ablations, so this procedure was free.

The eventual cost is likely to be $5,000-$7,000, Gelzer said, which Cortellino said she would be "absolutely" willing to pay if Sophie needs another one.

Her exam completed, Gelzer gladly accepted sloppy kisses from her patient.

"There is never a doubt that what we do is meaningful," Gelzer said. "You have to enjoy working with the animals and with the owners. I like both - very much."

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The historical relationship between Irish families and the Catholic Church is the topic for a new book by Sligo native Dennis McIntyre.

McIntyre, who is from Cloonacool in south Sligo, now lives in Dublin where he formerly worked as a teacher, while he has always written extensively as an author.

The book 'Gaysa: The Spoiled Priest', described as a treatise, considers the impact of a 'spoiled priest' on Irish families. A 'spoiled priest' is someone who went for the priesthood, but did not finish their vocation for one reason or another.

"Somebody who went for the priesthood but didn't quite make it was considered a stigma on the family," Dennis told the Sligo Champion.

Speaking on his upbringing, Dennis says he is well-placed to record what he says is part of 'social history'.

"My background is in Cloonacool in Sligo, but then I qualified as a teacher and came to Dublin. I came up through the religious system if you like in Ireland at that time, being an altar server and going to mass and so on, so I'm in a good position to talk about religion and the effect is has on our lives."

The story centres on the main character Gaysa, a young man who aspired to enter the priesthood but did not last the course.

"Having a priest in the family was very important for a while in Ireland," Dennis continued.

"But many were forced into it, and it went wrong for so many - some weren't cut out for it.

"For the main character, Gaysa, it went wrong and the drink - another demon in Irish society took over." He feels that writing this story is important in order to give an insight into what occured.

"I think its social history - this is real, this was society. I'm not against the church at all, I am a Catholic and I'm for the Church the Lord left us."

Speaking of his Sligo connections, Dennis says he returns as often as he can to his home county.

"I'm a proud native of Cloonacool and I be up and down. It's a lovely, quiet country parish."The book 'Gaysa: The Spoiled Priest' is now on sale online on Amazon and eBay. Alternatively, you can contact Dennis via email at dennismcintyre04@gmail.com.
DUBAI, March 13 (Reuters) - Kuwait's religious authorities asked Muslims to pray at home on Friday as Gulf Arab states stepped up measures to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.

Bahrain ordered the release of hundreds of prisoners on Thursday, in one of the biggest pardons since the 2011 uprising against the monarchy, according to the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) which linked the decision to efforts to contain the virus.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a decree granting pardon for 901 prisoners. A further 585 prisoners will spend the remainder of their sentences in rehabilitation and training programs, the state-run Bahrain news agency reported.

Dozens more cases of coronavirus have been registered in the Gulf Arab states over the past 24 hours. Saudi Arabia reported 17 additional cases taking its total to 62.

More than 700 infections have been reported to Friday in the six-nation Arab Cooperation Council. No deaths have been announced so far. Authorities say most of those infected had travelled to Iran, the regional epicentre of the outbreak, or been in contact with returnees.

Iran reported 429 deaths and a total of 10,075 cases on Thursday.

Qatar has 262 cases, Bahrain 195 and the United Arab Emirates 85.

In the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways announced the suspension of flights to and from Rome and Milan on Friday, from March 14. The death toll in Italy passed 1,000, in Europe's deadliest outbreak.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Mayor Sylvester Turner and city officials said Friday that testing will ramp up next week for the new coronavirus, including drive-through testing for people in the Houston region who have received an order from a licensed practitioner.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared a state of disaster Friday morning, first announced the drive-thru testing. Turner said drive-thru locations would open sometime next week, though he said it was not clear yet how many testing centers would open or how much additional testing capacity they would add.

Dr. David Persse, the citys public health authority, said the drive-thru locations would be largely staffed by various Houston hospitals, who already provide the bulk of testing in Houston. The city is currently able to conduct 58 tests at its labs per day. Only those with a fever, cough or shortness of breath who also have had direct person-to-person contact with someone infected or who has traveled to an area where theres been community transmission are eligible for testing under current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria.

Thats the gap that this is going to fill, is the fact that a lot of doctors offices dont have the particular type of swab it requires, or they dont have personal protective equipment or they dont have a relationship with a lab that can do it, Persse said.

Turner and city officials convened a news conference early Friday evening largely intended to assuage concerns about the new coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The mayor urged residents to seek information from credible source, not social media, and to avoid overstocking on food and other necessities. That trend has depleted stocks at supermarkets that are struggling to keep pace with demand.

"I know theres a lot of anxiety and people are fearful of this virus, Turner said. But there is no need to go and bum-rush the grocery stores."

Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena and Exec. Assistant Police Chief Troy Finner both said their departments are operating at full strength, and echoed the mayors pleas for Houstonians to avoid panicking over the virus.

Stoking fears were a handful of new cases Friday: three in Fort Bend County, one in Houston and the first presumptive case in Galveston County, which officials said is linked to a case in Montgomery County. There were 20 positive cases in the Houston region by early Friday afternoon.

The fourth Houston case is a woman between 70 and 80 years old who recently traveled to Egypt. Multiple other patients in the Houston region were exposed during a Nile River cruise in Egypt, but officials said the new patient took a different cruise there. All four patients are quarantined at home and doing quite well, Persse said.

Turner otherwise announced that Houston municipal courts will not conduct jury selection next week. He said the city is funding extra personal protective equipment to treat homeless people or those who do not have a primary care physician. And he said the city would provide testing for undocumented immigrants.

When it comes to seeking medical services and attention, we do not want to exclude anyone, Turner said

Hours before Turners news conference, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, which he said would free up $50 billion in federal funds for states and territories. Turner called the emergency declaration very important and said it may allow city officials to rely less on their emergency reserves to fund testing and treatment.

"We're having to look at pulling from (the economic stabilization) fund right now, with the hurricane season coming right behind this, Turner said. Hopefully the emergency declaration will free up more resources and help us to move forward even quicker with procurement and things of that nature, because I anticipate we're going to be in this situation for the next several weeks, if not the next several months."

Todd Ackerman contributed to this report.

Jasper Scherer
The 7th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards which held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday night has ended in grand style.

Anchored by seasoned broadcasters Amina Abdi Rabar and Ik Osakioduwa, the star-studded show had some of Africas brightest filmstars clinch the coveted AMVCA plaques.

Music legend, 2baba serenaded the crowd while Cobhams Asuquo performed an emotional musical tribute in honour of Nollywood fallen stars.

The likes of Frank Dallas, Patience Oseni, Kelvin Osang Abang, Samuel Alabi Yellow, Victor Olaiya and many other Nigerian entertainers were acknowledged in the performance.

Leading the night was Living in Bondage with a total of four wins. Ratnik followed closely with three wins.

See the full list of winners below:

Best Makeup Category  Lilian Omozele Paul (God Calling)

Best Costume Designer  Dimeji Ajibola (Ratnik)

Best Picture Editor  Tosin Igho and Byryan Dike (Elevator Baby)

Best Sound Editor (Movie/TV Series)  Cristina Aragon (Living in Bondage)

Best Lighting and Designer (Movie/TV Series)  Cardoso (God Calling)

Best Cinematographer  John Demps (Living in Bondage)

Best Documentary  Beverly Naya (Skin)

Best Soundtrack (Movie/TV Series)  Larry Gaaga and Flavour (Living in Bondage)

Best Writer (Movie/TV Series)  Asinogu Nicole and CJ Obasi (Living in Bondage)

Best Indigenous Language (Movie/TV Series) Swahili  Raveet Sippy Chadha (Subira)

Best Indigenous Language (Movie/TV Series) Hausa  Muhammad T. Finisher (Tuntube)

Best Indigenous Language Movie/TV Series Yoruba  Yewande Famakin (Alubarika)

Best Indigenous Language Movie/TV Series Igbo  Victor Iyke (Nne)

Best TV Series Drama/Comedy)  Anis Halloway (Truth)

Best Short Film or Online Video  Bola Enigma Akanbi (Thorn)

Best Multichoice Talent Factory Film  Promises (East Africa)

Best Movie Southern Africa  Dalitso (Abraham Kabwe)

Best Movie East Africa  Plan B (Sarah Hassan)

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Best Movie West Africa  Living in Bondage (Steve Gukas)

Industry Merit Award  Peter Igho

Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or TV Series  Gloria Sarfo (The Perfect Picture: 10 Years Later)

Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or TV Series  Pascal Tokodi (Disconnect) Best Actress in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series)  Funke Akindele (Moms At War)

Best Actor in a Comedy (Movie or TV Series)  Chibunna Funny Bone Stanley (Smash)

Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series)  Toyin Abraham (Elevator Baby)

Best Actor in a Drama (Movie/TV Series)  Timini Egbuson (Elevator Baby)

Best Dressed Male  Mike Edwards Best

Dressed female  Mercy Eke

Trailblazer Award  Swanky J.K.A

Best Director  Ramsey Noah (Living in Bondage)

Overall Movie  Living in Bondage
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 09:10:39|Editor: huaxia

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JINAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- On the front line of the fight against COVID-19 outbreak, Wang Bing unexpectedly met the man who saved his life 13 years ago when he was still a child.

The 26-year-old nurse from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Qianfoshan Hospital in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, developed an allergic reaction to penicillin when he was 13 years old. Fortunately, he was brought back from the brink of death by intensive care staff at a hospital in Liaocheng, also in Shandong.

With a grateful heart, Wang studied medicine in university and chose to work in an ICU after graduation. After the COVID-19 outbreak, he signed up to join the Shandong medical team that was sent to aid Huanggang, some 800 km away from his hometown and also one of the hardest-hit cities in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

In Huanggang, Wang was coincidentally reunited with Liu Qingyue, the doctor who saved him 13 years ago. Liu, from the ICU of the Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng, was also dispatched to Huanggang to treat patients during the outbreak.

"I want to save more patients, just like doctor Liu, and pay tribute to them with actions," the young nurse said.

Among the over 40,000 medical workers who were sent to aid Hubei from across China, about 12,000 were born in the 1990s or even after 2000, according to Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council.

The young generation has become the backbone of the country in battling the virus, Ding said.

"I'm quite amazed at how these young people behaved on the front line," Liu said. Rather than the usual stereotype of the post-90s generation, considered spoiled and weak, they showed many excellent qualities, such as strength, bravery and decisiveness, during the outbreak. In particular, their optimism inspired the teams and moved thousands of people.

Gan Ruyi, a young doctor who works in a hospital in Jiangxia District of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, had already returned to her hometown of Jingzhou, also in Hubei, before the Spring Festival, which fell on Jan. 25 this year.

However, after the outbreak, she decided to end the prolonged holiday early and return to her post. Due to Wuhan's lockdown since Jan. 23 and the suspension of buses between her hometown and Wuhan, the young girl cycled more than 300 km over four days to get back to her hospital on the night of Feb. 3.

"The hospital was short-handed, I had to come back," she said.

Apart from medical workers, young people from all walks of life rushed to the front lines in the battle with the epidemic.

Hua Yuchen, a young music teacher at a primary school in Wuhan, signed up to be a volunteer amid the outbreak, though she was initially afraid to let her parents know.

She kept switching her roles in the volunteer work, including broadcasting in a temporary hospital, driving medical staff to and from work, taking body temperatures at a toll station and even helping carry aid materials from across the country.

Moreover, she also took advantage of her musical expertise to organize her students to record a Chinese choral song, "Brightest Star in the Night Sky," to cheer up the people suffering from the epidemic. The video clip, recorded seperately and synthesized by Hua at home, went viral online and won thousands of likes on social media platforms.

"Although I'm not a doctor and can't treat patients, I still want to do my part," Hua said.

Her thought was echoed by Liu Jiayi, a member of the Guangdong medical team who is not yet 20 years old. "At this critical moment, we won't flinch when the country needs us," Liu said.

"Actually, we are no different from the previous generation. Though more willing to express ourselves, we also have a high sense of responsibility. Maybe this means we have grown up," Wang Bing said.
A year after the Christchurch massacre Brenton Tarrant, whose trial for the atrocity starts this May, remains a revered figure among hate groups and an inspiration to right-wing terrorists, says the online security analyst Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group in Washington, DC.

The Christchurch attack was like the 9/11 for far-right extremists, Ms Katz, whose organisation tracks online hate and terrorist groups, told The Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age.

Taj Mohammed Kamra, a survivor of the Christchurch mosque attacks at Masjid An-Nur mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. Credit:Getty Images

Just as bin Laden did for the global jihadist movement, Tarrant set an example for a global terrorist movement to follow.

A year after the massacre, Tarrant is by far the most revered living individual among far-right terrorists. On far right [online] havens like Telegram, they still make posters of him, quote his manifesto, distribute footage from his attack, and discuss ways to make him proud'.
The previous president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, who flew to Spain instead of appearing for interrogation at the State Bureau of Investigation, wants to urgently return to his homeland. Strana.ua news agency reports that citing the sources in the European Solidarity party.

According to journalists, the ex-president traveled to Spain for a detoxification treatment course in one of the clinics. And he had to stay there for at least another week.

"However, in connection with the closure of the flight, he is now considering the possibility of flying to Kyiv, interrupting the course ahead of schedule in order to be able to return before March 17," - a media source said.

As we reported before, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Ukrainians regarding the country's complete closure of air traffic due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Three days later, Ukraine closes regular flights with other countries. Cargo checkpoints, air, rail, sea and road, will continue to operate.

We will not wait for the official hundreds or thousands of patients. On the issue of life and health of Ukrainians, it cannot be early, it can be too late. That is why we are decisive and proactive, - Zelensky said.
(Newser)  Police were called to a luxury hotel in Miami Beach early Friday, where they reported finding Andrew Gillum, several bags of what looked to be crystal meth, and a man apparently having a drug overdose. Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 2018, was vomiting and so "inebriated" that he couldn't speak, the police report said. Gillum was allowed to go home, Politico reports, while the 30-year-old man in the hotel was hospitalized. Police said they're not treating it as a criminal matter.

story continues below

"I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends," Gillum said in a statement later in the day, per the Miami Herald. "While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines." A former mayor of Tallahassee, Gillum now works for CNN. His organization has launched a drive to register and engage 1 million voters before the fall election. "I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement," his statement said. (Read more Andrew Gillum stories.)
New Delhi: The government in a notification announced the appointment of current administrator Prashant Kumar as the new managing director, CEO of crisis-ridden Yes Bank on Saturday (March 14). Former Chairman of PNB will be the Non Executive Chairman while Mahesh Krishnamurthy and Atul Bheda will be the two independent directors.

Also, the moratorium will be lifted within three days of notifying the scheme on March 18 at 6 pm. The decision is a part of the process to come up with a new reconstruction scheme for the troubled bank and to safeguard depositors` interest.

The SBI and other investors will be exempted from any capital gains tax from investment in Yes Bank.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a press conference on Friday had announced that the new board will have at least two directors of SBI, and they will take over within seven days of the issuance of the notification.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet has already approved the restructuring scheme of Yes Bank to safeguard depositors` interest and ensure a stable financial banking system.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled a bailout plan for Yes Bank, under which SBI will invest up to Rs 10,000 crore in the troubled bank. Last week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded Yes Bank`s board to take control and also capped withdrawals from its accounts.

Yes Bank, was placed under a moratorium, after it failed to raise the capital it needed to stay above the mandated regulatory requirements.
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PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
By ANI

NAGPUR: Five suspected coronavirus patients have escaped from the isolation wards of Mayo Hospital here on Friday night.

One of them had tested negative for COVID-19 while the results of rest are awaited.

"One of them had tested negative, reports of other 4 were awaited. We have traced them and they will be brought back to the hospital by the administration," said S Suryavanshi, Sub-Inspector, Nagpur Tehsil police station.



Coronavirus LIVE UPDATES | Second death reported, total cases 88, Indian embassy in US issues advisory to students

"The five suspects left the hospital and to inspect the matter, I visited the hospital. I learned that the suspects left the ward for snacks but didn't return," he said.

"Since it is a sensitive issue, we are coordinating with the staff of Mayo hospital," he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that all theatres, gyms, swimming pools etc in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri Chinchwad will be closed till March 30 to help contain the spread of coronavirus.



ALSO READ: Coronavirus infected Thrissur man visited mall, cinema, attended betrothal

The central government has also taken several steps to contain the virus, including suspension of all visas to India till April 15.

India has reported two deaths and 82 confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and has expressed deep concern.
Seven people have been arrested involving the death of the Delhi Police head constable in the midst of clashes over the new citizenship law in the northeast district in February.

In the clashes in Gokalpuri, head constable Ratan Lal died due to bullet injuries on February 24. The case was recorded in Dayalpur police station.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old "Salman," also known as "Nanhe," is in connection with the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) operative Ankit Sharma has been arrested. Sharma was allegedly stabbed 3 times and whose body was thrown in the drain.

The law-and-order situation in the national capital was deemed normal now by the Delhi Police. They have registered 712 FIRs and arrested over 200 accused in connection with last month's violence in northeast Delhi.

According to Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa, they are using face-recognition software to determine those involved in the riots and the incident is being probed from all angles.

According to senior Delhi Police official, Ratan Lal's case "emerged during investigation that the spot where the incident took place was the venue for an anti-CAA protest. On the fateful day, a conspiracy was hatched to attack police."

Sources divulged that the plan to murder Ankit Sharma was a pre-planned conspiracy. The aforementioned person was aware that he was an employee of the Intelligence Bureau and was tracking his actions.

Also Read: Diwali: New Delhi Festival Brings Severe Pollution

Sharma was stabbed by the suspect fourteen times and he dragged her to suspended AAP councilor Tahir's house where he was tortured and heinously killed. His body was then thrown into a drain near his house in northeast Delhi's Chand Bagh.

Four people were also arrested in association with bodies of four people recovered from a drain in riot-hit northeast Delhi. The four were identified as Ankit, Sumit, Lokesh Sharma, and Pankaj.

The police said they are closely monitoring all PCR calls from northeast Delhi.

The violence in northeast Delhi last month had 53 fatalities with over 200 injured.

The riots were sparked by clashes between people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and those supporting it.

Delhi Police are investigating videos made by the locals involving Ankit Sharma's murder case.

The autopsy report indicated "multiple abrasion.. deep cut.. by sharp edge objects." The doctors who executed the post mortem said that he was brutally and repeatedly stabbed leading to his death.

According to Randhawa, 712 FIRs have been recorded so far which was associated with the violence in northeast Delhi. Over 200 accused were arrested.

The seven accused people have been arrested on charges of assault on a public servant, rioting, and other IPC sections said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rajesh Deo. He said charges of murder will be confirmed following interrogation.

The police had also arrested suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor Tahir Hussain, linking with the IB staffer's murder. Delhi's Karkardooma Court ruled to send Hussain to 7-day police custody on Friday.

Related Article: Uber Banned In New Delhi After Driver Accused Of Rape

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By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Twenty-two foreign tourists were allowed to leave Assam on Saturday after they had been quarantined on a cruise ship on the Brahmaputra for seven days.

The authorities were worried about their health as a tourist from the United States, who tested positive for Covid-19 in Bhutan early this month, had set sail on the same cruise ship late last month.

These 22 foreign tourists were a different set of passengers. By the time they came under our glare, they had already spent seven days on the cruise ship. They were quarantined there itself for seven days which ended on Friday. So, they were allowed to leave today (Saturday) morning, Jorhat deputy commissioner (district magistrate) Roshni Aparanji Korati told this newspaper.

She said all of them took an IndiGo flight (6E-5988) from Jorhat to Kolkata. They showed no symptoms of Covid-19, she added.

Meanwhile, a doctor couple from the state, who returned from Saudi Arabia on March 9, has been kept under house quarantine for 14 days. They work at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Lower Assams Barpeta.

Dhrubajyoti Borah, principal of the medical college and hospital, told this newspaper that given their travel history, the couple was kept under house quarantine as a precautionary measure.

They have shown no symptoms for the disease, he said.


Catoosa County officials announced adjustments to some county services and preparations to help ensure public safety and proactively reduce any possible future impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Currently there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Catoosa County. Extra steps are being taken to protect elderly citizens, including the closure of the Senior Center from March 16-27. In the meantime, the Senior Center is providing seniors with 11- day food packages, with continued transportation services to be provided by Catoosa TransAid.

"We want to help our most vulnerable neighbors, senior citizens, stay healthy by reducing their potential exposure to the coronavirus in case it presents in our community," said Catoosa County Commission Chairman Steven Henry.

Additionally, Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk encourages seniors to take advantage of his department's senior check program.

"We welcome seniors to call us at (706) 935-2424 and be placed on our senior check list," said Sheriff Sisk. "We will call them everyday to ask how they are doing and if we can help provide assistance."

All Recreation Department events have been postponed until at least April 6. The Catoosa County Library will remain open, but programs have been postponed until further notice. Voting will continue as scheduled.

"We regret any inconvenience these adjustments may cause, but out of an abundance of caution we want to do everything we can to keep our neighbors as healthy and safe as possible," said Catoosa County Manager Alicia Vaughn.

Jury duty for the weeks of March 16 and March 23 has been suspended, which will delay Superior Court trials. Other courts face postponements as well, so anyone with scheduled court business is encouraged to check the county's website at www.catoosa.com.

atoosa County will work with contractors to take extra steps to clean and disinfect public buildings including the courthouse and administrative buildings. All non-essential travel will be postponed.



"Catoosa County Government will continue to serve residents with the best possible services in cooperation with our community partners," Chairman Henry said. "We hope to be able to resume life-as-usual as quickly as possible and appreciate everyone's patience."

For the latest information, please visit www.catoosa.com. For the latest coronavirus updates, go to:

Georgia Department of Public Health: https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

For additional information, contact Public Relations Specialist John Pless at 779-4069.
Ghana and Nigeria are reportedly being used by Russian trolls to meddle in the 2020 Presidential Elections of the United States.

The US is scheduled to go to polls in November this year. But like 2016, CNN has reported the Russian trolls are back.

According to a report on Friday, CNN noted that once again, the Russian trolls are trying to poison the political atmosphere in the United States ahead of this year's elections.

It says, however, that this time the trolls are better disguised and more targeted, harder to identify and track. And they have found an unlikely home, far from Russia itself.

In 2016, much of the trolling aimed at the US election operated from an office block in St. Petersburg, Russia, CNN reported.

CNN stated that its months-long investigation has discovered that, in this election cycle, at least part of the campaign has been outsourced  to trolls in the west African nations of Ghana and Nigeria.

They have focused almost exclusively on racial issues in the US, promoting black empowerment and often displaying anger towards white Americans. The goal, according to experts who follow Russian disinformation campaigns, is to inflame divisions among Americans and provoke social unrest, it added.

According to CNN, the language and images used in the posts  on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram  are sometimes graphic.

One of the Ghanaian trolls  @africamustwake  linked to a story from a left-wing conspiracy website and commented on Facebook: America's descent into a fascist police state continues.

Referring to a Republican state senator, the post continued: Someone needs to take that Senator out, according to CNN.

Total Accounts

CNN reports that over 200 accounts were created by the Ghanaian trolls  the vast majority in the second half of 2019  and they reached hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people worldwide.

Facebook and Twitter had already been looking into some of the troll accounts when CNN notified the two companies of our investigation, it said.

Facebook Assessment

It added that in a statement Thursday, Facebook said that its subsequent assessment benefited from our collaboration with a team of journalists at CNN and it had removed 49 Facebook accounts, 69 Pages and 85 Instagram accounts for engaging in foreign interference.

Facebook says that about 13,200 Facebook accounts followed one or more of the Ghana accounts and around 263,200 people followed one or more of Instagram accounts, about 65% of whom were in the US, it added.

It added that the activity uncovered by CNN had striking similarities to the Russian troll campaign of 2016, which created hundreds of accounts designed to pass as American. @africamustwake, for example, which described itself as a Platform For #BLM #Racism #PoliceBrutality, claimed to be in Florida.

Other accounts, for example, claimed to be in Brooklyn or New Orleans, it said.

Operations

CNN said it worked with two Clemson University professors  Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren  in tracking the Ghanaian operation.

 Linvill said the campaign was straight out of the Russian playbook, trying to mask its efforts among groups in the US.

They were very closely engaged in the Black Lives Matter community, he said. They talked almost exclusively about what was happening on the streets of the United States and not on the streets of Africa, it stated.

---CNN
Justin Tang/Canadian Press

As of Saturday, March 14, there have been five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa.

Cases four and five were announced Saturday morning without any further information except that the patients were self isolating.

The three previous patients were all connected to international travel.

According to Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa's medical officer of health, that means that so far there's no evidence the respiratory illness is spreading locally.

Here's what we know about those first three cases, from where they caught the novel coronavirus to how they're doing.

Case #1

The national capital's first case came to light Wednesday, March 11, when provincial health officials announced a man in his 40s was feeling unwell after returning from Austria.

Etches said the man did not begin showing symptoms until after his flight home. He was tested at the Ottawa Hospital's General campus and then went into self-isolation.

Soon after the case was made public, technology company Ciena said the man works at its Kanata offices and had been overseas on vacation.

Ciena then announced it was temporarily closing its Kanata campus and all employees would work remotely until March 17, two weeks after the man was last in the office.

Etches said Thursday the man was recovering from mild symptoms at home.

Case #2

The next day, the province announced an Ottawa woman in her 40s had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after returning from Italy.

Etches said the woman had no symptoms when she came home March 9, but chose to self-isolate nonetheless.

She then came down with a cough and fever one day later, Etches said, and tested positive at the Queensway Carleton Hospital.

Because of her prompt decision to self-isolate, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) was having a difficult time finding anyone the woman had come into contact with.

Etches said the woman did not use public transit after returning to Canada, either.

As of Thursday, the woman was also recovering at home with mild symptoms, Etches said.

Story continues

Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press

Case #3

Unlike the first two anonymous cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, the third confirmed case involves someone who's quite well-known.

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was diagnosed with COVID-19 after returning from a star-studded event in London, England, that she'd attended with her daughter and mother-in-law.

The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement Thursday night saying Gregoire Trudeau had started feeling ill the day before.

Both Gregoire Trudeau and the prime minister are now in self-isolation.

"Although I'm experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon," she said in her own statement.

"Being in quarantine at home is nothing compared to other Canadian families who might be going through this and for those facing more serious health concerns."

While OPH does not identify people who've come down with COVID-19, they did say the third patient had a higher number of contacts than the first two.

Justin Trudeau has said he has not shown any symptoms of the illness.
Rep. Bobby Rush sent a letter to the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter on Friday asking how they are combating "race-based targeting and harassment" as misinformation around the new coronavirus spreads online.

"I have been profoundly disappointed to see countless examples of misinformation and downright lies propagated on your platforms," the Illinois Democrat wrote. "Furthermore, much of this misinformation has also conveyed racist themes and language  literally adding insult to injury."

Rush pointed out one example of race-based misinformation about COVID-19 on Twitter from earlier in the day. The congressman tagged Twitter and CEO Jack Dorsey in a message commenting on a post that falsely claimed "Blacks are not getting Coronavirus!"

"[W]hat exactly are you doing about this type of blatant misinformation?" Rush said on Twitter. "By allowing these lies to spread, you are COMPLICIT in any harm that may be suffered by members of my community as a result."

tweet

The claim that COVID-19 doesn't affect people of color is not supported by evidence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website, "Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity." PolitiFact rated the claim that the pigment melanin makes people of color immune to the coronavirus as false. PolitiFact is a fact-checking partner of Facebook's and reviewed the claim after an article purporting it to be true was shared and flagged on the platform.

Rush said in the letter that race-based misinformation about the virus can have real repercussions.

"Such characterizations have led to race-based violence around the world and have attempted to lull certain racial groups into a dangerous, false sense of security regarding their susceptibility to this disease," Rush wrote.

COVID-19 is just the latest topic to become ripe for misinformation claims, whether intentional or not.

Facebook, Twitter and other tech companies have already taken proactive measures, like directing users to reliable sources of information on the virus, to combat misinformation and other harmful practices related to COVID-19 on their platforms. The companies were among a group of tech peers that participated in a meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) to find a way to reduce the spread of misinformation online, CNBC previously reported. The companies also reportedly participated in a call with the White House this week to discuss similar topics.

Rush wants to know specifically what Facebook and Twitter are doing to prevent misinformation from spreading on their services, how they're discouraging race-based targeting and how they're making their platforms reliable places to serve accurate information.

Both companies acknowledged receiving the letter but didn't provide a comment.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

WATCH: Tech firms step up efforts to fight coronavirus misinformation
Sir Billy Connolly has said he may consider a return to acting if a 'nice thing' came up - despite living with Parkinson's.

The comedian, 77, was diagnosed with the disease in 2013 and recently announced his retirement from all stand-up comedy.

But on Thursday he revealed he would consider returning to the screen, and would even be open to playing a character with Parkinson's.

Legend: Sir Billy Connolly has said he may consider a return to acting if a 'nice thing' came up - despite living with Parkinson's (pictured in 2014)

His last major film role was What We Did On Our Holiday, released in 2014, in which he played a man with terminal cancer. It also starred David Tennant as his character's son.

Billy told The Scotsman: 'I'd maybe act again if a nice thing came up. I'd definitely mull it over. I don't have anything in mind, but I'd definitely mull it over if I was asked. I like doing it.

'I had a brilliant time making What We Did On Our Holiday up at Gairloch, apart from the midges. They were the worst I've ever experienced them.

Highlight: His last major film role was What We Did On Our Holiday, released in 2014, in which he played a man with terminal cancer

Possibility: 'I'd maybe act again if a nice thing came up. I'd definitely mull it over. I don't have anything in mind, but I'd definitely mull it over if I was asked. I like doing it,' he said

End of an era: The Scottish comedian has said he is 'finished' with stand-up due to his battle with Parkinson's disease

'I went to a thing at Downing Street for a Parkinson's charity. I met a writer who wanted me to play a guy with Parkinson's in a film. I said "sure, I'll do that". But I think the whole project has fallen through now.'

Sir Billy, affectionately known as the Big Yin, was known for his energetic stage presence across a six-decade career.

Earlier this month he conceded he would never tour his iconic stand up comedy again in an interview with Sky, but admitted he had actually given it up a year before.

WHAT IS PARKINSON'S DISEASE? Parkinsons disease affects one in 500 people, and around 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition. Figures also suggest one million Americans also suffer. It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability. It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement. Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died. There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that. Advertisement

'I'm finished with stand-up - it was lovely and it was lovely being good at it. It was the first thing I was ever good at,' he said.

Billy is invited to numerous engagements with other Parkinson's sufferers, but admitted he turns a lot down because he doesn't think it would be 'particularly good' to let the disease 'define' him.

'I'm always being asked to go to Parkinson's things and spend time with Parkinson's people, having lunch or something like that. And I don't approve of it.

'I don't think you should let Parkinson's define you and all your pals be Parkinson's people.'

An exhibition of his artwork has just opened at Castle Fine Arts in his home city of Glasgow and runs until March 22.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The first 26 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio are spread across eight counties, with a concentration in Northeast Ohio.

This map is updated daily: see this link for the latest Ohio coronavirus maps.

The Ohio Department of Health at 2 p.m. Saturday updated the count to 26, double the number reported on Friday. The first case was confirmed less than a week ago, on Monday, March 9.

Testing has stepped up considerably, including at the Cleveland Clinic, which on Friday announced it could test 500 a day, and could possibly soon expand to 1,000 a day.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have repeatedly emphasized that many more people likely have the virus, some maybe with few symptoms.

Acton said those testing positive ranged from 31 to 86 years old, with an average age of 53. Twelve were women, 14 men. Seven have been hospitalized. There have been no reported deaths.

Here is the breakdown by county, according to the latest information available:

* Cuyahoga County - 11 cases.

* Butler - 4 cases.

* Stark - 3 cases.

* Belmont - 2 cases.

* Trumbull - 2 cases.

* Summit - 2 cases.

* Franklin - 1 case.

* Lorain - 1 case.

Acton said it is possible that in some instances, the county listed is where the person was tested or was being treated, rather than where they live.

Read related coverage

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House passes aid bill after Trump declares virus emergency

Cuyahoga County short 500 poll workers, part of a larger statewide shortage due to coronavirus

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine suggests parents find day care alternatives in case of closings because of coronavirus
America's hospitals will be overrun with coronavirus patients in just eight days and face months of strain, according to Obama's former Medicare boss.

Andy Slavitt, former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, issued the dire warning on Twitter on Saturday along with a string of advice for the public, governments and health workers.

'Last night I was on with state & local officials around the US well into the night.

'By March 23 many of our largest cities & hospitals are on course to be overrun with cases,' he wrote.

Slavitt then listed highlights from the memo he had prepared which included telling people to self-isolate now, closing bars and restaurants, frantically sourcing medical supplies 'even from the black market' if necessary and gearing up for the 'tsunami' of patients that will soon arrive at hospitals.

'The stakes are higher than any most of us have ever experienced: wars, 9/11, whatever,' he later added.

Scroll down for video

Medical workers at Kaiser Permanente French Campus test a patient for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at a drive-thru testing facility in San Francisco, California on March 12

MEDICARE BOSS'S FULL MEMO Advertisement

As of Saturday morning, there were more than confirmed 2,200 cases of COVID-19 in the US and 50 people had died from it but doctors are warning there are more like 500,000 already infected and that we just do not know it yer because so few people have been tested.

Andy Slavitt, Obama's medicare boss

Dr. Marty Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, said that was likely a gross under-representation of the true scale.

'Dont believe the numbers when you see, even on our Johns Hopkins website, that 1,600 Americans have the virus. No, that means 1,600 got the test, tested positive.

'There are probably 25 to 50 people who have the virus for every one person who is confirmed.

'I think we have between 50,000 and half a million cases right now walking around in the United States,' he told Yahoo Finance.

Dr. Makary urged people to be more vigilant.

'Im concerned when I hear a neighbor or a friend say that theyre planning to go to a kids swim meet in three weeks or going on vacation next week.

'No  were about to experience the worst public health epidemic since polio,' he said starkly.

Nurses at the drive-thru testing station at the University of Washington Medical Center

The estimate of how many more people are going to become infected ranges wildly but congress's doctor has said as many as 150million people may become infected, and Johns Hopkins says as many as 10million may need to be hospitalized because of it.

NEW YORK CONFIRMS FIRST DEATH - AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO HAD EMPHYSEMA New York confirmed its first coronavirus death on Saturday, an elderly woman who had advanced emphysema when she was admitted to the hospital last week. Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement: 'Today, we are confirming our first death due to severe complications from COVID-19. 'The patient, an elderly woman with advanced emphysema, was admitted to the hospital last week as one of our first cases, and had been in critical condition ever since. 'Weve known from the outset that these people are the most at risk in this pandemic, and todays news is a sad confirmation of that reality. 'I want to thank the staff of Wyckoff Medical Center for their efforts to save this womans life, and all the medical professionals on the front lines protecting our most vulnerable. 'We all have a part to play here. I ask every New Yorker to do their part and take the necessary precautionary measures to protect the people most at risk' Advertisement

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security estimates that 38 million Americans will need medical care for COVID-19.

Of that number, as many as 9.6 million will need to be hospitalized and about a third of them - some 3million - will need ICU-level care.

There are only 100,000 ICU beds in America and 790,000 ordinary beds across the country. Not all of those people will need to be hospitalized at the same time, and experts say the crisis could last up to nine months.

But hospitals are not sitting empty, waiting for severe cases of coronavirus patients to arrive. Many are still busy with flu patients, some of whom require intense levels of care.

'This is going to be a fairly tremendous strain on our health system,' Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said.

Dr. Gabriel Cade of Blue Ridge Regional said: 'We've got to expect that this is going to be bad. The situation in Italy is a huge eye-opener.'

A 'moderate' outbreak could result in 200,000 patients needing intensive care, Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency medicine specialist at George Washington said.

'The U.S. only has 100,000 intensive care beds, and most are already occupied. If tens of thousands become sick at once, people will simply not receive the care that they need,' she said.

Aside from people needing intensive care, USA Today predicts that there will be six people fighting for every ordinary hospital bed when the outbreak peaks.

But before anyone is admitted to the hospital, the testing phase needs to be completed.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said earlier this week that he was going to look at turning shuttered public venues into make-shift hospitals to treat the sick.

Trump's national emergency declaration on Friday allows hospitals to make fast decisions about hiring, freeing up hospital beds and resourcing supplies.

Trump tweeted on Saturday that he would be attending meetings in the White House all day

It also allows medical personnel to travel and work between states. Many doctors and nurses are coming out of retirement to help in the crisis

From the beginning of the outbreak, there has been consistent criticism of the way the government has handled testing.

As more tests are finally rolled out across the country over the coming weeks and months, there will be a surge in the number of positive cases.

To try to stop the spread, Trump has closed the border with Europe and people in the US are being told to practice social distancing.

On Saturday, he tweeted: 'Attending meetings on Covid-19 in the White House. Working with States and local governments, many of whom have done a great job. Full report latter (sic)'

He later tweeted: 'SOCIAL DISTANCING!'

There have been fears over whether or not the president himself has come into contact with the virus. Several people he has come into contact with over the last few weeks have tested positive for the virus.

At a press conference on Friday where he declared a national state of emergency, he shook hands with several of the people who had joined him to deliver information on a plan.

BILL PASSED TO BEAT CORONAVIRUS

A coronavirus economic aid bill was passed by 363 votes to 40 by the House of Representatives in the early hours of Saturday morning after receiving support from President Trump who declared a national emergency because of the coronavirus on Friday afternoon.

The sweeping relief package includes two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave as the coronavirus is now confirmed in 49 states. West Virginia is the only state not to have a case by Friday evening.

Trump threw his support behind the legislation which faced a vote in the House early Saturday morning, after announcing a national emergency over coronavirus and later designating this Sunday, March 15, a National Prayer Day.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday announced the deal with the Trump administration for an aid package from Congress that would provide free tests even for the uninsured, enhanced unemployment benefits by boosting food stamps, and federal funds for Medicaid.

It will also bolster food programs with additional food aid.

Additionally it will include two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave for Americans who work for businesses with less than 500 employees or the government and are infected by the virus.

The bill was passed by the House in a post-midnight vote on Saturday morning after a last-minute push to get details agreed. It will now go to a vote in the Senate when it returns next week.

Amid concerns from Republicans on Friday, who claimed they would not vote for the response bill without being sure of Trump's support, the president encouraged both parties to vote yes.

'I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House this evening. This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers,' Trump tweeted.

'I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt. I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES!

'I will always put the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!' he added.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-14 09:52:02

The first group of exhibitors at the 3rd CIIE unveiled

Ms. Nie Qingxin

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E-mailciie2020@ciie.org

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The last two editions of the China International Import Exhibition (CIIE) were very successful, attracting a large number of members from the international business community who reported a fruitful outcome owing to their participation. The CIIE offers foreign companies the opportunity to explore the vast potential of the Chinese market and is considered by many as the ideal platform for launching new products.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005

Preparations for this year's third edition are currently underway. At the end of January, more than a thousand companies had already confirmed their presence at the event and more than 50% of the total exhibition space had been reserved.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, on 12 March (one month earlier than last year), the CIIE office unveiled the list of the first group of 143 exhibitors participating in this year's event in order to foster closer ties between the exhibitors and buyers.

Among the companies that have registered to take part in the CIIE 2020, nearly 40% are Fortune Global 500 companies and more than half are industry leaders, including the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche and the Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic. These exhibitors have reserved more than 100,000 square meters of exhibition space in sectors such as the trade in services, automotive industry, medical equipment, manufacturing, food and agricultural products, and consumer goods.

Wang Hongwei, Head of the Buyers' Service Division at the CIIE Office, revealed that it was crucial to make an early announcement about exhibition information in order to attract foreign investment and seize upon potential opportunities.

"The early publication of the list of exhibitors will give companies more time to explore business opportunities and sales channels as well as initiate cooperation with business partners," said Richard Yiu, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics China.

Zhao Bingdi, Panasonic's regional head of China and Northeast Asia, revealed that this list will play a key role in boosting exhibitors' confidence in the exhibition and the Chinese market in view of the outbreak of the new coronavirus. "Panasonic has full confidence in the Chinese economy and will continue to invest in the Chinese market," he added.

According to the organisers, preparations for the third edition of the CIIE will continue by adopting measures that do not involve physical contact, such as telephone calls, video-conferencing and e-mails, in order to prevent the further spread of the epidemic.

The companies taking part in the 3rd CIIE cover six fields of business: trade in services, automotive industry, consumer goods, smart industry and information technology, medical equipment and health products, and food and agricultural products.

The CIIE is the first import-themed exhibition in the world. This year's edition, the third since its creation in 2018, will be held in Shanghai from 5 to 10 November.

The original source-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the source-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005
The City of Toronto has reached a tentative contract deal with more than 20,000 inside city workers, averting a possible work stoppage amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The deal was announced on Saturday morning at 12:15 a.m. by CUPE Local 79 and includes 90 per cent of public health staff who have been administering coronavirus tests and other tasks in the effort to curb the spread of the disease in Toronto.

CUPE Local 79 said in a press release early Saturday that negotiators reached the tentative agreement following several days of round-the-clock bargaining ahead of a deadline of 12:01 a.m. this morning.

The agreement ends months of negotiations and a stalemate that could have triggered a strike by inside workers, or a lockout of them, by the city as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Their previous contract expired Dec. 31.

The city sent out a press release of their own, writing that after more than three months of collective bargaining, including the last week as COVID-19 escalated to a global pandemic, the City of Toronto and CUPE Local 79 have reached a tentative agreement and avoided a labour disruption.

The five-year agreement is fair to Toronto residents and Local 79 workers, reads the citys release.

The contract wont be official until union members and city council approve it.

The news is a huge relief for Mayor John Tory and other city officials taking unprecedented measures to protect Torontonians from the coronavirus pandemic.

After three months of negotiations, I am pleased that the City has reached a tentative agreement with CUPE Local 79, in particular given the important role that many of our employees play as the city works through the COVID-19 pandemic, Tory said in a statement Saturday.

A work stoppage would have curtailed many city services. However, anti-COVID-19 measures announced Friday, including closure of recreation facilities and cancellation of March break camps, would have blunted the impact of a walkout.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 14:30:48|Editor: zyl

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by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan

LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Xinhua) -- In a touching display of international goodwill and solidarity, Utah State's legislature and governor Gary Herbert passed a concurrent resolution on Thursday, supporting the Chinese people and their efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Introduced by Utah State Senator Jacob L. Anderegg and Representative Eric K. Hutchings, Resolution SCR008 acknowledges the serious public health risks of COVID-19 and conveyed sympathy for those affected by it.

The resolution notes that the state of Utah has a "friendly relationship and strong economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties" with China.

Noting that Utah has been close friends with China for a long time, Mark Thomas, chief of staff of the Utah Senate, said the bill was "an important way to show them we care about what happens" in China.

"They are not in this alone," Thomas has told Xinhua.

"As global citizens, Utahns should take measures to assist those in need and work proactively to preserve global health and the stability of the global economy, which align with Utah values of industriousness, empathy, volunteerism, and cooperation," according to the resolution.

The resolution particularly stresses that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised U.S. citizens not to panic about the coronavirus and warned against any discriminatory sentiment toward the people of Asian descent.

The resolution acknowledges that global health emergencies can cause fear among populations, especially now that the U.S. population itself is at risk, but that people's fear "can be dispelled by rational, clear analysis and by taking health advice only from trusted information sources."

The resolution notes that Utah organizations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Intermountain Healthcare, and others have generously donated to China significant amounts of protective gear to assist the anti-virus fight.

In a sympathetic and strong show of support for the Chinese people, the resolution emphasizes Utah's unique, mutually beneficial and longstanding relationship with China, which is also one of their top trading partners.

Utah, with a population of 3.16 million, and Liaoning Province in northeastern China, has had a legislative cooperation and exchange mechanism for 14 years.

Utah officials describe this relationship as a responsible one for creating important opportunities for people, businesses, and educational organizations that have enabled them to conduct cross-border exchanges and do business together in both Utah and China.

Utah also leads the nation in the Chinese language study, hosting one fifth of the Mandarin students in the United States.

Pointing out that the global health and economy are inextricably linked, the resolution urges the international community not to impose unnecessary restrictions that interfere with international travel and trade.

"The Legislature and the Governor urge that their duration be short, proportionate to the actual public health risks, and regularly be reconsidered as the situation evolves," the resolution says.

The Utah State is closely monitoring the situation, engaging with U.S. and Chinese governments and health partners to respond to the health threat in China, and will issue further information and guidance as necessary, it added.
The last march in the Ballyhea Says No campaign against austerity and the bondholder bailout by the Government took place in the rural parish three miles south of Charleville on last Sunday morning.

The protest marches which started on 6th March 2011, and ended on last Sunday were also held in Charleville town for a period.

Last Sunday's final march attracted in excess of a hundred people from the Ballyhea locality and from Charleville, Cork City, Rathoath and the west of Ireland.

Among the politicians who attended were Luke 'Ming' Flanagan MEP, Marian Harkin, TD and Saoirse McHugh of the Green Party.

Organiser Diarmuid O'Flynn thanked everybody who had walked with them over the years.

He told the gathering that they had failed in their mission, but they had handed in a report entitled 'The Euro Crisis - Was the Euro itself a Primary Cause' to a group of MPs in the European Parliament last week, about the effect on the Irish population, especially that of rural Ireland, and that this is what the marching had been all about.

"There is a time for the marching to stop, and today the marching stops in Ballyhea after nine years going up and down the road," said Mr. O'Flynn.

He hopes to get the opportunity to present this report to the new Dail when it is constituted and give it to the politicians, who he said should have been looking after it in the first place.
Timipre Sylva, the minister of state for petroleum resources, says consultations are ongoing to decide if the pump price of petrol wil...





Timipre Sylva, the minister of state for petroleum resources, says consultations are ongoing to decide if the pump price of petrol will be reduced.





This, he said, is related to the drop in crude oil prices.





As at 9pm on Friday, Brent crude which is the global benchmark was trading at $34.88 per barrel.





This has, in turn, resulted in a drop in the landing cost of petrol.





As of Tuesday, March 10, the landing cost of petrol was N95.16 per litre according to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).





Subsequently, the expected open market price of petrol was N114.53 per litre.





This is a developing issue. We are still consulting, we are still following it closely. Of course, usually, the product prices follow the crude oil price but we are still consulting, well get back to you, please, be patient, he told journalists in Abuja on Friday.





Sylva had visited the presidential villa in Aso Rock alongside Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, budget and national planning, and Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.





They visited President Muhammadu Buhari to submit an interim report on the impact of coronavirus on the economy.





Commenting on the report submitted to the president, Ahmed said: What we have been mandated to do is to ensure that the business of government continues to run as much as possible normally, that government agencies are funded but there must be continuous investments in critical infrastructure that would ensure continuous growth and also concentrate on programmes and projects that will enhance employment of our people.





We are looking at ways and means in which the revenue of government will be stabilized and that we are able to fund the states through the FAAC process at a level that is averagely expected and planned for both the federal as well as the national budget.





So as we finish our consultations next week, we will be expecting some approvals and then we will be meeting with you to inform you of the specific approvals that we have been able to obtain from his excellency the president.





According to Ahmed, the federal government has released N285 billion for the implementation of the 2020 budget and $220 million as counterpart funding for railway projects.





The ministries of transport, Niger Delta and works and housing were said to have received some of the released funds





Emefiele assured that the committee will come up with a mechanism that will make it possible both for the federal and the state government to be able to conduct their businesses despite reduced oil prices.




Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao chairs a high-level committee meeting on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) at the state assembly complex, in Hyderabad on March 14, 2020. Telangana reported second coronavirus positive case on Saturday w Image Source: IANS

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao chairs a high-level committee meeting on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) at the state assembly complex, in Hyderabad on March 14, 2020. Telangana reported second coronavirus positive case on Saturday w Image Source: IANS

Hyderabad, March 14 : Telangana reported second coronavirus positive case on Saturday while two more are suspected to be affected by the virus.

Within hours after the state's first COVID-19 patient was discharged from government-run Gandhi Hospital here, a man who recently returned from Italy was tested positive. He was kept in isolation at the same hospital.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao told the state Assembly that two more persons were suspected to be carrying coronavirus symptoms. Their samples were sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for confirmation.

The Chief Minister said the health authorities had taken all measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. He said 200 personnel were deployed at Hyderabad Airport to screen the passengers reaching the city by over 500 flights every day.

Stating that the state government has already announced Rs 100 crore for various preventive measures, he said if necessary, Rs 500 crore would be spent.

Assuring the people that there is no need to panic, he said the government was ready to deal with any contingency.

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said the state would take preventive measures like other states in the country to check the spread of coronavirus.

Pointing out that steps like closure of schools, shopping malls were taken in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar, he said a high-level meeting of officials was discussing the measures to be taken in Hyderabad and other towns in Telangana.

He said a final decision on the preventive measures will be taken at the cabinet meeting to be held in the evening.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
By PTI

MUMBAI: Yash Raj Films on Saturday announced that the release of their upcoming movie "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" has been delayed amid growing concerns over coronavirus.

The film, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, and starring Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor, was slated to release on March 20.

"Given the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, we have decided to postpone the release of Dibakar Banerjee's 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar'. The health and safety of everyone is of utmost importance at this time," an announcement shared on the production banner's official Twitter account read.

WATCH | Much-awaited trailer of 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar' out!

"Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" is the latest to join the every-growing list of the films being delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Release of Akshay Kumar's "Sooryavanshi", festival-favourite "Sir", Hollywood films "A Quiet Place 2", "Mulan" and James Bond movie "No Time to Die" have been postponed.

The deadly virus originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year and has killed over 5,000 people and infected more than 134,000 globally.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While St. Johns University closed all of its campuses last week in favor of distance learning, the first case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) was confirmed on the schools Queens campus.

The campus will be closed to all employees until Tuesday, said a public alert on St. Johns Universitys website.

The University has learned that we have an employee who has tested positive for COVID-19, said the public alert. Late [Friday] afternoon, the employee notified their supervisor of their status and the University has consulted with the Department of Health (DOH).

The statement continued: Late [Friday] afternoon, the employee notified their supervisor of their status and the University has consulted with the Department of Health (DOH). As is the procedure in these cases, the DOH will be contacting those employees who have been identified as being in close and prolonged contact with this employee. The University is supporting the employees involved in this situation and they are now following the DOH protocols.

The University said the DOH will be contacting those employees who have been in close contact with this employee.

St. Johns will have an outside company conduct a full deep cleaning and sanitization of the necessary areas on campus, the alert said.

All academic courses will continue online.

STATEN ISLAND CASES

As of Saturday, there were at least five confirmed cases of the virus on Staten Island.

A spokesman at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton told the Advance/SILive.com that the hospital didnt record any positive cases of coronavirus.

A spokesman at Staten Island University Hospital did not return an email request for an update on positive cases at both of its hospitals on the Island in time for publication.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

NOT CLOSING SCHOOLS

During an interview on MSNBC on Saturday, Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated his decision to not close NYC public schools.

We are worried about a cascade effect if we close the schools, de Blasio said.

The mayor added that if the schools were to close, kids would be unsupervised and will still go out, making it difficult to stop a possible community spread.

On Friday night the Advance/SILive.com learned from multiple sources that a College of Staten Island student tested positive for the coronavirus.

The female students last time at the school was March 5, according to the email sent a little before 9:30 p.m.

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UK AND IRELAND ADDED TO TRAVEL BAN, FANS FROM THOSE COUNTRIES COULD NOT ATTEND WRESTLEMANIA WEEK

The United States government announced today they were adding The United Kingdom and Ireland travelers to the current travel ban, preventing those from those countries from entering the United States due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Although the odds of Wrestlemania actually taking place on 4/5 seem less and less likely by day, fans from 28 countries would now not be able to travel to attend Wrestlemania week and its assorted festivities.

Wrestlemania 34 in New Jersey featured fans from 67 different countries attending, according to WWE press materials.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Theres a new face at the Homestead Inn in New Milford.

Natasha Melichar recently marked her six-month anniversary as manager of the historic inn.

The public will have an opportunity to meet Melichar and visit the historic inn at the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerces next Business Scene March 19.

The inn will serve as the host site for the informal business networking opportunity, co-sponsored this month by the inn and Brookfield Technology Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Its perfect, said of the bed and breakfast located on Elm Street that she was drawn to last fall. Its a small town with a cute downtown you can walk to.

The manager said the area is steeped in outdoor recreational opportunities, another reason she appreciates living in this region.

The Homestead Inn plays an integral part of our business community in New Milford, said New Milford Mayor Pete Bass.

With their renovations, the Homestead Inn is a wonderful place for a romantic weekend getaway, to the quick overnight corporate stay, he said.

Melichar is looking to display the inns history.

Ive been digging through memorabilia and want to showcase the inns history, the new manager said.

She said she would like to eventually compile a coffee table book featuring old photographs of the inn so guests can peruse it during their stay.

The inn has been a mainstay in downtown New Milford for more than 90 years under various owners.

Most recently, John Farley purchased the inn and annex and completed significant upgrades and redecorating.

Farley re-opened the inn in the spring of 2016, after it closed in March 2015, when the former owner, Sherry Greenman, returned to her native Philippines.

The improvements enhanced the inns offerings but retained the historic architecture of the circa-1853 Elm Street main building.

The inn is comprised of the 8,843-square-foot main house and the accompanying 4,000-square foot annex known as the Treadwell Annex, built circa 1938.

The inn boasts 16 rooms between the main house and the Treadwell Annex.

The house is beautiful, said Melichar, who operated a bed and breakfast in Escalante, Utah, for three years before moving to New Milford to take the job at the Homestead Inn.

The main building, built as a private home in 1853 by John Prime Treadwell and used by his family until 1915, has nine guest rooms, each designed with traditional and classic touches that reflect the history of the town and the inns guests.

Melichar said the inn has a steady stream of guests, although certain times of the year are busier than others.

Many families of students who attend private schools in the Greater New Milford area often stay at the inn, as do those who attend the annual Gilmore Girls Fan Fest held in the community the past few years.

We love working with the inn, said Kelly Slonaker, marketing and communications staff writer at Canterbury School, a private school in New Milford.

The school presents families of students with a list of local places to stay while visiting. The Homestead Inn is on the list.

Its not just because (the inn) is right down the road, which is conveniently located, but the rooms are lovely and beautiful, Slonaker said.

The staff is accommodating, and the food is delicious, she said.

Families of students at The Gunnery, a private school in Washington, also stay at the inn.

We have lots of visiting families stay there and the feedback Ive received has all been positive, said Alexandra V. Ince, director of enrollment.

Doctors and families of patients at New Milford Hospital  right across the street from the inn  are frequent guests also.

Weddings are another popular reason the inn draws guests, especially in summer and fall.

Often, a bride and groom will rent the main house and/or the Treadwell Annex for their festivities.

Slonaker, who will get married this summer, said she worked with the inn to coordinate plans for her bridal party to stay at the bed and breakfast.

Theyre really wonderful in helping to get everything organized, she said, praising the staff.

Richard McGrath was a guest at the inn two years ago, before Farley purchased the business, but described his stay as a great experience.

Melichar noted a complimentary three-course, hot-plate breakfast freshly cooked is served to guests of the main house. The breakfast is available for an additional charge for those staying in the Treadwell Annex.

Besides Melichar, the inn employs two cooks/housekeepers. The manager said she hopes to soon hire an assistant.

The manager said she visits businesses throughout town, especially those in the village center, and works with some local restaurants to offer inn guests discounts.

A board with brochures showcasing many local attractions hangs in the lobby, where guests can also purchase ceramic Homestead Inn mugs.

For more information, call the Homestead Inn at 5 Elm St., New Milford, at 860-354-4080 or visit www.homesteadct.com.
We also refuse that the American forces or others take any action without the approval of the Iraqi government and the commander in chief of the armed forces, as they did on the morning of 3/13/2020, it said. In doing so, it does not limit these actions, but rather nurtures them, weakens the Iraqi states ability to provide its own security, and expects more losses for Iraqis. This necessitates the speedy implementation of the parliaments decision on the issue of the coalitions withdrawal.
By Trend

I recommend that MPs be active in the constituencies they were elected from and to always stay in touch with the voters, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

As for the young generation, let me say again that it is patriotic in our country, it is attached to the motherland and national roots. And it should be the case. I have repeatedly said this, but I want to say it again  our young people should be raised in the national spirit. At the same time, additional measures should be taken to train our young people morally and physically. I believe that the Milli Majlis and its respective committees will do this and put forward specific proposals. Of course, I recommend that MPs be active in the constituencies they were elected from and to always stay in touch with the voters. It is no secret now that some MPs were a little or completely detached from the voters before. They did not even visit their constituencies and enquire about problems. Personal problems were put at the forefront, said the head of state.

This must also end, he added.

There were many such facts before. Having their relatives appointed to senior posts, acquiring some land plots, supporting a business, etc. I dont want to go into the nitty-gritty of that. Therefore, the new Milli Majlis should be morally flawless because this is the main essence of our reforms. If our citizens look carefully at the reforms in the political sphere, structural and personnel reforms, they will see that the personnel appointed to new posts are clean. So there is no negative background behind them, so to speak, said the head of state.

The Milli Majlis and his members should meet the same criteria, said President Ilham Aliyev.

You will have to answer to the people tomorrow. Therefore, you should always be interested in the problems of the constituencies you were elected from, meet with voters and visit the constituencies. At the same time, you need to identify existing problems, raise them with executive bodies and bring them to the attention of central executive authorities. I believe that the new Milli Majlis will carry out activities in this area successful, said the head of state.
MADRID  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is declaring a two-week state of emergency in a bid to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, saying Spain will mobilize all resources, including the military, to contain the sharp rise in cases.

The special measure  to take effect Saturday  allows the central government to limit free movement, legally confiscate goods and take over control of industries and private facilities, including private hospitals. Authorities can also order special measures to ensure food supply and the countrys industrial output. Newspaper El Pais said elections scheduled for early April in two northern regions could be delayed.

Sanchez said Friday that it cant be ruled out that the country will see more than 10,000 cases next week. Health authorities have so far confirmed more than 4,200 cases in the country, with nearly half of those in Madrid. That is an increase of a third compared with one day earlier. A total of 120 people have died, and 189 have been declared as recovered, the Health Ministry said.

The move came as Italy on Friday saw new infections soar by more than 2,500 and virus-related deaths by 250, their biggest single day jump, raising questions about the effectiveness of the containment measures that locked down the country this week. On Feb. 21, Italy announced that coronavirus had reached the country had no reports of deaths. On Friday, the country reached 17,600 confirmed cases, with 1,266 deaths.

Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China, said World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The European Union urged member countries Friday to put health screening procedures in place at their borders to slow the spread of the virus but said they must coordinate so people can still get the medical care they need.

Over 60,000 people awoke Friday in four towns near Barcelona confined to their homes and with police blocking roads. The order by regional authorities in Catalonia is Spains first mandatory lockdown. Regional authorities of Catalonia and Madrid also urged central authorities to declare full lockdowns.

Aritz Parra and Joseph Wilson are Associated Press writers.
Mayor of Fingal, Councillor Eoghan O'Brien has officially launched two new books by Donabate author, Gerard Ronan.

the books are entitled 'Margaret Evans - Poet of Portrane' and S'ophia Parnell-Evans - Feminism, Politics and Farming in 19th Century Portrane'.

The two books have been published in collaboration with Fingal County Council.

Gerard Ronan is a 60-year-old retired civil servant and the author of three previous books: The Round Towers of Fingal and William Kelly of Portrane, published in 2019, and The Irish Zorro, which was published in hardback in 2004 and he was one of the key participants in a 2011 National Geographic Documentary based largely on that book as part of the Mystery Files TV series.

The documentary is still repeated occasionally on the National Geographic and Smithsonian TV channels.

The Irish Zorro has also featured twice on RTE's 'The Book on One' radio programme, and on a Newstalk Radio documentary.

The author lives in Donabate.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O'Brien commented at the launch of the books: 'These two books, as well as telling the story behind the construction of the iconic Portrane Round Tower, will provide an excellent insight into the lives of these two exceptional women and also to life in the late 18th and early 19th century in Portrane and beyond.'

Margaret Geraghty, Director of Housing and Community said: 'Fingal County Council, through our Library Service, is delighted to support the publication of books such as these which provide information on life in Fingal in times past, and I know they will be of great interest.'

Senior Executive Librarian, Helen O'Donnell said: 'It is fitting that these books about two extraordinary Irish women are being launched the same week as International Women's Day.'
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. President Donald Trump during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 7, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Third Person Who Was at Trumps Resort Tests Positive for COVID-19

A third person who was at President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort tested positive for COVID-19, the disease the Wuhan coronavirus causes.

Trump spent time at the resort over the first weekend in March. He dined with a delegation from Brazil that included press secretary Fabio Wajngarten, who later tested positive for the illness.

Another person who was at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend tested positive for the virus, according to Trump Victory, a joint committee between Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee.

We unfortunately write today to notify you that an attendee at the Trump Victory-sponsored event you attended at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, March 8, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the group said in an email to donors on Friday.

President Donald Trump speaks with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (L) during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 7, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Its not known whether the person had COVID-19 while at the event but people were asked to contact their doctor if they had contact with the person and develop symptoms of the new disease, which are similar to the flu and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

The third person who was at the resort to test positive was Nestor Forster, Brazils charge daffairs.

Forster, who was at the Saturday dinner with Trump, tested positive, Brazils U.S. Embassy said late Friday.

Forster will extend his self-quarantine, which he had already placed himself into as a precautionary measure, for another two weeks, it said in a statement.

Others who were at the dinner, including Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), have tested negative for COVID-19.

Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro leaves the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 13, 2020. (Adriano Machado/Reuters)

Trumps physician said late Friday that the president does not need to be tested for the new virus.

Another troubling interaction with White House officials came during the past week.

Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, were among those earlier in the week meeting with Peter Dutton, an Australian official, in Washington.

Dutton said Friday he tested positive for the new virus.

This morning I woke up with a temperature and a sore throat. I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19, Dutton said in a statement after being hospitalized in Australia. I feel fine and will provide an update in due course.

Ivanka Trump and Attorney General William Barr (C) with officials including Australian Home Affair Minister Peter Dutton, third from right, in Washington on March 5, 2020. (Andrea Hanks/The White House via AP)

The White House said in a statement that Ivanka Trump was showing no symptoms and does not need to self-quarantine.

She worked from home today out of an abundance of caution until guidance was given, deputy press secretary Judd Deere said.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Barr was feeling great and not showing any symptoms but stayed home on Friday and consulted with federal health officials, who did not recommend he get tested at this time.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who was also at the meeting, said in a statement that the White House medical unit informed her Dutton was not showing symptoms at the time of the meeting. The unit concluded that Conway showed no symptoms and doesnt need to self-quarantine.
ENTEBBE  President Yoweri Museveni and his Ethiopian counterpart Mrs. SahleWork Zewde, have held bilateral discussions at State House in Entebbe on matters pertaining to the two countries.

Mrs. Zewde arrived in Uganda on Friday on a one-day working visit at the invitation of Museveni.

In a warm and cordial atmosphere, the two Heads of State held official talks at State House, Entebbe. The two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest.

On the Nile Basin, Ms. Zewde welcomed Ugandas ratification of the Cooperative Framework Agreement. She noted that with Ugandas ratification, an additional two ratifications would facilitate the entry into force of the Agreement.

She briefed President Museveni on the negotiations regarding the GERD. Mr. Museveni reiterated the importance of ensuring the equitable and sustainable use of the River Nile waters.

The two leaders recognized the strategic importance of the Nile for all the Riparian Countries and the livelihood of their peoples and the need to solve any issues among the countries within the framework of African solutions to African Problems.

Museveni emphasized the need to urgently convene a Summit of the Nile Basin Commission so that the Heads of State have a frank discussion on the issues of the Nile.

On Bilateral matters, the two Heads of State noted with satisfaction the cordial relations that exist between the two countries. They noted the existing cooperation in various fields including transport, trade, tourism, defence, and security, and pledged to continue closely working together for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

On Regional issues, Their Excellencies exchanged views on the state of peace and security in the IGAD region and Africa at large. They welcomed the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan, pointing out that it is a key milestone in the South Sudan Peace Process. They urged all the Parties to commit to the restoration of peace and stability in South Sudan.

On the situation in Sudan, they noted the ongoing Juba Peace Process on Sudan and encouraged all the Parties to negotiate in good faith for the good of the country. They condemned the recent attempted assassination of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Both leaders emphasized the need for AMISOM to continue supporting the Federal Government of Somalia to strengthen its capacity to maintain peace and stability ahead of the upcoming elections. They reiterated the need for AMISOM to maintain a strong presence in Somalia and to avoid the premature demands for a troop drawdown, which would affect the gains made so far.

President Sahle-Work Zewde expressed her appreciation to President Museveni, the government and the people of the Republic of Uganda for the warm hospitality extended to her and her delegation.

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Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah met today in Srinagar jail after Jammu and Kashmir authorities allowed 82-year-old former Chief Minister to his son. Farooq Abdullah was released a day ago after the Centre decided to revok PSA on him.

Farooq Abullah, the National Conference (NC) patriarch and former chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, met his son Omar Abdullah almost after 7 months since the Centre passed resolution to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, at a sub-jail in Srinagar.

It was an emotional meeting between father and son as both met after a long period of time.

The 82-year-old J&K leader, who was also house arrested at his residence in Gupkar after the government slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) on him, was released a day ago and hours after his release he had requested the authorities to let him meet his son.

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

J&K authorities agreed to his request, after which, Farooq Abdullah drove from his residence to Hari Nivas, where Omar Abdullah has been kept under preventive custody, to meet his and and both warmly embraced.

An official said the permission was granted, and the father and the son were together for about an hour.

On Friday, after the Center decided to revok the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), Farooq Abdullah urged the government to free other leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti at the earliest.

He also thanked the government and people who prayed and continuously raised voice for his release.

The leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were held a day before the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had tabled the bill in Parliament to abrogate Article 370.

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Toll-free number 1800 572 3617 connects business requiring help in migrating to cloud systems to G7CR

G7CR has been in the business of setting up cloud platforms for banking, insurance, manufacturing, healthcare, PSUs, education, retail and IT firms.

Chennai: Bangalore-based cloud services company G7CR has offered to help businesses migrate from desktops to cloud computing, free of cost, to enable staff to work from home during the coronavirus crisis.

With the Software and Technology Parks of India directing IT and IT-enables services companies to allow employees to work remotely, and the Department of Telecom relaxing work-from-home norms for these companies, one of the few measures left is for the companies to migrate their work systems to a cloud-based work environment.

G7CR has set up a toll-free number 1800 572 3617 for business requiring help in migrating to cloud systems to contact them. A team from the company will then assist these firms in the migration process.

G7CR has been in the business of setting up cloud platforms for banking, insurance, manufacturing, healthcare, PSUs, education, retail and IT firms.

A company press release said G7CR, having had much experience in cloud computing, decided to offer the service because quick migration would help businesses sustain themselves without compromising on staff safety at a time when governments are advising social distancing to contain the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
Both cases concern the common question of whether the House has legal standing to sue the president. In one case, the House wants to check the president for allegedly overstepping his power by diverting billions intended for other purposes to pay for the border wall. In the other case, the House seeks to enforce oversight through investigation and impeachment by demanding testimony or information from the executive branch.
OROVILLE, Calif. - The Butte County Sheriff's Office says Timothy Gordon of Oroville has been arrested on three felony counts of sexual abuse to a victim under 14.

During the nearly year-long investigation, beginning in April 2019, detectives say the 54-year-old was interviewed and initially denied the sexual abuse allegations.

In February of 2020, detective say they obtained DNA evidence from the California Department of Justice and worked on getting an arrest warrant for Gordon. Eventually, on Feb. 28, he was met by detectives in Oroville and arrested.

During his second interview, he was confronted with the DNA evidence and Gordon admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim.

Gordon was then booked into Butte County Jail for two felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a victim under 14 and one felony count of oral copulation with a victim under 14.

The 54-year-olds bail is set at $200,000.

If you have any additional information about the investigation or Gordon himself, please call Detective Brian Parsons at 530-538-7671.
The Ramcharitmanas is undoubtedly one of the greatest lyrical compositions in Hindi literature. Writing in the 16th century, Tulsidas chose to pen verses in Awadhi rather than Sanskrit, thus breaking with the literary tradition, and, importantly, making Lord Ram more relatable to the lay person.

Pavan K. Varma, author of the best-selling Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduisms Greatest Thinker, has selected some of the most evocative stanzas from Ramcharitmanas, offering a succinct commentary for each that capture the very core of the original in The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidass Ramcharitmanas; Selections & Commentaries, published by Westland.

While centering the philosophical aspect of the Ramcharitmanas -- the immutability of the soul over the merely corporeal; the transience of worldly pleasures; and the placing of wisdom above knowledge -- the book describes a devoted son, a loving sibling, a committed lover, an ideal ruler and also a human, almost bereft of divinity. Indeed, Ram is a god and a man; he is comprehensible.

Tulsidas seminal work employs a unique poetic linguistic tool that unravels even the most profound concepts with utmost simplicity, blending philosophy with breathtaking verse. Varmas compelling new selection and commentary achieves this effect by combining the aesthetics, romance and imagery of the original work with the unadulterated spirituality that sparkles through the conduct of a great god, the publisher said in a statement.

Pavan K. Varma is a writer-diplomat and now in politics, where he was till recently an MP in the Rajya Sabha. He was earlier advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar, in the rank of a Cabinet minister.

He was Ambassador to several countries, and also Director of the Nehru Centre in London, official spokesperson of the MEA, and Press Secretary to the President of India. Author of over a dozen successful books, Pavan K. Varma was conferred an honorary doctoral degree for his contribution to the fields of diplomacy, literature, culture and aesthetics by the University of Indianapolis in 2005.

He was also conferred the Druk Thuksey, Bhutans highest civilian award, by the King of Bhutan in 2012. In 2018, on the instructions of the Shankaracharya of Sringeri, Varma was conferred an honorary doctorate by Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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The following is a statement by Macedonian Human Rights Movement International:

TORONTO, March 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addressing the crowd at a Macedonian event in Toronto last month, Liberal Party of Canada MP Rob Oliphant referred to the Republic of Macedonia with the highly derogatory term North Macedonia - a term used to negate Macedonia's name, identity and history and which glorifies the recent US-led forced name change on the Republic of Macedonia.

Mr. Oliphant, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is clearly aware how offensive this term is towards Macedonians, yet still chose to use it. After the controversial speech, many Macedonians in the crowd explained how offensive the terms North Macedonia and North Macedonian are, yet Mr. Oliphant responded, This is how the government of Canada recognizes you.

Imagine being told what your name and ethnic identity are based on a government's foreign policy. Self-determination and self-identification are basic human rights that are supposedly enshrined by Canadian and international law.

In order to force through Macedonian NATO membership, NATO member-states - led by the United States and supported by the Trudeau government - had imposed a name change on Macedonia (through the ironically-named Prespa Agreement) in order to appease Greece, which had vowed to veto Macedonia's NATO membership unless it changed its name. The shocking tactics, outlined in an MHRMI op-ed published by the Canadian Foreign Policy Journal , included imprisonment, beatings, violations of the Macedonian criminal code, constitution and parliamentary rules, bribes, physical detainment and threats against family members of politicians  with women especially targeted.

At the Toronto event (known as Gotse Delchev Night), Dragi Stojkovski, President of the United Macedonians Organization of Canada, explained to Mr. Oliphant that Macedonians originate from all regions of partitioned Macedonia (divided in 1913 among Serbia/Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and later, Albania) and not just from the Republic of Macedonia (which declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991). The forced name change affects all Macedonians and that current and shifting political boundaries do not affect one's ethnicity, so Mr. Oliphant's choice of terminology is not only hateful, but also factually incorrect. Mr. Oliphant responded sarcastically, Thank you Professor Dragi. All Canadians deserve better, and deserve politicians who respect their constituents. Finally, Mr. Stojkovski asked for a follow-up meeting between Mr. Oliphant and Macedonian community leaders. The request was ignored by Mr. Oliphant and his office.

Bill Nicholov, President of Macedonian Human Rights Movement International, followed up with Mr. Oliphant, further describing the Macedonian community's disgust with his statements, the complete rejection by Macedonians (throughout Macedonia and worldwide) of any name, identity and history change, the brutal tactics employed against Macedonians in executing it, and the correspondence that Mr. Nicholov had with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and her foreign policy advisors during her tenure as Foreign Minister. Mr. Oliphant responded, I am very aware of your opinion and have read your note to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs. I will continue to follow our governments recognition of the Republic of North Macedonia and respect the decision made by its people with respect to the name they have chosen.

Mr. Nicholov responded, The Macedonian people were, and are, united against a name change, which was forced upon Macedonia. There can never be an 'agreement' that redefines an entire ethnic group to appease its oppressors. MHRMI defends all ethnic groups against hate, and we expect the same  but clearly this won't be coming from you. You have been instructed by your party to use this derogatory term, but would you use a derogatory term against another ethnic group because of politics? Imagine telling a First Nations group that the term 'Redskins' is 'okay' because it's in use by an NFL team. We do not need a government to dictate to us who we are.

Making an outrageous claim that the Macedonian people voluntarily chose to abandon their identity is an admission by Mr. Oliphant and the Liberal Party of Canada that it perpetuates racism and hate speech. Sad, but not surprising, considering their support of former Liberal Party MP Jim Karygiannis' repeated hate-filled tirades  caught on video  against Macedonians. (See the Associated Press and CBC stories on MHRMI's expose of Karygiannis.)

As many ethnic community groups came to Macedonians' defence at the time of the Karygiannis incidents, we are, once again, calling on all Canadians to unite against racism and hate-speech, and to defend Macedonians' right to exist as who we have always been  Macedonians. MHRMI and the United Macedonians are calling for a zero-tolerance policy for hatred that is directed against any ethnic group . We call on all political parties to join us  including Liberal Party members who defy their party and will stand up for basic human rights  values that Canada used to defend.

--- Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. MHRMI demands respect for Macedonia's name, identity and human rights for oppressed Macedonians in the Balkans. For more information: 1-416-850-7125, info@mhrmi.org, www.mhrmi.org , twitter.com/mhrmi , facebook.com/mhrmi , instagram.com/MacedonianHumanRights #OurNameIsMacedonia

--- The United Macedonians Organization of Canada is the oldest and largest Macedonian national and cultural organization in the diaspora. Our mission is to promote national unity of Macedonians worldwide. For more information: 1-416-823-6520, info@unitedmacedonians.org, www.unitedmacedonians.org, facebook.com/unitedmacedonianscanada

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/730b0ed8-09a2-40d3-8da3-3e5a3658ff4c
KABUL  The Afghan government postponed the release of 1,500 Taliban prisoners Saturday, an Afghan official said, a decision that could sabotage a peace deal signed last month between the Taliban and the United States.

Jawed Faisal, spokesman for the Afghan National Security Advisers office, said the releases were being delayed because more time was needed to review the list of prisoners. The move comes despite President Ashraf Ghanis decree earlier in the week promising the start of the releases Saturday as a good will gesture to get intra-Afghan negotiations started.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website offers car insurance info about different coverage types, available discounts, and money-saving tips.

Every driver can notice that there are significant price differences between insurance providers. Each company uses its own set of rules and algorithms for calculating risk and associated premiums. Also, each company may have a different set of rules when providing discounts. Drivers who want to compare prices and discover the best deals available should use car insurance quotes, offered by https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Getting online quotes provides the following advantages:

They are quick and easy to obtain . The main requirement is having an internet connection and a compatible device. Drivers do no longer have to go outside or wait for companies and agents to respond. A typical online questionnaire is completed in maximum of 5 minutes. After that, it only takes several seconds until rates are displayed. Insurance websites have rate calculators that do the math for online visitors

Brokerage websites provide multiple quotes on a single search page . Brokerage websites were exclusively designed with for that purpose. Why fill up an online form, then repeat the whole process on a different website? After completing the online questionnaire and pressing the search button, the brokerage website will provide multiple offers from agencies within the driver's area. Brokerage websites can provide the rates for companies and redirect the user to those companies' websites, to finish the purchase.

Quotes will help drivers save hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Statistics show that after comparison shopping, drivers were able to save on average, 5%-10% on auto insurance. Drivers can modify coverage parameters, bundle prices and check for discounts. Everything is done online, fast and safe.

Story continues

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 20:27:54|Editor: yhy

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MOGADISHU, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has completed training of 198 new police recruits to boost law and order in the horn of African state.

A statement released by AMISOM on Saturday said the police officers who underwent the training will be deployed to Hiraan and Middle Shabelle regions to strengthen rule of law and public security.

So far, AMISOM has trained over 600 police officers in Somalia to boost ongoing efforts to maintain law and order in the country amid terrorism and clan-based skirmishes.

Ali Abdullahi Hussein, Somalia's Hirshabelle State deputy president, urged the newly recruited police officers to cooperate with the public in efforts to root out crime and terrorism.

"The police force should be friendly to the public to assist victims and apprehend criminals. They need to take action on terrorists and support efforts to restore peace and stability, which are essential for development," said Hussein.

Yuyi Mwala, the AMISOM Police Coordinating Officer for Hirshabelle State, said he was confident the police recruit who underwent training will discharge their duty effectively.

"We have delivered a good cadre of recruits," said Mwala.

Mohamed Abdirahman Kheyre, minister for security, Hirshabelle State, commended AMISOM and international partners for their support to help build the capacity of the police force in Somalia.

He said the Hirshabelle state plans to train 800 officers in the near future.
Representative image

President Donald Trump's administration announced Friday it is awarding USD 1.3 million to two companies trying to develop rapid COVID-19 tests that could detect whether a person is positive for the new coronavirus within an hour. The Department of Health and Human Services said it is awarding USD 679,000 to DiaSorin Molecular, of Cypress, California, and USD 598,000 to QIAGEN, of Germantown, Maryland, to accelerate development of their tests.

DiaSorin's test could be ready within six weeks for consideration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the QIAGEN test could be ready within 12 weeks for FDA consideration, according to HHS.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, about 81,000 people have been diagnosed and about 64,000 have recovered.
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By PTI

MUMBAI: With two more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the number of infected individuals in the state has gone up to 19, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

The two new cases were reported from Mumbai and Ahmednagar, he said.

"The number of coronavirus positive cases in Maharashtra has gone up to 19 after one case each was reported from Mumbai and Ahmednagar on Friday," Tope told reporters outside the state legislature complex here.



Coronavirus LIVE UPDATES | Second death reported, total cases 88, Indian embassy in US issues advisory to students

Ten of the coronavirus positive cases in the state are in Pune, four in Mumbai, three in Nagpur, and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.



A health department official said, "Till Friday evening, the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus was 17. But the test reports of two more persons came late at night. As they were found positive, the count of infected persons rose to 19."



ALSO READ: Delhi government-run homeopathic hospital adds isolation beds for suspected coronavirus cases

The person in Ahmednagar had recently returned from Dubai. As he showed symptoms of coronavirus infection, his blood sample was sent for testing, which confirmed late Friday night that he is coronavirus positive," he added.



In the wake of coronavirus scare, the state government had on Friday ordered closure of cinema theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.



The government also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to tackle the virus outbreak.

As announced by the government on Friday, schools and colleges in Pune and its neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain shut till further orders.
HARWINTON  The Harwinton Historical Society will grant a $1,000 scholarship to a Harwinton resident or an individual active in the HHS. Applicants must show an interest in history and/or the social sciences through coursework and/or experiences. Graduating high school seniors and students currently pursuing post-secondary education are encouraged to apply. Applications are available from appropriate high school guidance departments or requested on line at harwhistsoc@gmail.com. Applications must be postmarked by April 15.

LCCH offers two scholarships

BETHLEHEM  Litchfield County Creating Hope is a nonprofit focusing on mental health issues and helping those affected by suicide. They are happy offering a scholarship for $500 to two students pursuing their education in the mental health field.

The deadline for applications is May 15. The recipients will be announced at the Run for Hope 5k Race on June 6 at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds. Visit www.lcchcorp.org for more information or email: admin@lcchcorp.org

Shane Kinsella Fund accepting applications

GOSHEN  The Shane Morehouse Kinsella Childrens Fund was established in memory of Shane Morehouse Kinsella, who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome on May 13, 2008.

The fund offers assistance to children (through age 18) residing in the Town of Goshen looking for financial aid to participate in extracurricular organizations, to organizations serving the needs of Goshen children, or to meet other needs individual children might have.

The Fund Committee will meet on the first Thursday of each month to consider requests. If there is an emergency request, it must be delivered 24 hours before a Fund Committee meeting. Applications can be obtained from the Town Hall in Goshen or on the Goshen Town website.

Other questions should be sent to Dexter Kinsella, Selectman, Town of Goshen , 42 North Street, Goshen, CT 06756 or emailed to dkinsella@goshenct.gov.

Chamber holding photo contest

The Kent Chamber of Commerce is hosting a photo contest. Residents and visitors, professional and amateur photographers alike are all invited to submit beautiful photographs of Kent that capture the essence of our town and highlight the best of what Kent has to offer. Submissions will be accepted between now and Saturday, July 25.

Entries will then be judged and the winners announced and displayed during the Kent Sidewalk Festival, the first weekend in August.

Prizes will be gift certificates to Kent restaurants; first prize in each category will be a $100 gift certificate and second prize in each category will be a $50 gift certificate. The five categories are scenery, downtown, fun in Kent, hidden gems and childs eye view.

High resolution photo entries may be sent to photocontest@kentct.com. Put the selected category in the subject line. If you are submitting entries for multiple categories, send one email per category. All photographers who submit entries must agree to allow the Kent Chamber of Commerce to use the submitted photos in print and digital promotional materials. Photographers will be credited with every photo use. There is no limit to the number of entries per person.

AAA holding video contest

AAA Northeasts annual 2020 Traffic Safety Video Contest is now underway with a theme that focuses on the dangers of marijuana-impaired teen driving.

To compete for monetary prizes, high school students in Litchfield, Fairfield, and New Haven counties must create a 30-second public service announcement focusing on the marijuana impairment theme.

Contest rules and judging criteria are listed on www.aaa.com/videocontest, where videos can be submitted. The deadline is April 13.

In this years contest, were want to reinforce the message that consuming marijuana, then getting behind the wheel of a car, impacts ones driving ability, said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. We also believe video media designed and created by students, is an engaging, effective way to spread awareness on this topic.

With the recent legalization and decriminalization of cannabis in many states, societys attitude toward the drug has softened, said Mayko. And unfortunately, all drivers - not only teens -- need to understand that marijuana-impaired driving more than doubles your crash risk.

Between April 20-30, the public may view and like student entries submitted from AAA Northeasts territory, which covers Connecticuts Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties; Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and parts of New York, and New Jersey. The website is www.aaa.com/videocontest.

Then on May 1, the top five videos, determined by the number of likes, will be posted to AAA Northeasts Instagram account @AAANortheast. The video receiving the most likes by May 4 will be named the Grand Prize $5000 Winner.

This competition is part of AAA Northeasts ongoing education efforts on marijuana and driving. The Providence-based auto club also offers a free, video-based presentation, Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana & Driving to high school health classes.

Endorsed by Brown Universitys School of Public Health, the program highlights the effects of marijuana use on the teenage brain and focuses on the dangers of drugged driving.

To learn more about this free educational program, area high school principals and health educators should visit www.aaa.com/Shiftinggears for more information.

Discount prescription drug cards available

Barkhamsted is a participant in the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities prescription drug card program. This program has saved residents almost $20,000 over the past 5 years, according to a statement.

This program is available to all residents, no matter their age, employment status, or whether they are currently insured. However, the card was designed to be used if they do not have insurance or if something is not covered by your current insurance program. It cannot be used in conjunction with another insurance program in order to discount your co-pays or deductible.

Residents may print a card by visiting http://ctrxdiscountcard.com, and begin using it right away. Simply bring the card to the pharmacy counter when filling a prescription. Anyone who has a question or concern about this program may call the toll-free ProAct helpline: 877-776-2285.

For information, email Gina L. Sartirana at gsartirana@yahoo.com
Crown Corporation has flexibility and capacity to support exporters throughout uncertain times

OTTAWA, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Canada today announced its Business Credit Availability Program to provide additional liquidity to Canadian business in the face of challenges brought on by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Under this program, Export Development Canada (EDC) will play an important role in helping address ongoing and developing economic challenges stemming from the public health crisis.



I understand that this is a challenging time. The global economy is facing significant shocks. Trade flows and supply chains are being disrupted. Companies are being forced to make very difficult choices, said Mairead Lavery, President and CEO of Export Development Canada.

If there is one message that I want to leave you with today, its that EDC is here to help Canadian exporters navigate these exceptional times. This is, in fact, why we exist: to offer expert advice as well as insurance and financial support, in both good times and bad.

EDC works every day to help grow and develop Canadian trade  to help every Canadian company, no matter the size, succeed internationally. The measures announced today will enable EDC to help even more Canadian companies access its financing and insurance products and risk mitigation services.

Enhancing credit access to Canadian exporters will help to minimize the impacts on Canadian exporters as a result of COVID-19.

Trade is a key driver of Canadas economic growth; In 2018, it accounted for more than 60% of the national GDP. The same year, EDC facilitated C$105 billion in exports, foreign investments and trade development activities, and supported the equivalent of 489,000 Canadian jobs.

EDC continues to follow the developments of COVID-19 very closely and is in regular communication with its customers and businesses across the country. Increased internal capacities are helping the organization more efficiently respond to the concerns of Canadian companies.

Story continues

Over the last week, EDC has opened a toll-free number (1-800-229-0575) for anyone with any questions relating to exporting as the pandemic and its effects evolve, has been regularly updating an FAQ page , hosted a webinar about the effect COVID-19 is having on global trade, and posted an analysis .

EDC is nimble and has the capital necessary to quickly mobilize support, in collaboration with our federal partners and Canadian banks, as demands increase  and as they change.

Amid the uncertainty of this developing situation, EDCs mandate remains unchanged. Its exporting experts remain focused on helping Canadian exporters, whether thats understanding the impacts of a pandemic on their businesses, figuring out supply chain disruptions or structuring insurance coverage.

About EDC

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation dedicated to helping Canadian companies of all sizes succeed on the world stage. As international risk experts, we equip Canadian companies with the tools they need  the trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections  to grow their business with confidence. Underlying all our support is a commitment to sustainable and responsible business.

For more information and to learn how we can help your company, call us at 1-888-434-8508 or visit www.edc.ca.

Media Contact

Export Development Canada

media@edc.ca
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 13, 2020 | 10:44 PM | PADUCAH

While city officials said Friday that a decision hasn't been made on whether to allow the Paducah Quilt Week event to take place on April 22-25, organizers have decided to cancel a similar event later this month.AQS announced Friday evening on Facebook that Quilt Week in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on March 25-28 has been cancelled, due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus.The post addressed to members, friends, vendors and supporters says, "The health and safety of our attendees, vendors, participants, and volunteers are of the utmost importance to us and we believe that this is the most prudent course of action at this time."While realizing the hardship the cancellation would place on everyone involved, AQS said they could not ignore the advice of government leaders or the global health community.They will issue refunds to all Lancaster registrants and vendors within the next thirty days.On Friday afternoon, Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless said city officials have been in ongoing discussions with AQS and others involved in planning Quilt Week, but they have not yet decided what to do. She said a final decision should be announced next week.In related news, Frank Bennett with the National Quilt Museum posted Friday on Facebook to remind everyone that the museum is not responsible for planning Quilt Week, and that all questions about it should be directed to AQS. Bennett indicated that the museum has been inundated with calls and questions that his staff cannot answer.

On the Net:
Australian director Baz Luhrmann has gone into quarantine with his wife and two teenage children gone after Tom Hanks' coronavirus diagnosis.

The 57-year-old on Thursday shut down work on his new film about Elvis starring Hanks that is in pre-production on the Gold Coast.

Luhrmann is holed up at a palatial riverside home for a 14-day lockdown as he busily tries to get the stalled film back on track.

With him are his wife of 23 years Catherine Martin, 55, and their children Lillian, 16, and William at the house provided by the Warner Bros studio.

Luhrmann is holed up at a palatial riverside home (pictured) on the Gold Coast for a 14-day lockdown as he busily tries to get the stalled film back on track

Baz Luhrmann (pictured with Tom Hanks) on Thursday shut down work on his new film about Elivs starring Hanks that is in pre-production on the Gold Coast

Hanks was last with Luhrmann and other crew on Tuesday before developing symptoms on Wednesday and getting tested for coronavirus, sources told Daily Mail Australia.

The American star announced on Thursday that he and his wife Rita, both 63, had tested positive and were being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital.

Luhrmann said he and his family were fine and thanked health authorities for their support since his lead actor's diagnosis.

'I'm in isolation for the next 10 days but the family and I are healthy and well,' he said.

'Really must send a big thank you to the doctors and medical experts at Queensland Health who have given us tremendous support and most importantly, very clear instructions as to how about going putting our company and the community's health first.'

He said the whole production team was following medical advice 'to a T'.

Ms Martin with Lillian and William at the Moschino x H&M show at Pier 36 in New York on October 24, 2018

Luhrmann and his family were seen at the four-bedroom property on Friday and Saturday and did not leave the expansive grounds.

Sources said he was working on the film remotely from a studio attached to the main house where his phone was 'running hot'.

The famed director was determined 'the show must go on' amid to coronavirus pandemic and was in back-to-back meetings with executives in Los Angeles.

Ms Martin was seen in her dressing gown well into the afternoon and only briefly ventured out the front door.

William was seen taking a walk along the 100m driveway and expansive lawn of the multimillion-dollar mansion.

An American friend of Lillian visited to drop off supplies in a Target bag and chat to the teenager at the property's private riverfront.

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita are still in hospital with his wife recovering from the virus but reassured fans they were fine and being well looked after

Production studios near Movie World on the Gold Coast were quiet and completely abandoned on Saturday with all work suspended

Production on the untitled Elvis film is shut down until further notice with all staff sent home on Thursday morning

Lillian is believed to be living in a smaller building at the front of the property about 30m closer to the gate than the main house.

The property, which last sold for $3.1 million in 2005, is often used by Warner Bros to put up visiting celebrities during production on the Gold Coast.

It was the same mansion at which actress Amber Heard was seen quickly moving on from millionaire businessman Elon Musk.

The Hollywood star was filmed passionately kissing a shirtless stuntman on the house's pool deck in October 2017, just months after she and Musk broke up.

Luhrmann on Thursday cancelled all production until further notice in the wake of Hanks and his wife being diagnosed.

'We request all cast and crew stay at home today and not come to work. All work activity on the production is cancelled and will not resume until further notice, he wrote.

The expansive estate includes this pool and deck area, as seen in this photo from 2012

The four-bedroom abode has numerous luxury furnishings that are enjoyed by the many celebrities who have lived there

Warner Bros regularly puts up VIPs in the house during productions on the Gold Coast

Lillian is believed to be living in a smaller building (pictured) at the front of the property about 30m closer to the gate than the main house

'We appreciate everyone's cooperation and we will be following up with more details over the next several hours.

'On a personal note, please know that the health and well-being of our entire company is our absolute focus at this time. Many thanks for your support as we manage this difficult situation.'

Production studios near Movie World on the Gold Coast were quiet and completely abandoned on Saturday with all work suspended.

Hanks is still in hospital with his wife recovering from the virus but reassured fans they were fine and being well looked after.

'We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too,' he wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

'To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.'

The Luhrmann family is staying at the same mansion where Amber Heard (left) was caught passionately kissing a stuntman soon after breaking up with Elon Musk (right)

Australia has 237 coronavirus cases, many of whom have recovered, and so far three elderly people have died

Hanks on Friday updated fans with a photo of himself and Rita in hospital looking in good spirits, saying they were taking their recovery 'one day at a time'.

'We have Covid-19 and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else. There are those for whom it could lead to a very serious illness,' he wrote.

'There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no?'

Ms Wilson asked fans for suggestions on making a Spotify playlist to see the couple through their weeks of recovery and isolation.

'Hi guys!I want to make a @Spotify playlist for people self quarantining. Something that might relate to isolation, perhaps?' she wrote.

The singer also asked for names for the playlist and eventually settled on Quarantunes.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco police are investigating a fatal shooting in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood early Saturday morning, police said.

Officers responded at 1:50 a.m. to the shooting reported in the area of Jones and McAllister streets.

No other information about the case was immediately released by police, who are asking people to call (415) 575-4444 with any tips that will lead to an arrest in the shooting.

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.
Ringo H.W. Chiu/Associated Press

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk told employees in an email that they're more likely to be killed in a car accident than by the coronavirus, Buzzfeed reported Friday.

Musk said the evidence he'd seen showed the virus wasn't among the 100 biggest health risks in the US, according to Buzzfeed.

SpaceX employees were told to stay home if they feel sick, while Tesla has offered limited time off, pay, and remote work options for employees.

Musk has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, tweeting last week that "the coronavirus panic is dumb."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Elon Musk told his SpaceX employees in an email Friday that their risk of dying from COVID-19 is way lower than it is from being killed in a car accident, Buzzfeed reported.

"As a basis for comparison, the risk of death from C19 is *vastly* less than the risk of death from driving your car home," Musk wrote, adding that the evidence he's seen about the severity of the outbreak "suggests that this is *not* within the top 100 health risks in the United States," according to Buzzfeed.

This isn't the first time Musk, who's the CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla, has weighed in on the topic. Last week, he tweeted that "the coronavirus panic is dumb."

Elon Musk reportedly told SpaceX employees they have a much higher chance of dying in a car crash than from the coronavirus

Musk's comments run counter to what most medical experts are saying, however. A panel of experts at the University of California, San Francisco, predicted this week that between 40% and 70% of Americans would become infected within the next 18 months. An internist in attendance, estimated from that range that up to 1.5 million could die, a number he said the panelists did not dispute.

Musk advised SpaceX employees in the email to stay home if they felt sick, but also cited a variety of factors that he believed indicated that the virus' spread had been overstated.

Tesla employees were also instructed this week to stay home if they felt sick or had been in contact with someone with the virus, according to an internal memo seen by Business Insider. Those able to work remotely with managerial approval will be paid regularly, while salaried employees who couldn't will be able to ask their supervisors for "Flexible Time Off," the memo said. Hourly employees who can't work from home, meanwhile, will be paid their base pay for 12 hours for every regularly scheduled workday that they're in quarantine.

Musk's comments came the same day President Trump, after weeks of downplaying the coronavirus outbreak himself, declared it a national emergency, and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend that people minimize travel and visiting crowded public places, a practice known as "social distancing."

Business Insider
Good Morning, welcome to Information Nigerias Newspaper headlines for today, 14th March 2020.

Here are the major headlines.

One Dead In Convoy Accident Conveying Osibanjo

The convoy of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday was involved in an accident on his way to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. According to a source who spoke with TheCable, one of the outriders in the convoy of the vice president died in the accident.

Ill Always Come To Nigeria For Your Advice  Guinea Bissaus President

Umaro Sissoko Embalo, Guinea Bissau president has described Nigeria as one of the best symbols of democracy in Africa. Speaking with state house correspondents shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Embalo added that he would always come back to seek more advice.

Court Orders IG, DSS To Release Dethroned Sanusi

A Federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered that the deposed Emir of Kano state, Sanusi Lamido be released immediately following his dethronement on Monday.

Coronavirus: Nigerias Second Cases Test Back To Negative

According to the Ministry of Health, the second confirmed coronavirus case in Nigeria has tested negative. Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire made this statement while giving an update on the case of coronavirus in Nigeria.

WHO Commends Nigerias Method Of Containing The Global Pendemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) has commended Nigerias method in containing coronavirus, which it described as pandemic.

Sanusi Sues IG, DSS Over Unlawful Detention

Deposed Emir Sanusi Lamidos team of lawyers led by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Thursday, filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020 before the Federal High Court in Abuja joining the Inspector General of police and his Department of State Service(DSS) as respondents.

Hunger Virus Worse Than Coronavirus In Nigeria

Saad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, says hunger in the country, which is killing Nigerians, is deadlier than the novel coronavirus. The Sultan said this while speaking at the first quarterly meeting of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) on Thursday in Abuja.

Dont Shake Hands, Dont Hug For Now  Aregbesola

Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, has advised Nigerians against having handshakes and hugs except with family members to avoid the coronavirus.

El-Rufai Meets Sanusi In Awe Community

Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has stormed Awe community in Nasarawa where he met with the deposed Emir Of Kano state, Sanusi Lamido.

Feyemi Speaks On Dethroning Top Traditional Rulers

Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti state governor has described reports making the rounds that he intends to dethrone some traditional rulers in the state as false and malicious.
For more than 14 hours after a 68-year-old woman from Janakpuri succumbed to coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, her body was kept at the lawns of the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and then in the premises of the Nigambodh Ghat before it could finally be cremated.

The womans family alleged that while hospital authorities had advised immediate cremation of the body, after she died on Friday night, the body was only cremated at 12.30pm on Saturday. All this, because hospital authorities, municipal agencies and staff at the crematorium were not prepared to handle a coronavirus-infected body.

A senior official in the Delhi government said no standard operating procedure (SOP) has been issued by the Central government to states on how to handle a COVID-19 infected dead body. The director general of health services (DGHS) has asked us to handle an infected dead body the same way we treat a living COVID-19 patient, said the official on the condition of anonymity.

She died at night, and hospital authorities told us they will not keep the body there. Around 1am, her body was shifted from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the ambulance. We were particularly asked by the doctors to either avail electric or CNG cremation facilities as the virus will remain active in the body even after death, a relative of the woman said.

The relative said that from 1am, the ambulance carrying the body of the woman was parked in the lawns of the hospital, and it was quarantined using a rope tied around the vehicle to prevent any personal contact from patients and family members visiting the hospital. The ambulance was guarded by two guards wearing protective suits.

Around 10.30am, nearly 25 family members of the victim reached Nigambodh Ghat to cremate the body, which was accompanied by two hospital staff. However, they were stopped by crematorium staff.

They told us that they will not conduct the cremation because it was a government facility and they did not have any order from the government on whether the body of an infected person can be cremated, or how to go about the procedure, the relative said.

He added, We were asked to take the body to the Lodi Road facility, but even they refused to take the body.

The womans body was finally cremated after a team from RML Hospital and the health department of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation arrived and took over the procedure. The body was handled by a team wearing personal protective equipment.

Ashok Rawat, health officer at the north corporation, said the officials were also taken aback when the body was brought into the crematorium on Saturday.

Neither hospital authorities nor family members informed us that the dead body was being brought to Nigambodh Ghat. We will send a request letter to RML hospital asking them to inform us in advance if the body of a coronavirus-infected person is being brought to our facilities, Rawat said.

The 68-year-old was the first to die of coronavirus infection in Delhi, and the second in India. The womans 46-year-old son had tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

Experts were divided on the possibility of the virus spreading after the death of infected people.

Director, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Randeep Guleria said there is no risk in cremating the infected bodies.

Coronavirus cannot spread through dead bodies. It spreads from respiratory secretion. Coughing is necessary for the spread of this virus, he said.

Dr Hagai Levine, professor of epidemiology with expertise in outbreak investigation, at the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health in Jerusalem, also agreed that the risk of transmission is next to nil after death. The risk for droplet transmission from a dead body is extremely low, Levine said.

The chief medical officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, Dr Anurag Bhargava, however, said quarantine should be followed even while performing last rites.

(with inputs from Sanjeev K Jha)

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When the world goes mad with fear and panic, there is only one thing to do: Escape.

Four friends and I did just that last week. We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and, after 19 miles of mostly winding roads, went camping for two days under the stars at Steep Ravine Environmental Campground in Marin County. We left the coronavirus crisis, the stock market collapse, the Democratic primary, the worries about a drought, scandals in City Hall. All that disappeared in the rearview mirror.

We didnt work at home. We didnt work at all. Instead, we had two glorious nights at one of the most beautiful places in the world. Quarantined at Steep Ravine, said Kit Stycket, who had organized the trip weeks ago, well before the virus outbreak.

The Steep Ravine camp is one of those truly special little-known places in the Bay Area. It is on Highway 1, on the cliffs just a mile south of Stinson Beach. Steep Ravine is part of Mount Tamalpais State Park and has 10 rustic cabins and eight campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. The cabins and the campsites are close to the cliffs, so you can camp on the edge of the continent. The cabins were all taken so we had a campsite.

The views are spectacular. The ocean is at your feet, and to the south you can see San Francisco across the Golden Gate, and down the San Mateo County coast to Point San Pedro. We were able to pick out the Cliff House in San Francisco, less than 8 miles distant as the seabird flies but a world away.

Carl Nolte / The Chronicle

The view to the north sweeps past Stinson Beach and Bolinas to Duxbury Point.

I have hiked all over Marin since I was a little kid, and I thought I knew every creek and hidden gulch in Tamalpais country, but this place was new to me.

Kit Stycket filled us in on history. She had stayed there years ago, when the cabins were privately owned by the family of William Kent, a congressman who donated Muir Woods to the government to form one of the countys first national monuments.

Muir Woods gets over a million visitors a year, but Steep Ravine is almost a secret.

Kent bought the ravine and its small beach in 1902, and allowed public use. But during the Great Depression, a group of what the Marin History Museum called homeless transients built shacks on the beach. In 1938, William Kent Jr., the congressmans son, had them evicted, and built 13 rustic cabins and leased them to his friends.

One of them was Dorothea Lange, the photographer, who with her friend Margaretta Mitchell, wrote a book, a small classic called To a Cabin.

Lange wrote, I began to wonder what it was that made us feel the minute we went over that hill, a certain sense of  not peace particularly or enjoyment  but freedom.

The state park system acquired the site in 1974 and wanted to tear down the cabins, but the California Coastal Commission intervened, and the cabins were rebuilt and opened to the public. The Coastal Commission is the hero in this, Stycket said.

You go there and you drop everything from your life  business, the phone calls, Mitchell told the San Jose Mercury News years later.

Carl Nolte / The Chronicle

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.

And thats the way it was. Cell phone service is spotty. We had come to an unspoken agreement not to check news sites. My friends were all connected to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in some way, so we talked about ships. Sea stories are much better when told around a campfire beside the ocean.

One of the most lively discussions was about which of the lights on the horizon was Southeast Farallon Island and which was the beacon on North Farallon, which is essentially a rock.

Because I am a bit of a news junkie, I would occasionally point my phone at San Francisco and get a snippet of news.

Theyve closed the Catholic schools in San Francisco, I announced at dinner one night. What about the public schools? someone asked, I dont know, I said. Long pause.

Is there any mayonnaise? someone asked. Nope, said Richard Everett, who was cooking, I think the raccoons got into it last night.

The raccoons were the biggest problem we had. The first night, they got into a closed food box and ate the potato chips and seasoned them with mayonnaise. The second night they knocked over a box during a 2 a.m. raid, but got no food.

We had to leave, of course, after two nights. Camp reservations are devilishly hard to get and our time was up. We packed up, and in just over an hour we were back in San Francisco, where the news was worse than ever. Our escape was over.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CarlnolteSF
DAKAR, Senegal (AP)  A Canadian woman and an Italian man who had been kidnapped in December 2018 in Burkina Faso have been released in good health, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in neighboring Mali.

Quebec resident Edith Blais and Italian Luca Tacchetto had been travelling by car in the southwest of Burkina Faso when all communication with their families abruptly ended on Dec. 15, 2018. Burkina Fasos security situation had been deteriorating in the year before their abduction and has gotten increasingly worse in the past year. Al-Qaida and Islamic State-linked groups are active in Burkina Faso.

Malis U.N. peacekeeping spokesman Olivier Salgado told The Associated Press the two were brought to the MINUSMA based in Kidal in a civilian car on Friday. There they were taken in by the U.N. peacekeeping mission. On Saturday, the two flew to Bamako and have met with the head of MINUSMA, Malis president, other Malian authorities and the Canadian ambassador.

It is not known who kidnapped the two, if a ransom was paid or who arranged for the release.

Canadas Minister of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that he spoke with Blais and Tacchetto, who are safe.

Jihadists groups in the past year have been pushing across Malis border into Burkina Faso, and are increasing attacks further east as they gain territory in the smaller West African nation. More than half a million people have been displaced by the violence and almost 2,000 more fatalities were reported last year than in 2018 -- a six-fold increase -- according to a report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which collects and analyzes conflict information.
New Delhi/Srinagar, March 14 : The newly formed J&K Apni Party (JKAP), which is projecting itself as a third front against the two main political parties of Kashmir, has sought domicile rights and statehood for Jammu & Kashmir from the Central government.

In its first meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Saturday, a delegation of the party headed by Altaf Bukhari told him that people in J&K have several apprehensions regarding their land, jobs and businesses following the nullification of Article 370.

Ghulam Hassan Mir, one of the main architects of the Apni Party, in an interview to IANS just before the delegation went to meet the Prime Minister, said the visit was necessary to put forward the point of view of Kashmiri people before the Centre.

"There is a new dimension to politics in J&K since the loss of statehood and nullification of Article 370. We are a regional party with a national outlook. We want to work for the welfare of our people in the region and with a national consensus. We have no confusion about it. We will work with the Centre regardless of who is in power. We are not going to mislead people and promise them anything that's unrealistic as NC (National Conference) and PDP did," he said.

A public school teacher-turned-politician Mir said that the delegation was visiting New Delhi to request Prime Minister Modi to reach out to people in the state.

"Today there is a convergence of issues in Kashmir and Jammu, after the abrogation of Article 370. People in both the regions are worried that if J&K youth have to compete with the youth of the rest of the country in education, jobs and business, they will end up being losers. Similarly, there is anxiety about land, environment now that anyone can buy and settle in J&K. But above all, there is a sense of disenfranchisement by the reduction of J&K state to a Union Territory. We demand restoration of statehood and we will keep raising all these issues as a party," he said.

Though politicians in J&K have accused JKAP of being an ally of the BJP in the state, Mir dismissed it. "We spoke to the people in Kashmir and asked them what they wanted. Common people are facing problems and want their redressal. We formed a political party to mitigate their miseries and we will follow the democratic process by going back to them. People and time will prove that we are independent. We will oppose the BJP wherever and whenever it is required." The Apni Party comprises several former NC and PDP legislators and members, Mir said, and had only leadership to offer to people in J&K. "We are talking about people and we will talk about everyone. We don't have anything else to offer," he said rubbishing the accusation that the Apni Party had poached members from the two main political parties of Kashmir.

Mir, known for his pro-India politics and political manoeuvring, incidentally was a founding member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) headed by the Muftis and later a minister in the Omar Abdullah government too. Though Farooq Abdullah has been released, the other two former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to be in detention in Kashmir.

"Detention of political leaders is not acceptable in a democracy. We all were detained and ever since we got released, we have been asking for the release of others as well," Mir said before he met the PM today.
Storyful

Supporters of world No.1 Novak Djokovic gathered outside a courthouse in Melbourne on January 10 as the player appealed against his deportation from Australia in the hope of staying to play in the Australian Open.According to court filings, Djokovics lawyers say he was granted a visa on November 18. An exemption certificate was issued by Tennis Australias chief medical officer on December 30, they said.The hearing on Monday was due to start at the Federal Circuit and Family Court at 10am but was delayed multiple times due to technical issues. According to local reports, Judge Anthony Kelly said a professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption.Further to that, that medical exemption and the basis on which it was given was separately given by a further independent expert specialist panel, established by the Victorian state government. And that document was in the hands of the delegate.And the point Im somewhat agitated about is, was what more could this man have done? Judge Kelly asked.Footage by Slobodan Bendjo shows fans waving Serbian flags and dancing outside the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Melbourne. Credit: Slobodan Bendjo via Storyful
HANOI -- Vietnam will stop issuing tourist visas to citizens from Europe's Schengen area and Britain starting from Sunday, amid concerns over the spreading coronavirus, state media reported on Friday.

The restriction will start from midday, March 15, following a proposal from the country's prime minister, state-run newspaper Hanoimoi reported.

The British embassy in Hanoi updated its travel advice on a UK government website.

"From noon Vietnam time, March 15, all foreign nationals will be refused entry to Vietnam if in the previous 14 days they have been to the UK, or any Schengen country, even in transit," read the statement on the website. "This restriction will be in place for 30 days."

The Schengen area is a border control-free travel zone comprising 26 European countries.

Vietnam earlier halted visa-free travel for citizens of eight European countries.

Three weeks after Vietnam declared that all 16 of its coronavirus cases had recovered, the number of infected patients is on the rise after the authorities said a spate of new infections was traced to a flight from Britain.

Vietnam has confirmed 47 cases of the coronavirus. There have been no deaths in the country.
A burglar who attempted to sell his stolen item on Facebook wearing the same clothes as when he committed the crime has been ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

Clayton Thompson pleaded guilty to burglary on November 17 last year.

The court heard that Thompson (34), of Damolly Meadows, Newry, had entered MJM Marine in Carnbane Business Park and stole a Wacker Neuson Concrete Saw.

CCTV footage captured him stealing the industrial item.

The burglar then posted photographs of himself on Facebook with the saw trying to sell it.

The PSNI who noted that he was wearing the same clothes on Facebook as he was when captured on camera stealing the saw from MJM.

Thompson was arrested and during police interview admitted the offence.

Defence said his client had last committed an offence some time ago back in 2014 and had stayed out of trouble since.

Thompson was further ordered to pay 354 compensation.
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) share price has dived 31% in the last thirty days. Looking back over the last year, the stock has been a solid performer, with a gain of 23%.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.

See our latest analysis for Ramelius Resources

Does Ramelius Resources Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

Ramelius Resources's P/E of 14.85 indicates some degree of optimism towards the stock. The image below shows that Ramelius Resources has a higher P/E than the average (8.6) P/E for companies in the metals and mining industry.

ASX:RMS Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 13th 2020

Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Ramelius Resources shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

Notably, Ramelius Resources grew EPS by a whopping 39% in the last year. And earnings per share have improved by 5.8% annually, over the last three years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio.

Story continues

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

So What Does Ramelius Resources's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Ramelius Resources has net cash of AU$62m. That should lead to a higher P/E than if it did have debt, because its strong balance sheets gives it more options.

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If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Photo credit: Courtesy Renee Bracey Sherman / Design by Ingrid Frahm

From Harper's BAZAAR

Renee Bracey Sherman is changing how people think about abortions, but her target isnt the anti-choice activists picketing her rally in front of the Supreme Court. Its a waste of my time and energy, she says. Men like that are never going to change their minds. They are hell-bent on controlling women and people of color. My job is to ensure that people who have abortions are loved and supported.

Part of that love and support comes from reclaiming the narrative around abortion, uplifting and centering the conversation around women who go through the procedure. Bracey Sherman leads with her own experience, saying that, yes, she, like the nearly one in four women of reproductive age , had an abortion in her lifetime and felt isolated at the time. The only people I knew who had an abortion were my cousin and [rapper] Lil Kim, she explained. I was a huge Lil Kim fan.

Bracey Sherman has worked with hundreds of people to share their abortion stories and now serves as founder and executive director of We Testify , an organization dedicated to helping people do just that without shame or fear of stigma. The goal is that as abortion stories become more common, more human, and more recognizable, the shame and stigma surrounding abortion will begin to fade. Anyone who has gone through the abortion experience, especially people of color or those from marginalized communities, will feel less alone, less fearful, and less shame.

On a sunny Wednesday in March, in front of the Supreme Court, Bracey Sherman is the emcee for a rally as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the June Medical Services LLC v. Russo (previously v. Gee) case, which is the first abortion-related case in front of the Supreme Court with President Donald Trumps two newly appointed conservative justices. Though a similar case was struck down in 2016 regarding a Texas law, a ruling on this case can provide insight into how the court will deal with access to abortion in the future, and even if the future of Roe v. Wade is in jeopardy.

Story continues

Photo credit: Courtesy Renee Bracey Sherman

Every single one of you is here because you love someone who has had an abortion, she yells to the crowd, who cheer and whoop in response. She wears a T-shirt with her signature slogan on itEveryone loves someone who had an abortionand a green scarf, which was a gift from an abortion activist in Mexico, whom she connected with the week prior at the International Network for the Reduction of Abortion Discrimination and Stigma in Kenya. We need to remind people that its a global fight, she explains.

Over the next several hours, Bracey Sherman introduces speakers from all walks of life in the reproductive justice movement: physicians, members of Congress, faith leaders, and women from all backgrounds who have had abortions and are there to share their stories. Many of the speakers know Bracey Sherman personally, and three speakers are sharing their abortion stories after going through the We Testify training, which includes how to articulate their stories, what sharing them means, and the blowback they can expect. Repeat after me: My abortion saved me! says Kenya Martin, of the National Network of Abortion Funds, who now works at the clinic where she had her procedure.

The night before the rally, I met Bracey Sherman at a sign-making party for activists, many of whom are comfortable going on the record with their first and last names to share their abortion tales. Beth Vial had to travel from Oregon to New Mexico to get a late-term abortion, costing $14,000, after her pregnancy went undetected for weeks due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). HK Gray had to get a judicial bypass to have an abortion at 17 in Texas. As a teenage mother, she was able to make medical decisions for her daughter but not herself, and she felt she wasnt in a position to have a second child. The judge ruled in her favor, but only after submitting her to humiliating questions, including why was she having sex, why was her father homeless, and was she still in a relationship with the babys father.

Kelsea McLain was an accidental storyteller. She showed up at a rally in North Carolina with a sign that read, I had an abortion and I am not ashamed, and realized: This was the first time she was sharing her story and she wanted guidance. Bracey Sherman reached out to her, and together, they came up with a way to articulate her experience. Bracey Sherman provided the support, media training, and told me it was okay to share certain parts, not share the whole thing every time I talk about it, says McLain. She gave me a framework on how to share our stories in a meaningful way.

McLain went on to testify in front of the North Carolina general assembly and the North Carolina Department of Human Services. Although she received negative press from anti-choice and right-leaning publications, she says sharing her story through We Testify has created opportunities for me. Im lucky to have a great support system in my life.

All three women needed financial support from their local abortion funds, and those sorts of financial support options are what Bracey Sherman recommends to activists who want to help more women get abortions, which typically start at $400 to $500 and are rarely covered by private insurance. At the rally on Wednesday, she encouraged all the women in the audience to ask their ob-gyns if they perform abortions, and if the answer was no, to follow up with, Why not?

Bracey Sherman has been called the  Beyonce of Abortion Storytelling , a nickname she embraces. Im a huge Beyonce fan, she says. Ive always admired her work ethic and that she created her own path. And shes trying to change the way the world sees Black women in particular. Bracey Sherman views Beyonces Homecoming as an artistic inspiration for her own work. She took a Black-ass show to a super-white environment and made it her own, Bracey Sherman wrote in a follow-up email. Sometimes I feel that way when Im doing my own workpolitical spaces and the U.S. overall is a very white space, but the majority of people who have abortions are people of color. I want to make art, media, and messaging that shows us in our full expansiveness, our truth, and celebrates the diversity of our experiences and identities.

Bracey Sherman grew up in the Chicagoland area, the biracial daughter of nurses, one of whom was a union organizer. In the years after having her own abortion at 19, Bracey Sherman, now 34, remembers seeing the anti-choice movements billboards with photos of Barack Obama and the tagline: Every 21 minutes, our next possible leader is aborted.

The point of them is to denigrate Black women who want abortions, she says. These [billboards] are only in Black communities on the south side of Chicago. Or, there are slogans such as The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb. These people pretend they want to save Black babies. Oh, really? Well, we missed you at the Black Lives Matter rally when children are being shot by the police.

What they are saying is that you, the Black woman, are dangerous. Its an additional shame. Black women face a stigma for raising a child alone, or in poverty, or in a marginalized community, and then they also face shame for having an abortion, Bracey Sherman says. Its damned if you do, and damned if you dont.

But the pro-choice movement, in its current iteration, falls short of fully embracing women of color. On national radio , Bracey Sherman took a former president of Planned Parenthood to task for the language suggesting that abortion should be safe, legal and rare.

Safe and legal, we agree with. The problem is with rare," she explains in our sit-down. "What is rare? When will they be happy? What is the point in saying, Cool, you can have your abortion and dont really talk about it, and there shouldnt be as many of them? To me, there will be as many abortions as people need. You arent actually supporting someone if you do it within these restrictions, or say, Dont actually tell anyone that you did it.

For Bracey Sherman, the My body, my choice language that has defined much of the pro-choice movement for a generation also falls short of being truly inclusionary. Black women havent always had control of our bodies, she says. People of color are often ignored, denigrated, forgotten about in these debates. How can we be lifted up, seen in our full humanity and brightness, and discuss the nuances in our experiences? These nuances, of course, are seen in the detailed abortion stories. And by casting a wide net, deliberately including as many voices as possible with the single shared experience of having undergone an abortion procedure, Bracey Sherman sees this as the transformational change that needs to happen around abortion: centering those who have had the abortion first.

Photo credit: Eric Kayne/Center for Reproductive Rights

The current laws under attack, including the Louisiana case at the Supreme Court, which requires hospital admitting privileges for doctors who provide abortions at clinics, would make it harder for women, especially poor women and women of color, to access abortion services. (To give an example of how arcane the requirement is, no other medical procedure done in a clinic requires a physician to have admitting privileges at a hospital.)

But Bracey Sherman views these restrictions as a culmination of the anti-abortion movements efforts, and not as an extension of the Trump administration. The Louisiana law was signed into law by a Democrat, she says, referring to Governor John Bel Edwards. There is pro-choice leadership in the house out stumping for anti-abortion Democrats. It is not just one party; it is not just Trump.

Bracey Sherman adds, Abortion has been around for as long as women have been getting pregnant. She cites examples of witches brews, herbs, and advertisements in the 1800s for procedures designed to bring a womans period back.

But a lot of people dont think about abortion access and the barriers until they need one, Bracey Sherman says. Educate about what it takes. Get involved. Donate to your local clinic and local abortion fund, so your neighbor can have access to an abortion if they need one. Bracey Sherman still serves as an escort, bringing people to abortion clinics, taking them out for ramen the night before or sometimes after their procedures, and even having them sleep on her couch. During this vulnerable time, she doesnt want them to be alone and afraid.

And for women ready to share their stories, Bracey Sherman urges restraint and contemplation before doing so.

It sounds counterintuitive, but one of the first things I tell people is they dont have to. Its their story, and they get to decide how to share it. It takes a lot of privilege for me to say, Yeah, I had an abortion. My family is really supportive. I always encourage people to talk to a trusted loved one first, get their feelings out there, and feel what its like to actually talk about it.

But once the story is out, then the community begins to grow. Supporting people who have had abortions, its a love and a craft, she says. In the 10 years she has been sharing her own story, she almost always finds that someone shares their own in return.

Hearing someone say, Yeah, I had an abortion too can be what is most important.



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WASHINGTON  Two new pools of federal money will flow to New Jersey to help the state cope with the coronavirus.

President Donald Trumps national emergency will free up $50 billion in federal funds for New Jersey and other states to tap to help cover their costs of responding to the virus. The president called it a large amount of money for states and territories and localities in our shared fight against this disease.

And bipartisan legislation that passed the House early Saturday could mean $810 million in new Medicaid funding for the state, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Senate, which went home for the weekend, planned to return to Washington Monday to take up the bill, approved in the House by a vote of 363 to 40. All 12 New Jersey House members voted yes.

This national public health emergency requires a coordinated, whole-of-government response to help slow the virus spread and keep Americans safe," said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., who helped write the legislation as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

This is in addition to the $13.8 million on its way to New Jersey, courtesy of the $8.3 billion spending bill that passed Congress earlier and was signed into law earlier by Trump. That was the first measure to become law in response to the coronavirus.

Earlier, the state received $1.75 million from the Department of Health and Human Services.

The latest developments came as the number of presumptive positive covid-19 cases in New Jersey grew to 50, with another 80 being evaluated for symptoms.

As part of Trumps emergency declaration, New Jersey and other states will be asked to set up emergency operation centers. Health and Human Services will waive rules and regulations that current prevent hospitals from bringing in outside doctors and from adding beds in certain areas of the building.

Well remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that theyre entitled to," the president said Friday at the White House. No resource will be spared. Nothing whatsoever.

To those families and citizens who are worried and concerned for themselves and their loved ones, I want you to know that your Federal Government will unleash every authority, resource and tool at its disposal to safeguard the lives and health of our people. pic.twitter.com/uVDY12vXAM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

State officials plan to ask for a share of that money and have been in touch with both the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration about how to request federal funding, according to Alyana Alfaro, a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy.

In addition, the governor spoke with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday, Alfaro said.

Testing would be free, including for those without insurance, and there will be many more sites, including so-called drive-through tests in parking lots of businesses such as CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart.

One company expanding its ability to read the tests is Becton Dickinson and Co. of Franklin Lakes.

Were ramping up our manufacturing capacity to ensure that the right collection devices and testing equipment are ready to address this issue, president and chief executive Tom Polen said at the press conference with Trump.

Who will pay for those tests? The legislation passed Saturday provide free coronavirus testing for everyone, with the federal government helping the states pick up the tab. The bill contains $1 billion to cover the costs.

People  especially the most vulnerable and those closest to them  will know with certainty whether theyve contracted the disease," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist.

New Jersey also can expect more money from Washington to help pay for increased unemployment insurance benefits, expanded aid under the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, and money to assist food banks.

The legislation also would provide 14 days of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave.

As the coronavirus spreads, American workers need to know that they won't miss a paycheck by staying home if they feel sick. The case for expanding paid sick leave has never been more clear. It's an issue of public health and economic justice.  Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) March 11, 2020

Many workers cant afford to stay home if theyre sick or have to take care of a family member whos ill, and if they go to work, that could help spread the virus, said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

To not have paid family leave means that this problem will compound, it will spread further and it will last longer, said Booker, who joined two other former Democratic presidential candidates, U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California, at the Capitol on Thursday to insist that family leave be part of any final deal.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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There is ground to doubt the fact that the media as the

fourth estate of the realm, has the capacity and moral obligation to educate,

entertain and inform the people on issues of importance to their existence.

In the same vein, the media has the capacity to create

awareness and inform the citizen on Counter and Prevent Act of terrorism by

making them approachable enough so that every citizen can approach them with

suggestions on how best to create a terrorism-free world.

In making reports on Boko Haram, the media should give

adequate information on the activities of the insurgents. Such reports should

always be accurate and objective, free from sensationalism or religious bias.

It is not enough reporting on the surface as is obtained today like reporting a

bomb blast that claimed some innocent lives, arrest of suspected insurgents,

aerial bombing of insurgents hideouts, repealing of insurgents attacks, attack

on military facilities etc

In the usual straight news reporting, it is the usual, he

said, she said, eye witness said, from military spokesman: a usual reliable

source confirmed etc, none of the reports ever goes further to give more than

quotes from those in authority, the victims and sometimes the security

operatives. What the public usual get from mostly straight news stories are

largely second-hand reports that hardly give insights into the real issues at

stake.

A journalist that knows his onions should not always be

neutral in his reportage when the security of the nation is under threat and

the people are ruthlessly and mercilessly being butchered by Noko Haram bombs

and bullets. The reporter should first consider it a duty to report the

killings objectively and subjectively, provided it is the truth with

documentary evidences.

Journalists should find out through discreet investigation

what has emboldened Boko Haram to escalate its attacks instead of retreating

going by the stories dished out by those in authority. Furthermore, they should

present their findings to the public for the formation of serious decisions on

the best way out of the quagmire.

It is apparent also for Northern leaders and politicians at

this critical point to call an emergency regional meeting to harness and

dispassionately x-ray the problem of Boko Haram insurgency, rampant cases of

kidnapping and banditry which are fast turning the region to nothing in terms

of infrastructure, investment, unity and development in general. The ongoing

destruction of lives and properties in the region has the tendency of eroding

bequeathed legacies of past leaders and setting the region 40 years back in all

sectors. Whatever the governors of the region are doing in terms of development

without checking the menace of Boko Haram and other criminal elements will

amount to a fruitless effort.

Since the firing of the first shot by Boko Haram in 2009

signaling a war with Nigeria, several suggestions were proffered to government

on the best ways to contain and defeat the insurgents, put the records straight

for the good of the country and move forward. In most cases, those suggestions

were either ignored by those in authority, or underrated from ignorance,

misunderstood, greed and lust for wealth and other obvious reasons that landed

us where we are today. Whoever says Boko Haram has a terminal date with the

present style of operation from those in authority must be sick upstairs. The

ongoing conventional warfare embarked upon by our security agents will never be

the solution to the end. Boko Haram insurgents are guerilla fighters. They

prepared for the fight, stock-piled arms, trained their fighters including

suicide bombers and spies in other claims before daring Nigeria. They believe

they are fighting a holy war. They were brain-washed and deceived to believe

falsehood. They see any conventional government as that of infidels. They are

heavily funded, supported and trained by our detractors. These are facts that

the Chief of Army Staff should either know or knows. They are facts that the

Chief of Air Staff should know. They are facts that the National Security

Adviser should know. They are facts that we all know. Why are we then still

pretending that things are getting better? Agreed, the insurgents have been

degraded, does that mean they have been defeated to surrender? The better we

introduce other strategies to defeat the beasts than living in a world of

illusion.

That reminds me of the need for the Senate President, the

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chief of Staff to

the President to join other patriots on how best to defeat the insurgents that

are busy destroying their ancestral sub-region. Of all those, mentioned, none

can claim that few relations were not directly affected by the brutal actions

of the insurgents. A regional Summit request targeted at the downtrodden is

there before the Senate President and the SGF for sponsorship to educate and

inform the vulnerable on the need to put a defense against their murderers. But

any hope for the requested sponsorship of such a summit? And any concern to the

plight of the people by those mentioned? We are watching!

From the behaviors of

the present leaders, Nigerians, particularly those in the North-east would not

forget the threats issued by some sadists in 2011 that should Goodluck Jonathan

be elected as president, they would make the country ungovernable. True to

their threat, there was a post-election violence in Bauchi state that claimed

nine lives of NYSC members despite the fact that Jonathans opponent had won

the election. Everything Jonathan did was heavily criticized and rubbished. If

a Boko Haram member was killed, they sadists accused Jonathan of trying to wipe

out the north. Ironically, the same sadists who criticized Jonathan and never

proffered any tangible solution on how best to defeat the insurgents, are now

requesting Nigerians to support Buhari to defeat the insurgents. These are

facts that should be highlighted by journalists to the public for their

meaningful contributions as the proposed regional summit wants to achieve.

To this end, our leaders and the stakeholders particularly

in the affected areas are not sincere to themselves and to the people in the

fight against Boko Haram.

Journalists should dig deep down to the roots of the

insurgents, identify and expose the roots and realistically use different

journalistic strategies to proffer solutions to curbing the menace for a better

Nigeria.

My colleagues should wake up, the use of the military and

other security agencies cannot put a stop to the insurgency as expected. We

should use our pens, venture into discreet investigations, expose their modus

operandi and publish the identities of their hidden sponsors and leave the rest

to God.
Two employees at Tata Sons who travelled internationally are under self-imposed quarantine in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, sources told Moneycontrol. The employees are following the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines in this process.

The organisation has also issued an advisory to all employees to avoid office visitors and also avoid face-to-face meetings of more than 20 people. Moneycontrol has viewed a copy of the advisory.

"Please avoid all large face-to-face gatherings/meetings. Please review and discuss already planned events," the company communication read.

Further Tata Sons employees have also been told to avoid office visitors even if it involves interviews. For meetings, staff have been asked to use the digital medium instead.

There are 81 positive cases of COVID-19 in India and governments across states are taking measures to ensure it does not spread. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has also asked private companies to offer 'work-from-home' to employees wherever possible.

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

Tata Sons employees have also been asked to avoid non-essential travel, both domestic and international. All business travel to and from China, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, South Korea, France, Germany, Iran and Spain will also stand cancelled until further notice.

Also Read: Is India Inc ready for COVID-19 led flexible working?

Employees returning/transiting from China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Iran, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, France, UAE, Israel, Germany and Spain have to observe a self-imposed quarantine for 14 days from the date of arrival.

"You are further requested to submit a travel and health record and a fitness certificate from a registered medical practitioner before returning to work. In case you experience any flu-like symptomsrunny nose, cold, cough, fever, etc., please get tested at a government-designated hospital," said the advisory.

Employees returning from any other domestic or international destination in the last 14 days have to submit their health records with their travel history to their manager and a designated human resource team member.

Apart from this, general hygiene measures like social distancing (three feet distance between an individual and anyone who is coughing/sneezing) apart from getting medical help for flu-like symptoms have been advised.

Kasturba Hospital which is one of the government-designated testing centres for COVID-19 saw a sudden increase in individuals seeking a health certificate from March 11 onwards. However, the hospital was forced to turn away those purely seeking a medical certification since the staff has been tied-up with testing those displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
The MaharashtraLegislative Assembly on Saturday witnessed uproarious scenes when opposition BJP raised the issue of the CAA, NRC and NPR.

The treasury benches objected to the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register being raised.

The issues pending before the Supreme Court and falling under the Union government's purview can not be discussed in state legislature, they said.

During the ruckus, both sides traded charges. The Speaker ordered expunging of most of these remarks.

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis raised the issue during a debate on budgetary demands of the Home Department.

The CAA does not take away the citizenship of Indian citizens, "but rumours are being spread about CAA," he said.

"In NPR, giving information is optional. The prime minister has already said the NRC is not being implemented," Fadnavis, a former chief minister, said.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said the BJP leader should speak only on the budgetary demands. Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said Fadnavis himself had said during the winter session that issues under the Centre's purview should not be discussed in the House.

BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar said Fadnavis had not spoken anything negative. "We want misconceptions about the Act to go and there should not be any unrest," he said.

Malik and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the issue of CAA was being heard in the Supreme Court and it could not be discussed in the House.

Speaker Nana Patole adjourned the House for 30 minutes when members from both the sides rushed to the well and traded charges.

Later, Patole said objectionable references made by MLAs of both sides will be expungedand matters pending before the Supreme Court will not be discussed.

Fadnavis said he raised these issues because there was a lot of unrest among the minorities about the CAA, due to which there were large-scale protests.

Former student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University Umar Khalid made a provocative speech in Maharashtra asking people to show their strength during US president Donald Trump's visit, the BJP leader alleged.

"Isn't this a law and order issue?" he asked, and wondered why the state government had not taken action in this regard.

He demanded that the cabinet sub-committee appointed by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government to study CAA and advise it should clear misconceptions about the CAA.

It is the duty of the government to tell people that nobody needsto worry about citizenship, the BJP leader added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALBANY  Schools are closing, grocery stores are running out of stock, and testing sites are popping up in the Capital Region as local officials join others worldwide in trying to slow the spread of novel coronavirus.

While the region only had three new cases reported Friday  bringing the overall tally of locally known cases to seven  officials are expecting many more as people with no risky travel history and known contact with infected people turn up positive for COVID-19.

Officials continue to urge social distancing measures, including in some cases the disruptive action of closing schools, in order to slow the virus spread and prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed all at once.

"The focus for New York and about every state in the country is reducing the spread of the virus," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday. "We have said the way to reduce the spread, the rate of the spread, is a two-pronged approach. Reduce the density  yesterday we announced measures to reduce the density, gatherings of 500 and over, et cetera. The second way is to increase the testing capacity. The more you test. The more positives you find. The more you can isolate. The more you can reduce the spread."

Local testing sites

Area hospitals announced at a Friday news conference that theyve erected special makeshift tents, repurposed space and established drive-through lanes where people can come to be tested without exposing others.

That news came with a big warning, however: Do not just show up. No walk-ins will be allowed. Only people whove been ordered to receive testing by a licensed health care provider, or local or state health department will be allowed in.

In general, area health care leaders are asking that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus (fever and respiratory symptoms) to always call ahead before entering a medical facility  whether its a primary care office, emergency room or urgent care clinic  so that staff can implement containment measures before they arrive.

We do not want patients just showing up unannounced, said Clifford Belden, chief medical officer at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson. Its not safe for us, for our workforce and for other patients that might be in the facility  Call first, dont just show up.

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Albany Medical Center has erected a tent in a parking lot away from its emergency room for swab collection. St. Peter's Health Partners set up a site at a building on the Albany Memorial campus that does not allow contaminated air out. Saratoga Hospital has erected a "biocontainment" tent outside the ambulance entrance to its emergency room on Myrtle Street. Glens Falls Hospital now has a trailer outside its emergency room, and set up drive-through collection sites in Granville and Cambridge. St. Marys in Amsterdam has commandeered an old emergency room space on its Route 30 campus.

All of the sites are for swab collection only. Hospital staff will take swabs from peoples noses and throats and ship them to Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany for analysis, though that may change after New York said Friday it has received federal permission to contract testing out to 28 public and private laboratories. Albany Medical Center said Friday it is developing its own validation test that, if approved by the state and federal governments, would allow it to do on-site swab analysis.

As testing remains limited across the U.S., providers are being urged to authorize testing in at-risk patients only for now. Those include the elderly, immune-compromised and people with underlying medical conditions.

That explains why Patrick Kelliher was turned down when he sought testing for his 5-year-old daughter, who returned to their Slingerlands home Tuesday from a trip to Disneyworld and woke up the next day with a fever and cough.

They said theyre just not giving tests to children because its affecting people who are much older, he said, referencing his local pediatricians office.

He and his wife, who are both in their 40s, have since developed mild fevers, cough, sore throats and body aches. His wifes doctor said they arent approving tests on people under 50.

In response, the Kellihers have decided to impose their own 14-day self-quarantine, working from home and keeping their daughter out of school.

At the Friday news conference, leaders from 10 area hospitals said theyre checking in with each other daily to coordinate all aspects of the local response, including how to identify and isolate a potential case, and how to combine resources in the event a surge of infected patients start showing up.

Should a surge occur, they said they may decide to repurpose space such as operating rooms  which are already built to contain contaminated air or prevent outside contamination from coming in  into isolation rooms.

"We understand that people have questions and we understand that some people may be scared," said incoming Albany Med CEO Dennis McKenna. "But we assure you we are prepared to care for our community, we are prepared to care for our neighbors  regardless of their needs. There is no reason for alarm. There is no reason for panic."

New cases

As the number of confirmed cases statewide rose to 421 on Friday, the Capital Region reported its own new cases.

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy and Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen said Friday they have two new cases  both connected to the Guilderland woman in her 30s who tested positive earlier this week. All are within the same household, they said, and one is a student at Farnsworth Middle School.

"The likelihood is there will be more tests done and more cases that could be found in the near future, Whalen said. And with every case that is diagnosed comes decisions.

The Guilderland school district joined a drumbeat of other local districts to announce school closures Friday. Officials at Albany, Schenectady, Shenendehowa school districts, which each serve around 10,000 children, announced closures. Other districts closing include Niskayuna, Bethlehem, Cohoes, Green Island and North Colonie. Many said theyre planning to transition to online instruction, but the closures are expected to have wide impact on parents who cant work from home or arrange child care.

Gov. Andrew Cuomos office released updated case counts Friday showing one positive case in Schenectady County. But Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said that case actually belongs to Albany County (the person has a Schenectady mailing address but lives in Guilderland). Albany County spokeswoman Mary Rozak confirmed this to be true, and said its connected to their Guilderland household.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Other known cases in the area include: a Northumberland couple in Saratoga County, a Clifton Park resident, a University at Albany student, and a Union College employee.

As of Friday, the Saratoga and Albany county cases were quarantined at home and did not require hospitalization.

Maintaining an accurate tally of local case counts may prove difficult.

The state is tracking cases by county of residence, which is why the Union College employee who resides outside Schenectady County did not show up in that countys official case count and why the UAlbany student who technically resides in Broome County did not show up in Albanys.

Counties, meanwhile, are following their own rules when announcing cases. Albany County counts the UAlbany student as one of its own, for example. Schenectady County, meanwhile, confirmed Thursday that two organizations within the county have positive cases, but insisted they were not residents of the county and provided no further details.

High-profile quarantines

Local and state health officials are investigating possible exposures to other people whenever someone tests positive. Many people are being placed on precautionary (or mandatory) 14-day quarantine as a result.

On Friday, Cuomo announced one of his daughters went into precautionary quarantine after being exposed to someone with COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus discovered late last year.

"I had to talk myself through the reality of the situation, he said. I had to calm myself."

Cuomo has been urging facts over fear for weeks now, as the states case count grows. Hes noted that 80 percent of all cases will come down with mild to no symptoms and resolve on their own. The others may develop severe symptoms that result in acute respiratory distress and, in some cases, death.

Philip Morris, the longtime head of Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, and his wife are under quarantine as well after having lunch with someone who tested positive.

What you can do

Health officials are reminding people that the best way to prevent contracting the virus is to wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; disinfectant frequently touched surfaces; and stay home when sick.

People who can work from home are encouraged to do so, and Cuomo has directed employers to accommodate this.

Avoiding large gatherings and crowded public spaces can also help slow the spread. Large gatherings over 500 people are no longer permitted in New York. Libraries, museums and other public spaces are announcing closures for the foreseeable future. Hospitals and nursing homes are either restricting visitors altogether or providing very rare exceptions.

In many cases, this information can be found on each organizations website.

You can also keep up with local closings and cancellations, rising local case counts, and news as it unfolds at the Times Union's live update page, which has been made free to all readers.

Steve Hughes and Rachel Silberstein contributed.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of the coronavirus and announced the state has two more presumptive positive cases, bringing the total to four. The governor said during a news conference that he didn't have any further details about the new cases.
Cousin Of Popular writer and fashion stylist, Ayishat Akanbi has allegedly became the first Nigerian to die of Coronavirus COVID-19.

In a now deleted Twitter post, Ayishat said her cousin died on Friday morning in London after suffering from the effect of the virus that has affected over 120,000 and caused thousands of deaths across the world.

She warned blacks to disregard the claim that coronavirus cannot affect them because her cousin, who is a medical doctor, has died as a result of the virus.

Ayishat wrote: My cousin who is a doctor and in her early 30s died of coronavirus this morning for anyone irresponsible enough to think black people are immune.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has revealed that the Nigerian man who was confirmed as the second coronavirus patient in the country, has now tested negative to the disease.

KanyiDaily had reported that the 2nd coronavirus patient was among those kept in isolation after having contact with the Italian man who brought the deadly disease to Nigeria.
Donald McDonald and Lauren McDonald pictured at the launch of the Arnotts SS20 Season Collections. Photo: Anthony Woods

Joyce Timmins was presented with an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food Award at the 2020 Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards. Photo: Peter Houlihan

When pocket-rocket Deborah Veale gets on the blower asking fellow designers to take part in a charity fundraiser, they literally jump on planes and bring their gunas. (1) Paul Costelloe flew in from London and joined Deborah Veale and Don O'Neill of THEIA who flew in from New York that morning.

The pair of international designers headlined the show at City Hall which was sponsored by Sherry Fitzgerald and held in aid of Saint Joseph's dementia care in Shankill. To say it was an emotional night would be an understatement.

Designer Helen Cody and her architect husband Rory Murphy sat in the front row for the show, just two weeks short of their two-year wedding anniversary. The couple wed just before Helen had surgery for breast cancer and her latest collection, with its heritage lace and romance, moved people to tears at the show. Expand Close Jessica Costelloe and Anne Costelloe at the Irish Fashion Collective show. Photo: Brian McEvoy Photography / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jessica Costelloe and Anne Costelloe at the Irish Fashion Collective show. Photo: Brian McEvoy Photography Among the people I spoke with were Paul Costelloe's newly-engaged opera singer daughter Jessica who had come home to Dublin for the night along with her mum, Paul's wife Anne, who hails originally from Howth. Don O'Neill and his French husband Pascal Guillermie organised a lunch attended by close friends including Adi Roche and Mary Kennedy. Grapevine Expand Close Joyce Timmins was presented with an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food Award at the 2020 Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards. Photo: Peter Houlihan / Facebook

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Whatsapp Joyce Timmins was presented with an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food Award at the 2020 Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards. Photo: Peter Houlihan Congratulations to Joyce Timmins, winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food prize at the Irish Food Writers' Guild (IFWG) awards which were held in the Marker Hotel. Joyce got rave reviews from patients when she was executive chef at the Rotunda Hospital and has brought her kitchen revolution to the Marymount Care Centre in Lucan. Psst Expand Close Donald McDonald and Lauren McDonald pictured at the launch of the Arnotts SS20 Season Collections. Photo: Anthony Woods / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald McDonald and Lauren McDonald pictured at the launch of the Arnotts SS20 Season Collections. Photo: Anthony Woods Donald McDonald, MD of Brown Thomas Arnotts, pictured with his daughter, Lauren, at the Arnotts SS20 womenswear designer collections fashion show in the Henry Street store.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:20:04|Editor: huaxia

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WUHAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Hubei, the hard hit province in the novel coronavirus outbreak, will introduce differentiated neighborhood management policy as the number of patients continues to drop, the provincial health authorities said at a press conference on Saturday.

The neighborhood lock-down policy will be completely lifted in both city and rural areas in those low-risk areas, according to Liu Dongru, deputy head of the provincial health commission.

Such policy will be loosened in the midium risk areas, while the neighborhoods in the high-risk areas will still be locked down with traffic control implemented and gatherings banned, according to Liu.

As of Thursday, all places in Hubei are considered low to medium risk areas except for Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak, Liu said, adding that more attentions should be paid to the prevention of imported cases at those low-risk areas.

In the low and medium-risk areas, flights, trains and buses within the province will gradually return to normal operation as well, according to Zhu Hanqiao, head of the provincial department of transportation.

Meanwhile, the provincial government is working to help local migrant workers to resume work. Migrant workers will be allowed to travel inside the province by chartered buses provided by employers or driving by themselves, after passing the health check.

Four new cases and 13 deaths were reported on Friday in the province. No new confirmed cases has been reported for nine consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan.

Of the 10,485 hospitalized patients in the province, 2,896 were still in severe condition and another 647 in critical condition.
Ten more people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, as the number of confirmed cases rose by more than 300, according to NHS England.

The announcement nearly doubled the UK death toll, which jumped to 21 on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 1,140 people have now tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK, an increase of 342 from Friday.

A number of the latest patients who died - who were over 60 with the oldest in his nineties - had underlying health conditions, NHS England said.

All 10 were in the at-risk groups, according to the chief medical officer for England.

Professor Chris Whitty said: I understand this increase in the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 will be a cause for concern for many.

The public should know every measure we are taking is seeking to save lives and protect the most vulnerable.

He said: "I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends who have received this difficult news."

Saturday's figures are the largest one-day increase in coronavirus-related deaths that the UK has seen since the outbreak started.

The 10 patients who died were being cared for by nine trusts including Buckinghamshire, Sandwell & West Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Barts, London, north Middlesex and Chester.

The UK saw its first death linked to Covid-19 on 5 March, and 20 more people who had tested positive for coronavirus have died in the country since.

A newborn baby has now tested positive for coronavirus  a flu-like disease which can develop into pneumonia  in London, and is likely to be one of the world's youngest patients.

Recommended Follow our live advice on how to focus on wellbeing during coronavirus

The UK could see a ban on "mass gatherings" from next week as the government looks towards more extreme measures in the fight against Covid-19.

Emergency legislation will be published next week and there could also be a move towards more people working from home, a Whitehall source said.

Europe is the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organisation has said.

The whole of Italy  the continent's worst-hit country  entered a state of lockdown earlier in the week, with Spain preparing to follow suit on Saturday.

Covid-19 originated in Wuhan, a central Chinese city, towards the end of last year.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Schools could be closed for a month during Easter (Picture: Getty)

Schools in the UK could be closed for an extra two weeks over Easter to help stop the spread of coronavirus, an education association has said.

The holiday, which begins in April, should be extended to help deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL) argued.

ASCL general secretary Geoff Barton told the Telegraph: "Undoubtedly, there have already been discussions about it.

"Parents will already have plans of one type or another for what they are doing with their children over Easter.

"In some ways it becomes less disruptive if it were just part of a kind of elongated planned holiday."

Headteachers will meet with ministers on Monday regarding emergency plans for schools.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

Live: Follow all the latest updates from the UK and around the world

Fact-checker: The number of Covid-19 cases in your local area

Explained: Symptoms, latest advice and how it compares to the flu

Meanwhile, the largest education union in Europe has written to the prime minister asking for full disclosure over his decision not to shut schools immediately amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachers and staff are increasingly asking why the Government is not closing schools in the same way as other countries, particularly now plans are underway to ban mass gatherings, the letter from the National Education Union (NEU) says.

A tourist wears a face mask next to a souvenir stall on Westminster Bridge (Picture: Getty)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday school closures could do more harm than good, hours after Ireland announced that schools and colleges would close for a fortnight.

The letter from the NEU to Johnson says: It is very important that we understand what the increased rate of infection is for staff and parents if schools remain open, including obviously for those with underlying health conditions themselves, or for those they care for.

Read more: Prisons prepare emergency coronavirus plans

The letter, from the unions joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, added: We know youve expressed concerns about children not in school being cared for by vulnerable elderly grandparents, or by NHS staff who would then not be available for work.

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However, we would suggest that parents and schools would be able to work together to find solutions to that  and we would like to know if you have any modelling of such societal responses.

Read more: Italians sing from their homes while living under coronavirus lockdown

Northern Irelands administration has not introduced the same measures as the Republic of Ireland, but Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said schools should be shut.

Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland after the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, wrote to urge him to consider closures.

Ten more patients have died in England after testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the coronavirus death toll to 21 in the UK.

On Friday, the number of positive cases was 798 and there was a death toll of 11.

Globally, more than 145,000 cases have been confirmed, with Johns Hopkins University in the US tracking 71,000 recoveries and more than 5,000 deaths.
Many films and TV series have given an unrealistic picture of women in Upper Egypt that has remained engrained in peoples minds inside and outside of Egypt.



The picture includes stereotypical presentations of Upper Egyptian women as the wife of a local official or as a girl who runs away from home because her family is forcing her to marry her cousin. Many films also feature stereotypical images of dancers performing in local moulids (popular festivals) or having secret affairs with local officials who shower them with money.



Of course, such images do not represent the reality of life in Upper Egypt, where many women have managed to break the social and economic barriers that have been imposed on them, often drawing on resources provided by international and local womens empowerment programmes to do so.



Marwa is only one of many such success stories. Her story features on a UN Website as a case in point for the success of the UN Development Programmes (UNDP) Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Programme for empowering women in Upper Egypt.



An Upper Egyptian girl living in a rural area, Marwa had dropped out of school after a few years of basic education like many of her peers in her village. Hailing from a traditional rural family with typical traditional restrictions, Marwa hardly went out or socialised with anyone outside her family circle. Today, however, Marwas life has changed after she received assistance from one of ENIDs handicraft workshops that teaches young girls to make products using camel bones and thus helps them to develop skills and sustainable livelihoods.



Although she faced strong resistance from her parents, Marwa overcame these barriers with the help of the project team, and she was trained in the workshop, according to a UNDP report. The workshop gave her the opportunity to learn a new skill, which opened up different horizons for her. One year later, she had a proper job in the workshop.



Marwa is not alone. Azza Abdel-Razek from Luxor who also received assistance from another programme, this time run by an NGO and entitled Youth on the Path to Success, has a similar story to tell. The programme was launched by the Association for Education and Development in cooperation with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, and thanks to a loan she received Abdel-Razek has learned how to make handmade wedding supplies and has been successfully marketing her products.



She now showcases her products at various open days and advertises them on Facebook. Her Facebook page, Crystal Cups for Newlyweds, has boosted her sales, and she is now training other women to supply the markets increasing demand for her products.



Marwa and Azza are only two examples of many women in rural parts of Upper Egypt who are looking for sustainable livelihoods as a means of self-empowerment. Some 60 per cent of Egypts poorer population lives in Upper Egypt, and unfortunately women may suffer from poverty the most.



In Egypt, surveys indicate that despite the progress that has been made in narrowing the gender gap, inequalities still persist. Women still too often have fewer opportunities in many domains than men, including education, social protection, and healthcare, all of which can curb their potential and take its toll on overall prosperity.







UPPER EGYPT: This is particularly the case in Upper Egypt, which has suffered decades of marginalisation despite the governments agenda for development.



The governorates of Upper Egypt still top the list of the poorest in Egypt. According to a recent poverty report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), poverty rates in the region increased to 32.5 per cent of the population by the end of fiscal year 20017/2018, compared to 27.8 per cent in 2015/2016. Although Upper Egypt accounts for only 40 per cent of the countrys population, official figures indicate that it is where 60 per cent of those living in poverty and 80 per cent of those living in severe poverty are located.

The CAPMAS report reveals how poverty bites hardest in some 46 villages in the Upper Egyptian governorates of Assiut and Sohag, where 80 to 100 per cent of villagers are poor. Sohag has also been shown to have the lions share of Egypts poorest 1,000 villages, where about 87 per cent of the villages (236) are poor. Recent statistics also indicate that the governorate of Assiut has high rates of poverty, as 66.7 of its inhabitants are poor. Sohag comes next, recording an overall poverty rate of 59.6 per cent of its inhabitants, followed by Luxor (55.3 per cent), Minya (54 per cent), and Qena (41 per cent).Minister of Planning Hala Al-Said previously told the media that poverty rates had increased by 4.7 per cent in the period between 2016 and 2018 because the governments application of its economic reform programme had included some austerity measures, though efforts had been made to counteract those.There is almost a consensus among economists that unless women are truly empowered in a way that allows them to unleash their potential and encourage their participation in society, development efforts will never pay off. The economic empowerment of women has thus been one of the most prominent goals of Egypts national development strategy. The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Women 2030 was designed by the National Council of Women (NCW) in 2017 to guarantee womens rights.Stemming from the belief that the nations progress and stability can only be achieved through womens active participation in the public sphere, the National Council for Women, as the national machinery mandated to advance the status of women, led a participatory process to develop the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, the NCW says on its website.The strategy responds to the principles of the constitution of 2014 and is aligned to the overall direction of Egypts Vision 2030, as well as Egypts commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by the United Nations as the basis for development until the year 2030. It seeks to address the needs of all Egyptian women, particularly those in rural Upper Egypt, as well as poor women more generally, female family breadwinners, the elderly and women with special needs.The strategy promises that Egyptian women will become active contributors to the achievement of sustainable development in a nation that guarantees their constitutional rights, ensures their full protection, and provides, without discrimination, political, social, and economic opportunities that enable them to develop their capacities and achieve their full potential, the NCW website says. It aims to provide women with equal job opportunities and increase their participation in the labour market in both the private and public sectors, as well as in the field of entrepreneurship.According to the strategy, women will also be guaranteed equal opportunities to hold key positions in government agencies and companies. It aims to enhance womens legal guardianship and independence in a way that allows them to make better and more enlightened choices, as well as to protect themselves against all forms of discrimination and overcome the cultural patterns that may impede their economic participation and growth.There are hopes that if these objectives are properly applied, they will boost the growth of national GDP and help to attain Egypts development goals. However, things may not all be plain sailing, as many challenges remain on the way to the full application of the strategys goals.BARRIERS TO INCLUSION: A 2018 World Bank report on womens economic empowerment indicated that despite Egypts efforts to narrow the gender gap, a number of factors had contributed to its persistence as well as to the low economic participation of women in the labour force.The financial system in Egypt leaves many women underserved, for example. Financial services directed to women remain largely inadequate, while womens financial illiteracy remains high. Egypt has 38 banks nationwide, with 4,534 branches per 100,000 inhabitants, or one branch per 22,000 persons. This means that banking services in Egypt remain inadequate when compared to the international average of 12,527 branches per 100,000 adults or one branch per 8,000 people.Non-bank microfinancing institutions (MFIs) and NGOs attempt to fill the gap in the countrys financial services, but they are faced with many challenges. According to statements by the chairman of the Egyptian Microfinance Federation (EMF), the value of the microfinance portfolio in Egypt jumped to LE11.12 billion in 2017, up from LE6.66 billion in the previous year.

But despite such rapid growth, most microfinance providers are faced with challenges that impede the further expansion of their businesses. One of these is the inability of loan providers to mobilise savings due to the legal restrictions imposed on them that negatively affect the availability of the liquid funds necessary for lending. In the meantime, many NGOs suffer from poor administration and are plagued with organisational and technical problems, making them unable to network or to provide more than small financial and non-financial assistance to startups and established projects.Many women have attested to these problems by saying that obtaining adequate financing to attain their employment and growth targets can be as difficult as obtaining non-financial technical services and access to the market.In rural areas there are more challenges facing female financial inclusion and entrepreneurship due to inadequate support services and sometimes also the social restrictions imposed on womens travel. There is also an obvious gender discrepancy in the distribution of microfinance in Egypt: although it targets an equal number of men and women, men may receive double the amount given to women.However, the government is making efforts to remedy such problems. At a meeting organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo last October entitled Multi-dimensional Poverty in Egypt, former minister of social solidarity Ghada Wali said that LE18.67 billion had been allocated to social-protection programmes in the previous fiscal year targeting 2.2 million families. According to Wali, more than 563,000 families in 5,630 villages located in 27 governorates nationwide had already received monthly financial support as part of the ministrys cash-support programmes Takaful and Karama (Solidarity and Karama).The Takaful and Karama programmes focus on the most impoverished areas in Upper Egypt where 72 per cent of those receiving cash support are located. Sohag ranks top, receiving 16 per cent of all cash funds, followed by Assiut at 15 per cent. More than 88 per cent of the funds have been channelled to women, Wali said, compared to 11.87 received by men.In the same vein, Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat recently met with Phumzile Miambo-Ngcuka, UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women, the UN womens agency, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos to discuss increasing cooperation between the government and the UN in the field of womens empowerment as part of Egypts development goals.One of the most prominent UN Women programmes in Egypt encourages womens employment in agriculture and creating decent employment for women in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Womens Economic Empowerment Programme for the period 2019-2024. The programme includes extending financial and non-financial aid to women entrepreneurs and supporting women working in the private sector.In the same vein, Al-Mashat also met with the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation, especially since the fund has recently opened an office in Cairo. This is mandated with accelerating projects aimed at promoting integrated agricultural development, particularly in underprivileged areas, as well as supporting startups and empowering rural youth to initiate innovative projects. The office also aims at transforming Egypt into a regional centre for agricultural development as part of its development goals.In addition to projects and programmes, the IFAD writes on its website, Egypt has also benefited from a number of regional grants focused on soil and water management, taking gender into account in public-policy development, building knowledge-sharing networks, and the promotion of microfinance for poor rural people.Other local initiatives seem to be similarly paying off. Women-Up, an Egyptian initiative funded by EuropeAid and coordinated by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in cooperation with the Sekem Foundation and the Techno Khair Foundation, is a case in point. The initiative, launched in the governorate of Qena in February 2018, aims at fostering womens participation in local development via intensifying the socio-economic impacts of female startups and micro-businesses, according to its website.It targets the empowerment of young social entrepreneurs with special emphasis on women-headed single households who lead micro-businesses.MICROFINANCE SHOWS THE WAY: Manager of the Egyptian Microfinance Federation Hassan Ibrahim explains that microfinancing can hold the key to empowering women in Upper Egypt.It is a kiss of life for many women in Upper Egypt, especially in the light of the increasing poverty rates indicated by official figures, Ibrahim told Al-Ahram Weekly.He said that Egypts microfinancing industry has been focusing on the most underprivileged areas in Upper Egypt in attempts to alleviate poverty, bridge the gap in existing financing, and provide technical support to projects there. The Minya governorate, for instance, had the highest number of microfinancing outlets (202), followed by Sohag (156) and Assiut (148), as shown in the 2018 microfinance chart produced by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA).Women were targeted particularly by such efforts, Ibrahim said. Microfinance outlets focus more on women because they have proven efficient in managing their projects and have the lowest rates of failure, he added, referring to a FRA report in the third quarter of 2019 that showed that women constituted 65.31 per cent of all those benefiting from microfinance companies and NGOs as a case in point.Many NGOs have been trying to maintain womens share of such loans and grants. The Association of Upper Egypt, an NGO, is another case in point, according to Imad Jamil, director of the associations microfinance programme, in an interview with the Weekly. The association aims to empower community members, improve their incomes, help alleviate poverty, and maintain the financial stability and social security of many low-income families in Upper Egypt, he said.The NGO launched its microfinance programme in 2001 with the help of a LE1 million grant and has since been providing loans through its microfinance offices in Upper Egypt. The programme has expanded to its current portfolio of about LE25 million, and it now has eight offices in Upper Egypt in Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Luxor. It grants microfinance to startups in the field of animal and agricultural production as well as handicrafts, all in addition to providing non-financial services like training, consultation, and follow-up on projects for startups.Women in Upper Egypt receive high priority in our microfinance programme, Ibrahim said, explaining that 33.3 per cent of the associations loans were to women in the rural areas of Upper Egypt. We granted LE11 million in loans to women in 2019, which marked a LE3.8 million increase from the previous year, he concluded.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 12 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The Stafford Act is the governments main mechanism for responding to major disasters and emergencies. It permits tapping into an account that currently has more than $40 billion, which it could use to do things like buy medical supplies and equipment.

If a president grants a declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can coordinate a response. The act also empowers the president to direct any federal agency to use its personnel, facilities and equipment to support state and local emergency efforts, disseminate public health and safety information, provide public health and safety measures, and distribute supplies like medicine and food.

While the Stafford Act is more often activated in cases of major disasters that cause property damage, like hurricanes and floods, it has also been used in public health emergencies. In 2000, President Bill Clinton used it to cover mosquito control operations in New Jersey and New York during the outbreak of the West Nile virus.

Wasnt there already an emergency determination?

Yes, but it was under a less sweeping law.

On Jan. 31, Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of Health and Human Services, determined that an emergency existed under the Public Health Service Act. The determination made it easier for state and local health departments to temporarily reassign personnel whose salaries were funded through federal public health programs, freeing them from regular duties to help respond to the pandemic.

What about the Social Security Act?

Mr. Trumps move will also unlock extra powers under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act aimed at making it easier to get medical supplies and doctors and nurses where they are needed most.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, production of the movie The Battle for Bengal has been postponed. The news has been shared by veteran action director and father of actor Vicky Kaushal, Sham Kaushal. Speaking to a leading daily, Kaushal spoke how the outbreak has affected shooting of the movie.

ALSO READ | #MeToo| Action Director And Vicky Kaushal's Father Sham Kaushal Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

The Battle for Bengal shooting postponed

Speaking to the daily, Sham Kaushal shared that he had flown to Dhaka on March 10 for the shooting of an international movie titled The Battle for Bengal. He shared that just four days before they were to start their production, the makers had to make the difficult decision to postpone it. This was done amidst the COVID-19 scare across the globe.

ALSO READ | Vicky Kaushal's Father Sham Kaushal Issues An Apology Post Sexual Harassment Allegations

Sham Kaushal spoke to the daily from the Dhaka airport. He claimed that the whole crew was asked to go back to their home countries as soon as possible. He shared that the film was being made by an LA-based producer. The film also had support from the Bangladesh government. The crew also included Richie Mehta, the London-based director along with the Fast & Furious cinematographer Amir Mokri.

ALSO READ | Vicky Kaushal's Father And Action Director Sham Kaushal Reacts After 'Uri' Actor Was Injured While Shooting, Here's What He Said

Sham shared that they were all returning from a recce in Chattogram when they were told about the news. Chattogram is a city that is a 40-minute plane ride away from Dhaka. He also talked about how he managed to get a return ticket for himself along with his assistants, but faced a lot of difficulties. The Bangladesh government arranged for a chartered flight for them to bring the Indian crew to Kolkata. In the end, Sham urged people to only travel when absolutely necessary.

ALSO READ | Vicky Kaushal's Pillar Of Strength Is His Father Sham Kaushal

Source: Sunny Kaushal Instagram

ALSO READ | Akshay Kumar Rescues Stuntman After An Accident, Action Director Sham Kaushal Explains

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.
New Delhi, March 14 : A video of hundreds of monkeys swarming the streets and fighting over a single banana in Thailand went viral on social media and has left netizens in a shock.

The post was shared by an IFS officer Parveen Kaswan with the caption, "As per daily mail online "Hundreds of hungry monkeys swarm across Thai street as 'rival gangs' fight over food after tourists who normally feed them stay away because of coronavirus. Have you seen this coming 'gang wars' among monkeys bcz of #CoronaVirus." As per the media reports monkeys usually depend on the tourists for food but now a days due to COVID-19 scare, there is sharp fall in tourist numbers means there are far fewer people offering food to the monkeys.

As the post went viral, Twitterati have flooded the social media with their reactions.

A user wrote, "That's the reason why feeding wild animals & birds should be strictly avoided. They lose their natural ability to find food & become dependent on the people feeding them, leading to such incidents when feeding suddenly stops." Another wrote, "While we have to agree to this, the destruction of their natural habitat is changing their lifestyle and make them more dependant on humans for feeding." "Coronovirus is changing dynamics everywhere...diplomacy, social relations...food security...I wonder, what will be next?" asked one user.

A post read, "If monkeys are fighting to satisfy their hunger and thirst. No longer human too will be fighting for their survival across the globe."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
As of midnight tomorrow every person arriving in New Zealand apart from those coming from the Pacific islands will have to self- isolate, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says. Until now, foreign travellers arriving from mainland China and Iran are banned from entering the country. Travellers from South Korea and Italy are asked to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival.

Follow the live stream:

The prime minister said today it is not realistic for New Zealand to only have a handful of Covid-19 cases.

However, "New Zealand has today relative to other countries a small number of cases," says Jacinda.

As of midnight Sunday every person arriving will have to isolate themselves for 14 days, Ardern says. That will mean New Zealand will have the strongest restrictions in the world, she said.

She said the measures - in effect as of midnight Sunday - will be reviewed in 16 days and there will be more measures and advice for self isolation next week.

All cruise ships are also being asked to not come to New Zealand until June 30. It does not apply for cargo ships.

Advice will be released shortly on large events where people will be in close proximity to each other, events where people have travelled from overseas and non-ticketed events.

We have two choices as a nation, says Jacinda. One is to let Covid-19 roll on, the other is to go hard on measures to stamp it out. It is in our power to slow it down, she said.

New Zealanders' public health comes first and this consitutes an unprecedented time.

"Cabinet made far reaching and unprecedented decisions today because these are unprecedented circumstances. As of midnight Sunday every person entering New Zealand, including returning New Zealand citizens and residents, will be required to enter self isolation for 14 days - everybody."

"The Pacific are exempted from this measure, they are the only ones. Anyone from this country though will be required to automatically self isolate should they exhibit any Covid-19 symptoms on arrival in New Zealand. All of these restrictions will be reviewed in 16 days' time.

"This decision will mean New Zealand will have the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world. We are also encouraging New Zealanders to avoid all non-essential travel overseas - this helps reduce the risk of a New Zealander bringing Covid-19 in."

In addition to restrictions on air travel, as of midnight today the government is issuing a directive to all cruise ships not to come to New Zealand until at least 30 June at which time the directive will be reviewed - this is for incoming cruise ships. It doesn't apply to cargo ships, marine or air crew, so that sea and air freight can remain open for imports and exports.

She wanted to ensure that essential airfreight such as pharmaceuticals could continue to enter the country.

"We do not take these decisions likely, we know these travel restrictions will place a significant strain on the aviation industry and we anticipate some routes will reduce or cease for a period of time."

There's no need for anyone, despite these restrictions, to conduct a run on the supermarket, says Jacinda.

Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:

Earlier today, a sixth case of Covid-19 was confirmed by Waitemata District Health Board, and tomorrow's mosque attack national memorial service in Christchurch was cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus.
After first claiming that Donald Trump was overreacting to the coronavirus by banning flights from China, the Democrat establishment settled on its preferred narrative: Trump was both useless and incompetent. The media have peddled this narrative relentlessly for over a month, gleefully trying to destroy Trump's reputation without any regard for the costs of scaring Americans and possibly wiping out the economy. It turns out, though, that the Democrats may have been the problem all along.

On March 8, Dan Scavino, an assistant to the president and director of social media at the White House, tweeted out a poster showing Trump playing the violin. The caption stated "My next piece is called . . . nothing can stop what's coming." Trump retweeted it, adding in his tweet, "Who knows what this means, but it sounds good to me!"

Who knows what this means, but it sounds good to me! https://t.co/rQVA4ER0PV  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2020

Democrats were sure what it meant: Trump was Nero, fiddling while the American Rome burned around him, with the smoke from the coronavirus rising to the skies.

It means Trump is just like Nero, but instead of playing the fiddle while Rome burns, Trump plays the violin in a stupid meme as our country is engulfed in a coronavirus outbreak.  Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 8, 2020

Trump is blissfully stroking his

violin, as the stock market tanks, and Americans die. 3,500 people adrift on a cruise ship. Some with severe life-threatening conditions (Stage 4 cancer, etc.) What a convoluted SNAFU, @realDonaldTrump #NeroTrump #Cold #TrumpIsADisgrace  aa (@KathMarsh) March 9, 2020

Joel Pollak, though, offers compelling evidence that it was the Democrats who played Nero in this drama. The calendar shows that, as coronavirus deaths soared in China, and Chinese people from the Wuhan region started traveling to America, the Democrats forced the nation's attention onto the spurious impeachment trial:

The timeline of the two developments  impeachment and coronavirus  is shocking, and reveals the true cost of hyper-partisanship. January 11: Chinese state media report the first known death from an illness originating in the Wuhan market.

January 15: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds a vote to send articles of impeachment to the Senate. Pelosi and House Democrats celebrate the "solemn" occasion with a signing ceremony, using commemorative pens.

January 21: The first person with coronavirus arrives in the United States from China, where he had been in Wuhan.

January 23: The House impeachment managers make their opening arguments for removing President Trump.

January 23: China closes off the city of Wuhan completely to slow the spread of coronavirus to the rest of China.

January 30: Senators begin asking two days of questions of both sides in the president's impeachment trial.

January 30: The World Health Organization declares a global health emergency as coronavirus continues to spread.

January 31: The Senate holds a vote on whether to allow further witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial.

January 31: President Trump declares a national health emergency and President Trump declares a national health emergency and imposes a ban on travel to and from China. Former Vice President Joe Biden calls Trump's decision "hysterical xenophobia  and fear-mongering."

February 2: The first death from coronavirus outside China is reported in the Philippines.

February 3: House impeachment managers begin closing arguments, calling Trump a House impeachment managers begin closing arguments, calling Trump a threat to national security

February 4: President Trump talks about coronavirus in his President Trump talks about coronavirus in his State of the Union address ; Pelosi rips up every page.

February 5: The Senate votes to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, 52-48 and 53-47.

February 5: House Democrats finally House Democrats finally take up coronavirus in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia.

While Trump should have been able to focus tightly on the risks the coronavirus presented to America, he was forced to direct his attention to a show trial. Despite that, he did manage to close the border, which proves to have been a brilliant decision. Dr. Anthony Fauci, while on Joe Scarborough's show, explained how vital Trump's action was:

Dr. Anthony Fauci: Clearly, early on, we made a travel ban with regard to China. That was a very smart move right there because what that did was prevent a major influx from China. Today, the new China is Europe. Because Europe now is the major element, the major geographic component that is now seeding other countries throughout the world. And that's the reason why we made the very difficult, but appropriate decision, to have a travel ban on the European countries, so we are definitely ahead of the curve on that.

Trump understood that the more he could slow the virus's spread, the more time there was to change social behaviors, develop treatments, and create vaccines.

It was the Democrats, who ignored the problem and impeded Trump's ability to act, who put Americans at risk. God forbid the virus's spread results in a high body count, but if that happens, it was the Democrats who did the deadly fiddling.
By Trend

Uzbekistan's air traffic with France, Spain and Great Britain has been suspended from March 14, 2020, due to the threat of coronavirus spread, Trend reports referring the Uzbek Ministry of Tourism.

Furthermore, citizens of China, Korea, Italy, Iran, France and Spain, as well as stateless persons permanently residing in these countries, are temporarily banned from entering Uzbekistan through all kinds of border crossing points.

The decision made at a meeting of the Republican Special Commission to prepare a program of measures to prevent the entry and spread of coronavirus into Uzbekistan, the ministry said.

In accordance with the decision, the restrictions do not apply to holders of diplomatic and service passports and some other categories of foreign citizens.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

As of March 14, no cases of COVID-19 infection have been detected in Uzbekistan.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The body of a man has been found in a factory that was destroyed by fire in Sydneys west this week.

Fire and Rescue NSW were called to the blaze on Fairfield Street in Fairfield East about 4pm on Thursday.

Flames and thick black smoke came from the building and the roof collapsed, video showed.

At least two cars were also engulfed by flame.
You've probably seen posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that say you can self-test for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, by holding your breath for 10 seconds. According to medical experts the Associated Press interviewed, those posts aren't accurate. And it's precisely that type of misinformation the UK government hopes to combat by turning to some of the same people who help spread them: social media influencers.

The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) will provide 500,000 (approximately $623,000) to the Humanitarian-to-Humanitarian (H2H) Network, an organization made up of approximately 50 other groups that fought misinformation during the Ebola outbreak in 2013.

In addition to other initiatives, the network will work with social media influencers to pass on accurate information and advice to young people in Southeast Asia and Africa. Some of the individuals it plans to work with include Bianca Gonzalez, a health expert from the Philippines with more than seven million Twitter followers, and KlikDokter, an Indonesian health blog with approximately four million Facebook followers.

According to the government, a lot of the misinformation spreading on social media is leading people to inaccurate advice. In one instance, the government says people in West Africa received WhatsApp messages claiming to come from the Canadian Health Ministry that said drinking warm water can prevent infection. "These pose a serious risk to health and can speed up the spread of the virus, by stopping people taking simple practical, preventative steps like washing their hands," the DFID said.

Compared to some of the other ways we've seen organizations use the reach of influencers in the past, this is a smart and proactive way to get information to young people who usually don't turn to traditional media for their news coverage. In some ways, however, governments are fighting a losing battle when even newspapers are spreading false claims.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 20:16:54|Editor: yhy

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BANGKOK, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-four Thai MPs earlier attached to the now-defunct Future Forward Partyon on Saturday joined the Move Forward Party and picked Pita Limjaroenrat as party leader.

Move Forward Party spokesperson Wiroj Lakkhana-adisorn announced that a total of 54 MPs have freshly applied as members of the party. They unanimously named Pita as party leader and Chaithawat Tulathon as party secretary general, he said.

Those lawmakers have been legally obliged to apply for membership of a political party in order to maintain their MP status, following last month's dissolution of the Future Forward Party where they had earlier belonged.

Nevertheless, nine other MPs, who earlier belonged to the dissolved party, have decided to turn to the Bhumjaithai Party and two others to the Chatthaipattana Party.

Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and party secretary general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul are currently banned for a 10-years time from politics alongside 10 other MPs who concurrently acted as members of the party's executive board as a result of the party dissolution.

The Constitutional Court ruled Thanathorn guilty of breaching the political party law by providing an excessive sum of money to finance last year's electoral campaigns for his party, thus dissolving the 16-month-old party.

Piyabutr and the 10 other MPs immediately lost their MP status due to the party dissolution while Thanathorn had been earlier deprived of his MP status by the Constitutional Court in a separate case involving his illegally holding shares in a media firm.
Nobody likes to see official letters coming in the post, they usually spell bills, hospital appointments or even jury service.

For 55 year old Chris Carthy, letters through the door filled her with dread and panic.

Having left formal education aged 13, Chris' literacy and numeracy were practically non-existent most of her life, meaning she could never fully understand correspondence, a payslip, or even a menu.

"I had fear every day, about people asking me to read something or sign something. Going into a restaurant, eating the same stuff everyday back then. There might be nice things on but I'd always have to go for egg and chips," explains adult literacy advocate.

Every facet of Chris' life was impacted by nto being fully able to read or write. She found it difficult if not impossible to write a birthday card to her son, to take public transport and to carry out her job as a housekeeper.

Developing coping mechanisms, Chris went along with her life relatively undetected. She admitted that often times she feigned sickness to get out of attending meetings where she might be asked to sign things, or pretend to have a pain in her eye.

"I'd say I forgot my glasses, or poke my eye so much it would be red, to get out of something."

It as only after Chris took voluntary redundancy and became under more pressure to sign forms for social welfare when she sought help.

In 2010 with more stringent health and safety regulations her job required lists and guidelines Chris' job became increasingly impossible and she took voluntary redundancy.

"I thought, I'll get out quick. I didn't want to, I loved my job. I saw the ad for NALA on TV. I had burst out crying in the social welfare office, I couldn't fill out the forms and I asked could I speak to someone," they were so good to me in the social welfare office."

Future job prospects soon began to fade for Chris.

"I knew I wouldn't get a job even packing shelves. I went for a job in a supermarket and the man asked me if I'd be ok packing shelves. And I said of course."

However, when she was informed she would have to refer to lists, Chris knew she would not be able for it.

She joined adult literacy classes with Sligo ETB with the help of the National Adult Literacy Agency, an organisation she is now an ambassador for.

A passionate volunteer having helped in St John's Hospital and Sligo University Hospital, Chris said being able to read to an older person is something that gives her immense joy, after taking classes for a number of years, and personally pushing herself outside of her comfort zone.

"I'd go to my classes, get the newspaper and do little quizzes and word searches. I'd go over everything I couldn't spell hundreds of times. It took me years."

Chris says even today she has problems.

"I got a letter this morning and I was distraught, I couldn't understand it and I went back to where I was a few years ago, and I panicked because it was from the government, but I rang a friend."

Now, Chris looks back on just how important literacy and numeracy skills are and says she had lost out on many opportunities because of this.

"I lost out on pay increases, I didn't fight for myself."

On a social level, Chris says she quickly began finding out about activities on around her through local newspapers.

"Years ago I couldn't take up a hobby, or do anything, because of the fear, you'd have to sign your name going in."

Previously, the grandmother of two would have struggled greatly reading to her two grandchildren, but now she loves nothing more than reading to them.

"Back when my first grandson was only two years old I used to skip the words I didn't know in his story books. I thought he'd never notice but he would correct me because he knew from other people reading to him what the right word should be. I always used to feel bad about that. But then I went back to education to improve my literacy skills and I'm a different person since then. Now when I visit my grandchildren I spend most of my time reading to them and they love it," she explained.

Adding, "Reading to them is the best feeling ever and I wouldn't be able to do it if I hadn't went back to education. Returning to education opened up the world to me. Everything is so different now. It's like being blind and then being able to see again."

Over the last nine years Chris has received approximately four weeks of classes, but through her determination to push herself outside the classes now means she is now a person people go to for help.

"People around Sligo in my position contact me and then they know they can contact NALA."

Asked what she would tell people who are using their own coping mechanism to hide their difficulties, Chris simply says, "Get the help."

"All this stuff they're missing out on, even for themselves. It's mentally and physically draining. They say 90% of people who have this trouble have depression, thankfully I never got that."

Chris said people need to concentrate on themselves and not to worry about anyone else.

Now the grandmother of two makes sure to look out for other people who may be struggling with reading.

"If I see someone in class struggling I go over to them and ask and people come over to me too."

Recently Chris was approached by a woman she did not know thanking her. The woman had been diagnosed with cancer and spotted Chris' face on a bus in Dublin while receiving treatment.

"She couldn't read or write and she said, 'Because of you I went back to school'. We exchange numbers and keep in touch. It's great."

What Chris enjoys most over the last ten years is volunteering and settling into a good book.

"I love to try and help people any way I can and asking if people need help with forms. I got signs put up in doctors so people know there's help out there."

Everyday Chris receives calls from people seeking help.

"When I'm sitting here at night I'll get a phone call from somebody that's upset and then I go meet them in town and talk to them and then they might not come to a class but they'll take the number."

Talking about the stigma surrounding adult literacy, Chris said people she helps often choose to ring NALA's head office, fearing that people in Sligo may recognise their voice.

"When I first went to classes in Sligo people knew what you were going in there for and now there's lots of things going on in there, so the stigma has gone."

Chris is now an advocate for adult literacy and she helps NALA raise awareness about free ETB classes available to people who want to improve their literacy, numeracy, maths or digital skills.

Chris hopes that by sharing her story she will encourage people to take the first step and get the help they need.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary will close all schools and continue education as best as it can via digital channels from Monday as it tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a Facebook video on Friday. Orban said he expected the Hungarian economy to stall soon and it will have to be restarted, an effort that the government will participate in, he added.

By Marton Dunai

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary will close all schools and continue education as best as it can via digital channels from Monday as it tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a Facebook video on Friday.

Orban said he expected the Hungarian economy to stall soon and it will have to be restarted, an effort that the government will participate in, he added.

The government has set up a research group to try and develop a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus, he said, adding that the healthcare system had ample supplies and instruments to fight the epidemic.

Opposition groups and doctors have warned that the healthcare system might be dangerously overstretched in case of a big spike in infections.

"We have the technical capability to handle several tens of thousands of cases, and we decided to get more equipment," Orban said.

Hungary has added Israel to the list of countries it does not allow inbound travel from, in addition to China, Iran, Italy and South Korea.

The education system, which until now was open except for universities, will begin a new, digital regime as of Monday, Orban said. All teaching will be done online and students will be forbidden from entering schools.

He did not say how long the measures will stay in place but said it would probably be "months, not weeks."

(Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard Chang)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Four city-based persons, who were kept in an isolation ward at a government-run hospital here for suspected coronavirus infection, returned home even as the hospital staff "requested" them against doing so as their test results were awaited, officials said on Saturday.

The incident occurred late on Friday night at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH), they said.

However, three of them got admitted to the hospital this afternoon again and the fourth one expected to come back after the authorities instructed them to do so.

"Four persons, including two women, had come to the IGGMCH on Friday morning to give their blood samples for suspected coronavirus infection. They were kept in the isolation ward. They left the hospital on their own, although the doctors and other medical staff had requested them not to do so as their test results were awaited," Nagpur district collector Ravindra Thakre said in a press conference.

"Two of them are close contacts of those found positive for coronavirus in Nagpur earlier. Two others had recently travelled to Thailand and Netherlads," he added.

None of the four showed symptoms of coronavirus infection and their result is expected in the afternoon, Thakre said.

"After they went home last night, they were contacted and asked to return to the hospital. Three of them have come back and he fourth one is expected to return soon," he said.

Earlier in the day, the police had said that the four patients had returned home without informing the hospital authorities.

Three persons have been found positive for coronavirus in Nagpur so far. While one of them is undergoing treatment at the IGGMCH, other two have been kept in the isolation ward at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

"The health condition of the three coronavirus positive patients is stable," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], Mar 14 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would hold awareness campaign against Covid-19 in its respective state offices.

According to a senior party leader, the party would hold a video conference with its state office-bearers as part of awareness efforts about coronavirus that has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

There would be an appeal to office bearers to also make people aware of the ways in which the spread of the coronavirus can be contained. The leader said strict adherence to basic hygiene will not only protect the office-bearers from infections but motivate others to follow them.

"The state office bearers come in contact with many people from all walks of life. It becomes very important for us to caution them against the virus spread and reiterate the need to keep the hygiene at all levels," the leader said.

He said letters to the state office bearers would be sent soon about the awareness campaign against the virus.

"We are thinking that we would conduct this awareness campaign via video conference with all the state offices," the leader said.

Sources said doctors will be part of the conference so that doubts and myths concerning coronavirus can be dispelled.

BJP vice president Dushyant Gautam said the government is doing its work to contain the spread of coronavirus but BJP also has a role as a political organisation to contribute to the efforts.

There would be a conference on precautions concerning coronavirus at the party headquarters in Delhi in the coming week.

India had 84 coronavirus cases till Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: With Coronavirus being declared as pandemic and the State advising officials to screen passengers arriving from neighbouring States, there are no thermal screenings at bus/railway stations and officials claim there are not aware of any such order.

In Chennai moffusil bus terminus, passengers are not being screened and transport officials claim it is the responsibility of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, which is the custodian of CMBT. The CMDA officials, including top officials, meanwhile claim they are not aware of any such announcement. Chief Secretary K Shanmugham on Thursday announced that thermal screening facilities will be introduced at bus depots and railway stations.

No orders in writing yet?

When Express contacted railway spokesperson, the official said they are yet to get written orders. Once the state government and Union Health ministry gives the same in writing and orders which should come from Railway Board, we will screen the passengers. Railway sources said it will be difficult to screen all passengers as in airports. This will create panic, sources added.

Railways have made necessary arrangements and passengers who are feeling unwell could visit the help desks wherein they will be screened. Officials said they have been following instructions like keeping the stations clean and sanitising trains. Meanwhile, as part of precautionary measures, an awareness exhibition has been set up in the Central station and Koyambedu Mofussil Bus Terminus.

Chennai Metro Rail has also announced that it would disinfect stations and trains in the weekend after working hours. Central metro would be disinfected on Saturday while the Airport metro would be disinfected on Sunday. Announcements on precautionary measures are also made in trains. Apart from this, sanitary staff in the Central and Koyambedu are deployed round-the-clock to sweep and mop the station.
India is in stage II of the Covid-19 outbreak - where disease transmission is limited to those with travel history to the affected countries and others in contact with the infected persons - and government's efforts are geared towards halting or at least delaying the progression to the next stage, Indian Council of Medical Research director-general Balram Bhargava said.



AFP

The progression to the next stage may eventually happen but by delaying it India is making itself better prepared to localise and contain the situation, Dr Bhargava said. "India has around a 30-day window to halt the beginning of community transmission of Covid-19 cases. The time to act is now," he said.

In stage III, the virus starts spreading through the community. This is followed by stage IV, when the disease takes the shape of an epidemic, when the ongoing transmission has no clear endpoint. China and Italy are in stage VI of the Covid-19 outbreak. Bhargava said the government is taking all possible containment measures to halt, or at least delay, the progression of the outbreak to stage III.

BCCL

Dr R R Gangakhedkar, the chief epidemiologist at ICMR, said only those with symptoms of Covid-19 were being tested as present. "Everyone with flu symptoms doesn't need to get tested because the spread of the disease is limited at present. Even among those with travel history or possible contact with an infected individual, testing is advised only if he or she has symptoms of Covid-19. This is because if the test is conducted in asymptomatic individual the viral load is likely to be less and that may result in false negative results. Such individual may get a false sense of security and continue to spread the disease," he said. ICMR scientists said the advisory on testing may be changed if there is enough evidence of Covid-19 reaching stage III.





"At ICMR, we have a network of 106 virus research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) across the country. We get samples of influenza like illnesses (ILIs) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) regularly. Between February 15 and February 29, we asked 13 of these labs to take 20 random samples and test them for Covid-19 to see if the novel coronavirus had spread in the community as well. All samples tested negative. The exercise will be repeated on March 15 to assess whether community transmission is happening or not. Depending on the findings, further action will be taken on guidelines for testing," the ICMR chief said.

AFP

But does India have enough testing kits to scale up diagnosis if Covid-19 spreads exponentially, affecting communities or takes to epidemic proportions? Bhargava said in terms of testing capacity the available labs are underutilised at present. "The 51 labs for designated for testing Covid-19 swab samples are capable of conducting 4,590 tests daily. At present, we are getting only about 60 to 70 samples per day. So, at present, the labs are heavily underutilised. In future, if the demand increases, we have made arrangements to ensure the lab network can expand soon enough to handle the situation," the ICMR director general said.

"There are over 57 sample collection centres where this is being done at present. These can easily be expanded. For testing, we require two key chemical agents, the primer and the probe. Primer can be prepared locally while probes we have to buy. The ICMR lab network has one lakh probes available and additional two lakh probes are being procured. We have also been approached by major international companies who have prepared the tests kits and are willing to supply them too. Based on the validation of their claims for testing and the need, we will procure more chemical agents and kits to ensure that there is no dearth of testing facility," Bhargava said. ICMR experts said they were not thinking about private labs and hospitals for testing yet. "We will think about that if and when the need arises," they said.

India has conducted 6,500 tests of which, data shows, only 78 (1.4%) have been confirmed positive. "We have also tested nearly a 1,000 people who were evacuated from China, Iran and Italy," said an ICMR official, adding that India was well-prepared for any situation.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that he was personally monitoring measures to deal with the coronavirus in the country, as the number of infections in the country rose to 33.

Khan announced on twitter that he would soon address the nation to take the people into confidence about measures to combat pandemic.

"I want to inform the nation I am personally overseeing measures to deal with COVID 19 and will address the nation soon. I would advise people to follow safety instructions issued by our govt. While there is a need for caution there is no need for panic," he added



He said Pakistan government was fully aware to the dangers and taking steps.

We are alert to the dangers and have put in place sufficient protocols for the safety and health of our people. The WHO has commended our efforts as being amongst the best in the world, he said.

His statement came as Pakistan on Saturday reported five more cases of the coronavirus.

Officials said that 33 cases have been reported in Pakistan since February 26.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Harvey Weinstein pleads his innocence in court, new documents show that he once said some pretty harsh things about Jennifer Aniston. Weinstein made the questionable comments in 2017 after learning about a story that was going to be published in the Enquirer. Weinstein, whose sexual misconduct sparked the #MeToo movement, shockingly proclaimed that Aniston should be killed after reading about the alleged abuse she suffered at his hands.

Jennifer Aniston | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Inside Weinsteins sleazy ways

The court records show that Weinstein was forwarded an article in the fall of 2017 from his spokeswoman, Sallie Hofmeister, who worked at Sitrick public relations at the time.

Not sure if you saw this one. Jennifer Aniston, Hofmeister wrote to Weinstein in the email.

According to Page Six, the email story included allegations that Weinstein sexually assaulted Aniston while she was working on the movie, Derailed, in 2005. Weinstein allegedly pushed up against Jennifer Anistons back and grabbed her butt.

The article also slammed Weinstein for constantly staring at Anistons cleavage/breast and moving his mouth around making Jennifer uncomfortable.

In the recently-unsealed court documents, #HarveyWeinstein sent an email where he wrote, "Jen Aniston should be killed."



This was in response to the National Enquirer seeking comment from Weinstein's camp, regarding false allegations of groping Aniston.https://t.co/26ac6GNpf4  Elizabeth Wagmeister (@EWagmeister) March 10, 2020

An inside source also told the publication that Weinstein was absolutely obsessed with Aniston and was constantly telling his friends that she was hot. Considering everything Weinstein has done over the years, these accusations are not all that surprising.

Although the article was never published, Weinstein had some heated words for Aniston as soon as he read the email.

Weinstein says Jennifer Aniston should be killed

It only took around 45 minutes for Weinstein to get back to Homeister about the Aniston article. The disgraced producer responded via email on his phone, and he didnt hold back on what he thought should happen next.

Jen Aniston should be killed, he stated.

The emails were released as part of a trial against Weinstein in the Manhattan Supreme Court. They were originally sealed and were only made public knowledge ahead of his sentencing.

"In one email, Mr. Weinstein suggested that the actress Jennifer Aniston  who he believed had complained about him  should be killed." https://t.co/WZfKjw8Fir  erica orden (@eorden) March 10, 2020

Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for raping and forcing a hairdresser to give oral sex to a production assistant that once worked on Project Runway. At 67 years of age, there is a good chance Weinstein lives out the rest of his days in prison.

Aniston has not responded to Weinsteins comments about the article. Given how he is headed to prison for the foreseeable future, there is a good chance she remains silent about his comments.

What did Jennifer Aniston say about the allegations?

Although Weinstein had some harsh words to say about Aniston, the article was never published. A spokesperson for the actress has since debunked the accusations, stating Weinstein never assaulted Aniston.

Jennifer has never been harassed or assaulted by Harvey Weinstein, Stephen Huvane, Anistons publicist, declared. He never got close enough to touch her and she has never been alone with him.

Weinstein may have never touched Jennifer Aniston inappropriately, but he did engage in some brutish behavior during the premiere of Derailed. In 2019, Aniston revealed that Weinstein displayed piggish behavior during a dinner with Clive Owen and one of her friends.

Harvey Weinstein's Now Public Emails: Jennifer Aniston "Should Be Killed" And Ben Affleck Is On A "Red Flag List" https://t.co/CGcMqxNHdl  Kmarko (@Kmarkobarstool) March 11, 2020

And he literally came to the table and said to my friend: Get up! And I was like, Oh my gosh. And so my friend got up and moved and Harvey sat down. It was just such a level of gross entitlement and piggish behavior, Aniston shared.

Aniston added that Weinstein urged her to wear a dress his wife, Georgina Chapman, designed for the red carpet premiere, but the actress refused. Weinstein and Chapman parted ways in 2018 after over 10 years of marriage.

Brad Pitt dishes on threatening Weinstein

Jennifer Aniston, of course, is not the only actor in Hollywood who has spoken out against Weinstein. Amid all of the sexual allegations that were leveled against the producer, Brad Pitt revealed that he once confronted Weinstein over his behavior.

While promoting his film, Ad Astra, Pitt went into more details regarding what unfolded between him and Weinstein. According to Indie Wire, Pitt explained how he confronted Weinstein after learning that he acted inappropriately with Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he was dating at the time.

Pitt apparently walked up to Weinstein during the premiere of Hamlet on Broadway in 1995, telling him, If you ever make her feel uncomfortable again, Ill kill you.

Thinking about Brad Pitt threatening Harvey Weinstein on international women's day because that's sexy pic.twitter.com/TGHJ7rcJiT  (@keileykaiser) March 8, 2020

The actor quickly noted that his reaction to the situation was based on his upbringing, saying that he was just a boy from the Ozarks in that moment. He was also worried about Paltrows safety as she still had two more films to make with Weinstein.

Pitt then revealed that Hollywood has made significant changes in the workplace since Weinsteins scandal. This includes interactions between men and women on the set, something that Pitt says was long overdue.

Pitt has not commented on what Weinstein said about Jennifer Aniston.
A Mahan Air flight will bring back Indian passengers from Iran on Saturday night in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

"A Mahan Air flight will be bringing back Indian passengers from Iran. The flight will land in Mumbai at midnight today. Another special flight of Air India will be flying today to bring back Indian students from Italy," Sanjeeva Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Health told media persons.

Kumar further said that 84 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported so far from across India.

"Out of 84 positive cases in the country, 10 people have fully recovered and have been discharged. Contact tracing of these cases has led to the identification of over 4,000 contacts, who have been put under surveillance," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bose Olasunkanmi, a Nigerian woman, who was used by different pastors for the same miracle, says she was pushed into the act by poverty....

Bose Olasunkanmi, a Nigerian woman, who was used by different pastors for the same miracle, says she was pushed into the act by poverty.





In October last year, she took centre stage on social media after video clips emerge where she was being used for fake miracles by some pastors.





But speaking with The Punch, Olasunkanmi reflected on the events that made her consider such act.





The 44-year-old woman, who hails from Ilesa in Osun state, said her ordeals started after the demise of her mother in 1990.

She revealed that after her mothers death, she started working with a food vendor to eke out a living.





Olasunkanmi, however, said she had a ghastly accident in 1999, which affected her leg and right hand.





The accident, according to her, led to the termination of her work with the food vendor and made her depart for Igando, a suburb in Lagos, to stay with sister.





In 2003, she got married and had three kids but her husband died on October 3, 2017.





Following her husbands death, she relocated to her sisters shop. It was during this period that she met Fatila Musa, a girl, who told her she could make money with the state of her hand, by staging miracles for pastors in churches.





According to her, that kickstarted her foray into churches where she staged fake miracles for different pastors, including Chris Okafor of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry.





If I knew they would put my videos on the social media, I would not do it (the fake miracle), she said.





It is poverty that pushed me into it. When my husband died, I could not use my hands to do anything. I am a widow; there was no helper for me. If I knew it would lead to this, I would not have followed the girl (burst into tears).




This bird-brained starling left firefighters baffled and scratching their heads after becoming trapped in a road manhole cover.

Just the top of the tiny bird was seen popping out from a small hole in the steel grating by passersby at Downham Market in Norfolk.

RSPCA workers and firefighters dashed to the scene to rescue the songbird.

They were are all puzzled as how the black and white speckled bird found itself trapped, and proudly posed for pictures with it after the rescue.

Just the top of the tiny bird was seen popping out from a small hole in the steel grating by passersby at Downham Market in Norfolk

This bird-brained starling left firefighters baffled and scratching their heads after becoming trapped in a road manhole cover

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service were called after RSPCA animal collection officer Naemi Kilbey was unable to safely remove the lid because it was too heavy.

The fire team lifted the drain using a combination of specialist lifting equipment and 'brute strength', the charity said. Once the cover was removed, Ms Kilbey safely caught the bird, which appeared uninjured.

Ms Kilbey said the rescue was 'certainly one of the more unusual ones' she's performed, adding: 'When you attend an animal rescue you can usually work out how they got themselves into the predicament - but in the case of this little starling I really don't know how on earth he got himself there.

The starling was taken to East Winch Wildlife Centre so his health could be monitored, and he is expected to be released back into the wild over the weekend.

The starling was taken to East Winch Wildlife Centre so his health could be monitored, and he is expected to be released back into the wild over the weekend

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service were called after RSPCA animal collection officer Naemi Kilbey was unable to safely remove the lid because it was too heavy
The church, the actual building that houses black bodies and souls, stands at the center of black life and culture. It is a fact hiding in plain sight that one of the first cooperative economic ventures former slaves undertook was the purchase and maintenance of churches. Without the cooperation of the church, many black colleges, universities and political organizations would not exist. To this day, American black Christians attend church at a higher rate than any other ethnic group.

It is not then surprising that when terrorists wanted to strike fear in the hearts of black believers, they burn and attack our churches. Despite the trauma, the church has remained a source of hope. The marches and sit-ins of the civil rights movement were often preceded by mass worship services.

But what happens when the church is a part of the danger?

With the novel coronavirus spreading rapidly, this is not simply a question for individual church members. The pandemic forces the church as an institution to consider its role during a time of crisis. Many religious communities are suspending their typical operations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has stopped services worldwide. The Catholic Church in Rome shuttered its doors temporarily. Much of Washington State has done the same. What should we think about this? Are Christians abandoning their responsibility to the sick and suffering?

Some Christians may be tempted to look back on their history of remaining physically present during times of distress. Starting around 250 A.D., A.D., a plague that at its height was said to kill 5,000 people a day ravaged the Roman empire. The Christians stood out in their service to the infirm. Because they believed that God was sovereign over death, they were willing to minister to the sick even at the cost of their lives. This witness won many to the Christian cause. Should we follow their example and gather to celebrate in word and ritual, in the sermon as well as the bread and the wine?
PHOENIX  The U.S. government says a new rule disqualifying more people from green cards if they use government benefits will not apply to immigrants with coronavirus or virus symptoms if they seek care.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said late Friday that seeking treatment or preventive services wont affect someones immigration status under the new, highly criticized public charge rule, which took effect last month and which punishes immigrants who need public assistance.

The agency acknowledged that some immigrants may fear seeking care for the virus, saying that it will neither consider testing, treatment, nor preventative care related to the virus in determining someones eligibility for permanent residency. It said that those who cant work or attend school and must rely on public benefits during the duration of the virus outbreak and recovery can later explain and provide documentation and that it will be taken into consideration.

The announcement came after lawmakers and advocacy groups urged the government to suspend the rule during the coronavirus outbreak. Advocates say they have been fielding panicked calls from immigrants who are worried about the impact on their status if they seek health care.

Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, said her group and others have urged immigrants to seek care if needed and reminded them that their health, and the health of their families, is most important.

People are wondering about their vulnerability both in terms of disease but their vulnerability in terms of immigration status, in terms of being discovered, she said.

Advocates have long derided the public charge rule, which punishes immigrants who are in the country legally and who are allowed to access some benefits, such as food stamps, for their American-born children.

As the coronavirus began to spread more widely in the U.S., supporters and lawmakers cautioned it could be detrimental to public health if some immigrants were too afraid to seek care.

On Thursday, Democratic lawmakers pressured Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, to suspend or disregard the rule during the virus outbreak. Cuccinelli said the public health exemptions written into the rule already addressed that issue.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., tweeted after the new statement on Friday: This is a huge win for immigrants, public health AND everyone!

Astrid Galvan and Nomaan Merchant are Associated Press writers.
The Holiday Guru is always on call to answer your questions.

This week where to stay for a four-star experience in Vienna, how to travel to Torghatten mountain in Norway and the best Rhine cruise to go on to celebrate a milestone birthday is also on the agenda...

Q. We are planning well ahead for a trip to go to the Christmas market in Vienna in November. Can you recommend a four-star hotel for three nights?

Mrs D. M. Chatefield, Sutton, London.

Grand Ferdinand Hotel is a good base from which to explore the Christmas market in Vienna

A. Grand Ferdinand Hotel is modern and well-located with a well-regarded brasserie serving wiener schnitzel  three nights in November from 450 for two (grandferdinand.com).

Q. Next year I am 70 and would love to do a Rhine cruise. Please can you recommend one that incorporates the summer firework festivals held at Rudesheim am Rhein in Germany?

Julie Johnson, via email.

A. Try Arena Travel, which has a ten-day Rhine in Flames cruise holiday beginning in Andernach and ending in Cologne from 895pp, full-board but excluding flights (arenatravel.com/river-cruises/rhine-in-flames).

Q. We will be taking the Hurtigruten from Kirkenes to Bergen in Norway. The ship docks in Bronnoysund, from where I wish to visit Torghatten mountain, about a 15-minute drive away. Is there a taxi I could catch to go there for a couple of hours?

Ray Millar, Tamworth, Staffs.

You can book a taxi via the tourist office from Bronnoysund to Torghatten mountain, Norway

A. Yes, book a taxi in advance via the tourist office on 0047 75 01 80 00 (visithelgeland.com).

WERE HERE TO HELP

If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions and provide tips on how to make the most of your time off. Please send questions to holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk or write to Daily Mail Travel, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT  and include your contact details. We will do our best to answer your queries but we cant reply to every enquiry. Please do not send in any original documents. We look forward to hearing from you.
THREE months after the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was first detected in the city of Wuhan in China and despite its rapid global transmission, we still do not have the capacity to test people for the disease.

The machines are there and hospital staff have already been trained to operate them, but theyre still waiting for the test kits to arrive, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo Aquino disclosed during a consultative meeting at City Hall Friday morning, March 13, 2020. Aquino was hopeful that the kits will arrive soon.

Until then, swabs taken from patients under investigation (PUIs) will have to be sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Metro Manila for testing. At the earliest, the results will be known in three days, I was told.

Coronavirus testing is unlike any other laboratory work commonly performed in hospitals. It requires a special kind of reagent and involves minimal human intervention as it is the machine itself that processes the specimen and reads the results.

The problem is that we have a limited supply of test kits in the country. The situation is not exclusive to the Philippines. Even in the United States, people are complaining about being unable to have themselves screened.

It is probably because of this that we do not conduct random tests. I was told that only the PUIs are being tested. So if you have only mild symptoms, go on voluntary quarantine at home, a doctor friend said, instead of burdening our public health system by seeking hospital admission and virus testing.

Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella, who called Fridays consultative meeting, is trying to expedite the acquisition of test kits for Cebu with the help of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino. Theyre considering buying the kits abroad, the mayor told me on the phone Friday evening.

Secretary Dino can make things easier for the regional DOH and the VSMMC in securing the release of the test kits. He can use his influence among his fellow Cabinet members. But since we have a limited supply, he and the mayor may ultimately have to look elsewhere.

Story continues

Labella has been all over town for many weeks now implementing preventive measures against an outbreak while preparing for a possible upsurge. He personally supervised the clean-up of the citys 10 public markets prior to disinfection. He has ordered close monitoring of prices of essential commodities and regulated the entry of vessels at the local port. He had ordered the suspension of classes last Friday after so much agonizing because he did not want to disturb the academic calendar.

On Saturday, March 14, he led a team that inspected the Cebu City Medical Center, one floor of which he wants to commission immediately to accommodate Covid-19 patients. He is also planning to charter a vessel to be used as a floating hospital. The government is working.

In the meantime, let us remain calm and obey what the government says. Covid-19 is deadly, there is no denying that, but it does not kill everyone. The mortality rate is only three percent and the most vulnerable ones are those in our age bracket. But hey, we have lived long enough and seen our children grow, so passing on is not really such a terrible thought.
Consider this the first test of your marriage. If you and your fiance tackle this together, you will have the benefit of each other's assistance when trying to raise the money for your nuptials. If your mother isn't in the mix, your father may be more inclined to contribute, and if your future husband takes the lead in approaching his family, they may pony up. The best way to do this is respectfully -- and in person.
One night this week an urgent appeal went out to a Facebook group of emergency room doctors. If you were in charge of the Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendations be? asked Dr. Kurt Kloss, a physician based in New York.

The question was hardly theoretical. I have direct channel, he added, to person now in charge at White House and have been asked for recommendations.

That person, he said, is Jared Kushner, a top adviser to President Trump who has become increasingly involved in the administrations response to the coronavirus and is also the brother-in-law of the doctors daughter, the model Karlie Kloss. Ms. Kloss is married to Joshua Kushner, Mr. Kushners brother and a venture capitalist who in 2012 helped found a start-up insurer called Oscar Health.

Tonight I was asked by Jared through my son-in-law for my recommendations, Dr. Kloss wrote on Wednesday evening. Thats when I turned to you guys my fellow BAFERDs for help. BAFERD is an acronym for emergency room doctors, joined by a number of expletives.
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DEWITT, N.Y. -- Hundreds of shoppers lined up in the darkness outside of Wegmans stores across central New York on Saturday amid panic about the coronavirus pandemic.

They were waiting for a chance to nab toilet paper and cleaning supplies, frozen vegetables and meat from stores they hoped would be freshly restocked. But when Wegmans stores across the region reopened at 6 a.m., shoppers rushed inside to find many shelves were still empty.

Wegmans closed all stores at midnight to give employees a chance to deeply clean and restock stores, a company spokeswoman said Friday.

The stores were clean Saturday morning. But many shelves remained thinly stocked.

Wegmans is far from alone.

Stores across the region, from Walmart to dollar stores, have been quickly cleaned out of essential supplies for days. Online shopping isnt any easier: Amazon lists many brands of toilet paper and antibacterial hand wipes as currently unavailable.

The Family Dollar in Phoenix was swamped just before 6 p.m. Friday evening. Employees joked that they should just say no, sorry, we dont have any toilet paper in stock instead of saying hello when answering the stores phone.

Minutes before 6 a.m. Saturday, about 200 people were queued up outside of the DeWitt Wegmans. About 100 waited outside the John Glenn Wegmans.

Customers at both stores joked that it felt like Black Friday. But the lines werent free of tension: One woman wrung her hands together and while others groaned as a worker struggled to open the locked doors in DeWitt.

And I thought our little Wegmans in Geneva might be spared! Fascinating time to study grocery supply chains. #coronavirus #COVID19 #coronapocalypse pic.twitter.com/6KXAkJw2iF  Lauren Long (@longphoto) March 14, 2020

Everything you see on the shelf if what we have, an employee told the shoppers rushing into the store. Were getting more stuff throughout the day.

Toiletries and cleaning supplies at both Wegmans stores were a scarce. An employee at the John Glenn Wegmans estimated the store had no more than three packs of toilet paper when the doors open.

The Geneva Wegmans, like its sister stores in the Syracuse area, was low on staples like bread, bananas and meat. An employee in the picked-over meat department said hed never seen his section so cleaned out in his 30 years working for Wegmans.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



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The extent of economic restraints caused by COVID-19 now cannot be known, but the Vietnamese economy will not grow as was estimated until recently.

Tax authorities have been instructed to increase compliance in order to raise more revenues

This will make it necessary to reduce the estimation regarding tax revenue from normal declarations. It can be assumed that this re-estimation will further increase the expectations of the government that Vietnamese tax authorities will increase the additional revenue from tax audits.

Doing business and investing in Vietnam are not always easy, but regulations have become more streamlined over the years. One important point is that foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) must be increasingly more aware of tax issues, in particular regarding transfer pricing. Compliance with legal requirements on transfer pricing is also becoming more important.

The tax authorities have already been instructed to increase revenue by enforcing an increase in compliance of taxpayers. For tax audits in 2018, the General Department of Taxation instructed the authorities to focus on implementing a software-based risk analysis system and especially target FIEs.

The basic principles stated for the audits in 2018 are also to be applied in the following years. For 2019, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) instructed the tax authorities to additionally focus on evasion and fraud. This year, the MoF instructed them to prioritise value-added tax, transfer pricing, anti-smuggling, and trade fraud. Besides that, all three regulations are establishing a systematic approach to audits. The intention is to reduce the importance of the special relationship of the taxpayer to the local tax officer, which in the past was very crucial.

Wolfram Gruenkorn - Managing partner WTS Tax Vietnam Company

Regulations tightened

Details of transfer pricing are complex, but the basic idea is simple. Different countries co-operate on putting an end to tax avoidance strategies which exploit the difference in the national tax systems.

By means of many different instruments, countries try to secure a fair share of tax for the respective country. Contracts between companies within the same group are checked whether they have the same terms and conditions which would have been agreed between non-related entities for comparable transactions.

Until now, transfer pricing issues of FIEs in Vietnam in many cases have not been taken very seriously. The current regulation became effective in May 2017. It is expected that tax authorities will identify within the audits in 2020 some cases of non-compliance.

The transfer pricing documentation must be available at the deadline of the corporate income tax (CIT) finalisation submission on the 90th day of the following financial year. The transfer pricing documents must consist of a local master file and should be prepared in Vietnamese. Upon request of tax authorities, the transfer pricing documents must be filed within 15 working days.

No transfer pricing documents must be prepared by companies with the total revenue below VND50 billion ($2.2 million), related party transactions below VND30 billion ($1.3 million), a signed advance pricing agreement (APA), and a submitted annual report as far as the transactions are covered by the APA.

A business will not have to prepare transfer pricing documents if the company has only simple functions and no revenue or expenses from exploitation or use of intangibles, a total revenue of less than VND200 billion ($8.6 million), and a pre-loan interest and pre-CIT net profit over turnover ratio, including distribution, at 5 per cent or more, as well as for production 10 per cent or more and for processing 15 per cent or more.

All FIEs are highly recommended to prepare well for the possible tax audit 2020, especially regarding transfer pricing requirements. For companies who set the calendar year as their financial year, the transfer pricing documentation must be ready before the end of this month. It must be submitted to tax authorities within 15 working days upon request.

Prime targets for these audits will be companies with high risk signals on tax and transfer pricing, such as not being audited for a longer time, a high revenue, losses or unusually low profits, tax incentives, and allegedly illegal invoices.

Moreover, companies in real estate, oil and gas, electricity, and finance, as well as franchises and enterprises with new and special business lines, will most likely be targeted. Especially scrutinised will be the production costs and all high value transactions such as interest, royalties, and service fees of all kinds.

On July 1, a new law on tax administration will come into force. Some important principles are not new, but are now formulated more clearly. One of the crucial principles is the rule of substance over form. This means that a certain business transaction is taxed according to the economic content.

It is applicable for the matter of taxation regardless whether the used form is legal or not. If using certain forms is not following economic reasons except for reducing taxation, this form might be ignored for calculating the tax.

The tax environment in Vietnam is changing rapidly, and the countrys regulations are mostly clear. Some requirements regarding accounting and taxation are more bureaucratic than in other countries. In the past, the pressure for tax compliance was not very high. However, because the tax authority is increasingly using electronic tools for audits, the transparency within their system is dramatically increasing.

Because the targets for additional tax revenue generated by audits are clear and high, and the state must generate more revenue, the pressure on companies with a not fully compliant regime on managing internal contracts, accounting, and taxation will also become very high. Such pressure has already existed in most highly-developed countries for many years.

The Dutch Sandwich

Multinational corporations are combining the benefits of the tax laws of many countries by allocating profits where they are not taxed or taxed at a low rate. This requires a sophisticated system of agreements between the national legal entities of the same group.

Each of these contracts is compliant with the relevant national laws, if not considering regulations on transfer pricing. But the combination of these contracts lets these multinationals achieve the desired result of avoiding income tax.

One of these systems is called the Dutch Sandwich. It was developed with this intention for groups with intellectual property of considerable value.

A company in Country A, with a normal tax rate on corporate income, is paying royalties to a company in the Netherlands for using its intellectual property. Country A is not imposing any withholding tax on these payments on royalties.

The receiving company in the Netherlands is not making any or only a minor profit because it is paying royalties itself to a company registered, for example, in Bermuda. Also, the Netherlands is not imposing a withholding tax on these payments on royalties.

The company in Bermuda is the owner of the intellectual property and is collecting the royalties free of corporate income tax.

Now, the Netherlands intends to impose a withholding tax on paid royalties. New tax avoidance models are built to circumvent any new legislation.

The higher the profit is, the more efforts a group may make to avoid taxation of this profit. Because the cost of developing and implementing these systems is high, they are only used by large corporations.

In less sophisticated models, profit-making companies are paying overrated prices for services provided by the headquarters or affiliated companies. VIR

Wolfram Gruenkorn
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:59:41|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science news from the past week:

NEW DRUG IN COVID-19 TREATMENT

Tocilizumab, with the common brand name Actemra, has been included in China's latest version of diagnosis and treatment guidelines on COVID-19.

According to Zhou Qi, deputy secretary-general and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the drug Tocilizumab has been found effective to block the inducement of the inflammatory storm.

URBAN RENEWAL

Chinese researchers have verified that urban renewal can mitigate higher urban temperatures led by the heat generated by human activities, according to a recent study paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The researchers investigated the impacts of urbanization, including both urban expansion and urban renewal, on urban heat islands by analyzing meteorological and land-use observations in east China's Shanghai over the past 144 years.

DESERTIFICATION VULNERABILITY INDEX

Researchers have constructed a new index on global desertification vulnerability and predicted the desertification risk, according to a recent research article published in Land Degradation and Development.

The researchers from Lanzhou University proposed a global desertification vulnerability index by combining climate change and human activity, and classified the vulnerability into very high, high, medium, and low levels, said the article.

CLIMATE WARMING

Researchers have disclosed that the earlier start of the growing season of the northern temperate and boreal forests made the middle and high latitudes in the northern hemisphere warmer, according to a recently published research article in journal Nature Climate Change.

Earlier start of the growing season, or leaf-out, in response to climate warming, has been recorded in the northern hemisphere since the 1980s, reported by the research article. Thus the climate is modified by altering seasonal cycles of surface energy, water and carbon budgets.

TINY DINOSAUR SKULL

A team of scientists from China, the United States and Canada have found the skull of a tiny dinosaur preserved in 100-million-year-old amber.

The amber, discovered in northern Myanmar, was believed from the late Cretaceous period. The skull inside it measured about 14 mm long, with a sharp beak, dense teeth and large eye sockets. Their findings, which are significant for the evolution research of small animals, were published Wednesday local time at the journal of Nature.
Celebrities and their craze has made their fans do many weird and strange things. From tattooing celebrity names and pictures on body parts to show up at their favourite celebrities' homes, fans have often crossed lines for their favourite stars. Here are some celebrities who have weird things named after them.

Also Read: Lady Gaga Gets New Insect Species Named After Her After Scientist Examines Female Bug

Also Read: Newly Discovered Treehopper With 'wacky Fashion Sense' Gets Named After Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga

Recently, Lady Gaga was making headlines after a new species of treehopper, which is an insect, was named after her. Brendan Morris who is an entomology graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign explained the reason behind naming the insect after Lady Gaga. He said that it is because the insect has got crazy horns and the wacky fashion sense of Lady Gaga is similar to the insects.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has a special variety of Tulip flowers which were named after the actor. This special variety of Tulip flowers are in the Netherlands. The Tulips were named after her to celebrate her beauty in the year 2005.

Angelina Jolie

Actor Angelina Jolie has a trapdoor spider which was named after her. This was done in order to recognise her work in the United Nations Commission for Refugees in the year 2008.

Madhuri Dixit

Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit has a star named after her. A group of 13 members of the Empress Fanpage presented Madhuri Dixit with a certificate by Star Foundation which said: "A celestial body in the sky above has been named in the honour of Madhuri Dixit-Nene and is officially located in the constellation Orion."

Michael Jackson

Scientists had discovered a new species of prehistoric hermit crabs in 2009. After the discovery, the King of Pop had passed away. PhD candidate Adiel Klompmaker named the hermit crab as Mesoparapylocheles michaeljacksoni.

Jennifer Lopez

Popular actor Jennifer Lopez has a species of insects which was named after her. The species was named as Litarachna lopezae, species of pontarachnid mite. The species was named after the pop star because her songs and videos kept the team in a continuous good mood while writing the manuscript about their discovery.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan has an orchid flower in Singapore which was named after him. This was done to show a mark of respect and friendship between the two countries as IIFA Weekend took place in Singapore in the year 2004.

Beyonce

A type of horse fly which was found in Australia was named after Beyonce. The reason behind this is that the fly has got a dense path of golden hair on its lower abdomen. Bryan Lessard who is the researcher at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) decided to name the species after Beyonce because he felt that the distinctive golden hairs on the flys lower abdomen made the fly bootylicious which is a term that was made famous in one of Beyonce's songs.

Also Read: Lady Gaga Releases The Music Video For Her New Single 'Stupid Love', Fans Go 'GAGA'

Also Read:Beyonce's Famous Songs From Her Days With Destiny's Child, Check Out The List

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.
: An octogenarian woman was held



near here on Saturday for allegedly hurling acid on her relative and another man following a domestic quarrel, police said.

Ramathal and her sister-in-law used to quarrel with each other frequently over a family dispute, they said.

This morning, Ramathal in a fit of anger threw acid kept to polish vessels on Shakunthala who sustained serious injuries on her face, the police said.

A youth who was standing nearby also sustained injuries, they said.

Their neighbours took both to the government hospital here, they said, adding that the accused has been detained for interrogation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Likee, the short global video creation platform by Singapore-based BIGO Technology Pte Ltd, had launched an exciting campaign #HoliHai2020 to celebrate the festival of Holi. The campaign came as a boon for those who live far away from their loved ones, or are afraid of colours and getting drenched. #HoliHai2020 by Likee allowed users to communicate and transmit the real feel of Holi colours through mobile phones. Hence, Likee ensured that not just the wishes, but even the gulal on users palms reached those who they love dearly.

Also, the campaign was launched at the time when playing Holi the traditional way could be dangerous for people in India. #HoliHai2020 was heartily embraced by those who were compelled to cancel their travel plans in the wake of the coronavirus menace. The fear and the challenges associated with the disease certainly marred the Holi fervour for many, who were forced to cancel their travel plans. While there was no means to get them home physically, Likee ensured that their Holi was full of colours and fun.

The idea behind introducing the campaign was to provide a platform for safe Holi and bring users near and dear ones closer to them, at least virtually. The special Holi campaign was just another feather in the hat of Likee, which often comes up with unique offerings for its users. With Likees virtual Holi celebrations, people enjoyed the festivities of Holi without any risk or fear, making it a truly happy Holi for all.

Likee is available in different Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
Popular Ghanaian actor, Prince David Osei has been embroiled in a scandal as reports claim he requested for nude pictures of some ladies on social media.

The actor, who is married, has been accused of being unfaithful as screenshots of the conversation the actor had with some ladies has been leaked online.

One of the leaked chats revealed the actor asked a lady to send him a nude photo but she was in doubt so she asked him to video call her to see for himself instead of the photos.

The 34 year old actor has come out to debunk these accusations by claiming he was in Dubai at the time of the conversation with her.

Read Also: Princess Shyngle Opens Up About Her Sexuality (Photo)

See screenshots below:
A Delhi Police head constable and a lawyer were apprehended by the CBI for allegedly demanding Rs one lakh as bribe from a man, officials said on Saturday.

According to the police, a case was filed at the Prasad Nagar police station about stolen jewellery.

The suspect, Nitesh, was granted anticipatory bail till March 20.

Head Constable Satya Narayan, the investigating officer of the case, along with a lawyer, Soni, allegedly demanded Rs one lakh from Nitesh, the police said.

Nitesh complained to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following which the head constable and the lawyer were apprehended, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Man suffers broken leg as car rams street vendors motorbike

PHUKET: A 28-year-old Thai man suffered broken leg after a Toyota saloon car ploughed into parked vehicles and hit a motorcycle of a street vendor he was buying drinks from. The accident happened on Soi Phisai Sapphakit in Phuket Town last Wednesday (Mar 11).

accidents

By The Phuket News

Saturday 14 March 2020, 03:02PM

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Mr Watee was buying drinks from a street vendor, when a Toyota Vios drove into the street, hit parked cars and the vendors saleng. Photo: Supplied

Kusoldham Rescue Foundation was informed about the accident near Down Town Plaza in Phuket Town at around 3pm, rescue staffer Vatchara Sreekacha told The Phuket News in a telephone conversation today (Mar 14).

Having arrived at the scene, Mr Vatchara and fellow rescue workers found four damaged vehicles, namely a white Toyota Vios, a grey Mazda and two black pickup trucks. A street vendors motorcycle with a sidecar (saleng) sustained some damage as well. Both the vendor and his customer required medical assistance.

There were three Thai men injured. Watee Soontarotayaa, 28, suffered a broken leg, Wirat Bualoy, 56 had bruises and scratches on his legs and a 75-year-old driver of Toyota Vios had a cut wound. All of them were sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital, Mr Vatchara explained.

From the witnesses on the scene we learned that Mr Watee was buying drinks from Mr Wirat, when the white Toyota drove into the street, hit parked cars and then Mr Wirats saleng, Mr Vatchara said.

Mr Vatchara could not tell the name of the driver.

I heard from witnesses that this old man panicked for some reason and pressed accelerator instead of brakes, he said.

Police arrived at the scene when all the injured had already been taken to hospital. Thus officers were not able to question the driver at the scene.

I arrived there when rescue workers were cleaning up. There were no injured at the scene and I dont know the details of this accident. Please contact our duty officer, said Capt Santi Vajasat from Phuket City Police.

The Phuket News contacted the police station today (Mar 14), but the officer on duty Capt Praweena Chumrit declined to provide any information about this case.

Only Phuket City Police Chief has the authority to explain details of this case, Capt Praweena said.

Phuket City Police Chief Col Teerawat Liamsuwan was not available for comment.
The United States military on Thursday conducted five airstrikes targeting Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq.

What Happened

The facilities targeted were used for storing weapons, and the strikes would "significantly degrade [Hezbollah's] ability to conduct future attacks" against the U.S. or allied forces, the Department of Defense said in a statement.

"These strikes were defensive, proportional, and in direct response to the threat posed by Iranian-backed Shia militia groups (SMG) who continue to attack bases hosting OIR coalition forces," the Pentagon added.

Two U.S. and one United Kingdom service members were killed in strikes at Camp Taji in Iraq on Wednesday. Fourteen others were wounded.

"The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people, our interests, or our allies," Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said. "As we have demonstrated in recent months, we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region."

Why It Matters

Esper earlier suggested that President Donald Trump had given him the authority to retaliate in the aftermath of the death of American and British service members, as reported by Reuters.

The defense secretary didn't rule out conducting an airstrike in Iranian territory at the time but said that the "groups" responsible for the attack would be the immediate priority.

Similar strikes by Hezbollah at an Iraqi airbase that killed a U.S. contractor resulted in the Pentagon retaliating with five airstrikes at Hezbollah-controlled bases and later killing one of the most prominent Iranian military leaders, Qassem Soleimani.

Iran's further retaliatory strikes left more than a hundred American troops with brain injuries. The war-like situation was contained when the Iranian military accidentally shot down a civilian plane killing all 170 people onboard.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
ROSEBURG, Ore. -- Roseburg Public Schools and the South Umpqua School District have established a plan to feed students while schools are closed due to coronavirus.

On Thursday night, Gov. Kate Brown ordered all K-12 public schools in Oregon to close their doors for two weeks starting Monday in hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Roseburg Public Schools will open all 11 schools' cafeterias for breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. They will also be open for lunch from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

The cafeterias will be open every day of the closure, including spring break.

School officials said they will be operating the Lunchbox Express, a vehicle that drives around to different locations to give meals to students in need.

Kyle Micken, the nutrition services director for various school districts in Douglas County, said these plans are ways to combat foot insecurity and encourage social separation.

Theyre not going to be congregating inside the cafeteria, said Micken. They can go home, go outside and play. That way we dont have them in close contact.

South Umpqua School District will be offering grab-and-go breakfast and lunch at various locations in five different spots in that area.

Micken said hes working to create plans for the rest of the school districts in Douglas County.

In the Yoncalla School District, lunches will be available from 12 to 1 p.m. in front of the Early Learning Center.
Photography by Marrise Caine unless otherwise stated.

Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Legit?

One of my first questions to Mr Aaron Boey, CEO of Eu Yan Sang, is if Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a legit thing.

Without missing a beat, Mr Boey tells me that TCM is a philosophy, not a treatment plan.

TCM emphasises health maintenance; it is prophylactic as opposed to just therapeutic, Mr Boey explains. In other words, Western medicine aims to cure you when you are sick, but TCM wants to keep you healthy so you dont fall sick in the first place.

Contrary to popular belief, TCM doesnt do this by prescribing you a daily regimen of mystery herbs and substances. Instead, a physician will profile your body; thereafter helping you understand your body constitution and how the environment and your lifestyle choices contribute to your state of wellness.

In doing so, it inverts the doctor-patient relationship by emphasising individual action over medical intervention. Therefore, TCM reminds and empowers you to be responsible for your own body, Mr Boey says.

This reason, I think, is at the core of why many of us young people have an aversion to TCM. Its not so much about our strict belief in the principles of Western medicine but the fact that TCM demands we participate actively in the maintenance of our health, through an extended period of timethrough our whole lives, in fact.

As opposed to the convenient daily pill-popping that much of Western medicine is characterised by, in the world of TCM, we might, according to our particular bodily constitution, have to avoid cold water or spicy food and which millennial can say no to bubble tea and ma la hotpot?

Thus, in our age of instant gratifications and sensory pleasures, TCM can seem like a chore that curtails our freedom. Its just easier to blame your sore throat on some extraneous cause even though the only person who can bring balance to your bodily constitution is you.

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Thats what Ill probably get into, Mr Boey says, if I want to convince someone whos uninitiated to TCM. The feeling of being empowered  with the knowledge that you can take charge of your own health and well-being.

Mr Boey, The New Leader of a 140-year-old Company

Mr Boey is not speaking as someone who grew up believing that TCM is the de facto panacea to all ailments.

In fact, he does not even have a background in TCM, which is surprising, considering he is the CEO of a multi-million-dollar TCM company. Prior to this gig, he worked in Levi Strauss (clothing), Philips (electronics), and Heineken (delicious drink).

More strikingly, Mr Boeys surname is, well, Boey. It is not Eu, a surname which marks all of Eu Yan Sangs past leaders in its 140 years of existence. To put it plainly, Mr Boey is the first CEO of Eu Yan Sangwhich was founded by Eu Kong in 1879not to hail from the Eu family.

Such a scenario might seem intimidating: a non-family member who does not have much experience in the TCM industry suddenly propelled into the drivers seat of this 140-year-old heritage brand.

Mr Boey is not fazed by this challenge, however, because he is more than ready to tackle it. After all, he had already served as Eu Yan Sangs Group Chief Operating Officer before taking on this position. Furthermore, he explains that while the Eu family undeniably built the company into the TCM giant that it is today, there are real [TCM] experts and many loyal, committed, and very competent employees upon whose backs Eu Yan Sangs success rests as well.

Prior to Mr Boeys appointment as CEO, the company was also publicly listed  30% of the shares of this company were owned by institutions, owned by retail investors, so it operated much like a public company in its corporate responsibility and finances.

The fresh perspective of an outsider, in combination with the business acumen of someone who has been managing multinational companies with a long heritage for decades, makes Mr Boey just the right person to lead Eu Yan Sang into its next 140 years.

TCM Can Teach Us About Our Bodies

We are the generation that knows everything from the age of our soulmate based on what salad we make to a detailed breakdown of our genetic ancestry. And we obsess over our body: how it looks, what we clad it in, whether it can perform the punishing pulses at a Barre class. But our relationship with our body is superficial, compared with our almost neurotic need to find out every aspect of our personality.

Mr Boey thinks so too: A lot of young people spend a lot of time trying to understand themselves emotionally, trying to understand themselves mentally. They take online tests and all sorts of quizzes or stuff like that. But we dont spend enough time trying to understand our bodies.

This lack of self-knowledge is what TCM wants to remedy. Mr Boey himself altered his habits after he became aware, through TCM, of how they were taking a huge toll on his body.

I used to drive through my schedules  I would get maybe 2 or 3 hours of sleep a day whenever I did intercontinental travel  Today Im much more aware and Im making sounder choices.

And its the small choices you make every day that add up.

For instance, Mr Boey now knows that eating hotpot in a cold countrya favourite holiday activity of Singaporeanscauses your body to get very heaty. And if you really cannot resist the temptation of steamboat, a good way to combat its effects would be to balance it with a combination of dendrobium, a type of orchid, and American ginseng.

Mr Boeys own experience made him realise that young people, especially, can benefit from TCMs emphasis on nurturing self-knowledge. Thus, he wants to modernise Eu Yan Sang and expand its reach to ever younger consumers.

To this end, Mr Boey is aware that it is important to attract more millennials to join Eu Yan Sang so that the consumer will have a voice at the table. One way Eu Yan Sang is achieving this goal is through its scholarship programme, which funds students interested in pursuing undergraduate studies in biomedical sciences and Chinese medicine.

For me, however, the more exciting developments in Eu Yan Sang are happening on the consumer-product front.

Ice Cream, Beer, and Cocktails  with TCM Ingredients?

Eu Yan Sangs drive to demystify and democratise TCM by extending it out of the realm of medicine is kicking into high gear.

Nowhere is this impulse clearer than in Eu Yan Sangs recent 140th-anniversary celebration held at the theatre-restaurant Madame Fan. A commemoration of 140 years might sound stuffy and historical, but the event was far from it.

There was cheng tng sorbet made by Creamier, Dang Gui Ginseng Pale Ale by Pink Blossoms Brewing, a local brewery, Schisandra cocktail by Junior the Pocket Bar, and even a customised scent, Hush, concocted by Scent by Six using key TCM ingredients like Tangerine Peel, Ginseng, Rose and Sandalwood.

Ice cream, beer, liquor, and perfumewho says the traditional part of TCM cant coexist with our modern lifestyles today?

Indeed, this is one of the key messages that Mr Boey wants to convey: that TCM is, in his words, modern, safe, and it meets your lifestyle needs, while empowering you to take charge of your own health.

TCM Today, In The Next Decade, and 140 Years Later

Even without these modern innovations, various aspects of TCM are already gaining currency among the younger generation worldwide.

Superstar swimmer Michael Phelps was famously spotted with cupping marks at the 2016 Rio Olympics, while closer to home, members of the Singapore Womens Hockey Team rely on TCM medication and acupuncture to treat their injuries sustained during training.

In fact, TCMs efficacy and safety are so well established that even animals can benefit from its principles.

When I said we have deep sector expertise, it extends beyond human beings  the zoo used acupuncture to treat Ah Meng, and weve supported the zoo using our herbal medicine to treat the animals, Mr Boey reveals, to my surprise.

Mr Boey is not mentioning Ah Meng to indicate that Eu Yan Sang is expanding into animal TCM. Even as the company modernises, Eu Yan Sang still focuses on their core business of, as Mr Boey puts it, helping people to live their best quality of life through natural, accessible wellness solutions based on our deep TCM wisdom.

Instead, he is using this anecdote to explain that animal acupuncture has had precedents recorded in millennia-old TCM texts.

This made him realise that TCM is based on sound theoriesand anything which is theory-based can find different applications outside of the mainstream use.

Encapsulated in this anecdote are TCMs historical track record and near-universal applicabilityqualities which make Mr Boey confident that it, and Eu Yan Sang, will remain relevant to people beyond the next 140 years.

This post is brought to you by Eu Yan Sang.

If youd like to have a chat over mojito with a sprinkling of gan cao, reach out to us at community@ricemedia.co.

The post Modernising Tradition: How Aaron Boey is Leading Eu Yan Sang Into Its Next 140 Years appeared first on RICE.
Hundreds of hungry monkeys swarm across Thai street as 'rival gangs' fight over food after tourists who normally feed them stay away because of coronavirus https://t.co/lQZ0sOzwDF pic.twitter.com/8TgrCTBrQ8  Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 12, 2020

Nara, famous for having the largest bronze Buddha statue and the world heritage site it is enshrined at, and also for its free roaming 1,500 deer surrounding the area that greet and bow to tourists for snacks.However, the deers dependence on snacks has been impacted due to the corona virus, causing people to avoid traveling and large gatherings. The deer are now desperate traveling away from the shrine park and into the city looking for food, causing trouble. Nara residents urge everybody to not forget about the deers.A similar case is happening with monkeys normally well fed by tourists in city of Lopburi, central Thailand. Hundreds of hungry monkeys were seen fighting over a single banana in Thailand after the corona virus caused a huge drop in the numbers of tourists who feed them.The visitors have plummeted because of the COVID-19 virus which is gripping not only humans but also animals around the world. Lopburi is home to thousands of wild monkeys that roam the streets and buildings. Many live in the grounds of the city's ancient Buddhist temples.It is said to be divided between the monkeys which live in the temple areas, and those which live in the city.Sources 1
Andrew Medichini/AP

Ashley Scoby, a freelance writer who has been living in Budapest for the last month, went to sleep early on Wednesday night with only a slight concern of the coronavirus spreading throughout Europe.

But when she woke up the next morning at 7 a.m., she found 28 text messages on her phoneall from concerned friends and family members frantic about President Donald Trumps new travel ban that wont allow her to return home because of the growing pandemic.

I found out this morning because I had gone to bed before Trump addressed anything and I woke up to 28 text frantic messages, the 26-year-old told The Daily Beast on Thursday. They all kind of said: Trump just trapped you in Europe.

On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump announced a 30-day travel suspension for travel from most of Europe in an attempt to stop the spread of the flu-like virus that has to date infected more than 130,000 people worldwide.

Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow, Trump said in his speech from the Oval Office. We are at a critical time in the fight against the virus.

Trump added the restrictions will start Friday at midnight, they do not apply to travels to and from the United Kingdom, despite the countrys health minister currently having coronavirus.

I dont know what necessarily this travel ban will accomplish, Scoby said. Theyre exempting the UK, but the UK has more cases then several countries combined. Also, an American can easily come to Europe today and come back with the virus. How does this help the situation?

But Trumps statement was met with immediate contradiction after the Department of Homeland Security released a statement stating American citizens and permanent legal residents were exempt from the travel banand could return home.

The DHS also officially named the 26 affectedand thus bannedcountries, which include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Story continues

After flipping into action mode, Scoby said it took her several newspapers articles to figure out her familys fears were not entirely correctsince she is an American citizen and can return homebut her confusion and anxiety only exemplifies the sentiments of thousands of Americans across Europe on Thursday, who woke up to the conflicting messages from the Trump administration about whether or not they will be able to return to the United States.

All it does is add more confusion and anxiety to a situation that is already high-stress. This is all so confusing and ridiculous, she said. If the president is going to make a grand pronouncement on live TV like that, the embassies should have been prepared to inform Americans abroad about what is going on.

Anna Grace, a 20-year-old student on a trip to Europe, said she was woken up at 3:20 a.m. from a frantic call from her mother about the travel ban. Frantic, Grace told The Daily Beast her and her friends immediately rushed to Madrids Barajas airport to try to book flights home.

While she was able to change her flight to return home instead of continuing her European tour to France, her friends were less successful and are still trying to figure out how to return home.

It was a mass panic, she said. We have no idea whats going on and we just ran straight to the airport.

New York Times journalist Mike McIntire and his wife also sprinted to Pariss Charles De Gaulle airport on Thursday morningafter frantically purchasing two sets of flights back to New York to avoid getting stuck.

In a series of tweets, McIntire said it wasnt until after purchasing flights to leave on Saturday did he learn traveling Americans were exempt from the banbut was unable to get refunds for either ticket due to exceptionally long wait times.

Unable to get refunds at the airport, McIntire and his wife on the flight leaving Friday at midnight, after having spent more than his monthly mortgage payment, and joined his fellow exhausted Americans being served complimentary Peach Bellinis

Was awakened at 2:15 am Paris time by a concerned relative in America saying Trump just banned all travel from Europe! Turning on the TV, I saw that indeed appeared to be so, he originally tweeted, later noting that a Delta ticket agent said that another American spent $20,000 to buy tickets online after Trumps announcement.

Scoby, however, has no immediate plans to spend thousands of dollars on a trip back to the United States. While she did look at flights after hearing the news Thursday morning, she said she just not in a position to drop $2,000 for a one-way flight back to a country where she does not have a permanent address.

Right now, I am a full nomad. I dont have an address. I have no home to go back too, she said, stressing that airlines and the embassy have provided no information about how to proceed under this ban.

As a generally healthy person who has been taking the normal precautions against contracting the coronavirus thus far, the 26-year-old said her only concern up to this point was becoming a vector of it and spreading to other people. She says this ban only added more concern because it has combined the normal feel you would have about a pandemic situation with the fears about getting stuck in another country.

The 26-year-old noted that while only clarity she has gotten so far is that she can turn to the United States, it was not clear when, how, or if she needs to be quarantined upon arrival.

Ive spent the night outside an airport sidewalk before so I am not planning to go back until its absolutely necessary, she said with a laugh, adding at she has a flight back to Kansas City in six days. Im solo. So that doesnt exactly make things easier.

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Senator calls on Justice Department to investigate Pornhub

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A U.S. senator has called on the Department of Justice to investigate PornHub for having videos of actual sexual assaults on its website.

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, sent an open letter to Attorney General Bill Barr on Monday regarding the issue.

In several notable incidents over the past year, Pornhub made content available worldwide showing women and girls that were victims of trafficking being raped and exploited, explained Sasse.

Pornhub must not escape scrutiny. I therefore request that the Department open an investigation into Pornhub and its parent entity MindGeek Holding SARL for their involvement in this disturbing pipeline of exploiting children and other victims and survivors of sex trafficking.

Sasse cited a few incidents, including a Florida man arrested last October for trafficking a 15-year-old girl and uploading videos showing her sexual exploitation to websites including Pornhub.

In another instance, your Department charged the two owners and two other employees of a popular pornographic film production company with a variety of sex trafficking offenses for employing a disturbing array of deceptive and coercive means to force women to make pornography that they later uploaded to Pornhub against their will, continued Sasse.

Indeed, the problem of Pornhub streaming content featuring women and children victims of sex trafficking reached the point in November that PayPal cut off services for Pornhub, refusing to facilitate this abuse any longer.

One of the most popular websites in the United States, Pornhub boasts of having had around 42 billion visits worldwide in the year 2019, or about 115 million visits each day.

Last month, Megha Mohan of the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that dozens of people had videos of their sexual assaults uploaded to Pornhub.

The BBC highlighted the case of Rose Kalemba, a 25-year-old who spent months in 2009 trying to get Pornhub to take down a video of her being raped as a teenager.

"The titles of the videos were 'teen crying and getting slapped around,' 'teen getting destroyed,' 'passed out teen.' One had over 400,000 views," explained Kalemba to the BBC.

"The worst videos were the ones where I was passed out. Seeing myself being attacked where I wasn't even conscious was the worst."

While Pornhub initially ignored her requests to take down the videos, they eventually relented when she created a new email address and posed as a lawyer threatening legal action.

For its part, Pornhub sent the BBC a statement claiming that the Kalemba incident happened before their current owners took control of the website.

Since the change in ownership, Pornhub has continuously put in place the industry's most stringent safeguards and policies when it comes to combating unauthorized and illegal content, as part of our commitment to combating child sex abuse material, stated the site.

The company employs Vobile, a state-of-the-art third party fingerprinting software, which scans any new uploads for potential matches to unauthorized material and makes sure the original video doesn't go back up on the platform.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The number of coronavirus infection cases in Norway and Sweden passed 900 overnight, national health authorities said Saturday

MURMANSK/STOCKHOLM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2020) The number of coronavirus infection cases in Norway and Sweden passed 900 overnight, national health authorities said Saturday.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health registered 157 new cases over a 24 hour period ending at midnight on Friday, bringing the total to 907.

"223 people were infected in Norway, 646 abroad, and in 38 cases the site of the infection is being clarified," it said in a situation report.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said her government was considering closing the borders.

Separately, the institute said that Health Director Bjorn Guldvog and several other top managers of the public health agency were in self-quarantine after an employee tested positive for the virus.

The Public Health Agency in neighboring Sweden said 924 people had come down with the COVID-19 viral disease as of Saturday afternoon. Slightly over half of them are men and the median age is 45.
While social distancing is recommended to be the best way to not contract the novel coronavirus, users of dating apps seem to be taking a different route, with the virus even helping in some cases.

Dating and hook-up apps such as Tinder, OkCupid and Bumble have not reported a rise or fall in user numbers so far because of COVID-19, but users do not seem to be panicking due to the pandemic outbreak, according to people Moneycontrol spoke to.

Meeting people who you do not know through dating apps always has its fair share of risks. If you hook up with a stranger, there is a chance of contracting all sorts of diseases. We never know what they have, so I dont think the coronavirus affects usage of these apps at all, said a 22-year-old Pune-based student of medicine who uses Tinder frequently, requesting anonymity.

Being from the medical fraternity, I definitely understand the disease is real, but even as a pandemic, it has the lowest mortality rate. SARS, H1N1 all had higher death rates. Coronavirus spreads easily and precautions should be taken for sure, but if I really like someone through a dating app, I would like to take that one odd risk, he added.

On dating apps where conversations are often artificial and awkward, the virus is also adding a dose of reality and has become a talking point and a way to judge the other person, compared to other metrics such as movies or TV series.

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

Coronavirus is giving a chance for real conversations to happen and making flow of chats much easier. Otherwise, it is usually hey what music do you like or check this meme, said Radhika Subramanian, a frequent user of Bumble  which enables meeting, dating and friendships.

I just matched with someone who came back on the last flight from the US and have self-quarantined themselves. Our conversation has a spark and now I am waiting to meet him, she added.

Another woman who uses these apps often also said that even without the virus, she does not trust other people and has to take precautions anyway. As long as I am taking proper precautions then I am going to be confident about it. And I honestly have zero faith in others, so I would rather be cautious myself. I do not want to miss out on something awesome because of a stupid virus, the woman, who did not want to be named, added.

The dating apps are also trying to do their bit to educate users about the virus and how to be safe.

Tinder, for instance, has a card on the app where it gives basic tips such as to wash hands often and to avoid touching your face. Beyond the four points it shows, it directs the user to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website to learn more.

When Moneycontrol reached out, a Tinder spokesperson said the company has no comments on app activity and nothing to say beyond the card.

A Bumble spokesperson said, Bumble does not consider itself the expert in dating by any means but we do know a great deal about creating healthy connections online. That said, we would defer to the medical experts at the CDC and WHO, who have provided detailed guidelines for meeting people in public during this time.

However, while regular activity on these apps is continuing, the companies had to stop other planned activities. For example, Tinder said on March 13 that it has cancelled the international release of its apocalyptic-themed, in-app video series, Swipe Night. The company had planned to release the first season of the show to 10 new markets across Europe and Asia this quarter.

Swipe Night was Tinders first foray into video, offering a five-minute interactive story where users made choices to progress the narrative, like a choose-your-own-adventure. These choices would then be highlighted on viewers profiles and were used to match them with others who also took the same action. In addition, the video series gave users a way to break the ice  they could start by talking about the show, instead of resorting to pick-up lines and other awkward openings, TechCrunch reported.

Moneycontrol has learned that Tinder also had to cancel its Swipe Night Party, a party it had planned for its users to be held in Mumbai on Thursday. Tinder declined to comment.

Bumble  which also positions itself as a safer and friendlier platform than others, also said that the virus gives an opportunity to increase online interactions and avoid loneliness, a key fallout of the social distancing that is recommended.

We feel Bumble can provide a great outlet for those who may be concerned with meeting people in person. We are already seeing reports in the media that a pandemic could trigger loneliness and isolationism, and Bumble is one way to stay connected to real people without having to meet in the physical world. Currently, we have some features like voice calls and video chat that allow for an even deeper connection without having to meet in public, or share your phone number or email, the spokesperson said.
If it had been up to some Formula 1 teams, they would be preparing to race in Sunday's ultimately-postponed Australian GP.

Red Bull has admitted it was one of the teams who argued that the race should go on after a McLaren team member was confirmed to have coronavirus.

"The local health authority gave its permission to continue the event, as did the FIA," team boss Christian Horner is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV.

"The majority were in favour of racing, and more test screening would have been done. The teams changed their positions after the meeting and after that the promoter had no choice but to cancel the event," he added.

Top Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko confirmed: "We were ready to race.

"Others were ready too but they wouldn't have had an engine," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

Marko said the decision took so long to be announced officially because "certain people changed their minds several times".

"There was a coronavirus case in the paddock but now that everyone was already there, you could have started practice, carried out further tests and then made a final decision," he added.

Marko confirmed that financial considerations were part of the eventual call.

"It will definitely be a liability issue now," said the Austrian. "As far as I understand, there was the ok from the organiser and the health authority."

Reports suggested that Alpha Tauri, Haas and Racing Point also argued that the race should go on.

(GMM)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have accepted an invitation from the Queen to join her at Balmoral this summer, it has been reported - and they could bring Archie along for the first time.

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor - who turns one in May - could be making his first trip to the Queen's Scottish retreat after Harry and Meghan turned down the invitation last year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are also expected to spend time with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Birkhall, Charles's retreat on the Balmoral estate, according to Roya Nikkhah writing in The Sunday Times.

However, Baby Archie may accompany his parents to Britain in June when they attend trooping the colour.

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor - who turns one in May - could be making his first trip to the Queen's Scottish retreat with his parents later this year. He is pictured meeting The Queen

His absence from his birth country and his wider family is understood to have left the Queen feeling 'very sad'.

Archie remained in Canada last week with the Sussexes' nanny and Meghan's friend Jessica Mulroney while Harry and Meghan completed their final official engagements in the UK.

Last September the Queen was said to have been 'disappointed' when the Sussexes turned down her invitation to Balmoral.

At the time sources close to the couple insisted that the decision should not be seen as a 'snub'.

The family were 'too busy'  and four-month-old Archie 'too young'  to make the trip, according to their spokeswoman, a decision viewed by some as puzzling.

Last September the Queen was said to have been 'disappointed' when the Sussexes turned down her invitation to Balmoral (pictured)

Despite their decision, the couple had taken Archie on holiday to Ibiza and to Sir Elton John's villa in the south of France earlier in the summer.

The Mail on Sunday understood the Queen was 'hurt and disappointed' at a time when she likes to bring her friends and family together.

The annual Highland holiday is the Queen's favourite time of the year and she was, according to a source, looking forward to 'a few days of merry chaos' with the great-grandchildren, including Archie.

It is not known whether the Sussexes' visit to Balmoral will coincide with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's annual trip to Scotland with their children, George, Charlotte and Louis.

The Queen and Prince Philip first met their great-grandchild in May at Windsor Castle, when he was two days old.

The last official sighting of Archie was a photograph of Harry holding his son, published on the Sussex Royal Instagram account on New Year's Eve.

He has spent the past four months in Canada, where the Sussexes have been staying on Vancouver Island.

Kensington Palace declined to comment when contacted this evening by MailOnline.
In an unprecedented move, officials have stopped calling people for jury duty in Bexar County  including in a high-profile death penalty case involving a police officer  as the risk of coronavirus infection mounts.

Were canceling all jury trials in the courthouse for the next 30 days, state District Judge Ron Rangel, administrative judge for the criminal courts, said Friday.

Rangel said all jury trials between Monday and April 16 are suspended and that anyone who receives a jury summons for that period should disregard it.

Summoned individuals will not be penalized for not appearing to jury duty during these dates, Rangels memo stated. In the interim, we will continue to monitor the spread of the virus and notify the public of any updates.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Judge Sid Harle, who was presiding judge over the 226th state District Court for 30 years, said he could not remember a situation where jury service was halted in Bexar County.

Now the 4th Administrative Region judge, Harle recalled that the county shut down for two ice and snow days but never for a virus outbreak.

Bexar County calls about 5,000 people for jury duty per week, and they gather each day in groups as large as 650 in the basement of the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center, where they sit shoulder to shoulder for hours at a time, waiting to see whether they will be picked for a panel.

A few weeks ago, warnings signs were posted in the the justice center, the Paul Elizondo Tower and the historic Bexar County Courthouse  the buildings that make up the Bexar County justice complex  about COVID-19, providing information on prevention, symptoms and transmission.

As recently as Thursday, it was business as usual for Bexar Countys Central Jury Room.

But as the day progressed and news of more and more closures spread across the city, judges began considering options. Coming to a decision, Rangel issued his memo Friday morning suspending jury duty effective Monday morning.

Late Friday, Rangel decided to halt ongoing jury selection in the case of the fatal shooting of San Antonio police Detective Benjamin Marconi, who was gunned down in front of Public Safety Headquarters shortly before noon Nov. 20, 2016.

Otis Tyrone McKane, 34, faces death by injection if convicted of killing Marconi, 50, a Police Department veteran of 20 years. McKane is charged with capital murder of a police officer, accused of shooting Marconi from behind, hitting him twice in the head. Prosecutors say McKane was angry over a child custody dispute.

Jury selection for McKanes case began last Friday. Because the state is seeking the death penalty, the process can take up to a month. Rangel said attorneys would halt individual questioning of potential jurors  done in groups of five  for 30 days and pick up where they left off.

Bexar Countys jury service suspension applies to state, civil and county courts, in addition to justices of the peace and municipal courts.

Rangel said docket calls would continue, but they will be shorter to bring fewer inmates from the jail at a time to reduce the number of people in courtrooms as much as possible  a decision at least one other judge made in the past two weeks.

County Court-at-Law No. 9 Judge Gloria Saldana, who hears misdemeanor cases, already had altered her docket to have fewer people at a time in her courtroom.

Normally, her morning docket lasts a few hours, and she can have up to 100 people in her court  defendants, lawyers and staff combined. They often sit shoulder to shoulder during proceedings, which compromises everyone if someone is ill. Since the coronavirus outbreak, she has asked her court coordinator to set no more than 20 people at a time for her dockets.

I want to make sure my courtroom is safe for people as much as possible, and be proactive and serious about this, Saldana said, adding that she has brought more containers of hand sanitizer into her courtroom and back office.

By Friday, Rangel had decided courts should have smaller dockets with no more than 15 people.

Jurists were also making their own arrangements Friday in light of the outbreak.

Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, who for weeks has been sounding the alarm about the virus, closed her County Court-at-Law No. 13 on Friday after an inmate in court for a bail hearing told deputies while he was in a holding cell that he had been exposed to someone who recently came back from Italy.

Acting out of an abundance of caution, Gonzalez opted to close her court for two weeks.

She has been urging jurors in her court for weeks to wash their hands during all breaks.

Gonzalez also has used social media to tell attorneys to reset their cases by phone if they have the flu or symptoms that could resemble coronavirus and has urged defendants to have their attorneys reset their cases if they are ill and cannot get to court.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio has its first travel-related coronavirus case

She also noted she wont marry couples who appear to have some type of flu-like illness.

Rangel said the justice process will continue to flow despite the disruptions because there are legally mandated hearings, but court officials will follow safety protocols, such as keeping an 8-foot distance between people.

Judge Stephanie Boyd, who presides over the 187th state District Court, said Friday that she would not have any dockets next week so her entire courtroom and back offices could be thoroughly cleaned.

This, hopefully, will give them a chance to clean from top to bottom, she said, adding that her office has always been proactive and aware of the potential to spread illness because of the large number of people in her courtroom every day.

Judge John Longoria, administrative judge for the county courts-at-law, said early on he was open to solutions to promote safety, such as having security officials at each entrance of the justice complex use sensing devices to see whether people entering the building have a fever.

This is a very serious matter, said Longoria, presiding judge of County Court-at-Law No. 5. Why dont we get ahead of it if we can?

Bexar County is not the only entity to respond to the virus outbreak. The Texas Judicial Branchs website devoted an entire page to court procedures while the state grapples with the outbreak. It includes specific instructions on court proceedings and tips for preventing the spread of coronavirus. And the Harris County district clerks website posted a notice Thursday that district courts there have suspended jury service from Friday through March 20.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, which includes San Antonio, announced that all criminal bench and jury trials scheduled to begin on any date through May 1 throughout the district are continued.

Rangel said that although suspending juries may appear to be an extraordinary measure, he and other officials felt they owed it to residents of Bexar County to be cautious and guarantee the publics safety.

The reality is, courthouse functions still will continue and people who work there will make sure the people of the county get what they need, Rangel said.

ezavala@express-news.net
An IIT-Roorkee student with suspected symptoms of coronavirus has been admitted to the isolation ward of a hospital here, an official said on Saturday.

The 26-year-old M.Tech student had recently returned from Japan.

He was kept under observation of a team of doctors at IIT hostel for 10 days and brought to the isolation ward of a government hospital after he complained of cough, a district hospital official said.

His swab samples have been sent to Delhi for testing, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the LNP, Labor and the Greens wrangle for votes across Brisbane, one council ward in the city's south has largely been left alone by all three parties.

Surrounded by the LNP-held Jamboree ward to the south, Labor-held Moorooka to the east, and Greens-held The Gabba to the north, Tennyson ward is held by the city's only independent councillor, Nicole Johnston.

Nicole Johnston has been a councillor since 2008, first for the LNP and then as an independent. Credit:Glenn Hunt

In a council of 26 councillors  18 LNP, an LNP mayor, five Labor and one Greens  Cr Johnston is uniquely placed in Brisbane to lobby for her residents, but also to be overlooked by the major parties.

Cr Johnston is a frequent and controversial voice in council chambers, where she has faced multiple councillor conduct complaints and ejections from the chamber.
If you're also getting the apocalyptic vibes amid the coronavirus pandemic, don't panic. Don't even cause panic. Take precautions and be cautious. That's the best we all can do. Or probably help by donating those who are in need. Just the way, celebrated fashion designer Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck have donated 200,000 euros to a hospital in Milan, Italy to help battle coronavirus.

yahoo.com

"In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can to help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives. This is why, Allegra and I have decided to make a personal donation of 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan," Donatella said in the statement.



"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to call the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past weeks in the effort to take care of our loved ones," she added.



Earlier, Bill Gates had donated $50 million to 12 pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms to speed up the development of a Coronavirus treatment. The companies are looking into finding an effective vaccine against the coronavirus.



Italy is the second hardest-hit country after China, where the virus originated in December last year. No less than 1,260 people have died and more than 17,600 have been infected by COVID-19 in Italy.


Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho attend the European premiere of Frozen 2 in London

(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co said on Friday it would make the sequel to hit animated movie "Frozen" available on its streaming platform Disney+ three months ahead of schedule in the United States, as media companies respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

The company said "Frozen 2" would be available in the country starting Sunday, "surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period."

Cinemas have closed in some countries to try to prevent the spread of the virus, while the two largest U.S. theatre chains have halved their seating capacity.

"Frozen 2" will be available on Disney+ in Canada, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand on March 17.

(Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)
UPDATE: Firefighter who died in U.P. blaze identified.

MARQUETTE COUNTY, MI - A Forsyth Township firefighter died Friday night, part of the crew of first responders who were battling a duplex blaze at the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base property.

The fire broke out shortly before 9:30 p.m. in half of a duplex on Albatross Street, Marquette County sheriffs officials told WLUC. A woman and her two children were able to escape the fire.

When the first firefighters arrived at the scene, half the building was already up in flames. Fire was coming out of the homes front windows and roof, the TV station reported. Firefighters at the scene were digging out additional fire hydrants from a nearby snowbank.

The name of the firefighter who died has not yet been released.

An investigation into the blaze and the death are being handled by the Michigan State Police Fire Marshals office and the sheriffs department, the station said.

The former military base has a mix of rental properties on site.
A Hoover police officer died Friday in what appears to be a suicide.

The officer, whose name is not being released, was found dead in the parking lot of the Hoover Police Operations building on Lorna Road, said Lt. Keith Czeskleba. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office and the Jefferson County Coroners Office were called to investigate.

Authorities said the early indications suggest the death was the result of a suicide. No additional details were released.

"As a department and a family, we are deeply saddened by the tragic situation that occurred today,'' said Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis. This is an incredibly sad and emotional time for everyone and its something that our department has never experienced before.

"We ask for thoughts and prayers for the officers family and the entire Hoover Police Department during this extremely difficult time,'' he said.

Here are suicide prevention resources available in Alabama:

Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition

Crisis Center, Inc. (Birmingham)

Phone: (205) 323-7777

Kids Help Line: (205) 328-KIDS (5437)

Teen Link: (205) 328-LINK (5465)

Senior Talk Line: (205) 328-TALK (8255)

Crisis Services of North Alabama (Huntsville)

Phone: (256) 716-1000

Toll Free: (800) 691-8426

Lifelines/Family Counseling Center of Mobile

Phone: (251) 431-5111

Toll Free: (800) 293-1117
Donald Trump's decision to include the UK in his Europe-wide travel ban in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus could have huge consequences for the already beleaguered British Airways.

The airline's CEO, Alex Cruz, told employees on Thursday that its survival was at stake and jobs will be lost.

He said the situation was more serious than 9/11, the global financial crisis and the Sars outbreak.

British Airways could be hit hard by Donald Trump's travel ban for the UK as it already struggles to cope with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic

President Donald Trump has banned flights to the US from the UK and Ireland amid the coronavirus pandemic

To make matters worse, Trump announced no flights would be travelling between Europe and the US.

It is a huge blow to BA who earn nearly $1.2billion a year just flying between New York JFK and London Heathrow.

The ban comes as Virgin Atlantic are writing a letter to Boris Johnson requesting 7.5billion in government aid to prop up the airline industry, Sky News reported.

A spokesperson for British Airways refused to comment on how the ban would affect business, but told MailOnline: 'The focus is on our customers.'

But across social media, passengers who are desperately trying to return home amid the outbreak are venting their frustration at the airline.

Many are saying they are having troubles with the website and are unsure if they will be able to board their flights, with the ban taking effect on Monday from 5pm GMT.

Hundreds of families and individual travellers were also seen waiting in long lines at Heathrow's Terminal 5 this morning to check in alongside their luggage for British Airways flights to the US.

British Airways have directed their customers towards the 'book with confidence' section of their website.

Customers who are booked to fly with the airline between March 14 and May 31 can cancel their booking and receive a voucher for the same value.

Many concerned passengers have complained on social media about the confusion surrounding their booked flights with BA

Passengers are frantically queuing to get back to the US before President Donald Trump bans flights from the UK in the latest efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: Queues at Heathrow Terminal 5

The President had initially excluded the UK and Ireland from the European ban of 26 countries

Masked travellers at Heathrow today as President Donald Trump slapped the UK and Ireland with a travel ban

WHO CAN TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES FROM BRITAIN? UNITED STATES CITIZENS American nationals will be able to return to the US, but will be funelled to 13 designated airports where they will be screened for COVID-19. LEGAL RESIDENTS Those with green cards or other visa guarantees are allowed to return, and will also undergo testing. EVERYONE ELSE Everyone travelling from Britain who does not hold US citizenship or residency will be banned from entering American soil from midnight, US eastern time, on Monday. Advertisement

The airline's website says: 'Vouchers are valid for 12 months and can be used to any destination.

'Your voucher can be used as part payment towards a future booking to any destination. It must be redeemed for travel on flights taken within 12 months of your original date of departure.'

The President had initially excluded the UK and Ireland from the European ban of 26 countries, but added it to the blacklist this afternoon as infection rates soared overnight.

Under the restrictions, American citizens and green card holders are still allowed to return home, but will be funnelled to 13 airports and subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

Coronavirus is threatening to destabilise many industries as the global pandemic takes hold.

Half a million seasonal jobs in UK holiday parks, hotels and tourist areas have already been 'frozen', and 'hundreds of thousands' more are at risk due to a cash crunch for UK bars, cafes and restaurants.

Alistair Darling, who was Chancellor during the 2008 financial crisis, said the Government must consider massive bailouts for airlines and other firms hit by the deadly virus.
Poland on Friday said it was shutting its borders to foreign travellers to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected at least 68 people.

It would also impose two weeks of quarantine on people returning from abroad, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters.

"Most of the cases that have been propagating the coronavirus epidemic in Poland are imported cases," he said.

"We don't want the coronavirus to head our way in droves." Morawiecki said Poland's borders would be closed for 10 days, but that the government might prolong the shutdown.

Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said that both the quarantine measures and the border closures would apply from midnight on Saturday.

Two people so far has died from coronavirus in Poland, which has a population of 38 million.

Morawiecki said that foreigners living or working in Poland would be able to enter but would also have to observe the quarantine -- either at home or at an isolation site offered them.

Trains and airplanes will only be servicing routes within Poland.

Shopping malls will close, though grocery stores and pharmacies remain open, said the premier. Restaurants and bars will close their sit-in service but are encouraged to continue to provide a takeaway service.

Public gatherings of more than 50 people are also banned for the next two weeks, said the prime minister -- and that also applied to mass in the devout Catholic country.

Poland has already shut down its schools, museums and cinemas.

Neighbouring Slovakia and the Czech Republic have also closed their borders to foreign travellers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bengaluru, March 14 : As many 32 people continue to be quarantined in Karnataka hospitals for COVID-19 as the state grapples with six positive cases, an official said on Saturday.

"In Karnataka, 32 people with coronavirus symptoms are being observed in isolation at hospitals," state health department's Information, Education and Communication (IEC) special officer Suresh Shastri told IANS.

Of the 32 cases, seven are admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in the city while another two are admitted in other Bengaluru hospitals.

In the district hospitals, four people are being monitored at Hassan, seven in Dakshina Kannada, one each in Ballari and Kodagu, two each in Chikamagalur, Udupi and Bidar and four in Kalaburgi.

"As many as 731 samples of symptomatic persons were collected for testing and 590 samples have returned negative," said an official statement.

Nearly 1,308 people are going through home quarantine across the state while 1,657 people have enrolled for observation.

Across the state, 1.09 lakh passengers have been thermal-screened for the virus till now at the Kempegowda International Airport in the city and the Mangaluru International Airport.

Another 5,439 passengers were also checked for the virus at Karwar and Mangaluru seaports.

Meanwhile, state health and family welfare department has decided to physically send health workers to monitor people who came in contact with COVID-19 cases or have returned from high risk countries.

"Passengers from all other COVID-19 affected countries will be followed through outbound calls through 104 call centre," said an official statement.

In a related development, Karnataka government has decided to deliver raw materials to mid-day meals beneficiaries at the anganwadis itself.

"Anganwadis across the state would be shut for the next one week. In view of this, the state government will home deliver groceries to every beneficiary of the mid-day meal scheme at anganwadis," said an official statement aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus.
Buhari and Sanusi

The Nation reports that a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu has described as mischievous, attempts to accuse President Muhammadu Buhari of masterminding the dethronement of the former Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi.

Nwosu said the allegation smacks of mischief and an attempt to politicize Sanusis removal.

According to Nwosu, his experience with President Buhari during the 2019 governorship election in Imo state, confirmed that the President does not use the instrument of his office to emasculate institutions of government or coerce them to his advantage.

A former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has accused the President of masterminding the dethronement of Sanusi over his political stand in the 2019 election.

But Nwosu insisted that, It is unfounded to allege that President Buhari was behind the dethronement of Sanusi. If you know the President very well, you will know that he does not interfere in the functions of government institutions to get any personal advantage. It is most unfair to accuse him of inciting the removal of Sanusi.

The Kano state government has explicitly stated the reasons the former Emir was removed and if you know how much the Kano Emirate is respected, you will know that no governor will allow himself to be used to depose an Emir without reasons.

During the 2019 governorship elections in Imo State for instance, President Buhari did not use the instrument of his office to coerce the electorate to vote for any particular candidate but he asked the people to vote for their candidates across party lines. That shows who President Buhari is so anybody accusing him of removing Sanusi is not sincere.
Pupils who bring knives to schools will not automatically be expelled under controversial plans to scrap a 'zero tolerance' approach to the deadly weapons in class.

MPs have criticised the proposals  which have been floated in some areas of the UK worst hit by knife crime  saying the only message should be that blades have no place in school.

The suggestion comes as head teachers try to reduce the number of pupils they exclude  which some experts say leads to more involvement in knife crime and other illegal activity.

Victim: Baptista Adjel,15, pictured with his mother Josephine who was fatally stabbed in East London in October. Another teenager has been charged

Now Wandsworth Council in South-West London has circulated guidelines saying that permanently and immediately excluding any child who has carried or used a knife against others 'is not appropriate'.

The council claims the suggested change in policy will 'ensure that our schools are safer places for staff, pupils, parents and visitors'.

Similar moves are believed to be under way across London where knife crime has risen to a new high, according to the latest figures, with 15,080 knife offences recorded in the capital in the year to the end of September.

The 17-page Wandsworth document, drawn up with the police, runs through a range of hypothetical scenarios from a girl who is self-harming, a vulnerable Year 7 boy who has brought his penknife to school to show his friends and another found with a large kitchen knife in his rucksack.

While the police are informed in all cases, the final outcomes should depend on other factors, says the document.

But Tory MP Tom Hunt, a member of the Commons Education Committee, said: 'I wouldn't want anything to be done to soften the message that knives have no place in schools.

'Exclusion should probably be the norm for kids caught carrying knives at school. Perhaps if there's an exceptional reason it might not be appropriate, but generally we need to be handing out a tough punishment for that.

'There are no circumstances whatsoever where it's acceptable to carry a knife at school or anywhere else for that matter.

'I think being caught carrying a knife at school is completely and utterly unacceptable and there has to be a tough approach.'

Last year a report by MPs and peers warned that exclusion from school could actually be the 'tipping point' which leads children to pick up a knife.

Official figures show that children in England's schools were permanently excluded on 7,900 occasions in 2017/18  a 70 per cent increase in five years.

The all-party group on knife crime said schools needed to be more accountable for the children they excluded and should ensure they still get a decent education.

'Too many children are being socially excluded and marked as failures, with tragic consequences,' the report said. 'All too often the moment of school exclusion is the tipping point that leads to young people picking up knives. It's increasingly clear children outside of mainstream schools are at serious risk of grooming and exploitation by criminal gangs.'

But Tom Bennett, the Department for Education's independent behaviour adviser, has argued against making the link that exclusion leads to knife crime and suggested campaigners were driven 'more by ideology than evidence'.

Writing in The Times he blamed 'forces such as poverty and gang culture, which are complex and hard to solve easily' and added: 'It is far easier to point the finger of blame at schools and thereby prevent them from doing what sadly sometimes needs to be done for the good of the school community.'

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said: 'This is a discussion document that's been drawn up in close consultation with the police, head teachers, child psychologists and educational professionals to give schools guidance on how they may choose to react to different scenarios they may encounter.

'It is also being discussed in neighbouring boroughs and it's our understanding that similar guidance is being circulated among all the London boroughs.'

Recent schoolboy victims of knife crime include Baptista Adjei, 15, who was stabbed to death in his uniform in Stratford, East London, in October.

Another 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder and possession of an offensive weapon. Baptista's aunt, Aretha Adjei, said: 'The fact that he died in his school uniform is horrific His mother is not coping well. You can't imagine her pain.'








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(Natural News) With hundreds of millions of Chinese people now under mandatory lockdown due to the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), the global economy is rapidly screeching to a halt. Cars arent getting built, pharmaceuticals arent being made, and lobster isnt being imported, which is impacting fishermen hard in places as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Since its currently the worlds largest importer of lobster, China in many ways pulls the levers of the crustaceans supply. And because theres very little demand for lobster in China right now, seeing as how large swaths of the country are now living under medical martial law, lobster companies elsewhere are actually considering tossing them back into the ocean since theres not enough people to buy them these days.

Chinese restaurants the world over are aggressively slashing their lobster prices in an attempt to at least get the product they have moving, but theres still a supply glut thats hurting the fishermen who catch these bright red creatures the most  and at the worst time possible since the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration is typically when lobster is most in demand in China.

The outbreak arrived in the midst of Lunar New Year celebrations  traditionally the busiest season for lobster orders  causing restaurants to cut prices by up to 50 per cent and some major exporters like New Zealand to consider tipping their live catch back into the sea, writes Su-Lin Tan for the South China Morning Post.

Authorities in New Zealand last week said they would assist desperate exporters with controlled releases of some lobsters after most of the nations rock lobster orders to China were cancelled, she adds. In Australia, the Australia China Business Council said the government had been inundated with inquiries from the industry for help.

By all appearances, the continued spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) is accomplishing one major globalist goal, and thats the deconstruction of the worlds economy, piece by piece. To learn more, listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) pandemic is a win-win for the New World Order:

Many fishermen have simply stopped fishing and docked their boats in the hope of an eventual recovery

At this point in time, its more beneficial for some fishermen to simply stop fishing altogether, which is what many of them are now doing. Especially those that supply primarily to China, some commercial fishermen have decided to simply dock their boats and wait it all out in the hope that demand will eventually increase and once again steady out the prices for lobster and other sea delicacies.

Its a waiting game, but we will slowly re-enter the market when it kicks back in, says Andrew Ferguson, the head of a South Australian rock lobster fishing company, comparing the situation to what took place back in 2002-03 during the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic.

For us fishers, we mostly work on just-in-time orders and  there are also other markets which are still importing.

The problem, of course, is that many fishing companies rely on the Chinese market to stay afloat. Without Chinese orders, in other words, many of them could soon go under, or at least have to drastically reconfigure their business plans.

While the outbreak has had an economic impact on our industry, it pales in comparison to what the Chinese communities are going through, added a spokesman from the Geraldton Fishermens Co-operative (GFC) in Western Australia, which sells 90 per cent of its rock lobsters to China.
An 18-wheeler weaved its way through the narrow and winding avenues of the NRG Park parking lot Friday afternoon toward the RodeoHouston carnival, where only a few booths and towering Ferris wheel remain.

Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday ordered the shutdown of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo because of concerns about the coronavirus.

While the economic impact of the rodeo is estimated at well over $225 million, the 36 food vendors at the carnival, owned by RCS Carnival Group, are making the best of the difficult situation. Theyre donating their remaining items to local nonprofits, including Houston Food Bank.

Hundreds of thousands of people are counting on the organization and its partners now, and the need will only heighten if the situation worsens. The food we are receiving today from RCS Carnival Group will help us to feed kids, senior citizens and families in need during this important time," President and CEO of Houston Food Bank Brian Greene said.

Pallets piled high with goods, including industrial cans of soup and refried beans, boxes of waffle mix and sugar, individually wrapped candied apples and large bags of onions, were lifted onto the truck by forklift operators.

Weve got proteins, vegetables, bread and dairy from our vendors, said Dominic Palmieri, owner of RCS Carnival Group. The Houston Food Bank was looking for quarantine meals and disaster relief boxes, and then kids are out of school and without school meals. We wanted to help in some way."

There is enough to help others, too. Palmieri's company will also make food donations to three other Houston nonprofits: Second Servings, Star of Hope and The Beacon.

When I got together with the vendors to see how we wanted to deal with all of this food, it was no question," he said.

The Phoenix-based RCS Carnival Group has been making the trip to RodeoHouston for nearly 27 years. While Palmieri is not sure yet how much of a financial toll this year's rodeo cancellation will take on his vendors, it will not deter them from coming back next year.

"We will be back for RodeoHouston 2021," he said. This experience has been bittersweet. It has been hard for us but at the same time, we are pleased the food is going to help families."

Greene echoed Palmieri's comments. We are so sorry for the major impact that the rodeo cancellation is having upon these businesses and people," but by helping others, he said, "we hope this will be a silver lining in an unfortunate situation."

@marcydeluna
The BJP's Rajasthan unit will launch a social media campaign to generate awareness about coronavirus, the party's state president Satish Poonia said on Saturday.

He also held a meeting with BJP leaders and asked them to carry out the campaign, according to a party release.

Speaking about an Italian woman who had tested positive for coronavirus, Poonia said that it was good sign that she has recovered.

Rajasthan has reported four confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, including the Italian woman and her husband.

While the woman is under observation at the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, the remaining patients have been kept in isolation at Sawai Man Singh Hospital here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gary Knapp will present a introduction to fly fishing seminar at the Bob Freesen YMCA from 9 to 11 a.m. March 21 and 1 to 3 p.m. March 22.

The session will cover fly fishing gear, how to tie flies, and basics of casting.
Debates are often unpredictable, but it is especially hard to game out how this debate featuring a moderate standard-bearer and a liberal challenger will unfold and how people will process it. Hundreds of thousands of viewers, if not millions, will have been personally affected by Sunday, as public gathering spaces are shuttered, schools are closed and on Thursday the stock market plunged by the largest percentage in decades (it snapped back upward on Friday).

It is going to be a different kind of debate, Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, an early ally and surrogate for Mr. Biden, said with more than a little understatement.

The extraordinary situation offers an unusual challenge and opportunity. It will provide a national platform and audience for Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders to preview their own brands of presidential leadership, especially in contrast to that of President Trump, who had spent weeks downplaying the threat that the coronavirus presented.

You have to throw the entire playbook out the window and focus on what people care about because the agenda has shifted dramatically since they were last onstage together, said Jared Leopold, a Democratic communications strategist who worked for Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington during his 2020 presidential bid. Its like you were preparing to pitch in the World Series and suddenly you found yourself at bat at a key moment. The dynamics have totally shifted.

Stephanie Cutter, a Democratic strategist who worked on the Obama campaigns, said moments like this are when voters want to see leaders, not politicians, warning against anything that would look like petty politics.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Saturday that the Centre has accorded required attention to the Northeast, which is paving way for concerted development and growth in the region.

Addressing 'The Meghalayan Age' tourism conclave at Thadlaskein, he said the programme is part of the state's efforts to an provide opportunity to visitors to experience Meghalaya.

The chief minister stressed on the need to explore the possibility of working collaboratively with the neighbouring countries in the field of tourism, and boosting cultural and economic ties.

"We have realised the potential we have with our immediate neighbour Bangladesh. The country is moving very fast, they have a growth rate of almost 8 per cent, their GDP is nearly USD 400 billion. We have to look at the opportunity next door and build relations that would economically benefit our people," Sangma said.

The chief minister said that his government is working towards attracting investments and ensure a sustainable development model of growth.

He said plans are being formulated on models to boost luxury tourism that would be remunerative for the people of the state and also ensure that Meghalaya becomes a sought- after tourism destination, not only in the country but globally.

Union minister Jitendra Singh, who was present at programme, said that the event was scaled down in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

He said that in the last five years, the Centre has provided adequate thrust for creating better infrastructure and promote the development of Northeast.

"Prior to the formation of the NDA government, the budget of the North Eastern Council was around Rs 700 crore, however, we have increased it to about Rs 1,400 crore. We have different plans to promote and ensure the welfare of the region," said the minister of state (independent charge) for the development of north eastern region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department wants citizens to be aware of possible exposures to a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19).

It is the case in which Father Brad Whitaker, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, tested positive for the new virus. Officials said on Friday that he had contact with a person who was confirmed with the coronavirus while on an out-of-state trip. Officials also said that he has since recovered from the virus.

Health Department officials said:

If you attended any events at St. Paul Episcopal Church (located at 305 W. Seventh St., Chattanooga) between the dates of February 23, 2020 and March 13, 2020, you need to be aware of a possible exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19. If it has been more than 14 days since you were at the church your risk for coronavirus is very low. However, if you have had respiratory symptoms including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing within that 14 day period, please call the Health Department hotline at 423-209-8383.

If it has been less than 14 days and you had close contact with the case such as being within 6 feet of the case for more than 15 minutes and you are symptom free; you should self-quarantine at home and monitor your health. The following are guidelines for self-quarantine:

Stay home for 14 days from the time of your contact with a person ill with the 2019 novel coronavirus.

If you attended a Chattanooga Bar Association Meeting held at the Hamilton County Court House (old Court House at 625 Georgia Ave, Chattanooga) on 2/28/20 and the Hamilton County Health Department has not already contacted you-- you need to be aware of a possible exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19. It has been more than 14 days since the potential contact so your risk for coronavirus is very low. However, if you have had respiratory symptoms including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing within that 14 day period, please call the Health Department hotline at 423-209-8383.

If it has been less than 14 days and you had close contact with the case such as being within 6 feet of the case for more than 15 minutes and you are symptom free; you should self-quarantine at home and monitor your health. The following are guidelines for self-quarantine:

Stay home for 14 days from the time of your contact with a person ill with the 2019 novel coronavirus.

Take these steps to monitor your health and practice social distancing:

1. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.

2. Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period; this includes no shopping centers, movie theaters, churches, or other social events. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.

3. Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.

4. Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).

What to do if you get sick:

If you get sick with fever (100.4F/38C or higher), cough, or have trouble breathing:

Contact the Health Department at 423-209-8190.

Seek medical care. Call ahead before you go to a doctors office or emergency room .

Tell your doctor about your recent travel or close contact and your symptoms.

Avoid contact with others.

If you need to seek medical care for other reasons, such as dialysis, or other necessary medical care, call ahead to your doctor and tell them about your situation.
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. This means that investors who purchase shares on or after the 19th of March will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 1st of April.

Canadian Natural Resources's next dividend payment will be CA$0.42 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CA$1.50 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that Canadian Natural Resources has a trailing yield of 8.6% on the current share price of CA$19.85. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

See our latest analysis for Canadian Natural Resources

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Fortunately Canadian Natural Resources's payout ratio is modest, at just 33% of profit. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 33% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

TSX:CNQ Historical Dividend Yield, March 14th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Canadian Natural Resources earnings per share are up 4.8% per annum over the last five years. Recent earnings growth has been limited. However, companies that see their growth slow can often choose to pay out a greater percentage of earnings to shareholders, which could see the dividend continue to rise.

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Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last ten years, Canadian Natural Resources has lifted its dividend by approximately 23% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

The Bottom Line

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Canadian Natural Resources? Earnings per share have been growing moderately, and Canadian Natural Resources is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends, which is an attractive combination as it suggests the company is investing in growth. It might be nice to see earnings growing faster, but Canadian Natural Resources is being conservative with its dividend payouts and could still perform reasonably over the long run. Canadian Natural Resources looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

So while Canadian Natural Resources looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Canadian Natural Resources (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
BUFFALO, N.Y., March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athenex, Inc. (ATNX), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and related conditions, today provides an update on the Companys operations in light of the recent declaration of the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

Athenexs operational plans continue to remain on track and the Companys current assessment is that the NDA submission for Oral Paclitaxel and pre-launch preparations for Oral Paclitaxel and tirbanibulin ointment should not be impacted. In addition, the Companys interactions with the U.S. FDA and other regulatory authorities currently remain on schedule. While Athenexs China operations in Chongqing were impacted by the coronavirus situation, the Company is delighted to report that such operations have resumed in the first week of March in accordance with the recommendations by the local authorities. The Companys Taihao plant is continuing to produce API for clinical and registration needs, and the construction of the new API plant continues to remain on schedule.

Athenex puts the well-being of its employees globally at the highest priority and is diligently following the recommendations of the relevant local authorities with regards to precautions, including policies with respect to travel, working from home, and limiting participation in large gatherings. The Company will continue to be a global citizen and work closely to support the various global public health authorities, and is continuing to monitor the evolving situation.

About Athenex, Inc.

Founded in 2003, Athenex, Inc. is a global clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to becoming a leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of next generation drugs for the treatment of cancer. Athenex is organized around three platforms, including an Oncology Innovation Platform, a Commercial Platform and a Global Supply Chain Platform. The Companys current clinical pipeline is derived from four different platform technologies: (1) Orascovery, based on P-glycoprotein inhibitor, (2) Src kinase inhibition, (3) T-cell receptor-engineered T-cells (TCR-T), and (4) Arginine deprivation therapy. Athenexs employees worldwide are dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients by creating more active and tolerable treatments. Athenex has offices in Buffalo and Clarence, New York; Cranford, New Jersey; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Hong Kong; Taipei, Taiwan; multiple locations in Chongqing, China; Manchester, UK; Guatemala City, Guatemala and Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more information, please visit www.athenex.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are typically identified by terms such as anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, foresee, goal, guidance, intend, likely, may, plan, potential, predict, preliminary, probable, project, promising, seek, should, will, would, and similar expressions. Actual results might differ materially from those explicit or implicit in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the development stage of our primary clinical candidates and related risks involved in drug development, clinical trials, regulation, manufacturing and commercialization; our reliance on third parties for success in certain areas of Athenexs business; our history of operating losses and need to raise additional capital to continue as a going concern; our ability to integrate CIDALs assets into our existing operations; competition; intellectual property risks; risks relating to doing business internationally and in China, including the impact of public health epidemics such as the coronavirus; the uncertainty of when, if at all, we will be able to resume full API production operations in Chongqing; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in our SEC filings, copies of which are available for free in the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.athenex.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=254495&p=irol-sec or upon request from our Investor Relations Department. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

CONTACTS

Investor Relations:

Tim McCarthy

Managing Director, LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Direct: 212-915-2564

Athenex, Inc.:

Randoll Sze

Chief Financial Officer

Email: RandollSze@athenex.com
Soon after President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency to combat the novel coronavirus, the Indian Embassy in the US asked the large Indian students' community to avoid all non-essential domestic and international travel.

There are over 200,000 Indian students studying in various educational institutions and universities in the US.

"Please avoid all non-essential domestic or international travel," the embassy here said in an advisory to Indian students.

For official advisories on domestic and international travel, the students have been asked to check the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 100 colleges and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Harvard University, have also suspended in-person teaching and announced to shift to online classes in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 41 lives in the US.

The institutions have also asked students not to return after the spring break and to move out of their houses and first-year dorms. This has created a major challenge for students from India as a large number of them do not have any friends and relatives in the US.

For international travel, the Indian Embassy asked students to contact their Designated School Official (DSO) for information on any possible impact in the future on their F-1 or J-1 status.

F-1 or J-1 are two different categories of visas for international students.

These have certain restrictions on stay of an international student after their academic institute closes down or they conclude their courses.

Indian students also face the problem of visa validity in the development of universities moving to online courses. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) does not consider online courses as a reason for foreign students to stay in the US.

The embassy advised Indian students to read official campus advisories or contact their DSO for information on how short-term or long-term shifts to online courses will impact their F-1 or J-1 status.

"If you are graduating in Spring 2020 and travelling internationally, please contact your DSO for advice on how this may impact your graduation and application for OPT," the embassy said.

On this matter, the US government has indicated that this is an evolving situation, it said.

The embassy said that "at this stage, they expect the closure to be of limited duration (two to four weeks), which fits within the current regulatory context".

"When the school re-opens, the student will resume studies. They are treating this more like a spring or summer break, where a student may remain in the country even though the school is not in session," it said.

"However, if the closure is for several months (five or more), which exceeds the permissible period between semesters, then the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will provide additional guidance," the embassy said.

For those staying in on-campus housing and have been asked to vacate, the advisory said, asking students to check with their university if they can petition to continue staying in on-campus housing.

"If you cannot petition for continued on-campus housing or your petition is not accepted, consult with your university or your network on how to find alternate accommodations," it said.

In an advisory MIT, which has a large number of Indian students, on Thursday had advised all undergraduate students to accelerate their move out plans.

MIT will reimburse travel change expenses and new reservation costs of up to USD 500 for undergraduates who move up their departure to before Sunday, March 15, at midnight, the institute said in its advisory.

"If your university is shutting down on-campus services, check with your university on how to avail your university's health services, student health insurance, international student services, and any other essential service(s) that may be impacted," the embassy advisory said.

The embassy informed Indian students that if they are planning travel from the US to India, then they will be subject to medical screening upon arrival and they may be put in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, if required.

"This is an unprecedented situation, but we can successfully manage it by taking decisions with a calm mind. Please take prudent health precautions and carefully review information and travel advisories," it said.

On Thursday, the American University said all classes will move to online platforms following the Spring break for the rest of the semester. The Spring break will be extended through Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17, and classes are cancelled for those two days, the varsity said.

Harvard has asked its students not to return to campus after the Spring break ends on March 23, and said that classes will move online for the rest of the semester amid the mushrooming outbreak of the coronavirus.

"The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings," Harvard President Larry Bacow said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All UN staff have been asked to telecommute until April 12 unless their physical presence is required at the workplace, the global body has said, taking steps to mitigate the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Following extensive consultations with senior management, including the Medical Director, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has taken the decision to step up precautionary measures at UN headquarters to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the UN spokesperson said in a statement. Effective from March 16 to April 12, all UN staff will be required to telecommute unless their physical presence in the workplace is needed to carry out essential services, it said.

"After three weeks, we will assess the necessity of maintaining a reduced level of staff in the building," the statement said. It added that these measures are aimed at reducing the physical presence at United Nations headquarters, while continuing to deliver on the mandates. "It is essential that we reduce social contact to a minimum and follow the clear instructions of the World Health Organization to minimise the risks of transmitting the infection," it said.

Guterres and senior management continue to monitor the situation and will take further measures as needed. Last week, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines had informed the UN Medical Services that one of its delegates has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The delegate was last at the UN headquarters on March 9 for about 30 minutes around mid-day and visited only one meeting room, which has gone through three cleaning cycles since then. The delegate did not have contact with UN staff but met two delegates from another mission. UN Medical services is reaching out to them. At the daily press briefing, Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that measures are being taken to reduce, as much as possible, the footprint of people going into the UN building.

READ: Coronavirus: All 7 Samples Test Negative In Latur Maharashtra

"What is important and to remember is that the UN's work will continue. We will continue to support peacekeeping operations. We will continue to support our humanitarian operations. Our colleagues will continue to work on the budget. Things will be done from home," he said. He said that if member states or the Security Council decide to hold meetings, the UN will support them in whatever way it can.

"But there will have to be critical meetings of the Security Council to renew mandates, critical meetings of the Budget Committee to approve budgets. We will support those. It may be not with the number of interpreters that we like to have, but the work of the UN will continue," Dujarric said.

In a video message recorded on Friday afternoon, Guterres assured the world that the COVID-19 virus will peak, and the global economy will recover but, until then, "we must act together to slow the spread of the virus and look after each other".

In the face of a health crisis "unlike any other in our lifetimes", said the Secretary-General, it is natural to feel anxious, worried and confused. "The most vulnerable in society are also the most affected, and the social and economic fallout will affect most of us for months to come". However, "this is a time for prudence, not panic. Science, not stigma. Facts, not fear," Guterres said. He added that the pandemic can still be controlled, preventing infections and saving lives, but it will take "unprecedented personal, national and international action".

This will involve putting effective containment strategies into place; activating and enhancing emergency response systems; dramatically increasing testing capacity and care for patients; readying hospitals, and developing life-saving medical interventions. The crisis has shown the importance of international cooperation, with governments working together to revitalise economies, expand public investment and ensure support for the most vulnerable.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the launch on Friday of a first-of-its-kind COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to make it easier for private individuals, corporations and institutions anywhere in the world to come together to directly contribute to fighting the pandemic.

"We are at a critical point in the global response to COVID-19. We need everyone to get involved in this massive effort to keep the world safe," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Funds will go towards supporting actions outlined in the WHO's COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, to enable all countries particularly those most vulnerable and at-risk, and with the weakest health systems to prepare for and respond to the crisis.
Joe Biden has proven himself to be one of the oddest Democratic political candidates, surpassing even Bernie Sanders in outrageousness. His defenders claim he is of sound mind and that his critics are attacking him with baseless accusations. But Biden, the self-proclaimed "gaffe machine," can't seem to make a single reasonable and well thought out speech without a verbal blunder. Below is just a sampling of some of the peculiar comments he has made, showing that he is not a serious candidate in the election.

Last year, he tweeted a picture showing his friendship bracelet with "Joe" and "Barack" written in square beads, with the tweet reading, "Happy #BestFriendsDay to my friend, @BarackObama." Apparently, Barack isn't a good enough friend to endorse Joe for his presidential race.

In one especially disturbing speech, he rambles on about his "hairy legs." He said:

And by the way, you know I got a lot of  I got hairy legs ... that turn blonde in the Sun. And the kids used to come up and reach into the pool and rub my leg down, so it was straight and then watch the hair come back up again. They'd look at it. So I learned about roaches and I learned about kids jumping on my lap. And I've loved kids jumping on my lap.

Another gaffe he made was concerning gun violence in the U.S. A "hundred fifty million people have been killed since 2007, when Bernie voted to exempt the gun manufacturers from liability, more than all the wars, including Vietnam from that point on," he claimed. He wasn't too far off of the number of firearms-related deaths in the U.S. if you consider 373,663 close to 150 million. Further, he argued with a Detroit Union auto worker about firearms, saying nobody needs an "AR-14" with "100 rounds." Does he even know what he is trying to ban? A gun shop named Next Level Armament made a custom AR-14 edition of the AR-15 for the Union worker, so maybe Biden can try to ban that.

Biden's poor grasp of numbers can be seen as far back as 1987, when he arrogantly claimed to a questioner that "I think I probably have a much higher IQ than you do." He continued by saying, "The first year in law school I decided I didn't want to be in law school and ended up in the bottom two-thirds of my class and then decided I wanted to stay and went back to law school and in fact ended up in the top half of my class." But rather than the top half of his class, he graduated 76th out of 85.

Biden lost all sense of time and place when he said in South Carolina while running for the presidency: "My name's Joe Biden. I'm a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate." Once upon a time, he was, just as, once upon a time, he was aware of his surroundings. His poor situational awareness was on display during Super Tuesday, when he got his wife and sister mixed up on stage. The previous day, he had announced that "tomorrow is Super Thurs Tuesday," a gaffe Trump immediately seized on. "He doesn't even know where he is, or what he's doing, or what office he's running for," Trump said. If he were to be elected, Trump continued, "[t]hey're going to put him into a home and other people are going to be running the country."

Another instance of his lack of common sense was in 2008, when he told the Missouri state senator Chuck Graham to stand up. "I'm told Chuck Graham, state senator, is here. Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see you. Oh, God love you! What am I talking about?" What he was talking about was telling a paraplegic in a wheelchair to stand up, proving he could not heal the paralytic by simply telling him to walk, as Jesus did.

He once warned Iowans: "Everybody knows who Donald Trump is. Even his supporters know who he is. We got to let him know who we are. We choose unity over division. We choose science over fiction. We choose truth over facts." It's good that Trump's supporters know who he is, since they voted for him. But whether it's good that truth is chosen over facts is known only to Joe Biden.

Follow my work at thomasmaino.com.
Mario Tama / Getty Images

Gov. Gavin Newsom followed the lead of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and other local officials in discouraging large gatherings Thursday to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but his order came with a Mickey Mouse exception: Disneyland and other amusement parks were explicitly excluded.

Given that Disneyland, which reportedly packs in 50,000 or more visitors a day, constitutes one of Californias largest ongoing gatherings, wasnt this Matterhorn-size loophole a little, well, Goofy? No, the governor explained, Disneyland is just a whole different thing because its like a nation-state  a term he has also applied to California itself and which actually applies to none of the above.
Australia descended into a panic-buying frenzy on Saturday as thousands of people rushed to stock up on food amid coronavirus fears.

Woolworths and Coles introduced strict new purchase limits last week on toilet paper, pasta, dry rice and hand sanitiser after their shelves were repeatedly raided by nervous shoppers.

One shopper in Brisbane was seen wearing a yellow helmet with a clear, full-face plastic veil and a large gas mask at Aldi in Keperra.

He wasn't taking any chances as he went about his grocery shopping despite having people stare.

But the restrictions appear to have made people even more desperate, as video footage inside a Costco in Sydney seems to attest.

The alarming clip shows hundreds of people waiting to get into the store in Epping, north of the city's CBD.

Some customers wore facemasks as they waited patiently in single file.

However, once inside the store there was a stampede of shoppers who ransacked the shelves and barged other customers out of the way.

A shopper seen in Queensland wearing a yellow helmet with a clear, full-face plastic veil and a large gas mask

Costco shoppers rushed in to grab essential items on Saturday amid coronavirus fears

Hundreds of people queued outside a Costco on Saturday morning, hoping to bulk buy

One helpless shop assistant can be heard shouting 'there's no toilet paper' as people rushed past her.

Shoppers were seen leaving the store with trolleys piled high with produce.

There were similar scenes in other supermarkets as shoppers seemed intent on stockpiling despite repeated calls for calm.

Coles, in Bondi Junction, had large queues of shoppers waiting to be served after grabbing whatever was left off the shelves.

Woolworths, in Lidcome, was free of pasta and pasta sauce, tinned food, nappies, and stocks of flour ad sugar were running low.

The queue of people stretched down the street. Shoppers waited in single file

Anything I can get my hands on I get two of it, a shopper told Nine News.

Theres no meat either so that was really scary.'

These frightening scenes come after Coles limits the purchase of staples such as pasta, flour, toilet paper to just two per person as of Saturday.

'As the situation around coronavirus continues to develop, we believe that everyone in the community should have access to their share of grocery items, particularly the elderly,' CEO Steven Cain said.

'Following the toilet paper restrictions introduced last week we have seen compassion from customers respecting these limits.'

Coles in Claremont has had its shelves emptied of tinned foods following the coronavirus outbreak

Supermarkets have limited the amount of pasta, flour, dried rice, paper, towels and tissues after shoppers purchased items in bulk (pictured: empty pasta shelves in Coles)

Customers will be allowed only two items of pasta, flour, dried rice, paper towels/tissues and hand sanitisers.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

Some additional items will also have limits and can vary between stores.

Everyones trollies had two of everything. Everyones doing it,' another shopper told Nine News.

Coles also announced they won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic buying.

'From today we will be temporarily suspending our change-of-mind refund policy to discourage over-purchasing,' Mr Cain continued.

'If you have already purchased additional items you no longer want, please look at donating them to community organisations or neighbours who have been struggling to purchase them during this time.'

Toilet rolls have been flying off shelves for more than a fortnight, with the country's biggest manufacturers, Kimberly-Clark, speeding up its 24-hour production line.

Coles also announced they won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic buying (pictured: Coles store with empty shelves)

The company hopes the round-the-clock production will help to slow the panic, as Australian families stock up fearing a total supermarket shutdown.

This is despite toilet paper being produced on mass in Australia, and no supermarkets reporting a shortage.

The number of coronavirus cases in Australia soared to 237 on Saturday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people should not take place from Monday in a drastic step to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

But the ban will not apply to schools, universities or public transport, Mr Morrison said.
Representatives of civil society organisations and rights activists including Harsh Mander and Yogendra Yadav on Saturday called for boycott of the National Population Register (NPR) and demanded that it be delinked from the census.

Mander said Home Minister Amit Shah must ensure that the law is amended to ensure that providing information in NPR, which he claimed was a "divisive" exercise, is voluntary and that no one would be penalised for failing to provide the details.

"They said illegal citizens will be identified through NRC, but to identify them NPR is the first step. This was made clear in the law," Mander said, referring to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

He said there was fear among people with regard to citizenship and it can be alleviated only when the rules are changed and the mention of NPR is removed.

"No announcement is bigger than the law. We will be relieved of this fear only when the government changes the law. Even if we believe in your words, perhaps somebody else in the future may implement them," he said.

The alliance of the rights organisations also demanded the "legalisation and formalisation" of the Home Minister's statement given in Rajya Sabha on Thursday in the context of NPR and "doubtful citizens".

Yadav asked Shah to give in writing what he promised in the Rajya Sabha.

Shah had said in the Upper House of Parliament that no citizen will be marked "D" or "doubtful" during the NPR exercise, which starts across the country from April 1.

"I want to set the record straight. No document will be required to be furnished in the NPR exercise. No one will be required to give information which is not there," he had said.

Yadav said the Home Minister must ensure that the law is amended to "remove any reference to NPR".

"Alternatively, the government may delete Rule 3 (5), 4 (3), 4(4) which allow NPR to be used for identifying citizens as doubtful and their deletion from the NRC. The government may also suitably amend Rule 7(2) and 17 to ensure that providing information in NPR is voluntary and that no one would be penalised for failure to provide information," he said.

Yadav added that the civil organisations are opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), the NPR, and the NRC as these are "divisive and discriminatory".

"... these are against the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution and antithetical to the ethos of our freedom struggle and civilisational values," the former Aam Aadmi Party leader said.

Mander also said clubbing the NPR exercise with the census puts confidentiality at risk.

"The government has linked the NPR with the census. Census is a sacrosanct exercise, the information given by a citizen under the census is confidential. But on the other hand, the NPR data will be made public. This is inherently wrong," he said.

"There are a lot of people of the country who are scared today that the government will take away their citizenship. Whether this fear is valid or not, but the fear is there. And it is the government's job to rid them of this fear," he said.

Representatives of civil rights organisations such as We the People of India and Alliance Against CAA-NRC-NPR were also present at the conference.

The groups said they will withdraw the appeal for NPR's boycott "as soon as the Union Government carries out the amendments".

However, the movement against CAA and NRC and the "entire discriminatory citizenship regime shall continue in a peaceful, non-violent and democratic manner," they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump said he took a test to determine whether he has coronavirus, days after learning that he'd recently come in contact with people who were infected or are concerned they may have the virus.

At a White House news conference on Saturday, Trump said he doesn't have a fever and took the test in response to repeated media inquiries. Trump had said earlier that White House doctors said he didn't need to be tested. "I won't know for a day or two," Trump said of the results.

A week ago, Trump attended a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington said late Friday that the country's charge d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump's dinner table. So, too, has a top aide to Bolsonaro, who took a photo with Trump and attended a party with him, and another person who attended a campaign fundraiser with the president that Sunday, according to two Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters. Bolsonaro has also been tested; the results came back negative for the virus.
El-Rufai and Sanusi

According to The PUNCH, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who offered Sanusi two appointments after his dethronement, said he could not leave the embattled monarch at this time. He added that Sanusi had been with him since he was a teenager and that he (Sanusi) had never left him.

He pointed out that traditional rulers deserve respect and that in Kaduna, monarchs as the custodians of culture are respected.

Speaking on Sanusis freedom of movement as ruled by the court, El-Rufai, who was in Awe around 12:45 to accompany Sanusi out of the town after the court ruling, told journalists that, I came to visit my friend and my brother, the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, and to see how he is doing and to express my support for him.

We have been friends since we were teenagers. He has been by my side throughout my troubles and successes and I have to be by his side throughout his own troubles and successes. We are inseparable.

Fielding questions from journalists shortly after Fridays Jumat prayer, he said, As you know, the Federal High Court in Abuja today declared his detention illegal and unconstitutional and his banishment also in violation of the constitution. So, he is free.

He can live anywhere he wants, including Kano city, if he wants. But we are on our way to Abuja. It is quite likely that the emir proceeds to Lagos which was his preferred destination from day one.

From the day he was informed of his deposition, it was his wish to go to Lagos because some of his family members are now in Lagos. And by the grace of God, we are on our way to Lagos.

On the appointment he offered Sanusi as the vice-chairman of Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency after the dethronement, El-Rufai maintained that the emir was a global citizen with network of contacts around the world, saying he could bring a lot of investments to Kaduna State.

He said he could not offer him the position when he was emir because he should be attracting investment to Kano State but that as soon as he was available, he seized the opportunity to bring that value to Kaduna State.

On the second appointment as the Chancellor of Kaduna State University, El-Rufai, however, affirmed that it had been a practice in Nigeria for emirs to be chancellors of universities, noting that he didnt want the emir to feel as if he had lost everything.

The governor added, In Kaduna, we honour our traditional rulers because they are the custodians of our cultural values. We revere and respect them. So, apart from being my childhood friend, traditional rulers deserve our respect.
Faridabad: A group of residents from Pali village in Faridabad on Saturday staged a protest outside the Primary Health Centre (PHC) against setting up of a quarantine facility in the village. The panchayat submitted a letter, signed by more than 150 people, to the deputy commissioner objecting to setting up of the facility in the middle of the village.

The health department should keep these international travellers near a hospital, not in the middle of a village where there are no health facility, said Jeetendra Bhadana, a resident and activist.

We have a stadium and two schools surrounding the PHC. Bringing people from nations affected by Covid-19 will make villagers susceptible to the novel coronavirus, he said.

Bhadana said a notice was pasted outside the PHC for setting up the facility and the PHC was getting cleaned for the purpose.

According to the district health department, villagers are misguided that a Covid-19 ward is being set up for suspected and confirmed cases.

There is a lack of awareness among villagers regarding the novel coronavirus. We need to educate them that quarantine is a precautionary step in containing and managing Covid-19. It does not imply that villagers can get infected by the virus, said Dr Ram Bhagat, deputy chief medical officer, Faridabad.

Bhagat said that the department would try to reach out to villagers and in case of urgency would prefer other facilities too. We are following the government guidelines for setting up the quarantine facilities in the periphery of the airport. We have identified five villages, which are almost 50-km away from the Delhi airport, said Bhagat.


After nearly 30 years of war, many Somalis carry unseen wounds from the violence they have experienced.

The World Health Organization reports that one third of all Somalis suffer from some kind of mental disorder. The rate is much higher than in other poor, war-affected countries.

Sadly, Somalia has only five mental health centers and a few trained psychiatrists.

One Somali mental health specialist is working to change the countrys struggle with the effects of war and violence. Rowda Abdullahi Olad is a psychotherapist and founder of Maandeeq Mental Health Without Borders.

After working in the United States, she returned to her home country to offer her expertise. She quickly recognized the need was far greater.

So many have experienced decades of war, drought, displacement and now are still experiencing terror attacks daily, she told VOA during a visit to Washington, D.C.

She understood that many people needed more than treatment.

Mental health should be an (important part) of state-building and political stability, she explained.

A nation that needs healing

Olad works with Somali political leaders, civil society groups and aid organizations. She holds training events to educate the public about mental health issues and their treatments.

Most of my work relates to how I can tell the international community and the Somali government to understand this is a nation that needs healing, she said. This is a nation that has experienced more than what a human mental capacity can take.

Olad also believes progress on issues like reconciliation and peace-building cannot take place without mental health services. Many of the people who are working to reunite the country need to be healed themselves, she said.

What I have seen is people who are in a conflict reconciliation setting or negotiation setting, you can see people are so traumatized, she said.

Public unease over mental health issues

Olads organization is working to remove the public stigma about mental health issues in Somalia. Individuals suffering from mental problems are often ignored by society and their families. Harmful customs, like restraining patients cruelly, are still used in the country.

There is a stigma because [people believe] either you are insane or youre not, theres nothing in between, she said. And people dont see mental health as something thats curable.

Olad also wants to use what she has learned from Somalia to help other conflict countries. She is hoping to attend the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation at George Mason University in the United States. Her goal is to develop guidance on how mental health can be used for peace-building in post-conflict societies.

This guide will be used by all the countries that have experienced war, she said. So Im hoping[it can] have an influence on the policy level of the organizations and the government institutions.

Im Susan Shand.

VOAs Salem Solomon reported this story. Susan Shand adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words In This Story

psychiatrist  n. a doctor who treats mental or emotional disorders

psychotherapist  n. treatment of mental or emotional illness by talking about problems rather than by using medicine or drugs

decade  n. a ten year period

capacity  n. the ability to do something

reconciliation  n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement

traumatize  v. to cause (someone) to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems

stigma  n. a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something

insane  n. having or showing severe mental illness
[March 14, 2020] AAN Investor Alert: April 28, 2020 Filing Deadline in Class Action - Contact Lieff Cabraser

The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Aaron's, Inc. ("Aaron's" or the "Company") (NYSE: AAN) between March 2, 2018 and February 19, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Aaron's during the Class Period, you may move the Court for appointment as lead plaintiff by no later than April 28, 2020. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your share of any recovery in the actions will not be affected by your decision of whether to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. You may retain Lieff Cabraser, or other attorneys, as your counsel in the action. Aaron's investors who wish to learn more about the litigation and how to seek appointment as lead plaintiff should click here or contact Sharon M. Lee of Lieff Cabraser toll-free at 1-800-541-7358. Aaron's, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operates as a provider of lease-purchase solutions to underserved and credit-challenged customers. The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (1) that aron's had disclosure controls, procedures, and compliance measures which were inadequate; (2) that as a result, the operations of Aaron's Progressive and AB segments were in violation of the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC (News - Alert)") Act and/or relevant FTC regulations; (3) that, consequently, the Company's earnings from those segments were derived in part from unlawful and therefore unsustainable business practices; and (4) the full scope of Aaron's liability regarding the FTC's investigation into its Progressive and AB segments, the Company's noncompliance with the FTC Act, and the likely negative consequences of all the foregoing on the Company's financial results.



On July 26, 2018, after markets closed, Aaron's disclosed that, in July 2018, the Company received civil investigative demands ("CID") from the FTC requesting Aaron's produce documents and answers to written questions to determine whether disclosures related to the Company's financial products offered through its AB and Progressive segments had violated the FTC Act. On this news, the price of Aaron's stock fell $5.38 per share, or 11.01%, from its closing price of $48.85 on July 16, 2018, to close at $43.47 per share on July 27, 2018, on elevated trading volume. On February 20, 2020, Aaron's announced that the Company's Progressive segment had reached an agreement in principle with FTC staff concerning the CID. Aaron's revealed that "[u]nder the proposed agreement, which requires final approval by FTC Commissioners and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Progressive will make a payment of $175 million and enhance certain compliance-related activities, including monitoring, disclosure and reporting requirements." On this news, the price of Aaron's stock dropped $10.70 per share, or 19.06%, from its closing price of $55.93 on February 19, 2020, to close at $45.45 per share on February 20, 2020, on extremely heavy trading volume.

The next day, Aaron's announced a second settlement with the FTC with respect to its anticompetitive activities with competing companies between June 2015 and May 2018 that led to reduced competition and quality and service at the companies' stores. On this news, the price of Aaron's stock fell another $2.12 per share, or 4.6%, from its closing price of $45.45 on February 20, 2020, to close at $43.33 on February 21, 2020, on heavy trading volume. About Lieff Cabraser Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with offices in San Francisco, New York, and Nashville, is a nationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. The National Law Journal has recognized Lieff Cabraser as one of the nation's top plaintiffs' law firms for fourteen years. In compiling the list, the National Law Journal examines recent verdicts and settlements and looked for firms "representing the best qualities of the plaintiffs' bar and that demonstrated unusual dedication and creativity." Law360 has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the Top 50 law firms nationwide for litigation, highlighting our firm's "laser focus" and noting that our firm routinely finds itself "facing off against some of the largest and strongest defense law firms in the world." Benchmark Litigation has named Lieff Cabraser one of the "Top 10 Plaintiffs' Firms in America." For more information about Lieff Cabraser and the firm's representation of investors, please visit https://www.lieffcabraser.com/. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005008/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 03:00:38|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The White House announced on Saturday that the United States is extending Europe travel restrictions to Britain and Ireland due to COVID-19, which will be effective Monday midnight eastern standard time.

"We suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland, that will be effective midnight Monday night eastern standard time," said Vice President Mike Pence at a White House briefing.

He added that U.S. citizens and legal residents in Britain and Ireland are able to return to the United States through specific airports.

U.S. acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said later at the briefing that the restrictions bar travel for foreign nationals who had been present in Britain and Ireland in the past 14 days.

These restrictions will not apply to air and maritime cargo and economic shipping, noted Wolf.

The travel ban that Washington imposed on 26 European nations has been effective since Friday midnight.

Trump declared a national emergency on Friday to open up 50 billion U.S. dollars in federal aid to help combat the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

The United States reported 2,488 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday noon with at least 51 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 1,140 as of Saturday morning, an increase of more than 300 over the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures released by the British Department of Health and Social Care.
About 30 state police troopers and trainees are conducting a search Saturday connected to the 20-year-old disappearance of 12-year-old Eric Wayne Pyles from Union Township, Lebanon County.

PSP spokesman David Beohm said the search is not connected to any specific new development in the 2000 case. Rather, its more a matter of reviewing the case file and determining what more can be done to make sure all efforts have been taken to solve it.

Theres no specific new evidence other than we took a look at the case and decided lets just try to revisit it, and see what we can do to try to help bring closure to his family, Beohm said. Its something were going to check off the list and say we did.

The search is taking place in a wooded area of Awol Road, west of Silvertown Road, near Interstate 78 in Union Township.

According to police reports on the incident Pyles, who was living with his older sister Maria Fuhrman at the time of his disappearance, did not go home after getting off his school bus at about 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 12, 2000 at Awol and Silvertown roads.

Witnesses have said that he instead walked south of Awol Road into the backyard of a house on Silvertown Road. He was later seen at approximately 2:45 p.m. by the church secretary from the Jonestown Bible Church, which was near the Fuhrman home. Pyles has not been seen since.

Searches of the area at the time tracked his scent to a densely wooded area near the home, but no trace of Pyles could be found.

According to information on The Charley Project, a web site devoted to the cases of missing children, Eric Pyles was originally from Luray, Va. and both of his parents were living in Luray when he disappeared.

Fuhrman had assumed custody of Eric and another younger brother because of allegations that their parents were neglecting them. She stated both of her brothers had behavioral problems, and that Eric rebelled against her rules and curfews by running away several times. But he had always returned by nightfall.

Fuhrman enrolled Pyles in counseling sessions after he moved to Pennsylvania, and she had also attempted to have him placed in a residential treatment center to address behavioral issues. Fuhrman passed a lie detector test in connection with Erics disappearance, the Website states, and police do not believe she was involved in his disappearance or harmed him in any way before he vanished.

Police also questioned several of Pyles family members in Virginia, but those interviews turned up no leads indicating Erics whereabouts and theres no evidence that he returned there.

Pyles history of running away may have brought a lower level of intensity to the case when it was initially reported, one former classmate of Pyles suggested in a 2017 interview. He kind of ran away a lot so it wasnt really a big deal, Beth Peiffer, a neighbor at the time who was on the same school bus that day, told WHP-TV.

Beohm said that, in addition to Saturdays search, police ask anyone who thinks they might have information about Pyles disappearance to call the criminal investigations unit of the Jonestown Barracks at 717-865-2194
With a natural beauty and a toughness that reflects the landscape, Simone Rochas latest collection celebrates her native Ireland, the designer tells Paul McLauchlan.

SIMONE Rocha is Irelands greatest hope. A fashion designer with the prowess of a skilled writer and the eye of a painter, her designs provide unfettered beauty at a time of darkness.

Like a beacon of light, her fashion is at once gritty and glamorous, tough and soft, masculine and feminine, guiding women through their daily lives with a sense of protection, a celebration of their selfhood, and a taste of fantasy.

On a calm Sunday evening in February 2020 during London Fashion Week, in the aftermath of Storm Denis, guests filed past security at Lancaster House, located at the back of St James Palace, flashing their IDs as they went, and into the gilded parlours of the Georgian mansion. Rochas held catwalk presentations here, on and off, for the past four years.

After a 20-minute wait, the audience is silenced by an ominous knell and the first model appears in swathes of white: a brocade coat with puffy sleeves over a white shirt and tulle skirt, festooned with ivory sashes tied around her body, a crystal crown adorning her crimped locks.

The ensuing procession of forty or so models are bedecked in Rochas typical fare of hand-embroidered tulle, hybridised Aran knit sweaters, structured tailoring and tweed coats shrouding slender frames, printed satin, and evening dresses, in a mostly pure palette of black and ivory, with flashes of lilac and purple, cobalt and red, and some floral print.

Throughout, there is a sense of the natural beauty and toughness of the Irish landscape, specifically the West of Ireland.

The collection drew on a wide variety of Irish influences from the work of artist Dorothy Cross, John Millington Synges Riders to the Sea, the attire of Catholic practice (baptism to funeral) and St Malachy.

At the end of the show, Rocha runs along the catwalk, her ageless glamour aglow and her sleek black hair pinned up loosely, in a white dress. Theres a certain shyness to her appearance which belies her confidence as a designer and straightforwardness in tone.

Theres a tapestry of knowledge in Ireland thats part of my cultural identity and I try to use it in a way that I can celebrate the things Im close to.

Rocha grew up attending fashion shows. She is the daughter of John Rocha, the retired designer from Hong Kong. He helps Simone with business planning, alongside her mother Odette. Simone studied in Dublin before completing her masters in London.

With stockists dotted across the globe, including flagship stores in London, New York, and Hong Kong, the fashion industry was quickly besotted by Rocha who has won two British Fashion Awards. In essence, her global appeal is undeniable.

Theres something about moving away from home that makes you almost lament or romanticise it, said Rocha, who has lived in London for 12 years. Every couple of years I find myself wanting to reconnect with home and when you have a personal or physical connection with a place it makes it easier to insert that into your work.

The tale of Ireland Rocha patchworked for autumn/winter 2020 began with Irish artist Dorothy Cross production design for an opera adaptation of Irish writer John Millington Synges one-act play Riders to the Sea.

Rocha picked up a copy of Riders to the Sea, about a woman who has lost her husband, and five of her sons to the sea, touched by Synges exploration of the progression of life.

The opening act of the show rendered as it was in ivory and cream nodded to the iconography of early Catholic traditions: baptism, communion, and confirmation but set against the elements. She purposely obscured the religiosity, a visual reminder that a Catholic upbringing is not part of her personal history but the subject of her fascination.

You cant look at Ireland without looking at Catholicism, said Rocha.

(Growing up in suburban Dublin, the designer wasnt raised as Catholic, though she grew up watching classmates in primary school making their communion and confirmation. She describes the process of conjuring up similar imagery as an act of an outsider looking in. In the past, Rochas work has plumbed the depths of her Chinese heritage.) There were renditions on Aran knitwear, which spliced together hand-knitting, traditional stitching, and sailor knots draped over the body like aprons, oftentimes accented with pearl embellishments.

It segued into a more colourful section of exploded florals  life  concluding with loss, a section defined by black suiting and tailoring, big shapes almost swallowing models as if they were lost to the sea like the characters in Synges play.

The third act gave way to a funereal procession of heavily layered ensembles, evening-wear, and tailoring, culminating in a slew of white lace looks which transpired to be a mourners outfit.

The progression of life is integral to Rochas designs, her clothes possess an ageless appeal.

Wearability is most important when it comes to her design. She makes statement pieces without them being over the top. I think it gives them a universal, ageless appeal, said Nikki Creedon, owner of Havana Boutique in Donnybrook.

Havana has stocked Simone Rocha since day one. Over the years, their offering has expanded from her fanciful dresses and knitwear to jewellery and accessories which have more accessible price points and, in turn, draw a younger customer.

I could wear it as well as my daughter, concluded Creedon.

Aileen Carville Mulligan, the founder of SKMMP, business-to-business fashion wholesale order management service, echoes her thoughts.

Her clothes work on a cross-section of age groups which Simone embraces and celebrates. I pitch and present my work to luxury brands in Paris and Milan. I feel confident and myself when I wear a beautiful Simone dress, said Carville Mulligan.

Beautiful is a word that recurs in conversations about Simone.

Its there in the intricate craftsmanship. There was a reference to St Malachy. (Rochas uncle happens to be called Malachy.) She owns an old woven tapestry with St. Malachy on one side and the Sacred Heart on the other. In the collection, Malachy himself appeared, distorted, on hand-embroidered tulle as well as in crepe-de-chine prints, alongside an abstracted image of the Sacred Heart, owing to the beautiful delicacy within her work.

Upon closer inspection, Rocha concluded that the Prophecy of the Popes, a 12th-century proclamation which claimed that there would be only 112 more popes before the Last Judgment, is attributed to St. Malachy. Although it was declared a forgery by Catholic theologians in the 16th century, it would purport that Pope Francis is the last Pope before Judgement Day beckons.

So that means the world might end right about now, she said with a laugh.

To this end, there was an apocalyptic mood to Rochas collection in spite of its beauty. With the global outbreak of the coronavirus and various political maelstroms in all four corners, one could easily identify dark undertones in this collection.

Rochas heavy layers were intended to evoke the idea that the sea takes the life from the people in Riders to the Sea, describing it as a suffocating, indulgent, visceral thing.

Its impossible to ignore whats happening around us and not to feel the effect of it in our daily lives, said Rocha when asked whether the current sociopolitical climate influences her design process.

Im interested in storytelling but Im also interested in reality so it finds a place in my work.

The last model was veiled in white a lace headpiece to evoke a mourner. Originally, it was meant to be black but, I felt it was too ominous. I wanted to bring it back to the beginning.

Stylist Robbie Spencer, who works with Rocha on every show, including this one, said, From the initial research stages of each collection to the actual show day it all comes from the heart. Simone has managed to create a successful family orientated business that is always on her own terms and always true to herself, she does not follow others she goes by her own instinct, allowing people to get a glimpse of her world and point of view and that seems to attract people to the brand.

Rocha said: I hope my work makes a woman feel secure, protected, and that strength within. My duty as a fashion designer is to make work that reflects the times while also making it about storytelling and escapism.
Patterson is accused of shooting Bryant McClain, 46, shortly before 1 a.m. in the 800 block of Crittenden Street NW. Police said McClain, of no fixed address, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on the scene.
Penelope Cruz has come to the defense of her good friend and frequent co-star Johnny Depp after he was accused of domestic abuse by ex-wife Amber Heard.

The Oscar-winning actress filed a declaration to the Virginia court which is hearing Depps defamation case against his ex-wife, Heard.

Depp filed a $50million defamation lawsuit against Heard in March 2019 over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018, in which she claimed she was abused by Depp.

As part of the suit, Depp claimed that Heard had in fact physically abused him during the marriage rather than the other way around, a claim Heard has denied.

Cruz, 45, wrote that she has known Depp for years and that he has never been violent toward her in any social or professional setting.

Penelope Cruz (seen left with Johnny Depp at the premier of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in Cannes, France, in May 2011) filed a legal declaration in support of her friend and co-star

Depp is suing Amber Heard, his ex-wife, for defamation in a Virginia court after she wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post accusing the actor of physically abusing her. Heard is seen above in Los Angeles with what looks like a bruise on her right cheek in May 2016

'I met Johnny when I was 19 years old, Depps Spanish-born co-star wrote in her declaration, which was first reported by The Blast.

He was in Madrid and [director] Pedro Almodovar introduced him to me.

The only sentences I knew how to say in English at that time were, "how are you" and "I want to work with Johnny Depp.

Cruz, who starred alongside Depp in hit films like Blow, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Murder on the Orient Express, said the two developed a good friendship over the years.

Many years have passed and I have not only made 3 movies with him, but I also count on him as a great friend, she wrote.

Ive always been impressed by his kindness, his brilliant mind, his talent, and his peculiar sense of humor.

She continued: Ive seen Johnny in so many situations and he is always kind to everyone around.

He is one of the most generous people I know.

Cruz said Depp was especially supportive during her pregnancy, which coincided with work on their Pirates of the Caribbean film.

Cruz and Depp have remained friends for years. Their collaborations in film include the 2001 hit movie Blow

Cruz and Depp also co-starred in the 2011 hit Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

During six months of my first pregnancy, I spent every single day with him while we shot Pirates of the Caribbean, she wrote.

My husband [actor Javier Bardem] and I will never forget the sweetness, protection, and kindness he treated me with during every single step of that process.

Cruz ended her declaration by writing: We love him very much and I feel lucky to have someone so special in our lives.

Depp also got moral support this week from his former fiancee, Winona Ryder.

Ryder, who was engaged to Depp during their four-year courtship, came to the defense of the Pirates Of The Caribbean star by filing a declaration claiming she found it hard to believe he would ever commit an act of domestic violence.

'I do not want to call anyone a liar but from my experience of Johnny, it is impossible to believe that such horrific allegations are true,' she said during her legal declaration that was obtained by The Blast.

'I find it extremely upsetting knowing him as I do.'

During the opening of Ryder's declaration, she gave a brief history of her relationship with Depp that began back when they first met in 1989 and included starring together in the 1990 romance fantasy Edward Scissorhands.

Winona Ryder also defended ex-fiance Depp's character during her legal declaration in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard

Moral and legal support: 'The idea that he [Depp] is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved,' Ryder further explained. The former couple is seen above in this undated file photo

'I knew Johnny very well years ago. We were together as a couple for four years, and I counted him as my best friend, and as close to me as family. I count our relationship as one of the more significant relationships of my life. I understand that it is very important that I speak from my own experience,' the Stranger Things star stated.

Eventually Ryder, 48, gave her thoughts about Heard's accusations of domestic abuse during her two-year marriage to Depp.

'I obviously was not there during his marriage to Amber, but, from my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him.'

The actress added, 'The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. I cannot wrap my head around these accusations.'

Ryder maintained that the man she knew during their romance was never violent or abusive towards her or anyone else.

'I truly and honestly only know him as a really good man- an incredibly loving, extremely caring guy who was so very protective of me and the people that he loves, and I felt so very, very safe with him,' the Reality Bites star explained.

She did add that she didn't want to go as far as to call 'anyone a liar.'

Depp and Heard were married in February 2015.

She ended up filing for divorce in May of 2016, along a temporary restraining order against him, stating in a court declaration that he had been verbally and physically abusive during their relationship.

The two sides reached a settlement and finalized the divorce in January 2017, which included the dismissal of the restraining order and Depp paying her $7million, which she donated to charity.

'I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out,' she wrote in the December 2018 article, which didn't mention the Pirates of the Caribbean actor by name.

Depp claimed, nonetheless, that it implicated him as the abuser, damaging his reputation and causing him to lose his prized role of Captain Jack Sparrow.

His suit says he's the victim of an 'elaborate hoax' instigated by Heard to generate positive publicity and advance her career.

'Ms. Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse; she is a perpetrator,' it claims.

Depp and Heard, who were married from 2015 to 2017, reached a settlement and finalized the divorce in January 2017, which included the dismissal of the restraining order and Depp paying her $7 million, which she donated to charity

'She hit, punched and kicked me. She also repeatedly and frequently threw objects into my body and head, including heavy bottles, soda cans, burning candles, television remote controls and paint thinner cans, which severely injured me.'

Heard responded with a lurid 300-page filing of her own, cataloging the 'horrific' abuse she claims to have suffered at Depp's hands, describing him as 'the monster' and recalling many of the allegations she made during their divorce.

The filing included photos of bruises and scars, clumps of hair apparently torn from Heard's head and pictures of smashed up furniture to illustrate the violence she was allegedly subjected to after hooking up with Depp, her co-star in The Rum Diary, back in 2011.
Many cities and provinces in Vietnam have continued to keep local schools closed amid the rise in Covid-19 cases.



At a meeting held on March 13, Chairman of Hanoi Peoples Nguyen Duc Chung decided to allow local students from nursery to secondary schools to continue staying at home until the end of March.

Chairman of the Hanoi People Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (middle) decides to allow local students to continue staying at home until the end of March



Meanwhile, high school students will be permitted to return to school from March 22.



As of Friday evening, Hanoi has confirmed seven Covid-19 patients.



Meanwhile, HCM City has approved the closure of local schools at all levels until April 5.



Many other localities have also followed suit, shutting their schools until by late this month such as Ca Mau Province, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Dak Nong and Tien Giang.



Most cities and provinces in Vietnam have suspended their schools since February 3 for Covid-19 prevention.

Ministry postpones national high school graduation exam again



The Ministry of Education and Training on March 13 sent an urgent official dispatch to cities and provinces across the country on the newly-adjusted 2019 - 2020 academic year calendar.

As the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) continues spreading, forcing schools extend closure, the ministry has again rescheduled the closing date of the 2019  2020 academic year to July 15 while the national high school graduation exam was postponed to August 8  11 this year.

Based on the revised calendar, chairpersons of the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees nationwide are asked to decide when schools are re-opened, depending on the real situation in each locality, according to the official dispatch.

The ministry also urged its provincial-level departments to streamline curriculum and instruct schools to provide students with televised and online lessons.

The ministry said it will continue keeping a close watch on developments of the COVID-19 outbreak in order to provide timely instructions to local departments and schools.

The Ministry of Education and Training revised this school years academic calendar for the first time last month, in which the closing date was delayed to June 30 while the national high school graduation exam was rescheduled to July 23  27. Dtinews

Quang Phong

Hanoi, HCM City schools remain closed due to COVID-19 concern The Hanoi Peoples Committee has agreed with a proposal of the municipal Departments of Education and Training, Health, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to continue keeping schools close in response to the spread of the COVID-19.
President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that four major cruise ship companies have agreed to suspend trips from the U.S. for 30 days, effective at midnight.

Trump said that Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises all agreed to the suspensions. He said the cruise line industry is a 'great and important industry - it will be kept that way!'

The U.S. State Department advised Sunday against any travel on cruise ships, particularly for those with underlying health conditions. The advisory said the CDC has noted an 'increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment.'

'We want to work with the cruise line industry to ensure that when we come through this, that cruise lines and the medical services that are available for the passengers and all of the crew that cruise lines are safer than ever before and can prosper for years to come,' Vice President Mike Pence said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said four cruise line companies had agreed to suspend outbound cruises for 30 days, at his request, amid the global pandemic

Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival and MSC Cruises are all suspending their voyages until April

The cruise industry has taken a beating in the stock market since the coronavirus began to spread, and reports of people falling ill and being quarantined on ships surfaced.

Carnival had already suspended its Princess line of cruises for nearly two months. It said 18 ships that had cruises scheduled between March 12 and May 10 would be canceled.

There are now 2,299 cases of coronavirus in the US and 50 people have died

Royal Caribbean announced the 'voluntary' suspension earlier Friday, saying it would reach out to people who had already booked cruises.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, said it was suspending all cruise voyages embarking between March 13 and April 11.

The Grand Princess cruise ship is shown docked at the Port of Oakland, Thursday. 21 people who tested positive for coronavirus while aboard

MSC said it was canceling all its Caribbean cruises from Miami from March 14 through April 30.

Cruise industry leaders met over the weekend with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President Mike Pence and were asked to devise and fund ways to transport any passengers found to carry the virus.

Cruise line heads agreed to enhance entry and exit screenings and establish shipboard testing, along with new quarantine standards. Some of the new protocols were expected to start taking effect early this week.

'With the COVID-19 coronavirus impacting communities around the globe, we have enacted a voluntary temporary suspension of cruise voyages across our brands effective immediately,' Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian, said in a statement.

Voyages currently underway will conclude 'as soon as possible,' the company said, adding that it will assist customers with travel arrangements.

Customers whose trips are affected can choose to receive either a 125% refund in the form a future cruise credit or a 100% cash refund.

'We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country,' Royal Caribbean said in a statement. 'And this is our part to play.'

California California Governor Gavin Newsom says nearly 500 passengers remain aboard the cruise ship. In addition to the 21 people who previously tested positive while aboard, Newsom says at least two more people have tested positive after leaving

On Friday, shares of Carnival Corp. and Norwegian Cruise Lines posted double-digit gains.

Still, Carnival's shares lost more than half their value and Norwegian shares a third of theirs over the course of the week. Their losses for the year to date are even steeper.

The cruise industry provided 1.2 million jobs and paid $50.24 billion in wages and salaries in 2018, providing an estimated $150 billion in global economic impact, according to Cruise Lines International Association, a Washington-based group that represents more than 95% of global cruise capacity.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Lata Mangeshkar admitted to ICU in Mumbai Hospital after testing positive for Covid

Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rises to 19

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: With two more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the number of infected individuals in the state has gone up to 19, a health department official said on Saturday.

One of the two new patients is from Ahmednagar city, the official said. However, he did not specify the location of the other patient.

"Till Friday evening, the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus was 17. The test reports of two more persons came late at night. As they were found positive, the count of infected persons in the state now stands at 19," the official told PTI.

Coronavirus: Positive cases spike to 83; 7 more recovered

"One of them is from Ahmednagar city. He had recently returned from Dubai and shown symptoms similar to coronavirus infection," he said.

"His blood sample was sent for testing, which confirmed the infection late last night," he added.

Ten of the coronavirus positive cases in the state are in Pune, three each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one in Thane.

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the state government had on Friday ordered closure of cinema theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.

Coronavirus: Donald Trump declares national emergency

The government also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to tackle the virus outbreak.

As per the government decision, the schools and colleges in Pune and neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain closed till further orders.

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Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 11:45 [IST]
A sky rail manager will have to repay more than $90,000 after he admitted taxpayer-funded labourers carried out secret renovations on his home using excavators and tools belonging to the government project.

Steven John Winter was the signalling construction manager on the $1.6 billion Caulfield-to-Dandenong sky rail project in 2018 when 30 of the project's workers renovated his backyard while he was on an overseas family holiday.

Steven John Winter leaving the Ringwood Magistrates Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to deception charges Credit:Penny Stephens

Workers each earned thousands of dollars, including weekend penalty rates, for a single shift on the clandestine, three-week operation.

At Ringwood Magistrates Court on Wednesday, the former CPB Contractors manager received a community corrections order requiring 200 hours of voluntary work and a $90,771 repayment to the project. Winter pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Canada shut down Parliament and advised against all nonessential travel outside the country while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau governed remotely from his home, in self-imposed quarantine after his wife tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, also advised more social distancing, no handshakes and kisses.

The Canadian government is advising the cancellation of all large events like concerts. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said cruise ships with more than 500 people will not be able to dock in Canada until July 1.

Overseas flights returning to Canada will also be restricted to a small number of airports in the country.

Canada's House of Commons voted to shut down for at least five weeks to help ensure lawmakers do not contribute to the spread of the virus.

The moves came a day after Trudeau's wife tested positive. The prime minister himself has been in self-imposed quarantine.

All parties in Parliament agreed to the suspension, which means lawmakers will miss two weeks of sessions since they had previously planned to be away next week and two weeks in April. The House is scheduled to next meet on Monday, April 20.

"This just shows you how seriously our government and members of the house are taking this,"



Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez said. Part of the deal for closing Parliament for five weeks was ratifying the new North American Free Trade Agreement. Rodriguez said lawmakers have passed legislation to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and the Senate is expected to follow suit later Friday.

The suspension of the House of Commons means the federal budget won't be presented March 30 as Finance Minister Bill Morneau had promised. Rodriguez said the federal budget will be announced at a later date.

Trudeau was quarantining himself at home because his wife, Sophie Grgoire Trudeau, tested positive for the new coronavirus after returning from Britain. He said Friday his wife has mild flu-like symptoms but is doing fine. He said neither he nor their three children are showing symptoms.

"She's getting lots of rest and drinking lots of fluids and we're paying very close attention to what the medical professionals are saying," Trudeau said to the CBC.

"I am feeling fine, no symptoms. The kids are all fine, happy to being staying home from school. We're doing well."



Trudeau was spending the day in briefings, phone calls and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining a special Cabinet committee discussion on the coronavirus.

Trudeau spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday. But Trudeau did cancel an in-person meeting with Canada's provincial premiers.

The prime minister planned to address the nation later Friday, according to his office.

Trudeau himself had not been tested because he was not showing symptoms, his office said. The doctor's advice to the prime minister is to continue daily activities while self-monitoring.

Trudeau said his government will likely recommend that Canadians avoid travel outside the country except for essential purposes.

We are going to be able to get through this if everyone is going to follow the advice of our medical professionals and experts, Trudeau said to CBC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ottawa [Canada], Mar 14 (ANI): As the number of coronavirus patients around the world continues to climb, the Canadian government is encouraging citizens to cancel all non-essential international travel.



"To limit the spread of COVID-19, many countries have put in place travel or border restrictions and other measures such as movement restrictions and quarantines. Airlines have cancelled flights. New restrictions may be imposed with little warning. Your travel plans may be severely disrupted and you may be forced to remain outside of Canada longer than expected," the government stated in an advisory issued on Friday.

The advisory also urged its people to contact respective airlines or tour operators to determine options still available to return to Canada. "Consider returning to Canada earlier than planned if these options are becoming more limited," it stressed.

"These are significant steps," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

"We are pulling out all the stops."

The development comes as the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 5,000 on Saturday with the total infected cases also rising to more than 140,000, Al Jazeera reported.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) latest report showed 4,955 total fatalities as of 09:00 GMT on Friday, while Italy reported an additional 250 new deaths as of 17:08 GMT on the same day, and Iran announced 85 new deaths also on Friday.

Citing other sources aside from the WHO, the Johns Hopkins University data showed close to 5,400 deaths as of Friday.

Trudeau's wife Sophia Gregoire Trudeau has tested positive for Covid-19 after she showed flu-like symptoms upon return from the UK.

However, Trudeau, who has been in voluntary self-quarantine himself, is said to be "in good health."

On Friday, the prime minister, who addressed the nation from self-isolation, suspended its elected House of Commons until April 20 in a move designed to control the spread of the infection.

All three of Canada's federal parties - the governing Liberals, opposition Conservatives and the New Democrat Party - voted in favour of the suspension

At least 157 people have been tested positive for COVID-19 cases in Canada with one death.

About 4,800 schools were ordered closed in the province of Ontario, affecting two million students. As of now, classes will resume April 6.

Large events are being called off or postponed across the country. (ANI)


New Delhi: There may be no known cases of community transmission of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in India yet, but with several infected people turning up for testing weeks after getting infected, experts believe it may be just a matter of time before people they interacted with test positive.

Undetected community transmission is among the main reasons why the spread of the disease went out of hand in Italy, Spain and even in parts of the United States, stretching health care infrastructure and leading to the loss of lives. In India, where medical expertise and infrastructure in often in short supply or under stress, many fear that such an event could inflict greater damage.

So what is India doing to contain and control community transmission?

The countrys apex biomedical research body, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will begin its second batch of random testing of samples of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) for Covid-19 on Sunday at 51 of its viral research labs, to see if there is any evidence of community transmission of the viral disease in India.

Since the day India reported its first case of the disease on January 30, which was the day the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, India has reported a total of 84 cases and two deaths.

While the numbers are small, and India has taken measures to contain the spread of infection, the situation is not fully under control. Since we are not into aggressive testing yet, lifting of random samples from its flu-like illness surveillance network is a good idea to check community transmission, said a senior health expert, requesting anonymity.

ICMRs network of viral research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) across India are being utilised for the purpose. The first batch of testing was done with samples lifted between February 15 and 29 from 13 VRDLs, and tested for Covid-19 at its apex virology laboratory at National Institute of Virology in Pune. About 20 samples from each lab were randomly lifted of patients with febrile illnesses.

So far none of the samples have returned positive, suggesting no community transmission of Covid-19. Our research labs are keeping an eye, since we cant test everyone, we are lifting a select number of random samples that are doing surveillance work on influenza like illnesses, said Dr Nivedita Gupta, a scientist at ICMR.

All throughout the year, these labs get samples for flu like illnesses so we decided to lift samples from there. If we find anything suggesting community transmission for Covid-19 then our whole strategy will change towards disease management, she added.

WHO recommends implementing a package of comprehensive measures to stop community transmission, many of which will need to be aggressively implemented in India in a short time. Apart from sensitising the public and ensuring adequate response on transport, finance and security, it calls for enhancing hospital and community preparedness plans; and ensuring that space, staffing, and supplies are adequate for a surge in patient care needs.

A comprehensive package of measures is required for countries to prepare when there are no cases, sporadic cases, clusters of cases, community transmission, or countrywide transmission. The priorities and intensity of work for each technical area will depend on which scenario a country or a sub-national area currently faces, WHO says.

Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary in the Union health ministry, said the most effective way to break disease transmission is by staying under home quarantine for 14 days for asymptomatic people.

There is no community transmission in India but what we are seeing is local cluster transmission that doesnt need everyone to be tested. The cases are mostly travel related and even where there has been local, human-to-human, transmission it has been due to coming in contact with an infected person who had a travel history, Aggarwal said.

Experts say source of infection in all the positive cases in India can be traced so far.

Community transmission is when you cannot detect the source of infection, meaning people with no known contact to an infected person or with travel history test positive. It is worrisome, but India has not yet reached that stage. If we are able to hold it from reaching that stage for even 30 days more then it should hold us in good stead, says Dr Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR.

But given that most countries reported a community transmission outbreak about three weeks after the first clutch of cases tested positive -- in India, the first signs of an uptick appeared in the first week of march -- the most vulnerable period may lie ahead.

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It's all go for Jennifer Zamparelli when I meet her in RTE Radio Centre. It's only a Monday afternoon but her working week is already well underway, having hosted Dancing with the Stars the night before and a three-hour radio show that morning. She acknowledges that things are a bit hectic with the two shows running concurrently. "I find it gets a bit crazy towards the end of the run," she says, settling into a quiet corner of the canteen.

We are here to discuss, among other things, her recent pledge to not buy any new clothes in 2020. Last month, she tweeted her promise to not buy "a single stitch of clothing this year", calling on her followers to hold her accountable.

"If you see me skulking around Zara, you have full permission to slap me," she told her thousands of followers.

So what prompted her to reconsider her shopping habits?

"It's funny because when I get asked about it, people are like, 'Ooh, it's the whole sustainability thing, it's for the environment'," she says. "And yeah, looking into it, it's pretty horrific the impact fast fashion has globally... But that wasn't at the forefront of my mind. It was the fact that I didn't need any more clothes."

She says she came to the realisation after pulling a Marie Kondo and clearing out her wardrobe. During the decluttering process, she unearthed outfits that hadn't seen the light of day in years.

Expand Close Jennifer wears: Vintage Christian Dior suit, 90; Oxfam Fashion Relief / Facebook

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"I was coming into work wearing things and the girls in work were going, 'Jesus, that's lovely, is that a new top?'" she says. "I was like, 'No, I just haven't seen it in about three years' or 'I forgot about it' or 'It was in a ball at the back of the wardrobe'."

She realised the extent to which she was participating in fast fashion when she came across two leather jackets in her wardrobe that were practically identical.

"I was like, 'How did that happen? Why am I buying another variation of the same thing?' But it had to be newer, it had to be better."

With that, she decided to wean herself off new clothes. That meant no more online shopping or quick runs into Dundrum Town Centre.

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Instead, she's decided to make a concerted effort to wear and rejig old outfits. She has also decided to work with the styling team on Dancing with the Stars to give previously worn outfits a new lease of life. Last month, the show's stylists transformed a silver mini-dress she wore last season into a bold one-shouldered number.

So far, the broadcaster says she's found the whole thing to be "freeing".

"I have a lot of work things coming up and I am just being a lot more inventive. I have a ball coming up so I got my dress from the [Dancing with the Stars] final last year and I'm going to get that cleaned and rebeaded and wear that. I loved it and it's such a waste not to give it another outing."

For her shoot in today's Weekend, Zamparelli is styled in a selection of vintage and second-hand outfits sourced from charity shops like Oxfam as well as other vintage boutiques. It's a reminder that the high street isn't the only game in town if you're on the hunt for a new outfit.

"There's always the option to go vintage and second-hand or borrow," she says. "There are great options out there."

Some celebrities can be frightfully earnest when it comes to making such grand statements. Zamparelli, however, is careful not to come off as too po-faced or self-important when it comes to discussing her new-found shopping celibacy.

"I'm so brave," she jokes. "Get us on The Late Late Show with this."

We may only be a few months into 2020, but it's already shaping up to be quite the year for Zamparelli. Not only is her career going from strength to strength, but she is due to celebrate her 40th birthday next month. How does she feel about hitting that milestone?

"I feel okay," she says. "There was a time I would have changed my age on Wikipedia and I would be having a meltdown. I found it harder turning 30. I found there's a lot of pressure to get the house, get sorted, get married. Biological clock and all that. I'm over all that. I'm on the other side. I'm like, "Woo-hoo! Mid finish line!"

She says her thirties were "mental" but the pace has now slowed and she is happier for it.

"I'm very content. I'm very happy with where I am. I don't feel as hungry for success and I feel that's a good thing. Nobody on their deathbed ever says, 'I wish I worked more.' I'm just very content. My kids are happy and healthy. Things are good with the husband and the family."

That's not to say things have eased off entirely. Not only is she co-hosting Dancing with the Stars, but she is nine months into presenting The Jennifer Zamparelli Show on 2fm.

It is her first time fronting her own radio show having previously spent five years co-hosting Breakfast Republic with Bernard O'Shea and Keith Walsh. How is she finding it?

"It is going really well," she says. "I feel very comfortable now in the studio and in the space."

She describes it as "not your normal talk show" and says it offers a bit of everything. "We have a bit of a laugh but then we also do serious items," she explains.

Take that morning's show, for instance. She talked to a woman who recounted how joining a choir had helped ease her anxiety. She interviewed Mary Kennedy about her exit from Dancing with the Stars. And she spoke to Nicole Ryan, a Cork woman who founded a drug education programme following the tragic death of her younger brother.

Zamparelli says she and her team are conscious of bringing that light and shade to each show.

"When people wake up in the morning, they get on their phones, they look at the news and they know what's going on in the world. They know about the coronavirus. They know it's bleak out there.

"By the time it gets to nine o'clock, they have all that and they want something uplifting, so to speak. It doesn't have to be happy-clappy but it needs to have some resolution. We try to do that as much as we can."

She has a strong relationship with her listeners and takes pride in the fact that they have come to regard the show as a place they can turn to if they have a problem or something they want to get off their chest. By way of example, she recounts a recent item she did on surrogacy during which a listener called in to discuss her experience of being a surrogate for her friend.

"The fact that person was listening and felt the need to give her opinion you can't plan that," she says. "It's very spontaneous like that."

But while she is generally pleased with the show, she does see room for improvement.

"The goal is we want to get better at what we're doing. We're getting there. It takes a long time for a radio show to bed in. It takes so long. It's like writing a script. The initial stages are the hardest because you're figuring out what works and what doesn't work and which way you want to go. Once you get that, it's easier to kind of build on."

The script-writing analogy is apt, considering Zamparelli's prior experience writing and starring in the sitcom Bridget & Eamon. As she says it, it's hard not to be struck by what a singular career path she has carved out for herself. How many people have managed to parlay a stint on The Apprentice into a successful career in television, radio and comedy?

Still, she says she feels most at home on the radio show.

"Looking at everything I've done, this is where I should be," she says.

Before she got into broadcasting, Zamparelli was an entrepreneur. After The Apprentice, she ran Bella Makeover Studio, a photography and makeover studio whereby ordinary punters could pay to have a makeover and professional photoshoot. She credits this background in business with helping her navigate the notoriously fickle world of show business.

"You need it all to survive in this business," she says. "I think you really need that if you're self-employed and working in this industry. You need to be good at managing your money."

She also credits her days working in sales with teaching her about hard work and granting her a sense of perspective.

"I have stood on Grafton Street selling hair promotions for 12 hours a day. Now I'm just sitting on my arse and chatting. I didn't just come into this industry when I was 18. I have always worked and had really sh*tty jobs. A lot of them were sales and sales is hard-going.

"I think when you come from commission-only sales and then you do something like this it's like, 'This is so easy.' Difficult in a different sense but you're not digging a hole in the road. You're sitting chatting.

"If I'm having a hard day at work, I always think back to that time when I was standing on Grafton Street on no sales at five in the afternoon and having to go back to the office where my boss was going to kill me. I still have dreams about those days because it was a huge part of my life. And it's nice I don't have to do that anymore."

That's not to say things have always been breezy. Having spent more than a decade in the public eye, Zamparelli has had to contend with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Following the recent death of Love Island host Caroline Flack, Zamparelli shared her experiences of abuse on social media, adding that the presenter's passing had "shone a light on how sh*tty the industry can be".

"I have had death threats, I have had people saying they want to rip my head off, I have blocked about 100 people," she said. "And for me to do that they have to be really threatening."

These days, she tells me, she mostly avoids engaging on Twitter. She recalls sending a tweet about an encounter she had with presidential candidate Peter Casey in which she asked him what should be done about people living in Direct Provision. She woke up to "a load of messages" and instantly regretted it.

"Since then, I don't really tweet," she says. "I might retweet but I don't really get involved because it's a no-win situation. You torture yourself.

"It's very good for getting your news and finding out what is happening. I would love to come off it but I do find it very resourceful that way when you need to know what's going on. It's very good for that. I won't really get involved in any hashtags."

How does she negotiate being in the public eye and maintaining her family's privacy?

"Sometimes things come out on air. I'm a talker, that's what I do. I don't mind talking about them. My husband doesn't mind at all, thank God, because I talk about him quite a bit. I've pulled back a little bit from putting [my children] on social media for their own sake because they're getting a little older now and [my daughter] is starting school. At the end of the day, nobody wants to see your kids. Let's be honest here."

Zamparelli says she is still very much in the throes of the "toddler stage" with her two children. Her daughter is about to turn five while her son is two years old. Balancing work and motherhood has proven challenging at times, she says.

"It's like you have this overwhelming guilt all the time," she says. "Sometimes I feel I should be doing more here [in work] and more there [at home] and so you're always feeling pulled."

Occasionally, the two worlds collide but the show has to go on.

"I had a very stressful time a couple of weeks ago on Dancing with the Stars when in the space of 24 hours, my son lost a tooth and my daughter broke her arm," she recalls. "He was with a minder and 20 minutes before I went on air I got a message saying he had slipped and smashed his face and the whole tooth from the root came out. I cried like a baby because I just felt so bad. Luckily there's no nerve damage and he's going to be fine. He's just going to look like a toothless pirate until he's eight."

"The next day my daughter had a fall and broke her elbow. I was like, 'I mean, come on!' Then I got nominated in the RTE Guide for Mother of the Year and I was like, 'Don't tell them that story!'

"You know, life happens."

She says motherhood has forced her to reassess her priorities and become more selective with what she says 'yes' to.

"I am great at saying no," she says. "Since I had the kids, I am very precious with my time. I find that quite easy to do now. When I look back at myself 10 years ago, I would do anything. I was all over the place, to my detriment. You don't want to lose the momentum and there's a fear that it's all going to go away. But it's not going to go away. So I'm great at saying no. I pick and choose now. I have to."

"You've got to look after yourself. So much tragedy has happened in [RTE] over the last few years and things like that always make you think about what you're doing and why you're doing it. It's great fun. I love my job. Hopefully it will continue but you never know. You just never know."

For now, she's just remembering to be present and to enjoy the journey.

"I'm being mindful all around," she laughs.

"With the clothes shopping, being present... Still forgetting the KeepCup most of the time but we're working on that."
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2020) The number of cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Panama has risen by 25 to 36, the national Health Ministry said in a press release.

"The national government informs the country that as of today, Friday, March 13, a total of 36 cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been registered in 33 Panamanians and three foreigners," the press release said.

The ministry added that flights from European countries had been suspended and events involving over 50 people had been banned to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization declared the spread of the COVID-19 a pandemic. The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 145,000, with over 5,400 fatalities.
LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) - Britain advised against all but essential travel to Madrid and some other regions of Spain.

"We are advising against all but essential travel to the regions of Madrid, La Rioja and the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro. Airlines are continuing to run flights as normal to and from these areas," the Foreign Office said in a statement on Friday. (Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Guy Faulconbridge)
On Thursday, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in light of COVID-19, which has been declared a pandemic. Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the agency largely responsible for the state's approach to combat the virus, said the agency is working closely with DOC to determine the ramifications for correctional institutions in Wisconsin, which house more than 22,000 inmates.

Currently, no staff or inmates in Wisconsin have tested positive for COVID-19. But criminal justice advocates are still concerned about the potential fallout if officials don't take adequate measures to prevent the proliferation of the virus at state prisons.

"The consequences would be many individuals within prison possibly infected," said Sean Wilson, statewide organizer for the ACLU's Wisconsin Campaign for Smart Justice. "We have a crisis on our hands, we may not have the capacity to treat these folks."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 01:50:52|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday summoned the Swiss ambassador, whose country represents the U.S. interests in Iran, over the U.S. president's allegations against the Islamic Republic after a recent attack on a military base used by the coalition forces in Iraq.

"The Swiss envoy was told that instead of accusing others, the U.S. president must accept the U.S. wrong policies on its illegal presence in Iraq and the killing of the Iraqi commanders and soldiers, which have become the main reason for the Iraqi people's hatred towards America," said Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Saturday.

"It was emphasized that U.S. wrong policies in Iraq have created the current tensions, and that the U.S. officials, Mr. Trump in particular, could not shirk responsibility by making groundless and dangerous remarks," he added.

The U.S. has claimed that Iranian-backed forces in Iraq have been behind the recent missile attack on the military base that killed a British and two U.S. service members in Camp Taji in Iraq.
'Do animals spread Coronavirus to humans?'

'What special care should senior citizens take?'

'How to protect children from COVID19?'

'How long does it take for symptoms to show?'

'Are ginger and giloy effective against Coronavirus?'

Cardiologist K K Aggarwal, former president of Indian Medical Association, and president of the Heart Care Foundation, answered these and many other readers' queries on coronavirus, in an online chat on March 13.

This is the unedited chat transcript:

IMAGE: Girls wear protective masks in the wake of the deadly coronavirus in New Delhi, India. Photograph: Courtesy ANI

Shubhadeep Chattopadhyay: Dear Sir Is medical spirit as effective as an alcohol based sanitizer for washing hands to eliminate the virus from surface. Kindly suggest as sanitizers are in scarcity at nearby chemists. Regards

Dr KK Aggarwal:: Any > 60% alcohol is effective

Sunny: Sir why our scientist from global forum have not been able to introduce antidote for the Corona virus till date?

Dr KK Aggarwal: New virus, clinical trials need 2 years to develop a new drug or new vaccine.

Swastik Castings Jaipur: i never go in crowd area. Should i be worried?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Only mass gatherings are to be avoided today. > 1000 people gathering. Rest just avoid people with fever and cough. You have a right to ask in any gathering if anyone has fever and cough to walk out.

Ujwal Vare: Does India is prepared to fight it seriously as in India no hygiene & illiteracy is too common?

Dr KK Aggarwal: China had only 50 people affected per million populations. China has shown the way. With learnt lessons we will be able to manage it much better even if China repeats in India.

Kadiyala Subrahmanyam: How to differentiate between common cold & Corona virus?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Cough and cold is allergy; cough cold and fever is flu; fever cough and breathlessness is corona like illness.

Ajmer SINGH: Hello Sir, I am Andaman Islands, my son has to travel to Indore passing two airports to write JEE main exam as they refuse to change exam centre, should I be worried?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Not at the moment. Keep a safe distance of one meter in the exam centre.

Mayank Mehta: Sir, we are hardly finding any Sanitizer and N95 Mask in local chemist. What to do? Is it available online?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Use soap and water. General public does not need masks. N 95 are only for doctors to protect from TB and other respiratory diseases. Masks are required only by people with cough and fever.

Randeev Mehta: Are animals responsible for COVID-19 in people?

Dr KK Aggarwal: As per WHO there is no evidence. First case occurred with which animal is not known. It is sure that it has similarity to a bat virus. The Hong Kong dog which was shown to have weak positive test is asymptomatic.

It's a respiratory infection. Eating meat cannot cause it. It cannot infect the animals and animal cannot give it to humans as per WHO. But first case did come from one animal, which one?

No, they cannot get it or transmit, as on today.

N Nath: How to protect children?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Teach them all aspects of hygiene. Teach them mnemonic SUMAN K: seedha ulta mutthi anghuta nakhoon and kalai movements.

Naresh Chandra Mistry: What precautions are must to avoid new coronavirus?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Respiratory hygiene, coughs etiquette, hand wash, avoid meeting people with cough and cold, avoiding mass gatherings till corona impact is there.

Hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette, and avoid meeting people with fever and cough.

Avoid close contact with people with fever and cough. Maintain hygiene

Suresh Khanna: Doctor Sahib Please advise what special care Sr Citizens must take in this epidemic especially people above 70?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Give elderly people flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, avoid meeting in public, do not allow people with fever and cough to come home and meet the, decontaminate surfaces daily.

CHANDAN NANDI: What precautions take while nursing a woman age 85 years?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Good nutrition, make sure she has annual flu and pneumonia vaccine, avoid exposure to people with cough and fever. Hand wash regularly.

rajesh kumar: What is the symptom after which I should definitely consult a doctor?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Fever, tiredness, and dry cough (most common corona like illness); only cough (pollution), cough and cold (allergy), fever with sore throat in children (streptococcal), fever above 100.4 with cough and cold flu (flu), fever with cough and breathlessness (corona like illness), cough > 2 weeks rule out TB.

Prabhat Mishra: Does increment in temperature kills the virus. Or it is a rumour?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Hot and humid may kill.

Dananjaypuri: Dr Aggarwal, does a COVID-19 infected person dies because of lung failure? What organs does this novel corona virus affect? Also, can this virus survive inside the body of a dead person?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Multi organ failure

Dhiren Shah: How safe is Air Travel right now?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Airports may transmit much more than the air travel. If has to travel prefer window seat.

Dhiren Shah: Some are saying taking vitamin supplements like VIT C and VIT D can help keep this virus away from attacking our immune system. How true is that?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Vitamins intake cannot fight the virus, but if you are vitamin deficient virus may harm you more.

RAJU GARAD: If you are infected by corona virus today, within how many days you will know you are infected?

Dr KK Aggarwal: Mean time to symptoms 5 days; Mean time to pneumonia 9 days; Mean time to death 14 days; Mean time to CT changes 4 days, 3-4 reproductive number R0 (flu 1.2 and SARS 2), epidemic doubling time 7.5 days (Korea 1 day probably due to super-spreader), Tripling time in Korea 3 days.

Gnair: Can we watch movies in theatres since WHO has termed corona virus as pandemic?

Dr KK Aggarwal: DELHI HAS BANNED IT, avoid mass gatherings, cinema is classified as mass gathering, if one person has disease it will go to hundreds of people. Watch movies at home.

Subhash vipin B: Sir, this corona has created an anxiety and tension among all people. Even if there is a general cough & cold, people are being looked upon. How can we differentiate, what is the basic precautionary measure to be taken? I have been asked to use sanitizer wherever i go, will that also create a problem because of overuse.

Dr KK Aggarwal: Fear of being separated from loved ones and caregivers due to quarantine; refusal to take care of unaccompanied or separated minors; refusal to take care of people with disabilities or elderly because of their high-risk nature; feeling of helplessness; feeling of boredom; feeling of depression due to being isolated; stigmatization of being positive infection; possible anger and aggression against government; unnecessary approaching the courts, possible mistrust on information provided by government; relapses of mental illness in already mentally-ill patients; overstress on people to cover work of infected colleagues, Quarantined for 14 days and insufficient or incomplete information leading to myths and fake news

mahesh dube: Sir, my daughter aged 12 yrs. has dry cough from the past 10 days. She is taking Syrup Tuspel TD. Can you suggest a better option since everyday she has to go to school?

Dr KK Aggarwal: It's a pain killer and anti-fever drug. For dry cough you can do gargles and steam inhalation.

Venkateshwar Simhadri: Sir what type of mask we should use while travelling within India thru airlines. E.g. Delhi to Hyd?

Dr KK Aggarwal: No mask needed if you have no fever or cough.

RAJNISH ARORA: AYUSH DEPARTMENT OF GOI suggested homeo medicine "Arsenic Album 30" -3- doses empty stomach as preventive medicine against Corona, Is it helpful??

Dr KK Aggarwal: Not for corona but has been good for any flu.

N Nath: Are Giloy and Ginger helpful?

Dr KK Aggarwal: not for corona, they are normally good for health.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) for antiemetic efficacy in various situations that can produce nausea and vomiting (eg: postoperative, chemotherapy, motion sickness, pregnancy). The majority of studies show ginger to be more effective than placebo, although safety in pregnancy has not been adequately proven.

Giloy is Ayurveda immune booster.

Mayank Agrawal: Dear Sir, I am having productive coughing, Cold and Cough, I have taken Awex D syrup+ 5 days amoxicillion dose as per my physian, still I am suffering from cold and cough, is this the symptom of corona? Please let us know, I also do not having breathing problem but coughing regularly.

Dr KK Aggarwal: its flu, no antibiotics are needed, takes 1-2 weeks to recover.
United States Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster on Friday met BJP leader and Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya in New Delhi. Taking to Twitter, Juster said that he enjoyed meeting Surya to discuss issues related to Bengaluru. He also mentioned that they spoke about ways to enhance US-India bilateral engagements.

Good meeting with Member of Parliament @Tejasvi_Surya in New Delhi. Enjoyed discussing issues related to Bangalore and ways to further enhance bilateral engagement. #USIndia pic.twitter.com/NWdn8zy5Zo  Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) March 13, 2020

READ | WATCH: Trump Offers To Shake Man's Hand At Coronavirus Briefing; Here's What Happened Next

Juster meets Delhi CM

Earlier on March 12, Juster and Deputy Chief of Mission Edgard Kagan called on Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal and discussed a range of issues towards strengthening mutual cooperation. Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia was also present in the meeting.

Very pleased to meet with Delhi Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister @msisodia. The U.S. Embassy is a proud resident of Delhi, and we appreciated the opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest. #USIndia #DiplomacyMatters https://t.co/jS4pV87Mvu  Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) March 12, 2020

READ | IMPORTANT: Indian Embassy In US Posts Advisory For Indian Students In US Amid Coronavirus

Kejriwal also shared the photos of the meeting in a tweet and said the leaders discussed a range of issues towards strengthening mutual cooperation. "It was a pleasure to receive US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster and Dy Chief of Mission, Edgard Kagan," Kejriwal tweeted.

It was a pleasure to receive US Ambassador to India, His Excellency Ken Juster @USAmbIndia and Dy Chief of Mission, Mr Edgard Kagan. We discussed a range of issues towards strengthening mutual cooperation, including the recent visit of @FLOTUS Mrs Trump to a Delhi govt school. pic.twitter.com/Uoj9iD3X81  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 12, 2020

The Chief Minister said they discussed a range of issues towards strengthening mutual cooperation, "including the recent visit of US First Lady Melania Trump to a Delhi government school".

READ | Pakistan Accepts PM Modi's Joint SAARC Strategy Proposal On COVID-19

READ | US Hopes To Announce Billion Dollar Defence Deals With India In Near Term: Kenneth Juster
Welcome to Money Diaries, where were tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Were asking women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period  and were tracking every last dollar.



Today: a Human Resources Manager with a joint income of $217,300 who spends some of her money this week on a hedge trimmer.

Editors note: all currency has been converted to USD.

Occupation: Human Resources

Industry: Mining

Age: 34

Location: Perth, Australia

My Salary: $127,300

Husbands Salary: $90,000

Husbands Annual Bonus: $9,000

My Annual Bonus: $60,000

My Annual Shares Scheme/Long Term Bonus: $40,000

My Paycheck Amount (1x/month): $10,608

Gender: Woman



Monthly Expenses

Rent: $1,731 (split with my husband, I split all the below costs with my husband)

Utilities: $200

Netflix/Amazon Prime/Spotify: $20

Health Insurance: $0 (its covered by my company)

Internet/Cell Phones: $142

Superannuation: 3.5% of our salaries (company contributes 11.5% of base for each of us)

Investment Properties: $900

Pilates Membership: $67

Les Mills On Demand App: $8

Security/Alarm: $30

Lawn Mowing/Cleaner: $150

DropBox: $10

Car Insurance (annual): $680

Car Registration (annual): $700

Day One

3:35 a.m.  I wake up and walk across to the camp gym. I use the treadmill and watch an episode of Suits on Netflix. I head back to my room, shower and head to the mess (translate from mining speak, the dining hall). All of our meals are supplied up here because we arent allowed to leave the site or camp, and even if we did, there is nothing around for miles and miles. I pack a salad for lunch, take some fruit and make a coffee, then drive the tiny little distance of about three minutes to the mine site for work. My shift starts at 6 a.m. every day, but I usually get there earlier to attend department pre-shift meetings and chat with night shift workers who are finishing their shift.

6:30 a.m.  Eating my breakfast at my desk (bircher muesli I brought from home), I do my online food shopping. I love going grocery shopping in the real world, but I find I always spend so much more when I am confronted with snacks and sales. I shop for me and my husband for the upcoming weekend as we are both home. This week I get all the staples  milk, veggies, fruit, chicken breast, tuna, yogurt, protein balls and bars, oats, dried pigs ears (these are a dog treat!), dishwasher tablets, Twix, and we pay 60 cents per plastic bag now in Australia, so whatever amount of them came in the food order. I arrange for it to be delivered Thursday night. $110

Story continues

12 p.m.  Meetings, emails, and discussions for the rest of the day. I break for lunch, which is my packed food from this morning. I usually need something sweet after meals so I head to the charity chocolate box. I avoid keeping chocolate at my desk so if I really want some, I have to go buy some from these boxes. As mentioned, there isnt a shop I can just nip out to, so this is my only option! I buy one for me and one for my coworker (Giant Freddo Frogs, for any Aussies asking). $0.68

6 p.m.  The rest of the day continues like normal, lots of meetings. I leave site (our shifts are 12 hours) and head back to the village. As a manager, I have a car, but most people catch a bus or walk if its not too hot (today reached 114 degrees, yesss Aussie summer!). I drive myself and my colleague to our rooms and head to the mess for dinner. I spend the meal discussing the recent food quality at the mess and debating if the dessert bar is worth it tonight (spoiler alert, it is not) before heading to my room about 7:30. I shower then read on my Kindle before bed. I am reading A Beginners Guide to Freefall by Andy Abramowitz and love it!

Daily Total: $110.68

Day Two

3:30 a.m.  Repeat of yesterday except today I do a workout from my Les Mills app, BodyPump, which is an hour-long strength workout with high repswalking will be tough today! I head back to my room, shower, and Im out for the day. The best part about my job is that I have to wear specific clothes provided by the workplace, for safety reasons. They are by no means sexy (high visibility yellow long sleeve shirts, navy blue drill pants, steel-capped boots), but I never have to pick what to wear or pay for work clothes! Out the door by 5:20 to get to work.

7:45 a.m.  Breakfast is a banana, peanut butter, and protein powder smoothie. I also have a coffee from the machines at work, which arent amazing but get the job done.

12:30 p.m.  During my lunch break, I browse Amazon (the Aus version is teeny tiny compared to what the USA gets!) and I buy a new phone case and screen protector since mine are both useless now. I also get distracted and buy a new watch band for my smartwatch. They are so cheap and handy and interchangeable. $28

3:30 p.m.  A day of spreadsheets and numbers, so I listen to Spotify off my laptop. I mix it up with Lizzos new album and whatever plays from Australias Top Hits. I resist the chocolate box and eat a muesli bar and crackers at my desk that I already have up here.

6:30 p.m.  Its fly out night so everyone usually goes to the wet mess, which is the term used for the bar/tavern on the premises of the camp. Drinks are cheap here because the company isnt allowed to make a profit from the sale of alcohol, so I buy four mid-strength beers for me and a coworker to have. I still plan on getting up at the crack of dawn for the gym so only have these two, talk to some colleagues, and head back to my room about 7:30 for bed. $8

8 p.m.  I have cleverly figured out that rather than hauling my beauty and skincare products to and from work each week, I should just buy doubles of everything. So I have both on-site and at home serums from The Ordinary, Dermalogica, and a few others. I recently started using a dark spot corrector for some pigmentation on my face, but its really hard up here in the Aussie sun to protect your skin!

Daily Total: $36

Day Three

3:45 a.m.  I go to the gym for another run and Suits session. If it sounds like I go to the gym nearly every day, I pretty much do because my job is long sedentary hours. I get back to my room and get ready for work. As mentioned, I use a variety of different skincare pieces, day time calls for epic sunscreen. I also wear a small amount of makeup up here. I wear concealer from NYX, mineral powder from Nude By Nature, and mascara. Whatever mascara I happen to have, I am not fussy.

8:30 a.m.  Today is fly-out day, so Im heading home! It also means the day is shorter as I have a plane to catch. Everything is hectic on these days. Breakfast is slightly later due to people issues (I am in HR, after all, my job is mostly people issues  good and bad), so I have the same smoothie and some dark chocolate. Its dark. Its healthy.

2:30 p.m.  I depart site for the airport, with 99 other people, on several buses. Its hot, were all tired, and ready to fly back to life. Even though Ive only been up here for four days this swing, some have been here for eight or even 14, so everyone is pretty keen to get back to Perth!

5:30 p.m.  After landing, my husband, R., and I hunt to find wherever I parked my car at 4 a.m. on Monday morning in the giant car park. We pay for parking as we exit. $65

6 p.m.  On the drive home we have our fortnightly rituals. Because we both work together, we are allowed to bitch and moan about work for the whole drive home, but not after that. Its a good way to separate work and home life. Another part of the ritual is The takeaway fight. We drive home while trying to decide what to get to eat. I try to convince R. we should have something healthy like Subway, but somehow we end up with fried chicken and chips. I only eat the chips and never order my own. It also comes with Pepsi that neither of us want, but will take home for later. $12.75

6:30 p.m.  The most exciting part of the day  we pick up our dogs from my mum. I miss their stupid wrinkly faces so much when were away! We get home to our food delivery ordered a few days ago, put that away, and cuddle with the dogs in front of Netflix. We are both always so tired on fly-in night so we watch whatever we land on, and head to bed about 9.

Daily Total: $77.75

Day Four

7:45 a.m.  I head to my Pilates class (included in monthly expenses) and get coffees for R. and me on my way home. One of the things I miss most when Im at work (aside from the dogs, normal air temperature, and open-toed shoes) is good coffee. I am obsessed with nitro cold brew, so I get one of them and a skinny latte for R. $7.37

10 a.m.  Friday is both of our get shit done day so we can spend the rest of the weekend together doing whatever we want. I head to my local mall and use a gift card at Decjuba for four shirts. Oops. I was supposed to buy a dress for a wedding with that. I then head to Target, buy god knows what for the house (I think I bought another fake plant?), and two new bras. $67

12:30 p.m.  Rather than heading home to make lunch, I buy sushi for both R. and me and take that back to eat. Then I take the dogs for a walk. Head home, then, unfortunately, log back into work a bit. It never ends! $11

5 p.m.  Another of our fun rituals is Friday night craft beer and cheese! We head out in the afternoon and get a selection of craft beers we havent tried and random fancy cheeses and sit and do nothing but chill out. We both work stupid hours and random rosters, so its good to do nothing! Dinner is also another fun thing we do lots of Fridays, which is homemade pizzas. We make the dough in the afternoon, let it settle, then roll it out and create whatever we want. I have the classic margarita and R. makes some random spicy meat situation. $60

8 p.m.  We continue our Festivity of Chill in front of Netflix on the couch with two snoring dogs. We cant agree on what to watch (also, I may have binge-watched anything remotely good without him so have to lie and pretend I dont feel like watching You). We rent the new Joker movie. Its good, but very intense! $4

Daily Total: $149.37

Day Five

8:30 a.m.  Up for Pilates. R. does his Saturday long run and comes home sweaty sweaty sweaty. After we both shower and feed the dogs, we head out for brunch. I go through phases of loving brunch and wanting to eat allll the poached eggs on avo toast in the world, to really hating it and its overpriced fanciness and preferring to eat at home. This week, I want me some $15 avo eggs, please. And Coffee. Always nitro cold brew. $22.78

12 p.m.  We are in the process of fixing our current house so we can sell it, as we are building our dream forever home. We head to Bunnings to get a bunch of home stuff  paint pots, plants, tools, things that do things that R. swears I dont need to understand, etc. And, we cant leave Bunnings without R. buying a sausage sizzle. I stopped eating red meat about three years ago and only miss three things  my mums spaghetti bolognese, my dads spare ribs, and the Great Bunnings Sausage Sizzle. After Bunnings, we head to some display homes to get more ideas for what we want to build. $120

4:30 p.m.  Saturday night! Tonight we are going out to our friends house for dinner, so we buy a bottle of NZ Sav Blanc to take, as well as some nibbles and cheese and dips we already have. Our friends have just had a baby, so we seem to spend lots of time hanging out at peoples houses these days. Dont get me wrong, I like their kids, but god, I want a night out dancing and doing shots and eating kebabs on the way home at 4 a.m. I say this now, but give me two white wines and Ill probably have a hangover! $12

7:30 p.m.  We order pizza because there are eight of us and its the easiest communal food. We all chip in and get a variety delivered from Uber Eats. $11

10:30 p.m.  Slightly drunker than either of us want to be, so we catch an Uber home and #insertstandardMDsexstoryhere. $10

Daily Total: $175.78

Day Six

9 a.m.  Slight sleep in and taking the dogs to get coffee and to the dog beach. R. opts out of this one. I head home after and have a banana and fruit toast. $11.25

11 a.m.  Im bored on a Sunday so I feel like treating myself and get my nails and eyebrows done. I rarely do this, and it comes out of my splurge account of my own money. R. and I both give ourselves allowances each month of $400 to spend on whatever we want, no questions asked by the other person (thanks, Barefoot Investor!). I usually spend mine on drinks and meals out with friends on weekends he isnt home, botox, clothes, and skincare. I think he spends his on sneakers, fitness gear, and BBQ stuff. Somewhere in the day, I do house chores  several loads of washing, clean up dog poo, tidy the garage that we use as a gym, dishes etc. We have a cleaner that comes twice a month but not a magic fairy that tidies up after us. $45

4 p.m.  On Sunday, we often catch up with my parents as they love to socialize and we share custody of the pooches. We head to a local tavern that is dog-friendly and watch live music, drink beers, and eat fried food. Sundays suck for me because I fly out on Monday mornings so its an early night. We head home about 7 and I shower and go to bed pretty much straight away. I read an MD before forcing myself to sleep by doing a sort of self-meditation. I used to suffer from severe insomnia but a hypnotherapist and anti-anxiety meds have helped me a lot. Wake up time isnt far away! $60.30

Daily Total: $116.55

Day Seven

4:20 a.m.  Normally if R. is home he would drive me to the airport but I know he has a big day ahead and we had a busy-ish weekend so I catch an Ola (Australian rideshare) to the airport. I feel like I just left! I check-in and wait in the lounge where we get snacks and coffee. I dont have anything because as soon as I get on the plane I zonk out straight away for the whole flight. $31.50

9 a.m.  When Ive landed, R. messages me to say he bought a hedge trimmer for the evil bamboo taking over our backyard. Cool. I hope that means he will be the one using it and not me! $165

12 p.m.  Fly-in day is not fun. I have lunch we picked up from the mess when we landed. Coffee coffee coffee. I have to tell someone they are about to be fired today. This always happens over the weekend and I fly back into Shittown. Not the most fun part of my job but mining is a very hardcore industry focused heavily on safety and standards, so people really need to behave!

7 p.m.  I head to my room at the earliest possible time I can finish. After showering and skincare, I browse my Kindle store for a new read, I get Grown Ups by Marian Keyes. Thats two non-scary serial killer type books in a row, go me! Magnesium, fish oil, and lights out by 7:35. $12

Daily Total: $208.50

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THOMPSON  A Thompson resident faces at least 20 years in federal prison after he kidnapped a girl from a park in Massachusetts and sexually assaulted her in a wooded area in Connecticut last year, officials said.

Joshua Besaw, 36, pleaded guilty to the offenses in federal court on Friday, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham.

On May 31, 2019, Besaw saw a 12-year-old girl at a park in Webster, Mass., and tricked her into getting into his vehicle, authorities said. During the incident, he identified himself to the victim as Chuck.

Once he got the victim in his vehicle, authorities said, he drove her to a wooded area in Thompson and sexually assaulted her. After, he drove her back to Massachusetts and released her in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Officials said he refused to give the girl back her cellphone.

The minor victim then borrowed a phone from a stranger to contact her parents who picked her up and brought her to the police station to report the incident, the news release said.

She had a sexual assault exam at a medical facility later that same day.

After an investigation, led by Webster police in Massachusetts and aided by Connecticut State Police, Besaw was identified as a suspect. Investigators used surveillance video from several homes and businesses in Connecticut and Massachusetts to identify Besaw as a suspect.

On July 10, 2019, investigators doing surveillance of Besaw collected cigarette butts he had discarded. Officials said DNA from those cigarette butts matched the DNA evidence collected from the victim during her exam.

Besaw was arrested July 17, 2019. He has been detained since his arrest.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15. At that time, Besaw faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
AMRITSAR: A fortnight after meeting party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Punjab Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday launched his own YouTube channel, Jittega Punjab (Punjab Will Win).

In a press release issued here, he said he had taken to the video-sharing platform to air and share his views with the people of Punjab in a simple and understandable form.

Sidhu said his channel invites all like-minded people for discussions, interviews and an exchange of views. It is a platform to propel Punjab towards revival and renaissance.

Referring to his political hiatus, the release said, After nine months of contemplation and self-renewal, the former minister, a four-term member of Parliament and Amritsar East MLA, will be vocal on the burning issues of Punjab. He will strive to carve out a concrete roadmap for the resurrection of Punjab as a welfare state.

Striking a chord with the Sikh community, Sidhu said: The channel is inspired by the path of universal brotherhood, tolerance, love and peace shown by (Sikhism founder) Baba Nanak.

He appealed to the people of the state to join him and be part of the resurrection.

The whole world is my country, all mankind my brethren, to do good my religion - Inspired Sidhuism, he said on a philosophical note.

The icons of the channel are Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh. They are the epitomes of our glorious past, good governance, courage, sacrifice and role models for our future generations, he said.

The Jittega Punjab logo is inspired by Punjabs state bird, the Northern Goshawk or baaz. The bird is known as a symbol of strength and tenacity.

MEETING CONGRESS HIGH COMMAND

Sidhu met Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka in Delhi to discuss the revival of the state.

I was summoned to Delhi by the Congress high command and met Priyanka Gandhi for 40 minutes on February 25. The next day, I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the general secretary at 10, Janpath, for more than an hour. I got a patient hearing and apprised them of the prevailing situation in Punjab along with the roadmap to the resurrection and revival of the state back to its pristine glory. I have persisted with conviction about this roadmap for the past many years in the Cabinet and public domain diligently, he said in an email.

After resigning from the state cabinet on July 15, 2019, Sidhu was seen for the first time in public on November 9 when he was among the first all-party delegation of 500 pilgrims from India that reached Pakistans Kartarpur to pay obeisance at the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, after the opening of the historic corridor between the two countries.

DIFFERENCES WITH CAPTAIN

Sidhu, who used to swear loyalty to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had to exit from the government after differences with Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh.

He had been at loggerheads with Capt Amarinder and formally resigned from his cabinet on July 14.

When Pakistan railway minister Sheikh Rashid said that the Kartarpur Corridor was the brainchild of their army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Punjab chief minister urged Sidhu to be more cautious in his dealings with the Imran Khan government. He advised Sidhu not to allow his personal friendship with the Pakistan prime minister to cloud his judgement in any way, as that could be harmful for Indias interests.
Release stalled over disagreements on number of detainees to be freed and guarantees they will not return to fighting.

The Afghan government has postponed its plan to release Taliban prisoners, a senior official said, a decision that could sabotage a deal signed last month between the armed group and the United States.

Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said on Saturday the releases were being delayed because more time was needed to review the list of Taliban prisoners.

We are ready to start the process the way it is described in the presidential decree but we wont release anyone if there is no guarantee that they will not return to fighting, he said.

The Taliban have to show flexibility.

Earlier this week, President Ashraf Ghani announced that 1,500 Taliban prisoners would be freed as a gesture of goodwill in an attempt to resolve one of the long-running disputes with the armed group that had stalled intra-Afghan peace talks.

Ghanis decree said the government would release 1,500 captives starting Saturday if the Taliban reduced violence, with plans to free another 3,500 prisoners after negotiations begin.

The Taliban rejected the offer and demanded the release of nearly 5,000 captives, citing it as one of the conditions behind the US-Taliban deal signed last month that excluded Kabul.

According to the US-Taliban agreement signed on February 29, foreign forces will withdraw from the country within 14 months in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and a pledge to hold talks with Kabul.

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There was no immediate reaction from the Taliban on the delay in the release, a move that is likely to further stall peace talks which were originally scheduled to begin on March 10.

On Wednesday, the Afghan government warned it would resume attacks against the fighters if violence continued, ending a unilateral partial truce put in place before the talks.

Political chaos in Kabul has complicated matters further, with Afghanistans former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also claiming the presidency following last Septembers election, which was marred by delays and allegations of voter fraud.

On Monday, Abdullah swore himself in as president minutes after Ghani took the oath of office.
Montanas Jessie Royer will once again be a giant among giants when she and her 14 dogs set out on the Iditarod trail in Alaska this weekend.

This time shell have a school full of Montana kids hustling to keep up.

Valley Christian Elementary in Missoula has adopted Royer for the 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and librarian/math teacher Laurie Job has introduced IditaRead to her K-6 students to get them stoked.

Were going to read 1,000 books before Jessie crosses the finish line, said Job, wholl be joining other Valley Christian teachers and 168 youngsters in the read-along. You cant count any books that you start reading before 10 a.m. Saturday, so were all kind of just saving our favorites.

Theyll be rooting on Royer and her J-Team for the 8-10 days it usually takes them to finish, meaning the faster she goes the faster they must read.

Emma, a Valley Christian sixth-grader, isnt fazed. Shes waiting to break open Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  all 636 pages of it. Classmate Riley will get in the mood with Jack Londons White Fang. Hardy Boys Adventures and Nancy Drews are other popular choices.

Job has added to the challenge by hiding dozens of tiny paper dog booties around the library. To check out a book a student must find four of them.

Every completed book earns a puppy paw sticker on a map outside Jobs room. It represents the trail between Anchorage, where 57 teams will stage the ceremonial start Saturday morning, and Nome on the West Coast. The official race start is Sunday in Willow, 35 miles north of Anchorage.

Mushers and dogs face what race officials this week called an epic amount of snow from start to finish. Compounding the challenge: According to the Anchorage Daily News, locals are reporting a preponderance of starving moose in the Susitna River Valley that are traveling along the race trail to conserve energy.

That can be treacherous for mushers and their dogs on their way to Nome, as moose have been known to go after dog teams aggressively, stomping them and anything else that gets in the way, the newspaper said.

Royer, who'll start in the middle of the pack Sunday with bib No. 31, visited Valley Christian School before and after last years Iditarod to talk about the race. She left quite an impression.

I thought she is super brave to do that, because its hard to do, sixth-grader Hudson said. Like, to go 1,000 miles without any shelter on the ice and stuff, and its scary too, and dangerous, because it could break. And theres wild animals. I think she said she saw like mooses and stuff while she was going.

Indeed, Royer, 43, has pretty much seen it all along the sled-dog trails of North America. Her victory last month in the Montana Race to the Sky was her fifth since becoming the youngest musher and first woman to win in 1994 at 17.

Shes running Iditarod for the 18th time in 20 years. Throw in a couple of Yukon Quests and itll make her 20th 1,000-mile race.

Shell be joined on the trail by 36-year-old Gabe Dunham, an Alaska native who lives near Darby, where she owns and operates a sled dog tour outfit. Brett Bruggeman of Great Falls, who had to drop out of his first Iditarod a year ago, entered but withdrew from this years race.

Royer has a dog ranch outside of Fairbanks, and shes listed as being from that city for the race. But shes spent most of the past decade of winters in western Montana, where the softer snow is more forgiving on her loved ones paws.

In October 2018 she moved her training and dog-sled touring operations from the Triple Creek Ranch near Darby to the Seeley Lake area and followed up in March 2019 with her best Iditarod finish yet. She took third place behind first-time winner Peter Kaiser of Bethel, Alaska, and 2018 champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom of Norway.

Both those men are back again, as are multi-winners Martin Buser, Lance Mackey and Mitch Seavey. Four-time champion Jeff King had to pull out after undergoing emergency surgery Monday night for a hernia and perforated intestine. Buser revealed he was handing over his A team to apprentice Tim Pappas and running his rookie dogs.

The narrowing list of potential winners in 2020 includes Royer, who has been a regular top-15 placer at Iditarod and had previous top-5 finishes in 2015, when she was fourth, and 2017, when she placed fifth.

Im excited, Royer said last month at her facility west of Placid Lake. Im not the kind that gets too cocky. I know whats up ahead and how good the competition is, yet Im pretty confident in my ability and my dogs ability.

The late Susan Butcher won four of the five Iditarods from 1986 to 1990, but no woman has won since. Royers friend Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, Alaska, came close with three consecutive second-place finishes from 2012-2014, and she was fourth a year ago.

Montana has sent one Iditarod winner north to Alaska. Doug Swingley of Simms and Lincoln became the first non-Alaskan to win in 1995 and went on to three more victories from 1999-2001.

***

Royer first visited Valley Christian in November 2018, bringing seven dogs with her, including her leaders Seal and Stryker. Job said the student body followed her race last year via GPS tracker and videos. Royers third-place visit in our hearts was the same as winning, Job said.

She let us pet all her dogs, so that was fun, said Zeke, a sixth-grader this year.

Royer accepted an invitation to come back for a victory celebration and regaled the students with pictures and tales from the trail.

We had much better questions at the second meeting because we heard words on the videos like tussock, withdrawn, and terms for snow that were new to us, Job said. The students asked about her connections with other mushers whose names had come up in the videos. They wanted to know why she stopped at particular locations and what she did there. How did she determine when to sleep? Did she ever sleep outside? Why did she drop particular dogs?

Royers alliance with Valley Christian originated in the Arctic Circle.

Royer was hunting caribou when she crossed paths with another hunter from Montana who was the father of a Valley Christian student. They two introduced themselves. Job said the students father lives at Seeley Lake.

When Jessie moved to Seeley, they saw each other and he said, You should speak at my kids school, the teacher said.

Royer grew up on ranches in White Sulphur Springs, Ennis and Philipsburg and has always preferred the solitude of the outdoors. She and friends will make their annual trek to the North Slope after Iditarod to hunt caribou by dogsled, and her travels between Alaska and Montana are dictated by moose season up there and elk season in the Big Hole.

But Royer has people skills too. As the Valley Christian students found out, shes a warm and engaging public speaker.

She really inspired me, knowing she could do something like that, go to the Iditarod, one sixth-grader said.

Shes a tremendous athlete, not just her but her dogs as well, said another.

I think were her No. 1 fans in Missoula, Job said. Last year as she got close to the finish line and we could tell she was going to place well, we made a video during math class and sent it to her, just cheering her on.

It costs $4,000 to enter Iditarod, but thats a fraction of the cost to race in one. Even the roughly $40,000 in prize money Royer received last year for coming in third didnt cover her bills. Kaiser won $51,000 and the traditional new pickup truck for first place.

The reward for Valley Christian students and staff for reading 1,000 books?

Funny thing, no prize, Job said in an email. We want to accomplish this big thing because we want to become stronger. I guess that is our prize, improved character!

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ALTON  Concerns about the spread of coronavirus canceled the official Downtown Alton St. Patricks celebration on Saturday, but green-clad revelers showed up anyway to celebrate all things Irish.

Though green beer, Jameson Irish Whiskey and goodwill flowed as usual, those who kept with tradition and came downtown Saturday were very aware of the cloud cast over the revelry by COVID-19 concerns. Some chose to ignore the risk, while others were a little more cautious with their celebration.

I work at a hospital in Highland, said Jessie Manton, of Marine, while enjoying a drink with friends at Altons Morrisons Irish Pub.

So I am always self-conscious and health conscious, especially during flu season, she said. Hygiene is kind of important to me.

I dont think it is anything to freak out about yet. I think as long as we are taking precautions, we are good.

Morrisons Irish Pub is typically a destination for St. Patricks celebrations and although it was crowded Saturday afternoon, it hadnt reached the can-hardly-walk-through point of years past.

At first I thought there would be more people out, but once we got out with the weather and everything, I think this is about what we expected, Manton said.

Im very Irish and my family normally participates in the Downtown parade, which has been canceled, so this is kind of our make-up for it.

Rosewood Heights resident Gene Flowers, along with friends, had some drinks and Irish stew at Morrisons.

Its always a good time down at Morrisons and theres always a good crowd here, Flowers said. As you can see today, they still show up.

Were not really concerned about the virus, he said. It doesnt seem to be a serious problem in our area, and lets hope that it continues to be that way.

Flowers noted that he and his friends didnt think twice about coming out this weekend in spite of the overall virus concerns.

We didnt hesitate at all, he said.

We were rather disappointed that the street festival had to be canceled. We wanted to make sure that we still supported the local community, so we decided to come down to Morrisons and do our part.

East Alton resident Jamie Winship celebrated her birthday Saturday at Altons Bluff City Grill, but she understood why city of Alton officials called off the public St. Patricks Day events, she said. Yet, she and her friends didnt consider changing their plans because of the virus.

Its a good idea for a crowd-control kind of thing, she said, but its not going to stop a lot of people from going out  because its St. Patricks Day.

You just need to wash your hands and dont touch your face.

Hand sanitizer is good, but what about the antiseptic properties of the St. Patricks Day drinks at her table?

Im sure it helps, she said.

At Altons Macs Downtown, a kilt-wearing David Ruyle, of Jerseyville, imbibed with family and friends.

Im here to drink, Ruyle said. For me, its a St. Patricks tradition.

Ruyle wasnt concerned about the coronavirus.

Its a fluke, he said. Its just like every other sickness.

St. Patricks Day weekend is one of the biggest revenue-generating times for most Downtown Alton eating and drinking establishments, so diminished crowds will certainly have an impact on many businesses bottom lines.

We look forward to the St. Patricks celebration, kind of, carrying us through, especially with all of the spring flood predictions, said Morrisons Irish Pub co-owner Lisa Morrison. So that is what we use to kind of carry us through that flood season, because when that flood comes it doesnt show any mercy.

Even with many people in person supporting Downtown businesses, crowds were down Saturday compared to past St. Patricks celebrations, and Morrison, who also works at a hospital, realized why people are concerned about the virus.

We sanitize our tables after each customer, and we put in a lot of good techniques to keep the place clean, she said. We are just as concerned for our customers as we are for ourselves. Its better to err on the side of safety and flatten the curve whenever possible.

Germania Brew Haus experienced normal Saturday crowds and also took ongoing precautions against the coronavirus.

Before and after every drink I am using hand sanitizer, said Germania employee Michael Wooff, of Alton. We are wiping down our screens often, we are really on top of it.

Every Monday we are doing deep cleaning here, he noted. We have a consultant from a hospital who came in and showed us how to clean on that level.

Canceling public events, like, the St. Patricks celebration might be disappointing, but Wooff understands why those steps were taken, he said.

Hopefully they (organizers of events) are taking the precautions that some of the bigger cities are.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.

Heidi Gardner is encouraging everyone around the world to spread some kindness to those affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

On Friday, the Saturday Night Live cast member shared a post on social media, telling her fans that she was going to send letters to convalescent homes, many of which have been on lockdown amid the outbreak as the virus can be potentially deadly for people over the age of 60, especially those with underlying health conditions.

Gardner also asked her followers to consider sending one themselves.

Please join me and send a card to a nursing home. Senior citizens need our love more than ever right now. They are isolated and not able to be visited by loved ones, the comedian wrote. I was thinking this morning that a card could really cheer them up. Thanks for reading this and if you do write one, please send me a pic so I can share and we can continue to spread the love together. .

Gardner also uploaded a picture of the note she wrote, which read: Dear Residents of Shady Rest Care Center, Hi, Im Heidi. I wanted to say HELLO to you. I realize with the current state of the world, you may not have as many visitors stopping by. So this is me stopping by to let you know that you are loved and thought of. And if I were there Id give you a big hug!! If you feel like writing me back, Id love to hear from you. Were all a bit cooped up and lonely. A pen pal would be nice. i hope you have a beautiful day. I love you. XOXO Heidi.

RELATED: U.S. Cases of Coronavirus: Heres an Updated Map of the Spread

The stars post inspired fans around the world to join her in sending heartfelt letters to senior citizens in nursing homes across the United States.

Story continues

Gardner shared a second post, highlighting some of the sweet letters and acts of service her friends and fans were sending.

CARE BEARS UNITE!! // truly Im blown away by all the love going out into the world. Its so comforting. Ive gotten so many messages and pictures today, she wrote. Hundreds of cards have gone out to seniors. This is beautiful. Ive heard from teachers, kids, teens, moms, dads, husbands, wives, artists, athletes, news anchors. A woman from Germany sent letters!! This is beautiful and Im so inspired to do more. Ill be spending my night continuing to write and if you messaged me a retirement home or loved know that I saw it and I will write to them. Thanks again. Big LOVE  .

In one of the photos, Gardner shared a text message conversation with a friend who told her that they dropped off toiletries at a shelter after being inspired by her act of kindness. We can add a little love in this scary time, the friend wrote.

The actress then reposted all of the messages and tags shes received on her Instagram Story, of fans sending letters and drafting fun templates for others to use.

RELATED: First Coronavirus-Related Death Reported in New York: Virus Has Spread Much More Than We Know

One follower even revealed that she shared Gardners initiative with her company, which then dedicated an hour of their workday for employees to write letters to nursing home residents.

This is incredible of you and your coworkers, Gardner responded to the fan. Please thank them on my behalf. You inspire me!

As of March 14, there have been 2,345 confirmed cases of coronavirus and a total of 50 deaths in the United States, according to a New York Times database.

Several states have declared a state of emergency to redirect funding, and public schools in Ohio, Maryland, New Mexico, Michigan, Oregon and the District of Columbia have closed in response.
Journalists are competitive and independent by nature. They want to get the story ahead of anyone else, and they want to find stories no one else has reported.

We live for scoops.

Last year, however, more than 40 newsrooms banded together to report on a public health crisis: Oregons suicide epidemic. More than 800 people in the state die by suicide each year and little is said publicly about it. Suicide, according to the most up-to-date federal figures released this month, is the leading cause of death for young people in Oregon.

Now, as the state confronts the spread of coronavirus illness, Oregons newsrooms are once again setting aside our usual competitiveness and collaborating in the interest of public service journalism. Numerous Oregon editors have agreed to share coronavirus stories in order to get the best information out to the most Oregonians.

The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon Public Broadcasting, KGW-TV, the Pamplin Media Group, the Statesman-Journal, The Bulletin in Bend, the Malheur Enterprise and Salem Reporter are taking part, among others. Les Zaitz, publisher and editor of the latter two outlets, suggested we take the lessons learned from last years Breaking the Silence collaboration around suicide awareness and apply them to the emerging public health story.

Given the complexity of the novel coronavirus, the many impacts on communities -- health, school, travel, the economy -- no one organization in the state can effectively serve Oregonians with necessary coverage, said Zaitz, a former investigative reporter and editor for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He saw a national call for more collaboration and it reminded him of last years effort.

The response to his idea was enthusiastic agreement from large and small. Street Roots, a newspaper sold on street corners to help the homeless, joined in, as well as The Lund Report, an online site that focuses on health news. Newsrooms that wish to join can email ornewsrooms@gmail.com.

Coronavirus will strain even the largest newsrooms as news breaks continuously and into the nights and weekends. The collaboration will allow newsrooms to pick up good information from other sources, so they will not need to re-report the same story. We can cover more angles this way.

I really thought that if we joined forces again, as journalists we could deploy resources more broadly -- and deeply -- to provide sensible but imperative coverage, Zaitz said. In a perfect world, newsrooms might even plan coverage together to spread out the workload, rather than share after publication.

The collaborative effort is also a recognition that some newsrooms may have better information on local confirmed cases, through sources other than the Oregon Health Authority, which has released very limited information, unlike some public agencies elsewhere. And cooperation allows Oregonians to benefit if one newsroom has skills, such as data analysis, that others do not.

The Oregonian/OregonLive is a member of The Associated Press, which is a cooperative. Were used to sharing our work with other members. This is an extension of that spirit, in keeping with the intense interest in the story.

Weve also started a daily coronavirus updates newsletter. You can sign up for it at oregonlive.com/newsletters. And we have online page for all of our coronavirus news: oregonlive.com/coronavirus.

You can track the spread of the illness here and elsewhere at projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus. And you can sign up to receive free text alerts on coronavirus from The Oregonian/OregonLive by texting 503-782-5730.

As mentioned last week, we want to inform and educate the public and not needlessly inflame fears. Even as journalists deal with the same anxieties as other Oregonians, we are committed to ensuring we are the most complete and authoritative source for COVID-19 news.
(Natural News) The coronavirus known as Covid-19, which has marched across the globe with relentless precision in the past few weeks, has firmly established itself in the United States. Over 150 Americans have now been diagnosed, and the disease has already claimed 11 American lives.

People are terrified, because even though the virus seems to cause only mild symptoms in the vast majority of patients, it also claims the lives of at least 2 percent of its victims, with the sick and elderly being particularly at risk.

As with any infectious disease, healthcare workers are at elevated risk of contracting Covid-19, and initial mistakes by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have left a gaping hole in the nations defenses. This has left nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers even more exposed than they should be, and many of them are reporting unprecedented levels of anxiety as a result. (Related: Pandemic proportions  COVID-19 is starting to spiral out of control all over the globe.)

Front line healthcare workers at higher risk

In China, where thousands have died from Covid-19, several healthcare workers have succumbed to the disease, either as a direct result of the virus or because of other illnesses caused by exhaustion and long hours in the trenches.

Now, healthcare workers in the United States have expressed fears that they, too, might meet the same fate. (Related: Coronavirus fears continue to spark panic buying of isopropyl alcohol and hand sanitizer across the USA.)

The LA Times reported:

The virus has been estimated to kill two of every 100 people who contract it, though the risk is lower for younger people and higher for the elderly, experts said.

But medical professionals could be in more danger than others. Being exposed to multiple people who are very sick  the way someone working in a hospital would be  typically makes someone sicker than if they were exposed to only one person who was mildly ill.

Plus, hospital procedures, such as intubating a patient, may release large amounts of the virus that can easily infect workers in the room.

In addition to the elevated risk from close and prolonged contact with patients, healthcare workers have expressed grave concerns about the ability of many facilities to cope with the logistic aspects of an outbreak.

And supplies of protective equipment are already running low, though we are still in the early stages of what experts are predicting will become a full-scale pandemic in the United States.

The Times reported further:

With the coronavirus expected to spread within the United States, doctors and nurses say they are nervously watching as stockpiles of masks and other protective gear in hospitals dwindle amid an equipment shortage. The flu season has further complicated efforts to identify suspected COVID-19 cases because the two infections have similar symptoms.

Physicians say it has become increasingly challenging to monitor the shifting recommendations for treating and testing for COVID-19 while also trying to care for anxious patients and prevent exposure to the virus among themselves and their colleagues.

Healthcare workers are also terrified of the potential consequences of this prolonged exposure on their own families.

I have to go back home and I have to worry about my family and what I could be carrying back to them, said Dr. Suman Radhakrishna, of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. There are no martyrs here.

We salute the brave men and women willing to risk their lives to save others. Lets hope the government moves quickly to provide whatever equipment, supplies and support they need to get the job done.

Find all the latest coronavirus news in one place: Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

LATimes.com

BBC.com
As the coronavirus has spread from China to more than 110 countries around the world, and as it has gone from epidemic to pandemic status, nations around the world have adapted their travel ban list to include countries with high outbreaks.

On February 28th, the annual pilgrimage destination for most of the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia, joined other countries banning travel and imposed a travel ban to Mecca and Medina over public health concerns regarding the coronavirus.

Twelve Muslim-majority countries were put on Saudi Arabias travel ban list: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Ten Asian countries were also placed on the list: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam.

The response from local Dallas Islamists to this news was muted and starkly in contrast to the fighting words used to describe Trumps travel bans, border walls, or other immigration policies.

CAIR-DFW Executive Director Faizan Syed, for example, in an article in NBC-DFW stated that Saudi Arabias actions had caused confusion because a group of seventy students from DFW area Islamic schools were planning a trip to Mecca for spring break:

Now thats up in the air, and they might go, they might not go. Its created a lot of tension in our community. No one really knows whats going to happen next.

Fellow local Islamist Yasir Qadhi in an interview with Public Radio International, admitted that his plans to take 150 students on a tour of Saudi Arabia were also up in the air, but its all good:

Well, [we] do realize that this is not a permanent ban. Right now, we dont know whats happening with the hajj. This is a temporary ban on some countries for the umrah. Anytime you go outside of the mandatory season, its called an umrah. So, were kind of in limbo. We dont know whats going to happen when it comes to the hajj season in three months. We dont know yet. So we are confused. We are flustered. We are a little bit worried and scared. All put together

Contrast such rhetoric to that used to describe Trumps latest adjustments to the 2017 travel ban that resulted in carefully coordinated airport protests across the country.

In February, in an article posted to its website entitled What You Should Know About the Latest Travel Ban, CAIR-DFW ominously declared that about three years after the first travel ban, the Trump administration [has] expanded its travel restrictions targeting even more Muslims and immigrants of color. [emphasis added]

Theres only one problem with such rhetoric. The majority of countries on this new list are not majority Muslim countries. Some like Nigeria have about an even split between Muslims and Christians, and other countries like Eritrea, Tanzania, and Myanmar are just not majority Muslim. Furthermore, there are more Muslim majority countries on Saudi Arabias own list than on Trumps. Why has CAIR-DFW not decided to highlight the racism of Saudi Arabias list?

With Trumps announcement this week that his administration will temporarily ban travel to 26 European countries, the number of non-Muslim countries on that list now vastly outweighs the number of Muslim countries.

The article links to the No Muslim Ban Ever website, where the attempt to delegitimize Trump is even more pronounced:

The Trump administration continues to push white supremacist and exclusionary policies that discriminate on the basis of faith, national origin and immigration status. We invite you to join us and declare #NoMuslimBanEver to raise awareness, resist and dismantle these policies.

The site also states definitively, The Muslim and refugee bans are just one prong of Trumps white nationalist agenda.

Again, for claritys sake, the majority of the new countries added to Trumps original list are not Muslim majority countries, and as of January, there is about an even split between Muslim and non-Muslim majority countries on the list. Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Kyrgystan are on the list and are Muslim majority. Venezuela, Myanmar, Eritrea, Tanzania, Nigeria, and North Korea are also on the revised list but are not majority Muslim.

Add to this list the following Christian majority countries as of this week: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The split between Muslim and non-Muslim majority countries is now an even 20:80. 20% of the countries on the ban are Muslim majority and 80% are non-Muslim majority.

The page of the #NoMuslimBanEver which reveals its campaign policies provides a window into the full scale of CAIR-DFWs push for open borders. Here are a few examples:

End policies like bans, walls and raids that treat our countries as inherently suspect and foster bigotry and hate.

(End policies like walls?)

The page also advocates that the #NoMuslimBanEver coalition create safe spaces for people under threat by advocating for sanctuary policies, supporting sanctuary communities and offering physical sanctuary.

In light of the coronavirus, the Love Knows No Borders campaign of Islamists like Dallas-local Omar Suleiman is looking more and more ridiculous. Is it okay now to revise this slogan to read the virus knows no borders as it passes blithely from country to country wreaking havoc, disrupting travel plans, closing schools, and overwhelming hospitals?

The rhetoric of CAIR-DFW and other local Islamists is becoming more and more absurd. The coronavirus is exposing CAIR-DFWs double standards surrounding borders, walls, and immigration, especially as Saudi Arabias travel ban includes more Muslim-majority countries than Trumps infamous racist white supremacist ban.

Anne-Christine Hoff is the Dallas Counter-Islamist Grid Research Fellow of Middle East Forum. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
COVID-19 outbreak shocks Sri Lankas economy By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

The unending new coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will exert a significant impact on Sri Lankas economy through various sectors including a sharp drop in domestic demand, lower tourism, business, travel, exports, trade, foreign remittances and industry etc, official sources said.

The magnitude of the economic losses will depend on how the outbreak evolves, which remains highly uncertain, a senior Treasury official said adding that the economic impact is now being analysed considering various scenarios.

The range of aspects and statistics considered in the provisional estimates suggested an economic impact (financial loss) of around 0.1 or 0.2 of gross domestic product (GDP) in the range of US$9.1 billion to $18.2 billion.

Sri Lankas economic links with China could be directly affected as significant volumes of consumer goods, intermediate goods and investment goods are imported from China.

Around half of total number of local firms has been impacted and their sales declined ranging between 20-40 per cent, 40-60 per cent and over 60 per cent, official sources said.

Telecom and energy-based manufacturing companies have not been affected given the anticipated cost savings amid falling commodity and oil prices.

With massive tax cuts announced during late November 2019 and January 2020, the Government has taken steps to increase disposable income of the consumer in order to stimulate consumer growth.

If the government is successful in containing the spread of COVID-19, a recovery is possible in credit and consumption to materialise earnings expectations of the overall economic players in the near to medium term.

The likely slowdown of the global economy and disruptions to the supply chain could affect Sri Lankas merchandise and service exports as well as related logistics, Central Bank announced.

The drop in exports due to the new coronavirus could be as much as 25 per cent in the next quarter, resulting in a reduction of $750 million in merchandise exports in the second quarter of 2020, Export Development Board (EDB) sources said.

The export industry has informed that imported raw materials are sufficient only for two months.

Local manufacturers have begun to shut down their factories due to the lack of imported raw materials and buyers demand, a senior EDB official told the Business Times.

Workers remittances to Sri Lanka are expected to affect badly by COVID-19, which is spreading alarmingly in at least two of the countries Italy and South Korea and West Asia from where Sri Lanka gets a substantial amount of remittance revenue, he said.

According to provisional Treasury estimates, worker remittances to Sri Lanka will fall to $4 billion from $6.7 billion in 2019.

The Treasury has predicted that Sri Lanka could lose 30 per cent of its tourism revenues, or about $1.5 billion, this year due to decline in tourist arrivals following the COVID-19 crisis.

The local apparel sectors revenue loss would be around $ 10 million.

The estimated loss in tea export revenue will be around $520 million; he said adding that tea prices plunged about 40 per cent as Iran and China have stopped importing the commodity.
Gardai at the scene where Jacqueline McGovern was knocled down and killed by a gang of raiders in an out-of-control car. Photo: Damien Storan

A man suspected of involvement in the armed robbery that led to the death of a 54-year-old special needs assistant has been targeted by his rivals in a social media hate campaign.

The posts contain sinister threats and abuse, including claims he is a killer.

Gardai have not yet arrested any of the three men seen drinking together in a south Dublin pub just minutes after mother Jacqueline McGovern (54) was killed when she was hit by an out-of-control car in Killiney, seconds after an armed robbery at a Centra store.

Gardai say that because of the "extreme gravity" of the case and the fact that suspects have been identified, there is "no rush in carrying out arrests".

Like all ongoing cases, the operation is being affected by considerations surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, but this is not believed to be a major factor in the investigation led by Dun Laoghaire detectives.

Violent

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The Herald revealed yesterday that blood found in the gang's getaway car may prove crucial in cracking the case.

"Blood detected in the abandoned car is key," a senior source said.

"Gardai have a clear idea who was behind this crime. Now this vital DNA is crucial to proving it."

The three suspects involved in the crime are believed to be from the Ballybrack, Sallynoggin and Monkstown areas.

All aged in their early 20s, they are known to gardai for involvement in crime, including violent disorder.

Three men were in the speeding car after the Centra Barnhill Stores on Barnhill Road in Dalkey was robbed.

Two men armed with a knife held up staff on Tuesday night at 9.10pm.

The pair threatened the workers and made off with several thousand euro.

Ms McGovern and her friend and colleague Audrey Behan (51) were injured when the out-of-control getaway car hit them at 9.20pm on Tuesday at the junction of Ballinclea Road and Avondale Road in Killiney.

Prayed

They were out for a walk when they were hit by the car.

The women were rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, where Ms McGovern died.

Ms Behan's injuries are not believed to be serious, and she is expected to make a full recovery.

Ms McGovern was an SNA in the local Our Lady of Good Counsel Girls National School. Ms Behan is also an SNA there.

Both women were prayed for at mass in the parish, and the school's principal Caroline Quinn paid tribute to them.

Following the crash, the three raiders walked away.

However, detectives at Dun Laoghaire have now identified the pub near the scene of the crash where the suspects were seen.

Gardai have also obtained CCTV from the premises.

This is one line of inquiry being looked at by gardai to establish if these men were involved in the earlier robbery.

The Nissan Almera used by the gang was "mangled" following the crash.

The getaway vehicle has not been taxed or insured since last April.

Its last registered owner was interviewed extensively on Wednesday. He has told gardai he sold the car for a small sum.

His account has been accepted by gardai, who said the man is not involved in criminality.
Two people were killed after a small plane crashed near a Southern California landfill on Friday, authorities said.

The plane was reported to be a single-engine Mooney M20 and was found near the Sunshine Canyon Landfill, northwest of Los Angeles around 5:30 p.m.

A Federal Aviation Administration official said the aircraft vanished from the radar shortly before 2 p.m. while heading to Van Nuys Airport.

Los Angeles County firefighters and sheriffs deputies responded to the possible plane crash after reports came in about an hour after the planes disappearance.

The county rescue team went to the reported scene near the Newhall Pass, a mountain freeway corridor northwest of Los Angeles but poor visibility and muddy, rugged terrain hampered the search.

Our deputies had to hike in and it took a little while to find the wreckage, Sheriffs Lt. Ethan Marquez told KCAL9.

Federal officials are investigating the cause of the crash.

Authorities said rainy weather may have been a factor, but at this time it is not confirmed if the crash was weather-related.

The plane had taken off from Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend, Oregon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
At one New Jersey hospital emergency room, the electronic status board of many waiting to be seen reports symptoms that in another time might seem innocuous. Coughs. Sore throats. Slight fevers.

All were fearful they had been stricken with coronavirus. None of them were suspected to actually have COVID-19.

Its a situation playing out in hospitals throughout the state.

The New Jersey Department of Health is aware of spikes of worried well in hospital emergency departments, said Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman for the department. Emergency rooms are busy.

A factor feeding that anxiety might be that flu activity is very high in the state right now. That has caused those who have been hit with some kind of bug to worry that what they have could be far worse, experts say. But an increase in patients who do not really need to be seen by an emergency room doctor has been putting stress on an already stretched system.

The hospitals are on the front lines. They are treating patients who have tested positive while dealing with those with anxieties, said Judy Persichilli, the states health commissioner, at a press briefing in Ewing on Friday.

At the same time, she pointedly noted that medical workers themselves are at risk.

Kevin Slavin, head of of St. Josephs Health in Paterson, on Friday disclosed that an emergency medical doctor in his hospital recently tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus. Dr. James Pruden, the medical director of emergency preparedness at St. Josephs was admitted with upper respiratory and cold-like symptoms on March 6.

Those of us who have devoted our lives to the health care of others know and understand the challenge COVID-19 represents, Slavin said, adding that the states 150,000 hospital workers remain at risk.

Pruden is currently isolated at the hospital, according to Slavin. Others who had contact with the physician have not tested positive for the virus. But he warned similar diagnoses of doctors and hospital workers are likely to continue as more hospitals admit infected people.

We are all at risk of this, the hospital system CEO said.

The statewide total of those who have tested positive for coronavirus now stands at 50, according to the health department.

Kerry McKean Kelly of the New Jersey Hospital Association said many emergency rooms around the state are now at capacity as more people seek reassurance that their symptoms are not related to the outbreak.

The emergency departments are very busy, she said, also citing the flu season still underway. We dont have a full canvas of the state. There are pockets here and there in terms of volume. But statewide, there is very heavy traffic into the emergency departments.

Not all hospitals have been seeing those numbers. Christopher F. Freer, director of emergency medicine at RWJBarnabas Health, said emergency room visits in his hospital networks system are pretty much tracking where it was at this point last year, attributing that as well to the flu season. But there is concern.

Theres definitely fear and were fielding questions from nursing homes, doctors and patients, he said.

For those with flu symptoms, he said if they would not have gone to a hospital emergency room for treatment in the past, they should not go now.

This is new. Theres a fear of the unknown, Freer acknowledged of the concerns over coronavirus. But he said patients should not head to the emergency room before checking with their doctor.

Despite the increase in ER visits  and the strain on capacity  the states 71 acute care hospitals are not yet facing the kind of crushing overflow of sick patients that has forced countries like Italy to triage cases, leaving some of the sickest people to their fates. What they have seen is increases in wait times.

Its taxing the emergency departments. But they prepare for this, said Kelly.

She added, though, that hospital surge plans could be executed if the volume of patients were to soar, leading to the use of alternate facilities and even medical tents.

Even now, however, nurses and certified nursing assistants in hospitals and nursing homes across the state have been raising concerns about critical shortages of protective gear, including masks. Representatives from six labor unions have called on the Murphy administration to ensure all healthcare facilities have the supplies, training materials, and staffing support they need to reduce everyones risk of exposure.

Persichilli on Friday acknowledged that supplies of personal protective equipment have been running low.

Its running slim, she said. The stockpiles are dwindling. We expect a shipment next week. I think we can hold it together until then.

MORE: Keeping up with coronavirus in N.J.: First, dont panic. Our newsletter might help.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma has pledged to donate two million protective masks for distribution across Europe, with a first consignment arriving in Belgium late on Friday.

A cargo plane loaded with 500,000 masks and other medical supplies such as test kits landed at Liege Airport. The consignment will be sent to Italy, a joint statement by the Alibaba and Jack Ma foundations, the Belgian region of Wallonia and Liege Airport said.

Further flights are due arrive in coming days to the airport, which is set to become Alibaba's main European hub for e-commerce shipments.

Ma has also said he will donate 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million masks to the United States, while urging international cooperation to fight the health crisis.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Advance learned from multiple sources Friday night that a College of Staten Island student has tested positive for the coronavirus.

In an email obtained by the Advance, school president William Fritz shared his belief that the case does not pose a risk to the schools larger community.

NYS health officials who are experts on communicable diseases have advised us that because she just tested positive, has not been on campus for 8 days and did not have any symptoms at the time, that the case does not pose a risk to the CSI community," he wrote in the email

However, out of an abundance of caution, we have notified the instructors and other students in her classes and we will do a thorough clean over the weekend of the areas on campus where the student was present."

The female students last time at the school was March 5, according to the email sent a little before 9:30 p.m. Fritz did not specify whether she was at the schools Willowbrook or St. George campuses, but a spokeswoman for the said the case was at their main Willowbrook campus.

She added that in addition to state health officials, CSI also consulted with Staten Island University Hospital and was advised that it did not need to close its campus.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that State University of New York and the City University of New York classes will be moving online March 19, and will remain that way for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.

CUNY schools have been on a five-day recess since Thursday.

Cuomo said Friday that any decision to close down schools is up to the locality.

Based on the current 421 positive coronavirus cases across the state, Cuomo said he is not ready to issue a statewide school closure directive.

Despite widespread calls to shut down the citys public schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that he plans to keep schools open.

De Blasio and Cuomo have cautioned that a mass school closure was not without its consequences, including the need for parents, particularly those in medical fields, to leave the workforce to care for their children.

As of Friday, 154 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in New York City, including five cases on Staten Island -- the same number as of Thursday. But the mayor said that the borough breakdown was not up to date.

***

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As metric tonnes of Vietnams dragon fruit and watermelon have been barred from being exported to China due to the epidemic, local bakers have debuted new types of breads that use fruit as one of the main ingredients, to roaring success.

To support farmers, Kao Sieu Luc, founder of ABC Bakery in Ho Chi Minh City, added pink dragon fruit to his breads to enhance the flavour while also helping to buy the unsold fruit. The idea came to him during a recent trip to the Mekong Delta region, where he saw many ripe fruits left unharvested on dragon fruit farms.

After a lot of trial and error, I found the perfect recipe for delicious loaves of dragon fruit bread by replacing 60% of the water used in making the dough with a dragon fruit smoothie, Luc said.

Customers have described the bread as having a crunchy crust and a slightly sour taste with a beautiful colour that makes it stand out from normal bread.
An Ofsted director has apologised for coronavirus guidance that referred to headteachers dying as a union called for inspections to be suspended amid a national emergency.

The watchdog came under fire after it published updated guidance on deferring visits amid the coronavirus outbreak, which included a section on what to do if a school leader died.

This text, which was described as tone deaf and insensitive by school bosses on social media, has since been removed by the watchdog and it has apologised for any distress caused.

It was part of Ofsteds existing policy on inspections, which predated the coronavirus outbreak.

Chris Jones, director of corporate strategy at Ofsted, tweeted: We want to ensure that we are able to defer inspections for any schools impacted by Covid-19.

Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK The usually busy Royal Mile in Edinburgh is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 13 March Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Ho bart's Amusement Arcade in Westward Ho!, Devon is offering toilet roll and soap as prizes in grabber machines Rob Braddick/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK An empty platform at Farringdon Station in London the morning after the Prime Minister said that Covid-19 "is the worst public health crisis for a generation" PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Shopkeepers Asiyah Javed and husband Jawad from Day Today Express, in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk are giving away facemasks, antibacterial hand wash and cleaning wipes to the elderly in a bid to stop the spread of Coronavirus Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A usually busy street in Cambridge is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 2 March James Linsell-Clark/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitiser dispenser is seen inside the stadium during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on 8 March Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Maaya Indian Kitchen in Milton Keynes is offerig customers a free roll of toilet paper with every takeaway order SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Oliver Cooper[L], was sent home from school for selling spurts of handsanitiser to fellow pupils at 50p a time. He poses with mum Jenny Tompkins by their home in Leeds Ashley Pemberton/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Empty toilet paper shelves at a supermarket in London on 12 March EPA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A member of the public is swabbed at a drive through Coronavirus testing site set up in a car park in Wolverhampton Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A passenger wears a protective face mask as she travels on a bus in the City of London AFP/Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A Southampton fan wears a face mask before the match against Newcastle United on 7 March Reuters Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A loudspeaker placed in grounds of St Mary's Catholic Church in Broughattin, Dundalk, County Louth ahead of funeral mass later this morning. The loudspeaker has been placed in the grounds after the Catholic Archdiocese said that funerals and weddings should not exceed 100 attendees within the church building PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitising station set up outside Cheltenham Racecourse during day four of the Cheltenham Festival on 13 March PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK People wearing protective face masks walk across London Bridge on 11 March AFP/Getty

The language here is historic and needs to be changed, which we will. Im sorry for any distress caused.

The inspectorate had already received criticism from school leaders for publishing a tweet on Friday that said it was business as usual for inspection teams.

Addressing hundreds of heads, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), called on the government to suspend all Ofsted inspections during the crisis.

Mr Barton said it was not a time for business as usual but a time of national emergency. One school leader, he said, currently has 15 members of staff off because of coronavirus.

At ASCLs conference in Birmingham on Saturday, Mr Barton said the government should move to suspend all inspections with the exception of establishments with specific safeguarding concerns.

His calls for Ofsted to show it understands the extraordinary pressures on schools and colleges and for inspections to be halted were met with a round of applause across the conference hall.

Mr Barton added: We acknowledge that Ofsted has taken a step in the right direction by accepting that the current situation may be a reason for an inspection to be deferred.

However, it has not gone far enough. A case-by-case basis is not good enough. It simply cannot be right that schools and colleges are judged in a high-stakes manner in these extraordinary circumstances at all.

Sean Harford, Ofsteds national director of education, addressed the conference on Saturday and told heads that inspections of schools and colleges affected by the virus will be deferred.

He added that the chief inspector has asked to be personally involved in any decision not to defer in these circumstances  which was met with applause from school leaders.

We will be proactive in asking schools and colleges if they want to request deferral because of coronavirus and clearly we will look very favourably on all such requests, Mr Harford said.

So far, at least one college has contacted Ofsted to request for an inspection to be deferred which was granted. But Mr Harford said it was quite possible they will receive more requests in weeks to come.

On the guidance which included a section on headteacher deaths, Mr Barton said it felt misguided.

Speaking to the media, he added: You can understand why people felt cross about that. I think it was probably more an unfortunate response where they then rushed out some previous guidance.

Guidance that under a previous set of circumstances would have been fine suddenly looks insensitive.

On Twitter, Stuart Lock, CEO of a group of schools in Bedford, called the original guidance tone deaf.

Vic Goddard, head of Passmores Academy in Essex, added that it was a prime example of how misplaced Ofsteds priorities are.

Responding to the criticism of the guidance on deaths, which was later amended, Mr Harford said the watchdog wanted to get the policy out quickly so schools were aware of exceptional circumstances.

On the deferrals policy, which has been in place since 2016, he said: Policies are written to cover off all possibilities. The facts are that we have never done an inspection when there has been a death of a headteacher, proprietor, deputy headteacher or teacher.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, the Chief of Crisis Management Organization of Tehran Municipality said his organization has prepared 8 of its crisis shelters in Tehran for convalescence of coronavirus patients in a safe environment.

Reza Karami said only shelters in safe distance of residential areas have been chosen and equipped for the purpose. "Given that many organizations including the regular army and the Revolutionary Guard are now involved [and offering logistic support], it seems that these 8 crisis management shelters which have been equipped by Tehran Municipality will be enough," he said.

According to Karami the Health Ministry requested the use of the shelters but so far their use has not been required. "But I've heard that one of the shelters may be used in the coming days," he said.

In a tweet on March 7, Gholam-Hossein Mohammadi, an adviser to the Mayor of the capital, had said that the 8 crisis shelters had been equipped with a total of 500 hospital beds for convalescence of patients.

Ali E'ta, Spokesman of Tehran City Council, was quoted by Borna News Agency on Wednesday as saying that a shelter in southern Tehran reportedly set on fire by local residents who were opposed to using it for coronavirus patients has not been damaged at all.

"A few, about 20, gathered in front of the shelter and meant to incite the public [to violence] by setting fire to waste collection bins," he said. According to E'ta the situation was resolved quickly after authorities went to the scene and offered explanations to the public.

"The shelter was not among those allocated to housing coronavirus patients," he said and added that no one will be allowed to cause any disruption in the process of serving patients even if the shelter is designated for such use. "Police will ensure the security of the shelters," he said.

Tehran Municipality has over a hundred crisis shelters around the city for emergencies such as earthquakes and epidemics.

According to the Mayor of District 6 of Mashhad where the rate of coronavirus infection has gone up at an alarming rate, a crisis shelter has been equipped for receiving coronavirus patients if their numbers exceed the number of hospital beds.
JERSEYVILLE  An expert witness testified that bone fragments found on the rural Jerseyville property of Roger Carroll, who is on trial for the 2010 death of an East Alton woman, do not belong to her.

Matt Davis, an Illinois State Police forensic anthropologist and expert in human remains, told jurors Thursday there were several human bone fragments on a burn pile site where prosecutors believe Bonnie Woodwards body was destroyed.

The fragments were sent to university experts who said two of the fragments were not from Woodward and the others were so degraded by fire or so small that no DNA evidence could be extracted. Davis did not explain the origin of the fragments that were not linked to Woodward.

An expert in forensic wood anatomy testified that a significant fire in May or June 2010 damaged a tree at a Jersey County site where Carroll is accused of destroying the lifeless body of Woodward.

Alex Wiedenhoeft of the U.S. Forest Service showed a jury a thick slice of wood from the site on Carrolls land near Jerseyville. He explained how the tree rings revealed the time of the fire that caused the damage.

You can clearly see that the event happened in 2010, he said. It happened during a growth season in May or June, when the growth was quite active.

His story supports the testimony of others  including Carrolls wife, Monica Carroll  that a huge fire burned on the property shortly after Woodward, 48, of East Alton went missing and was allegedly shot to death.

Roger Carroll, 53, was charged April 12, 2018, with first-degree murder in the June 25, 2010, death of Woodward. He was an early suspect in the 2010 investigation, but the case lay dormant until his alleged assault of his wife, Monica, and subsequent testimony by his son, Nathan Carroll, about the killing.

Woodwards disappearance roughly coincided with the disappearance of her stepdaughter, Heather Woodward, who was living with the Carrolls during that time, citing a bad situation at home.

Monica and Nathan Carroll have testified under a promise of immunity. Heather Woodward, who was allegedly used as bait by Roger Carroll to attract Bonnie Woodward, also has testified but did not get immunity.

The tree evidence initially was collected by Frank Scoggins, a former Jersey County states attorney investigator who noticed the burned tree in April 2018 while investigators were searching the burn site. He testified that Nathan Carroll was showing him around the property, pointing out significant sites at which the alleged crimes occurred.

The younger Carroll testified earlier this week that the fire was accelerated with oil and gasoline, burning hot for several days. He avoided telling about the killing until 2018, after Monica Carroll was severely attacked by Roger Carroll.

The jury also heard a video of an interview by Roger Carroll with then-Alton detective Scott Golike. In the interview, Carroll denied being in Alton on June 25, 2010, when Woodward was last seen in the employee parking lot of Eunice Smith Nursing Home, where she worked. Her Chevrolet Avalanche was found in the lot.

His statements conflicted with the testimony of eyewitness Wanda Bousley, a co-worker at the nursing home. She said she saw Roger Carroll standing next to the Avalanche, talking to Bonnie Woodward.

Your fingerprints were found on the car and thats a problem, Golike told Roger Carroll in September 2010. He hinted that Roger Carroll could perhaps get a second-degree murder plea agreement, but Roger Carroll asked for an attorney.

Another forensic scientist testified a projectile and a shell casing found at the reported site of the shooting near the Carroll house likely came from a semiautomatic handgun the younger Carroll earlier this week described as the weapon used to kill Woodward.
Tom Brenner/Reuters

A second person who dined with President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort last weekend during a visit by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for COVID-19, according Trumps physician Dr. Sean Conley.

The first person who interacted with the president was Fabio Wajngarten, a top communications aide to Bolsonaro who posed in photos next to Trump. A third person who was at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a Trump fundraiser has also tested positive but its unclear if the person came into contact with Trump, The Washington Post reported, citing an email from Republican Party officials.

The White House doctor insisted there was still no need to swab or quarantine the president. The president had earlier suggested that he would most likely be getting tested fairly soon.

The now toxic dinner took place last weekend when the Brazilian delegation visited the presidents Florida getaway. This evening we learned of another dinner guest, this one sharing the table with the President and White House delegation, who was symptom-free until this morning and has since tested positive for COVID-19, the statement from Conley said. These interactions would be categorized as low risk for transmission.

Conley added, citing guidelines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have laid out, As such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time.

Conley did not name the new dinner guest, but the Brazilian embassy to the U.S. on Saturday tweeted that Ambassador Nestor Forster tested positive. Brazil's Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster has learned tonight that he has tested positive for COVID-19, the embassy wrote in a tweet. Following medical advice, Amb. Forster will extend his self-quarantine, which he had already placed himself into as a precautionary measure, for another two weeks.

As a standard measure of practice the World Health Organization has recommended that anyone coming into contact with a person testing positive for COVID-19 should self-quarantine for two weeks. Under those guidelines, the entire Mar-a-Lago staff and American delegation should isolate.

Story continues

The Brazilian coronavirus cluster is not the only exposure the president has had to the contagious virus. He was also potentially exposed through several people who came in contact with a person who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, who later tested positive.

Forster, Wajngarten and Bolsonaro were part of a delegation who traveled to the U.S. over the weekend and met with multiple high-level officials. The group dined at Mar-a-Lago with Trump, National Security Adviser Robert OBrien and Trumps daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

On Sunday, the Brazilian delegation met with U.S. military Southern Command senior leaders. On Monday, the delegation met with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) at the Hilton Miami Downtown. Scott said Thursday that he would be tested for COVID-19 and would self-quarantine for two weeks.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who attended an event with Bolsonaro and his press secretary in Miami on Monday, told The Miami Herald on Friday that he had since tested positive for COVID-19.

The Miami Police Departments entire motorcycle patrol unit said they would self-quarantine after escorting the delegation around Miami.

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A paramedic leaves a tent in front of the emergency ward of the Cremona hospital, northern Italy. The coronavirus spread so fast in that country that doctors spoke of choices war-time triage medics make in deciding who lives and who dies, and who get access to the limited number of ICU beds. Read more

Even under the most conservative estimates, perhaps 200,000 to 300,000 adults in the United States could need intensive care due to the coronavirus infection over the coming months, epidemiologists say.

Yet the nations hospitals have fewer than 70,000 adult intensive-care beds, three-quarters of which already are occupied.

If the bulk of those gravely ill coronavirus patients get sick during a short period of time, hospitals will be under tremendous strain, said Jeremy M. Kahn, professor of critical care medicine and health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh.

If they all get sick at the same time, were hosed, he said Friday.

Seeing how quickly the number of infections rose in China and other countries, U.S. hospital executives are looking hard at their surge capacity  ramping up their ability to handle a sudden increase in critically ill patients. That includes upgrading regular hospital rooms with ventilators and other life-saving equipment, scheduling the additional trained staff that are needed to operate it, and postponing nonurgent procedures.

That is why Philadelphia hospital executives have discussed using the shuttered Hahnemann University Hospital to handle any overflow in patients  not necessarily those who are infected with the COVID-19 virus. Or the building could simply be used as a quarantine site, not a place where health care is given  meaning it would not need a license.

Reopening Hahnemann would be a major undertaking, as the facility no longer has beds or a license, but its owners have said they are open to the idea. Kahn called it a smart move.

Make Hahnemann a low-severity hospital, he said. Then at Penn, Temple, Jefferson, every bed in those places can be filled with COVID patients.

Pennsylvania has about 3,800 critical-care beds, some of which are designed specifically for heart patients but could be used for the type of severe lung problems experienced by a small percentage of those with coronavirus infections, state Department of Health spokesperson Nate Wardle said. New Jersey has 2,000 such beds, according to the New Jersey Hospital Association. But many such beds in both states are occupied.

Philadelphia and its four neighboring Pennsylvania counties had 941 critical-care beds in 2018, the last year for which hospital-level data are publicly available  though Hahnemann, with 52 such beds, closed in 2019.

Some number of hospital rooms designed for noncritical patients can be upgraded to provide intensive care in the short term, said Mark R. Ross, vice president of emergency management for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

He declined to provide hard numbers but insisted there wouldnt be a problem.

This is something we have planned for, trained for, and exercised for for a number of years," Ross said.

For coronavirus patients with severe respiratory symptoms, a key piece of equipment is a ventilator: a sophisticated machine that helps a patient breathe through a tube. In a pinch, hospitals can secure extra ventilators from commercial vendors, Ross said.

State and federal governments also have stockpiles of the devices, but whether the supply will be adequate remains unclear. Asked multiple times Thursday on Fox News if there were enough ventilators to meet any surge in critical patients, a senior Trump administration official did not provide a direct answer.

Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, responded instead by describing the travel restrictions and other mitigation strategies that are designed to avoid a crisis.

We dont want to put stress on the health-care system, she said.

 READ MORE: How canceling school and public events buys more time for hospitals to fight the coronavirus

Even if there were enough ventilators to handle a big surge in cases, hospitals would not necessarily have enough trained staff to operate them, Kahn said. Nurses, respiratory therapists, and physicians all need special expertise to care for patients on such devices, and they need practice working together, the Pitt professor said.

The modern ICU is much more about the people than the actual technology or the room, Kahn said. This is a learned skill that takes experience. And the team itself gains experience over time. Its not like we can just throw in random people and expect them to work together well as a team.

Even using the most conservative assumptions, infectious-disease experts estimate that 300,000 people in the United States will need critical care at some point due to complications from the virus, Kahn said. Some experts say the number could be several times that.

The key is how many need help at the same time, said David N. Fisman, a University of Toronto epidemiologist.

People on ventilators are on them for about three weeks with this thing," he said. So that drowns ICU capacity really fast.

 READ MORE: With viruses like flu and coronavirus, pneumonia often delivers the fatal blow

Philadelphia, with its ample supply of hospitals and providers, may fare better than more rural parts of the country, Kahn said.

Yet hospital officials here are planning for the worst.

At a meeting Wednesday with leaders from the citys major hospital systems, Penn Medicine chief medical officer P.J. Brennan said the amount of spare capacity was limited.

Id be surprised if any of us has more than a few beds on any given day that could be used for COVID-19 patients, he said.

The idea of using the Hahnemann building arose in a conversation between Brennan and city Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, the pair said at the meeting.

Penn also has explored two in-house strategies to ease any strain from the virus. One is using nonclinical spaces such as lobbies to accommodate patients with other, less severe conditions, Brennan said. The health system also has looked into reopening a small number of clinical rooms that are not in use.

How long these tactics need to remain in place is anyones guess. No one yet knows when illnesses will peak, and when the pandemic will subside.
A coronavirus vaccine could soon be tested on humans in the UK following encouraging research on mice.

Scientists from Imperial College London said that clinical trials could take place in a few months time if they receive funding, after trials on mice gave promising results.

Currently we have a prototype vaccine in animal models where the early results are encouraging, Dr Robin Shattock, head of mucosal infection and immunity at the universitys Department of Infectious Disease, told The Independent. We are hoping to progress to clinical testing by the summer depending on obtaining sufficient funds for the next stage.

A number of researchers across the globe are working to develop a vaccine for the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 145,000 people across the globe.

Scientists in the US have already launched an appeal for volunteers to take part in the first coronavirus vaccine trial on humans, which would pay participants $1,100 (900).

An American vaccine company has said it hopes to start separate clinical trials in late spring, after receiving a funding boost.

It is a global effort, Dr Shattock from Imperial College London said about the possibility that funding may go to others.

We are not racing against each other  we are racing against the virus.

The team at the university have moved to testing their vaccine on monkeys with researchers in Paris, but the litmus test will be to see how it works on humans, Dr Shattock said.

Dr Paul McKay, a senior research fellow at Imperial, said the team had applied for further funding from the Medical Research Council to conduct human clinical trials.

If British scientists here develop a vaccine it would be great if the government supported it, he told the Daily Express.

There is currently no vaccine against Covid-19, which has put countries into lockdown as they work to combat the spread of the virus.

More than 5,400 people diagnosed with coronavirus  a flu-like disease that can develop into pneumonia  have died across the world as of Saturday, according to a Reuters tally.

The outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation this week.

More than 1,100 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, which could see mass gatherings banned from next week to curb Covid-19s spread.

Twenty-one patients have died in the country to date.
Over recent years, many people have made a lot of money by becoming landlords and property investors, and this includes properties in their own countries as well as abroad. When it comes to the latter, many people decide to invest in properties that can be rented out as holiday homes to other traveler, and this offers a host of benefits.

If you are looking to make some money by investing in property, it is well worth considering an investment in Playa Del Carmen real estate, as this is something that can offer a host of benefits. Many people flock to Mexico's popular resorts these days, so you can look forward to a stream of potential renters as well as a host of additional benefits.

Some of the Key Benefits You Can Look Forward To

There are plenty of benefits you can look forward to when you invest in Mexico real estate, particularly when you choose a popular area such as Playa Del Carmen. Some of the great benefits include:

A Choice of Properties: When you invest in property in the Playa Del Carmen area, you can look forward to a choice of properties to suit your needs and your budget. This makes it easier to afford property overseas and means you can find something that is within your budget and suited to your needs. It also makes it easier for find a property that is in the perfect location, with plenty of amenities, attractions, and places of interest within easy reach.

A Popular Tourist Destination: One thing to bear in mind is the importance of choosing a popular location for your vacation rental home, and Playa Del Carmen is the ideal choice in this respect. This is a place that enjoys a high level of tourism with people visiting from around the world. Naturally, when you invest in a vacation property, you want to ensure you have a steady stream of people wanting to rent it. In a destination like this, the popularity of the resort will ensure your property is not left standing empty for long periods.

A Great Holiday Home for You: Of course, in addition to helping other people have great vacations, you also want to have exciting vacations for yourself and your loved ones. When you invest in property in this part of Mexico, you can look forward to a wonderful holiday home that you can use for yourself and your loved ones whenever you want a break.

Choosing the Perfect Property

One thing you do have to be mindful of when you are investing in property in Mexico is the importance of choosing the right investment property. This is something you need to put plenty of thought into, as this will help to ensure you make a more informed choice. There are various factors you need to consider when you are choosing the right property. This includes:

Your Budget: You need to take your budget into consideration to choose the right property, so you need to look carefully at how much cash you have available or how much you can afford to borrow. You can then focus on properties that fall within your price range. If you are taking out a mortgage, make sure you look at the monthly payments compared to the amount you can bring in per month by renting it out to holidaymakers.

Local Amenities and Facilities: It is important to look at local amenities, facilities, and attractions, as this will play a big part in the success of your rental. People generally want to stay somewhere that has attractive surroundings and plenty of places to visit and enjoy within easy reach. They also want conveniences such as easy access to shops, restaurants, and other amenities.

Who You Want to Rent To: Finally, think about who you want to rent the property to, as this can have an impact on the type of property you select. For instance, do you want to rent to couples, or do you prefer families? Do you want to rent to larger groups and parties?

Reap the Rewards

Once you have found the ideal property for your needs, you can look forward to reaping the rewards or a successful rental property in Playa Del Carmen.
United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that would "most likely" take a test for novel coronavirus.

Trump made the remarks in response to queries from reporters after his announcement of a nationwide emergency in view of the developing coronavirus situation in the United States.

Trump was asked that he was standing next to a person who had tested positive for coronavirus.

The US President referred to his picture with Fabio Wajngarten, Press Secretary of Brazilian resident, Jair Bolsonaro, who has tested positive.

"I haven't seen the picture. Somebody said there's a picture with somebody taking a picture with me, but I haven't seen it. But I can tell you... I didn't say I wasn't going to be tested.. Most likely, yeah. most likely... Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway. Fairly soon," Trump said to a series of questions.

Asked if the media will be told the results, he said, "We're working on that. We're working out a schedule."

According to CNN, White House officials on Friday sprang into action soon after early rumours began to surface that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro may have tested positive for coronavirus. The Brazilian President had a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday.

The early reports were wrong and Bolsonaro later confirmed that he was tested negative for the virus. However, Bolsonaro's press secretary was tested positive.

The White House physician, Navy Commander Sean Conley had released a note on Friday (local time) saying that Trump came in contact for a brief moment and shows no symptoms of the disease. He further added that quarantine for the President is not necessary.

Ivanka Trump, the first daughter and special advisor to the President has been working from home after she came in contact with Australian Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, who was tested positive for the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) continues to spread around the world and more countries in Africa are confirming positive cases, the Catholic Bishops of Malawi have issued pastoral guidelines for liturgical celebrations in an effort to help prevent the spread of the virus among Christians.

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA Nairobi, Kenya

In the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in many parts of the world, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) enacts the following precautionary measures with regard to the celebration of the Holy Mass, other liturgical services and as general guidelines. These are only temporary measures until the situation stabilises, reads in part the statement signed by ECM President, Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of the Archdiocese of Blantyre.

Priests need to preach hope

In the first place, the Bishops emphasise that Priests should give the Catholic faithful messages of hope. Messages on coronavirus must not create panic and despair. They add, the Catholic faithful should be encouraged to wash their hands before entering Churches or other places of worship. Similarly, Holy water fonts should be drained. Instead, Holy water should be kept at the Sacristy where the faithful can collect (it) for their individual use, reads another preventive measure.

Avoid overcrowding the pews

The Bishops urge parish priests to ensure that there is no overcrowding in the in pews. They also discourage the sign of peace in the form of form of a handshake, hug or any other bodily contact during Mass.

No communion on the tongue

Concerning receiving the body of Christ, the Catholic faithful should line-up when receiving Holy Communion not kneeling in order to ensure proper distance between them and reception of the Eucharist should be done in the hand not on the tongue. Besides, where concelebrations take place, priests should receive Holy Communion by Intinction.

The Bishops also recommend that ministers should thoroughly wash hands before and after distribution of the Eucharist. Other measures include care with offertory gifts and the handling of money.

Health Awareness

The Catholic Bishops in Malawi further explain that, Experts in the medical field should be invited to give talks in Churches and schools on coronavirus. Efforts should be made to have a technical team of doctors that will analyse the situation and give updates and advice, the Bishops said.

Seek guidance before inviting partners

Commissions working with foreign nationals coming from destinations where cases of Coronavirus have been identified should first seek guidance and information from Catholic Secretariat or any relevant Government authorities before inviting them into the country.

Caution on Second hand clothing

The Bishops also caution about second hand clothes coming from abroad saying, The same applies to material donations such as second hand clothes  kaunjika coming from abroad.

Open-air Masses to avoid crowding

The use of the Public Address systems so that the Catholic faithful can follow Mass from outside the Church in order to avoid congestion in the Church was another of the measures outlined by the Church leaders.
A national memorial in New Zealand to commemorate the 51 people who were killed when a gunman attacked two mosques one year ago has been cancelled due to concern over the new coronavirus.

Thousands of people were expected to attend the Sunday service in Christchurch to mark the anniversary of the March 15 shooting.

New Zealand has had just six confirmed cases of COVID-19. All of those cases have been connected to people returning from abroad and so far there haven't been signs of a local outbreak.

The most recent case, involving a man in his 60s who recently returned from the US, was announced by health officials Saturday.

The memorial service honouring the 51 victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre was cancelled over coronavirus fears (Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel pictured above)

Thousands of people were expected to attend the Sunday service at Horncastle Arena (pictured) with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Zealand sitting at six

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the decision to cancel the service at Horncastle Arena, also announced Saturday, was pragmatic and precautionary.

'We're very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldn't create the risk of further harm being done,' Ardern said in a release.

The announcement came a day after Ardern had said at a news conference in Christchurch that the event would still go ahead.

Some had questioned at the time why the event was proceeding after Ardern and other officials had elected to cancel a festival in Auckland celebrating Pacific culture due to fears over the coronavirus.

Ardern had said Saturday that the Pasifika Festival was cancelled out of a specific concern the virus could spread to Pacific islands that don't have the health infrastructure to cope with an outbreak.

On Friday, Ardern attended a special joint prayer with members of both mosques that were attacked.

The service was to be held on the anniversary of the March 15 mosque shooting

Immediately after last year's attacks, Ardern started working on changing the nation's gun laws. The deadliest types of semi-automatics are now banned, and in a nationwide buyback, gun owners turned in about 60,000 of their newly outlawed weapons for cash.

Ardern also worked on trying to eliminate terror attacks from being shown online, after the gunman livestreamed the Christchurch attacks. Ardern brought some nations and tech companies together to work on the issue in what she named the Christchurch Call, which she said had helped start a new crisis response protocol.

'As a result of the protocol and that coordination in those events where social media platforms have been used to broadcast attacks, the circulation of those videos had been far, far diminished,' she said.

The man accused of the attacks, 29-year-old Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, is due to stand trial in June on charges of terrorism, murder and attempted murder. If found guilty, he would face a sentence of life imprisonment
KYODO NEWS - Mar 14, 2020 - 15:27 | All, Japan

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS)

Kansai Electric Power Co. said Saturday it had named a new president following a scandal in which company executives received cash and gifts from a former deputy mayor of a town hosting one of its nuclear plants.

Executive Vice President Takashi Morimoto, 64, has been promoted and will replace Shigeki Iwane, 66, who has stepped down to take responsibility for the scandal, which exposed shady ties between Japan's nuclear industry and local public officials.

The leadership shuffle came as Kansai Electric's third-party panel said in its final report that company executives received from Eiji Moriyama, the late deputy mayor of Takahama town in central Japan a total of some 360 million yen ($3.3 million) in cash and gifts, a tally higher than the 320 million yen reported in an in-house investigation in 2018.

The report said 75 people received the gifts from Moriyama in a practice that started directly after he retired as deputy mayor in 1987. The previous in-house report said 20 people including Iwane received the gifts in forms such as cash and gold coins.

The panel, launched in October last year, handed the final report to Kansai Electric on Saturday, after interviewing executives and other employees at the Osaka-based utility, both current and former.

Kansai Electric Chairman Makoto Yagi stepped down in October to take responsibility for the scandal. Iwane has said he would resign on the day of the panel's report.

The new president Morimoto has served as an executive vice president of the company since June 2016. He has recently handled human resources, safety management and other affairs.

Related coverage:

Kansai Electric chairman resigns to take responsibility for scandal

Kansai Electric auditors knew of gift coverup before general meeting

Kansai Electric admits nuclear execs' acceptance of massive gifts
New Delhi, March 14 : The Supreme Court has decided to hear urgent matters beginning March 16 following the coronavirus outbreak. Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and second senior-most judge Justice N.V. Ramana are not on the roster for March 16.

The third senior-most judge Justice Arun Mishra, who has been included in the roster, will sit with Justice M.R. Shah and take up plea of Mukesh, the death row convict in Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder, whose counsel has sought filing of fresh curative petition in the apex court.

The bench will also take up a plea by telecom company Vodafone and protection from arrest granted to civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde till March 16, in the Bhima-Koregaon case.

According to a notification issued on March 13, beginning March 16, the top court will hear only urgent matters, where six benches, comprising two judges, will hear 12 cases in the day.

The judges will take a 30-minute break after hearing first six cases on the list, and the remaining cases will be heard after the break.

In a late night circular on Friday, the apex court decided only 6 out of 15 benches will conduct hearing on Monday, and no persons, except lawyers connected with the case, will be allowed inside courtrooms.

The six benches will comprise Justices Arun Mishra and M.R. Shah, Justices U.U. Lalit and Vineet Saran, Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, Justices L Nageswara Rao and S. Ravindra Bhatt, Justices S.K. Kaul and Sanjiv Khanna.

Usually, the apex court on Monday and Friday functions with 15 benches and take up mostly miscellaneous matters.

The cut-down on hearing of matters will postpone hearings on three important national issues -- the nine-judge bench hearing led by Chief Justice on faith vs fundamental rights issue arising from petitions seeking review of the top court verdict allowing entry of all age women in the Sabarimala temple; petitions challenging the validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act and also the validity of the Centre's decision to scrap Article 370, which gave special status to erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Supreme Court staff members have been advised to subject themselves to thermal-screening.

"All staff members may be required to subject themselves to thermal-screening and persons detected with high body temperature would be denied entry and further, they may be subject to the SOP prescribed by the government, Ministry of Health", said the circular issued by Registrar Administration Deepak Jain.
Travelers queue at a departures terminal in Barcelona on March 14, 2020. Photo by Adria Salido Zarco/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A tourist travels through an airport last year. Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Sky Princess, one of the 18 ships in Princess Cruises' fleet, sends a WeWillBeBack message via its balcony cabins. Last week, Princess stated it was voluntarily pausing its global operations for 60 days in response to COVID-19.

Passengers travelling during the pandemic. Photo by Sergei Bobylev\TASS via Getty Images

One by one, countries and continents are closing as coronavirus outbreaks around the world throw travel into disarray.

This is a fluid situation, with new developments by the hour - let alone day - so check with your airline, tour operator and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) travel advisories before travelling.

What's the latest?

The Irish Government is now advising against all non-essential travel overseas at least until March 29. This includes Great Britain but does not apply to Northern Ireland. It also includes all cruise ship travel.

Flight restrictions and route cancellations are happening on a daily basis worldwide and there is no guarantee that air routes will continue to operate for the coming weeks," Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said.

"For this reason, where commercial flights are still an option, we recommend that people who wish to do so make arrangements to return to Ireland as soon as possible."

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Anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland, should restrict their movements for 14 days, the HSE says. This includes Irish residents. Essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff are exempt.

For now, "this advisory overrides all other travel alerts and security status notifications, with the exception of countries with a do not travel security status, which remain unchanged", it says.

It follows a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU, set to be imposed for a period of 30 days, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"The less travel, the more we can contain the virus," she said.

The DFA's list of countries closing their borders or introducing travel restrictions is changing by the hour, and now includes dozens of destinations (see below).

Are Irish airports still open?

Yes, Irish airports and airspace remain open at this time.

As chaos continues however, the Irish Travel Agents Association has asked the Tanaiste "to look at the repatriation of Irish travellers from other countries in the EU and across the world, especially the US.

What's happening in Spain?

A repatriation effort has been taking place, seeing the Irish government liaise with Ryanair and Aer Lingus to bring home an estimated 20,000 people from Spain, the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Both airlines are severely reducing flights.

"Customers that were already checked-in for their return flight may have experienced difficulties to change their booking," Ryanair said. "Today we are unchecking all customers booked on flights exiting Spain from 21 Mar to 28 Mar and advising them to apply for a free move on an alternative date via our online service."

Aer Lingus passengers should us the Manage My Trip page to re-book travel.

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Irish citizens can also ring a dedicated DFA helpline on +353 (0)1 613 1733.

What is the latest travel advice?

The Irish Government is advising against all non-essential travel overseas at least until March 29. This includes Great Britain but does not apply to Northern Ireland. It also includes all cruise ship travel.

It follows a wave of travel restrictions in responses to the Covid-19 crisis, the DFA says - with travel advised against either due to virus outbreaks, or lockdowns and closed borders aimed at containing it.

Citizens are advised not to travel at all to Italy.

In Europe, the DFA had earlier advised against non-essential travel to Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta and Slovakia (click links for country advice) as coronavirus-related travel restrictions mount.

Anyone coming into Ireland will be asked to restrict their movement for 14 days..

The US has extended an original travel ban for 26 countries in the Schengen Area to the UK and Ireland. The ban won't apply to US citizens, green card holders or their immediate family members.

Irish citizens should also "avoid non-essential travel" to China, Iran and Morocco, the DFA says, and a wave of new advisories has now been issued for Latin and Central America as countries there move to curb travel from Europe.

You should now avoid non-essential travel to the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Peru among other countries.



In Asia, avoid non-essential travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

In other news, Norway closed all borders, airports and ports, while Malta has said that all passengers arriving by air or by sea are obliged to undertake a 14 day period of mandatory quarantine, including fines of 1,000 for every breach.

New Zealand and Australia are requiring almost all travellers entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days. Cruise ships from foreign ports have been banned from docking for at least 30 days.

In India, the government has announced that visas for all nationalities would be suspended until April 15, due to the coronavirus. All non-Indian citizens will not be allowed entry.

The DFA has already advised travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution" in South Korea, which is also battling an outbreak, and advises against "all but essential travel" in affected zones Daegu and Cheongdo.

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Ireland's list of at-risk countries also includes Singapore and Hong Kong.

This advice is changing rapidly as the virus spreads.

Are flights operating as normal?

No. Airlines are now under siege.

Ryanair expects to ground most of its 450+ planes by March 24, and Michael O'Leary has warned that a full grounding of the fleet cannot be ruled out.

Disruption to US and European schedules is unfolding as airlines scramble to deal with the coronavirus carnage.

SAS has suspended operations, American Airlines grounded 75pc of international routes until May, and IAG will reduce capacity "by at least 75 per cent" in April and May. Talk of multi-billion euro bailouts has begun... and that's just the latest news.

We expect demand to remain weak until well into the summer", IAG chief Willie Walsh has said.

In the meantime, Aer Lingus and Ryanair have moved to waive their flight change fees for certain bookings (fare differences may apply). See a list of airlines waiving change fees here. Aer Lingus has also now requested that only customers due to fly with the airline within the next 72 hours contact its call centre, due to unprecedented demand.

Both airlines say they will contact affected passengers, continue to monitor the situation, and liaise with the DFA, other governments, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and EASA.

I'm nervous. Should I travel?

Following government advice, not until March 29 at the earliest - unless it is essential.

As The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, made clear in an address to the nation on St Patrick's Day, the Covid-19 crisis will go on long beyond that date, possibly into the summer months.

Beyond this stark new reality, there's no one-size-fits-all answer.

If the DFA advises against travel to your destination, then you should consider cancelling your trip. Otherwise, there is no official advice not to go, but the situation is changing extremely quickly.

Decisions like this come down to individual comfort levels. It's natural to feel a bit worried... but stay calm and don't rush a decision. If you still have time before your trip, wait and see how events unfold.

The Irish Travel Agents' Association (ITAA) has called for the public to "be pragmatic" about their holiday bookings.

Our advice is to speak to your travel agent and get good advice from the experts," says John Spollen, ITAA President. "Members are monitoring what is a fluid situation on behalf of their clients on a day to day, hour by hour basis."

Remember that travel agents and airline staff are under extreme stress, and are anxious about their families too. If you are not due to travel in the coming days, consider waiting a while before making contact.

You can download TravelWise, the DFA's free smartphone app, on the Apple or Google Play stores, and set an alert for the country you are visiting to receive significant updates direct to your phone.

If coronavirus affects my trip, can I get a refund?

If the DFA issues a warning to "avoid non-essential travel" to an area (as it has done for Spain, for instance), or a "do not travel" alert, then you should be eligible for refunds or re-bookings.

In the first instance, contact your travel provider (i.e. airline or tour operator) to see what costs you can reclaim for trips that have been cancelled or curtailed.

If you booked separate accommodation yourself (i.e. not through a licensed and bonded travel agent) then you will need to check the T&Cs, or look to your travel insurance (see below) to recover money.

If I cancel my holiday, can I get a refund?

If you cancel or cut short a trip because you feel uncomfortable about travelling to an area, and the DFA has not issued a warning about that area, then you are likely to lose your deposit or payment.

If you are worried about travel, contact your tour operator or travel agent and ask if you can change or defer your plans - they are not obliged to, but Irish agents have a history of being helpful in stressful situations and airlines, cruise lines and tour operators are offering unprecedented levels of flexibility on bookings at the moment.

Airlines have also waived change fees.

If you are not due to travel in the ban periods now in place for Covid-19, my advice is to wait for now. The ban periods are likely to be extended, which may give you more rights and eligibility for refunds if you cancel at that point.

What if my airline cancels the flight?

If your flight is cancelled for any reason, and regardless of when you are notified, your airline must offer you the choice between:

1) Re-routing as soon as possible, subject to availability, free of charge.

2) Re-routing at a later date.

3) A full refund.

You may also have certain assistance and compensation rights. See here for a full list, or check flightrights.ie.

What will my travel insurance cover?

If the DFA declares a no-go area, or advises against "non-essential travel" to a destination, your first recourse for refunds or re-bookings should be your airline or travel agent.

Travel insurers may provide compensation for money lost on hotels or other bookings, but only if you cancel or cut short travel plans to areas the DFA advises against. They will not provide cover if you simply don't want to travel.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to check that government travel advice changes are included in your policy, and that you have 'Travel Disruption' cover to help recoup from cancellations in events like this (as well as strikes and terror attacks etc.).

"Travel Disruption is an additional cover and must be purchased in advance of any public announcement prohibiting travel to the area you are travelling to," explains Ciaran Mulligan of Blue Insurance and MultiTrip.com.

Note that there is a moratorium (typically around seven days) on this additional cover from the date you add it. If you buy it today, for example, it will only kick in a week down the line.

Is this a good time to buy travel insurance?

Yes - if you don't have an annual, multi-trip policy, take the opportunity to get one.

Even if your summer holiday is unaffected now, it may not remain so. There is also a strong likelihood that Covid-19 may be excluded on future policies.

One Irish insurer, Blue Insurance, reported a jump of 425pc in new policy purchases on one day in late February, compared with the same day last year, as a result of the outbreak.

It also saw a rise of 1,400pc in people adding Travel Disruption Cover to their policy.

Bear moratoriums in mind, however, read T&Cs, and make sure there is a Government Travel Advice benefit on the policy (which allows cancellation cover if DFA travel advisories change), and remember that travel insurance will most likely NOT cover you if you go to a destination to which the government has advised against travel.

Also, check that you have up-to-date European Health Insurance (EHIC) cards for your family.

Can my credit card help?

If you booked your flights or holiday using a card, you may be able to have pre-paid purchases reimbursed, but terms & conditions will apply.

As a rule, credit cards tend to offer more protections than debit cards.

Will travel insurance cover me for medical expenses if I contract coronavirus overseas?

"Providing the customer is not travelling to an area where the FCO/DFA have advised against All but Essential travel, then the customer would have cover for medical expenses if they were to travel and contract coronavirus while abroad," Ciaran Mulligan says.

"If the customer decides to travel against the advice of the FCO/DFA, there will be no cover in place as the policy would exclude any travel to an area where the DFA have advised against all but essential travel."

"In all instances, customers should contact their airline and/or booking agent if they have any concerns around the area they are travelling to, as if travel advice changes then it is likely that the airline or agent will offer to reschedule/refund their trip."

"All customers would need to go down this route before a claim will be considered."

What other precautions can I take?

Travellers can reduce the risk of respiratory infections by:

Avoiding close contact (2m) with people suffering from acute respiratory infections

Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment

Practicing good cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands)

Avoiding close contact with live or dead farm or wild animals

Find the HSE's health-related information on the coronavirus here.

The DFA's dedicated coronavirus help line is on +353 (0)1 613 1733.

NB: This story is being updated as events unfold.
[March 13, 2020] BECTON DICKINSON SHAREHOLDER ALERT by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Reminds Investors With Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Becton, Dickinson and Company - BDX

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until April 27, 2020 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX), if they purchased the Company's securities between November 5, 2019 and February 5, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Becton and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-bdx/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by April 27, 2020.



About the Lawsuit Becton and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On February 6, 2020, the Company disclosed a cut to its fiscal 2020 guidance with revenue expected to increase by only 1.5% to 2.5% "to reflect the impact of the remediation effort and anticipated loss of sales of the Alaris infusion system"; that the software remediation plan for the Alaris system "will require additional regulatory filings"; that existing customers would have "access to the Alaris System under medical necessity"; and that it had recorded a $59 million charge in connection with a voluntary recall of certain Alaris pumps. On this news, the price of Becton's shares plummeted. The case is Stephen Kabak, as Trustee of the Stephen Kabak & Joy Schary Living Trust , et al. v. Becton, Dickinson and Company, 20-cv-02155. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200313005520/en/

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Jack London

Jack London (January 12, 1876-November 22, 1916) was an American author, journalist, sailor and social activist. London was one of the first authors to become a worldwide celebrity and earn a fortune from his published works. He was also an author of science fiction novels.

Londons novels had a background set in the Klondike Gold Rush with titles such as The Call of the Wild and White Fang. He also published short stories such as To Build a Fire", An Odyssey of the North, and Love of Life. Switching locations, he wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as The Pearls of Parlay and The Heathen, and the San Francisco Bay area in The Sea Wolf.

London became a passionate advocate of unionization, socialism, and the rights of workers. He wrote several powerful works dealing with these topics, such as his novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction expose The People of the Abyss, and The War of the Classes.

Londons life was indeed interesting as although his family would be described as working-class poor, he was not as impoverished as Londons later accounts claimed.

His family could not afford to have their son attend formal schooling. Rather Jack London began working 12- to 18-hour days at a cannery in San Francisco.

Later he accepted a very grueling job in a street-railroad power plant. Leaving this job London began his career as a tramp. In 1894, he spent 30 days for vagrancy in the Erie County Penitentiary at Buffalo, New York.

After many experiences as a hobo and a sailor, he returned to Oakland and attended Oakland High School. He contributed a number of articles to the high schools magazine. His first article for the high school magazine, The Aegis, was the published work Typhoon off the Coast of Japan, an account of his prior sailing experiences.

Having some success in writing, London desperately wanted to attend the University of California to study journalism. So, in the summer of 1896, after a summer of intense studying to pass certification exams, he was admitted. Unfortunately, financial circumstances forced him to leave in 1897 and he never graduated.

At the age of 21 on July 12, 1897, London and his sisters husband sailed to join the Klondike Gold Rush. This would be the setting for some of Londons first successful stories. The harsh weather was detrimental to his health and so London went back to California.

Having some success in writing, London accepted an assignment with the San Francisco Examiner to cover the Russo-Japanese War in early 1904.

By the time of his death on November 22, 1918, London had already had several books published and was able to purchase a ranch in Sonoma County, California. He reportedly died on the sleeping porch of the ranchs cottage.

A summary of his life would be that of an author, a sailor and an activist for what he witnessed as the many injustices in America during the late 1800 and early 1900s.

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13.03.2020 LISTEN

It was joy for me to hear one of Ghanas female Jewels in music, Becca, known in private life as Rebecca Akosua Acheampomaa Acheampong, who has stayed relevant for over 13 years release No One which is a Gqom music genre in South Africa featuring Busiswa.

From where I sat, I realised the music diva had switched her focus to the Southern African market with this song, unfortunately, some Ghanaians started attacking her, alleging that she had stolen a South African song.

This kind of production is known in South Africa as Gqom music, which is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 2010s from Durban,KwaZulu Natal, home of the Zulu people in South Africa. It developed out of South African house music, Kwaito and Techno.

All Gqom songs have similar patterns and element, which is a rhythm of similar hard kick with deep baseline and pulsating drums for easy identification, against this backdrop, it is not farfetched to note similar elements in Gqom songs.

Gqom can be likened to the Azonto craze which hit Ghana sometime ago, these kinds of songs have similar patterns, which make them sound almost the same.

In the era of Azonto, most of the instrumentals had similar patterns and elements which identified them as Azonto songs.

When one is inspired by the Azonto music, and produces one, it cannot be described as stealing, as others want us to believe in the Becca case.

When you play most Gqom songs from South Africa, you will hear similar patterns, which make the songs especially the instrumentals almost sound the same.

The likes of DJ Lag, Citizen Boy, Distruction Boyz, Busiswa, and Gqom Oh Record Label owner, Francesco Nan Kole who are known promoters of the genre, will attest to the fact that the songs have similar elements.

On the other side, assuming without admitting that Becca sampled, she will not be the first artiste to sample a song. It must be stated that sampling is allowed in the music industry and all you need to get is permission from the owner of the song

Becca as an artiste has evolved, and it is not easy to do same thing for the past 13 years and still be relevant, but, she has recently proven with the release of Driving Licence, Yes I Do, and now, No One that she is creative and cannot be boxed.

Clearly, she is trying to reach new markets in Africa and other continents of the world. Creativity should not be stifled with negative energy, no need to attack someone if you do not share in his or her vision.

The unwarranted attacks on her recently, are the reason most female artistes in Ghana do not stand the test of time and fizzle out after short stints in the Ghana music industry.

Artistes must be criticised but it should be done constructively.
The board of directors for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, a subsidiary of Kingwoods TIRZ 10, held their monthly meeting on March 12, discussing continued updates on the Northpark Drive expansion after collecting public comments through March 1.

Elmore Public Relations, the company working for LHRA on the Northpark Drive project, will be processing the public comments made and will put together a frequently asked questions and answer response based on the public comments by early April. The $88.2 million project will expand the road from for to six lanes between Hwy. 59 and Woodland Hills Drive in two phases.

Related: TIRZ Open House offers update on Northpark Drive Overpass Project

The intersection of the Northpark Drive Project at Woodland Hills Drive has a risk of flooding with its current drainage design, a portion of which flows north. It has been identified that during high water events, Woodland Hills Drive north of Kingwood Drive becomes impassible. They will try to modify their project to pick up what could be a pool of water that would be impassable and make it the best that they can, according to Ralph De Leon, a consultant for the Authority.

Were going to be doing more concrete pavement in that intersection than what is there now, Stan Sarman, chair of TIRZ 10, said. So weve got to mitigate for the increased runoff and so the drainage is to look at what do we need to do to mitigate for the increased drainage, either by inline detention or some other location.

In order to provide the community with easier access to information on the Northpark Drive Overpass Project, the board is considering using the graphic and website design company Squidz Ink Design to create a website. The board will discuss the option at the next board meeting.

The Union Pacific Railroad is three weeks into a four-month project to determine how the overpass on Northpark Drive will be designed to work with the railroad system. This will give the approval from Union Pacific Railroad to go forward and modify the design. There is an easement agreement to go across the railroad, but it has to be widened and heightened.

Right after we identified that the Northpark Drive project was the first one to go out of the mobility study, we started meeting with them right away to let them know this was coming, Sarman said. ...So weve actually got ahead by starting the process a couple of years ago with them.

The board also covered their monthly financial report, which states that the beginning operation fund balance was $10,170,375 and as of Feb. 29 was $9,942,805 with $230,784 in unpaid bills that are currently outstanding for approval, according to their board packet. The majority of the funds spent, totaling $130,727, were on the Northpark Drive Overpass Project. The board will be discussing long term and short term financing further in April.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
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Head to a grocery store and you'll see that full-on panic buying has taken hold.

Lines out the door of Costco and Trader Joe's, even though the government recommends people stock up on just two weeks worth of supplies. Shelves normally packed with everything from toilet paper to bread are empty. Freezers full of frozen spinach and blueberries have been left bare.

"The demand for some products has made it a challenge to distribute goods fast enough to restock shelves as quickly as consumers are purchasing them," said the California Grocers Association in a statement to LAist.

Clearly, the fear caused by the unfettered spread of this virus has been a stress on the supply chain.

So when will everything be back in stock?

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As this big surge in buying levels out, we could see items trickle back into the stores over the next few weeks.

We do know that as of Friday, Port of Los Angeles officials -- who run the nation's busiest port -- said that all terminals are open, cargo is moving at 85% of normal traffic and they'd identified no COVID-19 cases.

But when it comes to specific products, it's difficult to give hard timelines.

It's highly dependent on what the product is, the company behind it, as well as the vast ecosystem that moves it from raw material to bouncing along on a truck to finally perched on your shelf.

I spoke with both Willy Shih, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School and Miguel Gomez, Professor at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University -- who've studied supply chains -- and they had a few thoughts.

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TOILET PAPER

The shelves at the Target in Eagle Rock Plaza are empty as people prepare for the coronavirus pandemic. (Aaron Mendelson / LAist)

Demand for toilet paper generally pretty stable, which makes it even more likely to be out of stores for some time.

"It's not like [manufacturers] have a lot of surge capacity they can suddenly bring on. They can maybe work a little bit longer, but most of those plants run 7 by 24 anyways," said Shih.

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Also, toilet paper is bulky and costs a lot to store and ship, which is why it's manufactured near the markets that consume it. As such, the capacity of those facilities is sized to demand, meaning there's not a lot of flexibility in production or extra TP in storage.

However, at some point people are going to realize that a family can only go through so much toilet paper, and that symptoms of coronavirus virus won't necessarily require you to use more. If you panic buy a three year supply, you might not go out and buy it for some time.

So it's a difficult balance for manufacturers -- how much to increase production without having excess product on their hands when demand drops.

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MEDICINE

The shelves holding medication at the Target in Eagle Rock Plaza were sparse in recent days.(Aaron Mendelson / LAist)

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a different story.

(Update 3-18-20: There's an ongoing debate about the use of ibuprofen to help counteract fevers associated with COVID-19. We've got more information about that in our no-panic guide. To read more, go to the section: SHOULD I NOT TAKE IBUPROFEN?)

Demand is and could very well stay high, as it's recommended that people with fevers associated with the virus take the medications to help control their temperatures.

Johnson and Johnson, the manufacturers of Tylenol, responded to LAist queries and said that they've ramped up production at their facilities in Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico.

"They're running flat out, 24/7, to manufacture. This is just one of those situations where the demand peaked very quickly and we need to move as quickly to keep up with the level of demand," said Kathleen Widmer, Company Group Chairman, North America Consumer.

In an effort to get product on shelves as quickly as possible, they've focused on manufacturing the easiest to produce pills, the white ones with red writing on them. As such, you might not see the full range of their products available.

"If we focus on a couple of high-demand consumer items, we're going to be much better at keeping up with demand than if we try to fulfill every single item that sits on the shelf," said Widmer.

Shih and Gomez both pointed out that these sorts of medicines are fairly easy to produce and ship - teenie tiny pills don't take up much space -- so the ramp up in response from manufacturers could end up meeting demand.

A problem could be holdups in supply chains out of China and India, where ingredients and pharmaceuticals are often manufactured. If so, there'll likely be a lag in the supply chain that could be felt in a few weeks time.

Widmer said that Johnson & Johnson weren't experiencing any supply chain issues at this time.

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CLEANING SUPPLIES

Cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer and soap are also items that are and will remain in high demand, stressing the system. But they're more difficult than medications to get to the consumer.

"The process of manufacturing soap is a little bit more complicated. And distributing soap is not as easy as distributing over-the-counter medication," said Gomez. Bottling, packaging and shipping the bulky items can be more cumbersome than tiny pills.

Manufacturers have to decide whether to just ramp up production using existing infrastructure or to invest in new facilities -- which would take additional time, and may not pay off when demand dies down.

Purell, a hand sanitizer manufactured by Gojo Industries, has been notoriously difficult to get a hold of.

"We have experienced several demand surges in the past during other outbreaks -- and this is on the higher end of the spectrum but not unprecedented," Gojo Industries spokesperson Samantha Williams told Business Insider. She said they've increased production.

Gomez thinks that it'll take a bit more time to see these products on shelves than the medicines.

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FOOD

The frozen aisle of Trader Joe's in Monrovia on Saturday morning. (Rob Risko / LAist)

Fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables, don't store long and often come from far off locations. Whether we'll see, say, pineapples disappear from our stores, depends on whether coronavirus takes a bite out of that part of the supply chain.

Dried foods like beans and rice are a bit different, as they store for a while. They're also able to keep through multiple seasons, which means that there's inventory already out in the world, waiting to be distributed.

There are a ton of food manufacturers, so hopefully that supply chain will pick up to meet grocer demand.

"Grocers continue to monitor product availability up and down the supply chain," said the Grocers Association in a statement. "During these anxious times, it's important our communities remember we are all in this together -- customer and employee safety is paramount to ensure Californians can access the products they need.

Let us know if there's one particular item you can't get a hold of. We'd love to look into it.

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PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE

In a time when we all need to be supporting one another, those who didn't get around to or were unable to stock up -- possibly for monetary reasons -- could be left scrounging the aisles for any remaining bottle of cough medicine or bag of rice for some time while supplies replenish.

Be considerate.

"What I've been telling people is, really, the answer is you've got to ration this," said Shih. "When people go out and come into the store and try to buy what is obviously a two year supply, it's like, show a little consideration for your neighbors. Because you're not going to use that all in the next two months. Leave that for some other people."

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:
CHICO, Calif. - Schools have not yet been shut down in Butte County because of the coronavirus but that doesnt mean parents aren't thinking ahead for childcare if this is the case.

It is that I'm going to have to be really flexible with my scheduling, they are probably going to end up coming to work with me or having to spend some time at home alone, said Anna Ryan, owner of Naked Lounge.

Chico Unified School District will be closed for one day, including before and after school programs, to prepare the school district for any possible cases.

Some parents have been preparing for what they will do if the coronavirus comes to Butte County.

Bringing children to a workplace when everything is being shut down would not seem like a real viable option, said Sherin Ruggirello.

Chico State will be closed for two days extra as well. As of March 13, what we know is that school events and trips have been postponed.

As President Trump and Governor Newsom call for people to avoid contact and large gatherings, some businesses are taking a hit.

With Chico State going online-only, a couple of business owners told me this has hurt sales.

Much slower, were probably looking at about 50% less in business just today, said Enzo Perri, the owner of Celestino's New York Pizza.

We spoke with a few business owners in Downtown Chico, and like Perri, a few say if the numbers continue to go down, they may have to shut down for a period of time.

If the trend is for the sales to go down then I might need to close for a little while, its really hard to tell quite yet but just in a few days, sales have decreased, said Anna Ryan, owner of Naked Lounge.

When speaking to some of these businesses, some said they have been taking their cleaning protocols seriously.

Governor Newsom had joined health experts in urging people to keep about 6 feet from others, if you do go out.

Business around Butte County have been out of stock of supplies because of the coronavirus.

We spoke with Raley's, Costco, and Trader Joe's on and off camera and they all say they are getting deliveries daily.

Ashley Garcia is the manager at Trader Joes, she tells us that their hand sanitizer and toilet paper has been a popular item.

Garcia said that on March 14 they will have a big delivery that will fill a variety of sections in the store.

We are out of toilet papers we have been getting deliveries every day yesterday we had a big day for a Thursday, said Garcia.
France is on lockdown with all non-essential public locations closed as the coronavirus death toll in the country soars to 91.

Restaurants, shops, cinemas, nightclubs and cafes will shut for the foreseeable future with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe calling the virus the 'biggest health crisis in a century'.

Mr Philippe also called on French people to reduce their travel, especially between towns.

In a solemn TV address on Saturday evening, Mr Philippe said the indefinite shut down would apply to 'all places that receive the public but which are not essential to the life of the country.'

Restaurants, some shops, cinemas and cafes will shut for the foreseeable future with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (pictured) calling it the 'biggest health crisis in a century'

Mr Philippe also called on French people to reduce their travel, especially between towns. Pictured: a woman in a mask near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today

France reported a sharp rise in cases on Saturday, from 3,661 to 4,499. It also recorded 12 more deaths, bringing the toll to 91.

Public transport will remain open but Mr Philippe encouraged his citizens to limit their use.

Exceptions on France's ban include supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and petrol stations.

Mr Philippe added that his citizens will have to make tough sacrifices in the coming months to help stop the spread of the killer virus - which could cost the economy billions.

However, he said local elections on Sunday would go ahead.

Jerome Salomon, the head of the French public health authority, said there had been a rapid increase in serious cases, including 300 people in intensive care, half of whom were below 60 years of age.

France reported a sharp rise in cases on Saturday, from 3,661 to 4,499. It recorded 12 more deaths, bringing the toll to 91

'I am conscious of the efforts and sacrifices that we are asking, but I have faith that the French people will have the capacity to overcome this serious moment,' Philippe said.

Philippe said the government had been left with no choice but to take the decision because too many people were still out in the streets and not sufficiently applying measures that were recently announced.

That, he said, was helping accelerate the spread of the virus.

'I have decided to close all non-indispensable locations. We must absolutely limit our movements,' he said.

Tourists wearing protective face masks visit Disneyland Paris amid the coronavirus outbreak across Europe

It follows President Emmanuel Macron appearing on national television on Thursday and saying the 'national crisis' meant all schools, colleges and universities will close from Monday

The ban is also likely to include ski hire shops, and other businesses linked to the country's Alpine resorts, many of which are likely now to shut down too.

It follows President Emmanuel Macron appearing on national television on Thursday and saying the 'national crisis' meant all schools, colleges and universities will close from Monday.

'Despite our efforts, the virus is accelerating,' Mr Macron said. 'It will hit the most vulnerable people first and we are taking great efforts to increase massively the capacity in our hospitals.

Empty restaurants in a square in Nancy, northeastern France today

'We have to prepare for the second wave, which will hit younger people. We have to prepare our emergency staff. We need to win time, but the priority is to protect the most vulnerable.

'For our collective interest, from Monday and until further notice, nurseries, schools, colleges, high schools and universities will be closed.

'Closed for a simple reason: our children and our youngest, according to scientists, are the ones who seem to spread the virus the fastest.'

Religious buildings would remain open but gatherings and ceremonies should be postponed.
Polarized is a weekly series featuring Americans from all 50 states sharing their views on the 2020 elections. Click here if you would like to be a part of this project

Jennifer Lewis-Kelly is ready for a revolution  and shes putting in the work to make one happen.

The 42-year-old Missouri Democrat says she grew up in a conservative family with an evangelical baptist background and is a former Republican, becoming engaged in politics at a young age when she first saw Bob Dole speak in St Louis.

My parents are still huge Trump supporters and follow the QAnon like its a religion, she says. Its really concerning, but, you know, to each their own.

Perhaps thats what makes it fun (and arguably somewhat easier) for Lewis-Kelly to serve as a victory captain for Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic primaries. She says the job has her canvassing trailer parks and traveling across states to lead teams on what the Vermont senators campaign calls Bernie journeys, in which canvassers trek to specific regions to knock on doors and spread the word  or, as it's known colloquially, the bern.

Lewis-Kelly had her own personal revolution several years ago when she realized what she calls her truth. The minister identifies as a member of the LGBT community, and, after a journey in self-acceptance, came out of the closet to her church in 2014. She was quickly voted out.

Having been kicked out of the church, Lewis-Kelly said she was $150,000 in student loan debt and had no career, as well as a 10-year-old daughter.

I was pregnant in seminary, and nobody seemed to have a problem with that, she says with a laugh. You dont have a problem with me being an unwed mother, but yeah, Im gay.

(Courtesy of Jennifer Lewis-Kelly (Courtesy of Jennifer Lewis-Kelly)

Lewis-Kelly says she had to pull herself together, and eventually went back to school to receive a degree. Shes now a paralegal, and is taking advantage of her companys tuition reimbursement program while working towards her MBA.

Though she voted for Barack Obama twice and initially supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries, Lewis-Kelly says she has lost faith in the Democratic establishment over the years. It all began with the passage of Obamacare, when a public option was negotiated off the table.

I dont think any of us were able to blink and thats how fast it was taken off, she recalls.

She now feels betrayed by the party, Lewis-Kelly says, citing various decisions its leaders made over the years that she strongly opposes.

It was supposed to be better than this, and its not, she says. We bailed out the banks, and I lost my house to a foreclosure  I will never forget that.

After doing some research and exploring Sanders candidacy during his first presidential bid, Lewis-Kelly says she became a die-hard supporter of the liberal senator. She began phone-banking for his campaign, and was devastated when he lost the primaries in 2016, saying she couldnt consciously vote for Clinton against Donald Trump. Instead, Lewis-Kelly withheld her vote.

This time around, Lewis-Kelly says shes equipped with a good job, some more time on her hands and additional resources to help Sanders on his path to the White House. He stands for everything shes passionate about, from protecting the environment, to achieving universal healthcare and valuing human rights.

I have a little bit more freedom to help out the campaign, she says, adding that her daughter comes canvassing from time to time. When the going gets tough, Lewis-Kelly says her daughter has started signing Taylor Swift songs to help them power through the day.

But shes worried she might soon face the same devastation she felt in 2016. Her concern comes after former Vice President Joe Bidens victory in the Missouri primaries this week, and his sweeping wins during Super Tuesday and the primaries after.

Im putting in at least one more weeks worth of hope and optimism on this, she says. Well see what happens.

With the debates coming up on Sunday night and several crucial states set to vote in the coming months, Lewis-Kelly says there could still be a chance for Sanders to secure the Democratic nomination. She admits, however, that path has narrowed after the once-historically diverse field of candidates winnowed to the two oldest men in the race, with virtually all of the moderate leading candidates throwing their support behind Biden in a matter of weeks.

Half of us Berners think he has to go hard on Biden, and the other half thinks he should play along and get along, Lewis-Kelly says about the upcoming debates.

At the end of our conversation, I ask her if she will once again withhold her vote if Sanders doesnt win the Democratic nomination. She says she plans to vote, though she would not support Biden under any circumstances.

Her vote wouldnt go to Trump either, Lewis-Kelly says adamantly, adding that she rejects the president and his agenda.

But then, after denouncing Trump, she pauses.

Ill tell you what: I want to take that back, she says. Biden has to earn my vote, he has not yet earned my vote. If he can talk about how hes going to bring in the youth vote and focus on climate change, if hes going to talk about Medicare-for-All  I will consider the vote, but hes got to earn it from me first."

Click here to read more of The Independent's series, Polarized: Voices From Across America
Pakistan on Friday ordered the closure of all education institutions in the country till April 5 in view of the coronavirus outbreak which has claimed over 5,000 lives globally.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, attended by key minister, services chiefs and other senior officials.

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood tweeted, "It has been decided to close all educational institutions in the country till April 5. This includes all schools and universities, public and private, vocational institutions."

He said the decision to close educational institutions would be reviewed by the Ministry of Education on March 27.

Earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial administration had announced that all educational institutions would remain closed for 15 days.

The provincial cabinet had ordered the evacuation of students from hostels and postponing of examinations, among other official events and festivals.

The KP cabinet also banned public gatherings and urged the people to reduce number of wedding events.

Educational institutions were already closed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Also on Friday, the National Assembly prorogued its session for indefinite period due to concerns raised by the treasury and opposition members over coronavirus.

Pakistan has also decided to let around 2,000 pilgrims to leave the quarantine facility in Taftan near the Iranian border after completing the mandatory 14-day isolation period.

Pakistan government on Friday announced that there were 28 confirmed coronavirus patients in the country.

Advisor on Health Zafar Mirza said this at a press conference where he also provided details of the decisions taken by the National Security Committee (NSC) to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.

He said the meeting decided to ban large public gatherings including weddings and conferences, for a period of two weeks. He said cinemas will also be closed.

However, the issue of religious gathering was referred to the religious affairs ministers and the chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology to decide about banning such gatherings.

So far, no coronavirus related death has been reported in Pakistan.

The virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 5,000 lives and infected more than 130,000 across 101 nations and territories.

The World Health Organisation called the virus a global pandemic on Wednesday.
By Express News Service

KARAIKAL: The district administration has appealed to people from abroad not to visit the popular Navagraha temple of Lord Shani in Thirunallar for at least 28 days, as coronavirus has spread globally. The district administration has also limited the number of people to the temple. The temple sees a heavy inflow of people who want to get darshan of Lord Shani and clear the Shani dosh, if any.

District Collector Arjun Sharma said We request foreigners, NRIs and anyone who has a travel history to places like China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan not to visit the temple for 28 days after they land in India. We request people with cough, cold and fever to postpone or skip their visit temporarily.

We request devotees to co-operate with the Karaikal administration.

The request has come just a day before the Saturday when the temple sees most crowd. Officials said the advisory was inevitable due to the rapid global spread of the pandemic. We have not restricted people from other States as we believe it is the responsibility of respective governments to advise people against travelling. Health camps near the temple may not be able to help. We request people to take the necessary precautions, said Sharma.
For the second time in less than a week, the U.S. has intercepted Russian maritime surveillance aircraft in what's known as the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, military officials announced Saturday.

Two pairs of Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft were tracked and intercepted Saturday by Air Force F-22 Raptors, supported by KC-132 Stratotanker refueling aircraft and E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System planes.

"The Russian aircraft entered the ADIZ from the West and North of Alaska respectively," officials with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said in a release. "The western pair of Tu-142s remained within the ADIZ for approximately 4 hours and loitered in the vicinity of the U.S. Navy's ICEX where they are conducting submarine exercises. The Tu-142s were escorted by F-22s the entire time."

The ADIZ surrounds the U.S. and Canada and stretches west to Alaskan islands south of Russia.

Related: US, Canadian Fighters Intercept Russian Spy Planes North of Alaska

A pair of Tu-142s to the north spent only about 15 minutes in the zone, and also received an F-22 escort, officials said.

ICEX, which began March 5, is an Arctic preparedness exercise involving two U.S. Navy submarines, forces from five different countries and more than 100 participants. The exercise requires troops to set up a temporary camp on an ice floe and use the camp as a command center for submarine operations taking place below the ice, at temperatures averaging negative 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

Multiple news outlets reported Thursday that Russian Tu-95 heavy bombers had been spotted over international waters above the exercise.

On Tuesday, officials announced that F-22s and Canadian CF-18s had intercepted a pair of Russian Tu-142 spy planes north of Alaska in the ADIZ, which is jointly defended by U.S. and Canada. As with the most recent intercept, the Russian aircraft stayed in the region for roughly four hours, but never entered U.S. airspace.

"The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace in the Beaufort Sea coming within 45 nautical miles of the Alaskan coast," officials said of the Saturday intercept.

"This is the second and third time this week that incursions into our air defense identification zones were met and escorted by NORAD fighters," General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, NORAD Commander, said in a statement. "We continue to see repeated Russian military aviation activity in the Arctic and we will defend the U.S. and Canada against these threats emanating from our northern approaches."

A NORAD official told Military.com last year that there are roughly six intercepts of foreign-nation aircraft in the region every year.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Read More: Pentagon Bans Domestic Travel for Troops, Families as Coronavirus Spreads
Public Health Wales has confirmed that the country has 22 more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of those infected to 60.

The news comes the day after the country's health minister, Vaughan Gething, warned that up to 20,000 people in Wales could die from the pandemic.

Dr Chris Williams, incident director for the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: 'We can confirm that 22 new cases have tested positive for the new coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 60.'

Mr Gething laid bare the scale of the challenge the Welsh NHS is facing in a press conference in which he also announced non-urgent surgical procedures and outpatient appointments would be suspended.

Up to 20,000 people in Wales could die amid the coronavirus outbreak in a worst-case scenario. Pictured is the University Hospital of Wales

Mr Gething gave the worst-case figures while responding to criticism about his repeated refusal to ask the Welsh Rugby Union to postpone Wales's Guinness Six Nations clash against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday, following the union's own decision to do so 24 hours before kick-off.

On Thursday, he had said 'science doesn't tell us that it really makes a difference' that cancelling large events could save lives.

On Friday, Mr Gething said: 'This is actually about how we make choices based on the best scientific advice available, based on the best advice of our chief medical officers.

'That's going to be the way the government behaves, because our priority is to save as many lives as possible. And it should not get away from the fact that is what we are talking about.

'In an average flu season across the UK, there are 8-10,000 deaths. In the worst-case scenario, as you know in Wales, for coronavirus could be over 20,000 deaths.

'That's the choice we are making in how to use our resources.'

Mr Gething announced non-urgent surgical procedures and outpatient appointments would be suspended to ease pressure on the Welsh NHS and free up resources.

The country's health minister Vaughan Gething announced non-urgent surgical procedures and outpatient appointments would be suspended

He said: 'I'm choosing to act now before we see a significant surge in demand so that our services can be ready to act as we move towards the peak.

'A larger number of people requiring high levels of care are highly likely over the coming weeks.'

Health and social care providers will have permission to relax targets and monitoring arrangements, he said, as well as to cancel internal and professional events, including study leave, to free up staff for preparations.

Health boards will also be able to suspend NHS emergency service and health volunteer support to mass gatherings and large events.

Access to cancer and other essential treatments such as renal dialysis would be maintained, he said.

Responding to Mr Gething's announcement, Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said his organisation wanted to reassure the public NHS organisations were 'well prepared' to provide care.

The Welsh Rugby Union decided to postpone Saturday's Six Nations clash with Scotland despite the health minister not asking them to

Mr Hughes said: 'We are pleased that the minister has taken the action today following feedback from NHS chief executives and medical directors to ensure that preparations to Covid-19 are planned, co-ordinated and proportionate.'

Earlier on Friday, Public Health Wales said a further 13 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 38.

The official number of people tested for the virus now stands at 945, while those suffering a cough or high temperature are being asked to self-isolate at home for seven days.

The new cases include four people in the Caerphilly area and two in the Swansea area.

The other seven cases are in the local authority areas of Anglesey, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Newport, and Powys.

The Welsh Government said it would extend delivery hours for supermarkets and food retailers to ensure the food industry is able to respond to increased demand by shoppers during the outbreak.

Local Government Minister Julie James said a temporary relaxing of planning conditions which currently restrict night-time and early morning deliveries would allow retailers access to deliveries throughout the day and night.

Ms James said: 'Given the exceptional challenges facing Wales and the United Kingdom as a whole from Covid-19, it is vital deliveries of food, sanitary and other essential products over the coming weeks can be made as quickly and safely as possible, minimising disruption to the supply chains on which communities depend.

'We are working closely with the UK Government and food industry representatives to ensure supermarkets and other food retailers are able to respond to the outbreak as best as they can.'
New Delhi, March 14 : National carrier Air India has sent an aircraft to Milan, Italy, to bring back stranded Indians due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Accordingly, the national carrier's special ferry flight took-off from New Delhi on Saturday afternoon.

It is expected to bring back over 200 Indian mostly students, who have been stranded in Milan.

As per a senior Air India official, the flight operated on a Boeing 787 is expected to arrive back to India on Sunday early afternoon.

The airline has already suspended operations on Delhi-Rome and Delhi-Milan routes till March 28.

Besides, the airline had on March 9 said that in accordance with the circular of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in addition to visa restrictions already in place, passengers travelling from or having visited Italy or South Korea and entering India will need a certificate of negative test for COVID-19 from labs authorised by these countries.

Earlier, Air India had cancelled flights to Shanghai from January 31 to February 14 and to Hong Kong from February 7 until March 28. Air India last month extended the suspension of Delhi-Shanghai and Delhi-Hong Kong services till June 30.
Dutch national airline KLM said Friday it will cut up to 2,000 jobs as it battled the impact of the new coronavirus outbreak, and announced other cost-cutting measures.

Chief executive Pieter Elbers said KLM -- which has around 33,000 employees -- will also ask personnel to work shortened hours, while grounding its fleet of six Boeing 747s from April 1.

"In the coming months we'll reduce 1,500 to 2,000 jobs to mean that not only in the coming weeks, but in the coming months we will have fewer colleagues," Elbers said in a video message posted on KLM's website.

The airline's top official said the job cuts mainly included part-time workers, those destined for retirement and natural attrition.

"We believe this is adequate to ensure that there are no other forced retrenchments," Elbers said.

The Dutch carrier, which merged with Air France in 2004, predicted that flight numbers would drop by 20 percent in March and 30 percent in April as the airline suspended flights to China and Italy as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Air-France KLM warned Tuesday that the coronavirus outbreak will hit its business harder in the coming months after February passenger numbers fell by 0.5 percent.

Last month, Air France-KLM put the coronavirus cost to the airline at 150-200 million euros up to April.

"A lot has happened in the last five days," Elbers said as the number of cases globally climbed to 140,720 with 5,347 deaths across 124 countries and territories.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group on Friday advised their Washington headquarters staff to work from home after an IMF employee was diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, Trend reports citing Reuters.

An IMF spokesman said the global-crisis lending institution remains fully operational and stands ready to serve its members despite a suspension of mission travel to European and other countries designated as high risk for community spread by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The advisories, which are not mandatory, affect about 2,000 IMF headquarters staff and about 16,000 Washington-based World Bank and International Finance Corp employees and outside consultants. The neighboring institutions are based in downtown Washington near the White House.

The IMF staff member diagnosed with COVID-19 is self-isolating and is receiving appropriate medical care, the IMF spokesman said, adding: We are working with local public health authorities to identify the staff members close contacts and those who may have been affected. No World Bank Group staff or consultants have tested positive for the coronavirus, and the multilateral development lender remains fully operational, a bank spokesman said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Putin asks court to rule on change to constitution: Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally asked the country's constitutional court if it is legal for him to change the constitution, the Kremlin said, a move that could allow him to remain in power until 2036. Putin in January unveiled a major shake-up of Russian politics and a constitutional overhaul, which the Kremlin billed as a redistribution of power from the presidency to parliament. But Putin made a dramatic appearance in parliament on Tuesday to back a new amendment that would allow him to ignore a current constitutional ban on him running again in 2024.
Some of the worlds top experts tracking the spread of the coronavirus predict that in a matter of weeks much of Europe could be facing a surge in cases similar to the one that has locked down Italy, overwhelmed its hospitals in the north and brought the country of 60 million to a standstill.

Mathematical models developed by epidemiologists to track the virus show a sharp trajectory of infections in Spain, Germany, France and Britain. Spain, which declared a state of emergency on Friday, showed particularly concerning exponential growth, experts said.

The modelers in Europe say a similar arc is likely in the United States, but anticipating the spread is made more difficult by the lack of widespread testing. US officials are working with 50 academic modeling groups, but no forecasts have been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the White House coronavirus task force. One model, for the American Hospital Association, projects a worst-case scenario of hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Italy is about two weeks ahead of Britain and the rest of Europe, said Francois Balloux, director of the Genetics Institute at University College London.

Observations by epidemiologists show that if unchecked, the number of infections double approximately every five days, with infected individuals, on average, capable of passing the virus on to an average of about 2.5 people.

What we are seeing is not rocket science, professor Balloux said. You have two cases, then four, then eight, then 16.

Epidemiologists say that decisive action is required to change the rate of infection and flatten the curve. That reality appeared to sink in for some political leaders in the United States and Europe this week, as countries closed schools, encouraged working from home, banned large gatherings and imposed new travel restrictions. French Health Ministry Director General Jerome Salomon said France must prepare itself for the Italian scenario.

Still, some experts worry that governments arent doing enough to reduce rates of transmission so cases dont soar exponentially and overwhelm health systems. A lack of urgency in previous weeks may have wasted valuable time, they say.

On Friday, the director-general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

Irish doctors on Friday warned in a letter to the British Medical Journal that the country is exactly 14 days behind Italy. They said only stringent measures could head off a medical crisis like Italys and produce a more manageable outbreak like South Koreas.

At the beginning of an outbreak, experts say viral spread can be contained by isolating individuals and tracing those in contact. But when cases begin to emerge where the infection source is unknown, as they have in parts of Europe and the United States, mass behavioural changes and social distancing appear to be the better strategy.

Italy is one country that has had to accept quickly the need for drastic action. Just three weeks ago, it did not have much of a coronavirus problem. Now it has had more than 15,000 confirmed cases. Prime minister Giuseppe Conte extended a lockdown on a handful of small villages to wide swaths across northern Italy on Sunday morning and then to the entire country Monday night. On Wednesday, he went even further, with the announcement of a shutdown of most commercial activity.

Italy may have been particularly hard hit in part because the virus spread in the community for several weeks unchecked, and the government has had to play catch-up.

Dirk Brockmann, a professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin who does infectious-disease modeling for Germanys Robert Koch Institute, the federal agency tasked with disease control, said looking at the number of confirmed cases at a particular moment can be misleading  if people think it is just a few thousand cases here and there.

Its almost like taking a still picture of cars on a highway, it doesnt tell you anything, he said. Its about how the numbers change.

The current snapshot may be as much as two weeks old, given the time it may take for the virus to cause symptoms and for patients to be tested and diagnosed.

Britains chief science adviser, Patrick Vallance, said on Thursday that the United Kingdom had 600 confirmed cases, which he said means that 5,000 to 10,000 people there probably are infected.

If the virus continues to infect people at its current rate, which is not a certainty, a European country such as Spain, with 3,000 cases, could see 250,000 infected individuals in about a month, based on doubling times of five days.

Those are the numbers that epidemiologists are expecting, said Roy Anderson, professor of infectious disease at Imperial College London.

I think its highly likely we all go the way of Italy in the coming weeks, he said.

Whether the caseloads explode will depend in part on public health controls, decisions by governments and businesses, and individual actions, the disease modelers say.

Many people were taken aback when Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday warned that 60 to 70 per cent of Germanys population of 83 million could contract the disease.

But infectious-disease specialists say thats quite possible.

If governments do nothing, or do things that are not effective, and the population does nothing, then you certainly could see 60 percent of a population infected, professor Anderson said.

Some European countries appear to be renouncing efforts to contain the epidemic, said Giovanni Rezza, director of the Infectious Disease Department at the Italian National Institutes of Health.

We are applying very tough measures in Italy, he said. But in other countries where the incidents of the disease are increasing, its like they are not looking at Lombardy, he added, referring to Italys worst-hit region.

For the other countries around us, we should be a lesson. They know the virus is there, so they should act more promptly, Dr Rezza said.

For the United States, Dr Rezza said, there was still a window of opportunity to try to contain the virus, given the large geographical area and isolated outbreaks.

Infectious-disease specialists say it is possible the case numbers in the Northern Hemisphere will soar in March, and then begin to go down if the coronavirus proves to be seasonal, like common flu, which produces less infection in the warmer summer months.

The British government, especially, appears to be hoping the infection rate drops in April and May, but so far there is no evidence to support the optimism.

In northern Italy, where the wards are running out of beds for all the coronavirus patients, doctors report they are battling out-of-control transmission.

Earlier, a group of Italian doctors sent out an appeal to their colleagues working in intensive care units in Europe.

Get ready, they wrote.

Angelo Pan, head of infectious diseases at a hard-hit hospital in Corona, Italy, warned that without effective containment measures, a similar scenario could be ahead for France, Germany and possibly the United States.

Its just a matter of time, he said. I think we are just maybe 10 days ahead.

Benjamin Maier, who is Brockmanns research partner at Robert Koch Institute, has plotted the infection curves of countries in Europe and Asia that have seen outbreaks.

Spain is showing galloping exponential growth, he said, while Britain, Germany and France are still on a steep trajectory.

You can see that many countries will follow Italys example if they dont follow strict and stricter measures, Dr Maier said.

Those measures can have a significant impact on how many cases develop. Dr Brockmann and Dr Maier examined the epidemiological curves of the outbreak in China. Although Hubei province initially had an exponential growth rate, the governments massive containment effort, involving mandatory behaviour changes, managed to slow the rate of infection.

South Korea, which has carried out widespread testing, has identified nearly 8,000 cases, but the numbers of new infections are tapering off. Singapore, Malaysia and Japan also have seen flatter growth.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 was the last pandemic at this scale, so is used by epidemiologists for comparison to the Covid-19 (Johns Hopkins CSSE/The Washington Post)

For those countries facing steep increases in coming weeks, all is not lost, said Alexander Kekule, a German virologist who heads the institute of medical microbiology at the University of Halle.

Acting in advance, rather than in reaction to numbers that lag behind the picture on the ground by weeks, he said, can make a huge difference.

This really decides if you win the battle, or you lose it, he added. For weeks, Dr Kekule has publicly urged Germany to act more swiftly with measures to ban mass events, close schools and test everyone who has flu-like symptoms.

But Chinas swift and drastic action is more of a challenge in Western democracies.

Politicians in Europe have been slow to make proactive decisions that could be lifesaving until the danger has sunk in for the public, said Dr Kekule, meaning they are reacting, rather than getting ahead of the curve.

The fact that German Health Minister Jens Spahn recommended events with more than 1,000 people be stopped on the same day that the first German national died was no coincidence, he said.

Its always the problem of a Democratic system; you have to explain yourself to your voters on why this measure has to be taken, he said. You have to wait until its hurting.

The Washington Post
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Leonard recently told the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors that the next 96 inmates who are booked in the Chesterfield jail will remain at the county facility instead of being transferred to Riverside, as they typically would be. He said another 100 Chesterfield inmates will be transferred to another regional jail in the state.
New Delhi: The CBI has booked Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor for allegedly obtaining Rs 307 crore bribe in the purchase of a Lutyen's zone bungalow from a realty firm to go easy on around Rs 1,900 crore bank loans to the seller's group companies, officials said on Friday.

Besides Kapoor, the CBI has also booked his wife Bindu, her company Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd as well as Avantha Realty Ltd and Gautam Thapar the promoter of Avantha Group, which sold the bungalow, the officials said.

On Friday, the CBI carried out searches at the residence of Kapoor, former MD and CEO of Yes Bank and his wife Bindu in Mumbai, and offices of Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd, Thapar and Avantha group companies and Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd in New Delhi and NCR, they said.

In a statement, Indiabulls Housing Finance, however, said no raid of the CBI has happened on Indiabulls group or at any of its offices.

"CBI raids have happened on Yes Bank/Rana Kapoor who have their offices in Indiabulls Finance Centre in the capacity of a tenant," company secretary Amit Jain said.

When asked, CBI officials maintained that searches took place at Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd office in New Delhi.

The case pertains to a 1.2-acre uber-luxe bungalow at 40, Amrita Shergill Marg which the Avantha group had mortgaged to ICICI Bank and DCB bank at Rs 550 crore, of which Rs 380 crore was outstanding in March, 2016, the officials said. Yes Bank chipped in with a loan of Rs 400 crore as Lease Rental Discounting (LRD) in which discounted values of future lease rentals proposed to be received by borrower by leasing its property are sanctioned as a loan amount, they said.

In order to justify the higher loan amount, Avantha Realty (ARL) allegedly entered in sham lease agreement with a group company, BILT Graphics Paper Pvt Ltd, at a whopping Rs 65 crore per annum with five per cent yearly escalation, they said.

The agreement was executed on March 22, 2016, two days prior to sanction of the loan from Yes Bank to ARL. Surprisingly, the same property was leased to another Avantha group company for Rs 1.02 crore per annum before, officials said.

"It was essentially a sham agreement entered into with an intention to defraud and cheat Yes Bank Ltd for justifying loan of Rs 400 crore to ARL for the purpose of acquiring the property by Bindu Kapoor who was a director in Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd," the CBI FIR alleged.

The agency has alleged that at the time of sanctioning the loan, the outstanding liabilities of Avantha group were a staggering Rs 1,333 crore towards Yes Bank which had extended credit facilities of Rs 2,500 crore to it. The company was not eligible for the loan, they said. Avantha group used the Rs 400 crore loan to clear loans of ICICI Bank and DCB, following which the charge of the property, which commanded a valuation of Rs 550 crore, was created in favour of Yes Bank, the FIR said.

For the first year, principal loan repayment was kept at Rs 5 lakh per month which was 100 times lower than the rental income the property was projected to fetch, the CBI FIR alleged, adding it was done to keep the account standard as ARL would have found it difficult to service the loan.

A year later, the account came under stress with principal liabilities of Rs 12 crore and unpaid interest but not enough to justify sale of the collateral -- the bungalow. But, a decision to sell the property against the loan was taken, the FIR alleged.

A noted company showed interest to buy the property at Rs 375 crore for which ARL sought a non-objection certificate from the bank which was given on the condition that the entire loan will be repaid, the CBI said.

This offer was allegedly withdrawn on August 29, 2017, and Bliss Abode pitched in to purchase the property at Rs 378 crore which was readily agreed by a Management Credit Committee (MCC) headed by Kapoor and a no-objection certificate (NOC) was issued, they said.

Bliss Abode mortgaged the property to Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited for a total loan of Rs 685 crore loan -- Rs 375 crore obtained in two deals of Rs 90 crore and Rs 285 crore, and Rs 310 crore of further loans to Imagine Estate Pvt Ltd and Imagine Home Pvt Ltd, both having Bindu as director, they said.

The loan of Rs 90 crore by Bliss Abode, in which Rana Kapoor was a co-borrower, from Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd in July 2017, on a property in charge with Yes Bank, and other details were not disclosed by him to the Yes Bank board and the MCC which was allegedly in conflict of interest, violation of bank's code of conduct and certain provisions of the Companies Act, 2013.

"This appears to have been done with an ulterior motive to acquire the property as illegal gratification for various favours extended by Rana Kapoor to AG companies," the FIR alleged. Instead of seeking sale of other properties, he gave further loans of Rs 1,165 crore to its group companies under stress.

"These loans are yet to be repaid to Yes Bank Limited and there is stated to be a total outstanding of Rs 1900 crore against various credit facilities extended by YBL to AG companies by January, 2020," it said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:11:25|Editor: yan

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BUCHAREST, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Romania's new government gained a parliamentary confidence vote on Saturday, after quickly passing a greatly simplified parliamentary procedure amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

The minority one-party cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban was voted in favor by a number of 286 deputies and senators -- much more than the required minimum of 233 votes in the 465-seat bicameral parliament. There were 23 votes against the new cabinet.

Orban said in his speech to the parliament, delivered for the investiture vote of his future cabinet, that he will prioritize the necessary budget resources to purchase, under a simplified emergency procedure, the sanitary materials and necessary medical equipment.

"The National Liberal Party assumed this difficult task of governing in hard times for the country and, with a new government, with full powers, I am convinced that it will be able to manage, in the best possible way, the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

He stressed that "in these difficult times for the country", it is time for political battles to cease and everyone's responsibility should come first before personal or party interests.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday appointed Orban, the caretaker prime minister, to form a new government.

The head of state made the decision after Florin Citu, caretaker finance minister, tendered his resignation as Prime Minister-designate on Thursday.

"Political battles and matches have no point in the current context," Iohannis said late Thursday after Citu's resignation, stressing that the NO. 1 priority is to protect peoples' health amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Soon after the designation, Orban proposed the same ministers in his new cabinet, with the current governing program.
Some teachers have already started sending emails to parents saying they will provide work for students during the two weeks after March Break, as boards await details from the government over the unprecedented, province-wide school shutdown.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce is expected to soon provide direction on alternative learning plans for kids, given they dont return to school until April 6 in a bid to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

A ministry source said while plans are still in the works, boards will be expected to encourage teachers to prepare and keep in touch with students.

So far, boards have only been saying that educators must be available during the two-week hiatus.

On Thursday, Lecce took the unprecedented step of ordering that all 4,800 public schools in the province be shut down for two weeks following next weeks March Break, impacting two million students.

Ontario was the first province to take such a drastic step, Quebec has since followed suit and Manitoba is cancelling classes for three weeks.

Earlier in the week, the New Brunswick government banned any staff or students who travel outside of Canada  including to the United States  from its schools and daycares for two weeks, and the English Montreal School Board said anyone who visited the hardest-hit countries to stay home, even if they are well.

I want every parent and family to know with confidence that when their child returns to school, they will be in a safe and healthy learning environment, Lecce said Thursday afternoon.

Countries around the world have also shuttered schools and as of Friday, more than 46,000 American schools  public and private  had been closed or are set to close, according to EdWeek, impacting some 26 million students.

On their last day with students before the three-week break, a number of Ontario teachers gave their students things to do during the extended time off.

One Hamilton-Wentworth English teacher, whose twitter handle is @colleencourt, tweeted that she spent the morning connecting kids with books for the three weeks we wont be together. In an anxious time, it was healing to see them excited to take stacks home.

A number of teachers also began reaching out to families, telling their students where they can communicate with teachers and ask questions and that Google classroom will be updated with lessons.

One Toronto high school history teacher told teens to bring home their textbooks, and that she would post materials online, though noted to parents in an email that online work is not nearly as deep and rich as what we do in the classroom, so this will only be a starting point for deep learning upon our return.

Another said with less than 24 hours, I prepared the appropriate amount of work for students to do due to the extended break.

A lot of students are worried about their courses, said NDP Education Critic Marit Stiles.

 They need to be reassured that they will get the support they need, today and when school resumes. Parents will need guidance about how to help their kids and how to manage fears and anxiety.

The Greater Essex County District School Board said in a statement that staff members have been notified regarding their obligations and responsibilities during this period. Home study and educational resources for students will be posted on the board website, but that there is no expectation that teachers will provide work to students for this period.

However, the board said, teachers must be available to the employer as of March 23, and it expects they will check emails and phone messages each day.

Boards also noted the mandatory Grade 10 literacy test, scheduled for the end of the month, wont happen and it is unclear when it will be rescheduled.

The Lambton-Kent District School Board said teachers can use online tools to support student learning  but none of the work will be a part of kids grades. It also said all schools will receive a deep cleaning during the shutdown.

The Toronto Catholic board sent a memo saying that during the break, schools will be supplied with hand sanitizer, washrooms will be stocked with soap and paper towels and custodial staff will focus their efforts on disinfection of all schools.

Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, said the union is expecting to hear over the March Break from school boards and the province about their expectations for educators.

Its a rapidly developing situation, he said, adding the lack of information is to be expected.

His union has sent letters to the ministry and school board associations saying it would co-operate with them in any fashion to keep students safe. That well do our best to deal with a difficult situation.
Carmen Day poses for a portrait with her diploma from Rutgers Camden Law in front of the law offices of Brown & Connery in Collingswood. Day is a former juvenile delinquent who turned her life around and went to Rutgers Camden law school after a judge gave her a second chance. She now works at the law firm in South Jersey. Read more

When the moment finally came, it was surreal for Carmen Day: She had accomplished her childhood dream to become a lawyer.

It began with a promise she made 13 years ago to a judge in Camden who showed her leniency when she stood before him as a juvenile delinquent. She could have faced prison time. Instead, she got a second chance.

Day, then 17, told the judge: Maybe Ill be a lawyer in your courtroom one day.

This week, Day began working as an associate at the Brown & Connery law firm in Westmont. She landed the position two months after obtaining a Juris Doctorate with honors from Rutgers-Camden Law School. She is handling employment law cases.

They put me to work right away, the first day, she said with a smile Friday in the firms first-floor conference room. Its been very exciting.

William Tambussi, a partner in the politically connected firm who will mentor Day, said he was impressed with her triumph over adversity. Unlike most hires, Day didnt complete a summer internship at the firm or clerk with a judge.

She had the smarts, was goal-driven and had the work ethic, Tambussi said. This is the kind of person we want.

Her first exposure to the law had an ominous beginning when Day stood before Superior Court Judge Charles Dortch in December 2006. She had a plea agreement that called for 18 months probation. She begged for leniency, and the judge reduced her sentence to six months.

Juvenile records are sealed, and Day has declined to disclose specifics about her case, including the charges she faced. She has said that she succumbed to peer pressure from her boyfriend and friends, and went down the wrong path.

Dortch said he was swayed by Days advocacy for herself and her desire to become a lawyer, the first such vow he had heard from a defendant. The two didnt cross paths again until January 2019 when Day visited his courtroom  this time as a second-year law school student.

Day asked to meet privately with the judge. Overcome, she promptly burst into tears. She had planned to meet the judge after she graduated from law school to show him that she had kept her promise.

You normally dont hear the positive outcomes that result from a persons contact with the court system, Dortch said. She had a sense of purpose about her.

 READ MORE: From juvenile delinquent to Juris Doctor: Camden woman keeps her promise to the judge who gave her a break 12 years ago

Dortch told Day he was proud of her. They posed for photographs and their story went viral, and she received messages from around the world. She has become a motivational speaker and a role model for young girls in Camden, where she grew up.

This is my testimony. I hope by sharing that I can encourage someone to keep fighting and keep dreaming, Day wrote in a social media post.

Day, 30, of Sicklerville, twice dropped out of community college, and finally obtained an associates degree in 2014, the first in her family to graduate from college. She then enrolled at Rutgers-Camden, graduating magna cum laude in 2016 with bachelors degrees in both political science and criminal justice.

When she started law school in 2017, her husband, Dwayne, encouraged her to attend full-time. The mother of two young daughters, she took as many credits as she could and graduated in December, a semester early. She received her law degree by mail this week.

I have been through a lot. I kept telling myself, You are going to be a lawyer. "

Day submitted a flurry of job applications while studying to take the bar exam in February. She received four offers and in January accepted the position with Brown & Connery, where she is one of three black lawyers.

Im living my best life, said Day. Im on the brink of so much greatness.
Gurgaon police has arrested five car lifters in separate raids in Rajasthan, an official said on Saturday.

The five men were allegedly involved in stealing around two dozen cars here, said Gurgaon police Public Relations Officer Subhash Bokan.

The suspects, identified as Sanayuddin, Mandeep, Sandeep, Rajesh and Jahual, are residents of different districts of Rajasthan, he said.

"On sustained interrogation, the accused revealed that they used master keys and electronics equipments to unlock centralized locks of targeted cars," the PRO said.

The men then used to take the stolen vehicles to Rajasthan and sell them after changing their chassis and engine numbers, he said.

The five suspects had stolen an SUV on March 1 in Basai village and the vehicle's owner approached the police, the PRO added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner are the next crewmembers scheduled to launch to the International Space Station.

The procedure to ensure that astronauts don't bring an illness to the International Space Station is under evaluation as NASA enacts tactics to help slow the spread of the novel-coronavirus disease COVID-19 .

Governments and agencies around the world have been enacting measures meant to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus; those measures include social distancing and quarantines for people who think they may have been exposed to the virus. But these tactics aren't new territory for NASA astronauts, who take such measures to prepare for close-quarter, secluded living that can last six months or longer.

NASA and its international partners mandate that soon-to-be spacefarers stay in quarantine for two weeks before launching into space. This is done in order to ensure that they are not sick or incubating an illness when they reach the orbiting lab.

Related: The ultimate kids' guide to the new coronavirus

As Brandi Dean from NASA's Public Affairs Office explained in an email to Space.com, this procedure is called "health stabilization."

The procedure is especially important for astronauts because day-to-day living in microgravity can affect the immune system .

Dean said there are no astronauts currently close enough to their launch for standard prelaunch quarantine. ( The next crew , comprising NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, is scheduled to launch on April 9.)

Related: Italy's coronavirus response dramatically reduces air pollution emissions, satellites show

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner are the next crewmembers scheduled to launch to the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA)

Beyond the typical spaceflight health measures, NASA is "closely adhering" to the infection-control recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, Dean said.

"This includes cleaning of surfaces, social distancing, emphasizing hand hygiene, encouraging NASA team members who are sick to stay home and limiting contact with crewmembers," Dean said.

Due to COVID-19, the space agency is currently evaluating changes to the standard health-stabilization plan. According to SpaceNews , Russia's space agency has suggested lengthening the quarantine for the trio launching in April, and NASA officials are discussing the measure with their counterparts.

A view of Earth's horizon taken from onboard the International Space Station. Mark Garcia published this image in a NASA Space Station blog post on March 11, 2020. (Image credit: NASA)

"We expect them to take additional measures to make sure that quarantine is a little tighter," Kirk Shireman, ISS program manager at NASA, told Space News. "We're ready to deal with that if it happens."

NASA's virus-slowing measures extend beyond the astronaut corps. Most notably, the agency's Ames Research Center in California is "temporarily on mandatory telework status, with restricted access to the center until further notice," according to a NASA statement issued on Monday (March 9). That statement came after the agency received confirmation that an employee at Ames tested positive for COVID-19.

Follow Doris Elin Urrutia on Twitter @salazar_elin . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook .
UPDATE: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket experienced an abort at the T-0 mark for today's launch due to an engine power issue. Read our full story.



Original story

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  The private spaceflight company SpaceX will launch 60 new Starlink satellites to join its ever-growing broadband internet megaconstellation today (March 15) and you can watch it live online.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Starlink mission from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:22 a.m. EST (1322 GMT).

You can watch SpaceX's Starlink launch webcast here and on the Space.com homepage, courtesy of SpaceX, beginning about 15 minutes before liftoff. You'll also be able to watch the launch directly from SpaceX here.

Study: Satellite megaconstellations will mar astronomers' view of heavens

This is SpaceX's sixth launch of the year and the sixth Starlink launch to date. The mission will star a veteran Falcon 9 rocket that will do what no other Falcon has done before: launch and land five times. The booster, dubbed B1048.5, previously launched a bevy of satellites including part of the Iridium NEXT constellations, an Israeli lunar lander a communications satellites for Argentina and Indonesia, and a previous Starlink mission .

This is a major milestone for SpaceX. The upgraded version of their workhorse was introduced in 2018, launching the first communications satellite for Bangladesh . Company founder and CEO, Elon Musk said that the souped up booster would be able to fly ten times with little refurbishment in between. Sunday's flight marks the first time a Falcon has reached the halfway point.

To date, four Falcons have four successful flights under their belts, but todays booster will be the first to launch five times. However, of those four, two were not recovered and will not fly again. One was intentionally destroyed during the companys in-flight abort test and the booster used in the latest Starlink mission before this one, it was lost after narrowly missing the drone ship.

Related: Why SpaceX's Starlink satellites caught astronomers off guard

The goal of SpaceX's Starlink project is to provide users around the world with constant, high-speed internet access. The company plans to achieve that by launching a massive constellation of broadband internet satellites.

Users on the ground would then operate a small terminal  no bigger than a laptop  to gain internet access.

As evident by the launches so far this year, the majority of SpaceX's missions in 2020 will consist of sending Starlink satellites into space. This is the fourth Starlink launch of the year, which expands the companys fleet of internet-beaming satellites to more than 350.

SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk has previously stated that the company will need at least 400 Starlink satellites in orbit to offer "minor" broadband coverage, and at least 800 to provide "moderate" coverage. With this launch, they are moving closer to that goal.

Related: SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites, misses rocket landing

The weather is looking excellent, with only a 10% chance of weather vio lation, according to forecasters at the 45th Weather Squadron. Temperatures in the area are supposed to be around 70 degrees with a few scattered clouds.

The company fired up the rocket late Friday afternoon, as part of a routine prelaunch test, called a static fire test. This integral part of prelaunch procedures is crucial to ensuring that all systems are ready for launch.

Shortly after, the company tweeted that the test was a success and the launch would proceed as planned.

Static fire test of Falcon 9 completetargeting Sunday, March 15 at 9:22 a.m. EDT, 13:22 UTC, for launch of 60 Starlink satellites from LC-39A in FloridaMarch 13, 2020 See more

Approximately eight minutes after launch, the Falcons first stage will return to Earth. Its scheduled to touch down on the deck of SpaceXs drone ship, Of Course I Still Love You, stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean.

The company has also deployed its two fairing-catching ships: GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief in hopes of snagging the payload fairings as they fall back to Earth. The fairing used in todays launch attempt was previously used on the first Starlink mission. (It was refurbished after gently splashing down in the ocean.)

SpaceX aims to catch and refurbish fairings to cut down on costs and reuse more of its launch hardware. Currently the company has successfully recovered 50 first stage boosters and GO Ms. Tree has made three successful fairing catches. With any luck, the company will see its first double catch today.

Visit Space.com today for complete coverage of SpaceX's Starlink launch.

Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
London: The UK government has accepted India's appeal against the closure of Ambedkar House in north London and said the memorial to the architect of the Indian Constitution will remain open to visitors.

UK Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed that he had granted retrospective planning permission on Thursday for 10 King Henry's Road in Camden, where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lived in 1921-22 during his student days at London School of Economics (LSE), to function as a museum.

"I was pleased to grant planning permission for a museum in London to Dr Ambedkar one of the founding fathers of modern India and an important figure to many British Indians," said Jenrick.

The minister had recovered the appeal in the case last September after the memorial faced closure due to an alleged breach of planning norms for the residential area.

The UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stepping in meant that the government was to decide the case based on recommendations from an independent inspector appointed by the UK's Planning Inspectorate.

The Inspector oversaw an inquiry into the Indian government's appeal in the case last year.

"Mr Jenrick decided the government should make the final decision on the appeal, citing the importance of the site and the lasting contribution of the British Indian community on the shared cultural heritage of the country," the ministry said.

The home was bought by the Maharashtra government for around GBP 3.1 million and refurbished to transform into a memorial-cum-museum, which now houses photographs and belongings of Ambedkar, with the walls adorned with his famous quotations.

It had been an important stop on Narendra Modi's first visit to the UK as Prime Minister in November 2015 but it ran into trouble after it emerged that the right clearances for the creation of a museum on the site had not been sought.

The Indian High Commission in London re-filed an appropriate planning application, which was rejected last year.

During an appeal hearing in September 2019, the Indian side argued that the home holds special significance for a huge section of Indians in the UK and outside because it was where Babasaheb lived during a crucial formative period in his academic life.

"This will have widespread implications for India-UK relations, especially under the current political scenario when we are Brexiting and need to further strengthen our bilateral relations with India," said Alex Sunshine, who presented himself as a witness on behalf of the Indian government as someone who works with the Dalit community in Maharashtra.

The council, on the other hand, presented expert witnesses to try and establish that the Dalit rights activist's association with the particular London house was very brief and any memorial can be moved elsewhere in order to not deprive the local area of crucial residential and housing space.

"It is just not the right place for it. The association with Dr Ambedkar is tangential at best," said Nick Baxter, Senior Heritage and Conservation Officer for Camden Council.

However, with the appeal being allowed this week, the requisite permission has been granted to ensure the memorial will remain at its current site.
rbc.ru

Ukrainians evacuated from Italy after the termination of flights will undergo mandatory observation within 14 days. This was announced at a briefing by acting Director of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health Igor Kuzin. The broadcast was conducted by 112 Ukraine TV channel.



A clear algorithm is provided for those evacuated: such a person undergoes temperature screening, then s/he is recommended to conduct a self-isolation at home if s/he has symptoms of an acute respiratory viral infection. If necessary, s/he can also be provided with coronavirus testing or hospitalization at the checkpoint.



Such persons will be recommended to stay at home for 14 days with a more strict regime than previously proposed, and also, if necessary, will be redirected from checkpoints to hospitals.



Related: Zelensky enacts decision to close border due to coronavirus



Ukrainian diplomat abroad has become infected with a coronavirus. This was announced by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, the press service of the Foreign Ministry reports.



Unfortunately, we have already recorded the first case of a diplomats disease in one of the countries of the world. Foreign diplomatic missions temporarily switch to a remote mode of operation in order to maintain a capable network of assistance to Ukrainians around the world, the minister said.



Kuleba did not specify in which country the diplomat was infected.



As reported, on March 13 Ukraine recorded the first death of a person infected with a coronavirus. The deceased is a 71-year-old woman from Radomyshl, Zhytomyr region, who went to the doctors too late and had complications in the form of pneumonia.
I dont want to go home, said Rebecca Gibbons, a freshman from the Eastern Shore studying chemical engineering at the University of Maryland. She was among the stunned students packing up this week without any idea of when theyll return to College Park. I just know that being in class and being able to ask questions and being able to physically see the professor writing down every step is important. Its just going to be very difficult.
WASHINGTON  The entire federal appeals court in Washington said on Friday that it would take up two cases that raised the question of whether and when Congress may sue to resolve a dispute with the president, setting up a double-barreled test for establishing when the judicial branch can resolve disputes over separation of powers.

In a terse order, the full appeals court said it would rehear a case involving a House Judiciary Committee subpoena to Donald F. McGahn II, President Trumps former White House counsel, vacating a 2-1 panel ruling last month that Congress could not sue to enforce its subpoenas of executive branch officials.

The full court also said it would immediately take up a case that House Democrats brought against Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin challenging the administrations use of emergency powers and other extraordinary measures to spend more taxpayer funds on Mr. Trumps border wall with Mexico than Congress had been willing to appropriate.

In the border wall case, a United States District Court judge had sided with Mr. Trump and dismissed the case, saying the House had no standing to bring it. An appeals court panel heard arguments in the case weeks ago but has not yet issued a ruling. The order said that the panel had requested that the full court hear that case since it also raised an issue of standing.
The Boris Johnson government is funding a new initiative to challenge myths, misinformation, conspiracies and mistruths such as drinking bleach or urine to cure coronavirus, as the UK grapples with new cases and deaths.

Officials cited the example of the sister of a Bollywood actor reportedly sharing a controversial video from China as one of the examples of more damaging mistruths being targeted in the initiative funded by the Department for International Development.

The example of promoting violence mentioned in an official release says: Rumours that the virus was created or spread deliberately have already led to reported attacks on Chinese nationals across South East Asia as well as in the UK.

A video claiming to show Chinese officials shooting coronavirus victims and alleging tens of thousands were executed went viral on social media sites worldwide, after the celebrity sister of a prominent Bollywood actor in India shared them. The video was in fact edited from four completely unrelated clips, including one of Chinese police shooting a rabid dog.

The release adds that more damaging mistruths include miracle cures for the virus, such as drinking chlorine dioxide, an industrial bleach, or urine, eating garlic, gargling saltwater or spreading cow dung and mustard paste.

It cited the example of Myanmar, where news websites have reported false claims supposedly from health officials, advising people to sleep next to chopped onions claiming this will absorb the virus or to drink ginger juice.

It is also falsely claimed you cannot catch coronavirus if you have a mosquito bite. Scammers pretending to be health officials in Myanmar have been selling black pepper seeds as a cure, the release adds.

The initiative includes engaging social media influencers such as Bianca Gonzalez from the Philippines, Jahangir Kabir from Bangladeshi, and KlikDokter, an Indonesian health blog.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: Misinformation harms us all. By tackling it at source we will help stop the spread of fake news  and coronavirus  worldwide, including within the UK.

The initiative will analyse social media and online content to identify where the misinformation is coming from and how it is spreading  so victims of fake news can be sent the correct information and directed to official health advice, the release adds.

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Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna state governor has opened up on why he couldnt desert the deposed Emir of Kano state, Sanusi Lamido during his troubles.

Speaking with journalists on Friday at the Abuja airport where he escorted the deposed Emir to catch a flight to Lagos, El-rufai stated that the former central bank of Nigeria governor had been with him since he was a teenager without leaving him for once.

His words:

We have been friends since we were teenagers. He has been by my side throughout my troubles and successes and I have to be by his side throughout his own troubles and successes. We are inseparable.

Read Also: Sanusi Spent N37m On Phones, N152m On Furniture During His Reign As Emir: Omokri

Fielding questions from journalists shortly after Fridays Jumat prayer, he said, As you know, the Federal High Court in Abuja today declared his detention illegal and unconstitutional and his banishment also in violation of the constitution. So, he is free.

He can live anywhere he wants, including Kano city, if he wants. But we are on our way to Abuja. It is quite likely that the emir proceeds to Lagos which was his preferred destination from day one.

From the day he was informed of his deposition, it was his wish to go to Lagos because some of his family members are now in Lagos. And by the grace of God, we are on our way to Lagos.
M ass gatherings in the UK could be banned within days as the Government looks at beefing up its fight to slow the spread of coronavirus.

A Whitehall source said emergency legislation bringing in increased powers will be published next week and there could also be a move towards more people working from home.

It follows criticism that the government has not taken steps similar to some European countries as the pandemic worsens.

Eleven people who have contracted covid-19 have died in the UK, and there have been 798 confirmed cases since January 31.

A Whitehall source said: Ministers are working with the chief scientific adviser and chief medical officer on our plan to stop various types of public event, including mass gatherings, beginning next week.

We are also talking to businesses and other bodies about the timing of moving towards much more widespread working from home.

There are many complex considerations to make all these measures as effective as possible.

We will make the right decisions at the right time based on the best scientific evidence.

We have drafted emergency legislation to give the government the powers it needs to deal with coronavirus, including powers to stop mass gatherings and compensate organisations.

We will publish this legislation next week.

The Times reported the laws could also give police and immigration officers to detain people if they are suspected of being infected and the ability to direct schools to stay open.

The newspaper said the laws could remain in place for two years.

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It comes following a day of dramatic developments on Friday:

The UKs chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance had previously said while it is eye-catching to order the cancellation of mass gatherings and sporting events, the chances of contracting the disease by attending such occasions are slim.

Writing for the Evening Standard on Friday, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt piled pressure on ministers to move swiftly towards tougher action to stop the spread of the disease.

The Whitehall source said officials are concerned about the burden large events put on public services  including the health service and the police  from dealing with coronavirus.
Pune police booked three people,



including a relative of jailed gangster Chhota Rajan, for allegedly extorting Rs 50 lakh from a man over a domestic dispute, an official said on Saturday.

A case of extortion has been registered against Priyadarshani Nikalje, niece of Rajan, and two others, the anti-extortion cell official said.

"A man was having a dispute with his wife. Nikalje intervened and gave a complaint against the man and then demanded Rs 50 lakh from him to withdraw it. He has said he was threatened with a gun," he said.

"On Friday evening, one of the accused, Dhiraj Sable, came to collect Rs 25 lakh in the cantonment area from the complainant. We arrested him. Nikhalje and one more accused are at large," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the Coronavirus scare across the globe, five suspected patients on Friday night escaped their isolation wards from Mayo Hospital in Nagpur. According to the police, the patients had left the ward for snacks but they did not return. As per reports, one of them had tested negative, while the results of the others are awaited.

The S Suryavanshi, Sub-Inspector, Nagpur Tehsil police station said, "We have traced them and they will be brought back to the hospital by the administration."

The inspector further added that since it is a sensitive issue, they are coordinating with the staff of Mayo hospital

Maha CM declares 'Coronavirus epidemic'

The Maharashtra government on Friday invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act declaring the Coronavirus as an epidemic, as announced by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Informing the state assembly of the number of positive cases detected at that time, he declared all the schools to be shut in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad till further notice barring where 10th and 12th standard board exams are being conducted. Affirming that schools in Mumbai and elsewhere will remain open, Thackeray added that gyms, swimming pools and theatres in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad will be closed starting midnight on Friday till 30th March.

People who have visited China, South Korea, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Iran after 15th february & have arrived in the country after 5:30pm this evening, will be placed in Quarantine ward.

-CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray pic.twitter.com/AmGZD6ghS8  Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) March 13, 2020

Read: Coronavirus outbreak: Railways suspends operations of India-Bangladesh trains, buses

Coronavirus in India

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to over 83 as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Along with it, two deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi and West Delhi respectively. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has strongly advised Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories.

Read: Chhattisgarh Health minister 'not invited' for state govt meet on Coronavirus preparedness

The Coronavirus crisis

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 123 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 1,36,895 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 5,077 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

Read: Alaskas governor suspends classes at schools, limits agency visits amid coronavirus scare

Read: Tihar jail sets up 8 isolation camps in its campus to combat Coronavirus spread to inmates

(With ANI Inputs)
Cui Tiankai, China's Ambassador to the U.S. at the seventh US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the US State Department in Washington, on June 24, 2015. (Chris Kleponis/AFP via Getty Images)

US Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Claims That Wuhan Coronavirus Outbreak Came From US

The U.S. State Department summoned Chinas ambassador to the United States on March 13 after a top Beijing official suggested that the U.S. military might be responsible for introducing the deadly coronavirus to Wuhan, ground zero of the pandemic.

The meeting came after a vice director at Chinas foreign ministry Zhao Lijian, in a series of posts on Twittera platform inaccessible in Chinaaccused the United States of not being transparent about what it knows about the disease, while pushing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the outbreak originated in the United States.

When did patient zero begin in [sic] US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? Zhao wrote in both Chinese and English.

He went on to suggest that it might be [sic] US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan.

Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe [sic] us an explanation, he added.

The Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, David Stilwell, summoned Chinas ambassador Cui Tiankai to deliver a very stern representation, Reuters reported citing a unnamed state department official. The official noted that Cui was very defensive and that China was attempting to evade criticism over its role in starting a global pandemic and not telling the world.

Spreading conspiracy theories is dangerous and ridiculous. We wanted to put the government on notice we wont tolerate it for the good of the Chinese people and the world, the official told Reuters.

The US side noted how Beijings storyline on what has become a global pandemic has been shifting away from the Wuhan Huanan market since mid-January, indicating that Beijing is trying to avoid responsibility for the outbreak, a state department spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email on Saturday, referring to the seafood and animal market in coronavirus epicenter Wuhan that Chinese officials initially cited as the potential source of the devastating outbreak.

The US is not interested in assigning blame, but asks the Chinese government to offer full access and transparency in order to prevent further loss of lives inside and outside the PRC [Peoples Republic of China], the spokesperson added.

Although the virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in early December, Zhao and several other Chinese officials have been pushing the theory that the viruss origin is unclear and might have come from the United States.

Asked about Zhaos tweet in a March 13 press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang insisted that there were different opinions on the issue and that its a matter of science.

Chinese state media, meanwhile, have also been accusing the United States of smearing China while lauding Beijings capability for handling the outbreak.

A Chinese man wears a protective mask as he walks by a propaganda banner related to the coronavirus outbreak on a residential building in Beijing, China, on Feb. 21, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

For instance, a March 5 article on state-run media China Daily described the regimes outbreak response as a story of pride.

In an editorial by Global Times, a hawkish state-run outlet, titled Blaming China for own virus control failure detestable, the outlet claimed that so far, even the scientific world has no conclusion where the virus came from.

Theres been a repeated, relentless campaign against the United States and its been malicious, irresponsible, false of course, and dangerous, Gordon Chang, China expert and author of The Coming Collapse of China, told The Epoch Times in a recent interview.

This whole notion of China being beneficial to helping the world is misguided and indeed dangerous.

Chang also believes that more propaganda along the same lines will come out in the days to come.

Beijing is going to relentlessly pursue them because it sees this as essential to its survival, Chang said. United States has an ally which is the Chinese people and we should never forget that our enemy is the regime.

In a March 5 Senate hearing, Lea Gabrielle, who leads the Global Engagement Center at the State Department, warned that Russia and China have been taking advantage of the health crisis to ramp up disinformation campaigns.

U.S. national security advisor Robert OBrien, in some of the strongest remarks against the Chinese regime, said its initial suppression of information on the outbreak, such as silencing whistleblowers, may have cost the world community two months to respond.

The way that this started out in China, the way it was handled from the outset, was not right. It should have been handled differently, OBrien said.
With the coronavirus shelter-in-place order in effect in the Bay Area, readers are asking how they can help. Many nonprofits, community groups, charities, food banks and other organizations are anticipating a strain on their resources and requesting financial donations to help them continue to provide services while other organizations still need healthy volunteers.

Here are organizations, by category, that need your donations and volunteer time. The Chronicles Season of Sharing Fund is also taking donations: 100% of the money raised goes directly to help the families and communities served.

Disability services

Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center: The mission of Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center is to provide recreational, vocational and educational opportunities for people with disabilities. Program staff may be available to visit your home and take your participant out for a brief walk.

 To donate: www.prrcsf.org

Faith-affiliated organizations

Catholic Charities San Francisco: Catholic Charities partners with community, business and interfaith groups to reach those in need, including individuals and families experiencing homelessness, single parent families, people with HIV/AIDS, immigrants and seniors. Though associated with the San Francisco Archdiocese, they operate as an independent organization and do not directly contribute funds to the church.

 What they need: Cash donations to support staff and essential workers

 To donate: www.catholiccharitiessf.org

 Services offered: Catholic Charities is providing homelessness outreach and homeless prevention services. Their Center for Immigration Legal and Support Services remains open via phone at 415-972-1238. They are committed to working with seniors living on their own, and although programs have closed they are still providing twice-a-week food service where seniors can pick up groceries at OMI Senior Center at 65 Beverly St., San Francisco.

Glide: Glide is a 50-year-old church community and social services provider located in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood.

 What they need: Cash donations

 To donate: www.glide.org/

 Services offered: The Daily Free Meals program has been adjusted to use takeout containers to deliver hot meals three times daily. The walk-in center services, including shelter bed reservations, continue via a triage desk in the lobby to avoid congregating unsafely in the building. Glides Harm Reduction Services have paused offsite HIV/Hep C testing events for health and safety reasons in favor of one-on-one testing. The Syringe Access Services will continue. Glide Churchs celebration online continues Sundays at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. through April.

Food banks and delivery services

Alameda County Community Food Bank: The organization supplies hundreds of thousands of meals to a variety of agencies  including soup kitchens, food pantries, child care centers and more  on a weekly basis. Is is in urgent need of volunteers to help it build emergency food bags and prepare fresh produce.

 To volunteer: www.accfb.org

Call Primrose: The organization is offering free groceries to any family/person in need in San Mateo County and will deliver.

 To volunteer: www.callprimrose.org

Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program: The organization collects donated food from the USDA, Safeway, Trader Joes and others, and distributes it to those in need in the Emeryville-Oakland area.

 To volunteer: www.ecapprogram.com

Food Runners: The organization delivers meals to neighborhood food programs. They need volunteers to pick up perishable and prepared food from businesses and deliver it in vehicles directly to neighborhood food programs. The relay program provides enough food for more than 20,000 meals every week in San Francisco.

 To volunteer: www.foodrunners.org

Hands on Bay Area: The organization has compiled a list of ways people can volunteer for community support, including food banks, food pantries, deliveries and more.

 To volunteer: www.handsonbayarea.org

Meals on Wheels: The organization delivers about 7,200 meals a day to 3,600 residents, most of whom are over 60 and have difficulty leaving the house. They need donations to support their services.

 To donate: www.mowsf.org

Project Open Hand: The organization provides nutritious meals to the sick and vulnerable.

 To donate or volunteer: www.openhand.org

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank: The organization serves more than 141,000 people every week. The food bank, which relies on volunteers, has seen roughly half of its volunteers cancel shifts for March.

 To donate or volunteer: www.sfmfoodbank.org

Second Harvest: The food bank provides food to more than 250,000 people in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties every month. It needs donations and volunteers to sort or distribute food.

 To volunteer: www.shfb.org

Silicon Valley Strong: The organization was launched by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo as an initiative for those most hurt by the pandemic. The group needs donations and volunteers to help food security for the countys residents  primarily seniors and medically vulnerable.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/sanjosestrong

St. Anthonys Foundation: The organization provides 2,400 meals a day and also provides people in need with clean clothing and addiction recovery services. The group needs one-time donations or monthly donations to support its services.

 To donate: www.stanthonysf.org

Supply Bank: Functioning similar to a food bank, Supply Bank distributes other provisions, including baby wipes, diapers, etc. It partners with 450 agencies throughout the Bay Area and elsewhere in the state and plans to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic.

 To donate or volunteer: www.supplybank.org

 For other California food banks: www.cafoodbanks.org.

Elder care

Institute on Aging: The organization offers a 24-hour friendship line for people 60 years and older, adults with disabilities and those feeling isolated. The number is 800-971-0016.

 To volunteer: www.ioaging.org

Little Brothers  Friends of the Elderly: The organization brings people together through programming that works to reduce isolation among older adults. The group needs donors to sponsor care packages and volunteers to call elderly people in the community.

 To volunteer: www.littlebrotherssf.org

Oakland At Risk Match: The nonprofit pairs healthy young adults with low-risk factors for COVID-19 with an elder or immuno-compromised member of the community who might need help over the next few weeks.

 To volunteer: www.oaklandatrisk.com

Volunteer: Essentials Delivery: This community initiative organizes volunteers to shop for and deliver essentials to an elderly and/or immunocompromised neighbor. It needs healthy volunteers to be matched with a vulnerable member of the community.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/essentialdeliveries

Homeless services

Coalition on Homelessness: The Coalition on Homelessness organizes homeless people and service providers to help create longtime solutions to homelessness, and protect the human rights of the vulnerable forced to stay on the streets.

 To donate: www.cohsf.org

Compass Family Services: The nonprofit offers services to homeless and at-risk families in the Bay Area. The COVID-19 Family Care emergency kit can be purchased for $500: $450 goes directly to one vulnerable family through digital gift cards for emergency supplies such as food, pharmacy needs, and cleaning products; $50 goes to maintaining emergency remote and in-person services for homeless and at-risk families.

 To donate a family care kit: https://bit.ly/compasscarekit

LGBTQ organizations

LGBTQ Center: The center supports the needs of the LGBTQ community and allies through programming and by connecting people to a network of organizations. Information and referral services have moved online and mental health services and financial coaching have moved to a virtual format.

 To donate: www.sfcenter.org

Queer Cultural Center: Queer Cultural Center is a multiracial community-building organization that fosters the artistic, economic and cultural development of San Franciscos LGBTQ community.

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.

 To donate: https://bit.ly/donateqcc

GLBT Historical Society: For 35 years the GLBT Historical Society has been committed to the twin goals of preserving and sharing LGBTQ history through their archives and museum in the Castro.

 To donate: www.glbthistory.org

Medical Services

American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region: The rise of the coronavirus, in conjunction with the typical cold and influenza season, has already impacted the nations ability to maintain its blood supply, Red Cross officials said. The number of people eligible to give blood for patients in need could decrease further.

 To donate blood: www.redcross.org

UCSF Coronavirus Fund: The medical center is working rapidly to treat cases of COVID-19 and stop the spread of the infectious virus.

 To donate: https://giving.ucsf.edu/coronavirus

Mutual aid, children and other resources

Disability Justice Culture Club: The organization has put together a mutual aid project that will get help and supplies to the Bay Areas most vulnerable. It needs resources and healthy volunteers.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/disabilityjusticeclub

East Bay Mutual Aid: The organization is organizing volunteers for various services  meal preparation, childcare, running errands, pet-sitting, etc.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/eastbaymutalaid

San Mateo Volunteer Opportunities: The City of San Mateo is actively working with other cities and nonprofits to identify the needs of their communities. The group is seeking people for its Volunteer Interest List.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/sanmateovolunteer

South Bay Mutual Aid: A coalition of community organizations  Serve the People San Jose, Silicon Valley DSA, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Anakbayan, Rapid Response Network, South Bay Community Land Trust  has been organizing a mutual aid fund to coordinate food and supply dropoffs to peoples front doors.

 To volunteer: https://bit.ly/southbaymutalaid

Supporting parents and their children: Many parents will be forced into full-time caregiving and home-schooling responsibilities during this time, as schools across the region may be shut down through the spring. If you have free time and are looking for work, reach out to your community about ways you can virtually tutor or support families who are looking for extra help. Tell folks about the resources that are available to them.

Services available: San Francisco officials are distributing 23,200 free pick-up meals daily, including breakfast and lunch, for all children 18 and younger from 9 to 10 a.m. For a list of sites, go to www.sfusd.edu/schoolfood.

Mental health

 Felton Institute San Francisco Suicide Prevention provides a 24-hour hotline for people experiencing mental health crises. 415-781-0500.

 Institute on Aging offers a 24-hour friendship line for people 60 years and older, adults with disabilities and those feeling isolated. 800-971-0016.

 Mental Health Association of San Francisco has a 24-hour peer-run line for nonemergency emotional support. 855-845-7415.

 Headspace meditation app has a library of guided meditations.

 Ten Percent Happier app offers guided meditations, coronavirus-focused sessions (free of charge) and a daily virus-focused livestream and Q&A.

 The Virus Anxiety website has daily mantras, write-in mental health questions and calming online distractions.

Chronicle writers Sarah Feldberg, Jill Tucker, Sarah Ravani, Trisha Thadani, Anna Bauman and Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Annie Vainshtein and Tony Bravo are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com, tbravo@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain, @TonyBravoSF
By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - As President Donald Trump scrambles for new ways to cushion the economic blow from the fast spreading coronavirus, industry groups, lawmakers and even some government officials are reviving a previous request: cut tariffs on Chinese and other imported goods.

Anti-tariff forces both outside and inside the government see the virus crisis as the biggest opportunity for rolling back at least some import taxes since a U.S.-China "Phase 1" trade deal was reached in December.

They say repealing a Trump protectionist policy could save American companies and consumers billions of dollars and send a positive signal to investors, who sent U.S. stocks down about 10% on Thursday into bear market territory.

Tariffs of up to 25% remain on some $370 billion worth of Chinese goods imports annually. U.S. importers were billed for $48.1 billion in duties on Chinese goods from the Trump administration's "Section 301" tariffs over the past 20 months, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"This is a tax that is fully within the authorities of the executive branch, so they can very quickly give American businesses and American consumers a tax cut by lifting the tariffs that are in place," U.S. Representative Stephanie Murphy told Reuters on Thursday.

The Florida Democrat urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Wednesday to declare a trade "detente" by removing tariffs on both Chinese and European goods to aid small and medium-sized businesses.

Lighthizer, who for three years has led the Trump administration's efforts to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, "was not receptive to the idea" during a closed-door meeting with members of the House Ways and Means Committee, Murphy said.

USTR did not respond to a request for comment.

The U.S.-China Business Council is also pressing for tariff reductions by both China and the United States as a way to help both economies weather coronavirus pressures.

"Both economies are suffering from a common challenge," said USCBC President Craig Allen. "Both sides should use this as an opportunity to rein in the self-inflicted damage that tariffs cause."

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But there were differing views on tariffs within the Trump administration, Allen said, with "no clear consensus on moving forward with a tariff reduction no matter how obvious it may be that it's in both countries' interest."

ELECTION LOOMS

Trump has touted his tough stance on China trade as a key differentiator from Democratic challengers in the November presidential election. Keeping tariffs in place on Chinese goods allows him to say he is maintaining leverage over China for a Phase 2 trade deal.

But rapidly deteriorating financial markets and worries that COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, will grind worldwide economic activity to a halt may be changing some trade thinking inside the administration, said a person familiar with White House trade deliberations.

"It's not likely to happen" because of the election argument, the person said. "But COVID has changed a lot of things and industry sees an opening here."

Before the coronavirus significantly reduced its global forecasts, the International Monetary Fund had estimated that U.S. and Chinese tariffs still in place after a Phase 1 trade deal would reduce 2020 global economic output by about 0.5%, or around $450 billion.

The National Association of Manufacturers on Monday published a coronavirus action plan that urged the administration to "develop a targeted list of products for which Section 301 tariffs and retaliatory tariffs can be suspended or removed to spur economic growth and job creation."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continues to advocate tariff reductions as a way to further economic growth, said Derek Scissors, a China policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute.

"The Wall Street representatives in and out of the administration constantly push for tariff cuts, from the time the deal was struck through last week," Scissors said. "The risk of a trade deficit jump later in the year, as the China tries to export its way to a V-shaped recovery, has blocked them."

Mnuchin told lawmakers last week that tariff reductions were not being considered at that time but as the situation progresses, "we'll look at all the options that we think are important" to aid small firms and certain sectors of the economy.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, the administration's loudest anti-China voice, tamped down any speculation that tariffs might be lifted.

"There are no discussions within the White House about that. That is simply a fake news gambit by the usual Wall Street suspects who never met an American job they didnt want to offshore for the sake of a buck," he said.

Even economists who support lifting tariffs say it may not be effective as a short-term stimulus.

"Permanently lifting the tariffs on China is a good idea," said Heritage Foundation economist Paul Winfree. "Rapid changes in trade policy linked specifically to the pandemic might not give them the bump they want because it will contribute to the long-run trade uncertainty that has depressed growth." (Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell)
Americans returning to the U.S. after visiting certain foreign countries  including most of Europe  will be required to fly into one of 13 designated airports equipped to perform medical screening for coronavirus infection, according to senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who briefed reporters on background about the latest travel restrictions meant to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting Saturday, most foreign nationals whove visited China, Iran or one of the 26 countries in Europes Schengen Area  where citizens can travel freely across national borders  within the past 14 days are barred from entering the United States. These travel restrictions will soon be expanded to include the United Kingdom and Ireland, which were exempted from the original order announced by President Trump three days ago.

United States citizens and legal permanent residents whove visited one of the restricted countries within 14 days will be rerouted by their airlines, at no additional expense, to one of the 13 designated airports.

And all of them will be subject to a 14-day quarantine in the U.S.  at home under self-quarantine in most cases, or in a guarded facility for those considered at highest risk of spreading the virus.

Travelers walk through an almost empty departures area at the international terminal at Logan International Airport in Boston on Friday. (Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images)

The regulation includes travelers whose U.S.-bound flight segment originates somewhere else.

If youre flying from Africa but you were in Europe last week, you still have to come through one of those 13 airports, a senior DHS official explained.

The 13 airports are:

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Massachusetts

Chicago OHare International Airport (ORD), Illinois

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Michigan

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York

Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California

Miami International Airport (MIA), Florida

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey

San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia

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Upon arrival at one of the designated airports, travelers will proceed through regular customs clearance and then on to enhanced entry screening, where DHS-contracted medical personnel will question returning travelers about their medical history and health status. Randomly selected passengers and anyone whose history suggests possible coronavirus exposure will undergo temperature screening. Travelers who exhibit potential signs of the coronavirus or other red flags will then be referred to medical personnel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stationed at the airports for a more in-depth medical review, the official said, and anyone deemed to be possibly infected will be quarantined at or near the airport according to local health ordinances.

Everyone else covered by the new restrictions will be provided with information on the coronavirus and instructed to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. The DHS officials said that personal information collected from each traveler during the secondary screening process, including their name, contact information and address of final destination, will be passed along to local health officials who will monitor their self-quarantine regimens.

President Trump at a press briefing about the coronavirus pandemic alongside members of the coronavirus task force on Saturday. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

DHS officials noted that such procedures have already been in place at 11 of the 13 designated airports since the beginning of February, when Trump announced the first set of coronavirus-related restrictions on travel from mainland China. In late February, those restrictions were expanded to include Iran. A senior DHS official said that since Feb. 2, only 17 people whove returned to the U.S. after traveling to China or Iran have been placed in guarded quarantine facilities. Over 30,000 people, however, have been asked to self-quarantine at home, a number that is expected to grow as the new restrictions on travel from European countries goes into effect.

The latest round of travel restrictions have caused some confusion since they were first announced by Trump during a televised address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening. Contrary to Trumps statement that he was ordering a 30-day suspension on all travel, including cargo, to the U.S. from Europe, except the United Kingdom, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf released a statement clarifying that the restrictions would would apply only to foreign nationals whod recently visited the 26 countries in Europes Schengen Area.

During Saturdays press briefing, the senior DHS official emphasized that the ban on entry to the U.S. does not apply to U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents and their family members under age 21, as well as foreign diplomats and others on official government travel, although they will have to fly into designated airports and be screened. Cargo flights are not covered by the restrictions.

On Friday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, stated that Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

While Trump has repeatedly touted his early decision to halt travel to the U.S. from China as a success, the U.S. has seen the coronavirus spread across the country in recent weeks, prompting Trump to declare a national emergency on Friday as nationwide cases surpassed 2,000.

During a press briefing at the White House on Saturday, Trump suggested that he was considering restricting domestic travel for parts of the United States that have been most heavily affected by the epidemic, though no specifics were provided. A few hours later, a senior DHS official told reporters that there is no expectation of any domestic travel restrictions at this time.

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Read more from Yahoo News:
NASA has completed the testing process meant to simulate performance in in-space conditions for its Orion crew spacecraft, developed by Lockheed Martin and designed to carry crew on the agency's Artemis missions. The missions aim to return the next American man and deliver the first American woman to the surface of the Moon. It reportedly "aced" the tests according to NASA, which include thermal vacuum and electromagnetic interference performance checks.

Obviously, it's not business as usual at NASA amid the ongoing coronavirus situation (it isn't business as usual anywhere), but NASA still managed to finish up the testing it needed to do at its Glenn research facility in Ohio. Glenn is the site of world-leading testing facilities that simulate flight conditions, including wind tunnels and vacuum chambers, and Orion's testing completion at the facility means it's now ready to move on to NASA Kennedy and Florida.

It'll fly to Kennedy aboard NASA's Super Guppy aircraft, which is a specially-built cargo aircraft with an extremely wide body designed for the purposes of transporting larger-than-normal cargo just like the Lockheed-built Orion capsule.

LONG BEACH, CA - DECEMBER 09: The B-377-SGT, also known as the "Super Guppy Turbine," sits at Boeing's C-17 plant at Long Beach Airport on Tuesday. The Super Guppy is notable for its prominent forehead and enormous mid-section, as well as four turbine engines and propellers. The plane is operated by NASA and used to transport large cargo, such as components for the International Space Station. The Super Guppy's last visit to Long Beach was during the Apollo missions.

///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Slug: SuperGuppy.1210.jag, Day: Tuesday, December 9, 2014 (12/9/14), Time: 10:51:53 AM, Location: Long Beach, California - B-377-SGT, "Super Guppy Turbine" - JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

(Photo by Jeff Gritchen/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

NASA in general appears to be progressing with its preparations for both Artemis, as well as for other ongoing key programs like its Commercial Crew program, which will see privately operated rockets fly astronauts to the International Space Station for the first time.

It has taken additional precautions to ensure the health of its astronauts meant to fly on the first crewed Commercial Crew mission, however, and its NASA Marshall facility also announced today that it's limiting access to "mission-essential personnel" after one staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday night.
The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the third consecutive day on Saturday as multiple landslides overnight hampered the restoration work, officials said.

The highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed for traffic on Thursday after heavy rains triggered landslides, leaving more than 3,000 Srinagar-bound vehicles stranded.

"The road clearance operation is underway at over a dozen places along the Ramban-Ramsu stretch of the highway. A major landslide had occurred overnight between Monkey Morh and Battery Cheshma and will take at least six more hours to get cleared," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic (National Highway), Ajay Anand told PTI.

He said the road stretch between Nashri and Ramban was cleared of the mudslide, while the snow clearance operation across the Jawahar Tunnel, the gateway to Kashmir, was also completed.

"Multiple landslides also occurred overnight between Ramban and Banihal, including Panthiyal, Digdole, Moumpassi, Sher Bibi and Gangroo," Anand said.

He said with the improvement in the overall weather, the clearance operation was stepped up and the highway is likely to be reopened for stranded vehicles later in the day.

Meanwhile, the stranded commuters rued the slow pace of road clearance operation and basic facilities at the halting stations along the highway.

"There is shortage of earth-movers, delaying the restoration work on the highway. We are only watching one JCB working for over six hours from 11 am," Faisal Mir, a resident of Srinagar, told PTI over phone from Ramban.

Mir along with his mother and sister reached Ramban on Thursday and spent the night in the vehicle before shifting to a hotel room the next day.

"We were given a green signal for travel in Jammu and only got stranded in Ramban on way to Srinagar. We faced a lot of problems due to non-availability of rooms in the hotels. There was no arrangement from the administration for the stranded passengers," he alleged.

Mir said the government opened a higher secondary school for the stranded passengers on Friday night, while some people found accommodation in the local mosques.

"The weather is cold and you did not only need a roof over your head this time around. There was a lack of basic facilities and the government should take note of it," he said.

Mir appealed to the administration to press more machinery to make the road trafficable as early as possible.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The findings of the RHI Inquiry pale against the life-and-death challenge of the coronavirus facing everyone in Northern Ireland. Those whose roles were investigated, from First Minister Arlene Foster and the DUP, to other Stormont politicians and parties, to special advisers and the Civil Service, should consider themselves fortunate that the general public has much else of deeper concern at this time.

Too much has been invested in this costly three-year inquiry to let the findings pass without fundamental reform of how Stormont works.

Because of incompetence, negligence and highly questionable behaviour, the whole system of governance of Northern Ireland has been thrown into question, brought to its knees for three years, and shown not fit for purpose. This country became the butt of jokes far beyond these shores. Political brick walls were erected in attempts to mask the truth from the public. The media was pilloried by some politicians for daring to shed a light on the RHI scandal.

Today those to whom Sir Patrick Coghlin attributes responsibility should hang their heads in shame and willingly accept blame for what they did to damage devolution. But will they? Or will this forensic examination of their behaviour in the years leading up to the RHI revelations be lost in the crisis over coronavirus, or acted upon insufficiently at Stormont?

The Coghlin report paints a picture of a parochial Assembly, charged with the administration of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, which, when it came to developing policy, was found seriously ill-equipped.

First there was the minister, Arlene Foster, who admitted she did not read significant documents for which she carried the can.

Then there was her senior civil servant who admitted that at times he seemed as ignorant of the facts about a multi-million scheme as she was.

Also there were middle-ranking and junior public servants who were under pressure and could not deal with the complexity of RHI. Last but not least were the 'Spads', special advisers, who really ran the roost at Stormont and were a law unto themselves.

This is a story which tells you that ministers and civil servants in Stormont's devolved administration were not fit for purpose on RHI. If today's revived power-sharing Executive and Assembly are to avoid another such debacle, the workings of Stormont need serious overhaul and much closer scrutiny than has hitherto been the case.

Arlene "accountable but not responsible" Foster could have stepped down in December 2016 but she didn't and, as a result, precipitated a public inquiry.

Today she may feel justified in brazening out her assertion that she was not properly advised, that it was some of those around her, from civil servants to special advisers, who were more culpable.

However, she brought upon herself and her party a level of embarrassing scrutiny which laid bare the unedifying workings of DUP ministers and their special advisers.

The collapse of power-sharing after the RHI revelations had consequences which Northern Ireland continues to live with to this day, not least in the stagnation in the past three years of our health and education services.

No minister at Westminster could have survived so much public approbation, but Mrs Foster remains as DUP leader. She has seen off those critics and commentators who engaged in wishful thinking that the RHI Inquiry would be the end of her.

Meanwhile, others who were prominent in the RHI scandal have already left the stage - notably Mairtin O Muilleoir, the former Sinn Fein Finance Minister, and David Sterling, permanent secretary to Foster in her much-criticised Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

In admitting that he was not fully abreast of what was going on in his department, Mr Sterling gave the minister responsible - Arlene Foster - a valid reason to explain why she was not up to speed on RHI.

Despite accepting serious failings in his department to the RHI Inquiry, Mr Sterling was promoted to head of the Civil Service only to retire before Christmas, well in advance of the report publication.

Others who are no more at Stormont and who figured largely in the RHI report include Jonathan Bell, who left the DUP and politics altogether; Simon Hamilton, once the DUP's potential leader and now chief executive of Belfast Chamber of Commerce and Trade; DUP special advisers Andrew Crawford, rebuffed for leaking confidential RHI information to his family, and Stephen Brimstone, who had an RHI boiler heating his home.

Though the focus of the RHI inquiry was on Mrs Foster and the DUP, other parties can hardly feel relief from Friday's findings. The level of oversight at Stormont was woefully lacking. In short, the Stormont Executive and the Assembly were not doing their jobs with the due diligence that the public should expect from elected representatives. It is little wonder that Sir Patrick recommends beefing up scrutiny through the Audit Office and Assembly committees.

The RHI report highlights three aspects of Stormont which require attention: the lack of proper oversight at Stormont, the failure of the Civil Service, and the use of well-paid, unelected and often faceless figures as special advisers.

No corruption. No malice aforethought. But plenty of incompetence, negligence and highly questionable behaviour. Above all, an abysmal failure to deliver the level of oversight that the public should expect with regard to the spending of taxpayers' money.

That is the conclusion to be drawn from the findings of Sir Patrick Coghlin's 650-page report on the RHI scandal. It raises the question: did we really need a public inquiry, costing 7m, involving over a million pieces of evidence, culminating in three volumes and 55 chapters of the report published on Friday?

The answer is yes, because it appears the system of Stormont government was so flawed and seemingly incapable of change that only an outside observer like Sir Patrick Coghlin could identify what was wrong and recommend, as he has done so comprehensively, how to put it right.

In doing so, everyone at Stormont must now take stock.

Ministers, civil servants, special advisers and outside consultants have all been found out. Their performance did not meet appropriate standards and, if devolution is to survive at Stormont, must now be subject to a sustained major review.

First Minister Foster will feel relieved that any criticism of her oversight, or lack of it, on RHI was so politely measured in the findings.

Ill-informed she was by those supposed to advise her, but nevertheless it is surely a poor reflection on her leadership that as the minister responsible she failed to read important documents and asked so few questions.

The brunt of criticism falls on the Civil Service, which is painted as not fit for purpose, and on ministerial special advisers, whose wings need severely clipped.

The list of recommendations amounts to fundamental reform of how Stormont works. Not before time.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 13:05:40|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Aboard a jet ski, Spanish sailor Alvaro Marichalar left Havana's coast on Friday, heading north to Florida Strait as part of a tour marking the 500th anniversary of the first global circumnavigation performed by Fernando Magallanes and Juan Sebastian Elcano.

Marichalar, who initiated his world tour in Seville, Spain on Aug. 10, 2019, reached the Cuban capital on Wednesday afternoon, after stops at other Cuban harbors including Baracoa, Holguin, Cayo Guillermo and Varadero.

"I bring a message of peace and love at a time when the entire world is fighting against the spread of COVID-19. I have been here twice before, but this is a unique moment. I feel at home in Cuba," he said.

The journey of Magallanes and Elcano demonstrated that the world was round. More than 200 men and five ships departed from Seville, Spain on Aug. 10, 1519 and only 18 navigators returned three years later.

Marichalar, 58, has defied strong winds, dark nights and high waves in the middle of the ocean since the very moment he started his career of navigation 30 years ago, with the purpose of exploring what he describes as a "magnificent world still unknown."

"The sea has its own language and can connect people ...(with) different cultures, religions and ideologies. I very much feel afraid of the sea. But the sea is fascinating at the same time. I love challenges," he said.

Marichalar collects samples of sea water as well to raise awareness among governments and citizens about the necessity to protect the environment.

"Climate change is a global threat. We need to take care of the planet and put more attention to the oceans because 70 percent of global surface is covered by the sea," he said.

During a welcoming ceremony at Hemingway Marina, Havana, the Spanish sailor enjoyed a Chinese martial arts demonstration performed by Min Chih Tang Cuban-Chinese Association.

"Hopefully, I will be in Shanghai by September this year," he added.

According to Marichalar, his world tour is not only to pay tribute to Magallanes and Elcano but also to promote solidarity, peace and love for the sea as a legacy for future generations.

Marichalar's journey is expected to conclude by late 2021.
Mumbai: The sinking passenger ferry boat Ajanta that was rescued by the Raigad Police in the Arabian Sea near the Mandwa Jetty at Raigad in Mumbai on March 14, 2020. At least 88 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from the sinking boat on Saturday Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai: The sinking passenger ferry boat Ajanta that was rescued by the Raigad Police in the Arabian Sea near the Mandwa Jetty at Raigad in Mumbai on March 14, 2020. At least 88 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from the sinking boat on Saturday Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai: The sinking passenger ferry boat Ajanta that was rescued by the Raigad Police in the Arabian Sea near the Mandwa Jetty at Raigad in Mumbai on March 14, 2020. At least 88 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from the sinking boat on Saturday Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai: The sinking passenger ferry boat Ajanta that was rescued by the Raigad Police in the Arabian Sea near the Mandwa Jetty at Raigad in Mumbai on March 14, 2020. At least 88 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from the sinking boat on Saturday Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, March 14 : At least 88 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from a boat that capsized on the Arabian Sea near the Mandwa Jetty Raigad, here on Saturday morning, a police official said.

The incident occurred when a passenger ferry boat, Ajanta, left Gateway of India in south Mumbai for Mandwa Jetty, a distance of approximately 14km by Arabian Sea.

However, around 10.15 a.m., barely a kilometer before the hour long voyage was to end, the boat suddenly started ingressing water and began to sink rapidly, along with the passengers and crew.

Hearing the screams of help from the panicky passengers, a coastal patrol boat of Raigad Police led by Prashant Gharat rushed to their rescue in Sadgurukripa vessel, which was at the Mandwa Jetty.

With the help of crew of other local boats and fisherfolk, Gharat and others successfully rescued all the 88 from drowning in the sea waters.

There were no injuries among the rescued passengers and the Raigad Police have commended Gharat's presence of mind and speed which helped avert a potentially massive tragedy.

Mandwa Jetty on the mainland is the entry point for Raigad district on the mainland with regular boats, catamarans and launch services ferring thousands of people from Mumbai island daily, besides services to the world famous UNESCO Heritage site of Elephanta Caves around 11 kms off Gateway of India.
Panicked shoppers at Aldi have been caught using 'un-Australian' tactics to bypass the one-packet limit for toilet paper and stockpile the highly sought-after product.

Customers were seen lined up with trolleys outside an Aldi in Kellyville, in Sydney's west, before the store opened on Saturday morning.

Aldi, Coles and Woolworths have all introduced a one packet limit so stock does not run dry as shoppers hoard supplies for a potential coronavirus quarantine.

People were seen lined up with trolleys before opening time on Saturday at an Aldi in Kellyville before using a sneaky technique to collect masses of toilet paper

Some large families instructed their children to purchase one packet of toilet paper each to bypass the one packet-per -customer rule

But some large families were seen exploiting the toilet paper limit on the weekend by getting their young children to buy packets on their own.

Parents were seen handing each of their children $10 and $20 notes before instructing them to buy one packet of toilet paper each.

When the families lined up at the register a woman in line was furious with the sneaky tactic.

'That's un-Australian - there will be nothing left for anyone else,' she was heard shouting.

It's understood the the toilet paper shelves were stripped bare at the Aldi, Woolworths and the IGA stores in Kellyville.

A spokesperson from Aldi asked customers to show kindness to their fellow shoppers.

'We ask our customers to remember to show kindness, empathy and calmness when shopping with us,' they said.

When the families lined up at the register a woman in line was furious with the sneaky tactic and said it was 'un-Australian'

Meanwhile at Woolworths stores, shoppers claimed lines stretched as far as 50 metres as people queued up for supplies.

If you are thinking of heading to Woolies in Hornsby this morning, abort! Abort! Its freaking crazy. Only 8.30am and the queues for checkouts are insane, one shopper said.

Im in Woolworths - one woman has four trolleys. Coronavirus panic is definitely here,' another customer said.

Meanwhile at Woolworths stores, shoppers claimed lines stretched as far as 50 metres as people queued up for supplies

Toilet paper is mass produced in Australia, but panic buying has forced big supermarket chains to impose a limit on rolls for customers.

Woolworths have since told customers they will not be able to order toilet paper online and pick it up in store.

In an email sent to customers by CEO Brad Banducci, the supermarket chain said it was running low on toilet paper along with other supplies due to panic buying.

Toilet paper is mass produced in Australia, but panic buying has forced big supermarket chains to impose a limit on rolls for customers

Mr Banducci said that due to demand, the highly sought after product 'wont be available for pick up orders for the time being.'

'Limits are now in place on toilet paper, wipes, paper towels, serviettes, rice and some other items,' he said.

'Our toilet paper suppliers continue to work on meeting increased demand, and we're working with some suppliers to prioritise the production of smaller pack sizes, so we can make more packs available to you this week.

'Our team will be happy to see if toilet paper is available in store when you come in to pick up your order.'

Pictured: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around Australia on the morning of Saturday March 14

Bunnings Australia is selling industrial toilet paper rolls, which are commonly used in public bathrooms and shopping centres and can last customers for a whole year.

For $42, shoppers can get eight giant rolls of Scott Essential Jumbo Tissue Rolls - measuring 2,400 metres or the six-pack of Kleenex rolls which equates to 1,800 metres will cost $75 at selected stores, while stocks last.

The sale comes after the Australian Government and health authorities urged people not to panic buy - but chaotic scenes at supermarket stores from across the country revealed many were not taking notice.

Instead paranoid shoppers decided to fill their shopping trolleys to the brim with toilet rolls, hand sanitisers, cleaning products and pantry staples.

The Australian Government and health authorities have urged people not to panic buy - but chaotic scenes at supermarket stores from across the country revealed many were not taking notice

As the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, doctors have urged everyone to practice good hygiene and other measures to product against infections.

Good hygiene includes washing your hands often with soap and water, and using a tissue and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Three people have died from coronavirus in Australia, with over 200 confirmed cases in the country.

More than 4,600 have been killed by coronavirus worldwide.
SPRINGFIELD  As the number of cases of COVID-19 rises around the world, Baystate Health says it is well prepared and working with other Western Massachusetts health care providers to respond to the pandemic.

Baystate has prepared a two-bed special pathogens unit and a 12-bed isolation unit for immediate response and is working with other hospitals to ensure there is capacity to handle additional patients as cases are confirmed and require hospital treatment, said Dr. Mark A. Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health.

Keroack, who revealed there are now 24 Baystate patients suspected of having the virus, met with The Republican editorial board on Friday to outline the local response to the respiratory disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus that emerged out of China at the end of December. Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, followed by a ban on public gatherings of more than 250 people on Friday. The governor yesterday established a special response commission.

While there are as of yet no confirmed or presumptive cases in Hampden County, at least 50 people have died in the U.S., where there have been more than 2,100 confirmed cases. The worldwide total is nearing 150,000 on Saturday with more than 5,500 deaths.

Keroack says Baystate and the region's other hospitals anticipate seeing a growing number of patients diagnosed with the virus in the coming weeks.

It is now clear that somebody who is infected with this coronavirus can carry a large amount of this virus in their nose and mouth well before they feel very sick. Because infectious individuals are so hard to detect and because the entire population is naive, that is, not immune to this new virus we expect that we will soon be dealing with a large number of patients with either suspect or confirmed infections," he said. Therefore, it is important for all of us to stay informed about how we protect ourselves and to remain effective in our jobs so we can help our communities minimize the threat.

In outlining the steps Baystate has taken over the past several weeks, Keroack detailed that a 12-bed isolation unit in a formerly mothballed area on the sixth floor of what was Springfield Hospital within Baystate Medical Center has been prepared for the first confirmed cases of COVID-19. It will be used for cases that do not require intensive care but need hospital level care.

Baystate has also established two-bed special pathogens unit now converted to a respiratory transmission ready, intensive care unit.

In addition to those 14 rooms, we have 80 other rooms with negative pressure (to control air flow) that can be converted to rooms where you can safely care for a coronavirus patient, said Keroack of capacity for treatment at Baystate Medical in addition to respiratory isolation rooms available at other Baystate hospitals.

Coronavirus will likely be a mild illness in most people, like a cold, Keroack noted, but he added that it can cause severe complications in the elderly and frail and require hospitalization or even critical care treatment.

The incident command team is considering new information on a daily basis," he said. This issue is very fast moving, and they are adjusting policy on the fly as needed and are dealing with issues the employees bring forward from the front lines, and we are trying to anticipate the course of the epidemic here in Western Massachusetts.

The public must be an active partner in efforts to fight the spread of the virus, Keroack stressed. Following health care protocols for hygiene and social distancing are of critical importance, he said, urging the public to help hospitals respond effectively and keep their workforce healthy.

We are trying to reach this balance between reassurance  Everything is fine, everything is OK, which we cant say, versus the panic of run out and fill your closets with toilet paper or whatever, Keroack said.

We would like people to be concerned and basically be informed and to be prudent in terms of taking precautions to avoid exposure, but it is not like they have to lock themselves in their closets for three weeks.

A shortage of test kits provided by the federal Food and Drug Administration to the state Department of Public Health has greatly delayed and limited testing in the state, Keroack said. He said Baystate is awaiting the results on about 30 test samples.

This virus is here. It is in our community now  we strongly suspect that it is  and people need to start taking seriously all the advice on protection, he said.

Good hygiene, calling ones primary physician if experiencing related symptoms and engaging in activities that avoid close contact can all reduce the spread of the virus while allowing for some normal routine at a time when many social and other activities have been temporarily canceled, Keroack said.

Hand washing, avoiding direct person contact and large crowds are at the center of how to protect yourself because we dont yet have a vaccine or treatment for this infection," said Keroack. We are trying to get people to reach out by telehealth or phone first before coming in physically (through emergency) so that they can be screened on whether they need to come in or not. This is to keep infectious people at home as well as to protect our employees.

He added, The great majority of people with respiratory symptoms are OK to stay home, but a small percentage do need to come in and get seen.

He said people are screened for the disease by Baystate Health, including through an app that offers access to a real-time telemedicine video visit with a Baystate primary care provider, with such questions as Do you have a temperature over a certain amount? and Are you able to speak a full sentence without losing any breaths?"

Keroacks background is in infectious disease as is that of Dr. Andrew W. Artenstein who heads Baystates command center for COVID-19 and who was also in attendance at the meeting with the editorial board.

Both stress the urgency for hospitals to have what they need to test for SARS-CoV-2 in patients their health care providers diagnosis with suspect symptoms.

There has been a shortage for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to produce the test kits, and that has meant the Department of Public Health in Massachusetts has experienced shortages and they are having to ration them to people who are most severely ill, said Keroack.

That means when we call up to get a patient tested through the DPH we are told the patient does not fit the criteria because of the shortage. We will then send the test to a commercial lab, we use LabCorp, but the turnaround is three to four days," he explained. "We are told it might be several weeks before we have the reagents we need at Baystate to test which would typically be a four-hour turnaround. We assay for 20 different respiratory viruses using the same equipment they do at DPH but we dont have what we need for this virus.

Artenstein said for a hospital not to be able to test within its system for the virus and get the results within hours rather than days or much longer makes clinical decision making difficult because a lot of it is based on available information so it adds uncertainty.

The model of testing is different from technology of testing, said Artenstein when asked whether Baystate would consider drive-through testing where a patient, with a doctors note and photo identification, is swabbed for a nasal specimen without having to get out of their car by health care workers in protective gear.

The Trump administration, in announcing Friday it would allow pharmaceutical giant Roche to sell its three-hour coronavirus test to U.S. labs, said access to such testing models as drive-through would be expanded through a Google-designed web page, but Google said it is not building such a nationwide website.

We have various models ready to go, we just dont have the kits or the availability, said Arenstein of what it might do if it had the ability to do its own testing for SARS-CoV-2.

He added the COVID-19 has no clear cut clinical presentation that is very consistent with just one thing.

It appears with this infection the vast majority of cases are relatively mild, although we dont know as much about it as we would if there were widespread testing and then we would know the denominator of patients, Artenstein said.

What we know now is the sick hospital level of patients in the United States. We may know them and test their status but they are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of level of infection in the community.

Different estimates within the CDC have predicted up to half the U.S. population could eventually become infected with SARS-CoV-2, with more than 2 million requiring hospitalization.

The impact of the epidemic has raised concerns around availability of hospital beds, staffing and equipment supplies, especially for those with severe complications from COVID-19 that can cause an atypical form of pneumonia and lead to organ failure.

I think we are in a pretty good place locally at Baystate Health," Arenstein said. We feel like we are in a decent place to respond and roll with the punches for what is undoubtedly going to be a somewhat prolonged event here. This is different from a hurricane or a natural disaster where there is an event and then there is the aftermath that can be devastating but it is usually time limited. This could be a little bit different and we cannot necessarily predict what the curve (of impact) will look like on this.

Artenstein, too, stressed the public has a role and responsibilities in this.

Part of the flattening of the curve, Artenstein said, is you still have to do the right things, and all our federal authorities  the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the DPH  regionally offer good advice around the social distancing discussions they are having, the individual things you can do at little cost, a temporary inconvenience and clearly not the way we want to go about our lives as Americans, but for the short term it is the way we should in order to minimize the impact and the chance of more widespread disease.

He also stressed the majority of cases, even if they come in and get some kind of treatment and get diagnosed, with this illness will be able to go home and continue their recovery at home and be fine.

He said cases with severe complications would add a new wrinkle in terms of transmissibility of COVID-2019, but that Baystate is "perfectly suited to treat them as a tertiary and quaternary care medical center that takes care of non-epidemic conditions of very, very sick patients with lots of medical needs.

We have the technical and clinical skills to do that and we do that on a daily basis with some very sick patients," Artenstein said.

Keroack said he was in agreement with state health officials who did not recommend school districts issue system-wide closures in response to exposures to COVID-19, a measure being urged by the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

He said he feels screening elementary students would be a better approach given what is believed to be the low transmission rate of COVID-19 among young children who generally present with no or mild symptoms of the illnesses as well as the impact on their parents, many of whom may be health care workers.

Of all the various social distancing measures, Keroack said closing of elementary schools is not the one I would immediately go to.

There are probably screening protocols you should be thinking of using in schools. Checking for fever, checking for symptoms, sending kids home if they are sick.

Keroack said nonclinical mitigation measures taken at Baystate include limiting face-face meetings within the system to 20 people, running parking lot shuttle buses for staff more frequently to decrease the number of riders per shuttle and increasing from 2,000 to 4,000 the number of its employees working remotely at a cost of $500,000.

We know we are going to blow our budget, said Keroack, who chairs Health New England, Baystates insurance arm, of the fact that the state Division of Insurance has issued an unfunded mandate that insurers cover the cost of coronavirus testing and treatment without co-pays and deductibles.

Baystate as a hospital has been around for 140 years. We are here as a community resource and we are first doing the right thing and we will pick up the pieces later," Keroack said.

Artenstein noted, We are in a time of impending pandemic surge, but in truth this is an annual event with most respiratory viruses.

We see a surge in influenza cases on an annual basis, Artenstein said.

But it creates less uncertainty because most people expect or know about it. People still dont get their vaccine even though that does afford some degree of protection.

Keroack noted COVID-19s few important differences with influenza, also caused by RNA viruses that mute their way into humans.

The first is when a new strain of flu comes in there is a lot of the population that has a little bit of immunity to it due to prior exposure to it. Cousins of that particular strain, Keroack said.

"This particular virus (SARS-CoV-2) has never been seen in the human population before so we are all susceptible to it and it has proven to have a very effective way of spreading in kind of a sneaky way and by the time you start seeing those severe cases that need to be in intensive care unit, there are probably dozens and dozens of cases in the community that are spreading it around.

Artenstein noted that any public hoarding of supplies, such as face masks which are not recommended for the healthy to wear as a preventative measure, and hand sanitizers, creates shortages for hospitals.

It is affecting all hospitals, said Artenstein of such shortages and prices seen on some websites for items health care providers need to treat not only COVID-19 but a range of infections as well.

Masks are scarce. Regular old masks. We have to be very careful how they are used. We want to maintain the safety of our workforce and our patients and our community. There is not a great advantage to hoarding these things outside of a health care environment simply because that is where they are really needed. You go online today and try to buy Purell and you will pay $400 for a bottle.

A graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Medical School with a masters degree in public health from Boston University, Keroack trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

Artenstein, who is chief physician executive and chief academic officer for Baystate Health as well as president of Baystate Medical Practices, did his internal medicine residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and his fellowship in infectious diseases and tropical medicine there as well as at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

He served as a physician scientist in the U.S. Army from 1986 through 1996 during which time he headed the Section of Protective Immunity to HIV-1 within the Division of Retrovirology at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research with vaccine field sites in northern Thailand and Washington D.C.

He is the author and editor of Vaccines: A Biography, a book detailing the history of vaccines, and In The Blink of an Eye: The Deadly Story of Epidemic Meningitis.

Baystate has its own coronavirus web page.

Related:
110 evacuees from Wuhan, China, on Saturday left the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility in New Delhi's Chhawla in different batches after completing the required quarantine period.

The evacuees had completed their quarantine period and tested negative for coronavirus twice in 16 days of stay.

Only two evacuees are left at the ITBP facility now.

So far, over 80 people have been infected with COVID-19 in India, out of which two deaths have been reported in the country.

The coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and Europe as its epicentre with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CNN Philippines (March 13)  A female diplomat at the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York City has tested positive for the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, prompting a lockdown of the whole diplomatic office, the mission said in a statement Thursday.

The Filipino diplomat was at the UN headquarters for 30 minutes on Monday but she was asymptomatic. The following day, she manifested flu-like symptoms and was later confirmed to have the viral illness, it added.

Deputy Permanent Representative Kira D. Azucena, the Mission's Charge d'Affaires, informed health authorities in the UN and the New York City health department about the matter and they were advised to self-isolate. She also informed other mission to the UN about the situation.

"As of today, the Philippine Center in New York housing the Philippine Mission is on lockdown until further notice and its employees have been instructed to self-quarantine and to seek medical attention should they develop the symptoms," the statement said.

It added the staff currently isolated is in good condition and other employees who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 patient "have been instructed to self-quarantine and to seek medical attention should they develop the symptoms."

The delegate did not have contact with UN staff during her stay at the UN headquarters, but met two other staff members from another mission, CNN reported.

UN Medical services is reaching out to them," CNN cited UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric as saying.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin also said in a post on Twitter on Friday she had gone to another state before contracting the virus.

"It was after celebrating her birthday with friends during a light rain and she'd just come from Florida."

Over 90 Filipinos overseas have been confirmed to have the fast-spreading disease, a majority of them linked to the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

Worldwide, COVID-19 has left more than 4,700 people dead, mostly in China. It has also sickened over 128,000 people globally as of Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University's global tracking of cases.

In the Philippines, three more COVID-19 patients have died, the Department of Health announced Thursday, bringing the death tally to five. The number of COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 52.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is related to the virus which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but is not as deadly, with the fatality rate standing at around three percent.

According to the WHO, 80 percent of patients only experience mild illness and eventually recover. It added that some 14 percent experience severe illness while five percent were critically ill.

To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular hand washing, cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms.
The recent weakness in the commodity prices prompted energy players to rethink their strategies as well as reconsider capex cuts. Notably, after abiding by the capital discipline during the crude downturn (from mid-2014 to 2016), energy companies again resorted to escalate their capital expenditure since 2017. However, a pullback in the commodity price convinced explorers and producers to take a relatively conservative approach to capex programs again this year. Instead of raising their capital outlays, the energy companies are now finding it more judicious to focus on optimizing shareholder value.

West Texas Intermediate started the year with a little above $60 per barrel of oil. However, this rally was pretty temporary with the commodity price plunging to multi-year lows to settle at $31.13 on Mar 9.

Reacting to this sudden oil price slump, Apache Corporation APA recently cut its quarterly dividend and adjusted its capital guidance. Following this strategic move, the companys shares declined 19.1% in the pre-market trading.

This Houston, TX-based explorer and producer slashed its quarterly dividend payout by 90% from 25 cents per share to 2.5 cents (effective Mar 12, 2020). Management stated that this calculated action was necessary considering its aim to boost the existing cash position. The move intended to strengthen the companys financials, will likely lower Apaches annual dividend distribution by roughly $340 million.

Apache Corporation Price

In addition to the trimmed dividend, this independent energy player has taken various other measures in response to the oil price drop. Apache chopped its 2020 capital investment and now expects it in the $1-$1.2 billion range compared with its earlier provided capex outlook of $1.6-$1.9 billion.

Further, Apache plans to limit its rig count in the Permian basin to zero and meaningfully reduce its drilling and completion activity in Egypt and the North Sea. The company also focuses on reining in its overhead costs alongside implementing its corporate redesign program.

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Importantly, Apache will not only be aided by these key measures but will continue to keep tabs on the commodity price movement, aligning itself with the capex adjustment plans further in response to a volatile price scenario with lowest possible long-term commitments to services and materials.

Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

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GREATER LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Public places are shutting down one by one as coronavirus fears arise, this includes more than a dozen churches in Greater Lafayette.

For an undetermined number of weeks, many church leaders have decided to stream their services online.

It's an unprecedented time in the life of the church in our community, said Pastor Dave Fladung, Northview Church Greater Lafayette Campus.

Northview Church joins a growing list of churches choosing to hold service online. Pastor Fladung said it's what's best for his congregation amid a highly contagious corona-virus.

We want to do our part to try to help slow the spread, said Fladung. We want to do whatever we can as a church to help our community and sometimes that means changing the way we meet.

Northview will broadcast its service through its main campus in Indianapolis. This streaming service has been a feature for its church go-ers for more than five years.

What we want to try to do is leverage the technology that we have to be the best possible resource that we can, so we don't want to give up on meeting together, said Fladung. It's just going to look a little different.

First Christian Church in Lafayette is turning to online streaming for the first time ever on Sunday.

It's going to be odd because when you preach you expect people to give you an amen or a laugh and there's going to be none of that so that's the part as a pastor that I'm-It's going to be different, said Reverend Andrew Guthrie, First Christian Church.

While distance is best for slowing the spread of COVID-19, in ways the disease is bringing unity among people.

It has been kind of eye-opening to think, it's not about me it's about all of us and it's about the ways in which our community can come together and really get behind one another and so it's been really good to see that that's what's happening, said Rev. Guthrie.

Northview Church is streaming Sunday service on Facebook and on its website. First Christian Church is streaming here.
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Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya and Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 18:43 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206aa8e4c 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-death-toll,coronavirus,Indonesia,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,outbreak,pandemic,Achmad-Yurianto Free

Indonesian health authorities confirmed Saturday that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the country had increased to 96, with the total number of fatalities having reached five.

The Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general Achmad Yurianto said authorities had detected 27 new positive cases as of Saturday. The ministry also recorded one new death.

The results were obtained after we conducted a massive [contact] tracing, said Yurianto, who also serves as the governments spokesperson for all coronavirus-related matters, during a press briefing in Jakarta on Saturday.

Read also: Scientists urged to carry out further research on antimalarial drug to cure COVID-19

Yurianto, however, did not disclose the identities of the new confirmed cases or the deceased patient.

He claimed that the ministry had received 300 test samples as of Saturday. The ministry previously stated they had prepared 10,000 coronavirus test kits to be disbursed to laboratories in universities and research agencies.

When asked about the possibility of putting Indonesia under lockdown, Yurianto said that was not an option: Its not an option at this moment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the government to declare a national state of emergency to scale up emergency response mechanisms to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
An emergency proclamation suspending an undefined part of the Hours of Service (HOS) rules through the entire U.S. is expected to be granted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

The federal waiver will come as HOS rules were falling over the past two days within a number of states where supply chains are straining under the demands to restock medical and consumer goods that are rapidly being depleted. The waivers on the state level were wide-ranging and across the country. Waivers in Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina and Virginia were confirmed by FreightWaves. A request was confirmed in Nevada.

"We understand that FMCSA will be issuing an emergency proclamation suspending federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for operations engaged in emergency relief related to COVID-19," ATA vice president for safety policy Dan Horvath said in a note to its members. "We expect FMCSA to post the specific criteria of this proclamation on their website, including clarifying information about the types of loads and work covered."

That note was the second one of the day sent by ATA. Not long before that, the ATA had said in a note that FMCSA had issued the rule suspending HOS for interstate operations. But that was quickly preempted by a second note saying that such a rule was expected rather than issued.

FMCSA was not immediately available for comment. But in the note, Horvath said carriers and drivers "remain responsible for ensuring that drivers are receiving sufficient rest and are not operating fatigued."

The waiver on the federal level and in the states comes as capacity is tightening and demand for trucking is soaring, as shown in the Outbound Tender Volume Index from SONAR. Demand for simple goods like toilet paper all the way up to sophisticated products like medical devices is straining the trucking sector.

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An official with one state trucking association noted that its state's limitations on what it could carry did include medical equipment and consumer goods. That would cover a lot, but presumably wouldn't apply to something like a flatbed hauling industrial equipment. Whether the definition of "emergency relief" in the FMCSA rule is narrow or broad will need to be determined by the specifics in the waiver.

As Paul Enos, president of the Nevada Trucking Association said in his letter requesting a waiver from the governor of Nevada: "One carrier who delivers dry goods to a major grocery store chain in southern Nevada, Utah and northern Arizona has seen a 20% increase this week. Retailers have gone through a month and half of inventory in four days."

Enos cited rising detention times as a key reason for a waiver to be needed. Citing SONAR data, Enos told FreightWaves that detention times "are close to their highest annual levels" as trucks encounter docks operating at capacity to resupply medical and consumer supply chains.

Image by DEZALB from Pixabay

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CAIRO, March 13 (Reuters) - Iraq will complain to the United Nations and the Security Council about overnight U.S. air strikes, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said on Friday.

The Iraqi military said earlier on Friday that the air strikes had killed six people and described them as a violation of sovereignty.

The United States said it carried out the strikes on Thursday against an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq that it blames for a rocket attack a day earlier which killed two American soldiers and a British soldier. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah Editing by Gareth Jones)
While many studios have shut down shooting amid the coronavirus health scare, Kartik Aaryan is currently shooting for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 in Lucknow. The actor is reportedly shooting for a song with Kiara Advani and has been sharing BTS with fans on Instagram.

The Love Aaj Kal actor shared several behind the scene clips on Instagram stories, wherein you can hear the Bhool Bhulaiyaa soundtrack, Mere Dholna Sun. He also shared a mirror selfie with Kiara Advani in one of the stories.

According to reports, one confirmed positive case of Coronavirus has been found in Lucknow. But the filmmaker believes they have been taking all the right precautions to make the work environment safe.

Kartik also shared a video clip of all crew members wearing masks on the set. He captioned the post on Instagram as, "Stay safe guys. Can't stress this enough #WashYourHands #CoronaStopKaroNa"

Actor Govind Namdev, who is also shooting for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, said "All precautionary measures are being taken during the shoot in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. We have been given masks and hand sanitizers while shooting and we all were wearing masks on the set." reported, TOI.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 stars Tabu, Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, Rajpal Yadav and Rajesh Sharma and more. According to reports, the team has taken a day off from shoot on Friday after shooting for a song on Thursday at Mahmoodabad Palace in Sitapur district.

Directed by Anees Bazmee, the film is slated to release on July 31, 2020.

Coronavirus: Kareena Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonam Kapoor Share Safety Tips With Fans

Salman Khan Continues To Shoot For Radhe In Mumbai Amid Coronavirus Scare!
Origami -- the art of paper folding, turning it into a finished sculpture through intricate techniques is both wonderful and a daunting task that takes hours of practice and patience. However, Japanese origamist, Akira Yoshizawa, was so well versed in the intricacies of the paper-folding technique that he is considered to be the grandmaster of origami, and is credited for raising it from a mere craft to the celebrated art form it is today.

The author of around 18 books, which showcase several hundred of his designs, was awarded the order of the Rising Sun by Emperor Hirohito, in 1983, which is one of the highest honours to be bestowed in Japan.

Coming from a humble background, it is believed that Yoshizawa self-taught origami and then rekindled the passion for the paper art in his early twenties. Tasked with teaching junior employees geometry in the factory where he worked, Yoshizawa turned to the traditional art of origami to understand and communicate geometrical problems.

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The origami artist who left his factory job to pursue a full-time career in origami in 1937, spent the next 20 years selling a Japanese condiment called tsukudani, while perfecting his skills.

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The artist even served in the army medical corps during World War II and made origami models to cheer up sick patients. In 1952, he created the 12 zodiac signs using origami for the Asahi Graphy magazine which catapulted him to international fame.

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Yoshizawa-Randlett system, a type of origami was established by the artist in 1954 in his monograph Atarashii Origami Geijutsu, and his first international exhibition came in 1955. It was organised by GershonLegman.

Interestingly, Yoshizawa never sold his origami instead he gave them as gifts to people or lent them to organisations for exhibiting. One of the artists biggest contributions to the genre was wet-folding. The process involves slightly dampening the paper before making a fold. This allows the paper installation to be handled in a far easier manner, giving the final paper installation a more rounded and carved look.

The famed artist breathed his last on March 14, 2005 from complications due to pneumonia. Akira Yoshizawa died on his 94th birthday.

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A Maryland man who appeared to have ties to anti-government militia groups was shot dead by police while he was asleep in his home, a lawyer for his family says.

Duncan Lemp, 21, was asleep in his bedroom along with his girlfriend, when police executing a search warrant around for banned weapons opened fire on the home from outside 4.30am on Thursday.

The Montgomery County Police Department said in a news release Friday that Lemp 'confronted' police and was shot by one of the officers early Thursday. Lemp was killed, and his girlfriend was injured.

Rene Sandler, an attorney for Lemp's relatives, said an eyewitness gave a 'completely contrary' account of the shooting.

She said police could have 'absolutely no justification' for shooting Lemp based on what she has heard about the circumstances.

This 2019 photo shows Duncan Lemp in Venice, Italy. Lemp was asleep in his bedroom when police opened fire from outside his house, killing him and wounding his girlfriend, an attorney for the 21-year-old man's family said Friday, March 13, 2020. (Mercedes Lemp via AP)

Lemp, who is pictured right with a gun slung over his shoulder, was prohibited from owning firearms, although it is not yet clear why

Duncan Lemp posted images of himself with a group of men in fatigues on Instagram. On social media, Lemp posted using usernames that had an apparent reference to the Three Percenters, a wing of an anti-government militia movement

'The facts as I understand them from eyewitnesses are incredibly concerning,' she told The Associated Press.

The warrant that police obtained to search the Potomac home Lemp shared with his parents and 19-year-old brother doesn't mention any 'imminent threat' to law enforcement or the public, Lemp's relatives said in a statement released Friday by their lawyers. Nobody in the house that morning had a criminal record, the statement adds.

'Any attempt by the police to shift responsibility onto Duncan or his family, who were sleeping when the police fired shots into their home, is not supported by the facts,' the statement says.

A police department spokesman didn't immediately respond to the statements by the family or their lawyer.

Lemp was killed when police opened fire on the Maryland home (pictured) he lived in his with brother, 19. His lawyer says he was asleep when police opened fire from outside. His girlfriend was wounded.

Lemp worked as a software developer and was trying to raise money for a startup company, according to friends and co-workers

The department's news release on Friday says tactical unit members were serving a 'high-risk' search warrant around 4.30am when one of the unit's officers fatally shot Lemp.

Police detectives recovered three rifles and two handguns from the home. Lemp was prohibited from possessing firearms, police said.

'Detectives were following up on a complaint from the public that Lemp, though prohibited, was in possession of firearms,' the release says without elaborating.

Sandler said the family believes police fired gunshots, not a flashbang or other projectile, from outside the home, including through Lemp's bedroom window, while he and his girlfriend were sleeping. Nobody in the home heard any warnings or commands before police opened fire, she said.

'There is no warrant or other justification that would ever allow for that unless there is an imminent threat, which there was not,' Sandler said.

The police department's news release says the 'facts and circumstances of the encounter' are still under investigation. Prosecutors from neighboring Howard County will review the evidence at the conclusion of the investigation.

Lemp (pictured center, back) is seen holding a rifle while in a group of men dressed in military fatigues. Friends said Lemp was not a part of any anti-government or militia-type group

Lemp, center, is seen firing a rifle along with two other men in military fatigues

'An established agreement between the Montgomery County States Attorneys Office and the Howard County States Attorneys Office stipulates that when an officer-involved shooting involving injury or death occurs in one county, the other countys States Attorneys Office will review the event,' police said.

Lemp was Caucasian, according to Sandler. She did not know the race of the unidentified officer involved in the shooting because she said the officers were wearing masks. The officer was placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure after police shootings.

Sandler said Lemp's grief-stricken family is traumatized. Their statement says they intend to 'hold each and every person responsible for his death.'

'We believe that the body camera footage and other forensic evidence from this event will support what Duncan's family already knows, that he was murdered,' the statement says.

Lemp worked as a software developer and was trying to raise money for a startup company, according to friends and co-workers.

'He was a talented, smart guy. Super nice. Didn't deserve to get shot,' said Samuel Reid, whose Canadian software company employed Lemp as an independent contractor.

Tsolmondorj Natsagdorj, 24, of Fairfax, Virginia, said he met Lemp in 2016 and bonded with him over their shared interest in cryptocurrency.

They also talked about politics. He described Lemp as a libertarian who frequented the 4chan and Reddit message boards, sites popular with internet trolls.

'Duncan was a young guy with a bright future as an entrepreneur,' Natsagdorj said. 'He was working on things to change the world.'

On social media accounts that friends said belonged to him, Lemp's username was 'YungQuant.' On an internet forum called 'My Militia,' someone who identified himself as Duncan Lemp, of Potomac, and posted under the username 'yungquant' said he was 'an active III%'r and looking for local members & recruits.'

That's an apparent reference to the Three Percenters, a wing of the militia movement. The groups logo, the Roman numeral 'III,' has become popular with anti-government extremists, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

On his Instagram account, Lemp recently posted a photograph that depicts two people holding up rifles and included the term 'boogaloo,' slang used by militia members and other extremists to describe a future civil war in the U.S.

Friends said they never heard Lemp espouse any anti-government rhetoric. Sandler said Lemp was not a part of any anti-government or militia-type group.

'He was pro-America and supported wholeheartedly all the protections of the Constitution,' she said.
Bengaluru: Infosys evacuated one of its satellite office buildings in Bengaluru following reports that one of its employee came in contact with a suspected coronavirus patient.

The development comes after the Karnataka government advised IT and other professionals working in air-conditioned places to work from home for the time being, for about a week, to prevent the spread of the virus.

An internal communication from the office here read, "We have received information about a situation of a team member from the IIPM building, who may have been in proximity to an individual with suspected COVID-19.

"We have evacuated the IIPM building as a precautionary measure," a company official told PTI on Saturday adding that the place was being sanitised.

The Infosys management has requested its employees to stay calm as it was only to ensure that they were "cautious and better prepared."

Three of the six confirmed coronavirus patients in Karnataka are working in the IT sector.
Moscow Raceway, a permanent venue located 100 kilometres from the Russian capital, says it is "ready to discuss" replacing one of the postponed grands prix in 2020.

So far, Sochi's September date for the Russian GP is not affected by the coronavirus situation. Only 45 cases of the Covid-19 disease have been reported within Russia.

"Nobody has contacted us yet," Moscow Raceway's marketing director Tatyana Makhina told Match TV.

"Everyone is well aware that the issues of holding such major competitions are being resolved at the state level. But if such a question arises, we are ready to discuss it," she added.

"We have the necessary license to conduct races of this level. At the time of construction we only lacked the seating, but perhaps now this will no longer be necessary and we could do it quite easily anyway."

Two Russian racing drivers believe the reaction to the coronavirus pandemic is overblown.

"That they are afraid of a virus and cancelled a major multi-million dollar show is stupid," Aleksey Yasilyev told Sportbox.

And Sergey Zlobin, a former Minardi test driver, thinks that the coronavirus hype will eventually die down.

"When losses everywhere reach critical values, the matter will resolve itself," he said.

"People cannot stay at home for too long, you need to do something. And racing teams only make money when they race."

(GMM)
The Gujarat Congress on Saturday started shifting its MLAs to different destinations outside the state fearing horse trading ahead of Rajya Sabha elections to be held on March 26.

Around 14 MLAs were taken to a resort in Jaipur on a flight from Ahmedabad Airport on Saturday evening, while another batch of MLAs is likely to reach the Rajasthan capital on Sunday, party sources said.

Sources said Congress MLAs will be shifted to Jaipur and other places in batches, and a few will also stay back to attend the Assembly session as required.

The Congress decided to shift its MLAs, even when the Assembly session is underway, after three BJP candidates and two from Congress filed their RS poll nomination forms on Friday for four seats.

MLAs like Himmatsinh Patel, Ganiben Thakor, Chandanji Thakor, Rutvik Makwana, Bharatji Thakor, Lakha Bharwad, Nathabhai Patel, Ajitsinh Chauhan, Harshad Ribadiya, Chirag Kalariya and others were seen at Ahmedabad airport, as they arrived to board flights to unknown destinations.

Sources said the MLAs will go in separate groups to Congress-ruled states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Talking to the media, MLA Baldevji Thakor said, "For now I am going to Delhi. From Delhi, the party will decide where I will go. We have to go to three to four different places."



The Congress' move is to thwart any attempt at cross- voting.

It has fielded senior state leader Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki while the BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin.

As per seat strength in the Assembly, the BJP can win two seats, while it will require cross-voting from Congress MLAs to win the third seat, as this would require 111 votes.

In the 182-seat Assembly, BJP has 103 seats, Congress 73, while two seats are with Bharatiya Tribal party and the Nationalist Congress Party has one. There is one Independent legislator as well.

The Congress will need 74 votes to win two seats.

Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani on Friday extended his support to the Congress.

"My vote will go to the Congress," Mevani said after meeting the two Congress candidates.

The BJP, with 103 MLAs, is banking on support of two MLAs of the BTP, led by tribal leader Chotu Vasava, and one of the NCP, but will still need another five votes.

Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, "As part of strategy, we are shifting some of our MLAs so that the BJP is not able to use state machinery to poach them."



He, however, did not specify the exact number of MLAs or the destination where they will be taken.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police responded to a property lost on Jordan Drive. A man said he took an Uber from his home to the Jordan Drive address. He said when he arrived he handed his phone to the Uber driver as he was getting out of the vehicle and he did not receive the phone back. He tracked the phone to 2150 Church St, Cleveland, Tn. Police requested Bradley County to attempt to make contact at the address but were notified that no contact was made at the residence.* * *An officer had to referee a battle between two women at 1001 Broad St.Japeka Atkins and Irma Mendoza were involved in a verbal disorder over shoes. Police said Ms. Atkins' husband gave away her shoes without her consent to Ms. Mendoza "who had no idea of what transpired." Ms. Mendoza gave back the shoes, but both women were still "up in arms." The officer reported, "I was able to diffuse the situation, and calm both parties down."* * *A woman on Usher Drive said her hair did not show up. She said she ordered a package of hair from Amazon some time ago and it was supposed to be sent by mail, but she never received it. She said the Post Office is claiming it was delivered but Amazon is saying it wasn't. Therefore, she believes it may have been lost or stolen during the mailing process.* * *Police responded to an Unknown Trouble at a residence on Holland Lane. Police knocked on the door several times, but did not receive an answer. Police checked the door to see if it was open and it was. Police announced their presence and made entry into the home to ensure no people were injured. Upon entering the home police were met by a black male with only a shirt on. Police asked if he called the police and he said no. He said he and a female were in the middle of having sex. Police checked on a white female who said she was fine. Police ensured both parties were fine and left the residence. Shortly after leaving, police received a call to back up EMS at the same address. Upon arriving on scene police found the same white female who was now inside crying. She would not tell police why she was upset but said "her friend" was in the back yard. Police went into the back yard and found the same black male from earlier there. He said shortly after police left the first time that the woman's father showed up and he was afraid of the father. Police asked the woman if everything that happened with the man was consensual and she stated yes. However, she was transported to the hospital for further evaluation.* * *There was a suspicious person call at the Mapco on E. Brainerd Road. An officer checked out a woman who had been sitting at the Mapco for 45 minutes. She said it was due to her just getting out of the Silverdale jail and "trying to get organized."* * *While conducting bar checks, police went to Alan Golds at 1100 McCallie Ave. Upon arrival police asked the security at the door how many people were at the club. They showed police a clicker that showed 195. The club has a limit of 201 posted. Police entered the club and felt like the club was extremely overcrowded. Police asked the manager again for the count and she replied that it was 195. When police said they felt it was more, she replied, "Why don't you count them all?" So they did. Police made the decision to dump the crowd and count them as they were exiting. Police counted a total of 324 in the club. After the count was completed police allowed 184 people back in the club as that is all that remained in line. The club was cited to the Chattanooga Beer Boardset for April 2.
The GangesBrahmaputraMeghna (GBM) delta is the largest in the world with an area of about 150,000 square kilometres and covers about two-thirds of Bangladesh (about 100,000 square km) and a part of West Bengal. The low-lying Bangladesh delta plain, with at least 10 percent of the land standing below one metre above mean sea level, has one of the highest population densities in the world, reaching more than 1,000 people per square km.

Becker stressed that the findings can plausibly be used by decision and policymakers to better plan adaptation scenario.

The study done by a group of researchers from France, India, Bangladesh, United States of America and China considered six regions in the delta. They found that each region shows its own water-level rise in the range of 85 -140 cm by 2100.

The lead author of the study, Melanie Becker of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), explained to Mongabay-India that its the total water level (WL) changes that are effectively felt by the deltas populations.

It stressed said the relative water level (RWL) changes are triggered by three factors including river and water flows, the sinking of land and the sea-level rise.

The study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in January 2020 noted that it clearly appears that during the 1968 to 2012 period, the relative water level (RWL) in the GBM delta has increased at approximately the same pace, sometimes even slightly faster, than the global mean sea-level.

It noted that being one of the most vulnerable regions in the world, the GBM delta presents a major challenge for climate change adaptation of nearly 200 million inhabitants. It is often considered as a delta mostly exposed to sea-level rise and exacerbated by land subsidence.

The water level in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta, covering a part of West Bengal and two-thirds of Bangladesh could rise up to 85 to 140 centimetres by 2100, said a latest study .

Above photo: The Bangladesh coastline. Image via Mongabay-India/ European Space Agency

Its a place prone to frequent climate disasters. Floods occur with regularity, triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall, the sinking of land and inland flooding. Yet, the delta is poorly instrumented region as well as a poorly studied region.

The study emphasised that previous studies prior to this mostly used single measurements of water level and were not in a position to account for the contribution of each of the drivers behind the sea level rise.

To tide over these gaps in knowledge of the delta, these researchers took monthly readings of water levels and sea level from an unprecedented set of 101 gauges spread across the delta and reconstructed the regional water levels changes since the 1970s. They found that, between 1968 and 2012, water level across the delta increased slightly faster, about three millimetres per year than the global mean sea-level rise of about two millimetres per year.

The researchers then zeroed in on what subsidence is doing to the delta. By combining satellite altimetry and water-level reconstructions, they estimate that maximum expected rates of delta subsidence since the 1990s range from one to seven millimetre per year.

The past studies, focussing on local relative sea-level trends, pin the sea-level rise between 6-21 mm per year over the last 30 years, and are commonly mentioned in the scientific literature. By taking water-level readings from as many gauges as they did (the past studies used readings from much less number of gauges), and aggregating the results, the researchers said they were able to weed out a wide range of local processes and instrumental errors and provide a robust estimate of the sea-level rise in the six deltaic regions they considered.

Regional relative water level considers both land processes (subsidence, tectonic movement, sedimentation etc.), and ocean processes (thermal expansion, ice melting etc.), while calculating the water level. Many previous studies used only a few near coast tidal gauge records to calculate the local sea level rise which was much higher than our studies, studys co-author AKM Saiful Islam, who is a professor at the Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh, told Mongabay-India.

One strong implication of our results is that, over the past 45 years, the delta might not have subsided as fast as local estimates have suggested before, Islam explained.

If the subsidence continues as suggested by the paper, the researchers estimate that, by 2100, even under a greenhouse gas emission mitigation scenario, the projected sea-level rise could reach up to 85 to 140 cm across the delta.

Sea level rise along with subsidence will make the delta more vulnerable in the future, Islam cautioned.

By analysing and estimating the processes behind the vulnerability of the delta, the paper stitches together a better picture of whats in store for the delta.

This paper puts together the subsidence story with the sea level story in a comprehensive fashion, Robert James Wasson, Emeritus Professor Australian National University, Adjunct Professor James Cook University and the National University of Malaysia, told Mongabay-India.

For Wasson, who was not involved in the research, the main takeaway from the study is that subsidence will exacerbate sea level rise by twice.

Sea level rise, subsidence and more intense cyclones provide a great threat to the people living there, Wasson added.

The work was partly funded by the Band-Aid, a project of Belmont Forum via National Science Foundation in the United States of America and the French National Research Agency by the DELTA project via the French National Research Agency.

Adaptation measures

By any yardstick, the people in the delta are in peril, right now itself, not to speak of future. As sea level continues to rise, the ultimate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Page turner: from memoirs to rom-coms, theres a title to suit every mum

Whether it's to give her a few hours of escapism, offer timely advice, or simply help her shrug off the occasional bad mood, there's a book out there for all mums this Mother's Day.

We selected 10 great titles, ranging from mother-and-daughter cookbooks to memoirs and rom-coms, to choose from.

1 The Little Book of Bad Moods For Mothers by Lotta Sonninen, illustrated by Piia Aho (Bloomsbury, 5.99)

Perfect for any mother prone to grumpiness, this grown-up activity book for bad-mooded mums will raise a smile and should pull her, at least temporarily, out of the doldrums.

Activities include drawing herself before and after pregnancy, assessing the most irritating characteristics her child has inherited from her partner and filling out an answer sheet to all the unwanted parenting advice she's received.

2 Letters of Note: Mothers compiled by Shaun Usher (Canongate, 6.99)

The latest in this condensed series collecting the world's most entertaining, inspiring and powerful letters, this edition features letters from or to mothers, discussing the nature of motherhood along with the trials and tribulations of their relationships.

Famous contributions come from Melissa Rivers to her mother Joan, Caitlin Moran to her daughter Lizzie, and letters exchanged between Barbara Hyman and her mother Bette Davis.

There's also a farewell letter from a 23-year-old kamikaze pilot written a few days before his final mission and a heartbreaking, yet beautiful, letter from a terminally ill mum to her young daughters.

3 The Best, Most Awful Job: Twenty Writers Talk Honestly About Motherhood, edited by Katherine May (Elliott & Thompson, 12.99)

What does it mean to be a mother? Here, 20 writers speak out in this searingly honest, diverse and powerful collection about motherhood in all its raw, heart-wrenching, gloriously impossible forms.

Stories cover infertility, step-parenting, losing a child, single parenthood, being an autistic mother, a reluctant home-schooler and the many ways in which race, class, disability, religion and sexuality affect motherhood.

It brings together a diverse range of bold and brilliant writers, including Hollie McNish, Josie George, who writes about mothering yourself and your child when your body won't play ball, and Michelle Adams, who reflects on meeting your adoptive child and learning to be a mother.

4 Table Manners: The Cookbook by Jessie and Lennie Ware (Ebury, 22)

The mother-and-daughter duo behind hit podcast Table Manners have released their first cookbook, featuring recipes they've cooked for the celebrity guests they've had on the show.

These include a sausage and bean casserole made for Ed Sheeran, blackberry and custard tarts for Nigella and the drunken crouton and kale salad they made Yotam Ottolenghi.

Brash, funny and full of opinions, the book is full of easy meals and no-nonsense shortcuts and is also a journal of their family's most pertinent and cherished food memories.

5 Ladies Can't Climb Ladders by Jane Robinson (Doubleday, 20)

Published to mark the 100th anniversary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, this book is a tribute to the pioneering women who were the first to break down barriers into what had been a man's world.

It focuses on the lives of women who forged careers in the fields of medicine, law, academia, architecture, engineering and the Church, examining their hopes and ambitions and how family and society responded to this emerging class of working women.

6 The Ninth Child by Sally Magnusson (Two Roads, 14.99)

Bestselling author, journalist and broadcaster Magnusson brings us this fictional tale which blends folklore and historical realism.

Set in 1856 in the Scottish Highlands, a young doctor's wife has almost given up hope of ever becoming a mother - despite being pregnant once more.

Following her husband to a remote part of the Highlands, where a massive engineering project to deliver clean water to disease-ridden Glasgow is under way, she discovers a new kind of freedom and encounters a mysterious stranger.

7 The Foundling by Stacey Halls (Manilla Press, 12.99)

Described by Cosmopolitan as "The new Hilary Mantel", Halls brings us a novel focusing on the meaning of motherhood, families, secrets and class against the backdrop of Georgian London.

Set in 1754, we meet Bess Bright, who, six years after leaving her illegitimate daughter Clara at London's Foundling Hospital, returns to reclaim the child she's never known.

There, she discovers that her daughter has already been reclaimed and sets out to find who has taken her and why.

8 The Time Of Her Life by Kate Fenton (Hodder & Stoughton, 20)

For the mum who just wants some amusing escapism, Fenton's latest sparkling rom-com features a sassy older heroine who marshals her friends and neighbours into relationships before it's too late but has yet to embark on some romance of her own.

While she usually takes the Yorkshire common-sense approach, she soon finds that the later love strikes, the harder it hits.

9 When Life Gives You Lemons by Fiona Gibson (Avon, 7.99)

Heart-warming Sunday Times bestselling author Gibson is back with a sharp, witty tale about a woman who spends most of her time tending to the whims of her seven-year-old and the demands of her boss and just accepts that's the life she's chosen.

However, when she discovers her husband is having an affair, she suddenly finds herself single and not ready to mingle.

But could this be the perfect opportunity to finally put herself first?

10 Mum & Dad by Joanna Trollope (Macmillan, 18.99)

The 'sandwich generation' forms the subject of this contemporary novel from bestselling author Trollope and will provide food for thought for all busy mothers who have found themselves stuck in the middle.

It sees the grown-up children of an ageing couple living in Gibraltar come together on the sun-kissed island to deal with the fallout when their father has a stroke.

Their gathering opens up old sibling grudges, the difficulties of parenthood and other social dilemmas - gripping stuff she'll will want to read in one sitting.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 02:36:52|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, March 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of four Hashd Shaabi members were killed on Saturday in two attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants in the Iraqi province of Salahudin, a provincial police source said.

In one of the attacks, the extremist IS militants attacked an outpost manned by Saraya al-Salam militia, affiliated with Hashd Shaabi, in Zour al-Tharthar area in the south of the city of Samarra, some 120 km north of the capital Baghdad, Mohammed al-Bazi told Xinhua.

The attack sparked fierce clashes between the two sides and resulted in the killing of three paramilitary members and the wounding of another, al-Bazi said.

Saraya al-Salam, or Peace Companies, is a revival of the Mahdi Army militia that was created by the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

In a separate incident, an IS sniper shot dead an Hashd Shaabi member at a checkpoint in al-Zargah area in the east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, according to al-Bazi.

The security situation in Iraq has dramatically improved since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
LEBANON  It was time to put the family home of five decades on the market, and the 98-year-old woman was heartsick.

She had moved 60 miles from Toledo to the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home in Lebanon to live with her husband and she was having a hard time accepting all the changes in her life.

Her caregivers took notice and visited her room, said granddaughter Dodie Turnbull. They let her talk her feelings out -- and it helped, Turnbull said.

She started to tell me, This is my home. This is where I live, Turnbull said.

But now that the deadly novel coronavirus has spread to the nursing home, theres only so much even the most dedicated nurses can do.

It worries family members like Turnbull, who check in with their loved ones by tablet or phone but cant visit them because the home with 151 residents and 225 workers is locked down to the public.

At least eight residents have tested positive for the virus. The infections are part of an ever-growing crisis in Oregon that, if left unchecked, could spread to 75,000 Oregonians in a matter of months, the states epidemiologist said this week.

The fear remains heightened at senior residential centers like the Lebanon veterans home, one of two in the state, because the virus attacks older people and people with underlying health conditions with the most virulence.

Just over two-dozen people from a nursing home near Seattle have died, accounting for the majority of COVID-19 deaths in the United States.

Its a pandemic that the entire world is still trying to figure out how to handle. The number of known Oregon cases at 32 is still relatively low because testing is limited and very few people are able to get them. The state has restricted tests to only people at the highest risk of exposure. Oregon has so far recorded no deaths from coronavirus.

Even in the nursing home, staff and residents with symptoms are prioritized for testing and those without are being told to wait.

Linn County Health Administrator Todd Noble said the Oregon Health Authority on Friday took over from his department much of the work of managing the health response at the home.

With the states focus on the nursing home and the limitations on how fast tests can get done, Noble said he hopes there will be results for every resident and staff member by the end of next week, at the latest.

They know that the VA facility is the epicenter of the outbreak in Oregon, and they are prioritizing it, Noble said.

In the meantime, the eight patients are isolated in their rooms, said Tyler Francke, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, which operates the home.

Tests for 28 residents have come back negative, he said.

Staff who work in the section of the nursing home with sick patients are no longer allowed to go from one section of the 6-year-old nursing home to another. The home consists of four neighborhoods, each that has multiple homes that can house up to 14 residents.

The nursing home closed to the public Wednesday after two men over 85 tested positive for coronavirus with no known connections to exposure. Six more residents tested positive Thursday -- a man between 55 and 74 and five men over 75. The state didnt identify any new cases at the home Friday.

The quiet at the complex is a marked contrast to the frequent bustle of the place.

Last weekend, for instance, the veterans home hosted a plastic modelers club and an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

It was packed and that was surprising with the COVID-19 outbreak in gear, said John Edgar, who regularly volunteers teaching creative writing to residents.

When he arrived last Saturday, Edgar said he waited 10 minutes to get a parking spot.

At the reception desk, he was asked if he had traveled abroad. He hadnt, he said, and was allowed inside.

He saw numerous vendor tables, mostly with model airplanes or with vinyl records. The room with the AA meeting, meanwhile, was standing-room only.

I was actually shocked to see that the largest crowd that Id ever seen there was taking place during the middle of an epidemic, Edgar said.

Francke confirmed the gathering a week ago, but he referred questions to the county Health Department about any efforts to find out if there was a connection between the infections at the nursing home and the gathering. The home followed its protocols for when theres the threat of an infectious disease, he said, and also followed local and state direction.

Noble, the Linn County health administrator, said he didnt know about the gathering until asked about it by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The news was concerning, he said, because regulations enacted since then have severely limited who can visit nursing homes to protect elderly residents. But he said he doesnt know if any of the now-infected patients were near the crowd.

Noble said he planned to follow up with the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.

Turnbull said that for all the uncertainty, her grandmother is in good spirits.

She bought her grandmother a special tablet for elderly people and talked with her twice on Thursday.

They are taking very good care of her. They have explained everything that is going on, Turnbull said. She understands. She is not scared.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

fzarkhin@oregonian.com

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
In a big development on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced complete closure of the passenger movement through all immigration land check posts at the India-Pakistan border from March 16 until further orders. Moreover, the movement of passengers will be restricted at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar barring for select immigration land check posts from March 15. Also, the cross-border India-Bangladesh bus and train services will be suspended from March 15 to April 15.

Read: BJP MP Vijay Goel Seeks Parliament Adjournment Amid COVID-19 Scare, Cites PM Modi's Advice

Additionally, there will be extensive health inspections at the operational entry points. Any foreign or Indian national having a history of travel to 7 COVID-19 affected countries namely China, Iran, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the Republic of Korea will be quarantined. A concession has been made for diplomats and UN officials holding valid visas, allowing them to cross the border via Integrated Check Post Attari subject to health screening.

Read the full notification here:

Read: Coronavirus Scare: 230 Passengers From Delhi Screened At Arunachals Naharlagun Station

The outbreak of COVID-19

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 135 countries in the world. Presently, there are 1,42,538 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 5,391 people. So far, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India is 84 while the death of one person in Kalaburagi and Delhi each has been reported. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has strongly advised Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak as 'pandemic'. Two days later, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that Europe had become the new epicentre of the novel coronavirus. To buttress this point, he highlighted that more cases were being reported every day in Europe than they were in China at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read: 'Gaumutra Antidote To Coronavirus' Claim Slammed By Pramod Krishnam In Baba-vs-Baba Battle

Read: US President Donald Trump Tested For Coronavirus After 3rd Mar-a-Lago Guest Tests Positive
Chris Rosica

On March 11, 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) officially reached pandemic status, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), means the worldwide spread of a new disease.

Regardless of whether you are a school, nonprofit, Integrated Delivery Network (IDN), corporation, transportation provider, municipality, NGO, or other entity, it is vital to know the facts and communicate proactively with all stakeholders-using clear, compassionate, and understandable messages. This not only demonstrates leadership but reduces everyones stress levels and instills trust among key stakeholders.

In times of crisis, you must prepare operationally. At the same time, you must prepare to effectively communicate as well. These fundamentals will guide you in successfully planning and communicating during this time of heightened public concern:

1. Swiftly Establish Operational Protocols & Procedures

The first step is to create a Coronavirus Crisis Team. This should consist of such senior executives as CEO, SVP of HR, SVP of Communications, COO, CMO, CFO, CTO, CISO, GM, and department heads (e.g., sales, facilities, supply chain, etc.). This team should meet and establish strategic imperatives, communication protocols, and a meeting rhythm.

For many organizations, the bulk of the work required centers on establishing business continuity and human resource policies for coronavirus. For others that serve the public, the focus should be public safety, policy, and clear, thorough communications.

There is a great deal to determine from an organizational perspective. Depending on your organizational structure, your Crisis Team will want to discuss and agree on such policies and systems as:

Continuity - This is the most critical piece as the livelihood of workers depends on the livelihood of the organization. Proper planning ensures youll be able to serve your students, patients, constituents, customers, consumers, and other stakeholderseven if you cannot open your facility, company, store, school, restaurant, or operations doors. This means getting creative and using the Internet to promote internal collaboration and better serve your publics. If appropriate, telemedicine, at-home instruction, and home-delivery options should be explored and implemented. In this time of adaptation, its imperative to make sure your people understand their roles and your expectations in the new service/product delivery structure.

This is the most critical piece as the livelihood of workers depends on the livelihood of the organization. Proper planning ensures youll be able to serve your students, patients, constituents, customers, consumers, and other stakeholderseven if you cannot open your facility, company, store, school, restaurant, or operations doors. This means getting creative and using the Internet to promote internal collaboration and better serve your publics. If appropriate, telemedicine, at-home instruction, and home-delivery options should be explored and implemented. In this time of adaptation, its imperative to make sure your people understand their roles and your expectations in the new service/product delivery structure. Creating a Safer Workplace - If an employee has such symptoms as cough, shortness of breath, or fever, immediately encourage them to self-quarantine and seek medical attention to be tested for coronavirus. In addition: actively encourage sick employees to stay home and remain in contact with their doctorsand implement rigorous environmental cleaning protocols.

If an employee has such symptoms as cough, shortness of breath, or fever, immediately encourage them to self-quarantine and seek medical attention to be tested for coronavirus. In addition: actively encourage sick employees to stay home and remain in contact with their doctorsand implement rigorous environmental cleaning protocols. Reporting Structure - Ask employees to alert HR if theyve tested positive for coronavirus (or a family member or friend has). This should immediately trigger internal procedures and communications to inform and guide stakeholders (keeping names and details strictly confidential). Healthcare providers should report COVID-19 cases to their local or state department of health (DOH), which, in turn, inform the CDC. According to the CDC: Persons who are placed under active monitoring or facilitated self-monitoring should follow instructions provided by their local health department or occupational health professionals, as appropriate. As we know, this includes a two-week quarantine period .

Ask employees to alert HR if theyve tested positive for coronavirus (or a family member or friend has). This should immediately trigger internal procedures and communications to inform and guide stakeholders (keeping names and details strictly confidential). Healthcare providers should report COVID-19 cases to their local or state department of health (DOH), which, in turn, inform the CDC. According to the CDC: Persons who are placed under active monitoring or facilitated self-monitoring should follow instructions provided by their local health department or occupational health professionals, as appropriate. As we know, this includes a two-week quarantine period Sick time - Given the spread of coronavirus, you may have to modify this policy and add a section for pandemics and epidemics. This is particularly true when a longer quarantine period is being recommended by the medical community, WHO, and CDC.

Given the spread of coronavirus, you may have to modify this policy and add a section for pandemics and epidemics. This is particularly true when a longer quarantine period is being recommended by the medical community, WHO, and CDC. Technology - Whether or not you are providing laptops, tablets, or other mobile devices to employees, you will want to establish email and social media policies surrounding this or any other pandemic (update your social policy and, if you dont have one, create oneand include language on epidemics and pandemics). Remind team members that they should take precautions and avoid at all costs clicking on links in emails as there are a flood of phishing scams, many of which use coronavirus scare tactics. Should they need information regarding the pandemic beyond what you will be providing, they should seek guidance only from the CDC, WHO, and local DOH websites. They should avoid seeking advice given on social media channels altogether.

Whether or not you are providing laptops, tablets, or other mobile devices to employees, you will want to establish email and social media policies surrounding this or any other pandemic (update your social policy and, if you dont have one, create oneand include language on epidemics and pandemics). Remind team members that they should take precautions and avoid at all costs clicking on links in emails as there are a flood of phishing scams, many of which use coronavirus scare tactics. Should they need information regarding the pandemic beyond what you will be providing, they should seek guidance only from the CDC, WHO, and local DOH websites. They should avoid seeking advice given on social media channels altogether. Tracking COVID-19 - One member of the Crisis Team should be responsible for monitoring the CDC and WHO throughout the day for any new alerts, updates, or guidelines. This information will be disseminated to internal stakeholders and, in some instances, shared with the external stakeholders outlined in #2, below.

One member of the Crisis Team should be responsible for monitoring the CDC and WHO throughout the day for any new alerts, updates, or guidelines. This information will be disseminated to internal stakeholders and, in some instances, shared with the external stakeholders outlined in #2, below. Travel - To protect the workforce and the public, guidelines and policies surrounding travel must be established and followed for all employees. A European travel ban was put into effect by President Trump on the evening of March 11, 2020. See the WHO website for travel advice .

To protect the workforce and the public, guidelines and policies surrounding travel must be established and followed for all employees. A European travel ban was put into effect by President Trump on the evening of March 11, 2020. See the WHO website for travel advice Work-from-home - Youll also want to update this policy and communicate whats expected from team members and what they can expect of youletting them know upfront that the situation is fluid and may change based on the pandemics trajectory and the CDCs guidance.

2. Communicate Internally with Clarity & Detailed Information

In times of a public health crisis, communication and coordination are essential. Glen Nowak, director of the Center for Health & Risk Communication at the University of Georgia and former director of media relations at CDC says it is crucial to eliminate mixed messaging. Nowak says this confusion can be problematic because it communicates that people who are providing guidance arent on the same page.

Successful communications start with employees and internal stakeholders. With coronavirus, it is no different.This means communicatingongoingwith stakeholders (patients, staff, partners, customers, board of directors, investors, suppliers, local government, and others) about the pandemichow its impacting the organization and those you serve.

Now is the time for CEOs and top executive to communicate with employees and stakeholders and reassure them by stating the steps the organization is taking. He/she should record an organic (not highly produced) 60-second videoon a current model smart phonedescribing the current state of affairs, steps being taken (to disinfect surfaces and protect people), what is planned next and why. This can supplement such written communications as direct mail pieces, emails, texts, and social posts. Then, have another C-level executive communicate regularly and as things progress. Chief executives should remain visible and communicate regularly to bolster confidence.

Internal communications should include but not be limited to:

Your concern and commitments.

Updated policies and procedures, with an emphasis on business continuity. This puts people at ease and demonstrates strong management.

Customer or public communiques regarding continuity, public policy, protective measures, and the solutions you are implementing. This should include how to properly disinfect hard surfaces (computers and technology, office furniture, desktops, etc.) that can transmit the virus.

Frequent updates from credible sources.

3. Create a Crisis Communications Scenario for Coronavirus

A crisis is an event that causes a significant threat to operations or image and that can escalate if not handled properly. Crises can cause severe reputational damage and deplete employee morale, so it is important to implement a plan ahead of time (or quickly if you do not have one in place). This includes preparing pre-approved messaging for specific situations that may arise.

Ultimately, the course of action for crisis planning depends on the type of organization you work for. Brainstorming the top communications scenarios your organization should prepare for is a good place to start.

This should be an adjunct to your existing crisis plan and include such elements as:

What happens when a confirmed case is established in your organization Protocols, so all staff are immediately reminded about the companys policies and procedures and given next steps What measures youll implement logistically/operationally Where staff may be working from and during what time frame, logistics around departmental and company-wide communications and meetings, reporting, client relations, technology support, and other considerations Developing social posts, communiques, and email copy/templates in advance. These can be updated as circumstances unfold What disinfecting procedures should be utilized

How your facility may be compromised and what steps youre taking to address this (there may be several crisis scenarios that fall under this category)

Steps to take and communiques that outline what happens if your chief executive or other C-level executives are infected

What to do if your facility or staff are blamed for infecting others for negligence

4. Be Prepared for Media Inquiries

It is imperative to be prepared for media inquiries, which requires a number of critical steps, including anticipating difficult questions; developing factual messaging that conveys empathy, transparency, and concern; establishing and media training a company spokesperson; and monitoring social and other media commentary.

5. Try to Remain Calm & Stay Current on the Facts

With 1,701 confirmed cases in the United States and more than 125,000 globally as of this date, it is prudent to be concerned about coronavirus. Regardless, fear levels are rapidly escalating, which impacts our society and our economy. It is imperative to stick with the facts. According to the WHO, COVID-19 mortality rates are a fraction of SARS and EBOLA. As testing becomes more widely available in the US, according to experts, we should see mortality rates drop precipitously. The CDC provides regular updates on their website, www.cdc.gov, as does the WHO at www.who.int.

During times of crises, stakeholders will rely on your organizations leadership to provide answers, solutions, and guidelines to follow. Ahead of the crisis, prepare statements/communiques for employees, social followers, and the stakeholders weve discussed, including the media.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital to maintain open, transparent communication with your stakeholders and the community. People panic when they feel a lack of control, and if you are consistent, calming, and communicative, you will be supporting those who matter most and protecting your organizations best interests.

***

Chris Rosica is President and Chief Executive Officer of New Jersey-based Rosica Communications, a PR & crisis communication agency specializing in healthcare, education, non profits & other industries. He can be reached via the Rosica website or PR@rosica.com
PM Lee Hsien Loong at the recording of his remarks on the COVID-19 outbreak televised on 12 March, 2020. (PHOTO: MCI)

SINGAPORE  Singapore faces a decision on whether to wait out the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to hold a normal general election, or to call the election early to form a government with a full term ahead of it to work on critical tasks ahead.

This is the view of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as he laid down the situation facing Singapore as it tries to elect a new government before the election deadline of 21 April 2021, during a dialogue session with grassroots leaders at ITE College Central on Saturday (14 March) morning.

On Friday, the government had released the completed report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRM). This was seen as a prelude to a general election being called in the coming months.

PM Lee said that a general election can be called only after the electoral registers are updated, and this will take about a month.

Timing of elections depends on situation, outlook: PM Lee

When to hold elections? That depends on the situation, and the outlook, he said in a post put up on his Facebook page later on Saturday.

Singapore faces grave and extended challenges. We cant tell when the pandemic will end, but it will likely last at least this year, and quite possibly longer.

The economic hit will likely be more serious than the Global Financial Crisis, and longer-lasting too, even beyond the end of the pandemic. I fully expect things to get more serious before they start getting better.

We have two choices. Either hope and pray that things will stabilise before the end of the term so that we can hold elections under more normal circumstances  but we have no certainty of that.

Or else call elections early, knowing that we are going into a hurricane, to elect a new government with a fresh mandate and a full term ahead of it, which can work with Singaporeans on the critical tasks at hand.

Government will take all the precautions necessary

PM Lee assures that, if Singapore has to hold the general election before the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the government will take all the precautions necessary so that parties can campaign effectively, and people can vote safely.

Story continues

At stake are jobs, businesses and lives. Which way to go, and the elections date, will depend on what will best see Singapore through this major crisis, PM Lee said in his Facebook post.

COVID-19 may well turn out to be the crisis that defines this generation of Singaporeans. We must gird ourselves to overcome this together, and show the world what Singapore can do.

SDPs Chee Soon Juan slams timing of release of EBRM report

Earlier on Saturday, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan slammed the timing of the release of the EBRM report, saying that the general election should only be held after there are clear signs that the COVID-19 situation has abated.

Speaking during a doorstop interview at a party blood donation drive at Bloodbank @ Dhoby Ghaut, Chee said it is the worst of possible times to call an election at this stage.

(The EBRC) had seven to eight months to do this. But it waits till the point where this outbreak of the virus is at its worst, pandemic has just been declared, he told CNA.

"It is the worst of possible times for us to call for elections at this stage ... PAP cannot be more irresponsible to do something like this when we should be focusing our state resources, that the minds of Singaporeans at least on overcoming, conquering this virus.

Chee said there will be major concerns if the general election were to proceed. According to The Straits Times, he said that voters would be in close proximity to others at polling stations and at rallies. Officials involved in vote counting would also have to manually deal with the ballot papers.

"How is all this going to play out? he said So we don't accept that this has to go on. And we want to maintain this line and tell the government that this is a very serious situation.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

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COVID-19: Singapore imposes new border restrictions on Italy, Spain, France and Germany

COVID-19: Singapore planning ahead; no Dorscon red, no lockdown, says PM Lee

COVID-19: Singapore economy taking big hit, nobody has been spared  PM Lee
North Koreans Ignore Government Advice to Wear Masks to Prevent COVID-19

2020-03-13 -- Residents of North Korea, facing a confusing mix of warnings and an information gag order that has left them uninformed about the COVID-19 epidemic, are ignoring the advice of authorities to wear face masks in public to prevent the spread of the deadly illness, RFA has learned.

As of Friday afternoon, North Korea has still not reported a single confirmed case of coronavirus. The government has, however, taken comprehensive preventative measures, such as cancelling large events, quarantining entire counties, and converting a large hotel in the capital Pyongyang into an isolation center. Experts believe that it is extremely unlikely that North Korea is virus-free.

Sources told RFA's Korean Service March 6 that interest in masks among North Koreans is very low because the government has not been forthcoming with how widely COVID-19 has spread.

"These days, quarantine authorities are emphasizing that we should wear masks to prevent the new virus from spreading, but nobody cares about masks, and no one is rushing off to the markets to buy them," a Pyongyang resident told RFA.

"The central quarantine agency is saying that the masks will help block the coronavirus, but people are more concerned because food prices have skyrocketed, so not many people are looking for masks," the source said.

The U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do not recommend that healthy people wear masks or respirators in public to protect themselves from COVID-19, but officials in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan say that they should wear masks in crowded places. Masks worn by the sick can prevent some of the droplets expelled by a cough or sneeze from going airborne.

The source said people in North Korea are not buying masks because they do not know how severe the situation is locally.

"This is because the authorities are only emphasizing the risk of the coronavirus. They aren't disclosing how the disease is spreading, the number of infected people by region and the number of deaths," the source said.

A second source, a resident of North Hamgyong province, told RFA on March 8 that the reason people lack information about COVID-19 is because of a gag order in affected areas.

"In areas where the coronavirus has been spread and people have died, the Central Committee [of the Korean Workers' Party] has ordered local residents not to reveal anything about the situation," said the second source.

"Residents who think authorities are deliberately covering up the number of patients and deaths are instead stockpiling food and fever reducers instead of spending money on masks."

But once the authorities advised the public to wear masks, they started to appear in the markets as savvy entrepreneurs hoped to cash in, the first source said.

But buying masks would seem to be a luxury for most as the average monthly government salary is less than $5.00.

"North Korean masks, which have not been proven to be effective, are traded at 3,000 North Korean won (U.S. $0.37) to 8,000 won ($1.00). Those made in China go for about 7,000-8,000 won, and South Korean masks, known for their high quality, are sold at 12,000 won ($1.50)," the first source said.

Residents are not looking to shell out money for the masks despite the advisory.

"The residents just don't care about the coronavirus. The authorities have not revealed the exact number of patients and infections even though there seems to be a high number of suspected infections," said the first source.

"The common people are having a hard time making a living, so they're not interested in masks, they only worry about the price of food going up."

The second source said that rather than buying masks, people in North Hamgyong are spending their money on drugs.

"The authorities are emphasizing that people wear masks to prevent coronavirus infections, but some residents here are absurdly arguing that ice [the local street name for crystal meth] is more effective," the second source said.

"Mask prices are falling in the marketplaces these days. Meanwhile the price of ice is suddenly on the rise as it is a popular belief that meth is a cure-all drug, and can prevent the invasion of the virus and boost immunity in users," said the second source.

Reported by Jieun Kim for RFA's Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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As part of the first-phase response to the novel coronavirus, Montana is receiving $4.57 million in grants for emergency prevention.

The grants, announced Wednesday by the White House, are part of an $8.3 billion coronavirus spending bill approved by Congress on Feb. 24. Lawmakers have described the bill as a first installment for preventing the spread of coronavirus and treating the patients. A second funding installment is expected.

Phase one was passing that $8.3 billion spending package, and thats focused on tests, on treatment, on vaccines. Theres a telehealth provision. That was phase one, and Congress moved quickly to get that passed and on the presidents desk and signed into law. That was last week. That was phase one, said U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who spoke with The Gazette on Thursday in the first of three interviews with Montanas congressional delegation.

The $8.3 billion passed by Congress was considerably more than the $1.25 billion requested by the Trump administration.
With two more persons testing



positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the number of infected individuals in the state has gone up to 19, a health department official said on Saturday.

One of the two new patients is from Ahmednagar city, the official said. However, he did not specify the location of the other patient.

"Till Friday evening, the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus was 17. The test reports of two more persons came late at night. As they were found positive, the count of infected persons in the state now stands at 19," the official told PTI.

"One of them is from Ahmednagar city. He had recently returned from Dubai and shown symptoms similar to coronavirus infection," he said.

"His blood sample was sent for testing, which confirmed the infection late last night," he added.

Ten of the coronavirus positive cases in the state are in Pune, three each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one in Thane.

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the state government had on Friday ordered closure of cinema theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.

The government also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to tackle the virus outbreak.

As per the government decision, the schools and colleges in Pune and neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain closed till further orders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the rush to raise cash and cover losses in other markets, investors are pulling their money out of gold.

Gold posted its worst week in over three decades, joining the collapse across global markets that not even the traditional safe haven could dodge.

In the rush to raise cash and cover losses in other markets, investors are pulling their money out of bullion, typically seen as a store of value amid market volatility and global worries. That meant hedge funds cutting their bullish bets in the week ended March 10 by the most since early February.

The stronger dollar has also made the metal less appealing. The S&P 500 index had a volatile Friday after its worst day since 1987.

Theres a lot of selling of every liquid asset for margin calls, Matthew Miller, a gold market and equities analyst at CFRA in Denver, said by phone.

Spot gold fell 2.9% to close at $1,529.83 an ounce in New York, ending the week with a loss of 8.6%, the most since March 1983. On the Comex in New York, futures had their steepest weekly decline since 2011. In other markets, silver fell into a bear market, joining palladium and platinum as worries over economic fallout from the coronavirus pummel precious metals and other raw materials.

The flight from gold is stripping the metal of its traditional safe haven status and underscores how extreme the selling pressure has been in every corner of the markets. Oil and global equities posted their worst week since October 2008, when woes from the financial crisis were felt, signaling the gravity of the selloff.

Despite this weeks turmoil, the longer-term outlook for the metal remains bullish. Demand for the metal as a store of value could return if the coronavirus causes a recession in the global economy.

Gold looks a pretty good bet over the medium term, Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., said in a Bloomberg TV interview. You could even call a 10% to 15% rally a fairly good possibility in the shorter term.
Married At First Sight's Mishel Karen has denied all extraordinary accusations made against her by TV 'husband' Steve Burley.

The 48-year-old told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday that despite Steve claiming to 'have [her] back', she feels he's proved the opposite in recent weeks.

Mishel said she has become angered by Steve's comments on a number of issues, including poking fun of her voice, berating her over alleged cancer-shaming, and insinuating she leaked private photos of him impersonating Adolf Hitler.

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EXCLUSIVE 'I suffered enough on that show!' Married At First Sight star Mishel Karen (pictured) hits out at 'husband' Steve Burley's extraordinary claims about her character

The mother-of-two said she 'suffered enough on [that]show', and was never actually attracted to Steve due to his likeness to her own grandfather.

This week, images of Steve impersonating Adolf Hitler were leaked from a private WhatsApp chat group between MAFS co-stars.

During a radio chat, Steve insinuated the person behind the leak might have been Mishel, as he said he person was 'close to him' during filming.

Mishel explained she found out about Steve's scandalous pictures posing as Adolf Hilter and mimicking Asian features while on a MAFS-related podcast and had never seen them before.

Shocking: This week, images of Steve impersonating Adolf Hitler were leaked from a private WhatsApp chat group between MAFS co-stars

'Shame on him for blaming me': Mishel explained she found out about Steve's scandalous pictures of him posing as Adolf Hilter and mimicking Asian features while on a MAFS-related podcast and had never seen them before

She added: 'Steve is very good at telling me throughout the entire series and afterwards that he has my back and then he insinuating I leaked these.'

'I have been nothing but supportive of Steve, not bagging him or anything, and then I am told he is making fun of me,' Mishel said, betrayed by the photo of Steve pretending to be an 'Asian Mishel'.

She went on to suggest she wouldn't be surprised if he leaked the photos himself to gain more 'publicity'.

'He constantly made fun of me': Mishel said Steve would often make jokes about her voice, despite having past tumours, and was saddened by his 'Asian Mishel' joke leaked this week

Mocking: One scandalous image saw Steve in a black T-shirt and cap, pulling his eyelids outward to look 'like an Asian Mishel'

Mishel also slammed Steve for having 'a go' at her after referencing his 'balls' during an argument on the show.

Earlier this month, Mishel appeared to reference Steve's testicular cancer on the show, telling him: 'Don't come near me tonight. Seriously, you will lose your other f***ing ball.'

'He knew it had nothing to do with his cancer! But then constantly made fun of my voice. I suppose no one ever sees that, and I had tumours myself,' Mishel revealed.

She specifically clarified: 'No, I did not leak the photos. I don't make fun of cancer patients and I never was attracted to Steve!'

'I don't make fun of cancer patients!' The mother-of-two also alleged her 51-year-old 'husband' had 'a go' at her over comments she made on the show about his 'balls'

'He is a exact replica of my Grandfather!' Mishel went on to suggest she was never attracted to Steve due to his likeness to her relative. Pictured: left Mishel's grandfather, right Steve Burley

Mishel finished: 'Shame on him for blaming me and shame on him for thinking it was funny!'

It comes after Steve insinuated somebody 'close' to him on MAFS leaked the photos to the media, while speaking to Hit FM's Krysti and Bodge on Thursday.

Despite their frequent feuds as a 'married' couple, Steve has repeatedly detailed how 'close' he felt to his 'wife' Mishel.

The controversial pictures were originally obtained and published by The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Wednesday, with the images showing Steve appearing to mimic Adolf Hitler with his hair forward and a drawn-on toothbrush moustache.

Another scandalous image saw Steve in a black T-shirt and cap, pulling his eyelids outward to look 'like an Asian Mishel'.

While Steve initially declined to comment on the photos when approached by the publication, Channel Nine sent a response on his behalf.

'This is a private message that was never intended to be made public, but I can see that it is culturally insensitive and I regret it,' the statement read.

He added: 'I am deeply sorry if I have offended anyone.'

'I am deeply sorry if I have offended anyone': While Steve initially declined to comment on the photos when approached by the publication, Channel Nine sent a response on his behalf

Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dr Dvir Abramovich, who heads Australia's leading civil rights organisation has also issued a statement surrounding Steve's pictures.

'This is beyond insensitive and tasteless, and Steve Burley should do some serious soul searching about this deplorable actions,' Dr. Dvir said.

He added: 'I should not have to say this in 2020, but there is nothing entertaining or laughable about Hitler, a monster responsible for the murder of six million Jews and millions of others.

'Perhaps Steve should talk to those survivors who lost children, parents and relatives to Hitler's evil regime. A brutal dictator, responsible for the extermination of so many, should not be the subject of a joke, private or not.'

Dr. Dvir went on to explain there was a 'surge' of the white supremacist movement currently occurring around the nation.

'One can only imagine the pain and moral offense a Holocaust survivor would feel hearing about this incident. At a time of a surge in neo-Nazi and white-supremacist activity in Australia, it is deeply troubling that there are people who think it's cool to imitate Hitler.

'Worse, such gags separate Hitler from the inhuman crimes he and the Nazis committed. I call on Steve Burley to personally apologise for his hurtful conduct and to visit the Holocaust Museum.'
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks to the media and tours a newly opened drive through COVID-19 mobile testing center on March 13, 2020 in New Rochelle, New York.

An 82-year old New York woman with pre-existing health issues died after contracting the coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed death in the state due to the pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.

cuomo tweet

New York, along with Washington and California, is one of the states with the highest number of confirmed cases. The state has 524 cases of the virus, Cuomo confirmed. Though, he predicts there are many more: "My guess is there are thousands and thousands of cases walking around the state of New York."

The governor has been harshly critical of the federal governments response to the coronavirus, at one point describing it as "absurd and nonsensical."

New York state has set up a drive through testing center in New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City that has seen a major outbreak. Cuomo deployed the National Guard and created a one-mile containment area in New Rochelle earlier this week.

He also announced a ban on gatherings of 500 or more people across the state "for the foreseeable future" on Thursday.
Help India!

Yusuf Ansari, Twocircles.net

To end the Shaheen Bagh protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Delhi Police is now using oppressive tactics. Police has now started linking the protestors to ISIS and even, Pakistani agents from ISI after failing to quell the 3 months ongoing sit-in. To add credibility to their claim, police has allegedly arrested ISIS agents who are helping create ruckus in the Capital. First in the line of arrests was the Kashmiri couple having alleged links with the Khorasan Module of ISIS, and now the police has sent to jail Parvez Ahmed, Chief of Popular Front of India (PFI), Delhi, for funding riots.

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PFIs Delhi Chief and Secretary Arrested

Delhi Police on Thursday morning arrested PFI Chief Parvez Ahmed and Secretary Mohammad Iliyas on accusations of instigating people during Delhi riots and funding Shaheen Bagh protests. Iliyas, a resident of riot-hit Shiv Vihar, is accused of funding riots. The duo has been kept in 7 days police custody after which they are likely to be produced before Patiala House Court. By afternoon on Thursday, the police had also accused someone named Salman, of murdering Investigative Bureau Officer, Ankit Sharma.

Danish arrested for funding food and protests at Shaheen Bagh site

It is noteworthy that on Monday, Delhi Police had arrested PFIs Danish Ali on charges of funding anti-CAA protestors. Special Cell of Delhi Police questioned Danish regarding the same, to which he was found guilty, as police quoted to media. He was also found guilty of inciting violence and riots. Danish has also allegedly been distributing food and money to protestors at Shaheen Bagh. He was produced in Court and has subsequently been remanded for 4 days.

Delhi Police lacks valuable proof

It is not surprising that Delhi police has no valuable proof to support the above arrests. Special Cell of Delhi Police, DCP, Pramod Kushwah, has said Md Danish, resident of Gokulpuri has been arrested through FIR 59. Danish, he said is in the counter intelligence team of PFI and has been regularly monitoring the riot situation, paying special attention to police officers and IB officials activities. He has been charged with spying on police officials and targeting them whenever he found one officer frequently attending to a particular locality. DCP Pramod has also accused Danish of having a history of beating up police officials and sending inflammatory literature to instigate people for protests and riots, other than paying outsiders to come to Delhi and participate in the massive violence. However, he refrained from telling which police officials have been targeted and where, by Danish and his monitoring team.

Delhi Polices attempt to link Taher Hussain with PFI

Delhi Police has also attempted to draw connections between main accused, Taher Hussain, and PFI. On March 11, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against Taher accusing him of money laundering. The Crime Branch of Delhi Police made four arrests in connection with the same on Monday. One of those arrested is Tahers brother Shah Alam, along with three other associates. Taher is also accused in the murder of IB official Ankit Sharma.

More PFI-SDPI workers arrested in Shaymali

As Delhi Police is on a rampage of arresting anti-CAA protestors, it must be remembered that this was actually started by the UP police making mass detentions of youth across the state in connection with anti-CAA protests. According to reports, UP police has arrested 23 workers from PFI and SDPI from UPs Shayamali Zila. According to SP, Shayamali, the 23 were held for having inflammatory materials and literature, including posters and flyers in relation to CAA.

No serious offence charges on those arrested

What is common in all of the above arrests is that police hasnt been able to charge any of them under any serious offence. Mostly they were arrested due to their supplying protest materials, food, and other resources in the major protest sites but all of these do not come as serious offence in the Indian Penal Code. Some of them who were arrested for possessing literature dealing with CAA, also, do not fall under any serious category of criminal charges.

For two days after arresting the Kashmiri couple from Okhla Vihar, Delhi police maintained huge furor in media but has now fallen silent as the question of solid evidence against arrests surface.

SHO, Jamia Nagar, has told media that the landlord taken into police custody in the Kashmiri couple case, Saeed Abbasi has been released after lodging an FIR. As communicated on phone, Abbasi said police has discharged him for having no serious criminal offence and he might be called, if required, for a follow up investigation with the Crime Branch.

Amit Shah behind the arrests

It is highly suspected that Delhi Police is making these arrests on the orders of Home Minister Amit Shah. Amit Shah had said in the Parliament that he had been informed on February 24 that funding for riots have been depositing from foreign accounts. This money was then distributed all over Delhi and even before the police could take any subsequent action, the riots started. Shah also said that 5 arrests have been made so far and that police will soon release a statement regarding this information. He said that the riots were planned in advance by ISIS and wherever the culprits are hiding, they would be found out and served justice. Shah reminded everyone that the killers of Ratnalal and Ankit Sharma will be arrested soon.

These statements from the Home Ministry have sped up the arrests but what is shocking is all arrests in connection with Delhi riots have Muslims as culprits. While on the other hand, there is absolutely no existent narrative on those who looted, burnt, and rampaged Muslim properties in the riots. This one-sided investigation is visible, but no voice has so far reached the Home Ministry.

Shaheen Bagh a headache for Modi Sarkar

What can be calculated from the above is that the bone of contention is actually the three months ongoing sit-in at Shaheen Bagh which is now proving to be a migraine for Modi government. Despite several attempts, nothing has been shaking the spirits of the women of Shaheen Bagh until very recently, Supreme Court has appointed two lawyers  Sanjay Hegde and Sadhna Ramchandran to negotiate and clear the roads of the protestors.

On March 1, Hindtuva organizations had tried to break in to the protest site but very soon the video of a right winger woman dressed in burqa got viral, thus failing their motives. The police, bent on its mission to empty Shaheen Bagh, has now started mass arrests to peddle fear among protestors and the time to come can easily understood as a difficult time as police is on a spree to put false charges on innocents and arrest them on charges of paying protestors or inciting riots.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O'Brien rubbed shoulders with royalty last week, when he led the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on a scenic stroll at Howth Head during the second day of their royal visit.

On what was a fine spring day, the Mayor kept Kate and Will engrossed in conversation as they talked about Fingal and the beautiful scenery of the small seaside town.

Speaking after his royal encounter, Mayor O'Brien explained how the meeting came about, and how Kate and Will were relieved at a break in their schedule to enjoy a little time spent in the fresh sea air:

'I was contacted about two weeks prior by British Ambassador Robin Barnett, to say there was the potential that part of their visit would take in a cliff walk in Howth, and obviously if that were to be the case, that myself and the Chief Executive might be available to greet them and welcome them to Fingal.

'It was obviously hush hush, because there was a big security operation around them.

'They confirmed over the weekend, the embassy staff and the security team did a site visit on the Sunday and confirmed it, but the way these things go, I wasn't sure if I'd get a 'no, sorry they're not coming' sort of thing.'

He said: 'Obviously it was a nice experience, they were very nice people - they came across as very down-to-earth and as normal as people could be who do the job they do.

'They were very warm, and I was asking them how they enjoyed their trip to Ireland and they were very happy with how it was working so far.

'They couldn't get over the scenery in Howth, they said it was beautiful and said it was their first time in Ireland, so they were massively impressed. It was a little bit surreal, just meeting the two most recognisable people on the planet.'

As well as the couple's own security detail, the 'quiet walk' was policed by up to 60 gardai, and was also attended by embassy staff and representatives by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The royal couple took a fifteen minute walk from the lighthouse in Howth up to Howth Summit, before being welcomed by Mayor O'Brien.

The Mayor concluded: 'It was great that they organised part of their visit in Fingal, but I suppose we're always keen to showcase what we have, so it can only be a positive thing.

'It was a great experience and they'll always be welcomed with open arms here to Fingal at any time in the future.'
Scientists have linked up two silicon-based artificial neurons with a biological one across multiple countries into a fully-functional network. Using standard internet protocols, they established a chain of communication whereby an artificial neuron controls a living, biological one, and passes on the info to another artificial one.

Whoa.

Weve talked plenty about brain-computer interfaces and novel computer chips that resemble the brain. Weve covered how those neuromorphic chips could link up into tremendously powerful computing entities, using engineered communication nodes called artificial synapses.

As Moores law is dying, we even said that neuromorphic computing is one path towards the future of extremely powerful, low energy consumption artificial neural network-based computingin hardwarethat could in theory better link up with the brain. Because the chips speak the brains language, in theory they could become neuroprosthesis hubs far more advanced and natural than anything currently possible.

This month, an international team put all of those ingredients together, turning theory into reality.

The three labs, scattered across Padova, Italy, Zurich, Switzerland, and Southampton, England, collaborated to create a fully self-controlled, hybrid artificial-biological neural network that communicated using biological principles, but over the internet.

The three-neuron network, linked through artificial synapses that emulate the real thing, was able to reproduce a classic neuroscience experiment thats considered the basis of learning and memory in the brain. In other words, artificial neuron and synapse chips have progressed to the point where they can actually use a biological neuron intermediary to form a circuit that, at least partially, behaves like the real thing.

Thats not to say cyborg brains are coming soon. The simulation only recreated a small network that supports excitatory transmission in the hippocampusa critical region that supports memoryand most brain functions require enormous cross-talk between numerous neurons and circuits. Nevertheless, the study is a jaw-dropping demonstration of how far weve come in recreating biological neurons and synapses in artificial hardware.

And perhaps one day, the currently experimental neuromorphic hardware will be integrated into broken biological neural circuits as bridges to restore movement, memory, personality, and even a sense of self.

The Artificial Brain Boom

One important thing: this study relies heavily on a decade of research into neuromorphic computing, or the implementation of brain functions inside computer chips.

The best-known example is perhaps IBMs TrueNorth, which leveraged the brains computational principles to build a completely different computer than what we have today. Todays computers run on a von Neumann architecture, in which memory and processing modules are physically separate. In contrast, the brains computing and memory are simultaneously achieved at synapses, small hubs on individual neurons that talk to adjacent ones.

Read full story here
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:17:52|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Jordan decided Saturday to suspend all schools, universities and educational institutions as of March 15 for a period of two weeks as part of efforts to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

Jordan's Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said all flights from and to Jordan will be suspended as of March 17 until further notice, according to a statement.

The prime minister added that Jordan also decides to ban gatherings and large events.

Diplomatic missions will be excluded from the ban on travel, he added.

Razzaz added that Jordan decided to ban prayers at mosques and churches, and suspend visits to hospitals and prisons.
Expedia Withdraws First Quarter Guidance and Halts Share Repurchases

After Booking Holdings did likewise a few days earlier, Expedia Group withdrew its first quarter financial guidance, citing the ongoing impact of coronavirus.

In addition, Expedia Group announced Friday it would be suspending share repurchases so it can retain maximum flexibility to maneuver during the pandemic. Its stock has plummeted 43 percent in the past four weeks, to close Friday at $69.63.

During an earnings call February 13, Expedia Group estimated that the negative impact to earnings in the first quarter would be $30 million to $40 million, but it said Friday the hit would be in excess of that figure.

Get the Latest on Coronavirus and the Travel Industry on Skifts Liveblog

As COVID-19 has rapidly spread from Asia to Europe and North America over the past few weeks, travel trends have continued to worsen, Chairman Barry Diller and Vice Chairman Peter Kern said in a statement. It remains difficult to predict how long this pandemic will persist, and given the lack of visibility on our trends weve decided to withdraw our 2020 guidance.

Expedia Group is carrying out layoffs of about 12 percent of its workforce, and said it is on track to achieve run-rate cost cuts of $300 million to $500 million by the end of 2020.

Diller and Kern added, During this time, we continue to focus on operating efficiently and remain on track to reach run-rate cost savings of $300-$500 million by the end of the year. Were also prudently managing our strong balance sheet and have suspended share repurchases to provide additional flexibility as we navigate this situation. Additionally, we are focused on ensuring the health and safety of our customers and employees, and working closely with our partners to manage through these unfortunate circumstances.

Subscribe to Skift newsletters for essential news about the business of travel.
Update: Massachusetts State Police said Monday that the man tested negative for coronavirus.

--------------

The body of a 59-year-old Worcester man who died on a flight from Dubai to Boston will be tested for coronavirus, Massachusetts State Police said.

Troopers were called around 12:30 p.m. Friday and were told a passenger was in cardiac arrest aboard Emirates Flight EK237 that left Dubai and was heading to Boston.

The Worcester man left Boston and headed to Chennai, India on March 4. He then had a layover in Dubai before his flight home, authorities said.

The male had been sick with gastrointestinal problems for several days prior to and including the day of his death, state police said. According to his next-of-kin, the male did not have any pre-existing medical conditions.

State police said the state medical examiners office will now test the mans body for COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution. There were 322 passengers and 18 crew members on the Boeing 777.

Troopers, Boston EMS, and Massport Firefighters responded to Gate E11 at Bostons Logan International Airport once the plane landed around 2:55 p.m. Friday. All the passengers were removed from the plane.

At approximately 3 p.m. Boston EMS determined the passenger who had been ill was deceased, state police said. His cause and manner of death is pending autopsy results.

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"Every contact that he has had has been examined and they are in quarantine, she said. Were doing everything we can to make sure theres no further transmission. He doesnt appear to have had a lot of contacts from all of the information weve been able to gather."

Matias asked residents to remain calm and follow advice like washing hands, covering mouths while sneezing or coughing and staying away from large gatherings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try and limit the spread of the virus.

This is a time when the community really has to pull together. We need to be sure were looking out for each other. This is not a time for panic," Matias said. "Its a time for taking care of each other and just hunkering down, being calm, watching movies, play some board games, read to your children. Calmness is the order of the day.

Franciscan Health hospital in Michigan City said in a news release it has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the hospital. The hospital is requesting those seeking information on the virus not call the emergency department, but rather the hotline at 219-879-5111, ext. 8.
SPRINGFIELD  Last fall, Oakton Community College admitted about 100 students into a new program offering a job-training certificate to work in the cannabis industry.

One semester later, the school, with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie, had to triple the number of class sections it offered to accommodate the demand. And next fall it plans to launch a second certificate program.

Its been really popular, said Ileo Lott, vice president of academic affairs at Oakton. The one that started last fall, we opened with about 100 students, and since that time, roughly 20 percent of them have completed the program. And they've been certified and several of them are already working.

The program currently offered is for people who want to become a cannabis dispensary and patient care specialist, or budtender  someone who works directly with dispensary customers, primarily chronically ill patients who elect to use marijuana or other cannabis-related products as part of their therapy.

Its a 12 credit-hour program that includes, among other things, courses in laws and regulations governing cannabis, pharmacology and cannabis use, dispensary operations, business and basic first aid.

Lott noted that Oakton also has a partnership agreement with Northern Michigan University allowing graduates of the Oakton program to transfer there to pursue a bachelors degree in medical plant chemistry.

Starting in the fall, he said, Oakton will launch a certificate program in cannabis transportation logistics and supply chain management, a more business-oriented, 14 credit-hour program including courses in cannabis cultivation operations, security guard training, operations and supply chain management and an introduction to transportation, warehousing and logistics.

Lott emphasized, though, that Oakton Community College does not train students in actual marijuana cultivation.

That is not one of our programs, he said. We have explored down the line whether or not we want to have a cultivation program, but the laws are pretty specific about cannabis and drugs on campuses.

One possibility the school has considered, he said, is using tomato plants as a substitute for cannabis plants.

If we decided to go down that road, we could use a tomato plant, because a tomato plant on the cellular structure is very similar to a cannabis plant, Lott said. So we could teach somebody using a tomato plant and prepare them for the cultivation industry. But I want to clarify right now we don't we don't have plans for a cultivation program.

Medical marijuana was first legalized in Illinois in 2013 and adult-use recreational marijuana became legal in the state on Jan. 1. That legalization act included provisions allowing up to eight community colleges to offer vocational training in the cannabis industry leading to a career in cannabis certificate.

Customers spent $34.8 million on 831,600 items of adult-use, recreational cannabis in Illinois in February, the second month since such products were legalized in the state.

Those programs would be supervised by the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Community College Board and would offer courses that allow participating students to work with, study, and grow live cannabis plants so as to prepare students for a career in the legal cannabis industry.

But marijuana is still illegal under federal law, and community colleges are subject to federal Drug Free Schools and Campuses regulations, which require them to have programs in place, to prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees.

Matt Berry, chief of staff at the Illinois Community College Board, said only one other school, City Colleges of Chicago, has applied for approval of a cannabis-related certificate program, but it is not related to the states new legalization law.

A spokesperson for City Colleges of Chicago said the program launched in February. The schools website indicates it is offering a cannabis curriculum at its Olive-Harvey campus similar to the curriculum at Oakton.

Lott said that for the time being, Oakton plans to continue its focus with cannabis programs on the health care industry and he expects the programs will grow as the industry grows.

We're proud to be an industry leader and we are especially proud that we are preparing people to work in the health care industry. That's really our focus, he said.

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Except the burden of that sacrifice will fall harder on some than on others. Calamities tend to bring existing inequities into sharp relief. Just as the risk from COVID-19 is not democratically distributed  the already vulnerable are more likely to succumb  neither is the burden of containment shared equally.

Going into this possibly inevitable lockdown, clearly some people are more prepared than others. Sorry, but I cant contain my scorn about Australias great dunny paper and pasta panic. Apart from making us (again) the worlds laughing stock, the stockpilers clearing essentials from the supermarket shelves do so at the expense of others. Such as the old and infirm. The cancer patients clinging to hand sanitisers for dear life. The poor families, living week to week, who cant afford to bulk buy.

How would the wartime generation who survived on rations view todays hoarders? Some hoarders try to deflect responsibility for their conduct by claiming they dont trust the government to manage the pandemic. Meanwhile, theyre straining the bonds of social trust with each unnecessary jumbo pack of Sorbent rolls.

And for millions of casual and gig economy workers without access to sick leave, a lockdown or self-isolation is riskier than coronavirus infection. Some employers say theyll pay casuals for wages lost during the crisis; but its luck of the draw. At a time of income stagnation, Christian Porters remark that casuals have already made provision for time off work would be funny, if he wasnt Industrial Relations Minister. Among the stimulus measures to ward off a coronavirus recession, the government is waiving the one-week waiting period for the sickness payment benefit, available for incapacitated casual workers. Launching the stimulus package, Scott Morrison noted many other countries dont have an equivalent benefit in their existing welfare systems. As if hes a long-time safety net advocate; as if such Newstart payments havent been set at unliveable levels.
India on Saturday declared the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak a disaster, freeing up resources and funds to battle the spread of the infection that has sparked the shutdown of travel, schools and offices across the country, as two fresh cases took the total number of infections to 84 at a time when questions remain over the efficacy of containment efforts in the country.

Although the spread of Covid-19 in India has not been rapid so far, the disease has typically spiked in other countries about three weeks after the first clusters of infections were detected. With the first surge in India reported in early March, the country enters what could be its most vulnerable phase over the course of the next week.

About a dozen states are now in partial lockdown, but some experts say that if a more stringent pre-emptive lockdown is not enforced across the country, the public health system could crumble under the load of an exponential spike in the number of patients needing intensive care.

On Saturday, the Union health ministry said two fresh cases  one each in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir  took the total confirmed infections to 84. Out of 84 positive cases in the country, 10 people have fully recovered and have been discharged. Contact tracing of these cases has led to the identification of over 4,000 contacts who have been put under surveillance, said Sanjeeva Kumar, special secretary at the health ministry.

The Centre also announced its decision to treat the coronavirus outbreak as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The disaster management division of the home ministry issued a letter to the chief secretaries of all states. The central government, keeping in view the spread of COVID-19 virus in India and the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), by way of a special one-time dispensation, has decided to treat it as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under SDRF, the notification said.

While an initial statement said ex-gratia relief of ~4 lakh would be provided to the families of the dead, the government reissued a modified order later with no mention of the compensation amount.

The home ministry said the State Executive Committees will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons in such camps. Period can be extended by the committee beyond the prescribed limit subject to condition that expenditure on this account should not exceed 25% of SDRF allocation for the year, the notification added.

The Centre said that funds can be withdrawn for setting up additional testing laboratories within the government set-up. The states will have to bear the cost of personal protection equipment for health care, municipal, police and fire services. The government also allowed the states to use SDRF money for procuring thermal scanners and other necessary equipment.

The coronavirus infection, which is believed to have originated at a seafood market in Chinas Wuhan in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infected about 150,000 people and claimed at least 5,500 lives. While Wuhan took the biggest hit from the outbreak, WHO said on Friday that Europe had become the new epicentre of the public health crisis.

With 1,500 new cases in 24 hours, Spain decided on Saturday to follow Italy in declaring a nationwide lockdown to slow the accelerating spread of the coronavirus epidemic. The decision came as European countries took ever more severe, though widely varying, measures to reduce contact between their citizens and slow the pandemic. China continued to ease lockdown measures in its hardest-hit region.

Views of empty streets, shuttered shops and a heavy silence greeted Italians from their windows as the country spends its first weekend under lockdown in a bid to contain its coronavirus outbreak. Since Monday, the country, which has recorded over 21,000 infections and at least 1,400 deaths from the virus, has enacted a set of sweeping measures that have left millions virtually confined to their homes.

Rwandas health ministry, meanwhile, said on Saturday that an Indian citizen tested positive -- the first case reported in the central African nation. Authorities said the man showed no symptoms when he arrived in Rwanda from Mumbai on March 8. It said that on March 13 the man checked himself into a health facility, where he was immediately tested, and is now in stable condition.

Experts say aggressive and widespread testing in India could prove to be a make-or-break measure in stopping Covid-19 transmission from turning into an acute community transmission.

There are plans to involve the private sector in diagnostics, quarantine and isolation of cases. Currently, the government testing infrastructure appears to be highly underutilised.

Over the past few days, Indian state authorities have ordered the closure of public buildings, cinemas and bars in several cities, and major sporting events have also been postponed. Several states have announced more limited restrictions, including the closure of some schools. On Saturday, Himachal Pradesh and Goa joined the list of states that have announced the curbs.

In New Delhi, the health ministry official said seven people who tested positive, five from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Rajasthan and Delhi, have now been discharged after treatment. Delhi has reported seven positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 12 so far. Kerala has recorded 19 cases, including three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the highly contagious infection.

The total confirmed cases include 17 foreigners  16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, according to the government.

At a news briefing on Saturday afternoon, Kumar said there have been cases of people not willing to be quarantined despite coming in contact with people testing positive.

A video conference of Saarc leaders to frame a strategy to counter the coronavirus crisis,proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also be held on Sunday evening. All seven other members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) endorsed the proposal made by Modi on Friday. Pakistan, the last member- state to agree, has said its de facto health minister will join the video conference.
The Pentagon said Friday it would keep two aircraft carrier task forces in the Gulf region after carrying out strikes in Iraq on five depots for Iran-supplied rockets. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said the carrier groups would be staying for a sustained period following a series of attacks on US positions in Iraq by Iranian-backed groups that have ratcheted up tensions with Tehran. Early Friday the US military launched air strikes against weapons depots of Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iraqi armed faction backed by Iran. The strikes, by manned aircraft, were in retaliation for a Wednesday rocket attack attributed to Kataeb Hezbollah that killed two American soldiers and a British soldier at Iraq's Taji air base. "We are confident that we have effectively destroyed these facilities and expect they will no longer be able to house the type of advanced Iranian supplied weapons that were used in the Kataeb Hezbollah attacks on the Iraq base at Camp Taji," he told a news conference, showing journalists before and after surveillance photographs. - Proxy attacks - McKenzie accused Tehran of continuing to support attacks against US and coalition forces via its proxies in Iraq. "I think the threat remains very high. I think that tensions have actually not gone down," McKenzie said. "I would caution Iran and its proxies from attempting a response that would endanger US and coalition forces," he said. The deployment of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Harry S. Truman marked the first time since 2012 that the Pentagon had authorized keeping aircraft carriers in the Gulf. "We have the flexibility, the capability and the will to respond to any threat," McKenzie said. "There are no access, basing and overflight issues associated with an aircraft carrier. It's a floating piece of American sovereignty," he said. - Soleimani 'missed' by Tehran - McKenzie said Tehran had not pulled back its regional military operations since the US killing in January of Qasem Soleimani, the top Iranian general who directed operations against US forces and managed Tehran's proxies. He added however that its ability to direct groups like Kataeb Hezbollah had been diminished by the loss of Soleimani and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Iranian leadership. "It's harder for them to make effective decisions... Someone has replaced him. I don't think that someone is going to be as good as him in the short term. We'll see how it works out in the long term," McKenzie said. The US does not believe Iran wants a direct conflict, preferring instead to continue to act through proxies to harass American forces and promote its own ideology in the region. "We believe we have established a level of state-to-state deterrence, in that Iran does not seek a large scale military exchange with the United States," McKenzie said. But he added: "None of their core objectives have changed."
President Donald Trump is greeted by Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, R-Ind., left, and Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., second from right, as he arrives at Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, to speak at the 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention and Expo.

Andrew Harnik/AP

Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana was blocked on Twitter by a senior Chinese official who claimed the coronavirus pandemic was "brought" by the US military into Wuhan, China.

Neither Banks nor Zhao previously tweeted to each other.

"He's going out of his way to target politicians that are generally critical of China," Banks said in a message to Insider.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana was blocked on Twitter by a senior Chinese official who claimed the coronavirus pandemic was "brought" by the US military into Wuhan, China.

"I've been blocked by [Lijian Zhao], a [Communist Party of China] foreign minister in China's Dept of 'Information' who claims that the #Wuhan coronavirus originated in the US," Banks said on Twitter.

"China's 'information' official tells blatant lies, gets questioned, then immediately reverts to censorship. Too perfect," he added.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao suggested without evidence that the US Army "brought the epidemic to Wuhan."

"When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals," Zhao questioned on Twitter.

"Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation," Zhao added in his tweet.

Neither Banks nor Zhao previously tweeted to each other.

"I've never interacted with Lijian Zhao on Twitter," Banks said in a message to Insider. "He's going out of his way to target politicians that are generally critical of China."

"The conspiracy theory he's peddling is extremely hostile behavior by a high-level communist official," he added. "Does President Xi condone this behavior? The entire episode underlines the need for the United States to distance ourselves from China and its economy as quickly as possible."

Story continues

China is one of the leading countries that trades the most with the US, along with Canada and Mexico.

Cui Tiankai, China's ambassador to the US, was summoned to the US State Department on Friday, after Zhao's posted his tweets.

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Getty Images / Thomas Peter-Pool

Officials from both countries levied allegations on the virus's origins in recent weeks, as the World Health Organization upgraded its classification to a pandemic. Republican Rep. Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Thursday said he was looking into holding China "accountable" for the coronavirus after saying earlier in February that he was not ruling out the possibility that it may have been developed in a Chinese "superlaboratory."

Both Banks and Cotton have been longtime China hawks and have suggested Beijing had not been as forthcoming about the number of infections to downplay the seriousness of the epidemic. Chinese officials have been accused of lowering the number of cases and tamping down on reports for months, before the virus's spread was formally acknowledged by the government.

Chinese health authorities widely deduced that the coronavirus originated from a wildlife market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The officials, in addition to their US counterparts, have been sharing their data over their cases since, according to President Donald Trump.

"We all know where it came from," Trump said in a press conference on Friday afternoon, referring to a phone conversation he had with Chinese President Xi Jinping in February.

Nearly 120,000 people have been infected so far and over 4,290 people have died, the majority of cases stemming from China. The US has had over 1,629 cases and 41 deaths as of Friday afternoon, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sanusi

Lamido Sanusi says his dethronement as Emir of Kano is unjustifiable but wont take legal action against the Kano State Government.

The former Central Bank Governor, who has had a frosty relationship with Governor Umar Ganduje since 2017, was sent packing by the state government on Monday for total disrespect for lawful instructions from the office of the state government.

Specifically, the Kano State Government dethroned Sanusi, the 14th Emir of Kano, following an approval by the state executive council.

It also cited Sanusis alleged refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government without any lawful justification, which it said amount to total insubordination.

Sanusi, who said he was denied fair hearing in the process leading to his deposition, claimed his arrest order, banishment from Kano and subsequent detention in Awe, Nasarawa State, came from Abuja.

He claimed the Attorney General of Kano State, Ibrahim Muktar, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), instructed the Department of State Services and police to detain him.

Sanusi said he was harassed and rushed out of the palace without being allowed to pick up his personal belongings.

He said upon his dethronement, an unnamed friend of his sent an aircraft to Kano to convey him and his family to Lagos but that the Kano State Commissioner of Police ordered him to be flown to Abuja in another aircraft without his family members.

Sanusi stated these in the suit he filed on Thursday to challenge his detention and confinement in Awe.

The Federal High Court in Abuja where he filed the suit on Friday granted an interim order for his release.

Justice Anwuli Chikere made the interim order after lawyer for the ex-CBN chief, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), moved an ex parte application earlier filed along with the main suit.

Fagbemi urged the court to restore the former emirs rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria.

He applied that his client be freed from the detention and allowed to move about in Nigeria apart from Kano in the interim.

He said his client had not been charged with any criminal offence to warrant his detention.

Justice Chikere granted the application, saying, An interim order is hereby made releasing the applicant from the detention and or confinement of the respondents and restoring the applicants rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, (apart from Kano State) pending the hearing and determination of the applicants originating summons.

The respondents to which the court order was directed are, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Muktar; and Malami.

Justice Chkere ordered the order for the release of the applicant and the processes filed in the suit should be served on the respondents through any officer in their offices.

The judge adjourned till March 26 for the hearing of the main suit.

By that time, the four respondents are expected to have filed their defence.

Sanusi was first banished to Loko, a remote location in Nasarawa, before he was moved to Awe on Tuesday.

In his suit, Sanusi said he is being subjected to inhumane treatment and discrimination of all sorts.

He said this through his Chief of Staff (when he was emir), Da Buram Kano, who deposed to the affidavit filed in support of the suit on his behalf, said his dethronement was baseless but would not be challenging it.

The affidavit stated in part, I verily believe the state government purportedly removed the applicant from office as the Emir Kano on March 9, 2020 without any basis or justification whatsoever and was not given any hearing on any allegation on which his removal was predicated.

The applicant is, however, not challenging his removal as Emir of Kano in this suit.

The deponent said since Sanusis forcible relocation from the Palace of the Emir of Kano to Abuja, and later Nasarawa State, he has not been able to meet or unite with his wives, children, relatives and friends and that his rights have been severely curtailed.

He added that before Sanusi was served his letter of dethronement, the palace was cordoned off by police and the DSS officers.

He said Sanusi informed the CP of his intention to fly with his family members on an aircraft sent to Kano by a friend, but his request was rebuffed by the police chief.

According to the aide, the CP told Sanusi that the instructions he received from Abuja was to take him to the Nigerian capital alone without his family.

Da Buram Kano said, I know for a fact that the CP refused the applicants requests for protection and to carry his family with him to Lagos and stated that he had no such instructions from above, but instead directed that the applicant be flown to Abuja and then taken to Nasarawa State.

In order not to jeopardise his safety or the safety of any member of his family or indeed other persons around, the applicant cooperated and proceeded in the vehicles provided by officers under the command of the respondents.

The said Commissioner of Police, along with other officers under the command of the respondents, harassed and rushed the applicant out of the Emir Palace, Kano, without letting him take any personal belongings and personal effects, along with him as they took him into their waiting vehicles.

The applicant was then taken in company with loads of armed men, being officers under the command of the respondents, to the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kano where he was put in a private aircraft to Abuja and departed Kano at about 6.40pm.

The applicant was separated from his family who were also carried out of the palace.

Upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, he was conveyed first to Lafia, then to Loko area of Nasarawa State, after being driven for about seven hours in the dead of the night.

On March 10, 2020, he was taken back to Lafia and from there to Awe in Nasarawa State.

The ex-emirs aide also accused Muktar and Malami of being the mastermind behind Sanusis detention.

He said, That the applicant is personally being detained in Nasarawa State by agents of the first and second respondents (IG and DG of the DSS), purporting to carry out the orders of the third and fourth respondents (Muktar and Malami).

He added that Sanusi has not been alleged to be a threat to peace and security but rather cooperated with the officers under the command of the respondents, and has since his travails under the hand of the officers under the command of the respondents issued public statement of peace for order, for reconciliation, for cooperation with the new Emir and the avoidance of any security breach or conflict.

Sanusis suit contained 14 prayers, one of which is an order directing the respondents to pay him N50m as damages for the unlawful and unconstitutional arrest and detention.

He also prayed for an order directing or compelling the respondents to publish in at least three national dailies an unreserved written apology to the applicant for the brazen breach of the applicants fundamental right.

He also asked the court to order his unconditional release and prohibit the respondents from further interfering with his rights.

The ex-monarch also asked the court to restrain the respondents or their servants or agents in their acts of banishing the applicant from the city of Kano or any other place of his choice and or otherwise in any way or manner whatsoever violating or infringing or continuing to violate or interfere upon his fundamental right to reside in any part of Nigeria as a place of his choice as duly guaranteed.

When contacted by one of our correspondents on Friday, the spokesperson for the AGF, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said he could not respond to the Sanusis allegation contained in his suit until the minister sees the court document.

***

Source: The PUNCH
With the U.S. now in a state of emergency, international travel restricted and the economy in danger of slipping into recession, one of the central questions for resolving the crisis is how long it will take to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

There will be a vaccine. The question is as we sit here in March of 2020, when will it be available? Jonathan D. Moreno, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, told Yahoo News in an interview. The best we can say is that hopefully, by some time in early 2021, there will be a vaccine available, maybe a little earlier given the advances in our technology.

Even once a vaccine is available, making it available to the U.S. population will take time. Here's an irony on our current situation, we don't have that production capacity in this country. Where is it? It's mostly in China, said Moreno. So we are going to be getting millions and millions, we hope, of doses of vaccine from China in the next eight or 10 or 12 months, as soon as we have the formula of the vaccine.

Yet with reports of billionaires jetting off to survival bunkers and paying for concierge doctors, another public concern is likely to be over who will get access to any new therapies or vaccines. We have to be very careful about reassuring the public that the dissemination of the vaccines, when these vaccine doses are available ... is done fairly and that nobody is unfairly advantaged because they have the money or because they have the power to get access to them, said Moreno, who is the co-author of the recent book, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die.

A scientist works at a laboratory in Israel, where efforts are underway to produce a vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Jalaa Marey/AFP)

Even now, Moreno mentioned that members of Congress were able to get tested at a time when testing kits are in short supply. That is probably not a good thing because they were not, as far as we can tell, they were not symptomatic, he said, and frankly, it's entirely possible that the tests that those people got are taking tests, at least theoretically, away from people who are symptomatic and are more vulnerable than they were.

Story continues

Once the vaccine is available the priority should be first responders and healthcare professionals, they absolutely have to be protected, Moreno said. Not only because we need them to take care of us, but also because we need them to come to work. We need them to feel safe. We need them to feel that they're not taking it home to their families.

Next in line for vaccination might be members of the military, especially if the Defense Department assists with domestic medical care. I wouldn't be surprised if the Defense Department starts standing up hospitals and clinics, the way that was done in Liberia in 2014 in the outbreak of Ebola.

Yet with the vaccine still perhaps a year away, the challenge, said Moreno, is getting people to limit the spread of the virus, just as previous generations had to do with illnesses such as polio before a vaccine became available. That was in 1955. We just don't have a memory of this anymore in this country, he said.

This story has augmented reality! Tap the video above to see how it looks and download the Yahoo News app to launch the full experience. Augmented reality is currently available to iPhone users (iPhone 8 and later) with the latest version of iOS.

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Read more from Yahoo News:
China does not rule out US role in coronavirus outbreak

Iran Press TV

Friday, 13 March 2020 11:36 AM

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not ruled out the possibility that the United States was to blame for the spread of the new coronavirus in the Asian country.

Geng Shuang, the ministry spokesman, sidestepped questions on Friday about whether Beijing viewed Washington as responsible for the deadly virus outbreak in China, a day after another spokesman suggested the US army could have engineered it.

Speaking at a news conference in the Chinese capital, Geng refused to directly comment when asked whether his colleague Zhao Lijian's comments were consistent with Beijing's official stance on the virus.

"In fact, the international community, including people within the US, have different opinions about the origin of the virus," Geng told reporters at the presser.

"As I have been saying for a few days, China has always seen this as a matter of science, and scientific and professional opinions must be heard."

Geng went on to say, "You're very interested to know if Zhao Lijian's views represent the views of the Chinese government."

"I believe that perhaps you would be better off first asking whether or not recent comments from a number of senior US officials attacking or smearing China represent the US government's position."

In a strongly-worded tweet, written in English, Zhao blasted the US on Thursday for what he called lack of transparency in official reports regarding the coronavirus outbreak in the US.

He suggested that the US military might have brought the new coronavirus to the Chinese city of Wuhan, the birthplace of the current global pandemic.

"When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao wrote.

The Chinese government had been criticized by Western media and particularly by US officials for what was alleged to be a slow response to the outbreak and of not being sufficiently transparent.

Beijing has, however, been taking strict measures since the outbreak began, including locking down Wuhan, a city of roughly 11 million people, which appears to have paid off.

The COVID-19 disease, caused by the new coronavirus, emerged in the provincial capital of Hubei late last year and is currently affecting 131 countries and territories across the globe. It has so far infected over 137,000 people and killed more than 5,000 others.

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

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Saudi int'l flights suspended for two weeks

CAIRO (Reuters) :

Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for two weeks, starting Sunday, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA said on Saturday, citing an official source at interior ministry.

The period will be considered as an exceptional official holiday for citizens and residents who are unable to return due to the suspension of flights or if they face quarantine after their return to the Kingdom, SPA cited the official as saying.

Saudi Arabia has reported 86 coronavirus cases.
We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Global Oil & Gas Limited (ASX:GLV).

What Is Insider Selling?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

View our latest analysis for Global Oil & Gas

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Global Oil & Gas

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Jason Brewer bought AU$80k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.004 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.001). While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock when an insider has bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. Jason Brewer was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Story continues

ASX:GLV Recent Insider Trading, March 13th 2020

Global Oil & Gas is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership of Global Oil & Gas

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 9.7% of Global Oil & Gas shares, worth about AU$303k, according to our data. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.

So What Do The Global Oil & Gas Insider Transactions Indicate?

The fact that there have been no Global Oil & Gas insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if Global Oil & Gas insiders bought more shares in the company. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To help with this, we've discovered 6 warning signs (3 are significant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Global Oil & Gas.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
by Wang Zhicheng

A thousand people took to the streets in Yingcheng against the neighborhood committees. A man who sold at lower prices and with better quality arrested. Yesterday 11 new cases of infection were registered; 4 in Wuhan; the rest by people returning to China from Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia. WHO: Europe is the new epicenter of the epidemic. The situation in Iran and South Korea.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - The Hubei government has declared that all cities in the province, except the capital Wuhan, are to be considered as having a medium or low risk of coronavirus infection. Wuhan continues to be classified as "high risk".

But dissatisfaction is starting to emerge in the province: a thousand inhabitants of Yingcheng (about 100 km from Wuhan), yesterday evening, challenged forced isolation and demonstrated on the streets to criticize the increase in prices. The forced isolation means that families are obliged to buy food and other basic necessities distributed by neighborhood committees. They accuse these bodies of hiking prices for low quality products r.

The demonstration dissolved with the arrival of the police and local government representatives. A man named Cheng was arrested for daring to distribute food to residents "with better quality and lower prices," according to residents.

Days ago, during the visit of a deputy prime minister of the central government to Wuhan, the isolated people in the buildings shouted out "Fake! Fake! It's all fake! ".

Meanwhile, the National Health Commission reports that yesterday there were only 11 cases of coronavirus infection across the country, but only four in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic. The other seven are "return" infections, that is of Chinese returned from countries marked by the virus: four in Shanghai, one in Beijing, two in Gansu. They came from Italy, the United States, Saudi Arabia. Yesterday, 13 new victims were also registered in China, bringing the death toll to 3194. The total number of infected is 81,021.

Worldwide, Covid-19 has killed more than 5,000 people. The country most affected after China is Italy, with over 1200 deaths. In Europe, another very affected country is Spain with over 3 thousand infections and 120 deaths. Yesterday, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called Europe the "new epicenter" of the coronavirus.

In the world, after China and Italy, the other most affected country is Iran with 11,364 infections and 514 deaths.

In Asia, the country most affected after China is South Korea. The Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention has registered 107 new infections today, bringing the total to 8086. The dead are 72.
A number of 42 persons are investigated in 33 criminal cases for committing the offense of hindering disease combat, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informs.

The Emergency Situation Department (DSU) announced on Saturday that 97 cases of citizens infected with COVID-19 have been confirmed, with six patients declared cured and discharged, while the others are in a good medical condition, except for the man admitted to the "Victor Babes" Hospital, who presented complications, but whose condition is improved.

The persons placed in institutionalised quarantine are in one of the centers in Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Timisoara and Constanta, whereas the situation in the county/Bucharest of the citizens infected with Sars-CoV-2 virus is the following: Bucharest (31), Timis (11), Hunedoara (11), Constanta (5), Iasi (5), Caras-Severin (4), Covasna (4), Dolj (3), Brasov (2), Mehedinti (2), Mures (2), Gorj (2), Cluj (2), Neamt (2), Olt (2), Bacau (1), Bihor (1), Buzau (1), Galati (1), Maramurs (1 ), Prahova (1), Suceava (1), Vrancea (1) and Ilfov (1), the DSU mentioned.

A number of 2,372 persons are placed in institutionalised quarantine on Romania's soil, for whom verifications are carried out to detect if they got the virus. Other 14,049 persons are isolated at home and under medical supervision.
Baghdad, March 14 : Fresh rocket strikes on Saturday targeted a military base housing US forces near Iraqi capital Baghdad for a second time in a week, a Defence Ministry source said.

More than 15 rockets struck the al-Taji Camp, some 20 km north of Baghdad, where some U.S. troops stationed, the source told Xinhua news agency, without giving further details about casualties.

The strikes came three days after a similar attack by unidentified militia on Camp Taji that killed two US soldiers and one British service member and wounded a dozen others.

The first attack prompted the US forces to carry out airstrikes on military bases housing paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces south of Baghdad in the early hours of Friday, leaving at least five security members and a civilian killed and 11 security members injured.

The military bases housing US troops across Iraq and the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad have been frequently targeted by insurgent mortar and rocket attacks.

Over 5,000 US troops have been deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes.
Telangana on Saturday reported the second case of coronavirus in initial testing in a Hyderabad man who came back from Italy, prompting the government to sound a high alert in the state.

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced in the assembly that the first person who tested positive for coronavirus in the state was discharged on Friday night from Gandhi Hospital.

The 24-year-old software engineer underwent treatment for the mandatory 14-day period at the hospital.

However, on Saturday morning, the hospital reported a fresh case of coronavirus in a person who returned from Italy. He has tested positive for the virus and has been kept in isolation, KCR, as the chief minister is called, said.

The man showed signs of Covid-19 in initial testing and is yet to be confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

Two more patients with coronavirus symptoms have also been admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital and their samples have been sent to Pune for testing, he added.

Also read: Pak ready for Saarc video call after PM Modi suggests joint Covid-19 strategy

The chief minister announced the state cabinet would meet in the evening to take a call on the steps to be taken for preventing the spread of coronavirus in the wake of the prevailing situation across the country and the world.

He hinted that the ongoing budget session, which is originally scheduled to continue till March 20, might be cut short in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The cabinet might also take a decision on closure of schools, cinema theatres and malls for a few days as a preventive measure.

The neighbouring states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha have shut down educational institutions, industries and other public places to avoid the spread of the disease. A high-level meeting under the auspices of chief secretary Somesh Kumar would discuss the steps to be taken in the state and give a report to the cabinet which would take a call on this, KCR said.

The chief minister said though there was no major threat of coronavirus in Telangana as of now, the state could not remain isolated when the entire world was facing the threat.

Also read: 5 coronavirus suspects escape from isolation ward of Nagpur hospital, all traced

Hyderabad is the sixth-largest metropolitan city with vibrant life. We have one of the busiest airports in the country with high traffic density. People from various parts of the country and world come to Hyderabad every day through flights, trains, buses and other means of transport. That is why we need to be more cautious, KCR said.

He said as many as 200 medical experts had been positioned at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to screen travellers from abroad and whoever was found with symptoms were being sent to the hospitals for isolation and testing.

We are prepared to spend even Rs 5000 crore to tackle the coronavirus scare. Instructions have been issued to the authorities to ensure that there is no shortage of supplies of masks and other protective gear, besides medicines and other facilities at isolation wards, KCR said.

Also read: Infosys vacates Bengaluru building after team member suspected of COVID-19

Telangana producers council, which met in the city on Saturday, took stock of the situation in theatres across the state, which are witnessing reduced footfall in the last few days.

We are ready to close down the cinema halls, if there is any direction from the government, film chamber president and former member of Parliament M Murali Mohan said.

There have been two deaths due to coronavirus in the country and more than 80 people have tested positive for Covid-19 so far.

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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 28-year-old Liverpool man was arrested Wednesday and accused of raping a teenager, according to New York State Police.

Matthew G. Fragola has been charged with second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child, state police said.

Fragola was charged after an investigation by New York State Polices Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Oswego Police Department after an investigation found he raped a 14-year-old girl in the Syracuse area, police said.

He was booked and sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center for centralized arraignment, according to police.

Police ask that anyone with information about Fragola contact the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation at (315) 366-6000.

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.
Patients wear masks as they wait for a doctor's call at a hospital in Hyderabad on March 13, 2020. (DC Photo)

Hyderbad: A second case of Covid19 disease has been confirmed in Hyderabad. It is a patient who travelled back from Italy recently. He has been sent to Gandhi Hospital and is being treated, chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao informed the Legislative Assembly on Saturday.

A special meeting of the Telangana Cabinet has been convened for 6 p.m on Saturday to discuss Telanganas preparedness to tackle the disease.
Canadian prison officials say they are adopting an existing flu-outbreak plan in preparation for the novel coronavirus outbreak that is sweeping across the country.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadian prison officials say they are adopting an existing flu-outbreak plan in preparation for the novel coronavirus outbreak that is sweeping across the country.

Correctional Service Canada says it wants the prisoners' family and friends to avoid its institutions should they be sick and to consider other ways of communicating with loved ones, such as a video visitation or by telephone.

"CSC has considerable experience managing influenza outbreaks and the requirements for managing COVID-19 are similar," spokeswoman Martine Rondeau said in an email to The Canadian Press.

Rondeau said there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in CSC institutions, but noted the service will comply "with requirements set by public health authorities, which could include an institution being quarantined."

In Ontario, the provincial government announced late Friday it was barring personal visits to inmates in its adult provincial jails, allowing only professional visits, such as from prisoners' lawyers. Offenders serving their sentences on weekends will also see their restrictions loosened.

Experts and prisoner advocates have expressed concerns for the health of the highly vulnerable prisoner population.

Martha Paynter, a nurse who also researches prisoner health as part of her doctoral studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said prisons and jails are "petri dishes" where disease spreads quickly and inmates can do little to isolate themselves for protection.

"People who are inside cannot easily get away from others, there is poor ventilation, little time outside and a lack of hygiene products," she said. "It is considered contraband to have access to alcohol-based substances like hand sanitizer. They're lucky to get a bar of soap. It's terrifying."

James Bloomfield, president of the Prairies region for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said the panic over COVID-19 has crept inside the institutions.

"It gets pretty complicated when you start housing hundreds of people together," he said. "We're at the stage now where we're trying to look at all of our protective equipment, gloves, masks, making sure we've got enough of that type of stuff, disinfectants."

He said the constant flow of visitors, workers and medical staff leave the institution vulnerable to infection.

"We can't isolate everyone either," he said from Winnipeg. "We've got 800 people at Stony Mountain (Institution) for example and when you start trying to isolate, it's impossible."

"If it does get in we're going to be bringing it home, the officers bringing it home to their families."

About a third of inmates in Canada are housed in federal institutions with the remainder in provincial jails, where those on sentences of two years less a day mix with those awaiting trial who are presumed innocent.

Toronto criminal defence lawyer Daniel Brown said it's only a matter of time before an inmate contracts the virus. He's worried for his clients.

"There's no way the jails can address the health concerns raised by a pandemic  they don't have the facilities, they don't have the ability to self-isolate," he said. "Jails are overcrowded and underfunded. The staff aren't equipped to deal with a crisis like this."

A spokeswoman for Ontario's Ministry of Solicitor General that oversees the jails said no one has tested positive for COVID-19 in the province's jails.

"If an outbreak of any communicable disease occurs or is suspected, institution officials take immediate precautionary measures in accordance with operating procedures, including notifying the local medical officer of health, and provincial health professionals," said Kristy Denette.

"Inmates may be isolated if required, and medical attention and treatment is provided."

Paynter said she was also worried about inmates' mental health.

"This is also an anxiety epidemic," she said, adding that inmate populations have high rates of mental health afflictions.

"People who are inside are not able to easily contact their families. They don't' have unlimited cellphone plans to call their mom and kid," she said. "That's how we outside institutions are going to cope. We can cope with social distancing because of technology. It's the opposite in jails or prisons."

Deadly riots recently broke out in Italian prisons after visitors were banned while the country deals with a COVID-19 outbreak that has so far sickened over 17,000 people,including at least 1,266 deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2020.
As reports of cancellations and closings spread in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Central and Upstate New York colleges and universities are responding with extended spring breaks and the move to online or remote instruction.

Here is an updated list on what these universities have done in an effort to keep the virus away from college campuses. We have included link for updates at each college where available.

Central New York

Cayuga Community College: A SUNY school. Moving online as of March 19. Updates

Cazenovia College: Spring break extended a week and the school is moving to remote instruction starting March 23. Updates

Colgate University: Moving to online classes. Updates

Cornell University: All classes suspended until April 6, when they will resume with online instruction. Updates.

Hamilton College: Moving to online classes March 30 for two weeks. The situation will be reevaluated in the middle of April. Updates

Hobart and William Smith Colleges: Will move to a remote instruction model beginning March 23. Students have the option to live on campus or return to their homes. Updates

Ithaca College: Switching to online starting March 23 through April 5. Spring break extended a week, and a decision on whether to continue online classes after April 5 will be made. Updates

LeMoyne College: College on spring break. College is extending spring break until March 23, with decision on online to come. Updates

Onondaga Community College: Going online as of March 23. Updates

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital: Classes moving online beginning March 16 through at least March 29. Updates

SUNY Cortland: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse): Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

SUNY Morrisville: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

SUNY Oswego: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

Syracuse University: Moving classes online. Updates

Tompkins Cortland Community College: Classes to go online March 30 after Spring Break. Updates

Utica College: Moving classes online March 23. Updates

Wells College: Extending spring break, with instruction expected to resume on March 23. Faculty and staff are still expected to report. Updates

Upstate New York

Clarkson University: Business as usual. Updates

Finger Lakes Community College: A SUNY school. Going online as of March 19. Updates

Hartwick College: Remote instruction only beginning March 23. Updates

Jefferson Community College: The college is open and classes will run as scheduled through Wednesday, March 18. Classes on March 19 and 20 are cancelled. Classes will resume on March 30, details on distance learning will be forthcoming. Updates

Monroe Community College: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

Nazareth College: Students are on spring break, which has been extended to March 22. Information about alternative delivery and online coursework will be shared from program chairs. Updates

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: The school suspended all in-person instruction and moving to online alternatives until at least March 30. Updates.

Roberts Wesleyan College: The College and Seminary will move face to face classes for traditional and non-traditional students to virtual delivery and distance education effective March 23. Tentative plans to resume face to face classes the week of April 13 following Easter break. Updates

Rochester Institute of Technology: Spring break is extended through March 22. Starting March 23, the campus will be open, but in-person classes will move to alternative delivery. Updates.

Skidmore College: Students are on spring break this week, and theyve been told that their break is being extended a week. The school is moving to remote learning on March 23 through the remainder of the semester. Updates.

St. Bonaventure: Classes continuing on campus as this time. Updates

St. John Fisher College: classes will be suspended from Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 22. Classes will resume in an online format on Monday, March 23. Updates

SUNY Albany: School closed March 12 after student came down with coronavirus. At the end of Spring Break, all classes will be offered remotely until further notice. Updates.

SUNY Binghamton: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

SUNY Brockport: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Brockport hosting SUNY students who are under quarantine. Updates

SUNY Buffalo Part of SUNY: Going online as of March 19. Updates.

SUNY Broome Community College: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

SUNY Fredonia: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates.

SUNY Geneseo: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates.

SUNY Polytechnic: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates

University at Buffalo: Part of SUNY. Going online as of March 19. Updates.

Union College: One staff member has a confirmed case of COVID-19. Spring term will begin on March 30, as scheduled, with all instruction delivered remotely through at least April 10. A decision about whether remote instruction will continue after April 10 will be shared by April 6. Updates.

University of Rochester: Classes are moving to online starting March 18. Updates

***

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Garda bosses are examining how police forces abroad are dealing with enforcing Covid-19 public health directions, but do not anticipate arresting people who gather in groups.

Garda HQ has asked the attorney general for legal clarification around powers of arrest in relation to people diagnosed as positive for the virus but not obeying quarantine.

It is thought this might involve adding Covid-19 to the list of infectious diseases under the 1947 Health Act, but sources expect this will only be relevant for a small number of people.

In relation to policing current crimes and offences, Garda commissioner Drew Harris did suggest a possible reduction in arrests, saying that while there is no ban on arrests, if gardai judged alternative options  such as fines and cautions  were appropriate, they could be used instead.

The Garda chief said detective work will continue, as will operations targeting organised crime, elements of which, he said, could seek to exploit peoples fears through fraud.

The commissioner announced an increase in garda patrols in communities and on the streets to provide reassurance to people, assisted by the hiring of an additional 210 vehicles.

Amid conflicting reports  including written orders from Garda commanders directing patrols at supermarkets and chemists  the commissioner said the increase in patrols was general and not aimed at supermarkets.

He said such patrols primarily deal with traffic flows and provide reassurance to people and businesses. He had no other particular concerns with supermarkets, such as looting, but told shoppers they need to remain calm and that there is no issue with food supplies.

Mr Harris announced that around 325 student gardai will be attested as members next week and allocated to garda stations. A new 12-hour roster will replace the 10-hour roster, and there will be restrictions on holidays.

He was asked if there were plans to ramp up measures, given the methods adopted by police abroad, including Italy.

We are learning from experience in Europe, we have the policing issues of the day, but we are also planning, looking forward to what has been seen in other European countries.

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Thats not to say that every country follows the exact same pattern of others  one message is as a society, as a community, its far better to work together  follow HSE advice.

Asked if he envisaged arrests of people congregating in public, Mr Harris said: There are no plans at this stage. We are looking to society to effectively be responsible, so its not anticipated  nor even being considered  that we would be arresting people in mass gatherings, no.

He accepted the attestation of student gardai, some of whom have done just two months training, is not perfect, but said they would not be on their own, but accompanied by tutor gardai.
A Louisiana man has been sentenced to 46 years in prison following the 2019 murder of a Beaumont woman.

Dion Lenoire, 37, was found guilty Friday of murder, according to information from the District Attorneys Office.
LEIDEN, The Netherlands, March 12, 2020 / B3C newswire / -- Toxys is an innovative Dutch biotech company that develops unique animal-free laboratory tests for the safety assessment of novel medicines, chemicals, cosmetics and food. Today, Toxys announces a 2 million funding round from KIKK Capital, InnovationQuarter, Zeeland Investment fund, Toxys management and Rabobank.

This investment is being made to advance Toxys ambition to become the global leading supplier of expert mechanistic in vitro chemical safety testing services. These services provide animal-free safety testing of novel medicines, chemicals and consumer products. The patented ToxTracker assay can identify toxic and carcinogenic properties of novel pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fine chemicals already at an early stage of drug/product development. ToxTracker can prevent the unnecessary rejections of highly valuable drug candidates and products, reduce drug/product development time lines and can prevent unnecessary animal testing. ToxTracker has the unique ability to identify the mode-of-action of toxic compounds which significantly improves the ability to predict and reduce risks for human health. ToxTracker is currently under review by the international authorities for official acceptance and inclusion of the test systems within the standard regulatory safety test strategy. Furthermore, with its soon-to-be launched novel ReproTracker test, Toxys aims to fill a large unmet need for an in vitro embryo toxicity test.

With this new financial investment, Toxys is enabled to accelerate the growth of the company by expanding its operations in Europe and the United States. Toxys will also further broaden its portfolio of unique in vitro toxicology assays, speed-up international growth and work in acceptance and implementation of its toxicology assays for regulatory applications.

Giel Hendriks, CEO of Toxys, commented: We have made important progress on development of innovative animal-free tests for drug and chemical safety testing. I am very proud of the strong and dedicated Toxys team to execute our plans to become a trusted expert in toxicological research. With this new investment, we are ready to further expand our business globally and continue to work on the development of novel solutions for toxicological research.

Johan Sebregts, Investment manager KIKK Capital: As a board member I have seen Toxys grow to a successful and profitable biotech company with a growing global client base. Now the first product of Toxys, ToxTracker, has proven itself in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry its time for further international expansion and the market introduction of some exiting new products. KIKK Capital is looking forward to support the developments of Toxys and is convinced that with the investment Toxys will be able to realize its full international potential.

About Toxys

Toxys is a Dutch biotech company that offers a broad spectrum of innovative in vitro toxicology solutions. Toxys was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from the Leiden University Medical Center and has its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities located at the Leiden BioScience Park. We are experts in the field of genetic and developmental toxicology with a focus on Mode-of-Action. We are dedicated to bringing relevant information to our clients on potential human health hazards of novel and existing drugs, chemicals and other substances. Toxys is currently working with 7 of the Top10 global Pharma companies and several major chemical, cosmetics and food multinationals.

About KIKK Capital

KIKK Capital invests in young companies that have developed and recently launched a new product, process or service. The shareholders and fund management invest not only with capital, but also by providing knowledge, skills and network connections. All its shareholders have their own body of expertise gained from holding leading positions in national and international businesses. KIKK Capital remains actively involved in its participations and holds itself to shared responsibility for the success of every company.

About InnovationQuarter

InnovationQuarter is the regional economic development agency for West Holland. InnovationQuarter finances innovative and fast-growing companies, assists international companies in establishing their businesses in West Holland, and facilitates (international) collaboration between innovative entrepreneurs, knowledge institutes and government. In this way, and in cooperation with the business community, InnovationQuarter supports the development of West Holland to become one of the most innovative regions in Europe.

Contact

Giel Hendriks

CEO

+31 71 3322474

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Media Contact

Paula van Rossum

CBO

+31 71 3322470

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Keywords: Humans; Carcinogens; Chemical Safety; Cosmetics; Carcinogenesis; Industry; Food Industry; DNA Damage; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Mutagenicity Tests; Biotechnology

Published by B3C newswire and shared through Newronic


Many election judges are retired seniors, a group of people who are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. To that end, Scalzitti said his office was conducting two additional training classes for election judges on Friday, after using social media to seek more of them. That effort targeted 18- to 24-year-olds. The lure: a $200 stipend.
Coronavirus in India: The poultry industry held a meeting in press club of Hyderabad and asked the government of Telangana to do something against the fake news and rumours, and save small poultry farmers.

If you eat chicken or mutton for that matter any non-veg, you will get infected by Corona virus, said a rumour doing round the internet. Many in Telugu states believe it and stopped buying chicken. 10 days ago a kilo chicken in Telangana was 150 now it was down to 40 rupees. In many parts of Andhra Pradesh, it is being sold at the price of 10 rupees only. Many stopped eating non-veg, even the Hyderabadi biryani too. Two and half kg of chiken in many parts of hyderabad is sold for Rs 100 only.

People are not consuming chicken as a rumour is doing round the internet that corona is spreading by consumption of chicken.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: How to make hand sanitizers at home?

Kodanda Reddy , Congress Telangana Kisan Cell incharge, said even if the rumors are spreading, the government cannot do anything. Its sad state of affairs. Corona proved death knell to the poultry industry in Telangana and the government should save the farmers and small merchants.

The poultry industry held a meeting in press club of hyderabad and asked the government of Telangana to save atleast small poultry farmers. Sri Ram, telangana poultry federation member told NewsX, if the government does not help , the only option before them is suicides. since the chicken rate in the city fell from 150 to 40 rupees. at the poultries the chicken are given for free of cost . the price of an egg down to two rupees from 5 rupees due to rumours in social media. the government should announce minimum support price for poultry products and andother member of federation Venkat Reddy said its very expensive to grow chicken but we are forced to sell them at lower prices.

we cannot even get our investments now. there is no option but to sell since the chicken will die after some days and eggs will be damaged. the government should save the poultry industry.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan says players, spectators health first

Andhra is the second highest producer of eggs in the nation it produces 3.5 crores of eggs per day . and Telangana is one of the higest chicken producing states of the country. now both states are bleeding due to corona virus rumours . the government of Telangana held one chicken mela to alleviate fears from peoples minds but it was of no use .

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Elections officials said they are planning to report to their assigned polling locations on Tuesday, prepared with wipes and gloves. Read more

This story was produced as part of a joint effort among Spotlight PA, LNP Media Group, PennLive, PA Post, and WITF to cover how Pennsylvania state government is responding to the coronavirus.

HARRISBURG  Despite concerns over the coronavirus, a special election in Bucks County will go on as planned Tuesday, a top state House official has announced.

Both Gov. Tom Wolf and local officials had called for the special election in the 18th House District to be postponed, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the county rose to three. On Saturday, Wolf expanded a voluntary shutdown of nonessential businesses to the area.

We are concerned with both being able to staff that election as well as peoples comfort with being able to come out and vote, given the situation and the social distancing recommendations," Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, chair of the Board of Bucks County Commissioners, said Saturday.

But in a statement, House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) said the Bucks County special election as well as two others  one in Westmoreland County and the other in a district that includes parts of Butler and Mercer Counties  would go on as planned.

The impact of the COVID-19 virus is being felt by all of us, and I applaud the statewide efforts to practice social distancing and increased disinfecting in public spaces, Turzai said in a statement Saturday. "These same practices will be in place on election day, but they do not require the rescheduling of the special elections. When you consider that absentee ballots have already been applied for and returned, these elections are already underway.

Turzai said he consulted with the House parliamentarian, who expressed concerns about increased confusion for voters and disenfranchising absentee voters, including members of the military, who would have to reapply for absentee status. The parliamentarian also said its unclear if Turzai has the authority to schedule a new election under these circumstances.

The race in Bucks County is a key one for Democrats hoping to flip the GOP-controlled House this fall. Republican K.C. Tomlinson and Democrat Harold Hayes are vying to replace Gene DiGirolamo, a moderate who resigned to become a county commissioner.

The elections in Western Pennsylvania were called to fill vacancies in the state House left by members who won judgeships.

While all voters are able to request a mail-in ballot for the April primary, that option was not available for these special elections. County officials said Friday they are planning to report to their assigned polling locations prepared with wipes and gloves.

Id like to say we could put everybody in a bubble and protect everybody, but Im not sure thats possible, said Jeffrey Greenburg, the director of elections for Mercer County.

Counties will take special precautions due to the coronavirus, the elections officials said. These policies include asking voters in districts with paper ballots to bring their own pens, as well as providing poll workers with gloves and sanitizing wipes to clean the machines and scanners after use. Officials are also encouraging voters to follow the Department of Healths guidelines like washing their hands after leaving polling locations.

Andy Harkulich, chair of the Mercer County Democrats, said Friday he thinks COVID-19 will affect turnout.

Im sure the numbers will be down, he said. What were going through, you cant complain about. This thing thats going on is pretty serious.

In Westmoreland County, director of elections Beth Lechman said she expects turnout to drop by about 7% compared with previous special elections, down to around 10% total turnout.

But in Bucks County, chief clerk of elections Gail Humphrey said she is expecting higher turnout for a special election because of the seat were replacing and because of what seems to be the changing political climate in the area.

As of Friday morning, Humphrey said she had only discussed with state officials how the county can address safety concerns for the April 28 primary.

Were just trying to get through this special election, Greenburg in Mercer County said. Then, theres a lot of big conversations occurring at the state level as we approach the presidential primary.

Inquirer staff writer Chris Brennan contributed to this article.

Spotlight PA receives funding from nonprofit institutions and readers like you who are committed to investigative journalism that gets results. Give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate.
OAKLAND (BCN)

The Diocese of Oakland announced Friday that Catholics are dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass effective immediately and until further notice.

The announcement by Bishop Michael C. Barber was made because of "the heightened concern for the well-being of all our people in light of the coronavirus, especially the elderly."

Schools in the diocese will be dismissed for two weeks starting Wednesday and are scheduled to resume normal operations on April 1.

The Lumen Christi Academies will begin a long-term dismissal starting Tuesday and lasting through at least April 3.

Adjustments will be made as deemed necessary, officials said.

As of Friday, no faculty, staff or students in the diocesan schools has tested positive for COVID-19.

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.
KIGALI  Rwanda on Saturday, March 14, 2020 announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus.

According to the Ministry of Health, an Indian citizen who arrived from Mumbai, India, on March 8, tested positive of COVID-19.

This is the second case in East Africa, after Kenya recorded the first case on Friday.

Democratic Republic of Congo also confirmed one coronavirus case early last this weekputting Uganda on red alert.

Rwandas Ministry of Health says the patient had no symptoms of the virus on arrival in Rwanda and reported himself to a health facility on March 13 where he was immediately tested.

He is under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the Ministry tweeted, adding that the tracing of all his contacts has been conducted for further management.

The Ministry urged all residents in the country to continue to observe all instructions from health authorities, particularly washing hands regularly, avoiding large gatherings, and reporting any symptoms by calling the toll-free number 114.

Related
A Qantas Airbus A380. TIM WIMBORNE/Reuters

The steep drop in travel caused some airlines to move up retirement dates for aging aircraft.

Older aircraft are on the chopping block as airlines turn to newer ones like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 XWB.

The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 are quickly vanishing due to their size and cost to operate.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Aircraft are quickly becoming COVID-19 casualties.

As Boeing and Airbus continue to roll out new aircraft, airlines the world over have embarked on fleet renewal projects that will see aging aircraft being retired in favor of more efficient birds. The past few years, especially, have seen the gradual retirement of iconic quad-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 from global airline fleets and more orders for twin-engine aircraft.

Both companies are largely stopping production on such aircraft to focus on the next-generation planes being adopted by airlines, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 XWB, and Boeing 777X. Aging twin-engine aircraft are also on the chopping block, with airlines seeking to clean house with newer types that provide better experiences for their passengers and relief for their bottom lines.

While some airlines had planned to slowly phase out these older aircraft over the next few years, the reduction in demand caused by the global spread of COVID-19 has accelerated some of the retirements meaning more iconic aircraft will be permanently grounded sooner than originally expected.

Using the coronavirus-related downturn as a catalyst for aircraft retirement isn't new for the industry as airlines typically use periods of low demand to restructure their fleets around newer aircraft, as seen with the post-9/11 period that saw a similar reduction in air travel," according to The Points Guy.

Take a look at some of the aircraft being eyed by airlines for early retirement as the novel coronavirus continues to hinder demand for air travel around the world.

Story continues

An American Airlines Boeing 757-200 aircraft. AP

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American Airlines' Boeing 767-300ER

An American Airlines Boeing 767-300ER. Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

American Airlines will also be speeding up the retirement of its aging Boeing 767-300ER wide-body aircraft. With only 16 left in its fleet, according to planespotters.net, the Boeing 767 was retired in April.

Newer wide-body aircraft in American's fleet including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will take the place of the 767, offering similar capacity, greater range and efficiency, and a slew of modern passenger-friendly features. In addition to select domestic routes, American's 767s can be seen flying routes to Europe and South America from the airline's hubs east of the Mississippi River.

American retired its Boeing 767-200s in mid-2014, using them for transcontinental service between New York and the California cities of New York and Los Angeles. The larger 767-300ER variant has been used by the airline to start transatlantic flights to cities such as Dubrovnik, Croatia.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' Boeing 747-400

A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400. Louis Nastro/Reuters

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines advanced the retirement of its Boeing 747-400 fleet to the end of March, according to De Telegraaf. Plans for the Dutch flag carrier to say goodbye to the aircraft initially called for a January 2021 retirement date but the reduction in demand from the spread of COVID-19 made it possible for an early finish date.

With only seven of the type left in its fleet, according to planespotters.net, the aircraft will give way to the more efficient twin-engine aircraft comprising KLM's fleet including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777 aircraft. The newest arrival in the airline's fleet is the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, replacing the 747 on key routes including Amsterdam-New York.

KLM operated two types of the Boeing 747, the 747-400 and 747-400M. The former is a standard Boeing 747 in an all-passenger configuration while the latter was a mixed-use passenger and cargo aircraft, referred to as the "747 Combi."

The Boeing 747-400 is being retired from fleets across the globe, with Qantas aiming to retire its Boeing 747s within the year and British Airways within the next few years. US airlines Delta and United both retired their Boeing 747 fleets in the past three years.

Virgin Atlantic Airways' Airbus A340-600

REUTERS/Louis Nastro

Virgin Atlantic moved forward the retirement of its Airbus A340-600 fleet, originally scheduled for May. The quad-engine aircraft was planned to be retired by the airline last year until issues with the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner and its Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines forced Virgin to hold off on retirement and even resurrect some previously-grounded aircraft.

Retiring the last of its A340 fleet in March, the airline said goodbye to one of its most iconic aircraft that is continuing to disappear from the world's skies. Few other carriers, mainly in Europe, still operate the aircraft.

Virgin's fleet renewal began with the arrival of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, continuing it with the purchase of the Airbus A350-1000 XWB and A330-900neo.

Delta Air Lines' McDonnell Douglas MD-88/MD-90

A Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-90. Tami Chappell/Reuters

Delta flew its final flights with McDonnell Douglas aircraft on June 2, with the fleet flying their final flights home to Atlanta from cities across the East Coast and Midwest. The iconic T-tailed aircraft has largely been retired by US airlines such as Allegiant Air and most notably, American Airlines, in recent years, leaving Delta as the only airline to operate it.

The near-identical MD-88 and MD-90 primarily operate on domestic routes from Delta's Atlanta hub with not much international usage outside of North America. The aircraft features a unique 3-2 configuration not commonly found on modern airliners.

The aircraft are to be replaced by Delta's Airbus A320 family aircraft as well as the Airbus A220 series.

The Airbus A380

An Airbus A380 aircraft. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

The Airbus A380 may be the largest casualty of the coronavirus-lead airline industry downturn as numerous airlines have grounded Airbus A380s to account for reduced demand for travel. Lufthansa was the first to announce it would be grounding its Airbus A380s, according to Aero Telegraph, used primarily for intercontinental routes to North America and Asia, due to the reduction in demand.

Korean Air followed Lufthansa's lead, grounding its entire Airbus A380 fleet in March, Forbes reported.

Qantas elected to ground most of its Airbus A380 fleet during the pandemic but has been slowly reactivating the fleet, according to Bloomberg. The double-decker aircraft primarily flew to Los Angeles; London, UK; Singapore; and Dallas.

Malaysia Airlines has most recently been looking to sell its Airbus A380 fleet, according to Reuters.

"We are cognizant of the challenges to sell this aeroplane, but we are still looking at ways and means to dispose of our 380 fleet," Izham Ismail, Malaysia Airlines Group's chief executive officer, said, per Reuters. "At the moment, the management is convinced that the 380 doesn't fit the future plan."

Etihad's CEO, Tony Douglas, said in March that the Middle Eastern airline will "very likely" not resume operations with the Airbus A380.

The loss of the A380 also means the loss of the ultra-premium cabin known as "The Residence," where passengers can pay upwards of $20,000 for a flying apartment. A ticket for The Residence also came with butler and chauffeur service, as well as access to exclusive airport lounges.

Airlines have been opting not to continue with the Airbus A380 as the bulky plane has been overtaken by twin-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 XWB.

Airbus is ceasing production on the aircraft in the next year, trucking its last A380 fuselage to the main assembly facility in Toulouse, France in June.

Qantas' Boeing 747-400

A Qantas Boeing 747. James D. Morgan/Getty

After a final farewell tour over Australia, Qantas has retired its Boeing 747-400 fleet, the airline reported. The aircraft were initially parked while Australia's flag carrier rode out the downtown caused by COVID-19 but it became clear with Australia's borders scheduled to remain closed until 2021, at the earliest, that Qantas would no longer need the jets.

The aircraft were scheduled for final retirement at the end of 2020 as the airline completes a fleet renewal focused on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A380. The Australian Queen of the Skies, once a staple of transpacific travel between Australia and the US, has slowly been replaced on routes to North America over the past few years.

The retirement ends a near-50-year run of the Australian Queen of the Skies with the jet helping connect Australia with the furthest reaches of the world easier than ever before at the time of its inauguration.

Air Transat's Airbus A310

An Air Transat Airbus A310. Soos Jozsef / Shutterstock.com

Air Transat confirmed to Business Insider that the Airbus A310 was retired earlier than planned in March. The A310 is one of the first wide-body aircraft to be produced by Europe's Airbus. Canada's Air Transat is the only passenger airline in North America to still operate it.

As one of the oldest airliners still flying, the A310 has acquired a following and was sought after for aviation enthusiasts looking to get a glimpse into aviation's past. Air Transat used the plane for intra-Canada hops as well as transatlantic services to Europe.

American Airlines' Airbus A330-300

An American Airlines Airbus A330-300. Soos Jozsef / Shutterstock.com

The Airbus A330 joined American's fleet in 2013 as part of a merger with US Airways, which operated the type for transatlantic flights from its East Coast hubs and limited domestic service.

American kept on the tradition after the merger finalized, stationing the jets in Charlotte and Philadelphia where they flew to international destinations such as Dublin, London, and Munich, and domestic destinations including Orlando, Honolulu, and San Juan.

While US Airways had planned to take on the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, a next step up from the A330, American favored Boeing for its wide-body fleet and canceled the order. With the latest retirement, Delta Air Lines becomes the only US carrier to operate the A330-300.

American still operates the A330-200 but plans to retire the type as well.

American Airlines' Embraer E190

An American Airlines Embraer E190. Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock.com

Another aircraft received as part of its merger with US Airways, the Embraer E190 operated short and medium-haul routes for American. The quasi-regional jet was primarily based in Philadelphia flying as far as Texas and Grand Cayman but could also be commonly found flying shuttle flights between New York, Boston, and Washington, DC.

American was only one of two US airlines to operate the Embraer jet at the time of its retirement, leaving JetBlue Airways as the only US operator of the type. JetBlue also plans to retire the type in favor of the Airbus A220 but David Neeleman's new airline Breeze Airways intends to launch with the type as it awaits its A220 flagship.

American Airlines' Bombardier CRJ200

An American Airlines Bombardier CRJ200. Colin A Pierce / Shutterstock.com

One of the smallest aircraft in American's regional fleet, the Bombardier CRJ200 was a short-haul workhorse based at the airline's East Coast bases including Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. American didn't directly operate the jet, leaving that to its regional partners and subsidiaries including PSA Airlines, Air Wisconsin, and SkyWest Airlines.

United Airlines and Delta Air Lines continue to operate the plane with American shifting focusing on the Embraer ERJ family aircraft for its regional operations.

Virgin Atlantic Airways' Boeing 747-400

A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400. Louis Nastro/Reuters

Virgin Atlantic is advancing its fleet renewal plans amid the pandemic with the retirement of the Boeing 747-400 from its fleet, according to a May 5 announcement. One of its most iconic aircraft, the 747 primarily flew leisure routes from the airline's hub at London's Gatwick Airport, Manchester Airport, Glasgow Airport, and Belfast Airport, with Orlando being a favorite destination.

The 747 was Virgin's first plane, operating flights between London and Newark in the 1980s. The past few years, however, have seen a shift by the airline to fuel-efficient twin-engine jets such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-1000 XWB, with the Airbus A330-900neo expected to join the fleet next.

Like most aircraft in the Virgin fleet, the iconic Jumbo Jet featured a bar in its nose where Upper Class passengers could have a drink and socialize.

Air Canada's Embraer E190

An Air Canada Embraer E190. Ryan Fletcher / Shutterstock.com

Air Canada announced the retirement of its Embraer E190 fleet as part of a plan to part ways with nearly 80 older aircraft, also including some Boeing 767s and Airbus A319s. The 97-seat jet was amongst the smallest in the Canadian flag carrier's mainline fleet, offering limited domestic and transborder services.

The move comes as American Airlines also announced the retirement of its Embraer E190 fleet, leaving JetBlue Airways as the undisputed primary carrier of the type. Largely replacing the Embraer E190 is the Airbus A220, a next-generation aircraft that Air Canada took delivery of in January.

Delta Air Lines' Boeing 777-200

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200. James D. Morgan/Getty

Delta Air Lines is parting ways with its Boeing 777-200 aircraft, a small subset of its fleet that consisted of only 18 aircraft. After the Boeing 747-400 was retired from Delta's fleet, the 777 assumed the role as the carrier's largest aircraft in terms of capacity and held nearly 300 passengers.

Assigned to Delta's longest routes, the Boeing wide-body could be found flying between Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia, and New York and Mumbai, India. The Airbus A350-900 XWB and Airbus A330-900neo will now take the 777's place as the airline's largest jets, offering a degree of fuel-efficient comfort that the aging Boeing jets could not.

Delta stated that the jets will be retired by the end of 2020 and they'll join the airline's McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 series aircraft that are scheduled to be retired on June 2. American Airlines and United Airlines will continue flying the 777 as the only two US passenger airlines to do so.

Delta Air Lines' Boeing 737-700

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-700. Markus Mainka/Shutterstock.com

Delta retired one of its smallest Boeing jets, the 737-700, in September as part of a fleet renewal that also saw the retirement of the Boeing 777 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80.

The Atlanta-based sub fleet of aircraft primarily flew short-haul routes domestic, Central American, and Caribbean destinations, according to Cirium data. Flights between Atlanta and Key West, Florida also relied on the aircraft due to its performance capabilities on Key West International Airport's short runway.

Replacing the 737-700 is the Airbus A220 family of aircraft, among the newest arrivals at Delta in recent years.

Air France's Airbus A380

An Air France Airbus A380. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Air France announced the immediate retirement of its Airbus A380 fleet in May, citing a fleet renewal that will see the airline shift focus to the smaller twin-engine aircraft in its fleet. Replacing the A380 will be some of the newer next-generation entrants to Air France's fleet including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-900 XWB, the latter of which Air France took first delivery in September 2019.

Seating over 500 passengers, according to SeatGuru, the double-decker jet flew to some of Air France's most popular destinations and was a frequent visitor to US cities including New York, Washington, and Los Angeles. Air France took delivery of its first A380 in 2009, according to planespotters.net, and only acquired 10 of the type, making the group one of the smallest sub-fleets at the flag carriers.

More and more airlines are beginning to part ways with their Airbus A380s as newer, smaller jets can fly more efficiently than the four-engine behemoth but Air France was the first to announce the expedited retirement of an entire fleet due to lack of demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Airbus delivered the first A380 to what is likely the last new customer for the model back in March 2019 with All Nippon Airways acquiring the aircraft for use on the popular Tokyo-Honolulu route.

British Airways' Boeing 747-400

A British Airways Boeing 747-400. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

British Airways is ending its 50-year relationship flying the Boeing 747 that started in 1970 when the airline's precursor, the British Overseas Aircraft Corporation, purchased its first model, according to the New York Times. The British Queen of the Skies was an iconic staple of the British Airways fleet and one of its most well-known aircraft after the Concorde.

The Jumbo Jet primarily served destinations in the US towards the end of its service and was a mainstay on the New York-London route, which BOAC and later British Airways had been serving with the 747 since 1971, according to the airline. The enormous passenger cabin allowed British Airways to offer expansive business class and first class cabins on the aircraft, earning billions in revenue on just the New York route alone.

Replacing the 747 at the airline are the newly-delivered next-generation twin-engine jets from Airbus and Boeing including the A350-1000 XWB and Boeing 787 Dreamliner family. British Airways will also be receiving the new Boeing 777X in the next few years.

British Airways' Airbus A318

Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

British Airways also retired the Airbus A318, a short-haul aircraft that served a surprisingly long route in the airline's network. The airline's most iconic aircraft since the Concorde flew between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and London's City Airport from 2009 to 2020.

The business traveler shuttle ferried flyers between the financial centers of New York and London in the height of luxury. An all-business class cabin of only 32 seats, all of them fully lie-flat, was used for maximum exclusivity.

Flight numbers BA1/2, formerly assigned to the iconic Concorde, were used to show just how important the route was to British Airways. The New York to London leg was non-stop while flights in the opposite direction required a fuel stop in Shannon, Ireland, where passengers also cleared US Customs and Border Protection.

Insider toured the aircraft just days before the pandemic forced the airline to suspend the service and take the aircraft off the route.

Etihad's Boeing 777-300ER

An Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER. KITTIKUN YOKSAP/Shutterstock.com

Etihad is also retiring its Boeing 777-300ER fleet as part of a fleet renewal that will focus on next-generation aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.

"You will see of us a very focused, a very disciplined operating model which is heavily built around the fleet of the 787 Dreamliner and A350-1000," Reuters reported CEO Tony Douglas as saying.

The Boeing 777-300ER served some of Etihad's furthest destinations including Los Angeles; Melbourne, Australia; and Chicago.

Virgin Australia's Boeing 777-300ER

A Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 777-300ER parked at Los Angeles International Airport. Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Virgin Australia retired its Boeing 777-300ER in 2020 during a restructuring that saw it shift to domestic flying, according to Executive Traveller. Australia has been incredibly restrictive of international travel, and the long-haul aircraft proved too large for domestic operations.

Boeing's former largest twin-engine passenger jet flew to cities like Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Virgin Australia's Airbus A330-200

A Virgin Australia Airbus A330-200. Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock.com

Virgin Australia also retired its Airbus A330-200 fleet of wide-body aircraft during the restructuring. The aircraft primarily flew transcontinental flights across Australia and some international routes to destinations like Hong Kong.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Watch: We decoded the symbols used to protest the military coup in Myanmar
Release of the Final EIS and issue of Preliminary Determination for Water Rights Change of Use mark further key steps towards receiving a Record of Decision (ROD)

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Mont., March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandfire Resources America Inc. (Sandfire America or the Company TSX.V: SFR and OTCQB: SRAFF) is pleased to advise that it has achieved two key permitting milestones for the Black Butte Copper underground mining project in Montana.



Today, two Montana Government agencies have each issued important components of the overall permitting process for the Black Butte Copper project which are key to the Company receiving a Record of Decision (RoD) for its Mine Operating Permit (MOP).

First is the release of Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MTDEQ). The MTDEQ commenced the EIS in September 2017 and released a Draft EIS in March 2019. Issuance of the Final EIS signals that the MTDEQ, and its independent third-party environmental consultants, have completed all environmental reviews related to Black Butte Copper and all issues raised during the public comment period have been responded to.

Second, the Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (MTDNRC) has issued a Preliminary Determination (PD) in response to the water right owners application to modify their irrigation water rights to include leasing water for mitigation for the Black Butte Copper project. The proposed water right modification maintains water balance in the Sheep Creek drainage area.

The PD will also address the Companys request for a groundwater permit and a high flow water right to capture spring run-off and store in a reservoir, which will provide water to replenish stream flows year-round. The issuance of the PD triggers a comment period for other water rights holders prior to a Final Determination.

The achievement of these key milestones requires the MTDEQ to release a Record of Decision (RoD), whether positive or negative, for Black Butte Coppers MOP after a minimum of 15 days. Issuance of a positive RoD would require the MTDEQ to finalize a bond calculation within 40 days- paving the way for the commencement of construction at Black Butte.

Story continues

In a press release released today, DEQ Director Shaun McGrath stated, The Final EIS represents a thorough evaluation of the potential impacts of this proposed project. Our review was informed not only by the DEQ scientists working on the project, but also by the thousands of comments submitted throughout the process. It was truly an extensive effort and we appreciate the publics interest and participation.

Sandfire Americas CEO and VP of Project Development, Rob Scargill, said: We are delighted to have achieved these key milestones, which represent the culmination of a robust and lengthy permitting process. Together with our team of Montana-based environmental consultants, we have demonstrated that a modern underground mine can be developed and operated while fully protecting the environment and water resources.

Sandfire America Senior Vice President Jerry Zieg, who has managed the permitting process with the MTDEQ and MTDNRC, said: Ive devoted much of my career to bringing our copper discovery at Black Butte 35 years ago to fruition for my hometown and community. I look forward to the day that the state issues its Record of Decision for our mining permit, and I commend the MTDEQ and MTDNRC for their professionalism and hard work.

Bankable Feasibility Study

All the technical studies have now been completed for the Black Butte Project Feasibility Study, which commenced in October 2018. The Company released an updated Mineral Resource in October of 2019 for use as the foundation for the Feasibility Study.

GR Engineering Services, SRK Consulting and others are now completing documentation of the technical sections. Once the RoD is published, the Company can ensure that the designs and financial modelling in the Feasibility Study are consistent with the permit requirements.

Financing

Following a review of financing options by the Non-Executive Independent Directors, the Company entered into to an unsecured loan with our majority shareholder, Sandfire Resources Limited, to provide US$2 million to cover anticipated expenditures through completion of the Feasibility Study. This is in addition to the US$3M borrowed in the fall of 2019. On release of the Feasibility Study, the Board will consider the Companys mid-term and long-term financing options.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Jerry Zieg, Vice President of Exploration for the Company, is a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and has reviewed, verified, and approved the data disclosed and information of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release.

Contact Information:

Sandfire Resources America Inc.

Nancy Schlepp, VP of Communications

Mobile: 406-224-8180

Office: 406-547-3466

Email: nschlepp@sandfireamerica.com

CAUTIONARY NOTE

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this document constitute forward looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding receipt of a RoD, the completion of the BFS, permitting timelines and the Companys plans for advancing the Black Butte Copper Project including financing, anticipated expenditures and expected outcomes. In making these forward-looking statements, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, including that the Company will receive required regulatory approvals, that the Company will continue to be able to access sufficient funding to execute its plans, that the Company's exploration and development activities on the Black Butte Copper Project will not be materially affected by actions of environmental activists or other special interest groups, and that the results of exploration and development activities are consistent with managements expectations. However, the forward-looking statements in this document are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors, including factors relating to the Companys operation as a mineral exploration and development company and the Black Butte Copper Project, that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements, including that results of exploration and development activities will not be consistent with managements expectations, delays in obtaining or inability to obtain required government or other regulatory approvals or financing, interference with the Company's exploration or development activities by environmental activists or other special interest groups, ailure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, the risk of accidents, labor disputes, inclement or hazardous weather conditions, unusual or unexpected geological conditions, ground control problems, earthquakes, flooding and all of the other risks generally associated with the development of mining facilities. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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Speaker Pelosi wouldnt give in to Trumps ransom, so the White House finally agreed to the Democrats coronavirus aid package.

Speaker Pelosi announced in a letter to her colleagues provided to PoliticusUSA:

We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. We take great pride in the leadership of Chairs Lowey, Neal, Pallone, Scott, Peterson and McGovern, all the Committee and Subcommittee Chairs of Jurisdiction and the Rules Committee to craft this landmark legislation to protect families, which contains the priorities and provisions that Leader Schumer and I called for last weekend. We are especially grateful to the staffs of the Committees.

This legislation is about testing, testing, testing. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge.

This legislation takes additional smart, strategic and science-based measures to put Families First:

 For families economic security: we secured paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. We have also secured enhanced Unemployment Insurance, a step that will extend protections to furloughed workers.

 For families food security: we strengthened nutrition security initiatives, including SNAP, student meals, seniors nutrition and food banks. 22 million children rely on free or reduced-price school meals for their food security; we must ensure that they have food to eat.

 For families health security: we increased federal funds for Medicaid to support our local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems, so that they have the resources necessary to combat this crisis.

Trump bailed on an earlier deal on the bill and tried to ransom Democrats into including tax cuts and other political goodies that the president wanted. Pelosi said no, and threatened to pass the bill without Trumps support.

Pelosi won. The White House backed down, and the American people are going to get the help that they need because Democrats are in control of the House.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
The Karnataka government on Saturday issued a statement saying that surveillance and containment measures against the spread of coronavirus have been increased in the state.

"In the wake of coronavirus scare, 104 Arogya Sahayavani (call centre) has reserved 20 lines for receiving calls for COVID-19," read the statement.

It also read that the dedicated seating at the 104 call centre has been increased to 40 and one person form 108 call centre will be responsible for coordinating with the ambulance services.

The statement also read that the government had arranged an orientation for the medical college staff to train them to deal with coronavirus patients.

While six people from the state were reported positive of coronavirus, the Union Ministry of Health, one amongst them was a 76-year-old man from the Kalaburagi region and he died due to co-morbidity.

The state Health Department Commissioner has said that the Telangana government has been notified about the man's death as he was also admitted to a hospital there.

So far, 84 people have been infected with COVID-19 in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Elon Musk dancing at an event at Tesla's Shanghai factory in January.

REUTERS/Aly Song

Tesla Model 3 owners discovered last week the company had quietly downgraded the computer chip inside their vehicles to an older generation.

The discovery sparked outcry and Tesla apologised, saying the outbreak of the coronavirus had slowed its production rate and forced it to ship with the old chip.

This week Tesla executives were hauled in to answer to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nikkei Asian Review reports.

Tesla has offered consumers a free hardware upgrade once production picks back up, but some Model 3 owners say they don't want the upgrade and are considering a class-action lawsuit.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tesla is in big trouble in China.

Model 3 owners in China started to notice two weeks ago that their cars were equipped with an older generation of computer chip, despite being told that the cars would come with the newest chip installed. The news sparked outrage, and Tesla confirmed that it had shipped Model 3s with the old chip.

The company said it had had to ship cars with the outdated chip because the novel coronavirus outbreak had disrupted its supply chain. The company was ordered by the government to shut down its Shanghai Gigafactory at the end of January as part of containment measures, and it re-opened on February 10.

Nikkei Asian Review reports Tesla executives were summoned to explain themselves before China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Tuesday, where they were told to fix the problem.

"The ministry has ordered Tesla to immediately rectify the problem according to related regulations," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, per Nikkei.

Tesla was not immediately available for comment on the meeting when contacted by Business Insider.

Tesla already tried to make peace with affected consumers by offering a free hardware upgrade to give them the new chip once production picks back up. According to Nikkei however this olive branch may not be enough, as some Model 3 owners are forming a class action, with some seeking compensation of three times the vehicles' cost.

Story continues

"Tesla needs to pay for what they have done," one owner told Nikkei.

Tesla's newest chip is purportedly 21 times faster than the older generation that was subbed into the Model 3s, but in a previous statement Tesla also insisted that the swap made "almost no difference" to the driver experience.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Recap: Amazon has already convinced a judge to temporarily halt Microsoft's work on the JEDI contract. Now, the Pentagon is launching a 120-day review of the contract. It's unknown whether this will lead to another bidding war or if Microsoft will keep its $10 billion prize.

The Pentagon has filed court documents indicating that it wants to reconsider the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract as first reported by CNN Business. According to the court documents, the DoD "wishes to reconsider its award decision in response to the other technical challenges presented by AWS."

This is obviously good news for Amazon who aggressively challenged the award in court, claiming that Microsoft won the contract because of political bias from President Trump. The company argued that the President exerted "improper pressure" due to his feud with Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner, Jeff Bezos.

Consequently, Amazon notched an initial victory last month when a judge temporarily halted Microsoft's work on the contract due to Amazon's complaints. The exact reasoning behind the injunction is unknown.

"We look forward to complete, fair, and effective corrective action that fully insulates the re-evaluation from political influence and corrects the many issues affecting the initial flawed award," Amazon said in response to the Pentagon's court filings.

Microsoft also responded saying, "We believe the Department of Defense made the correct decision when they awarded the contract. However, we support their decision to reconsider a small number of factors as it is likely the fastest way to resolve all issues and quickly provide the needed modern technology to people across our armed forces."

Although multiple cloud vendors initially competed for the massive JEDI contract, Amazon was the prohibitive favorite. The company already scored a huge win in 2013, winning a $600 million contract with the Central Intelligence Agency and becoming the sole cloud provider for the United States Intelligence Community. However, it was Microsoft who ended up landing the JEDI contract in a large boost to their Azure portfolio.

The Pentagon requested 120 days to review the contract. Despite Amazon being the primary force behind the reassessment, the DoD doesn't plan to discuss the decision with either Amazon or Microsoft.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland police arrested a woman who is accused of beating a man to death with a clothes iron late Friday on the citys East Side.

Officers found a 65-year-old man dead with trauma to his head about 10:30 p.m. at a home on Woodland Avenue near East 114th Street, police said. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office has not yet ruled on the cause of death.

The medical examiners office will release the mans name once his family has been notified.

Officers arrested a 26-year-old woman at the home, police said. The woman had not been charged with a crime as of Saturday afternoon, according to Cleveland Municipal Court records.

Officers learned the man and woman had been staying together for some time. They were involved in a fight Friday, and the woman used a clothes iron to strike the man in the head several times, police said.

Homicide detectives are investigating the case.

Read more crime stories:

Ohio prisons might refuse inmates exposed to coronavirus in states county jails

MetroHealth, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court identify 325 jail inmates most at-risk of serious illness in event of a coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor to drop 149 low-level charges to keep people with old, outstanding warrants out of the jail

At least one dead after cement truck tips over on van in Cleveland

Grand jury wont charge officers, deputies in deadly shooting outside Wadsworth police department
Felicity Huffman and daughter Georgia Macy donned face masks Friday as they stepped out for a shopping run in Los Angeles.

The duo stopped at International Silks & Woolens in West Hollywood on husband William H Macy's 70th birthday.

The 57-year-old carried a shopping bag as her daughter, 18, toted bags of polyester fiber fill to their car.

Playing it safe: Felicity Huffman, 57, and daughter Georgia Macy, 18, took extra precaution, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, by wearing surgical masks

The mother/daughter tandem took extra precautions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, covering their faces with surgical masks.

Their outing came one day after the one-year anniversary of Huffman's arrest for her involvement in the college admissions scandal.

Huffman kept it casual and comfortable dressed in black leggings and a black jacket over a grey sweatshirt.

She also donned a green beanie cap over her blonde tresses and white sneakers as she carried a big bag of goodies with her right arm.

The mother-daughter tandem went on a shopping excursion on the same day Huffman's husband, William H. Macy celebrated his 70th birthday

Also keeping things casual, Georgia, 18, wore brown pants that came down to about mid-calf with a grey fleece jacket and black leather shoes.

She pulled her blonde locks back into a ponytail while she hauled a couple of purchases in each hand.

But with coronavirus fears seemingly growing by the day, the most visible part of their ensembles were the white masks.

Paying her debt to society: Huffman is still fulfilling her community service as part of her sentence for her role in the college admissions scandal; she and husband William H. Macy are pictured arriving for court in Boston in September 2019

As part of the college admission scandal, Huffman was alleged to have paid $15,000 to a purported charitable contribution in order to have her eldest daughter Sophia's SAT scores increased.

As a result, she ended up spending 11 days of a two week sentence in prison after pleading guilty.

Since being released from Federal Correctional institution in Dublin, California, on October 25, the Transamerica actress has been fulfilling her community service requirements at The Teen Project in Los Angeles.

She also received a one year supervised release and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has announced on March 14 that the country has shut down its land borders to Poland, Norway to foreigners amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus. Moreover, Moscow has already limited its air travel starting from March 16 including flights to and from European Union member states with some exceptions. In addendum to the emergency measures by the Russian Federation, authorities have already issued a temporary ban on issuing visas to Italian nationals except for certain diplomats which came into effect on March 13.

Emergency response centre: Starting 16 March, Russia will limit air travel to and from the EU, Switzerland and Norway, except for regular flights between Moscow and the capital cities and charter flights carrying Russians back home and foreign nationals to their countries  Government of Russia (@GovernmentRF) March 13, 2020

Many countries have resorted to the sealing of borders to contain the spread of COVID-19 including Pakistan, Denmark, Poland, and Czechs as the battle with coronavirus becomes more intense. Currently, Russia has not reported any deaths but has at least 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 while the global death toll has soared to 5,441.

Read - MNS Demands Municipal Polls Be Postponed Because Of Coronavirus; Cancels Gudi Padwa Event

Global pandemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 140 countries, resulting in the deaths of more than 5,400 people worldwide. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom further even urged all nations to get very serious over the issue and take all necessary measures to contain the virus from spreading at this rate. Tedros said, that the word 'Pandemic' cannot be used lightly or carelessly due to its strong connotation.

Read - Saudi Arabia Suspends All International Flights For Two Weeks Amid Coronavirus Scare

However, Tedros also said that the coronavirus outbreak is a "controllable pandemic". According to a statement released by the World Health Organisation, Tedros outlined two main reasons as to why the decision was taken to describe the epidemic as a pandemic. Tedros said that one reason was the speed and scale of transmission and the others was because 'countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it'.

First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has disrupted many lives since December 2019. As per reports, the total number of confirmed cases within China has reportedly hit 80,824 and more than one lakh worldwide. According to reports, the death toll in China has also surpassed 3,100 and the National Health Commission also confirmed more than 11 new cases. The death toll due to the deadly virus across the world also mounted to over 5,400.

Read - Coronavirus: Italian Man Wears Huge Cardboard Disc To Enforce Social Distancing

Read - Coronavirus Cases Rise To 83 In India: Officials

(With agency inputs)
governor Lalji Tandon directed chief minister late Saturday night to seek a trust vote in the Assembly soon after his (governor) address on March 16.

A letter from the governor was sent to the chief minister in this regard around midnight, a Raj Bhawan source told PTI.

"I came to know that 22 MLAs have sent their resignations to the MP Assembly speaker and they have also informed about it on electronic and print media. I have seen the coverage on both media with attention," the letter, dated March 14, said.

"They have also sent the letter to me separately on March 10, 2020 and the same MLAs have requested for security to present these resignation letters to the Vidhan Sabha speaker on March 13," the governor said.

"Under Article 174 and 175(2) of the Constitution, I am empowered to direct that MP Assembly session will begin on March 16 at 11 am with my address. Soon after that the only work to be done is voting on trust vote," he said in the letter.
Fast forward a few years and the more complex, not-so-beginner-level rendition of her dhal can be found at his restaurant, Colombo Social, in Enmore, where shes placed greater faith in his chefs to do justice to her creation. The key is in the tempering and timing  adding onions and mustard seeds at the right moment to charge the lentil stew with flavour. The turmeric-bright dish, topped with deep-fried herbs and chilli for crunch and spice, is a top seller. Its also one of many ways his mother inspires Colombo Social.

When Shaun Christie-David left Australia for the UK, his mum Shiranie gave him a recipe for making dhal. It was, he admits, a highly simplified version. She did not trust me at all or think I had the skills to make it, he says, with a laugh.

Her recipes shape the menu, from her fried eggplant pickle to her mild vegetable curry, but theres also the life she led. She was an early childhood educator and the mural of a white-haired woman on the restaurants wall is, in part, a tribute to her. It also recognises the mother of co-owner Peter Jones-Best, who was a special-needs teacher. But our mothers are extraordinarily humble women whod never want to be featured on a wall, says Christie-David. We call that piece Everyones Amma  everyones mama  with respect to all women who shape mens lives, womens lives, the communitys lives.

Community is a big focus at Colombo Social: the restaurant works with organisations such as Settlement Services International to give Sri Lankan refugees training opportunities. There are presently six asylum seekers working across the venue (with six more on the way). The restaurant setting allows them to integrate into society, practice hospitality skills and strengthen their CVs. You can also help Colombo Social feed refugees through its #plateitforward initiative. Every guest that orders from the table banquet menu will have a meal donated on their behalf to a refugee at Newtowns Asylum Seekers Centre.

The Kandy fried chicken's punch comes from its chilli buttermilk coating and spiced mayonnaise. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Colombo Socials decor is a tribute to its menu, from colourful rows of displayed spices to the stacks of clay pots that refer to how Sri Lankan food is traditionally cooked. The food reflects the countrys diversity, from the Jaffna-style goat curry from Indias north, to seafood dishes evoked by Galle in the south. The restaurants Kandy fried chicken is not only a shout-out to the region, where three staff members are from, its a cheeky reference to KFC, too. The dishs chilli buttermilk coating gets extra punch from a spiced mayonnaise and red and green chillies, while a sweet mango glaze counters the peppery tingle and sharp chilli heat.

If your hands arent already sticky enough from handling the mayo-coated fried chicken, you can up your napkin count with the hot buttered corn three ways: ghee-dressed cobs with burnt garlic, a jumble of popcorn and a sweet corn puree for an extra swipe of flavour. Dont miss the kottu roti, the Sri Lankan street dish that tastes like an Indian stir-fry. The chopped roti threads are thrown on a hot plate like noodles and flavoured with cracked egg, sliced vegetables (carrot, leek, cabbage) and a curry paste. You can add pulled lamb, grilled paneer or Kandy fried chicken, but this charred toss of flavours is great on its own.
CHICO, Calif. - Action News Now Telemundo Reporter Johan Castellanos spoke to a Chico State student who just returned from Italy and is currently quarantined.

On March 1, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) asked U.S. institutions of higher education to "consider postponing or canceling student foreign exchange programs."

RELATED: Chico State students to return from Italy due to coronavirus concerns

Galvan said she was in Italy for two months until Chico State requested students to return. she will take five online classes to finish her study abroad program.

She told Action News Now that she was tested and does not have the coronavirus. As a precaution, Butte County Public Health asked her to self-quarantine for two weeks.

Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Woolworths shoppers have been hit with bad news after the supermarket giant announced toilet paper would no longer be available to order online and pick up.

In an email sent to customers by CEO Brad Banducci, the supermarket chain said it was running low on toilet paper along with other supplies due to panic buying.

Mr Banducci said that due to demand, the highly sought after product 'wont be available for pick up orders for the time being.'

Toilet paper has been stripped from supermarket shelves due to panic buying from shoppers

Woolworths CEO announced toilet paper would no longer be available to order online and pick up

'Limits are now in place on toilet paper, wipes, paper towels, serviettes, rice and some other items,' he said.

'Our toilet paper suppliers continue to work on meeting increased demand, and we're working with some suppliers to prioritise the production of smaller pack sizes, so we can make more packs available to you this week.

'Our team will be happy to see if toilet paper is available in store when you come in to pick up your order.'

The CEO ensured customers that an extra four hours were being put into cleaning every store daily, and staff will alert customers if anyone in store has contracted the disease.

'As a precautionary measure and out of care for everyones wellbeing, we've added an extra 4 hours of proactive deep cleaning in each supermarket every day,' Mr Banducci said.

'If one of our customers or team members is confirmed with COVID-19, well let you know in that store.'

Supermarkets were forced to place limits on toilet paper packs after shoppers started stock piling

Woolworths has also enforced a range of restrictions on products.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

Tissues are limited to just two packs per shop, paper towel, serviettes and wipes are restricted to just one pack, only one pack of toilet paper can be bought and just two bottles of hand sanitiser.

So far 204 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in Australia, with three deaths.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian government will effectively ban 'non essential' public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday - and has warned Australians not to travel overseas.

'We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,' Mr Morrison said.

But Mr Morrison stressed the government's ban only relates to 'non-essential organised gatherings' and doesn't include schools, university lectures or catching public transport.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong (right) presents a gift to Ambassador Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage (Photo: thanhuytphcm.vn)



He made the statement during his reception for new Sri Lanka Ambassador to Vietnam Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage on March 12th.



According to Mr. Phong, at present, there are 10 Sri Lanka projects worth USD1.1 million in the city, ranking 57th among 108 countries and territories investing in the city, and focusing on the textile and garment and rubber sectors.

Appreciating the high potential for tourism cooperation between the two sides, Mr. Phong said that in 2019, Ho Chi Minh city welcomed nearly 11,000 Sri Lanka tourists, an increase of 9.7% in 2018. Therefore, if Ho Chi Minh city and Sri Lanka set up a direct route, it will help increase cooperation in tourism, trade and investment between the two sides, he said.

Sharing the city target in rising to be an economic, financial, scientific, technological and high quality services center of the Southeast Asia, Mr. Phong added that the city is being built into a smart urban city, a regional and international financial center, with a highly interactive and innovative area; therefore, he urged the Sri Lanka Ambassador to introduce Sri Lanka investors to the city.

Chairman Phong urged the ambassador to promote development of cooperation in economics, trade and tourism to benefit both sides.

For his part, Ambassador Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage noted that as this year marks an important event in the two countries relationship, Sri Lanka is planning to organize diverse cultural and economic activities in Vietnam and in Ho Chi Minh city.

He expressed his confidence that there will be an increased number of Sri Lanka tourists to Vietnam. In economics, many Sri Lanka businesses intend to expand production in Vietnam, especially after it signed free trade agreements with countries and regions in the world, he said, adding that this year, Sri Lanka will send more delegations of businesses to Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh city for trade promotion./.
If youre symptomatic, stay out of the workplace, Timmer said. "I get it that its difficult, but I feel like Im standing at the edge of an iceberg, here, and you guys know I tell you like it is. And the stories (about how many people have tested positive for COVID-19) are rampant, but until you test, you dont know.
Today Mar 15

STAGE End Of. sees writer and performer Ash Flanders take a job as a legal transcriptionist. After examining his own life script, he uncovers the source of his poor choices ... his mum. Until Mar 22, today, 6pm, Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre, 189 High Street, Northcote, $28-$35, 8470 8888, darebinarts.com.au

ART Ranging from textiles and weavings to cultural adornments, Kaiela-Dungala is an exploration of country through the lens of the Goulburn Murray (Kaiela Dungala) region of Victoria. Until Apr 19, today, 10am-5pm, Koorie Heritage Trust, Yarra Building, Federation Square, city, free, 8662 6300, koorieheritagetrust.com.au

The Merindas

FILM The Alliance Francaise French Film Festival has a line-up of more than 45 contemporary and classic French films. Highlights include animated drama The Swallows of Kabul and uptight comedy How to Be a Good Wife. Until Apr 8, affrenchfilmfestival.org
Iran slams Trump's 'hypocritical, repulsive' virus aid offer amid US 'medical terrorism'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 13 March 2020 7:54 AM

Iran slams a recent offer by US President Donald Trump to "assist" it to counter the coronavirus outbreak as a repulsive display of hypocrisy amid Washington's sanctions and medical terrorism targeting Tehran.

"Instead of hypocritical displays of compassion and repulsive bragging, you should end your economic and medical terrorism so that medicine and medical supplies can reach medical staff and the Iranian people," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted on Friday.

On Thursday, Trump said that Iran is "facing a tremendous problem" and that US has offered to help the country. "We have the greatest doctors in the world," he said.

Reacting to Trump's remarks, Mousavi said Iran enjoys having "the best, bravest and most component medical staff in the world".

"We do not need American doctors," Mousavi said, adding Washington should instead care for its own people amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mousavi's remarks come as many in the US have voiced concern over Trump's handling of the outbreak in the country.

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is a new respiratory disease first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. The World Health Organization on Wednesday described the outbreak as a pandemic.

Ministry reports 85 new deaths; 3,529 patients recover

According to the latest statistics released by Iran's Health Ministry, the new coronavirus has claimed another 85 lives, bringing to 514 the overall number of deaths in Iran.

"Sadly, 85 people infected with the COVID-19 disease have died in the past 24 hours," ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference on Friday.

"Across the country, at least 1,289 infected people have been added to the list of confirmed patients," said Jahanpour.

"The total number of patients has therefore reached 11,364 cases," he said, adding 3,529 patients have recovered so far.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri said Iran's security forces will empty the streets of its cities in the next 24 hours in a drive to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.

"Our law enforcement and security committees, along with the interior ministry and provincial governors, will be clearing shops, streets and roads ... This will take place in the next 24 hours," he said Friday.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said Washington's unilateral sanctions against Tehran have caused "serious impediments" in Iran's response to the outbreak.

In a letter to the UN secretary general, Zarif called for the unilateral and illegal US sanctions, which have greatly hampered Iran's fight against the coronavirus, to be lifted.

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN office in Geneva Esmaeil Baqaei Hamaneh has also slammed the US sanctions as the main factor targeting the country's health sector's capabilities, urging the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) not to ignore this grave problem.

The US has imposed a series of sweeping sanctions targeting varying sectors of the Iranian economy ever since it withdrew from the Iran 2015 nuclear agreement in May 2018.

The bans deny Iran vital medical aid despite an October 2018 ruling by the International Court of Justice rejecting US sanctions on humanitarian supplies.

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Ungar had been thinking about social distancing, the idea that to keep the virus from spreading we need to stay away from one another. Shed been reflecting on a question: How do we physically distance ourselves without emotional distancing? In this strange and befuddling moment, she thought, we need to recognize that moving away from other people isnt an act of emotional disconnection but the opposite: Its something to do out of a sense of community and compassion for the vulnerable.
(Natural News) America has exploded into a nationwide food stockpiling panic today in the hours after President Trump declared a national emergency in an effort to defeat the coronavirus epidemic now sweeping the country.

We are getting reports from across the country that grocery stores are swamped, even during the late evening hours as people suddenly come to their senses and realize weve all been lied to by the government and the media for the last six weeks.

Day after day, week after week, idiotic radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and propagandist media networks like Fox News and CNN mocked and condemned preppers, insisting that no one needed to buy extra food, water, N95 masks or even sanitizers. In doing so, they transformed America into a nation of complacency and disinformation that has now lead to this very moment where people are starting to panic nationwide.

Big Tech helped make sure the American people were wildly unprepared, setting them up for a panic trap

Big Tech has been part of this too, banning all the honest, accurate voices from the independent media that have been warning people this entire time to start having extra food and other emergency supplies at the ready. For daring to try to help Americans get prepared, we have been condemned, slandered, smeared and de-platformed while Google made sure the wholly discredited, criminally negligent W.H.O. dominated all search results for the coronavirus, ensuring the continued ignorance of the American people about the severity of this global pandemic.

And thats the trifecta of criminal negligence and incompetence: Big Government, Big Tech and Big Media all colluding to make sure the American people are ill-prepared as the coronavirus explodes across the nation, practically guaranteeing a far larger number of infections and deaths than would have been necessary if people had simply been allowed to find Pandemic.news on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Google (weve been banned everywhere, as we are guilty of telling the truth on sensitive matters the evil tech giants dont want people to know).

We could have helped prevent THIS:

Now America is quite literally facing a collapse of the food supply infrastructure

Thanks to all this deliberate sabotage that has been pushed for nearly two months by the same CIA camp that also runs Wikipedia, the US food supply infrastructure is rapidly approaching a state of collapse.

The companies that feed America and provide basic staples are bracing for labor shortages as the coronavirus pandemic intensifies, which could leave them without enough workers to manufacture, deliver and unpack groceries in stores in the coming months, reports the Anchorage Daily News.

Already, some chains are rationing products as shelves empty out of pasta, rice and frozen vegetables and anxious customers wait in long lines for toilet paper and bottled water  in scenes similar to those seen before a hurricane, yet this time unfolding on a national scale.

Its all by design of course. The malicious media and treasonous Tech Giants engineered the very censorship and disinformation campaigns that led to all this. They literally want millions of Americans to die in order to create a crisis that they hope might dislodge Trump from the White House and install their dementia-suffering candidate Joe Biden as the next president.

Thanks to all this deliberate sabotage, censorship and disinformation, heres where we are right now as the virus continues to explode across America on an exponential scale:

In another two weeks, this map will look nearly ten times worse, by the way. Weve already done the math. You can bank on it. Im the author of the pandemic projection model that has now been downloaded thousands of times and tells the shocking story of where we are headed in the USA as coronavirus testing kits are still not in the hands of doctors across the nation. And now Trump says there will be no testing at all for asymptomatic carriers (people who show no symptoms).

The worst liars were given top visibility while the truth tellers were smeared and silenced

Who, exactly, are the purveyors of lies, myths and misinformation across America? People like Dr. Drew, Rush Limbaugh, Mike Pence (who still promises millions of testing kits will appear any day now), the US Surgeon General and countless TV hosts, journalists and talking heads who all assured the nation that the coronavirus was no worse than the flu.

People who prepare are all kooks, they said, and anyone who recommends commonsense preparedness is spreading fear.

And who was telling the truth about the pandemic, many weeks in advance? People like Stefan Molyneaux, Chris Martenson, Michael Snyder, Dave Hodges, Mac Slavo and myself, Mike Adams. Publishers like Zero Hedge, InfoWars, All News Pipeline, Steve Quayle, The Commonsense Show, SHTFplan.com and Natural News told America the truth many weeks in advance, giving people plenty of time to stock up without causing a last-minute panic rush on supplies.

An astonishing 22 days ago, for example, I warned America about exactly what was coming. This message was, of course, banned on YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo and everywhere else for the simple reason that it encouraged people to get prepared instead of staying complacent:

With all the banning, censorship, search engine manipulation by Google (who Trump has now chosen to run the coronavirus testing website, if you can believe that) and other nefarious actions by the tech industry, its now obvious that Big Tech wants millions of people to die from the coronavirus. Its all part of the depopulation agenda, of course, that people like Bill Gates have been pushing for years (right alongside their pandemic outbreak modeling programs and secretive vaccine research schemes).

Its all a conspiracy of evil: Big Government, Big Media, Big Tech all working together to dumb you down, make sure you are unprepared and then get you killed from a biological weapon system that your tax dollars helped finance in the first place, via NIH grants to the death science bioweapons industry.

The death science lunatics who built this weapon are now Trumps advisors

The very same people who built these deadly biological weapons against humanity are now running the Trump administration response to this pandemic, which was caused by an escape of their own deadly weapon in the first place. In other words, the same institutions and corporations that created this devastating threat against humanity are now getting billions of dollars in grants from the Trump administration to manage this pandemic.

Its all too insane to even describe. They use your own tax dollars to murder you while they collect billions to pose as the saviors of humanity.

No wonder more and more people watching all this are rooting for the whole corrupt system to be taken down and stomped out of existence, after which humanity might actually have a chance to survive without being threatened and blackmailed by a true industry of death that rakes in billions of dollars in profits to engineer deadly weapons that now threaten our entire planet.

Perhaps its time for all of us to start thinking about a post-centralized government world where corrupt, incompetent governments are eliminate from the landscape of a pro-human world. Maybe its time to let the whole system tear itself down and then make sure it never rises from the ashes of its own treacherous demise.

Its time to stop thinking that Trump might be the answer to defeat the deep state and, instead, start thinking about how the entire corrupt, incompetent, malicious, anti-human system of government/industry collusion needs to be allowed to self-destruct once and for all. Humanity can never be free (or secure) when these death science lunatics are running the government.

The establishment wants us dead. That much is clear. Maybe its time humanity started to put up a fight instead of surrendering to the globalist agenda of mass suicide and self-destruction.

Listen and learn. The Health Ranger Report is right now saving lives all across our planet with honest, reliable, pro-human information and solutions to help you survive the coronavirus:

If you want to live, read Pandemic.news. If you prefer to commit suicide, keep watching Fox News or MSNBC.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah met his son and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is under detention and the leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday, a day after he was released from seven-month-long detention, but refrained from making any political comment as promised upon his release.

Abdullah was accompanied by his wife Molly Abdullah and daughter Safia Abdullah to Hariniwas in Srinagar, where Omar Abdullah, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, has been detained under the Public Safety Act. PSA was slapped on Omar Abdullah last month after a six- month-long preventive detention beginning August 5 ended.

It was the first face to face meeting between the father and the son since then.

Also Watch | Democracy should be restored: Ghulam Nabi Azad meets Farooq Abdullah

After meeting Omar, Farooq Abdullah drove to his Gupkar residence in the neighbourhood, where he was paid an hour-long visit by the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Azad later addressed media with Farooq on his side and said he had conveyed his anguish to Farooq Abdullah over his detention.

After many years, the Kashmir witnessed worst cold this winter and also keeping in view his health it was wrongdoing on part of the government what they did to him. But nobody can harm any person who is protected by almighty, Azad said.

Azad said leaders should not be caged like parrots.

All political leaders must be released, the political process must begin in J&K, elections must be conducted following the proper procedure, he added.

Abdullah was first placed under detention along with several other Kashmiri leaders, including his son Omar Abdullah and the Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, on August 5 -- the day the Centre revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and bifurcated it into two union territories.

A Lok Sabha MP, Farooq Abdullah has said after his release that he would not make any political statements immediately and he will rather speak for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the parliament. He, however, demanded the immediate release of his son Omar and another former chief minister and the chief of Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti along with other political leaders still under detention.

I am thankful to all the parliamentary members who spoke for our freedom. They spoke for my freedom; they fought for my freedom in Parliament. I will be able to go to Delhi and attend Parliament and speak for the people, he said on Friday.
Daycorey Singleton, 46, was a father of four and grandfather of eight who was always loving, kind and protective of his family.

When it came to his family, his four kids, no matter what our differences were, he always came running, his youngest child, Kaila Singleton, said. He told us how much he loved us.

The 25-year-old wonders if her dads protective nature is part of the reason that her ex-girlfriend, Yushika Taplin, allegedly stabbed him to death Monday at the apartment the father and daughter share in Lindenwold.

The Camden County Prosecutors Office charged Taplin with second-degree manslaughter, saying she called 911 about 10 hours after the killing and confessed.

Im telling you I just killed somebody. Im turning myself in, Taplin said on the call. She told the 911 dispatcher there was a fight and she stabbed him multiple times, according to audio of the call obtained through a public records request.

What Taplin didnt explain in the call is the answer Kaila Singleton is looking for most.

I want to ask her why, she said.

Taplin told police she went to the Singletons apartment around 7 a.m. to collect her possessions and argued with her exs father when she couldnt find her things. There was a "physical confrontation, police wrote in court records, and she is charged with manslaughter in the heat of passion resulting from a reasonable provocation.

But Kaila Singleton said she and Taplin had broken up years before, and Taplin had no property at the apartment. They were on speaking terms and Taplin got angry with her Sunday night, threatening to kill her, Kaila Singleton said. She still doesnt understand why her ex showed up at the apartment the next day.

She came there with an intention to hurt somebody, Kaila Singleton said. And it just happened to be my dad because he was the only one there.

Her father lived in the Lindenwold apartment with her and her son, who will be 2 years old in May. She said its strange not having her dad at home, coming into the room where she sleeps with her son and demanding the little boy Give Pop-Pop a kiss!

He was a funny man, she said. All he did was crack jokes and try to make everybody laugh.

As a younger man he got into trouble and was arrested, but she said he worked to better himself and his life. He worked at J&J Snack Foods in Pennsauken, she said, and liked to help her out with her bills when he could.

She joked that he was a vampire because he had a tendency to stay up all night. If they were hungry, he would cook no matter the hour, she said. Hed make a whole meal, baked chicken and rice and Oodles and Noodles in the middle of the night, she said.

She said he loved the Eagles, old school music and movies, and comics like Spider-Man. She said he was well-read on topics from ancient Greece to philosophy. He had a hard year after losing his own mother in 2019 to cancer, Kaila Singleton said.

I want people to know his family loved him, and Im glad hes with his mom now, she said. He was a loving man and he didnt deserve this.

Taplin is being held in the Camden County jail pending a hearing on whether she should be held in jail while she awaits trial.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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By Debora Moreira and Pedro Fonseca RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with President Donald Trump in the United States less than a week ago, has tested negative for coronavirus, a post on his Facebook page said on Friday. Bolsonaro and a large Brazilian entourage, including cabinet ministers, met with Trump and other senior U.S.

By Debora Moreira and Pedro Fonseca

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with President Donald Trump in the United States less than a week ago, has tested negative for coronavirus, a post on his Facebook page said on Friday.

Bolsonaro and a large Brazilian entourage, including cabinet ministers, met with Trump and other senior U.S. officials last weekend at Mar-a-Lago. One of the party, Bolsonaro's communications secretary Fabio Wajngarten, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and is in quarantine.

"Tests negative for COVID-19 Mr President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro," said the Facebook post, above an old image of Bolsonaro making an obscene local gesture in an apparent response to some media reports that a first test had been positive.

Bolsonaro's son Eduardo tweeted that his test had also come back negative. The results for others in the Brazilian delegation, including Bolsonaro's wife Michelle and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, have not yet been published. However, Bolsonaro's lawyer, Karina Kufa, who was part of the delegation, has tested positive, according to Brazilian daily O Globo.

"Life continues normally, we have many challenges ahead and many problems to solve," Bolsonaro said outside his official residence.

He waved to supporters but said it was better not to shake their hands.

The testing of Bolsonaro and many in his inner circle has changed the president's tone on a virus that he dismissed on Tuesday as largely a "fantasy."

In a stern address to the nation on Thursday evening, Bolsonaro asked his supporters to call off marches planned for the weekend in order to avoid spreading the disease.

Brazil has confirmed 98 cases of the coronavirus, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

Fox News and a local Brazilian newspaper earlier reported Bolsonaro's initial test for coronavirus came back positive.

"He tested negative full stop," Bolsonaro's son Eduardo later told Fox News. He did not directly answer a question as to whether a first test was positive.

Trump said on Thursday he was "not concerned" about having come into contact with Wajngarten.

The U.S. president will not be tested, the White House said, despite his contact with Wajngarten, beside whom he was photographed at a dinner at Mar-a-Lago.

(Reporting by Debora Moreira in Rio de Janeiro, Gabriela Mello in Sao Paulo and Lisa Lambert in Washington, writing by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Dan Grebler and Rosalba O'Brien)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.


One year ago, a gunman attacked two Muslim religious centers in Christchurch, New Zealand killing more than 50 people.

People who knew some of those killed are marking the incidents anniversary.

Aya al-Umari recently visited the Al Noor mosque where part of the attack took place. She looked at the flowers placed there and read messages of support. The flowers were left to honor the victims of the shootings.

Al-Umaris 35-year-old brother Hussein was one of 51 Muslims killed when the gunman opened fire at the citys Al Noor and Linwood mosques. More than 49 people were injured.

We live it day in and day out, she told Reuters outside the mosque.

She said, A year-on anniversary is a great way for us to come together as a community and reflect on the incident that took the lives of many peoplemy brother too.

Signs outside the Al Noor mosque read We may be small, but we are strong and We love you!

Australian Brenton Tarrant faces 92 charges in relation to the attacks, including terrorism and murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty and faces trial in June.

Police deployed to the mosque on Friday after a new threat was reported last week.

Adele Carroll and her husband Des came to the Al Noor mosque to donate a prayer mat and an Islamic clock.

We are all one...it doesnt matter what religion or race you are. We just could not believe this could happen in our country, Carroll said.



Hundreds of people attended a prayer service at a community center in the city. Fewer people than expected attended because of concerns about the coronavirus.

There is a memorial service planned for Sunday, but it is unclear how many people will attend.

One year has passed, but for us, it just feels like yesterday, said Abdul Aziz. He was called a hero by local television and newspapers for trying to stop the shooting.

Taj Mohammad Kamran was shot in the leg. His friend was killed in the attack. He said it has been a difficult year. But today I feel more strong, he said.

Im Jonathan Evans.

The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr.was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words In This Story

mosque n.a place where Muslims pray

reflect v. to consider or think about

plead v.to answer a charge with guilty or not guilty

matn. a small rug
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth, 93, has canceled some public engagements for next week due to the coronavirus outbreak, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

"As a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances, changes are being made to the Queens diary commitments in the coming weeks," a statement said.

The queen has canceled visits to the Camden area of London and to Cheshire in northwest England.

"In consultation with the medical household and government, Her Majestys forthcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden will be rescheduled," the Palace said. "Audiences will continue as usual."

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, and his wife, Camilla, have canceled an upcoming tour of Bosnia, Cyprus and Jordan on British government advice, a spokesman for the royal couple said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Disney will temporarily 'pause production' on a slew of its live-action films as a result of the growing coronavirus threat.

'We have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time,' announced a Disney representative in a statement released Friday.

Although 'there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19' on Disney sets, the halt comes as a result of the company 'considering the current environment and the best interests' of cast and crew.

Projects currently suspended include the live-action The Little Mermaid.

On pause: Disney will temporarily 'pause production' on a slew of its live-action films, including the live action The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey (right), as a result of the growing coronavirus threat

The rep confirmed that Disney will 'continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible.'

Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid, which was scheduled to being production next week, will be one of the many films affected by the sudden production suspension.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Pan & Wendy and Shrunk, the Honey I Shrunk The Kids sequel, 'both in pre-production' will be delayed.

Disney films currently in production, like Ridley Scott's The Last Duel and Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, will shut down until further notice.

Disney already delayed the release date for the highly anticipated live action Mulan film, which had been scheduled to hit theaters on March 27.

Delayed: Disney already delayed the release date for the highly anticipated live action Mulan film, which had been scheduled to hit theaters on March 27

The film's director, Niki Caro, took to Instagram on Thursday to address the postponement.

'We are so excited to share this film with the world, but given the current ever-shifting circumstances we are all experiencing, unfortunately, we have to postpone the worldwide release of,' captioned Caro, who shared a photograph of one of the many Mulan promotional photos plastered around Los Angeles.

Disney has yet to set a new release date for the film.

Emptiest place on earth: The Walt Disney company made a landmark decision on Thursday by announcing the temporary closure of their parks in California and Florida, expected to last through March

The Walt Disney company made a landmark decision on Thursday by announcing the temporary closure of their parks in California and Florida, expected to last through March.

President Donald Trump addressed the nation during a press conference Friday morning where he officially declared coronavirus a 'national emergency.'

The declaration will allow Trump to access $50million in emergency funds and unveil 'drive-thru testing' for the virus at Walmart, Target, and CVS parking lots across the nation.
File image

Philippine officials on March 14 announced a night curfew in the capital and said millions of people in the densely populated region should leave their homes during the daytime only for work or urgent errands under restrictions imposed to fight the coronavirus.

Drastic steps announced by President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday sparked widespread confusion and questions, prompting officials on Saturday to detail the measures and issue guidelines for the monthlong restrictions in Manila that will take effect on Sunday.

The measures involve suspending domestic travel by land, air and sea to and from the capital region, home to more than 12 million people. Large gatherings like concerts and movies will be prohibited and most government work in executive department offices will be suspended in the metropolis. Suspensions of school classes at all levels were extended by a month.

A copy of the guidelines said the movement of people in the metropolis "shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work."

"If you'll go to work, go. If you need to go out for medical treatment, go. If you'll buy food, go, but other than that, stay home," Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano told a news conference. "We should practice social distancing."

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

Philippine health officials reported 34 new cases of coronavirus infections Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 98. Eight of the patients have died.

While the virus can be deadly, particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems, for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover.

Ano said the 8 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew, which was not among the restrictions announced by Duterte, would apply to nonessential trips and leisure gatherings like parties, family reunions and concerts. Stressing the urgency of the move, he cited the case of Italy, where he said the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths alarmingly spiked because effective containment steps were not put in place early.

Ano warned that infections may exponentially increase to several thousands in five months in the Philippines if effective containment actions are not set in place. He told The Associated Press that it's one of the worst-case scenarios drawn up by the government along with World Health Organization experts.

A Manila official, Jojo Garcia, said shopping malls would also be asked to temporarily close, except for grocery stores and supermarkets. "In this time, who will go shopping for a new pair of shoes?" Garcia said.

The temporary restrictions will not amount to a lockdown of the capital because large numbers of workers, emergency personnel like medical staffs and residents on urgent errands could move within the metropolis or enter and leave the area after showing valid IDs, officials said.

Movement of cargo and food shipments will continue unhampered, they said.

Metropolitan Manila police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas has threatened to arrest people who don't comply with the restrictions. Thousands of police will be deployed and checkpoints will be set up in entryways to metropolitan Manila, he said.

But a prominent human rights lawyer, Jose Manuel Diokno, said law enforcers could not arrest anyone for resisting emergency health restrictions.

Under Philippine law, police can arrest people without a warrant only if they have committed or are about to commit a crime, Diokno said.

The 74-year-old Duterte himself was tested for the virus on Thursday after he met Cabinet officials, who said they were exposed to people who tested positive for the coronavirus. Duterte tested negative, according to his spokesman.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  Metro Manila mayors have recommended a month-long closure of all malls in the National Capital Region, but with exception to those providing essential services, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

All 17 local chief executives approved this measure against the viral illness, which was suggested by the Metro Manila Council, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said Saturday.

Exempted from closure are banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants with online delivery service, and medical facilities which should continue operations as they are providing essential services.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier told CNN Philippines in a text message the financial institutions they supervise will still operate.

BSP also recently issued an advisory ordering banks to come up with precautionary measures against COVID 19.

A curfew from 8 pm to 5 am will also be implemented starting March 15. Exempted are people working and those buying essential medicine and food.

Shortly after the announcement, Robinsons Malls and Ayala Malls announced they are closing early on Saturday.

Robinsons, Vista Malls and SM Supermalls will also adjust their mall hours beginning Sunday. They will open at 11 am and close at 7 pm.

Malls in San Juan City will also be temporarily closed starting Sunday.

The number of COVID-19 patients rose to 98 on Saturday from just six on March 7, with eight fatalities. Majority of them are recorded in Metro Manila.

The number of COVID-19 patients rose to 64 as of Friday from just six on March 7. Majority of them are recorded in Metro Manila.

On Thursday, Duterte, upon the recommendation of experts from the Department of Health, quarantined Metro Manila, the region with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. For thirty days, trips by land, domestic air, and domestic sea will be suspended in an effort to reduce close contact between people. The disease is spread though small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze.
By Trend

In general, the activities of parliament related to the social sphere should be very active, of course, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

This area is, as always, a priority for us. As I already noted, important steps were taken last year and they will be continued this year. In particular, additional funds are envisaged to support low-income families. The number of families covered by targeted social assistance is increasing. On my instructions, amendments are being introduced to the methodology because the previous one did not reflect reality. The amount provided to each family is also increasing. This year 7,000 apartments will be provided to internally displaced persons, which is a record high. Martyr families will be provided with 1,500 apartments, which is also a record figure. Last year, 934 apartments were provided, said the head of state.

The role of our parliament in the development of interreligious and intercultural dialogue can also become very effective, he said.

Our MPs should actively participate in international events and the numerous events held in Azerbaijan. We respect our religion. It is sacred for us. At the same time, we must respect other religions. The ideas voiced at the 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders at the end of last year show that there is probably no other country in the world today that would address this issue and achieve serious results as much as Azerbaijan. The Muslim world supports us, while the Organization of Islamic Cooperation refers to us as an example due to our attitude to the Muslim religion. The inter-religious processes taking place in Azerbaijan are praised by both Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Cyril and Pope Francis. I have already met him three times  once in Baku and twice in the Vatican. He also appreciates the work carried out in Azerbaijan in this area. So it is not me saying this. These are the words of the leaders of the worlds traditional religions. Of course, we will take steps in this direction, said President Ilham Aliyev.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
While the districts are closed, all school events are also canceled.

As of Friday evening, there were no cases of coronavirus in the Brazos Valley, with most district notifications stating the closure is a proactive measure.

We have purchased additional machines and disinfectant to provide the cleanest possible environment for our students and staff, a release from Anderson-Shiro stated. We will remind you to practice good hygiene at all times and if you are sick and running fever, please stay home and not infect others. During the meeting [Friday], the health officials highly suggested families DO NOT travel outside your home area during this week out of school.

Allen Academy will have distance learning beginning March 20 and continuing until March 27. Normal operations are anticipated to resume on March 30.

I realize that this decision will not meet with everyones approval, and I also recognize that it may cause disruptions for many of us, Allen Academy Head of School Matt Rush said. Still, I believe it is the right thing to do for our children, for our faculty, and for our community.

Lunch options
Like a Category 5 hurricane, the coronavirus has slammed our area and country, affecting everyone in its path.

But we dont know how long well be underwater in this storm so its imperative that our elected leaders start working now to come to the rescue of those whose livelihoods and homes are on the line. Yesterdays declaration of a national emergency and Congress work on an aid package are good starts.

Far too many of our small businesses, tenants and homeowners get by week-to-week. They simply dont have a cushion to rely on to keep their doors open, pay the rent or make mortgage payments in the face of extended closures or illnesses.

FEMA and other agencies and programs must shore up our economy and save businesses and individuals from financial ruin.

Low- or, better yet, no-interest loans are needed for small businesses to protect them and their surrounding communities. If we could bail out big banks, we must do the same for Mom and Pop.

Lawyers for Civil Rights in Massachusetts has called for a moratorium on evictions. We should explore that here, too.

And, while we are seeing promises from our area utilities  like PSE&G and Verizon  that no one will lose service if they cant pay their bills due to the virus, we need that same promise from mortgage lenders.

Clearly, stopping the virus from spreading is paramount, and the closures we are experiencing are wise.

We all need to do our part  from practicing good hygiene to making extra phone calls to seniors, hospital patients and others whose mental health may be compromised by losing vital contact with the outside world.

And the government needs to reassure us that once the floodwaters recede, we can all quickly resume our lives and livelihoods.

Submit letters to the editor and guest columns for The Jersey Journal at jjletters@jjournal.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14



Trend:



In Turkmenistan's velayats (regions), all necessary measures are being taken to increase the production of potatoes, vegetables and onions on a scientific basis, said Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Esenmyrat Orazgeldiev, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenportal, the Information Portal of Turkmenistan.

He made the announcement during a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held via videoconference. During the meeting chaired by Turkmenistani President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the participants discussed issues related to the state development.

Orazgeldiev added that necessary work will be carried out to expand areas allocated for production with involvement of farmers and producers.

The head of the State emphasized the importance of conducting agricultural campaigns in time. The president demanded full compliance with the generally accepted standards of agricultural machinery. He also noted national tree planting campaign, having stressed its significance for the environmental protection and the lives of Turkmenistan citizens.
Ghanaian actress Nana Akua Addo has shared stunning images ahead of Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCAs) set to come off today [Saturday], March 14, 2020.

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The Eko expo hall, Eko Suites and Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos Nigeria will be home to the event which is expected to host Africas prominent movie stars and filmmakers who will contend for awards in various voting and non-voting categories.

The awards was instituted to acknowledge the extraordinary work and contribution of artistes to the movie and film industry in Africa in the year prior.

Organisers introduced a new category for 2020, which is the best-dressed category and Nana Akua is reportedly contesting to be voted for on Instagram by fans and viewers across the continent.

READ ALSO: Samini curses politicians who will try to 'steal' from $100m released for COVID-19 at the expense of the poor

The award for the Best Dressed Male and Female at the 7th edition of the AMVCAs is designed to honour the most stylish male and female on the red carpet for their efforts.

Ghanas Nana Akaua Addo was part of attendees who showed up for the red carpet to have their looks captured in a uniquelly created AMVCA photo booth.

The top 50 (25 for men and 25 for women) will be selected by a constituted AMVCA Style Council and shared on Africa Magics Instagram account.

Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCAs) was launched in 2013 and has since become one of the grand platforms that celebrates African creatives in film and television.

Check out photos shared by Nana Akua Addo in her flawless 'butterfly' outfit created by Indian-based designer, Gaurav Gupta.

1: Actress Nana Akua Addo confidently owns and dominates with her presence in stunning image.

2. Nana Akua poses with grace and elegance.

3. Actress flaunts her curves in exotic outfit.

In other stories, YEN.com.gh previously reported that Saahene Osei, the youngest son of Osei Kwame Despites has for the first time in weeks shared contents including a photo of himself on Instagram after he served as one of the groomsmen at his brother, Kennedy Oseis wedding.

In spite of being owners of one of Ghanas biggest media empires, Osei Kwame Despite and his family including Saahene Osei have managed to stay out from the spotlight for years and hardly grab national attention on the waves of scandals.

Despite makes the news when he offers laudable donations to state institutions or to charity. His children, also hardly dominate the news for the wrong reasons.

READ ALSO: Stonebwoy drops first-ever video of his dental shop in New York

Ghana marks her 63rd Independence today, what makes you proud to be a Ghanaian? #Yencomgh

Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
The White House has started to check the temperature of anyone around President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday.

Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President, the White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

Before a press conference held in the White House which Trump and Pence attended, a doctor from the White House Physicians Office checked the temperature of reporters at the door of the press briefing room with a no-contact thermometer.

A member of the media was rejected from entering the White House press briefing room and was held by the press office on the White House driveway because he had a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the vice presidents press secretary, Katie Miller.

Miller said that the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period.

The White House didnt provide more information about the male who was turned away.

According to the White House Medical Unit, the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period  all three registered above the @CDCgov 100.4 guidelines. https://t.co/E2uORqvcxS  Katie Miller (@VPPressSec) March 14, 2020

During the press conference, Trump said he has been tested for coronavirus and will extend the Europe travel ban to the United Kingdom and Ireland starting midnight on March 16.

The White House said that any U.S. citizens abroad can return to the United States during the ban.

2 Near Trump Test Positive

Two people who were recently at the presidents Florida resort, where he spent time last weekend, have tested positive for COVID-19, the virus the disease causes.

Two members of Brazils delegation to the United States interacted with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The president briefly came in contact with one, physician Sean Conley said. Trump spent more time with the other Brazilian but all interactions occurred before any symptom onset, according to Conley.

They were identified as Fabio Wajngarten, press secretary to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and Nestor Forster Jr., Brazils acting ambassador in Washington, the Embassy of Brazil said in a statement.

Conley said that the risk for transmission in both cases is low and did not suggest the president self-quarantine.

These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time, Conley said in a statement.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
A prominent Chinese official has promoted a conspiracy theory that the United States military could have brought the novel coronavirus to China -- and it did not originate in the city of Wuhan, as thought. As CNN reports, posting to his more than 300,000 followers on Twitter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian republished a video of Robert Redfield, the director for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressing a US Congressional committee on March 11.

In the clip, Redfield said some influenza deaths in the US were later identified as cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Redfield didn't say when those people had died or over what time period, but Zhao pointed to his remarks in support of a growing conspiracy theory that the coronavirus did not originate in Hubei province in central China. He did not offer any further evidence for the claim.

"CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" the Foreign Ministry official said.

Hundreds of athletes from the US military were in Wuhan for the Military World Games in October 2019.

The video of Redfield was also published to Twitter by other state media outlets, including national broadcaster CCTV and the popular Global Times tabloid.

On Friday, Zhao's fellow Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said there were "varied opinions" on the origin of the virus in the international community.

"China always considers this a scientific question, which should be addressed in a scientific and professional manner," he said, avoiding questions on whether Zhao's tweet represented the Chinese government's official position.

Origin theories

Parts of Chinese social media, and even the country's government, appear to have launched a concerted campaign to question the origin of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 125,000 people globally.

The first reported cases of the virus were in Wuhan, and since then the city has had more infections and deaths than anywhere in the world.

Speaking in his official capacity at a press conference in Beijing on March 4, Zhao told reporters that "no conclusion has been reached yet on the origin of the virus" -- and Chinese scientists were still tracing where it came from.

On February 27, renowned Chinese infectious disease expert Zhong Nanshan also questioned where the coronavirus had come from.

"The infection was first spotted in China but the virus may not have originated in China," Zhong said at a press conference.

On Thursday, Hua Chunying, Zhao's boss who heads the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Information, tweeted a link to Redfield's testimony, saying it was "absolutely wrong and inappropriate to call this the Chinese coronavirus."

China's ambassador to South Africa, Lin Songtian, took to Twitter on March 8 to say that although the first epidemic was recorded in China, it didn't mean the virus "originated from China."

However, Zhao's colleague Geng cautioned Thursday that the origin of the virus could only be determined "by science."

"We don't hope to see anyone making an issue out of this to stigmatize other countries," he said. "With COVID-19 developing into a pandemic, the world should come together to fight it instead of leveling accusations and attacks against each other, which is not constructive at all."

Twitter diplomacy

Zhao's comments are another example of Chinese government figures using Twitter to defend China against criticism -- despite the platform being banned in the country, along with Facebook, Instagram and a number of other prominent Western social media sites.

Prior to 2019, few Chinese officials had verified Twitter accounts. But since then, ambassadors, mission heads and Chinese foreign ministry spokespeople across the world have joined Twitter.

In January, Chinese ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming weighed in on the UK's decision on whether or not to ban telecommunications giant Huawei from its 5G networks on Twitter.

Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador to the US, took to Twitter in December to deny accusations of human rights abuses against Muslim-majority Uyghurs in Xinjiang. "Ultimately, facts will always prevail over lies," he tweeted.

Zhao was promoted in mid 2019 after building a reputation for himself on Twitter as a fierce advocate for Chinese interests -- arguing with western politicians and blocking Beijing's critics -- during his time as a senior diplomat at the Chinese embassy in Pakistan.
DUBLINDublin barman David Leavy should be bracing for one of his busiest days of the year. Instead, hes wondering if anyone will show up.

Leavy works in McDaids, a storied city-centre pub and a magnet for the Dubliners and tourists who flood into the Irish capital every year for the March 17 St. Patricks Day parade. Except this year, the celebrations have been cancelled as authorities seek to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Paddys Day would be massive, from 11 a.m. right through to the last orders, said Leavy, looking around at the bar, a quintessential Irish pub  with its wood floors and high stools  thats the rumoured setting for a James Joyce short story. Obviously, its going to affect business. How bad, only time will tell.

While the St. Patricks festival  which attracts about a half a million people to Dublin  is off, bars remain mostly open. On Saturday, though, a campaign under a #closethepubs hashtag gained momentum as the virus spread. Ireland posted almost 130 recorded cases, including two deaths, authorities said, increasing over 40 per cent in a day.

People think St. Paddys Day is just March 17, but its four days; its a festival, said Leavy. Those four days business would be like 10 days. Outside Christmas, Paddys weekend is the biggest  its like the cherry on the top. This weekend should be massive, and chances are it wont be.

The government has placed the country into a partial lockdown, shuttering schools, colleges and creches, and urging people to stay apart as much as possible. Yet theyve left cafes and bars open, restricting numbers to 100 drinkers at any one time.

That means bars will use doormen to limit numbers in some of the so-called super pubs dotted around Temple Bar. On the banks of the River Liffey, the area is a tourist mecca, brimming with bars and restaurants.

The Auld Dubliner pub, for example, has become so popular it has developed Asian tourist partnerships, with as many as 10 groups from the region visiting every month, according to bar manager, Conor Kennedy.

In the last week Id say weve had 10 of them cancelled. Wed never get that before, he said. Parties from now until July are being cancelled.

The big unknown for bar owners is how patrons respond to the new measures, especially on St. Patricks Day itself, when pubs are traditionally full all day round.

On Thursday, after the government laid out its new measures, some were undeterred. Canadian Molly Gagne, 29, travelled to Dublin after her trip to Italy was cancelled.

Not a bone in my body is worried about it, Gagne, 29, said, as she sat in the Bad Ass bar. The North American media has blown it out of proportion. When youre over here its fine. When its Italy I can understand, but everywhere else  just wash your hands.

Still, back at McDaids, Leavy is worried.

Theres a lot of Irish people who will come out anyway, it wont be busy as previous years, but it will still be busy, said Leavy. Its the unknown thats a bigger worry. Its going to get worse before it gets better.
UN confirms 1st COVID-19 case at New York headquarters

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:24, March 13, 2020

UNITED NATIONS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A delegate from the permanent mission of the Philippines to the United Nations has tested positive for COVID-19, the first known case at the UN headquarters in New York, a UN spokesman said Thursday.

"Earlier today, the permanent mission of the Philippines informed the UN Medical Services that one of its delegates has tested positive for COVID-19," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in an e-mail to UN correspondents.

"The delegate was last in UN headquarters on Monday for about 30 minutes around mid-day and visited only one meeting room, which has gone through three cleaning cycles since then," he said.

"The delegate did not have contact with UN staff but met two delegates from another mission. UN Medical Services is reaching out to them," he added.

The patient is a female diplomat from the Philippine mission, said Kira Azucena, the Philippine acting UN ambassador, in a message sent to different missions earlier.

"As of today, the Philippine mission is in lockdown, and all personnel are instructed to self-quarantine and to seek medical attention should they develop the symptoms," said the message.

In response to the coronavirus crisis, Guterres has canceled all UN system sponsored side events at headquarters scheduled for March and April, but not legislative meetings such as for the General Assembly and Security Council, Dujarric said at a daily briefing.

UN General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande has postponed the UN Youth Plenary to a later date, said Reem Abaza, spokeswoman for Muhammad-Bande.

The event in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN was scheduled to be held from March 31 to April 2.

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One night this week an urgent appeal went out to a Facebook group of emergency room doctors. If you were in charge of the Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendations be? asked Dr. Kurt Kloss, a physician based in New York.

The question was hardly theoretical. I have direct channel, he added, to person now in charge at White House and have been asked for recommendations.

That person, he said, is Jared Kushner, a top adviser to President Donald Trump who has become increasingly involved in the administrations response to the coronavirus and is also the brother-in-law of the doctors daughter, the model Karlie Kloss. Kloss is married to Joshua Kushner, Kushners brother, a venture capitalist.

Tonight I was asked by Jared through my son-in-law for my recommendations, Kloss wrote on Wednesday evening. Thats when I turned to you guys my fellow BAFERDs for help. BAFERD is an acronym for emergency room doctors, joined by a number of expletives.

Among the laundry list of suggestions Kloss listed on his personal page were ideas like nationalizing testing devices as in wartime, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency, creating pop-up field hospitals and canceling mass gatherings, according to the post.

Other ideas included using emergency funding to compensate those who were quarantined, and draconian travel restrictions. Screenings, Kloss mused, could be done over telemedecine-based video services.

In recent days, Jared Kushner has assumed large portions of the portfolio managing the coronavirus crisis and by Kloss account, was highly interested in the doctors recommendations.

In a series of follow-up posts on Wednesday evening, Kloss posted updates to the Facebook group, which includes more than 20,000 medical professionals. Jared is reading now, one message said.

Kloss ended the post with the phrase got to turn this in now, though a series of commenters who apparently knew his connection to the Trump administration urged him to send the list of ideas to the president.

Send it to TRUMP!!!!!!!!!!! one commenter wrote, followed by more than a dozen exclamation points and three bicep emojis. Done, Kloss responded.

A person close to Kushner said he was unaware of Kloss activities and a White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Messages to Kloss went unanswered.

The Spectator earlier reported news of the Facebook group.

Turning to Kloss is not entirely without merit. A graduate of the University of Miami medical school, he is an emergency medicine specialist who has practiced for more than 30 years.

But Kloss is also outside the purview of the government, where officials have struggled to get on the same page. By midday Friday, news of Kloss crowdsourced knowledge-gathering had hit the internet.

The exchange alarmed at least some of the doctors in the group, according to a person who viewed the discussion. The only requirement to be let into the private Facebook group was showing the administrator proof of practicing medicine; anyone part of the group could comment on or view the exchange.

One person described the group as far from a group of experts, but more a collection of rando doctors on social media.

The Facebook post was deleted from Kloss page later Thursday evening, after reporters inquired about the matter.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Trumps response to the coronavirus pandemic has all the hallmarks of Bushs disastrous handling of Hurricane Katrina.

Accusations of sexual assault, the public outcry surrounding the separation of migrant children from their parents, impeachment  it seems that President Donald Trump can weather any controversy.

That is, until now. Trumps declaration of a national emergency, so late, shows a president with little idea of how to handle a crisis of epic proportions.

His administrations inadequate response to the coronavirus outbreak is painfully clear. Trump himself had taken a seemingly cavalier attitude  stating he was not concerned after Brazilian government aide, Fabio Wajngarten reportedly tested positive this week for coronavirus. The US president was seen in a photo with him last weekend.

A government botching an attempt to deal with a crisis? Does this sound familiar? It should  former President George W Bush also made serious mistakes after Hurricane Katrina struck the Mexican Gulf Coast back in 2005.

What we are seeing unfold now with the Trump administration is shockingly similar, as a toxic mix of partisanship, ineptitude and mismanagement reveal a government failing its people.

Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the USs Gulf Coast. It killed more than 1,800 people, displaced about a million and caused $108bn of damage, making it the costliest storm in US history.

President Bush was on vacation on his ranch when the hurricane hit on August 29. It took him two days to end his trip, yet rather than visiting the people affected, he opted to fly over the affected areas to survey the damage.

He only set foot in New Orleans about two weeks later. In the meantime, the New Orleans Superdome became an overcrowded refuge to much of the citys marginalised, African American population.

The images coming out of New Orleans showed a critical situation as people formed long lines for assistance, waded through water in their flooded communities, and scribbled desperate pleas on their roofs as they prayed for rescue.

Not just the photos, but Kayne Wests statement  that George Bush does not care about black people  will be forever attached to the Katrina disaster.

Bushs callous, bumbled response was mirrored by his governments own mismanagement. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, the agency in charge of coordinating responses, was loaded with Bush loyalists who had little knowledge of crisis management. There was also widespread government fraud and waste in the disasters aftermath, costing the US taxpayer more than $2bn.

As the people in New Orleans and elsewhere suffered, politicians took sides. Republicans in Congress called out New Orleanss Democrat mayor, while representatives from both parties accused one another of cronyism and corruption in crafting the desperately needed aid package.

The parallels between Trumps flawed coronavirus response and Bushs Katrina debacle are as clear as day.

Has the current administration shown ineptitude in its response?

It has appointed Mike Pence to head the effort. Given that Pence failed to address a public health crisis in his own state of Indiana when governor, this reveals a serious problem concerning the expertise.

Meanwhile, Trump has questioned the advice of doctors and the World Health Organization (WHO) as to the scale of the pandemic. To make matters worse, the presidents address to the nation about cutting off travel to Europe raised more questions than answers, contributing to another stock market sell-off on Wall Street.

Who is responsible for the outbreak in the world according to Trump? Apparently, we should point the finger at former President Barack Obama; at least, that is what Trump wants us to believe with an unfounded assertion that the Obama administration meddled with policies about testing for diseases.

Meanwhile, some of the administrations allies on Fox News have been blaming Democrats for politicising the virus. Sean Hannity, the Fox News talk show host, thinks it is a hoax.

Perhaps news coverage would improve if we knew how many cases there are of COVID-19 in the US. Yet, here also the Trump administration has faltered. We are told that there are simply not enough kits to test people. Questions also surround the capacity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet the demands of this crisis, which will only worsen as Trump plans to cut its budget, a decision the administration continues to stand by.

President Bush never really recovered after Katrina, at least politically. His approval rating steadily fell after the crisis broke. In 2006, Democrats won majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Yet, winning or losing elections should not be our primary concern with the coronavirus pandemic. People who cannot stay at home and self-quarantine are particularly at danger. Undocumented workers, people in the gig economy, as well as many in the service sector, stand to suffer disproportionately.

People who live paycheque to paycheque cannot afford any kind of interruption where they work.

Following Kanye, if Bush did not care about black people, then the nature of Trumps response indicates his administrations disdain of working people more generally.

Trump has managed to swat away many of the problems that he has been confronted with while in office. The events surrounding the coronavirus outbreak seem different, if not for the scale of the problem, but for his administrations apparent inability to understand the crisis and develop an adequate strategy.

Come November, the question is  will voters choose four more years of this kind of leadership? Maybe Trump can withstand such crises, but for most of us, we simply cannot.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Mo. AG sues Jim Bakker show, ministry for selling Silver Solution as possible coronavirus cure

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Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing televangelist Jim Bakker for misrepresenting a product on his show, promoting it as a cure for the coronavirus.

Bakker and his guest, Dr. Sherrill Sellman, claimed in an episode of "The Jim Bakker Show" last month that a Silver Solution product could cure strains of the virus, which is now sweeping the globe and leading to large event cancellations and countries imposing quarantine orders in certain regions in an attempt to help contain the virus.

This influenza, which is now circling the globe, youre saying that Silver Solution would be effective, Bakker asked during the Feb. 12 broadcast.

Sellman, a naturopathic doctor, replied: Well, lets say it hasnt been tested against this strain of the coronavirus, but its been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.

The Silver Solution was priced at over $80 on the show.

The lawsuit names both Bakker and Morningside Church Productions as defendants. Bakker's organization is headquartered in Blue Eye, Missouri, an incorporated village that is part of the Branson Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Jim Bakker and Morningside Church Productions has an opportunity, in a pretty short timeframe, to answer certainly the allegations that weve made and itd be our hope that they no longer represent that this 'Silver Solution' can cure the coronavirus, Schmitt said in an interview with Ozarks First on Tuesday.

Other federal and state government entities have also taken action against Bakker.

The Food and Drug Administration and the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James have both sent cease and desist letters to Bakker after his program aired. The FDA letter stated that no known vaccination or over-the-counter treatment exists to treat the coronavirus.

The 2019 novel coronavirus poses serious consequences to public health, and consumers are concerned as to how they can best protect themselves and their families, James said in her letter.

Your shows segment may mislead consumers as to the effectiveness of the Silver Solution product in protecting against the current outbreak.

The Missouri Attorney General's office asserts in its lawsuit that Bakker and Morningside violated the state's Merchandising Practices Act, and asked for a restraining order and permanent injunction demanding Bakker cease selling the solution as a viable treatment for the virus.

The Christian Post reached out to "The Jim Bakker Show" for comment and will update this article when a response is received.

Bakker is known for selling a variety of religious and health products in response to disasters and potential end times scenarios during his broadcasts.

According to data released by the World Health Organization that is updated daily, 118,318 people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19 since it emerged late last year in China, and 4,292 people have died. Vaccines for the virus are being developed but the trial process to test its safety and efficacy will likely take more than a year. Responses to the virus have varied by nation depending on the infection rate.

On Wednesday, WHO designated the coronavirus as a pandemic. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said the number of cases outside China has grown 13-fold over the past two weeks.

"Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled," he said. "The challenge for many countries who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not whether they can do the same  it's whether they will."
ROCHESTER, Minn., March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, March 9, 2020, 11:00 a.m., CBS News recorded an FDA conference call with Dr. Nalini Rajamannan, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology, Mayo Medical School Graduate and Adjunct Visiting Scientist, Mayo Clinic.

The FDA called the meeting on behalf of Secretary HHS Azar and FDA Commissioner Hahn while Dr. Rajamannan has kept the Trump Administration fully updated on the meeting and request for decisions from the FDA.

Public Domain Photo White House

The transcript from the call recorded and published provides critical evidence to call the FDA to immediate action to protect U.S. patients:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cbs-interviews-dr-rajamannan-while-recording-meeting-fda-rajamannan

"To be clear, both Dr. Edwards' heart attack and Ms. Obermiers' heart attack are missing from the final publication, the clinical study used by the FDA to eventually clear the Model 5100 with a new name and a new indication, claiming the device as safe since there were no heart attacks or deaths published in the Myxo study."

"According to Northwestern IRB, Dr. Edwards was included in the Myxo Study unknowingly without consent and without the knowledge that he suffered a heart attack during the experimental surgery."

"In 2018, during a 3 1/2 hour meeting at the FDA District office in Minneapolis, I learned from a Freedom of Information disclosure that the FDA inspection records confirmed the fact that the Myxo Protocol was terminated by Northwestern University, as of June 2006 for future data analysis, future testing and final publications."

"The FOIA confirmed that the protocol 1532-004 was the protocol for the Myxo study to test the device and the caliper measurements as published in the study. Furthermore, the FDA learned that the protocol was terminated by Northwestern University IRB in 2007, with a mutual agreement by the Principle investigator to stop any future testing under the protocol."

"Since this time, there are at least 700 patients who got the Model 5100 before the recall and there are hundreds if not over a thousand patients who got the Model 5100 before the recall."

"Under the Federal Wide Assurance and 21CFR820.30, these patients are required under the federal and global laws to be informed of the investigational status of the device, the recall and follow-up testing to be sure they did not suffer a heart attack or have heart failure secondary to the experimental heart surgery.

"The most recent victim, Mr. Bill Knotts whose story was published by the Daily Northwestern, died from the failed measurement protocol using the calipers in November 2018.

"I have been reporting to Northwestern University since May 2007, until today but the University is continuing to conceal the evidence of the facts. The fact that the device was never approved for use in humans as of March 2006, as claimed by the manufacturer and reported to the ARDC of Illinois on 12-6-2019 by the general counsel for Northwestern University."

"In the end, the cardiac surgical research registry must be placed on a mandatory hold at Northwestern, as it is a 'Trojan horse protocol' which allows the surgeon to test his own inventions without informing the FDA nor the University nor the patients to gain research and development experience on his inventions."

"The Model 5100 during this testing period in 2006 was found to have 122 failure modes or identified product defects during the testing, which required several large modifications to be made to ensure safety prior to the sales on the US market; these details are outlined in a letter from Congressman Glenn Grothman to Ms. Abrahms, and he is still waiting for a reply as of today."

The University has made recent claims to the ARDC of Illinois; see this letter that the device was FDA approved as of March 2006 based on a three-line email, a decision by the FDA that reversed the claims made in the 2007 three-line email, as of March 2009.

The reversal by the FDA was confirmed by the Congressional office to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Charles Grassley.

The decision to not approve the device prior to March 2009 by the FDA was confirmed in 2011, by Dr. Shuren to the Chicago Tribune:

"If a device is supposed to get cleared by the agency first before you're marketing it, we consider that investigational," Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, head of the FDA's medical device branch, told the Tribune.

"KIMT News 3 did reach out to the FDA for comment and is still waiting on a response." -Jessica Bringe, KIMT Rochester MN

Dr. Nalini Rajamannan is a heart valve expert in the field of cardiovascular medicine. She earned her undergraduate science pre-professional degree from the University of Notre Dame, her Medical Doctorate from Mayo Medical School and her post-graduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic and Research Fellowship on the NIH training Grant. She also worked at the Mayo Clinic as a staff consultant in Internal Medicine and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University and the Lakeside and Westside VA. Currently, she practices consultative valvular medicine and Osteocardiology at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute, WI.

Press Contact

Nalini M. Rajamannan

Medical Director for Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute

312-498-9496

[email protected]

Related Files

NW IRB Resp Ltr June 2011.pdf

paper_ring_Highlighted_problems_ Model 5100.pdf

Related Images

dr-rajamannan-reports-to-the-white.jpg

Dr. Rajamannan Reports to the White House

Public Domain Photo White House

Related Links

KIMT/CBS Rochester Faulty Heart Valves

CBS Interviews Dr. Rajamannan and Records FDA meeting

SOURCE Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexico families were scrambling Friday to prepare for the three-week public school shutdown that will upend everyday life starting Monday.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham moved quickly to address one major concern  feeding thousands of children for whom school lunch is their main meal.

The Democratic governor said Friday that school cafeterias and health centers will remain open, since many families rely on those resources and roughly 70% of New Mexico students get free or reduced-price lunch under a federally funded program.

I will make decisions that protect the entire state, Lujan Grisham said during a news conference. We have a long way to go but were going to do this together.

She also acknowledged the challenges many parents face in seeking day care, and urged employers to allow employees with school-age children to work remotely when possible.

The three-week closure for all public preschools and K-12 schools will start Monday, and students are tentatively scheduled to go back to school April 6. However, the shutdown could be extended.

The University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University on Friday announced plans to extend their spring breaks in an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus, as the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 10 as of Friday after four new positive test results.

Overall, 60 New Mexico school districts will have a spring break during the closure, according to the Public Education Department. The agency is asking districts with spring breaks planned after that period to consider moving up the breaks.

The abrupt decision to close schools took some school districts by surprise, but Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said Friday that school leaders had been raising concerns to the state about not having enough staff and that kids who were staying home would simply fall behind if schools remained in session, among other concerns.

One of the things we want to do is make sure were not waiting until there is wide community spread of coronavirus, Stewart told the Journal.

He also said the state is not requiring the schools to make up the days and will waive the statutorily required number of instructional hours for this year. Stewart said the decision was made partly so school wouldnt overlap with extended-learning and summer school programs.

The PED is also pushing back state testing, although specific details were not announced.

School employees will be paid as normal, Stewart said, and some teachers will be asked to help out in different capacities during the shutdown.

Those who are essential to school-based health centers or food services are still expected to work unless they are sick, the governor said. She also said there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in schools.

New Mexico was one of the first states to order all schools closed. Ohio, Maryland, Oregon, Michigan and Illinois were among other states that had taken similar steps by Friday afternoon.

Several major metropolitan school districts nationwide have also closed schools.

New Mexico Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said Friday that school closures in previous disease outbreaks in different parts of the world have lowered infection rates.

But he said the policy would be effective only if New Mexicans take social distancing seriously and heed advice not to hold large public gatherings.

Meals for students

Lujan Grisham said that the state hopes to be able to provide meals to kids as early as Monday  the first day of the closure but that the state is still working on logistics.

The intent is to offer the meals at the schools, but there are potential alternatives, such as deliveries from first responders and possibly even the New Mexico National Guard, the governor said.

Weve been working with the federal government around the waiver process for being able to extend our meal programs across the state, Stewart said. So we are going to be keeping cafeterias open and organizing grab-and-go meal programs and also working with other state agencies to work on distribution of meals to kids who arent able to come into the schools.

Albuquerque Public Schools released its meal pickup plan Friday. Under the plan, there will be 89 sites across the city for students under age 18 to get meals, starting Monday.

Families  with a student present  can pick up food at any of the 89 schools but will not be allowed to enter the buildings. A list of the sites is on aps.edu.

Infant formula will be available at New Futures Alternative High School, a high school for pregnant and parenting students, for New Futures students only.

Santa Fe Public Schools announced a meal pickup plan for school breakfasts and lunches at seven different locations.

The PED is also working with the Department of Health to keep school-based health centers open and encouraging districts that have online learning resources to make those available on a voluntary basis.

Stewart said the PED is working with districts to assess schools and districts digital infrastructure.

He cautioned against scenarios in which only some students in a district have access to e-learning, which would perpetuate opportunity gaps.

APS has said online resources will be available for students to continue learning at home. Santa Fe Public Schools sent a letter to parents saying students will be sent home with laptops or iPads to access online educational services.

Child care options

Lujan Grisham acknowledged the closures will make things difficult for parents and suggested that school buildings could be used for temporary child care facilities. She did not give details, and her administration was meeting Friday afternoon with child care providers to discuss options.

Although public prekindergarten programs will also be closed, the state is encouraging private preschools and other child care centers to remain open, said Matt Bieber, a spokesman for the state Early Childhood Education and Care Department.

Options include seeking federal waivers to expedite background checks and licensing requirements for child care workers, along with suspending mandatory child-to-adult ratios.

We recognize that child care is utterly essential for low-income workers and other New Mexicans, he said. We really cant do without it.

But Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, said some child care centers were struggling to find enough cleaning and food supplies to stay open. Some preschools could also face workforce problems, with employees deciding to stay home, she said.

This is a lot more complicated than it seems, said Dow, former director of a Sierra County early childhood program.

Joy Losey, senior director of Covenant Schools, which runs a private preschool in Albuquerque and one in Rio Rancho, said protocols have been set up to ensure public safety, including prohibiting sick children from attending and allowing employees to stay home if they dont want to work.

She said some parents have said that they plan to keep their kids home temporarily but that others have been urging the school to stay open.

We have desperate parents that need to work or they wont be able to pay their bills, Losey told the Journal.

Meanwhile, New Mexicos largest early childhood home visiting program, CHI St. Josephs Children, said it will not be conducting in-person visits but will continue doing remote visits via phone calls and videoconferencing.

Journal staff writers Edmundo Carrillo and Ryan Boetel contributed to this report.

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Prince William is the new rebel of the royal family. William and Kate Middleton just completed their historic tour of Ireland, where they visited with leaders around the country and rubbed elbows with a few locals. During one of the couples many stops, William broke royal protocol in probably the most adorable way possible. Heres a look at how William went against the rules plus whats next for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince William | Daniel Leal-Olivas  WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Cambridges tour Ireland

In March, William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, flew to Ireland in what proved to be a historic trip for the pair. Queen Elizabeths visit in 2011 was the last time a member of the royal family toured Ireland.

Prior to Queen Elizabeths trip, it had been a whole century since a ruling monarch had stepped foot in Ireland.

Throughout their trip, Prince William and Kate followed in Her Majestys footsteps, visiting some of the same places she did 9 years ago. The tour was meant to strengthen the bond between Ireland and the UK and help appease the country amid Brexit.

During their stay in Dublin, William spoke about the many wrongs that once existed between Britain and Ireland. According to Express, he then gave a huge nod to Queen Elizabeth and emphasized how the two nations need to foster a healthy relationship moving forward.

When Queen Elizabeth came to Ireland nine years ago, her visit was characterized by a warmth of spirit; values of friendship and mutual respect; and a desire for understanding and reconciliation, William shared. She spoke then of the need to be able to bow to the past, and not be bound by it.

Prince William breaks royal protocol in this adorable way

During William and Kates second day in Ireland, the couple mingled with royal watchers in County Kildare, which is around an hour away from Dublin. Although selfies go against royal protocol, USA reports that William didnt hesitate when one lucky fan asked to take a pic.

Jennifer Malone shared an adorable photo of herself  shamrock-painted face and all  posing with William on social media. A smiling William clearly enjoyed the selfie opportunity, despite it being against the rules.

A really nice guy, she posted alongside the pic.

Twitter fans loved the post and a few complimented Prince William on bending the rules, especially when it comes to taking adorable photos with fans.

Malone, of course, is not the first famous person to get a pic with Malone. She also snapped a pic with Hugh Jackman last year. The actor shared the image on his social media account, writing, Hi Jennifer. Thanks so much for taking a picture with me. Youre awesome. Love HJ.

Are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge canceling their Australia trip?

Although William and Kate had a blast in Ireland, the pair might be forced to cancel their next big tour. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are scheduled to visit Australia this year to raise awareness about the bushfires that have devastated the country.

But with 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, there has been some speculation that Prince William and Kate will be forced to reschedule their tour.

The royal family has not announced any dates for the couples upcoming trip to Australia. The Cambridges are reportedly in talks with the countrys prime minister about ironing out the details of their stay, so there is no telling when things will get finalized.

William and Kate have not commented on the rumors surrounding their upcoming trip. The two have done a lot of work in the area, and if their tour is scheduled for later this year it is possible it will not be affected by the virus.

Kate Middleton and Prince William enjoy a secret night out

As high-profile members of the royal family, William and Kate rarely go out in public without someone spotting them. While we cannot imagine this happens often, the pair recently enjoyed a secret date without anyone knowing.

During their stay in Ireland, William let slip that he and Kate watched the Cirque du Soleil show. According to Harpers Bazaar, the show was a public event held inside Royal Albert Hall, which is near the couples home in Kensington Palace.

William revealed the date while talking to some gymnasts in Galway. While Kate revealed that their daughter, Princess Charlotte, is into gymnastics, William opened up about the show.

And their flexibility, its really good for their long-term health, isnt it? he stated. We went to watch the Cirque du Soleil recently, it was amazing.

The show in question ran between January 12 and March 1, so there is no telling which one Prince William and Kate Middleton attended. But it is interesting that they got away with going to a public event without anyone in the audience discovering them.
The US government may have to call on retired doctors amidst other drastic measures to be able to cope with the tremendous strain of the coronavirus.

Hospitals are having to set up triage tents, guard supplies of face masks and make plans to cancel elective surgery as the pandemic worsens across the country.

This is going to be a fairly tremendous strain on our health system, warned Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

The number of cases of the virus in the US was recorded to be around 1,700 on Friday and the government has been forced to escalate its response.

In Michigan, if the outbreak continues to worsen, hip and knee replacement surgery and other operations that arent emergencies might be postponed.

Authorities in New York state and Illinois are talking about taking the same measures.

If an outbreak hits, things that dont need to be done right now wont be done right now, said Dr Raj Govindaiah, chief medical officer for Memorial Health System, which runs hospitals in Springfield, Lincoln, Decatur, Jacksonville and Taylorville, Illinois.

Government health authorities are taking emergency steps to waive certain laws and regulations to help hospitals be able to put measures in place to deal with the crisis.

In New York, mayor Bill de Blasio has announced a state of emergency in the city as the number of cases reaches more than 95.

Gov Andrew Cuomo announced that in the state the government will be taking measures to increase the workforce to cope with the virus including accelerating regulations to get nursing students certified to work more quickly and is asking retired doctors and nurses to offer their services.

Elsewhere, tents have been set up outside hospitals in Maine and Columbia to prevent suspected coronavirus patients from mingling with others in the ER.

In Seattle, the state hit by the nations biggest cluster of coronavirus deaths, UW Medicine set up drive-through testing in a hospital parking garage.

The drive through testing is completed by nurses reaching through car windows and using swabs to collect specimens from peoples nostrils.

It is not yet clear how bad US hospitals will be hit as the government is not wholly sure how many people have been infected due to a slow response in testing.

Experts fear that when the problems with testing are resolved a surge in patients will hit emergency rooms looking for treatment.

Whats most important now is that we get the testing done, said Richard Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press
WASHINGTON  We might be overcomplicating things, an audience member at the Internal Revenue Services crypto summit said midway through the first panel.

The IRS hosted four panels Tuesday, discussing technology, exchanges, the tax filing process and regulatory guidance in a daylong session uniting industry stakeholders, tax experts and regulators. The goal: Sort out some of the questions and concerns the broader crypto-holding public has about reporting its taxes.

While there were no answers and no new guidance for the industry (though virtual currency did make it to the IRSs priority guidance plan published Friday), the event still represents a step forward for the opaque regulatory agency, which in a decade has only produced two pieces of binding guidance and published some non-binding documents for taxpayers and financial advisors.

Related: Uphold Teams With TaxBit to More Accurately Report Users Crypto Trades

Theres a clear desire from both industry and regulators to understand this, Chandan Lodha of CoinTracker told CoinDesk.

Financial advisers want to ensure they dont have their clients fulfill costly reporting requirements only to discover they didnt need to, EY partner Michael Meisler said during a panel. At another point a Coinbase vice president asked for clarity about reporting forms.

On the IRS side, numerous agency employees filled the auditorium with questions of their own, asking for clarity on how blockchain forensics works on a technical level, how privacy coins differ from cryptocurrencies like bitcoin (BTC) and even just what specifically they could do to simplify the process for taxpayers.

There is some frustration on the industry side at the lack of existing guidance, and the event did not indicate that any new guidance will be forthcoming. Still, Lodha said the event was a positive step.

Related: Ex-Microsoft Engineer Used Bitcoin to Help Embezzle Millions From Tech Giant

Unlike traditional panels, where a moderator asks panelists questions, the IRS event seemed geared from the outset to let audience members and even panelists ask IRS officials to clarify existing tax guidance and address lingering questions.

Story continues

Calculations and filing

Specific questions included the best ways to calculate cost basis, how to treat coins bought from different exchanges or transferred between exchanges, whether microtransactions can be exempted and how to marry what tax code says with non-binding guidance published by the IRS so far.

It would certainly be more helpful  if there was published guidance rather than just these frequently-asked-questions because in the absence of that, what we have is, Well, this isnt really authority, said EYs Meisler, during a panel on tax return preparation.

It was a common refrain.

Audience members and panelists alike  including Kraken Head of Global Tax Lisa Askenazy Felix, Coinbase tax VP Kyle Zander and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) senior manager Amy Yiqiong Wang  said a lot of confusion stems from the fact that a lot of cryptocurrencies still dont fall neatly into any existing tax laws.

The rules dont exist today to tell you exactly [how] to [file taxes], Askenazy Felix said during a panel on exchanges.

EYs Meisler told CoinDesk after the event that he believed it went well, noting IRS Assistant Deputy Commissioner John Cardone opened his panel by telling audience members the tax collector was looking for specific issues of interest to the industry.

The people that were there from industry were asking questions that were very targeted, whether they develop software that conducts tax calculations or they were from exchanges, they were asking specific questions, Meisler said.

One key detail that remains unclear is how exactly taxpayers can calculate the value of their digital assets.

The IRS has indicated in its frequently asked questions that individuals who buy and sell crypto at different times can use a method like first-in-first-out, meaning if you buy bitcoin in January, March and April and sell in July, August and September, you would calculate the difference in price between the first bitcoin you bought in January and the first bitcoin you sold in July.

However, this may not actually be allowable.

AICPAs Wang said during a panel the tax code says users should use specific identity, meaning the cost should be calculated on the actual specific bitcoin being transacted.

So there is no binding authority at the moment that allows you to use anything other than specific identification, she said. Its really important for practitioners that the IRS comes out with clarity and guidance saying you can use other forms of tracking basis.

Sophistication

While there were specific questions, various IRS officials also asked what the crypto industry might see as more basic questions  including what is an API, what regulatory arbitrage is and how cryptocurrencies are transacted.

Im getting the sense theres a wide array of sophistication in the room, said Coinsources Arnold Spencer during a panel on technology updates.

Meisler told CoinDesk that having individuals who appeared to have different levels of understanding about the crypto space and technology is not surprising, and having everyone in a room together was likely a good thing.

Before someone can answer How do we tax cryptocurrency? or How do we tax a hard fork or an airdrop? its helpful to understand what the mechanics of those transactions are, he said.

Its unclear whether the IRS will be able to publish anything actionable in the near future. However, there are some steps it can take immediately to clarify its existing guidance. Wang told CoinDesk that just moving its list of FAQs into the Internal Review Bulletin would provide some clarity, a view Meisler echoed.

Because the FAQs are not published in the bulletin, theyre not binding guidance; the IRS can change any recommendations on it as it wishes, which the agency has actually been doing, Wang said.

Some of the questions on the FAQ now appear at different points than when first published.

Turning these questions into binding guidance would give financial advisors and taxpayers the comfort of knowing they were looking at proper legal guidance, which could prevent them from inadvertently violating the tax code.

Related Stories
Vietnam will temporarily stop allowing visitors from 26 countries in Europe's Schengen Area and Britain to enter the country for 30 days starting from Sunday amid concerns over the spreading novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), its foreign ministry said on Saturday.

In a statement issued in the small hours of Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Government of Vietnam has decided to temporarily refuse entry for visitors from 26 countries in the Schengen Area and the UK or having been to these countries in the 14 days prior to their intended arrival in Vietnam.

The Schengen Area is a border control-free travel zone comprising 26 European countries, namely Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The ban is also applicable to Vietnamese nationals who hold passports issued by any of the 27 countries.

Visas on arrival for all foreign nationals are also temporarily halted, the ministry said.

The new policy will be in effect for 30 days from 12:00 pm Sunday, March 15, and will not affect arrivals for diplomatic or official purposes.

The decision was reached after the Vietnamese government had taken into account the fast and complicated developments of the global COVID-19 epidemic, the foreign ministry said.

Foreigners who are experts, business managers, or skilled labor must go through medical examination upon entering Vietnam and take appropriate preventive measures at their workplace and residence as per regulations, it added.

Vietnam has informed diplomatic missions, consular offices and representative offices of international organizations in the country about its decision and will continue to closely monitor, coordinate with countries, international organizations and partners to promptly make adjustments to its epidemic prevention and control measures accordingly to prevent the spread of the epidemic in the community, the foreign ministry stressed.

The British embassy in Hanoi has updated its travel advice for British nationals.

The British Embassy understands that British nationals already in Vietnam by that time will not need to leave the country, reads the statement on its verified Facebook page.

British citizens are advised to comply with local regulations and any additional measures put into place during this time by local authorities.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 143,600 people and killed nearly 5,400 globally as of Saturday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 47 infections, including many patients coming from the UK or having a recent travel history to the UK and other European countries.

The United States has suspended travel from certain European countries for 30 days beginning at midnight on Friday as part of an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Houstonian Salvador Flores Photo: Courtesy Yamaha Young Performing Artists (YYPA) Competition Photo: Courtesy Yamaha Young Performing Artists (YYPA) Competition

Houston native Salvador Flores has been named a winner of the Yamaha Young Performing Artists (YYPA) Competition, making him one of eleven people in the nation to earn the title.

The competition is given to young musicians within the U.S. studying classical, jazz and contemporary styles. Winners receive a paid trip to the YYPA Celebration Weekend, taking place June 20-23, 2020 at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Flores is currently a student at University of Michigan pursuing a bachelors degree in saxophone performance. Hes the winner of the 2020 University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance Concerto Competition and the 2018 Music Teachers National Association Senior Woodwinds Solo Competition.

Flores placed first in the 2019 Lima Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition and was a semifinalist in the 2019 Adolphe Sax International Competition.

wchen@chron.com
Sri Lanka and India fail to reach agreement on Mattala airport By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):

The Government has halted plans for a management deal with India for the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), official sources said.

Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has told the relevant authorities that his administration was no longer interested. India, too, has not responded to a draft agreement Sri Lanka floated proposing a share division of 49 percent to the Indians and 51 percent to the Sri Lankans.

In March last year, the Cabinet gave the go-ahead to start formal negotiations with the Indian Government towards a final agreement for operation of MRIA, including rights to supply catering and ground handling services.

The Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and the Civil Aviation Minister jointly submitted a Cabinet paper titled Implementation of the Proposal Submitted by Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the Operation of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).

The AAI proposals were already on the table by then. A Cabinet appointed negotiating committee was mandated to start formal talks with designated Indian officials. It was agreed that any agreement reached could include the right to provide catering and ground handling services under the definition of commercial aviation, but not the right to provide aviation fuel and lubricants to aircraft.

It was clear that India was happy with the share breakdown as AAI would absorb a greater part of the risk. Their proposal, dated May 2017, envisaged a joint venture in which the Indian Government, or its assigned entity, would hold 70 percent of equity and the Sri Lankan Government, or its assigned entity, would have 30 percent.

It also suggested that the company would perform activities mentioned under commercial aviation; aircraft maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) facility; flying training school; emergency response, including search and rescue; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities; meteorological services; and any other use, as mutually agreed.

It was revealed in the Cabinet paper that MRIA did not generate revenue to sustain even its day-to-day operations. There was no demand from commercial airlines to operate there in the foreseeable future. But it predicted that the growing Indian air transport market offered a valuable opportunity to resurrect MRIA.

The administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is taking a different approach, officials said. On February 27, Cabinet approved a programme of action aimed at attracting airlines (particularly scheduled airline flight operation) to MRIA and Colombo International Airport in Ratmalana.

The embarkation levy of US$60 at MRIA was waived for two years. A discount on charges was introduced for migrant workers who depart the airport. There is also a discount rate for ground handling charges. Fuel will be supplied for airlines at a concessionary price. Landing and parking charges for scheduled international airlines have been waived for one year.

The construction of MRIA started in 2009 at a total estimated cost of US$209mn. The Exim Bank of China granted a loan of US$190mn, for repayment within 15 years, at two percent interest after a grace period of five years. The balance US$19mn was from Airport and Aviation Services Ltd of Sri Lanka (AASL).

After project completion, the GoSL had to pay the contractor a further US$38.7mn on account of price escalations, cost variations and interest on delayed payments. The investment on MRIA is, therefore, US$252mn.

The running of MRIA is now under AASL. The average operating cost, including loan interest, for a year is around US$20mn. The average revenue generation per year, however, is US$0.6mn, says the project committee report obtained by the Sunday Times.

The debt incurred by MRIA is being paid off by AASL out of its own funds, generated mainly through the operation of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Repayment is done on installment basis of US$8.3mn each, twice a year.
The Pixel devices are usually flagship phones from Google but that may not be the case with this years Pixel 5. Which is supposed to be launching sometime in the Fall of the year.

Its being suggested that the Pixel 5 is going to be more of mid-range phone. Rather than a flagship like what people are used to. This is according to wording found within the Google Camera app that points to the Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL being Bramble and Redfin. The codenames of two upcoming devices in the Pixel lineup.

The Pixel 5 wont use a flagship SoC

According to 9To5Google, Bramble and Redfin will be powered by an SoC that isnt a top-tier model. Which would suggest that the Pixel 5 wont be a flagship phone.

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The report states that the Pixel 5 will be using the Snapdragon 765G. This is as opposed to the Snapdragon 865 SoC that other flagship smartphones are going to be using. Or are already using, such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 family of devices.

Google has always used whatever the current flagship SoCs were in its latest phone. The Pixel 4 from last year for example is using the Snapdragon 855. 2019s version of the flagship SoC from Qualcomm.

If the Pixel 5 uses the Snapdragon 765G instead of the Snapdragon 865, then Google may have a slightly different vision for how it propositions its next mainline Pixel phones.

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Its also an interesting detail considering the a series has been Googles mid-range offering and looks to continue with the Pixel 4a.

Does this mean the Pixel 5 series will be cheaper?

If the Pixel 5 is using a lower-end SoC than the Snapdragon 865, then it would stand to reason that there is a possibility that it could be less expensive.

Theres no real evidence to suggest this. Since Google hasnt really said anything about the phone. Lower-end components do cost less though, so in the end the phone should cost less to make.

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This could, lead to Google charging less for its mainline devices this Fall. It would make sense. Which would be a welcomed change considering the costs of the Pixel 4 XL with the most amount of storage that was offered.

Google of course could still charge around the same amount that its charged for the mainline phones in the Pixel series for the last few years. It could still do this if some of the other components are fairly high-end. Say by adding in higher amounts of storage.
There were no new positive cases of



novel coronavirus here in the past 24 hours and the 10 Covid- 19 patients are stable, Pune Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said on Saturday.

In the last 24 hours, the reports of 23 people whose samples were sent for testing for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus has returned negative, Mhaisekar added.

He said 5,945 people who arrived at Pune airport from foreign destinations since February 15 have been tracked, and some of them are from Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur districts.

"Necessary instruction have been given to the respective collectors of these districts. As per new guidelines of the Centre, passengers coming from foreign destinations will be categorised as A, B and C on the basis of their symptoms and country," he informed.

He added that as far as screening in containment zones was concerned, 11,580 households were surveyed and over 35,000 people screened medically so far.

Stressing on "social distancing", Mhaisekar asked students to not roam around unnecessarily during thisperiod, adding that the administration was seeking information about foreign students, employees of companies who had gone to on- site locations.

"The Osho commune in the city has been asked to report if any foreign nationals have come to the ashram in the last one month," he said.

With the wedding season approaching, Mhaisekar asked people to keep these functions low key, adding that mass weddings were being discouraged.

Educational institutions have been asked to maintain 'one bench distance' between students while conducting exams, he said.

Mhaisekar said masks and hand sanitisers have been brought under the Essential Commodities Act, and teams have been formed to keep a check on offences like selling them at inflated prices, selling substandard products and hoarding.

"Yesterday, we registered a case against three people for selling substandard sanitisers. They have been arrested," he informed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Order in the Northern District of California is under appeal on 8 April 2019 by a federal judge. The court examined whether non-Mexican asylum seekers arriving through Mexico without sufficient documentation for admittance may be allowed by the federal government to wait in Mexico as an immigration judge they are to wait for an approval of their appeal to be accepted by the immigration judge.

Lawfully, the president has wide authority over the law and execution of immigration policy and also has the power to impose the "Wait in Mexico" law in particular. The Democrats have made every attempt since Trump took up office to undermine the execution of his policies, particularly his policies on immigration. Oftentimes, t They also arrive with friendly judges in federal district courts ready to issue lengthy, national legal injunctions.

Just as the country is focusing on closing the borders to areas infected by coronavirus, a significant, longer-term implications have been made in the Supreme Court in respect of a much more contentious border issue. The Supreme Court reversed the wrong decision by the Ninth Circuit to find the immigration program of President Trump and Migrant Protection Protocols, likely to be unconstitutional.

The whole condition of limbo, which may last months or longer, considerably reduces the charm of migrants' southern borders migration policy.

The view of the District Court was primarily about the nonsensical issue of refugee status. Article 33 of the 1951 United Nations Convention forbids countries to transfer refugees to a country where, due to their cultural, religious, ethnicity, membership of the social group or their political views, their lives or their freedoms are jeopardized. The District Court argued that the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) of Homeland Security breaches international anti-refoulement commitments and granted a regional injunction.

The Supreme Court ruling to stay in the decision for this week's lower court doesn't really speak of the MPP's merits or constitutional character. Nevertheless, he grants the federal government the power to implement the proposal, until the high court agrees to take up the case- a decision that could take months. In the event that the court agrees not to hear the appeal, the stay is lifted and the ruling of the District Court is upheld.

This is excellent news for the separation of powers and the equal and orderly procedure of asylum.

Even though the United States can't blame immigrants for hoping to experience the great nation, it is up to the government officials who are responsible for ensuring that only immigrants who enter the country legally are allowed to settle, as well as through asylum programs.

The solution to Trump's rational approach is that refugees could stay, with little to no restrictions, in the United States for a period of time in their immigration process. Although this may sound fair in good faith for asylum seekers today, some are still economic migrants. They have plausible reasons for visiting our country but may not have complied with generally recognized criteria of eligibility for asylum.

The better when the high court also wants to deal with the issue of temporary national ordinances. It really is way overdue to get back to balance and regulatory choices.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday chaired Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting in New Delhi today.

The Finance Ministry has issued a statement on the gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in the month of February this year, which has been pegged at Rs 1,05,366 crore.

According to the Union Finance Ministry, the GST revenues during the month of February 2020 from domestic transactions have shown a growth of 12 per cent over the revenue during February last year.

Taking into account the GST collected from the import of goods, the total revenue during February 2020 has increased by 8 per cent compared to the revenue of February 2019.

During this month, the GST on import of goods has shown a negative growth of 2 percent as compared to February 2019.

Earlier, the Finance Ministry had said that the country is saving Rs 1 lakh crore by removing corruption and wrongdoing through the efficient use of technology.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Kingdom" Season 2, one of the most anticipated screen comebacks, is finally here! On Netflix, we can finally see the undead swarm the kingdom of Korea once again after a year of waiting. But before tuning in to this series, let's refresh our memory and know what else we need to know about the fantasy drama's much-awaited second season.

The series "Kingdom'' is based on the webcomic, titled "Land of the Gods," penned by Kim Eun-hee. She is already a well-known screenwriter and playwright in South Korea, and she was also the one who wrote the drama version to adapt her webcomic to the mainstream audience.

Having a phenomenal cast, cinematography, story, and beautiful design, it's obvious why an enormous amount of viewers are entirely hooked on the show. The first season was only an appetizer, but it was enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. But imagine how everyone feels upon the arrival of Season 2.

The cast shared what to expect from their characters in this new season, which finally aired on Friday, March 13, via Netflix.

In a live press conference, main actor Joo Ji Hoon, who portrays the role of prince Lee Chang, said that his character has changed from the hunted into the hunter. Then, Kim Eun Hee added that by defeating Jo Hak Joo, the viewers will be able to catch Prince Lee Chang becoming a true leader of his nation.

Speaking of Jo Hak Joo, actor Ryu Seung Ryong expressed that his character shows how scary a human's twisted beliefs can be. If you are someone who holds as much power as a king, his character Jo Hak Joo aspires to rule the kingdom within the accordance of his wrong and evil vision, which even includes getting rid of someone who stands in his way.

In "Kingdom" Season 2, Bae Doona's character, the nurse Seo Bi, will research and study the outbreak and the so-called "resurrection plant." Bae Doona gave a comment about her character who was incredibly bold in the first season, and how she becomes even stronger and bolder in Season 2. She is an amazing character who shows that social class means nothing.
A newborn in London has reportedly been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, becoming the global pandemic's youngest confirmed case, said a media report.

Just days ago, the newborn's mother was rushed to the North Middlesex Hospital in the borough of Enfield with suspected pneumonia.

Representational Image

It is thought that she only learned of her diagnosis right after giving birth. The newborn was thought to have been tested within minutes of being born.

Doctors were now trying to establish how the baby caught the disease - either through the womb or during birth.

They are being treated at separate hospitals as health care professionals investigate whether the baby contracted the illness while in the womb or after birth, the outlet said.



The baby remains at the hospital while the mum has been moved to a specialist infections hospital.

Back in early February, another infected mother in China gave birth to a baby who was also confirmed to be infected with the virus, according to British media reports.

London's cases are steadily rising, with 136 people being treated for the killer bug in the capital.

afp

As of Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases in the UK were 798 with 10 fatalities.

The global death count due to coronavirus has crossed 5,000 with Italy as the new epicenter and more than 1,20,000 people infected worldwide.

In India, there have been two deaths so far due to the virus and 85 confirmed cases of the infection.
MONTREAL, March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - In light of the ongoing efforts deployed by the public health authorities to limit the COVID-19 propagation and following the cruise ships season suspension announced earlier today by Minister of Transport Marc Garneau, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) is suspending its Canadian and Ocean operations, its long distance Eastern and Western routes, until Friday, March 27, inclusively.

"This exceptional preventive measure was made to help minimize the risk of contamination to the best of our ability. The government's recommendations on social distancing and travel limitations is in line with our Illness Control Plan, which is focused on the health and safety of our passengers and employees," said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO.

"I apologize for any inconvenience this difficult decision has caused our customers and employees and thank them for their understanding and patience", continued Cynthia Garneau. "I also want to specify that we will keep offering our regional services to remote communities until further notice, with updated schedules and conditions. As for other services, we are evaluating all possible options as the situation continues to evolve."

Train 15 which left Halifax this Friday, March 13, will make it to Montreal, its final destination.

Train 14, scheduled to depart Montreal at 7 p.m., is cancelled.

Train 2 departure scheduled for this Friday, March 13, is also cancelled.

Via Rail continues to deploy additional strict cleanliness and hygiene protocols for its other trains in operation as long as they are in use.

This decision results in the cancellation of 22 trains and affects over 1,800 passengers.

















Overview of services*











Route Service Montreal-Toronto Full service Toronto-Ottawa Toronto- London-Windsor Toronto-Sarnia Toronto-Niagara Falls Quebec City-Montreal-Ottawa Senneterre-Jonquiere Winnipeg-Churchill The Ocean (Montreal-Halifax) Cancelled until March 27 inclusively The Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver) Cancelled until March 27 inclusively The Canadian (Vancouver-Toronto) Cancelled until March 27 inclusively Prince Rupert-Prince George-Jasper Cancelled until March 31 inclusively



*This information is subject to change without notice.

Flexibility for clients

Passengers who choose to change their travel plan will be accommodated. For maximum flexibility, passengers can cancel or modify their reservation at any time prior to departure during the month of March and April and receive a full refund in addition to not incurring any service charges, regardless of when they purchased their ticket. This includes all travel up to and including April 30, 2020, as well as any travel after April 30, 2020, if their outbound train is on or before April 30, 2020.

VIA Rail continues to closely monitor the development of COVID-19 and we remain in close contact with public health agencies and the federal and provincial governments.

The most recent updates are available on our website.

About VIA Rail

As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transported over 5 million passengers in 2019. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the "About VIA Rail" section at https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

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Minister of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs Nabila Makram commended Saturday Egyptian expats in the US for launching an online campaign for protecting Egypt's Nile water rights.



Launched by a group of Egyptian academics and professionals, the campaign involves collecting signatures on a petition urging the US administration to exert more efforts to support the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations in a manner that would preserve Egypt's legitimate water rights.

Tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia mounted last month after Addis Ababa withdrew from the latest round of US-sponsored talks, which were expected to generate a final deal between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, another downstream country, over the filling and operation of the dam. The deal, drafted by the US, which is mediating the talks, was initialled by Egypt but not signed by the other two states.



Expats also planned to organise a rally in front of the White House at 11 am and 5 pm Washington DC time on Sunday.



The campaign organisers have also prepared a report on the impacts of the giant hydro-power project on Egypt's water interests to submit it to the White House.

Ethiopia hopes the massive $4.8 billion mega-dam on the Blue Nile, which has been under construction since 2011 and is now 70 percent complete, will allow it to become Africas largest power exporter.



Cairo fears the dam will diminish its water supply from the Nile, on which it relies for the vast majority of its fresh water.



Makram thanked all those who contributed to the campaign whether by arranging for it or signing the petition, applauding their patriotic move.

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Fearing quarantines and shortages, shoppers are flooding grocery stores around San Antonio this weekend, stockpiling toilet paper and bottled water, leaving empty shelves in their wake.

Coronavirus worries sent locals running to H-E-B, Walmart, Target and Costco, where they grabbed wipes, hand sanitizer, rice, beans, dog food and canned tuna. Others loaded their carts with hand soap, laundry detergent and boxes of macaroni and cheese.

A madhouse is how a customer at H-E-Bs Wurzbach Road store described the scene Friday afternoon.

H-E-B said Saturday that it was cutting store hours for the foreseeable future to give employees ample time to restock shelves. Starting Sunday, stores will be open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m.

Walmart also has curtailed its hours; starting Sunday, stores are open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., unless the store hours are operating under further reduced hours, in which case their hours will remain the same. For example, Walmart stores that regularly open at 7 a.m. or close at 10 p.m. will stay at those hours.

H-E-B is also capping the purchase of certain items, adding extra security and offering pharmacy and next-day pickup for free.

Retailers are urging customers not to panic, a sentiment Texas Gov. Greg Abbott echoed Friday after declaring a state of disaster. There is absolutely no need to go out and stockpile supplies, Abbott said.

So, what should San Antonians purchase to get through the coronavirus pandemic?

Those at higher risk of becoming ill from the virus  the elderly or those suffering from a serious chronic medical condition such as heart disease  should stock up on over-the-counter medicines, medical supplies, groceries and household goods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They should also ask their doctor about getting extra medication.

If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order, the CDC suggests. Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.

Medical professionals recommend buying two weeks worth of groceries and cleaning supplies and having prescriptions filled.

Make the assumption that you cant go back to the grocery store for two weeks, said Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, a local public health consultant who specializes in epidemiology. Its not a hurricane situation in which shelves might not restocked for longer than that.

Most important, stay calm.

People are kind of freaking out and buying a whole lot of things, said Dr. Arti Thangudu, an endocrinologist who runs a San Antonio practice called Complete Medicine. Think about your neighbors, think about everybody else. Make sure everybody is able to prepare.

These are the items the experts suggest stocking up on  without hoarding:

Non-perishable and frozen foods: Beans, lentils and rice will last a while in your pantry. So will soup and pasta.

Fruits and vegetables: Keep in mind you can stick both in the freezer.

Toilet paper, wipes and hand sanitizer: Buy enough of each to get you through two weeks. Buy only the amount you will need.

Medication: Get a months supply of prescription medications and over-the-counter medicines, Thangudu suggested. If you have diabetes, stock up on testing strips and other supplies.

Bottled water: Theres no need to stockpile it, according to the San Antonio Water System.

Between the quality of our source water, the chlorine disinfection, and chlorine testing, there is no concern about coronavirus being transmitted through our public water system, said Gavino Ramos, vice president of communications and external affairs for the city-owned utility.

Our water supply is absolutely safe to drink. We are a 24/7 operation, and we will continue to provide water to the city under all circumstances, he said.

Cleaning supplies: Keep enough Lysol, bleach and other supplies on hand to last a month.

People dont need to get hysterical and buy gallons and gallons of bleach, Thangudu said.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
An armed man wearing a white dust mask and fishing hat robbed a Hamilton bank on Friday afternoon, police said.

The man walked into the PNC Bank located at 2025 S. Broad St. at 4:15 p.m. and showed the teller a note demanding money, according to a statement from the Hamilton Township Police.

After the teller handed the man an undisclosed amount of money, he fled on foot towards the rear alley of the bank, authorities said.

The robber was described by police as approximately 25 to 30 years old, standing 5-feet-6-inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds. He was wearing a white fishing hat, dust mask, cut blue jeans, black sneakers and a reflective vest.

Police asked for the publics help in identifying the man Friday evening and anyone who could help was told to contact Detective Benjamin Zuzzio at 609-581-4030 or via email at bzuzzio@hamiltonpd.org or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581-4008.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

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A screen shows the logos and trading information for defense contractor Raytheon Co, and United Technologies Corp. on the floor at the NYSE in New York

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has cleared United Technologies Corporation's (UTC) <UTX.N> planned acquisition of Raytheon <RTN.N>, subject to conditions, the European Commission said on Friday.

UTC agreed in June to combine its aerospace business with U.S. contractor Raytheon Co and create a new company worth about $121 billion, in what would be the sector's biggest ever merger.

The Commission said it had had concerns that the transaction would have reduced competition in the markets for military GPS receivers and airborne radios.

To address these concerns, UTC and Raytheon offered to divest UTC's entire military GPS receiver and anti-jamming business located in Iowa and Raytheon's entire military airborne radios business, based in Indiana

The Commission said that the remedies removed the entire horizontal overlap and the proposed transaction, as modified by the commitments, would no longer raise competition concerns.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop)
COLUMBUS, OhioThe Ohio House of Representatives will not be holding any voting sessions or committee hearings until further notice because of fears of spreading coronavirus, according to a staff memo issued by House Speaker Larry Householder on Friday.

The directive raises questions about whether lawmakers can meet an April 1 deadline to agree on a deal about the future of Ohios private-school voucher program.

In his memo, Householder, a Perry County Republican, directed all House employees to work from home starting Monday through at least April 3. I do this out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of the staff and the public, the speaker stated.

UPDATE: Ohio House staffers will join Senate employees in working from home until the weekend of April 4 (at least) https://t.co/yZq9xkHoYc pic.twitter.com/cPFoKcLFSm  Jeremy Pelzer (@jpelzer) March 13, 2020

Earlier in the day, the Ohio Senate also directed staffers to work remotely through early April, though their two upcoming session days on March 25 and March 31 have not been canceled.

Ohio legislators have been arguing and negotiating for months on what to do about the states EdChoice voucher program, which offers private-school vouchers to K-12 students in school districts that fail state performance ratings.

The original deadline to address the issue was Jan. 31, but lawmakers voted to extend that deadline to April 1.

A legislative conference has been working to hammer out a deal between the House and Senate plans to overhaul the program. The House version would define eligibility based on income, not school districts performance, while the Senates plan would include a combination of both performance-based vouchers and income-based vouchers.

If no conference committee deal can be reached and approved by both chambers by April 1, the number of Ohio public schools where vouchers are available will balloon from about 500 to around 1,200, many of which are in more affluent areas. The jump in eligibility is because an increasing number of schools have failed state performance reviews.

State Sen. Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican, said prior to Householders announcement that the conference committee can still continue its work. While so far the Ohio Statehouse hasnt been closed to the public, Huffman said the conference committee negotiations would probably be generally closed to the public, except for members of the media.

Huffman said Senate members of the conference committee have drafted a new compromise agreement that he hopes will be agreed to by House conferees. Huffman declined to discuss any details of the new proposal.

Huffman said so far, the coronavirus crisis hasnt hindered negotiations. Most of the time, conversations happen over the phone, he said.

A Householder spokeswoman didnt immediately return a request for comment on whether an EdChoice deal can still be reached by April 1.

Read more Ohio coronavirus coverage:

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine suggests parents find day care alternatives is case of closings because of coronavirus

13 coronavirus cases confirmed in Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine briefing

Hypertension could be a leading factor in coronavirus deaths: Heres what to know

Coronavirus timeline: How the coronavirus spread from cases in China to Ohio in less than three months

Mad about coronavirus cancellations? Heres why mitigating the curve matters

Cleveland Cavaliers not currently showing symptoms of coronavirus, wont be tested unless they do, sources say
A Canadian woman and her Italian partner kidnapped in Burkina Faso in 2018 have been found alive in the northwest of Mali by UN peacekeepers, diplomatic and UN sources said on Saturday. "UN blue helmets found an Italian citizen and a Canadian citizen near Kidal, who had been taken hostage in Burkina territory in 2018," a security official from the UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, told AFP. A UN source said the pair, pictured smiling and clad in white t-shirts at a MINUSMA base in Kidal late Friday, arrived at an airport in Mali's capital Bamako around midday on Saturday. The source added they were to be handed over to Mali authorities in the presence of diplomatic staff from their respective countries. A diplomatic source had earlier named the two as Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto. "Both are well. They are under our protection. They will be transferred to Bamako on Saturday and then flown home to their respective countries," the security official said before they were transferred to the capital, where AFP journalists witnessed their arrival. MINUSMA mission head Mahamat Saleh Annadif explained some of the details surrounding their reappearance. "We have good news. Yesterday around three in the afternoon our Kidal staff informed me they had found two hostages -- a Canadian and an Italian," said Annadif. "From preliminary information they must have managed to escape. They were picked up by a civilian vehicle which drove them to the MINUSMA camp." Blais, from Quebec, and her partner Tacchetto, from Venice, disappeared in mid-December 2018 while travelling through the west African country. The couple, who are both in their 30s, were driving by car to Ouagadougou from Bobo-Dioulasso, more than 360 kilometres west of the capital, when all trace of them was lost, according to Blais's family. They had been planning to go to Togo to work on a humanitarian project. In April 2019, a Burkina government spokesman said the two had been abducted and probably taken out of the country, but that they were not in any danger. Seen in a photograph from the Facebook page dedicated to their disappearance, Luca Tacchetto and Edith Blais were freed two years after being kidnapped in 2018 in Burkina Faso by armed men A MINUSMA picture showed Canadian Edith Blais and Italian partner Luca Tacchetto in Kidal, Mali, prior to their transfer to Bamako
: Veteran poet and



Malayalam scholar Puthussery Ramachandran, whose efforts resulted in Malayalam getting recognised as a classical language by the union government in 2013, passed away at his house here on Saturday, family sources said.

Ramachandran (91) was suffering from age-related ailments, a family member said.

It was Ramachandran's tireless efforts resulted in Malayalam getting recognised as a classical language by the Central government in 2013.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the demise of Ramachandran was a major loss to the language, culture and progressive cultural movement of the state.

"When the leaders of Communist movement went into hiding or was in prison after of the Sooranad uprising, it was Ramachandran who led the revolutionary movement. He always maintained unity with the Left," Vijayan said.

Vijayan also said Ramachandran's contribution in the field of linguistics was significant.

"Ramachandran showed exceptional commitment in discovering the historical documents with regard to Malayalam language so that it could acquire the classical language status," Vijayan said.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also expressed condolences on the demise of the veteran poet.

"It was his relentless effort that helped Malayalam language to gain the classical language status," Chennithala said.

Ramachandran has won many prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi award, the prestigious Ezhuthachchan Puraskaaram in 2015, Kerala Sahitya Akademi award and many others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Hollywood actor and Swedish born star of films such as Star Wars, The Seventh Seal and The Exorcist, Max Von Sydow, who has just died at the age of 90, had a strong link through his father to the Muscrai Gaeltacht.

According to Irish language author and translator, Gabriel Rosenstock, the screen legend's father, Carl Wilhelm Von Sydow (1879-1952) was a noted folklorist and used to visit the Munster Gaeltachtai in Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

"He translated Seadna (by an tAthair Peadar Ua Laoghaire) and other works into Swedish," said Gabriel.

It's not known whether the Swedish scholar's son travelled with his father on these trips to Muscrai, Corca Dhuibhne and Na Deise.

A commemorative festival to mark 100 years since the death of An tAthair Peadar, a noted Irish language scholar and pioneering author, is to be held in the parish of Carriganima next week, Friday, March 20, and Saturday March 21. Events include a guided tour of the places associated with the writer, a launch of a book of parish memoirs, Ar Sceal Fein and a commemorative mass in Carriganima Church on Saturday evening at 6pm with the unveiling of a plaque to mark the occasion. Full details are available on facebook.com/carriganimacomm. No decision has been made yet about the impact of the Corona virus on the event.
Coronavirus forces Donald Trump to declare a national emergency. This helps the government move funds to help fight the virus. Coronavirus has caused death to over 40 individuals in the United States, according to the New York Post.

Cases in the United States continued to grow in the United States. This will help to test for the virus and getting facilities for emergency shelters. Donald Trump stated that he has been working with different states to help.

He mentioned his conversation with Governor Cuomo of New York. Trump stated, I just spoke with Gov.

Cuomo, we had a very good conversation, and were working very strongly with many states, including New York. This is an example of it being a national emergency and not a state-level emergency.

Declaration of National Emergency helps government combat coronavirus

Donald Trump has the authority to announce a national emergency by the Stafford Act and the National Emergencies Act. This emergency allows the government to divert money in the budget to help combat the virus. This allows the government the funds to get proper testing done to help find the virus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the White House, coronavirus expert. As reported by Gateway Pundit, he testified before Congress on Thursday that the healthcare system is failing. There are not enough testing available in the United States.

Affects of Stafford Act on the national emergency declaration

The Stafford Act activates the Federal Emergency Management Agency to aid the states that ask for it. FEMA can go to the individual states and help with testing or setting up emergency shelters. This declaration gives Donald Trump the authority to uphold his promise of delaying taxes without penalty or fines.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

This also helps Dr. Fauci combat the virus. This will give him individuals to help test and control the virus. It will also give him the ability to create quarantine zones of temporary hospitals.

National Emergencies Act used for declaration of national emergency

This act allows the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to divert funds.

They budget money in the prior year. They cannot use those funds for anything outside that budgeted role.

The secretary can now divert those funds and use it to fight the virus. This will help Dr. Fauci, who predicts that the virus could be an issue for another eight weeks. He said during a press conference the following, Its certainly going to get worse before it gets better theres no doubt we have not peaked yet.

What else does emergency declaration help task force fight coronavirus?

Donald Trump expanded the power of Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar. It allows him to waive state or local laws to help healthcare workers. This allows him the flexibility to decide and not burdened by the laws of the land.

This declaration gives Secretary Azar the authority to open new hospitals or create quarantine areas. This would allow him to overtake buildings or other areas. The new powers would include possibly shutting down the United States to spread the disease.

During his press conference, he was quoted, Im not sure were going to get to that. I think that would be really rather dramatic, but I can tell you that all the things are on the table. We just have to respond as things evolve over the days and the weeks. This was in response to the question of whether the United States would take the same steps as China and Italy. Their response was to stop movement in their countries. China was the reported origin of the coronavirus, and Italy was affected by more cases than the United States.

The possibility is open to shutting down the United States, according to Dr. Fauci.

This declaration gives the government the needed funds to combat coronavirus. This flexibility will help ease decisions and allow needed help for testing and treatment. Other countries have shown that the disease can be slowed down. Dr. Fauci stated, Lets look ahead, and I believe what were hearing at the task force that we are now getting into that phase where well be able to really scale it up a lot. I think in the next week, or so, youre going to see an acceleration of availability of tests. The extra funds will help the task force in that scaling-up process. This will allow them to attack the spread of the virus instead of reacting to the virus.
A doctor who stabbed a 16-year-old girl to death because she threatened to expose him for allegedly sexually assaulting her has worn earplugs to avoid listening to her family's impact statement.

Venod Skantha, 32, was jailed for life last week after he sneaked into Amber-Rose Rush's home in Dunedin in New Zealand on February 2, 2018 and brutally killed her.

Skantha allegedly killed Ms Rush to silence her after she posted a series of messages between the pair on Instagram, which would have ruined his medical career.

During the sentencing, Ms Rush's brother Jayden read a heartbreaking statement penned by their mother Lisa-Anna a few weeks before her suspected suicide.

Lisa-Ann was left scarred after discovering her daughter's butchered corpse after Skantha stabbed her in the neck six times.

Venod Skantha wore earplugs during his sentencing for the brutal murder of Amber-Rose Rush (pictured) in 2018

'I am constantly living with the nightmares of finding Amber ... It's not a normal life, it's an existence,' the statement read according to the New Zealand Herald.

After the sentencing, the victim's sister Shantelle Rush said the family spotted the bright orange ear plugs Skantha was wearing in courtroom pictures.

'We were all pretty disgusted. It was stuff he needed to hear,' she said.

A corrections spokesperson said Skantha purchased the earplugs behind bars but should not have been allowed to wear them in the courtroom.

'Prisoners are searched prior to leaving prison for court. However, earplugs are able to be used during transport in a prison escort vehicle,' he said.

Skantha has now lodged an appeal with the court but no date has yet been set.

Ms Rush was found in a pool of her own blood in her bed at her family's home in Dunedin, New Zealand

Ms Rush met Skantha through a mutual friend at a party in the doctor's home in mid-2017. Their mutual friend, a teenage boy, became the prosecution's key witness.

The pair spent a lot of time together over the coming months, with the teen's friends describing Skantha's interest in her as 'creepy'.

But in January 2018, just a month before her murder, the pair had a falling out.

Ms Rush told her friends she woke up in Skantha's house to find him molesting her.

'She told me she'd woken up with her bra off and Vinny's hand down her pants,' the witness told the court.

'I don't believe she was lying to me.'

During the trial, the court heard Skantha offered money to Ms Rush to have sex with him, which the defence agreed had happened.

'Initially it was $2000 and then it went up to $20,000 when she denied him,' her friend told the court, Radio New Zealand reported.

'She told me she ended up slapping him in the face and getting herself picked up and leaving as soon as possible.'

Dunedin doctor Venod Skantha was found guilty of murdering Amber-Rose Rush, after sneaking into her bedroom and stabbing her several times

The two parted ways after the incident, until Skantha messaged the teen on February 2 after an online purchase was made using his credit card.

Ms Rush denied making the purchase, before Skantha told her to stop spreading rumours about his behaviour.

She responded with a message which read: 'Stuff doesn't mean s**t when you did that to me, wasn't talking s**t hun you should own up to what you did, fkn perv.

'You're lucky I don't go into the hospital and tell them how you turn up to work drunk, and supply minors with alcohol, touch them up without consent, grow up vinny you're 30 for f**k sakes.'

Ms Rush then posted screenshots of their messages to her Instagram account.

The pair's mutual friend - the prosecution's star witness - then alerted Skantha to the posts.

Mr Rush and Skantha's texting argument then started again, with the teen telling the doctor she was going to tell his bosses as well as police about his actions.

Her last message to Skantha read: 'You know what you were doing when you did it. For that you deserve everything you're gonna get'.

Just 30 minutes after sending that message, Ms Rush was murdered.

Prosecutors said Skantha was driven to Ms Rush's home by the teenage witness, whose name was suppressed.

Skantha then entered the home using a spare key, and stabbed Ms Rush in her bed with a knife he brought with him from home.

She suffered multiple stab wounds in the back of her neck.

'The person who did this, was really, really angry,' Prosecutor Robin Bates told the High Court of Dunedin.

Ms Rush met Skantha through a mutual friend at a party in the doctor's home in mid-2017, before their friendship went south when she claimed the doctor put his hands down her pants while she was alseep

Bates said the doctor knew to stab Ms Rush's carotid artery and windpipe, and described it as 'not some random clumsy attempt,' but an attack to silence the teen.

He told the court Skantha was 'hellbent on getting rid of the contents of [Amber-Rose's] phone'.

Skantha stood to lose his job after being given his final warning at Dunedin Hospital, Stuff reported.

But Skantha's lawyers argued the case's star witness, who idolised Skantha, was involved in Ms Rush's death in a desperate bid to save his career for him.

The judge reminded the jury they needed to believe beyond reasonable doubt that Skantha murdered the teen, and that he threatened to kill her.

But he said the jury didn't have to acquit Skantha if they found the teenage witness, whose remain remains suppressed, was an accomplice.

The judge urged the jury to evaluate the credibility and honesty of the witness.

But defence counsel Jonathan Eaton QC blamed the Crown's key witness.

'He is the person who is at the heart of this case. I suggest he would do anything to protect Venod Skantha,' Eaton said in front of a packed court room.

Eaton argued that Skantha should be acquitted due to the evidence of the witness, who admitted to being a 'compulsive liar' in his police interviews.
Jayanta Naskar, has been working with West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress since it's inception and over the years he has earned praise for diligence in his constituency of Gosaba in West Bengals South 24 Parganas district.

Despite being a dedicated party worker, Naskar who is 71-years-old, has developed a gnawing fear that someone is out to kill him.

Facebook

This fear of being murdered pushed Naskar to take one of the most narcissistic decisions of his life, something that he is admittedly embarrassed about.

According to a PTI report, he hired a sculptor three years ago from Kumartuli, a neighbourhood in Kolkata known for its potters and sculptors, to craft two life-size statues made of fibreglass and a clay bust.

The MLA allegedly went in for five sittings to ensure the sculptor builds the statues with 'utmost exactitude possible.'

The report quoted him as saying, "Four criminals had escaped from the Alipore Central Correctional Home. After they were recaptured, they admitted they were hired by local politicians to kill me. The then district Superintendent Praveen Tripathi had informed me about this. The state government enhanced my security to Y-category."

Picture For Representation/Twitter

He might be guarded by 11 policemen after the security request but that didn't stop Naskar's impulse to build his own life-size statues, lest people forget about him.

"I've many enemies within the TMC. These leaders belonged to other parties earlier and they are my enemies since then," said the father of five.

Naskar said he wants to stay connected with the people even after he is gone. I think this is the best way to do it. The statues were ready two years ago and are kept at my home. I take proper care of them, he said.

Source/News18

Asked where his statues will be erected, Mr Naskar said the headmaster of a local school, of which he was the secretary from 1993 to 2016, has promised he will put up the bust at the institute after his death.

"About the other two, I've no idea. If the locals want, they will erect them at places they choose," he said.

When contacted by PTI, district Trinamool Congress president Shaukat Molla took a jibe at Jayanta Naskar saying he should get more statues and erect them in every corner of his constituency.

The two-term MLA from Gosaba is under heavy security cover most of the time due to attacks on him allegedly by opponents.


As thirsty patrons enter the newly opened Blue Lion Pub in the Grogans Mill shopping center, the motif and ambiance for the new bar and restaurant is clear: the deep blue walls are adorned with Picasso-style paintings, Saint Andrews Cross flags can be seen flying in various places and are on employees T-shirts and the ceiling is what appears to be a ships hull adorned with fishnets and a bell-like structure with a fashionable chandelier.

Aside from the sweet aroma of apple wood smoke  a side effect of one of the new pubs signature offerings, smoked cocktails  the cozy space located next to SN Liquors in the center at the intersection of Grogans Mill Road and South Millbend Drive has a distinct European vibe along with decor from the world of ships and the ocean.

Co-founder Wes Cordova is a native of Clear Lake and entered the Navy after high school, working as both a military policeman and a signal specialist. His wife Lesa is a native of New Orleans and works full-time as a nurse at a regional health facility. The pair co-own the business with two others, Kristi Sides and Sandra Osborne.

It is a big relief (to open), it has been a long trip to get here, Wes said of the four-month construction of the interior of the bar. There was a lot of demolition work we needed to do. There was a lot in here, the previous tenant left a lot of stuff we had to clean out.

As for why he and his three co-partners decided to open the new pub, Wes Cordova said it was a simple desire to follow his passions, showcase the talent of his business partners and help support the community. The partners agreed to open the pub and signed lease paperwork before it was known that the Randalls would be closing in mid-February. In spite of that development, Wes said he and the other partners were still committed to making the pub come to life and support other small businesses and The Woodlands Farmers Market.

I always wanted to be in the bar business. I waited tables and worked at bars down in Houston when I was in college. For years and years and years, I wanted to do it, and opportunities came and went. I was a partner in another bar here in The Woodlands, and when that went south with that partnership, I fell into this, Wes said. This is a newer improved version (of his previous bar).

The name of the bar harks to Wes grandfather, who was born in Scotland, hence the prevalence of blue colors all over the venue, and his background in the U.S. Navy with the ship motif and decor. Along with his skills, other partners are specialists in craft cocktails, including Kristi Sides, who he said created the Room 1908 cocktail  which is Empress gin and a syrup made from Rose wine, rosemary and lemon juice.

Sides is one of the co-owners of the bar, and she was instrumental in personally creating the Blue Lion Pubs special craft cocktail menu, which features exotic concoctions with multiple elements that wow the taste buds with nary a hint of hard alcohol. Sides is also adept at making smoked cocktails, including an Old Fashioned whiskey cocktail that is smoked with apple wood chips inside as miniature glass box.

(Sides) Is amazing, Wes said of half of his cocktail guru team. I just let Kristi go. I used to bring her a new spirit each week, and one time I brought her this new gin that was recently available, a purple gin distilled with tea flowers. She said, I know what Ill do, and she boiled down a syrup using Rose and Rosemary (and lemon juice), and called it the Room 1908 cocktail. It became our best seller (at his previous bar). Anyway (Kristi) is amazing, she is so creative. People think bartenders are mere (drink) mechanics. Our bartenders are our artists.

The Woodlands newest bar, The Blue Lion Pub What: The Blue Lion Pub Where: Located in the Grogan's Mill shopping center at the intersection of South Millbend Drive and Grogan's Mill Road When: The pub is open seven-days a week from noon until 11 p.m. with occasional nights when may remain open until 2 a.m. See More Collapse

Wes Cordova said one reason he and his partners wanted to open the pub was to help support local businesses in the Grogans Mill shopping center. Having a kitchen that will serve food, which has yet to open, and an array of beers, special events and special cocktails will draw foot traffic to the shopping center which can help small shops like New Lotus Moon, Brothers Pizza Express and others that have struggled in the wake of the Feb. 15 closure of the centers anchor grocery store Randalls.

I am the guy who says, to hell with Randalls closing. I am going to bring people into this shopping center. One thing I am going to do, is, even when our kitchen is open, Im going to offer the menus of Maine-ly Sandwiches, Chef Chans (Chinese Restaurant) and Brothers Pizza Express, Wes added. If people want to order that food, those restaurants will run it over here to them. All our food will be sourced here at the farmers market over there. And, well partner with the (Hot Rod) car show (hosted in the parking lot). It is every Saturday and our Saturdays will be busy here. I really just want to be a hub of the community and help everybody else out, too.

Other features at the pub include four large-screen TVs, a jukebox with classic tunes and in a few weeks, outdoor dining and seating in a limited area. The pub will be open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, opening at noon, closing tentatively at 11 p.m. each night. However, the pub has a liquor license allowing the restaurant to stay open until 2 a.m.

Lesa Cordova said she, Wes and Osborne and Sides are, rooted in the community, and want to become a welcome spot for anyone, whether seeking a cold beer after work or sipping craft cocktails on special occasions. As she enjoyed opening night and a growing crowd of curious and thirsty customers, she smiled and expressed a sense of relief.

We really wanted that European feel, Lesa said while seated at the custom wood bar as Scottish bagpipe tunes flitted from the sound system. Im super excited. We are rooted in this community.

jeff.forward@chron.com
To Nigerians, that the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has been dethroned is incontrovertibly established. However, the nuances and the sociological imports of his dethronement should not be lost on the society. To start with, the allegations made against the deposed Emir were, up till now, neither substantiated nor provided credible and sufficient reasons for his removal. Yet, the man was summarily removed in a hurry by a government that appears to be hiding something.

In recent times, the pronouncements of the Emir have no doubt been acerbic and critical of the Nigerian government. Sanusi did not take any prisoners! With deviant profundity, he exposed the charade of the Northern government. He talked about the abuse of women, the menace of the almajiris and the need to abolish it. He lampooned the elite and warned them against the abuse of children, especially, the girl child. He lamented the frightening number of the out-of-school children in the North and linked it to the ever-rising number of Boko Haram adherents, drugs addicts and the reservoir of political thugs, which now defines the demography of the Northern part of the country.

Emir Sanusi may be gone! However, the seed of the destruction of the feudal system in the Northern part of Nigeria has been sown. In other words, we have not heard the last of Sanusi, the deposed 14th Emir of Kano. The questions now are: what manner of man is Sanusis replacement, or the newly-installed Emir? Will he tolerate the beating of women? Will he promote the abuse of children and early marriage for the girl child? Will he encourage almajiri to grow exponentially? Or will the new Emir embrace the status quo?

Without doubt, the behaviour of the government of Kano, in this instance, is devoid of congenial diplomacy and calculated openness, which responsible governments world over, are noted for. For instance, how expedient is the dethronement and banishment of an Emir to the demands of sound Public Administration and the provision of good governance to the people of Kano State, which, to my mind, is the primary responsibility of the governor? How compatible is the traditional legal and normative laws on dethronement and banishment with the extant laws of the land? Put in clear terms, if the man must be dethroned, at what stage, therefore, did the Kano State Government begin to abuse its powers?

Lets for the sake of argument admit that he was dethroned traditionally which, then, means that the man must be willing, without the compulsion of the state. Who then decided his Nasarawa new home for him? If it was not Sanusi, that amounted to abduction in the eye of the law; nothing but a clear case of kidnap, because it was done against his will! After all, the man cant go to London today, if he so decides! If his eventual detention in Awe was as a result of security reports, as we are now being told, who, again, decided that the antidote to such reports could be found only in Loko, later, Awe, both in Nasarawa State?

Lets talk about the throne itself, which has for long become a thorny issue, even, among the academia. For a long time, it has been decided that, as long as you keep the traditional stool, the stool in itself is antithetical to legal rational order. With the Sanusi saga, it has become clear that the legal rational order doesnt understand Emirship or Obaship. Thats why a governor in a state in the South South could talk carelessly to a beaded king in the full glare of the public; and all the casualty of that mockable and unacceptable recklessness could do was to swallow it, without missing a beat!

This thing of being a hero ! Blame Sanusi for the misfortunes that have eventually befallen him. He ought to have seen the handwriting on the wall and thrown in the towel before it got to this level. But, again, blame not the Emir, for he was only displaying the Africanness in us: we dont quit and we dont resign! We dont even retire! But, like water, we are only answerable to the call of temperature: when it is cold, we freeze; and when it is hot, we melt. In any case, pity the country that gives little in return for its people's industry. Pity the enclave that sacrifices its best on the altar of mere political exigencies. Pity a people who make of themselves onlookers in the face of tyranny and oppression. Sanusi has done his bit! He has trod where, even, angels dreaded. As a Banker, he reached the very peak of his career. Right from childhood, his main ambition was to become the Emir of Kano. And he's been there!

As this dethronement brouhaha simmers, people will start forgetting who Sanusi was. He becomes another number, or, statistics of dethroned Emirs, Obis or Obas! And that is the sad reality about Nigerias political firmament. With the situation of things, it bears repeating that Kano, and, indeed, the entire North has lost a star, a brilliant man who fought a good battle, even, if it appears as if all his efforts are wasted. By default, Nigeria has also lost the service of a distinguished leader and social crusader. In the case of the deposed Emir, he deserves a pride of place in history.

On insinuations that Sanusis removal might have been ordered from Abuja, while theres no concrete proof to support this assertion, the manner of installation and the speed of the homage to Aso Rock by his replacement were in no small way suggestive of invisible hands somewhere, somehow! But, and as Ive argued elsewhere, President Muhammadu Buhari has served Nigeria to the best of his ability. As providence would also have it, he has also had his fill of his country to the best that life can offer. So, all he needs, going forward, is the royal life. Let the president just be fine and okay with himself. The more reason those who still believe that Nigerias future belongs to them must work, not only towards taking back their country from the troublers of its Israel, they must also do all that is humanly possible to move the country forward. As Tunde Bakare once said, anyone who fights for a people who are not prepared to fight for themselves is a fool!

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

*KOMOLAFE writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria ( [email protected] )

abiodun KOMOLAFE,

020, Okenisa Street,

Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.
U.S. President Donald Trump will not be tested for the coronavirus, in spite of being in contact with two Brazilian officials in Mar-a-Lago last week who have since tested positive for the virus.

The decision not to test the U.S. president is based on a letter from the presidents doctor.

One of those in contact with Mr Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday denied earlier reports that he tested positive to Covid-19,

The White House released an official letter from the presidents doctor, Sean Conley, which states that Mr Trumps interactions were categorised as LOW risk for transmission.

READ ALSO:

The Presidents exposure to the first individual was extremely limited (photograph, handshake), and though he spent more time in closer proximity to the second case, all interactions occurred before any symptom onset, the doctors letter states.

The letter adds that there is no indication for self-quarantine at this time, and that given the President himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated.

(dpa/NAN)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have officially wrapped up their final round of public appearances as senior members of the royal family. Over the past week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken part in a handful of solo and joint outings, concluding their return to the UK with an appearance at the Commonwealth Day service. The Duchess of Sussex, rocked some pretty amazing outfits throughout her stay, including one that paid tribute to Harrys late mother, Princess Diana.

Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry display unity in final appearances

Harry and Meghan recently returned to the UK to complete their final round of public engagements on behalf of the crown. Although the pair took part in several solo events, they also teamed up for three royal outings.

In all of their joint appearances, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry choose matching colors for their outfits, a clear sign of unity from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

During their appearance at the endeavor Fund Awards, for example, the couple wore complementary blue tones. They also wore the same color red during their visit to the Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Festival of Music.

When they appeared for their final royal engagement, the Commonwealth Day service, Markle wore an emerald green dress and matching hat from designer Emilia Wickstead. Although Harrys suit was blue, the lining of his coat matched Meghans outfit.

The Duchess of Sussex pays tribute to Princess Diana

Speaking of Meghans attire during the Commonwealth Day service, her dress was also a subtle tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. According to Express, Meghans dress was very similar to an outfit Diana wore way back in 1982.

It is unclear if Meghan picked the dress to honor Princess Diana, but royal expert Morgan Stewart believes that it was a calculated move on Meghans behalf.

Lovely tribute to Princess Di https://t.co/PSKnw2JDOf  Lucy Allan MP (@lucyallan) March 10, 2020

She did that. I cannot believe that. That is insane, Stewart shared. That is a calculated move. That is a royal mic drop.

Meghan Markles appearance at the service marks the last time fans will see her and Harry alongside other members of the royal family before their exit becomes official. The two will officially leave the royal family starting March 31.

At that time, the couple will start their new lives in North America and will no longer use their royal titles. Like Princess Diana, Meghan will be forced to carve out an existence outside of the ranks of the royal family.

Is Meghan Markle walking the same path as Princess Diana?

Between Meghans statement dress and the fact that she is leaving the ranks of the royal family, there is little doubt that similarities exist between Meghan and Diana, who was forced out of the monarchy after ending her marriage to Prince Charles.

When you pay homage to somebody like that, think about itDiana and Meghan are both outsiders in the Royal Family, E! News host Justin Sylvester shared. They both decided to rebel, they both decided to forge a path for themselves and Diana was one of the most independent women that we have seen in history. Went against the grain, did the damn thing.

Princess Dianas revenge dress after Prince Charles cheated on her and Meghan Markles revenge dress attending Prince Harrys final royal engagement after convincing him to leave The Royal Family pic.twitter.com/k7KkNRVJhP  dreamgrl (@SAlNTLUST) March 8, 2020

Sylvester added that Meghan paid tribute to Diana at the Commonwealth Day service because she feels like they have walked a similar path.

While the two share some similarities, there are also big differences between them. For starters, Diana was insanely popular among royal watchers, something that Meghan Markle is going to have to work hard to achieve.

Diana also left the royal family by ending her marriage, whereas Meghan has convinced her husband to come along with her. It will also be interesting to see what Harry and Meghan do once their exit becomes official, especially when it comes to their ongoing charity work.

The Sussexes share a new video

While fans are sad to see Meghan and Harry go, the couple recently shared a video of her recent trip to the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Meghan wore a chic navy dress for the event and mingled with students from a variety of disciplines, including environmental studies, health, innovation and technology, and sustainable living.

In the video, which was shared on the couples Instagram page, Meghan is shown talking with students and touring the association. The event took place on Monday just prior to the Commonwealth Day service.

With her official engagements concluded, Meghan has since returned to Canada to reunite with her son, Archie Harrison. In the coming months, Meghan and Harry are expected to find a more permanent place to live in North America and will be launching a new charitable foundation.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have not commented on their recent string of public appearances.
The Iraqi government and military together with various Iraqi political parties roundly condemned US-British airstrikes carried out early Friday morning against some five separate locations, killing three Iraqi regular army soldiers, two policemen and a civilian worker. Another four soldiers, two policemen, five militiamen and one civilian were wounded, some of them critically. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers dig through the rubble.

The Pentagon launched the bombing raids in retaliation for a rocket attack Wednesday that killed two US and one British military personnel at Camp Taji, a base north of Baghdad. Washington blamed the attack on Kataib Hezbollah, one of the largest components of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), comprised of predominantly Shia militias, which has been incorporated by the Baghdad government into the countrys armed forces. Kataib Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the attack, and Washington has offered no evidence of its responsibility for firing 18 rockets that struck the base.

Within hours of the rocket attack, warplanes struck a Kataib Hezbollah position in eastern Syrias Deir Ezzor province near a strategic border crossing with Iraq, killing some two dozen of its fighters.

Iraqs military described Fridays US-British airstrikes as treacherous and a targeted aggression. It warned that the attacks threatened an escalation and deterioration of the security situation in the country, and exposes everyone to more risks and threats.

The countrys President Barham Salih called the bombing raids a violation of national sovereignty that could slide Iraq into anarchy and chaos. He added, The repeated violations the state is being subjected to are a dangerous and deliberate weakening of its abilities especially at a time when Iraq faces unprecedented challenges on political, economic, financial, security and health fronts.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry convened an emergency meeting of its top officials and summoned the US and British ambassadors to answer for the act of American aggression. It said it would raise formal complaints before the United Nations Security Council.

Meanwhile, the Fatah Alliance, one of the most powerful blocs in the Iraqi Parliament, issued a statement stressing that there was no other answer to the attacks outside of forcing the withdrawal of the nearly 6,000 US troops deployed on Iraqi soil.

The Iraqi Parliament voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution calling for the immediate expulsion of all foreign forces from the country in the wake of the January 3 US drone assassination of Gen. Qassem Suleimani, one of Irans top government officials, after he landed at Baghdads international airport for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi on attempts to defuse rising regional tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Also killed in the attack was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah and deputy commander of the entire Popular Mobilization Forces, along with several other Iraqis and Iranians.

This criminal assassination brought the region and the world to the brink of a catastrophic war. Iran responded five days later with missile strikes on two US bases housing American troops in Iraq. While there were no fatalities resulting from the strikes, some 110 soldiers were left with traumatic brain injuries.

The retaliations and counter-retaliations now unfolding in Iraq threaten again to trigger such a war.

Iran Friday rejected US attempts to hold it responsible for Wednesdays rocket attack that killed the US and British soldiers.

The United States cannot blame others ... for the consequences of its illegal presence in Iraq and the nations reaction to the assassination and killing of Iraqi commanders and fighters, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said. Instead of dangerous actions and baseless accusations, Mr. Trump should reconsider the presence and behavior of his troops in the area.

While the Pentagon, as always, described its bombing raids as precision and proportionate, one of the targets hit by US bombs was an unfinished civilian airport under construction outside of the Shia holy city of Karbala, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad.

The Imam Hussein Holy Shrine, which oversees the airports construction in an agreement with several Iraqi companies, stressed that this airport is completely civilian and condemned this unjustified and blatant assault. Iraqi television news channels broadcast footage from the scene, showing a building with its windows blown out with signs over the door reading Karbala International Airport and Site Offices. The one known fatality from the raid was a cook for the civilian workforce.

Speaking in Washington on Friday, Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., the chief of US Central Command which oversees US military operations throughout the region, dismissed the Iraqi protests with all the arrogance and contempt of a colonial occupier.

We consulted them [Iraq] in the wake of the attack, he said. They knew the response was coming. As for the soldiers, police and the civilians killed and wounded in the strikes, he said, its probably not a good idea to position yourself with Kataib Hezbollah in the wake of a strike that killed Americans and coalition members.

I dont know whether the Iraqis are happy or unhappy, the general said. And for him, as the commander of what now unquestionably constitutes an occupying imperialist army, the matter is one of complete indifference.

While the US troops now deployed in Iraq were sent in as part Operation Inherent Resolve, with the ostensible mission of driving back the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Sunni Islamist militia that overran a third of Iraqs territory in 2014, routing the US-trained Iraqi security forces, McKenzie and other Pentagon officials have made it clear that they now see the Iraqi Shia militias that played the decisive role in defeating ISIS on the ground, rather than ISIS itself, as the main enemy.

Significantly, the US government and media have paid nowhere near as much attention to two US Marine Raiders killed in a March 8 firefight with ISIS members in a cave complex near Iraqs northern city of Makhmour than they have to the two who died in the rocket attack on Camp Taji.

This shift is part of a region-wide US military buildup against Iran, which has seen Washington backing Turkey in the defense of Al Qaeda-linked militias in Syrias Idlib province, bringing the NATO member country to the brink of war with nuclear-armed Russia.

General McKenzie told reporters on Friday that the Pentagon will continue to maintain two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Persian Gulf region, led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Harry S. Truman. The CENTCOM commander said that it was the first time that two such strike groups had been deployed near the Persian Gulf since 2012.

While Trump has repeatedly spoken about withdrawing US troops from Washingtons endless wars, the reality is that there are now 90,000 US personnel operating in the areas covered by CENTCOM, 10,000 more than before the assassination of Suleimani in January.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, General McKenzie suggested that Iran was more likely to take aggressive action because of the extreme crisis confronting the country. The effects of an explosive growth of the coronavirus pandemic and the plummeting of oil prices have been made all the more devastating by Washingtons maintenance of a maximum pressure sanctions regime tantamount to a state of war.

As the maximum pressure campaign against Iran continues, they are unable to respond really economically or diplomatically, the two channels that were using to apply pressure on them, McKenzie told the Senate panel. As they seek to find a way to respond, the only way thats left is the military component.

The CENTCOM commander followed up these remarks on Friday by declaring, We never have to wait to be struck. If we believe an attack is imminent  I and my commanders have full authority [to strike].

The implications are clear. US imperialism is continuing its buildup for a war of aggression against Iran aimed at eliminating a key regional rival for hegemony over the oil-rich Persian Gulf region. It feels emboldened by the deepening economic and health crisis plaguing Iran. Such a war would far eclipse the carnage wrought by two decades of imperialist aggression and occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq, while threatening to drag in all of the major powers, including nuclear-armed Russia and China.
The Irish Cultural Centre in London hosted 'Fainleog', an art exhibition celebrating St. Brigid's Day, which featured the work of three Irish women artists including Boolavogue native Frances Breen.

The exhibition which was held in conjunction with the Embassy of Ireland Great Britain included a range of work from sculpture to calligraphy, focusing on the theme of the 'Fainleog' meaning the swallow or little wanderer and paying homage to the environment and the Irish diaspora.

'We are delighted to welcome Eve Parnell, Laura O'Hagan and Frances Breen's exciting exhibition to the ICC,' said Irish Cultural Centre chairman Peter Power-Hynes at the launch.

'As the UK's leading centre for Irish arts and culture in the UK, it it important that we provide a platform for Irish artists to display their work.'

'This exhibition pays homage to the talent of women within our diaspora, looking at the bravery it takes to leave one's home, the memories that are cherished and the beauty of our environment'.

Born in Wexford, Frances Breen lives and works in Austria and Ireland. A graduate of NCAD, she received scholarships to study lettering and book arts in Austria and Germany.

Since 1986, she has been visiting tutor for lettering and book arts in NCAD. She has exhibited in Ireland and abroad and her work is in a number of public collections.
The rapid spread of COVID-19 this week led Gov. J.B. Pritzker to take unprecedented steps in hopes of slowing the rate of transmission, on Thursday canceling events with more than 1,000 people for 30 days and on Friday announcing the closure of schools statewide beginning Tuesday until March 30. Those measures are being put in place across Illinois even as the confirmed cases remain clustered in the Chicago area.
A Canadian woman and an Italian man who were abducted 15 months ago in Burkina Faso have been released in the neighboring country of Mali, a United Nations official confirmed Saturday.

Edith Blais of Quebec and her Italian traveling companion, Luca Tacchetto, went missing in December 2018 in an area of Burkina Faso that is known to be a stronghold of the Islamic States local franchise, the same group responsible for killing four American soldiers in Niger the previous year.

An American official who had been briefed on their release said they were let go late Friday in the city of Kidal in Malis far north. It was not clear which group had been holding them or under what conditions they were released.

Their release was confirmed on Saturday by a spokesman for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. The spokesman, Olivier Salgado, said the two spent the night at the missions base in Kidal before flying to the capital, Bamako, on Saturday.
I n the springtime, floral lovers flock to Japan and Washington DC to watch the cherry blossoms bloom.

Its a marvellous site. Trees in varying shades of pink line the streets, weave in-between landmarks and flank homes.

Yet, as we continue to see the effects of the current coronavirus pandemic, travelling east or Stateside is looking less and less likely.

Luckily, to get your floral fix, there are plenty of National Trust sites boasting cherry blossoms this spring.

Usually in bloom from late March to early May, this years unseasonably warm winter has seen many cherry trees start to bloom already.
Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has requested bars, karaoke bars and several tourist sites to close until the end of March.

Chung said at an emergency meeting Friday that the current goal in Hanoi's Covid-19 fight is to minimize spread of infections and prevent the capital city from becoming an epicenter of the outbreak. He said authorities are preparing plans for all scenarios and will inform citizens in due course.

There were 1,600 karaoke parlors in Hanoi as of mid-2019, according to the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

In areas with high risk of transmission like Hoan Kiem District, Chung asked people to refrain from mass gatherings. He also asked vendors to wear face masks and maintain a safe distance when interacting with tourists.

"The city is controlling the epidemic well, people should stay calm and be proactive in protecting their health," Chung said.

He only specified tourist sites that have to close down as "cultural, historical sites."

Hanoi authorities are keeping close track of tourists coming from novel coronavirus-hit areas in Europe from March 1 onnwards to request medical checks if needed.

Chung said Vietnamese returning from Europe or other infected areas need to inform local authorities and limit contact with others.

People with high-risk exposures like drivers and tour guides should quarantine themselves if they detect any symptom of the virus and call national hotline 115, he added.

As of Friday, more than 2,200 residents have been released from quarantine in military camps in the city after testing negative for the virus at the end of the 14-day quarantine period. Over 400 cases are still being quarantined. They are scheduled to be released between March 19-23.

Hanoi has confirmed seven infection cases as of Friday.

Some HCMC officials have also said they want to temporarily close bars, discos, beer clubs, and the like to curb the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Vietnam has confirmed 47 Covid-19 infection cases so far, including 31 in the past week. The other 16 patients were cured and discharged from hospitals by February 26.

The Covid-19 outbreak has spread to 138 countries and territories around the world, killing over 5,000 people.
Arfa Khanum Sherwani of The Wire and Bengaluru-based freelancer Rohini Mohan have been jointly given this year's Chameli Devi Jain Award for outstanding woman journalist.

Rukmini S, an independent data-journalist from Chennai, received honourable mention.

The annual award which recognises social concern, dedication, courage and compassion received over 40 entries from all over India representing the print, broadcast and online media, a statement said.

The jury comprised political scientist Zoya Hasan and journalists Sreenivasan Jain and Manoj Mitta.

While Sherwani was chosen for her reporting from conflict situations in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, the jury felt that Mohan's reportage on the NRC exercise in Assam set a new benchmark for investigative journalism.

Rukmini S, the jury said, deserved special recognition for pushing the boundaries of data journalism in India.

The presentation of the award scheduled for Saturday and which was to be followed by the BG Verghese Memorial Lecture by former Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur was postponed due to the coronavirus threat.

The Media Foundation instituted the Chameli Devi Jain Award in 1980, named after Chameli Devi Jain, a legendary freedom fighter and community reformer who went to jail for her beliefs.

Harish Khare is current chairperson of the foundation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Grand Princess cruise ship confirmed Friday that approximately 2,450 people have disembarked and the 14 international guests who remain on the ship are awaiting transportation to their home countries.

Once those passengers disembark, the entire disembarkation process for the Grand Princess will be complete.

Friday marks the fourth day the ship let passengers off at the Port of Oakland, California.

Passengers were set to continue disembarking from Grand Princess Thursday.

Passengers from the cruise ship were transported to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia, according to a statement provided to USA TODAY Thursday by CDC spokesman Joe Smith on behalf of Health and Human Services. The ship is docked in Oakland, California.

As of Thursday morning, at least 858 people, all California residents, had arrived at Travis Air Force Base. Another 277 California residents had arrived at Miramar Naval station. Residents of other states were transported elsewhere: 246 went to Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia and 149 were at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed in the statement.

The clock starts ticking on the passengers' quarantine periods once orders are received ; Smith estimated those would arrive with 24 to 48 hours of arrival. Passengers staying on military bases will pass the next 14 days in hotel-style rooms, he said.

"Passengers will be monitored for symptoms of COVID-19 throughout the quarantine," Smith said. "Anyone on a military installation who tests positive or develops symptoms associated with COVID-19 will be transferred to non-DoD locations; people who develop acute illness will be transferred to hospitals."

Princess said that plans for how the crew might be quarantined are still being determined. The cruise line had previously said that workers  including the 19 who tested positive for COVID-19 who do not require hospitalization  would remain on board after the ship leaves port and and be isolated and treated in their staterooms if necessary.

Story continues

The ship's saga began over a week ago when 21 people tested positive and it was discovered that 62 passengers had been on the ship at the same time as a California man who eventually died from the virus. The ship was diverted from San Francisco to the Port of Oakland, due to its proximity to a military base and an airport.

Canadian passenger tests positive after evacuation flight

A Canadian passenger from Grand Princess who arrived at a military base in Trenton, Ontario, Tuesday, has since tested positive for coronavirus.

A handful of people from the ship who were treated at hospitals and released will be sent to hotels in several locations to spend their 14-day quarantine.

The Public Health Agency of Canada on Wednesday said that one positive case was found in a Canadian repatriated to the country after disembarking from the Grand Princess on Monday, the first day of disembarkation.

That same day, two passengers were taken to hospitals along with their travel companions after testing positive Friday.

Major cruise lines suspend operations

Major cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and MSC will suspend sailing operations to and from U.S. ports for 30 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cruise Lines International Association announced Friday.

Viking and Disney cruises announced similar measures Thursday.

CLIA cruise line members are voluntarily and temporarily suspending operations from the U.S. as we work to address this public health crisis, said Kelly Craighead, CLIA president and CEO in a statement. This is an unprecedented situation."

Craighead said that the association was working with the Centers for Disease Control. "This has been a challenging time, but we hope that this decision will enable us to focus on the future and a return to normal as soon as possible."

The suspension will take effect at midnight Friday. CLIA said it will focused on the "safe and smooth return" of those currently at sea on ships.

Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz, Hannah Yasharoff, Jayme Deerwester, Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: 14 international passengers left aboard Grand Princess
Hisar: With the increasing number of coronavirus cases in India Haryana's Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) cancelled exams as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of virus. The exams in the university were scheduled to begin from March 16 and would continue till March 31.

The university gave the information by issuing a notice, which said that all the theory and practical examinations have been postponed and the new dates will be released later.

The notice read, ''It is notified for information of all concerned that due to precautionary measures taken by the Govt. of Haryana regarding Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19), all the theory and practical examinations already scheduled to be held from 16.03.2020 to 31.03.2020 have been postponed and new date sheet for these examinations will be released later on.''

Several other universities and educational institutions across India have also taken strict action to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. On Friday, some of India's top universities like Jamia Millia Islamia, IIT Delhi, DU, JNU, IIT Kharagpur has suspended the classes till March 31.

Issuing a notice, Jamia Millia Islamia university administration said, "The face-to-face/ group interaction or gathering of the students to be avoided till 31st March." The notice further added, "Teachers should make study material available to students, who need any assistance, online. Teachers should contact the students via email for reference of study material available online."

The university also announced to close all schools run by it till March 31. However, the board exams will continue to be conducted said the university administration.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has asked its students to leave the hostel rooms till March 31 with the exception of foreign students and PhD scholars to avoid the spread of virus amongst the students.

India has reported 83 coronavirus positive cases till date out of which 66 are Indians, 16 Italians and 1 Canadian national. A total of two persons have died so far with one death in the national capital and one in Karnataka. The data took into account cases compiled till 9 a.m. on March 14.
The State of Florida Update On COVID-19 -- March 13 TALLAHASSEE, FL  The Florida Department of Health has announced 15 new positive cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Florida. To keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware about the status of the virus, the Department is issuing regular updates as information becomes available.

These 15 new positive cases were tested in Florida Department of Health labs. The Department of Health is now including results from private laboratories in these daily reports. Results from private labs will initially include fewer details, such as travel, because the state epidemiological team does not learn about the private lab cases until the results are added into the state system. As soon as the Department of Health learns of a positive case from a private lab, the epidemiological investigation begins. The Department of Health will provide additional information about private lab cases as soon as details become available. New Positive Cases A 73-year old male in Palm Beach County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case and is associated with a Nile River Cruise/Tour in Egypt. A 74-year old male in Palm Beach County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case and is associated with travel to Europe. A 50-year old male New York resident who is currently in Sarasota County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. A 70-year old male Massachusetts resident in Sarasota County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. A 24-year old female in Alachua County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case and is associated with travel to Europe. A 70-year old male in Volusia County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case and is associated with a Nile River Cruise/Tour in Egypt. A 83-year old male in Duval County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. A 57-year old male in Clay County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. A 28-year old female in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. A 25-year old female in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case. A 20-year old female Texas resident in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel related case and is associated with travel to Europe. A 68-year old female in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This case is associated with Port Everglades. A 36-year old male in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel-related case. A 49-year old female Hillsborough County resident has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. This is a travel-related case and is associated with travel to Europe. A 77-year old male in Lee County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials. It is currently unclear whether this was a travel-related case; the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. International Travel U.S. Department of State  Global Level 3 Health Advisory The U.S. Department of State advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel abroad due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice. CDC Guidelines The Florida Department of Health is advising all individuals who have traveled internationally to follow CDC guidelines, summarized below: Level 3 Travel Advisory: CDC recommends 14-day self-isolation and social distancing upon return to the United States. Social distancing includes avoiding going out in public and close personal interactions. If you become symptomatic, immediately self-isolate and contact your County Health Department or health care provider.

CDC recommends 14-day self-isolation and social distancing upon return to the United States. Social distancing includes avoiding going out in public and close personal interactions. If you become symptomatic, immediately self-isolate and contact your County Health Department or health care provider. Level 2 Travel Advisory and Cruises: Travelers should monitor their health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States. If you become symptomatic, immediately self-isolate and they should call ahead to a health care professional or their county health department before seeking treatment. According to CDC, a cruise ship is defined as a passenger vessel involving the movement of large numbers of people in closed and semi-closed settings.

Travelers should monitor their health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States. If you become symptomatic, immediately self-isolate and they should call ahead to a health care professional or their county health department before seeking treatment. For more information regarding current CDC travel advisories related to COVID-19, visit: htt p s: / / www.cdc. g ov / coronavirus / 2019-ncov / travelers / index.html A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and any other destination under CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider or local County Health Department (CHD) and mention their recent travel or close contact, unless they are experiencing an emergency. If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from areas or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should call ahead to a health care professional and the County Health Department. The health care professional will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19. Nile Cruise Advisory The Florida Department of Health is advising all individuals who traveled to Egypt for a cruise or tour on the Nile River in February or March 2020 to self-isolate for 14 days following their date of return to the United States, and if ill, immediately contact their CHD or health care provider. Several passengers in the United States recently developed symptoms and have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, including 11 positive cases in Florida. COVID-19 Cases Florida Residents Diagnosed in Florida as of 11:53 p.m. ET 3/12/2020

County Age Sex Travel** Related 1 Manatee 63 Male No 2 Hillsborough 29 Female Yes 3 Santa Rosa 71 Male Yes 4 Broward 75 Male No 5 Broward 65 Male No 6 Lee 77 Female Yes 7 Lee 77 Male Yes 8 Charlotte 54 Female Yes 9 Okaloosa 61 Female Yes 10 Volusia 66 Female Yes 11 Manatee 81 Female Yes 12 Broward 67 Male No 13 Volusia 60 Female Yes 14 Broward 69 Female No 15 Nassau 68 Male Yes 16 Collier 73 Male Yes 17 Collier 68 Female Yes 18 Collier 64 Female Yes 19 Pinellas 67 Male Yes 20 Pinellas 64 Male Yes 21 Pasco 46 Male Yes 22 Miami-Dade 56 Male Yes 23 Broward 70 Male Under Investigation 24 Lee 57 Male Under Investigation 25 Broward 65 Male Under Investigation 26 Broward 61 Male Yes 27* Seminole 68 Male Yes 28 Palm Beach 73 Male Yes 29 Palm Beach 74 Male Yes 30 Sarasota 50 Male Under Investigation 31 Sarasota 70 Male Under Investigation 32 Alachua 24 Female Yes 33 Volusia 70 Male Yes 34 Duval 83 Male Under Investigation 35 Clay 57 Male Under Investigation 36 Broward 28 Female Under Investigation 37 Broward 25 Female Under Investigation 38 Broward 68 Female Under Investigation 39 Broward 36 Male Under Investigation 40 Hillsborough 49 Female Under Investigation 41 Lee 77 Male Under Investigation * The Department of Health will confirm cases reported by commercial labs. ** A known history of exposure to COVID-19 outside of the state. Port Everglades Advisory The Department, through an extensive epidemiological investigation, has identified four positive COVID-19 cases associated with Port Everglades in Broward County, Florida. All three cases are connected to or employed by Metro Cruise Services  a company that operates at Port Everglades. The Department recommends all individuals experiencing symptoms who have recently traveled through Port Everglades to immediately contact their CHD or health care provider and self-isolate for 14 Days. The Department also recommends employees of Metro Cruise Services at Port Everglades with any association to these cases self-isolate at home.

The Department is working to connect with all employees at Metro Cruise Services who may have come into contact with the three individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to provide the employees with the appropriate guidance and monitoring.

The Department is working in close consultation with the CDC on this investigation.

CDC recommends that individuals with recent travel history on a cruise monitor their health for 14 days and, if they develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact their CHD or health care provider. COVID-19 Public Website and Call Center Please visit the Departments dedicated COVID-19 webpage for information and guidance regarding COVID-19 in Florida. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Departments dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-(866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours a day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov. Actions the State of Florida has taken on COVID-19: Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a State of Emergency for COVID-19.

declaring a State of Emergency for COVID-19. Governor Ron DeSantis directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to activate to Level II to coordinate the states response to COVID-19.

Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-51 directing the State Surgeon General to declare a Public Health Emergency.

directing the State Surgeon General to declare a Public Health Emergency. State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees declared a Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 in Florida.

Established an Incident Management Team to coordinate response operations.

Activated a dedicated incident command post for on-site response activities.

Conducted public health and health care stakeholder conference calls to provide statewide updates on the current outbreak situation, response actions and guidance for pandemic planning. Over five hundred participants joined these calls.

Participated with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) on statewide conference calls with nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals.

Established a public call center for questions regarding COVID-19.

Developed and distributed an updated COVID-19 presentation to CHDs for use at community meetings.

Implemented protocols for investigation, surveillance and monitoring for COVID-19 to rapidly detect and contain cases.

Established mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and coordination with the CDC regarding epidemiological activities.

Distributed CDC Interim Guidance for public health personnel evaluating Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) and asymptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases at their home or non-home residential settings to CHDs.

Distributed the updated Clinician Screening Tool for identifying PUIs for COVID-19 and a health care provider letter regarding Enhanced Surveillance and Preparedness for COVID-19 to associations, licensed providers, Health Care Coalitions and CHDs.

Implemented testing at all three State Public Health Laboratories.

Distributed updated CDC guidance for schools to CHDs and the Department of Education.

Distributed updated Laboratory Guidance regarding implementation of testing at State Public Health Laboratories.

In an effort to be proactive, and only as a precautionary measure if COVID-19 evolves in Florida, Florida Virtual School (FLVS) has partnered with the Florida Department of Education to offer all school districts student support and teacher professional development tailored to the online learning environment. The Florida Department of Education in partnership with FLVS is training an additional 10,000 teachers statewide on the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19. Superintendents who are interested in offering their teachers the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19 should work with their County Virtual Principals to provide a list of teachers to FLVS through: htt p s: / / www.flvs.net / FLVSTeacherTrainin g .

p / / / g . Governor DeSantis directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Agency for Health Care Administration to take action to restrict access to vulnerable populations for those who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The Governor also directed the Florida Department of Corrections to suspend visitation at state prisons for 30 days. What You Should Know COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Department recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases, including: Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;

Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health;

Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;

Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then disposing of the tissue;

Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, 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; and

Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility). A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and any other destination under CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider and local CHD and mention their recent travel or close contact. If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should call ahead to a health care professional and the CHD. The health care provider will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19. For more info, visit http://columbia.floridahealth.gov/
For nearly a month, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has been saying that his party will win 351 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

Yadav, who was UP chief minister from 2012 to 2017, first mentioned the figure in Fatehpur on February 17, nearly three years after the SP was routed in the assembly polls, winning only 47 seats against its tally of 224 in 2012. The halfway mark in the 403-member UP assembly is 203.

So where did, the figure of 351 come from?

No. We did not go to our war room with statisticians and came up with the figure of 351. But this target-setting is not farfetched. In 2007, Bahujan Samaj Party won 206 seats and formed the first full majority government in the state since 1991. Since then, the victory tally has been on the rise. The Samajwadi Party won 224 seats in 2012, and the BJP bagged 312 in 2017, said a young Samajwadi Party legislator considered close to Akhilesh Yadav.

A former Samajwadi Party minister said: The partys national executive meeting in Lucknow on March 14 may pass a resolution on the 351-seat target.

Party legislator Anand Bhadauria said: We are ready for any target that our party president gives us. The BJP is on its way out. We are not only the only alternative, but the best option for the voters. Bhadauria is a member of the legislative council (MLC).

The Samajwadi Party has already coined Dobara Akhilesh (Akhilesh again) tagline for its 2022 poll run.

Professor SK Dwivedi, a political analyst who watches the Uttar Pradesh politics closely, said: Its nothing new for political leaders and parties to make lofty projections. They do it even when they are sure that they are going to lose. But such targets also have political psychology behind it. By repeating the figure of 351 frequently, Akhilesh Yadav is playing smart. He is attempting to project the party in the public mind as the only viable option. As of now, the Congress shows no promise; the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) looks weak. And pubic sentiments towards BJP are fast changing. All the more, since 1989, UP voters have not repeated a government. Polls are still two years away, lets see what happens till then. But, this is the right time to make projections. Dwivedi is a retired head of the department of political science, Lucknow University.

He also says: Akhilesh should stick to his decision of going it alone in 2022. He has tried both the Congress and BSP and both the times it looked like self-sabotage.

Samajwadi Party state president Naresh Uttam Patel, who happens to be from Fatehpur (where Akhilesh first mentioned 351) said: The state unit of the party is ready to work hard for the party to overshoot the target of 351 set by the national president. The target is not farfetched. One can see its reflection in public sentiments. Voters are now restive to vote the BJP out and bring in the SP.

The young Samajwadi Party legislator quoted earlier says: If we do a combination of seats that SP won in 2012 and 2017 and also add the number of seats on which we came second; the resultant figure would be somewhere close to 351. Maybe Akhilesh chose 351 as it also sounds auspicious.

WHAT THE NUMBERS TELL

The rising absolute majority victory tally in Uttar Pradesh:

2007: Bahujan Samaj Party won: 206 seats

2012: Samajwadi Party won: 224 seats

2017: Bharatiya Janata Party won: 312 seats

Samajwadi Party won 224 seats in 2012

Samajwadi Party won 47 seats in 2017

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One civilian was injured in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Saturday.

On March 4, the Centre had informed the Lok Sabha that there have been 646 incidents of ceasefire violations along the India-Pakistan international border as well as the LoC in the first two months of this year.

DGP Dilbag Singh in February had said that Pakistan has increased the ceasefire violations.

He also said that Indian forces have been successful in foiling the infiltration bids from across the border.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For years, cannabis has been one of the fastest-growing industries on the planet. It's helped to create approximately 243,700 full-time equivalent jobs as of January 2020, according to cannabis website Leafly.

Worldwide weed sales also more than tripled to $10.9 billion between 2014 and 2018. Although estimates vary wildly, Wall Street is looking for the pot industry to generate at least $50 billion in global sales by 2030, which offers plenty of promise for the industry and marijuana stock investors.

However, the green rush is limited in most countries by federal regulations, and that glass ceiling is definitely in place within the United States.

Marijuana's Schedule I classification is constraining growth in the U.S.

In the U.S., marijuana remains a Schedule I substance at the federal level. In layman's terms, this means it's an entirely illegal drug that's prone to abuse and isn't recognized as having any medical benefits. Mind you, this classification hasn't stopped 33 states from legalizing medical marijuana, and 11 of them also allow the adult consumption and/or retail sale of weed. But it nevertheless leads to a number of industry constraints that wouldn't be in place if the federal scheduling of cannabis were changed.

For example, cannabis companies have limited access to basic banking services, which includes everything from a line of credit or a loan to something as simple as a checking account. Since banks and credit unions fear the possibility of financial or criminal penalties from the federal government for aiding pot-based companies, some are forced to operate as cash-only businesses. Using only cash is a safety concern for marijuana companies and can limit their ability to order product or expand.

Marijuana businesses are also subject to Section 280E of the U.S. tax code, which was implemented in the early 1980s to ensure that drug smugglers couldn't write off their illicit operating expenses on their federal income tax filings. Since marijuana is a Schedule I drug, profitable cannabis companies are subjected to this portion of the tax code, which can expose them to an exceptionally high effective tax rate and further hamper their ability to hire workers and grow their operations.

With a record-tying 66% of Americans polled by Gallup favoring the nationwide legalization of pot, as of October 2019, it would seem logical that Congress and the president would look for a way to amend marijuana's existing scheduling. But the fact is that if President Trump is reelected to a second term, the idea of cannabis reform would almost certainly be dead until he leaves office in January 2025.

If Trump is reelected, say goodbye to federal marijuana reform for four more years

While President Trump has proved amicable to the idea of allowing states the opportunity to decide their own fates on medical and/or recreational weed, as well as regulate their industry if they choose to legalize, he's offered a number of clues to suggest that he's not in favor of altering the drug's current federal classification.

For instance, Trump initially hired former Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. At the time of his hiring, Sessions was arguably the most ardent opponent of cannabis legalization on Capitol Hill. The now-former attorney general even went so far as to send a letter to a handful of his congressional Republican colleagues requesting that they repeal the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, which is what protects medical marijuana businesses in legalized states from facing federal prosecution. Sessions unsuccessfully tried to infringe on state's rights with regard to marijuana on numerous occasions, but managed to rescind the Cole Memo in January 2018.

Trump has also not been shy about attaching signing statements to federal funding legislation being signed into law. A signing statement is something a president will use in situations where they believe their executive authority may be impeded. Although signing statements are vague, they allow President Trump to uphold federal law in accordance with his constitutional responsibilities. And since cannabis is an illicit drug, it would, in theory, allow the president to crack down on the cannabis industry.

Perhaps the most telltale sign that President Trump has zero intention of altering the federal stance on cannabis can be found by taking a look at his cabinet. Even though members of the Republican Party are generally more averse to cannabis legalization than Democrats or Independents, many of the key members of Trump's cabinet have voiced opposition to legalization in the past.

Both Jeff Sessions and current Attorney General William Barr have been very clear that they are not in favor of legalizing marijuana at the national level. Newly hired chief of staff, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), remains "opposed to liberalizing drug laws (including around banking)," and feels that adolescents need to be protected by keeping cannabis an illicit substance. Then there's Alex Azar, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who said in August that, "marijuana is a dangerous drug, especially for young people and pregnant women."

U.S. cannabis stocks can still thrive but they won't all be winners

If there's good news here for investors, it's that even if the status quo were to continue and the federal government maintains a hands-off approach for the next four-plus years, pot stocks can still thrive. But what needs to be recognized is that not every marijuana stock is necessarily going to come out as a winner.

On the plus side, marijuana real estate investment trust Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR) should be able to leverage its position as a go-to sale-leaseback agreement provider for the foreseeable future. As long as access to capital remains limited, Innovative Industrial Properties can step in by providing capital to multistate operators (via purchases), while leasing out these assets for extended periods of time. Innovative Industrial currently owns 51 medical marijuana growing or processing facilities. With a weighted-average remaining lease length of 15.6 years and an average return of 13.3% on its invested capital, it should net a complete payback in just over five years.

Multistate operators with a laser focus on specific states should also fare pretty well. Trulieve Cannabis (OTC:TCNNF) has opened 47 dispensaries to date, and 45 are located in medical marijuana-legal Florida. By focusing its attention on one market, Trulieve has been able to successfully build up its brand, all while keeping its marketing expenses down. Best of all, Trulieve has been the most profitable cannabis stock to date, with the company generating over $23 million in operating profit during the third quarter without the assistance of one-time benefits or fair-value adjustments.

Comparatively, multistate operators that have overextended themselves, such as MedMen Enterprises (OTC:MMNFF), could be in big trouble. MedMen has pretty much exhausted its avenues to raise capital, with the final $115 million of $280 million in financing from private equity company Gotham Green Partners no longer available. MedMen has even gone so far recently as to offer to pay its vendors with its common stock, thereby diluting its existing shareholders.

If Trump wins the 2020 election, don't be chased out of high-quality U.S. stocks. Just be picky about what you're willing to invest in and maintain a long-term mindset.
The cast of Alley Theatre's "1984" Photo: Lynn Lane Photo: Lynn Lane

The Alley Theatre will be making a taped version of their cancelled play, 1984, for audiences to view from the comforts of home.

The Houston theater company had nixed the production  an adaptation of the George Orwell novel directed by artistic director Rob Melrose  due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. 1984 was originally slated for a March 6-29 run, but, following the city of Houstons recommendations, the play was removed from the schedule along with all March events at the Alley.

The cast of 1984 is now filming the production and plans to complete the tape in the next 14 days. The Alley will then send, via email, a password-protected link to the production to all ticket buyers. Anyone can buy a ticket and receive a link.

The Alley Theatre was very disappointed to have to close the production of 1984, the Alley Theatre said in a release. The cast and staff spent months preparing the show and many Houstonians were looking forward to seeing this production come to life on the stage.

The company is not allowing reviews of the taped performance, citing union rules.
Brittany Ferries has announced changes to its ferry schedule between Ireland, Britain, Spain and France.

The suspension of the Rosslare to Bilbao service to passengers until at least April 9 is one of the main changes.

The last service will leave Spain on Sunday at midday. The French ferry group will operate only freight traffic during that period.

The decision follows a Spanish state of alert declared today and the increased measures taken by the French government on Thursday to counter the spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Failte Ireland has established a Business Supports Taskforce to help tourism and hospitality businesses impacted by the Covid-19 spread.

CEO Paul Kelly of Failte Ireland explained that the disruption has affected both sectors in a period where cash flow is reduced.

He said: "These are truly unprecedented times for the tourism sector across the board and already we are seeing job losses as cash-flow and liquidity challenges mount for businesses."

As an industry, urgent action is required to help businesses survive during these incredibly challenging times.

Kelly added: Tourism businesses are already doing what they can to support public health, with many restaurants offering free meals to healthcare workers and free delivery to the elderly."

The sector has shown that it is there for the community even when it is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.

Most of Failte Irelands operations have been postponed or cancelled including:
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes ,PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.

A Seattle woman who was infected with coronavirus but made it through with mild symptoms is using her platform to remind frightened Americans to stay vigilant, but to remain calm amid the panic.

Elizabeth Schneider, 37, told Agence France-Presse that she hoped her tale of a relatively easy recovery would give people a little bit of hope as coronavirus continues to spread worldwide.

Schneider, who works as a marketing manager at a biotechnology company, attended a party on Feb. 22, and started experiencing flu-like symptoms three days later.

She told the agency she woke up feeling tired, but that it was nothing out of the ordinary, as shed had a busy weekend.

Within hours, though, shed developed a headache, fever and body aches, and by that night, had a 103 degree fever.

At that point, I started to shiver uncontrollably, and I was getting the chills and getting tingling in my extremities, so that was a little concerning, she said.

DAVID ALBRIGHT/AFP via Getty

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Schneider said she took over-the-counter flu medicine, and that her fever started going down over the next few days. Coronavirus was on her mind, but she dismissed the notion that she might possibly have it, as she did not have a cough or shortness or breath, which two common symptoms of the virus.

A visit to the doctor left her with advice to rest and drink lots of fluids  but as the days dragged on, Schneider learned that other people who had been at the same party in late February were feeling the same way she was.

Story continues

It later turned out that that party also infected at least five other people, according to AFP.

DAVID ALBRIGHT/AFP via Getty Elizabeth Schneider

Meanwhile, Schneider knew she lacked the symptoms necessary to warrant a coronavirus test, so she enrolled in a research program called the Seattle Flu Study, which gave her a nasal swab kit.

On March 7, she learned shed tested positive for COVID-19  though the diagnosis didnt exactly disappoint her.

I was a little bit pleasantly surprised, because I thought it was a little bit cool Granted, I probably would not have felt that way if I was severely ill, said Schneider, who has a PhD in bioengineering. But from a scientific curiosity perspective, I thought it was very interesting. And also the fact that I finally got confirmation that thats what I had.

As her symptoms subsided, Schneider isolated herself at home for seven days, though shes since been feeling better and is able to run errands.

With the worst behind her, Schneider wants her story to be a source of comfort to those spooked by the idea of catching the virus.

The message is dont panic. If you think that you have it, you probably do; you should probably get tested, she told AFP. If your symptoms arent life-threatening, simply stay at home, medicate with over-the-counter medicines, drink lots of water, get a lot of rest and check out the shows you want to binge-watch.

RELATED: U.S. Cases of Coronavirus Top 1,600: Heres a Map of the Spread

She does, however, acknowledge that its still something to be taken seriously, especially considering the World Health Organization warnings that older people and people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.

Obviously, its not something to be completely nonchalant about, because there are a lot of people who are elderly or have underlying health conditions, Schneider told AFP. That means that we need to be extra vigilant about staying home, isolating ourselves from others.

RELATED: Celebrities Who Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus

Seattle and Washington state have been a coronavirus hotbed in the United States, and the states 420 confirmed cases and 31 deaths are the most in the country, according to The New York Times. There are at least 1,663 confirmed cases in the U.S. as of Friday morning.

To prevent the spread, the Centers for Disease Control advises washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, or using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

It also advises distancing yourself from other people, and avoiding close contact with those who are sick.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 13:50:00|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban Ministry of Culture announced Friday that massive cultural activities have been canceled amid efforts to contain the novel coronavirus spread on the island.

"As part of the preventive measures to tackle COVID-19 dissemination in the country, massive national and international art events will be postponed until further notice," the ministry said in a brief note released on Cuban state TV.

"The decision has been made to protect Cuban population and contribute to preventing COVID-19 spread," the ministry said.

The Cuban government on Friday ramped up measures to prevent and control the novel coronavirus spread after three Italian tourists and one Cuban citizen tested positive for the virus.
UNP urges polls chief to act against SJB politicos threat to attack party supporters View(s):

It was another meeting which National Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya summoned this week to discuss matters related to the March 25 parliamentary election with secretaries of political parties.

I hope you are taking serious note of our request, intoned former Parliamentarian Ashu Marasinghe, who together with General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam represented the United National Party (UNP). No, I dont know. What is the serious matter? queried Mr Deshapriya.

Mr Marasinghe was to reply that a former MP (earlier from his own party) had threatened to attack voters if they were from the UNP. Give us a decision now, he pleaded. The Polls Chief said that he had not seen the written complaint which the duo had handed over to the Chairmans office. I will look into the matter, he replied.

The reference had allegedly been made at a rally in Bandaragama by a former MP now supporting Sajith Premadasa.

Both Mr. Kariyawasam and Mr. Marasinghe were sandwiched between M.A. Sumanthiran and Basil Rajapaksa. Seated thereafter were Samagi Jana Balavegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Ajith Perera.

At a previous meeting, the duo handed in a letter to Chairman Deshapriya. That letter on behalf of the UNP was to request the Election Commission to allow their representatives to monitor to the departments computer network that would compile election results. It was promptly turned down by Chairman Deshapriya.

Rajapaksa reminds gate-crasher of quit politics remarks

Former President Maithripala Sirisena was not expected at last Wednesdays ceremony at the official residence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, where the nomination papers were signed at an auspicious hour. Nevertheless, he turned up. At first, no one stood to offer a chair for him to sit. Not until Education Minister Dullas Allahapperuma got up and invited him Sir, come and sit here.

Amidst the light-hearted banter came a bombshell from Premier Rajapaksa. He laughingly asked Mr. Sirisena whether he remembered the remarks he once made from the same venue. That was a call for Premier Rajapaksa and son Namal to quit politics. There was pin drop silence for a while.

Health and safety top priority, says national carrier

Like all other international carriers, SriLankan Airlines has put out a public advisory on the measures it is taking to cope with novel coronavirus or Covid 19.

The national carrier said in a statement: In light of the evolving situation regarding the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), we at SriLankan Airlines consider the health and safety of all our customers and crew as our utmost priority.

Thus, SriLankan Airlines has taken proactive and voluntary steps to help customers have a healthy flying experience and create a safe operational environment, and we would like to share with you the enhanced cleaning and precautionary measures that has been introduced.

We are working closely with the authorities to minimise the potential spread of Covid-19. This includes screening of passengers on the ground and the following health advisory notices by the Ministry of Health  Sri Lanka and the World Health Organisation.

Prof. Lamawansa appointed as ambassador to Russia

Professor M.D. Lamawansa will be Sri Lankas new ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Until last month he was the first dean of the newly established Medical Faculty of the Wayamba University.

He was a professor and Head of the Peradeniya University Medical Facultys Department of Surgery. He was also a consultant at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital.

As an active member of the Viyathmaga movement of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, he was one of those who worked out the movements education policy.

He has already been cleared by the Parliament Committee on High Posts.

Six-year jail term for New Jersey cancer scientist for enslaving Lankan woman

A New Jersey woman has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for enslaving a Sri Lankan national  forcing her to work as a nanny and a housekeeper without pay, federal authorities said, according a report in the New York Post of March 11.

The report adds: Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, 44, will spend 70 months in prison after being convicted in May of forced labour, alien harbouring for financial gain, and marriage fraud for forcing the unidentified victim to work as her domestic servant for nine years, Department of Justice officials announced on Tuesday.

In 2009, Hunaity, also known as Alia Al Qaternah, brought the victim to the US on a temporary visa to perform domestic work. She then forced the woman to overstay her visa and stay in the country illegally for more than nine years while she cooked and cleaned Hunaitys homes in Woodland Park and Secaucus, federal prosecutors said.

In 2018, Hunaity forced the woman into marrying her so she could obtain legal residence and continue to work without fear of her being deported, authorities said.

She also made the woman look after her three children without being paid, according to court documents and evidence presented during her six-day trial in Camden.

She limited the victims interactions with the work outside of Hunaitys homes, federal prosecutors said in a statement. During this time, Hunaity required the victim to sleep on a bed in a public space in Hunaitys homes, including in the kitchen.

Hunaity is a naturalised citizen from Jordan who worked in New York as a cancer research scientist, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The single mother of three was not in custody prior to her sentencing. She was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons at a date to be determined and to pay the victim $1.2 million in restitution, the newspaper reports.

I want to say sorry for everything, she told a judge Tuesday.

Hunaity was also sentenced to three years of supervised release after she gets out of prison, federal prosecutors said.

Covid-19: Traditional greetings to the fore

Even during the British Raj, both in India and Sri Lanka, the British stuck with their tradition of shaking hands. For the female folk, it was a hug and a kiss among them.

The novel coronavirus or Covid 19 appears to have changed all that. Prince Charles arrived at a colourful ceremony in London and was received with a red-carpet welcome. He greeted those present with clasped hands  Ayubowan or Namaste. That avoided any physical contact. (See detailed story in ST2).

Ayubowan is said while joining the two hands in prayer like manner and maintaining somewhat a social distance. At a time when a life-and-death health crisis is gripping the world, the greetings true meaning of long life makes much more sense than before. One cannot but appreciate the wisdom of Sri Lankas ancient forefathers.
Arlene Foster's position as DUP leader remains secure after the long-awaited Renewable Heat Incentive inquiry report failed to seriously criticise her.

The First Minister last night said she had no intention of resigning.

Significantly, Sir Patrick Coghlin's report did not find that corruption lay at the heart of the cash-for-ash scandal.

"Rather, the vast majority of what went wrong was due to an accumulation and compounding of errors and omissions over time," it stated.

Expand Close Inquiry chairman Sir Patrick Coghlin (centre), Dame Una OBrien and Dr Keith MacLean at the launch event to publish the RHI Inquiry Report at Stormont yesterday PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Inquiry chairman Sir Patrick Coghlin (centre), Dame Una OBrien and Dr Keith MacLean at the launch event to publish the RHI Inquiry Report at Stormont yesterday

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill tweeted: "RHI and other DUP financial scandals such as Red Sky and Nama were unacceptable. These scandals undermined confidence in the Assembly.

"Sinn Fein is committed to the institutions, they must operate with a new kind of politics, which is progressive, respectful, and has integrity."

Speaking after the 656-page report was released, Mrs Foster said: "I am determined to learn from my mistakes and to work to ensure that the mistakes and systematic failures of the past are not repeated."

The report criticised her for failing to read key draft legislation on the RHI scheme when she was Department of Trade, Enterprise and Investment (Deti) minister.

But it found that she had been incorrectly informed by her officials that the project was value for money.

The DUP leader acknowledged that she and her party had "much to reflect upon". But she stressed that those who had suggested she had been "motivated by some financial considerations" in her actions or omissions had been proved wrong.

Asked if the report gave her cause to reflect on her own position, she said "No it doesn't."

The report highlighted "unacceptable behaviour" by some DUP special advisers. But it said it would be wrong to blame specific individuals or groups for the design flaws that saw applicants "perversely incentivised" to burn excess heat to turn a profit.

Responsibility should be shared among a wide range of people and public bodies, it stated.

"Corrupt or malicious activity on the part of officials, ministers or special advisers was not the cause of what went wrong with the NI RHI scheme, albeit the inquiry has identified some instances where behaviour was unacceptable," said Sir Patrick.

"Rather, the vast majority of what went wrong was due to an accumulation and compounding of error and omissions over time and a failure of attention, on the part of all those involved in their differing roles to identify the existence, significance or implications of those errors and omissions."

The report includes 319 findings and 44 recommendations aimed at addressing the litany of failures it identified.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy said a dedicated Executive sub-committee would be established to act upon the findings.

RHI left the administration facing an overspend bill of hundreds of millions of pounds. Subsequent steps to control costs have prevented that happening. However, the report said it could give no guarantee that the same mistakes would not be repeated.

It described the RHI scheme as a "project too far" for the Stormont executive which "should never have been adopted".

It identified instances of "unacceptable behaviour" by Mrs Foster's special adviser, Dr Andrew Crawford, who shared confidential RHI documents with family members.

It criticised the party's director of communications, John Robinson, for leaking emails relating to the involvement of civil servants in the scheme in order to "divert the attention of the media away from their party".

UUP leader, Steve Aiken, said the report was a "sad indictment, not only on the inability of an executive to run a heating scheme, but of the culture that permeated during the last decade of DUP/Sinn Fein rule".

He said: "There are worrying findings around the behaviour of politicians, unelected Spads and advisors. Their lack of accountability and responsibility is matched only by their incompetence."

He added: "We need to see good government and leadership. The RHI Inquiry report demonstrates how lacking that has been."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the report "which reveals systemic failures in advice from officials to ministers, in the conduct of special advisers and in the actions taken by ministers, must drive immediate change".

The Civil Service required immediate reform to ensure "that staffing levels were appropriate, that sufficient expertise is available, that advice to ministers is fulsome and that detailed minutes of engagement with ministers are prepared".

Alliance MLA Andrew Muir said reform was urgently needed. "This report must act as a watershed moment for those who have been criticised directly, as well as the wider culture and system of governance, which enabled their actions and inactions," he added.
US energy companies are prepared to immediately start selling oil to Belarus at market prices, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a press release on Friday, Sputnik reports.

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei," the release said. "The Secretary affirmed the willingness of US companies to begin immediately selling oil to Belarus at competitive market prices."

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured during a visit to Belarus that the US was capable of fulfilling 100% of Minsk's oil needs if the latter chooses to accept such an option.

Russia has long been the primary source of oil for Belarus, but recently the two countries have been unable to negotiate a new price, with Minsk demanding a discount to compensate for a price change that occurred due to a so-called "tax manoeuvre" in its eastern neighbour.

This is not the first time that the two countries have had disagreements on oil prices, but in the past, they have always managed to reach a mutually beneficial solution. At the same time, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has considered diversifying his countrys oil sources each time the two nations have had a disagreement, including by buying Saudi and American oil.
The House approved a bipartisan bill early Saturday to provide direct relief for Americans struggling to cope with the disruptions of the novel coronavirus, allocating billions for sick pay, family leave, and free coronavirus tests.

The House passed the bill 363 to 40, with strong support. The relief bill would provide for two weeks of paid sick leave for workers, up to three months of family and medical leave, and additional funding for food assistance and Medicaid. Republicans successfully added a provision for tax credits for small- and medium-size businesses, while Democrats abandoned their push for a paid sick leave entitlement for public health emergencies. Trump also failed to get his payroll tax suspensionsomething that would cost $800 billion and not help those who are no longer employed or drawing a salary during the outbreak, according to the New York Timesin the bill. Its not clear how much the current aid package would cost.

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The bill will now go to the Senate, where it will be considered after the weekend. President Donald Trump praised the Republicans and Democrats for good teamwork and tweeted his support for the bill Saturday morning, all but guaranteeing Republicans will support the bill as well. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that senators would need to carefully review the bill but that the vast majority of senators in both parties will agree we should act swiftly to secure relief for American workers, families, and small businesses.

On Friday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said that while the Senate takes up the relief bill, the House would work on another response package to expand the measures already taken to protect the health, economic security, and well-being of the American people.

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The passage came after Trump announced a national emergency Friday, unlocking as much as $50 billion in funds for state and local governments.

Many economists believe we are already entering a recession because of the supply-side disruptions caused by the pandemic, and the drop in consumer spending from Americans told to stay at home is expected to exacerbate the problem further. Trump and Congress have felt pressured to pass aid measures to blunt the economic effects of the outbreak.

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At his address Friday, Trump also announced a partnership with private companies to expand testing with drive-through locations and launch a national website where people would enter their symptoms and receive direction about testing. The latter turned out to be an inflated promise: Google said that it might not be possible to roll out such a website quickly, that the website was in early stages, and that it would only be rolled out, for now, in the Bay Area. Trump also said he would suspend collection on interest on federal student loans, direct the Department of Energy to buy reserves of oil, and, under the national emergency, delay tax filing deadlines for some people and businesses.

In his address, Trump flaunted proper safety measures by shaking hands with several officials. (Trump himself has been exposed to at least one confirmed case of coronavirus from a Brazilian official who visited him at Mar-a-Lago.) He also rejected the blame for the governments sluggish response to the public health crisis. I dont take responsibility at all, he said. The Trump administration has been criticized for its failure to ensure an adequate number of coronavirus tests, in particular, and the United States is thought to be weeks behind where it should be.
A photographer who lured young women to his home to sexually assault them has been jailed.

Osman Saeed, 42, is known to have committed attacks dating back to at least 2012 targeting models in London.

Victims described being offered free photoshoots where they were given a drink, which made them black out before they woke up to find Saeed attacking them.

He has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of false imprisonment, common assault and sexual assault by touching.

Police admitted he was initially arrested for one of the three attacks in 2014, but claimed there was not enough evidence to prosecute him at the time, so he was freed.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Saeed would lure women to his home for photoshoots, but then ply them with alcohol in order to carry out the attacks.

The first known incident happened in 2012 when a victim replied to an online advert for a photoshoot posted by a profile that Saeed used.

He offered to take portrait shots for free so both parties could use them professionally, and the woman went to his home.

Saeed had screens, cameras and lighting set up in the living area and he began to take photos, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said.

He told the victim that all the models he shoots drink alcohol during the shoot to relax themselves.

Saeed spent some time trying to encourage her to drink some alcohol, but she refused.

Eventually the victim accepted some wine and said she then blacked out.

When she awoke she was in her underwear and on a bed, with Saeed taking pictures of her.

Saeed started to touch her and, as she regained her senses, she got off the bed, put her clothes on and left the flat.

The next known incident was in 2014, when Saeed offered another victim a free photoshoot and through a website for actors and photographers, claiming it was for a portfolio.

Again, Saeed gave the woman a drink and the victim told police she quickly passed out.

The Metropolitan Police arrested Saeed after an attack in 2014 but he was not prosecuted (AFP/Getty)

When she awoke she found that Saeed was naked and touching her legs, police said. The victim pretended to be drunk and asked for the toilet, but as soon as she got up she ran to the door and fled the scene.

The woman reported the incident and Saeed was arrested and interviewed, but Scotland Yard said the case did not meet the evidential criteria for charges to be brought at the time.

Saeed struck again in February 2018, when police were alerted by neighbours who called them to reports of an argument.

The officers who responded could hear a woman crying and a man saying words to the effect of: I will let you go now.

When they entered Saeeds flat, they found him with a distressed, intoxicated woman.

She was taken to hospital, where she told police she had responded to an offer of a photoshoot before Saeed climbed on top of her and would not allow her to leave.

He pleaded not guilty at trial, forcing his victims to relive the incidents in court.

His LinkedIn profile still describes him as an independent photography professional, and a business website claims to offer fashion and portrait photography.

An online portfolio includes numerous images of topless young women.

Saeed, of Woodchuch Road in West Hampstead, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on Friday.

Detective Constable Scott Sellars said: Saeed is a danger to young women and I am pleased that he is now off the streets and will be monitored and subject to a court order to prevent him being aim to harm anyone else.

I want to thank the brave victims in this case each of whom gave evidence during the trial because they wanted to protect other women from the suspect, with one even returning to the UK from her home country purely for the trial.
EDITORS NOTE: This article is part of the Intelligencers focus on providing our community with the information you need to make good decisions during the coronavirus outbreak.

EDWARDSVILLE  Edwardsville School District 7, Father McGivney Catholic High School and Metro-East Lutheran High School will close all of its schools starting next week through the end of the month in response to statewide measures.

District 7 Superintendent Jason Henderson notified the community Friday after Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered every school in the state to close until March 30 amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus. Students will be out of school March 17-30. School is still in session Monday, March 16 to allow parents to make additional arrangements and prepare for e-learning. Students are expected to return to school March 31.

This comes after President Donald Trumps declaration of a national emergency Friday afternoon.

It is unfortunate that the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to close school but we understand the need for concern and we understand the governors own concern, Henderson told an Intelligencer reporter.

Henderson released a statement to the community Friday describing what to expect during the closure. He also noted that parents should consistently check for emails from the district early next week regarding e-learning. The districts notification system, School Messenger, will be used as another primary communication tool, and other updates will be posted on the districts website and Facebook page.

In a press release issued by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois prior to Pritzkers announcement, all Catholic schools under their jurisdiction, including Father McGivney Catholic High School (FMHS) in Glen Carbon, were to close March 16-20. With Pritzkers announcement, the school will join the rest of Illinois schools and close until March 30.

Weve prepared for this and McGivney is uniquely prepared for this as we are able to continue with online learning, FMHS principal Joe Lombardi said.

More Information Diocese plans more Masses as needed The Diocese of Springfield is adding additional Masses if attendance reaches more than 250 people. The measure is being taken as a preventative move against the novel coronavirus outbreak. In addition to the preventative measure, the diocese is encouraging people to assess their health status and remain home if they are sick or feel their health is compromised. An additional Mass will be added if a church anticipates having more than 250 people in attendance. Parishes are following similar g uidance as it relates to other parish activities with larger crowds. For more information about the coronavirus, as well as a map showing the location of infections, visit the intelligencer.com. See More Collapse

Lombardi explained that FMHS is a one-to-one school for students that have tablets where they can still get assignments and work with classmates and their teachers to continue their lessons. Pritzkers prolonged closure now means that students will return three school days before observing their Easter Break starting April 6.

In a statement made earlier in the week, Metro-East Lutheran High School principal, Jay Krause, said that his school is prepared and able to participate in e-learning. Metro-East is also a one-to-one school for device per student. Krause could not be reached as of late afternoon on Friday for an updated statement.

The closing of schools comes the same week that many universities and colleges in Illinois  including Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Lewis and Clark Community College, University of Illinois, Southern Illinois, DePaul and Northwestern  suspended in-person classes because of concerns about the virus.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday that seven more people in Illinois have tested positive for COVID-19.

The virus is here in Illinois. While it may not be in your community now, we anticipate it will be eventually. We all need to take action now by postponing large events and restricting visits to nursing homes to limit the spread, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said.
Des victimes de l'explosion a Bamenda Whatsapp

The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) Tuesday, March 10, 2020 issued a statement condemning the atrocious outings of armed separatists in Bamenda on Womens Day and a day earlier in Galim which cost the lives of State Forces and civilians.

The statement from the organisation run by Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor aka Agbor Balla said CHRDA is stunned by the shocking images of attacks that marred International Womens Day celebrations in Bamenda, capital of the North West Region on March 8, 2020.

The statement furthered: At the ceremonial ground, a locally made explosive is said to have detonated, causing very severe injuries to about eight soldiers of the state defence and security forces and burning down several shops around the Commercial Avenue neighbourhood in Bamenda. This explosion is alleged to have been perpetuated by armed separatist fighters, in an attempt to disrupt the International Womens Day celebration amidst previous warnings against the celebration by instituting a ghost town prior to the celebration.

The CHRDA recalled that before the attack at the Bamenda Grandstand, a similar and barbaric attack had taken place on the night of March 7, 2020 at a locality in the Bamboutous Division of the West region called Galim. This attack is alleged to have been carried out by armed separatist fighters who crossed over from Ngokentunjia Division in the North West Region to attack in Galim.

This attack in Galim was double as a gendarmerie and police posts were attacked, CHRDA stated. At the police station in Galim, 2 police men were killed and 4 civilians, while at the gendarmerie brigade 2 female gendarmes were killed. On photos making rounds on social media, armed separatist fighters in Ngokentunjia Division are seen displaying ammunition, several assault type riffles alleged to have been taken away from these two stations attacked in Galim.

Troubled by the atrocities of the members of the Non-State Armed Group fighting for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia, Agbor Ballas CHRDA warned that such gruesome acts of violence contravene International Human Rights Law.

"CHRDA strongly condemns these gruesome acts of violence as they violate International Human rights law. We also reiterate the fact that human life is very sacrosanct and must be protected and protected at all cost. Any attack whether on a combatant or unarmed civilian is condemned as they both have the right to life, moral and physical integrity.

We therefore urge both sides to find a peaceful solution that will bring a lasting solution and Peace to this crisis that has taken over 3000 lives since 2016 in the Anglophone section of the country, said CHRDA.

Indeed, Cameroons Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul said on Monday that seven soldiers were injured in the Bamenda bombing, while eight lives were lost in Galim. He went on to condemn the international community for its suspicious silence toward the atrocious acts of separatists.

His words: On Saturday 7th breaking Sunday 8th March 2020, terrorists attacked a Police Station and a Gendarmerie Brigade in Galim, Bamboutos Division, West Region, killing two policemen, two female gendarmes and four civilians. On March 8, 2020, seven of our brave security and defence forces assigned to protect women during the International Womens Day activities in Bamenda were seriously injured in a planned terrorist attack targeting women. Two well-known terrorists, Ayaba Cho and Tapang Ivo living in total impunity abroad and in friendly countries have claimed responsibility for these attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 06:38:55|Editor: zyl

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People participate in a flash mob to cheer up the city in Milan, Italy, on March 14, 2020. The number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the epidemic hit Italy reached 17,750, Italian authorities said on Saturday. (Xinhua)

ROME, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The number of people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the epidemic hit Italy reached 17,750 as of Saturday, the Italian authorities said.

The figure marked an increase of 2,795 cases over that of the previous day, and did not include recoveries or fatalities, according to the latest update provided at a press conference by the Civil Protection Department which is coordinating the national emergency response. The death toll also grew by 175 cases on a daily basis to 1,441.

An upward trend was confirmed also for recoveries. Some 527 people were dismissed in the day, bringing the total to 1,966, Civil Protection Department chief Angelo Borrelli told a televised press conference.

Among the 17,750 people positive for COVID-19, some 1,518 were currently in intensive care (190 new cases), while 8,372 were hospitalized with symptoms, and 7,860 under home confinement as they were asymptomatic or with light symptoms.

Considering all data (including deaths and recoveries), the total number of assessed coronavirus cases in Italy was 21,157, Borrelli added.

One of the latest cases was Italy's Deputy Minister of Health Pierpaolo Sileri, who issued a statement on Saturday confirming that he had tested positive.

By making his infection known, Sileri joins a growing list of high-profile officials infected that includes Nicola Zingaretti, president of the region of central Lazio and head of the Democratic Party; Alberto Cirio, president of the northern region of Piedmont; Army Chief of Staff Salvatore Farina, and Deputy Minister of Education Anna Ascani.

According to the latest data provided by the Civil Protection Deptartment, in terms of geographical distribution of infections, Lombardy (9,059), Emilia Romagna (2,349), Veneto (1,775), Marche (863), and Piedmont (814) remained the most affected regions.

Lombardy's regional authorities sounded particularly concerned over the situation on Saturday, in terms of burden on the regional health system.

In a televised press conference in Milan, Lombardy's Welfare Councillor Giulio Gallera explained they currently had 4,898 people hospitalized -- with a daily increase of 463 new cases -- and 732 people in intensive care, including 85 new cases.

"We are working miracles, and the fact we have been so far able to find new beds in intensive care every day is quite unbelievable," Lombardy's regional president Attilio Fontana said at the same press conference.

In related news, the Transport Ministry said all regular connections and passenger transport between the mainland and major Sardinia Island were suspended, following a specific request by the regional president.

"Only maritime transport of goods is allowed... and the maritime transport of people can possibly take place only after authorization of the regional governor, and for urgent needs that cannot be delayed," the ministry said in a statement.

"The same goes for air passenger transport, with one connection only between Rome Fiumicino Airport and Cagliari Airport, as long as the reasons for moving are proven and cannot be postponed," it added.

Italy's National Health Institute (ISS) provided insights related to lethality (number of deaths out of total number of infected people) on the base of data updated until Friday.

"The lethality of COVID-19 in Italy is currently 5.8 percent," the ISS said in a statement on Friday.

"The average age of deceased patients positive to COVID-19 is 80 years, about 15 years higher than the average age of those infected (living)."

"Stratified by age group, lethality is not higher than that in other countries," explained Graziano Onder, director of the ISS department of cardiovascular, endocrine-metabolic, and aging diseases.
Schools closed.

Colleges and universities moving to remote classes.

Employees told to work from home.

March Madness cancelled.

Gatherings of more than 250 people banned.

Since the first cases of coronavirus COVID-19 were confirmed Tuesday in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other officials across the state have taken drastic actions to stem spread of the disease.

In a few days, the lives of Michiganders have been upended, to the frustration of some.

I think its blown out of proportion," said Christy Schwartz of Kalamazoo, who has been planning a family trip to Europe next month. So many people are freaking out about it. In the grand scheme of things, more people die from flu or cancer."

But dramatic actions taken at the start of an epidemic are exactly whats needed, infectious disease experts say. What Michigan is doing is not a reaction to whats already happened here, they say, but a proactive response to head off worse-case scenarios.

"Just the fact youre seeing a few serious cases means there is lots of transmission going on involving people with more mild symptoms, said Joseph Eisenberg, a global public health expert at University of Michigan.

Since Michigan confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the number had grown to 25 by Friday night.

I do think were at this critical point," Eisenberg said. These next few weeks can be very telling on whether or not cases start to slow down, or whether they keep rising.

The problem with disease epidemics, he said, is that they can hit a tipping point where the number of cases increases exponentially and it becomes very, very difficult to bring it under control.

You can get to a point where it just explodes, Eisenberg said. If you can stay below that point, it will just fizzle out. You dont want to get to that tipping point."

Historians point to the 1918 flu pandemic as an example.

St. Louis was a city that implemented stringent controls quickly, shutting down movie theaters, pool halls, schools, churches, bars, conventions and any large gatherings. As a result, St. Louis had much fewer cases and fewer deaths than other U.S. cities of similar size.

At the other extreme was Philadelphia, which went ahead with a Liberty Loan parade in September 1918 just a day after 118 people were diagnosed with a mysterious influenza. The parade was billed as the citys largest ever, and drew 200,000 people. Within days, thousands were sick and Philadelphia hospitals were overwhelmed with patients.

Michigans deadliest year: Look back at 1918 flu epidemic

Dr. Howard Markel, a University of Michigan pediatrician whose expertise includes contagious disease, was the lead author of a 2007 study of the 1918 pandemic that looked at the effectiveness of measures such as isolating the sick and banning public gatherings.

Cities that reacted quickly to the pandemic with combinations of public health strategies such as isolation and closures generally had lower peak death rates and total deaths than cities that acted more slowly and used fewer precautions, the study found.

What we found is that these mitigation strategies can lower morbidity and mortality -- if theyre done early enough and for a long enough period of time, Markel said.

But these are incredibly and economically costly, and theyre socially costly, he said. So you would only pull the trigger if the epidemic involves a disease with a high mortality rate.

In the case of coronavirus COVID-19, theres so much we dont know" in regards to the mortality rate, Markel said. That mortality rate has been estimated at between 3% and 1%, but even 1% would make COVID-19 ten times more deadly than influenza.

So the medical adage of better to be safe than sorry is being implemented, and we can always pull back if it becomes apparent that COVID-19 is less deadly than suspected, Markel said.

The point is, these measures do work and theyre necessary, he said.

The other important point, he said, is that such drastic measures are most effective when implemented at the very start of an outbreak vs. waiting to see how the outbreak unfolds.

They must be done early, he said. Because once the virus reaches an inflection point, its circulating and it does what it does.

Markel applauded Whitmer for trying to get ahead of it.

Leaders need to be brave on this, he said. Youve got to hit the sweet spot, by acting early. Shes giving all the other health officers and public officials in the state room to act early as well. And I think thats brave and commendable.

Eisenberg agreed, saying coronavirus is currently occurring in clusters around the United States, and the goal is to contain those clusters, and not get into the same situation as China, where coronavirus originated.

China delayed its reaction to the epidemic, Eisenberg said, and then when it did take action, it took draconian measures that arent consistent with our values, such as not allowing people to leave their homes.

Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious disease specialist in Detroit, also praised Whitmer for taking strong actions early.

I dont think were going overboard, Chopra said. This is how it should be handled. We can learn from other states that have had outbreaks. We can learn from their mistakes, and there have been some wonderful things that theyve done, too, that are examples that we can use.

This virus is unique because it is more infectious than the flu and it has a higher mortality rate, Chopra said. "At this point, we need to slow it down. We need to buy time until we have a vaccine.

This virus has significant potential, Chopra said. People should take it seriously and should take critical steps towards helping the entire community. We cannot contain it, but we can mitigate it.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

 Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

 Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

 Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

 Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

 Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

 Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

 Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

To read more on MLive:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

State hotline created for coronavirus questions

Michigan doctors offer their best tips on preventing coronavirus

Whitmer bans gatherings of more than 250 people

Were going to get through this,' Whitmer says as she orders schools to close

Meijer working to addresss inventory issues related to coronavirus

University of Michigan cancels spring commencement amid coronavirus concerns
Denmark and Poland said they will close their borders to all non-citizens in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, RT reports.

The move comes as Denmark recorded its 800th case of the deadly illness on Friday, and Poland its 68th. Elsewhere in Europe, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine have closed their borders to foreigners, while a number of other countries - the latest among them Albania - have restricted travel to and from virus hotspots like Italy and Spain. Cyprus joined the list on Friday, denying entry to non-Europeans.

Germany and France, however, have stuck by their commitment to keep their borders open. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that he would not shut French borders, declaring that Coronavirus has no passport. Merkel, meanwhile, declined to join neighboring Austria in banning entry to Germany from Italy.

250 new deaths were recorded in Italy between Thursday and Friday, while France reported another 79 cases of infection. Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has infected more than 143,000 people and killed more than 5,300, the majority in China.
The Serious Fraud Office has admitted it spent 12.2million on its failed prosecution of senior Barclays bankers  up to 3million more than previously thought.

The agency suffered a humiliating defeat last month when chief deal-maker, Roger Jenkins, 64, and executives Tom Kalaris, 64, and Richard Boath, 61, were acquitted of committing fraud at the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

The SFO has been accused of 'repeated poor judgment' throughout the seven-year investigation into the allegations.

Costly: Barclays chief deal-maker Roger Jenkins with supermodel ex-girlfriend Elle Macpherson

And its case against Barclays itself had already collapsed in 2018, with the bank's former boss, John Varley, 63, walking free last year.

At the end of the trial the SFO had estimated the costs of the trial were between 9million and 10million, but yesterday confirmed the cost was 12.2million.

This included extra funding from the Treasury to fight the so-called 'blockbuster' case.

Tory MP John Howell, a member of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee, said: 'This is a vast amount of taxpayers' cash spent on a case which ultimately came to nothing.

'The SFO were told all along that they were on thin ice.'

Prosecutors had claimed the executives were desperate to protect their massive salaries by securing Qatari investment to save Barclays from a government bailout. But the jury were not convinced, returning a not guilty verdict.

Critics claim the case was pursued because of a 'let's nail a banker' mentality borne out of the anger towards bankers after the financial crisis.

A spokesman for SFO said: 'Our prosecution decisions are always based on the evidence that is available, and we are determined to bring perpetrators of serious financial crime to justice.'
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department this week hosted training for its lawyers on religious liberty laws as part of Attorney General William P. Barrs push to prioritize religious freedom cases, but the workshops prompted concern among some career lawyers that they were being educated on ways to blunt civil rights protections for gay and transgender people.

Lawyers who worked at the Justice Department during the past three administrations could not recall a similar week of training sessions on any topic that were open to all employees, regardless of which section they worked in.

The training week was part of an ongoing campaign at the department to bolster its work to protect religious freedom, which is regularly described by top leaders as the first right protected by the First Amendment, a department official said in response to a request for comment. 

In an email to employees sent on behalf of department leaders last weekend about the training, the department said that its leaders were proud of the work done over the past year to promote religious freedom, including prosecutions related to land use, education and employment.
MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Middleburg Heights officials and Ohio Department of Natural Resources wildlife experts have been working toward a solution to coyote problems Middleburg residents brought to light last November.

Bob Downey, executive assistant to the mayor, told City Council at the March 10 meeting a sample coyote management plan will be available soon for review.

The state has spent a lot of time developing this, along with our animal control (officer), Bob Downey, and the police chief, explained Mayor Matt Castelli. There are a few things we will have to identify that may be specific to Middleburg Heights, but it looks like when this is done, this may be one of the first urban coyote management plans in the state of Ohio.

Councilman Tim Ali shared his hope the solution does not include "murdering any of the coyotes or trapping them and torturing them." He said the animals possibly could be crated and then relocated.

"Everything that is in the management plan will meet state laws and requirements, so we're mindful of some of those issues," Castelli responded.

Councilman Bill Meany, who resides in the Middlebrook neighborhood, said he walked his dog in the area and found coyotes feeding on a dead deer.

"After they ate the entire deer, the coyotes moved on, so I haven't seen a coyote in probably over a month," Meany said. "I used to see one nearly every day."

Downey indicated another meeting with state officials will take place before the management plan is presented to council for consideration.

Residents can report coyote sightings using the police departments non-emergency number (440-243-1234). They also are encouraged to not feed the wildlife.

Read more stories from the News Sun.
A prisoner has tested positive for coronavirus in France, where many jails are overstretched, as well as a senator, officials said Saturday, describing them as the first such cases.

Hundreds of anti-government "yellow vest" protesters meanwhile ignored official warnings against gatherings of more than 100 people and massed in central Paris for their 70th weekly protest, traditionally held on Saturdays.

A 74-year-old man tested positive in a jail in Fresnes, east of Paris. He has been placed in a solitary cell on March 8 and was taken to hospital on Friday, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet's spokeswoman said.

"When he arrived (in prison), he already had respiratory problems," said Jean-Christophe Petit, from the Fresnes prison.

A nurse had already tested positive at the prison but the justice ministry stressed there was no link between the two infections.

The Fresnes jail houses 2,159 prisoners despite a capacity of 1,320. It has been feared that the virus could spread quickly through overcrowded prisons.

In southern Italy, new restrictions on visits by family members to prisoners sparked a riot in the southern city of Foggia, leading to 72 escaping. According to the latest count, there have been 3,661 COVID-19 cases in France and 79 deaths.

The senator infected was identified as Guylene Pantel, 56, but she was reported to be in good health.

Brune Poirson, French Secretary of State the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, also tested positive but "showed no worrying signs," her office said.

Police meanwhile said they had arrested 34 yellow vest protesters in the south of Paris on Saturday.

Frederic Lagache, the director of the country's main police union Alliance, said he had "deep disgust" with the protesters.

"We knew they had no respect for the law, now they have shown they have no civility or sense of responsibility, by putting the community in danger," he said.

The yellow vests protest movement, which accuses president Emmanuel Macron of ruling on behalf of an urban elite while ignoring poor people in the provinces and the countryside, began in November 2018 and often led to clashes between protesters and police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Signs will be posted at courthouses stating that people should not enter if they have been to certain countries, have been ordered to isolate, have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or if they are showing flu-like symptoms.
In many ways, the Seanad is more representative of us as a country than the Dail.

I recently received two jarring reminders of my inferior status as a citizen of this Republic. The first was driving through Foxrock in Dublin and seeing a poster for a Seanad candidate.

That's right: a poster for a candidate running in an election that the great majority of us can not vote in, the sort of thing black voters used to see in Rhodesia or pre-Mandela South Africa.

There's an election on, but not for you people. Carry on about your business.

I was driving too fast (but not too fast, your honour) to see who the candidate was and just caught the mention of the Seanad election. Perhaps it was for Marie Antoinette running on a Pro-Cake ticket, or maybe a candidate of the Downton Know-Your-Place Party.

I can't be sure.

I just know I'm not good enough to have a vote for the Seanad.

Well, not legally.

As it happens, I have a Seanad ballot paper right in front of me here as I write this column, addressed to a former occupant of the house I live in. It would be illegal to vote, of course, but worth noting that the actual legally entitled Seanad elector didn't bother to re-register their vote, whereas, of course, I'd actually like to be a Seanad elector.

Cue pencil hovering over ballot paper. Hmmm.

I campaigned in 2013 to abolish the Seanad. Not because I'm against an upper house (I'm not), but because I was so insulted by people who had blocked every single one of the dozen or so attempts to reform the Seanad suddenly becoming loud reformers when their really excellent paid-to-be-a-member-and-the-grub-is-excellent private club was threatened.

It was like a surreal electoral version of 'Scooby Doo', where the Seanad Reform Phantom was chased up and down seemingly endless corridors before being finally caught the day after the referendum and unmasked to be the same old faker who had prevented change since 1937.

"Why, you meddling kids should just mind your own business and keep paying taxes to fund the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed! Especially when going through American airports and booking into American hotels where they think we're real senators! Bah!"

I campaigned for abolition because I believed that political support to push through reform would evaporate, like Scooby Doo eating a massive sandwich, as soon as the proposal was defeated.

I have yet to be proven wrong.

As it happens, the irony is that the Seanad in its current form is actually pretty representative not so much of the demographics of the country as the Irish psyche.

It's the political equivalent of that greatest of 'Father Ted' quotes, "that money was just resting in my account". Like the quote, the defence of our upper house seems to involve money (ours going to a privileged elite), excuses about a scandal, and pretty ludicrous excuses at that.

"That Seanad reform bill was just resting on the floor of the house."

It's representative of Ireland in a certain way, in that it is undemocratic yet with a democratic mandate given to it by the electorate in the referendum, a tip of the hat to a Flann O'Brien/Schrodinger-like invention if there ever was one.

It's electoral system is equally dodgy. Giving university graduates special political rights over the rest of us is just weird. Yes, I know it was to ensure Protestant representation, but there's more elected Protestants in the Dail now than the Seanad.

As for senators elected by councillors, what on Earth is the point of that?

Is there any evidence that local government and regional policy has benefited by letting county councillors elect most of the upper house?

All it has really done is nearly give sitting senators a hernia as they charge for the door, falling over themselves to buy drink and dinner for any county councillor who happens to wander into Leinster House.

That's before you get to that masterly example of Irish pols designing an entire contraption to suit themselves, the so-called "inside/outside" nomination system.

I won't give both you and myself a nosebleed by trying to explain the arcane nature of Seanad election counts (which use fractions - yes, fractions) but will point out two simple facts.

One: the Seanad is elected by roughly the same single transferable vote (STV) system that we use to elect TDs to the Dail.

Two: if you are nominated by members of the Oireachtas, you can potentially take the last seat despite having fewer votes than the other guy.

In short, a good old-fashioned stitch-up to reserve seats for ex-TDs. It's magnificent in its bare-faced cheek.

How is it constitutional to actually ignore the result that the constitutionally mandated STV system gives?

I have no idea, but to show you how outrageous it is, consider this: it's the equivalent of Fine Gael passing a law before the last election to say that the last seat in every Dail constituency must go to the last remaining sitting TD regardless of how many (or few) votes they got.

By Seanad defender logic, that would be perfectly legal.

And so, back to my Seanad ballot paper.

Will I cast this illicit vote?

Probably not, although it does strike me that by not voting, I'm actually showing the upper house far more respect than it shows me, and indeed, most Irish voters.
People at the PIME mission are getting ready for Easter. About 102 catechumens are preparing for their baptism. In northern Thailand, people become Christian through dual conversion, social first, individual later. The coronavirus threat hangs over the mission and the rest of the country. The Thai Church has suspended public ceremonies.

Mae Suay (AsiaNews)  Mayer, one of 102 catechumens (80 adults and 22 teenagers) who will be baptised in the coming weeks in Mae Suay, northern Thailand, welcomed the freedom of the faith in Christ to free himself from the enslavement of drug addiction.

Fr Marco Ribolini, the parish priest of the mission of the young Diocese of Chiang Rai, is a member of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME). He has bene in the southeast Asian country for 16 years. Mae Suay, one of the largest missions in the diocese, will celebrate its first 30 years this year.

Fr Ribolini is helped in his work by Fr Raju Kavala Moganati and Fr Massimo Bolgan, both clergymen with PIME, and Nathi Lobip, deacon who grew up in the mission. Together, they cover 29 remote villages, home to about 5,000 ethnic Akha (majority) and Lahu Christians.

Here in the north, catechumens come mainly from tribal groups. Fr Ribolini told AsiaNews. In this area, one becomes Christian through a dual conversion.

The first one is a social, group conversion, when entire communities, groups of families or villages decide to embrace Christianity. They turn to a priest, to whom they communicate their desire to be part of the Catholics social group.

Years later, when they acquire a deeper knowledge of the religion, some tribal people undergo a personal conversion. This is the case of our catechumens. Yet, before accepting them in the catechism, we check that they choose freely and in full cognizance of their action.

Mayer is one of the catechumens who will be baptised this year. Last year, when we had a meeting, it was clear that he was a drug addict. Since he was an opium smoker, I was unable to accept him in catechism. I said to him: Baptism makes us free. He who is enslaved cannot receive it.

In front of the catechist, Mayer promised me that he would stop. On that pledge, I accepted his registration, reserving the right to check the progress of his detox. A year later, with all the necessary care and thanks to the people around him, we made sure that Mayer was no longer taking drugs. Even his wife asked to be baptised. Preparing to free the heart from sin and death has become an opportunity to eliminate such a scourge.

Fr Ribolini likes to tell another story even if it goes back about 20 years ago. In Akha culture, the birth of twins is considered a misfortune, because it is a sign of the intervention of an evil spirit. In the past, this was dealt with by letting the children die in the forest. Over the years, this practice has been abandoned but the superstition has remained. A village chief did not want to believe in this, as he deeply loved the children he had.

Faced with this, the village shaman told him: If you want to live in peace, you have only one possibility, become a Christian because their God loves everyone and makes no distinctions. This person not only got baptised with his family, but also converted the whole village (about thirty families or 100 people) and became a catechist.

For Fr Ribolini, now it is a busy time. Preparations are underway for Easter but in Mae Suay, as in the rest of Thailand, the threat of coronavirus looms. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Thailand (CBCT) has cancelled all public ceremonies. At the Mae Suay mission, we adapted and cancelled several activities.

Last weekend (7-8 March), catechumens from mission villages attended the pre-baptismal rites for the last time. These usually take place every weekend during Lent and bring to a close a year-long journey of faith. Unfortunately, the health crisis has forced us to stop them. The catechumens will be baptised in their respective villages, which my confreres and I, plus the catechists, will visit after Easter. At that time, we will try to enforce the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

We plan to bear witness to the people that, even in times of fear, the Lord is there and that he stands by each of us. This is the meaning of the cross: The Lord accepts such a death to be close to humanity. We will do everything possible to ensure that our spiritual care for the community does not make us agents of the virus. At the same time, we cannot deny people the support of faith, especially in the current situation.

(P.F. contributed to this article).
More European nations have joined Italy in enacting dramatic measures meant to keep their citizens in their homes for all but the most necessary of circumstances in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On Saturday, Spain ordered all of its citizens to stay in their homes unless they absolutely have to leave to go to work, buy food, seek medical care, or help out elderly or otherwise vulnerable people in need of assistance. All bars, restaurants, and schools were ordered to close.

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France also ordered all restaurants, bars, cafes, movie theaters, and other non-indispensable businesses to close starting at midnight. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations are some of the only exceptions.

Both countries had seen an uptick in cases in recent days. Spain saw 2,000 new cases on Saturday alone, bringing its total up to more than 5,700. The number of cases in France has recently doubled and the country now has around 4,500 confirmed cases.

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Italy, the country with the most cases after China, has been operating under these restrictions in a full quarantine since Monday. More than 21,000 people have contracted the virus there, and more than 1,440 people have died from it.

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Some non-European countries have taken similar measures. Starting Sunday, all restaurants, cafes, calls, hotels, movie theaters, gyms, and schools in Israel will be closed. Israel, which has less than 200 cases, also banned any foreign visitors from entering the country and gatherings of more than 10 people. Iran, which follows Italy as the third hardest-hit, has closed all schools, universities, sporting events, cafes, restaurants, museums, and movie theaters. And like Italy, it cracked down on travel within the country.

In a press briefing Friday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Europe the epicenter of the pandemic. China still has far more cases than any other country, but thanks to dramatic and sometimes extreme measures, its pace has slowed. Elsewhere in the world, cases are on the rise. There are now more than 153,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide.
For the first time in the Risk and Insurance Management Societys 70-year history, it is not going to have its annual conference. The RIMS 2020 Annual Conference & Exhibition scheduled for May 6 in Denver has been canceled.

We cant express enough how grateful we are for your patience as we explored every viable option, RIMS CEO Mary Roth and President Laura Langone said in an announcement to members and registrants.

As we moved through our own risk management process, assessed the facts, analyzed the data and carefully calculated the outcomes of a range of scenarios, it became abundantly clear that this was the best decision for our members, our conference participants, and our employees. At the end of the day, your health and safety remained our number one priority.

RIMS said it is will be addressing the hundreds of agreements, policies and commitments, as well as the concerns of thousands of attendees. Connections Housing will administer cancellations for reservations within the RIMS hotel block and the group is working up a refund process.

The conference is one of the industrys largest every year, with as more than 10,000 attendees from 70 countries.

RIMS has created an FAQ to answer questions.

The decision came following the continued spread of the coronavirus, Colorados ban on gatherings of more than 250 people and the closing of the venue for the RIMS meeting, the Colorado Convention Center, until April 12.

RIMS leaders met over the weekend with key stakeholders, government agencies, event partners, and its insurance broker Aon to develop a plan.

At RIMS, we routinely educate our members about such risks, delivering best practices and thought-leading strategies, said the weekend message signed by Roth and Langone. Now, it is us applying those best practices and it has been a truly humbling experience.

RIMS has plenty of company among organizations and event planners trying to decide what to do.

IICF

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation has postponed IICF events planned through the end of April. The organization is reviewing options to reschedule wherever possible. Among the events postponed are IICF National, Horizon Award Gala, Los Angeles, March 19; IICF Midwest, Spring Fling, Kansas City, April 30; and IICF Philadelphia Chapter, Trivia Night, April 22.

Berkshire Meeting

On Friday, Warren Buffett, CEO, said there will be a Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting as usual on May 2 but it will be unusual in that it will not be attended by thousands of shareholders, employees and media representatives as in the past. All special events held that weekend including a road race and a giant cocktail party have also been canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus.

I very much regret this action; for many decades the annual meeting has been a high point of the year for me and my partner, Charlie Munger. It is now clear, however, that large gatherings can pose a health threat to the participants and the greater community. We wont ask this of our employees and we wont expose Omaha to the possibility of becoming a hot spot in the current pandemic, Buffett said in a press release.

The gathering, which Buffett likes to call Woodstock for Capitalists, has attracted as many as 30,000 to 40,000 people in the past.

Th\is years attendance will be limited to Buffett, possibly Munger, and several Berkshire employees who will deliver proxy votes. Perhaps, also, a journalist or two, Buffett said.

Shareholders and others will have to settle for watching the meeting as it is live-streamed by Yahoo.

Other Meetings

The roster of insurance-related conferences and meetings being canceled, postponed or moved to virtual due to the coronavirus threat keeps changing. Here is an updated list:

March

Property Liability Research Bureau (PLRB) called off its 2020 Claims Conference scheduled to start Sunday, March 8 at the Gaylord National Hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C

Insurance data analytics and risk modeling firm Verisk converted its Cyber and Casualty Seminar scheduled for March 10 in New York City from an in-person to a free virtual event.

The Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA) announced the organization canceled its 2020 International Conference scheduled for Mar. 8-10, at the Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage, California because of safety concerns due to COVID-19.

The Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) has canceled the following events:

March 11-12 Legislative Fly-In (Washington D.C.)

March 15-18 Insurtech Conference (New Orleans)

March 27-28 Extreme Risk Takers Symposium (Chicago)

The Consumer Federation of America has decided to reschedule the National Food Policy Conference to a later date in 2020. The conference was scheduled to occur March 11 and 12.

Georgia State University Risk Management Foundation has canceled the 6th Annual Riskies Awards scheduled for the evening of March 12, 2020.

Benefits management platform Benefitfocus said it will now hold its annual conference, One Place 2020, scheduled for March 17-19 in Charleston, S.C., as a digital event.

The National Cannabis Risk Management Association (NCRMA) has decided to postpone NCRMA2020, its conference on March 22-24 in Las Vegas. The event will now be held in the fall.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has decided to hold the Spring National Meeting scheduled as a live event for Phoenix from March 21-24 in a virtual-only format. Below is a tentative schedule, which is still subject to change:

The public portion of the NAICs special session on state responses to COVID-19 will be held on March 20, 2020, starting at 11 a.m. ET via virtual meeting.

Working groups, subgroups and other meetings will be held via conference calls March 16-31, 2020.

Task force meetings will be held via conference calls April 1-10, 2020.

Executive Committee and letter committees will be held via conference calls the week of April 13, 2020.

EX/Plenary will meet via public conference call on April 20, 2020.

The Casualty Actuarial Society has canceled its 2020 Ratemaking, Product and Modeling (RPM) Seminar Planning Committee in New Orleans that was to start March 22. See the FAQ for information.

The Ceres 2020 Investor Summit on Climate Risk scheduled for March 23-26 in New York has been canceled. The group said it is arranging to offer a digital program in the weeks and months to come.

April

WSIA has canceled its April 3 Extreme Risk Takers Symposium in Santa Barbara.

The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has postponed its European Risk Management Awards 2020 dinner that it planned to host in London on April 23. The new date is December 8, 2020.

WSIA also said it is still evaluating two education programs, including an April 28  May 1 Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) in Washington D.C. and a June 7-10 Excess & Surplus Lines program in St. Louis.

May

The Financial Health Network canceled its Emerge conference, scheduled for May 5-7, 2020 in Atlanta.

Topics Excess Surplus Washington Training Development Risk Management
By Shivani Singh and Winni Zhou

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The number of new coronavirus cases imported into mainland China from overseas surpassed the number of locally transmitted new infections for the first time on Friday, according to data released by the National Health Commission.

Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases on Friday, up from eight cases a day earlier, but only four of those - all in the virus epicenter of Hubei province - were locally transmitted, according to the data released on Saturday.

The other seven - including four in the financial hub of Shanghai, one in the capital Beijing and two in the northwestern province of Gansu - were all detected in travelers coming into China from overseas, specifically Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Later on Saturday, Shanghai's city government confirmed a further two imported cases in travelers from France and Spain.

The numbers underscore how China, where the outbreak began in December, appears to now face a greater threat of new infections from outside its borders as it continues to slow the spread of the virus domestically.

A total of 95 cases have entered mainland China from overseas by the end of Friday, the commission said.

Beijing's city government said that patients with imported coronavirus will have to cover all treatment fees if they are not enrolled for basic health insurance.

Hubei has now seen new infections fall for nine straight days. All four new cases on Friday were in the provincial capital Wuhan.

The death toll in mainland China from the coronavirus had reached 3,189 by the end of Friday, up by 13 from the previous day. All the latest deaths were in Hubei and 10 were in Wuhan.

The virus has infected 80,824 people in mainland China, the commission said. Globally, more than 138,000 have been infected and over 5,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

As cases rise overseas, the steel hub of Tangshan in northern China's Hebei province warned people entering the city against trying to conceal their travel history.

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People who do so will have to bear all treatment costs if they are later found to have contracted coronavirus, the Tangshan city government said.

Meanwhile, China's finance ministry said at a briefing on Saturday that the virus had affected first-quarter fiscal revenues but the Chinese economy remained resilient.. No details were given.

Chinas Ministry of Education (MOE) has started a public consultation on whether college entrance exams, generally held in June, should be postponed or not. A decision has not been made, Chinas state TV CCTV reported Wang Dengfeng, a senior official with the MOE as saying.

Wang added that no decision on when schools will resume has been made. He expects senior students at middle and high schools to restart first, while college semesters will begin later.

SHANGHAI REOPENING

Despite the uptick in imported cases in Shanghai, the city is gearing up to re-open all its public parks by March 20, Fang Yan, an official from Shanghai's Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau, told a press conference on Saturday.

A total of 195 city parks have reopened so far after "the war against coronavirus situation showed positive changes", Fang said. Thousands of public venues had earlier been shut across China in a bid to halt the virus spread.

The city's flagship Shanghai Museum and well-known landmark the Oriental Pearl Tower have both reopened, said culture and tourism official Zhang Qi.

But Shanghai is following Beijing in suspending public funerals, instead offering grave-cleaning and flower services at cemeteries as the annual Qingming tomb-sweeping festival on April 4 approaches.

XI'S CONDOLENCES

Of the new Shanghai cases imported from Italy, three were Chinese people who worked in Italy and flew to Shanghai via Moscow, according to the city's municipal health commission, while the fourth was an Italian who flew in via Paris.

Italy is the worst affected country in Europe, reporting a total 17,660 cases by Friday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella over the phone to offer his "sincere condolences" to the Italian people over the crisis, CCTV reported on Saturday.

Xi also held phone calls with the presidents of two other severely hit countries, Iran and South Korea, again expressing condolences, the state broadcaster said.

(Reporting by Tom Daly, Muyu Xu and Shivani Singh in Beijing and Winni Zhou in Shanghai; editing by Michael Perry, Richard Pullin, Kirsten Donovan)
August marks the 75th anniversary of the United States detonating atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This year also could be when the prayers of two internationally known Catholic nuns, who for nearly 50 years have been fighting for nuclear disarmament, are answered.

I have more hope today than Ive had over all these years, said Sister Ardeth Platte. Were way ahead of where weve ever been.

Platte, 83, and Sister Carol Gilbert, 72, both of the Dominican religious congregation, are in Colorado Springs for a few days to spread the news of what they see as a groundswell of support for the anti-nuclear movement and issue a call for more resistance.

People think theres nothing they can do, but there are things they can do, Gilbert said. Those include not supporting investments related to bomb making or sustainment.

Wearing sweatshirts that read, Im already against the next war, Platte and Gilbert joined Citizens for Peace in Space at Acacia Park Tuesday, holding banners with such sayings as, Nuclear Weapons: May They Rust in Peace.

The two activists made headlines in 2000, when they were arrested at Peterson Air Force Base for spraying their blood on a fighter plane. The charges were dropped.

They were arrested again two years later after cutting a chain-link fence to enter a nuclear missile site in northeastern Colorado, praying and pouring their blood in the shape of a cross on a Minuteman III missile silo.

They served 41 months in a federal correctional facility in Danbury, Conn., at the same time as television personality Martha Stewart and Piper Kerman, who wrote Orange is the New Black, which became a Netflix series with Platte depicted as one of the characters.

We did yoga together, Platte says of her incarceration with the celebrities.

For several years, the nuns have been working on support for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was passed in 2017 but must be ratified to ban everything from possession to transfer of nuclear weapons.

The pair, who live at a Dorothy Day Catholic Worker house in Washington, D.C., have promoted the treaty across the United States, including delivering a copy to Peterson Air Force Base in 2017, and promoting it in cities, churches and colleges.

Platte and Gilbert are to meet Wednesday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. with University of Colorado at Colorado Springs students and the public in the Kraemer Library on campus. At 7 p.m. Thursday, the public is invited to a talk they'll give at All Souls Unitarian Church at Dale and Tejon streets. The event is sponsored by the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission.

The nuns also are to appear in Canon City, Boulder, Denver and Fort Collins.

Their message has broadened to encompass climate change and fossil-fuel divestment because it's all one issue," Gilbert said. "We're trying to save the planet for future generations."

They praised Pope Francis, the first Pope to condemn the possession of nuclear weapons, declaring them immoral.

Platte said she thinks people are showing signs theyre tired of war, with two-thirds to nearly three-fourths of Americans indicating in polls they do not want nuclear weapons.

However, she said, President Donald Trump "knows the biggest business in the U.S. and millions of jobs are in the industry of war."

We know were not going to get the United States to sign onto the treaty, Gilbert said.

A total of 135 nations joined the treaty, in support of getting rid of nuclear weapons, Platte said. An additional 15 countries are needed for a total of 50 ratifications. That can be achieved this year, the pair said, adding that theyre headed to an international conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty in April.

None of the countries that have nuclear weapons are anywhere near signing on, Gilbert said. Nine nations have nuclear weapons and another five have nuclear weapons on their soil that the U.S. supplied, she said.

Theres no such thing as good nukes and bad nukes, Gilbert said. Theyre all bad.
(Natural News) The media is anxiously waiting to report whether Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro tested positive (and then negative) for coronavirus. The Brazilian leader recently shook hands with President Trump. If the Brazilian leader tests positive for coronavirus, the media will claim that Trumps brief interaction with Bolsonaro is reason enough to believe that Trump is infected, carrying the virus around and putting other people at risk.

Brazilian leader and his aide, who tested positive for coronavirus, were in close proximity to President Trump

Jair Bolsonaro is being tested because one of his top aides, Fabio Wajngarten, has tested positive for coronavirus. President Trump and VP Mike Pence were recently pictured standing next to Wajngarten at Mar-A-Lago. Three members of the Brazilian delegation are now experiencing flu-like symptoms and are undergoing tests to confirm the infection.

The media is doing everything in their power to make the President and the general public paranoid about every hand he shakes, every surface he touches, and every gasp of air he takes. The media wants to see President Trump put himself in voluntary isolation, even though he is not sick at this time. Trump told reporters today that he is not worried about possible exposure to the coronavirus.

Making contact with a sick person does not mean you will get sick. Every person has their own immune system; you can either be confident in the ability of your own immune system, giving it the instructions it needs in order to function, or you can live in fear of sickness and distance yourself from the rest of the world.

When pressed about the close contact with potentially infected people, Trump said, Lets put it this way: Im not concerned. How successful will the media be in convincing the public that Trump is spreading the disease?

When Trump heard about the Brazilian leaders aide being exposed to the virus, he said, We did nothing very unusual. Trump told reporters, We sat next to each other for a period of time, had a great conversation. The media will continue to pressure Trump to get tested for the virus.

White House press secretary Stephani Grisham had to please the media about the situation. She said Trump and Pence had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.

Every interaction that Trump makes with people will now be scrutinized by the media. Trump has met with dozens of officials and executives this week, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. If these peoples immune systems are weak and they get sick this week, Trump could be blamed for spreading the disease to them, even if he has no signs or symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

U.S. leaders beginning to self quarantine

Other Congress members and staff members of the President have been taking extreme cautionary measures, isolating themselves for fourteen days because they came in proximity of someone who might have been in contact with someone who had an infection. Florida Governor Rick Scott has had no contact with Bolsonaro and the sick Brazilian delegation but he decided to self quarantine out of an abundance of caution. Senator Lindsey Graham is another one who has decided to self quarantine, even though he has no recollection of direct contact with the Brazilian leader or his aide.

Even if President Trump continues healthily into old age, he is human and is probably not immune to this new strain of virus. If an infection in the President becomes evident and testing comes back positive, there will likely be a new level of panic and blame felt throughout the country.

Sources include:

TheSun.com

ImmuneSystem.News
Yesterday, the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government announced that it was implementing a state of emergency for 15 days to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision comes as there are 4,209 confirmed cases, 1,000 more than the day before, and 120 deaths.

At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the state of emergency would come into effect today, allowing the government to temporarily restrict the movement of citizens and mobilise the police and the army. He claimed the measure would allow for the maximum mobilisation of resources against the virus.

Sanchez added that We are only in the first phase of combatting the virus, and We have some very tough weeks ahead of us. We cannot rule out reaching 10,000 [infections] by next week.

The state of emergency allows the government to limit the free movement of people and vehicles; to temporarily requisition any kind of asset; to intervene and temporarily take over industries, factories, workshops, operations or commercial premises; limit or ration the use of services or the consumption of essential items; and issue necessary orders to ensure supply to markets and the functioning of facilities making essential products.

The measure announced complements others taken at the regional level. The region of Madrid has ordered the closure of all hotels, bars and restaurants. The Basque Country has announced a health emergency, which empowers the regional government to confine municipalities. Regional elections in the Basque Country and Galicia will likely be suspended.

In Catalonia, the regional government ordered a complete lockdownthe first of its kindof Igualada, Vilanova del Cami, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Odena, confining a total of 70,000 inhabitants to their towns. In Igualada alone, 58 of the 319 cases in Catalonia have been identified. This was a bid to slow transmission of the largest outbreak of the coronavirus so far identified in Catalonia, after the regional government refused to close down schools and other large gathering places.

Showing the utter contempt of the ruling class for health care workers, they account for 36 of those infected recently in Catalonia, and there are 250 people isolated, including 200 hospital staff.

Murcia decreed the confinement of eight coastal towns and cities on Friday, affecting 376,000 people. No person may enter or leave these locations except for work or health reasons, and all businesses will be closed except for pharmacies and food stores. The decision came as seven new cases were reported in one night, mostly from Madrid residents who fled from the capital to the coastal areas.

The pandemic is rapidly exposing the inability of the capitalist system to deal with such a crisis. The Spanish government, like all others, has responded with a staggering level of incompetence and disarray. Last Sunday, they allowed the March 8 feminist protest, which gathered 120,000 protesters, to go forward, despite receiving warnings that the spread of coronavirus was accelerating. The Ministry of Health was aware the day virus had begun to spread without control, especially in the region of Madrid.

Prime Minister Sanchez insisted that his ministers attend the protest to show an image of unity of male minsters against sexism, El Confidencial Digital wrote, forcing some who expressed reservations, like the head of Social Security, Jose Luis Escriva.

While Sanchez appealed to patriotism and the heroism of cleaning ones hands regularly and staying at home in his press conference, social anger is mounting among health care workers over the lack of basic medical equipment. Department heads of large hospitals are telling the media their centres lack personal protective equipment. It is also widely acknowledged that there is a lack of respirators, which are essential to keep coronavirus patients who are in critical condition alive.

At the same time, private health care centres are charging 300 to test for coronavirus. The Catholic Church has announced it will continue holding mass, even though the Ministry of Health is calling on citizens to avoid large crowds. And the notorious detention centres for migrants will remain open, threatening to spread the virus among innocent refugees imprisoned there.

The pandemic is rapidly exposing the anti-working-class character, not only of the Sanchez government, but also of the trade unions. The Stalinist Workers Commissions (CCOO) and the social-democratic General Union of Labour (UGT) are calling for mass redundancies to let companies offload the economic effects of the coronavirus on workers and their families. As at the time of the 2008 Wall Street crash, the ruling class and its trade union agents are doing everything possible to bail out companies at workers expense.

The day before the government announced the state of emergency, the CCOO, UGT and the big business association CEOE and small business Cepyme, agreed on a joint document, calling for big business to implement a temporary workforce adjustment plan (ERTE). This allows the temporary suspension of job contracts on economic, technical, organizational or production grounds or due to force majeure.

Employees affected by an ERTE can access unemployment benefits, but only under certain conditions, like having contributed more than 360 days to social security. Labour lawyer Alvaro San Martin told El Pais, Workers will earn less and will have no access to any compensation for dismissal.

Car manufacturer Nissan has already announced a workforce adjustment plan (ERE) affecting 2500 workers. Seat is expected to follow suit. Kostal Electrica, which produces components for cars, announced a plan affecting 800 workers. Air Europas plan will affect 3,600 workers. Hotel group Melia will sack 230 workers. Spanish airline Iberia has announced an ERE affecting 90 percent of its 16,000 workforce.

A wave of mass redundancies is in preparation. Government sources told the Barcelona daily La Vanguardia that in a few days a large number of ERTE requests could arrive so that companies can adjust their workforces. The CCOO has already confirmed that 70 procedures have been opened in the Madrid region alone.

Workers and youth must be warned that the state of emergency will be used against striking workers and protesters. The government is empowered to mobilise the police and the army to crush social opposition against job cuts and safeguard conditions against the virus.

The pandemic is proving the urgent necessity of a mass political movement of the working class in Spain and internationally against capitalism and for the socialist reorganization of world economy. This can only be carried out against the misnamed pro-austerity and militarist progressive PSOE-Podemos government and the trade unions. An essential principle that must guide the response of the working class to the crisis is that the health and safety needs of working people internationally must take absolute and unconditional priority over all considerations of corporate profit and private wealth.
The first coronavirus death in Louisiana has been confirmed.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration announced the news Saturday. The death was a 58-year-old Orleans Parish resident with underlying health conditions who was hospitalized at the Touro infirmary, Edwards' office said.

[Update, 9:30 a.m. Sunday: State cases rise to 91; second death reported.]

"Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant against the spread of this illness by taking care of ourselves and each other, avoiding going into public areas if you are sick, practicing social distancing and washing your hands frequently with soap and water," Edwards said in a statement.

"This underscores the fact that those with underlying health issues are most at risk from the coronavirus. Those with compromised immune systems and are older should be taking extra precautions to avoid becoming affected with the coronavirus.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she was "deeply saddened, but sadly not surprised, to get confirmation today of the first fatality attributed to COVID-19."

She urged residents, including healthy ones, to take precautions that help slow the spread of the virus.

"This is a tragic development, but not an unforeseen one," Cantrell said. "I call on all of our residents to keep the victims family in their prayers, and to continue doing everything possible to prevent further spread."

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There are currently 77 presumptive cases in the state. The numbers reflected a sharp increase from Friday, when the state had 36 cases. Edwards instituted severe restrictions to curb the rise of the virus, or COVID-19, including shuttering K-12 schools and banning public gatherings of 250 people or more.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic. There have been more than 150,000 cases and more than 5,600 deaths worldwide. In the U.S., the coronavirus had killed at least 51 as of Saturday, a majority of which are related to an outbreak in Washington state.

The WHO has not declared an international pandemic since 2009 after the outbreak of then-novel H1N1 virus.

Health experts and officials are still trying to grapple with this new coronavirus, which originated at a wildlife market in Chinas Hubei province. It has rattled industries and stock markets worldwide and killed thousands, largely the elderly with underlying health conditions.

As testing expands, the number of cases is likely to grow. Experts surmise that, as of March 1, about 1,000 to 10,000 people nationwide were already unknowingly infected.

Receive updates on coronavirus: Sign up for our breaking news e-mail newsletter Updates on coronavirus, or COVID-19, are developing throughout the day. And one way you can keep up with the latest is to subscribe to The Adv

At a press conference earlier in the day Saturday, Edwards announced a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Louisiana, mainly centered in the New Orleans area. The governor said he was concerned that Louisiana's number of cases per capita was among the highest in the U.S.

This is a developing story. More details to come.
Malawi's President Peter Mutharika on Friday dissolved his cabinet, the latest political move after his May re-election was annulled over vote-rigging.

In a landmark ruling last month the Constitutional Court ordered officials to hold a fresh presidential poll within 150 days.

Mutharika is attempting to quash the fresh election that would require him to win more than a 50 percent majority to secure a second term.

He has filed an appeal against the court's decision to nullify election results that had declared him the winner with just 35.8 percent of the vote.

The unexpected dissolution of cabinet was announced in a statement by government chief secretary Lloyd Muhara.

Until the appointment of a new cabinet, all ministerial powers, functions and responsibilities will be exercised by the president.

"He is just exercising discretionary powers to hire a new cabinet," Mutharika's spokesman Mgeme Kalilani told AFP.

But both analysts and the opposition believe the move was made to accommodate another opposition party, the United Democratic Front, which formed an electoral alliance with Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party last week.

"He needs to make a campaign cabinet," said Henry Chingaipe, a political analyst with local thinktank the Institute for Policy Research and Social Empowerment.

Main opposition Malawi Congress Party spokesman Maurice Munthali said Mutharika was acting to please his new allies.

"If that is the route that a president takes, then it is dangerous because you don't run a government (by) appeasing people," said Munthali.

"You have to run the government in a way that benefits the people of the country."

The annulled vote marks the first time a presidential election has been challenged on legal grounds in Malawi since independence from Britain in 1964.

It is only the second poll result to be cancelled in Africa after the 2017 Kenya presidential vote.
The global death toll due to coronavirus is increasing with each passing day with reports of more people being infected are pouring in from across the world.



India reported it's first coronavirus linked death on Thursday night where a man from Karnataka died on Tuesday due to the novel virus.

The second death was reported in national capital New Delhi on March 13 as the number of confirmed cases jumped to 42.

AFP

A 68-year-old woman from West Delhi died after she came in contact with a positive case, according to health ministry officials.

Many states went into battle mode to contain the spread of virus, shutting down schools, colleges and theatres. Many public events, including the cash-rich IPL were postponed.

In the midst of the massive scare, there are several reports of people took the situation lightly.

The family of the 76-year-old Karnataka man who died due to coronavirus, apparently went against medical advice and forcibly discharged him from the hospital - not once but twice in the days before he died.

This according to statements released by Union Ministry of Health and a private hospital in Hyderabad. According to the statements, the family ignored medical advice at a hospital in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, or Gulburga and another one in Hyderabad. The man died on March 10 while he was being moved from Hyderabad to Gulburga.

The ministry's statement said the man had visited Saudi Arabia last month. He returned to India on February 29. Initially he did not have any symptoms, but he developed fever and cough in the first week of March.

In another development, the wife of the Bengaluru teche allegedly fled and later was tested positive for coronvirus, giving way to fears that she my have passed on the infection to others too. The 25-year-old-woman is currently in Agra, and is married to a Bengaluru techie working at Google. The couple were recently married and have a travel history to Greece. The man has already tested positive and their famly is put under quarantine.

In another news, students from IIT-Mumbai who were playing "truth or dare" on board a Chennai-Coimbatore bus, created a scare by saying she was infected with coronavirus, sending passengers in panic. The state public health workers were sent in to a tizzy due to the report. She was later traced to her campus and taken to the directorate of public health.

AFP

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Europe has now become the "epicentre" for the pandemic, called COVID-19, reporting more daily cases than China did at the height of its outbreak.

The pandemic's global death toll has reached almost 5,000, while the global number of cases has surpassed 132,000, according to the WHO, which is the health agency of the United Nations. About 68,000 victims have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow: disinfect the icons, kissed for devotion; beware of blessed drinks. For some priests, communion, being a sign of God's love, cannot bring us sickness and death. The Greek Church is more cautious. The long lines to kiss the relics of Saint John the Baptist in Saint Petersburg. But Russia is more concerned with Putin's "crown".

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Moscow Patriarchate has also decided to recommend compliance with certain rules of conduct in the face of the spread of the coronavirus. Russia actually appears rather immune to the spread of the virus, recording a few dozen cases. Some suspect that perhaps the government is not distributing credible statistics.

National attention is on another "crown", the presidential one, linked to the approval of the various changes to the Constitution and above all to the proposal of the deputy Valentina Tereshkova (the first female astronaut), which at the end of the discussions on Constitutional reform proposed the law limiting presidential mandates be eliminated allowing Vladimir Putins continued mandate to ensure stability to the country".

The Duma president, Vjaceslav Volodin, immediately supported the proposal, asking the parliamentarians to defend Putin as Russia's "prerogative and excellence". The president himself accepted the proposal, revealing the true purpose of all constitutional maneuvers: to remain in power in any way possible. Under the proposed amendments, he could remain president until 2036, approaching the reigning record of Ivan the Terrible (50 years) and Peter the Great (40 years).

However, the patriarchal synod met on March 11, issuing a declaration expressing the "condolences for the relatives an of the coronavirus victims in China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and other states. ". Blessing the work of doctors and volunteers, the synod recalls that "during epidemics the Russian Orthodox Church has always fulfilled its ministry of testimony, not refusing spiritual assistance to anyone and full participation in the sacraments". We invite moderation and common sense, "tranquility in prayer" not ceding to panic and fears about the spread of the pandemic.

The Synod recommends that prophylactic hygiene and health measures in parishes and monasteries be observed in a consistent and inflexible way, especially in regions where epidemiological conditions are officially recognized as critical, using solutions to disinfect icons exposed to veneration, which the faithful they kiss by bowing, and to use disposable glasses for devotional drinks. " In Orthodox rites, apart from the Eucharistic communion, the intake of blessed water and wine is in fact used, as part of devotional participation in the community liturgy.

The issue of Eucharistic communion has provoked several perplexities which the Synod has decided to overlook. The Orthodox faithful receive the Eucharist in the form of fragments of bread dipped in wine, and distributed to the faithful with a golden spoon from the priest's hands directly into their mouth, while the deacons dry the face of the communicant with red manutergi (of the color of the wine) . Those who do not receive communion (for which it is mandatory to confess during the liturgy), that is, the majority of the faithful, limit themselves to drinking the water and wine blessed at the sides of the altar. All these procedures are stirring apprehension, with fewer and fewer faithful participating in sacramental and devotional communion.

Some priests, such as Archimandrite Filipp (Ryabikh), representative of the Russian Church to the European institutions in Strasbourg, believe that "although it is terrible to get sick of this serious virus, which can also lead to death, it would be even more serious if for this reason to deprive ourselves of sacred communion or of the liturgy itself, the great gift of God. Father Filipp recalled the words of the fathers of the Church, according to which "the world stands on the celebration of the liturgy and the Eucharist", and compared the closing of the churches in these days with the Soviet period, when the churches were closed or destroyed by the regime.

Even the Greek Orthodox Church, in the meeting of the Synod of March 9, had declared that "Holy Communion cannot be the cause of transmission of the coronavirus, because it is a handing over of the of God into the hands person and a manifestation of His love".

It is also true that, compared to the Russians, the Greeks are less "imposing" in the sacramental gesture, rather leaving the faithful the opportunity to adapt to the reception of the consecrated bread and wine, as also happens in the Coptic Church. The Old Believers, the ancient traditionalist Russian Church, on the other hand, warned about the risk of infection at the act of communion, calling for stricter measures right up to the suspension of liturgical celebrations.

In St. Petersburg, regardless of the risk of infection, masses of faithful are flocking to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, in the center of the "capital of the north", where the relics of St. John the Baptist are exposed (see photo). Thousands of people are queuing in rows outside and inside the church, to finally come to kiss the relics, an act certainly devoted and perhaps salvific, but clearly unhygienic during the coronavirus period.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held the BJP-led Centre responsible on Saturday for the current economic slowdown in the country.

"The country is facing an economic slowdown due to the wrong policies of the Centre," he said.

Speaking at a function in Rajsamand, the chief minister said people were losing jobs in the country.

He said his government was focussed on infrastructure development and sectors like electricity, water, education and health, among others.

Gehlot also highlighted the achievements of his government at the programme, which was organised to mark the inauguration of a cow shelter in the Devgarh area of Rajsamand.

State Energy Minister BD Kalla, Health Minister Raghu Sharma and others were present on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Travel ban may be extended to more countries By Damith Wickremasekara View(s): View(s):

Contingency plans have been drawn up to restrict the issue of visas to foreign visitors from more countries, and they will be implemented if the coronavirus pandemic worsens, a senior official said.

He said the decision was taken at a meeting presided over by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and attended by top officials, including those from the Immigration and Health sectors.

The move came despite the Government continuing to allow the Chinese to enter the country without a quarantine process. More than 1,400 Chinese have come to Sri Lanka in the past two weeks.

Some officials had pointed out it might be necessary to increase the number of countries from which travel would be restricted.

On Friday, the Government decided to ban visitors from France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and Austria.

Earlier, such a ban was imposed on visitors from South Korea, Iran and Italy.The senior official said the President had agreed to implement the contingency plan of restricting visits from other countries depending on the threat assessment there. This could be for a short period or a prolonged period. At the meeting they also discussed the plight of some foreigners whose visas were expiring but were not in a position to travel back to their countries due to the suspension of flights. It was decided to extend their visas for a short period, but after that they would have to go to another country if they were not able to return to their home countries.

The official said some of the foreigners were stranded in Sri Lanka as they were on transit and unable to find flights to their destinations due to the cancellation of flights.

It was decided to screen the tourists and issue visas for them to stay in the country. During the past two weeks, there were 1,427 people who came from Italy, 1,405 from China, 107 from South Korea and 25 from Iran.
Irans ministry of health has announced that 12,729 people have tested positive for coronavirus as of Saturday March 14. Also, with 97 new deaths since yesterday, the epidemic's toll in Iran has reached 611.

More than one thousand Iranians have been infected during the past day, most of them in Tehran, Isfahan, Alborz and Gilan provinces.

In the meantime, Deputy Health Minister Reza Malekzadeh rejected the idea of biological warfare as the cause of the outbreak in an interview with the Iranian state TV. Irans hardliners have been alluding to the possibility of the United States using coronavirus against Iran.

Malekzadeh said the delay in announcing the start of the epidemic and failing to control flights between China and Iran have caused the massive outbreak in Iran.

Dr. Malekzadeh warned that up to 70 percent of Iranian are likely to be affected by the virus due to the delay and failure in disease prevention and control.

Some social media users have reminded Malekzadeh that Health Minister Namaki lied to the people on 29 January telling them there were no coronavirus cases while several patients were hospitalized at Tehran's Masih Daneshvari Hospital.

Some Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and IRGC Commander Hossein Salami have said that the outbreak could have been part of a biological attack against Iran, but they failed to explain why it started in China, and why over 130 countries including the United States are also affected.

Khamenei charged that "There is some evidence this may be a biological attack."

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded to Khamenei's comment, saying that "As Khamenei knows, the best biological defense wouldve been to tell the Iranian people the truth about the Wuhan virus when it spread to Iran from China. Instead, he kept Mahan Air flights coming and going to the epicenter in China and jailed those who spoke out."

Pompeo was referring to an increasing number of arrests among journalists, social media activists and provincial health officials for disseminating information about Coronavirus fatalities.

Critics say the conspiracy theories Iranian officials usually resort to, aim to blame others for their inefficiency in dealing with ongoing crises and also mark a serious deficiency in their media literacy, which makes them unable to differentiate between the truth and fake news.

Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on March 12 appointed General Mohammad Baqeri, the chairman of Irans joint armed forces to head a new headquarters to deal with the epidemic. This raised expectations that the military might act quickly and decisively in sealing off some cities to prevent a worsening of the outbreak.

Saturday morning, while there was still no news of any measures on the part of the newly established military body, President Hassan Rouhani chaired the disease control task force via video teleconference (VTC).

At the meeting, Rouhani once again called on the people not to travel during the Iranian New Year holidays next week but did not announce any practical measures on the part of the government. However, Iranian media say incoming traffic to Tehran will be restricted, but they did not say how and when.

The news coming from other cities say the mayor of Sari, the capital of Mazandaran Province has contracted Coronavirus and the mayor of Mashhad, the Capital of Khorasan-e Razavi Province has said that the situation of the outbreak in the city is a cause for serious concern. Other reports from the city say that the holy shrine in Mashad has been closed to the public.

Meanwhile, a red alert and emergency situation has been declared in Kermanshah Province at the border with Iraq.
Some things cannot be taught View(s):

My dear Pasindu,

I am writing to you, knowing very well that you are not able to read this, as you lie on a hospital bed in an intensive care unit hooked up to machines that breathe for you. I am also writing to you knowing very well that you may never be able to read this. Still, I feel it is important to write to you now.

Just last week, you were a youngster on the threshold of life, having overcome hardships during your young days. You lost your beloved mother a few days before the highly competitive Advanced Level examination. Despite that shock, you were still able to secure your place in a university.

No one would have blamed you for believing that, provided you completed your academic work at the university in the same way that you did at school, a better life awaited you. You must have surely wanted to repay the faith that your parents, who toiled long and hard for your success, kept in you.

Yet, here you are now, lying on a hospital bed, your life itself hanging by a thread. The hopes of those near and dear to you have been shattered. Although many questions are being asked about ragging in universities and the entire country is outraged, the final question is, will all that be enough?

It certainly wont be enough for you. Doctors have said it is highly unlikely that you will make a full recovery that will enable you to return to your studies and realise the hopes and ambitions that you once had. Indeed, many would be happy if you are strong enough to survive your ordeal.

That leaves us with the question as to why this happened to you  and why it has continued to happen from time to time over several decades. Although some try to make out that what you suffered was just an accident, we all know that is not the truth  if not for ragging, this wouldnt have occurred.

You may be too young to remember someone by the name of Rupa Rathnaseeli. Like you, she was an undergraduate, but at Peradeniya 45 years ago. She was subjected to cruel and inhuman forms of ragging. She jumped from a building to escape that and was paralysed at the age of 22.

With all her dreams destroyed, and having lived like that for another 22 years, she took her own life unable to bear it any longer. If the pundits who claim that you suffered an accident were asked, they would have said it was all her fault because it is she who committed suicide!

Five years prior to that, we had already heard of the terrible plight of Selvanayagam Varapragash, another student at Peradeniya who was also subjected to strenuous exercises until his kidneys failed. He too succumbed to his injuries. Even though some were charged, no one was properly punished.

The same year that Rupa Rathnaseeli took her own life, Samantha Vithanage, a student at Sri Jayewardenepura was killed by a mob of fellow students in a violent clash. His crime was to lead a group of students who were against ragging and trying to halt that degrading ritual in his university.

These are names that come up for discussion whenever the subject of ragging is discussed. There are many others who have been subjected to ragging and paid with their life or in some other way. Now, you are at risk of having your name added to this long and seemingly unending list of victims.

If we go back to what happened to Rupa Rathnaseeli, that was 45 years ago. Yet, here we are today, when pretty much everything  governments, Constitutions, wars and possibly every institution in the country  have changed since then, still dealing with the despicable issue of inhumane ragging.

It seems that either no one can change this  or no one has the courage to do so. A few ministers  such as Ranjan during the Premadasa era and SB (whatever his other faults are) have tried, but they obviously havent been successful, or you wouldnt be lying critically ill on a hospital bed today.

We know new laws were passed after the incidents involving Varapragash and Vithanage 20 years ago but that seemed to have done little to curb the demonic enthusiasm of these sadists. The big question on everyones mind is when will this ever end? Or, for that matter, will it ever end?

We hope and pray for your speedy recovery, Pasindu. We also hope that what happened to you will open the eyes of those responsible to bring in measures that will bring an end to this menace once and for all  but we know that we may be hoping in vain because all those before you have suffered in vain.

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: When Gota maama was elected, he was hailed as being responsible for defeating the worlds most ruthless terrorists and as someone who can change the system because he was never a politician. The question now is, is stopping ragging in our campuses more difficult than defeating the Tiger terrorists?
The number of cases of coronavirus has reached more than 99.7m globally, as the pandemic continues its spread around the world.

The UK is approaching 100,000 deaths while the USA has surpassed 400,000 dead. However, the figures also show that hundreds of thousands of people have recovered from the disease.

Once youve had the illness are you able to catch it again? Former President Trump was one of those who claimed that he is immune after testing positive for the virus on 1 October and subsequently recovering.

The president tweeted: "A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I cant get it (immune), and cant give it. Very nice to know!!! The tweet was later flagged by Twitter as spreading misleading and potentially harmful information.

So can you get coronavirus twice? This is what you need to know about coronavirus immunity and contracting the virus more than once.

If you recover from the new coronavirus, do you have immunity?

To date, there have been more than two million deaths from coronavirus globally. However, most people infected with Covid-19 virus have mild disease and recover, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) .

But, just because you recover from the virus does not mean you cannot catch it again, WHO confirmed in a statement released on 24 April.

"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," the organisation said.

According to Li QinGyuan, director of pneumonia prevention and treatment at China Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, those who have been infected with Covid-19 develop a protective antibody - but it isnt clear how long the protection lasts.

"However, in certain individuals, the antibody cannot last that long," Li told USAToday. "For many patients who have been cured, there is a likelihood of relapse."

In children, it is currently believed that the virus causes the development of at least short-term immunity.

No one knows for sure, but most children likely develop at least short-term immunity to the specific coronavirus that causes Covid-19, Dr Peter Jung, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston told The Huffington Post. But just as the flu can mutate, so could Covid-19, which would make an individual susceptible to reacquiring the infection.

According to an August study, researchers have identified a 25-year-old man in the United States who was reinfected with the virus.

In the report, it states that the man tested positive for the virus in April, at which point he showed mild symptoms. He later tested positive again in May and developed more serious symptoms of Covid-19.

In a statement to Reuters, Kristian Anderson, professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, said: This study likely represents a clear example of reinfection ... reinfections are possible - which we already knew, because immunity is never 100 per cent.

According to the researchers, they were able to identify that the mans seperate infections represented genetically different strains" of the virus.

However, the researchers did note that reinfection is probably rare, but that more research needs to be done to know for sure whether the virus causes immunity.

Previously, it was thought that people who initially recovered were more likely to relapse rather than get reinfected with the virus.

According to one study, people with mild infections can test positive for the virus by throat swabs for days and even weeks after their illness.

But, that doesnt mean it isnt possible to contract the disease again, especially in those who are immunocompromised.

The immune response to Covid-19 is not yet understood, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains. Patients with MERS-CoV infection are unlikely to be reinfected shortly after they recover, but it is not yet known whether similar immune protection will be observed for patients with Covid-19.

And, as WHO states, "As of 24 April 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus in humans."

While further studies are needed to understand whether it is likely for an individual to be reinfected with new coronavirus, experts recommend those who have been infected follow the hygiene steps outlined by CDC, which include staying away from people who are sick, frequently washing hands, and covering coughs and sneezes.
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Linkedin Sarah Frier (Bloomberg)  Sat, March 14, 2020 13:32 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9a7d5 2 News travel,influencer,Instagram,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

In the time of coronavirus, to log in to Twitter or Facebook is to be bombarded with posts about infection rates, hand sanitizer and social distancing. Airlines are dropping flights, countries are tightening borders, and concerts and conferences have been canceled. But theres one place where its possible to escape the outbreak: Instagram.

On Instagram, the Facebook Inc.-owned photo-sharing app, many high-profile users still seem to be on vacation. Travel influencers -- the apps famous authorities on the most grammable sunsets and resorts -- are continuing their posts unabated. We see it as our role to help support tourism during these tough times, said Kate Torpy and Olly Neville, the couple behind @KOTravellers.

Their most recent dispatches, posted to their 342,000 followers, showcase idyllic weather and suntans in Fiji, the Maldives and Japan. None mentions the virus, or the havoc its wreaking on international travel and commerce.

Instagram initially rose to popularity because it offered filters that made smartphone-camera snaps more striking, giving any user the ability to share polished, professional-looking shots. From there, it evolved into a platform where the best-performing posts are those that provide optimism and inspiration  often intentionally at odds with real life. The app now hosts thousands of attractive jetsetters who make their money from tourism boards, hotel groups, clothing brands and sunscreen companies, which offer payment or discounts in exchange for posting about their destinations. The influencers are selling escapism, and right now their feeds are the ultimate example of #InstagramVsReality: even if theyre not talking about it publicly, theyre feeling the uncertainty, too, like everyone else in the economy.

Aggie Lal, a 32-year-old with 845,000 followers on Instagram and her own swimwear line, is always the first to encourage people to travel somewhere theyre afraid of. She got deals to go to Hawaii during its volcano eruption, to Puerto Rico during its earthquake recovery, to the Dominican Republic after a spate of tourist deaths, and to Saudi Arabia in the midst of global backlash for a journalists murder.

When she got a call from the public-relations firm booking her March trip to Thailand, Lal expected reassurance in light of dozens of Covid-19 cases in that country. Instead, she heard tears on the other line. The representative was telling me, Were closed. Theres nobody here. We dont want you to come. Its a ghost town, Lal remembers. There was no positive story for her to tell. Still, Lals livelihood and branding require content, and so she continues to tell a travel story, using old colorful photos from celebrating Holi in India on one day, and a slideshow of women shes met throughout her travels for International Womens Day.

In step with the rise of Instagram, which has more than 1 billion users around the world, the consumer economy has been rewired to cater to millennials who prefer saving up for photographable experiences, like vacations and concerts, instead of material items like cars. Spending on experiences has been growing four times faster annually than spending on goods, according to McKinsey & Co. This year was supposed to continue the boom. The global airline industry was projected to hit an 11th straight year of record flights performed, at 40.3 billion in 2020. Travel spending was forecast to increase 4%, according to the U.S. Travel Forecast. But coronavirus has changed all that. On other platforms, travelers are posting photos of empty planes, cities with no traffic, landmarks with no crowds. Airlines are reducing flights and pulling their revenue forecasts while companies are banning non-essential travel. And influencers have to grapple with whether they still feel right about encouraging their followers to travel, despite the risk.

On Wednesday, Lal addressed coronavirus on Instagram for the first time, with a photo of a quote from Frank Herberts sci-fi series Dune: I must not fear/fear is the mind-killer/fear is the little-death. She encouraged her followers to remain calm, saying the tranquility would be better for their immune systems.

Many influencers also fear for the economies of the places where they can no longer travel. Popular destinations that are closed for health and safety reasons, like Shanghai Disney and the Louvre museum in Paris, will eventually recover. Many other places are at risk.

A lot of small businesses and boutique companies really depend on tourism for their revenue, said Li-Chi Pan, who has 508,000 Instagram followers and spoke after checking into a luxury hotel in Paris. At the hotels aperitif bar, other travelers made racist remarks about her Asian looks. Then she learned that an upcoming trip, sponsored by a fragrance company, was canceled at the last minute.

On her feed, she posted glamorous photos and videos of her Parisian experience: fashion week in partnership with luxury brands Hermes and Valentino, crepes with chocolate and ice cream, the Eiffel Tower at night, rain on an umbrella. As of Wednesday, France had 2,281 cases and 48 deaths. A lot of my followers have been messaging me to say, are you safe? she said. My parents are quite stressed. Pan plans to go home to South Africa next.

Read also: Coronavirus a 'catastrophe' for Paris tourist industry

Johannes Richter, who creates romantic scenes with his wife, Vivian Velle, on @jovi_travel for their 307,000 followers, was planning to go to one of the worlds biggest travel trade shows, ITB Berlin, from March 4 to March 8. The couple had planned 20 meetings with tourism boards and agencies. But the conference was canceled, citing the dangers of gathering there after 150 known German coronavirus cases (the country now has more than 1,500). Richter and Velle will take their next trip for winter photos in the Alps, but will be avoiding the Italian side; they wont be booking a future trip, to the Maldives, unless their travel insurance will reimburse for a cancellation. For now, their feed is featuring older photos of feeding giraffes in Namibia back in December.

Alex Waltner, who goes by @swedishnomad and has 161,000 followers, has been posting from New York City, visiting the Brooklyn Bridge and the Top of the Rock, with plans to go to Europe next. He recently canceled a trip to Venice, saying he wasnt afraid of the disease, but of the possibility of quarantine. Still, hes not worried long-term.

There will be a huge boost in travel bookings as soon as everything calms down, Waltner said. When that happens, it might go the other way around and result in more money spent on advertising, especially on travel influencers, to show that its safe. In the Instagram-fueled economy, where the influencers go, so will their followers.
The United States government has declared Sunday as a national day of prayer in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

President Donald Trump made the announcement on Twitter on Saturday, urging Americans to turn to God for the country to prevail.

It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer, Mr Trump said.

We are a country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.

No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL! Mr Trump tweeted.

It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer. We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020

.No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020

Mr Trumps declaration came a day after he declared a national emergency in the country to free up federal resources to combat the coronavirus.

There are more than 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US so far in 49 states.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention said between 160 million and 214 million people in the United States could be infected over the course of the epidemic, according to a report project published on the New York Times.

On Saturday, Mr Trump said he had taken the coronavirus test and was expecting a result in a day or two.

Coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, broke out in Wuhan, Hubei province of Central China in December last year. The virus has infected over 100,000 people in more than 100 countries, causing no less than 5000 deaths worldwide.
Yves here. Weve said it before: Boycott Whole Foods. And stop using Amazon, or if you must (like you are in a retail desert), cut way back.

By Jon Queally. Originally published at Common Dreams

When progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders say now is the time for solidarity amid the coronavirus outbreak, they likely do not mean that employees of Whole Foodsowned by the worlds richest man, Jeff Bezosshould be asked to give their own accrued paid sick days to their co-workers who have either contracted the deadly virus or been forced to take time out of work because of what is now a global pandemic.

But that is exactly what executives with the grocery chain are asking its employers to do, even though Bezos could effectively give them unlimited paid sick leave during the current national emergency without barely a scratch in his bank account.

In a letter sent to employees earlier this week, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey explained that one of the options available to workers was for them to donate their paid time off (pto) days to a pool that other workers could draw from.

Journalist Lauren Kaori Gurley, who broke the story with reporting for Motherboard, notes that as a subsidiary of Amazon, the worlds biggest company, Whole Foods could easily afford to pay its hourly employees for sick days taken during the coronavirus outbreak without breaking the bank. Instead, the company has put the onus back on workers, and theyre not happy about it.

Amazon paid $0 in taxes on $11 billion in annual profits. But it asks workers to donate their paid leave to others who are sick. Workers and taxpayers are expected to be generous. Corporate CEOseven during a pandemiccan be as stingy as they want. https://t.co/xsJLnxgVSa  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 14, 2020

In Mackeys letter reviewed by Motherboard, the executive stated: Team Members who have a medical emergency or death in their immediate family can receive donated PTO hours, not only from Team Members in their own location, but also from Team Members across the country.

Though such labor practices are not unusualwith workers in various sectors and industries pooling accumulated sick leave for a colleague experiencing a long-term illnessdoing so in the face of a global pandemic, in which all members of society are equally at heightened risk, the move was seen by critics as shortsighted, tone deaf, and cruel. The fabulous wealth of Bezos only increased the ire for many.

Remember when Jeff Bezos, whose company owns Whole Foods, said he was so freakin' rich he didn't know how to spend his money so, heck, he'd start a space program? https://t.co/PjLe6MpQc8  Alex Kotch (@alexkotch) March 13, 2020

Whole Foods is owned by Amazon whose CEO and biggest shareholder is the worlds richest man, tweeted progressive media critic and journalist Adam Johnson.

If I were a billionaire right now, Id "hire" and double the wage of any Whole Food employee who is willing to simply stay home for a few months. Its hard to understand this grotesque level of greed. https://t.co/moGo7XZSWR  Kaniela Ing (@KanielaIng) March 13, 2020

Runaway capitalism is when Whole Foods suggests employees trade vacation time to address coronavirus rather than offer paid leave, all while the CEO rakes in ~$15 million a year in stocks, benefits, and more, said Trish Zornio, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in Colorado this year.

Youve got the richest man in the world asking people who are living paycheck to paycheck to donate to each other, Matthew Hunt, a former Whole Foods employee who led a drive to unionize Whole Foods workers, told Motherboard. Thats absolute bullshit. With the amount Jeff Bezos makes in one day, he could shut stores down and pay employees to stay safe.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An intermediate school in West Brighton has one confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19), a source told the Advance/SILive.com.

The person who tested positive is a student at Prall Intermediate School (I.S. 27), according to the source.

The source told the Advance/SILive.com that the school is not planning to close on Monday.

Staff members were informed of the confirmed case directly from the principal of the school on Friday shortly before the end of the day during a meeting.

The principal of I.S. 27 did not respond to an email seeking more information about the case on Saturday.

The Department of Education sent a letter to parents at the school confirming that a member of the I.S. 27 community has a positive test result for COVID-19.

We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness. At this time, it is important to listen to facts and not respond to fear, the letter, which was shared with the Advance/SILive.com, states.

According to the letter, the school will be cleaned and disinfected over the weekend.

We anticipate that we will have school open on Monday, March 16, pending confirmation from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the letter continued.

Miranda Barbot, a DOE spokeswoman, added in an email that the student was not in school while symptomatic.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Earlier on Saturday, Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated his decision to not close NYC public schools.

We are worried about a cascade effect if we close the schools, de Blasio said.

The mayor added that if the schools were to close, kids would be unsupervised and will still go out, making it difficult to stop a possible community spread.

At least three catholic high schools on Staten Island have decided to shift to virtual learning after the Archdiocese of New York announced the closure of all Catholic elementary schools next week.

Monsignor Farrell High School sent an email to parents informing them that students will be dismissed on Friday at noon for a faculty and staff meeting. Following the early dismissal, the school will be closed from Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, according to the email.

Parents and students from St. Joseph Hill Academy High School received an email stating that there will be a full day of classes on Friday, followed by a campus closure and virtual learning next week.

Teachers will be trained on virtual learning techniques on Monday, March 16, with a virtual learning-based curriculum implemented during the remainder of the schools closure, which could be extended depending on the schools re-evaluation at the end of next week.

On Friday, St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School issued an update regarding its plans to shift to virtual learning next week, following two previously-scheduled days off on Monday and Tuesday for St. Patricks Day.

Beginning Wednesday, March 18, all learning will be conducted through Seas Seamless Online Learning Environment via Virtual Days, with all students logging into their Canvas App from their Sea iPad, desktop or laptop to partake in their regularly scheduled classes.

On Friday night the Advance/SILIve.com learned from multiple sources that a College of Staten Island student tested positive for the coronavirus.

The female students last time at the school was March 5, according to the email sent a little before 9:30 p.m.

FIRST NYC CORONAVIRUS DEATH

De Blasio announced on Saturday that an 82-year-old woman is the first New York City resident to die from coronavirus complications.

The patient, an elderly woman with advanced emphysema, was admitted to the hospital last week as one of our first cases, and had been in critical condition ever since, said de Blasio.

STATEN ISLAND CASES

As of Saturday, there were at least five confirmed cases of the virus on Staten Island.

A spokesman at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton told the Advance/SILive.com that the hospital didnt record any positive cases of coronavirus.

A spokesman at Staten Island University Hospital said that they are currently treating one patient for COVID-19 at the North Site in Ocean Breeze.

The patient is in isolation and in an area of the hospital where protective measures will ensure the safety of our other patients and our front line staff who are caring for these patients, the spokesman said.

The spokesman couldnt not provide further information about the patient currently at the Ocean Breeze location.

No coronavirus-related deaths have been reported at either SIUH locations.

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SAN DIEGO - At 9:12 a.m. on April 12, 1963, the nuclear-powered submarine Thresher issued its final coherent message.

"Experiencing minor difficulties," it began. "Have positive up angle. Am attempting to blow. Will keep you informed."

The first and last sentences were unduly - and tragically - optimistic. After a garbled message from the boat at 9:17 a.m., none of the 129 aboard Thresher were ever heard from again. The difficulties had not been minor. They had been fatal, taking the vessel and her crew to a watery grave in the North Atlantic.

Almost 57 years later, this remains the U.S. Navy's worst undersea disaster. It's also one of the most mysterious. While there are numerous theories about what caused the Thresher's sinking, the official story is still under wraps.

The Navy's investigation resulted in a 1,700-page report. Only 19 pages have been publicly released.

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Capt. Jim Bryant, a submarine skipper retired in Point Loma, wants the public to see the other 1,681 pages.

"I feel a responsibility to the men who were aboard," he said, "and their families."

Last year, Bryant went to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking to pry loose the report.

On Feb. 10, a federal judge ordered the Navy to release its report in monthly 300-page segments, beginning May 15 and continuing until Oct. 15. When the Navy requested more time to review documents and redact classified information, Bryant's lawyer noted that the Navy already had promised to do this - 22 years ago. Then, in 2012, the Navy announced it had nearly completed its declassification review but wasn't going to release anything.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden noted that history this month, while rejecting the Navy's plea for more time. "Normally I defer to the government," he said during a hearing, "but I can't say I have a lot of confidence in how this looks now."

Bryant, who was in the courtroom for this ruling, is not declaring victory.

"I'm not winning," he said. "I've had a small victory in a very large battle."

Bryant, 72, is an unlikely foe of the Navy's "silent service." Raised in Pasadena and educated at the U.S. Naval Academy, he was a young officer when Adm. Hyman Rickover, the nuclear navy's demanding leader, tabbed him for submarine duty. Before his retirement in 1994, Bryant served aboard three Thresher-class subs, commanding one, Guardfish, from 1987 to 1990.

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These boats were part of the same class as the ill-fated Thresher, yet they were significantly different. Bryant left Annapolis as a young ensign eight years after Thresher had departed Portsmouth, N.H., on its final mission. By the time he was partaking in undersea patrols, the Navy had adopted a new safety program - the acronym: SUBSAFE - and updated the boats' engineering and nuclear propulsion plants.

Still, Bryant felt a kinship with Thresher, her crew and the loved ones they left behind.

In retirement, Bryant studied archaeology at San Diego City College, piecing together artifacts to understand the native peoples of San Diego's pre-colonial past. In 2017, he brought the same analytical mindset to a more recent page of history: Thresher.

Early Indian societies proved to be more of an open book than the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines. Even officially declassified material on these propulsion systems are locked away, out of the public's sight.

"For example," Bryant said, "the textbooks they use in Nuclear Power School, with basic physics and basic math, are all classified. For good reason, because you don't want some other country to come in and steal that information and translate that into Russian or Chinese."

In 1963, a naval court of inquiry blamed Thresher's loss on catastrophic flooding from a ruptured pipe. Among those who dispute this theory is Bruce Rule, a former naval officer who eavesdropped on Soviet subs via SOSUS, a top secret network of hydrophones installed on the ocean floor. Now retired, Rule analyzed acoustical data for a 42-page monograph, "Why The USS Thresher (SSN-593) Was Lost."

Rule concluded that the sub lost power for unknown reasons, then plunged helplessly from 1,300 feet to 2,400 feet below the surface. At that extreme depth, he maintained, the pressure hull collapsed in the blink of an eye - {0th of second.

The crewmembers, Rule wrote, "although they knew the event was imminent, never knew it was occurring."

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Bryant found this analysis compelling, but still wanted to see the Navy's official report. In June 2017, he filed a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, request to see Thresher documents. He was ignored. Bryant then pleaded his case in "Declassify Thresher," an article for the July 2018 issue of Proceedings, the U.S. Naval Institute's journal. In April 2019, he filed another FOIA request. No response.

On July 5, he sued in federal court.

"Thresher was not on a secret mission," Bryant said. "We're talking here about engineering procedures and a mindset that allowed that submarine to sink. So why is the Navy circling the wagons?"

This quest is controversial, even among Bryant's peers.

"I admire Jim's persistence, " said Charles MacVean, a retired Navy captain who commanded the nuclear-powered submarine Seawolf in the 1970s. "But it's a terrific amount of energy being spent by him and the Navy. I'm not sure it's going to get us any further up the knowledge chain."

The Navy, MacVean added, had thoroughly studied Thresher's loss and corrected the problems: "The lessons learned were taken to heart and inserted into our ships and our methodology."

Why bring this painful episode back to the surface?

"That's like asking, 'Why should we know anything more about the Challenger disaster in 1986?'" Bryant responded. "It's like saying, 'NASA knows everything, so we don't need to know why NASA killed those astronauts when what happened was silly and avoidable.' Was that a lesson learned?"

Robert Eatinger, Bryant's attorney, was once a lawyer for the CIA. In that capacity, he was involved in hundreds of Freedom of Information Act appeals, but on the opposite side, seeking to maintain government secrets. Still, he's unsure why the Thresher report is so sensitive. Even pre-hearing "meet and confer" conferences with the Navy's lawyers failed to shed light on their concerns.

"The only things they would express," Eatinger said, "is they need to protect their undersea warriors."

While Eatinger and Bryant won a court order to see the official Thresher report, it's unclear whether this victory was large or small. That's because material deemed essential to national security will be redacted.

"Are the records going to be a lot of blacked-out pages, or a lot of text with very limited redactions?" Eatinger asked. "We don't know until we see it."

It may be awhile before these pages can be perused by other interested parties. Bryant, who expects to receive the documents in digital form, plans to review them with an informal committee he's assembled of retired nuclear submarine experts.

"And then," he said, "we'll release it to the public."

Thresher was lost in a different era, when John F. Kennedy occupied the White House, the Beatles released "Please Please Me," J.D. Salinger's "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" topped best-seller lists and, in the tense aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Washington and Moscow created a hotline for direct communications. With the Cold War at its frostiest, submarines patrolled the front lines.

"But the Cold War is over," Bryant said. "That technology is all obsolete. You know, the Soviets knew what we were doing, so why are we so worried now? The Thresher was a self-inflicted casualty."

Still, some question whether we should probe this wound. They argue that the fatal errors, whatever they were, have been corrected.

"The best people in the country looked at all that data and made changes," MacVean said. "The country did the best they could at the time they were doing it."

---

(c)2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Visit The San Diego Union-Tribune at www.sandiegouniontribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Moroccos Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research has decided to close schools and universities starting from Monday March 16.

In a press release issued, Friday, the Ministry said that the decision includes kindergarten, educational institutions, vocational training schools, universities and other institutions that are affiliated to the Ministry of National Education. The decision covers private and public educational institutions.

The measure, taken to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus, includes executive training establishments, schools and language centers affiliated to foreign missions, as well as language centers and educational support centers, the Ministry said.

The Ministry of the Interior, this Saturday, March 14, issued a statement banning all public gatherings of more than 50 people, to limit the risk of Covid-19 spraed. The ceiling has been revised downwards. On March 4, the gatherings were allowed up to 1,000 people.

Minister of Health Ait Taleb told the media that Morocco has not reached a pandemic locally yet as all the cases confirmed so far are isolated and infected abroad.

So far, confirmed coronavirus cases in Morocco are limited at eight. All of them have contracted the disease abroad.

Meanwhile, Moroccos first case, a 39 year-old Moroccan man infected in Italy, has recovered and was discharged of hospital Friday evening. The other cases, all foreigners, are improving while a French-Senegalese woman is in critical condition. Morocco declared a first coronavirus death in an 89 year-old woman with underlying health conditions on March 10.

As part of the precautionary measures, Morocco suspended all passenger ship traffic, as well as all sea and air passenger trips with China, Italy, Spain, Algeria and France.

Morocco has also cancelled several trade, cultural, and trading events as well as religious festivals (Moussems).
Swimming pools in Noida and Greater Noida will remain closed, while public problems, including religious and political congregations, will not be allowed till April 15 as a precautionary measure to combat the coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Saturday.

The restriction is applicable on private and public use of swimming pools in schools, colleges, hotels and residential societies, the district administration said in an order.

"In the wake of precautionary measures being taken to check and control coronavirus (COVID-19), the usage of all swimming pools in Gautam Buddh Nagar which are primarily located in schools, hotels and societies, among other places, is completely banned till April 15," District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh said in the order.

In another order, the district magistrate said permissions for public programmes till April 15 is being cancelled with immediate effect in a bid to prevent the coronavirus spread.

Permission needs to be taken from the administration for any such programme if absolutely unavoidable, it stated, adding that failure to comply with the order would prompt legal action against the offender.

"These public programmes, however, do not include wedding functions and closure of cinema halls. These include programmes like religious, political congregations, musical or cultural events organized by schools or colleges, etc where a large number of people gather," Singh told PTI.

Besides administration officers, copies of the order have also been sent to the Noida Authority, Greater Noida Authority and the Yamuna Expressway Authority and all have been asked to ensure strict enforcement of the order.

According to the district Health Department, 854 people in Gautam Buddh Nagar were under surveillance for the novel coronavirus till Friday. Since mid-January, samples of 170 people were taken, of which 115 resulted negative and one positive, while reports of others were awaited, according to officials.

The number of coronavirus patients in the country has risen to 84 which includes two deaths in Delhi and Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An 82-year-old woman is the first New York City resident to die from coronavirus (COVID-19) complications, Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed during an interview with MSNBC host Joy Reid.

The woman, who had had pre-existing conditions, died in Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, de Blasio said.

Today, we are confirming our first death due to severe complications from COVID-19. The patient, an elderly woman with advanced emphysema, was admitted to the hospital last week as one of our first cases, and had been in critical condition ever since," said de Blasio.

"Weve known from the outset that these people are the most at risk in this pandemic, and todays news is a sad confirmation of that reality. I want to thank the staff of Wyckoff Medical Center for their efforts to save this womans life, and all the medical professionals on the front lines protecting our most vulnerable. We all have a part to play here. I ask every New Yorker to do their part and take the necessary precautionary measures to protect the people most at risk, he added.

Said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot: We are deeply saddened to learn of the first fatality in New York City from coronavirus. This is a painful moment and one we furiously worked to avoid. We urge all New Yorkers to continue to take the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their fellow New Yorkers safe and healthy. We never for a moment lost sight of how serious this situation is, but this tragedy reflects how critical and dire the spread of the virus really is. Our hearts go out to the family during this difficult time.

STATEN ISLAND CASES

As of Saturday, there were at least five confirmed cases of the virus on Staten Island.

A spokesman at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton told the Advance/SILive.com that the hospital didnt record any positive cases of coronavirus.

A spokesman at Staten Island University Hospital said that they are currently treating one patient for COVID-19 at the North Site in Ocean Breeze.

The patient is in isolation and in an area of the hospital where protective measures will ensure the safety of our other patients and our front line staff who are caring for these patients, the spokesman said.

The spokesman couldnt not provide further information about the patient currently at the Ocean Breeze location.

No coronavirus-related deaths have been reported at either SIUH locations.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

NOT CLOSING SCHOOLS

During the interview, de Blasio reiterated his decision to not close NYC public schools.

We are worried about a cascade effect if we close the schools, de Blasio said.

The mayor added that if the schools were to close, kids would be unsupervised and will still go out, making it difficult to stop a possible community spread.

On Friday night the Advance/SILive.com learned from multiple sources that a College of Staten Island student tested positive for the coronavirus.

The female students last time at the school was March 5, according to the email sent a little before 9:30 p.m.

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First coronavirus case confirmed on Staten Island
The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry said.

While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia died on Thursday, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.

The woman, whose son with a travel history abroad had tested positive, died because of co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the health ministry said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Delhi has reported seven positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 11 so far. Karnataka has six coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 14 and Ladakh three.

Besides, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each.

Kerala has recorded 19 cases, including three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

The total number of 83 confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners -- 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, the ministry officials said.

Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has asked people not to panic, saying no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there has only been a few cases of local transmission so far and that is "not a health emergency" in India at present.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a Health Ministry official said over 4,000 people who had come in contact with the 83 positive cases have been identified through contract tracing and were being tracked while 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance.

He said all essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs), trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened further in all the states and union territories.

The Centre as part of its measures to contain the spread of the disease on Friday announced that people will be allowed to travel through 19 of 37 land border checkposts from Saturday midnight and services of the Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses will continue to remain suspended till April 15.

Only four Indo-Nepal border checkposts will remain operational, and for citizens of Bhutan and Nepal visa-free entry to the country will continue, Home Ministry Additional Secretary Anil Malik had said.

He said the decision on closing the Kartarpur Corridor is under consideration



The government on Wednesday suspended all visas, barring a few categories like diplomatic and employment, in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It has asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

All incoming international passengers returning to India should self-monitor their health and follow the required do's and dont's as detailed by the government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Undertakers have said they are having uncomfortable conversations with bereaved Catholic families after the Church put a limit on the number of mourners at funeral services.

In a bid to control the spread of coronavirus, All Ireland Primate Archbishop Eamon Martin announced a limit of 100 people attending both Requiem Masses and weddings across the island of Ireland.

In Northern Ireland the two largest Protestant Churches are following official UK guidance, which means they have no such restrictions.

However, the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian Church are abiding by the restrictions in the Republic.

Sean Carr, an undertaker in Londonderry, where the tradition is for large funerals, said he hopes Catholic families affected will understand.

He said: "I have already had to go to families who were expecting to have funerals on Sundays during the regular Sunday Mass but that isn't happening now.

"Parish priests are doing their best to work with families but it is going to be very hard on any family to restrict the number attending a funeral to 100.

"What happens if it is a funeral for someone who came from a big family? It wouldn't take much to reach 100 people and it will be hard to ask other people not to come to the chapel.

"I think the best solution will be if the family asked people to watch the funeral via a webcam which means you can see what is going on in the chapel via any computer and then those who couldn't come to the chapel could gather at the graveside."

Mr Carr said the uncertainty over funerals is reflective of the confusing advice being issued by the bodies governing his profession.

"The Irish Association of Funeral Directors is advising that if someone dies from the virus, to put them in a coffin, take them straight to the cemetery or crematorium with no church service or wake," he said.

"This is the complete opposite to the British National Association of Funeral Directors who are saying you can embalm the body providing you take all personal protection precautions.

"They are saying have a wake but encourage the family not to touch the remains.

"I have to be honest, I would find it extremely difficult if not impossible to say to a family: 'You can't see your loved one, I am taking them straight to the cemetery.'"

The Presbyterian Church said that "it is vital that we follow the advice and comply with the specific recommendations given by the HSE in the Republic of Ireland and Public Health Agency (PCA) in Northern Ireland".

"For instance, in relation to the Taoiseach's guidance that indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 should not take place, we emphasised the need for this to be followed in all circumstances," the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Trevor Gribben, said.

Rev Gribben added: "This at present does not apply to our congregations in Northern Ireland."
LA PAZ, March 14 (Reuters) - Bolivia will ban the entry of passengers from China, South Korea, Italy and Spain in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, interim President Jeanine Anez said on Saturday.

"This decision is part of the package of firm measures with which we fight against the virus to protect people's health," Anez said in a tweet announcing the ban.

On Friday, Bolivia said it had 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Seven of the cases were spread through people-to-people transmission and the others were linked to travel, the health ministry said. (Reporting by Monica Machicao; Writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
The measures will have a big impact on New Zealand's tourism industry, which provides the country's largest single source of foreign income. It comes as the Czech Republic, which has 150 cases of COVID-19 approved further dramatic measures to try to stem the spread of the virus. Announcing its decision in the middle of the night, the government ordered retail businesses including shopping centres to close as of Saturday morning, local time, for at least 10 days. A medical worker takes a sample to test a possible patient infected with coronavirus at a mobile testing centre in Prague, Czech Republic. Credit:Getty Images The exceptions include essential services such as supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies, electronics stores and places selling newspapers, glasses and supplies for pets. "We're imposing those tough restrictions to prevent a massive spreading of the virus," Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.

In Indonesia, officials in Jakarta, the capital, announced on Saturday schools would be closed for two weeks "due to coronavirus concerns." Loading Meanwhile, the Chinese National Health Commission reported the number of new coronavirus cases imported into mainland China from overseas has surpassed the number of locally transmitted new infections for the first time. Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases on Friday, up from eight cases a day earlier, but only four of those - all in the virus epicentre of Hubei province - were locally transmitted. The other seven - including four in the financial hub of Shanghai, one in the capital Beijing and two in the northwestern province of Gansu - were all detected in travellers coming into China from overseas, specifically Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia, according to local authorities.

The numbers underscore how China, where the outbreak began in December, appears to now face a greater threat of new infections from outside its borders as it continues to slow the spread of the virus domestically. A Chinese man takes a photo of a traveller's document as they arrive at Beijing Railway Station on Friday. Credit:Getty Images A total of 95 cases have entered mainland China from overseas, the commission said. Loading The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 3189 as of the end of Friday, up by 13 from the previous day. The latest deaths were in Hubei with 10 in Wuhan, the first epicentre of the outbreak.

The new epicentre of the outbreak is now considered to be in Europe, the World Health Organisation said. Addressing a press conference at the organisation's headquarters in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said more than 132,000 cases from 123 countries had been reported and there had been more than 5000 deaths. Loading He added that more cases were being reported daily in Europe than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic. "Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China," Tedros said.

Italy, was the first European Union member state to suspend flights to China in the wake of the outbreak, but is the worst affected country in Europe, reporting a total 17,660 cases by Friday, Rome time. It also has a much higher fatality rate than most other countries, with 7 per cent of those testing positive for the virus dying. Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella over the phone to offer his "sincere condolences" to the Italian people over the crisis, CCTV reported on Saturday. Xi also held calls with the Presidents of two other severely hit countries, Iran and South Korea, again expressing condolences, the state broadcaster said. Iran has asked for an emergency $US5 billion ($7.7 billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund to combat the outbreak there, which has killed more than 360 people and infected about 9000 people.

Iran's Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati said he made the request last week in a letter to IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva. The international lender has said it stands ready to support countries through a Rapid Financial Instrument. Iran's economy has been battered by US sanctions, which have choked Tehran's ability to sell its oil. A firefighter disinfects an ATM in Tehran. Several Iranian top officials, MPs and cabinet ministers have tested positive for COVID-19. Credit:AP The virus outbreak there has compounded its economic woes, with all Iran's neighbours closing their borders to Iranians and multiple nations cutting travel links with Iran, including shipping in some cases, which is affecting imports, as well. The Chinese government's senior medical adviser, Zhong Nanshan, an 83-year-old epidemiologist renowned for helping combat the SARS outbreak in 2003, said the entire crisis could be over by mid-year.
In view to stave off the global health crisis prompted by the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic across the world, the US Mission in India is cancelling all immigrant and non-immigrant visa appointments from March 16 onwards.

In an advisory, the Mission has also informed Indian students staying in on-campus housing to petition the respective universities in case asked to vacate.

"If you cannot petition for continued on-campus housing or your petition is not accepted, consult with your university or your network on how to find alternate accommodations. If your university is shutting down on-campus services, check with your university on how to avail your university's health services, student health insurance, international student services, and any other essential service(s) that may be impacted," the advisory read.

"Read official campus advisories or contact your Designated Student Official (DSO) for information on how short-term or long-term shifts to online courses will impact your F-1 or J-1 status. If you are graduating in Spring 2020 and travelling internationally, please contact your DSO for advice on how this may impact your graduation and application for OPT," it added.

The US government is expecting that the closure would be limited to a duration of two to four weeks, which fits within the current regulatory context. When the school re-opens, the student will resume studies.

"They are treating this more like a spring or summer break, where a student may remain in the country even though school is not in session. However, if the closure is for several months, such as five or more, which exceeds the permissible period between semesters, then the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will provide additional guidance," the US Mission noted.

The announcement came after the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 5,000 on Saturday with the total infected cases also rising to more than 140,000, Al Jazeera reported.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) latest report showed 4,955 total fatalities as of 09:00 GMT on Friday, while Italy reported an additional 250 new deaths as of 17:08 GMT on the same day, and Iran announced 85 new deaths also on Friday.

Citing other sources aside from the WHO, the Johns Hopkins University data showed close to 5,400 deaths as of 23:33 GMT on Friday.

Meanwhile, the advisory further stated that all non-essential domestic or international travel should be avoided.

"If you are planning travel from the USA to India, then you will be subject to medical screening upon arrival and you may be put in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days if required," the advisory said.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump declared a emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, opening the door to providing what he said was about $50 billion in federal aid to fight the disease.

According to media reports, at least 51 people in the United States have died after contracting the infection.

The WHO has warned that Europe has now become the "epicentre" of the pandemic.

The virus has also spread to at least 19 countries on the African continent, with Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Guinea, Mauritania and Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) all confirming their first cases on Friday and Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 71-year-old man who had



returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to have coronavirus infection died during treatment in Maharashtra's Buldhana district on Saturday afternoon, a hospital official said.

He was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

Civil surgeon Premchand Pandit told PTI that the patient was admitted to a private hospital for high blood pressure a few days ago, and shifted to isolation ward of the Buldhana general hospital for symptoms of coronavirus on Saturday morning.

"His sample was sent for lab testing. He passed away at 4.20 pm. Lab report is still awaited," Dr Pandit said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bihar government has ordered police officials training at Police Academy in Rajgir to go for leave till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The order in this regard was issued by the general administration in the Bihar government on Saturday.

According to the order, Police officials undergoing training at Bihar Police Academy in Rajgir are given leave till March 31 due to coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Charity World Vision threatened legal action to halt the publication of a book by Tim Costello, its former chief executive, amid fears of Israels reaction to his account of the 2016 arrest of the head of the charitys Gaza office.

World Vision's Gaza project officer Mohammed al-Halabi has been imprisoned in Israel for four years and is accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars in aid funds meant for Palestinian children to militant group Hamas.

Former World Vision chief executive Tim Costello. Credit:Simon Schluter

However, reviews by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and World Vision itself found no evidence any Australian aid money that flowed to the charity's Gaza office had been diverted to Hamas. Mr Halabi has faced court more than 120 times without an outcome and his lawyers have complained of not being able to properly cross-examine prosecution witnesses from Israels security services.

Mr Costello, who retired as World Vision chief in 2016 and finished his role as chief advocate last year, wrote about Mr Halabis case in the manuscript of his 2019 memoir, A Lot with a Little.
Schools, bars and restaurants were ordered to close in Spain on Saturday, while citizens were told to stay at home unless absolutely necessary, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and health officials announced.

The big picture: Spain is following Italy's lead by shuttering non-essential businesses and implementing domestic travel restrictions, as the two nations grapple with the largest outbreaks of the novel coronavirus in Europe.

Where it stands: COVID-19 cases in Spain have surged from 4,334 to just over 6,300 within the last 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. The country has reported nearly 200 deaths.

Details: Health officials "ordered all citizens to confine themselves to their homes  and to leave only to buy food, go to work, seek medical care or assist the elderly and others in need," per the New York Times.

What they're saying: Spain is demonstrating in these critical hours that it has the capacity to overcome adversity, Sanchez said on Saturday, per the NYT. We are facing very difficult weeks of efforts and sacrifices. ... Some important rights must be limited if we want to beat the virus.

Go deeper... Coronavirus updates: Pence says European travel ban will extend to U.K. and Ireland
Grace Cathedral in San Francisco has canceled services only twice in its nearly 100-year history: around 1918 during the Spanish flu epidemic and in 2020 due to COVID-19.

There will be no service at the Episcopalian church Sunday for the first time in more than a century.

I havent seen anything like this in my life, said Malcolm Clemens Young, the dean at Grace Cathedral. Its a whole new world. We havent done this before, and we are trying to figure it out as we go along.

When weekend services were approaching, people were unsure, wondering whether their neighborhood synagogue would still hold Shabbat service on Saturday or if church services or Mass would happen on Sunday. Since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be at the pandemic stage, religious leaders said their plans are changing on a daily basis.

Many places of worship made decisions as cities announced mandates to cancel public gatherings and numbers of positive cases of COVID-19 continue to increase. Religious leaders say they have a responsibility to their members and the cities they are in to keep people safe.

Throughout the region, Sunday schools are called off. Volunteer and community events are postponed. Religious leaders of the Bay Areas churches, mosques and synagogues wrote letters to their members to keep them informed of canceled services.

Some churches in San Francisco have moved worship services online and canceled all public events, including Grace Cathedral, where an estimated 700 people attend services on Sundays. The decision to cancel in-person services at Grace Cathedral comes nearly a week after the church chose not to offer Communion wine, which represents the blood of Christ.

Others, some of which have smaller congregations, are taking it day by day  ensuring that the safety of their congregants is put first. Some churches in San Francisco, including St. Ignatius, were still monitoring coronavirus updates in hopes of being able to keep their Sunday Mass plans in place.

The Rev. Greg Bonfiglio of St. Ignatius said that on Sunday the church planned to host a dinner gathering after Mass. But the Archdiocese of San Francisco has released guidelines that state Mass should still be held, but parishioners are not obliged to attend.

On Thursday evening, Bonfiglio decided to cancel Sundays Mass. But in light of the archbishops directive, Ive changed my mind, he said Friday, adding that he is sending a letter to parishioners asking them not to come.

The archdiocese in San Jose has suspended all public Masses until further notice. The Oakland Diocese is dispensing from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, but churches and chapels will remain open.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

On Friday morning, just over a dozen people sat in the pews for Mass at St. Ignatius Church. Typically, the churchs daily Mass is held at the churchs side altar, a smaller space, to accommodate the 45 or so people who attend every day. But in light of mounting concerns over the coronavirus, the daily Mass has been moved to the main altar, which can seat up to 1,700 people, to allow more space.

Communion wine from the cup is no longer offered, and instead of receiving the Eucharist wafer on the tongue, Bonfiglio said, congregants are receiving it by hand.

At Fridays Mass, the congregants lined up as the priest first cleaned his hands with hand sanitizer and then distributed the wafers by hand. After he finished handing out the sacramental wafers, the priest used hand sanitizer again.

He reminded people not to judge their fellow members for not attending Mass during the crisis. That is an act of love, he reminded the few people that were spread throughout the pews.

At Congregation Beth Sholom, many people who attend are in their 90s. One person is about 100 years old, said David Hartman, the interim executive director of the synagogue. Throughout the coronavirus emergency, those members have continued attending service twice a day to say prayers, Hartman said.

How do you tell them, Dont come? he said. We made the decision (Thursday) that we are not going to be open for them, and that was a really, really hard thing to do.

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.

At Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, ministers and choir members readied their Sunday service for live-streaming online. The same is being done at Grace Cathedral and Congregation Beth Sholom.

During times of uncertainty, seeking refuge in a place for worship is comforting for many, the religious leaders said. Despite closing doors for community events and other gatherings, Grace Cathedral, Congregation Beth Sholom and Glide Memorial Church still plan to offer one-on-one pastoral services.

We have some people in the congregation that are really working through some hard stuff, said Karen Hanrahan, the president and CEO at Glide. Weve offered pastoral care and availability of pastors to do some one-on-one care as needed. The way weve been looking at it is really consistent with our values (of) unconditional love and radical inclusion.

Staff members at Congregation Beth Sholom printed out lists of members with phone numbers Thursday so they could call each person to check in with them, Hartman said.

In San Jose, Friday prayers at Evergreen Islamic Center were canceled for the first time since people began going to the site in 1996. Every week, more than 600 people have attended the Friday prayers, said Akbar Syed, the president of the center.

This week, keys were removed from the mosques lockboxes, doors are locked, and no one can get in. The closure of the mosque is a necessary precaution because during the prayers, people stand shoulder to shoulder, Syed said.

The mosque doesnt have the capability to host services online, and is instead encouraging its members to continue their prayers at home.

What can we do, Syed said. We dont want this to spread to anybody. We have to do what we have to do. Only thing I can do is pray that this virus gets suppressed and we (return) to normalcy.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
Highlights Weaknesses in Dissident Stockholders Vague Plan and Misrepresentations of Companys Progress



Recommends Stockholders Vote FOR Barnwells Slate of Highly Experienced Director Nominees on the WHITE Proxy Card Today

HONOLULU, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barnwell Industries, Inc. (Barnwell or the Company) (NYSE American: BRN) today published a presentation to its stockholders (available here: http://www.brninc.com/documents/BRN Investor Presentation - 2020-03.pdf), outlining the Companys history of prudent management, its strong and refreshed board, and its plan to create long-term value for all stockholders. The presentation also enumerates the significant weaknesses, flaws and misrepresentations in the plan and nominees presented by a dissident group of stockholders who are trying to take control of the Company.

At the Companys Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 3, 2020, the Barnwell Board of Directors (the Board) recommends that stockholders support the current Barnwell team and strategy, which is already delivering positive results, by voting the WHITE proxy card FOR Barnwells seven highly qualified director nominees, six of whom are independent. Stockholders of record as of February 24, 2020, will be entitled to vote at the meeting.

Mr. Alexander Kinzler, Chief Executive Officer of Barnwell, commented, Barnwell has nominated a strong, refreshed slate of Board nominees, who are committed to continuing the Companys progress for the long-term benefit of all stockholders. In contrast, two dissident stockholders, who are attempting to take control of this company, have proposed a slate of nominees that puts our progress at risk and a flawed plan to liquidate the company at a low point for the market. We urge all stockholders to vote FOR your Boards nominees on the WHITE proxy card.

The Companys presentation lays out multiple reasons for stockholders to vote FOR the Barnwell director nominees, including that:

Story continues

Barnwell has a long history of prudent management of its operations and assets;





Barnwells strategy to create long-term value is already having a positive impact;





Barnwell has nominated a strong, refreshed Board committed to creating value for all stockholders;

The dissidents slate lacks relevant, additive experience and would put the Companys progress at risk; and





The dissidents plan would crystallize losses at the bottom of the market and is not in the interest of all stockholders.

BARNWELL URGES ALL STOCKHOLDRES TO VOTE FOR ALL OF THE COMPANYS NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY VOTING THE WHITE PROXY CARD TODAY.

Do not vote the blue proxy sent to you by the dissidents. Their nominees would potentially risk the Companys current progress and put into question its current strategy, partnerships and projects. You should discard any blue proxy card that you receive.

If you have any questions, or need assistance in voting your shares on the WHITE proxy card,

please call Barnwells proxy solicitor:

Morrow Sodali LLC

(800) 662-5200 (toll-free in North America)

+1 (203) 658-9400 (outside of North America)

BRN@investor.morrowsodali.com

About Barnwell Industries, Inc.

Barnwell Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries (Barnwell or the Company) are principally engaged in oil and natural gas exploration, development, production and sales in Canada; investing in leasehold interests in real estate in Hawaii; and well drilling services and water pumping system installation and repairs in Hawaii.



Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

Barnwell has filed and mailed to stockholders a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the solicitation of proxies from the Companys stockholders with respect to its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. STOCKHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE COMPANYS PROXY STATEMENT, ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

General Information Regarding Participants to the Solicitation

The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the Companys 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise of the Companys participants is set forth in the Companys definitive proxy statement for the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on March 2, 2020. The Companys definitive proxy statement can be found on the SECs website at www.sec.gov or the Companys website at www.brninc.com .

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements are predictions and generally can be identified by use of statements that include phrases such as plan, expect, will, should, could, anticipate, intend, project, estimate, guidance, possible, continue and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions and forecasts of future results. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks include, but are not limited to, those described in Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2019 and subsequent filings with the SEC. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the future results covered by the forward-looking statements will be achieved. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Investor Contact

Morrow Sodali LLC

(800) 662-5200 (toll-free in North America)

+1 (203) 658-9400 (outside of North America)

BRN@investor.morrowsodali.com
American man confirmed as Taiwan's 50th COVID-19 case

ROC Central News Agency

03/13/2020 04:48 PM

Taipei, March 13 (CNA) An American man in his 50s has been confirmed as Taiwan's 50th case of the coronavirus disease COVID-19, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced Friday.

The man, who lives alone and works in central Taiwan, on Feb. 24 hosted four friends from the United States, who then left Taiwan on Feb. 26, the CECC said.

He developed symptoms including a cough, chills and a fever between Feb. 27 and March 7, when he sought medical treatment and was admitted to the hospital, said Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (), who heads the CECC, at a daily press briefing.

The hospital reported the case to the authorities and conducted COVID-19 tests on the man, which came back positive on Friday, Chen said, adding that the patient is currently being treated in a negative-pressure room.

After investigating the case, medical authorities found the man had recently hosted two couples visiting from the U.S., Chen said.

In one of the couples, a person showed symptoms of chills, a cough and fatigue on Feb. 24, while the other began showing symptoms of the disease after leaving Taiwan on Feb. 26, and one of the couple's family members in the U.S. was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 10, Chen said.

One member of the other couple also developed respiratory symptoms after returning to the U.S., Chen said.

Based on the timeline of the man's case, Chen said Taiwanese authorities believe he was likely infected by one of his American friends.

The CECC has identified 64 individuals who had contact with the 50th case, and are monitoring their health conditions, he added, noting that authorities have also obtained information on the two American couples' activities in Taiwan for further investigation.

(By Chang Ming-hsuan, Wu Hsin-yun and Elizabeth Hsu)

Enditem/M

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The baby was delivered at North Middlesex Hospital, in Edmonton, north London (Picture: Press Association)

A positive coronavirus test of a newborn baby has raised concerns over the way the infection is transmitted, according to a virology professor at Imperial College.

The child tested positive for Covid-19 at North Middlesex Hospital, in north London, shortly after being delivered and became the youngest person to be diagnosed with the disease in the UK, the Sun reported.

The mum was also found to have coronavirus.

Professor Richard Tedder, Visiting Professor in Medical Virology, Imperial College London, said the news raised concerns about the potential ways in which the transmission may have occurred.

But he urged caution and said the positive test did not necessarily mean the child had Covid-19.

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Prof Tedder said: It is important to say at this point in time that the detection of Covid-19 nucleic acid on the sample from the child does not necessarily mean that the child was infected.

It could well have come from the mother at the time of delivery, further follow-up of the infant will clarify whether or not the infant is infected.

Previous data from colleagues in China, published in the journal The Lancet, albeit on a small number of mother and infant pairs, did not show infection in any of the infants at the time of birth.

Neither did sampling of breastmilk immediately after birth contain detectable virus.

Read more: Prisons prepare emergency coronavirus plans

A man wearing a mask stands in an underground train in London (Picture: Getty)

Prof Tedder added the hospitals observation of a possible neonatal transmission is unexpected and needs further confirmation.

He said the question of risk to a newly born child being nursed by a mother who is known to be infected is a matter that will need careful consideration.

North Middlesex university hospital NHS trust said in a statement: Two patients at North Middlesex university hospital have tested positive for coronavirus.

Story continues

One has been transferred to a specialist centre and one is being treated in an isolation room.

The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, so in following guidance from Public Health England, we are regularly deep cleaning the areas where the patients are cared for and staff who were in close contact with these patients were advised to self-isolate.

Read more: Italians sing from their homes while living under coronavirus lockdown

Ten more patients have died in England since Friday after testing positive for Covid-19.

The UK death toll now stands at 21, with 20 deaths confirmed in England and one in Scotland.

The patients were being cared for in Buckinghamshire, Sandwell & West Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Barts, London, north Middlesex and Chester, NHS England said.

A number of the victims, who were over 60, had underlying health conditions.

There have been 1,140 positive tests for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Saturday, up from 798 at the same time on Friday, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
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Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 09:58 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a88682 1 World Diamond-Princess,COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,pandemic,Japan,Foreign-Minister-Retno-Marsudi,Achmad-Yurianto Free

Nine Indonesian crew members of the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan have recovered from COVID-19 and are waiting to return to their home country.

Seventy-eight Indonesian crew members were on board the cruise ship, which was quarantined by Japanese authorities for two weeks in the port of Yokohama on Feb. 5 in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. Nine of them tested positive for COVID-19 during the quarantine.

All of the nine [crew members] have now [tested] negative and been declared healed, Retno said on Friday.

If treated well, this disease can be cured. The case of nine Indonesians in Yokohama shows that we should not give up, the minister went on to say.

Read also: 8 Indonesians with COVID-19 in Japan have recovered: Foreign Ministry

Separately, the Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, said five of the nine crew members had returned to Indonesia.

The remaining four have also been discharged from their respective hospitals. However, they are still waiting for tickets home from their company, Yurianto said on Thursday as quoted by Antara.

The nine crew members tested positive for COVID-19 were treated separately at several hospitals in different regions across Japan.

The remaining 69 Indonesian crew members who have been tested negative in Japan have returned to the country.

However, one of them later tested positive for COVID-19. He, identified as Case 6, has since recovered after being treated in Persahabatan Hospital's isolation room in East Jakarta for several days. (gis)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday advised people to avoid going to crowded places and urged them to wear a mask if they have to go out, assuring them that all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

Khattar also said that a state level helpline has been set up besides a help desk at the district level where people can seek information related to COVID-19.

My dear people of Haryana, you are aware that WHO has declared coronavirus a pandemic. This is also knocking at India's doors. I appeal to you to neither be scared of this virus nor get panicked," Khattar said in a video message that he posted on his Twitter handle.

If anyone has symptoms of fever, sneezing, sore throat, running nose, difficulty in breathing, etc. they should get it examined in a government hospital. We have not authorised any private laboratory for testing symptoms of coronavirus, he said.

Urging people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of infection, the chief minister said, Maintaining hygiene is very important. People should cover their mouth and nose with handkerchief while sneezing, wash their hands, avoid going to crowded places and if one has to go then wear a mask.

I want to assure the people of the state that all necessary measures have been taken to prevent spread of infection and we are committed towards your good health, he said.

He also mentioned that there is no positive case of COVID-19 so far in Haryana.

Regarding the helpline, he said, We have established a state level helpline desk at 8558893911 in addition to a district level helpline desk at 108. People can contact these numbers to seek information related to coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Khattar posted pictures on Twitter where he is seen enjoying a camel ride at a livestock exhibition in Karnal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran Armed Forces will start clearing streets nationwide to fight coronavirus: Commander

Iran Press TV

Friday, 13 March 2020 5:10 PM

Iran's security forces will begin to empty shops, streets and roads nationwide within 24 hours as part of measures to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, says a top military commander.

"Over the next one week to 10 days, the entire Iranian nation will be monitored once through cyberspace, by phone and, if necessary, in person, and those suspected of the disease will be identified," said Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri on Friday.

"Our law enforcement and security committees along with the Interior Ministry and provincial governors will be clearing shops, streets and roads in a national decision. This work will be organized within the next 24 hours," he added.

He noted that the suspected cases would be then transferred to medical centers and said the Iranian Armed Forces would establish up to 1,000 treatment units to provide clinical examinations for coronavirus patients and would do their utmost to treat them.

The top commander called on the Iranian people to pay heed to all recommendations and requests by the Health Ministry to help defeat the virus as soon as possible, otherwise, he said, the containment would take more time.

In an edict to Major General Baqeri on Thursday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized the need for the establishment of a "health and treatment base" to prevent further spread of the ongoing epidemic in the country.

"While commending the services that the Armed Forces have so far provided to the dear people [of Iran], and while emphasizing the need for those services to further expand and continue, it is necessary that these services be organized in the form of a health and treatment base," the Leader wrote in his edict.

"In addition to establishing such treatment facilities as field hospitals and infirmaries, and so forth, you must focus on prevention of further spread of this disease through necessary means as well," Ayatollah Khamenei added.

Kianoush Jahanpour, the head of the public relations and information center of the Iranian Ministry of Health, said on Friday that the new coronavirus has claimed another 85 lives, bringing to 514 the overall number of deaths in Iran.

"Sadly, 85 people infected with the COVID-19 disease have died in the past 24 hours," Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.

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The Socialist Equality Party demands an immediate shutdown of all auto and non-essential production throughout the country in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with full pay for all workers affected.

Such action must be developed as part of a comprehensive plan to halt the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of workers. So far, all actions taken by governments have been based on maintaining the profits of the corporations and the share values on Wall Street.

Already, autoworkers in US plants have contracted the virus, but the plants are being kept open. The UAW and auto companies want workers to risk their lives to keep the profits of the auto companies flowing, even as managers and UAW leaders retreat to the safety of their own homes. Workers must act now to save their lives and the lives of their families by forming rank-and-file committees.

Anger is growing at auto plants across the US and Canada over the decision by the auto companies to keep normal production even as the global pandemic spreads. This is a criminal policy, mandated by a capitalist system that subordinates human life to the drive for profit.

Ford Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan [Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File]

FCA and the UAW forced workers in Kokomo, Indiana, to stay on the job even after a worker tested positive for the virus at their plant.

At plants across the continent and throughout the world, support for a mass walkout is growing. In Italy, workers began spontaneous walkouts to protest the fact that they are being forced to continue working even with the entire country in lockdown.

The Trump administration and the Federal Reserve have made $1.5 trillion available to major banks in order to prop up the faltering stock market, but only pennies to actually fight the coronavirus. Tests are still not available for the broad masses of people. State and local governments have banned large gatherings one after the other, but the auto plants and other workplaces have been exempted from these orders so workers can continue to pump out profits.

As of this writing, the official tally of cases is more than 125,000 worldwide and more than 1,000 in the United States. However, because of the near-total breakdown in testing for the disease in the US, the real figure is far higher. In Ohio, where tens of thousands of autoworkers live and work, the government estimates that one percent of the state is already infected, or more than 110,000 people.

An outbreak of this magnitude threatens to overwhelm health care systems and lead to mass death. According to the New York Times, the federal governments internal modeling estimates that as many as 1.7 million Americans could dienearly three times the death toll from the 1918 Spanish Flu, the worst epidemic in American history.

The disease can be contained, but only by taking drastic measures. China was only able to reduce the number of new cases by shutting down workplaces across the entire country. The Chinese auto industry, centered in Wuhan, the source of the outbreak, idled for weeks.

But in North America, there are no serious measures being taken to fight the disease because the central preoccupation of the government and the ruling class has been to protect corporate profit. The outlook of corporate America was summed up in a statement by Ford communications executive Mark Truby, who told the press: Obviously we need to keep our factories moving. Thats the goal.

The response of the UAW to the pandemic has been to lie to workers about the real scale of the crisis and to keep them on the job. Yesterday, UAW president Rory Gamble released a statement saying the UAW would protect its bureaucrats by restricting their travel. Too bad: a temporary halt to steak dinners in Palm Springs paid for with workers dues! As for the health of workers, Gamble wrote the union will keep our economy flowing by forcing workers to work even as their lives are at risk. The UAW simply reminded workers to wash hands.

The same is true for the unions in every country. Unifor, the Canadian auto union, responded to a walkout yesterday at Fiat Chryslers Windsor Assembly Plant by ordering workers to go back to work. Mexican GM workers at Silao have likewise received no information from the CTM union.

But it is not just auto companies. Similar conditions prevail throughout the country and internationally. No considerations or serious actions are being taken to protect the health of distribution workers, service workers, manufacturing workers and other sections of the working class.

Workers must organize independently to protect themselves. This must be done through the formation of rank-and-file committees to shut production. Workers should hold discussion and meetings online to elect a rank and file leadership and agree on a common program of action. They must coordinate their activities with workers from other plants, workers in other industries, and workers throughout the worldthe coronavirus, after all, does not respect national borders or sectional differences.

The SEP proposes that such committees should adopt the following demands:

The immediate shutdown of non-essential workplaces! Before reopening, they must be subjected to intensive cleaning after the disease has subsided. The deplorable state of cleanliness in the factories must be ended once and for all.

Full compensation for lost hours, and no deduction from sick leave! Workers must not be forced to choose between financial destitution or termination and risking exposure by continuing to work. They must receive sick pay at 100 percent of current rates.

For a massive and globally coordinated response to the pandemic! Not billions, but trillions must be allocated to meet this crisis, including free and universal testing and the rapid expansion of hospital infrastructure.

For workers control over safety and health in the factories! As long as such decisions are left in the hands of management, workers will be continually exposed not only to the outbreak of disease, but risk of serious workplace injury. Workers should insist that their committees have the authority to control all questions related to safety, up to and including the closure of plants and workplaces.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed graphically the class divisions at the heart of American society. It poses directly the question: who runs society? By recklessly endangering the lives of millions of people, the capitalist class and the two parties of big business have forfeited their right to rule.

To prevent the outbreak of such catastrophes in the future, the capitalist system, an economic system based on inequality and exploitation, must be ended. Its replacement is socialismthe running of society directly by the working class in the interests of human need.

Workers who agree with the need to form rank-and-file committees: Contact your coworkers and arrange discussions to address the situation immediately before the health crisis gets out of control.
Australians have been forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton following his coronavirus diagnosis.

Debbie Kilroy, a human rights advocate, who was on the same plane as Mr Dutton, said she was tested for the deadly illness and has been forced to self-isolate until her results are returned.

'We had to be tested for COVID-19 today when we arrived back in the country and now we have been quarantined until our tests are back,' the advocate for women and child in incarceration tweeted.

'Why hasnt Scott Morrison and others been quarantined and we have?'

Debbie Kilroy, who was on the same plane as Mr Dutton, said she was tested for the deadly illness and has been forced to self-isolate until her results are returned

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday

A tradesman has also been forced into quarantine after taking some work out on Mr Dutton's home and shaking his hand on Thursday evening.

Brad Johns was hired by Mr Dutton, via the app Airtasker, to do an hour and a half's work.

But Mr Johns said he was refused testing despite having 'physical contact' with the minister because he wasn't displaying any symptoms.

'I had physical contact with him at the end of the evening where I shook his hand and left the house,' Mr Johns told Seven News.

Brad Johns said he shook hands with Mr Dutton after working on the minister's home on Thursday evening

Medics told Mr Johns has been told to self-isolate for 14 days meaning he can't work and has to be in a different room from his wife and child.

'I've literally got to sit and wait for 14 days not knowing whether or not I have the disease,' he said.

Mr Dutton also met with the Cabinet on Tuesday, where the coronavirus stimulus package was discussed.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has since tested negative for the illness.

Australia's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said there is no need for anyone who met with Mr Dutton 24 before he symptoms developed to be tested, including Mr Morrison.

'If you have been in contact with them two or three days before they are symptomatic, they are very, very, very unlikely to be infectious,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

Mr Dutton was in Washington, D.C., the week before he was diagnosed with coronavirus.

He met with senior officials of the Trump administration - including the President's daughter Ivanka and the country's Attorney General.

Ms Trump self-isolated after discovering Mr Dutton had coronavirus but she has since tested negative.

Mr Dutton was in Washington, D.C., the week before he was diagnosed with coronavirus. He met with senior officials of the Trump administration - including the President's daughter Ivanka and the country's Attorney General

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

Labor health spokesman Chris Bowen questioned the 24-hour advice when people were being told to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone with the virus.

'Now there is a lack of information before the Australian people, and this confusion makes it worse,' Mr Bowen said in Sydney.

Australia clocked up 227 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday after three South Australians, three Western Australians, 13 Victorians, one Tasmanian and 20 people in NSW tested positive for the coronavirus.

There are about 140,000 cases worldwide.

Australians with mild colds are also being told not to get tested for coronavirus as testing kits are running low.
A Patton Village police officer in his 40s who tested positive for COVID-19 remains in critical condition according to a Montgomery County Public Health District official.

Montgomery County Public Health District spokeswoman Misti Willingham said Saturday afternoon the countys first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 remained in critical condition.

The public health district cannot comment on a patients work history, but previous reporting confirmed the man is a Patton Village police officer who previously attended a barbecue cook-off event at the Houston rodeo on Feb. 29.

Montgomery County Public Health District spokeswoman Misti Willingham confirmed Saturday afternoon in conjunction with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management the countys fourth case of the new coronavirus in Montgomery County.

In a release Saturday Willingham said the woman, who is in her 40s, is a resident of northwest Montgomery County. Her case is connected to Montgomery Countys third case, announced Thursday. She is currently in isolation at her home and does not require hospitalization right now.

Willingham updated updated the conditions on other cases in the county.

The countys second case, a woman in her 40s, who resides in southeast Montgomery County, is in critical condition in a hospital in Harris County. The countys third case is a man in his 40s who resides in northwest Montgomery County. He was initially in isolation at home but is now in good condition in a hospital in Montgomery County.

The police officer  tasked with administrative duty  had been out of the office and outside the Splendora-area department since Feb. 27, Police Chief Shannon Sharp said in a previous news release. Sharp later said the officer was off-the-clock on comp time.

Police said the officer had no recent contact with the public, such as calls for service and arrests.

We have been in constant contact with the Montgomery County Public Health Department, Sharp said earlier. None of us are in any danger, none of us are symptomatic. We are following regular protocol the CDC put out.

On Wednesday, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keoughs chief of staff, Jason Millsap, said the man was well enough to explain to them where he had been.

jmaskulinski@hcnonline.com
Upstairs, Stephen Paddock, 64, a former accountant and high-stakes video poker player, was using a cache of assault-style weapons he had amassed to rain bullets for more than 10 minutes from the windows of a 32nd-floor suite into a country music festival filled with 22,000 people. Most of the rifles were fitted with rapid-fire bump stock devices and high-capacity magazines. Paddock killed himself with a handgun before police used explosives to blast through his door and find him more than an hour later.
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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:25:59|Editor: yhy

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MALABO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Equatorial Guinea confirmed on Saturday the country's first case of COVID-19.

It is an 42-year-old Equatoguinean woman who arrived on Friday in Malabo from Madrid on a flight of Ceiba international airlines.

She showed no suspicious symptoms, but was tested positive for COVID-19 during passenger screening on Saturday. Those who had contact with the case have been identified and monitored, according to the minister Salomon Nguema Owono in a statement.

Before the first case was detected, the Equatoguinean government on Thursday and Friday announced a series of measures to contain the novel coronavirus.
All Jet2 flights to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands have been cancelled with immediate effect, the British low-cost airline has announced. It operates flights from nine UK airports.

On Friday Spain declared a national emergency, closings bars, shops and restaurants.

We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us, the company said in a statement.

Flight tracking website Flight Radar 24 shows seven planes turning around mid-air to return to Britain.
MUSKEGON, MI Televangelist Jim Bakker has been ordered by a Missouri court to stop selling a potion he claims is a cure for the coronavirus.

The Missouri Attorney General obtained a temporary restraining order on Thursday, March 12, against Bakker and his ministry, according to court records.

Bakker is a Muskegon native who rose to fame with his Praise the Lord  or PTL  television ministry and then crashed in 1987 after it was revealed he had paid $265,000 in alleged hush money to a former church secretary, Jessica Hahn, after a sexual encounter with her.

A complaint was filed by the state of Missouri Tuesday, March 10, against Bakker and Morningside Church Productions, which does business as Jim Bakker Show Ministry. The show, which is broadcast on multiple networks across the country, since Feb. 12 had sold the supposed coronavirus potion for donations of $80 and $125.

The complaint alleges that Bakker was falsely promising that the potion called Silver Solution can cure, eliminate, kill or deactivate coronavirus and/or boost elderly consumers immune system.

The complaint continues that there is no vaccine, pill or potion that can treat or cure coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

A Missouri Circuit Court judge granted the request for a restraining order and scheduled a hearing on a preliminary injunction for June 11.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission had sent Bakker a warning letter regarding his sale of Silver Sol Liquid on the Jim Bakker Show Facebook page and website, according to the complaint.

In its complaint, the Missouri Attorney Generals office cites a particular exchange between Bakker and Sherill Sellman, described as a naturopathic doctor and natural health expert, on the Jim Bakker Show:

Bakker: This influenza that is now circling the globe, youre saying that silver solution would be effective.

Sellman: Well, lets say it hasnt been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it has been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.

The complaint goes on to say that Sellman claimed the solution had the ability to deactivate these viruses.

Bakker then offers Silver Sol products for viewers should they offer donations to the show at levels such as $80 and $125, the complaint states.

At its peak, Bakkers PTL Club television ministry, which he established with his now ex-wife Tammy Faye, drew 12 million viewers who contributed $1 million annually to the ministry.

In 1989, Bakker went to prison for four years for the Hahn scandal. His PTL ministry and Heritage USA theme park were in ruins.

In 2003, he returned to television with the Jim Bakker Show.

MLive has complete coverage on coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More on MLive:

Sign up for free text messages about the most important updates on coronavirus in Michigan

School, day care coronavirus shutdowns leave Muskegon area parents scrambling

Michigan Secretary of State offices are now appointment-only amid coronavirus threat
Ever since the Grand Princess pulled into the Port of Oakland on Monday carrying more than 3,500 people  including 21 infected with COVID-19  hundreds of passengers have been placed in 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif.

While some passengers were sent to bases in other parts of the state and the country, more than 600 California residents are staying in apartments in a hotel on the base about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, according to the California Governors Office of Emergency Services.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW: Drive-through coronavirus testing on its way to Houston

Some people staying at Travis AFB said the process to transfer them from the ship to the base was disorganized, carelessly implemented and painfully prolonged. After being holed up in their cabins under strict quarantine for six days while the ship idled off the coast of California, they were surprised to be in situations that didn't allow for social distancing and put them in close quarters with other passengers. They're also shocked that none of them have been tested for COVID-19.

The Grand Princess was held off the coast for six days because of evidence that it was the breeding ground for more than 20 infections tied to a past voyage, a San Francisco-Mexico trip from Feb. 11-21. A passenger on that trip, a Placer County resident, died on March 4 due to complications with COVID-19.

LIVE UPDATES: Hundreds line up for HISD food service (on HoustonChronicle.com)

After not stepping outside a cruise cabin for nearly a week, Dr. Alan Brast of Danville said he and his wife finally filed off the ship on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Officials were tasked with taking everyone's temperature, but Brast said that while they took his wife's, he was puzzled that he was missed.

Brast was loaded onto a bus that sat parked for two hours and 15 minutes. Every seat was full, and the bus had one small bathroom. Initially, there wasn't any food or drink, and when sandwiches were finally served, the bus driver said, "If you want, you can take your mask off now to eat and take the risk.

COLD, ALLERGIES OR CORNAVIRUS? This graphic from the CDC can help you decide

When the bus finally pulled up at Travis AFB, Brast and others weren't allowed to unload for an hour, finally getting off at 10 p.m. when they were sent to find their bags in a pile of 400 pieces of luggage. Brast, using his iPhone flashlight, found his bags after an hour and 15 minutes.

"Some of these people with their walkers and their canes were schlepping their luggage up three or four flights of stairs," he said.

Kay Gleason of Rocklin described a similarly disordered disembarkment after walking down the gangway with her husband and two daughters on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"My husband argues it was the worst part of the ordeal," Gleason said. "My opinion is being in a tiny cabin for six days with children and feeling really helpless was the worst."

The Gleasons all had their temperatures taken before boarding a bus.

"We sat on the bus for an hour," she said. "There were discrepancies going on with two passengers. They werent California residents. They messed up their paperwork. They had to go back on the ship. That was sad to watch."

After this incident, the bus sat parked for another half-hour. "No one is making an announcement or saying, 'Heres why we're waiting,'" she said. "We were just sitting there, scrunched together, which was very contradictory to everything they were making us do on the ship."

The floors of the bathroom were "wet and sticky," and there wasn't a light or toilet paper.

"The girls were afraid of going to the bathroom," she said. "I had to ask the bus driver to get toilet paper. The bare necessities ... we were just struggling to get that. But they did supply us with big water bottles and a sandwich."

Upon arriving at the base, Gleason said they were greeted by friendly military staff who ran through the process and answered questions.

"We were finally on the other side of the fence," she said. "It was so much relief, but still even with the kindness of hearts and everyone doing everything in their power to help us, the resources weren't enough. We ended up sitting on that bus until midnight. We were packed on a bus together and taking our masks off because we had to drink our water. Some of the older people were turning red, and crying out to the bus driver and asking him to open windows."

Gleason also mentioned the heap of luggage, as did others, and one person shared a video with SFGATE showing outdoor sprinklers spraying the luggage with water.

"Even now, there are about 100 pieces of luggage sitting inexplicably outside of the entrance to the facility, with no protection from the forecast coming rain, etc." Brast said.

Once checked in, passengers had mixed reviews of the accommodations. Gleason was thrilled to have a spacious apartment, much bigger than the room on the ship.

"We have windows that open," she said. "It is clean inside for the most part. Theres a washer-dryer in the room, and we even had laundry detergent on our washer. We have three TVs. Theyre bringing little bottles of water through the day. I think the only hard part is the lack of anything we need for two weeks like toothpaste and Tylenol."

Others staying at the base commented on cold rooms, thin blankets, dirty linens, a scarcity of towels and coffee, a toilet that doesn't flush and lack of access to medication for the elderly and milk for children.

Brast said meals were initially distributed off a cart in the lobby. "The lack of sanitation and people milling around on top of people without any organization was horrendous," he said.

Meals are now being served in rooms. "This should help a great deal with the shortages precipitated by unnecessary hoarding," he said.

Other improvements are being made as the base figures out how guests can receive deliveries, but still none of the people interviewed for this story have been tested for the coronavirus.

"I saw one of these CDC guys the first day, and asked, 'When are we going to be tested for COVID-19?' He said, 'Are you feeling OK?'" Brast recalled. "He said, 'Well, youre not going to get tested as long as youre feeling OK.'

"Its a tragedy. Its unconscionable that they could operate like this. Not a single person gets tested unless you are sick."

SFGATE reached out to the California Department of Public Health, the California Health and Human Services Agency and Travis Air Force Base for comment on this story, but hadn't heard back as of late Friday night.

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email: agraff@sfgate.com.
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- Addressing some NPP members present, he said Koforidua has never had a member of Parliament of his calibre

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Member of Parliament(MP) for New Juaben South Constituency, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, has revealed that the Parliament of Ghana would possibly collapse without his presence in the House.

As reported by Dailymailgh, after going through a successful vetting process, Assibey-Yeboah boasted that the House cannot function properly if he loses his seat.

Addressing some NPP members present, he said Koforidua has never had a member of Parliament of his calibre.

READ ALSO: Accra High Court charges Kwesi Nyantakyi with fraud

If I am not in Parliament, Parliament will collapse, Assibey-Yeboah told the jubilant crowd.

"Since Ghanas multiparty democracy in the 4th Republic, Koforidua has not had any MP of my calibre, he boastfully said.

The New Patriotic Party parliamentary and presidential primaries are slated for April 25, 2020

READ ALSO: John Dumelo pounds fufu on his campaign trail in Ayawaso West Wuogon

In other news, as 2020 has been identified as an electoral year, aspiring Members of Parliament will do everything possible to be in power.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, John Dumelo has started a door-to-door campaign to canvass votes from electorates.

On Tuesday, March 3, 2020, the actor was on the University of Ghana campus interacting with students who form a chunk of the voters in the constituency.

John Dumelo was pictured pounding fufu for one of the constituents when he visited to canvas for votes at Abelemkpe and Dzorwulu.

READ ALSO: Akufo-Addo assesses Ghanas readiness to deal with coronavirus disease

Ghana News Today: Accra Beautification Project causes Ako-Adjei Interchange to sparkle | #Yencomgh

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
By Trend

Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) has delivered systems for testing for coronavirus to Turkmenistan, Trend reports with reference to Rospotrebnadzor's statement.

The statement said the systems have already been delivered to 10 countries of the near and far abroad. They were developed by The State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology of Russia (also known as the Vector Institute).



"This contributes to strengthening of collective capacity of the countries of the region in the fight against a new epidemic," the report said.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 4,700. Over 128,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 68,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Several countries are developing a vaccine against the new virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The ministry said it had agreed with the chiefdom of Sufi movements to devote the Friday sermon on 20 March to talk about the Islamic event, and to broadcast live a joint scientific symposium on national television on the "lessons learned from the great miracle."

The ministry, however, will not hold any mass or festive activities on the occasion.

In Islamic belief, Israa and Miraj is a miraculous journey that Prophet Mohamed embarked on one night from Mecca to Jerusalem and heaven.

The Israa and Miraj anniversary is observed on 27 Rajab, the seventh month in the Islamic calendar, which coincides with 22 March this year.

In his statement on Saturday, endowment minister Mokhtar Gomaa explained that the ministry decided to cancel the celebrations as a "precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus."

The ministry had earlier decided to limit the activities of mosques to prayers and Friday sermons in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. It said it was preferable the sermons do not exceed 15 minutes.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Egypt has reached 93.

Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, coronavirus (COVID-19) has infected more than 145,000 people globally and killed more than 5,500.

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By Trend

I believe that the legislative framework related to our national values and to the preservation of our traditional national values should be broader, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

As a result of the elections contested by all political forces, a multi-party parliament was formed, and I believe that this is an important step towards development of democracy. As you know, the New Azerbaijan Party has won the majority of the seats. Of course, the words of the New Azerbaijan Party in the Milli Majlis are quite valuable and effective. MPs representing the New Azerbaijan Party gathered on my instruction this morning and made important decisions. I recommended that representatives of parties be represented on the leadership of the Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation and in the leadership of committees. This was not the case before. Representatives of the opposition were not represented in the leadership of committees in the Milli Majlis of the previous convocation or in the leadership of the parliament. However, I believe that in order to strengthen the political system in Azerbaijan and strengthen political relations on a sound basis, this is necessary. Of course, I believe that the New Azerbaijan Party is taking the right step in this direction in common interests, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev said that the Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation will, of course, have its say in this area. At the same time, representatives of the Presidential Administration have recently held meetings with leaders of practically all political forces, he added.

I am regularly updated about these meetings. Overall, the initial opinion is positive. I believe that in the current period of large-scale reforms, it is necessary to carry out political reforms that cannot be carried out without a broad dialogue between the parties. One ruling party cannot conduct political dialogue on its own because a dialogue requires partners, and the initial impression is positive. This initiative is being implemented without any preconditions. However, the marginalized and club-like group that has completely lost all popular support has refused to hold this meeting again. They refused, they know better. In any case, we will not be the losers. A new political configuration of Azerbaijan is being formed. I believe that the Milli Majlis will take the necessary steps to improve the political system in the legislative sphere too, and the multi-party system in Azerbaijan will be built on an even more solid foundation. Currently, no serious criteria are required to establish a political party. I believe that this practice must end. If we are really interested in developing a multi-party system in Azerbaijan  and we want and propose this as a party in power  then, of course, we need the whole range of tools necessary for the activities of political parties. I believe that this will be one of the issues on the agenda of the Milli Majlis, said the head of state.

In a nutshell, the elections, the post-election period and the steps taken by the authorities in relation to political parties  all this reflects a new stage in our policy, said President Ilham Aliyev.

This reflects our course towards reforms. As you know, a new phase of reform began after the 2018 presidential election. I proclaimed these reforms at the inauguration ceremony in this assembly hall. We are consistently implementing them, which is reflected in life. This also suggests that our words, as always, do not diverge from our actions. Reforms are both conceptual and structural in nature. Personnel reforms are underway. The Presidential Administration has been formed in an almost fully new composition. New departments have been set up. The establishment of these departments also confirms my words and our intentions again. A new Cabinet of Ministers is now in place. The Cabinet of Ministers operates more quickly and flexibly now. Personnel reforms have been carried out in the ministries. Reforms are and will be carried out in local executive bodies. The disgraceful picture observed in some local executive authorities is causing the indignation of all our people. Cleaning will continue to be carried out in central and local executive authorities and in all state structures. I said this before and want to say it again: if someone wants to work in public service, their actions and thoughts should be clean. If someone does not see these qualities in themselves, then they should leave civil service in order not to become unhappy, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that therefore, the deepening of reforms could not have bypassed parliament, of course.

I believe that the new composition of the Milli Majlis will give a new impetus to the reforms. The MPs have major tasks ahead of them, first of all in the legislative sphere. Because the main work of the parliament is legislation. I recommend paying more attention not to quantity but to quality because it is necessary to consider improving the existing laws, to review them. I have asked executive bodies to review the implementation status of the adopted laws. We adopt many great laws. The President also signs many important orders, but control over their implementation is not up to standard. Therefore, a special department has been set up within the Presidential Administration. I consider that the Milli Majlis, the MPs should also be engaged in this. See if the laws are being implemented, whether or not they are violated. If such facts do come to light, strict penalties must be applied, of course, said the head of state.

Therefore, I believe that, in general, it will take some time, of course, but it must be done in any case, said President Ilham Aliyev.

We must review our legislative framework. If necessary, we must bring it into line with the goals we are facing because life does not stand still, new challenges and new problems are emerging. Suddenly events take place that confuse the whole world. Therefore, these laws are not dogma, of course, they should be reviewed. The main essence of the new laws that will be adopted is to deepen the reforms. Therefore, as I have already noted, legislative initiatives will be needed to form and strengthen the political system. Laws should be adopted that will contribute to the deepening of economic reforms. I believe that the legislative framework related to our national values and to the preservation of our traditional national values should be broader, said the head of state.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
When mother-of-four Kadiatou Diallo set about choosing her burial plot, after being given a diagnosis of terminal cancer, her heartbroken husband Alpha, 45, had just one request. He insisted it be somewhere close to home, so that he and the children could come and visit me often, says Kadiatou, 38.

Its the kind of agonising conversation couples face when one is told they may have just weeks to live.

And Kadiatou had just been given the devastating news that she had bile duct cancer, a condition that strikes 1,000 Britons a year, and kills most within months.

But that was nearly ten months ago.

Today Kadiatou, who is originally from Guinea in West Africa and has lived in the UK for nearly 20 years, is feeling better than she has done in years  thanks to a revolutionary new tablet being put on trial by British medics.

Mother-of-four Kadiatou Diallo (pictured with her two children) had her tumours shrink by 87 per cent after taking the revolutionary drug

The breakthrough may throw a lifeline to patients suffering what is often deemed a near hopeless cancer.

I feel fantastic, says full-time mum Kadiatou, who, just a few months ago, was in such agony that she was reliant on powerful morphine painkillers.

Im full of energy now, and have no pain. Things feel normal  its like Ive been given a second chance.

The drug is not a cure. But doctors at The Christie Hospital in Manchester, where the groundbreaking new daily tablet, codenamed TAS-120, is being tested, admit that its a remarkable transformation.

Professor Juan Valle, a cancer specialist who is leading the trial, said: The drug is extending Kadiatous life and keeping the cancer at bay. We are delighted.

The bile duct system, or biliary system, is made up of a series of tubes that begin in the liver and end in the small intestine. Their job is to transport bile, a fluid the digestive system uses to help break down fats and digest foods.

Bile duct cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma, kills over 90 per cent of victims within five years  and just 30 per cent of men, and 25 per cent of women, live more than one year after diagnosis. It is often only spotted during the later stages, when symptoms can include jaundice  yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, itchy skin, pale stools and dark-coloured urine  dramatic, unintentional weight loss, and abdominal pain.

Standard treatments include surgery to remove the tumour and either chemotherapy and radiotherapy  or both  to try to destroy any lingering cancer cells. But many patients fail to respond to these, and there are few other effective treatments.

The new drug could change all that for some sufferers. It belongs to a group of experimental new anti-cancer medicines, called FGFR inhibitors, standing for fibroblast growth factor receptors. These are tiny locks on the surface of many different cells in the body, which allow a protein called fibroblast growth factor to get in. It helps cells grow.

But ten to 15 per cent of bile duct cancers have a genetic mutation which means this growth factor drives the development of cancerous cells, rather than healthy ones. By blocking the lock that allows the protein to connect with the cells, the drug stops the cancer in its tracks.

And since these kinds of receptors are found on numerous cancer cell types, TAS-120 is just one of several FGFR inhibitors being investigated as a treatment for advanced tumours, such as those affecting the breast, bowel, bladder and lung.

Prof Valle says the drug will not necessarily work for every patient with advanced bile duct cancer, just the ten to 15 per cent who have tumours with the relevant defect.

Doctors at The Christie Hospital in Manchester, where the groundbreaking new daily tablet, codenamed TAS-120, is being tested, said it was a remarkable transformation for Ms Diallo

Early trial results are promising. Although the pill has only been tested on small numbers of patients, studies suggest it can hold the disease at bay, and shrink tumours.

Kadiatou, from Beeston near Leeds, first got ill in 2016 after the birth of her fourth child, Amadou, when a routine blood test revealed a problem with her liver enzymes.

Further tests confirmed cancer of the bile duct. It was terrifying, says Kadiatou, who has three other sons aged 16, 14 and ten. I realised I was in big trouble.

Initially, treatment was successful and she was in remission for just over a year. But in 2018, tests revealed the cancer was back and this time it had spread to her pancreas, a nearby gland that is also connected to the digestive system.

Kadiatous health spiralled downwards and her tumours failed to respond to treatment until finally, in early 2019, she was told the cancer had spread to her liver and spine and there was nothing else doctors could do.

I just cried all the time at the thought of leaving behind my husband and children, she says. I begged doctors to help because my babies were too young to lose me.

In a last-ditch bid to help, Kadiatous doctor referred her to The Christie Hospital in Manchester to see if she was suitable to take part in the TAS-120 trial. Test results confirmed her cancer was the type that could respond, and in July last year she took her first pill.

Kadiatou says: Within three days I was back to normal. I no longer felt ill or exhausted and the horrible pain I had, from being treated with morphine, had vanished.

Tests showed her tumours had shrunk by 87 per cent.

Its likely to be at least a year before TAS-120 is widely available on the NHS. But Prof Valle believes it could buy many more terminally ill patients precious time with their loved ones  and with a good quality of life.

Kadiatou says: I had spoken to the undertakers and organised my whole funeral. I knew exactly where I wanted to be buried. But now I have a new lease of life.

Our prayers were answered  you must never give up and never refuse a trial if its offered to you.

To find out more about joining a clinical trial for cancer therapies, visit cancerresearchuk.org.

What to read watch and do

Read

Explaining Humans: What Science Can Teach Us About Life, Love And Relationships, by Camilla Pang

Pang, diagnosed with autism at eight, struggles to understand the strangeness of social norms. Using a set of scientific principles, she explains the fascinating reasons why we do what we do.

14.99, Viking

Explaining Humans: What Science Can Teach Us About Life, Love And Relationships, by Camilla Pang

WATCH

How To Beat: Stress

In a new series, presenters Kate Quilton and Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, right, enlist ten stressed-out volunteers, ranging from firefighters to paramedics, to test pioneering, science-backed methods of improving mood in even the toughest of circumstances.

Thursday, 8pm, Channel 4

DO

Brent Health and Wellbeing Fair

Health organisations come together at an event for all the family, offering a host of tips and tricks. Enjoy food pop-ups and tutorials on how to use health apps, and get help accessing community services.

Friday, 11am, Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre
The MARD will promote pork imports to stabilise prices during the COVID-19 epidemic

This was announced by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien at the online meeting to promote the production of the agricultural sector in the context of COVID-19.

According to Tien, at present, the price of pork is quite high [averaging at VND75,000 ($3.26) per kilogramme], thus livestock companies should stabilise the price at VND70,000-73,000 ($3.26-3.17) per kilogramme.

Numerous businesses published their selling price as per the governments requirement, however, in reality, they are raising prices higher than the committed figures. In the coming time, if this situation is maintained, the government will increase pork imports from the US, Brazil, and Laos, Tien said.

According to statistics published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), as of March 10, Vietnam has a total of 24 million pigs, 74 per cent of the number before the Africa Swine Fever outbreak.

Vietnam is expected to see a flood of imported meat products following the reduction of tariff barriers under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the recent US proposal that Vietnam cut tariffs on some livestock exports.

Pork imported to Vietnam is currently subject to tax rates offered to the most favoured nations, with frozen meat at 10 per cent, while fresh and chilled meat is at 25 per cent. For countries that have free trade agreements with Vietnam such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Russia, and Mexico, import tax stands at about 3-21 per cent.

The MARD signed bilateral agreements on animal quarantine and technology transfer with 19 countries, with a total of 1,641 foreign enterprises allowed to export pork and pork products. Meanwhile, Vietnam has about 140 enterprises permitted to import pork from other nations.

The ministry forecasts that by the end of the first quarter in 2020, Vietnam will import 100,000 tonnes of pork to both guarantee supply and stabilise prices.
Dale Skran is chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Space Society . He contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights .

Recently, there has been considerable anxiety expressed by both the general public and professional astronomers as it becomes apparent that megaconstellations of broadband satellites are becoming a reality in our skies. Some astronomers were surprised to see a "conga line" of SpaceX Starlink satellites crossing the night sky early during their deployment, and radio astronomers are concerned about electromagnetic emissions from these fleets of orbital radio sources. Amateur astronomers also fear that they lack the tools to subtract the interference caused by increasingly numerous satellites.

The National Space Society has long supported both professional and amateur astronomy. Astronomy is the root that leads to space development and settlement. Many astronauts, engineers and other space professionals first got excited about space while looking at the night sky with a small telescope. The NSS supports efforts by companies to decrease the visibility of their satellites and avoid interference with radio astronomy. Additionally, the NSS encourages professional astronomers to make publicly available the image-processing software needed to deal with satellite-caused visual artifacts.

Related: Best telescopes for the money  2020 reviews and guide

However, it is inevitable that at some point the development and settlement of space expands in scope, and the night sky will be visibly altered (beyond what ground telescopes can compensate for). In time, when solar-power satellites, orbital hotels, fuel depots and zero-gravity factories are added to the megaconstellations in orbit, the night sky will be covered with a "glitter band" of human constructs.

This point may not be reached for many decades, but to the extent humanity successfully extends its reach toward the vast resources of space, it will come. Space advocates need to own the consequences of this, and one of the most significant will be that ground-based astronomy will become increasingly difficult. Fortunately, the true golden age of astronomy lies ahead: when space-based telescopes eclipse those on the ground. The technology that enables the "glitter band" to surround Earth will also allow us to construct an array of in-space instruments exceeding in capability anything possible on the ground.

Currently, ultraviolet, infrared, X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy is only possible in space, since these wavelengths do not penetrate Earth's atmosphere very well. The Hubble Space Telescope demonstrated that a large telescope in space could be operated and repaired over many years. In order to bring about the future of space-based astronomy, the NSS calls for the following:

The continued support by the U.S. government of large, cutting-edge telescopes in space, with an emphasis on in-space assembly, repairability, and upgradability.

The development of mass-produced, smaller, yet highly capable space-based telescopes for optical wavelengths to replace ground-based instruments.

The full exploitation of space to create large interferometers at various wavelengths.

The construction  by an international consortium  of a radio telescope on the far side of the moon, where it will be shielded from Earthly radio emissions.

And the launch of small (cubesat-sized), networked telescopes that amateur astronomers can use to scan the skies.

If we take these steps now, we will reap the scientific benefits of a new generation of more capable telescopes while preparing for a future in which Earth-based astronomy becomes increasingly difficult. As our usage of space resources grows, the cost of space-based telescopes will decline, and eventually become more cost-effective. Additionally, space-based telescopes will not disrupt areas of natural beauty on the Earth, or conflict with sacred sites such as Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

The NSS urges that these programs be funded so astronomers can transition from Earth-based to space-based telescopes with a minimum of career disruption. Although this may seem counter-intuitive, a vigorous and well-funded program of space-based astronomy is a critical foundation of future space development and settlement.

To learn more about the National Space Society, you can visit the non-profit's website here.
AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts.

The cruise ship industry is falling victim to coronavirus.

President Trump announced Friday that four cruise lines  Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC  have all agreed to suspend outbound cruises for 30 days.

It is a great and important industryit will be kept that way, the president tweeted.

Disney, Viking and Princess cruise lines had already stopped sailings.

Here are more updates on the coronavirus:

41 deaths

There are more than 1,800 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. so far with 41 deaths.

Alabama announced its first case yesterday, followed quickly by the announcement the total number of positive tests among state residents was six.

Cases are now in Montgomery, Elmore, Tuscaloosa, Limestone and Jefferson counties. One person is listed by ADPH as having tested positive but from out of state.

Publix changes hours

Publix is making a change to its hours to help keep up with demand generated by coronavirus.

In a tweet, the grocery chain that beginning Saturday, March 14, stores and pharmacies will close at 8 p.m. to better serve our customers, give our store teams time to conduct additional preventative sanitation and restock our product shelves.

To better serve our customers, give our store teams time to conduct additional preventive sanitation and restock product on our shelves, beginning Saturday, March 14 we will adjust store and pharmacy hours companywide to close at 8 p.m. until further notice. pic.twitter.com/Lc0jRLtZwh  Publix (@Publix) March 14, 2020

Mt. Everest closed

Mt. Everest is closed.

Nepals Department of Tourism said the shutdown is part of the worldwide effort to combat coronavirus and it would suspend all climbing permits for the worlds tallest peak.

While canceling a climb is never an outcome we want, this time, its the responsible thing to do. A COVID-19 outbreak at base camp would be dangerous and potentially devastating, Adrian Ballinger, CEO of Alpenglow Expeditions, which leads Everest climbing trips, told USA Today.

Trump will most likely be tested

President Trump said he would likely be tested for coronavirus after it was reported he came into contact with people who have the virus.

When asked Friday if he would be tested Trump replied most likely, yes. He said his test wouldnt come as a result of his contact with a Brazilian official who later tested positive for coronavirus but because I think I will do it anyway.

The test will come fairly soon, the president said.

Were working out a schedule.

Miami mayor tests positive

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has tested positive for coronavirus.

The mayor announced Thursday he would be in self-quarantine after it was learned he had come into contact with the communications director for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who tested positive.

Suarez, 42, said he has not had any symptoms and advised anyone who shook hands with him or been close to him since Monday to self-isolate for 14 days.

National Guard activated in 6 states

About 400 National Guard personnel have been activated to help fight the spread of coronavirus.

Air and Army National Guard members are in six states  Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Washington, the guard announced. Another 600 members are expected to join them in the next day.

You can go here to see AL.coms live coverage of coronavirus in Alabama
A playboy tobacco tycoon has insisted that he 'empowers women' by branding them with his own personal tattoo.

Travers 'Candyman' Beynon as slammed by Gold Coast MP Meghan Scanlon for posting a job advert for an 'attractive' live-in girlfriend at his mansion.

Responding to the criticism the 48-year-old insists that his many girlfriends requested to have his tobacco logo tattooed on them and were never forced to do anything they didn't want.

'The last thing you want to do is tell a strong, independent woman what they should and shouldn't do because they just rebel,' he told the Courier Mail.

Travers Beynon (left) said his many girlfriends decided for themselves if they wanted to be tattooed with his tobacco chain logo

He said his philosophy is 'freedom of choice and freedom of expression' insisting that he doesn't force the women to be tattooed.

'I always ask the girls ''are you sure?''. They have to ask me twice because getting a tattoo is a big decision.

Beynon's Free Choice tobacco chain logo tattoo

'The girls are getting tattooed because it's their choice. The philosophy of free choice, without the burden of what other people think, is what inspires them.'

Last week, Beynon advertised for a '100 per cent confidential' relationship with a woman who is 'totally loyal' and willing to live in his Helensvale property full-time.

'Not only must you be attractive to be considered as a girlfriend, but you must be fun, bubbly, out-going, spontaneous, adventurous and respectful to everyone,' the ad states.

'Travers promotes a strong family unity in the house. (Drama is not welcome at anytime).'

Last week, Beynon (middle) came under fire for advertising for a new girlfriend

In return, Beynon is offering his next girlfriend a life of luxury, promising to spoil them with designer clothing and accessories, fine dining, private parties, and '5-star travel around the world.'

The Gold Coast playboy also requires contenders to keep their nails manicured, hair well-kept and styled, make up done 'to a high standard' and maintain a tan.

They must also eat well and stay in shape. For this they will be provided with an allowance of $100 to $500 a week.

Girlfriends are also expected to attend family dinners and help out around the mansion.

The advert lists two 'deal breakers' which included being in a current relationship and getting into any relationship other than one with Mr Beynon while living at the mansion.
The Bexar County Sheriffs Office is making changes at the jail and with how deputies respond to non-emergency calls as a precaution against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The sheriffs office said Friday that deputies are working to limit their contact with the public, except in situations when they are most needed.

Deputies have been asked not to enter private residences or businesses and are encouraged to conduct as much business outside as possible.

Non-critical calls are also being handled over the phone instead of dispatching a deputy to the scene, BCSO said.

In addition, a medical command post has been stationed inside a controlled entryway in the Justice Intake and Assessment Annex, where inmates are processed into the jail.

Inmates will be pre-screened for illness at that location. If a fever or flu-like symptoms are apparent, the prisoner will be booked and housed apart from other inmates, officials said.

There are currently no confirmed cases of the virus within the jail.

Inmates who are medically cleared will then wash their hands before continuing through the booking process.

In order to reduce the number of inmates at the jail, officials are encouraging the enforcement of cite and release policies, and that officers file non-violent charges at large when possible.

The jail also plans to reduce its population by working with the courts to maximize GPS releases for sentenced prisoners.

Deputies said the work-release program is also being suspended until further notice.

Officials did not say exactly how long the changes will be in place, only that they are temporary and responsive to changes with the novel coronavirus situation.

Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
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Thousands of worshipers have gathered for the Hillsong conference in Sydney just one day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a ban on events with more than 500 people.

Mr Morrison announced on Friday the government would ban 'non essential' public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday amid increased concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

But the decision has sparked controversy within the community, with some people accusing the evangelical Christian PM of delaying the ban until after the weekend to ensure the Hillsong Colour Conference would go ahead.

There was also speculation the die-hard Cronulla Sharks fan put off the event restrictions to watch his NRL team take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday evening.

Large groups of people attend Hillsong Church Colour Conference in Sydney's north-west on Saturday

The worshipers flocked to the Hillsong Convention Centre in Baulkham Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Saturday

Worshippers wore face masks and carried umbrellas as they braced rainy and cool conditions in Sydney on Saturday

Saturday's conference comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would ban events with more than 500 people from Monday

The international Women's Hillsong meet went ahead at the Hillsong Convention Centre in Baulkham Hills, in Sydney's north-west, on Saturday. The venue has a capacity of 3,300.

Worshipers wore face masks and carried umbrellas as they braced rainy and cool conditions to attend the conference.

In an update on Friday, Senior Pastor Brian Houston said it had been a remarkable Colour Conference so far 'and we are believing for a great weekend ahead'.

'All church services across Australia will continue as normal this weekend,' he said.

'I am sure you are aware of the Prime Ministers announcement today regarding the Coronavirus.

'After this weekend, we will continue to gather in groups under 500 and/or online.

'My prayer is that our whole church will be committed to still gathering even if that means online which is a good and viable option.

'Lets remain in faith, compliant with those in authority and lets believe that this pandemic will pass quickly.'

Two people wear face masks at the Hillsong conference in Sydney on Saturday. The event comes after the government banned public gatherings with more than 500 people from Monday

Worshippers carry umbrellas with the Hillsong logo as they battle rain on Saturday. Some hide from the wet conditions with ponchos

The Morrison family have regularly been seen at Hillsong events and attended the opening of the Hillsong annual conference in July last year.

Mr Morrison's motives were questioned by Twitter users.

'A journalist needs to come straight out and ask Morrison if his reluctance to stop large gatherings is related to the big Hillsong Church gathering with people from all over the world attending. Why only stop gatherings larger than 500 people Chief Medical Officer?' one person tweeted.

'Massive Hillsong conference over two weeks finishing this weekend in Sydney. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world tightly packed in. Millions of tax free dollars for our PM's best friend and mentor. No wonder there is no shut down of mass gatherings yet,' wrote another.

The international Women's Hillsong meet went ahead at the Hillsong Convention Centre in Baulkham Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Saturday. The venue has a capacity of 3,300

Pictured: Attendees at a Hillsong event in Sydney's north-west on Saturday

'BUT #slowmo can't agree to shut down large crowd events just yet. The Hillsong conference still has one day to go. Priorities here. Look after the Happy Clappers first. Cant spoil their party even if they infect each other,' tweeted a third.

'Morrison should emulate Canada and do everything to 'flatten the curve'. Cancel the Hillsong conference in interest of social distancing. It's obscene to allow this potential source of infection transmission to go ahead. He'll be culpable for any spread,' another wrote.

City of Sydney Councillor Kerryn Phelps and doctor tweeted: 'I have seen no logical explanation for delaying the advice on mass gatherings until after the weekend. At this stage of a pandemic, every hour counts.'

Mr Morrison on Friday evening confirmed he would not attend the Sharks game on Saturday evening after earlier insisting he would go.

Scott Morrison said he would attend the Cronulla Sharks game against the Rabbitohs on Saturday before changing his mind. Mr Morrison is pictured at the NRL game between Cronulla and Manly in May, 2019

Pictured: Mr Morrison attends an Easter Sunday service at Horizon Church in Sydney

'It might be the last game (I get) to go to for a long time,' he said on Friday.

A spokesman from Mr Morrison's office defended the decision to introduce the ban on Monday as it was 'not actually necessary yet, but will be going forward'.

'It's very precautionary,' the spokesman said, adding the decision was based on the advice of all the chief medical officers to allow the federal government time to formulate protocols and guidelines.

The decision to introduce the ban from Monday was agreed upon by the prime minister, as well as state and territory leaders based on advice from Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy.

Many have speculated Scott Morrison's ban on mass gatherings will start from Monday because of the Hillsong conference

'There's no immediacy about this, but we need to get ahead of the curve and so the recommendation was Monday and the premiers and the prime minister agreed with that,' Mr Murphy said.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

'It wouldn't have mattered if they'd made a decision one or two days either side. It was felt that that was a reasonable time to progress.'

On Friday, Mr Morrison said the government wants people to go about their 'normal everyday business'.

The ban doesn't include schools, university lectures or public transport. The move will be critical to reducing the virus's spread, to prevent overloading hospital intensive care units.

The government is also urging all Australians to reconsider the need to travel.

'Only essential travel should be considered if you're going overseas from this point onwards,' Mr Morrison said.

The nation's chief medical officer, Prof Brendan Murphy, added: 'We're not suggesting people should interrupt their normal daily work'.

There are more than 200 confirmed cases of cornavirus in Australia and three people have died.

There are more than 200 confirmed cases of cornavirus in Australia and three people have died




He joined forces with his brother Curtis earlier in the day for a penalty shootout.

But Strictly Come Dancing pro AJ Pritchard was joined by his beautiful girlfriend Abbie Quinnen on Friday as they left MediaCity in Manchester after the Sport Relief telethon.

The pro, 25, proudly supported the cause in a Sport Relief T-shirt as he left the studio with dancer Abbie, 22, who proudly displayed her washboard stomach in a black silk crop top.

Loved-up: Strictly Come Dancing pro AJ Pritchard, 25, was joined by his beautiful girlfriend Abbie Quinnen, 22, on Friday as they left MediaCity in Manchester after Sport Relief

AJ cut a casual figure in his relaxed Sport Relief T-shirt and acid washed jeans as he exited the studio with girlfriend Abbie.

The pretty dancer teamed a black crop top with oversized trousers and crocodile skin heeled boots, along with a cream trench coat.

Later AJ made a quick change out of his Sport Relief gear into a simple white T-shirt and long black trench coat as he headed out with Abbie.

Cute: Later AJ changed out of his Sport Relief gear as he headed out for the evening with Abbie, who wrapped up in a long cream trench coat

Abbie and AJ were grinning from ear to ear as they headed out of the studio after attending the Sport Relief telethon, which raised more than 40 million for good causes.

AJ made an appearance on Sport Relief after taking to the road for a nationwide tour with his newly-single brother Curtis.

Speaking to MailOnline ahead of the launch of the touring show, Curtis said: 'The show may be called AJ Live, but I'm in every routine. So it should be called AJ Live... but with a lot of Curtis too!'

Curtis recently revealed the cheap and cheerful gift he purchased her his now ex-girlfriend Maura Higgins for Valentine's Day  just weeks before the couple announced their split.

Cute: The couple headed out of MediaCity hand-in-hand after the telethon which raised 40 million for good causes

During a new interview with Heat magazine alongside his brother, Curtis revealed that his gift came about because he was pushed for time with his schedule on The Greatest Dancer, while she was busy with Dancing On Ice.

After a round of playful jibes from his brother about who was the most romantic  and being accused of not doing 'anything' for Maura on Valentine's Day  Curtis responded: 'I got Maura a bouquet of roses and a nice bottle of wine. Tescos Finest.'

Last week, a source confirmed to MailOnline that Maura and Curtis had officially split, just eight months after they met in the Love Island villa. They were further hit by claims that they had secretly split three months earlier.

The former grid girl allegedly felt pressured to stay in her relationship with the professional dancer in a bid to boost their profile, despite only announcing their split one week ago  claims that Curtis strongly denies.
ALBANY, N.Y.  The New York State Police Basic School is limiting attendance at its graduation ceremony on March 18 due to the state restrictions on gatherings of 500 people or more.

Cuomo put the restriction in place to limit mass gatherings in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The graduation ceremony is now closed to the public, and will be moved from the Empire State Plaza Convention Center to the New York State Police Academy on the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany.

The ceremony will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m.
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Engineering College (PEC), a deemed to be university, here on Saturday suspended all classes as a precautionary measure amid the coronavirus outbreak and asked students to vacate hostels on the campus by Monday.

In an email to the students, the institutes director, Dheeraj Sanghi, said that classes will remain closed till April 13 and the semester will be extended to compensate for the academic shortfall.

He said, All classes are suspended with immediate effect for an indefinite period. We will be reviewing the situation regularly and announce the opening date when it is relatively safer to do so. As of now, we believe that it may be possible to restart classes on April 13 but we hope we can do it earlier. The semester will be extended by as many days as duration of suspension of classes.

All students are to vacate hostels within 72 hours, that is, by Tuesday noon, March 17, the director said.

However, MTech and PhD students and international students will be allowed to stay back. The only exception to this will be second year MTech students, PhD students and those whose homes are outside India. If anyone else has a pressing reason to stay in the hostel, they may contact the dean of students affairs for the same. The institute remains open, and access to its labs to these students will continue as of now, the director added.

For the students undergoing internship, the institute advised them to follow guidelines of the host organisations.
Shareholders holding 100 or more shares to face a three-year lock-in on their 75% investment.

The government on Friday (13 March) notified the scheme of reconstruction for Yes Bank. As per the reconstruction scheme, apart from State Bank of India and other new private investors picking up equity in the cash strapped bank, all existing shareholders who are holding 100 or more shares will also face a three-year lock-in for their 75% investment.

"There shall be a lock-in period of three years from the commencement of this Scheme to the extent of seventy-five per cent in respect of-- (a) shares held by existing shareholders on the date of such commencement; (b) shares allotted to the investors under this Scheme: Provided that the said lock-in period shall not apply to any shareholder holding less than one hundred shares, the notification issued late on Friday (13 March 2020) said.

Meanwhile, the restrictions on withdrawals from the bank accounts will be lifted in three working days or on 18 March. The order of moratorium on the reconstructed bank issued by the Government of India...shall cease to have effect on the third working day at 18:00 hours from the date of commencement of this Scheme, the notification said.

Earlier on 5 March, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed Yes Bank under a moratorium, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor till 3 April. It had also superseded the board and placed it under an administrator, Prashant Kumar, former deputy managing director and CFO of SBI.

Under the scheme, Prashant Kumar has been appointed as the chief executive officer and managing director of the bank, with Sunil Mehta, former non-executive chairman of punjab national bank as non executive chairman, and Mahesh Krishnamurthy and Atul Bheda as non-executive director. The new board will be formed within seven days from cessation of the moratorium.

Additionally, SBI will nominate two officers as directors and the RBI may also appoint one or more persons as additional directors.

The notification states that all employees of the reconstructed bank will continue working with the same remuneration and on the same terms and conditions of service for a minimum period of one year. Provided that the board of directors of the reconstructed bank shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing and after following the due procedure, discontinue the services of the key managerial personnel at any time as it deems necessary.

While foreign and domestic institutional investors have been paring their stake in the troubled Yes Bank, the stake of retail investors has been on the rise.

As on 31 December 2019, foreign institutional investors (FII) holding in the private lender stood at 15.17% while domestic institutional investors (DII) held 13.81% stake. The aggregate retail holding in Yes Bank at the end of December quarter stood at 47.96%.

Yes Bank notified to the stock exchanges on Saturday (14 March 2020) that 'Yes Bank Reconstruction Scheme, 2020' has been approved by the central government and the scheme has been notified in the Official Gazette on 13 March 2020. The scheme has come into force on 13 March 2020.

The bank said that as per the scheme, 75% of the shareholding of the shareholders holding 100 or more shares will be automatically under the lock-in. Accordingly, all shareholders holding 100 or more equity shares are advised to exercise utmost caution while dealing in the script of the bank and be guided by the scheme, it added in a statement.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size A year after the shootings that left 51 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch, experts have warned that hate crime and xenophobia are on the rise in New Zealand. While the attacks at two mosques led to an outpouring of support for the Muslim community, it also inspired far-right nationalists and anti-immigration campaigners to be more active online and offline, say Muslim leaders, activists and experts. A survey by online safety agency Netsafe found online hate speech increased in New Zealand last year, with about 15 per cent of adults targeted in the 12 months to June last year. The numbers were similar in Australia, where 14 per cent of more than 3700 adults surveyed were estimated to have been targeted by hate speech online in the year to August, according to a report from Australia's eSafety Commissioner. After the mosque attacks, Labor senator Penny Wong warned that the normalisation of hate speech and extremist views in Parliament was making democracy "more fragile". And comments by former Senator Fraser Anning that included that "the real cause of the bloodshed" in Christchurch was "the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place" prompted a bipartisan censure motion in the Senate over his "inflammatory and divisive" words. Meanwhile, around the world "hate is moving into the mainstream," warned the head of the United Nations last year, with social media and other modes of communication being "exploited as platforms for bigotry". "Public discourse is being weaponised for political gain with incendiary rhetoric that stigmatises and dehumanises minorities, migrants, refugees, women and any so-called 'other'," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The coronavirus pandemic has, unsurprisingly, exacerbated the problem, prompting a European human rights watchdog in March to urge a clampdown on fake news and hate speech on social media. But what are we talking about when we talk about hate speech? Is hate speech against the law? And why is it so controversial? Credit:Illustration: Dionne Gain

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What's hate speech? Hate speech can be a confusing term, defined differently in different contexts. In its strategy for dealing with hate speech, the United Nations says there is no international legal definition, and what is considered hateful is disputed. But for the purposes of having a plan of action to counteract it, the UN describes hate speech as "any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are." The speech is directed at a person's "religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor". It's 26 years since a bulletin on a Rwandan radio station called for violence against the nations Tutsi ethnic minority. On the day when people rise up and dont want you Tutsi any more, when they hate you as one and from the bottom of their hearts  I wonder how you will escape, it read. This broadcast and others like it were extreme examples of hate speech, and an estimated one million people were murdered in the ensuing genocide in 1994. Three people who ran the radio station are serving 30-year prison sentences, in part for inciting genocide. "[T]he Holocaust did not start with the gas chambers, nor did the genocides in Rwanda, Srebrenica or Cambodia start with mass killings, said the Antonio Guterres said on World Genocide Commemoration Day in December. They were all preceded by discrimination, hate speech, incitement to violence and the dehumanisation of the other. Social media platform have their definitions too. "We do not allow hate speech on Facebook because it creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion, and in some cases, may promote real-world violence," reads Facebook's community standards policy. Facebook defines hate speech as a direct attack on people based on "protected characteristics" (including race, ethnicity, gender identity and serious disease or disability) and it details the kind of "hate speech" content it will remove. Professor Katharine Gelber from the University of Queensland prefers the term systemically discriminatory speech because it highlights the idea that there is an element of discrimination to hate speech. Hate speech is an act of discrimination like any other  except with words, Professor Gelber says. "While anyone can be the target of hateful language, hate speech is different," she says. To cross the line between hateful language and hate speech it needs to be capable of enacting discrimination in the context in which it is uttered.

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Credit:Illustration: Dionne Gain How does hate speech do damage? First, there are the consequences  what follows from it. Ever since the Rwandan genocide, a major aim has been identifying the early warning signs of mass atrocities. Dehumanising a population  the Tutsi minority were referred to as "cockroaches" on local radio and elsewhere  is typical of tropes in speech that can lead to violence. Then there are what academics call constitutive harms  where the speech is intrinsically harmful. Just by saying the hate speech, you have harmed people, says Professor Gelber. They are placed as lesser than. They have powers taken away from them. Hate speech has been found to lower the self-esteem of those against whom it is directed, cause psychological distress, prevent people from wanting to socialise and sometimes degrade physical health. Research also suggests that, over time, hate speech can strengthen negative stereotypes. Professor Gelber and Professor Luke McNamara, co-director of the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice at UNSW, examined interviews with 100 members of minority ethnic communities in Australia in 2015 who had experienced what they regarded as hate speech. Interviewees spoke of fear, victimisation, restrictions on freedom, blows to self-esteem and the sense that others were leaning on deep-seated power imbalances to vilify them. When told by a student to go where you belong, a study participant said this: I know that Im different from them  and Im hurting, I feel that Im living here and Im [earning] my livelihood here, my family is here but Im not in their [good]will.

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Credit:Illustration: Dionne Gain Are there laws on hate speech in Australia? A patchwork of state and federal laws cover most, but not all, types of hate speech, even if they are not named "hate speech" laws but more often "vilification". In the mid-90s, the federal Labor government amended the Racial Discrimination Act to include section 18C under which you can be sanctioned if you offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person due to their race, colour or national or ethnic origin (religion, sexuality and gender are not included). Section 18D allows exceptions where the speech is reasonable and made in good-faith for academic, artistic or other public interest contributions. Those who breach this civil law may be the subject of a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission, which attempts to come to an agreement between the vilified person and the vilifier. On rare occasions, the matter may end up in court. In 2000, the commission found that German-born Australian Fredrick Toben had racially vilified Jews by arguing on his website that the Holocaust did not happen. Nine years later, after two court proceedings, Toben was sentenced to three months in prison for being in contempt of court by refusing to take down the material. In 2011, a Federal Court judge ruled that two articles by conservative media commentator Andrew Bolt  headlined Its so hip to be black and White fellas in the black  contravened section 18C.

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In 2016, former federal senator David Leyonhjelm filed a complaint with the commission after he was labelled an angry white male in an opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. His complaint was rejected, in part because the terms white and male were not considered terms of denigration by the commission. A Western Australian court delivered the state's first sentence under its criminal anti-vilification laws in 2011 with a three-year jail term for a man who posted online a video of himself insulting a Jewish man. In Victoria, three far-right extremists who staged a mock beheading in protest at plans to build a mosque were convicted of a criminal offence and fined $2000 each under Victoria's racial vilification laws in 2017. A parliamentary committee has been reviewing Victoria's anti-vilification laws since September amid a push to widen the 2001 Racial and Religious Tolerance Act to include hate speech targeting people for their gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, as well internet harassment. In NSW, in 2018 criminal offences of serious vilification that had been located in the Anti-Discrimination Act were amended and added to the Crimes Act to deal with publicly threatening or inciting violence on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex, or HIV/AIDS status. Federally, critics of the proposed religious discrimination bill, which looks to protect employees from being fired for expressing their religious views, are asking whether the proposed laws could actually protect some forms of hate speech. Credit:Illustration: Dionne Gain

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The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) with support from the EU and ARAP, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Key Accountability Institutions (KAIs) in Ghana.

The eleven (11) KAIs are: The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Parliament of Ghana, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Audit Service, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Narcotics Control Board, the Internal Audit Agency, the Bureau of National Investigation, Ghana police service, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

The MoU which was signed among eleven (11) key accountability institutions was on the theme "Strengthening Collaboration between and among key accountability institutions in Ghana".

The MOU developed is to assist transparency and accountability and improve coordination and systems for the fight against corruption in the furtherance of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).

The MOU also aimed at exchanging information; foster better understanding and cooperation among the KAIs; promote synergy and better coordination of activities among the KAIs; enhance the capacity of KAIs to address challenges of emerging methods of corruption and crime, and minimize the potential for mandate overlaps.

Mr. Richard Ackom Quayson, Deputy Commissioner, CHRAJ said, Over the years, various measures have been adopted to combat corruption in Ghana.

"These measures include the adoption of legislative and other measures to streamline the systems for managing and accounting for the effective and efficient use of Ghanas limited resources, and for improved public service delivery".

"Notwithstanding the measures initiated, the Country continues to encounter significant challenges in addressing corruption in particular and fighting crime in general", he said.

He said, they have identified strong collaboration among Anti-Corruption Agencies as key to achieving Strategic Objective 4, which is to Conduct Effective Investigations and Prosecution of Corrupt Conduct.

The first Cycle Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by Ghana also recommended that Ghana should take steps to improve

collaboration among anti-corruption and key accountability institutions in the country", he noted.

Mr. Quayson stated that Protocols are to be developed under the MoU to enable the KAIs to: undertake specific activities including sharing information and experiences; organize periodic engagements for the public.

Adding, develop mechanisms for case referrals, taking into account mandates, resources and capabilities; conduct joins activities and investigations as appropriate; develop strategies for effective collaboration with civil society and private sector organizations.

Mr. Joseph Whittal, CHRAJ Commissioner, said Ghanaians are beginning to be cynical and are expecting a lot from accountability institutions in the fight against corruption and crime.

He urged the institutions mandated under the law to put their synergies to work.

We cannot fight it individually, hence the collaboration and the MOU marks the beginning of the coalition of all the energies of the key anti-corruption institutions agreeing to work together, he said.

Mr. Whittal said the MoU should not be put down to gather dust but rather actualized and the institutions involved have no excuse to fail Ghanaians.

Commissioner of Police Frank Adu-Poku Rtd, Executive Director of Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), said their institution was key so far as the fight against corruption was concerned but they could not do it alone and was committed to ensuring that the MOU would lead to effective action.

He said EOCOs doors were opened to support the initiative to help fight against corruption and crime in the country.
Oregon public health officials announced Feb. 28 that tests had revealed the states first presumptive case of the novel coronavirus. Two weeks later, at least 31 more Oregonians have tested positive for the virus, called COVID-19.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM SATURDAY, INCLUDING OREGONS FIRST DEATH

State and local officials have announced escalating measures to slow the spread of the disease. Oregon schools will close for two weeks, large gatherings will cease statewide for one month and some government services such as police, courts and libraries made drastic changes to how they serve the public.

The spotlight has turned to a Linn County nursing home, where eight residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Almost all of the men are 75 or older. Public health officials are trying to stop the virus from sweeping through the facility.

As the news changes every day, here are key developments that emerged this week:

TESTING: The states testing capacity for COVID-19 remains limited, two weeks after testing kits arrived in Oregon. Dr. Jennifer Vines, Multnomah Countys public health officer, acknowledged Friday that many people still dont have access to testing. Gov. Kate Brown blamed unfulfilled promises by Vice President Mike Pence and the federal government for Oregons shortcomings in testing and medical preparedness.

Private labs have started to perform at least some tests. But hospitals say they arent sure when they will offer testing to patients. The Oregonian/OregonLive found supply shortages arent isolated to Oregon, though other states have responded differently to growing demand for tests.

RESPONDING: The Edward C. Allsworth Veterans Home in Lebanon has become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Oregon. Eight male residents of the home have tested positive for the disease, and its possible that number may grow.

Fears remain heightened at senior residential centers like the Lebanon veterans home, one of two in the state, because the virus attacks older people and people with underlying health conditions with the most virulence. State and county health officials are testing every resident and worker at the home to try and prevent it from spreading.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

CLOSING: Many of Oregons biggest attractions announced that they would close, at least through March. The list includes the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland Art Museum and the Oregon Historical Society. Event organizers also called off concerts, sporting events, conferences and worship services across the state. The Multnomah County library system closed all of its branches.

The shutdowns are in response to an order by the governor banning gatherings of 250 people or more. By Thursday, Brown also ordered K-12 schools to close for two weeks.

The actions are all meant to slow the spread of the virus and stop new cases from overwhelming hospitals. State officials said Thursday that without proper prevention measures, the number of cases in Oregon could grow to 75,000 by May.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Hi Future Tensers,

As COVID-19 continues to spread, coronavirus memes have gone, erm, viral. My favorite is Wash Your Lyrics, a rare case of a meme developed by a 17-year-old that also functions as an effective public health initiative. The meme wars are a battle between the dark (panic, misinformation, and conspiracy theories) versus the light (hand washing memes and the World Health Organizations very earnest TikTok account). At a time when social distancing has been prescribed as the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus, online communication is a crucial resource for informationand connection. As an antidote to social distancing, Slate has curated a selection of pieces that explore how the virus is impacting our lives, the Coronavirus Diaries. (This Future Tense Coronavirus Diary, for instance, looks at the life of a moderator on Reddits biggest sub for coronavirus news.)

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Haley Swensons story The Coronavirus Is a Reminder That Elder-Care Workers Deserve Much Better is a warning that our already-strained care economy cannot withstand a pandemic. So far, more than one-fifth of deaths from COVID-19 have been people over the age of 80, who are largely in the care of underpaid, highly strained care workers. Swenson says its a system in need of a rapid overhaul: $11 an hour is not the kind of investment it takes to develop a workforce that can protect the nation from a public health crisis. With low pay, demanding hours, and usually, no benefits, its easy to see why turnover for home health aides even outside a public health crisis is around 50 percent.

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Best of Future Tense, Coronavirus Edition

Aaron Mak Will the Coronavirus Break the Internet?

Alissa Quart Instacart Shoppers and DoorDash Drivers Are Now Basically First Responders

Josephine Wolff How Russia and China Are Manipulating Coronavirus Conversations Online

Chloe Hadavas How Taiwan and Singapore Have Contained the Coronavirus

Wish Wed Published This

No Cell Signal, No Wi-Fi, No Problem. Growing Up Inside Americas Quiet Zone, by Dan Levin, New York Times

Three Questions for a Smart Person

Charles Kenny is a senior fellow and the director of technology and development at the Center for Global Development and the author most recently of Close the Pentagon: Rethinking National Security for a Positive-Sum World. Future Tense editorial director Andres Martinez spoke with him about the coronavirus and global development.

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Andres: This grim week seems like a good time to check in with one of global developments foremost optimists, author of Getting Better and The Upside of Down. Charles, is the coronavirus pandemic and our global response to it making you reassess your belief that things have been getting better for most of humanity in ways we dont fully appreciate?

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Charles: In terms of health, and up until now, things are still getting better worldwide. But COVID-19 certainly demonstrates that our progress could be slowed or reversed if we dont act together. Like climate or financial crises, pandemics arent stopped by borders. Increasingly, our well-being as individuals depends on global collaboration around things like fostering research and exchange, lowering emissions, regulating banksand monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks.

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I admit U.S. federal policymaking has depressed merather than leading a global response, trying to hide behind harmful travel bans. But many state and local governments in the U.S. as well as governments in other countries and international institutions like the World Health Organization have done better. Thank goodness Washington isnt quite so central to global well-being as it used to be I guess one lesson for the future is to make sure we have more institutional redundancy when it comes to global challengesso if Washington is (still) dysfunctional or international regulatory structures around health or banking fall apart, weve got some form of backup institution to mitigate the damage.

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Killer plagues, cataclysmic wars, devastating natural disastersthroughout history, our societies have learned to be more resilient as a result of such crises (improving public health systems, for starters). Its early days, but is there one behavioral or technological innovation youd like to see us (the collective global us) adapt as a result of this pandemicsomething that decades wed look back and say yeah, we do this because of the 2020 coronavirus?

One thing would be around vaccine development and its implications. Right now there are a bunch of different research teams worldwide working on a vaccine. Hopefully some are only weeks away from starting human trials, but then you have to develop mass-manufacturing capability really rapidly. A lot of people right now are trying to figure out how we go from detecting a new disease to backing multiple research efforts while simultaneously thinking about global manufacture and delivery in a few months rather than, say, 18 months. We know the current global system for supporting pharmaceutical development cant do that, but thats just one example: Were facing real problem developing new antibiotics, too. I hope we look back and say COVID-19 was the moment the planet woke up and realized we needed better global mechanisms to support rapid development, testing, production, worldwide distribution and delivery of essential medicines to fight infection.

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Conversely, whats your biggest worry when you think of legacies this pandemic might leave behind, viewed from the perspective of global development?

Infectious diseases have always been associated with fear of the other. Show people pictures of victims of an infection, and they become less friendly to people they dont know. Youve seen politicians who dont like foreigners suggest COVID-19 is a reason to build walls. Globalization over the past century has been facilitated by the huge decline of communicable diseasesthey used to kill most people, now they kill about 1 in 5. I dont think COVID-19 will reverse that progress, but if it sparks a nativist reaction nonetheless, that will slow down global exchange and, perhaps most of all, the movement of people. Given migration (both temporary and permanent) is simply the greatest force for development that we know, that would be a tragedy for development prospects.

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Future Tense Recommends

Severance, by Ling Ma, is not the novel to read right now if youre looking for escapist literature. Its about a devastating pandemic that originates in China and spreads worldwide. But it is a beautifully written, thought-provoking tale ofto Charles Kennys pointsthe interconnectedness of supply chains and people around the world, and it puts a fresh spin on the tired zombie-outbreak trope.Torie Bosch, Future Tense editor

What Next: TBD

In the latest episode of Slates technology podcast, Lizzie OLeary talks to the superintendent of a Seattle-area school district and to Dana Goldstein, an education reporter with the New York Times (and a former New America fellow!), about whether K-12 schools can really handle the move to online education.

Margaret from Future Tense

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Donald Trump insists that hes fine. He feels extremely good, in fact, and also very good. Hed be happy to get a coronavirus test, he said Friday, if one were ever needed. But, he tells us, theres no reason. The president is doing great.

While Trump might feel fineor at least, no different than usualthe people in his immediate vicinity havent all been able to say the same. Over the past week or so, weve learned about multiple instances of Donald Trump directly interacting with either a coronavirus victim or someone who recently interacted with someone with the coronavirus. Considering how highly infectious this new strain of coronavirus is, someone who has had multiple opportunities to contract the virus might have cause for concern.

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But if Trump wont worry about his own health, it falls on us to worry about it for him. Mr. President, lets look at the facts.

When could Trump have potentially contracted the virus?

On March 7, it was announced that an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Whats more, this wasnt just any normal attendee. This person was at least high-profile enough to have come into direct contact with lawmakers Ted Cruz, Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, and Doug Collins, as well as American Conservative Union president Matt Schlapp. Schlapp has since self-quarantined, but not before introducing Trump and greeting him with a firm, prolonged handshake.

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As his speech came to a close, Trump wandered over to a nearby American flag and embraced it. During that warm embrace, Trump placed his face firmly on his right hand.

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Schlapp wasnt the only CPAC attendee with direct coronavirus exposure to then spend time with Trump. On Monday, before entering his own self-quarantine, Matt Gaetz flew with the president on Air Force One.

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Both Gaetz and Schlapp have said that the self-quarantine was out of an abundance of caution and that theyve yet to experience any symptoms. While this doesnt entirely remove the possibility that they may have been carriers, it is at least one point in the presidents favor. Unfortunately, this was not Trumps only potential point of contact with the new coronavirus.

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On March 8, Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, posted a photo of himself with Trumpand Vice President Mike Pence, Trumps designated leader of the White Houses anti-pandemic efforts.

Their heads appear to be approximately one foot apart, plenty close enough for a spare saliva or mucus particle to make its way from one orifice to another. Curiously, if you look closely on the right-hand side of the image, youll see a number of bizarre smudges and irregularities.

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Above, you can see that same portion, brightened a bit to highlight the oddities. It bears the unmistakable hallmark of Photoshops clone tool, which allows the user to paint over part of an image with different portions of that same image. Here, we appear to be looking at misplaced section of Trumps tie and coat.

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You can see exactly which portions have been doctored in the diagram above.

Now, the conspiracy-minded might understandably assume, on finding obvious evidence of tampering in a widely circulated and newsworthy photo, that all this effort to obscure something must have had a nefarious purpose. I myself thought whoever edited the photo must have been trying to obscure some additional touching, or perhaps even a used tissue.

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Upon further research, though, I discovered a different photo taken of the same group of people at the same time. From this, it appears our Brazilian communications aide (or whoever edited his photo for him) was merely trying to place himself at the forefront of the scene, at the expense of the man to his left.

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But this additional photo revealed something else. As you can see from the flesh-colored blur, Wajngartens hand had at one point been a mere six inches from Trumps own. While no direct contact appears to have been captured on camera, a hand moving as fast Wajngartens apparently was moving might easily have grazed surrounding objects, including the hand of our very own president.

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These photos werent their only interaction. Later, Wajngarten posted a video he recorded in a completely different room, a mere foot or so away from Trumps repeatedly opened mouth.

And in yet another room, Wajngarten hovered around Trump once again.

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According to The New York Times, the aide even made a stop at Kimberly Guilfoyles birthday party, where Trump was also in attendance. Fabio Wajngarten tested positive for the coronavirus several days later.

Despite these repeated, clearly documented interactions, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Thursday that both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time. This runs counter to the advice of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top immunology official, who said that someone who has stood next to a person with the coronavirus should self-isolate and find a test. It would also explain why multiple lawmakers who had similar levels of interaction with Wajngarten have all decided to self-quarantine.

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To make matters worse, just hours ago, it was revealed that a second person in attendance at Mar-a-Lago last weekend has tested positive for the coronavirus.

And as the virus makes its way through the globe-trotting elite, it brings Trump into association with even more potential wellsprings of disease. His own beloved daughter, for instance:

Australian official who met with Ivanka Trump and Attorney General William Barr last week tests positive for coronavirus https://t.co/XwSvtyIvEf pic.twitter.com/tdH4VaoQNl  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 13, 2020

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In other words, Trump has had ample opportunity to come into contact with the virus.

Why wouldnt Trump get tested for the coronavirus?

With COVID-19 test kits being in such short supply, youd think that any potential infectee who had an opportunity to get their hands on one would be relieved. And the president naturally falls into the category of crucial people who might immediately make their way to the top of the list. Donald Trump, however, claims not to be particularly interested in checking his status.

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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after the CPAC revelation, Trump said that he feels extremely good. I feel very good. He then added, I guess its not a big deal to get tested and something I would do, but, again, I spoke to the White House doctor, terrific guy, talented guy. He said he sees no reason to do it. Theres no symptoms, no anything.

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On Thursday, when he was asked about Wajngarten testing positive, Trump said, Lets put it this way, Im not concerned, OK?

Yet if history is any judge, we cant simply take Donald Trumps word for it. If youll recall, before the 2016 election, the Trump campaign released a letter from his longtime doctor, Harold Bornstein, declaring, If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.

EXCLUSIVE: @realDonaldTrump doc says he picked up Trump's language in health letter & 'interpreted it into my own.' pic.twitter.com/wb3pMPmO2C  NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) August 26, 2016

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Two years later, Bornstein admitted to CNN that the letter had been a fraud: [Trump] dictated that whole letter. I didnt write that letter. I just made it up as I went along. More than just demanding his doctor falsify medical records, Trump also apparently took steps to cover up the reality of his health.

Speaking to NBC, Bornstein claimed that, in February 2017, three men came to his office of behalf of Trump to collect the presidents medical records, after Bornstein acknowledged having prescribed him something for hair growth, in what the doctor described as a raid.

Trump also has a history of, if not outright lying about his health, doing everything he can to keep the truth hidden. In November, Trump made an unexpected visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that was followed by a multi-day absence from the public eye. The visit was not announced ahead of time, the medical staff at Walter Reed were reportedly not given advance notice, and the accompanying White House reporters were strictly forbidden from reporting on the presidents movements until he arrived. All of this would have been highly unusual for a sitting president undergoing a routine checkup, which is what the White House claimed had prompted the visit.

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And while the White House claimed that Trump had merely undergone a quick exam and labs, CNN reported that several experts familiar with White House medical procedures said that Trump can get routine labwork done at the White Houses on-site clinic, indicating Trump needed tests that cant be done there.

Does he appear to have any symptoms?

According to the CDC, the main symptoms to watch out for are fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Its obviously impossible to truly diagnose the coronavirus from a distance, and most of these symptoms could also indicate any number of other ailments. But we are not here to talk about any number of other ailments. We are here to talk about the coronavirus, and whether our president might have COVID-19. Fortunately, Donald Trump just got done holding an hour-long press conference, giving us ample opportunity to attempt to assess his physical state.

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Roughly six seconds into the above clip, you can hear Trump falter on the word virus. Unlike other Trump linguistic stumbles, this one does not seem to be a symptom of reading difficulty. He begins saying the word, getting as far as sounding out vi, before pausing, appearing to collect himself, and finishing the word. Theres a slight shortness of breath, or perhaps merely a half-wheeze. Either way, it does not appear to be the voice of a man who is feeling his absolute best.

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This does not appear to be a single-day anomaly. On Wednesday, Trump gave an error-riddled primetime address, in which he announced a number of actions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. Throughout the speech, he seemed similarly lethargic and short of breath.

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Perhaps more alarming, though, was Mike Pence today. In the clip below, as soon as he gets his first few words out, Pence pauses for several seconds before finishing his thought. That in itself wouldnt be too out of the ordinary if not for the what happens during the pause.

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There is audible, heavy breathing that would seem to indicate at least some shortness of breath. Mike Pence has been in many of the same situations as Donald Trump. In recent days, he has spent plenty of time in the direct vicinity of Donald Trump. If Pence isnt feeling well, it stands to reason that theres a good chance our president might soon suffer the same fate, if he hasnt already. And while roughly 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are mild, mild can mean anything from pneumonia to having no symptoms at all. Trump himself seems to take particular pleasure in pointing out that, for many, its a very mild disease and you never hear about those people. Which means we cant fully discount the possibility of Trump being asymptomatic.

So, does Donald Trump have the coronavirus? My professional, medical opinion as an English literature and communication major, is that we cannot exclude the possibility that Donald Trump has the coronavirus. In which case, prudence says we must err on the side of caution and assume the worstat least until he takes the test.

Update 11:20 p.m.: A third person who attended Mar-a-Lago this past weekend, acting Brazil Ambassador Nestor Forster, has also tested positive for the coronavirus. Forster ate dinner with the president on Saturday night.

Update 3/14, 1:00 p.m.: During a press conference today, Donald Trump claimed that he took the test last night, that it had been sent to a lab, and that results are expected within a few days. This would appear to directly contradict the letter released by Trumps physician at midnight last night, which stated that testing the president for coronavirus is not currently indicated.

Update 3/14, 7:35 p.m.: Less than 24 hours after Trumps physician released a memo stating that the president had not been tested for the coronavirus, the White House has released a second memo announcing that the presidents test results have come back negative.
By PTI

ALIPURDUAR: The West Bengal government has sealed the state's border with Bhutan in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Police, which mans the border gate on the Indian side in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district, stopped the movement of goods and travellers from India to Bhutan on Friday evening, the official said.



Coronavirus LIVE UPDATES | Pak responds positively to PM Modi's video conferencing offer on COVID-19

The move comes after Bhutan recently issued a notification to the Alipurduar district administration informing it about a halt in tourist and business activities in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, he said.

The Himalayan kingdom had earlier this month banned the entry of foreigners after an American tourist tested positive for the coronavirus.
As coronavirus panic spreads, scientists around the world are working to develop a vaccine to combat the disease. Along with scientists in other countries, scientists in Israel and the U.S. announced they've had some early successes in the development process, although obviously much more remains to be done before anything is ready for humans.

Amid fears of a looming pandemic, scientists in the US and across the globe are scrambling to develop vaccines  including in Israel, where one group of researchers says it could be ready in just three weeks and available for use within 90 days. The scientists at the Galilee Research Institute, known as MIGAL, are adapting its vaccine against the avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus, or IBV, to work for the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19, the Jerusalem Post reported. "Congratulations to MIGAL on this exciting breakthrough. I am confident that there will be further rapid progress, enabling us to provide a needed response to the grave global COVID-19 threat," said Ofir Akunis, Israel's minister of science and technology. ... MIGAL CEO David Zigdon said the vaccine could "achieve safety approval in 90 days," according to the Jerusalem Post. "Given the urgent global need for a human coronavirus vaccine, we are doing everything we can to accelerate development," he added. Akunis said he has instructed his ministry's director-general to speed up all approval processes.

However, they all admitted that there is still much work to be done before an effective vaccine is approved. Word of an effective vaccine would be happily embraced by most of the world. Most  not all. Not if any part of it involves...Israel. You know who these hate filled, destructive people are Here are the blunt feelings of one of them:

I'd rather take my chances with the virus than consume an Israeli vaccine https://t.co/A3I6orCUYr  Roshan M Salih (@RmSalih) March 12, 2020

O-o-kay. If he wants to suffer  maybe even die  because of his hate, well, I'm good with that. His life, his decision and frankly, bye-bye; you won't be missed.

Many others thought the same way, prompting Salih to pout about the force of the evil Israeli troll lobby. And even more powerful Israel Zionist actions!

Looks like I've activated the Israel lobby  Roshan M Salih (@RmSalih) March 12, 2020

From his tweets to reality.

May he be blessed with 72 virgins after his death!
Amid a controversy over the cremation of the 68-year-old woman who died in Delhi after being infected with novel coronavirus, the Union health ministry has begun working on framing guidelines for handling the bodies of those who die of the disease.

Though it is unlikely that coronavirus infection could spread from handling of a body, the guidelines are being drafted to dispel any misconception and raise awareness regarding spread of the disease from a deceased, a health ministry official said.

"Coronavirus infection is a respiratory disease which spreads through droplets and the probability of mortuary or disposal staff contracting the virus from the dead is unlikely as against in case of high-risk pathogens like Ebola and Nipah which have very high chances of spreading through direct contact with body-fluids of the deceased," the official said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on 'Infection prevention and control of epidemic and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections in health care' recommends proper use of personal protection equipment in accordance with standard precautions to avoid direct contact with body fluids while moving a body from isolation room or area.

About mortuary care and post-mortem examination, WHO recommends packing and transporting a body with acute respiratory infection to a morgue, crematorium or burial by ensuring it is fully sealed in an impermeable body bag before being removed from the isolation area to avoid leakage of body fluid.

"When properly packed in a body bag, the body can be safely removed for storage in the mortuary, sent to the crematorium, or placed in a coffin for burial," it said.

The global health body advises using personal protective equipment such as disposable, long-sleeved, cuffed gowns for handling bodies; if the outside of the body is visibly contaminated with body fluids, excretions, or secretions, it has to be ensured that the gown is waterproof.

It further recommends that mortuary staff and burial team apply standard precautions like proper hand hygiene and use appropriate personal protective equipment, including facial protection, if there is a risk of splashes from the patient's body fluids or secretions onto the body or face of the staff member.

"Transmission of lethal infectious diseases associated with mortuary care has been reported... manage each situation on a case-by-case basis, balancing the rights of the family with the risks of exposure to infection," WHO said.

Respiratory pathogens which are transmitted through large droplets, include adenovirus, avian influenza A (H5N1), human influenza and SARS-CoV.

"During an influenza pandemic, the circulating human virus is expected to be transmitted in the same manner as seasonal influenza viruses. Hence, droplet precautions should be applied in addition to standard precautions," it said.

The cremation of the 68-year-old west Delhi resident was performed on Saturday under the supervision of medical authorities.

Doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and from civic bodies oversaw the cremation after the crematorium staff reached out to the authorities seeking directives on ensuring that the infection didn't spread from the body, delaying the last rites by a few hours.

"The situation across the world is sensitive. We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials had come to supervise the process," Suman Gupta of the samiti said.

India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday with the Union Health Ministry confirming the death of the woman who had tested positive for the contagious viral disease after coming in contact with her son who acquired the virus after travelling abroad recently. The first casualty was a 76-year-old man in Karnataka who died on March 10.

The ministry said on Saturday that the number of coronavirus positive cases in the country has risen to 84.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rwanda has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, becoming the19th African nation to register a positive case of the COVID-19 virus, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8 tested positive for the virus after he presented himself to a health facility on March 13.

Rwandas national airline, RwandAir, has been forced to suspend all flights to India until April 30 and would refund customers.

With 127,000 people already infected and 4,700 deaths from coronavirus worldwide, African nations still have the least cases.

READ ALSO  Coronavirus: Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona Stars Go Into Quarantine

African nations to have reported cases of the virus include Rwanda, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
Four cruise lines are suspending trips from the United States for the next month at President Donald Trumps request.

Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises agreed to suspend outbound trips for 30 days starting at midnight on Saturday, Trump said.

It is a great and important industryit will be kept that way! Trump said in a statement.

Viking Cruises and Princess Cruises previously suspended all trips over the new coronavirus.

Carnival said in a statement to customers that it was pausing service from March 14 to April 9 for all North America-based ships.

On behalf of all of us at Carnival Cruise Line, we extend our sincere apologies for the disruption to your vacation plans and trust you understand this decision was made with everyones best interest at heart, it said.

Passengers were offered future cruise credit or a refund if they fill out this form.

Royal Caribbean said it was suspending cruises set to depart from the United States for 30 days.

We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play, the company said in a statement.

Norwegian Cruise Line President Harry Sommar said in a letter to passengers that the company was voluntarily suspending all voyages across its fleet, effective immediately, through April 11.

While we have not had any confirmed cases across our 17-ship fleet and are taking this measure in an abundance of caution, we felt it necessary to do our part. Working closely and in partnership with local, state, federal and global agencies, we are committed to taking all appropriate steps and actions to combat the spread of COVID-19, he wrote.

The new coronavirus causes a disease called COVID-19 that can be deadly, especially in elderly people and those with underlying health conditions.

People who bought trips scheduled to take place during the time period will get a future cruise credit or a refund of their fare, Sommer said.

MSC hasnt posted information and didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cruise lines have struggled to attract passengers as COVID-19 spread around the world. One of the largest clusters to date exploded on the Diamond Princess after it docked in Yokohama, Japan, and was quarantined for two weeks. Nearly 700 of the thousands of passengers and crew were ultimately infected.

Another ship, the Grand Princess, was held off the California coast for days before being allowed to dock after 21 passengers and crew tested positive. Passengers were flown to military bases for quarantine. Crew members remained quarantined on the ship, which went back out to sea.

A growing number of cities and countries refused to let ships dock in recent weeks, causing further turmoil in the industry.

American officials warned people in recent days not to get on a cruise ship, particularly those at higher-risk of getting severe cases of COVID-19.

U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship, the State Department said in an advisory.

From The Epoch Times
A four pack of Scott brand Comfort Plus toilet paper sits on the desk next to the open laptop in my living room. It seems like I should just stare at the package for a few seconds.

After two hours, 15 miles and visits to six stores, I found toilet paper in Huntsville, Ala. amid the coronavirus pandemic.

After all, it took two hours, 15 miles of driving around Huntsville and visits to six stores to get my hands on this toilet paper  which, according to the package, has been Tested for Strength and designed for Comfort.

To be fair, I could have bought toilet paper by the roll at my neighborhood gas station. But only if I was willing to lower my standards for quality and softness.

Photos of empty shelves and signs announcing temporarily unavailable products, like sanitizer, hand soap, Lysol and, of course, toilet paper, have overtaken social media feeds in recent days as the coronavirus pandemic spreads and many people prepare for the possibility of a two-week quarantine.

We want to see your photos of empty store aisles in your community as people rush to buy supplies in response to news... Posted by al.com on Saturday, March 14, 2020

(Pro tip: If youre out of toilet paper and using wipes instead, dont flush them down your toilet. Although packages may say the wipes are flushable, they can clog your plumbing system. I speak from personal experience and conversations with plumbing experts.)

It seems the shortage of toilet paper is an issue of shoppers buying it faster than stores can stock it. As AL.coms Bill Thornton reported on Friday, a toilet paper maker in Choctaw County, Ala. says they wont run out.

[Live updates: Coronavirus Covid-19 in Alabama - What you need to know now]

To be clear, I wasnt looking to stockpile toilet paper or buy more than I needed. We were just running low. For me, it became a challenge  a double dare. I was going to find toilet paper  good, quality toilet paper.

I began my quest, departing from my southwest Huntsville apartment around 10:40 a.m. (As AL.coms resident Snapchat expert, I took the audience along for the ride. If youre on Snap, add me @ash_0893.) I drove to Walmart, Publix and Kroger, where the toilet paper shelves were empty. Friends told me about other places they tried, unsuccessfully, to find toilet paper. At this point, it was time to get creative.

[Read more: I tried! How to kinda prepare for a 2-week coronavirus quarantine]

Stop number four: Home Depot, where several other shoppers had also tricked themselves into believing there might be toilet paper at an outside-the-box stop. Again, no toilet paper. But, I found great conversation (from a safe distance, of course) with other shoppers who were also driving around town looking for toilet paper. Several of us shared which stores wed already tried and brainstormed other creative ideas for places to look. We were in this thing together  just some strangers looking for toilet paper.

I drove around the corner to Dollar Tree, where there wasnt any toilet paper, though the paper towels and napkins were noticeably well-stocked. As I filmed video for my Snapchat story, other shoppers gave me the now-familiar nod or laugh in a show of solidarity in the hunt for toilet paper.

With strike number five, an air of defeat started to set it. But I realized I hadnt tried a pharmacy. A CVS was nearby. It was worth a shot.

I parked and started walking toward the door when I saw them  packages of toilet paper in bags carried out by two women who were celebrating. Theyd found toilet paper. I, too, would soon have toilet paper. Elation set in.

But wait. What if those women bought the last rolls? I headed toward the toilet paper aisle, turned the corner and there she was  an employee stocking the shelves with a limited number of toilet paper packages. A sign announced a 2-item limit on paper products. I felt like I just finished the Daytona 500. I found the toilet paper.

Saturday in the life of an Alabama news reporter: On the hunt for toilet paper  amid the #coronavirus pandemic. Two hours, 15 miles and six stores later, I conquer. Full stories on Snapchat (at) ash_0893 and on @aldotcom: https://t.co/MkBhPNJx9m pic.twitter.com/GZXM7NSBgK  Ashley Remkus (@aremkus1) March 14, 2020

As a responsible citizen, I took only what I needed: one pack with four mega rolls. It was the best $5.44 Ive spent in a long time. Back outside the store, I alerted the Snapchat crowd of my victory. Then, I nestled my toilet paper safely in the passenger seat of my car, wrapped a seat belt around it and headed for home.

After two hours, 15 miles and visits to six stores, I found toilet paper in Huntsville, Ala. amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The moral of this story: Theres toilet paper out there, yall. Be kind to your fellow shoppers, use the sanitizer at your local stores and take care of yourselves.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cellphone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 13)  Philippines Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia will begin a new round of flight suspensions in compliance with the current administrations new travel limitations, which aim to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

The air carriers will be cutting domestic flights to and from Manila from March 15 to April 14.

Our international flights and domestic flights on routes to and from Cebu, Clark and Davao (other than Manila) shall continue to operate within the period, PAL said in a statement Thursday, shortly after President Rodrigo Duterte announced the fresh round of travel restrictions.

PALs international flights from Manila will continue during the period, it added.

Flights not bound for Manila out of other AirAsias hubs in the Philippines--Clark, Cebu, and Kalibo--will continue their normal operations, AirAsia said in a statement Friday.

Cebu Pacific also canceled their domestic flights to and from Metro Manila. However, they will still continue to operate flights from their hubs in Manila, Clark, and Cebu.

Affected customers of the two budget airlines may also rebook with no additional fees or get a refund.

On Thursday, Duterte, upon the recommendation of experts from the Department of Health, quarantined Metro Manila, the region with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. For thirty days, trips by land, domestic air, and domestic sea will be suspended in an effort to reduce close contact between people. The disease is spread though small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze.

Duterte also expanded the countrys COVID-19-related travel ban. Non-Filipinos who come from countries with local transmissions of the virus will not be allowed entry into the Philippines, except Filipino citizens, their foreign spouse and children, permanent residents and holders of diplomatic visas.

Prior to the new restrictions, the country only denies entry from foreign travelers coming from China, Hong Kong, Macau and the South Korean province of North Gyeongsang.

Three more COVID-19 patients have died, the Department of Health announced Thursday, bringing the death tally in the Philippines to five. The number of COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 52.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections is temporarily suspending visits at state prisons and halfway houses for the next 30 days, out of an abundance of caution, to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, officials said Saturday.

The suspension goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Saturday, according to a statement. Legal visits are not impacted by the suspension. Inmates and residents will still have access to the courts, state Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks said.

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19  the illness caused by the virus  in state corrections facilities, according to a department spokesperson.

We recognize that families are a critical support to the population in our care, Hicks said in a statement. However, ensuring the health and safety of our inmate population, residents, staff and the public are of paramount importance during this public health crisis.

The state Corrections Department is increasing access to other forms of communications with families in lieu of visits during the suspension, a statement said.

The access includes expanding inmate and resident access to additional phone calls, free-of-charge, and additional JPay kiosk usage. Inmates and those in the Residential Community Release Program population will have access to free postage as well.

Other measures the department is taking to address the coronavirus pandemic include COVID-19 related health screenings, temperature scans conducted by medical staff, and restrictions on the transfer of county inmates that present symptoms of illness.

The department has also increased sanitization and education efforts, made advanced preparations of medical quarantines for impacted inmates if prescribed by medical officials, and shared information with county jails.

This is a protective measure, Hicks said. You will likely see additional counties adopt the same measures we have.

Since the temporary suspension only applies to state prisons and halfway houses, county facilities will have to implement their own plans if desired.

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.

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A 41-year-old woman, case no.92 of COVID-19 infection, admitted at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Iasi, who returned from Dubai on 8 March and who tested positive on 13 March, is an employee of the Health Ministry, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informs.

Initially, the GCS conveyed that his 92 case would be a person from Mures county.

"Currently, an epidemiological investigation is underway in order to establish the contacts and collect the specimen, as in each case confirmed positive. Moreover, the direct contacts of the person are isolated at home," the quoted source mentions.

Within the Ministry of Health other measures were taken for the prevention and containment of COVID-19 spreading.

According to the quoted source, the programmne with the public was limited and the audiences were stopped for one month. Masks have been distributed, as well as disinfection products for hands and surfaces. Upon entering the institution, questionnaires shall be fill in for the monitoring.

The GCS brings to mind that the results of the tests for Health Minister Victor Costache and state secretary Nelu Tataru came out negative.
The White House announced Saturday that it is now conducting temperature checks on anyone who is in close contact with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

The move is being taken out of an abundance of caution in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

Trump and Pence attended an afternoon news conference at the White House, and Trump said he had his own temperature taken before speaking to reporters.

``It was totally normal,`` Trump said. ``If it wasn't, I wouldn't have been here. ''

Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus. On Friday, he declared a state of emergency as schools and workplaces across the country shuttered, flights were canceled and Americans braced for war against the health threat.

Trump spent time last weekend at his private club in Florida with at least three people who have now tested positive.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington announced late Friday that the country's charge d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump's dinner table. So, too, have a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an individual who attended a fundraiser Sunday with Trump, according to two Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.

Trump has been known to flout public health advice _ and was eagerly shaking hands during an event Friday _ but acknowledged he ``most likely'' will be tested soon. The White House physician has indicated that Trump's interactions were low risk and testing was not necessary.

A representative from the White House physician's office took the temperate of members of the media who were at the White House on Saturday, going around to each person and putting the device to their heads. A reporter with a suspected elevated temperature was not allowed into the briefing room for a news conference with Trump and Pence about the outbreak.

Public health officials say that individuals with a cough and elevated temperatures of 100.4 degrees or higher are deemed concerning.

Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Miller, tweeted that according to the White House Medical Unit, the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period and all three registered above the 1004. guidelines.

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The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in the Philippines on Saturday announced that a curfew, starting with immediate effect from March 15, will be imposed in the national capital region as part of community quarantine measures to contain the COVID-19 spread.

According to the local government units of Metro Manila, the unprecedented lockdown, which takes effect between March 15 and April 14, will bar domestic travel in and out of the capital and confine more than 12 million people to the area, Xinhua news agency reported.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Jojo Garcia announced in a media briefing that the curfew will not cover all essential travel - including to and from a workplace.

Those who will buy food or medicine will also not be restricted from going out, CNN quoted Garcia as saying.

He also stressed that the police will not arrest those who will be seen outside but will just be advised to go home.

Majority of the country's 64 confirmed COVID-19 cases are confined in hospitals in Metro Manila. Six have died of COVID-19 infections in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in an order, further announced to deploy police and military to instill "peace and order" during the lockdown, which was recommended earlier that day by an interagency committee.

He insisted the measure is "not martial law".

The killer virus has spread to more than 114 countries across the globe. The pandemic's global death toll has reached almost 5,000, while the global number of cases has surpassed 132,000, according to the WHO.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Over the last few years, there has been a slew of articles about patients receiving surprise bills after ER visits. One woman was charged $5,751 for an ice pack and a bandage. An infant was charged $937 for an antibiotic ointment. Who sends bills like that? Is it the ER doctors? No. Its large corporations.

ER docs want to help you regardless of your insurance.

In fact, as an ER doc, I usually have no idea if my patients are even insured when they roll in. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is a federal law that requires us to treat everyone who walks in the door regardless of their ability to pay. We proudly consider ourselves the safety net of the community. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that ER docs spend about 55 percent of their time providing uncompensated care. This is the most of any medical specialty. We take our physician oath seriously.

But many of us work for large corporations.

The majority of ER docs work for one of three types of employers: 1) small private physician groups; 2) hospital systems; or, 3) contract management groups or CMGs. CMGs are essentially hospital staffing companies that function as large corporations. They employ ER docs and put them to work in hospitals with which they hold staffing contracts. By promising to streamline administrative tasks (such as physician credentialing, insurance billing, and corporate taxes), CMGs have taken over many smaller physician groups and hospital systems. They now hold staffing contracts with hundreds of hospitals around the country.

And these corporations want to generate profits.

Some estimate that half of the nations emergency departments are currently staffed by CMGs. Their priority is not to provide quality patient care. It is to generate profit. Some CMGs were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Others have private equity firms investing in them. One CMG even sues patients who cannot pay. A study done by economists at Yale delved further into how CMGs use their power to exploit patients for profit.

CMGs now staff half of the nations emergency departments. Their priority is not to provide quality patient care. It is to generate profit.

A CMG can refuse to participate in insurance networks, which work on behalf of patients to negotiate discounted rates for medical care. These are called in-network rates. It will instead charge patients exorbitant out-of-network rates. Compared to the prior physician group that staffed a hospital, it can raise charges by a whopping 96 percent. These predatory billing tactics are directly responsible for the exorbitant ER bills being sent to patients.

These corporations may also be illegal.

Believe it or not, it gets worse. These corporations are likely violating both federal laws that prohibit physician fee-splitting and state laws that prohibit the corporate practice of medicine. Unfortunately, there is no public agency in place to enforce these laws. There was a case in Texas where the court concluded that the existence of a CMG was in violation of the states Medical Practice Act, but that case is from over 30 years ago.

We are struggling to fight for our patients.

Physicians are distraught over this situation, but over 60 percent of us are afraid to speak up out of fear that we will be terminated without cause. Some of us want to help fix the billing process, but CMGs insist on engaging in closed-book billing. That means they will not allow physicians to review what a patient is being billed. Consequently, physicians are turning to advocacy organizations for help in this fight.

And the integrity of our advocacy organizations is questionable.

The president one such organization is also the vice president of one of the largest CMGs in the nation. It seems that corporate interests have infiltrated even our own advocacy organizations.

Congress is finally taking notice.

Given all of this, it is not surprising that CMGs have gained the attention of Congress. Recently, Congress announced it would look into their role in surprise billing. Shortly after this announcement, a CMGs CEO resigned. Maybe there is hope after all.

Ashima Vohra is an emergency medicine resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Jessa Duggar and her husband, Ben Seewald, had informed fans a while back that they were concerned with their middle childs speech due to his lack of words. The couples son, Henry, was only saying a few words after age two, which prompted Duggar and Seewald to seek help from a professional. But now that hes almost three, Duggar gave some positive news when a fan asked for an update.

Jessa Duggars son, Spurgeon, right, was having trouble with his speech. | Jessa Duggar via Instagram

Duggar was homeschooled and did not attend college

The Duggars think of education a bit differently than most Americans do. Michelle Duggar opted to homeschool her kids so that she could incorporate religion into their curriculum in ways that public schools never would. Then, once her oldest daughters were old enough to teach their younger siblings, they started to take over the homeschooling in addition to Michelle.

The Duggar kids also never attended college, so they only have a grade-school education. So far, though, it seems to be a dynamic that works for their family. And still noticed when her sons speech seemed delayed.

She has given periodic updates on her sons speech

After her middle child, Henry, turned two, Duggar started to notice that he wasnt saying nearly as many words as he should have been at that point. It prompted Duggar and her husband to take Henry to see a speech pathologist, who noted that though he was behind, there didnt seem to be any major issues with his hearing or anything that could be causing the problems.

Duggar and Seewald kept a close eye on their son, and Duggar said that it was concerning to think about Henrys learning being affected. Back in January, Duggar gave an update to fans saying that her son was really catching up. Now that its been almost a year since their visit, a fan checked in to see how Henry was doing once more.

She recently revealed that Henry is entirely caught up with his speech

When Duggar posted a photo of her daughter, Ivy Jane, saying the word baby at nine months old, someone asked for an update on Henrys status  and Duggar gave good news. Henry went from practically no words on his 2nd birthday, to being caught up now as hes turning 3! Praising the Lord for this answer to our prayers, Duggar wrote.

Fans replied to Duggars comment, sharing their own stories about their children having difficulty with speech but eventually catching up. Everyone seemed excited for Duggars son.

Its unclear if she will choose to homeschool her kids

Though it appears Henry is doing much better with his speech, Duggar will likely keep an eye on his development as he gets older. And right now, its unclear whether shell choose to homeschool her kids or not. Duggars sister Jill Dillard recently announced that she had enrolled her son in public kindergarten.

If Duggars son needs more attention for his speech, it might make sense for him to attend public or private school as opposed to being homeschooled. But Duggar has not yet said what shell do in terms of education.
People pass graffiti reminding people to wash their hands on the window of a bar in Dublins city centre (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Irish Premier said his Government and the Northern Ireland Executive share the same goal on tackling Covid-19 but they differ on timing.

Leo Varadkar has said Covid-19 is an illness that knows no borders as administrations on either side of the border follow different strategies.

Mr Varadkar said: This virus knows no borders, no nationality. It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island.

There are more than 100 cases of Covid-19 on the island of Ireland but differences have emerged as schools in the Republic have closed and public gatherings have been curtailed.

Northern Irelands administration has not introduced the same measures, although Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said schools should be shut.

Mr Varadkar said: There will be differences of approach over the next few weeks and months, we are different jurisdictions and there are differences and there will be differences, but the differences that exist are mostly around timing.

What there isnt any difference about is our common objective, which is to slow down this virus in its tracks and push it back as much as possible and limit the harm to human health and human life.

It comes as Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

Mr Weir was responding after the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, wrote to urge him to consider closing schools and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said schools should close.

Speaking in Armagh on Saturday, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said schools in Northern Ireland will close when the timing is right and parents should prepare as they may close for several months.

Teacher Brian Nevin closes the gates to Beneavin De La Salle College, Dublin, as he arrives to collect teaching materials following the closure of schools across Ireland (Brian Lawless/PA)

She said: We will take that action when it is the right time to do it. There are two different jurisdictions on this island.

Schools will not be closed immediately but schools and parents should prepare because when they do they will close for at least 16 weeks.

When asked about the different approaches being taken on the island, she said: In terms of the co-operation I dont think the co-operation could be any better between our chief medical officers, between our ministers of health and between the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill repeated a call she made on Friday that Northern Ireland should follow the Republics lead and close schools.

She said: People are taking decisions in advance of government and my own personal opinion is that schools should close now.

I think the fact that you can have two schools a mile apart and one schools open and one schools closed, thats a very confusing picture and a very confusing message for the public.

Mrs Foster said both governments had very coherent messages and that Stormont is taking advice from the Public Health Agency and the chief medical officer on when was the appropriate time to shut schools.

There are two different jurisdictions on this island and we may do things differently in terms of timing, but the tools are all the same in terms of what we are going to do to try and combat this virus, she said.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, who was not at the meeting, said the UKs response to coronavirus should be rejected and is totally unacceptable in the north of Ireland.

John ODowd, a Sinn Fein MLA, launched a tirade against Boris Johnsons handling of the situation, claiming the UK Government was conducting a twisted medical experiment.

Lets be clear, this shire of bastards are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment. Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong & this balloon and his ilk are right. If you are not angry its time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster! pic.twitter.com/AZZiIpdzhV  John O' Dowd (@JohnODowdSF) March 14, 2020

The Upper Bann MLA said: Lets be clear, this shire of bastards are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment.

Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong & this balloon and his ilk are right.

If you are not angry its time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster!

A second person has died and 39 more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland by the Department of Health.

There are now 129 confirmed cases and two deaths related to Covid-19 in the Republic.

Five new positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 34 and the total on the island to 163.
If she had known that last years Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo would be her last time to show, Marie Yanchak would have savored it a little bit more and taken it in just a little bit longer. But the cancellation of both the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the county fair means Yanchaks last local showing has already passed.

Since 2013, Yanchak has been showing sheep and cattle at livestock shows around Texas. She started out with lambs and now has both a heifer and a steer to show this year. But it doesnt look like that will be happening.

Family tradition

The Magnolia High School senior has found a lot of success in her showing career and was looking forward to enjoying what was supposed to be her last season with her family, doing something they all loved to do. Her parents, Michael and Tracy, met while showing cattle.

The breed of cattle that I show is the same breed that my dad showed, and weve actually used some of the genetics that my dad purchased when he was in high school to breed our current show heifer, she said. So, its just a really special thing to be able to share with my family.

For the first two years showing, she only participated in the Montgomery County fair, keeping it local. As her senior year comes to a close, its where she was hoping to end it, too. Sadly, county officials announced on March 12 that events larger than 250 people at county facilities would cease as the county signed a declaration of local disaster. The fair was expecting over 2,000 exhibitors this year.

We were in communication with county officials numerous times daily this past week about alternatives to consider, however this event escalated quickly and became out of our hands, said Fair Association President Cody Bartlett in a statement to the Courier. This cancellation was ordered out of compliance with Montgomery County's Disaster Declaration in the interest of public health and safety and the fair association will comply with their order.

Making memories

Yanchaks first ever time showing at Houston when she was in the sixth grade has become an emotional memory. Her father, a former Houston Police Officer who suffered a traumatic brain injury and is wheelchair bound, had a medical emergency and couldnt see her show. But he was determined to see her at the county fair a few weeks later, only a few days after being released from the hospital.

Yanchak has had her steer since June and raised her heifer from a calf. Shes put hours of work into training, grooming, and raising them to show. The financial cost will also be a big one. Grooming supplies, food, wood shavings for the barn, entry fees, vet bills, they all add up to a significant price that may not be recouped anytime soon.

She understands that the Houston livestock show and the county fair were canceled in order to be safe, and that both shows wanted to happen if they could. Now her worry is for all the kids who dont have the experience she does; the kids who have put months of work and money into their market projects with the hopes of making money for their college funds, and the kids with a scramble heifer ready to come back to the show to compete.

For me (Houston) has always been the show that is the most emotional, she said. This one, my last one, was going to be, obviously, a big deal. But its a big deal for everybody when its your senior year.

For Rachel Downs 9-year-old daughter Karis, the closing of the county fair means she wont be able to show the pigs that shes been raising for a year, or participate in numerous other competitions (shes been practicing her quick bread recipe with her grandmother for months).

Heartbreaking for us

Its heartbreaking for us, Downs said. Our family has been involved in the fair since 1976.

Her father volunteered and she and her sister both showed at the fair. This would have been Karis second year showing and she has five pigs that shes been raising.

She puts in about, on average a week, 22 to 28 hours in the barn with her pigs, Downs said. Shes still going over there every day and walking them and brushing them and keeping them up and feeding them like they should be, just in case something comes up and shes able to show.

Not being able to show will be hard, financially, Downs said, but it wont deter the family from participating in future years. All the money Karis makes from showing goes right into her college fund.

Financial impact

In 2019 MCFA was able to provide in excess of 1.2 million dollars back to the youth of Montgomery County. We are currently still working through and discussing options to continue (to) support our mission of youth and education despite this cancellation, Bartlett said. The financial impact is significant to the fair association but goes well beyond just us. Many of the exhibitors and their families have a large amount of money tied up in their projects and there are numerous businesses that will be impacted as well. At this point it's hard to put a number on what that impact will be to the Fair Association, but we expect it will be significant.

Bartlett has a message for all the volunteers, exhibitors, attendees, and hundreds of others whose hard work went into putting on the fair.

Our fair association shares with you in the sadness of the cancellation and we're working diligently to sort through this, Bartlett said. This is unprecedented for our organization and we are working around the clock to sort through this. We ask for patience and understanding while we work through this and appreciate the support from all of our Fair family and supporters.

That feeling she gets right before she enters the arena, thats what Yanchak will miss most. Nerves turn to calm as she walks into the arena knowing she did everything she could to prepare for this moment, she knows everything there is to know about her animal down to the pace of its walk, and shes ready to show.

Its a sense of serenity for me that you cant get anywhere else, she said.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
When the people are scared it is the job of the government to placate them. It can do this in any number of ways; through words of consolation, fervent tubthumping, lies, a stern talking to. Whatever. So long as the people go to bed at night free of fear and worry, that's all that matters.

Obviously, it helps when you have a government elected by the people, and even more so when it's on active, regular duty.

Sadly we, the people, have neither of those things at the moment. Yet that shouldn't mean that, during times of crisis, we are left to flounder, no-one to look after us, not even those we so wish to see relegated to the margins.

Whether we are in the midst of a crisis is a matter for debate. It depends on who you listen to. I read an article last week which said 20,000 Irish people could die from the coronavirus. I read another which said it'll be gone by the summer. I, like you, have read a lot of articles.

And I've had no choice. Because the only way of assessing the potential fallout of COVID-19's arrival on our shores is to read the words of these medical professionals, biologists, unnamed GPs and various, dubious authorities, all written with good intentions, but all widely varying in tone, timbre and intent.

Accompanying these articles have been occasional tidbits, morsels of advice begrudgingly thrown our way by a Taoiseach and a Health Minister who'd much rather, at this stage, hand the responsibility over to someone else.

I don't expect Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris to have all the answers, I don't expect a Churchillian speech about fighting COVID-19 from the sofa, from the sanctity of our living-rooms, until it slinks back from whence it came, defeated and dejected, but a bit of leadership wouldn't go astray.

Instead there's been plenty of humming, a fair amount of hawing, the few statements they have made peppered with ifs, buts and maybes. Rather than tackle the inevitable spread of the disease, stop it in its tracks, those in power appear content to just 'wait and see', to wait until people start dying, until the numbers infected goes into the thousands, before making a decision.

Until that happens, until we suffer our first loss of life, their chief concern is the health of our economy.

Why else would they prevaricate over the St Patrick's Day parades? The cancellation of flights to and from the worst affected regions? Is it the case that a handful of casualties are worth it if we can preserve the massive annual cash-cow that is the day of our patron saint?

That's what it comes down to. A game of Russian Roulette. In Wuhan, where the coronavirus originated, it took almost 600 cases before some form of lockdown was enacted. In Italy more than 200 people died before its government decided to take action.

What's our figure? How many people will needlessly die before someone in authority decides something has to be done?

And while I'm loathe to scaremonger, to add another layer to the panic permeating our society, for many of the people living in this country the next few weeks will be a matter of life and death.

On a personal level I would hope if I were infected I would overcome COVID-19. But I couldn't say the same for at least two members of my family, two people whom I care about deeply.

They are already living in self-isolation, terrified to step outside their door lest they come into contact with a carrier, obsessively washing their hands and coughing into their elbows despite not seeing a living soul for days.

We are constantly being reminded that we are an ageing population, and it's true, the most recent census figures show that 19.1% of us are aged 65 or older. Something else we are often reminded of is how a society can be judged on how it treats its most vulnerable people, e.g. the elderly.

Right now we are treating these vulnerable people as if they are wholly expendable, a demographic which can afford to take a few losses, absorb a few blows.

And when those losses occur, when someone finally decides enough is enough and proper preventative measures are put in place, remember the number, the amount of deaths it took for that decision to be made.
Details added (first version posted on 13:31)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13

Trend:

The Armenian armed forces continue provocations on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Trend reports on March 13 referring to the Azerbaijani State Border Service.

The Armenian armed forces deployed near Berkaber, Lalagukh and Sevkar villages of Armenias Ijevan district intensively shelled the residential buildings and civilian vehicles in Abbasbayli village of Azerbaijans Gazakh district while using large-caliber weapons, from 11:45 (GMT+4) on March 13.

The Armenian armed forces provocation was prevented. The firing points of the combat positions of the Armenian armed forces, from which the Azerbaijani settlements were fired on, were suppressed by return fire.

Currently, the operational situation is under the full control of the border guard posts of the Azerbaijani State Border Service.
Thanks to Senators Rand Paul (R., Ken.) and Mike Lee (R., Utah), as well as an amen chorus of Trump loyalists in the House, the president seems poised to fulfill one of the fondest dreams of Clinton and Obama Democrats: Government policy that regards international terrorism as a mere crime, a law-enforcement issue to be managed by federal judges rather than a national-security threat from which the officials Americans elect must safeguard our country.

I doubt the president realizes these ramifications of declining to reauthorize three PATRIOT Act security measures that are set to expire. Successfully camouflaging themselves as FISA reformers, Senators Paul and Lee have steered the president toward exploiting the imminent expiration as a way of holding the FBI accountable for FISA abuse.

In truth, the senators agenda predates the Trump era, and it would do nothing to fix whats actually wrong with FISA. Their aim is to dismantle the post-9/11 intelligence-based approach to counterterrorism, a strategy prudently adopted by President Bush, who recognized that when our most immediate threat is jihadist mass-murder attacks, prevention should take precedence over prosecution. FISA reform is a shrewd way for them to accomplish this objective because it appeals to the presidents vanity  his most destructive blind spot.

See, the libertarian senators have always opposed intelligence-based counterterrorism on philosophical grounds that they root in the Constitution. They are wrong, though their sincerity is not to be doubted. As Ive related over the years (see, e.g., here and here), the distortion of the Fourth Amendment Paul has long championed (and to which Lee seems adherent) bears little resemblance to the Fourth Amendment as written and originally understood. If adopted, it would be a boon to both foreign terrorists and domestic criminals.

Washingtons reluctance to court this potentially catastrophic outcome has long frustrated libertarians, as have the facts that jurisprudence and the terrorist threat have lined up against them. But in recent years, things have started swinging in their favor.

Story continues

For one thing, Paul, Lee, and their ilk have forged an alliance with progressives, who regard jihadism (er, I mean, violent extremism) as a global law-enforcement issue, fit for management by internationally coordinated judicial processes, and who favor an extension of American constitutional protections to foreign operatives  including anti-American terrorists. In the Obama years, these strange bedfellows found an administration equally disposed against the Bush-era counterterrorism approach.

Then, there was the post-9/11 record of intelligence-agency envelope-pushing and deceit that eroded public trust  e.g., the Bush administrations controversial warrantless-wiretap and forcible-interrogation programs; the Obama CIAs hacking into the Senate Intelligence Committees computers (and falsely denying it had done so); Obamas director of national intelligences lying to Congress about the massive collection of Americans telephone metadata; and the blatant politicization of intelligence after the Benghazi massacre.

Finally, there was the Supreme Courts 2018 Carpenter ruling, which pivoted away from seemingly settled jurisprudence that a person does not have a constitutionally cognizable privacy interest in business records that are the property of a third-party service provider. The Courts 54 decision in Carpenter (written by Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by the four-justice liberal bloc) held that the government needs a probable-cause judicial warrant to obtain cell-site location information  phone-company records that reveal a persons physical movements over a given period of time.

This concatenation has already yielded results for Paul and Lee. For example, the governments telephone-metadata program, the need for which was never compellingly justified, has been mothballed. Further, many foreign-intelligence operations in which the judiciary should have no involvement have nonetheless been brought under the FISA courts supervision.

Now, FISA reform has offered Lee and Paul the chance to accelerate their agendas implementation. What it lacks as a means of keeping America safe, it makes up for in legerdemain.

See, the president and his most ardent supporters do not actually want to overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, which created the FISA court. What they want is accountability for the FISA abuses committed by American intelligence agencies in connection with the 2016 presidential election. For President Trump, all politics is personal, and this matter is the most personal of all: the FBIs exploitation of FISA powers to spy on his campaign, hamstring his administration, and fuel the Mueller investigation, all of which led to his impeachment.

To describe President Trump as angry that no official involved in those 2016 hijinks has been prosecuted understates the matter. He is apoplectic, as are his most ardent supporters. Grasping this, his allies in Congress and on the airwaves grouse that no one has been held accountable. In truth, the officials who ran the Carter Page FISA surveillance  and who deployed informants in a futile effort to ensnare Trump operatives  have been both purged and subjected to duly humiliating inspector-general reports. Yet that is not enough for the Trump camp, which wants criminal prosecutions just like the ones to which Trump-campaign officials were subjected. The president is dismayed that none have been forthcoming, despite the fact that his Justice Department has been conducting a criminal investigation for about a year.

Senators Paul and Lee may be wrong about counterterrorism, but theyre not dumb. They realized that if they could persuade the president that FISA reform was really about holding the FBI accountable for the TrumpRussia collusion shenanigans, they could achieve a major roll-back of post-9/11 counterterrorism policy  the project they were working on long before Donald Trump sought the presidency. So thats what theyve done, and theyve swept the presidents supporters along for the ride. In their rhetoric, which has seeped into the press reporting on the matter, FISA reform has become a rally cry for holding the rogue FBI accountable.

But heres the thing: The FBI and its intelligence-bureaucracy collaborators executed their plan by misleading the FISA court in violation of the existing FISA rules. There is no reform of the statutory scheme that can prevent such a thing. There is no reform of the statutory scheme that can hold a rogue accountable. If your objection is that being fired is not enough, and that prosecution is necessary for accountability, only an indictment can accomplish that, not a change in the law.

That becomes very clear if we focus on the actual targets of what is absurdly being called FISA reform. Notice that the reformers avoid talking about the three provisions that are scheduled to expire if not reauthorized by Monday (March 15). Thats because they are utterly unrelated to the abuse of FISA surveillance authority that occurred in the TrumpRussia scenario  viz., the incumbent governments misrepresentations to the FISA court, which duped the judges into authorizing electronic surveillance of the opposition partys political campaign despite the lack of probable cause to believe that campaign surrogates were clandestine agents of Russia.

It is important to grasp this: Real FISA reform is not on the table. Over the last several days, as negotiations in Congress have broken down, one has heard Trump supporters say, Let FISA die, because theyve been fooled into thinking that if the president signs whats inaccurately called an extension of FISA, there will never be accountability for FBI officials who abused their authority.

It is not true. Not even close.

FISA surveillance (the kind to which the Trump campaign was subjected) will not die if the three provisions lapse. A failure to reauthorize them will not prevent Americans, such as Carter Page, from being falsely framed as foreign agents. The only things that will die are investigative tools that help our government monitor actual clandestine operatives, such as alien jihadists plotting against our country.

As I have previously detailed, the three tools at issue are: (a) roving wiretaps, which allow agents to continue monitoring, say, a terrorist who uses burner phones to try to defeat surveillance; (b) lone wolf authority, which allows agents to monitor a foreigner who appears to be involved in terrorism without evidence tying him to a known terrorist organization; and (c) the court-authorized collection of business records  a power long unremarkably exercised by criminal investigators (and which, if reauthorized, would no longer permit intelligence agents to engage in the controversial bulk-collection of telephone metadata).

As should be obvious, these three tools have nothing to do with FBI accountability. They have nothing to do with the bureaus infamous Crossfire Hurricane probe. Indeed, they have very little to do with FISA  and nothing to do with the Russia-related malfeasance that comes to mind when Paul, Lee, and Trump supporters rail about FISA reform. These are PATRIOT Act provisions. Though they are being threatened under the pretext of fixing FISA, they were enacted nearly a quarter-century after the FISA statute. They are labeled FISA only because Congress happened to insert them into the FISA sections of the United States Code.

These three provisions were enacted with sunset clauses, meaning they must be periodically reauthorized by Congress. Congress has reauthorized them, repeatedly, because they help protect us from terrorist attacks. Their value is so plain to see that they should not be subject to sunset clauses at all  the clauses should have been removed, with the proviso that Congress could always amend them (as lawmakers have done with the business records provision) or even repeal them if truly egregious abuses occurred.

Nevertheless, they are subject to sunset clauses, and will lapse Monday if Congress fails to act. Consequently, the political left and the PaulLee libertarians opportunistically seized on that deadline as a chance to demand more reform that would further erode intelligence-based counterterrorism  increasing the extent to which foreign counterintelligence efforts are subject to court control and made to resemble judicial proceedings.

President Trump came into office promising to be tough on terrorism in a way President Obama was not. Most of his supporters are instinctively against the Obama-era counterterrorism approach, which shied away from even the word terrorism, and which mulishly denied Islamist terrorisms ideological underpinnings. Most Trump supporters do not actually think of counterterrorism as a law-enforcement issue to be managed by the same judiciary that reverses Trumps border-security and immigration-enforcement measures at every turn.

So why are they backing FISA reform? Because theyve been hoodwinked into thinking it is a way to hold the FBI accountable for the TrumpRussia caper. But it is not. Again, the only thing letting FISA die on Monday would accomplish is the loss of counterterrorism tools that promote national security  exactly the kind of thing Trump supporters would have sworn their candidate would never permit if elected president.

The FISA reform that Senators Paul and Lee want, and that their progressive allies support, is the opposite of real FISA reform. The fundamental problem with FISA is the FISA-court system. As Ive recently noted in National Reviews print edition, that system transfers control of national security against foreign threats to the judicial branch, which is insulated from political accountability; the Constitution, to the contrary, assigned this duty to the political branches, which answer to the American people whose lives are at stake.

The reformers aim further to solidify judicial authority over intelligence collection. They tell you their goal is to protect Americans from being abused the way Carter Page was; but their reforms always end up extending protections to aliens, including those who are outside the United States and should thus be considered outside the FISA courts jurisdiction. Whats more, if youre worried about FBI abuses, the FISA court makes them more likely. As we saw with Page, the FBI deceived the FISA court to get its warrants; when called on the carpet, it then told everyone its surveillance must have been proper because it was green-lighted by federal judges. The bureau used the veneer of court approval as license to claim that Page  and by extension, the Trump campaign  was part of a Russian influence operation.

If we really wanted to reform FISA, we would be wise get the courts out of foreign-intelligence collection and find a better way of overseeing the activities of the intelligence agencies  beefed up congressional oversight, not a secret court. And while I maintain that no act of Congress can hold rogue officials accountable (see, e.g., the Constitutions prohibition against bills of attainder), I have proposed a reform that would actually address the FBIs FISA abuse: Congress could take the foreign-counterintelligence mission away from the FBI, have the bureau stick to crime-fighting, and create a new agency to handle domestic security against foreign threats  an agency that would be subject to Justice Department supervision and congressional oversight.

If we tried it my way, the nation would continue to get the security benefit of counterintelligence measures. If we try Pauls and Lees way, we will lose that benefit and exacerbate the basic problem of judicial involvement in counterintelligence operations, all for the promise of accountability that these self-proclaimed reformers cant actually deliver.

More from National Review
Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday morning conducted fresh raids in the Pattan area of Baramulla district.

Investigation Agency conducted a raid at the residence of Ghulam Mohammad Mir at Nilah in Pattan, Baramulla, today morning

However, it was not immediately known regarding which case the agency has raided there.

More details in this regard are awaited.

The Agency has been conducting raids in Pulwama in connection with a terror funding case.In February, the Pulwama police arrested two terrorist associates on specific information.

Incriminating materials including explosive substances and ammunition were recovered from their possession.They were identified as Aquib Maqbool Lone and Naseer Ahmad Hurra both of whom hailed from Pulwama. As per police records, they were involved in assisting the active terrorists operating in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Talk about theocratic temerity. The regime in Tehran is calling on the International Monetary Fund to stand on the right side of history by giving Iran $5 billion to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Its the first time the Islamic Republic has sought financial aid from the multilateral institution. (The last time Iran asked was 20 years before the 1979 revolution.)

For the international community  and for the U.S., which has effective veto power on IMF decisions  this presents a quandary: The Iranian people definitely need the help, but their leaders cant be trusted with the money.

The Islamic Republic is the third-worst hit country after China and Italy, with 429 people dead. The regime has manifestly failed to manage the crisis. In the first phase, the leadership lied about the extent of the outbreak, and made a series of decisions that only aggravated the contagion.

Now, Irans medical system is overwhelmed, and its population may be more vulnerable than those of other virus-hit countries. And its porous borders with countries in the Middle East and Central Asia endanger the entire neighborhood.

Clearly, the world cant stand by while Iran suffers. But its not at all clear that giving the regime $5 billion will mitigate these problems.

For one thing, the Iranians continue to dissimulate about the crisis: everything, from statistical logic to satellite images of massive grave sites, suggests it is worse than Tehran is prepared to admit. Although several well-known political and religious figures have contracted the virus, there remains a remarkable lack of seriousness on the subject among the leadership. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claims the virus is a biological weapon aimed at the Islamic Republic.

Others in the Iranian government blame the contagion on the standard dog-ate-my-homework excuse for all regime failings: American economic sanctions. This is nonsense. It was President Hassan Rouhani, not Donald Trump, who prevented authorities from locking down the city of Qom when the outbreak first occurred there. No American restrictions required Iranian airlines to keep operating flights to and from China long after other countries had stopped doing so. And while the Trump administration may be underplaying the coronavirus scare in the U.S., it did not compel Iranian hospitals to conceal data.

Story continues

Its worth remembering that the regime hasnt allowed the economic sanctions to stop its support of the genocidal regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which runs into billions of dollars. Nor is Tehran too hard-up to keep its many proxy militias and terrorist groups across the Middle East in cigarettes and rockets, to the tune of $16 billion.

Given the regimes well-established propensities, there is reason to fear that large proportions of any financial aid to fight the virus will either be diverted to the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas, or line the commodious pockets of klepto-theocrats like Khamenei.

The solution, then, is to give the regime all manner of help, without giving it any money directly.

First, any assistance should be conditional on Iran allowing multilateral agencies such as the World Health Organization take charge of the fight against the virus. Having badly bungled its own efforts, it can hardly argue that Iranians should be in charge.

The IMF should then create, with American blessings, a $5 billion fund, strictly for use by these multilateral agencies. The money can pay for medical equipment and supplies, and expenses linked to any non-Iranian personnel required for the effort.

Tehran should keep paying for its own medical staff. It can also use the recently-opened Swiss banking channel to import additional humanitarian supplies as necessary.

This arrangement may be the best way to get help to Iranians without enabling the worst instincts of their leaders. There may still be some room for the regime to misuse non-cash assistance  we should not be surprised to discover Hezbollah flogging ventilators on the black market, for instance. But at least, the IMF will be able to argue, in good faith, that it is on the right side of history.

To contact the author of this story: Bobby Ghosh at aghosh73@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.

Bobby Ghosh is a columnist and member of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Customers flooded H-E-B, most grabbing sanitary wipes on their way in to meticulously rub down shopping cart handles.

The aisles were crowded, with customers forging their own paths in search of necessities  only to find shelves that once had toilet paper, sanitation wipes, rice, beans and soup barren  or nearly so.

It was chaos at grocery stores Friday afternoon as people stocked up on supplies.

Friday morning, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced the citys first case of novel coronavirus that was unrelated to the evacuees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

The infection was connected to out-of-state travel and not believed to have resulted from person-to-person spread in San Antonio, but the mayor declared a public health emergency, ushering in sweeping measures to guard against further spread of the virus.

Its a madhouse, said Gerald Newton, who was picking up groceries as usual at the H-E-B store at 9900 Wurzbach Road.

Newton said hed never seen the store so busy.

Its been pretty crazy, he said. I hope the scare is over with soon.

The beeping of the checkout lines could be heard throughout the store as cashiers rang up the customers, sanitizing their hands between each person.

On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus worries prompt San Antonio employers to ban travel, work remotely and even close

A Target store near Wonderland Mall had been nearly emptied of paper towels by 3:45 p.m., and only two packages of flushable wipes remained.

This is ridiculous, one woman muttered as she searched for supplies.

Joseph Jimenez, 43, was at the H-E-B store at 3323 S.E. Military Drive, for his regularly grocery day, but stocking up on some extra supplies since his children were going to be home because their Spring Break had been extended.

One item he did have difficulty finding was water.

There were only small things of water left, he said. So I decided to just buy a water filter.

Gerry Cano said she had to go to two H-E-B stores in search of paper products.

Its unbelievable, she said.

A Walmart Supercenter on Vance Jackson Road was nearly out of sponges and paper towels by 4 p.m., and packages of rice and beans were quickly disappearing.

At another Walmart Supercenter a few miles away on Bandera Road, shelves that usually hold bleach and wipes were empty.

On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus prompts a run on hand sanitizer, other germ-killing products

Rosa Gonzales, 51, walked out of a Walmart on Military Drive, juggling a supply of paper towels as she pushed a cart nearly toppling over with food and supplies.

This is just insane, she said. I just want the craziness to end.

H-E-B said its capping purchases of certain products to help keep products on the shelves. Walmart announced sales caps would be handled by its store managers.

H-E-B also is shifting its workers to handle the increased traffic.

Workers in charge of food samples, which the San Antonio retailer is temporarily suspending, and employees in the floral sections are being reassigned to help with customers.

In addition to the increased traffic at its stores, orders for pickup and delivery are rising, with the company now is providing next-day curbside pickup and pharmacy deliveries for free.

As it tries to manage chaos, H-E-B has a message for customers: Relax.

There is no need for panic buying, spokeswoman Dya Campos said. Panicking doesnt solve the issue at all.
People stand outside an Apple store in Haarlem in the Netherlands on March 14, 2020. (Olaf Kraak/AFP via Getty Images)

Apple Closing All Stores Outside China for 2 Weeks

All Apple stores outside of China are being closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Tim Cook announced late Friday.

The move is driven by lessons learned during the spread of the disease in China.

One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the viruss transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance, Cook wrote in a letter to customers and employees.

The retail stores will be closed until March 27. Online stores will remain open.

Employees working at Apple offices were told to work from home if their job allows. If it doesnt they should follow guidance on how to prevent spread of the new coronavirus, including maintaining six feet distance between themselves and other people.

All stores inside China have re-opened, according to Cook.

A shuttered Apple store in Rome, Italy, on March 12, 2020. (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images)

Customers wearing masks as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus are seen inside of an Apple shop in Beijing, China. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

Though the rate of infections has dramatically declined, we know COVID-19s effects are still being strongly felt. I want to express my deep gratitude to our team in China for their determination and spirit, he wrote.

The new virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, started in Wuhan, China, last year before spreading around the world. The number of worldwide infections was nearing 150,000 on Saturday, according to a tracker run by Johns Hopkins University, with over 5,500 deaths.

The Chinese Communist Party regularly distorts information and internal documents obtained by The Epoch Times indicate Chinese officials have repeatedly promulgated inaccurate information about virus spread in the country.

The country with the second highest death toll is Italy, followed by Iran.

Tens of thousands of people around the world have recovered from COVID-19, which has no proven treatment or vaccine. The mortality rate differs from country to country. The World Health Organization said the worldwide rate is 3.4 percent but many experts believe its lower due to asymptomatic cases that arent being counted due to non-detection.

The virus manifests similarly to the flu, with symptoms including fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Experts say ways to avoid contracting the illness includes avoiding sick people, cleaning surfaces and objects regularly, and washing hands frequently, especially before eating.
The Consular Department under the Foreign Ministry has issued advice to Vietnamese citizens on what they should do amid latest complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic in many countries and territories worldwide.

Spraying disinfectant at an exercise on responding to a COVID-19 outbreak

Citizens in Vietnam should abide to relevant agencies warning against going abroad, particularly to areas with COVID-19 outbreaks.

Those who are abroad should avoid going to epidemic-hit areas, restrain from travelling or going to crowded public areas when not really necessary. They should strictly follow local authorities warnings, instructions and regulations on epidemic prevention and control, stay calm and not get panic while keeping updated on the epidemic through mainstream media and not spreading unchecked information.

Citizens returning to Vietnam from abroad should provide accurate and honest information in medical declaration forms at points of entry.



Those who return to the country from or transit epidemic-hit areas must fill in medical declaration forms accurately and honestly at the point of entry, and strictly abide to medical monitoring and the 14-day quarantine as required.

Those who hide information, intentionally give untrue information, or not adhere to quarantine requirements will be strictly punished in accordance with the law.



Vietnamese abroad are also advised to promptly inform local authorities, Vietnamese representative agencies and family members in emergency situations.

In case of needing help abroad, Vietnamese nationals should contact the citizen protection hotlines published on the official websites of Vietnamese representatives agencies in the host countries, or the hotline of the Consular Departments hotline at 84 981 84 84 84./.VNA
Voters will be asked to make decisions Tuesday about judgeships in two west-central Illinois circuits.

In the Seventh Circuit, four candidates are seeking the circuit judge position. The circuit covers Greene, Jersey, Morgan, Macoupin, Scott and Sangamon counties.

Democrat Matt Goetten, 48, of rural Carrollton attended St. Johns Elementary and Carrollton High School in 1990. He is married and has children.

To earn money for college, he loaded trucks for Roadway Package Systems at night.

He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelors degree in psychology in 1994. He earned a masters degree in labor relations while raising a family and working as a teaching assistant, librarian and human resources consultant.

After college, he returned to Carrollton, where he became a small business owner and teacher before deciding to attend law school at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Hes been a special prosecutor whos worked for the state of Illinois for eight years. Prior to that, he was the Greene County states attorney.

Im running because Ive lived in this county my entire life and Ive been working towards this. Prior to going to law school, I was a small business owner and I was a teacher and I think as a judge, trial experience, courtroom experience, and legal experience is important, Goetten said. I think its important to have a lot of life experiences and I think I bring that to the campaign.

Elliott Turpin

Democrat Elliott Turpin, 55, born and raised in Greene County. Hes married and has two sons. He lived in Jacksonville for five years then moved back to Greene County in 1996.

He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1983 and from Illinois College in 1987 with a bachelors degree in arts in history and political science. He went to Southern Illinois University Law School in Carbondale in 1990, graduating cum laude.

From 1990 to 1995, he worked at the states attorneys appellate prosecutor in Springfield. He served as special prosecutor in several counties. From 1995-1996, he worked for Gustine Theivagt Law Firm in Carrollton. He was Greene County state attorney from 1996 to 2004. He worked for Illinois Department of Revenue as Special Counsel in 2005. Turpin opened his own law firm in December 2005.

I have dealt with numerous areas of the law, he said.

John Guntren

Republican John Guntren, 64, of rural Greene County is an attorney who has been in private practice in Jerseyville since 1983. He believes his decades of courtroom experience make him a strong candidate for the role of judge.

Since I have been a trial attorney for over 36 years, Ive had to argue cases in all those different counties encompassing the circuit, he said. Ive appeared in front of so many different judges and (a lot) of them are retired now, but believe me after doing all of that, I have a good idea of what makes a good judge.

Guntren graduated from Jerseyville High School in 1973 and received his bachelors degree from Illinois College. He has practiced family law, civil and criminal law, and personal injury law. He has been a court-appointed public defender in the circuit, which includes Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Morgan, Sangamon and Scott counties.

He and his wife have two children.

Zachary Schmidt

Republican Zachary Schmidt, 32, is a Carrollton native and assistant director of state legislation for the Illinois Farm Bureau, advocating for legislation for benefits for farmers in rural communities. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant states attorney in Peoria County and Logan County.

Through those positions, Schmidt said, he was able to prosecute multiple complex cases, including attempted murder, aggravated battery, multiple stabbings, domestic violence and drugs.

He said he has advocated for victims of crime both as a victim-witness coordinator and as a domestic violence prosecutor. He has reviewed contracts with highway departments and businesses and represented farmers against insurance companies.

I take special pride in trying to be fair, not letting bias or prejudice influence my decision-making  which I believe is very important to a judge that presides over a case, Schmidt said. So given my background, I believe I would be a great candidate.

Schmidt received his law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana and studied agriculture policy and law at the University of Illinois-Champaign.

In the Eighth Circuit  which encompasses Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Mason, Menard, Pike and Schuyler counties, two Republican candidates are running for the judicial position. There are no Democrats on the ballot.

Drew Erwin

Drew Erwin, 53, was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill the position upon the retirement of Judge Mark Drummond in August.

The Lawton, Oklahoma, native has lived in Quincy since 1991. He received his bachelors degree from Westminster College in 1988 and his juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1991.

He has been in circuit courts in 40 counties in Illinois and appeared before more than 150 judges. Erwin is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Creditors Bar Association and was past president of the Adams County Bar Association from 2013 to 2014.

Hes practiced law for 27 years.

I been in a lot of different counties and appeared in front of a lot of different judges, Erwin said.

He and his wife have four sons.

Tad Brenner

Tad Brenner, 57, is a Quincy native and an attorney who has worked for firms in Peoria and Quincy, as well as being a public defender for two years in Adams County.

His career has focused on litigation, criminal and trial cases for more than 32 years.

My emphasis in terms of my work has been work that directly affects people, Brenner said. I have believed in fighting for religious freedom wherever possible. Representing churches is something that has been a key component of my career. Its something that I cherish and its something I believe is very, very important.

Brenner graduated from Quincy High School in 1980 and Grinnell College in Iowa in 1984. He received his law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1987.

He and his wife have two sons.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:25:56|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to provide as much assistance as it can for Iran in the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message recently sent to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Xi expressed heartfelt sympathies to the Iranian government and people over the epidemic on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

Stressing that China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners and their people enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi noted that the Iranian government and people have provided sincere and friendly support and help for China's fight against the epidemic.

Meanwhile, to help Iran beat the disease, China has offered Iran a batch of anti-epidemic supplies and sent a team of voluntary health experts, Xi said.

China stands ready to step up cooperation with Iran to contain the epidemic, Xi said, adding that he is confident that the Iranian government and people will surely win the battle against the outbreak.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 Crpc was imposed in Moreh town in Manipur's Tengnoupal district after four police commandos were injured in an attack by a mob, an official said on Saturday.

The prohibitory orders in Moreh town, which is close to the Indo-Myanmar border, was issued by the District Magistrate of Tengnoupal, Mayanglangbam Rajkumar on Friday evening for one month, the official said.

In a statement, the district magistrate said assembly of five or more persons is not allowed and prohibited carrying of stones, sticks and firearms without a valid licence.

Four Manipur police commandos were injured when a mob attacked them for stopping a vehicle for checking in Moreh town on Friday.

The police commandos had signalled a car with tinted glass to halt for checking on Friday. The car, however, did not stopped and sped away, the officer said.

The commandos chased the car and stopped the vehicle.

When the injured commandos went to the Moreh hospital for medical treatment, a mob damaged their vehicle and kept them confined to a room, the officer said.

Additional police reinforcements rushed to the hospital to rescue the commandos and chase away the mob, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: An innocuous-looking parcel from The Netherlands that claimed to contain wedding cards had blue punisher pills, a mega-dose Ecstasy pills which is apparently three times stronger than most others pills used in rave parties. Addressed to a person in Mysuru, Postal Intelligence officers of Air Customs detained the parcel at Foreign Post Office at Meenambakkam after they found it contained some blue-coloured tablets.

Chennai Air Customs Commissioner Rajan Chaudhary said the tablets were tested with narcotics testing kit and it was found to be methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), a narcotic substance.We found 384 gm of tablets suspected to be MDMA, valued at Rs 30 lakh, and they were seized under NDPS Act 1985, he said, adding it is one of the major seizures by customs in recent times.

He also said searches were carried out at Mysuru address of the consignee. The 23-year-old youth, who is a graduate of JSS Science and Technology University in Mysuru was arrested under NDPS for his alleged involvement in the case. He is said to have told officials that the pills are in high demand in parties held frequently in Bengaluru and Mysuru, said Chaudhary.

Ecstasy and Molly, a party drug that alters mood and perception are chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens and produce feelings of increased energy and pleasure. The seized blue tablets are known blue punisher pills bearing skull mark and contain 250-300 mg of MDMA which is a high dosage. This pill has caused numerous deaths in the UK, the commissioner said.

A narcotic substance

The tablets were tested with narcotics testing kit and it was found to be a narcotic substance, one of the major seizures by customs
- Lawrence Agyinsam, the CEO of Ghana Exim Bank, has urged the government to boost manufacturing in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus

- According to him, the coronavirus has negatively international trade and there is, therefore, the need for an alternative course of action

- He added that there is a need to promote a sense of patriotism and support those who are willing and ready to do business

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Exim Bank, Lawrence Agyinsam, has called on the government to implement measures that would lead to increased manufacturing of goods.

According to him, the extent to which the coronavirus has affected trading activities in Ghana should be a wakeup call.

He explained that Ghana heavily relies on imports from China and the country has experienced a downturn in its business activities.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Exim Bank, Lawrence Agyinsam Source: thebftonline.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Coronavirus meeting that takes place every 3 years postponed because of coronavirus

Agyimsam, per a report by citibusinessnews.com, explained that for that reason, Ghanaian businesses are also in a fix and therefore need an alternative course of action.

He went on to say that there is an urgent need to deepen the sense of patriotism and provide support for those who are ready and willing to do business.

With that done, he stated, Ghanaians could have locally produced goods for use so that the countrys dependency on China would fall.

YEN.com.gh has learned that the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), as well as other stakeholders in business, have warned of a possible increase in prices of goods and services if no solution is found with respect to the coronavirus.

As at the year 2018, trade between Ghana and China was estimated to be US$7.3 billion and this made Ghana the seventh-largest African trading partner of China in that year.

In other news, the United Kingdom (UK) has teamed up with an innovations hub in Senegal to develop a 10-minute coronavirus test.

The $60 million prevention and research funding package is an attempt to get a faster way to diagnose the coronavirus.

With the help of a specialised facility in Dakar, Senegal, the UK government, through Mologic, a biotech firm is working with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.

A qz.com report shows the test kits would be manufactured at DiaTropix, the Dakar-based custom-built facility for innovative ways to deal with epidemics.

Information available shows that the test kits are expected to be handheld devices and would be manufactured in June 2020.

READ ALSO: Uber reveals it may suspend drivers and riders who test positive for coronavirus

Read the best news on Ghana #1 news app. and read the best news about Ghana

Yenkasa: Coronavirus: Is Ghana ready? | #Yencomgh

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: YEN.com.gh
As many as 48 per cent women in Maharashtra are anemic, the percentage of child marriages stood at 26.3 per cent while teen pregnancies were at 8 per cent, the budget of the state tabled in the Legislative Council on Saturday revealed.

It was the first time the state government released a budget statement, which also had details of fund allocation for various projects concerning women and child development.

The statement disclosed that crimes against women were steadily increasing, while, as per the Crime Record Bureau, Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of missing women complaints in the country.

"In calendar year 2016, 28,316 women went missing. The figures increased to 29,279 in 2017 and 33,964 in 2018," said the report.

Quoting a 2018 McKinsey Global Institute report on 'Advancing Women's Equality in Asia Pacific', the statement said, "Participation of women at professional and technical jobs in the state is at 46 per 100 men. Financial inclusion of women stands at 47 women per 100 men.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  Upstate University Hospital is loaning specialized masks and protective clothing to primary care doctors in the Syracuse area so they can test patients for coronavirus in their offices instead of sending them to hospital emergency rooms.

Doctors practices have been unable to test because they dont have the necessary masks, gloves, goggles and gowns known as personal protective equipment.

Family Care Medical Group, the largest primary care practice in Central New York, starting testing patients for coronavirus Thursday after getting a truckload of the equipment from Upstate. Dr. Mitchell Brodey, president of the group, said the garb is being distributed to all of his practices 32 offices. Other primary practices in the Syracuse area will get supplies of the equipment next week. The supplies should last for about a month if and when the area gets an outbreak, he said.

Primary care docs are on the front line, he said. We are trying to prevent becoming the next Italy.

Public health officials have been telling people who think they have coronavirus to call their doctors. But doctors have been telling patients with severe symptoms to go to ERs because they dont have the protective equipment needed to do testing. Brodey said that has created confusion for patients, but the situation will improve now that he and other primary care doctors can do the testing.

The inability of primary care doctors to test was a major gap in the communitys ability to respond to coronavirus, said Dr. Stephen Thomas, Upstates chief of infectious disease. Recognizing the gaps and filling them is important, he said.

Initially, patients could only be tested for coronavirus if the testing was authorized by the Onondaga County Health Department. That authorization is no longer needed. The county has authorized seven tests, which all came back negative. There have been no confirmed coronavirus cases yet in Onondaga County. The county did not release the number of tests done without health department authorization.

Brodey tested four patients Thursday. He took nasal and oral swabs and sent them to LabCorp, a commercial lab in Vermont for testing and is awaiting results.

His office is advising patients not to come to the office unless they have a fever, cough and other flu-like symptoms. When they come in, patients will be tested for both flu and coronavirus. If the flu test comes back negative, patients samples will be sent to the LabCorp for testing.

James T. Mulder covers health news. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com

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.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

The successes achieved in the economic sphere over the past 16 years are unmatched in the world, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

If there are, let them say, look at the statistics  what country has been able to increase its economy 3.4 times in 16 years? The poverty rate that was close to 50 percent is at 4.8 percent now and will decrease even more because salaries and pensions are increasing and will increase further, as well as benefits. The external debt accounts for 17 percent of the gross domestic product. This is a very low rate. In some developed countries, it exceeds 100 percent. But more importantly, our foreign exchange reserves are six times the size of the external debt. So if we want, we can repay our external debt in a month. In order for some countries to pay off their external debt, their foreign exchange reserves should be 50 times higher than they are now, said the head of state.

He noted that such successes in the economic sphere have been achieved in recent years.

In the social sphere  salaries and pensions have grown more than 10 times. Problems of internally displaced persons and martyr families are being addressed. We have become a space-faring nation. We have three satellites. The International Congress of Astronautics will be held in Baku in 2022, we won this right in a tense struggle. Four cities took part in this competition - Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore and Baku. We won. Why? Because we are respected there, said President Ilham Aliyev.

I can list such facts for a long time. Just look at our energy policy to see what we have done for our people, state and continent. Oil and gas pipelines  the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor is nearing completion today. We did this in a difficult geopolitical setting with minimal, one might say zero losses. Not only did, but also created a format for long-term international cooperation between seven countries. Today these countries are natural friends. Though not allies, but natural friends. Therefore, our role in this area is undeniable, we are the leaders in this area, said the head of state.

In the field of transport. We have turned a landlocked country into a transportation hub. There are many such facts, and each of them had a positive impact on the elections. The vast majority of MPs elected to parliament correctly assess these positive trends. Perhaps their victory depended, among other things, on this factor. Today we live as an independent country, pursue an independent policy, do not interfere in anyones affairs and we do not allow anyone to interfere in ours. I am sure that we will continue to follow the path of independence and development. I am convinced that the Azerbaijani parliament will be active in this matter, said President Ilham Aliyev.
Boris Johnsons most senior aide is facing fresh allegations he flouted lockdown rules by taking a sightseeing trip on Easter Sunday.

The prime minister is facing mounting calls to sack Dominic Cummings amid claims he made several trips to see his family in County Durham, while the country was being told to stay at home.

Ministers vociferously defended Mr Cummings after it emerged he had made the 260-mile journey, insisting he had obeyed the rules by staying in one place while there.

However, an eyewitness told The Observer and the Sunday Mirror he had seen Mr Cummings on 12 April, 30 miles from Durham in Barnard Castle.

Another eyewitness said they saw the prime ministers most trusted aide in Durham on 19 April, days after he had been photographed returning to Downing Street.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 November 2021 Migrants are helped ashore from a RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat at a beach in Dungeness, on the south-east coast of England, on November 24, 2021, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. The fire broke out on Wednesday night the fire service has said and local residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to large amounts of smoke PA UK news in pictures 17 November 2021 The sun rises over South Shields Lighthouse, on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2021 ancer Maithili Vijayakumar at the launch of 2021 Diwali celebrations at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 15 November 2021 Forensic officers work outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, following a car blast, in Liverpool Reuters UK news in pictures 14 November 2021 Wreaths by the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London PA UK news in pictures 13 November 2021 Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is ending his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Ratcliffe has spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London without food. He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA

Earlier, Downing Street had described the first trip as essential, saying Mr Cummings needed his familys help to care for his young son because his wife was sick with coronavirus and he feared he was next.

Cabinet ministers lined up to defend Mr Cummings, saying he had put his family first and accused critics of trying to politicise the issue.

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, used the daily Downing Street press conference to suggest that Mr Cummings had not broken lockdown rules because he had stayed put upon arrival in Durham.

But Robin Lees, 70, a retired chemistry teacher, told the papers he had seen Mr Cummings in Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday.

Mr Lees compared him to Catherine Calderwood, Scotlands former chief medical officer, who stood down after visiting her second home twice during lockdown.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have written to Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, calling for an inquiry into Mr Cummingss decision to travel from London to Durham.

They want the probe to include when the prime minister was made aware Mr Cummings had left the capital.

Senior Tories also expressed concern that Mr Cummings's behaviour could encourage others to flout the rules, jeopardising the governments plans to gradually lift the lockdown.

The Independent can reveal that senior MPs are set to question Mr Johnson over Mr Cummings later this week, as pressure grows on the prime minister to explain what he knew about the trip under lockdown.

Parliament is in recess until June, meaning Mr Johnson will not have to face MPs at Prime Ministers Questions.

But members of the Commons Liaison Committee, which is made up of the chairs of other select committees, said they expected Mr Johnson to be questioned about Mr Cummings when he makes his first appearance before them later this week.

Pete Wishart, an SNP MP who sits on the committee and is a member of the "quad" which organises its business, said: If nothing has changed and Dominic Cummings is still in post by Wednesday, it would be very surprising if this was an issue that was not raised.

Another member of the committee said: Im sure one of my colleagues will crowbar the Cummings question in.

In a statement defending Mr Cummings, Downing Street said his trip had been essential to ensure his young son was properly cared for. After an offer of help from his sister and nieces, he travelled to a house near to but separate from his extended family.

A spokesperson for No 10, said: "Yesterday [Friday] the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings. Today [Saturday] they are writing more inaccurate stories including claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Street on 14 April. We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers."

There was confusion about the involvement of police, however. No 10 also said that at no stage was Mr Cummings or his family spoken to by the police.

On Saturday night Durham Police took the unusual step of confirming they had spoken to Mr Cummingss father.

Steve White, the police and crime commissioner for Durham Police, a former head of the Police Federation in England and Wales, said it was "most unwise" for Mr Cummings to have travelled when "known to be infected".

The SNP accused No 10 of a "cover up" after reports some in Downing Street knew Mr Cummings had made the 260-mile journey during lockdown.

Former Tory cabinet minister David Lidington, Theresa Mays de facto deputy prime minister, told Newsnight: "There's clearly serious questions that No 10 are going to have to address, not least because the readiness of members of the public to follow government guidance more generally is going to be affected by this sort of story."

Professor Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose modelling prompted the lockdown, quit as a government adviser for flouting the rules when he was visited at this home by his lover.

At the time Mr Hancock, the health secretary, said he was "speechless" and that he backed any police action against Mr Ferguson.

Sir Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for Mr Cummings to quit over the allegations, while a spokesperson for Labour said: "The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings."

Asked by reporters on Saturday if he had considered his position, Mr Cummings said "obviously not".
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:30:34|Editor: huaxia

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HEFEI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Two more voluntary experts sent by the Red Cross Society of China will leave for Iran Saturday night to help it fight the novel coronavirus outbreak, sources from the Red Cross Society of Anhui Province said.

The two medical experts from the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, the provincial capital of Anhui, will take a flight of Iran's Mahan Air from Guangzhou to Teheran.

They will join five other Chinese voluntary experts that have been working in Iran since Feb. 29. They plan to stay there until March. 29.

"We will use the experience of China to treat patients in Iran and do our part in Iran's fight against the novel coronavirus," said Wang Dongsheng, one of the two experts. He had worked in Wuhan, epicenter of the outbreak in central China's Hubei Province.
Jetblue flight NYC to LA boarding

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

An unidentified man boarded a JetBlue plane flying from New York City to West Palm Beach, Florida, while awaiting results from a coronavirus test, CNN reported Friday, citing the airline.

The passenger apparently notified the crew after landing in Florida that his results came back positive for COVID-19.

JetBlue has since announced that it would be barring the unnamed passenger from traveling with the airline in the future.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

JetBlue has barred an unidentified passenger who it said boarded a plane from New York City to West Palm Beach, Florida, even after recently being tested for the novel coronavirus, CNN reported Friday, citing the airline. He reportedly informed the crew that he had tested positive only after the plane had landed.

"Last night's event put our crew members, customers, and federal and local officials in an unsettling situation that could have easily been avoided, and as such, this customer will not be permitted to fly on JetBlue in the future," the airline told CNN in a statement Thursday.

The man boarded JetBlue Flight 253 at John F. Kennedy International Airport and landed at Palm Beach International Airport on Wednesday night among 114 passengers. Citing JetBlue, CNN said the man was awaiting COVID-19 test results when he boarded the aircraft and learned the results upon landing.

A passenger named Scott Rodman, however, told WPTV that he sat near the man's wife and believed the man knew of the test results before the flight took off.

"His wife was sitting in the same row as me and mentioned to others that he wasn't feeling well," Rodman told WPTV. "She said he had gotten a phone call with his test results right before we had taken off, implying that he had a positive test but not actually saying it."

Upon arrival, the passenger notified the crew that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey immediately began to clean the areas he came into contact with based on security footage, including gates, security checkpoints, check-in counters, kiosks, elevators, and restrooms, CNN reported.

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The other passengers on the flight were briefed by local health officials on the plane for nearly two hours after the plane landed just before 9 p.m.

"Passengers in the vicinity of the positive patient were advised of monitoring procedures," Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said in a statement to ABC News. "The rest of the passengers were released to go home," and instructed to call the local health department with any other concern.

Palm Beach International Airport temporarily closed down Concourse A for sanitizing after passengers on the same flight exited the area. The airport planned to continue operating as normal the day after the incident, CNN reported.

The passenger's condition and his whereabouts remain unclear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended those at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19 to avoid nonessential air travel. New York is one of at least 30 states that have declared a state of emergency in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The virus has swept the country, infecting at least 1,700 and killing 48. New York has reported 328 cases as of March 13.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Peter Dutton, Australias Minister for Home Affairs, has tested positive for COVID-19 after meeting with Attorney General William Barr, Kellyanne Conway, and Ivanka Trump. The virus, which has recently made its way through several world leaders including Justin Trudeaus wife, Sophie, and Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro (who is now denying his positive test result), is spreading massive fear among several politicians who have been exposed. Now, the Trump aide and presidents daughter are both among those who have been in close proximity with coronavirus.

This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat. I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive, the Australian official said in a statement. It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice. I feel fine and will provide an update in due course, Dutton said.

Its been about a week since Dutton traveled to Washington and met with Barr, Conway, and Ivanka Trump to discuss how to combat online child exploitation. Although all three top Trump officials were exposed, the White House says that the president is not afraid of any implications of Duttons coronavirus results. The White House has explained that they dont believe President Donald Trump is at risk for or has contracted coronavirus, and that they havent tested him.

Last Friday, a spokeswoman for the Department of Justice, Kerri Kupec, said in a statement that Barr was feeling great and not showing any symptoms. Kupec confirmed that he had spoken with the CDC and that they did not recommend he be tested.

This also follows news of Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeaus potential exposure to coronavirus, after his wife contracted it. The fact that yet another high-ranking foreign official is potentially at risk is concerning and represents another example of why everyone  including government officials  are trying to get tested. The CDC and U.S. government have also taken measures to restrict travel to Europe and encourage those who can to work and practice social distancing.

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Theres no confirmation yet whether Dutton contracted coronavirus from his trip to the U.S. of passed it to members of the White House. Conway, Trump, and Barrs teams have yet to release statements regarding how the exposure is being handled among public officials, though the concern surrounding world leaders contracting the virus is continuing the build.

It begs the question of how Trump and members of his cabinet are preparing for a potential outbreak on Capitol Hill. Trump has now declined to be tested more then once, though the White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said that the President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive, according to CNN.

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

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BERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - The German government will provide a financial lifeline to creative artists, private cultural institutions and event companies hit by the coronavirus outbreak, it said on Friday.

It did not give details of how much aid it would provide.

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr Editing by Michelle Martin)
[March 14, 2020] Morganti & Co, P.C., Announces Settlement Approval for Namaste Technologies Inc. Securities Class Action

Law firm Morganti & Co, P.C., announces that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (the "Court") has approved the class action settlement regarding Ronald Tarrant v. Namaste Technologies, Inc., Sean Dollinger and Philip Van Den Berg, bearing Court File No. 18-CV-78184 (the "Action"). This Notice is directed to all persons and entities, excluding certain persons associated with the Defendants, who acquired securities of Namaste Technologies Inc. ("Namaste"), prior to November 29, 2017 that are or were listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") in Canada or the Frankfurt Stock Exchange ("FSE") in Germany during the period of November 29, 2017 to February 3, 2019 (the "Class Period"), and held some or all of those securities at the close of trading on any of October 3, 2018, October 15, 2018 or February 3, 2019 (collectively, the "Class" or "Class Members"). PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE:

A class action brought on behalf of Class Members has been settled. The Settlement has been approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. This Notice provides Class Members with information about how to submit a Claim Form to the Administrator in order to participate in the distribution of the Net Settlement Amount on a pro rata basis. THE ACTION:

On October 19, 2018, a proposed class action was commenced on behalf of investors who purchased Namaste securities on the TSX or FSE during the Class Period, against Namaste and its former CEO and CFO in the Ontario Superior Court: Ronald Tarrant v. Namaste Technologies, Inc. et al 18-CV-78184. The Plaintiff in the Action alleged that the Defendants made misrepresentations of material facts relating to Namaste's business, operations and finances by omitting from core documents, non-core documents and statements, material facts about Namaste's divestiture its U.S. operations in December of 2017. The settlement of the Action, without an admission of liability on the part of the Defendants, was approved by The Honourable Justice Smith on March 2, 2020. This notice provides a summary of the settlement. SUMMARY OF THE SETTLEMENT TERMS:

Namaste and its insurers will pay USD $2.15 million, in full and final settlement of all claims against the defendants in the Action. Class Counsel Fees, including out-of-pocket expenses and taxes, were fixed by the Court as a first charge on the Settlement Amount in the amount of thirty (30) percent of USD $2,150,000.00, plus disbursements, plus taxes. The settlement for the Class, less the Class Counsel Fees and disbursements, administrator's expenses, and taxes, will be distributed to the Class ona pro rata basis in accordance with the Court-approved Plan of Allocation. The Settlement Agreement and Plan of Allocation may be viewed at http://www.morgantico.com/namaste-technologies/, at www.namastesecuritiesclassaction.com, and in the investor relations section of www.namastetechnologies.com.



HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION: CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION MUST BE RECEIVED ON (News - Alert) OR BEFORE JULY 17, 2020

Each Class Member must submit a completed Claim Form on or before July 17, 2020 in order to participate in the settlement. Class Members are required to complete the Claim Form and upload the supporting documentation in the online claims administration portal at https://namastesecuritiesclassaction.com/portal. The Claim Form may also be accessed or downloaded at www.namastesecuritiesclassaction.com or obtained by calling the Administrator at 877-400-1211 or by email at [email protected]. If you do not submit a completed Claim Form and provide supporting documentation by July 17, 2020, you will not receive any part of the Net Settlement Amount. The Court appointed Trilogy Class Action Services as the Administrator of the settlement to, among other things: (i) receive and process Claim Forms; (ii) decide eligibility for compensation; and (iii) distribute the net Settlement Amount to eligible Class Members. The Claim Form should be submitted to the Administrator by using the secure Online Claims System at www.namastesecuritiesclassaction.com. You may submit a paper Claim Form only if you do not have internet access. The paper Claim Form may be sent by mail or courier to: Administrator: Trilogy Class Action Services

117 Queen Street, P.O. Box (News - Alert). 1000,

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, L0S 1J0,

Attention: Namaste Class Action,

Fax: 416-342-1761,

Email: [email protected]

https://www.namastesecuritiesclassaction.ca INTERPRETATION:

If there is a conflict between the provisions of this Notice and the Settlement Agreement, the terms of the Settlement Agreement will prevail. This notice has been approved by the Court. Questions about matters in this notice should NOT be directed to the Court. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200314005003/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The previous two sessions of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in 2018 and 2019 both ended up as top-tier events for the business world. And this year, the trade fair is also expected to make a splash.

Customers select commodities at an exhibition area for Indian products of the Yiwu International Trade Mart District 5, eastern Chinas Zhejiang province as the wholesale market reopens on Feb. 24. Photo by Lyu Bin, Peoples Daily Online

The registration of the third CIIE is currently in full swing, and the event has introduced cloud signing to address the growing need of the exhibitors amid the ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic. Multiple world-renowned enterprises have confirmed participation, and are now working on relevant plans.

So far, more than 1,000 exhibitors worldwide have signed up for the third CIIE, with more than half of the exhibition space designated  a process faster that the events two predecessors.

Global enterprises stay upbeat about the trend for Chinas mid- and long-term economic growth, and are actively making deployment in the country for more opportunities, despite the near-term impacts from the epidemic on Chinas economic operation.

A needle for insulin injection named Nanopass Jr. received wide attention at the second CIIE last year for its 0.18-millimeter outer diameter. The product produced by Japans Terumo Group was hailed as the tiniest futuristic tech displayed at the event. At present, the Japanese company is in full preparation for the exhibition this year.

Shibazaki Takanori, Senior Executive Officer of Terumo (China) Holdings Co., Ltd. said the company appreciates the CIIE for offering them an opportunity to bring their products to China, and this year, Terumos remarkable technologies will be once again presented to the Chinese consumers with the utmost sincerity.

Shibazaki told Peoples Daily that China demonstrated admirable execution in the fight against the novel coronavirus, and his company has donated 8.43 million yuan of medical equipment to the country.

Though the epidemic poses challenges for the business exhibition sector of the event, it is also in some sense bringing opportunities, said Zhou Lingyan, deputy general manager of the CIIE department of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Employees work in the Japanese-invested Suzhou JDI Electronics Inc. in Suzhou New District, east Chinas Jiangsu province. Photo by Hua Xuegen, Peoples Daily Online

Enterprises in the health sector are grabbing the chance to expand their market in China, and many in the tech equipment, automobile, consumer goods, food & farm produce and clothing industries are also trying to offset the impacts from the epidemic and further their business by participating in the grand event.

President and CEO of L'Oreal China Fabrice Megarbane said he was impressed by the resolution, efficiency and decisiveness showcased by the Chinese government, the unity and courage of the Chinese people, and the dedication and collaboration of the medical staff and military.

The policies rolled out by relevant Chinese departments to relieve enterprises burdens and ensure their operation beefed up the confidence of L'Oreal to invest in China, Megarbane noted.

China is a vast country with 1.4 billion people and the worlds second largest economy that yielded nearly 100 trillion yuan of GDP last year. The country, home to the worlds largest group of middle-income earners, is also the worlds largest manufacturer and trader of goods. Its utilization of foreign capital and the volume of outbound investment rank among the largest in the world. The vast sea of Chinese economy is creating ceaseless opportunities for global enterprises.

Chinas consumption demand is continuously upgrading as the countrys economy grows rapidly, which makes the Chinese market both a stimulator and destination for innovation of global enterprises, said Rene Co, vice president of Communications at P&G Greater China, adding the company will stay optimistic, as it always has, about the long-term development of the Chinese economy and market opportunities.

The company believes that the epidemic will soon come to an end under the guidance of the government, and the market will once again be activated, he said.

Managing Director and Head of Eurazeo China Eddie Chen said that the Chinese market is extremely tempting for foreign investment, and its economic resilience shall not be underestimated. He told Peoples Daily that the third CIIE will once again offer the world a window on China, and Eurazeo is currently selecting quality companies from Europe to enter the Chinese market.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Georgia has confirmed five new cases of COVID-19, which increased the total number of infected individuals to 30, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

The updated data is available at the new webpage www.stopcov.ge, launched by the Government of Georgia, which aims to inform the population of the overall epidemiological situation in the country amid the new coronavirus outbreak in the world.

Earlier, Medical director of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Marina Ezugbaia announced that the first individual, who tested positive for COVID-19 back on February 26 after returning from Iran, has tested negative. However, Ezugbaia noted that he will be considered healthy only in case this individual again tests negative for the new China-born coronavirus in 24 hours.

Amid the new coronavirus outbreak, Georgia has suspended direct flights with China, Iran and Italy, which are currently the largest centers of the outbreak.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
Indian airlines have also been advised separately to give relief, an official said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked international airlines to consider waiving cancellation fees to provide relief to passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted due to covid-19.

It issued the advisory on Friday as customers have been forced to cancel travel plans because of the governments orders. Globally, airlines are offering customers free change in date or destination but the refund is being paid based on fare rules.

Flights are being disrupted on a daily basis. Passengers are facing the brunt. It would be appropriate if airlines support their passengers in this tough time by waiving cancellation/reschedule charges or by providing other incentives, Deputy Director General Sunil Kumar said in a circular to foreign airlines.

Indian airlines have been advised separately to give relief, an official said.

Lufthansa and Swiss have extended their waiver policy. Scoot is offering refunds in the form of travel vouchers. Etihad will not charge for date change and fare differential in case of rescheduling. Malaysian Airlines has expanded its free date change and destination change policies.
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Editors note: This article contains spoilers for the conclusion of Julia Harts Stargirl.

There are no tidy endings at the conclusion of Jerry Spinellis beloved YA novel Stargirl. The 2000 book chronicles the changes that come to an Arizona high school after the arrival of the eponymous Stargirl, a wholly unique teenager who encourages everyone around her to embrace their true selves. While Stargirls free spirit  and her dedication to celebrating an otherwise boring suburban school  initially enchants her fellow students (especially Leo Borlock), the tides turn as the student body fall back into their old affection for conformity. (High school: what a time, what a place.)

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By the books end, Stargirl has been ostracized, temporarily accepted back into the fold, and cast out yet again. And then, something even more horrifying happens: she gets slapped by an angry classmate in front of the entire student body at an especially fraught school dance. Stargirl responds with a kind kiss to the cheek, and is never seen again. Its a heartbreaker of an ending, and one that even Spinelli eventually tried to tie up in a 2007 sequel that followed Stargirl after leaving Mica High School (and Leo).

For the film adaptation of the novel, director Julia Hart (along with her husband and co-writer Jordan Horowitz) was wary about ending her Disney+ feature in such a terribly sad place. Yes, her Stargirl (played by Grace VanderWaal) still leaves Mica after a series of heartbreaking events upend her social standing, plus an ill-fated attempt to be average (she even returns to her birth name, Susan), but Hart didnt want to conclude Stargirl with something as vicious as a physical altercation.

Story continues

The book was obviously written when it was written, and the world has changed so much since then, Hart said in a recent interview with IndieWire. We talked about it a lot, with our executives at the studio and our producers, and we also talked about it with the actors.

There is no such slap in Harts Stargirl. Instead, Hart and Horowitzs script digs into deeper emotions and bigger ideas that feel relevant and necessary today, especially in a film aimed at the younger set.

It comes back to this idea of adaptation, where when youre actually having a young actress slap another young actress, it just feels very different at the end of the day, she said. Physical violence didnt feel like the message that we wanted Hilaris character to be sending to young people. Ultimately her message in the film is really important: That your intentions can be good and positive and kind, but if you dont actually stop and listen to people, look at people, and ask them questions and know their story, it can have catastrophic consequences that you never intended.

Harts film offers some smart alterations to the character of Hilari Kimble (played by Shelby Simmons), best known to book readers as a popular teen who doubts Stargirls intentions and ultimately takes out her frustrations with that horrible slap. In Harts feature, Hilari isnt just a ticked-off teenager who dislikes Stargirl from the start; shes someone personally impacted by Stargirls special brand of whimsy.

Early in the film, Stargirl tells Leo (played by Graham Verchere) that shes recently rescued a bike from a local pawn shop after it was sold off when its original owner (a young boy) was injured. Stargirl has a great idea for the bike: shell return it to its young owner, who can ride it once he feels better.

Its the kind of sunny plan that Stargirl lives for, and she eventually drops the bike off at the kids house and goes on her merry way. What she doesnt know is that the bike belongs to Hilaris little brother, unable to ride it after his illness, and that its weird reappearance in the familys driveway has only made them feel worse about an awful situation.

A really important idea for young people these days is intent versus impact, especially for young white people and young men to understand the impact of their actions on different groups of people who maybe dont look like them, Hart said. Something that was really important for me to explore with the character of Hilari is this idea that if you dont know someones full story, the intention of your actions might not matter in comparison to a negative impact.

Hilari later confronts Stargirl during the latters appearance on the high schools chat show, Hot Seat, an emotional sequence that forces Stargirl to reevaluate how her actions (even the well-meaning ones) impact others. It also serves to change the audiences perspective, ensuring that Hilaris disdain for Stargirl springs from an understandable place. By the time the school dance rolls around, Hilari is still reeling, and Stargirl surprises her with something necessary: an apology, the exchange taking the place of the slap in Spinellis book.

Something else that was important to us was the idea of apology, Hart said. Its so funny how many adults just still dont get it, just how important it is, just the words Im sorry and just how rarely they get used, and how if they were used more often, how much happier and more connected people would feel. At the end of the day, thats what I hope people get from the movie: the most important lessons, or the most simple, and how we can look to young people to teach us those.

Stargirl is now available to stream on Disney+.

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State lawmakers are aiming to strike a three-way budget deal with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the upcoming week as state efforts continue to contain the spread of the coronavirus, according to multiple state Senate sources.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins reportedly told senators on Saturday of the new plans to skip the one-house budget proposals that the state Senate and Assembly were expected to release in coming days. With the confirmed cases of coronavirus now exceeding 500 in New York, the upcoming week could be the last one lawmakers spend in Albany this year.

But before the could happen, they have to either agree to set aside a litany of controversial issues or otherwise resolve them in a matter of days in order to pass a state spending plan for the upcoming year that is due on April 1. There are no guarantees that will happen.

One state Senate source said it remains to be determined whether the upcoming budget would be based on Cuomos current proposal or would be more of a continuation of the current years state budget. I think discussions are still ongoing, said the source.Its a fast-moving crisis and the Legislature needs to respond to the sense of urgency.

Outstanding differences on issues like bail reform, recreational marijuana and cuts to the state Medicaid program could make it difficult to reach a deal in the upcoming week. Some lawmakers worry that the truncated timeline would create the opportunity for controversial provisions to make their way into a final budget. This is a prime environment for things to be snuck in and that is what we have to stay vigilant about, said one Democratic senator who believes discussions between the three leaders have already been taking place for days.

NY1s Zack Fink tweeted on Saturday afternoon that the final budget deal would likely not include some of the legislative proposals in Cuomos original budget proposal, though there is likely to be a provision included in the deal that would reduce the number of signatures needed for candidates to get ballot access in upcoming elections.

Sources said that it makes sense to curb the activity of the Legislature given the gravity of the coronavirus outbreak, but that lawmakers need time to scrutinize a budget deal reached by the two legislative leaders and the governor. It didnt sound like it would be as robust as it would during a full process, said the Democratic senator. (But) I dont think there should necessarily be a reduction in the timeline.

While sources confirmed that senators have already been informed of plans by the two legislative leaders and the governor to strike a budget deal this week, multiple members of the Assembly told City & State that they have not heard similar confirmation from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. However, Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou said that she was told to pack her bags with enough clothes to last beyond this coming Wednesday. Originally, lawmakers were originally scheduled to leave Albany that day and then return for five straight days the following week as the April 1 budget deadlne approaches.

Representatives of Stewart-Cousins, Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie were not immediately available for comment.

It is unclear whether contingency plans are being developed that would allow lawmakers to convene and cast votes through digital meetings. I think this is an opportune moment to take advantage of technology to figure out how the Legislature can continue to work, said the Democratic senator.
Jenna McDonald, a financially strapped carer who is battling her own medical issues, says Alinta Energy shamed and embarrassed her then threatened to disconnect her after she missed a payment on her plan.

Another customer, a single mother with an autistic daughter grieving the death of her brother, said she felt humiliated and ridiculed after she rang up Alinta to sort out a late payment after being threatened with disconnection unless she spoke to a financial counsellor.

Alinta Energy plays hardball with financially strapped customers, potentially breaching the Energy Retail Code in Victoria. Credit:

"I rang Alinta and the person on the line knew my financial situation and that I wasnt paying on time and told me about the companys pay on time plan. I was told it was for my own good, then laughed then hung up on me," she said.

According to the Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC), which takes the majority of calls to the National Debt Helpline in Victoria, Alinta has been telling customers struggling to pay their bills that they must speak to a financial counsellor before they will provide hardship arrangements. They are given a short window of 13 days in some cases, or face being disconnected.
The rising death toll, is affecting 160 cities in all 31 provinces, but these are the deaths reported per province since the latest death toll was gathered:

Khorasan Razavi  348

Mazandaran  300

Golestan  296

Alborz  230

Markazi  191

Lorestan  102

East Azerbaijan  58

Ardabil  21

West Azerbaijan  15

Semnan  15

Kerman  12

Hormozgan  10

North Khorasan  10

Chahar Mahal & Bakhtiari  7

To give you an idea of the scale of the disease, in Khaf, Khorasan Razavi Province, the governor ordered the mayor to dig dozens of 4-meter deep mass graves for coronavirus victims.

Of course, the regime has been trying to hide the true numbers of infections and deaths, which has led to many healthcare workers calling them out.

Dr. Khalu, the ICU chief at Ali Ashgar Hospital of Shiraz, said: Many officials are not aware of the conditions we are in. Please put political issues aside There is nothing wrong with delivering true stats. Wrong is our people dying of this illness.

While Behrouz Kelidari, deputy dean of Isfahan Medical Sciences University, said: Isfahan has the highest rate of coronavirus expansion across the country Kashan is in a complex situation. With a population of 450,000, this city has the casualty rate of a city with 4.5 million people. As a result, there is a possibility of obstruction in the work of our medical staff. In Isfahan Province, the number of patients in need of ICU care is increasing at the same rate of patients entering hospitals. There are no cities in Isfahan Province immune from the COVID-19.

Now, the mullahs have decided to request a $5 billion loan to fight coronavirus from the International Monetary Fund, but Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), warned that the regime has a long history of enriching themselves with money that is meant to protect the people of Iran.

She said: I emphasize that all international aid must be directly sent to hospitals and the public, without any interference by this plunderer regime. The mullahs plunderer regime is not qualified or capable of containing coronavirus. Whatever money given to this regime will be plundered and nothing would reach the public in Iran.

Read More:

40 People Die From Coronavirus Each Day in One Iranian Province

Fall in Oil Prices Due to the Coronavirus, Adds to the Troubles of Irans Supreme Leader Khamenei

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Two more people have been confirmed dead from COVID-19 in Australia, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced anyone arriving in the country will have to self-isolate for two weeks.

A 77-year-old woman died on Friday after she flew to Sydney from Queensland, according to NSW Health, which also confirmed the death of a 90-year-old woman at an aged care facility on Saturday. The two fatalities took the national death toll to five.

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Mr Morrison announced on Sunday that anyone arriving in Australia from midnight would be required to self-isolate for 14 days. International cruise ships will also be barred from docking in Australia for the next 30 days.

Students tested positive to coronavirus at both UNSW and University of Sydney, while the state's schools implement "distancing measures" for its students, banning assemblies and camps.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that the state's police had the authority to enforce self-isolation, while Victorians could be fined $20,000 if they break the state's health recommendations.

The NSW Attorney General announced all new jury trials will be suspended until further notice.

ASX employees have been asked to work from home after a Sydney employee tested positive to COVID-19, while the Melbourne Victory football club may have to self-isolate for two weeks after being stuck in New Zealand on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Australia's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy called for 'sensible' purchasing of necessities in the wake of self-isolation fears, as supermarkets across the country struggle to restock. He warned against panic buying.
The Cemetery Commission has been trying to get the garage at Bellevue Cemetery fixed for several years.

Bellevue Garage Renovation Should Begin in Adams

ADAMS, Mass.  The Cemetery Commission heard from new Department of Public Works Director Robert Tober on Thursday, who said the long-awaited renovation of the garage at Bellevue Cemetery will begin in the coming weeks.

"It has been a long drawn out process," Commissioner Bruce Shepley said.

This project goes back to 2017, when the commission came to an agreement that a cold storage shed at Bellevue Cemetery was on the verge of collapse.

The project spanned from a complete rebuild to the renovation and expansion of the current garage. The rebuild was deemed too expensive so the commission agreed to renovate the standing cement block garage and purchased an additional storage shed.

Town meeting allocated $125,000 from cemetery funds to support the project

Tober said the project should start in two or three weeks and he expects a quick turnaround because the contractor plans to phase the project over about a week and a half.

"Hopefully they will do them right after but there may be a slight delay between the roof and the doors," he said.

Tober said much of the funds originally were to be used to address a retaining wall near the garage but this was found to be unnecessary.

"It is secure. It has been there for so many years and I don't think it is going anywhere," Tober said. "I think we won't see the day in our lives when we have to worry about it."

Instead, these funds were turned back to the garage to replace doors and windows with better insulated fixtures. He said this is also the case with the garage doors and that the roof will be done with insulated material.

Tober said he wished there were funds to side the building that would make it more efficient.

Shepley said there may be an opportunity to address this if there are additional funds left over. Also, if the commissioners deem it a necessary addition, they could go back before town meeting and ask for more funds.

"We will sit down and see what is left and what we still had hoped for," he said. "If there are things we think are essential we can go back to town meeting."

In other business, Tober informed the commission that the historic Quaker Meeting House in Maple Street Cemetery will have to undergo some repairs.

"There are some issues up there  one gable end on the inside where the post and beams connect. There is one that has actually gone about an inch and a half gap," Tober said. "The whole gable is kicking out a little bit."

He said he was told this by the Quaker Meeting House Committee, which has a $16,000 budget to repair the historic building.

The committee plans to hire someone to do this work in the summer.

There were some questions about who was responsible for the Quaker Meeting House.

Shepley did not think it was under the Cemetery Commission's purview or even the towns. He thought it may be worth running it by the Historical Commission.
MONTPELLIER, FranceOn March 10, Shen Yun presented the first performance of the 2020 show at Montpellier in Occitanie, France, in an unprecedented configuration due to the Coronavirus crisis, which required that the very large number of spectators be spread in two sessions in order to adapt to the national demand for limiting the scale of cultural events.

Its a last-minute change that the audience seems to have accepted very willingly, happy to discover Shen Yun and appreciative to the efforts of the productionand the artiststo make it possible to keep the show going and doubling their effort by doing two shows a day instead of one.

For two hours, the colors and sounds of this superb experience illuminated the Corum of Montpellier and took the audience away from the growing gloom and anxiety. During the introduction of one of the scenes of the show, the emcees reminded us that music has been one of the first forms of medicine in China. Several doctors present during the performance wanted to share their impressions with our journalists on location.

Sami Kawas says he discovered a very ancient art, which from this ancient uniqueness communicates this art to all other countries. It is very precious because it has no borders, no ethnicity, no country: art is art. And we respect it a lot. 

Kawas attended the performance with Anne Meyour, who was very inspired because she has long had a spiritual link to traditional Chinese culture.

I myself am very close to religions since I have had training in this area, she said. Religions are omnipresent in man, and therefore, we all need this spirituality, this desire to go towards the unknown, towards what we do not know and therefore we need this, we need this strength.

Remembering that the artists of Shen Yun do not come from China and developed their art in New York, Kawas found it very positive that they chose a place where they could develop this without being restricted, to have the courage to revive it and to make us understand, also through their efforts, that there is hope. 

This creative freedom has also made music accessible to all ears. It is not only played by Chinese instrumentsthere are also modern Western instruments, and the combination is very successful. So we can accept it from the very first note, Kawas astutely observed.

The story thats being told mentions things that we can see today, each one in our community. These are things that repeat themselves, so if you have a good understanding of history, you can understand how to solve problems in modern times that have already been solved in the past, Kawas added.

Ikram Taleb Arrada, a hospital doctor, came with her daughter and said they loved it very, very much. Its very impressive, the performance is magical, it feels like theyre flying on stage.

Both doctors were touched by art that has no boundaries. They also appreciated Shen Yuns commitment: Spirituality is part of this world and is an important part for many people, said Arrada, so yes, it speaks to us. 

To conclude their evening, the two doctors shared their impressions with future spectators. For Arrada, its a pretty magical show that you have to share as a family.  For Kawas, you only need a small heart to love this show. And big hearts will feel very much at ease! 

With reporting by NTD Television.

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 family run structural steel fabrication, erection and roofing and cladding business based near the Hook Peninsula are celebrating 20 years in business.

Sincon Engineering based in Fethard-on-Sea gathered in the Strand Tavern recently for a staff celebration.

The company expanded into the roofing and cladding side of construction and also specialise in Zinc Veio, Standing Seam and Alkor PVC flat roofing systems.

Founded by Michael Sinnott Snr, who ran the business for many years but due to ill health closed the doors back in 1999. His son Michael Jnr was living at home and had been working in the business. Tony Sinnott (son of Michael Snr) was living in Germany and Caroline Staats (daughter of Michael Snr) was living in New Zealand.

Due to their father's ill health both Tony and Caroline decided to move home for a while to spend some time with him.

Tony and Michael reopened the business under the name Sincon Engineering Ltd in February 2000 and Caroline joined them soon after.

There were four siblings in the business, along with some extended family making Sincon Engineering Ltd one of the county's great family businesses, employing 14 full time employees in total - working with numerous local subcontractors keeping outsourcing local wherever they can.

The company fabricate and erect structural steelwork for industrial units, commercial units, pharmaceutical units, retail units, car show rooms and shop fit outs and dwelling houses. More locally the company have completed the steel and cladding works to the new palliative care extension at University Hospital Waterford and St Patrick's Hospital Waterford, a number of the new Costa coffee projects throughout the south and east coasts, and more recently Sincon Engineering Ltd finished the branch in Wexford town, Clonard Retail Park.

Other local projects include Glanbia in Belview Port, numerous projects in Danone Nutricia Wexford and Bausch & Lomb in Waterford and many of the other pharmaceutical companies in the south east, including ongoing works at Great Island Power Station.

Caroline said: 'This year we are celebrating 20 years in business. No mean feat really having come through the last recession when so many others closed their doors. Sadly Dad passed away in 2016 but we know he would have been delighted to celebrate 20 years with us this week. Mum (Pauline Sinnott) is still here to keep us all on our toes and very much still the matriarch of the family.'
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The New York Times on Jan. 6 took note of a pneumonia-like illness that had sickened 59 people in Wuhan; two days later, The Washington Post, the Times and AP published staff stories about the outbreak after Chinese researchers determined that the illnesses in Wuhan  later dubbed covid-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO)  were the result of a previously unknown coronavirus. Even so, the story wasnt big news. That first Times story was published on page 13 of its print edition; the Post put its first story on A14.
Prison authorities have proposed the temporary release of at least 200 offenders to alleviate the risk of the coronavirus spreading to the jail population and staff.

The recommendation has been made by senior officials from the Prison Service to the Department of Justice as part of talks on a number of contingency measures to "reduce the number of people in custody in a controlled manner".

The nation's 13 prisons currently house more than 4,700 inmates as a result of overcrowding.

The official bed capacity is for 4,300.

The director of the Prison Service, Ms Caron McCaffrey, said last night that nobody who might be deemed to pose a threat to public safety would be among those likely to be released.

She said the proposed move would be a short-term measure and anyone granted temporary release could be returned to prison if they broke the conditions of their release.

Those excluded from being considered include prisoners convicted of murder, sex crimes and serious assaults as well as terrorists and prominent members of organised crime gangs.

The Prison Service said the unique environment of a prison and the sheer numbers and diversity of people who passed through the prison system made vigilance around infection prevention and control absolutely necessary. The restrictions being introduced were aimed at reducing the risk of infection to not only inmates and prison staff but also to members of the families of prisoners and other visitors as well as to the wider community.

The coronavirus has not yet been detected in any of the jails.

But the prison authorities said the confirmation of such a case would present significant challenges for prison management in terms of controlling the spread of the virus.

A final decision on the number and the type of prisoner to be released will be made by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.

In a separate move, Garda training is being postponed so that more than 300 students and gardai working as tutors can join the acting force now in an effort to limit the effects of coronavirus.

A contingency roster will come into effect from Monday and will see current Garda members rostered, along with about 325 students in the Garda College who will be attested as force members next week and allocated to stations nationally in the coming weeks.
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A few weeks after President Trump called coronavirus the Democrats new hoax, he went on TV Friday to declare the pandemic a national emergency. Now will you stop believing lies about COVID-19?

Even as evidence mounted this week proving that the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 illness are real, dangerous and spreading rapidly in New Jersey, another sickness ran rampant. And it was still plaguing some of our smartest people up to the very moment the president said national emergency . . . two very big words.

This illness of stupidity makes people blind to scientific facts and medical advice, encourages belief in misinformation and results in a toxic infection of foolishness about a deadly serious crisis.

Someone in your life is probably suffering from this. Its entirely preventable, and its all of our responsibility to combat the sickness of mind and spirit.

Its time to stop coddling family members who refuse to take coronavirus seriously, and forget indulging in good-faith debates with people who dont believe in science. Facts are a medicine and it may be necessary to force them down someones throat.

Coronavirus will not simply wash through, the way Trump suggested (without evidence) that it would. Actual science says the most effective way to contain coronavirus will be to flatten the curve, or slow the virus spread using significant social isolation and quarantine.

Need visuals? This chart shows how Singapore managed to contain it by acting quickly and decisively, resulting in few cases, while countries like Italy and the U.S. havent. If you need something gentler, explain it using cats.

On Thursday, New Jersey had 29 confirmed coronavirus cases. By Friday afternoon, there were 50. Those are facts, not the delusions of misinformed talking heads like Jerry Falwell, Jr., who wants you to believe COVID-19 is a plot the Chinese and North Koreans cooked up. What will the number of local cases be by the time you read this?

Even as Trump spoke, some of you were still hitting LIKE on those Facebook posts scolding the media for creating panic, claiming this outbreak has something to do with the upcoming election, and making dangerously false assertions about where coronavirus came from.

Im not here to tell you to self-quarantine just to own the libs. Im telling you to stay home so you dont pass the coronavirus to Nonna over Sunday dinner, which you insisted on having because Vice President Pence says everybody should go on with their lives.

By Monday, itll be virtually impossible to go on about life as we did this time last week. Its up to all of us to keep the virus of ignorance under strict quarantine.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Amy Z. Quinn is NJ.coms Audience Editor, Newsletters and Briefings and may be reached at aquinn@njadvancemedia.com.
ALTON  Concerns over COVID-19 have prompted several local changes.

While Madison County has no presumptive positive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at this time, officials are working to assure the public they are doing everything possible to prevent its spread.

The virus is in Illinois and the Bi-State region and although its not yet in Madison County, we anticipate it will be at some point, Health Department Director Toni Corona said.

Corona said people should avoid all non-essential gatherings. She noted recent state action to prevent the possible spread of the disease.

All of these things the state is doing it to promote social distancing, Corona said. This is a key recommendation to prevent community spread of the disease with the least disruption possible to peoples daily lives.

The risk to the general population in the United States still remains low, however, you can be a carrier and transmit it to those who are at risk. Remember them and protect them by your actions, she said.

Chairman Kurt Prenzler said Madison County Health Department is working around the clock to identify any threats to public safety. He said there are things the public can do to protect themselves.

Social distancing is a key action right now, he said. Stay away from larger crowds or if you have the ability to work from home then do so.

Corona encouraged county residents wash their hands, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home if they are sick. More information is on the Madison County Health Departments website at https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/health/index.php.

Chief Judge William Mudge on Friday announced the Madison County courts of the Third Judicial Circuit will remain open, but with changes and limitations,.

The court is reviewing ways to minimize the need for jurors to be summoned to the courthouse; summoned jurors who feel ill should contact the jury commissioner at 618-296-4392. Litigants who feel ill are advised to contact the opposing party or attorney to determine if an agreed continuance can be obtained and submitted to the court. If there is no agreement, contact the circuit clerks office and advise them illness will prevent your attendance.

The court will continue to perform marriages but limit the number of people attending the ceremony. The Department of Probation and Court Services is exploring opportunities to use technology to meet clients needs while reducing in-person meetings.

The Child Abuse Prevention Kick Off planned April 1 has been postponed, as has Fitzs one-year Gotcha Day celebration formerly planned March 27. All courthouse tours and school visits are canceled until further notice.

The Madison County States Attorneys Office is asking the court to enter an order continuing certain traffic and misdemeanor dockets for no less than 30 days. Notice of this continuance will be sent by the circuit clerk, where practical. People with upcoming traffic ticket court appearances set in the next 30 days should wait to receive notice of a later court date, which will be set sometime after April 15. This notice does not apply to driving under the influence, domestic violence or felony criminal cases.

Starting Tuesday, all Hayner Public Library District facilities will be closed for at least two weeks, based on Gov. J. B. Pritzkers statewide directive to close all schools in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. The district anticipates reopening on March 31.

Some library employees will work remotely to ensure essential functions and communications are maintained, but the majority of the staff will not work during this time. Overdue fines will not be assessed to Hayner Library cardholders March 17-30.

Updaates will be posted on the librarys website at www.haynerlibrary.org and its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/haynerlibrary. The main phone line  618-462-0677  also will have up-to-date information regarding the closing.

Beverly Farm has announced it will not allow visitors to its campus .

The Shoppes at Be

GODFREY: Beverly Farm will not allow visitors to our campus and the equestrian center will only be open for boarders. Also, The Shoppes at Beverly Farm are not currently taking donations for resale and will only be open through the drive up.

Beverly Farm has canceled all tours from the community and all volunteer opportunities on campus. It also has canceled its Adult Easter Egg Hunt on April 4 and all events for the April 24-26 Family Weekend.

In Granite City, officials have announced protocols limiting social contact and increasing safety/cleaning.

The city has a limited availability of masks and public access to hand sanitizers. City vehicle sticker sales have been delayed until further notice. City and county court, which takes place on Monday and Thursday, has been canceled until April 1. And the Granite City Cinema will be closed March 16 through April 1.

People are asked not to come to city hall if they are sick or experiencing sickness symptoms.

The Riverbender Community Center will temporarily adjust its program schedule beginning Monday, March 16.

Friday Night Open Play events will be canceled until further notice and the Adult Game Day scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, is canceled. As is its normal policy, the After School program will be open Monday but will not be held on days that school is closed.

The center said cancellations do not affect private party rentals which will remain as scheduled.

The Alton Knights of Columbus/Spaulding Club has changed its all-you-can-eat Lenten fish fry buffet to a no-seating carryout format served by volunteers from Friday, March 20, through the end of Lent, April 10.

The carryout menu is available 4:30-7 p.m.
EC proceeding with polls plans despite mounting coronavirus cases By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

The Election Commission together with health authorities may impose a string of preventive measures during the parliamentary elections campaign that will begin at noon on Thursday.

The move is aimed at minimising any possible spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Though no specific steps are yet to be taken, the EC will hold a meeting with health authorities tomorrow. Though a scheduled event, it has grown in significance with the detection of more coronavirus cases, Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake told the Sunday Times yesterday.

His comments came as those affected by the virus reached 10 yesterday. The latest cases were a 56-year-old woman who had returned from Italy on March 7 and a female relative of a previously diagnosed patient. While a string of preventive measures is on the ECs drawing boards, it is going ahead with arrangements for parliamentary elections on April 25. After consultations with the health authorities, Mr Ratnayake said the EC might issue guidelines to all political parties and they, in turn, would be expected to brief their candidates.

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has declared that the government will ban mass gatherings for two weeks. She told a media briefing that this would include large political rallies. Smaller group meetings, she said, could be held.

The NEC is also in touch with district secretaries with regard to the measures it wants to introduce.

With nominations set to conclude at noon on Thursday, district secretaries are taking stringent safety precautions to ensure that large crowds of supporters do not congregate anywhere.

Galle District Secretary Somarathna Vidanapathirana said he had discussions with the Police to prevent extra crowds gathering this time.

Monday declared a holiday; police ban on large gatherings The Government has declared Monday a public, bank and mercantile holiday, Public Administration Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachachi said last night. He said the decision had been taken to facilitate the ongoing quarantine process. Meanwhile, as part of stringent measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country, the police last night announced an indefinite ban on public and private functions which draw large crowds. Accordingly, all public and private meetings and functions where large crowds are in attendance have been banned with immediate effect until further notice. The Acting Inspector General of Police has instructed all police stations to brief the public on the new measures via loudspeakers. Meanwhile, police also warned that the law would be strictly enforced on those who act in violation of quarantine regulations imposed under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance of 1897. Accordingly, police are empowered to arrest without a warrant any person who flouts quarantine regulations. Violators could be held in remand custody without bail, the statement warned.
New Jerseys first widespread coronavirus testing center is set to open soon in Bergen County, the section of the state hit hardest by the outbreak, state officials announced Saturday.

Officials also said they are working to expand testing throughout the Garden State.

The new center will be located at Bergen Community College in Paramus, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said during a telephone briefing with reporters.

The state has been working with officials in Bergen, New Jerseys most populous county, on the center, which is set to open by Monday, Persichilli said.

Bergen announced Saturday that 31 of its residents have tested positive for coronavirus  by far the most cases in the state.

New Jersey officials said there are at least 69 confirmed coronavirus cases statewide, though that does not include six additional Bergen cases announced immediately after state officials updated the number, raising the statewide total to 75.

The county has also seen the only coronavirus-related death in the state, a 69-year-old man.

It makes completely logical sense that if were taking a first step on specimen collection, Bergen County would be the place to do it, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Saturdays call.

The Bergen site will be only for collecting specimens. The actual test analysis will be done elsewhere, officials said.

Persichilli said only people showing symptoms of the virus  which causes the illness COVID-19  will be tested.

If you do not have symptoms, you do not need to be tested, she added.

The virus has three main symptoms: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. They usually develop 2-14 days after exposure, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

Official state testing so far has been done at New Jerseys Public Health and Environmental Laboratories in West Trenton. There is also testing done by two of the states hospitals and through private lab facilities.

But Murphy said New Jerseyans should expect to see more places to submit a specimen and an expansion of our ability to process those tests" in the coming weeks.

State officials did not have more details about the Bergen center as of Saturday afternoon  such as how many people it could test a day and whether it will be a drive-through collection site.

Bergen County Executive James Tedesco is expected to release more details about the setup later Saturday.

Hes got some type of tenting option that hes looking at," Persichilli said.

Tedesco on Friday ordered the shutdown of movie theaters, public theaters, dance studios, the county zoo, and all public gatherings of 250 people or more in Bergen. The county also closed all 75 of its school districts.

The availability of coronavirus testing has been an issue across the U.S., with the country struggling to match testing levels seen in other nations.

At the state level, New Jerseys lab has the resources only to test 400 people, Persichilli said earlier this week, although the state is in the process of acquiring more tests.

Meanwhile, private companies like LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics have begun handling their own tests. Hackensack Meridian Health announced Thursday it will utilize new rapid-response coronavirus tests. And Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick began testing on Thursday, Persichelli said.

Persichilli said its difficult to know how many tests are pending in New Jersey, though she did say there are 26 specimens to be tested Saturday at the state lab.

I have absolutely no idea what is pending at the commercial or hospital labs, she added.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

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Ravis appeal against arrest warrant: CA to resume hearings on Tuesday View(s):

The three-judge Court of Appeal Special Divisional Bench will resume hearings on Tuesday to decide whether to give an interim order staying the arrest warrant issued against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and six others by the Colombo Fort Magistrate over the Treasury bond scam.

The bench comprised Justices A.H.M.D. Nawaz (President/CA), Shiran Gooneratne and Sobitha Rajakaruna.

On Thursday, the court ruled that for the best interest of all the parties, Mr. Karunanayake and the six other suspects should appear in the Fort Magistrates Court before 4pm that day without any restraint. It directed the Magistrates Court to acknowledge their presence and that the Magistrate should make no further order until Court finally determined the propriety of the arrest order.

The court also ruled that in the event, the petitioners failed to appear in court, there was no impediment for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents, namely Acting IGP, the OIC of the Financial Investigation Unit 1 and SSP Ampavila of the CID, to execute the warrant for their arrest.

As per the order issued by the Court of Appeal, the seven petitioners, including Mr Karunanayake and Perpetual Treasuries (PTL) Director Arjun Aloysius, appeared before the Colombo Fort Magistrates Court around 3p.m. on Thursday. The others who appeared in court were PTL Chief Executive Officer Kasun Palisena, Chairman Geoffrey Joseph Aloysius, Director Chittha Ranjan Hulugalle, former Public Debt Department official Sangarapille Padumanapan and Employee Provident Fund officer Indika Saman Kumara.

Once the suspects appeared in court, Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake said he would note down the fact that the suspects appeared in court and directed the court registrar to notify the Court of Appeal via a letter that they had appeared in court.

The others who had warrants issued for their arrest in relation to the case were former Central Bank Govenor Arjun Mahendran, Muthuraja Surendran and Arjan Gardiye Punchihewa. Muthuraja Surendran was taken into custody by the CID on March 7 and is in remand custody till March 18.

In his petition to the Court of Appeal, Mr Karunanayake states that he has a significant role in spearheading the election campaign of the United National Party for the April 25 Parliamentary General Elections. He states he also intends to contest the General Elections.

Pointing out that the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Treasury Bond auctions refers to the meeting held on March 28, 2016, he notes that not withstanding the fact that he was the Minister of Finance at the material time, neither the Central Bank of Sri Lanka nor the State Banks came under his purview, and neither the said banks, nor their officers, were obligated to concur or give effect to his inclinations, if any.

He states that it should be assumed that the said officers may have been acting on the directions and dictates of persons who in fact held legal powers of supervision and direction over them, and not by him.

He claims the said the Magistrates March 6 arrest order is illegal, ultra vires and made without jurisdiction. He urges the Court of Appeal to issue an interim order staying the execution of the Magistrates order for his arrest.
San Francisco is creating a fund to help small businesses and residents hurt by the coronavirus, using money from private donations, officials said Friday.

Salesforce, the citys largest private employer, has committed $1.5 million to the effort, which is called the Give2SF Fund. Wells Fargo gave $150,000; the city is seeking additional donations.

The fund will help provide shelter, food and other assistance to residents, along with money for small businesses that could include grants and interest-free loans.

The effort follows a separate $1 million in city grants for small businesses announced this week along with plans to halt evictions and defer business taxes and license fees.

San Franciscans across the city are feeling major impacts from the measures being taken to mitigate the impacts of (the) coronavirus, and we are focused on doing everything we can to help them through these challenging times, Mayor London Breed said in a statement.

Salesforce also donated $1 million to UCSFs COVID-19 Response Fund and $500,000 to the CDC Foundation, which works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The plunge in business activity has forced thousands of layoffs in San Francisco, especially in the food and hospitality sector.

Pete Sittnick, managing partner of Epic Steak and Waterbar on San Franciscos Embarcadero, said private event cancellations for March and April have cost the restaurants about $500,000.

We saw a softening last weekend, and then we just saw the bottom drop off really Sunday, Monday, he said. Anything tied into a conference or convention that involves travel, those are all canceling.

General business has been 40% to 60% lower than a year ago, forcing Epic Steak and Waterbar to each cut about eight six-hour shifts among the waiters and hosts, and another four six-hour shifts in the kitchen each day. Each restaurant employs around 150 people.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Sittnick said the restaurants $35 corkage fee will be waived through April to try to attract more customers. The restaurants are also cutting down on expenses, including fewer flowers, limiting food and beverage orders to whats needed and not buying new silverware or uniforms.

Were looking at everything else that we can be doing that isnt going to impact the quality of the experience, Sittnick said.

He said city aid will be helpful, but its not going to be enough to negate operating from a loss.

Everybodys hit. Everybodys scrambling, he said. Theres a lot of unknown.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
What came up time and time again was that there wasnt substantive writing on their work, she said. And that was making it challenging when they were applying for grants or aiming to get more visibility outside the context of Dallas.

Shortly after, she introduced Studio, visiting with one artist in their studio for each magazine column and producing thoughtful articles about their work, careers and recent exhibitions.

Then Ms. Ludwig left Dallas early in 2018 to become the executive director at Creative Time. The New York City-based nonprofit is best known for presenting large-scale  and sometimes headline-grabbing  public exhibitions, including Vik Munizs 2001 Clouds, in Manhattan, and Kara Walkers 2014 A Subtlety in a former sugar factory in Queens.

Thats where Mr. Kennedy, the Dallas Art Fairs director of exhibitor relations, came in. As a Dallas artist and arts administrator, his knowledge of the local cultural scene was sizable and current, and he took over the column. It was just a great way for me to stay clued in as to what was happening, he said.

Here Now is designed to be a manifestation of the column in exhibition form. Some of the artists were featured in Studio over the years. The curators chose the others for the way they represent North Texas art, an aesthetic that they say they believe is formed organically around a common understanding of where these artists live, rather than a shared expressive style.
With the country overwhelmed by fear of the novel coronavirus, another even more severe threat is slowly approaching in the south: the death of the Mekong Delta.

The central region is at high risk of drought from March to May, the remaining months of this dry season.  Photo baoquangngai.vn

Late last month, farmers in the region made headlines after deciding to sell topsoil from their rice fields because they were unable to grow anything anymore.

In 2016, the central and southern regions in Viet Nam experienced their worst drought and salt intrusion in 100 years, with 18 provinces declaring a state of emergency at the same time.

In many areas in Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Kien Giang and Bac Lieu, up to 80 per cent of rice crops were lost, and one million people were left in dire need of food assistance. Almost two million people lost their livelihoods or were badly affected.

The scenario may return this year, and possibly even worse.

The provinces of Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Kien Giang and Ca Mau all declared a state of emergency earlier this month.

Officials said the drought and salinity this year had been way more severe than in 2016, citing salinity levels that had surpassed the 2016 record.

Around 40,000 hectares of rice paddies have been damaged, while water shortages are rampant. Some 90,000 people have insufficient access to water for drinking and domestic use.

In many provinces in the southwestern area, people are having to pay VN200,000 for a cubic meter of fresh water.

The Mekong Delta, home to 19 million people, or 21 per cent of Viet Nams population, produces over 90 per cent of the countrys exported rice, and more than 60 per cent of the countrys seafood.

And it is just halfway into the dry season, which starts in late November and lasts until May. Experts say saline intrusion and drought will be even harsher in the next two months.

The ongoing drought and saline intrusion can be blamed partly on climate change, but sadly, experts say it is largely caused by anthropogenic impacts.

Water used for farming and domestic life in the Mekong Delta comes mainly from upstream branches of the Mekong River. But water stored in dams upstream, along with growing water consumption, are likely to make drought and saline intrusion in the area longer-lasting.

In the past seven years, seven super hydropower plants were built on the Mekong River, with six in China.

On February 20, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the fifth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting in Vientiane, Laos that China would help its downstream neighbours cope with the prolonged drought by releasing more water from its dams.

But even if China releases water from its hydropower dams, it might not reach the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam, which is 3,000km away, soon enough.

Groundwater exploitation is also adding to the situation, accompanied by sand mining.

As upstream dams prevent floodwaters from irrigating the fields, millions of wells are drying up at an alarming rate.

According to a research paper titled Impacts of 25 years of groundwater extraction on subsidence in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam (Mindehoud et al) in 2017, over the past 25 years, the delta had sank on average 18cm as a consequence of groundwater withdrawal, which was used to meet growing agricultural, industrial and domestic demand that fuelled the rapidly growing economy.

Isnt it ironic that although the Mekong Delta is one of the biggest river basins on the planet, the surface water cannot be used due to pollution, and people have to resort to extracting water from the ground?

As subsidence rates accelerate, it strongly increases the deltas vulnerability to flooding, salinisation and coastal erosion. The faster the ground sinks, the faster salinity intrusion happens.

The practice of three rice crops a year is another element to the problem.

In the 1980s, farmers in the delta only grew one crop per year. But when the country started to export rice in 1989, things changed. Farmers kept on increasing rice fields, and since the land was limited, they moved to intensive farming with multiple crops, making Viet Nam one of the worlds greatest rice producers.

But the Mekong Delta had to pay the price.

With more crops, more water is needed. In dry seasons, theres no more supplementary flow from the soil, which makes salinity intrude further.

Finally, water pollution. The surface water in the Mekong Delta has become so polluted due to livestock breeding, industrial production and fisheries. It cant be used, anymore.

What to do?

What Viet Nam needs to do now is not to wait for water coming from Chinas promise, but find ways to save itself in advance.

Nguyen Ngoc Huy, a climate change expert with the Department of Climate Change and Development at the Vietnam Japan University, has proposed some solutions to help the situation in the long run.

He recommends building a system of reservoirs in the delta, from small to large-size, from family-scale to provincial-scale. These reservoirs can be built on river branches, canals and areas connecting river systems.

Building reservoirs will require other construction work and financial resources, but in the long run, Huy said it would be more cost-effective than the current construction of sluices to stop saline intrusion.

If sluices are built to prevent saline intrusion, dykes will also have to be built along with them since the Mekong Delta was formed by silt.

Local residents will never be able to afford to build dykes, Huy said.

Furthermore, the construction of such sluices has a severe impact on biodiversity. River gates are where fish migrate to lay their eggs, but when sluices are built, fishes cant lay their eggs and numbers decrease. The fruitful fisheries hub of the Mekong Delta would soon disappear.

Huy also emphasised the need to stop exploiting groundwater and shifting to more saline tolerant agricultural production such as alternating rice and shrimp. Forsaking the third crop was a must, and this needed to be encouraged and monitored by a committee, Huy said.

The Mekong Delta can feed its residents for the time being, but whether the delicate relationship will be disrupted by internal development errors remains to be seen.

The facts are there, the figures are there, the delta is sinking, drying up. The important thing is we need to realise that almost these changes to the Mekong Delta are man-made, and it's now our turn to do something to return the land to how it used to be.

The situation is much worrying, but fortunately nature is highly resilient. Whether the people of Viet Nam can return the delta to its previous state is up to them. We know what will happen. It won't happen overnight, but this is a disaster waiting to happen. That is real. Can we transform the agriculture from production-focused to quality focused? Can we stop sand mining and ground water extraction? Can we reduce the number of annual rice harvests? The future is in our hands.  VNS

Thu Van

Five Mekong Delta provinces declare state of emergency over seawater intrusion Local authorities in Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Long An, Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces in the Mekong Delta have declared a state of emergency as seawater intrusion and drought are worsening in the delta.
Coronavirus: Making Sense of the Pandemic Declaration, the EU Travel Ban, and Rumored Lockdowns

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Covid-2019 coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, the Trump administration put a travel ban on Europe, and there are rumors that lockdowns of major cities may spread.

To get a better sense of the situation, Joshua Philipp sits down with fellow investigative reporter James Grundvid to provide analysis on the news.
An American starship powered by laser beams will make a rendezvous with another world within most of our lifetimes if physicists can solve a perplexing question  how to propel a craft 25 trillion miles to the nearest star fast enough for it to arrive while civilization as we know it still exists?

It is a vexing problem for scientists given that a launch today, using the most powerful rockets, would take 80,000 years to reach Alpha Centauri, 4.37 light-years away.

Thats about how much time has passed since the first primitive humans left Africa  too long, says Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, the lead scientist of what is known as Breakthrough Starshot. His team of astronomers and physicists is making plans to blast a tiny probe into interstellar space and have it send back images of planets in that star system within a generation.

The audacious project, bankrolled by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Yuri Milner, an Israeli-Russian physicist, would focus the most powerful laser ever built on a light sail that would accelerate a nanocraft no bigger than a cell phone to 20% the speed of light. A journey to Alpha Centauri at that speed would take about 20 years.

The idea is to combine a lot of lasers together and create a single highly focused laser beam, said Loeb, the chairman of the Breakthrough Initiatives advisory board. We have provided grants and selected a dozen experimental teams dedicated to researching this issue. If we want to achieve this in our lifetime we have to develop those lasers.

Loeb said the earthbound, mountaintop lasers would have to generate at least 100 gigawatts of power, no easy task considering the most powerful laser on Earth now is about one-millionth of that strength. It would also have to focus on a light sail positioned outside of Earths atmosphere for two minutes  a period of time that would propel it roughly five times the distance of the moon  to get it going at the right speed.

That, of course, isnt the only issue. One need only watch Austin Powers movies to understand the negative potential of a powerful laser. Loeb said international laws would have to be passed and other precautions taken to insure no modern-day Dr. Evil gets his hands on the contraption.

Developing a powerful-enough laser is one of the three problems that Loebs team has identified as critical before the envisioned probe could be launched.

Engineers working with Loeb and Pete Worden, the former director of NASAs Ames Research Center in Mountain View and the project's executive director, are evaluating designs and looking for the right material for a sail. Loeb said he sees it as an umbrella-shaped contraption, like the cut-open shell of a pingpong ball, but much larger. The sail, projected to be up to 13 feet tall by 13 feet wide, would be the largest part of the craft.

The sail material would have to be very strong, extremely light weight, very reflective and ultra thin, no more than a few hundred atoms thick or it will be too bulky to get up to speed, he said. Silicon oxide is one substance with those properties, he said. Diamond is another.

It would be like putting a diamond in the sky, a paper-thin sheet of diamond, he said, before admitting that other substances, like a composite graphene-based material, would likely be less expensive.

The other challenge, he said, is figuring out how sufficient technology can be crammed into such a tiny craft and still communicate with Earth. The cameras, thrusters, power supplies and systems for navigation and communication would have to be miniaturized, and a method would have to be developed to hear the signal, which would take a little more than four years to reach Earth from Alpha Centuari.

We would have to be able to receive that on Earth, he said. Also, we need to figure out what kind of information we want.

John Blanchard

It is, without doubt, an extremely bold concept.

Consider Voyager 1 and 2, the space probes launched in 1977 that explored the outer planets of the solar system and then headed out toward interstellar space. The fastest of the two craft is traveling at a speed of 38,000 miles per hour and has flown about a 10th of the distance to Alpha Centauri. Loeb said it will take another 100,000 years for it to be as far away from Earth as Alpha Centauri.

The mission was first proposed in May 2015 when Milner came to Loebs office and asked if he could help design humanitys first interstellar spaceship. It took Loeb six months to come up with a concept, which was unveiled on April 12, 2016, the 55th anniversary of the worlds first space flight, by Russian Yuri Gagarin.

Milner, whose fortune is estimated at nearly $3 billion, invested $100 million in the project, which was endorsed by Mark Zuckerberg and a whos-who of physicists and astronauts, including the late English cosmologist Stephen Hawking.

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.

I believe what makes us unique is transcending our limits, Hawking said when he introduced the project. Today, we commit to this next great leap into the cosmos. Because we are human. And our nature is to fly.

The Starshot program got a huge boost in August 2016 when astronomers detected an Earth-size exoplanet, called Proxima Centauri b, orbiting within the habitable zone around one of two stars in the Alpha Centauri system.

The Starshot group has since joined the European Southern Observatory in the search for other habitable planets near Alpha Centauri.

The plan now is to spend between $5 billion and $10 billion to develop the light sail concept and then do a flyby mission and photograph Proxima Centauri b. Milner, who lives in Los Altos Hills, believes, if all goes well, the first launch could happen in 2036. His ultimate goal is to build a fleet of light sail spacecraft named StarChip.

Loeb said the effort has the potential to revolutionize not just space travel, but our understanding of our planet, solar system and galaxy.

Light sail technology, he said, could be used to explore the solar system, intercept comets and asteroids, conduct experiments in fundamental physics and gravitational waves and, eventually, transport people and objects over the vast distances of space.

It could also potentially lead to evidence of extraterrestrial life or even an encounter with intelligent alien beings, he said.

If something catastrophic happens on Earth, everything we know goes away, so this is very crucial technology for the survival of our civilization in the long term, Loeb said. Like anything worthwhile it is risky, but we might see many things we have never had access to before. We might even get a message saying welcome to the interstellar club.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
The Company's RegA Filing was Recently Qualified And Company Is Expanding Its Team To Effectively Handle Expansion Of New Business Ventures

MALIBU, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2020 / Green Stream Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK:GSFI), a holding company of Green Stream Finance, Inc., a company that focuses on currently unmet markets in the solar energy space through its innovative proprietary solar product offerings, financed for customers via its public and private partnerships, today announced that it has made additions to its management team, hiring Richard Charles Rodgers as its Chief Lending Officer & Joseph Vala as its Chief Executive Of Business Development.

Mr. Rodgers will maintain the Company's loan portfolio ensuring that all requirements are completed for loans, create the lending policies and makes reports on the statuses of the loans and coordinate with Company clients.

Mr. Vala, will be the lead executive for new business acquisition and overall project development.

The Company will be adding their respective resumes on the Company website.

"We at Green Stream are pleased to officially welcome Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Vala to our team as we are anticipating a significant rise in customer acquisitions, now that the RegA has been qualified. Their expertise will enable us to seamlessly process, acquire and incorporate new clients as we accelerate our expansion plan to generate revenues and the resultant value for our shareholders."

On another note, please visit Green Stream Holdings Inc.'s newest website regarding the Company's solar construction projects at: www.greenrainsolar.com.

Please direct any investor or press enquiries regarding any of our solar current and planned solar projects throughout the nation to info@greenstreamfinance.com.

About Green Stream Finance, Inc.

Green Stream Finance, Inc., a Wyoming-based corporation with satellite offices in Malibu, CA and New York, NY, is focused on exploiting currently unmet markets in the solar energy space, and is currently licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, and Canada. The Company's next-generation solar greenhouses, constructed and managed by Green Rain Solar, LLC, a Nevada-based division, utilize proprietary greenhouse technology and trademarked design developed by world-renowned architect Mr. Antony Morali. The Company is currently targeting high-growth solar market segments for its advanced solar greenhouse and advanced solar battery products. The Company has a growing footprint in the significantly underserved solar market in New York City where it is targeting 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of rooftop space for the installation of its solar panels. Green Stream is looking to forge key partnership with major investment groups in order to capitalize on a variety of unique investment opportunities in the commercial solar energy markets. The Company is dedicated to becoming a major player in this critical space. Through its innovative solar product offerings and industry partnerships, the Company is well-positioned to become a significant player in the solar space.

Story continues

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Green Stream Finance, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Green Stream Finance, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Company Contact/Address

Green Stream Finance Inc. & Green Rain Solar, LLC

16620 Marquez Avenue

Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Phone: 310-230-0240

For All Inquiries Contact:

info@greenstreamfinance.com

SOURCE: Green Stream Holdings Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/580576/Green-Stream-Holding-Inc-GSFI-Adds-Chief-Lending-Officer-Chief-Executive-of-Business-Development




NEW YORK, March 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Tupperware Brands Corporation (Tupperware or the Company) (NYSE: TUP). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Tupperware and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 24, 2020, post-market, Tupperware issued a press release announcing that the Company will be unable to timely file its annual report for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2019. Tupperware also announced that it expects 2019 net earnings per share (EPS) in the range of breakeven to $0.34 versus $3.11 in the prior year[,] and adjusted EPS of $1.35 to $1.70. Tupperware stated that its financial results were affected by financial reporting issues concerning the Companys Fuller Mexico beauty brand and that the Company is conducting an investigation primarily into the accounting for accounts payable and accrued liabilities at Fuller Mexico. Additionally, Tupperware announced that it is forecasting a need for relief concerning its existing leverage ratio covenant in its $650 million Credit Agreement dated March 29, 2019 [], to avoid a potential acceleration of the debt, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company. On this news, Tupperwares stock price fell sharply during intraday trading on February 25, 2020.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

CONTACT:
Health officials have confirmed a case of COVID-19 in Sangamon County.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said a 71-year-old woman who went Thursday to the emergency room of Memorial Medical Center tested positive for coronavirus. She was in critical condition Saturday in the hospitals intensive care unit, according to the hospital.
- The SDA church said older people were most vulnerable to coronavirus

- The religious institution urged its members who feel unwell to follow proceedings online

- Kenya recorded its first case of coronavirus on Friday, March 13

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause ripples across the world with one case confirmed in Kenya, the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church has advised older members of the congregation to consider worshiping from home as a precaution against the virus.

The first case in Kenya was of a 27-year-old woman from Ongata Rongai who jetted back into the country from the US via London on Thursday, March 5.

READ ALSO: Court awards ex-Safaricom employee KSh 14.6m for unfair sacking, lets her keep KSh 46.2m bonuses

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Kenya on Friday, March 13. Photo: KMPDU.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Doktari: Gideon Moi demonstrates how KANU's one finger salute will stop coronavirus spread

In a statement, the church noted older people were most vulnerable to the disease and such it advised them to stay at home and follow summon proceedings online.

"It is important to keep in touch with our older members and those with ongoing health conditions during this time. They are the most vulnerable to the virus. You may need to advise them to worship at home, especially if they are frail or currently unwell," part of the notice read.

The church further urged its members to observe a high level of hygiene including washing hands with soap and water regularly, using hand sanitisers after touching surfaces, avoid hugging and kissing.

The church gave an alternative of smiling, waving, nodding and bowing instead of greeting each other using the hands.

The Nairobi Central Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church. Photo: The Standard.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mikutano ya BBI yaahirishwa baada ya Coronavirus kufika Kenya

The Ministry of Health had on Friday, March 13, suspended all public gatherings, meetings and events in bid to contain the pandemic that has sparked fear among Kenyans.

Kenya was the 11th country in Africa to confirm a case of COVID-19 which has so far killed 5,436 people and infected over 145,000 people as of Saturday, March 14.

Coronavirus originated in Wuhan city, China in December 2019 and has so far spread to 145 countries and territories.

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

Kenya's street boy covers Ed Sheeran's Perfect | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
You have probably seen the headlines about the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. In Nebraska, one woman is in critical condition, two of her family members have tested positive, and schools have now closed in districts including Hooper, Fremont, and Plattsmouth.

While the news can certainly be scary and everyone should take necessary precautions to stay safe, it is important to know that our fellow Nebraskans are doing incredible work in our state to monitor and stabilize the situation.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Nebraska Medicine have stepped up in combatting this disease. They are currently housing individuals from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in their 20-bed National Quarantine Unit and moving some patients as needed to their Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Others have been released after being cleared. The Nebraska woman in critical condition is also receiving care in the Biocontainment Unit.

However, UNMC is going beyond quarantining individuals, and is also now working to test treatments. On February 26, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that Americas first clinical trial on coronavirus therapy had begun at UNMC, evaluating the safety of an antiviral drug to treat the disease.

This work being done at our states largest university is not the first time that the University of Nebraska has tackled an infectious disease head-on. In 2014, during the peak of the Ebola crisis in West Africa, UNMC aided in international efforts to contain the outbreak.

There is more good work being done in Nebraska to keep the entire country healthy. Last month, the Nebraska National Guards Camp Ashland took in 57 evacuees from Wuhan, the epicenter of COVID-19, and held them for quarantine. They were monitored 24/7 and were checked twice daily for the disease. After a 14-day quarantine period, all 57 people were released to fly home out of Omahas Eppley Airfield.

I am grateful for the work done by the CDC employees who were stationed at Camp Ashland, as well as for the Guard itself for allowing its facilities to be used to help protect our fellow Americans.

Recently, Congress came together to approve a supplemental funding package to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. This legislation will help with the development of vaccines and shore up hospital and health system preparedness. It will also support the efforts of state and local governments and community health centers as they work to address this crisis.

Also, I recently joined with a bipartisan group of senators, including Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Ben Sasse in introducing bipartisan legislation to help ensure manufacturers and distributors can produce respirators during health crises. Similar legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Don Bacon. Respirators are crucial for treating Americans with coronavirus and keeping our health workforce safe. Our legislation would ensure that the manufacturers of those respirators are legally protected. It would grant them the same limited liability protection already granted to producers of other drugs and medical devices.

All of these efforts are happening in tandem with efforts at the national level to contain the disease.

When times were tough, and the world was looking for a way to contain the outbreak of a deadly disease, Nebraskans were there. From Camp Ashland to UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, to our community and Critical Access hospitals, to our medical practitioners across the state, there are truly countless Nebraskans making our state proud, and making me so proud to represent it as your senior Senator.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you next week.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) will sharply diminish activity at Staten Island courts beginning next week.

As of Monday, no new civil or criminal jury trials will start in the borough or in courts around the state.

Civil and criminal trials currently underway will continue to their conclusion.

In a memo to court personnel posted Friday on the state courts web site, Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks said jury selection in civil and criminal matters will be suspended until further notice, starting Monday.

The judge said existing grand juries will continue working.

However, no new grand juries will be empaneled absent exceptional circumstances, Marks wrote.

The judge said he anticipated the governor to imminently issue an executive order authorizing the criminal jury measures.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

In a further bid to reduce courthouse traffic, Marks suspended civil Trial Assignment Parts.

He also urged the reduction of courthouse conferences.

Preliminary assignment parts will strive to maximize adjournments and stipulations on consent, and direct remote appearances through Skype or telephone, Marks wrote.

Compliance conferences in centralized civil compliance parts will be postponed until further notice, starting Monday.

If an appearance is unavoidable, it will be conducted by phone or Skype whenever possible, Marks said.

Motions in civil matters will be taken on submission unless otherwise directed by the court.

Arguments should be conducted via Skype or other remote means when possible, said Marks.

Effective Friday, a one-week moratorium was imposed on all evictions in the city.

The moratorium may be extended upon review.

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We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in LUZHENG FUTURES Company Limited (HKG:1461).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

View our latest analysis for LUZHENG FUTURES

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At LUZHENG FUTURES

While no particular insider transaction stood out, we can still look at the overall trading.

While LUZHENG FUTURES insiders bought shares last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

SEHK:1461 Recent Insider Trading, March 13th 2020

LUZHENG FUTURES is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders at LUZHENG FUTURES Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen a bit of insider buying at LUZHENG FUTURES. Insiders shelled out HK$318k for shares in that time. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent sellers. But in this case the amount purchased means the recent transaction may not be very meaningful on its own.

Story continues

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Based on our data, LUZHENG FUTURES insiders have about 1.8% of the stock, worth approximately HK$13m. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Does This Data Suggest About LUZHENG FUTURES Insiders?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Insiders likely see value in LUZHENG FUTURES shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for LUZHENG FUTURES you should be aware of.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs on Friday announced new restrictions on visits to the states four veterans homes because of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Other nursing homes across Alabama have also announced new restrictions on visitation.

The ADVA policy temporarily halts routine visits by non-employees, including volunteers, to the veterans homes in Alexander City, Bay Minette, Huntsville and Pell City.

Entry into the homes by anyone other than employees is restricted to medically-necessary visits by outside healthcare personnel and visits by relatives to residents who are terminally ill and in their final days.

Even in those two limited categories, all visitors will be screened with written questionnaires and, if necessary, relevant physical examinations to prevent infecting residents. The ADVA notified its residents, their family members, and employees before starting the restrictions.

Given that residents of the homes are at a higher risk of both contracting the virus and suffering more severe symptoms upon infection, we are implementing the restricted visitation policy in the best interest of the residents health and well-being, ADVA Commissioner Kent Davis said in a press release. This increased level of precaution has not been entered into lightly, and we will continue to communicate directly with our residents and families that may be negatively impacted by the restrictions.

The veterans homes can help residents communicate with their family members through social media and platforms such as Facebook, Facetime, and Skype, Davis said.

The homes are working with local, state and federal agencies in a coordinated effort to protect veterans, families and staff from exposure to COVID-19, the ADVA said. The agency is following the states COVID-19 preparations protocol and is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal and state agencies.

Visit the ADVAs website for more information about the visitation policy and other precautionary steps being taken in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.
The Womens Pavilion takes a new look at the contribution of women and their impact on society, shining a light on the achievements, past and present, that have driven forward economies and enhanced their communities. The Pavilion will play an exciting role in The Worlds Greatest Show of human brilliance and achievement. In the spirit of Expo 2020 Dubais theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, the Womens Pavilion will also spotlight the breadth and wealth of female expertise that is inspiring and empowering global citizens to create a better future. It will take visitors on an educational journey showcasing both male and female contributors to womens empowerment and gender equality, and will highlight important milestones for womens rights, as well as the challenges that women are still facing today. Through these stories, the Womens Pavilion aims to raise global awareness and inspire people from all generations to make a difference within their community and beyond.

Al Wasl Plaza  Cartier

Amplifying voices of all women across the world

For the six months of the next World Expo, the Womens Pavilion will create a space of expression designed to foster dialogue among a diverse community of artists, scientists, thought leaders, politicians, entrepreneurs, business leaders and more. United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney  both defenders of and campaigners for womens rights, womens empowerment and gender equality  are lending their support to the Womens Pavilion.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka  Kea Taylor

I applaud the UAE for dedicating a space for the millions of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai to learn about the crucial roles that women play from communities to the world stage, while recognising the challenges they still face every day, said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who welcomes the initiative. These challenges cannot be solved by governments alone, but through meaningful and substantive collaborations with the private sector, civil societies and committed individuals. The Womens Pavilion, in collaboration with Cartier, is setting a needed standard for corporations to rethink their approach to gender advocacy  and is a powerful platform to cascade the gender equality message to the world.



Gender equality is an essential pillar of all sustainable development  the foundation on which the health and prosperity of communities, and indeed humanity at large, is built, said Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau. The Womens Pavilion highlights the crucial roles that women have long played as linchpins of their communities and drivers of economies, and underscores Expo 2020 Dubais firm commitment to empowering all women to drive their own development and create a better future for us all.

Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International  Cartier

At Cartier, women have always held a pivotal role, as a driving force and an endless source of inspiration, said Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International. The Womens Pavilion is an exciting new chapter in the Maisons long-standing commitment to support women change-makers. Our dedicated programs, the Cartier Womens Initiative and Cartier Philanthropy, share the willingness to make a durable impact and empower people  especially women  on a global level. We are thrilled and honoured to collaborate with Expo 2020 Dubai, which offers a unique occasion to share our vision for a better future and a more inclusive society, with men and women across the globe. Highlighting the impact women of all cultures have had across time, focusing on both known and lesser-known achievements, the Womens Pavilion weaves a strong inspiration for generations to come.

CWIA San Francisco 2019  Cartier

With the Womens Pavilion, Expo 2020 and Cartier will celebrate women from all backgrounds and vocations, from global political figures to local community members to trailblazing business leaders, providing a global platform to recognise the impact of women and their influence on our society.

About Expo 2020 Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai will bring together millions of people for The Worlds Greatest Show, celebrating human brilliance and achievement under the theme Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.

Championing girls quality education, December 2014  Cartier

 The six months from the 20th of October 2020 to the 10th of April 2021 will be a moment in time to be part of an unparalleled event. We are extending a warm Emirati welcome to the world: 25 million visits are expected, with many visitors expected to come more than once. 70 per cent of visitors are anticipated to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 169-year history of World Expos.



 An entertaining global celebration with something for everyone, Expo 2020 will wow visitors with 60 daily events across 173 days, showcasing the best of music, technology, creativity and culture, while 200 F&B outlets will feature famous chefs and cuisine from every corner of the world.



 Expo 2020 will be an endless journey of discovery. Visitors will have access to the latest innovations and breakthroughs, with more than 200 participants  including 192 nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions  coming together to highlight real-life solutions to the worlds most pressing challenges.



 Expo 2020s sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to make a conscious effort to think and live differently, and give them renewed optimism that, through collaboration, it is possible to make a lasting change to the world.



 The first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) will be located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South.
The parties to the conflict in the Trilateral Contact Group on the peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas have not changed; these are Ukraine and Russia.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said this live on the Freedom of Speech talk show on Friday, March 13, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The format of the Trilateral Contact Group has not changed. There are two parties to the conflict, Ukraine and Russia, and there is the OSCE between them," Yermak said.

At the same time, he stressed that the protocol, signed in Minsk on March 11, which envisages the creation of an Advisory Board involving representatives of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics, is still a declaration and has no legal force.

According to him, a "document" on the specified board should be signed.

As reported, on March 11, a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on the peaceful settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine was held in Minsk. It was attended by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Dmitry Kozak. The parties agreed to establish the Advisory Board as part of the TCG political subgroup after consultations with representatives of the OSCE, the French Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany on the implementation of the agreements reached during the Normandy format summit.

According to Yermak, the parties took no steps that would create a legal basis for the recognition of ORDLO representatives.

ish
The Cabinet of Ministers also discussed the procedure for the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens.

The Cabinet of Ministers, Ukraine's government, has decided to immediately evacuate Ukrainian citizens from Italy.

Read alsoForced isolation and work from home: Ukraine's government drafts "coronavirus" bill

"The government has instructed the Ministry of Infrastructure together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure the immediate evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from an outbreak area of COVID-19 in the Italian Republic," according to the government portal, following the Cabinet's extraordinary meeting.

The Cabinet of Ministers also discussed the procedure for the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens. In particular, the State Customs Service will have to quickly check in the baggage of crew members and passengers of the aircraft, which will carry out the evacuation.

The State Border Guard Service must ensure priority control while crossing the state border.
Three persons have been confirmed dead at Teacher Mante in the Eastern Region after a KIA bus with 31 passengers on board crashed into an articulator truck at Beposo near Teacher Mante along the Suhum -Nsawam Highway.

According to a statement released by the Police, the driver of the KIA bus was attempting to overtake a vehicle ahead of him and in the process, crashed into the articulator truck coming from the opposite direction.

The remaining occupants of both vehicles, who sustained varying degrees of injuries, were sent to the Suhum Government Hospital for treatment.

The statement further reveals that efforts are being made to remove the mangled articulator truck which has blocked one side of the lane leading from Nsawam towards Suhum direction to pave way for the free flow of traffic.

Read the full statement below:

On 14/03/2020, about 0145 hours, Teacher Mante Police Post received a call indicating a fatal road accident. Police proceeded to the scene which occurred at a section of the road at Beposo near Teacher Mante along Suhum -Nsawam Highway involving a DAF articulator truck No. AE 1913  12 loaded with Agro Chemicals belonging to Bentronic company, Kumasi, being driven by Yahaya Idrisu with his two drivers mates and a KIA bus with 31 passengers on board travelling from Kumasi to Aflao.

It was revealed that the KIA bus driver yet to be identified, on reaching the aforementioned spot, was attempting to overtake a vehicle ahead of him. In the process, it crashed into the Agro-Chemical articulator truck coming from the opposite direction leaving three dead from the KIA bus. The remaining occupants of both vehicles who sustained varying degree of injuries were rushed to Suhum Government Hospital for treatment.

The KIA bus which run into a ditch at the opposite lane landed on its offside body with the wheels facing the road. The National Fire Service from Suhum as well as the National Ambulance also from Suhum were in attendance for assistance.

Efforts are being made to remove the mangled articulator truck which had blocked one side of the lane leading from Nsawam towards Suhum direction to pave way for the free flow of traffic. You will be informed of any further development, please. No.8704 PW L/ Cpl Gifty i/c case.

Ban on night travel

As part of measures to reduce the occurrence of road crashes in the country, the National Road Safety Authority has welcomed the idea of banning night-time long distance travels.

This proposal came after a recent fatal crash involving a Sprinter bus and Grandbird bus on the Tamale-Kintampo road that led to the death of 31 people with many of them burnt beyond recognition due to a resultant fire outbreak.

The Executive Director of the National Road Safety Authority, May Obiri Yeboah speaking to Citi News welcomed the suggestion saying, it could be adopted upon deliberations and considerations of its likely impact.

She indicated that: That is another thing we can look at. We can look at the pros and cons also. If it's something that can be done, we will issue a statement whether by the Ministry or by us and if it's accepted, why not? So that we protect lives. After all, if you want to go somewhere and you never get there and rather you'll stay back and plan your journey properly so that you can get there on time, why not? So it's something that can be considered. We can think through it and see whether as a nation, that is what we can also do.

But the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and some of its drivers are kicking against this proposal, saying that road crashes are mainly caused by the poor nature of the country's roads and not due to driver error.

Statistics on road crashes

Road crashes claimed 2,284 lives in 2019, according to provisional data compiled by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD).

This marked a significant increase from 2018 where 2,020 persons died on Ghana's roads.

This would be the highest fatality figure in the last decade if validated by the National Road Safety Commission.

The highest so far was in 2012 where 2,240 people died in road crashes.

Ghana's least fatal year for road crashes in the last decade was 2015 where 1,802 people died.

The regional breakdown of crashes saw the Greater Accra with 5,483; Ashanti with 3,213; Eastern with 1,212; Western with 1,143; Central with 902, Brong Ahafo with 652, Volta with 593, Northern with 270, Upper East with 254, and Upper West with 155.

---citinewsroom
Brenda Leary with her citizenship certificate following the ceremony in Killarney

Well-known Dundalk resident Brenda Leary was among 5,000 people from all over the world who received their Irish citizenship at a ceremony at the Killarney Convention Centre, Co. Kerry, at the beginning of March.

Although she had been living in Ireland for 53 years, Brenda says it was Brexit which gave her the final push to apply for citizenship.

'I was born in a little town called Urmston outside Manchester,' she says. 'When I was 14 my father took a job here to set up a metallurgical laboratory for the ESB.'

The family had no Irish connections and the ESB picked out a house for them and the family moved across the Irish Sea in 1967.

'We lived outside Dalky and I went to school there as did my sister who is four years younger,' she recalls. After studying at Trinity College, she qualified as a teacher and went on to teach science and German in a school in Dublin for many years, before taking early retirement in 2008.

'We decided to move out of Dublin and as one of our daughters had got married up here, we started to look for a house and moved to Blackrock in 2009.'

Brenda joined the local ICA Guild as a way of making friends and getting to know people, and ended up serving as President for three years and was also Federation Secretary for Louth.

'I got to know a lot of people that way, and then in 2017, I met Rita Alves, whose husband Gerry is from Blackrock, and we opened The Crafty Rock.'

Brenda says that she had looked into getting an Irish passport when the children were smaller but had never followed it up.

'I have three daughters and if I went to visit my sister in the United States I would be travelling on a British passport and they would have Irish passports.'

'Brexit is really what pushed me to apply for Irish citizenship,' she says, as if she hadn't got an Irish passport she would have to go through a separate channel when travelling with her husband.

'At this stage of my lie, I feel more European than English and I didn't want to lose that.'

Brenda and her husband travelled to Killarney for the Citizenship ceremony.

For the occasion, she wore a Clones lace shawl which she had made herself.

'A friend asked me if I was going to wear something green, but I don't have anything green so I thought the Clones lace shawl would be ideal,' she says.

At the ceremony candidates took an oath of fidelity to the nation, before receiving their certificate of naturalisation and becoming Irish citizens.

'It was very nice,' says Brenda, who was one of 982 people from the United Kingdom to become Irish citizens.

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, welcomed the new citizens, noting that the day will be a milestone in their lives.
FARWANIYA GOVERNORATE, March 12, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on March 12, 2020 shows the arrival hall of Kuwait International Airport in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait. Kuwait has decided on Wednesday to suspend the commercial flights to and from the Image Source: PK

FARWANIYA GOVERNORATE, March 12, 2020 (Xinhua) -- People wait in line at the departure hall of Kuwait International Airport in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, March 12, 2020. Kuwait has decided on Wednesday to suspend the commercial flights to and fro Image Source: PK

Riyadh, March 14 : Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for two weeks over coronavirus concerns, the state-run SPA news agency reported on Saturday.

The travel ban will come into force on Sunday at 8 a.m. "except in exceptional cases", Efe news quoted SPA as saying in a report, citing an Interior Ministry source it did not name, without providing further details about the exceptions.

The suspension was a precautionary measure recommended by local health authorities aimed at protecting citizens and residents from the deadly virus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the source added.

Saudi authorities announced on Thursday the suspension of flights with the European Union, bringing the number of countries included in the travel ban to 40, including Arab, Asian and African nations.

Over the past few days, Saudi Arabia has taken several measures to tackle the outbreak, including the isolation of a province and suspension of classes and public events such as the country's first film festival. Authorities also banned access to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina for both foreigners and locals.

The two cities host millions of pilgrims every year.Saudi Arabia has reported 62 coronavirus cases, five of whom have recovered, according to the WHO's most recent figures.

Earlier this week, Kuwait, which has reported 100 cases, banned all commercial flights from Kuwait International Airport, a key transit point between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Only flights carrying Kuwaiti citizens and their immediate relatives will be allowed to travel, according to state-owned news agency KUNA.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, closed Sanaa airport for flights of the United Nations and relief organizations for 14 days.

This was a precautionary measure, according to the rebels who control the capital, adding that no coronavirus cases had been registered in Yemen.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday targeted the Yogi Adityanath government for not doing enough for farmers whose crops had been damaged by hailstorm and inclement weather.

The government should provide them with immediate monetary relief, she demanded. This was Mayawatis second attack on the state government in six days on the issue of farmers. On March 8, too, she had raised the issue of crops getting damaged and appealed to the government to help the farmers.

Since Friday night, various parts of the state witnessed thunder and hailstorm, and heavy rain. There are reports of trees being uprooted in various parts, causing loss of life and property. UP and the Centre should, instead of paying lip service to the cause of farmers, instantly engage in providing meaningful action, Mayawati tweeted.

The ruling BJP, however, pointed out how ministers and officials had been tasked with assessing damage and providing all possible relief to farmers.

The speed with which the government has acted to provide relief to the farmers is exemplary. The ministers are visiting farmers; district magistrates have been asked to urgently visit the farmers and provide relief to them. We have always cared about farmers, said UP BJP spokesman Chandramohan.

Two days ago, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had targeted the government and demanded immediate relief for farmers.

Instead of making hollow claims, the government should reach out to farmers, some even having lost nearly 80 per cent of their crop during the recent hailstorm in the state, Priyanka had tweeted.

Her tweet had triggered a war of words with the BJP hitting back at her, accusing the Congress of engaging in a use and throw policy on farmers.

The BJP also shared details of how the Adityanath government had rushed officials to assess the damage and pay compensation.
An illegally run dental clinic was sealed while license of three pharmacies was suspended for violation of norms in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said on Saturday.

This followed an extensive market inspection by a joint team of revenue, police and medical officers in Ghagwal area of the district, the spokesperson said.

He said the team sealed one illegally run dental clinic and ordered suspension of the licence of three pharmacies for violation of norms.

The inspection was conducted on the direction of Deputy Commissioner Rohit Khajuria to check overcharging and supply of spurious medicines in view of coronavirus threat, the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The federal Labor opposition says Australia's register of terrorist groups must be urgently reviewed in a bid to catch right-wing extremist organisations that have so far evaded the list.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally wants the Morrison government to send the criteria for the terror list to Parliament's powerful intelligence and security committee for a wide-scale review to make sure it is "fit-for-purpose".

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally says the government should review the terrorist-list criteria. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The United States and Britain have listed extreme right-wing groups as terrorist organisations but Australia has not put any on its proscribed list  although Australian intelligence and security agencies have been monitoring the escalating threat.

The call from Labor comes after the head of Australia's domestic spy agency ASIO, Mike Burgess, warned small cells of right-wing extremists were regularly meeting in suburbs around Australia to "salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons, train in combat and share their hateful ideology".
WASHINGTON  Facing enormous pressure for his administrations handling of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump sought Friday to regain his footing during a press conference as he laid out his most specific plans yet to fight the pandemic.

Flanked by senior public health and private industry officials, Trump ran through a litany of actions he said he would use to mitigate the impact of the virus. Speaking in the Rose Garden for more than an hour, Trump said he would declare a national emergency, direct billions in federal funding to local responders, remove federal regulations to expand hospital capacity and suspend interest payments on federal student loans.

At times combative, Trump's performance represented a departure from his address to the nation days earlier, when he stumbled over his words during live, televised remarks from the Oval Office and later had to correct misstatements. His initial remarks led to a major selloff on Wall Street when markets opened hours later.

On Friday, by contrast, markets rebounded as Trump spoke, closing ahead on the day's trading.

"Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this, said Trump, reading from a stapled packet of papers as he spoke. And this will pass. This will pass through and we're going to be stronger for it.

The press conference came as Trump has been put on defense over the slow distribution of coronavirus tests and initial statements in which Trump repeatedly contradicted his own senior public health officials. Trump initially sought to downplay the impact of the virus, comparing it the seasonal flu, but his tone has shifted in recent days and his remarks Friday were the latest tacit recognition of the serious challenge the problem poses for the nation, and his presidency.

Trump was unapologetic about the test shortages and other problems with the response. And he used his remarks to take several swipes at his predecessor, President Barack Obama, while also criticizing Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Story continues

More: Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency. What does that mean?

More: Trump shakes ' hands at coronavirus event, despite advice not to

But the president was more clear and in sync with members of his Cabinet than usual. He delved into the details of regulations he said would allow hospitals to treat more patients and a national emergency declaration he said would direct tens of billions of dollars in federal disaster aid to local responders battling the virus.

While the president offered both specific terms of his response and loftier language about how the nations resilience would see Americans through the pandemic, he was more pessimistic about Washingtons ability to negotiate legislation to offset the economic impact of the virus. Members of his administration and House Democrats had sounded positive about that effort throughout the week, but they also acknowledged no deal had yet emerged to help workers and hard-hit industries.

"We just dont think theyre giving enough," Trump said of Democrats during the news conference. "We thought we had something, but all of a sudden they didnt agree to certain things they agreed to."

During the news conference, Trump repeatedly cut off reporters when their questions turned to fact checking or following up on his claims. At one point, reporters questioned whether Trump felt any responsibility for an initial slow federal response after he removed White House officials charged with pandemic response, Trump said he did not, and quickly moved on to the next question.

I just think its a nasty question, Trump said. Were doing a great job.

President Trump declares "up tp $50 billion" coronavirus national emergency

Trump said the virus would flow through the nation, and he described the next eight weeks as "critical" to the effort to combat it. As he invited industry executives and other officials to speak, he frequently shook their hands  a greeting increasingly eschewed elsewhere in the country but apparently still accepted at the White House.

Trump said he had not been tested for the virus, despite recent contact with at least one Brazilian official who tested positive. Trump said he most likely would be tested, but said he had no symptoms and offered no timeline for a test.

Trumps remarks, which came as schools, conferences and other high profile events across the nation have been cancelled, drew praise from Republican lawmakers and a more muted response from Democrats. Some of his fiercest opponents on Capitol Hill applauded the president's decision to declare a national emergency, which many had sought.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was "pleased" with the decision and urged officials in his home state to immediately request the newly available resources.

Still, Trump said he took no responsibility for the delay in availability of coronavirus tests. He also used his remarks to criticize Obama's response to the 2009 Swine Flu outbreak.

"We were given a set of circumstances, given rules, regulations, and specifications from a different time," Trump said. "It wasn't meant for this kind of an event, with the kind of numbers that we are talking about."

Still, Trump sought to sound a confident note about the country's capacity to deal with the coronavirus after weeks in which markets have tumbled and he has faced questions about whether his administration is prepared for the worst.

Americans are the strongest and most resilient people on Earth, Trump said. In the coming weeks, we will all have to make changes and sacrifices.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump seeks to regain footing with coronavirus emergency declaration
A minor girl from Lithuania



was among four persons who have been admitted to isolation wards of hospitals of Odisha on Saturday on suspicion of being infected with the novel coronavirus, officials said.

Their swab and blood samples have been sent for tests for novel coronavirus.

While the Lituania girl was admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Puri, a couple who returned from Abu Dhabi was kept in the isolation ward of the MKCH Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, officials said.

A 25-year-old man, who was studying in Italy and had returned to Odisha last week, was admitted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack with flu-like symptoms.

The 9-year-old girl from Lithuania came to Puri on a visit with her mother and another woman two weeks ago. Her mother took her to a private hospital as she was suffering from fever and cough, Chief District Medical Officer, Puri, Nilakantha Mishra said.

She was referred from the private hospital to the DHH where she was kept in the isolation ward, Mishra said adding that her travel history revealed that she was in India for the past two months.

The CDMO denied reports that the girl and her mother had run away from the hospital.

A couple from Chikiti block in Ganjam district was admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. The husband was working in Abu Dhabi and returned to India on March 11.

The man and his wife developed fever and cough three days later.

A Health and family welfare department official said a total of 141 people are under observation after they returned to Odisha from countries hit by coronavirus.

"All the 21 samples sent for examination from Odisha have tested negative for COVID-19," the official said.

Meanwhile, the state government decided to set up technical committees in district level with collector and superintendents of police as members to guide local administration to take steps to prevent spread of COVID-19.

The authorities of the Nandankanan Zoological Park here also announced closure of the zoo from Sunday till March 31, an official said adding that the Central University, Koraput has suspended classes and hostel facilities.

The government has also engaged women self help groups to manufacture low-cost masks, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo credit: Aaron Chown - PA Images

From Popular Mechanics

ESA and Roscosmos announced on Thursday that the launch of their ExoMars mission will be delayed until 2022.

More testing of the spacecraft's final hardware and software needs to be completed before launch.

The delay is also due, in part, to increased travel restrictions in response to the spread of COVID-19.

ExoMars missed the mark.

ESA and Roscosmos' joint mission has missed its 2020 launch window and will be delayed until 2022, the agency announced March 12. The agency's claimed in a joint statement that several key components of the spacecraft still need to be testing. The delay is also, in part, due to increased travel restrictions in response to the spread of COVID-19.



"We have made a difficult but well-weighed decision to postpone the launch to 2022. It is driven primarily by the need to maximise the robustness of all ExoMars systems as well as force majeure circumstances related to exacerbation of the epidemiological situation in Europe which left our experts practically no possibility to proceed with travels to partner industries," Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said in a statement.



The spacecraft is mostly assembled. All 13 instruments have been installed on the Kazachok lander, and the Rosalind Franklin rover's nine scientific instruments are in the final stages of thermal and vacuum testing. The descent module has undergone numerous tests in the past month, including its propulsion system qualification and a series of environmental tests, according to the agency.



There have been significant issues with the lander's nearly 50- and 100- foot parachutes, which failed two tests in May and August of 2019, Engadget reported. Two high-altitude drop tests above the Oregon desertare scheduled for later this month.

"We want to make ourselves 100% sure of a successful mission. We cannot allow ourselves any margin of error. More verification activities will ensure a safe trip and the best scientific results on Mars, ESA Director General Jan Worner said in the statement.



Story continues

The orbits of Earth and Mars synch up approximately once every 26 months, so the spacecraft will aim to launch during a 10-day window between August and October 2022. When it eventually lands in 2023, the rover, which has its own built-in, miniaturized clean room, will drill down beneath the Martian surface in search of signs of lifepast and presenton the Red Planet.

How are other Mars missions fairing in the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? "We are proactively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, and have plans in place to address issues as they arise," Steve Cole, who is on the Senior Communications Team at NASA Headquarters, told Popular Mechanics in an email. "Currently, the coronavirus has not impacted the Mars Perseverance rover launch preps. Work is continuing on schedule."

It's not yet clear how the spread of COVID-19 has impacted China's Mars mission.

On Monday, the agency released a statement stating that an employee at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Vally had tested positive for COVID-19. "Out of an abundance of caution...Ames Research Center is temporarily on mandatory telework status with restricted access to the center until further notice." NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.

Three airborne, NASA Ames-based missions that were scheduled to fly this springthe DeltaX and Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere campaigns and the Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experimenthave been rescheduled for later in the summer.

Bridenstine noted that "the scientific returns of these projects are not expected to be impacted by this change of plans."

Update 3/16: We have updated this article to include comments from NASA's Headquarters regarding the status of the Perseverance mission.

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A group of Australians have sparked a Coronavirus outbreak in the ski resort town of Aspen where three Australians are refusing to be tested, despite 10 confirmed cases among the group.

But authorities in Colorado said there was nothing they could do to force the trio to undergo tests, although said they were all in quarantine.

Ski resort operators warned more cases were now likely as a result of the Australian-induced outbreak.

Two dozen Australians were part of a cluster of coronavirus infections in Aspen, Colorado. Credit:The Aspen Times/AP

Australian Melinda Williams, 60, is one of the group in Aspen, Colorado. She told Melbourne's 3AW that the original "bunch of mates" comprised around 24 people who have been on skiing holidays there every year for the last 10 years.
Springfield detectives are investigating a shooting on Belmont Street just after 1 p.m. Saturday that sent one person to the Baystate Medical Center with a leg wound.

Springfield Police Department spokesman Ryan Walsh said the 1:20 shooting happened near the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Leyfred Terrace.

According to witnesses at the scene, the victim was shot near 78 Belmont Avenue then ran up the street toward Woodside Terrace. The shooting suspect ran the same direction then ran down Woodside to escape the area.

Evidence markers indicating either shell casings or blood spots ran up the middle of Belmont Avenue from Leyfred to Woodside.

Walsh said the victim is under treatment for a non-life-threatening wound.
Massachusettss efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak will be run out of a new COVID-19 Response Command Center, the Baker-Polito administration announced Saturday morning.

Flanked by his cabinet, Gov. Charlie Baker in a news conference said he tasked Marylou Sudders, Health and Human Services secretary, to lead the command centers team of experts solely focused on pushing back this disease.

Baker said the team would serve as the commonwealths single point of strategic decision-making and would consist of members from the Departments of Public Health, Human Services, Labor and Transportation, Emergency Management Agency, MBTA, Massport, multiple public safety agencies.

The response center will work to expand testing capacity and distribution, plan quarantine operations, monitor supply chains and respond to the needs of local boards of health, Baker told reporters.

The new command center will also have the authority and discretion to tap whatever state resources are required, Baker added, including $15 million recently appropriated by state lawmakers. The team will coordinate with the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Control and Disease Prevention and municipalities across the state.

Sudders said the top priorities were expanding testing capacity and the allocation of protective equipment. She noted that plans, including contingency planning on supply chain vulnerability, were already underway over the last week.

The state DPH has updated its clinical testing protocols based on new guidance from the CDC which will speed up testing at the states lab, Sudders said. As of Friday, 475 patients had been tested. Three commercial labs have received FDA approval to conduct tests as well without waiting for testing kits from CDC, she said.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S on Friday rose to 1,629, with 41 confirmed deaths. In Massachusetts, Fridays numbers increased to 123 confirmed and presumptive cases with no deaths.

Sudders noted that a 211 line was now up and running in English, Spanish and other languages for residents seeking answers on COVID-19. More than 750 calls had already been answered.

Baker, who this week issued an advisory banning gatherings of more than 250 people, said he knew the closures and disruptions are unsettling, but said it showed that people are coming together" to combat the virus.

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The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the United States has put the outbreak on a collision course with the presidential primaries, threatening to disrupt the process at a pivotal moment for Democrats as they select their nominee.

Louisiana announced on Friday that it would delay its White House primaries from 4 April to 20 June, becoming the first state to reschedule because of Covid-19. Shortly after, the four states set to vote on Tuesday said jointly that their contests would proceed as planned, referring to guidance from public health officials who have declared voting safe if best practices are followed.

But a rush of developments heightened pressure on election officials already struggling to minimise risks to voters and injected a sense of deep uncertainty about how the 2020 race will unfold amid the growing pandemic.

By the end of the week, the presidential campaigns had gone virtual: former vice president Joe Biden invited voters in Illinois to a video-conference town hall on Friday, while Bernie Sanders scheduled daily news conferences from Burlington, Vermont, and Donald Trump temporarily suspended his rallies.



As the president declared a national state of emergency on Friday, colleges shuttered and cities across the country banned large gatherings, there was building worry about the outbreaks impact on the voting process. By Saturday morning, the US had 151 confirmed coronavirus cases and 48 people have died.

Fear about exposure is expected to lower in-person turnout for Tuesdays contests in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, when 577 delegates are up for grabs  a potential risk for Mr Biden as he seeks to lock up the Democratic nomination. The former vice-president has had strong support from older voters, who are more at risk to suffer serious health issues if they contract Covid-19.

Weve just never had a situation like this before, said Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida, who said Mr Biden could suffer if seniors stay home, while Mr Sanders could see his support diminish if students being sent home from college campuses are unable to participate.

Its so hard to predict, he said.

The joint statement from the chief election officials in the four states voting on Tuesday came amid worries that fears about the coronavirus would keep people from showing up at the polls.

The statement noted that voting involves people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration, as opposed to the kinds of large gatherings that are now banned in many jurisdictions.

 Trump starts national emergency announcement by mispronouncing 'coronavirus'

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said it came about after text conversations between his chief of staff and the top aides to Arizona secretary of state Katie Hobbs, Florida secretary of state Laurel Lee and Illinois elections board chairman Charles Scholz.

My chief of staff was reaching out to the other [top staffers] and saying, Hey, listen, we need to push back on this so it doesnt become a disinformation thing or a misinformation thing, Mr LaRose said.

This is about pushing calm, accurate, decisive information out there where there is too much nonsense churning on social media causing people anxiety, he added.



Still, in local jurisdictions, election officials struggled to keep up with an onslaught of calls from concerned residents and the practical demands of obtaining guidance from election, public health and other leaders at every level of government.

It is a difficult situation for everyone, said Adam Johnson, chief deputy clerk in DuPage County, Illinois. We are actively reaching out and trying to get the information as quickly as people have it, but we understand that everyone is responding in real time to this situation.

Under guidance from state and local health departments, election officials around the country took action this week to increase their personnel and lower health risks, often by moving hundreds of polling places out of nursing homes and stockpiling supplies to disinfect voting equipment.

In DuPage County, officials announced on Friday that volunteers would be paid $200 (163) rather than $130 (105) for election day and $15 (12) per hour instead of $10 (8) per hour during early voting.

In Ohio, amid a statewide campaign to recruit poll workers, the state auditor offered employees a paid day off if they sign up.

And in Maricopa County, Arizona, officials took the unusual step of proactively mailing ballots to eligible voters who were not on the permanent early-voting list, a decision that echoed recommendations from vote-by-mail advocates.

But the move was blocked on Friday by a superior court judge, who ordered Maricopa County recorder Adrian Fontes not to mail out the ballots after the states attorney general, Republican Mark Brnovich, filed an emergency motion to block the action.

In the filing, the attorney general argued that the county official lacked authority to mail ballots to voters who had not requested them, and that the move risked creating a swarm of illegal ballots and immense voter confusion.

Mr Fontes said he was trying to help people fearful for their safety to participate in the primary. The ballots were at the door of the warehouse, he said in an interview on Friday evening. My job is to help voters vote. Especially in a time of a global pandemic, its unfortunate that politics intervened.

Taking a different approach, Louisiana announced that the best way to protect public health  including the health of its elderly poll workers  was to use a special emergency provision in state law to delay its primaries until the summer.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said elections were delayed in 2005 and 2008 after hurricanes. He said his thought of postponing the primaries had unanimous support across leaders in state government, both Democrats and Republicans.

 Donald Trump says UK may be added to coronavirus travel ban list

We spent most of yesterday working as a team, looking for ways to try to carry out the election. We kept running into barrier after barrier ... When I contacted the governors office, I think that there was some relief in us coming to that decision, Mr Ardoin said at a news conference on Friday.

In addition to Louisianas decision, the Wyoming Democratic Party announced this week that it would do away with the in-person portion of its caucuses, scheduled for 4 April, and instead encourage voters to participate by mail.

The Nevada Democratic Party also cancelled its county conventions  precursors to the national convention in July  and the state party in Iowa postponed similar gatherings.

The prospect of a delayed nomination process drew concern from the Democratic campaigns.

Our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials, deputy Biden campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a written statement. She encouraged people who feel healthy, are not exhibiting symptoms and dont believe theyve been exposed to the virus to vote on Tuesday.

If voters are members of an at-risk population, exhibiting symptoms, or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of Covid-19, we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options, Ms Bedingfield said.

Mr Sanders said that rescheduling elections is not something we do lightly or should do lightly. He said his campaigns decision to cancel in-person events is hurting us.

This is an issue where the doctors and public health officials are going to have to be weighing the risks, Mr Sanders said on Friday during a media briefing in Burlington.

Experts said there was no risk of the general election being postponed. Under federal law, it must take place on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The constitution also mandates that the new congress be seated on 3 January and presidential terms begin on 20 January.

Marc Elias, a leading Democratic attorney who specialises in voting rights, said he knew of no special powers that would allow Mr Trump to change the date of a general election, even in case of a national emergency.

Trump touches the microphone during a news conference about the coronavirus (AP)

The answer is no, Mr Elias said. When it comes to federal elections, theres no wiggle room there.

In states with upcoming primaries, local election officials are now racing to figure out how to mitigate potential health risks of casting a ballot.

In New York, a critical state where voters will weigh in on the presidential nominating contest on 28 April, state elections board co-chair Douglas A Kellner said board officials have been coordinating with governor Andrew M Cuomos office, as well as with legislative leaders, to discuss alternative voting options.

A move to delay Aprils presidential primary is possible given the circumstances, he said. In the meantime, Mr Kellner said, some local counties were making changes to their absentee voting procedures that exceeded their authority.

At this time, public health officials are not advising us thats necessary or appropriate, he added. One has to balance the risk against the priority of a stable democracy.

Two counties have gone rogue and taken it upon themselves to take emergency actions that arent authorised by law, he said.

Erie County had altered the application form to include the novel coronavirus as an excuse for requesting an absentee ballot, he said. And Dutchess County had signalled plans to mail absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters, according to Mr Kellner, and to vastly reduce the number of polling sites.

Voters cast their ballots in the Michigan primary 10 March (AFP/Getty) (AFP via Getty Images)

Erik Haight, an election commissioner in Dutchess County, said local officials were determined to protect the elderly population and that it is customary to consolidate polling locations.

Jeremy Zellner, an elections commissioner in Erie County, said it was the commissioners job to make sure people are not disenfranchised, and we believe very strongly we do have the authority to do this based on the governors emergency declaration and the illness provision in state election law.

In Georgia, which votes 24 March, local Democratic leaders were encouraging people with health risks to request absentee ballots ahead of the 20 March deadline.

Its a question were all wrestling with, but until theres official guidance from the state, my reaction today is to encourage people to vote absentee, said Wendy Davis, a city commissioner in Rome, Georgia, and a member of the Democratic National Committee.

Frustrations were similar in Florida, where state Democratic Party executive director Juan Penalosa said he was struggling to obtain a list of polling sites at senior centres that have been shut down. A request for comment from the Florida secretary of states office was not immediately returned.

Paul Lux, supervisor of elections in the Florida Panhandles Okaloosa County, said screens, styluses and surfaces will be disinfected throughout the day. Hand sanitiser will be available in most locations  but not necessarily all, he said.

I have the same supply problem as everyone else, Mr Lux said. Hand sanitiser is not something I had on the shelf in our warehouse.

In Wisconsin, where the presidential primaries are scheduled for 7 April, election officials were racing to provide voters with absentee ballots while waiting to see if the governor and the state legislature would take more drastic action.

Reid Magney, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said state officials have been attending webinars and conference calls with the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while also working with the states Department of Health Services.

The commission this week suspended plans to dispatch special voting deputies to deliver absentee ballots to nursing homes. They will be placed in the mail instead.

The Washington Post
Were Always Full

Health Workers Strained

Wuhan was Overwhelmed

Preparing For The Worst

(TNS)  Amid the first signs that the novel coronavirus was spreading in the Seattle area, a senior officer at the University of Washington Medical Center sent an urgent note to staffers.We are currently exceptionally full and are experiencing some challenges with staffing, Tom Staiger, UW Medical Centers medical director, wrote on Feb. 29. He asked hospital staff to expedite appropriate discharges asap, reflecting the need for more beds.That same day, health officials announced King Countys  and the nations  first death from the coronavirus. Now as cases of virus-stricken patients suffering from COVID-19 multiply, government and hospital officials are facing the real-life consequences of shortcomings theyve documented on paper for years.Medical supplies have run low. Administrators are searching for ways to expand hospital bed capacity. Health care workers are being asked to work extra shifts as their peers self-isolate.And researchers this week made stark predictions for COVID-19s impact on King and Snohomish counties, estimating 400 deaths and some 25,000 infections by April 7 without social-distancing measures.If you start doing that math in your head, based on every person who was infected infecting two other people, you can see every week you have a doubling in the number of new cases, state health oficer Dr. Kathy Lofy said.Hand-washing, staying home from work and other measures were no longer enough to sufficiently slow the virus, Lofy said.Hospital administrators are rapidly changing protocols as the outbreak stresses the system, while frontline health care workers are beginning to feel the effects of disruptions to daily life. UW Medicine on Thursday told employees it would begin postponing elective procedures, beginning March 16.Weve seen what has happened in other countries where theyve had really rapid spread. The health care system has become overwhelmed, Lofy said. We want to do everything we can to prevent that from happening here.King and Snohomish counties offer some 4,900 staffed hospital beds, of which about 940 are used for critical care, according to the researchers  with the Institute for Disease Modeling, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center  who modeled the outbreaks potential growth.  This capacity may quickly be filled, they wrote.Some of Seattles largest hospitals were already near capacity before the outbreak. Harborview Medical Center in downtown Seattle operated at 95 percent of its capacity in 2019, based on its licensed 413 beds and the days of patient care it reported to the Department of Health.Of 81 hospitals that reported data for all of 2019, excluding psychiatric hospitals, the median hospital operated at 50 percent of its licensed capacity, according to aanalysis. Many hospitals staff fewer beds than the maximum their license allows for, so the actual occupancy rate is likely higher.Katharine Liang, a psychiatry resident physician who works rotations for Seattle-area hospitals, said requests for UW Medicine staffers to discharge patients in a timely fashion are not uncommon as administrators seek extra beds.The safety net hospitals, were always full, Liang said, referring to medical centers that care for patients without insurance or means to pay.Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for UW Medicine, which operates UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, Valley Medical Center and Northwest Hospital, said that each hospital had a surge-capacity plan being adapted for the outbreak.Our daily planning sessions monitor our available beds, supply usage and human resources, Gregg said in a statement.While Washington state has a robust system for detecting and monitoring infectious diseases, it has struggled to build the capacity to respond to emergencies like the coronavirus outbreak, according to a review of public data and interviews.On a per-person basis, the state lags most others in nurses and hospital rooms designed to isolate patients with infectious, airborne diseases, according to a nationwide index of health-security measures.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched this initiative  called the National Health Security Preparedness Index  in 2013 to comprehensively evaluate the nations readiness for public health emergencies.The states greatest strength, according to the index, is in its ability to detect public-health threats and contain them  scoring 8.5 points out of a possible 10, above the national average.Its a leading state now in terms of how testing capabilities are playing out for COVID-19, said Glen Mays, a professor at the Colorado School of Public Health who directs the index work.With the scope of the outbreak becoming clear, the focus is turning to an area that is the states weakest on the index: providing access to medical care during emergencies.When it comes to nurses per 100,000 people, Washington state ranked near the bottom  46th among states and the District of Columbia  in 2018. It ranked 43rd nationally in the number of hospital isolation rooms  commonly referred to as negative pressure rooms, which draw in air to prevent an airborne disease from spreading  per 100,000 people and in neighboring states.Its an area of concern, Mays said of the states health care delivery capacity.This vulnerability is well known to state policymakers. John Wiesman, Washington states health secretary, serves on the national advisory committee of the index and has championed its use as a tool for improvement, Mays said. He recalled Washington seeking lessons from other states that have been more successful and building a medical reserve corps, another area where the state has lagged.The state scored 2.5 points for managing volunteers in an emergency in 2013. In 2018, it had improved to just 2.6.Less than a week after diagnosed cases of COVID-19 grew rapidly in the Seattle area, administrators at several area hospitals had to hunt for additional medical supplies and called for rationing. They also established fast-shifting isolation policies for sick or potentially exposed staffers.Hospitals are being very vigilant. If you have the slightest signs of illness, dont come to work, said Alexander Adami, a UW Medicine resident, on Monday.On March 6, UW Medicine directed employees who tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, to remain isolated at home for a minimum of seven days after symptoms developed, according to internal UW documents. Hospital workers told workers with symptoms who hadnt been tested to remain isolated until they were three days without symptoms. Those who tested negative, or had influenza, could return after 24 hours.Quarantines for sick workers means others must backfill.Programs are having to pull residents in other blocks in other hospitals and other clinics to fill gaps, Adami said. There simply arent enough people.School closures further complicate staffing.Liang, the resident physician who works rotations for several area hospitals, said she had been pulled into an expanded backup pool on short notice to cover shifts.Liang is the mother of a 1-year-old. On Wednesday, her familys day care closed, as it typically does when Seattle schools close. Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered all schools in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties to close until late April.Im not really sure what were going to do going forward, Liang said. My demands at home are increasing, and now, at the same time because of the same problem, my demands at the hospital are increasing as well.Adami, a second-year internal medicine resident, said residents were used to taxing hours, and demands had not been much more excessive than usual, but he remained concerned for the future.I would be worried about: We eventually get to the point where there are so many health care workers who become sick we have to accept things like saying, All right: Do you have a fever? No? Take a mask and keep working, because there are people to care for, he said.One sign of demand: Some hospitals are asking workers at greater risk of COVID-19 to continue in their roles, even after public health officials encouraged people in these at-risk groups among the broader public to stay home.Staff over the age of 60 should continue to work per their regular schedules, a UW Medicine policy statement said. People who are pregnant, immunocompromised or over 60 and with underlying health conditions were invited to talk to their team leader or manager about any concerns, noting that hospital workers personal protective equipment would minimize exposure risks.A registered nurse at Swedish First Hill who is over 60 and who has a history of cardiac issues said she told a manager last week of her concern about working with potential or confirmed COVID-19 patients.She said a manager adjusted her schedule for an initial shift, but couldnt guarantee that she would be excused from caring for these patients.Hours later, the nurse said she suffered a cardiac event and was later admitted to another hospital with a stress-induced cardiomyopathy. The nurse did not want to be named for fear of reprisal by Swedish.Im afraid for my life to work in there, the nurse said. I dont think were being adequately protected.The nurse is now on medical leave.In a statement, Swedish said it could not comment on an individual caregivers specific circumstances, but that employees at a higher risk are able to request reassignment and if it can not be accommodated, they can take a leave of absence.Providing a safe environment for our caregivers and patients is always our top priority, but especially during the current COVID-19 outbreak, according to the statement.Anne Piazza, senior director of strategic initiatives for the the Washington State Nurses Association said she had heard from a flood of nurses with similar concerns.Additionally, we are seeing increased demand for nurse staffing and that we do have reports of nurses being required to work mandatory overtime.China might provide an example of what could happen to the U.S. hospital system if the pace of transmission escalates, according to unpublished work from researchers with Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University and other institutions.In Wuhan, the people seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms quickly outpaced local hospitals ability to keep up, the researchers found. Even after the city went on lockdown in late January, the number of people needing care continued to rise.Between Jan. 10 and the end of February, physicians served an average of 637 intensive-care unit patients and more than 3,450 patients in serious condition each day.But by the epidemics peak, nearly 20,000 people were hospitalized on any given day. In response, two new hospitals were built to exclusively serve COVID-19 patients; in all, officials dedicated more than 26,000 beds at 48 hospitals for people with the virus. An additional 13,000 beds at quarantine centers were set aside for patients with mild symptoms.The researchers analyzed what might happen if a Wuhan-like outbreak happened here.Our critical-care resources would be overwhelmed, said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who helped lead the study.The lesson here, though, is we have an opportunity to learn from their experience and to intervene before it gets to that point.Hospital administrators are stretching to make the most of their staff, avoid burnout and find space for patients flooding into hospitals.As of Thursday afternoon, there hadnt been an unusual uptick in hospitals asking emergency responders to divert patients elsewhere, according to Beth Zborowski, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Hospital Association.Zborowski said administrators are getting creative to deal with shortages of supplies, staff and space, such as potentially hiring temporary workers.The state is trying to reduce regulations to help scale up staffing.The state health departments Nursing Commission said last Friday it would give top priority to reviewing applications for temporary practice permits for nurses to help during the COVID-19 crisis.After the governors emergency proclamation, the Department of Health also said it was allowing volunteer out-of-state health practitioners who are licensed elsewhere to practice without a Washington license.All the doctors with UW Medicine have been trained, or are being trained on how to care for patients via telemedicine. The number of people using the service has increased tenfold since public health officials urged patients to not visit emergency rooms or visit clinics for minor issues, said Dr. John Scott, director of digital health at UW Medicine.Some hospitals are creating wards for COVID-19 patients. EvergreenHealth, in Kirkland, converted its 8th floor for the use of these patients.King County officials last week purchased a motel, which could allow patients to recover outside a clinical setting and free up beds.These are places for people to recover and convalesce who are not at grave medical risk, and therefore do not need to be in a hospital, said Alex Fryer, spokesperson for King County Executive Dow Constantine.Supply problems are ongoing, even after the federal government fulfilled a first shipment that included tens of thousands of N95 respirator masks, surgical masks and disposable gowns from a federal stockpile.Piazza said the nursing association continues to receive reports that members at area hospitals are being asked to reuse or share personal protective equipment, wear only one mask a shift or conserve masks for use exclusively with COVID-19 confirmed patients.We need to address the safety of frontline caregivers, Piazza said.State officials placed a second order for supplies last weekend.Casey Katims, director of federal affairs for Inslee, said three trucks of medical supplies from the federal stockpile arrived Thursday morning, including 129,380 N-95 respirators; 308,206 surgical masks; 58,688 face shields; 47,850 surgical gowns; and 170,376 glove pairs.If the measures taken now arent enough, state officials have contingency plans theyve been working on for a while now, said Lofy, the state health officer.The next step is to start thinking about alternate care systems or alternate care facilities. These are facilities that could potentially be used outside the clinic or the health care system walls.reporters Hannah Furfaro, Steve Miletich and Ryan Blethen contributed to this story.)
The J1 Visa programme has been temporarily suspended for 60 days after US President Donald Trump declared the Covid-19 pandemic a national emergency.

The US Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs says the decision will be reviewed after the initial period, with a further 30-day suspension possible.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 22, 2020 | 05:00 PM | METROPOLIS





"The only thing Metropolis wants flying over the city is Superman. Not a 20 foot inflatable colon."





Officials say there is not currently a reschedule date.







Previous story:









Southern Seven Health Department, Hope Light Foundation, and University of Chicago Medicine Center for Asian Health Equity are joining forces to hold the interactive colorectal cancer awareness event.



Visitors will be able to walk through an inflatable colon, receive colon cancer prevention information, and receive an at-home screening test. Southern Seven Health Department will be available to answer questions about colon cancer.



The first 100 people to be given the at-home screening test, known as a FIT kit, will receive a coupon for a free lunch from the Big John Grocery deli.



Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. However, when diagnosed early through screenings, it is also one of the most treatable.









"Strollin Through the Colon" will be held on Saturday, March 14th from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm in the parking lot of Big John Grocery in Metropolis.Southern Seven Health Department, Hope Light Foundation, and University of Chicago Medicine Center for Asian Health Equity are joining forces to hold the interactive colorectal cancer awareness event.Visitors will be able to walk through an inflatable colon, receive colon cancer prevention information, and receive an at-home screening test. Southern Seven Health Department will be available to answer questions about colon cancer.The first 100 people to be given the at-home screening test, known as a FIT kit, will receive a coupon for a free lunch from the Big John Grocery deli.Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. However, when diagnosed early through screenings, it is also one of the most treatable.





Due to rain, the Southern Seven Health Department has cancelled their Strollin' through the Colon event. On their Facebook page, the Southern Seven Health Department shared the following message.
Most of the 19 rebels Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh, including six ministers, have left Bengaluru, where they had been camping, and are expected to reach Bhopal by Friday evening, sources said.

Twenty-two Congress legislators in the state resigned after senior party leader and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress earlier this week. Nineteen of them have been camping in Bengaluru.

Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati had issued notices to the 22 Congress MLAs, asking them to appear before him and clarify whether they have quit voluntarily or under pressure.

"Most of the 19 MLAs, including six ministers, have left Bengaluru where they were staying. They are flying from Bengaluru and are expected to reach here by evening," a Scindia loyalist told PTI.

"On their arrival, the six ministers will meet the speaker, who had summoned them to verify their resignations," he said.

The six ministers are- Tulsi Silavat, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Govind Singh Rajput, Pradyumna Singh Tomar, Prabhuram Choudhary and Imarti Devi.

A legislature official said on Friday that the speaker has asked seven of the rebel MLAs to appear before him on Saturday and the remaining ones on Sunday in order to verify their resignations.

"The speaker will also seek to know that whether they have resigned voluntarily or under duress as the Congress has alleged that they had been held hostage," he said.

Meanwhile, security at the Bhopal airport has been beefed up in view of the scheduled arrival of the legislators.

The heavy police force has also been deployed at the residence of the speaker in Char Imli locality here.

The 15-month-old Kamal Nath-led government has been facing a deep crisis following the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs after Scindia quit the party on Tuesday. He joined the BJP a day later.

The Congress has a wafer-thin majority in the 228- member Assembly. Before the rebellion, its tally was 114.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Kamal Nath met state Governor Lalji Tandon and expressed his government's readiness for a floor test in the Assembly.

Nath also submitted a letter to him accusing the BJP of being involved in horse-trading and holding the Congress MLAs in captivity.
BAY CITY, MI  A Bay County resident who is also a local doctor has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on the night of Friday, March 13, stated nine more people throughout the state have newly tested presumptive positive for coronavirus, among them an adult Bay County man.

The man has a history of domestic travel, according to the MDHHS. He is a physician at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, according to Kristin Knoll, planning and communications manager for the hospital.

The man learned that he was exposed to an individual with the virus while on an out-of-state trip, Knoll said. Once he became aware that he was exposed, he stopped working immediately, underwent testing, and went into home quarantine awaiting results. He has never exhibited related symptoms like a fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, or sore throat. He only felt a little achy after his ski trip. We want to assure the community that neither Covenant nor the provider would knowingly put patients, staff or others at risk.

Since the mans test confirmation, Covenant HealthCare and area county health departments have been working to inform patients, staff, and others that have had contact with the physician and provide them information to ensure they take immediate actions to minimize exposure to others.

Under the guidance of local health departments, individuals at high or medium risk are being quarantined at home for 14 days and monitored for symptoms, Knoll said. Those who are at low-risk due to minor exposure have been advised to monitor themselves for symptoms and alert their primary care physician in the event of any change to their physical condition.

The other most recently presumptive positive cases of coronavirus are described by MDHHS as follows:

An adult female from Charlevoix County with history of international travel.

An adult female from Detroit with history of international travel.

An adult male from Macomb County with history of international travel.

Two adult females and an adult male from Oakland County, one with history of international travel two with unknown travel history.

Two adult females from Wayne County, one with history of domestic and the other with no history of travel.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Michigan is now 25. Symptoms of the ailment may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

MDHHS on Friday also announced the launch of a statewide hotline to respond to health-related questions about coronavirus starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 14.

As we continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our state, we want to ensure Michiganders have the information they need to stay healthy, address concerns and know where to go for the care they need if they experience symptoms, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health.

Public health and other experts will answer health-related questions about coronavirus. The team can also direct residents, providers, and more to the right resources in their local communities and in other state government departments.

The hotline will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-888-535-6136.

Staff cannot provide individual clinical advice or a diagnosis through the hotline. If you believe you have been exposed to the contagion and are symptomatic, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital.

Updates on the rapidly evolving situation will be posted to Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

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Linkedin Belen Carreno and Jesus Aguado (Reuters) Madrid, Spain  Sat, March 14, 2020 10:02 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a8a8a5 2 World Spain,emergency,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,pandemic,COVID-19,health Free

Major Spanish regions shut shops, bars and restaurants, car plants ground to a halt and Easter parades were cancelled as Spain prepared to enter a 15-day state of emergency on Friday, in a sharp escalation of its fight against the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the number of cases could top 10,000 by next week - more than double the current level - and asked citizens to play their part.

"Heroism is also washing your hands and staying home," Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation on Friday.

Spain has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe after Italy. The current Spanish tally stands at 4,231, up about 1,000 cases from Thursday. About 120 people have died.

Sanchez did not spell out what emergency powers he would use, or what help shut-down businesses would get. The order allows the government to confine people, ration supplies and requisition factories and buildings, apart from private homes.

But, in a sign of brewing tensions between regions and his administration, some regional leaders called on the central government to provide more support.

The regional government of Catalonia said it wanted and was ready to confine the whole region due to the epidemic and asked the central authorities to block its access by air, rail and water, regional leader Quim Torra said.

The goal is to restrict passenger entry into the region from coronavirus-risk zones in the rest of Spain and Europe, but the proposed measure would not block important freight road traffic from Spain to France, a Catalan government spokesman added.

Although advised not to, people would still be allowed to move within Catalonia - Spain's second-wealthiest region of over 7 million - except in those towns already on lockdown, he added.

In the first large-scale action of its kind in Spain, Catalan authorities on Thursday locked down four towns north of Barcelona, while on Friday they ordered the closure of gyms, nightclubs and shopping centers, apart from ones selling food.

Madrid's regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso said she did not have the power to put the capital on lockdown and that such a decision would have to come from the central government.

Her government in Spain's richest region said that starting at midnight (2300 GMT) and until at least March 26, bars, restaurants and shops, except for food shops, petrol stations and others selling essential items, would be closed to the public.

Bars and restaurants would still be able to provide home delivery services or have food picked up at the premises.

'Disaster'

The decision was met with dismay and confusion by some workers in Madrid, home to half of Spain's coronavirus cases, which was unusually quiet on Friday, with shops, streets and cafes largely deserted.

"It is a disaster for employers and workers," 39-year old Mustafa Elkeneski, a waiter in a cafe in the center of the city.

"We don't know how it will work out. The issue of pay is up in the air."

Authorities in Andalusia recommended the closure of "all leisure and commercial establishments".

The region of Murcia in the southeast announced a 14-day lockdown of seven coastal tourist towns in a move that local media said would affect some 376,000 people.

The restrictions have also reached deep into Spanish culture. The country's bishops' association, the Spanish Episcopal Conference, issued guidelines on the spread of coronavirus in which it said "processions of this time have to be cancelled", suggesting Spain's famous Easter parades will not go ahead.

Some Holy Week processions had already been cancelled by local church authorities. Due to start in early April this year, the events usually draw crowds of believers and tourists.

Supply problems due to the outbreak prompted some Spanish plants of the Renault-Nissan alliance and Volkswagen's Spanish division Seat to announce temporary stoppages on Friday that could last for days or weeks.
Metrolinx announced Friday it will reduce GO Transit service in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, while Toronto-area transit users were left with mixed messages about what they should do to protect themselves from the virus.

Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster said GO and UP Express service would be scaled back starting Wednesday, March 18, but gave no specifics. New GO schedules are expected to be posted online Sunday.

Verster said the agency recognizes GO service is a lifeline for many communities in the region and Metrolinx will continue to operate service on all corridors, but at reduced frequencies.

He said the agency was in part reacting to a sharp decline in ridership attributed to the outbreak. Concerns about the spread of the deadly virus has prompted school closures across the region and mass cancellations of public events. Some businesses have also asked employees to work from home.

Verster said ridership dropped 10 per cent from normal levels earlier this week, and by Friday had fallen by as much as 40 per cent on some lines.

The CEO said the service reduction was also necessary to protect GO employees from possible exposure to the virus, and keep them healthy enough to continue operating the transit in the long term. As service is reduced some employees will be asked to stay home. Verster said their employment wasnt in jeopardy.

Our key consideration is ensuring our services can continue and our employees and customers are safe, he said.

The TTC said Friday it isnt planning to follow Metrolinxs lead and cut back on service. Mississaugas MiWay also said it will continue regular operation.

Meanwhile on Friday, statements about COVID-19 prevention from a pair of high-ranking medical officials appeared to complicate earlier assurances from the TTC and Toronto Public Health, both of which have maintained in recent weeks that using public transit presented a minimal risk of exposure to the virus.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, said people should consider using public transit during off-peak hours to avoid crowding, while Ontarios chief medical officer Dr. David Williams recommended the immediate suspension of all gatherings of more than 250 people.

Crowds of at least that size are typical on GO and TTC trains and station platforms. A single TTC subway on Line 1 has a capacity of more than 1,400 people.

But Ontario Ministry of Health spokesperson David Jensen said Williams recommendation does not pertain to use of transit.

The 250 refers to the number of people being in a single enclosed space, he said.

Jensen didnt explain why a transit vehicle would not be considered an enclosed space.

Torontos medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa, advised last week that residents should continue to use public transit as usual. She didnt give a definitive answer when asked at a press conference Friday whether riders should avoid taking the TTC at rush hour.

I recognize that many people do need to go out and about and commute, and oftentimes that means using public transit. And so we ask people to engage in responsible behaviour such as regularly washing hands and staying home if they feel sick, she said.

Thats what will make places like our public transit system safe for people to use, as we want to continue to have our city function as best we can under these unparalleled circumstances.

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the agency had no position on the federal directive to avoid transit during peak periods.

We are leaving public health advice of that kind to public health professionals, he said.

Green said so far the TTC hasnt observed a ridership decline that could be attributed to COVID-19. But there has been a dip in demand thats typical leading into March Break and we are expecting fewer rides as families make decisions about their plans over the next three weeks.

Green said the situation is dynamic and the TTC will do an assessment once we have the actual numbers.

A prolonged decrease in ridership could hurt the TTCs bottom line. The agency relies on fare revenue to make up roughly two-thirds of its $2-billion annual operating budget.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ontario jumped by 20 on Friday, to a total of 79.

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr

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Australians receiving welfare support will be eligible for the $750 coronavirus stimulus payment. Images: Getty

This story has been republished to reflect updated Treasury information.

The Australian government will make two sets of $750 economic support payments on 31 March and 13 July to support households struggling to stay afloat during the Covid-19 period.

The first set was announced on 14 March, while the second was outlined on 21 March.

The Australian government announced its $17.6 billion coronavirus stimulus package on 14 March, which included $750 cash payments for around 6.5 million Australians.

Those Australians will receive the payment automatically from 31 March, with the majority to receive the boost by 17 April. Its estimated to cost around $4.76 billion.

The majority of the tax-exempt payments will be targeted at Australians receiving the pension, with 2.4 million pensioners set to benefit.

Am I eligible for the first $750 coronavirus benefit?

Youll receive the first payment if you receive one of these welfare payments:

Age Pension

Disability Support Pension

Carer Payment

Carer Allowance

Parenting Payment

Wife Pension

Widow B Pension

ABSTUDY (Living Allowance)

Austudy

Bereavement Allowance

Newstart Allowance

Youth Allowance

Partner Allowance

Sickness Allowance

Special Benefit

Widow Allowance

Farm Household Allowance

Family Tax Benefit A

Family Tax Benefit B

Double Orphan Pension.

And if you use one of these concession cards, youre also eligible:

Pensioner Concession Card

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

Veteran Gold Card.

On top of that, if you are receiving any of these Department of Veterans Affairs payments, youll also receive the $750:

Veteran Service Pension

Veteran Income Support Supplement

Veteran Compensation payments, including lump sum payments

War Widow(er) Pension.

Do I get more money if I receive more than one of these benefits?

Unfortunately, even if you claim more than one benefit you will only be eligible for one payment of $750 on 31 March.

Story continues

Am I eligible for the second $750 coronavirus benefit?

Will you receive the payment? Image: Getty

Eligible Australians will receive the second $750 payment from 13 July. However, not everyone who received the first payment will receive the second.

Thats because if you are eligible for the $550 Coronavirus Supplement payments, you will not receive the second $750.

Heres what that looks like:

Source: Australian Government Treasury

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 03:51:26|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on March 13, 2020 shows a street in Rome, Italy. The COVID-19 epidemic continued to claim lives in locked-down Italy on Friday, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. Speaking during a nightly televised press conference, Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli confirmed that 14,955 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 and 1,266 have died since the epidemic first emerged in northern Italy on Feb. 21. (Photo by Elisa Lingria/Xinhua)

ROME, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus epidemic continued to claim lives in locked-down Italy on Friday, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department.

Speaking during a nightly televised press conference, Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli confirmed that 14,955 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 1,266 have died since the epidemic first emerged in northern Italy on Feb. 21.

Meanwhile, 1,439 patients have so far recovered, said Borrelli, who is also the national commissioner in charge of the coronavirus emergency.

The numbers are up from an official tally on Thursday evening of 12,839 people infected, 1,016 dead, and 1,258 recovered.

Borrelli also confirmed that a flight from China arrived on Thursday evening, bringing "experts and 11 tons of materials, including surgical masks, equipment for intensive care beds, monitors and other material destined for the Red Cross."

According to a Civil Protection Department breakdown, the northern Lombardy region whose capital is Milan was the hardest hit, with 7,732 cases of infection.

Emilia-Romagna was the country's second hardest hit with 2,011 confirmed cases, followed by Veneto with 1,453.

Also on Friday, Economy and Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri expressed "satisfaction at the European Commission's proposed exclusion of all expenditures connected to the coronavirus emergency from deficit (calculations)."

Italy is allocating billions to fight the epidemic and its negative effects on the national economy.

"Now let us act in a coordinated way in order to contain the epidemic and support families, labor, and businesses," Gualtieri said in a statement, stressing the need to "send a strong, common budget stimulus by activating the suspension of the (European Union) Stability Pact ... and fielding innovative instruments to guarantee all the liquidity and support the economy needs."

Meanwhile, leading members of a science and business consortium called Italy's Life Science Cluster (ALISEI) on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, calling for the setup of "a great European consortium made up of top universities and research centers, along with large-scale pharmaceutical and biotech companies and scientists" to work on an extraordinary mission: finding a vaccine against COVID-19 as soon as possible.

"The general situation in Italy and in many European Union member states in connection with the spread of COVID-19 is very worrisome and is causing marked tensions on the operations of national health care systems," the letter said.

With four business associations, five national research centers and 13 regional bodies as its members, ALISEI aims to promote the needs and development potentials of the life sciences sector as a whole, and is committed to operating as inclusively and openly as possible.

Prime Minister Conte on Wednesday evening announced new measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, including the closure of all retailers and businesses except providers of basic necessities, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, public transportation, post offices, and banks.

The latest measures came after the government placed the entire country on lockdown beginning on March 10, which restricted the movement of the country's some 60 million residents.

People who left home must carry with them an Interior Ministry form filled out with name, address, phone and ID numbers, specifying why they are outside their homes.

The national lockdown runs through April 3.
23:47

Four people were arrested after a fake hand-sanitiser and face-mask manufacturing company was busted in Noida on Saturday, officials said, a day after the Centre declared the two items as 'essential commodities'.





Sub-divisional magistrate Rajeev Rai said after a tip-off around 2.30 pm, a raid was carried out immediately at the company in the commercial hub of Sector 63.





"Four people have been arrested from the spot. Over 5,000 face masks and around 5,000 bottles of hand sanitisers have been seized," Rai, who led the raid, told PTI.





"Both the items bore the label name 'SG Group' and are pegged worth around Rs 10 lakh but are not genuine products."





He said a detailed assessment of the seized material was underway. Pharmacists and traders had earlier claimed shortage of supply of hand sanitisers and masks in Noida and Greater Noida amid fears over the deadly COVID-19, while people rued that these items were being sold at exorbitant rates, if available.





"We will ensure that law takes its due to course over any irregularity related to it," Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate B N Singh told PTI.





The Centre had on Friday brought masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential Commodities Act up to June 30 as the novel coronavirus pandemic led to shortages and black marketing of these items.





The decision has empowered the Centre as well states to regulate production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitisers, and also to smoothen the sale and availability of these items, and carry out operations against speculators.





An offender under the Act may be punished with imprisonment up to seven years or fine or both and can be detained for a maximum of six months. -- PTI





IMAGE: Students wearing masks in view of coronavirus pandemic attend a class, in Navi Mumbai, on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo


The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said on Saturday it has cancelled the annual meeting of its highest decision-making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, following the instructions issued by the government amid the coronavirus pandemic.

RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said in a statement the meeting scheduled to be held from March 15 to March 17 in Bengaluru will not be held.

ABPS is the annual meeting where apart from the brass of RSS, the heads of all its affiliated organisations, including the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), gather for a three-day meeting.

A functionary aware of the details said the meeting has been suspended only twice before when the RSS was banned after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and during Emergency.

RSS spokesperson Arun Kumar had said while speaking to reporters that about 1500 delegates from 11 zones, state-level office bearers of 44 sects, national representatives of 35 organisations, special invitees and RSS national executive members were expected to attend the meeting.

India reported its second coronavirus-linked death on Friday as the virus continued to spread in the country forcing more states to order restrictions on businesses, educational institutions and public gatherings.

The 68-year-old woman in Delhi was believed to have been infected by coronavirus after being in close contact with her son, who had travelled to Switzerland and Italy last month. The two were admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on March 7.

She was a known case of diabetes and hypertension. Her condition worsened on March 9, 2020, with the development of pneumonia and she was shifted to the intensive care unit. Due to comorbid conditions, she died on March 13 at RML Hospital, the Union health ministry said in a statement.

Before her, a 76-year-old man from Kalburgi in Karnataka was confirmed as the first Covid-19 fatality of the country.

Eighty-three people have been infected in the country so far.

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Kolkata Kight Riders co-owner and Bollywood superstar on Saturday said he is hopeful of the COVID-19 pandemic subsiding and a deferred IPL going ahead with all the necessary health precautions in place.

A day after the start of the IPL was suspended from March 29 to April 15 by the BCCI, the franchise owners had a meeting before the event's Governing Council meet here.

"Wonderful to meet all the Franchise owners 'off the field' so to say. The meeting by @Bcci and @ipl was to reiterate what all of us feel...safety first of the spectators, players management & cities we play in. All directives of the health agencies & govt to be followed..," Khan tweeted.

"Hope the spread of the virus subsides & the show can go on. BCCI & team owners in consultation with the govt will keep a close watch & decide the way fwd in the health interest of ever1. Lovely 2 meet every1 & then sanitise ourselves repeatedly," he added.

The IPL is expected to be held without any spectators to ensure compliance with the government directive of avoiding large gatherings in view of the deadly virus, which has caused more than 5,000 deaths globally. In India, over 80 people have tested positive so far and two people have died.
The first person to test positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Delhi was released on Saturday evening, officials of the Safdarjung Hospital said.

The person, a 45-year-old businessman from Mayur Vihar in east Delhi, had thrown a birthday party for his son at a five-star hotel in Delhi before being isolated on March 1.

The man who was the first one to test positive of COVID-19 has been released today. He is totally asymptomatic now. We have asked him and his family to still continue monitoring his condition at home. Our teams will also do a follow-up, said a top official from Safdarjung hospital.

Delhi had six positive cases of coronavirus and on Saturday a seventh person was tested positive in the city.

With the Mayur Vihar resident being released on Saturday and the death of the 68-year old woman on Friday, we now have four positive cases of COVID-19 who are residents of Delhi, the official said.

Hospital authorities said that the seventh positive case of coronavirus which emerged in the national Capital on Saturday is not a resident of Delhi.

The person, the seventh case in the city, arrived at Delhi. he is actually from Rajasthan. He was sent to the Manesar facility and now has been shifted to Safdarjung, said another official on condition of anonymity.
Europe has now become the new epicentre for the ongoing Covid-19, the World Health Organisation declared on Friday.

As of Friday, new confirmed cases in China where the disease originated from in December has dropped as low index cases. Unfortunately, the disease has spread across the world, having been reported in every continent except Antarctica.

As at the time of reporting, cases in China have slowed down while the deadly coronavirus runs through Italy and other European countries.

The virus which emerged from Wuhan, China, less than three months ago, has infected more than 132,000 people across 123 countries and territories with over 5,000 people dead.

The ongoing Covid-19 outbreak was declared pandemic on Wednesday, due to the wild spread and severity of the disease. Also, WHO officials had blamed the inaction of many political leaders for not containing the spread of the virus.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the inaction of many governments and lack of political will had led to the spread of the disease.

Europe

Mr Ghebreyesus said at a news conference in Geneva that more cases are now being reported [in Europe] every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic.

Although cases in China is on a decline theres always a chance that could rise again.

However cases in Europe have exploded overnight.

In Europe, as of Saturday 07:15 GMT, Italy currently has the most cases outside of China with at least 17, 660 infections, followed by Spain at 5,232, Germany at 3,675 and France at 3,661, according to data compiled by worldometer.

The outbreak is also soaring in other European countries.

Switzerland currently has 1,139 cases, followed by Norway at 996, Sweden at 814, the Netherlands at 804, Denmark at 804, UK at 798 and Belgium at 559 cases.

Reuters had reported that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday, said when the virus is out there, the population has no immunity and no therapy exists, then 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the population will be infected. 

U.S

The United States had at least 2,329 cases as of Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the President of the United States, Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday in a bid to contain the spread of the virus in the country

This move has been said to be the most significant move yet by the government to head off the coronavirus outbreak since importation of the disease in the country. Mr Trump had earlier banned travel from 26 countries from Europe and will be in effect for the next 30 days. The ban excluded U.K and Ireland though cases are being reported in UK (798 cases reported so far).

Also, House Democrats and the White House later reached a deal on an aid package.

Not all bad news

While new confirmed cases are reported, it is not all bad news as some people have been treated and recovered from the disease. Though there is no sure treatment protocol- as research on the disease is vigorously ongoing  many countries have been employing various treatments techniques and some seem to be working.

As of Saturday, active cases reported across all reporting countries was 67, 712 cases, those in mild condition at 61,630 and those serious or critical at 6,082 cases.

So far of the treated cases, 72, 550 people fully recovered and discharged.

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Containment

So far, there has been no vaccine for the disease and many researches are still ongoing on Covid-19.

However, Mr Ghebreyesus said countries need to take a comprehensive approach to try to fight the pandemic.

He said not testing alone, not contact tracing alone, not quarantine alone, not social distancing alone, do it all,

Any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks that wont happen to us is making a deadly mistake, it can happen to any country, he said.

Meanwhile, WHO executive director, health emergencies, Mike Ryan, said social distancing only slightly slows down the virus so your health system can cope,

The virus will always get you if you dont move quickly, he explained while discussing some of the lessons health officials learned from the Ebola outbreak.
Kieran Patrick Kelly - admitted to at least 15 killings but could have killed up to 31 making him the UKs most prolific serial killers

A podcast series about an Irish serial killer in London and produced by a Macroom born broadcaster is likely to hit 500,000 downloads by the weekend.

'The Nobody Zone' is described as an 'audio labyrinth, which is so fraught with twists, turns and mistruths you would need a homemade evidence board to keep up' and opens with a murder committed in a London underground station in 1953, the same day as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

It jumps to a police station 30 years later when another murder is committed, Kieran Kelly, the man at the centre of this series, strangles a man he is sharing a cell with because his snoring was stopping him going to sleep.

Macroom man Liam O'Brien, who heads up RTE's award winning Documentary on One radio series, is delighted with the positive reception for 'The Nobody Zone' but says it will take up to six months to judge its overall impact.

The son of a former Garda in the town, the late Sergeant Tom O'Brien, Liam's mother still lives in the family's home in Sleaveen West.

The Nobody Zone is a first for RTE as it's a 'single story told in multiple parts' as well as being the first RTE production to be released simultaneously in Irish and English. As it's a co-production with a Danish podcast production company, Third Ear, it's also available in Danish, German and Spanish.

The story of Kieran Patrick Kelly, an Irish vagrant originally from Rathdowney in Laois, unfolds in the podcast series, when we follow him from his first murder in the Baker Street Underground Station to the killing in the Clapham police station. He finally confessed on tape to a London detective, Ian Brown, as he had been caught 'bang to rights' for the murder of the tramp in the prison cell.

In the tape which features in the podcast series we hear Kelly confess to a series of killings as they had been playing on his mind, 'on the top shelf' as he put it. The killings vary from the man who was shoved out on the tracks in front of a train, to a man he killed by burning him to death and another he poisoned with a cocktail of surgical spirits, wine, orange squash, and tablets.

While the series is still ongoing, Liam is reluctant to reveal the fate of Kieran Patrick Kelly.

Somehow Kelly didn't become a household name in the UK and Ireland despite claiming responsibility for at least 15 killings which should put him at the top of list of British and Irish serial killers.

Most of the killings ended up as just a few lines on the inside pages of British newspapers and Kelly's name did not come to public attention until the publication of a book by a former detective Geoff Platt entitled 'The London Underground Serial Killer'.

That book contained sensational allegations that the British Home Office had covered up the murders to avoid a public panic about using public transport.

The podcast series is the latest venture from RTE's documentary unit which has received international attention. Last year a documentary about North Cork woman, Majella Moynihan, who was forced to quit the Gardai after becoming pregnant in the 1980s, forced an apology from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Justice Minister Charles Flanagan for the treatment of the former Garda.

Several of the programmes, including the documentary featuring Majella Moynihan, have won international awards and it was at one of these gatherings that Liam met with Tim Hinman of the Third Ear production company, a team which has been producing award winning podcast series for ten years, a long time, for instance, before the success of the 'Serial' and 'West Cork Murder' series.

The value of authentic local stories, often found in local news papers such as The Corkman, as a source for stories which have a wider global impact cannot be over-estimated, according to Liam.

"We spend a lot of time looking over the archives of local papers to get authenticated information," he says.

This week the big story is the Corona Virus, he says. "I was on my way to Cheltenham as we're doing a series about Tiger Roll but decided not to go as I stood in the airport - it may be that the festival might go ahead behind closed doors."

Meanwhile, there's the small matter of the two final episodes of 'The Nobody Zone' to be finished.
People with high blood pressure and diabetes could be at higher risk of contracting coronavirus and suffering more serious symptoms because of their medication, scientists say.

Drugs called ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may change the shape of someone's cells in a way that could make it easier to be infected by COVID-19.

According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics Health Survey released in 2015, an estimated 1.317million people in Australia are on ACE inhibitors.

A paper published in prestigious British medical journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine studied how the coronavirus latches on to people's cells to infect them.

But Professor Garry Jennings AO, the national chief medical advisor for the Heart Foundation, has advised that patients should not stop taking their medication.

Scientists claim medicines taken by thousands of people could increase the risk of a coronavirus patient developing deadly symptoms (stock image)

Scientists say the research does not prove a link between the medications and severe COVID-19, but that a potential connection should be studied more closely.

Other risk factors for severe or deadly coronavirus infection include age  over-80s are most likely to die  and heart disease.

People with weak immune systems, such as cancer patients, or those with long-term lung conditions are also at higher risk but are by no means guaranteed to get seriously ill.

There are more than 200 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia and three people have died.

The article was published by scientists at University Hospital Basel, in Switzerland, and the University of Thessaloniki in Greece.

It explains that the coronavirus sticks to cells and attacks them by latching onto something called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

There are more than 200 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia and three people have died. Pictured: Man wears a face mas at Melbourne Airport on Friday

Some people with high blood pressure or type 1 or type 2 diabetes have to take drugs which increase the amount of ACE2 that they have on their cells, in order to control their illness.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

The drugs the researchers were interested in are called ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).

Researchers led by Dr Michael Roth, from the University of Basel, wrote: 'These data suggest that ACE2 expression is increased in diabetes and treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs increases ACE2 expression.

'Consequently, the increased expression of ACE2 would facilitate infection with COVID-19.

'We therefore hypothesise that diabetes and hypertension [high blood pressure] treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal COVID-19.

'If this hypothesis were to be confirmed, it could lead to a conflict regarding treatment.'

Prof Jennings said the 'speculative' research comes amid 'quite a deal of panic' about coronavirus and the unknown.

'At the moment, it's just an idea that some groups have put forward,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Pictured: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around Australia on the morning of Saturday March 14

'That doesn't mean people on these drugs are more likely to get coronavirus, or that they're more likely to get more severe forms.

'Some of the evidence put forward about COVID-19 and high blood pressure is conflicting.

'It's not clear yet that people with high blood pressure are more susceptible.'

While it is known the vulnerable are more likely to be knocked down during the flu season, Prof Jennings reiterated there is still a lot to learn about coronavirus.

'You can construct a hypothesis as these authors have done but until we have good proof behind it doesn't mean it should be a call to action,' he said.

Prof Jennings said patients should continue to take their medication.

'My advice is that people take the advice on preventing coronavirus and continue taking their medication,' he said.

'They are the most commonly used for high blood pressure in Australia. They're safe and very effective.

'Stopping these drugs, without talking to your doctor is never a good idea.'

Drugs called ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may change the shape of someone's cells in a way that could make it easier to be infected by COVID-19. According to a 2014-2015 Australian Bureau of Statistics Health Survey, an estimated 1.317million people were using ACE inhibitors (stock image)

Dr Roth and his colleagues did their research by looking at other studies of coronavirus patients with severe forms of the illness.

They found that the most common illnesses among severely-ill coronavirus patients were high blood pressure (23.7 per cent), diabetes (16.2 per cent) and heart disease (5.8 per cent).

And by studying how the coronavirus and SARS, which is almost identical, attach to cells inside people's bodies they came up with a theory of how the blood pressure drugs might make this easier for the viruses.

They also added that people with diabetes and high blood pressure might be more at risk because of changes in their genes which make them produce more ACE2 naturally.

They wrote: 'We suggest that patients with cardiac diseases, hypertension [high blood pressure], or diabetes, who are treated with ACE2-increasing drugs, are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection and, therefore, should be monitored.'
Kim Brent / The Enterprise

Once upon a time, Democrats were the party that seemed to care the most about people who were getting a bad deal in our criminal-justice system and Republicans were the party of law and order. So it was refreshing to see Jefferson County Republicans taking a new look at this issue in a way that doesnt ignore the tremendous toll of major crimes.

When Jefferson County Republicans were debating their official platform this week, they urged other Texas Republicans to follow the momentum of the FIRST STEP Act signed by President Trump and consider other ways to reassess minor crimes. Party members considered resolutions regarding unfair bail amounts for some defendants as well as the punishment given to people found with a small amount of certain drugs.
Microsoft on Friday (local time) announced that its co-founder Bill Gates has stepped down from the company's board of directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health and education.

Gates will, however, continue to serve as the technology advisor to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

"Microsoft Corp. today announced that co-founder and technology advisor Bill Gates stepped down from the company's board of directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health, development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change. He will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders in the company," the company said in the statement.

Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Gates was CEO of the company until 2000.

In 2008, Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

With Gates' departure, the board will consist of 12 members including John W. Thompson, Microsoft independent chair, Reid Hoffman, partner at Greylock Partners, Hugh Johnston, vice chairman and chief financial officer of PepsiCo, Teri L List-Stoll, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Gap, Inc. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

Nadella said that it was a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with Gates.

"It's been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratising force of software and a passion to solve society's most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the are better for it," the statement quoted him.

"The board has benefited from Bill's leadership and vision. Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill's ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward. I am grateful for Bill's friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realise our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said there was no need for any contingency plan for the aviation sector in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak as the impact of global contagion was a only a brief passing phase. "No one has asked for any contingency plan or a bailout package even though issues like bringing Aircraft Turbine Fuel (ATF), which forms 40 per cent of the operational cost of an airline, under the GST, were matters the Ministry has been dealing with as we meet the stake-holders to understand their issues on a regular basis," Puri said ...

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Some Houston restaurants are using infrared devices to take workers' temperatures. Photo: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images Photo: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images

Houston restaurants, which will continue to be hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, are taking to social media to let their customers and dining public know they are going to great lengths to conduct sanitary businesses. And some of those measures include taking the temperature of employees.

Phat Eatery in Katy has even removed tables to create more personal space between diners. Phat Eaterys owner Alex Au-Yeung took to Facebook to note that his Malaysian street food restaurant was removing a third of its tables; sanitizing door handles and communal surfaces multiple times an hour; and even checking the temperature of its employees using infrared thermometers three times a day.

We want to (assure) you that we are taking extensive measures for your protection, Phats page states. Amidst this coronavirus crisis, this is more important than ever.

Roost restaurant in Montrose posted on Facebook that it is our absolute word that we take your health in 100 percent concern with every decision. The restaurant stated that its servers will wear gloves and change them every 20 minutes.

Kenny & Ziggys New York Delicatessen restaurants posted a note to customers detailing added precautions such as suspending the use of hand-held tableside pay devices.

H-Town Restaurant Group posted on all its Facebook pages the actions the company is taking to support prevention of possible spread of the virus and promote the health and safety of customers and employees. Writing on behalf of Backstreet Cafe, Hugos, Caracol and Xochi restaurants, owner Tracy Vaught stated that hand sanitizers will be stationed throughout the restaurants and that hard surfaces will be wiped down throughout service. Additionally, Hugos, Caracol and Xochi have suspended their brunch buffet services, switching to a la carte menus.

Dish Society, which has five restaurants in Houston and Katy, posted on Facebook measures it has undertaken including increasing cleaning and sanitizing work surfaces, addition sanitizer dispensers, and conducting daily staff meetings to cover coronavirus updates and sanitation protocols. Beginning March 16 the restaurants also will take employee temperature checks prior to clocking in.

Bartender/restaurateur Bobby Heugel posted on Facebook that he and business partner Justin Yu were implementing additional policies at concepts they own and operate (for Heugel that includes Anvil, Better Luck Tomorrow, Penny Quarter, The Pastry War, Squable and Tongue-Cut Sparrow). Heugel stated that sick employees are not allowed at work; plates and silverware are being cleared with disposable gloves; tables are detailed with sanitizer after each seating; and door handles are sanitized every 15 minutes.

Paulies restaurant took to Facebook to alert customers that Paulies and its adjacent Camerata wine bar are sanitizing door handles, touch screens, chairs, tables, countertops and pagers.

Its unfortunate so many different events have been cancelled thus far. Im sure more will follow this month, owner Paul Petronella wrote. I understand the precautions we should be taking, we dont have a playbook for this type of situation and should not take lightly.

Houston restaurateur Paul Miller, owner of Gr8 Plate Hospitality, said he is being cautiously optimistic about how his restaurants, which include multiple The Union Kitchen and Jaxs Grill locations, will fare as the pandemic continues. For now, though, letting customers know about increased sanitation efforts might help keep people coming in the doors, he said.

Ive been in communication with our leadership team and talked to our GMs and a few fellow restaurateurs. Were doubling down on all of our sanitization procedures. Educating, making sure everybody knows exactly what to do. Talking to staff, asking how theyre doing, making sure theyre healthy and ready to serve, said Miller, who also is on the board of the Greater Houston Restaurant Association. We have a sanitation solution that we use to clean the tables. You should be checking that every half hour or hour to make sure its at the correct levels. Were following procedures and checking the dish machine, checking sanitation water and cleaning utensils, like we always do. If everything is running well, theres nothing to worry about. Were doing everything that we know to stop things like this from spreading.

The owners of Orleans Seafood Kitchen in Katy said they will post on their Facebook page that they are taking the greatest standard of care for anyone that steps foot into our restaurant. Those measures include removing menus from tables (directed to menu board instead), wiping down terminals after every transaction, adding additional hand sanitizers throughout the restaurant, and passing out cutlery kids in lieu of silverware.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.
New York attorney general Letita James has demanded that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones stop selling untested coronavirus treatments.

Mr Jones, the founder of Infowars received a cease-and-desist letter from Ms James office on Thursday.

In the letter, the attorney generals office wrote that they were extremely concerned by his claims that his toothpaste, among other products can prevent and cure coronavirus.

As the coronavirus continues to pose serious risks to public health, Alex Jones has spewed outright lies and has profited off of New Yorkers anxieties, said Ms James.

Mr Jones touted the products on his show last week, but was not the only person to receive a cease-and-desist letter from the attorney generals office, as four others were sent out this week regarding the selling of fake coronavirus cures or treatments.

One of the letters was sent to televangelist Jim Bakker over the selling over a supposed Covid-19 cure.

The US Food and Drug Administration have not approved any treatments of vaccines and the National Institutes of Health says there is no scientific evidence to suggest alternative remedies can prevent or cure coronavirus.

The 46-year-old was in the news earlier in the week, when he was arrested in Texas on Tuesday for Driving while intoxicated (DWI).

He was released from custody in Travis County, Texas, shortly after 4am, with bail set at $3,000.

An InfoWars article claimed Mr Jones admitted to drinking a small amount of sake at a restaurant, but was below the legal drink-drive limit.

Court records showed that Mr Jones blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.076 and 0.079, below the 0.8 limit in Texas.

Recommended Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones arrested for DWI in Texas

During his radio show on Tuesday, Mr Jones spoke about the incident, claiming the police officer couldnt even stand on one leg to prove their sobriety.

Mr Jones far-right InfoWars outlet has faced bans from social media sites, including Facebook and YouTube for violating policies, including for spreading conspiracy theories.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.
Seven Media Group  most awarded agency at SLT Zero One awards View(s):

Seven Media once again emerged extremely successful at the recent SLT Zero One Awards for Digital Excellence 2018/19.

For the second consecutive year, Seven Media dominated the award ceremony held in honour and recognition of excellence in digital initiatives over the past 12 months, racking up an impressive event-high nine awards, the agency said in a media release.

Seven Media won Best Digital Agency for the banking and financial sector, Best Digital Agency retail sector and Best Digital Agency healthcare and personal sector. Seven Media also received recognition for their work in media and publishing as well as manufacturing, transportation, storage and logistics sectors. Added to that, Seven Media won the Best Digital-Enabled retail product/service, and received honours for Digital-Integrated health campaign and financial community empowerment programme awards.

This phenomenal success comes on the back of the ground-breaking news of the company broadening its global footprint, extending its services to Europe and beyond with their UK-based operation, Reputation Mafia, the release said

Subodha Pilimatalawwe, Founder and CEO of Seven Media Group said: It is truly a blessing to have a hard-working team who is constantly perfecting the work they do. I am thankful to our amazing clients who work together with us to bring our ideas and strategies to life. The secret to our success is clients who work with us as one team. I believe that these great results are a result of the combination of great clients and great talent coming together in pursuit of excellence. As an agency, our vision is to build the industry and we are thankful to SLT and all the sponsors for continuing this award platform. I believe with the grace of God, Seven Media Group will contribute in our own way on a global scale to making Sri Lanka a greater nation.
European Commission announces measures to support members states in the fight against the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

Geneva, Switzerland  The European Union has taken extraordinary measures to help member states address the COVID-19 emergency as the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Europe has become the centre of the pandemic.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday the bloc would ease fiscal rules and redirect budget funds to allow member states to invest in their economies and health sectors as well as address the sanitary emergency.

The European Union can withstand this shock, Von der Leyen said.

But each member state needs to live up to its full responsibility and the EU as a whole needs to be determined, coordinated and united, she added.

The Commission launched the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, directing some 37 billion euros ($41bn) of structural funds to help affected sectors. Another one billion euros ($1.1bn) will be offered as a guarantee to the European Investment Fund to incentivise banks to direct eight billion euros ($8.9bn) to support 100,000 small and medium enterprises which are being crippled under restrictive measures issued to contain the outbreak.

No coordination

However, European countries are far from implementing the coordinated and united response to the new coronavirus which the commission has called for.

Most European countries have reacted tardily and erratically, each implementing different health protocols and measures to protect their citizens in different time frames.





On Friday, the WHO said Europe was now the epicentre of the coronavirus infection with almost 30,000 cases, more than China  where the virus was first detected late last year  at the peak of the outbreak.

This came two days after WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic but said that did not change the agencys assessment of the threat of the virus or the actions countries should implement.

We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action, he said. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.

But only this week on the heels of Italy, other European countries have finally imposed some restrictive measures on their citizens.

Lockdown

Italy, the hardest-hit country, has imposed a nationwide lockdown as part of a series of sweeping measures aimed to curb the outbreak.

Only essential state services are guaranteed, as well as business and industrial sectors, such as the medical, pharmaceutical and agricultural production, heavy industry and food distribution chains.

On Friday, Italy registered a total of 14,955 cases and 1,266 deaths, although health authorities say the majority of the deceased had previous health conditions which were complicated by the coronavirus.

The country has been conducting blanket tests  about 60,000 so far, more than any other country in Europe  a measure that has certainly contributed to its ranking as the most affected in the West, said Walter Ricciardi, a WHO member and health adviser to the Italian government.

200313081333049

Elsewhere, Spain  the second most-hit European country, with 120 deaths and more than 4,200 positive cases  declared on Friday a state of emeregency to help combat the coronavirus.

The measure allows the government to limit peoples movement and travel, mobilise the army as well as seize and ration resources and goods if necessary.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he could not rule out that cases may reach more than 10,000 in a few days.

In France, which on Friday had registered 3,661 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 79 deaths, President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of stringent measures, including the closure of all schools and educational establishments until further notice

In a speech to the nation, he also encouraged people and companies to limit travel and implement teleworking solutions, saying France is just at the beginning of the emergency.

While Macron did not announce a nationwide quarantine, movement restrictions were implemented in at least 10 regions considered clusters for contagion.

But Jerome Salomon, director general of health, said on Thursday France should prepare for an Italy-like scenario, citing data that showed the situation in the country being the same as Europes worst-hit nation just eight days ago.

Macron said France is just at the beginning of the emergency. [Thibault Camus/AFP]

Meanwhile, Germany on Friday registered 693 new cases in just one day, reaching 3,062 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

By Friday, 13 out of 16 German states had announced that schools would remain shut until April 20.

Like France, Germany has not imposed a ban on movement, but has issued recommendations to the public to avoid travel and limit social contact as much as possible. The country has also banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people.

Prevention

Despite the situation in Italy, countries in the rest of Europe have reacted to the emergency only when positive cases have skyrocketed and the rate of contagion was beyond control, experts say, noting that most have failed to implement preventive policies when they would have been most effective but difficult to justify to the publics opinion.

Another apparent problem with the European response is that measures are being implemented with various degrees of severity at different times  and this may jeopardise the overall containment effort.

But neither the WHO nor the EU, with its European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, has the authority to impose measures on member states.

We are aware that the response is different from country to country, but we cannot impose any set of measures on anyone, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told Al Jazeera.

The WHO can provide scientific evidence and technical advice, but cannot tell countries what to do. We dont have that mandate, he said.

Italy, the country most hit by the virus, has placed its entire territory under lockdown. [Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu]

The agency has been recommending testing and tracking positive cases as an essential measure to break the chain of transmission, Jasarevic said.

Yet, Switzerland, which hosts the WHO and shares borders with highly contagious areas such as Lombardy in Italy and Haute Savoie in France, is denying testing to patients with coronavirus-like symptoms, unless they belong to risk categories.





We tell people if they have symptoms they should stay at home, said Daniel Koch, head of Switzerlands Communicable Diseases Division, during a televised press conference on Friday.

We do not want to overload our health system, he said.

On Friday, the country announced limitations to public gatherings with more than 100 people and the closure of schools until the end of April.

As a result, panic ensued and people flocked to supermarkets to stockpile provisions.

But the confederation fell short of imposing any travel bans on expatriate workers, wary that its economy would be unable to survive without foreign manpower.

About 325,000 workers from France, Germany and Italy commute to their jobs in Switzerland every day from regions that are now highly infected.

On Friday, the Swiss Federal Council announced a suspension of Schengen only for tourists from Italy.

Similar measures were taken by Austria this week, which reintroduced border checks without informing the EU or the Italian authorities.

Trailers and lorries carrying all kinds of goods formed queues up to 100km (62 miles) at the Brennero checkpoint, a major commercial route between the two countries.

Just hours later, Austria announced the presence of two areas of contagion and closed its schools and shops.
Bengal govt, SC rights panel at logger heads over visit to State to probe atrocities against Dalits

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Bengal vs Centre: Why the former Chief Secretary is bound by Centres rules

Coronavirus scare: Bengal seals border with Bhutan

India

oi-PTI

Kolkata, Mar 14: The West Bengal government has sealed the state's border with Bhutan in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Police, which mans the border gate on the Indian side in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district, stopped the movement of goods and travellers from India to Bhutan on Friday evening, the official said.

The move comes after Bhutan recently issued a notification to the Alipurduar district administration informing it about a halt in tourist and business activities in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, he said.

Coronavirus pandemic: What does home quarantine mean?

The Himalayan kingdom had earlier this month banned the entry of foreigners after an American tourist tested positive for the coronavirus.
An 82-year-old woman in New York City has become the first coronavirus-related death in New York State, according to governor Andrew Cuomo.

The woman, who died in Manhattan and who has not been identified, had emphysema, which the governor said contributed to her death.

If you are 82 years old and you have emphysema and you get the flu, you are in a serious position, he said on Saturday.

The coronavirus outbreak has been met with significant changes among New York's hospital networks, with New York Citys Health and Hospitals Corporation  the operator of the largest municipal health system in the country  announcing that they would suspend non-emergency surgeries.

New York University's Langone Medical Centres Tisch Hospital, meanwhile, has announced it is converting a paediatric emergency room into an intensive care unit for adults. Northwell Health, another sprawling hospital system, has asked retired nurses to return to work.

But even those preparations in New York City's hospitals  which are often regarded as some of the best in the world  may be falling short of the steps necessary to combat the quick evolving epidemic.

We are not prepared to deal with a rapid and severe surge of patients  were just not," Dr Christopher M. Tedeschi, an emergency physician with Columbia University Medical Centre, told the New York Times. Were sort of planning for whats going on right now, and were trying to make up for lost time, but Im not sure were planning for a month from now, or even two weeks from now.

New York State is among the hardest hit states so far in the coronavirus epidemic, with Washington State known currently as the epicentre of the outbreak in the country. So far, 421 cases have been reported by the state health department, including 154 in the city.

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has urged residents to avoid the city's subway system when possible, but has so far refused to shut the city's school system down.
Unprecedented move threatens livelihoods and health of millions of Metro Manila residents living below the poverty line.

Manila, Philippines  Cecil Carino agonised over her decision. On Thursday evening, the resident of San Roque  a maze of cramped, makeshift dwellings buried within the heart of Quezon City  listened to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte issue a lockdown order for Metro Manila due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has now spread to more than 114 countries.

The unprecedented lockdown, which takes effect between March 15 and April 14, will bar domestic travel in and out of the capital and confine more than 12 million people to the area.

It gave Carino, 37, less than two days to choose between waiting out the lockdown with her family, or taking her children to a relatives home outside of Manila and leaving her husband, a construction worker, behind.

[He] will stay. No work, no pay, she said. But its possible the company will shut down, maybe tomorrow.

In his address, Duterte vowed to deploy police and military to instil peace and order during the lockdown, which was recommended earlier that day by an interagency committee. He insisted the measure is not martial law.

Cecil Carino, 37, a resident of San Roque in Quezon City, in Metro Manila [Nick Aspinwall/Al Jazeera]

But authorities have not revealed provisions for financial assistance and healthcare subsidies, leaving impoverished neighbourhoods like San Roque, home to around 6,000 families, in a state of confusion and panic, said Dr Joshua San Pedro, co-convener of the Coalition for Peoples Right to Health.

It seemed mostly like a military and police solution rather than a health intervention, he said.

The lockdown order recommends instituting citywide quarantines in any of Metro Manilas 16 cities and municipalities, should they report more than two positive cases in different communities.

This has already happened in Quezon City, which has so far reported six of the countrys 64 confirmed coronavirus cases. Quezon City alone has a population of more than three million.

It could keep residents of San Roque  many of whom work in construction or security in other cities and make less than the areas minimum daily wage of 537 Philippine pesos ($10.52)  stranded from their jobs and in economic peril.

I was hoping the president would address that situation, Carino said. Thats why people are getting panicked. Were not secure.

The unprecedented lockdown, which takes effect between March 15 and April 14, will bar domestic travel in and out of Metro Manila and confine more than 12 million people to the sprawling capital [Nick Aspinwall/Al Jazeera]

Workers will be stranded in the metropolis

San Roque, an informal settlement, has for more than a decade fought demolition orders designed to clear the land for condominiums and a casino. Its residents have more pressing concerns now.

The Philippines reported 61 of its 64 coronavirus cases in the past week, leading to heavy criticism of the governments sluggish preparation for the pandemic.

Ely Aboga, a security guard at a mall in Makati, said he is very scared of the virus and is worried his neighbours in San Roque are not informed of its severity.

Aboga, 52, said he is planning to bring food and clothes to work in case he gets stranded  but he has not bought supplies for his wife and four children. He knows he could lose his job at any time should his workplace close.

My payday is not until next week, he said. I cant buy anything now.

Ely Aboga said he is planning to bring food and clothes to work in case he gets stranded by the lockdown [Nick Aspinwall/Al Jazeera]

An estimated three million people, who live just outside of Metro Manila, travel every day to the capital to work.

On Thursday, the interior secretary said these workers would be allowed to commute provided that they show evidence of their employment.

This will strand thousands of informal workers such as tricycle drivers and street vendors, said Kai Ra Cabaron, public information officer for Kadamay, an advocacy group for urban poor communities.

On Friday, the Philippines trade bureau said informal workers should find work outside Metro Manila during the lockdown if they are not registered.

They wouldnt have the documentation, the address of their company, Cabaron said. They have their pedicabs, their jeepneys or their goods.

The government isnt thinking of these people.

Social distancing

In his address, Duterte said authorities would enforce social distancing measures in public areas, including mass transportation, which will continue to run.





This may be impossible in densely populated, impoverished communities such as San Roque, where families live in one or two-room dwellings and share bathrooms with neighbours. On Friday afternoon, water had been cut in parts of the community, keeping residents from washing their hands.

The lack of running water, access to nutritious food and dilapidated housing conditions in poor communities makes advice such as handwashing, maintaining good nutrition, and self-quarantine matters of privilege, San Pedro said.

The only thing they can follow with social distancing is minimising the beso-beso  a traditional hug or kiss on the cheek  said Estrelieta Bagasbas, chairperson of Kadamay San Roque.

But because the homes are small, they cannot afford to do the distancing.

Bagasbas, 64, is worried residents will not visit the hospital should they get sick.

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said coronavirus tests would be free, but residents are used to being charged around 2,000 Philippine pesos ($40) for a doctors visit, she said.

Some residents remain unconcerned. Children, sitting next to each other, played in an arcade; next door, young men were cramped into a pool hall. Few residents wore face masks or carried hand sanitiser; some offered the customary handshakes rather than the now-recommended elbow bumps.

But government officials have not visited San Roque to inform residents about the coronavirus pandemic, Bagasbas said. Those who understand the threat of the virus are angry, feeling as theyve been left to fend for themselves.

They are struggling. They are crying about the situation, she said. Where is our president? Where is our mayor?





Shortage of tests and hospitals

There is a severe shortage of COVID-19 tests in the Philippines and the countrys health workers are overburdened. Last autumn, it was reported the health departments budget was cut by 10 billion Philippine pesos ($195.8m).

WHO Philippines told Al Jazeera in an email that we have supported supplies to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine, a hospital in Manila, sufficient for 3,000 tests and will be delivering a further 1,000 kits scheduled to arrive Friday [March 13].

Local media reported on Friday that several coronavirus patients and suspected cases had tried to escape mandatory quarantines, fleeing hospitals and attempting to travel abroad.

Philippine National Police chief Debold Sinas said on Friday that violators of the lockdown would be subject to arrest. The countrys severely overcrowded prisons are not prepared to handle the spread of the coronavirus.

Patients must be monitored, not by oppressive measures but by encouraging their participation in their right to health, San Pedro said.





The state of pandemonium has left Carino unsure of what to do. She has just enough money to bring her children to Mindoro, an island south of Manila, for about three weeks, but not if the lockdown lasts longer. (Later on Friday, part of Mindoro said it would go under quarantine starting on Saturday.)

Maybe we can survive, she said. After that, I dont know how.

Experts have warned that Filipinos fleeing Metro Manila for the countryside may carry the virus to areas not equipped to test and treat positive patients.

Carino said she was still considering staying in San Roque and using the transportation money on food. More than anything, she wanted guidance and assurance from the government.

Secure the people for [their] basic needs, she said, so the people dont panic.
More than 300 people, who came back to the state from countries hit by coronavirus, are untraceable and efforts are on to look for them, the Punjab government has said.

The states health and family welfare department said in a media release that 6692 people from the state have a history of travel to coronavirus-affected countries and 6011 passengers have been traced as of March 13.

It said 335 people are yet to be traced and 353 are being traced by the district authorities.

Punjab has reported one positive case of coronavirus as seven people have shown symptoms of the disease as of March 13. There are 2214 people who have been kept under observations in hospitals and homes.

As India reported the second coronavirus death on Saturday, Punjab shut all government and private schools, colleges and universities where exams are not being held till March 31 in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

Also read: Fast-tracked and extensive testing key to coronavirus containment

Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure. He clarified the ongoing school examinations will continue as per schedule.

The state machinery is working round the clock to prevent the coronavirus outbreak and I urge all to avoid crowding at public places and take necessary precautions, the CM tweeted.

The state government has set up helpline number 104 for any health-related information and suggestion. Besides, the national call centre number 011-23978046 and state control room numbers 88720-90029 and 0172-2920074 have also been activated.

The group of ministers (GoM) led by local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra also ordered deputy commissioners not to grant permission for mass gatherings. Religious leaders and dera heads have also requested to postpone the schedule of their congregations.

The minister said the awareness campaign would be launched to educate people to refrain from shaking hands, hold mass gatherings and religious congregations and to follow the precautions and keep themselves away from those infected by coronavirus.

Also read: How short-term misanthropy works better than drugs amid an outbreak
OnePlus is expected to launch the OnePlus 8 Series soon and weve already heard plenty of rumours about the upcoming smartphones.



But the latest piece of information that comes about the new phones is a picture of Robert Downey Junior holding a OnePlus phone.



 Instagram/RDJ Fanpage

The picture shows the Hollywood star holding the OnePlus 8 Pro while on a set of a movie. The picture shows the phone having a vertical camera module that is in line with previous leaks of the phone.



Weve already heard about OnePlus launching three phones this year one of them being a budget-friendly Lite version of the phone.



The flagship smartphones are expected to have the Snapdragon 865 chipset, a 120HZ refresh rate display and a punch-hole camera. The smartphone will also be 5G ready thanks to the new chipset by Qualcomm.



 Instagram/RDJ Fanpaage

Theres also a good chance that one of the models will also have support for wireless charging as the Chinese company joined the Wireless Power Consortium recently.



OnePlus joining the consortium is a huge hint that at least one of their products will have some form of wireless charging. Previous rumours have suggested that the new OnePlus smartphone may support 30W wireless fast charging.

The new OnePlus smartphones are expected to launch sometime in April and the final models of the phone also appeared on Chinese telecoms regulatory agency TENAA. It has the model number OnePlus IN2010 for the OnePlus 8 and IN2020 for the 8 Pro.
Camp Taji hit for the second time this week, days after a similar attack killed two US troops and a British soldier.

A fresh spate of rockets targeted an Iraqi base north of Baghdad on Saturday where foreign troops are deployed, Iraqi and US security sources told AFP, in a rare daytime attack.

It was the 23rd such attack since late October on installations across Iraq where US troops and diplomats are based, with the latest rounds growing deadlier.

None of the attacks have ever been claimed but the US has blamed hardline elements of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of armed groups incorporated into the Iraqi state.

At least 33 rockets hit Iraqi air defence units at the Taji air base on Saturday, the countrys military said, in one of the largest such volleys yet.

The initial toll is two wounded Iraqi Air Defence personnel who are in very critical condition, said Tahsin al-Khafaji, spokesman for Iraqs Joint Operations Command.

The US-led coalition said three of its members were also wounded in the attack.

Iraqs military said it had found another 24 missiles at a nearby launching site and had detained the owner of the plot of land as well as security forces from an adjacent checkpoint for questioning.

The US-led coalitions surveillance capabilities have been impaired by cloudy weather in recent days, which a US official said may have contributed to the attackers readiness to launch the rockets during the day instead of under the cover of night.

Taji is overcrowded with members of the US-led coalition helping Iraq fight jihadist remnants, after units were moved to the air base from other installations.

It came three days after a similar attack on the base killed two American military personnel and a British soldier  the deadliest such incident at an Iraqi base in years.

The US responded Friday with air strikes on arms depots it said were used by Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned faction within the Hashed.

At least five members of Iraqs security forces and one civilian were killed, none of them members of the Hashed, according to Iraqs military.

Since then weve heard widespread condemnation by many sides here in Iraq, Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn, reporting from Baghdad, said. Weve also heard some of these Iranian-backed groups once again promising to retaliate against US positions herein Iraq.

Iraq has long feared it would get caught in the spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, its two main allies.

They dramatically spiked in late 2019 when a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on a separate base in northern Iraq, leading to retaliatory American strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah.

Days later, a US drone strike killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Hashed deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Iran launched ballistic missiles at US troops in Iraq while the Iraqi parliament voted to expel all foreign soldiers from its soil, a decision that has yet to be implemented.

Some 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition helping local troops root out the remnants of the Islamic State group.

Top US military and civilian officials had long expressed frustration that Iraqs government was not doing enough to prevent rocket attacks targeting US troops and diplomats.
A newborn baby and their mother have tested positive for the coronavirus in London.

The pair have been separated, and doctors are working to find out if the baby contracted Covid-19 in the womb or after being born.

According to The Sun, the expectant mother was rushed to hospital a few days before giving birth because she was showing signs of pneumonia.

She was said to have given birth to the child at North Middlesex Hospital, near Tottenham, before her test result came through.

The baby, whose sex is unknown, was tested within minutes of being delivered and was also found to have the disease.

It is reported that the child has stayed at Norths Mids, while the mother has been transferred to a specialist infections hospital.

A source told The Sun: Staff in contact with both patients have been advised to self-isolate.

"Health officials are urgently trying to find out the circumstances behind their infections.

A spokesman for North Middlesex University Hospital said: Two patients at North Middlesex University Hospital have tested positive for coronavirus.

One has been transferred to a specialist centre and one is being treated in an isolation room.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

Work is underway to create a new fifth column in Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

It is no secret that the public and political situation in Azerbaijan is currently very stable. There is not a single factor in our country that can pose a threat to public and political stability. This is why the anti-Azerbaijani forces are trying to create these factors outside our country. They no longer rely on the group that calls itself the opposition here and supposedly continues to operate in an absolutely shameful position. And there is no more confidence for them. So work is underway to create a new fifth column because the current fifth column does not justify the confidence of its owners, said the head of state.

They could not carry out a coup in Azerbaijan, perform a revolution" or win popular support, and simply appropriated the money given to them on a regular basis and thus left their patrons high and dry, he noted.

Therefore, a new fifth column is being sought. In this regard, I want to strictly warn all political forces: this is a path of betrayal. Whoever follows this path will commit treason against the people and state. Therefore, all our internal problems should be resolved within Azerbaijan. We should not export our domestic problems or political discord. First of all, it is absolutely pointless because there is no force in the world today that can impose any solution on us or dictate anything to us. There is no such force out there and as long as I am president, there wont be any. Therefore, it is absolutely pointless. Attempts to exert pressure on Azerbaijan or threaten us with sanctions are all completely meaningless. This is a crime against the state, not against the government, and let no-one forget that, said President Ilham Aliyev.

In recent years, we have faced different forms of pressure, different campaigns, but we never turned away from our path, he added.

The calm of our country and people, security, stability, the well-being of our people and the independent policy are above everything else for us. We cooperate with international organizations, are a member of some organizations, we entered them of our own accord and can of our own accord as well  if something doesnt suit us in these organizations at some point or if prejudice against us reaches an extent too high for us to tolerate. Therefore, I believe that representatives of all political bodies should be very careful in this area, said President Ilham Aliyev.

As for the young generation, let me say again that it is patriotic in our country, it is attached to the motherland and national roots, said the head of state.

And it should be the case. I have repeatedly said this, but I want to say it again  our young people should be raised in the national spirit. At the same time, additional measures should be taken to train our young people morally and physically. I believe that the Milli Majlis and its respective committees will do this and put forward specific proposals, added President Ilham Aliyev.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people on Saturday to not conceal coronavirus-like symptoms such as fever and cold, and immediately consult a doctor.

Appealing to people not to panic, she said there was no emergency-like situation in the state, but everyone should remain alert.

"Do not conceal if you are suffering from fever and cough or facing breathing problems. Go to the doctor straightaway. Remember, if you take rest for 14 days, chances of your recovery are there," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo told Bengali television channel "ABP Ananda".

Referring to the shutting of educational institutions in the state, she said it was a precautionary measure.

The chief minister also urged teachers to readjust the time-table of academic courses and asked them to work from home.

"We must continue with our normal life but take all precautionary measures. There is no problem in West Bengal at the moment, but that does not mean nothing will happen. We have to remain alert," she said.

Banerjee said the ongoing budget session of the state Assembly should be shortened in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The West Bengal Assembly is smaller in size compared to Parliament. However, a lot of people converge in the Assembly (during sessions). I think this budget session should be shortened. The honourable speaker will take a call on it," she said.

The chief minister, who also holds the health portfolio, said her government was taking all precautionary measures in the wake of the global pandemic.

Isolation wards were being set up in all the districts and two buildings were being readied in Kolkata to deal with any emergency-like situation, she added.

"At Rajarhat, which is close to the airport, we are readying a new building, which was meant for a cancer hospital, to accommodate a 300-bed isolation ward. Another large building is also being readied to house 500 beds," Banerjee said.

She added that a review would be done on March 30, after which the future course of action would be decided.

The West Bengal government has announced that all educational institutions in the state will remain shut till March 31.

Board examinations will, however, continue as per schedule, officials said, adding that the internal examinations will remain suspended during the period.

All government, state-aided and private educational institutions -- schools, colleges, universities, madrasahs, sishu shiksha kendras (SSKs) and madhyamik shiksha kendras (MSKs) -- will remain shut from March 16 to March 31 in public interest, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A female tourist in Bali ran across a street fully naked and caused outrage in the local community.

The woman was filmed running across a busy road in a Canggu shopping strip while her friend recorded it.

The video was shared to an Instagram account for Canggu Bali news alongside the warning: 'Bad behaviour. Do not try.'

A naked female tourist (pictured above) ran across a Bali street while her friend recorded it

A passerby filmed the naked tourist stepping out onto the street and weaving through motorbikes and cars.

The woman, who was wearing nothing but sunglasses, proceeded to fully cross while her friend ran behind her laughing and filming on her phone.

The naked tourist then stopped under a large pharmacy sign and was handed some clothes by her friend.

The video ended with the two women giggling together.

Head of Badung police station, Gusti Agung Kerta Suryanegara, said the incident was disruptive and 'inappropriate'.

The officer told Detik: 'It's disrupting order, which means it was inappropriate, not in accordance with our culture and nature.'

'It's causing a stir,' Suryanegara said.

After watching the video, one outraged viewer said tourists often acted inappropriately in Bali.

'Why would you expect anyone NOT to behave badly in Canggu?' they wrote.
A 24-year-old man from Jaipur tested positive for coronavirus upon his return from Spain on Saturday, a senior government official said.

With this, the official said, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Rajasthan has risen to four, including an Italian couple.

"The 24-year-old male who returned from Spain on March 14 has tested positive today. He flew to Delhi from Madrid and then from Delhi to Jaipur in an Air India flight," said Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health, Rohit Kumar Singh.

"We are getting the manifest of both the flights and have started extensive local contact tracing," he said.

The number of coronavirus cases in Rajasthan now stands at four, Singh said.

Three patients, including the man who tested positive on Saturday, have been kept in isolation at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital here.

The Italian man, who was the first confirmed coronavirus case in Rajasthan, and an 85-year-old man from Jaipur, with a travel history to Dubai, are the other two patients.

The Italian tourist's wife was shifted from SMS Hospital to Rajasthan University of Health Sciences after she recovered. She remains under observation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
GEORGETOWN (13 March, 2020)  The international observer missions from the Commonwealth, the European Union, and The Carter Center issue the following statement:

The international election observation missions in Guyana are deeply concerned about the continued lack of transparency in the ascertainment of results for Region 4.

The order of the Honourable Chief Justice on 11 March was not followed. The tabulation process did not resume on 12 March as mandated by the court. When the tabulation process was resumed on 13 March, it was not in line with the judgement, which required public tabulation as a safeguard and a measure for promoting transparency and accountability. The Chief Justice reasserted today that the actual Statements of Poll have to be displayed in this process.

The orders issued with the judgement should be complied with, and the tabulation process conducted and concluded accordingly. Unless and until this is done in Region 4, the election results cannot be considered credible.

The international election observation missions encourage all stakeholders to use all available means to conclude the electoral process in a transparent manner.

We again urge all political parties to adhere to the codes of conduct they signed and to do their utmost to ensure that a peaceful environment is maintained.

###
New Delhi: Nearly 90 days since they launched their stir against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register, a group of women demonstrators at Shaheen Bagh on Friday said that they will continue with the protest till the law is revoked.

The protesters also demanded a fair investigation into the northeast Delhi violence and a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the victims.

"We want a fair probe into the riots in Jaffrabad, Maujpur and Shiv Vihar. Besides, there should be an inquiry about how the people came from Uttar Pradesh to the national capital during the violence," the women protesters at the site said at a late-night press conference. "

The clashes that broke out in northeast district on February 24, claimed over 50 lives and left more than 200 people injured, besides inflicting massive damage to businesses and properties.

As a precautionary measure against the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the women protesters said that they were being provided with hand sanitisers and masks at the site.
Doctors are warning that they are at risk of contracting the coronavirus and passing the disease on to their patients due to a lack of supplies and protective equipment as the American government is slow to roll out mass testing of its citizens.

I have a minimal cough, some body aches, some fatigue and chills - but no fever, no runny nose, and I can suppress my cough, an Oklahoma City-based doctor told The Daily Beast on Friday.

The doctor said that she has not even bothered trying to get tested because she knows she doesnt fit the criteria, particularly if she doesnt have a fever or a serious cough.

I am a physician whose patients are mostly very elderly with lots of complicated medical problems, the doctor said.

Doctors say they don't have enough supplies to test patients for coronavirus and to protect themselves from contracting the disease and passing it on to others. Robert Chandler, 70, of Erie, Pennsylvania, is seen above wearing a mask while feeling sickly on Saturday

They are all at high risk of dying. I am not a high priority person to test, by most standards, but I desperately want to be tested, for the sake of my patients.

If I dont take care of my patients, it creates a huge problem, but if this is COVID-19, I could easily kill them, no matter how well I wash my hands.

Pressure has been rising on the Trump administration to increase and improve testing for the fast-spreading virus, which has reached almost every US state and infected more than 2,400 people in the country.

Dr. Farhan Bhatti, who runs a clinic in Lansing, Michigan, says he 'desperately wants to be tested [for coronavirus], for the sake of my patients'

Fifty-one people have died as of Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the government is testing people who have either traveled, been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus, or has become ill with other respiratory infections ruled out.

New York state opened its first drive-through coronavirus test site on Friday, following a similar experiment in Seattle.

Other places are set to do the same, improving availability of tests while keeping people in cars to avoid spreading the virus.

Doctors who spoke to The Daily Beast said they are essentially on their own in treating patients with coronavirus because of what they describe as a lack of communication from both the federal and local governments about testing and supplies.

Farhan Bhatti, a family physician who runs a non-profit clinic in Lansing, Michigan, says that communication between the medical community and the authorities has been almost non-existent.

President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency, freeing up $50billion to slow down the emerging pandemic.

But Bhatti and others say that money alone wont solve the problem.

The president himself is patting himself on the back for finally taking it seriously, Bhatti told The Daily Beast.

Muni Tahzib (left), an attending physician at City MD in New York City, says she personally has heard doctors express fear that they do not have adequate supplies to deal with the pandemic. Dr. Rob Davidson (right) says the government isn't allowing nearly enough testing

But we have not yet seen the impact of that trickle down to the physicians who are on the front lines of seeing patients.

Bhatti said that authorities are both unwilling and unable to test at the level needed.

The coronavirus tests are basically being approved or disapproved by local county health departments, but it is already the case that there are more people we want to test than enough to test them - so the county health department is having to decide who gets tested and who doesnt, Bhatti said.

The farther out that you go, as you get into more rural communities, the problem is even more exacerbated.

Bhatti added: We dont really know the extent to which the virus is actually spreading.

Theres really no guidelines or consensus yet for who to test, when to test, and how to test them in a way that protects public safety.

Rob Davidson, an emergency physician at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial in Fremont, Michigan, said he would like to test five patients, but he cant because they dont meet the criteria set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In any other year, Id say no big deal, but in this case, I had to have a conversation with each of them about the fact that we dont have testing, he told The Daily Beast.

One of those patients had a spouse at home with lung disease.

Obviously if there was an abundance of tests, I would have swabbed every one of them.

Muni Tahzib, an attending physician at City MD in New York City, told The Daily Beast that while City MD has been good in giving supplies to protect their employees, she knows of other doctors with whom she talks to on Facebook who are worried about a lack of proper equipment.

How can you have doctors and nurses working in the field and not give them the proper protection? she asked.
Longford County Council Regeneration Department welcomed Minister Michael Ring, Minister for Rural and Community Development, on Thursday, March 05, to officially open the Drumlish to Monaduff section of the North Longford Rebel Trail.

The project was funded under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, under Project Ireland 2040 and implemented by Longford County Council Regeneration Department.

Minister Ring was welcomed on the day by chief executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, who praised the Ministers investment in the county over the past number of years. Minister Ring, when addressing attendees, reiterated his commitment to Longford county, pointing to his track record over the past two and a half years.

If I am still minister when all of this is negotiated, I wont be found wanting for Longford. he vowed.

In two and a half years from my department alone, Longford got 16,934,887. 17m to any county is no small fee and I was proud to be minister that delivered that to Longford.

Minister Ring then praised the work by Longford County Council, Cllr Brady and the generosity of local landowners which made this project possible.

He stated: I want to pay tribute to the people that own the land and that made it available. I want to say on behalf of the Government, the community and county, thank you for working with the council and making your land available, because this would not have been possible without you.

I want to compliment everyone that was involved and in particular, Cllr Paraic Brady and Cathaoirleach Micheal Carrigy. They put in a lot of work and a lot of pressure on me.

Also read: North Longford rebel trail officially unveiled

The opening of this section of the trail is the first element to be provided off-road. The trail also presents the first phase in the linking of the two ends of the parish of Drumlish and Ballinamuck. The launch of the Drumlish Ballinamuck Integrated Action Plan also took place on the day, a plan developed by the local community for the improvement of the local area under the headings of social, economic and physical development.

Minister Ring said of the plan: A lot of work was put into the Drumlish Ballinamuck integration plan and all I can say is, I know you have a lot of plans in here from 2018-2022. You have started the work but theres a lot more to be done. I know you wont be found wanting.

To have so many people turning out from the community, that speaks for itself. The rural aspect provides the funding, the community is the most important part of it. If you dont have communities working together with the council and elected representatives, nothing will happen. he added.

Cathaoirleach Micheal Carrigy thanked Minister Ring for his continued support.

He said: Minister Ring has been a very good friend to Longford. I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Longford for all of your support over the last number of years.

This project is important in the development of our tourism infrastructure within the county, opening up our national amenities and providing greater opportunities for locals.

It fits in with Irelands Hidden Heartlands and is an important element in the infrastructure enhancement and development of the rebel trail throughout North Longford.

Cllr Paraic Brady, who was one of many involved in the project, noted that this is only the beginning.

This is the start of something major for north Longford, not just Drumlish, but also Ballinamuck, Colmcille, Dromard, Granard and Ballinalee. It is a very ambitious project going forward, but this is only one small step. he said.

This is the start of something major for north Longford. We are looking forward to what the future holds.

Cllr Brady praised the local community for pushing ahead with the plans, before thanking landowners.

I only pushed the project forward. This is the brainchild of a lot of people in the parish who said they couldnt access the park and had nowhere safe to cycle and walk. We came up with this plan to link the parishes together.

Id like to thank the landowners. Without their help, this simply wouldnt have happened. They were the key to the whole thing and going forward, they are going to be key to the rest of it.

It is a decent run/walk and it is safe, which is the most important thing.

Cllr Turlough McGovern echoed these sentiments, before praising Cllr Bradys involvement in the project.

He stated: I must praise the landowners for their generosity and of course Paraic Brady for all of the hard work he put into it, not to mention the Longford regeneration team and Longford County Council.

It is an opening for the rest of us to maybe start up something around Granard.

Also read: Glorious sunshine for the opening of the North Longford rebel trail
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

Getty Images

The White House released a statement on Thursday saying President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence don't need to be tested for the coronavirus because they had "almost no interactions" with a Brazilian official who tested positive.

"As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy," the statement said.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, has tested positive for the virus, the Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported on Thursday.

Trump was photographed standing next to Wajngarten days before the communications chief tested positive for the virus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham released a statement on Thursday saying President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence do not need to be tested for the novel coronavirus because they had very little interaction with a Brazilian official last weekend who tested positive for the illness.

"The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation's visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending," the statement said. "Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time."

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, has tested positive for the virus, O Globo, a newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro, reported on Thursday.

Trump was photographed standing next to Wajngarten days before Wajngarten tested positive for the virus. Bolsonaro, who also got tested for the virus, sat next to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this week.

Story continues

Trump said this week that he "heard something about" Wajngarten having the coronavirus. "We had dinner together in Florida, at Mar-a-Lago, with the entire delegation," Trump told McClatchy. "I don't know if the press aide was there, if he was there, he was there. But we did nothing very unusual."

"As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy," Grisham's statement said. "To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine."

"We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information," the statement added.

Trump has not been tested for the coronavirus but recently signaled that he'd be open to it. The president and vice president also attended this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, where at least one attendee tested positive for the illness.

Matt Schlapp, the head of CPAC, said he had direct contact with the person who was infected before meeting Trump and shaking hands with him.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida also interacted with the infected person before joining Trump aboard Air Force One. Gaetz later self-quarantined, at one point sleeping in a Walmart parking lot on his drive back to Florida from Washington, DC.

The World Health Organization declared on Wednesday that it now classifies the novel coronavirus as a pandemic. There are more than 127,000 confirmed cases across the globe and over 4,700 deaths.

In the US, as of Thursday morning, at least 1,282 people in 44 states and Washington, DC, have tested positive for coronavirus, according to The New York Times, and at least 37 patients with the virus have died.

Medical experts and public-health officials have said for weeks that they expect to see a significant increase in positive cases within the US.

Brian Monahan, who serves as Congress and the Supreme Court's attending physician, told Senate staffers during a closed-door briefing this week that he expected between 70 million and 150 million people in the US to contract the virus, NBC News reported.

John Haltiwanger contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has taken to his Twitter handle to write a letter to former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The former lawmaker from Kaduna urged the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor to rest and have a good time with his family after being dethroned as Emir.

Also Read: Sanusi: Shame On Those Who Defended Unlawful Act  Deji Adeyanju

Sani urged the former monarch to avoid individuals and groups trying to drag him into partisan politics.

Sanis statement seems to be connected to the touting of the former CBN boss as a potential presidential candidate come 2023.

See his tweet below:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:32:57|Editor: yan

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LONDON, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 1,140 as of Saturday morning, an increase of more than 300 over the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures released by the British Department of Health and Social Care.

Meanwhile, a total of 21 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died in Britain so far, the figures showed.

"I understand this increase in the number of deaths linked to COVID-19 will be a cause for concern for many. The public should know every measure we are taking is seeking to save lives and protect the most vulnerable," said Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England.

The British government announced Thursday that the country has switched from the "containment" phase to "delay" in response to the spread of virus in the country, a move to encourage more "social distancing" among Britons.

Among other measures, the government on Friday postponed the local and mayoral elections in England slated for May 7 for one year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is also considering banning mass gatherings, according to local reports.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the threat of coronavirus as "the worst public health crisis in a generation." According to health authorities, the true figure for people infected with the novel coronavirus in Britain might be between 5,000 and 10,000.

Jeremy Hunt, former British health secretary, has called for more aggressive steps, including closing elderly care homes to outside visitors.

Meanwhile, experts criticized governmental measures as too limited to have a major effect and inadequate given the scale of the looming threat to health.

"I can't see that any of these measures are going to have a big impact...None of that is really going to affect transmission in the UK," Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.

Over 126,000 petitioners have called for the British government to implement a lockdown in Britain to prevent the virus from fast spreading as of Saturday. The number of petitioners on the UK Government and Parliament Petitions webpage is still increasing.

The petition said that country needs to "follow suit the containment procedures of countries that have been greatly affected by COVID-19 such as Italy."

The country should restrict unnecessary travel between towns and cities, it said, adding that travel permitted should only be for work or emergencies.
Egyptian citizens who are traveling abroad in the next 24 hours, wait for their turn to get a PCR Covid-19 test in front of the Central Public Health Laboratories, "a public department belongs to the Egyptian Health Ministry." In Sheikh Rihan street, downtown Cairo, Egypt. Sunday, March 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Hamada Elrasam)

Iran Asks for Billions in Loans as Virus Death Toll Climbs

TEHRAN, IranIran said Thursday it asked the International Monetary Fund for a $5 billion loan to fight the coronavirus, the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that it has sought such assistance. Its a staggering admission of how fragile its economy has become amid the epidemic and punishing U.S. sanctions.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the Washington-based IMF should stand on right side of history & act responsibly by releasing the funds. He also said the fight against the virus, which has infected more than 10,000 people in Iran and killed hundreds, has been stymied by vast shortages caused by restrictions, a reference to the U.S. sanctions.

Mourners wearing face masks and gloves pray over the body of former politburo official in the Revolutionary Guard Farzad Tazari, who died Monday after being infected with the new coronavirus, at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery just outside Tehran, Iran on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (Mahmood Hosseini/Tasnim News Agency via AP)

Even before the virus struck, Irans economy was being battered by plunging oil prices and the sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump since May 2018 after he unilaterally withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal that Tehran struck with world powers.

Irans Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati said he asked for the $5 billion loan last week in a letter to IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva. She had said the IMF was prepared to make rapid support available to low-income countries through a $50 billion emergency fund that the group maintains to help nations facing an economic crisis.

IMF spokesman Gerry Rice confirmed it had received a loan request from Iran. He said the IMF is proceeding expeditiously with all requests and in line with our policies.

The last time a loan for Iran was approved from the IMF was under its final shah in 1960, well before the revolution that established clerical rule.

Zarif also demanded that the U.S. immediately halt what he called a campaign of economic terrorism and lift sanctions. In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, it said that Washington has made it increasingly difficult for Iran to export oil and virtually impossible to import medicine and medical equipment to treat those with the illness.

He said it is unconscionable that the U.S. government has not only increased its maximum pressure campaign just as the virus has spread and is killing our most vulnerable citizens but that it additionally has the audacity to lecture us on containing the coronavirus as it itself is evidently incapable of containing its onslaught.

Iran says it needs more N95 face masks, ventilators, surgical gowns, testing kits, portable digital X-ray machines, and other medical supplies. The World Health Organization recently sent Iran a shipment of medical gear via cargo plane, including 1,100 kits that can test more than 105,000 people for the virus.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 75 people had died in Iran in the past 24 hours from the coronavirus, pushing the death toll to 429. The number of Iranians with the COVID-19 disease was 10,075.

There are concerns that the number of infections is much higher than the confirmed cases reported by the government, with some Iranian lawmakers even speaking out.

The outbreak has not spared Irans top officials, with its senior vice president, Cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Revolutionary Guard members, and Health Ministry officials among those infected.

Iran has suspended schools and banned spectators from stadiums, but religious shrines remain open, and the markets and streets of the capital, Tehran, which has been hit hardest by the virus, are still crowded.

The head of Tehrans task force for combating the virus, Ali Reza Zali, said most people in the capital are not treating the crisis seriously enough, and many are not taking any preventive measures.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus and the COVID-19 disease it causes.

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday urged Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of the armed forces, to form a health and treatment task-force for the epidemic.

In the order, Khamenei said there was some evidence suggest possibility of biological attack through the virus, and he demanded that mobile hospitals and other facilities be set up by the armed forces. He did not elaborate on his reference to a biological attack.

The Revolutionary Guard also has trafficked in baseless conspiracy theories amid the outbreak, with its leader Gen. Hossein Salami falsely suggesting the U.S. created the virus amid the wider tensions with America.

President Hassan Rouhanis government has faced criticism for not being out front on the response to the virus. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Iran and China, where the virus first appeared, of censorship and of trying to cover up the severity of its spread.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, both bitter rivals of Iran, have accused the country of being directly responsible for the rising infections in the region. Most cases in the Middle East outside Iran are linked to travelers from there. Saudi Arabia said Iran did not stamp its citizens passports and so they evaded more stringent screenings for the virus upon returning.

Countries have imposed varying levels of travel restrictions, from halting all commercial flights in Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, banning travel to 39 countries.

Regional stock markets were down at the close of the business week Thursday, reflecting investor concerns and global nervousness as oil prices plunge, and the virus erodes tourism revenue.

Elsewhere in the region, confirmed cases in Israel rose to 100, alongside 31 cases in the West Bank and none reported in the Gaza Strip. Starting Thursday night, Israel will ban foreigners from entering the country unless theyre able to prove they can self-quarantine for two weeks.

Israels chief rabbi instructed synagogues not to gather more than 100 worshipers together at a time, following Health Ministry instructions. The Western Wall in Jerusalems Old City remained open.

Jewish, Christian, and Muslim authorities said religious services would continue to be held but announced new precautions after Israels Health Ministry barred gatherings of more than 100 people.

At the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest site where Jews can pray, authorities will limit entrance to an enclosed area and set up tents that each accommodate up to 100 people. They said there would be no restrictions on worship in the main plaza as it constitutes a wide, open space.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem urged churches to enforce the Health Ministrys guidelines, including with Sunday services.

The Islamic endowment that oversees the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, said Friday prayers would be held as normal but encouraged people to pray in the outer courtyards and refrain from crowding in the mosques. It advised the elderly and sick not to enter mosques with large gatherings.

Saudi Arabia, which has 45 cases of the virus, said groups of more than 50 could not gather in public, potentially impacting how communal Friday prayers are held. The kingdom has already suspended pilgrimage to Islams holiest sites.

Kuwait closed all workplaces and nonessential businesses for two weeks, including restaurants, cafes, and health clubs. Its stock market was closed for trading Thursday. Schools and universities have already been suspended. All commercial flights to Kuwait are to be stopped starting Friday. The country has over 70 confirmed cases of the virus.

By Nasser Karimi, Aya Batrawy, Zeina Karam, Isabel DeBre, Edith M. Lederer and Tia Goldenberg

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.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday celebrated the traditional harvest festival--Phool Dei--at his residence with children.

He said that "conservation of the environment is the culture of India".

"It is a matter of great pleasure that the children have affection towards our culture and traditions," said Rawat.

Phool Dei is the harvest festival of Uttarakhand that is celebrated in the month of Chaitra (March-April) in the Hindu calendar.

On this occasion, girls decorate their houses with flowers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- Omar said I Do to the love of her life in an Islamic wedding and the mother of three shared a photo of herself and new husband Tim Mynett on Instagram cosying up

- The lawmaker divorced her husband of 17 years, Ahmed Hirsi, in Minnesota which was officially granted in November 2019

- In 2019 August, Mynett's wife filed for a divorce in which she accused him of having an affair with Omar

Months after her divorce was finalised, US Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar has said I Do to her new lover Tim Mynett.

The Somali born US-based lawmaker married Mynett who is a Washington political consultant in an Islamic ceremony.

READ ALSO: Bahati finally meets estranged brother 13 years after stepmom called him devil worshiper

READ ALSO: Uhuru's State House aide Big Ted mourns death of his brother

Posting on Instagram, Omar shared a photo of herself and her new husband revealing that they were already married.

It the post which was made on Wednesday, March 11, the lawmaker showed beautiful rings as the two warmed up to each other.

"Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed. Alhamdulillah," she wrote.

READ ALSO: Maina Njenga, Wamuchomba waongoza msafara wa Mt Kenya kukutana na Gideon Moi

In 2019 August, Mynett's wife filed for a divorce in which she accused him of having an affair with Omar.

On the other hand, Omar also filed a divorce from her husband of 17 years, Ahmed Hirsi, in Minnesota which was officially granted in November 2019.

According to Omar's spokesperson, Jeremy Slevin, the couple married in an Islamic wedding.

She is one of the two Muslim elected to Congress and won her seat in 2018.

The mother of three and her ex-husband agreed to co-parent in a joint and physical custody of their three kids who will also attend school in the nation's capital where Omar works.

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I was his punching bag for four years and he tried circumcising me with his teeth- Carole | Tuko TV

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BEIJING, March 13 (Reuters) - Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to comment on Friday about the Twitter comments of another ministry spokesman that the United States may have started the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Geng, asked repeatedly about the comments by Zhao Lijian on Thursday, said only that the international community had different ideas about the origin of the virus that has infected more than 100,000 people globally.

Geng did not directly comment on questions whether Zhao's comments were consistent with Beijing's official views on the virus, which first surfaced late last year in China's central city of Wuhan. (Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Writing by Se Young Lee; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Australia's methamphetamine addiction is being fuelled by some south-east Asian nations ceding parts of their sovereignty to warlords and drug traffickers, a top United Nations official says.

The UN's Office on Drugs and Crime has tracked a surge in synthetic drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle borderlands of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand and estimates the trade is now worth between $45 billion and $90 billion a year.

The agency's regional representative in Bangkok, Jeremy Douglas, says that the cash funds militia armies that make the drugs in Myanmar's lawless Shan State and money-laundering casinos in Laos and Cambodia.

"These guys are buying parts of the region," Mr Douglas said.
UPDATED March 14 at 5:45 p.m. PT

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to a White House statement.

During a Saturday press briefing that he was tested Friday night for the coronavirus and that the European travel ban would be extended to the United Kingdom and Ireland as of midnight Monday.

Saturday evening, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that the president tested negative for the coronavirus and has remained symptoms-free one week after dining with two Brazilian delegates at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed, the statement reads. One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the President remains symptom-free. I have been in daily contact with the CDC and White House Coronavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation.

Also Read: President Trump Declares Coronavirus Pandemic a National Emergency

During a news conference in the White House briefing room earlier Saturday, reporters pressed the president as to why he hadnt taken a test, considering he interacted with multiple people who have tested positive. Trump responded by saying he took the test last night, only because the press is going crazy.

Before exiting the room, reporters shouted out, asking what his temperature was. The president said on his way out, Totally normal.

Trump said on Friday that he would probably be tested, only for the White House doctor to issue a statement shortly thereafter explaining why he shouldnt be tested or self-quarantine despite those interactions.

The Presidents exposure to the first individual was extremely limited (photograph, handshake), and though he spent more time in close proximity to the second case, all interactions occurred before any symptom onset, Conley wrote in the memo. These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time. Conley continued: Additionally, given the president himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated.

Story continues

The extended travel ban will undoubtedly be an additional challenge for film and TV production, which is already burdened by the shutdown and postponement of productions as a precautionary measure due to the spread of coronavirus.

Wednesday, President issued a travel ban restricting travel from 26 countries in Europe in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions began Friday at midnight and will be in place for 30 days. The United Kingdom and Ireland were exempt from the restrictions, along with American citizens who have undergone appropriate screenings, the president said.

Read original story Trump Has Tested Negative for Coronavirus, Extends Travel Ban to UK and Ireland At TheWrap
The Foreign Ministry issued a notice on March 14, asking people who come from or transit areas hit by the COVID-19 epidemic to keep themselves updated on regulations of airlines and ensure they have all required documents in order to take flights.

Passengers wear face masks at Vinh international airport

The Foreign Ministry issued a notice on March 14, asking people who come from or transit areas hit by the COVID-19 epidemic to keep themselves updated on regulations of airlines and ensure they have all required documents in order to take flights (especially documents certificating health conditions if any).

As from March 16, 2020, Vietnam requires that foreign citizens in Vietnam as well as Vietnamese citizens must wear face masks in public places where there are many people, such as supermarkets, airports, bus terminal or public transport means

All passengers on domestic and international flights to and from Vietnam must wear face masks during the entire duration of their flights and when entering the airports.

Vietnam has informed diplomatic representative agencies, consular offices and representative missions of international organisations in Vietnam about the new requirements.

PM requests stronger countermeasures against COVID-19

Foreigners infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 would have to cover their treatment fees in Vietnam, but quarantine and testing fees will be free of charge, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting

At a meeting of the governments permanent members in Hanoi on March 13, PM Phuc also requested stepping up the application of technological advances in the fight against COVID-19 outbreak and mobilizing means and personnel for treatment of infected patients in order to minimize possible deaths.

He highlighted the need to drastically prevent sources of infection and spread of the disease in the community and promote health declarations as new epidemic hotbeds have appeared in the world.

Vietnam has enough capability, resources, experience and will to prevent and control the epidemic. For the peoples health, we are willing to sacrifice economic benefits in the short-term, he stressed.

The PM asked administrations at all levels, ministries and agencies to maintain the double goal of epidemic prevention, and social stability maintenance and development.

Regarding education, PM Phuc requested the sector to maintain quality despite reducing the time for teaching and devise suitable measures for international schools in the country.

In crowded places, it is a must for attenders to wear face masks, he said, adding that airports and international border gates have to prepare face masks for passengers entering Vietnam.

The government leader also noted that Vietnamese patients will be exempted from treatment fees, while foreigners will have to pay treatment fees and be exempted from quarantine and test costs.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to set up a fund for COVID-19 prevention and control.

According to the PM, Vietnamese students who return home must be subject to quarantine in line with regulations.

Border areas must be closely controlled to prevent travellers from epidemic-hit areas from entering Vietnam via a third country.

The Ministries of Health, Information and Communications must closely monitor social media to prevent the spread of negative information causing public panic, and increase drills in several localities to better respond to contingencies, PM Phuc said.

Existing scenarios, including plans to ensure food and necessities for people, must be lifted to a higher level, he said.

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control was urged to prepare necessary medical equipment for the fight against the disease, especially test kits to promptly discover SARS-CoV-2 positive cases.

Localities were recommended to distribute leaflets about epidemic prevention measures to each household.

Vietnam confirmed the 45th COVID-19 infection case in the afternoon of March 13. Among the infection cases to date, 16 had been successfully treated and discharged from hospitals.

Embassy in Germany supports OVs amid COVID-19 fight

An employee of the German Red Cross closes a mobile test station for the COVID-19 in Heinsberg, Germany (Photo: Reuters)

The Embassy of Vietnam in Germany has closely stayed in touch with and provided guidance on COVID-19 prevention for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and students in the European nation.

Information and recommendations could be found on the website of the embassy and organisations of Vietnamese in the country.

Vietnamese citizens are advised to inform family doctors, contact the host nations hotlines for advice, and visit medical facilities for timely medical check-up and treatment if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or have contact with people from affected areas.

They are also recommended to contact the embassys citizen protection hotline 049-162 539 1500 in case of emergency.

Groups of Vietnamese students in Germany also frequently inform their members on the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly via the website sividuc.org. About 7,500 Vietnamese students are staying in the country.

Minister Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy Dang Chung Thuy said that no COVID-19 infection cases have to date reported among Vietnamese citizens in Germany.

The embassy has stayed vigilant in disease prevention and been ready for citizen protection measures in the face of the outbreak, he added.

It has been working with Vietnamese organisations and local agencies to carry out countermeasures and update the situation, and asking the German side to pay attention to and support Vietnamese in virus-hit areas, he added.

Hoi An deploys preventive measures against COVID-19

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As popular destination among foreign tourists, Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam province is vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the local government and people have proactively implemented preventive measures against the disease.

Frequently cleaning restaurants.

Compulsory face masks during work shifts.

Asking guests to wash their hands before entering.

These protocols are being applied for all restaurants and cafes in Hoi An.

Mobile speakers broadcasting real-time information and preventive protocols against the disease are among the measures the local government has been applying to prevent the disease from spreading, besides equipping medical supplies at tourist attractions and halting certain tourist activities.

According to statistics, around 8,000 foreign tourists are still in Hoi An. The city is deploying preventive measures to sustain a safe environment for them and its citizens.

Ministry issues guidance to fight COVID-19 in workplaces

Disinfectant is sprayed at a local People's Committee in Quang Ninh province

Amidst complicated developments of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the Ministry of Health has released specific guidance on routine cleaning in the workplaces.

The guidance may help prevent workplace exposure to COVID-19, keeping workers safe and minimising the spread of the disease.

According to the instructions, all frequently touched surfaces in the workplaces such as countertops and doorknobs need to be cleaned routinely.

Workplaces need to be kept clean using common cleaning agents or disinfectants containing 0.05 percent chlorine concentration or at least 60 percent alcohol.

Dirty surfaces must be cleaned with soap and water before disinfection.

Floors, walls, furniture, workshops, toilets and all touched surfaces should be disinfected at least once a day.

Commonly used surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks, elevator buttons, electric switches, handrails and phones should be disinfected twice a day.

Doors and windows at work and on vehicles which are used to transport workers should be opened to circulate air.

Restricting the use of air conditioners is also recommended.

It is necessary to have covered trash bins for workers and waste must be collected and treated daily.

At the workplace, workers need to implement good personal hygiene measures to prevent and fight the epidemic as recommended by the Ministry of Health, such as washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 30 seconds or alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.

Sick employees should cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. They should wear masks at home and isolate themselves in a separate room.

Sick employees are also advised to call the hotline of the Department of Health or the Ministry of Health or go to the nearest medical facility for examination and treatment.

For workers who have to go on business to areas where there is a risk of COVID-19, they should check the Ministry of Health's information on the website www.moh.gov.vn.

Ninh Binh province closes tourist sites as virus fears mount

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In an urgent notice sent to agencies and Peoples Committees of cities and districts, the provincial Peoples Committee said hotels in the locality must bar tourists coming from or transiting virus-hit areas, who have yet to undergo quarantine and medical checkups or who show symptoms such as cough and fever.

During the closure, the tourist sites and hotels need to conduct disinfection to ensure safety for holidaymakers when they are allowed to reopen.

Ninh Binh province is home to Trang An Landscape Complex - which was recognised by UNESCO as the worlds mixed cultural and natural heritage.

Other popular destinations in the province include Bai Dinh Pagoda, Cuc Phuong National Park, Tam Coc-Bich Dong cave system, and the former royal citadel at Hoa Lu.

The province, which is hosting the 2020 National Tourism Year, strives to welcome about 7.8 million tourists in the year, including approximately one million foreigners.

Vietnamese students in RoK receive support to fight COVID-19

The Vietnamese Students' Association in the Republic of Korea (RoK) (VSAK) has swiftly taken measures to support students amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

VSAK Chairman Tran Thien Quang said the association has constantly updated information related to the epidemic, and disseminated disease prevention instructions on its fan page and website.

The association collected information on Vietnamese students in the RoKs epidemic-hit areas - Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and passed on the information to the Vietnamese Embassy in the country and local authority, in order to work out plans to provide suitable assistance to the students.

A fund-raising programme was launched on March 3 to support Vietnamese student in the country, especially those in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, he said.

Additionally, the association has also used its own budget, and cooperated with organizations of Vietnamese people in the RoK to support the students in epidemic-hit areas.

According to statistics of the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) of the RoK, Vietnam ranked second globally in the number of students in the RoK with 37,500 people, accounting for 23.4 percent of the total 160,000 foreign students here. About 3,500 Vietnamese students are pursuing their study in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.

/.VNA
Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya East Constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson has donated laptop computers in support of schools and Information Communication Technology (ICT) resource centres in her constituency.



This, she said, was to aid the teaching and learning of ICT the area.



Handing them over at a ceremony dubbed Time With The Honorable MP, Madam Hawa Koomson said school children in the district could simply not afford to be left behind given the importance of Information Technology in todays globalization.



She lauded teachers in her district for their contribution towards education.



The Minister for Special Development Initiative also had an interactive session with all teachers including GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT, NABCO and National Service Personnel on the way forward as far as education in concern.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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.

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A new super PAC with ties to a oil trucking company owner who lives in northern New Mexico has been formed, most likely to target candidates in a district in the southwestern part of the state.

Federal election records show that Butch Mathews, owner of Farmington-based M & R Trucking, recently filed documents for a super PAC called Citizens for a United New Mexico.

Records on the U.S. Federal Election Commissions website list Mathews as treasurer of the super PAC, which has a mailing address in Carlsbad, 460 miles from Farmington.

M & R Trucking has worked in the oil and gas industry for about three decades. The company is active in the natural gas region of the Four Corners and the oil-rich Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico.

Its unclear which candidates the super PAC will target. Citizens for a United New Mexico intends to raise funds in unlimited amounts, according to documents in its filing.

Mathews did not return a phone message.

Filings also list Charles Gantt of Beverly, Massachusetts, as custodian of records of the super PAC. Gant runs a company called Bulldog Compliance, a division of Red Curve Solutions. Bulldog Compliance helps independent expenditure-only committees (Super PACs) and other fundraising-driven organizations, according to its website. He has been linked to the Trump For President Committee, the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, and conservative-leaning Massachusetts super PACs.

The creation of Citizens for a United New Mexico comes as two Republican candidates are locked in a heated primary to challenge U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small for a crucial seat in southern New Mexico.

Former state Rep. Yvette Herrell earned top billing during a statewide GOP convention on a two-way Republican primary ballot for the states 2nd Congressional District. She won roughly twice as many delegate votes as conservative oil executive Claire Chase.

Herrell and Chase have criticized each other over their alleged lack of support of President Donald Trump or support of New Mexicos oil and gas industry.

Carlsbad is in Torres Smalls congressional district.
By ANI

BHOPAL: The floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly will be held on March 16, state Governor Lalji Tandon said.

This comes after a BJP delegation met the Governor on Saturday and requested him to conduct a floor test in the Assembly. BJP leaders Gopal Bhargava, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Narottam Mishra, and Bhupendra Singh were part of the delegation that met the Governor.

Also read: Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath writes to Amit Shah, seeks 'release' of rebel Congress MLAs

"Our delegation comprises up of fellow partymen met Governor, 22 MLAs have resigned. We have submitted a letter to the Governor and demanded a floor test for Kamal Nath-led government before the commencement of the Budget session of the Assembly," Chouhan told reporters.

"Kamal Nath-led government is in minority now. The government does not have any constitutional authority to run the state. They are not having the power to take decisions. They should first pass the confidence motion in the Assembly," he said.

As many as 22 Congress MLAs, including six ministers, tendered their resignation from the legislative Assembly on March 10.

The legislators sent their resignation letters soon after Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Congress. Scindia later went on to join the BJP.

Congress has been witnessing an internal turf war in Madhya Pradesh since the party formed a government in the state in 2018.
Closing all of Pennsylvanias schools to slow the spread of the coronavirus was a decision that some say is probably unprecedented in state history, arguably unpopular in some corners, and one that apparently was not easily made.

Gov. Tom Wolf credited educators with convincing him to make the call on Friday to close all public and private schools, including charter schools and school district-run preschool programs, starting Monday through March 30.

Among the 41 presumed COVID-19 cases reported in Pennsylvania, two involve those under the age of 18  one in Cumberland County and one in Monroe County. But the pediatric cases did not influence his decision, the governor said.

State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera shared that the closure decision also was influenced by the ripple effect of Wolfs decision on Thursday to close down schools in Montgomery County on other nearby districts. Montgomery County has the highest concentration of cases in the state. And on Friday, Wolf ordered Delaware County to close public facilities there.

Based on what we were seeing as a trend across the commonwealth, the governor ultimately made a decision we could provide better support to school districts if we were comprehensive in creating the conditions by which they can be more responsible around closing as opposed to taking a scattershot approach, Rivera said at a late Friday afternoon update on the coronavirus at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency headquarters near Harrisburg.

Scattershot closures are what was happening. Throughout the day on Friday, district after district began announcing plans to close including many in the midstate counties.

Rivera said by taking a statewide approach, it allows school leaders to focus on next steps, including making continuity of education plans for students in the event the closure needs to extend longer.

Pa. Department of Education Secretary Pedro Rivera on March 12, 2020. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com

Districts will receive support from intermediate units in crafting those plans which could include using flexible instructional days that allow students to remain home while doing lessons or perhaps online learning if possible, he said.

He further added that 14 cyber charter schools, which deliver instruction online, may receive department approval to continue operating during the state-ordered closure provided they have no congregant gatherings of students.

He and Wolf made it clear that schools would not be required to make up the 10 missed school days resulting from the closure. He said the 180-day instruction day mandate would be waived.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Rivera also said the state will apply for the maximum waiver that the U.S. Department of Education will allow in providing relief from certain federal accountability measures that neither he nor the governor have the authority to waive. One entails the state exams that are scheduled to be administered this spring and another involves an attendance requirement.

Rivera indicated at this time its unclear whether the federal department will allow the state to report scores and attendance but not have them count toward school performance or whether it will waive entirely the need for state exams to be administered and attendance reported at all.

Pennsylvania already has received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow eligible schools to serve meals to low-income students in a non-congregate setting, such as a drive-through or grab and go, during the school closure. Rivera indicated Cheltenham School District in Montgomery County already has made arrangements to offer grab-and-go meals to its qualifying students.

Rivera said its services that schools provide beyond education - such as providing meals to low-income students - that help make decisions to close schools so difficult and possibly subject to criticism.

What is most important at this time is we make a decision based on the best data we have available at the time," he said. The governor made the decision. We supported it. And were focused on what the needs of our students and communities are and understand at some point, folks would applaud that decision and others may be critical. But at the end of the day, these are decisions that are focused on the health and well-being of kids.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The coronavirus pandemic inched ever closer to President Donald Trump, his top aides and his family on Friday as questions swirled about why the president wasnt going into self-quarantine or being tested for COVID-19.

The White House was grappling with a string of potential and confirmed exposures. A top Brazilian official tested positive after spending time with Trump and others at the president's private club in Florida last weekend. Also testing positive: An Australian Cabinet minister who met a week ago with top administration officials including U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Trumps daughter and senior adviser Ivanka.

Trump has also had repeated contact with lawmakers who were themselves exposed to people who later tested positive and chose to self-isolate out of an abundance of caution.

In the midst of the personal health scares, Trump announced he would hold an afternoon press conference about his administration's response to the virus. The president is facing growing criticism about his mixed messages on the severity of the outbreak and over the administration's scattershot response.

The president has so far declined to be tested for the virus or to limit his contact with others, professing no concern about potential exposure as his White House insisted they were following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. He told reporters on Thursday: Let's put it this way: I'm not concerned.

Trump, according to two people close to the White House, has not wanted to take the test because it would project weakness or worry. Trump wants to appear in full control during the crisis, especially as he tries to calm the markets amid historic drops, and believes that taking personal steps could undermine that.

Trump spent time over the weekend with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaros communications director, Fabio Wajngarten, who tested positive just days later. Wajngarten posed for a photo with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club and attended a birthday party for Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating the presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. The president attended the party as well.

The White House stressed that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.

The CDC advises those who have been in close contact with a person with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19" to remain home and practice social distancing.

The Australian who met with Barr and Ivanka Trump, Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, said he woke up with a temperature and sore throat on Friday, one week after his meeting with the Americans.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said Ivanka Trump worked from home Friday out of an abundance of caution, but said that Dutton had been asymptomatic during their interaction and that the White House Medical Unit determined she was "exhibiting no symptoms and does not need to self-quarantine.

Trump has also had repeated contact with others who were exposed to the virus and quarantined themselves out of an abundance of caution. That included Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who traveled aboard Air Force One with the president on Monday and found out mid-flight that he was among a handful of GOP lawmakers who were exposed to a person who tested positive for the virus after last months Conservative Political Action Conference.

Also staying home: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who announced Friday he would be extending his CPAC-related self-quarantine after coming into contact with another person who later tested positive, and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who announced Thursday he was self-quarantining after spending time in Mar-a-Lago and his own meeting with Dutton. Florida Sen. Rick Scott was also isolating himself following his interactions with the Brazilian delegation.

Many doctors across the country have been advising those who have been exposed to someone with the virus to isolate themselves. And Trump, who is 73, is considered to be at higher risk of developing serious complications because of his age.

The president should get tested, even if he is not exhibiting symptoms, said Stephen Morse, a Columbia University expert on the spread of diseases.

If f I were in that position Id certainly want to be tested, rather than waiting until something happened,said Morse. Beyond Trumps own health, he said, he could pose a risk to others if he is infected and keeps meeting other political leaders.

Anyone whos infected is a risk of spreading it to other people, and that can be true of people who are infected but dont have symptoms, Morse said.

The press conference also comes as the president is growing increasingly frustrated that his words to the nation so far have done little to calm the public or the financial markets. He has been lashing out at those around him for failing to do more.

The presidents mood was as black as it has ever been on Thursday, according to one confidant. He has called around to allies while watching cable news coverage of the Wall Street plummet, furious that his efforts to bolster markets did the exact opposite, according to three White House officials and Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations.

The president has obsessively asked for updates on case numbers and the impact on the economy and has expressed a reluctance to use the word bailout or declare a national emergency for fear that either would rattle the markets further, according to the officials.

That's despite the fact that many in the White House, along with Republican allies on the Hill, have been urging him to declare one.

Still, Trump was preparing to invoke emergency powers over the coronavirus outbreak Friday as an aid package teetered in Congress without his full public support.

___

Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writer Micheal Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - Since 2014, Congress has protected patients and cannabis programs from federal marijuana prosecutions in states that allow it for medical use.

Medical marijuana's unique legal status involves a little-known provision called the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment that Congress renews every year in spending laws. It says the Justice Department cannot use federal funds to prevent states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws.

Yet marijuana's continued status as a Schedule I substance - the most severe drug category - remains fodder for those opposed to legalizing medical marijuana in other parts of the country.

Today, 33 states permit medical cannabis programs and the number of estimated patients has tripled, exceeding 3 million, since Congress acted, advocates say.

Polling shows voters broadly support allowing patients to use marijuana to treat conditions like cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder and HIV, even in states that trend conservative on other issues.

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In states considering the issue this year, including Alabama and Tennessee, opponents continue to cite the drug's Schedule I status.

In Tennessee, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, said in January that he won't take up medical marijuana because "it's against federal law."

A commission created by the Alabama Legislature to advise lawmakers on cannabis policy last year recommended that the state adopt a medical marijuana plan this session, and it published draft legislation to do so.

But opponents on the commission said the top reason for their objections was "the fact that marijuana remains a Class I Controlled Substance under state and federal law."

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall inflamed debate further in January when he wrote a letter in opposition to legislators.

"State laws that allow any use of marijuana, medical or recreational, are in direct conflict with duly enacted and clearly constitutional law," Marshall wrote. "Thus, state marijuana statutes enacted in violation of the law are damaging to the law itself."

Alabama state Sen. Tim Melson, a Republican who chaired the cannabis commission, was not pleased by the letter.

"I wish he had reached out to other (attorneys general) that have medical cannabis and see how they deal with it before he came out with a blanket statement, but that didn't happen," Melson told the Montgomery Advertiser.

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"We're not reinventing the wheel here," he said in another interview.

When asked how Marshall's conclusions fit with the specific federal protections, the attorney general's spokesman issued a one sentence response: "Marijuana, indisputably, remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law."

Such arguments underscore why Congress is considering a number of bills to deschedule marijuana entirely or reschedule it in order to better study it. They face long odds in the Senate, which has yet to move on a House-passed bill that is limited to offering protections for banks that do business with marijuana companies.

But advocates for legalization say federal prohibition is a red herring, and that states shouldn't have to comply with a federal drug law the Drug Enforcement Administration is barred from enforcing.

"States are authorizing conduct that is prohibited under federal law, so at first blush, I can see how this could be confusing and surprising, but at this point, two-thirds of the country have implemented comprehensive medical marijuana laws," says Karen O'Keefe, state policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project, a pro-legalization advocacy group that lobbied for the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment.

The rider halted most raids involving medical marijuana in states with legalization.

The patients and providers who cultivate, process and dispense the cannabis these patients rely on in these states for the treatment of debilitating illness do not have to fear federal charges as long as they are in compliance with state law, says Sean Khalepari, regulatory affairs coordinator for the pro-medical marijuana group Americans for Safe Access.

But the unusual nature of the provision is not well understood, some say.

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It took more than a decade for Congress to pass the amendment, named for its sponsors, former California Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican, and Sam Farr, a Democrat. After some Republican lawmakers voiced support, it passed the House narrowly in 2014 and was preserved in a final appropriations deal. President Barack Obama signed it into law.

Rohrabacher-Farr has been incorporated into every Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations law since. In 2018, Reps. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat, and David Joyce, an Ohio Republican, added the language to the base text of the bill, making it more durable.

Although the amendment serves as a shield against federal prosecution, "I think it can be misunderstood that this rider does not in and of itself legalize medicinal marijuana at the federal level," says Jeffrey Vanderslice, who worked as an aide to Rohrabacher in 2014.

Since the Justice Department technically retains the ability to prosecute medical marijuana - even in states that have legalized it, if a business or individual doesn't comply with state law - advocates are hoping for more certainty on the federal level eventually.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration's interpretations and actions have contributed to the confusion. In 2018, the administration rescinded guidance by the Obama administration known as the Cole memorandum, which directed Justice to deprioritize prosecuting state-legal marijuana businesses. Trump's reversal stoked worry and confusion among supporters of legalization.

The office of the attorney general has since turned over from Jeff Sessions, a severe critic of marijuana, to William Barr.

Barr said during a Senate hearing in 2019 that he operates under the Cole memo, but leaves significant discretion to U.S. attorneys in each state. Meanwhile, the White House has sought the repeal of Rohrabacher-Farr in each of its budgets, including in Trump's fiscal 2021 budget proposal. Congress has always bucked that recommendation.

Phil Telfeyan, who litigated the first medical marijuana case to be dismissed due to Rohrabacher-Farr, says a more permanent remedy to the incongruity between state and federal law is needed.

"The real problem right now is inconsistency. There are 94 U.S. attorneys, all appointed by the president, with varying philosophies about medical marijuana," Telfeyan says. "It's totally within the discretion of U.S. attorneys in different districts."

A U.S. attorney in Seattle may be more forgiving than a U.S. attorney in Birmingham, he says.

"At the end of the day, we need not just an appropriations rider but a statutory change," Telfeyan says.

Meanwhile, other states are planning to move forward on medical legalization.

In Kentucky, the Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear are working together on a bill this year.

To say that medical marijuana programs violate federal law is "accurate, but a little misleading," says Kentucky Republican Rep. Jason M. Nemes, the sponsor of the bill.

Nemes says passage of a medical marijuana bill in Kentucky is a "foregone conclusion" given that the state Senate President Robert Stivers, who once opposed it, now has said he sees a narrow path forward, and the governor has expressed support.

The annual spending law language means that the federal ban on marijuana is "not that clean anymore," Nemes says, but "most people aren't aware of it."

Still, unless Congress legalizes medical marijuana by statute, the amendment is unlikely to completely dispel worries among state lawmakers and law enforcement.

In January, a Michigan operator of medical marijuana dispensaries was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. Though marijuana is legal in Michigan, federal prosecutors argued they had the jurisdiction to crack down because he had been out of compliance with state law. But the state had never found him guilty of a crime, his lawyer Nick Bostic says. He was only charged by the state once, according to his attorney, and Michigan dropped the case before the preliminary examination.

"I fully recognize that the landscape has changed in many states in this country," U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney said. "The fact is, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance."

Telfeyan is critical of the DOJ for pursuing the case.

"They're often not going after the worst of the worst. They're going after longer prison sentences," Telfeyan says. "We expect the Department of Justice to do what is just, but that is often not the primary motivation we see in these cases."

---

(c)2020 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Visit CQ Roll Call at www.rollcall.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(Bloomberg) --

Europes borders continued to tighten in response to the worsening coronavirus outbreak as Russia closed two of its land frontiers and Switzerland barred travelers from Italy.

Russias Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed orders Saturday to close the land borders with Poland and Norway for most foreign citizens from March 15. Switzerland said it would turn away most people coming from neighboring Italy, deemed a high-risk country. Several nations also moved to implement border checks and bar cruise ships from their ports.

Governments around the globe are curtailing the movement of citizens in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a new pathogen thats already infected about 140,000 people and holds no passport, as French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. The haphazard moves underline the alarm setting in as Europe confronts its biggest public health challenge in decades -- and finds itself at the receiving end of travel bans as well.

This crisis will mean illness and harm for many people, and for some it will mean death, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in Vienna. Thats why we have to do whatever it takes to contain or at least slow down its spread.

The spread of Covid-19, which causes severe pneumonia in some patients and barely a symptom in others, must be slowed to avoid overwhelming health systems, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a podcast. Merkel called on all Germans to avoid unnecessary social events, even within their own families.

The U.S. extended restrictions on travelers from continental Europe to the U.K. and Ireland.

Within Europe, Spain declared a state of emergency as cases surged by more than a third to 5,753. The government may impose a nationwide lockdown for two weeks, according to newspaper El Mundo.

Greece stopped all flights to and from Italy, the second-worst affected nation after China, where the virus originated and first took hold late last year. Belgium advised against foreign travel, saying the risk of being stranded abroad was very high.

Story continues

Georgia closed its border with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Portugal said cruise ships wouldnt be able to disembark, as did Montenegro. The French harbor of Nice, on the Mediterranean, also barred passenger ships, according to Agence France Presse.

Bad for Business

The ability to travel without border checks has been a fact of life for more than two decades in most of Europe, with passport-free movement arguably the most successful feature of daily life for more than 400 million people in the European Union.

Health and internal affairs ministers from the bloc are scheduled to meet on Monday. European Council President Charles Michel, who represents the EUs 27 leaders, said he was working with governments on coordinating effective measures at the internal and external EU borders. The aim is to protect peoples health, reduce the spread of coronavirus and to maintain the flow of goods and services within the EU, Michel tweeted.

So far, officials in Brussels are accepting the new restrictions through gritted teeth.

Certain controls may be justified, said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the blocs executive arm. But general travel bans are not seen as being the most effective by the World Health Organization, Moreover, they have a strong social and economic impact. They disrupt peoples lives and business across the borders.

Not Welcome

Austria is the latest European nation to announce emergency spending to prop up the economy, announcing on Saturday plans to set aside 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in liquidity and subsidies. Neighboring Germany on Friday said it would do whatever was necessary to ensure that companies dont go bankrupt as a result of the health crisis.

In Asia, where the coronavirus originated but some radical measures have slowed its spread, some countries are barring travelers from Europe. Vietnam is suspending tourist visas for travelers who have been in the U.K., Northern Ireland and Schengen countries 14 days prior to their planned arrival starting Sunday.

(Updates with further U.S. travel restrictions in sixth paragraph)

--With assistance from Gordana Filipovic, Blaise Robinson, Boris Groendahl, Ian Wishart, Sotiris Nikas, Milda Seputyte, Eric Mbog Batassi, Stephan Kahl and Ania Nussbaum.

To contact the reporters on this story: Bryce Baschuk in Geneva at bbaschuk2@bloomberg.net;Scott Rose in Moscow at rrose10@bloomberg.net;Joao Lima in Lisbon at jlima1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Marthe Fourcade, Andrew Davis

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.
2003-04 || Finance minister Jaswant Singh referred to Albert Einstein stating that he endeavoured to make easy something that which Einstein found so difficult. What was he referring to? Ans: Income tax. Albert Einstein had ruefully observed that he found Income Tax the most difficult thing upon Earth to understand. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

'There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there.

Its Albert Einsteins birthday weekend (March 14, 1879) and we are still trying to understand all that he has written and theorised. He has been quoted and misquoted and his picture is plastered over coffee mugs and tee-shirts of self-professed science nuts. If you wish to be amazed by this mans genius, then you should travel to Bern, Switzerland and visit the History museum that has a permanent exhibition that explains his life and works. Of course, it is dramatic in its presentation, with a spectacular mirrored staircase that will leave a terrific impression on your mind as you walk through this mans life and work.

"Time and Space are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live," he has said. And when you have the weekend to ponder the gravity of that statement, what better to watch than a tale of young time travellers who want to set right a wrong. See You Yesterday is perhaps a newish version of Back To The Future, but this time the film deals with race issues. Two bright African American kids with time-traveling backpacks and a moral dilemma are inspired by Einsteins ideas of time and space...

But how do you communicate with Aliens who land on Earth in gigantic space ships? The linguistic relativity is brought forth beautifully in the film Arrival. At first viewing, you are merely awed by the sheer vision of the director Denis Villenueve, but then you realise how beautifully layered this science fiction story is. An adaptation of the short story called The Story Of Your Life by Ted Chaing, you will see no little green men or gigantic machines decimating us with space rays, just large space discs that land on Earth and stand there motionless. It takes a language expert to figure out what they want from us. The movie is an incredible watch, and deserved all the awards it received.

However, if there are aliens who want to take over our planet, then will you believe a premonition? In dreams that have kept a man awake? Or will you just be the first to confront an invader and die? I watched Extinction starring Michael Pena movie on Netflix and it made me take a second look at family and friends and co-workers. How ready are we for sudden changes in our lives? Changes that literally swipe the ground from beneath our feet.

What if you could travel across time and nations and find yourself in a Kingdom where the resurrection of a king will open up many secrets How would you face the undead who ravage villages? This South Korean period drama has everything from politics to horror to great action. The second season has just dropped on Netflix and if you start now, you will understand why it is called Binge Watching'.

And before you know it, you are asking What Happened To Monday. I am still travelling through time, digging up hidden gems for you to watch. This dystopian world of single-child families is interesting simply because we are living on a planet burdened by its own population. India has tried the two-child per family Hum do hamare do policy and failed, China has had to fix its one-child policy. If we dont find an alternative e home, a second Earth, we will perhaps end up being forced to live in a regimented world.

From the future to a past where two powers with trigger fingers itching to push the nuclear buttons were pushed to a corner in a world we know for their food and music. The Coldest Game will take you back in time - the Cuban Missile Crisis - and will put you on the edge of your sofa with its story of intrigue and political machinations and game playing. If you ignore the baggage of the American propaganda - patriotism and all that jazz - that comes along with the film, and if you are a fan of Bill Pullman, then the film is a decent watch. Just dont be picky about chess.

If uncovering crimes that have foxed the police for decades is your thing, then be prepared to dive headlong into an action-packed horror-thriller called Twin Murders: The Silence Of The White City. It shook me so much I had to take a couple of breaks and make myself a strong cup of tea. For someone who seeks out a good scare, this film turns out to be wholly satisfying.

Lets get back to the man who was born to help us understand time and how it works. If it werent for him, we would not have understood that the higher we live above the sea level, the faster we age. Say what?! Time does run faster or slower depending on how high you are and at what speeds you are traveling. So when you come across a science fiction film set like Groundhog Day, then you are forced to watch. Is this lads day repeating itself? Why? Is this something he imagined? Is it real? I am glad I watched Arq, and perhaps you should too, and let me know what you think, eh?

Einstein explained his theory simply, When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes and when you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it feels like two hours. Thats relativity. Now think of how automatically you slip into the next episode mode and skip intro for the best of shows, and how when you are made to analyse numbers it feels like a drag...

Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati  an online writers forum, hosts Mumbais oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication.
Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) on Saturday suggested that shooting schedules of all the films and television shows should be stopped across India for a brief period amid coronavirus outbreak.

A meeting of FWICE, Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) and Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) will be held on Sunday to take a decision to stall all the on going film and television shoots.

"The idea of the meeting is to discuss about stopping shooting of films and TV serials for sometime due to coronavirus as a lot of people usually work on the sets. We have to keep in mind the safety of all the members of associations against Corona outbreak," B N Tiwari, President of FWICE, told PTI.

"In the meeting we will discuss if the proper course of action is not taken on the sets regarding the safety of members the shoot has to be stopped, if they are following all the necessary precautions then in some cases the shooting schedules should not be disturbed," he added.

Tiwari said a meeting with Producers Guild of India and TV broadcasters will also take place on Monday.

Various events, award functions, interviews, shooting schedules have been called off amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

On Saturday, actor Shahid Kapoor announced that the team of his upcoming film "Jersey" has decided to suspend the shoot of the film to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Yash Raj Film also delayed the release of Dibakar Banerjee-directed "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar".

Akshay Kumar-starrer "Sooryavanshi", which recently launched its trailer with much fanfare, has pushed the release of the film indefinitely. And "Angrezi Medium", starring Irrfan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Radhika Madaan and Deepak Dobriyal, is braving the panic around the virus spread by going ahead with its release.

Tillotama Shome's film "Sir" has been postponed. The release of Hollywood movies "A Quiet Place 2", "Mulan" and new James Bond movie "No Time to Die" has been delayed.

Cinema halls have been closed in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Karnataka, Rajasthan and in parts of Maharashtra till the end of this month, to contain the virus that has been declared a pandemic by the WHO.

The deadly virus originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year and has killed over 5,000 people and infected more than 134,000 globally.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Munir Sanusi, Dam Buram Kano who served as chief of staff to Muhammadu Sanusi, deposed emir of Kano, has blamed Abubakar Malami, attorne...

Munir Sanusi, Dam Buram Kano who served as chief of staff to Muhammadu Sanusi, deposed emir of Kano, has blamed Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, for the detention of the former first-class monarch, according to PUNCH.





Sanusi, who was removed from office on Monday was confined to Awe in Nasarawa state until a federal high court in Abuja ordered his release, paving the way for him to move to Lagos, on Friday.





Munir, in an affidavit filed in support of the suit by the deposed emir, said Sanusi was detained on the orders of Malami and Ibrahim Muktar, attorney-general of Kano, who were respondents in the suit filed by the deposed emir and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020.





He said Sanusi had informed Habu Ahmadu, the states commissioner of police, of his intention to fly with his family members to Lagos but his request was dismissed.





I know for a fact that the CP refused the applicants requests for protection and to carry his family with him to Lagos and stated that he had no such instructions from above, but instead directed that the applicant be flown to Abuja and then taken to Nasarawa state, he stated.





In order not to jeopardise his safety or the safety of any member of his family or indeed other persons around, the applicant cooperated and proceeded in the vehicles provided by officers under the command of the respondents.





The said commissioner of police, along with other officers under the command of the respondents, harassed and rushed the applicant out of the emir palace, Kano, without letting him take any personal belongings and personal effects, along with him as they took him into their waiting vehicles.





The applicant was then taken in company with loads of armed men, being officers under the command of the respondents, to the Nigerian air force base in Kano where he was put in a private aircraft to Abuja and departed Kano at about 6.40pm.





The applicant was separated from his family who were also carried out of the palace.





Upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, he was conveyed first to Lafia, then to Loko area of Nasarawa State, after being driven for about seven hours in the dead of the night.





On March 10, 2020, he was taken back to Lafia and from there to Awe in Nasarawa state.





Amongst others, Sanusi is seeking an order directing the respondents to pay him N50 million as damages for the unlawful and unconstitutional arrest and detention, and also to publish in at least three national dailies an unreserved written apology to the applicant for the breach of the his fundamental right.





Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano who appointed Sanusi as emir, had accused President Muhammadu Buhari of ordering his removal, an allegation the president denied.





Umar Gwandu, spokesman of Malami, was contacted for his reaction to the claim on the involvement of the attorney-general of the federation in the detention of Malami but he had not responded as of the time this report was filed.




With millions of Australian holidaymakers advised to stay at home during the deadly coronavirus outbreak, families face being deeply out of pocket.

But Daily Mail Australia can reveal the hidden coronavirus holiday hacks which could save ordinary Australians thousands of dollars.

There are different policies in place depending on what airline a flight is booked through - and some are far more flexible than others.

Earlier this week, the Australian government advised against citizens to avoid all international travel - in fears of further spreading the coronavirus.

If families are still looking to book some autumn or winter sun, some airlines are offering ongoing changes free of charge - up until three days before the flight.

Passengers across the world are questioning their travel plans, with restrictions currently in place across the globe due to the coronavirus outbreak (stock image)

It comes as the number of cases in Australia rises to 227, with the World Health Organisation declaring it a global pandemic.

Mr Morrison said: 'Only essential travel should be considered if you are going overseas from this point forward and we would encourage Australians to heed that advice.

'We are effectively putting in place what is called a level-three travel advice.'

Level-three travel advice is when there are deemed to be 'serious and potentially life-threatening risks' which make destinations 'unsafe for tourism and unsuitable for most travellers'.

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S ADVICE? It is understood that travelling overseas can increase a person's risk of contracting coronavirus. Because of this, all international destinations have been deemed a Level 3 travel risk. This means Australians should 'reconsider their need for travel'. There are also numerous Level 4 destinations - meaning people should not travel there under any circumstance. This includes China, Korea and Iran. Advertisement

Jetstar

If a customer books an international flight with Jetstar from March 11 to March 31, they are able to make a date and time change to each flight, without incurring any unwanted fees.

This change can be made any time up until three days before departure.

Outside of these dates, if a person's booked flight is still running - they will not be refunded if they decide not to take the flight.

This means if you booked a flight to Bali back in December, but no longer want to go, you will not be eligible for a refund

The airline recommends making an inquiry through the live chat function on its website.

If you are eligible to change, and the new flight is more expensive, customers will have to shell out the difference between the original flight and the one they are moving onto.

The offer applies to flights which depart on or before 30 June 2020, and is limited to one change per customer.

Jetstar confirmed to Daily Mail Australia it was making provisions for some New Zealand flights, but that otherwise no refunds would be available unless the government imposes a travel ban.

A spokesman said: 'Following todays announcement by the New Zealand Government, we have also introduced a number of options for passengers who are booked on an international flight to or from New Zealand (excluding Auckland-Rarotonga) before 31 March 2020 and no longer wish to travel.

For passengers on one of our other international services, the offer of a refund is only available when the Australian Government places a level four do not travel ban on travel to the destination.

Those whose Jetstar flight is still running - but they don't want to take it - will not be able to get a refund

Virgin Australia

The airline announced it intended to allow 'flexibility' for customers with international flights bookings - making it far easier to reschedule a flight than with other airlines.

Guests with new or existing international bookings for travel from March 10 through to June 30 have the option to change their flight to a later date and/or to a different destination, without incurring a change fee.

But customers will still be required to pay any fare difference or applicable taxes should the same booking class or fare not be available on the date they wish to re-book.

Travellers are advised that if they booked from March 12, they can change the flight through the 'Manage My Booking' section of Virgin Australia's website.

If they booked prior to this, they need to contact the Guest Contact Centre.

For changes to travel booked through a travel agent, customers must contact their travel agent directly.

Fliers with Virgin Australia will be allowed to refund or exchange their flight free of charge (stock image)

Air Asia

With a large swathe of its destinations affected by the coronavirus, Air Asia has an extensive list of refunds available.

This includes all nationals of a country which has been affected by travel restrictions.

For Australians, this would mean those who booked flights to China, Iran, Japan or Korea would be eligible for a full refund.

Flights to, from or within the Philippines - made before March 12 for travel before April 14 - are also allowed to request a refund.

If a customer has booked a flight to or from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, before April 30 they are also eligible.

The same applies for people who have booked a flight to or from Japan, Korea and Taiwan, or if a person is flying between Thailand and India.

Those flights must have been booked before March 8 for travel before April 30.

Air Asia will refund travellers if their flight is cancelled or bound for a banned destination (stock image)

Qantas

Like Jetstar, Qantas is waiving change fees for all new international bookings made until the end of March.

But this applies to travel up until June 30, and is limited to one free change per customer - be it destination or date.

Again, a traveller will be required to pay any difference between the flight fares.

Unfortunately, this means that no refund is available for previous bookings made - as long as Qantas are still running the flight.

Qantas may refund if a travel ban has been put in place by a relevant government, but this is being assessed on a case-by-case basis.

As long as Qantas is still running the flight, refunds are not available and it would be a person's personal preference not to take the plane (stock image)

Cathay Pacific

For customers who booked flights with Cathay Pacific, they are allowed to reschedule flights if the ticket was booked between March 9 and April 20.

This applies to travel before February 28 2021.

If, like the majority of travellers, the ticket was booked before March 9 - bookings can also be altered, but with a fee.

But special discretion is given to travellers who booked to go through, to or from Hong Kong.

They are allowed to re-book or re-route with no fees.

Cathay Pacific are also offering full refunds if a customer booked to go to or from any of these destinations: India, Israel, Japan, Mainland China, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Taiwan.

Cathay Pacific is offering refunds if a flight is booked to a large host of countries, including India, Israel and Japan (stock image)

Qatar

Qatar Airways' policy states that passengers with any international booking - old or new - for travel up until June 30 can change their plans free of charge.

This means they can alter the flight dates or exchange their ticket for a travel voucher, to use any time in the next year.

These changes can be made up until three days before departure.

Qatar change their dates of travel for any time within the next 11 months, as long as booking are before March 31 (stock image)

Emirates

Customers of Emirates can also change their travel dates - but not destination - to any time within the next 11 months, as long as they booked on or before March 31.

Travellers set to fly with Emirates to countries where flight suspensions or travel restrictions are in place due to Covid-19 are also eligible for re-booking or refunds.

Thai Airways

The airline has suspended all flights to Italy, and passengers will be issued with a full refund.

Flights between Bangkok and major Chinese cities are also cancelled.

They have cancelled dozens of other flights, and will notify and refund customers. If a flight is still running, refunds are not available.

Delta

The American carrier is allowing customers with flights before April 30 to change their flights for free, as long as it was booked on or before March 9.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 14)  Two more patients with the coronavirus disease have died, taking the total number of fatalities in the country to eight, the Department of Health announced Saturday.

One of them was admitted at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the Health department said in a statement.

The department added it was gathering details on the latest COVID-19 fatalities and will provide information as soon as it is available.

Meanwhile, the sixth death was a 54-year-old male with no known travel history, the DOH confirmed.

The patient was said to have succumbed to the viral illness on March 13 at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center. He died of pneumonia and acute kidney injury.

He was admitted to the hospital last March 3, a few days after exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

The man tested positive for the viral infection on March 11.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines now stands at 64.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is related to the virus which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but is not as deadly, with the fatality rate standing at around three percent.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, but stressed that this should not cause alarm as it can still be controlled as 90 percent of infections are being reported in only four countries, while outbreaks in China and South Korea are slowing down.
One more person has tested positive for coronavirus in Nagpur, taking the count of positive cases in the city to 4.

Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur, Sanjiv Kumar said, "A 34-year old man has tested positive in Nagpur Govt Medical College and Hospital. The total number of Coronavirus affected persons goes to 4."

World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concern.

The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo: Sarah Morris/Getty Images

For weeks  nay, months  the world has watched in bewilderment as the Lizzie McGuire reboot fell apart. In January, the shows original creator exited the production, citing creative differences with Disney+, the streaming service developing the revival. According to Hilary Duff, a.k.a. Lizzie McGuire herself, the mounting confusion stemmed from Disneys backtracking on a plot that included adult themes incompatible with the companys family friendly programming. One of Duffs Instagrams led to speculation that Disney paused the reboot over gay themes in its story line, but no! As it turns out, the problem was a reference to the fact that people have sex. Real racy stuff, you see.

The Hollywood Reporter read the script for the reboots first episode (episodes one and two have already been filmed), and reports that it acknowledges the existence of sex, with cheating as a central plot point. Now the pieces begin to fall into place: We know that the reboot finds Lizzie as an engaged 30-something living in Brooklyn, and that she must move back to California after she gets some pretty big news at the end of the first episode, per Duff. The news, one could reasonably conclude, is that someone cheated. Our bets are on the chef fiance, but who knows for sure?

Anyway, in a recent Instagram post, Duff explained that she was incredibly excited to launch Lizzie on D+, and felt obligated to stay true to her character. Shed be doing a disservice to everyone by limiting the realities of a 30-year-olds journey to live under the ceiling of a PG rating, she continued, asking point-blank for Disney+ to let the show move to Hulu.

It would stand to reason that many, many 30-year-olds with life partners in New York City are having sex. So: Give the people what they want. Give them a realistic interpretation of grown-up Lizzie McGuire, i.e., an adult woman whose cartoon interior monologue loves to barge into the bedroom and ruin the moment.
The Senate has passed an multibillion-dollar measure to tackle the coronavirus outbreak as its rapid spread threatens to upend everyday life in the US and across the globe.

The 8.3 billion dollar package would pay for a multi-faceted attack on a virus that is spreading more widely every day, sending financial markets spiralling again on Thursday, disrupting travel and potentially threatening the US economys decade-long expansion.

Thursdays sweeping 96-1 vote sends the bill to the White House for President Donald Trumps signature. The House passed the bill Wednesday by a 415-2 vote.

The plan would more than triple the 2.5 billion dollars amount outlined by the White House 10 days ago.

(PA Graphics)

The Trump proposal was immediately discarded by members of Congress from both parties. Instead, they negotiated the increased figure in a burst of bipartisan cooperation that has been increasingly rare in Washington.

In situations like this, I believe no expense should be spared to protect the American people, and in crafting this package none was, said Appropriations Committee chairman Richard Shelby. Its an aggressive plan, a vigorous plan that has received an overwhelming positive reaction.

Mr Trump is sure to sign the measure, which has almost universal support. It is intended to project confidence and calm as anxiety builds over the impact of the virus, which has claimed 11 lives in the US.

The American people are looking for leadership and want assurance that their government is up to the task of protecting their health and safety, said Senator Patrick Leahy.

The legislation would provide federal public health agencies with money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments, including 300 million dollars to deliver drugs to those who need it.

More than 2 billion dollars would go to help federal, state and local governments prepare for and respond to the coronavirus threat. An additional 1.3 billion would be used to help fight the virus overseas.

Story continues

Passengers line up as workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak in Lebanon (Hassan Ammar/AP)

The US bill was passed after the UN health agency urged all countries to push this virus back, a call to action reinforced by figures showing there are about 17 times as many new infections outside China as inside. To date, the virus has infected nearly 97,000 people and killed over 3,300.

This is not a drill. This is not the time for giving up. This is not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops, World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a daily briefing in Geneva.

Countries have been planning for scenarios like this for decades. Now is the time to act on those plans.

As Chinese manufacturers gradually reopened their factories, anti-virus barriers went up elsewhere.

In Italy, the epicentre of Europes outbreak, workers in latex gloves pinned closed notices on school gates, enforcing a 10-day shutdown of the education system. Italys sports-mad fans are also barred from stadiums until April 3.

A young girl walks with her elderly grandparent along a tree-lined avenue in Rome (AP)

A government decree that took effect on Thursday urged the countrys famously demonstrative citizens to stay at least 1 metre apart from each other, placed restrictions on visiting nursing homes and urged the elderly not to go outside unless absolutely necessary.

That directive appeared to be widely ignored, as school closures nationwide left many Italian children in the care of their grandparents.

Parks in Rome overflowed with both young and old, undercutting government efforts to shield older Italians from the virus that hits the elderly harder than others. Italy has the worlds oldest population after Japan. Italys death toll climbed Thursday to 148, and its confirmed cases to 3,858.

Iran, which has registered 107 virus deaths, has also closed schools and universities. Now it has introduced checkpoints to limit travel between major cities. Iranians were urged to reduce their use of paper money.

Amid the string of bad news, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged state television to offer happier programmes to entertain those stuck at home.

I urge all artists, scientists, psychologists and all who can bring smiles to peoples faces, come into the social media, he said.

A city worker disinfects a taxi because of the coronavirus in Tehran (Vahid Salemi/AP)

Brian Hook, the US special representative for Iran, said the United States offered humanitarian assistance to help Iran deal with its outbreak but the regime rejected the offer. He said the offer would stand.

Virus fears also affected the joyful Indian celebration of Holi, in which Hindu revellers celebrate the arrival of spring with bursts of colour, including bright powders smeared on faces.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders said they would not attend Holi events and the Holi Moo Festival in New Delhi was canceled.

In the United States, where 11 have died from the virus, hundreds of people were placed in self-quarantines due to cases in a New York suburb. A school district north of Seattle with 22,000 students announced it will close for up to two weeks because of coronavirus concerns.

Across the globe, travellers faced greater disruptions, as countries sought to keep the virus out. South Africa confirmed its first case on Thursday, becoming the seventh African nation to report infections.

Australia banned travellers from South Korea who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, following similar bans for China and Iran.

Indonesia announced restrictions on travellers from parts of Iran, Italy and South Korea after previously banning those coming in from China. The United Arab Emirates warned its people not to travel anywhere abroad.

People line up to buy face masks to protect themselves from the new coronavirus in Seoul (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Germanys Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Swiss said they will cancel all flights to and from Israel for three weeks starting on Sunday after Israeli authorities announced tough restrictions on travellers from several countries because of the new virus.

Palestinian officials closed the Church of the Nativity in the biblical city of Bethlehem indefinitely, weeks ahead of the busy Easter holiday.

Japan said visitors from China and South Korea would face a two-week quarantine at a government facility and be barred from public transit. Sri Lankans arriving from Italy, South Korea and Iran will be quarantined at a hospital once used for leprosy patients.

In South Korea, with the highest number of infections outside China, exports of face masks will be prohibited beginning on Friday and people will be limited to buying two masks a week.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to express condolences over the health crisis.

In China, where hospitals were releasing hundreds of recovered patients, officials reported 139 new cases of infection and 31 more deaths. Overall, China has reported 80,409 cases and 3,012 deaths, and authorities say about 6,000 people remained hospitalised in a serious condition.

A state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping was postponed. It was to have been the first for a Chinese leader since 2008.
Budget carrier IndiGo has announced it will waive off all flight rescheduling fees for bookings until the end of March.

Ronojoy Dutta, IndiGos chief executive officer, said in a letter addressed to customers what the airline was doing to contain the coronavirus outbreak in India.

I wanted to help you understand everything were doing as an airline to make sure that the risk for everyone in our care is minimised, and that you can continue to rely on us to help you reach your destinations safely and in good health, while also helping to contain the spread of COVID-19, Dutta said in his letter.

As I previously announced, for those of you who feel it best to delay your trips, IndiGo will waive all change fees for any bookings through the end of March, he added.

Indias aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had on Friday asked international airlines operating to and from India to waive cancellation and rescheduling charges in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

In view of the unfolding severe impact of Covid- 19, the aviation industry is facing serious challenges. Flights are being curtailed, cancelled and disrupted almost on a daily basis. Resultantly, the passengers are also facing the brunt, a circular issued by the DGCA said, DGCA said in a circular.

In the current scenario, it would be appropriate if airlines support their passengers in this tough time by waiving off cancellation/ reschedule charges or by providing other incentive. In light of the hardship faced by passengers, airlines may like to consider and take an appropriate call, accordingly, it said.

Private airports in India have sought to levy a surcharge on airline fares to cover losses stemming from the outbreak.

The Association of Private Airport Operators (APAO), in a letter written on Friday to civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, sought a relief package from the government to stem losses caused to the aviation sector by a decline in airline bookings and aircraft occupancy.

The government on Wednesday suspended almost all visas to India, as Covid-19 cases in the country sharply spiked and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Fresh bookings and occupancy in domestic flights have dropped by 15-20% in the wake of the outbreak.

Sixteen foreign airlines have cancelled 492 international flights to India so far due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Puri informed Parliament on Thursday.

Domestic carriers have also taken a hit as 93 flights per week have been cancelled by Vistara, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir.
Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said she considers Sanders, who wants a moratorium on all new charters, more hostile than Biden, who wants them to provide more information on what they are doing. It would be reassuring if the candidates showed some appreciation for what charters have already done, but that would displease politically powerful teacher unions that dont like most charters being nonunion.
With 40 aircrafts left idle, about 200 pilots of Vietnam Airlines have had few flight hours.

At a working session of the Flight Crew Division 919, Vietnam Airlines union of pilots reported that the Covid-19 epidemic had caused many pilots to cut flight hours, leading to sharp income decreases.





The heads of the trade union have called on workers to share difficulties with the company.



The national flag air carrier has drawn up a plan on cutting the number of flying hours for Vietnamese and foreign pilots.



Vietnam Airlines has decided to adjust the numbers of flying hours and apply an alternative unpaid leave policy.



It plans to negotiate with manpower supply partners, calling on foreign pilots to accept unpaid leave for 15 days a month, i.e. 50 percent wage cut.

At a working session of the Flight Crew Division 919, Vietnam Airlines union of pilots reported that the Covid-19 epidemic had caused many pilots to cut flight hours, leading to sharp income decreases.

As for Vietnamese pilots, the carrier has decided to postpone the implementation of the wage reform plan, slated for June 2020.



The leaders of the flight crew division will also see their monthly salaries decrease by 15-20 percent. An unpaid leave policy will also be applied to non-pilot workers, under which they will have unpaid leave for no more than 15 days a month for three months, from March to May 2020. The income will decrease proportionally with the number of days off.



Vietnam Airlines said on average, each flight has 4 pilots joining the crew.



The latest report said the airline has 40 aircraft suspended. Therefore, nearly 200 pilots have become redundant.



Prior to that, at the meeting of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC) which discussed the effects of Covid-19 on the airlines production and business activities, Vietnam Airlines CEO Duong Tri Thanh said that the air carrier has suffered heavily from the epidemic.



Thanh said the rapid spread of Covid-19 in non-Chinesecountries, especially in South Korea and Japan, has caused negative impact which went far beyond expectations.



Previously, Vietnam Airlines provided 12 flights a day to Busan and Seoul, but now provides only two flights. The wide-body Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 have been replaced with the narrow-body A321 because of the lower performance.



Regarding the European market, the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy has extinguished the airlines glimmer of hope to enter the market.



The SARS epidemic previously recovered in a V-shape with rapid decline in number of passengers and rapid recovery. In Covid-19, the recovery momentum will probably be a long U-shape, Thanh said.



According to Thanh, a partner from Europe earlier this year planned to lease 10 aircraft but has canceled the plan after the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.

Kim Chi
Photo: Contributed Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks to media Saturday.

UPDATE: 4:20 p.m.

Following the announcement that a second case of COVID-19 has been found in the Interior Health region, a spokesperson for B.C.'s Ministry of Health said they will not be releasing any additional information about the case, including where the new patient resides.

"To protect peoples privacy, the province is not identifying peoples details, however anyone potentially exposed will be contacted," Chris Shewchuk, Ministry of Health spokesperson, said in an email.

The IH region covers a large geographic area, from the U.S. border in the south, the Alberta border to the east, as far north as Williams Lake and west to Princeton and Lytton.

"We want people who have symptoms to contact us, and to feel safe contacting us, knowing their privacy will be protected so the steps to protect the health and safety for all can be taken," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in a statement.

"We will not be identifying the specific location of confirmed cases unless public health providers cannot be certain they have reached all those who need to be contacted and who therefore might be a risk to the public."

While the government had initially been providing the rough ages of those who've been diagnosed, Shewchuk said they are no longer doing that. It's unclear if the new patient in the IH region is in the more at-risk older age group.

UPDATE: 1:05 p.m.

Two of the 73 cases of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia are in the Interior Health region, but it's unclear where exactly those patients are.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the second case in the Interior Saturday, but the Ministry of Health has not released any details about either of the cases.

Dr. Henry did say that the outbreak at North Vancouver's Lynn Valley Care Centre continues to grow, as 12 staff members have been diagnosed with the virus, along with four residents. One of the residents, a man in his 80s, died from the virus last week  Canada's first and only virus-related death at this time.

Dr. Henry also touched on some of the panic buying that's been occurring across the province and the country.

"I want to ask everybody in British Columbia to be measured in their purchase of groceries and other basic necessities," Dr. Henry said. "I want people to be calm and be reassured. We've been assured by our retailers that our supply chains are strong and they've been restocking the shelves.

"We don't have an issue of not having enough supply."

She stressed the importance of looking out for each other over the next several weeks.

"We will get through this," she said. "It's going to be a challenging time for all of us but now's the time for working together, it's a time for compassion, it's a time for supporting each other.

ORIGINAL: 12:15 p.m.

A second case of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in the Interior Health region.

That announcement was made by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry Saturday, after nine new cases of the virus have been found in the province in the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases in B.C. to 73.

Dr. Henry said the second person who's contracted the virus in the Interior Health region is a travel-related case, after the person recently returned from travel in Europe, most recently in Portugal.

No further details about the location of the person has been released. The IH region covers a large area, from the U.S. border in the south, the Alberta border to the east, as far north as Williams Lake and west to Princeton and Lytton.

More to come...
Our employees are the most important resource in our commitment to serve our customers, and it means a lot that they have reported a consistently positive experience with their coworkers, their leaders, and with their jobs. ~Kent Stemper, BluSky CEO

BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC, a leading national property restoration firm, today announced it is Great Place to Work-Certified for a third consecutive year. Certification is a significant achievement. Using validated employee feedback gathered with Great Place to Works rigorous, data-driven For All methodology, certification confirms a minimum of 7 out of 10 employees have a consistently positive experience at BluSky. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue and increased innovation.

We are thrilled to again be Great Place to Work-Certified, says Kent Stemper, BluSky CEO. Our employees are the most important resource in our commitment to serve our customers, and it means a lot that they have reported a consistently positive experience with their coworkers, their leaders, and with their jobs. This is important to us because we know that when our employees have a high-trust experience every day they are more productive, drive better business results and make a difference to our customers.

We congratulate BluSky on their certification, said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Vice President of Best Workplace List Research at Great Place to Work. Organizations that earn their employees trust create great workplace cultures that deliver outstanding business results.

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Their unparalleled benchmark data is used to recognize Great Place to Work-Certified companies and the Best Workplaces in the US and more than 60 countries, including the 100 Best Companies to Work For and Worlds Best list published annually in Fortune. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All.

To learn more, visit BluSkys Certified Company Profile at https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/5001009.

About BluSky Restoration Contractors LLC

Centennial, Colorado-based, BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC provides restoration, renovation, environmental and roofing services to all commercial and multifamily real estate classes across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
A nurse in Italy has shared a photograph of her face following a shift treating coronavirus patients.

Alessia Bonari who works in a hospital in Milan posted the photograph on Wednesday showing her in scrubs and with bruising to her face after wearing a medical mask for a long period.

In the caption, she said she was afraid to go to work during the ongoing outbreak but continued to do so because she was "proud" and loved her job.

She wrote: I am afraid because the mask may not adhere well to the face or I may have accidentally touched myself with dirty gloves, or maybe the lenses do not completely cover my eyes and something may have passed.

Bonari said she was physically tired because the lab coat makes me sweat and once she is dressed she is not permitted to go to the bathroom or drink for six hours in order to reduce any potential virus spread.

I am psychologically tired, and as are all my colleagues who have been in the same condition for weeks, but this will not prevent us from doing our job as we have always done.

I will continue to take care of and take care of my patients, because I am proud and in love with my job, she added.

Bonari also encouraged Italians not to frustrate the effort of doctors and nurses by following the guidelines they have been issued and staying at home.

Italy is currently in a state of lockdown with mass gatherings cancelled and schools and universities closed; the countys death toll has topped 1,000.

Bonari continued: I cant afford the luxury of going back to my quarantined house, I have to go to work and do my part. You do yours, I ask you please.

The post has been liked over 800,000 times and users have shared supportive and thankful comments for all medical staff.

On Thursday Boris Johnson warned the UK that the number of suspected coronavirus cases could be nearer to 10,000 as the government moved into the delay phase of the response.

The prime minister said the public should be prepared to "lose more loved ones before their time".
THOMASTON  The Hartford HealthCare Ayer Neuroscience Institute at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital has recently welcomed Nabi Chowdhury, MD, who is now accepting patients one day a week at the new CHH Specialty Care office located at 76 Watertown Road, Thomaston.

The practice offers neurological evaluations, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. The neurologists employ sophisticated technology, to diagnose and treat conditions including movement disorders such as Parkinsons Disease, headache, stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, peripheral neuropathy and others.

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and its partners at Hartford HealthCares Ayer Neuroscience Institute are continuing to add local Neurology providers with new services in Thomaston. We are happy to have Dr. Chowdhury join our team, said Dan McIntyre, Hartford HealthCares Senior Vice President of the Northwest Region and CHH President, in a statement.

Dr. Chowdhury is a graduate of St. Georges University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies, and was a resident in Neurology at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worchester, MA. He was also an Intern in Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, and a Research Assistant at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Dr. Chowdhury is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

The Ayer Neuroscience Institute has greatly increased access to neurology services for patients with the addition of three neurologists and a physician assistant located in the Medical Office Building CHH, 538 Litchfield St., Suite 104, Torrington.

Neurologists Dr. Hugh Cahill, Dr. Lucas Meira-Benchaya, and Dr. Sarah Meira-Benchaya, MD, as well as Sabra Becker, PA, are now accepting patients in Torrington.

The field of neuroscience - the study of the nervous system and its structure  is growing. Not only is neuroscience concerned with the normal functioning of the nervous system, but also what happens to the nervous system when people have neurological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout Hartford HealthCare, the Ayer Neuroscience Institute has several programs including epilepsy, stroke, movement disorders, hearing and balance, neuro-oncology, headache, sleep disorders, spine, neurosurgery, pain management and neuromuscular disorders. Learn more at hartfordhealthcare.org/neuro/ .

Better Business Bureau offers advice

CROMWELL  COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is affecting people, businesses and communities around the world. The Better Business Bureau reminds everyone to remain vigilant to avoid scams related to the virus, use common sense precautions when traveling and find reliable sources to stay informed about what to do as the virus spreads.

BBB Serving Connecticut understands that consumers have many questions when it comes to the impact of COVID-19 to their travel plans, event cancellations, possible price gouging and where to donate. We urge consumers to follow these current tips when trying to navigate through this challenging time and to help prevent scammers from profiting off of panic.

Find all of these tips and more at BBB.org/coronavirus .

ASAP! receives grant from Watts Fund

WASHINGTON  ASAP! recently received a $4,500 grant from The Watts Fund in support of their work in providing quality arts education, financial aid and scholarships, and community based enrichment to the Washington Connecticut community.

The Watts Fund grant helps support ASAP! in providing Washington families with the opportunity to attend ASAP! programs at a 20 percent discount no matter where the program is held. The funds also go towards strengthening ASAP!s ability to provide employment opportunities, stimulate business, hold free programs, and offer $4,257 per year in financial aid and scholarships to Washington residents.

The encouragement of The Watts Fund reinforces the message that the arts are an integral part of the Washington Community, and has a tremendous impact on the culture of the town and the transformative experiences ASAP! is able to offer.

ASAP! is a social profit educational arts organization that reaches 9,000+ children a year throughout Connecticut. ASAP! never turns a child away and will provide nearly $40,000 in financial aid to families in need this year.

For more information or to register for an upcoming project, visit www.asapct.org or call 860-868-0740.

Bank announces Community Day schedule

LAKEVILLE - Salisbury Bank has announced its 2020 Community Day schedule.

Community Days will include a Free Shred Day as part of the banks commitment to help in the fight against Identity Theft, and a Food Drive to support local food pantries in the area. Community Days will take place during the months of May through September at our branches throughout the tri-state area, and are open to all local residents and businesses.

In a statement, Amy Raymond, Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Banking Officer said, With the increased importance of minimizing the risk of identity theft and fraud, the Shred Day events continue to help community members securely dispose of sensitive documents to aid in protecting themselves.

Each person may bring up to 4 boxes of paper (paper only; no binders) for shredding by Legal Shred personnel and our volunteers, to any of the locations listed below, 9 a.m.-noon.

Saturday, May 16, Dover Plains Branch, 5 Dover Village Plaza, Dover Plains, NY; Saturday, July 18, Canaan Branch, 100 Main Street, Canaan; Saturday, Aug. 8, Lakeville Branch, 5 Bissell Street, Lakeville; Saturday, Aug. 29, Millerton Branch, 87 Main Street, Millerton, NY; Saturday, Sept. 12, Sheffield Branch, 640 North Main Street, Sheffield, MA; and Saturday, Sept. 26, Sharon Branch, 5 Gay Street, Sharon.

Salisbury Bank will have an additional Community Day from noon-3 p.m. May 30 at Community Health Programs (CHP), 444 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

Consider bringing a non-perishable food donation as well - local pantries are in need of a variety of donations including: canned goods, cereals, macaroni and cheese, cake mix, peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and tomato sauce. Household necessities such as paper towels, diapers, shampoo, and soap are also appreciated.

For more information on protecting yourself against Identity Theft, visit salisburybank.com/protectid .
MONTREALA Canadian woman and her Italian travelling companion who were suspected to have been abducted in West Africa 15 months ago have been released.

Edith Blais, 35, of Sherbrooke, Que., and Luca Tacchetto, 31, had been travelling by car in southwestern Burkina Faso, heading to Toga to do volunteer work when they vanished around Dec. 15, 2018.

A month later, Burkina Fasos security minister referred to the pairs disappearance as a kidnapping, but the Canadian government did not confirm that, saying only that officials hadnt ruled out any possibilities.

On Saturday, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed in a tweet that Blais was coming home.

I just spoke to Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto. I can confirm they are safe, Champagne tweeted, thanking his counterpart in Mali, the countrys president and the United Nations Mission in that country for their support, as well officials in Burkina Faso.

We look forward to Edith returning home.

A source told The Canadian Press they arrived in Bamako, the capital of Mali, just before noon local time on Saturday after spending the night at a UN camp in Kidal, in the northeastern part of the country.

The source said the pair apparently fled their captors, flagged down a private vehicle and asked to be taken to a United Nations camp in the area.

Instead, they were dropped off at a UN checkpoint where soldiers with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the area took them the rest of the way. After spending the night at the camp, they were flown to the capital on Saturday.

The UN missions spokesman tweeted a photo of Blais and Tacchetto, both wearing white UN human rights T-shirts and sweatpants and smiling, with the caption They are free. He later tweeted photos of the pair meeting with Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Al Qaeda and other militant groups have operated in northern Mali for more than a decade and have kidnapped a number of Western hostages, typically holding them until ransoms are paid.

Senior Liberal cabinet ministers met with Blais family in Quebecs Eastern Townships region in January 2019 and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the time he believed Blais was still alive.

In March 2019, Human Rights Watch had indicated in a report the pair had been abducted and taken to Mali.

Another Canadian, Kirk Woodman, was found dead in northern Burkina Faso in 2019, near the border with Mali and Niger. An executive with a Vancouver-based mining company, Woodman had been kidnapped a day earlier by gunmen as he worked on a gold mining project.

Read more about:
The postmortem report of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma, who was murdered during the north-east Delhi violence, has revealed that he died due to injuries on his lungs and brain.

The report further revealed that the officer was attacked with sharp edges of weapons.

"Cause of death was shock due to haemorrhage due to injuries to the lungs and brain. Some injuries were produced by sharp-edged weapons. An injury was produced by heavy cutting weapons, while the rest of the injuries were by blunt force. All injuries were fresh before death," the report read.

Notably, a Delhi Court on Friday sent Salman, an accused in the murder of Ankit Sharma, to four days police custody.

On Thursday, Delhi Police had apprehended him in connection with the murder of the Intelligence Bureau staffer.

At least, 53 people including Ankit Sharma and Head Constable Rattan Lal were killed during the violence in the capital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

Norways government on Friday suspended fees and taxes on airlines and is in talks with the countrys aviation industry on further measures to help alleviate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the countrys finance minister said, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.

Norwegian Air , already suffering big losses and hemorrhaging cash in recent years, on Thursday announced it would temporarily lay off up to half its 11,000 employees as thousands of flights were scrapped.

Europes third-largest budget carrier and a major customer of Boeing Co has repeatedly called on governments to help the airline industry.

As a first step on Friday, Norway suspended all airport fees for the first six months of 2020 and the tax Norway charges for each passenger will be lifted for a period of 10 months, Finance Minister Jan Tore Sanner told a news conference. He said it was too early to say what other measures could be introduced.

We are well-informed of the wishes of the airline industries, he said. I dont want to speculate on what measures could be implemented.

The government also said it would pay a greater part of the bill for all companies seeking to make temporary layoffs, but stopped short of issuing any blanket guarantees.

The Nordic country invoked emergency powers on Thursday to close a wide range of public and private institutions to try to limit the spread of the virus, and asked people to refrain from leisure travel.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The BJP on Saturday withdrew its



candidate for the deputy speaker's post after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government made a request.

The BJP had fielded Ashok Uike for the post against NCP's Narhari Zhirwal.

Maharashtra State BJP president Chandrakant Patil told PTI that Uike withdrew his candidature after the ruling MVA requested the opposition to do so, since there is a precedent that the post is filled without a contest.

Announcement of Zhirwal's election unopposed will be made on the floor of the House.

Saturday is the last day of the budget session.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Scott Morrison is being urged to ramp up his economic stimulus package to $60 billion to help Australia battle the coronavirus crisis.

The prime minister had earlier announced a $17.6 billion package of measures to help keep the economy afloat, but experts warned it does not go far enough.

It comes as the deadly respiratory disease continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, with the number of known cases in Australia soaring to 227.

On Friday night, Wall Street experienced the worst trading since the disastrous 1987 financial crash - as the world tilts on the edge of a global recession.

The ASX 200 (pictured) is suffering a slump known as a 'bear market', which is when securities drop by 20 per cent or more

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief executive Peter Strong said the dire developments shows the government needs to more than triple its pledged cash.

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'I think the rescue package will be a lot more and people should be open to it,' he told the Australian.

'I think it will get up to $60bn and if it does that, Australia would be well ahead of the rest of the world.'

Experts suggested an economy financial crash could be worse than that experienced in the 1980s, or after 9/11.

University of Technology Sydney professor Warren Hogan explained: 'This has all the hallmarks of the three major crashes of this century: the tech wreck, 9/11 and the GFC.

'The reality is that this shock is turning into a financial crisis.'

A woman is seen wearing a face mask on Friday (pictured) overlooking the Sydney Opera House, as the number of coronavirus cases in Australia reached 227

After a tumultuous week, the Australian share marked recovered on Friday, increasing by 4.4 per cent.

It came after the government's announcement that mass gatherings, meaning those with 500 people or more, would be effectively banned from Monday.

The government announced its economic stimulus plan on Thursday, revealing it planned to spend almost $20 billion propping up the economy.

What measures could stimulate economy? Cash handouts to Newstart recipients and pensioners Cash to local councils to bring forward infrastructure projects Tax breaks for businesses buying assets such as machinery Delay payroll tax paid by employers Bring forward bushfire relief payments Changes to Newstart to allow casual workers access to paid sick leave Reduce deeming rates (so pensioners and veterans can receive more government money) Pause in compulsory super payments Advertisement

Nearly $7 billion in tax-free cash will be given to small business bosses to keep apprentices in jobs as part of the stimulus package, designed to prevent a recession sparked by the coronavirus crisis.

It will also include a huge expansion of the instant assets write-off.

Pensioners and people on welfare will also get a one-off cash injection of $500 in a bid to boost the economy, according to reports.

The Treasury expects the coronavirus, which has now infected 227 people in Australia, will see growth drop by 0.5 per cent the March quarter.

Economists said whether Australia avoids recession will be determined by the length of time coronavirus crisis continues.

'Our targeted stimulus package will focus on keeping Australians in jobs and keeping businesses in business so we can bounce back strongly,' Mr Morrison said.

As part of the plan, the government will offer up to $7,000 each quarter for each apprentice employed by a small businesses.

A couple wear face masks in Sydney's Circular Quay (pictured) on Saturday afternoon as Australia tries to contain the coronavirus outbreak

This will help small businesses, such as local building firms, retain existing apprentices and trainees.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

As well, they will be able to re-employ apprentices and trainees who lose positions because of any coronavirus downturn.

The wage subsidy is worth about $1.3 billion.

Businesses with turnover under $50 million will have access to a tax-free payment of up to $25,000 to help boost cash flow.

Eligible businesses that withhold tax to the ATO on their employees' wages will receive of 50 per cent of the amount withheld, up to a maximum payment of $25,000.

It's estimated the measure will cost $6.7 billion over four years, benefiting almost 700,000 businesses and 7.8 million workers.

The government will also spend $700 million over four years to expand the instant asset write-off.

Currently, the instant asset write-off allows small businesses - those with an annual turnover of less than $10 million - to claim for new or second-hand equipment up to the cost of $30,000.

The threshold will be raised from $30,000 to $150,000 and expand to businesses with an annual turnover from $50 million to $500 million.

The Australian stock exchange is suffering a downturn thanks to the effects of the global coronavirus crisis (stock image)

It's expected to drive interest in the purchases of cars, utes and trucks, harvesters and tradies' equipment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has pledged $17 billion to help the economy

Meanwhile, Mr Morrison has urged big business to support workers during the coronavirus crisis or risk brand damage.

'I'd be encouraging employers to take a flexible and forward-leaning approach in supporting their employees during this process,' he told reporters in Canberra.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Labor would support any necessary funding for the virus response.

'The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of action,' he said.

Mr Albanese said workforce issues would have to be solved, particularly for health sector staff.
A session on the role of emerging technologies in the courtroom waspart of last months New York State Bar Association Annual Meeting in New York City.

Emerging Technologies in Litigation included a panel of local and federal judges as well as an e-discovery researcher and emerging technology attorney. The group discussed the use of artificial intelligence in the courtroom.

The session addressed the role that AI could play in judicialdecision making, where algorithms potentially can predict behavior andoutcomes resulting from different legal strategies. The rationale is that lawis based on precedent  if a case is similar to past cases, then theresults shouldnt be all too surprising.

However, given the rise ofdeepfakes  and the possibility that AI in effect could manufactureevidence  some argued that the technology should be excluded from court proceedings.

Despite such concerns, the global legaltech market for AI isexpected to grow in the coming years, driven by the trend in major law firmsto adopt various legaltech solutions that aim to reduce turnaroundtime for some legal cases.

AI is used to help with document management systems, e-discovery, e-billing, contract management, and even practice and case management.

AI already has been employed at a lower level in the Los AngelesSuperior Court to handle seemingly mundane traffic citations. Visitorsto the courts website can interact with Gina, an AI-powered onlineavatar, to pay a traffic ticket, register for traffic school, or schedule a court date.

Since being installed in 2016, Gina  which ispart of an effort by the LA Superior Court to reduce the backlog ofcases  has had more than 200,000 interactions a year, and has reduced traffic court wait times dramatically.

One Step Closer to PreCrime

AIs predictive algorithms can be used by police departmentsto strategize about where to send patrols, and facial recognitionsystems can be used to help identify suspects.

Combined, these approaches sound eerily similar to the Philip K. Dick short story, The Minority Report, which became the basis of the Steven Spielberg-directed filmMinority Report, in which the police departments PreCrime unitapprehends criminals based on foreknowledge of criminal activity.

Courts currently are using AI algorithms to determine the defendantsrisk, which can range from the probability that the defendant willcommit another crime to whether or not they will appear for their nextcourt date for bail, sentencing and parole decisions, explainedtechnology inventor/consultant Lon Safko.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Often AI can be wrong  not only in determining whereofficers should patrol, but also in recommending how criminals should be sentenced.Here is where the Correctional Offender Management Profiling forAlternative Sanctions comes into play. It compares defendant answersto questions as well as personal factors against a nationwide datagroup and assigns a score, which is used to determine sentencing.

Recently in Wisconsin, a defendant was found guilty for hisparticipation in a drive-by shooting, Safko told TechNewsWorld.

While being booked, the suspect answered several questions that wereentered into the AI system COMPAS, he continued. The judge gave thisdefendant a long sentence partially because he was labeled high riskby this assessment tool.

AI in the Courts

At the present time it isnt clear how widespread the use of AI in thecourts will be  in part because the courts at all levels have beenquite slow to embrace any new technology. This could be changing,however, as AI can help streamline the courts in ways that couldbenefit all parties.

We believe the courts are leading digital transformation in themarket, and approximately 90 percent of courts have evolved fromtraditional court reporting to professional digital court reporting,said Jacques Botbol, vice president of marketing at software firmVerbit.

Certain applications of AI are often adopted faster than others particularly those surrounding the automation of routine tasks andworkflows, he told TechNewsWorld.

Its interesting to note that AI is also being utilized through morecomplex applications, such as utilizing AI to make decisions regardingcases, added Botbol. These use cases will be adopted more slowly asthere are significant concerns about due process, biases, etc.

AI Court Reporting

Supporters of AI technology in the courts point to how it can helpcourt reporters do their job better.

Today, most court reporting firms reject work since they dont havethe necessary workforce to handle it all, explained Botbol.

AI is helping to fill the gaps that the retiring court reporters andthe legacy court reporter market have left, he noted.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

At the same time, lawyers want to receive materials quickly, andtoday depositions are getting delayed because of the shortage in themarket  with some areas reaching more than 35 percent, Botbol added.

AI, along with automatic speech recognition (ASR), allows forproceedings to be recorded and processed in a timelier manner.

There is a backlog of cases that need to be transcribed, yet withAI-based ASR tools these transcripts can be processed at fasterturnaround times, said Botbol. Instead of relying on courttranscriptionists, the courts have multiple court reporting agenciesthat they can assign the work out to in order to clear their backlogand work more efficiently.

Judge and/or Jury

No one is expecting that AI will fill the role of judge or jury at least not in the legal system of the United States. However, AIcould help ensure that the accused in criminal cases truly aregranted the right to a speedy trial, while also addressing the backlogsin the civil courts.

In the future, AI will not only serve as an add-on, but will alsohelp to streamline trials by removing delays, which will lead tosmarter and faster decisions being made, said Tony Sirna, legalspecialist at Verbit.

Applications of AI are being studied and piloted for a number of usecases, he told TechNewsWorld.

These include not only sentencing and risk assessment such as COMPAS,but also settlement of disputes.

Online Dispute Resolution is another aspect where we may seeautomated adjudication of small civil cases, noted Sirna.

AI could help the parties reach an equitable settlement in civil cases.

Mining extensive amounts of related court cases and decisions willcome into play, with parties submitting their cases and using AIcombined with data mining for settlement options or fairadjudication, noted Sirna.

AI Rights

Another consideration that likely will come up is how AI will be treated by the courts. Can AI be an expert witness, for example? If so, how will AI need to be treatedby the courts? Will AI need to be granted some form of rights?

AI likely wont need rights, but it will need control, and a teamthat manages the innovation in each court, said Sirna.

The aspect of rights related to AI poses interesting legalquestions: Who is responsible for the AI? Is the AI algorithm fair orbiased? At what point does the AI make its own decisions? Who isliable for results or decisions rendered by algorithms  the user, thedesigner, or the court? pondered Sirna.

However, many of these questions likely wont need to be addressedanytime soon  nor will AI have the power to pass judgment.

Our judicial system is by no means early adopters, but for goodcause, said Safko.

Rendering a just verdict and sentence is paramount, and we have to besure that the defendants and plaintiffs are properly represented andthat their information is protected, he said. This is why doctorsinsist on still using fax machines over email, which can easily behacked.

Automated Recommendations

AI could have a place in the courtroom, but perhaps only to aid the humanlawyers, judge, court reporters and jury. AI shouldnt replace any ofthose humans, but aid them in doing their job.

Once a technology has proven itself to be reliable and show a time orcost savings, it has been and will be adopted, suggested Safko.

AI is not a perfect science  it is still programmed by humans, andnot every set of data perfectly matches the predetermined rulesprogrammed into the application, he warned.

However, with the increasing pressure on court dockets, any time or cost saving measures need to be considered. It is important too, to consider how AI then could affect peoples lives.

Every automated recommendation should be reviewed by a qualifiedjudge to verify the outcome. Then their recommendation needs to be fedback into that system to allow it to become more proficient atrendering appropriate decisions, said Safko.

We cant risk peoples lives on automated apps that save money, he noted.

Even the Chief Justice of our Supreme Court, John Roberts, isconcerned about how AI is affecting the U.S. legal system, Safkoexplained. When asked about AI in our legal system, he said its aday thats here, and its putting a significant strain on how thejudiciary goes about doing things.'
- The NSE said it halted operations at 2:38pm on Friday, March 13, due to the massive dislocation in stocks that plunged by 5% forcing the NSE equity trading rules to kick in

- The NSE market capitalisation threatened to fall below the KSh 2 trillion mark as it dwindled to KSh 2.04 trillion from a close of KSh 2.2 trillion on Thursday, March 12

- On the other hand, the NSE 20 share index nosedived by 112 points to 2124.78 points from the previous close of 2236.81 points

- The halt was the first to be witnessed since the 2017 nullification of President Uhuru Kenyatta's election by the Supreme Court

The Kenyan stock market just like many others across the globe has been rattled after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the country.

Investors at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) lost KSh 119.6 billion in value on Friday, March 13, hours after Health CS Mutahi Kagwe confirmed presence of the dreaded pandemic in the country.

READ ALSO: Dont panic, coronavirus will be mild and moderate  MTRH CEO Wilson Aruasa

The NSE experienced the first temporarily halt to trading in more than two years since the 2017 nullification ofUhuru's election. Photo: Citizen TV.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Coronavirus in Kenya: SDA church advises older members to worship at home

In a statement, the NSE said it halted operations at 2:38pm on Friday, March 13, due to the massive dislocation in stocks that plunged by 5% forcing the NSE equity trading rules to kick in.

"The NSE wishes to notify market participants, investors, key stakeholders, and the general public that trading at the NSE was halted on Friday, March 13, at 2:38pm as per the provisions of rule 9.4.1 of (II) of the NSE trading equity rules," part of the statement read.

The rules provides that when the NSE 20 share index decreases by more than 5% at the opening session compared to its closing value or during the continuous session, compared to its opening value, the exchange may temporarily halt trading for not more than 30 minutes.

The NSE market capitalisation threatened to fall below the KSh 2 trillion mark as it dwindled to KSh 2.04 trillion from a close of KSh 2.2 trillion on Thursday, March 12.

A file photo of NSE CEO Geoffrey Odundo. Photo: The Standard.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Sharlet Mariam akimezea mate kiti cha ubunge cha Msambweni

On the other hand, the NSE 20 share index nosedived by 112 points to 2124.78 points from the previous close of 2236.81 points.

The halt was the first to be witnessed since the 2017 nullification of President Uhuru Kenyatta's election by the Supreme Court.

The biggest loser of the day was the East African Breweries Ltd whose shares fell by by 9.6% to close at KSh 185.

Others were Equity, NCBA and KCB whose stock price shed off 7.1% and seven percentage points respectively to close the interrupted session at KSh .41.90, KSh 29.95 and KSh 42.65 respectively.

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

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"Participating in this challenge has allowed our group to collaborate in Artificial Intelligence projects with clinical groups of the Comunidad Valenciana," stated Alberto Albiol, tenured professor at UPV and member of the iTEAM group. "This has opened opportunities for us to apply the Machine Learning techniques, as they are proposed in the article," he added.For example, the work carried out by Valencian researchers is being carried out in Artemisa, the new computing platform for Artificial Intelligence at the Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular funded by the European Union and the Generalitat Valenciana within the FEDER operating program of the Comunitat Valenciana for 2014-2020 for the acquisition of R+D+i infrastructures and equipment."Designing strategies to reduce operating costs of health care is one of the objectives of sustainably applying Artificial Intelligence," pointed out Francisco Albiol, researcher of the IFIC and participant in the study. "The challenges cover from the algorithm part to jointly designing evidence-based strategies along with the medical sector. Artificial Intelligence applied at a large scale is one of the most promising technologies to make health care sustainable," he noted.The goal of the Digital Mammography (DM) DREAM Challenge is to involve a broad international scientific community (over 1,200 researchers from around the world) to evaluate whether or not Artificial Intelligence algorithms can be equal to or improve the interpretations of the mammograms carried out by radiologists."This DREAM Challenge allowed carrying out a rigorous and adequate evaluation of dozens of advanced deep learning algorithms in two independent databases," explained Justin Guinney, vice president of Computational Oncology at Sage Bionetworks and president of DREAM Challenges.A half million fewer mammograms per year in the USLed by IBM Research, Sage Bionetworks and Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute, the Digital Mammography DREAM Challenge concluded that, no algorithm by itself surpassed the radiologists, a combination of methods added to the evaluations of experts improved the accuracy of the exams. Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPW) and the Karolinska Institute (KI) of Sweden provided hundreds of thousands of unidentified mammograms and clinical data."Our study suggests that a combination of algorithms of Artificial Intelligence and the interpretations of the radiologists could result in a half million women per year not having to undergo unnecessary diagnostic tests in the United States alone," stated Gustavo Stolovitzky, the director of the IBM program dedicated to Translational Systems Biology and Nanotechnology in the Thomas J. Watson Research Center and founder of DREAM Challenges.To guarantee the privacy of data and prevent the participants from downloading mammograms with sensitive data, the organizers of the study applied a working system from the model to the data. In the system, participants sent their algorithms to the organizers, who developed a system that applied them directly to the data."This focus on sharing data is particularly innovative and essential for preserving the privacy of the data," ensured Diana Buist, of the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. "In addition, the inclusion of data from different countries, with different practices for carrying out mammograms, indicates important translational differences in the way in which Artificial Intelligence can be used on different populations."Mammograms are the most used diagnostic technique for the early detection of breast cancer. Though this detection tool is commonly effective, mammograms must be evaluated and interpreted by a radiologist, who uses their human visual perception to identify signs of cancer.Thus, it is estimated that there are 10% false positives in the 40 million women who undergo scheduled mammograms each year in the United States.Source: Eurekalert
Phoebe Burgess has been embracing life as a single mum since splitting with her NRL star husband Sam Burgess in October last year.

But there are times the 30-year-old admits that she wonders what could have been, she told this week's Stellar magazine.

The former journalist says she now sees the future for her daughter Poppy, three, and son Billy, 15 months, rather diffidently.

Honest: Phoebe Burgess (pictured) has been embracing life as a single mum since splitting with her NRL star husband Sam Burgess. But there are times the 30-year-old admits she wonders what could have been, she told this week's Stellar magazine

She tearfully told the magazine: 'I had an idea about how I wanted them to grow up and that's not going to happen now.

'But I'm adjusting and I embrace being their mum every day. And if that's being a single mum, then I'll embrace that as well.

'I'm just trying to... make sure they're surrounded by love, regardless of how that family looks.'

On trend: The fashion-loving former WAG appears in a quirky photo shoot in the magazine

Phoebe went on to tell magazine that she is completely dedicated to her children.

'I don't have the luxury of falling apart or breaking down or booking a ticket and leaving. I have two children who depend on me day in, day out,' she said.

The blonde added that she has 'a lot more resilience' than she realised and added that hopefully, 'it will get easier as time goes on.'

Phoebe and Sam were married in a lavish ceremony at her parents' home in Bowral, in the New South Wales Southern Highlands in December 2015.

Changes: The former journalist says she has seen the future for her daughter Poppy, three, and son Billy, 15 months, rather diffidently. All pictured

She tearfully told the magazine: 'I had an idea about how I wanted them to grow up and that's not going to happen now. But I'm adjusting and I embrace being their mum every day. And if that's being a single mum, then I'll embrace that as well'

Phoebe went on to tell magazine that she is completely dedicated to her children: 'I don't have the luxury of falling apart or breaking down or booking a ticket and leaving. I have two children who depend on me day in, day out,' she said

The couple split in October last year after four years of marriage.

They had initially separated in December 2018 - shortly after the birth of their son, Billy - but reconciled in April.

Since splitting, Phoebe had been staying at her parents' country home in Bowral, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.

The former Rabbitohs captain was allegedly involved in an incident with his father-in-law, Mitch Hooke, at the businessman's country home on October 19.

Back then: Phoebe and Sam (left) were married in a lavish ceremony at her parents' home in Bowral, in the New South Wales Southern Highlands in December 2015

Over: Phoebe and Sam split in October last year after four years of marriage

On and off: They had initially separated in December 2018 - shortly after the birth of their son, Billy (pictured) - but reconciled in April

The sportsman had visited the property to spend time with his children when Phoebe was not present, but was asked to leave by Mr Hooke, 63, following an alleged altercation during which police were called.

At the time, police took out a temporary AVO on behalf of Mr Hooke, which was upheld by a court the following month.

While the AVO is in place, Sam is not able to go within one kilometre of his father-in-law nor any place he works.

Making headlines: Sam was allegedly involved in an incident with his father-in-law, Mitch Hooke (left), at Phoebe's family home near Bowral on October 19

Scandal: Also in December, Sam was forced to deny he was dating American waitress Oak Schuetz, 27, (pictured) after they met at Sydney bar Establishment

Also in December, Sam was forced to deny he was dating American waitress Oak Schuetz, 27, after they met at Sydney bar Establishment.

Oak, who is from Seattle and works at O-Bar And Dining in the CBD, told the Daily Telegraph that she and father-of-two Sam are dating.

She said: 'I'm going to take a chance on him. Maybe it's just a fling. I hope it's not, but it's fun right now. We're dating for sure - it's exciting'.

She later appeared to walk back the comments the pair were 'dating' each other shortly after and the pair have not been seen together since.

Strong: The blonde told Stellar that she has 'a lot more resilience' than she realised and added hopefully, 'I'm sure it will get easier as time goes on' Pictured in 2017
Experts studying the effects of climate change on the spread of disease are watching COVID-19 and the response to the pandemic very closely.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (669 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Experts studying the effects of climate change on the spread of disease are watching COVID-19 and the response to the pandemic very closely.

"Environmental changes, including climate change, are drivers of the emergence of new diseases," said Nicholas Ogden, director of public health risk sciences at the National Microbiology Laboratory.

He emphasized there is currently no evidence supporting the idea COVID-19 arose as a result of climate change. Much the way it is difficult to pin the cause of any single extreme weather event to climate change, so too is the struggle with the spread of individual diseases and illnesses.

However, the general trend is that more unknown diseases will pop up as the world warms.

In relation to COVID-19 and other new illnesses, this means that while the pathogen existed prior to the infection of a human, a changing environment allows for it to adapt and become more prevalent in the new conditions and, consequently, potentially become more available to jump from animal carriers to people.

"Climatic and other environmental changes, such as loss of biodiversity, can change the environment of pathogens, which mean they evolve, and they may evolve into something which is more infectious to us," Ogden said in a phone interview from Montreal.

"They evolve, just by happenstance, to being more transmittable to humans. And then, as weve discovered in our infinitely interconnected world now, once its set off, it sets off across the world. COVID-19 is an extremely effective example of that."

But Manitobans need not look far for examples of other diseases that are  and have  spread as a result of climate change. Lyme disease was constrained to one small area of Ontario until the early to mid-2000s when Canada witnessed the proliferation of the black-legged tick across the country, along with the bacteria they carry that causes Lyme disease.

The expansion of the black-legged ticks range has been linked directly to a warming climate.

Lyme disease is one example of what are known as vector-borne diseases  which are human illnesses transmitted by a living organism either from other humans or from animals. Vectors are often bloodsucking organisms, which also include mosquitoes.

Canada is particularly susceptible to the changes in the spread of vector-borne diseases since it is warming at twice the global rate. This means Canada could possibly become home to ailments that have never existed here before, including exotic mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever or the Zika virus.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Its easier to track how vector-borne diseases are linked to climate change because researchers can track how the vectors  the ticks or mosquitoes, for example  expand in the range hospitable to them as things such as temperature and precipitation change.

Take the Asian tiger mosquito, as an example. It was previously not seen further north than Pennsylvania, but in 2017 was found in southern Ontario by officials in Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. The Asian tiger mosquito is a notorious carrier of Zika, dengue and malaria.

"Its still at relatively low densities, we think, and its unlikely well get sustained transmission, but we cant rule out the possibility that wherever that mosquito moves in we could have occasional transmission," Ogden said.

Even diseases that spread through food are likely to become more prevalent.

Of course, as with any predictions or forecasting associated with climate change, how significant the impact is depends entirely on how successfully the world manages to lower emissions from greenhouse gases produced by human activity.

sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.ca
Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said Covid-19 is an illness that knows no borders as administrations on either side of the border follow different strategies.

He was speaking ahead of a North-South meeting on the outbreak in Co Armagh with political leaders and health ministers.

Mr Varadkar said: This virus knows no borders, no nationality. It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island.

Speaking in Armagh ahead of a special North-South Covid-19 meeting, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Covid-19 is a virus that knows no borders.



It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island. pic.twitter.com/MnjWfVZEnk  Aine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) March 14, 2020

There are more than 100 cases of Covid-19 on the island of Ireland but differences have emerged as schools in the Republic have closed and public gatherings have been curtailed.

Northern Irelands administration has not introduced the same measures, although Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said schools should be shut.

Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

Mr Weir was responding after the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, wrote to urge him to consider closing schools.

On Friday, the first cases of community transmission of Covid-19 were detected in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Ms ONeill said closures should happen immediately, but DUP First Minister Arlene Foster insisted the evidence from UK health authorities makes clear it is not the right time for the measure.

Mr Weir said: I respect the position of the archbishop, particularly given the pastoral responsibilities he has on both sides of the border, and appreciate the sincere good intentions of his letter.

I have a clear duty of care to the education of children of Northern Ireland, and above all to the public health of all our citizens.

In discharging these duties in the current extremely difficult and fluid circumstances, I will follow the science and professional advice to support the right interventions, which will have the greatest impact, at the right time.

Consequently, I accept and support the guidance of the Chief Medical Officer, Public Health Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies (Sage) that now is not the right time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

I will seek to make contact with the archbishop to explain and discuss the matter directly.

Meeting Taoiseach, Taniste and health ministers across this island today. We need one plan and we require decisive action to protect people across this island now.  Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) March 14, 2020

Ahead of the meeting, Ms ONeill said: We need to see decisive action. This has been described as a global pandemic that we have never saw or witnessed before.

People are very anxious, they are very fearful and they want leadership and guidance.

The political divisions have to be healed, we need a joined-up approach. We have to be level-headed and calm and give people reassurance.
The modern grocery store is a miracle, one that in normal times we take entirely for granted.

We accept as an article of faith that we can go to our local Loblaws or Safeway and an astonishing array of goods from around the world will be there for our enjoyment, at any time of the year and at prices that by historical standards are astonishingly low.

These, however, are far from normal times. The coronavirus crisis sweeping the globe has turned things upside down in a matter of days, and you dont have to look further than that local grocery store to see how quickly the assumptions behind it can be shaken.

Suddenly we see grocery shelves stripped bare of essentials and many non-essentials as well. Across Canada and in many other countries gripped by the fear of COVID-19, panicky shoppers are piling their carts with canned goods, pasta and, of course, toilet paper.

This creates a classic self-fulfilling prophecy. The simple fear of scarcity creates scarcity. Even those who would prefer to resist panic find themselves rushing out to stock up  just in case. Who wants to be the well-meaning sucker who waited until it was too late?

The fact is there is no real shortage. Take toilet paper, the one product the potential loss of which seems to spark the most irrational fears.

The heads of the Canadian companies that actually produce most of our toilet tissue, Kruger Products and J.D. Irving, assure us that there is no shortage.

Their factories are working flat-out to cope with the spike in demand, and they promise theyll catch up soon, possibly within days.

So calm down. Take a deep breath. Heed the official advice to put in some extra supplies but dont overdo it. Realize that a collective freak-out will only make a difficult situation worse.

In that regard, a special place in hell must be reserved for those few who are deliberately profiteering from the fears raised by coronavirus.

Take, for example, the case of Manny Ranga and Violeta Perez, a Vancouver couple who boasted this past week that they are raking it in by buying up all the Lysol wipes and liquid cleaners they can find and then re-selling them, mostly on Amazon.

They snap up packages of wipes for $20 at local Costco outlets, then sell them for four times that amount online. They say theyre making tens of thousands of dollars this way. Were hustlers, Perez proudly told the Star.

This is shameful, and it ought to be illegal. Japan passed rules outlawing such behaviour with safety masks because of coronavirus fears, and Ottawa should find ways to ban this kind of outrageous profiteering.

Its happening online, too, with such products as hand sanitizer, which is being flogged on Amazon for as much as $180 a bottle (normal price around $8). Amazon, to its credit, is trying to stamp out such practices on its site.

Our economy depends on an intricate web of commercial relationships to produce the abundance that we enjoy. All that bounty doesnt just appear in the grocery store by magic; it takes a global network of producers and suppliers that comes together in ways that are both invisible and vital.

Another kind of network is key to our prosperity  a web of social relationships underpinned by trust. We rely implicitly on our fellow citizens to act decently. Force and the law are there only as a last resort.

Panic buying strains that trust. And it aggravates the very situation that those scouring the shelves want to avoid  shortages.

Profiteering is much worse. It risks shredding the social trust vital to good functioning of our society, and it should be punished severely.
RTHK: New Zealand, Saudi unveil new travel restrictions

International air travel was grinding to halt as New Zealand and Saudi Arabia announced new measures to restrict visitors as governments across the world scrambled to prevent outbreak of the coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia said it would suspend international flights for two weeks starting from Sunday while neighbouring United Arab Emirates ordered the elderly to stay home.

In Wellington, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said announced that all international visitors to New Zealand must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival from Sunday.

Ardern said the "unprecedented and far-reaching" measure would come into effect from midnight Sunday and affect all inbound travellers except those from Pacific island nations.

She said remote New Zealand had been relatively unscathed by coronavirus so far, with six confirmed cases and no fatalities, but the evidence showed the numbers would inevitably rise in the face of a global pandemic.

"But the scale of how many cases we get and how fast we get them is something we should do as much as we can to slow," she told reporters.

She said New Zealand had also told cruise ships not to visit the country until at least June 30, while New Zealanders were being advised to avoid all non-essential travel overseas.

New Zealand has already cancelled several major events, including a memorial planned Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings in which 51 people died.

Pacific island nations have not yet recorded any confirmed cases of Covid-19, with the exception of French Polynesia, where one person has tested positive.

Air New Zealand said it was reviewing the impact of the measures announced Saturday "and will adjust its capacity accordingly". (AFP, AP)

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
If this debut by 21-year-old Lyreacrompane native Lorraine Nash is a sign of things to come, then we are witnessing the birth of a very special career.

Last Friday marked saw the release of Lorraine's single called 'Wildflower' and it is the first track on an upcoming EP of the same name which is set to be launched in April.

For Lorraine, it marks the next chapter in a musical story that started way back when she was seven years old when she first started performing.

Since these very early days, she has excelled as a musician and a songwriter, taking to new instruments like a duck to water and can now boast being a talented pianist, guitar, harp, flute and violin player amongst her talents - she briefly flirted with learning the harp but joked that it was too heavy to keep up!

Speaking to The Kerryman last Thursday, the day before the release, Lorraine was feeling cautiously confident that the song would be well received by the public.

"I'm excited for people to hear it. Even the reaction prior to the launch has been good. The reactions from the radio stations that I've sent it into has been quite positive so it will be good to see how the public feel about it," said Lorraine.

Speaking about the her music and how wildflower came about, Lorraine explained the meaning behind 'Wildflower'.

"With a lot of my songs, it kind of starts with a line. With this one, I started with the chorus and I sat with it for a while and then the rest of it came easier," she said.

"The whole metaphor behind it is like a wildflower is like a feeling that you have, that you can't really do much about it when you start feeling something" she said, talking about the meaning behind the song.

The song is described online as one that "sets an enigmatic tone for what is to come. 'Wildflower' is a beautifully languid and relaxed piece and as impressive a debut track as you are likely to hear this year," reads the blurb.

"Lorraine's vocal emanates from soulful place, somewhere between Tracy Chapman and Gillian Welch, and is perfectly suited to a musical palate that evokes Americana and folk tones," it continues.

'Wildflower' was released last Friday and it is available to listen to on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music or Amazon - watch the music video on Lorraine's 'Lorraine Nash Music' Facebook page.

As talk turns to Lorraine's journey as a musician, I was surprised to learn that she admits that her family was not really all that musical growing up and that she really bucked the trend with her abilities.

"Not really which is weird, I think I'm just like the entire family band in a way," she laughed.

"I kind of just like started trad lessons when I was young and then I started to really enjoy learning all these different instruments," she continued.

Lorraine's full EP, also called 'Wildflower' will be officially launched in Coughlan's in Cork on April 16 at 9pm, tickets for which are currently on sale now from Coughlan's website for just 7.50.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 01:25:47|Editor: yan

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DAKAR, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese president Macky Sall announced on Saturday to ban all public events on Senegalese territory for a period of 30 days as a measure to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the West African country.

Schools, from primary to universities, will also be shut down from March 16 on for three weeks, Sall said, after a presidential emergency council on the novel coronavirus convened at his presidential palace.

After consulting with the Health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, other members of the government and members of the epidemic management committee, President Sall also demanded the strengthening of systematic health checks at all borders, and temporary suspension of all cruise docking.

Also, the the celebration of Senegal's 60th anniversary of independence is cancelled. Instead of the traditional April 4 parade, Macky Sall announced a possible simple military ceremony, instead of the traditional April 4 parade, will take place at the presidential palace.

Most of Senegal's COVID-19 cases are reported from Touba, the second most populous city in the country. All 16 cases declared positive resulted from the contamination of the fifth confirmed case, a Senegalese emigrant recently returned on March 6 from Italy to Touba via Dakar.

Senegal is the most affected country in West Africa with a total of 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Two of them have been declared, by the health ministry, cured and discharged from hospital.
The country's borders will stay open to the movement of goods.

Poland has declared a state of "epidemic emergency" and will temporarily close its borders to non-citizens from Sunday as it ramps up efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the country's prime minister announced on Friday evening.

Polish citizens returning from abroad will be placed under a 14-day quarantine after crossing the border, while pubs and clubs will be shut, shopping malls will have trade restricted, and public gatherings of more than 50 people will be banned, Radio Poland wrote.

"With the security of the Polish people in mind, we will introduce full controls at all our borders initially for 10 days, with a possible extension to 20 days and then by another month," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

International passenger air and rail connections will be suspended from Sunday.

Read alsoCoronavirus update: Ukraine to suspend all air travel March 17

But charter flights will be allowed in so that Poles abroad can return home, public broadcaster Polish Radio reported.

Foreigners with residence permits in Poland will also be allowed to enter, officials said.

The country's borders will stay open to the movement of goods. Poles heading home from abroad by car will be subjected to strict checks.

"There will be very rigorous border procedures in order to keep the possibility of a person ill with the coronavirus appearing [here] to an absolute minimum," Morawiecki said.

In another move to contain the spread of the virus, the government has decided to limit the operations of shopping malls and close all pubs, clubs and casinos, Morawiecki also said.

Restaurants and bars will only be allowed to deliver take-away food, Polish Radio reported.

Public gatherings of more than 50 people will be banned from Saturday, Morawiecki told a news conference in Warsaw.

Sixty-eight people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Poland, with two deaths from the illness so far.

The first case of coronavirus infection was reported in the country last week.

The government on Wednesday announced that all schools, universities, nurseries, cinemas, theatres and museums would be closed as Poland stepped up efforts to contain the new SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Computer security software major Kaspersky has warned against two new Android malware modifications which together can steal cookies collected by the browser and app of popular social networking sites and then allow the thieves to discreetly gain control of the victim's account in order to send various ill-intentioned content.

Cookies are small pieces of data collected by websites to track users' activity online in an effort to create personalised experiences in the future. While they're often perceived as a harmless nuisance, they can, in the wrong hands, pose a security risk.

That's because, when websites store these cookies, they use a unique session ID that identifies the user in the future without requiring a password or login. Once in possession of a user's ID, tricksters can fool the websites into thinking they are in fact the victim and take control of the latter's account.

And that's exactly what these cookie thieves did by developing Trojans with similar coding controlled by the same command and control (C & C) server.

The first Trojan acquires root rights on the victim's device, which allows the thieves to transfer Facebook's cookies to their own servers.

However, oftentimes, simply having the ID number isn't enough to take control of another's account. Some websites have security measures in place that prevents suspicious log-in attempts, say, for example, a user previously active in Chicago attempts to log-in from Bali just a few minutes later.

That's where the second Trojan comes in. This malicious app can run a proxy server on a victim's device to bypass security measures, gaining access without arising suspicion. From there, the criminals can pose as the victim and take control of their social networking account to distribute undesirable content.

While the ultimate aim of the cookie thieves remains unknown, a page uncovered on the same C & C server could provide a hint: the page advertises services for distributing spam on social networks and messengers. In other words, the thieves may be looking for account access as a way to launch widespread spam and phishing attacks.

"By combining two attacks, the cookie thieves have discovered a way to gain control over their victims' account without arising suspicions. While this is a relatively new threat -- so far, only about 1,000 individuals have been targeted -- that number is growing and will most likely continue to do so, particularly since it's so hard for websites to detect," said malware analyst Igor Golovin.

"Even though we typically don't pay attention to cookies when we're surfing the web, they're still another means of processing our personal information, and anytime data about us is collected online, we need to pay attention," Golovin added.

Here's how you can save yourself from becoming a victim of cookie theft, according to Kaspersky experts:

- Block third-party cookie access on your phone's web browser and only let your data be saved until you quit the browser

- Periodically clear your cookies

- Use a reliable security solution that includes a private browsing feature, which prevents websites from collecting information about your activity online.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- The Spanish flu, also known as 1918 Pandemic was a viral disease strikingly similar to COVID-19 and nearly wiped the entire planet

- It killed over 50 million people, which is far more than those who died during the First World War

- Many people had to dig graves for their own family members due to the massive nature of the 1918 Influenza

In 1918, a strain of influenza known as Spanish flu caused a global pandemic, spreading rapidly and killing indiscriminately.

Young, old, sick and otherwise-healthy people all became infected, and every single country in the world was affected massively including people on isolated Islands.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 10 telltale signs and symptoms one could be infected with COVID-19

The most striking part of the Influenza story is how similar it is to COVID-19.

Source: Getty Images

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Government bans public servants from making non-essential foreign trips

At the peak of the disease, according to Live Science, one in every three people in the entire world was affected and the number of people who died was 50 million.

Having infected a third of the world's population, this was 10 million more than the number of people who died during the First World War (WW1).

The flu took a heavy human toll, wiping out entire families and leaving countless widows and orphans in its wake.

READ ALSO: Gertrude's Hospital to retain 13-year-old boy's body until family clears bill

Funeral parlours were overwhelmed as numerous bodies were always piled up.

It is reported that many people had to dig graves for their own family members due to the massive nature of the 1918 Influenza.

Although it is called the Spanish flu, it is not known explicitly where the virus came from and it spread worldwide during the last months of WW1 in 1918 and 1919 killing millions.

However, in 2014, a new theory about the origins of the virus suggested that it first emerged in China, National Geographic reported.

READ ALSO: Nairobi family looking for their 4-year-old autistic son who disappeared mysteriously

Humphries explains that in one count of 25,000 Chinese labourers in 1918, some 3,000 ended their Canadian journey in medical quarantine.

Source: Getty Images

Previously undiscovered records linked the flu to the transportation of Chinese labourers, the Chinese Labour Corps, across Canada in 1917 and 1918.

The labourers were mostly farm workers from remote parts of rural China, according to Mark Humphries' book The Last Plague

They spent six days in sealed train containers as they were transported across the country before continuing to France.

Humphries explains that in one count of 25,000 Chinese labourers in 1918, some 3,000 ended their Canadian journey in medical quarantine.

READ ALSO: Family affair: South Sudan president Salva Kiir names Riek Machar's wife as defence minister

By the time the labourers arrived in northern France in early 1918, many were sick, and hundreds were soon dying.

Source: Getty Images

At the time, because of racial stereotypes, their illness was blamed on "Chinese laziness" and Canadian doctors did not take the workers' symptoms seriously.

By the time the labourers arrived in northern France in early 1918, many were sick, and hundreds were soon dying.

Perhaps, the most striking part of the Influenza story is how similar it is to COVID-19.

First of all, scientists were baffled by the nature of the virus as it had never been seen before.

READ ALSO: Nairobi woman narrates how she persevered four years of abusive marriage for the sake of her kids

All attempts to put the pandemic to an end proved futile as nobody was able to develop any vaccine.

Also, it spread from country to country very rapidly just like coronavirus is currently doing.

In addition, the methods that were heavily employed to control the Influenza were isolation, good personal hygiene, and limitations of public gatherings just like COVID-19 is being controlled.

Also, the virus affected people through the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs, causing many to experience fever, nausea, aches and sore throat.

READ ALSO: I wish to sleep on a mattress before I die - Old woman

The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history and it ended just as mysteriously as it started.

With no one able to control the pandemic, it was literally left to kill as many people as it could until it was 'tired' and just disappeared from every country all over the world.

Similarities between the horror outbreak of the Spanish Flu more than a century ago and the coronavirus could offer hope on how exactly todays killer virus will be ended.

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

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The Government of Ukraine has instructed the Ministry of Infrastructure, together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to ensure the urgent evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the zone of outbreak of acute respiratory illness COVID-19 coronavirus in Italy, the website of the Cabinet of Ministers reported.

At an extraordinary meeting on March 14, the Cabinet of Ministers also discussed the procedure for the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens. "In particular, the State Customs Service will have to quickly arrange for the cargo of crew members and passengers of the aircraft, which will carry out the evacuation," the message said.

The State Border Guard Service must ensure first priority control over crossing the state border.
Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie decided Friday that it was time to bring city leaders together to metaphorically synchronize their watches regarding the fast-spreading coronavirus.

Representatives from the city of Port Arthur and its health department, the ports of Port Arthur and Sabine Pass, four education institutions and the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce gathered for a roundtable discussion on the same afternoon that Jefferson County Judge issued a countywide emergency declaration for dealing with the threat from the potentially fatal COVID-19 strain.

No cases have been verified in the county, but the number is growing statewide. Galveston County announced its first presumptive positive test on Friday.

Barties meeting was the first local, publicized meeting of so many officials across the spectrum to discuss coronavirus response plans.

Related: Emergency order cancels fair, NHF continues

The mayor said hed been referring questions and members of the media to Public Health Director Judith Smith for about two weeks. The two decided Friday morning it was time the city came together to officially put out a unified message.

Were blessed because we dont have any cases, today, the 13th of March. Whos to say by the 14th or the 15th or the 16th what would happen, Bartie said. If the inevitable happens and weve got to make some decisions, I want us all to, again, be on one accord.

County Commissioner Michael Shane Sinegal, who represents the Port Arthur area on the countys governing agency, cautioned against saying the county doesnt have any cases, as slow testing means the county hasnt gotten much information about its residents.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Bartie started the meeting with a clear statement of purpose: That leaders must stay unified, pay special attention to the most vulnerable members of the community and set a tone that shows officials will do whatever they can to limit any spread of the coronavirus.

He then went around the room, allowing each representative to give more information about precautions their organizations are taking and other leaders or members of the media to ask questions.

Educators discussed how they make decisions on whether to close schools and when they should issue public updates. Ports officials talked about precautions theyre taking with employees and explained how theyre not at as high of a risk as cruise and other high-trafficked ports. The health department folks listed early symptoms of the virus, explained the testing process and assured attendees that should the city have a laboratory-confirmed case, the health department would be notified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allowing them to put out a clear statement regarding the condition.

Related: Coronavirus makes its mark despite lack of local outbreak

What I want is to make sure we have a workable plan and weve thought about all the different situations that maybe could occur, Bartie said.

At this time, the city is in a slowdown, as opposed to a shutdown, largely because the county has not yet seen a confirmed case of coronavirus.

However, Fridays conversation seemed to revolve more around when than if.

Smith said as a part of that, the health department has been meeting with health-care providers to get on the same page when it comes to prevention. The city has put information about stopping the spread on its website and Facebook page in addition to sending the same information out to local churches in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

We did also make the suggestion based on what the CDC is saying: If youre 65 or older  or immuno-compromised  at this point, you avoid mass gatherings, she said.

Related: SETX stores respond to increased demand from coronavirus

However, Bartie said he wouldnt be against shutting the whole city down should a Jefferson County outbreak grow to a high-enough level.

He also updated meeting attendees about government responses to the emergency, including the implementation of the Stafford Act. That means billions of dollars have been made available to help government agencies and individuals who have or will suffer financial hardship as a result of the virus.

Sinegal said $40 billion will be available for that relief, which will be managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Anybody whos dealt with FEMA, you know it can be five or 10 years, he said.

But its that experience dealing with disasters and their aftermath that Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce Financial/Administrative Manager Joe Tant said residents should take comfort in.

Unfortunately, we know FEMA very, very well, he said. This city, this county knows how to handle a disaster and an emergency.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
PHILIPSBURG(DCOMM):--- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that there will be interruption to the traffic flow on Charity Drive Cul de Sac on Monday, March 16 until March 23.



The government will install a secondary sewage line approximately sixty meters onto Charity Drive that connects to the main sewer line on L.B Scot Road.



The project will start on Monday, March 16 until March 23. The installation of the sewer line will take approximately one week.



The Department would like to point out that, vehicular traffic will not be accessible during the execution of the works and therefore is urging residents to look for an alternative parking space during execution of the works.



Residents will have the opportunity to get in and out of Charity Drive before 9:00am on Monday March 16.

Motorists are requested to be vigilant and observant for the traffic directional signs.



Notice to the public and all motorists, tampering and/or removing barricades or any of government properties is punishable by law.



Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
Because of the Chinese supply interruption in Covid-19, Vietnams enterprises have tried to import materials from Japan and South Korea. But the two countries have also been suffering from the epidemic.

Director of the Vietnam Industry Agency Truong Thanh Hoai said Covid-19 has hit Vietnams industries hard. Most enterprises in textile and garment and footwear only have materials enough to maintain production until the end of March or early April.





A report showed that in 2019, Vietnam imported $40 billion worth of electronic parts, of which 42 percent was from South Korea and 34 percent from China. Electronics manufacturers said they only have materials for production until mid-March.



Electromechanical engineering id the biggest sufferer. Do Phuoc Tong, chair of Duy Khanh Engineering, said while garment and footwear producers can seek new material suppliers from domestic sources, mechanical engineering enterprises cannot.

Covid-19 not only brings challenges, but also opportunities. The enterprises which provide components and accessories can boost sales at this moment as Chinese supplies have been interrupted.

Covid-19 not only brings challenges, but also opportunities. The enterprises which provide components and accessories can boost sales at this moment as Chinese supplies have been interrupted.

However, the production cost in Vietnam is higher than in China, which makes products in large quantities.



It is very risky to make investments to manufacture components and accessories without support from the State, Tong said.



The supply interruption from China has forced Vietnams enterprises to seek new supply sources from South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. However, the epidemic has begun escalating in South Korea and Japan. So, Taiwan is the safest choice.



The lack of input materials is the problem of not only Vietnams enterprises, but enterprises all over the world as well. So, we have to compete with the whole world, he explained.



Also according to Tong, it always takes time, several months at least, to find new supply sources.



More worryingly, most steel and aluminum materials for Vietnams engineering enterprises need to be imported from China. His Duy Khanh Company does not import products from China, but its material suppliers import products from China.



The textile and garment industry has also suffered from the Chinese supply cut. Eighty percent of fabric needed is from imports, and 50 percent of which is from China, 18 percent from South Korea and 15 percent from Taiwan, according to a study by the HCM City Food Industry University.



According to Le Dang Doanh, a respected economist, many garment companies will run out of materials at month end.



Tran Thi Giang Thuy, vice president of Thai Binh, which runs a baby diaper factory in Cuba, commented that in the textile and garment industry, it is not easy to escape reliance on China.

Thanh Mai

EVFTA brings opportunities to escape reliance on Chinese market The next-generation FTA with the EU is believed to pave the way for Vietnam to diversify export markets and ease reliance on China.
NEW ORLEANS, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors of pending deadlines in the following securities class action lawsuits:



Opera Limited (OPRA)

Class Period: 7/27/2018 - 1/15/2020, or American Depository Shares issued either in or after the July 2018 Initial Public Offering.

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 24, 2020

SECURITIES FRAUD, MISLEADING PROSPECTUS

To learn more, visit https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-opera-limited-securities-litigation

Westpac Banking Corporation (WBK)

Class Period: 11/11/2015 - 11/19/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 30, 2020

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-westpac-banking-corporation-american-depositary-shares-securities-litigation

Sasol Limited (SSL)

Class Period: 3/10/2015 - 1/13/2020

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 6, 2020

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-sasol-limited-american-depositary-shares-securities-litigation

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. (SPR)

Class Period: 10/31/2019 - 1/29/2020

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 10, 2020

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-spirit-aerosystems-holdings-inc-securities-litigation-1

If you purchased shares of the above companies and would like to discuss your legal rights and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact us toll-free (844) 367-9658 or visit the case links above.

If you wish to serve as a Lead Plaintiff in the class action, you must petition the Court on or before the Lead Plaintiff Motion deadline.

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ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.
While he may play a character known for roughing up the bad guys on Blue Bloods, Donnie Wahlberg admitted he was making 'the best of a tough time' on a late night shoot in Brooklyn.

The 50-year-old founding member of New Kids on the Block urged his followers to 'stay safe' on his Instagram Story, after returning home from filming his hit series on Thursday.

Despite NBCUniversal shutting down production on 35 shows, including Law & Order SVU, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Chicago Fire, over coronavirus concerns, the hit CBS show is still filming.

Action-packed evening: Donnie Wahlberg urged his followers to 'stay safe' on his Instagram Story, after returning home from filming his hit series on Thursday in Brooklyn

The committed actor appeared particularly enthused in a number of scenes, which included dragging a masked man out of a car window with his bare hands.

As he wrestled the man from the backseat in an action-packed moment, Wahlberg looked lost in the moment, as he stepped around the shattered glass around him.

In a funny shot, the proud dad, who shares two sons Xavier, 27, and Elijah, 18 with his ex Kimberly Fey and is a stepfather to wife Jenny McCarthy's 17-year-old Evan Asher, could be seen throwing his hands up and wooing.

Aggressive: His Blue Bloods character, Danny Reagan, is known for roughing up the bad guys

Still filming: Having premiered in 2010, the well-known cop series has been a major success for CBS, which is currently airing its tenth season

The scuffle appeared to end with his character Detective Danny Reagan cuffing the suspect against a car.

After successfully taking down the criminal, he kept a collected demeanor and walked around the television set in a leather jacket and dark-wash denim jeans.

Having premiered in 2010, the well-known cop series has been a major success for the network, which is currently airing its tenth season.

Tough guy: As he wrestled the man from the backseat in an action-packed moment, Wahlberg looked lost in the moment, as he stepped around the shattered glass around him

Always a performer: Wahlberg first shot to fame in a Boston-based boy band, which broke up in 1994, which reunited for an Eighties reunion tour last May

The show focuses on a multi-generational family, all of whom work in some branch of New York's law enforcement.

Tom Selleck, Bridget Moynahan, Len Cariou, Will Estes, Amy Carlson, and Sami Gayle co-star with Donnie on the series.

Wahlberg first shot to fame in a Boston-based boy band, which broke up in 1994, which reunited for an Eighties reunion tour last May.
The first level screening of



teas for the The 16th edition of The Golden Leaf India Awards (TGLIA) was held on Saturday in Coonoor in Nilgiris District.

The competition has received 132 entries from 41 Estates/Companies from different agro-climatic regions of Nilgiris, Wayanad, Anaimalais, Travancore, High Ranges, other minor tea growing regions and from Bough Leaf Factories.

Southern Tea Competition (TGLIA) conceived by United Planters of Association of Southern India (UPASI) in collaboration with Tea Board of India is an annual feature and the competition has helped immensely showcase the quality teas of various regions of South India the world over.

This event generated an intense competition among the six tea growing regions to produce quality teas, TGLIA Organising Commitee Convener Arun Kumar said in a statement.

A seven-member panel representing leading packeteers and brokers evaluated the teas that had entered the competition.

The process of selecting the best teas from various agro-climatic regions is based on a multi-layer screening process using a scoring system that capture the various quality attributes of tea such as dry leaf appearance, infused or spent leaf appearance, liquor attributes such as colour, taste lavour, briskness and strength in an objective manner.

The teas qualifying for the first level of screening will also be screened for pesticide residue parameters and heavy metals in the NABL accredited laboratory of UPASI Tea Research Foundation.

The special auction for TGLIA Competition teas will be held on March 31, coinciding with the 14th sale of Tea Trade Association of Cochin, according to the statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Two more coronavirus cases have been detected in Kazakhstan thus bringing the overall number of cases to six, Spokesman for Kazakhstan's Healthcare Ministry Dias Akhmetsharip said, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry.

Akhmetsharip said that one case of coronavirus infection has been detected in a 62-year-old passenger who arrived in Kazakhstans Almaty from Moscow on March 10, 2020.

Another case detected in a woman who arrived in Nur-Sultan via Warsaw  Nur-Sultan flight.

Thus, the overall number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan has reached 6 cases: two in Nur-Sultan and four in Almaty.

On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 4,700. Over 128,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 68,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects. In mild cases, according to the Chinese authorities, treatment takes about a week, in severe cases - two or more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
With the globalized world going into partial or complete lock down over the Covid-19 pandemic, startups in the travel sector are facing a huge stress test and immediate disruption to business as usual as public health concern spirals and entire populations are encouraged or even forced not to travel.

The traditional travel hub of Europe has emerged as a secondary hotspot for the virus, after SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in China late last year.

Italy, France and Spain have all reported thousands of cases apiece, with the latter declaring a state of high alert today. Earlier this week Italy -- the hardest hit EU country so far -- imposed nationwide travel restrictions, with confirmed cases passing 12,000 as of yesterday. Several other EU countries have also implemented varying quarantine measures. More lockdowns are expected in the coming weeks.

In a further development, US President Trump sent shockwaves through EU institutions earlier this week by unilaterally announcing a 30-day ban on travel from most countries in the bloc.

Today the European Commission came out with its own response -- laying out a $37BN package of measures intended to mitigate the socio-economic impact of Covid-19, including bringing forward 1BN out of the EU budget to act as a guarantee to the European Investment Fund to encourage banks to lend to SMEs in affected sectors.

"This is expected to mobilise 8BN of working capital financing and support at least 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses and small mid-cap companies in the EU," the Commission said, suggesting banks will be in a position to act on the liquidity injection from April 2020.

Of course travel startups with investor capital in the bank aren't waiting around to react to the coronavirus crisis. They're already ripping up 2020 roadmaps and thinking again -- swapping out marketing plans and doubling down on product and engineering, according to three businesses we spoke to.

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We asked three European travel startups how they're being impacted by the coronavirus crisis and what steps they're taking to manage a demand crunch combined with ongoing -- and potentially long term -- uncertainty in the sector.

Berlin-based GetYourGuide, which has built a marketplace selling sightseeing tours and other travel experiences, and last year bagged a $484M Series E round; Omio, another Berlin-based startup that's built a multi-modal travel aggregator and booking platform, backed by nearly $300M to-date; and Barcelona-based TravelPerk, a fast-growing business travel booking platform that's pulled in more than $130M in VC funding as it shakes up a legacy space.

'Demand is dropping off a cliff'

All three told us they've seen a major drop in bookings combined with a rise in customer service demand as people with existing travel plans seek to get in touch to cancel or reschedule trips.

As of this week GetYourGuide said bookings for new experiences are down nearly 50% globally vs its demand forecasts for the past two weeks. While customer service enquiries have tripled in the past two weeks, and its global cancellation rate has ticked up by 20%.

Those that are still planning trips are doing so closer to home or with less advanced notice than normal -- with bookings made within three days of the start time up 15%.

"Its the biggest nuclear winter Ive ever seen in online travel," co-founder and CEO Johannes Reck told TechCrunch. "Everyone goes and prepares for Easter break and that is not at all happening. All of the European countries seem to be in lockdown.

"None of our Italian customers are booking, the German customers have degraded rapidly. France and Spain have recently followed. The UK has been more stable but seems to follow the same course now. And the US since [Trump announced the travel ban] as well... The US travel ban is now sealing it. So this will be a year of extreme turbulence of the travel market."

For Omio it's a similar story -- with bookings over the last two weeks down between 30-40% overall across all markets, according to founder and CEO Naren Shaam, and a big spike in demand for customer service as worried customers look to cancel trips.

"The whole company is actually stepping in to help customer service because we've seen a spike in cancellations," he said. "In general the impact is heavy. Demand is dropping off a cliff but its not as bad as we thought  but it is definitely heavy."

It's seeing similar changes in booking behavior. "Advanced booking has come down drastically," he noted. "But we see a spike in short term last minute trips when people feel comfortable on the region -- so thats gone up a lot."

TravelPerk told us it's currently dealing with a drop in business globally of around 50%. Though co-founder and CEO Avi Meir is braced for further drops if more of the West goes into lockdown forcing more companies to scrap business trips.

"You would expect that it dropped to zero but right now people are still travelling," he told us. "Everybody who can avoid traveling right now probably should and does but you have many people who just critically have to keep travelling -- so we see around 50% drop right now."

"Regionally of course as expected APACS has been the most affected in terms of our volumes  Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China down north of 95%. 100% depending on which day you're looking and what country youre looking at," he added. "China is actually starting to open up a little bit but at the peak we looked at 100%  nothing was being booked in terms of destination.

"In terms of the more core markets for us, Italy is 84% down right now... You also see significant impact in Belgium, Netherlands, Holland, Sweden.

"France, Spain and UK are down year-on-year but not significantly yet. In the Western part of the continent and the UK people are still traveling relatively more than other countries."

Demand for TravelPerk's customer support has also never been so busy, he also said.

"We actually are switching some of our sales team to customer support in the coming weeks just to support the volume of tickets," he noted. "Were very proud that our metrics are not declining -- meaning specifically service level; how fast we solve cases; our 'C-sats', customer satisfaction. The metrics we really care about. Are people happy and are we solving their cases fast?

"Were keeping them although, so far, the past weeks have been the busiest in customer support since we started the company via number of tickets."

TravelPerk has also seen radical changes to the usual booking window. "Most of the trips we see right now is somebody booking for tomorrow or for two days from now because they for know they can travel or have certainty they can travel," said Meir. "Which is unusual compared to normal times. In normal times people book 20-21 days ahead on average. So you have a huge decrease in the booking window."

While of its flagship products is actually seeing high demand in the current crisis situation, per Meir -- given it's designed to offer resilience against unforeseen changes to plans.

"We have this product, FlexiPerk, which allows the users to cancel or change for any reason and if they do they get at least 90% of the money back. FlexiPerk has been really, really on fire over the past few weeks  both in terms of users, those who are already on FlexiPerk and also new sign-ups which is actually driving a lot of our growth in terms of signs ups.

"It gives people the certainty -- or it reduces the uncertainty -- about the mid- term or long term future. So if you are planning a trip in September or in October its reasonable to expect to be able to travel but you dont really know. And FlexiPerk really plugs this gap because it allows you to book now for September knowing that if you have to change your plans you can do so without losing the money."

"Right now most of the airlines have changed their cancelation policies so we are able to get full refunds in many cases," he added.

All three European businesses said the changes in demand had hit extremely rapidly.

"Up until maybe 2-3 weeks ago we were still growing," Meir told us. "Because most of our travellers -- or at least the headquarters of the travellers -- are concentrated in Europe and North America so the impact was kind of delayed."

"Since were more a global business we already started noticing Chinese outbound dropping -- because we have an office in China  it hit us already around January, February. So we already saw that in our Chinese outbound dropping by 90+%," added Omio's Shaam.

GetYourGuide's Reck said it was also forewarned of the looming crunch via their Asian business.

"We had already seen a significant decline in our Asian business," he told us. "That was still so small and the overall growth in Europe and the US was so strong that it was negligible at that point in time -- but it gave us a glimpse."

Two of its investors, Japan-based Softbank and Singapore-based Temasek, also put GetYourGuide on early "red alert" over the novel coronavirus because other portfolio companies were suffering heavy impacts.

"We had two weeks to prepare which I guess put us ahead of the curve for most other US and European companies," said Reck. "Then when corona hit, at the end of February, weve seen a very rapid decline and now the current global travel demand is roughly 60% down from where it should be at this point in time so we are massively depressed."

The change is more marked for being set against "a tremendous start to the year" before the virus hit Europe -- Reck dubs it "the best time in history of the company" -- with January and February seeing it close to doubling business.

Rerouting resources in a travel crunch

So how are the three founders coping with a sudden revenue crunch combined with spiralling global uncertainty falling over their sector?

All three described being relatively well cushioned -- on account of recent financing.

"We are in an incredible position because weve raised this massive round last year and we havent spent a lot of it," said GetYourGuide's Reck. "Weve been very frugal with it. In the early months after the fund raise SoftBank was very angry with us that we were so disciplined and we werent investing more in growth. Now theyre, I think, very, very happy  the new role model for the portfolio.

"The good news is that as we come from a position of strength and we will survive and prevail for sure. Thats the positive news."

With plenty of capital still in the bank the team has been able to quickly redirect resources on servicing near-term customer needs during the travel crunch.

"The way were seeing this internally is with every major crisis comes major opportunity. At this point in time we believe there's incredible opportunity to make a real different for our customers, our suppliers and our ecosystem broadly," Reck added. "For instance, for customers we have pushed immediately after we saw the news coming full flexibility on bookings and cancelations.

"Customers can now cancel all of the experiences 24 hours in advance, no questions asked, for a refund. If you go under 24 hours you actually get a gift coupon so you can rebook of the full value in the future. And if youre affected by a lockdown you will get the full amount back no questions asked."

"Weve been doing mass cancellations for Italy. Were just doing it for France. Were doing it for the US because of the travel ban now. We refund our customers fully, no questions asked," he added.

Reck also said it's doing what it can to support suppliers who will also clearly be struggling from the same demand crunch.

"Wherever theres an opening where we see demand popping up again we make sure it gets as quickly as possible to our suppliers," he told us, saying its doubling down on its GetYourGuide Originals in-house short tours product. "We want to be a good partner. We dont go in now and start to negotiate on commission rates or anything like that."

Another area it's spending on right now is localization -- in order that it can support suppliers by being able to cater to demand cropping up off the beaten track.

"Were translating our offering into more languages," he noted. "Were making sure the offering itself has better terms for the customers in terms of cancelation policies and were educating the suppliers around that  and that will ultimately drive their bookings. So we are doing quite a bit in order to make sure that they survive and that they get the revenue through our platform that they deserve."

Zooming out, Reck told us he's taking "a really long term view" on travel.

"The travel landscape through this crisis will inevitably change," he predicted. "When the corona crisis is over online travel will look very different and just survival is going to be an incredible competitive advantage vs the rest. We believe that a lot of players will go bust. And we see that already as we speak so over the next couple of days youll see major layoffs, youll see restructurings, youll see people scramble."

"Thats what we always said when we raised the SoftBank round. Ironically I never knew that long term view would actually mean that we freeze down for a year... but if you look at online travel over the course of history and you look at the big dips -- like 9/11 was a massive dip and the following recession; the financial crisis was a massive dip -- you see overall travel is a long term trend. And I think if you look at a ten year timespan even this corona crisis will just be a small dip in a growth curve.

"So Im very long on travel over a longer period of time. And thats where were doubling down. So were rather taking the opportunity now to really focus on product and engineering  and thats something really liberating to me. Of not really having a 2020 budget anymore.

"The conversion gains on the margin wont matter. So we can really double down on significantly improving the product for our customer and that means giving a better search and discovery experience, more personalized, curating more GetYourGuide Originals with our suppliers... So that when we come out of this crisis we come out with a better technology product and a much better supply base."

"I think, as I said, just surviving will be a competitive advantage. Surviving with a better product and better supply will be magic -- and thats really what were betting on."

Omio, meanwhile, is also in a position to look beyond the current crisis in demand.

"We are lucky to be well funded and have raised a lot of capital," said Shaam. "Were lucky to have very long term investors when you think of Kinnevik and Temasek -- both of them.... almost like a mutual fund so basically long term capital."

Nonetheless, the business has responded to plunging demand by trimming variable costs -- while also viewing the demand crunch as an opportunity to rechannel investment into the core product.

"Were cutting all variable costs, managing the costs better, taking precautions -- using the crisis as an opportunity... fixing all the systems we could never invest in in scale because every month theres a metric to meet. And really then rearchitecting for scalability," he told us.

"Because the main thing is if you think of travel, human inherent desire to travel is never going to go down. Right now what were doing is bottling that in for 3-4 months but youve got to open the lid at some point  I hope -- and when that comes out the demand will grow even faster. And we want to be ready for that. So were using this, call it, crisis as an opportunity to really build scalability. All the underlying architecture, campaign structures, whatever data flows were not perfect before, product messaging etc.

"The cash position of course is something we have an eye on, as stewards of capital, but its more so that were also using this as an opportunity to really think long term and how we actually benefit."

Duty of care

As a crisis response, Shaam said Omio has put together three internal task forces to respond to immediate challenges -- one focused on supporting its customers; another on its own employees; and a third concentrating on business stability and figuring out where to invest and where to pull back during unusual times.

On the customer support side Omio's suppliers define cancellation policies so there's only so much it can do but Shaam said it's been putting out messaging to help users -- creating a spreadsheet of cancellation policies listing companies that give refunds and those that don't, and publishing updates on things like cancelled flights.

On the employee support side there's a mix of well-being and practical issues being tackled.

"How can we protect safety regulations? Trigger points. We have clear guidelines... today we triggered that we work from home for 15 days," he said. "How to protect mental health so nobody goes crazy sitting at home all day? Connectivity, all of that stuff. What if you have school shut down -- how do you balance children at home alone with working at the same time? All of this stuff.

"Theres a lot of practical questions that come up  like the design team need to take their chunky monitors home so they can actually design. All of these things are being tackled by that task force."

"As a startup you can actually bring these together very quickly," Shaam added. "Today we had a small team -- that team is now quite large, 10+ people going at all three workstreams. So let's see how we survive.

"Again, there's a lot of uncertainty but I feel that the best thing I can do is bring stability, bring confidence into the organization."

TravelPerk's Meir said the business is also most focused on responding to immediate challenges and needs -- including keeping up with the demand it's seeing.

Even though bookings are down new sign ups are up, he told us.

"The focus right now as an organization is really on the day by day  we need to make sure we keep providing the service," he said. "We keep actually selling and a lot of companies are signing up. Sign ups are actually dramatically up. People are signing up theyre just obviously not travelling so we have a lot of short term priorities that are extremely important.

"Maybe if we hadn't raised a C round last year  $100+ million  we would be in a different situation but right now we are fortunate to be in this position so we have to focus on short term priorities without knowing where its going to end."

The company is also using a moment of plunging sales to direct attention on product. And is hiring more engineers to be able to accelerate product dev -- including to build crisis response features.

"Im sure were not unique in the tech world but were actually investing more in the product. So we keep hiring -- we actually increased our hiring plan for product and engineering. And so far were not reducing our burn lets say but were shifting that towards really what matters for our customers.

"Were already ahead of the curve in product but this is a really good opportunity to keep pushing on our strengths and another one were doing is adjusting the business and the business model as well."

Meir gave the example of a premium concierge service which it's just decided to provide for free for all its users for the next three months. "Although its going to increase dramatically our costs in customer care its the right thing to do for our customers," he said of that particular coronavirus triggered business adjustment.

"You'll see some really cool stuff coming out," he added. "The product team, together with the commercial team is changing roadmaps. In a way we threw the roadmap of 2020 to the bin and we started working on a weekly basis."

Another example he gave is a new feature it's launched in partnership with medical and travel security company, International SoS, to help companies not only track where in the world their employees are but ensure they have the medical or other crisis expertise support available should the worst happen off-site.

"It's the best company in the world for duty of care," said Meir. "Its one of those topics that in normal times people dont really like to think about it -- but this is probably the highest request we were getting in the past 2-3 weeks from customers."

"We went from idea to releasing it in less than 5 days of work," he added. "So again reducing the risk, reducing the uncertainty piece. This is a thing that were going to do more and more as this situation evolves. If we have a request for a feature like 'duty of care' -- which makes tonnes of sense right now -- we're going to shift the roadmap and do more of these kind of things."

"This is a moment to be decisive and adaptable but also courageous and to invest in what makes TravelPerk stronger this year, next year and ten years," he added. "This doesnt change  we have great investors. We have a good cash position, great team. So we should keep hiring, we should keep investing in the product, we should keep investing in our service  so my biggest worry is that we [don't] act out of panic or out of confusion -- and thats something we should be aware of and not do. But Im happy to say that thats not the case."

As part of its own pro-active crisis response, TravelPerk has this week switched to 100% remote working -- a radical change for Meir, who has deliberately required presence from his staff up to now for workplace culture reasons.

"We don't do remote work. Its something thats one of these trendy things that we decided not to do yet for various reasons. We just think our culture is much stronger when people are physically in the same space and we switched from nobody does remote work to 100% remote," he told us.

"We thought that the government -- especially in Spain where most of our team is -- is not reacting fast enough and aggressively enough [to Covid-19]. This is really unfair for the elderly and those who have previous health conditions...So we decided to take action... And I was just amazed how fast we transitioned from a company that doesnt do remote to full on remote."

GetYourGuide has also gone fully remote. "We did that on Monday," said Reck. "Everyone called me crazy and now on Friday everyone wants to have our best practices playbook."

"The health and safety of our employees and most importantly of the community around us [is our biggest concern]," he added. "We are in constant contact with everyone -- to make sure people feel safe.

"They are now at home, they follow the news all the time. There's huge psychological pressure -- the travel market's going down, the stock markets going down -- so for me by biggest role is to keep that strong engagement and morale and that people don't feel threatened by the situation around them."

As it happens, Reck is a biochemist by education -- so likely one of relatively few founders in the travel space with hands-on lab experience of viruses. He's also braced for the longest 'nuclear winter' of business disruption of the three startups we spoke to.

"What we know about this virus is there is no immunity in the population  meaning that this will continue to spread," he said. "Every potential person is a host. And its very infectious and it seems to stick around quite a bit. And it puts a lot of stress on public health systems. So I personally anticipate there will be a very long lockdown in a lot of countries. And there will be only a very slow recovery. If youd ask me we might see some reopening of the travel landscape in summer but I think that will be far diminished from a typical season. Well only see a full recovery towards May, June, July 2021. I dont think it will be earlier than that."

"It will get worse," he added. "We know now its very likely there will be a lockdown [across the West]. My biggest wish for the next couple of weeks will be that employees continue to be healthy, safe and continue to be able to work and contribute like they've done."

Omio's Shaam is expecting at least several months of disruption to business as usual -- pointing to the lack of a swift and coordinated response from governments to implement quarantine measures.

"We need a system-wide [response] like China or Singapore has done beautifully to really prevent it and I don't believe thats going to happen so were bracing for 3-4 months impact," he told us.

"I just went out last night in Berlin with my wife for dinner and the restaurants are full, its crowded, the subways are full  full! Like not even 20% lower. Completely full. We had to make a reservation to get a table etc. So unless governments, in a very coordinated way, shut down borders for a period of 4-6 weeks so everybody goes into isolation in one go and everybody comes out  it's going to drip feed for a long time because people are acting in different points of time on their own means."

On the question of whether there will be a lasting impact on the travel market as the pandemic undoes global supply chains and routines, Shaam said again that's likely to depend on how co-ordinated or otherwise the response is.

"Theres a lot of fixed costs part of travel. So I think the answer to that largely depends on how co-ordinated and how quickly we can contain. If we all actually manage to come back in 3-4 months I think were in a good place because itll bounce back quite strongly. If its drip feeding, and it takes the wind out for a very long time, then there will be a different situation but I hope not."

In the meanwhile, with so many businesses getting au fait with virtual meetings and videoconferencing tools, the coronavirus crisis could also have a long term impact on demand for business travel -- if lots of companies realize quite how much can be done remotely.

On this element of the crisis, TravelPerk's Meir isn't concerned.

"Its an interesting theory," he said, deferring from hazarding a guess on whether it will come to pass or not. "It doesn't really matter for us as a company. Because companies spend $1.6TR a year on business travel. And its a market that is growing. Before this crisis predicted growth of 6 or 7% in 2020 -- which is huge compared to the size of the market. So even if were talking about 10-20%, lets say, at the edges this doesn't change the picture. You still will have a tonne of business travel when we come back out of it."

"If we zoom out a bit from this situation -- there is a trend for more sustainable approach to travel," Meir added. "So if so many things can turn into a Zoom call I don't think its a bad idea for the planet. And we will do well. Were not worried about a scenario like this."

Here TravelPerk isn't worried because the startup has another product for that: GreenPerk -- a carbon offset offering it launched earlier this month. It's been developed in partnership with non-profit Atmosfair, which works on decarbonization via UN-endorsed carbon mitigation projects.

"Many companies asked us to help them offset and reduce the impact that their travel generates and we thought that just reporting on what harm you do is not good enough. We wanted actually to make a difference," said Meir. "One of the projects that we chose is efficient cooking stoves in Rwanda."

GreenPerk uses an algorithm to calculate the carbon footprint of a given trip and then applies a per booking fee proportional to the pollution created -- with the fee going to fund the carbon offset project.

GreenPerk is an opt in product -- and Meir says it's already had "amazing traction", with more than 50 companies already signed up and using it.

"Its unfair for us -- people who live in very comfortable counties -- to ask people in Rwanda to stop cooking their food but if we can help them transition to efficient and also faster ways of cooking then we should definitely do that so the project funds efficient cooking stoves to replace the polluting ones."

"If the world after this crisis looks like we are conscious about how we travel -- when we do travel we try not to have an impact -- and if, sometimes, making Zoom calls are better than face to face I think its not a bad scenario for the world. And we as a travel company will adapt like we always have," he added. "It's more interesting to look at the long term implication -- rather than 'is it good for our quarter or not'."
Monica Horan Rosenthal (center) with her mother, Selma Horan (right), and actress Georgia Engel, who played her mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond," at the November 2017 dedication of the Arden Theatre's Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre. Rosenthal is on the Arden board and, along with her husband, Phil, who created "Raymond," is an honorary producer of "My General Tubman." Read more

Monica Horan Rosenthal would be the first to tell you that when it comes to being an honorary producer of My General Tubman at the Arden Theatre, the key word is honorary.

It really is another avenue of supporting the theater, said Rosenthal, an Arden board member, of the designation thats become another way for arts organizations to recognize their large donors.

But for the Delaware County-raised actress, known to millions as Amy MacDougall Barone of the 1996-2005 hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, helping to support the world premiere of Lorene Carys play about Underground Railroad icon Harriet Tubman was about more than writing a check to an organization shes given to for years.

Ive been obsessed with Harriet Tubman since I was a child. She was my childhood hero," said Rosenthal, whose husband, Phil, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and the producer and star of Netflixs food and travel show, Somebody Feed Phil, posted pictures on Facebook in 2016 of her joyful reaction to the news that Tubman was to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. (That change has been put on hold by the Trump administration.)

And Lorene, I mean, shes just such a Philadelphia treasure, she said of the playwright, whose process she was able to watch unfold, by seeing "the play at various stages, with readings and things like that.

 READ MORE: Dream team at Arden Theatre brings "My General Tubman" to stage.

Rosenthal, who grew up in Aldan and is an Archbishop Prendergast High School grad, said she was always interested in Tubmans spiritualism and the stories of her being clairvoyant, and that the way Cary incorporated those things into her story, which takes place in both Tubmans time and present day Philadelphia, fed into my Harriet fan girl thing.

Her prom date

Rosenthal lives in Los Angeles, but her ties to the Ardens leadership predate the theater, founded in 1988 by Terrence J. Nolen, Amy Murphy, and Aaron Posner.

She first met Murphy in the sixth or seventh grade. "We were in the Aldan Fourth of July parade together with our siblings.

She and Nolen, whos now married to Murphy, dated in high school and went to the prom together.

We met at [Upper Darby Performing Arts Centers] Summer Stage and started dating around the time that the two appeared together in Prendergasts production of Godspell, Nolen said. I went to Upper Darby High School, down the block, and was brought into play Jesus at the then all-girls school. (Prendergast has since merged with Monsignor Bonner.)

The two eventually went their separate ways, but remained friends, Nolen said, becoming closer in recent years as Rosenthal has spent more time in this area to be with her mother.

Its so funny because all these years later, when I finally reconnected with the Arden and with Terry, and I brought Phil, and Phil and Terry met, and  they completely hit it off, Rosenthal said. Watching them, she realized that she was drawn to the same personality when I was 16 as I was when I was 23," when she met her husband.

Both men are very creative, strong leaders, she said, adding that Nolen and Murphy are really a dynamic couple.

The Bob and Selma

The Arden lists the Rosenthal Family Foundation, which was founded by Phil and Monica in the wake of Raymonds success and funds a wide variety of arts and social justice programs, among its largest institutional sponsors. But the most personal expression of the couples support for the theater company carries the name the actress still uses professionally: Horan.

The 100-seat Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre  affectionately known as the Bob and Selma  is named for her mother and for her father, who died in 2009.

Transforming a space in the Ardens Hamilton Family Arts Center into a small theater had been part of a capital campaign, and "that was the last thing left on it. And I was like, I want to do that for my parents. And I wanted to call it the Bob and Selma, she said.

My parents did not have the opportunities that I had. They were not able to go to college to pursue their dreams. They were working-class people," said Rosenthal, who majored in theater performance at Hofstra. Her father, a printing press mechanic for much of his life, later worked as a clerk at the courthouse in Media where Rosenthals mother was a clerk in the register of wills office.

And most people, when kids say, I want to be an actor, are not jumping up and down," she said. "My parents jumped up and down. (The Rosenthals son, Ben, and daughter, Lily, are also actors, and they, too, have enthusiastic parents.)

It was her mother, who is living with Alzheimers, who helped bring her to the Arden, she said.

When my mom started not doing so well, she found herself flying home more often, and as her issues increased, I actually ended up producing a play, The Three Maries: A Philadelphia Phable, by Michael Ogborn, which premiered at the Prince Theater in December 2015.

And I just ended up going to the Arden a lot. ... It started becoming a lifeline. Because things were tough with my family situation, with my mom not being well, she said. What theater is supposed to do is help process your life, process the world around you, and it was really doing that, she said.

During an extended stay with her mother in the spring of 2017, she played Miss Cratchitt and Tessie Tura in Gypsy, the first time shed been directed by Nolen since shed been Miss Hannigan in Annie at Summer Stage.

Later that year, she brought her mother to see Kash Goins Seventy IV Seconds ... to judgment.

My mother was not doing so well. And it was getting clear that she was not going to be able to probably live alone much longer and we were having to figure out what to do. But she came to this play. And it was really heavy. It was about the shooting of a young black man  boy, really  and then the deliberations of the jury. And we were there for a [postshow discussion].  and my mother was just listening and it was going on a little long. And I didnt know if she was even really getting it," Rosenthal said.

But afterward, her mother ran up to Goins, and she threw her arms around him. And she said, This is a very important story to tell. And you are just the person to tell it. I burst into tears. It was just such a moment.  Like, she is still there, you know, she said.

And that is the power of theater.

The wake while shes awake'

Its an Alzheimers-y thing, but I called it the wake while shes awake, Rosenthal said of the November 2017 ribbon-cutting for the Bob and Selma, which became a Philadelphia reunion that included not only her mother and their extended family but neighbors from Magnolia Avenue in Glenolden, where the Horans lived until Monica was about 6, and others from her parents past.

Among those in attendance: actress Georgia Engel. The Mary Tyler Moore Show veteran, who died last April in Princeton, had a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond as Amys mother, Pat, a character Phil Rosenthal modeled after Selma Horan.

I thought that was an inspired piece of casting, because that kind of sweetness [Engel had] is something Selma has, too, said Nolen, who remembers from high school how much she loved the arts and how much she enjoyed Monicas adventures and Monicas friends.

It was Nolen, Rosenthal said, who sent her a copy of Carys memoir, Ladysitting: My Year with Nana at the End of Her Century, because my last three years had been all about elder care, between getting her mother settled in a community known for its care of patients with dementia, and spending time in New York helping to oversee the care of her mother-in-law, Helen Rosenthal  one inspiration for Raymonds Marie Barone  who died last fall.

Though Rosenthal has managed to squeeze in a few TV guest appearances, popping up last year in both The Bold and the Beautiful and FXs Better Things, her first love, theater, has for now taken a back seat to family commitments and to work with two foundations.

Her start in philanthropy, too, had a Delaware County connection.

About the time Everybody Loves Raymond launched, Kevin Kane, a Summer Stage veteran who was also a college friend of Phils, was looking for funding for a theater program he was starting for students in Los Angeles. Kane and the Rosenthals went on to found the Flourish Foundation  now Versa-Style  with the goal, she said, of not just exposing schoolchildren to the arts, but offering "the possibility of a life informed by the arts.

Listen, its a privileged place to be in  not everybody has Everybody Loves Raymond syndication [money]  that I can even afford to spend time ... working with the right people," Rosenthal said. "I call it the sacred ensemble, the people that really can get things done and actualize these ideas. .... The Arden is definitely part of that sacred ensemble, without question.
Stars In Their Eyes will reportedly return to TV screens this year, after Simon Cowell announced he was resting the X Factor for 2020.

ITV are said to be hoping the popular nineties talent show- which saw the public impersonate showbiz stars- will provide a ratings battle with Strictly Come Dancing.

The revived programmewas axed in 2006 due to low ratings but bosses reportedly think an all new celebrity judging panel will bring it back to life, according to The Sun.

Revamp: Stars In Their Eyes will reportedly return to TV screens this year, after Simon Cowell announced he was resting the X Factor for 2020

A TV insider told the publication: 'This show is a huge deal for ITV  its their offering to take on the BBCs Strictly Come Dancing in the ratings this autumn.

'There was a huge gap to fill after they found out The X Factor wouldnt be back and this series seems like the perfect solution.

'Its a new take on Stars In Their Eyes. Members of the public will get dolled up and sing their idols songs on stage, just like the old format.'

Rest: X Factor was hit by its lowest ever ratings when the Celebrity series aired its first live show last year and Simon decided to rest the show for a year to rethink the format

ITV declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.

Stars In Their Eyes remains one of Britain's most successful shows of all time, attracting around 13 million viewers for the live grand final at the end of each series.

The show has one of the most memorable catchphrases in TV history: 'Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be...'

Exciting: ITV are said to be hoping the popular nineties talent series, which saw the public impersonate showbiz stars, will provide a ratings battle with Strictly Come Dancing

Stars In Their Eyes: The singing contest involved members of the public impersonate celebrities (pictured contestant as Cher)

The show premiered on 21 July 1990 and ran until 23 December 2006.

It was originally presented by Leslie Crowther but Matthew Kelly, now 69, took over in May 1993, before he was replaced by Cat Deeley in 2004.

An Elvis Presley special hosted by Russ Abbot aired in January 1993, as well as 2003 specials hosted by Davina McCall.

X Factor was hit by its lowest ever ratings when the Celebrity series aired its first live show last year and Simon decided to rest the show for a year to rethink the format.

The ITV series recorded just 2.96 million viewers at one point, and by the last 15 minutes of the Celebrity special, just 2.99 million viewers were left.

Even with a 3.73 million peak, the ratings paled in comparison to the average viewing figures of 14.13 million that the show pulled in at its prime in 2010.
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Linkedin Melissa Heng and Clement Yong (The Straits Times/Asia News Network)  Sat, March 14, 2020 15:04 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9fa44 2 News Singapore-Airlines,travel,Changi,Airlines Free

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has cut more flights to China and Italy, with more cancellations to Europe set to come as the Republic announces new travel restrictions.

The move comes after SIA and SilkAir axed thousands of flights to countries such as India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand earlier.

The impact of the coronavirus on global travel can be seen at Changi Airport, which experienced a 32.8 percent decline in passenger movements last month, compared with the same period last year.

As of Monday, the available seat capacity at Changi Airport for March has also fallen by close to 30 percent of what was originally scheduled, said the Changi Airport Group (CAG).

An SIA spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that the cuts announced to date will result in a 15.6 percent reduction in capacity for both SIA and SilkAir.

In total, the SIA Group, which also comprises budget airline Scoot, has cut its capacity by 18.7 percent compared with what it had originally scheduled from February to the end of May.

Read also: Singapore Airlines chief, senior staff take pay cut as air travel demand drops

In a statement yesterday, CAG said the fall in passenger movement fits in with patterns recorded in every other region of the world last month, with the exception of Africa.

Given the perception that the coronavirus originated in Asia, South-east Asia and North-east Asia were the most impacted, with the number of people travelling in and out of China almost halving last month - the largest decrease among major markets in Asia.

Hong Kong also saw a 75 percent drop in passenger movement. The corresponding figure for South Korea is 46 percent, Taiwan 38 percent, and Thailand 33 percent.

Taken together with statistics recorded in January, passenger traffic in the first two months of the year at Changi Airport is 12.9 percent lower than in the same period last year.

Similarly, aircraft movements were 4.7 percent lower for January and February combined, compared with last year's figures.

There was however an increase in the amount of airfreight passing through Changi Airport, which CAG attributed to the "urgent fulfillment of backlogs after a prolonged factory shutdown in China and the extra leap-day year".

Decline in passenger movements at Changi Airport last month, compared with the same period last year.

CAG said it will continue to run various promotions to help its tenants, including the Trolls World Tour during the March school holidays.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
The Boris Johnson government has allowed the government of Maharashtra to continue to use a property in north-west London as a museum in memory of B R Ambedkar, who lived there while studying at the London School of Economics in the 1920s.

The house, 10 King Henrys Road in Camden, was bought by the Maharashtra government in September 2015 for 3.1 million and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015. Its use as a museum was later denied by the Camden council.

Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: I was pleased to grant planning permission for a museum in London to Dr Ambedkar  one of the founding fathers of modern India and an important figure to many British-Indians.

The decision came following a public inquiry on September 24 and October 11 last, when lawyers for the Maharashtra government argued in favour of continuing to use the property as a museum to Ambedkar.

The museum includes a statue, photo exhibition depicting his life and his books. It is managed by the Indian high commission on behalf of the Maharashtra government, and regularly attracts visitors from India and elsewhere.

A blue plaque placed by English Heritage outside the house mentions Ambedkar living there while studying at the LSE. He first visited LSE in 1916, returned in 1921 and submitted his doctoral thesis titled The Problem of the Rupee in March 1923.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged on Saturday that the BJP had created a situation in the country where elected MLAs were under pressure and horse-trading was being done openly.

To drive home his point, he said earlier, Congress MLAs from Maharashtra had to be shifted to Jaipur, party MLAs from Madhya Pradesh were currently here and now, the Gujarat lawmakers of the grand old party were coming to the state.

"It is a reflection of the situation created by the BJP that after Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, MLAs from Gujarat are coming here. The BJP has created an atmosphere of terror in the country," Gehlot told reporters outside a resort on the Jaipur-Delhi highway where the Madhya Pradesh MLAs have been lodged.

"Where is democracy in the country? Horse-trading is being done openly.

"Why do the MLAs from Gujarat want to come here...you can imagine... there is so much mental pressure. The entire country is watching this," the veteran Congress leader said.

Congress MPs and MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are staying in two resorts on the highway here since Wednesday amid a political crisis in their state and now, several party MLAs from Gujarat are also being shifted to Jaipur on Saturday night due to the fear of cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The father of a murdered Norwegian student has called for the suspected murderer, a billionaire tycoon's fugitive son, to return to the UK to face questioning.

Farouk Abdulhak, the son of a billionaire businessman, who is now aged 33, was quickly identified by the investigation team as a suspect for Martine Vik Magnussen's murder in London 12 years ago.

Martine's father, Odd Petter Magnussen, issued a stark warning to Abdulhak.

Father of Martine Vik Magnussen, Odd Petter Magnussen. 'In today's globalised world, you cannot hide for ever from the oldest and most serious crime known to man  the rape and murder of a woman,' he said

'In today's globalised world, you cannot hide for ever from the oldest and most serious crime known to man  the rape and murder of a woman,' he said, according to the Mirror.

'I appeal to you to return to the UK to assist the police in finding out what happened to Martine.

'I regard you as a coward unless you take responsibility for your actions.'

Detectives investigating the murder of a Norwegian student killed 12 years ago in London are also renewing their appeals for a suspect to return to the UK.

Abdulhak fled the UK within hours of Miss Vik Magnussen's death, travelling to Egypt and then on to Yemen.

Norwegian socialite, Miss Vik Magnussen

Norwegian socialite, Miss Vik Magnussen who was 23, was killed in central London after spending the night with friends on 14 March 2008.

On 16 March 2008, officers making enquiries to trace her visited the residential block where Abdulhak lived on Great Portland Street in Westminster, where they discovered her body at approximately 10:30 p.m. Attempts had been made to conceal her beneath rubble.

She was last seen with Abdulhak  son of billionaire sugar magnate Shaher Abdulhak  as the pair left the Maddox nightclub in Mayfair in the early hours of March 14.

The pair studied international business relations at the private Regent's Business School in Regent's Park.

She was last seen with Farouk Abdulhak (pictured)  son of billionaire sugar magnate Shaher Abdulhak  as the pair left the Maddox nightclub in Mayfair in the early hours of March 14

By the time 23-year-old Miss Vik Magnussen's remains were found, Abdulhak had fled to Egypt and on to Yemen.

A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as compression to the neck. She had also been raped.

Farouk Abdulhak remains the only suspect in the death of Miss Vik Magnussen.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Partridge who leads the investigation into Miss Vik Magnussen's murder said:

'Over the past 12 years, Martine's family and my investigation team have kept this case in the public's thoughts, raising it again and again with each passing anniversary. It must be clear to Farouk Abdulhak, the person sought in connection with Martine's murder, that this matter is not going to go away and that his status as a wanted man will remain.

'The dignity, resolve and courage shown by the Magnussen family over the past 12 years has been in stark contrast to the conduct of Abdulhak. He has chosen to flee, chosen to hide, hoping this matter would all go away  the actions of a coward.

CCTV footage dated 14/3/2008 issued by Metropolitan Police of Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen and billionaire playboy Farouk Abdulhak leaving Maddox nightclub in Mayfair

'It must be clear to him now, 12 years later, that the studies he embarked upon in the UK, the plans he was making for his future, can never be realised whilst this matter is unresolved. I would appeal for him to return to the UK to assist this investigation. I appeal for anyone who has contact with Abdulhak to make him see sense and to advise him to return to the UK. He can never have a normal life whilst remaining wanted and in hiding.'

Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8358 0300. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
MOSCOW, March 14 (Reuters) - The Russian government said on Saturday it was closing the country's land border with Poland and Norway to foreigners from midnight as a precautionary measure to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.

It said the closure would apply to all foreigners passing through those border points for tourism, study, work or private visits. Citizens of neighbouring Belarus and official delegations would be exempt, it said in a statement.

Russian authorities, who have already taken a slew of measures to cancel flights and trains, impose quarantine rules, and partially close Russia's long land border with China, said on Saturday they had registered 14 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. The country previously had 45 cases.

Nobody in Russia has yet died of the virus, they say. Some doctors have called the statistics into question however given what they say is the patchy nature of testing.

Russia's Finance Ministry said earlier on Saturday that coronavirus was having a bigger effect on the economy than a slump in global oil prices because it complicated transportation, tourism and trade.

It said Russia's budget deficit could now reach 0.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 on current oil prices.

The city of Moscow said earlier on Saturday it was making school attendance optional starting on Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

And Russia's Ministry of Education recommended that all regions temporarily switch to remote learning if they deemed it necessary. (Reporting by Polina Devitt Editing by Andrew Osborn)
MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS - Cumberland County first responders, friends and and family said good-bye to an everyday Pennsylvania hero Saturday.

They honored the life, service and last call of Jerome Scott Guise, a 34-year-old father of three who died in the line of duty while battling a house fire in Monroe Township March 9.

Guise, who spent his entire adult life as one of the bedrock volunteers with Citizens Fire Company here, was killed when the front porch of the home in the 1500 block of Boiling Springs Road collapsed on top of him while he was fighting the fire. A resident of the home, 36-year-old Jessica Diehl, died inside the home during the fire.

Guise was remembered by family and colleagues in services at Carlisle Free Evangelical Church just the way he lived his life: with short, to-the-point tributes that made their point, and then got on with it with the bare minimum of fuss, tears or sentimentality.

Its not that Guise wasnt beloved; he obviously was and this was a brutal way to say goodbye.

But his family chose to celebrate their shared legacy of service, and Jeromes get it done kind of mentality.

The point attendees heard Saturday, over and over again, was how proud Guises family and fellow firefighters were of his commitment to the community and the service that he gave, and, for many, their shared joy in serving with him.

The good Lord needed to fill an opening in heavens station, said Jeromes father, Randy Guise, speaking with his sons flag-draped casket resting on the floor in front of him.

And God? God chose Jerome for that job," he said. "His mother and I, we are now the proudest parents in this nation because our son? He runs in heavens station.

Tim Yingst, the Citizens chief who has worked alongside members of the Guise family for his entire firefighting career, said he knew Jerome as a fireman, a friend, and in the end, a hero.

He loved being a firefighter and protecting life and property in the community, and he lost his life doing that, Yingst said. Hes just been a large asset to our department and hes really going to be missed.

Guise, a live-in volunteer most recently at Citizens Boiling Springs station, worked a second shift in his job as a forklift driver at a local warehouse. That meant he was available to staff those daytime hours when volunteer ranks are often at their thinnest.

He also was a regular participant in the companys behind-the-scenes work, whether it was chairing the meat raffle or helping out at school fire prevention demonstrations, Yingst said.

Jerome was one of those guys who filled whatever role that was needed, becoming exactly the kind of person that state fire service officials say are so desperately needed in these days of increasing demands and thinning numbers.

Ivan Bretzman, a former chief of Citizens who has been running calls with one of the Guises for most of his life, offered this example: When Citizens merged with the neighboring South Middleton Township fire company several years ago, Jerome Guise moved from the Holly station to the Boiling Springs station to help make sure it was staffed.

The camaraderie and family feel of the volunteer fire community shone through brightly too, as it should for a guy who is part of the fourth generation in his family to answer these calls, and had personally been at it since he was 17 years old.

First, it was Randy Guise, expressing heartfelt thanks to the amassed firefighters for turning out Saturday, and providing a fraternal embrace that has held he and his wife Rebecca together all week. Theres no possible way in this world that I could thank everybody or show the gratitude that we feel for every single one of you, the elder Guise said as he opened his remarks.

Yingst, in his turn, paid that right back.

Weve all known the family a long time. Not that it makes it any easier for losing him, but, it just makes it easier knowing the family and that theyre supporting us the way they are, the chief said. "All the generations of the Guises have really done a lot for the department and the surrounding community as well.

This was the first death in the line of duty ever in Citizens history.

Its a terrible thing that happens, but I guess his time was up and he was doing what he liked to do as he died, said Bretzman.

Saturdays ceremony hit its emotional peak with the presentation of Guises fire helmet to his family, the traditional tolling of the station bell for Guise, and a last alarm broadcast over Cumberland Countys emergency dispatch system.

After 17 years of heroism, bravery and dedicated service, Firefighter Jerome Guise answered his final call and has gone to his eternal home... He will forever be in our hearts. Cumberland County headquarters clear.

The service was capped by a somber six-mile procession of emergency service companies from all over central Pennsylvania that cruised from the church through the village Boiling Springs and then into Mount Holly.

The route was marked by a variety of last tributes. They ranged from handmade signs posted with the message Thank You, Jerome, to the huge American flag hanging over Park Drive in South Middleton Township to, all along the way, the small knots of onlookers just standing vigil to pay their last respects to a local hero.

In a crazy bit of irony, the Guise family was serving in the public interest even as they celebrated Jeromes life: In these days of consistent messaging from state officials to practice social distancing and to call off events bringing together large crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic, attendance at the memorial service was limited to a hard 250.

It would have been easy to triple that: Something approaching 500 people viewed the services on a Facebook live post set up by the company, and dozens more watched on big screens set up at Citizens two stations.

Jerome would have appreciated the move, his uncle Lenard Guise said.

It takes a special person at three oclock in the morning when that siren goes off, to jump out of bed after youve worked all day to go hop on a fire engine to go fight fire, and/or save people. It takes a special person, and he had it in him."
Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.

Vice President Mike Pence announced Saturday that the U.S. would be expanding its preventive travel ban to the United Kingdom and Ireland effective at midnight Monday night.

A ban on foreign travelers coming from the European Union went into effect late Friday after a hasty and chaotic implementation meant to help authorities contain the spread of the coronavirus.

American citizens are not subject to the controversial bans. Pence, who is heading up the administrations coronavirus efforts, said Saturday that Americans who had visited areas affected by the virus are encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return.

Moments before, President Donald Trump told reporters that he was considering domestic travel restrictions but did not offer additional details. Pence later reiterated that the administration was considering a wide range of domestic options. Public health officials have repeatedly stressed that social distancing is crucial to helping prevent the health care system from being overloaded.

The coronavirus is already a grave public health danger in the U.S., with thousands of people infected and dozens of deaths  and the numbers are only going to increase as the virus spreads through communities. But at this point a travel ban does nothing to address the primary problem: a catastrophic lack of available testing.

Both the president and vice president have made varying claims about the availability of tests; Trump claimed Friday that a million tests would be available by early next week.

Late Friday night, White House and congressional leadership finally came to an agreement on a coronavirus relief bill to deal with the testing gap and some of the financial fallout many American families are facing amid the crisis.

Both Trump and Pence praised the coronavirus relief deal on Saturday, signaling they expected it to pass the Senate next...

Continue reading on HuffPost
Aaron Paul stars on the futuristic series Westworld.

However, the 40-year-old actor lives firmly in the past by rejecting modern technology.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, the former Breaking Bad star revealed he does not have a computer or smart phone.

No phones! Aaron Paul (pictured) stars on the futuristic series Westworld. However the 40-year-old actor lives firmly in the past, by rejecting modern technology, he told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday

'It's a blessing and a curse to have data control and data collection, but because of that, I haven't owned a computer in over 10 years,' he told the paper.

Aaron went on to reveal he owns a very basic Light Phone - retailing for around $350 USD, it's been toted as a 'credit card-sized dumb phone' which cannot store apps and only makes calls and texts.

'I'm considering going back to a flip phone, but in the meantime, the Light Phone makes calls, stores ten numbers, but there's no camera, no texting or emailing,' the American star explained.

Throwback: Aaron went on to reveal he owns a very basic Light Phone - retailing for around $350 USD, it's been toted as a 'credit card-sized dumb phone' which cannot store apps and only makes calls and texts. Pictured in 2020

Changes: 'I'm considering going back to a flip phone, but in the meantime, the Light Phone makes calls, stores ten numbers, but there's no camera, no texting or emailing,' the American star explained. Pictured in 2019

Chill: 'I haven't owned a computer in over 10 years,' he said. 'Honestly I feel like I've cracked a code... I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. I'm 100 per cent less anxious'

The actor reveals that shunning technology has made him feel calmer and increased his connections to his friends.

He also feels less 'suffocated' since he stopped watching the news, citing Donald Trump and coronavirus as particularly upsetting to him.

'Honestly I feel like I've cracked a code in a way, and I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. I'm 100 per cent less anxious... I have an honest connection, which is what we all used to have,' he said.

Exception: While Aaron shuns most technology he does use Instagram, and late last year posted photos from his lavish, 10-day long 40th birthday party in the Dominican Republic

Sticking to it: In an Instagram post, Aaron thanked everyone for the birthday wishes they sent him via phone, admitting that he didn't much have his phone with him

While Aaron shuns most technology he does use Instagram, and late last year posted photos from his lavish, 10-day long 40th birthday party in the Dominican Republic.

He stayed at The Ani Private Resort, which is a private cliff-top estate that is favorite among celebrities and costs it costs $25,000 USD per night.

'I love my friends. My family. My god. You know who you are. I just returned from the best birthday trip of my life and I have all of them to thank for that,' he wrote in a caption alongside a number of photos.

Nice digs: The Ani Private Resort in The Dominican Republic is a private cliff-top estate which is a favorite among celebrities and costs $25K-a-night

He closed by thanking everyone for the birthday wishes they sent him via phone, admitting that he didn't much have his phone with him.

'I had my phone locked away in my room for the entire trip and instead of my phone I had two Dos Hombres Mezcal Pina Colada's glued to my hands at all times. It was delightful,' Paul finished.

The actor was joined by his 32-year-old wife Lauren Paul and one-year-old daughter Story for the momentous occasion.

His 63-year-old Breaking Bad co-star Bryan Cranston also came along, in addition to close family and friends at the luxury property.

Watch every episode of Breaking Bad on Netflix, or on Stan in Australia.
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HARTFORD  Archbishop Leonard Blair has dispensed the obligation of attending Sunday Mass through March 29 for every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Hartford due to coronavirus concerns.

This dispensation is offered with the understanding that some will still wish to attend Mass, while others may be less willing out of fear for their own health or the health of others, Blair said in a statement Friday. That is a decision left to the individual, but with the caution that all the precautions of hygiene and social distancing should be followed, and that if someone is ill or having symptoms, out of charity they should not go to church.
The Kano chapter Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has urged the Federal Government to declare a five-year state of emergency in the education sector.

Recall that on Monday, the union embarked on a two-week warning strike to call the attention of the government to the decay in the educational sector in the country.

This statement was made on Friday by the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Mahmoud Lawan, at a press conference in Kano.

Also Read: Why We Embarked On Warning Strike: ASUU

The union also implored the government to allocate 26 percent of the federal and state governments budget to education to address the challenges bedevilling the sector.
London, March 14 : A newborn baby has reportedly been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in London, becoming the global pandemics youngest confirmed case, a media report said.

The child's mother was reportedly rushed to the North Middlesex Hospital in the borough of Enfield with suspected pneumonia days earlier, the Metro newspaper said in the report on Friday.

It is thought that she only learned of her diagnosis right after giving birth. The newborn was thought to have been tested within minutes of being born.

Doctors were now trying to establish how the baby caught the disease - either through the womb or during birth.

The mother was now being treated at a specialist facility while her child has been admitted in another hospital.

As of Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases in the UK were 798 with 10 fatalities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Manna on Main Street, which provides essential services to many in the North Penn area, released the following statement on Saturday from Executive Director Suzan Neiger Gould:

Thank you for all of your support of Manna on Main Street and of those we serve. Your support is critical as we continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19. Montgomery County has deemed Manna and other local pantries essential service organizations, and we will remain open. Over the course of the next two weeks, we will modify our services while we work to serve seniors, families with children and other vulnerable populations.

Starting Monday, March 16, the morning meal in Mannas Kitchen will transition to to-go meals only, while our evening meal will include an option for a sit down meal as well as a to-go option. Our weekend brunch will follow the same procedure as our evening meals. These methods will allow us to serve the community while also practicing social distancing to ensure the safety of our clients, volunteers, staff, and larger community.

Mannas Market will continue to operate regularly with both in-person and online shopping. In our current service model, we are able to ensure and control social distancing so we feel we are able to maintain our current service structure. Our Market currently serves the North Penn School District. However, for the foreseeable future, we will extend that and serve households in need with emergency food bags.

We will still be providing emergency financial assistance to households in need but will be conducting follow-up conversations by phone only in accordance with social distancing practices. In conjunction with Governor Wolfs call for the closures of schools in the county, our Common Grounds Food Service Training to Employment Program, as well as all other training and education programs, will be suspended for two weeks. The new training cohort that was set to start at the end of the month will receive a new start date. Common Grounds Cafe and Catering will be closed through March 29. If you have worked with Chef Lisa on a catering order, we ask that you reach out to her directly at catering@mannaonmain.org.

While we are making these changes to our service model, we still need the help of our dedicated volunteers. At this point, our existing volunteer schedule via Volgistics will remain in place. If you are scheduled over the next two weeks, please know that we look forward to seeing you. If you are unable to come in, we ask that you follow usual volunteer protocol and remove yourself from the calendar or email our Volunteer Director, Meg, directly at meg@mannaonmain.org. Our volunteers are vital to our program operations throughout the entire year but especially in these times of change and flexibility.

Many of you may be wondering how you can help households in need over the next two weeks and beyond. The answer is a simple and fast one-make a financial donation. The economic impact on nonprofits will be substantial and felt before long. Financial donations, while complying with social distancing and reducing risk of exposure, allow us to leverage our purchasing power to provide food for more individuals, including seniors and families with children, in the midst of County closures. Please consider a financial donation-no matter how big or small-to support those in need in our community. Donate online at https://mannaonmain.org/give-money/donate-now/.

In the days and weeks to come, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 and its impact in Montgomery County and beyond. We plan to reassess program alterations and suspensions, and we will continue to provide updates as necessary. Thank you for your continued support of Manna, especially during this uncertain time.
Today I am free I am free, Farooq Abdullah, the National Conference (NC) president, told waiting mediapersons from the terraced courtyard of his Gupkar Road residence on Friday shortly after he was released from his detention.

Abdullah, in a long black coat and his wife Molly and daughter Safia by his side, appeared calm even though he was talking to the media after over seven months of incarceration. The Jammu and Kashmir administrations order to revoke the Public Safety Act, under which he was held, came as a surprise to many.

As the mediapersons rushed to his house in the afternoon, both local residents and police personnel were caught unawares. We were not aware of the revocation of his detention order. Had we known it beforehand, we would have reached even before the mediapersons and not allowed them to come so close to the residence, said a police officer while pushing back the journalists to the other side of Gupkar Road.

Mediapersons waited for over an hour and half for the politician to show up as the NC flag white plough on a red background  fluttered in the cool breeze in the Abdullahs courtyard.

Local residents started to enquire about the fuss because of the commotion outside his residence. Some of the NC supporters also reached the spot as the news spread. I want to catch a glimpse of the leader. I have not seen him for the past many months, said Mohammad Hussain, an NC Halqa president from Srinagar.

The police whisked away two NC supporters as they appeared suspicious, but were released after a while.

Safia tweeted My father is a free man again, but kept waiting for the magistrate to open the seal on the locks, as her Twitter timeline got flooded with congratulatory messages.

Many locals were not enthused by his release. Whats the big deal? Has he even cared about the neighbourhood where he lives? asked an auto-rickshaw driver near his residence.

A young man was indifferent to the three-time chief minister and Lok Sabha members plight. Its better for him to shun politics. There is nothing for him to do now. He has been reduced to a pauper and everything is up to the lieutenant governor, he said on condition of anonymity.

Javaid Ahmad, a resident of north Kashmir, said that the release of Abdullah is no cause for celebrations in Kashmir. Will he be able to speak about the autonomy, which the NC has been talking about since 1953? We have seen many leaders, who only talk about statehood, he said.
Diocese of Springfield Bishop Thomas John Paprocki said Saturday that all Catholics within the diocese are dispensed from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass until further notice as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paprocki and the 129 parishes in the diocese said the faithful who are well are encouraged, but not obligated, during this time to continue to attend Mass.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that it would resist being dragged into a blame game over which country was responsible for the coronavirus pandemic and urged governments to move swiftly to deal with the situation instead of being "paralysed by the fear of failure".

As the number of cases being reported daily worldwide now exceeds the peak daily new infections reported by China at the height of its epidemic in February, the head of the UN agency's health emergencies programme, Michael Ryan, said a major worry was that "everyone is afraid of the consequences of error".

"The greatest error is not to move," Ryan said in media briefing. "The greatest error is to be paralysed by the fear of failure. And I think that's the single biggest lesson I've learned in Ebola responses in the past."

Also at the briefing, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that "Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic."

A woman in Naples waves an Italian flag on a balcony on Friday, the fourth day of a lockdown across all of Italy. Photo: Reuters alt=A woman in Naples waves an Italian flag on a balcony on Friday, the fourth day of a lockdown across all of Italy. Photo: Reuters

He said that as of early Friday, some 162,000 infections had been reported in 123 countries and territories, with more than 5,000 fatalities.

While China was the early focal point of the outbreak, infections have drastically slowed there and the disease is now gripping the European continent. Italy is the worst affected country after China, with 1,266 dead and 17,660 confirmed cases since the contagion first surfaced there on February 21.

He said the WHO's main message to countries was to continue to employ a multipronged approach to deal with the outbreak.

"You must take a comprehensive approach, not testing alone, not contact tracing alone, not quarantine alone, not social distancing alone. Do it all," Tedros said.

Story continues

"Any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks 'that won't happen to us' is making a deadly mistake," he added. "It can happen to any country."

He said the experience of countries now seeing a slower rate of new infections " China, South Korea and Singapore, among others " "clearly demonstrates that aggressive testing and contact tracing combined with social distancing measured measures and community mobilisation can prevent infections and save lives."

When Ryan was asked which country was faring well in its coronavirus response, he responded: "We are not seeking to identify those who do are doing poorly or doing well. We're trying to identify the best lessons we can all use the best way to move forward together."

"No one has done perfectly, and no one has made all the mistakes. We share all the errors together, so we will share failure in the same way we will share success," Ryan said.

His comments come as the US and China escalated their sparring over who was to blame for the pandemic. In a rare televised address from the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Donald Trump called the outbreak a "foreign virus".

Some of his allies, including Republican Senator Rick Scott and the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have referred to it as the "Chinese coronavirus" or the "Wuhan virus".

On the other side of the coin, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian left many baffled as he tweeted on Thursday with claims that it was the US military that brought the virus to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where a bulk of China's Covid-19 infections and deaths occurred.

In response, the US State Department summoned the Chinese ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai, on Friday over China's "blatant, global" disinformation campaign, Fox News reported.

Friday's briefing at the WHO's Geneva headquarters was the first held with no journalists present, as part of recommended social distancing measures.

WHO officials did not address Trump's latest 30-day travel ban on 26 European countries, which was announced on Wednesday night. Ryan said while each country must decide on the course of action to take to protect its population, "we've also consistently said that blanket travel measures in their own right will do nothing to protect an individual state".

"In fact, many countries who have outright travel bans early in this response, ended up importing cases anyway, and may have reacted later than they should have because they assumed travel restrictions would protect them," Ryan said.

Trump, under fire for his administration's languid response to the outbreak, declared a national emergency on Friday, freeing up money and waiving some regulations to deal with the outbreak.

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This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Valtteri Bottas says it is up to Mercedes to decide if the controversial steering system 'DAS' will be used in 2020.

The team headed to Australia intending to use the new push-pull steering feature, but Red Bull had been poised to lodge a protest before qualifying.

"It is up to the team to estimate the risk. We want to use it, but if it turns out that we do not, it would not be the end of the world for us," Bottas said.

The Finn was speaking before the race weekend was called off over the coronavirus crisis.

When asked directly if DAS would be on his car at Albert Park, he joked on Thursday: "At least before everyone protests and it is banned.

"Right now it's legal, it's on the car and we feel that it's good for us, so let's hope it stays."

(GMM)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The fear of the spreading coronavirus led to an unprecedented series of Saturday court hearings resulting in the release of dozens of inmates from the Cuyahoga County Jail.

Nine common pleas court judges held more than fifty hearings that led to 38 inmates being transferred out of jail and either sent to prison or released into the community on sentences of probation or time served. More judges expect to continue to ramp up the release of inmates at similar hearings scheduled for early Monday morning.

Setting up the courts first-ever Saturday hearings required numerous county agencies to dedicate dozens of assistant prosecutors and public defenders, defense attorneys, sheriffs deputies, probation officers and jail officials to staff the courthouse and the jail.

This was a Herculean task, Cuyahoga County Public Defender Mark Stanton said. To put all of that together in a matter of 36 hours is really unprecedented in this county.

The hearings, arranged within three days, demonstrated a sense of urgency to clear as much space in the countys jail to make room for potential quarantine areas in the event that an inmate tests positive for COVID-19.

We know that eventually that virus is going to hit our jail, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan Sheehan said. If that virus hits our jail, our jail will not be able to operate, and everything will be crippled.

Defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges took a hands-on approach evaluating dozens of cases in efforts to resolve criminal cases to get as many inmates out of jail as possible through plea deals and bond-reduction.

The hearings expedited the pre-trial process for some people facing criminal charges. Defense attorneys and prosecutors met to reach plea agreements for some defendants. Others requested bond hearings. At least one defendant entered a plea deal, then rejected it as he stood before the judge and declared his innocence.

One defense attorney carried an aerosol can of disinfectant spray and doused all the door handles in each courtroom before she touched them.

Sheehan, Stanton, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael OMalley and some of the judges who worked on Saturday praised the spirit of collaboration that went into Saturdays hearings.

Stanton said he hoped the hearings provide a foundation to keep as many people as possible out of the jail in the future, when there is not a public health crisis.

I hope that the public and the judges will see that the prosecutors office and the defense bar, along with the courts, can get together and see that justice is expeditiously achieved," Stanton said.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert McClelland presides over arraignment hearings on Saturday, the first time the court held Saturday arraignments, in an effort to move people out of the Cuyahoga County Jail over concerns about the coronavirus.

Arraignment room

Judge Robert McClelland presided over 25 arraignments and issued a dozen personal bonds. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Terese McKenna asked for high bonds in some cases, including those with defendants charged with raping children, domestic violence and shootings.

In a rare move, a woman arrested on a fifth-degree drug possession charge pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in the arraignment room, where judges usually issue defendants bond. McKenna and an assistant Cuyahoga County public defender told McClelland that they reached a deal and could resolve the case Saturday.

The woman told McClelland she was in therapy and alcoholics anonymous meetings and asked him to take it easy on her. McClelland accepted the plea and sentenced her to time served and declined to issue a fine.

You will be released today, McClelland told her.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan speaks to Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael Timms, left, and defense attorney John Luskin during Saturday court hearings.

Plea hearings

The inmates released Saturday included a man arrested after he failed to show for a court hearing because he didnt have enough money for a bus pass. Sheehan let him out on a personal bond.

Sheehan sentenced another man to time served after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft. That man told Sheehan that he stole a blank paycheck from his boss and wrote himself a $600 check because he was mad he didnt get a raise.

Judge Deena Calabrese sentenced a woman arrested for having a small amount of fentanyl to two years of probation and ordered her to complete drug-addiction treatment. Calabrese said it would have taken that woman weeks to settle her case on a normal court schedule.

She also took a plea deal from a man who has a mental illness who became homeless, stopped taking his medication and started using drugs. Police arrested him after he stole food from an Ohio City convenience store.

That man is set to be sentenced Tuesday, to give Calabrese enough time to set up mental health treatment and housing security program to accept him.

Defense attorney John Luskin speaks to a client during Saturday court hearings in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Some deals fall through

One hearing, in particular, highlighted the snags that the criminal justice system would leave people in amid a pandemic.

One man, a 25-year-old who arrested with drugs and a gun with a scratched-off serial number, stood before Sheehan in an orange jumpsuit with his hands cuffed behind his back, ready to plead guilty. His lawyer, John Luskin, and an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor reached a deal that would allow him to plead guilty to reduced charges and get a nine-month sentence to Lorain Correctional Institution.

But the man was also on probation to Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold for another conviction. She could still send him to prison for 11 months, even though she sentenced him to probation after his arrest on the charges that brought him into court on Saturday, Luskin said.

Saturdays plea deal would have wiped out the potential 11-month sentence. But at the last minute, the man said he wanted to plead not guilty. He had a drug problem, he said, but the weapons werent his.

Sheehan stopped the hearing and told the man it was his right to take his case to trial. Sheriffs deputies ushered him and Luskin back into a holding cell.

About three minutes later, deputies told Sheehan the man wanted to come back out and plead guilty. Sheehan said he wasnt going to allow someone who just said he was innocent to plead guilty.

Emergency situation or not, Im not going to force anyone to plead guilty to anything, Sheehan said.

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The government on Friday approved a scheme for reimbursement of taxes and duties, which were not refunded previously, to exporters with a view to give boost to the countrys dwindling outbound shipments.

A decision to approve the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

The reimbursement of taxes such as duty on power charges; VAT on fuel in transportation, farm sector, captive power generation; mandi tax; stamp duty on export documents; CGST and compensation cess on coal in power production; central excise duty on fuel used in transportation would make Indian products competitive in global markets, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in September last year had said this scheme will incentivise exporters at an estimated cost of Rs 50,000 crore to the exchequer.

These measures are compliant with the WTO (World Trade Organisation) norms. India is a member of WTO, which frames norms for global trade, since 1995.

Goyal also said sectors and products under RoDTEP scheme will be notified in a phased manner and the MEIS benefits for those sectors and items will be withdrawn. This scheme was announced by Sitharaman in her Budget speech on February 1.

Goyal said with the rolling out of this new scheme, the Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS) will be phased out.

It is proposed to digitally refund to exporters, duties and taxes levied at the Centre, State and local levels.

Goyal said duties/taxes/levies not refunded in any other scheme will be refunded under this new scheme, which will be rolled out soon by the Department of Revenue. The move assumes significance as a WTO dispute resolution panel has ruled that MEIS was not in compliance with the global trade norms.

Under the WTO rules, certain duties like state taxes on power, oil, water, and education cess are allowed to be refunded.

Further, the commerce minister said as India has graduated from the category of the least developed countries, it cannot give subsidies for exports.

So far, exporters have been getting refund under duty drawback and GST paid on raw materials or intermediates. The scheme, he said, will help in providing a level playing field to domestic exporters in the international markets.

The ministry will hold a detailed consultations with stakeholders concerned for inclusion of products, which would avail refund.

The Department of Revenue will priorities and soon fix RoDTEP rates for different goods/sector and will notify in a phased manner and accordingly MEIS will be rolled back for those items.

It will be given to exporters through transferable scrips. All the process will be online to minimise human interface, he said.

Stakeholders meeting will be held for fixing the rates. We will take data and see what all cost they bear, Goyal said adding We will use the next 6-8 months to talk to the industry, work out the input taxes which do not get refunded.

A monitoring and auditing mechanism will be put in place.The countrys exports contracted for a sixth month in a row by 1.66 per cent in January to USD 25.97 billion.

During April-January 2019-20, exports slipped 1.93 per cent to USD 265.26 billion, while imports declined 8.12 per cent to USD 398.53 billion, leaving a trade deficit of USD 133.27 billion. Undet thr scheme, a mechanism would be created for reimbursement of taxes/ duties/ levies, at the central, state and local level, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism, but which are incurred in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products. An official statement said that an inter-ministerial Committee will determine the rates and items for which the reimbursement of taxes and duties would be provided. Transferable duty credit/electronic scrip will be issued as part of refund to the exporters, which will be maintained in an electronic ledger. The refunds under the RoDTEP scheme would be a step towards zero-rating of exports, along with refunds such as Drawback and IGST, it said.

It added that at present, GST taxes and import/customs duties for inputs required to manufacture exported products are either exempted or refunded. However, certain taxes/duties/levies are outside GST, and are not refunded for exports. The sequence of introduction of the scheme across sectors, prioritization of the sectors to be covered, degree of benefit to be given on various items within the rates set by the Committee will be decided and notified by the Department of Commerce , it said.

The rebate would be claimed as a percentage of the Freight On Board (FOB) value of exports.

A monitoring and audit mechanism, with an Information Technology based Risk Management System (RMS), would be put in to physically verify the records of the exporters. As and when the rates under the RoDTEP Scheme are announced for a tariff line/ item, the MEIS benefits on such tariff line/item will be discontinued, it said.

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LABOR group Partido Manggagawa (PM) Saturday, March 14, called on the Philippine government to work on the repatriation of the more than 500 Filipino crew members of the Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been hit by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and is docked in San Francisco, California.

In a statement, PM chair Rene Magtubo said the Philippine government should already work on the evacuation and repatriation of the crew of the Grand Princess instead of allowing the plan of United States authorities to let them sail away with crew members still on board.

The decision by US authorities to quarantine the crew on the Grand Princess means allowing the ship to be a petri dish and putting at risk the health and life of 1,100 workers, said Magtubo.

We demand their evacuation and repatriation to the Philippines of the 529 Filipino crew, he added.

The labor leader said the mistakes that were committed with the Diamond Princess cruise ship, wherein both passengers and crew members were quarantined inside the ship by Japanese authorities, shouldnt be repeated.

Allowing 1,100 crew members to sail away aboard Grand Princess, he added, will also result to a similar spread of infection.

We demand that the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) make representation to the US authorities on behalf of the Filipino crew of the Grand Princess, said Magtubo.

Last Monday, the Covid-19-stricken cruise ship docked in Oakland, California to begin unloading its passengers and allow them to start the mandatory quarantine period on land.

After unloading all passengers, the Grand Princess is expected to leave the San Francisco Bay with its more than 1,000 crew members still onboard.

Data from the Department of Health shows that six Filipino crew members of the Grand Princess cruise ship have already tested positive of Covid-19. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
The Man Who Knows Everything has a plan for passing the time.

His big plan is for a National Hamping Day, which doesn't necessarily have to involve sex, but more about that later on.

We will let The Man Who Knows Everything (TMWKE) tell you most of the rest of the story, seeing as it's his plan.

Please note his views are not necessarily mine. I'm only the messenger.

He spends a lot of time home alone. Here's why.

TMWKE says that even though he is sometimes wrong, he still knows everything.

His ex-wife, he says, maintained she was always right and he used to call her The Woman Who Was Never Wrong.

It was inevitable then that they would split up. How could a man who knows everything and a woman who was never wrong live under the same roof?

All TMWKE had to do was to say "Yes, dear". but he had to argue with The Woman Who Was Never Wrongevery time. He used to call her The Pope for short. They were divorced after 37 years of marriage on grounds of incompatibility and infallibility.

There were a number of consequences, one of which was that TMWKE now lives alone and so has vast experience at passing the time.

TMWKE is now a one-man think tank.

Those of you in isolation may find his tips helpful.

He has a tickly cough at the moment and so he went in to self- quarantine. He'd be good like that, would TMWKE.

"I have loads of practice of isolation," he said. "Ever since the wife left, I have no one to argue with. No one ever calls and when I try to explain to people in your pub how to live a successful life, they just walk away.

"It's because they cannot bear to meet a man who knows more than them. Jealousy is a terrible scourge.

"My plan to talk to people with your back turned to them, and you looking into a compact mirror, will save lives."

TMWKE has cost me thousands over the years. There is no garda who can clear a pub quicker. But I will not bar him.

How can you kick a man out for knowing everything? Is it legal?

I have two plans though. The new plan during the crisis is to stay well back. The Taoiseach called it social distancing.

The pub is bound to be quiet and there is a real possibility I will be left on my very own with TMWKE. There will be no escape from him. I will be a prisoner in my own pub. One day he kept me in so long talking about the reunification of Russia, I pretended I was about to faint. He made me breathe into a brown paper bag and count backwards from 1,000. I haven't been the same since.

The first plan is to tell him he has to go to the far end of the pub in case we give each other the virus.

But TMWKE will probably roar at me and that will be even worse.

The second plan is to tell him I haven't been feeling the best since I came back from Wuhan.

Here's one of his ideas for passing the time.

He told me people who live alone have to get used to debating with themselves.

"I was debating whether Leo should have gone to America to see Donald Trump for St Patrick's Day. One part of me said it was very bad because hotels are dear in Washington and so are the flights. The other part of me said so few countries get quality time with the president of the United States, it would be a fright to lose it. And didn't Leo make sure the American flights in and out of Ireland are still open even though the rest of Europe is shut down?"

He was arguing alone all night long. "In the end," said TMWKE, "I walked out on myself in a temper and banged the door after me."

I suppose it would be cruel to bar TMWKE. But for us publicans and our staff, the hospitals and the counselling services would be under even more pressure.

There's a cure in having a few drinks in moderation. That's why it's so tough on the vulnerable ones who can't come out for a drink for fear of picking up the virus. We love minding people in Ireland. Some of my regulars will have to stay at home and they are outgoing people. I'm back praying again to Holy Mary. I have great time for that woman.

TMWKE is all for calling National Hamping Day.

"What is it anyway?" I ask. Sometimes I don't know when to keep my big mouth shut. TMWKE went on for most of an hour. I self-medicate by pulling myself a pint. (By the way, I haven't been to Wuhan.)

I will summarise TMWKE's 60 minutes in full from now until the end of the column. Here he is.

"I used to love camping when I was a young lad. My dad used to bring me. He was the only man who I ever met who was as smart as I was."

You can't bate breeding. Back to TMWKE.

"The Pope and myself used to love camping too when we got married first. We were madly in love but then one day she wanted to pitch the tent on a slope but I objected because the blood would flow from the head to the toes and could cause a stroke."

TMWKE and The Pope couldn't agree on the bivouac site and they never went camping again.

"So now I go hamping."

TMWKE anticipated my next question. "Hamping is when you go camping at home.

"Like glamping. I push the handle of a sweeping brush up into the duvet and the tent is ready in seconds. I bring in a bottle of orange and a bag of crisps for a bit of a picnic and I read my book with my flash lamp."

"But what will happen," asks I, "if two or three go hamping together? What about social distancing?"

TMWKE looked sad when he said: "Sure, I have no one to be socially distanced from."
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This is an open letter to the City of Gatineau Prosecutor who for weeks has been seeking to apparently evade scrutiny by the Quebec Human Rights Commission regarding cases of racial profiling in which a black man has been accosted by Gatineau Police for such reasons as "walking funny"; "walking on the grass"; "driving a rented vehicle" and "walking-off the sidewalk". Have you every heard of such outrageous behaviour by police in Canada?





Is this Canada in 2020 or Jim Crow Alabama in the 1950's or apartheid South African in 1970's when the police there didn't have to have any reason for stopping black people?







Apparently, this is the Gatineau Police's regular way of "welcoming" black men.







How has this Prosecutor been evading human rights scrutiny, you might ask?





"Mr. Prosecutor" has done this by apparently for weeks evading telephone calls from the Quebec Human Rights Commission.





Mr. Prosector's first apparent excuse that his office gave was that he was on "paternity leave". But having come back from paternity leave he has continued to not return any calls.





I'm here to tell you today sir, that as long as Quebec is a part of Canada, you Mr. Prosecutor have an obligation to affirm the human rights of all Canadians in relation to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.





You might ask want the name of this prosecutor is?







There will be no need to reveal his name provided that he returns the phone call of the Quebec Human Rights Commission and begins to redress the horrific patterns of racial profiling under his watch within 24 hours of this Open Letter.





Oh, on second thought - Mathieu Cloutier.


Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro has tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to a post Friday on his official Facebook profile.

Rio De Janeiro: Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro has tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to a post Friday on his official Facebook profile.

Concern about Bolsonaro's exposure to virus  and possibly that of US President Donald Trump  had grown after confirmation that the Brazilian leader's communications director tested positive. The senior official had joined Bolsonaro just days earlier at a meeting with Trump and senior aides in Florida.

Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak here

There had been a swirl of confusing information earlier Friday, with some media reporting Bolsonaro had received an initial positive test result. But the president's official social media account later said tests were negative, and also posted a photo of Bolsonaro making an offensive arm gesture to reporters earlier this year.

"Don't believe the fake news media!" he wrote in a subsequent post.

Bolsonaros meeting this week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort also included Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, Brazils Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo and Bolsonaros son Eduardo, who is a federal lawmaker, among others. Vice President Mike Pence and Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani also went to Mar-a-Lago that evening.

This week, Bolsonaro told a group in Florida that he believed mainstream media was exaggerating the virus severity. He reversed course Thursday, wearing a face mask on a live transmission on Facebook from the capital, Brasilia. On a televised address later, he said the World Health Organization responsibly characterized the virus as a pandemic, and tried to dissuade supporters from turning out for mass demonstrations scheduled for March 15.

The rallies demonstrate the maturity of our presidential democracy and are evident expressions of our liberty. They need, however, to be rethought in the face of these facts. Our health and that of our families must be preserved, Bolsonaro said.

Bolsonaros health has been a focus since a 2018 stabbing on the campaign trail. Since the assassination attempt, he has already undergone four surgeries with a fifth one upcoming. In December, he was taken to the hospital after slipping in the bathroom of the presidential residence and banging his head.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and about 60,000 have so far recovered.

Brazil currently has 98 confirmed diagnoses of the virus, but no reported deaths and is monitoring more than 1,400 possible cases. On Wednesday, the governor of the Brazilian district that includes Brasilia enacted a five-day suspension of all classes, concerts and sporting events that gather more than 100 people in an effort to contain the virus' spread.
Nigerian priest details 6 ways Christians face discrimination in Nigeria

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WASHINGTON  A Nigerian priest who oversees trauma care for people victimized by Boko Haram in northern Nigeria visited the United States this week to share his concerns about how Christians are facing lesser-known forms of societal discrimination because of their faith in Christ.

Father Joseph Bature Fidelis, the director of psychosocial support and trauma care in the Diocese of Maiduguri, Nigeria, attended a weekly meeting of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable presided by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.

For the meeting, Fidelis prepared an ask note on behalf of his diocese calling for the U.S.'s intervention in the plight of Christians in Nigeria.

A lot of it is going on and sometimes it's not so much known to the wider world, Fidelis told The Christian Post in an interview Tuesday morning. The response is very slow. So people continue to suffer for their faith.

In Nigeria, thousands of Christians have been killed in recent years by extremist violence carried out by Boko Haram and the Islamic States West Africa Province in Northern Nigeria. Thousands more have been killed amid increased attacks carried out by radical Fulani herders against Christian farming communities in the Middle Belt of the country.

In addition to the extremism and communal violence, Fidelis stressed that Christians living in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria are facing other forms of persecution that are lesser reported in the media but are impacting Christians finances, jobs, education, retirement and ability to worship.

Political deprivation

According to Fidelis, one particular phenomenon being seen in northern Nigeria is Christians being deliberately deprived of certain high-level positions in government.

They are denied promotion or cannot access certain offices simply for being Christians, Fidelis said.

Instances of political deprivation, he said, can be seen widely in Borno state and Yobe state.

In Yobe, Fidelis said Christians cant be head of a government school.

Muslims have been so much in power, so a lot of Christians will not be able to have access to certain positions, he explained. You dont see it openly done. Let's say you go for an interview and five or six of you are supposed to qualify for a director position in a department. The Muslim is given preference over a Christian. That pattern has been there steadily. So you watch it and you see that certain positions are just not given to Christians.

The priest said that in a place like Yobe, Christians might get lower-level local government positions but arent likely to be directors or commissioners.

Maybe they appoint commissioners and out of 25 you have two Christians, Fidelis detailed.

Fidelis believes that if a person is qualified and competent for a certain position, they should be given those positions no matter what their religious beliefs are.

Economic exclusion

Due to the recent increase in violence carried out by Boko Haram and Fulani radicals, Fidelis said many Christian traders have relocated from the north to safer regions of the country in the last several years.

But in areas such as Mubi, Potiskum and in some parts of Maiduguri where some Christians remain, market shops and buildings that have been reconstructed by the government after being destroyed by militants have been allocated mainly to Muslims.

This again is peculiar because of the kind of attacks. Previously, Christians had shops in those states and people lived very well, Fidelis recalled. With the conflict, a lot of Christians moved out of the area, especially when they were being targeted. When they allocate those [rebuilt shops] now, they just allocate to very few Muslims.

Fidelis believes that the government should make provisions for all who qualify to get shops no matter what their religion is.

But that is not happening, Fidelis stressed. And if it's not happening, something is wrong. Even the few Christians who are still maintaining around should be given equal opportunity to have access to this and be able to promote their businesses. There's a lot of fear and those who are in charge of doing business do it based on religion.

Land grabbing

According to Fidelis, there seems to be a deliberate plan to acquire land all over the country to give to herders who are predominantly Fulani Muslims.

Fidelis criticized government policies that would create reserved communities for nomadic herders to live, grow and shepherd their cattle.

A Ruga (rural grazing area) policy promoted by the Buhari administration would prohibit open grazing but establish grazing reserves throughout the country.

Ever since 2015-2016, it became very serious, Fidelis said. There has been this dream of providing grazer reserves. That didn't go well. Then they wanted to provide a cattle ranch. That didn't go very well. Late last year, there was the idea of Ruga to create cattle colonies.

They were asking for very vast land in every state to give to these herders, he continued. That was proposed as a solution to end the herder-farmer clash. You ask for a large chunk of land in every state? How many ethnic groups do we have? How many forms of businesses do we have? There are farmers also, other traders. There are other ethnic groups also. How sensitive is that to the diversity of the country?

Objections to such policies came from many wondering whose land would be taken to create these grazing reserves, Fidelis said.

Where would you have in a state that expanse of land? Fidelis asked. Let's say you want to get 40 hectares of land in each state. How, where would you get such land in one place, or even in three places without having to encroach on a little piece of farmer's land?

So what happens? Fidelis wondered. Will you compensate [the farmer] and throw him out of business? What does he do?

Fidelis said that up until now, most lands that are not government reserve lands are owned by indigenous tribes and locals whose ancestors have lived there for generations.

So if I go into a place, I don't just go to the ministry of a land survey and pay money there. There is an individual who owns that land, Fidelis said. It is to him I say, I want to have a piece of your land and we negotiate. An agreement is drafted and I pay him money and I go there to get a certificate of occupancy and develop the land.

Denial of land to build churches

In northern states such as Borno and Yobe, Fidelis said it's extremely difficult for Christian communities to acquire land to build churches.

It will vary from state to state, he said. In Borno and Yobe, you will struggle to get land. When you get it, they will just give it to you far out of the town. You can imagine being given land to build a church and that land is 15 miles outside of the town.

Within the town, Fidelis said it's difficult because sales must be approved by certain local officials. Oftentimes, he said, those officials are Muslims who oppose the construction of churches.

These [officials] are mostly Muslims, he said. Its better to use a private person to get the land who can give it [to the church] as a donation.

Fidelis said that in the past, missionaries were given lands. But recently, many churches in these areas need to rent properties to hold public services.

The evangelicals went that way, he said. If someone has a hall or big parlor, they go to these places and worship.

Denial of just remunerations

Fidelis said that many Christians retiring from government service are often being denied their fair pensions or remunerations when they reach retirement age in northern Nigeria.

Fidelis said they are being denied their just entitlements simply because they are Christians.

When you're retiring, it's very hard for you to get your remuneration when you are a Christian, he told CP. In other times, they process that of Muslims because [Muslims are] always in charge of finance or whatever.

So you hear that someone has serious retirement benefits and gratuity, and so he's settling for pension, he continued. But a Christian goes like two or three years and is off salary and is not on pension.

Fidelis said that some officials in charge of awarding the pension will demand kickbacks from Christians before their pension is paid out.

Its very difficult for them to process that and ask for that, he said.

While those in charge are not outright denying pension to Christian employees, Fidelis said that Christians are often forced to overcome undue obstacles.

Theyll say that a file is missing or tell them to apply again, Fidelis explained. That is the persecution. No one comes openly and says You are a Christian. I'm not giving you your gratuity. They wouldn't do that. But sometimes they say, Ah, we haven't even received the letter and the file is missing the office. You will begin processing your rights and all that. When someone is done, it moves the next desk and they are told to come back.

Fidelis said that life is very hard when someone is forced to wait as many as five to 10 years to receive their pensions.

Denial of access to some degree fields

According to Fidelis, access to study law or medicine in state-run universities in northern Nigeria is often denied to Christian candidates.

In Yobe, Fidelis said that Christians are also denied scholarships enabling them to study abroad.

Denial of such educational opportunities to Christians also impacts their ability to obtain well-paying jobs.

A lot of our students apply to study law, to study medicine in the university, Fidelis explained. This particular at the University of Maiduguri. Even if you have the points and all that, you will never get there.

Nigeria ranks as the 12th worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USA's 2020 World Watch List. In December, Nigeria was listed for the first time on the U.S. State Department's special watch list of countries where religious freedom violations are severe.
President Donald Trump exits the Oval Office and walks to a news conference about the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic in the Rose garden at the White House in Washington, DC on March 13, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

House to Vote After Trump Signals Support for Coronavirus Bill

President Donald Trump late Friday signaled his support for an emergency coronavirus stimulus package to help those financially impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that the House reached a deal over the bill.

I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House this evening. This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers, Trump wrote in a statement on Twitter.

I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt, Trump added. I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES! I will always put the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill ASAP!

Earlier, Pelosi wrote in a letter to Democrat colleagues that an agreement was reached between the House and the Trump administration.

We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Pelosi wrote.

This legislation is about testing, testing, testing, she wrote. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge.

The bill would provide financial assistance to those impacted by the crisis, including enhanced unemployment benefits, two weeks of sick pay for employees and increased family leave, nutrition assistance, and financial aid for states for Medicaid.

The deal would also include free testing for the disease COVID-19 for those who need a test, including the uninsured.

The House will vote on the deal soon, and the Senate is set to return Monday to vote.

As the Senate works to pass this bill, the House will begin work on a third emergency response package to protect the health, economic security and well-being of the American people, Pelosi added in her letter.

We will do so in continued consultation with scientists, researchers, health care professionals, public health officials, and community leaders so that we can craft the most effective, evidence-based response.

Earlier on Friday, Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, which means that up to $50 billion in disaster relief funds can be provided to state and local governments to respond to the viral outbreak.

We will overcome the threat of the virus, Trump said.
Steps down from Microsoft's Board

Microsoft Corp. has announced that Co-Founder and Technology Advisor Bill Gates stepped down from the company's Board of Directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health, development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change. He will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders in the company.

On June 27, 2008, Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He served as Microsoft's chairman of the board until February 4, 2014.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO said, "It's been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society's most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it. The board has benefited from Bill's leadership and vision. And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill's ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward. I am grateful for Bill's friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which is pretty much active in India as well, works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.

Gates along with Wellcome and Mastercard recently launched $125 million fund to finance COVID-19 treatments.
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - As Sen. Elizabeth Warren unwinds her presidential campaign, she faces one more decision that will shape the role she will play in coming months and years: Will she endorse one of the major Democrats still running for president, and if so, which?

The choice at hand - between former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. - is in a sense the latest version of a choice Warren has confronted throughout her political career, whether to align with the establishment and its leaders or join forces with the outsiders.

Warren has long resisted making this kind of decision, or even accepting the conventional notion of insiders vs. outsiders. But the pressure to endorse will only grow stronger as Biden tries to cement his lead and Sanders attempts a comeback.

Warren ended her campaign Thursday after disappointing election results, but her year-long effort won her throngs of supporters, especially among girls and women, burnished her policy credentials and made her a household name. The Biden and Sanders camps have been courting her team assiduously.

Backing Sanders is the clearer ideological choice and would further secure her role as a leader of the left. But it carries risks, since Sanders' path to the nomination has narrowed and Warren has made it clear she is uncomfortable with the online vitriol unleashed by some of his supporters. Moreover, many players in Warren's orbit harbor deep reservations about Sanders' capacity to effectively lead the government.

Supporting Biden, who is surging at the moment, could allow Warren to push her agenda from inside the Democratic Party and possibly a Biden White House. But his political philosophy departs significantly from hers on key issues like trade and health care.

Another option is to embrace neither candidate until one becomes the nominee.

"She's created her own brand and she's achieved something that very few people in politics achieve, which is to be on the inside but be the most effective force for those on the outside," said former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, who endorsed Warren after ending his own presidential bid.

"I'm not quite sure what she's going to do," said Castro, who last spoke with her Wednesday as she was weighing whether to continue her campaign.

Warren sat on the sidelines for most of the 2016 campaign, refusing to back either Sanders or eventual nominee Hillary Clinton despite considerable pressure from both sides. She was the only Democratic female senator to skip a big endorsement event for Clinton, making headlines for her absence.

But once it was clear that Clinton would emerge as the nominee, Warren endorsed her and pushed to become her running mate. When she was passed over in favor of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Warren kept pushing from the inside, for example preparing lists of liberals that she hoped the Clinton team would use to staff the new administration.

Some of Sanders' supporters started the 2020 campaign still angry that Warren had not enthusiastically backed Sanders, her ideological ally in the party's liberal wing. Warren moved further to the left after the 2016 campaign - co-sponsoring Sanders' Medicare-for-all bill and backing his choice to lead the Democratic National Committee - in part to make amends to him and his backers, according to a person familiar with her thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss internal deliberations.

Warren has been both a team player and an outside critic during her career. After the financial crisis of 2008, as a Harvard law professor, she worked closely with Democratic members of Congress to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency aimed at reining in banks. But she also has blasted fellow Democrats for supporting banking bills she thought were too friendly to Wall Street.

People close to Warren say she will now be guided by a determination of how best to push her agenda, which involves providing government support and protection for middle- and working-class Americans.

"She's going to make whatever moves she thinks best advances the policy ball for her, and she's going to show just how creative she can be with this," said Adam Levitin, a Georgetown Law professor who is close with Warren and helped formulate some of her policies. "Because the presidency, for her, was a means not an end, there are other ways she can pursue the policy outcomes."

When Warren was new to Washington, she had a well-documented dinner with Larry Summers, one of then-President Barack Obama's top economic advisers, at the Bombay Club, an Indian restaurant near the White House. Their discussion included what Warren, in her book "A Fighting Chance," described as a warning: She had to choose between being an insider or an outsider.

The outsider gets to say what she wants publicly, but nobody listens internally, Summers said, according to Warren. The insider gets access and a voice in the important rooms but must be careful about what she says publicly - particularly about fellow insiders.

Warren instead wanted the benefits of both.

"That's maybe part of why she didn't endorse anyone, because she really still wants to be both," said one person familiar with how Warren approaches Washington, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid about the matter.

"And she hasn't wanted to choose," the person said. "Maybe she will choose or maybe she will try to be a part of bringing the party together after a choice has been made by the people."

Warren frequently discussed the "insider" vs. "outsider" roles on the campaign trail, saying she wanted to build a movement that would be an outside force supporting her administration's attempts to make "big, structural change."

But now that her campaign is over, Warren faces the prospect of taking on a different role. During her run, she won praise for her well-organized campaign operation, verbal and intellectual deftness, and detailed policy proposals. She built a following among many voters across the country, giving her additional clout.

That raises the stakes for her endorsement and beyond. Warren provided hints about her views of Biden and Sanders in a lengthy interview Thursday with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. Though she is typically laser-focused on policy, Warren put that aside and instead discussed the character of the candidates and their campaigns.

When it came to Biden, Warren acknowledged their fights from the 1990s. "We go back a long way. We were in the bankruptcy wars against each other," Warren said, referring to a defining legislative battle when she was a law professor.

But she said that fight does not define her views of Biden. "He's a decent guy, and it comes through in pretty much everything he does," she said.

When Maddow noted that the two differ on many policies, Warren agreed but also said they have "agreements on a number of core policy issues." She added, "My whole life has been about working families, and more, about how government should be there to be on their side. I believe that the vice president has the same goal."

When asked about Sanders, Warren cited their long friendship and reminisced about the time her husband, Bruce Mann, drove her to Vermont to participate in town halls with Sanders.

But her tone changed when discussing his campaign. "There's a real problem with this online bullying and sort of organized nastiness," Warren said. "I'm talking about some really ugly stuff that went on."

She noted that several woman from groups that disagreed with Sanders' positions were physically threatened. Sanders has disavowed such incidents while saying that the vast majority of his supporters are decent and that his backers, too, have been subject to taunts.

"We are responsible for the people who claim to be our supporters and do really threaten, ugly, dangerous things," Warren said, adding that she does not want to "follow the same kind of politics of division that Donald Trump follows."

Warren added: "It's not who I want to be as a Democrat. It's not who I want to be as an American."

- - -

The Washington Post's Scott Clement and Emily Guskin contributed to this report.
>>> Hanoi covers all fees for Covid-19 testing: Chairman Chung



>>> PM urges strengthening COVID-19 fight

The information has been shared by doctor Nguyen Trung Cap, Head of the Emergency Department under the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, at a recent teleconference on increasing resistance against Covid-19 hosted by Nhan Dan Online.

According to Cap, Vietnam has strong anti-epidemic skills that have been trained for a long time. Right from before the Covid-19 epidemic had penetrated into Vietnam, its anti-epidemic system has been activated.

In each epidemic season, the health sector always draws lessons learned from the practice to make proper adjustment for all activities, such as the organisation of medical isolation, risk communication, logistics and personnel issues. In every season, Vietnam also carries out training and supporting activities, helping to raise the capacity of medical facilities at all levels in participating in the anti-epidemic work.

Regarding to Covid-19, Cap said that the new epidemic is close to that of SARS caused by a member of the coronavirus family. Therefore, Vietnams experiences in coping with the SARS epidemic have also greatly assisted the nation in dealing with the new coronavirus disease.

He stressed that one of the vital experiences from facing SARS is that Vietnam did not use closed isolation camps but open ones, making it possible to bring the isolation and treatment to the local medical facilities and even to regional clinics like in Vinh Phuc Province while still ensuring treatment quality.

The sharing of internal information also helps improve the disease control at all levels. Although the treatment is carried at different levels, the procedure and techniques applied are not much different as we have connection, technology transfer and enhancement from the upline to the lower levels. Those are good things which we have acquired through many disease outbreaks, said Cap.

Another important thing is the participation of the community. Through each epidemic season, the public awareness has increased markedly. That also contributes a part to Vietnams increased anti-epidemic capacity, he said.

Regarding the treatment regimen for Covid-19, Cap emphasised that most of Vietnams knowledge on the new disease is gained from studies in Chinas Wuhan City  the epicentre of the current global coronavirus outbreak. For that reason, Vietnams treatment regimen is completely unified with WHO. However, when applied in practice, Vietnam has developed some new points.

Doctor Nguyen Trung Cap. (Photo: NDO/Thien Lam)



For example, Vietnam is fighting against the epidemic based on the "four on-the-spot" viewpoint, which targets on-site prevention, isolation and treatment; on the spot facilities, equipment, medicines and protective equipment; on-site funding; and on-site human resources. In addition, Vietnam also uses open quarantine camps to help facilitate air circulation that suits the local climate and weather conditions. In Wuhan, it is unlikely for them to use open isolation zones like us, as it is cold, so Wuhan is forced to use negative pressure isolation chambers to isolate Covid-19 patients. Those are some creative approaches suitable to our climate conditions compared to the Covid-19 treatment guidelines in some neighbouring countries, said Cap.

Regarding the effective use of oriental medicine in the coronavirus disease prevention and control, Cao said that in the treatment of Covid-19, there are two noteworthy points. For the majority of mild cases, we mainly treat the disease symptoms with modern medicine or herbal therapies. For severe cases, for example patients with severe lung damage, they are obliged to use resuscitation measures of modern medicine, such as using mechanical ventilation and artificial heart and lung support. The value of traditional medicine lies in the symptomatic support, helping to improve the condition of patients during their fight against Covid-19. Certainly, these remedies can reduce symptoms and support the body's resistance, said Cap.

Assoc. Prof., Dr. Vu Xuan Phu, Deputy Director of the National Lung Hospital, said that, not only in this epidemic, Vietnam has succeeded in many previous disease prevention and control campaigns. Vietnams interventions are consistent with the reality in the country, based on the situation of the virus characteristics and disease patterns, as well as the conditions of medical facilities.

Assoc. Prof., Dr. Vu Xuan Phu, Deputy Director of the National Lung Hospital.



Dr. Phu said that international organisations praise for Vietnam's efforts in the disease prevention is not sudden as they have carried out thoroughly research on the work in the country, as well as basing research on epidemiological statistics which show the success of epidemic prevention and treatment in Vietnam.

According to doctor Cap, the experience in treating 16 cases of Covid-19 infections to help them recover and back to normal life, as well as previous cases of SARS or other diseases in Vietnam, has shown that the countrys health sector has the full capacity to cope with complex disease situations as well as treating severe patients. However, there is also a very important thing, which is the full participation of all authorities, social organisations and people at all levels to successfully control the epidemic.

"Effective treatment also comes from effective prevention. I hope that with our ability to actively prevent the disease, accompanied by the full participation of the entire nation in disease prevention, the treatment efficiency will be ensured," said Cap.
After averaging a mere 9.5% productivity during the first week of the second half of the Budget session of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha has seen a spike to nearly 82% in the second week.

The upper house was scheduled to meet for three days in the second week, interrupted by two holidays for Holi. The house outdid itself by sitting for 13 hours and 38 minutes against the scheduled 16 and 30 minutes. Only a total of 1 hour and 53 minutes was lost, considering the house sat through lunch for 3 hours and 58 minutes. This is a far cry from the first week, where the upper house was scheduled to meet for 28 hours and 30 minutes, but barely managed three hours because of disruptions over the February Delhi riots.

Out of the 2 hours of Question Hour scheduled, one hour has been successfully completed. On 13 March 2020, 9 Starred Questions were raised during the Question Hour. The Question Hour on 11 March 2020 was lost due to forced adjournment while on 12 March 2020 it was dispensed with to take up Government Legislative Business, said a statement by the Rajya Sabha.

The first week of proceedings was disrupted because members wanted an explanation from home minister Amit Shah on the Delhi riots last month, said Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda

Members were agitated about the failures of the government and Delhi police, and many had called for his resignation. He, however, didnt show up, Gowda said.

After the home minister came and faced the house, we have worked fully. We also worked the previous week when the health minister and foreign minister discussed their efforts related to the Coronavirus outbreak. Last Friday, we worked through lunch and the opposition cooperated with the government to ensure ordinances were turned into law. If the government does its job and takes responsibility then things will work smoothly. The opposition is keen on the House functioning and to do its job of holding the government accountable, he added.

BJP Rajysa Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao, however, blamed the disruptions on the stubbornness of the opposition.

The stubbornness of the opposition and their unreasonable conduct was responsible for the non-functioning of the Rajya Sabha in the first week, he said. The government expressed willingness to debate the Delhi violence but felt the time was not suitable for an immediate discussion on the subject. Scheduling debate on Delhi violence after Holi was explained by home minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha earlier this week.

The opposition derailed debate until discussion on Delhi violence happened. Only after it was taken up did they allow Rajya Sabha to function. This adamant attitude of opposition against spirit of parliamentary democracy, he added.

It was on March 12, almost two weeks after Parliament convened, that home minister Amit Shah made a statement on the Law and Order situation in Delhi at the start of a discussion that lasted 4 hours and 15 minutes,with a total of 21 members participating.

Shah also clarified that the government would not label any citizen doubtful, stressing the point that no document will be required during the National Population Register (NPR) exercise.

The minorities, especially Muslims, were fed with fear that the CAA will revoke their citizenship, Shah said of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. I clearly once again say, under the NPR, no document will be asked for. You dont have to provide any information you dont possess. Lastly, nobody will be marked doubtful. Nobody needs to be scared of the process of the NPR in this country, he added.

According to a Rajya Sabha functionary who did not wish to be named, productivity of the house cant always be evaluated in terms of the numbers of hours the members sit for.

The number of hours put in is a great entry point, but a better understanding of productivity comes after that. One can assess how productive the Rajya Sabha has been in terms of the number of legislations passed or from the prism of disruptions as well, the functionary said.

One assumes, when measuring it in hours, that the time put in has been productive. Analysing week by week is also a bit premature, since the analysis should be done at the end of the session, he added.

Ten private member bills were also introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Further discussion on two Bills, namely, the Foreign Investment in Financial Services, Critical Infrastructure and Technology Affecting National Security (Regulation) Bill, 2018 (moved by Dr. Narendra Jadhav) and the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2014 (moved by Prof. M.V. Rajeev Gowda) were discussed. Both the Bills were withdrawn, said the Rajya Sabha statement.
Mary Johnston: I may have had coronavirus. How would I know? Comparatively few of us are being tested, which means there could be thousands with it, going about their business, spreading it and causing real danger to public health.

For all I know, I could be guilty of this because I recently returned from a cruise to the Caribbean, during which news of this crisis broke.

While on board, I watched the coverage of the ship off the coast of Japan that had been quarantined, with passengers confined to their cabins. The ship I was on had over 4,000 passengers and almost 2,000 crew.

After a couple of days, the captain made the announcement that, due to emerging events, there would be some preventative measures implemented.

He said he was abiding by global health directives and told us not to panic.

There was already stringent hygiene procedures on board, with hand sanitisers just about everywhere and staff at the entrances to every restaurant offering hand-spraying.

On top of this, self-service in the buffet restaurants was stopped. You had to have plates handed to you by a gloved waiter and had to ask for, or point to, what you wanted to eat before being served.

I'm very lucky, not only to have escaped it (probably) but, for first time in my life, to have been asked to write from the perspective of an older person (I refuse to answer to 'elderly').

I'm doubly lucky to have a very robust immune system.

Never have I ever experienced so much drama, or people globally being worried about something like this.

My husband, Pete, has just reminded me about the world panic around the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Said husband is currently self-isolating because, like thousands of others, he has the symptoms of this now officially declared pandemic.

We've no idea if it's just a regular winter cold, but he has underlying health conditions and is in his seventies. He's protecting others from him, rather than being self-protective.

There's no way of knowing if a runny nose, accompanied by a dry cough, temperature and breathlessness, is the dreaded coronavirus, a simple head cold, or the start of flu.

The flu, as we know, can be extremely severe, with the potential of being fatal to some.

Apparently, Covid-19 is rarely as bad in most of those affected. Hollywood star Tom Hanks, who's tested positive, claims to barely feel unwell.

We're being told to act in the best interests of all, but how many will? Beware of armchair 'experts'. Listen to scientific advice. Act responsibly Mary Johnston

I got back from my cruise feeling great and refreshed, only to start feeling a bit poorly after a couple of days.

I definitely had a temperature, a runny nose and a cough and felt achy enough to stay in bed.

I put it down to having been on three flights to get home.

Mind you, the guy beside me from Miami to Heathrow coughed and sneezed almost the entire time.

I couldn't wait to see my grandchildren. The youngest is under a year old and, from the minute he came to see his granny, he was smothered in hugs and kisses.

This virus is, thankfully, extremely uncommon in children. I am presuming his symptoms, which he developed within a week, suggest I had a bad cold that I passed on to him, rather than anything worse.

My husband usually does the supermarket shopping but is staying away for now. We have not engaged in panic-buying but are hearing stories of stores being sold out of toilet roll, kitchen roll, anti-bacterial handwash, wipes and hand sanitisers.

Panic-buying hits the most vulnerable people hardest, especially the elderly, who have been advised to stay home, and those who can't get out to top up.

Boris Johnson said: "This is the worst public health crisis of our generation."

I feel for those employed in healthcare, those who take care of others. It's all very well telling people who can to work from home, but few can.

I also feel for those who, wrongly, continue to go to work because they've mortgages, or rent, to pay and mouths to feed.

We're being told to act in the best interests of all, but how many will? Beware of armchair 'experts'. Listen to scientific advice. Act responsibly.

Unfortunately, people who don't have the virus are frightened to go out in case they catch it, whereas those who have it are frightened to go out in case they spread it.

This current crisis is reminiscent of an old sci-fi movie predicting the end of the world.

Mary Johnston is a writer and broadcaster

Don Anderson: The beginning of this week began with the end of last week, if that doesn't sound idiotic. I was meant to be in Tenerife this week, but I spent the end of last week untangling flights, transfers and a hotel reservation because of that virus inching across the world like the waves of an incoming tide on Portstewart strand.

Contemplating the plight of guests in a Tenerife hotel, pleading from balconies with reporters for information, imprisoned with people who might have Covid-19, was discomforting, to put it mildly.

That particular hotel wasn't going to be our hotel, but no matter. I didn't want similar for myself and my wife, both in our seventies. Hence the flurry of cancellation phone calls.

The more I looked at Tenerife on the map, the more the island looked like an anchored cruise ship. Heaven help that section of the leisure travel trade, with writers describing the vessels as floating petri dishes.

I don't think that I can be alone during this week in experiencing an evaporation of layers of a later-life happy-go-lucky attitude.

It began with acknowledging that it mattered little if I got my money back from the holiday. If we had gone and survived (as probably would have been the case), the prospect of having to isolate for a fortnight on return tipped the balance with a clunk.

Inevitably, thoughts turned to what might happen if, like people in China and Italy, we both had to stay inside for a fortnight, or longer if, more likely when, things get worse.

Some of us oldies got a glimpse of what it soon might be like at worst during the Ulster Workers Council general strike in May 1974. That was when essential services really did teeter on the edge Don Anderson

I don't relish some of that future. We went to the supermarket and saw the panic-buying. In the aisles, we dodged pallets of toilet rolls as shelf-stackers tried to keep up with those, who by now might not be able to see their toilets, buried under a pyramid of paper.

No pasta to be had, either, perhaps because everybody thinks all pasta is made in stricken, isolated Italy, ignoring that with a rolling pin, flour, water and an egg, if available, you can make your own pasta easily at home.

You cant make toilet rolls, but when youve read this newspaper, do as we once did in olden times. First, buy more newspapers, read them and then cut them up into squares and... need I instruct more?

But, joking aside, towards the end of this week, I knew that, when the experts and pundits declared that the situation would get worse before it got better, they were undoubtedly telling the truth.

Some of us oldies got a glimpse of what it soon might be like at worst during the Ulster Workers Council general strike in May 1974. That was when essential services really did teeter on the edge.

To give you an idea, at the end Ballylumford power station at Larne was running one single generating set  with not a soul in the building.

Farmers were pouring milk down the drains because nothing else could be done with it and other farmers were looking at shovelled piles of dead chicks in their yards.

I dont think something precisely like thats going to happen again, but if younger folk want to know what its like when the pillars of society begin to totter, talk to people who lived here through the latter half of May 1974.

We have been storing up some food. Tinned vegetables, tinned fish, tinned tomatoes, flour, a big sack of rice and dried pulses are among the list, but we havent overdone it. Panic-buying hits those who cannot do so.

Towards the end of the week, older people were being advised to restrict themselves to their own homes and be cautious about admitting anyone.

Into my mind flooded memories of those guests in that Tenerife hotel, huddled at their bedroom windows, but it will be better for us than that because we will have the run of a complete house and we can cook our own food. Irish soda bread is quick and relatively easy to rustle up.

It will also be better because of what Cambridge University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine did together in March 2018.

Using a smartphone app to work like a contagious virus, and with 30,000 volunteers, they simulated the spread of a highly infectious disease and generated vital new information to help pandemic researchers prepare for potential outbreaks.

The BBC recorded the experiment in a TV documentary entitled Contagion: The BBC Four Pandemic. A reviewer in the Guardian newspaper called it an almost miraculously pedestrian production.

Oh dear. Today, that study is the basis of infection modelling by the Government to save lives.

The project was prescient and the 2018 documentary can claim to be one of the most important TV programmes about research to date. But we dont heed inconvenient warnings, such as being told we are now with coronavirus where the Italians were about a fortnight ago.

My week ended watching worrying partition in action. Different public health action imposed in Strabane and Lifford, Belcoo and Blacklion.

We are Irish, so of course, we can put a border in a petri dish.

Don Anderson is a writer and commentator
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday the coming together of SAARC leaders will lead to effective outcomes and benefit citizens in the fight against coronavirus.

Soon after the Ministry of External Affairs announced that Modi will lead India at the video conference of all SAARC member countries to chalk out a strong common strategy to fight coronavirus in the region, the prime minister said it is a timely action for a healthier planet.

"Tomorrow at 5 pm, leaders of SAARC nations will discuss, via conferencing, a roadmap to fight the challenge of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus," Modi wrote on Twitter.

"I am confident that our coming together will lead to effective outcomes and benefit our citizens," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sri Lanka on Saturday cancelled all public events and gatherings for two weeks as the number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to eight, the health minister said.

Director General of Health Services Dr Anil Jasinghe said two more cases of COVID-19 were identified on Saturday.

Health Minister Pavithra Wannirachchi said that all public events stand cancelled for a period of two weeks as a measure to help the authorities with curbing the spread of the virus.

"We have decided to cancel all public events and gatherings for two weeks," Wanniarachchi told reporters.

The ministry of culture said all cinemas would remain shut until further notice.

On Friday, the Sri Lankan government announced that travellers from a number of European capitals would not be allowed to enter the country in view of the growing threat.

"They will not be allowed if they had visited the designated countries during the last two weeks," a senior Colombo international airport official said.

France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria are included in the list.

At least four Polish nationals, who had arrived at the airport to leave the country, were taken to hospital for observations, authorities said.

The prison authorities said that all inmates will be limited to one visitor during the visit hours. The schools and universities remain closed.

The deadly novel coronavirus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 5,000 lives and infected more than 134,000 people across 110 countries and territories, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) describing the outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "great" friend and it was an incredible two days in India, United States President Donald Trump said on his last month visit to the country.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave as they attend the 'Namaste Trump' event at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

Trump was on his maiden official visit to India from February 24 to 25.

He was accompanied by First Lady Melania and a high-powered delegation comprising senior US administration officials, including National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien.

They visited Ahmedabad, Agra and New Delhi before leaving for Washington.

We had a great time in India. It was an incredible two days and he (Modi) is a great friend of mine, Trump told reporters at a White House news conference.

He's a friend of his people because he was greeted incredibly warmly as was I in that stadium. That was an incredible event. And I loved being with him, Trump said.

We talked about everything. We talked about far more than just borders, said the president in response to a question.

During the visit, India and the US finalised defence deals under which 30 military helicopters will be procured from two American defence majors for the Indian armed forces.
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Britain's once busy and bustling streets resembled ghost towns this morning and last night as businesses started to announce closure dates amid the spread of the killer coronavirus.

One trade body, UK Hospitality, has announced that the job security of hundreds of thousands of people working in cafes, hotels, and bars is under threat unless laws are changed before May.

London's usually-packed streets, known to be the busiest in the UK, were eerily quiet this morning. Oxford Street was almost deserted, while shoppers were spooked from visiting Carnaby Street.

Wandering the empty streets today was 20-year-old student Sophie, who couldn't believe her eyes: 'It's so much quieter. The whole world seems to have shut down, it seems quite bizarre.'

Apple staff on Regent Street warned potential customers of the company's drastic action to close all its stores outside of Greater China until March 27 in response to the killer bug.

Isabella, 18, who tried to visit Apple, said the closure was 'a little bit annoying', adding: 'I can't get my repairs done. It's not urgent, I was just coming in to see if it was possible... it's not good for business.'

Shopping areas in Birmingham, Cambridge, and Bristol were also deserted, as Britain continues to sink into coronavirus hysteria and Prime Minister Boris Johnson comes under fire for alleged 'complacency'.

However, some admitted to not being concerned about personal risk, as another student - Connor - said: I'm not so worried because it's in terms of my grandparents and older people.

Britain's once busy and bustling streets resembled ghost towns this morning and last night as businesses started to announce closure dates amid the spread of the killer coronavirus (pictured, Buckingham Palace)

One trade body, UK Hospitality, has announced that the job security of hundreds of thousands of people working in cafes, hotels and bars is under threat unless laws are changed before May (pictured, Westminster)

London's usually-packed streets, known to be the busiest in the UK, were eerily quiet this morning (pictured, Trafalgar Squ)

Victoria Station was quieter than usual today, as commuters avoided central London amid intensifying fears of Covid-19

Even streets around the insanely-popular London Eye - a major tourist hotspot - were deserted as hysteria grips the nation

A deserted Piccadilly Circus in London, as PM Boris Johnson comes under intense criticism for his handling of the crisis

A near empty Chinatown after Boris Johnson conceded that Covid-19 'is the worst public health crisis for a generation'

A woman in a mask in an otherwise deserted Piccadilly Circus in the nation's capital, as the bug spooks regular shoppers

'I'm more worried about transmitting it to them so I'm making sure I'm washing my hands and keeping clean. I feel there's enough people in London that if they're not worried then I don't think I should be.'

Many popular tourist attractions also saw fewer visitors on Saturday, including the London Eye which saw queues of only handfuls of people. The British Museum also saw fewer visitors according to staff and visitors including Liam Smith, a window cleaner, and admin worker Sophie Streetley, both 21.

Mr Smith said: 'It's quiet for a Saturday, it feels like a quiet weekday to be honest. I feel like we're healthy people as well so I'm not too worried. I think even if I were to get it I'd be okay.

'Unless everyone in London has it, I don't need to worry just yet.'

Others expressed concerns about the economic and financial impact of the disease, which was designated a 'pandemic' by the World Health Organization last week.

Luxury spa owner Harry Jameson, 38, said: 'People need to be careful and I think people must not panic, small businesses are relying on the world to continue to evolve and to continue to function.

'Everybody seems to think the world is about to end, but I don't.

'I feel like we need to continue doing what we were doing, we need to be cautious of the people most at risk but I feel like if the world stops economically it's going to be a disaster, that's why I'm out shopping today.'

Some were concerned about how fears about the virus were impacting London's Chinese communities, as the Chinatown area of the capital was slightly less busy than a usual Saturday.

Arianna Beadie, 26, said: "I'm worried, but not hugely. I think taking every day as it comes and trying not to panic because I don't think there's any point. I wish people would stop panic-buying, that would be really nice.'

She added: 'Chinatown is not China, they are very different places. It's really important for small businesses here who rely on tourists to visit and we don't want to take away people's livelihoods.'

The nearly empty forecourt of the British Museum, which had tiny entry queues today, as the UK sinks into hysteria

London's usually packed streets are deserted as the coronavirus pandemic spooks shoppers (pictured, Waterloo Road)

View of a quieter than usual Carnaby Street, which is lined with shops and restaurants, as fears of coronavirus sweep the UK

Meanwhile, under the streets of London, Tube carriages - usually crammed - were less than half-full this weekend

Britain's once busy and bustling streets resembled ghost towns this morning and last night as businesses started to announce closure dates amid the coronavirus outbreak. Pictured: Oxford Street this morning

One trade body, UK Hospitality, has announced that people working in cafes, hotels and bars could lose their jobs by May if laws aren't changed. Pictured: A deathly quiet street in Cambridge this morning

On what would normally be the busiest retail day of the week, the Cabot Circus Mall in the centre of Bristol was deserted

Last night, popular nightclub streets in Leeds and the Midlands were quiet as revelers chose to stay home instead of risk contracting the deadly Covid-19 infection, which claimed its 21st UK life today.

Broad Street in Birmingham looked particularly deserted aside from a few small groups of party-goers who bucked the trend. Leeds looked a bit more lively - but was a pale imitation of its hectic past self.

Some irritated nightclub-goers vented their frustrations about not going out. Abbie Hignett said: 'I just wish coronavirus would go away. I can't even enjoy a night out anymore because I daren't touch anything.'

Paul Monagle said: 'Damn coronavirus, was looking forward to a good night out on Sunday.'

Up to 50million jobs could be lost globally because of the pandemic, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. UK Hospitality boss Kate Nicholls asked the Government 'to permit temporary staff redundancies where demand falls substantially - with Universal Credit covering wage costs,' according to the BBC.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced last week that business rates relief would be given to companies with a value of less than 51,000 - including shops, cinemas, restaurants and hotels.

 Slide me  Carrow Road, Home of Norwich City (left, from May 2016; right, March 2020), as the peak infection period approaches

 Slide me  The Etihad Stadium, Home of Manchester City (left, April 2018; right, March 2020), as coronavirus hysteria sweeps the UK

 Slide me  The AMEX Stadium, home of Brighton and Hove Albion (left, April 2017; right, March 2020), as Covid-19 sweeps the nation

 Slide me  Villa Park, home of Aston Villa (left, December 2019; right, March 2020), as the peak infection period in the UK approaches

 Slide me  Vicarage Road, Home of Watford (left, August 2019; right, March 2020), as Covid-19 declared 'public health crisis'

 Slide me  St James Park, Newcastle United (left, October 2017; right, March 2020), as sports fixtures are suspended due to Covid-19

Club districts last night were deserted as businesses started to announce closure dates (pictured, Broad Street, Birmingham)

One trade body, UK Hospitality, has announced that those working in cafes, hotels and bars could lose their jobs by May if laws aren't changed (pictured, Broad Street, Birmingham)

Main nightclub streets in Leeds and Birmingham were deserted last night as most revellers chose to stay home in a bid to avoid catching the Covid-19 coronavirus (pictured, revellers out in a mostly-deserted Leeds city centre)

However, Ms Nicholl said that since many of the biggest employers in the hospitality industry operate from the largest premises on the UK high street, they will not benefit from the new business rate support.

A Treasury spokesperson said: 'On Wednesday, the chancellor announced, in total, a 30billion fiscal stimulus to support British people, jobs and businesses through this moment.

'Because of our extension of business rate relief, including to the hospitality and leisure sectors, around 900,000 properties, 45% of those in England, won't pay any business rates in 20/21. HMRC will also help businesses and self-employed individuals experiencing temporary financial difficulties due to Covid-19.'

The Government has not yet advised pubs or restaurants to close, and Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer, has not advised people to stop going to pubs.

However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), infection is most likely at small gatherings.

According to The Guardian, the WHO's David Nabarro said: 'We are coming across stories where people, for example, have been sitting around a table in a restaurant or bar, where they are closer than two metres, spend quite a bit of time in each other's company and the amount of time that passes is not clear.

Broad Street in Birmingham looked particularly deserted aside from a few small groups of party-goers who bucked the trend

Empty queues outside nightclubs all over London were seen last night due to coronavirus fears (Birmingham's Broad Street)

Bouncers and a female promoter wait for customers outside Velvet nightclub on an almost empty Broad Street in Birmingham

Police officers watch on as the longest queue was observed outside Rosies nightclub with just 14 people waiting to get inside on an almost empty Broad Street in Birmingham

A group of girls buck the trend and decide to risk going out on an almost empty Broad Street in Birmingham

Leeds (pictured) looked a bit more lively but was nothing in comparison to the vast numbers the clubs in the city centre usually draw in

These revellers chose not to take any risks with their night out and donned protective face masks as they walked deserted streets in Leeds

Two girls are seen walking down a nearly-empty street in Leeds after a huge dip in revellers

Some irritated nightclub-goers even took to Twitter to vent their frustrations about not going out due to the pandemic

A shopper has spoken of their shock after spotting a person wearing a full hazmat suit at a Somerset Tesco store amid the ongoing spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19

'That appears to be the next commonest place where infections are taking place. That is why restaurants, pubs and churches - churches in particular because of physical closeness - are of interest.'

EMERGENCY POWERS TO TACKLE CORONAVIRUS BAN MASS GATHERINGS Big public events, likely those of more than 500 people, will be canned next weekend. DETAINING SUSPECTED VIRUS VICTIMS Police will be handed powers to detain coronavirus sufferers if necessary to stop the spread of infection. FORCE SCHOOLS TO STAY OPEN Ministers will be able to force schools to stay open if teachers defy the Government and send pupils home. LOWER CARE HOME STANDARDS Staffing shortages leaves councils vulnerable to legal action if their services suffer as a result. But the Government is moving to lower this threshold to ensure authorities do not have the rule book thrown at them. FASTER BURIALS The Government is also putting in place measures to speed up burials and cremations. Advertisement

Wetherspoons has reported that it is 'business as usual' despite fears of infection but the chain has put safety measures in place. Spokesman Eddie Gershon told KentOnline: 'We have communicated to our pub staff and customers that they need to wash their hands regularly. Our pubs also have notices relating to people washing their hands. Contact points, including door handles, are being cleaned on a regular basis.'

Britain's oldest brewer, Shepherd's Neame, also hasn't seen a 'discernible change' in customer behaviour.

Chief executive Jonathan Neame, told KentOnline: 'We have seen no discernible change in customer behaviour to date. It is impossible at this stage to gauge the likely impact, but should there be significant restrictions on travel and the movement of people in the coming months, that would have an inevitable bearing on our business and our supply chain.

'Over the longer term, the quality and profile of the company's brands and pubs will stand us in good stead and form an excellent platform from which to grow.

'We are confident we are building an even stronger business for the future.'

Due to a lack of air travel, British Airways is reportedly fighting for survival. Alex Cruz, BA chief, said his airline was fighting for its survival, job cuts were inevitable and the situation was more serious than 9/11.

He told staff in a memo: 'We are suspending routes and will be parking aircraft in a way that we have never had to do before. Please do not underestimate the seriousness of this for our company.'

Half a million seasonal jobs in holiday parks, hotels and tourist areas have already been 'frozen', and 'hundreds of thousands' more are at risk due to a coronavirus cash crunch for UK bars, cafes and restaurants.

Alistair Darling, who was Chancellor during the 2008 financial crisis, said the Government must consider massive bailouts for airlines and other firms hit by the deadly virus.

The former Labour minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'As this intensifies, as it carries on, and I wouldn't criticise the Chancellor for doing this, he will need to go back to the House of Commons - I had to do it several times during the financial crisis - they must do whatever it takes to keep the economy going.'

People get swabbed at a drive-through coronavirus testing station set up near a branch of KFC in Wolverhampton. People who think they might have the virus have been told to avoid the city's hospital

'The Bank of England has, for example, made considerable funds available to be disbursed through the banking system to provide loans to companies, particularly small and medium sized enterprises.

'But the government does have to have an eye on as we come through this, and we will, at some stage we will recover, we need to make sure we have still got the basic economic infrastructure that will work.'

Dozens of airlines have cancelled flights as travel restrictions continue to tighten and worried holidaymakers choose to stay at home. Norwegian Air has cancelled more than 4,000 flights and said it plans to lay off up to half its staff. Easyjet and Ryanair have cancelled hundreds of flights, while Virgin Atlantic has admitted some of its planes are 'almost empty'. In the UK, unions warned a swathe of airlines were preparing to announce job cuts.

WORLD HEALTH CHIEFS SLAMS UK'S VIRUS RESPONSE The World Health Organization has slammed Boris Johnson's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying every country should find and test every possible case. On Thursday, the Prime Minister announced only the most seriously ill will be tested with others who notice symptoms encouraged to self-isolate for 14 days. But on Friday, the WHO's director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: 'You can't fight a virus if you don't know where it is. 'Find, isolate, test and treat every case to break the chains of Covid transmission. Every case we find and treat limits the expansion of the disease. 'Do not just let this fire burn,' he said. 'Any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks "that won't happen to us" is making a deadly mistake.' Advertisement

Tim Morris, a civil air transport secretary for Unite, said: 'The aviation industry was in crisis even without coronavirus. This is a perfect storm for our members.'

Yesterday the European Union condemned US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend all travel from the Schengen area of Europe for 30 days.

Insurers Aviva, Direct Line, and Churchill suspended the sale of travel insurance to new customers.

BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, due to take place in Dundee in late May, was cancelled and The Who, Madonna and Miley Cyrus have all abandoned live dates.

Cineworld said a widespread drop in demand could force it out of business in an update to the market this week. Theatregoers cancelled bookings to shows across the country, as playhouses prepared for a change in Government advice that would see thousands of performances cancelled. The widespread uncertainty is also likely to hit the housing market.

Bosses lined up to criticise Chancellor Rishi Sunak's first Budget for not doing enough to protect businesses from going bust. Jonathan Downey, founder of London Union, which operates food and drink markets in London, said: 'We need the Government to do something drastic if businesses are to survive and jobs be saved. Not even the best businesses can survive this level of catastrophic collapse and the Government needs to act now.'

Germany has pledged a big 'bazooka' of unlimited cash loans to business hit by coronavirus.

The UK Government has promised to guarantee 1billion of loans. In a sign of the severity of the crisis for the aviation industry, America's Delta Airlines said it was in bailout talks with the White House.

Workers left in the lurch took to Twitter to announce they had lost their jobs due to the outbreak.

One woman from Scotland had been set to start a new job as an air steward with EasyJet but was informed her employment had been withdrawn.

'I was meant to start my new job as Easyjet Cabin Crew on Monday but I've just been told my employment has been withdrawn due tot he corona virus,' she wrote.

'Does anyone know of any jobs in West Lothian, Edinburgh or Fife?'

A reporter for The Times detailed how she was trying to dissuade her chef flatmate, who had been ill, from going into work. 'My flatmates have all been ill, and under new gov advice will have to stay home.

'One is feeling better and I'm trying to dissuade her from going back to work as a chef tomorrow. The catch? 18 a day sick pay if she stays home. Not enough to live on in London,' she said.

Alistair Darling, who was chancellor during the 2008 financial crisis, said the Government must consider massive bailouts for airlines and other firms hit by the virus

Alex Cruz, BA boss, said his airline was fighting for its survival and the situation was more serious than 9/11

People at risk of losing their jobs flooded social media to lament their vulnerable work situations

A reporter for The Times detailed how she was trying to dissuade her chef flatmate, who had been ill, from going into work

Another person said she was 'officially panicking' following the announcement of job cuts by British Airways.

One commented: 'Coronavirus and self employment where it's your only source of income don't mix well.'

A woman said the virus's impact on wineries and the tourism industries has 'crushed' any income she was going to make this month 'and possibly next month', alongside the hashtag '#cantaffordthis'.

Heathrow saw a 4.8 per cent year-on-year decline in passenger numbers in February due to coronavirus, raising more concerns over job losses. And in the UK alone there are fears an estimated 1.5million self-employed and gig economy workers could face financial ruin because of the deadly disease.

Some delivering food, parcels or working in cafes, restaurants may avoid self-isolating if they have coronavirus symptoms because they fear going unpaid, unions have warned.

People on zero-hours contracts and other casual workers risk losing income and missing out on sick pay if they stay at home for the recommended two-week period.

More than 4.7million people - or one in ten working-age adults - work in the gig economy, according to research published by the Trade Union Congress.

And Citizen's Advice say that 1.5million of them - around one in three - don't qualify for sick pay.

It came as ministers warned that coronavirus could push more people into poverty unless the UK and Scottish governments protect low earners. The GMB union revealed the case of a delivery driver who was forced to stay off work, unpaid, after coming in to contact with a customer considered to be high-risk.
Hollywood would do well to keep an eye on the community of Causeway after a blistering display of local talent at the Causeway Community Action Group's special 'OsKaRs' on Saturday.

It's not likely Tinseltown's going to run out of acting talent anytime soon, but there are more than 100 talented thesps waiting in the wings in Causeway. Their talent can be in no doubt, after the film excerpts they brought to life on the big screen at the Ballyroe Heights Hotel event on Saturday went down a storm among the hundreds gathered.

And how they gathered! Hollywood glamour attended the event every bit as much as acting brilliance, with the men in tuxedos and the ladies in sparkling ballgowns lighting up the red carpet on arrival to the Ballyroe.

The Causeway Community Action Group said it was delighted with the event, which it organised as one of the main fundraising activities towards the purchase of the old Shannon Ballroom on behalf of the community.

"Everyone involved in the Causeway Community Action Group is absolutely thrilled with the success of the OsKaRs fundraiser," a spokesperson said, adding: "Thank you to all our actors and actresses, thank you for all your fundraising efforts and for all the effort put into the production of each of the seven films, not one of them disappointed." They also paid tribute to all in the community who played a role, including Kevin Rowe Events, which helped the individual groups shoot their particular film excerpts.

"Lastly to the people of Causeway and far, far beyond, thanks for buying into this idea and supporting it in any way possible."
By Trend

The schedule of Baku-Tbilisi-Baku train has changed, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijan Railways. The company said that the changes has been made in connection with the closure of Azerbaijani-Georgian border for all means of transport for the period of 10 days since 00:00 (GMT +4) March 14.

Therefore, the passenger train operating on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route will be operating up to the Boyuk-Kesik station (Azerbaijan) and then will be returning to Baku.

Azerbaijan Railways will refund money to the passengers for purchased travel tickets.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Even though Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are to step down from their roles as senior royals, it was reported that the Queen's door is always open for them if ever they want to return.

A friend of the couple told People Magazine that the Sussexes, together with their son Archie Harrison, are much-loved members of the royal family.

The friend added, "That stuff runs deep."

Meanwhile, a source told The Sun that "Harry is also a much-loved grandson who the Queen has always doted on. She made it clear to him that he and Meghan are always able to come back if they change their minds."

Recently, Her Majesty invited the Duke and Duchess to a church service while they were still in the U.K. attending their final rounds of royal engagements.

It was actually the Queen extending an olive branch to her grandson after being frustrated with their decision to move to North America with his family.

A source told People that asking the couple to join her was meant to communicate the Queen's belief that Prince Harry's family was still very much part of her family.

"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," the source pointed out.

A Grandmother's Love

The head of the monarchy has also made it clear what Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Archie's position is -- and that they will always be members of her family.

"I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across the country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family," the Queen said in her statement following the Sussexes' decision last January.

Queen Elizabeth II added that the entire royal family hopes that their agreement will allow the Prince and her former actress wife to start building a happy and peaceful life.

Royals No More

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal duties will end officially on March 31. They moved to Canada early this year in an effort to start a new and more quiet life.

Though it has not been easy for the couple, their friend said that there is an element of working things through between Prince Harry, Meghan, Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the royal family.

The report follows another report that said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were hurt by how the crown negotiated with them regarding their royal duties. According to an insider, the royal family has tried to make it as "collaborative" and "loving" as possible as they get a fresh start.

Another insider insisted that the couple is going out of their way to let everyone know that they are not abandoning anyone.

"There is a lot of goodwill," said the insider.

However, the couple will no longer formally represent the Queen, which means no more tours or official duties on behalf of the Queen for Prince Harry and Meghan.

Aside from that, the parents-of-one will no longer use their His/Her Royal Highness titles as they forge their new independent life.

Even with so many changes in the royal family though, Prince Harry remains the sixth in line to the throne by official order, according to the British rules of succession.
DALLAS, March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Elah Holdings, Inc. (OTC:ELLH) has released its audited annual financial statements for the 2019 fiscal year. This report and additional company information can be found at www.elahholdings.com under the Financial Releases section of the website.

About Elah Holdings

Elah Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Real Industry, Inc.) is a reorganized holding company led by experienced business leaders that is seeking to acquire profitable businesses in the commercial and industrial markets to generate sustainable profitability and cash flows, unlock the value of our considerable tax assets, and use creative deal structures that reduce risk and ultimately create long-term value for our shareholders. For more information, visit www.elahholdings.com. Elah Holdings' stock trades on the OTC Pink Market, which is operated by OTC Markets Group, a centralized electronic quotation service for over-the-counter securities under the symbol "ELLH."

Contact:

Michael Hobey

Elah Holdings, Inc.

+1 (805) 435-1255

@elah_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/elah-holdings-inc/

SOURCE Elah Holdings, Inc.

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http://www.elahholdings.com


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By PTI

NEW DELHI: Representatives of civil society organisations and rights activists including Harsh Mander and Yogendra Yadav on Saturday called for boycott of the National Population Register (NPR) and demanded that it be delinked from the census.

Mander said Home Minister Amit Shah must ensure that the law is amended to ensure that providing information in NPR, which he claimed was a "divisive" exercise, is voluntary and that no one would be penalised for failing to provide the details.

"They said illegal citizens will be identified through NRC, but to identify them NPR is the first step. This was made clear in the law," Mander said, referring to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

READ| Delhi Assembly passes resolution against NCR, NPR

He said there was fear among people with regard to citizenship and it can be alleviated only when the rules are changed and the mention of NPR is removed.

"No announcement is bigger than the law. We will be relieved of this fear only when the government changes the law. Even if we believe in your words, perhaps somebody else in the future may implement them," he said.

The alliance of the rights organisations also demanded the "legalisation and formalisation" of the Home Minister's statement given in Rajya Sabha on Thursday in the context of NPR and "doubtful citizens".

Yadav asked Shah to give in writing what he promised in the Rajya Sabha.

Shah had said in the Upper House of Parliament that no citizen will be marked "D" or "doubtful" during the NPR exercise, which starts across the country from April 1.

"I want to set the record straight. No document will be required to be furnished in the NPR exercise. No one will be required to give information which is not there," he had said.

Yadav said the Home Minister must ensure that the law is amended to "remove any reference to NPR".

"Alternatively, the government may delete Rule 3 (5), 4 (3), 4(4) which allow NPR to be used for identifying citizens as doubtful and their deletion from the NRC.

The government may also suitably amend Rule 7(2) and 17 to ensure that providing information in NPR is voluntary and that no one would be penalised for failure to provide information," he said.

Yadav added that the civil organisations are opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), the NPR, and the NRC as these are "divisive and discriminatory".

"These are against the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution and antithetical to the ethos of our freedom struggle and civilisational values," the former Aam Aadmi Party leader said.

Mander also said clubbing the NPR exercise with the census puts confidentiality at risk.

"The government has linked the NPR with the census. Census is a sacrosanct exercise, the information given by a citizen under the census is confidential. But on the other hand, the NPR data will be made public. This is inherently wrong," he said.

"There are a lot of people of the country who are scared today that the government will take away their citizenship. Whether this fear is valid or not, but the fear is there. And it is the government's job to rid them of this fear," he said.

Representatives of civil rights organisations such as We the People of India and Alliance Against CAA-NRC-NPR were also present at the conference.

The groups said they will withdraw the appeal for NPR's boycott "as soon as the Union Government carries out the amendments".

However, the movement against CAA and NRC and the "entire discriminatory citizenship regime shall continue in a peaceful, non-violent and democratic manner," they said.
13.03.2020 LISTEN

Ghana's Ambassador to the United States of America, H.E. Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah, has called on Ghanaians in the United States to follow precautionary measures and laid down guidelines by health experts and government officials.

The Ambassador made the call in a statement released by the Embassy on Thursday, March 12, 2019.

He also called on Ghanaians to check on each other during these challenging times. "More importantly, let us check on each other and ensure that no Ghanaian feels alienated during these challenging times," he added.

Find the statement below:
A court in Assam has



sentenced one man to death and sentenced 11 others to life imprisonment for killing three members of a family in Majuli district on suspicion of practising witch-craft in 2012.

Jorhat district and additional sessions judge Polly Kakoty convicted the 12 on Friday and awarded death penalty to Rajen Doley.

Eleven others were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Raj Kumar Doley, Jitu Doley and Bornali Doley of Lachit Chapori under Goromur police station on August 28, 2012.

All the 12 convicts were also fined Rs 10,000 each.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
We wanted to get ahead of this and figure out what the right thing to do was, and what mistakes may have been made along the way and to learn from that, he said. So thats why you hear so many precautions that have been activated around this particular nursing home.
Turkish and Russian troops will begin jointly patrolling a key highway in north-west Syria tomorrow as part of a fragile truce brokered by the countries, Turkey's defence minister said yesterday.

Hulusi Akar made the announcement after Turkish and Russian officials ended four days of talks in Ankara over the technicalities of the ceasefire reached last week for Syria's Idlib province.

The ceasefire by Russia and Turkey - which support the opposing sides in the Syria conflict - called for the establishment of a security corridor along Syria's M4 highway, running east-west in Idlib, with joint patrols by Russian and Turkish troops.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Akar said the Russian and Turkish delegations agreed to "set up joint co-ordination centres" for Idlib.

The minister did not provide further details.

"Our hope is for the truce to rapidly become a permanent one," the minister said.
Bhopal, March 14 : A BJP delegation met Governor Lalji Tandon on Saturday and demanded a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly.

In a memorandum to the Governor, the BJP said the Kamal Nath government has lost majority due to the resignation of 22 MLAs and the Chief Minister has no constitutional right to run the government.

"The ruling party's strength should be tested immediately to prove the majority," leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava tweeted, saying the delegation that called on the Governor included former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Narottam Mishra, Rampal Singh and Bhupendra Singh.

Chauhan has requested the Governor to order a floor test before March 16. He has said that there is no justification in starting the Budget session from March 16 unless the government proves its majority.

Chauhan accused the Kamal Nath government of luring legislators and pressuring them by calling their relatives. Property and other new cases are being filed against the rebel MLAs. He expressed fears of horse-trading in the state and requested the Governor to use his powers conferred under Article 175 (2) to check it.

BJP leader and former Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and former Advocate General Pushpendra Kaurava also reached Raj Bhavan and met Tandon.
The Boston Archdiocese is suspending all daily and Sunday Masses as well as all religious services as a result of concerns surrounding the coronavirus, according to multiple media reports.

Cardinal Sean OMalley said the suspension will begin Saturday at 4 p.m, according to WBZ.

OMalley said baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals can proceed but should be limited to immediate family only.

This decision to temporarily suspend the daily and Sunday Mass is motivated by an abundance of caution and concern for those most vulnerable and the need to do our part to help limit and mitigate the spread of the illness, OMalley said according to the television station.

Churchgoers are still able to watch daily and Sunday Masses on CatholicTVs website.

The decision comes hours after Gov. Charlie Baker banned gatherings of more than 250 people.

Related Content:
Every week our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at an important holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you dont have to. This week, how to book breaks with more confidence.

Planning a holiday is becoming a nerve-racking affair as we try to find a guaranteed safe haven overseas amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus outbreak.

For those of us yet to book a trip for later in the year, here is how to achieve some security in the months ahead.

Deep clean: Workers disinfect the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul

STEP ONE

Book with a company that is flexible enough to cope with uncertainty. Thats particularly important for cruises, where the Government now advises over-70s and people with pre-existing medical conditions to delay departure. Fortunately, most firms including Norwegian Cruise Lines allow anyone due to depart before the end of September to choose not to go up to 48 hours before departure. If you cancel, youll be reimbursed your holiday cost as a future cruise credit to be used before the end of 2022.

For flights, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will waive fees for those who want to change flights up until the day of departure, but only for bookings that were made after Tuesday, March 3. EasyJet and Norwegian have also removed change fees. For package holidays, most firms will offer full refunds if the official advice means your destination becomes a no-go area.

Tui will also allow you to switch bookings to a same-value trip elsewhere if this happens, although you will need to act quickly as alternative resorts may have limited availability. The best advice is to have a second-choice holiday in mind and contact your package provider fast if you are informed about problems in your original destination. Tour firm Exodus offers transferable deposits, so customers can switch trips more easily.

As usual, you should also check that your tour firm is part of the ATOL and ABTA safety nets. If you book accommodation independently, some firms are more flexible than others. Hotel groups such as Hilton and providers including Airbnb will waive cancellation fees (which can be 100 per cent of your booking), but only for locations in Covid-19 hotspots.

If youre booking a pre-flight stay at a UK airport hotel, it may be worth paying a little more with Premier Inn and others for flexible terms that give refunds for last-minute cancellations.

STEP TWO

Always buy travel insurance the moment you book a holiday, says Neil Simpson

Always buy travel insurance the moment you book a holiday and tell your insurer about pre-existing health conditions. Insurance wont pay for disinclination to travel, so you cant claim if official advice says your destination is safe but you decide not to go.

Policies should cover medical costs if youre hit by coronavirus, or anything else, while youre away.

STEP THREE

It's more important than ever to ensure that your tour firm, airline, hotel, travel agent or insurer has your current email address and mobile number so it can tell you if your flights, hotel or holiday details change. If you booked online, log in and check the details you gave are correct, or contact your provider by phone or in a high-street branch so that staff know how to reach you in an emergency.
The coronavirus outbreak has led to panic buying across New York, including here on the Lower East Side. Youve seen the crazy lines and empty shelves at Trader Joes on Grand Street. Meanwhile, most of the neighborhoods tourist attractions and many other local institutions have temporarily shut their doors.

Among them: the New Museum, the Tenement Museum, the Manny Cantor Center and the Museum at Eldridge Street. At the same time, many of the Lower East Sides social service organizations, including University Settlement, Henry Street Settlement and Grand Street Settlement are keeping most of their programs open. Taste of the Lower East Side, Grand Street Settlements annual fundraiser (scheduled to take place May 7), was cancelled yesterday.

The governors ban on public gatherings that include over 500 people was a big blow to Jing Fong, Chinatowns largest restaurant which seats up to 800 people in its second floor banquet hall. The New York Post reported erroneously on Thursday night that Jing Fong would be closing for good. The restaurants owners clarified that the closure was only temporary, explaining via Twitter: We are TEMPORARILY closed due to Governor Coumo requesting all large gatherings of 500 or more to be cancelled. We have 800 seats, therefore for everyones health and safety, we are closed until Coumo says its OK to gather and party again!!! Other big Chinatown restaurants, including Golden Unicorn and Congee Village, have also closed until the crisis is over.



View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Market Line (@themarketline) on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Over at the Market Line, the subterranean food hall, vendors were planning to stay open through the weekend, although a notice on social media indicated that all special programming had been cancelled through the end of the month. In difficult times, you can always count on legacy Lower East Side businesses to remain open in service to the community. On Instagram, Russ & Daughters said, We hope youre healthy and safe. Were open and here to feed you at all of our locations just as our family has for four generations and 106 years.
Edmonton businesses are concerned about the effects of COVID-19 on their bottom line, with many companies making changes to their services.

Jeff Nachtigall, co-owner of Edmonton bakery Sugared and Spiced, is one of those business owners.

"Bakeries don't have very high-profit margins so a couple of days of decimated traffic could be really painful," he said.

"We've felt a little bit of a slowdown in sales, not a lot. But we're more concerned about what will happen in the coming days."

Craig Ryan/CBC

As COVID-19 information quickly evolves and changes, local businesses are wondering what the result will be on their bottom line.

Mekita Aznar, co-owner of Fast Trax Run and Ski Shop, says revenue has dropped by more than 50 per cent.

"We have all of the inventory coming in and if there's no sales, the invoices are still going to come in," she told CBC's RadioActive on Friday.

"It's a little scary."

One of the biggest challenges to the bottom lines of small businesses is adapting to the unknown, said Michael Holden, vice president of policy and chief economist at the Business Council of Alberta.

"I think there's a lot more questions than answers at this point," Holden said.

"I think for a lot of businesses, it's a matter of waiting to see what happens next, making sure you have preventative measures you need to have in place to make sure your workforce is safe and so your business can keep running."

Making necessary changes

Many businesses are trying to be proactive when dealing with the public.

The YMCA of northern Alberta, which serves thousands in the province, has made several changes to their programs and services within the last week.

In Edmonton, all indoor playgrounds, youth centres and hot tubs are closed as of Friday afternoon, said Michelle Hynes-Dawson, vice president of marketing communications with YMCA of northern Alberta.

Some drop-in classes have been modified to accommodate fewer people as of Friday afternoon, she said.

Story continues

I think there's a lot more questions than answers at this point. - Michael Holden, chief economist with Business Council of Alberta

"We're trying to keep our doors open the best we can to help people to stay healthy but at the same time trying to adhere to those best practices," she said Friday afternoon.

As the largest childcare provider in Western Canada, the YMCA has made changes to its childcare programs, including how meals are served, with educators now serving children individually instead of family-style meals, Hynes-Dawson said.

'Triple whammy' business impact

Unlike other businesses in Canada, Holden and Premier Jason Kenney say Alberta businesses are being hit with what Kenney previously called a "triple whammy."

The uncertainty around resource development, COVID-19 and the "oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia" are affecting sales for many businesses in the province, Holden said.

"That makes it especially challenging in Alberta," he said.

"All Canadians are going to be harmed by this or the economy will slow everywhere. It's going to be steepest and first seen in Alberta because of the oil price component of it."

How can people help?

Nachtigall said even if people opt for social distancing, there are ways to support local businesses.

He suggests people purchase gift cards to use at a later date.

Alexei Boldireff, executive Chef of Baiju and Royale Burger, said one of the best things people can do is be informed and take the right precautions.

"The biggest thing people can do is take it seriously, let's get it contained and we can go back to business as usual."
In response to coronavirus concerns Frank Lloyd Wrights Fallingwater in Mill Run, Fayette County, will be closed to the public from Sunday, March 15, through Saturday, March 28.

Fallingwater is a house designed in 1935 by Frank Lloyd Wright, who is widely considered the greatest American architect of the 20th century, as a vacation home for the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, owners of the popular Kaufmanns department store chain.

Built over a 30-foot waterfall, Fallingwater is one of Wrights most widely acclaimed works and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the owners and operators of Fallingwater, announced that the organization will continue to monitor the latest developments from local, county and state health officials and tentatively plan to reopen Fallingwater on March 29.

Public updates will be provided on social media and on Fallingwater.org.

Fallingwater staff will contact visitors who have reservations for tours during the closure to reschedule or refund. Visitors who have tour reservations on or after March 29 and would like to reschedule, should contact Fallingwater Visitor Services at 724-329-8501.

Fallingwater became Pennsylvanias second World Heritage Site in July 2019, added to the international list by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Pennsylvanias other World Heritage Site is Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The birthplace of America, Independence Hall is the building where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed, and George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Congress.

Independence Hall is owned by the City of Philadelphia and administered by the National Park Service as a part of Independence National Historical Park.

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least 1 of 10 selection criteria: to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius; to exhibit an important interchange of human values; to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization; to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape; to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use; to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance; to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty; to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history; to be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes; to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity.

In October 1963, Edgar Kaufmann Jr. entrusted Fallingwater, its collections and 469 acres of surrounding natural land to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, which continues to own, operate and preserve Fallingwater.

Fallingwater is designated as a National Historic Landmark, was named a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Treasure in 2000, and received the National Trust for Historic Preservation Stewardship Award in 2006.

It also was named the best all-time work of American architecture in a poll of members of the American Institute of Architects.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Travel+Leisure Magazine described Fallingwater as "one of the 12 landmarks that will change the way you see the world." And it was designated a Place of a Lifetime by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

Local craftsman and construction workers from Fayette County built Fallingwater from 1936-39, using Pottsville sandstone quarried from the site.

Wright designed Fallingwaters dramatic cantilevered terraces that extend and provide the appearance that the house hovers over the waterfall below.

Through Fallingwaters glass windows, Wright demonstrated that there is no need for the traditional vertical supports at the corners of his rooms, and the absence of a mullion provides an uninterrupted view to the outdoors and nature.

The site is the only major Wright work to come into the public domain with its setting, original furnishings and artwork intact. More than 2,700 objects make up the Fallingwater collection with nearly 5 times that number comprising the Fallingwater archives.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy works to enhance the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.

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.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
3rd UPDATE (3/15/20): 2nd Lehigh Valley coronavirus case among 16 new reports in Pennsylvania; state total at 63

2ND UPDATE (3:28 p.m.) Aggressive coronavirus measures extend to Bucks County: Non-essential business told to close

1ST UPDATE (2:20 p.m.): State officials announced two new cases in Allegheny County during an afternoon news conference, and provided new testing figures. This post has been updated to reflect this new information.

Pennsylvania health officials announced Saturday six more people are infected with the coronavirus, bringing the states total caseload to 47.

The newest cases represent two adults from Montgomery County, one adult from Philadelphia County and one adult from Chester County. All three counties previously had COVID-19 cases. Two more were identified in Allegheny County, that countys first cases.

The Lehigh Valley continues to have one case, in Northampton County. In counties contiguous to Lehigh or Northampton counties, Montgomery County now has 20 cases and Buck and Monroe counties each has three, according to Saturdays count.

Of the 45 cases, 39 cases are presumptive positive and six -- one in Delaware County, one in Wayne County and four in Montgomery County -- have been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Saturdays update on the coronavirus outbreak from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday announced additional data on the number of people identified for testing, with 402 patients identified for testing and 205 of those having tested negative for COVID-19. Results from 150 tests remained pending.

While we anticipate that there will be more Pennsylvanians with COVID-19 in the coming days and weeks, it is important for residents to know the commonwealth is prepared and to be prepared themselves, state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement. Right now, you have a higher chance of testing positive for COVID-19 if you have traveled to a country or state with known community outbreaks or have come in contact with someone who has the virus. We are working with the health care community across Pennsylvania to keep them informed, consult on patient testing and ensuring they have the resources they need to care for patients.

New York State reported its first death in the coronavirus pandemic, an 82-year-old woman who had been previously hospitalized with emphysema, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.

The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey continues to spread, as well, with at least 50 cases reported in 13 of the states 21 counties, according to state and local officials.

There were another 80 cases under investigation at the states lab, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichelli told reporters during a Friday afternoon briefing. Another update from the state is expected Saturday afternoon.

The COVID-19 illness is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath may appear two to 14 days after exposure, according to the CDC.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Prevention steps include frequent hand-washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or if not readily available using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, and avoiding close contact. Those who are sick are urged to stay home, cover coughs and sneezes and wear a face mask. In addition, frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected, including tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.

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.
Ascension Parish public schoolchildren will switch to working from home for the next month in the wake of the statewide school closure order issued Friday afternoon by Gov. John Bel Edwards to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

In an email sent to parents, Ascensions School Superintendent David Alexander said the school district will send out instructions for children in third to 12th grade on how they will have students connect with teachers and complete assignments. Children in preschool to second grade are receiving printed packets when they head home Friday afternoon with instructions to complete at home.

We want to assure our students, parents, employees and the community that we have been preparing for this possibility and will implement plans to ensure continuity of learning, Alexander wrote.

The governors order closes all public schools in the state through April 13.

Students in fifth to 12th grade in Ascension Parish have district-provided laptops and other computing devices that they are bringing home when school lets out Friday afternoon.

If a child was absent today, we will develop a way to distribute either a computing device or a printed packet to them next week, Alexander said.

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And for students who lack Internet access at home, we are working on alternate plans to engage them in instruction, Alexander said.

Louisiana's presidential primary election to be delayed because of coronavirus The presidential primary elections in Louisiana slated for April will be delayed by two months, the latest in a series of dramatic steps gover

A special page has been set up on the district website, www.apsb.org/COVID-19, containing resources and instructions for learning.

School employees will receive separate communications from their immediate supervisors later Friday on their work obligations over the next month, Alexander said.

Ascension Parish has about 23,400 students in 29 public schools.
March 13, 2020

News

By David Vergun

Defense.gov

U.S. Created 'Protective Bubbles' Around Bases in South Korea, General Says

Nine people working on U.S. bases in South Korea  service members, family members and contractors  have been diagnosed with COVID-19, said the top U.S. general there.

Army Gen. Robert B. ''Abe'' Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, told Pentagon reporters that all are recovering. He updated reporters by telephone on USFK's response to the coronavirus.

Out of about 58,000 people affiliated with USFK, that's a pretty low number, he said.

The reason the numbers aren't higher relative to the local population in some areas of the country is because of a number of strict control measures. ''We like to refer to [them] as protective bubbles around our installations,'' Abrams said. They include:

Limiting off-post excursions to necessary duties only

Making bars, clubs, large social gatherings, eat-in dining and theaters off limits

Minimizing public transportation

Enhancing screening procedures  including temperature checks  for those authorized to enter installations

Closing Defense Department schools across South Korea

Observing social distancing at meetings and maximizing video teleconferencing and telework

Mandating strict hygiene and monitoring procedures

Disinfecting chairs and other items frequently touched

He also said test kits are readily available for anyone who needs testing.

Abrams praised South Korean health care workers for their cooperative efforts with USFK. ''I could not have asked for a better partner,'' he said.

The general observed that South Korean people have also taken extraordinary measures and have sacrificed much.

''Our number one priority is to protect the force,'' he said, adding that that includes all service members, families, contractors, Korean employees and anyone affiliated with USFK.

The other priority of USFK, he said, is being ready to fight, should that be necessary.

Training continues, with U.S. troops flying, shooting and maneuvering, he said, all while taking precautions.

Leaders throughout the installations have had open and transparent communications with their personnel on a daily basis, Abrams said.

Morale among everyone is high despite being in a tough situation and making sacrifices, he concluded.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 18:59:32|Editor: zyl

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Namibian officials brief the media on the control of COVID-19 outbreak in Windhoek, Namibia, March 14, 2020. Namibia on Saturday cancelled independence celebrations slated for March 21 following a confirmation of COVID-19 cases in the country on Saturday. Namibian President Hage Geingob announced that the country has suspended in and outbound travel from Ethiopia, German and Qatar with immediate effect. (Photo by Harris Rodgers/Xinhua)

WINDHOEK, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Saturday cancelled independence celebrations slated for March 21 following a confirmation of COVID-19 cases in the country on Saturday.

Namibian President Hage Geingob announced that the country has suspended in and outbound travel from Ethiopia, German and Qatar with immediate effect.

"The resources that were meant for the independence celebration will be diverted to fighting COVID-19," he said.

Geingob said the inauguration of his second term will now be done at the state house on the same day.
In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Railways on Friday announced the suspension of operations of existing India-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses for one month from March 15. Issuing a notice, the Indian Railways said, "As per the advisory of MHA, the operation of existing India-Bangladesh cross-border passenger trains (i.e. Maitree Express and Bandhan Express) and passenger buses shall remain suspended during the period March 15 to April 15, 2020, or till further orders whichever is earlier."

The two trains- Maitree Express and Bandhan Express, connect India and Bangladesh. While the Maitree Express runs between the cities of Kolkata and Dhaka, the Bandhan Express connects Kolkata to Khulna city in Bangladesh. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had announced to suspend all the India-Bangladesh passenger buses and trains till April 15.

Coronavirus in India

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared to 88, while two deaths have also been reported, in Kalaburagi and West Delhi respectively.

Read: Beware: FAKE Coronavirus Map steals passwords & personal information with computer virus

India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart, from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has strongly advised Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories.

Read: IIT Delhi suspends academic, co-curricular activities amid Coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus crisis

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 118 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 1,24,518 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 4,607 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

Read: Telangana: BJP MLC slams Chandrashekar Rao government over Coronavirus crisis

Read: United Nations asks all staff to telecommute until April 12 due to Coronavirus outbreak

(With ANI Inputs)
KABUL - The Afghan government Saturday postponed the release of 1,500 Taliban prisoners, an Afghan official said, a decision that could sabotage a peace deal signed last month between the Taliban and the United States.

Jawed Faisal, spokesman for the Afghan National Security Advisers office, said the releases were being delayed because more time was needed to review the list of prisoners. The move comes despite President Ashraf Ghanis decree earlier this week promising the start of the releases Saturday as a good will gesture to get intra-Afghan negotiations started.

The U.S.-Taliban deal was touted at the time as the best chance at ending Afghanistans endless wars and bringing U.S. troops home after nearly 19 years.

There was no immediate response from the Taliban to the delayed prisoner release.

Faisal said Ghanis government wanted more time to review the list of prisoners. The U.S.-Taliban deal called for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban as well as 1,000 Afghan government captives ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations, considered a critical next step to reaching a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

Ghanis decree promised the release of 100 prisoners a day beginning Saturday until 1,500 prisoners were released. He would then release the remaining 3,500 after intra-Afghan talks began and those releases would be staggered and would go ahead only if talks progressed and Taliban reduced violence.

Although Ghanis decree differs from the U.S.-Taliban deal, Faisal insisted Ghani was committed to releasing 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

However, Ghani is embroiled in political turmoil in Kabul, where he is battling his leading political rival Abdullah Abdullah, who has also declared himself president. Abdullah has so far refused to accept the results of last years presidential results charging widespread irregularities and abuse of power by Ghani. Still, the national election commission last month declared Ghani the winner despite allegations lodged also by the elections complaints commission.

Meanwhile, the decree Ghani announced on Wednesday said the first round of 1,500 prisoners to be freed would be selected based on age, health and the length of their sentences already served. The released prisoners, who would be biometrically identified, would also have to give a written guarantee that they would not return to the battlefield.

The Taliban handed off their list of 5,000 to an American negotiator, who delivered it to the Afghan government administration. The Talibans spokesman in Qatar, where the insurgent group maintains a political office, said the Taliban would accept only those on the pre-approved list and warned Kabul against offering substitutes.

The Taliban said they are committed to the deal they made with the United States but would not start negotiations with Kabul government or other political leaders until the prisoners were freed.

Even if the Taliban were ready to talk, its not clear when Kabul would be ready to field a negotiating team as the feud between opposing politicians has yet to be resolved.

The United States has said its withdrawal of troops  which has already begun  was not dependent on successful negotiations between Afghans on both sides of the conflict.

However, the U.S. State Department has issued statements urging Kabuls feuding politicians to find a compromise, urged an end to posturing and said many of the Taliban prisoners on the list had already served their sentence and that the names were decided after lengthy negotiations.

Washington also chastised the Taliban for resuming attacks on Afghanistans security forces, even though they promised not to attack U.S. and NATO troops. Washington said the level of Taliban violence was too high and wanted to see a reduction.

Despite the political chaos in Kabul and increased violence on the battlefield, the United States has started withdrawing its troops in keeping with the deal it signed Feb. 29 with the Taliban. In the first phase, Washington will reduce its troops contingent to 8,600, down from the current 13,000.

If the Taliban adhere to their commitments to deny terrorists safe havens in Afghanistan, Washington will withdraw the remainder of its troops over 14 months, according to the agreement.

______

Associated Press Writer Kathy gannon contributed to this report from Islamabad
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. The number of coronavirus infection cases in a period of one day reached 2547 in Italy, bringing the total number to 17 thousand and 660, ARMENPRESS was informed from the platform created by the Johns Hopkins University.

Death toll is at 1266, 1439 people have been cured.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan


Voters urged to judge clumsy strategies in growth, real estate



By Lee Min-hyung



With the April 15 general election a month away, voters are being urged to make a judgment over the de facto botched economic policies by the incumbent administration.



Shortly after President Moon Jae-in took power in May 2017, the public had high expectations for the new leader to rehabilitate the sagging economy, narrow the gap between the rich and poor and offer better lives for middle- and low-income families.



The approval rating for Moon even topped 80 percent during his early days in office in reflection of the expectations, after he won a snap election held after scandal-tainted former President Park Geun-hye was impeached.



But with Moon completing half of his term, such hopes are rapidly fading, as his signature economic policies have ended up worsening the daily lives of ordinary people as shown in collected statistical data.



Two of his most representative policies include the much-hyped "income-led growth" and super-tough real estate regulations. Under the wage-driven growth strategy, the Moon administration believes an increase in household income will lead to more consumption and economic vitality.



The administration has since remained confident over the drive, but local economists point out that it is high time for Moon let go of the failed policy. They urged the president to face the facts and carry out more practical and realistic policies during the remaining term in order to stop the already weakened economy from further slowing.



Recent data, released by the Bank of Korea, also showed that the gross national income (GNI) per capita declined in 2019 for the first time in four years. The GDP growth here also managed to reach a ten-year low of 2 percent last year.



"It is true that the income-led growth has failed to generate outcomes in that the local economy is now in a difficult situation despite the years-long implementation of the policy," Yonsei University economist Sung Tae-yoon said.



Not all of the ongoing economic setback in Korea is due to the policy, but it is partly responsible for the dismal status quo, according to Sung.



With Moon having only two years left in office, the administration should remain more agile in accepting changes in its policy drive, he said.







Deregulation key for economic rebound



The economics professor underlined the importance of restructuring the industrial sector for an economic rebound.



"The government is advised to shift its policy drive in a market-friendly manner by seeking new economic growth engines," he said.



The first step in this is to reduce the overall rigidity prevalent across the industrial sector, Sung noted.



"Deregulation is the best approach to establish a flexible industrial environment," he said.



"The government should take steps to minimize regulations so more companies and individuals can expand their economic activities."



If the Moon administration is aware of how serious the regulation-ridden business circumstances are, it needs to take drastic and swift action to deregulate most industrial sectors unless they are exposed to potential safety threats, Sung said.



The government has also been criticized for apparently seeking to resolve economic problems by taking advantage of the budget, rather than actually understanding the problem and changing its policies.



"Against a similar backdrop, the government is also urged to come up with more comprehensive measures to vitalize private consumption and investment," he said.




BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a congratulatory letter on Friday to the signing ceremony of the coffee innovation park to be built by Starbucks in eastern China's Jiangsu Province.

Noting that Starbucks has made contributions and shared opportunities in the process of China's reform and opening-up over the years, Li said the innovation park, aligning with the latest international standards and featuring green production, is conducive to the innovation of modern industrial chain and supply chain.

China will make further efforts to widen market access and create an equitable and better business environment for both domestic and foreign-invested enterprises, Li said in the letter.

China's market potential is huge, and the fundamentals for long-term economic growth remain sound, Li said, adding that China will continue to be a hot spot for foreign investment.

"We welcome enterprises from all over the world to further expand their cooperation with China and better achieve common development," Li said.

With an initial investment of 130 million U.S. dollars, the innovation park is expected to be the largest manufacturing investment by the world's leading coffee chain outside the United States.

The park, located in Kunshan Economic and Technological Development Zone, Jiangsu Province, will incorporate the entire supply chain, including import and export of coffee beans, roasting, packaging, warehousing, distribution and training.

Starbucks has opened more than 4,300 stores on the Chinese mainland, with over 58,000 employees.
Greece announced two more coronavirus deaths on Saturday bringing the toll to three, as an unprecedented lockdown takes effect.

A 67-year-old man died on Zakynthos island early on Saturday and a 90-year-old man died in the northern city of Ptolemaida, the health ministry said.

Both men had health problems.

The man in Zakinthos was believed to have contracted the virus after visiting a hospital in western Greece where the first fatality was confirmed, Athens Agency reported.

Greece closed shops, bars and restaurants on Friday as well tourist sites such as the Acropolis as coronavirus cases jumped from 117 to 190.

Only supermarkets, pharmacies and medical facilities have been allowed to stay open.

The government had already shut down schools and universities, courts, cinemas, gyms and other indoor public gathering areas for two weeks in an effort to curb the outbreak.

A torch relay for the Tokyo 2020 Games has been cancelled after Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, who starred as the ancient Spartan King Leonidas in the 2007 epic "300", was mobbed as he lit a cauldron in the city of Sparta.

The Greek Olympic Committee said crowds had ignored "repeated warnings" not to gather at stopovers in the torch relay.

The flame for the 2020 Tokyo Games was lit in ancient Olympia on Thursday without spectators after dozens of people tested positive for COVID-19 in the region.

Meanwhile, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus and he would self-isolate for two weeks as a precaution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In Washington state, a comprehensive consumer privacy bill that legislators had hoped would pass has once against failed to materialize.This is the second time in two years that officials have unsuccessfully attempted to pass such a law.After what was designed to be the state's own version of the California Consumer Privacy Act failed to come together last year , its primary sponsor, Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, this year introduced Senate Bill 6281 , which he hoped would appeal to a diversity of stakeholders in its pursuit of an overarching policy framework.Legislators announced Thursday that no such consensus had been reached."Following two historic, near-unanimous votes on proposals in the Senate this year and last, Im deeply disappointed that we werent able to reach consensus with our colleagues in the House. The impasse remains a question of enforcement," said Carlyle, in a statement.On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila, another lawmaker deeply involved in the process, expressed his frustration.Our modern innovation economy is fueled as much by the data consumers produce as the oil used in our factories. Finding regulatory balance between consumers data privacy and innovation is not easy  yet is needed now more than ever," Hudgins said, in a statement.The bill was passed by the Senate in February and then by the House with amendments in early March, but the Senate subsequently rejected the newly amended version. This caused a concurrence meeting in which agreements could not be reached.Like last year, a number of contentious policy points became sources of unresolvable contention. A private right of action, which would've given individual consumers the right to sue companies for privacy violations, was a particularly thorny sticking point.Consumer rights groups were more than dissatisfied with most recent iterations of the law with groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the ACLU of Washington penning numerous letters in opposition to what lawmakers had come up with.Activists with the EFF called the law a "weak, token effort at reining in corporations' rampant misuse of personal data" and said the legislation had been culled together by "tech industry lobbyists" and "industry friendly groups."While lawmakers failed to pass comprehensive regulations, they did pass a law that sets out a regulatory framework for facial recognition software. SB 6280 requires government agencies to disclose their use of the technology, while also putting in place certain, limited standards of use  like obligatory bias testing and training.
Nintendo of America is the latest game company to urge employees to work from home, this time after an employee working in its Redmond offices tested positive for the coronavirus.

Notably, Nintendo is allowing staff in Washington and California (two U.S. states that have been hit especially hard by the outbreak) to work from home as a "precautionary step" following the test.

"We have determined that the individual had contact with other employees and we have notified those employees to the situation," a Nintendo rep told The Hollywood Reporter. "All impacted employees are now self-quarantining, whether they are experiencing symptoms or not."

This comes more than a week after fellow Washington-based game companies Bungie and Microsoft made a show of rolling out remote work infrastructures and allowing their staff to work from home for an extended period. Around the same time, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said that while he wasn't a big believer in staff working from home, "one unexpected consequence [of the coronavirus outbreak] is a lot of us who are skeptical about remote work are gonna be less skeptical about it."

Update: An earlier version of this story mistakenly implied that Nintendo of America had instituted this work from home policy in response to the positive coronavirus test, when in fact the company announced it last week.
Minister of Health Paulette Lenert told RTL this Saturday that the number of confirmed cases has risen to 51, a figure that has since risen to 81.

Minister of Health Paulette Lenert told RTL this Saturday that the number of confirmed infections in Luxembourg rose to 51. On Friday, 34 cased had been confirmed. In other words, an additional 17 people tested positive within one day. Lenert stressed that "the virus has arrived," adding that the situation is starting to be "critical" and "unprecedented."

Hundred of tests were reportedly carried out on Friday alone.

Officials are currently advocating the self-monitoring approach. People that are contacting the state coronavirus hotline are urged to quarantine themselves if necessary. Only people displaying severe symptoms are admitted to Luxembourg's hospitals - it was estimated that the number of patients could increase dramatically in the near future. Officials are doing everything in their power to keep the health system functioning, Lenert stressed. Medical staff will have to observe a number of additional precautionary measures. Around 120,000 face masks were distributed. Health officials also compiled lists of additional medical staff that could cover if it comes to shortages.

Lenert said that it had been a saddening moment to announce the first coronavirus death in Luxembourg. It is likely that more fatal cases will occur, she said. It would be an illusion to think that the virus is not entering the Grand Duchy, she reiterated. Additional measures may be taken in the light of future developments and precautions taken by Luxembourg's neighbouring countries.

Lenert concluded that there was no magical formula for dealing with the alarming situation. Luxembourg is unfortunately still at the beginning of the pandemic, she said.

Editorial note: News is moving quickly at the moment, and information such as the number of cases quickly falls out of date. For the latest information at any given moment, please follow our liveticker article. At the time of this update (Sunday morning) the total now stands at 59.
WASHINGTON  The lights were low and the disco balls spinning as a cake with a fiery sparkler shooting flames into the air was brought out to a robust rendition of Happy Birthday, joined by President Trump. The birthday girl, Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., then pumped her fist in the air and called out, Four more years!

It was a lavish, festive, carefree Saturday evening at Mar-a-Lago a week ago in what in hindsight now seems like a last hurrah for the end of one era and the beginning of another. In the days since then, the presidential estate in Florida has become something of a coronavirus hot zone. A growing number of Mar-a-Lago guests from last weekend have said they are infected or put themselves into quarantine.

A week later, the White House physician announced on Saturday night that the president had tested negative for the virus, ending a drama that played out for days as Mr. Trump refused repeatedly even to find out whether he had contracted it after exposure to multiple infected people. The result came less than 24 hours after the White House put out a misleading midnight statement saying there was no need for such a test at roughly the same time the president by his own account was actually undergoing one in deference to public pressure.

But either way, the Mar-a-Lago petri dish has become a kind of metaphor for the perils of group gatherings in the age of coronavirus, demonstrating how quickly and silently the virus can spread. No one is necessarily safe from encountering it, not senators or diplomats or even the most powerful person on the planet seemingly secure in a veritable fortress surrounded by Secret Service agents.
Gateway students victorious once again at COMUN 2020 View(s):

Within the gladiators arena, the hard working and determined students of Gateway College emerged victorious by securing five Best Delegate awards across the breadth of six committees.

The upper ranks of the First General Assembly were dominated by Gateway, with Andrew Surendran and Damion De Motte securing the Higher Commendations, while Basith Nawshard claimed both the Best Delegate Award and the Best Crisis Delegate.

The same was repeated in the Third General Assembly; with Shaheen Abdul Gani obtaining the Higher Commendation and Farhan Naushad won the Best Delegate Award. Malin Kaushika gained an Honorary Mention with the United Nations Environmental Programme, followed by a Higher Commendation from Tharidhu Peries, while Ravija Gunawardana acquired the highly desired Best Delegate Award. Thinula Karunarathne walked away as the Best Delegate of the Economic and Social Council.

The International Court of Justice was dominated by Gateway, with Four out of Six awards won by Gateway. Anpudeen Mohamed Aathif and Adhil Fareed won awards for the Best Memorial, Aaqil Salih claimed the Honorary Mention and Kavin Gunasekara secured the prestigious Best Overall Performance Award. Themiya Gurusinghe won the award for Best Foreign Policy Statement within the acclaimed Security Council, while Thriyampakan Dhivyakrishnan obtained an Honorary Mention.

Students of Gateway College remain a force to reckon with in the Model UN arena in Sri Lanka, performing exceptionally well both nationally and internationally. The MUN club of Gateway College, aptly supported by the teachers in charge and the alumni, continues to go from strength to strength with the passing of each conference.
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, its definitely not politics as usual at Queens Park.

With COVID-19 dominating political discourse, elected officials are focused upon the virus  its health and economic effects  instead of the normal negative nattering.

Premier Doug Ford huddled with his cabinet Friday afternoon with some ministers teleconferencing from across the province to discuss next steps.

They include a robust public awareness campaign about the novel coronavirus that originated in China and spread to dozens of countries.

We want to make sure that everyone knows what steps to take, how to look after themselves and their loved ones and help prevent further spread, Ford said in a statement.

His Progressive Conservative government is listening closely to Dr. David Williams, the chief medical officer for health, as it determines future moves.

We are prepared to do whatever it takes, Ford said. We are taking every step possible to protect our people.

MPPs unanimously passed a motion late Thursday allowing the government to suspend the spring legislative session temporarily  without proroguing the house  as a health-protection measure should circumstances warrant.

The Tories are also determining whether to postpone the March 25 budget because the financial picture is shifting rapidly.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath emphasized Friday that the official opposition would not have a problem with that.

It doesnt make a lot of sense to me that in the midst of all this the government would simply go ahead with their budget process. It seems to me they need to have a rethink there, said Horwath, who met with Ford and other party leaders Wednesday in his office to discuss the crisis.

It certainly isnt business as usual. This is uncharted territory, she said, pointing out it would be imprudent to hold a budget lock-up to brief journalists and stakeholders on the spending plan at the Metro Convention Centre.

How are we going to do a lock-up with hundreds of people in the situation that we have now? Its time to step back and not pretend that its business as usual.

In an example of the new unity of purpose at Queens Park, former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne publicly defended Ford, who had been criticized Thursday for initially urging people to travel on March Break and enjoy themselves.

In that moment when I heard him, I thought: hes not trying to do anything dangerous here, he just went beyond what the professionals have advised him to say, Wynne told Newstalk 1010s Jerry Agar.

He was doing it out of the goodness of his heart. I could hear it. He was trying to calm the waters, she said of her political rival.

The former premier added that leaders cant afford to freelance or muse aloud like that during such crises.

You have to know what it is you can say and what you cant say.

At Queens Park, tours of the legislature have been cancelled until April 3 and March break public programming has been scrapped.

This decision was made with the best interest of public health and safety, the Legislative Assembly said.

The building will remain open for business while MPPs are away on March Break, Speaker Ted Arnott has directed operations move to an essential services only posture with reduced staff, according to an internal memo.

All other staff are asked to remain at home and to avoid outside social contact during the March Break, the memo says. By remaining at home you will be minimizing the opportunities for spread of the virus, and protecting your own health and your ability to return to work when full normal operations resume.

All staff will be paid their normal wages even if they are asked not to report to work.

Meanwhile, the virus has now hit the provincial agency Infrastructure Ontario, where the main office at 1 Dundas Street in downtown Toronto has been closed after an unidentified employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The office is closed immediately until further notice, says an internal memo sent to staff, asking them to work from home.

We are committed to taking all precautions necessary to ensure a safe workplace.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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By Israel Shamir

March 14, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Julian Assanges extradition hearing has had very little media coverage. Even The Guardian and The New York Times barely mentioned it, though these newspapers made a fortune publishing Assange-provided cables. Unless you had been looking for it, you wouldnt even know that on February 24 to 27, the first stage of Assanges extradition hearing was being adjudicated in the secretive Woolwich Crown Court embedded within the huge Belmarsh Prison nicknamed British Gitmo. Luckily for us, Ambassador Craig Murray, the indomitable truth fighter, went there, waited in line for hours in the rain, underwent searches and discomfort, and wrote an extensive report (12,000 words) on this travesty of justice that went under the name of a trial. His reports leave nothing out, from the threatening atmosphere to the sinister legal arguments. He captured the menace and the abuse bordering with public torture, and delivered it to the world, something that none of the journalists on the payroll of the mass media had been allowed to do. Here are some insights from his report in my free rendering augmented with other sources.

The Court is designed with no other purpose than to exclude the public, on an island accessible only through navigating a maze of dual carriageways, the entire location and architecture of the building is predicated on preventing public access. It is in truth just the sentencing wing of Belmarsh prison.

The judge, the Magistrate (or District Judge) Vanessa Baraitser is a modern version of the Hanging Judge George Jeffreys, a female Judge Dredd. She is the chief villain by all descriptions of the trial, not just tolerating but exceeding the demands of the prosecution. The lawyers acting for the prosecution did request some niceties if only for the trial to appear fair. Baraitser had no such pretensions. She went straight for the jugular. If she could, she would hang Assange right away.

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This Jewish lady is surrounded by mystery: she has left no trace upon the Internet. A newly born child has more Internet presence than this middle-aged woman. I doubt such a blank slate could be achieved nowadays without the active assistance of the Secret Services.

Ambassador Murray writes: Ms Baraitser is not fond of photography  she appears to be the only public figure in Western Europe with no photo on the internet. Indeed the average proprietor of a rural car wash has left more evidence of their existence and life history on the Internet than Vanessa Baraitser. Which is no crime on her part, but I suspect the expunging is not achieved without considerable effort. Somebody suggested to me she might be a hologram, but I think not. Holograms have more empathy.

John Pilger saw Baraitser in action during the previous round of Assange hearings in October 2019. He wrote: I have sat in many courtrooms and seen judges abuse their positions. This judge, Vanessa Baraitser shocked all of us who were there. Her face was a progression of sneers and imperious indifference; she addressed Julian with cruel arrogance. When Assange spoke, Baraitser contrived boredom; when the prosecuting barrister spoke, she was attentive. When Julians barrister described the CIA spying on him, she didnt yawn, but her disinterest was as expressive. Her knee in the groin was to announce that the next court hearing would be at remote Woolwich, which adjoins Belmarsh Prison and has few seats for the public. This will ensure isolation and be as close to a secret trial as its possible to get.

It turned out to be practically a secret trial. There were MSM journalists, but not a single one of the most important facts and arguments today has been reported anywhere in the mainstream media.

On the first day, James Lewis QC for the prosecution tried to drive a wedge between Assange and the media. He claimed that in no way are mainstream outlets like The Guardian and The New York Times threatened by this trial, because Assange was not charged with publishing the cables but only with publishing the names of informants, cultivating Manning and assisting him to attempt computer hacking. The mainstream outlets are not guilty of any crimes, having only published sanitised cables.

But Judge Baraitser didnt accept this vegetarian approach. She thirsted for blood. She referred to the Official Secrets Act 1989, which declares that merely obtaining and publishing any government secret is an offence. Surely, Baraitser suggested, that meant that newspapers publishing the Manning leaks would be guilty of a serious offence?

Lewis agreed with the judge and admitted that indeed, the mainstream journalists also are guilty, fully denying what he said in his opening statement. In the end, none of this role-play mattered since none of the media reported on this exchange, as it wasnt inserted into the daily press release. The MSM journalists used only these prepared texts, so convenient for copying and pasting into their own reports.

The main argument of the defence was that the motive for the prosecution was entirely political, and that political offences were specifically excluded under the UK/US extradition treaty. For a normal human judge, that would suffice to dismiss the case. But Baraitser had a trick up her sleeve. Although the US/UK Extradition Treaty forbade political extraditions, this was only the Treaty, and this is not an international court, she said. That exemption does not appear in the UK Extradition Act. Therefore political extradition is not illegal in the UK, as the Treaty has no legal force on her Court. With such a judge, who needs the prosecution?

The defence quickly demolished the judges devious rationalisations by pointing out that every extradition must satisfy two standards: (1) that of the UK Extradition Act, and (2) the specific Extradition Treaty with the country in question. Both are necessary; no man can be extradited to a specific country without consulting the specific treaty. The UK Extradition Act sets the ground rules. It is the relevant extradition treaty that sets out the conditions by which a prisoner might be extradited to a specific country. The Act allowed for a political extradition, and if the specific extradition treaty allowed it, the prisoner could be extradited. But this specific, namely US/UK extradition treaty does not permit political extraditions. Ergo, Assange could not be extradited by law.

Indeed a sixth-grade student could follow this simple logic. However, the dastardly Ms Baraitser kept repeating her claim that the Act does not forbid political extradition. We do not know what black spots hidden in the murky past of Judge Baraitser required that her history be blotted out by MI5s dark adepts, but I harbour a suspicion that this Jewish lady has had some field practice in the Jewish state, where judges invariably find the accused goy liable and guilty, and every torture is tolerated or even encouraged.

Her main preoccupation seemed to be in arranging Julians suicide  or at least dishearten him to the point where his death by throttling might be explained away as suicide. He certainly seemed to be dispirited. The distinguished psychiatrist Professor Michael Kopelman provided a psychiatric assessment of Assange to the court:

Mr Assange shows virtually all the risk factors which researchers from Oxford have described in prisoners who either suicide or make lethal attempts.  I am as confident as a psychiatrist can ever be that, if extradition to the United States were to become imminent, Mr Assange would find a way of suiciding.

These words are especially poignant today, as it was reported that Manning attempted to commit suicide being locked up since last May at a detention centre in Alexandria, Va for steadfast refusal to bring evidence against Assange. The US/UK Deep State is a vengeful vicious beast that wants to punish Assange and Manning for revealing its nasty secrets. It is only the whistle-blowers who accused Trump and exonerated the Thief of Ukraine Biden that are protected.

In order to push Assange deeper into black despair, Baraitser enforced the regime of strict isolation on the prisoner. Assange had been kept in a bulletproof glass cage, unable to hear or to exchange notes with his lawyers. I believe  wrote Craig Murray,  that the Hannibal Lecter style confinement of Assange, this intellectual computer geek, is a deliberate attempt to drive Julian to suicide.

Julian is cruelly mistreated. When his Spanish lawyer left court to return home, on the way out he naturally stopped to shake hands with his client, proffering his fingers through the narrow slit in the glass cage. Assange half stood to take his lawyers hand. The two security guards in the cage with Assange immediately sprang up, putting hands on Julian and forcing him to sit down, preventing the handshake.

On the first day of trial, Julian had twice been stripped naked and searched, eleven times been handcuffed, and five times been locked up in different holding cells. The lawyer for the defence, Fitzgerald, asked the judge to interfere and save Julian from this rough mistreatment.

The Baraitser stared down Fitzgerald and stated, in a voice laced with disdain, that he had raised such matters before and she had always replied that she had no jurisdiction over the prison estate. You might make a recommendation, suggested Fitzgerald, they usually listen to judges remarks. Even the prosecution counsel James Lewis stood up to say the prosecution would also like Assange to have a fair hearing, and that he could confirm that what the defence were suggesting was normal practice. But bloodthirsty Baraitser flatly refused.

Edward Fitzgerald made a formal application for Julian to be allowed to sit beside his lawyers in the court. Julian was a gentle, intellectual man and not a terrorist. Baraitser replied that releasing Assange from the dock into the body of the court would mean he was released from custody. That is obviously nonsense. Again, the prosecution counsel James Lewis intervened on the side of the defence, for Baraitsers notion of law would not work anywhere outside Israeli courts in the occupied West Bank. Lewis said that prisoners, even the most dangerous of terrorists, gave evidence from the witness box in the body of the court next to the lawyers and magistrate. In the High Court prisoners frequently sat with their lawyers in extradition hearings, in extreme cases of violent criminals handcuffed to a security officer.

Baraitser replied that Assange might pose a danger to the public. It was a question of health and safety. Health and safety, forsooth! Such cynicism may be unprecedented in British justice, and it should reserve a special place in hell for Ms Baraitser.

Why should she keep Assange in that box, unable to hear proceedings or instruct his lawyers, when even counsel for the US Government does not object to Assange openly sitting in the court? He is brought handcuffed and under heavy escort to and from his solitary cell to the armoured dock via an underground tunnel. In these circumstances, what possible need is there for him to be repeatedly strip- and cavity-searched? Why is he not permitted to shake hands or touch his lawyers through the slit in the armoured glass box?

It is a torture session, not a hearing. And the hearing, or rather the torture will continue in May,  if Julian is still alive.

Israel Shamir can be reached at adam@israelshamir.net - " Source "
From couches to coffee tables, from local libraries to a neighborhood church, Red Bank Regional High School students were the first to take the plunge.

Beginning at noon Thursday, the schools 1,250 students opened their Chromebooks, logged into Google Classroom and launched a new chapter in New Jersey education history  with some of them likely never rolling out of bed.

Even in a pandemic, school must go on in New Jersey, state officials have decided. And so it did, with Red Bank Regional holding the first state-sanctioned home instruction day during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

It has been a whirlwind, said Superintendent Louis Moore, hours after his classrooms sat empty because a 17-year-old student is a presumed COVID-19 case. Its been a week to remember.

Soon, hundreds of thousands of New Jersey students will join Red Bank Regional as the state charts a new course: school from home.

More than 350 school districts, including all 75 in Bergen County, are temporarily shutting their doors next week in response to the potentially fatal virus, according to the state. On Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy said long-term school closures are inevitable, and a statewide announcement shuttering all public schools could come within days.

What happens next will run the spectrum as every community rolls out unprecedented plans to teach students remotely for weeks at a time.

This is something that we never had to do before, said Susan McBride, president of the Bergen County Education Association. We want to make sure that we are providing a good education and a safe education for our students. It really is a challenge.

Deep concern about equity, especially for students with no internet access at home, has already emerged. Some districts have said their plans will include limited new instruction and wont compare to what students get inside a classroom. But the unpredictable impact of the coronavirus, plus logistical challenges of extending the school year, have left districts making the best of a situation that seemed theoretical only a few weeks ago.

Some districts will lean heavily on technology. Others will revert to pencil and paper. The vast potential and significant limitations of remote instruction will be simultaneously on display.

We are pretty much creating a new educational system," state Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said. And everything is on the table."

The virtual classroom

Teachers in Red Bank had to scramble.

The district didnt accelerate plans for remote learning until Monday, four days after the state Department of Education announced home instruction days forced by the outbreak would count toward the required 180-day school year.

Every student has a district-issued Chromebook, but not all have home internet access, Moore said. So the district gave some students portable hotspot devices and arranged for space at local libraries and a community church to ensure every student can get online.

Each day, students are expected to log into Google Classroom, a web service that stores assignments and lets students submit their work. Daily tasks could include reading from a textbook, responding to writing prompts or connecting with other students in a video or group chat replicating a classroom discussion.

The district wants to provide at least two hours of work per subject each week, Moore said. But there are no set hours when students must be logged in. State guidelines say home instruction days should last a length of time sufficient to continue the students academic progress, depending on their ability to participate.

We are encouraging our students to get plenty of sleep and to take care of themselves and to maintain healthy hours, Moore said. In terms of the time that students start their work, the students decide.

But Red Bank Regional teachers will have scheduled hours. Math and history teachers will be available for online chat or conferencing for two hours on Wednesdays. English and science instructors are expected to log in for two hours on Thursdays and health and other electives on Fridays.

Teachers are also expected to continue grading assignments and submitting lesson plans to advisors.

We trust our teachers, Moore said.

Even so, virtual learning cant replace what happens in a classroom.

Obviously this is not built for richness of person-to-person instruction, Moore said. And were hoping it is short.

Worksheets for all

Not every district can match Red Bank Regionals resources.

Some lack devices for students or have no realistic plan to ensure every student has internet access.

Any plan that is being thought through has to be one where all students have access to be able to continue their education, said Wanda Blanchett, dean of Rutgers Universitys Graduate School of Education. "We cant have disparity built into a system that is meant to cover a gap.

If forced to close, Lakewood Public Schools plans to send 20 school days worth of assignments home in packets. Elementary school teachers would video record two lessons a day and upload them online to supplement the worksheets. Teachers would also call parents two or three times a week to check in on students progress.

In Roselle, teachers are planning at least 14 days of worksheets and reading for students to complete at home. Parents will also be able to reach teachers on the phone during regular work hours.

Not all of our parents have computers to do that kind of (virtual) learning throughout, said interim Roselle Public Schools Superintendent James Baker.

Some districts will rely on technology for older students and more traditional work for their elementary schools.

East Hanover schools will ask its middle school students to work through Google Classroom, but give elementary school students a bolt bag of meaningful learning activities. Optional online assignments for elementary school students will also be available.

In Mount Olive, school officials were initially doubtful the district could support virtual learning. Then they hatched a last-minute plan.

The district distributed 1,300 Chromebooks to its middle school students and decided to pay $4,600 to provide wireless access for any student who didnt have it at home.

We have achieved equality of online access in a week, said Superintendent Robert Zywicki. Boom. Mic drop.

Still, the school will rely on packets for younger students with optional online versions, Zywicki said. In many cases, students will be able to pick from a variety of assignments, which allows the district to differentiate instruction for its gifted and talented program or students in special education.

Even in districts with the resources to teach online, school leaders are reluctant to ask every student to log on and watch a teacher for hours at a time.

I do not think that is realistic, said Michael LaSusa, superintendent of the School District of the Chathams. We will have households with multiple kids and multiple adults, all using whatever devices they have to do work.

The district will ask students to complete work online, but during their own time, he said.

Regardless of what approach schools take, its up to teachers to make it a success, said McBride, who represents 20,000 educators in Bergen County. Nothing takes the place of 1-on-1 interaction and the ability to read a students body language to see who understands a lesson and who is confused, McBride said.

But teachers will do their best, she said. Theres no alternative.

We owe the same education to a kindergarten student that we owe to an AP calculus student, said McBride, referring to the advanced placement course. They are deserving of a continuous and meaningful education no matter their background, no matter their demographic, no matter where they live.

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Andrew Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee, was the Democrat candidate for governor in 2016. Ultimately, Ron DeSantis won by almost 34,000 votes.

Florida may have dodged a bullet. On Friday, Candace Owens published on Twitter photos of a police report in which Gillum figured prominently with a sordid tale of drugs and, possibly, a gay orgy.

According to the police report, in the early hours of February 13, Miami Beach police responded to a possible overdose in a hotel room. When they arrived, they discovered three men: Travis Dyson, the man who overdosed; Aldo Mejias, who made the 911 call; and Andrew Gillum.

Removing one page of report that had @AndrewGillums personal address listed which was wasnt my intent but YES

BREAKING: Democrat Andrew Gillum was involved in a crystal meth overdose incident last night in a Miami hotel. Orgy suspected, but unconfirmed.



Read the report: pic.twitter.com/YmgqMwniUj  Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 13, 2020

The police report makes for fascinating reading:

Mr. Mejias stated the following to officers: Mr. Mejias provided his credit card information to Travis Dyson to rent a hotel room for the night; Mr. Mejias was to meet Mr. Dyson later in day [sic]. Travis Dyson rented the room at approximately 1600 hours on 03/12/2020. Mr. Mejias arrived at the hotel at approximately 2307 hours where he discovered Travis Dyson and Andrew Gillum inside the room under the influence of an unknown substance.

While Mejias tried to revive Dyson, "Gillum [was] inside of the bathroom vomiting." When the police officers arrived, Gillum was still not helpful: "Officers then attempted to speak to Mr. Gillum. Mr. Gillum was unable to communicate with officers due to his inebriated state."

Making the whole situation even more sordid was the fact that "inside of the hotel room, officers observed in plain sight three small clear plastic baggies containing suspected crystal meth on both the bed and floor of the hotel room." The police report does not explain why, despite being in a room with possible meth, Gillum was allowed to leave "the hotel room and return[] to his residence without incident."

Intriguingly, Owens added this to her tweet: "Orgy suspected, but unconfirmed." She explained later that she made this statement because a source told her, "@AndrewGillum and his buddies were naked when cops arrived, which is the reason a sex orgy is suspected, but not confirmed."

Gillum issued a statement saying he was just hanging with friends while he was in Miami for a wedding celebration and that he was merely drunk, not on meth. He also stated that he would "spend the next few weeks with my family and appreciate privacy during this time." Dyson, when interviewed, said Gillum hadn't mentioned a wedding to him. In any event, Dyson is an unusual friend for a man who could have been governor:

This is the alleged friend that @AndrewGillum claims he was helping after a wedding.



He is an openly gay man, whose public profile has very few photos of him clothed.



His sexuality is only relevant bc as I said earlierpolice suspected they had disrupted a drug/sex party. pic.twitter.com/CRKAk1AiQ5  Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 13, 2020

One person who was delighted with the news was Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who was on the receiving end of a nasty tweet from Gillum back in November. The two were sparring about Gaetz's support for Trump when Gaetz raised the fact that Gillum had seen the musical Hamilton using tickets Gillum's brother obtained from an undercover FBI agent investigating corruption. Gillum responded by raising the fact that Gaetz had been arrested for drunk driving in 2008 (the charge was later dropped), tweeting, "There is only one criminal between the two of us . . . YOU!!!"

Upon hearing about Gillum's brush with the law, Gaetz finally had his schadenfreude clap-back:

There is only one of us who gets methed-out in hotel rooms with guys in Miami.....YOU!!! https://t.co/HgbuMbpEnm  Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 13, 2020

And because he was on a roll, Gaetz had one more thing to say:


A Quiet Place



The Invisible Man



Us



Underwater



Alien



The Invitation



10 Cloverfield Lane





T-The animated One?



Or the sequel, Mulan II



Read the original ballad of Hua Mulan. Here's the Wiki page to start.



Mulan: Rise of a Warrior from 2009



Ralph Breaks the Internet for about 5 seconds





The other 24 movies in the James Bond franchise. I am not listing them all bc ONTD doesn't read.



Kingsman: The Secret Service



Kingsman: The Golden Circle



The Man from UNCLE



Spy



The Get Smart Remake



Spies in Disguise





The Photograph (If you can still find it in theaters and you want to take that chance).



Bonnie and Clyde?



Some other romance movie?



IDK I've watched all of one romance movie in the past 5 years.





X-Men



X-Men 2



X-Men Last Stand



X-Men: Days of Future Past



X-Men: Apocalypse





The first Peter Rabbit movie



Something with Domnhall Gleeson



Some of the original Peter Rabbit shorts



Some CGI Abominations





Read the short story it's based upon.



Something with brownhaired white boys and magic and supernatural abilities:



A Monster Calls



Harry Potter



The House with A Clock in Its Walls



My Spy (Which was pushed here from March 13th). Though, if you are in Australia or the UK, you are the only people in the world who have seen it.





The other 8 movies in the series.



Arguably Bloodshot.



The Green Hornet



Those corny but still entertaining GI Joe movies from the early 2010s.



First off - Buzzfeed, fuck off.Second, ah, I hope your plans weren't like mine, and hinged on going to the movies about 4 times in March and April! Because thanks to Bag-Snatcher Corona, many belowline workers on TV and film sets aren't being paid. Oh, and giant media conglomerates aren't making billions. Poor them.So, what can you watch instead?Note: This is based upon the North American release dates. Some movies have been delayed overseas that have already been released here.What can you watch instead of, scheduled for release later in 2020?Or, you can stay at home, close your mouth, and just sit there for a few hours.What can you watch instead of, scheduled for release later in 2020?What can you watch instead of, now scheduled for November 25th, 2020?What can you watch instead of, set to be released TBD?What can you watch instead ofset for later release Never?Instead of watching a movie, you can:What have ya'll be watching every time it got delayed for the past 3 years? Watch it again! Or you can watch...What can you watch instead of, now set for August 7th, 2020?April 10th is the release of TROLLS WORLD TOUR. Who knows if it will make it?What can you watch instead of, scheduled for later this year?This has already seeped into May 2020:has been pushed from Memorial Day to April 2021. You can watch -

Theoreticals:



If BLACK WIDOW is pushed:



Watch the other 29428275825 MCU films.



Watch some DCEU films.



Then you can watch the 2 good ones, Shazam! and Birds of Prey.





I'm the only one who cares anyway  



Ifis delayed:

src:This handy wikipedia page, and other sources are in the post
Ever since the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 was first reported from China's Wuhan city, the virus has spread to more than 166 countries and territories around the world.

Ever since the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 was first reported from China's Wuhan city, the virus has spread to more than 166 countries and territories around the world, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The World Health Organisation declared the virus as a global pandemic on 11 March.

The United States declared a state of emergency 13 March as many European countries went on a war footing amid mounting deaths as the world mobilized to fight the widening coronavirus pandemic. At the White House, where President Donald Trump made the emergency decree, drug company executives vowed to work together and with the government to quickly expand the country's coronavirus testing capabilities, which are far behind those in many countries. We will defeat this threat, Trump told a news conference. When America is tested, America rises to the occasion.

The fallout from the disease spread across the Pacific, with Australian travel firms issuing profit warnings and Japanese carriers cutting capacity while US airlines rushed to cut flights to Europe in the wake of new travel restrictions. The virus has infected nearly 253,000 people across the world and the death toll exceeds 10,400.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

In India, which is the second-most populated country in the world, the maximum number of cases have been reported in the state of Maharashtra. Suspected coronavirus cases have also been reported in multiple cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Patna.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen to 258. Of the total 258, 219 are Indian nationals and 39 are foreigners. So far, four deaths have been reported.

However, as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s data released on Friday, 236 individuals have been tested positive among suspected cases and contacts of known positive cases. A total of 15,404 samples from 14,514 individuals have been tested for SARS-CoV2 as on March 20 till 6 pm, the apex health research body said.

Among the 258 figures of coronavirus cases are 39 foreign nationals, including 17 from Italy, three from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia, and Singapore.

The figure also includes four deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab, and Maharashtra so far.

Here's a state-wise list of confirmed cases in India so far:

Sr No Name of State / UT Total Confirmed cases (Indian) Total Confirmed cases (Foreign) Cured/ Discharged Deaths 1 Andhra Pradesh 3 0 0 0 2 Chhattisgarh 1 0 0 0 3 Delhi 25 1 5 1 4 Gujarat 7 0 0 0 5 Haryana 3 14 0 0 6 Himachal Pradesh 2 0 0 0 7 Karnataka 15 0 1 1 8 Kerala 33 7 3 0 9 Madhya Pradesh 4 0 0 0 10 Maharashtra 49 3 0 1 11 Odisha 2 0 0 0 12 Puducherry 1 0 0 0 13 Punjab 2 0 0 1 14 Rajasthan 15 2 3 0 15 Tamil Nadu 3 0 1 0 16 Telengana 8 11 1 0 17 Chandigarh 1 0 0 0 18 Jammu and Kashmir 4 0 0 0 19 Ladakh 13 0 0 0 20 Uttar Pradesh 23 1 9 0 21 Uttarakhand 3 0 0 0 22 West Bengal 2 0 0 0 Total number of confirmed cases in India 219 39 23 4

The worlds richest nations poured unprecedented aid into the global economy as coronavirus cases ballooned in the new epicentre, Europe, with deaths in Italy outstripping those in mainland China, where the virus originated.

More than 252,700 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus across the world and 10,451 have died, with deaths in Italy surpassing the toll in China, where the outbreak began, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported by 183 countries outside China.

Data source: worldometer

List of 25 worst-affected countries:

Sr No Country/Other Total cases New cases Total deaths Total recovered 1 China 81,008 41 3,255 71,740 2 Italy 47,021 4,032 5,129 3 Spain 21,571 1,093 1,588 4 Germany 19,848 68 180 5 USA 19,650 267 264 147 6 Iran 19,644 1,433 6,745 7 France 12,612 450 1,587 8 South Korea 8,799 147 102 2,612 9 Switzerland 5,615 56 15 10 UK 3,983 177 65 11 Netherlands 2,994 106 2 12 Austria 2,649 6 9 13 Belgium 2,257 37 204 14 Norway 1,959 7 1 15 Sweden 1,639 16 16 16 Denmark 1,255 9 1 17 Canada 1,087 12 14 18 Malaysia 1,030 3 87 19 Australia 1,023 95 7 46 20 Portugal 1,020 6 5 21 Japan 1,007 35 215 22 Brazil 970 11 2 23 Czechia 833 4 24 Diamond Princess 712 8 567 25 Israel 705 1 15



With inputs from agencies
The ban may or may not do much to slow the movement of the novel virus, which is now being transmitted from person-to-person on both continents. But it will seriously disrupt transatlantic business, trade and university study. It will pummel the travel and tourism sectors.
KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S air strike hit an Iraqi civilian airport under construction in the holy Shi'ite Muslim city of Kerbala and killed one worker, Iraqi religious authorities said on Friday.

The United States said earlier it had mounted a series of precision air strikes on Thursday against an Iran-backed militia in Iraq it blamed for a rocket attack on a military base on Wednesday that killed one British and two American soldiers.

The Pentagon said the strikes targeted five weapons stores used by Kataib Hezbollah militants, including facilities housing arms used in past attacks on U.S.-led coalition troops.

Kerbala international airport construction site was hit by an air strike, the management of the Imam Hussein shrine said in a statement. A civilian construction worker was killed.

The airport's construction is being funded by the shrine management.

"This airport is completely civilian and its construction is overseen by the Imam Hussein Holy Shrine in agreement with several Iraqi companies and by Iraqi civilian workers," it said.

"The Imam Hussein Holy Shrine condemns this unjustified and blatant assault."

(Writing by Ulf Laessing and Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
OTTAWAThe federal government is urging all Canadians to stay within the countrys borders, an extraordinary appeal on the eve of March Break that caps a turbulent week in which the prime minister was quarantined and COVID-19 declared a global pandemic.

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cloistered away at his residence near Rideau Hall, a contingent of his top ministers laid out new measures to contain the virus that has killed more than 5,000 people in other countries and triggered the biggest stock market collapse on Bay Street since the Second World War.

The government will ban all cruise ships with more than 500 people on board from docking in Canada until at least July 1, and is preparing to divert all incoming flights from other countries to select airports to streamline coronavirus screening and concentrate resources.

At the same time, Health Minister Patty Hajdu warned that any international travel is now considered high risk, even to the neighbouring United States, and called on the public to heed the advice of leading health experts.

That advice, delivered moments later by Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam, is for Canadians to cancel large gatherings, refrain from attending events like concerts, avoid shopping and public transit during peak hours and increase social distancing by staying two arms length from other people whenever possible.

And one day after Alberta and British Columbia called on residents to avoid international travel, Tam said all Canadians should now cancel non-essential trips outside the country.

It is also important to remember that if you travel abroad, you could be subject to the measures of other countries, Tam said. Your one-week trip may become much longer. You may also have reduced access to quality health care.

Hajdu said the government knows these new advisories will disrupt peoples lives, but called on Canadians to help limit the virus by regularly washing their hands, avoiding handshakes and staying home from work if they feel sick. Not only will this help stop the virus from spreading, it will protect the most vulnerable people  seniors and those with previous health conditions  from falling seriously ill, Hajdu said.

The actions you take today will save lives, she said. Canadians are strong and we are resilient and our government will have your back every step of the way.

Moments later, Trudeau stood alone at a lectern outside his residence at Rideau Cottage, and echoed the measures he was unable to announce alongside his chief ministers. Late Thursday night, the Prime Ministers Office confirmed Trudeaus wife contracted COVID-19 after returning from a speaking engagement in the United Kingdom with flu-like symptoms. The prime minister said he feels healthy, but that his doctor told him to self-isolate at home for the next two weeks, along with his wife and children.

He said he wont be tested for the virus unless he starts to show symptoms, which include fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

Trudeaus quarantine came as MPs from all parties in the House of Commons agreed to suspend Parliament until April 20. Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois members have been gone into isolation at home in recent days, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Natural Resources Minister Seamus OReagan.

Elsewhere across Canada, universities in Ontario cancelled classes, while the City of Toronto followed Montreal by shuttering libraries and announced additional measures that included suspension of city council meetings, city-run March Break camps and licensed daycare centres. In Quebec, the provincial government announced all schools  from the elementary to post-secondary levels  will be closed for the next two weeks, and Premier Francois Legault called on Ottawa to follow other countries such as the U.S. by restricting foreign travel to Canada during the crisis.

So far, the federal government has insisted it will follow the advice of public health experts on stricter border controls, but Trudeau said Friday that he is willing to do whatever evidence suggests is necessary to protect Canadians from the virus.

Were not closing the door to any further steps, but we will make those decisions based on what science tells us, he said.

We dont want to panic, but we dont want to take this too lightly either.

Earlier this week, the federal government laid out a $1-billion response fund aimed at buttressing health-care systems across Canada as they deal with a potential spike in patients infected by the virus. Hajdu has said there is evidence suggesting millions of Canadians could contract COVID-19 before the pandemic is over, and the government is trying to slow the rate of infection to prevent health facilities from being overwhelmed with patients.

The fund included $500 million for provincial and territorial health care, $275 million for medical research, and $50 million to buy more personal protective equipment for health care workers, including masks, face shields and gowns.

Labour leaders from six unions representing almost a million health-care workers put out a joint statement Friday that warned the health-care system is already running over capacity. They called for governments to ensure access to necessary protective equipment and workplace training to face the pandemic safely.

We simply cannot afford to erode staffing levels any further if health-care workers become sick and self-quarantine, the statement said. It is therefore imperative that we protect health-care workers so that they can continue to provide safe and effective care.

With files from Tonda MacCharles

Read more about:
A wanted criminal was arrested from Rohini here following a brief exchange of fire on Saturday, police said.

The accused was identified as Imran alias Rajesh (36), a resident of Nangloi, they added.

According to the police, they got information that Imran was hiding in a house near the MCD school in Shahbad Daulatpur village in Rohini.

"A team was sent to the spot and Imran was asked to surrender, but he opened fire at the police from the house. In retaliation, the police also fired and nabbed him at around 4 am," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said.

Two rounds were fired from both sides, resulting in a bullet injury to the accused. He was taken to the Ambedkar Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment, the DCP said.

A semi-automatic pistol and seven live cartridges were seized from the possession of the accused, the police said.

Imran was previously arrested in more than 10 criminal cases in Delhi, including on murder, attempt to murder, extortion, MCOCA, Arms Act and assault-upon-police charges, they added.

He was associated with gangsters Rajesh Bawana, Surender alias Nittu Daboda, Rajesh Durmut and Ashok Pradhan, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The funeral for fallen firefighter Jerome Guise scheduled for Saturday has been changed to a closed service.

The Citizens Fire Company said in a statement Friday that its members want to follow federal, state and local recommendations to stave off the spread of the novel coronavirus during the pandemic. Family and departments that responded to the scene on the first alarm are allowed in attendance.

Guise, 34, died Monday when the front porch of a burning home on the 1500 block of Boiling Springs Road collapsed on him. A resident of the home, 36-year-old Jessica Diehl, died after being trapped on the second floor. Another occupant of the home was severely injured.

Fire departments still wishing to attend the reception at the Citizens Fire Company in Mount Holly Springs are encouraged to attend, according to the statement. "Plan on being at the station - 100 Chestnut Street by 12 noon.

Mount Holly Springs Police Department requests personnel to travel Route 34 (Baltimore Road) to West Pine Street to Chestnut Street. Additional parking instructions will be provided upon arrival.

The memorial service is scheduled at 11 a.m. in the CEFC Church, 290 Petersburg Road in Carlisle.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by sending it to the Memorial Fund. Cash or check made payable to Jerome Guise Memorial Fund can be mailed to F&M Trust 3 East First Street, Boiling Springs, Pa. 17007. Questions can be directed to the bank office at 717-241-4131.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.
The Prison Service (IPS) seeks to release more than 200 prisoners in response to the 'social distancing' recommended by the government in response to the spread of Covid-19, reports RTE.

Paul Reynolds, crime correspondent for the national broadcaster, stated last night this was a temporary measure to reduce the risk of the virus spreading in Irish jails.

Reynolds wrote "The Prison System is currently overcrowded and the Prison Service says an outbreak of Covid-19 in the prisons would pose significant challenges for staff and vulnerable inmates".

It is understood that prison authorities are in discussions with the Department of Justice "and seeking the approval of the Minister for the special measure".

Caron McCaffrey, Director of the Prison Service says no prisoner who is deemed to pose a threat to public safety will be released.

There is currently more than 4,700 people in Ireland's 13 prisons which only have four thousand three hundred beds.

Limerick and Cork are overcrowded, claimed Reynolds and on Friday night, at least 63 inmates slept on mattresses.

While there is no case of Covid-19 reported in any of the Irish jails, it is felt that "prisoners are considered a particularly vulnerable group as many have compromised immune systems due to health and addiction issues".

Only prisoners serving less than a 12 month sentence and for non-violent offences will be considered for release. The Prison Service is currently in discussion with the Department of Justice and "seeking the Ministers approval before implementing this special measure".
These are strange times. As the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, the impact is being felt at all levels of society and across all industries, including design. The primary concern is for public health, and for in-depth information about precautions to take, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions COVID-19 hub. However, at Business of Home were committed to following the effect of the pandemic and its economic fallout on the design trade. Well be collecting the most important stories here, in ahopefully short-livedregular feature. If your business is being affected or you have a tip, please drop us a line.

For a comprehensive list of industry cancellations and postponements, click here.

WHEN YOUR INSTALL FALLS DURING A PANDEMIC



While theres many aspects of a designers job that can be done virtually in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, installations are still a hands-on process. They require teams of movers, painters, electricians and more to pull it all offnot to mention product, which could well be caught up in delays given the current climate.

For New Yorkbased designer Michael Adams, its worth it to push pause for now: As much as we want to install that beautiful chandelier in a clients dining room, its not fair to put our clients, the movers, or even the people who operate the freight elevators in the buildings in a position where they have to be out and interacting with people and they dont have a choice, he tells BOH.

Even for designers trying to go about business as usual, the realities of the situation are hard to avoid. When New York designer Garrow Kedigian had a carpet installed in a clients home this week, the installers arrived in medical-grade gloves and face masks. The client, whose elderly mother lives with her, asked them to remain in the room where the carpet was being installed without any interaction with the rest of her family members, says Kedigian. At other installations this week, clients relegated their children to their bedrooms during the installations and asked delivery people to wash their hands and remove their shoes when they arrived.

Delays in product are another bleak reality of the outbreak. Greenwich, Connecticutbased Charlotte Barnes says that she was informed earlier this week that a shipping container with items from overseas might simply be rejected at the border and sent back. Im assuming many of our vendors are going to be late with deliveries and that anything coming from abroad is going to get interrupted, says Barnes. Not to mention that any overseas projects are potentially compromised because of quarantines and the trickiness of traveling right now.

For designers in areas that have been hit the hardest by the virus, logistical complications are arising within their own cities. Adams was set to do an install for a commercial project in midtown Manhattan this weekuntil the buildings management team stopped allowing deliveries and barred non-employees from entering the property. Were trying to move the project along in whatever ways we can, says Adams.

The haywire economy is also leading to some stress among design clients. With the stock market being so unsettling, one of my clients did want to take another look at the budget for their project, says Los Angeles designer Linda Hayslett. Its tough because the market will eventually stabilize, and then, if we revisit the items [they decided to wait on] down the road, costs may be more for materials or installation because the project scope has become smaller at that point. If we start changing items now, during construction, it could delay the timing of completion and drag the project out to actually be longer.

In addition to some natural anxiety for his own firm, Adams also worries about the economic repercussions of a slowdown in operations across the industry. Designers support so many other businesseswhether its tradespeople or fabric companiesand if we dont continue to place orders and give people our business, that loss is going to trickle down and be a huge issue for our industry. It sounds silly in some ways, but we do have to figure out how to keep pushing along. Haley Chouinard

SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF



In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that the city will be providing support to small businessesthat includes designers and interior architects at small firmsseeing a drop in sales revenue because of coronavirus. According to the citys website, Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decreases of 25 percent or more will be eligible for zero-interest loans of up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit. The City is also offering small businesses with fewer than five employees a grant to cover 40 percent of payroll costs for two months to help retain employees. For small New Yorkbased design businesses, this comes as welcome news as the negative effects of supply chain disruption and social distancing begin to mount.

Other states are stepping up to help too: California is offering disability insurance to those who are infected and unable to work, according to the states website. Employers who are seeing a downturn in employee attendance as result of the coronavirus are encouraged to apply to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Work Sharing Program, which allows employers to reduce working hours while offsetting the difference in wages through UI benefits.

In Washington, similar measures have been put into place to support the owners of local businesses. For businesses facing temporary shutdowns, employees are likely eligible for unemployment benefits; work share programs are also in place to alleviate some of the pressures businesses will face paying full employee wages. Seattles mayor, Jenny A. Durkan, announced new measures to provide immediate relief for small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including expanding the Small Business Stabilization Fund as well as technical assistance for small businesses once the Small Business Administrations federal loan program becomes available. Marina Felix

EUROPEAN TRAVEL BAN



President Trumps ban on travel from 26 European countries goes into effect on Friday at midnight. The somewhat haphazard rolloutat first it seemed like all European countries would be affected, though it later became clear that American citizens and some countries were exempthas led to no small amount of confusion among those in the design community who travel regularly to and from the continent. Its a subject of particular concern to Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, the organizers of WantedDesign, a festival celebrating international design, which is still slated to go ahead on May 17 in tandem with ICFF at the Javits Center in New York.

Every hour, theres something new developing, Hainaut tells BOH. The travel restrictions mean that no one can really plan. Its obviously a big problem for the participants, manufacturers, and shipping, as well as the schools that were partnering withhalf of them are from abroad.

For now, the ban is scheduled to last 30 daysending well before Wanteds debut. But confusion around the restrictions and uncertainty around the continued spread of COVID-19 has led to a flurry of conversations about what comes next. Honestly, we have a lot of people hoping that its happening and a sense of hoping for the best, says Pijoulat. People are of course eager to understand whats going to happen. Theres confusion in our community, but no panic. Fred Nicolaus

LATEST NEWS



The global response to COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, with new information coming in a seemingly constant flow. Below, weve gathered the latest updates that pertain to the design industry.

President Trump has officially declared a national state of emergency this afternoon in order to divert disaster relief funds to combating the outbreak. He invoked the Stafford Act, a move that will give FEMA the power to coordinate aid and response to the crisis.

The French government announced today that gatherings of 100 people or more are prohibited. Similar measures are being enforced throughout the United States, with North Carolina also adopting the 100-person limit. California and Washington have both banned gatherings of 250 or more, while New York is still allowing gatherings of up to 500.

Joining other cultural institutions across the globe, New Yorks major art galleriesincluding Pace Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, Gagosian and David Zwirnerhave all announced closures amidst the pandemic. In Los Angeles, the Getty Center and Getty Villa have announced that the museums will close starting March 14.

President Trumps ban on travel from 26 European countries goes into effect today at 11:59 p.m. The restrictions do not apply to American citizens and exclude Britain, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Turkey and Ukraine. For a more comprehensive look at the restrictions, head here.



CALENDAR UPDATES



The mass cancellation of industry events continues unabated. Here is todays crop:

Texas Design Week, which was scheduled for March 23 to 30, has been postponed until May; new dates have not yet been announced. The PaperCity Design Awards will continue to accept entries until April 20.

The International Window Coverings Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been postponed. The show was supposed to run from March 25 to 27 at the Charlotte Convention Center; new dates have not yet been announced.

Apartment Therapys Small/Cool contest has been postponed. Originally scheduled for April 4 and 5, the interactive design experience focused on small-space living will now take place June 12 to 14.

For a comprehensive list of industry cancellations and postponements, click here.
In retrospect, Florida dodged a bullet.

Andrew Gillum, the corruption-tinged left-wing mayor of Tallahassee, who less than two years ago darn near got elected goveror of Florida, based on a glowing 'making history' press narrative, has been caught naked, in a hotel room with a gay "escort," barfing over a toilet, and too inchoate to answer questions from cops, who were called in to hose out a $220 a night Miami hotel room of meth baggies. The self-described porn star in the room had a profile on "Rent Men" and being that he was with Gillum and another guy, naked, was in what cops reportedly suspected was a orgy. Someone knew about this stuff long before this became news. But somehow, it never made the press.

Here's the police report.

According to the Daily Mail:

According to the Miami Beach Police Department, officers were called out at 12:55am after reports of a guest suffering a cardiac arrest at the four-star Mondrian Hotel, where room costs upwards of $220 per night. They arrived to find paramedics performing first aid on Dyson in the wake of 'a suspected drug overdose' and preparing to take him to the hospital. Mejias - described in the report as 'the complainant' - told officers he had given his credit card details to Dyson on Thursday afternoon to rent a hotel room. 'Mr Mejias arrived at the hotel at approximately 23:07 hours where he discovered Travis Dyson and Andrew Gillum inside the room under the influence of an unknown substance,' the report states. 'Per Mr Mejias, Mr Dyson opened the hotel room door and immediately walked over to the bed and collapsed in a prone position. Mr Mejias observed Mr Gillum inside of the bathroom vomiting. 'Mr Mejias stated that he observed Mr Dyson having difficulty breathing, prompting him to wake him up. Mr Dyson then began vomiting on the bed and immediately collapsed again. 'Mr Mejias began conducting chest compressions on Mr Dyson and proceeded to contact police and fire rescue.' 'Officers then attempted to speak to Mr Gillum. Mr Gillum was unable to communicate with officers die to his inebriated state.'

This is beyond disgusting. Gillum says he was just back from a wedding after drinking a little too much and never took drugs.

The male escort who was rescued by the cops from the O.D in this throuple (yes, that word again), Travis Dyson, said he knew Gillum for "for a while" meaning, "last spring" signaling that this probably wasn't the first time the pair had been together. Drugs. Naked. Vomit. Male prostitutes. Double life. Someone knew, and didn't say anything.

The Miami Herald reports that cops cleared out three baggies full of what looked like meth, suggesting it was quite the party:

Although the contents of the bags in the hotel room have not yet been confirmed, crystal meth has made a resurgence in South Florida, particularly in Miami Beach, in recent years. The meth, police say, is high-grade product being made by Mexican cartels. Its a very customer-rich environment, with all the different venues, events and parties for people to enjoy themselves, a Miami Beach street-crimes captain told the Miami Herald in 2017. Crystal meth will take the average party experience and magnify it tenfold.

Which is too much information.

Not since Marion Barry got caught doing crack in a Washington D.C. hotel room, yelling 'bitch set me up!' or or one of Barney Frank's 'boyfriends' got caught hosting a male brothel inside the basement of his Boston house, has such a disgusting scandal involving leftists come to light.

What's happening here -- throupling, paid gay sex, drugs, is well at odds with Gillum's Mr. Churchgoer image presented earlier in the press, the narrative the press lapped up and promoted as they sought to call Gillum the new Barack Obama.

The kinky side life was probably been known in those circles and went unreported, covered up good as the press focused on praising Gillum for being "historic" as potentially Florida's first black governor. The gamy double life never made the light of day.

Look at the gooey coverage he garnered back before he got exposed as some kind of pervert in 2018.

Here's Vox:

Gillum, 39, is the mayor of Tallahassee. From the start of his candidacy, he ran on a progressive platform that includes Medicare-for-all and a $15 minimum wage, and was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and progressive billionaire Tom Steyer. Gillum already defied steep political odds during the August primary, beating presumed frontrunner Gwen Graham, a former member of Congress and the daughter of a former governor and senator; former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine; and business executive Jeff Greene. He is now facing Trump-endorsed Republican Ron DeSantis in Novembers general election, which forecasters have rated a toss-up. His showing in the Florida primary was history-making; Gillum is the first African-American gubernatorial nominee in the state, and he would be the states first black governor if he wins tonight. Its an exciting moment for progressive groups, but also for black Democrats in the South; next door, Stacey Abrams is the Democratic nominee in Georgia. If Abrams wins, she could be the nations first African-American woman governor.

Here's the New York Times back in 2018, opening its gag-inducing puff piece with: "City Hall never did seem big enough for Andrew Gillum":

With his upset victory in the Democratic primary for governor in August, Mr. Gillum, 39, has continued on a glide path to the partys upper reaches that began about a mile down the road, as a student government leader at Florida A&M University, before he was old enough to drink. He may be elected the first black governor of the nations largest swing state in November, as his race against former Representative Ron DeSantis, a Trump acolyte who just turned 40, emerges as a national proxy for the parties dueling futures. Mr. Gillums admirers see in him a hybrid of Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama  an authentic progressive who supports higher corporate taxes and greater gun control, calls for the impeachment of President Trump and Medicare for all, and can inspire young and minority voters in a state that last elected a Democratic governor in 1994.

There's also this, from a Washington Post columnist:

Gillum is one of the Democrats running who is viewed as a successor to former president Barack Obamas legacy, and Obamas visit Friday to Miami to campaign for Gillum seems to confirm that. A Gillum win would be a coup for Democrats in a state that went for Trump

This guy yelled 'racism' when he didn't win, and did what every disgraced Democrat does after a setback: Takes a commentary gig on CNN.

He remained a Democrat standard-bearer, though, taking up the cause of "voting rights" as if to suggest that his failure to win the office he wanted was all a matter of suppressing the black vote instead of his repellent socialist agenda and revolting personal life.

He was working on that last "narrative" last year and the media lapped it up.

According to the Miami Herald's 'Naked Politics' blog, here's what he said he was up to on March 8:

Gillum sent out an email to supporters saying he'll be in South Florida March 20. He didn't explain the reason for the occasion or the exact location, but alluded to statements he's made since his gubernatorial loss about continuing to make use of the organization that brought him to the brink of the governor's mansion. "This fight is about the future of our state and our nation. Im not going anywhere  and I know neither are you. We have to stand strong and speak out," he said.

Quite a guy to be your party's standard-bearer now that we know of his 'other life.' But with a pliant media that had to have known about the Gillum private life, one wonders why it was done. After all, he didn't even need to do 'double life' in this day and age, given that nowadays on the left, anything goes. But at the same time, this kind of kink isn't popular in the black community, and Gillum was explicitly touted in his puff pieces as the guy who could reel in the black vote.

With those kind of hopes coming from the Democrats, the media was always a pliant lapdog. Gillum kept doing what he was doing, then because it must have been pretty easy to think such acts would never be caught out. Now Gillum's supporters are undoubtedly disappointed.

Proud of yourselves, media lapdogs?

Image credit: Twitter screen shot
Some Bangladeshi nationals, at the immigration check post in Fulbari, Siliguri, on Saturday extended full support to India's decision over temporarily suspending visas of foreign nationals, saying that the government has taken a very good decision despite that the move may affect few who need visas for emergency purposes.

"This is a pandemic disease that is spreading across the world. The government has taken a very good decision despite that it will be problematic for some, for example, those who require the visa for emergency purposes. But it should be our collective responsibility to fight the disease," said Durga Shah from Naushindi in Bangladesh.

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, all passenger movements through immigration land checkposts at borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar will be suspended from March 15 till further orders.

In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said on Friday that the people will be allowed to travel through 19 of 37 land immigration checkposts from Saturday midnight.

The announcements come after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Over 5,000 people have died due to COVID-19. In India too, the number of cases of coronavirus continues to rise.

Another Bangladeshi also reiterated similar sentiments saying that the Indian government has made the move to save their own country amid such a situation of crisis.

"I have come here to take medicines. I was about to come here a few days later but due to the closure of the border people in need will have some problems. But we also support the government's decision because the coronavirus is pandemic. The Indian government has taken such a move to save its own country," said Asad from Thakurghar.

On Friday, the Indian Railways also suspended operations of existing India-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses for one month with immediate effect from March 15.

The two trains -- Maitree Express and Bandhan Express -- connect India and Bangladesh. The Maitree Express runs between the cities of Kolkata and Dhaka, while the Bandhan Express connects Kolkata to Khulna city in Bangladesh.

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that India-Bangladesh passenger buses and trains will remain suspended till April 15 due to coronavirus outbreak.

The ministry also announced that the anticipation of foreigners in the border 'haats' shall remain suspended with immediate effect until further orders.

The move is part of the Indian government's attempt to contain the virus which has claimed over 5,000 people globally. India has also reported two deaths and 82 confirmed cases from the disease which originated from Wuhan city of China.

Earlier, the Home Ministry had announced the restrictions on international passenger traffic through Land Check Posts in view of the spread of coronavirus.

India on Thursday suspended all visas with some exceptions including diplomatic and official travel as coronavirus cases continue to proliferate around the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The makers of the Jayalalithaa biopic, Durgavati, Sherni, and Mumbai Saga are braving the Coronavirus pandemic to continue filming their projects.

Even as authorities take measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the makers of the Jayalalithaa biopic, Durgavati, Sherni, and Mumbai Saga are braving the odds to continue filming their projects.

Read on Firstpost  Coronavirus outbreak: Mulan, F9, A Quiet Place Part II, The New Mutants, Antlers, Sir release dates pushed indefinitely

Thalaivi

Kangana Ranaut is heading to Chennai for the third schedule of Jayalalithaa biopic Thalaivi, which is supposed to start from next week. Shailash R Singh, who is financing the directorial, says it is going to be a 45-day schedule, and will be filmed in Chennai and Hyderabad.

He says to Mumbai Mirror, The government or industry associations might come out with some new instructions tomorrow, and we will have to adhere to them. So, we cant predict anything."

Mumbai Saga

Director Sanjay Gupta is currently attempting to complete the final shooting schedule for Mumbai Saga. Gupta tells Mirror he is taking all necessary precautions on set.

Weve told people not to shake hands and get themselves tested if they have cold, cough or fever. We even have a doctor on location who checks everyone for Covid-19 symptoms the moment they arrive, he told the publication, adding he has four days of work left on the film.

Durgavati and Sherni

Vidya Balan started the shooting of director Amit Masurkars Sherni on 4 March in Madhya Pradesh. The film is being bankrolled by producer Vikram Malhotra, who is also backing Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Durgavati.

Malhotra has now released a statement saying the production has set "detailed precautionary and safety protocols" on the sets of both Durgavati and Sherni, which are currently being filmed in the state.

"Masks, hand sanitisers, gloves, hand-washes, immunity-boosting foods Weve arranged for all necessary support for the teams. Doctors and medical care are available on set. Our teams well-being matters more than the films, the statement read.

(Also Read  Coronavirus outbreak: Angrezi Medium makes Rs 4.03 cr on opening day despite theatre closures in a few states)
On the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Manoranjan Byapari tells Sucheta Dasgupta all about what informs his craft, why he would like a break from the school kitchen and what it takes to become a writer of stories.

You are a working class hero and a man of many adventures. To inform our readers, could you tell us the different places you have lived in? What are the many jobs that you did for a living?

My jobs? I have been a goatherd, a tea shop help, a porter, a rickshaw driver, a night guard, a sweeper, a crematorium guard, a cook and so many other things. I was born in Barisal, Bangladesh. I have lived in the Bankura Shiromanipur camp, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Lucknow, Bastar, Kolkata and one or two other places as well. I have lived many lives in one, and I drew on them all to write my novel, Chhera Chhera Jeebon (Life in Slices).

When did you go to prison and for what reason? How many months did you spend behind bars? When and how did you secure your release?

It was the end of 1974 or perhaps the early part of 1975. A case of rioting and attempt to murder was lodged under sectors 147, 148 and 307 of the IPC. I spent 26 months in jail. The hearings went on for some more time until I was exonerated.

When and how did you meet Shankar Guha Niyogi and what was the nature of your interaction with him?

I used to be part of a rickshaw drivers trade union and I came into conflict with Citu [Centre of Indian Trade Unions]. They wanted us to join them but we had seen that they would take subscription from us and disappear when we really needed help. Then they would force us to strike work and ferry voters for free during elections. When we did not agree to joining them, they beat us up. So I left West Bengal and went to Chhattisgarh. My father had once lived there. I began putting up in Bastar. I had heard of Niyogis good work in Dalli. He had been mobilising support for a Lok Sabha candidate in Dandakaranya and we joined him. Thats how I met him. I had been working under him for the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha since 1989. In 1991, he was shot dead.

You have written about Harichand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect of the Vaishnavas. What is it about Harichand Thakur that you felt needed documentation?

Harichand Thakur led a fight against Brahminism. He founded a religious cult in which he said there was no need to follow ritual. He opposed the requirement of priests for conducting worship. He was influenced by Buddhism. Yet some people have turned him into an incarnation of Vishnu and brought him right back into the mainstream Hindu fold. Thus his movement has been brought down. So I researched his life and wrote Matua Ek Muktisena (Freedom Fighters of Matua). It was to preserve his legacy for the future generations.

Who are the other heroes of the Namasudras?

Jogendranath Mandal is the greatest political leader of the Namasudras. He was the man who has contributed most in terms of sending B.R. Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. Vallabhbhai Patel and his group had got him defeated in Maharashtra. It was Jogen Mandal who brought him to East Bengal, canvassed for votes on his behalf and got him to win the crucial ballot that sent him to the Constituent Assembly.

Do you write about the future or the past? Have you ever felt you lost a story because you lived through it until there was nothing left to write about?

I have lost many stories. But I havent written my best story yet. When I write it, I will feel that I have written everything, I will no longer wish to write anymore. I write about the future, too, and I write for the future, and to help build a better future.

What is the most satisfying piece you have written and why?

Every piece I write I feel happy I have written it. Two of my novels I waited long to write. One was Matua Ek Muktisena. The other was Maron Sagor Pare (Beyond Deaths Shore).

What is the connect between reading and writing? Do you find time to read?

The person who does not want to read cannot write. If you dont read a hundred books, you cannot write one of your own. Its not just about the information  how else will you know about switching perspective and about different styles of writing?

Who is your favourite writer and why?

I have four favourite writers  Mahasweta Devi, Samaresh Basu, Shrilal Shukla and Jajabar (Binoy Mukhopadhyay). Let me tell you about Shrilal Shuklas Raag Darbari. It is set in Bihar where homes are built so close to one another that they dont paint the outer walls. A motherless girl is told by her father  do not go out the door. There are men outside waiting to do evil things to you. The girl is a faithful daughter. She doesnt disobey her dad. So she has never stepped outside the door. Whenever she needs anything, she jumps from terrace to terrace to go wherever she wants to go. As I said, it is all about perspective.

You call yourself a Chandal both by caste and by temperament. What is your comment on Kamalkumar Mazumdars Antarjali Yatra which revolves around just such a character?

Kamalbabu should have made the girl live and elope with the chandal.

Describe your wife. How did you meet her?

My wife is a very good girl. It is because she has stood by me through thick and thin that I can write my stories. I met her when I had fought off some people trying to abduct her. Later on, we became friends. I went to the orphanage where she lived and they arranged our marriage.

What is your next project?

I had lived with adivasis and observed them closely while I was working with Shankar Guha Niyogi. Their society, culture, and even sexual mores are very different from others. Have you heard of ghotul? Besides that, they barter their produce and there is relative prosperity. There is no feudalism. I had written a novella, Onyo Bhuban (A Different World), on their lives. Now they will republish it, so I am adding a few pages.

Does casteism exist in Bengal? How does it play out in Bengali society today?

Casteism doesnt exist in West Bengal the way it does in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. There is no untouchability. Low caste people cook in dominant caste homes and they eat the food. The trouble begins when a lower caste person acquires education or relative power and prosperity. When they see them as a rival, the upper caste people will plot to stop his progress.

Manoranjan Byapari has won a Sahitya Akademi award, the 24 Ghanta award, the Gateway Litfest Writer of the Year, the Hindu prize. He got shortlisted for the JCB Prize and the DSC Prize. He is a writer, no doubt, but he must still cook for a living. For five years, he has been requesting the state government of West Bengal for lighter work because his knees have been operated upon, so he cannot stand for too long, but no. The man has published 18-20 books, what more does he want to write? This is how casteism works; it decides on your behalf, it clips your wings, it curtails you.
Readers hoping to buy KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE:KAR) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. Investors can purchase shares before the 19th of March in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 3rd of April.

KAR Auction Services's next dividend payment will be US$0.19 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.76 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that KAR Auction Services has a trailing yield of 4.3% on the current share price of $17.58. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for KAR Auction Services

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. KAR Auction Services distributed an unsustainably high 154% of its profit as dividends to shareholders last year. Without more sustainable payment behaviour, the dividend looks precarious. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. It distributed 43% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

It's disappointing to see that the dividend was not covered by profits, but cash is more important from a dividend sustainability perspective, and KAR Auction Services fortunately did generate enough cash to fund its dividend. Still, if the company repeatedly paid a dividend greater than its profits, we'd be concerned. Very few companies are able to sustainably pay dividends larger than their reported earnings.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

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NYSE:KAR Historical Dividend Yield, March 14th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. With that in mind, we're discomforted by KAR Auction Services's 10% per annum decline in earnings in the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. KAR Auction Services's dividend payments are effectively flat on where they were seven years ago. If a company's dividend stays flat while earnings are in decline, this is typically a sign that it is paying out a larger percentage of its earnings. This can become unsustainable if earnings fall far enough.

Final Takeaway

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid KAR Auction Services? It's never great to see earnings per share declining, especially when a company is paying out 154% of its profit as dividends, which we feel is uncomfortably high. However, the cash payout ratio was much lower - good news from a dividend perspective - which makes us wonder why there is such a mis-match between income and cashflow. Overall it doesn't look like the most suitable dividend stock for a long-term buy and hold investor.

Having said that, if you're looking at this stock without much concern for the dividend, you should still be familiar of the risks involved with KAR Auction Services. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for KAR Auction Services (1 doesn't sit too well with us) you should be aware of.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
A 55-year-old man died on



the spot and 24 others were injured when the pick-up van in which they were traveling turned turtle in Maharashtra's Palghar district, the police said on Saturday.

The accident took place in the Kasa police station limits on Friday night, said inspector Anandrao Kale.

The deceased was identified as Nana Sukhe.

The victims were returning from Ganjad village to Tankor in Vikramgadh tehsil after attending an engagement ceremony.

The van oveturned as it was speeding and the driver fled from the spot after the accident, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.



TORONTO, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North Bud Farms Inc. (CSE:NBUD) (NOBDF) ("NORTHBUD" or the "Company") announces that its annual financial statements for the year ended November 30, 2019, including the related management discussion and analysis, and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the Annual Financial Filings) are not expected to be filed by the required filing deadline of March 30, 2020 (the Filing Deadline).

The Annual Financial Filings are not expected to be filed on or before the Filing Deadline due to the two recently completed acquisitions in the United States. The Company acquired two businesses, one in Nevada and one in California, shortly before the most recently completed year-end, namely, November 30, 2019. The two businesses are private and did not have financial statements and related disclosures prepared in a manner consistent with the requirements of a publicly-listed entity. Accordingly, the Company has been working diligently with accounting teams to prepare the necessary statements for consolidation and audit with the Companys Canadian audit firm. As a result, the auditors need more time to complete the audit.

The Company is working on the steps required to complete the Annual Financial Filings as soon as possible and expects to be able to file the Annual Financial Filings by May 29, 2020. The Company will provide updates as further information relating to the Annual Financial Filings becomes available.

The Company has applied to the applicable securities regulatory authorities for a management cease trade order (MCTO) to be imposed against all the directors and officers of the Company precluding them from trading securities of the Company. If granted, the MCTO will be in effect until the Annual Financial Filings are filed, and will require that the Annual Financial Filings be filed on or before May 29, 2020.

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Until the Annual Financial Filings are filed, the Company intends to issue bi-weekly default status reports in accordance with National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders. The Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines during the period it remains in default of the filing requirements. The Company confirms that there is no other material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

About North Bud Farms Inc.

NORTHBUD, through its U.S. subsidiary Bonfire Brands USA, has acquired cannabis production facilities in California and Nevada. The Salinas, California 11-acre farm is actively cultivating cannabis in its 60,000 sq. ft. of licensed greenhouse production space, and also has active distribution and processing licenses. The Reno, Nevada property contains a world-class cannabis production, research and development facility with 5,000 sq. ft. of indoor cultivation, and holds medical and adult-use licenses for cultivation, extraction and distribution. Through its wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., the Company is pursuing a license under The Cannabis Act, to cultivate in its state-of-the-art purpose-built cannabis production facility located on 135 acres of agricultural land in Low, Quebec, Canada.

For more information visit: www.northbud.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements and information included in this press release that, to the extent they are not historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements, include but are not limited to those identified by the expressions anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, should and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management.

Forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, those regarding the Companys US and Canadian strategies, the success of the Companys licence application with Health Canada, the Companys ability to execute its strategic plan, conditions in the cannabis market, the Company entering agreements in connection with the B2B supply of cannabis and the Companys transition into a revenue-generating operational phase of development are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Companys final long form prospectus dated August 21, 2018, which is available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company's management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

North Bud Farms Inc.

Edward Miller

VP, IR & Communications

Office: (855) 628-3420 ext. 3

investors@northbud.com
The announcement prompted President Ivan Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nations border with Venezuela closed

Members of Bolivarian Immigration National Police unpack biosafety supplies that include infrared thermometers, protective masks and gloves, part of preparations to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, at the National Experimental Security University in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo

Caracas: Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus Friday, deepening anxiety in a crisis-stricken nation where many hospitals lack basics such as water and soap and struggle to treat even basic ailments.

The announcement prompted President Ivan Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nations border with Venezuela closed as a coronavirus containment measure.

Earlier Friday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez delivered the news that Venezuelans feared was coming: A 52-year-old man who had recently traveled from Spain and a 41-year-old woman who had returned from a trip through the U.S., Italy and Spain had been diagnosed with the virus.

Schools across Venezuela immediately closed, a day after President Nicolas Maduro suspended flights with Europe and Colombia in an attempt to ward off the illness.
A star-studded array of boobs and botox arrived in style at the highly anticipated Mercedes-Benz Ladies Day luncheon at the Star Lounge at Albert Park on Thursday.

Now in its 12th year, the event launched what was meant to be an action-packed weekend of high-octane excitement at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne - until it was cancelled on Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lindy Klim with pal Sarah Lew. Credit:Lucas Dawson

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in May, Lizzie Renkert from We Are Kindred, Jones magazine editor Justine Cullen and fake-tan creator Elle Ferguson sat through a fashion Q&A with painful emcee, Channel Tens Gorgi Coghlan who couldn't stop plugging her Ballarat hotel to a disinterested group of ladies.

Former Harpers BAZAAR editor Kellie Hush led the puffy-sleeved trend which was a popular fashion choice on the day. Balinese-Australian Lindy Klim was casual chic in Fendi shorts arriving with Sarah Lew, the former daughter-in-law of retail magnate Solomon Lew.
Hadley man builds with Navy Seabees

PORT HUENEME, Calif.  Petty Officer 3rd Class Jesse Bartow, a native of Hadley, builds and fights around the world as a member of a naval construction battalion center located in Port Hueneme, California.

We Build, We Fight has been the motto of the U.S. Navys Construction Force, known as the Seabees, for more than seven decades. The Navy Seabees are an elite group of personnel trained in both combat and the craft skills of the construction industry.

Bartow is serving as a Navy builder, who is responsible for building and defending combat construction project sites.

Building in austere environments can be a challenge. Fighting in harsh conditions can also be a challenge. Building in austere environments while fighting in harsh conditions takes a special kind of person with a great deal of perseverance and determination, according to officials with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command. These are the kinds of people being trained at Port Hueneme, to provide crucial support to Seabee units deployed around the world.

Seabees have served in all American conflicts for nearly 80 years. They have also supported humanitarian efforts using their construction skills to help communities around the world following earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

According to Bartow, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Hadley.

My parents instilled in me a work ethic, a never quit attitude and never take no for an answer, Bartow said. I took these traits with me into the Navy and its made me a better person both professionally and personally.

Reception set for suffrage exhibit

QUEENSBURY  The Warren County Historical Society will hold an opening reception for the new exhibit, Warren and Washington County Suffragists: 1883-1920, at 6 p.m. Wednesday at 50 Gurney Lane. The reception will be followed by a 7 p.m. presentation by historian Tisha Dolton and educator Cindy Whitman showcasing the exhibit.

The exhibition combines a 2017 exhibit of Washington County suffragists from the Old Fort House Museum in Fort Edward, suffrage history vignettes by Whitman and exciting new research on Warren County suffragists by Dolton. The display focuses on the women and men of the region who worked tirelessly for the right to vote for women at the turn of the 20th century.

Narrative panels, photographs, newspaper clippings and memorabilia depict the local fight for votes for women that culminated in the passage of female voting rights in New York in 1917 and the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

The Warren County Historical Society is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, go to wcnyhs.org.

Queensbury seniors to hold cooking class

QUEENSBURY  The Queensbury Senior Citizens will hold a Cooking for One class taught by Joanna Sheridan from Grandma Jos Healthy Kitchen at 10:30 a.m. Friday at 742 Bay Road. The class includes recipes and creating a simple three-ingredient beet salad using the Instant Pot. The class costs $5 for members; $10 for not-yet-members.

Historical society to offer history award

QUEENSBURY  The Warren County Historical Society is looking for nominations for an award in honor of the late Hon. John D. Austin Jr., judge, attorney, historian, genealogist and founding member of the WCHS.

The award will be presented at the WCHS Annual Gala from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at The Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center in Lake George.

Criteria include:

Demonstrated dedication to Warren County and/or regional history and/or genealogy through professional work or volunteer service;

Authoring, publishing, or editing of a book or article about Warren County and/or region that brings national attention to the area;

Contribution to the preservation or restoration of documents pertinent to Warren County and/or regional history and/or genealogy; and

Significant contribution to furthering the promotion of historical institutions and/or museums in Warren County region.

Send a one-page nomination to the WCHS at execdir@wcnyhs.org by June 1. All nominations must be signed, with contact information for the nominee and nominator. For questions, call the WCHS at 518-743-0734.

Restaurant to hold event for preserve

GANSEVOORT  The Wishing Well restaurant is hosting a fundraising event at 5 p.m. Thursday at 745 Saratoga Road. The Wishing Well will be donating 50% of all dining tabs to support the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park and the Larry Gordon Camp Saratoga Visitor Center Project.

To make dinner reservations or for more information, visit the website at www.wishingwellrestaurant.com. Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve ecological systems and natural settings while providing opportunities for environmental education and recreational experiences.

Association to hold raffle at Maple Days

THURMAN  Thurman Station Association will launch a raffle during the annual Thurman Maple Days, which runs weekends through March 29. Tickets are $10 each, and only 500 will be sold. The drawing will be held Aug. 31, site to be announced.

The prize for this raffle will be a New York State Lifetime Hunting and Fishing license for the winner if eligible by NYSDEC regulations (value of $380-$675, depending upon the age of the intended licensee), or the winner may opt for a $500 cash prize.

During Maple Days, tickets may be purchased (by those age 18 or older) at the following locations: Martins Lumber & Artisan Market, Toad Hill Maple, Blackberry Hill Farm, Mud St. Maple, Valley Road Maple and Hidden Hollow Maple. For location and open hours of these farms during Maple Days, visit www.VisitThurman.com/maple-days.

American Legion to host St. Pattys meal

HUDSON FALLS  The American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 574 will hold a St, Patricks Day dinner from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 72 Pearl St. All proceeds benefit local veterans and youth. Dinners cost $10 at the door; a family of four costs $35.

Program receives more grant money

WARRENSBURG  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County has received an additional $91,400 for the Farm-to-School Program. This grant will allow for the transportation of fresh produce to six area schools. Building on the efforts of the current Farm-to-School Grant, the acquisition of a refrigerated truck will allow the transport of NYS farm fresh produce to area schools benefiting 13,800 students.

The Farm-to-School program increases the volume and variety of locally grown and produced food in schools, provides new markets for New Yorks farmers, improves student health, and educates young people about agriculture.

To learn more about this program, contact Dr. James Seeley or Annie Mills at 518-668-4881.

Church to host pork and bake sale

FORT ANN  The West Fort Ann United Methodist Church is hosting a roast pork dinner and bake sale from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Copeland Pond Road. Eat-in or take-out. Dinner includes roast pork, mashed potatoes, dressing, vegetable, applesauce, roll and home style pies. Dinners cost $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 12 and under. Call 518-793-0969 with questions.

Free tax return prep assistance available

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County, is offering free tax help to families and individuals whose household income is below $57,000. Trained community volunteers can help with special credits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.

In addition to free tax return preparation assistance, free electronic filing will be offered. Individuals taking advantage of the e-file program will receive their refunds in half the time compared to returns filed on paper  even faster if you have your refund is deposited directly into your bank account. To schedule a tax appointment for Warren and Washington counties, call 800-211-5128.

Library displaying Plein Air art exhibit

GLENS FALLS  The Plein Air Adirondack art exhibit titled, Inside and Out, is on display at the Friends of Crandall Library second floor gallery through March 31 at 251 Glen St. The exhibit showcases the paintings of local artists. The paintings were created both in the open air and in studio.

The exhibit can be enjoyed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

League seeks noms for great teachers

The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County has the opportunity to nominate one or two Saratoga County teachers of U.S. history, government or civics (grades 9-12) to attend a 2 1/2 day professional workshop at Harvard University.

Selected teachers will attend the Harvard Case Method Project on the campus of Harvard Business School campus from Aug. 16-18. All expenses will be paid once the teacher arrives in Cambridge. This includes the program, materials, hotel accommodation and meals.

Interested teachers should submit a short (750-1000 word) op-ed style essay answering the question: Why do you want to join this initiative, and why do you think public discussions about key moments in the history of American democracy are valuable?

This essay will also be part of the teachers registration for the Harvard workshop. Teachers attending the case method workshop must agree to teach at least four of the democracy cases in their classrooms after the workshop, and help moderate at least one community case discussion with their league.

Essays are due March 31, and should be submitted to president@lwvsaratoga.org.

Cambridge school to host Science Night

CAMBRIDGE  Cambridge Central School District will host Family Science Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at 24 S. Park St. Pre-K through sixth-grade students and their families are invited to participate.

Members of the community, faculty, and students will be sharing their expertise on various science topics and science-related activities. Planetarium Adventures will be on site again this year for shows at 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Seating is limited and tickets for the shows will be available on a first-come, first served basis.

Group to honor St. Patrick with dinner

SARATOGA SPRINGS  The Saratoga Springs chapter of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick will celebrate their 68th anniversary with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Holiday Inn on Broadway. The group is a fraternal organization that meets once each year on St. Patricks Day to honor the patron saint of Ireland and to raise money for local Catholic charitable organizations.

The 2020 officers for the dinner are President Brian Waghorn, Vice President Chris Spratt, Treasurer Steve Sherwin, Secretary Mike DArcy, and Past President and Keeper of the Shillelagh Mark Phillips.

Many cities throughout the country have chapters of the society, including Albany and Troy. One of the first chapters of the society was founded in post-revolutionary war New York City by Irish~ American Daniel McCormick. The purpose of the society was to help impoverished and displaced immigrants who had arrived in New York in the wake of the British evacuation. The first meeting of the New York City chapter was held in 1784 at Capes Tavern.

The Philadelphia Friendly Sons of St. Patrick is believed to be the first chapter of the society, and was founded in 1771.

Hometown is compiled by Gretta Hochsprung. If youd like to let her know about an upcoming event, email ghochsprung@poststar.com or call 518-742-3206.

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The Irish arm of fast food franchise Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) went into the red last year to record pre-tax losses of 854,893.

According to new accounts filed by Scotco ROI, the company recorded the pre-tax losses after revenues reduced by 5pc from 24.2m to 22.92m.

The pre-tax loss of 854,893 followed a pre-tax profit of 474,941 in 2018, a negative swing of 1.329m.

According to the directors, the KFC franchise continues to trade strongly.

They said: "Overall, the directors are satisfied with the company's results for the period."

The company recording the pre-tax losses after enjoying a gross profit of 9.89m, representing a gross profit margin of 43pc.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Belfast businessman Michael Herbert sold his UK and Irish network of KFC restaurants to UK company EG Group for an undisclosed sum.

Numbers employed by Scotco ROI last year decreased from 439 to 312 and staff costs reduced from 7.255m to 6.825m.

The loss last year takes account of non-cash combined depreciation and amortisation costs of 1.471m and a loss of 557,330 on the sale of a tangible asset.

At the end of December 29, the company was sitting on accumulated profits of 499,288. The company's cash funds increased from 1.06m to 1.12m.

The company recorded post- tax losses of 999,754 after paying corporation tax of 144,861.

The Irish unit is a subsidiary of KFC group entity Herbert Corporate Holdings and the most recent accounts show that it recorded pre-tax profits of 9.5m after recording revenues of 182.75m in 2018. Numbers employed were 3,846 and staff costs totalled 51.33m.

The group recorded an operating profit of 15.5m and interest payments reduced profits to a pre-tax profit of 9.5m.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

The decision made in Azerbaijan to take a number of measures on social isolation due to the threat of the coronavirus infection outbreak is the right one, Ibadulla Agayev, the chief epidemiologist of the Health Ministry told Trend.

He said that the isolation measures will prevent aggravation of the epidemiological situation in Azerbaijan.

Agayev highlighted that provision of Azerbaijani citizens safety is one of the most important and prioritized issues.

Taking into consideration WHO recommendations and international experience, Azerbaijani government is ought to expand the variety of measures taken to ensure protection of public health and prevention of the virus from spreading. Implementation of the timely decision will help to ensure that the epidemiological situation does not worsen and the disease does not spread among people. This decision is aimed to ensure quality life for citizens and their safety, as well as to protect against the impact of this global problem, he said.

Agayev added that implementing these measures amid coronavirus spreading globally and due to the fact that WHO named the infection to be epidemic is very important.

He emphasized that the rules impose corresponding responsibility not only on state bodies, but also on society as a whole and on each citizen individually.

Agayev said that the measures taken are a matter of national security and national solidarity, and thus, regardless of the position held and personal views, each citizen should be as attentive and responsible as possible when implementing new rules.

The Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers is conducting the measures on social isolation that have been applied in the country from 00:00 (GMT+4) on March 14, 2020.
Springfield Diocese Cancels Masses, Schools

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.  The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has canceled all Masses and other activities within its parishes.

Bishop Mitchell Rozanski has issued these updated directives based on the current situation regarding the novel coronavirus and statements from federal and state officials. Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday afternoon issued an emergency order prohibiting most gatherings of more than 250 people in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19.

Rozanski has ordered:

 All Masses and other activities are suspended in all parishes until further notice. He urges parishioners to view the televised Mass, the "Chalice of Salvation," which airs in Berkshire County at 6 a.m. on Sundays on WXXA Fox23 in Albany, N.Y., and elsewhere on WWLP 22News out of Springfield on Sunday mornings at 10. There will be two live-streamed Masses  Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.  via a link at All Masses and other activities are suspended in all parishes until further notice. He urges parishioners to view the televised Mass, the "Chalice of Salvation," which airs in Berkshire County at 6 a.m. on Sundays on WXXA Fox23 in Albany, N.Y., and elsewhere on WWLP 22News out of Springfield on Sunday mornings at 10. There will be two live-streamed Masses  Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.  via a link at www.stagnescc.com

 The only exception for parish-based activities would be "Take & Eat" programs that may continue at the discretion of the pastor.

 All pastoral in-home and nursing home visits are to be discontinued unless the individual is in critical condition.

 Catholic schools will close for two weeks, including St. Stanislaus School in Adams and St. Mary's in Lee.

 In light of these circumstances, the planned ACA In-Pew Commitment Weekend will be rescheduled to weekend of April 18-19.

 Working with risk management and environmental consultants, the diocese is developing a comprehensive response plan to help guide it in the coming days, weeks and months.

More information for local parishes can be found through the diocese website
At a press conference Saturday, President Donald Trump said he had been tested for the novel coronavirus. He said he expected results from the test in a day or two.

Trump has been exposed to at least two people who have tested positive. Both had been with him at Mar-a-Lago. I decided I should, based on the press conference yesterday, he said. People were asking, did I take the test?

Recently, the White House has started checking the temperatures of anyone, including reporters, coming in close contact with Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

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At the briefing, Pence also announced that the current travel restrictions on continental Europe would be extended to the U.K. and Ireland on Monday at midnight. American citizens and legal residents will be allowed to return home. Trump also said he was considering domestic travel limitations to some domestic locations.

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Trump said Saturday that he had been tested for the coronavirus on Friday night. Around midnight Friday night, the White House released a letter from the presidents doctor saying that Trump did not need to be tested.

At Saturdays press conference, reporters asked Trump why he had sent mixed messages by shaking hands with officials and executives who attended a press conference he gave Friday against the advice of public health experts. Trump said he was a non-hand-shaker for the most part and blamed his actions on habit but agreed that shaking hands is not a great thing to be doing right now.

Saturday morning, Trump tweeted simply: SOCIAL DISTANCING!

At Saturdays press conference, Tony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, also said that the U.S. has now had more than 2,200 confirmed coronavirus cases and 50 deaths. The virus has been reported in 49 states as well as D.C. and Puerto Rico. We have not reached our peak, he said. We will see more suffering and death, predominantly, as the vice president said, among the vulnerables in our society.
Oncimmune is an Aim-listed cancer diagnosis specialist based in Nottingham

What is it?

An Aim-listed cancer diagnosis specialist based in Nottingham.

It makes a blood test that can identify lung cancer up to four years before tumours become visible in scans.

Whats the latest?

Earlier this month it struck a deal with a company called Biodesix, who will market Oncimmunes early-stage cancer test alongside its own.

Oncimmunes test helps identify those who are more likely to have lung cancer if there is a suspicious nodule in their lung, while Biodesixs check identifies those who are less likely to have cancer.

Who backs it?

Venture capital investor Balderton Capital is the largest shareholder, with an 11 per cent holding.

Fidelity International and Premier Asset Management are institutional backers, while the University of Nottingham is also a top-10 shareholder.

Why should you invest?

The companys tests are widely respected and it is planning to roll out ones for ovarian, prostate and liver cancers too.

And why shouldnt you?

As with all biopharmaceutical companies, if there are any setbacks in developing a drug the share price can take a hit.
Parents will not have to pay childcare fees if centres close because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the sector is warning government funding would fall short in the event of widespread shutdowns.

Representatives from the sector wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal Education Minister Dan Tehan on Tuesday calling for a package of support to help services stay open.

The childcare sector is "well and truly worried" about the prospect of a coronavirus shutdown.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Tehan said the government was working with the sector and state and territory governments on contingency plans. The Education Department released a fact sheet that stated if centres closed they could not claim Child Care Subsidy and "as child care cannot be offered, families must not be charged fees".

This overrides individual childcare agreements that often have clauses allowing centres to charge during times they are closed, such as public holidays.
China's share in the import of electronics and IT hardware goods to India have slid below 40% of the total share for the second consecutive fiscal despite clocking over 55% between 2015-16 and 2017-18 and the Covid-19 outbreak in the neighbouring country could further dwindle due to disruption in the supply chain.

Track live updates on the coronavirus here

These concerns have been shared by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) with Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology with the former saying that the impact would depend on the "severity and persistence" of Covid-19 or coronavirus. The panel has suggested that the high dependency on Chinese import in the sector is still too high and the government should look at broad-basing sources.











Financial Year Total Electronics and IT Hardware imports in India (including components and semi-finished goods) (In Rs crore) Total Electronics and IT Hardware imports in India from China (including components and semi-finished goods) (In Rs crore) Total Electronics and IT Hardware imports in India from rest of the world (including components and semi-finished goods) (In Rs crore) % of Electronics and IT Hardware imports in India from China (including components and semi-finished goods) (In Rs crore) 2015-16 2,68,105 1,48,555 1,19,550 55.4 2016-17 2,87,559 1,65,848 1,21,711 57.67 2017-18 3,40,901 2,06,086 1,34,815 60.45 2018-19 4,01,458 1,59,165 2,42,293 39.64 2019-20 (between Apr-Dec 2019) 3,03,501 1,11,406 1,92,095 37.6 TOTAL 16,01,524 7,91,060 8,10,464 49.39

Reports suggest that the worst in China -- where the epicentre of Covid-19, Wuhan, is located -- is over in terms of the spread of virus even as World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it a pandemic due to its spread across the globe.

The Parliamentary panel headed by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had asked the Ministry whether the Covid-19 outbreak in China could affect the availability of electronics goods in India and what steps were taken to prevent any possible scarcity of electronics goods in India owing to the manufacturing slowdown in China.

The Ministry told the panel that imports from China are largely in the nature of components that go into the manufacturing of sub-assemblies and final products. "Due to recent outbreak of Covid-19 in China, there will be a likely impact on the supply of such components due to disruption in the supply chain," it said.

It also said industry associations and major manufacturing companies that sufficient inventory is available for the "next few weeks". Steps are also being taken to explore sources of import of such components from other countries.

According to official statistics, Chinese electronics goods imports accounted for Rs 1.48 lakh crore out or 55.40% of Rs 2.68 lakh crore in 2015-16 while it was Rs 1.65 lakh crore (57.67% of Rs 2.87 lakh crore) in 2016-17 and further rose to Rs 2.06 lakh crore (60.45% of Rs 3.40 lakh crore) in 2017-18.

2018-19 fiscal saw a reverse in trend even as the total import of electronics goods and IT hardware goods rose to 4.01 lakh crore. China's share dipped to 39.64% or Rs 1,59 lakh crore of the total imports. In the current fiscal too till December 2019, the Chinese imports of electronics goods stood at 37.6% or Rs 1.11 lakh crore out of 3.03 lakh crore.

In its report tabled in Parliament, the committee acknowledged that the electronics good imports as a percentage of total electronic goods demand in India is showing a downward trend but said,"at current levels also, there is too much dependency" on China. "Too much dependency on a single country for sourcing electronic goods is a cause of concern," it said.

The panel also wanted the government to promote indigenous production at the same time to "reduce dependency on a single market/geographical region so that any sudden/abrupt/unforeseen event such as Covid-19 outbreak in China do not cause any large-scale shortage inventory in the Indian market".

Asking the Ministry to analyse short to medium term and long-term impact of Covid-19 outbreak in China on electronic hardware sector in India, it said steps should be taken to broad base the sources of electronic hardware imports. The Ministry has informed the panel that industry bodies have been asked to organise buyer-seller meets to explore avenues to broad base sources.
They made it to the bench because Republicans in the Senate sidelined Democrats

In less partisan times, many of the new judges, with their polarizing paper trails and histories of fighting for Republican causes, would have lacked a clear path to confirmation because of Senate customs meant to ensure bipartisan consensus over judicial nominees.

But some of those customs have been tossed aside, allowing Republicans, who control the Senate, to get their way even when Democrats object.

Two-thirds of the new appellate judges failed to win the support of 60 senators, historically a requirement of consensus that was first jettisoned by the Democratic-controlled Senate midway through the Obama administration.

When Republicans gained the majority, they followed suit and took the custom-breaking even further. They did away with a courtesy that allowed senators to sign off on nominees for courts in their home states. That meant Mr. Trump did not have to compromise on his picks in states with a Democratic senator; about a third of his appointees did not get the signoff.

They can be disagreeable on the bench, but mostly when working with a colleague appointed by a Democrat

The Times analyzed more than 10,000 published decisions and dissents since Mr. Trump took office and found that his appointees continued to stand out after they joined the bench.

There is a culture of consensus in most appellate courts, and in the cases reviewed by The Times, judges appointed by presidents of both parties agreed with one another the vast majority of times. But when they did not, the Trump appointees made a difference.

They were notably more likely than their peers on the bench to agree with Republican appointees and to disagree with Democratic appointees  suggesting they are more consistently conservative.
Local TD and Sinn Fein health spokesperson Deputy Louise O'Reilly has called for the recruitment ban in the health service to be lifted 'as a matter of urgency' to deal with a potential serious public health emergency posed by the Covid 19 virus.

Deputy O'Reilly said: 'The recruitment crisis has been the cause of a serious issues facing our health service now, and this poses a serious threat as we face into the possibility of a serious public health emergency.

'The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has stated that qualified healthcare staff are queueing up to work, but hospitals are unable to hire them.

'The recruitment ban in the health service should not have been imposed, and the results of it are devastating the health service.

'It needs to be lifted as a matter of urgency, particularly as we face a potentially serious public health emergency in the shape of the Covid 19.'

Deputy O'Reilly said a concentrated effort was also needed 'now more than ever before' to reduce the number of patients on trolleys, with February 2020 showing a 23% increase in the number of people waiting for hospital beds.

The Sinn Fein TD said: 'With recent international health events, it is massively important that every effort is made to reduce the number of patients on trolleys and ensure that our health services have capacity and scope to deal with any public health situation.

'We need to reopen all closed beds in our acute hospital network, and we need to make sure the beds opened under the Winter Plan stay open full time, and to do this we need the staff. However, our hospitals are understaffed, and this is affecting not just those trying to get into them, but also those already in hospital.'

Deputy O'Reilly added there were longer-term measures which also needed to be taken, but 'in the here and now', the Minister for Health needed to make 'every single effort' to reduce the number of patients on trolleys and prepare our health services for any possible public health emergency.
There are no good options here. The risks are obvious if schools stay open. At the same time, so many families depend on our schools for food and child care during the day, said Jenna Lempesis, a fourth-grade teacher in New York. Many do not have the technology necessary for online learning. This virus has really laid bare the inequity among our nations schoolchildren: Who can afford to have schools closed and who cant?
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:26:41|Editor: yan

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LONDON, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 1,140 as of Saturday morning, an increase of more than 300 over the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures released by the British Department of Health and Social Care.

Meanwhile, a total of 21 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died in Britain so far, the figures showed.

"I understand this increase in the number of deaths linked to COVID-19 will be a cause for concern for many. The public should know every measure we are taking is seeking to save lives and protect the most vulnerable," said Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England.

The British government announced Thursday that the country has switched from the "containment" phase to "delay" in response to the spread of virus in the country, a move to encourage more "social distancing" among Britons.

Among other measures, the government on Friday postponed the local and mayoral elections in England slated for May 7 for one year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is also considering banning mass gatherings, according to local reports.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the threat of coronavirus as "the worst public health crisis in a generation."

According to health authorities, the true figure for people infected with the novel coronavirus in Britain might be between 5,000 and 10,000.
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The trail wound through the mountain pass in a series of blind switchbacks that made the use of flankers and advance scouts impossible as the cavalry patrol edged cautiously forward. Suddenly a score of Jezail muskets crackled from the cover of earthworks sited well upslope. Men and horses fell, while other troopers dismounted and formed a loose skirmish line to return fire. A hussar, mouthing prayers in a Donegal brogue as he worked the lever of his Sharps carbine rifle to slide another linen-cased cartridge home in its smoking breech, dropped an elder warrior. At that point the Afghan hillmen, puzzled at the speed with which the Europeans reloaded their weapons, retreated over the next ridgeline. Peace was being upheld again on the Rajs Northwest Frontier by a handful of troopers armed with blades forged in Sheffield and carbines crafted in Connecticut.

After decades of complacency, the Crimean War of 1854 spurred the British army to reform its command structure and modernize its weapons. An early example came in 1853, when the new pattern of Enfield rifled musket was adopted for general field service.

British cavalry regiments had used a variety of carbines since the Napoleonic wars, such as smoothbore Pagets and Nocks and, for a fortunate few, rifled Baker carbines. By 1854, the standard cavalry long arm was the Pattern 1842 Victoria carbine, a percussion muzzleloader bored to take a .733-caliber ball that was potent but woefully inaccurate past 50 yards.

In July 1855, the British placed an order with the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Co. for 1,000 carbines of the improved 1852 pattern, followed in August by an order for another 5,000. Except for a minor .06-inch increase in bore diameter, no significant modifications were requireduntil late September, when the British purchasing agent specified that all of Christian Sharps carbines had to be fitted with the Maynard patent tape-priming device. Lacking the production capacity to manufacture 6,000 such weapons on short notice, Sharps signed a contract with Robbins & Lawrence of Hartford, Conn., on November 9, 1855, to fabricate 500 carbines of 32 bore, with 6 grooves; and 6,000 to be bored to the model sent from England with 3 grooves. Of the latter, 3,000 were to have 21-inch barrels and 3,000 were to have 18-inch barrels.

Although the contractor eventually incurred some penalties for late deliveries, 6,000 carbines were in British hands before autumn 1856too late to see service in the Crimea. The 7th Queens Own Hussars received 500 of the new weapons on July 10, 1857. Deliveries followed to the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, the 1st Kings Dragoon Guards, the 2nd Queens Bays Dragoon Guards and the 3rd Prince of Wales Dragoon Guards at their home depots.

Meanwhile, in India, anti-British sentiments came to a head when Hindu and Muslim soldiers serving in the army of the East India Company, incited by rumorseventually proved falsethat the paper-cased small-arms cartridges issued to them were greased with tallow from both pigs and cattle, mutinied. The native troops, called sepoys, left Bengal and the Punjab in flames. The 36,000 British troops on the scene were hard-pressed to survive, much less keep the uprising from spreading.

By the late summer of 1857, however, the tide was slowly turning against the mutineers. Reinforcements were mustered in England, including all of the Sharps-armed mounted regiments. Two of them were fated to miss most of the actionthe 1st Dragoon Guards were crippled by a dearth of suitable mounts, while the 3rd Dragoon Guard was employed mainly in courier and escort duties. The 2nd Dragoon Guards and the 7th Hussars landed in India on November 27. The 8th Hussars took ship in Cork with the 17th Lancers early in October and reached Bombay in mid-December.

A squadron of the 7th Hussars was detached at newly recaptured Cawnpore and sent to reinforce the 4,000-man garrison holding Alambagh, an outpost near Lucknow, which had been under repeated attacks since mid-November. The squadrons Sharps carbines doubtless boosted the defenders firepower until the last assault was repulsed in late February 1858.

Meanwhile, Field Marshal Sir Colin Campbell had massed 31,000 troops to retake Lucknow in March, after a 19-day siege of the rebel citadel. His 3,500 cavalrymen were grouped in a division of two brigades commanded by Maj. Gen. Sir James Hope Grant. Brigadier William Campbell of the 2nd Dragoon Guards led one brigade that included his own regiment and the 7th Hussars, as well as the 1st Punjab Cavalry, Hodsons Horse and Barrows Volunteer Cavalry.

On March 6, 1858, a large party of mutineers sortied from the fieldworks surrounding Lucknow and clashed with Campbells cavalry. Two squadrons of the Bays led by Major Percy Smith pursued the rebels three miles to within musket range of their lines, killing more than 100 before they were slowed by broken ground and their own casualties. Smith and two troopers died, while six other Dragoon Guardsmen were wounded. The final assault on Lucknow succeeded, but mishandling of the cavalry division by senior commanders permitted thousands of the rebels to escape through a gap in the British lines.

The onset of hot weather plagued Campbells methodical advance, intended to clear north-central India of the mutineers and their allies, while a resurgence in enemy activity sparked a sharp engagement at Nawabganj, northeast of Lucknow. In the searing heat of mid-June, Grant made a swift night march with 3,500 troops to surprise 15,000 rebels. After nearly three hours of fighting, a large body of Ghazi tribesmen and a section of rebel artillery moved to attack the British right, but Grant saw the danger in time and sent the 7th Hussars in with a battery in support, driving off the enemy with the loss of nine guns and 600 dead. At the end of the battle, the British tallied 67 combat casualties and nearly 300 men killed or prostrated by sunstroke.

As Sir Colin Campbells forces continued their reconquest of northern India, Maj. Gen. Sir Hugh Rose led the 4,500- man Central India Field Force in a five-month, 1,000-mile campaign against the rebels to the south, fighting 16 actions and capturing 100 guns, two fortresses, two cities and 20 forts. By the late spring of 1858, Rose had scored repeated victories, but strong rebel forces remained at large under the leadership of such figures as Tantia Topi and Lakshmibai, the charismatic Rani of Jhansi, whose beauty, courage and fighting skill won her admirers even in the British ranks. In mid-June, Rose confronted both Tantia Topi and the rani near the fortress of Gwalior.

The 8th Hussars were brigaded with the lancers of the 1st Bombay Cavalry and the 2nd Troop, Bombay Horse Artillery, commanded by Brigadier Michael W. Smith, who led one of several converging columns to rendezvous with Roses main force. Rose resumed the advance on the morning of June 17. The infantry and artillery forced a large rebel contingent to retreat through Morar, over a range of hills and then through a narrow pass that could have served as a strong defensive position had the enemy chosen to make a stand. The 8th Hussars led the advance through the defile and found the rest of the rebel force drawn up in battle formation on the plains fronting Gwaliors walls. Smith knew his cavalrymen were vastly outnumbered, but he was loath to let the rebels regain the initiative. The brigadier deployed a light squadron of 98 troopers from the 8th and ordered a charge as his infantry and artillery provided covering fire.

For the second time in less than four years, the 8th Hussars charged an entire army. Showing the same resolve as at Balaclava, Captain Clement Heneage and the many other veterans of that ghastly action cut their way into an already buckling rebel line and thundered on. With the rebel infantry in full flight, the troopers sheathed their sabers and brought their carbines to the ready as a tangle of Pathan horsemen sought to blunt their charge where a battery of guns still commanded the roadway. Heneages troopers swept on, and in seconds they were leaping the barricade and weaving among the limbers as rebel artillerymen died or fled before them.

The Pathan horsemen rallied as a slim figure dressed as a man held her mounts reins in her teeth and crossed steel with Heneages lead troopers. A Sharps cracked, and the impact of a .577 round lifted the Rani of Jhansi from the saddle and left her dying in the roiling dust amid the riot of hooves.

One officer of the 8th died of sunstroke, seven men were killed and another seven wounded in the melee, but the rebels had lost all heart for battle, and the hussars hauled the captured guns to British lines. Another battle followed on June 18, but the Bombay lancers charged over the same ground crossed by Heneages men the day before and led Roses infantry into the streets of Gwalior, as Tantia Topi and his army fled. Heneage and three troopers of the 8th were subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross.

The Gwalior victory marked the end of any major offensive threat from the mutineers, but many smaller actions remained to be fought, as fugitive bands were hunted down. The 8th Hussars remained in the thick of things between December 1857 and May 1859, during which the Sharps repeatedly proved its worth. A typical engagement took place on the banks of the Bunas River on August 15, 1858, when Captain George Clowes troop of the 8th and a detachment of the 1st Bombays lancers drove a band of rebels into a thicket of brush so tangled and dense that neither saber nor lance could come into play. We spread out in skirmishing order, got out the carbines (the new Sharpes [sic] breechloading ones) and shot every man of them we could see, boasted the regimental history of that action. Six months later the hussars fought a large rebel band mounted on camels, whose height kept their riders beyond a sabers reach until the Englishmens pistols and carbines carried the day, killing about 200 mutineers.

Soon after the suppression of the Sepoy Mutiny, the Sharps carbines were cracking on the skirmish lines again. In January 1860, a squadron of the 1st Dragoon Guards joined the 11,000-man China Expeditionary Force as it departed India and sailed eastward to a confrontation with Imperial China. When not clashing with Tartar cavalry, the guardsmen performed patrol, escort and scouting duties, as well as the dangerous task of carrying daily dispatches for 75 miles between Tientsin and Beijing.

Back in India, a series of uprisings broke out along the Northwest Frontier in the fall of 1863. On January 2, 1864, a force of 5,000 Mohmand tribesmen massed to attack Fort Shabqadr. The isolated post was held by 1,700 troops, including 145 troopers of the 7th Hussars and 332 mounted sepoys of the 2nd and 6th Bengal cavalry.

The British elected to meet the Mohmands on an expanse of level, cleared ground near the fort. The tribesmen threw their right wing forward and down from the high ground, giving the Europeans a chance to mount a charge. The 7th charged the Mohmands three times before the garrison commander sent forward his infantry in skirmishing order. The tribes men, lashed by Sharps fire on their flank and Enfield rounds from their front, retreated across the border.

The Sharps remained in the hussars and guardsmens hands for another four years as they kept the peace and punished transgressors along the border. On November 10, 1868, the 7th Hussars received 337 new Snider Enfield breechloading, metallic-cartridge carbines from the Ferozepore Arsenal and gave up its Sharps.

Little in the way of official comment survives of the British evaluation of the Sharps as a service weapon, although one veteran ordnance officer criticized it for leaking gas at the breech and a tendency for caked powder fouling to make it difficult to open the breechblock after prolonged firing. These faults, however, were common to virtually all breechloading weapons of the time. The ordnance mavens decided against adopting the Sharps as an army-wide standard cavalry arm, and by February 1864 only 2,400 of the original 6,000 weapons purchased remained in British hands. The bulk of the carbines had been declared surplus and sold to the U.S. government, which was then combing Europe for arms with which to equip the Union cavalry during the Civil War.

If the British had experienced mixed feelings about their American breechloaders, their enemies found much to admire, for several native-made copies of the Sharps, originating in India, are known to exist today. Afghan tribal artisans on the Northwest Frontier were adept at fashioning copies of virtually every British service arm they captured in more than a century of conflict, and it is entirely possible that ersatz Model 1855 Sharps carbines appeared on the frontier before the end of the 1850s. In America the Sharps carbine was dubbed Beechers Bible after the Northern abolitionist clergyman who shipped crates of the weapons to Kansas for use by the Free State militia in that divided territory on the eve of the Civil War. On the disputed Northwest Frontier of India, the Sharps carbines bearing the Victorian cipher on their lockplates might well have been dubbed Khyber Korans or Heneages Hymnals in recognition of the role they played in the thrust and parry of life as experienced by both those who guarded and those who challenged the outposts of an empire.

Originally published in the June 2006 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
ELKO  Elko County Health Officer Dr. Bryce Putnam said Friday the county is continuing to work closely with local and state partners to address the impact of COVID-19, including preparedness and response efforts. As of Friday, the state of Nevada has 20 confirmed cases but no deaths. Elko County has not had any confirmed positive results.

Dr. Putnam provided these answers to some of the common questions being received from the community:

Q: Why am I not being tested?

A: The CDC and State of Nevada are encouraging medical providers to test people who are symptomatic and have had a history of exposure to a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or have visited a place with active cases. However, it is up to the clinical judgment of the medical provider to make the final decision.

Q: Where do I go for information?

A: The State of Nevada is actively tracking and responding to the COVID-19 outbreak statewide, including Elko County. (https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/) The State of Nevada is working with health departments, local health boards and health officers. Locally, Health Officer Dr. Putnam will keep the public notified through press releases. We will push press releases to our partners and to social media. Information and press releases are posted to the Elko County website.

Q: Why do I need call my local provider before getting tested?

A: Calling the provider gives them the ability to isolate a possible COVID-19 patient from others to limit exposure to the virus.

Q: Why am I being encouraged to go to my local provider rather than the emergency room?

A: Your local provider has your medical history and can make a better determination of your specific needs. However, if you are very sick or you dont have a primary care provider you may want to go to the emergency room. Please call ahead so they have a chance to prepare for your arrival and possibly isolate those with potential COVID-19 from other patients.

Q: What if my employer wont let me come back to work without a negative test result?

A: The medical provider has the ability to issue a work release based on their clinical judgment with or without testing for COVID-19.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  Onondaga County will open a testing site for coronavirus Monday at Syracuse Community Health Center to keep people from seeking tests at hospital emergency rooms.

The test site at 819 S. Salina St. will be an alternative for people who cant get tested at a private doctors office, said County Executive Ryan McMahon. County officials are determined to keep patients with respiratory illnesses from seeking tests at hospitals, where they could spread their infection, he said.

We cant have people just showing up at emergency rooms when you are symptomatic, he said.

The countys reliance thus far on private physicians to provide coronavirus testing has caused confusion at times. Some doctors lack the protective gear necessary to give the tests safely, while others are reluctant to have potentially infectious patients come to their offices.

On top of that, roughly one American in four has no primary medical provider, according to a recent study in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

The testing center at Syracuse Community Health Center is intended mainly for those without doctors. Heres how it will work:

People who think they should be tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, should call a hotline at Upstate University Hospital. County officials said they would publicize the hotline number before the new testing facility opens Monday. (Update: The phone number is 315-464-3979.)

Syracuse Community Health Center, 819 S. Salina St., will offer coronavirus testing starting Monday, March 16.James T. Mulder

If the triage call-taker at Upstate recommends getting a test, based on the persons condition, they will refer the patient to Syracuse Community Health Center. McMahon urged patients to make the phone call first. This is not a walk-up site, he said.

Patients arriving at the facility for a test should park in the lot behind the health center and remain in their cars. Outside staff will greet them and usher them inside when their turn comes. For patients who arrive on foot, there will be a small waiting room indoors, said Derrick Murry, chief operating officer at the health center. The operation is designed to keep patients apart as much as possible to limit contagion.

McMahon said private doctors will still be expected to test their patients for coronavirus if possible.

Hillrom Corp., formerly Welch Allyn, is donating diagnostic equipment to make the project possible, McMahon said. The testing center will be staffed initially by health center workers but may draw staff from local hospitals in the future, Murry said.

The health center will send test samples to private lab Quest Diagnostics, which has promised results in three to four days, Murry said. The company expects to reduce the turnaround time by half in the future, he said.

Onondaga County had registered no positive tests for coronavirus as of late Friday afternoon.

According to the state health department, here are the five reasons why a doctor would order a test for coronavirus:

An individual has come within proximate" contact (same classroom, office, or gatherings) of another person known to have tested positive.

An individual has traveled to a country for which the Centers for Disease Control has issued a travel health notice, and shows symptoms of illness.

An individual is quarantined (mandatory or precautionary) and has shown symptoms of COVID-19 illness.

An individual is symptomatic and has not tested positive for any other infection.

Other cases where the facts and circumstances warrant, as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state and local department of health officials.
This week, as a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, I voted to declare a state of emergency. On Friday, we made the difficult decision to shut down schools for nearly 700,000 students across 700 square miles for at least the next two weeks.

This decision has forced us to grapple with two crises. The first is the one we are seeing in every headline: a pandemic ravaging communities across the world. Also urgent, however, is the crisis of child poverty, which increasingly strains education systems that are trying to fill in the gaps of our social safety net.

We had to weigh both crises in deciding how to protect the health and safety of families and employees. If we close schools, will children have access to food and a refuge during the day? Will parents be forced to decide between taking a child to work or staying home and losing wages? Will more children congregate outside of school or be shuttled off for child care to grandparents, who are at higher risk?

On the other hand, if we keep schools open, can we minimize the spread of the virus, especially without access to adequate testing? Are we protecting higher-risk employees? With our bus routes traveling the distance of 4 times around the globe each day, are we creating unnecessary travel and touch points throughout the city?
colonizer queen

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Amber and Johnny will both testify in that trial, right?

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was he drinking/on drugs while with her?

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She worked with Woody Allen and signed the Roman Polanski petition. If anyone is a great judge of character its Penelope Cruz

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mte

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ngl she had me when they denounced Israel for their systematic genocide of the Palestinian people but her fascination for rapists is* something else.



Edited at 2020-03-14 05:59 pm (UTC)

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mte

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she can go in the pile of trash with the others

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Ooooh kay. I hope her history of loving disgusting men is used against her.

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lmao fr

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oooop

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Winona has also defended Depp





Once again, just because he was kind to you doesn't mean he didn't abuse someone else! Once again, just because he was kind to you doesn't mean he didn't abuse someone else!

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exactlyyyyyyyyyyy this is all so much bullshit i'm shaking i'm so angry

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every single time with these abusers its all about how nice they were to a specific person or my all time favorite "they're so gentle and soft spoken!" like shitty people don't cultivate a public mask to wear

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Yep. I came here to say this. My abuser is well-loved in the family and in the community in general. He's funny, smart. And he is also an abuser.

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Exactly. Abusers can be charming or master manipulators.

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This is such bullshit.

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oof winona

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Winona Ryder defends Johnny Depp in court declaration for Amber Heard defamation case:



I do not want to call anyone a liar but from my experience of Johnny, it is impossible to believe that such horrific allegations are true. I find it extremely upsetting, knowing him as I do. pic.twitter.com/rPHlEYgygD  best of winona ryder (@BESTOFWlNONA) March 14, 2020 The statement is...not great

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didn't .. he trash a hotel room due to anger issues while they were together? or was that with kate moss ...

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This.

The man who sexually abused me has a wife, children, and is considered kind by anyone who meets him (even my family thinks he is amazing). It sickens me because I know I don't stand a chance if I report him, especially now. Plus, I was a teenager when he raped me and didn't know what to do or who would believe me.

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This and it sounds like she knew him a lifetime ago.



I've known people from high school who have gotten arrested for harming children. On one hand, it is shocking. On the other hand, I realized I haven't really talked or seen them in 15-20 years. A lot can change.

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Not defend Johnny Depp, Winona, etc. BUT Amber's lawyers said that Johnny was abusive toward his exes too. That's one of Amber's defenses.

Winona is his ex, of course his lawyers were gonna ask her to tell her truth. Amber's lawyers wanted to include his exes in a situation that had nothing to do with them, it's backfiring.

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jfc

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surprised jk rowling hasn't jumped to write one yet

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Maybe she's working on a whole book series.

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I wouldnt blame her, after Amber tried to shame her for not firing Depp even though Rowling is a survivor of abuse herself.

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You should have just sat there and ate your paella.

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YES

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This is not a big deal to me because shes his friend. Your friends are inclined to believe you & see the best in you. I wouldnt expect his friends to turn their backs on him.

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IDK, I have a friend I have known for almost 20 years and one night an ex-girlfriend if his told us sometimes she is scared of him and ever since, we all check in on the girl he is dating. He has never been anything but truly, truly kind to me, and that ex did some shady shit after their breakup, but that doesnt mean he cant also be abusive. I dont understand people who think that just because someone is nice to them, they are nice. That actually makes no sense. Assholes have friends. Nice people have people who hate them. Like humans have multitudes. You can both love someone and acknowledge their shortcomings.

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It's different if you have actual knowledge from somebody who was close to them, versus somebody you've never met or interacted with though, surely?



I mean, Amber could still be telling the truth - but if Penelope has never met her, then it's more likely that she would believe somebody that she has experience with.



If you know both parties, then you have a choice to make... but if you only know ONE - that's where the choice is likely to go.

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Good thing I never was a fan of her. :D

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what a mess





will she be in the Aquaman sequel?

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I hope so

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let's hope so, she was the best thing about that film

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i hope not. shes scum. they can both stop acting.

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idg how the idea of people wearing multiple faces is still so foreign- dude can be a sweet guy to his friends but a complete wreck in the comfort of his own home.



I have a retail version of me that is overly helpful and cheerful but lol that's not me at home or with immediate friends/family.

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Seriously! I just cannot understand how this is hard to understand. .

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seriously, the "nice neighbour that ends up being a serial abuser/killer" is a cliche for a reason

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mte. he must be really charismatic tbh

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when are people going to start realize that just because the person was nice to you, doesn't mean that he can cruel to others. And there is extreme difference between a colleague and a wife.

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exactly

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i can't. girl. no.

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A child's first flight is a momentous occasion.

And even though Nicole Trunfio's three-week-old daughter Ella Wolf won't remember hers, she did it in style - travelling by private jet.

To mark the moment, Nicole, 33, shared a touching family photo taken outside of the aircraft.

Family of five! Nicole Trunfio (left) shared her first photo with all three of her children including three-week-old daughter Ella Wolf as she traveled on a private plane amid coronavirus crisis (also pictured is her husband Gary Clark Jr. and their children Zion, five, and Gia, two

Sharing a series of photos to Instagram on Friday, the Australian model cradled her newest arrival while her musician husband Gary Clark Jr. and the couple's other children, two-year-old daughter Gia and five-year-old son Zion, stood around her.

'BRAND NEW Fam of 5 I love you so much (but I dont love being so tired),' she captioned the post.

The mother-of-three looked effortlessly chic in a slim-fitting black bumpsuit she covered with a leather jacket.

'I dont love being so tired': The mother-of-three said while she loved her family she didn't love feeling so tired

She coordinated with a pair of stylish knee-high leather boots and carried a Yves Saint Laurent bag.

A day earlier, Nicole shared pictures of herself cuddling Ella, who she welcomed on February 21, inside the private plane, where she revealed they were attempting to 'avoid coronavirus' by taking a private flight instead of flying commercial.

'Baby's first flight. Avoiding coronavirus the best we can,' Nicole wrote on Instagram.

They shared the first glimpse at their adorable newborn daughter on Sunday.

'Baby's first flight': Nicole (pictured) cuddled with her three-week-old daughter Ella Wolf on a private plane amid coronavirus crisis on Friday

'So in love with you,' she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself holding the newborn's tiny hand.

She added: 'Welcome to this world, my baby girl. Your mummy and daddy and brother and sister love you so much already. You are magic. Lucky number three.'

Nicole revealed that Ella Wolf weighed 8.1lbs (3.67kg) at birth.
By Associated Press

NEW YORK: Guests are jittery, travel is tangled, and soon-to-be brides and grooms are facing tough choices because of the coronavirus outbreak: postpone, cancel or forge ahead with their weddings?

Uncertainty as virus cases grow in the US and elsewhere has sent ripples through the wedding industry, from photographers and caterers to harried wedding planners and venues.

"So much extra stress," said 26-year-old bride Hayley Pass in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. "After all this planning it's like, really, we're going to postpone? We just really want it to happen but it seems like the worst is yet to come."

She and her fiance had 155 confirmed guests for their March 22 nuptials in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, with a handful of cancellations due to virus fear. One relative made it clear that she and her family will attend but would keep hugging and kissing to a minimum.

The couple will only cancel the wedding if their venue - or their closest loved ones - pull out. They would head to the courthouse instead to get hitched, putting off their party until COVID-19 subsides. Other couples expressed similar resolve to keep their wedding dates as the industry heads into the busy June season.

Listen: India's first coronavirus patient on how she was cured

Rescheduling or canceling raises a world of questions. What are the odds that vendors will all be available on the same new date and time? Will couples lose money, in deposits and beyond already paid? Standard wedding insurance doesn't cover anxiety over a spreading virus that has come with restrictions on travel and large gatherings in spots around the world. Some insurance companies are fielding a barrage of queries over how policies work in such a unique situation.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

In the wedding world, vendors are feeling the pinch.

Professional planners who have longstanding relationships with suppliers have found themselves negotiating new minimum guest counts to help save their clients money as friends and family decline. Travel agents said they're trying to reroute honeymoon flights to avoid popular destinations in Asia and Europe that have been restricted or closed, such as Lake Como in Italy's hard-hit Lombardy region.

"We're trying to guess what is to come," said Sasha Souza, a wedding planner in California's wine country. "Guest counts are dropping dramatically. We have a wedding for 150 people in June and we're now looking at 50 people. Guests are just like, 'I'm not coming.' Maybe they'll change their minds. People are receiving such mixed messages right now."

Gabrielle Wheeler, 22, was supposed to get married in April in the olive groves of an Italian villa in the Tuscan town of Grosseto. She now has to settle for a wedding at the same place in a year. She tried to cancel when travel restrictions were imposed, but the venue wouldn't refund her money.

"Honestly, I'm upset," said Wheeler, who lives in Amsterdam. "I have to make the best of it."

Abby Murray, a Charlotte, North Carolina, travel agent who specializes in honeymoons, said new business has come to a halt as existing clients postpone, shift destinations from hot spots like Italy to Hawaii, Costa Rica and the Caribbean, or try to navigate around connections through China.

At this time of year, she would usually be handling 20 clients. She now has two.

"People are scared to book their honeymoons right now. People don't even want to explore it. They're going to move forward with their weddings but take their honeymoons at a later date," Murray said.

Dresses are also a problem for some.

The Green Bride shop in Littleton, Colorado, typically receives up to 60 wedding dresses shipped from China each month from February through May. In February, it received only four.

"We are on crunch time," said Holly Marsh, one of the owners. "If the wedding is in June, and the dress is supposed to be here in February and it's not going to get here until May, what do you tell them?"

David Gaffke, who owns the shop Complete Bridal in East Dundee, Illinois, relies heavily on China for manufacturing, as do most in the wedding gown business.

"It's frustrating when it comes to having to tell a bride that we're not able to fulfill your needs," he said. "This is the most important dress they're going to wear."

Larger retailers, including David's Bridal with more than 300 stores, said their supply networks are holding steady.

Photographer Michael Busada in Washington, DC, relies on weddings for about half his business. He has 36 weddings under contract this year, including one that was recently canceled after the bride was possibly exposed to the virus. Another wedding went from a large venue with 150 guests to a home ceremony with 20. A 10-hour day for Busada dropped to three hours of work.

Busada offered the couple who were forced to cancel a credit or postponement without penalty.

"Everybody's struggling. It doesn't do me any good to be the bad guy," he said.

Leon Rbibo, president of The Pearl Source, an online jewelry company headquartered in Los Angeles, has been servicing the industry for more than 10 years.

He started seeing cancellations and requests for order delays in mid-January. It started with an uptick of about 5%, he said. Fast forward to late February, when such requests shot up to 15%. He projected March would end at closer to 17%, representing about $50,000 worth of business canceled or postponed.

"We know these requests are related to concerns around the spread of coronavirus because our customer experience teams are trained to ask for the reason for cancellation or postponement," Rbibo said.

At RentMyWedding.com, which provides everything from lighting to linens for thousands of couples across the U.S., orders for March have decreased by 24.3% compared with March 2019, said Marie Kubin, the founder and CEO in Miami.

"The majority of our clients place orders one to three weeks prior to their wedding," she said. "The couples that are canceling have said they plan to reschedule for the future, but they're not going to choose a new date until they see how things shake out with the coronavirus. Many other couples with weddings happening in the next month are asking us to put their orders on hold because they're not sure whether or not to go ahead with their weddings."

Caterers are holding on with extra care.

Andrea Correale, president and founder of the Elegant Affairs catering and event firm in Manhattan, said she is doubling and tripling hand washing stations for workers, placing hand sanitizer in coat check and registration areas, and offering baskets of sanitizer on tables for guests.

She's also creating more distance between guests at tables, so a round table that usually seats 10 is now set up for eight.

Large bottles and pitchers of juices and soda have become individual bottles, bartenders are wearing gloves and Correale has replaced communal bowls of bar snacks with individual bags, "so people can still graze and feel safe about it."


Indian medical teams sent to Coronavirus-affected Italy and Iran have collected samples from more than 1,200 Indian nationals who want to return to the country, people familiar with developments said on Saturday.

The collection of samples and screening of Indians began earlier in Iran as a six-member team of health officials was sent to that country last week in view of the pressure put on the Iranian infrastructure by the COVID-19 outbreak, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Some 1,200 samples have been collected in Iran and the first two batches of 108 samples and 529 samples were brought back to India on March 7 and March 10 respectively by special flights. Those who tested negative in these batches were being brought back to the country, the people said.

The Indian embassy in Italy tweeted photos on Saturday of a large number of Indian students wishing to return being tested for COVID-19 by a four-member medical team that reached Rome on Friday. An Air India flight sent to Italy on Saturday is expected to bring back some 250 people on Sunday.

The missions in Iran and Italy are in touch with Indians and advising them on health protocols. They are also coordinating with stranded Indians to ensure their testing is done smoothly, the people said.

The external affairs ministry has created a special cell led by additional secretary Dammu Ravi to coordinate Coronavirus response-related issues internally and externally. External affairs minister S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla are also monitoring the situation.

So far, the embassy in Beijing helped organise three special flights to Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, that brought back 723 Indians and 43 foreign nationals from seven countries in February. One of these flights also carried 15 tonnes of medical relief materials to Wuhan.

The Indian embassy in Japan mounted an evacuation flight in February that brought back 119 Indians and five nationals of Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru who were quarantined on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess.

So far, 102 people have been evacuated on two flights organised by the mission in Tehran and another flight left India on Saturday to bring back more Indian students.

Indian missions in the US are also coordinating the evacuation of Indians quarantined aboard the cruise ship Grand Princess, which is docked at Oakland.
Vietnam ranked 96th out of 132 countries and territories in the 2020 Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI), dropping five places compared to the previous year.

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According to the rankings, the gap between Vietnam and those with high income in digital skills, especially artificial intelligence (AI), has grown significantly.

Grouped in the Eastern/South-Eastern Asia & Oceania, Vietnam was ranked 59th in Global Knowledge (GK) Skills, up 10 places from 2019.

Meanwhile, the country fell to the 105th spot from last years 91st in Attract, and stood at the 117th place in Vocational and Training (VT) Skills.

The 2020 GTCI report introduces a new variable named Technology Adoption in Enable, which provides a measure of how countries use and invest in new technologies, including AI.

The report, published by the Business School for the World (INSEAD), in partnership with the Adecco Group and Google, is a comprehensive annual benchmarking measuring how countries and cities grow, attract and retain talent, providing a unique resource for decision-makers to understand the global talent competitiveness picture and develop strategies for boosting their competitiveness.

It measures levels of Global Talent Competitiveness by looking at 70 variables. The 2020 index covers 132 national economies and 155 cities (respectively 125 and 114 in 2019) across all groups of income and levels of development./.VNA/VNN

Overseas Vietnamese return with tech skills Vietnam is calling for all resources at home and from overseas Vietnamese people in order to fuel the countrys socio-economic development.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said that if Jammu and Kashmir has to progress, then all political leaders under detention in Srinagar must be released.

Azad, who spoke to media persons in the presence of Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah here, said: "If Jammu and Kashmir has to progress, then all political leaders under detention in Srinagar must be released."

"The political process must begin in Jammu and Kashmir. Elections must be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir, following proper procedure," said Azad, also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

"It is a matter of great happiness for me. I met Conference MP Farooq Abdullah after over seven months. He was detained for all these months. The reason for his detention is not yet known to me," he added.

Azad added that for three years no work has been conducted regarding any project or roads, resulting in unemployment in the State.

"Tourism, handicraft and other businesses like import and export have also been affected. Even in Jammu, transport, industries, small scale industries have been affected. The decision to declare the state of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory is an insult to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It must be revoked. Jammu and Kashmir should be declared a state again," he said.

Earlier today, Azad met Farooq Abdullah at his residence here.

The three-time former chief minister Farooq met his son Omar Abdullah earlier in the day, in the sub-jail in Srinagar where the latter has been under detention for a couple of months.

Farooq was released from detention on Friday after the Centre issued orders to revoke detention of NC chief, who was detained under the Public Safety Act following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He was under house arrest for seven months.

Many mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq's son Omar and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti have been also put under house arrest following the abrogation of Article 370 in August that granted special powers to the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PHOENIX - Maria Chavira, a senior administrator in the Diocese of Phoenix, says Spanish-speaking Catholic parishes in her area are bursting at the seams and celebrates the emergence of Hispanics as the largest ethnic component of the church nationwide.

Throughout the Southwest, where the surge has been dramatic, Roman Catholic leaders are excited by the possibilities -- and well aware of daunting challenges.

Hispanics now account for 40% of all U.S. Catholics, and a solid majority of school-age Catholics. Yet Hispanic Americans are strikingly underrepresented in Catholic schools and in the priesthood  accounting for less than 19% of Catholic school enrolment and only about 3% of U.S.-based priests.

In the Phoenix diocese, there are than 700,000 Hispanics out of a total of 1.2 million Catholics. Yet out of more than 200 priests, Catholic researchers counted only seven American-born Hispanics.

Extensive efforts are under way to narrow the demographic gaps. They have been highlighted in a nearly completed four-year study by U.S. Catholic bishops seeking to strengthen the churchs engagement with Hispanics.

We have a lot of opportunities, said Chavira, who oversees the Hispanic Mission Office and other departments in the Phoenix diocese. There may be a little turbulence ahead, but were going to make it.

Chavira is among more than two dozen Catholic leaders and activists who shared their thoughts about the Hispanic Catholic phenomenon with The Associated Press, some in telephone interviews and others face to face, during a reporting trip to Arizona and Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Evidence of the change can now be seen each December, when thousands of Hispanic Catholics dance and march in downtown Phoenix to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. It can be seen in fast-growing, heavily Hispanic communities in Phoenixs western suburbs.

Nationwide, more than 1,200 Catholic schools have closed in the past decade, usually under financial stress. Yet in the suburb of Avondale, enrolment is surging at a handsome new Catholic high school.

The school, named for Pope John Paul II, opened in 2018. About 70% of its 220 students are Hispanic; plans call for rapid expansion to accommodate an enrolment of 1,000.

Were serving people whove been underserved in this nation, said the principal, Sister Mary Jordan Hoover. These young people are trying to learn to be the next teachers, the next administrators, writers, doctors. Theyre dreaming big.

The hopefulness contrasts with circumstances in some other regions. Hundreds of parishes have closed in the Northeast and Midwest. The long-running clergy sex abuse scandal has forced more than 20 dioceses across the U.S. into bankruptcy since 2004, most recently in the Northeast.

The scandals havent spared the Southwest. The dioceses in Tucson, Arizona, and in Santa Fe and Gallup, New Mexico, are among those which declared bankruptcy.

But in states along the Mexico border, the past scandals dont diminish the excitement over a future Hispanic-accented Catholic church. More than 400 new parishes have opened since 1970 in the border states, and many Hispanic Catholics were elated by the recent election of Mexican-born Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez as the first Hispanic president of the bishops conference.

Its the tale of two churches, said Hosffman Ospino, a professor of Hispanic ministry at Boston College. In Boston, I see a Catholicism thats very reserved. In the Southwest its very public, very expressive.

He said the median age for Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. is 29, compared to 55 for white non-Hispanic Catholics.

Youve got a lot of energy, he said. Youve got people who want to be recognized and have a voice in the decisions of their church.

Across the Southwest, theres tension arising from the restrictive immigration policies imposed by President Donald Trumps administration along the U.S.-Mexico border. Those moves have angered Catholic activists who assist migrants and trouble many Hispanics in the U.S. with relatives who lack legal immigration status.

I wish our bishops would be a more solid voice denouncing this, said Sister Norma Pimentel, who runs a respite centre for migrants in McAllen, Texas.

Looking ahead, Pimentel believes Hispanics could energize the entire U.S. church.

One thing we havent lost here is the sense of community, she said. I hope young Catholics can sustain that and take joy in celebrating their faith. Thats the future of our church.

___

A major challenge for the Catholic hierarchy: trying to convince more young men among the booming Hispanic population to become priests.

An example of that challenge: 30-year-old Diego Pina Lopez, of Tucson. Hes devoted his life to the Catholic tenet of supporting the dignity of all people, including asylum seekers who visit Casa Alitas, the Catholic-run shelter in Tucson where he works.

Growing up in Nogales, Arizona, he sometimes considered becoming a priest, but opted instead to pursue graduate degrees in social work and public health. Why not the priesthood? I wanted to have a family, he said.

Its a common response heard by Catholic recruiters.

By the latest count of the bishops conference, there are about 37,300 U.S.-based priests. Among them are roughly 3,000 Hispanics  more than 2,000 of them foreign-born. The number is startling small, given Hispanics 40% share of the U.S. Catholic population.

The gap may close, but perhaps not quickly. According to Catholic researchers at Georgetown University, 14% of the men scheduled to be ordained in 2019 were Hispanic  and many were foreigners.

One problem, said Hosffman Ospino, is that Hispanics in the U.S. have lagged behind other groups in regard to college-level education, limiting the pool of young men qualified for seminary.

As long as the education levels of the Latino community are low, very few will become priests or teachers, he said.

But even as the second and third generations of many Hispanic immigrant families do pursue higher education, other factors are at play.

With those generations, theres extremely heavy pressure to think more about economic success than the glory of God, said Daniel Flores, the bishop of Brownsville, Texas. We need to teach them the concept of service, rather than you need to earn as much as you can.

Brownsville is among the nations most heavily Catholic dioceses. About half of its roughly 120 priests are Hispanic, but about two-thirds of those are foreign-born.

Flores advises recruiters to personally engage with potential seminarians and their parents.

Its not enough to just send them an email or announce a vocations retreat, he said. You need to go to invite them and learn from them.

The Phoenix dioceses vocation office -- which recruits and supports seminarians -- is headed by the Rev. Paul Sullivan, who also ministers to an overwhelmingly Hispanic parish. Of his latest batch of 11 seminary graduates, five are U.S.-born and five are from Mexico.

Sullivan acknowledges that desires to have a family and earn money dissuade some men from considering seminary.

Priesthood is not your average path to take, he said.

___

Efforts to increase the Hispanic presence in Catholic leadership also are hampered by the school enrolment gap.

Overall enrolment in Catholic schools in the U.S. has plummeted in recent decades, from more than 5.2 million in the 1960s to about 1.73 million this year. Of the current students, only 18.5% are Hispanic, though Hispanics account for well over half of all school-age Catholics.

Experts cite several reasons. Many Hispanics in the U.S. come from Latin American countries where private schools, including Catholic ones, are viewed as bastions of the wealthy. With tuition averaging more than $5,000 for elementary grades and $10,000 for high school, Catholic education in the U.S. seems unaffordable to many families. And many Catholic schools are losing students to charter schools which are able to access government funds for their operations.

All these factors are present in the Brownsville diocese, where Catholic school enrolment has dropped sharply in recent years in the face of tougher competition from charter and public schools.

One of the elementary schools fighting to maintain its enrolment is St. Marys Catholic School. Its principal for seven years, Ana Gomez, says 95% of her 350 students are Hispanic, including about 20 who cross over from Matamoros, Mexico, each school day.

Shes been able to keep enrolment stable with strategies taught by the Latino Enrollment Initiative, a program based at Notre Dame University. Tactics include ensuring that schools are culturally in sync with Hispanic families, and helping parents fit tuition into their budgets.

About 80 St. Marys students now get some financial aid, Gomez said.

Another participant in the Notre Dame initiative is St. Agnes Elementary School in Phoenix, where principal Christine Tax said shes boosted enrolment from 167 to 240 in four years. The student body was two-thirds Hispanic in 2016; the figure is now 95%, and virtually every student receives financial aid through state-approved tax credit programs.

Taxe and her staff worked with every family that applies, touting the academic prowess of Catholic schools, helping them negotiate the multiple scholarship programs, ensuring that registration packets and other school communications are available to parents in Spanish, and adding Hispanic cultural celebrations such as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the school calendar.

Many low-income Hispanic families felt they were not worthy of a Catholic education, Tax said. We worked to make them know their children are deserving of this.

Nationally, according to the National Catholic Education Association, less than 10% of the 162,000 faculty and staff at Catholic schools is Hispanic. Dioceses are trying to recruit more Hispanic teachers and, in places such as Phoenix, ensure that non-Hispanic staff speak Spanish.

Sister Mary Jordan Hoover, the principal of the new high school, is among those honing her language skills.

I had to explain in Spanish to one woman about some problems with her son, Hoover said. She understood -- she gave me a hug afterward.

___

While the Hispanic population in the U.S. is sure to grow, the extent of the Catholic Churchs hold on them is uncertain. Last year, the Pew Research Center reported that U.S. Hispanics are no longer a majority-Catholic group, with 47% of them calling themselves Catholic, down from 57% in 2009. The number identifying as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular increased from 16% to 23%; those identifying as Protestant rose from 23% to 26%.

Melba Salazar-Lucio, a professor and migrant-rights activist in Brownsville, says todays Catholic church seems too rigid for many Hispanics. Her mother no longer attends church, she said, and her three grown children are no longer practicing Catholics.

There are other denominations -- they have more music, younger pastors who are more accepting of peoples ways, Salazar-Lucio said. The Catholic Church is not going to be changing with the times.

Yet in Phoenix, Catholic traditionalists would embrace the sentiments of Juan Carlos Briones, who attended a local high school and church, and is now in seminary.

The priests of our parish were universally admired by parishioners young and old, rich and poor, he wrote on the diocese website. Every Catholic youth should instinctively be open to, and not afraid of, a calling to religious life and the priesthood.

At a migrant outreach centre in Nogales, Mexico, close to the Arizona border, Jesuit priest Sean Carroll ministers every day to asylum seekers who dream of joining the ranks of Hispanic Catholics in the U.S.

They are bringing their culture, their gifts, he said. The challenge for the church is to be open to receiving those gifts. How do we get them to see themselves as leaders? How do we get them to feel at home?

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

___
Quebec's premier told seniors Saturday to stay home to avoid contracting the new coronavirus, and urged "snowbirds" -- retired Canadians who spend winters in sunny US states -- to fly back to Canada now. "The elderly are much more at risk of serious consequences. As a society, we have to do everything to protect older people," Premier Francois Legault told a news conference. His administration declared a public health emergency a day after Ottawa announced aggressive new measures and money to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including asking Canadians to avoid all but essential foreign travel. The federal government, however, has so far resisted growing calls to limit incoming travelers after the United States banned flights from Europe. "If I were them, I'd come home as soon as possible," Legault also said about more than 300,000 Canadian "snowbirds" who live up to six months each year in the United States. He said they risked being stranded as fewer international flights are likely to be available in coming weeks. Florida, California, Arizona, Hawaii, and Texas are the most popular US destinations for Canadian "snowbirds." As of 1300 GMT Saturday, said Health Canada, 193 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed in Canada, including one death. Quebec, with 21 cases but 853 people under investigation, has taken among the strongest measures in the country to try to prevent the spread of the illness, as of Saturday closing schools, banning visits to hospitals and seniors residences, and asking all persons over 70 to stay home. Other Canadian political leaders, meanwhile, urged against panic shopping and hoarding as Canadians rushed to empty store shelves of groceries, toilet paper, and over the counter cold and flu medicines. (FILES) Quebec Premier Francois Legault, in a December 2018 file image, has declared a public health emergency
Consumers are stocking up on goods as the novel coronavirus spreads, but COVID-19 itself is already testing America's supply chains and could bring possible labor shortages, The Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: There is enough nonperishable food in warehouses and production lines to last months, but the "challenge could soon be getting that food to the right places once local distribution centers are wiped out," the Post writes. Some food producers could find themselves without enough employees to manufacture, deliver and unpack groceries.

Retailers have aggressively worked to increase efficiencies by cutting down inventory rather than stockpiling, per the Post.

The state of play: Some grocery chains are rationing goods, like toilet paper and bottled water.

Amazon is mostly sold of toilet paper.

Hand sanitizer and disinfectant sprays have been sold out for weeks nationwide.

Peanut butter and canned tomatoes are sold out on Costco's website, which has also taken down the listing for its own Kirkland brand of baby wipes.

Instacart and other delivery services now offer "contact-free" drop-offs to customers.

Walmart and Target are doubling down on in store-pickup and same-day delivery.

"The replenishment cycle is going to be a real test here. Manufacturers don't sit on a lot of extra inventory, so what do you do when everything you need is depleted?"

 Sean Maharaj, managing director at consulting firm AArete, told the Post

What to watch: The U.S. imports a lot of food from China, where factories are currently closed  meaning a possible supply chain challenge. Phil Lempert, a California-based food industry analyst, told the Post "Were going to have two-, three-, four-month lag time until those factories get back up to speed.

Go deeper: The emerging coronavirus economy
(Photo : Mylene2401 from Pixabay) Here's why it's important to wash your hands and disinfect regularly.

The novel coronavirus outbreak is continuously wreaking havoc around the world, with tens of thousands of confirmed cases in countries like China and Italy, as well as over 5,000 deaths as of writing.

"Patient Zero" Found?

According to data reviewed by the South China Morning Post, "patient zero" of the novel coronavirus might have been a Hubei resident, aged 55, and was documented on November 17, 2020. However, it's yet to be confirmed.

Nevertheless, COVID-19 first came to light in December 2019 when the cases have started rising each day--and now, it's been considered a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

So, why is the new disease spreading around fast?

Coronavirus Lifespan

That could be due to the lifespan of the virus, which, according to a new study published in medRxiv depository, can reach three hours to three days.

Based on the study, which hasn't been peer-reviewed yet, the new coronavirus can stay alive and linger in the air for three hours, while it can remain on surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel from two to three days.

That could mean you don't need to have direct contact with the patient to contract the disease. You only need to touch the surface they have touched and brought your hand close to your mouth or nose, and you can contract the disease.

"Our results indicate that aerosol and fomite transmission of HCoV-19 is plausible, as the virus can remain viable in aerosols for multiple hours and on surfaces up to days," the study states.

Fox News has previously highlighted another study stating that the new virus can stay much longer on surfaces like plastic, metal, and glass for up to nine days--a stark difference with the lifespan of the common flu that can only stay alive outside of the body for 48 hours.

Importance of Disinfecting

According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, the new coronavirus can be "efficiently inactivated" through disinfectants that have "62% to 71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite."

With that, it is utterly important to disinfect "high-touch" areas such as tables, mobile phones, light switches, and doorknobs with bleach-based disinfectants on a regular basis.

World Health Organization (WHO) encourages people to regularly wash their hands with warm water and high-quality soap for at least 20 seconds and to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth.

Social distancing and avoiding mass gatherings are highly encouraged, which led to various events like the annual SXSW event in Austin to cancel.

ALSO READ: Trump Declaration of National Emergency Amid Coronavirus: What It Means and How Do You Prepare

This Friday, President Trump of the United States has officially declared a national emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, as reported by The New York Times.

Americans are expected to stay at home for the weekend and the coming days as classes are canceled, and companies are urging their employees to work from home.

According to WHO, the symptoms of COVID-19 is similar to a common cold, including sore throat, runny nose, coughing, and fever, so if you feel any of these, it's best to have yourself checked and be responsible enough to isolate yourself to reduce risks of infecting others.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.




Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Friday he is stepping down from the company's board to focus on philanthropy.







Gates was Microsoft's CEO until 2000 and since then has gradually scaled back his involvement in the company he started with Paul Allen in 1975.







He transitioned out of a day-to-day role in Microsoft in 2008, but served as chairman of the board until 2014.







The billionaire announced Friday that he's leaving the Microsoft board entirely, as well as his seat on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by fellow billionaire Warren Buffett.







Gates said he plans to dedicate more time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He will also remain a technology adviser to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and other company leaders. (AP)


Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse Hebrew Day School told families that today was the last day the school would be open until further notice.

In an email, the schools director told parents that it was clear that the community reaction to the coronavirus pandemic was not overblown.

It was the first Syracuse-area private school to close. The second was Manlius Pebble Hill, which told parents it will close to students on Tuesday.

Thank you for your patience throughout this decision-making. I feel a sense of resolve that this is best for our school and the entire CNY community. That was validated this morning when the president of Upstate was on the radio saying, All of the precautions being taken in CNY are not an overreaction,'" said Laura Lavine, the head of the school.

She said its impossible to know when the school would reopen: It could be a week, a month or longer. We will take it week to week, day to day, as we did with the decision to close. With any luck, we will back together sooner rather than later, she wrote in her note to parents.

The classes will go online and students also will be expected to practice their parts for the school musical, which has been postponed.

The school, housed in the Syracuse Jewish Community Center on Thomspon Road in DeWitt, goes from kindergarten to sixth grade.

Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about people and public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246

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.
Bar manager Paul Moran, center, sits by himself in an empty Besito Restaurant in the Suburban Square shopping center in Montgomery County, PA, on Sunday March 15, 2020. Moran explained that all but one reservation had been canceled for the day and usually they have a very brisk lunch crowd on Sundays. Read more

Significant developments

Read the latest Philadelphia-area coronavirus updates here.

Dozens of presumed positive cases of the virus have been reported in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with the case count escalating daily.

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered restaurants and bars in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties to close their dine-in facilities starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

The CDC recommended gatherings of 50 people or more in the U.S. should be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks.

The Federal Reserve took emergency action to help the economy withstand the coronavirus by slashing its benchmark interest rate to near zero.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has opened a 24/7 coronavirus helpline staffed by medical professionals: 1-800-722-7112.

Read the latest Philadelphia-area coronavirus updates here

// Timestamp 03/16 09:12am

As the coronavirus tightens its grip on the Philadelphia region, staffing issue have caused cancellations for SEPTA Regional Rail trains, local bars and restaurants are changing course to cope with the shutdown, and a Pennsylvania distillery is switching from making spirits to hand sanitizer.

 LIVE COVERAGE FOR MARCH 16: SEPTA cancels trains amid coronavirus outbreak; New Jersey enacts statewide curfew, limits gatherings

Burlington County government offices closing to the public

// Timestamp 03/15 11:11pm

Starting Monday, most Burlington County offices will be closed to the public indefinitely, the Board of Chosen Freeholders announced Sunday night. The exceptions include the Board of Social Services. The county Superior Court also will remain open.

All county employees are expected to report for work, the announcement said.

The Burlington County Animal Shelter will open for pet recovery only.

The nutritional program for Woman, Infants and Children will open for scheduled appointments on Monday. After that, WIC cash assistance will continue, but all other services will cease, the county said.

 Diane Mastrull

NJ Motor Vehicle Commission closed for two weeks

// Timestamp 03/15 10:55pm

New Jersey drivers are getting a reprieve from the states Motor Vehicle Commission.

All driver licenses that expire before May 31 have been extended by two months, chief administrator Sue Fulton announced. That goes for non-driver IDs, vehicle registrations, and inspection stickers, too.

The agency and road testing facilities are closed for the next two weeks, and are anticipated to re-open on March 30.

Most renewals, replacements, and changes of address can be handled online at njmvc.gov.

 Catherine Dunn

Wolf orders restaurants and bars to close dine-in facilities in 5 counties

// Timestamp 03/15 9:47pm

Restaurants and bars in five Pennsylvania counties must close their dine-in facilities starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Sunday night.

The order applies to Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties for the next 14 days.

Carry-out, delivery, and drive-through service can continue, the governors office said, but people cant stay to eat or drink inside. Businesses could face enforcement actions if they dont comply.

As coronavirus continues to spread it is in the best interest of the public to encourage social distancing by closing restaurants and bars temporarily, Wolf said in statement.

New York Citys mayor also said he would sign an executive order to limit restaurants and bars to take-out and delivery service only, effective Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. Night clubs, movie theaters and concert venues will also have to close, Mayor Bill De Blasio said.

 Catherine Dunn

Delco government offices closed

// Timestamp 03/15 9:29pm

Delaware County government offices will be closed to the public on Monday, with staffing reduced. Residents can contact offices by phone, but they wont be able to visit the countys Government Center building in person, a spokesperson said.

Activity at Delco courts will be limited. On Monday and Tuesday, the Court of Common Pleas will suspend operations, though a judge will be available at the courthouse during business hours to hear temporary protection from abuse applications, according to the county.

The Delaware County Magisterial Courts will only be open for preliminary criminal arraignments, and to review temporary protection from abuse requests after hours.

The county said it will release more info about operations in the coming days.

 Catherine Dunn

Virtua Health adopts no-visitation policy

// Timestamp 03/15 9:15pm

Virtua Health announced Sunday evening that a no-visitation policy will go into effect at midnight for all of its inpatient and outpatient locations to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

The policy affects all five of the health systems hospitals and some 275 other care locations, a spokesman said.

Virtuas two long-term care facilities, in Mt. Holly and Berlin, had already barred visitors for most of the past week.

Limited exceptions are being made for terminally-ill patients, laboring mothers, neonatal intensive care units, and pediatric patients. Caregivers for patients having same-day surgeries and procedures will also be allowed in. Visitors who are coughing or show other sings of illness will not be permitted.

These difficult decisions serve to safeguard the health and well-being of South Jersey. residents, said Dr. John Matsinger, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Virtua appreciates the support and sacrifices of the community as we work together to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The five affected hospitals are Virtua Marlton Hospital, Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mt. Holly, Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, Virtua Voorhees, and Virtua Willingboro.

 Becky Batcha

NJ rep Andy Kim closes DC office after coronavirus case confirmed on his floor

// Timestamp 03/15 9:05pm

South Jersey Rep. Andy Kim is closing his Washington, D.C. office until further notice due to a confirmed case of coronavirus on the floor where his office is located, his office announced Sunday night.

Kim's Washington, D.C. staff will telework until the office can reopen.

These are serious times, and Ive made this decision with the safety of my staff and the hundreds of people each week who visit my offices in mind, Kim, of Burlington County, said in a statement. His office is in the Longworth House Office Building.

Last week, Kim joined the many House and Senate members who stopped accepting walk-in visits because of the pandemic.

A short time later, Rep. David Schweikert (R., Ariz.), whose Washington office is near Kims, announced that a member of our DC team" has tested positive for the coronavirus. They are resting comfortably at home and following guidance from local health officials, Schweikert said in a news release. Kims offices are 1516 Longworth. Schweikerts are at 1526 Longworth.

 Jonathan Tamari

CDC recommends canceling gatherings of 50 people or more for next eight weeks

// Timestamp 03/15 8:38pm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday recommended gatherings of 50 people or more in the U.S. should be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks in a clear sign more stringent restrictions on public life are coming as the coronavirus spreads nationwide.

The CDC indicated the recommendation doesnt apply to the day-to-day operations of organizations like schools, colleges and businesses, and is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.

In Philadelphia, all public gatherings of more than 1,000 people are prohibited and city officials have previously recommended canceling or postponing any event with more than 250 people.

 Anna Orso

Ocean City cancels iconic Shore events

// Timestamp 03/15 8:26pm

Ocean City, N.J. announced the canceling of some popular and iconic Shore events through the end of April. These include: OC Con (a comic and memorabilia show), Girls Weekend, the Great Egg Hunts on the beach, the Easter Sunrise Service and other Easter events, the Doo Dah Parade, the Mr. Mature America Pageant and the Sports Memorabilia Show, among others.

In addition, as of Tuesday, March 17, the Ocean City Community Center (including the Ocean City Free Public Library, Aquatic and Fitness Center, Arts Center, Historical Museum and Senior Center) will be closed. The Ocean City Sports and Civic Center and other city facilities also will be closed, and all Recreation Department programs suspended until further notice, the city said in a release.

These closings and cancellations are based on recommendations that one of the best ways to slow the spread of the virus is to avoid large, crowded gatherings, the city said.

 Amy Rosenberg

N.J. suspends visits to juvenile correctional facilities

// Timestamp 03/15 7:35pm

New Jersey is suspending visits to juvenile correctional facilities for the next 30 days, effective immediately.

State officials said they will make additional phone calls available for free, and expand access to video visits between families and residents. Visits by attorneys wont be affected by the new restrictions.

Maintaining family connection and support is fundamental to helping young people grow and thrive, said Jennifer LeBaron, acting executive director of the states Juvenile Justice Commission. However, we are in the midst of a public health crisis, and ensuring the safety and well-being of our youth, staff, and the public is our number one priority.

 Catherine Dunn

Philly DA Krasner rethinks bail, charging

// Timestamp 03/15 7:29pm

Prosecutors and defense lawyers expressed grave concerns about returning Monday morning to Philadelphias criminal courthouse, known for its crowded jury room, packed elevators and cramped courtrooms. Unlike a growing number of other jurisdictions, Philadelphias First Judicial District is so far keeping courts open for business, and even calling jurors to report for duty.

On Sunday, the Defenders Union wrote a letter pleading with the courts to rethink those plans, sharply reduce the number of people in jails and juvenile placement facilities, and move to a full shutdown of court operations, including preliminary hearings, trials, violations hearings, and status listings.

And District Attorney Larry Krasner confirmed that his office is already revising its policies around charging and bail, acting in a growing recognition that the coronavirus poses a very real public safety problem.

There are active conversations between different entities about what comes next, Krasner said. I look forward to the decisions the police are going to make about arrests. In light of whatever they choose to do, we are going to have to make decisions about whether we charge or not, and we are going to have to make decisions about whether to seek to have people in custody if they are charged.

A memo from his charging chief, obtained by the Inquirer, advised prosecutors only to make specific bail requests in serious cases, including gun and domestic violence cases.

 Samantha Melamed

 READ MORE: As coronavirus fears bear down on Philly courts and jails, DA Krasner rethinks bail, charging

Philly-area hospitals prepare for staffing gaps as schools close

// Timestamp 03/15 6:56pm

Whether widespread school closures in Pennsylvania and New Jersey starting Monday will cause staffing disruptions at Philadelphia-area hospitals is a guessing game, health system officials said Sunday.

There was a good sign last week at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, in East Norriton, which experienced no call outs on Friday when Montgomery County was essentially shut down, Einstein spokesperson Damien Woods said.

Health systems are preparing for staffing disruptions by shifting schedules to accommodate nurses and other staffers who have no childcare options, redeploying employees who had been working at now-cancelled community events to relieve pressure in direct care, and allowing employees to work at home, if possible.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System announced the Penn Medicine Employee Assistance Fund, which will provide up to a million dollars in grants and interest-free loans to assist employees dealing with unexpected financial challenges, including childcare needs.

At Tower Health, a nonprofit that owns seven hospitals, managers have been asked to devise alternate schedules for employees, such as allowing staff to come in for hours or shifts outside their normal work schedule, according to Tower spokesperson Richard Wells.

 Harold Brubaker

 READ MORE: Philly-area hospitals watching for staffing gaps as coronavirus closes schools

Lower Merion School District prepares for remote learning; Upper Darby puts plan on hold

// Timestamp 03/15 6:20pm

As schools across Pennsylvania shut down for two weeks over coronavirus, the Lower Merion School District is planning to begin a remote learning program for students on Wednesday and is working to provide families with access to technology, district officials said.

Families whose students need devices to participate in online learning should call 610-645-1910 and leave a message with their information, district spokesperson Amy Buckman said in an email to families Sunday. She said Comcast is offering two months of free internet access to students who need it through its Internet Essentials program, which families can receive by calling 1-855-8-INTERNET.

Meanwhile in the Upper Darby School District, Superintendent Dan McGarry told families Sunday that the district's plan to provide educational opportunities to students was on hold in light of new guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The department said Sunday that schools were not required to provide education to students during the closures. If they do, they must provide "full access" to education for all students, including students with disabilities, the department said.

Given our current resources and lack of appropriate funding, we cannot guarantee equal access to the educational opportunities we have created within these guidelines, McGarry said in the letter.

 Maddie Hanna

Fed slashes interest rates to zero, eases bank rules

// Timestamp 03/15 5:50pm

The Federal Reserve took emergency action Sunday to help the economy withstand the coronavirus by slashing its benchmark interest rate to near zero and saying it would buy $700 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds.

The Feds surprise announcement signaled its concern that the viral outbreak will depress economic growth in the coming months and that its prepared to do whatever it can counter the risks. It said it would keep its key rate at a range between zero and 0.25% until it feels confident that the economy can survive whats become a sudden near-shutdown of economic activity in the United States.

The central bank will buy $500 billion of Treasury securities and $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities  an effort to smooth over market disruptions that have made it hard for banks and large investors to sell Treasuries as well as to keep longer-term rates borrowing rates down. The disruptions in the Treasury market sent the yield on the 10-year Treasury rising last week, an unusual move that threatens to push borrowing costs for mortgages and credit cards higher.

 Associated Press

 READ MORE: Fed takes emergency steps to slash rates and ease bank rules

American Airlines halts flights between Philadelphia and U.K.

// Timestamp 03/15 5:20pm

One last American Airlines flight from London to Philadelphia is scheduled for Monday, as the latest U.S. restrictions on international travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland are set to take effect that night.

American Airlines, which dominates about 70% of the traffic at Philadelphia International Airport, has already suspended five other routes between Philly and Europe, through May 6.

Starting over the weekend, passengers returning from 26 European countries, in addition to China and Iran, had to enter the U.S. through 13 approved airports for coronavirus screening. PHL is not one of those airports.

On Saturday, PHL said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will look for visible signs of illness among arriving travelers.

The airport said that all international passengers from countries affected by COVID-19 will also receive a printed guide issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising those travelers to stay home for 14 days and watch for symptoms including a fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Passengers are now allowed to bring bigger containers of hand sanitizer through security  up to 12 ounces  according to TSA.

 Catherine Dunn

 READ MORE: American Airlines halts flights between Philadelphia and Europe

Some Montgomery County businesses shut down; others carry on for now

// Timestamp 03/15 4:37pm

An array of businesses along Philadelphias Main Line all had the same eerie message posted in their windows Sunday: Per Gov. Tom Wolfs orders, we will be closed until further notice.

Thousands of locally and corporate-owned shops, restaurants, and fitness studios locked their doors across Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, and Chester Counties after Pennsylvania officials announced Saturday that all nonessential businesses should close to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Officials warned that if the businesses didnt comply, the governor or states secretary of health could force their closure by invoking a law intended to protect public health.

But some others like Starbucks, Hip City Veg, and Puns Toy Shop remained open. Some said their corporate manager or owner hadnt yet ordered closure. Others vowed to remain open until "someone comes knocking on our door and tells us the partys over.

 Ellie Rushing

 READ MORE: Along Phillys Main Line, business closures make for an eerily quiet Sunday

 READ MORE: To close or not to close: Restaurant and bar owners wrestle with coronavirus dilemma

Seventh coronavirus case linked to the University of Delaware

// Timestamp 03/15 4:22pm

Another person connected to the University of Delaware has tested positive for the coronavirus, Delaware state health officials announced Sunday. The newest case, a New Castle County woman who is under the age of 30, brings the total number of cases linked to the Newark, Del., campus to seven.

The woman is not severely ill," officials said, and is recovering in isolation at home. The exact source of her exposure is under investigation.

The University of Delaware is one of many universities that has moved courses online and required students move out within the week.

Aside from those seven cases, there have been no other positive cases in the state of Delaware.

 Erin McCarthy

 READ MORE: West Chester University cancels all in-person classes because of coronavirus, instruction will go online

N.J. has 31 new coronavirus cases, most in North Jersey, and is considering statewide curfew

// Timestamp 03/15 3:53pm

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Sunday announced 31 new presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 98 people. As previously reported, two of those people have died.

While there are presumptive positive cases in 13 of the states 21 counties, the majority are clustered in North Jersey, where local officials have taken increasingly drastic steps  including a curfew in Hoboken  to limit the spread of the virus.

South Jersey has seen fewer presumptive positive cases. There are four in Burlington County and two in Camden County, though Murphy said he expects cases to be found in every county as testing continues.

Murphy on Sunday announced a statewide school closure, with officials planning to announce details on Monday.

Murphy also announced more aggressive social distancing tactics are coming to limit the spread of the virus. All state departments will establish protocols for employees to work from home by Wednesday.

 READ MORE: All New Jersey schools will be ordered to close, Gov. Phil Murphy says

He also said officials are considering a statewide curfew. The mayor of Hoboken enacted a citywide curfew there, and officials in Teaneck, Bergen County, ordered private businesses to close and issued directives limiting the number of people allowed inside grocery stores.

Murphy urged all New Jerseyans to practice social distancing by avoiding crowds and public gatherings of any kind and hinted that the state will lower the threshold of its recommendation to avoid crowds of more than 250 people.

There is too much business as usual, he said. We need not just most of us, but all of us to follow suit.

He added: Expect to hear more... on steps were going to take to much more aggressively enforce that.

To that end, Murphy said ordering the closure of Atlantic City casinos is under intense consideration. The casinos remained open Sunday, which Murphy said was allowed initially because the casino floors are so expansive that the ability to keep social distancing has been acceptable.

We need to deploy much more aggressive statewide action, Murphy said, to make sure people are shaken from this business as usual.

 Anna Orso

Have jury duty in Philly on Monday? You may still be on the hook.

// Timestamp 03/15 4:54pm

While precautionary measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus have shut down schools, shuttered nonessential stores, and prompted businesses to direct their employees to work from home, if you have jury duty this week in Philadelphia, youre still on the hook.

The citys court system is still moving ahead with civil and criminal trials. Courts in Montgomery, Delaware and Bucks Counties and federal courts across Philadelphia and its suburbs have all suspended the commencement of new proceedings requiring juries.

The Philadelphia Jury Commission announced it would take some limited precautions in a notice to prospective jurors Friday. Those included sending fewer jury summonses starting Monday, encouraging social distancing in jury rooms, and limiting the number of people allowed in the central juror waiting area to 200 or less in accordance with state guidelines that have discouraged mass gatherings.

Even so, on any average Monday morning, the lobby of the Juanita Kidd Stout Criminal Justice Center in Center City is packed with crowds of lawyers, defendants, and spectators often a hundred or more deep  all jockeying to squeeze into one of the buildings few elevators to make it to appointed courtrooms on time.

Common Pleas Administrative Judge Jacqueline F. Allen said Friday in an email to her colleagues that the Sheriffs Office would be taking extra steps to control the flow of people near the elevator bays Monday morning. She also warned the judges to expect more no-show jurors than normal and suggested postponing trials involving defendants currently out on bail.

Because of the public health crisis, we can expect the number of citizens reporting for jury duty to decline over time, Allen wrote. Were working in an evolving environment that requires modifications to accommodate the changing circumstance.

Courts in other parts of the region are proceeding as follows, as of Sunday afternoon:

Montgomery, Bucks and Delaware Counties have suspended all new civil and criminal trials through March 27. In addition, the Montgomery County courthouse and all court offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

Federal courts in Philadelphia and its eight surrounding Pennsylvania counties have suspended new jury trials through April 13.

All courthouses, aside from Montgomery County, remain open and proceedings not requiring juries will occur on a limited basis. All court jurisdictions are telling prospective jurors with symptoms of the coronavirus to seek postponements of their jury service.

Federal courts in the Philadelphia and its eight surrounding Pennsylvania counties have also done so through April 13.

Chester County is encouraging anyone with jury duty this week to call (610) 344-6174 after 2 p.m. Sunday evening to see if their presence is still required. President Judge John Hall has suspended the commencement of new civil trials and granted all Common Pleas Court judges in the county the authority to postpone criminal trials beyond normal limits and order civil cases to mandatory mediation in hopes of avoiding unnecessary trials.

New Jerseys state courts have suspended all new civil and criminal trials indefinitely. New trials in federal court in the state are continuing.

All courthouses remain open and proceedings not requiring juries will occur on a limited basis. All court jurisdictions are telling prospective jurors with symptoms of the coronavirus to seek postponements of their jury service.

 Jeremy Roebuck

Rutgers professor tests positive for the virus

// Timestamp 03/15 2:08pm

A Rutgers University biomedical engineering professor who works at the Piscataway campus has tested positive for the virus, the university announced Sunday.

Its the first known case at New Jerseys flagship institution.

The biomedical engineering building is on the Busch campus in Piscataway, which is being cleaned and disinfected, the school said. The professor was exposed in late February, but not at Rutgers.

He has been self-isolating, is currently doing well, and has the full support of the university, Antonio Calcado, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

In a community of nearly 100,000 students, faculty and staff, it is reasonable to expect that this is only the first of several incidents of COVID-19 that will involve members of our community, Calcados statement said.

The professor had close contact with a limited number of individuals at Rutgers, and they have been notified, the school said. They have all been asked to self isolate.

 Susan Snyder

In Philly, four new coronavirus cases diagnosed in past 24 hours

// Timestamp 03/15 1:51pm

Philadelphia now has eight cases of the coronavirus, Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said Sunday afternoon, after four new cases were diagnosed in the last 24 hours. This would bring the state total to 65. Pennsylvania reported earlier today that the total was 63.

We expect the cases to grow rapidly, Farley said. The new cases include a male in his 30s who was exposed to international travelers, a male in his 30s with no known contact with other cases, a female in her 60s who was exposed to travelers who came down with the virus, and a male in his 20s.

Farley said these cases show that people are coming down with the virus after contact with individuals who have not yet shown symptoms. About 45 additional people are awaiting test results in Philadelphia, he said.

Farley said that he is now advising physicians to broaden testing to individuals who could be at lower risk for the virus and up to this point had been denied tests.

That opportunity has been made possible through increased testing capacity from private laboratories, Farley said. The University of Pennsylvania is also working to be able to offer rapid test results.

Testing has hampered our response, he said, noting that he hopes increased testing will allow for the identification of more cases.

Managing Director Brian Abernathy said Philadelphia would still not recommend closing businesses, despite such recommendations going into place in surrounding counties.

This is a hyper local situation, and I think we are continuously balancing how do we maintain social order as well as make sure people are protected," he said. "As we manage through this health-care crisis, were also trying to manage through deep, deep poverty.

Abernathy noted that the city has not, however, taken anything off the table to confront the virus as the situation evolves.

 Laura McCrystal, Aubrey Whelan

Pennsylvania cases now number 63

// Timestamp 03/15 00:24pm

The number of coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania has grown to 63, state officials said Sunday.

The state Health Department announced an additional 16 cases: "one in Allegheny County; one in Bucks County; two in Cumberland County; one in Delaware County; one in Lehigh County; one in Luzerne County; three in Monroe County; four in Montgomery County; and two in Philadelphia County.

As of Sunday afternoon, 446 people had been tested in Pennsylvania, which has a population of 12.8 million.

Right now, you have a higher chance of testing positive for COVID-19 if you have traveled to a country or state with known community outbreaks or have come in contact with someone who has the virus, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said in a statement.

"We are working with the health-care community across Pennsylvania to keep them informed, consult on patient testing, and ensuring they have the resources they need to care for patients, Levine said.

State officials are not planning to hold an in-person press briefing Sunday.

 Sarah Anne Hughes

As pandemic worsens, will Philadelphia have enough hospital beds for the sickest patients?

// Timestamp 03/15 11:59am

Even under the most conservative estimates, perhaps 200,000 to 300,000 adults in the United States could need intensive care due to the coronavirus infection over the coming months, epidemiologists say.

Yet the nations hospitals have fewer than 70,000 adult intensive-care beds, three-quarters of which already are occupied.

If the bulk of those gravely ill coronavirus patients get sick during a short period of time, hospitals will be under tremendous strain, said Jeremy M. Kahn, professor of critical care medicine and health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh.

 Tom Avril

 READ MORE: Coronavirus could mean even hospital-rich Philly wont have enough intensive-care beds, experts warn

N.J. is considering a statewide curfew

// Timestamp 03/15 11:48am

New Jersey officials are considering a statewide curfew to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy told a radio station Sunday morning.

Hoboken already implemented one  from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.  starting Monday.

Murphy was asked about curfews and also self-quarantine after Teaneck Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin called for a citywide self-quarantine for the Bergen County town hit hard by COVID-19.

Were not there at a statewide level on either of those steps, but we could be," Murphy said on WBLS-FM 107.5. "The curfew is probably, of the two, is probably the more immediate one under consideration.

Murphy on Saturday night announced the second death in the state from coronavirus, a woman in her 50s who was being cared for at CentraState Medical Center in Monmouth County.

Earlier, he had announced 19 new positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 69.

 Associated Press

 READ MORE: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says officials are considering statewide curfew

Philly church offers drive-through communion

// Timestamp 03/15 11:32am

At the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Overbrook Park, congregants received blessings on Sunday without getting out of their cars. The drive-through service was in response to heath officials recommendations to practice social distancing and to avoid large crowds during the coronavirus outbreak.

Congregants pulled up, were given hand sanitizer through their windows, then received communion and a blessing.

Other Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in the region were holding services as scheduled on Sunday, while some canceled and some were live-streaming. Pennsylvania Roman Catholic bishops have said that the faithful are relieved of their obligation to attend Mass. In New Jersey, Camden Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan also announced a dispensation from Sunday Mass in a letter to his diocese.

It is my hope this dispensation will be short-lived, but it will remain in effect until such time as it is appropriate to be lifted, he wrote. Let us pray that these efforts will help to diminish the spread of this virus. May we all pray during this time of peril for the elimination of this virus and for those who suffering from this unfortunate illness.

 Michael Bryant, Erin McCarthy

At Sunday services, prayer and social distancing

// Timestamp 03/15 10:59am

As churches across the region grappled with how to offer services to worshipers on Sunday, about 10 people gathered at Christ Church, an Episcopal congregation in Old City, for a morning prayer service.

The church was not offering communion and had encouraged congregants to watch via a live stream it was broadcasting on Facebook rather than attending in person.

Still, as the Rev. Timothy Safford welcomed congregants, he asked them to sit several rows apart. And most of the rows of pews had cushions flipped up to discourage people from sitting too close together.

As Safford began the service with a nod to the unusual circumstances, he spoke about the need to continue to keep the vulnerable in mind even as people continue to self-quarantine.

Jesus, he said, could not practice social distancing.

 Chris Palmer

 READ MORE: Coronavirus changed how Philly worshipers observed Sunday services: Jesus could not practice social distancing

Senior centers meal services will continue even if they close

// Timestamp 03/15 9:33am

Senior centers across the state will be able to provide meals to older adults even if the physical centers temporarily close due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging said Sunday.

Pennsylvanias 500 senior community centers can now offer takeout and delivery meals, as well as frozen and prepared foods, according to the department.

We are committed to ensuring that the delivery of services to older adults, particularly in the vital area of meals, continues unabated, while protecting the health and safety of older adults who utilize the centers, and the center staff who interact with them, Aging Secretary Robert Torres said in a statement.

Unless ordered to do so by Gov. Tom Wolf, individual centers will decide whether they need to temporarily close.

 Erin McCarthy

St. Christophers Hospital for Children closes its ICU to new admissions

// Timestamp 03/15 6:57am

A physician at St. Christophers Hospital for Children who worked in the ICU, has been diagnosed with a presumed case of COVID-19, Drexel president John Fry said in an email Saturday afternoon. The test results were completed Friday.

Fry said the physician was last seen at the hospital on March 11 and began to feel symptoms the next day. The infection was not acquired at the hospital, Fry said in an email to Drexel students and colleagues.

The ICU is closed to new admissions and the Level 1 Trauma department is closed, Fry wrote. "Children currently in the ICU will not be transferred out of the unit.

The ICU staff have been notified of this situation. They will wear the required and approved Protective Personal Equipment (PPE), including gowns, gloves, eye protection, and masks when they are in the ICU treating patients."

St. Christophers remains open and committed to meeting the needs of the community. The hospital is contacting the families of any patients, family members, and employees who may have been exposed.

 Brandon T. Harden

 READ MORE: Coronavirus in doctor at a Philadelphia pediatric hospital closes ICU to new patients, but public isnt notified

Days after playing Sixers in Philly, Detroit Pistons Christian Wood reportedly tests positive for coronavirus

// Timestamp 03/14 10:15pm

The Athletic reported Saturday night that Detroit Pistons forward-center Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus.

Wood and the Pistons played against the 76ers on Wednesday in Philadelphia. Shortly after the Sixers 124-106 win, the NBA suspended the season.

 READ MORE: Detroit Pistons Christian Wood reportedly tests positive for coronavirus

 Marc Narducci

Parx Casino temporarily closing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus

// Timestamp 03/14 10:02pm

Parx Casino, one of the largest employers in Bucks County, said it will close effective Sunday at 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. March 29 in response to Gov. Wolfs directions to cancel or postpone large events and gatherings in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

All employees will be paid during the two-week closure, Parx said in a statement.

We will continue to monitor and comply with all orders, directives, instructions and/or recommendations made by government agencies, the Bensalem-based casino said.

 Diane Mastrull

Penn warns immediate intervention by Penn police if students gather in groups on or off campus

// Timestamp 03/14 09:54pm

We want to reinforce that this is not a party, said Maureen S. Rush, vice president for public safety at Penn. This is a very serious issue.

The University of Pennsylvania on Saturday warned students not to gather in groups on or off campus or face immediate intervention by Penn police.

The university has made several difficult decisions in the past week in the interest of our communitys health and well-being, said an email to students Saturday from Provost Wendell Pritchett and Vice Provost Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum.

Included in these decisions was a notice to all students to immediately practice low-density medical standard social distancing. This included a clear mandate to cease all student group activities, on or off campus. No parties No events.

Rush said there have been a few gatherings of students over the last few days and Penn officials wanted to send a prophylactic message to underscore what city and state health officials have been advising.

Penn earlier this week announced it was extending spring break by a week and then moving to online instruction for the rest of the semester.

The university asked students who were out of town for spring break not to return to campus and that those who were on campus leave by Sunday. The Penn leaders also said students or organizations that violate the directive not to gather could face discipline.

This is an unprecedented situation, for our campus and the world, they said. Do not risk your health or your academic standing with poor decision making at this critical time.

 Susan Snyder

Second coronavirus death hits New Jersey

// Timestamp 03/14 08:47pm

New Jersey has seen its second coronavirus death, Gov. Phil Murphy posted Saturday night on Twitter.

The victim was a woman in her 50s being treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold.

 Sean Collins Walsh

Urban Outfitters, Warby Parker close stores

// Timestamp 03/14 08:35pm

Philly-grown companies Urban Outfitters, Inc., and Warby Parker announced Saturday they will be closing all of their stores in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The clothing retail giant Urban Outfitters shuttering of more than 620 stores around the globe, including its Free People and Anthropologie properties, will last until at least March 28. The company said it will continue to pay employees during that period, and is not aware of any employees testing positive for the coronavirus.

The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting every one of us, the company wrote in a news release. The safety and health of our communities, including our loyal customers and dedicated associates, is always of the utmost importance to us.

Corporate employees with the ability to work remotely were asked to do so for the foreseeable future, the company said. The company employed about 24,000 people globally as of Jan. 31, 2019, according to its most recent annual report. About 40% of those employees were full-time workers.

The eyewear start-up Warby Parkers stores will close through March 27, retail employees will be paid as if they were working during this time.

COVID-19 is impacting all of us  as individuals and as communities  in unprecedented ways, the company said in a news release. Given the rapidly changing environment, we have decided to temporarily close all of our stores through March 27 for the safety of our customers, our employees, and the general public.

Warby Parker, a private company based in New York City, was founded by graduates of the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School and began as an online-only retailer. It has now expanded to brick-and-mortar retail locations and lists more than 100 U.S. stores and three in Canada on its website. Warby Parkers website, e-commerce business and prescription check applications are still running, and the company is still operating its home try-on and virtual try-on programs.

 Ellie Silverman and Sean Collins Walsh

Off-campus Temple student tests positive for coronavirus

// Timestamp 03/14 08:10pm

A Temple University student who lives off campus and traveled to Spain during Spring break has tested positive for the virus, the school just announced.

His symptoms are mild, the school said, and the university has notified the city health department.

The student has not been on campus since Wednesday afternoon and is home with family now, outside the city, the university said.

Health officials are reaching out to anyone he has come in contact with, the university said.

Based on the travel of our students, we expect other cases could arise, said Mark Denys, senior director of student and employee health services.

Temple brought students back to campus after spring break, unlike some other schools in the region. The university announced this week it was shifting to online learning and gave students until next weekend to move off campus.

 Susan Snyder

Delco jail employee who tested positive for COVID-19 is father of Lower Providence police officer who previously contracted virus

// Timestamp 03/14 07:10pm

The employee at the Delaware County jail who tested positive for the coronavirus and caused 11 inmates to be quarantined at the facility is the father of a Lower Providence Township police officer who previously tested positive for the disease last week, officials said Saturday.

Officials with The GEO Group, the private prisons company that operates the jail, announced late Friday that the inmates were being quarantined in the facility after a worker tested positive for the disease. The company also advised 23 other staff members at the jail to self-quarantine at home.

None of the quarantined people have exhibited symptoms of the disease, according to a GEO spokesperson.

We will continue to coordinate closely with our client and the local health department to ensure the health and safety of all those in our care and our employees at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, the spokesman said in a statement.

Sources at the jail familiar with the incident said the worker is a maintenance supervisor, and last reported to work on March 6. He did not return the following Monday, complaining of sinus issues, the sources said.

The following evening, jail administrators were told the supervisors son, a Lower Providence officer, had tested positive for coronavirus in Montgomery County. Health department officials believe the officer contracted the virus from his sons pediatric cardiologist, who works out of Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias location in King of Prussia.

The doctor had apparently returned from abroad recently, the sources said. As a precaution, health officials tested the maintenance supervisor on Tuesday, sources said.

The results were returned Friday, and he was added to the list of presumptive positive cases in Delaware County.

 Vinny Vella

Gov. Wolf: close bars, eat-in restaurants, entertainment, sports venues in four counties

// Timestamp 03/14 06:42pm

Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Health this evening urged non-essential businesses to temporarily cease operations in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The state told bars, liquor stores and restaurants to curtail business until further notice. It also said restaurants should stay open only for carry-out and delivery.

It is the first time the governor has invoked the states authority to compel closures if the businesses do not comply.

We strongly encourage businesses to act now before the Governor or the Secretary of Health find it necessary to compel closures under the law for the interest of public health, including section 7301 of the Emergency Management Services Code, a letter from the Health Department and the Department of Community and Economic Development said.

The following types of businesses, according to the health department, should temporarily cease operations:

Bars

Community and recreation centers

Gyms, including yoga, spin, barre facilities

Hair salons, nail salons, and spas

Casinos, concert venues, and theaters

Sporting facilities and golf courses

Non-essential retail facilities, including shopping malls, with the exception of pharmacies or other health car facilities housed within shopping centers.

The letter said all state-run liquor stores would begin orderly closures. Wine and beer may still be purchased at grocery stores with PLCB licenses. Restaurants should not continue with table service, but should stay open for carry-out and delivery service only.

 Sam Wood

Area state liquor stores to shut down due to virus

// Timestamp 03/14 06:05pm

The coronavirus shutdown is coming to a liquor store near you if you live in one of the four Pennsylvania counties where Gov. Tom Wolf has called for non-essential retail outlets to close up shop for two weeks.

The Liquor Control Board on Saturday announced that all of the 88 state-owned Fine Wine & Good Spirits Shops in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties will be open for normal hours on Sunday. On Monday, just six of those stores will be open in Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties. Eight will be open in Montgomery County.

Each county will also have one open Licensee Service Center, which deal with restaurants and bars but not retail sales.

On Tuesday, all liquor stores and service centers will close in the four counties. Customers can still shop online and have purchases shipped to them. The shutdown will be re-evaluated toward the end of the month, the LCB said. The LCB on Friday said liquor stores would not close in Montgomery County, one day after Wolf ordered the shutdown there. That shutdown spread to Delaware County Friday and to Bucks and Chester counties Saturday.

A list of stores that will remain open Monday can be found here.

 Chris Brennan

Trenton mayor declares state of emergency

// Timestamp 03/14 04:39pm

Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora on Saturday declared that the New Jersey capital city is in a state of emergency.

The declaration closes City Hall to the public and shuts down schools and recreation centers starting Monday in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

A State of Emergency in the City of Trenton has been deemed necessary to ensure the continued provision of essential services to our residents during this ongoing and developing health emergency, the declaration reads.

 Sean Collins Walsh

World Cafe Live shutting down through end of March

// Timestamp 03/14 04:20pm

World Cafe Live is shutting down through the end of March.

Starting with Saturday nights shows, all dates at the University City club are being postponed in response to recent events concerning the spread of COVD-19, according to a message sent out to the venues mailing list today.

The first two postponement have already been rescheduled. Christine Havrila, who was to play upstairs in the Lounge, is scheduled to return Oct. 23. And Echoes, The American Pink Floyd will be in the downstairs Music Hall on Aug. 7.

Shows scheduled for later this month with John Moreland, Carsie Blanton, Leslie Odom Jr. and Michael Doucet are being postponed but dont yet have new dates.

The venue could legally stay open: The city of Philadelphia has banned large gatherings of 1,000 or more, and the WCL rooms are both under that limit. The Lounge holds 250 and the Music Hall 650. But the club is following the citys non-binding recommendation not to hold gatherings of 250 or more.

World Cafe Live is scheduled to reopen on April 1, with Willy Porter upstairs and Marc Broussard downstairs. More information can be found at worldcafelive.com.

 Dan DeLuca

PA House Speaker Mike Turzai rejects call to delay Bensalem special election, despite shutdown order

// Timestamp 03/14 04:01pm

Although Gov. Tom Wolf issued a shutdown order for Bucks County because of the spread of the coronavirus, state House Speaker Mike Turzai has declined to postpone a special election in Bensalem that is scheduled for Tuesday.

Wolf on Friday said holding the election would be a bad idea and indicated there was agreement among state leaders that it should be postponed. And on Saturday, he included Bucks in the list of counties in which he is ordering non-essential businesses to close.

But to delay the election, Wolf, a Democrat, needed cooperation from House Speaker Mike Turzai, an Allegheny County Republican. In a statement Saturday, Turzai said that three special elections scheduled for Tuesday  in Bucks County, Westmoreland County, and a district that includes parts of Butler and Mercer Counties  would go on.

The impact of the COVID-19 virus is being felt by all of us, and I applaud the statewide efforts to practice social distancing and increased disinfecting in public spaces. These same practices will be in place on Election Day, but they do not require the rescheduling of the special elections, Turzai said. When you consider that absentee ballots have already been applied for and returned, these elections are already underway.

The race for House District 18 in Bensalem pits Republican K.C. Tomlinson against Democrat Harold Hayes. They are vying to replace Republican Gene DiGirolamo, who resigned to become a county commissioner.

 Sarah Anne Hughes

Union for Independence National Historical Park workers criticizes decision to stay open

// Timestamp 03/14 03:30pm

The union for employees who work at Independence National Historical Park on Saturday criticized the federal government for failing to close the facility to the public when other tourist destinations in Philadelphia were shutting their doors due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Were concerned about the health of our employees, but also the general public. Were not supposed to be gathering in large areas, said Jeff Sievert, acting president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2058. The park leadership has basically told me in meetings that they have to get permission from Washington, D.C., to make changes and they have not been given, as far as I know, any leeway.

Other major cultural institutions in Philadelphia, including the Art Museum, have been closed to the public.

Attempts to reach the National Park Services office of public affairs were unsuccessful.

Some visitors were happy to be able to visit the historical sites before they closed.

Tried to beat the impending closure, Jeff Breton, a lawyer from Manhattan, said as he left the Visitor Center just before noon and was headed for a tour of Independence Hall.

The visit to Philadelphia was a birthday celebration for his son, Finn, 8.

I guess its good to be proactive, Breton said of all the closings. I dont know if its absolutely necessary. I take the subway packed with hundreds of people every day. Unless you have a lot of people in a small space, I dont feel like it needs to be closed.

 Diane Mastrull and Sean Collins Walsh

Closures continue in New Jersey as cases mount in New York City suburbs

// Timestamp 03/14 03:12pm

New Jersey officials on Saturday announced that 19 new coronavirus cases have been identified, bringing the statewide total to 69.

A vast majority of the new cases were in North Jersey areas near New York City, state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said on a conference call with reporters. Thirteen are women; six are men. They range in age from 18 to 80.

Meanwhile, Adventure Aquarium in Camden announced Saturday that it will be closed to the public starting Monday.

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Camden are also closing indefinitely.

The Cherry Hill Public Library announced that it is closing effective Sunday.

 Sean Collins Walsh

Following shutdown order, King of Prussia Mall closing immediately

// Timestamp 03/14 02:50pm

The King of Prussia Mall announced Saturday that it would be closing immediately to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The malls owner, Simon Properties, posted a notice on its website saying it would comply with Gov. Tom Wolfs request to shut down all non-essential retail operations in Montgomery County.

Previously, Simon Properties told individual merchants to decide for themselves whether to remain open.

On Thursday, Wolf asked that retailers in Montgomery County close, making exceptions only for grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations.

Of the states 67 counties, Montgomery County has been the hardest hit by the virus.

 Sam Wood

Gov. Wolf orders 'all non-essential public spaces shut down in Bucks, Chester Counties starting Sunday

// Timestamp 03/14 02:31pm

Gov. Tom Wolf on Saturday announced that starting Sunday, Chester and Bucks Counties will be subject to shutdown orders, meaning all non-essential public spaces" should close.

Delaware and Montgomery Counties are already under state shutdown orders, placing all four of Philadelphias suburban counties in Pennsylvania under lockdown.

If we can slow the spread of the virus, we can flatten the curve, Wolf said This is what we need to do and we need to do it now.

There is no shutdown order for the city, but Mayor Jim Kenney has banned all events of 1,000 people or more recommended that residents avoid gatherings of 250 or more.

In the suburban counties under shutdown orders, essential infrastructure like pharmacies, grocery stores, and gas stations will stay open.

Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said all schools in counties under shutdown orders must close, including private and parochial schools.

Wolf said his administration on Saturday will distribute additional guidance for businesses, some of which have expressed confusion about whether they are subject to the shutdown order.

Health Secretary Rachel Levine also announced the first two COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County, bringing the statewide total to 47. She said 402 people have been tested statewide as of Saturday afternoon.

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, whose district includes all of Chester County, called on the entire state to use the strategy that the governor has outlined to protect each other.

 Sarah Anne Hughes

U.S. travel ban extends to U.K., Ireland; Trump eyes domestic restrictions

// Timestamp 03/14 01:40pm

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will broaden its European travel ban, adding the United Kingdom and Ireland to its list, and was considering imposing restrictions on travel within the U.S. to areas hit hard by the coronavirus spread.

Under the restrictions on European travel, American citizens, green card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the U.S., but will be funneled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

If you dont have to travel, I wouldnt do it," Trump said.

The new restrictions came as in Britain, the death toll nearly doubled from the day before to 21, and the number of people infected rose to over 1,100 from about 800 the previous day. In Ireland there were 90 confirmed cases and one death by Friday. The Irish government hasn't released any updated figures on Saturday.

The U.S. announced earlier this week a 30-day ban on flights covered only by the 26-nation Schengen area, the European Unions border-free travel zone, that does not include Britain or Ireland.

 The Associated Press

Haddon Township schools to move to online learning

// Timestamp 03/14 01:30pm

The Haddon Township School District will close its doors for the next two weeks, moving classes online in efforts to promote social distancing amid the coronavirus spread, officials announced Saturday.

All seven of the districts schools will be closed Monday as teachers prepare for remote learning, Superintendent Bonnie J. Edwards wrote in an email to parents.

Though the timeframe is subject to change, online classes will begin on Wednesday, and last until March 27, Edwards wrote.

As of Friday, officials said two Camden County residents tested positive for the virus. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has said statewide school closures are an inevitability.

 Oona Goodin-Smith

Officials announce meal pick-up locations for families who use school breakfast and lunch service

// Timestamp 03/14 01:22pm

Philadelphia Schools Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. on Saturday released a list of 30 meal pick-up locations for families who depend on school-provided breakfast and lunch service while schools are closed.

A map of meal pick-up sites can be found here. An inaccurate map had circulated on social media recently, Hite said. He cautioned residents against misinformation from non-official sources during the coronavirus pandemic.

The city also will be opening 50 locations, in recreation centers and other city-owned facilities, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday to provide safe spaces where students can drop-in for activities. The locations will serve meals at 3 p.m.

Managing Director Brian Abernathy also announced Saturday that the Free Library of Philadelphia will close to the public at the end of the day.

 Sean Collins Walsh

New coronavirus cases identified in Philly, Montco, Chester County

// Timestamp 03/14 00:35pm

Pennsylvania health officials identified four more cases of the coronavirus in the Philadelphia region Saturday, bringing the statewide number of presumptive positive cases to 45.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the infected individuals include: two adults from Montgomery County, one adult from Philadelphia County, and one adult from Chester County.

All are either isolated at home or being treated in a hospital, the department said.

While we anticipate that there will be more Pennsylvanians with COVID-19 in the coming days and weeks, it is important for residents to know the commonwealth is prepared and to be prepared themselves, said Secretary of Health Rachel Levine. Right now, you have a higher chance of testing positive for COVID-19 if you have traveled to a country or state with known community outbreaks or have come in contact with someone who has the virus. We are working with the health care community across Pennsylvania to keep them informed, consult on patient testing and ensuring they have the resources they need to care for patients.

As of Saturday morning, more than 340 patients in Pennsylvania have been identified for testing, and of those, more than 145 have tested negative for COVID-19, the Health Department said. More than 100 tests are still pending.

 Oona Goodin-Smith

Sources: Gov. Wolf to shut down Bucks, Chester counties

// Timestamp 03/14 00:12pm

Gov. Tom Wolfs office is expected to announce Saturday that he will extend his shutdown order to Bucks and Chester counties as the state continues to confirm more cases of the coronavirus, according to three sources familiar with the decision.

The shutdown directive, which would go into effect in the counties on Sunday, applies to everything from schools, which Wolf had already ordered closed statewide, to child and adult day care centers to non-essential businesses. There have been questions, however, about how the state or counties can or will enforce it.

Earlier this week, Wolf imposed shutdown orders on Montgomery and Delaware counties.

The shutdown orders in general have meant that no-visitor policies are in place at correctional facilities and nursing homes. The governors office has said people can travel freely, but Wolf has encouraged that residents refrain from non-essential travel.

In counties under a shutdown order, essential medical services and mass transit will remain open. Supermarkets, pharmacies and gas stations remain open.

Wolf on Friday was asked who will enforce the orders in the counties.

"No one," he said. "This is self-enforcement. I am not sending the State Police or the National Guard out to do this."

All of us are trying to look out for the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians, and we all have a shared interest in making sure that Pennsylvanians, our fellow citizens, stay safe. I am banking on that to really drive it..

 Angela Couloumbis

New Jersey municipal courts to shut down Monday

// Timestamp 03/14 11:08am

New Jersey municipal court sessions will be suspended for two weeks beginning Monday to limit public exposure to the coronavirus, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner announced Saturday.

Where it is possible to resolve court matters without compromising the health and safety of the public and court staff, Rabner said, we will continue to do so.

Anyone scheduled to appear in municipal court between Mar. 16 and Mar. 27 to contest a traffic or parking ticket, or minor local ordinance violation should instead await notice of a new court date, Rabner said.

Certain issues like restraining orders or other matters that impact public safety will continue to be handled by the courts. Attorneys and parties required to appear in court during the two-week period will be notified.

Court filings and payments will continue to be accepted, unless a municipality has closed a court building.

 Pranshu Verma

Bedlam at a BJs a day after Gov. Wolf orders Delco shut down

// Timestamp 03/14 10:55am

A day after Gov. Tom Wolf urged non-essential businesses in Delaware County to close, folks flocked to BJs Wholesale Club in Springfield to stock up on food and supplies.

Rivaling even the longest of Black Friday lines, hundreds of shoppers wound their carts through three rows of parking spaces before the store opened at 9 a.m.

Ami Koroma-Gbolo, 50, of Lansdowne, initially came to the store with her son around 5:30 p.m. Friday night to do her usual grocery shopping, but quickly left because it was too crowded.

I said, Oh my God! Whats going on? she recalled after returning on Saturday morning. The whole entire line, from the cashier all the way to the back.

Though an employee had advised her to arrive early, Koroma-Gbolo and her husband didnt get to the store until several minutes after it opened on Saturday, making their way through a parking lot already filled with cars.

Both her 17-year-old son, who attends Upper Darby High School, and 21-year-old daughter, who attends Temple University, are now staying home, so she was hoping to buy extra supplies such as tissues, paper towels, and soap in addition to groceries and bottled water.

Were hoping and praying by Gods grace they will still have it, she said.

 Tim Tai

City launches Greater Philadelphia Coronavirus Helpline

// Timestamp 03/14 10:35am

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health on Saturday launched the Greater Philadelphia Coronavirus Helpline, which residents can reach by calling 1-800-722-7112.

The helpline, which is free and is supported by the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, is staffed by medical experts who can answer questions on issues like the symptoms and risk factors for the coronavirus, what to do if you think you may have been exposed, how to get tested, and how to practice social distancing.

Aside from washing your hands and staying away from people who are sick, one of the most important things people can do in a pandemic is to listen to trusted experts," city Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said in a statement. The Greater Philadelphia Coronavirus Helpline is the perfect way to get your questions about the coronavirus answered, whenever youre ready to ask them.

 Sean Collins Walsh

Coronavirus closures continue with Harrahs, PhillyCAM, Cherry Hill Township Municipal Building

// Timestamp 03/14 10:15am

Businesses and public spaces in the Philadelphia area are continuing to announce closures related to the coronavirus.

The Cherry Hill Township Municipal Building will close to the public and to non-essential employees beginning Monday.

Harrahs Philadelphia casino in Chester is shutting down after Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered entertainment venues closed in Delaware County.

The PhillyCAM community media center in Society Hill will be closed Monday until March 29. We will be operating with modified hours of operation for staff and all existing equipment/studio reservations, workshops and gatherings are postponed until further notice, a PhillyCAM news release said.

 Sean Collins Walsh

Wells Fargo Center workers missing Flyers, Sixers, Wings games for coronavirus will get paid

// Timestamp 03/14 9:50am

Comcast Spectacor will pay game-day workers for the Philadelphia Flyers, 76ers, and Wings games that were postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an email sent to employees Friday.

On Thursday, the Wells Fargo Center postponed all events at the arena that were scheduled through March 31. In addition, all Philadelphia Flyers, 76ers, and Wings games at the arena are postponed until further notice, as the NBA and NHL have suspended their seasons.

All game-day employees who were originally scheduled to work Flyers, 76ers and Wings games that have now been postponed between March 14-31 will be paid for their scheduled hours, despite those games not taking place, wrote Valerie Camillo, president of the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center.

All Comcast Spectacor employees were asked to work from home Friday, the email said.

You are the team that makes our operation run seamlessly on a day-to-day basis and we want to make sure you have a sense of financial security and value during these challenging times, Camillo wrote.

 Christian Hetrick

House passes coronavirus relief plan for free testing, paid sick leave

// Timestamp 03/14 9:30am

The U.S. House passed an economic relief plan backed by President Donald Trump to deal with the spreading coronavirus as part of what lead negotiator Speaker Nancy Pelosi said will be a continuing effort to help the American people.

The 363-40 vote early Saturday sends the measure to the Senate, which plans to skip next weeks planned recess to take up the bill. The House is scheduled to be in session next week.

The House package includes free testing for everyone who needs it, and two weeks of paid sick leave to allow people with the virus to stay home from work and avoid infecting co-workers. It also includes enhanced jobless benefits, increased food aid for children, senior citizens and food banks, and higher funding for Medicaid benefits.

Earlier Friday, Trump declared a national emergency that would free up as much as $50 billion to help states and cities respond to the health crisis.

 Bloomberg News

State officials working to postpone Bensalem special election

// Timestamp 03/14 9:00am

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday said officials are working on a plan to postpone a special election for a state House seat in Bucks County that is scheduled for Tuesday.

It would not be a good idea to have that election next Tuesday in Bucks County, Wolf said at a news conference. Everybody agrees. Its a matter of picking what the new date is and when that election ought to be held.

Wolf said he did not support delaying other upcoming special elections in parts of the state less affected by the virus.

The Bensalem-based House District 18 seat became vacant after Republican Gene DiGirolamo resigned to become a Bucks County commissioner. Republican K.C. Tomlinson, the daughter of state Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R, Bucks), faces Democrat Harold Hayes, a union plumber, in the race to replace DiGirolamo.

 Sean Collins Walsh

Traveling home to Philly from Europe after Trump announced ban: A sleepless, 26-hour ordeal

// Timestamp 03/14 9:00am

It was 3:30 a.m. local time in Alexandroupolis, Greece, Thursday when Emily Molli woke to her phone loudly pinging: President Donald Trump had just announced a sweeping European travel ban, and she needed to get home.

Molli, a 25-year-old independent journalist who lives in Philadelphias Bella Vista section, found a flight for $400. Then it rocketed to $4,000. Several times she found flights, but by the time she was able to book, the flight was full or had been canceled.

Molli eventually made it home. But her path back to Philadelphia was complicated, expensive and confusing, and she was troubled by a lack of screening once she reentered the country.

Her experience mirrors those of thousands of Americans who were in Europe when they received news of the ban on travel from Europe into the United States. The ban doesnt apply to U.S. citizens and didnt begin until 11:59 p.m. Friday, but that was unclear following the announcement, and students and travelers in Europe scrambled to return.

Molli ended up on a $1,000 Swiss Air flight from Athens to Zurich, Switzerland. She then sat on a nearly full, nine-hour, anxiety-ridden flight to Newark. Most people were wearing masks.

It was long. I was exhausted. I had basically gotten no sleep, she said.

She said she was prepared to be intensely questioned upon arriving back in Newark, even being asked to self-quarantine. That didnt happen. Officials asked her the usual questions and sent her on her way.

So after a 26-hour ordeal, Molli got to her home in Philadelphia early Friday morning.

And Friday, as usual, she was working from home.

 Anna Orso

Coronavirus test? Delaware patients got it at a drive-through.

// Timestamp 03/14 8:45am

Shortages have forced health officials to ration testing for the coronavirus. But the problems go deeper than a lack of test kits.

Potentially infected patients are supposed to start the process of getting tested with their health care provider, but many family physicians and urgent care clinics report not having the protective gear or the protocols needed to safely, correctly swab patients noses and throats, then ship the specimens to labs.

At my pediatric office, we are still seeing patients with cough and fever  despite obvious risk to ourselves and our staff  but we cant [collect specimens to] test  because of a lack of protective N95 face masks for health workers, a Willow Grove pediatrician told The Inquirer in an email. Very frustrating and scary situation.

Health systems dont have time to wait for funds and supplies to flow. Many have started to fill the voids created by slow federal response.

For example, ChristianaCare, Delawares largest healthcare system, on Friday became the first drive-through coronavirus swab collection site in the region. More than 50 cars lined up along the riverfront in Wilmington for the 10 a.m. start. After a few hours, samples for 536 coronavirus tests had been collected, at no charge. Results will be available in two to five days.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus testing: Shortages, delays, and drive-through improvising in Philly area and beyond

 Marie McCullough
Last Wednesday, shortly before midday, the Coast Guard's National Maritime Operations Centre received a 112 emergency call reporting an adult female swimmer in difficulty near Red Island, Skerries.

The caller reported that the swimmer appeared to have encountered some difficulty whilst swimming near the popular 'Captains' bathing area on the northern shore of Red Island.

The caller further reported that the woman was assisted by a fellow swimmer to land at nearby rocks but was unable to safely proceed from there to the shore.

The Coast Guard immediately launched a rescue operation, tasking multiple search & rescue assets to the scene. This included the local Skerries Coast Guard team, the Coast Guard's Dublin based Sikorsky S92 helicopter Rescue 116 and also the local Skerries lifeboat.

Fortunately, at the time of the call, Rescue 116 was already airborne on exercise further along the coastline and was able to rapidly divert to the scene, arriving overhead within minutes.

The helicopter's winchman was quickly deployed, winching the swimmer safely back to the Red Island mainland to meet the local Skerries Coast Guard rescue team.

Commenting on the rescue, Vanessa Gaffney, Officer in Charge, Skerries Coast Guard noted: 'This was a very local rescue for the Skerries Coast Guard team, only approximately 400 metres from our Coast Guard station at Red Island Lane.

'Our rescue team were on scene within minutes and were able to meet the casualty when they were brought ashore by the helicopter crew. Fortunately, the casualty suffered only mild hypothermia and did not require hospitalisation from the scene.

'Given the favourable lunchtime weather, the Red Island headland was very busy at the time and we sincerely thank the public for complying with the safety directions of our Coast Guard team whilst this rescue operation was underway.'

Ms Gaffney also added: 'I would remind the public if they spot someone who may be in difficulty along the coast, to immediately dial 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. Do not assume that someone else will make the call. As demonstrated in this incident, Coast Guard search & rescue resources may already be active in the area and can quickly divert to the incident scene. If you genuinely believe that someone may be in difficulty, then make the call to the Coast Guard, your actions could save someone's life.'
Ben Affleck is finally getting another chance at love. After all, he and Ana de Armas are officially dating.

A source close to the actor confirmed the rumors to Us Weekly. What is even better is that Jennifer Garner approves of his new romance.

Happily In Love

"Ben and Ana are officially dating and they are happy to be together," the source told Ud Weekly exclusively.

The 47-year old actor is currently in Costa Rica with his new girlfriend Ana. Luckily, the new couple has found an avid supporter of their budding relationship in Affleck's ex-wife, Jennifer.

"Jen has completely moved on from Ben in a romantic sense. She respects him and considers him a good friend." the source said. More than that, Jen believes that Ben is a good father to their children. Since their split in 2015, the two have been getting the hang of co-parenting their children. They have become pros at it too.

"She is happy with her own life and supportive of him. She is happy for him and his current relationship," the source added.

How It All Began

The "Deep Water" co-stars were spotted earlier this month shopping at a local store in Cuba. It sparked rumors that the two were dating when they were seen hanging out together in Ana's native hometown. An onlooker confirmed that the two were out and about with just their driver.

"Ben happily took photos with the fans. In fact, he was in such a happy mood that he made funny faces in selfies with the fans," the onlooker said.

A day later, the couple took their love to Costa Rica. According to an eye witness, the two were "making out" while waiting in the security line at the airport. The "Knives Out" actress, 31, and the "Way Back" actor continue to spend quality time together.

They were also spotted getting cozy by the beach on Tuesday.

Affleck Ready for Love

In his previous interview with Good Morning America, Affleck opened up about his aspirations for himself in the field of romance.

"I would love to have a relationship that is deeply meaningful, one that I could be committed," the actor shared.

Ben also spoke about where he sees himself five years from now, his career plans, and how he is with his kids.

"Ben Affleck will be sober and happy. He sees his kids regularly, has made three or four movies he truly finds interesting. He also wants to direct two movies that he is hopefully proud of and is in a healthy, stable, loving, and committed relationship."

The Oscar-winning actor made it to the headlines last month when he kept talking about his relationship with Garner. He called their divorce the biggest regret of his life. While the fans of the couple were given hope that the two might get back together, Jen's boyfriend was not too happy about Ben's interviews.

John Miller felt uncomfortable with what Ben was saying, a source revealed.

Perhaps now that the romance between Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas is confirmed, John Miller can continue being happily in love and confident with Jennifer Garner. Everyone around them only wishes the best for both couples.
(Support Free Thought) -

Starting in 1969 and running through 2003, a sickening and bizarre sexual experiment was carried out by government officials and a pedophile scientist that deliberately placed troubled children in the care of pedophiles to see if it had positive consequences. Victims from this utterly horrifying practice have filed a lawsuit which is getting media coverage this month, exposing the grotesque details of this taxpayer-funded pedophilia experiment.

This practice was known as the Kentler experiment  named after Helmut Kentler, an academic who argued that pedophilia could have positive consequences on children. The unruly and feeble-minded children would benefit from adult sexual attention, according to Kentler.

Despite the absolutely horrid implications of putting children in the care of pedophiles, in 1969, Kentler managed to persuade West Berlins ruling Senate that troubled youths would be glad to be put into situations in which they would be sexually abused.

The children would be head over heels in love with their new father figures, Kentler claimed.

According to the Sun:

This arranged for boys to move in with three known West Berlin pedophiles so they could then learn to live proper, unremarkable lives. Later he explained he believed the three men would do so much to help their boys because they had a sexual relationship with them. It is not clear whether the West Berlins Senate voted on the experiment or agreed to it behind closed doors.

For decades, this experiment was secretly carried out and very little was known about it until 2015. When the details started to emerge, according to the Irish Times, it prompted Berlins state authorities to commission a youth researcher to review the files and write a report. The results are sobering, said Dr Teresa Nentwig of the University of Gottingen who led the research.

Men who had been convicted of sexual contact with minors were appointed by the Berlin leadership as guardians. Children and young people, who lived on the street before that, had to pay for a warm bed, good food and clean clothes, engaging in sexual relationships with their caregivers, Nentwig said.

Two of the victims are now in line to receive compensation from the Berlin Senate, according to Der Tagesspiegel.

There is targeted work to ensure that there is a solution that meets the interests of those affected, said Iris Brennberger, spokeswoman for the education administration. How the compensation will look in detail and who exactly pays it is still open.

One of the victims lawyers is reportedly pressing for a lump sum of 100,000 ($113,071) plus a monthly pension of 2,500 ($2,826). Tragically, however, no amount of money will ever be enough to compensate the damage done from deliberately handing vulnerable children over to child rapists.

According to the report:

The legal proceedings refer to one boy called Marco, who had been taken into care in 1989 after fleeing his violent dad. Aged six, he was placed with his foster father, Fritz H, who began going into his room for a cuddle which heralded years of abuse. In an interview with Der Spiegel, Marco said for ten years he was repeatedly beaten and raped by Fritz H, until he grew up and fought back. Another of his victims, known as Sven, was abandoned by his parents at the age of seven and contracted hepatitis B on the streets of Berlin. Authorities in 1990 then gave him to a pedophile and he suffered repeated sexual assaults which were allegedly videoed. Boys in the care of Fritz, who has since died, were kept isolated from the outside world.

Despite the practice reportedly running through 2003, Berlin officials say they have no idea as to who in the agency agreed to run such a monstrous experiment. Despite launching the investigation several years ago, there have been almost no details officially released.

When Kentler died in 2008, he referred to his experiment as a success while at the same time admitting he knew he was breaking the law.

It was a crime to put these people into this kind of care, Berlins youth-affairs minister, Sandra Scheeres said. It is simply unimaginable that something like this happened with state oversight.

We agree.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on has ordered the release of the dethroned Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, on exile at Awe, a town in Nasarawa State.

The order came Friday, four days after he was dethroned.

Justice Anwuli Chikere granted the interim order following an ex parte application moved by his lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) on Friday.

The judge also ruled that the order for Sanuss release should be served on the respondents to the application: IGP Muhammed Adamu; the Director-General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi; the Attorney-General of Kano State, Ibrahim Muktar; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The judge adjourned further hearing till March 26.

PV: 0
As the global Covid-19 pandemic ramps up, countries are increasingly issuing travel bans and closing their borders.

Cruise holidays have been badly affected, with many countries no longer allowing ships to dock or passengers to disembark for fear they might further enable the spread of coronavirus.

Here are all the cruise lines that have cancelled itineraries so far.

Viking Cruises

Viking Cruises was the first major cruise line to announce mass cancellations. All its sailings have been suspended until 1 May.

Guests can request a full refund or a voucher for a future Viking cruise, valued at 125 per cent of the original payment.

Saga

Saga, the travel and insurance company for the over-50s, has cancelled all cruises until May 2020.

The brand said its decision was informed by the governments latest travel advice, which states that people over 70 and those with pre-existing health conditions should avoid cruises after a number of ships around the world were quarantined because of Covid-19 outbreaks onboard.

All cruises are temporarily suspended for six weeks until 1 May. Customers can apply for a full refund or credit for future sailings.

The health and safety of customers and colleagues is our number one priority, said a Saga spokesperson.

We have, therefore, made the decision to temporarily suspend operations of our cruises until 1 May 2020.

Our customer service teams will be in contact with cruise customers who were due to travel in the next six weeks to offer them either a full refund or a credit for a future departure.

MSC

MSC Cruises has halted all its new cruise embarkations fleet-wide until 1 May due to the extraordinary circumstances the world is currently facing in connection with the COVID-19 virus.

Ships that are currently still at sea will conclude their current itineraries to return guests to their disembarkation ports, before also stopping operation.

Guests can transfer 100 per cent of the money paid for their cancelled cruise, plus will receive an additional generous credit benefit, to a future cruise of their choice at any point until the end of 2021.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is suspending its global operations for 60 days after two of its ships passengers had to be put into quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic.

All operations will halt until 11 May.

It is our intention to reassure our loyal guests, team members and global stakeholders of our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of all who sail with us, as well as those who do business with us, and the countries and communities we visit around the world, Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said in a statement.

Passengers who are on cruises now that are scheduled to finish within the next five days will sail as normal; those on cruises scheduled to end after 17 March can expect itineraries to be cut short.

Customers can transfer all money paid to a future cruise booking instead, which will include generous future cruise credit.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled all sailings until 10 March; cruises on the Carnival Spirit departing 10 and 20 April; and cruises on the Carnival Rdiance departing 29 April, 9, 21 and 20 May, and 11 June.

Guests who were booked on these voyages and cancelled on or after 6 March 2020 can opt for a full refund or 100 per cent of the cost in future cruise credit, along with $300 or $600 to spend on board (depending on the length of the cruise).

Holland America Line

Due to the continued port closures Holland America Line has made the decision to voluntarily pause all of its cruise operations for 30 days, impacting sailings scheduled to depart until 15 April 2020.

These are unprecedented times, and while no guests or crew have tested positive for Covid-19 on any of our ships, we must take a leadership position as a global citizen and ensure that we are doing everything we can to help stabilize the situation, said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. We know this decision will be disappointing and also inconvenience guests currently in transit, and for that we sincerely apologise. All of us at Holland America Line are fully committed to supporting all our guests through this change.

Norwegian Cruise Line

All NCL cruises are suspended until 11 May. Guests who were booked on suspended cruises with embarkation dates from 13 March-10 May 2020 will automatically receive a 125 per cent or 150 per cent refund (depending on the original cruise date) of their cruise fare in the form of a Future Cruise Credit which can be applied towards any Norwegian Cruise Line voyage until 31 December 2022. Future Cruise Credits will be applied to customers accounts by 1 April 2020.

Theres also an extra 20 per cent discount for those who rebook by 10 April 2020 for cruises embarking 1 July to 31 December 2022.

Guests can also apply for a refund to be payable within 90 days.

Royal Caribbean

As of 24 March Royal Caribbean extended its suspension of all cruises worldwide until 12 May 2020, when most ships are expected to commence sailing, apart from cruises impacted by particular port closures: Canadian ports will remain closed until 1 July, while the Port of Singapore will remain closed throughout May 2020.

Royal Caribbean is offering customers whose sailings are affected a 125 per cent Future Cruise Credit to use by 31 December 2021.

Celebrity Cruises

Royal Caribbeans sister cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, is all suspending all itineraries until 12 May (with sailings to Singapore and Canada postponed until ports reopen).

P&O Cruises

Following the recommendation by the Cruise Lines International Association for cruise lines to voluntarily and temporarily suspend operations for 30 days, P&O Cruises is suspending any new cruises until 11 April 2020.

We shall be bringing our ships and all guests who are currently sailing back to Southampton and will constantly monitor the situation over the coming weeks, said the cruise line.

P&O is offering affected passengers a 125 per cent Future Cruise Credit to be used for cruises sailing any time before the end of March 2022 (when booked by 31 December 2021).

Tui/Marella

All Marella cruises are cancelled until at least the 17 April 2020. If you are due to travel on a Marella Discovery cruise, all sailings up to and including 17 April 2020 have been cancelled.

If you are due to travel on a Marella Discovery 2, Dream, Explorer or Explorer 2 cruise, all sailings up to and including 16 April 2020 have been cancelled.

If you are due to travel on a Marella Celebration cruise, all sailings up to and including 30 April 2020 have been cancelled.

We are contacting customers directly to offer a range of flexible options, prioritising those with the most immediate sailings, said Tui.

The Scenic Group

The Scenic Group, comprised of Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours and Emerald Cruises, has announced it will temporarily suspend all river cruise operations until 30 April 2020, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Glen Moroney, Scenic Group owner, said: With the news of increasing virus cases in countries around the world, the health and safety of guests and crew is our primary focus. We will continue to ensure they come first and foremost in all our decisions.

For guests whose river cruise departures are within this period of suspended operations, the Scenic Group is offering the choice of either a Future Travel Credit valued at 125 per cent of the booking, or the option of a refund to the value of the amount paid. Guests choosing a Future Travel Credit will have up to 24 months to travel on a Scenic Group river cruise.

Disney Cruises

The Walt Disney Company announced that all cruises departing on or after 14 March are suspended until 12 April. All cast members will be paid during the suspension, the company said.

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Show all 16 1 /16 Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears A man wearing a protective mask walks past the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears A gondolier on the Grand Canal as the sun sets in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears A local pulls a trolley as she leaves a street food market in Venice, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. A U.S. government advisory urging Americans to reconsider travel to Italy due to the spread of a new virus is the "final blow" to the nation's tourism industry, the head of Italy's hotel federation said Saturday. Venice, which was nearing recovery in the Carnival season following a tourist lull after record flooding in November, saw bookings drop immediately after regional officials canceled the final two days of celebrations this week, unprecedented in modern times. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Locals wait for a mass at the barely empty San Salvador church in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. A coughing Pope Francis told Italy, pilgrims gathered for the traditional Sunday blessing that he is canceling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. It is the first time in his seven-year papacy that he has missed the spiritual exercises that he initiated early in his pontificate to mark the start of each Lenten season. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Tourists wearing protective masks take photographs in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Tourists wearing protective masks look at their smartphones as they have a break at the St. Mark's square in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears A couple stand at the Rialto bridge during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020. REUTERS Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020. Reuters Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020. REUTERS Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020. REUTERS Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears An empty water bus after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020. REUTERS Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Tourists shelter against the rain with umbrellas as they walk in the empty St. Mark's Square during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks. AP Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears Gondolas are parked on a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks. AP

Virgin Voyages

Richard Branson announced he will push back the launch date of Virgin Voyages new cruise ship, Scarlet Lady.

The inaugural sailing for the ship, which was also set to be the first for Bransons new cruise line, was due to happen in April.

In a joint letter with CEO Tom McAlpin, Branson said they had decided to push Scarlet Ladys maiden voyage back to 7 August.

For those who rebook, the company has promised a 200 per cent future voyage credit while those looking for their money back will receive a full refund plus 25 per cent in future voyage credit.
A Cork TD has said that he is deeply concerned with the decision to reduce the number of out-of-hours GP services in the region.

Yesterday, it was announced that SouthDoc will now operate from

Read More:

In an email to members, Joanne Montgomery, SouthDoc board chairperson, said other centres "will be locked up and sterile in case required".

Centres in Blackpool, Clonakilty, Fermoy and Youghal will be locked down.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]

Labour TD for Cork East, Sean Sherlock wrote to the Chief Officer of the Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Organisation, voicing his disappointment at the decision.

Labour TD for Cork East, Sean Sherlock

I am deeply concerned about the decision to close off SouthDoc in the Fermoy/Mitchelstown area, he wrote.

I am told by the majority of GPs serving that area that it makes no sense whatsoever

Mr Sherlock said he is calling on the HSE to get in touch with SouthDoc in an effort to reverse the decision.

The idea of keeping one centre closed as a contingency measure has been debunked by those GPs who use the service, he claimed.

Ms Montgomery, explaining the decision to members, said: "The reason for the consolidation of treatment centres is we expect a reduction in staff and doctor numbers as time goes on due to illness/self-isolation."
The viruss rapid spread in the North African country is threatening the momentum of the year-long demonstrations.

Month after month, protesters in Algeria have braved cold weather, the threat of force and arrests to demand an end to decades of kleptocratic rule  only to now be confronted by an unexpected obstacle: the new coronavirus.

With 37 confirmed cases to date and three deaths recorded from the coronavirus outbreak, now classified a pandemic by the World Health Organization, members of the year-old protest movement appear divided on how and whether they should continue their weekly demonstrations.

Still, several hundred protesters on Friday took to the streets of central Algiers, defying authorities calls to desist marching.

Neither the coronavirus nor the cholera is going to stop us, were getting our freedom, come what may, they chanted. The coronavirus isnt going to scare us, we were brought up in misery.

But not everybody appeared to be singing from the same hymn sheet, with many taking to social media to denounce what they called irresponsible behaviour.

You wont be of much help to Algeria if youre dead, wrote one Twitter user.

In Oran, Algerias second-biggest city where literature laureate Albert Camuss famous novel The Plague is set, protesters appeared to be heeding authorities calls, with far fewer numbers taking to the streets on Friday.

The government has responded to the outbreak, which has spread in some 130 countries worldwide, by shutting down schools and universities across the country in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. It has also limited, and in some instances cancelled, flights to hard-hit countries in Europe.

Authorities, however, have stopped short of implementing a full lockdown.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Abderrahmane Benbouzid said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has given instructions to suspend meetings and gatherings of a cultural, economic, political and sporting nature.

Khaled Drareni, an Algerian journalist with a considerable following on social media, raised a few eyebrows this week after telling French broadcaster TV5 Monde that authorities were using the coronavirus as a pretext to stop people from protesting.

Drareni told Al Jazeera that he specifically did not call on Algerians to go out and protest in the face of a health crisis, stating instead that the government would most likely seek to exploit it for political ends.

The government has for more than a year now used numerous pretexts to dissuade people from going out, he said.

People will continue to go out and protest despite the governments calls not to because they are sceptical of everything it says, Drareni added, while also insisting that the coronavirus must be taken seriously.

Protective face masks and hand cleaning gel are displayed for sale, as precaution against the spread of coronavirus, during an anti-government protest in Algiers, Algeria on March 13, 2020. [Ramzi Boudina/Reuters]

The demonstrations, which initially erupted early last year in response to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflikas decision to seek a fifth term in office, quickly transformed into demands for systemic change.

But the unprecedented wave of anger gradually began to dissipate after the military stepped in and pressured the ailing Bouteflika to resign in early April.

The popular movement took another hit when a presidential election was held in December despite boycott calls, with Tebboune elected head of state after garnering a majority of the vote in the first round that was marred by low turnout.

Despite holding reservations about Tebboune, a former prime minister and onetime Bouteflika loyalist, many people were relieved that a healthy president capable of performing his duties had assumed office.

Echoing Drarenis comments, Riad Kaced, a US-based activist, said suspending the protests and large gatherings was the right thing to do, with one caveat.

We have to understand that the challenges are slightly different. In Algeria, the governments calls for cancelling the protests are not motivated by sanitary concerns as it is the case in France, the US or elsewhere.

The Algerian regime wants to seize this opportunity to strangle the Hirak and kill it off, continued Kaced, who says he flies out to Algiers almost every second week to take part in the demonstrations.
His nickname in China was The Cannon, and Ren Zhiqiangs latest commentary was among his most explosive yet.

Mr. Ren, an outspoken property tycoon in Beijing, wrote in a scathing essay that Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, was a power-hungry clown. He said the ruling Communist Partys strict limits on free speech had exacerbated the coronavirus epidemic.

Now Mr. Ren, one of the most prominent critics of Mr. Xi in mainland China, is missing, his friends said on Saturday.

His disappearance comes amid a far-reaching campaign by the party to quash criticism of its slow, secretive initial response to the epidemic, which has killed over 3,100 people in China and sickened more than 80,000.
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 08:28 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a80a0b 1 Editorial #Editorial,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,health-ministry,Jokowi-administration,Jokowi,Jakarta-administration,anies-baswedan Free

How much is too much? How little is too little? In handling the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been declared a pandemic, it is apparent that the government hardly knows the difference.

As more cases emerge and more patients arrive at hospitals already in serious condition, while not knowing whether they have contracted the disease, the government is still struggling to coordinate a response and surveillance measures to contain the spread of the virus. At least four positive patients have died and at least another eight reportedly passed away while showing symptoms of the disease.

The governments ineptitude is frustrating not only for the anxious public who fears contagion but also for local administrations, which are at the frontline to battle the disease.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan took the initiative to create a special desk tasked with keeping the public informed and respond to reports of cases, prompting thousands to contact the call center and hundreds to visit hospitals to get their health checked. While the governor maintained the central governments policy of not revealing the location of COVID-19 patients, a reportedly leaked document from the city administration showed that 16 confirmed cases were in Jakarta as of Tuesday.

Banten Governor Wahidin Halim announced on his Facebook account on Thursday that two residents had tested positive for the virus. His announcement was later disputed by a government spokesperson, Achmad Yurianto, who also confronted the governor about how he had discovered the cases.

If the government insists on walling off itself from the public at this time of the crisis, more regional administrations and even health workers may choose to take their own stand to fight the virus. They may take more initiatives to trace cases themselves or even purchase their own test kits to help patients who have voluntarily reported themselves at hospitals.

To many health experts and observers, the fumbling of President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration during this health crisis is beyond comprehension, particularly given Indonesias earlier experiences with epidemics.

Critics say the government has enough resources to conduct a more prepared response given the expertise and experience it had accumulated during an avian flu outbreak 10 years ago. The country even had a protocol for responding to a pandemic at the time.

Given such knowledge and capability, it is almost a crime that the government has let everything go down this

way. The COVID-19 pandemic may have taken lives unnoticed and many may be suffering without getting the proper medical help.

The 2009 Health Law mandates the government to announce an outbreak to the public and name locations that have become centers of a disease. It is also obliged to monitor patients and cooperate with the people or other countries to combat an outbreak. Although the government has successfully evacuated Indonesian citizens from Wuhan, China, and other centers of the pandemic overseas, it is far from adequately managing the crisis at home.

This is already an emergency. Jokowi should remove anything or anyone, including his own officials, should they get in the way of the countrys efforts to combat the pandemic.
Amidst global concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak, Amazon has also suspended the re

The event's cancellation update is posted on the official website, noting that guests will receive a full refund of registration fee who purchased tickets for the event. Hotel rooms booked through the conference website will also be cancelled free of charge.

The re:MARS 2020 was scheduled to be held from June 16-19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company will be looking at other ways to engage the community, which could mean a possible online-only event similar to Apple's WWDC 2020.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Parking at the Passaic ShopRite in the age of the coronavirus is a frenzied experience.

I discovered this first hand as I ventured to the store Saturday morning. Cars filled nearly every parking spot in the lot, with shoppers ready to swoop in on a space and rush inside to buy up what little provisions remained.

Greeting me at the entrance was an empty antimicrobial wipe dispenser, under an ominous sign: Customers. Product availability low. It will be several days to replenish.

Much like supermarkets and grocery stores throughout New Jersey and across the country, fear of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 has driven people to stockpile items like water, disinfectant cleaning products and pasta. The shelves at many stores are bare. Meat and poultry racks cleaned out.

And the toilet paper and paper towel aisle? Not even a square of one-ply.

The checkout line at the Passaic store extended from the front of the store all the way to the back, by the milk and juice on Saturday morning. Customers lined up close together, completely ignoring the medical communitys best advice of social distancing.

While fresh produce and much of the other food items in the store were still widely available, entire shelves of cleaning products were empty, along with only recently replenished shelves of water.

One employee from the meat department put a package in the refrigerated section, nowhere near replenishing the mostly empty racks.

Just throw it there, said another employee. Itll be gone in an hour.

As the number of reported presumed positive cases of the virus rises in New Jersey, the panic shopping grows with it. Many supermarkets, like ShopRite, have had to impose limits on products that customers rushed to find Saturday morning.

As a result, items such as disinfectant cleaners and wipes, bar and liquid soaps, water, cough/cold over the counter medicines and other key categories are now limited to a purchase of two, Shop Rite posted on its website.

In the line that snaked through the Passaic Shop Rite, cart after cart was filled with packs of bottled water, canned goods and what was left of the toilet paper jammed in the carts bottom rack. At a Clifton Staples, which Id heard was a secret spot where supplies were still available, three customers stared with furrowed brows at the empty shelves where the toilet paper and hand sanitizer used to be.

At the Stop and Shop in Clifton, the views were much the same Saturday morning. Cereals and fresh produce are plentiful. But customers have raided all the toilet paper, which is fast becoming a new paper currency during the pandemic.

One woman pushed her cart to the water aisle only to make a sharp turn back out when she realized it was virtually empty.

At the Stop and Shop in South Orange, fresh produce was still available and the lines were not long. But pasta, beans, rice, and  once again  toilet paper had been cleaned out.

Despite the reality of empty shelves and signs that read Out of stock temporarily due to high demand, Stop and Shop reassured its customers that they were working to replenish supplies as fast as customers could grab them off the shelves.

As soon as the products become available in the marketplace, were moving quickly to re-stock our shelves and make them available to you, a notice on the Stop and Shop website said. In addition, we monitor inventory daily to ensure these high-demand categories are in stock at all Stop & Shop stores to the greatest extent possible.

But for a Saturday morning in Clifton, Passaic and South Orange, you might just have to wait a bit longer before ransacking the toilet paper and milk aisles.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.

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Northerners are not snobby. Anyone showing signs of getting above themselves (change of accent, concrete lions at the driveway gates, frequent use of supermarket delivery service) will soon receive reminders, usually from primary school acquaintances who know the truth, that they're no better than anybody else and to wise up.

Class consciousness is not the Ulster way. It may have some resonance in Dublin where titles still matter, kind of. But up here, there's no class in being enviably rich and wealthy. In fact, some of the really wealthy people I know play the whole thing down and like to talk about football, potato bread and Donegal.

But Belfast people do have a peculiar disdain for country ones. This is about urban superiority, about being smart, unlike culchies who are thick. Culchies like Seamus Heaney, Brian Vallely, Joanne Quigley, all internationally recognised names in their worlds of literature, painting and music; writers, actors and musicians like Dara Carville, Bronagh Waugh, Michelle Fairley, Paul Muldoon, Barry Devlin, Liam Neeson, Adrian Dunbar ... culchies, all.

Same goes for the culinary arts. If it's not in Belfast, it's not worth leaving town for. So, today I give you Wine & Brine in the delightful Co Armagh village of Moira.

If you haven't been yet, you're in for a surprise. When it opened four years ago, Chris McGowan and partner Davina had recently returned from London following a long, glittering partnership with Richard Corrigan. It was an instant hit.

Moiranians loved it because it served recognisable roast classics, while the city slickers held their breath long enough to complete the 18-mile journey from town for the crispy olives, sausage rolls and the famous beef and tongue pie.

Last Sunday, in celebration of International Women's Day, four women accompanied me to lunch. They included two daughters, the adviser and my mother-in-law. Three generations and a vegetarian all found something to drool over in the menu. Crispy cod cheeks twice-baked, three-cheese souffle, shellfish cocktail, crab brioche roll ... roast rump of lamb, Greencastle sole on the bone, steak pie, wild Irish rabbit...

In the end, the choice was almost impossible so we had to over-order, naturally. Which means that all of the above starters were savoured and relished, not one disappointing or falling below the next.

There is a magic thing McGowan does to amplify the flavour of the prawns in the shellfish cocktail. He creates a briny, cold-water, shivery flavour which is as fresh and invigorating as a swim in the March sea.

The crispy cod cheeks are no longer the poor man's scallops but the reverse, more subtle, less gelatinous and, dipped in the oyster mayo, hard to leave alone.

The souffle is a triumph of lightness over intensity, with all the deep flavours of mature cheeses without the heaviness.

And the crab brioche roll is the happy fusion of sweet and salt, cold and warm, lushness and bite.

The sausage roll with house ketchup is another wonder, the pastry flaky and golden, the meat within braised, robust and beefy.

It's all so wonderful that forkfuls are being swapped around the table to see who got the best starter. It's a five-all draw.

The rabbit is a delicate roast of fine, tender pink meat poised atop a toasted sandwich of salty braised meat and served with baked carrot topped with a warm onion chutney and a mustard-seed gravy. It exudes great wafts of French charcuterie scents and flavours.

The great white chunk of cod is textbook with a super-crispy and brittle skin, glacial white flakes of meat sliding off each other at the merest prod, and supported by salsify and mussels in seaweed butter.

The beef pie is accompanied by a slice of rare, dry-aged steak, and is judged by the adviser as one of the memorable dishes of her life. The 28-day sirloin, whose accompanying Yorkshire pud towers crazily above it, is alive with old fashioned, nostalgia-prompting roast flavours.

Desserts are just as exciting and I've enough room left to tell you that the miso caramel pie takes that whole salty-sweet thing to a new level.

Wine & Brine. So good it should be in Belfast. (Sorry, culchies.)

The bill

Shellfish cocktail x 2 14

Cod cheeks 7

Souffle 7

Sausage roll 7

Crab brioche x 2 14

Roast beef x 2 34

Steak pie 22

Cod 17

Rabbit 17

Miso caramel pie6

Rhubarb and ginger doughnuts6

Spice cake6

Coffees x 4 11.50

Bottle Stellenrust Chenin Blc 44

Total 212.50
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Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) on Saturday said it is recalling certain number of units of three of its scooter models to rectify and replace rear cushion.

The company is recalling units of Dio, Activa 125 and 6G, manufactured between February 14 to25, 2020, HMSI said in a statement.

"Honda has identified a suspected quality issue in the rear cushion which may result in oil leakage or breakage and may lead to vehicle imbalance," it added.

The recall will start in mid of March 2020, as a precautionary measure to check and replace the suspected part (rear cushion), HMSI said.

The concerned part if in the defective lot, will be replaced free of cost irrespective of warranty status of the identified vehicle, it added.

The company, through its dealers will proactively notify customers via call / e-mail / SMS for inspection of their vehicle from Saturday, the two wheeler major said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Wexford-born business leader Eamonn Sinnott has shared his journey from the Kevin Street Technological University of Dublin to the head of Intel in Ireland with the latest recipients of a sponsored scholarship programme at the college.

Mr. Sinnott, who is Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations and General Manager of Intel Ireland, returned to his alma mater to talk about his career during the awarding of scholarships to Intel Ireland Scholarship students.

In conversation with Dave Kilmartin, Head of the Career Development Centre at TU Dublin, shared his memories of student life in Kevin Street, the lessons he learned along the way and his thoughts about the skills and competencies that students need to forge a successful career in this technological era.

Kevin Street has been synonymous with scientific and technological education in Ireland and generations of graduates have gone on to become leaders and innovators in high-tech sectors in Ireland and around the world.

Mr. Sinnott is regarded as one of the most successful graduates of his generation and the university invited him back to Kevin Street for one last time as it prepares to move 10,000 students to a new flagship campus in Grangegorman.

TU Dublin is Ireland's first Technological University with campuses in Dublin City, Tallaght and Blanchardstown.

Intel is a leader in the semi-conductor industry, shaping the future of computing and communications technology.
DEWITT, N.Y. -- Hundreds of shoppers lined up in the dark outside of Wegmans stores and crowded other stores across Central New York on Saturday due to stock up due to the coronavirus pandemic.

They were waiting for a chance to nab toilet paper and cleaning supplies, frozen vegetables and meat from stores they hoped would be freshly restocked. But when stores across the region opened, shoppers rushed inside to find many shelves were still empty.

Everything you see on the shelves is what we have, a Wegmans employee told shoppers after he opened the doors at the DeWitt store early this morning. Were getting more stuff throughout the day. No toilet paper. No Toilet paper.

Syracuse-area Wegmans closed at midnight to give employees a chance to deeply clean and restock stores, a company spokeswoman said Friday. Tops Friendly Market stores that are typically open 24 hours also closed overnight to clean and restock.

The stores were clean. But many shelves remained thinly stocked or were empty. In some stores, entire cases of meat were empty. Shelves for toilet paper and hand sanitizer were often empty.

Wegmans is far from alone.

Stores across the region, from Tops to Walmart to dollar stores, have been quickly cleaned out of essential supplies for days. Online shopping isnt any easier: Amazon lists many brands of toilet paper and antibacterial hand wipes as currently unavailable.

The Family Dollar in Phoenix was swamped just before 6 p.m. Friday evening. Employees joked that they should just say no, sorry, we dont have any toilet paper in stock instead of saying hello when answering the stores phone.

Aerial of a jam-packed Costco today at its opening.Aiden McGuire: Aiden Media

Minutes before 6 a.m. Saturday, about 200 people were queued up outside of the DeWitt Wegmans. About 100 waited outside the John Glenn Wegmans.

Customers at both stores joked that it felt like Black Friday. But the lines werent free of tension: One woman wrung her hands together and while others groaned as a worker struggled to open the locked doors in DeWitt.

Toiletries and cleaning supplies at both Wegmans stores were a scarce. An employee at the John Glenn Wegmans estimated the store had no more than three packs of toilet paper when the doors open.

And I thought our little Wegmans in Geneva might be spared! Fascinating time to study grocery supply chains. #coronavirus #COVID19 #coronapocalypse pic.twitter.com/6KXAkJw2iF  Lauren Long (@longphoto) March 14, 2020

The Geneva Wegmans, like its sister stores in the Syracuse area, was low on staples like bread, bananas and meat. An employee in the picked-over meat department said hed never seen his section so cleaned out in his 30 years working for Wegmans.

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.

Have a tip, a story idea or a comment? You can reach me at shouse@syracuse.com

Scott Schild, N. Scott Trimble, Lauren Long and Brenda Duncan contributed to this report.
Indie-rock music, hipster pastors and in-house baristas: the newest church in town looks nothing like the traditional churches of yesteryear.

Instead of hymns and organs, Sunday sermons at the new Glow Church in Carlton involve "contemporary worship"; a full band performing Christian rock and "Bible-based" sermons on everyday issues.

Worshippers at the Glow Church Melbourne launch party last month. Credit:Glow Church Melbourne

Lead pastors Jimmy and Emma LAlmont are celebrating their fourth service in Melbourne this weekend, after launching the church in late February to a crowd of 300 at their Swanston Street digs.

With a slick social media and marketing presence  posters and billboards for Glow have cropped up around the CBD and inner-city suburbs in recent weeks  Glow is part of a wider trend of religion rebranded for a new demographic.
Wolgast Corporation announced its hired Amber L. Swanson as an estimator assistant in the company's Restaurant Construction Division.

Swanson is a graduate of International Academy of Design & Technology in Troy, and has a bachelor of fine arts.

She brings six years of industry experience as a former project coordinator/engineer for a hospitality renovation company. Her responsibilities with Wolgast include soliciting and securing bidders, interpreting plans and specs, and performing quantity and material take offs. Originally from Bay City, she has recently returned to the area from Metro Detroit.

Daniel M. Blossom, who also resides in Bay City, has joined Wolgast as a field manager in the firm's Construction Management Division.

He has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry and most recently was the installation supervisor for a scenic door installation company. Blossom is IIRC Water Restoration Certified and also certified in all aspects of window and door installation and flashing techniques.

As a field manager for Wolgast's Construction Management projects, Blossom is responsible for onsite construction activities and overseeing that work is done safely, on time, and correctly. Originally from Vassar, Blossom is a member of the Michigan State Fire Fighters Association, as well as a state licensed first responder.

Larry A. DeBagio has joined Wolgast as a field manager in the firm's Construction Management Division. DeBagio is a seasoned construction professional bringing 30 years of experience as a construction superintendent. For Wolgast, he will be on the job site supervising construction activities for safety, accuracy, and efficiency. He is from Luna Pier, Michigan, and is currently overseeing construction at Lincoln Consolidated Schools.

These additions will further allow Wolgast to effectively serve its clients' diverse construction requirements.
US Vice President Mike Pence (L) speaks as US President Donald J. Trump (R) and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force listen during declaration a national emergency due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, DC, United States on March 13, 2020.

The White House is taking new precautions to prevent the virus from spreading to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, according to a statement from Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere.

"Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President," Deere said.

The temperature checks are also being given to members of the press. A member of the White House health team took the temperatures of reporters gathered for a briefing with Pence on Saturday, and one member of the press was turned away because his temperature was too high.

Trump said Friday that he will not be taking precautionary measures despite having close contact at Mar-a-Lago with a Brazilian official who has tested positive for the virus. He said Saturday that he took a test and that the results are pending. He does not know when the results will be ready.

The president said he is currently not experiencing symptoms from the virus and has been consulting with White House doctors.
New Delhi, March 14 : Moments after the Central government on Saturday notified coronavirus (Covid-19) as a 'disaster' and announced to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased, the government reissued a fresh "modified order" with no mention of any ex-gratia compensation.

The earlier order read, "Rs 4 lakh for deceased person including those involved in relief operations or associated in response activities, subject to certification regarding the cause of death from an appropriate authority." In the updated order, which has been "partially modified", there is no mention of any such compensation.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter to the states and Union Territories also stated: "Keeping in view the spread of Covid-19 in India and the declaration of it as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the Central government has decided to treat it as a notified disaster and announced to provide assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)." Earlier, the Centre also said that the cost of hospitalisation for Covid-19 patients would be at the rates fixed by the state governments. The state government can use SDRF fund for providing temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care to people sheltered in quarantine facilities, other than home quarantine, or for cluster containment operations.

The state executive committee will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons admitted to such camps.

"The period can be extended by the committee beyond the prescribed limit subject to condition that expenditure on this account should not exceed 25 per cent of SDRF allocation for the year," the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.

The cost of consumables for sample collection would be taken from the funds, which can be used to support for checking, screening and contact tracing.

Further, funds can also be withdrawn for setting up additional testing laboratories within the government set up. The state has also to bear the cost of personal protection equipment for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities.

Further, SDRF money can also be used for procuring thermal scanners and ventilation and other necessary equipment.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 72F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 49F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
The 2020-spec F1 cars have "so much more grip" than their 2019 predecessors, according to Haas driver Kevin Magnussen.

As it stands, following the likely postponement of every grand prix until at least June due to the coronavirus crisis, the cars may not actually be seen in anger at all this year.

Some are suggesting that F1 may ultimately decide to postpone the all-new 2021 regulations until 2022, so that the teams do not waste the resources they have ploughed into the new cars.

Magnussen says testing the 2020-spec cars in Barcelona was "very cool".

"I don't know if it's good or bad, but the track records will be smashed everywhere," the Dane told BT newspaper.

"I was flat in turn 9 on the second lap, but I only managed that once in 2019 when the wind and everything else was just right," he revealed.

"And this year it was with a half-full tank and not the softest tyres. The new cars just have so much more grip."

However, he said the new cars are so fast that an unusual driving style is required to get the most out of them.

"You don't really control the car anymore, you just turn in, and then under or over-drive the car," Magnussen explained.

"You can't do much. It's not like the good old days when you went off the gas, slowed down, went down the gears, handled the corner and then started to get on the gas again," he said. "Back then, you 'drove' the car to a greater extent.

"Now you come up to the corner, turn the steering wheel and that's it. So it's clearly something different than before. It feels more like a plane than a racing car."

(GMM)
Premier Brian Pallister needs to go back to school  if not for a nutritious meal, then perhaps to get an education on the realities of living with poverty.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister needs to go back to school  if not for a nutritious meal, then perhaps to get an education on the realities of living with poverty.

John Woods / The Canadian Press files Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister

The premier touched off a firestorm last week when he rejected calls from the Opposition NDP and the Manitoba Teachers Society for a free, universal school breakfast program for Manitoba students.

"If children are going to school hungry, then parents arent fulfilling their responsibilities," the premier declared. "Families first, Madam Speaker  not state-funded cafeteria meals."

In placing the blame on impoverished parents, Mr. Pallister is playing politics with hungry kids. He warned that feeding kids at school would have the "unintended consequence" of depriving children of family time at the table.

The premiers remarks are at best illogical, and at worst cruel. They suggest a lack of understanding and compassion from a man who has claimed poverty is the No. 1 issue in Manitoba, and yet today finds himself the leader of the province with the highest rate of child poverty in Canada, at 27.9 per cent.

Mr. Pallister should know better than to suggest parents mired in poverty can prevent their children from going hungry simply by buckling down and hoisting themselves up by their bootstraps.

Mr. Pallister should know better than to suggest parents mired in poverty can prevent their children from going hungry simply by buckling down and hoisting themselves up by their bootstraps. The circumstances of poverty can make it impossible for even the most caring parents to ensure their kids arrive at school with full stomachs.

Studies have shown that feeding children in school improves the health and overall performance of students, along with easing the burden on hard-pressed families and making it easier for kids and parents to spend time together. School is the main place where a society can affect the lives of children in need.

The sad reality is Canada and Manitoba have earned failing grades when it comes to combating hunger in schools. Canada is the only member of the G7 group of countries that does not have a national program to ensure all students from kindergarten to Grade 12 have access to healthy food in school.

A 2017 UNICEF report rated Canada 37th out of 41 high-income countries on providing access to nutritious food for children. It called for the creation of a national school-food program, because kids cant learn on empty stomachs.

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In Manitoba, teachers often dig into their own pockets to buy food for hungry students. Some schools are lucky enough to have wealthy benefactors who subsidize school breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

The non-profit Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba is forced to hold fundraisers  such as the Stone Soup culinary contest earlier this week  to help feed kids. In 2018-19, the council provided just over $1 million to 271 Manitoba school nutrition programs, serving more than 4.8 million meals and snacks to 30,500 students.

Those teachers and philanthropists and charities deserve our admiration, but the fact they are required to foot the bill to feed hungry students is nothing less than a disgrace.

Currently, Canada has a patchwork of programs serving only a fraction of students. In its March 2019 budget, the federal government promised to "work with provinces and territories toward the creation of a national school food program." To date, little progress has been made.

The bottom line is this: children are hungry right now and, unlike Mr. Pallister, cant wait for some magical transformation that will suddenly bless poor parents with the ability to feed their kids.

The provincial and federal governments need to agree on a plan to feed hungry kids in schools. Thats a lesson that any politician with a full stomach should be able to understand.
Though Alabamas K-12 public schools are technically open until Thursday, parents who choose to keep their kids home from school beginning Monday can do so. The absences will be excused.

That news came from Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey this morning in a memo to local superintendents statewide.

Under this state of emergency, please excuse any students who are absent from school Monday, March 16, 2020 through Wednesday, March 18, 2020 . Expecting high absenteeism, we will be seeking a waiver on attendance for these days for accountability reasons, Mackey wrote in the memo.

All K-12 public schools in Alabama will close at the end of Wednesday, March 18, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday during a press conference in Montgomery. Schools could re-open on April 6, depending on the situation at that time.

The decision affects more than 720,000 students in 1,400 schools statewide.

That gives parents three days extra to begin working on and thinking about child care, Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said. We didnt want to do something that was too quick because we know parents need some time to make those decisions for their children. Mackey said during the last week of March, the statewide task force will re-evaluate whats happening at that time before re-opening schools.
In conjunction with Governor Larry Hogans declaration of actions to be taken in response to the spread of COVID-19, the City of Frederick has declared a State of Emergency in the City today and will be adjusting and adapting City operations accordingly. As a department of the City of Frederick, the Weinberg Center will be closed for the next two weeks and all performances during that time will be postponed.

We continue to closely monitor and evaluate developments and will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state and local health government authorities. At this time performances at the theater through April 1st are officially postponed. As this is an evolving situation, performances after that date will be determined based on information and guidance from the previously mentioned authorities.

Currently, the Weinberg Center is working with the performers to reschedule these upcoming events to a later date. Ticket holders should keep their tickets and the Weinberg Center will be in touch in the next 7-14 days with more information on the status of these events. All ticket holders for postponed or cancelled events will be notified via email regarding their show once the Weinberg Center knows whether the event can be moved to another date, or if the event will have to be cancelled.

This City of Frederick and the Weinberg Center want to thank the community for their patience and understanding during this emergency and look forward to welcoming back their patrons once this health crisis is over.

ABOUT THE WEINBERG CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Weinberg Center for the Arts is one of the regions premier performing arts presenters, offering film, music, dance, theater, and family-focused programming. Located in the historic Tivoli movie theater in downtown Frederick Maryland, the Weinberg Center strives to ensure that the arts remain accessible and affordable to local and regional audiences alike. Weinberg Center events are made possible with major support from the City of Frederick, the Maryland State Arts Council, Plamondon Hospitality Partners, and other corporate and individual donors.
As a working mother of three, Myleene Klass certainly knows the value of keeping calm under pressure.

And the star, 41, told fans she'd help them relax amid the coronavirus pandemic by playing calm music on her Smooth Radio show on Saturday.

Myleene put on a very busty display in a plunging black top as she shared a sultry Instagram shot which she captioned: 'Have come into @smoothradio studios to play you some relaxing music....think we could all def do with it right now.' (sic).

Bosom pal: Myleene Klass, 41, put on a very busty display in a plunging black top as she told fans she would play them music to help them relax in a sultry Instagram snap on Saturday

Keep calm: Myleene empathised with the public over current Coronavirus panic and played tranquil tunes to help listeners unwind

Myleene, who has been a Smooth Radio host since 2014, looked sexy yet serene with her chestnut ombre locks falling around her shoulders in tousled waves.

The television personality cut a stylish figure in a mint green bomber jacket and turned up blue jeans as she arrived at Smooth Radio's central London HQ.

Myleene tied a back-up denim shirt around her slender waist and completed her weekend look with a pair of spotless white trainers, a statement gold watch and a bold red lip.

Cool: The television personality cut a stylish figure in a mint green bomber jacket and turned up blue jeans as she arrived at Smooth Radio's central London HQ

Bling: The brunette beauty added a touch of bling to her ensemble with a Carrie Bradshaw-esque gold necklace bearing the star's her nickname 'Leenie' on it

Classic: Myleene, who has been a Smooth Radio host since 2014, looked sexy yet serene with her chestnut ombre locks falling around her shoulders in tousled waves

The brunette beauty added a touch of bling to her ensemble with a Carrie Bradshaw-esque gold necklace bearing the star's nickname 'Leenie' on it.

The Loose Women panelist shares two daughters Ava, 12, and Hero, eight with ex-husband Graham Quinn and son Apollo, who Myleene shares with partner Simon Motson.

Earlier this week, Myleene shared a video of herself playing piano with Apollo, who is now seven months old.

Sweet moments: Earlier this week, Myleene shared a video of herself playing piano with her baby son, Apollo, who is now seven months old

Calling him her 'Mini Mozart', the little tot was delighted to be tinkling the ivories with his mother, who is a classically trained pianist.

Little Apollo was rather taken with looking at his reflection in the piano's glossy paint finish.

Myleene wrote: 'When your own reflection is just too damn pretty and you can't concentrate on the keys.'

But he soon tired of all that and soon giggled as he shut down the lid, much to his mother's amusement.

She then wrote: 'Ok, my bf's laughing at me and my posts cause I think Snoop is mini Mozart.'

The next morning, she shared an adorable picture of her little boy having a snooze and wrote: 'Someone was up raving most of last night. Mid morning nap for both of us before work.'
New Delhi/Jammu, March 14 : A National Investigation Agency court on Saturday charged Yasin Malik, chief of banned terror outfit Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and six others involved in the killing of four unarmed Indian Air Force officers in Kashmir in 1990.

The court in Jammu said that prima facia there was enough evidence to prosecute all of them.

Special NIA judge Subhash Gupta said the court was of the certain view that sufficient grounds exist for drawing presumption that the accused Yasin Malik, Ali Mohammad Mir, Manzoor Ahmed Sofi alias Mushtafa, Javed Ahmed Mir alias Nalka, Nana ji alias Saleem, Javed Ahmed Zarger and Shoukat Ahmed Bakshi, prima facie have committed acts of terror.

Malik and his aides have been charged with attempt to murder, murder, criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of arms and acts of terror, under several sections of TADA and Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), the erstwhile state of J&K's own law.

The charges were framed against each of them separately for the delineated offences. The judge directed the jail superintendents to produce Yasin Malik and Showkat Ahmed Bakshi, through video conferencing on March 16.
GRANTS PASS, Ore.  A young man who was arrested in the summer of 2019 after two separate shootings has now been convicted on charges that include attempted murder, according to the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS).

The drive-by shootings happened last July. The first one was at Parkway Christian Center on Beacon Drive, and the second just a few days later at Johnston Dental Care on Hawthorne Avenue.

Investigators said at the time that someone had been hit during the Johnston Dental shooting, though the injuries were not serious.

"At the time of the reports, there was very little information and no suspect leads," GPDPS said.

Police: Shootings at Grants Pass dental office and church likely linked (2019)

It took an extensive investigation and "working around the clock" for detectives identified 26-year-old Joshua Ashley. A probable cause statement filed by officers said that Ashley had been driving his mother's Honda CRV during the dental office shooting, and took alternate routes before eventually returning to his home.

"With the combined efforts of officers, detectives, administrators, SWAT and CNT, Ashley was arrested on July 26, 2019," GPDPS said.

Ashley's trial started this week. On Friday a jury convicted him on charges of Attempted Murder with a Firearm, two counts of Unlawful Use of Weapong with a Firearm, and Attempted Assault in the First Degree with a Firearm.

"We hope this conviction helps bring closure to the victims and all those affected by these incidents," GPDPS concluded.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge.
Lufthansa Airlines Boeing 747-8 lands at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on March 13, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Kamil Krzacynski)

Airlines are reeling from a plunge in bookings and traffic, as the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic prompts travel restrictions and event cancellations around the world.

The three largest US airlines - Delta Air Lines American Air Lines and United Airlines - have sound balance sheets but are raising alarm bells with government officials about potentially having to furlough tens of thousands of employees.

The conversations are in the early stages and no specific proposals have been exchanged, people said.

In Europe, the situation is more dire.

Heavily indebted Norwegian Air said it had "weeks not months" to avert collapse.

KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France-KLM, plans to slash up to 2,000 jobs, cut working hours by one-third for its entire staff and ask for government support.

German flagship carrier Lufthansa also said on Friday it was considering a request for state aid.

In a Friday message to staff entitled "the survival of British Airways," Chief Executive Alex Cruz said jobs would be cut "perhaps for a short period, perhaps longer-term." Talks have begun with unions, he said.

Airlines have significantly slashed their flying schedules, parked jets, frozen hiring and suspended investments and share buybacks, with many executives forgoing or reducing their salaries in an effort to save costs.

In the United States, Delta CEO Ed Bastian told employees in a memo that "the speed of the demand fall-off is unlike anything we've seen."

US airlines and their trade association met with senior White House aides on Thursday to discuss the mounting crisis, three people briefed on the matter said.

"We will be helping the airline industry if we have to," US President Donald Trump said on Friday. "So far people haven't been asking but if they should be asking we want to make sure our airlines are very strong."

France and Germany have also said they stand ready to help their carriers.

Delta's Bastian was "optimistic" about receiving US government support but said the "form and value is unpredictable."

Delta, United and American have all raised capital in recent weeks, even as share prices have fallen by between 40 per cent and 56 per cent over the past month.

Alexandre de Juniac, head of global industry body IATA, told Reuters revenue losses internationally would be probably more than the US$113 billion the group forecast a week ago, before the Trump administration's announcement of US travel curbs on much of continental Europe.
View of empty shelves at a supermarket as people began stockpiling food in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark announced on Friday it would shut its borders to most foreign visitors for a month from Saturday, in a move unprecedented in peacetime as part of efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.

The restrictions will come into force at 12 pm (1100 GMT) on Saturday and continue until at least April 13, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a news conference.

"All tourists, all travel, all vacations, and all foreigners who cannot demonstrate a credible reason to enter Denmark will be denied entrance at the Danish border," Frederiksen said.

Danish citizens and foreigners working in Denmark will still be free to enter and leave the country. The transport of goods, including foods, medicine and industry supplies, will also not be affected, she said.

The country of 5.7 million people has reported 801 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far and no deaths.

Large swathes of Denmark have been in lockdown since Thursday after the government shut all schools and universities and sent home all public sector workers with non-critical jobs in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

The government has notified neighbouring countries Germany, Norway and Sweden as well as the European Commission, Frederiksen said, adding that authorities would need a few days to fully establish the border controls.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Nikolaj Skydsgaard; Editing by Gareth Jones)
MEDIA  While a steady line of customers moved through the Wawa on Baltimore Pike in Media on Friday, the crowd was quieter than a normal lunchtime.

The effects of multiple schools and businesses closing reduced the crowd but it was still brisk. To support those customers officials from the company committed to remaining open as long as possible despite the ripples the coronavirus has had on the Delaware Valley.

I want to assure you Wawa is committed to being there for our customers, especially when they need us the most, said Chris Gheysens president & CEO of Wawa, in a press release Friday. We recognize that things are changing rapidly now. But please know one thing, We will do our best to be there for those that need us, when they need us, as long as we can.

Our 41 stores in Delaware County and the 51 stores in Montgomery County are open and serving the community as officials said retailers with food and fuel can remain open, wrote Wawa spokeswoman Lori Bruce in an email Friday. We will always continue to monitor all of the potential impacts to our local communities. Wawa has had a dedicated Incident Response team in place to do that and we are continuing to monitor all recommended precautions from state and local officials and plan and prepare for any impact to our stores and supply chain.

Bruce said the company will increase the frequency of cleaning surfaces and areas of the store that have high contact. Bruce said the company is sourcing hand sanitizer, which has been in high demand, to make it available for customer use in their stores.

Wawa is partnering with the Red Cross to provide customers and staff with health and safety tips anyone can use to limit the spread of any virus or infection. The tip sheets are available in all stores and at wawa.com.

Gheysens said Wawa will support its employees with enhanced paid time off policies for more flexibility and support.

Gheysens pointed out that is an anchor for the community serving, numerous communities and first responders, especially in times of need.

Since the beginning of this COVID-19 impact, our teams have been working around the clock to make sure that every one of our stores is stocked, sanitized and staffed, Gheysens said.  We have remained in contact with state and local health agencies to monitor developments and receive guidance.
The queues of traffic either side of the Town Hall, coming onto Main Street Bray from Vevay and Killarney Roads

Northbound traffic could be diverted away from the main street in Bray to Herbert Road, under a scheme approved by the NTA.

At a meeting last week between council officials and the NTA, funding approval was given to go ahead with a traffic management scheme that aims to reduce north bound traffic on Bray Main Street.

The scheme would allow for increased priority for buses, district engineer Liam Bourke told members of Bray Municipal District.

The work entails new signing and new and modified signalling, including bus detection, with only minor civil works.

Through traffic northbound will be discouraged and diverted to the Herbert Road.

The engineer said that the proposal is considered essential in preparation of the opening of the new Bray Town Centre, which will generate additional town centre traffic.

He said that the Killarney Road and Vevay Road Cycle Scheme has been on hold for the last few years over concerns by the NTA on related town centre traffic issues.

'In view of the agreement to advance with the Bray Bus Priority & Congestion Mitigation Scheme, the NTA have agreed to the council proceeding with the detailed design of these schemes,' said Mr Bourke.

He said that the scheme doesn't mean that all traffic would be diverted onto Herbert Road.

'That is not going to work,' said Cllr Joe Behan. 'Some outside agency is telling us what we have to do with our town,' he said. 'And buses will determine everything in the town centre

'We have been waiting years for a car park in the town centre,' he said, adding 'anyone who wants to get to Dublin from the other side of the town will be diverted through what are primarily residential areas.' He said that there would be uproar among residents. 'They are already complaining of the speed of traffic despite the fact that we reduced the speed limit,' he said.

'I don't know how far along this project is but I am demanding that we have a say,' said Cllr Behan.

Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy agreed that the plans have to come to the members. 'I welcome it being looked at,' she said. 'People bringing children to schools on the Vevay Road area are experiencing near misses and it really needs to be looked at,' she said. 'There are concerns regarding where the traffic will go but at the moment there is a risk of losing a life.'

Cllr Erika Doyle asked for clarity on what route the diversion would take. 'While we want to encourage more people on buses, obviously there would be a huge reaction from residents to pushing a problem from one are to another,' she said. 'There are already tailbacks on Herbert road.'

Cllr Doyle said that she is on the parents committee for st Cronan's school. She said that the traffic on the Vevay is very dangerous with people parking and so on. She said that there are a handful of parking spaces in the area and asked if their possible removal could be investigated. She also asked if the cycle scheme design is segregated. 'If not then it will be parked on, so probably pointless.' The engineer said that the NTA are prepared now to invest more into getting the space required for segregated lanes.

'We have ourselves been anxious to progress the Vevay and Killarney Road schemes for a long time,' he said. 'The triangle at the Town Hall was always contentious. The scheme has been on hold for a long time. We could have progressed from Church Road on. The NTA said the whole lot had to be done.' Various models had been looked at which were not feasible.

He said that there will be public consultation regarding the diversion of traffic, and before that they need to gather more information regarding traffic flows in the area.
The Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP-led government for hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel and accused it of indulging in profiteering at a time when international prices of crude oil were at an all-time low.

The party demanded that the benefit of reduced prices should be passed on to the people and petrol and diesel prices should be reduced by about 40 per cent. It also said that petroleum products should be brought under the GST.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Ajay Maken said the government has increased excise and duty on petrol and diesel by a steep Rs 3 per litre "to garner about Rs 39,000 crore." He said there also has been an increase in on-road cess on petrol and diesel.

Maken said the government has earned a profit of Rs 3.4 lakh crore by not passing the benefits of reduced oil prices to consumers.

He said that in dollar terms, the international crude oil prices were down to the level of June-July 2004 when the petrol, diesel and LPG were available at Rs 35.71 and Rs 22.74 respectively and cylinder was available at Rs 281.60.

"For the last six years, the government and oil marketing companies have been making huge windfall gains amounting to lakhs of crores per year. The BJP government has looted more than Rs 16 lakh crore in the last five years by charging exorbitant taxes on petrol-diesel. Adding Rs 3.4 lakh crore, the BJP government in total would have made a profit of Rs 20 lakh crore," said Maken.

He said the government must pass this benefit of low crude rates and immediately reduce prices of petrol, diesel and LPG and prices should be brought back to the level of June-July 2004 when crude was at around USD 35 USD per barrel.

Maken said the total excise duty on petrol has risen to Rs 22.98 per litre and that on diesel to Rs 18.83.

"The tax on petrol was Rs 9.48 per litre when the Modi government took office in 2014 and that on diesel was Rs 3.56 a litre. The central excise duty has been hiked more than a dozen times since BJP came to power. Excise duty has been increased by 149.78 per cent on petrol and 444.22 per cent on diesel by Modi Govt since May 2014 as excise duty on petrol and diesel was Rs 9.2 per litre and Rs 3.46 per litre in May 2014," he said.

Accusing the government of "looting" people, he said the government has not brought petrol and diesel under GST.

"The benefit of reduced international crude oil prices should be forwarded to the people and the rates of petrol-diesel-LPG gas be reduced by at least 35-40 per cent. Petrol and diesel should be brought under the GST.

The hike in excise duty, customs duty effected by the Modi government since May 2014 on petroleum products should be withdrawn until it is brought under the GST regime, Maken said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four persons admitted to a government run hospital Nagpur for suspected coronavirus went home despite requests from hospital staff not to do so

Nagpur: Four city-based persons, who were kept in an isolation ward at a government-run hospital in Nagpur for suspected coronavirus infection, returned home even as the hospital staff "requested" them against doing so as their test results were awaited, officials said on Saturday.

The incident occurred late on Friday night at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH), they said. However, three of them got admitted to the hospital this afternoon again and the fourth one is expected to come back after the authorities instructed them to do so.

"Four persons, including two women, had come to the IGGMCH on Friday morning to give their blood samples for suspected coronavirus infection. They were kept in the isolation ward. They left the hospital on their own, although the doctors and other medical staff had requested them not to do so as their test results were awaited," Nagpur district collector Ravindra Thakre said in a press conference.

"Two of them are close contacts of those found positive for coronavirus in Nagpur earlier. Two others had recently travelled to Thailand and Netherlands," he added. None of the four showed symptoms of coronavirus infection and their result is expected in the afternoon, Thakre said.

Follow LIVE updates of Coronavirus outbreak in India

"After they went home last night, they were contacted and asked to return to the hospital. Three of them have come back and he fourth one is expected to return soon," he said. Earlier in the day, the police had said that the four patients had returned home without informing the hospital authorities.

Three persons have been found positive for coronavirus in Nagpur so far. While one of them is undergoing treatment at the IGGMCH, other two have been kept in the isolation ward at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). "The health condition of the three coronavirus positive patients is stable," he said.
Governments and police across India are busy tracking people who slipped out of isolation wards or evaded screening for the novel coronavirus infection, which has claimed two lives in India.

Such incidents pose a massive public health risk because of the possibility of mass transit systems, or big gatherings getting exposed to the virus. India has 84 confirmed cases as of Saturday evening.

The latest case was reported from Jharkhands Koderma district, where the health department has sounded a lookout for a 30-year-old man, who is absconding after being asked by doctors to be screened at the hospital on March 13. The man had returned from a Gulf country in February. The district health department didnt find him at his registered address, and have now asked the police for trace him.

In Maharashtras Nagpur city, five people suspected of being infected with the virus escaped from a hospital but were traced later by the police. The five people escaped from the isolation ward of Mayo General Hospital late on Friday.

One of them had tested negative, reports of four others were awaited. We have traced them and they will be brought back to the hospital by the administration, S Suryavanshi, the sub-inspector of Nagpur police station, said.

In Kerala, two foreigners who slipped out of Alappuzha medical college hospital on Friday after doctors advised them to take COVID-19 tests and get quarantined were located later in Cochin international airport and quarantined, police said.

The couple from the United States, now settled in London, had reached Kochi on March 9 and moved to Alappuzha on March 12. One of them later developed Diarrhoea and other complications and came to the medical college hospital for a checkup.

In the hospital, they were advised to go to the virology hospital and told to get quarantined. Hospital authorities said they walked out of the premises under the guise of making some phone calls and vanished.

Another such incident was reported from Thiruvananthapuram, where a resident of Haryana ran away from the medical college after he was advised to get admitted to the isolation ward on Friday. He was subsequently located in a hotel and quarantined in a hospital.
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Linkedin Lies Marcoes (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 09:35 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a87e60 3 Opinion Nahdlatul-ulama,middle-class,research,urban,Salafism,workers,Islam Free

In the old days, as far as you could see the rice fields, that area was all NU [Nahdlatul Ulama] territory. But now, along with the shrinking rice fields, the only ones who study and worship in NU style are in the outlying areas, or those that are well established and want to preserve the memories of their home villages. Meanwhile, most workers follow the Salafi style in Quran studies and worship.

This hypothesis of one of our fellow researchers clearly needs to be tested, but recent research findings by Rumah KitaB that women laborers in Karawang and Bekasi in West Java are very active in Salafi pengajian (religious study groups) seem to confirm this statement. NU is Indonesias largest Islamic organization, known for its moderate teachings and practices, while Salafi is known for a more rigid understanding of Islam.

Three Rumah KitaB researchers have been observing industrial areas since January, taking the daily pulse of women working in local large factories. They observed how these women workers or former workers defined their lives: the effect of the industrial era and industrial area on their socioeconomic life and their existence as women; and whether any sense of restriction is caused by increasingly rigid religious views, or by attitudes that are more intolerant of women. The researchers are still exploring the answers, but there are some intriguing indications.

One researcher reported that almost all the religious study groups attended by the women workers were kajian sunnah Salafi. This refers to study groups following the Salafi belief that the only authentic Islamic teachings are those derived from the Salafi era  the time closest to the life of the Prophet Muhammad. We therefore refer to them as fundamentalists.

On Mondays through Sundays, dozens of these kajian sunnah are found in mosques in housing complexes and in company mosques. In the areas studied, the busiest time for these sessions is Saturday, when 17 groups meet in one industrial area.

Our researchers collect posters of the sessions which listed the topics under study. Most discuss tauhid, the principles of strict monotheism. Various terms translate these principles considered as central to pure tauhid. Phrases such as fear of bidah or heretical practices and rituals, never be a musyrik or someone who worships anything other than God, or must use a clear reference, signal their utmost caution and rigidity in practicing Islam. As Salafis, they clearly believe the most correct religious teachings are the ones they consider most authentic. And this is where their intolerance shows.

Their sessions are deadly serious; with almost no joking around, unlike scenes in womens religious study groups often shown on television, which are full of joyous laughter, typical of cultural religious study sessions in NU circles.

Another theme of the Salafi study groups relates to correct practices of daily worship: the right way to perform ablutions, the right way to pray, to dress, to raise a family, and so on. Naturally, it is studies on women that are presented most often, including the obligation to wear a full body covering (jilbab syari) plus hijab.

Through their mobile phones, the women can access and select various study themes. And in every study activity, they diligently pay attention, take notes, and ask questions on slips of paper.

So why is the NU style of study and worship no longer suitable for the urban working class in these former NU strongholds? Why has the NU model of pengajian been pushed into the outlying areas? The working class seems very keen on the sunna style of study because it gives them definite answers: lawful or unlawful, you may do this, you must not do that.

Their lives as workers follow the rhythm of working life, measured in minutes and hours. This instant type of study seems to fit with their rhythm as urban dwellers with drained energy. They are only interested in definite answers and no longer have time to follow the NU model of study, which provides alternatives. As newcomers from villages, not all of whom are familiar with the pesantren (Islamic boarding school) tradition, they are uninterested in a traditional model of study that discusses the classical texts word by word. They need answers directly relevant to their current lives as city dwellers who need something to hold onto in a life full of gray areas.

This situation is clearly different from when they lived in the villages, where life is regulated by the farming seasons, the rhythms of the five daily prayers, and participation in pengajian as a customary communal activity.

Historically, the NU founders aimed to maintain the traditions upheld by the rural agrarian poor. But these poor people have now moved to the cities, following the loss of their rice fields and economic resources in the villages. They have become the urban poor who no longer depend on agriculture but instead on industry.

Has this change been captured not by NU but instead by proponents of the Salafi? Some Salafi consider politics as bidah (heresy); consequently workers are forbidden to rally even for their own rights and interests. And this is perhaps why business owners cultivate them, or at least tolerate them.

The hardships faced by poor families and women workers in urban areas mean they seek a way out to improve their lives. The working class struggle cannot be constantly denied in the name of maintaining stability. And just like in the villages when the poor had to face landlords or high prices of production inputs, NU should be present among the urban working class and defend them when they face disadvantageous labor regulations.

The shift of the interest of many workers, especially women, to Salafi-style pengajian should not be seen as a simple individual preference of any available stream of Islam; since the nature of Salafi teachings, which emphasize the superiority of their group and their sense of being the most authentic in practicing Islam, is the root of intolerant religious attitudes.

And everyone knows that intolerance never leads to anything good in the life of a pluralistic society like Indonesias.

______

Expert on Islam and gender; director of Rumah Kita Bersama (Rumah KitaB), research center on gender and marginalized groups. The following is based on the writers article in rumahkitab.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Cardinal Mercier had become a hero to the world for his defense of Belgium during its sufferings after the German invasion.

Cardinal Desire-Joseph Mercier

1851-1926

On September 10, 1919, General Pershing led his returning troops up Fifth Avenue before crowds numbering two million. In front of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, he dismounted from his rambunctious white horse "Captain" to greet Cardinal Mercier, who had arrived in New York by ship the night before. The General made a point of expressing his esteem for the Belgian prelate. Perhaps the name Mercier means little to many today, but over the course of several weeks, he received an unprecedented series of welcomes in the United States, excelling even the welcome tour of Lafayette in 1824-1825.

Cardinal Mercier had become a hero to the world for his defense of Belgium during its sufferings after the German invasion. It is edifying to read on the Internet the account of the celebrations in America recorded by Father Thomas C. Brennan. In it, he describes the prelate addressing Protestant leaders in English, rabbis in Hebrew, and academics in a Latin more fluent than their own, as they bestowed honorary laurels upon him.

This archbishop led a revival in studies of Thomas Aquinas, but more than that, he was an image of moral integrity, a cardinal honored more for himself than for his title. The response to the Donatist heresy established with certainty, through the articulation of such as Saint Augustine, that the personal attributes of a cleric do not affect the legitimacy of his priestly acts: the sacraments of a weak bishop can confer the same grace as those of a saint. But the moral integrity of a cleric empowers his encouragement of souls. Weak leaders and their bromide-churning bureaucracies have scant moral influence.

Cardinal Mercier had a zeal that issued from a love of doctrinal truth. In the wartime chaos of 1917, he told his priests not to tell their people to love if they could not explain the theology that justifies love. He gave a practical formula for happiness:

"Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to the things of sense and your ears to all the noises of the world, in order to enter into yourself. Then, in the sanctity of your baptized soul (which is the temple of the Holy Spirit), speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to Him:

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do. Give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your Will.

If you do this, your life will flow along happily, serenely, and full of consolation, even in the midst of trials. Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you strength to carry it, and you will arrive at the Gate of Paradise laden with merit."

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Father George W. Rutler

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Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, has blasted those calling for the recently dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanu...





Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, has blasted those calling for the recently dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.





Since after his dethronement, there have been speculations that the erstwhile monarch may return to politics.





The former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, boss is seen by some as the best candidate to takeover from Buhari even though he officially does not belong to any political party.





However, Fani-Kayode wonders why the next President must come from the North, describing those making the call as accursed slaves.





Fani-Kayode tweeted, The kind of evil that some useful idiots and accursed slaves are wishing upon themselves with this SLS for 2023 thing baffles me. Must we be slaves to the north forever? Abi they don swear for una?





Sanusi, who was dethroned on Monday and banished to Nasarawa State few hours later, regained his freedom yesterday after an Abuja court ruled in his favour.








Syracuse, N.Y. A second Syracuse cafe has reduced its hours in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Roji Tea Lounge, located at 108 E. Washington St. in downtown Syracuse, announced Friday that the cafe would be scaling back to afternoons and evenings only five days a week.

Citing the safety of staff and customers, the tea lounge will now be open Wednesday to Sunday, from 3 to 11 p.m. The tea room had been open from 11 a.m. to midnight every day but Monday.

Read: At Roji Tea Lounge, youll forget youre downtown (nightlife review)

Additionally, Roji will no longer accept reusable mugs.

Rojis announcement comes after Peaks Coffee Company, located at 1200 E. Genesee St., announced that they would be scaling back the hours of its cafe to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as a result of decreased business amid coronavirus concerns.

Are you a restauranteur/food business owner being impacted by coronavirus? Share your story with us at jpucci@syracuse.com.

See our full coronavirus coverage

Jacob Pucci finds the best in food, dining and culture across Central New York. Contact him by email at jpucci@syracuse.com.

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The expression of the dancers, in their movements, really convey a lot of things, feelings and impressions, it's very, very, very well done! said classical pianist Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloe, after attending a Shen Yun performance at the Corum of Montpellier, on March 12, 2020. (NTD Television)

MONTPELLIER, FranceOn Thursday, March 12, 2020, audience members relished New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts fifth performance at the Corum in Montpellier.

That evening, among the spectators, was Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloea renowned Franco-Spanish pianistwho confided his joy at having been able to discover the show.

Award winner of the Toulouse and Paris Music Academies, Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloe has performed in numerous countries during his career. He has won prestigious international competitions, most notably in Barcelona, Paris, and Ourense.

An avid chamber music enthusiast, he has taught at the University of Hartford in Connecticut and has given masterclasses at the universities of Beirut and Taiwan, contributing to the training of many professional performers.

Although he now seldom performs on the music scene, Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloe continues to teach at the Basque Country Higher Music Centre Musikene in San Sebastian.

Shen Yun has a spiritual message

At the end of the performance on March 12, the concert musician wholeheartedly praised the performance of the Shen Yuns orchestra, saying it was excellent in every respect.

The Franco-Spanish pianist was particularly impressed by the blending of Western instruments and traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu or the pipa. This is very well done, said Ferrer-Laloe.

He also expressed his admiration for the dancers, as he highlighted the quality of their performance, their grace, and skills. The expression of the dancers, in their movements, really express a lot of things, feelings, and impressions, its very, very, very well done!

Beyond the beauty of the choreography and the technical ease of the companys artists, Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloe was particularly sensitive to the depth of the message delivered by Shen Yun, whose aim is to revive the 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture and to perpetuate the immutable link between art and the divine, which has long shaped the history of the Middle Kingdom.

There is a palpable message behind it, a spiritual message. This traditional aspect is also very important. Traditions must be preserved, says the former resident of the Soreze Abbey.

A spiritual dimension enshrined in a renewal allows the viewer to escape the torments of modernity, he said. Today, there is a welcomed reaction to the ambient materialism, said Ferrer-Laloe.

I believe that the aspiration of Art is precisely to convey messages, to convey peace, a transcendental vision of humanity and what it constitutes, continues the pianist.

In order to comply with the French governments decision to ban gatherings of more than 1,000 people due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the Shen Yun company doubled the number of performances planned at the Corum in Montpellier.

Five additional sessions were thus programmed to allow audience members who had booked tickets to attend the show they had been awaiting for months, resulting in the artists having to perform nine times within five days.

This effort made it possible to limit the number of spectators to 800 per performance and to comply with the public health measures in place. In this context, the endurance and dynamism of the companys artists did not fail to impress the pianist.

I find it remarkable that they were able to add shows that were not originally planned, and I think its great that they have the training and energy to double up because its obviously not easy, said Ferrer-Laloe.

Shen Yun, Its magical and its extraordinary

If the particularly rigorous training of Shen Yun artists allows them to carry out flips one after another and perform enchanting extensions, they also draw their inspiration from the practice of Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese cultivation discipline for the body and the mind aimed at raising ones moral character.

Focused on Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, the practice of Falun Gong grants Shen Yun performers harmony and a unique strength enabling them to sublimate the danced scenes on stages all over the world.

If they practice this meditation, if they practice this way of doing things, obviously, it is the best way to generate beneficial energy, so, they can give the maximum! enthused Emmanuel Ferrer-Laloe.

Enthralled by the show and the values carried by the companys artists, the concert performer is full of praise when recommending Shen Yun: Its wonderful! Its magical and extraordinary, with a lot of precision, a lot of finesse.

With reporting by NTD Television.

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 Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) on Saturday said its representatives met Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel and sought the Centre's intervention to revive the sector which has been hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

The industry is witnessing about 70-80 per cent cancellation in bookings following the coronavirus outbreak, according to the association.

"A complete GST holiday for tourism, travel and hospitality industry for the next 12 months till the time the recovery happens," TAAI president Jyoti Mayal told PTI, detailing the suggestions submitted to the minister on Friday.

The association urged the minister to provide funds from the MGNREGA scheme to support the salaries of employees in the industry.

The association also demanded six to nine months' moratorium on all principal and interest payments on loans and overdrafts, besides deferment of GST and advance tax payments.

They also asked the minister for removal of fees for any upcoming licenses, permits renewal, excise exemption for liquor for the hospitality and travel industry across the country.

The association also sought interest reduction or subvention on term loans and working capital loans.

Mayal said the industry apprehends large scale job loss owing to the restrictions from the outbreak.

Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, the umbrella body of the sector, has sought to meet the prime minister to apprise him of the situation, she added.

Almost 50 per cent of the annual business in the tourism sector takes place during this period, Mayal said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Retaliatory air strikes against militants in Iraq have destroyed five weapons depots, but the top US commander for the Middle East has acknowledged there are many similar sites the US has not hit because of potential civilian casualties and political sensitivities with the Iraqi government.

Marine General Frank McKenzie said the US decision to target the Iranian-backed Shiite militia group that killed American and British troops in a rocket attack this week sends a strong message to Iran and its proxies.

But he said that as the threat of continued attacks remains high and tensions with Iran have not gone down, the US is beefing up military assets in the region.

"What should now be obvious to everyone is you're not going to be able to fire those at a US or coalition base, hurt or kill our people, and escape unscathed," Gen McKenzie told Pentagon reporters.

He said the US has been aware of the weapons sites and knows where more are.

But it has exercised "restraint" in bombing them because in some cases the strikes would kill "a lot" of civilians.

He said the US works with the Iraqi military to take out the sites, but at times that does not work.

Kataib Hezbollah, the group the US blames for the Wednesday attack at Camp Taji base that killed two US service members and one Briton and wounded 14 other personnel, has not commented on the strikes, but another Iranian-backed group vowed revenge.

The tit-for-tat strikes potentially signal another cycle of violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out inside Iraq.

They threaten to hamper US negotiations with the Iraqi government to keep American troops in the country.

Iraq's military said three army commandos and two federal police officers were killed in the US strikes, and a Shiite official in the holy city of Karbala said one civilian in an under-construction airport complex was also killed.

Gen McKenzie said that the US had talked with the Iraq military and it knew the US attack was imminent.
Around 20,000 people are expected to go jobless after Nepal temporarily stopped issuing on-arrival tourist visas to all countries and put an end to all mountaineering expeditions for this season, in efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic, according to a media report on Saturday.

Nepal has so far reported only one case of and the infected person has already been treated.

Hundreds of climbers flock each year to Nepal, home to several of the world's highest mountains, including Mt. Everest, to scale the Himalayan peaks during the spring season that begins around March and ends in June.

The Nepal government on Thursday suspended on-arrival tourist visas to all countries, put an end to all spring mountaineering expeditions, including Everest ascents, and halted the issuance of labour permits to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Around 20,000 people, including tour, trekking and mountain guides, are expected to lose their jobs after the government's move, it said.

According to the Tourism Ministry data, there are 16,248 trekking and mountaineering guides and 4,126 tour guides in the country.

As per the annual World Travel and Tourism Council research report, Nepal's tourism sector generated Rs 240.7 billion in revenue and supported more than 1.05 million jobs directly and indirectly in the country in 2018.

We have estimated that around 1 million people in the mountain belt who make their living through the spending of foreign trekkers and mountaineers will suffer, said Nabin Trital, senior vice president of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal.

The Covid-19 outbreak globally had led to cancellations in hotel and travel bookings since February in the country.

There has been a flurry of booking cancellations since mid-February, but Thursday's decision has shaken the economy, said Bhai Krishna Khadka, senior vice-president of the Tourist Guides Association of Nepal.

But we expect that this will be a temporary restriction. We are hopeful that the tourists will return, Khadka said.

The hardest-hit sector will be Everest, where an entire economy, consisting of climbing guides, porters, hotels and lodges subsists on spring mountaineering, it said.

COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 5,000 lives and infected more than 134,000 people globally.
A New York State teachers union has called for the closure of all schools in counties with confirmed coronavirus cases, the union said in a statement Friday.

The request by New York State United Teachers would require schools in 14 counties and New York City to close on Monday.

The union said educators and social service agencies would have to adjust to still find ways to provide education, free meals, mental health services and other critical resources the schools provide.

Manlius Pebble Hill have closed in the Syracuse area, however, no public schools in Onondaga County have closed. Tompkins and Oneida counties have closed their public schools.

Earlier on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the 180-day instruction requirement for schools had been waived.

The decision to close schools has so far been left up to individual districts.

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The nomination of Amarendra Dhari Singh, a political greenhorn, by the RJD may have surprised many, but it seems to be a calculated move by party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to woo the upper castes, especially the powerful Bhumihar caste, that have been loyal to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP.

The opponents within the RJD and outside, however, attribute his nomination to some extraneous consideration instead of the new social engineering formula pursued lately by the party. But Lalus younger son and the partys chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Prasad Yadav termed the nomination of Amarendra Dhari Singh a befitting reply to critics who have been accusing the RJD of confining itself only to the Muslim-Yadav formula.

Ours is a party with plural social base. It is not a party with the support of Muslims-Yadavs alone, but the party belongs to people from A-to-Z. We respect and honour every section of the society and given appropriate representation to everyone, he said while announcing the names of Amarendra Dhari Singh and Premchand Gupta as the partys official Rajya Sabha nominees.

Tejashwi, however, said that this was in no way a dilution of the partys commitment to social justice and uplift of Backward Castes, EBCs and Dalits. He said that the RJD has reserved 45 per cent of its office-bearers to people belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) and indicated that the candidates for the next assembly elections due later this year would be chosen on the basis of this formula.

The choice of Amarendra Dhari Singh has come as a big surprise to many as he has been unknown in Bihars political circles. The fact that he is grandson of late CPN Singh, a freedom fighter and former governor, came into open only after he filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections.

An alumnus of St Michaels High School in Patna and Kirori Mal College in New Delhi, Singh owns a huge property at his ancestral place Emkhan and a house in New Delhis posh Defence Colony. According to the affidavit filed along with his nomination, Singh claims to own immovable property worth Rs 189 crore and moveable property worth Rs 50 crore and has paid income tax returns of Rs 24 crore in 2019-20.

He also owns apartments, offices and land in Mumbai, Haryana and Rajasthan. Reports also said he also ran a business of export and import of fertilizers.

This is not the first time that the RJD has given tickets to upper castes in the Rajya Sabha. In 2018, the RJD had nominated Delhi University Professor Manoj Jha and tried to reach out to people beyond the Muslim-Yadav combination. Jha is considered close to Tejashwi Yadav and it was viewed then that the young RJD leader was trying to pursue progressive politics and shed the anti-upper caste stigma by changing the discourse.

In the 2015 state assembly elections, the RJD had not given tickets to upper caste candidates except the son of senior party leader Shivanand Tiwary. The RJD has given party tickets to over 50 Yadav leaders besides more than two dozen Muslims. The Janata Dal (United), the then ally of the RJD, was asked to accommodate upper caste candidates from its quota of seats.

Ever since the fall of the Congress in 1990 in Bihar, the upper castes had shifted their loyalties to the BJP and the combination opposed to Lalu Prasad especially after implementation of the Mandal Commission report and the subsequent violent caste clashes.

Over a span of three years, the upper castes, which were considered the vote bank of the Congress, were placated by the BJP and Janata Dal-(U) combine led by Nitish Kumar as the Congress preferred to align with Lalu Prasad. The Janata Dal (U) leader also wooed the extremely backward castes (EBCs) by effecting a split among the social justice group, thereby weakening Lalu Prasad and consolidating his position by forging a winning social equation.

The RJD may have tried to shed its anti-upper caste tag, but its opposition to the 10 per cent quota for upper castes during a debate in Parliament is still haunting it. Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha has vehemently opposed the proposed legislation in the Upper House.

The nomination of Premchand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh has not only ruffled the feelings of the Grand Alliance partners, especially the Congress, but it has also left some senior party leaders like former union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Sharad Yadav sulking over denial of party nomination.

Raghuvansh had recently opposed the working style of the new state party president Jagadanand Singh and shot off a letter to party president Lalu Prasad on the issue. He raised the issue of delay in formation of state-level, district and panchayat level committees. It is said he paid the price for opposing the new state president.

Veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav, who had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Madhepura, was also lobbying for the Rajya Sabha nomination and had recently met RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad in Ranchi hospital.

The RJD has also slighted the Congress, which had been seeking one seat for actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha. The former Patna Sahib MP was trounced by BJPs Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress had claimed one seat on the grounds that the RJD leadership had promised it during seat-sharing talks ahead of the last Lok Sabha elections. The partys Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil had written an open letter to the RJD to fulfill its promise, but the letter was scoffed at as fake by the RJD leadership.

The BJP camp, too, witnessed opposition from the Kayashtha and Kushwaha community. While the Kayashthas are brooding over denial of nomination to sitting MP RK Sinha, the Kushwahas are angry over denial of Rajya Sabha nomination to Samrat Choudhary. It is learnt that Choudhary was not given the seat of his choice in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as it went to the Janata Dal (United) in seat-sharing. He was promised Rajya Sabha nomination this time but Vivek Thakur, the son of outgoing MP Dr CP Thakur, clinched the seat.

In the 243-member state assembly, the RJD has 79 MLAs, Congress has 26, CPI-ML has three and AIMIM has one MLA. The JD(U)-BJP-LJP combine have 127 seats in the state assembly. However, there will be no elections now as only five candidates are in the fray against the five vacant seats.

Though the RJD has tried to expand its social horizons, its acceptance among the upper castes will entirely depend on the number of seats its spares for them during ticket distribution before the crucial assembly polls.
It was an emotional meeting when NC president Farooq Abdullah met his son Omar Abdullah in the sub-jail in Srinagar where he has been under detention for over the last seven months.

Released on Friday after his detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was revoked, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah drove from his residence to nearby Hari Nivas where his son, also a former chief minister, has been held first under preventive custody since February 5 under the PSA. The two warmly embraced.

The 82-year-old leader had requested the Jammu and Kashmir authority for permission to see his son for the first time in seven months and the same was granted, officials said, adding that the two were together for about an hour. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and other leaders, including another chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, were detained on August 5 last year, the day the Centre withdrew special status of the erstwhile state.

Also read| My father is a free man again, writes Farooq Abdullahs daughter after govt revokes detention order

The National Conference (NC) president was booked under the PSA on September 15 while his son was booked hours before his six month tenure of preventive detention was to come to an end on February 5 this year.
Structural changes: Presidential candidate Joe Biden with his wife Jill during a speech in Philadelphia this week. Photo: Reuters

Former US vice president Joe Biden has named Jen O'Malley Dillon as his new campaign manager, a major shake-up that comes as the party's leading candidate plans an organisational expansion to prepare for the general election.

The move is intended to quell concerns raised in recent weeks by senior Democratic strategists about the leadership structure of the Biden campaign, which has been beset by underwhelming fundraising, scant staffing resources and organisational miscues during the early nominating contests.

"She will be a tremendous asset to a campaign that is only growing and getting stronger as we prepare to take the fight to Donald Trump this fall," Mr Biden said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

The campaign shuffle is an acknowledgment that while Mr Biden has had a remarkable recent run of victories - at least 15 of the past 21 contests - his operation was not up to the challenge posed by President Donald Trump if Mr Biden wins the nomination.

After Mr Biden performed well below expectations in the Iowa caucuses, Anita Dunn, a senior adviser who previously worked for president Barack Obama, took operational control of the campaign, sharing responsibilities with Mr Biden's original campaign manager, Greg Schultz.

Ms Dunn, who helped Mr Biden prepare for a possible 2016 run for president, will also continue with the campaign, returning to her role as a senior adviser to Mr Biden.

Mr Schultz, who prepared and built the Biden campaign and oversaw initial hiring and delegate strategy, will stay on in a new role. "I will value his continued input on this campaign," Mr Biden said in the announcement.

"I look forward to building out the Biden coalition and doing the necessary preparations for a possible general election and making sure we coordinate with the local, state, and national Democratic infrastructure," Mr Schultz said in a statement to 'The Washington Post'.

In the wake of multiple victories in Tuesday's presidential primary contests, Mr Biden's advisers acknowledged taking steps to expand virtually all parts of his shoestring campaign operation, from finance, field and communications departments to the senior leadership team, answering the concerns of senior Democrats who are bracing for a new wave of assaults from Trump.

"Jen is in a league of her own," said Guy Cecil, the chairman of Priorities USA, a super PAC that has committed to helping Mr Biden.

"She is smart, strategic and a terrific team builder. I can't imagine a better person to lead us into November."

Robby Mook, who managed Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, also praised the new leadership structure.

"She comes to this with all the different pieces of the tool kit," Mr Mook said of O'Malley Dillon. "The best campaign managers are talented and prepared, and she is coming with both."

He also favoured Mr Schultz's new role as one of the point people for co-ordinating with the Democratic National Committee.

"You want someone heading up that operation who has the deep trust of the candidate and of the inner circle," Mr Mook said.

"And you want someone with deep experience running the state operations, and Greg has both of those things."

Mr Biden's new campaign manager also has deep ties across the party.

Ms O'Malley Dillon (43) served as battleground states director for Mr Obama's 2008 campaign and deputy campaign manager for his 2012 re-election effort.

She was also executive director for the Democratic National Committee during his first term, putting her in the inner circle of Mr Obama's political advisers.

More recently, she helped to lead an early 2019 Democratic effort to create a new for-profit data exchange to allow for greater information sharing between Democratic campaigns and affiliated groups, an effort party leaders see as crucial for catching up with the Republican data programme.

Ms O'Malley Dillon later served as the presidential campaign manager for former congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, relocating to El Paso.

After Mr O'Rourke's campaign ended, she volunteered as a campaign adviser for Mr Biden before the Nevada caucuses, and then continued on as an informal adviser to senior Biden campaign officials in recent weeks.

Ms O'Malley Dillon will work out of the campaign's Philadelphia headquarters. ( Washington Post)
Freehold Raceway issued a revised statement on live racing and continued operations based on further discussion with local health officials late Friday evening, March 13.

Freehold Raceway has been advised that an individual, who has been in contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), was in attendance at the track on Saturday, March 7.

As of today, the individual who was in attendance at Freehold Raceway has not tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) but continues to be monitored.

In light of these circumstances Freehold Raceway has issued the following statement:

In the interest and health of our guests, horsemen/horsewomen and employees we have made the decision to close all operations at Freehold Raceway until all areas of our racing and grandstand buildings have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Live racing scheduled for March 13-14 and March 20-21 will be cancelled and no simulcasting will be conducted.

The Freehold Area Health Department is requesting that if you were present at the Freehold Raceway on March 7, 2020 you self-monitor or self-observe. The health department advises that Self-monitoring/observation means people should remain alert for subjective fever, cough, or difficulty breathing and if they feel feverish or develop cough or difficulty breathing during the self-observation period, they should take their temperature, and stay home. Please seek health advice (by telephone when possible).

Freehold Raceway is committed to continuing to adjust our efforts as directed by public health officials. In addition, the following items will be implemented going forward for guest safety:

 More frequent public restroom cleaning rotations

 Additional sanitation stations in high volume areas

 Increased sanitation of door handles and wagering devices

 Sanitation of menus after each guest use in all food and beverage venues

 Continued awareness amongst team members regarding cleanliness and sanitation, i.e. handwashing

 Additional carpet cleaning in high volume areas

(Freehold Raceway)
Drugs  Kelso police Friday arrested Jeremy Ray Bradfield, 41, of Longview on suspicion of a felony drug offense.

Firearm, trespassing  Cowlitz County sheriffs deputies Thursday arrested Nathan Samual James Coffee, 44, of Longview on suspicion of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree criminal trespassing.

Drugs, obstructing  Longview police Friday arrested Ivon Stephen Cranshaw, 35, of Longview on suspicion of a felony drug offense, obstructing a public servant and disorderly conduct.

Forgery  Kelso police Thursday arrested Dalton Miles Norris, 36, of Toledo on suspicion of forgery.

Drugs  Longview police Thursday arrested Kenneth Richard Ortega, 37, of Kelso on suspicion of three felony drug offenses.

Fraud  An Ariel man reported Thursday that someone used his name to open an account with Chase Bank, and the bank was requesting a $399 payment on the account.

Burglary

5300 block of Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, Toutle. Thursday. A man entered a home bu

t was forced out by the homeowner, who scared him off by firing a shot of his pistol into the ground.

Vandalism

6400 block of Green Mountain Road, Woodland. Thursday. Someone unwired the fence around a padlocked gate to unchain a goat and let it loose. The goats owner told police someone has been letting her goat loose every Thursday night after dark, and the padlock was supposed to prevent it from happening again.

200 block of Teresa Way, Kelso. Thursday. Someone smashed the front window of a car with a rock. Estimated damage $200 to $300.

Theft

400 block of Three Rivers Drive, Kelso. Thursday. Someone stole the rear license plate from a car. Washington BQK3785.

Vehicle prowl

1100 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Thursday. Someone prowled a vehicle after allegedly trespassing in an apartment building.

Stolen vehicle

800 block of 32nd Avenue, Longview. Thursday. Someone stole a gray 1996 Honda Civic with white doors. Washington BEJ2827.

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Rich Chiovitti and Neggaz attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Venice, Florida at the Venice Performing Arts Center on March 13, 2020. Professor Neggaz said she would recommend Shen Yun to all of her colleagues at the college where she teaches history. (NTD Television)

VENICE, Fla.When the final dance ended and the curtain fell, two Shen Yun Performing Arts audience members didnt want to leave their seats at the Venice Performing Arts Center in Florida on Friday. They had forgotten all about current world events and had got caught up in the positivity and beauty of the classical Chinese dance performance from New York.

Its a very positive show, said Dr. Neggaz, a professor who teaches history and religious studies at Oxford University and New College of Florida.

Overall, its just everythingfrom the color, the lights, and the spiritthe spirit is very positive. Very, very positive. And the ending! The ending is basically they were all saved, right? Neggaz said. The final piece among the songs, stories, ethnic and folk dances in Shen Yuns performance depicts an ancient Chinese legend about the Creator and His return to earth to help mankind.

Thats the part we didnt want to end, said Neggazs friend, Rich Chiovitti. We were like We have to go? Okay, fine, we will go, on our own. But next time we will be here.' Chiovitti and Neggaz attended Shen Yun on March 13, 2020, in Venice, Florida.

This is why the songs and of course the performances were so aligned because the song was about those who will be saved and in the end, you see God in the background and everything is fine, Neggaz added, drawing a connection between two of the roughly 20 vignettes in Shen Yun, all of which are based on authentic Chinese cultural beliefs and designed to revive traditional Chinese culture, which was steeped in divinely-inspired practices and convictions such as Buddhism and Daoism.

Right now I teach a course on the Mongols, Neggaz said, So I was really interested in the aspect of the performance of Mongolia. With all the traditional horses, and steppe life, and nomadic aspect. As Shen Yuns artists breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture, they draw inspiration from ancient dynasties, historical legends, and the many ethnic groups that made up the Middle Kingdom.

Neggaz appreciated the variety and soul of each piece and even recognized the individuality displayed by each dancer.

I really like the styles and I thought that the elegance, and also the different styles of each dancer, I thought that each had their own features, characteristics. And I also just liked how it sort of told you a story. We also had the comments from the speakers [the emcees] who introduces each bit of dance, and I thought this was useful, she said.

As for how deeply spiritual authentic Chinese culture turned out to be, as well as Shen Yuns portrayal of it, I was a little surprised actually. I didnt expect such emphasis, Neggaz said. All the performances actually had that aspect of God and divine values. There was this strong message throughout, and there were also comments about communist China and the fact that there is repression and so on.

Shen Yun includes stories drawn from present-day China where a brutal persecution is taking place against those who wish to carry on Chinas spiritual traditions and practices, especially practitioners of Falun Dafa, an ancient meditation practice that includes moral teachings.

About the songs sung by specially-trained bel canto soloists, Neggaz liked them a lot. Both were incredible. I wish the performances were longer actually! They felt a little short.

From the songs to the dances to the brief additions by the emcees, Neggaz and Chiovitti felt a pervasive sense of soulfulness and positivity throughout Shen Yuns performance. This, Neggaz said, actually parallels how she views the world at large.

I think that spirituality in my sense is everywhere. Now, so many people do yoga, meditation, and perhaps they are trying to detach it from the divine, they dont call it spirituality, but a lot of it is actually. I mean, I personally, for me spirituality is very important in my daily life. Its helping me to be positive and to keep going, so I personally think its a big part of my life, she said.

She helps shape people through teaching. But me, I am more of a caretaker, so spiritually, you have to be present in both our professions. Its definitely a big part of the life and lifestyle, said Chiovitti, who works as a nurse.

Neggaz felt that the final piece of the evening, which had the most overt reference to the Creator, gave a strong sense of hope and optimism. Yes! I am personally a rather positive person. I look at the glass half full. But yes, what I take from the performance is definitely the positive end. Its very optimistic.

I was very pleased with the performance. Thank you! added Chiovitti.

Actually I will talk about [Shen Yun] especially with my colleagues who do Chinese language, culture, or history, Neggaz said, because I think they could have their students come here and watch it, or maybe next year, too  I also very much like the dresses, the costumes, the colors. Everything was very graceful.

Chiovitti agreed. Elegant, very elegant. Beautiful to watch.

The professors final thoughts turned into a type of happy assignment regarding Shen Yun for her friends, family, and colleagues: Come see it!

With reporting by NTD Television 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.
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM) share price has dived 30% in the last thirty days. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 47% drop over twelve months.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

Check out our latest analysis for Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile

How Does Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E of 20.64 indicates some degree of optimism towards the stock. As you can see below, Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile has a higher P/E than the average company (16.0) in the chemicals industry.

NYSE:SQM Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 13th 2020

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile saw earnings per share decrease by 37% last year. But over the longer term (5 years) earnings per share have increased by 3.3%.

Story continues

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

How Does Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt totals 12% of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's market cap. That's enough debt to impact the P/E ratio a little; so keep it in mind if you're comparing it to companies without debt.

The Verdict On Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E Ratio

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E is 20.6 which is above average (13.3) in its market. With modest debt but no EPS growth in the last year, it's fair to say the P/E implies some optimism about future earnings, from the market. Given Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's P/E ratio has declined from 29.6 to 20.6 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is significantly less confident about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for a contrarian, it may signal opportunity.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
2 | Germany - 3367.95 (Image source: Reuters)

The German government on Friday unleashed the biggest economic aid package in the country's post-war history, offering companies "unlimited" credit to keep them afloat during the coronavirus crisis. Chancellor Angela Merkel said the measures "are unprecedented in the history of the German government", and repeated that Berlin would do "whatever is necessary" to tackle the fallout from the pandemic.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz described the rescue measures as the equivalent of bringing "a bazooka" to the economic fightback against the virus.

"There is no upper limit to the credit offered by (state-owned development bank) KfW, that's the most important message," said Scholz as he unveiled the measures.

Some 550 billion euros (USD 614 billion) in government-backed loans that was announced is just "for starters", said Economy Minister Peter Altmaier at the same press conference.

"We promised that we will not fail because of a lack of money and political will. This means that no healthy company, no job should find themselves in trouble," he said.

"We will reload our weapons if necessary," added Altmaier.

The ministers also signalled that Berlin has enough funds in its treasury for a long battle.

"If it lasts longer, we can go on longer," said Scholz.

The message to companies is that: "You can be courageous, the risks will be carried by us," he said.

The package, even in its first stage, is bigger than the 500 billion-euro help offered by the German government during the 2008 financial crisis.

Merkel had on Wednesday already vowed to do what it takes to tame the coronavirus crisis, signalling she was even ready to suspend the cherished dogma of keeping Germany's budget balanced.

Germany has now recorded over 2,300 cases of the coronavirus and seven people have died, according to the latest tally by DPA news agency.

As concern grows, Germany's regional states have one by one announced that schools, daycare centres and kindergartens would be closed from Monday.

Among them were Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, home to some 18 million people, as well Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Hesse and Berlin.

Merkel urged Germans to "show solidarity by keeping their distance from each other" in order to protect the elderly and the most vulnerable.

Merkel's government has in recent days ramped up its response to fight not only the virus but also the impact of the contagion.

With demand from abroad collapsing, Europe's biggest economy's vital export industries are particularly vulnerable.

Germany is rushing through new regulations to allow more employees forced into shorter working hours to qualify for compensation.

The government had also already agreed to boost investments by 3.1 billion euros per year between 2021 and 2024.

The hike in investments totalling 12.4 billion euros will be entirely funded by 2019's budget surplus, the coalition had announced on Monday after overnight talks.

Deka Bank chief economist Ulrich Kater said Friday's guarantee package is a "whatever it takes from the government".

"Like how the ECB acted correctly during the eurozone crisis, the government is now doing the same in the corona crisis," he noted, saying that the measures to help small and medium-sized companies in particular through the crisis are "absolutely sensible".

"This is just the news that can stop the downward spiral."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At a White House press conference on Saturday, President Donald Trump said he will extend the European travel ban to include England and Ireland, and is considering restricting domestic travel to help control the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

In the 30-day European travel ban he initiated this week, Trump previously excluded Britain and Ireland. However, he said Saturday he is looking at it very seriously because they have had a little bit of activity, he said.

When asked by reporters if he may consider restricting domestic travel, he said it is something he is looking into.

The news comes on the heels of the citys first coronavirus death. An 82-year-old woman is the first New York City resident to die from coronavirus (COVID-19) complications, Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed during an interview with MSNBC host Joy Reid.

The woman, who had had pre-existing conditions, died in Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, de Blasio said.

Today, we are confirming our first death due to severe complications from COVID-19. The patient, an elderly woman with advanced emphysema, was admitted to the hospital last week as one of our first cases, and had been in critical condition ever since," said de Blasio.

There are five confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Staten Island. The latest confirmed case in the borough is a female student at the College of Staten Island (CSI).

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

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ER doctor: Heres what to do if youre feeling ill
I am 75 and have been living in my Melbourne house with my wife since 1990. The house was purchased for $150,000 in my name. According to my will, the house will go to my wife or, if she does not survive, then to our two children, who will dispose of it. It is possible that my wife may inherit the house from me while she is in aged care. If so, will the house be treated as her main residence (although she lives in aged care at the date of my death) for the period from the date she inherited the house to the date of her death, applying the absences rule? That is, an individual continues to treat a dwelling as their main residence after moving out, which will allow the house to be exempted from Capital Gains Tax for our children. S.P.

You ask a surprisingly curly question.

With regard to CGT, if your wife inherits the house while in aged care, it will qualify for the main residence exemption, if it is sold and settlement of the contract occurs within two years of your death, which can be extended in certain circumstances.

Some people choose to leave assets to children, to ensure that the surviving spouse retains the age pension, which would otherwise be lost. Credit:

You can change your home to joint ownership, in which case the house ownership passes to the survivor on the death of one spouse. This can be done personally (Google Victoria - how to change a house to joint ownership), or through a conveyancer or solicitor, with no stamp duty in Victoria.
Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

The Queen and other members of the royal family are cancelling travel plans in light of coronavirus.

The monarch, 93, has postponed trips to Cheshire and Camden that were planned for later this month due to the ongoing spread of the virus, calling it a sensible precaution.

Photo credit: Neil Mockford - Getty Images

A press release from Buckingham Palace read: As a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances, changes are being made to The Queens diary commitments in the coming weeks.

In consultation with the Medical Household and Government, Her Majestys forthcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden will be rescheduled. Audiences will continue as usual. Other events will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice.

The queen was due to visit Jodrell Bank Observatory and Square Kilometre Array Global Headquarters in Macclesfield as well as Bentley Motors Factory in Crewe on 19th March. Later, she was due to visit Camden in London on the 26th.

The news comes at the same time Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles cancel overseas visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan, which were scheduled from 17th to 25th March.

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

Clarence House issued a similar statement, saying: Owing to the unfolding situation with the coronavirus pandemic, the British government has asked Their Royal Highnesses to postpone their spring tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan.

As of Thursday (12th), Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared the UK was entering the delay phase of its four-fold plan to tackle the spread of Covid-19.

In a press conference, he warned the government would be introducing social restrictions such as imposing a seven-day self isolation for those who have a persistent cough or other symptoms, and avoiding making contact with elderly people.

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The coronavirus has taken the world by storm, and Lehigh Valley hospital providers are taking action to help protect the public as much as possible.

In addition to offering sound advice about good sanitary practices, the regions health networks have opened hotlines to answer the publics questions and concerns about COVID-19 and are establishing testing centers throughout the region.

Lehigh Valley Health Network invites anyone experiencing the illness three main symptoms (fever, cough and shortness of breath) and who is concerned they may have contracted the virus to stay home and participate in free COVID-19 screenings online or by phone.

They can call the MyLVHN Nurse Information line at 888-402-5846 (LVHN) or complete an LVHN Video Visit by downloading the MyLVHN app.

St. Lukes University Health Network offers a similar telephone and email hotline to respond to inquiries from patients and the public, alike. Those with questions and concerns are encouraged to call 866-785-8537 (STLUKES) and press option 7, or email coronavirus@sluhn.org.

The 24/7 hotline is led by St. Lukes nursing staff who can provide information and guidance based on the latest recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, according to a news release.

St. Lukes is working in concert with federal, state and local government agencies as well as other area health systems to protect the health of patients and the community, St. Lukes infectious disease expert Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, senior vice president of medical and academic affairs, says in the release.

The use of technology aims to reduce the spread of the virus, keep the doctors offices open for important care and allow community members to remain in their homes and only need to leave if testing is needed.

LVHN also announced efforts to immediately establish designated, stand-alone COVID-19 assessment and testing centers throughout the region, according to a news release.

We are taking extraordinary steps to deliver the smart, comprehensive care people need through new ways to screen, assess and test, Dr. Brian Nester, LVHN president and CEO, says in the release. We are reassuring the community that they can continue their routine and essential appointments and care while staying safe.

If LVHNs medical professionals determine a patient has COVID-19 symptoms, they will be directed to one of LVHNs eight standalone COVID-19 Assess and Test locations, according to the release.

Patients will qualify for a test only if they have the COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough and shortness of breath). The test detects active disease and cannot determine if a patient has been exposed. It is important tests are reserved for those who need them most, LVHN says.

Those looking to get tested at LVHN's centers must receive guidance via the nurse line, video visit or a doctor to be assessed and, possibly, tested. Patients without insurance will receive a bill but wont be required to pay.

Those who do qualify for testing can expect results within four days, according to LVHN.

LVHNs COVID-19 test locations are as follows:

Open as of Friday, March 13

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestMacArthur Road

2741 MacArthur Road, Whitehall, PA 18052

Daily: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestStroudsburg

1655 W. Main St., Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestPalmerton

528 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestMacungie

6451 Village Lane, Macungie, PA 18062

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestRichland Township

320 W. Pumping Station Road, Suite 3, Quakertown, PA 18951

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestHazleton

140 N Sherman Court, Hazleton, PA 18201

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestCressona

35 Sillyman Street, Cressona, PA 17929

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Opening Monday, March 16

LVHN COVID-19 Assess and TestNazareth

863 Nazareth Pike

Nazareth, PA 18064

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LVHN recommends everyone take precautionary measures, such as:

Keep your essential doctor appointments, tests and procedures.

Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.

Avoid touching your face.

Avoid large crowds.

Carefully consider your travel plans, and follow government travel guidelines.

Practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from others. If you are over 80, this is especially important.

You can find more information from the Lehigh Valleys hospital providers on the virus at lvhn.org and slhn.org.

Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Pakistan government has decided to close the Kartarpur Corridor for the Pakistani citizens, however, the corridor will remain open for the Indian pilgrims who can continue visiting the Darbar Sahab Gurudwara there. Pakistan Prime Minister officer declared several steps that the government of Pakistan has decided to take in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 in the country and one of the steps is to stop the Pakistani citizens from using the Kartarpur Corridor.

The Pakistan Prime Minister who chaired the meeting of the National Security Committee especially called to review the current status of Pakistans response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

READ | Steven Soderberghs 2011 film Contagion predicted a Coronavirus-like pandemic?

A statement issued by the office of the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan read that in light of the discussions and deliberations of the NSC, the following decisions were taken to be implemented with immediate effect and to be reviewed at the end of the identified time period.

A National Coordination Committee for COVID-19, to be convened by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health, has been established to monitor the situation and make necessary decisions on a daily basis. Committee will have a representation of all provinces and relevant civilian and military stakeholders, the statement read.

It further stated that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will be the lead operational agency and will coordinate its efforts with the provincial and district authorities for necessary implementation of preventive and curative actions.

Pakistan also decided that the entire Western border will be closed for two weeks for all human and commercial traffic. Sost border (Pak China border) will continue to remain closed for two further weeks.

READ | Goa govt shuts educational institutes, casinos till March 31 due to Coronavirus outbreak

The Kartarpur Corridor will be closed for Pakistanis. Indian pilgrims will be allowed to continue visiting, it read. Pakistan also decided that the outgoing and incoming international flights will only be allowed at the Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports. Screening and administrative measures at these airports will be reinforced immediately. Reinforcement of screening and administrative measures at all seaports will also be ensured, it read.

READ | MNS demands municipal polls be postponed because of Coronavirus; cancels Gudi Padwa event

Pakistan also banned all public gatherings with immediate effect. Wedding halls and cinemas will be closed for two weeks. Large conferences will also be barred for the same period. Remaining PSL matches may be conducted without any crowd, it read. Pakistan has also instructed all the courts not to schedule cases of civil nature for three weeks. Judicial Magistrates and Session Court Judges to visit the concerned jails for three weeks to process remand and bail cases, it read. Pakistan also said that visitors will be allowed to visit prisoners in jails for three weeks.

READ | Saudi Arabia suspends all international flights for two weeks amid coronavirus scare
The local impact of COVID-19 is growing rapidly, and our reporters at syracuse.com | The Post-Standard are working around the clock to make sure Central New Yorkers have the news they need to stay informed on this public health crisis. Because this information is so vital to our readers as they go about their daily lives, we have decided to make all coronavirus-related stories available to all readers, not just subscribers.

Here is a roundup of many of Fridays top stories on the coronavirus pandemic.

See all our coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here

Two private schools closing: The Syracuse Hebrew Day School and Manlius Pebble Hill both announced they would be closing next week and shifting to online classes. Syracuse Hebrew Day School told families that Friday was the last day the school would be open until further notice. MPH, a private, k-12 school in DeWitt, plans to shift to online learning on Tuesday.

Will more Onondaga County schools be next? Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York State 's requirement that students receive 180 days of instruction will be waived due to the coronavirus pandemic. Schools can make their own decisions if they dont have any positive cases about whether to close or not.

Are more tests on the way? In Syracuse, coronavirus testing protocol has created confusion as Onondaga County officials have scrambled to adjust the public health system to handle the fast-spreading and highly contagious coronavirus. One solution: the county will open a testing site for coronavirus Monday at Syracuse Community Health Center.

Businesses step up: There will be hardships over the next few weeks and months as more and more people are unable to work and are forced to stay home. A few businesses are trying to help. National Grid and other major New York utilities are suspending shutoffs the during pandemic. Spectrum is offering free high-speed internet to households with students and Verizon is dropping late fees and wont cut off customers who cant pay because of coronavirus.

SPORTS AND THE CORONAVIRUS
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 11:56 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9580a 1 SE Asia COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,pandemic,Singapore,health-ministry,Achmad-Yurianto,WHO Free

The Singaporean health authority has denied an allegation made by its Indonesian counterpart that the country is withholding information about Indonesian citizens being treated for COVID-19 in the city-state.

A spokesperson of the Singaporean Health Ministry said in a statement on Friday that Singapore and Indonesia are state parties to the World Health Organization International Health Regulations [IHR].

Singapore has promptly shared information with Indonesia through the official IHR channel on all the confirmed COVID-19 cases involving Indonesians, to facilitate contact tracing in Indonesia, the spokesperson said in a statement posted on the embassys official Facebook account.

The ministrys spokesperson added the Indonesian IHR national focal point (NFP), an official from the Indonesian Health Ministry, had acknowledged receipt of the all correspondence on these cases sent by the Singaporean [counterpart].

The Indonesian Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, told journalists on Thursday that Singapore would not give the names of Indonesian citizens confirmed of COVID-19 in the neighboring country.

Yurianto said Jakarta was facing difficulties in tracing and isolating those who might have had contact with the patients, now being treated at Singaporean hospitals.

We have asked for the identities of the Indonesian nationals from Singapore. They did not give us the names. How are we going to conduct the tracing in Indonesia? Singapore is adamant about not disclosing their identities, said Yurianto, who also serves as spokesperson for all coronavirus-related matters.

The Singaporean Embassy in Jakarta initially told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the Singaporean Health Ministry had a patient confidentiality and privacy policy.

However, it added that there are no restrictions for COVID-19 patients from Indonesia or other countries from contacting their embassies. It is up to them to decide whether they want to do so. The Singapore governments first priority is the well-being of the patients.

Read also: Two of most recent COVID-19 cases in Singapore imported virus from Indonesia

At least five Indonesian nationals tested positive for COVID-19 in Singapore and are being treated at local hospitals.

Critics have said the fact that Indonesia has exported cases shows that the local government is failing to detect cases and raises concerns that the number of confirmed cases in the country could be much higher than what has been reported. It may also reflect the low public confidence in the country's healthcare system.

Indonesia, with a population of more than 250 million, has reported 34 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while Singapore, with a population of around 6 million people, has reported more than 180 cases.

While Jakarta has been criticized for its poor handling of the outbreak, Singapore has been lauded for its COVID-19 strategy. (mfp)
It's February 2019. Writer Christine Dwyer Hickey is invited to the launch of Dublin One City One Book: Edna O'Brien's classic The Country Girls. Dwyer Hickey's ninth novel, The Narrow Land, is due two weeks later, and she's pre-occupied with thoughts of its future (she needn't worry: it is going to be loved by critics and readers alike, and shortlisted for Eason Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards).

She's not thinking about Tatty, a book she published 15 years earlier. Why should she? Books are like babies that way, the newest one always seeming to need you most, wriggling through your arms and veins, forever demanding a furious, hard sort of attention.

February 2020. Dwyer Hickey is back in the same room in the Mansion House, at another crowded Dublin One City One Book launch. But this year, she is sitting at the big table, stacks of copies of Tatty piled up on either side. The signing queue takes an hour to thin.

What a difference a year makes, she says. "I had an email from Alison Lyons, a director of UNESCO City of Literature.

"At first, I thought she was asking me to present something or to speak to camera in praise of another writer who had been given the honour which was exactly what happened the previous year when Edna O'Brien was selected. I read Alison's email three or four times before I finally understood that this time, my novel had been chosen.

"I was very moved it took me a good while to pull myself together before I could call and accept. I had no idea Tatty had been put forward and so it came as a complete surprise."

Dublin is one of 28 UNESCO Cities of Literature worldwide. Dublin UNESCO City of Literature office, which is part of Dublin City Libraries, launched Dublin One City One Book in 2006, and, five years later, a children's version called the Citywide Read for Children campaign (this year's selection is Boot by Shane Hegarty). While the concept of a city-wide, month-long reading scheme was already well established in the UK and US, the vision for the Dublin version was unique: the chosen book had to be connected to the capital, either through the author or the story.

Beginning with Flann O'Brien's At-Swim-Two-Birds, chosen books have included Dracula, Ulysses, Roddy Doyle's The Barrytown Trilogy, and The Long Gaze Back, edited by Sinead Gleeson.

The principle behind Dublin One City One Book is a simple one, explains Alison Lyons: "To shine a light on a particular book, to make sure it's widely available through the library system, and to encourage reading of it with lots of free events themed around the story and the author." Simplicity must be key to its success, as events attract a total audience of around 3,000 annually. Inevitably, the book goes on to be one of the most borrowed in Dublin city libraries for the year.

Tatty, a deceptively simple yet startlingly original story, is unlikely to buck that trend. Opening in 1964 and closing a decade later, it is the story of a particular sort of Irish childhood; one spent with unhappy, heavy-drinking adults. Dermot Bolger's introduction to the New Island Books' One City One Book edition notes that in this society, "it is taken for granted that men can drink expansively and extravagantly in public while women must drink secretly at home; where depression is an unspoken stigma lurking behind closed curtains on every street in Dublin and family secrets are meant to stay within families".

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Intense, insightful, and often hilarious, Tatty's evocative recreation of Dublin homes, streets, schools, and pubs is sure to provoke discussion at events during April: school lunches of a jam sandwich and a Baby Powers bottle full of milk; the neighbour with the only phone in the street; the shrugging, so-what-of-it acceptance of driving while drunk.

Catherine (Tatty is her nickname) is a child tortured by the pain of knowing her mother doesn't love her, and fear that her father doesn't either. The first time I read Tatty, I didn't realise it was the story of Dwyer Hickey's own childhood, and I finished the book desperate to know what Catherine's adult life might have been. Was she safe? Happy? In Tatty, awful things are done by people who aren't awful people. They are miserable. They are drunk and bewildered and scared.

Tatty was never intended to be a novel, Dwyer Hickey says. "When I first started to write it, I was doing so as a sort of exercise in therapy to help me get my head around my complicated childhood which, after my father's death had come back to haunt me.

"Tatty is still a novel and as such had to be moulded into the shape required by the form. However, it is a very personal story and essentially, it is the story of my childhood... I always felt an underlying guilt about publishing it in the first place, and a crippling anxiety when it came to discussing it in interviews and so on.

"I'm not anti-drink by the way; I'm just against drinking to excess around children and think we need to have more conversations around this issue. I'm hoping that One City One Book might start that particular ball rolling."

With a programme of events including 'All the Words I Know for Drunk' (Dwyer Hickey in conversation with Martina Devlin about the theme of alcoholism in the book), and 'Man about Town: Drunkard, Spendthrift', in which Dwyer Hickey looks at the effect of John Joyce on the creative and emotional development of his son James, there is certainly potential for such conversations to happen. But these are just one aspect of the novel that the programme explores.

From big on-stage presentations to pull-your-chair-up conversations in the local library, one of the most likeable aspects of Dublin One City One Book is the opportunity to explore a book from so many perspectives and scales. The month-long series of talks, events and workshops - most of which are free - include 'The Big TY Book Club' (free copies of Tatty are on offer to participant students), a 'Music and Imagination' event in Liberty Hall, a writing masterclass with Dwyer Hickey, and 'Dublin Childhood on Film' in the Irish Film Institute. Tatty is also scheduled as RTE's The Book on One for a fortnight from April 20. This impressively full programme is also a celebration of reading and of libraries, which work so hard to promote books all year round. With so many events scheduled, participation in Dublin One City One Book must also be a significant commitment for an author.

Lia Mills whose novel Fallen was the Dublin/Belfast Two Cities One Book title for 2016, commented on how it stretched her as a writer: "I got to do things I had never done before, like writing two different scripts adapted from Fallen for performance.

"I loved the engagement with readers throughout the month, and being able to include other writers in the programme. The big shock to me was the difference that promotion and public engagement made to sales," she says. "When Fallen first came out it was well-received in a quiet sort of a way and then just sort of slid out of sight. In the year of Two Cities One Book, its second outing, it was the exact same novel, but sales figures jumped dramatically for that one year."

Joe Joyce, whose gripping World War II thriller Echoland was the 2017 choice, had a similar experience. Echoland became Dublin City Library's most borrowed book that year. "I learned a lot about the Emergency period from the events Alison Lyons and Jackie Lynam and their team in the library put together," he comments.

"It would have saved me a lot of time had I had it all before writing the Echoland series!"

Revisiting Tatty has been a strange experience, Dwyer Hickey says. Her relationship with the book has changed significantly since she wrote it.

"To be honest, it took me a while to find the courage to pick up the book and read it again! After the wonderful launch in the Mansion House, I feel there is an atmosphere of celebration around the renaissance of Tatty. I am very happy about it now and no longer afraid. It's as if something has been mended."

New Island Books' Dublin One City One Book edition of Tatty includes a list of questions for the reader. The last is: "If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?'

This April, ask yours.

Dublin One City One Book programme available from libraries and dublinonecityonebook.ie. Most events are free, many require advance booking
After lugging them out on his hands and knees through the grime, he took the boxes downstairs to his team  including his wife, Sohui Kim, a co-owner who is also the restaurants chef  and excitedly held up a maroon-and-gold 85th anniversary flag that presumably dated to 1964. As the restaurateurs dove into the boxes, they quickly came to realize that Mr. Schneider had turned up an eclectic, eye-opening trove of archival materials from Gage & Tollner, which opened under another name at 302 Fulton Street in 1879 before decamping to its current location, at 372-374 Fulton, in 1892.

It was pretty exciting, said St. John Frizell, another co-owner. It was like finding a message in a bottle from previous ownership to us.

The newly unearthed historic materials cover a considerable span of time and subject matter: cryptic handwritten notes about turn-of-the-20th-century cash transactions; menus; price quotes from a butcher; notes on celebrity customers and the prodigious speed of an oyster shucker; correspondence about a restaurant display at the 1939-40 Worlds Fair; fliers from a 1948 strike; a 1965 WQXR radio advertisement recording; and a bill from a dinner for retired Brooklyn Dodgers players. These artifacts supplement the information previously provided by seven linear feet of Gage & Tollner records donated to the Brooklyn Historical Society by a longtime owners daughter in 2016.
A leading Dublin immunologist has slammed so-called virus parties as being irresponsible and selfish amid reports of thousands of students hosting get-togethers in houses and large pub gatherings.

Only hours after the Government ordered all schools and colleges to close until further notice to combat Covid-19, hundreds of students in Cork were seen packing pubs around College Road and other neighbourhoods.

Transmission

Similar parties were also held in Dublin, Galway, Waterford and Limerick, with many off-licences reporting a surge in sales.

Kingston Mills, professor of experimental immunology at Trinity College Dublin, said packed pubs and house parties are perfect breeding grounds for the virus, and attending them defeats the purpose of closing schools and colleges to reduce the risk of transmission.

While young people are unlikely to get sick if they contract the virus, they can still pass it on to the elderly and infirm, who can die from it.

"This is completely irresponsible behaviour and it's selfish behaviour. It flies in the face of the advice from everyone as gathering in a pub is a very good venue for transmission," he said.

He also advised people to err on the side of caution and avoid pubs or attending house parties over the St Patrick's Day holiday.

"Anyone who has common sense needs to look at the risks they're putting themselves in," he said.

A Cork University Hospital medic said the behaviour was "beyond belief given the situation the country finds itself in".

Prof John Crown posted on social media: "I am not sure people will understand the importance - the necessity - of extreme social distancing until pub hours are curtailed and numbers allowed in are limited."

Dublin Lord Mayor Tom Brabazon issued a public appeal last night, urging everyone to act responsibly during the coronavirus crisis.

"These are extraordinary times for Dublin, Dubliners and all of us who live on the island of Ireland and beyond," he said.

"Measures introduced by the caretaker government in the light of the suffering of thousands of our fellow human beings around the world are right.

"By reducing unnecessary interaction, keeping the social distance and complying with handwashing and sanitisation, we seek to prevent the spread of the virus.

"By doing the right thing we can, and will, save countless lives.

"If we do not do the right thing, we will do the opposite."

He also urged people not to engage in panic-buying, which is completely unnecessary, and to check on elderly neighbours to ensure they are safe.
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San Antonio hospitals are preparing for the worst  a high tide of patients sick with COVID-19 in the coming weeks and months.

Thats exactly what we need to be worrying about: worst-case scenarios, said Dr. Paul Hancock, chief medical officer at Methodist Healthcare System.

Administrators are working overtime. In many of the facilities, its like a military operation: theyre hammering out protocols, setting up command centers and working out logistics. Chief concerns are the availability of beds, staff and supplies.

Are they ready for what threatens to be the most severe pandemic in generations?

The hope is that we wont have to find out  that the measures public health and elected officials are struggling to implement will be enough to contain the novel coronavirus. But it took weeks to understand the challenges of the global outbreak, and the scant availability of coronavirus tests remains a problem.

Either way, attention is turning to the hospitals, the last lines of defense against the disease.

At Methodist, which employs a full-time emergency operations manager, officials have set up a 24-7 incident command center. The team does tabletop exercises to gauge whether the hospital is ready to treat a surge of COVID-19 patients and protect employees from the virus.

Methodist officials have contracted with outdoor tent companies in case the number of patients exceeds available space. Spokeswoman Palmira Arellano said theyre also discussing how to handle child care for nurses and lab technicians while schools are out.

Methodist, which operates nine hospitals in the San Antonio area and is co-owned by Tennessee-based HCA Healthcare, is following the lead of other HCA facilities around the country. Some have dealt with the aftermath of California wildfires, and others currently are treating COVID-19 patients.

Administrators at University Health System  Bexar Countys public health care system, which includes a 700-bed teaching hospital for UT Health San Antonio  plan to cordon off an area of the hospital for patients with the illness.

Officials at Childrens Hospital of San Antonio, a Christus Health-owned facility, said theyve done the same thing so they can treat patients without transmitting the virus to other parts of the hospital.

University spokeswoman Shelley Kofler said local hospitals went through flu response plans during a monthlong, citywide drill in the fall. University also relies on Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, an organization designated by the state health department to maintain the regional trauma and emergency health care system.

We have a successful track record of coordination and collaboration, including our community response to the evacuees from hurricanes Harvey, Katrina and Rita, and our preparation and response to H1N1 and Zika, Kofler said.

First case

City officials have confirmed San Antonios first two cases of coronavirus unrelated to evacuees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Both were travel-related. The second person had made a recent trip to Japan.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Mayor Ron Nirenberg declared a public health emergency Friday, ushering in sweeping measures to guard against further spread of the virus. The city is prohibiting most gatherings of more than 500 people for at least seven days.

Metro Health reports that there have been no cases of person-to-person infection in San Antonio. But anxieties have been running high since Thursday, when the World Health Organization declared the respiratory virus a pandemic.

President Donald Trump also has declared the situation a national emergency. He authorized the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to suspend non-emergency regulatory inspections and relax rules to allow providers to focus on current health and safety threats.

San Antonio hospitals and nursing homes have drastically restricted visitor access to patients. Theyre also controlling points of entry to screen for symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough and shortness of breath. At most facilities, visitors cant get in if they have those symptoms or have recently traveled to a coronavirus hot spot.

Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure, the CDC says. The majority of COVID-19 deaths are among older patients and those contending with chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Hancock said the best way to keep patients and staff safe is to have a clear idea of whos coming into the building. Methodist hospitals are not allowing in any children under age 10.

Baptist Health Systems San Antonio hospitals, owned by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp., allow children in the facilities but not in patients rooms.

Stress on system

In the past few weeks, hospital administrators have taken careful inventory of supplies on hand and made efforts to conserve them amid a global shortage of medical supplies, particularly masks.

University Hospital ordered extra personal protective equipment, such as masks, gowns and gloves, when the number of coronavirus cases spiked in China, Kofler said.

But short supplies are a growing concern as the number of cases climbs around the globe.

The stress on the health care system is another reason why its so important that we take drastic measures to suppress the spread of this virus, Hancock said. We still have people in our community who are having heart attacks and strokes. Theyre developing bacterial pneumonia and falling and breaking their hips.

The nations inventory of hospital beds has been declining for the past two decades, the American Hospital Association reports. The main reason has been hospital mergers and closures.

San Antonio lost one of its hospital systems a month before the first cases of coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December.

Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings shut down Nix Medical Center, a 208-bed hospital downtown, and several other Nix Health medical facilities amid financial struggles. The hospital building was sold to a hotel developer, and much of its medical equipment sold at auction.

Dr. Gerard Anderson, professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said officials are worried COVID-19 could overload the U.S. health care system.

Some of us would not get care in that event, said Anderson, who testified Thursday before a U.S. Senate subcommittee about the effects the spread of the coronavirus could have on companies supply chains.

We only have a certain number of ventilators, which are critical for the treatment of a severely ill person, Anderson said. So we need to make sure that theyre not all used at the same time.

According to an industry estimate, between 100,000 and 150,000 ventilators are available in the U.S. The daily cost of using them is about $5,000 per patient.

Its a serious economic problem for society, but also for an individual hospital that is not sure theyre going to get paid the full cost of some of the services that theyre going to need to provide, he said.

Financial pressure can overburden hospitals when they provide care to uninsured patients or those with high-deductible health plans they cant afford.

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Hospital officials say staying home in order not to contract or spread the virus is the only way to ensure already-strained hospitals dont become overburdened.

If you have mild symptoms, stay home, Hancock said.

They dont need to come to the emergency room to get a test, he said. Weve got to be very careful about overwhelming our emergency rooms.

And weve got to be very careful about people who are sick being out in the communities spreading their illness.

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation warns more than 36 percent of Texas adults  either because of their age or underlying chronic diseases  are at high risk of serious illness if they become infected with the coronavirus.

Public health experts believe 1 percent to 4 percent of infected people will become seriously ill.

We just dont have a good handle on that, Anderson said. But thats anywhere from 10 to 40 times more deadly than the normal flu.

Laura Garcia covers the health care industry in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her stories and more local coverage on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | laura.garcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @Reporter_Laura




Haiti - Security : Senator Kedlaire Augustin victim of a muscular arrest





Thursday afternoon, Senator Kedlaire Augustin (PHTK) driving a gray Prado with tinted windows, without license plate was intercepted and arrested by Delmas police officers following a search for a similar vehicle suspected of being involved in several kidnappings.



The Parliamentarian affirms that although he identified himself, the police officers brutalized him at the time of his arrest "[...] They hit me on the chest and threw me to the ground" explaining that he had his hands tied behind his back and had difficulty breathing, saying it was "a political act."



Senator Augustin was subsequently taken to the police station at Delmas 33, and detained for a period of time before being released on a prosecution's instruction. The Senator claims to have been hit in the face during his transportation.



According to Commissioner Jean Gospel Monelus, head of the Delmas police station, the vehicle, in which the parliamentarian was on board, met the description of a vehicle which was allegedly involved in 9 kidnappings and which was actively sought.



After his release, Senator Kedlaire Augustin, who was suffering from pain, went to the Canape Vert hospital to be examined, the results revealed no fractures, said Pierre Francois Sildor, President of the Senate.



Informed of this incident, former opposition senator Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, leader of the Social Democrats' Fusion Party (FUSION) said, "I sympathize with Senator Augustin. As a social democrat, I am against all attacks on life. No one is exempt from this active brutality. This will teach him to no longer bear ignorance in the management of the State which leads straight to forfeiture."



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Thieves have been filmed stealing a grocery delivery from an Adelaide couple agonisingly awaiting the results of their coronavirus tests.

The couple, from Salisbury East in the citys north, shared video of the brazen thieves who took off with their goods with 10 News First.

Amy told the site she asked the Coles delivery driver to leave the food at the front of the house in case she and her partner were sick with coronavirus.

Two people take off with groceries from outside a Salisbury East home. Source: 10 News First

They had recently returned from France and were preparing to self-quarantine should the results of a COVID-19 test came back positive.

The groceries arrived at 9pm on Wednesday but within minutes they were gone.

We walked outside, and at first we thought the delivery had arrived because the receipt and the eggs were still on the chair, and we thought maybe the delivery had been put around the side of the house but we looked and they weren't there," Amy said.

Amy checked back at security footage from outside her home. It shows two people taking off with the bags of groceries.

The couple say they reported it to SA Police. Coles has been contacted for comment.

In good news, neither member of the couple tested positive.

On Wednesday, Victorias health department recommended people begin to add a few more essential items to their regular shop.

Theres been mass panic surrounding toilet paper and Coles introduced a two-item per-customer limit on a number of items on Saturday including flour, rice, pasta and tissues.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Highlights While announcing Emergency, US President Donald Trump said that Google working on coronavirus site.

Trump said that the site would help people find nearest test centres as well as get tested for coronavirus.

Google said that it wasn't working on any website that Trump hinted at. Instead, its Verily is working on a small site.

Last night US President Donald Trump declared State of Emergency in his country. The Trump administration is facing criticism for moving slowly on checking coronavirus in the US so the president also used the occasion to announce some new measures. One of these measures to control coronavirus epidemic according to Trump is supposed to be an upcoming Google website dedicated to coronavirus that will help people not only get timely information about the epidemic but also find nearest test centres. But a few hours after Trump named Google as his government's partner in fight against coronavirus, which causes Covid-19, Google distanced itself from the whole thing.

In two tweets, Google said that it wasn't working on the kind of website that Trump talked of. Instead, the company is working on a much smaller website, through Verily, which is part of Google's parent group Alphabet. In a measured statement, Verily said: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time... We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort."

In other words, there is a website under development but it is small, limited in scope as well as area as it is going to be meant for people in Bay area, which is San Francisco and surrounding places, and the website is being built not by Google but by Verily.

Trump had earlier said: "Google is going to develop a website. It's going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location... Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now. They have made tremendous progress."

The US government has come under criticism for its slow pace -- and on occasions botched -- pace of coronavirus testing. On the other hand there are countries like Sound Korea and Germany that have rapidly ramped up testing of people in a bid to contain coronavirus infections. It is possible that trump administration has asked tech companies, including Google, to create app and web-based mechanism that can be integrated with the test centres and allow people to book and take coronavirus tests with minimal effort.

In India too the government has not been as proactive in testing coronavirus cases as countries like South Korea and Germany. Currently there are around 50 testing labs in India for Coronavirus but anecdotal reports on social media suggests that India is not yet testing all patients with coronovirus infection symptoms, which are fairly similar to the symptoms of flu. Instead, for now India is only testing people who have history of international travel, and who have come in contact with confirmed coronavirus patients.
During the 2016 Zika outbreak, news exposure appears to have had a far bigger impact than local disease risk on the number of times people visited Zika-related Wikipedia pages in the U.S. Michele Tizzoni and colleagues at the ISI Foundation in Turin, Italy, present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.

During an epidemic caused by a newly emerging infection--such as the current coronavirus outbreak--media outlets play an important role in informing the public about risks and ways people can protect themselves. Previous research has explored how public opinion responds to media exposure during an emerging outbreak, but has mostly relied on surveys rather than observational data.

In the new study, Tizzoni and colleagues investigated the relationship between media coverage and the public's collective attention to the 2016 Zika virus epidemic. They analyzed data on the total number of times people in U.S. cities and states accessed Wikipedia pages related to Zika in 2016, and compared those numbers with Zika incidence rates and news media mentions of Zika.

The analysis showed that Zika-related Wikipedia page view counts during the outbreak were highly synchronized with mentions of the virus in web and national TV news at both the national and state level. Although the number of reported Zika cases and the risk of local transmission varied significantly between states, patterns of Wikipedia page views were very similar across the country.

Wikipedia page view data represent an invaluable and granular resource to study global patterns of collective attention during outbreaks. We can use such critical data to find patterns across a country and how behavior changes by region." Michele Tizzoni, ISI Foundation in Turin, Italy

The new findings could help public health officials refine crisis communication techniques. Meanwhile, future research could help clarify whether the findings would hold true for different epidemic scenarios and in different countries, and investigate the influence of social media.

"Wikipedia is a trove of freely available content, but many people might not know that it is also a vast resource for open data that can provide valuable insight into what's capturing the attention of the world at any given moment, "said Miriam Redi, Research Scientist at the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit behind Wikipedia. "We were so thrilled to collaborate with Michele and his team at the ISI Foundation to help provide Wikipedia pageview data for the study, which will soon be released as a freely available, aggregated, anonymized data set, for others in the research community to build on the critical insights provided by the researchers."
The UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to certain regions in Spain.

The restricted areas are Madrid, La Rioja and the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro.

"Airlines are continuing to run flights as normal to and from these areas," the Foreign Office said in a statement today.
Lanka awakes to COVID-19 as deadly virus bursts floodgates Quarantine for returning Lankans, free entry for Chinese from China View(s): View(s):

Lanka received her wake-up call early February when a female Chinese tourist was tested positive for the coronavirus and was admitted immediately to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) for treatment of the feared viral attack that locked down many parts of China and had no known cure.

Though alarm bells rang through the local populace and had many in the city frantically purchasing their own half burqas to wear round their faces like knickers around their pelvises, in order to prevent being infected by anothers sneeze or cough, complacency soon settled in and the sound of the tolling bells turned to a drab drone and the strapping of masks became a tiresome chore when no further cases were reported.

If threatening clouds had still hovered portending an outbreak, they were swiftly dispelled when the welcome news broke that the corona-infected Chinese woman had made a complete recovery and, free of the COVID19, was a fitting object to be kissed on both cheeks by Health Minister Pavithra before news cameras on her discharge.

The settled, balming view that made the masks come off, was that it was an isolated case, a one off incident. The unfortunate Chinese woman who came from Chinas Wuhan city, the birthplace of the Chinese bat borne virus, had contracted the Born in China invisible killer molecule in China and had been detected while holidaying in Lanka and had been treated by an expert team of doctors who had successfully exorcised the devils dragon that had taken residence to spout hell fires within her frail frame. It had not only been a medical success but its occurrence in Lanka had been an anomaly now laid to rest.

Not only did the Lankans lower their guard along with their protective masks but exulted being one country that had, by the precautionary measures the authourities adopted at ports of entry, victoriously fended off the sneaky COVID invader. So much so that one optimistic tour operator in London was busy planning a campaign to promote Lanka as an ideal COVID-free holiday destination.

This Wednesday, March 11, the bubble burst.

Lankans awoke to find the coronavirus had landed. Landed on the isle shores of this thrice blessed land. With the moat crossed, the fort walls scaled and the citadel stormed and the throne room broken into, the COVID invasion to take the first few steps to root firmly on Lankan soil and lay a siege of fear on the landscape has now been successfully accomplished.

This time it was no tourist on holiday who could be wished away to her country of origin. This time the icing may have come from a foreign nozzle but the cake was home baked.

The unfortunate victim was soon identified as a 52-year-old man, a tour guide who had just returned home after taking a group of Italian tourists to see the wondrous sights Lanka showcased. After developing COVID symptoms, he had tested positive for the virus. Initial reports indicate that he had been in Dickwella, Kandy and Dambulla with a group of Italian tourists from March 2 to 8. He is reported to have met the second Lankan to be tested positive in Dickwella. The first victims family have been quarantined and are under observation while the second victims family of eight are reported to have reported to be under strict observation after being identified as suspect cases.

A further sixty Lankans who have shown symptoms are currently being kept under observation.

According to Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, three more suspected coronavirus patients have been now tested positive, bringing the total of confirmed patients to five. He said, they include a 41-year-old Sri Lankan who had arrived in Sri Lanka from Germany and was undergoing treatment at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Angoda while the other two, aged 37 and 43, had arrived from Italy and had been under quarantine at the Kandakadu quarantine centre in Batticaloa and had developed symptoms. The 37-year-old Sri Lankan was admitted to the Polonnaruwa General Hospital and the 43-year-old Sri Lankan was admitted to the IDH.

In Colombo and other major cities and towns, another form of widespread panic to rival the COVID pandemic panic has been reported: Panic buying. Hundreds of people with cash or credit cards in hand were filling their trolleys to the brim with food stuffs to feed a platoon for a month thereby depleting supermarket shelves and selfishly denying the less fortunate with the bare essentials to survive the weekend.

Following on the heels of Americas drastic action to ban all flight to the USA from Europe with the sole exception of Britain, the following are a few precautionary measures the Government has taken to minimise the virus from entering the country aboard a human host.

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The Government has suspended the issuance of visas to European passengers for two weeks as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19 outbreak. The decision was taken by the Task Force on coronavirus which met on Friday at the presidential secretariat with the participation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Government has also decided to subject Sri Lankans arriving from European countries to be quarantined for two weeks and instructed the relevant authorities to study the precautionary measures taken by China to prevent the outbreak of the virus.

It has also decided to sterilise the public transport such as trains and buses from Friday and attention was dawn to make face masks available at a controlled price and regularise their distribution so that they would be freely available.

It has imposed a temporary travel ban on all passengers to South Korea, Italy and Iran for two weeks.

But funnily enough there is no ban on Chinese arriving from China, the birth place of the Wuhan COVID 19. The total COVID death toll in China as of Friday has risen to 3179. Seven more people died in the last 24 hours of March 13 while eight new cases were detected by the authorities, bringing the total number of confirmed cases close to 80,813. These are the official figures released by Chinas National Health Commission in its Friday update.

According to Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the reason why the Chinese returning from China have free entry, while Lankans retuning from Europe, South Korea and Iran are subjected to automatic quarantine on arrival for fourteen days, is because the Chinese death rate due to the virus has been steadily dropping as have been the number of suspected cases. For instance on Friday, he says, to justify his dubious decision there were only 23 reported cases in China.

Last month, in the third week of February, speaking to the Daily Mirror Dr. Jasinghe said, The mortality rate of Chinas CoVid-19 epidemic is or below 2 percent from those who contacted the virus, which is low compared to the SARS epidemic which had a reported mortality rate of 10 percent.

That maybe so according to sterile statics but what does the actual death toll reveal: The 2002-3 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic, which also began in China, killed 774 people worldwide and affected approximately 8000 people mainly in China, though a few cases were reported in 26 countries. The COVID epidemic, which Jasinghe said is much less exacting with a mortality rate lower than SARS, is, according to World Health Organisation update as of 12 March

Globally 125,048 confirmed (6729 new) 4613 deaths (321 new)

China 80,981 confirmed (26 new) 3173 deaths (11 new)

Furthermore, paying a glowing tribute to Chinas masterly handling of the COVID crisis, Dr. Jasinghe said in his February interview with the Daily Mirror: We must give credit to China that they contained the virus within China as much as possible which paved the way for this disease not to spread all over the world.

Credit to China for containing it spread all over the world?

As the WHO latest update has it

Outside of China 44,067 confirmed (6703 new), 1,440 deaths (310 new), 117 countries affected with French Polynesia, Turkey, Honduras and Cote dIvoire joining the COVID Club.

Thus when the Director General of Health said this week that Chinese arrivals in Lanka are not subject to automatic quarantine like the natives are, because the reported cases have dropped to 23 on Friday and pose no threat, he should have a quick glance at the WHO countries COVID risk assessment rankings. WHO lists China risk assessment as Very High.

Or is high risk China granted special favoured status? The nations heath compromised by diplomatic and economic necessities? In the same manner the US have allowed flights from Britain to land on American tarmacs.

If the Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe  who praised China last month and described how he had personally witnessed the WHO Director General being full of praise for the Peoples Republic of China for their actions, their transparency and their technological brilliance in curbing this disease, - if he is committed to prevent the COVID epidemic from becoming a Landemic in the land, he should take a leaf out of the Chinese Green Book and act ruthlessly to ensure there is no single exception to the rule.

No point in keeping the door closed to bar the sly virus from sneaking in if the keyhole stays uncovered.

Tragedy of Uni rag victim on freshers night For far too long, ragging in Lankas universities has been the sport of sadists, given a licence to practise their depravities with no holds barred, without having to fear the consequences. And for far too long have the authorities ignored the sadism inflicted on students in the euphemistic name of ragging. The beginning of the annul academic year in the Groves of Academy is that time of year when it is open season for hunting down novices and using them to gratify the pent up perverted lust of the seniors. These are the set of people who will soon leave the hallowed grounds, garlanded with the epithet the intelligentsia of Lanka. It is to this sordid world, 21-year-old ex Peterite J.A Pasindu Hirushan from Kamaragoda in Minuwangoda stepped in after he had received three A grades at the Advance Level examination and chosen the Sri Jayewardenepura University to follow a degree course in the Universitys management faculty. His sister had already been called to the Bar and was now an Attorney-

at- Law. Today he lies on a bed at the National Hospital. Classified as a ragging victim. But it is not ragging that caused Pasindu Hirushan to lie in critical condition on a hospital bed with serious brain injuries. He is the victim of a heinous crime. Last Thursday senior students had organised a ragging and welcome party for freshers at the universitys hall. As the party progressed the seniors and the freshers mingled with each other. Some were downstairs, some were upstairs. Shortly after midnight a group of seniors had asked Pasindu to take some water to the seniors partying upstairs. After delivering the water, Pasindu had been coming down the 25 steps stairway when a few senior students had rolled down a bus tyre from top of the stairs. Pasindu had been on the 15th step when the massive had hit him.

He had plunged and hit his head on the concrete step. Call that ragging? Its more like an act of premeditated murder, like firing a gun in the direction of a retreating figure, or an act calculated to cause grievous bodily harm. On Monday, Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana said two investigations were underway to determine what happened to the first-year student of the Sri Jayawardenepura University. The minister said: The student has sustained injuries to the brain. Its too early to say that this is the result of ragging. However, there has been something wrong. The students had been at the premises till 1.30 am. It is alleged that students had been using intoxicants. It is irrelevant whether this is a result of ragging. What matters is that the criminal law had been violated and a young man is critically injured due to a criminal act by certain people. The fact that it may have taken place during a bout of ragging is not a defence known in criminal law to a charge of murder or attempted murder or culpable homicide or manslaughter or grievous bodily harm. Four students have been arrested over this tragic incident. The full force of the criminal law should strike the culprits. Both as a punishment for the crime committed and as a deterrent for future raggers. Pasindu Hirushan entered the Groves of Sri Jayewardenepura University to enhance his brain power. And not to get his brain damaged for the sake of anothers sport. COVID is no respecter of persons The dreaded coronavirus, now christened by the World Health Organisation as COVID 19, and, given top billing on the nucleic acid molecule stage, branded a pandemic that might well prove the Nigh, the end of the world is nigh prophets of doom finally right, is an arrogant sun of a gun who doesnt give a dam whether you are rich and famous or just a down and out nobody. In its one virus Rambo style genocide attack on humankind, it has not only shown no mercy to its victims, mowing all in its pandemic path but demonstrated its no respecter persons, not even the Almighty, whose arch servant on earth, too, is presently in locked down mode in the Holy See. While infecting 125,000 humans so far with its virulence and claiming the lives of over 4,500, it has also laid low the British Health Secretary Nadine Dorries who made contact with COVID on Tuesday and immediately ran into a storm when the wife of a fellow MP Andrew Bridgen, publicly criticised Nadine Dorries for not informing health officials of contact with her husband. Brigdens wife Nevena tweeted: Why did you not tell that you sat next to my husband in a tea room? I have a baby and a seventy five year mother jeopardized. You were treated but no one is coming to help us. Nadine replied: Because I did not sit next to your husband. He was in tea room when I walked in, on another table not close to me. He text me and told me he had sat next to me, I was too ill to discuss but not sick enough not to know, that wasnt true. I told him if he was worried, to call 111. Following that spat the little devil struck Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau wife, Sophie who had recently returned from London and had experienced flu-like symptoms. When tested, she proved positive that same Thursday evening. She was immediately isolated. And so was the Prime Minister Trudeau for two weeks. In a statement issued by his office it was said, The Prime Minister is in good health with no symptoms. As a precautionary measure and following the advice of doctors, he will be in isolation for a planned period of 14 days. It was actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilsons turn next to bite the dust when they fell fall victim to the virus while shooting a film in Queensland, Australia. Tom tweeted: There are those for whom it could lead to a very serious illness. We are taking it one-day-at-a-time. There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no? His wife Wilson also posted a light-hearted tweet writing, From here on out, the only Corona I want is from Mexico and you drink it. And the film they were shooting? One on the life of Elvis Presley. No wonder they were all shook up with chills and fevers, locked down in heartbreak hotel. Australian Home Minister Pete Dutton was next in line to take the COVID hit. The Federal Government frontbencher said he felt fine but woke up with a temperature and sore throat. I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19, Mr Dutton said in a statement. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive. It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice. Mr Dutton had been in the US last week, where he met with Ivanka Trump, Attorney-General William Barr and officials from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance on March 6, according to a Twitter post from Australias embassy in the United States. He had participated in Cabinets national security committee meeting on Thursday, during which the Government decided to extend its China, Italy, Iran and South Korean travel bans, via phone. But the Prime Minister Mr Scott Morrison will not be tested for COVID-19, based on medical advice. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: In advice provided to the Prime Minister this evening, the deputy chief medical officer has reiterated that only people who had close contact with the Minister in the preceding 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to self-isolate. That does not include the Prime Minister or any other members of the Cabinet. Who will bite the dust next? Ask not for whom the bells toll, for it may well toll for thee. But if there is one silver lining in the corona it is that it has shed doubt on Kiplings poetic assertion the East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet. The COVID, whilst levelling all in the dust as equals, has perhaps brought the east and west closer to realising that all men are created equal and perish equal, and when engaged in a mother of all wars war when there is no human enemy but one common foe threatening mankind, the end result remains the same: the senseless loss of human lives whether claimed by man or virus makes no difference. When natures virus has brought the world to its knees, when the House of God in the Vatican is sealed and locked down, what hope is there for mankind but for East and West to meet and stay locked in embrace and consider the lot of one as the equal lot of the other. PS: Boris Johnson warned the British public to brace themselves to finding even 10000 suspected COVID cases and to accept that the loved ones of many will die before their time. Hopefully scientist working in some lab will find a vaccine soon. Even if none is found round the corner and millions die as a result, there will still be hope lingering in peoples hearts that a cure will be found, even in five years time. Hallelujah. But what about climate change, what about global warming? Scientists have been warning for years now that if mankind does not mend its ways and recklessly carries on polluting the earth and the earths temperature rises two degrees more, the climate change caused as a result will be unfit for human habitation and will be irreversible. In what scientists lab can we then harbour hope to find a vaccine or cure then for irreversible climate change?
CBSE conducted the class 12th biology exam on Saturday, March 14. The Biology exam was conducted from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.The theory exam carries 80 marks while the practical exam carries 20 marks.Biology is an important paper for the science stream students.

There were a total of 27 questions and five sections in the question paper. All questions were compulsory.

There are six long answer type questions carrying six marks each, six short answer type questions carrying 4 marks each, 10 short answer questions carrying three marks each and 10 very short answer questions carrying one marks each.

Section A contains five multiple choice question of one mark each, section B contains seven short answer type questions of two marks each. Section C contains nine short answer type questions of three marks each. Section D contains three case based short answer type questrions of three marks each and section E contains three long answer type questions of five marks each.

LUCKNOW

CBSE class 12 students in Lucknow said Saturdays Biology paper was easy while some portion was little tricky.

Ashvini, a student of GD Goenka Public School said that overall it was an easy question paper and is looking forward to scoring good marks.

Another student of the same school Harshita said: Some of the Multiple Choice Question (MCQs) were tricky though the overall level of the paper was easy to moderate.

Tanmay and Kirti said that most of the questions were similar to pre -board papers. I hope to score above 95% in this subject said Kirti.

Mayuri and Divyam too were of the opinion that the paper was easy but lengthy and ample practice in classroom would help them score high marks.

(with input from Rajeev Mullick)

AGARTALA

Anurina Chakraborty, student of Pranavananda Vidyamandir said, The Biology question paper was fine but a little difficult if compared to the previous year. My paper was good except one question that created confusion for me .

Shankar Banik, Biology teacher of Hindi Higher Secondary School said,  The question paper was student- friendly. The question pattern was much better and nice compared to the past three years. Even the question paper was easier than Class 10. I hope, students could score good marks.

(with input from Priayanka Deb Barman)

PRAYAGRAJ

CBSE students in Prayagraj found the class 12 Biology question paper easy and scoring.

According to Shikhas Yadav of Ganga Gurukulam School, Prayagraj, the paper was easy and scoring as the questions did not require lengthy answers and were from within the syllabus.

The section A having 5 multiple choice questions (MCQ) of 1 marks each was scoring while section B and C having 2 marks each and 3 marks each questions from evolution, biotechnology, etc topics were also easy to answer, she added.

Anushka, another student of Ganga Gurukulam School also termed the question paper easy and she attempted all questions. Practice of previous years question papers was easy gave an idea of the pattern. Most of the questions required short and to the point answers. Only question based on case study on the topic Plastic and Environment required a lengthy descriptive answer, she said.

Prakriti Srivastava, another student said questions from Genetic Engineering, Deficiency were easy to answer apart from multiple choice questions. The question paper by and large was easy and scoring, she said.

As per Anita Srivastava, teaching Biology at Ganga Gurukulam School, the question paper of 70 marks was divided into five sections. The section A had 5 MCQ questions of 1 mark each while section B had 6 questions of 2 marks each which were also easy to answer for an average student. The section C had 5 questions of 3 marks each from Evolution History, Biotechnology which required a bit of descriptive answer, she said.

The section D of the question paper had around 11 questions of 3 marks while section E had a case study question of 5 marks, she added.

(with inputs from Kenneth John)

CHANDIGARH

Sumit Pande, 17, said, The paper was on the expected lines. Overall the paper pattern was somewhat tricky but anyone who was prepared could easily do it.

Rahul Kumar, 18, said, I found the paper very easy. It was on expected lines. One marker questions were little difficult but I was able to do it.

Kashish Bansal, 17, said, I was prepared for the exam. The CBSE sample paper really helped me as most of the questions were on the expected lines,

Neeraj Sharma, 18 said, I found the paper a little difficult as I found it lengthy. I wasnt able to complete it on time.

(with inputs from Srishti Jaswal)

BHUBANESHWAR

Paper was very good. Questions were not from difficult concepts but rather were from predictable concepts. If you had gone through the whole book properly, you can easily secure above 90, said Shanti Swarup Rath, a student

The biology paper was easy one but some of them were a bit tricky . Overall the level of question was good and I am expecting good marks, said another student Ananya Muduli of the same school.

Arvind Goyal, Biology teacher said, The question paper of Biology as expected and was based completely on the NCERT Textbook. Some of the questions were conceptual and required a thorough understanding of the topics. However, some questions were asked which were based on total rote learning of NCERT lines and facts, without the examiner going into the conceptual detail of the given fact e.g., the question based on number of primary producers in a grassland ecosystem and another one based on detection of cancer by Biopsy and Histopathology.

He added, Adequate internal choice in the various questions was a big help to the students. The paper was not lengthy and the students were able to get over with it well before time. Overall the question paper was easily attemptable and the students who had a good hold on the NCERT book should be able to score well.

(with inputs from Debabrata Mohanty)

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This year, 17 non-profit organisations and local authorities in South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho will receive support from the Embassy of Japan in South Africa's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Programme (GGP) 2020.

Healthcare

Education

The GGP Programme intends to contribute to the improvements of disadvantaged communities at the grass-roots level in various fields including health, education, skill training and social welfare. In the spirit of the 6th World Assembly for Women, WAW conference (the international female empowerment conference hosted by the government of Japan) to be held in Tokyo from 3-4 April, a large proportion of this years funding is geared towards the empowerment of women. In addition, as we countdown to the Tokyo Olympics in July and the Tokyo Paralympics in August, the Embassy will be funding several organisations that serve persons living with disabilities.This years recipients include, amongst others, the Hoedspruit Training Trust/Hlokomela Project based in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, to which the Embassy will donate a mobile clinic to assist the women who work in the surrounding farms. The mobile clinic is fully equipped with an ultrasound unit made and donated by a Japanese company, Fujifilm.In the East Rand of Gauteng, the Eluthandweni Maternity Clinic in Vosloorus will receive medical equipment and an ambulance to the value of over R1-million. The equipment will assist the clinic to provide affordable, quality maternal care, while the ambulance will assist in reducing maternal and infant mortality by improving access to emergency maternal procedures.The "Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture" in the Western Cape will also receive a mobile mental healthcare clinic and two vehicles that will be used to give dignity and privacy to survivors of violence and torture.In terms of the empowerment of persons with disabilities, the embassy will fund the construction of a skills centre for children with Profound Intellectual Disabilities in Makhaloaneng Primary School, Maluti-A-Phofung, Free State. Additionally the embassy will provide renovations and a vehicle fitted with Wheelchair hydraulics for Londanani Care Centre in Makhado, Limpopo.Other projects funded by this years GGP Programme include the construction of standard classrooms; the building of school science laboratories; drop-in centres; early childhood development centres; the provision of converted vehicles, the renovation and extension of skill development facilities, and provision of sustainable energy.
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

In response to severe customer downturn during the coronavirus pandemic, many restaurants around San Francisco and beyond have been faced with the decision to temporarily close.

On Monday, Mayor London Breed said that San Francisco would require residents to "stay home except for essential needs" in order to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

"Restaurants will be open for take-out only," Mayor London Breed said on Monday. "We are not closing grocery stores."

Since Friday, several San Francisco restaurants have already closed their businesses and will remain that way until further notice. That included In Situ at SFMOMA and La Taqueria, among others. As of Monday, that list has continued to grow. In some cases, some businesses have adjusted their store hours.

For many restaurant owners, the lack of business has put a financial strain on them. Small businesses will be able to get assistance after Mayor London Breed said that the city would assist deferring business taxes and licensing fees, in addition to launching a relief fund.

MORE: Michelin-star restaurant Plumed Horse drops 60% of its tables to give diners more space

Unfortunately, ... many of our small businesses are feeling the economic impact of people staying home and not shopping or going out to eat, Breed said in a statement. That's why we are working to provide relief and support for our small businesses and the workers who rely on them for their livelihood. These are just the first steps of what we are doing for our small business community.

Below are San Francisco restaurants that have stated temporary closures due to coronavirus concerns:

Zuni Cafe (closed March 16)

The longstanding business, known for their oven-roasted chicken, announced Monday that they would cease operations until further notice. "We are confident in this decision and confident in our ability to recover as a business once we are able to safely return to the fulfilling and challenging work of running Zuni Cafe." (Zuni Cafe is located at 1658 Market St.)

State Bird Provisions and The Progress (closed March 16)

State Bird Provisions and The Progress will temporarily shutter for at least two weeks. "We will get back to it just as soon as its safe & possible," the business wrote in an Instagram post. (State Bird Provisions is located at 1529 Fillmore St. and The Progress is located 1525 Fillmore St.)

PRAIRIE (closed March 16)

The American steakhouse announced that they would temporarily close their restaurant and convert to a general store model where guests can find pantry items to dinner kits to prepare at home. "We realized that grocery stores were being pillaged for shelf stable foods and theres huge demand for basic ingredients for home cooks as people are practicing social distancing and going out less," said PRAIRIE chef-owner Anthony Strong. The business will switch operations from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (PRAIRIE is located at 3431 19th St.)

Nick's on Mission (closed March 16)

The vegan Filipino restaurant said they would temporarily close starting Monday until further notice. It's been just a few months since the business opened last November. On Instagram, they added that they didn't "have the resources to support our expenses during this difficult time" and that their hearts go to individuals who have been infected and "the small businesses that are struggling during this time." (Nick's on Mission is located at 996 Mission St.)

Causwells (reduced store hours as of March 16)

Causwells announced Sunday that they would adjust their store hours from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and work with third-party delivery services. (Causewells is located at 2346 Chestnut St.)

El Buen Comer (closed March 15)

The Mexican restaurant said they would close their business until further notice and added that they valued the health of their customers and employees.

Nari and Kin Khao restaurants (closed March 16)

Chef-owner Pim Techamuanvivit announced that she would temporarily discontinue in dining service at her two Thai food restaurants, Nari and Kin Khao, starting Monday. Both restaurants will operate for pick-up orders only and may move towards delivery service in the future, according to an Instagram post. (Nari is located inside Hotel Kabuki hotel at 1625 Post St. and Kin Khao is located inside Parc 55 hotel at 55 Cyril Magnin St.)

Piperade (closed March 16)

A cozy spot known for its classic Basque cuisine, Piperade is closing for the foreseeable future. "This decision is not made lightly," they wrote. "Health is paramount. This situation affects us all."

Woodhouse Fish (closed March 15)

Woodhouse Fish, which has two SF locations, stated they would close their doors for the unforeseeable future. (Woodhouse Fish has locations at 2073 Market St. and 1914 Filmore St.)

Wooden Spoon (closed March 15)

The breakfast and brunch spot announced their plan to close until further notice. (Wooden Spoon is located at 2172 Market St.)

Liholiho Yacht Club (closed March 15)

The fusion restaurant serving Hawaiian, Italian and Chinese food is temporarily closing, but in the meantime, they're offering 25 percent off discounts on gift cards. "While social distancing is keeping us apart, this will help keep us open and will unite us again when this is all over."

Prubechu (closed March 15)

This family-style restaurant serving Chamorro fare announced they would shutter for at least two weeks. "Up until now, we tried everything we could to keep our doors open," wrote management. "Well see you on the other side."

Los Cilantros (closed March 15)

The Mexican restaurant on Berkeley's Shattuck Ave. is now closed, following the recommendation from the City of Berkeley. "The safety of our employees and customers is of primary concern and hence we made this difficult decision," management wrote in a statement. "Be safe and hope to see you soon!"

Zella's Soulful Kitchen (closed March 15-22)

This Southern-inspired marketplace cafe in Oakland will close for a week, then reassess. "Although there are no reported COVID cases at Zella's, we're doing this out of an abundance of caution and care for our staff and community," the restaurant shared in a statement.

El Buen Comer (closed March 15)

The popular Mexican restaurant is closing until further notice. "This saddens us but is very much needed , hope everyone understands and hope to see you soon!" management wrote in a statement. "We will also make sure our employees dont get affected for this and will offer them our full support."

La Ciccia (closed March 15)

The Mission District Italian restaurant declared their temporary closure on Sunday, writing that they hope to resume business within 3-4 weeks if not sooner.

Che Fico (dining room closed March 15-22)

This Italian spot will temporarily close their dining room for one week, then will re-evaluate their plans, according to a statement from David Mayfield. The restaurant will soon be offering delivery options as well as takeout orders over the phone at Che Fico Alimentari.

Piccino (closed March 16-29)

Alongside their coffee bar and sister kitchen, Noon All Day, the Italian-Mediterranean inspired restaurant announced their temporary closure on Instagram. "During this time we hope our staff and guests will be with family and close friends for support. Be safe and take care of yourselves."

Flour + Water Pizzeria (closed March 15)

This rustic, wood-fired pizza spot announced they would close as a precaution of safety for their employees and customers. "While this state of emergency is certainly disruptive to our daily lives, we must continue to spread positivity, practice patience, and approach the situation with empathy," they wrote in a statement.

ICHI Sushi (closed March 15-29)

Owners Tim and Erin Archuleta announced the temporary closure of their Bernal Heights restaurant on Instagram, citing the current climate as well as the health and safety of their customers and staff. "Our hopes are that this proactive closure will mean that as the community takes steps to stop the spread of the coronavirus, well see our neighbors back out and about sooner rather than later," they wrote.

Namu Stonepot (dining rooms closed March 15)

Both locations at 553 Divisadero and 499 Dolores Street will no longer serve dine-in customers, providing solely takeout. The restaurant will also be taking pick-up orders over the phone or by walk-in.

Blue Bottle Coffee (closed March 16)

The coffee chain announced that all cafes nationwide would temporarily close. "While we wish we could remain open to offer you a safe haven in these uncertain times, we simply do not have the benefit of enough information to ensure our public spaces are safe," wrote CEO Bryan Meehan. "So we are doing what we know is right in the moment."

Comal (closed March 15)

The Berkeley restaurant serving handmade Mexican cuisine relayed news of its closure on Instagram: "We are in an unprecedented health emergency and it is incumbent on all of us to take any steps we can take now to mitigate further spread."

Ramen Shop (closed March 16)

This bustling Japanese restaurant in the Oakland hills announced they will be closing for the foreseeable future on March 16. "This is the hardest thing that we have done in the life of this restaurant," the restaurant wrote in a statement. "It is time to come together as a community and help those who will be most severely impacted."

Rich Table (closed March 16)

"Ultimately, we have realized that right now what is most important is the well-being of those around us," owner Sarah Rich announced in a statement on the restaurant's Instagram. "We want to encourage our guests and staff to care for themselves and their loved ones by social distancing and staying home as much as possible." Their sister restaurant, RT Rotisserie, will remain open for delivery and take-out only at both Hayes Valley and Nopa locations.

Ju Ni (closed March 16-21)

The upscale Japanese restaurant and sushi bar announced plans to temporarily shutter between March 16-21. (Ju Ni is located at 1335 Fulton St., Suite 101)

La Taqueria (closed March 15)

The popular Mission taqueria announced Friday that they would temporarily close all day Sunday and did not indicate when they will reopen. In an Instagram post, the business added that staff would be paid during the closure. (La Taqueria is located at 2889 Mission St.)

Fermentation Lab (March 13-23)

Fermentation Lab announced that they would close through March 23, citing the national emergency mandate. (Fermentation Lab is located at 1230 Market St.)

Bar Agricole (permanently closed)

Bar Agricole, which had already planned to close in April, suddenly closed March 13, after citing "uncertain times." "We are very sorry to report that Bar Agricole is closed effective immediately due to the increasing daily risk of COVID-19 infection to our employees and guests," read a message on the bar's website. The business was a fixture of San Francisco for the past 10 years, but they expect to reopen at a different location later this year.

In Situ at SFMOMA (closed March 13-28)

Michelin star chef Corey Lees restaurant In Situ inside the SFMOMA will temporarily close, as the museum plans a minimum two-week closure. For guests with existing reservations, we will be in touch soon and are happy to assist in rescheduling when the time is right, In Situ at SFMOMA wrote on Instagram. (In Situ is located inside SFMOMA at 151 Third St.)

Lord Stanley (closed March 16-29)

The Californian-European restaurant owned by husband-and-wife chefs Rupert and Carrie Blease will close for two weeks. "As business owners in a wonderful city we find it our responsibility to make decisions that are not only best for our employees and our guests but also for the community at large." (Lord Stanley is located at 2065 Polk St.)

Raven Bar (closed March 12)

The lounge announced on that they would temporarily shutter in response to coronavirus concerns. (Raven Bar is located at 1151 Folsom St., San Francisco)

South Park Cafe (closed March 9)

South Park Cafe, a restaurant owned by tech startup Brex, temporarily closed Monday after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Brex said that the employee was home resting and that no other employee had shown symptoms at this time. (South Park Cafe is located at 108 S. Park St., San Francisco)

SFGATE will update this list as SF businesses announce closures.

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Susana Guerrero is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com | Twitter: @SusyGuerrero3
Food, Wine, & Dining, Travel & Local Attractions

By Brooke Hein Published: March 14 2020

Taking your date out for a memorable time doesn't have to mean you have to be in public right now... try these fun spring date ideas!

Long Island during the spring is a great time for romance. Besides the virus...The weather is perfect for being outside, the beaches are open, and that carefree atmosphere is buzzing with the possibility of new love. This is a time to be taken advantage of, enjoy the extended spring hours, soak up the sunshine, and make the most of this time while its still here.

The Island has so much to offer when it comes to activities and things to do. The only problem is that some of the activities can be surrounded with people. So, why not surprise your date with one of these fun, unique date ideas that will keep you two cozy and alone.

Netflix and Chill  Go catch the latest flick on Netflix. They have so many new Netflix movies to watch. And of course...POPCORN!

Go Fly a Kite  Go out to one of Long Islands many beautiful beaches and watch your kites soar above the sand. Even if you dont have a kite, head to a store like Target or Walmart, they sell them there for a very low price. Just remember to fly them in the less populated areas, that way if the kite comes plummeting down no one will be hurt.

Play Board Games  What better way to stay away from the outdoors than playing board games and getting competitive on date night!

Set Up a Picnic Spread at a Local Park  Grab a blanket and a basket, fill it up with lots of yummy food and drinks, and spend a day in the sunshine at a local park together enjoying a nice meal, chatting, and people watching.

Spend the Night Stargazing  Head out to the closest beach and bring blankets, or lay out in your own backyard. Make sure you go on a dark, non-hazy, cloud free night to get the best view.

Mini-Road Trip to the Montauk Lighthouse  What better way to get to know your date than on a nice long car ride together to visit the oldest lighthouse in New York State. Youll have plenty of time to get to know one another better and play some traditional road trip games.

What are some fun and safe Long Island spring date ideas youve come up with?
So far on an interestingly timed trip that has encompassed Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Yemen, no teenagers have thrown stones at me while yelling corona!. But Roy from the Netherlands  who is another rare tourist on the Yemeni island of Socotra  told me he had been assailed thus in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

President Trumps ban on most European travellers is the White House equivalent of youths hurling small projectiles and insults.

It is tempting to see his move as a vote-gathering ploy in an election year, building on the xenophobic rhetoric that proved so effective among (just enough) voters in 2016. But let me be generous and regard the presidential decree as a bid to delay the spread of the feared coronavirus, helping to flatten the curve of new cases and thus easing pressure upon finite medical facilities.
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The Islamist police patrol in the streets of Gao, northern Mali, on July 16, 2012. (Issouf Sanogo/AFP via Getty Images)

Quebec Woman Who Went Missing in Africa Has Been Released: Report

A Canadian woman and her Italian traveling companion who were suspected to have been abducted in West Africa 15 months ago have been released.

Edith Blais, 34 of Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Luca Tacchetto 30, had been traveling by car in southwestern Burkina Faso, heading to Toga to do volunteer work when they vanished around Dec. 15, 2018.

A month later, Burkina Fasos security minister referred to the pairs disappearance as a kidnapping, but the Canadian government did not confirm that, saying only that officials hadnt ruled out any possibilities.

A spokesman for the United Nations mission in Mali confirmed the news of the pairs release on Twitter, saying They are free.

Olivier Salgado also posted a photo on Twitter of Blais and Tachetto, both wearing white UN human rights Tshirts and sweatpants and smiling.

Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

The Al Qaeda terror group and other terrorist organizations have operated in northern Mali for more than a decade and have kidnapped a number of Western hostages, typically holding them until ransoms are paid.

Senior Liberal cabinet ministers met with Blaiss family in Quebecs Eastern Townships region in January, 2019 and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the time he believed Blais was still alive.

Another Canadian, Kirk Woodman, was found dead in northern Burkina Faso in 2019, near the border with Mali and Niger. An executive with a Vancouverbased mining company, Woodman had been kidnapped a day earlier by gunmen as he worked on a gold mining project.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers becoming a steady light snow later. High 4F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low 3F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%. Snowfall around one inch.
This blog is an english translated version of former spanish blog Danteslab. If you want to read these articles in their original language refer to:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstans Nur Otan ruling political party has cancelled a meeting of partys political committee due to coronavirus outbreak, First Deputy Chairman of the party Bauyrzhan Baibek wrote on his Twitter account, Trend reports.

Due to the restrictive measures introduced amid coronavirus spreading, the meeting of the Nur Otan partys political committee which was planned for March 18, 2020, is being cancelled, Baibek said.

On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany. The latest data said that the overall number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan is six: two in Nur-Sultan and four in Almaty.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 5,400. Over 145,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 71,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects. In mild cases, according to the Chinese authorities, treatment takes about a week, in severe cases - two or more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would shut down eateries, shopping centres and gyms in a bid to halt the spread of novel coronavirus.

"Everything pertaining to leisure activities will be halted tomorrow morning," he said in a televised address on Saturday.

A treasury official speaking after Netanyahu said that besides a shutdown of restaurants, shopping malls, cafes, hotels and gyms, a school closure announced Thursday would be expanded to include kindergartens.

Netanyahu also said he would ask the government's approval -- at a cabinet meeting to be held via video conference -- to allow "technologies used in the war against terror" to be used to track the movements of Israelis with coronavirus.

The new instructions also prohibit gatherings of over 10 people and advise people to stay at least two metres (six feet) away from one another. The army meanwhile told combat soldiers set to return from a weekend at home to prepare to stay in their bases for a month.

Israel's health ministry announced late Saturday there were 193 COVID-19 cases in the country.

In the West Bank, where there were 38 COVID-19 cases, the Palestinian Authority told worshippers to pray at home rather than mosques and churches.

And Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the besieged Gaza Strip, took the unusual step of shutting its borders with Israel and Egypt as a precaution against the virus.

There are so far no documented COVID-19 cases in the enclave.

Netanyahu took advantage of his address to repeat his call to his political opponents to join him in a unity government.

"We need to stabilise Israel with a national emergency government," he said.

Three elections in less than a year and grinding negotiations among political factions have so far failed to produce a viable governing coalition.

Israeli parties are set to meet with Israel's President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday to name their preferred candidate to form a government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DECATUR  Macon County government leaders and health officials say they are prepared and working closely together to respond to the threat of coronavirus, a situation several described as fluid and rapidly evolving.

The leaders of both hospitals, city and county governments, Decatur Public Schools, the Macon County Health Department and Crossing Healthcare addressed the media in a news conference Friday afternoon. They encouraged residents to limit group gatherings, take extra care with handwashing and personal health measures and avoid turning to the social media rumor mill for information about the spread of the coronvirus, or COVID-19.

There are a lot of things that arent going to happen, Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said, referring to the avalanche of event cancellations across the country and region, but this is more important. This is a severe crisis of public health, and we have to do everything we can to keep it from being at a crisis level here.

No cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Macon County. One person was tested, and the result came back negative, said Macon County Public Health Administrator Brandi Binkley. In Illinois, the states total number of positive cases rose to 46 on Friday.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

Hospitals across the country are bracing for a strain on the healthcare system, which is already facing an active flu season. In Italy, which has been hit hard by the virus, patients struggling with effects of the disease have overwhelmed the available resources, and doctors have been forced to make agonizing decisions about which critically ill patients receive care.

State officials and those in Macon County both stressed Friday that their actions were intended to slow the spread of the virus and give healthcare providers the best chance to adequately care for patients.

Having the general public stay home one day at a time will have a massive effect on bending this curve, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said on Friday, speaking as he announced a two-week closure of all schools. "And that means lives saved."

Fluid situation

Drew Early, president and CEO of Decatur Memorial Hospital, and Michael Hicks, president and CEO of HSHS St. Marys, both said their organizations have been preparing for the virus and were working to free up capacity to treat patients as needed.

Asked how many beds would be available if an outbreak takes hold in Macon County, neither gave a number but said they would work to treat patients in a variety of ways. Only the sickest patients would need hospital beds, they said, and others could be treated at other locations.

We are planning to be able to scale up based on need. We also think a lot of these patients will be able to be treated outside the hospital so we are working on trying to utilize all of the healthcare resources that are available to us and not just focus exclusively on hospital beds, Hicks said.

It depends on what this looks like, what the numbers look like, so that will be a fluid situation, he added.

Early said DMH was taking steps to explore alternate methods and venues for treatment to expand the capacity of the hospital. Were exploring a number of different telemedicine and virtual care options so that we can get patients care outside of the hospital and try to take some of that stress off the healthcare system, he said. ... This is a daily, almost hourly issue were working through.

Hicks said at the state, federal and local level were learning from what has happened in other parts of the world as the disease has spread.

Both stressed that collaboration was vital and has been strong.

This is not something that any one of these agencies is going to address individually, Early said. We truly have to come together as a community to make sure we make the best of this and work our way through it in a thoughtful fashion.

We are united, Hicks said. The institutions you see represented up here, we are going to collaborate, we are going to work together in the greater interest of the community and protecting public health.

Binkley, the public health administrator, said some private labs have now been approved to conduct coronavirus tests, in addition to tests run through the Illinois Department of Public Health. She urged residents not to panic at social media rumors about the spread in Macon County.

I can assure you  that if or when we have a case of COVID 19, we will tell you. We will be honest, we will be transparent, we will not try to hide things from you, Binkley said.

Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus should contact their healthcare provider before going to the hospital unless it is an emergency.

They will determine whether testing needs to be conducted, whether or not you need to come into the office, Binkley said, and that is another measure that is being taken to ensure the illness is not spread in a situation where someone would come to an office unknowingly with COVID-19.

Anyone concerned about symptoms can call the state hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.

Too high of a risk

Binkley stressed the importance of handwashing, staying home when sick, not shaking hands and practicing social distancing. Pritzker has encouraged the cancellation of events involving 250 or more people, and Binkley reiterated that guidance.

She encouraged organizers of any size event to consider the number of people who would attend and whether a vulnerable population should attend.

Binkley said the health department also had gotten a lot of questions from churches as to whether they should continue having services and events.

We do encourage churches to consider whether or not they should have a gathering in person and the vulnerable populations that would be in attendance or that their churchgoers would then be in contact with afterward, she said.

The Decatur Park District on Friday announced suspension of all group programming, classes, events, trips and tournaments it hosts until April 15. Another major cancellation was Saturdays scheduled St. Patricks Day parade in downtown Decatur.

Organizers on Thursday evening had intended to go ahead with the event, but reversed course Friday morning. Moore Wolfe said she had encouraged organizers to cancel after being contacted with a request from the governors office. She said the decision was left up to the organizers, who ultimately agreed.

Asked for a response to people who believe officials are overreacting, Moore Wolfe said she hoped they were right.

I hope nothing bad happens to the majority of our public and that people dont get sick, she said, continuing: This is too high of a risk. We dont know enough about this disease. We just dont. Were learning more every day.

In the case of earlier widespread health concerns, such as Ebola and the swine flu, government officials and the medical community knew more, and it was easier to respond and to vaccinate potential victims. The situation with the new coronavirus, she said, is evolving too quickly for that.

What do we lose if were cautious? OK, we miss a few basketball games and we miss a few events, but the reality of it is, there is nothing more critical to life than your health, Moore Wolfe said. We just cant risk  especially the population that is most at risk are your elderly or people with other health issues, and its really not fair to them.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Analisa Trofimuk at (217) 421-7985. Follow her on Twitter: @AnalisaTro
You can't talk about Buena Vista Cafe without talking about its Irish coffee. In 1952, the cafe introduced the cozy combination of coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey and whipped heavy cream to sweet-toothed San Franciscans. Soon, the whole world was clamoring for more.

As a result, San Francisco takes a lot of credit for Irish coffee  but even Buena Vista itself doesn't claim to have invented the drink.

"The Irish coffee is just something we brought over," explained Ron Martinez, the assistant general manager at Buena Vista. "We give out a brochure that tells the history of it, and have it on the back of the menu  it's no secret."

Buena Vista popularized the drink in America, yes  but of course, the drink's real roots are in Ireland. The most commonly accepted origin story is this: In 1943, a flight left the Foynes airport in Ireland for New York, but was forced to turn back due to bad weather. Airport staff was instructed to welcome the passengers back to the airport with warm food and drink.

It was then that chef Joe Sheridan first whipped up the legendary drink for the weary travelers. When one passenger thanked him for the wonderful coffee and asked whether it was Brazilian coffee, he replied, No, it was Irish coffee!

This is the story Margaret O'Shaughnessy, director of the museum that the Foynes airport has now been converted into, tells me.

"That is how Irish coffee first started: as a welcoming drink," she explained.

RELATED: Meet the bartender whos served San Francisco 5 million Irish coffees

Now, as legend has it, here's where Buena Vista comes in: In 1952, Chronicle travel writer Stanton Delaplane, who had written at length about this delicious drink he tried at an airport in Ireland, came by the bar. Jack Koeppler, the owner of Buena Vista at the time, was intrigued, and the two of them set about trying to re-create the Irish coffee.

After a lot of failed attempts  they had trouble getting the cream to float  Koeppler eventually flew overseas to scope out the original drink and find out how it was really done. Finally, with the help of Sheridan, who even came back to San Francisco to aid the project, he was able to perfect the recipe. And that's how Buena Vista's famous Irish coffee was born.

But there's another version of the story, too. According to an account from a Harvard professor of Irish Studies, Irish coffee was actually invented around 1940 at a place called the Dolphin Hotel in Ireland. The restaurant was owned by Michael Nugent, who supposedly created Irish coffee to disguise the dreadful taste of coffee during World War II  and Sheridan, who worked under him, learned the recipe from him.

O'Shaughnessy immediately discounted the validity of this account.

RELATED: 'Were too nice for Millennials': How a thriving SF restaurant fears for the next generation

"That was absolutely wrong," she said, saying that the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum is the only place to have actual documentation of Sheridan's role in creating Irish coffee. "People invent stories for promotion. We have all the material here."

Today, the Dolphin Hotel is no more, but a pub called Bad Bobs (in a building that Nugent also owned at the time) on the same street recounts this version of Irish coffee history on its website. However, Patrick McGowan, one of the owners of Bad Bobs, says they aren't trying to "claim" the drink  they're just recounting the history of the building before they became its owners.

"Personally, I think anybody that lays claim to inventing the Irish coffee... it's like saying that you invented vodka and coke, or the mojito," said McGowan. "People have been mixing drinks since alcohol existed. Its plausible that people would put whiskey into coffee."

While he doesn't believe that any one person can lay claim to inventing the Irish coffee, he does give Sheridan credit for popularizing it and bringing it to America. And it's probably because of him that you can now find it on menus across the globe.

"I have had Irish coffees in the Alps, Andorra, France, New York, Norway and Sri Lanka," said McGowan.

San Franciscans in particular can't get enough of the drink. Since 1952, Buena Vista Cafe has served more than 40 million Irish coffees. And even the Irish approve of the cafe's version: Both O'Shaughnessy and McGowan believe that they make "an exceptional Irish coffee."

Madeline Wells is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22
i love that ONTD is the place with the best suggestions/resources/advice

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the Met Opera thing is super neat

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Rise of Skywalker isnt on Disney+, they just released it early for digital purchase, so itll be available in ITunes, Amazon, etc if you want to make your time in isolation more miserable.

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"Please, spend more money to be upset at how we squandered this."

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Months after seeing it I'm still scratching my head @ what they fucking did with Rey and Kylo. Like...why was this necessary.

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i wonder if any dance companies will stream? my tv has a screensaver of the iss livefeed and it is very soothing to watch

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i'd love some recommendations for international(non-american) shows on netflix. any country/language is fine. any genre is good too although i'd especially love drama or action recs. i'd love to find things that really show the unique culture of the country they come from.

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Have you checked out Queen Sono?

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not yet and that's exactly the kind of thing i'm looking for. thanks !

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Babylon Berlin and Dark are pretty dope german shows. La Casa De Papel is fun trash in the best way.



Elite is also enjoyable teen soap trash and then there are 65487987 scandinavian mysteries from anywhere, but mostly scandinavia like Trapped, original The Killing, Case, etc.

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The pilot of La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) was so good and action packed. I havent finished the series because it was too much tension for me but it was really good and I hope to

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Giri/Haji is one of the best shows I have ever seen, pretty sure that's on Netflix! Definitely has both drama and action

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from brasil I recommend 3%, Bandidos na tv (killing ratings) it's a wild criminal documentary, Coisa Mais Linda (most beautiful thing), Ninguem Ta Olhando (nobody's looking), Samantha!

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Rita!! It's a danish comedy-drama.

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I heard Crash Landing on You (South Korean) is good

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these answers are great, thanks for asking this!

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Kingdom is really good. Season 2 just came out on netflix.



Bad Guys

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Diablero tho I need to finish season 2 lol but it's fun.

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The Kirillin Frequency is a lovely Argentinian horror radiobroadcast type thing

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I really liked SAMANTHA! on Netflix, it's about a Brazilian child-star as an adult and was really sweet and hilarious.



I also love Nollywood romances. Anything with a huge wedding makes me feel so good.



I watched a hotel drama period-piece from Spain, 'Grand Hotel' which was mystery/romance, it was very soapy.



'Ronnie Cheng: International Student' is a fun look at uni life in Australia for International students.





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I've been watching Berlin Babylon on Netflix which has 3 seasons, and am getting ready to start Kingdom which just released its second season

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I'd recommend O Mecanismo if it's available on your netflix

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I'm not sure if it's still available on US Netflix but a couple of years ago, I watched Prisoners of War (an Israeli television drama) and really really enjoyed it. It's the show that Homeland was based on, but I haven't seen it so can't offer any comparison.

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Dark which is German and a slightly supernatural thriller. Huge fan here



le Bazar de la Charite which is French and based on a 19th century fire in Paris where mostly upperclass women died. The show is about the aftermath.



All season of The Bridge. Which is prob one of the best scandi thrillers out there



Le Chalet. Which isnt very good but I thorougly enjoyed anyway.



Who Killed Little Gregory? Which is a documentary about one of France's most notorious murders. Absolutely insane.



Zone Blanche/Black Spot. Alsp French thriller, weird supernatural. I enjoyed it but it sadly doesnt have any resolution so far.



I also enjoy Paquita Salas. Sue me

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this is not what you asked culturally, but elite is soapy teen drama, I have to read the captions so I can't multi-task, and so I am forced to stop doing other things to follow it. I recommend for totally ignoring reality. Netflix.

Dark is great also. Watch with captions not the dub. Netflix.

Skam.



Edited at 2020-03-15 03:02 pm (UTC)

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It's ancient, it's weird, it's Canadian and it's only on Youtube but try Twitch City.

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i'm not thrilled with the met lineup (too much anna netrebko tbh), but i'll probably tune in for a few of them because lbr i'll be bored and it's free.

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https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

most are 7am-7pm but a few are 7-5 monterey bay aquarium is closed, but their live cams should be onmost are 7am-7pm but a few are 7-5

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Ooh I'm definitely gonna check out some of those Metropoliatan Opera streams! Don't know if they'll be available outside the US but I'll just use my vpn.

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i love having this person's cat videos on in the background



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i clicked this, idk why, and then went to other tabs doing other things, so all i heard was sounds of a cat purring, and my god it's so soothing. so soothing. thank you for posting.

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The Vienna State Opera will start streaming recordings of previous operas and ballets for free. starting on Sunday with Das Rheingold by Wagner.

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Thank you for sharing!!

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Bernie is a doing a fireside chat and taking questions from the chat. Like 100K across twitch/twitter/youtube watching live.





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i love this

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the contrast between biden's disaster town hall and this fireside chat is staggering....america, what is you doing???

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https://patternofdefiance.tumblr.com/post/161209361176/ambient-sounds-for-writers#notes This says ambient sounds for writers, but it kind of more like ASMR & there's a LOT of themes; like nature, places, fictional places from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Etc., historical, Sci-Fi and more.

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Monterey Bay Aquarium has many live cams to choose from! https://montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams/

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A lot of museums have virtual tours. I know the Cleveland Museum of Art does.

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i need some anime recs, i just got back into anime recently but so far i've watched: demon slayer, my hero academia, fire force, given and promare

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have you seen "fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood" it's reaaaaally good and pretty sure it's still on netflix

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oh i watched the first FMA and FMA: brotherhood MANY years ago lol

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re:life and erased are good and I think they're still not Netflix

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I just got back into anime too, and i just binged Sarazanmai because people kept telling me once you get past the high-key weirdness it's really good and.... i loved it. it's a gay butt kappa musical about how hard it is to connect with each other.



...



I SWEAR IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD. (and it was so much easier to understand than Ikuhara's other weird gay shows tbh!)



...if that's too weird (because, well, it really is), some other recent-ish anime: A Place Further Than The Universe (slice of life girls go to Antartica), The Promised Neverland (orphan mystery thriller), Carole & Tuesday (musical drama, two girls on Mars), Stars Align (tennis drama - like every issue under the sun is thrown into it that it becomes kind of funny to go "i wonder what's going to be terrible NOW" but it was still pretty great), the Fruits Basket remake, Bloom Into You (lesbian high school drama/romance), and Beastars (Zootopia, the R-rated anime).

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Violet Evergarden was pretty good

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for a ridiculous ride: Sakamoto desu ga?





Edited at 2020-03-15 10:53 am (UTC) while it doesn't seem like it's your genre but gotta put in a rec for Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-Kun and Wotakoi.for a ridiculous ride: Sakamoto desu ga?

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I'm gonna second promise neverland, that last episode was a roller coaster I still haven't recovered from. Violet Evergarden is another good one, if you want a tear jerker, plus it's really pretty.





Rn I'm watching Kaguya: love is war. Not my usual genre but it's so extra and over the top hilarious I can't help but enjoy it.

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New Delhi, March 14 : On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative, all the SAARC countries are going to hold a video conference on Sunday evening to draw a joint roadmap to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the region.

On Friday, Modi had tweeted that the leadership of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, should come together to chalk out a strong strategy to fight the coronavirus outbreak. He had suggested that all the leaders should hold a meeting to discuss the issue through video conferencing.

All the SAARC members have accepted the proposal, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Official sources said that Modi and leaders from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka will participate in the video conference at 5 p.m. on Sunday. However, instead of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, his special assistant on health affairs will participate in the meeting.

The initiative assumes significance because since 2016, SAARC has been mostly inactive. Modi had refused to attend the 2016 SAARC summit which was to be held in Islamabad, following the Uri terror attack perpetrated by Pakistani terrorists. After Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan also withdrew from the meet, the summit was called off.

SAARC summits are held biennially and are hosted by the member states in alphabetical order. The last summit was held in 2014 at Kathmandu. However, Sunday's video conference, though without Imran Khan, will break the ice.
By ANI

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government on Friday declared COVID-19 as a 'disaster' under the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 to adequately empower public officials to combat the spread of coronavirus. An amount of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked to deal with the outbreak, while educational institutions and cinemas have been ordered to remain closed till March 31.

"We are faced with a threat that does not discriminate between developed countries and underdeveloped countries between democratic or non-democratic countries. Rich and Poor societies all are equally vulnerable," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a statement.

"Each one of us in Odisha has to rise to the occasion and be responsible. In the absence of any vaccine or treatment, our collective responsibility is the only hope we have, to fight this epidemic," he added.

Patnaik urged the people to remain calm but not complacent. "We must remain prepared, but not panic," he said.

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS INDIA UPDATES HERE

He further announced that an amount of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked to augment the Public Health Response Fund to combat the threat of the pandemic.

"The experience of China and Singapore and Italy has given us learning on what to do and what not to do. I must confess the entire world is on a learning curve about handling this disaster," the chief minister added.

He urged the public to join hands in managing the situation. "This is where it is very important that the four and a half crore Odias join together and help us in managing the situation. Each one of us has a responsibility to ourselves, to our families and to the communities we live in," he said.

The Chief Minister had earlier announced that all educational institutions shall remain closed till March 31, except for holding examinations. Non-essential official gatherings such as seminars, workshops, conferences have also been cancelled. Social gatherings and assemblies like religious functions, marriage receptions, parties etc. are to be regulated by local authorities.

Cinemas, swimming pools and gyms are to be closed till are also to remain closed till March 31. "Just keep interactions to the most essential levels and even in that take all precautions. Being at home, reducing social interactions and avoiding gatherings will cut down the vulnerability to a great extent. Another important practice is frequent hand washing and strict sanitisation protocols," he advised.

He also appealed to people to act in a responsible manner and desist from rumour-mongering, misinformation and irresponsible conduct. Such conduct will be dealt with very sternly. I am sure with the support of each one of you; Odisha will be able to face this situation in the best possible manner, he concluded.
As with many crises, one way weve measured these early weeks of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak has been in supermarket lines and emptied shelves. In many places, nervous shoppers have been stockpiling groceries in anticipation of extended spells of social distancing. Although its not the rule everywhere, markets across the country have been struggling to replenish their wares as canned foods, dried goods, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper become worth their weight in gold. But there are a few consumer attitudes that even a run on supermarkets cannot erase: Some foods are just that unappealing. Here, according to Twitter users and Slate staffers own ill-fated shopping trips, is what isnt flying off the shelves.

Pasta Made From Chickpeas

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Slates Ben Mathis-Lilley reports that shoppers laid waste to the entire pasta aisle at a Whole Foods in Millburn, New Jersey, save for the chickpea-based options like Banza. The Amazon product page for Banzas linguine notes, Banza is bringing the sexy back to pasta.

Chocolate Hummus

Somehow reassuring in the midst of #coronavirus shopping frenzy to know that people still have the sense *not* to buy #chocolatehummus and buffalo hummus. #traderjoes #dc pic.twitter.com/fLvuUFWz3Y  Noah (@noahgo) March 13, 2020

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Chocolate hummus is the canary in the coal mine. If you see it selling out, its time to start fleeing into the woods.

Dryer Sheets

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Slate correspondent Justin Peters sent a picture of what looks to be a nearly untouched dryer sheet selection at a Foodtown in New York City. Actually, this is a luxury you should indulge. Home confinement is the best time to make sure your clothes are soft.

Obscure Canned Veggies

According to Slate social media editor Sofie Werthan, stocks of obscure canned veggies like artichokes and asparagus spears are still plentiful at her local Giant in D.C.

Dasani

water at my grocery store getting cleared but the dasani still sittin  pic.twitter.com/oJWo9K35xK  Lu C (@Herwussypet) March 12, 2020

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No water here but Dasani. Even in a crisis nobody drinking that trash ass water pic.twitter.com/p8xG6YnW70  vegeta sama (@MamaElle_) March 12, 2020

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bitches call me dasani cause dont nobody want me bruh ...  pic.twitter.com/1H5pB66DQs  the sauce haver (@MultipleHanates) March 13, 2020

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Hilarious brand discrimination aside, theres really no reason to be stocking up on bottled water right now.

Pork

U ever feel like pork at a grocery store during a crisis? pic.twitter.com/Lo7QCp1EIn  Nate (@WAHOnumber1fan) March 13, 2020

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Reminds people too much of swine flu, I guess?

Kidney Beans

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Slates director of technology, Greg Lavallee, reports that kidney beans appear to be least desired canned legumes in his D.C. Whole Foods.

Vegan Food

Interesting photo sent to me from a colleague in a Michigan grocery store #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/PbRJtpwS9S  Sara Place (@drsplace) March 13, 2020

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When things really hit the fan, people show their true colors.



This is in Glasgow, where grocery stores are empty.



But the vegan food remains. pic.twitter.com/PMXv3YE51h  Carnivore Aurelius  (@KetoAurelius) March 9, 2020

Vegans will inherit the earth.

For more on the impact of the coronavirus, listen to the latest episode of What Next: TBD.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 19:01:34|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China firmly supports the European Union (EU) in its fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

In messages of sympathy sent to European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Xi said China is ready to provide assistance and help the EU overcome the outbreak at an early date.
Storyful

An affable deer created somewhat of a buzz in a neighborhood near Salt Lake City, Utah, he regularly visited over the holiday period.The deer, nicknamed Cooper by local residents, has been playing with children in the neighborhood of Herriman and was even spotted posing for photos, reports said.Herriman resident Angelica Lujan recorded footage of the tame deer interacting with her children outside of her home on South Rowell Drive.Speaking to KSTU, a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources representative said despite the deers friendly attitude, the best thing for the animal is for people to leave him alone.People dont realize these beautiful, cute deer can be aggressive as they get older. Weve had times in the past where these friendly deer, they do get aggressive, said Scott Root, Conservation Outreach Manager, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.Weve had kids hurt at bus stops. Bad things happen when we feed deer in a residential area, Root added. Credit: Angelica Lujan via Storyful
A couple has been arrested for allegedly killing a 42-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district, police said on Saturday.

The suspect, Sandeep Kaushik, had an extramarital affair with the victim and killed her as she was allegedly pressuring him to abandon his wife and a marry her instead. His wife has also been held for being an accomplice in the crime, police said.

A missing report was lodged at the Sahibabad police station on Wednesday. The next morning, police recovered a woman's body in the the field near Morti village and she was identified as Rinni Jain of Gulmohar Green society in Sahibabad, Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani said.

Jain's car was also recovered in the basement of a society, and Rs 3 lakh and a Russian-made pistol were found inside the vehicle, police said.

Kaushik was held near the Hindon Air Force-Karhera village road. His wife Preeti Tyagi, who is a visiting professor in a Delhi-based management institute, has also been arrested.

During interrogation, Kaushik confessed to killing Jain who was a divorcee. Kaushik and Jain became friends as they used to frequently meet outside a school where their children studied, the police said.

The two also became partners in a restaurant business and later got into an extramarital affair. Jain started pressuring Kaushik to leave his wife and marry her, the police said.

Kaushik confessed to his wife about his affair and both hatched a plan to kill Jain, the police said.

The accused asked Jain to give him Rs 3-lakh loan and requested her to meet him at a club. When Jain reached the spot, Kaushik took her to the Raj Nagar area and shot her twice, the police said.

The couple has been arrested and a case registered against them under Section 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, the SSP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blasted Mitch McConnell for sending the Senate home before voting on the coronavirus relief bill.

In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Schumer said:

Im extremely pleased that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes the people-focused initiatives Speaker Pelosi and I outlined earlier in the week, including paid sick leave, food security assistance, free testing for those who need it, emergency unemployment insurance, major new investments in Medicaid and more. These are the kinds of measures we need to initiate immediately to deal with many of the problems the coronavirus has created for working families.

It was remarkably irresponsible and out of touch for Senator McConnell to send senators out of town for the weekend in the middle of this public health crisis and before the House passed this vital people-focused legislation. Senator McConnell and Republicans should pass this legislation as is immediately so it can get to the presidents desk so he can sign it right away.

Make no mistake: this legislation is very necessary but not sufficient. There are still desperately needed steps the Trump administration must take to ensure there is enough testing and treatment for everyone who needs it, as well as other broader economic measures that Senate Democrats outlined earlier this week to help states and local communities deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

McConnell sent the Senate home for the weekend in the face of a coronavirus epidemic where the number of confirmed cases is growing exponentially by the day. There is no reason for the Senate not to be in session during a time of national emergency.

Mitch McConnell, like Donald Trump, is making the crisis worse.

The coronavirus bill is not a standard piece of legislation that can be passed through the normal mechanisms of Senate business.

Every minute that increased aid is not available to the states, more people will get sick and die.

The Senate should have stayed in session, and the bill should have been on Trumps desk by Saturday afternoon.

Mitch McConnell and his party are making the coronavirus even more deadly for the American people.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Former Married At First Sight star Tracey Jewel encouraged her fans on Saturday to consider 'vibrational healing and bioenergetic boosting' to boost their immune systems in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a video shared to Instagram, the 37-year-old promoted the benefits of a new age medical device called Healy that claims to boost one's immune system.

The entrepreneur added in the post's caption that it's important to 'keep our vibrations high' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no evidence that holistic practices or non-traditional medicine, including the Healy device, can be used to treat or prevent coronavirus.

Alternative methods: Former Married At First Sight star Tracey Jewel, 37, told fans in a video on Saturday that she's using 'vibrational healing and bioenergetic boosting' to help in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

Seated in the back of a car in Sydney, Tracey began by addressing the nation's fears regarding the spread of coronavirus.

'There's a lot of fear and insecurity and uncertainty about coronavirus and here in Sydney, you can feel the energy,' she said.

Tracey promoted Healy's device and encouraged her fans to keep 'vibrations high'.

'Here at Healy, we're all about good vibes. We are hiring Healy [products] and offering programs across Australia to boost your immune system, bioenergetics [and] increase your protection. We're here to help,' she said.

Vibrational healing: The entrepreneur promoted the benefits of Healy's medical device in supporting the immune system. The vibrational device can be attached to one's body and is said to aid in disturbed cell metabolism

DISCLAIMER A disclaimer on Healy's website says that Healy 'is a medical device for the treatment of chronic pain, fibromyalgia, skeletal pain and migraine as well as for the adjuvant therapy of mental illness such as depression, anxiety and associated sleep disorders.' It adds that 'all other applications of Healy are not recognized by conventional medicine due to lack of evidence in the sense of conventional medicine.' There is no evidence to suggest that Healy can be used to treat or prevent coronavirus. Advertisement

Tracey told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday that she uses the Healy device to 'support' her immunity.

'I've found lots of personal benefits on many aspects from using this holistic device,' she explained.

Healy Australia offers in-person or online sessions that introduces participants to the brand's medical device and mobile app.

Using quantum physics, the product is said to 'analyse and heal your individual specific bioenergetic frequencies'.

Programs: Tracey previously revealed that Healy Australia offers in-person or online sessions that introduces participants to the brand's medical device and mobile app

The vibrational device can be attached to one's body, and is said to aid in disturbed cell metabolism.

On the Healy website, a disclaimer states that the device is 'for the treatment of chronic pain, fibromyalgia, skeletal pain and migraines, as well as the adjuvant therapy of mental illness including depression, anxiety and sleep disorders'.

However 'all other applications of Healy are not recognised by conventional medicine due to lack of evidence in the sense of conventional medicine'.

Disease: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can produce pneumonia. Pictured: an elderly lady with the disease

Statistics: As of March 14, the total number of Australians diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19) is now 227, including three deaths

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can produce pneumonia.

The spread of the disease, which began in Wuhan, China, has seen over 145,000 cases worldwide and more than 5,400 fatalities.

As of the afternoon of Saturday March 14, the total number of Australians diagnosed with the virus was 227, including three deaths.

New lifestyle: Meanwhile in December, Tracey revealed on The Witchcast podcast that she had turned to witchcraft following a challenging two years in the spotlight

Meanwhile in December, Tracey revealed on The Witchcast podcast that she had turned to witchcraft following a challenging two years in the spotlight.

'It's just a way of being for me... It's always been my source of peace and comfort in those really tough times and it's certainly something that came in handy [when I was] about to be catapulted into a public profile [on MAFS],' she said.

When asked about her 'divination tools', Tracey revealed: 'I have an altar full of sticks and twigs, and I don't even know where half of them have come from anymore. They're just all together, I just love it.'

Tracey is also a flower essence practitioner and has founded business Bloom Blends.

The essences contain artesian well spring water, are organic, and are said to harmonise the mind and body.
T he US has banned all travel from the UK and Ireland in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread.

The new restrictions are set to last for 30 days and will begin at midnight EST on Monday (4am UK time), Vice President Mike Pence confirmed today.

The announcement was made just hours after a US shutdown on 26 European countries came into force.

President Donald Trump hinted that the travel ban would be extended to Britain last night owing to the "precipitous" rise in the nation's number of cases.

Trump suspends Europe-US travel

At a White Office press conference on Saturday Mr Trump was asked whether he could confirm it would take place.

He then revealed that the move was "going to be announced.

Moments later, Mr Pence replaced him on the podium and said: In our taskforce meeting today the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time.

The Vice President said there had been a unanimous recommendation from health experts to extend the travel ban.

Under the restrictions, American citizens, green card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the US, but will be funnelled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

A UK Foreign Office spokesman responded to the news by saying: This is a decision for the US.

We are working to provide as much information and support to affected British nationals as possible.

We continue to coordinate closely with the US and other international partners on the global response to coronavirus.

Mr Trump said more bluntly at today's conference: "If you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it,"

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

Commenting on the ban, a British Airways spokesman cited the airlines book with confidence policy.

Customers who are booked to fly with the airline between March 14 and May 31 can cancel their booking and receive a voucher for the same value, it states.

The airlines website says: Vouchers are valid for 12 months and can be used to any destination.

Your voucher can be used as part payment towards a future booking to any destination. It must be redeemed for travel on flights taken within 12 months of your original date of departure.

Irish airline Aer Lingus said: Were assessing the impact of new US government restrictions announced today on travel from Ireland and the UK to the United States. We will communicate directly with affected guests as soon as possible.

All travel before 31 May can be changed to a later date and/or destination. No change fees apply. A fare difference may apply.

The Embassy of Ireland in the USA tweeted: Travel from US to Ireland remains unaffected by the @DHSgov announcement.

Restrictions do not apply for travel from the US to Ireland & transatlantic flights continue to operate as scheduled.

The ramped-up measures come as the UK announced 342 new cases of the covid-19 virus in just 24 hours, with ten more patient deaths.

The US has so far confirmed 51 deaths linked to the pandemic and 2,488 infections.

As of Saturday morning, travel to and from the US was already suspended from 26 Schengen countries  22 European Union members and four non-EU.

These consist of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The restrictions were met with anger and confusion by the EU, with leaders accusing the president of taking the decision "without consultation".

The UK and Ireland had been exempt from the ban, but Mr Trump said on Saturday: "They've had a little bit of activity, unfortunately."

Trump declares coronavirus pandemic a national emergency

Sporting a blue USA cap, the president told reporters at today's press briefing that he'd had his temperature taken before entering the room and it was "totally normal.

He also confirmed that he was tested for the virus on Friday night and that he expects the results in "a day or two days."

Earlier, The White House announced it would be conducting temperature checks on anyone who has close contact with with the president and his VP, including reporters attending press conferences.

The move is being taken as a precaution in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said Judd Deere, a US government spokesman.

Mr Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club on Florida.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Friday refueled his allegation that the novel coronavirus has US military origins by citing a story from a website known to promote conspiracy theories to bolster his claim.

Late on Thursday night, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian had tweeted to his large number of followers that the US military might be behind the covid-19 epidemic, and China, where it was first detected last year, wasnt the origin of the virus.

The covid-19 pandemic has gone to kill over 4000 and infect more than 1.32 lakh globally.

When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation, Zhao had tweeted in English and Chinese.

2/2 CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation! pic.twitter.com/vYNZRFPWo3  Lijian Zhao  (@zlj517) March 12, 2020

Zhao did not offer any evidence but referred to statement by a top US health official that a few flu-related deaths in the US that occurred earlier could have been caused by the coronavirus.

1/2 CDC Director Robert Redfield admitted some Americans who seemingly died from influenza were tested positive for novel #coronavirus in the posthumous diagnosis, during the House Oversight Committee Wednesday. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/vYNZRFPWo3  Lijian Zhao  (@zlj517) March 12, 2020

On Friday, he doubled down on his claim by referring to a similar story from the Montreal-based Centre for Research on Globalisation, which says its an independent think-tank but is often called out for peddling outlandish theories including on 9/11.

Sharing a link from the website, Zhao tweeted on Friday that this article is very much important to each and every one of us. Please read and retweet it. covid-19: Further Evidence that the Virus Originated in the US.

It led to a bit of a firestorm on Twitter with thousands sharing Zhaos tweets and many trashing it, saying China was on the aggressive to help it cover up the fact had officials had covered-up information on the covid-19 in December and for nearly three weeks in January.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP), in fact, reported on Friday, citing government documents that the first case of the infection was detected at the epicentre Wuhan in November.

The SCMP report said Chinese health authorities had identified at least 266 people who contracted the virus last year.

They were put under medical surveillance, and the earliest case was November 17  weeks before authorities announced the emergence of the new virus, and then finally put in place containment measures.

At the regular foreign ministry press conference, Zhaos colleague, spokesperson

Geng Shuang somewhat sidestepped questions on whether Beijing blames the US for the coronavirus.

The international community including the US has different opinions about the origin of the virus, said Geng.

The origin of the virus is a scientific matter and as such scientific views should be listened to, said Geng.
File Image

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that the novel coronavirus outbreak was at the "containment stage", adding that the Centre and the Delhi government had been working together to deal with it. Kejriwal urged the people to not hoard sanitisers and masks, which is he said was not needed for those who are healthy as COVID-19 was not an airborne disease.

Addressing a one-day session of the Delhi Assembly, the chief minister said his government had been taking every step to check the spread of the pandemic.

"We have closed schools, cinema halls, universities... to contain the spread of coronavirus," Kejriwal told the Assembly. "We have been taking all precautionary measures and people have been supporting us."

"It is good that coronavirus is at the containment stage. The Centre and the Delhi government are working together to deal with it," he said.

Kejriwal underscored that precautionary measures, especially regular washing of hands, could help deal with the deadly disease.

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

"If you wear a mask, you may touch it and there's is a fear of getting infected," he said. "Only infected people should wear mask."

The chief minister explained that on a hard surface, the virus stays for about 48 hours and it lasts for about seven-eight days on a soft tissue surface.

"Instead of using sanitisers, you should wash your hands after every half hour, which would be sufficient," he said.

"It is important for all of us sitting here to inform the people that hoarding is not necessary. Unlike other diseases, there is no cure for this disease, the only cure is spreading information on how to contain the outbreak," Kejriwal said.

"We have made all the arrangements necessary to provide adequate treatment to those who need it. I hope that the people of Delhi remain safe, and I hope that all the departments will work in cooperation to contain the outbreak," he added.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain said more than 500 beds had been readied for COVID-19 cases.

Private hospitals should be allowed to run testing laboratories, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 22:59:03|Editor: yan

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NEW DELHI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Government of India on Saturday decided to hike the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on mobile phones to 18 percent from 12 percent.

The decision was taken at the 39th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council held in New Delhi. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the country's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

In a sharp reaction to the Centre Government's decision, Chairman of the "Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA)" Pankaj Mohindroo said that the increase in the Tax on mobile phones was "extremely detrimental" to the vision of "Digital India."

"The increase of GST by 6 percent will be extremely detrimental to the vision of Digital India. Consumption will be stymied and our domestic consumption target of 80 billion U.S. dollars (6 lakh crores Indian Rupees) by 2025 will not be achieved. We will fall short by at least 2 lakh crores. This was time for statesmanship especially when the country is going through a crisis and as a nation, we have fallen short," said Mohindroo in a statement issued to the media.

Earlier, on Thursday, Mohindroo had request the country's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to retain the GST on mobile phones at 12 percent, as the "industry was already in acute stress due to Coronavirus."

In his letter to the finance minister, the ICEA chairman had warned that 310-320 million Indians who buy mobile phones in India will be "impacted" by hiking GST.
Pune: The Pune Police on Saturday (March 14) registered a case against three people including Priyadarshini Nikalje, the niece of underworld don Chhota Rajan, in connection with an extortion case. The police also arrested one accused in connection with the case while a search is underway for others.

The Central bureau of Investigation (CBI) had on January 22 filed four new cases against Chhota Rajan and his associates under the sections for murder, attempt to murder, extortion and criminal conspiracy.

Rajan was deported to India after being arrested in 2015 from Bali in Indonesia. Since then, he is lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 12:31:49|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China has allocated more than 17.1 billion yuan (about 2.44 billion U.S. dollars) of funds between September and January to boost pork production, the finance ministry said.

The funds, including 11.8 billion yuan from the central budget and 5.3 billion yuan from local governments, were used to subsidize pig farmers whose pigs were culled due to the African swine fever and offer a subsidy of interest in granting discount loans to support hog production, the Ministry of Finance said on its website.

This came as the country's pork prices soared after the African swine fever battered the pork industry last year, and pushed up consumer prices. The output of the staple meat in China plunged 21.3 percent year on year in 2019.

The Chinese government unveiled a range of measures to boost market supplies. However, pork prices, which were largely expected to soften, continued to rise as a result of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The ministry said it will continue to closely monitor the combined impacts of the African swine fever and the epidemic, enhance implementation of existing supportive policies and further improve policy incentives to restore hog production.
The Delhi Police has arrested five more persons in connection with Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma's murder case during the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month, officials said

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested five more persons in connection with IB staffer Ankit Sharma's murder during the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month, officials said.

The accused have been identified as Feroz, Javed, Gulfam and Shoaib from Chand Bagh area and Anas from Mustafabad, they said.

Police said they identified the accused through CCTV footage and information provided by eyewitness and local informers.

Earlier on Thursday, a man identified as Salman, a resident of Nand Nagri, was arrested in connection with the murder case.

Police have made portraits of two more suspects and identified four-five more men who are currently on the run. Efforts are being made to arrest them, they said.

Sharma's body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhi's Chand Bagh area on February 27, a day after he went missing.

Police said they are also interrogating Tahir Hussain in connection with Sharma's murder case.

"We have received 1,330 CCTV footage of last month's northeast Delhi violence. We are investigating the cases from all angles and the police personnel are analysing the footage. Around 150 weapons have also been recovered which were used during the violence," a senior police officer said.
Archbishop Hinder close to front line workers fighting the disease and invites the faithful to help people in these difficult times. The virus affects not only health, but also societies and economies. But the nation has "excellent" structures and there is "constant vigilance". Covid-19 also frightens ISIS jihadists.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews) - Worldwide many dioceses are "observing days of prayer and fasting" for the end of the new coronavirus epidemic and, for this reason, "I urge you to pray, fast and carry out goodwill gestures for those affected by the pandemic," urges Msgr. Paul Hinder, apostolic vicar of southern Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen).

In n a new pastoral letter sent to AsiaNews, he adds that Wednesdays of Lent "will have this intention" to pray "for the wisdom" of those who "fight disease, healing for those affected and protection and safety for all".

The prelate invites the faithful to help those in difficulty, socially and economically, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been spreading sensitively in the Middle East in recent days. The hope, he continues, is to "resume regular celebrations and activities" because "we are all, in one way or another" all over the world "involved" by the coronavirus.

Simple and everyday gestures such as going to mass or praying in community "are questioned" and the functions are "drastically reduced or suspended". The disease not only affects public health, but also implies a "heavy toll" on societies and economies affecting "our lives".

Archbishop Hinder recalls the good fortune of living in a nation "with excellent medical facilities" at the service of the sick, with "constant vigilance" by the authorities in all sectors, a factor that "has favored a limited spread of the epidemic". However, he continues, it is necessary to "maintain a high level of caution" and take "all precautions" to counteract the circulation of the virus.

Citizens have the task of taking all measures of "prudence and precaution", while not forgetting "the dimension of faith" in this moment of "crisis", when "human frailty" emerges and "asks us to be prepared on a spiritual level ". Bishop Hinder shares the pain of those who cannot attend the services because they are suspended or sick, but adds that "they will resume as soon as possible". Meanwhile, for Lent, Holy Week and Easter, the masses "will be available on electronic media" and takes the opportunity to invite the faithful to follow those celebrated by Pope Francis.

Finally, Msgr. Hinder outlines some indications - old and new - to better face the coronavirus epidemic: stay at home and not come to church if you have been in contact with people who have tested positive for Covid-19 or if subjected to quarantine; if you are returning from countries considered at risk; for the elderly and the sick, subjects considered particularly at risk.

Meanwhile, the emergency knows no borders and the jihadist group of the Islamic State (IS, ex Isis) is also starting to worry, which have outlined guidelines for their own militiamen in Syria and Iraq. Through the al-Naba information channel, linked to fundamentalists, and with graphics that reflect the indications traced in many Western countries, the leaders list styles of behavior outlined by God and the prophet Muhammad. Among these, people are invited to respect the distance, not to enter or leave the land of infection, to cover their mouth and wash their hands.

As regards the infections, Saudi Arabia registered 24 new cases yesterday, including 14 Egyptians, for a total of 86. Turkey three, for a total of five. Another 58 in Qatar, for a total number of infections equal to 320. In Syria there are still no official cases, but the Damascus authorities have ordered the closure of schools and a ban on smoking hookah in cafes. Finally Iran, which remains the most affected nation in the area with 11363 infections and 514 deaths.
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The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hon. Ernest Arthur has received a 15 member delegation made up of representatives from the United States National Association of REALTORS (NAR) and the Ghana Real Estate Professionals (GREPA) to discuss economic cooperation and investment opportunities.

The United States of Americas National Association of REALTORS has invited Hon. Ernest Arthur and a delegation from Cape Coast to the United States of America to attend its annual REALTORS Conference which will take place in the City of New Orleans, United States in November this year. The invitation from NAR is as a result of the Sister City Partnership between Cape Coast and the City of New Orleans.

The visit by the delegation was to firm up plans for the visit and to also discuss investment opportunities in Cape Coast. The meeting also discussed a trade show Cape Coast intends to put up at the conference Expo in New Orleans during the conference

Hon. Ernest Arthur expressed his appreciation for the visit and promised to forge closer ties with NAR and GREPA for the development of Cape Coast. "Since I became the Chief Executive, I have combed around the world to seek private investments for the development of Cape Coast. I have been particular about investment in the area of real estate, and agro-processing to improve the economy of Cape Coast. We have presented proposals on the Marina City and the Heritage Walk Projects all in an attempt to boost tourism infrastructure in the city. I therefore welcome this cooperation to work to attract investors", Hon Arthur added.

The delegation was overwhelmed about the numerous investment opportunities in Cape Coast. Speaking at the meeting, the Project Coordinator for GREPA, Mr. Kwabena Adusei Peasah indicated that they are ready to work the Metropolitan Assembly to put Cape Coast on the global map to boost investments in the city.
Tony McAleer, a dapper Canadian in his early 50s, is unrecognisable from his previous life as a violent skinhead and organiser of hate group White Aryan Resistance.

Some of the memories from those days still have the power to haunt him. McAleer remembers his group chasing a gay man into a building site, throwing rocks at him, and hearing the man's screams as the rocks struck him. He still doesn't know what happened to that man.

From hate to compassion: Tony McAleer (left) and Robert Orell Credit:Scott McNaughton

Robert Orell, 39, is a direct-talking Swede with the confident air of a military man. He too is a former violent white supremacist, having spent years in the Swedish neo-Nazi movement before leaving at 19.

As a teenager, Orell trained his mind and body to prepare for the violent revolution he believed was to come. He worked out five times a week, abstained from alcohol and swotted up on far-right propaganda.
Ahead of the upcoming 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) scheduled to commence next Monday (24 February), Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha briefed the President of the HRC Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger on the decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to withdraw its co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of March 2019 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, which also incorporates and builds on preceding Resolutions 30/1 of October 2015 and 34/1 of March 2017.

The Foreign Secretary who is presently in Geneva, on Friday (21 February) informed the President that the Cabinet of Ministers had on Wednesday approved this decision following a cabinet paper submitted by Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. The decision had also been presented to the Parliament on Thursday. He also informed her that Minister Gunawardena will lead the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council, and will formally inform the Council Members on the Governments decision when he addresses the High Level Segment of the Council, on Wednesday 26 February. Minister Gunawardena who will also respond to the Oral Update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner on 27 February, is scheduled to meet the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, during his stay in Geneva.

She was also informed by the Foreign Secretary that on the eve of the decision being taken by the Cabinet, the Ambassadors of the core group that had moved the resolution, who were resident in Colombo ( the UK, Germany and Canada), had also been briefed by Minister Gunawardena.

Ambassador Tichy-Fisslberger appreciated Sri Lankas initiative to keep her briefed on the matter.

Sri Lanka Permanent Mission

Geneva

21 February 2020

Press Release in PDF
Tan Hiep Phat and Yeah1 signed the agreement on March 12

Local media company Yeah1 Group (HSX: YEG) on March 12 signed an agreement on strategic co-operation with Tan Hiep Phat. The two sides will jointly develop applications on Yeah1s digital platforms and roll out marketing programmes this year.

With its 15 years of experience in multimedia, Yeah1 could help Tan Hiep Phat to better approach young people of the X, Y, and Z generations. The local media firm has offered marketing solutions for big brands like Samsung, Heineken, Unilever, Grab, and LG, among others.

At the signing ceremony, Yeah1 chairman Nguyen Anh Nhuong Tong, said that under the strategic co-operation with the soft drink maker, Yeah1 expects to raise its revenue by 25.5 per cent to $78 million and profit by 134 per cent to $5.2 million this year. It expects cash and cash equivalents at $26.1 million and debts to stay at $9.9 million.

However, as Tan Hiep Phat has been struggling to recover its performance after the fly scandal five years ago, and its ability to support Yeah1 remains questionable.

Specifically, the public embarrassment cost the company VND2 trillion ($86.96 million) and Tan Hiep Phat has been ailing ever since.

In 2016, one year after the scandal, Tan Hiep Phat recorded VND6.1 trillion ($265.2 million), only a quarter of its revenue target of $1 billion in 2018. Notably, its off-trade market share narrowed down to 13.1 per cent in 2017 from 16.5 per cent in 2013, according to Euromonitor.

Off-trade is the key sales channel of the soft drink manufacturer, with thousands of stores and distributors across the country. The segment accounts for about 60 per cent of its performance, while the remaining 40 per cent is on-trade.

Tan Hiep Phat is lagging behind the annual growth of the beverage industry, which is reflected by its shrinking market share. Along with the scandal, the downturn in demand for bottled tea  the companys main product  is another major reason behind its weak performance.

The average growth rate of the kind of goods in 2012-2017 was 14.7 per cent, but it fell to 2.8 per cent in 2016-2017. Euromonitor stated that consumers prefer healthy food and beverages. To ride the trend, companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have launched items with low calories and sugar content. Meanwhile, Tan Hiep Phat seems to have no intention to make a change.

Currently, the firm has yet to publish its business results for 2018 and 2019. More telling is that the firm maintains the $1 billion revenue target but changed the timeline to 2023.
RTHK: US extends European travel ban to Britain, Ireland

Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday that a travel ban imposed on European nations over the coronavirus pandemic would be extended to the United Kingdom and Ireland starting at 0400 GMT on Tuesday.

"Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home. Legal residents can come home," Pence told a White House news conference, adding that such people would be "funneled through specific airports and processed."

A 30-day US ban on travel from the EU's Schengen border-free zone took effect on Saturday, but notably excluded Britain and Ireland.

Trump had earlier confirmed the ban would be extended to those countries, saying: "They've had a little bit of activity, unfortunately." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
File photo

According to Saturday Punch, there was tension at Lemode in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State on Tuesday after a guest at a burial service held in the community, Stanley Ekpenisi, ran to his death while trying to evade arrest.

City Round learnt that some policemen at a police outpost in the neighbourhood had raided a spot where Ekpenisi and other guests gathered around 9am that day.

On sighting the cops, the 38-year-old reportedly took to his heels and they ran after him.

He reportedly wanted to scale a fence when his hands slipped and became unconscious.

He was said to have been taken to a private hospital in the neighbourhood where he gave up the ghost shortly after.

Our correspondent gathered that angry youths staged a protest as the news of Ekpenisis death fittered in.

They blamed the police for the incident and attempted to set the police outpost ablaze but for the intervention of the communitys traditional ruler, Oba Solomon Adisa and senior police officers.

It was learnt that the Divisional Police Officer, Agbado Division which oversees the outpost, SP Kehinde Yero and the Area Commander, Sango Ota, ACP Monday Agbonike, prevailed on the youths.

A resident of the area, Wasiu Fatile, told our correspondent on Friday that Ekpenisi had attended the burial service of a resident who died few days earlier at Abbatoir Market in Lagos.

He said, A fence collapsed at the market and it fell on the man who was a trader there. A burial service was organised for the man at Lemode on Tuesday and many people, including Stanley (Ekpenisi) attended the programme. While the programme was on, some policemen raided a spot where some of the guests gathered and people started running away.

The policemen chased Ekpenisi and he wanted to jump over a fence when he fell. He was unconscious and they took him to a hospital where he died. People claimed they found some wraps of Indian hemps in his pockets but his friends said its not true.

The youth wanted to burn the police outpost where the policemen came from but they were later prevailed upon. Till now, policemen are still at some junctions in Lemode to prevent any violent protest.

Another resident who identified himself simply as Stephen, said Ekpenisi would have been buried on Friday but his brother who lives in Abuja insisted that he wanted to see his corpse.



The man fled on sighting some policemen on a routine patrol at Lemode. He wanted to scale the fence and he fell. The youth claimed the police shot him but some community elders followed policemen to the hospital and they confirmed he did not suffer gunshot wounds.

Yet, many people are not satisfied with the account of those elders who testified to the polices claim. Everywhere was tense that day but peace has returned now.

The medical director at the hospital, Dr Sunday Amoo, told City Round that Ekpenisi died about 20 minutes after he was brought to the hospital.

The doctor stated that a test run on him revealed that he was suffering from anaemia (lack of red blood cells), adding that he died before the commencement of blood transfusion.

Amoo, who did not want his hospitals name in print said, He was brought in highly unconscious. He was diagnosed for anaemia. His blood pressure was very low at 90/30. He died in less than 20 minutes he was brought in. He didnt sustain any gunshot wound.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, while commenting on the incident, said police had raided a black spot around the venue of the burial service that day.

He said, Police went to raid the black spot in that area. He ran away when he sighted policemen. He fell while he was running away and he became unconscious. They rushed him to the hospital where he died. Some wraps of Indian hemps were recovered from him.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend

The border crossing between Iran and Pakistan is closed, said spokesperson for the Iranian Customs Rouhollah Latifi, Trend reports citing Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).

According to Latifi, firstly, Pakistan announced that Iranian trucks can enter Pakistan.

Latifi added that however, Pakistan does let Iranian trucks to enter its territory from today and only allows Iranian trucks in Pakistan to return to Iran.

Customs official said there are currently 900 trucks on the Iranian border with Pakistan and most of them carry petrochemical, hydrocarbon and liquefied gas products.

Iran is one of the recent countries, affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 12,729 people have been infected, 611 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 4,339 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.
That didn't last long, did it? On Thursday both the DUP and Sinn Fein were on the same page when it came to following the Chief Medical Officer's advice that schools should not be closed yet in Northern Ireland to deal with the coronavirus.

By yesterday morning Sinn Fein had torn out the page, ripped it up, and replaced it with a hastily scribbled one of their own demanding that schools be closed "now".

It's open to speculation what happened between Thursday early evening and Friday morning to make Michelle O'Neill switch position so dramatically. But what's beyond doubt is that the biggest change to occur in those brief hours was the shattering of trust that had started to build, not just between parties at Stormont but in the wider community, hopeful that there were some issues so serious that they would transcend the sectarian divide.

In being prepared to stand by the Executive in its collective approach to the virus, rather than following the lead of Sinn Fein in the Republic, or whoever might actually be in charge of the republican movement, it seemed that O'Neill was putting her duty as Deputy First Minister ahead of her role as deputy leader of Sinn Fein. It was a praiseworthy move that boded well for the future.

Suddenly, hours after saying "we are being guided by the medical science", the most unhelpful outcome of all had come to pass, namely the politicisation of Covid-19.

Read More

The immediate closure of schools may turn out to be the right thing to do; many countries have shut down schools and colleges, and there are plenty of virologists urging similar action in the UK. It also does make sense to take an all-island approach to the problem. What's troubling is the Sinn Fein deputy leader's explanation that she changed tack "on the back of public concern that is clearly there".

People are worried, but throwing out the advice of all the medical experts consulted by the Executive without adequate scientific explanation to the contrary can only add to the fear and confusion.

That Sinn Fein made such a dramatic turnaround in apparent defiance of fellow members of the Northern Ireland Executive, including Health Minister Robin Swann, is equally disquieting for the future of power-sharing.

This is not what people expected when the Executive reformed. Back in January, at that special Saturday sitting of the Assembly, O'Neill pledged to "bring people together" and Arlene Foster to "seek common ground".

Within a matter of weeks that approach has been unilaterally jettisoned by one party for what looks like partisan and populist motives. How are other parties expected to trust Sinn Fein when, within weeks, they abandoned collective responsibility and went off on a solo run, leaving their ministerial colleagues from other parties to pick up the pieces?

Republicans cannot complain if people decide that, in the midst of a serious public health crisis, their obsession with pushing an all-Ireland agenda has once again prevailed over the need to show a united front in Northern Ireland.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 17:30:32|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

To help Iran beat the coronavirus outbreak, China has offered Iran a batch of anti-epidemic supplies and sent a team of voluntary health experts, said the Chinese president.



BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to provide as much assistance as it can for Iran in the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message recently sent to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Xi expressed heartfelt sympathies to the Iranian government and people over the epidemic on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

Stressing that China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners and their people enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi noted that the Iranian government and people have provided sincere and friendly support and help for China's fight against the epidemic.

Chinese medical team meet with the Iranian Red Crescent Society officials in Tehran, Iran, on March 2, 2020. (Chinese Embassy in Iran/Handout via Xinhua)

Meanwhile, to help Iran beat the disease, China has offered Iran a batch of anti-epidemic supplies and sent a team of voluntary health experts, Xi said.

China stands ready to step up cooperation with Iran to contain the epidemic, Xi said, adding that he is confident that the Iranian government and people will surely win the battle against the outbreak. 
Greece's first woman president began her term on Friday with a pledge to protect the country's borders and defend human rights, whilst warning Greeks to follow health rules as the country grapples with over 100 coronavirus cases. Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a 63-year-old former senior judge, said she would "walk together" with Greeks to create a "prosperous" and "cosmopolitan" future "that includes all of us." The new head of the Greek state begins her five-year term in a terse standoff with neighbouring Turkey, which has allowed tens of thousands of refugees to mass at the border. Sakellaropoulou said Greeks had to "repulse the aggression of those who make designs on our national sovereignty by making use of human pain." The new president also insisted that Greece had a "humanitarian duty" to defend "defenceless and desperate people." - Heed virus warnings - Greece has so far announced 117 cases of the coronavirus, one of whom died on Thursday after 10 days in hospital. Three people are in intensive care and the government has shut down schools and universities, courts, cinemas, gyms and other indoor public gathering areas for two weeks in an effort to curb the outbreak. Sakellaropoulou urged the public to follow health warnings "to avoid spreading panic" which could tear apart the health system and harm the economy. Sakellaropoulou took a religious oath in parliament before Archbishop Ieronymos, head of the Orthodox Church of Greece. She placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -- Greece's foremost military monument -- before heading to the presidential mansion for a handover ceremony with outgoing president Prokopis Pavlopoulos. - No handshakes - Known as low-key and living in a working-class district of Athens, Sakellaropoulou has made it known she prefers to be called Katerina, instead of the more formal Ekaterini. The ceremony in parliament was drastically scaled back as a result of the virus outbreak, with around 150 guests present instead of a planned 1,000 -- and no handshakes. Nominated by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sakellaropoulou was elected by parliament in January by 261 out of 300 lawmakers, one of the broadest cross-party majorities in Greek history. The petite, bespectacled former judge has set out her priorities as tackling the economic crisis, climate change and mass migration. The new president was until now the head of Greece's top administrative court, the Council of State. The daughter of a Supreme Court judge, Sakellaropoulou completed postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne university in Paris. She was also the first woman to lead the Council of State. Sakellaropoulou said she hoped her election to the five-year post "would improve the status of all (Greek) women in family and society. "It is time for the women of this country to realise that they can fulfil their dreams based on their merit, without facing obstacles just because they were born female," she said. Although the president is nominally the head of the Greek state and commander-in-chief, the post is largely ceremonial. Greek presidents confirm governments and laws and technically have the power to declare war -- but only in conjunction with the government.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: In a major development amid the deepening political crisis in Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh, the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati accepted the resignations of six of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs (all six legislators were removed as ministers by the Governor) on Saturday evening.

Following this development, the total strength of the 230-member Vidhan Sabha shrunk to 222 (two seats were already vacant due to death of two legislators), where the Congress has 108 MLAs and support of seven allied legislators, that takes their total number to 115, which is two more than the simple majority figure of 113 in 222-member House.

The BJP on the other hand with 107 members is six short of the simple majority figure.

ALSO READ: BJP cannot pull a Madhya Pradesh in Maharashtra, says Ajit Pawar

Explaining his decision, the Assembly Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati, said, all the six MLAs, including Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Prabhuram Chaudhary, Pradumn Tomar, Tulsi Ram Silawat, Imarti Devi were among those legislators who had resigned from the Vidhan Sabha on March 10.

But since the information about these resignations wasnt rendered to me in person, hence as per Rule 276 (1-B) of the MP Vidhan Sabha Procedure and Business Conduct Rules, the concerned members were asked to appear before me in my Vidhan Sabha office to establish that they had actually resigned as legislators on their own, said Prajapati.

They were first given time to appear before me between 3.30 pm and 6 pm on Friday, but they failed to appear during that time frame, after which they were given another opportunity to appear before me in my office between 12.15 pm and 2.45 pm on Saturday. But they again failed to turn up. All six members have already been removed as ministers from the council of ministers by the States Governor on Friday. Also, their conduct in the wake of their statements in electronic media seems surprising, owing to which they arent competent to remain, members of the Vidhan Sabha, the Speaker mentioned in his order.

Hence in line with Rule 276 of MP Vidhan Sabha House Procedure and Business Conduct Rules, the resignations of the six MLAs from Vidhan Sabha membership are accepted with effect from March 10, the Speaker added.

The Speaker also ruled out postponement of the Vidhan Sabha Budget Session starting from Monday due to the Coronavirus threat. All I can tell you right now is that everyone coming to the Vidhan Sabha during the Budget Session will have to wear a mask and clean their hands with sanitizer before coming into the House.

Ruling Congress issued whip to its MLAs to be present in the House and vote in favour of the government during the Vidhan Sabha budget session starting March 16 (Monday).

The Leader of Opposition, Gopal Bhargava, accused the Assembly Speaker of being afflicted with a dual mindset and acting impartially.

"If the handwritten resignations of six MLAs have been accepted, why are similar resignations of 16 other MLAs, who also resigned on March 10, not being accepted?" he asked.

Earlier on Friday, the six MLAs were sacked as ministers by the Governor Lalji Tandon on the recommendation of Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Importantly, the 22 MLAs, including the six ministers  20 of them being Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalists  had resigned from Vidhan Sabha membership on March 10, the day when Scindia quit Congress after 18 years association. He joined the BJP a day later.

Political observers in Bhopal believed that following the Assembly Speakers decision to accept the resignation of six out of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs, the Congress will be in an advantageous position, as it can now put pressure on the remaining 16 MLAs to fall in line or face a similar consequence.

Since many of the remaining rebel MLAs wont like to face re-election through a by-election, hence there is a possibility of them returning to parent party fold on or before the Vidhan Sabhas Budget Session starts on Monday.
By Trend

Nineteen people infected with coronavirus have been detected in Azerbaijan so far, Yagut Garayeva, department head of the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units in Azerbaijan (TABIB), said at a press conference in the Baku office of the World Health Organization (WHO), Trend reports.

Garayeva added that three of them fully recovered. Head of the WHO delegation Carolina Brown, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, recommended Azerbaijan to discover cases of infection at an early stage.

"Since this is a new virus, we discover a lot of new things for ourselves, too. Due to the scale of the spread and the large number of countries where it was detected, we declared a pandemic. At present, preventive measures are being continued," Brown said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Two sisters, aged 21 and 23,



allegedly committed suicide by hanging themselves from a tree in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, police said on Saturday.

One of them in a suicide note claimed she was raped by a relative who has been arrested, an official said.

"The two siblings were found hanging from a tree in the outskirts of their village under Kurud police station area on Friday night. They left home at around 7:30 pm on Friday and did not return following which their relatives launched a search for them," Dhamtari Additional Superintendent of Police Manisha Thakur said.

"Traces of poison were found in the bodies of both the women during postmortem. A suicide note was recovered from their home in which the younger sister, a first year college student, has accused an uncle of raping her. He has been arrested," Thakur said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Classrooms in Ohio soon will be empty as schools across the state close for three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic. (File photo)LC- THE OREGONIAN

Weather

It will be a little cooler today, but early clouds will clear out to allow mostly sunny skies. Highs will be in the mid-40s and it will be windy, with gusts over 30 mph. Plenty of sunshine is in the weekend forecast, with highs around 40 degrees. Read more.

The headlines

Schools closed: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that Ohio schools will have a three-week spring break -- starting Monday -- as precaution against the spread of coronavirus. Cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports that DeWine acknowledged the risk of death for a child from COVID-19 is not very high, but noted that children can be carriers.

Mass gatherings: Most mass gatherings of 100 or more people in Ohio will be banned because of the coronavirus threat, reports cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer. Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton signed the order, which does not apply to religious services (including weddings and funerals), libraries, medical facilities or polling places.

This Week in the CLE: The news that Ohioans are coming down with the coronavirus without traveling or having contact with another known patient gets us revved up on the latest episode of This Week in the CLE. Coronavirus takes over the podcast breakdown of the news by cleveland.coms reporters and editors.

DeWines response: Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is drawing bipartisan praise as hes emerged as a major public voice calling for aggressive action to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias reports that unlike President Donald Trump, whos muddled his administrations official pronouncements by sharing his hunches about the virus, DeWine has leaned heavily on medical experts advising him on how to handle the crisis.

Mass plea hearings: Cuyahoga Countys judges, sheriff and prosecutor have agreed to hold mass plea hearings to get as many people as possible out of the countys jail to lessen the impact of a potential outbreak of the novel coronavirus, cleveland.coms Cory Shaffer reports. Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan Sheehan said the court will hold arraignment and plea hearings Saturday, after Sheriff David Schilling, Prosecutor Michael OMalley and Public Defender Mark Stanton pledged to have staff members available.

There has been a run on toilet paper at stores in Northeast Ohio and across the nation.Sarahbeth Maney | MLive.com

Empty shelves: As coronavirus spreads across the country, shoppers are making a run on supplies either to fight the coronavirus or to prep for possible quarantine. Cleveland.coms Emily Bamforth reports the latest run is on toilet paper.

School lunches: For many children, school lunches are an important part of their daily nutrition. With Gov. Mike DeWine ordering schools to close for three weeks beginning Monday, how will these children have access to meals? Cleveland.coms Mary Kilpatrick looks into the issue.

Drive-thru testing: Hospital systems in Ohio are working with the state department of health to develop drive-thru coronavirus testing centers, reports cleveland.coms Mary Kilpatrick. The drive-thru testing centers would allow people to get tested for the disease also known as COVID-19 without leaving their car.

Testing details: How do medical professionals test someone for the coronavirus? Cleveland.coms Laura Hancock reports that testing is a multistep process that involves genetics, compounds and cotton swabs.

Emergency rooms: If youve got a cough, a fever and shortness of breath, do not rush to urgent care or the emergency room to get tested for coronavirus. Cleveland.coms Mary Kilpatrick reports health professionals and the CDC are urging Clevelanders to call a doctor first.

Townhall: The popular Townhall restaurant in Ohio City faced backlash after posting on social media about boosting immune health with its blend of health food offerings. Cleveland.coms Anne Nickoloff reports a Facebook post that has since been removed was encouraging customers to consume bone broth, a popular item at the restaurant.

Store shelves: Representatives from 15 major retailers have told Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost that they are voluntarily freezing prices, even as the coronavirus pandemic has led shoppers to stock up on items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer, reports cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer.

Work from home: Working from home because of the coronavirus? It can be an adjustment. Cleveland.coms Joey Morona has a list of tools to help you stay productive.

A curve showing the goals of community mitigation for pandemic influenza, referenced by the state.

Mitigation curve: The process of mitigating the coronavirus means extending its time frame, reports cleveland.coms Emily Bamforth. Spreading out cases and isolating individuals slows the spread of the disease known as COVID-19 and reduces the likelihood of crowded doctors offices and hospitals.

Protective masks: Confused about whether a protective face mask will keep you from contracting the coronavirus? Cleveland.coms Peter Krouse reports what medical experts are saying, that its not necessary for a healthy person to wear either kind of protective masks in public.

Census 2020: Self-quarantining and other uncertainties brought on by the coronavirus should have little impact on census 2020, at least in the early weeks, because of plans that were put in place well ahead of the first census mailings Thursday. Cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports that for the first time, the census can be completed online or by phone.

Playhouse Square: Playhouse Square has postponed or canceled all performances in the downtown Cleveland arts district in response to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines order Thursday banning most mass gatherings. Cleveland.coms Evan MacDonald reports that the theaters and their resident companies are immediately complying with DeWines order.

Rock Hall: Count the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony as yet another event postponed because of the COVID-19 coronavirus, reports cleveland.coms Troy Smith.

Law enforcement: Law-enforcement officers across Cuyahoga County are making few changes in day-to-day operations after the arrival of the coronavirus, reports cleveland.coms Adam Ferrise and Evan MacDonald. Several law-enforcement officials said they are reminding officers to more regularly wash their hands or use hand sanitizers and disinfect phones, computers and duty belts.

RTA: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority announced Thursday that it is guaranteeing two weeks of paid sick leave for any employees who are quarantined as a result of exposure to the coronavirus or isolated because they have become infected. Cleveland.coms Courtney Astolfi reports the employees must provide medical documentation from their physicians.

Closings list: Gov. Mike DeWines order to close schools doesnt take effect until Monday, but several districts have canceled classes for today. Also, local organizations and attractions continue to close or suspend events because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cleveland.com has a list of the latest developments.

THE: Ohio State University is taking another stab at trying to take control of the word the." The university on Wednesday asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reconsider a decision rejecting the attempt to trademark the word in ways that signify its association with the school on T-shirts and hats, according to cleveland.coms Eric Heisig.

Jonathon Sawyer: Jonathon Sawyer and his wife filed for bankruptcy, a month after the celebrated Cleveland restauranteur closed his acclaimed Greenhouse Tavern in the face of mounting financial troubles. Cleveland.coms Eric Heisig reports that the couples Chapter 7 petition says they own between $500,000 and $1 million in assets.

$25 vs. $250: Expert chef Frank and home cook John are swapping materials and hoping for the best to cook Franks Ragu Bolognese. Cleveland.coms sister site Epicurious gave John $250 worth of ingredients and Frank's recipe notebook, and Frank received $25 worth of goods. Who achieved the most impressive sauce under these mixed-up circumstances?

Rock Hall Japan: In June 2017, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made one of its biggest announcements ever on a global scale. The Cleveland museum was working to create a spinoff in Tokyo, beginning with a short-term exhibit. Despite the hype, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Japan lasted a grand total of six months, reports cleveland.coms Troy Smith.

Other headlines

Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden roll out more endorsements Thursday Read more

What are Bernie Sanders chances of winning Ohio? Read more

Joe Biden replaces Ohio native Greg Schultz as campaign manager Read more

Teen shot to death, tossed onto street in Cleveland, police say Read more

Akron police arrest man accused in 1991 cold case murder Read more

Hundreds of officers arrest dozens in connection with Mansfield-area drug trafficking Read more
By Express News Service

LUCKNOW: A honeymoon in Italy with her Google employee husband has handed newly married 25-year-old a host of troubles.

Not only did she test positive for the coronavirus on Friday, but now she also faces possible legal proceedings as she defied the health emergency protocol in the country.

The woman, after her return from Italy, was placed under quarantine in Bengaluru after her husband showed symptoms of COVID-19. But defying the health emergency protocol, she escaped on March 8. She flew to New Delhi and then took a train to Agra to be with her parents.

On being alerted about her presence in Agra, the district health authorities approached her family but faced stiff resistance when they tried to move them into isolation and get their samples for virus testing.

LISTEN | India's first coronavirus patient on how she was cured

According to Agra district authorities, the nine-member family could only be moved to the isolation ward at the SN Medical college after the intervention of District Magistrate PN Singh and the cops.

The woman had gotten married to the Google employee in early February, sources said. They went to Italy for their honeymoon and visited Greece and France before returning to Mumbai on February 27.

The couple then flew down to Bengaluru. On March 7, the man started showing COVID-19 symptoms and later tested positive. Consequently, the couple was placed in isolation.

The Agra district administration is now contemplating taking legal action against the woman and her family for misleading them and violating the health emergency protocol.

ALSO READ | Mysuru couple turns heads with mask-themed pre-wedding shoot

Railway authorities in the city, meanwhile, have been asked to take action against the womans father, a senior section engineer with them.

Sources said an FIR may soon be registered against the woman under Section 269 of IPC which deals with acts of negligence and carries a punishment of six months and fine.

Chief Medical Officer MK Vats said initially the woman's parents refused to cooperate with the medical team and lied that she had returned to her husband in Bengaluru.

But after the intervention of DM PN Singh, all nine members of the family were taken to the district hospital for screening. Subsequently, the woman was isolated at the SN Medical College and the rest quarantined at their house," they said.
Two Hudson County men were charged Friday with using drones to smuggle drugs and other contraband to inmates at the Fort Dix federal prison in Burlington County, authorities said.

Nicolo Denichilo, 38, of Jersey City, was released from custody on $100,000 unsecured bond after a court appearance while his accomplice, Adrian Goolcharran, 35, of Union City, remained at large, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Federal agents learned of at least seven deliveries by drone of contraband since July destined to inmates at the low-security prison, authorities said. Investigators seized smuggled items, including marijuana, steroids, more than 160 cell phones, 150 SIM cards, 74 cell phone batteries and chargers, 35 syringes and two metal saw blades.

Denichilo was arrested Thursday after agents at the Justice Departments inspector generals office discovered from prison sources of a drone launch site, according to a criminal complaint. Officers spotted a drone over a housing unit at the facility and caught Denichilo hiding in a ditch near the launch area.

The color of his clothing was dark, suggesting an effort on [Denichilos] part to conceal himself in his surroundings while launching and flying the drone, an agent wrote in the complaint. Additionally, in a search incident to arrest, agents obtained from his pocket seven crisp $100 bills, likely all or a portion of payment for his role in the drone launch.

Goolcharran, however, managed to escape as agents closed in, according to authorities.

Prison officials also found an inmate near a drop site for the drone delivery who had 34 cell phones, along with several chargers, SIM cards and other telephone gear, authorities said.

Goolcharran arranged the drone deliveries using text messages, aerial photos of drop sites in the prison and chatted about weather that could impact the flights, according to court filings.

An unnamed co-conspirator, identified as a then-inmate, texted Goolcharran, "U think that u cud do something 2m."

"2m too windy 2omph, Goolcharran responded, a reference to weather that could hinder a possible flight, according to the complaint.

Not all of the drone flights worked without problems. In a September drop, Fort Dix officers spotted a package with green wire attaching it to a drone, which was stuck in a tree, according to the document. That package contained cell phones among other goods.

On the same day as an April drone delivery, local police pulled over Denichilo and Goolcharran less than five miles from the prison, according to authorities. Last week, a person matching Goolcharrans description was captured on surveillance video carrying and flying a drone from a wooded-launch spot located near Fort Dix.

Goolcharran also brought several drones for repairs at a store, including a broken drone linked to broken propeller pieces that agents recovered near the prison, court documents said. Investigators also recovered his DNA from electrical tape found on one of the drones used in a July drop.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Family forced to cancel Disney World trip after 2 years of planning OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - An Overland Park family spent two years planning a trip to Disney World only to find out they won't get to go after COVID-19 concerns forced the park to close. Celia Thompson said her group of nearly 40 family members was supposed to fly Saturday to Orlando.

This is item is the opposite of news but it's pretty much what 90% of local content is comprised of today. We're gonna try to pick out a few items with more promise but for now this is a good place to start:
E-technology to improve productivity of public institutions By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas public institutions and state owned enterprises will be brought under strict monitoring and regulating system while introducing e-technology towards transforming the public sector to be more efficient and profitable, Finance Ministry sources revealed.

Public officials are expected to perform their duties more efficiently and speedily with the use of new Information Technology (IT) systems.

The Public Enterprises Department Information System (PEDMIS) and the updated Payroll Software will facilitate key functions of all public officials serving in state revenue collection agencies under the initial phase, a senior official of the ministry said.

These revenue collection state agencies are Sri Lanka Customs, Inland Revenue Department, Excise Department and the Motor Traffic Department.

IT is to be used to minimise delays in correspondence in the office which is a major cause of public service delivery impediments.

The Department of Information Technology Management of the Finance Ministry is to provide the software management system for this purpose in any public institution or department, he said.

The newly-introduced software is to provide online authorisation and required services, reducing the paper work and getting rid of unnecessary delays as well as extending a more efficient service.

Recently launched new websites have been developed and open source software is being used that it is highly reliable while digital technology is to be used for financial transactions between the government and the private institutions.

This programme has been prepared without additional cost as an internal development of the Department of Information Technology Management with the help of a group of Sri Lankan youth who are studying IT.

In a far reaching move towards making Sri Lanka Customs to be more efficient and effective institution to serve the public, all the services of the import sector are being provided through a single window.

Sri Lanka Customs performs as the main hub for monitoring international trade linking all the relevant government institutions with this service, a senior official said.

The Department of Inland Revenue (IRD) has utilised the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) since 2016 to perform the main activities of the tax administration process.

It enables the state banks and other state institutions to link with the IRD through Internet services and providing interfaces.

Considering the necessity of implementing the new Inland Revenue Act with immediate effect, the Ministry of Finance, is entrusted with the task of awarding the contract for changing a part of the software RAMIS 2.0 renovated as RAMIS 2.0  B at a cost of Singapore Dollars 15,534,364 to Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE).

This contract has been awarded to the Singaporean company in accordance with the recommendations of the committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, he revealed.
Bengaluru: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who made the company one of the world's most valuable technology firms, has stepped down from the board to focus on philanthropic works related to global health, education and climate change.

The billionaire and his wife Melinda run one of the world's largest charities, the Gates Foundation, which has billions in assets and funds global health programs to combat disease and poverty.

Bill Gates is no longer a director of the company he founded. Credit:Bloomberg

Gates quit his full-time executive role at Microsoft in 2008 and remained as chairman of the board till 2014.

"It's been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years," Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said.
Omicron variant of COVID-19 identified in Antrim, Charlevoix counties

The omicron variant of COVID-19 has been identified in one Antrim County resident and one Charlevoix County resident.
The Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, shops at the Cliffs of Moher and the Adare Heritage Centre, Limericks St Johns Castle, as well as the operations at Dublins Malahide Castle, the GPO Witness History Museum, and the Casino Model Railway Museum, and the Newbridge House and Farm, have become the latest visitor attractions that have been forced to close amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The sites which are owned or operated by the Shannon Group will close through Sunday, March 29. Shannon Group said it took the decision on the advice of health officials.
Australians have been urged to continue to 'go about their normal lives' by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the coronavirus pandemic grinds the world to a halt.

The virus has forced Italy, Spain and China into lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of the killer illness.

Gatherings of more than 500 people will be banned in Australia from Monday to combat the crisis.

The extreme measures come as the number of confirmed cases spiked to more than 200 in Australia. Three Australians have died from coronavirus.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has now warned that the virus could disrupt daily life until at least September.

However, he admitted officials have no idea how long the crisis could last.

A security guard wears a face mask as a preventative measure against COVID-19 in front of the Sydney Opera House

A man is seen wearing a protective face mask while doing his grocery shopping in Queensland

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has now warned that the virus could disrupt daily life until at least September. However, he admitted officials have no idea how long the crisis could last

'Whether that is the time frame or not, no one really knows, that's the problem. When we are in uncharted territory that's what it is,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'It could be much shorter than that, it could be  longer than that. But we will need to prepare for many months of this.'

His warning comes as the government urged all Australians to reconsider the need to travel at all.

A travel ban has already been put in place for mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.

However, he urged for Australians to continue their daily life as normal.

The virus has seen the world grind to a halt as fear and uncertainty grips the globe.

Italy became the first country in Europe last week to impose a lockdown to combat the spreading Covid-19 illness as more than 17,000 people are infected.

The Mediterranean country's death toll hit over 1,200 - making Italy the worst-hit country outside of China, where the disease first incubated.

Under current lockdown rules, shops - except pharmacies, supermarkets, and newsagents - are to remain closed at all times.

People wear face masks as a preventative measure as they explore tourist hotspots in Sydney

Schools and universities, which closed on March 4, are expected to remain shut until April 3.

Spain and France are also now on lockdown to stop the spread.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

America has also shuts its doors to travellers from Europe.

The virus has already caused wide-spread panic in Australia with shoppers stripping supermarket shelves of toilet paper and other essential items.

People have also been queuing for hours to be tested for the deadly virus.

The queue outside a test centre at Royal Melbourne Hospital ran for half a block on Tuesday evening, with scores of possible patients wearing face masks as they waited for a doctor's examination.

Inside the city's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, people waiting to see a doctor were seated metres apart from one another to minimise the chance of the virus spreading.

Some schools and workplaces have closed their doors amid coronavirus scares.

Globally, the infection has spread to more than 150,000 people across 112 countries, and killed at least 5,500 people.
It was a full life. Weve not squandered it, Genesis said in 2018, using the plural pronoun to convey that she spoke for this dual identity. Weve utilized it to the maximum we could.

She was born Neil Andrew Megson on Feb. 22, 1950, in Manchester, England, the second of two children of Ronald and Muriel Megson, who both worked briefly as semiprofessional actors.

Sickly as an adolescent, she had what she described as a tortured passage through Englands elite public school system, never comfortable with her body and gender. When, as a teenager, she discovered the Surrealist drawings of Max Ernst, which mashed together heads of one species with bodies of another, it gave her an early taste of the liberation she would pursue for the next five decades.

Id grown up thinking that the world was what I saw, and then I realized it wasnt  it could be anything at all, she told The New York Times in 2018.

It was the dawn of the psychedelic 1960s, and she saw that she could create herself in a new form, as an alter ego she called Genesis P-Orridge, who became a canvas for a wide range of experiments: artistic, pharmaceutical, surgical and spiritual.
Glen Park isnt exactly a destination neighborhood in San Francisco.

The main stretch is only about two blocks, and if you love staying on top of the new, hot bar or restaurant, well, it isnt here.

Thats because most businesses in the commercial blocks of this small neighborhood have been open at least 10 years. Thats a feat for any business in San Francisco, which has seen multiple closures of long-standing businesses in recent years.

But after the San Francisco Crosstown Trail was established in June 2019  the 16.5-mile urban hike that traverses through some of the citys underutilized green spaces  these small businesses have had a bit of a boost from curious explorers. Mostly invading on the weekends, these travelers are looking for something unique about San Francisco, a side they havent seen before.

Glen Park is a little like Shangri-La; people cant find it even though the highway and BART are right there, said Eric Whittington, the owner of the bookstore Bird and Beckett. Its hidden but its got a nice history dating back to when it was rural. Weve got nature trails in the canyon; there are nice restaurants. Its a sweet spot.

Whittington said sales have definitely increased at the store, especially with each bout of press coverage. (Whittington also said sales were pretty steady this week, noting that people are grabbing books to keep them occupied during coronavirus concerns, especially parents of kids.)

He said its a great place for people to take a break on the trail, especially since theyre likely getting a little fatigued after hiking five miles. He also said thats why he thinks the New York Times coverage of Glen Park, in particular, was so generous  he said the writer seemed a little tired.

It really was a boon, Whittington said. Usually those things dont do much for us, but that was the center spread of the travel section for the Sunday paper and it was online.

Since the store isnt just known for their books (the name is a combination derived from jazz musician Charlie Parker and author Samuel Beckett), Whittington takes advantage of chatting with customers and letting them know more about the stores events, and hes seen an uptick in attendance. They host live jazz musicians every Friday, in addition to monthly poetry readings and other concerts weekly. Everything is supported by the stores nonprofit arm and suggested donations are collected at each show.

To us, its really important that were making a place for local musicians to play, he said. We dont really book out-of-town people.

Higher Grounds Coffee House, another stop mentioned in the New York Times coverage of the trail, also has seen an increase in visitors, especially on the weekends. The coffee shop has been open for 38 years, and owner Manhal Jweinat said people love the small town feel of Glen Park when they get there.

When youre in Glen Park, it doesnt feel like youre in a big city, Jweinat said. Thats why they call it the village.

Jweinat also owns Italian restaurant Manzoni, another longtime spot just a block away, and recently took over as owner at Le P'tit Laurent, a French restaurant that has also been a neighborhood mainstay. When the owners approached him because they were leaving the city, he was able to buy the building as well.

Owning the building that houses both the French restaurant and the coffee shop could be key, as rising rents and tough landlords are something that can mean the end for some San Francisco business owners. Whittington also noted having a kind landlord as the key to his longevity.

Whittington said hes not surprised people love the trail, and he hopes it will continue to show people different sides of San Francisco. With the BART station, were right here. Its a good spot to be if people can find us.

Tessa McLean is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email: tessa.mclean@sfgate.com | Twitter: @mcleantessa
L aser hair removal has been around since the nineties, and these days its cheaper and much less painful than it used to be, making it more popular than ever.

If youre considering getting an area of your body lasered in time for summer, now is the time to start. Generally laser hair removal requires six to eight sessions on each area for it to be effective, and each session must be spaced four to six week apart, as each treatment removes a higher percentage of hair until your skin is ultimately hair free.

Not only is it good to start your laser treatment in winter so that youre silky smooth come summer, but the colder months are also better because post-treatment, targeted areas tend to become sensitive to light and youre advised to keep the treated area shielded from the sun to protect it.

Self-tanning products must also be avoided for two weeks prior to each session, and its much easier to skip the St Tropez foam when youre bundled up for the cold.

We tested out some of the best places to get laser hair removal in London, and here's what we thought:

EF Medispa; various locations

EF Medispa Kensington / EF Medispa

Healer, aesthetician and skincare expert Esther Fieldgrass launched her first EF MEDISPA clinic in Kensington back in 2006. Offering a one-stop shop for advanced complementary, aesthetic, and surgical treatments, its now a multi-million pound brand with four clinics in London (Kensington, Chelsea, St Johns Wood and Richmond), recognised as a leader in anti-ageing therapies and preventative health. With twinkly white interiors that feel more like a five star hotel than a clinic, and super professional staff, you instantly feel that youre in safe hands. And indeed, given EF Medispas 10 years of experience in laser hair removal, you really are.

Areas lasered

Underarms and bikini line, 750 for 6 sessions on each area.

(Evening Standard reader offer: quote ES 2020 on booking a course of 6 and get a 100 discount)

Which machine?

I had my treatments at the Kensington salon, which uses the Soprano Platinum machine. I found the treatments pain free, and experienced only a very manageable warming sensation on the first few sessions. My therapist was however super careful to ensure it was never too much, asking me to constantly rank the feeling out of 10  anything over 7 and she would stop. She only had to stop once, during my first session, and I suspect this was mostly me getting used to the feeling.

If youre looking for even quicker, even less painful treatments though, head to their St Johns Wood salon, where they use the new Soprano Ice machine. Treatments are priced the same and its so quick you can laser your legs in just 5 minutes.

Both Soprano machines use an advanced, award-winning diode laser technology that passes light through the skin and into the hair root to destroy the cells, preventing them from growing further hair and leaving the remaining surrounding tissue untouched.

How long?

Following an initial consultation and patch test, my therapist and I decided I should book in for all 6 of the sessions, each of which is spaced 4-6 weeks apart. I did bikini and underarm together and found a single session usually lasted 30-40 minutes from walking in the door and back out again.

Watch out for

In the busy months when I was travelling a lot over summer I left too long between some of my appointments (over 6 weeks) and on those occasions found the hair grew back a little between appointments. My top tip? Be diligent with your appointments, and dont space them more than five weeks apart if possible.

Pain factor:

1/10. It really didnt hurt, but felt a bit tingly and warm on the first few sessions.

Chloe Street, Digital Fashion & Beauty Editor

Young LDN, Westbourne Grove

A treatment room at Young LDN / Young LDN

On Notting Hills loveliest street, Young LDN embodies its surroundings with a stylish salon that is as fun as it is functional. The team will always give you a warm welcome so going to have your laser done actually feels like a treat. Every room is kitted out with a fun design and the hygiene levels are super high. My aesthetic therapist Bianka is a real pro. Her attention to detail is meticulous and she thoroughly cleanses the skin before beginning the laser as well as applying cooling cream afterwards.

Area lasered

Chin, from 50 per session

Which machine?

Always keen to introduce new and innovative equipment, Young LDN uses the most powerful laser hair removal machine on the market. It has built-in cryo cooling which is paired with a zimmer cooling device. The two combined offer a more impactful alternative to IPL.

How long?

Each session lasts for around 30 minutes and depending on your hair type or regrowth patterns you will most likely need around six to eight for good results.

Watch out for...

The general rule is to avoid sun exposure for 10 to 14 days pre and post-procedure. It is also best not to exercise or indulge in sweaty activities for 48 hours after the treatment. Hot showers, swimming pools, saunas and exfoliating body lotions are a no go immediately before and after sessions.

Pain factor:

Bianka is always very careful to judge any discomfort and will adjust the strength of laser accordingly. I felt just a small pinch and hardly any pain at all.

Amira Hashish, Executive Editor, Evening Standard Digital

Courthouse Clinics; various locations

Courthouse Clinics

Courthouse Clinics are based all over the UK and offer the works, from fillers to laser hair removal and everything in between. The therapists are total pros, its easy to get an appointment and the studios are immaculate.

Areas lasered: Under arms, from 445 for six sessions

Which machine?

Soprano ICE is considered the best machine on the market and treatments are billed as virtually pain-free. Personally, I found the treatments completely painless. The laser targets the follicles precisely and the heat kills off the hair, while the part of the device that touches you is ice cold and glides over odourless clear gel which is applied to the area beforehand.

Luckily I have the perfect combination for laser hair removal: fair skin with dark hair, but one of the draws of the Soprano is that its effective on all skin types and hair. Another major plus to this machine, unlike others, is that you can have treatments all year-round. None of that holding off after youve been in the sun, go for it anytime you fancy!

How long?

Of course it depends on the individual but each of the sessions took around 15 minutes and most of that was prep. The machine was in action zapping away for just 45 seconds per armpit. The experts recommend 6-8 treatments with top-up sessions once a year thereafter.

Watch out for...

My therapists told me to avoid hot showers and baths for the rest of the day  as well as heat-inducing activities like the gym  but I largely ignored that and had no down time whatsoever with no problems. One thing to note is that the cooling gel that they apply to ensure the device can glide over the skin is hard to remove and ended up on my clothes more often than not, so perhaps dont wear your Sunday best to your appointments.

Pain factor:

0/10

Throughout the treatments my therapists asked me what my discomfort rating was out of five. Always, my answer was zero. Scaredy cat-appropriate!
In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday issued an order empowering certain officers to ensure surveillance, prevention, control and treatment of coronavirus.

The government issued 'The Himachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020' under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, to empower certain officers to issue an order for surveillance, prevention, control and treatment of coronavirus.

Earlier, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur had announced the closing of all educational institutions, Anganwadi centres, and play-way schools till March 31 while addressing the Budget Session at Vidhan Sabha.

"All government, private colleges and schools, Anganwadi centres and play-way schools in the State are to remain closed till March 31 due to coronavirus," said Thakur.

Several states including Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, have already shut down schools amid the COVID-19 threat.

Coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan city of China, has so far spread to more than 100 countries infecting over 1,20,000 people.

India has reported two deaths and over 80 confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a 'pandemic' and has expressed deep concern over it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Yamiche Alcindor from PBS Newshour asked Trump about disbanding the White House Pandemic Office, and the president melted down.

The exchange:

Yamiche Alcindor: Mr. President. My first question, you said you dont take responsibility, but you did disband the White House Pandemic Office and the officials left this administration abruptly, what responsibility do you take to that and the officials who worked in this office the White House lost valuable time because that office was disbanded?

Trump: I think its a nasty question. Tony has said numerous times we saved thousands of lives because of the quick closing and when you say me, I didnt do it. We have group of people. I could perhaps ask Tony about that. I dont know anything about it. You say we did that.

Yamiche Alcindor: You dont know the reorganization at the National Security Council?

Trump: People let people go. These professionals behind me and these great incredible doctors and business people, the best in the world and I can say that whether its retailers or labs or anything you want to say these are the best in the world.

Video:

Trump melts down and attacks the questioner when he was asked if he is responsible for disbanding the White House pandemic office. pic.twitter.com/Pp4owGfM5f  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 13, 2020

Trump is living in a fantasy world where he has done nothing wrong in response to the coronavirus. In reality, his administrations delayed response has resulted in the spread of a virus that cant be properly measured due to the lack of widespread testing.

Trump did close down the White House Pandemic Office because it was started by Obama. It was Trumps decision. He is responsible for it. One of the reasons why the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire is that Trump left the nation unprepared for a pandemic.

Trumps pretending that he had nothing to do with the pandemic office closing was an admission of guilt from a president who is swimming in a sea of failure.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday appealed to people to take preventive measures to keep coronavirus at bay. He also said the state government was fully alert and ready to face any situation.

Adityanath inspected the isolation ward at Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay district hospital in Varanasi and instructed the doctors there to remain alert.

Later, he said to reporters: The state government is fully alert and ready to face any situation. There is no need to panic.

He said as far as possible, people should avoid visiting crowded places. At the same, rumours should not be spread in the name of coronavirus, he added. Instead of shaking hands, say namaste, he suggested.

He said isolation wards had been set up in every district hospital as well as in medical colleges and divisional hospitals.

He said there were five microbiology labs in the state for testing coronavirus. Samples of suspected cases of coronavirus were being tested at these labs, he said.

With assistance from the central government, we have set up five laboratories to provide the facility of sample checking of coronavirus cases in the state. King Georges Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Lucknow, Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, Gorakhpur, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and one in Aligarh, said Adityanath.

Commenting on the preparedness of the state government with respect to COVID-19, Adityanath said: There is no need to panic. We have issued an advisory and have asked people to take necessary precautions. A total of 1268 isolation beds are available in private and government hospitals across the state. Today, I visited Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) district hospital here and checked the facilities available in isolation wards of the hospital. We are taking all the necessary actions to deal with it.

Adityanath on Friday had ordered all schools, colleges, technical and vocational education institutes to remain closed till March 22.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister spoke at an event said UP would have the largest economy in the country.

He also offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple and reviewed the progress of Kashi Vishwanath corridor project.

Later, Yogi also visited Jaunpur and took stock of the damage caused to crops by heavy rain. He provided a cheque worth Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of three people killed by lightning in the district.

Besides, financial relief was provided to 51 farmers.
142 Italy returnees allowed to go on self-quarantine: DGHS

Staff Reporter :

Nearly eleven hours after the 142 Italy returnees were taken to the Ashkona camp, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has now said they can go home but will have to self-quarantine.

The Director General of DGHS Abul Kalam Azad also said the Italy returnees have to go home using private transport and will most likely be given police protection during their journey back.

The health officials found no coronavirus symptoms in any of the returnees but still asked them to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

Earlier in the day, at least 30 out of the 142 Italy-returnees staged demonstration outside the camp in presence of police and Ansar members, saying that no doctors or health officials visited them till 2:45pm.




A number of rockets have hit a military base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad, injuring three American troops, two of them seriously, and critically wounding two Iraqi air defense personnel.

The attack on Camp Taji on March 14 came just days after a similar attack there killed three military personnel, including one British and two American soldiers.

Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman would not speculate on possible U.S. responses to the latest attack but cited the words of U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper from last week, repeating in a statement, according to Reuters: "You cannot attack and wound American Service Members and get away with it, we will hold them to account."

The U.S. military said Iraqi forces had made initial arrests of suspects and that an investigation was continuing.

The Pentagon also said the two seriously wounded U.S. troops were being treated at a Baghdad-area military hospital.

The Iraqi military said 33 Katyusha rockets had been launched at Camp Taji. It said in a statement that seven rocket launchers and 24 unused rockets were later recovered in the nearby Abu Izam area.

The military said the U.S. or other foreign forces should not use the attack as pretext to take military action without Iraq's approval. It called on all foreign troops to quickly implement a parliamentary resolution calling for their withdrawal.

An Iraqi military spokesman told the AFP news agency that two Iraqi air defense members had been wounded in the attack.

The March 11 attack on Camp Taji was the first deadly targeting of U.S. troops in Iraq since a late December rocket attack on an Iraqi base killed a U.S. contractor and triggered a series of tit-for-tat attacks.

In retaliation, the United States launched a series of air strikes early on March 13 on militia bases across Iraq's south, killing five Iraqi security personnel and a civilian.

The U.S. military said it had targeted sites used by the Iran-backed Kataib Hizbullah militia.

Iraqi President Barham Salih on March 13 condemned the U.S. attack, warning that the country could slip into chaos and become a failed state.

The Iraqi military said the aggression against its armed forces occurred in the areas of Jurf al-Sakher, Al-Musayib, Najaf, and Al-Iskandariya on the headquarters of the Iraqi Army.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that U.S. President Donald Trump should reconsider the presence and behavior of his troops in the area" instead of making dangerous actions and baseless accusations.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described the response to the attack on coalition forces as "swift, decisive and proportionate," and warned that anyone seeking to harm those forces could expect a strong response.

With reporting by AP and AFP
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) said Friday it intends to cut capacity by 40% and ground up to 300 planes as the airline tries to deal with plunging demand due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

CEO Ed Bastian, in a memo to employees first reported by CNBC, said that he would forgo his salary for the next six months as the airline tries to fly through turbulence caused by the global outbreak. Bastian said that near-term bookings have all but dried up, and said the airline intends to suspend flying to continental Europe over the next 30 days.

Delta is also offering voluntary unpaid leave to employees and is implementing a hiring freeze.

The novel coronavirus is expected to cost global airlines more than $100 billion in revenue, and airlines are responding by cutting costs as quickly as they can. United Airlines Holdings on March 4 said it would cut international flying by 20%, and JetBlue Airways has also confirmed capacity cuts to deal with the downturn.

Delta had been expected to cut more flights, but the size of the cut is much higher than the 15% of capacity figure Bastian mentioned at an investor conference earlier in the week. The airline also said it was in discussions with regulators and lawmakers about possible support for the industry, echoing comments made by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin earlier in the day.

The airline industry is certain to face losses from the outbreak extending well into the second quarter of 2020 if not beyond, but the U.S. industry in general and Delta in particular is well-positioned to weather the storm.
(CNN)  In northern Italy, life is very difficult right now. In a country where there have been more than 17,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, staying at home but for a solo trip to the store is the way of life.

American Cristina Higgins lives with her family in Bergamo, near Milan, and on Friday she told CNN's Erin Burnett that existing in a country with a mandatory lockdown is like "living with dread."

Only supermarkets and pharmacies windows are open. Only one person from each household can go on a shopping run. Police write tickets for people who are out wandering. Lines form outside the markets sometime because only so many people are allowed to shop at one time, and they must remain 1 meter (about 3 feet) apart.

All day long they hear bad news from friends, she said, holding back tears.

Higgins, in a bit of advice for residents of any community that institutes similar measures, says people need to comply and they'll get through the hard times faster.

"I would encourage every family to try to think of it is a reason why you should do this," she told CNN. "I encourage everybody ... to comply. And we can all get through this together."

Higgins said her children, who are home from school for a month, are doing OK. She and her husband are struggling,

He went to the supermarket Monday, an eerie place where it was strangely quiet -- no children -- and people were suspicious. At least everything was still available.

Life is highly controlled by government rules. People must fill out a form explaining why they have gone out.

Not everyone is adhering to the rules, she said. A woman in her community who has Covid-19 went out in public the other day.

"It's very difficult. It's very, very difficult," she said. "It is, unfortunately despite all that Italy has done, they think that it may not be enough" because not every person is complying.

Her family has another 21 days of government lockdown to go.

They call people all day long, she said. People put candles in the windows in support of people putting their lives at risk -- emergency workers and pharmacists. Children make signs that say, "We will overcome this," she said.

She and her kids make a cake every day.

That's great to see, but they are small things, she added.

"Comply with the rules, because we can do this," she said.

She is hopeful that in the next 10 days, things start to get better.

This story was first published on CNN.com "An American woman in Italy has advice for life under countrywide quarantine: Follow the rules"
The Cross River State government, through its ministry of health, has donated millions of naira worth of equipment to the states isolation centre for coronavirus.

The centre is located at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar.

Hospital beds, screening apparatus, air conditioners, examination beds, plastic tables, and chairs, bedside lockers, non-contact infrared thermometers, digital blood pressure equipment, stethoscope, digital thermometers, safety boots, washing machines, personal protective equipment, and mackintosh, were among the donated items.

The Commissioner for Health in Cross River state, Betta Edu, who handed over the items on Thursday to the isolation centre on behalf of the state governor, Ben Ayade, said there was no suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.

This isolation centre is not being set up because we wish to have such occurrences but because we want to be ready for any disease outbreak that requires isolation or quarantine, said Mrs Edu, a medical doctor.

This is of standard and far bigger than the temporal one we have at General Hospital Ogoja, she said.

She urged that the equipment be used judiciously to save lives and said the state government was ready to provide the centre with more equipment whenever the need arises.

The commissioner, on behalf of Governor Ayade, thanked the UCTH for the wonderful job the hospital has been doing in the health sector.

The Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Ikpeme Ikpeme, received the equipment on behalf of the hospital. He was represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Ogbu Ngim.

Mr Ngim, a professor, thanked Governor Ayade for having the interest of Cross Riverians at heart and the health commissioner Dr Betta Edu for her sleepless nights and tremendous efforts to seeing that the State remains free of this coronavirus.

READ ALSO:

Mr Ngim thanked the commissioner for her regular visit to the isolation center and for always keeping in touch with UCTH to make sure everything is in place.

Let me formally inform us today that there is no single case of coronavirus in Cross River State, the cases of the two foreigners after thorough investigation and examination are not suggestive of the virus.

The state governor and the health commissioner have been up and doing and everything needed in addressing this pandemic has always been made available, Mr Ngim said.

The director-general of the states primary healthcare and chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association were among the dignitaries present at the event.

Governor Ayade, while meeting with the board of the UCTH and other stakeholders in the health sector about a month ago, had promised to support the hospital as it continues to collaborate with the state government to deliver quality healthcare to residents of the state.
By Trend

The government of Georgia has presented an anti-crisis plan for Georgian business at a press conference on March 13, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

As reported, the government took these steps in order to easethe burden of the country's business sector caused by the coronavirus crisis.

"The government responded to the demand of the hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies and tour operators in Georgia and decided to postpone payment of property and income tax by four months," said the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia while presenting the governments anti-crisis plan.

According to him, this will benefit about 18,000 companies and 50,000 employees.

"This will leave more than 100 million lari ($34.02 million) in this sector during four months from March through June, Gakharia said.

The prime minister added that the Georgian commercial banks extend term of payment on loans for three months for both individuals and micro, small and middle-sized businesses.

Moreover, as part of the VAT returns reform, 600 million lari (about $214.67 million) was planned to be returned to the private sector of Georgia. In Gakharias words, now this amount of money will be doubled.

"This means that during one year, 1.20 billion lari ($408.2 million) will be returned to the Georgian economy, he said.

"As part of the anti-crisis plan the government will further assist small hotels, so the government will pay about 3 million lari [about $1.07 million] to subsidize the loans of small hotels," Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava said speaking at the press conference.

According to her, the money will be allocated from the Produce in Georgia state program and will benefit more than 18,000 objects.

Coronavirus outbreak has particularly affected the tourism sector in Georgia. According to official statistics, the tourism sector of Georgia in February this year suffered losses of 30 million lari ($10.5 million) due to the decrease in the number of visits by foreigners.

Against the backdrop of the outbreak of the coronavirus, as well as the oil crisis in the world, the national currency of Georgia began to fall rapidly.

As of today, Georgia has 25 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Amid the coronavirus spread, Georgia has suspended direct flights with China, Iran and Italy, which are currently the largest centers of the outbreak.

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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Manila, Philippines  Sat, March 14, 2020 13:18 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9a059 2 World Philippines,Metro-Manila,lockdown,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Mayors of Metro Manila's 16 cities announced nighttime curfews on Saturday and urged shopping malls to close for one month, in a bid to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, as the Philippines reported its sixth death.

President Rodrigo Duterte has raised the country's health emergency status to the highest level and issued quarantine measures in the capital, home to 12 million people.

All the measures in the Philippine capital, if implemented fully, would be among the strictest in place in Asia, and come as European countries and the United States battle to contain a pandemic that has killed more than 5,000 worldwide.

"To limit the spread of the virus, we need to limit the movement of people. We are slowing down the movement of people in Metro Manila," Jose Arturo Garcia, general manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, told a news conference.

Some of the capital's residents flocked to bus stations and airports ahead of the travel ban that will start Sunday.

The president on Thursday issued land and air travel restrictions to and from the capital that will take effect on March 15, and extended school closures to April 12.

The nighttime curfew will take effect on March 15 to April 14, but some employees will be exempt, Garcia said, adding that violators will not be reprimanded and not arrested.

Mayors will issue local ordinances for the temporary closure of malls and establishments, exempting shops offering essential services like groceries, banks and pharmacies. The capital is home to sprawling shopping malls, some of which are among the largest in the world.

The Philippines' health department on Saturday confirmed one new fatality from the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the total number of deaths to six, a day after the country raised its health emergency status to the highest level.

The patient, confined at a government hospital in southern Philippines, died late Friday because of complications from severe pneumonia and acute kidney injury, the health ministry said. The Southeast Asian nation had 64 coronavirus cases as of Friday.
A doctor at Cu Chi Field Hospital for novel coronavirus patients and suspects in Ho Chi Minh City, February 10, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Four more persons have tested Covid-19 positive, raising the country's total to 53, the Health Ministry confirmed Saturday afternoon.

A 50-year-old man living in Hanoi's Ba Dinh District had traveled to Paris for a business trip and returned to Vietnam on March 9. Two days later, he showed symptoms of fever and cough.

On Friday, he was taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District and a test result showed he was infected with the novel coronavirus. He became the country's 50th Covid-19 patient. His condition is stable, doctors said.

The 51st patient is a 22-year-old woman residing in Hanoi's Bac Tu Liem District. She was an overseas student in Europe and had traveled to some countries in the region between February 23 and March 12.

On Thursday she developed symptoms of high fever and cough but had no chest pain. She landed at the Noi Bai International Airport on flight QR968 Friday and was directly taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Tests done showed she is infected with the virus.

A 24-year-old woman in Ha Long Town in the northern province of Quang Ninh is the country's 52nd Covid-19 patient. She had boarded a flight from London to Hanoi on March 9, and taken a taxi to her house in Ha Long Town. She isolated herself at home before being taken to the local quarantine area.

Tests done Friday and Saturday in Quang Ninh and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi, respectively, confirmed she was infected with the virus.

The 53rd Covid-19 patient in Vietnam is a 53-year-old Czech citizen who had come into contact some Italian nationals in his home country. On March 10, he landed at Saigons Tan Son Nhat International Airport on a QR970 flight that transited at Doha Airport in Qatar.

He stayed at a local hotel in Saigon's District 1. On Friday, he developed symptoms of cough and fatigue. He went to Ho Chi Minh City's Traditional Medicine Hospital for a health check and results showed signs of lung inflammation. He tested Covid-19 positive after being quarantined at the city's Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Earlier Saturday, a 31-year-old man Saigon resident whod shared a car with an infected person and met with another infected person, and a 71-year-old British man on the VN54 flight that landed in Hanoi on March 2 had been confirmed as the nations 48th and 49th Covid-19 patients.

The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 145 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to over 5,400.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

There are no problems deliveries of products to Georgian retail chains, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Natia Turnava said, Trend reports with reference to Georgian media.

She made the remark after a meeting with representatives of retail chains and facilities.

From the point of view of stock delivery, there are no difficulties. All goods are supplied as usual. The ministry is also ready to provide the necessary assistance, the minister said.

According to Turnava, shopping centers agreed to take necessary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. She explained that the first thing is to minimize contacts and maintaining distance between people in stores.

As of today, Georgia has 25 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Amid the new coronavirus outbreak, Georgia has suspended direct flights with China, Iran and Italy, which are currently the largest centers of the outbreak.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects.

---

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South Africa minister for health, Zweli Mkhize has announced that no fewer than 121 citizens of the country have been evacuated from China following the pandemic nature of the deadly Coronavirus prevalent in the Asian country.

Speaking in a television interview, Mkkize added that the citizens arrived the country in the company of the South African National Defence Force and South African Airways.

Read Also: Coronavirus: TB Joshua Warns Trump; Reveals When Disease Will Be Silenced

Also, he said they would be quarantined at the Ranch Hotel and Resort in Polokwane, where police and military personnel have been stationed since earlier in the week.
At least 384,000 people have died in Syria, including more than 116,000 civilians, since the war began in March 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said on March 14.

Sparked by deadly repression of peaceful pro-democracy protests, the conflict has since turned into a complicated war involving rebel factions, jihadist groups and foreign powers.

Just last week, Turkey and Russia had reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Syria's northwestern Idlib province to take effect at midnight, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on March 5.

"At 00.01 tonight, as in, from midnight, the ceasefire will be put in place," Erdogan said, following talks with his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Earlier, Moscow and Ankara expressed hope for a "reduction in tensions" in Syria during high-level Russian-Turkish talks in those days, Russia's foreign ministry had said. Tensions have soared since 33 Turkish soldiers died in an airstrike in Syria, where Russia backs President Bashar al-Assad's regime and Turkey backs Islamists groups in Idlib province. Russia calls them terrorists.

"On both sides, the focus has been on reducing tensions on the ground while continuing to fight terrorists recognised as such by the United Nations Security Council," Moscow's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Image source: AP




American President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday to provide more resources to fight the new coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said, I am officially declaring a national emergency. He said the action would release up to $50 billion for state and local governments to deal with the outbreak.

The president said he was also giving Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar emergency power to ease federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals flexibility in treating patients.

Trump spoke as his administration is talking with Congress about providing support for people and businesses affected by the outbreak. Before Trumps declaration, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives said the lower house would approve its own coronavirus proposal. She called on Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate to put families first by supporting the proposal.



The House bill includes free testing for the virus, guaranteed sick pay for workers who cannot work, money for the unemployed and food programs for children, families and older people.

The virus has changed the daily lives of many Americans. Sporting events have been canceled. Schools have been closed and people in some areas have been asked to limit their movements.

The Trump administration also said Friday that it would provide $1.3 million to two companies to develop new COVID-19 tests. The new test could detect if a person has the new coronavirus within an hour. The announcement came as the U.S. struggles to provide tests to people who want them.

The coronavirus crisis also has affected people close to Trump and some members of Congress. The president, his daughter Ivanka, Attorney General William Barr and several lawmakers are among those who have been near people who have been found to be infected with the new coronavirus.

When asked by reporters if he would be tested for the virus, Trump said he would most likely get tested.



Emergency in Europe

In Europe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government will declare a two-week state of emergency on Saturday. He said, Its an emergency that affects the life and health of all.

The Associated Press reported Friday that Spain had more than 4,200 confirmed cases of the virus. It also said that 120 people had died of the COVID-19 disease. The prime minister warned that the country could have over 10,000 infected persons by next week.

On Friday, Spain blocked the movement of 60,000 people in four towns. A state of emergency permits the government to limit personal movement and to take control of industries and hospitals across the nation.

In Italy, officials admitted that restrictions have not contained the spread of the virus. This week, officials threatened heavy fines and even prison for anyone breaking the nation-wide quarantine.

Three weeks after Italy identified its first case of infection in the north, the country now has a total of 17,600 confirmed cases, with 1,266 deaths.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

Im Jill Robbins.

Hai Do adapted this story from Associated Press reports. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

regulation n. an official rule or law that states how something should be done

flexibility n. the willingness or ability to change or try something new

detect v. to discover or find something that is being looked for

quarantine n. a situation in which a person or people are kept away from other to prevent a disease from spreading

epicenter n. the place on the Earths surface that is where something begins, like an earthquake or a disease outbreak
Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc said on Friday that former American Express Co Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault has been nominated to the conglomerates board of directors, replacing Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates. The change was disclosed in Berkshires annual proxy filing, ahead of its scheduled May 2 annual meeting. Chenault, 68, led New York-based American Express from January 2001 to February 2018, and became one of the most prominent black CEOs in corporate America. Berkshire knows Chenault well, having long been American Express largest ...
New York has been roiled with closures of cultural institutions since the effort to stop the coronavirus kicked into high gear last week.

But for a certain kind of New Yorker, the news on Friday that the New York Public Library would be closing the soaring Rose Main Reading Room in its 42nd Street flagship  along with its 91 other locations across Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx  at least until April 1 caused a special kind of sadness and alarm.

The Rose reading room, lined with two levels of bookshelves and huge arched windows overlooking Bryant Park, is one of the great spaces of New York. Its a Grand Central Terminal for the bookish, complete with (in more ordinary times) crowds of tourists snapping photos from a designated zone near the entrance.
URUMQI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has allocated a total of 2.4 billion yuan (about 338 million U.S. dollars) for efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, according to local authorities.

Part of the funding has been spent on the treatment of 76 patients infected with the virus in the region and the on-duty subsidy for frontline medical workers, according to the regional finance department.

The funding has also been used to offer financial assistance to people whose lives have been affected by the outbreak, as well as enterprises that employ handicapped people or produce supplies needed for the control of the outbreak.

In addition, regional authorities have allocated 65 million yuan for telecommunication and over 4 million yuan for logistics cost of vegetables shipped from outside the region.
Iran's second largest city and a pilgrim destination, Mashhad, is facing the threat of turning into a new coronavirus (COVID-19) hotspot if immediate measures including a lockdown are not put into effect, local officials warned on Saturday. The situation seems critical enough to have forced the powerful ultraconservative religious and political establishment of the city to capitulate and shut down the city's shrine for three days.

On Saturday several officials including the governor of Khorasan Razavi Province of which Mashhad is the capital, the Chairman of the City Council of Mashhad, as well as several citizens' groups and student bodies raised the alarm and called on the authorities to quarantine the city.

"Much of the worst we had predicted is happening now," Mohammad-Reza Kalaiee, the reformist Mayor of Mashhad who since the early days of the outbreak has advocated quarantining the city wrote on his Instagram page on Friday. He has just recovered from the infection himself.

On Saturday, the Governor of Mashhad said the decision to quarantine the city with its three million inhabitants needs to be taken by the Coronavirus Task Force. The Taskforce itself has been suffering from lack of leadership with required authority.

The decisions that the Taskforce has made so far appear to have been overruled by other centers of power including the clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guard. On Friday Khamenei appointed the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, to coordinate the armed forces' growing involvement and activities in connection with the management of the worsening coronavirus epidemic.

Since the very early days of the epidemic in the country the ultraconservative clerics of Mashhad strongly resisted cancellation of religious events including Friday prayers. Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday Prayer Imam of the city who is also the Custodian of the Shrine of Imam Reza, and Khamenei's representative in the Province said the government order on February 28 to cancel the prayers in major cities was not "justifiable" because holding the prayers is "God's command". He has now even consented to holding "virtual" religious ceremonies.

Despite government Coronavirus Taskforce advice clerics of Mashhad refused to cancel events at Shrine of Imam Reza including this ceremony on February 24.

The situation in Mashhad is difficult to gauge for outside observers due to the government's secretiveness about the dimensions of the epidemic but even piecemeal official information can be quite revealing and concerning. On March 13, the infection rate in Khorasan Razavi Province as announced by the Health Ministry leapt to 395 with 110 new cases. The 41 percent increase in the number of patients in only 24 hours was followed by only 30 new cases on March 14.

Officials have not explained the latest lower infection number but and the number of patients who have died of the disease in the province is not known as the Ministry only announces the death toll for the whole country which now stands at 611.

The first two cases of coronavirus infection in Mashhad were only announced on March 1, both of them in connection with Qom, another pilgrim destination and the epicenter of the outbreak in the country. The first cases in Iran were reported on February 19, and it seems strange that Mashhad had no cases for almost two weeks.

The economy of Mashhad is hugely dependent on religious tourism with more than 55 percent of all hotels in the country. About 30 million pilgrims from across Iran as well as more than 2 million from countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Iraq flock to the shrine every year. The city has been preparing for the most important of all Iranian secular calendar events, the New Year (Nowrouz) celebrated on March 20 this year. Many of the faithful had planned to start the year by visiting the shrine.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who is himself from Mashhad normally delivers his nationally broadcast New Year speech at the shrine and announces his vision for the coming year. Earlier this week Khamenei who many hold responsible for the delay in admitting the arrival of the virus in Iran in order to ensure a higher turnout in the Parliament elections, cancelled his speech and annual visit to his hometown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
RTHK: Europe tightens virus curbs, lockdown in Spain

Spain decided on Saturday to follow Italy in declaring a nationwide lockdown, the media there reported as European countries took ever more severe, though widely varying, measures to slow the pandemic.

According to a copy of the royal decree seen by The Associated Press, Spains government was to announce that it is placing tight restrictions on movement for the nation of 46 million people while declaring a two-week state of emergency.

Russia meanwhile shut its frontiers with Poland and Norway to foreigners. Moscow had already declared it is sharply to reduce air links with the 27-nation EU from Monday.

Denmark closed its borders and halted passenger traffic to and from the country, a measure that was due to last through April 13. Travellers were to be turned away at the border if they are unable to show that they have "a legitimate reason" to enter.

Poland was closing its borders starting at midnight and non-citizens allowed in will be quarantined for 14 days. The Czech Republic and Slovakia also took similar action.

Switzerland said its army is prepared to deploy as the country said more than 1,000 people in the country has been infected.

The army will as of Monday deploy one of its four hospital battalions, army chief Thomas Sussli said in a tweet overnight.

The number of coronavirus cases soared in Spain, recording the second-highest number in Europe after Italy.

It confirmed more than 1,500 new cases of coronavirus between Friday and Saturday raising its total to 5,753 cases. (AFP, AP)

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Le ministre de la Sante en blouse bleue A laeroport international de Yaounde MINSANTE

Cameroon has unfortunately just registered a new positive case of the coronavirus, Public Health Minister Manaouda Malachie announced Saturday morning.

He is a Cameroonian living in Italy who passed through Paris and arrived in Cameroon on March 7, 2020. The formalities for taking it over are in progress. Let us redouble our vigilance, the Minister tweeted.

Last week, Cameroon announced the confirmation of a second case of the COVID-19 in the country involving a citizen who had been in close contact with the first confirmed case  a French citizen, aged 58, who arrived in Yaounde on 24 February.

Both cases are isolated at the Yaounde Central Hospital and are currently receiving adequate symptomatic treatment, authorities say. Basic commodities are provided under strict respect of ethical requirements and health safety regulations, Dr. Malachie announced, adding that the tracing and screening of persons who came in contact with the two confirmed cases was underway.

With the number of confirmed cases now at three, government is advising those entering the country from abroad to self-quarantine and avoid contact with others for 14 days.

We call on all people coming from countries at risk and their respective families, to take more responsibility, to facilitate our work and protect others. It is essential to observe a quarantine of 14 days before any activity and contact with others, the countrys public health minister said Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Those who have travelled out of Cameroon or have been in contact with a traveller from countries affected by COVID-19 are called upon to immediately call 1510 to receive appropriate care, Malachie said in a press release dated March 6, 2020.

The Minister of Public Health went on to reassure Cameroonians and the international public opinion that the situation is under control and that everything is being done to contain this outbreak without undue delay, in conformity with the high instructions from the President of the Republic H.E. Mr. Paul Biya.

The United States in helping Cameroon respond to the Coronavirus outbreak made a contribution of $120,000 (close to 71 million CFA) coupled with ongoing technical support to address the coronavirus outbreak comes on top of $45 million (26.5 billion CFA) of assistance since 2014 that has expanded the capacity of the health sector to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

Cameroons Public Health Emergency Operation Center  established through support from the United States  has been activated to coordinate the coronavirus response, health officials trained through the U.S.-funded Field Epidemiology Training Program are conducting surveillance and case investigations, and U.S. support has increased capacity for laboratory diagnosis.

The United States says she is committed to supporting health security in Cameroon. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is thus present in Cameroon and coordinating with the Ministry of Public Health to help the country respond to the coronavirus outbreak and prevent further spread of infection.

Medics say for individuals to contribute to preventing the spread of coronavirus and other respiratory infections, they must: avoid close contact (within 2 meters) with people who appear sick; avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth; clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces; and wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Individuals who suspect they may be infected with Coronavirus have been enjoined to call the Ministry of Public Healths toll-free hotline by dialing 1510 to receive advice about steps to take.

Of 118,000 known COVID-19 cases, less than 50 are in Africa. Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia reported first cases on March13. 15 countries in Africa are part of 117 countries globally affected since the outbreak began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019.
Peter Webers mother, Barbara, certainly has some strong feelings about her sons final Bachelor pick, Madison Prewett. She made it clear during their visit in Australia, and again during the taped finale, that she doesnt feel the foster parent recruiter is a good fit for her son.

Peter Senior and Barbara Weber | John Fleenor via Getty Images

ABC definitely picked up on the dynamic.

The Bachelor played up very emotional Barb

Executive Rob Mills recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the finale and about realizing they had a star on [their] hands with Peters mother, Barbara.

You can go back to last season with Hannah Brown and, certainly, her cheering and applauding her sons prowess in the windmill (laughs) was a great moment. The parents are always great. Most of them are stars in their own right. I remember JoJo [Fletcher]s mom chugging wine out of a bottle. But, as you saw in the clips of her with the whole Bring her home moment, Barbara is very emotional, began Mills.

He continued: Peter and Madison hadnt seen each other until up until a few weeks ago and hearing that Barbara really wasnt pleased about that was when we realized this was an issue. And its a real issue that everyone deals with. Because when youre entering into a relationship, certainly when youre thinking about marriage, family is a big part. You are marrying into that family. At that point, we knew this was an angle that we really needed to play up. We knew Barbara was going to be great.

Weber knew how his mother felt about Prewett (he still lives at home, after all), but even he seemed surprised at how she behaved during the taped finale. Mills says the moments Barbara spoke up about Prewett werent particularly planned.

It was pretty much like, Lets see what happens. You dont want to overproduce it or anything. You want it to play pretty real in the moment and that was what it was. There were definitely indications that Barbara was not happy, and I think not happy about a lot of things, he said. I think right now, it didnt end the way any of them thought or maybe wanted. There was upset at the show, at Peter, at Madison. I think the only one unscathed was Hannah Ann.

Did Peter Webers mom, Barb, know she was being filmed during the taped finale?

Much of Bachelor Nation paid special notice to the Barb cam during the finale. THR asked Mills if the pilots mother knew her reactions were being recorded.

You cant miss seeing that theres a camera right there in front of you. You certainly know you are on camera. Do I think she knew there was a Barb cam where viewers saw the picture-in-picture? Probably not, he said.

But Mills pegs Barbara as an authentic woman and guesses she would have acted the same whether she knew a camera was on her or not.

I met her and shes a nice and good person. And I think that her emotions would have been real regardless of whether the camera was there. You saw her at the end of the show with [Bachelorette] Clare [Crawley] wishing her well and hugging her. I dont think that her reactions would have been any different had she known there was a camera cutting to her, he said.

Read more: The Bachelor: Peter Webers Brother Jack Is Dragging Madison Prewett on Instagram
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Elections officials in the four states holding presidential primaries next week say they have no plans to postpone voting amid widespread disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, they are taking extraordinary steps to ensure that voters can cast ballots and polling places are clean.

They have been scrambling to recruit replacements for poll workers dropping out over fears of contracting the virus, providing cotton swabs for voters to use on touchscreen machines and extending absentee voting deadlines. Only one state, Louisiana, announced plans to postpone its primary, from April to June.

Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past, and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, top election officials from Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio said in a joint statement Friday that also encouraged healthy poll workers to show up.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

Election officials routinely prepare for natural disasters and other disruptions, but the coronavirus outbreak poses a unique challenge as some areas of the country urge members of the public to work from home and avoid crowds. On Friday, President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.

Election Day voting in the U.S. largely relies on an army of poll workers who staff schools, community centres and government buildings open for the public to cast ballots in person. Because many poll workers are older, they may be especially concerned about the virus. School closures and safety concerns at senior living communities have thrown some polling places into question.

Nearly 50 of the roughly 600 paid volunteers have withdrawn in Volusia County, Florida. In that state, a group of voting and civil rights groups wrote to the governor and secretary of state urging them to extend early voting opportunities and the vote-by-mail deadline, open additional vote centres and take steps to notify voters of any changes to polling places or voting procedures.

Hundreds of poll workers and election judges in Illinois have cancelled their assignments, leaving election officials, particularly in Chicago, scrambling.

In Georgia, where the average age for poll workers is 70 years old, about 300 poll workers have said they would no longer be available to work in the March 24 primary. Early voting for Georgias upcoming primary continued Friday, as state election officials weighed their options, including whether to postpone.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration but said it would not affect the states May primary runoff elections that will decide congressional races. Wisconsin also said it planned to proceed with its April 7 primary.

But Louisiana officials decided the risk was too great. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he planned to sign an executive order delaying the April 4 primary until June 20, describing the step as necessary to protect the health and safety of the people of Louisiana.

Some states might be able to send all voters ballots they can fill out and mail back, but that will largely depend on particular circumstances. For some, it may not be logistically possible.

Uncertainty surrounded how voting would happen Tuesday in Arizonas most populous county after the local official in charge of mail-in balloting decided to mail ballots to everyone who didnt already get one. Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, said he wanted voters to be able to fill out a ballot at home and drop it off at a polling place before polls close Tuesday.

Fontes said he acted after a series of cancellations by polling place locations and election worker staff in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and is home to 60% of Arizonas registered voters. He acknowledged theres no explicit legal authority for his move, but said its also not strictly illegal.

Considering this unprecedented emergency situation, we need to act to both enfranchise the voters and protect public health, Fontes said.

But the states top election official, Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, said Fontes acted illegally and she pressed his mail vendor not to put the ballots in the mail. The states attorney general, a Republican, asked a judge to block the mailing of the ballots, saying it was obviously illegal. The request was granted late Friday.

Maricopa County officials insist they have enough workers and disinfecting supplies for people to safely vote at the 151 remaining vote centres.

In Wyoming, state Democrats have cancelled the in-person portion of their upcoming caucuses and will instead rely on ballots that were already mailed to all registered party members.

Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe, Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Joe M. Barbuto said in a statement Thursday. Holding public events right now would put that in jeopardy, so this is the responsible course of action.

Officials in Maryland and New York have said theyre considering mailing primary ballots to all registered voters.

In Ohio, which is under a statewide emergency because of the virus, a plea from the states elections chief earlier in the week prompted more than 1,200 people to sign up for poll worker duty across the state after election boards reported some workers were dropping out amid virus fears.

One state official, Auditor Keith Faber, urged his entire staff to take a paid leave day to help out.

In Broward County, Florida, election officials were stocking its 421 polling locations with extra supplies including 4,000 rolls of paper towels, gloves and more than 400 bars of soap.

Weve purchased gallons of rubbing alcohol and are having them transferred to spray bottles, spokesperson Steve Vancore said. Weve ordered cases upon case of Clorox wipes so polls workers can frequently wipe down the equipment and wipe down the voting booths.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta.

___

Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix; Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Frank Bajak in Boston; Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland; John OConnor in Springfield, Illinois; Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.

___

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.
Representative image

A fresh spate of rockets targeted an Iraqi base north of Baghdad on Saturday where foreign troops are deployed, Iraqi and US security sources told AFP, in a rare daytime attack. It was the 23rd such attack since late October on installations across Iraq where American troops and diplomats are based, with the latest rounds growing deadlier.

None of the attacks have ever been claimed but the US has blamed hardline elements of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of armed groups incorporated into the Iraqi state.

Several rockets were fired at the Taji air base on Saturday, Iraqi and US military officials said.

"The initial toll is two wounded Iraqi Air Defence personnel who are in very critical condition," said Tahsin al-Khafaji, spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command.

A military source said Iraqi security forces had found the launching pad for the rockets, but not the attackers themselves.

The US-led coalition's surveillance capabilities have been impaired by cloudy weather in recent days, which the US official said may have contributed to the attackers' readiness to launch the rockets during the day instead of under the cover of night.

Taji is overcrowded with members of the US-led coalition helping Iraq fight jihadist remnants, after units were moved to the air base from other installations.

It came three days after a similar attack on the base killed two American military personnel and a British soldier -- the deadliest such incident at an Iraqi base in years.

The US responded Friday with air strikes on arms depots it said were used by Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned faction within the Hashed.

At least five members of Iraq's security forces and one civilian were killed, none of them members of the Hashed, according to Iraq's military.

Iraq has long feared it would get caught in the spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, its two main allies.

They dramatically spiked in late 2019 when a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on a separate base in northern Iraq, leading to retaliatory American strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah.

Days later, a US drone strike killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Hashed deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Iran launched ballistic missiles at US troops in Iraq while the Iraqi parliament voted to expel all foreign soldiers from its soil, a decision that has yet to be implemented.

Some 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition helping local troops root out the remnants of the Islamic State group.

Top US military and civilian officials had long expressed frustration that Iraq's government was not doing enough to prevent rocket attacks targeting US troops and diplomats.
Authorities of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have announced an indefinite suspension of mass gatherings following the confirmation of COVID-19 in Ghana.

The suspended activities included funerals, sporting activities, awards nights, dinners, hall weeks and other outdoor events as well as all planned academic and non-academic excursions in and outside the University campus.

All International conferences to be hosted by the University, international travels of staff incoming and outgoing exchange programmes plus international visits of foreign partners, Professors and collaborators including tours on campus by visitors have also been put on hold.

Staff together with their spouses and students returning from abroad have been directed to report first at the University Hospital for screening before resuming official work.

These were contained in a statement issued by the management of the University as part of measures to strengthen preventive guidelines.

Management wishes to direct that, all gatherings including Funerals, Sporting Activities, Awards Nights, Dinners, Hall Weeks and other outdoor events on the University campus are suspended until further notice. All planned academic and non-academic excursions in and outside the University campus are suspended until further notice, the statement added.

Other measures

All Members of the University community have been encouraged to practice good personal hygiene -regular washing of hands with soap under running water, regular use of hand sanitizers and also avoid all body contacts including handshakes and hugs.

A special team has been established to regularly monitor the implementation of precautionary measures and update management. The University Health Directorate will lead the Special team in the COVID-19 sensitisation and awareness campaign. The University Hospital has established a COVID-19 Isolation Centre to hold suspected persons for screening. Confirmed cases will be transferred to the Regional Isolation Centre set-up by the Regional Health Directorate for care, portions of the statement added.

Assurance

The school also advised its members to remain calm and follow all the safety measures as well as other measures published by the University Hospital, the Ghana Health Services and the Ministry of Health to help contain the spread of the infection.

KUNST joins other public tertiary institutions that have put in place similar protocols against the spread of the virus.

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday banned all international conferences on campus.

The situation is not different at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) as all non-academic gatherings such as award nights, dinners and other outdoor events have been suspended together with all planned academic and non-academic excursions outside the university.

COVID-19 in Ghana

On March 12, 2020, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, at an emergency press briefing confirmed that Ghana has recorded two cases of the novel virus.

The two cases according to the Health Minister, tested positive after laboratory tests from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.

According to the Health Minister, the cases were reported as 'imported cases' as both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey.

Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. So these are imported cases of COVID-19.

The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday said the two persons who tested positive to the virus had been in the country for about a week.

---citinewsroom
With at least three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Montgomery County, some restaurants have started to notice a difference at tables and buffet lines.

For 21 years, Carmen Overbay and her husband have owned Carmelitas, the downtown Conroe restaurant best known for its tamales. This week, she said, traffic has been slower, which she suspects is because of COVID-19.

Its busy, but not as busy as two weeks ago, Overbay said.

Overbay remains optimistic that the virus will slow down and people will regain the confidence to go out again. She believes it is good that people are willing to take steps to help keep each other safe and healthy as she also takes precautions to keeps the restaurant sanitized and avoids the risk of exposure at large events such as festivals.

I dont know what else to do, Overbay said. We are going to try to stay open as long as we can. We do what they say: wash your hands, wash your dishes, and sanitize and keep calm.

Everything is going to be OK, she added.

In 2019, Accommodation and Food Services counted as one of the leading industries in Conroe with 4,727 jobs and 263 establishments, according to data provided by Conroes Economic Development Corp.

A short distance away from Carmelitas, Nis China Buffet on Loop 336 in Conroe has also observed a change in customers using the restaurants hand sanitizer and washing their hands before eating. The restaurant has also started to offer gloves to customers upon request.

Jax Ni, who has owned the business with his family since 2003 and has watched many of his customers grow up in his restaurant. Right now, he believes time is the big controller as he continues to keep an eye on the news across the world and within the community, including how it has affected the food service industry.

All of the restaurant market has kind of slowed down but depending on the area and how bad it is, Ni said. It is still alright for our area. Its a small town, so there is not a lot of traffic from out of state or out of country. But I have heard from my friends in the big cities and they say it is pretty bad because everybody stays and does not go out.

Ni, who follows health officials recommendations but has not received specific instruction as of Thursday from the government, believes some people may watch the news in China, and not realize the government has different policies in the United States.

He hopes that it does not get as bad here and that the government will gain control over the situation or that a change in weather will help slow the virus. In the meantime, as the situation continues to evolve, he takes it one day at a time, and focuses on what is within his control, such as focusing on making healthy individual decisions, which he also advises to others, from drinking water to staying home if sick.

Everybody watch by self, Ni said. Everybody control by self.

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some patients may experience aches pains, nasal congestion, sore throat, and diarrhea.

The World Health Organization has reported more than 132,000 cases of COVID-19 from 123 countries and territories, including from the hardest-hit origin in Wuhan, China. As of Friday, WHO reported a total of 5,000 deaths from the pandemic.

Several events have been canceled in Montgomery County and city officials urge residents to remain calm, stay home, and avoid large crowds.

I will not minimize what we are facing, Mayor Toby Powell said in a previous Courier article adding residents just needed to take simple precautions to avoid the virus. Coronavirus spreads quickly and easily. Most people experience mild symptoms, but some experience serious symptoms that will require hospitalization. The Montgomery County Health District is seeing indications that the virus will spread within our county. The number of people who will need specialized medical care will likely rise over the coming weeks and months.

Our goals are to slow the spread of the virus and protect our medical resources for those who will need them.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
OMAHA  Another case of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, has been identified in a child in Douglas County, bringing the states total to 14.

The child is a household contact of five earlier cases that were announced Wednesday, the Douglas County Health Department said. Those people are connected to the earlier case of a woman who had traveled to California and Nevada.

Everyone in the household has been in self-quarantine for several days and are close family members of the earlier case. They have not required hospitalization, but remain in self-isolation. Because they are closely related, this is not considered community spread, health officials said.

Epidemiologists will investigate to determine if anyone else in the community has been exposed.

The announcement came just before Gov. Pete Ricketts said he had signed an emergency declaration so regulatory provisions of state law can be suspended to aid the states coronavirus response.

Earlier Friday, health officials confirmed two other cases of COVID-19: a man in his 50s who works at Mutual of Omaha and a woman in her 60s. Both had traveled recently, officials said.
According to Yermak, such an agreement was reached at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk.

Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will have access to Ukrainian captives illegally held in the territories of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO).

According to Yermak, such an agreement was reached at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) in Minsk, the president's press service reports.

Read alsoChief of staff Yermak: Ukraine, Russia two parties to conflict in TCG format, OSCE between them

During a "Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster" panel show on Ukraine TV channel on March 13, he emphasized that one of the items of the protocol of the last TCG meeting concerned the release of Ukrainian citizens held in the uncontrolled territories.

"We have agreed in the TCG that the Red Cross will be allowed to the places where our people are located in the uncontrolled territories," Yermak said.

According to the official, he decided to attend the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group because many of the agreements reached by the presidents during the Normandy Four summit in Paris had not been implemented over three months.

"So I decided to come personally and check what is going on there," Yermak added.
Houston police announced the arrests of 71 people accused of participating in street takeovers, in which amateur drivers illegally block intersections and freeways to perform stunts.

Those numbers account for arrests since the start of 2020, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. More than 40 of the arrests stem from incidents in February alone.

MORE FROM JAY R. JORDAN: Man killed, woman injured in shooting near Hobby Airport

The takeovers can prove fatal. In Dallas, a 20-year-old man died Feb. 9 when he fell out of a pickup truck doing donuts in a parking lot.

Houston and Harris County has yet to see anyone die from such an event, but prosecutors believe it is not a matter of if, but when.

Its a miracle it hasnt happened yet, said Sean Teare, vehicular crimes chief at the Harris County District Attorneys Office. And it will happen soon.

VIDEO: Houston freeways becoming the new backdrop for dangerous stunts

On a recent night in Houston, a group of drivers shut down a two-mile stretch of U.S. 59 to perform donuts and drag races. Acevedo said Thursday his detectives identified several drivers and plan to execute arrest warrants soon.

Acevedo said police also seized more than a dozen cars used during the takeovers. Most of the drivers arrested were between 16 and 24 years old, and some were using their parents supped-up cars for the stunts  unbeknownst to the parents, Acevedo said.

If you value your car, do not engage in this behavior, Acevedo said, then echoing Teares sentiment. This isnt Hollywood. You dont get a second take.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com
Being fitted for a confirmation dress in the UK was one of the excuses proffered at Newcastle West Court this week for extended school absences.

The parents of several children attending the same school have been warned they will go to prison if their high rate of absence continues.

Tusla  the Child and Family Agency  has initiated court proceedings against the parents who are all members of the Travelling community.

The prosecutions, under the provisions of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, have been brought against adults from a number of different families.

In one case, Judge Mary Larkin was told a 12-year-old girl has missed 216 days of school over the last three academic years. As of last week, the girl, who is in sixth class had not been enrolled in a secondary school.

While a large number of the absences during the current academic year have not been explained, an education and welfare officer told the court the childs mother had explained to her that she missed some days late last year as she was in the UK for dress fittings for her confirmation.

In that case solicitor Michael ODonnell said his clients do travel but that when they are in Limerick, their children go to school.

The law is the law, replied Judge Larkin who said the consequence of the parents decision means their daughter is not receiving an education.

In another case, relating to a 14-year-old boy who is in secondary school, the court was told the pupil been absent for 112 consecutive schools days.

The family has not engaged with Tusla and no explanation has been put forward as to why the boy has not been in school.

A third prosecution - relating to three siblings  was also before Newcastle West court last week. In that case, the education and welfare officer said all three girls have been absent for more than 70 days during the current school year.

Judge Larkin was told the children have been attending school since December when the family returned to Limerick.

I have met mum who told me when they are here, the children go to school, said the education and welfare officer.

She said there is no evidence that any of the children are being educated while the family is away from Limerick.

Mr ODonnell said the girls mother does bring schoolbooks when the family is travelling.

He urged the judge to note that travelling is part of his clients culture and that there is nobody left to look after the children or bring them to school when they are away.

In reply, the judge said there are obligations that the parents must comply with and she noted the mother of the children has no formal education.

Their culture does not absolve them from compliance with the law of the land, she said adding that in her view, the children are suffering abuse and neglect by being deprived of an education.

Solicitor Dermot G. ODonovan, representing Tusla, said all children have a constitutional right to education and that parents cant pick and choose when they send their children to school.

Our obligation is to get the children educated not punish the parents  thats a side issue.

A number of the cases before last weeks court were adjourned to June for review wit the judge warning prison sentences will be imposed if the situation does not improve.

Bench warrants were issued for the arrest of those parents who failed to appear in court.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 10:04:46|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported four new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Friday, which are all imported cases from Italy, local health authority said Saturday.

Three of the four patients are Chinese who worked in Italy and flew to Shanghai from Italy via Moscow on Thursday, while the other one is an Italian who flew to Shanghai from Italy via Paris on Wednesday, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission.

All the patients were sent directly to medical observation upon arriving at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

As of Friday, Shanghai had reported a total of 350 confirmed cases, including 12 imported cases.
Four people were arrested after a fake hand-sanitiser and face-mask manufacturing company was busted in Noida on Saturday, officials said, a day after the Centre declared the two items as 'essential commodities'.

Sub-divisional magistrate Rajeev Rai said after a tip-off around 2.30 pm, a raid was carried out immediately at the company in the commercial hub of Sector 63.

"Four people have been arrested from the spot. Over 5,000 face masks and around 5,000 bottles of hand sanitisers have been seized," Rai, who led the raid, told PTI. "Both the items bore the label name 'SG Group' and are pegged worth around Rs 10 lakh but are not genuine products."



He said a detailed assessment of the seized material was underway.

Pharmacists and traders had earlier claimed shortage of supply of hand sanitisers and masks in Noida and Greater Noida amid fears over the deadly COVID-19, while people rued that these items were being sold at exorbitant rates, if available.

"We will ensure that law takes its due to course over any irregularity related to it," Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate B N Singh told PTI.

The Centre had on Friday brought masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential Commodities Act up to June 30 as the novel coronavirus pandemic led to shortages and black marketing of these items.

The decision has empowered the Centre as well states to regulate production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitisers, and also to smoothen the sale and availability of these items, and carry out operations against speculators.

An offender under the Act may be punished with imprisonment up to seven years or fine or both and can be detained for a maximum of six months.

The Union Health Ministry has put the number of coronavirus positive cases in the country at 84, and issued directives to states specifying list of items and norms of assistance for containment of COVID-19 under their disaster funds.

Two persons -- a 76-year-old man from Karnataka and a 68-year-old woman in Delhi -- have died from the novel coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and claimed over 5,000 lives across the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After the Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting, the Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal has said that although they want the league to take place, they will have to wait and watch how the coronavirus evolves.

"The government has taken many steps. BCCI has also taken a lot of steps. In today's discussion, we committed ourselves to the IPL. We would like the IPL to happen but we have to wait and watch and see how the virus evolves," Jindal told reporters here on Saturday.

Apart from Jindal, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Mukesh Ambani's son Akash Ambani and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan also attended the meeting of IPL Governing Council.

Jindal said the BCCI is in constant touch with the government and the safety of the public is the most important aspect.

"BCCI is constantly in touch with the government. People's health is the most important aspect. It is the most important consideration for us. Once the situation comes under control, all the options can be discussed," he said.

BCCI on Friday decided to suspend the IPL till April 15 as a precautionary measure in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Central government has also suspended all visas to India till April 15 as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

The 13th edition of IPL was scheduled to commence from March 29, with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings meeting at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for the first match.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The British government is aware of the presence of mass graves in Balochistan, said Minister of State Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development Nigel Adams.

Adams said: "We are aware of reports of mass graves in Khuzdar, Turbat and Dera Bugti in Balochistan. These would be of deep concern to the British government."

He said that all states have the responsibility to meet human rights obligations for all including the right to life. "The British government regularly raises its concerns about human rights at the highest levels of the Government of Pakistan," he said in a reply.

He noted that the British Government regularly raises concerns with the Pakistan Government at a senior level on the vital need to respect human rights and the rule of law.

He also recalled Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth, who had raised concerns over the issue of grave concern with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister in February this year.

Adams made these remarks in reply to written questions asked by a member of British Parliament, Labour Party MP for Portsmouth (South) Stephen Morgan, who has asked several questions on worsening human rights situation in Balochistan.

Morgan also asked if the Government of Pakistan has been using weapons bought from the UK against the Baloch people.

Adams replied, "All export licences are strictly assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Risks around human rights abuses are a key part of our assessment."

Another Conservative MP, Heather Wheeler said in a written response to Morgan that the UK regularly raises concerns about the human rights situation with Pakistan at a senior level.

Political activists and representatives of Balochistan also raised the issue of worsening human rights situation in Balochistan at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Fazal-Ur Rehman Afridi, a Pashtun political activist, told the Council that "In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Army has unleashed a reign of terror against innocent people with impunity."

The Pakistani army has been using the land of Balochistan to nurture terrorist groups that try to stall the process of Baloch Nationalism, according to the Baloch Human Rights Commission (BHRC).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Trump announced in a press conference Saturday that he is considering restricting domestic travel to areas of the United States hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

A day after declaring a national emergency and throwing his support behind a coronavirus aid package that passed the House in the early hours of Saturday morning, Trump said that he was 'working with the states' on potential domestic restrictions.

The news came as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, warned that the outbreak in the United States has not yet reached its peak with more deaths certain to come.

Trump extended his European travel restrictions to the United Kingdom and Ireland as he warned Americans 'if you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it'.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are now over 2,700 with 52 deaths.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, warned that the outbreak in the United States has not yet reached its peak with more deaths certain to come

President Trump announced in a press conference Saturday that he is considering restricting domestic travel to areas of the United States hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

President Trump delivered a brief update on the national emergency on Saturday afternoon revealing that he has been tested and is negative for the coronavirus.

He also addressed the Europe travel ban and the stock market before handing over to Vice President Mike Pence, who was tapped by Trump to oversee the coronavirus response task force.

On Friday the Department of Defense restricted domestic travel for military and civilian personnel until May amid coronavirus concerns.

When asked if the American public would soon face similar domestic travel bans, Trump said that he was working with 'certain areas' as they consider the possibility but that no decision had been made.

'If you dont have to travel I wouldnt do it,' Trump said.

'If you dont have to travel, we want this thing to end. We dont want a lot of people getting infected. We want it to end and end as quickly as possible.'

When pressed further about domestic travel bans, the president responded: 'Yes, specifically from certain areas. Yes, we are and were working with the states. Were considering other restrictions yet.'

The idea of a domestic travel ban was first floated by Trump on Thursday when he said he was considering other major restrictions, such as limiting travel to hot spots like California and Washington state, without spelling out how he would manage such an extraordinary effort.

The news came as Fauci revealed the U.S. outbreak has not yet reached its peak and that more deaths and cases can be expected.

'We have not yet reached our peak, we will see new cases and more suffering and we will see more death, predominantly among the vulnerable in our society - the people with previous conditions and the elderly,' he said at Saturday's press briefing, speaking after Trump and Pence.

'But built within that is opportunity,' he added.

Trump has already placed restrictions on travel from China, Iran and Europe

A worker disinfects the waiting area in international arrivals at Logan International Airport in Boston but many will be quieter for the next 30 days with travel restrictions in place

Shortly before the press conference, Obama's former Medicare boss revealed that he believes America's hospitals will be overrun with coronavirus patients in just eight days and face months of strain.

Andy Slavitt, former acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, issued the dire warning on Twitter on Saturday along with a string of advice for the public, governments and health workers.

'Last night I was on with state & local officials around the US well into the night.

'By March 23 many of our largest cities & hospitals are on course to be overrun with cases,' he wrote.

Slavitt then listed highlights from the memo he had prepared which included telling people to self-isolate now, closing bars and restaurants, frantically sourcing medical supplies 'even from the black market' if necessary and gearing up for the 'tsunami' of patients that will soon arrive at hospitals.

'The stakes are higher than any most of us have ever experienced: wars, 9/11, whatever,' he later added.

As of Saturday evening, there were more than confirmed 2,700 cases of COVID-19 in the US and 52 people had died from it but doctors are warning there are more like 500,000 already infected and that we just do not know it yet because so few people have been tested.

Dr. Marty Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, said that was likely a gross under-representation of the true scale.

'Dont believe the numbers when you see, even on our Johns Hopkins website, that 1,600 Americans have the virus. No, that means 1,600 got the test, tested positive.

'There are probably 25 to 50 people who have the virus for every one person who is confirmed.

'I think we have between 50,000 and half a million cases right now walking around in the United States,' he told Yahoo Finance.

Dr. Makary urged people to be more vigilant.

'Im concerned when I hear a neighbor or a friend say that theyre planning to go to a kids swim meet in three weeks or going on vacation next week.

'No  were about to experience the worst public health epidemic since polio,' he said starkly.

On Saturday, Trump extended the United States' coronavirus travel ban to people from the UK and Ireland.

The flight freeze will kick in at midnight Monday, scuppering work and holiday plans for Britons preparing to make trans-Atlantic trips.

The president had initially excluded the UK and Ireland from the European ban of 26 countries, but added it to the blacklist this afternoon as infection rates soared overnight.

Under the restrictions, American citizens and green card holders are still allowed to return home, but will be funneled to 13 airports and subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

Flanked by his advisers at a White House press briefing, Mr Trump, who confirmed he had been tested for COVID-19, said: 'We're looking at it very seriously, yes, because they've had a little bit of activity unfortunately, so we're going to be looking at that.

'We actually already have looked at it and that is going to be announced.'

Shortly after, Mike Pence confirmed the ban, saying: 'In our taskforce meeting today the President has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time.'

He added: 'Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home ... they will be funneled through specific airports and processed.'

To prevent the deadly virus crippling the Oval Office, anyone in close contact with the President or Vice President will be subject to temperature checks.
The Rivers state police command has arrested one Promise Agonwu who confessed to going into armed robbery so as to get out of poverty.

Read Also: Rapper Pop Smoke Dead, Shot And Killed By 4 Gunmen

During his confessional statement, he claimed to be a student of Computer Science at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede situated in Owerri, the capital of Imo state.

I was arrested because I was involved in an armed robbery. The robbery took place at Agip in Port Harcourt.

I went into robbery because of the hardship. I am an OND 2 student, Computer Science, at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, in Imo State, he said.

Confirming his arrest, Mustapha Daudaura, the state police commissioner revealed that he was arrested along with five others.

Operatives of Operation Sting, in a combined operation with other sister security agencies, which lasted for two weeks in two Local government areas of Khana and Gokana, security agencies stormed two camps belonging to hoodlums and destroyed over 20 camps in the Ogoni forest.

We recovered four AK 47 rifles, four pump action guns, one Barretta pistols, one local made pistol, seven magazines, 60 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, one wooden carved rubber gun, sirens, charms and two toy guns.

In another well-coordinated operation by personnel of the Tactical Units, some bushes were combed at the Rumuji Emuhua, Ogbakiri, Rumuodogo and Ndele communities, where hoodlums had taken over.

The operation in the community lasted for two weeks, which resulted in the arrest of kidnappers, armed robbers and the recovery of large cache of arms. It was in the course of this operation that Ekwueme Brown (alias Lucifer) was killed in a crossfire between the police and the hoodlums.
"Like many leading national and regional medical centers across the country, Jupiter Medical Center is actively engaged in efforts to prepare for the impact from COVID-19," said Dr. Amit Rastogi, president and chief executive officer. "These new measures demonstrate our highest priority is the health and well-being of our patients, our team members, and the larger Palm Beach County community that we serve."

On Thursday, the medical center streamlined its visitors' policy by limiting patients to no more than two visitors, each of whom must meet Florida Department of Health screening criteria.

Dr. Rastogi clarified that the medical center is not a testing site for COVID-19, noting that the department of health has advised that hospitals should not be used for non-critical conditions or non-emergencies, and that includes coronavirus testing. Individuals experiencing mild symptoms  fever, dry cough or difficulty breathing are urged to call their primary care physician, as doctors' offices can take swabs for testing and send them to the appropriate lab.

Jupiter Medical Center continues to conduct multi-disciplinary training and drills to prepare team members to recognize potential cases of COVID-19, implement screening and isolation protocols, and properly use personal protective equipment.

The non-profit regional medical center is also working closely and collaboratively with state and federal authorities, suppliers, and staff to procure and steward the necessary resources, including respirators, negative pressure rooms, test kits, and N95 masks to effectively identify and treat those that may have the virus.

The hospital recently canceled several community events  including an open house to celebrate the opening of the Anderson Family Cancer Institute  in an effort to support the call for social distancing as a way to stem the spread of the virus. The hospital will monitor the situation closely to determine whether to cancel other events in the future.

"Following these guidelines is crucial in our ongoing effort to protect patients, caregivers, and team members from the risk of infection," Dr. Rastogi said. "These new measures are necessary as we evolve our posture and to prevent the likelihood of spread."

In addition, the medical center has suspended all student training, with the exception of medical students and those training to be physician assistants and nurse practitioners who are working in areas other than the Emergency Department. Volunteer services have also been temporarily suspended, as has been the hospital's Motor Aid program.

For more information about testing, questions, and other issues related to the coronavirus, members of the public should call the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 hotline at 1-866-779-6121.

About Jupiter Medical Center

Ranked #1 for quality, patient safety, and patient satisfaction, Jupiter Medical Center is the leading destination for world-class health care in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. In 2019, The Leapfrog Group named Jupiter Medical Center a "Top Hospital," a distinction earned by only 6 percent of hospitals nationwide. Jupiter Medical Center is also the only hospital in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties to receive a 4-star quality and safety rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Outstanding physicians, state-of-the-art facilities, innovative techniques, and a commitment to serving the community enable Jupiter Medical Center to meet a broad range of patient needs. The region's only independent, not-for-profit hospital, Jupiter Medical Center offers specialty concentrations in orthopedics and spine care; cancer care and oncology; cardiac and vascular care; neuroscience and stroke care; women's and children's services; urgent care; and other key areas.

For more information on Jupiter Medical Center, please call (561) 263-2200 or visit jupitermed.com.

SOURCE Jupiter Medical Center

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http://www.jupitermed.com


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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 13, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 13, 2020 | 06:09 PM | PADUCAH

Seven people were arrested in Paducah on Friday as a result of an investigation into the alleged sale of methamphetamine.



The McCracken County Sheriff's Office says they began their investigation after receiving information that 32-year-old Shannon Goss was selling methamphetamine from her apartment on Ohio Street. Detectives reportedly determined the information to be true and obtained a search warrant for the apartment.



On Friday morning, detectives observed Goss pulling into the parking lot of a grocery store on Lone Oak Road. Goss was allegedly in possession of approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine and items of drug paraphernalia, such as digital scales and baggies. Detectives say that a passenger in the vehicle, 23-year-old Gabrielle Steinke of Bardwell, was in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and smoking pipes. Steinke's infant child was also in the vehicle.



Goss was arrested and charged with first degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and first degree wanton endangerment.



Steinke was arrested and charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and first degree wanton endangerment.



Drug detectives then went to Goss' apartment to execute the search warrant, where they found five adults and multiple children. Detectives say they found methamphetamine, marijuana, and hypodermic needles in plain view. A search of the apartment revealed additional items of drug paraphernalia and a sawed off shotgun.



The five adults found at the residence were 22-year-old Cody Land, 33-year-old Brandon Hill, 33-year-old Lacey Ramsey, 46-year-old Trey Dameron, and 23-year-old Breanna Blakely, all of Paducah. The five adults were arrested and charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia.



Ramsey and Dameron were also charged with first degree wanton endangerment. Blakely faces additional charges of possession of marijuana, possession of a defaced firearm, and failure to notify DOT of address change.



All seven individuals were lodged in the McCracken County Jail.



The Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Department of Child Protective Services and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The children were placed in the care of individuals by social services.
The factory of Samsung Electronics Vietnam in northern Thai Nguyen Province. Photo by VnExpress/Le Dang.

The Vietnamese government has agreed to let 700 engineers of Samsung Display skip mandatory centralized quarantine required for anyone arriving from South Korea.

Mai Tien Dung, Chairman of the Government Office, told VnExpress Saturday that after considering Samsung Electronicss proposal to exempt its engineers from quarantine, the government has decided to allow them to enter Vietnam without going to the centralized quarantine area for 14 days.

However, in granting its exemption, Vietnam has required strict medical supervision for 14 days for the South Korean engineers who must also make medical declarations before entering the country, Dung said.

"The governments agreement is based on specific and strict medical supervision plans from the corporation," Dung said.

The South Korean engineers will fly to Van Don Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh and then move to northern Bac Ninh Province where Samsung Display has its OLED display module factory. However, they will work in a separate building to minimize contact with other employees.

Samsung Display engineers will come to Vietnam by private jet and be taken to a separate housing area in private cars. Specialized vehicles will take them to the workplace every day and their working area is separate from the current production area, Dung said.

Yonhap cited a statement from the South Korean Embassy in Hanoi as saying the first engineers will fly to the Van Don Airport on March 20.

Samsung, the worlds biggest smartphone maker, is the largest foreign investor in Vietnam, employing around 160,000 people.

Samsung Electronics accounts for a quarter of Vietnams exports, and the Southeast Asian country is South Koreas third-biggest export market, and the fifth-biggest source of South Koreas imports.

Vietnam has recorded 33 new active cases over the past week, raising the countrys total Covid-19 infections to 49. All the previous 16 patients had been discharged from hospitals by February 26.

The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 145 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to over 5,400.
Saudi Arabia has extended its travel ban to include the European Union and 12 other countries, including India, as the number of coronavirus cases in the Kingdom jumped to 62, according to media reports on Friday. Saudi health officials on Friday announced 17 new coronavirus cases, raising the number of cases in the country to 62, according to the official Saudi news agency.

There are 11 foreign nationals among the people who contracted the virus, Saudi Press Agency quoted the Saudi Health Ministry as saying.

One person was discharged from hospital after recovering from the virus, the statement said.

Saudi Arabia early Thursday suspended flights to all EU countries as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia.

Saudi Arabia's government decided to temporarily suspend the travel of citizens and residents, and to suspend flights to the European Union countries, as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia, Saudi Gazette quoted a source at the Ministry of Interior as saying.

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 will also be suspending the entry to those coming from the aforementioned countries and entry to those who were in those countries within a time period of 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom, it said.

The government's decision grants Saudi nationals and citizens of those countries with valid Saudi residency visas 72 hours to return to the Kingdom before the travel suspension comes into effect.

The travel ban excludes Indian and Filipino medical practitioners working in the Kingdom, taking into account the necessary and required precautions, the report said.

The ministries of interior and health would coordinate while dealing with humanitarian and exceptional cases, without prejudice to the necessary precautionary and preventive measures.

The decision expanded the number of countries included in the travel ban list to 53.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 114 countries.

Saudi Arabia on March 9 suspended travel to Oman, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Italy, and South Korea.
You stand those policies up in place so that in a time of crisis, you make sure how decisions are made, she said. But from the outside, it looks like all that got pushed aside because of the crisis.

The director of King Countys Department of Community and Human Services, Leo Flor, said at a King County Council hearing on the White Center housing site earlier this week that a formal equity impact review had not been conducted, but that the values embodied by the rules definitely were incorporated.

The piece of paper, the tool? No, Mr. Flor said. The equity impact process and values? Absolutely.

Mr. Flor said that extended discussions with the community, the usual forum in which such reviews take place, simply were not possible given the pace of the crisis and the crushing need to make decisions. We did not have community engagement the way we normally would, he said, suggesting that discussions would take place as the housing centers opened and issues arose.

He said county officials had to find a place to house people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus but had no place to go to avoid infecting other people. We are developing facilities for people who do not have a home to go back to, either because they didnt have a home in the first place, or because to go home would be unsafe to other people residing there, Mr. Flor said.

Ms. Ralph said that she had not been forewarned about the countys plans for her city, and only found out after being called by a resident who had heard that the county was planning to purchase the motel.

A court commissioner denied the citys request last week for a temporary restraining order stopping the former Econo Lodge site from reopening as an isolation center, but an appeal was scheduled for next week in King County Superior Court.
(Newser)  A barrage of rockets hit a base housing US and other coalition troops north of Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi security officials said, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans. The US-led coalition said at least 25 107mm rockets struck Camp Taji just before 11am, the AP reports. Some struck the area where coalition forces are based, while others fell on air defense units, the Iraqi military statement said. Three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers were wounded in the attack at Camp Taji, according to spokesman for the US-led coalition Myles Caggins. The nationalities of the wounded coalition members was not immediately known.

story continues below

A statement from Iraq's military said the "brutal aggression" wounded a number of air defense personnel who remain in critical condition, but did not provide a number. Iraqi forces later discovered seven platforms from which the rockets were in the Abu Azam area, north of Baghdad. Another 24 missiles were discovered in place and ready to launch. The attack was unusual because it occurred during the day. Previous assaults on military bases housing US troops typically occurred at night. The earlier rocket attack against Camp Taji on Wednesday also killed a British serviceman. It prompted American airstrikes Friday against what US officials said were mainly weapons facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group believed to be responsible.

(Read more Iraq stories.)
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a non-refundable aid worth 30.2 million USD to help Vietnam enhance climate resilience, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Rice dries up due to drought

The sum will be allocated to a project named Strengthening the resilience of smallholder agriculture to climate change-induced water insecurity in the Central Highlands and south-central coast regions of Vietnam (SACCR).

The project will be carried out by the MARD with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in six years, benefiting over 222,400 residents, or 10 percent of the population in the provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan, especially women and ethnic people.

It is designed to modernise irrigational systems, improve water security and livelihoods, provide knowledge in climate risk and climate resilience agriculture, and strengthen access to agro-climate information, credit and markets.

In addition, the project is expected to assist more than 335,000 indirect beneficiaries through training courses and technical assistance, access to climate risk information and best practices of smart agriculture aligned with climate change.

The non-refundable aid aims to supplement and foster an investment of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in modern irrigational systems in drought-hit provinces in Vietnam, ensuring benefits of the poor and most vulnerable people, said Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam.

It also adds up to efforts of the Vietnamese Government to bolster resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change-related impacts, with an ongoing project funded by the GCF since 2017./.VNA

Scientists warn of climate change's effect on water resources in Vietnam The rapid population increase as well as agricultural development and aquaculture in the last decades have significantly reduced the natural value of Mekong Delta.
TEHRAN, Iran, March. 14

Trend:

The Tehran governorate has rejected some fake and false news about Tehran's quarantine and announced that new decisions made by National Committee against Coronavirus will be approved by evening on March 14

"Today, the National Committee against Coronavirus will approve the new decisions, Amin Babaei, Director General of Public Relations and International Affairs of Tehran's Governorate said, Trend reports citing IRNA.

He added that the executive agencies of Tehran province will be notified about the approved decisions by the end of today.

He has stated that so far no decision has been taken on the quarantine of Tehran.

"Any news about Tehran's quarantine is utterly false and no one except National Committee against Coronavirus has the right to comment on this matter."

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.
Planes turned around in mid-air after Jet2 cancelled all flights to Spain on the same day the country prepared to lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak.

According to a draft decree, people will be told to stay at home - except to buy food or medicine, go to work or the hospital, or for other emergencies - as authorities battle the pandemic.

The goverment is set to vote on a nationwide lockdown on Saturday, after Jet2 said it was suspending all flights travel to the mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands on Saturday "with immediate effect".

The flights have been cancelled in response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops and activities, the airline said in a statement.

We know these local measures will have a significant impact on our customer holidays, which is why we have taken this decision.

A Jet2 spokeswoman said on Saturday morning that planes had turned back mid-flight.

The British airline said they are in the process of contacting affected customers and urged people not to call them up.

Jet2 has also stopped flying to Cyprus, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and Malta in recent days due to the outbreak.

Spain is the second-worst hit country by coronavirus in Europe after Italy, which has gone into lockdown as authorities work to combat the spread of the virus.

Over 5,000 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Spain and 129 patients have died as of Saturday, according to a Reuters tally.

Spains prime minister declared a two-week long state of emergency on Friday, as some regions  including Madrid and Catalonia  said they would start closing bars, restaurants and shops apart from those selling essential items.

Schools and universities have also been shut for at least two weeks.

Pedro Sanchez said the number of cases could top 10,000 by next week  more than double the current level  and asked citizens to play their part.

Heroism is also washing your hands and staying home, the PM said in a televised address to the nation on Friday.

Airlines have been cancelling flights to countries that have been badly-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 145,000 people across the globe, and some have been suspended flights due to an overall drop in demand.

The UK government has advised against all but essential travel to the most affected regions in Spain, including Madrid and La Rioja.

Hundreds of holidaymakers in a Tenerife hotel  used by Jet2holidays  were placed in quarantine last month after a guest tested positive for Covid-19, a flu-like virus that can develop into pneumonia.

Tourists were told to stay in their rooms as testing took place.

Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, and the number of global coronavirus-related deaths jumped to more than 5,400 on Saturday.

Additional reporting by agencies
Prior to the cancellation of the Australian GP, Williams had been planning to take on Alfa Romeo.

After the team finished dead last by a big margin in 2019, George Russell says the new car has "significantly more downforce".

Team boss Claire Williams added: "We are better on a long runs than we are on a single lap.

"According to our calculations, we are eighth in the race simulations."

Russell explained: "Our goal is to beat at least one other car. Our closest opponent looks like Alfa Romeo.

"I don't want to make promises, but nothing is impossible," he added.

"As I've said, everything is now much better than a year ago. We could not have hoped for more."

Claire Williams said she is proud that without going the Racing Point route and simply copying another car almost 1-1, her team can now take full credit for its improvement.

"I always said that Williams is proud of remaining an independent team. If we do something wrong, it's our mistake, but when we do things right, we can take the credit," she said.

"This is very important for us, and I believe that the 2021 regulations will help protect teams like ours who produce everything independently."

Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen said it is too soon to surmise that the Swiss-based former Sauber team will be at the back of the grid in 2020.

"The car didn't feel bad," said the Finn, referring to winter testing.

"We have tried to improve the things that were the biggest problems for us, but it is difficult to know if it is enough. We'll find out when we race."

(GMM)
It might seem there is no more awesome power available to the government than a national emergency declaration like the one President Trump announced on Friday in response to the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

But the governors, county executives and mayors across the country who have declared states of emergency in their own areas have actually unlocked even more sweeping powers, according to legal experts.

While those powers vary by jurisdiction, they generally include the ability to impose curfews, order people and traffic off the street, mandate quarantines, ration goods, declare price controls, suspend alcohol consumption and limit public gatherings, according to Elizabeth Goitein, a director of the liberty and national security program at the New York University School of Laws Brennan Center for Justice.

The state and local governments have extraordinarily broad powers to handle public health crises  much broader than the federal government has, Ms. Goitein said. The federal government has more money, but state and local officials have police powers, essentially their authority to maintain public health and safety.
The Nationals released right-handers Hunter Strickland and David Hernandez today, as announced by their PR department via Twitter.

Strickland, 31, was acquired by the Nats at last years trade deadline. The move was notable for two reasons: in part because hed made only 4 appearances for the Mariners at the time of the deal after coming back from injury, but more notably because of the interpersonal implications of adding Strickland to the clubhouse given his, shall we say, complicated history with the club (recapped here by Scott Allen of the Washington Post).

Of course, if there were any ill effects, it didnt hinder the club as they went on to win the World Series, and the Nats spoke highly of Strickland during his time in Washington. Strickland, for his part, contributed as a middle-innings reliever when the Nats were most desperate for one, putting up a 3.14 ERA in August. Unfortunately, the good times did not last for Strickland, whose season came off the rails as he finished the year with a less-than-impressive 5.14 ERA/6.31 FIP as the Nats turned to Daniel Hudson, Sean Doolittle, Tanner Rainey and Fernando Rodney for important innings down the stretch.

A propensity for surrendering long balls eventually cost Strickland his spot on the playoff roster. Strickland gave up 3 home runs in two appearances against the Dodgers in the NLDS, raising his playoff total to a somewhat remarkable 9 home runs against in just 13 career playoff innings. After his release, MASNs Mark Zuckerman notes that the Nats will remain on the hook for about one-quarter of his $1.6MM contract signed this offseason.

Hernandez, 35, was brought in on a minor league deal after a tough season last year with the Reds. Hernandez racked up an 8.02 ERA over 47 appearances, though a 4.34 FIP certainly paints a much different picture of his season.

The Nationals also optioned Jake Noll, Aaron Barrett, Ben Braymer and Kyle McGowin to Triple-A. Jacob Wilson, Brandon Snyder, Taylor Gushue, JB Shuck, Dakota Bacus, Bryan Bonnell and Wil Crowe were reassigned to minor league camp.

Its worth noting, the announcement of roster moves at this time is a little surprising, given the state of affairs. There was talk of a freeze on roster moves, but there was not a formal directive to do so.
Boris Johnson will issue a Churchillian plea to business this week  asking for their help in defeating coronavirus.

The Prime Minister will go to private hospital groups asking them to free up beds for NHS use, and urge manufacturers of medical equipment to ramp up production of ventilators and other life-saving machinery.

His request will mirror that of wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill, who in 1938 went to captains of industry seeking their assistance in re-arming Britain to prepare the country for the looming threat of war.

This time the threat is not a foreign enemy but a hidden killer. And while Churchill had a year to rearm the nation  a Herculean task in itself  Mr Johnson has just weeks to prepare the NHS.

An empty NHS hospital bed on a ward. The Prime Minister will go to private hospital groups asking them to free up beds for NHS use, and urge manufacturers of medical equipment to ramp up production of ventilators and other life-saving machinery

Johnson's request will mirror that of wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill. This time the threat is not a foreign enemy but a hidden killer

Scientists leading the effort, including Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, fear that within a month the epidemic in Britain will be similar in scale to that in Italy now.

There, many hospitals are packed full of coronavirus patients with intensive care units overflowing. Doctors are being forced to 'triage' patients  only admitting patients to intensive care if they think they have a good chance of survival. Yet Italy has almost twice the number of such beds per person as the UK (12.5 per thousand compared to 6.6 per thousand).

England has only about 4,000 adult intensive care beds and many of these are already full, either with normal cases or coronavirus patients. The NHS in England is looking to expand that capacity 'several fold', strategic incident director Keith Willett said last week. But even a big increase is unlikely to be enough as coronavirus sweeps through the population.

Consequently, Mr Johnson will ask private hospitals for help in two ways. Firstly, he will want them to take on pre-planned operations that NHS hospitals can no longer do as they clear surgical wards for virus patients and those with other medical problems. Secondly, he will urge them to set up make-shift critical care wards to cope during the epidemic's peak.

Dr Ganesh Suntharalingam, president of the Intensive Care Society, said: 'We are facing a major challenge with coronavirus  as expected. We absolutely welcome any innovation and assistance from the private sector, both in terms of capacity  using their existing facilities  but also the ability to deliver extra hardware and support to the NHS.

'Some large private hospitals have fully functioning intensive care units. It would be appropriate and welcome for them to provide support to the NHS. It may be less so in smaller hospitals, that are primarily set up for short surgery and do not have full intensive care units.' Last night the Independent Healthcare Providers' Network, which represents firms working with the NHS such as Spire, HCA and BMI Hospitals, said 'wide ranging discussions' had already begun with health service officials.

Policy director David Furness said: 'We recognise the need for all parts of the health system to play their part and the sector is currently working closely with NHS England to agree how this support can be effectively and sustainably deployed.'

The NHS also needs thousands more ventilators, which help coronavirus patients breathe when suffering severe pneumonia. Each costs around 15,000. European countries are scrambling to secure supplies with Germany ordering 10,000 more  to increase the 25,000 already in use in German hospitals  and Italy 5,000 extra.

It is understood the Prime Minister will ask Rolls Royce, JCB, and other manufacturers to help produce these ventilators, The Sunday Telegraph reports.

In an unprecedented peacetime call to arms, the Prime Minister is asking manufacturers including Rolls Royce and JCB to transform their current production lines to help produce ventilators as part of a "national effort" to tackle the virus.

In Britain doctors plan to sequester ventilators from mothballed operating theatres but planners know that, short of a miracle, the epidemic surge will mean far more are needed. Meanwhile, The Mail on Sunday understands stricter rules on visiting loved-ones in hospitals and care homes will soon be announced to 'cocoon' the country's most vulnerable people.

The Government has been criticised for not issuing restrictions, after an outbreak at one care home in the US left 25 dead.

Last Thursday former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, now chairman of the Commons' health committee, said he was 'personally surprised that we're still allowing external visits to care homes'.
Ukraine's government decided to urgently evacuate Ukrainians from Italy, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers reports.

"The government instructed the Ministry of Infrastructure, together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to ensure the urgent evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the outbreak of the acute respiratory illness Covid-19 in the Italian Republic," - the statement says.

It is noted that at an extraordinary meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers also discussed the procedure for the export of Ukrainian citizens. In particular, the State Customs Service will have to quickly arrange the cargo of crew members and passengers of the aircraft, which will carry out the evacuation. The State Border Guard Service must ensure that control is carried out first while crossing the state border.

As we reported before, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Saturday, March 14, gathered for an extraordinary meeting because of the coronavirus. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal wrote about this
A leading group of China's COVID-19 response Thursday called for more targeted prevention measures to stem the cross-border spread of the novel coronavirus and promised help for overseas fight against the pandemic.

A staff member reminds foreigners to fill in an arrival card at Qingdao Liuting International Airport in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, March 5, 2020. Photo:Xinhua

The group, led by Premier Li Keqiang, called for efforts to closely follow the overseas situation of the pandemic, and to take into consideration the latest assessment made by the World Health Organization and international practice, according to a meeting of the group held Thursday.

More precise and targeted measures should be taken to guard against import and export of cases of infection, according to the meeting, which was presided over by Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

The group called for efforts to further promote international joint prevention and control, stressing better data sharing, border quarantine and other virus prevention work.

The group also stressed helping relevant countries and international organizations in fighting the virus to the best of China's capabilities.

Domestic enterprises with adequate capacity were urged to produce more materials and goods for the virus control. After fulfilling domestic needs, enterprises should work to meet the demands of overseas commercial procurement based on market-oriented principles, according to the meeting.

After having made major progress in the current stage, Hubei Province and its capital city of Wuhan should give priority to medical treatment and strengthen the treatment of severely ill patients, according to the meeting.

The group urged more supportive measures to people in need amid the outbreak, stressing help for poor people, disabled people, children without guardians due to the outbreak and other vulnerable groups.

After taking effective measures to prevent a rebound of the epidemic, various regions, especially those with low virus risks, should quicken their pace to restore normal business, production and life, according to the meeting.

Wang Huning, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, attended the meeting.
Russian navy Tu-142 patrol planes of the Pacific Fleet Naval Aviation (Pacific Fleet) conducted a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Russian Defense Ministry informed.

The department said that two aircraft overcame more than 5,000 km, the flight duration was about 12 hours.

During the flight, the pilots worked out flight skills over the terrain without reference points.
The news seeped out of Saudi Arabia into international outlets late on March 6. King Salmans brother, Prince Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz, had been detained along with the kings nephew Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, former crown prince and interior minister.

Reports disseminated to the media said the charge was treason. Prince Ahmads son, Nayef Bin Ahmad, and Prince Mohammads half-brother, Prince Nawaf, were also arrested.

Amid silence from Saudi official and private media, rumours flew about the kings health and an impending succession. The Saudi government finally ended some of this chatter on social media and in news outlets with images of King Salmans meeting on March 8 with the new Saudi ambassadors to Uruguay and Ukraine.

The architect of the arrests is assumed to be Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, known as MBS, who has emerged as the most powerful man in the kingdom in recent years. But why did MBS make his move now with the arrest of potential rivals on the most serious charges possible? And where does his father, the king, stand in this royal power play?

Centralising power

Both Prince Mohammad bin Nayef and Prince Ahmad had once held power within the interior ministry, and were potential opponents to MBSs rule. Soon after Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was removed as crown prince in 2017, he was shown in Saudi media outlets meeting and congratulating MBS on taking over the role, which the Saudi Official News Agency described as an act of allegiance. But Prince Ahmad has not given his baya, the oath of allegiance, to MBS since the appointment.

Since the time of King Faisal in 1960s, power within the kingdom has been distributed between the king and a plethora of his senior half-brothers, and decision-making has been a rather consensual affair. The king was considered first among equals of his brothers and half-brothers, all sons of Ibn Saud, Saudi Arabias first monarch.

But as this generation of Saudi royalty gradually passed away from 2005 to 2015, a power vacuum emerged that then paved way for the new generation, embodied by the young prince MBS, to fill key roles.

Story continues

When current monarch King Salman took the throne following the death of his brother King Abdullah in January 2015, he immediately turned the horizontal, decentralised system into a vertical one. He named MBS as defence minister and two months later they took the gamble of Saudi Arabias intervention in the Yemen Civil War. Two years later, MBS was named crown prince.

King Salman subsequently ended the institutional fiefdom culture through which different senior princes, their extended families and patronage networks traditionally controlled different government bodies. Such positions had allowed them to establish loyalty by distributing state largesse.

Prince Mohammad was also displaced from his interior ministry power base. The institution was de-fanged by removing counter-terrorism and domestic intelligence from its purview and putting them under a new body, the Presidency of State Security, which reports directly to the king. This move has apparently now paid off.

The arrests

But why up the ante with the recent detentions of Prince Ahmad and his nephew, who had already been rendered powerless? MBS may have wanted his father to send a clear message, setting an example for other potential critics in the family. His uncles demeanour gave him the pretext to do so. Prince Ahmad had reportedly derided royal decisions, such as the temporary closure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca in the effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Read more: Coronavirus fears put a halt to the Muslim pilgrimage of umrah  but not yet the hajj

MBS took the matter to his father, who knows the skeletons in the cupboards of every family member. The king endorsed the act of discipline. The arrests of younger family members, alongside their patrons, reinforced the warning that anyone linked to the dissenters faced the end of their careers.

The crown prince and the king have put in place other safeguards by garnering the support of other senior royals, notably by appointing their children  some of them among MBSs new generation  to positions of power. The carrot and the stick are both being waved in Riyadh for all to see.

Mounting challenges

That doesnt mean MBS has vanquished all challenges. Far from it.

He was already taking a political and economic gamble with Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 programme to diversify the economy and promote the country as a global power, as well as taking initiatives to socially liberalise the kingdom. He has also faced animosity from some in the West over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and for the quagmire of the Yemen civil war.

As if the political currents were not strong enough, the economy is giving new headaches to the crown prince. The effects of the coronavirus and a global economic downturn have sent oil prices into free fall. With Russia declining a Saudi offer for production cuts to stabilise the situation, the petro-giants are now locked in a price war to get the most market share.

Riyadhs response  to drastically increase its supply  has pushed Moscow onto the back foot because of the much larger Saudi production capacity and reserves and Russia has offered the Saudis to renew negotiations. However, a low oil price even with a greater market share will not bring relief to the kingdom, already facing a budgetary deficit nearing US$50 billion (around 40 billion) for the current fiscal year.

Maybe the arrests could have been delayed amid these fast-moving challenges. But MBS has a habit of opening new battlefronts while previous ones are still active. He believes the spark should be extinguished before it becomes a fire.

There is no doubt now about his absolute grip on power, a grip that the king is reinforcing. Whether they will hold that grip in the longer term is another matter.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
THE plans for traffic-calming measures on the N20 at Banogue will now have to be revisited following strenuous objections from Adare Rathkeale councillors.

The councillors at last weeks Municipal District meeting, insisted that the plan could not be approved by them unless right-turning lanes were included.

Without such lanes, Cllr Stephen Keary said, people will be put at risk and taxpayers money wasted. There was, he argued, plenty of scope at the crossroads to widen the road and allow for right-turning lanes. And he cited the traffic calming system put in place at Croagh as the model to follow.

When you have a formula that works, why not replicate it? he asked, adding he was not prepared to sign off on a scheme he considered flawed.

Cllr Adam Teskey agreed. The whole idea is to make it safer. There has to be a right-hand turning lane, he said.

Former councillor Richard ODonoghue, now Deputy ODonoghue who attended the meeting, pointed out that there was very heavy traffic in both directions on the N20 and that there were a lot of HGVs turning at the crossroads at Banogue. Traffic will back up within two minutes, he warned.

But Ger Carey, senior engineer at the Mid West Road Design Office, said Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) would resist including turning lanes.

By including lanes, he argued, you are opening up the carriageway again. We have had a lot of consultation with TII. If you open it up, you are going to increase the average speed, he said.

Turning lanes, he explained, were acceptable for junctions on open roads in rural settings. but the proposed plan was in an urban setting with lower speed limits. We shouldnt be looking at high speeds going through Banogue, he said.

Besides, he pointed out, the staggered nature of the junction at the crossroads wasnt right for turning lanes.

I understand the benefits. But there are pros and cons. The TII see the cons more than the pros, he said. We can go back and revisit it with TII.

If we put in a right turning lane, we have to start Part 8 again. It is a material change and we wouldnt be constructing this year, Mr Carey said.

But Cllr Teskey lashed out at pen-pushers in Dublin telling us how to operate in West LImerick. There was, he declared a massive disconnect between them and us. He was also incensed that time-constraints was putting additional pressure on councillors to agree.

The traffic calming measures involve a 410m stretch of the N20, covered by a 60km an hour speed limit. The plan includes gateway signage, a controlled pedestrian crossing, as well as a set-down area, footpaths, kerbing and lighting. The council originally hoped to seek tenders in May and begin work in the summer.

Mr Carey said it would be possible to include Cllr Kearys proposal to include good quality bus shelters in the set-down area. A Road Safety Audit would now be carried out, he added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 14

Trend:

Armenian provocations on the state border of Azerbaijan and Armenia are continuing, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Azerbaijani State Border Service on March 14.

Units of the Armenian Armed Forces, deployed near the villages of Berkaber, Lalagukh and Sevkar of the Ijevan region of Armenia, using large-caliber machine guns, have intensively shelled at residential buildings and civilian vehicles in the village of Abbasbeyli, Gazakh district of Azerbaijan.

The provocation was suppressed. The combat positions of the Armenian Armed Forces were suppressed by return fire.

Currently, the operational situation is under the control of the border-fighting points of Azerbaijan.
In a major move, Saudi Arabia has announced the suspension of all international flights, except in exceptional cases for a period of two weeks, starting from 11am on March 15, considering this as an exceptional official holiday for both citizens and expatriates who were unable to return due to the suspension of flights or because of being quarantined on return to the kingdom by the Ministry of Health or being subjected to self-isolation at their homes, reported state news agency SPA.

The announcement comes soon after the recent decision to extend flight and travel bans to the European Union and 12 other countries - Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia. The drastic step was taken after 24 new cases were reported in the kingdom in one night thus taking its total to 45, state media reported on Thursday. The government also declared that citizens and residents in the affected jurisdictions had 72 hours to return to the kingdom. These preventive and precautionary measures have been recommended by the competent health authorities in Saudi Arabia, as part of its unremitting efforts to control the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), stated the report, citing an official source in the Ministry of Interior.

It emanates from the country's keenness on protecting the health of citizens and residents and ensuring their safety, and based on the World Health Organization's (WHO) directives espcially after the Covid-19 has been declared a global pandemic, it added.

According to the Interior Ministry, necessary arrangements will be made regarding health procedures for examination and isolation in accordance with the preventive measures adopted for all arrivals.

The ministry, in co-ordination with Ministry of Health, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and other relevant agencies, is working out on a plan to bring back citizens who wish to return home and relevant procedures will be announced within a week, it added.
The WSWS urges autoworkers to contact us with information on the conditions in your plant and what workers are saying.

Workers at the Fiat Chrysler Windsor Assembly Plant downed tools Thursday over concerns about the spread of coronavirus at their plant and after learning that a worker at the FCA Kokomo Transmission Plant in the United States was diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease. Windsor Assembly is the largest FCA plant in Canada and employs 6,000 workers building the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica vans.

Plant management confirmed that one worker at Windsor Assembly was on self-quarantine after their possible exposure to the virus. According to the latest reports, management got production restarted Friday afternoon following the intervention of the federal Ministry of Labour and the Unifor union. The same day workers stopped work in Windsor it was reported that the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tested positive for coronavirus.

Shift change at the FCA Windsor plant

A statement issued by FCA management declared, "The Ministry of Labour visited the plant on March 12 to investigate and determined our protocols and work environment to be safe. We worked with the local union and Unifor leadership as well as government officials to address this issue."

The statement did not explain why auto assembly plants with thousands of workers were safe when political jurisdictions all over North America were declaring states of emergencies, closing schools and public corporate offices and banning large public gatherings in an attempt to halt the potentially catastrophic spread of COVID-19 infection.

The action by the Windsor FCA workers reflects growing anger and frustration inside auto plants across North America, where workers are raising strident demands for a suspension of operations to protect the health and safety of workers, their families and the broader community as the scale of the coronavirus pandemic becomes more widely known.

A worker from GM St. Catharines, Ontario wrote to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, Virtually nothing is being done. Both management and the union leadership are asleep at the wheel based upon what I have been told.

Meanwhile, the state of Michigan by executive order closed schools and universities and banned gatherings of more than 250 people over COVID-19 concerns. However, the order exempts factories and offices.

While factory production across North America is continuing full tilt, Ford and GM are telling non-factory employees, including white collar and upper management, to work as much as possible from home to prevent the spread of the virus.

At the massive FCA Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) north of Detroit unconfirmed reports circulated Friday about multiple potential cases of COVID-19 among employees at the facility. While there have been no statements from the company or the United Auto Workers union confirming or denying these reports, workers contacted by the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter expressed anger and contempt at the disregard by management and the UAW for their health and safety.

One SHAP worker told the Autoworker Newsletter, They are telling us not to panic. How can you say that when you are not safeguarding our health? You have made unlimited profits for nine years. How much is enough? People are pissed about that.

We cant believe the union. We are so mad at them. If they arent going to fight for us, then we dont need them. Whats the point?

(Thursday) at 9:30 or 10:00 at night they had a form that supervisors wanted us to put our name on from upper management saying we should wash our hands; take precautions about the virus. If you didnt sign it, they said you would get written up. They didnt give us a copy of the form. It was on a clipboard.

We think it was a paper that was designed to relieve them of responsibility in case people get the virus. Thats what everyone thinks. Many didnt sign it. Later they came around and wrote up people who didnt sign it.

We found out that a worker called his cousin who is a union steward at JNAP [FCA Jefferson North Assembly Plant] and he told them there was a confirmed case there. Management knew about it.

He said of reports that workers at SHAP may have contracted the virus, People are ready to walk out. My whole department said they werent coming today or tomorrow, but they were told they would be written up.

They dont give a crap about management; they are for putting their family and kids first. If they contract it and take it home, their babies might get it.

Another SHAP worker wrote, They've done nothing. I feel as though they shouldn't be running production. There are 2 cases in my plant, and they've done nothing about it. They claim that they'll be setting up hand sanitizing station, but they are yet to be seen.

They clearly dont care about the line workers if they arent considering shutting down plants but are talking about shutting down corporate offices.

A worker at the Kokomo Transmission Plant wrote to the Autoworker Newsletter about the confirmation of a case of COVID-19 at FCA in Kokomo. We have had numerous confirmed cases with workers at the Tipton transmission plant and they are covering it up and making us work. If this doesn't open the peoples eyes, nothing will.

This company and union don't give a damn about any of us. We are treated like farm animals. We are a bunch of slaves for the rich and their families and we always will be until the people take back what's rightfully theirs.

A worker at the GM Kansas City Assembly Plant wrote, We have heard a B shift supervisor has the virus and today a girl thought she had it on C shift, and they couldnt care less. They werent even going to make her go to medical. I was the one who disinfected her gun and parts rack and trained the double up who did her job the rest of the day. We called our committeeman and told supervisors and called health and safety. They did nothing but tell us there is no way she has it.

Workers at other Ford, Chrysler and GM plants report similar experiences. In a social media post, workers at the GM Flint Assembly Plant asked the UAW shop chairman what would happen if workers at the plant contract COVID-19; would management close the plant?

The UAW is dismissing workers concerns and making sure production is not disrupted. In response to the workers question, Local 598 shop chairman Eric Welter said, decisions are coming out of the 39th floor of the RenCen, referring to CEO Mary Barra's office in GM's headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. "I expect the policies will continue to change as the spread of the virus continues. It's not a negotiation; it's being driven by medical experts at the (Centers for Disease Control)."

The decision to keep the plants open is not being driven by medical experts, but the profit interests of the corporations and Wall Street shareholders. Far from representing the interests of workers in this dangerous situation, the UAW functions as managements enforcers.

The Autoworker Newsletter advances the demand for a halt to production until the COVID-19 infection is contained. At the same time, workers must receive their full pay and benefits for the duration of the closures. To enforce this, we call for the formation of rank-and-file committees in every factory, neighborhood and workplace to fight for the independent interests of workers. No confidence can be placed in the assurances of management or the UAW about the safety in the workplace. The guiding principle must be that human lives take precedence over corporate profits.

A SHAP worker told the Autoworker Newsletter, This is an example of capitalism. Its all about profit. They dont give a crap about health. They care about their stockholders and CEOs. Workers are a dime a dozen[costing] $15 an hour. Once they get rid of the older ones, its good for them.

A worker at the FCA Jeep complex in Toledo, Ohio wrote, I'm very scared about the situation... Work has only handed out paperwork for us to sign about the virus...They haven't supplied us with any sanitizer. I have my own... Nor have [they] come to us to speak about [it] personally. I understand they don't want to lose money, but why take the chance of us getting infected by it? God forbid that any of us get it, then nobody will be able to even build the Jeeps.

The Autoworker Newsletter is interested in your experiences. We urge workers to email us at: autoworkers@wsws.org with information about conditions in your plant and to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates and more information about forming rank-and-file committees to take collective, independent action in the face of the COVID-19 threat.
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani troops violated the ceasefire regime over 230 times on Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line in the period of March 8-14, during which nearly 2000 bullets were fired in the direction of Armenian border guards from different caliber weapons.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Artsakh, the front line units of the Defense Army keep control of the situation and continue to take necessary measures for protecting their military positions.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Advertisement

Thousands of Italians in Rome, Milan, and Naples applauded healthcare workers from their balconies and windows as they raised spirits with a flashmob during the draconian coronavirus lockdown.

Families and neighbours also sang and crashed pots and pans together for the performers in cities across the country, organised through messaging service WhatsApp for noon today.

Rejoicing spectators exclaimed patriotic and uplifting phrases including 'Viva l'Italia' (Long live Italy) and 'Vinceremo' (we will win). The few cars on the street joined the chorus by blaring their horns.

Many also waved banners decorated with rainbows and the phrase 'Andra tutto benne' (everything will go well).

The heartwarming sight follows yesterday's flashmob, where Italians sang in chorus for a rousing rendition of the national anthem Fratelli d'Italia. Currently 60million people are in lockdown in the Mediterranean country.

'I received a circulating message, forwarded to me by a friend... which is basically encouraging Italians to participate in a kind of flashmob on Friday 13 at 6pm,' said Rome resident Yemi Adeyeye.

'My street came alive at that time. It was a euphoric moment.'

Jessica Phelan, 34, who has lived in Rome for two years, said neighbours were waving and saying ciao to each other, and called out 'a domani' (see you tomorrow) afterwards.

'I think it shows that people will continue to seek community,' she said, 'even if they can't socialise.

'It's a way to say we're all in it together'.

Italy has reported more than 12,000 cases of coronavirus since the outbreak began, and more than 800 deaths.

Residents on balconies sing 'Azzurro' during a flash mob to raise morale as the coronavirus lockdown in Italy continues

A man, next to an Italian flag, takes part in a flash mob to raise morale as Italian government continues restrictive movement measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak, in Rome

People applaud Italians doctors during a flash mob to raise morale as the deadly coronavirus rips through Italy

People applaud Italians doctors during a flash mob to raise morale, as the Italian Government imposes coronavirus lockdown

People sing from their home window during a flash mob launched across Italy to bring people together in Rome

People sing from their home window during a flash mob launched across Italy to bring people together in Rome

Italians cheer and sing a rousing rendition of Fratelli d'Italia from their balconies in Naples today during coronavirus lockdown

People were also seen applauding Italy's doctors and healthcare workers as they sung during the flashmob in Rome today

Italians sit on their balconies in Rome and clap for healthcare workers in the flashmob organised through social media

People cheer and sing from their balconies in Rome today. The country has been placed on lockdown due to the virus

Two women applaud healthcare workers in the Gabriella neighbourhood of Rome this morning

Residents on balconies sing 'Azzurro' during a flash mob to raise morale as the coronavirus lockdown in Italy continues

A family waves and sings from their balcony in Rome's Gabriella district today. The Italians are aiming to lift the national spirit

A man watches from an apartment balcony with a banner reading 'Andra Tutto Bene' - 'everything will be alright' - a phrase that has become symbolic of hope in Italy's coronavirus crisis

People pictured standing on their balconies with pets, and one with a dog, in Rome today

Banners reading 'Andra tutto benne' and the Italian flag are shown on this balcony in Rome's Gabriella district

People wave and clap their hands during the flashmob in Rome's Gabriella district

Italy has reported 12,149 cases of coronavirus and 827 deaths. The second highest number in Europe is in Spain, with 2,231

Two women applaud from their balconies in Milan, Italy, as their country remains in lockdown

A girl smiles and claps as she joins in the flashmob in Milan, Italy, today. It was organised by musicians through Whatsapp

A pair hold up a banner reading 'everything will go well' as they remain stuck in their house in Naples, Italy, today

A woman in Turin smiles as she poses in front of her sign reading 'everything will go well' on her balcony today
In spite of the president and Texas governors decision to do so, Laredo City Council stopped short of declaring a state of emergency on Friday. This is so that city management can better coordinate with Webb County and work as a unified front, explained Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Landin.

READ MORE: CBP refutes rumor of Laredo international bridge closures due to coronavirus

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Laredo, although as Health Department Director Dr. Hector Gonzalez noted earlier that day, it will inevitably arrive in Laredo at some point.

In an abundance of caution and to avoid potential spread of the virus in the area, City Council voted to close city libraries, recreation centers and senior centers for a week, until March 23. They also voted to cancel or postpone all city events for 30 days, including the Senior Games, a Selena Quintanilla tribute concert at Tres Laredos Park and the Runway 5K race.

Councilman Marte Martinez, a medical doctor, said social distancing is something they need to practice in order to flatten the curve  to avoid a large spike in sicknesses so as not to overwhelm the medical system. This is the safest thing to do, he said.

Council also appropriated $150,000 from the general fund reserves to implement any necessary emergency procedures.

The city will continue to provide public transportation via El Metro. Director Claudia San Miguel said for over a week they have been sanitizing the buses nightly with industrial-grade chemicals. And the transit center is now being sanitized three times a day, she said.

In order to encourage people to avoid City Hall, council waived the convenience fees that are usually attached to paying utilities bills online, from March 16 to April 15.

Late fees will also be waived for utilities customers over this period. Councilman Roberto Balli noted that people of limited resources may have more expenses this month as people are buying cleaning supplies in bulk. Plus, the market has tanked.

READ MORE: Coronavirus panic in Laredo: Here's what you need to know

Furthermore, all non-essential court dates at the Municipal Court up to April 2 are being rescheduled.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital. When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We can see that Tsim Sha Tsui Properties Limited (HKG:247) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for Tsim Sha Tsui Properties

What Is Tsim Sha Tsui Properties's Net Debt?

As you can see below, at the end of December 2019, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties had HK$7.56b of debt, up from HK$7.23b a year ago. Click the image for more detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds HK$9.69b in cash, so it actually has HK$2.14b net cash.

SEHK:247 Historical Debt, March 14th 2020

A Look At Tsim Sha Tsui Properties's Liabilities

According to the last reported balance sheet, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties had liabilities of HK$31.9b due within 12 months, and liabilities of HK$10.1b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of HK$9.69b as well as receivables valued at HK$6.78b due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by HK$25.5b.

This deficit isn't so bad because Tsim Sha Tsui Properties is worth HK$46.4b, and thus could probably raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Story continues

On the other hand, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties saw its EBIT drop by 5.8% in the last twelve months. If earnings continue to decline at that rate the company may have increasing difficulty managing its debt load. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Tsim Sha Tsui Properties will need earnings to service that debt. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. Tsim Sha Tsui Properties may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Over the most recent three years, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties recorded free cash flow worth 60% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Summing up

Although Tsim Sha Tsui Properties's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of HK$2.14b. So we are not troubled with Tsim Sha Tsui Properties's debt use. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Tsim Sha Tsui Properties that you should be aware of.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
By PTI

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to ensure the "release" of 22 Congress legislators held "captive" in Bengaluru.

The BJP has held these MLAs captive, Nath alleged in the four-page letter.

"Please use your power as Union home minister so that 22 Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session beginning from March 16 without any allurement and fear," the letter, shared by Congress spokesperson with the media, said.

Twenty-two Madhya Pradesh MLAs, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia who left the Congress to join the BJP, have resigned, reducing the Kamal Nath-led government to minority in the Assembly.

READ| MP Speaker accepts resignation of 6 rebel Cong MLAs, floor test likely tom

Nath assured Shah in the letter that the Congress government in the state will provide excellent security to these 22 MLAs, if they are "released".

Earlier this month, BSP MLA Rambai and his family members were freed from the "captivity" of BJP leaders in Gurugram (Haryana), Nath claimed.

Later, three Congress MLAs and an independent were taken to Bengaluru by BJP MLA Arvind Singh Bhadoriya as was evident from the list of passengers of the charter plane, he alleged.

On March 9, 19 MLAs were taken to Bengaluru by BJP leaders by three charter planes, Nath claimed.

Their "personal communication facilities" (mobile phones) were taken away and they were held captive and the Karnataka BJP is bearing the expenses of their stay in Bengaluru, he alleged.

Resignations of these MLAs were submitted to Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker in Bhopal by BJP MLA Bhupendra Singh, he pointed out.

"This is an unprecedented situation" because on the one hand the BJP is holding them captive and on the other hand it is demanding a floor test, Nath said, adding that a trust vote has no meaning in this situation.

Mentioning that Governor Lalji Tandon had informed him on Friday that these MLAs should be given CRPF security, Nath said if the Karnataka police secure their `release', his government would provide them maximum security.

Earlier in the day, MP BJP delegation had called on the governor and demanded floor test before the beginning of the budget session on March 16.
As the death toll in Italy from the global coronavirus pandemic surged on Thursday and Friday, wildcat strikes erupted across the peninsula, fighting to halt the spread of the deadly disease. As Prime Minister Giuseppe Contes government calls on white collar workers to avoid going out and work from home, factory workers are demanding to limit the contagion by shutting down industrial plants whose operations are not essential to fighting the virus.

They are defying Italys corrupt union bureaucracy, which has been working hand in glove with the banks and the Conte government to demand that production workers stay on the job and continue workingdespite the threat that the disease could claim millions of lives. This is part of a growing, international wave of strike action by workers against the criminal indifference of the financial aristocracy to the coronavirus pandemic. It has seen strikes by London postal workers, private bus drivers in Paris, and Fiat-Chrysler workers in Canada.

Fiat-Chryslers Pomigliano plant in Naples (Photo: Ra Boe)

It appears that the strike wave in Italy began at Fiat-Chryslers Pomigliano plant in Naples, which employs 6,000 workers. Autoworkers, kept on the line to produce luxury Alfa-Romeo cars for the super-rich, walked out spontaneously at the beginning of the afternoon shift at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, protesting unsafe conditions.

On Wednesday, FCA announced the closure of the Pomigliano plant, along with facilities in Melfi, Atessa and Cassino, until Saturday. However, FCA management claimed it would have the plants sanitized, so it could then try to force workers back to workdemonstrating their criminal contempt for the danger of contagion between workers and other staff at the plants.

That evening, Prime Minister Conte was compelled to announce heightened emergency measures to address the contagion: the closure of all restaurants, museums, non-essential stores, bans on public gatherings, heightened travel restrictions, and requests of all citizens to remain indoors where possible.

No restrictions whatsoever were placed on the operations of large corporations, which continue ordering workers into cramped assembly lines to keep pumping profits out of the workforce while infecting them and their families with an untreatable, potentially fatal disease.

From Wednesday to Friday, the strike wave mushroomed across Italy, hitting every major industry. The workers are striking against the coronavirus, or rather against the government that is keeping the factories open despite the coronavirus, wrote the Corriere della Sera.

The strike wave is being almost completely blacked out by the international corporate media: the ruling class is terrified that the same explosive anger is mounting everywhere, and that the example of the Italian workers will be followed around the world.

In Brescia, in the region of Lombardy which is among the worst hit by the disease, the Secolo dItalia wrote on Thursday that workers from some factories have started more than one wildcat strike. An outbreak is also taking place in Grottaglie, in the [southern] province of Taranto.

Shipbuilders at Fincantieri in Liguria walked off the job after a worker tested positive for coronavirus, and their strike quickly spread to other company dockyards in the Ligurian peninsula.

According to the Stalinist trade union publication Rassegna Sindicale, workers at Scotsman Ice in Pogliano Milanese, who manufacture refrigeration units, and the Bitron car components maker in Cormano walked out on Thursday.

On Friday, more than 700 mostly female Electrolux workers in Solaro refused to go to work. Workers at Lobo di Cornaredo (producing factory bolts) and Tecnomagnete of Lainate struck. More than 450 Corneliani clothing workers in Mantua walked out to protest, in the words of the Voice of Montova daily, against the governments failure  to order the closure of companies that are not involved in the fight against the virus. In Pistoia, Tuscany, workers at the Hitachi railway factory launched a week-long strike beginning yesterday until March 21.

Work stoppages are hitting Italys entire steel industry. Most metalworks have shut down operations until March 22. Amid the growing rebellion in among rank-and-file workers, the main national metalworking trade unions were forced to publish a statement on Friday warning that if the companies did not shut down operations, strikes would hit the entire industry until March 22.

The union appealed vaguely for wages to be covered primarily with contractual instruments or with any social safety nets as required by law, writes Il Riformista. This means that workers have received no credible guarantees that they will receive their full pay through the pandemic.

The trade union executives, who helped keep workers on the job until the strikes erupted, and only called strikes where workers were going to walk out regardless, are no less terrified than the government and corporations by the strikes and determined to shut them down. Francesca Re David, the general secretary of the Stalinist Italian Metalworkers Union (FIOM), appealed for the government to hold an emergency consultation to prevent the further spread of wildcat strikes.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Conte held an emergency video teleconference with the unions and employers associations. The governments communique on the meeting hailed union and management representatives for their utmost collaboration to reach a shared solution. Conte greatly appreciated the responsibility assumed by all the social partners and kept emphasizing the very constructive atmosphere that characterized the meeting. A further meeting was held last night, confident that everyone will be ready to complete the work as soon as possible.

The government, unions and corporations would work constructively to force workers to risk their lives, going back into the factories during the pandemicto satisfy the super-rich that nothing will be done during the pandemic that could in any way jeopardize their fortunes. As the WSWS noted in its Perspective article yesterday, The motto of the capitalist oligarchy is: If the accumulation of our billions requires the death of millions, so be it.

Workers can give no confidence to these filthy maneuvers. For the health and survival of the population, the struggles of the working class, which erupted against the Conte government, must now be taken out of the hands of its trade union lackeys. In Italy and across the world, the working class, not the financial markets and their political and trade union representatives, must decide what plants run and under what conditions.

This requires the building of workers committees of action, independent of the trade unions and controlled by the rank and file. They can coordinate the struggles of the working class, oppose attempts to railroad workers back to work, oversee the shutdown of plants, ensure that workers who are self-isolating keep receiving full pay, and ultimately oversee the re-opening and the safe functioning of plants after the pandemic is over.

To maintain this work against opposition from the unions and the ruling class, they will need a revolutionary perspective against the Conte government and its backers in the international financial markets and the European Union (EU).

The coronavirus pandemic is unforgettable proof that the capitalist class is unfit to rule. This morning, a panicked Conte promised to provide personal protective equipment, including masks, free to all workers, so they can be forced back to work. He hailed anyone from the affected plants who is going to workrisking their lives, and those of their families, friends and loved onesfor carrying out an act of great responsibility towards the entire national community.

What rubbish! This act of great national responsibility would ensure the banks keep counting their profits, union bureaucrats their bloated salaries, and workers the deaths of their loved ones.

It is time for a revolution. Policies of austerity in the EU and internationally that have slashed health care spending, wages and living conditions must be overturned, and the necessary infrastructure built and financed by impounding the ill-gotten wealth of the financial aristocracy. In Italy and internationally, the lives of countless millions depends on political power going to the working class, and capitalism being replaced by socialism.
New Delhi: The Delhi police on Saturday (March 14, 2020) arrested five accused in the IB employee Ankit Sharma murder case. The accused are identified as Feroz, Javed, Gulfam, Shoaib who are residents of Chand Bagh and Anas who hails from Mustafabad area of Northeast Delhi.

The total number of arrest has now gone up to six in the murder case Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma during the northeast Delhi violence. Earlier on Friday, the Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested Salman a resident of Nand Nagri.

Earlier on March 13, a Delhi court had sent Salman, an accused in the murder of Ankit Sharma, to four days police custody. He was apprehended by the Delhi Police in connection with the murder of the IB staffer.

The accused in the murder case have been identified through CCTV footage and eyewitnesses, said Delhi police. As per the police reports total 10 to 12 people were involved in Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma's murder.

The SIT is also investigating suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain who was arrested by Delhi Police on March 5 for the alleged murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, during the Delhi riots.

Meanwhile, two persons close to suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor, Tahir Hussain have been arrested for rioting. Both the accused were named along with Tahir Hussain in the FIR filed of the rioting incidents.

Delhi police have received around 2162 video footage related to the Delhi violence and have also recovered more than 100 weapons which were used in the Delhi riot incident.

At least, 53 people including Ankit Sharma and Head Constable Rattan Lal were killed during the violence in the national capital.

In Ankit Sharma's autopsy report it found that he stabbed at least 12 times and sustained a total of 51 injuries The report further claimed that the IB staffer was hit at least 33 times on his head by rods or sticks and said that the cause of his death was due to shock because of haemorrhage due to injuries to lung and brain.

The report also revealed that some injuries were produced by sharp-edged weapons while the others were by blunt force, adding further that all the injuries were fresh before death.

Sharma's body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhi's Chand Bagh area on February 27, a day after he went missing.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your calmness and support as we navigate these uncharted waters," he wrote.

Montana has received a waiver from federal officials that will allow at least some schools to continue serving meals to students in the event of a school closure.

An OPI spokesman said that any statewide school closure, like those seen in states from Washington to Florida, would be directed by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Governor's office.

RiverStone Health CEO John Felton, who also helps lead Yellowstone County's Unified Health Command, said that so far circumstances in Montana haven't merited school closures.

However, if someone connected to a school tests positive for coronavirus, or if there's evidence of community spread, it's likely that at least the affected local schools would shutter, he said.

The Center's for Disease Control and Prevention issued highly anticipated guidance for schools. Without community spread of the virus, the CDC recommends keeping schools open but taking precautions to prevent additional spread. With community spread, closures are definitely an option and perhaps necessary.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Explained: How coronavirus can impact Rafale jets induction in India

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Mar 14: It looks like the Ministry of Defence is fighting hard to finalise the induction date of the first four controversial Rafale jets from France after speculations of delayed delivery arise due to coronavirus threat in that country.

Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that the first four Rafale jets would be flown to India in the last week of May. However, the Air Force headquarters is yet to get confirmation from the French officials.

According to reports, Ambala Air Force station, that would be housing the first four Rafale jets, is been prepared for the induction ceremony. The second squadron of Rafale would be placed at Hasimara base, West Bengal to fight against the Chinese threat.

China reports 13 new coronavirus deaths, toll at 3,189

How would France find it difficult to deliver Rafale jets?

While France is the second most-affected European nation that is battling against coronavirus, advance liaison team from this European nation would find it difficult to come to India and make way for the induction.

France has reached 2,284 with positive cases of coronavirus and recorded 72 deaths. Also, reports suggest that several cities of France, that are close to Rafale jet's assembly line in Merignac, have found positive coronavirus cases.

In October 2019, Rajnath Singh was seen performing shastrapuja of the fighter jet during his visit to France.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 13:36 [IST]
: Three people have been



arrested for allegedly smuggling ganja meant to be sold for students here and in Kerala, and 52 kg of the narcotic seized from them, police said on Saturday.

The ganja was to be sold to students in the city and neighbouring Kerala, they said.

Based on a tip-off, sleuths of the Narcotic Substance Control Division kept vigil in the city and nearby railway stations for the last couple of days, the police said.

The operation at the city railway station led to the arrest of three, who are said to have confessed to purchasing ganja from Andhra Pradesh and selling in cities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, they said.

The three were produced before court and sent to Central jail here, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The state of Montana late Friday announced its first four presumptive positives cases of the novel coronavirus.

The cases include a man in Gallatin County in his 40s, a woman in Yellowstone County in her 50s, a man in Butte-Silver Bow County in his 50s, and a man in his 50s who received medical care in Lewis and Clark County but lives in Broadwater County. The tests were conducted at the state public health laboratory.

Weve been monitoring this rapidly evolving situation and vigorously preparing for COVID-19 to reach Montana, making todays news unsurprising, Gov. Steve Bullock said in a press release late Friday. As our public health officials work relentlessly to prevent further spread, I urge all Montanans to continue efforts to plan and follow public health recommendations to take the proper precautions.

Information about the risk of exposure and travel histories of those who have presumptive positive tests was not available late Friday. Local public health offices will work with patients to learn about their movements to understand where they contracted the virus and people with whom they may have come into contact since.

The patients are being isolated and those who came into close contact with them will be monitored for 14 days for fever and respiratory symptoms.

Montana did have a previous COVID-19 case assigned to it, though that 70-year-old woman who lives part-time in Lake County had not been in the state since November. The case was diagnosed in Maryland. It's typical for cases to be assigned to the person's state of residency.

The news of Montana's first presumptive cases comes a day after Bullock signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Montana. The order gives Bullock increased ability to mobilize state resources and take action such as shutting down schools or events. It also gives access to $16 million in state emergency funding.

At the federal level, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday, which opens $50 billion in funding to states. Montana's Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) is discussing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency what funding will be available to Montana. Adjutant General Matthew Quinn, who oversees DES, is coordinating a task force Bullock formed earlier this month to manage the state's preparations and response to COVID-19.

The state can also apply for permission from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to waive restrictions related to Medicaid, Medicare and the Children's Health Insurance Program to increase access to care. The governor's office said Friday it's working with front-line providers and public health experts to identify Montana's biggest needs.

Also Friday, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls declared a public health emergency. Denise Guiao-Corpuz, the Malmstrom public affairs officer, said a test came back negative for a woman who is related to a service member stationed at the base and came in contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19. The woman was kept in isolation until the test came back Friday.

"As of right now we have no confirmed cases," Guiao-Corpuz said. "A lot of this is just because of a culmination of everything that's been going on in surrounding states and within Montana."

Declaring an emergency at Malmstrom lets base leaders do things like close facilities, limit activities, restrict movement, put into place quarantine or isolation and more. It's in effect for 30 days unless it's extended or terminated.

There are about 1,000 COVID-19 tests available in Montana, and testing is ordered at the discretion of a person's health care provider, said Todd Harwell, administrator of the Public Health and Safety Division of the state health department. On Thursday at a press conference announcing the state-level emergency order, Harwell said the state has about 400 open medical-surgical hospital beds, though other types of beds could be adapted to use if needed.

Rich Rasmussen, president and chief executive officer at Montana Hospital Association, said Friday before news of the presumptive positives broke that hospitals and nursing homes around the state have been preparing. That's included communicating with each other, as well as state and federal agencies, to make sure facilities and employees are trained and ready, as well identifying needs and how to meet them. Hospitals submit to the state daily an inventory of their necessary supplies, as well as available beds. Rasmussen said there are waivers the state can explore to increase capacity and that those discussions are ongoing.

Rasmussen said that hospitals in Montana may face challenges with limited emergency medical transportation services. In many parts of the state that work is done by volunteers who are generally older, a population more vulnerable to the virus. It could become difficult for hospitals to move patients around the state if necessary.

"It may be that in one of our urban facilities, they're being tasked with more patients that need to be cared for overnight in the hospital, so how do we free up space within that hospital and we'll look for other locations to place the patient," Rasmussen said.

But the big, spread-out nature of Montana can also be benefit when it comes to the social distancing recommended by the CDC, something Rasmussen emphasized can help manage the distribution of the virus.

"If we can spread this out over time and push down the peaks, we will have enough capacity," Rasmussen said.

The state Legislature has canceled several upcoming meetings and issued guidance to its staff about working remotely. The Department of Labor and Industry also called off two big upcoming events sessions in Missoula and Helena next week. Courts around the state will also follow recommendations from the chief justice of the state Supreme Court to limit exposure. And the Department of Administration has notified state employees about precautions to take and health care access, though there were no formal work-from-home policies or travel restrictions in place before news about the confirmed cases Friday.

"These discussions are currently occurring and final decisions will be made soon," the governor's office said in an email.

Concerns of the spread of the virus even reached political campaigns. Several candidates for federal, statewide and local office announced Friday they were canceling or postponing campaign events, and the Butte St. Patrick's Day Parade, a can't-miss event for most office-seekers, was called off. One governor candidate, Democrat Whitney Williams, issued a press release Friday calling to move the June primary to a mail-in election. Montanans can vote absentee by mail if they request to, and the Secretary of State's office did not respond to an email late Friday asking if such action was allowable under law or something it was considering.

Bullock on Thursday emphasized the situation is dynamic and the state will constantly be re-assessing its role when it comes to things like closing schools or canceling sporting events. Generally so far in Montana, closures have been made at the local level and by event organizers.

"There certainly could be additional things happening and closures in the future," Bullock said Thursday. He said he could potentially have a role in directing closures, and "under the emergency order, the authorities are there." The governor encouraged event managers to be aware of the situation and for individuals to think about what events they chose to attend.

The state also opened a phone line, email address and website for the public to get more information about the virus in Montana.

The phone line is 1-888-333-0461, the email is covid19info@mt.gov and the website is covid19.mt.gov. The phone line and email will be staffed 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

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Turkey, Russia flesh out Syria ceasefire deal: Ankara

Iran Press TV

Friday, 13 March 2020 2:52 PM

Turkey and Russia have agreed to begin joint patrols along a key highway in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib as part of a recent ceasefire agreement between the two sides, Turkey's defense minister says.

"Both sides have signed the prepared text, and it has entered into force. We will see the first application of this with joint patrols on March 15 along the M4 highway," Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency quoted Hulusi Akar as saying on Friday.

His remarks came after four days of talks between Russian and Turkish officials in Ankara aimed at working out the details of a ceasefire agreed between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow earlier this month.

"Joint coordination centers will be set up with Russia where the activities will be managed together," Akar added.

On March 5, Russia and Turkey, which support opposite sides in the Syrian conflict, came to an agreement on a ceasefire regime in Idlib, where Turkish aggression against the Syrian government had risked starting a war.

According to the agreement, joint Russian-Turkish patrols will secure a six-kilometer-wide corridor along the M4 highway connecting the two government-held provinces of Latakia and Aleppo.

The ceasefire also consolidates Syrian control over the M5 highway, which links the capital, Damascus, to the major cities of Hama, Homs, and Aleppo.

The ceasefire came a few months after the Syrian army launched an anti-terror operation against foreign-sponsored militants in Idlib when they failed to honor an earlier de-escalation agreement between Ankara and Moscow.

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Luxembourg has always been defined by its sense of solidarity in difficult times. The coronavirus pandemic will not change that.

Luxembourg has recorded 51 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Saturday. It is undeniable that the situation is starting to be critical and, as Minister of Health Paulette Lenert put it, "unprecedented." The virus is here, but so is solidarity.

A multitude of determined individuals took the initiative to bring to life various groups to lend a helping hand to vulnerable citizens. Think general support, dog-walking, or picking up prescriptions.

Luxembourg's FNEL scouts and guides association counts an abundance of unswerving volunteers across the country. FNEL offer support to vulnerable members of society. They for example help people with grocery shopping, dog-walking, or completing daily tasks such as going the post office, bank, or pharmacy.



People in need of support can contact the association via phone (27 400 496) or email (ba@fnel.lu). The hotline and email service will become operational at 2pm on Sunday and open from 9am until 5pm every day after that.

GoldenMe is another project that aims to support Luxembourg's elderly. They came up with this heartwarming initiative to let older members of society know that they are not alone.

Jacques Glodt, who was extremely active when the tornado ripped through Luxembourg, again started a helpful initiative. He complied a sheet that neighbours can fill out to lend a helping hand to those who require it.

The creators of the Lorentzweiler Facebook group similarly compiled a list featuring volunteers that are willing to help the elderly, other vulnerable members of society, and those who were quarantined at home.

Sebastiaan van den Heuvel founded the Volunteer help against Corona - Luxembourg group. His goal is to have a collective platform to coordinate support efforts. Corona-Virus-Hellef-Letzebuerg is a similar group.

Private individuals also brought to life numerous initiatives. Jacquie Linden is one of them.

Luxembourg's expats are also doing everything in their power to promote solidarity. Luxembourg Coronavirus Support Group is a Facebook group where people can share or exchange all kinds of coronavirus-related information and services.

Mark Kitchell meanwhile uses Reddit to collect and exchange information. He has also started an alternate Coronavirus support group on Facebook.

Do you know of any other solidarity initiative? You can let us know via solidarity@rtl.lu.

Remember that it's important not to panic or spread fear. You can find answers to common questions from Luxembourg's Chief Medical officer here.

Also remember to follow Sante.lu's advice on preventing spread.

For the latest news here and around the world, follow our liveticker.
Leo Varadkar has said Covid-19 is an illness that knows no borders as administrations on either side of the border follow different strategies.

He was speaking ahead of a North-South meeting on the outbreak in Co Armagh with political leaders and health ministers.

Mr Varadkar said: This virus knows no borders, no nationality. It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island.

Speaking in Armagh ahead of a special North-South Covid-19 meeting, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Covid-19 is a virus that knows no borders.



It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island. pic.twitter.com/MnjWfVZEnk  Aine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) March 14, 2020

There are more than 100 cases of Covid-19 on the island of Ireland but differences have emerged as schools in the Republic have closed and public gatherings have been curtailed.

Northern Irelands administration has not introduced the same measures, although Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said schools should be shut.

Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

Mr Weir was responding after the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, wrote to urge him to consider closing schools.

On Friday, the first cases of community transmission of Covid-19 were detected in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Ms ONeill said closures should happen immediately, but DUP First Minister Arlene Foster insisted the evidence from UK health authorities makes clear it is not the right time for the measure.

Mr Weir said: I respect the position of the archbishop, particularly given the pastoral responsibilities he has on both sides of the border, and appreciate the sincere good intentions of his letter.

I have a clear duty of care to the education of children of Northern Ireland, and above all to the public health of all our citizens.

In discharging these duties in the current extremely difficult and fluid circumstances, I will follow the science and professional advice to support the right interventions, which will have the greatest impact, at the right time.

Consequently, I accept and support the guidance of the Chief Medical Officer, Public Health Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies (Sage) that now is not the right time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

I will seek to make contact with the archbishop to explain and discuss the matter directly.

Meeting Taoiseach, Taniste and health ministers across this island today. We need one plan and we require decisive action to protect people across this island now.  Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) March 14, 2020

Ahead of the meeting, Ms ONeill said: We need to see decisive action. This has been described as a global pandemic that we have never saw or witnessed before.

People are very anxious, they are very fearful and they want leadership and guidance.

The political divisions have to be healed, we need a joined-up approach. We have to be level-headed and calm and give people reassurance.[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
MARCH 13, 2020  Editors note: The following message was sent via email today by President Taylor Eighmy to all students, faculty and staff:

UTSAs executive leadership has been deeply engaged in planning for all coronavirus-related eventualities, and will continue to work dailyand through the weekendto ensure we are activating all measures needed to keep our community safe.

Today we received updates from UT System, state government and city officials regarding new restrictions on travel and events and other limitations intended to safeguard public health. As a result, we have made some important changes to UTSAs policies:

New Travel Policy

Effectively immediately , no university-sponsored international or domestic travel is permitted unless deemed mission-critical or health-critical as approved by university leadership. This travel ban extends to April 12, 2020, with the potential for extension as needed. The university strongly discourages out-of-state and international personal travel.





, no university-sponsored international or domestic travel is permitted unless deemed mission-critical or health-critical as approved by university leadership. This travel ban extends to April 12, 2020, with the potential for extension as needed. The university strongly discourages out-of-state and international personal travel. Any students, faculty or staff traveling from CDC Level 3 countries must self-isolate for 14 days at home before returning to campus and must report travel to Global Initiatives prior to returning to campus.

Events Planning

Given San Antonios announced restrictions today on large events, all UTSA events expected to draw more than 50 people must be postponed, canceled or conducted virtually. UTSAs Fiesta event (Dia en la Sombrilla) will be rescheduled for a later date, and all UTSA sporting events are suspended.

For events under 50 people, event organizers are asked to consider the following before deciding whether to move forward:

Can the event be easily converted to teleconferencing, group chats or live streaming as alternatives to in-person gatherings?

Is there enough physical space to practice social distancing?

Can an isolated room be provided should someone show symptoms of being ill?

Can sanitizing stations be readily available?

Event organizers are encouraged to discuss plans with their department and division leadership given that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

In addition to these new policies, I have a few additional important updates:

SACSCOC Reaccreditation

UTSAs reaffirmation of accreditation onsite review will not be taking place next week, as previously scheduled. SACSCOC is postponing all site visits through March 27, 2020. Next week, they will determine when visits will be rescheduled and whether they will be conducted in-person or virtually.

UTSAs Students Abroad

Those students and faculty who returned from our International Studies Center in Urbino are completing their full 14-day self-isolation period. We are also recalling our study abroad students from other countries. Those that are being recalled from Level 3 countries will be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days.

Protect Yourself

Based on new information shared by the City of San Antonio today, please take the following steps should you experience any flu-like symptoms:

Self-isolate if you are experiencing symptoms identified with coronavirus.

Do not go to an urgent care or hospital to request a test.

Call ahead to your primary care physician or a free clinic in the area for consultation and guidance.

As always, we will be using our UTSA social media channels and our Coronavirus Updates website to keep you updated, in addition to these regular email communications.
By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Army soldier and WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning was released from prison on Thursday on a judge's order after being held since May for refusing to testify in an ongoing U.S. investigation of WikiLeaks.

U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Trenga in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered Manning released because the grand jury hearing the case had concluded.

Alexandria City Sheriff Dana Lawhorne told reporters late on Thursday that Manning had been released from the Alexandria Detention Center.

Trenga rejected a request from Manning to cancel fines that he had imposed for her refusal to testify and ordered her to pay fines totaling $256,000.

A detention hearing for Manning scheduled for Friday was canceled.

"Needless to say we are relieved and ask that you respect her privacy while she gets on her feet," Manning's defense team said in an emailed statement.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Manning's defense team said Manning had attempted to commit suicide and had been taken to hospital, where she was recovering.

Spokesman Andy Stepanian said that in spite of her imprisonment and the imposition of financial sanctions, Manning remained "unwavering in her refusal to participate in a secret grand jury process that she sees as highly susceptible to abuse."

Prior to her recent incarceration for refusing to testify, Manning had served seven years in a military prison for leaking hundreds of thousands of U.S. military messages and cables to WikiLeaks, before being released on the order of President Barack Obama.

WikiLeaks, an internet-based "dead letter drop" for leakers of classified or sensitive information, was founded by Australian citizen Julian Assange in 2006.

Assange is being held in a London prison as British courts consider a request from U.S. prosecutors for his extradition to the United States. He is wanted on charges of conspiring with Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer system containing classified materials.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Sandra Maler, Rosalba O'Brien and Daniel Wallis)
Airlines are grounding part of their fleets because planes on routes between the Balearic Islands and the Peninsula are half empty due to the coronavirus crisis.

"The new measure will be adopted from next week because we cannot continue in this situation. For several days we have operated some flights with just a single passenger and this completely affects the income statement. This situation is unsustainable and forces us to make drastic decisions, said a spokesperson for the airlines.

The changes will reduce air connectivity with the Balearic Islands in the coming weeks, until the spread of COVID-19 is under control and will affect flights to and from the Peninsula, Germany, the UK, France and Italy.

The companies

The Airline Association, or ALA, which includes 80 Spanish and European companies, says the industry is doing its best to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The airlines are reacting quickly and adapting their operational programs to meet the demand and health recommendations of each region at all times, said the ALA, but warned that there will be repercussions.

"Companies are being forced to take extraordinary actions to mitigate the impact of this crisis, both on their operations and on their financial results," said ALA President, Javier Gandara.

A decisive factor for airlines deciding to ground some of their fleet is the insistence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health that only urgent trips be made.

Air Europa, Vueling, Air Nostrum, Iberia Express, Volotea and Iberia have all been affected by the entry restrictions imposed on travellers from Spain by 62 countries.

21 of them have introduced an outright ban, including the United States, Israel, Guatemala, Czech Republic, Jamaica and Morocco.

These restrictions affect the entire operation at Palmas Son Sant Joan Airport, which is heading for the worst results in history, thanks to the coronavirus.

Prevention in the Control Centre to prevent contagion

Special protocols have been introduced for staff at Palma's Airport Tower and Control Centre to prevent Air Traffic Controllers from becoming infected with Covid-19 virus.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  With the coronavirus pandemic, all of us are in uncharted waters.

And that includes the government officials that we rely on.

We as the public expect our lawmakers to always have all the answers. To instantly rise to every challenge. To not only solve our problems and crises, but to have foreseen them, to have mitigated their effects before they even happen.

Thats never truer than when were going through what were going through now with the coronavirus pandemic.

Weve rarely seen anything like this in U.S. history. There was the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918, which killed millions across the globe, including 1.5 million in the U.S. There were other influenza pandemics here in the late 1950s and the late 1960s.

Its been a while since the country has had to deal with something like this.

And COVID-19 is yet more challenging, because its a new virus. Theres no vaccine as of yet, because you cant develop a vaccine until you actually have the virus. And because its a new bug, none of us have any natural immunity against it.

So were really up against it. But just because were in a new world doesnt mean that government cant be responsive to its citizens.

New York has been hit like other places have been hit. Rumors ran rampant in the first few days. We looked to our lawmakers for guidance, for information, and for comfort.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio have both risen to the occasion.

The two have been near-constant presences on television and on social media. They have held regular press conferences and have appeared on news programs, sometimes more than once a day. They have taken questions from reporters until there were no more questions to be asked.

Cuomo and de Blasio gave us all the information they had, and acknowledged when they didnt have all the information at their fingertips. They have stepped forward and embraced their roles as the people that New Yorkers look to for leadership and guidance. They have accepted the responsibility that comes with their jobs.

Just as importantly, Cuomo and de Blasio have put their well-known political disputes aside. At least publicly. Now is not the time for political bickering.

Have their performances been perfect? No. They sometimes havent looked like theyre on the same page. Their separate press conference have meant that information is coming at us from two different sources. It took too long for City Hall to tell us how many virus sufferers there were in each borough. And there has been controversy over de Blasios decision to keep public schools open. That could backfire on the mayor.

Still, there has been a lot thats positive about the overall performance of both executives.

The best way to tamp down panic is to give people as much information as you can. The more information, the less fear. The less fear, the less panic. Cuomo and de Blasio have done that.

You cant say the same for President Donald Trump, who was slow to respond to the crisis, and who initially dismissed concerns about the potential impact of COVID-19. His first response was political, that the threat was being blown out of proportion by his Democratic opponents.

Totally wrong. It was only on Friday that Trump held the kind of full-blown press conference that we expect to see in the middle of a national crisis (even if it looked more like a parade of corporate plutocrats than an event aimed at inspiring fearful Americans).

Coronavirus has been a powerful reminder that these things can happen. America can be hit by a pandemic. Just in the way that we can be hit by natural disasters. Just in the way that we can be attacked by terrorists.

All our leaders must be ready whenever that bell rings.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Staten Island Catholic schools to schedule early dismissal for coronavirus prep

Coronavirus: Staten Island family cancels vacation, could lose thousands

Coronavirus closures: Staten Islands latest cancellations, postponements (March 12, 2020)

CUNY, SUNY classes will move online

Second confirmed coronavirus case on Staten Island

Man with coronavirus on Staten Island is an EMS worker, source says

Coughs, sneezes, surfaces. Heres how coronavirus is and isnt spread.

Broadway ticket prices discounted amid coronavirus outbreak

Can I get my money back? Travel insurance, airline changes in wake of coronavirus.

Cuomo: Insurers cant charge New Yorkers for coronavirus testing

SIUH exploring the possibility of using external medical tents for coronavirus response

Labor Dept. issues workplace guidelines for coronavirus outbreak

When to contact a doctor: Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms

Coronavirus: What Staten Island businesses are doing to protect customers

Coronavirus: St. Johns University closes all campuses until March 27

First coronavirus case confirmed on Staten Island
The Indian embassy here on Friday (local time) issued an advisory for Indian students studying in US universities, asking them to avoid all non-essential domestic and international travel.

The advisory was issued after US universities have taken measures to shut down the on-campus operations in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The embassy said that if a university has asked students to vacate, the people should contact the varsity administration to check whether they can continue to stay in on-campus housing.

"If your university is shutting down on-campus services, check with your university on how to avail your university's health services, student health insurance, international student services, and any other essential service(s) that may be impacted," the mission said.

The embassy said that the US government has indicated that coronavirus is an evolving situation and closure of universities might be limited to two to four weeks.

"At this stage, they expect the closure to be of limited duration (two to four weeks), which fits within the current regulatory context. When the school re-opens, the student will resume studies," the statement read.

"Please avoid all non-essential domestic or international travel. For official advisories on the domestic US and international travel, please consult the CDC website," it added.

The embassy also said that if any student is planning travel from the US to India, then he or she will be subject to medical screening upon arrival. "Along with that, he or she may be put in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days if required," it stated.

"All incoming travellers to India, including Indian nationals, from/or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain, and/or Germany after February 15 will be mandatorily quarantined for a minimum of 14 days. However, if travellers are transiting through any of the above-mentioned countries (i.e. no immigration stamp of the transit counties on their passports), they will not be subjected to a mandatory quarantine," the mission further said.

The embassy has also issued multiple 24x7 helplines to address concerns and queries regarding the recent travel advisory issued by the Indian government which suspended all visas with some exceptions in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

On Thursday, India had suspended all visas with some exceptions including diplomatic and official travel as coronavirus cases continue to proliferate around the The Indian embassy in the US issued an advisory on travel to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dateline Will the Myanmar Military Ever Allow Charter Reform?

--

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Taking a look at the results from voting on constitutional amendments submitted by the National League for Democracy (NLD) to the Union Parliament, we see some answers to the question of who has the real power in Myanmar.

On the first day of voting [on Tuesday], 14 amendments proposed by the NLD were put to a vote, but no significant changes could be made. We can assume that the military lawmakers and their allies wont vote for significant changes in the coming days. In other words, the amendments may end in failure. We will discuss how the peopleand analystsview this. Ma Mon Mon Myat, a political analyst and PhD candidate studying peacebuilding at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Ko Thiha Thu, or Ko Sanny, the founder and director of Than Lwin Citizen Empowerment Program, who is also a former political prisoner and took part in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, join me to discuss this. Im The Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Fourteen proposed amendments were put to vote, and the NLD failed. The amendment to reduce the political role of the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] failed. The provisions were left unchanged as they didnt receive the required support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers. It appears that people were disappointed even though they had not expected much. Ma Mon Mon Myat, how do you feel and how do you assess the outcome?

Mon Mon Myat: I made the critique [on Tuesday] that the Parliament is disabled but strong.

KZM: By the way, only two proposalsthe changes to the written term for disabled in Burmesereceived approval. Please go on.

MMM: I said so because [the Parliament] might be strong in some areas even though it is disabled. I try to be constructive in my thinking. People had high hopes about charter amendment. Efforts were made to change the Constitution, and until the last minute, we all waited in hope for the votes from military lawmakers. As military personnel come from among the people, we waited with the hope that they would consider the wishes of the people. Most of the people understand that charter amendment is unlikely. Everyone knows the answer. It is all understood. But we still have hope, because the Parliament is tasked with making and amending laws.

As the State Peace and Development Council government designed the Constitution to make it impossible to change, it included a clause that requires the approval of more than 75 percent of lawmakers for any change. It is not strange that the Constitution cant be amended. But the Parliament is also tasked with legislation, so we can expect legislative actions from the Parliament. We will maintain our expectations until the voting on charter amendment is over.

KZM: The NLD has proposed reducing the required majority for amendments to the Constitution to two-thirds of elected lawmakers. It is unlikely that this will be passed. The NLD is an elected government, but when it comes to constitutional reform, it can only move within the boundaries of the Constitution, and it appears it does not want to overstep this boundary. Taking a look at the voting results, the elected governmentthe elected Parliamentdoesnt have the real power. Military lawmakers have a veto over constitutional change. Ko Sanny what can we still expect in this gridlock?

Thiha Thu: It is true that the people were disappointed with the results of the vote. Those who are interested in politics and those who had high hopes feel more disappointed. We are disappointed too. The NLD, under the guidance of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, entered the Parliament in order to change the Constitution to achieve real democracy at a time when we are undergoing democratic transition. This fact is indisputable. The good from Tuesdays voting is that it showed the NLD following through towards its goal. This is good.

Fourteen out of the 55 proposed amendments under Article 436 (a), which require the approval of more than 75 percent of lawmakers plus a national referendum, were put to a vote on Tuesday. Of them, only two proposals regarding the terminology about disabled in Burmese were passed, but all the key amendments to the basic principles of the Union failed. This was telling and shows that military lawmakers refuse to allow amendments. This tells us that there is an enormous challenge in amending the Constitution in the Parliament.

The alarm bell has been rung. Political leaders, parties and those who are interested in politics and the people as a whole have heard this alarm. This is a good point, I think. It is important to reach a political agreement if there will be any charter amendments through the parliament. It is difficult to amend the Constitution because there is still no political agreement.

If [the military] is willing, constitutional amendments can be made overnight. The current outcome shows that much greater efforts are needed to make politically effective changes. I just mean it is good to see this fact.

KZM: The military lawmakers are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and they will act according to his instructions. The leadership is the key, as you have suggested. Political entities and activists have called for dialogue between the two sides, but this appears unlikely because there is a question about the political will of the military leadership. If this situation goes on like this, and the military leadership, either the current leadership or new leadership, have the same attitude beyond the 2020 election, what do you think should be done?

MMM: Fear and charter reform are connected. The Constitution was designed by the military regime and was amended once under U Thein Seins administration. The military locked the Constitution out of fear. The last law passed by the Parliament under U Thein Seins administration is for U Thein Seinit was the Former Presidents Security Law. It is concerned with fears about individual people and individual organizations. Similarly, the first law enacted by the Parliament under the elected government is State Counselor Law. Then measures were taken to amend the laws related to political prisoners and laws that threaten the security of citizens. Citizens have fears and so do rulers. So, to amend the Constitution, we need to see how we can alleviate the fears of the military leadership and military personnel. Any government in power must take this fact into consideration. Only then will constitutional changes be possible.

KMZ: In other words, the military feels insecure about charter amendments, but there is barely any move to draw retrospective legislation against them. As Ma Mon Mon Myat has suggested, they dont want to amend the Constitution because they have concerns that their interests will be harmed.

Ko Sanny, speaking of constitutional freedom, not every country has it. Though our country has a certain degree of democracy, we cant enjoy such things as the citizens rights or the rule of law if the Constitution is not designed to meet the norms of a real democracy. So, how would this country move forward in democratic transition?

TT: The military leadership has repeatedly talked about establishing a federal democracy. But when the proposed amendments were put to a vote, the military lawmakers voted against them. Less than 61 percent of lawmakers voted in favor of the proposed amendments. So despite the fact that they are talking about how much they want a federal democracy, they are against it in reality, perhaps because of insecurity about their interests, as you have suggested.

My view is that the leadership from the two sides is important for constitutional change. Without actions from the leadership, no matter how many votes are held in Parliament, at best only the terminology can be changed. It is pointless to hold a national referendum to approve changes in terminologythe leadership should negotiate and make compromises.

KZM: This is what everyone is suggesting. But they can do nothing as the two sides do not bother to meet. Perhaps one side has a more hardline attitude than the other. If the military does not cooperate on charter reformsome of the military lawmakers are even posting photos saying that they won the voteto what extent will this further affect its image among the international community? In the eyes of the international community, the military has rejected the amendments proposed by the NLD and ethnic parties which are trying for democratic change. To what extent can this affect us? Our country is faced with the ICJ [International Court of Justice] and the UN over human rights violations, and the military leadership is specifically targeted. Ma Mon Mon Myat, will this have negative consequences for the military?

MMM: The military, which designed the Constitution, does not want to lose its power. It is obvious that it still wants to play a major role in state building. It becomes clearer as the international community is also monitoring the situation. It becomes clearer that military lawmakers have become a barrier to any civilian groups that try to amend the Constitution.

KZM: Ko Sanny, charter reform has reached a deadlock. One side wants to amend it, but the other side doesnt accept it. The process has reached an impasse and it has become difficult to amend the Constitution through parliament. But the situation may change with the change in leadership, either in the military or on the other side. How do you think Myanmar citizens should proceed in the current situation? The 2020 general election is coming soon, and it is important for the NLD to win the election in order to continue implementing its policies and charter reform. Ko Sanny, what is your assessment?

TT: For the part of the people, they will vote again for the NLD because they believe the NLD is the only way out of the charter crisis. In other words, they have trust in the NLD leader, so they will vote for the NLD. It is unlikely that the NLD can outperform its electoral victory in 2015, but even if it can secure the same result as in 2015, it will not be able to change the Constitution. Changes can only be made when the NLD can get the nod from around 85 percent of military lawmakers. This is still impossible, so the situation will go on like this. No matter which party wins the elections in 2020 and 2025though the NLD is likely to win themconstitutional changes are unlikely. So, it is important to initiate genuine political reforms before the 2020 [election] and after the 2020 [election]. The NLD plays a major role in thisit needs to be strong and provide effective leadership. The NLD leadership is important. They know what changes people want to see, and if they work diligently, people will support their party. As public support can result in a shift in politics, this can lead to change in the Parliament.

KZM: But then the NLD needs to choose the right people. We have seen many NLD chief ministers and lawmakers criticized for their comments and actions. We have found that many in the public dont like them. Ko Sanny, Ma Mon Mon Myat: thank you for your contributions!

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By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 13, 2020 | 07:00 PM | PADUCAH

In a press release, Arndt said, All of these temporary measures are designed around the recommendation of social distancing. We are striving to minimize and delay the onset of the virus in Paducah so that we will be able to better care for and serve the citizens of this community. We are focused on the continuity of services coupled with keeping the health and well-being of our employees and the public at the forefront.





The following changes are effective Monday, March 16:





Paducah Police Department:





 The Department will cease lobby service at 1400 Broadway. Citizens who come to the department with an emergency or who need to make a report should use the red telephone in the foyer area inside the front doors of the police department. The red telephone connects directly with the E911 Communications Center.





 The Records and Evidence units still will accept telephone inquiries; the number is 270-444-8554. Citizens who need to acquire copies of collision reports should purchase them from www.buycrash.com. To purchase copies of crime reports, visit www.buycrimes.com. Open Records requests can be submitted via email to atravis@paducahky.gov or by mail using the information contained at http://paducahky.gov/records-and-evidence.





 Fingerprinting, taxi licensing, and prescription drug drop-off services are suspended until further notice.





 The lobby of the Criminal Investigations Division, located at 1410 Broadway, also will be closed until further notice. Citizens who wish to speak with a detective may call 270-444-8553.





Paducah Parks & Recreation Department:





 The Parks & Recreation building located at 1400 H.C. Mathis Drive will be closed to the public. Registration for spring and summer programs is available online at www.paducahky.gov or by calling 270-444-8508.





 The following classes, leagues, and operations are postponed until further notice:

o Classes and operations at the Paducah Recreation Center located at 1527 Martin Luther King Junior Drive;

o Martial Arts and dance classes held at the Parks Office Building located at 1400 H.C. Mathis Drive;

o Youth and adult leagues practices and game schedules; and

o Farmers Market vendor meetings.





 All facility reservations of parks picnic shelters, the Anna Baumer Building, Arts and Crafts Building, and Robert Cherry Civic Center are being cancelled through May 1.



 All public assembly permit application requests for events between March 13 and April 30 will not be permitted.





City Hall and General City Administration:





 All meetings of city-appointed boards and commissions are cancelled for March and April including Board of Adjustment, Paducah Civic Beautification Board, HARC, Human Rights Commission, Historic Property Redevelopment Board, Main Street Board, Planning Commission & URCDA, Nuisance Board, Tree Advisory Board, and the Building, Electrical, and Code Appeals Board.





 The Paducah Citizens Academy is suspended until further notice.





 For citizens who have general questions on local resources, the Customer Experience Department will be able to provide guidance on local organizations and provide contact numbers. To reach the Customer Experience Department, call 270-444-8800 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday.





 Citizens who would like to drop off a payment to the Finance Department are encouraged to use the drop-box on the 5th Street side of City Hall. Payments are processed the same day.



Arndt said, As a reminder, there are several ways to reach out to City government by phone, online, or by mail. We are working to minimize the impact to citizens during this situation.





As a reminder, the latest information about COVID-19 in Kentucky is posted on the Kentucky Department of Public Healths website at http://kycovid19.ky.gov. Kentucky has set up a hotline for concerned citizens at 1-800-722-5725. The CDCs webpage dedicated to COVID-19 is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.









Using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the state and local health departments, the City of Paducah has released more details about their temporary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).Mayor Brandi Harless and City Manager Jim Arndt shared some of the information at a news conference on Friday afternoon.
Two State Assembly members test positive for the virus

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Saturday night that two State Assembly members from Brooklyn had tested positive for the coronavirus.

It has come to our attention that two of our Assembly colleagues  Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron  have been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to a statement released by Mr. Cuomo and the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie.

Mr. Barron, 69, and Ms. Weinstein, 67, have not been in Albany since early March for separate reasons, according to the statement.
The havoc in the stock markets caused by the oil price war, coronavirus and the US travel ban has left one group of private investors particularly out-of-pocket and angry.

These are investors in index-trackers which have been hard hit in the nerve-jangling rollercoaster of the past week.

As we stand on the brink of a global bear market, concern is mounting that too little attention has been paid to the flaws of these funds, which are of the 'passive' type.

Nerve jangling: The havoc in the stock markets caused by the oil price war, coronavirus and the US travel ban has left investors in index-trackers particularly out-of-pocket and angry

It means to mimic the performance of a stock market or index, unlike 'active' funds that rely on a manager selecting shares and other assets that they hope will perform well.

These defects may have been overlooked in the rush to embrace index trackers. The tracker craze intensified following the Woodford scandal. The conduct of Neil Woodford, once the most celebrated active manager in the UK, has reduced confidence in the active approach.

Low charges are another reason for the popularity of index-trackers, which depend on artificial, rather than human intelligence, which comes at a high price.

But while index trackers may be the cheapest way to invest, they do have big drawbacks which have recently been laid bare.

They may flourish in fair stock market weather, but can be extra susceptible when the dark clouds gather. Since the start of this year, the FTSE 100 index has tumbled by about 30 per cent. That has hit tracker fund investors very hard.

BP and Shell, which have suffered badly, are two of the index's constituents.

Popular Footsie trackers such as the Vanguard FTSE 100 Index fund have subsided in line.

Between February 21, when the sell-off started in earnest, and the close on Thursday, the fund was down as much as 28.4 per cent.

Consider all the options: While index trackers may be the cheapest way to invest, they do have big drawbacks

Vanguard, a US group, has about $10billion of savings in its care. Like other players it has benefited from discontent with those active managers who collect fat fees, but fail to deliver decent returns.

Active funds have, of course, also been caught up in the maelstrom. But Jason Hollands of Tilney Bestinvest, the investment platform, points out that the managers of these funds have the scope to build a buffer of defensive stocks or cash, a feature that has helped limit the damage. Index tracker managers do not have this facility.

Experts emphasise that there is no need to panic, but also to see recent events as a wake-up call.

Laura Suter, personal finance analyst at AJ Bell, the investment platform, underlines the risks inherent in tracker funds' structure: 'The downside is that you are buying the whole of the market and so are exposed to the full extent of any falls.'

Hollands highlights another pitfall  some index-tracker investors may hold a disproportionate amount of larger shares.

The inconvenient truth about index trackers will continue to be debated while panic grips the markets.

In the meantime, disaffected tracker investors will be looking for active funds that, while not immune from the market downturn, will still strive to provide a degree of capital preservation.

Suter's safety-first choice is the Personal Assets Investment trust from the Troy Asset Management. This holds big name shares, plus cash, gold and government bonds.

Ben Yearsley of Shore Financial Planning favours Troy's Trojan fund, which invests in government and corporate bonds, precious metals and cash.

Hollands selects Liontrust Special Situations that proved its resilience in 2008 at the time of the financial crisis. This buys shares in companies that are non-cyclical (less subject to the ups and downs of the economy) and have strong revenue streams.

The Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust from Baillie Gifford would suit those confident in Amazon and other tech giants.

Some investors seeking security may still baulk at active management fees. One answer to this is 'smart beta', a type of exchange traded fund (ETF) that aims to offer some of the strengths of the active approach by tracking elements of a market rather than every stock in the index.

Dzmitry Lipski, head of funds research at investment platform Interactive Investor, cites the SPDR S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats ETF which tracks the S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Quality Income Index of the highest-yielding dividend stocks.

Anyone who needs an income may be tempted, if only by the delightfully convoluted name, while hoping that competition from this source will increase the pressure on more active managers to lower their charges.
Vehicles on offer include several favorites of the Honda lineup: the Odyssey, HR-V, CR-V and Civic.

Continental Honda, a dealership serving Chicago and the entire surrounding area, is currently boasting a variety of several lease offers on new Honda vehicles. These offers expire on March 31, 2020.

Vehicles on offer include several favorites of the Honda lineup: the Odyssey, HR-V, CR-V and Civic. These models span a variety of body types and capabilities. As such, the specials are ideal for a wide range of drivers, each of which will likely be able to find a vehicle that suitably fits their unique needs.

Read on below for details on current offers at Continental Honda.



The 2019 Honda Odyssey EXL is available to lease for $449 per month for 35 months, with $499 due at signing.

The 2019 Honda HR-V Sport 2WD is available to lease for $279 per month for 35 months, with $279 due at signing.

The 2019 Honda CR-V EXL 2WD is available to lease for $379 per month for 35 months, with $379 due at signing.

The 2020 Honda Civic LX Sedan Automatic is available to lease for $225 per month for 35 months, with $225 due at signing.

The above offers require the lessee to get approved credit through HFS (Honda Financial Services). Title, license and doc fees are not included in the prices listed. The lessee is also responsible for maintenance and excessive wear/tear. Twelve thousand free miles per year are included, with every additional mile over that figure costing 15 cents on vehicles with an MSRP lower than $30,000 and 20 cents on vehicles with an MSRP of $30,000 or more.

Those interested in the special temporary lease offers at Continental Honda are strongly urged to go to the dealership website at http://www.continentalhonda.com. Those who wish to interact with a human voice affiliated with the dealership may instead make a phone call to 708-340-6350. Finally, those who wish to experience the dealership and vehicles with all five of their senses may opt to head to its physical location at 5891 S. La Grange Road, Countryside.
New Delhi, March 14 : Reports of Lina Alvarez, a Spanish doctor, giving birth to a healthy child after IVF at the age of 62 years has created buzz, fostered dreams and busted several myths about becoming a mother at an advanced age.

In 2016, 72-years old Daljinder Kaur, who is considered to be the oldest woman in the world to give birth after IVF prompting hues and cries from the Indian Medical Council for an age limit of the recipients of fertility treatments.

In Britain, women above 42 years of age aren't eligible to receive fertility treatments, including IVF, at the National Health Service(NHS). However, there are cases where women seek IVF treatments in private, so where does the controversy surrounding IVF in older couples steams?

Here are 5 myths regarding IVF in older women we will bust today:

Myth 1: Pregnancy in older women always leads to complications before and during birth.

Reality 1: Over the years, doctors have spoken extensively about the complications that arise in older women during pregnancy. Older mothers tend to suffer more from high blood pressure, preterm labour and diabetes than their younger counterparts during pregnancy.

However, according to a study by Reichman et al, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, there is not enough evidence to link advanced maternal age to preterm delivery. As per another study published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal (Cavazos-Rehg et al), complications during pregnancy and delivery were highest among women between the ages of 11 and 18.

After Proper medical evaluation before IVF, it's possible to find out high risk patients among older women. And by offering IVF only to low risk patients, reduces risk of complication that may happen during the antenatal period.

Moreover, women of every age should consider these challenges before and during pregnancy, but there is not enough scientific evidence that suggests that these health concerns only affect older women going through IVF.

Myth 2: Pregnancy in older women harms the child

Reality 2: Natural pregnancy in older women, although rare, increases the chances of the foetus developing chromosomal disorders including Down's syndrome.

During IVF, medical professionals screen each embryo for possible genetic abnormalities via Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening, and only implant the healthiest one(s) in the mother's uterus. These screening tests and diagnostic tests can detect chromosomal abnormalities beyond Down's Syndrome.

According to a 2019 study published in the Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, the health of an embryo depends upon the health of the mother, which, in many cases, is independent of a woman's age.

There are options where an older woman can choose to go through IVF with the eggs from a younger woman. In such instances, the health risks of the foetus due to chromosomal abnormalities can be nullified, and can achieve genetically normal pregnancy like a younger woman.

Myth 3: IVF isn't successful in older women.

Reality 3: It is a popular belief that IVF in older women is likely to fail. It may come from the fact that older women are less likely to become pregnant without fertility treatments.

It is true that when older women use their own eggs (ova) the chances of successful pregnancies diminish drastically. However, when women receive donor eggs, the success rate increases drastically, as the pregnancy rate is inversely related to mothers' age if; IVF is done with a self egg.

An older woman can have the same success rate as a younger woman irrespective of her ethnicity as long as the donor eggs come from a young and healthy woman. It also reduces the chances of the baby having chromosomal disorders.

Myth 4: Being older parents can be harmful to the child.

Reality 4: The average life expectancy of men and women in India is on the rise. So, leaving a young child fatherless or motherless at a tender age is only a distant possibility.

In addition, some believe that older women are unable to meet the physical demands of motherhood.

However, that is also true for younger women due to physiological and psychological limitations.

In many countries, especially in India, children receive attention and care from their grandparents. These children typically thrive in academics and beyond.

Age is not a bar in motherhood and the attitude of people towards older women becoming mothers through IVF is changing rapidly.

Myth 5: Older women can't bear children using their own ova

Reality 5: Earlier, it was almost impossible to even think that women above 35 years of age could become pregnant, but IVF is changing that notion.

Women of advanced age having low "Egg Count" can now fulfil their dreams of having their own biological child, thanks to newer Stimulation protocols, Cryopreservation & PGD technology.

Now, the doctors are considering using healthy frozen ova for IVF in older women. This is how it can work.

A woman in her early or late 20s can choose to have her ova aspirated and frozen. Later in life, maybe after 35 or even 40 years of age, she can choose to undergo IVF. The doctor can use the frozen ova for subsequent fertilization and implantation.

This reduces the risks of implanting an ovum with chromosomal abnormalities due to degrading DNA in older eggs. And it gives a chance to older women to become mothers using their own eggs.

(N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
An Illinois mayor has signed an executive order taking up wide-ranging emergency powers that she claims gives her the authority to halt the sale of all firearms and ammunition. The declaration is being framed as a response to the Chinese coronavirus.

Champaign, Illinois Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen signed the declaration Friday morning. The executive order declares a state of emergency in the city, and gives the mayor a wide set of powers to use during the period. The declaration touches upon a wide range of commercial and civic activity as liable to the mayors shutdown.

The document uses the phrasing of giving the mayor power to Order the discontinuance of selling, distributing, dispensing or giving away of explosives or explosive agents, firearms or ammunition of any character whatsoever.

Mayor Feinen now claims the power to ban gun and ammo sales, the sale of alcohol, the opening of bars and taverns, and the sale of gasoline. The executive order also gives her the power to shut down electrical services and to take possession of private property within the city.

There arent any confirmed cases of coronavirus in the city, or in Central Illinois altogether. Its extremely doubtful that the city of Champaign needs restrictions on gun and ammo purchases.

The city manager claims the city needs to wide-ranging powers to properly respond to the emergency needs of our community. None of the options will necessarily will be implemented but are available in order to protect the welfare and safety of our community if needed.

Such policies are reminiscent of disastrous gun confiscation attempts enacted in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when local law enforcement wasted time rounding up legally owned firearms from private citizens while distressed citizens were ignored.

Ammunition sales have been said to soar in recent days and weeks as citizens prepare for the pandemic.
Explained: Can Madhya Pradesh Speaker disqualify all the MLAs who resigned from Kamal Nath's govt?

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Bhopal, Mar 14: With 22 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs, who are considered to be the loyalists of former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, tendered their resignations, it is time for State Assembly Speaker, NP Prajapati to make his move.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, the former Congress leader, served the party for 18 years and resigned on Tuesday.

But, is that easy to resign from one political party and join the other party?

According to the rules, the MLAs who decides to quit a political party and join the other, has to send their resignation to the Speaker. The MLAs are free to join other party only after the Speaker officially accepts it. Also there is another twist, the Speaker has power to either disqualify or accept an MLA's resignation.

Also, the Madhya Pradesh situation can be related with Karnataka after the Speaker had ruled the rebel MLAs ineligible for the entire session. Later, the rebel MLAs approached the Supreme Court where their right to contest the election was restored.

It is also crucial for the Madhya Pradesh government to see whether the Congress MLAs would wait for the Speaker to officially accept them or join the BJP straight away.

BJP to seek floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly on March 16

What happens if the MLAs join other party without Speaker officially accepting their resignation?

If an MLA only tenders his/her resignation and decides to join other political party, the Speaker can take active action against them under the Anti-Defection Law as those MLAs would still be in the same party in assembly records.

After the resignation is accepted by the Speaker of those MLAs, then they are free to join a political party as they can escape the Anti-Defection Law and contest a fresh elections in bypolls.

"If from information received or otherwise and after making such inquiry as he thinks fit, the Speaker is satisfied that such resignation is not voluntary or genuine, he shall not accept such resignation," the Constitution says.

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Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 10:14 [IST]
Federal officers launched an investigation on Friday after a crack ruptured a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737, forcing pilots to drop nearly 20,000 feet after the jet lost cabin pressure.

Pilots began a rapid, six-minute descent from 39,000 feet to 22,000 feet to make the cabin pressure safe during the journey from Las Vegas to Boise, Idaho, on Monday, flight records show.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said a 12-inch crack was found in an inspection - in the skin of the planes crown behind the cockpit.

Airlines are required to inspect that area every 1,500 flights. The FAA said it was too early to know whether the frequency of inspections should be increased.

Pilots were forced to make a rapid, six-minute descent from 39,000 feet to 22,000 feet to make the cabin pressure safe during the journey from Las Vegas to Boise, Idaho, flight records show

Oxygen masks in the passenger cabin did not drop from the ceiling and no injuries were reported, the airline and the regulatory agency said.

Southwest spokeswoman Michelle Agnew said the plane had been inspected for cracks within the required 1,500-flight period.

Agnew said that during the flight, pilots responded to an indicator in the cockpit and 'followed standard procedures by descending to a lower altitude to maintain a safe and comfortable cabin environment.' That 'resolved the issue,' and the crew continued safely to Boise, she said.

'The aircraft did not incur a rapid depressurization, masks were not deployed, and the aircraft did not require a diversion to maintain safety of flight,' Agnew said.

On Friday, the plane was in a maintenance facility and undergoing repairs for the crack, she said.

A spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing said the manufacturer was aware of the incident and was working with Southwest to learn more.

The incident was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, said Southwest told the FAA that required inspections turned up external cracks in two other planes in the same area but that those incidents did not lead to cabin decompression.

Breaks in the skin of aluminum-body jets such as the Boeing 737 are usually caused by fatigue or wear and tear.

Maintenance experts say fatigue cracks are not uncommon in older planes, and inspections are designed to find them and repair them before they become safety problems.

In 2009, metal fatigue created a hole in the roof of a Southwest jet as it cruised 35,000 feet over West Virginia. The crack started where two sheets of aluminum skin were bonded together.

Two years later, a 5-foot-long hole ripped opened in another Southwest 737, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing at a military base in Arizona. Investigators blamed fatigue cracks in the planes skin.

No one was injured in those incidents, but in 1988 an Aloha Airlines flight attendant was blown out through a hole of a Boeing 737 as it flew over the Pacific Ocean. That prompted tougher inspection rules.

Southwests maintenance record has faced scrutiny. In 2008, the FAA proposed a $10.2 million fine against the airline for failing to conduct mandatory inspections for fatigue cracks on some of its planes.

Southwest, which is based in Dallas, settled the case by agreeing to pay a $7.5 million civil penalty.

Last month, the Transportation Departments inspector general said Southwest flew used planes it bought without verifying their maintenance and repair histories.

The agency added that, 'Many officials throughout FAA have expressed concern about the safety culture at Southwest Airlines.''

The airline denied the allegations.
WASHINGTON  Rep. Josh Gottheimer or one of his aides spends some of every day on a conference call with New Jersey hospitals. They want to know if the hospitals have extra beds or too many patients, whether they have enough staff or extra employees they can lend out.

I see myself as hopefully being someone who can get in there as a fixer, Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., told NJ Advance Media. "By talking to all of the parties, connecting them and getting what they need, I just like to get it done.

New Jerseys members of Congress regularly answer questions from constituents about federal issues or benefits. Now theyve become a primary information source for New Jerseyans concerned about the coronavirus.

Our staff is working with local and state officials to gather the most up-to-date information on everything from school closures to covid-19 testing, said Tom Pietrykoski, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

"We are encouraging New Jerseyans to call our office with any concerns regarding this crisis so they can be connected with one of our caseworkers or to visit our website for additional resources.

The first thing visitors to U.S. Sen. Robert Menendezs home page see is an invitation to click to a separate page to learn all about COVID-19. Menendez, D-N.J., set up the page on Friday. It contains information in English and Spanish.

The most important thing you can do right now is not to panic, but prepare and educate yourself, the page begins.

It contains the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fact sheets from the New Jersey Department of Health, and health care information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Other lawmakers have used their congressional websites to disseminate coronavirus information as well, including Reps. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., posted the 24-hour New Jersey coronavirus hotline, 800-962-1253. Rep. Albio Sires, D-8th Dist., asked concerned constituents to call one of his congressional offices.

Please use my office as a resource if you have any questions or concerns, Sires said.

Reps. Andy Kim, D-3rd Dist., and Tom Malinowski, D-7th Dist., held tele-town halls on the coronavirus.

And Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., held a Facebook Live event on Friday to discuss what Congress is doing to respond to the coronavirus and gave out the phone numbers of his New Jersey congressional offices.

As of now, were open, he said, though some staff members have started working remotely. Were here to help.

For Gottheimer, next on his agenda is trying to make sure those hospital workers, whose services are in more demand than ever, have child care so they can keep going to work and treating patients even as their schools temporarily shut down.

Gottheimer said he has been in touch with Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco to see what kind of space is available for the workers children.

If their kids are home from school and theres no one to watch their kids, they wont be able to go to work, Gottheimer said. Are there facilities we can open up for frontline health care providers? Is there something we can do to help on that front?

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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Africa, as of Friday morning, has confirmed about 146 Covid-19 cases on the continent, the World Health Organisation has said.

The African region of the UN health agency, in a report on the status of the virus, said all countries in Africa must act to contain the spread and safeguard the health of its people.

Africas Status

The Covid-19 outbreak, which originated from China, has gotten worse, spreading all over the continents, except Antarctica.

Africa was one of the last continents to detect cases of the new coronavirus disease and most of the cases were imported into the continent.

So far, 18 Africa countries  Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Cameron, Cote divore, Ghana, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Guinea  have reported at least a case of the disease.

As the disease spreads, many African countries have been taking preventive measures to keep the disease out, while some are showing a strong level of preparedness to counter its spread.

Egypt

As at the time of reporting, Egypt has 67 confirmed cases reported. This is the highest, and more than half of all confirmed cases on the continent.

Most of the cases in Egypt are among passengers and crew members aboard a Nile cruise ship coming from the southern city of Aswan to Luxor, Egypt state-run Ahram Online reported.

Egypt has so far reported two deaths from the ongoing outbreak.

Tunisia

Tunisia has so far reported seven confirmed cases. Most of the cases were from travellers who had contracted the virus after returning from outside the country.

On March 4, the Tunisian Health Ministry had said that 996 people are in medical homes, quarantined over suspicion of being infected with the novel coronavirus.

The country also kicked out some Italian tourists who arrived in Kairouan from Tabarka, after refusing to comply with the mandatory 14-day quarantine imposed on all visitors.

They were therefore banned from checking into their hotel in the central city of Kairouan.

Algeria

Algeria reported its second death from the ongoing coronavirus late Thursday.

The Algerian Health Ministry said in a statement that the victim was 55 years old.

It added that the number of cases in the country had risen to 25.

Kenya

Kenya reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Thursday. The index case was reported in a woman who had returned to the country from the U.S.

The patient was diagnosed at the governments national influenza centre laboratory after travelling home via London on March 5.

Mutahi Kagwe, Kenyas health minister, told a news conference the government had suspended all public gatherings, sporting events, open-air religious meetings and all events that are of a huge public nature.

He said schools would remain open but all inter-school events would be suspended.

Contact tracing is however, on going.

Kenya already has a 120-bed quarantine center in is capital, Nairobi, and two testing facilities, which countries in the region rely on to test for the virus.

South Africa

In South Africa,17 cases of the virus have so far been reported.

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South Africa has also tested more than 600 potential cases.

Citizens can now walk into private laboratories and pay for private coronavirus tests costing around $75, according to local media report.

Democratic Republic of Congo

DRC confirmed its second case of the virus on Friday.

The patient, according to local media, is a Cameroonian living in DR Congo, who returned from France on March 8.

Congolese Health Minister Eteni Longondo said A Cameroonian who lives in the DR Congo with his family went on vacation to France and returned to Kinshaa on March 8.

The patient is currently being cared for by a coronavirus response team in the capital of Kinshasa.

The first patient is a Congolese national who has been quarantined in Kinshasa.

Morocco

In Morocco, 7 cases of the virus have been reported.

Moroccos minister of health announced the rise in cases on Friday.

The seventh case is that of a citizen who had recently returned from Spain who tested positive.

After reporting the sixth case on Wednesday, Morocco cancelled all religious events in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.

Ghana

Ghana confirmed its first two cases on Thursday night.

The countrys Minister for Health, Kwasi Agyemang-Manu, made the announcement at a press briefing.

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Both patients according to the minister are in isolation and are stable.

The government has since initiated contact tracing.

Gabon

Gabon is the tenth country in Sub-Saharan Africa to record a first case of coronavirus, after its first case was confirmed Thursday night.

Its index case according to the government was a 27-year-old Gabonese man who returned from France on March 8.

Gabons minister of communication and government spokesperson Edgard Miyakou said they are working to identify the people who have come into contact with this patient, and is calling on the population to keep calm.

Burkina Faso

According to the Burkina Faso health ministry, more than 13,000 arriving passengers have been monitored with equipment installed at the Ouagadougou airport, as part of a strategy to tackle the virus at a cost of some 13 million euros ($14,6 million).

Burkina Faso confirmed its first two cases after a Burkinabe couple returned from France on February 24 and tested positive.

The couple are currently in quarantine at the Tengandogo teaching hospital, Ouagadougou.

Cameroon

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Cameroons first case on Friday March 6.

The case is that of a 58-year-old French citizen who arrived Yaounde on February 24.

Cameroons Public Health Minister, Manaouda Malachiee said in a statement that the case was placed in solidarity confinement in the Care Centre of the Yaounde Central Hospital for appropriate treatment.

Mr Malachiee advised the public to be vigilant and adhere to hygiene rules.

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coasts index case was confirmed on Wednesday.

The patient is an Ivorian, who, after returning from Italy, went to the hospital with complaints of fever and a runny nose.

Ivory Coasts health ministry said in a statement that the patient has been quarantined and is stable and all precautionary measures are being taken.

Senegal

A partnership between UK and Senegal has been formed to develop a hand-held coronavirus testing kit.

CNN reported that a UK-based laboratory, Mologic is working with Senegal scientists to make a diagnostic kit for the virus that can produce test results within 10 minutes.

The company announced that it is the first diagnostic kit developed in the UK to be jointly-manufactured in Africa.

The project is a UK funded initiative.

Senegals health ministry confirmed its first case of COVID-2019 in the central Senegalese city of Touba.

The patient is a Senegalese national who resides in Italy but visited a doctor in Touba on March 10  a day after showing symptoms. The infection was confirmed by a branch of French-research group the Pasteur Institute in Dakar.

Despite the confirmed case in the country, a top cleric, Sheikh Baba, declared that the disease cannot affect particularly members of the Baye Niasse community.

It seems that there is an epidemic called coronavirus that is panicking the world. The reason why all gathering of people is prohibited, but Baye Niasses family is protected. The corona can do nothing against it, he said.

The health minister of Senegal, Abdoulaye Sarr, told local press that if advised to do so, the government will call off religious events.

Togo

Togos index case was confirmed on Friday March 6.

The patient, a 42-year-old woman who recently travelled to Benin, France, Germany, and Turkey.

She returned to Togo from Benin via road travel, arriving Lome the capital city on March 2.

According to a statement by the Togolese government, she has been in isolation at an infectious disease treatment center and there were no major concerns regarding her health.

Public authorities on Wednesday announced that the patient is in a satisfactory clinical state, and is not showing any fever or symptoms that motivated their hospitalization.

Nonetheless the government has urged citizens to keep following preventive measures to curb the propagation of the virus.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia confirmed its first case of the virus on Friday.

A Japanese man, 48-years-old, tested positive for the virus.

The Japanese man arrived in Ethiopia from Burkina Faso last week, and he is now receiving medical treatment and is in good condition, Ethiopias health minister, Liya Kebede, said.

She also added that the country is prepared to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

Guinea, Sudan

Guinea and Sudan also confirmed their first case on Friday.

Guineas case is that of a European Union delegation employee, who self-isolated after taken ill upon her return from Europe.

The case in Sudan is that of a man in his 50s who died on Thursday in the capital city Khartoum after being diagnosed with the virus. The man had just returned from a visit to the United Arab Emirates in the first week of March.

Sudan has since stopped issuing visas and flights to Italy, and Egypt over fears of COVID-19.

Nigeria

In Lagos, Nigeria, temperature screenings and use of hand sanitisers before entering public spaces such as banks, offices and restaurants are becoming mandatory, to limit the spread of the disease.

Signs informing the public on the best practices to avoid contracting coronavirus can be seen in parts of the city. Scores of health workers have been deployed at international airports in Nigeria to screen all arriving passengers.

Similar measures have also been adopted across the continent and passengers with suspected cases of the virus are placed in quarantine.

WHOs response

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, had on Wednesday classified the ongoing outbreak as a pandemic.

This was due to the erratic spread of the disease across countries in the world. As of time of reporting, about 125,000 cases have now been reported to WHO, from 118 countries and territories.

In the past two weeks, the number of cases reported outside China has increased almost 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has almost tripled.

The second reason the WHO DG gave, is that despite our frequent warnings, we are deeply concerned that some countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti said with Covid-19 officially declared a pandemic, all countries in Africa must act.

He added that every country can still change the course of this pandemic by scaling up their emergency preparedness or response. Cases may still be low in Africa and we can keep it that way with robust all-of-government actions to fight the new coronavirus.

Containment, according to WHO is the most appropriate strategy for African countries. In order to do that the WHO Regional Office for Africa is shifting from readiness to response mode.

People who have come in contact with those confirmed to have the virus are being traced and efforts are being made to encourage early detection and surveillance capabilities at ports, airports and land crossings.

WHO reports that there are 62 of their experts in technical areas- coordination, treatment, infection, prevention and control, community engagement and surveillance who have been deployed across 18 countries, and even more, deployments are planned.

These experts are assisting national governments in their response, helping them to manage the disease and prevent onward transmission.

Tools for Member States are being developed to help with the rapid collection and reporting of alerts, cases and contact data, streamlining and eventual contact tracing.

A WebEx training was recently held to help surveillance focal points and data managers in-country on the use of these tools.

WHO is also striving to fill critical gaps such as the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE)- gloves, masks, hand sanitizers and will focus mainly on countries with confirmed cases and also their neighboring countries.

In addition, transfers of PPE from WHOs main warehouse in Dubai to a regional distribution hub in Accra is underway, and nine countries in the African region are due to receive deliveries of PPE directly from Dubai. At a global level, WHO is preparing new guidance on the proper use of PPEs.

Virus transport media (VTMS), which are container for safe and secure transportation, maintenance and storage of clinical samples containing viruses are also emerging. Countries with critical shortages are the first priority.
Health officials have identified a second case of coronavirus in Wyoming, two days after the first diagnoses was confirmed.

The new patient is an older Fremont County man who is hospitalized, the Wyoming Department of Health announced Friday evening. The case is a presumptive positive, pending absolute confirmation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state's first patient was a Sheridan County resident who was isolated at home and was doing well with what a doctor described as a mild case of the infection.

"WDH is following up to learn more about the persons exposure risk and to identify and communicate with anyone who may have been in close contact with the patient," the department said in a Friday evening announcement. "Known contacts will be monitored for symptoms and tested if needed."

The state's second case of coronavirus was identified via lab testing at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory. The virus, which officials have described as highly contagious, is spread by close contact -- being within six feet of a person -- or by respiratory droplets from an infected person.

The disease has proven most dangerous to older patients. Dr. Mark Dowell, the Natrona County health officer, said earlier this week that the average age of those Americans who'd died of COVID-19 was 80. It is also especially dangerous for those with chronic conditions or with compromised immune systems.

Anyone with symptoms who has also been in contact with a COVID-19 patient or who has been in a virus hot spot is urged not to go to the emergency room unless in significant distress. Those with concerns are asked to call their primary care physicians, who will make the determination of whether a patient needs to be tested.

For several days, health officials across the state have said that there will be more cases identified in the Equality State. The novel coronavirus, which causes a disease dubbed COVID-19, is characterized by fever, cough and shortness of breath.

The first case earlier this week prompted the University of Wyoming and several community colleges to prepare moves away from in-person classes and contact. This second diagnosis comes just hours after Gov. Mark Gordon declared a state of emergency, which he said was mostly intended to unlock needed federal funding.

The disease has swept across the United States in just a week's time. Montana reported its first four presumptive cases earlier Friday evening. Idaho also reported its first on Friday. Colorado declared a state of emergency with one of the largest case totals in the country. South Dakota has had several confirmed diagnoses and at least one death.

As of Friday afternoon, the Wyoming state lab had tested more than 20 people, with all but one -- and now two -- testing negative.

Minutes before the Wyoming Department of Health reported the second case, Central Wyoming College -- also in Fremont County -- announced it would extend its spring break by one week. It became the latest of Wyoming's community colleges -- as well as the University of Wyoming -- to extend the break in an attempt to limit the virus' spread.

In its announcement, Central Wyoming College said it would use the extended spring break to prepare students for distance learning. Faculty and staff would work on an individual basis with students to complete coursework.

Elsewhere in Wyoming, officials are investigating a potential cluster of unidentified illnesses in Big Horn County. A student or students were potentially exposed to the coronavirus at an extracurricular event; the results of that test were not completed by early Friday evening, and multiple health officials said it was likely the student or students did not have coronavirus.

Photos: Coronavirus in Wyoming

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Joshua Wolfson Editor Joshua Wolfson joined the Star-Tribune in 2007, covering crime and health before taking over the arts section in 2013. He also served as managing editor before being named editor in June 2017. He lives in Casper with his wife and their two kids. Follow Joshua Wolfson 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Twenty-one people who had close interaction with a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient in Ho Chi Minh City tested negative for the virus, according to the municipal Center for Disease Control.

The 21 people include six members of the patients family, six attendants in the patients pre-marriage course, and his nine neighbors.

The patient is Vietnams 45th COVID-19 case and the fourth infection in Ho Chi Minh City.

The 25-year-old man lives in Ward 7, Tan Binh District, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

He had dinner with patient No. 34 and her husband in Binh Thuan Province, located in south-central Vietnam, on March 3.

He returned to Ho Chi Minh City in a personal vehicle with three other people on March 4.

On March 10, the man began self-isolation at home after learning that patient No. 34 had been infected with the virus.

He developed symptoms including a stuffy nose and a sore throat on March 12 and was sent to a quarantine camp in Tan Binh District, before being transferred on a specialized vehicle to a makeshift hospital in Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City.

His samples were tested by the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Pasteur Institute Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday and Friday, respectively, all returning positive.

He is now in stable health.

Vietnam has confirmed 48 infections so far. Sixteen of them have fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

The other patients are being treated, with no fatality having been reported to date.

Patient No. 17, a 26-year-old Vietnamese woman, was diagnosed on Friday last week after the country had reported no infection since February 13.

Patient No. 34, a 51-year-old Vietnamese woman from Binh Thuan who recently returned from a U.S. trip that included transit time in South Korea and Qatar, allegedly caused at least nine other people in the south-central province to be infected with the virus.

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Nigerian TV host Mercy Alexander has shared her experience in Nollywood.

In an interview with Sun news, the Mercy who is also known as Lady Jagaban revealed she started off in Nollywood but was frustrated out by randy producers.

On how she ventured into broadcasting, she said;

I studied Theatre Arts at the University of Bamako, Mali. While there, I dreamed of going into Nollywood. When I came back to Nigeria, I tried Nollywood but was shocked to find out what happens there. The producers and directors want to sleep with you, with lots of conditions. And you even pay; you spend money to be featured in a movie and they also want to sleep with you! I didnt have time for that, so I said, let me start looking elsewhere. The only movie I featured in without any attempt to sexually harass me was a Yoruba movie. The English movies were not pleasant experiences. I was frustrated out of Nollywood.

Read Also: I Can Never Date Lateef Adedimeji Because He Is Not My Type  Actress, Adebimpe Oyebade (Video)

Can you share your disappointments after discovering that these guys were not going to give you a chance unless they slept with you?

I developed a thick skin over the years. I have gone through a lot. I have been on the streets since I was four-years-old. Nothing scares me. Even when I am heartbroken, I cry in my closet to God, because some people will tell you fake sorry. So, I told myself that there would be a time I will produce and direct my own movie.
A pandemic  and an election! View(s):

After hemming and hawing, the World Health Organisation (WHO) eventually announced the coronavirus (COVID-19) was a pandemic  a global disease. The world body is accused of being a week too late, holding back lest it be guilty of sending the world economy into an unnecessary spin.

The Sri Lankan authorities were in a quandary themselves. Partly in denial that the hot weather was a deterrent to the spread of the virus, they also took the utterly ridiculous decision to reopen entry to Chinese nationals saying the epi-centre of the virus had shifted from China to Italy, while yet allowing tourists from Italy to come in freely  under duress from the anxious tourist industry.

The results were seen on Wednesday when news broke that a local tour guide with Italians had contracted the virus, and passed it on to his colleagues triggering panic. Parents stormed a premier Colombo school following the fake news that the guides son was also infected. Others literally stormed city supermarkets, emptying shelves in frenzied buying sprees, many selfishly wanting to stock up buying all the rice, dhal and sugar in sight and all the hand-sanitisers, irrespective of whether others also needed them.

On the other hand, the Tri-Forces were quickly enlisted and quarantine centres established but there seemed little coordinated action and an even less common-sense approach to anticipating a panic situation as we saw on Wednesday resulting in a knee-jerk reaction to close down schools and setting in motion of a string of other steps.

The WHO Declaration of a pandemic, analysts say, was necessitated by world governments, especially in Europe and the United States not getting it on the seriousness of the virus spreading inter-continentally.

Singapore, which was hit very early due to its proximity to China had more than 100 cases by this month but theres not a single fatality reported. The city state has been called the poster child of good governance in handling COVID-19. Taiwan was another good example.

The Singapore Government went into action with its Prime Minister visiting its airport and addressing the nation to reassure the people that they were on top of the situation. The government then began identifying infection clusters zeroing on the transmission routes. It kept in touch with those struck by the virus through WhatsApp and the people were regularly informed throughout the day and night. Singapore did nothing new. It only had to execute the drill it already had in place for SARS previously and whatever infectious diseases come its way from time to time.

The Sri Lankan authorities need to do more to reassure the people that they have the situation under control. Wednesdays panic situation does not augur well for the trust deficiency factor. A mere daily bulletin by the Health Ministry each morning will not suffice in this age of mobile phones and fake news  and a law relating to the prevention of infectious diseases that has a maximum fine of Rs 10,000 for an offence to public health.

With the virus still not having reached its peak globally, from when it is usually expected to come down, local cases are bound to increase in the coming days and weeks. With the virus now sweeping across Europe, the expected peak is in April. That is when Parliamentary elections are due in Sri Lanka. Electioneering through mass rallies; supporters visiting homes with literature in support of their candidates are all part and parcel of local election campaigns.

One of the primary causes of the spread of the virus in Iran, one of the worst affected after China was because during the nascent stages of the virus in that country, it went ahead with a Parliamentary election. Many attribute that to be the cause for its citizens falling prey in their numbers to the coronavirus.

All political parties must come together here in a bi-partisan approach without trying to score cheap political points and see if it is wise to proceed with a Parliamentary election in the midst of this easily spreading virus. A colossal amount of money will be spent on holding an election. Surely the country cannot afford to spend even more on an additional health bill should the virus spin out of control in the country.

This is an exponential threat. A super-spreader  like a tour guide  can contribute to an explosion in different communities throughout the country. A single days delay in decision-making can be crucial.

The old order changeth

The United National Party (UNP), often referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party) has decided to its best to drown separately, rather than drown together.

Following its candidates defeat at last Novembers presidential election, the party went into further remission rather than get together and face adversity jointly.

It is not unusual for parties that face an electoral setback to hit by internal problems. The UNP faced a drubbing at the 1956 election that ushered in a much vaunted apey aanduwa (our government). The UNP faced a similar fate when it was crushed in 1970, but each time, notwithstanding internal issues, it rose, regained the peoples confidence and returned to office.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faced similar issues in 1977 with the party breaking up. It took the party 17 years to return to power and place, thanks to the UNP disintegrating despite being in office. The SLFP, one way or another, has been holding the reins of power ever since.

The internal squabbles within the UNP go back to S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike leaving the party to form the SLFP, Sir John Kotelawelas issues with Dudley Senanayake and Dudley Senanayakes issues with J.R. Jayewardene and J.R. Jayewardenes issues with Rukman Senanayake which saw the formation of a short-lived party. But it was in 1992 that the UNP faced a crippling blow when a formidable group dissatisfied at being sidelined by the then leader broke away and formed a new party.

An old saying is that when elephants fight it is the ants that get trampled, and that would be the plight of the UNPers  and todays SLFPers who are silent spectators at the shenanigans of their leaders. For many such supporters, their loyalties to the party could supersede even their loyalty to their country; to some it is a religion. All this must be a bitter pill to swallow.

In all likelihood, the UNP will be fighting an enemy in front and enemy behind. The SLFP has no alternative but to hang on to its breakaway faction. It seems the old order changeth, yielding place to the new. For better or worse is to be seen. Given the history of breakaway parties, however, it is also possible that after a brief interlude, the old mainstream parties will prevail. There is nothing permanent after all, except change.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that a better system of GSTN with capacity enhancement would be completed by July this year itself.

"A completely enhanced capacity, better system of GSTN with capacity enhancement, with better staff response, better solutions, envisaged and proposed by Nandan Nilekani, has now been decided by the council that it should be completed by July 2020 instead of January 2021," Sitharaman told reporters.

"We have had a series of technical glitches in the system. We are in talks with Infosys to improve the system. It was in this regard that Nandan Nilekani, on behalf of Infosys, made his presentation. A decision has been made to enhance capacity from the peak number of 1.5 lakh to 3 lakh. For this requisition of more skilled manpower and procurement of better hardware has been agreed to by the GST Council," she added.

The due date for filing the annual return and the reconciliation statement for the financial year 2018-19 will be extended till June 30, 2020, Sitharaman said.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates were also revised for certain products at the 39th GST Council meeting held here today.

The GST Council proposed to raise the GST rate on mobile phones and specific parts from 12 per cent to at 18 per cent.

Sitharaman said there will be one rationalised rate of GST at 12 per cent for both hand-made and machine-made matchsticks. The GST rate was 18 per cent on machine-made and 5 per cent on man-made matchboxes.

She said the Council decided to reduce the GST rate on maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services in respect of aircraft from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A second person has died and 39 more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland by the Department of Health.

There are now 129 confirmed cases and two deaths related to Covid-19 in the Republic.

The new cases include 29 males and 10 females.

Read our update in relation to GP services, our call centre and 999/112. While we appreciate peoples concern about #COVID19, we are asking for your patience as we respond to the increasing requirement for testing https://t.co/I87r2bObFs pic.twitter.com/NxEf2dlEZm  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) March 14, 2020

Twenty-one of the cases are in the east of the country, 13 in the south, three in the north-west and two in the west.

Five new positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 34 and the total on the island to 163.

Chief medical officer at the Department of Health Dr Tony Holohan said: I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of the patient who died today.

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said his department is preparing guidance on supports available for landlords and tenants during the crisis.

Mr Murphy said he has spoken to landlord groups and is engaging with tenant groups  saying this will continue over the coming days.

We are working to ensure both landlords and tenants are both protected during this difficult period.
Passion Music on directing people to worship Jesus, fight sickness and anxiety

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Passion Music kicked off 2020 by leading 65,000 students in worshiping Jesus at the Passion 2020 conference and the band believes worship is the answer to the world's troubles today.

Their latest album, Roar, was recorded live at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Passion 2020 conference. The band, led by Kristian Stanfill, Brett Younker, and Melodie Malone ushered in the new decade with a declaration of faith for attendees from across the world.

The Passion 2020 Conference also featured the bands sixstepsrecords label mates: Crowder, Sean Curran, Hillsong United, Kari Jobe, and Cody Carnes. All of the artists are also featured on the Roar album. The 12 song project features songs from the conference as well as the hit songs, "Theres Nothing That Our God Cant Do and "King of Glory.

The following is an edited transcript of The Christian Posts interview with Passion worship leader and songwriter Brett Younker who describes the heart behind their new album and what the band hopes listeners take from the worship experience.

Christian Post: Passion Conference 2020 was attended by 65,000 people who you led in worship. What was that experience like?

Younker: My favorite moment was our final set. We led our favorite songs with all our friends and leaders who were a part of the whole conference. Everything felt so free. You had a real sense that God was stirring up peoples hearts to send them back to their campuses and all over the world.

CP: Passion has such a unique perspective to lead worship and usher 65,000 people into the presence of God. What do you see this generation needing in worship? What are they responding to?

Younker: This generation is searching for identity and validation. What I love about Passion is that we talk about all of that being found in Jesus. We can try and find significance in a relationship, career or even ourselves, but our souls will be disappointed and dissatisfied.

I believe the students at Passion realize that when we say yes to Jesus, we can live for something so much greater than ourselves. In the process, we find out who we are and how our lives can have meaning. Its so inspiring to stand with a generation of students who want to spend their lives living for the glory of God.

CP: People seem to be feeling a sense of anxiety these days with the political and social climate and fear of sickness. How does Passion play a role in this?

Younker: For sure, I believe worship helps our perspective. When you worship you stop staring at your problem or your pain and you look at Jesus. We still have to deal with reality, but we realize we are in a relationship with the King of Glory, the Lord strong and mighty. So we dont have to deal [with it] alone. We have Jesus. Worship music becomes the soundtrack of truth in our life.

CP: How did you become a part of Passion Music?

Younker: I first started coming to Passion as a college student. The message and music played a huge role in my relationship with Jesus. Then, 10 years ago, Passion City Church started here in Atlanta. My wife and I have been a part of it all since day one. We have served in many capacities. Ive always loved being in the worship space.

As a leader, I want to help people see how amazing Jesus really is. Worship is a big part of who we are at Passion. We believe God has called us to help our church and this generation express our love and devotion to God. Its pretty amazing to see how God can use these songs to touch the lives of so many people around the world.

CP: What song on Roar do you feel will resonate with listeners?

Younker: Its been great to see "Theres Nothing That Our God Cant Do resonate with students and our church. I think this song gives people help. Its a statement of faith in the power of God. We are all looking for something to believe in. Because our God has the power over life and death, we can have hope in any circumstance.

CP: How does Passion select the songs for an album?

Younker: We have an amazing team of pastors and leaders who are shepherding these moments. As writers, we are seeking God for the songs He wants to be sung. As the year goes by, our team goes through all the new songs to find out what is the right song for the right time.

This year, we werent trying to put an album together. We wanted to bring a couple of new songs to Passion, but we also wanted to lead with some of the songs the church is currently singing. When we finished the conference, we felt like there were some incredible moments that were worth sharing with others. Im so happy people who werent at Passion 2020 can experience all that Jesus did in those days.

CP: What does the songwriting process look like for Passion?

Younker: When we write songs, we start by kneeling. We pray and ask God to show us who He is and to touch our lives. We ask Him for songs for our church and this movement.

We write as a team and invite some good friends to be a part of the process. We think a lot about the people who God has entrusted us to lead. We want to make sure people see Jesus and His love for them in the songs. We also look for songs that simply tell Jesus how much we love Him and how we surrender our lives to whatever He wants.

CP: What is the one thing you want someone to take away from this project?

Younker: We hope people hear this album and are amazed at who Jesus is and what He is doing on the Earth. This gathering was historic, and the aftermath will be felt for years to come. We want all people to find their place in the big story that Jesus is writing.

CP: Passion is also behind the launch of the END IT movement against human trafficking. Will you tell us more about that?

Younker: Yes! We believe worship is more than singing. When grace touches down into our lives, God moves us out to be a light in the world. The End It movement came out of Passion a few years ago. We have seen real change come from an awareness campaign.

Millions of dollars of been allocated toward fighting human trafficking. In a time where most issues seem divisive, its been amazing to see how unifying the message of freedom has been all over America and the world.

Passion Music is performing on the Winter Jam 2020 tour through mid-March.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 04:30:29|Editor: huaxia

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Police officers salute the cured coronavirus patients who have finished a 14-day quarantine for medical observation at a rehabilitation center in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

China responded very fast and responsibly when the virus first emerged, Maltezou said. This means that China has gained scientific credibility to introduce its experiences to other countries, to the scientific communities there. "China is respected for this," said a top expert of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization, which leads the battle against the novel coronavirus in Greece.

ATHENS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A top expert of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (NPHO), which leads the battle against the novel coronavirus in Greece, commended China on Friday for its response to the outbreak.

"China has taken very impressive measures in order to contain this epidemic. China behaved with responsibility towards the Chinese people, and also the global community," Helena Maltezou, head of the NPHO's Department of Epidemiological Surveillance and Intervention, told Xinhua on Friday on the sidelines of a video conference hosted by the Chinese Embassy here that brought together epidemiological experts from China and their peers from central and eastern Europe.

This, she said, was very important as the rest of the world gained one or even two months before virus started to spread outside China.

During the video conference, the Chinese experts outlined their progress in combating the pandemic and explained their containment strategies.

People wearing masks are seen in downtown Athens, Greece, on March 13, 2020. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

They presented their latest diagnostic and treatment plans, and summed up their experiences in community disease prevention.

"This was very important because the Chinese physicians and scientists have the expertise ... We truly rely on Chinese experience in this issue," Maltezou said.

China responded very fast and responsibly when the virus first emerged, Maltezou said. This means that China has gained scientific credibility to introduce its experiences to other countries, to the scientific communities there. "China is respected for this," Maltezou stressed.

Asked about the challenges entailed in containing the spread of the virus in Greece, where the confirmed cases have rose to 190, she noted that this virus transmits very easily from person to person and may cause serious illnesses and can even be fatal.

Commuters are seen at the Syntagma metro station in downtown Athens, Greece, on March 13, 2020. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

"We try very hard to contain the disease, but now we move to another phase, mitigation as we call it. We have to deal with the disease, and we have already given guidelines to people to stay indoors as much as they can," she added.

The Greek authorities have also closed schools and universities, and introduced strict measures to limit crowds, she noted.

While trying to control the spread of the virus, the experts are also working on a coronavirus vaccine.

"This is very important because we don't know much about this virus, we do not have specific treatments, only empirical treatment, so there is a lot to work ahead," Maltezou said, adding that there is a lot of potential for collaboration in research.

"We would like to collaborate with specific universities or healthcare facilities or hospitals in China in order to promote the exchange of knowledge, but also to work on specific treatments or ways to manage patients," she concluded. 
KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq condemned overnight U.S. air strikes on Friday, with its military saying they had killed six people and describing them as a violation of sovereignty and a targeted aggression against the nation's regular armed forces

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq condemned overnight U.S. air strikes on Friday, with its military saying they had killed six people and describing them as a violation of sovereignty and a targeted aggression against the nation's regular armed forces.

President Barham Salih said repeated such violations could cause Iraq to unravel into a failed state and revive the Islamic State militant group.

The military warned the air strikes would have consequences while the foreign ministry said it summoned the U.S. and British ambassadors.

The United States said it carried out the series of strikes on Thursday against an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq that it blamed for a rocket attack a day earlier which killed two American soldiers and a British soldier.

Long-standing antagonism between the United States and Iran have mostly played out on Iraqi soil in recent months.

"The pretext that this attack came as a response to the aggression that targeted the Taji base is a false pretext; one that leads to escalation and does not provide a solution," Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement.

It said that as well as the six killed, 12 people had been wounded in the U.S. air strikes, and that infrastructure, weapons and equipment at targeted military sites were destroyed.

The Pentagon said the strikes targeted five weapons stores used by Kataib Hezbollah militia, including facilities housing arms used in past attacks on U.S.-led coalition troops.

Official Iraqi casualty figures showed no paramilitary fighters had been killed. The military said three soldiers, two policemen and one civilian were killed, according to an initial toll, and that four soldiers, two policemen, a civilian, and five militiamen were injured.

The civilians killed and wounded were construction workers at an airport building site in the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Kerbala, Iraqi religious authorities said.

PROXY WAR

Around 5,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, most in an advisory capacity, as part of a wider international coalition formed to help Iraq drive back and defeat Islamic State militants.

But the Iraqi military said the new U.S. air attack went against "any partnership" under the coalition. "It will have consequences that subject everyone to the most serious dangers."

Iran's foreign ministry said on Friday that the "presence and behaviour" of U.S. and allied forces in Iraq was to blame for attacks against them.

Iranian-backed paramilitary groups have regularly rocketed and shelled bases in Iraq that host U.S. forces and the area around the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

For its part, the United States has conducted several strikes inside Iraq, killing top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Kataib Hezbollah founder Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January.

Many Iraqis say it is they who stand to suffer most from U.S.-Iranian tensions and some, including acting Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, have called for U.S. troops to withdraw.

Parliament passed a resolution calling for all foreign troops to leave after Soleimani was killed. The recent air strikes could see those calls renewed.

Iraq has suffered decades of war, sanctions and sectarian conflict, including the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

Iraq's security problems will be solved by supporting its government, not turning it into a battlefield for a proxy war, Salih said, warning that Islamic State might seize on any chaos.

"The repeated violations the state is being subjected to are a dangerous and deliberate weakening of its abilities especially at a time when Iraq faces unprecedented challenges on political, economic, financial, security, and health fronts," he said.

Iraq is grappling with anti-government unrest in which almost 500 people have been killed since Oct. 1.

It also faces an unprecedented power vacuum after Abdul Mahdi stood down from most of his duties and his designated successor withdrew his candidacy.

Oil sales make up over 90% of state revenues and Iraq now faces a financial crisis as crude prices have crashed amidst market panic over the spread of coronavirus.

Iraq has recorded 83 coronavirus cases and eight deaths, and is trying to stem the spread of the respiratory illness from Iran, which has suffered one of the world's deadliest outbreaks.

(Reporting Ahmed Saeed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Reforms under consideration by the Louisiana Supreme Court would thrust about six additional judicial misconduct cases into public view in a typical year, using the case volume from the past decade as a benchmark.

The high court is mulling the change in an effort to shine more sunlight into the secretive process under which wayward judges are disciplined in Louisiana. The opacity of the current system has drawn fire since it was revealed last year that Supreme Court Justice Jefferson Hughes managed to win election to the high court despite having been ordered to write at least three secret apology letters to courtroom litigants from his time as a Livingston Parish district judge.

Officials with the Judiciary Commission, which oversees investigations into judicial misconduct, announced late last month that they were deliberating over whether to tinker with their rules, which have largely left the public in the dark. That news came as legislators began to file bills that would force the commission to lift gag orders for those who filed judiciary complaints and to post judges financial disclosures online.

The Supreme Court asked judges and attorneys to weigh in by March 6 on proposals that would make misconduct cases public once the Judiciary Commission has filed a notice of hearing against a judge, and the judge has had the chance to respond. By that point, the Judiciary Commission has made a determination that theres enough evidence to start holding adversarial hearings.

Under long-standing rules that keep investigations secret unless and until the Judiciary Commission seeks discipline, just 2% of the cases that the Judiciary Commission investigated between 2008 and 2018  the latest year for which data is available  became public. The cases that the public learned about accounted for less than 1% of total complaints that the Judiciary Commission received in a given year, usually between 500 and 600.

Our Views: Ethics enforcement too vital to be left to fumbling Supreme Court system Louisianas Supreme Court contends that it is an independent branch of government, so it can set its own rules for ethics enforcement and disclosure.

But within the same time frame, 14% of cases that the Judiciary Commission deemed worthy of investigation reached the notice of hearing stage that the Supreme Court is contemplating as a new threshold for making a case public. The number of cases to trigger a notice of hearing has been as low as 1 and as high as 19.

Using that threshold to make investigations public would shine more light onto judicial misconduct, but it would hardly represent complete transparency, given that only 1 in 50 cases even reach the notice of hearing stage.

Even with such low odds of potential misconduct being outed, judges have apparently been resistant, observers say.

Judges I talk to dont particularly like it, said Dane Ciolino, a Loyola Law School professor and legal ethics expert who frequently defends judges against complaints. He cited a fear of complaints providing fodder for attack flyers and TV ads during election season.

I havent heard anyone say anything favorable about it, he said. They dont like anything being public.

+3 Under legislative pressure, Judiciary Commission mulls more confidentiality changes With multiple bills that target their authority looming in the Legislature, Louisiana Judiciary Commission officials announced Saturday that t

But Ed Walters, the Judiciary Commissions chairman, and Fifth Circuit of Appeal Judge John Molaison, the commissions vice chairman, lauded the proposals in a recent letter. They described the proposals as measures that would help maintain judicial independence, respect the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government, and protect the public who have called for increased transparency.

The first two bullet points likely reflect the judiciarys discomfort with the Legislature playing a role in deciding how judges should be investigated and disciplined.

Even if the Supreme Court chooses to adopt the rule changes, its likely that most complaints will continue to be resolved outside of the public eye.

The Judiciary Commissions rules also allow for judges to receive private reminders, cautions and admonishments before a full hearing, and data suggests those are the paths most often taken. Over the past decade, 86% of cases that the Judiciary Commission investigated were resolved before they reached the notice of hearing stage.

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The commission can also offer a deferred recommendation of discipline agreement to judges under investigation, in which a judge agrees to accept a private admonishment and to perform a penance in exchange for keeping the matter under wraps.

+13 Recent judge scandals prompt legislators to ask for more sunlight on judicial misconduct Louisianas judges have promised the Legislature over and over again that they can clean up their own scandals and hold themselves to an ethic

If the Supreme Court adopts the proposal, its possible the public could learn about reminders, cautions or admonishments on the rare occasion that those dispositions are the outcome of a hearing, rather than a tool that judges accept to avoid hearings to begin with.

The Judiciary Commissions proposed rule changes could also limit judges to a maximum of one private admonishment within five years, but with a couple of caveats: both the judge on the receiving end and the Supreme Court would have to approve of issuing a public admonishment.

What is public before the Court approves and what is public if the Court denies the issuance of the public admonishment are details that are still under consideration, said Supreme Court spokesman Robert Gunn.

If the judge under investigation does not accept a public admonishment, the Judiciary Commission would move to the next phase in its process, potentially by calling for a fuller investigation or releasing a notice of hearing.

Ciolino argued that the 5-year window is arbitrary and if the conduct is so minor that they gave an admonition, there shouldnt be a limit on how many of them stay secret.

Everybody makes mistakes, he said.

While State Rep. Jerome Zee Zeringue, R-Houma, has also filed a bill to increase Judiciary Commission transparency, it also would allow the Judiciary Commission to keep its options open for privately scolding judges before filing a notice of hearing. His bill would limit judges to a single private admonishment per term  one in 10 years for appeals court judges and Supreme Court justices, one in six years for district and lower court judges.

The first one is kind of like a mulligan, allowing them the opportunity to address it with a judge, Zeringue said. But my intent is, once there is a second one, it becomes public and all aspects of the first one become public  Were being somewhat generous in allowing the commission or the Supreme Court to address a particular problem with a judge.

Zeringues bill goes further than the Judiciary Commissions proposed rule changes in other ways.

Our Views: Burying the judges' disclosure forms is embarrassment for Supreme Court In 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature pledged the state to attain the gold standard of ethics in government.

His bill would allow those who have filed complaints to discuss them at any time; the Supreme Court until recently barred people from discussing those complaints forever, unless they resulted in public discipline. Under pressure, the Supreme Court eased those rules last year to allow people to discuss complaints once a file was closed or once a notice of hearing was filed  unless the Judiciary Commission explicitly prohibits them from doing so.

Zeringues bill would also make all deferred recommendation of discipline agreements public, regardless of whether such an agreement came before or after a notice of hearing. And notices to begin adversarial proceedings would automatically become public. The Judiciary Commissions proposal would only make those notices public once a judge responds, and the notices would remain private if a judge resigns or retires after receiving one.

Zeringue is also asking the Legislature to consider putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would give lawmakers constitutional authority to regulate the Judiciary Commissions confidentiality rules. The Louisiana Constitution currently leaves that job to the Louisiana Supreme Court, setting up a clash between judges and legislators over separation of powers.
Maharashtra Minister of State for



Home Shambhuraj Desai on Saturday said 603 people staying in the state illegally have been sent back to Bangladesh in the last four years.

Speaking in the Legislative Council, Desai said 3,341 people staying in the state have been accused of being Bangladeshi nationals.

"As many as 3,431 persons are accused of being Bangladeshi nationals, of which 603 have been sent back to their country after completing due procedures. A total of 660 cases have been lodged against people for not having Indian citizenship," he said.

Desai informed the House that 22 Bangladeshi citizens were found last month in Arnala area, some 60 kilometres from Mumbai.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Joe Biden held a town hall in Illinois - or at least tried to - from 800 miles away in Delaware, but it was fraught with issues as his livestream started after his speech began and then cut out just five minutes in.

The Biden campaign scrapped plans for a Chicago rally ahead of Illinois' Tuesday primary due to warnings from public and health officials against large gatherings.

Instead, the Democratic front-runner was supposed to take questions Friday in a virtual town hall via Facebook live.

But it was a rocky start. The livestream started after Biden had begun speaking, cutting off his introduction, and at one point Biden - holding a cell phone in his hand - turned and walked partially off camera, so viewers could no longer see his face.

The stream lasted less than five minutes before wrapping up, with the campaign apologizing for 'technical difficulties.'

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden holds a virtual town hall for Illinois - while 800 miles away in Delaware. He stayed in the frame for most of the livestream, but walks out of the shot while answering a question

'I'm sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections,' Biden said after answering a question about protecting endangered species. 'There's a lot more to say but I've already probably said too much to you.'

While Biden tried to go digital, Bernie Sanders is staging daily news conferences from Vermont, instead of his usual rallies around the country with thousands of supporters.

During his daily briefings, Sanders has blasted President Donald Trump and his administration's response to the virus. Biden did the same in an address Thursday.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Sanders was subdued - the emotional opposite of the big rallies that have helped fuel his support at the polls. He drew over 10,000 people at a Chicago rally on Saturday, before officials starting warning against large events. Sanders said his team has mastered the use of internet campaigning, livestreaming almost all of its events already.

COVID-19 causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people. It can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, for some people, especially older adults and those with existing health problems. Most people recover from it. Those with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.

Lally Doerrer, left, and neighbors Douglas and Marlene Groll, watch Joe Biden during his Illinois virtual town hall, in her living room

Lally Doerrer, right, and Katharine Hildebrand watch Joe Biden during his Illinois virtual town hall, in Doerrer's living room Friday

Douglas Groll takes a sandwich to his sofa as he watches Joe Biden's virtual town hall

With the coronavirus causing a sea change in presidential campaigning, candidates and their supporters worry that the virtual events won't have the same impact.

'We do more rallies than anybody else, and (they're) often very well attended. I love to do them,' Sanders told reporters at a hotel in his home state of Vermont. 'This coronavirus has obviously impacted our ability to communicate with people in the traditional way that we do. That's hurting.'

In Chicago, Biden volunteer Lally Doerrer was preparing to have a few other supporters over to her home Friday to watch the virtual town hall. The retiree finished an online MBA program a few years ago and said it helped familiarize her with technology like virtual classrooms and the potential for it to reach many more people than a rally.

And while she believes canceling large gatherings is the right thing to do, she doesn't think the virtual events will have the same impact as when people come together in person.

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks to reporters about coronavirus Thursday March 12, 2020, in Burlington, Vt. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

'There is a common physical element that comes from being face to face, or better yet marching side by side, and that's what is lost in this,' Doerrer said.

At Biden headquarters, Friday is the last day before the campaign moves to a work-at-home model for everyone, from the most senior advisers to the newest organizer.

The policy extends to field offices around the country, as well - just as the campaign was looking to build out the campaign toward a potential general election matchup against President Donald Trump. Trump himself has canceled rallies, for now.

Biden advisers are reluctant to talk about what the coming weeks may look like, mostly because they dont know.

They have not announced a public schedule beyond Friday's town hall and a similar event in Miami on Monday, both replacing scheduled rallies ahead of Tuesday primaries.

If anything, those events are tryouts for a new style, while aides continue monitoring public health advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been more than 2,200 positive cases of coronavirus in the US as of Friday

In a staff memo, Anita Dunn, Biden's top strategist, and Jen OMalley Dillon, his new campaign manager, said that as of Thursday, that guidance still suggests that 'small gatherings are safe,' as long as no exposed persons participate. 'We will continue to hold smaller events like roundtables, house parties and press statements,' besides the virtual events.

It's not the first time this election cycle that candidates have had to get creative about reaching voters.

Stuck in Washington for Trump's impeachment trial in the weeks before the kickoff Iowa caucuses, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar held telephone town halls with Iowa voters, and Sanders held nightly online chats where he spoke to supporters via live stream, offering updates on the impeachment trial and his campaign.

Klobuchar, who said over 12,000 Iowa voters participated in one of her telephone town halls, also spoke via phone to voters in New Hampshire, the second state to vote. Warren held similar calls with voters in New Hampshire and South Carolina ahead of those states' primaries, as she campaigned elsewhere.

She suggested later while campaigning in person that she'd reached thousands of voters that way, but her campaign never released figures on how many people actually dialed in.

Biden has held at least one virtual fundraiser, a rather uneventful telephone gathering on Dec. 5, when he called in and essentially delivered a modified version of a stump speech that hes since overhauled.

Last week, he called in to a fundraiser being held at a private residence in northern Virginia. Donors heard in person from former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, whos endorsed Biden, and Steve Ricchetti, one of his closest and longest-serving advisers, before the former vice president called in.
Update: There are 47 cases in the state as of Saturday afternoon.

Four new coronavirus cases have been reported in Pennsylvania, bringing the total to 45 cases in the Keystone State.

The state Department of Health reported the four new cases Saturday morning. The four new cases all involve adults: two from Montgomery County, one from Philadelphia and one from Chester County.

Of the 45 cases in the commonwealth, 39 are presumptive positive and six have been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: four in Montgomery County, one in Delaware County and one in Wayne County.

So far, three cases have been tested as positive in Cumberland County; two of those cases involve adults and one involves a child.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



The coronavirus outbreak is drastically altering life in Pennsylvania. On Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all schools to close for two weeks. State officials are also recommending people avoid some recreational activities, such as going to movies or gyms.

The health department said Saturday morning that more than 340 patients identified for testing and more than 145 of those have tested negative for COVID-19. More than 100 tests are pending, the department said. There have been no fatalities reported in Pennsylvania.

So far, there are 2,175 cases and 47 deaths in the United States. New York City reported its first coronavirus death Saturday morning.

Symptoms of the COVID-19 can include fever, cough and shortness of breath, the health department says. The symptoms may emerge in two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

More from PennLive

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UTICA, N.Y.  The Rising Phoenix Holdings Corporation and The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties both matched $50,000 in donations to Halloween storm victims, making $150,000 available for residents affected by the floods.

Rising Phoenix announced in November it would match $50,000 in donations to The Community Foundation for flood assistance. Once the $100,000 was committed, The Community Foundation contributed an additional $50,000.

A business stepped up, the community responded, and the success of this effort reminds us how our community responds to help those in need, said Community Foundation President Alicia Dicks. Were pleased that donors, Rising Phoenix and The Community Foundation came together to make a difference.

These funds are available to home and business owners in Herkimer and Oneida counties.
With Lehigh University students gone from campus due to the new coronavirus, Bethlehem has postponed the temporary closure of Packer Avenue, the citys mayor announced Friday.

The Southside university wants to close the road permanently, to make the campus more friendly to pedestrians and funnel more foot traffic off the mountain and into the Southside business district.

A temporary closure of Packer Avenue, between Vine and Webster streets, was planned for 45 days this spring, after being narrowly approved in February by Bethlehem City Council. The test was to show the closures impact on traffic patterns, parking and pedestrian usage.

Lehighs campus is still open during spring break, but on Wednesday the school announced that starting March 16, all courses will be taught remotely for the remainder of the semester, the dorms will be closed and large gatherings prohibited.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Mayor Bob Donchez said with the university students gone, the test road closure, and subsequent traffic and parking studies, are postponed until a later date.

The road will remain closed through this weekend, but work will be done to reopen Packer Avenue by March 23.

Lehigh University spokeswoman Lori Friedman said the university was aware of the change, and a new date for the temporary closure has not been determined.

Due to the recent news of Lehigh Universitys closure for the reminder of the semester,the test road closure and... Posted by Bob Donchez on Friday, March 13, 2020

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
People lined up for their share of the "miracle liquid" being poured from kettles into 'kulhads', believing that it will protect them from coronavirus or cure them in case they have already been infected. It was not a medicine or herbal concoction being served in the clay cups but cow urine.

After consuming a glass of cow urine at the 'gaumutra party' held here on Saturday, Swami Chakrapani, who claims to be president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha that organised the event at its premises here, claimed that coronavirus is an "avatar" that has come to punish those who eat non-vegetarian food.

Asking for forgiveness from the virus on behalf of meat eaters, he pledged that Indians will never eat meat again.

"Coronavirus has come because of the people who kill and eat animals. When you kill an animal, it creates a sort of energy that causes destruction in that place. This is the reason why it is spreading in the entire world," he claimed.

His comments came even as the central government has asked people not to pay attention to "false rumours" that the novel coronavirus was spreading through non-vegetarian food like eggs, chicken, mutton and seafood.

Union Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh told reporters on March 6 the World Organisation for Animal Health as well as Indian food safety regulator FSSAI have said there was no scientific evidence to prove transmission of coronavirus from animals to humans.

"The false rumour has hit thousands of farmers engaged in this business. The livelihood of farmers and the people engaged in the entire value chain have been affected. I humbly request people not to fall prey to such rumours," the minister had said.

While medical practitioners across the world have said there is no cure as such for coronavirus, Chakrapani claimed that cow urine is the "only cure" for COVID-19 and requested global leaders to consume the "miracle liquid" and lead by example in the fight against the contagious viral disease.

"All our leaders and officials consume 'gaumutra'. But they do so behind closed doors and when they are sick. It doesn't work like that," he said, insisting that cow urine should be consumed on a daily basis to keep diseases at bay.

"They (leaders) are ashamed of the gift gods have given us. Cow urine is pure elixir. Every person should drink it."



The event began with a 'yagna' and prayers to the cow and the virus itself, asking it to leave peacefully and not kill any more people. A large poster in the backdrop depicted an avatar of Hindu god Narsingh as coronavirus.

Chakrapani emphasised that global leaders should import 'gau mutra' from India as the cow giving the "miracle elixir" must be of an Indian breed only.

"They (global leaders) should get cow urine imported from India because the almighty resides only in the Indian cow and not in any foreign breed," the Mahasabha chief said.

"I request all the presidents and prime ministers of the world to take cow urine on a daily basis. You have all these scientists who don't know the cure, we have the cure given to us by the gods," he claimed.

Kriti Bhushan, former DG of Directorate General of Health Services, told PTI there is no scientific evidence behind claims that cow urine can cure coronavirus.

"In medical science, we only call something a cure after testing it on a 100 people or more. This is a unilateral claim and has no basis to it. In fact, currently there's no cure available for coronavirus. A lot of scientists are continuously working to find a solution," he said.

Rajesh Sharma, a volunteer at the event, vouched for its "miraculous" properties while offering the drink to others around him.

"You have just one glass today and by tomorrow morning you will know the difference. Gaumutra can cure all diseases, I can give it to you in writing," Sharma claimed.

Savita, a housewife from Paschim Vihar, came all the way to attend the 'gaumutra party'.

"I drink gaumutra on a daily basis, there is nothing healthier than this. Everyone in my family drinks it," she said while sipping from a glass full of cow urine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump tested negative for the novel coronavirus on Saturday after saying he would "likely" get tested for the disease gripping the globe.

Several hours after Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency on Friday, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan aid package to help ease the economic pain of COVID-19.

As of Saturday night, there were more than 2,900 confirmed cases in the U.S. and at least 59 coronavirus-related deaths, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and ABC News reporting.

Globally, there are over 156,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 5,800 deaths.

Tune into ABC News Live at noon ET every weekday for the latest news, context and analysis on the novel coronavirus, with resources from the full ABC News team.

Saturday's biggest developments:

Trump tests negative, White House says

US travel ban extended to UK, Ireland House passes COVID-19 stimulus package Apple closing all stores outside of China US death toll rises to 59

PHOTO: Servpro workers file in to begin a third day of cleaning at Life Care Center of Kirkland, a long-term care facility linked to several confirmed coronavirus cases, in Kirkland, Wash., March 13, 2020. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

Here's how the news unfolded on Saturday. All times Eastern.

10:37 p.m. Oregon announces 1st death

The first person to die of coronavirus in Oregon was announced by Gov. Kate Brown on Saturday night.

Brown said in a statement that the person was "a veteran in Multnomah County with underlying health conditions." No further details were provided.

"When several more Oregonians are at this moment battling COVID-19, I ask you to join me in honoring this person's memory by taking the steps we know are necessary to prevent the further spread of this disease," Brown said in a statement. "By taking action together, we can help to slow the rate of infection and protect our friends, neighbors, and loved ones who are most vulnerable."

Multnomah County is in northwest Oregon and contains Portland, the state's biggest city.

8:46 p.m. 3rd NBA player tests positive

Story continues

Christian Wood, of the Detroit Pistons, has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wood is the third NBA player to test positive -- following Utah's Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell -- and first not on the Jazz.

The 24-year-old tangled with Gobert, a fellow center, in the paint in a game last week. He was averaging 13.1 points per game until the season was abruptly halted on Wednesday.

Gobert announced Saturday he would be donating $500,000 to people affected by the coronavirus, including workers at the Jazz's home arena.

PHOTO: Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood dunks against the Utah Jazz on March 7, 2020, in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports)

8:33 p.m. New Jersey announced 2nd death

New Jersey, which announced 69 positive cases of coronavirus in the state earlier in the day, announced its second death Saturday night.

Gov. Phil Murphy said it was a woman in her 50s who was being treated in Monmouth County.

Sad to announce our second death of an individual with #COVID19 - a female in her 50s who was being treated at @CentraState Medical Center in Monmouth County. Please wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing. We will get through this together.  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 15, 2020

There have now been 58 deaths in the country, including 10 announced on Saturday.

7:26 p.m. Trump tests negative for coronavirus

President Donald Trump tested negative for coronavirus, according to a memorandum from his physician.

Sean. P Conley, the president's physician, said that Trump "remains symptom-free" after a dinner with Brazilian delegation, some of whom later tested positive, at Mar-a-Lago a week ago.

"Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed," Conley said in the letter. "This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative."

7:13 p.m. Georgia postpones presidential primary

Georgia election officials said that the state's Democratic and Republican presidential primaries will be moved from March 24 to May 19.

"Events are moving rapidly and my highest priority is protecting the health of our poll workers, their families, and the community at large," Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement. He added that in-person voting presents an "increased risk to voters and poll workers."

The announcement comes only a day after Louisiana postponed its April 4 presidential primary to June 20 over growing fears of the pandemic. It was the first state to change its presidential primary.

Election officials in four states holding their elections Tuesday -- Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio -- said those elections will go forward as planned.

6:51 p.m. NJ mayor says town is 'ground zero,' asks residents to self-quarantine

Mohammed Hameeduddin, the mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey, told ABC News that he is requesting all residents self-quarantine and only leave their homes for food and medicine.

Hameeduddin said that his town is "ground zero" for the infections in the state. At the moment, Teaneck has 18 cases of COVID-19, but he believes people have been walking around with the virus for the past four weeks.

In coordination with the county emergency management and executive, the decision was made to close all schools, municipal buildings, parks and other places people can congregate.

The mayor said that the town's more than 41,000 residents should stay home, avoid interaction and assume that if they were to leave that they would become infected.

6:42 p.m. Deaths in US rise to 57

With three more deaths in Washington state and the first reported deaths in Louisiana and Virginia, 57 Americans have now died because of the coronavirus.

Two deaths in New York and two deaths in Florida were reported also on Saturday.

5:45 p.m. Severe restrictions put in place in European nations

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a "declaration of emergency" and severe restrictions for the country of some 46 million people.

Citizens will not be allowed to circulate in public for 15 days, except to buy food, go to a pharmacy or a hospital, or to go to work, should teleworking not be an option, Sanchez said, addressing the nation. People also will be permitted to circulate if it's to help vulnerable people, including children, the elderly or the disabled.

During this time, public transportation will be reduced by 50%.

PHOTO: People gather at a cafe's terrace in Le Touquet, France, ahead of the closure of all non-essential public places to contain the coronavirus, on March 14, 2020. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

In France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced at a press conference the decision to close all places that receive the public and are "not essential to the continuity of the life of the nation."

This includes restaurants, cafes and cinemas, all of which will be closed until further notice. Places of worship will remain open, but religious gatherings will be postponed. Public transportation will continue, and municipal elections are still scheduled for Sunday.

Berlin enacted similar restrictions, with all public and non-public events in Berlin now prohibited to have crowds of 50 or more.

Restaurants, bars, theaters, museums, places of prostitution and similar places of entertainment will be shut down until further notice. There are exceptions: Restaurants that prepare food on site can remain open, but they'll be required to keep the tables 1.5 meters, about 5 feet, apart.

For public and non-public events with up to 50 persons, organizers must keep an attendance list with everyone's name, postal address and telephone number. The list must be kept for at least four weeks and must be handed over in full at the request of the public health department.

5 p.m. Virus costs US $17 billion in GDP: Moody's

COVID-19-related disruptions to the economy through Friday have cost the U.S. economy approximately $17 billion in gross domestic product, according to Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.

If conditions continue through March, it could erase as much as $120 billion, roughly 2.3%, in GDP, amounting to "a serious recession," Zandi said in a note to investors. "And even this assumes nothing else breaks under the stresses the financial system and economy are now under."

"The only shot we have of heading off a recession," he continued, "would be for the Trump administration and Congress to agree to a large (at least $400 billion), well-thought-out fiscal stimulus package" in addition to the fiscal package approved on Friday.

That new package, Zandi said, would need to be implemented by early April.

3:35 p.m. Preventive measures announced in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced new measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, including the closing down of numerous public spaces until further notice.

Restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms will shutter on Sunday. Supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and banks will remain open.

Netanyahu said that gatherings of 10 people or fewer will still be allowed.

After announcing on Friday that schools and universities would be closed indefinitely, he said kindergarten classes will now also be closed.

3:26 p.m. Macy's employee tests positive

A part-time employee at Macy's Herald Square location in New York City has tested positive, the company said in a statement.

"This colleague has NOT been in the store for the last two weeks and has NOT been in direct contact with colleagues or customers since experiencing symptoms," the company said.

Macy's said it doesn't believe there's a risk to colleagues or customers and that all stores "are operating with enhanced cleaning standards."

3:18 p.m. Trudeau's wife 'doing very well'

Trump tweeted that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie, is "doing very well" after testing positive.

Just had a nice conversation with Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau of Canada. Great to hear that his wonderful wife Sophie is doing very well. The United States and Canada will continue to coordinate closely together on COVID-19.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

3:06 p.m. RNC Chairwoman tested after experiencing flu-like symptoms

Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, is being tested after experiencing a fever and flu-like symptoms, according to an RNC spokesman.

McDaniel, the niece of Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, went to a hospital and was tested for flu and strep. Both tests came back negative, said the spokesman, Michael Ahrens, who added that everyone who'd been in contact with McDaniel is being notified.

She and her family are quarantining at home.

1:46 p.m. Archdiocese of New York cancels masses

The Archdiocese of New York has canceled masses beginning this weekend. No time frame was given for when they'd resume.

The decision follows Dutchess County announcing that gatherings of more than 20 people are prohibited, according to a statement from the Archdiocese.

Churches, however, will remain open for private prayer and a private Mass will be livestreamed on the St. Patricks Cathedral website.

Let us pray for all who are sick, as well as doctors, nurses, caregivers and all those working hard to combat the disease," said Timothy Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of New York. "We should also remember those whose lives have been otherwise disrupted, especially anyone who has lost income from a loss of work during this difficult time.

1:24 p.m. Death toll in Italy rises

There have been 175 deaths in Italy over the last 24 hours, raising the total to 1,441.

The number of positive cases has now reached 17,750 and more than 109,000 tests have been issued, according to local authorities.

1:14 p.m. Pompeo 'in good health'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is "is in good health" and following the advice of physicians, a department spokesperson said, after he was potentially exposed to the virus on a recent trip to Ethiopia.

It's unclear whether Pompeo took a test for COVID-19. The spokesperson also said that all State Department travel is permitted only if "mission critical," and senior agency officials must approve all travel.

State Department personnel in Washington and overseas are also now permitted to telework and use "other workplace flexibilities," like rotational schedules and virtual meetings, according to the spokesperson -- joining other federal agencies in implementing contingency plans for its nearly 76,000 employees.

12:39 p.m. Trump says he got tested

Trump said on Saturday that he has taken a COVID-19 test and is awaiting the results.

Trump, who said on Friday he'd "most likely get tested," said he's unsure when his results will come back.

His temperature was taken, and he said it was "totally normal."

On Friday, Trump said he'd "most likely" get tested.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump gives a press briefing about the coronavirus (COVID-19) alongside members of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, in Washington, March 14, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

12:33 p.m. Travel ban extended to UK and Ireland

The U.S. travel ban currently in place for parts of Europe has been extended to the UK and Ireland, Vice President Mike Pence confirmed.

The president said on Friday he was considering adding the U.K.

Trump announced last week a ban on some travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days. The area Trump restricted is known as the Schengen zone and is made up of 26 countries including Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

12:23 p.m. Press member turned away from White House briefing

A member of the press was turned away from a White House briefing because his temperature was too high.

Several photographers and reporters, including an ABC News reporter, saw him turned away outside the briefing room doors. That man, who declined to disclose his name or media outlet, was led away from the premises.

Vice President Mike Pences press secretary, Katie Miller, later tweeted: According to the White House Medical Unit, the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period - all three registered above the @CDCgov 100.4 guidelines.

According to the White House Medical Unit, the temperature was taken three times over a 15 minute period - all three registered above the @CDCgov 100.4 guidelines. https://t.co/E2uORqvcxS  Katie Miller (@VPPressSec) March 14, 2020

12:15 p.m. Google appears to downplay Trump's statement on website

Google said it was in the "early stages" of developing a tool to help testing, contradicting President Donald Trump's announcement yesterday that "it's going to be very quickly done."

Verily, which was previously Google Life Sciences, did not provide details on the tool, only saying there was a plan to test it in the Bay Area "with the hope of expanding more broadly over time."

It struck a much different tone than Trump's address Friday, in which he thanked Google for "helping to develop a website. It's going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past, to determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location."

11:46 a.m. State of emergency declared in Georgia

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a public health state of emergency.

The governor said the declaration will help health and emergency management officials across the state by "deploying all available resources for the mitigation and treatment of COVID-19."

"Over the past few weeks, our state has been facing an unprecedented public health threat with the spread of novel coronavirus," Kemp said. "In only a matter of days, communities within the metro-Atlanta area and North Georgia have seen several cases, including hospitalizations, where the source of infection is unknown."

There are at least 66 cases in the state, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

11:34 a.m. CVS announces strategy

CVS said it is working on conducting tests in the parking lots of selected stores.

The announcement comes a day after Trump said private sector companies, including CVS, would be involved in addressing the crisis.

The company said although details are still being worked out, customers inside the store would not be affected by the tests.

"Individuals being tested will not have to leave their cars," CVS said in a statement. "We look forward to sharing more details as they become available."

11:12 a.m. 2 large grocery store chains to close early

Publix and Harris Teeter grocery stores announced they will close early, starting this weekend.

All Publix Super Markets are adjusting store and pharmacy hours, shutting down at 8 p.m. starting Saturday until further notice, according to a company statement. Harris Teeter stores will close at 9 p.m. until further notice, beginning Sunday, according to a statement posted to Twitter.

Both grocers said closing earlier gives them more time to sanitize stores.

PHOTO: Publix supermarket in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., March 13, 2020. (Newscom)

11:07 a.m. 'Priority calls' only for Colorado police

Police in Aurora, Colorado, will only respond to "priority calls" for service amid the pandemic, the department said in a Facebook post.

A priority call is defined as "any situation where there is a crime in a progress," according to the statement.

"We are taking these measures in an abundance of caution for your safety as well as the safety of our officers," the department said. "Police Officers frequently are in contact with many citizens, and we want to minimize the potential of our daily interactions from causing an exposure risk to you."

Citizens are encouraged to use the department's online reporting system, which can be found here.

11:02 a.m. House Republican says Trump should be tested

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said it "should go without saying" that Trump should be tested for novel coronavirus.

This should go without saying. The President should be tested, especially if he is going to continue to meet with people who are running the national response, and be near the Vice President. https://t.co/NBBnyxPyPf  Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) March 14, 2020

10:17 a.m. Cuomo announces 1st death in New York

An 82-year-old woman has died in a New York City hospital after arriving March 3. She had an underlying respiratory illness, emphysema, for which she was been previously hospitalized. There are now 524 cases of COVID-19 in New York state.

A second death in New York was reported later on Saturday.

9:45 a.m. Bolsonaro will isolate for a week, get tested again

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's press office has confirmed that he will self-isolate for a week, after which he will seek another test.

This comes after four members of his delegation during last weekend's trip to meet Trump at Mar-a-Lago now have tested positive for COVID-19. Bolsonaro on Friday denied Brazilian press reports that he too, had tested positive, calling it "fake news." His office still won't say whether he's tested positive. His next test is scheduled for Friday.

9:44 a.m. Obituaries fill Italian newspaper

The obituary section is making up most of Saturday's edition of the Bergamo Eco. The section is 10 full pages.

The tradition in Bergamo, an Italian city northeast of Milan, is to still put death notices in the paper and posters on the street. The population of Bergamo is roughly 120,000.

9:28 a.m. Iran closes 2 major shrines for pilgrims

Iran closed the holy shrine of Fatima Masoumeh in Qom and the great mosque of Jamkaran, also close to Qom, after over three weeks of the first coronavirus infection reported. The shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad is also to be closed for three days.

The shrines closed amid controversy between health officials and religious conservatives over the closings.

5:41 a.m. Pentagon restricts domestic travel for service members

New travel restrictions approved Friday by the Department of Defense limit all domestic travel for service members, their families and DoD civilians.

The new rule, an attempt to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, goes into effect on Monday and will last through May 11.

Even service members who have orders to move to new assignments or bases in the U.S. will not be allowed to move while the restrictions are in place, according to the DoD.

The Pentagon also announced, effective midnight Sunday, that it's restricting who enters the Pentagon. All tours, unofficial visits and all international visits have ended.

Additionally, any military member or civilian employee who has carried out recent foreign travel will not be allowed into the building until they have completed 14 days back in the U.S.

3:04 a.m. Apple closing all stores outside China

Apple CEO Tom Cook announced early Saturday morning that all of his company's stores outside of greater China would close until March 27.

"The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting every one of us," Cook said in a statement. "At Apple, we are people first, and we do what we do with the belief that technology can change lives and the hope that it can be a valuable tool in a moment like this."

In an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus and treat those who are sick, Cook said Apple has donated $15 million.

"There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment," Cook said. "... As President Lincoln said in a time of great adversity: 'The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.'"

1:24 a.m. House passes stimulus package

With a 363 to 40 vote, the House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday.

The bill, which is an economic aid package designed to help ease the financial pain of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be considered by the Senate on Monday.

PHOTO: The Washington Monument is visible as a man walks along the drained Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, Friday, March 13, 2020, in Washington. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

"Senators will need to carefully review the version just passed by the House," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement Saturday. "But I believe the vast majority of Senators in both parties will agree we should act swiftly to secure relief for American workers, families, and small businesses."

The cost of the bill is unknown, however, the bill includes $1 billion for National Disaster Medical System to reimburse people without health insurance, $82 million for Defense beneficiaries, $64 million for Indian Health Service and $60 million for veterans.

"This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers," Trump tweeted Monday prior to the vote. "I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt."

12:21 a.m. Trump physician says quarantine, COVID-19 test 'not currently indicated' for president

Despite coming into contact with multiple people who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, Trump's physician said late Friday night that a home quarantine or COVID-19 test are "not currently indicated."

Last week while hosting the Brazilian delegation at Mar-a-Lago, Trump came in close contact with at least two people who later tested positive for the virus, according to Trump physician Dr. Sean Conley.

One person only had a brief interaction with the president -- a handshake and photograph -- and began to show symptoms three days after the interaction. The other shared a table with the president, but Conley said that person was symptom-free until Friday. Both interactions are defined as "low risk" for transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Given the president himself remains without symptoms, testing for COIVD-19 is not currently indicated," Conley wrote Friday. "I will continue to closely monitor and care for the president."

What to know about coronavirus:

How it started and how to protect yourself: coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the US and worldwide: coronavirus map

ABC News' Ben Gittleson, John Santucci, Katherine Faulders, John Parkinson, Luis Martinez, Clayton Sandell, Phoebe Natanson, Ibtissem Guenfoud, Bruno Nota, Sarah Hucal, Jason Volack, Rebecca Jarvis, Joshua Hoyos and Ben Siegel contributed to this report.

President Trump tests negative for coronavirus; travel ban extended; 3rd NBA player tests positive originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A "unicorn" puppy has gone from 36 followers to nearly 56,000 on Instagram in only a few short days, and a video of her has been viewed nearly 4 million times on TikTok.

Rae -- or ear spelled backwards -- is a golden retriever with one distinct physical feature: She has one ear that sticks out of the top of her head like a unicorn horn.

Shortly after her birth, she was critically injured and had to be taken to the Family Friends Veterinary Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Brianna Vorhees, who is a receptionist at the hospital, was immediately drawn to her.

"I lost my precious golden retriever Loki to lymphoma last year at 4 years old, so I had a heart for golden retrievers to begin with," Vorhees told CNN.

"Breeders surrender (puppies) to vet techs often if they can't take care of them full-time. I said if a golden retriever ever comes in, I'm going to want to take care of it and raise it. When they found out she'd need 24-hour care, I have a heart for golden retrievers, and I just knew that she was meant for me, essentially."

The breeder isn't sure what happened but suspects that Rae's mother was cleaning off the placenta or amniotic sack and was a little too aggressive. Rae's entire ear was gone and all that was left was the canal with all of the skin peeled off.

Rae had to have major surgery only hours after her birth. The hospital staff wasn't sure if he would make it, but they hoped the surgery would give her a fighting chance.

"She was really in a fragile state, we didn't know if she was even going to survive beyond 48 hours," Vorhees told CNN.

Despite having to undergo emergency surgery and require around-the-clock care after birth, she would go on to make a full recovery with a lone stray ear that sticks out of the top.

"We're assuming because of the sutures is why the ear migrated to the top of her head," Vorhees said. "I think as her skin grew, and she started to grow, that it just kind of migrated up there."

Vorhees' colleagues began to call her unicorn, and her husband thought of the name Rae.

Samantha Smith, a veterinary technician at Family Friends Veterinary Hospital, posted a video of Rae on the social media platform TikTok, which made her a star on social media.

That video currently has 3.8 million views.

Rae turns 12 weeks old today, and Vorhees said that she has no issues with hearing or pain.

"She can hear and plays in day care here at work almost every day," Vorhees said. "She has best friends and is the most confident puppy ever. She's a normal puppy, just with one ear."

Rae gets a lot of weird stares, with people asking what type of breed she is, not realizing that she's a golden retriever. But that doesn't make Vorhees love her any less.

"She was a positive outlet for me," Vorhees said. "I was going through a terrible time with a lot of transitions in my life personally, and Rae was a very positive distraction from a lot of things that were taking place in my life. She's actually the one who saved me. I could focus on her to take care of her to love and get love back, and she was that for me, and kind of that's why she means so much to me."

Vorhees was pregnant with her now 2-year-old son when her dog Loki was diagnosed with lymphoma, and she's happy that her son will be able to grow up with Rae.
Mumbai, March 14 : While film industries the world over are cancelling shooting schedules, release dates and other associated events owing to the global coronavirus pandemic, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan doesn't seem to have problems going ahead with the shoot of his upcoming film "Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai".

Shooting of the film, co-starring Disha Patani, continues unabated in the city, and the makers insist they are strictly adhering to the safety norms of World Health Organisation (WHO). It seems the makers aim to complete shooting by the end of March, according to filmibeat.com.

"Safety guidelines as issued by WHO will be followed on the film's set," a source said, according to a Mumbai Mirror report.

While a chunk of the shoot has been completed in Mumbai and Goa, the current schedule includes some patchwork and a song being filmed on Salman and Disha, filmibeat.com added.

"Radhe" is directed by Prabhu Deva, who earlier called the shots on the Salman Khan films "Wanted" (2009) and "Dabangg 3" (2019). Salman and Disha were seen together in last year's "Bharat".

"Radhe" is said to be a Bollywood remake of the 2017 Korean action thriller, "The Outlaws". The film casts Salman as a cop, and also features Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles.

The film is set to clash with the Akshay Kumar-starrer horror comedy "Laxmmi Bomb" during the Eid weekend this year.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
It has now been four weeks since voters went to the polls and returned one of the most divided Dail's in the history of the State.

In the immediate wake of the election it was obvious that forming a government would be a long and arduous task.

Looking back to 2016 a wait of several months seemed likely. Now, with the three main parties seemingly engaged in a talks stand-off, that looks wildly optimistic.

In one of the most bizarre stances ever adopted by an Irish political party - indeed by any party anywhere - Fine Gael want to stay out of Government. They're happy to be at the disco but want to stay at the bar.

Fianna Fail - whose leader opposes any deal with Sinn Fein and whose members are equally aghast at any deal with Fine Gael - want to dance but can't find a suitable partner.

Sinn Fein, meanwhile, are waiting in the wings, quietly wooing ever more admirers as their dream of a crowd pleasing solo routine grows ever closer.

Amid this farce we have heard vague details about negotiation teams and talks about talks but in four weeks nothing remotely concrete has emerged.

A month after the election the state of play is practically the same as the morning after it, in political terms at least.

For while Leo, Micheal and Mary Lou do their coalition polka, an existential crisis has erupted in Ireland and across Europe.

The Coronavirus - COVID-19 to give it its proper title - arrival in Ireland is not a surprise but it has sparked genuine fear among swathes of the population, particularly the elderly and the ill.

Panic buying is starting in shops; advice lines are jammed and hand sanitisers and face masks are like gold dust.

Yes, a functioning 'caretaker' government is in place but many people are anxious about Mr Varadakar' and his team's ability to get a handle on this crisis.

The government's past handling of the health service does little to inspire confidence and its handling of the COVID-19 crisis to date has failed to provide much reassurance to a significant portion of the population.

The handling of the St Patrick's Day celebrations are perhaps the worst example of this.

Across Europe large events are being called off - left, right and centre. By Monday morning, a quarter of Italy was in lock-down while any gatherings of more than a 1,000 people had been banned in France with Germany set to follow suit.

In Ireland on Monday morning our political masters were still debating the pros and cons of calling off St Patrick's Day parades.

Feeling an absence of leadership on the parades issue, some communities have taken matters into their own hands and called of their local celebrations.

That local St Patrick's Day committees seem to have a better grasp on dealing with the epidemic than the government, sums up the sorry situation we find ourselves in.

We need leadership and it is time for our political leaders to forget about vanity and do what's in the best interest of the county.
Netizens should use socialmedia



carefully and with responsiblity given the pandemic caused by coronavirus world over, the Maharashtra Cyber Cell said here on Saturday.

Harish Baijal, DIG, Cyber Security Maharashtra Police, also said the cell was closely monitoring the content being shared on the social media.

He said the cell has been asking agencies concerned to take down objectionable content, if found any,from social media.

"Considering the pandemic world over (caused by coronavirus), I urge the net users to use social media with responsibility," Baijal told reporters outside Vidhan Bhavan.

Noting that several people have shared random messages like garlic or onion can help combat coronavirus, Baijal said people should consult only doctors or experts on the dos and dont's.

He also urged people to refer to information disseminated by the Union Health Ministry's official website.

The official also said that offence can be registered under the IT Act or IPC against those who share objectionable content.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Megachurch fired pastor Victor Couzens after bank said his moral failures were no good for business

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More than a year after pastor Victor S. Couzens of Inspirational Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, was confirmed to have engaged in multiple extra-marital relationships, the church finally took action to remove him earlier this year just weeks after its lender, Union Bank &Trust in Lincoln, Nebraska, insisted on his firing because his leadership was affecting the churchs ability to repay their $4.7 million mortgage.

The revelation was made in a lawsuit reviewed by The Christian Post that was filed by the church last week in the Hamilton County Municipal Court seeking a temporary restraining order against Couzens and two church elders, Ronald Todd and Glenda Nix, who church leaders allege have been helping Couzens to unlawfully maintain his presence on church property.

In the lawsuit, Inspirational Bible Churchs attorney William D. Bell Sr., shared communication between Charity Kuehn, vice president of church lending at Union Bank &Trust and church officials, in which she insisted that Couzens be removed in order to continue a working relationship with the congregation also known as Inspirational Baptist Church.

I am writing to you to address some concerns UBT has as we move forward in the coming months. The interest payments the last two months have been tardy, which is a violation of the forbearance agreement that was put in place back in September but is also a concern that the church is struggling to improve the financial situation, Kuehn wrote in an email to Elder Tracy M. Lee on Dec. 10, 2019.

Over the last two years, as ICB (sic) has experienced some very difficult times, I have expressed my concern regarding the leadership of the church in regards to cost as well as the incidents that have occurred which have cause[d] the church to be damaged publicly. It is UBTs current position that in order to continue to work with ICB in the coming months, a leadership change must occur prior to any consideration of a future lending relationship going forward, Kuehn continued.

She further stated that: This email does not waive any of UBTs rights and remedies under the loan documents and is not approval of any terms change or future lending but simply making the consideration contingent on the retirement of Bishop Victor Couzens, including the discontinuation of any salary or benefits payments.

The lawsuit noted that just weeks later on Jan. 3, 95% of the congregation voted by secret ballot to remove Couzens from his position in line with the churchs constitution and bylaws. He was then officially asked to leave the church on Jan. 27.

While we are grateful for your tenure serving as our pastor for the last 19 years; it is with profound sadness that we issue this formal notice but do so with hopes that we as a church cam move forward with the mandate and mission that God has established IBC to accomplish. We love you and wish you and your family all the best as you move forward in life and walk in the destiny God has for you, the leadership, staff and partners of the church noted without explicitly stating the reason behind their decision.

Couzens refused to accept his termination, forcing the church to deliver another letter to his home on Feb. 6 in which they were more explicit about why he needed to leave.

According to elders, Martin Jones, Alandes Powell and other church partners, during the 4th quarter of 2018 and early 2019, Couzens personal behavior caused a public scandal which resulted in 90% decline in membership and a 65% decrease in revenue.

As a result, the church was unable to meet their financial obligations or pay staff. They noted that despite keeping him on as pastor, Couzens was unable to re-engage the church nor increase the membership.

They revealed that Union Bank expressed a lack of confidence in his leadership abilities and therefore no longer wanted to work with you in developing a feasible solution to repay our mortgage, which is now in foreclosure.

In September 2019, CP reported that the church, located at 11450 Sebring Drive in Cincinnati, Ohio, was listed for sale for $8 million on the commercial real estate platform LoopNet.com. The listing remains.

In their second termination letter delivered to Couzens home, the church also revealed that Couzens had told his congregation that he would forgo his $3,200 bi-weekly salary in 2019 but asked the church to give to him personally.

Unknown to the church at the time, Couzens was still being paid $10,000 monthly for housing expenses along with $2,600 in child support.

Days later, however, police had to be called to the church to remove Couzens.

On or about February 9, 2020, the defendant Couzens was escorted out of the Church by police officers of the city of Forest Park, Ohio. Shortly before that date, the locks of the church were changed to make certain the Defendant Couzens would not return to the property, the lawsuit notes.

Couzens fired back on Feb. 10 and the church alleged that he had the locks changed and unlawfully gained entrance to the building.

He has refused to abide by the directives of the plaintiff and its membership that he is no longer employed by the plaintiff. His comment was that he had the Forest Park Police Department Chief, in his pocket, so he could do whatever wanted, the church added in their lawsuit.

The church is seeking the temporary restraining order to prohibit Couzens and the offending elders from removing any personal property or property belonging to the church, spend or solicit funds on their behalf and from entering upon the real estate property of the plaintiff or coming within  5,280 feet or 1 mile of its real estate property lines.

Inspirational Bible church did not immediately respond to calls for comment from CP on Thursday.

Bishop Paul S. Morton, founding presiding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, which encompasses some 5,000 churches and 1 million members, confirmed in November 2018 that Couzens, whom he described as his "spiritual son," had engaged in "multiple" sexual relationships while he ran his then 5,000-member church.

Morton apologized after Andrea Garrison, a 31-year-old New York City model, went public about a long-term sexual relationship she had with Couzens after she discovered he was also seeing other women and lied to her about it.

Another unidentified woman, who is an educator, shared a story similar to Garrison's experience and alleged that Couzens paid for her education with "church checks" and took her on trips to places like Paris, France, during their time together.

Couzens later apologized to his congregation for the affairs, but insisted to members who had stopped giving to the ministry as a result of the scandal that he did not use their donations to fund his lifestyle.

Any check you have seen belongs to me, it does not belong to the church. Your tithe and your offering goes in the churchs bank account. I dont have access to that account. Im not a signer on that account. My understanding is that some have not been giving because they were concerned about where the money is going. If you need an excuse not to give, any excuse will do, the embattled pastor said.
AIRLINE shares surged yesterday as Europe and the US lined up massive stimulus packages aimed at dealing with the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

Having crashed earlier in the week, stocks in carriers including Ryanair, Lufthansa, and Aer Lingus owner IAG posted strong gains early on.

Ryanair shares were 3.8pc higher soon after US markets opened. Lufthansa was up 10pc, while IAG had advanced 5.7pc. Shares in Air France-KLM rocketed more than 18pc higher at one stage. But all the shares yielded some of their bigger earlier advances.

Shares in airlines and leisure firms tumbled earlier in the week after President Donald Trump announced US borders were being closed to visitors from most European countries until next month.

The stocks were also buoyed by confirmation from the European Commission it has suspended airport slot rules in the bloc until June.

Aircraft take-off and landing slots are controlled at some of the EU's busiest airports. Airlines must use the vast majority of their slots during a particular season or lose their slot allocation for the next corresponding season. Some airlines have flown empty planes to ensure they didn't fall foul of the rules.

The International Air Transport Association, which represents most of the world's airlines, said the decision to suspend the rules until June is the "very minimum" the industry needs.

Airline traffic has slumped across Europe and elsewhere as the virus spreads. Figures from Eurocontrol, the EU agency that manages the airspace network, showed the number of flights across its network was 16pc lower yesterday than the corresponding day in 2019.
Will Robert Pattinson's debut as Batman now be delayed? (Image Warner Bros)

Matt Reeves Batman is the latest Hollywood blockbuster to halt production due to the threat of the Coronavirus, but will only be doing so for two weeks.

This is hardly surprising news, because over the last few days every major Hollywood studio has announced that filming will be stopped on their movies as the pandemic continues to spread across the world.

Read more: Colin Farrell confirmed as the Penguin

Warner Bros released a simple statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday that confirmed production on the film had indeed been halted. Warner Bros. Pictures feature production of The Batman will hiatus filming for two weeks beginning today. The studio will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Production on The Batman has been taking place across England over the last few weeks, and was just about to move to the North West and Liverpool when the decision to halt shooting was taken.

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 17: Robert Pattinson attends the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2020-2021 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 17, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Francois Durand for Dior/Getty Images)

On Friday, Disney announced that production on all of their live-action films had stopped, with The Little Mermaid and Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings the most renowned victims.

Other Warner Bros films that are now in jeopardy are The Matrix reboot, which recently wrapped filming in San Francisco but has just moved to Berlin, while Fantastic Beasts 3 is still scheduled to start on Monday in London.

Read More: Jeffrey Wright gives the first look at The Batmans Bat Signal

The Hollywood Reporter are now predicting that studios could lose as much as $20 billion because of the impact of the Coronovirus, as they look to fit their new delayed releases into the already tight movie schedule, and audiences undoubtedly wary about returning to cinemas.

Warner Bros will be hopeful that they wont have to delay the release of The Batman, which is still scheduled to hit cinemas on June 25, 2021, and will see Robert Pattinson star as the titular superhero alongside Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

Due to the coronavirus COVID-19 situation, National Air Carrier of Azerbaijan made a decision to refund or exchange tickets for all cancelled destinations, as well as exchange tickets for all existing ones.

Thus, it is possible to refund or exchange tickets for all cancelled (or possibly to be cancelled in the future) directions and for any fare of Azerbaijan Airlines and low-budget air carrier Buta Airways. Passengers may apply for a refund and receive the full cost of the ticket, change the direction or the departure time free of charge.

Taking into account numerous requests from passengers, tickets issued for all flights performed by AZAL and Buta Airways shall be exchanged free of charge on application of passengers till March 31st, 2020, subject to the following conditions:

- first flight date of new exchanged ticket must be till December 31st, 2020;

- maximum period of applied fare for new exchanged ticket must be considered for ticket exchanging;

- each ticket can be exchanged without penalty only once if a same class of service for any date is available in the reservation system;

- in the absence of a same class of service, class differential must be covered by the passengers themselves.

Furthermore, until the end of May of the current year, the National Air Carrier of Azerbaijan introduces amendments to its rules for the refund and exchange of flight tickets on some branded fares. Thus, for tickets purchased from March 14 to May 31, all restrictions regarding penalties for rebooking and refund of flight tickets for the following fares are lifted: Economy Flex of AZAL and SUPER of the low-cost airline - Buta Airways.

In this case, passengers are entitled to:

- obtain a full refund of the purchased ticket, both before and after the departure;

- change the date of departure to a more convenient one with preservation of the original points of departure/destination and class of service without penalty for reissuance both before and after the departure.

These rules apply to all destinations of AZAL and Buta Airways, on which the Economy Flex and SUPER fares are applied.

To refund ticket purchased online on the airlines official website, please contact the call center at by e-mail [email protected] or use the feedback form: https://help.azal.az/hc/en-us/requests/new on the official website.

If you purchase a ticket at a travel company or agency, you should apply for a refund to the ticket office of the corresponding travel agency. Should you use credit or debit card when paying for your booking, the amount will be refunded to your card balance.
The saddest part of Prince Harry's departure is not the moment he lost all the positions he had before, but the fact that he can no longer bring back the brotherly relationship he used to share with Prince William.

A royal insider opened up to People and said that the Duke of Sussex's relationship with Prince William became so stiff and strained that he cannot do anything to mend it in any way.

"They won't get back to the way they were," the source said. "Harry is looking straight ahead at his future with his family."

To recall, the once close brothers started to drift apart when the Duke of Cambridge advised him not to be "in a rush" in marrying Meghan Markle. But Harry refused to listen to him and married the Duchess of Sussex in May 2018 -- only two years since they met in London in July 2016.

Even royal expert Katie Nicholl revealed how Harry blamed his brother for not putting some effort to embrace Meghan in the family.

"Harry felt William wasn't rolling out the red carpet for Meghan and told him so. They had a bit of a fall-out, which was only resolved when Charles stepped in and asked William to make an effort," the royal author disclosed.

After they announced their decision to step down as senior members of the royal family, however, Harry received nothing but cold shoulders from Prince William.

Awkward Royals?

During the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, the brothers showed a colder approach to each other in public.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat in the second row behind Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, and Kate throughout the service.

Although they came in earlier than Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, they still smiled and greeted Prince William and Kate. However, the Cambridges told them nothing but brief greetings.

According to the report of the Daily Telegraph, Harry was so surprised by William's "cold and perfunctory greeting."

"He literally said: 'Hello, Harry,' and that was it and he didn't say anything more than that," Harry allegedly told his wife.

Massive Royal Mistake

Their relationship could have been fixed, but they never got the chance to hear the words from Christopher Geidt, Queen Elizabeth II's former long-standing secretary.

In July 2017, Her Royal Highness allowed Charles, Prince of Wales, and Andrew, Duke of York, to remove her most trusted aide, Sir Geidt -- or Lord Geidt as what the royals called him before.

He played a key role in the monarchy, as he was known to be that staff to whom royal family members listen to. He could have helped Princes William and Harry to smooth their grievances toward each other.

For instance, he somehow helped the two in fixing their relationship with Prince Charles.

"Petty grievances can become huge conflicts between all the different royal offices if they aren't managed correctly, and that's exactly what's happening now," a friend of the two royals told People.

Since Harry and Meghan will no longer be working royal members starting next month, the duke will also lose the chance to try fixing his relationship with Prince William for the last time.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Indeed, band of intense frontagenetical forcing has laid up right over our area. We have seen great moisture & perfect temperatures in the SGZ while a little jet streak assists in lift over that zone. Also, the dynamic cooling has been idea with areas with the snow still hovering at 32-34, while it is 37-40 north of the area where it has not snowed. Rochester is 37 right now, but Logansport is 32 with snow.

HRRR 00z run last night did end up being correct. Some completely blew it, however & even the early morning 11z & 12z HRRR runs had trouble with how much snow would fall north of Indiana 18. It actually had no snow at Kentland to Monticello, but 3-4" Benton & Tippecanoe counties. So, this was one tough, extreme event to pin down.

That was the reason for showing all models & runs on the blog due to extreme disagreement & discontinuity.

There was no doubt there would be this band of heavier snow, question was where it would set up & we are the ones that one the lottery for the position.

So totals have exceeded 1.5", even 2" in the area.

A narrow band (in some places looks to be only 10 miles wide) from Bloomington, Illinonis, through West Lafayette & eastward appears to be yielding 3-4.2" so far. Highest total of 4.2" reported in McLean County, Illinois.

I measured multiple times on the board & around the board & got 3.5" average at 11:15 a.m. Depth as of 1:20 p.m. is down to 2.5-3.0" as melting continues.

There is a VERY SHARP cut-off to the now in our northeast & great snowfall total variability in the area.

Totals as of 1 p.m. as reported by spotters (keep in mind that some of these observations were taken at 10-11 a.m. this morning & melting has occurred since then):

4.0" 3 S Fowler

3.5" WLFI ob site

3-4" West Lafayette

3.3" Kokomo

3.0" Attica

2-3" Lafayette

2.5" Frankfort

2.5" Michigantown

2.5" 2 SW Monticello

2.0" East of Frankfort

2.0" Kentland

2.0" Greentown

2.0" Rossville

2.5" Earl Park

1.5" Wolcott

1.5" Veedersburg

1.5" Crawfordsville

1.5" Delphi

1.0" Fowler

0.5" Waveland

0.5" Logansport

Trace Renssealer

Trace Peru

0" Winamac

0" Twelve Mile

0 Denver

0 Rochester

Melting is occurring due to mid-March sun angle, even with the overcast. Depths will continue to drop, despite snow still falling.

Models have a change-over to rain/snow & even rain this afternoon, but I think that it is possible that it remains all snow for a chunk of the area.

Only additional accumuation would be less than 0.4" by late today before ending. This would only occur as sun angle lowers.

Precipitation will completely end this evening.

Watch for some black ice tonight as temperatures drop to the 20s. However, northeast wind at 15-25 mph will help to dry pavement. This will drop wind chills into the teens with those 26-29 lows.

With lots of sun, the snow will melt rapidly tomorrow with highs in the 44-48 range with east-northeast winds at 10-25 mph.

After 25-28 Sunday night, we should reach 47-53 Monday with showers by late Monday evening-Monday night.
Heartless thieves have stolen the groceries of a couple who self-isolated while they waited for test results to reveal if they had coronavirus.

The couple had recently returned from France and decided to shut themselves up at home in Salisbury East, in Adelaide's north, despite having no symptoms.

With no way to purchase food the couple, who wish to remain anonymous, had their groceries delivered and left at their front door at 9pm on Wednesday.

Heartless thieves have stolen the groceries of a couple who self-isolated while they waited for test results to reveal if they had coronavirus

'We ordered some Coles groceries to come to our house. We opted not to have the driver knock at the door because we wouldn't be able to answer it,' the woman told 10 News First.

Within minutes of the delivery drop off, CCTV footage showed the two thieves stealing as much as they could carry.

Initially the couple thought their shopping had been deliberately hidden by the driver but after checking their security vision discovered it had been stolen.

With no way to purchase food while in quarantine the couple had their groceries delivered and left at their front door - only for their shopping to be stolen within minutes

'We walked outside, and at first we thought the delivery had arrived because the receipt and the eggs were still on the chair, and we thought maybe the delivery had been put around the side of the house.. but we looked and they [the groceries] weren't there,' she said.

The grocery theft has now been reported to police.

Coles have declined to comment as the investigation into the theft is still pending.
The National Institute of Technology (NIT) will decide on Monday whether to continue the ongoing examinations even as all classes at the institute remain suspended, an official said.

"No class work is currently going on at the NIT Srinagar," an official in the institute said.

He said the examinations of all semesters began on February 25.

"Once the examinations end, the new classes will take place. However, the decision on whether to start classes in view of the coronavirus scare will be taken by the Ministry of Human Resources, even as the local administration has issued an advisory to this effect," he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday ordered closure of all educational institutions in the Union Territory due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The official said the director has called for a meeting of all the heads of departments and deans to take a final call on the matter.

"We will see whether the examinations can be postponed or not," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
What a difference a a few days makes. Earlier this week, Overhaul, with offices in Texas and Ireland, announced a $17.5 million growth investment to expand its supply chain visibility tech solution.

"Had we been, say, a couple of weeks later, it may have caused a problem," Barry Conlon, Overhaul CEO and founder, told FreightWaves. "I've heard a lot of deals have stalled over the coronavirus. So the timing was really good."

How the coronavirus pandemic will impact freight-tech venture capital funding is a subject that is just starting to come into focus. In the meantime, from a business impact standpoint, executives like Conlon say the crisis is going to provide "a significant boost to the rationale as to why services like ours are necessary."

Launched in 2016, Overhaul's risk management tools detect and automatically correct noncompliance issues as cargo makes its way through the supply chain. Its customers include pharmaceutical, high-tech and food industry Fortune 100s moving freight globally.

The startup joins dozens of other solutions that have come on the market in recent years, aiming to automate supply chain processes then mine that data for efficiencies and cost savings.

Overhaul's differentiators are twofold. A back-end "rules engine" manages compliance, said Karin Stevens, Overhaul's chief operating officer, then "pushes out corrective action in real time."

Elaborating on that mission, Conlon said Overhaul does more than provide visibility. "We leverage it to fix real business problems."

A former member of the Irish Defense Forces, Irish Special Operations Unit, Army Ranger Wing, Conlon has a keen appreciation for risk management  a top priority for Overhaul and its customers. (Conlon is also the former CEO of FreightWatch International, a global supply chain security company that was acquired by Boston-based Sensitech Inc.)

All supply chain managers are concerned about getting their products to customers on time and in the right condition, Conlon explained.

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Overhaul ensures that happens by connecting shippers, third-party logistics companies, trucks and trailers through use of ioT sensors or system integration. The tools allow companies to demonstrate compliance, according to Conlon, and send alerts when risky situations arise. "We reduce the risk profile, and that saves everyone a bunch of money."

With the latest investment, Overhaul plans to bolster its product offerings, grow the team in Austin (currently 45 employees) as well as in Ireland, and expand its reach into other global markets.

Equity investor Edison Partners led the round with participation from Overhaul's existing investors, Abbey International Finance Group.The raise brings Overhaul's total funding to $27.5 million.

Returning to the topic of the coronavirus, Conlon said, "we're all learning the hard way that a connected world can be a negative."

In that context, having confidence in your data source  is "game changing," he said. "This sounds a bit morbid to say, but customers wish they had what we have  right now."

Image Sourced from Pixabay

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Dear, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa- Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES). I salute you and wish to draw your attention to some issues regarding the Coronavirus Pandemic and the need to shut down public schools you superintend over. I hope avidly that this letter gets to your attention. I am encouraged to write to you as a concerned citizen and not a sitting- on- the -fence spectatotor.

Prof. Opoku-Amankwa, I saw a copy of your administrative directive or letter number GES/DG/245/20/113 dated 13th March 2020 (yesterady) and addressed to all Regional Directors of Education. You gave this directive in your capacity as the Director- General of the GES. The caption of your directive under reference reads, Education On Coronavirus Prevention In Schools. In this correspondence, you impressed upon your District Directors of education as well as school heads to liaise with the various District Directors of Health Service for a smooth education on the virus, using the education materials both the GES and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have developed on CONVID-19.

However, I hold an opposing view to your directive hence this open letter to you. Prof. Opoku-Amankwa, life is the most precious gift from God hence no hope exists without life. Academic pursuits and other endeavours thrive on life and good health. Again, life is like an egg so once it is broken, one cannot bring it back. So far, Ghana has recorded two (2) positive cases of the Coronavirus, an indication that we are not excluded from the effects of the pandemic as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is in this regard that we must take strict actions for the pandemic has been declared as a state of emergency in some other countries so we are not in normal times globally. We must not make the mistake that Europe and for that matter Italy had made in handling the pandemic, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa. The Holy See located within the Vatican City has equally scrapped compulsory Sunday Mass in Italy as a drastic step to stop the Coronavirus. Even the universally present Catholic Church with the Pope at its pinnacle has taken such a shutdown action so why not Ghana?

D-G, death is staring at Ghana in the form of the Coronavirus so we must not be using weaker weapons. We must not attempt to kill a lion with a catapult when we have the time and other resources to own a gun for the purpose. The biggest preventive measure in my view under the circumstance, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa, is to shut down the GES schools and not to keep the schools in session and be doing health education on the pandemic disease. The public is somehow educated now on the disease. What we need now are strict preventive measures such as shutting down the schools before it is too late and not the distribution of education materials alone as you are doing currently. Education on the Coronavirus must not be a crowded classroom affair.

The whole world panics at the mention of the Coronavirus, Prof.Opoku-Amankwa, so let us not play the strong man or the ostrich here. Let us take counsel from Ola Rotimis assertion- in his book The Gods Are Not To Blame - that the butterfly must not think himself a bird. Even within the hegemonic boundaries of America, President Trump declared that the Coronavirus pandemic has necessitated a national public health emergency in that country. As a result, schools in 12 of the 50 (24%) states in America have been shut down to millions of students. Even America, the worlds superpower at various fronts worldwide panics at the Coronavirus so how can Ghana portray to be that resilient with health education in schools instead of shutting down those schools? After all, we know the unfortunate nature of most of the GES schools. We also know of the crowded classrooms and compromised environmental hygiene in most of the GES schools.

It is true, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa, that the Easter breaks are near but because we do not know how fast the virus may sweep through Ghana, we need to act swiftly. Knowing that Ghana is currently holding 2 positive cases and the situation may worsen, we can give the exam questions as homeworks to the students and pupils or cancel the exams and let the pupils and students go home before it is too late. The impact on the academic curriculm will not be that big. Even if it is big, it is nothing compared to death or massive infections. After all, even in the late 1990s, the public universities went on a long strike but we were back on track.

Let us not wait till we sing had I known at the end. It should not be lost on us that some private schools especially the international schools in the country have started shutting down. Globally, planned gatherings of people are being cancelled and schools are being shut down. Just yesterday, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa, the Govervement of Portugal orderd a nationwide shutdown of all schools in order to contain the Coronavirus. So what are you waiting for as the D-G of the GES to act similarly and expeditiously? America, Belgium,Costa Rica, Qatar and many other countries had taken similar preventive measures to save their people. Let it not be told that under his competent watch, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa acted differently and not proactively so the negative effect is deadly for Ghana.

Prof.Opoku-Amankwa, this is the reason why you need to shut down the GES schools immediately. The advice that we should not panic is no more working. Even the well developed countries with advanced healthcare systems are panicking at the Coronavirus. President Trump of America panics so he has quickly put strigent measures in place to protect the American people. To say and act as if Ghana panics not, is a mendacity of a sort to me. Consider closing down the schools now and send the children home before they become infected in the crowded classrooms. The alarming situation calls for proactive meaures and not kneejerk approaches in despair. Time to act is now, Prof.Opoku-Amankwa.

~Asante Sana ~

Author: Philip Afeti Korto.

Email: [email protected]
Ajay Kanth By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The COVID-19 scare has not deterred foreign tourists from coming to Kerala so far. In the last 17 days (between February 25 and March 12), 8,993 foreigners reached the state through Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) while 16,066 have flown out of the country from CIAL.

However, the entry of new foreign tourists has been banned from Friday with the Ministry of Home Affairs coming out with directions that only foreigners with employment/ project visa and diplomatic visa are to be allowed to enter the country.

Officials of the Bureau of Immigration say the actual number of foreigners will be quite high in the state as it is not that easy to track down foreign tourists who have been coming to the state via road and train from other states. Even on Thursday, 283 foreigners landed at Cochin airport ignoring the coronavirus scare that has put the tourism industry in a tight spot in the last few weeks. Officials said so far, there was no restriction on the entry of foreigners, but those coming from COVID-19-affected countries like Italy, Spain, France and Germany were thoroughly screened and quarantined. As per the new direction from the Ministry of External Affairs, foreigners going out of India have to apply for a fresh visa again to come back even if they hold a multiple-entry visa.

Meanwhile, intelligence officials have started to track the details of foreigners staying in the state. All home stays, resorts and service apartments have been directed to give all details of the foreigners staying there with immediate effect, said a police officer.

Death in risk area creates panic

Kottayam: Even as the state continue to make all-out efforts to contain COVID-19, the death of a 64-year-old man in Chengalam near Kumarakom created panic on Friday, as he was a neighbour of the COVID-19-affected couple and was under observation. The man was considered the secondary contact of the COVID-19-affected man in Chengalam as the deceased mans son had come into close contact with the affected person. According to officials, the deceased was serving an isolation period at his residence when he developed uneasiness. Though he was rushed to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, he was declared brought dead. The concerns of the local people were allayed with the post-mortem examination which revealed that he died of occlusive coronary artery disease (OCAD). The autopsy could not find any symptoms of pneumonia or bronchitis ruling out the possibilities of COVID-19. However, his throat swab samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha and internal organs for chemical as well as pathological examinations. His funeral was held on Friday.
By PTI

SRINAGAR: It was an emotional meeting when NC president Farooq Abdullah met his son Omar Abdullah in the sub-jail in Srinagar where he has been under detention for over the last seven months.

Released on Friday after his detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was revoked, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah drove from his residence to nearby Hari Nivas where his son, also a former chief minister, has been held first under preventive custody since February 5 under the PSA.

ALSO READ: I am free, says Farooq Abdullah, thanks those who fought for him

The two warmly embraced.

The 82-year-old leader had requested the Jammu and Kashmir authority for permission to see his son for the first time in seven months and the same was granted, officials said, adding that the two were together for about an hour.

Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and other leaders, including another chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, were detained on August 5 last year, the day the Centre withdrew special status of the erstwhile state.

The National Conference (NC) president was booked under the PSA on September 15 while his son was booked hours before his six-month tenure of preventive detention was to come to an end on February 5 this year.
Australia's top scientists are working around the clock in a race to develop a reliable blood test for the coronavirus, amid a global shortage in the chemical reagent used to make the current throat swab test.

Leading the charge in Melbourne is Sharon Lewin, director of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, where lab technicians isolated the virus known as COVID-19 from a sample taken from a 58-year-old man who arrived from China in late January.

Infectious diseases expert Sharon Lewin is leading the search for a reliable coronavirus blood test. Credit:Jason South

Using this to develop a blood test that can not only identify everyone infected with COVID-19 but also detect those who have had the virus and cleared it would be "very useful in understanding how many people are asymptomatic, how many clear infections and lots of unanswered aspects of the coronavirus", she said.

This included the true mortality rate, she said, which remained unclear due to an unknown number of people carrying the virus with little to no symptoms.
A Ukrainian woman, who was diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus, has died in Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported.

"Today, in the Italian province of Brescia, a Ukrainian woman who had previously been diagnosed with coronavirus, has died. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expresses sincere condolences to relatives and friends," the ministry said on Twitter on Friday.

As Facebook user Oksana Fedkiv earlier reported on Facebook, it's about a citizen of Ukraine Raisa Malysheva (born 1954), who worked legally with all necessary documents in Rovato, Brescia province, and was hospitalized four days ago in one of the hospitals in the city of Chiari with suspected COVID-19.
Today we'll look at Chen Lin Education Group Holdings Limited (HKG:1593) and reflect on its potential as an investment. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires.

First up, we'll look at what ROCE is and how we calculate it. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on its ROCE.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. In brief, it is a useful tool, but it is not without drawbacks. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'.

How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?

The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

Or for Chen Lin Education Group Holdings:

0.20 = CN120m  (CN864m - CN266m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

Therefore, Chen Lin Education Group Holdings has an ROCE of 20%.

Check out our latest analysis for Chen Lin Education Group Holdings

Does Chen Lin Education Group Holdings Have A Good ROCE?

One way to assess ROCE is to compare similar companies. Chen Lin Education Group Holdings's ROCE appears to be substantially greater than the 11% average in the Consumer Services industry. We would consider this a positive, as it suggests it is using capital more effectively than other similar companies. Putting aside its position relative to its industry for now, in absolute terms, Chen Lin Education Group Holdings's ROCE is currently very good.

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You can see in the image below how Chen Lin Education Group Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry. Click to see more on past growth.

SEHK:1593 Past Revenue and Net Income, March 13th 2020

When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. You can check if Chen Lin Education Group Holdings has cyclical profits by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Chen Lin Education Group Holdings's Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE

Liabilities, such as supplier bills and bank overdrafts, are referred to as current liabilities if they need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets.

Chen Lin Education Group Holdings has total assets of CN864m and current liabilities of CN266m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 31% of its total assets. Chen Lin Education Group Holdings has a medium level of current liabilities, boosting its ROCE somewhat.

What We Can Learn From Chen Lin Education Group Holdings's ROCE

Even so, it has a great ROCE, and could be an attractive prospect for further research. There might be better investments than Chen Lin Education Group Holdings out there, but you will have to work hard to find them . These promising businesses with rapidly growing earnings might be right up your alley.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and its members have welcomed the efforts of governments across the world to contain the spread of Covid-19 dubbing them as 'unprecedented measures in extraordinary times.'

At this time of extreme pressure on the industry, IATA urged governments to:

Prepare for the broad economic consequences of these actions,

Respond quickly to the financial frailty of airlines, and

Follow WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations.

These calls come in response to the US governments banning of non-US citizens, and individuals who are not legal permanent residents of the US, who have been in the Schengen Area in the past 14 days from entry into the United States.

These are extraordinary times and governments are taking unprecedented measures. Safetyincluding public healthis always a top priority. Airlines are complying with these requirements. Governments must also recognize that airlinesemploying some 2.7 million peopleare under extreme financial and operational pressures. They need support, remarked Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO.

When taking such measures, IATA urged governments to prepare for the adverse economic impact that they will cause. The dimensions of the US-Europe market are enormous.

In 2019, there was a total of around 200,000 flights scheduled between the US and the Schengen Area, equivalent to around 550 flights per day. There were around 46 million passengers (roughly equivalent to 125,000 travellers every day).

While the US measure recognizes the need to continue to facilitate trans-Atlantic trade, the economic fallout of this will be broad, it stated.

"Governments must impose the measures they consider necessary to contain the virus. And they must be fully prepared to provide support to buffer the economic dislocation that this will cause. In normal times, air transport is a catalyst for economic growth and development," remarked de Juniac.

Suspending travel on such a broad scale will create negative consequences across the economy. Governments must recognize this and be ready to support, said de Juniac.

According to IATA, the airlines are already struggling with the severe impact that the Covid-19 crisis has had on their business.

On March 5, IATA estimated that the crisis could wipe out some $113 billion of revenue. That scenario did not include such severe measures as the US and other governments (including Israel, Kuwait, and Spain) have since put in place.

The US measures will add to this financial pressure. The total value of the US-Schengen market in 2019 was $20.6 billion. The markets facing the heaviest impact are US-Germany ($4 billion), US-France ($3.5 billion) and US-Italy ($2.9 billion).

This will create enormous cash-flow pressures for airlines. We have already seen Flybe go under. And this latest blow could push others in the same direction. Airlines will need emergency measures to get through this crisis," he stated.

"Governments should be looking at all possible means to assist the industry through these extreme circumstances. Extending lines of credit, reducing infrastructure costs, lightening the tax burden are all measures that governments will need to explore. Air transport is vital, but without a lifeline from governments we will have a sectoral financial crisis piled on top of the public health emergency, added de Juniac.
Federal authorities in San Francisco announced charges against 17 alleged members and associates of the international MS-13 gang for a broad range of crimes, including racketeering and attempted murder, carried out in the heart of the city's Latino district.

The individuals were taken into federal custody Thursday and appeared before a federal judge Friday, said U.S. Attorney David Anderson. Their alleged crimes range in punishment from 10 years to life in prison, he said.

Anderson, who launched an initiative last year to clean up open-air drug dealing in the city's notoriously rundown Tenderloin neighborhood, said he was appalled by the violence carried out by gang members in family-friendly parts of the city, including Dolores Park in the Mission district.

San Francisco is suffering from gang violence and gang claims on our public spaces," he said. Our parks and playgrounds and other public spaces do not belong to transnational criminal organizations. Our public spaces belong to all of us."

The city's politically liberal leaders have clashed with the federal government over issues related to homelessness, clean water, immigration. Mayor London Breed recently issued a stinging letter rebuking the White House for what she called deficient leadership on tackling the spread of the coronavirus.

But on Friday, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott shared the stage with Anderson in announcing the indictments. Police started looking into MS-13 related crimes in 2017, Scott said, and reached out to the federal government when they realized they needed more resources.

President Donald Trump has been particularly critical of MS-13, also called La Mara Salvatrucha, using gang activity as a reason to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The gang originated in Los Angeles decades ago. Many members hail from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and operate in at least 20 states.

The complaint alleges 10 criminal acts that took place between 2016 and 2019. Three of the defendants went after a family with two minors in January 2019, punching and kicking near a playground, according to the complaint.

Anderson said he did not know the citizenship status of the 17 defendants, who range in age from 19 to 30. Eleven of them were already in custody in local jails.

There are certainly some folks who have ... lawful status and those who have no lawful status and no right to be here," he said.

Friday's briefing was live-streamed and the press conference limited to a handful of reporters, in keeping with new social spacing guidelines issued to curb the spread of coronavirus.

In August 2019, Anderson launched a crackdown on drug dealing in the Tenderloin neighborhood, where his office is located. He said Friday the effort has resulted in charges against more than 150 people.
Deschutes County has confirmed two new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus among its residents, bringing the total number of cases in the Central Oregon county to three.

The two adults who tested positive for COVID-19 are self-quarantining at home, said Morgan Emerson, a spokeswoman for the countys public health department.

She said both people may have contracted the disease while traveling, but that county public health nurses are still working to determine exactly how they were exposed to the virus.

Neither person is linked to each other or to the first Deschutes County resident who tested positive for the virus, Emerson said.

Emerson declined to disclose the new patients age ranges or genders.

She said neither of the patients coronavirus tests were performed at Oregons state public health laboratory, which has said it has said it can run about 80 tests per day.

The announcement of two new cases in Deschutes County brings the total of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Oregon to 32, with cases hitting 11 counties so far  Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Umatilla and Washington.

As the number of presumptive positive cases continues to rise, state and county officials have enacted widespread measures to try and slow the spread of the virus.

Gov. Kate Brown has ordered all private and public schools to close for the next two weeks and banned gatherings of more than 250 people.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

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Linkedin Niruban Balachandran and William P. Tuchrello (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020

Indonesia has a high-potential, but time-sensitive opportunity to capitalize on its hard-won seats at United Nations Security and Human Rights Councils. The recent announcement of United States President Donald Trump administrations Mideast peace proposal, fluid domestic politics in the US and Europe, Israeli election uncertainties, and continued internecine Mideast regional rivalries all cry out for a new third-party mediator and bridge-builder between the Israelis and Palestinians.

There has been clear disappointment expressed by the 2019 election activists supporting both presidential candidates for significant change, as reflected in President Joko "Jokowi" Widodos second-term cabinet choices.

However, the choice of including senior opposition figures in Jokowis cabinet, as per classic Javanese consensus, offers an opportunity for innovation in foreign policy  particularly the impartial mediation and negotiations for the Israel-Palestinian peace process.

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Oregon child care regulators are considering whether to let some day care providers take in more children than currently allowed, a proposal prompted in part by statewide schools closures that start Monday.

Already, the Office of Child Care told providers that it will process emergency requests to operate outside of licensing limits, in an attempt to address both an increased demand for care and potential staffing shortages. The conflicting forces are driven by the spread of coronavirus and government efforts to slow the disease.

Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday ordered K-12 schools to close until April 1. She has also advised workplaces and public spaces to implement social distancing practices to limit the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. Many businesses, though, remain open.

With parents at work, the statewide school shutdown could shift children from classrooms to day cares. Child care regulators have received around 100 calls since Thursday about urgent child care needs, said Melanie Mesaros, a spokeswoman for the Office of Child Care.

In a state of emergency, we are trying to balance the real needs of working families and the safety of children," she said.

Mesaros said the agency has asked providers to clean more often than required and take other measures -- such as staggering lunches -- to limit the spread of the coronavirus even as day cares may be allowed to take in more children.

Regulators are weighing blanket exceptions that could let child care centers care for as many as 20 school-age children for every one caregiver, an increase of five children over current licensing limits.

Centers may also be allowed to increase their caregiver-to-child ratios from five toddlers to six, and ten preschoolers to 13, Mesaros said. No one has proposed letting providers take on more infants without hiring extra workers, she said.

The proposed license exceptions would not apply to home-based caregivers, because that would require a change in state law, Mesaros said.

She acknowledged increased capacity means teachers wont be able to spend as much one-on-one time with children.

Increasing ratios does impact the quality of care, she said.

Regulators havent made a final decision and are discussing the changes with public health experts and governors office staffers, Mesaros said. They are also talking with counterparts in other states.

But Oregon officials have already started processing individual requests from providers who want special exceptions to operate beyond license limits.

If you are considering closing, please contact your licensing specialist to discuss a plan to stay open, the agency said in a statement to providers Friday. We want to help you.

Allowing daycares to take in more children for every teacher could also address the looming possibility of short staffing. State public health officials advised anyone who feels sick or who was in close contact with someone who contracted coronavirus to self-quarantine at home.

Regulators will keep making inspection visits amid the coronavirus outbreak as long as day cares remain open, the child care agency said.

-- Molly Young

myoung@oregonian.com
A barrage of rockets has hit an Iraqi military base housing US-led coalition troops for the second time this week, security officials said.

Three coalition service personnel  a British woman and two Americans  were killed in the first attack on Camp Taji on Wednesday.

It was the deadliest attack on coalition troops in Iraq since a late December rocket attack on an Iraqi base that killed a US contractor and set in motion a series of tit-for-tat attacks that brought Iraq to the brink of war.

In retaliation, the US launched a series of air strikes on militia bases across Iraqs south, killing five Iraqi security forces and a civilian.

Lance Corporal Brodie Gillon (Ministry of Defence/PA)

Lance Corporal Brodie Gillon, who served as a reserve with the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry, died in the attack on Wednesday after a dozen missiles were fired at the camp north of Baghdad.

At least two Iraqi soldiers were wounded in the latest attack, according to the Iraqi officials.

They said more than a dozen rockets landed inside the base, some striking the coalition quarters and others falling on a runway used by Iraqi forces.

The attack was unusual because it occurred during the day. Previous assaults on military bases housing US troops typically occurred overnight.

The earlier attack against Camp Taji prompted US air strikes on Friday against what US officials said were mainly weapons facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group believed to be responsible.

However, Iraqs military said those air strikes killed five security force members and a civilian.

(Department of Defence/AP)

Iran-backed Shiite militia groups vowed to exact revenge for Fridays US strikes, signalling another cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out inside Iraq.

After the contractor was killed in December, American air strikes targeting the Kataib Hezbollah led to protests at the US embassy in Baghdad.

A US drone strike in the capital then killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, a senior commander responsible for expeditionary operations across the wider Middle East.

Iran struck back with a ballistic missile attack on US forces in Iraq, the Islamic Republics most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the US embassy in Tehran.

The US and Iran stepped stepped back from further attacks after the Soleimani incident.
Ballots from last weeks election are still being counted and it will be weeks before the final numbers are tallied, but with that caveat, it appears that a $15 billion school bond issue  the only statewide ballot measure  has been decisively rejected.

Thats something of a shock. Public schools are popular in California and school bond issues generally enjoy strong voter support.

Its also a downer for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had been a principal drafter of the measure, moved it through the Legislature and both raised money and personally campaigned for its passage.

Finally, its a setback for housing developers who would have benefited from a provision exempting them from some local school impact fees.

Dan Walters: A looming shortage of nurses? There's a debate underway on whether California faces a shortage of registered nurses, colored by political infighting over nurse training programs, columnist Dan Walters says.

Its possible, even probable, that the bond issues ballot designation, Proposition 13, contributed to its demise. A 1978 measure, also Proposition 13, is one of the most iconic political events in California history, sharply curtailing the growth of property taxes.

Some voters clearly thought that 2020s Proposition 13 would somehow affect 1978s Proposition 13. Although inaccurate, that notion was probably sparked by campaigning on another ballot measure expected to appear on the November ballot that would allow higher levies on commercial property. Opponents warn that it could be the first step toward repeal of 1978s Proposition 13, so its understandable that some voters would be confused.

Nevertheless, the apparent defeat of the school bond may be much more than a case of mistaken identity. It could reflect rising resistance to new borrowing and new taxes.

The Public Policy Institute of Californias recent polling of voters has found that At least a majority  but never more than two-thirds  in every place in the state believes taxes are too high (and) overall, 58% hold this opinion.

Dan Walters: Newsoms high-stakes Medi-Cal overhaul Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a big overhaul of Medi-Cal, California's health care program for the poor, and it could be a precursor to a single-payer system, columnist Dan Walters says.

Meanwhile, the California Taxpayers Association calculates that more than half of 236 local tax measures are being rejected.

Last year, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), a university consortium devoted to research on education issues, issued a study on the attitudes of very affluent and very liberal voters in Marin County.

It noted that after years of routine voter approval of parcel taxes for local schools, In 2016, something shifted. Voters in upscale Kentfield rejected the renewal of a previously popular school parcel tax, which had most recently passed with 72% of the vote in 2008. In nearby Mill Valley, a parcel tax that made up approximately 20% of the districts budget passed by fewer than 25 votes, even though it had passed with 74% of the vote in 2008.

PACE said that many Marin voters had become concerned that some local leaders were choosing to increase taxes rather than grapple with necessary fiscal reforms and asked a pithy question: If the highly progressive residents of Marin County have become less willing to financially support their local school districts, what does this mean for less wealthy regions of California?

Dan Walters: The gig worker battle continues Assembly Bill 5, which tightens up the legal definition of employee and codifies a state Supreme Court decision, is still highly controversial and the last word on its effects has yet to be spoken, columnist Dan Walters says.

Last year, voters in Los Angeles, who are much less affluent than those in Marin, stunned local political leaders by overwhelmingly rejecting a $500 million per year increase in parcel taxes  a form of property tax not limited by 1978s Proposition 13  for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Meanwhile, the California Taxpayers Association calculates that at least half of 236 local tax measures are headed to defeat.

Given voter rejection of Measure EE in Los Angeles and now the apparent loss by Newsoms school bond measure, the sponsors of the split roll initiative  public employee unions, mostly  should be very worried about the November election.

Polling on the split roll already indicates weak support at best and the commercial real estate industry has pledged to spend $100 million or more to defeat it.

Advocates of more spending, borrowing and taxes may be learning that even in blue California, there are limits.

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse University journalism professor Jodi Upton learned Tuesday that she was among 1,000 journalists exposed to a person who tested positive for coronavirus at a conference last week in New Orleans.

After returning to Syracuse and voluntarily entering quarantine at home, Upton tried Thursday to get tested for the disease even though she feels fine. Being in the same classroom with someone who tested positive is one reason a doctor could order a test.

But the runaround Upton encountered illustrates the confusion spread by a virus that has moved faster than the public health system that is trying to contain it.

Upton called her doctors office. They told her to call the county health department. The health department sent her back to her doctor. As of Friday morning, Upton still had no answer as to whether she will be tested.

Theres enough confusion out there that no one is quite clear on what the system is, she said.

Onondaga County officials have scrambled to implement new public health measures to handle the fast-spreading and highly contagious coronavirus, which could overwhelm local hospitals if it gets out of hand. As of late Friday afternoon, the county had no confirmed cases.

But any confusion that restricts testing undercuts the countys effort to quarantine people who test positive and to track down people they may have infected. Someone who should qualify for a test may not be able to get one, leaving the worried patient uncertain about the risk of infecting others.

Like their counterparts across the nation, Onondaga County public health officials are pleading with people to contact their doctor or other primary health care provider if they have concerns about coronavirus. Dont go to the emergency room, they say.

But many people dont have a regular doctor  roughly one in four, according to a recent study. County officials said they are trying to establish a hotline at Upstate University Hospital for people who dont have primary care. The number was not operational as of Friday afternoon. (Update: Officials on Saturday opened the hotline, 315-464-3979.)

And some doctors are reluctant to deal with coronavirus. A call to one doctors office Friday afternoon prompted this voicemail message: If you are calling in regards to the coronavirus, please contact your local ER.

County Executive Ryan McMahon said officials have been frustrated by the unwillingness of some physicians to evaluate patients and provide coronavirus testing.

There are groups of doctors out there that are underperforming at this point, he said. Were aware of that.

But Dr. Andrew Merritt, of Marcellus, said primary care doctors have not been testing because they dont have the necessary masks, gloves and other protective clothing required to deal with suspected coronavirus patients.

Even the paper masks we have we are running out of and we cant order more, he said.

(Syracuse docs get gear so they can do coronavirus testing in their offices)

To discourage patients from going to emergency rooms for tests, county officials on Friday announced plans to open a new site for coronavirus testing. The Syracuse Community Health Center at 819 S. Salina St. will start testing for coronavirus Monday, McMahon said. The site is intended mainly for people who dont have a regular doctor, he said.

As of late Friday afternoon, the total number of people tested in the county had not been released. Only seven tests were conducted as of March 6, when officials lifted the requirement that all tests be authorized by the county health department. Since then, any doctor has been able to order a test independently. County officials get those results but have not released the total number of people tested.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has made testing a top priority in New York, saying the federal governments inability to test large numbers of people has hindered efforts to contain the disease. Cuomo this week contracted with 28 private laboratories to process tests more quickly. Friday he opened a drive-through testing facility in New Rochelle.

Testing is essential because it can reassure or warn a patient and his relatives. It can help guide how the patients workplace responds. It helps public health officials know how many people have been exposed.

For now, Upton said she plans to spend the standard 14 days at home in quarantine, to be on the safe side.

Lots of e-books and Netflix, she said. Well see how long the food lasts.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said there can be no repeat of "the biggest financial scandal in the history of devolution".

Along with the other parties in the Stormont Executive, Mr Eastwood called for lessons to be learned from the disastrous handling of the RHI scheme.

He said this included the immediate reform of the Civil Service.

"The systemic mismanagement of the RHI scheme was the biggest financial scandal in the history of devolution," he said.

"The subsequent attempts to frustrate scrutiny of the scheme and the failure to candidly admit what had gone wrong immediately were disastrous errors of political judgment."

The attitude towards money we were receiving from HM Treasury was despicable and has seriously damaged Northern Ireland's reputation, potentially irreparably in some quarters of the UK Government Steve Aiken

He said it was particularly concerning that the Stormont committee responsible for oversight of the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment "was unable to discharge its scrutiny function".

"This has contributed in a significant way to a collapse in public confidence in these institutions and in politicians."

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said the findings were "a sad indictment" of the culture that surrounded a decade of DUP/Sinn Fein rule and unelected advisers.

"Their lack of accountability and responsibility is matched only by their incompetence," he said. "The attitude towards money we were receiving from HM Treasury was despicable and has seriously damaged Northern Ireland's reputation, potentially irreparably in some quarters of the UK Government." Mr Aiken said that "fundamental" reforms were now needed in the Civil Service and government to rebuild public trust.

The UUP's Lord Empey added that civil servants must not be scapegoated while ministers at fault "get away in the smoke".

He agreed that Stormont was no longer trusted with public money by Westminster.

Alliance MLA Andrew Muir said the findings showed why reform was essential. "This report must act as a watershed moment for those who have been criticised directly, as well as the wider culture and system of governance, which enabled their actions and inactions," he said.

"Alliance has always been a champion of openness and transparency, alongside ethics and effective scrutiny of government. This report gives us a strong basis for doing precisely that within the current Executive. We accept the report's recommendations. Rules and procedures are important for a Government to effectively work and ensure faith from the public. They cannot be viewed as optional or discretionary."

By spreading the blame widely some may have escaped the sharper criticism that they deserved Jim Allister

TUV leader Jim Allister said that while Sir Patrick's report used neutral language, it was clear the panel "was appalled by much of what they encountered".

"The RHI report confirms a catalogue of abysmal failure and astounding bungling by those who presented themselves, either as ministers, civil servants or Spads, as competent, specialist and trustworthy," he said.

"By spreading the blame widely some may have escaped the sharper criticism that they deserved.

"Yet, the question remains: will there be consequences for anyone? In any other jurisdiction it is hard to imagine that heads would not roll. But here, even the concept that the buck stops with the minister when a department spectacularly fails, as [the former Department of Enterprise] did, has become so muted that a pre-emptive apology seems to do."

The FDA trade union, which represent senior managers in public service, said there was no doubt the report made for "uncomfortable reading" .

General secretary Dave Penman said: "The report makes clear that the RHI scheme was a 'project too far' for the Executive, with insufficient resource and expertise to deliver it."

He welcomed plans for an independent panel that will consider if any individual civil servants could face disciplinary action.
State Creates COVID-19 Command Center

BOSTON  The governor has created a COVID-19 Response Command Center to be headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders.

The command center reports to Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and will be the commonwealth's single point of strategic decision making and coordination in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"Our administration has been working for weeks to address the outbreak of COVID-19, and the new Response Command Center we are launching today is an important step in our planning and preparedness efforts," said Baker in a statement announcing the action on Saturday mornng. "Led by Secretary Marylou Sudders, this team of experts will focus solely on pushing back against this disease and moving quickly to respond to the needs of our communities and residents."

The center will have complete authority and discretion to tap whatever state funds are necessary. This includes the $15 million recently appropriated by the Legislature for coronavirus.

The command structure will enable the advancement of key initiatives including:

Working to expand lab capacity for testing

Planning quarantine operations

Coordinating communication and guidance across government

Responding to the needs of local boards of health

Monitoring supply chains

Identifying surge capacity in the commonwealth's health network.

Decision making in regard to the pandemic has largely been left to local officials and boards of health. The administration on Friday issued an emergency order prohibiting gatherings of 250 people and, the day before, modifications in Open Meeting Law to allow for remote participation.

School districts were left to determine on their own whether to close, which local schools did on Friday after coordination between the Berkshire County Superintendents Roundtable. Some towns are closing or restricting access to municipal buildings and the Romand Catholic Diocese of Springfield has suspended public attendance at Masses and other parish events. A number of Protestant congregations have followed suit.

Sudders, speaking at press conference announcing the command center, said provisions have been made to expand MassHealth coverage for telephonic and telehealth visits and for 90-day prescriptions.

Some 475 people in Massachusetts have been tested for COVID-19; the count of infected on Saturday morning stood at 123, with 105 presumptive 18 confirmed. However, testing has been limited in access although it is expected to begin ramping up after the state received materials to test 5,000 individuals. Harvard University infectious disease experts say that is well below the 1.4 million needed.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a statement late Friday addressing concerns people had about international bridges closure, European travel restrictions and processing of people at or between border ports of entry.

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the Coronavirus panic in Laredo

Social media rumors of ports or international bridges closure are false.

CBPs ports of entry nationwide are fully operational, and rumors of any being closed at this time due to COVID-19 are false, a CBP official said.

Regarding the March 11 European travel restrictions, President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation that temporarily restricts travel between certain European countries and the United States to protect Americans from the novel coronavirus.

Effective at 11:59 pm Eastern time on Friday, the U.S. government suspended the entry into the United States of foreign nationals who were physically present in Europes 26-country Schengen Area during the 14 days preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, according to CBP.

Authorities said the proclamation does not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and certain other travelers. Flights carrying persons who have recently traveled from or who were otherwise present within the Schengen Area will be funneled to 13 U.S. airports, CBP said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is prepared to support the full and expeditious implementation of the new proclamation. CBP will refer all individuals with recent travel to the Schengen Area to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for enhanced health screening upon their arrival in the United States. We have implemented similar, successful measures for individuals who were recently present in China or Iran, CBP said in a statement.

CBPs highest priority is to ensure the health, safety and security of the American people. Our dedicated agents and officers remain vigilant at and between ports of entry and will continue to identify and refer all individuals with symptoms of the novel coronavirus to the CDC or local health authorities for enhanced health screening.

Processing

CBP said agents and officers maintain situational awareness while processing individuals who have traveled from or transited through affected countries.

If CBP observes an individual with symptoms of COVID-19, we will refer the individual to the CDC for enhanced health screening. All CBP ports of entry are following the same operational guidance as issued by the Presidential Proclamations and the Department of Homeland Security, authorities said in a statement.

With exceptions specified in the Proclamations, foreign nationals (other than immediate family of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, flight crew and certain others) who have been physically present in China, Iran or the Schengen Area within 14 days of their arrival at a U.S. port of entry will be denied entry into the United States.

CBP further stated that any traveler exempted from the proclamations who has been anywhere in mainland China, Iran or the Schengen Area within 14 days of their return will be referred to CDC for enhanced health screening.

READ MORE: Laredo high school athletics postponed as UIL, TAPPS suspends athletics due to coronavirus

Preclearance locations are following the same protocols as the land border ports and referring individuals requiring additional screening to CDC or local health officials, CBP said. Consistent with existing CBP procedures, individuals apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol between the ports of entry with symptoms of illness are referred to CDC or local health officials for enhanced health screening. Additionally, all persons in U.S. Border Patrol custody who meet the CDCs COVID-19 travel history and enhanced screening guidelines are being referred to CDC for additional screening.
New Delhi: Mobile phones will be costlier from April 1 as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday decided to raise the tax on handsets by 6 percentage points to 18% to correct duty anomalies. The council, however, deferred a proposal to raise GST on footwear, fertiliser and textiles at a time when global economies are reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

Briefing the media after the 39th meeting of the GST Council, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said several members were initially not in favour of correcting the inverted duty structure in the four sectors because of the current global economic situation, but post-lunch, a consensus was arrived at on one product  mobile phones.

Under the duty structure, higher tax is levied on inputs compared to finished goods, making it difficult for manufacturers to avail of input tax credit..

The Council has decided to deliberate the issue of calibrating the [GST] rate in other items for removing inversion in future meetings with further consultation and examination of issue, Sitharaman said.

The Council raised the GST rate on handmade matches from 5% to 12%, and brought down the tax on machine-made matches from 18% to 12% to address classification issues. This issue was deliberated earlier in the 37th meeting and was pending for decision, an official statement said.

The council reduced the GST rate on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft from 18% to 5% with full input-tax credit (ITC), and changed the place of supply for business-to-business MRO services to the location of the recipients. This change is likely to assist in setting up of MRO services in India, Sitharaman said adding that changes in all tax rates would be applicable from April 1, 2020.

In a big relief to industry, Sitharaman announced that interest on the delayed payment of GST will be charged on net cash tax liability instead of gross value of tax retrospectively from July 1, 2017 -- the day the new indirect tax regime was launched. HT reported on March 6 that businesses facing the prospect of having to pay around Rs 46,000 crore as interest on delayed payment of GST might get a reprieve at the 39th meeting of the GST Council. So far, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had a rigid stance on this matter  that interest be calculated on gross GST.

Sitharaman said the Council also decided to waive late fee for delayed filing of annual returns for FY-2018 and FY-2019 by entities with a turnover of less than Rs 2 crore. She said the Council has asked Infosys Limited to deploy more skilled manpower and increase the capacity of the GST Network hardware to ensure that the system is glitch-free. The Council asked Infosys, which has designed GSTN, to provide a better groomed system by July.

According to officials present at the meeting, the issue of correcting inverted duty structure took most of the time of the Council as members were in-principle not against the move, but some of them had doubts about the timing. Their main worry was the impact of tax changes on the prices of fertiliser, textiles and footwear, items of common consumption, they said, requesting anonymity.

HT reported on Saturday that the proposal to correct inverted duty structure could be resisted at the Councils meeting because the move could raise prices of products at a difficult time for world markets. In a letter to Sitharaman, West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra on Friday urged her not to make any changes in the rate structure during these perilous economic times, particularly keeping in mind the interest of the common people. The federal council, which has representation from states, is the apex decision-making body on all GST matters and is chaired by the Union finance minister.

The Indian economy grew 4.7% in the quarter ending December 2019. The GDP growth had been falling continuously for six quarters since June 2018, and experts fear that the economy would perform poorly in the current quarter due to disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak. Indias benchmark stock index Sensex lost 8.18% on Thursday after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus a pandemic. The market was highly volatile the next day plunging 10.3% in the intraday trade that led to a 45-minute trading suspension, but recovered from the fall to close with a 4.04% gain at 34,130.48.

MS Mani, partner, Deloitte India said, Having completed the rate rationalisation exercise for mobile phones, it is now necessary to focus on other products where there are issues of inverted duty structure.

Pratik Jain, partner and leader, Indirect Tax, PwC India, said the Council had taken several major decisions, particularly on proposed new compliance framework.

The decision to defer the due date for filing the annual returns for financial year 2018-19 by three months was on expected lines and should provide much relief to the industry. While extension of due date for e-invoicing to October 2020 is a welcome step, given the quantum of change, industry should continue the preparation including engaging with vendors and customers, he said.

Archit Gupta, founder and CEO of ClearTax, said: We are expecting the Council to soon share a detailed roadmap for the new GST return system and clear ambiguities that exist in the current format of new return forms. The milestones for the new GST return should be closely tracked and must be met.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 08:18:29|Editor: ZD

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PARIS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Europe, which has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to World Health Organization (WHO) chief on Friday, is now fully mobilized in hammering out extraordinary measures to curb the spreading of the novel coronavirus.

EPICENTER OF PANDEMIC

"Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of world combined apart from China," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted at a daily briefing in Geneva.

As of Friday morning, 28,297 cases have been reported in the European Union/European Economic Area, among whom 1,191 people lost their lives, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention (ECDP).

Italy, the hardest-hit country, reported 250 new coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 1,266, with 17,660 infections overall, a rise of 2,547 since Thursday evening.

Three-digit or close to four-digit increase were reported in big countries, bringing tolls up in Spain (4,334 infection, 122 deaths), France (3,661, 79), Germany (3,062, 8) and the United Kingdom (798, 11).

Smaller-sized nations suffered no less. In The Netherlands, the number of deaths rose from five to 10 in one day, while the total of positive increased by 190 to 804. Belgium reported 160 new infections, bringing the total to 559. In Luxemburg, a country of half a million people, at least 29 people were infected.

EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES

European countries in the epicenter started to hammer out extraordinary measures including school closure, gathering ban, election delay and border closure in some places.

Italy remains under lockdown since Tuesday, with a total closure of venues and activities but for those providing basic supplies and services, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, public transports, post offices, and banks.

Spain declared a state of emergency which grants the state wide-ranging powers to limit the movement of people and vehicles, allows for the temporary seizure of property, obliges people to provide certain services, mobilizes the army and imposes rationing.

France lowered the size limit for gatherings to 100 people, instead of 1,000 previously. All nurseries and schools will be closed starting from Monday.

Museums and libraries are recommended to limit their activities or to close their doors. The country's two landmarks -- the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower -- immediately followed the government directive.

In Germany, many states announced school closures. In Belgium, schools, discos, cafes and restaurants will be closed until April 3. All recreational, sports, cultural or folklore activities -- whether public or private and regardless of size -- will be cancelled.

Denmark plans to close its borders as of noon Saturday. Starting on Sunday, Poland will ban entry to the country for foreigners, and international air and train connections will be suspended.

LONG BATTLE AHEAD

Despite drastic measures, European nations admit that it would be a long battle to counter the novel coronavirus.

When announcing "state of emergency", Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez acknowledged this was just the "first phase" of the battle and that "very difficult weeks lie ahead."

It was "impossible to rule out that we will reach 10,000 cases in the coming week," he said, adding that the measures were aimed at stopping the virus spreading "too quickly", and to ensure that "the most vulnerable people" can get the treatment they need.

When addressing his nation, French President Emmanuel Macron also noted that France is "only at the beginning of the epidemic" which brought the country into its worst sanitary crisis in a century.

For British government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, probably between 5,000 and 10,000 people could have COVID-19 in the UK.

"It's not possible to stop everybody getting it (COVID-19) and it's also not desirable because you want some immunity in the population." He also said the main aim is to protect vulnerable and elderly from coronavirus.

HELPING HAND FROM CHINA

As China sees the light at the end of the tunnel in its fight against COVID-19, it is lending a hand to European countries, a number of which had come to China's assistance at the early stage of the outbreak.

On Thursday night, a charter flight carrying a 9-member Chinese aid team, along with tonnes of medical supplies, arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, in part of China's efforts to help Italy contain the coronavirus outbreak.

The team took with them more than 700 pieces of equipment and goods including ventilators, monitors and defibrillators.

"We bring here 30 sets of ICU equipment," one of the team members wearing a mask told media after getting off the plane.

On Friday night, a plane carrying Chinese medical supplies for Europe landed in Liege, Belgium.

The supplies were donated by two charities -- Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation and comprise half a million face masks, which will be sent to Italy.

The two charities are donating in total two million masks and other crucial supplies such as test kits.

In addition to medical supplies, China is also sharing its experiences in fighting COVID-19.

"We heard a lot of new information which will be very useful," top Croatian epidemiologist Bernard Kaic told Xinhua after a three-hour video conference on Friday between Chinese health officials, experts and their European colleagues.

The video conference was held at the Chinese Embassy here as part of the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (17+1).

Chinese health officials presented their latest conclusions on COVID-19, shared their insights on the virus outbreak and offered feasible measures to fight the virus and illness.
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Linkedin Jay Lehr and Tom Harris (The Jakarta Post) Ottawa  Sat, March 14, 2020 13:57 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9c6aa 3 Opinion climate-change,environment,COP-26,United-Nations,Paris-Agreement,carbon-emission,#ClimateChange Free

For years now, the United Nations has been using the climate change crusade as a vehicle to increase its power across the world. Starting in 1995, they began holding massive annual conferences focused on stopping the planets temperature from rising.

That such a temperature was merely a statistical computation that had little or no significance in the real world made no difference  we must stop global warming became the clarion call of the yearly Conferences of the Parties (COP) to 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change treaty.

The 1995 Berlin COP was the first and so was designated COP1. COP3 was held in Kyoto where the Kyoto Protocol was created. And so it continued year after year until COP21 met in Paris in 2015 when the Paris Agreement was adopted.

Last December COP25 was held in Madrid and, this November, COP26 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland. The Climate Intelligence Foundation is planning a major debate on climate change to coincide with the Glasgow UN event. Its about time.

All this is based on the hypothesis that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fossil fuels were increasing the so-called greenhouse effect and this would warm the Earth to dangerous levels.

When the data showed that the Earth was no longer warming, they simply changed the topic from global warming to climate change, allowing them to attribute any natural variation in climate  warming, cooling, drought, floods, whatever they wanted  to mans influence.

The UN then passed non-binding agreements for each nation to reduce their CO2 emissions. Taking a page out of George Orwells 1984, they referred to the gas as carbon, at times even carbon pollution, to increase fear. It made no sense scientifically. Carbon is soot and coal black which is real pollution while CO2 is an odorless, colorless gas, that supports all life on our planet.

Year after year, the UN ratcheted up the fear level to where we hear daily of the absurd existential threat of climate change, warning that if we do not eliminate the use of natural gas, coal and oil, the end of life on Earth is just around the corner.

There is a huge impetus by most countries bureaucrats to continue holding these useless conferences. Over 190 nations send delegations which number more than 20,000 folks living in luxury hotels and dining in attractive locations at tax-payer expense, ironically producing vast amounts of CO2 in the process. Holding the meetings by teleconference would eliminate most these emissions, of course, but who would not enjoy a two-week paid vacation at in exotic locals such as Marrakech, Morocco Bali (COP13) or Cancun, Mexico.

COP24, held in Katowice, Poland, got much attention as it is the coal production center for Poland which depends on coal for both energy and jobs. Here were tens of thousands of foreigners calling for the end of this important resource for Poland.

The Paris conference (COP21) itself admitted that the reduction in carbon emissions called for would have insignificant impact on the planets temperature but felt that eliminating the use of fossil fuels was warranted anyway. Every year the leaders of the COP meetings have called all nations to make mandatory carbon prices high enough to make fossil fuels artificially too expensive so as to promote wind and solar power despite their huge costs and unreliability.

A backlash began around the world after COP24. For example, riots in France after President Emmanuel Macron installed a tax on carbon emissions forced him to back down. In Germany, electrical cost overruns from their solar panels and wind turbines are threatening to drive long-time Chancellor Angela Merkel out of office.

Twenty-five years of COP events have indeed been, to quote Shakespeare, sound and fury signifying nothing. Indeed, the Climate Change Reconsidered series of reports of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change summarize thousands of studies from peer-reviewed scientific journals that either refute or cast serious doubt on the climate scare. For example, NIPCCs Summary for Policymakers  Climate Change Reconsidered II: Fossil Fuels reports the contributions of 117 scientists, economists, and other experts. They conclude that we are not causing a climate crisis.

Its time to dump the whole UN climate process entirely.

______

Jay Lehr is senior policy advisor with of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC). Tom Harris is executive director of ICSC and a policy adviser to The Heartland Institute.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
By Express News Service

Days after his shock switch to the saffron camp shook the Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha as a BJP candidate on Friday. Five other candidates, including veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh, have put themselves in the fray for three vacant RS seats from the state.

Polling will be held on March 26. The deadline for filing nominations ended on Friday. A total of six candidates have filed nominations for three vacant seats, said Awadhesh Pratap Singh, principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Friday. Two other BJP candidates, former minister Ranjana Baghel and Professor Sumer Singh Solanki, also filed nominations on the last day.

While Digvijaya filed his nomination on Thursday, another Congress candidate Phool Singh Barraiya entered the fray on Friday. The sixth candidate vying for an Upper House seat from the state is Ram Das Dahiwale.In West Bengal, former Trinamool MLA Dinesh Bajaj filed his nomination as an Independent on Friday. He is vying for an Upper House seat with support from the ruling Trinamool. While the Mamata Banerjee-led party has already nominated four candidates for the Rajya Sabha, the Congress and CPI(M), which fought the last Lok Sabha polls in alliance in the state, have jointly nominated former Kolkata mayor and CPI(M) veteran Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

The battle lines have also been drawn for the three Upper House seats from Assam. There are three candidates in the fray  Bhubaneswar Kalita of BJP, Biswajit Daimary of BJP ally Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) and journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, who is the consensus candidate of Opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

The 126-member Assam House now has an effective strength of 125 members following the death of a Congress MLA. BJP and its allies BPF and Asom Gana Parishad together have 87 MLAs and they should win two seats. Congress and AIUDF combine has 37 MLAs. Meanwhile, the fight for the second Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand became an intriguing one on Friday after BJPs Deepak Prakash and Shahjada Anwar of the ruling alliance filed their nomination papers. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) patriarch, who earlier filed nomination for the other seat, is being seen as a sure shot winner. In Maharashtra, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Faujiya Khan filed his nomination as the fourth Rajya Sabha candidate of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi on Friday.

Post-Cong status



Many Congress leaders have left the party in the past one year for various reasons. Heres a look at where they are and how they are placed:

Jyotiraditya Scindia



He had been feeling left out after being overlooked for chief ministership of MP. Denial of RS ticket compelled him to leave the Congress and join the BJP.

Priyanka Chaturvedi



She joined the Shiv Sena after allegedly being denied a Lok Sabha poll ticket. Chaturvedi is the Sena pick for the Upper House.

Ajoy Kumar



He was allegedly miffed at the party for being replaced as Jharkhand Congress chief. He is currently the AAP spokesperson. Party sources say that he does not have a say in party affairs.



Tom Vaddakan



A close confidant of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the Kerala leader quit after 20 years citing differences with party leadership over the Pulwama attack. He jumped ship to join the BJP.

BJP.Bhubaneshwar Kalita



The Odisha leader was the Congress chief whip in the Upper House. He quit the party to join the BJP over differences with the leadership.
Attacking the Aam Aadmi government over the resolution passed against the implementation of the proposed Population Register, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is misleading the people by creating a rift among them on the grounds of religion.

Reddy's remark comes in the backdrop of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal comments where he said that 61 out of 70 members in the Delhi Assembly don't have birth certificates and asked if they will be sent to the detention centres.

"No documents are needed and no birth certificate is required for NPR. They are just inciting people and are trying to create a rift among people on the grounds of religion. They are spreading the wrong news on CAA and NPR. None of the initiatives are against any religion including CAA, NPR, and census. They should stop and step back from it," said Reddy.

The Home Affairs Minister said the census is being carried out for years and is important for the development and implementing the welfare schemes in the rural areas.

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw and not to carry out the whole exercise of the Population Register (NPR) and the Register of Citizens (NRC).

"Earnestly appeals to the Government of India that in the interest of the nation, particularly when the economy is witnessing worst ever downslide and the unemployment is witnessing terrifying growth and with the threat of corona pandemic looming large, it invests all its energies and resources on real needs of the people of India rather than unnecessary issues like NPR/NRC," reads the resolution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The White House is expected to announce that the US will broaden its European travel ban, adding the United Kingdom and Ireland to its list.

Under the restrictions, American citizens, green card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the US  but will be funnelled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders, according to reports.

US vice president Mike Pence confirmed the ban on travel from the UK and Ireland.

He said: In our taskforce meeting today the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time.

Mr Pence said there had been a unanimous recommendation from health experts to extend the travel ban.

Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home  they will will be funnelled through specific airports and processed.

Irish airline Aer Lingus said: Were assessing the impact of new US government restrictions announced today on travel from Ireland and the UK to the United States.

"We will communicate directly with affected guests as soon as possible.

All travel before 31 May can be changed to a later date and/or destination. No change fees apply. A fare difference may apply.

On Wednesday, President Trump announced a month-long restriction on travel from most of Europe, set to begin at midnight on Friday night.

He said on Thursday that he was considering other major restrictions, such as limiting travel to domestic hot spots like California and Washington state, without spelling out how he would manage such an extraordinary effort.

The State Department issued a global advisory cautioning US citizens to reconsider travel abroad.

Any Irish citizen abroad and experiencing difficulties due to canceled flights (Spain, Poland or other) can call the @dfatirl dedicated advice centre for #COVID19 relating to travel queries +353(0)16131733.

Stay safe.  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 14, 2020

Meanwhile, the Tanaiste says Irish citizens should exercise a high degree of caution when making travel plans, particularly in Europe.

In a statement, Simon Coveney says a growing number of countries are also imposing restrictions on entry and exit.

His department is now advising against non-essential travel to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia.

It will also be providing additional guidance on Spain which remains at non-essential travel, while Italy remains at no travel.

The Department's consular advice line will be open through the weekend and Irish embassies and consulates will be using social media to keep citizens informed.
WEST GOSHEN  The first identified case of a coronavirus patient in Chester County was announced by county commissioners Friday as they detailed steps they will be taking to try to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic here, including closing county parks and libraries.

Chester County has been prepared with statements to announce the inevitable confirmation of a case, or cases, of coronavirus in the county, but up to now those statements have gone unread, said commissioners Chairwoman Marian Moskowitz at a press conference county officials had scheduled at the Government Services Center to update the public on what measures were being taken by the county to combat the virus.

Sadly, just two hours ago, we received notice that Chester County has its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19, Moskowitz said.

County Health Department Director Jeanne Casner identified the patient as a 57-year-old woman who had come in contact with another presumptive positive patient in another state. Casner said the woman, whose name she did not release, was resting comfortably in isolation and expected to recover. Casner said the womans family was also quarantined at present to maintain their health.

Casner did not disclose in which region of the county the woman lives, nor what state she had traveled to that led to her contact with the other patient. She also did not say where the woman had been tested positive  at a physicians office or at a local hospital, or under what circumstances she was identified by health department investigators.

Casner said that the next step would be to complete the Health Departments investigation of the case and to notify those others who might be at risk. Casner was unable to specify how many county residents had been tested for the virus since its outbreak in the U.S.

Moskowtiz told those assembled that the county will do everything that we can to try to keep our confirmed case  or possibly even cases  low. The county was last in the southeastern Pennsylvania region to identify a coronavirus patient.

To that end, Moskowitz said the county would follow Gov. Tom Wolfs lead in taking drastic by necessary measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, Moskowitz and her fellow commissioners, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline, announced that beginning Saturday, the county would enact a policy of having on mission essential services operate in the county government, and would order all other remaining employees to work from home.

County Administrator Bobby Kagel said that would affect about three-quarters of the countys 2,400 full- and part-time employees. All those ordered to work from home would be paid as if they were reporting for work at one of the countys facilities.

The county Justice Center, Government Services Center, and West Market Street Administrative Offices would remain open for now, but would be staffed only with those workers necessary for the health and safety of the countys residents, the commissioners said.

Those departments include the Health Department, the Department of Emergency Services, most court offices, Human Services, Department of Community Development, the Chester County Prison, and Pocopson Home  although the county will prohibit visitors from coming to those last facilities during the two-week period.

Closed to the public during this period will be the two main county libraries  the Chester County Library in Exton and the Henrietta Hankin Library in West Vincent  as well as the six county-owned parks and its three hiking trails. They will reopen on Monday, March 30.

Maxwell said that those employees who are not deemed mission essential will either work from home or simply not travel to their offices. While we are enacting mission essential services it is worth noting we do have the technology and capabilities to undertake some additional non-mission critical activity and employees working from home will be enacting that.

Kichline said the commissioners would adopt a declaration of disaster emergency to respond the to virus outbreak, tasking the countys DES director, Michael Murphy, with coordinating all emergency responses to take appropriate action to alleviate the effects of the disaster and to aid in the restoration of all essential public services.

The effort to close offices does not extend to private businesses, Casner stated.

Moskowitz said, however, that the county was strongly discouraging residents from attending large gatherings or events, and to avoid places like gymnasiums, movie theaters and retails stores where they might come in contact with someone carrying the virus, which has killed 41 people in the United States since the first patient was identified ion January.

All these measures may make things inconvenient for a time  14 days to be exact, she said. But we believe the short term pain will result in long term gain.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
With new cases being detected in Mumbai, Nagpur and Yavatmal, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 26 on Saturday.

Health minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday evening announced that shopping malls across the state will remain closed till month-end. Grocery stores which sell commodities of daily need will remain open, he said. The state government also issued a directive that all schools and colleges in areas of municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats shall remain closed till March 31.

Tope also said that examinations of classes one to nine will be postponed if they are being held currently, only the std 10th and 12th board exams will take place as per the schedule. Four new patients of coronavirus were confirmed in Mumbai on Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Of the new patients confirmed in Mumbai, one is resident of the city while others are from Kamothe, Vashi and Kalyan, all peripheral towns. All are admitted to Kasturba Hospital here and their condition is stable, BMC deputy director, health, Daksha Shah said. Earlier in the day, two persons who had recently returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra''s Yavatmal city.

Thus, so far across the state, ten coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, eight in Mumbai, four in Nagpur, two in Yavatmal and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar. Some of the persons who tested positive have history of traveling to the United States, Dubai, France, the Philippines and Qatar, a health department statement said.

A 71-year-old man, who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was suspected to have coronavirus infection, died during treatment in Buldhana district on Saturday afternoon. He was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. Minister Tope said it was not yet confirmed if the deceased was infected by the coronavirus. Sixteen of the confirmed Covid-19 patients had returned from Dubai, four from USA, one each from France and the Phillipineswhile four had no foreign travel history but had come in contact with other infected persons, he said.

Till now, 949 individuals have returned to Maharashtra from coronavirus-hit countries, a government statement said. At present, 72 persons are under observation in isolation wards in Mumbai, 17 in Pune, 16 in Nagpur, nine in Yavatmal and three in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The Mumbai-resident who was found to have the infection on Saturday is a close relative of another confirmed patient who was shifted to government hospital from a private hospital in the city.

Eight "high-risk" contacts, who were isolated at the private hospital when one of the patients was confirmed to have the infection, have tested negative, deputy director Shah said. A total of 55 samples were tested in Mumbai on Saturday, of which four samples were found positive. Out of four who tested positive, three had travel history to foreign countries.

The BMC is setting up a laboratory at KEM Hospital in Parel in addition to the one at the Kasturba hospital for testing samples of suspected coronavirus patients, Shah said. "There is no need to panic, but if you have returned from abroad and have symptoms, then immediately visit the Kasturba Hospital for tests," Shah said, adding that a traveller who does not have any symptoms too should isolate himself or herself at home for 14 days.

In Nagpur, four persons, quarantined at a government-run hospital for suspected coronavirus infection, returned home without permission. However, they all later returned to hospital, and tested negative for the virus.
By Melissa Fares and Sonya Dowsett

NEW YORK/MADRID (Reuters) - As virus-wary shoppers stayed home in the United States and Europe, apparel retailers braced for a blow to sales and a potential inventory glut. Some slashed orders at garment factories while others began discounting merchandise.

U.S. retailers including Macy's Inc <M.N>, Saks Fifth Avenue and Gap Inc.'s <GPS.N> Banana Republic sent notices to shoppers late Thursday saying they were open for business in a move to stem losses due to a steep decline in traffic.

In Europe, Zara owner Inditex <ITX.MC> said on Friday it would temporarily close stores in the areas of Spain worst affected by the coronavirus, including Madrid. In Italy, most shops were shuttered on Wednesday.

In New York, stores in some of the world's most heavily visited shopping districts like Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue were practically empty on Friday despite pleas to customers.

"Our stores are open for business and continue to be a safe place for you to shop," Saks President Marc Metrick said in an email to shoppers late Thursday.

Kohl's Corp <KSS.N> said it had experienced softer demand, especially in areas most affected by coronavirus. On Thursday, Gap Inc. said it expected a $100 million revenue hit this quarter due to the coronavirus outbreak.

LVMH's <LVMH.PA> Sephora beauty chain, Ulta Beauty <ULTA.O> and MAC Cosmetics, owned by Estee Lauder Companies Inc <EL.N>, have all ordered employees to cancel makeovers of customers, to avoid touching faces with hands, which can spread the virus.

At specialty and fashion apparel stores in the United States, retail transaction velocity, a measure of sales, fell nearly 10% from Feb. 15 to March 9 from its year earlier level, according to a Customer Growth Partners LLC report.

In China, the world's biggest apparel-buying market, consumer demand remains a major concern even as shoppers begin to venture out of quarantine.

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Story continues

Further up the supply chain in Bangladesh, the world's second-biggest apparel manufacturer after China, brands are asking for cuts in orders of up to 30% and seeking discounts, said Rubana Huq, head of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Even as retailers begin to repair broken supply chains due to recently closed Chinese factories, they must now scramble to avoid a glut of unsold stock.

"Our supply chain is not the issue and it's not the concern. It is consumer demand in an environment where you have 80% of the stores being closed," Adidas Chief Executive Officer Kasper Rorsted told analysts on Wednesday.

Adidas, which makes nearly a third of its sales in Asia, said it would clear excess inventory in China by selling stock at a discount in outlet stores.

H&M said on Friday it was in close contact with its suppliers and evaluating the situation together with them.

"I usually do shop half online and half in stores, but I am avoiding malls and stores for the last few weeks," said Sarah P., 42, of Rockville, Maryland, a legal assistant who requested that her last name not be used.

She said that prior to taking a break from going out and shopping, she spent most her dollars at Nordstrom Inc <JWN.N>, Macy's, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Sephora, and Zara stores.

"It started because of flu and cold, but now it is nonnegotiable with coronavirus. Too risky." Luxury leather goods maker Salvatore Ferragamo, known for its Vara shoe and Ferragamo Studio bag, said it had started shifting products between regions. "Of course when the virus starts spreading everywhere that becomes much more difficult," Chief Financial Officer Alessandro Corsi told analysts on Tuesday, adding any discounts would be strategic so as not to tarnish the cachet of its star products.

The bottom line is that slump in demand for apparel and accessories that happened in China had now spread to the rest of the world said Siddiqur Rahman, a Dhaka-based garment exporter who supplies brands like H&M <HMb.ST>, C&A, Gap, Walmart <WMT.N> and Mango.

"There is no appetite for garments from European and American brands. Cities are locked down. Who will buy clothing?" he said.

(Additional reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Emma Thomasson in Berlin, Silvia Aloisi in Milan, Andrew Kelly in New York, and Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Editing by David Gregorio)
The mountainous cliff of the Nahr el-Kalb river runs into the Mediterranean Sea through a small delta where ships would moor, and the location was a departure for Mr. Rechmaoui, who is best known for his artworks that normally focus on urban landscapes and the raw materials therein. The rural setting inspired him, thanks to the conquerors and others who inscribed their names, sometimes quite elaborately, on platelike vertical rocks as they passed through the valley, and through history.

Conquerors after a battle would leave a plate on this mountain, next to the river, Mr. Rechmaoui explained. They wrote their names, or date, or reason they passed through.

And this was the genesis of Veni, Vidi, Vici, which is part of the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Mr. Rechmaoui pays homage to these rocks by stacking 1,000 marble cubes measuring seven by seven centimeters in a mountainous heap. Twenty-six are engraved: 13 in Latin and 13 in Arabic, although the actual plates are also in Assyrian, Latin, Arabic, Greek, Roman and Egyptian.

I surveyed the names on the plates, but many are too old, he said. But I came up with 13 names that were still legible, as far back as Pharaoh Ramses II from nearly 3,000 years ago and up to President Emile Lahoud of Lebanon in the year 2000.
India must get three things right to stop new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from overwhelming its health system  rapid testing, enforcing home-quarantine, and protecting health workers.

The only thing it has got right so far is protecting health workers. No medical worker has developed the disease, including the ones working in isolation wards and those who have had unprotected exposure to patients in private and public hospitals before diagnosis. With deaths being disproportionately high among healthcare workers, India must take all possible steps to keep them safe.

Where India has failed woefully is in providing rapid diagnostic tests across platforms. This is critical to mount a public health response strong enough to stop a surge in Covid-19 cases, which typically tend to spike three weeks after the first few infections are identified. Pleading that these tests dont have 100% accuracy is simply not a good enough argument in a pandemic scenario, when rapid tests can become the first line of screening for people who can afford them.

People need access to rapid diagnostic testing that give results in 15-20 minutes because the sooner clinicians, patients and public health officials know whether someone is infected, the sooner they can be isolated to stop them from infecting others. China has used such testing effectively to keep the quantum of new cases down. India must do this before cluster infections turn into an epidemic. India must learn from the mistakes of the United States, which is scrambling to scale up diagnostics against a rising wave of infection by fast-tracking testing. It is funding companies developing rapid tests that give a result within an hour and setting up a hotline to help laboratories get supplies.

What has worked for India so far are its protocols for dealing with the perennial threat of outbreaks from new and deadly diseases like bird flu, Sars, Mers, Nipah and Zika. The bird flu (H5N1) outbreak in Maharashtra in 2006 forced it to get its clinical diagnostic systems in place in 2008, before which all samples were being sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. Since 2008, across the country, influenza surveillance network laboratories routinely test patients admitted in hospitals for influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infections, including pneumonia. A second round of random testing of patients with fever and pneumonia will begin tomorrow to detect unrecorded cases of Covid-19 in the community, if any.

This diagnostic advantage, however, will collapse when the epidemic surges and government labs get flooded with samples that run into hundreds and thousands each day. India has to plan for this contingency given that close to 70% of Indias population of 1.35 billion is dependent on the private sector for treatment. Private sector participation in diagnostics and treatment must start now, or we risk going the way of the US and Italy, where the explosion in cases has led to panic and the collapse of the public health system.

At the risk of being called a nanny state, India must enforce home-quarantine to stop super-spreading in the community. India began screening travellers for Covid-19 symptoms at airports and major seaports on January 17, when most European countries and the United States were dismissing it as another Asian outbreak, much to their own peril. This jumpstart in screening helped postpone the first wave of infection in India to February, when Europe has started reeling from an onslaught of cases.

But Indias failure to ensure compliance of home-quarantine of travellers from affected countries has led to local transmission. Indias second Covid-19 death on Friday could have been avoided if the traveller, who had visited Japan, Switzerland and Italy before arriving in India on February 23, had stayed home for two weeks as recommended. He has the potential to be Indias first super-spreader because he not only infected his mother, who died, but also used public transport to go work across town for two weeks. This has put 813 of his close contacts, including 707 colleagues, at risk.

With many travellers returning from affected countries like Italy developing symptoms several days after landing or having no symptoms at all, a self-imposed home lockdown for two weeks is absolutely essential. It is also crucial to test for Covid-19 for those who develop fever, dry cough, fatigue, phlegm cough, or shortness of breath. This is what helped the three students from Wuhan in Kerala recover without infecting anyone.

Super-spreading can be contained only by enforcing home-quarantine for people who have recently come back from affected countries. India must consider acting like Singapore, which has fined people who lied about their travel history, and revoked the residency status and work permits of people who breached quarantine.

Forced home-quarantine would have spared several states from virtual lockdown to ensure social distancing. If India fails to contain new infection over the next few months, we will have to run businesses, organise public events, and interact socially differently. Closed schools, flexible shift plans, employees working from home, and bans on large gatherings, events, concerts and festivals are the new reality, however temporary, for the world.

The urgency of partnering with private players for diagnostics, infection control and bed capacity cannot be emphasised enough given Indias population and overstretched health infrastructure. If infections surge, it will not be able to hospitalise and isolate every case. India must prepare to partner with the private sector to treat 80% of the patients with mild symptoms in isolation at home. This will help speed up response time and focus healthcare resources on the seriously ill.

Covid-19 is here to stay and frequent handwashing and social isolation will replace handshakes across cultures. Countries that act fast can reduce the number of deaths by a factor of ten. With less than 100 cases and two deaths, India still has the window of opportunity to screen, diagnose and isolate to flatten the curve of infection.

Given the scale of the global outbreak, the government cannot go it alone. To ride out this storm, we need all hands on deck, across sectors, skills and communities. India eliminated smallpox and polio. It has the experience in scale. Ending Covid-19 is possible if we act now.

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Five suspected coronavirus patients have escaped from the isolation wards of Mayo Hospital here on Friday night.

One of them had tested negative for COVID-19 while the results of rest are awaited.

"One of them had tested negative, reports of other 4 were awaited. We have traced them and they will be brought back to the hospital by the administration," said S Suryavanshi, Sub-Inspector, Nagpur Tehsil police station.

"The five suspects left the hospital and to inspect the matter, I visited the hospital. I learned that the suspects left the ward for snacks but didn't return," he said.

"Since it is a sensitive issue, we are coordinating with the staff of Mayo hospital," he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that all theatres, gyms, swimming pools etc in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri Chinchwad will be closed till March 30 to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

The central government has also taken several steps to contain the virus, including suspension of all visas to India till April 15.

India has reported two deaths and 82 confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and has expressed deep concern.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) Bhopal unit lodged a first information report (FIR) on Friday night against unidentified people for attacking and blocking the motorcade of Jyotiraditya Scindia, their candidate for the Rajya Sabha election.

The BJPs district unit president Vikas Virani, former mayor Alok Sharma and several other party leaders led the protest and submitted a complaint to the in-charge of the Shyamla Hills police station.

The partys national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan also condemned what he said was an assault on Scindia.

The attack on Scindia who has been a Union minister shows how the law and order machinery in the state has collapsed under Congress government. There should be immediate action against those who were behind the attack, Chouhan said.

Vikash Virani said Scindias motorcade was on its way to the airport when a group of people waved black flags, blocked the motorcade and attacked him.

Shyamla Hills police station in-charge Bharat Pratap Singh, however, refuted Viranis charge and said there was no attack.

Some people waved black flags and blocked the motorcade. An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons and we are trying to identify those who indulged in the act, Singh said.

Narendra Saluja, the spokesperson of the Congress Madhya Pradesh unit, denied the BJPs charges of an attack.

The BJPs allegation regarding the attack is completely baseless and fabricated. Some workers staged a demonstration in a democratic and peaceful manner but local BJP leaders are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill to score brownie points in the eyes of their senior leaders, Saluja said.

Scindia, who reached Bhopal on Thursday, filed his nomination papers on Friday as the BJPs candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections due on March 26.
As of March 11, 2020, all imported volumes of natural gas come exclusively from EU countries.

Ukraine's gas imports reached 1 438 billion cubic meters (bcm) in January-February 2020 and that is 57% more than the same period last year but, on the other hand, 19% less than the average in 2016-2019.

According to the operational data of LLC Gas TSO of Ukraine, 981 million cubic meters were imported to Ukraine in February 2020. This is 47% more than in February 2019, reads the report.

Read alsoUkraine starts pumping gas into underground storage facilities on March 11

In particular, in January-February 2020, imports from Slovakia were about 987 million cubic meters (+ 59% compared to the same period last year), from Hungary  229 million cubic meters (+ 41%), from Poland  222 million cubic meters (+ 140%). It should be noted that import volumes from Poland also include a virtual reverse of 178 million cubic meters.

As of March 11, 2020, all imported volumes of natural gas come exclusively from EU countries. Since November 2015, Ukraine has not been importing gas from the Russian Federation.
St Patrick's Day parade cancelled: The Baltinglass St Patrick's Day parade for this year has been cancelled due to the Coronovirus outbreak.

Please note however that the Window Display competition is still going ahead.

Daffodil Day/coffee morning

The Lalor Centre is hosting their annual cake sale and coffee morning on Thursday, March 19. This is to raise much needed funds for the Irish Cancer Society. We raised 1,904.43 last year and we would love to match that or better it this year.

Our Coffee and cake sale morning starts at 8.45 a.m. and finishes at midday. If you are handy with the mixing bowl they would appreciate any donations of cakes, buns or any other bakes for the sale. They will also have Daffodil Day merchandise for sale, plus a raffle.

As part of the coffee morning there will be a special performance of the Lalor Centre Choir. Your support would be much appreciated.

Bigstone meeting

A community meeting will be held in Bigstone Community Hall on Thursday, March 12, this week, at 8.30 p.m. to talk about the recent Tractor Run and future plans in the community.

Active retired news

Baltinglass and District Active Retired will have their coffee mornings for March in Bia Blasta, each Friday at 11 a.m.

On Thursday, March 19, members will visit the Little Museum, Dublin to view the Exhibition on the Life of 'The Diceman' (Tom McGinty). The trip will also include a visit to the National Gallery, to see an Exhibition of American Photography and Irish Botanical Art. The bus departs from Weaver's Square at 10.30 a.m.

The annual holiday will be to Co. Down for this year's short break, staying at the Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle, on June 15, for four nights. Further information for both outings is available from Mary at 087 2999571.

Thank you

On Saturday last, volunteers were out cleaning the streets of Baltinglass organised by the Baltinglass Tidy Towns committee. The committee would like to thank all the committee members and many, many others from around the town and surrounding areas for turning out in such big numbers for the Spring Clean-up. They were very happy with the turnout and with the amount of work carried out.

They would also like to thank Theresa and Annette at the Fairtrade stand at McAllister who provided much needed Fairtrade tea or coffee, hot chocolate and goodies to ward off the cold.

Baltinglass community spirit was evident on all fronts at the weekend.

Day Care Centre meeting

The next meeting of the Baltinglass Day Care Centre Committee will take place at the centre this Wednesday, March 11, at 8 p.m. Anyone from the community interested is welcome to come along.

Mindful prayer and reflection for Lent

You are invited to Sli an Chroi, Kiltegan every Wednesday night during Lent for prayer, meditation/mindfulness, silence and sharing.

THis will be an opportunity to spend time deepening the Lenten experience and drawing closer to the God, who created us all and wants us to live joyfully and free.

It began on Ash Wednesday, February 26, and takes place each Wednesday till the end of Lent at 7.30 p.m. till 8.30 p.m. Invite your friends of all ages. Inquiries are welcome to slianchroi@spms.ie.

Stratford 'Wax, Shave or Dye'

A fundraiser in aid of Stratford Community Shop and Cafe 'Wax, Shave or Dye' will take place in the Stratford Arms on Friday, March 13, at 8 p.m. There will be a DJ on the night. Admission is 10 on the door.

Baltinglass Welcomes

During the week a new committee, Baltinglass Welcomes, posted on the Facebook page 'Baltinglass Matters', about its partnership with the Irish Red Cross to support the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Baltinglass under the Department of Justice and Equality community sponsorship programme.

Baltinglass Welcomes asked for support from individuals and groups within our community. The overwhelming majority of comments showed a wave of support for the initiative. There was a sense of welcoming the opportunity to help a family traumatised by having their lives turned upside down by war and living in constant fear of death.

Macra table quiz night

Baltinglass and Rathvilly Macra na Feirme will hold a table quiz in Horans on Friday, March 13, starting at 9 p.m. Admission is 10 per person and there will be a raffle on the night. Enquiries to 087 2744408.

Recent deaths

Pat Hayden from Raheen, passed away suddenly on February 27. We send our deepest sympathies to his sister Angela and his partner Kathleen, also his brothers-in-law Dave and Stephen. Pat was buried in Baltinglass Cemetery on Sunday, March 1.

The community lost Tom Martin from Pine Grove, Baltinglass on February 17. We express our sympathy to his children Christina, Lisa, Thomas, John, Damien and Darren and their mother Martina, his daughter-in-law Becky and all his extended relatives and friends. Tom's funeral Mass was in St Joseph's Church, Baltinglass and burial in Dunlavin Cemetery.

Also in February, we acknowledge with sadness the passing of Rita Kehoe from Clough, Baltinglass, who passed away on February 7 from Signature Care Nursing Home in Killerig. She will be greatly missed by her brother Andy, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends. Rita was cremated in Mount Jerome in Dublin on February 10.

We also acknowledge and express our regret at the passing of Denise Kerley from Graney, Baltinglass, who passed away on January 28 from Harold's Cross Hospice. She will be greatly missed by her loving sister Bertha and all her extended family and friends. Denise was buried in Baltinglass Cemetery on January 31.

We express our sympathy to the family of John O'Sullivan from Carrigeen, Baltinglass, who passed away on January 6 from Waterford Regional Hospital. He will be sadly missed by his wife Mary, son Brendan and daughter Maire and all his extended family and friends. His funeral was held in Baltinglass and burial in Castledermot.

Ar dheis De go raibh a n-anam dilis.
Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden said "testing is not going to have a huge impact" on the outbreak in the US anymore.

Reuters/Gary Cameron

The US lags behind other countries in testing for the novel coronavirus. Fewer than 17,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered across the US, while in South Korea more than 248,000 have been dispatched.

Many of the tests that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed in late January didn't work when they were initially given to states.

Former CDC Director Tom Frieden, who ran the CDC from 2009 to 2017, told Business Insider "I don't know what went wrong," but said "there needs to be an independent assessment."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The former head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling for an independent investigation into what went wrong with the CDC's coronavirus tests earlier this year.

An initial batch of novel coronavirus testing materials the CDC shipped to state labs around the country on February 6 and 7 didn't work correctly. That delay stalled a nationwide testing rollout that might have helped curb the spread of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, across the US. So far, at least 41 people have died.

"I don't know what went wrong," Frieden told Business Insider. "I do think that there needs to be an independent assessment of that."

As novel coronavirus cases have quietly started spreading in the US over the last two months, many state health departments had to wait to start testing their own patients.

Nearly all coronavirus tests performed across the country had to be shipped to the CDC labs in Atlanta, Georgia on ice packs. By the end of February, only three of the nation's more than 100 public-health labs had verified the CDC test for their use. To date, fewer than 17,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered across the US, while in South Korea more than 248,000 tests have been dispatched across a population that's one-sixth the size.

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"Absolutely, it delayed our ability to recognize that this virus was spreading," said Frieden, who now runs Resolve to Save Lives, a global non-profit aimed at curbing epidemics.

At the White House on Friday afternoon, President Trump suggested that US testing will ramp up rapidly in the coming days as more commercial test kits become available and more drive-through testing stations open up.

"We'll have the ability to do in the millions over a very, very quick period of time," Trump told reporters.

But that kind of testing is different from what the CDC tests were initially designed to do: prevent the spread of a new virus. More widespread diagnostic testing earlier on would have given public health experts clues about where clusters of COVID-19 cases were initially forming so they could better halt the disease's spread.

Better testing in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak might have prevented widespread disease transmission

The CDC's laboratory test kit for the new coronavirus.

CDC/Associated Press

An initial window of opportunity to better identify where the virus is spreading around the US, help manage initial cases, and protect vulnerable people, is largely gone now. Experts say canceling mass gatherings, working from home, and adopting better handwashing practices are now the best options to prevent spread of the coronavirus in the US.

"The CDC machines were not intended for mass testing," Frieden said.

Eric Blank, the senior director of public health systems and programs at the Association of Public Health Laboratories, told Business Insider that he believes the CDC is already planning an investigation into what went wrong with the agency's initial response.

"It would be initiated by CDC, but we would hope that they would bring in somebody from the outside to take a look, whether it was FDA [US Food and Drug Administration], whether it was CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] or somebody, to do sort of an independent assessment," Blank told Business Insider. "But it would be initiated by CDC."

The US Health and Human Services Administration has already launched a much narrower investigation into the source of the manufacturing defect in the first batch of COVID-19 test kits that was dispatched to states by the CDC.

"Upon learning about the test issue from CDC, FDA worked with CDC to determine that problems with certain test components were due to a manufacturing issue," FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn told Business Insider in an email. "We worked hand in hand with CDC to resolve the issues with manufacturing."

Former CDC staffers say the agency has never dealt with such a major testing issue before

Dr. Rishi Desai, a former epidemic intelligence service officer in the CDC Division of Viral Diseases, said that testing errors were never an issue when he worked there, and that test ingredients always worked the way they were supposed to.

"We did our testing in the US, and this issue of not having reagents and not having the right kits ... that was not the case, that had never been the case," Desai told Business Insider. (Reagents are the chemical ingredients often used to perform lab tests, and some of them didn't work correctly in that initial batch of COVID-19 tests kits sent out to states from the CDC.)

Frieden, who oversaw the CDC during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, agreed.

"In past responses, it was providing the lab tests, not just for the US, but for the whole world, really, without a glitch," he said.

Justin Kinney, a microbiologist who runs a molecular biophysics lab at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, said that creating quality ingredients and supplies for the COVID-19 laboratory test, which uses the same RT-PCR technology that's ubiquitous in molecular biology labs around the globe, should have been simple.

"This is an amateur mistake," Kinney said. "It's just tragic that there's no sense of urgency."

Kinney noted how specific the CDC's COVID-19 testing protocol instructions were, requiring labs around the country to run a software program from 2012 on one particular model of an RT-PCR machine.

"It strikes me as just over-standardization," Kinney said. "The knowledge of who had [COVID-19] really, I think, could have prevented this outbreak."

Aria Bendix and Nicole Einbinder contributed reporting.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 17:03:55|Editor: Yurou

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MOGADISHU, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Three Somalia soldiers were killed and two injured on Friday after an ambush by al-Shabab militants in a base run by the army in Mahaday town, in Middle Shabelle region, an official said on Saturday.

Ahmed Hussein, the governor of Mahaday said the militants launched an attack on a base in the town leading to deaths and injuries.

"A fierce fight erupted between the army and the attackers but the forces repulsed the militants. We can confirm the death of a senior officer and two other soldiers who were in the base while two others were injured," Hussein said.

Local residents said they witnessed the fierce clash between soldiers and the al-Shabab militants.

The al-Qaida allied group al-Shabab claimed their fighters had briefly held the army base.

Somali forces have intensified operations against the militants as the country prepares for elections later in the year.
Actor Neha Dhupia has finally addressed the social media storm raging against her since she made a comment about cheating in relationships on her reality show, Roadies Revolution. Neha said in a note posted on Twitter that her family and friends are being harassed and abused due to it.

Neha had reportedly chastised a contestant for saying that he hit his girlfriend after he found out that she was cheating on him. Neha had reportedly said that its a womans choice if she wants to be in a relationship with five boys at a time but hitting her is not the right thing to do.

Since then, Twitter and Instagram have been flooded with memes and abuses targeted towards Neha, calling her a hypocrite. So Neha finally broke her silence on Saturday. Roadies is a show that I have been a part of for five years and enjoyed every bit of it. It takes me all over India and gives me the opportunity to team up with absolute rock stars from all parts of the country. What I do not like or accept is what is happening for more than two weeks now! Recently during one of the episodes that aired, I took a stand against violence, she wrote.

Also Watch | Lakme Fashion Week 2020: Sunny Leone, Rakul Preet, Neha Dhupia dazzle at ramp

A guy talked about his partner who cheated on him (allegedly) and in retaliation, he hit her by his own admission. What the girl did is a choice she made which is a moral choice regardless of someone, man or woman... adultery is a moral choice. Cheating is not something I stand for, and it is unfortunate that I have been misrepresented for the same... but what I do stand for is womens safety, she added.

Neha also mentioned how her father and other family members were also being harassed. Sadly, as a reaction to my opinion, I have been subjected to weeks of vitriol. One of my posts had over 56k comments! Yet I was silent but now people close to me who have nothing to do with this - my family, my friends, my co-workers and even my dads personal WhatsApp are being flooded with abuses and harassment. My daughters page is nothing less than a barrage of abuses and this is not acceptable to me, she said.

Also read: On Aamir Khans birthday, heres proof that he has always bounced back after disasters like Thugs of Hindostan

However, despite the reaction on social media, Neha stands by her original comment. What a man or a woman does in a relationship is their choice and moral choices are always ambiguous. But no matter what they are, they cannot lead to physical abuse. I stand by the fact that NO MATTER WHAT ... physical abuse or assault is not acceptable. Obviously, a mans physical strength is a lot more than girls and gender-based violence against women is a huge problem in our country and across the world... I urge people, whether a man or woman, to educate themselves about domestic violence... If youre a victim of abuse, please stand up for yourself. You are not alone, she said.

Actor Taapsee Pannu also showed her support. For all the ppl writing abusive and harassing messages to you and your family should know, they arent on the right side of the moral compass they r acting to be the torch bearers of. Adultery is wrong morally n so is violence. One cant be the response to the other, she wrote in a tweet.

Twitter users were still not sold on Nehas argument. Some asked her why she applauded a girl for slapping her ex-boyfriend if violence is not acceptable in relationships. But Neha, you applauded a girl who slapped a guy 4 times for betraying her. What is this behaviour Neha? Itna hypocrisy, read a comment. So @NehaDhupia ji according to you if a man was cheated by a girl and he slapped for his mistake that was violence. But when a girl was cheated by a boy that time she slapped him. You think he deserved that, read another tweet.

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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.

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President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday congratulated the Orban III Government and appreciated the vote given in Parliament.

"Congratulations to the new Government and good luck! I highly appreciate the vote given today in Romania's Parliament. Today, a message of unity was sent from Romania's Parliament," the head of state said at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, after the swearing-in ceremony of the Orban III Cabinet members.
To the Times:

Democrats in Congress and the media have selected the coronavirus as the next weapon to deploy against Trump and his administration. Their stated goal is to make this Trumps Katrina and to possibly gin up enough hysteria and fear to negatively impact the up-to-now robust economy.

In January, when President Trump instituted the travel ban from the most impacted areas in China, the Democrats decried the move as rash and xenophobic. This week, these same Democrats claimed the President wasnt doing enough, because he hadnt locked down the entire country and banned all mass gatherings. There have been 25 deaths in the USA due to the coronavirus as of March 10 according to the CDC. For a comparison, the CDC is estimating the typical 20,000 to 52,000 deaths due to the flu this season.

Rooting for an epidemic and a recession is reprehensible, but its apparently not beneath the standards of todays Democratic leadership and its media propaganda machine.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said the following live on Facebook:

At this moment, there are 13 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and most of the infected people are those who interacted with the infected woman in Etchmiadzin.

Overall, at this moment, 100 people are isolated in Etchmiadzin. The woman from Etchmiadzin arrived in Armenia on February 29, after which the Ministry of Healthcare had addressed the woman on a regular basis, but she had concealed her disease. If she hadnt concealed it, there would have been 6 cases, not 13.

Out of the 31 people isolated at Golden Palace Hotel, 28 will go home today. Two people have confirmed cases of coronavirus, and the third person, whose family member has coronavirus and has interacted with a carrier of the virus during this period, will remain isolated. Two people, who tested positive for coronavirus, will be transferred to a hospital. Another 2 people, who have the coronavirus, are from Etchmiadzin. One has arrived from France," News.am citied PM's post as saying.
London, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Most British businesses remain optimistic about China's growth despite a short tough period that could follow the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a recent survey by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC).

A comprehensive survey of its members carried out by the CBBC between late February and early March found that most firms expect the Chinese economy to recover later in the year.

"This survey demonstrates that British businesses are keeping their eyes on the horizon while weathering a number of significant impacts from the COVID-19 outbreak," said CBBC Chief Executive Matthew Rous.

"China is a market which demands long term commitment and a strategic approach," he said.

The survey also shows that only 3 percent of exporters are now planning to shift their long-term focus away from China, a sign that British companies still see massive potential from China's growth.

Commenting on the prospect of China's economic growth, Cambridge University professor Alan Barrell told Xinhua last week that the Chinese industrial economy could return to a healthy state and "I remain confident about China's long-term economy to be successful."

Based on what he has seen about China in the past 30 years, Barrell said China's industrial base has developed impressively as hugely efficient and effective, well focused and well resourced.

"China has become, in the past 20 years, a technology leader and has invested very significantly in R&D (research and development). In many areas, China is already considered to be a 'tech leader'. For example space travel technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, aspects of genetic knowledge, computer science, telecommunications," said the professor.

As Britain's leading business network promoting trade and investment with China, the CBBC has a 1,000-strong membership including some of Britain's largest and most established companies as well as innovative SMEs.
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The map shows the spread of the virus by county in New York state. Please note, the figures are based New York Department of Health confirmed cases, Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases and Times Union reporting. The counts represent where the affected person is a permanent resident, not where they caught the virus.
Several churches have canceled weekend services or moved them to live streaming. Here are a few.

The Madeleine Church in Northeast Portland has canceled Mass the weekend of March 14-15:

This weekends Masses at The Madeleine are cancelled. In addition, all other events at The Madeleine have been cancelled until further notice.

St. Josephs Catholic Church in Vancouver, Washington, has canceled all parish activities including Mass but the Archbishop Paul D. Etieen will celebrate Mass and it will be live streamed:

Archbishop Etieen will celebrate Mass on Sunday, 3/15, at 10:00 am via Facebook Live on the Archdiocese of Seattle Facebook page. If you do not have Facebook, a recording will be added to the Archdiocesan website after the Mass.

At St. Cecilias Mass will be capped to comply with Oregon Gov. Kate Browns order canceling events over 250 people. Other churches said their services typically are below that attendance level. The Beaverton church said:

All events and activities at St. Cecilias, except Mass, have been cancelled until April 8, 2020. Masses are being capped at 250 people

First Unitarian Church, in downtown Portland, will live stream worship services at 10:15 a.m. Sunday on its website.

Portland Christian Center in Southwest Portland has switched to online streaming for Sunday, March 15, 10:30 a.m. worship. Here is the link.

Greater Portland Baptist Church in Southeast Portland also switched to a broadcast:

This weekend, Sunday, March 15, 2020, Greater Portland Baptist Church will be closed for in-person church services. (We will re-evaluate week by week going forward.) On Sunday morning, we will broadcast an online service at our regular service time starting at 11 a.m.

Here is the link.

First Presbyterian Church, also downtown, will allow musicians and ministers to take part in services the next several Sundays, but not the public. It will stream the services through March 29:

This Sunday, at the Presbyterys request, we will have worship by live streaming only for our 10:30 am service.

(No public attendance, but pastors and musicians will lead worship that you can stream).All church activities (services, classes, and meetings) other than the 10:30 service online are canceled this Sunday, and for the next two Sundays through March 29.

Last week, the Archdiocese of Portland used its Facebook account to post what it called temporary liturgical changes due to health concerns. Those changes include ceasing distribution of consecrated wine during the Eucharist when parishioners typically drink from a communal chalice. The changes also affect the Sign of Peace, when parishioners generally shake hands.

Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample also advised Catholics older than 60 not to attend Mass as well as people with underlying medical conditions, compromised immune systems and those who arent feeling well.

The governor acknowledged the ban may pose a hardship for the faithful.

There are other ways I believe through telephone, through more individual gatherings and obviously through the internet for Oregonians to get the spiritual guidance that they need, Brown said.
Amazon AMZN is constantly infusing resources into renewable energy projects in a bid to fuel its carbon neutrality drive. The companys latest announcement of four new renewable projects is the testament to this fact.



Notably, these projects will be based in Australia, Spain, Sweden, and the United States, which are expected to come online by 2021-2022.



All the four wind and solar projects are expected to generate around 300 megawatt (MW) and 840k megawatt hours (MWh) of extra clean energy and renewable capacity.



We believe the latest move bodes well for the companys goal of utilizing 80% and 100% renewable energy by 2024 and 2030, respectively. The additional renewable capacity produced by the new projects will be utilized in supplying energy to the AWS data centers by charging up its grids.



Amazon has been shifting focus from fossil fuels to clean energy for quite some time now. The shift to clean energy sources is anticipated to reduce costs in the near term, which is a major positive. Additionally, the company can generate healthy returns from strengthening solar and wind investments as there are several associated tax incentives.



Carbon Neutrality Initiatives: Key Catalyst



The latest move will reduce Amazons carbon footprint, which in turn will aid its commitment to save the environment by leveraging renewable energy. This is in sync with the companys aim to reach net zero carbon by 2040.



We note that Amazons Australian project, which will be located in northern New South Wales, is a 60 MW solar project. It is likely to produce 142k MWh of clean energy annually.



The latest 122 MW European wind project is located in Vasternorrland, Sweden. Further, the new 50 MW solar project is based in Zaragoza, Spain. Both the European projects are capable of powering 158K average homes a year.



Furthermore, the new 65 MW U.S. solar project, which is located in Halifax County, VA, marks the companys 11th renewable energy project in the state. This project is likely to produce more than 150K MW of renewable energy.



Notably, these projects reflect Amazons Climate Pledge commitment.

Story continues

Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus

Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus

Amazon.com, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote

Carbon Neutrality Gaining Steam

Apart from Amazon, tech giants like Alphabet GOOGL, Microsoft MSFT and Apple AAPL are also taking initiatives to adopt alternative energy sources to lower overall carbon emissions and cut energy bills substantially.



Googles aggressive three-fold strategy, which includes energy efficiency, renewable energy procurement and carbon offsets, is a testament to its commitment to carbon neutrality.



Further, Microsoft is gathering steam to become carbon negative by 2030. It inked two power purchase agreements with EDP Renewables North America LLC to work on a wind energy project based out of Paulding County, OH.



Meanwhile, Apple and Rio Tinto announced that they are looking for ways to develop a carbon-free project soon.



Nevertheless, Amazon strengthening carbon neutrality initiatives remain noteworthy. Apart from the latest move, the e-commerce giant recently revealed three new renewable energy projects in the United States and one in Spain.



On completion, these projects are expected to provide an estimated 329 MW of additional renewable capacity. This energy will be utilized in the companys fulfillment network in Europe and AWS data centers.



Moreover, it had placed a purchase order for 100,000 electric delivery trucks with Rivian. These emission-free vehicles will reduce carbon footprint further.



The total number of launched utility-scale wind and solar renewable energy projects of Amazon stands at 26 to date. Moreover, the total number of installed solar rooftops on fulfillment centers and sort centers has exceeded 50.



All these strong endeavors are expected to keep the companys renewable energy game a step ahead of its peers.



Currently, Amazon carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Dean Barrett said colds spread fast in the public housing high rise where he lives in on Clevelands West Side.

All it takes is a few people crammed into an elevator for more people to come down with one, said Barrett, a 61-year-old man who spent the past 12 years living in Riverview Tower in the Ohio City neighborhood. The high rise caters to senior citizens, and if a resident gets the novel coronavirus, itll spread quick, he said Friday.

Barretts concerns are hardly unique, especially as Ohio health officials hold daily news conferences announcing more cases statewide. They are also not lost on officials at Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, which runs Riverview Tower and dozens of other buildings in the county, and provides vouchers for others who live in private residences.

None of the 13 people who tested positive for coronavirus as of Friday are CMHA residents. But a large portion of the residents is at heightened risk as the virus spreads.

CMHA serves 55,000 in the county, many of whom are among the poorest residents. Many live in buildings designed for the elderly population, which doctors say is more vulnerable to the coronavirus and the many complications that can arise from the disease.

Much like university dormitories, sizable public housing buildings provide a unique set of public health challenges, especially when it comes to viral diseases, said Dr. Scott Frank, director of public health initiatives at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicines Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences.

Buildings with shared heating and air systems that have residents living in close quarters can present an increased risk of a virus spreading, Frank said, adding that different public housing might have different levels of risk.

But unlike dorms, people live in public housing year-round. Large, cramped apartment buildings have also been the location of other viral outbreaks, including the SARS epidemic in 2003 when hundreds contracted the virus at a single building in Hong Kong.

Frank also noted that many impoverished neighborhoods in Cleveland where public housing complexes are located do not have high-speed internet, which makes it harder for residents there to receive crucial information and access health care.

The paucity of internet availability places these populations at a disadvantage for getting the care they need, Frank said.

CMHA officials said they are working to make sure all residents receive important information about the coronavirus.

Jeffrey Wade, chief of staff and special counsel to CEO Jeffery Patterson, said Friday that staff members sent out a letter that includes the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendations to avoid catching and spreading the virus. They also distributed a flier with similar advice.

Staff posted the papers or slid them under residents doors in buildings CMHA operates and emailed or mailed them to people who receive vouchers for private rentals, Wade said.

He also said staff is moving to clean common areas in CMHA buildings twice a day.

CMHA will also make special arrangements for residents forced to reduce their work hours, or those who lose their jobs altogether, so they dont lose their housing, Wade said.

As for people in senior high rises, staff is taking a lot of the same precautions. Some seniors in a few buildings receive meal services, and a nonprofit will deliver them door-to-door, Wade said.

Home health aides employed independently or through nonprofits are still allowed into the buildings, he said.

CMHA, following the states order banning gatherings of 100 or more people, also canceled large-scale events for the foreseeable future. Most of those events are at its main campus in the citys Kinsman neighborhood and are sessions for CMHAs housing programs, Wade said. However, meetings held at its buildings for programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are also canceled, he added.

Wade said CMHA officials  who are in contact with city, county and state health departments  were looking for ways to move certain processes traditionally done in person online. Even though staff is trying to minimize contact, people still need housing, he said.

To just put everything on hold for the next 30 days would not benefit anyone, Wade said.

At Riverview Tower, most people outside of the building on Friday went about their business just like any other brisk March day.

One resident walked out with a face mask on and carrying a small spray bottle of what he said was a 99 percent alcohol disinfectant. Instead of greeting with a handshake, he kicked a leg out and bumped a reporters foot.

The 56-year-old man, who only would give his first name Marvin, said he wasnt worried about the coronavirus but said hes taking some precautions. Marvin said hes spraying door handles, elevator buttons and around his apartment. Hes also keeping his windows open, he explained as he recalled past mass illnesses such as Ebola.

Its another epidemic that I prepared for, like last time, Marvin said.
Despite conflict of interest rules, Rapp served as counselor for more than 20 people  whom she knew were not eligible and whom she described as relatives  so she could approve their applications, prosecutors said. From 2012 through 2016, the D.C. government gave about $834,536 in benefits to her relatives and friends, according to court records.
More than 1,000 passengers and staff are stuck on a cruise ship docked at Hobart over coronavirus fears.

About 1,400 passengers and staff abroad the MSC Magnifica, which arrived in Tasmania on Saturday, have been barred from disembarking if they wish to continue with the cruise.

No one on the ship has the illness but the captain has made the call as a precaution to protect passengers' health.

The ship left Italy in early January before coronavirus became a global concern.

More than 1,000 passengers and staff are stuck on a cruise ship docked at Hobart over coronavirus fears

More than 200 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed across Australia, including five in Tasmania.

The island state has not yet recorded local transmission of COVID-19.

The most recent case is a man aged in his 60s who became unwell after arriving in Tasmania following a trip to Canada and the US.

He was not infectious on the flight, and is isolated and in a stable condition at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

One passenger checked in at the Hobart Port on Facebook and wrote 'unfortunately this as close to seeing Tasmania as we'll get'.

'We were supposed to disembark in 20 minutes for our tour, but just heard an emergency announcement stating that coronavirus has been detected in the port of Hobart, so we will not be able to visit,' the passenger wrote on Saturday.

One passenger shared this picture after they attempted to disembark in Hobart on Saturday

'Next port, Sydney, Australia, on 16 March. Fingers crossed!'

In a later update, the holidaymaker claimed the captain has been holding meetings with passengers.

'Basically, our cruise is over. There will be no more port stop tours,' the passenger wrote.

'Only technical stops for refueling and replenishing provisions.

'We were told that we can leave the ship in Sydney or Singapore to make our own way back home.'

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein told a press conference on Saturday the decision came after advice on border control.

One passenger checked in at the Hobart Port on Facebook and wrote 'unfortunately this as close to seeing Tasmania as we'll get'

In a later update, the holidaymaker said the captain has been holding meetings with passengers. 'Basically, our cruise is over. There will be no more port stop tours,' he wrote

'We obviously act on the advice of the Australian border agency in terms of what occurs nationally, but controls that are set by the Australian Government are the ones we take into account, and also the advice of our own health experts and the Director of Public Health.'

'My understanding is there's no outbreak of coronavirus on the ship itself and this is a precautionary measure that the ship [company] has taken.'

Roger Preston-Smith, who works on the Magnifica, told the ABC he decided to leave the cruise ship.

'They are just not letting people off if you are getting back on. They were afraid that they would infect people getting back on,' he said.

Mr Preston-Smith has 'lots of friends in Australia' and would rather be in the country.

'I don't want to be stuck on that ship, it's too stressful. They're just going to go out to sea and who knows how long it will sit there,' he told the publication.
(Newser)  And then there were two. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are set to meet Sunday night in their first one-to-one presidential primary debate after months of Democratic free-for-alls that presaged a dramatic culling of the field since the opening round of the 2020 race, the AP reports. Some key questions to look for about the debate, which takes place before the next round of primaries on Tuesday, when 577 delegates are at stake in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. The coronavirus outbreak has overturned American life, but it is unclear whether the unfolding crisis changes a race that Biden controls with more than half the delegates already awarded. Both candidates have used the COVID-19 pandemic as a hook to try to justify their main themes, and can be expected to do so again Sunday.

story continues below

Sanders has been saying that the pandemic demonstrates the need for his "Medicare for All" universal health insurance plan, along with other expansion of a social safety net. He said the shortage of medical goods, from masks and rubber gloves to diagnostic testing kits, is a consequence of decades of establishment trade policy that sent US manufacturing prowess overseas. To Biden, it's a moment to make the case against President Donald Trumps competence. The former vice president has run against Trump from the beginning, so much so that it cost him embarrassing finishes in early-voting Iowa and New Hampshire. But Biden has rebounded in recent weeks. Click to read about other possible factors in the debate. (Or see what Biden has done amid security scares.)
As Congress waited to vote on its second multibillion-dollar coronavirus bill in less than three weeks, Montanas delegation called for bipartisanship and cautioned constituents not to panic and be smart about public exposure.

U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester returned to Montana on Thursday as the state was shutting down on several fronts. State universities were shifting to online-only classes, and public events across Montana were being rescheduled or canceled to minimize the spread of the virus. Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, declared a state of emergency.

None of the steps being taken were excessive, the lawmakers said, urging Montanans not to panic but to be cautious.

These precautions, as painful as they are, I think we need to take the appropriate precautions here. We have a time at this moment to try and get ahead of whats going on, Daines said. It remains to be seen if we will. We need to come back here and remember the basics of basic hygiene, of social distancing, and I think particularly its for the senior citizens. Young people, the data is telling us, and talking to our doctors at the NIH and CDC, young people are resolving this thing very effectively as long as they dont have other kinds of immune problems and so forth. Its the senior citizens that we really worry about, and we need to be protecting our seniors.

By Friday evening, there were four Montanans in the state with presumptive positive tests for coronavirus. There was also one Montanan, a Lake County woman in her 70s living part-time in Maryland, that had been diagnosed with coronavirus in that state.

Officials at Malmstrom Air Force Base declared a public health emergency as it dealt with a health situation involving COVID-19. Days earlier, the Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, canceled a trip to the base.

Sen. Tester, a Democrat, visited the Montana Air National Guard facility Friday to look at how money diverted from Montana Air National Guard and given to the southern border wall was impacting the National Guard. He also canceled his Malmstrom visit, scheduled for Saturday.

Before the visit, Tester discussed what rural areas need in terms of a federal response to coronavirus.

One of the biggest ones is if schools start shutting down, how kids are going to get fed. Because you dont want to have a situation where people are congregating. In bigger towns you can deliver it, and it's easier because the population is more together, Tester said. I think the other challenge is our hospitals. Those rural hospitals are critical. For the most part, they all need staff  and Im not saying the big ones dont, too. They do. But it just seems like its more critical in some of these rural hospitals. They depend on traveling nurses more, and I think its a real challenge out there to make sure that they have what they need to be able to deal with this problem as far as health care professionals go.

Details of the next coronavirus bill were still being hammered out, but Tester said he hoped that there would be focus on helping people no longer able to work because of the virus, as well as businesses that because of the virus didnt have employees would could work.

Tester said he was concerned about adding non-coronavirus items, such as infrastructure spending, to the bill because the entire federal response is being fueled by borrowed money. He blamed the 2017 Trump tax cuts for cutting federal revenue by more than $1 trillion, saying there isnt enough revenue coming in to fund a response to a pandemic.

At the end of the week, Tester introduced bills creating temporary unemployment assistance and assuring coronavirus testing was free.

Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency, freeing up $50 billion in spending for a coronavirus response. Just weeks earlier, the president had requested $1.25 billion from Congress for an initial coronavirus preparation. Lawmakers responded with $8.3 billion, which Montanas delegation supported.

Tester said Trumps initial response was insufficient, but that the president was responding better now after being exposed to coronavirus. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the Centers for Disease Control are now influencing the administrations response, he said.

I think the administration was in denial on this. I think they were spreading things around that were absolutely false and when Fauci and the CDC and the FDA were allowed to tell the truth we found out what the impacts are, Tester said. As I tell people not to panic, its also something you dont screw around with. You dont treat it in a cavalier fashion like the president did, and I think the president has had a come-to-Jesus meeting because at the very same convention that he was saying this was a farce, he got exposed, is what I was told, and thats CPAC.

CPAC is the Conservative Political Action Conference where last weekend there was an attendee with coronavirus, sparking a few politicians to self-quarantine.

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, remained in Washington, D.C., on Friday, where House lawmakers were waiting for a vote on a coronavirus funding bill brokered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. House lawmakers were scheduled for a week away from D.C. to work in their home districts, but getting a bill passed and ready for the Senate to take up early next week was a priority, Gianforte said. He said he hoped the bill emerging from the House would be bipartisan, improving its odds of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate.

This is a public health challenge that honestly our country is unfamiliar with. We need to act swiftly, but weve got to do it wisely as well, and I share the sense that we need to take the time to get it right and make sure we do it in a bipartisan way because the health of the American people is more important than partisan politics, Gianforte said. I think we can come together on this. In speaking with leader McCarthy, they have been in in-depth discussions between the White House, Senate leadership and the House leadership to get a bill that gets relief for American workers and families that might be impacted by this health challenge were facing. And we got to make sure when you make changes like that, that you dont have unforeseen consequences.

Gianforte said things like telemedicine were going to be important in rural parts of Montana where medical staff were limited. Particularly for rural Montanans quarantined at home, telemedicine would be useful.

We may not have enough providers in Montana, but if they exist elsewhere, it makes a lot of sense to allow them to provide care to individuals in their homes, where they might be self-quarantined. We are served in our rural communities by critical access hospitals. By statute, they have a limit of 25 beds. The president talked today about waiving that restriction for a period of time so that we can scale up capacity if need be. Also, length of stay is restricted in those critical access hospitals. Allowing people to be there until theyre healthy makes a lot of sense. These are some of things that are specific to Montana.

Gianforte echoed Testers concern about there being federal support available for people who have to leave work because of coronavirus.

The paid leave portion of the phase two funding of the federal coronavirus response has been a sticking point between Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Conservatives have argued the compensation needs to be limited to the coronavirus response, while some Democrats prefer a more permanent program. Speaker Pelosi, a San Francisco Democrat, indicated Friday afternoon that the compensation would be specific to coronavirus, at least in the phase two agreement. She indicated several issues without bipartisan support would be deferred to another time.

Daines said he supported paid leave for workers sidelined by coronavirus and brought it up when visiting with Trump about payroll tax cuts. Not all Senate Republicans were supportive of paid leave for sick workers as business ended last week.

I call this piece, the safety net package, phase two. This is going to address things like paid leave, which I recommended that to the president a week ago. Theres also a food stamp safety net there, kind of preparing for a situation where we may need to be able to get that safety net to people who are losing jobs, who need help, Daines said. Theres a very important Medicaid provision, as we're anticipating theres going to be more Americans needing health care, that the federal government will be increasing the payment to the states to cover what we anticipate will be a larger increase in health care costs.

This package is going to be tens of billions of dollars and we need to, hopefully both sides will come to an agreement that can work for Republicans and Democrats and get this passed," He continued. "This is not the time to politicize. This is not the time to use this time in history to drive maybe other policy outcomes you may seek otherwise. This is the time to address the current problem that we face.

The third phase would be an economic stimulus package, Daines said. That would have to be done in a way the protects Social Security from a draw down related to a payroll tax cut through the years end, which he is pursuing. There are several moving pieces to a stimulus package thats expected to be broad.
Typically, those who are paid from our commonwealth to speak for the current federal administration in the well-funded propaganda office known as the media department located within the precincts of the center of national political power known as Aso Rock presidential mansion, often mischaracterize persons with difference of opinions from the official line as mischief makers.

The erstwhile back page columnist and managing Director of the tabloid known as Sun Newspaper Mr Femi Adesina who is the chief spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari is reported to have categorized critics of his master as wailers.

Those who refused to wear their thinking caps and often applauded all actions of the current president are euphemistically and romantically called hailers by the spokesmen of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, I believe that this mischaracterization is unprofessional given that democracy thrives on constructive criticism and free speech which means that citizens are to freely express their opinions with the abiding faith that they are all for the best interest of the public since the public good is the fundamental objectives of politics, as it were. Section 39 says Citizens have the freedom of expression.

It is therefore in that line that this writer intends to analyze the unfortunate betrayal of the constitutionally guaranteed federal character principle by President Muhammadu Buhari in almost all of his strategic appointments of Nigerians into positions of authority in the current dispensation.

The relevant section of the Nigerian constitution which spells out imperative of the observance of the federal character principle is constructed in such a simplified language that a reader does not need the interpretative authority of the court system to arrive at an acceptable meaning.

This key provision of the Nigerian law called federal character is the national soul of the complex political entity known as Nigeria so as to assure the citizens that Nigeria is not just a geographical representation or expression but a home for all Nigerians in which nobody or group is to be seen as first, second or third class citizen.

Federal character principle defines both the logic of equity and that of equality even as that is the singular factor that brings about national harmony, abiding tranquility and national unity which are the mainstay of Nigerias coat of arms.

Elymologically, coat of arms are the distinctive heraldic bearings or shield of a person, family, corporation or country. The coat of arms of Nigeria consists of a black shield with a wavy white pall, symbolizing the meeting of the Niger and Benue rivers at Lokoja. The black shield represents Nigerias fertile soil, while the two supporting horses or chargers on each side represent dignity.

The observance of federal character principle in the matter of appointments to key positions is the practical demonstration of the enforcement of the spirit of our supreme law which obliges the president and governors to abide by the legal requirement of affirming the unity of purpose of our nation which in effect symbolize that in Nigeria, no single group; ethnicity or religion is higher than the other.

A look at section 14(3) and (4) of the constitution tells the entire story and this provision is further adumbrated by section 42(1) of the constitution as follows:

Section 14(3) (4) states: (3) The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies. (4) The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognize the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation.

Section 42(1) states: A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:- (a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or (b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.

Before proceeding, I must assert that since 2015 when the former military Head of state Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) was sworn in as president, he has failed to comply with the requirement of the federal character principle because he has concentrated all the key internal security positions and economic appointments in the hands of his kinsmen and women to the exclusion of over 400 other ethnic blocs.

Take a look at the heads of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NMS); the Nigerian Customs; the Nigerian Civil Defence; the head of the powerful secret police and that of the external wing of the security institutions. These key offices are headed by persons from the North and are all Moslems. This is a clear violation of the federal character principle. The heads of all the core economic institutions and the maritime industry with the exception of the Central Bank are similarly dominated by that same section.

I do not wish to even consider the issue of almost all the most important positions that are allocated to just one ethnicity and one religious group to the exclusion of all others, but this distortion is seen as the reason for the widespread violence unleashed on Christian communities by terrorists and armed Fulani herdsmen who are never held to account and even those of the terror suspects arrested, most of them are being released and even a senator has a proposed legislation to reward these terrorists even as their victims are neglected.

The whole issue systematic targeting of CHRISTIANS centers around the need for federal character principle to be observed for that is the most critical element that unify the nation and oils our constitutional democracy.

Look at the story of the Nigerian delegation to Germany to hold talks with Siemens on how to improve electricity power and what you see is the lack of fair representation because the three persons are from the same region and are of one religion.

The theme of their consultation is about electricity power which is at the core of our economic agenda and here you have just one section of the Nigerian Ethno-religious communities representing the entire country.

This is patently unfair.

Let us read the story as captured by This Day of Tuesday March 10th 2020.

The reporter affirmed thus: "The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, and the Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, met yesterday with Siemens officials in Germany in furtherance of the deal recently signed by the president and the energy company on improving electricity supply in the country.

It was learnt that the duo, joined by the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, are in Europe to fine-tune the details of the agreement, the process of which started two years ago when Buhari met with German Chancellor, Angela Merkel on August 31, 2018.

THISDAY gathered that the Siemens team was led to the meeting by the Global Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Joe Kaeser.

Confirming the meeting through his Twitter handle yesterday, which was verified by an official of the ministry, who said Mamman left the country on Sunday, the minister explained that he was in Germany to find ways of proffering solutions to the current power problems in Nigeria.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari and I are in Munich right now meeting with executive members of @Siemens to discuss issues relating to the Nigerian power sector. The Nigerian Ambassador to Germany H.E @YusufTuggar has joined us for this meeting.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian government @NigeriaGov recently signed a six-year deal with the German company, which will result in the effective generation, transmission and distribution of at least 25,000 megawatts of electricity by the year 2025, Mamman said.

Buhari had tasked Siemens and other stakeholders in the power sector to work hard to achieve 7,000 megawatts of reliable power supply by 2021 and 11,000 megawatts by 2023 during the agreement signing ceremony.

My challenge to Siemens, our partner investors in the distribution companies, the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the electricity regulator is to work hard to achieve 7,000 megawatts of reliable power supply by 2021 and 11,000 megawatts by 2023 in phases 1 and 2 respectively.

After these transmission and distribution system bottlenecks have been fixed, we will seek in the third and final phase to drive generation capacity and overall grid capacity to 25,000 megawatts, he had said.

The president also said the agreement would be a strictly government-to-government arrangement to avoid the problem of going through middlemen. This is the report and these representatives of just one Ethnicity and religion are in Germany to speak for all of Nigeria. Where is the fair representation?

Federal character principle remains our best way to achieve national unity.

Two Harvard University Professors of Government made the same observations in their book "How Democracy Die: What history reveals about our future" as follows: The strength of the American political system, it has often been said, rests on what Swedish Nobel Prize-Winning economist Gunnar Myrdal called the American Creed: the principles of individual freedom and egalitarianism. Written into our founding documents and repeated in classrooms, speeches, and editorial pages, freedom and equality are self-justifying values. But they are not self-executing. Mutual toleration and institutional forbearance are procedural principles - they tell politicians how to behave, beyond the bounds of law, to make our institutions function. We should regard these procedural values as also sitting at the center of the American Creed - for without them, our democracy would not work."

Is Mr President listening?

*Emmanuel Onwubiko is the Head of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria and [email protected] ; www.emmanuelonwubikocom; www.thenigerianinsidernews.com ; [email protected]
The ITAA have stated that counter staff are doing everything they can to assist customers whose travel plans are affected by COVID-19.

Dublin 13th March 2020 The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) is asking customers to be mindful of the pressures faced by travel agents across the country as the Coronavirus situation progresses, and to be patient and #BeKind in their interactions when dealing with travel agency staff.

Travel agents are working hard to assist customers by securing refunds and changing travel arrangements where possible. Customers are currently being prioritised based on the proximity of their bookings, with bookings made for March and April taking precedence over bookings later in the year.

John Spollen, President of the ITAA said, This is a fast moving situation, and a stressful time for everyone. We are asking that our customers take into consideration the pressure that counter staff are under as we all navigate this difficult period. Our members are working as hard as they can to refund customers and find alternative travel arrangements, and we ask that travellers remain mindful of this when engaging with our member staff in stores and by phone.

He continued, ITAA members are monitoring the situation on behalf of their clients on a day to day, hour by hour basis on what is a fluid situation. The health and welfare of our customers is paramount and we are ready to advise them, updating the situation when the Department of Foreign Affairs updates us.

The ITAA is advising travellers to read the Department of Foreign Affairs travel advice for the country they are travelling to, which includes entry requirements and a link through to download the DFA Travelwise smartphone app that provides specific travel health advice for countries. Travelwise advises that travellers currently in countries that are reporting cases of Novel Coronavirus, otherwise known as Coronavirus or COVID-19, should follow local public health advice. Travellers should keep up to date on the country advice during their visit.

The ITAA also advises that holidaymakers ensure that they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and also obtain comprehensive travel insurance before travelling, which will cover all overseas medical costs, including medical repatriation/evacuation. Affected holidaymakers are advised to follow the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs, local authorities and accommodation providers.

Enhanced health screening procedures have been put in place at arrival and departure areas in many countries. Travellers should comply with these processes and take relevant preventative measures to reduce the risk of exposure.

#BeKind

#WereAllInThisTogether
At the crack of dawn, the seaside town of Nha Trang, in the eastern coast of Vietnam, is already bustling. A group of women, assembled on the beach, perform synchronised workouts to upbeat tunes while elderly onlookers, seated nearby, watch the proceedings with interest. This morning ritual is a noisy affair and faint strains drift up to the veranda of our sea-facing suite.

As the sun begins to rise higher, fishing boats bobbing on the rocky sea are back with the days catch and morning walkers, who appear like moving dots in a matrix from our elevated sea-facing suite, make themselves scarce as tourists begin splaying out at various spots on the beach to soak up the sun.

Po Nagar Cham Towers have been erected between the 7th and 12th century

This high-energy beach resort town enjoys a stunning setting: Surrounded by verdant mountain ranges that hug a turquoise bay dotted with tropical islands. Also known as the Riviera of the South China Sea, Nha Trang offers a six-kilometre stretch of beautiful coastline with white sandy beaches, clear waters with an abundance of marine life.

Our first stop is the Hon Chong promontory that has a panoramic view of the mountainous coastline and nearby islands. After a short ride, we find ourselves descending a flight of stairs to reach the cape. We pass the Heavens Gate  a rock that hangs precariously between two larger stones, and walk towards the towering Hon Chong at the far end of the promontory. The eponymous stone, a massive formation that leaves us spellbound has a local legend attached to it. Apparently, an inebriated giant was pushed off the cliff by fairies who would bathe in the waters near Hon Chong. To memorialise this story, theres a massive gouge in the rock that resembles a handprint. We take a breather at the adjoining Bai Duong Beachless popular and populated than the main beach  with clear waters gushing over powder white sands. Post the sightseeing, we decide to explore the citys cultural history and book a local taxi  20 dollars for a few hours. First stop  Po Nagar Cham Towers. Erected between the 7th and 12th century, the temple complex has been used as a place of worship for Cham, Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhists and also has Hindu influences. One of the towers, for instance, has a linga inside the main chamber, while another houses an idol of Lord Shiva with his consort. Being much higher than sea level, this peaceful spot looks down onto the busy beach town of Nha Trang and the fishing trawlers crowding Cai River estuary. Local legend has it that the rivers Xom Bong Bridge survived WWII bombings due to the temples spiritual protection. Our taxi next stops at Long Son Pagoda which houses an awe-inspiring 24-metre-tall statue of Buddha seated on a lotus throne. The 150-steps hike and the blistering heat has us beat and we retreat to our hotel bar for some R&R.

Long Son Pagoda houses a 24-metre-tall Buddha statue in Nha Trang

As the sun disappears from the horizon, we decide to explore the citys landmark sights on foot. The closest attraction from our hotel is the Tram Huong Tower known locally as Lotus Tower. This building serves as a great reference point between walking and strolling along the beach and helps us identify the street intersection that our hotel is on. Our leisurely walk sparkles up an appetite. Luckily, just a few 100 metres away, on Nha Trang beach, we find enterprising fisher women busily attending to their stoves, grilling everything from clams to lobstersright on the footpath. We sample a plate of juicy lobster, chopped into bite-sized portions and transferred to a thermocol container with a lid. Slow roasted on grill over a mild flame, the minimalist preparation is completed with a squeeze of lemon as a final garnish. But while the shell has been cracked open from a side, one requires to scoop out the meat using disposable cutlery provided by our vendor. Needless to say, this wasnt the most convenient meal of the day. But once we manage to excavate the succulent chunks of meat glued to the cavernous flaming orange shell, life doesnt seem so bad after all.
Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, wants to build an electric car factory in Brazil. He was supposed to meet Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, in Miami in early March, but he was too busy; instead, Musk will go to Brazil sometime this year. All eyes are on the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, whose Secretary of International Affairs Derian Campos is in direct contact with Musk. Two automobile manufacturersBMW and GMalready have factories in Santa Catarina. Marcos Pontes (Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications) held a video conference with Anderson Ricardo Pacheco, a senior Tesla official. They were joined by Daniel Freitas, a congressman, and Claiton Pacheco Galdino, who is the business development director for Criciuma, a city in Santa Catarina. They are eager for Tesla to open a GigafactoryTeslas name for a big factoryin South Americas largest economy.

It helps that Brazil has considerable lithium depositsmostly in the southeastern states of Minas Gerais and Paraiba and in the northeastern states of Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte. The production of lithium is limited, largely having been used for ceramics and glass production. The Bolsonaro government is interested in increasing the production of lithium, including as a key raw material for the lithium-ion batteries that power electric cars such as those made by Tesla. But Brazils lithium will not be sufficient. Tesla would need to import lithium from elsewhere.

The Lithium Triangle

Over 50 percent of the worlds known lithium deposits are in the Lithium Trianglethe lithium concentrated brine sources in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Bolivias high mountain desertsthe Salar de Uyunihave by far the largest known reserves of lithium.

In a bizarre tweet, the Bolivian entrepreneur Samuel Doria Medina wrote that since Elon Musk and Jair Bolsonaro will discuss the Tesla plant in Brazil, they should add to this initiative the following: build a Gigafactory in the Salar de Uyuni to supply lithium batteries. Doria Medina is not just an entrepreneur. He is the vice-presidential candidate alongside the interim president Jeanine Anez for the May 3, 2020, Bolivian presidential elections. Anez came to power only because of the coup detat against Evo Morales in November 2019. Doria Medinas welcome mat to Tesla should, therefore, be seen as having the full authority of the coup government behind it.

Morales government had been very cautious with these lithium reserves. It had made clear that these precious resources were not to be turned over to transnational corporations in deals favorable to the firms; what gains come from lithium, Morales had pointed out, must be properly shared with the Bolivian people. The point that Morales government made is that any deal must be done with ComibolBolivias national mining companyand Yacimientos de Litio BolivianosBolivias national lithium company. The monetary gains from the mining would come into the Bolivian exchequer and then fund the social programs so necessary for the country. This sensible socialist policy was too much for three major transnational firmsEramet (France), FMC (United States), and Posco (South Korea)all three of whom turned tail and went to Argentina.

The Lithium Coup

It was Morales socialist policy toward Bolivias resources that doomed his government. The oligarchy, which was angry with Morales government and its socialism, used every mechanism to undermine the election of 2019. Forest fires in the northern and eastern regions of Bolivia provided the oligarchys media with the weaponry to suggest that Morales had abandoned his commitment to the environment and to Pachamama (Mother Earth), and that he was now working to benefit the cattle ranchers; it is important to point that this is not only ridiculous, but that as soon as the coup government of Anez came into office, it passed legislation that allowed the ranchers to extend their lands into forested areas.

Morales opponentCarlos Mesaand other senior leaders of the oligarchys political parties openly said long before the election that Morales could only win by fraud. A self-proclaimed Council for the Defense of Democracy said that Morales was an illegitimate candidate because he had lost the 2016 constitutional referendum. The mediabacked by these corporate and neofascist interestsbanged the drum of fraud, while Carlos Mesaon the night of the electionsaid that there was monumental fraud in the election. These provocations from Mesa, the neofascists, and the corporate elites resulted in street violence; in the midst of this, the policesections of whom were angry with Morales for cracking down on police corruptionmutinied. The 36 Bolivians who died in the immediate post-election aftermath are victims of Mesas incendiary language. The Organization of American States (OAS), egged on by the U.S. government, came up with a preliminary report of fraud in the election; the hard conclusions in the report were not substantiated by the data in it. The OAS report played an important role in legitimizing the coup against Morales.

It is important to point out that there was no controversy about Morales election in 2014; in that election, Morales won 61 percent of the votes to defeat the entrepreneur Samuel Doria Medina, who won 24 percent (Doria Medina is the same person who is now running for vice president and welcomes Tesla to Bolivias lithium). Morales term, from the 2014 election, had not yet expired in November 2019; the removal of Morales then violated the mandate of 2014, a point that has received almost no discussion either inside Bolivia or abroad.

John Curiel and Jack Williams of the Election Data and Science Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) went over the Bolivian election data and found no fraud: There is not any statistical evidence of fraud that we can find, they wrote conclusively in the Washington Post. Curiel and Williams contacted the OAS, but they note, We and other scholars within the field reached out to the OAS for comment; the OAS did not respond. By their assessment, Morales won the election in November 2019 and should have been inaugurated this year to a new term.

Terrible pressure by the coup government against the party of Morales (the Movement for Socialism, or MAS)as well as the presence of USAID monitors and a U.S.-backed head of the election commission, Salvador Romerosuggests that this election on May 3 is not going to be at all fair; it will likely favor the coup government, including the entrepreneur who wants to turn over Bolivias lithium to Elon Musks Tesla and Jair Bolsonaros Brazil.

A World of Lithium

In 2019, the benchmark Bloomberg New Energy Finances Energy Storage Outlook 2019 report anticipated that by 2030, the price of the lithium-ion battery would drop dramatically, and thatas a consequencerenewable energy (solar and wind) plus storage of energy in batteries will expand exponentially. By 2040, there is an expectation that wind and solar will produce 40 percent of world energy consumption, rather than the 7 percent it now produces. For this, demand for energy storage will increase. The total demand for batteries from the stationary storage and electric transport sectors is forecast to be 4,584GWh (Gigawatt hours) by 2040, write the Bloomberg analysts, providing a major opportunity for battery makers and miners of component metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. The current use is merely 9GW/17GWh.

The key point to emphasize here is that this will provide a major opportunity for miners of component metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. When Bloombergs analysts use a word like miners, they do not mean the Bolivian miners or the Congolese miners, but the transnational firms, such as Tesla and its chief, Elon Musk. As far as Bloomberg and Anez are concerned, South America is no longer to follow the resource nationalist project of Evo Morales; this is Elon Musks South America, a place for the neo-conquistadors to make money and leave behind them social carnage.

This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
F1's travelling circus will endure a nervous couple of weeks in the wake of the postponed Australian GP.

Although a wheel didn't turn at Albert Park, the entire travelling sport made the trip from Europe only to learn that a McLaren team member was infected with coronavirus.

A two-week period of quarantine for those who work in Formula 1 has now begun.

When asked if he is worried that other infections will now be confirmed, Sebastian Vettel - who was the first driver to leave Melbourne at 6am on Friday morning - answered: "I don't know.

"How can you answer that? Maybe yes. I'm not an expert, but as far as I understand, some people will have it and you don't see anything. They show no symptoms," the Ferrari driver added.

On March 6 - just eight days ago - Lewis Hamilton was photographed at an event with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie, who has subsequently been diagnosed with Covid-19.

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl, meanwhile, has remained with the 15 affected members of his team in Melbourne.

"I sorted out the team all night and now I'm staying with them in Melbourne for solidarity," the German confirmed to Auto Bild.

It was Seidl's decision to withdraw McLaren from the Australian GP on Thursday that triggered the entire postponement saga.

"I had to act immediately," he explained. "My decision was fully supported by the team owners. For me, there was no other option.

"In such a case, the safety of my employees is my top priority."

Alex Wurz, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association president, was among those who travelled to Melbourne, but he stayed in his hotel on Friday.

"I didn't go to the paddock and my colleague Alex Wurz also stayed in the hotel," ORF commentator Ernst Hausleitner revealed to Osterreich.

"The risk was too great for us. We wanted to wait for the test results," he added.

"I have to admit, I underestimated the dramatic developments. The organisers didn't even stop the public pitwalk, which was completely irresponsible," Hausleitner said.

Former F1 driver Christian Danner agreed, telling RTL: "Formula 1 behaved pretty badly."

Even former FIA president Max Mosley has weighed into the situation, scolding his successors for being so indecisive.

"I think the general principle is that people can forgive you for being wrong but they can't forgive you for being indecisive," he told Motor Sport Magazine.

(GMM)
A Sequatchie man was given yet another lengthy prison sentence after he was caught with a gun despite being a convicted felon. Dale Slaughter was sentenced to 84 months after he was seen waving a gun around an informant during a drug sale. When law enforcement searched the home later, they found the gun under his mattress.

Defense attorney Paul Bergmann attempted to give a valid excuse for Slaughters ownership of a gun. He said his client was a simple country man who owned chickens, and that sometimes bandits or wild animals would attempt to harm his beloved animals. He said the gun was just used to ward off those threats.

Federal Judge Travis McDonough was skeptical of this argument. He wondered why the gun was underneath a mattress, saying that if I wanted to protect my chickens, Id have it by the back door closer to the chickens. Not by or under the bed.

The federal judge also said he was troubled by the fact that the gun was present during the sale of drugs. As he later stated, Slaughter has a long criminal record with seven DUIs, a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, four drug-related offenses, and a previous felon in possession of a firearm charge that landed him in prison for years.

Quite frankly, a lengthy sentence is just, considering your lengthy criminal history, said Judge McDonough.



Slaughter had very little to say, while just asking for mercy from the judge. Attorney Bergmann cited his clients long list of health issues, ranging from MRSA, Scoliosis, and mental issues. The attorney asked that his client go to a medical facility when sentenced, as Slaughter was described as being in considerable pain most of the time.

Slaughter was then sentenced to the 84 months in prison for possession of a firearm while being a convicted felon, and then three more years of probation afterward. Judge McDonough agreed to send Slaughter to a medical facility.

Do you want to die in prison? the judge asked the 54-year-old man. Youre too old for this. You dont have enough time on this earth to be acting this way.
Biden wins more states, endorsement: 4 key takeaways from 6-state primary day

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Voters in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, and Washington State took to the polls on Tuesday to determine the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.

Tuesday also marked the final day of voting for the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary, which has a total of 13 delegates.

The once crowded Democratic field has been boiled down to three contenders: former Vice President Joe Biden, United States Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Here are four important takeaways from the events of Tuesday. They include Biden winning big, a symbolic victory, and the latest major endorsement offered by a former presidential hopeful.

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WASHINGTON  The Senate Armed Services Committee has temporarily blocked the promotion of one of the top Special Forces officers involved in the fatal Oct. 4, 2017, ambush in Niger, American officials said Friday. The attack resulted in four American deaths and exposed the U.S. militarys shortcomings in western Africa.

Col. Bradley D. Moses, the officer in charge of the Third Special Forces Group at the time of the attack, is the only officer in his unit involved in the episode to escape some form of punishment. His subordinates, all more junior officers, have been punished.

Colonel Moses was initially slated to be promoted to brigadier general after leaving his current assignment in Afghanistan. But at the request of members of the Senate, Colonel Moses, was removed from the initial list.

In the past, some officers were taken off the list only to be promoted months later, leaving Colonel Mosess future unclear. On Congresss website, he is listed as being partitioned.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13

Trend:

Azerbaijans Prime Minister Ali Asadov had a phone conversation with his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Gaharia, the Trend learned from the press service of Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers.

In order to ensure safety and protect the health of citizens of both countries from coronavirus, the sides decided to temporarily close the state border between Azerbaijan and Georgia for all modes of transport from 00:00 (GMT +4) March 14, 2020 for a period of 10 days.

At the same time, during this period, the necessary corridor will be provided for the mutual return of the citizens of Azerbaijan and Georgia to their countries. There will also be a transit corridor for freight.
Adonis Alexanders plan was working. After getting laid off from MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2017, the native Houstonian launched the Diverscity Clothing business hed been working on in bits and pieces.

Hed created clever slogans and Houston-centric designs for T shirts, backpacks, hats and other items that spoke to the citys broad diversity and were sold in smaller locations around the city.

When he made it onto the vendor list for the 2020 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, he was elated. He kicked into high gear, generating inventory and mapping out a sales and revenue strategy.

One week into the rodeo, the biggest paydays  from HISDs spring break on - were to come. Then the novel coronavirus and COVID-10 reared its ugly head and Alexander, like dozens of other rodeo vendors, was told to pack up and go home.

With cases of unsold goods, Alexander and others were working on emergency sales plans when word of a new Facebook page spread like wildfire: Houston Rodeo Vendors 2020 had been created to help vendors sell their goods.

Within 24 hours, with little more than the power of social media and eager friends behind her, Cara Adamss new Facebook page had attracted more than 77,000 people. By late Friday, the number had climbed to more than 91,000.

In short order, Alexander had 4,000 new pageviews and several dozen sales.

That Facebook page reminds me of Hurricane Harvey. This community knows how to step up. Wow, said Alexander, who will sell his Houston Astros designs from the HTX Fan Tavern across from Minute Maid Park on Texas Avenue when the home teams season gets underway.

Christina McAllen and Madeline Wagner are two other vendors who joined the Facebook page to help sell their inventory.

Wagner, who has a been a RodeoHouston vendor for 20 years, had three booths where she sold her Something New jewelry cleaner. McAllen launched her jewelry and handbag business in 2014 with her first rodeo booth.

Alexander, McAllen and Wagner are the kind of people Adams was trying to help when she quickly reacted to the canceling of the rodeo this week.

After Hurricane Harvey, I started a Facebook page called Hurricane Moms Memorial and it took off. It had almost 2,000 people, said Adams, the mother of daughters who are 4 and 6 years old. When I saw this happen I thought I could start a page to do the same thing.

In its first 24 hours, Adams was so busy approving new members that she didnt even have time to count the number of vendors who opted in.

More than two years ago, Adams launched a page to help her Memorial neighbors, many of whom lost everything and at the very least needed emotional support. She hosted a Christmas event, Hope After Harvey, for young moms like her.

Theyre so appreciative to have this page and connect with people who want to buy from them, Adams said. I didnt think about it when we started, but now people can shop these rodeo vendors year round.

Its a godsend for Wagner, who Friday morning was scrambling to buy boxes to ship out the 125 or so jewelry cleaning kits shed sold online because of Adams. On her website, shes offering 30 percent off for RodeoHouston customers and shell be back in Houston in mid-April for the Nutcracker Spring Market unless its canceled too.

The last two weeks are when you make your money, said Wagner, whod brought cases of ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machines and 3,000 bagged jewelry cleaning kits to sell. The first weeks sales pay hotel expenses and employees, so we hadnt hit the profit point yet. Now Im trying to make enough sales to cover my costs and break even and keep our doors open to make a profit another day.

Wagner said shed generally do $100,000 in sales the full run of Rodeo Houston with a $30,000-$35,000 profit. When the rodeo closed mid-week, shed only done $20,000 in sales.

McAllen noted that shell still sell her jewelry and handbags through her Christina Greene showroom on South Boulevard near Rice Village, shell just have more inventory than she anticipated and wont have to get more for a while.

This reminds me of Hurricane Harvey when we all came together. Its not just Texas strong, its Houston strong, McAllen said. Everyone wants to do what they can to help the vendors and the children who didnt get to show their (animals)  whatever we can do to help each other out.

diane.cowen@chron.com
WEST MICHIGAN -- Courts in West Michigan are taking steps to limit public attendance at hearings, but will continue operations, as concerns over coronavirus COVID-19 grow.

District courts in Kent and Ottawa counties on Friday, March 13 announced changes to help protect people.

At the 61st District Court in Grand Rapids, officials plan to permit attorneys, prosecutors, witnesses or parties to participate in hearings via video or phone upon request and with court approval. We encourage parties to resolve matters by phone ahead of time.

Also, civil cases may be adjourned upon request of the parties with the approval of the judge.

Litigants are not excused from scheduled court dates. However, if a party contacts the court to make other arrangements, we will work with the requesting party to the extent possible, court officials said in a written statement.

Saturday, March 14: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

In Ottawa County, the 58th District Court service windows will not be staffed until April 27. Many front window services are available online at miOttawa.org/servicecenter

-- All civil proceedings scheduled from March 16 to April 27 will be rescheduled. They include all small claims trials, general civil motions, pre-trials, trials and post-judgment proceedings, as well as landlord-tenant hearings and trials.

-- All criminal trials, preliminary examinations and arraignments for persons not lodged at the county jail will be adjourned until at least April 27. Scheduled pre-trials and probable cause conferences will be conducted off-site by telephone with the prosecutor or city attorney.

-- Persons with scheduled weddings may reschedule or have the wedding conducted at the scheduled time. However, only the bride, groom and two witnesses will be allowed at any ceremony between March 16 and April 24.

The 58th District Court will remain partially staffed and will respond to phone calls and emails as quickly as possible, court officials said.

At the 17th Circuit Court in Kent County, administrators say civil cases may be adjourned upon request of any party, with approval of the judge.

Criminal defendants not in custody can have hearings adjourned upon request.

Court officials say criminal trials swill continue but jurors will be called at a reduced rate to reduce courthouse traffic.

Notices were posted at all courtroom doors at the Kent County courthouse in downtown Grand Rapids, advising people to stay out of the courtrooms if they are not a party to the case or necessary to it.

More from MLive

Gov. Whitmer bans non-essential hospital visits, urges virtual meetings as COVID-19 count rises

Michigan coronavirus cases jump to 25

State hotline created to take coronavirus questions
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2020 -- Medical simulation is now widely used in education and training in a variety of high risk professions and disciplines, including the military, commercial airlines, nuclear power plants, business and medicine. Simulation based medical education can be defined as any educational activity that utilizes simulative aides to replicate clinical scenarios. A device that facilitates the learner to replicate and perform under experimental conditions that are likely to occur while interacting with the actual patient is called as simulator. Medical simulation plays an important role to reduce risks to patients and learners, helps to improve capability and self-confidence of learners and, reduces medical costs in the future.



Market Industry Reports (MIR) has published a new report titled "Medical Simulation Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20192030." According to the report, the global medical simulation market is estimated to be over US$ 1,400 Mn in 2018. It is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 14.4% from 2019 to 2030.



Major Key Players of the Medical Simulation Market are:

CAE, 3D Systems, Laerdal Medical AS, Guamard Scientific, Mentice AB, Limbs & Things LTD, Simulaids Inc., Simulab Corporation, Kyoto Kagaku Co. Ltd., Surgical Science Sweden AB.



Get sample copy of "Medical Simulation Market" at: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/pdf/64



The continual growth of the medical simulation market can be attributed to several factors which have led to wide-scale adoption of these products. These medical simulation products are extensively used for increasing focus on patient safety. As there is an increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures, it is anticipated to further contribute to the substantial growth of the global medical simulation market between 2019 and 2030. To obtain better insights regarding the market scenario, prominent players are increasingly focusing on innovation and advancements in technologies. For instance, American Society of Anesthesiologists and CAE healthcare launched first-of-its-kind interactive simulation product called Anesthesia SimSTAT. However, the high cost of medical simulators can hamper the growth of the overall market.



Over the period, the evolution in innovation and technology has played a vital role in contributing to the growth of the global medical simulation industry. Patient-Specific Virtual Reality Simulation is the new technological advancement that allows the practice of upcoming real operations and used for minimally invasive neurosurgery. CAE healthcare came up with CAE Luna infant simulator which is designed to fulfill clinical training requirements for neonatal and infant care. Furthermore, this simulator is also used to stimulate the critical newborn baby conditions that require an interprofessional team response. 3D Systems announced its new Simbionix ARTHRO Mentor Express training simulator to help medical professionals to learn surgical procedures for knees, shoulders, and hips on a portable and affordable tabletop platform. Guanard Scientific has innovated the world's most advanced pediatric patient simulator which is capable of simulating lifelike emotions through dynamic facial expressions, movement, and speech. These factors are anticipated to present a lucrative growth opportunity for the global medical simulation market in the coming years.



Major Types of Medical Simulation covered are:

Healthcare Anatomical Models

Web-Based Simulators

Medical Simulation Software and Simulation Training Services



Major Applications of Medical Simulation covered are:

Academic Institutes

Hospitals, and Research Centers



Research objectives:-



- To study and analyze the global Medical Simulation consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, product type and application, history data.

- To understand the structure of the Medical Simulation market by identifying its various sub-segments.

- Focuses on the key global Medical Simulation manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competitive landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years.

- To analyze the Medical Simulation with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market.

- To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).

- The scope of this report centers on key market analyses, market drivers & challenges, and competitive analysis & trends. Research report examines each market and its applications, regulatory scenario, technological innovations, Medical Simulation market projections, market sizes, and shares. Moreover, the Medical Simulation market report examines the most recent trends, pipeline products and developments in the Medical Simulation market. Complete profiles of leading organizations in the market are also mentioned in this report.



Go For Interesting Discount Here: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/discount/64



Table of Content



1 Report Overview

1.1 Study Scope

1.2 Key Market Segments

1.3 Players Covered

1.4 Market Analysis by Type

1.5 Market by Application

1.6 Study Objectives

1.7 Years Considered



2 Global Growth Trends

2.1 Medical Simulation Market Size

2.2 Medical Simulation Growth Trends by Regions

2.3 Industry Trends



3 Market Share by Key Players

3.1 Medical Simulation Market Size by Manufacturers

3.2 Medical Simulation Key Players Head office and Area Served

3.3 Key Players Medical Simulation Product/Solution/Service

3.4 Date of Enter into Medical Simulation Market

3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans



4 Breakdown Data by Product

4.1 Global Medical Simulation Sales by Product

4.2 Global Medical Simulation Revenue by Product

4.3 Medical Simulation Price by Product



5 Breakdown Data by End User

5.1 Overview

5.2 Global Medical Simulation Breakdown Data by End User



Have any query? Inquiry about report at: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/inquiry/64



In the end, Medical Simulation industry report specifics the major regions, market scenarios with the product price, volume, supply, revenue, production, market growth rate, demand, forecast and so on. This report also presents SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.



About Market Industry Reports:

Market Industry Reports is a global leader in market measurement & advisory services, Market Industry Reports is at the forefront of innovation to address the worldwide industry trends and opportunities. We identified the caliber of market dynamics & hence we excel in the areas of innovation and optimization, integrity, curiosity, customer and brand experience, and strategic business intelligence through our research.



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In May 2018 the Trump administration dismissed the top global health security specialist on the National Security Council and disbanded the pandemic-preparedness team he had led. (ThenNational Security Adviser John Bolton was said to have been behind the move.) The responsibility for monitoring infectious disease threats was technically given to another group within the NSC, but even at the time, the Washington Post wrote that the reorganization was seen by experts in the field as a downgrading of global health security. This decision has been subject to some scrutiny during the last month of disaster un-preparedness and global health insecurity.

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On Friday PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor asked Trump about the subject during a White House press conference, and his response was, simply put, bad. Heres the transcript (Tony is Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who, to be clear, has nothing to do with the National Security Council):

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ALCINDOR: You did disband the White House pandemic office, and the officials that were working in that office left this administration abruptly. So what responsibility do you take to that, andthe officials that worked in that office said the White House lost valuable time because that office was disbanded. What do you make of that? TRUMP: Well, I just thank its a nasty question, because what weve done, and Tony had said numerous times that we saved thousands of lives because of the quick closing. [Ed.: The closing of borders to some travelers.] And when you say me, I didnt do it. We have a group of people, I could ask perhaps, in my administration, but I could perhaps ask Tony about that, because I dont know anything about it. I mean, you say we did that, I dont know anything about it. Disbanding, no, I dont know anything about it  ALCINDOR: You dont know about the reorganization that happened at the National Security Council. TRUMP:  Its the administration, perhaps they do that, let people go, you used to be with a different newspaper than you are now, you know, things like that happen.

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Alcindors microphone was cut off as she was asking a follow-up question.

Knowing what we do about Trumps attention span, its possible he sincerely didnt know anything about Bolton eliminating the pandemic team. He was also asked about having an office of pandemic preparation in the White House last week during a visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but theres no indication in his answer that he understood that such an office had previously existed, let alone that his administration was responsible for getting rid of it. It would not stretch the imagination to learn that before the past few weeks the president had not given any consideration to pandemic readiness whatsoever.

In any case, this was amazingly not the moment in Fridays press conference that best demonstrated the presidents refusal to take responsibility for the United States response to the coronavirus. Thats because he answered another question, about the nationwide shortage of viral testing kits, by saying, I dont take responsibility at all. Good stuff!
Worcester officials confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the city during a press conference on Saturday. It is related to the Biogen conference, Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. said.

Speaking in a news conference at Worcesters Emergency Operations Center on Saturday afternoon, Augustus and Mayor Joe Petty confirmed the citys first case, noting it was one of two cases in Worcester County identified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Officials said five additional residents are being tested, which includes three people city officials said would be tested earlier this week.

Worcester schools have been closed until April 6. Three of the five people in Worcester being monitored by DPH are connected to to North High School and Chandler Magnet School. They were in contact with a known carrier, someone who tested positive for coronavirus. The individuals include students and adults, officials said.

Augustus also announced the City Hoops program, scheduled for April school vacation, was canceled. The recreation Worcester after school program was also canceled until further notice.

During the closure, the city will be working to provide students with access to food. More information on the program will be made available next week, Augustus said.

This is a top priority for the school department and the city of Worcester. Certainly the council and the school committee, everyone is focused to ensure our young people have access to the food they need," Augustus said.

There are a total of 123 coronavirus cases in the state, according to DPH. Of those cases, 105 are presumptive and 18 are confirmed by the CDC. On a state level 94 of the 123 cases are connected to the Biogen case.

As of Friday, 475 patients had been tested statewide, Marylou Sudders, Health and Human Services secretary, said in a news conference in Boston on Saturday. Gov. Charlie Baker in the news conference announced that Massachusettss efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak will be run out of a new COVID-19 Response Command Center.

Augustus said more information would be available in the coming days. Another press conference could happen as soon as Sunday. As the city continues do combat coronavirus, city news conferences might occur daily or every few days.

The citys website offers information in multiple languages. The city also established a hotline for residents to gather information. The number is 508 799 1019.

Every individual has a responsibility to do, Augustus said. Not only the hygiene regiments that we talk so much about, the social distancing, but keeping informed. These events are changing rapidly.

Related Content:
Major Spanish regions shut shops, bars and restaurants, car plants ground to a halt and Easter parades were canceled as Spain prepared to enter a 15-day state of emergency on Friday, in a sharp escalation of its fight against the coronavirus, The Jakarta Post reports.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the number of cases could top 10,000 by next week - more than double the current level - and asked citizens to play their part.

"Heroism is also washing your hands and staying home," Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation on Friday. Spain has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe after Italy. The current Spanish tally stands at 4,231, up about 1,000 cases from Thursday. About 120 people have died, The Jakarta Post informs.
Jersey City has slapped a dollar store with $90,000 in fines after accusing the owners of exploiting the coronavirus crisis by overcharging customers for cleaning supplies.

Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut, who heads the citys Quality of Life Task Force, said the 99 Cent Dream store on Newark Avenue was issued nine tickets  at $10,000 per offense  for inflating the price of disinfectant wipes, disinfectant sprays and rubbing alcohol.

The city received concerns through social media that certain stores were raising the cost of cleaning and disinfectant supplies, Hudnut said. As always with our quality-of-life enforcement, the number one goal is compliance rather than punishment.

The two owners of 99 cent Dream could not be reached for comment Friday.

Hudnut said first offenses are $10,000 each and any offense that follows carries with it a $20,000 fine.

The officers did have a conversation with the store owners that responded, we do believe that the prices were returned or lowered to the lawful amounts after our response, Hudnut said.

Mayor Steve Fulop, who was with Hudnut at the store Thursday, tweeted footage of officers looking through the store. One example of the price gouging at the store was a bottle of rubbing alcohol raised from $2.99 to $6.99, Fulop said.

We wont accept people taking advantage of residents, Fulop tweeted. People sometimes can be terrible in how they treat each other.

Im w/ Prosecutor @JakeHudnut + JCPD issuing tickets for price gouging. We wont accept people taking advantage of residents. Tissues, Clorox, cleaning items, all doubling +. Rubbing alcohol went from $2.99 to $6.99. People sometimes can be terrible in how they treat eachother.. pic.twitter.com/GarSAkAW35  Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) March 12, 2020

Since Fulops tweet Thursday, the city has received reports of 10 stores price gouging. Hudnut said he was checking out those stores  a collection of corner stores, bodegas and food stores  Friday.

City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said the Quality of Life Task Force will continue to investigate stores that maybe inflating prices in the upcoming weeks to protect residents during this COVID-19 outbreak.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that New Jersey has a total of 50 cases of coronavirus, including three in Hudson County.

COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, has sickened more than 1,800 people nationwide and led to at least 40 deaths.

According to the state Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA), New Jerseys price gouging law prohibits excessive price increases during a declared state of emergency, or for 30 days after the termination of the state of emergency. Excessive price increases are defined as price increases that are more than 10 percent higher than the price before the state of emergency.

We appreciate people reporting to us and we know that we are all in this together, consumers and business owners alike, Hudnut said. We just want everybody to operate within the parameters of the law.

Hudnut said residents who believe a store is price gouging should call the police department at 201-547-5477 or the state DCA at 800-242-5846.
LANSING, MI  Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is asking for more information from additional business after receiving complaints of price-gouging related to coronavirus.

Nessels office had received 75 price-gouging complaints related to the contagion as of 1 p.m. on Friday, March 13, according to a press statement. Four businesses have been contacted by the Attorney Generals office to gather more information on their consumer-reported price-gouging, with the latest letters being mailed Friday. The businesses were not identified.

Nessels staff will evaluate the businesses responses to determine what action is appropriate, the statement continues.

Consumers must be treated fairly and not be held to the whims of a business looking to profit from fear, especially in the midst of a public health emergency, Nessel said in the statement. My office takes price-gouging complaints very seriously, and I will not hesitate to take legal action against those businesses that are not complying with the law.

The Attorney Generals office is looking at other potential targets but are not yet identifying them.

The state issued an emergency declaration on March 10 due to the first positive cases of coronavirus. The Attorney Generals office is tracking consumer complaints related to the virus and is evaluating the reports to determine what actions to take.

As of Friday, the state has 25 cases of people who have tested or had a presumptive positive test for cornonavirus.

Face masks, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies, and bottled water are among the products that have reportedly been on store shelves for exceptionally high prices, likely in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. Other products consumers might seek to purchase due to the threat of coronavirus may also be at risk of price-gouging practices, the statement said.

The Attorney Generals office last week contacted a west Michigan retailer for reportedly selling individual face masks at high prices. A discussion with the business owner took place, followed by a letter requiring the business to provide specific information to avoid formal action or investigation.

Another business in Ann Arbor was contacted and issued a letter Wednesday; investigators are awaiting a response. Two grocery stores were mailed letters Friday, one in Farmington Hills and another in Dearborn.

Retailers may be in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act if they are:

Charging the consumer, a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold; and

Causing coercion and duress as the result of the time and nature of a sales presentation.

Michigan residents are urged to report any violation of the Consumer Protection Act online or by calling 1-877-765-8388.

Nessel also recently stated her support of price-gouging legislation introduced Thursday in the Michigan Senate by Sens. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, and Ruth Johnson, R-Holly.

The latest information on the coronavirus outbreak is available online at a state website focused on the issue and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Related:

Gov. Whitmer declares state of emergency as first coronavirus cases confirmed in Michigan

Jails in Bay and Saginaw counties consider approaches to coronavirus threat

Saginaw Health Department says 4 people test negative for coronavirus, 1 test pending

Michigan confirms third case of coronavirus

Thursday, March 12: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Bay City, Saginaw and Midland schools cancel group gatherings, field trips amid coronavirus threat
With two recorded cases of Coronavirus so far on our soil, it is imperative that every Ghanaian took a personal interest in staying safe because the disease is now a pandemic.

Indeed, the State will do whatever is within its capacity to protect lives but the fact remains that our economic strength, as a nation, lacks the muscle to withstand such force major.

The propaganda that nothing is being done to tackle the problem, has no basis since no other Government could've done what these developed countries are doing.

For instance, China has earmarked $1.2trillion, America $50b, Italy $38b, Germany $45b, Britain $39b, etc., to fight Coronavirus. We could afford $100 which is the same amount earmarked by the Bill Gates Foundation, a private individual, as it's a contribution to tackle the menace.

As a matter of fact, in addition to colossal amounts of money being pumped into efforts to tackle this outbreak, the European Central Bank is actually advancing negative interest loans at 0.6% to its citizens and business owners. What this means is that; when you borrow $1m as a citizen of the European community, you will be required to pay 0.6% less.

This is not being done because they can conjure banknotes like the likes of Okomfo Agradaa do on live TV here in Ghana. This is being done because their economies have been built to the point where they have accumulated comfortable reserves to withstanding such doll outs.

The issue, therefore, boils down to pure economic power and that's the intellectual contextualization prism through which those with their heads properly screwed-on, must situate the argument.

But of course, because this path requires high intellectual energy and therefore difficult to navigate, you expect the dunderheads to, characteristically, traverse the freeway of cacophonous partisan bigotry since that doesn't require any brainpower.

As a matter of fact, it can evidently be detected in the voices of some people that they're indeed happy Ghana has finally recorded cases of Coronavirus, from the palpable glee with which they link it with possible abandonment of the new voter registration exercise. HOW COULD SELFISHNESS DRIVE SOME PEOPLE TO SUCH AN INCREDIBLE ABYSS OF DEMONISM?

Well, we shall support the state to fight this menace and pray that it comes to an end as early as possible. However, should it persist well into late in the year, then by the same logic, the 7th December elections must equally be canceled in order not to expose Ghanaians to the virus at the polling stations. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will then continue being in the office to deliver on his great works.

COULD ANY GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT HAVE PUT IN PLACE A TOP-NOTCH HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY ENSHRINED IN OUR CONSTITUTION THAT OUR FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE ENTITLED TO ANNUAL MEDICAL CHECKS, ABROAD, TILL THEY DIE?

HOW IN GOD'S NAME, WOULD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT SUPERINTENDED A GOVERNMENT WHICH WENT TO THE IMF FOR A DISGRACEFUL BEGGING-BOWL OF A POLICY CREDIBILITY, TURN ROUND TO CLAIM THE ONE WHICH HAS WEANED THE COUNTRY OFF, IS INCOMPETENT? Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black irony?

We are confronted with a serious matter and I believe we will do ourselves a great service to approach it with all seriousness and cut out the needless cacophonous partisan politics.

Newton-Offei Justice Abeeku

email: [email protected]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 19:01:47|Editor: huaxia

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The "family" of Pandor have dinner together on the traditional "Gutu Eve", two days ahead of the Tibetan New Year, at a children's home in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb. 22, 2020. Pandor was born in Shigatse of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, a city near the border with Nepal, Bhutan and India. She is a proud "mother" of 22 children, though the 37-year-old has never been pregnant or married. Six years ago, Pandor moved to the regional capital, Lhasa, where she found a job at a children's home for newborns right up to senior-college students. The home was looking for women to manage family units. "We divided 300 children into 18 families and assigned a fulltime 'mother' to them," explained Norbu Drolma, director of the institute. "The 'mother' is different from a teacher or supervisor. We need give these kids a home, and a mother to go home to," Norbu Drolma said. And so, in 2015, as the head of "Family #10," Pandor became the mother to 22 children. She openly admits that she felt out of her depth at the beginning. "Some children have already entered colleges. They are so tall. I even don't know how to talk with them." Despite the initial difficulties, Pandor threw herself into her work. As an orphan herself, she wanted "her kids" to have a better childhood and more opportunities than she did. However, balancing their needs posed a different challenge. One of the boys under her care, Kelsang Lhundrup, felt overlooked and acted out after Pandor missed a parent-teacher meeting at his school, so Pandor had to offer him individual support. She has never missed such meetings since. She also held household-family meetings so that each child knows, "This is a big family, and I may not be able to always come to everyone's need. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. Bigger brothers and sisters will help you when mom is too busy. They are your family, too." "Every child is sensitive," Pandor said. "I just want to build this belief in them that they are not alone." Tibet has 11 children's homes that offer care for more than 5,400 children. Every child is allocated a monthly allowance of over 1,000 yuan (about 143.8 U.S. dollars), which is managed by the house mother. They are also entitled to 15 years of free education. Today, Lhundrup no longer plays up. Pandor listens with pride when his teachers reap praise on him. He is not the only kid to do well. The family now includes six college graduates, a police officer, a social worker, and a helicopter pilot. They send money home to help their mom provide for their brothers and sisters every month. For Pandor, her birthday last year is one of her favorite memories. "The kids asked me to go for a walk and kept me away from the house. When I got back, they had thrown a surprise party for me!" Pandor said. "It was at that moment that I knew that becoming their mother was the best decision I have ever made." (Xinhua/Sun Fei)
~ Testing will be done in Guadeloupe.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Stakeholders that are part of the EOC along with its chair held a press conference on Friday afternoon to update residents on some of the decisions taken by the Government and EOC to tackle the COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Jacobs in her presentation said the government took a number of decisions this past week one being adding Germany and Spain to the restriction list. Restrictions have changed from 14 days to 21 days for persons that may be in countries that have the COVID-19.

Residents that have been in areas that are on the restriction lists will be asked to self isolate at home as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Jacobs said that the Government of St. Maarten will not prevent residents of the Netherlands from entering St. Maarten, residents of St. Maarten and St. Martin, these persons will be urged to self-isolate until their health status is verified and they are cleared of COVID-19. Persons that are not residents of St. Maarten/ St. Martin are advised that if they were in restricted areas within 21 days prior to arrival on St. Maarten will not be allowed entry.

LANDING PERMITS placed on hold.

Prime Minister Jacobs said that there is a hold on landing permits for persons to enter St. Maarten until the COVID-19 is under full control globally.

CARNIVAL POSTPONED, SHOWS MAY BE HELD DURING SUMMER VACATION

Prime Minister Jacobs said that while the 2020 Carnival was postponed the vacation days during the Carnival season will be maintained, she said that government suggested to the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) to hold some of the shows during the summer vacation, however, she stressed that no additional days will be given if these shows are kept.

RESTRICTION on TRAVEL for Civil Servants

Government has placed a hold on work travel for its civil servants until the end of April or further notice. She advised that residents should also put their private travel plans on hold unless absolutely necessary.

She said the government will not put its employees in a situation where they would not be able to enter St. Maarten in the event of a lockdown.

HOARDING OF FOOD ITEMS ARE NOT NECESSARY.

Prime Minister Jacobs called on residents to not panic and hoard food items as they met with wholesalers who guaranteed that there are enough food items on the island. She said while there are shutdowns in some countries, the trade will continue, this she said was confirmed by wholesalers.

TESTING TO TAKE PLACE IN GUADELOUPE.

Testing for the COVID-19 will be done in Guadeloupe since the turn around is shorter. She said Aruba and Curacao already have cases of COVID-19 and they have also stepped up their security plans.

MEDICAL SUPPLIES such as masks are available.

The chair of EOC said St. Maarten masks and other medical supplies in stock but warned residents to take the necessary steps to protect themselves by following proper hygiene, washing hands with soap and water or use of alcohol-based sanitizers.

Persons that may have flu-like symptoms are advised to call their family doctor.

She called on persons on St. Maarten/ St. Martin not to share anything that is not from trusted sources such as the World Health Organization or other Government notices.

Jacobs called on residents not to panic as measures are taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said thus far there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19, despite the two cases that were quarantined on St. Martin.

Jacobs said should there COVID- 19 cases there is a shutdown plan that will be activated, shutdowns will be dependent on the types of cases. Schools will be closed if necessary as the first step. Gatherings with over 100 persons are not allowed. This she said will affect churches and schools.

Government also decided to postpone carnival celebrations, while meetings with the French and Dutch are planned for Monday while EOC will be meeting on Tuesday.
Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Saturday that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis decision to close schools and universities is a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

El-Sisi had earlier on the same day decided to suspend classes for two weeks, starting Sunday 15 March, during his meeting with Madbouly.

The decision is part of "the country's comprehensive plan to deal with any possible repercussions of the novel coronavirus," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

During a press conference held on Saturday, Madbouly added that the two-week suspension will see the sterilisation of all educational establishments and other facilities.

Madbouly said that the Interior Ministry will take all measures to close education centres for the same period. He added that all sports activities will also be suspended for two weeks.

"According to the health ministry's latest figures, Egypt's total number of infected cases of coronavirus has reached 109," said Madbouly, adding that some patients have fully recovered.

A day earlier, the health ministry stated the total infected cases in Egypt was 91, of which 32 later tested negative and 21 have since recovered and were released from a quarantine hospital.

Since its outbreak in December 2019, coronavirus (COVID-19) has infected more than 150,094 people globally and killed more than 5,617.

Minister of Education Tarek Shawky said seven students -- out of the total 109 -- have contracted the virus.

Yesterday, the health ministry reported that a student was infected a day after the campus of his Zamalek school had been closed as a precautionary measure. The student contracted the virus from his parent, who had had contact with a foreigner who tested positive for the virus.

Madbouly noted that the state had prepared three phases to combat the infection.

"With the number of cases amounting to 109, the government had to move to the second phase, by suspending classes, especially after detecting four cases at schools," he said.

Madbouly indicated that the government is working according to a scientific plan, and all steps are taken according to the developments of the situation. He affirmed the government's keenness to provide various means of prevention and treatment.

"The chances of contracting the virus in Egypt are less than in other countries, with youth forming the largest percentage of society," Madbouly said, adding that 25 percent of the Egyptian population are in schools and universities.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), Egypt's population hit 100 million people in February, 61 percent of whom are under 30 years old.

"I advise the elderly to avoid crowded public places, because they are at greater risk of infection," he added.

Madbouly called on Egyptians to avoid gatherings, stressing the importance of attention to hygiene, public health and the various guidelines necessary for the prevention of coronavirus.

"We are also adopting preventive measures regarding gatherings in mosques and churches," he added.

Egypt's religious endowment ministry announced last week that the duration of prayer services in mosques would be restricted to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The ministry, moreover, announced on Saturday that the annual Islamic Israa and Miraj celebrations will be cancelled this year for the same reason.

"The government will not hesitate to take any other precautionary or preventive measures until this difficult time passes safely for Egyptians" he said, adding that the government and people share the responsibility of protecting themselves and others.

President El-Sisi decided on Saturday to allocate EGP 100 billion to finance the comprehensive plan and the precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus.

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Frustrated Oregonians who cant get tested for coronavirus may find solace in this: Youre like almost everyone else in America.

The number of Oregonians tested through Friday morning stood at 367. Thats similar to  if not higher than  many comparable states across the country, The Oregonian/OregonLive found.

But that doesnt mean enough Oregonians are being tested. Theyre not, as state officials have acknowledged.

Chunhuei Chi, director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University, said state officials must take more aggressive action. He said the state should spend more money to increase public health staffing, so more infections can be identified and close contacts of those people can be quarantined at home.

Chi also said the Oregon Health Authority should expand who can be checked with state tests to include non-hospitalized people who have flu-like symptoms but test negative for influenza. That will prevent those people from potentially spreading coronavirus to others, he said.

If you want to contain this, we have to be more aggressive, he said. Not just testing. But testing the right people.

The lack of testing in America has become a flashpoint as the pandemic rages, with more than 2,000 infections identified nationally. Inadequate testing means the true number of COVID-19 cases is dramatically undercounted in Oregon and elsewhere.

Federal officials for weeks have failed to provide states with easy access to tests, and officials in Oregon have been rationing those tests for the highest-risk people. State officials say they have enough tests at the state lab for up to 4,800 people but have not dramatically expanded eligibility, pledging  but then walking back  assurances that state hospital systems and private labs would be online next week with tests that would be easier to access.

Oregon has now identified at least 30 people with coronavirus, including eight elderly men at a veterans nursing home in Lebanon. No one has died.

Gov. Kate Brown on Friday took aim at the federal government for not providing Oregon with more tests, blaming national leaders a day after she issued contradictory statements about whether Oregon had enough tests.

We need more capacity, she said.

Its unclear how many tests are available to states and how many people have been tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes data on identified infections but not on how many Americans have been checked for coronavirus.

The Oregonian/OregonLive contacted or obtained data from 18 other states to try to understand how this state stacks up amid the national shortage.

Oregons testing volume looks terrible compared to states like California, which has tested about 2,000 residents, and Washington, where more than 6,600 residents have been checked. But those states have huge testing capacity thanks to numerous state health labs or a big university.

Those states have also identified hundreds of infections, with about 570 in Washington and about 250 in California.

New York, which now has more than 400 cases, had tested at least 2,300 people as of Thursday. Massachusetts, which has more than 100 infections, declined to say how many people have been tested.

Florida and Colorado, meanwhile, have each tested more than 500 people. Colorado recently opened up a drive-thru location, collecting samples Thursday from 326 people who waited in line for four to five hours, a state spokesperson said.

Other states have tested fewer people than Oregon.

Texas, for instance, reported 39 infections as of Friday at noon. But only 220 people had been tested, a state spokeswoman said.

Pennsylvania had 41 infections but tested only about 190 people, according to its website. And Louisiana, which has 36 cases, tested only 108 people at its state lab.

The five states with confirmed infections just below Oregons total had, on average, tested only about 100 people each.

Chi, the Oregon State University professor, said the tallies are informative. But he said that since the entire country has been grossly undertesting, the real question about prevalence remains unanswered.

We need to interpret those comparisons with caution, he said. One big unknown is, we dont know how many or the percentage of the population that is infected.

Nik Blosser, the governors chief of staff, said Oregons location between Washington and California puts the state in a hot spot that clearly requires more testing to identify infections.

Were just desperate for more testing, period, he said.

But he was reluctant to say the Oregon Health Authority should change its criteria for testing eligibility at the state lab, holding out hope that one if not two hospital systems could begin testing next week.

I dont think people care which lab they get tested at, he said, as long as they get tested.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt
WASHINGTON  As thousands of workplaces, schools and government buildings are shuttered to slow the spread of the coronavirus, work goes on largely uninterrupted in one place: the crowded hallways of Congress.

Most of the Capitols 535 lawmakers and their thousands of staffers continue to go about day-to-day business as usual, albeit with more hand sanitizer dispensers around.

Congressional leaders have been slow to limit access in the wake of the pandemic, and tens of thousands of tourists and other visitors streamed through the Capitol last week, up until the building closed to the public at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The situation has stirred concerns about the safety of Americas legislative branch, particularly given the average age in the House of Representatives is 57.6 years and 62.9 years in the Senate. Older people are most likely to die from the virus.

So far, one congressional staffer, in the office of Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

At least eight lawmakers, none from the Bay Area, are under self-quarantines after coming into contact with someone who was later confirmed to have the virus. There hasnt been widespread testing on Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has kept lawmakers in session as she pushes through a deal with the Trump administration on economic rescue legislation.

House members plan to go on a previously scheduled recess after having voted early Saturday to pass the relief package. The deal includes two weeks paid sick leave for many workers, free coronavirus testing and expanded unemployment benefits.

But Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has said House leaders will immediately begin working on another coronavirus response bill. She has also advised members they could be called back at any time to work through relief-bill changes with the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has already ordered senators to return to the Capitol on Monday to vote on the relief bill.

But theres no indication that business in the Capitol will be shuttered anytime soon. Pelosi said Thursday that Capitol staffers should be prepared to work from home, if needed. There is no such option for lawmakers because they cannot vote remotely.

Pelosi stressed that any decision to lock down the Capitol further, and make staffers work remotely, wouldnt be made lightly, adding, We also dont want people to panic.

Thats why weve based any decisions about the Capitol, this or that, on what is recommended by the Capitol physician, the sergeant at arms and the chief of police, she told reporters. I think we have to be very prayerful about this.

Bay Area lawmakers have taken special precautions to reduce the risk they might contract the virus, as the number of confirmed cases in the region has increased to more than 142.

Now Playing: Here is what you need to know about the coronavirus. Video: Manjula Varghese

Some lawmakers have canceled constituent town halls or directed some staffers to work remotely. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, was among the first to do so, and will host his March 23 town hall on Facebook rather than in his district.

Khanna, however, has supported Pelosis decision to keep meeting on Capitol Hill.

I dont think we should take that kind of drastic action, unless absolutely necessary, Khanna told Fox News. Ultimately, the speaker has to weigh the serious health risks with also our duty to provide leadership and to reassure people.

A handful of lawmakers have said the crisis shows why Congress should be permitted to vote remotely.

Dublin Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell has reintroduced his bill, co-sponsored by GOP Rep. Eric Crawford of Arkansas, to create a remote voting system and allow lawmakers to participate in committee hearings through video conferencing.

Swalwell, who first introduced the bill in 2013, said the idea of letting House members vote remotely on some bills has received a jolt of interest in light of the coronavirus.

Modern technology belongs in Congress and my resolution would allow members to not only spend more time with their constituents and their families, he tweeted, but would prove useful for a number of situations, including the public health crisis in which we currently find ourselves.

But its unclear whether the bill will receive a vote in the House. Pelosi told Democratic lawmakers during a caucus meeting last week that they must remain on the job.

We are the last to leave, she said, repeating a line from Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., according to a staffer in the room.

Another Bay Area lawmaker, San Jose Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who chairs the Committee on House Administration, has helped lead efforts to safeguard and prepare for a possible outbreak on Capitol Hill.

The committee oversees daily operations of the House, including security and other technical functions.

Lofgren has told lawmakers to practice social distancing, such as avoiding handshakes and other physical contact. She has also directed security to regularly disinfect surfaces, such as railings, computers and counters.

A spokesman for the committee said more congressional offices are beginning to tell staffers to work from home. But that decision is being made on a member-by-member basis.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
Stephen Shore had a swift and glittering introduction to photography. Born in 1947, the New York native was developing his first pictures as a six-year-old and sold his first works to the Museum of Modern Art at 14.

By 1965, the 16-year-old was photographing the stars at Andy Warhols hotspot The Factory. At 23, he was the first living photographer to have a solo show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

But despite coming up amid the glamour of New York City, he is best known for his work depicting sleepy, banal life in the American suburbs.

Over the course of the 1970s, Shore travelled across Americas vast heartlands, through the Deep South to the Midwest. With a large-format camera, he captured the fast food chains, parking lots and motels he found along the way. His 1982 book, Uncommon Places, compiled 61 of these images, and broke new ground as to what was considered fine art photography.

At the time, the book was almost unique in its use of colour photography for an artistic purpose; previously it had been seen as the domain of advertising and picture postcards, a gaudy younger sibling of sophisticated monochrome. Combined with the decidedly lowbrow subject of neon-lit hotels and dusty, forgotten street corners, Shore found a new delicate beauty in both format and subject, creating a uniquely American visual vernacular.

Although the large format of the Uncommon Places collection gives a sense of clear-eyed objectivity, his images hum with an ambiguity and tenderness. They refute the immediacy and action of the Cartier-Bresson-inspired street photography which had gone before, and instead sought out a sense of unselfconscious repose. His work is Nabokovian for me: exposing so much, and yet leaving so much room for your imagination to roam and do what it will, the playwright Tennessee Williams once said of Shore.

Along with his large format camera, Shore also travelled with a 35mm Leica, shooting on kodachrome film. A new book from MACK reveals this archive of his Uncommon Places era, an alternative narrative of his most creatively groundbreaking decade. Transparencies: Small Camera Works 1971-1979 shows a more nimble reflection of his journeys; free from his television-sized camera, Shore was free to focus on detail. Transparencies captures the phone booths and cowboy boots, the jazzy ties and afternoon lunches: details of a cultural landscape which has since faded away.

Transparencies: Small Camera Works 1971-1979 by Stephen Shore is published by MACK; Stephen Shore will be in conversation with Lou Stoppard at Foyles, London, on 21 May
When Alessandro Rotolo came to Houston from Italys Friuli region at the end of January to present his familys Schiopetto wines, the coronavirus was a non-topic. Not once did it come up in our conversation, although it had already been killing people in China for more than a month.

The same was true when Salvatore Ferragamo, whose famous fashion family produces the Il Borro wines in Tuscany, hosted a dinner at Emmaline the same night. This despite the fact that Ferragamo and his wife did visit a doctor between wine events that day because both were under the weather. In fact, he had to beg off from a scheduled interview with me.

Their diagnosis, fortunately, was travel fatigue. No one thought twice about it, either.

A subsequent lunch with Nicola Chionetti of the Chionetti winery in the Piemonte and a tasting with Paolo Cantele, whose also eponymous family winery is in the south of Italy, also focused only on the bottles on the table in front of us. But by the time Siro Pacentis son, Giancarlo Pacenti, walked through the door at Doris Metropolitan for a dinner Feb. 25 to showcase a lineup that included the 2015 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne  critic James Suckling awarded it 100 points and declared it the best wine in the world for 2019  that had changed dramatically.

Pacenti and his group were detained by U.S. Customs in Los Angeles the previous day because theyd flown in from Milan. He would express modest alarm about was what happening back home but didnt indicate he feared having his return travel plans disrupted (and hopefully they werent). However, were he still in the U.S. today  as is Giovanni Correggio of the Mateo Correggio winery in the Piemonte, who dropped in last week  its now unclear what he would do. Among Western nations, none has been more gravely impacted by the contagious virus than Italy, which is now dealing with a total travel lockdown.

Even before the Italian government made the decision to lock down, the Italy-American Chamber of Commerce had called off its annual Taste of Italy event in Houston that would have brought another large influx of vintners to the Post Oak Hilton at the end of March. At least there remains a glimmer of hope it can be re-scheduled for sometime in the summer.

Here everything is crazy and people are scared, Roberta Ceretto wrote in an email Wednesday. You do not shake hands or hug. When you go out to buy food people are suspicious if you do not respect the suggested distance of 1.5 meters. Even taking the car is risky. You need a paper signed that you are moving for an emergency, to buy food or medicines, or to go to work.

Its important to understand that Ceretto, whose own eponymous family winery is located just outside of Alba in the Piemonte, wasnt criticizing her countrys response to the crisis. To the contrary, she said: Our politicians are goofy, but they are showing they care very much for our people.

Ceretto splits time between Alba and Milan because her architect husband Giuseppes firm is based there. Italys financial epicenter, Milan was the first major city in the West to dramatically feel the effects of the coronavirus. Today, with the World Health Organization having officially declared a pandemic, its certain not to be the last.

Another Ceretto business is Piazza Duomo, the three-star Michelin restaurant in the heart of Alba that ranks among the worlds greatest. It will be closed until further notice.

Nobody is in the mood of celebrating and at 6 p.m. all activities are shut down, Ceretto said. This will pass, but Italy now needs help from the many friends we have outside the country.

The one obvious small way we can help, of course, is to buy Italian wines. The good news for the moment is that are no shipping restrictions in place. Douglas Skopp, who owns Dionysus Imports here and has a substantial Italian portfolio, received the following email this week:

The Government clarified that the limitations introduced do not prohibit travel for proven work reasons, leaving free movement of goods. Personnel conducting means of transport can enter and leave the territories affected by the decree, limited to the needs of delivery or collection of the goods. This means we should be able to go and collect from the restricted areas, but surely some challenges will be faced.

Skopp is expecting a full container to arrive from Italy in about 60 days. But . . . A container carrying some of his French wines has been delayed because the container itself got gridlocked in China.

Many of my favorite wines from the aforementioned visiting vinters who have come to see us arent yet available in Houston  the reason they made the effort to visit was to generate excitement about them  and Cerettos iconic single-vintage wines such as the flagship Bricco Rocche rarely make their way to us because production is so limited. (I have, though, seen the Bricco Rocche on the list at Da Marco.)

Ive put together a list of wines that on the shelf at Vinology, a huge supporter of boutique Italian vintners with the Perugian Riccardo Guerrieri being one of the wine-buyers there. And Ive picked a few others that offer high quality  based on recent tasting experiences  and excellent value in equal parts.

Note that I recently featured Ferragamos 2015 Il Borro Toscana, which earned a unanimous recommendation from the Chronicles tasting panel with a score of 9.2. A 97-point Suckling wine, it sells the $45.49 at Specs. In addition, nearly 300 bottles of the aforementioned 2015 Pacenti Brunello Suckling ranked above everything he tasted last year will be in Skopps container  whenever it arrives.

At Vinology, 2314 Bissonnet:

2018 Schiopetto Friuli Pinot Grigio ($20 for a bottle, $9 by the glass)

2016 Marotti Campi Orgiolo Lacrima di Morro dAlba Superiore ($32)

2018 Matteo Correggia Roero Arneis ($18)

2015 Matteo Correggia Barbera dAlba ($27)

2015 Matteo Correggia La Val Dei Preti ($40)

Others to find:

2014 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli (currently $58 at wine.com)

2016 Siro Pacenti Rosso di Montalcino (about $35)

2017 Il Borro Toscana Pian di Nova (about $25)

2017 Chionetti Briccolero Dolcetto di Dogliani (about $25)

2016 Cantele Primitivo ($13 at wine.com)

sportywineguy@outlook.com

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The Queen is staying on at Buckingham Palace despite reports she had quit over coronavirus fears after Corbra crisis talks, a palace aide has revealed.

Reports last night claimed Her Majesty, 93, had been taken to Windsor Castle with plans in place to quarantine her and Prince Philip, 98, at Sandringham if the outbreak worsens.

A royal source told The Sun: 'She is in good health but it was thought best to move her. A lot of her staff are a bit panicky over coronavirus.

'The Queen has met a lot of people there until recently. But she is weeks away from her 94th birthday and advisers believe it is best to get her out of harm's way.'

However a palace insider revealed today that the monarch is expected to stay on at her central London residence - after attending a church service in Windsor earlier today.

A palace insider revealed today that the monarch is expected to stay on at her central London residence - after attending a church service in Windsor earlier today (pictured)

Queen Elizabeth II attends the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey last week

The news comes as Britain's coronavirus death rate almost doubled yesterday as ten more people died, bringing total deaths to 21.

On Friday, Her Majesty's upcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

She is also said to have been advised to cancel her annual garden parties in May and June in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier this month the Queen is reported to have vowed not to let the outbreak stop her from performing her duties and to set an example by 'keeping calm and carrying on' until there is 'compelling advice to the contrary'.

A deserted Buckingham Palace in London today as coronavirus sweeps the nation

It was revealed that a building in Windsor Great Park was closed for a deep clean after three people showed symptoms similar to those of Covid-19. The Savill Building is closed over the weekend for the clean to take place.

A statement on the park's website said: 'As a precautionary measure we have taken the decision to close The Savill Building over the weekend to conduct a deep clean of the premises, after becoming aware of three individuals, who are showing symptoms similar to those of Covid-19, having been on site.

'Whilst these are not confirmed cases we feel that this is a prudent step that prioritises the health and wellbeing of our employees and visitors.

'We continue to monitor the situation and Government's public health guidance closely. The rest of Windsor Great Park remains open as usual.'

Queen Elizabeth II leaves Windsor Castle to attend Sunday Church service at The Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park on March 8

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall had already pulled out of their spring overseas tour just days before it was due to begin, raising the prospect that more royal engagements could face cancellation in the coming weeks.

The Queen, 93, was due to visit the Bentley Motors Factory in Crewe, and the Jodrell Bank Observatory and Square Kilometre Array Global Headquarters in Macclesfield on March 19. She was also due to visit Camden on March 26, but full details of the trip had not yet been released.

Charles and Camilla had been due to start their spring tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan on March 17. It would have marked the first time a royal has visited Cyprus since the Queen in 1993.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the Commonwealth Day reception on March 9

Buckingham Palace yesterday announced that the Queen's upcoming visits would not go ahead 'as a sensible precaution' and 'for practical reasons' over concerns about coronavirus

A spokesman for the Queen said: 'As a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances, changes are being made to The Queen's diary commitments in the coming weeks.

'In consultation with the Medical Household and Government, Her Majesty's forthcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden will be rescheduled.

'Audiences will continue as usual. Other events will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice.'

The Queen - the nation's longest reigning monarch - is due to turn 94 next month and the risk of more severe symptoms from the Covid-19 illness is greater for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.

The day of engagements next Thursday would have seen the monarch travel to Cheshire to meet staff and apprentices at the Bentley factory, operate the Lovell Telescope at the observatory and meet local school children engaging in hands on science activities.

The Queen wore large gloves when she handed out honours to recipients at a palace investiture on March 3.

The Queen, who has carried out investitures since 1952, wore gloves for the first time at a Buckingham Palace investiture as she handed an MBE to D-Day veteran Harry Billinge earlier this month

She also avoided shaking hands at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey and during a one-to-one audience with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner this week, but was back shaking hands with Professor Mark Compton, Lord Prior of the Order of St John, on Wednesday.

It comes as The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall yesterday revealed they would postpone their spring tour of the coronavirus pandemic.

The overall week-long visit had been due to start on March 17 and would have marked the first time a royal has visited Cyprus since the Queen in 1993.

Clarence House said the request came from the Government. Heir to the throne Charles and Camilla are understood to be in good health.

The tour may be replaced with engagements in the UK, but not those involving significant gatherings of people.

Charles was set to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 17 and 18, be joined by Camilla in Cyprus from March 18 to 21, and head to Jordan together until March 25.

'Owing to the unfolding situation with the coronavirus pandemic the British government has asked their royal highnesses to postpone their Spring tour,' a spokesman for the royal couple said yesterday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (seen in Auckland last November) will visit the Republic of Cyprus next month, to recognise the work of the UN Peacekeeping Force and celebrate traditional Cypriot culture

While in Jordan, the pair would have met meet King Abdallah II and Queen Rania of Jordan (pictured) and taken in a number of other sites of cultural, religious and environmental significance across the country

While in Jordan, the pair would have met meet King Abdallah II and Queen Rania of Jordan and taken in a number of other sites of cultural, religious and environmental significance across the country.

And in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Charles would have seen the memorial at Srebrenica to mark the 25th anniversary of the genocide.

Cyprus, which has a population of 1.17 million, announced four more COVID19 cases yesterday taking the total to 14. In Bosnia and Herzegovina there are thought to be 11 confirmed cases.

Announcing news of their tour in February, they wrote: 'The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will jointly visit the Republic of Cyprus and Jordan next month.

'Prior to this, The Prince will also visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the year of the 25th anniversary of the genocide, The Prince will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina where he will highlight reforms to improve citizens' lives.

'The Prince and The Duchess will make their first official visit to The Republic of Cyprus to recognise the work of the UN Peacekeeping Force and celebrate traditional Cypriot culture.

'Their Royal Highnesses will visit The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to learn what the country is doing to support refugees and showcase its rich cultural history.'

Charles was due to start the tour by visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina to demonstrate the UK's increased commitment to BiH and the Western Balkans region, its support for reforms to improve citizens' lives.

Baroness Floella Benjamin, 70, received her damehood at Buckingham Palace yesterday from Prince Charles, both pictured. The pair exchanged a Namaste greeting (right)

A careful greeting! The Prince of Wales was seen using a Namaste gesture to greet television presenters Ant McPartlin (left)and Declan Donnelly as he arrived at the annual Prince's Trust Awards 2020 this week

The Prince of Wales was then to be joined by the Duchess of Cornwall on March 18, as they visit to The Republic of Cyprus to celebrate the historic ties between the United Kingdom and Cyprus.

The last leg of the tour was set to see Charles and Camilla return to Jordan from March 21 to March 25, to highlight their close ties with Jordan, underpinned by the long-standing, warm relationship between the two Royal Families.

The couple would see how the country supports its one million refugees fleeing conflict, and meet members of the Jordanian Royal Family.

The news comes after Charles shared a Namaste bow with Baroness Floella Benjamin yesterday amid the coronavirus pandemic, as she collected her damehood at Buckingham Palace.

The pair were spotted exchanging the greeting, which avoids any unnecessary touching of hands, during the investiture ceremony.

Known to millions as the host of Play School and Play Away, Baroness Benjamin, a beloved children's TV presenter, was recognised for her services to charity in the New Year Honours List.

The Liberal Democrat life peer has dedicated over 40 years to campaigning for young people and supports charities including Barnardo's, Sickle Cell Society and Beating Bowel Cancer.

At the beginning of the month the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were still seen greeting people with a traditional handshake during a tour of the London Transport Museum to mark 20 years of Transport for London

After receiving her damehood, the 70-year-old, from London, said: 'You get such a buzz from giving back and making a difference, changing the world, and to get an honour like this after these years it's like wonderful recognition.

'Today, it's giving me a wonderful feeling in my heart. I haven't done charity work for any ulterior motive but only to change people's lives.

'To get it, it is like wow, how exciting. But I'm still thinking: what more can I do? To me, it doesn't end here.'

A 'huge admirer' of Prince Charles, Baroness Benjamin said she was 'thrilled' to receive her damehood from him yesterday.

Charles is not the first royal to take precautions, with the Duchess of Cornwall wearing a pair of leather gloves to shake hands with people she met at Cheltenham this week.

But the Queen's granddaughter Zara Philips didn't seem to have let the threat of the outbreak faze her, as she dished out hugs at the racecourse.

Confirming the news on their Clarence House Instagram on the 25 February, Clarence House had written: 'The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will jointly visit the Republic of Cyprus and Jordan next month'
Celebrated fashion designer Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck, have donated 200,000 euros to a hospital in Milan, Italy,



to help battle the coronavirus.

The Versace chief creative officer shared on Instagram that they have made the donation to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan.

"In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can to help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives. This is why, Allegra and I have decided to make a personal donation of 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan," Donatella said in the statement.

"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to call the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past weeks in the effort to take care of our loved ones," she added.

Italy is the second hardest-hit country after China, where the virus originated in December last year. No less than 1,260 people have died and more than 17,600 have been infected by COVID-19 in Italy.

Donatella is the latest addition to the list of Italian fashion brands and designers to offer financial assistance to help fight the pandemic.

Last week, Giorgio Armani donated USD 1.9 million to the Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals and the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan, as well as the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Diocese of Gallup and the Diocese of Las Cruces have no plans to cancel Masses and other church services, spokespersons for each of the dioceses said Friday. Neither would there be any cancellation of religious ceremonies for such things as weddings, funerals, baptisms and confirmations.

But Catholic schools in the dioceses will be shuttered, following the lead of state officials who ordered that all K-12 public schools close for three weeks. Parish offices will remain open.

The Diocese of Las Cruces was recommending the postponement or cancellation until further notice of non liturgical events, such as dinners, lunches and other social gatherings. The Diocese of Gallup was leaving clergy in each parish to decide on non liturgical events, but said any such event should adhere to state health officials temporary ban of gatherings of more than 100 people.

On Thursday, Archbishop John Wester said the Archdiocese of Santa Fe would cancel church services until further notice as well as close its schools for three weeks. More specific directives issued Friday include: The church will remain open for individual prayer; all non-essential meetings and group devotions are to be postponed; rites such as baptisms, quinceaneras, weddings, funerals are to be postponed (though may be held due to extraordinary circumstances with attendance limited to no more than 30 persons, and rites should be performed without Mass); validations of marriages in preparation for reception into the church may continue without Mass and with minimal attendance; anointing of the seriously sick and dying may be conducted by priests, who should be assiduous in pre- and post-hygienic procedures and consider replacing their oil stocks after the anointing.
The Uyghur dissident intellectual has been fighting for years with the Beijing authorities. The battle with "tweets" with the Chinese embassy in Ankara. Family members interned to force him to silence. A brother and grandson imprisoned in a concentration camp in Xinjiang. Another brother reduced to paralysis for the torture he suffered in captivity.

Ankara (AsiaNews) - In Xinjiang, Beijing behaves like a fascist state. It's an anti-human regime. " This is what Abdulresit Celil Karluk, Uyghur academician of the Haci Bayram Veli University of Ankara tells AsiaNews. The sociologist, an expert on ethnic issues in China, has not had direct contact with loved ones since 2017. He accuses the Chinese authorities of persecuting his family for his complaints against the repression of the Uyghurs. A brother was left paralyzed from torture in an internment camp; another brother and nephew are in prison for terrorism. According to the United Nations and many governments in the West, in Xinjiang, which the local Turkish-speaking population of Islamic faith calls "Eastern Turkestan", Beijing holds over a million people arbitrarily - an accusation that the Chinese leadership rejects. Below we publish Karluk's testimony.

As a human being, I must denounce the crimes of this 21st century fascism. The Chinese authorities persecute my family to shut my mouth, but I never gave up. I cannot remain silent in the face of the atrocities committed by the regime in eastern Turkestan [Xinjiang] . It is the testimony of Abdurresit Celil Karluk, Uyghur sociologist of the Haci Bayram Veli University of Ankara, who has not had direct news of his family since 2017.

From that moment, he began to tell the story of his family in public: an insight into the condition of his people, in particular the forced internment of over one million Uyghurs in concentration camps, denounced by the United Nations, by many governments in the West and by human rights lawyers - but denied by Beijing.

"I was born in Kashgar - Karluk tells AsiaNews - and in 2013 I left China while teaching at the Sociology department of Minzu University [central university for nationalities] in Beijing. The rise to power of Xi Jinping, a far more nationalist leader than his predecessors and possible rivals in the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], prompted me to repair in Turkey. Now I teach at Haci Bayram Veli University in Ankara and I have acquired Turkish citizenship for special academic merits. "

Until 2017, Karluk has focused on his academic career. "I started to make my voice heard when I no longer received information from my family, and news began to emerge about the imprisonment and torture of millions of Uyghurs in eastern Turkestan."

The sociologist tells of the hundreds of students in different parts of the world who support him: Many are helping me. I continue to teach, I hold seminars, I speak with human rights activists to make the oppressive CCP policy known to as many people as possible. I will continue on this path, so that everyone can oppose the 'anti-human' regime in Beijing. "

His denunciation of the treatment reserved for family members, such as the torture and persecution suffered by the Uyghur people, has affected Turkish public opinion, also receiving support from the local academic and political world. Karluk has engaged in a real battle on Twitter with the Chinese authorities, who have tried to dismantle his accusations. In the end, however, the Beijing embassy in Ankara released information on the condition of his family, partially confirming his positions.

"I was able to find out that some of my relatives are still under arrest," notes the Uyghur academician. The embassy said that his younger brother, Abudugepaer Jelili (Abdulgaffar Celil in the Uyghur language), was sentenced to 11 years in prison for terrorist activities.

The last information that Karluk had about him was that he was put in an internment camp, sentenced to 11 years of forced labor. Chinese diplomats in Ankara claim that Abudugepaer's wife and two children live in peace in Kashgar. But she too was interned in a camp, and my nieces and nephews were left without family care in an unknown location for some time."

One of the sociologists nephews, Maimaitituerhong Jelili (Mamaturghun Celil), is locked up in a concentration camp to serve a 15-year sentence: he too for terrorism. For Karluk, that aimed at the boy is a "disgusting" accusation. "Maimaitituerhong's father, my older brother Abulimiti Jelili (Abdulhemit Celil), lives 'free' with his wife. In the past, however, he was in one of the internment camps in the Urumqi area."

According to the embassy, Karluk's mother, Awahan Maimaiti (Havahan Mehmet), suffers from Alzheimer's and is cared for by a family member. "The last time I spoke to her - the dissident reports - is by phone in 2017. I then tried several times to contact her, but in vain. I later learned that all calls from abroad to eastern Turkestan were controlled, and that my mother had to ask the authorities for permission to answer my calls."

As for another of his brothers, Jiapaer Jelili (Cappar Celil), Chinese diplomats say he had a cerebral hemorrhage in 2017, and is currently paralyzed. However, they did not specify that his state of health is due to the torture and medical experiments he was subjected to in a prison camp. They also denied him medical treatment in the hospital. His wife lives in Kashgar with four children; she too has been imprisoned in the past and separated from her children, Karluk concludes.
By Trend

The government of Georgia has presented an anti-crisis plan for Georgian business at a press conference on March 13, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

As reported, the government took these steps in order to easethe burden of the country's business sector caused by the coronavirus crisis.

"The government responded to the demand of the hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies and tour operators in Georgia and decided to postpone payment of property and income tax by four months," said the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia while presenting the governments anti-crisis plan.

According to him, this will benefit about 18,000 companies and 50,000 employees.

"This will leave more than 100 million lari ($34.02 million) in this sector during four months from March through June, Gakharia said.

The prime minister added that the Georgian commercial banks extend term of payment on loans for three months for both individuals and micro, small and middle-sized businesses.

Moreover, as part of the VAT returns reform, 600 million lari (about $214.67 million) was planned to be returned to the private sector of Georgia. In Gakharias words, now this amount of money will be doubled.

"This means that during one year, 1.20 billion lari ($408.2 million) will be returned to the Georgian economy, he said.

"As part of the anti-crisis plan the government will further assist small hotels, so the government will pay about 3 million lari [about $1.07 million] to subsidize the loans of small hotels," Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava said speaking at the press conference.

According to her, the money will be allocated from the Produce in Georgia state program and will benefit more than 18,000 objects.

Coronavirus outbreak has particularly affected the tourism sector in Georgia. According to official statistics, the tourism sector of Georgia in February this year suffered losses of 30 million lari ($10.5 million) due to the decrease in the number of visits by foreigners.

Against the backdrop of the outbreak of the coronavirus, as well as the oil crisis in the world, the national currency of Georgia began to fall rapidly.

As of today, Georgia has 25 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Amid the coronavirus spread, Georgia has suspended direct flights with China, Iran and Italy, which are currently the largest centers of the outbreak.
As soon as Pat O'Sullivan saw what was happening in the supermarket on Thursday, he knew he had to help.

"My wife had been in shopping at the time of Leo Varadkar's announcement, and she got caught up in the melee of panic buying that followed," Mr O'Sullivan said.

"She rang me for help. I couldn't believe my eyes. There were several old people in there struggling, too many to help."

Mr O'Sullivan is the managing director of Master Chefs, a food catering company based in Ballysimon, Co Limerick.

His business is already directly suffering from the closure of 10 restaurants this week because of the coronavirus. Despite that, he has decided to offer to deliver free meals to elderly people in the mid-west of the country who may be suffering from food shortages.

Mr O'Sullivan said his company had experience providing food to nursing homes, and has a system in place to leave boxes of food outside the door to limit contact. "We have transport sitting outside the door. This thing will come and go, but we just feel we have a responsibility to help where we can," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan is one of a number of people who have stepped forward to offer help as the country struggles to deal with the consequences of trying to minimise the spread of the virus.

In Sligo, staff at the 'Sligo Weekender' local newspaper were struck by how afraid their older readers were.

"Local people are our bread and butter, and they pay our wages. There are old people now who are afraid to leave the house," owner Dorothy Crean said.

Ms Crean and her staff offered to drop groceries to any elderly people who were too worried to go shopping themselves. On Thursday, 30 people had contacted the paper asking for help.

By lunchtime yesterday, they had been contacted by 30 more.

Hotel Doolin, in Co Clare, is also offering to deliver free food to older people, or those with pre-existing conditions.

Neven Maguire, the celebrity chef, has been preparing food at his award-winning MacNean House and Restaurant in Cavan to give to local elderly people.

Maguire also offered to send recipes for bread, soup and pasta to families stuck at home and has already had more than 200 people email him.

In Dublin, Sean Drugan is holding a table for two at his Vintage Kitchen restaurant for nurses and doctors who want a free lunch or dinner.

"We're going to do this for as long as we can. We want to make things better, in a small way," Mr Drugan said.

Laine, My Love, a coffee shop on Talbot Street, Dublin, was down on sales yesterday as people worked from home. Caitlin Chillingworth, a manager at the cafe, took the unsold sandwiches and made extras to donate to Inner City Helping Homeless. "On a normal day, we'd be sold out. It's good to do your bit to help," Ms Chillingworth said.

Will Sliney, who has worked as an artist for Marvel for eight years, is trying to help keep children occupied by setting a daily art challenge on Twitter. Mr Sliney, who has worked on blockbusters like 'Star Wars' and 'Spider-Man' from his home in Ballycotton, is using the hashtag #WeWillDraw. The first challenge, of course, was Spider-Man.

"It's a fun thing people can do from their home," Mr Sliney said.
The first coronavirus case has been identified in Equatorial Guinea, the central African country's health minister said Saturday, after a woman who had been in Spain tested positive for the disease.

"Tests have confirmed the diagnosis of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease, minister Salomon Nguema Owono told reporters in the capital Malabo.

The patient is a 42-year-old woman who had returned a week ago from Madrid, which has become a hotspot for the virus.

She has not displayed any symptoms but is being kept in isolation while the evolution of the disease is monitored, Nguema Owono added.

On Thursday Equatorial Guinea's government announced a series of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country, including limiting access at land, sea and air borders.

All passengers arriving from affected countries must go into quarantine for two weeks regardless of whether they are displaying any symptoms of the disease.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected around 144,000 people worldwide and killed more than 5,400, according to the World Health Organization.

There have been relatively few virus cases reported in sub-Saharan Africa, with less than 50 detected cases in 19 countries and one death in Sudan.

The majority of cases in the region have involved people who contracted the virus abroad, and there have been very few local transmissions.

But the number of affected countries has multiplied over the past few days, with Kenya announcing the first confirmed case in East Africa on Friday, and later that day eSwatini became the second country in southern Africa to announce a case.
(Corrects length of school closures)

DAKAR, March 14 (Reuters) - Senegal's President Macky Sall on Saturday ordered all schools and universities closed for the next three weeks and religious festivals cancelled in response to a coronavirus outbreak that has infected 21 people in the past two weeks.

Senegal is the first sub-Saharan African country to close its schools, according to a list compiled by U.N. cultural agency UNESCO. As of Friday, 39 countries had closed schools nationwide, affecting over 420 million children and youth, UNESCO said.

The Senegalese government reported 11 new cases on Friday, all contacts of a man who returned from Italy last week to attend a religious festival in the city of Touba.

"With the appearance of a hotbed of community transmission in Touba, I instructed the government (to adopt) a contingency plan to prevent the propagation of the epidemic," Sall said after a meeting with his advisers.

He added that the army would help build mobile hospitals.

Senegal has confirmed the second most coronavirus cases in sub-Saharan Africa, behind South Africa, which has reported 38.

The region did not record its first case until Feb. 28 in Nigeria, but there are now dozens of cases across at least 16 countries. Rwanda and Namibia both announced their first cases on Saturday.

(Reporting by Diadie Ba and Aaron Ross Editing by Frances Kerry)
Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Legislative Assembly on Saturday after leader Devendra Fadnavis raked up the issues of CAA,R and during a debate on the budgetary demands of the home department.

Assembly Speaker Nana Patole adjourned the House for 30 minutes when members from both the sides rushed to the Well of the House amd traded charges against each other.

During his speech, Fadnavis, who is the Leader of Opposition in Assembly, said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) does not take away citizenship of Indian citizens.

"But rumours are being spread about CAA. InR, information is optional. The prime minister has already said is not being implemented," he said.

However, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh asked Fadnavis to speak only on the budgetary demands of the home department.

Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said Fadnavis had said during the winter session in Nagpur that issues of central jurisdiction should not be discussed in the House.

"Then why is he talking about the central act here?" he asked.

BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar said Fadnavis has not spoken anything negative.

"We want misconceptions about the Act to go and there should not be any unrest," he said.

Malik and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the issue of CAA was being heard in the Supreme Court and could not be discussed in the House.
The Central government on Saturday notified the reconstruction scheme for crisis-hit Yes Bank and stated that the moratorium will be lifted within a period of "three working days".

'Yes Bank Ltd Reconstruction Scheme, 2020' was notified by Union Finance Ministry on Friday.

The Reserve Bank of India had imposed a month-long moratorium on the bank and restricted withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor till April 3, citing its poor financial health due to bad loans.

The note issued by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also stated that a new board, having at least two directors of State Bank of India, will take over within seven days of the issuance of notification.

Notably, the Boards of Directors of Axis Bank and HDFC on Friday approved to invest up to Rs 600 crore and Rs 1,000 crore respectively in Yes Bank.

According to an official statement, Axis Bank will be acquiring up to 60 crore equity shares of Rs 2 each of Yes Bank for a consideration of Rs 10 per share for an aggregate consideration of Rs 600 crore.

The Board of Directors of HDFC yesterday had also given the approval to invest in 100 crore equity shares of Rs 2 each of Yes Bank for a consideration of Rs 10 per share for an aggregate consideration of Rs 1,000 crore.

As on September 30, 2019, Yes Bank had total assets of Rs 3,46,575 crore which includes an advance book of Rs 2,24,505 crore. The deposit base of Yes Bank was Rs 2,09,497 crore.

Yes Bank generated a loss of Rs 486 crore on a total income of Rs 17,421 crore for H1 FY20. The results for Q3FY20 have not yet been released. Earlier, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had placed in the public domain a draft scheme of reconstruction for Yes Bank on March 6.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. stock market watchdog has charged a Russian national with scamming American investors out of at least $26 million over the past five years by allegedly offering fake, high-yielding deposits.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said in a March 13 complaint that Denis Sotnikov, 36, purchased Internet ads that directed people searching for certificates of deposit to websites spoofing legitimate financial firms.

The fake websites claimed the financial firms were members of the New York Stock Exchange or other legitimate organizations and were offering above-market deposits that were federally insured, the complaint said.

When investors called the phone number on the websites, an account executive impersonating a real registered representative directed investors to wire funds to so-called clearing partners. These alleged clearing partners were entities used by Sotnikov to launder and misappropriate investor funds, the SEC said in its civil complaint.

When the investors sent the money to the fake financial firm accounts under his control, Sotnikov either wired it to other accounts in the United States, to his overseas accounts, or used it to pay his or his wifes expenses, the complaint said.

The SECs 43-page complaint lists many examples of the alleged fraud committed by Sotnikov, including the purchase of luxury jewelry and clothing just two days after an elderly couple wired $383,000 to one of the fake financial firm accounts.

The complaint said Sotnikov, who lives in Florida, began his scheme in November 2014 and his websites mimicked at least 24 real financial firms. Many of the victims were older investors seeking to earn extra income with their retirement savings, the SEC said.

Florida is a hotbed of financial fraud targeting the elderly due to the number of retirees that settle in the southern state.

The SEC investigation into Sotnikov is ongoing and is being assisted by the FBI.
By Chris Campos

Bay City News Foundation

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a city moratorium on housing evictions effective immediately Friday as a response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The moratorium will prevent any resident from being evicted due to a loss of income related to a business closure, loss of working hours or wages, layoffs, or out-of-pocket medical costs caused by the pandemic.

The mayor issued the executive order under the authority of the local emergency she declared on Feb. 25. The order will last for 30 days and may be extended depending on the health crisis conditions.

"Protecting public health means keeping people secure in their housing, which we know is a challenge right now as our economy and our workers are being severely impacted by this crisis," Breed said in a news release.

Under the order, a tenant must notify their landlord that they cannot pay rent due to a coronavirus-related impact. Within one week of the notice, the tenant must provide documentation or other objective information that they cannot pay rent. Tenants will have up to six months after the termination of the emergency declaration to repay any back due rent.

The mayor's announcement cited a variety of city officials and tenant advocates who have expressed support for the moratorium. Calls to the San Francisco Apartment Association for comment were not answered.

Recommendations from the San Francisco Department of Public Health can be found at www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp along with up-to-date coronavirus news and information. Residents can also call 311 for information or can sign up for the city's alert service for official updates by texting COVID19SF to 888-777.

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.
As an unprecedented wave of schools were ordered to shut down in an attempt to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that many of the planned closures may not be long enough to effectively drive down transmission rates.

And some countries that have closed schools have not had more success in reducing spread than those that did not, the CDC said.

More than 21 million U.S. students have been affected so far by school closures related to the pandemic, which prompted President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency Friday.

Also as of Friday, leaders in 16 states had ordered all schools to close, joined by school systems in the District of Columbia, Miami-Dade, San Diego, and Los Angeles, the second-largest school system in the country.

Were in a bit of a free fall, said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director for AASA, the School Superintendents Association. Trying to figure out how to serve kids, keep them safe, and do right by our communities is the triple challenge.

School leaders have been weighing big questions about interrupted learning, a lack of resources for online coursework, and the effects on students with disabilities and low-income families as they wrestled with whether to close . But in several states, governors made the decision for them.

See Also Map: Coronavirus and School Closures

As concern about the illness grew, domino after domino fell this week, leading to the largest mass closure of American schools in recent memory, overshadowing past shutdowns forced by hurricanes, the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and even the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic , which was blunted by early, long-term closures.

But will this historic round of mass closures be effective?

The CDC guidance released Friday said that, in areas with substantial community spread of the coronavirus, closures need to last a minimum of four to eight weeks to serve as a larger community mitigation strategy. Thats much longer than many current closures, which are scheduled to last two or three weeks.

That may mean some state and district leaders will choose to extend their shutdowns or to reevaluate as scheduled school reopenings approach as early as the beginning of April. Many states and districts have already extended their scheduled spring breaks to help blunt the duration of time that students would be out.

As person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, grew in the United States in recent weeks, superintendents have pressed for federal direction on when to close schools and for how long. The U.S. Department of Education had deferred to previous guidance from the CDC, which recently had urged schools to minimize disruption caused by closures and to consider effects like a lack of child care for parents dont have paid leave and cant work from home and students who rely on free and discounted school meals.

Our members were waiting for this very anxiously, especially in places where the governors have not declared schools closed, Pudelski said of Fridays new guidance. I think it will be helpful for them going forward.

Pros and Cons of Closing Schools

The CDC document listed pros and cons of a range of closure lengths.

Closing schools for a week or less could be useful for cleaning and tracing possible spread if a single case is found in a school community, it says. Short-term closures of around two weeks may be easier for schools to handle, but they could cause disruptions for families and student services, and they could lead to more transmission of illness to especially vulnerable older populations if children of working parents are put in the care of grandparents or other elders.

In past outbreaks of respiratory illness where children were more affected, longer closures were most effective at reducing community transmission, the CDC said. But, if such closures last too long, that could lead students to congregate outside of school, making shutdowns less effective, the guidance said.

While we have data that can contribute to decisions about when to dismiss schools, there is almost no available data on the right time to restart schools, it says. We would advise to plan for a length of time and then evaluate based on continued community spread.

Most cases of COVID-19 have been in adults, and public health officials have said children appear less likely to become ill. That has caused some to advocate against school closures.

As of Friday afternoon, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, for example, resisted calls from the teachers union to close all schools in the nations largest school system. Its unrealistic to expect that more than 1 million students will remain at home and not interact with their peers if schools are closed, he told WNYC.

Groups like the Alliance for Quality Education, which advocates for low-income students and school funding, urged caution in any broad school closure decision.

Failing to take preemptive actions will harm the homeless, the poor, the working poor, and children in poverty the most, and cause lasting harm that will far outlast the epicenter of the crisis we are in today, the group said in a statement Friday. Looking after the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities is the only way we will be able to overcome this crisis.

But leaders who chose to close schools cited concerns about children carrying the virus to more vulnerable populations outside of their buildings. Other countries have even announced national closures. Some districts have also raised concerns for their older teachers and staff members.

Our [school] systems need to be prepared for a potentially longer closure in the near term, and [without a vaccine] we have to be prepared that this is back in the fall or still with us in the fall, Washington schools chief Chris Reykdal said in comments reported by the Seattle Times .

He joined Gov. Jay Inslee Thursday in announcing closures of schools in three large counties in the state, which has seen more deaths than any other state from COVID-19. On Friday, Inslee ordered statewide school closures for at least six weeks, one of the longest large-scale closures announced so far.

Steps to Take

In its new guidance, the CDC urges communication with families and consideration of health-care workers whose ability to care for patients may be hindered if their children are out of school.

Clear rationale, decisionmaking and communication with all stakeholders is extremely important, it says. Families need to know who is making decisions, what those decisions are, and when school-based mitigation efforts are planned to start and end.

The U.S. Department of Education addressed some of those concerns Thursday when it suggested it will consider limited waivers from some testing and accountability requirements in the Every Student Succeeds Act , the federal education law, in areas that are highly affected by COVID-19. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed to providing waivers to some school meal requirements so that districts can offer grab-and-go lunches in communities where schools are closed.

Still, it may be difficult for school leaders to commit to longer closures.

If month-long closures spread nationwide, it could cost the U.S. economy some $50 billion , or nearly a quarter of 1 percent of the United States gross domestic product, according to a new analysis by Joshua Epstein, epidemiology professor at New York University school of global public health, and Ross Hammond, associate professor of public health and social policy at Washington University and the Brookings Institution.

And, in a fractured media landscape, families around the country have received vastly differing messages about the severity of the coronavirus and its impact on their day-to-day lives. That means that, while some parents may be demanding closures, others may not see the point in them.

Theres even a partisan divide: Among respondents to a Quinnipiac University poll released March 9, Democrats were more likely to say they were concerned about the coronavirus than Republicans.

Despite the challenges and concerns, some groups have voiced support for broad closures.

After Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, ordered all of the states schools closed Friday, a coalition of education groups released a statement in support of the decision. They included teachers and administrators unions, and associations representing school boards and school business officials.

The spread of coronavirus across Pennsylvania, the United States, and across the globe is unprecedented and has required difficult decisions to be made, the statement said. The immense challenges presented by this virus have forced difficult and necessary decisions to ensure the health and welfare of the commonwealths citizens.
New Delhi: In a major crackdown on corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, CBI on Saturday (March 14, 2020) filed a charge-sheet before the Special CBI court at Jammu against three accused of causing huge loss to the bank. The accused are Hilal Ahmad Rather, the son of former J and K finance minister AH Rather and two bank officials Iqbal Singh & Arun Kapoor, who were the branch heads of J and K Bank of the New University Campus Branch.

The charge-sheet was filed by CBI within 10 days of registration of FIR and the case was investigated by the special investigation team.

CBI had registered the case on March 4, 2020, on the request of UT of J and K and took over the investigation of the case earlier registered at Anti Corruption Bureau of Jammu and Kashmir.

During the CBI investigation, it was alleged the accused Hilal Rather entered into a criminal conspiracy with the then officials of J and K bank to get sanctioned a loan of approximately Rs 177.68 crore in violation of rules and guidelines. The loans that were sanctioned for construction of flats were allegedly diverted and misappropriated by the accused using the bank accounts of his employees.

It was further alleged that the accused submitted forged certificates and bills to the bank. It was also alleged that the bank officials did not verify the certificates and helped the said accused in siphoning off the loan amount and laundering of money. The Bank officials allegedly overlooked the rules and guidelines of the bank

Further investigation including acquisition of assets by the accused in India and abroad to identify other transactions is continuing.
F1 teams are expecting to take a financial hit from the unprecedented coronavirus situation.

While the big teams have eye-watering budgets, Claire Williams admitted she is worried about the financial impact not being able to race will have on her Oxfordshire based team.

That is because about half of the small teams' budgets comes from official F1 income, which is derived in significant part from race promoters' fees.

"If a grand prix pays more than $25 million,, we lose money," said Haas boss Gunther Steiner. "Below that, the loss is offset by the savings of not racing."

Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafnauer said: "We assume that the pot will be smaller."

Many believe the farcical delay in announcing the postponement of the Australian GP was essentially because of an argument about financial liability.

"The cancellation has many consequences, including financial," confirmed Paul Little, chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

"There are many things to clear up with Formula One."

Prior to the cancellation, six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton rolled his eyes at the notion that "cash is king" in F1, even when health should be the priority.

F1 CEO Chase Carey denied that money considerations were behind the cancellation delay, but Austrian TV presenter Ernst Hausleitner applauded Hamilton for his courage in speaking out.

"That Hamilton dared to open his mouth shows the champion he is," the ORF presenter told Osterreich. "The others stood like lemmings, trusting in authorities who ultimately failed."

(GMM)
As coronavirus spreads fear and panic across the world, streaming services have been observing a spike of interest in the 2011 movie Contagion. Starring Matt Demon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Lawrence Fishburne, the movie follows the outbreak of a deadly virus called MEV-1 and its disastrous impacts on society. Needless to say, in todays context, Contagion is not a comforting watch. In fact, if the whole Coronavirus situation is already making you anxious, you should probably avoid Contagion. Because it will only make things worse.

In fact, the slogan of the movie is Nothing spreads like fear  and that is basically the goal of the movie. To scare and to educate. Over eight years ago, I wrote the article Contagion: How Disaster Movies Educate the Masses where I highlighted the main messages of this movie and the blueprint it lays it out for future epidemics.

Back in 2012, I found it important to analyze this movie because it is not simply a scary thriller. In fact, there is nothing entertaining about that movie. It is an educational video. It is an ultra-realistic depiction of a massive pandemic outbreak that takes place in real locations and that involves real organizations. Indeed, while the movie was directed by Steven Soderbergh, its narrative was shaped with input from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and various specialists.

Heres an excerpt of an interview with Contagion writer Scott Z. Burns about the involvement of these organizations in the making of the movie:

CS: Were you able to get in touch with anyone from the World Health Organization (WHO)?

Burns: Yeah, I went to CDC in Atlanta a number of times. We actually shot part of the movie there, and we did have a lot of conversations with WHO throughout the process. Larry Brilliant and Dr. Lipkin helped us a lot in terms of reaching out to WHO, so they were very aware of the movie. In fact, we shot part of the movie there as well. The scene where Marion Cotillard walks in (to the office) in Geneva.

 Coming Soon, CS Interview: Contagion Writer Scott Z. Burns

To put things in context, the movie came out a couple of years after the H1N1 crisis in 2008. After months of panic and a mass vaccination campaign, some studies showed that the WHO and the CDC grossly overestimated the number of actual H1N1 cases and pushed a vaccine that many deemed unnecessary. A movie like Contagion was a good remedy for this tarnished credibility.

In 2020, the world faces another major epidemic scare and Contagion becomes relevant again. Not only that, but mass media has also been casting a solid spotlight on it.

So, is Contagion accurate? Yes, more than ever. Lets look at the main themes of the movie and how they are becoming a reality in 2020.

Contagion

The movie begins by showing the various ways a virus can spread across the world in a matter of days.

Soon after, the virus reaches the United States and all hell breaks loose.

In Contagion, the public is depicted as rather idiotic and prone to panic.

In 2020, the coronavirus outbreak causing massive lines in stores as people stockpile various items.

In Contagion, as MEV-1 spreads in the United States, the American government flees to an undisclosed location and looks for a way of working online. In real life, the coronavirus scare has already reached the White House as several representatives (including Trump) were reportedly in contact with disease carriers. There are also plans for working online.

So, in Contagion, the American government basically goes into hiding and specific organizations take over (which happen to be the organizations that helped to create the movie): The CDC (Center for Disease Control), the WHO (the UNs World Health Organization), FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the American Red Cross and the U.S. Army.

Soon after, the State of Minnesota is placed in quarantine.

While, in 2011, the concept of putting entire states in quarantine was a fictional (yet plausible) scenario, it became a reality in 2020. As you might know, the entire country of Italy is currently in lockdown.

It is also beginning to happen in the United States as the National Guard was sent to New Rochelle to help contain a cluster of infections.

In Contagion, things go way further than containment. The government declares Martial Law and people are directed to FEMA camps.

Mass Vaccination Campaign

After months of horror, panic, and death, a solution finally arrives: A vaccine.

In 2020, the ultimate solution to eradicate coronavirus will most likely take the form of a vaccine as well.

In Contagion, the vaccine is not only encouraged  it is mandatory.

Those who wear the bracelet are allowed to go to public places such as shopping malls. Those who do not get vaccinated cannot go anywhere and they ultimately die.

And some people refuse to get vaccinated.

The Conspiracy Theorist

An important part of the plot in Contagion involves a conspiracy theorist (played by Jude Law) who rants against the vaccine.

The blogger claims that a cure for the MEV-1 virus actually exists but it is repressed by the powers that be to sell vaccines. He also urges his readers not to take the vaccine that is given out by authorities.

In Contagion, the conspiracy theorist is depicted as a shady person with a questionable work ethic. The scientific community despises him as one scientist tells him: Blogging is not writing, its graffiti with punctuation.

The blogger is then set up by an undercover agent and gets arrested for security fraud, conspiracy, and most likely manslaughter.

In the end, it is discovered that the blogger was a fraud and that he made $4.5 million dollars off this false cure for MEV-1. In short, the movie tells the viewers that the government did the right thing by arresting the blogger.

In 2020, the fight against conspiracy theories about coronavirus is definitely on the agenda. Here are some recent headlines.

In Conclusion

As I explained back in 2012, the aim of Contagion was not to entertain but to educate. It lays a blueprint for the process that needs to take place when an epidemic arises: Fear and panic. Breakdown of social order. Control and lockdowns. Social distancing. Mandatory solution and repression of those who oppose it.

While, in 2020, things might not go as far as in Contagion (lets hope not), the movie mentally prepares people for what could happen. And therein lies the awesome power of mass media to shape and mold society on a global level.

P.S. If you appreciated this article, please consider showing your support through a small monthly donation on Patreon. If you prefer, you can also make a one-time donation here.
A veteran Las Vegas police officer who was fired for hesitating in a casino-hotel hallway in October 2017 while a gunman upstairs carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history has been reinstated to his job, authorities said Friday.

Officer Cordell Hendrex is due to return to work March 21 following an arbitrator's ruling in his bid to get his job back, according to the head of the city's police union.

"Nothing coming out of 1 October is a victory," Steve Grammas, Las Vegas Police Protective Association executive director, said of the shooting that left 58 people dead and more than 850 injured.

"But Officer Hendrex is happy that everyone can put this behind them."

Department officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Body-camera video showed Hendrex, a Las Vegas officer since 2007, leading a rookie officer and three Mandalay Bay security officers on the 31st floor of the hotel, one floor below where the gunman was firing and stopping when they heard volleys of gunfire during a three-minute span.

Upstairs, Stephen Paddock, 64, a former accountant and high-stakes video poker player, was using a cache of assault-style weapons he'd amassed to rain bullets for more than 10 minutes from the windows of a 32nd floor suite into a country music festival crowd of 22,000 people.

Most of the rifles were fitted with rapid-fire "bump stock" devices and high-capacity magazines. Paddock killed himself with a handgun before police used explosives to blast through his door and find him more than an hour later.

Hendrex's group remained in the hallway for about five minutes before Hendrex led them halfway up a stairwell toward the 32nd floor.

They remained there for at least 15 minutes, when the video clip ends.

Hendrex later acknowledged in a written police report that he was terrified.

"I froze right there in the middle of the hall for how long, I can't say," he wrote.

Grammas said Hendrex was the only Las Vegas police officer disciplined for inaction directly related to the shooting.

His reinstatement through a union arbitration process was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The arbitrator, "wrote in her opinion that she didn't feel that his actions that evening rose to the level of termination or any discipline at all," Grammas told the newspaper.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said last year that some officers received lesser discipline for turning off or failing to activate body-worn video cameras.

Another was disciplined for accidentally firing a three-round burst of gunfire inside the shooter's hotel room.

Grammas noted Friday that Hendrex didn't "run out of the hotel," but became part of the team heading toward Paddock's room.

"The truth is, we are not superhuman" the union official said.
Multnomah County will close its 19 libraries in the wake of coronavirus concerns and take other steps to address the spread of the disease, county officials said in a press conference Friday evening.

The extraordinary move to shutter libraries until further notice in Oregons most populous county is the latest effort by public health officials to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, which has infected at least 30 people in Oregon and may infect thousands more.

Vailey Oehlke, the countys library director, said the decision to close libraries was not easy. Officials have previously said they planned to keep libraries open.

Closing public libraries like this is an extraordinary measure," Oehlke said. "Its never happened in modern times.

Oregon health officials have so far disclosed just one case of coronavirus in Multnomah County. Its unclear if the states case count includes a person who works at the downtown Portland Wells Fargo Center who tested positive for the disease.

Dr. Jennifer Vines, Multnomah Countys public health officer, said at the press conference that she could not comment on the reported case.

Reports of a second presumptive case of coronavirus linked to a downtown Portland office building also emerged Friday afternoon, according to an email shared with The Oregonian/OregonLive. Tenants of The Crossing at First were told by property managers that someone who works in that building had tested positive for the virus.

Vines said there have been no known exposures to the coronavirus at county facilities.

However, she said people should assume and act as if the virus is spreading where they are and take appropriate measures to limit their risk of contracting the disease or exposing others to it.

This is a new virus, she said. We dont have widespread immunity. We dont have a vaccine.

The countys actions follow orders by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to close schools for two weeks starting Monday and to ban large gatherings for one month.

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury declared a state of emergency Wednesday. Kafoury joined Oehlke and Vine on Friday to announce the slate of changes, including the library shutdown.

County medical and dental clinics will stay open, Kafoury said.

Oehlke acknowledged the library shutdown will have an acute affect on people who rely on libraries to access the internet, especially as many services are shift online in response to the coronavirus.

She said the computers in all county libraries are in near-constant use in every library branch. Last year, she said the county had more than 2 million internet usage sessions at its 19 branches.

Oehlke said while the closures said patrons will still be able to use the librarys wireless internet outside of the 19 buildings.

She said the library would eliminate all late fees during the closure, and urged patrons not to return books while the libraries are closed.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese was also at the news conference to address how law enforcement procedures will change during the virus outbreak. The county will suspend all social visits to its jail facilities, he said, but inmates will still be able to meet with their attorneys.

He said the county opened an extra dorm in its Inverness Jail to increase capacity as a social distancing measure among inmates. No cases of coronavirus have been found among employees or people in custody, he said.

Reese said sheriff deputies will not change the way they respond to calls for service.

Portland Police had announced Friday that they would shift to taking the majority of police reports by phone or online in cases that were not life-or-death matters. They said they would still respond to things like burglaries, injury vehicle crashes and disturbances.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Priscilla Alvarez, CNN

(CNN) -- President Donald Trump issued a federal emergency declaration Friday afternoon over the coronavirus outbreak following a week of cancellations, suspensions and growing case numbers that unsettled Americans nationwide.

BREAKING: Pres. Trump declares national emergency.



 Opens up to $50 billion for states, territories and localities.

 Calls for states to set up emergency centers.

 Calls on hospitals to activate emergency preparedness plans.

 Confers new authorities to HHS secretary. pic.twitter.com/AMLe2eOjWX  ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2020

An emergency or disaster declaration from the President frees up additional money and sets the Federal Emergency Management Agency in motion.

There are two types of declarations authorized by the Stafford Act, which is the statutory authority for "most federal disaster response activities": emergency declarations and major disaster declarations.

The difference between the two -- both of which unlock additional resources, like supplies and logistical help -- is scope and money.

Here's what to know about Trump's declaration:

What does a declaration do?

A declaration puts FEMA, which is supporting the Health and Human Services Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for coronavirus response, in a position to be the coordinator.

"The center of gravity switches from HHS headquarters to FEMA," said Daniel Kaniewski, who previously served as deputy administrator for resilience at FEMA.

More federal funds will become available, as will supplies, personnel and any other support. FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor told lawmakers Wednesday that the agency's warehouses are stocked with commodities across the country.

When activated, FEMA can help with logistics, like the transport of residents if needed, and put up temporary medical facilities. Those resources could come from across federal agencies, from stocked warehouses and through contracts. States will likely communicate what they need and where they need it.

Steve Reaves, president of the union that represents FEMA workers, said that during the California wildfires, for example, FEMA came in, put up tents, set up command and control centers, and worked with state and local governments to track casualties.

But during other health crises -- including Zika, H1N1 and SARS -- FEMA maintained a supporting role to HHS and declarations were never issued, according to Michael Coen, a senior adviser for emergency management at IEM and former FEMA chief of staff during the Obama administration.

"None of those became as big of an outbreak as we're seeing with COVID-19. But those were examples of FEMA being in support of HHS in some way, but without the use of a Stafford emergency declaration or major disaster declaration," he said.

Washington asked for a declaration on Thursday

Requests are generally made by the governor of an affected state. States have been scrambling to sort out what they need to respond to the increasing number of coronavirus cases before they make that request. During the week, FEMA personnel fielded questions from state staff about what support the agency -- which is within the Department of Homeland Security -- can provide to respond to the outbreak, said Reaves.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday requested that the administration declare a national emergency.

"It is incumbent on all of us to acknowledge the gravity of this public health emergency and take the necessary actions now  not tomorrow, not next week  to slow the spread of the virus and save lives," Inslee said in a statement Friday. "By declaring a national emergency, the federal government can provide states with direct assistance to meet our residents' needs for health care, shelter, food and cash assistance, and more."

Additional declarations might come later

Additional declarations might also be issued down the line, so the federal government can reimburse state and local governments for the costs incurred during an incident. For example, President Bill Clinton issued an emergency declaration in 2000 over the West Nile virus, authorizing millions of dollars in federal funds to reimburse affected local governments.

Declarations can start as one type of emergency and then change to another in order to access more resources. These declarations are separate from the national emergency Trump declared over the southern US border last year.

Why did it take so long to declare?

Earlier this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, in conjunction with Sens. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, and Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, sent a letter asking Trump to "immediately" consider disaster declaration requests for the coronavirus.

The reason for the delay in proceeding with a request may have been because states were still assessing their resources and the federal assistance received thus far.

"It's possible that a) the states have the resources it needs b) that the state has most of the resources it needs and the resources it doesn't have it's getting from HHS and the $8.3 billion," Kaniewski, who's now a managing director at Marsh & McLennan Companies.

"I think in the future if those -- and that future can be today or a week from now or it could be never -- if they require supplemental assistance beyond what they're getting from HHS, there would be an obvious time to submit an emergency declaration request."

New Jersey told CNN on Thursday, for example, that it hadn't reached that point. "Due to the recent release of more than $15 (million) in HHS funding that can be used for these COVID-19 costs, the State thresholds for FEMA assistance certainly have not been met yet," according to a statement from the governor's office Thursday.

As the crisis evolves, states will likely continue to review their needs and the role of federal assistance.
The sound of someone coughing or sneezing nearby is more alarming for Helen Chapman than most.

When Ms Chapman attends her father-in-law's funeral on Saturday, she certainly won't be catching public transport. Once she arrives, she'll have to sit at the back of the room, alone.

Helen Chapman is one of 110,000 blood cancer patients in Australia who are at extra risk of viruses like coronavirus. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

"There's people flying in from overseas for it, then at the gathering after there will be about 50 people who aren't from the family," she said.

"I told my partner, 'I don't care, I just can't go near them'. I'll sit in the car or stay away at the party, but I'm not going to risk it."
On March 10, the New York Times published an article titled Russia Trying to Stoke US Racial Tensions Before Election, Officials Say.

The article, by Julian Barnes and Adam Goldman, is an escalation of the neo-McCarthyite campaign by the intelligence agencies, waged in large part through the pages of the Times, to present all forms of social division in the US as the product of a vast Russian conspiracy.

The first sentence reads: The Russian government has stepped up efforts to inflame racial tensions in the United States as part of its bid to influence Novembers presidential election, including trying to incite violence by white supremacist groups and to stoke anger among African-Americans, according to seven American officials briefed on recent intelligence.

New York Times building (Photo: Javier Do)

As is its method, the Times provides no facts to support the unsubstantiated claims of anonymous intelligence agents. The fundamental purpose of the article is to advance the anti-Russia foreign policy interests of US imperialism and to deny the existence of real social divisions in America. The latter assertion appears all the more absurd in the midst of the Trump administrations response to the coronavirus, injecting $1.5 trillion into the markets while leaving the working population to fend for themselves.

Russia is amplifying divisions among races by publishing stories emphasizing allegations of police abuse in the United States and highlighting racism against African-Americans in the military, the Times claims. These divisive racial narratives are proof that the Russians are weaponizing race in order to damage the countrys social fabric.

The Times expresses its frustration that the government cannot censor articles and social media posts that fan division, writing: Because Russia is trying to amplify the messaging of existing groups, its interference is difficult for American officials to combat given First Amendment protections for speech.

The Times is tapping into its own anti-communistand racisttraditions. Its March 10 article echoes the papers headline of August 21, 1930, World Negro Rising Said To Be Soviet Aim. At that time, the Times wrote, The Soviet is busy stirring up unrest among the Negro masses in Africa and America. Soviet agents are working among the colored races and have provoked Negro unrest in the United States.

The Times is re-hashing the argument of intelligence officials from A. Mitchell Palmer to J. Edgar Hoover who claimed that the movement for black civil rights was a communist conspiracy that was stoked by outside agitators. The Times article reads like the statements by segregationist politicians such as Louisiana Democratic Congressman John Rarick, who warned the House in 1965 that the Communist revolution now going on in this country, under the cloak of Civil Rights consists of the drive for a Soviet Negro Republic, and is of course conducted by the Reverend Dr. King. It is the Soviet Negro Republic that the current voter registration campaign is all about.

Then, as now, opposition to inequality and state repression is not the product of Russian propaganda. Americans do not need Vladimir Putin to inform them of massive student loan debt, unbearable medical costs, police violence, never-ending war, and vast levels of social inequality.

And if it is the case that weaponizing race and advancing divisive racial narratives are proof of Russian meddling, then the Times need look no further than its own editorial board to find Vladimir Putins best agents. In recent years, the Times has transformed itself into a racialist newspaper, presenting politics and social issues predominantly through the prism of race or gender.

The Times argument is built on a contradiction. On the one hand, the Times blames Russia for stoking anger among African-Americans. On the other hand, the paper insistently argues that the intrinsic racism of privileged white people defines most aspects of American social, cultural and political life.

For example, the word whiteness appeared in 153 Times articles in 2018, up from 41 in 2013. Gender appeared in more than twice as many articles in 2018 (4,639) as in 2013. In the past five years, the Times has dedicated a staggering amount of column space to racist arguments highlighting the fundamental differences between white people and black people.

The headlines exemplify this racial premise: White People are Noticing Something New: Their Own Whiteness (June 13, 2018), The Grief That White Americans Cant Share (July 22, 2016), I Wanted To Know What White Men Thought About Their Privilege. So I Asked (July 17, 2019), Should I Give Up On White People (April 16, 2018), or Kirsten Gillibrand Is Right: Racism Is About White People (August 1, 2019).

The Times transformation into a racialist newspaper has culminated in the 1619 Project, launched in August 2019. This project, as the WSWS has extensively documented, argues that the very founding of the United States was a racist effort to preserve slavery and that the American Civil War was led by racists to secure white supremacy. In other words, it is the New York Timesnot Russian outside agitatorswho are promoting the racially divisive narrative that the Declaration of Independence and Constitution are racist screeds worth dismissing.

There is nothing left about racial politics. In the past three weeks, the Democratic Party, with the help of the Times, has been engaged in precisely what they accuse the Russians of doingmeddling in the 2020 primaryby using race and identity politics as a bludgeon against the Bernie Sanders campaign and to resuscitate the campaign of right-wing former Vice President Joe Biden.

Sanders overwhelming victory in the February 22 Nevada caucus came the day after the Washington Post first reported that intelligence agencies were warning that Russia was attempting to interfere in the Democratic primary to support Sanders campaign.

The Times also tried to make this narrative stick, despite it also having no factual basis. In a February 22 article titled Same Goal, Different Playbook: Why Russia Would Support Trump and Sanders, Times national security reporter David Sanger wrote that Sanders supporters anger over social inequality makes them ripe for exploitation by Russian trolls, disinformation specialists and hackers for hire seeking to widen divisions in American society.

Sanders victory in Nevada showed the anti-Russia hysteria lacked sufficient salience to compel a shift against Sanders. The primary mechanism through which the Democratic Party sank Sanders campaign became race, with Bidens South Carolina victory presented as proof that Biden was the candidate for Black America.

As the World Socialist Web Site explained after Super Tuesday, the results showed that the racial politics actively promoted by the pseudo-left for decades has far-reaching, right-wing consequences. Race was the principal weapon used by the Democratic Party against Sanders last week. As a result of their efforts, Sanders went from presumptive nominee to imminently dropping out in less than three weeks.

The Times is using the politics of race and gender for the most right-wing aims: to secure the Democratic nomination of a right-wing candidate who will pursue war with Russia, to justify that war through claims of foreign meddling, and to paper over social divisions and censor discussion of issues of social inequality and state violence that dominate every level of American and international society.

In its nearly 200-year history, the Democratic Party has acquired immense skill at using racial politics and cries of Russian outside agitators to manipulate social grievances and block the unification of the working class in a struggle against capitalism. It is the obligation of socialists to expose these efforts.
Charter, Comcast Offer 60 Days of Free Internet Service to Homes with Students

As many Southland educational institutions are closing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a pair of internet providers

today announced plans to provide free internet to households with students.

Charter and Comcast announced Friday that they would offer 60 days of complimentary broadband to homes with K-12 or college students.

For households that do not already have a subscription, Charter said that beginning Monday, it will provide free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi up to 100 Mbps, and that installation fees will be waived.

ADVERTISEMENT

The company also said it will partner with school districts to ensure local communities are aware of the offer, and that for eligible low-income households with school-aged children, it would continue to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, a low-cost broadband program delivering speeds of 30 Mbps. It also pledged to open its Wi-Fi hotspots for public use without data caps or hidden fees.

Comcast, meanwhile, will waive fees for its Internet Essentials service to low-income households, President of Consumer Services Dana Strong said in a written statement.

Strong also said that the company will increase internet speed for the service from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps for both new and existing customers, and that the service will continue at that speed from now on. He said the new speeds are expected to be rolled out nationally over the next few days.

New Comcast customers will be sent a self-install kit that includes a cable modem with a Wi-Fi router, he said.

To enroll for Charters service, call 844-488-8395; for Comcasts, 855- 846-8376 for English speakers or 855-765-6995 for Spanish speakers, or go to www.internetessentials.com.


Philadelphia Schools Superintendent William Hite, right, and Mayor Jim Kenney announced Friday that Philadelphia public schools would close for two weeks. Read more

News about the coronavirus is changing quickly. Go to inquirer.com/coronavirus for the latest information.

Philadelphia School District and city officials had hoped to keep public schools open amid the spread of coronavirus, they said Friday, but were foiled by decisions made by Gov. Tom Wolf and leaders of suburban counties.

The news came as Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. announced that city schools would close from Monday through March 27 despite officials reluctance to do so.

Our children are always safer in schools, because thats the one place they get shelter, they get meals, they get health care, they get safety, and so that is the place where we wanted them to be, Hite said at a Friday news conference.

The question really is, Why did Montgomery County decide to close? Why did the governor decide to close ?'  said Brian Abernathy, the citys managing director. Abernathy, Hite, and Thomas Farley, the citys health commissioner, pointed out that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines indicate children are safe in schools.

With more than 120,000 students in 215 schools, Philadelphias school district is by far the largest in the state and is among the countrys biggest. Roughly three-quarters of its students live in poverty.

Wolf, at a news conference Friday night, said he understood the concerns of Mayor Jim Kenney, Hite, and Abernathy, and said the state has offered to work with Philadelphia to do what we can to support them.

Wolf said the state could, for instance, explore providing support for meals or counseling.

 READ MORE: Read more: A Philly teacher had known exposure to a coronavirus patient. The district isnt notifying parents.

The closure decision created problems for parents like Yolanda Coleman, a single mother of four children ages 7 to 21, who said she wasnt sure how she was going to pay her bills and take care of her children at the same time.

School is where my kids go so I can make my money, said Coleman, who lives in North Philadelphia and has children at Community College of Philadelphia, Waring Elementary, and George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science. I have nowhere to keep them while I go to work every morning.

Unlike students in wealthier districts, many Philadelphia students lack the technology to learn remotely. Hite said that staff would be directed to prepare packets with 10 days of work for students, and that packets could be picked up at city recreation centers and other points to be determined.

Staff will work through the weekend to come up with plans to distribute free meals and keep children active at recreation centers and other points throughout the city, Abernathy said.

Hite said the district would continue to pay employees through the shutdown, and Pennsylvania Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera indicated he would waive requirements that schools have 180 days of instruction to receive state funding.

Sixty-three Philadelphia schools were closed Friday after Montgomery County ordered its schools shut; the affected schools were those where 15% or more of the staff lived in Montgomery County.

For those schools that were open, Friday was a strange and unsettling day, with widespread staff shortages and half-empty classes, conditions Robin Cooper, the president of the city principals union, said were unstable and unsafe. Some schools had no nurses, and others operated with no substitute teachers.

Jerry Jordan, president of the teachers union, said Friday was characterized by mass absences and truly chaotic situations in schools.

Staff were forced to place large numbers of students in school auditoriums, despite the citys discouragement of large-group gatherings for public health reasons. Some schools lack hot water, soap, and paper towels in student bathrooms, and though the district brought in some hand sanitizer, staff were alarmed that it contained no alcohol.

 READ MORE: Read more: Philly schools bought hand sanitizer with no alcohol to fight coronavirus. Teachers are concerned.

They also dealt with students nervous about a global pandemic.

We are trying to answer kids questions but feel unable to fully calm their nerves or answer the questions they have related to school, one elementary schoolteacher said. She declined to be identified, saying she feared retribution.

Teachers and other school staff expressed widespread frustration that some schools were open and others closed, and about how the message was communicated.

Some families whose children attend schools closed on Friday didnt discover the closures until students showed up to locked buildings.

Charlie McGeehan, a teacher at the U School, a public school in North Philadelphia, was one of many educators who said they thought the decision to keep some schools open on Friday was ridiculous.

Rather than an abundance of caution, were seeing an absence of reason and care, McGeehan said on Twitter.

Other school staff said they thought the decision to keep most Philadelphia schools open Friday disregarded concerns about their health and the health of vulnerable Philadelphians.

After the call was made to close schools, some parents were relieved, but were wondering what the next two weeks would bring.

Tammy Murphy, 42, a public health professional who works from home in East Falls, said she supported the decision to shut schools for two weeks and said shed rely on her background as a teacher to create lesson plans and keep her child, a fifth grader at Masterman, busy.

But she did have some concerns.

Im used to quiet, Murphy said. My personal sanity is going to be challenged, for sure. Itll be an adjustment.
NORWALK  The owner of a popular Rowayton restaurant says they have taken steps to ensure its safe to remain open after a man who has the citys first confirmed case of coronavirus patronized the bar last week.

Officials announced Saturday that a man in his 40s was the citys first confirmed case of coronavirus. He is self-quarantined at his home.

The man was a guest at the Rowayton Seafood Restaurant bar on March 6. The restaurant has remained open, but the bar area was closed on Saturday.

The bartender who was working at the time has self-quarantined as a precaution, owner Kevin Conroy said in a statement. Conroy said the employee is not symptomatic, but is awaiting the results of a cornavirus test.

Conroy said they called the Yale New Haven Health hotline and spoke to a doctor about the situation. Conroy said the doctor indicated it was safe for the establishment to remain open.

Still, the eatery is taking additional precautions.

We are taking additional measures for safety for our patrons and staff by closing the bar seating, Conroy said in the statement. It is too difficult to maintain social distancing in a confined space.

The restaurant said it will continue to monitor the situation and make changes as needed, including possibly closing if necessary.

We realize these are difficult times and hope to return to normalcy soon for everyone, but the road ahead will be bumpy, Conroy said.

During a press conference at City Hall on Saturday, Mayor Harry Rilling and state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said the citys first case was inevitable and should serve as a reminder for people to take precautions with their social activities.

This is not a surprise, Rilling said. We knew that we wouldin all likelihood have a positive test in the city of Norwalk and the odds are that we are going to have more.

This should serve as a reminder about the social isolation that weve talked about, he said, noting health officials stress that the best way to mitigate its spread is by limiting social interaction.

The case, which was diagnosed by the mans doctor, was the eighth new confirmed case in the state on Saturday. The confirmed cases nearly doubled on Saturday when the states total rose to 20.

Please take this very seriously, Duff said, noting best practices for hygiene as well. This is not the flu. This is a very serious virus.

In the wake of many Norwalk stores being sold out of most cleaning supplies, paper towels and toilet paper, Duff encouraged residents to practice common sense when it comes to shopping, that we are not panic shopping.

Supplies will come back, he said, noting federal trucking regulations have been relaxed to keep supplies moving throughout the country.

Norwalk Director of Health Deanna DAmore encouraged residents and business owners to limit social gatherings.

Social distancing helps slow the spread of this virus, she said. This is critically important as it can prevent a lot of people from getting sick all at once and overwhelming the health care system, which is also referred to as flattening the curve. With spring around the corner, I know people will be tempted to get together in groups outside and indoors, especially our young people and those home from college. I cannot stress this enough  please limit social interactions for the foreseeable future.

Closing schools, canceling large events and working remotely, she said, are all effective ways of doing this.

We encourage even more of these actions right now, she said, including small gatherings like parties and personal visits.

We need to stay at home as much as we can, as much as possible, DAmore said, noting that while it may feel inconvenient at times, it was essential to slowing the virus spread and reducing the number of cases.

Earlier Saturday, Rilling declared a state of civil preparedness emergency, but said it was not in response to the new case.

It was simply to allow me to have greater authority to implement strategies, which I believe would help protect the citizens of Norwalk to a greater degree, he said, pointing out it will also help augment future requests for state and federal funding.

We will continue to see more and more cases skyrocket here in the state of Connecticut, Duff said, so it is imperative that we do everything possible to mitigate this virus from spreading even further.

Rilling also asked residents to follow social-distancing precautions, including not attending large gatherings.

As the situation unfolds, we will take the necessary precautions, Rilling said. Im asking people to be diligent and to take the necessary steps to protect themselves and our community. Were not going to be shutting down the city. People have to live, but we also encourage them to exercise good judgment.
Just when it seemed that Chinese telecom manufacturer ZTE was in the clear, it is once again being investigated by the Justice Department. In March 2017, ZTE agreed to pay $1.19 billion and submit to a three-year probation period as punishment for violating US trade sanctions with Iran and North Korea. That probation period ended Saturday, and now, the Justice Department is reportedly looking into new and separate bribery allegations, sources tell NBC News.

NBC News could not determine what transactions in which countries the Justice Department is investigating. But in recent years, ZTE has been accused of corruption in more than a dozen countries, including Algeria, Kenya, Liberia and Zimbabwe.

In a statement, provided to NBC News, a representative of ZTE said:

"ZTE is fully committed to meeting its legal and compliance obligations. The top priority of the company's leadership team is making ZTE a trusted and reliable business partner in the global marketplace, and the company is proud of the enormous progress it has made. Beyond this, it would not be appropriate for ZTE to comment."

The US and ZTE have had a contentious relationship for years. In 2012, a Congressional report said that Huawei and ZTE "cannot be trusted." In 2016, the US began restricting what ZTE could import from American suppliers -- those sanctions were lifted as part of the $1.19 billion deal.

In 2018, the Commerce Department determined that, when ZTE claimed that it reprimanded employees involved in the Iran and North Korea trade sanction violations, it actually rewarded them with bonuses. In response, the Commerce Department blocked ZTE from buying semiconductors required for its products, but President Trump rescinded on those sanctions a few months later as part of a trade deal with China, NBC News explains.

In 2018, the US also banned government employees, contractors and agencies from using Huawei and ZTE devices. Huawei attempted to fight the ban in court, but last month, a judge dismissed the case.

It's unclear what actions the US might take if it determines that the bribery allegations are true. ZTE has close ties to the Chinese government, and in the past, China has strongly objected to sanctions imposed on the company. While the US has canceled plans to impose 15 percent tariffs on Chinese-made items --including consumer electronics products like iPhones and laptops -- adding or reinstating sanctions in response to the alleged bribery could once again escalate tension between the US, ZTE and China.
The Karthi-Rashmika Mandana starrer Sulthan under Bakyaraj Kannans direction was initially planned as a summer release, but there have been no updates on the movie yet.

With fans of Karthi asking for news, producer SR Prabhu took to his social media handle and revealed that he was not able to firm up future plans due to the coronavirus threat.

He said, #CoronaOutbreak is delaying everything including #Sulthan Update! Lets keep calm and be safe!!

Similarly, we hear that Vikrams Cobra team shooting in Russia is returning with the work only half done due to coronavirus outbreak. Director Ajay Gnanamuthu tweeted Corona attack for #Cobra Packing up shoot in Russia halfway due to the travel ban rules by Indian Goverenment!! Pongaya neengalum Unga corona vum!!
By Online Desk

LONDON: Will most people catch the coronavirus and can drastic measures to contain its spread only serve to aggravate the looming public health crisis?

The United Kingdom at least believes so.

Despite British Prime Minister Boris Johnson describing the worldwide pandemic as "the worst public health crisis for a generation" and warning that "many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time", his government is adopting a light-touch approach to combat the virus' spread.

No clampdowns on large public gatherings. No suspension of transit networks. No bans on schools even.

On Friday, more than 60,000 horse-racing fans packed a course in England for the grand finale of the Cheltenham Festival, one of the few sporting events in Europe still taking place.

Crowds during day four of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, England. (Photo | AP)

This at a time when the UK had 798 confirmed cases - almost 10 times the number India had on March 13. On Friday alone, there were 200 new cases. There have also been 10 deaths.

It gets even more stark.

Patrick Vallance, the British government's chief scientific adviser, in fact said the UK was only "about four weeks or so behind Italy", the worst-hit country outside of China where more than 15,000 infections and more than 1,000 deaths have been recorded in only three weeks.

But Vallance remains the lead proponent and defender of this go-easy method to tackle the disease.

In the UK, people with mild symptoms are being asked not even to visit or call a doctor unless their condition worsens, to allow medical staff to focus on those most in need.

All that is suggested in such situations is self-quarantine.

"We want to suppress it (the virus), not get rid of it completely," Vallance explained.

He added: "What we don't want is everybody to end up getting it in a short period of time so we swamp and overwhelm NHS services."

Vallance and his team also believe that the population could develop some immunity to the virus if it is allowed to spread slowly.

"You can't stop it, so you should end up with a broader peak during which time you'd anticipate that more people would get immunity to this," he said.

"That in itself becomes a protective part of this process. This is quite likely, I think, to become an annual virus, an annual seasonal infection."

The approach is not without its risks. Vallance suggests this kind of immunity will only work if 60 per cent of the population were infected - potentially risking many more deaths.

To some anxious Britons that sounds utterly callous.

The front pages of most British newspapers carried stark summaries Friday of Johnson's warning the day before: "Many loved ones will die," was the Daily Mail's headline.

Scientists say a pandemic like the current one brings with it difficult choices and tough judgment calls.

Thomas House, a reader in mathematical statistics at the University of Manchester, said that "whether we aim for it or not, herd immunity will happen at some point in the future" once the new virus has run its course.

"The aim of policy should be for this to happen with the minimum human cost possible," he said.

The editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, Richard Horton, pulled no punches. He accused London of "complacency" and demanded "assertive social distancing and closure policies".

Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at Edinburgh University, too was categorical: "Now is the time for the UK government to ban large gatherings, ask people to stop non-essential travel, recommend employers shift to home working and ramp up the response.

"The curve can be shifted, like South Korea and Singapore, but only with government action," she insisted.

Vallance and the defenders and framers of the policy, though, believe that enforcing social distancing too soon could also counterproductive for another reason - because people will tire of the restrictions and start to lapse just when the measures are needed most.

Whatever the government's advice, the virus has already had a major impact in Britain.

The English Premier League canceled matches until April 3. Some universities are moving classes online. Rush-hour seats on the London Underground are proving more easy to get as an increasing number of people are working from home.

And hotels, shops and restaurants, of course, have taken a hit as tourists have cancelled their trips.

(With Associated Press and AFP inputs)
Prison authorities have proposed the temporary release of at least two hundred offenders to alleviate the risk of the coronavirus spreading to the jail population and staff.

The recommendation has been made by senior officials from the Prison Service to the Department of Justice as part of talks on a number of contingency measures to reduce the number of people in custody in a controlled manner".

The nations 12 prisons currently has 4,700 inmates in the system but that includes 500 who are out either on temporary release or license.

The official bed capacity is for 4,300.

The director of the Prison Service, Ms Caron McCaffrey said last night that nobody, who might be deemed to pose a threat to public safety, would be among those likely to be released.

She said the proposed move would be a short term measure and anyone granted temporary release could be returned to prison if they broke the conditions of their release.

Those excluded from being considered include prisoners convicted of murder, sex crimes and serious assaults as well as terrorists and prominent members of organised crime gangs.

The Prison Service said the unique environment of a prison and the sheer numbers and diversity of people, who passed through the prison system, made vigilance around infection prevention and control absolutely necessary.

The restrictions being introduced were aimed at reducing the risk of infection to not only inmates and prison staff but also to members of the families of prisoners and other visitors as well as to the wider community.

The coronavirus has not yet been detected in any of the jails.

Read More

But the prison authorities said the confirmation of such a case would present significant challenges for prison management in terms of controlling the spread of the virus.

A final decision on the number and the type of prisoner to be released will be made by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.

In a separate move, Garda training is being postponed so that more than 300 students and gardai working as tutors can join the acting force now in an effort to limit the effects of coronavirus.

A contingency roster will come into effect from Monday and will see current Garda members rostered, along with around 325 Garda students in the Garda College who will be attested as Garda members next week and allocated to stations nationally in the coming weeks.
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As the coronavirus spreads across America, it is closely followed by economic fallout[1]. Symptoms of Covid19 include stock markets in freefall, plummeting tourism revenues, and talk of rolling recession[2]. Fear of financial fallout is top of mind for millions of individuals, couples and families. I count myself among them.

My work involves extensive public speaking, and a wave of cancellations is impacting thousands of events. For example, I was to speak at an upcoming Harvard Law School luncheon, but now the campus is evacuating and transitioning to online classes. The coronavirus has dealt a heavy blow to restaurant servers and hospitality workers in Austin, Texas, who count on income generated by the (now cancelled) SXSW conference. As tens of thousands of churches close their doors and transition to online worship services, pastors worry that giving is declining just as need rises exponentially. Those with the greatest financial fears are the millions without paid sick leave; if they (or their children) get a cough, they must choose between protecting the public health and providing for their families.



How will Americans handle the financial stress created by the coronavirus pandemic? In particular, how can couples navigate the worry and uncertainty together, so their relationship grows stronger?



Our research shows[3] that the vast majority of American couples, 77 percent, cant communicate about money without tension or avoidance. And that is in normal circumstances. With financial worries amped up right now, couples are even more likely to leave a money conversation feeling misunderstood or resentful. Many will avoid it altogether because they cant get to the root of the disagreement. Which is exactly the point. The real issue isnt money  its how money makes us feel.[4]



It can feel scary to start a conversation about money  especially now. My husband, Jeff, and I avoided money conversations like the plague for most of our marriage. It wasnt until we began our latest research project around love and money that we discovered the root of the problem. We couldnt talk about money because we didnt understand (and thus couldnt talk about!) our own deep fears, values and expectations around money. Now knowing the real issues, our relationship has grown deeper and vastly more authentic. Were better prepared to walk through financial uncertainty and come out stronger.





We want the same for every other couple. We want to help you not just survive but come out of this crisis more together than ever. Here are our top five Love & Money Health Tips distilled from our research:





Tip 1: Believe the best. When you are hurt or worried, it is easy to believe the worst about your partners intentions. (You knew how much that lunch was going to cost; you just dont care how hard I have to work to pay for everything!) But this attitude leads to a damaging cycle. Instead, begin the conversation believing the best, trusting that your spouse cares. (I know you got stuck in a difficult situation; lets talk about how we pay for this.)

When you are hurt or worried, it is easy to believe the worst about your partners intentions. (You knew how much that lunch was going to cost; you just dont care how hard I have to work to pay for everything!) But this attitude leads to a damaging cycle. Instead, begin the conversation believing the best, trusting that your spouse cares. (I know you got stuck in a difficult situation; lets talk about how we pay for this.) Tip 2: Learn to listen. The greater the worry level, the greater the need to listenin the way your partner needs. Is your partner an internal processor? Give him or her time to process without pressure. Is your spouse a verbal processor? Let your mate talk about feelings and worries without trying to fix anything. Giving one another time and space to be heard can spark real understanding about what each of you values most.

The greater the worry level, the greater the need to listenin the way your partner needs. Is your partner an internal processor? Give him or her time to process without pressure. Is your spouse a verbal processor? Let your mate talk about feelings and worries without trying to fix anything. Giving one another time and space to be heard can spark real understanding about what each of you values most. Tip 3: Understand their fears. Learn to recognize and honor your partners deep-seated fears around money, which are likely the root issue. Most couples have different fears and worries and different ways of handling those fears and worries. If you view spending as needed relief from money worries, you may find that your significant other manages money fears by saving every penny. Once you learn how your actions magnify each others money fears, you can address these core issues with fewer misunderstandings.

Learn to recognize and honor your partners deep-seated fears around money, which are likely the root issue. Most couples have different fears and worries and different ways of handling those fears and worries. If you view spending as needed relief from money worries, you may find that your significant other manages money fears by saving every penny. Once you learn how your actions magnify each others money fears, you can address these core issues with fewer misunderstandings. Tip 4. Prepare a plan. You can eliminate a major source of money tension at home by simply creating an emergency cushion. Use the first three tips to explore your individual money fears and values, then come together to create a very specific action plan. For example, We need a $1,500 emergency reserve. We have agreed that I will take two overtime shifts each week, and you will take your lunch every day instead of eating out.

You can eliminate a major source of money tension at home by simply creating an emergency cushion. Use the first three tips to explore your individual money fears and values, then come together to create a very specific action plan. For example, We need a $1,500 emergency reserve. We have agreed that I will take two overtime shifts each week, and you will take your lunch every day instead of eating out. Tip 5. Fight for unity. Your greatest weapon against money tension is being able to talk about moneyas a team. Especially if youre married, set aside the tendency toward you and me in conversations (Well, your income went down but mine didnt, and I still want to go out to eat.) Resolve to become we and have one anothers back.

This current public health crisis may have you huddled together at home, but money concerns around coronavirus need not lead to a relationship crisis. You can emerge from this challenging season with a healthier and stronger relationship than ever before.

[1] https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/perspectives/economy-recession-coronavirus/index.html

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2020/03/10/rolling-recessions-are-the-likely-economic-impact-of-new-coronavirus-and-covid-19/#512217721320

[3] Jeff & Shaunti Feldhahn, Thriving in Love & Money, (Minnesota, Bethany House Publishers), 45

[4] Ibid, 16
U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne was one of 40 House members  and the only one from Alabama -- to vote against an early morning coronavirus relief package.

Byrne, in a statement, chastised the process by saying it was no way to govern because the bill was forced in the dead of the night. The legislation was approved by a 363-40 vote shortly after midnight. The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration and possible final approval.

While it is critical that we continue to take actions to address the coronavirus, we should do it thoughtfully and responsibly, said Byrne, a Republican who represents Alabamas 1st congressional district that includes Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Monroe, Washington and parts of Clarke County.

We need calm and steady leadership to address the coronavirus, not @SpeakerPelosi rushing bills that we have not read or vetted through Congress in the dead of night. The American people deserve better.https://t.co/02A4RFXrFE  Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) March 14, 2020

Byrne said the bill contained 110 pages requesting that billions of dollars be spent, and mandates on small businesses. He said the vote occurred 26 minutes after he received the text of the bill.

The bill was bipartisan and received the backing of President Donald Trump late Friday night. The president congratulated the bills passage, calling it good teamwork between Republicans and Democrats.

Good teamwork between Republicans & Democrats as the House passes the big CoronaVirus Relief Bill. People really pulled together. Nice to see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

Said Byrne, I appreciate the Trump Administration working to greatly improve this bill over what was proposed by Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi. I hope that the Senate next week will engage in the due diligence that House Democrats were unwilling to do.

The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week. Senators are expected to be in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

Five Alabama lawmakers  four Republicans and one Democrat  voted in support of the bill: Reps. Mo Brooks, Robert Aderholt, Martha Roby, Gary Palmer and Terri Sewell.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, was one of 26 lawmakers who did not vote.

Sewell, Alabamas lone Democratic representative in the House, praised the legislation for containing critical provisions such as access to testing to prevent the spread of a virus that so far includes around 2,300 confirmed cases in the U.S. and 50 deaths. Alabama, as of Friday, confirmed six cases of coronavirus.

The World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic on Wednesday. Trump declared a national emergency on Friday, followed up by states  including Alabama  declaring their own emergencies. Alabamas K-12 public schools will close for two and a half weeks starting at the end of the school day on Wednesday.

Sewell praised the House measure for including free virus testing for people who lack insurance. She was one of the lawmakers introducing the no cost COVID19 testing on Tuesday.

Controlling the coronavirus crisis is a matter of pubic health and safety and its containment is dependent upon whether we make coronavirus test kits readily available at no cost, regardless of health insurance coverage, Sewell said in a statement earlier in the week. Free testing will not only help Alabamians get diagnosed, but also ensure that if they are infected, they can take the necessary precautions to help contain the spread of the disease.

The legislation also includes 14 paid sick days for employees, as well as up to three months of paid family and medical leave throughout the coronavirus outbreak. Small and mid-sized employers will be reimbursed through tax credits.

It also included boosting programs providing food for children, the elderly and to food banks. The agreement provides $500 million to women, infants and children nutrition programs, and eliminates work requirements on the food stamp programs.

The package also includes increased federal funds for Medicaid as states face increasing costs.

The House approval capped off what had been described as frantic and hard-fought negotiations involving Pelosi, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, among others.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 15:45 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206aa29d7 1 World WHO,Joko-Widodo,national-emergency,COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,pandemic,letter Free

The World Health Organization (WHO) urged President Joko Jokowi Widodo to scale up the countrys emergency response mechanisms in containing the COVID-19 outbreak by, among other measures, declaring a national state of emergency.

In a letter sent to the President on Tuesday, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency had "seen undetected or under-detected cases at the early stages of the outbreak [which] result in significant increases in cases and deaths in some countries.

The agency then recommended several actions to be taken to reduce transmission and prevent further spread of the coronavirus, including scale up emergency response mechanisms including a declaration of national emergency.

Tedros went on to say that the country should intensify case finding, contact tracing, monitoring, quarantine of contacts and isolation of cases.

I would also be grateful if the Republic of Indonesia could provide the WHO with detailed information about the approach to surveillance and testing, contact identification and contact tracing for COVID-19 and any data or summaries, Tedros wrote in the letter.

I am counting on your personal leadership and political will, which not only reflects strong partnership with WHO, but also demonstrates the Republic of Indonesias commitment to global health security.

Read also: COVID-19 'can be characterized as a pandemic': WHO chief

Tedros went the extra mile by calling President Jokowi directly, as he wrote in his official Twitter account, @DrTedros, on Friday.

I thanked him for the government's leadership on containment and preparing the health system and other sectors to respond to COVID-19. We agreed to scale up cooperation and I assured him of the WHOs readiness to support, Tedros wrote on Twitter.

Excellent phone call with President @jokowi of #Indonesia. I thanked him for the government's leadership on containment and preparing the health system and other sectors to respond to #COVID19. We agreed to scale up cooperation and I assured him of @WHO s readiness to support. pic.twitter.com/v7k9Gffymd  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 13, 2020

Presidential spokesperson Fadjroel Rachman confirmed that the phone call took place on Friday, after the President received the WHOs letter. He went on to say that the government had taken several measures recommended by the United Nations health agency.

The government has increased its efforts in handling COVID-19 by issuing a presidential decree that mandates the formation of a COVID-19 accelerated handling task force, as well as the Health Ministers decree on protocols for central government and regional administrations, Fadjroel said in a statement.

As of Saturday noon, Indonesia had 69 confirmed COVID-19 patients, as the death toll from the disease climbed to four.

The governments spokesperson for all coronavirus-related matters, Achmad Yurianto, said the government would expand the COVID-19 testing range by allowing laboratories in universities and other research agencies to perform polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on suspected patients.

Read also: 'Smokers in Indonesia are at high risk for COVID-19': WHO

A number of nations have declared a national state of emergency following the outbreak, such as Spain and United States. President Donald Trump declared a US national emergency over the quickly spreading coronavirus, opening the door to more government aid to combat the disease, as reported by Reuters.

According to global data compiled by Johns Hopkins Universitys Center of Systems Science and Engineering, around 145,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, around 5,400 of which died due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, 71,694 people recovered from the disease. (mfp)
Who would have imagined the lanky guy from Masaan would go on to become one of the most promising newcomers, slaying every role that he portrays on the big screens. When I saw him for the first time in Masaan, I knew yeh ladka bada banega, but I had no idea of this unprecedented success that would come his way.



 Drishyam Films

Yes, there have been struggles for action director Sham Kaushals son. A lot of people earlier thought that it was because of nepotism that he could enter the world of Bollywood but having known the Kaushal brothers, I know that it has taken them good eight to nine years of struggle and patience to finally make a mark.



When Aditya Dhar was trying to lock him for Uri, a lot of people questioned why Vicky Kaushal - as he was this gawky, thin and not a conventionally good looking man, but he proved those haters wrong and now, he is surely one of the new-age bankable stars. He can now easily pull audiences to the theatres and does have a loyal fan-following who find him both good-looking and talented.



 RSVP Movies

But, is he vying for the top spot? No, I am not here to become the next megastar. I am stressing on good scripts and looking forward to working with interesting directors. But I also understand that I have to entertain the audience on one hand and make money for the producers on the other, the actor said in one of the interviews.



Well, he is here to entertain and keep experimenting with his characters. And just yesterday, he shared one of the probable looks from his upcoming movie Sardar Udham Singh and also announced that the film will now be releasing on January 15, 2021, as this story deserves full justice. It was earlier said to be releasing on October 2 this year.



Sharing the update on Instagram, Vicky wrote, On March 13th, 1940, #SardarUdham singlehandedly assassinated Michael O Dwyer in London to honour the lives lost at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His story deserves justice onscreen. Keeping that in mind, we will now see you in cinemas on 15th January 2021!



With this character, he is adding one more feather to his cap and once again proving how experimental he is. Lets take a look at the roles that he is trying to experiment with and bring them alive on the big screen in the future.



Sardar Udham Singh



The is a biopic on Sardar Udham Singh, the revolutionary who assassinated Michael ODwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab in British India in 1940, to avenge the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Vicky is all set to take up this challenge and his first look has already done half the job - got people excited for the film.

In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, Shoojit Sircar said about casting Vicky, There is a burning intensity and anger that I saw in his eyes during our first meeting itself, that convinced me he was the one right man to play Udham. We cant agree more to this.



General Sam Manekshaw



Vicky is a man of many avatars. The actor has an amazing lineup of movies and he will soon be entertaining his audience by playing a war hero Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in an upcoming biographical film Sam which will be directed by Meghna Gulzar. And as soon as he shared the first look of the movie, Twitter users crowned him with the tag of being the most versatile actor in Bollywood and we cannot deny it.



Ashwatthama



Vicky is, in fact, ready to push all boundaries with this historical and mythological character, Ashwatthama. He has carved a niche for himself in Bollywood as one of those few actors who keep challenging themselves to try something new every time with every script.

The actor will train in mixed martial arts, Israeli martial art Krav Maga and Japanese martial art, Jujutsu for the same, and will also learn archery, sword fighting and spear fighting for his role in the film based on Ashwatthama.

For the role of Ashwatthama, he is likely to weigh around 110 to 115kg. Talking to MensXP about Vicky, Aditya Dhar told us, With Vicky, it's next to impossible because he has this intense metabolism. I really envy him for that and every day, I see him hogging on food but nothing happens.

He went on to add, He has to weigh around 115kg. Vicky involves himself completely and it's required for him to be huge and ripped. As far as I know, Vicky never shies away in taking challenges. For him, it's an obsession.

Takht

Another interesting role lined up for Vicky is the character of Aurangzeb in Takht. Well, he took to Instagram to share a mould of his character and fans are excited to see the actor on the big screens portraying this character to the T. "I've always wanted to be a part of historical drama. This one is as big as it gets, with a great ensemble cast and Karan helming it. They have their own pressure to make the narrative as true as what's written in history. For us as performers too, the pressure is the same," Vicky said in an interview.

These are the 4 upcoming Vicky Kaushal films we are really looking forward to. And if his debut movie Masaan and then, his role in Sanju to a complete transformation in Uri are anything to go by, we are in for a treat.
Bhopal, March 14 : As it struggles to retain power in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress on Saturday claimed that its MLAs taken to Bengaluru are under pressure to quit the Assembly.

Most them are likely to withdraw their resignations once they are back in Bhopal.

However, senior party leader and state unit working President Ramnivas Rawat, who has been very close to the Scindia family since the days of Madhavrao Scindia, said, "I was a Congressman and will remain a Congressman. Our party MLAs are being held hostage in Bengaluru. When they reach Bhopal, they will not press their resignations.

"We have not left Scindia; it was Scindia who left us. The BJP gave him the title of 'Vibhishan' while welcoming him into the party. Now, this may be in the right or wrong context. But in our country, no parents name their children 'Vibhishan' due to the stigma of betrayal attached to it." When asked that how did he contact the MLAs as the Congress was alleging that even the family members were not able to contact them, Rawat said, "This should remain a secret." Rawat claimed that he has been loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia's father Madhavrao Scindia and left the Congress to join the MP Vikas Congress, a party floated by senior Scindia, after resigning from the grand old party.

"I still have respect for the Scindia family, but I will always be in Congress," he said.

The Congress working Pesident also claimed that Scindia left the party as he was of the view that the grand old party would not grow in the future. "I agree with Rahul Gandhi that Scindia abandoned his ideology as he felt insecure about his political future," Rawat said.

He said that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh had asked him to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, but he declined the ticket. "If I were to contest, people would have alleged that I ditched Jyotiraditya Scindia for Rajya Sabha nomination," he said.

Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati has sent notices to rebel MLAs to appear before him by March 15. Earlier, Prajapati called all 22 MLAs on three different dates. Now these MLAs can meet him till 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Some members feel the government could postpone the floor test if all MLAs do not appear before the Speaker. The government can also move the Supreme Court. According to the rule, all legislators are required to appear before the Speaker.

On Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Govind Singh had requested the Speaker to get a detailed inquiry conducted into the resignations of the 19 MLAs. He said that the MLAs should be asked under what circumstances they resigned. If they were not voluntary, they should be cancelled.

The 19 Congress MLAs held captive at a resort in Bengaluru had sent their resignations to the speaker through BJP MLA Bhupendra Singh. Three more had resigned later.

Six of the MLAs were expected to reach Bhopal on Friday after the Assembly Speaker issued a notice, but they kept him waiting all day. BJP President J.P. Nadda went to meet the MLAs in Bengaluru and the MLAs are in touch with him.

On March 12, minister in the Kamal Nath government Jeetu Patwari also reached Bangalore to meet the legislators, but he were not allowed to meet them.
The officers, part of a tactical team, arrived at the home Thursday morning after receiving a citizen complaint that Lemp possessed guns even though he was prohibited from doing so, according to the police statement. A Special Operations Division Tactical Unit came to Lemps home in the 12200 block of St. James Road to serve a high-risk search warrant. That typically means the officers do not knock.
A public meeting scheduled for Monday by the newly established Meitheal Phobail in Muscrai was postponed until 'after the Coronavirus'.

The cancellation came as one of the campaign's main aims, the appointment of a Public Health Nurse, was realised. Deirdre O'Sullivan took up her role last week in the Baile Mhuirne surgery, and she will also be serving Beal Atha'n Ghaorthaidh and other districts within the Gaeltacht.

"We're very happy that our concerns were listened to and a Public Health nurse is now in place," said Peadar O Riada, who was the chairman of the first three Meitheal meetings.

Other aims have also been realised as roadworks have been carried out to remedy long-standing issues, most particularly the lag in the road up from the Mills Inn which had been regarded by many as 'dangerous'.

"Obviously the Coronavirus situation is very serious, so we've decided to postpone meetings and the like until that's passed, and then we will redouble our efforts to put plans together to build a new health centre," said Peadar.

The current facility has been in place for almost 100 years, and while it was renovated almost 20 years ago, there isn't space to deal with the community's growing population.

The outcry over the lack of a Public Health Nurse followed a long hiatus after the retirement of the previous Public Health Nurse in February last year.

While a temporary appointment was made, that person was reassigned in August.

Concerns had been raised during the series of public meetings over the lack of examinations being carried out on new-born infants and no nurse being available to help with palliative care for elderly and very ill people being cared for at home.

At the first of the public meetings in October, a daughter of a man who had died after being terminally ill told how he had been within an hour of running out of pain relief medicine because of the lack of a nurse to administer.

Other issues raised during the meetings included the lack of a locally based Garda Sergeant due to the scarce availability of Irish-speaking qualified candidates to take up the role.
Protecting your home from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning is invaluable.

Sligo Fire Service is warning people about carbon monoxide poisoning after three cases of poisoning in the county.

Three cases of carbon monoxide poisoning at three domestic dwellings were recorded since January. Those affected were treated at Sligo University Hospital.

In light of the recent cases Sligo Fire Service has issued a warning on the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas. It has no colour, no smell and no taste and is often called 'the silent killer'. This is why acting Chief Fire Officer Marian Coakley says preventative measures are so important.

Sligo Fire Service has stated that protecting your home from the dangers of the gas and learning to recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning is invaluable.

Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas

When inhaled, the gas prevents blood from absorbing oxygen. At high levels it can kill in as little as three minutes.

It kills, on average, six people in Ireland every year and makes many more ill.

It can be produced by any fuel when burned - coal, turf, oil, gas and wood. Harmful levels can be produced by any badly installed, faulty, damaged or blocked heating appliance, chimney or flue, such as:

open fireplaces, gas or LPG boilers, oil-fired boilers, solid fuel stoves, blocked or insufficient ventilation in rooms where a fuel burning appliance is in use, also barbecues or petrol-driven machinery.

In relation to the Sligo cases, two of the three cases of poisoning resulted from non maintenance of appliances and the other case from a chimney not being maintained.

Advice for people to prevent possible poisoning is to ensure fuel burning appliances are properly installed and serviced annually by a qualified agent. Keep vents, flues and chimneys clear and to never block vents.

Signs of carbon monoxide may include staining, sooting or discolouring around an appliance, condensation on your windows, a strange smell when an appliance is on (carbon monoxide itself has no smell but other fumes produced by burning may smell).

Signs of poisoning include flu-like symptoms e.g. drowsiness and headaches, chest pains, nausea, diarrhoea, dizziness and general lethargy.

"As signs can be silent it is highly important for people to install carbon monoxide alarms in their homes," stated Ms Coakley.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-13 23:18:34|Editor: huaxia

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"We have 24 fine products and complete construction solutions in six categories on display at this exhibition, including hoisting machinery, excavators, loaders, road machinery, piling machinery and aerial work platform. It is the most complete product lineup that XCMG presents to North American customers."



LAS VEGAS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Top brands of Chinese construction equipment enterprises have stolen the show at North America's largest construction trade exhibition being held in Las Vegas from Tuesday to Saturday.

Many well-known Chinese construction equipment companies have attended the show despite concerns for the novel coronavirus, including XCMG, LiuGong Machinery, Sany Group, Sunward Equipment Group, Shantui Construction Machinery, and Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology.

People view construction equipment of China's LiuGong Machinery at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)

Lots of advanced Chinese construction equipment were on display at the five-day show, named CONEXPO-CON/AGG, which covers hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, bulldozers and rollers. These premium products have attracted attention from more than 2,300 exhibitors worldwide as well as international dealers.

As a technology leader in Chinese construction machinery industry, XCMG has launched a new concept product at the show - pure electric zero-emission excavator XE35U-E.

"We have 24 fine products and complete construction solutions in six categories on display at this exhibition, including hoisting machinery, excavators, loaders, road machinery, piling machinery and aerial work platform. It is the most complete product lineup that XCMG presents to North American customers," Xie Bin, general manager of American Region of XCMG, told Xinhua.

People view construction equipment of China's XCMG at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)

Since 2012, XCMG has set up a research and develop center and a factory in the United States, attracting local talent resources, increasing employment, promoting local economic development, and making its brand known and recognized in North America.

LiuGong, another Chinese multinational construction machinery manufacturing company, highlighted its new F-series excavators and new stage V wheel loader at the show.

The tough machines of LiuGong are supported by more than 300 dealers in over 100 countries, 13 overseas subsidiaries and 12 parts distribution centers, Stacie Adams, director of branding and communications of LiuGong, told Xinhua.

"As a pioneer for the internationalization of Chinese construction machinery manufacturers, we are proud that not only LiuGong, but also other Chinese equipment is working on construction projects worldwide," she said.

Construction equipment of China's Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology is seen at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)

The presence and influence of Chinese companies will only continue to grow on the world stage, Adams said.

"We hope to demonstrate the strength of Chinese construction and machinery equipment through the platform of the show, and boost confidence of its customers in the U.S. market and worldwide," Xie Mengtao, president of Sany Group USA Corp, told Xinhua.

Sany has brought a string of new machines and models to the show, such as excavators, wheel loader, rollers and motor graders.

Construction equipment of China's XCMG is seen at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)

According to China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, China is the largest manufacturing country of construction equipment in the world.

In 2019, sales of Chinese construction machinery exceeded 660 billion yuan (95 billion U.S. dollars), and export value of Chinese construction machinery reached 24.2 billion U.S. dollars.

Albert Cervero, senior vice president of the U.S. Association of Equipment Manufacturers, expressed his appreciation for Chinese companies who made all the way to attend the show.

Construction equipment of China's Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology is seen at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)

He said though there is slight drop of participants due to the coronavirus, the exhibition halls are filled up with the most advanced construction equipment from worldwide.

Held every three years in Las Vegas, this massive event features the latest equipment advances and newest technology applications in every field in construction.

(Article by Xinhua Reporter Tan Jingjing; Video by Xinhua Reporters Huang Heng and Zhang Mocheng) 
JACKSON, MI  The dark blue lab coats, orange hairnets, white masks and blue booties arent what Bean Elementary School students are used to wearing to school.

But it was the uniform of the day Wednesday, March 11, when the fourth-graders from the Western School District visited Fry Krisp Food Products for a behind-the scenes look at how the popular batter mix is made and what career options are available in their hometown.

The visit was coordinated by the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association. Trips by Westerns Warner Elementary School and Parma Elementary School likely are coming soon, too.

What weve seen is that the college conversation is really the one that has been happening in schools, and understandably so, Amanda Loveland, JAMA youth program director, said. But college isnt the right path for everyone and here in Jackson we have a crazy number of skilled trades related careers that do not require a college degree.

Fry Krisp hasnt hosted tours since moving to 3514 Wayland Drive about four years ago, Vice President Steve Artz said.

Western schools want to develop curriculums around area manufacturers so students are aware of careers in their community, Loveland said. As part of this, Technique Inc. will be working on a pinewood derby with students and Castor Concepts will help older students learn about robotics.

The biggest outcome is just exposing kids to skilled trades in STEM-related careers so that when they are asked the question, What do you want to be when you grow up? they are more likely to say something like a CNC machine operator, Loveland said.

While on a tour led by Fry Krisp Production Manager Tim Clay and Production Lead Mark Fountain, the students followed a batter mix from start to finish. Along the way, they peered into a 4,000-pound mixer and followed the mix on a conveyor belt as it was bagged and boxed.

After their tour, students got to taste test the batter mix on chicken and corn dogs. While considering skilled trades and STEM careers, Artz also wants students to know flavor testers play an important role in bringing food to the table.

This corn dog tastes better than the ones at my house, fourth-grader Malachi McCallum said.

Students asked questions and made observations about the process that Clay said he wasnt expecting. After watching a small video on the company, students were sent back to school with a box of Fry Krisp batter mix and corn dog mix.

Teacher Mary Chamberlain said she planned a follow-up assignment on food engineering, asking students to create a recipe for slime given only the ingredients.

After opening their facility to the elementary school students, Artz has been asked to give local culinary students a tour at the end of March, too. The recent attention is helping him to achieve another goal  getting the company name out there.

Weve been in Jackson for 70 years and a good portion of Jackson didnt know we existed, he said.

Fry Krisp currently does a lot of business in Chicago, but Artz is hoping to have a better presence right at home in Jackson, while also encouraging local talent to consider the industry he works in every day.
An ambulance arrives at a quarantine area for Covid-19 suspects at District 3 Hospital in HCMC, March 9, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa.

A British man wanted for quarantining by HCMC authorities after he arrived on a Covid-19 infected flight had left Vietnam Wednesday morning.

Grogan Matthew James Knight, 32, had returned to the U.K. before Saigon authorities issued orders to find and quarantine him, Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the HCMC Center for Disease Control, said Wednesday night.

Previously, HCMC authorities were tracking down passengers who arrived in the country March 2 on Vietnam Airlines flight VN54, carrying the nations 17th and Hanoi's first Covid-19 patient  26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung.

Among the 217 passengers and crew members on the flight, at least 13 including Nhung have since tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Authorities said all people on the flight have either been put in quarantine or left Vietnam.

After landing in Hanoi, Knight went to Hoi An in central Vietnam on March 5, then reached HCMC on March 7.

Officials contacted the man, but he refused to provide his exact location in the city.

Authorities are yet to announce what they plan to do next, following Knight's departure.

As of Thursday morning, HCMC had quarantined 394 people in several quarantine zones in the city, and 594 in their own homes.

Vietnam has confirmed 39 Covid-19 cases so far, the latest being a 25-year-old male tour guide in Hanoi whod came into contact with an infected British passenger on the VN54 flight.

The tour guide had been quarantined in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District since March 8, and tested positive on Wednesday.

Before Nhung tested positive and triggered a spate of Covid-19 infections, Vietnam had successfully treated and discharged all 16 previously infected patients and gone 22 straight days without recording a new infection.

The highly infectious novel coronavirus has thus far spread to 124 countries and territories around the world, killing more than 4,600 people.
There have been 129 confirmed cases in the Republic (Michael Cooper/PA)

There are 39 new cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland and a second person has died from Covid-19, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

This brings the total number of cases in the Republic to 129, while 34 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

This comes as the US is expanding their travel ban to include Ireland and the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Trump said there will be a ban on flights between the US and Ireland the Britain, two countries originally exempted from his 30-day ban on travellers from 26 European countries that took effect at midnight on Friday.

Meanwhile, Irish citizens have been advised against all non-essential traffic to six more European countries in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney announced the new measures for the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia today.

He said that further updates will be issued for Spain, which is recommended as essential travel only, while a travel ban remains in place for Italy.

Mr Coveney said that further travel disruptions are expected as countries attempt to contain Covid-19.

"A growing number of countries are also imposing restrictions on entry and exit.

"Given the consequences for travellers, Irish citizens should exercise a high degree of caution when making travel plans particularly in Europe.

"For this reason my Department is now advising against non-essential travel to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia. We will also be providing additional guidance on Spain, which remains at non-essential travel, while Italy remains at no travel," the acting Foreign Affairs minister said.

He said that the consular advice line will be open through the weekend and that embassies and consulates will also be using social media to keep concerns citizens updated.

Meanwhile, after days of resistance, President Trump says that he has been tested for the coronavirus as the White House stepped up precautions after his direct and indirect exposures to Covid-19.

President Trump also told reporters at a White House briefing that he had his temperature taken before stepping into the room, and it was "totally normal".

The president had held out on testing for days, despite his interactions with at least three people who have since tested positive.

President Trump had said Friday that he would probably take the test at some point, but the White House doctor said as recently as Friday night that no test was called for because he was not exhibiting symptoms.

But the president said he had gone ahead with it after repeated questions from reporters at a news conference on Friday.

This comes days after Mr Trump met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during his St Patrick's Day US visit.

On Saturday, the White House announced that it is now conducting temperature checks on anyone who is in close contact with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, including reporters attending the Saturday White House briefing.

The move is being taken as a precaution in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

President Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club on Florida.

On Friday, he declared a state of emergency as schools and workplaces across the country shuttered, flights cancelled and Americans braced for war against the health threat.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington said late on Friday that the country's charge d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at President Trump's dinner table.

President Trump has been known to flout public health advice - and was eagerly shaking hands during an event on Friday. On Saturday, he said that he continued to do so out of habit.

Earlier today Taoiseach Varadkar said the response to the coronavirus outbreak is complicated by the North-South divide in Ireland.

He made the remarks as he arrived in Armagh for a meeting with the Norths First and Deputy First ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill.

Five new positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland today.

Speaking as he arrived, Mr Varadkar said: "This virus knows no borders, knows no nationality.

"Its a problem for all of us."

He added: "Our response to it is complicated by the fact that we have two jurisdictions on this island.

"But that is all the more reason why we have to meet, why we have to work together, to cooperate and share information and thats what this morning is all about."

On Thursday the Irish government announced the closure of all creches, schools and universities in a bid to delay the spread of the disease.

Education facilities in Northern Ireland remain open.

DUP leader Ms Foster said at the time that the Stormont Assembly was disappointed it didnt get prior notice of the Irish governments measures to fight coronavirus.

Deputy First Minister Ms ONeill has since said that she believes all schools and universities in the North must be "closed immediately."

She said: "I think the fact that there has been contradictory medical advice out there is a problem.

"Its a problem for people when theyre trying to make the right decisions for them and their families so I believe given that is the situation hat we need to err on the side of caution."
A week after holding them guilty in the 2017 Pehlu Khan lynching case, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) of Alwar sentenced two juveniles to three years in juvenile home on Friday.

JJB principal magistrate Sarita Dhakad and two members had pronounced the two juveniles guilty in the case on March 5. Defence lawyer Adarsh Yadav said the conviction was done only on the basis of photographic evidence, and added that the decision was made under pressure from the government.

Earlier, an Alwar court acquitted six men, accused of lynching the 55-year-old dairy farmer from Haryanas Nuh district, on August 14, 2019, giving them the benefit of the doubt. The six accused were Vipin Yadav, Ravindra Yadav, Kalu Ram Yadav, Dayanand Yadav, Yogesh Khati, and Bhim Rathi. They were charged with murder, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restrain, damage to property and theft.

The state government has filed an appeal against this in the Rajasthan high court.

Khan was attacked on the Delhi-Jaipur highway in Alwar district on April 1, 2017, on the suspicion of cow smuggling when he was transporting cattle bought from a weekly market in Jaipur to Nuh with his two sons. He died two days later, on April 3.

Another juvenile, who is older than 16 years, is facing trial in a POCSO court. The JJB hears cases against children under 16

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David Cannon shared a number of Instagram videos on Saturday, expressing his fury at trolls who send him abusive messages.

The Married At First Sight star said he'd finally had enough, rambling at length: 'I didn't go on this show to be Instagram famous, I went on the show to find a partner.

'I am sitting here minding my own business and I got another abusive message. It wasn't the worst message I have gotten but it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I've had a bloody enough.

Anger: Married At First Sight star David Cannon (pictured) shared a number of Instagram videos on Saturday, expressing his fury at trolls who send him abusive messages

'Other cast members are getting worse messages than I am getting. That blows my mind because I know them personally and they are absolute gentlemen, absolute superstars.

'If you think all these death threats and people telling us to kill ourselves is fake, go onto my [Instagram Stories], you will see that it's not.'

David also wrote in a caption: 'We are real people just like you! Sick of the abuse, smarten up because none of you.. sending me abuse would say it to my face!'

He said: 'I am sitting her minding my own business and I got another abusive message. It wasn't the worst message I have gotten but it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I've had a bloody enough'

David added: 'If you think all these death threats and people telling us to kill ourselves is fake, go onto my [Instagram Stories], you will see that it's not'

Hurtful: The 31-year-old posted a number of screenshots of abusive messages he had received, and explained he had at least fifty other messages like them

The 31-year-old posted a number of screenshots of abusive messages he had received, and explained he had at least fifty other messages like them.

David also warned trolls that he had contacted the employer of one of the people that abused him.

'Apologies start coming in thick and fast,' he said in an update video filmed later on Saturday. 'Think twice before you start sending me abuse'.

Careful: David also warned trolls that he had contacted the employer of one of the people that abused him

Rampage! 'Apologies start coming in thick and fast,' he said in an update video filmed later on Saturday. 'Think twice before you start sending me abuse'

The Melbourne-based hobby farmer was slammed by fans on Twitter after he used 'wife' Hayley Vernon's toothbrush to clean fecal matter from a toilet.

Speaking on the Not Here To Make Friends podcast earlier this month, David opened up about the toothbrush scandal.

'About three days after the cheating scandal happens, I've heard nothing from Hayley and I'm in a really dark place,' he began.

Not cool: The Melbourne-based hobby farmer was slammed by fans on Twitter after he used 'wife' Hayley Vernon's toothbrush to clean fecal matter from a toilet

Gone: The pair left the show following the scandal despite Hayley voting to stay in order to punish David. Pictured with Hayley Vernon

'I still had her room key, and that's when I did something really childish. I regret it now because I've lowered myself to her level.'

The pair left the show following the scandal despite Hayley voting to stay in order to punish David.

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on: 13 11 14

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Sanusi with El-Rufai

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of The Kaduna State has arrived Awe, Nasarawa State, to meet with Muhammadu Sanusi, the deposed emir of Kano.

The governor arrived Mr Sanusis abode in Awe at about 12:46 p.m. in a convoy of about six security and official vehicles.

He went straight into the house to have a meeting with the deposed emir.

There was a security barricade around the house preventing observers and journalists from going to meet the former emir.

It will be recalled that Mr Sanusi was on Monday sacked as emir by the Kano State Government. He was then banished to Nasarawa and had his freedom resticted by security officials.

On Friday, a federal court in Abuja ordered the police and the State Security Service to release Mr Sanusi.

The meeting between Mr Sanusi and Mr El-Rufai was still on at the time of this report.

After Mr Sanusis sack as emir, Mr El-Rufai appointed him into two offices including as the chancellor of the Kaduna State university.
South Africa repatriated dozens of its citizens from China on Saturday over the coronavirus, the health ministry said, the first such move by a sub-Saharan country.

The 146 South Africans were working and studying in Wuhan city, which was placed under lockdown for around two months after the novel virus was first detected in December.

They landed at Polokwane International Airport, in South Africa's northern Limpopo province, where they will be quarantined in a remote resort for 21 days. "Flight LMG 755 from Wuhan city has landed with the South African citizens," said health ministry spokesman Popo Maja said.

"There are 146 South Africans on that flight, excluding the crew." The returnees will only be released after they get a clean bill of health at the end of the mandatory quarantine.

Government officials have assured that none of the group are infected by the virus and that the quarantine measures are only a precaution.

The entire screening, airlifting, quarantine operation is being led by the military.

Limpopo residents have criticised the government, claiming the quarantine site is endangering people living around the area.

South Africa has found 24 positive cases of coronavirus infections so far -- the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

No deaths have been recorded so far, and there have not yet been any restrictions on travel or public gatherings.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 130,000 people worldwide and killed around 5,000.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andrew Gillum, the former Democratic candidate for governor of Florida, was present in a Miami Beach hotel room as medical personnel treated a man likely suffering from a drug overdose on Friday morning.

Miami Beach Fire Rescue responded to a cardiac-arrest distress call around 1 a.m. at the Mondrian South Beach. Travis Dyson, 30, was treated and sent to Mount Sinai.

Gillum was a rising star within the Democratic Party. His bid for governor of Florida in 2018, which became a local production of Americas ongoing psychodrama about race, was historic. He was the first Black major-party gubernatorial candidate in Floridas history. Some saw Gillum, who grew up deeply embedded in poor and working-class Black Southern culture, as a figure who expanded what was possible for Black politicians in high-level politics.

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He is currently a commentator for CNN and the leader of Forward Florida, a voter registration organization he created after losing the 2018 governors race to sitting Gov. Ron DeSantis by roughly 32,000 votes.*

According to the report, Aldo Mejias, the 56-year-old complainant, provided his credit card information to Dyson so that he could rent a hotel room for Thursday night, which he did around 4 p.m. Mejias arrived at the hotel just after 11 p.m. where he said he found Gillum and Dyson intoxicated by unknown substances. Dyson opened the door, went over to the bed and collapsed. He was having trouble breathing. When Mejias woke Dyson, he began vomiting and collapsed again. Mejias began performing chest compressions and called medical assistance while Gillum was in the bathroom vomiting.

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When officers arrived on the scene, the report said, Gillum was too inebriated to speak to them. He returned home without incident and he is not the subject of any criminal investigation.

Officers saw three baggies suspected of containing meth during a sweep of the hotel room.

I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends, Gillum said in a statement released on Friday. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement.

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Im thankful to the incredible Miami Beach EMS team for their efforts. I will spend the next few weeks with my family and appreciate privacy during this time, he added.

But Dyson told The Miami New Times that he has known Gillum since last year and was not aware of a wedding.

I personally was not celebrating a wedding. I dont know if [Gillum] was in town for a wedding, said Dyson. He did not mention that.
CHARLOTTETOWNPrince Edward Island reported its first positive test for COVID-19 on Saturday.

The patient is a woman in her 50s from the Queens County area who recently returned from travelling on a cruise ship, said Dr. Heather Morrison, the provinces chief public health officer.

This is not unexpected, we have been talking for a long time about not if a case comes to P.E.I. but when, Morrison told a news conference in Charlottetown.

She said the woman is at home with mild illness and her family is reported to be well.

Morrison said the woman was tested on Wednesday after calling the provinces 811 health line and the positive results came back Saturday afternoon.

She said the patient returned to Canada from her trip on March 7 and began experiencing symptoms on Tuesday.

It should remind Islanders the importance of self-isolation and those measures on return from travel, Morrison said. Almost all of the cases in the country are related to travel so there is a reason we are asking people to self-isolate when they come home.

Morrison said health officials were in the process of tracing people who have been in contact with the patient.

Contact tracing is being initiated this afternoon ... and certainly we will know more likely by tomorrow, she said.

On Friday, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King released a statement saying both he and his family were self-isolating after a trip to Boston earlier this week.

King said they were only in the U.S. for less than 24 hours and hes been told the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to both he and his family is considered extremely low.

King said he and his family are feeling great and arent experiencing any symptoms, but they are following advice from Morrison and are self-isolating and self-monitoring at home for the next 14 days.

The premier said he would continue to work from a satellite office in his home, while government meetings would be conducted by phone.

It was announced earlier Friday that Health Minister James Aylward was also in self-isolation after returning from a trip to Ireland.
Brian J. Splonskowski, 48, resident of St. Vincent's Prospera, passed away on March 12, 2020, at Sanford Medical Center with family at his side after complications due to diabetes and MS. Mass of Christian burial will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, at The Church of St. Anne, 1321 Braman Ave, Bismarck, with Fr. Wayne Sattler officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will begin at 7 p.m.

Burial will be held Tuesday at St. Mary's Cemetery, Bismarck.

Brian was born on April 11, 1971, in Aberdeen, S.D., to Tony and Alvina (Moch) Splonskowski. The family relocated to Bismarck. He attended Grimsrud, Hughes and graduated from Century High School in 1989. He received an associate's of applied science degree in electronics technology from BSC.

He enjoyed working with computers, spending time with family at the cabin on Little Beaver Bay, fishing and traveling to Hawaii and Las Vegas.

Brian worked at Bobcat Industries, Advanced Business Methods (his great boss Bob), Menards and Lowes until he became disabled. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 9589 and Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2237.

Brian is survived by his parents, Tony and Alvina; siblings, Dawn (Kelly) Ingerson and Kevin (Sandy) Splonskowski. He is also survived by nieces and nephew, Kcarie, Brandon, Alyssa, and Amanda Ingerson, Magdalene, Emily, and Sarah Splonskowski; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and very special friend, Anne Polasky.

Memorials can be made in Brian's name to the American Diabetes Association or Multiple Sclerosis Society.

To share memories of Brian and to sign the online guestbook, go to www.parkwayfuneral.com.
Italians admitted to hospital for coronavirus are getting younger, a health official has claimed.

The type of patient is changing, Luca Lorini, the head of anaesthesia and intensive care at a northern Italian hospital, has said.

They are a bit younger, between 40 to 45 years old and the cases are more complicated.

Dr Lorini, who works at a hospital in Bergamo, told radio programme RaiNews24: People are arriving who got ill six or seven days ago and treated themselves at home  and then their conditions became more and more critical.

Twelve per cent of those who have been treated in intensive care are aged between 19 and 50, according to official figures released last week. Around 52 per cent are between 51 and 70 years old, with the rest all over 70.

Recently, hospitals in Lombardy have seen people aged between 25 and 50 diagnosed with Covid-19 and subsequently hospitalised for treatment, according to local media reports.

Even if the data is only preliminary, the fact there are more young people hospitalised and in intensive care compared to the first wave can be interpreted as a natural phenomenon, Pierluigi Lopalco, a professor from Pisa University, told Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera.

In Italy, the first clusters of the infection started around hospitals, more commonly frequented by older people, and in small towns, he said.

Now the virus has spread, it is travelling around the whole country way more and it is younger people, with lots of social contact, that are more at risk of contracting the disease if they do not stick to the rules of social distancing.

The whole of Italy has been placed in lockdown as confirmed cases of Covid-19 have soared.

More than 1,400 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in Europes worst-hit country, with 21,157 infections to date.

Coronavirus  a flu-like disease which can develop into pneumonia  has been called a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Central Bank of Libya's (BCL) cannot continue paying US$ 500 to heads of household, loans and remittances, drawing on reserves without adjusting the tax rate imposed on foreign exchange sales and other procedural elements, according the bank's head of household project
The day after Samantha Schneiders best friend died of complications from breast cancer, Sean Corley came into Ms. Schneiders life.

His arrival, in September 2016, was no coincidence.

Two months before I met Sean, my best friend told me that she heard all the nurses talking about the dating app Bumble, said Ms. Schneider, 33, a research associate in the department of occupational medicine, epidemiology and prevention at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y.

She didnt just suggest I go on Bumble, she insisted, Ms. Schneider said, laughing. It was more like a direct order.

Ms. Schneider, who lived in Glenwood Landing, N.Y., fulfilled her promise, and swiped Mr. Corley into her world. (Mr. Corley, now 32, is from Commack, N.Y., and is an operations manager for Softheon, a software company in Stony Brook, N.Y., that provides data and maintenance to health care providers.)
A hungry rat carrying an uneaten McDonald's Egg McMuffin in its mouth is New York City's latest subway rodent star.

Video surfaced Friday morning showing a strong-willed rodent clambering down steep subway stairs with the giant muffin sandwich secured in its mouth.

It's not clear what station the video was taken in but the rat appeared to have swiped the breakfast meal from the sidewalk and brought it down into the subway station to its burrow.

The clip, shared by the Twitter account Subway Creatures, was posted around 10am and has already racked up over 5,300 views.

A hungry rat carrying an uneaten McDonald's Egg McMuffin in its mouth on Friday is New York City's latest subway rodent star

Video surfaced Friday morning showing a strong-willed rodent clambering down steep subway stars with the giant muffin sandwich secured in its mouth. It's not clear what station the video was taken in but the rat appeared to have swiped the breakfast meal from the sidewalk and brought it down into the subway station to its burrow

The video was shared Friday morning by the Twitter account Subway Creatures

Friday's rodent is just the latest to gain viral fame after another rat caught dragging a salad bowl along subway tracks went viral last month and was dubbed 'Arugula rat'.

Other rats caught dragging slices of pizza, a bagel, a donut and coffee cup have also shared internet fame after they were filmed by shocked train passengers carrying their heavy haul.

Egg McMuffin rat was praised on Twitter for his valiant efforts.

'He deserves it,' one user wrote.

'Proving once again that subway rats are the size of otters!' another account added.

'Lookit this hard workin mom making sure she bring home a treat for her kids on this Friday morning. Bless,' one animal lover commented.

'Someone lost a whole breakfast sandwich. This is amazing,' another fan added.

Salad Rat joins fellow social media stars storm Pizza Rat (left) and Bagel Rat (right)

Donut Rat (left) and Coffee Rat (right)

Video of 'Arugula rat' first emerged in February, showing the creature painstakingly drag the salad bowl through subway tracks.

'Shout out to Salad Rat, stubbornly sticking w her New Years resolutions well into February,' Sarah Peele tweeted as she posted the video on social media.

People took to Twitter praising the rodent's perseverance to kick 2020 off in a healthy way.

'Why can't I be more like Salad Rat?' one person tweeted along with a video of him eating a pizza slice.

Video of 'Arugula rat' first emerged in February, showing the creature painstakingly drag the salad bowl through subway tracks

'Shout out to Salad Rat, stubbornly sticking w her New Years resolutions well into February,' Sarah Peele tweeted as she posted the video on social media

People took to Twitter praising the rodent's perseverance to kick 2020 off in a healthy way. 'Why can't I be more like Salad Rat?' one person tweeted along with a video of him eating a pizza slice

Others voiced mock dismay that health fads have reached as far and wide as the rat's humble abode of the city's underground.

One Twitter user said: 'God, even rats have to live up to unrealistic beauty standards.'

Another added that 'Salad Rat just gentrified my neighborhood'.

The first rodent to take social media by storm for its larger than life appetite was Pizza Rat.

In September 2015, New Yorkers were amazed when footage emerged of it carrying an entire large slice of pizza down the steps of a subway station.

Despite the slice being bigger than it, the rat managed to drag it down several stairs before it was forced to admit defeat.
The state is halting visitation at all New York prisons to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting at 5 p.m. today, visitors can no longer visit the states prisons, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced this afternoon. The suspension is expected to end April 11.

By stopping visitation, prison officials said the state hopes to stop COVID-19 from spreading to the nearly 44,000 inmates under the states supervision and care. Prison officials said the state is also striving to protect the departments close to 30,000 employees and over 35,000 parolees.

The department recognizes the immediate impact on incarcerated individuals throughout the correctional system, officials said in a news release. However, the current situation demands this significant action to safeguard the health and safety of all incarcerated individuals, employees, as well as their families and communities.

In-person visits cannot be replaced, prison officials said. But officials said the department is trying to help inmates keep in touch with their loved ones by offering every inmate:

Five free stamps a week

Two free secure messages sent through tablets a week

One free phone call a week

Legal visits will continue, prison officials said.

As of today, 514 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New York.

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.

Have a tip, a story idea or a comment? You can reach me at shouse@syracuse.com

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43rd Session of the Human Rights Council  High Level Segment

Statement by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka

26 February 2020

Madam President

Madam High Commissioner

Ladies and gentlemen,

As this Council is aware, in November 2019, the people of Sri Lanka gave a resounding mandate to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, to pursue a policy framework aimed at achieving the four-fold outcome of a productive citizenry; a contented family, a disciplined, a just society and a prosperous nation[1]. It is envisaged to achieve sustainable development and peace in the country, firmly anchored in safeguarding national security without compromising the democratic space available to our people[2].

It was over a decade ago, on 18 May 2009, that Sri Lanka defeated LTTE terrorism militarily, bringing to an end three decades of conflict and suffering. The end of the brutal conflict advanced, secured and protected one of the fundamental human rights  the right to life for all Sri Lankans- Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims and others. I would like to state with pride that since May 2009, not a bullet has been fired in the name of separatist terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka never had any illusion that the end of the conflict against the LTTE terrorists, will overnight convert to a lasting peace. Although Sri Lanka was not a case of nation building, like many conflict situations that this Council is dealing with, we were mindful that Sri Lanka needed certain reviews and strengthening of existing structures, as part of a sustainable peace and reconciliation programme.

The government led by the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, of which the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, initiated a sustainable reconciliation process in Sri Lanka to bring about healing and peace building, taking due cognizance of the ground realities at that time. This was viewed as an incremental and inclusive process, as it had taken even better-resourced countries several decades to address and achieve.

Madam President,

As at December 2014, at the point the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government, of which I was a member, was concluding its term, we had made considerable progress in;

de-mining

resettlement

return of land used by the security forces

reduction of military presence in the former conflict areas,

rehabilitation and reintegration of ex- LTTE combatants including child soldiers,

rapid infrastructure development

restoration of the right to franchise in the former conflict affected areas, and

establishment of domestic mechanisms to address issues related to accountability, rule of law and human rights



Notwithstanding these inclusive and locally designed measures, undertaken carrying along the people of Sri Lanka, a group of UNHRC members, failing to appreciate the GoSLs endeavors in defeating terrorism and bringing about stability, humanitarian relief and lasting peace through a carefully balanced reconciliation process, moved consecutive country-specific resolutions at the UN HRC on Sri Lanka in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Madam President,

The previous government in January 2015 jettisoned this home-grown reconciliation process which was bearing fruit. In an unprecedented move in the annals of the Human Rights Council, and contrary to Sri Lankas stance on country specific resolutions, the government at the time co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka.

Substantively, the previous government noted with appreciation, the much flawed OISL Report, which was used as the basis not only for Resolution 30/1, but also to unjustly vilify the heroic Sri Lankan security forces, possibly the only national security establishment that defeated terrorism in recent times. This was despite there being an abundance of evidence to the contrary, contained in;

 domestic reports such as the LLRC and the Paranagama Commission

 information presented before the UK House of Lords by Lord Naseby,

challenging among other things the vastly exaggerated civilian casualty figures[3],

 other reports from the UN and international agencies including the ICRC

 as well as exposed diplomatic cables.

Constitutionally, the resolution seeks to cast upon Sri Lanka obligations that cannot be carried out within its constitutional framework and it infringes the sovereignty of people of Sri Lanka and violates the basic structure of the Constitution. This is another factor that has prompted Sri Lanka to reconsider its position on co-sponsorship.

Procedurally, in co-sponsoring Resolution 30/1, the previous Government violated all democratic principles of governance.

- it declared support for the resolution even before the draft text was presented

- it sought no Cabinet approval to bind the country to deliver on the dictates of an international body.

- there was no reference to the Parliament on the process, undertakings and repercussions of such co-sponsorship.

- more importantly the Resolution itself included provisions which are undeliverable due to its inherent illegality, being in violation of the constitution the supreme law of the country.

- it also overruled the reservations expressed by professional diplomats, academia, media and the general public.

- the then President Maithripala Sirisena also stated that he was not consulted on the matter at that time.

- It remains to date a blot on the sovereignty and dignity of Sri Lanka.



The commitments made, bound the country to carry out this experiment, which was impractical, unconstitutional and undeliverable, despite strong opposition and evidence that many of the undertakings couldnt be carried out, merely to please a few countries.

In terms of reputational damage, it eroded Sri Lankans trust in the international system and the credibility of Sri Lanka as a whole in the eyes of the international community. This irresponsible action also damaged long nurtured regional relationships and Non-Aligned as well as South Asian solidarity. The deliberate polarization it sought to cause through trade-offs that resulted in Sri Lankas foreign policy being reduced to a zero-sum game, made my country a pawn on the chess board of global politics, and unnecessarily drew Sri Lanka away from its traditional neutrality.

Most seriously, it is seen that the dictated changes in the country pursuant to 30/1, undermined the national interest and compromised national security, including weakening national intelligence operations and related safeguards, which are deemed to have contributed to the lapses that resulted in the Easter Sunday attacks in April 2019, which targeted churches and hotels, resulting in loss of life, including those of foreign nationals, which poses challenges to our government to restore national security.

It is ironic that, in March 2019, the previous government which co-sponsored Resolution 30/1 in October 2015, began the process of dismantling its dictates through the statement, made in this Council by my predecessor, which acknowledged the very real constraints that had been ignored 4 years before at the time of co-sponsoring this resolution. That statement sought to qualify the parameters of co-sponsorship of the Resolution. It questioned;

- the Resolution 30/1s characterization of the nature of the conflict and the estimated number of deaths,

- pushed back on the alleged culpability of the security forces,

- curtailed the effect of security sector reform demanded

- asserted that the Sri Lanka Constitution precludes involvement of foreign judges and prosecutors in the judicial mechanism proposed.

- Notwithstanding this admission, the former Government continued its co-sponsorship, which fully supported the operationalization of Resolution 30/1.

With the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with an overwhelming majority, the people of Sri Lanka have given a clear signal for their wish for a different path forward for the country. As President Rajapaksa stated in his address at the 72nd Commemoration of Independence of Sri Lanka, We will always defend the right of every Sri Lankan citizen to participate in the political and governance processes through his or her elected representatives.

According to the wishes of the people of Sri Lanka, while following a non-aligned, neutral foreign policy, our government is committed to examining issues afresh, to forge ahead with its agenda for prosperity through security and development, and to find home-grown solutions to overcome contemporary challenges in the best interest of all Sri Lankans.

It is in this context that I wish to place on record, Sri Lankas decision to withdraw from co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka which also incorporates and builds on preceding Resolutions 30/1 of October 2015 and 34/1 of March 2017.

Madam President,

Notwithstanding withdrawing from co-sponsorship of this Resolution, Sri Lanka remains committed to achieving the goals set by the people of Sri Lanka on accountability and human rights, towards sustainable peace and reconciliation. To this end;

Firstly, the Government of Sri Lanka declares its commitment to achieve sustainable peace through an inclusive, domestically designed and executed reconciliation and accountability process, including through the appropriate adaptation of existing mechanisms, in line with the Governments policy framework. This would comprise the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) headed by a Justice of the Supreme Court, to review the reports of previous Sri Lankan COIs which investigated alleged violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), to assess the status of implementation of their recommendations and to propose deliverable measures to implement them keeping in line with the new Governments policy.

Secondly, the Government will also address other outstanding concerns and introduce institutional reforms where necessary, in a manner consistent with Sri Lankas commitments, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (SDGs). We will implement policies rooted in the Governments commitment to the people by advancing individual and collective rights and protections under the law, ensuring justice and reconciliation and addressing the concerns of vulnerable sections of society. A discussion has already been held between the President and the UN Resident Coordinator where it has been agreed to connect the relevant UN agencies to help the Government of Sri Lanka in the implementation of the SDGs.

Thirdly, Sri Lanka will continue to remain engaged with, and seek as required, the assistance of the UN and its agencies including the regular human rights mandates/bodies and mechanisms in capacity building and technical assistance, in keeping with domestic priorities and policies.

Finally, in conjunction with all members of the UN, Sri Lanka will seek to work towards the closure of the Resolution.

Madam President,

No one has the well-being of the multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multicultural people of Sri Lanka, closer to their heart, than the Government of Sri Lanka. It is this motivation that guides our commitment and resolve to move towards comprehensive reconciliation and an era of stable peace and prosperity for our people. It is therefore our strong conviction that the aforementioned actions within the framework of Sri Lankas domestic priorities and policies, are not only realistic but also deliverable.

We call upon all stakeholders, within and outside this august body, to cooperate with Sri Lanka, in this endeavor.

May I conclude quoting the words of Lord Buddha,

Siyalu sathwayo niduk wethwa, nirogee wethwa, suwapath wethwa.

May all beings be safe

May all beings be free from suffering,

May all beings be well and happy.

Thank you.

Full Statement in PDF

Text delivered in PDF

UN Livewebcast Link
Researchers, studying the novel coronavirus, have found that the time between cases in a chain of transmission is less than a week, and over 10 per cent of patients are infected by someone who has the virus, but does not show symptoms yet, a finding that may help public health officials contain the pandemic.

Track live updates on the coronavirus here



The study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, estimated what's called the serial interval of the coronavirus by measuring the time it takes for symptoms to appear in two people with the virus -- the person who infects another, and the infected second person.

According to the researchers, including those from the University of Texas at Austin, the average serial interval for the novel coronavirus in China was approximately four days.

They said the speed of an epidemic depends on two things -- how many people each case infects, and how long it takes cases to spread.

The first quantity, the scientists said, is called the reproduction number, and the second is the serial interval.

Due to the short serial interval of the disease caused by the coronavirus -- COVID-19 -- they said, emerging outbreaks will grow quickly, and could be difficult to stop.

"Ebola, with a serial interval of several weeks, is much easier to contain than influenza, with a serial interval of only a few days," said Lauren Ancel Meyers, study co-author from UT Austin.

Meyers explained that public health responders to Ebola outbreaks have much more time to identify and isolate cases before they infect others.

"The data suggest that this coronavirus may spread like the flu. That means we need to move quickly and aggressively to curb the emerging threat," Meyers added.

In the study, the scientists examined more than 450 infection case reports from 93 cities in China, and found the strongest evidence yet that people without symptoms must be transmitting the virus -- known as pre-symptomatic transmission.

More than one in ten infections were from people who had the virus but did not yet feel sick, the scientists said.

While researchers across the globe had some uncertainty until now about asymptomatic transmission with the coronavirus, the new evidence could provide guidance to public health officials on how to contain the spread of the disease.

"This provides evidence that extensive control measures including isolation, quarantine, school closures, travel restrictions and cancellation of mass gatherings may be warranted," Meyers said.

The researchers cautioned that asymptomatic transmission makes containment more difficult.

Also see: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

With hundreds of new cases emerging around the world every day, the scientists said, the data may offer a different picture over time.

They said infection case reports are based on people's memories of where they went and whom they had contact with, and if health officials move quickly to isolate patients, that may also skew the data.

"Our findings are corroborated by instances of silent transmission and rising case counts in hundreds of cities worldwide. This tells us that COVID-19 outbreaks can be elusive and require extreme measures," Meyers said.
This is part two of an article that originally appeared in Connecticut Magazine. You can subscribe here , or find the current issue on sale here . Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest and greatest content from Connecticut Magazine delivered right to your inbox. Find the magazine on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag .

In addition to placing Amed Villa, Amaury Villa, Yosmany Nunez and their accomplices in Connecticut, investigators learned that this had not been their first major warehouse burglary.

It is not hyperbole to say the Villa brothers and their team were some of the most effective thieves in U.S. history. Between 2009 and 2011, from their base in the Miami area, they conducted a string of burglaries that garnered nearly $100 million in merchandise and baffled authorities, at least initially.

In 2009 they stole $13.3 million in pharmaceuticals from the GlaxoSmithKline warehouse in Virginia. In 2010 they took more than $8 million in cigarettes and a cargo trailer from an Illinois warehouse. In 2011 they stole $7.8 million in cellphones and tablets from a Florida warehouse, and more than $1.5 million in cigarettes from a Kentucky warehouse in 2011. The thieves specialized in accessing warehouses through the roof and disabling alarm systems.

On paper, at least, their biggest success came that night a decade ago in Enfield. But the $60 million they had taken in pharmaceuticals would prove difficult to fence, and the mistakes they made in Connecticut would come back to haunt them.

In the early-morning hours of March 14, 2010, after loading the pallets filled with tens of millions of dollars worth of pharmaceuticals, the men split up. Alexander Marquez drove the tractor trailer to Miami. The others traveled to Miami through separate flights or by car.

On March 16, the Villa brothers, Nunez and Marquez met and unloaded the pharmaceuticals into public storage facilities in the Miami area. They had a great deal of merchandise to fence, but the story was already being picked up in national news outlets. They realized the drugs were too hot to sell and waited several months, continuing to steal from other warehouses in the interim. They didnt realize investigators had some of their names and were closing in.

Later that year, in August, the U.S. Customs Service intercepted a FedEx package addressed to a business associated with Rickenbacker Marina, where the thieves were known to hang out. The package was from the Dominican Republic and contained more than 2,000 counterfeit labels for the pharmaceuticals stolen from Eli Lilly. Investigators knew they were getting ready to sell the drugs and put the word out to their informants in the area.

In 2011, Amaury Villa met with two Florida men who were in contact with an overseas buyer supposedly interested in purchasing the stolen drugs. That buyer turned out to be a confidential source for the FBI. Authorities were led to where the pharmaceuticals were sold and put the men under surveillance.

Digging deeper

In May 2012, Amaury and Amed Villa were arrested. Arrests of the others involved in the Eli Lilly theft took place two years later. At the same time, dozens of others in Florida and New Jersey were arrested as part of a larger investigation into a ring of black-market pharmaceutical sales.

Confronted with overwhelming physical and visual evidence against them, the men who stole from the Eli Lilly warehouse all eventually pleaded guilty. But the legal drama surrounding the case was far from over.

New Haven-based attorney Jonathan J. Einhorn represented Amed. He says the Florida man was kind and family oriented. He was very polite, always, and very mild mannered. According to court documents, Amed called his young son every day from prison, expressed remorse for his actions and said he did not drink alcohol.

Einhorn argued that Eli Lilly had significantly overstated the value of the stolen pharmaceuticals. (Eli Lilly did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment for this story.) However, Einhorns main legal strategy was to consolidate the charges against Amed in various states into Connecticut.

Amed was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2016, but had already been imprisoned since 2012. Amaury Villa, who was tried separately for his thefts in multiple states, received multiple sentences and more than 18 years jail time. Nunez received six years and Marquez got a year. Lopez, who had not been present in the warehouse but was in a car nearby, and who apparently never sought to profit from the crime, was given two years of probation with home confinement for six months.

Questions remained about the case, however. Some suspected it was done with some type of inside knowledge. How, for instance, had a group of Florida men with no obvious Connecticut ties known about a nondescript warehouse in Enfield? Investigators, both at the FBI and in Enfield, say they never uncovered evidence that the thieves had inside information.

Special Agent Damian Platosh says there were plausible ways the thieves could have learned the location of the warehouse.

By speaking to other truck drivers, or analyzing the symbols written on the sides of 18-wheelers, he says. The truck-driving community is a bit of a small pond. It is plausible the Florida-based thieves learned of the location of the Eli Lilly Connecticut warehouse in this fashion  through this network of drivers.

Eli Lillys insurer didnt agree. That company, the National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, sued Tyco Integrated Security, which ran security for the Enfield warehouse. The suit charged that thieves had gained access online to a confidential report Tyco prepared on the Eli Lilly warehouse outlining the vulnerabilities of the facilitys security system. Investigators working for National Union noted that Tyco is located in Boca Raton, Florida, not far from where the thieves lived in the Miami area. It had been the security company in charge of the Enfield warehouse as well as several other warehouses the thieves burglarized. Mario Santana, a relative of one of the thieves, worked for Tyco as a sales manager, and the insurer unearthed evidence that password-reset requests were made from his account after he voluntarily left the company. Santana said he had no knowledge of those requests and that he wouldnt have had access to the security report in question.

A wake-up call to the industry

Ten years later, the heist has faded from the headlines but remains important in the world of pharmaceutical security. Eil Lilly was kind of a wakeup call to the industry as a whole, says Chuck Forsaith, vice president of the Healthcare Distribution Alliances Pharmaceutical Cargo Security Coalition.

In the burglarys aftermath, industry members shared best practices through organizations like Forsaiths coalition and also lobbied for harsher penalties of pharmaceutical thefts. In recent years, thanks to these efforts, the amount of stolen pharmaceuticals annually has sunk from hundreds of millions of dollars to hundreds of thousands, even as drug prices have remained high.

For the Connecticut agents and detectives who cracked the Eli Lilly case, it also remains memorable.

Its a huge credit to the detectives here at the police department  their training and their experience, Lt. Willie Pedemonti says. Because of the great police work on the part of my detectives, not only did they solve this case but they also [helped] solve several other cases across the country. It all comes from collecting that water bottle, doing good police work.

Det. Brian Callaghan says that it was rewarding for him to work with agents and officers from so many different agencies. He also notes that in the end, as big as a crime as it was, it was a property crime, nobody got hurt.

As for the culprits, several have already gotten out of jail. Amed was released from federal prison in June 2018 and now seems to be living in the Miami area. Efforts to contact him for this story were not successful. Einhorn, his lawyer, says he has declined all interview requests in the past. The two have not communicated since Ameds trial concluded, but Einhorn still thinks about his former client. Its funny, I sort of think of him as probably a criminal from another time, an era when it wasnt a bunch of kids out to pay for a drug habit, or someone robbing a bank for $16, he says. He was a professional in what he did. Im not sure it should be glorified but its definitely a different era of criminal.
Press Release

March 14, 2020 Gatchalian alarmed over health workers' shortage in PH; cites need for more medical scholarships The shortage of health workers nationwide will have serious implications on the health of Filipinos especially at this critical stage of public health emergency brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This is a concern that Senator Win Gatchalian raised following infections of 132,000 worldwide, including 64 cases from the Philippines. To emphasize this alarming shortage, Gatchalian cited figures that the Department of Health (DOH) shared in a Senate public hearing on medical scholarships. According to Dr. Pretchell Tolentino, Chief of the DOH Learning and Development Division, the country has a shortage of 8,840 doctors nationwide specifically in far-flung rural areas. In the same hearing, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi explained that in rolling out the Universal Health Care Law, 44 doctors, nurses, midwives, and medical technologists combined (private and public) should be catering to a population of 10,000. The ratio is currently at 19 per 10,000 population. "Nakakabahalang malaman na hindi lamang testing facilities at testing kits ang kulang sa atin ngayong nasa ilalim tayo ng isang public health emergency. Dahil sa kakulangan ng mga doktor, naaapektuhan ang ating kakayahang magbigay ng agarang tulong medikal sa mga kababayan nating nasa panganib tulad na lang ng COVID-19," said Gatchalian. To address the shortage of doctors and other medical professionals in the country, Gatchalian is eyeing more scholarships that would send underprivileged yet deserving students to private institutions. In the absence of medical schools in state universities and colleges (SUCs), Gatchalian instead urged the Department of Health (DOH) to leverage and increase partnerships with private medical schools so these institutions can absorb poor students who are academically deserving. Since these institutions already made investments in sophisticated technology and facilities, Gatchalian said sending scholars to these schools would be more efficient compared to putting up medical schools. Out of the country's 111 State Colleges and Universities (SCUs) in the country, only eight are operating medical schools. Since 2017, DOH has been offering a medical scholarship program which covers tuition costs and allowances for books, uniform, lodging, transportation, annual medical insurance, and living subsidy, among others. The DOH currently has 1,141 scholars in both SUCs and private schools. ### Gatchalian: medical scholarships sagot sa kakulangan ng health workers sa bansa Ngayong nasa ilalim ng isang public health emergency ang bansa dahil sa novel coronavirus o COVID-19, nahaharap sa malaking panganib ang kalusugan ng mga Pinoy lalo na't may kakulangan ng health workers ang bansa. Ito ang ikinababahala ni Senador Win Gatchalian ngayong pumalo na sa mahigit isang daan at tatlumpung libo (132,000) na ang mga positibong kaso ng coronavirus sa buong mundo, kabilang ang higit anim na pung (64) kaso sa Pilipinas. Upang bigyang-diin ang kakulangang nito, tinukoy ni Gatchalian ang bilang ng mga health workers na ibinahagi ng Department of Health o DOH sa isang public hearing tungkol sa mga medical scholarships. Ayon kay Dr. Pretchell Tolentino, Chief ng DOH Learning and Development Division, may kakulangan ang bansa ng halos siyam na libong (8,840) doktor sa mga kanayunan pa lamang. Sa parehong hearing, binahagi rin ni Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi na sa pagpapatupad ng Universal Health Care Law, apatnapu't apat (44) na pinagsama-samang mga doktor, nurse, mga komadrona o midwives, at mga medical technologists ang dapat tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng bawat sampung libong (10,000) katao. Sa kasalukuyang lagay ng bansa, halos dalawampung (19) medical workers lamang mula sa parehong pribado at pampublikong sektor ang nakalaan para sa bawat sampung libong katao. "Nakakabahalang malaman na hindi lamang testing facilities at testing kits ang kulang sa atin ngayong nasa ilalim tayo ng isang public health emergency. Dahil sa kakulangan ng mga doktor, naaapektuhan ang ating kakayahang magbigay ng agarang tulong medikal sa mga kababayan nating nasa panganib tulad na lang ng COVID-19," ani Gatchalian." Upang mapunan ang kakulangang nito, iminungkahi ni Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng mas maraming scholarships para sa maraming mahusay ngunit nangangailangang mga mag-aaral upang makatanggap sila ng edukasyon mula sa mga pribadong institusyon. Dahil walo lamang sa mahigit isang daang state universities and colleges (SUCs) ang may medical school, hinimok ni Gatchalian ang DOH na magkaroon ng mas maraming partnership sa mga private medical schools, kung saan pwedeng pumasok ang mga mag-aaral na ito. Simula 2017, meron nang medical scholarship program ang DOH na saklaw ang tuition, allowances para sa mga libro, uniporme, tirahan, transportation, annual medical insurance, at iba pang mga gastusin. Sa kasulukuyan, may mahigit isang libong (1,141) scholars ang DOH na nag-aaral sa parehong SUCs at mga pribadong paaralan. ###
According to Yermak, the establishment of an Advisory Board does not change the Minsk format.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak has said the establishment of an Advisory Board in the political working subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) does not change the status of the Russian Federation as a party to the conflict in Donbas.

During a "Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster" panel show on Ukraine TV channel on March 13, Yermak was asked to comment on the provision of the protocol signed in Minsk on March 11 on the intention to create an Advisory Board in the TCG political subgroup regarding the procedure for an independent appointment of members of this Board by "certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine," which could lead to the legitimization of armed forces.

Read alsoPro-president's party members appeal to Zelensky over principled positions in talks with Russia

"Today, the format of the Trilateral Contact Group, where there are two sides to the conflict, namely Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE between them, has not changed," he said.

"Today, we have not changed the Minsk format in the political subgroup," Yermak added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the regular meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Peaceful Settlement of the situation in Donbas was held in Minsk on March 11, during which Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Kozak agreed to simultaneously open the checkpoints in the towns of Zolote and Schastia.

The sides also reached an agreement on the exchange of detained persons, the disengagement of forces and assets, as well as the establishment of the Advisory Board.

At the same time, Ukraine's weekly newspaper Zerkalo Nedeli (Mirror Weekly) on Friday published the document signed in Minsk. Experts say both representatives of Ukraine, France, Germany, and the occupiers will sit at the negotiating table, in particular, at the Advisory Board, and Russia will become a mediator, but not a party to the conflict.
Five social scientists holed up in an Amsterdam hotel for a week with the goal of reaching a scientific consensus on how people form stereotypes. Remarkably, they were encouraged by the fact that none of them actually agreed with each other.

At a conference in Europe the year before, they had presented their conflicting theories. Those in the audience -- also social scientists -- wondered how they could comprehensively study stereotypes if they had to choose one model and reject the others.

"People came up to us in complete and utter confusion. We worried that researchers might abandon the entire line of work altogether, so we decided we had to isolate ourselves -- like Camp David -- until we could reach a consensus," said co-author Susan Fiske, Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

After the weeklong retreat in Amsterdam, the team emerged with a joint theory paper. Inspired by the experience, they also published a how-to guide March 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). They describe what worked -- and what didn't -- to bring the adversaries to agreement. Their methods and their success suggest that government funding agencies and foundations might consider other efforts that bring together academics with differing viewpoints for the betterment of science.

"If people are willing to get in a room together and debate their differences, science can be improved," Fiske said. "Given that we've all been published in reputable journals, we never thought of it as one theory being right, or the other one being wrong. Instead, we thought there would be subtle differences in how these theories play out. After our week together, that's what we found."

Fiske worked on the project with Naomi Ellemers of the University of Utrecht, Andrea Abele of the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Alex Koch of University of Chicago, and Vincent Yzerbyt of University of Louvain.

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Fiske's work has long shown that people form stereotypes based on how they perceive the other people's competence and warmth. Yet, her adversarial collaborators pointed to other perceived factors such as ideology. Or they broke down warmth into being trustworthy and friendly. Or advocated morality over everything else.

Fiske and her co-authors reached the agreement that the perceived competence of the person/people being considered is clearly one factor in determining stereotypes. A second factor at play is some form of warmth or trustworthiness. This could depend on shared political beliefs, depending on the situation.

Perhaps what's most important, however, is that the researchers were able to reach an agreement at all. By engaging in "adversarial collaboration," a concept pioneered by Princeton's Daniel Kahneman, a prominent psychologist and Nobel Prize-winning economist, they were able to design research to answer unresolved issues.

By engaging in the new idea of "adversarial alignment" of their theories, they determined that none of them were invalid. Rather, each theory is valid based on the situation, or the different circumstances in which one theory on stereotypes should be employed over the other. For example, Fiske's emphasis on warmth and competence works well for groups that people encounter in person, as in new kinds of people in the neighborhood. But for Koch, another researcher in the group, status and ideology works well for an overall analysis of groups' location in society.

The idea for this collaboration actually arose even earlier than the first conference -- thanks to Koch, who, as a graduate student presented work at a conference that contradicted Fiske's 20 years of research on stereotypes. Like Fiske, Koch's work also found evidence that competency played a role in stereotypes, but instead of warmth, his research pointed to political ideologies.

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"I thought, certainly these are important, but if you're walking down a dark alley at night, you don't want to know who someone voted for," Fiske said. "You want to know if they intend to mug you."

Nevertheless, Fiske and Koch evaluated their models and debated their differences after which Koch asked if he could visit Fiske's lab. "I'm a scientist, so I had to say yes." Fiske said. "We started several studies aimed at solving the puzzle together."

All of this set the stage for Koch and Fiske, along with the three other researchers, to compare their competing theories in Amsterdam. To negotiate some common ground and identify some remaining challenges, they satisfied two preconditions and followed specific guidelines. Throughout their days together, Ellemers, the lead author of the latest paper in PNAS and a social/organizational psychologist, made sure the group stuck to the rules.

They began by reframing their interactions away from competitive rivalry into the pursuit of a joint goal. They also agreed that everyone shared trustworthy intentions, as well as scientific competence, with relation to the goal.

Days began with a full European breakfast and strong coffee, Fiske joked, before the team got down to business. They spent their days in a glass-walled conference room, projecting their theory models and figures onto the screen.

To start, they "leveled the playing field," which meant only one researcher from each research group attended, that seniority did not convey privilege, and that prepared descriptions of each model had the same page allotments. They began their discussions with agreed-upon premises before debating their differences. They "capitalized on shared curiosity" as scientists.

From there, they moved into "producing measurable progress," and split off in pairs, to begin writing the paper. All of this kept in mind what they called "working toward mutual gain," as well as the realization that not reaching a resolution would be an unacceptable "downside alternative." This created a sense of urgency throughout the experience.

A week later, a draft theory paper had formed. The team spent a year revising, submitting, and revising the paper for a theory journal. Meanwhile, they distilled the main ingredients of their process into a Perspectives paper, "Adversarial Alignment Enables Competing Models to Engage in Cooperative Theory-Building, toward Cumulative Science," published March 9 in PNAS.

The methods have clear implications for academia, as well as for policy and the media. Adversarial collaborations on data and adversarial alignments on theory both can enhance scientific credibility among journalists, the public, and members of Congress, which is especially important in an age of misinformation and distrust, the researchers said.

"We used the behavioral science of multi-party negotiations to resolve our own polarized science, building on the models' shared insights that we needed to respect each other's competence and trust each other's intentions," Fiske noted. "Contrasting viewpoints on policy, politics, and social norms might profit from our experience as a 'team of rivals.'"
Suspended Jammu and Kashmir Police officer Davinder Singh, who was arrested for ferrying two terrorists, is being brought to Delhi for questioning in connection with an alleged plot to carrying out "targeted killings" of influential political and judicial figures in Delhi and neighbouring states in January, police said here on Saturday.

Earlier, he was interrogated by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the NIA, they said.

"To find out about plans to carry out any terror activity in the national capital, he is being brought here on a production warrant by the Delhi Police Special Cell for interrogation in this regard," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said.

Davinder Singh, who was posted as deputy superintendent of police at the Srinagar airport, was arrested in January along with top commander of Lashker-e-Taiba Naveed Babu and Altaf of Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

On January 27, the Special Cell had registered an FIR on the complaint of a police officer, who had received information on the terror plot from a source.

The FIR had stated that an information was received from reliable source that underworld don Chhota Shakeel of D-gang has tasked his operatives to execute "targeted killing" of influential political and judicial figures in Delhi and neighbouring states.

The underworld operatives of Dawood Ibrahim's gang had managed to arrange high-grade weapons. The delivery of weapons was also arranged by Shakeel and the communication for delivery was done through ''end-to-end'' encrypted messaging applications, it stated.

No specific ''targets'' had been named in the FIR, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 12:26:34|Editor: zyl

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WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Group of Seven (G7) will hold a videoconference on COVID-19 early next week, the White House said on Friday.

During his phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to host a videoconference on the coronavirus with all of the G7 leaders early next week, according to a White House statement.

The two leaders discussed how France and the United States are working to combat COVID-19 as well as opportunities to work together to contain the pandemic.

Earlier in the day, Trump declared a national emergency to open up 50 billion U.S. dollars in federal aid to help combat the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

The country reported 2,028 COVID-19 cases as of Friday night with at least 43 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

All G7 members have been suffering from the spread of COVID-19. Italy, the hardest-hit member, reported 250 new coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking the toll to 1,266, with 17,660 infections overall, a rise of 2,547 since Thursday evening.
Chahid Hafed, 12 March 2020 (SPS)- The participants to the First Youth Solidarity Forum with Western Sahara, gathering Today in Chahid Hafed in the Saharawi refugee camps, paid tribute to the life and achievements of 4 leaders of youth movements, who will remain in the memory of the Saharawi people forever.

The four personalities remembered in this edition are: Mr. Baba Mustapha Sayed, a former Head of Externa Relations of the UJSARIO, Ms. Bavelile Hlongwa, former South African youth leader and minister, Anna Lindh, former Swedish Minister and Xoan Noya, former Venezuelan youth leader.

The four personalities were highly celebrated by the participants, who decided to honour them during this First edition of the forum for all what they stand for as young leaders, who strongly fought for justice and freedom everywhere.

The First International Youth Forum of Solidarity with Western Sahara, kicked off Wednesday, organized by the UJSARIO in the Saharawi refugee camps from the 11th to 13th March 2020, under the theme: Sustainable future for Saharawi youth, the fair political resolution of the conflict, human rights, natural resources and the Wall of Shame in Western Sahara, with the presence of delegates from numerous international youth organisations. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 2F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 2F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Domino's has announced it will launch no-contact drop offs in an effort to minimise the spread of coronavirus.

Concerns had been raised that an increased demand for food delivery services from housebound Brits would cause the virus to be spread by delivery staff as they go from home to home.

But now the pizza takeaway giant said its drivers will call the customer when they arrive to arrange a drop off point, then stay at least two metres away while the order is checked and confirmed to be correct.

Domino's has announced it will launch no-contact drop offs in an effort to minimise the spread of coronavirus

Deliveries must be paid for in advance online or over the phone.

Domino's CEO David Wild said in a statement that the company hoped to safeguard both its customers and drivers.

He said: 'For customers who want to feel even safer when ordering, from next week we will launch Contact Free Delivery.

'This service comes at no additional charge and is in response to some customers wishing to limit physical contact during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

A Deliveroo rider wears a surgical face mask in Cardiff city centre on March 8 in Cardiff

'By introducing Contact Free Delivery, we believe that we will give our customers peace of mind when ordering a Domino's, while also protecting our delivery drivers.'

Mr Wild also reassured customers that the pizza chain would continue to maintain its 'very high hygiene standards an strict food handling procedures'.

Domino's has also increased hand washing and sanitisation at its many franchised outlets.

On Thursday, takeaway app Deliveroo announced similar measures where riders would arrange to leave food on the doorstep.

Deliveroo has already provided restaurants with extra packaging to keep food protected from the virus during the preparation and delivery process.

In a note to customers CEO Will Shu said: 'In light of the uncertainty we all face in our daily lives with the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), I wanted to write to you directly to keep you informed of the steps I've asked my team at Deliveroo to take to ensure we are prepared for all scenarios.

The UK's death rate has doubled overnight as a further ten patients died from the coronavirus. The total number of cases in the UK leapt from 820 this morning to 1,145 this afternoon

'My absolute number one priority is the safety of customers, riders and restaurants, no matter what happens.'

Deliveroo also announced a hardship fund offering financial support for riders who contract Covid-19, as well as those who are forced to self-isolate because of the pandemic.

Its competitor, UberEats said they are working to provide drivers with disinfectants to help them keep their vehicles clean.

They added that customers can leave a note on the app asking the courier to leave food at the door.

The new measures come as the UK's coronavirus death rate almost doubled overnight as ten more people died, bringing the country's total to 21.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said the ten who died 'were in the at-risk groups'.

The total number of cases in the UK leapt from 820 this morning to 1,145 this afternoon.
Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

In sultry Udaipur, descendants have gathered to settle a long-drawn dispute. The great-grandsons of Ghasiteram Halwai, a famous confectioner from British times, are fighting over their family trademark. As the judge looks on, the argument veers to daaru (drink) and chakna (snacks). Someone brings up Kesar Kasturi, a local whiskey, and the invariable acidity it causes.



Amid the chaos, if you arent too distracted to notice, youll find Tarika (Radhika Madan). Glasses and headphones on, shes scribbling diligently into a notebook, seated beside her father on a courtroom bench. As her family squabbles on about the past, shes briskly prepping for the future.

Homi Adajanias Angrezi Medium looks at kinship and ambition, dreams, and disappointments. In many respects, its very much a sequel, tweaking the premise of Saket Chaudharys Hindi Medium (2017) and broadening its scale to Rajasthan and London. Regular faces return: in addition to Irrfan Khan, theres Deepak Dobriyal on comic charge and Tillotama Shome as the education consultant. The newness, if any, is tucked elsewhere, in the father-daughter relationship at the core of this chewy and familiar tale. When Tarika, despite her best efforts, loses her ticket to a foreign university, she blames her father Champak (Irrfan). He responds by selling his land to amass the admission fee, though there are bigger hoops to leap. Brexit has clogged student entries into the UK  unless theres citizenship involved. Champak  along with Tarika and his steadfast cousin (Deepak)  arrives in the Big Smoke but is interrogated at the airport. While Tarika somehow makes it out, her bumbling guardians are deported.

So much happens till the halfway mark. The initial stretch, set entirely in Udaipur, is funny but unremarkable. The film builds itself into a loop, swinging back and forth. The themes of class and status anxiety that drove the 2017 film are blankly discarded. Champak, unlike the parents in Hindi Medium, isnt moved by personal aspiration  hed rather Tarika stay with him than fly off to a foreign land. His conflict, instead, is inward: he was once responsible for curtailing her mothers dreams, and wont let his daughter miss out on her goals, even if he does not understand them himself.

Its a minimal, workable setup, but the film contradicts itself. Tarikas desire to study abroad is ascribed to teenage wish fulfilment. Theres no effort to understand what compels thousands of students to emigrate out of India, or the stark disparities across our education systems.



When she moves into a London apartment, makes new friends, and takes up a part-time job, the gaze is blithely oblivious: young kids rebelling for freedom instead of slogging in a brutally expensive city. Rather, the writers goof around with Champak and his aide, as they forge their way into the UK and come under the scanner of officer Naina Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan).

The emotional negotiations in Angrezi Medium are unfair. The film peddles dated tropes about helpless parents and their cold, self-centered kids. Dimple Kapadia plays Nainas widowed mother (her ruined birthday scene is a weird callback to Dil Chahta Hai). It gets profusely manipulative, and theres a disappointing dream sequence one wouldnt expect from Homi, a director known for treating female characters with care. Still, the actors stay suitably committed, with Irrfan and Radhika making an especially bracing team.

Knock karke aana tha naa (Shouldve knocked before entering), Tarika rebukes her dad in one scene. As Champak fumbles for a comeback, hes filled with genuine embarrassment and regret, swiftly closing the door behind him. Theres a lot of judgment in Angrezi Medium, but none in Irrfans performance. As franchise releases go, this one delivers on brand.



The plot is scattered but rarely out of breath. After several memorable but limited roles, the entire bandwidth of Deepak Dobriyal is there for people to see. Even in seemingly serious scenes, he snags a laugh or two. Kareena looks lost in her solo Hot Fuzz act, and this is clearly a setup for future films. Whether those films will retain the flavor and crust of Hindi Medium is a different question. First original, Champak calls his mithai shop. Nothing gives away a faker than a name like that.
A Belfast man living in a lockdown zone in northern Italy has described his local town as "like something out of a zombie video game". But while people in the Veneto region where Phil Clark lives are confined to their homes, he says there is no panic-buying on the levels we are experiencing in Northern Ireland.

A video shot by Phil in his local supermarket two days ago, and posted on a YouTube channel where he is keeping a video diary chronicling the crisis, shows fully stocked shelves.

And there are even plenty of toilet rolls and pasta, the items that have been rapidly cleared off shelves by shoppers here.

While the streets are empty and businesses are shut, Phil says the reality is that so far most people are content to stay indoors.

The few who are still venturing outside have just this week been warned they could be fined or put in jail.

He says: "I think the Italian government has reacted very well to the threat and have been strong in their decision-making, and it has been great to see the community get behind them and support them in closing things down.

"It reminds me a bit of being back in Belfast in the Seventies and Eighties when you were advised not to go out to certain areas.

"The streets are really quiet but up until Thursday of this week we still had some people walking around and parents bringing their kids to the play parks.

I only go out to buy food and I open the door of the grocery store with my elbow. In fact, most stores are leaving their doors open so that people don't have to touch them

"This led to the local mayor putting out a strong statement warning parents that this was not a holiday and they needed to keep themselves and their kids safe indoors."

Phil grew up in Derriaghy but has spent most of his life overseas in Australia.

For the past 10 years he has been travelling between Italy and the US, where he runs a candle and perfume manufacturing company.

His ex-wife is Italian - it was that relationships which brought him to Italy - and she and their young son Alessandro (12) live in Milan.

Reflecting on the dramatic events of the past few days, Phil explains just how rapidly things changed in Italy: "The last time I was home in Belfast a couple of weeks ago I was watching the news and it was reported that there were 11 cases of coronavirus in Italy.

"Now there are over 15,000 cases and 1,016 deaths, and within just over a week of going back to Italy from Belfast we were in lockdown.

"Every day the death toll is rising. People are wearing protective masks and taking precautions.

"I only go out to buy food and I open the door of the grocery store with my elbow. In fact, most stores are leaving their doors open so that people don't have to touch them."

The prevailing sense of community spirit and being mindful of others' needs is striking, Phil says, especially when it comes to shopping for groceries and other household essentials.

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"I was in my local fruit and veg shop this week and there was plenty of food," he goes on. "People are being really good about how they are buying supplies. There is no panicking.

"People are being mindful of each other and not over-shopping, they are being considerate.

"I have been shocked by pictures of empty supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland on Facebook and really panic-buying doesn't help anybody, it just makes things worse."

Police are patrolling the streets in his local town of Bassano del Grappa and anyone going out for non-essential reasons risks a minimum fine of 250 or a maximum three-month prison sentence.

However, Phil is being deeply affected by how the crisis is preventing him from travelling. Not for business reasons, but instead being able to return to Northern Ireland to see his ill, elderly dad. Thompson (92) is in palliative care in Belfast Hospice and Phil is upset that he cannot now fly home to see him.

His mum Ida (89) also lives in the city and he has a brother and sister here.

"My dad hasn't got long to go although he is still in good spirits," says Phil. "Even if I could get over to see him, the hospice wouldn't let me in and I wouldn't want to take the risk of infecting other people.

"The hospice has put its own precautions in place and has put the hand sanitiser outside the door now for people to use before they go in.

A couple of weeks ago I could have said Italy was stupid for closing everything down, but look where we are now after just a couple of weeks, and how much worse could it have been if the government hadn't acted as it did?

"It's hard not being able to go home and see him and it's also been tough not being able to go to Milan to see my son. I've been talking to my son on the phone and he is afraid to go out, which is not a bad thing.

"Never in my adult life did I envisage a situation like this.

"It is like being in a zombie video game."

Aside from being unable to visit his father, Phil has not struggled with the practical realities of being confined to home.

His partner Lynette Reed, who lives in Los Angeles and frequently flies back and forth to Italy to see him, was visiting when the town went into quarantine.

She was due to fly back to Los Angeles next week but is now also in lockdown with Phil.

"We have been fine about it so far," he explains. "I have been able to do work on my laptop, and thank God for Netflix. I go out usually in the mornings to get fresh bread and then come straight back home again.

"You can't help worrying about getting the virus and I think people just want to stay safe, so at the minute we are happy being confined to home.

"Locally we've had a few people tested for the virus but thankfully no one I know has got it so far.

"One of our top medics who sits on the coronavirus decision-making body here died this week from it and he was only 67 and didn't have an underlying health condition."

While he feels that the Italians have done the right thing in locking down a huge part of the country, he thinks Britain is lagging behind other countries when it comes to taking strong steps to curb the spread of the disease.

"I think first of all Boris Johnson needs to do something to stop the panic-buying. I really don't think the British Government has done enough overall," he says.

"A couple of weeks ago I could have said Italy was stupid for closing everything down, but look where we are now after just a couple of weeks, and how much worse could it have been if the government hadn't acted as it did?

"I don't understand why schools are closed in the Republic of Ireland and not in the North when both countries share the same block of land.

"Here in Italy they have introduced a service to deliver food and medicine to elderly people who can't get out which is fantastic. At home elderly people are bound to be suffering because of the panic-buying."

Phil adds: "I don't think you can be too cautious at this stage, and yet all Boris is doing is telling people to wash their hands. It seems a very lax approach."

Phil is keeping a video diary of his experience of being locked in during the virus controls and you can follow him on YouTube (search for 'Phil Clark'), or at facebook.com/philclarkrandomperspective
Manitoba public school officials are on board with temporary closures, and a buffer week beforehand, that will allow teachers and parents time to prepare for an extra-long spring break in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba public school officials are on board with temporary closures, and a buffer week beforehand, that will allow teachers and parents time to prepare for an extra-long spring break in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced Friday the province intends to suspend K-12 classes for three weeks, effective March 23, out of "an abundance of caution."

Alongside the premier, health minister and the provinces top public health official, Goertzen stressed the announcement gives parents and teachers time to make accommodations: including child care for the former and, for the latter, preparing lots of homework.

"The buffer week makes an awful lot of sense. Id feel really concerned if we were giving parents noticed at 3:30 (Friday) that there wasnt going to be school for their kids Monday morning," said Brian OLeary, superintendent of Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg.

"I dont think there was much risk to students if they came to the school, but anything that reduces social contact is going to slow the spread of the virus."

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen announces that Manitoba's public schools will be closed for three weeks, starting March 23, as a proactive measure to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus Friday afternoon at the Manitoba.

Following the media briefing, Goertzen held a conference call with education officials across the province to notify them of the latest developments.

Seconds after hanging up, Alain Laberge with the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine told the Free Press he is relieved the province is handing out clear directions, so all divisions can act in unity.

"Its better to do it sooner rather than later," Laberge said, adding teachers will be able to create distance education plans next week, in advance of the closures. As for families, he said the hope is they will be able to make child-care arrangements.

Lack of anxiety Universities and colleges across Manitoba have made moves to close their doors or move classes entirely online, but some students say theyre still not anxious about coming to campus. Red River College and Brandon University are set to close up campus for the next week, and both the Universities of Manitoba and Winnipeg have suspended all in-person classes for the rest of the term. Meanwhile, the U of M campus remained relatively full Friday, with many students going to what would be their final class before coursework was moved to an online-only structure. click to read more Universities and colleges across Manitoba have made moves to close their doors or move classes entirely online, but some students say theyre still not anxious about coming to campus. Red River College and Brandon University are set to close up campus for the next week, and both the Universities of Manitoba and Winnipeg have suspended all in-person classes for the rest of the term. Meanwhile, the U of M campus remained relatively full Friday, with many students going to what would be their final class before coursework was moved to an online-only structure. Immad Hasnain, a business student, said he wasnt concerned about the spread of novel coronavirus yet. Im not sure if (COVID-19) has affected that much in Winnipeg, so far, he said. I could see them closing it down, but Im not sure nows the best time. If it gets worse, then yeah. Theres only been very few cases, so Im not very worried about it. Hasnain said he will continue to come to campus unless it is reported a case has been diagnosed within the university community. Architecture student Braden Goodall said his work as a T.A. and grader had brought him to campus, and planned to continue working on campus later in the day. Goodall said he would wait and see how things play out within the next few days before deciding whether or not to continue coming to campus. To me, the situation doesnt seem that desperate yet, and I know its supposed to be preventative, he said. Julieth Mangu, a mathematics student, said even if her classes were all online, her anxiety about coming to campus likely wont increase. Some, yeah, but not really, he said. The U of M currently hosts 29,000 students and 10,000 faculty and staff.  Malak Abas Close

For the time being, child-care centres in schools will continue to operate. Teachers and school staff will also continue to work, despite the impromptu class suspensions, Goertzen told reporters. The minister added teachers will engage in prep work for satellite lessons and the students return; facility staff will engage in activities such as additional maintenance.

On the subject of a possible school year extension, Goertzen said he's hopeful the two extra weeks off won't mean students will stay in class later in the summer.

"Our hope is that we can make that up. It's a little bit different depending on how old you are and what grade you're in, but our officials are looking at contingency plans to ensure we can either compress the time or to see if there's other alternatives," he said.

The latest announcement came hours after Dr. Brent Roussin, the province's chief public health officer, held a morning news conference, during which he had yet to recommend schools close in Manitoba. He cited impacts on the workforce, no confirmed community transmission cases reported, and the fact children would likely crowd in locations outside school.

Roussin said during the second meeting, he changed his mind and was recommending closures begin March 23 after consideration of the steps other jurisdictions are taking.

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Signs inside of the University of Winnipeg Friday announcing cancellations of lectures and classes due in part of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ontario has directed all publicly-funded schools to close for three weeks. A number of Quebec school boards have already closed their doors. As well, B.C. and Nova Scotia institutes are extending spring breaks.

The Manitoba Teachers Society voiced support for latest the updated decision Friday.

MTS president James Bedford called the announcement a positive, proactive step: "The safety of the students in our classrooms is paramount in the minds of all of our members."

He noted teachers have been taking directives from the province to promote health, but not all have been able to distance desks  as per the directive  because some classes don't have single, movable desks.

Provincial health officials have continuously asked Manitobans to wash their hands thoroughly, stay home from work or school if theyre sick, and practice social distancing. Roussin has also suggested schools rearrange desks to distance students.

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Province-wide, divisions continue to promote sanitation and social distancing however they can  from cancelling local sporting events to international trips. First Nations schools have also shuttered out of precaution.

The Winnipeg School Division still plans to run its March 21 byelection, with the City of Winnipeg stocking hand sanitizer at the voting site.

"Our schools and our communities remain safe, we just need to take a few extra precautions in the basics of personal distancing and hand hygiene," said board chairman Chris Broughton.

Goertzen said Friday the province had yet to consider delaying the release of the education review in light of the latest developments.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
In the world of historical and genealogical research, there is a saying: History can repeat itself in some form or fashion. Whatever the situation, sometimes in life, certain incidents and events will somehow reappear just to remind us how the world of life goes around and around.

Recently I stumbled across a series of articles in The T&D in 1920. The report described the invasion of influenza around the world including South Carolina and Orangeburg. Strangely enough, this event took place in the months of January, February and March, just as we are experiencing at this time in 2020.

As most of us are very much aware, the news of the coronavirus is currently making its way all around the world. This is one of those events and times that gives confirmation that history can revisit life in some way.

After coming across the written accounts from The T&D in 1920 of the influenza epidemic that gripped our state and our county, I felt compelled to share this bit of history of our great county.

On Feb. 5, 1920, The T&D carried an article from the federal government titled Uncle Sam, M. D., which was submitted by the U. S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C.: What Is The Flu? The disease called the flu or influenza usually resembles a very contagious kind of cold accompanied by fever, pains in the head, eyes, ears, back or other parts of the body, and a feeling of severe sickness. In most of the cases the symptoms disappear after three of four days, the patient then rapidly recovering; some of the patients, however, develop pneumonia, or inflammation of the ear or meningitis; and many of these complicated cases die.

In the connection attention is called to the fact that the pandemic of 1889-1891 originated in China and was carried to Russia, where it was known as Chinese influenza. From Russia it spread throughout Europe and was spoken of as Russian influenza.

Introduced from Europe into the United States it was called European influenza, and finally when it crossed the Pacific into Japan it was called American influenza.

We now know that there was in undue prevalence of influenza in the United States for several years preceding the great pandemic last year. Not until the epidemic appeared in severe form in Boston in September, 1918, did it excite any special interest.

The T&D reported on Feb. 5: Influenza to Be Combatted -- County Officials Favor a Strict Quarantine for Immediate Relief -- Telegrams were received from the Greenville Medical Society today by the State Health Department recommending that a county-wide influenza quarantine be put on to check the spread of the disease in that section.

Then on the next day, The T&D printed on Feb. 6: Death Rate Low at This Stage -- Northwestern Portion of State Hardest Hit by the Disease -- Reports of influenza cases from various parts of the state indicate that the malady is continuing its steady progress in practically all communities.

The disease has not been epidemic in South Carolina long enough for pneumonia to get in its works yet, and reports seem to indicate that not much pneumonia is following in the wake of attacks.

The sheriff of Greenville County was requested by state health officials to assist in putting into effect the restrictions imposed by local authorities.

While the spread of the flu inched its way toward Orangeburg, Dr. R.S. Bailey, director of the Orangeburg County Health Department, gave a daily briefing to The T&D so as to keep the citizens informed and updated to the approaching malady.

Then on Saturday, Feb. 7, the malady made its unwanted visitation into Orangeburg County. The T&D reported: Flu Visitor in Orangeburg -- Several Mild Cases Show Up Here with an Accompaniment of Pneu -- Thirteen cases of influenza have thus far manifested themselves in Orangeburg according to a report of Clerk Dibble of the city yesterday afternoon. The cases were considered a milder type and that at present the situation here is such as to cause no alarm.

Quarantine and the closing of public assemblages is declared to be unnecessary at the present stage of the disease here.

The next report came on Feb. 10 stating: Flu Claims City Victims -- Disease in Mild Form is on the Increase in City Just Now -- With a total up until yesterday at 6 oclock of 54 cases, influenza is coming more to the forefront in Orangeburg. While the cases now under treatment are declared by physicians to be of the milder type it is evident, they say, that the malady is gaining steadily here. Only a few cases were noted before Saturday and since that time the disease has spread with considerable rapidity.

Physicians call attention to the spread with which patients sickening last week with the disease have recovered as an indication of the mildness of the attack.

As the grip of the flu took its aim at more people, the health officials faced the dreaded decision to quarantine Orangeburg.

The T & D reported on Feb. 11: CITY QUARANTINED OWING TO INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC -- Drastic Means Used To Check Flu Situation -- All Places of Assembly Are Under Ban Beginning at Midnight -- Low Mortality At Present Juncture -- Diversity of Opinion as to Wisdom of Steps to Be Carried Out -- Theatres, schools, churches and places of public assemblage of any and every nature will be closed after today in Orangeburg owing to the increasing presence of influenza and a decision reached by the city board of health last night.

The decision of the city officials came after a thorough consideration of all matters involved and after physicians had reported 30 new cases for the day and declared that the disease is making unprecedented progress in the city.

Only bottled drink, drank at the fountain and from the bottle itself and ice cream cones may be dispensed at the soda fountains in the city while the quarantine is on.

Effort will be made to prevent the congregation of crowds on the streets and the assembling of children anywhere. Parents are requested to keep the kiddies off the streets and to desist from visiting in any events.

While the local officials are closing the places of assemblage and taking other measures calculated to suppress the progress of the malady an opinion has manifested itself among some citizens here questioning the wisdom at this time of such strenuous steps.

Of the 30 cases reported yesterday practically all are said to be of the usual mild nature and will likely recover within the course of a few days. Doctors assert that the chief danger lies in the tendency to develop pneumonia as an aftermath to the influenza attack.

So far, the mortality incident to influenza visitation here has amounted to practically nothing and it is understood that even now cases last reported show a tendency to decline in their seriousness and danger. It is said that the epidemic has until this juncture appeared mainly among the grownups.

At this stage of the swiftly moving epidemic, one can only wonder what the life of the people in Orangeburg would have looked and felt like 100 years ago in the month of February as the cases of influenza moved through the county.

On Feb. 13, 1920, The T&D reported: Influenza and the Churches -- The ban on assemblage, which has been invoked by the public health authorities, includes churches as well as other public places, but every now and then we hear a devout churchman say that there is no use to close up the churches, that to do so implies a lack of faith in the Lord.

The idea that because a man is doing a good thing the Lord will keep him from having influenza is on a par with the idea that the Lord strikes down all liars.

On Feb. 15: Malady Still Showing Self -- Several Cases Reported Yesterday and Effort Made for Suppression -- Eighteen cases of influenza were reported to officials on the city health department last night for the day. This brings the total cases thus far up to 131, starting with the first one reported on Feb. 6. Four cases were discharged from quarantine during the day yesterday.

So far indications are that the malady is making its appearance mostly among the grownups. Only in a few cases are the children hard hit by the epidemic, which seems to take out its full force on the older folk.

On Feb. 18, the headlines read Flu Measure Passing Soon -- Official Says City is Nearing Condition to Lift Quarantine -- Relief from the influenza quarantine now in effect over Orangeburg promises to be a reality about the last of the present week, according to a statement made last night by Dr. V.W. Brabham of the city health board.

City officials state that during the quarantine the cooperation from local people as individuals and organizations of the city in general has been most marked.

The next report on influenza in Orangeburg clearly demonstrates the compassion and concerns for one another in our town and county.

On Feb. 20 -- Influenza Folk to Be Assisted -- Fund Raised Here Toward Helping Those Who Are in Need -- Announcement was made yesterday afternoon that a fund for the purpose of assisting needy people suffering from the influenza epidemic in the city has been raised and will be available now for any needing and applying for some such help.

On Feb. 19, the health officials had to backtrack their prediction of the malady: INFLUENZA IS ON INCREASE -- Cold Weather Brings New Rise in Cases Reported to Health Board -- Influenza, which until the past thirty hours had shown a very material decrease, both in number of cases and in the intensity. The diseases flared up again yesterday and 33 cases were reported to the local board of health.

On Feb. 24, The T&D reported: Farmers Meeting Postponed Here -- Prevalence of Influenza Makes Gathering Impossible -- Owing to the quarantine effective through the city as a result of prevailing influenza, the Farmers Conference Week to have been held from February 23 to 27, has been called off, according to announcement made yesterday at the State Agricultural and Mechanical College, where the gathering of the farmers was to have occurred.

On Feb. 25, The T&D reported: Flu Raking Colored Folk -- Reports Show That Disease is Spreading Among Negroes Throughout State -- Reports received in the state health office today indicate that the influenza epidemic is extending markedly to the negro population over the state, especially where this race was practically exempt during the epidemic a year ago. This tendency has been observed especially in Saluda and Georgetown counties.

Also on that same date, an article from Shantung, China stated: The Influenza epidemic in this district has caused so many deaths that there is a shortage of caskets and their price has risen 400 percent in recent weeks.

Because of this many bodies have been buried in shrouds only, a practice uncommon even among the poorest Chinese. Another departure that has been forced upon the people by the existing situation is that Feng Shui or the practice of geomancy in connection with funerals by which grave sites and time of burial and other details are determined is being ignored.

Another article stated: Influenza A County Guest -- Malady in Force Over Orangeburg County Now Reports Indicate -- Something like 1500 cases of influenza are now in Orangeburg County, according to information secured at the office of County Health Director Bailey yesterday. It was said that this number likely does not represent the actual amount of the malady, as many of the physicians of the county have as yet not been heard from.

The type of disease suffered by the county folk at this time is said to be or about the same degree of severity as that prevalent in the city just now, it is said.

Schools throughout the county have been affected strongly by the malady. More than half the schools are at this time closed owing to the ravages of the disease, it is said here. No indications of a let-up in the ravages of the malady over the county seem in sight at present.

On March 3: School Will Resume Work -- Local Institutions to Open Doors First of Coming Week -- After a vacation of almost a month, it is hardly assumed that the kiddies will be reluctant about a resumption of their work.

No actual figures are yet available regarding the number of the school children that were influenza patients during the late attack.

As the daily reporting continued, The T&D printed on March 13 -- No Relief to County Folks -- Influenza Continues to Make Inroads on Health Over County -- Unaffected by the clear and warm weather of the past few days, influenza over Orangeburg county is still maintaining its inroads on the county health. Dr. R.S. Bailey, county health director, stated yesterday afternoon that the improvement noted in the city here has not been duplicated over the rural districts. While the mortality rate seems rather low the disease is going on unabated.

Only a few schools of the county have reopened their doors after having closed some time ago owing to the ravages of the malady. It is said that of those yet remaining open a large number of the students are absent and that teachers and pupils alike are affected in many instances by the malady.

Dr. Bailey stated yesterday that a prolonged spell of warm weather just now will, he believes, bring relief from the ravages of the malady.

The influenza epidemic that took grip on Orangeburg County in 1920 made its mark and impact on the people, businesses, churches schools and all other events was talked about for many years after the malady ended. From all of the written accounts of the movement of that dreaded disease, The T&D did an outstanding job in providing information to the citizens here in our county.

In all of the updates that were being communicated by the federal, state and local health authorities, The T&D performed its duty in making certain the people of Orangeburg County was kept up to speed and well informed.

On March 18, The T&D reported: Flu Almost Out of City-With Few Cases -- Disease is Practically Extinct Now in Orangeburg -- Influenza in Orangeburg, which has appeared in epidemic form for some time, has about vanished.

Authorities of the city health department stated yesterday afternoon that only 18 cases of influenza are now on hand. Some of these cases were reported to be a mild form. It was also stated that there has been a large number of the patients discharged lately and that only a few cases still exist in the city. The disease has quieted down to a point where danger is considered past.

Health officials express appreciation and thanks for the work and cooperation that has been carried out by the residents of Orangeburg during the epidemic that existed here for some time.

The next report on March 23 stated: Disease Halts Over County -- Epidemic Seems Improved Somewhat throughout This County -- A large number of influenza cases are reported to be in the town of Bowman. This community seems to be one of the heaviest sufferers of this disease in the county. A total of 215 cases are reported here for the past week.

The other towns in the county are still suffering from the disease, but the cases reported are not as great as that of Bowman.

A number of the schools have been reopened and the activities of the schools have resumed. There still remains a large number of schools closed, due to the fact of the malady still exists.

Dr. R.S. Bailey, of the county health department, stated yesterday afternoon that the coming of the warmer weather will check the malady.

During this time, the United States Census report was released. From 1910-1920, Orangeburg made an increase of 1,384 in the number of her inhabitants, which was in increase of 23.5 percent. The total shows 7,290 in the city of Orangeburg.

The T & D noted on March 28: Influenza On Downward Way -- Gradual Improvement is Noted in Disease Throughout County -- Influenza, which appeared in this county in epidemic form weeks ago, is still a matter of concern to the county health department, yet it is reported to be improving a little.

A large number of cases still exist in the county and reports for the past week show that it has improved considerably.

The towns of Elloree, Eutawville and Norway are reported to be the heaviest sufferers of the malady in the county.

Due to the fact that the disease has improved lately in this county, the schools that were ordered closed have opened up again and the old activities have been resumed.

Influenza in Orangeburg has practically disappeared, it was reported yesterday. There are still a few cases in this city, but are reported to be of mild form.

One hundred years ago, the people of Orangeburg County lived through an influenza epidemic that filtered its way into every section of the 1,106 square miles of land in our county. One can only imagine what the people had to encounter.

Nurse Florella Fordham

At the time of the malady of 1920, it must be noted that the services of nurse Florella Fordham provided some of the best medical support and compassionate service that was available in our county. Of course, Fordham did not do this all alone. She worked in concert with all of the other people in the medical field including Dr. R.S. Bailey, who was the director of the Orangeburg County Health Department.

Although at that time, the people were separated by the laws and customs of the life of living in a segregated society, the medical needs of the blacks and whites sometimes were simply all the same.

Fordham was born in 1880 to Maj. John H. Fordham and attended Claflin College, graduating in 1900.

(NOTE: Ma. John H. Fordham was elected as the first black coroner of Orangeburg County in the 1870s. Later in his life, Fordham was the chief of the black firemen in the city of Orangeburg.)

With high determination, and over her parents objections, she went to Hampton Institute in Virginia to get her nursing training.

After graduating, Fordham came back home to Orangeburg as a registered nurse. Little did she know that at her return and medical status, she became the only nurse among the black and white nurses in the county that carried the title R.N.

For many years, Fordham was the only nurse doctors (black or white) could call on to assist in home maternity cases. Also, the county of Orangeburg did not have a hospital for the people.

In 1932, she became the resident nurse for South Carolina State College. She retired in 1952 but continued to be active in the Orangeburg community. Having such a great love of the field of nursing, in 1953 she took on the position of resident nurse on the campus of Claflin University. Fordham finally retired in 1959 after devoting a sum of 56 years to her love, nursing. Fordham died in 1973.

Can you envision living in a time of being quarantine for nearly two months? Each and every aspect and corner of life in our county was touched. The businesses, schools, churches, sports, social events, agriculture and government had to make all types of changes for the sake of monitoring and controlling the spread of the malady that touched the world, our state and our county.

One thing that can be said about the people of our county who witnessed the spread of influenza 100 years ago is that the unity and togetherness of the inhabitants came to rise up and above in the times of troubles and despair.

Thus, the people were able to overcome and continued their works to move the county of Orangeburg forward to where we are today, so therefore, we give thanks to our ancestors.

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HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam will deny entry and stop issuing tourist visas to citizens from Europe's Schengen visa-free area and Britain starting from Sunday, amid concerns over the spreading coronavirus, its foreign ministry said.

The restriction will start from midday March 15 following a proposal from the country's prime minister, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Visas on arrival for all foreign nationals are also temporarily halted, it added.

The British embassy in Hanoi updated its travel advice on a UK government website.

"From noon Vietnam time, March 15, all foreign nationals will be refused entry to Vietnam if in the previous 14 days they have been to the UK, or any Schengen country, even in transit," said the statement.

"This restriction will be in place for 30 days."

The Schengen area is a border control-free travel zone comprising 26 European countries.

Vietnam earlier halted visa-free travel for citizens of eight European countries.

Following the government's restriction, the national carrier Vietnam Airlines said it would stop carrying passengers from Paris, London and Frankfurt to Vietnam from March 15, while flights from Vietnam to those destinations would still be operated as normal.

Three weeks after Vietnam declared that all 16 of its coronavirus cases had recovered, the number of infected patients is on the rise after the authorities said a spate of new infections was traced to a flight from Britain.

Vietnam has confirmed 49 cases of the coronavirus. There have been no deaths in the country.

(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Alex Richardson and Michael Perry)
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The average age of France's more than 35,000 mayors is 62 and less than 4 percent are under the age of 40. France's youngest mayor, Remy Dick, is therefore something of an exception. He embraced the role at the tender age of 22 but it wasn't easy stepping into those big shoes. As the country prepares to vote in municipal elections, we meet him on the campaign trail in his hometown of Florange.

Remy Dick has a firm handshake, a brisk walk, and a ready smile as he goes door to door canvassing with one of his co-listers. Undeterred by the pouring rain, he juggles the umbrella in one hand and leaflets in the other.

"Our objective is to reach 3,000 homes," he says confidently. "We've visited 2,400 so far." Five days before polling day, he admits they probably won't make the target.

He knocks on the door of a modest two-storey house overlooked by the imposing, new ArcelorMittal steel plant.

An elderly man leans out of his upstairs window and shouts out that he's already prepared his list of candidates, suggesting a thumb's up for Dick's Florange en mouvement list.

Jerome, a retired soldier, says the mayor's youth is his strong point.

"He's not afraid of throwing himself into things, the older ones weigh up the for and against and then err on the side of caution."

"And when I make mistakes I admit to it," the mayor chips in.

The fight to earn legitimacy

Remy Dick has made mistakes, particularly in the early days. He was thrust into the post of mayor in 2016 when the then-mayor suddenly resigned and the other members of the local council decided it was time for a radical change. They pushed Dick, then aged 22, to the fore.

"Nobody wanted the post. So they turned to me. I was the youngest and studying full-time. Most thought I was a credible choice and I had the support of a leading figure in my political group - the Republicans. When he chose to put his trust in a young person, the others followed."

Dick had been a member of the local council for two years but lacked experience and knowledge of political codes. Stepping into the mayor's shoes was very difficult.

"It was a tumultuous beginning. In the first six months you ask yourself everyday what you're doing there and why you got into it. I had to earn respect from staff. I'm in charge of 200 public sector workers, I have to give them instructions. It took time to have the necessary authority, for them to respect me as an employer and as their mayor."

The memorable worst moment was giving his first speech, just the day after becoming mayor on 1 December 2016.

"I had to give a speech to the firefighters for their annual Saint Barbe celebration. I didn't know the firefighters, didn't know the institution, the staff, or the subject, and I turned up in a short-sleeved shirt, without a tie. I didn't know the dress code. My speech was pathetic, I realise that now."

Impacting on peoples' daily lives

Things have radically improved since then, and just over a year later at the customary New Year's address Dick finally felt he could wear the mayoral costume.

"Several local people came to me and said 'Mr. Mayor, after this speech, you are no longer the young mayor, you are simply the mayor'. It was the moment I finally felt I'd grown wings, when I was up to the task."

The tasks of a mayor include handling budgets, notably funding or de-funding a myriad of associations, issuing building permits, dealing with primary schools, roads, local transport and public health issues such as pollution and rubbish collection. In short, he and his team of 200 have a major impact on daily life.

"What drives me, above all, is that you realise you can have an impact on things. If you're personally committed you can improve people's daily lives. Everything you do counts. You realise that the energy you put into something is not in vain."

Mayor and part-time history student

Remy Dick is a high-energy mayor, juggling his studies around his 9 to 5 Monday to Friday hours at the town hall. Added to that, there are the assemblies and evening functions, all for a monthly salary of 1,500.

In the lead up to the elections he has put his studies on the back burner.

"Being a mayor and a student is compatible outside elections, but as we're in the middle of campaigning I admit I've skipped classes. Every available moment is spent preparing and distributing leaflets and canvassing.

Florange is not Germinal

The town of Florange, population 12,000, grew up and thrived thanks to the steel industry. But the demise of steel led to the closure of many plants, most famously two of steelmaker ArcelorMittal's blast furnaces back in late 2012.

One eighth of Florange's working population is now unemployed.

The mayor's powers don't extend to deciding on the policies of employment, but he hopes to attract investment by giving a more positive image of his hometown, and redress some of the cliches.

"In electing France's youngest mayor the town council at the time gambled on something positive. People in Florange had had enough of being the symbol of the de-industrialisation of France. We were sick that journalists portrayed the town as something out of [Victor Hugo's] Germinal - a dirty, industrial, negative French town.

"We want to turn that image around. Florange is still an industrial town, we have 4,400 jobs in industry and we should be proud of that."

He highlights the investment of ArcelorMittal "200,000 in Florange since 2012" and the new hot dip galvanizing line which cost 80 million euros.

"It uses the very latest technology. It's secured 85 jobs and created 15 new ones on the site."

He admits there've been plenty of complaints from locals though, notably those who have a direct view on the plant.

The 'work more to earn more' philosophy

Remy Dick is a card-carrying member of the right wing Republicans party and his inspiration is former president Nicolas Sarkozy who ran for re-election in 2007 with the slogan "work more to earn more".

"I'm on the conservative right and will remain on the right because I still believe in this Republican idea of a meritocracy. But in local politics when you're dealing with hospitals, schools and swimming pools being on the right or left doesn't mean much, you have to be able to work with people with different political affiliations."

For the moment he's more interested in getting things done than chewing the party political fat.

"Life within a party is anecdotal compared to real political life. What's important is serving people, not ideas."

This interview is part of the Spotlight in France podcast. Click here to hear the report.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 14, 2020) - IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") is taking the precautionary measure of closing its Toronto office for one week following the positive COVID-19 test result for one of its employees. The IAMGOLD employee who tested positive was last in the Toronto office on March 6, 2020.

The individual is in self-quarantine at home, and in stable condition with moderate symptoms. This employee attended two private Company events and briefly attended the Northern Ontario Night on March 2, 2020 at the Steam Whistle Brewery, but did not attend the PDAC convention or other events. Attendees at the Company events have been notified.

Health and safety is our top priority at IAMGOLD. In addition to closing the Toronto office, we are conducting a deep cleaning and disinfection of the office. Toronto office employees have been asked to work from home until the end of the week, March 20th, 2020, at which point the Company will reassess.

About IAMGOLD

IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is a mid-tier mining company with four operating gold mines on three continents. A solid base of strategic assets in North and South America and West Africa is complemented by development and exploration projects and continued assessment of accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD is in a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise.

For further information please contact:

Indi Gopinathan, VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, IAMGOLD Corporation

Tel: (416) 360-4743 Mobile: (416) 388-6883

Martin Dumont, Senior Analyst, Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation

Tel: (416) 933-5783 Mobile: (647) 967-9942

Toll-free: 1-888-464-9999 info@iamgold.com

Please note:

This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov.

Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique de presse, veuillez consulter le http://www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53450
Former vice president Joe Biden's sudden emergence as the Democratic front-runner and the disruptions caused by the spreading coronavirus are altering calculations about the shape of a general election campaign that only weeks ago many Democrats feared was tipping in the direction of President Donald Trump.

Biden's string of primary victories over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has improved the outlook of many Democratic strategists, who had feared that a Sanders nomination, which looked increasingly possible, would make winning the general election more difficult and could threaten down-ballot candidates, as well.

Biden's campaign has begun to shift its focus to the general election even as the nomination contest with Sanders continues. The two Democrats will debate Sunday night on CNN and face another round of primaries on Tuesday. In those four contests - Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio - Biden is heavily favored and likely to add to his growing lead in delegates.

Both the Trump campaign and Democratic strategists have been focused first on the four key states that made Trump president in 2016: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Florida. The campaigns also expect to compete in North Carolina, Arizona, Minnesota and possibly one or two other states in an effort to expand their paths to an electoral majority.

Biden's sizable victory in Michigan on Tuesday, powered by a sharp rise in suburban turnout and strength across the state, has generated a surge of optimism and some cautionary warnings among Democrats about their prospects of winning that crucial state and others that will decide the outcome in November if the former vice president is at the top of the ticket. The turnout gave them hope that the energy behind the Democrats' decisive victories during the last midterms could spell trouble this year for Trump.

"The dynamics in Michigan have not shifted from 2018 and that is bad news for the Republicans," said Richard Czuba, an independent Michigan pollster.

The bigger unknown is what political impact the spreading coronavirus could have in November. The massive disruption to daily lives and the meltdown in financial markets are likely to affect voters' views of their own futures and potentially the two candidates as well, but in what ways no one can say.

Judgments on the government's response to the crisis, pro or con, could affect swing voters as they make decisions in the fall, while shocks to the economy and the possibility of a recession could rob the president of the single strongest issue he has had in his bid for a second term.

"Historically there are periods in presidential history where people just want calmness after a storm, said Susan MacManus, emeriti professor of political science at the University of South Florida. "That would be one of the key things is to see, whether Biden can project calmness and competence after the tumultuous period we've been in.

If anything the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus makes planning for the general election more difficult, but also might open the possibility of other states coming into play by later in the year. Campaigns are only now beginning to assess but lack trustworthy data in the middle of the pandemic to be able to make decisions with confidence.

Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign's communications director, expressed confidence about the president's prospects for winning a second term, asserting that the electoral map looks favorable whether the challenger is Biden or Sanders.

"Joe Biden will have a problem with union workers all across the upper Midwest because of his support for the job-killing NAFTA and TPP [Trans Pacific Partnership] deals, so this myth of Biden as some kind of blue-collar hero will be destroyed," he said in an email message. "Biden's support for the public option in health care is just another way of crowding our employer-provided health insurance that people know and value."

Biden's team is operating on painful lessons Democrats learned from 2016 as well as on what could be the new realities of campaigning in a time of a pandemic. "It's incredibly important that we start from a standpoint of how wide the landscape could be," a senior Biden campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment of the race. "It is a detailed belief that I have that you can't take anything for granted . . .. I'm not willing to sit here and say we don't need Florida and Ohio is dead."

Democrats hope for a continuation of the increase in turnout, particularly among suburban women, that helped them win the House in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is counting on increased turnout among voters in areas exurban and rural areas who sat out 2016 but could make the difference in November and also are making appeals to Latinos and African-Americans.

One Biden campaign official said that, because of what the Trump campaign is doing to communicate to voters of color and what likely will be new rules of the road for voter contact and mobilization, the campaign will have to put even greater emphasis than ever in assuring that the party's core voters turn out in November.

That means greater breadth and depth in trying to reach all potential supporters. "We're going to have to do the work of persuasion and get out there and make sure people turnout" the official said.'

Florida appears to be a must-win state for the president and if he successfully replicates his narrow victory of 2016, the three northern states, or equivalent substitutes, become crucial for the Democrats. Of those three, Wisconsin is considered the most difficult.

Democratic strategists see Biden as better positioned than Sanders to reach an Electoral college majority, in large part because the Vermont senator's past and current statements about Cuba and his Democratic socialist agenda would cost him significantly among Hispanic voters in Florida. That doesn't mean Sanders would have no path to 270 electoral votes, only that his margin for error would be smaller than for Biden.

These same strategists say Biden appears able to put together a coalition of African-Americans, suburban women and enough working-class white voters to improve on Hillary Clinton's performance in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which she lost by a combined 77,000 votes.

But some Democrats are more cautious in their assessments of Biden's prospects. They worry that Trump is working to persuade voters of color either to defect or stay on the sidelines and see a need for the Democratic nominee to engage with those communities as much as they appear to be looking to attract white working-class voters.

The Trump strategy "is to amp up their base with messages that stoke fear across the electorate and draw defection from the Democratic electorate," said Patrick Schuh, Michigan state director for America Votes, a progressive organization. "Democrats and the progressive coalition are energized right now but is running against Donald Trump enough to keep that coalition energized? We have to appeal to both white working-class voters and voters of color."

Florida's primary on Tuesday could offer some clues about the fall campaign, but Clinton routed Sanders there in the 2016 primary and still lost the state to Trump in November. Biden is seen as a stronger candidate in that state than Sanders.

Trump won Florida by just over a percentage point and won each of the three northern states by less than a percentage point and a combined total of just 77,000 votes. He rates as a very slight favorite to win Florida again.

Steve Schale, a Florida-based Democratic strategist who is part of the group that formed Unite America, the super PAC helping Biden, said his state has been through so many close elections at the national and state level that one should expect another in November.

Florida's voting patterns are shifting, but he said the changes have not altered the overall partisan split in the state. "Democrats are doing wildly better in south Florida than before, and Republicans are seeing huge growth in places like Naples and Fort Myers. They keep balancing each other out." He predicted that two media markets in the central part of the state - Orlando and Tampa - will determine the outcome.

Some Democrats worry that Trump has been effective in registering voters who would be partial to the president but did not turn out in 2016. Many of these voters live outside of major population centers. "They have done a good job registered downscale, white voters," said Jim Messina, Obama's 2012 campaign manager. Florida is one and Pennsylvania is another, he said.

Another issue that concerns some Democrats is the potential resistance among some Hispanic voters - Cuban Americans and Venezuelan immigrants - to a Democratic nominee. "It is extremely sensitive territory for members of that community to know that U.S. leaders, especially the president of the United States will stand with them," said one Florida Democratic politician speaking privately. "Biden will have to deal with that directly."

MacManus identified another potential weakness for Biden in Florida. "Over a third of our voters are the two youngest generations," she said. "If they can't be encouraged to turn out and vote for Biden that's a really big problem."

Of the three crucial northern states, Democrats feel best now about Michigan followed by Pennsylvania and then Wisconsin, which is seen as the tipping-point state for November, meaning the state that could give one candidate or the other the 270th electoral vote.

Trump campaign officials have made clear they will compete hard in Minnesota, which Clinton carried narrowly in 2016. Democrats agree that it is a state they must watch carefully because of its demographics. The Republicans will target other states as well but are not likely to carry them unless the president is winning by bigger margins than in 2016.

Democrats long have seen Arizona and North Carolina as targets and believe with Biden as the nominee both are even more attractive because of his potential ability to build a broad coalition.

Former president Barack Obama won North Carolina in 2008 and then lost in 2012 and Trump carried it in 2016. Arizona's changing demographics and a costly and competitive Senate race that Democrats are eyeing make it attractive. If Wisconsin proves too difficult for Democrats, Arizona's electoral votes could compensate.

"Democrats are going to wage holy war to put Arizona and North Carolina into play and recent events have made that more doable," Messina said.

Countering that, Trump's team came close enough in Minnesota in 2016 to warrant a serious investment there. New Hampshire too was quite close in 2016 and given the Trump campaign's vast resources, worth going for. Both sides will treat it as a legitimate battleground, despite its small size.

Republicans also have talked about New Mexico as a state Trump could win but Democrats are skeptical that he can turn the state red. Meanwhile, Biden's team will look seriously at competing in Ohio and even possibly Iowa, even though Trump won both handily four years ago.
DANBURY  Closing schools and canceling meetings is only part of the agenda for municipal leaders trying to keep up with the fast-moving public health crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Emergency management teams across greater Danbury are devising strategies to minimize the risk of the respiratory virus spreading, without shutting down the town entirely.

We havent slept in probably 72 hours as we work our way through this challenge, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said in a Facebook Live update. If youve got people shoulder-to-shoulder stuck together, even if its 50 people, its probably not a good idea.

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Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday an additional six Connecticut residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, which in most cases produces mild-to-moderate symptoms such as a fever, cough and shortness of breath. The cases in residents of Bethlehem, Darien, Greenwich, and Westport bring the statewide total of infected people to 11.

BETHEL

Bethel partially activated its emergency operations center on Friday, with the Senior Center closing and Parks and Recreation programs suspended until March 27. The Municipal Center remains open.

Bethel officials said they are monitoring the epidemic minute-by-minute.

This is an extremely dynamic situation that changes literally by the hour, the town said on its Facebook page.

There are no high-risk persons of interest in town, although volunteer firefighters, students and school staff attended a national conference where an attendee has since tested positive for the virus.

There is no evidence anyone from Bethel came into contact with that attendee, who was not with the group or from the area, the town said. The conference was in Tampa, Fla. in late February.

This conference concluded over a week ago, and there have been no illnesses or other symptoms reported by the BHS group, the town said. These contacts are considered extremely low risk, according to the CDC guidelines.

DANBURY

The citys efforts to prevent the spread have ramped up in recent days.

Putting a barrier around the city will not work, Mayor Mark Boughton said in a Facebook Live update. Instead, the city is focusing on prevention.

Its almost impossible to stop this disease from spreading because its highly contagious, Boughton said.

While the city does its part to clean school buildings and other public facilities, Danbury urged residents to do their part by washing their hands, avoiding crowds, and staying home when sick.

Lisa Morrissey, director of health, urged residents to take personal responsibility.

I don't want to see any teenagers hanging out on Main Street, she said. I don't want you congregating at the mall. Just because schools are closed, this is not the time to start partying. We want you to take this seriously and avoid groups.

Boughton said he doesnt have authority to tell businesses to close.

The mall is not necessarily a tremendously dangerous place because its so big, he said. You could stand six feet away from everybody.

While the governor has banned crowds exceeding 250 people, Boughton said even smaller-sized groups could be a concern.

If youve got people shoulder-to-shoulder stuck together, even if its 50 people, its probably not a good idea, he said.

Earlier this week, city had encouraged organizations to cancel or postpone events that were expected to draw crowds. Danbury Library and the senior center have closed, although the latter is still serving breakfast and lunch to senior citizens.

Were going to have more cases popping up here in Danbury, across the greater Danbury area and over the state, Boughton said. But we think, at the end of the day, if we take these steps, we can get through the hump and level out this very, very fast spread that were seeing.

NEW MILFORD

New Milford officials gathered for a live video to share the towns emergency preparedness and offer tips to the public to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak.

Health Director Michael Crespan said theyve been participating in weekly conference calls with community partners, so everyone is prepared.

We believe were prepared and were working to become more prepared every day, Crespan said.

The emergency command operations director said New Milford is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

The town has been working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the state health department.

NEWTOWN

Newtowns Emergency Management Office is coordinating the towns response with the Newtown Health District, which serves Newtown, Bridgewater and Roxbury.

The Newtown Health District receives daily briefings and updates from state, federal and global health agencies, including the state health department, the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization.

It is very important to get the right information out accurately, said Bill Halstead, director of emergency management.

The town has dedicated COVID-19 page on its municipal website with an array of information and resources about the pandemic.

RIDGEFIELD

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi declared a local State of Emergency to give the town the greatest possible operational flexibility to our departments involved in COVID-19 response, recovery and mitigation.

The declaration does not indicate a major change in the local situation, but rather parallels the declaration made by Governor Lamont and facilitates dealings with state and federal authorities as necessary, the town said in a statement.

Marconi also ordered the partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) policy group, comprising health and public safety department heads.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
C oronavirus cases in Spain have soared by 1,500 in a single day to more than 5,700, as the Government prepares for a state of emergency over the outbreak.

The new figure of 5,752 cases was up by a third from Friday, with a total of 3,000 cases in the capital Madrid, where health officials have stopped testing people with only mild symptoms.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government is taking steps to curb the Covid-19 outbreak and are preparing to announce a further package of economic and social measures.

Politicians also met on Saturday to work out the details of a two-week national state of emergency, which was announced on Friday. The plans are due to be announced later on Saturday.

It is only the second to be declared in the country's recent history, with the first being a 2010 air traffic controllers' strike.

A woman in a face mask walks past the famous San Gines chocolate cafe in Madrid, which is closed amid the coronavirus outbreak / REUTERS

Spain, which has seen 136 deaths since the outbreak of the virus, is now the second-hardest hit country in Europe after Italy.

Local measures are already in force. In Madrid, where authorities have urged people to stay home. In Seville, officials announced the cancellation of the hugely popular Holy Week celebrations.

The opposition has criticised the government for letting events such as International Women's Day marches go ahead a week ago.
Growth in womens representation on boards and in C-suites at tech companies has increased worldwide in the past 10 years, but theres still a long way to go, says S&P Global in an article.

This article is part of S&P Globals #ChangePays campaign that explores the benefits of increasing the participation of women in the workforce for the capital markets and world economy.

The research about women in technology brings together experts and data throughout S&P Global's any businesses  Market Intelligence, Ratings, Indices, 451 Research, and Kensho  to bring insights to the market under the umbrella of the company's recently created Womens Research Council.

For this report, S&P compares and contrasts its analysis of several datasets, the largest of which is a global set of about 1,280 technology companies for which it examined detailed people data for 2010 to February 2020.

Not surprisingly, women now occupy less than one-fifth of spots on the boards of directors at tech companies, and the share is lower for women executives. Both shares are less than for the financial or industrial sectors but about the same as in the energy industry, according to the study "The Changing Face of Energy."

The report said it will take decades of change to reach gender parity on boards and generations to attain that throughout companiesunless companies dramatically accelerate their efforts.

There is no single solution to achieving gender parity in technology, which we believe instead involves creating positive environments for all employees at tech companies and cultural shifts in some countries. Regulation has led to more diversity on boards, but not at other levels, the report said.

Gender diversity appears to raise the financial performance of tech companies. The analysis suggests that a move to parity among executives could boost their financial performance (market capitalisation to total assets). -- Tradearabia News Service
Northern Lao province closes 10 border crossings with Vietnam to prevent COVID-19

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:21, March 13, 2020

VIENTIANE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in northern Laos' Huaphan province called for the temporary closure of 10 traditional border crossings with Vietnam as part of efforts to prevent an outbreak of the COVID-19.

The Huaphan governor's office on Thursday issued a notice for temporary close of 10 border checkpoints in the province which is bordered by Vietnam, until further notice.

Another four checkpoints will remain open, namely the Namsoiy (Na Meo) international checkpoint, as well as Ban Darn, Pa Hang, and Somvang, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

The ruling comes into effect immediately and remains in place until further notice.

Lao authorities are working with medical staff at checkpoints to ensure strict implementation of virus prevention procedures.

According to the report, Lao industry and commerce sectors are worried about insufficient supplies of imported consumer goods from Vietnam through international and traditional checkpoints in Huaphan province, some 310 km northeast of Lao capital Vientiane.

"Most of the goods imported from Vietnam are consumer products such as seafood, fruit and household items as well as construction materials. Vietnam imports agricultural goods, livestock and wood products from Laos," head of the Industry and Commerce's Administration Office Vidavong Heuangmisouk said on Thursday.

Vietnam is ranked among the top three trading partners of Laos alongside Thailand and China, said the report.

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On Friday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of the coronavirus and announced the state has two more presumptive positive cases, bringing the total to four, according to the Associated Press.

A press release sent out by the governor states one of these individuals is a St. Louis County resident. It is a domestic travel-related case, and the patient is 50-60 years of age. Additional details on the second case will be shared with the public as soon as all notifications have been made.

The Missouri State Public Health Lab has tested a total of 94 individuals to date. These tests have resulted in 90 negatives, three presumptive positives, and one confirmed positive.

The primary purpose of this emergency declaration is to provide greater flexibility in allocating our state resources, not because the local health providers feel they are overwhelmed, Parson told reporters in his Capitol office.

Declaring a state of emergency gives Parson the ability to tap into about $7 million of state disaster funds, which he said can be used for coronavirus response efforts.

Preparations for cases have been going on here in St. Francois County.

Amber Elliott, director of the St. Francois County Health Center, gave a report to the St. Francois County Commission on Tuesday morning about the coronavirus situation and the steps that the county would take in the case of an outbreak.

COVID-19 is getting a lot of press right now for good reason, she said. Weve put out some press releases in the Daily Journal and have been on the radio and have been trying to talk about this and have some information on our Facebook.

"It is concerning. We dont want the public to panic, but we want people to be aware. Obviously, we know of some things right now are happening in St. Louis. We do not have any confirmed cases at this time (in St. Francois County). People are on edge a little bit.

We do epidemiologic investigations all the time for different communicable diseases, and this will be no different. So, the health department does disease investigation contact tracing and when warranted we will initiate quarantines. Obviously in St. Louis thats been a concern over the last 24 hours because someone broke quarantine. That certainly is a concern, well say that when we investigate diseases, 99% of the people that we speak to are very compliant and understand the importance of protecting the public. But, there are going to be people that do not do that. In prior times we have initiated court orders for tuberculosis cases, we want to make sure to maintain the safety of the public at all times.

According to Elliott, the health department is working closely with Parkland Health Center, St. Francois County Ambulance and local school districts, along with other institutions.

I have talked with (St. Francois County Ambulance District Director David Tetrault). We met with school administrators and they have pandemic plans, and really discussed what it might look like for quarantines especially, Elliott said. "We are encouraging businesses to look at those processes and try to find ways to allow people to telecommute if they can, but we understand and we provide direct client services to the public. We understand that not every service can be done that way.

We are also meeting with Mineral Area College (MAC) and working on their plan and really working with the nursing homes. The state inspects the nursing homes, so they are providing a lot of guidance to them and I know local nursing homes are limiting visitors at this time, and that is to protect the most vulnerable of the population.

County Clerk Kevin Engler asked how information would be disseminated to the public if there was a problem.

Preferably, there would be a joint statement between the people who are investigating the disease, so usually thats going to be the doctors office and us, Elliott said. We have Facebook, thats the quickest way to get information, but we certainly have relationships with the Daily Journal, both of the radio stations and providing what facility the testing occurs in, we would prefer to release a joint statement with them.

Elliott said that there is currently no confirmed cases in St. Francois County, although they are continuously monitoring the situation.

As of right now, we have not released any information about people under investigation, she said. Or people who are being monitored for travel."

I want to reiterate, we do not have any confirmed cases at this time. I do know that we are doing investigations on people that are concerned at this time.

Presiding Commissioner Harold Gallaher mentioned that there are shortages of test kits and asked if the center had any.

We have two test kits, Elliott said. They are state public health-funded test kits. We do not do the testing at the health center. However, if we have a doctors office who needs us to do the testing, the testing has to be approved through the state and then will get that test kit to the doctors office.

Quest and Labport both are able to do testing at this time. They do not have to fill out the person under investigation form through the state, they can send that straight to Quest or Labport. That means we probably will not get notification of a person under investigation if they send that to a private lab and its negative, we will only get that if its positive. Weve encouraged the doctors offices to let us know if they have anyone who they believe is under investigation or they are going to test.

Highway Superintendent Clay Copeland asked who would enforce a quarantine.

That would be a coordination between us and the sheriffs office, most likely, Elliott said. If there is a positive case and we are issuing quarantines around the family members.

"Quarantine is for people who are not ill. Isolation is for people who are ill. We will issue a quarantine, we plan to do that by official notification methods and document very well how those quarantines are taking place. We are able to do some things to help them stay in quarantine. In St. Louis County, they said that they have people patrolling this persons house.

The health center does have the statutory authority to quarantine and also the director of public health of Missouri. Any quarantines are not taken lightly, we know that is a huge disruption of someones life.

Emergency Management Director Dan Duncan reported on how his department will respond to any potential outbreaks.

We met last week at the health department as far as what emergency management will do, he said. We will assist them with whatever they need, whether we have to go help them deliver stuff, if somebody is confirmed or isolated.

"We have been in close contact with [Elliott], we are going to continue to do it, the information she is talking about on her social media page, we are pushing out on the SFC Emergency Management page to focus as well.

As far as the communications side, effective yesterday, our mass notification signup is up and live. I have it on our website page on the emergency management tab. [when you sign up] you are not only in the system not only for weather warnings but you can opt in for whatever watches and warnings you want to receive. We will also have that database in the event that we need to send out a mass notification to folks here in St. Francois County.

For more information, the St. Francois County web site: sfcgov.org or contact St. Francois County Health Center: 573-431-1947 or http://sfchc.org.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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The numbers of locally transmitted confirmed and suspected cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the Chinese mainland have been continuously falling for nearly a week, a government spokesperson said Saturday.





"China has further consolidated the positive trend in its epidemic situation through arduous efforts," said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission at a press conference.





About 72.9 percent of the COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province and also the epicenter of the outbreak, have been discharged from hospitals after recovery, Mi said.





The rates were 92.7 percent in Hubei Province excluding Wuhan, and 97.3 percent on the Chinese mainland excluding Hubei, respectively, according to Mi, noting that the recovery rate has been on the rise over the past week.





Mi said the vast majority of counties across China are at low risk of coronavirus spread based on real-time surveillance of the epidemic.





The Chinese mainland reported 11 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection on Friday, according to the daily report of the commission.




The company logo for Boeing is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York on March 11, 2019. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Boeing Shares Plummet as Travel Restrictions Hit Airlines

CHICAGO/SEATTLEShares in Boeing Co (BA.N) fell sharply for a second day on Thursday as sweeping U.S. travel restrictions on Europe, meant to curb the spreading coronavirus, heightened jitters about the companys growing cash burn.

The 30-day travel restrictions, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, are expected to deepen financial misery for airlines, which are likely to defer or cancel jet deliveries, Boeings main source of cash.

Airlines are in cash preservation mode, Cowen analyst Helane Becker said.

But Boeing is fighting to preserve cash by freezing hiring and cutting expenses as the coronavirus outbreak compounds fallout from a year-old grounding of its 737 MAX following fatal crashes.

The year-old grounding of the 737 MAX has wiped billions off the companys value and sparked hundreds of lawsuits from bereaved families.

J.P. Morgan cut its long-term overweight rating on the planemakers stock, which has lost more than half its value from a year ago while saying a dividend cut is possible.

With Boeing likely to burn > $5bn of cash this year and a less certain path to recovery, given the damage that COVID-19 will do to operators, we think a dividend cut is on the table, J.P.Morgan said in a client note.

Boeing shares were down more than 14 percent to $161.7 in the afternoon.

Boeing was leaking around $1 billion monthly last year as a result of the MAX grounding. News this week that Boeing plans to draw down the rest of a $13.8 billion loan from February raises the prospect it will have to tap markets for cash, though analysts questioned the terms they would get.

Moodys said on Thursday Boeings expected full use of the loan during 2020 would not affect a downgrade review of the company.

Factors other than an immediate cash need are the likely impetus for the draw at this time, Moodys said.

Boeing had a cash balance of $9.5 billion as of end-2019, the latest available figures, and $7.6 billion at end-2018.

We do not believe Boeing is facing a liquidity crisis, Canaccord Genuity analyst Ken Herbert told clients.

Boeings total debt nearly doubled to $27.3 billion in 2019, as it compensated airlines and grappled with additional production costs for the 737 MAX even as the grounding prevented it from delivering the aircraft to buyers.

Airlines are now demanding to defer deliveries and down payments for new jets, while some 400 737 MAX jetliners remain in storage around the United States and Boeing is compensating airlines for 737 MAX delays.

Spirit AeroSystems (SPR.N) plans to resume production of the 737 fuselage in March and Boeing is buying engines from CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric (GE.N) and Frances Safran (SAF.PA).

Its principal source of cash on the commercial airplanes side is the 787 Dreamliner, but weaker sales underscore weaknesses in the widebody market, industry sources say.

By Tracy Rucinski
The government is doing everything possible to contain COVID-19, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said when legislators sought to corner the administration over the spread of the virus, especially after Karnataka had Indias first death due to the pandemic.

Legislators from Kalaburagi, where the death was reported, accused the government of lapses in the manner in which the case was dealt with, which Yediyurappa and Health Minister B Sreeramulu rejected.

Clearly, theres failure on the part of officials, Chittapur MLA Priyank Kharge said, raising the death of an elderly man during Zero Hour. Between the time his sample was taken and it was tested positive, he went to 6-7 hospitals and came in contact with hundreds of people.

According to Kharge, the district health officials should have convinced the elderly man from leaving Kalaburagi after Covid-19 symptoms were seen. In less than 24 hours, he was asked to go to 5 hospitals, he said. At the mortuary in GIMS, no precaution was taken and people were free to enter. On March 11, when the dead body was handed over and during transportation, no precaution was taken, he added.

Gulbarga Uttar MLA Kaneez Fatima, Gulbarga Dakshin MLA Dattatreya Patil Revoor, Sedam MLA Rajkumar Patil among others expressed concern over the spread of Covid-19.

Till his death, we didnt know that it was Covid-19, Yediyurappa said. The flight this person took (to return from Saudi Arabia), were identifying those who travelled with him. The Centre is taking all precautions. Were also checking his family and friends, he said.

In his reply, Sreeramulu said the man in question was isolated after Covid-19 symptoms were seen. But I dont know on whose advice he went to Hyderabad, he said. Two of his family members are also suspects of Covid-19. Their swabs have been taken for testing. In total, 25 people are in isolation. All precautionary measures have been taken, the minister said.

Ten beds have been reserved for Covid-19 cases in every government and private hospital, Sreeramulu said. He also warned pharmacies that their licences would be cancelled if found overcharging while selling gloves.
Lack of understanding about working even leads to break-ups and divorce. (Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash)

A lack of understanding from friends and family about peoples chosen careers can lead to loneliness, frustration and in some cases, divorce, with three quarters of Brits saying their spouse couldnt even explain their job.

They say a problem shared is a problem halved, but a survey of 2,000 UK workers by CWJobs suggests Brits are dealing with their problems in isolation and are unable to communicate fully with our nearest and dearest. Over 59% of office workers dread explaining their job to friends and family, rising to 74% among millennial workers.

The issue is at its worst in the tech industry where 76% of these people dread the discussion of work with their social circle.

Three-quarters of UK workers claim their spouse could not explain their job to another person. In fact, couples are more likely to know the PIN to their partners phone (40%) or their favourite band (38%), than understand what they do for a living (30%).

READ MORE: The 20 best places to work in Britain

Mental health implications

The impact of this lack of understanding is not superficial, it can impact mental health, the ability to deal with issues at work and your relationships. People clearly want to speak to loved-ones about their work as 91% say they regularly speak to their spouses, and 64% speak to their friends and family  but the interaction is not always beneficial.

Two in five workers said their friends and family switch off when they speak about their job, leaving people frustrated (23%), annoyed (22%) and lonely (17%). The upset created by this disengagement is felt most in tech and IT (56%), property (49%), engineering and financial services (45% respectively).

A third (31%) of UK employees resent the fact that their friends and family think the money they make is more important than their actual career and 1.4 million Brits even said discussing work had led to their relationship to end in breakup or divorce.

READ MORE: Brits on the brink of burnout  and work is the main reason

Story continues

This is worrying when you consider the benefits people gain from being able to open up at work. Of those who did feel able to talk about work freely and openly, 32% benefitted from a fresh perspective, 30% said it had helped resolve an issue at work and a further quarter said it helps maintain good mental health.

In more performance-related news, 29% said that ongoing support at home had helped them secure a new job, a pay rise or negotiate a promotion.

Tech workers

The most misunderstood industry is IT and tech, where workers report the most negative impact from friends not understanding what they do due to the complexity of their roles. A further 50% feel stereotyped by their job; the most common assumption being that their office is full of nerds  just like the IT Crowd.

Dr Julia Yates, professor of psychology at City, University of London, said: Communicating about our work with our loved ones is valuable for our relationships and for our mental health. But as our roles become more and more specialised, it can prove frustrating as our friends and family dont readily understand the ins and outs of our jobs, and sometimes dont seem all that interested.

The CWJobs research has uncovered some of the specific challenges that we all face, offering some important insights for those striving for better communication.

READ MORE: How to fall in love with work again in 2020

Dominic Harvey, commercial director at CWJobs, said: Work-life balance is something we all strive for. When we get home, we often take the days stress with us, and as reported above, a problem shared is often a problem halved.

This is why weve researched the phenomenon of misunderstood jobs to create awareness and look to support those frustrated at home by their jobs. Communicating about your daily work stresses with your family and friends can make you feel heard and alleviate feelings of stress or isolation.
Iffath Fathima By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: The state governments order declaring study holidays for seventh to ninth-grade students and asking them to take their exams at a later date (as slotted by their respective schools), has spread panic among parents, who have termed the decision biased.

The parents questioned Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumars decision on Thursday to declare holidays only for first to sixth standard students, saying seventh to ninth grade students too are equally susceptible to coronavirus.

Ritu Sama, a parent and resident of Marathahalli, said, My daughter is in seventh grade at a school in Whitefield and her exams are on. She has been going and writing the exams. From the time she leaves home for her exams and comes back, we are all panicking and praying for her safety. She also can be affected by Covid-19. I dont know on why the government decided to close schools only till sixth standard. It should have been extended till ninth.

Another parent Praveen Kumar from Whitefield said, My child is in eighth grade and she does not have to write the exams as they are not boards. The authorities could have postponed the exams or conducted them online. As all children sit together in a hall and write exams, there are chances of the virus spreading. The government specifies that the place should be sanitised. But it is impractical to sanitise all the surfaces that children touch when they go to school. They should announce holidays. It is scary for a parent and risky for a child.

Sagarika G, a sibling of a student and a resident of Frazer Town, said, It is stupid of the government to take this decision. My sister is in her eight grade. Why was it so important to continue with the exams during such a crisis? Students travel in buses and they are together most of the time, which is scary. We cannot even stop them from going for exams, as they are mandatory.Some parents tweeted tagging Chief Minister Yediyurappa, asking him to cancel classes and not wait till the situation turns like in Italy, where the virus has affected hundreds.
Statewide list of sites: How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down

SAGINAW, MI  As schools throughout mid-Michigan and across the state prepare to close until at least April 5 in an effort to prevent or at least slow the spread of coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, area nonprofit agencies are searching for ways to feed at-risk children whose only meals may come from their school cafeterias.

Saginaw Public Schools, meanwhile, plans to distribute food to students 18 and younger at 8 distribution sites and on school bus routes in Saginaw, the district announced late Friday.

Hidden Harvest staff and volunteers on Friday, March 13, were busy collecting milk and fresh produce from schools that would otherwise go to waste, said President and CEO Samantha McKenzie, and its partner agencies are working to find ways to distribute that food to children and families in need.

Right now we are in food rescue-mode, so were picking up from the area schools that are giving us a call to make sure the food they have isnt wasted, McKenzie said Friday, noting that schools in Bangor Township, Saginaw Township, the city of Saginaw and Hemlock had already called offering donations. Each of our agencies are really working to do what they can to make sure people are still getting food but respond appropriately with some good common sense.

All Michigan schools to close as coronavirus spreads, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announces

McKenzie said for some children, school meals are the only meals they can count on.

We hear that statement the most from our school lunch ladies. They say they know the kids that come in on Monday and really need that breakfast that theyre preparing, she said.

Other community leaders are working to find solutions, too.

First Ward Community Center officials are devising a plan to deliver food to all students in its after-school program. Theyre also teaming up with Jimmy Greene, CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors, who, with help from other business and community leaders, raised $10,000 to buy McDonalds gift cards for students throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Michelle McGregor, director of First Ward Community Services, is currently in talks with school districts and developing a plan to help them feed kids.

On a daily we serve 65 kids for the after-school program," McGregor said. If the kids have food, then I know the need is being met.

Greene plans to deliver the McDonalds gift cards to First Ward on Monday, March 16, the first day all Michigan schools must close, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

People dont realize, three weeks in the house. So I thought a Happy Meal can put a smile on their face," he said.

First Ward will help deliver the gift cards in Saginaw County and will provide bag lunches for others in the community daily.

Audra Davis, president and CEO of United Way of Saginaw County, said the organization is in the process of reaching out to partners and the Saginaw County Intermediate School District, assessing community needs, and developing plans for action. She said United Way is prepared to assist in any way it can.

We want to know how we can help support their (schools) initiatives. We know many children are receiving breakfast and lunches at schools and that may be the only food they receive throughout the day, particularly reliable and healthy meals," she said.

The United Way will continue to offer its Project HOME assistance services to help people who may be facing eviction due to lack of income maintain housing, Davis said. The organization is also planning a food box distribution to take place in April as long as it can procure the food donations necessary.

We are encouraging, encouraging, encouraging our families in the community to utilize our 211 service for referrals to agencies, food pantries and support services that are still operational in our community, she said. They literally just have to dial the numbers 2-1-1. Its free, it costs them nothing. From diapers to food pantries to clothing to housing assistance to bill assistance, all of those things can be accomplished through that number.

On Friday afternoon, Saginaw ISD Superintendent Kathy Stewart said online meetings are taking place right now with the state and we are working together to come up with a plan," and by Friday evening school officials had shared a detailed plan on Facebook.

The plan, detailed in the Facebook post below, provides meals for students ages 18 and younger Monday through Sunday at eight distribution sites in Saginaw and in Saginaw neighborhoods via school bus routes.

And Great Lakes Dream Center, a church located at 700 Lafayette Ave. in Bay City, plans to offer free sack lunches to kids with drive-thru pick up at noon on Wednesdays for three weeks while schools are closed.

Whitmer announced Thursday evening, March 12, that all K-12 school buildings will close Monday through Sunday, April 5, as a precautionary measure. Schools will re-open April 6, though Whitmer said that may be adjusted or extended.

"This is a necessary step to protect our kids, our families, and our overall public health, Whitmer said Thursday.

Read more on MLive:

See mid-Michigan school closings for Friday, March 13

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans gatherings of more than 250 people as coronavirus spreads

Facing gas or electric shutoff? Find help through these local organizations

Church groups in Michigan issue coronavirus guidance, some urge suspending in-person worship

Michigan governor asks Trump to open special Obamacare enrollment period during coronavirus threat

Heres a list of specific recommendations from state health officials
The Spanish government is to put the country under lockdown as part of its state of emergency measures meant to combat coronavirus.

According to a draft decree, Spaniards will be ordered to stay at home except to buy food or drugs, go to the hospital, go to work or other emergencies.

El Mundo reports Spain's interior ministry will control all police forces, including local and regional ones, as part of the state of emergency.

The government said the cabinet meeting that is due to decide on the measures was still ongoing. A news conference is expected around 2pm.

The development came as flights destined for Spain from the UK were forced to turn back mid-air on Saturday due to the health crisis.

Though Jet2 made the announcement it was cancelling all flights before Spain implemented the nationwide measure, the decision was made in light of a sharp rise in infections there and the declaration earlier this week of a state of emergency.

Health authorities in Spain said on Saturday coronavirus infections have reached 5,753 people, half of them in the capital, Madrid. That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours.

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez acknowledged on Friday that the number of infections could reach 10,000 in the coming days.

Spain has followed Italy's path in implementing a similar lockdown after both European countries failed to contain the virus in regional hotspots.

Italy extended the strict restriction on movement from the north to the entire country on 9 March when it registered over 9,000 infections. It then went further on 11 March and closed all retail outlets except some supermarkets and pharmacies.

Already in Spain, residents in Madrid and northeast Catalonia awoke Saturday to shuttered bars and restaurants and other non-essential commercial outlets as ordered by regional authorities the day before.

Spain's decision came as other European countries took ever more severe, though widely varying, measures to reduce contact between their citizens and slow the pandemic. China  where the virus first emerged late last year  continued to ease up lockdown measures in its hardest-hit region.

Denmark closed its borders and halted passenger traffic to and from the country, a measure that was due to last through April 13. Travelers were to be turned away at the border if they are unable to show that they have "a legitimate reason" to enter, for example they are Danish citizens or residents.

Poland was closing its borders starting at midnight and denying all foreigners entry unless they lived in Poland or had personal ties there. Non-citizens allowed in will be quarantined for 14 days. The Czech Republic and Slovakia took similar action.

Russia said its land borders with Norway and Poland will be closed to most foreigners beginning Sunday.

On the other side of the globe, New Zealand announced that all incoming passengers, including New Zealand citizens, will be required to isolate themselves for 14 days, with few exceptions. Philippine officials announced a night curfew in the capital and said millions of people in the densely populated region should only go out of their homes during the daytime for work or urgent errands.

The number of new cases has dwindled in China, but the virus has in recent weeks spread exponentially in the Middle East, Europe and North America, leading Donald Trump to declare a state of emergency for the US on Friday. By Saturday, more than 145,000 infections and over 5,400 deaths had been confirmed worldwide.

Europe has now become the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic, with countries imposing a cascade of restrictions in efforts to prevent their health systems collapsing under the load of cases. Schools, bars and shops not selling essential goods are among the facilities being closed in many places.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

Additional reporting by agencies
Toronto

Canada shut down Parliament and advised against all nonessential travel outside the country Friday while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau governed remotely from his home, in self-imposed quarantine after his wife tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, also advised more social distancing, no handshakes and kisses, while the Canadian government advised canceling large events like concerts and Transport Minister Marc Garneau said cruise ships with more than 500 people will not be able to dock in Canada until July 1.

Overseas flights returning to Canada will also be restricted to a small number of airports.

Canada's House of Commons voted to shut down for at least five weeks to help ensure lawmakers do not contribute to the spread of the virus.

The moves came a day after Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive. The prime minister has been in self-imposed quarantine.

All parties in Parliament agreed to the suspension, which means lawmakers will miss two weeks of sessions since they had previously planned to be away next week and two weeks in April. The House is scheduled to next meet on April 20.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Part of the deal for closing Parliament for five weeks was ratifying the new replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement. Rodriguez said lawmakers have passed legislation to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and the Senate was expected to follow suit late Friday.

The suspension of the House of Commons means the federal budget won't be presented March 30.

Trudeau said significant stimulus will be announced soon. He said, "Nobody should have to worry about paying rent, buying groceries."
INTERVIEW: VOICEMAIL (Jamaica), TrixStar (Persian/German), Saturday, March 14, 2020. You can still donate for CKCUFM's funding drive at ckcufm.com!, ( www.ckcufm.com ), 3:00-5:30 pm EST, Canada's longest running Reggae radio program (since 1976). The recorded on-demand program will be available at the following link by 6:00 pm EST (same day)..... https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/132/47417.html
Colombia expelled two French nationals and two Spaniards for violating coronavirus quarantine rules, immigration officials have said.

The two couples separately took tourist trips in defiance of restrictions imposed on visitors from the worst-affected countries to try to limit the pandemic.

Colombia's President Ivan Duque on Wednesday ordered travelers from France, Spain, Italy and China to be isolated on arrival in the country. Immigration authorities said the couples had been expected to remain in isolation in their hotels for 14 days.

The French couple in their 60s, who arrived in the country on March 11, instead left their accommodation to take a tour to Mongui, about 150 miles away.

The Spanish couple, aged 30 and 27, landed in Bogota on a flight from Madrid on March 12 but quickly left their hotel to tour the capital.

The Colombian immigration authority did not say if any of the four were suspected of carrying the coronavirus.

It said in a statement on Saturday they were taken to Bogota's El Dorado International Airport and told to leave the country "immediately".

Colombia, which has 22 suspected cases of the coronavirus by Saturday, expelled a Spanish woman the day before for the same reason.

On Friday, Colombia extended the restriction to foreigners arriving from across Europe and Asia, the main sources of the pandemic. Colombians arriving back in the country have to self-isolate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More stringent measures are proposed by the Congressional-Executive Commission, whose bipartisan congressional leadership introduced legislation Wednesday that would prohibit the import of all goods produced or manufactured in Xinjiang except for those certified by U.S. customs as not tainted by forced labor. Importers would have to present customs officials with clear and convincing evidence that their supply chains were clean, a high standard. And the State Department would be required to report on products made with forced labor in Xinjiang as well as businesses that sold them in the United States.
Pakistan has said it will participate in a video conference of Saarc countries as it acknowledged the need for coordinated efforts at global and regional level, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the bloc could work together to counter the threat of coronavirus.

The Prime Minister had reached out to the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to chalk out a strong strategy to combat coronavirus outbreak and called for a discussion through video conferencing by the groupings leadership.

The spokesperson for Pakistans foreign affairs ministry responded early on Friday with a tweet and said Prime Minister Imran Khans special assistant for health had been deputed to participate in the proposed video conference.

The threat of COVID-19 requires coordinated efforts at global and regional level. We have communicated that SAPM (special assistant to Prime Minister) on Health will be available to participate in video conference of SAARC member countries on the issue, the tweet read.

The threat of #COVID-19 requires coordinated efforts at global and regional level. We have communicated that SAPM on Health will be available to participate in the video conference of #SAARC member countries on the issue.  Spokesperson  MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) March 13, 2020

The spokesperson had earlier said Pakistan was ready to extend assistance to its neighbours.

Modi had on Twitter urged Indias neighbours to join hands to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 5000 lives worldwide and infected more than 130,000 people.

Also read: India fights coronavirus on war footing as it records second death

I would like to propose that the leadership of SAARC nations chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus. We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy. Together, we can set an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet, he tweeted.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lankathe other Saarc membershad responded quickly to Prime Minister Modis call.

India has so far recorded two deaths and more than 80 infections, including 17 foreigners.

Pakistan has reported 21 cases and Afghanistan has so far reported seven positive cases and 60 suspected cases.

There is one case each in Bhutan and Nepal, two in Sri Lanka, three in Bangladesh, and eight in the Maldives.

Officials of the external affairs, home and health ministries on Friday briefed representatives of more than 130 countries and international organisations on Indias steps to counter COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and said it was deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity (of the virus) and by the alarming levels of inaction.




MORE than 30 000 members of the Church of Christ Latter Day Saints in Zimbabwe will today have an unusual Sunday of spending the day at home as their parent church called off services worldwide amid growing concerns over the coronavirus.





Although no case of the disease has been reported in Zimbabwe, church leaders in the country said they were following instructions from church leaders in Utah, United States of America who have suspended all worship globally following the spread of the coronavirus across many countries.





Beginning immediately, all public gatherings of church members are being temporarily suspended worldwide until further notice. This includes conferences, leadership conferences and other large gatherings, all public worship services, including sacrament meetings, branch, ward and stake activities. Where possible, leaders should conduct any essential leadership meetings via technology. Specific questions may be referred to local priesthood leaders. Further direction related to other matters will be provided, the church said last week.





The president of the Bulawayo Church of Christ Latter Day Saints, Mr Ngqabutho Moyo, said they were suspending services in the country following the instruction from their headquarters, although no cases of the disease have been reported in the country.





Although there are no cases of Covid-19 recorded yet in Zimbabwe, we took this (instruction) as a revelation for the benefit of everyone since we are a global organisation which runs on revelation, he said.





Mr Moyo said the church has more than 16 million members worldwide while in Zimbabwe they have at least 30 000 congregants and 18 branches in the Matabeleland region. The move by the church comes a few weeks before the country joins the rest of the world to mark the Easter holiday. The Easter holiday is key among Christians and churches as they hold mass gatherings to mark and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.





In Zimbabwe one of the biggest church gatherings involve the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) who gather at Mbungo in Bikita District where an average of 40 000 church members usually meet during the Easter celebrations. However, ZCC Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi said at the moment there had been no changes to the proposed gathering.





Our calendar of events has not changed so far. If there could be any changes we will notify everyone through the media, he said.





Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president Bishop Johannes Ndanga said churches who will hold mass gatherings during Easter holidays should start registering with the Ministry of Health and Child Care notifying them of their events, in case of an outbreak of the diseases.





As much as we consider Covid-19 a health threat, the virus cannot be a barrier to church tradition. Now that we are heading for Easter holidays, I figure it is wise that the Ministry of Health and Child Care deploys its health workers to such gatherings in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus because we cannot postpone such gatherings as it is a Bible mandate. I encourage fellow Christians countrywide to take this wise move and liaise with the ministry and inform them on upcoming events so that they can be tested and get advice on precautionary measures, he said.





The latest developments come as citizens continue to be wary of the coronavirus following reports that the disease was spreading in neighbouring countries. Yesterday Namibian Health Minister Kalumbi Shangul announced that two cases of coronavirus have been reported in the country. He said a couple from Spain who arrived in the country on Wednesday tested positive and has been quarantined.





In Eswatini, the Health Ministry also reported its first case of the virus after a 33-year-old woman, who returned from the United States at the end of last month and then travelled to Lesotho before returning home to Eswatini tested positive and has been put in isolation. Yesterday, the number of confirmed cases in South Africa had risen to 38 and the majority of the people who tested positive to the virus had travelled to European countries. The world is grappling with the effects of the virus and by yesterday reported cases had reached 149 552 resulting in 5 604 deaths while 73 716 had recovered, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).




ANN ARBOR, MI  A local muralist is expected to leave the country voluntarily after a bond hearing before an immigration judge didnt go his way Friday afternoon, March 13.

Alejandro did not get his bond. Its very sad, Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights co-founder Laura Sanders said Friday after the hearing in Detroit.

Alejandro Chinchilla, 36, is an Ann Arbor artist, youth advocate and beloved community member, Sanders said, noting he has been active with WICIR over the years and led a youth group that created a mural in Ypsilanti five years ago.

Hes been in the leadership circle of WICIR at different times, so hes very special to us, she said.

Chinchilla was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently after 19 years of service to our community, Sanders said.

Sanders led a small rally to support the undocumented immigrant outside the court Friday.

Four demonstrators carried signs featuring Chinchillas artwork and messages such as We love you Alejandro and Stop cruel immigration enforcement. Bond out our beloved Alejandro.

Faces of the deported: A look at lives torn apart amid immigration crackdown

Chinchilla is a Costa Rican national who was arrested Feb. 25 for being illegally present in the U.S., according to ICE.

Chinchilla, who legally entered the U.S. in 2001, significantly violated the terms of his admission and overstayed his temporary visitor status by nearly 20 years and is subject to removal proceedings, ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said in a statement Friday, indicating Chinchilla would remain in custody pending the outcome of his deportation case.

Due to coronavirus concerns, Sanders said, supporters werent allowed inside for Fridays hearing, but they talked with Chinchillas attorney afterward and learned the judge denied bond because it was determined Chinchilla did not have a valid reason to be in the U.S.

A day in Michigans only immigration court, where 3 judges decide the fate of thousands

Chinchilla now has agreed to voluntarily departure from the country, Sanders said, adding he doesnt have much choice. He has been given 15 days to arrange for a one-way plane ticket to Costa Rica while remaining detained, Sanders said.

Voluntary departure, in which an immigrant agrees to leave the U.S. using their own money, is an option to some facing deportation and, from a legal standpoint, its viewed as a better option than a deportation order if the immigrant hopes to someday return to the U.S. legally.

Jonathan Contreras, Chinchillas attorney, could not be reached for comment.

We did everything that we could to try to help, Sanders said, adding that, even though Chinchilla lost his case, he has been celebrated and supported.

Sanders said she thinks there would have been a larger rally outside the court Friday if not for the coronavirus outbreak.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Ann Arbor city hall closing to public due to coronavirus outbreak

Ann Arbor agencies aim to continue food-security programs amid coronavirus outbreak

Ann Arbor YMCA temporarily closing due to contact from person with confirmed coronavirus

Another coronavirus patient in Washtenaw County isolated at home, officials say
As the Coronavirus pandemic sees the global reported infections now clock the 150006 mark and counting, India now has 87 reported confirmed cases. According to the Ministry of Health And Family Welfare, Kerala has 19 reported cases followed by Maharashtra with 14 cases, Uttar Pradesh with 11 and Delhi with 7 being the worst hit. The Kerala government has launched a new mobile app that will help share updated about Coronavirus, or COVID-19, around the state. The App is called GoK  Kerala Direct if you search on the Google Play Store for Android phones and is powered by Qkopy online services, a startup that offers communication and information broadcasting platforms. You can download the app from here.

The authentic information regarding COVID-19 and the virus outbreak can be obtained through this app. Within a day of the launch of this service, the State Government was able to disseminate authentic updates and instructions to over 2 lakh people instantly, says Qkopy in a statement shared with News18. The app will focus on general announcements, information and updated guidelines for travellers, details about the quarantine protocol and also health and safety tips for visitors to the state.

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Qkopy says that the GoK  Kerala Direct is now trending among the top 10 apps on the Google Play Store. The app will offer information in multiple Indian languages, including English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali.

Globally, China continues to have the maximum reported cases80,824 in Mainland China, 140 in Hong Kong and 10 in Macau. The Coronavirus is spreading fast in Italy which now has 17,660 reported cases, Iran which has 12,729 cases and South Korea which has 8,086 cases. Spain is now reporting 6,023 cases while Germany (4,174), France (3,672), US (2,448), Switzerland (1,359) and UK (1,143) are the other worst hit countries. The Coronavirus spread has now covered 110 countries.
When Cote dIvoires President Alassane Ouattara announced on Mar. 5 he would not stand for a third term in presidential elections scheduled for Oct. 31, many Ivorians and democracy watchers around Africa breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Ouattaras mixed messages on whether he would seek re-election or not had created substantial uncertainty. In the months prior to his declaration, Ouattara repeatedly suggested the 2016 constitution allowed him to run again, a view disputed by the opposition and large sections of the countrys population.

On Friday (Mar. 13), the ruling Rassemblement des Houphouetistes Pour la Democratie et la Paix (RHDP) announced it would field prime minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, an Ouattara acolyte, as its candidate instead.

The ruling Rassemblement des Houphouetistes Pour la Democratie et la Paix (RHDP) is now widely expected to field prime minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, an Ouattara acolyte, as its candidate.

But Ouattaras withdrawal, if it is indeed a withdrawal, does not eliminate the uncertainty. The likely presidential bids of civil-war era heavyweights threaten a return of a destructive winner-takes-all mentality in politics the country thought it had overcome.

L-R: Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara; former president Henri Konan Bedie, president Laurent Gbagbo (2000-2011); presidential candidate Guillaume Soro

In his nearly ten years in office, Ouattara has overseen a remarkable political and economic turnaround. The former IMF economist came to power following a violent electoral crisis in 2010-11 that prompted France to intervene on his behalf. Ouattara inherited a country deeply divided by two civil wars over questions of national identityin both of which he played a central role.

The extradition of Ouattaras predecessor and civil war opponent Laurent Gbagbo to the International Criminal Court in 2011 paved the way for peace. Presidential elections in 2015, which saw Ouattara win re-election in a landslide, were widely deemed free and fair.

Story continues

As stability returned, so did investors. Thanks to prudent economic policy and large-scale infrastructure investment, Cote dIvoires GDP growth rate has averaged nearly 8% since 2012. In 2017, it was Africas fastest-growing economy. For 2020, the IMF forecasts 7.3% growth.

These democratic and economic gains are now at risk. Over the past one and a half years, the broad-based alliance that has underpinned Cote dIvoires political stabilisation has begun to fracture.

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly

In February 2019, Guillaume Soro, a former leader of the pro-Ouattara New Forces rebel group, resigned as president of the parliament, after refusing to support the RHDP blocs merger into a unified party under Ouattaras leadership. Months earlier, ex-president Henri Konan Bedie, a one-time rival of Ouattaras who later became his close ally, walked out of the coalition.

Soro has officially declared his intention to challenge the RHDP in October. Bedie is expected to follow suit. Although neither candidate is likely to muster an outright majority, both have significant followings.

In December, government authorities issued an arrest warrant against Soro over charges of fraud and plotting an attempt against the state authority. Soro claims the allegations are politically motivated. The timing of the warrant, which has prevented Soro from returning to Cote dIvoire after a six-month absence, suggests the RHDP takes Soros challenge seriously. When word spread that his flight had to be diverted because of the warrant, pro-Soro protests erupted in Abidjan.

Laurent Gbagbos potential return further complicates the situation. In January 2019, the ICC cleared Gbagbo of all charges. He currently remains in Belgium pending an appeal against his acquittal but has made no secret of his political ambitions.

It is entirely unclear whether Gbagbo will be able to return to Cote dIvoire for the election and whether his party, the Front Populaire Ivorien, would pick him as its contestant. But a meeting with Bedie in Brussels last July has fuelled speculation of a pact that could see Gbagbo back Bedies presidential bid in return for another political office should their ticket win. An alliance of the former heavyweights would be certain to shake up the election and could pose a serious challenge to Coulibalyprovided the government does not sabotage their plans.

Although the risk of new armed conflict is low, a series of mutinies by former rebel soldiers in 2017 and pockets of violence during the 2018 local polls highlight a residual potential for instability. As candidates seek to strengthen their position ahead of Octobers vote, there is a risk they could resuscitate inflammatory rhetoric and sow distrust in the countrys electoral authorities. A disputed election could deal a severe blow to Cote dIvoires political and economic progress.

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw has a laugh that feels like winning. It breaks out of her like an egg thrown against a wall  big and cackling, with the sort of unbound joy that has you desperate to make it happen again. But when shes not laughing, she has the composed reserve of a politician. Or a beauty queen.

Thats her latest role  as Jennifer Hosten, aka Miss Grenada, in Misbehaviour. The Phillipa Lowthorpe-directed drama follows the 1970 Miss World competition, which had its rampant objectification of women disrupted when feminists invaded the stage, throwing flour bags at sleazy host Bob Hope and chanting, were not beautiful, were not ugly, were angry. A long fight saw the Womens Liberation movement screaming, struggling and spitting their way in and out of police cells, until feminism was solidified into a more mainstream movement.

The film is the reason we are sat together in a London hotel room. Coronavirus means the Oxfordshire-born star of Belle (2013) and Black Mirror (2016) is not doing handshakes, so we wave at each other from the three-foot gulf between two ornately patterned sofas. She drapes herself over hers like a Dali clock, her legs curled to the side in front of a half-eaten plate of blackberries, her skin so glowy I imagine Glossier is trying to bottle up her magic formula as we speak.

I always used to think of feminism as something that happened in the past, she says. But with whats been going on in the last few years, you see how much still has to change. The 34-year-old has been a part of #TimesUp since its inception, was sent by the UN on missions to meet refugees, and has been a vocal critic of the whitewashing of the film industry. I am a feminist, she continues. I just didnt really know I was.

Mbatha-Raw is no stranger to activism, but working on the film, she says, made me appreciate how difficult it would have been to get the medias attention pre the internet. Banners, slogans, and graffiti is one way, but actually hijacking a live TV programme  the most-watched TV programme in the world... I mean, it was such a big deal. It was so bold what those women did, so brave. Their hearts must have been racing. I mean, just to really go through with it.

Where does she stand on beauty pageants? I hadnt given them much thought before, she admits. I would dismiss them as vacuous or superficial. But during filming, she went to Grenada to meet the real Jennifer Hosten for breakfast. Speaking to her, I was able to better understand her motivations, that depending on your background, for some women, it was a stepping stone to greater things. They got on so well that Hosten sent her the gold embroidered crochet dress that she wore during the actual Miss World competition.

Portraying beauty queen Jennifer Hosten in Misbehaviour (Fox)

Given their blatant lack of recognition for women directors, or non-white actors, will she be throwing flour bags at the next Oscars? In award ceremonies, increasingly, actors are using their platforms to raise issues, she explains, her voice veering into the sort of democratic head girl tone that gives you the sense that shed rather not offend anyone. There was Joaquin Phoenixs Oscar speech. I think its important when you get a platform to use it for something you care about.

Given that the film industry is so dominated by male directors, Mbatha-Raw has managed to work with a lot of women. Her career choices read like a sentient version of Natalie Portmans female director-emblazoned Dior cape. Is this a concerted effort or do women just offer her more interesting roles?

Its selfishness really, she sighs, sliding so far off the sofa cushion that if she wasnt so elegant, I would worry she might slip onto the floor. As an actor, I want to play nuanced, three-dimensional characters, so I tend to gravitate towards people who offer me that. I havent exclusively sought out women but I actually have found that the work is often very satisfying. Hopefully, working with female directors will become so normal that they wont be female directors, they will just be directors.

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Mbatha-Raws latest role sees her exploring the 1970s Miss World debacle (Fox)

In the case of Misbehaviour, having a woman directing feels particularly pertinent, given how many scenes could have come across as seedy in the wrong hands. At one point, the contestants are instructed to turn around so that the judges can rate their behinds out of ten. Though she didnt relish having to squeeze into a white swimming costume, Mbatha-Raw says she knew that the scene was coming from the womens point of view so it wasnt going to be objectifying.

A woman, Mimi Leder, directed the pivotal final episode of The Morning Show, too. Mbatha-Raw played junior talent booker Hannah in the Golden Globe-nominated TV drama. While initially, Hannah seems hostile to the sexual assault accusations levelled against her boss, the fictional news anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell), as the series progresses, it becomes clear she too suffered under his hands.

In a particularly harrowing scene, the audience is shown a flashback to Hannahs sexual assault, wherein her violator misinterprets her silence as willingness. Its a jarring rebuttal to those who often ask, Why didnt you fight back? Why didnt you run away? As the series shows, theres often no you at that point. Victims become completely disassociated from their bodies.

The actor as Laura Rose in Motherless Brooklyn (Warner Bros) (Warner Bros.)

Since the series aired, a number of survivors have messaged Mbatha-Raw to say that the storyline has given them a new perspective on their experience. One wrote to her: Thank you for bringing this story to life and helping our society understand ... how varied womens experiences with rape and assault can be. Youve helped me immensely in my healing process.

In an interview earlier this year, Mbatha-Raw said she thought Harvey Weinstein should watch The Morning Show. What does she think he would learn if he did? Oh gosh. She bites her matte red lip. Then she decides its not worth keeping it bitten. Maybe he would learn to have a bit more perspective and empathy and compassion for the women in those situations. A bit more understanding of the power that he was wielding.

Thats all she has to say about that, so the conversation returns to Misbehaviour, and a storyline that was close to the bone. Though she plays Miss Grenada, her character befriends South Africas black contestant Pearl Jansen. Mbatha-Raws father was born in South Africa but fled during the apartheid to escape racial persecution. I was amazed to discover that South Africa actually sent two contestants to the Miss World competition, she says. They sent a white Miss South Africa and a black Miss Africa South  as an afterthought, basically, just to appease the protesters. When you think about it, it sounds so absurd.

As Dido Belle, illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Mansfield who rallied behind the work of slave abolitionists (Fox)

A few years ago, Mbatha-Raw was able to visit South Africa for the first time. During her trip, she climbed Table Mountain, gazed out of the window of the blue train as it juddered past Cape Kuru, and met friends and family shed never gotten to speak to before. Because of the way I was bringing two halves of the family together, they called me The Unifier, she laughs. The trip was amazing.

I ask her what she likes to do in her spare time and she seems aghast that anyone would care. Baths? I drink a lot of tea? I guess I go to dinner with friends?

You wouldnt think it from her rather bemused responses to questions about her personal life, but ever since she graduated from Rada (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts), Mbatha-Raw has been creeping towards invited-to-the-Kardashians-latest-baby-shower levels of fame. Shes had lunch at Oprahs house, won an MBE and is about to be in Marvels Loki alongside Tom Hiddleston.

Much of her work thus far has taken the form of big-hearted morality tales. In her breakout role, she played Dido Belle, the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Mansfield who rallied behind the work of slave abolitionists. In Edward Nortons Motherless Brooklyn (2019), she played Laura Rose, a lawyer and community activist campaigning against racial discrimination. And next year, she will play pioneering nurse Mary Seacole, whose work treating soldiers on the frontline of the Crimean War has always been overshadowed by the legacy of Florence Nightingale.

But while a lot of her roles are political in some way, Mbatha-Raw emphasises that its important for black women to also be given roles where they dont have to fight. True equality is being able to do anything and everything.

Theres that laugh again. It breaks out of her soft, rolling Queens English like broken glass. There are many different ways to resist.
Lawmakers in Romania backed center-right Prime Minister Ludovic Orban's government in a vote of confidence on March 14 to end a month of wrangling and allow officials to try and combat the global new coronavirus pandemic.

A sufficient number of opposition deputies had signaled their willingness to support an Orban government for President Klaus Iohannis on March 13 to ask the quarantined Orban to try to form a new cabinet.

"It's been 286 votes for the government out of 309 cast ballots and 23 MPs voted against it," a senior ruling party deputy was quoted as having told Reuters.

Iohannis also said that a state of emergency would be declared, effective as of March 16, giving the government more powers to close borders and impose traveling restrictions in an effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.



The government said the number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 109, with seven new cases registered on the morning of March 14.

Orban, who is the leader of the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), lost a confidence vote in his minority government in early February.

He had ruled for just three months after replacing a leftist government beset by corruption scandals, and stayed on in a caretaker role.

Local elections are due in late spring or early summer, and parliamentary polls should be held later this year.

Iohannis had held talks with political parties by teleconference because Orban's entire caretaker government has been self-isolated since a PNL lawmaker was confirmed to be infected with the potentially deadly new coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

Romanian media quoted sources as saying Orban tested negative for the virus.

Orban told a news conference at parliament earlier on March 13 that he would be quarantined in a state-owned villa and would communicate with the ministers, who are self-isolated at home, by phone and e-mail.

Based on reporting by Reuters, dpa, and RFE/RL's Romanian Service
Syrian President Bashar Assad signed a decree delaying the parliamentary elections from April 13 until May 20 to avert the possible spread of coronavirus pandemic, the Syrian President's office said Saturday

DUBAI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2020) Syrian President Bashar Assad signed a decree delaying the parliamentary elections from April 13 until May 20 to avert the possible spread of coronavirus pandemic, the Syrian President's office said Saturday.

"As part of the state's precautionary measures to tackle the coronavirus ...

President Assad issues Decree No. 86 of 2020 to postpone the elections of members of the People's Assembly for the third legislative rotation ... dated April 13, 2020 to Wednesday, 20 May," the president's office said in a statement.

Syria is one of the few countries where no coronavirus cases have yet been detected despite conducting tests on people displaying symptoms.
Ever since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, people across the world have gone on a panic buying spree. Stores across the board have been running short of essential medical commodities like face masks and hand sanitisers.

Twitter

In the wake of the growing crisis, one shop in Kerala has amped up its efforts to make masks easily affordable. According to The New Indian Express, a distributor of surgical items in Kerala has been distributing face masks to high-risk groups at the original rate of Rs 2.

With the growing demand of face masks, the original price tag which was Rs 2 a piece soared to Rs 20, but this store decided to stick to the original costing and has so far sold nearly 5000 masks.

Taslim PK, the proprietor of Cochin Surgicals in Kochi, told TNIE that he sold the masks to people belonging to the high-risk group, including hospital staff, KSEB employees and High Court staff.

TOI/ Picture for representation

We used to distribute the mask at the rate of Rs 2 per piece till last month. However, now the price has shot up and I purchased the latest consignment for Rs 8 per piece recently. Considering the health risk posed by the outbreak, I am distributing the mask to high-risk groups at the original rate, the daily quoted Taslim as saying.

Facebook

As the Union government has banned the export of N95 category masks, the prices have crashed. The mask, which was sold at Rs 250 per piece is now available for Rs 150.

The COVID-19 virus has infected 83 people in India so far, while two lives have been lost to the disease declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Kerala has reported 19 cases of the infection so far.
Irish Country Living has launched the 2020 Women & Agriculture Awards supported by FBD Insurance - the fifth year of the awards.

The awards aim to celebrate women in agriculture who are championing innovation both on farm and in the agriculture and food sector. They aim to showcase what women who are in the agriculture and food section are doing and give them recognition for their contribution to Irish agriculture.

There are two award categories:

 Innovation Onfarm Award which requires a woman who has successfully implemented technical or managerial innovations on the family farm.

 Innovation in Agriculture and Food Award where the winner will be a woman who has developed a novel idea, initiative or campaign from within the agriculture and food sector.

The awards take place every second year and the previous winner of the Innovation On Farm Category was Maria Flynn of Ballymakenny Farm Produce. This award was in recognition of the work Maria had put into saving her family's farm.

Looking back to her win in 2018, Maria told Irish Country Living:

"It was so fantastic to win. I was completely and utterly blown away. It was amazing to see what all of these women were doing on their farms and all across the country - but they don't realise they're innovating. They're finding solutions and keeping their family above water - that's what I was doing."

Commenting on the awards, Irish Country Living Editor Amii McKeever said: "The contribution of women to the farm business often goes unrecognised. This is why Irish Country Living, supported by FBD insurance, are once again holding the Women & Agriculture Awards.

"These awards give us an opportunity to shine a light on the dedication, resilience and ingenuity that women in Irish farming communities demonstrate year in year out."

Commenting on the awards, FBD Insurance CEO Fiona Muldoon commented:

"FBD Insurance is delighted to support The Women & Agriculture awards. These awards provide welcome recognition for the important contribution of women to Ireland's agricultural sector.

"Women are key decision makers on farms, in businesses and in rural communities. As a woman in business myself, I am proud FBD Insurance is honouring and supporting these able and resilient women in their agri-business endeavours."

HOW TO ENTER

Applications are now being accepted. Applications are being requested to details their role in agriculture and showcase their innovation and tell us how this novel idea or initiative came about.

Those applying should identify which category they wish to apply for - Innovation on farm and Innovation in agriculture and food. Entry forms are available from www.irishcountryliving.ie or by calling 01 4199578.

There is a prize fund of over 7,000 to be shared between two winners and two runners up at the awards ceremony.
Every student of architecture sooner or later encounters the great Italian Renaissance master Andrea Palladio. They learn of his classical predilections, his interest in symmetry and harmony, his simplified forms and how they determined function. They study his urban palaces and churches, his Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza and, especially, his countryside villas.

To do so, students hold in their hands Palladios world-renowned treatise The Four Books of Architecture, which has influenced every architect since its publication in 1570, including Thomas Jefferson. But the version todays students obtain for school is a large-format paperback replica, a $25 book published by Dover.

Its helpful. Its got reproductions of all the intricate etchings, and the text translated into English.

But its not the real thing.

The real thing is bigger, its text and illustrations printed on linen. Looking at it, the importance of the work is evident.

And now the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston possesses an early 18th-century trilingual folio of the complete treatise, in two volumes, the same edition that once was part of Jeffersons personal library.

The ACBA managed to buy this book from an antique dealer in California thanks to a $20,000 gift from an anonymous donor, according to President Colby Broadwater. (About half the amount was used in the purchase; the other half will be used for future book purchases.)

Its part of an effort to secure authentic editions of titles once owned by the Founding Father and former president. To raise the money, the school is seeking support from other donors and is applying for grants.

Years ago, when the ACBA was located in Charlestons Old City Jail, it acquired some rare books and needed to build a climate-controlled space to keep them. The Daughters of the American Revolution stepped in to help, Broadwater said.

The new facility on Upper Meeting Street includes a rare-books room, named for the organization that provided the critical financial support that enabled the ACBA to start its collection in the first place.

The general idea to collect more old books about architecture and the building arts was formed early last year, but to secure a new $10,000 grant from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the school needs a comprehensive plan, Broadwater said. So he and his colleagues are working up an application that describes their intention to replicate a part of Jeffersons library.

Jefferson had sold 42 books from his collection to the Library of Congress. Some of the titles were duplicates or exceedingly rare. ACBA Library Director Morgan Kinder has identified 28 of them the school can procure.

I never thought Id be doing anything quite like this, Kinder said.

Another recent acquisition, and one of the books Jefferson sold to the Library of Congress, is a second edition of Thomas Chippendales Gentleman and Cabinet Makers Director from 1754.

A 1565 Italian-language version The Architecture of Leon Battista Alberti, originally published in 1485 in Latin, arrived at the school about two weeks ago.

This (is) the oldest book in our special collection by 150 years, said Library Director Morgan Kinder.

Palladios treatise, Albertis books and the 10 classical volumes that comprise De architectura by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (the only treatise on architecture, written in the 1st century B.C., that survives from antiquity) all are fundamental texts familiar to students of the building arts.

The ACBA also just secured a copy of Joseph Moxons 1693 Mechanick Excercises, or, The Doctrine of Handy-Works. Though this was not among Jeffersons possessions, it has long been on the schools wish list, according to Broadwater.

Its the only one located in the Southeast, Kinder said. The next closest copy is at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.

The Palladio set is one of 45 known to reside in libraries worldwide. (Duke University has one.)

The Chippendale is one of 36. (The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has the same edition.)

The school is hoping to land a 1673 edition of Vitruvius famed treatise collection, Broadwater said.

Like the Palladio book, Vitruvius book is another that we give reprints to students here, he said. So, if everything goes right, well have four of the 28 here soon.

The team wants to add four historic books a year, so long as funds are available.

The goal is to have the best building, visual and decorative arts collection in the Southeast, Kinder said. Getting these books is a huge leap forward on that front.
THURSDAY 3/19

>> WW (formerly Weight Watchers) meets at the Holthus Convention Center, 3130 S. Holen Ave. every Thursday. Check in begins at 5:15 p.m. with a 30-minute workshop starting at 5:45 p.m. The scales are up until 6:45 p.m. for your convenience.

>> AL-ANON meets Thursday at 12 noon at First Presbyterian Church located at 414 Delaware Ave. in York.

FRIDAY 3/20

>> Alcoholics Anonymous - Fresh Start Group meets Friday at 12 noon at First Presbyterian Church located at 414 Delaware Ave. in York.

SATURDAY 3/21

>> Alcoholics Anonymous - Fresh Start Group meets Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church located at 414 Delaware Ave. in York.

MONDAY 3/23

>> Alcoholics Anonymous - Fresh Start Group meets Monday at 12 noon at First Presbyterian Church located at 414 Delaware Ave. in York.
NT$60 billion budget to cope with coronavirus clears Legislature

ROC Central News Agency

03/13/2020 04:50 PM

Taipei, March 13 (CNA) A special budget plan worth NT$60 billion (US$1.99 billion) to support efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 and cope with its impact on the local economy was approved by the Legislative Yuan Friday.

The bill, which enjoyed widespread support among lawmakers, was passed without any cuts in just 16 days after it was submitted to the Legislature by the Cabinet.

The government will raise NT$30 billion in bond sales and assign a fiscal surplus worth NT$30 billion for the special budget.

According to the approved bill, the special budget will be dated back to Jan. 15, 2020, and will run through June 30, 2021.

Under the approved special budget, the government will spend NT$19.6 billion in transforming hospitals into isolation venues, establishing quarantine and testing venues for the virus, requisitioning medical materials and allocating funds as subsidies for schools and the transportation industry to battle the virus contagion.

The government will also assign NT$40.4 billion to subsidize a wide range of industrial sectors that have been hit by the COVID-19 spread, such as the service industry, the manufacturing industry, the tourism industry, the transportation industry, the agriculture/fishing industry, and the arts/cultural industry.

Out of the NT$40.4 billion, about NT$1.82 billion will be used as compensation for people who are in mandatory quarantine and home isolation or who have to take unpaid family care leave to take care of family members who are in quarantine or home isolation without self-care ability, such as children under the age of 12.

In addition, the government will allocate NT$2 billion to issue vouchers for local consumers to spend in restaurants, retail shops, night markets and traditional markets, while NT$300 million will be earmarked for vouchers for art and cultural events.

Premier Su Tseng-chang () previously told lawmakers that the budget is aimed at creating quick effects, spread benefits to as many industries as possible, push for infrastructure and eventually strengthen the economy.

In February, the DGBAS cut its forecast for Taiwan's gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2020 to 2.37 percent from an earlier estimate of 2.72 percent made in November.

On Feb. 25, the Legislative Yuan passed an act to authorize the government to write a maximum NT$60 billion special budget to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

(By Fan Cheng-hsiang, Wang Yang-yu and Frances Huang)

Enditem/J

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The head of the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia Natia Turnava called on the citizens of the country not to panic and not to buy up goods in grocery stores. She stressed that the country has enough food supplies.

Yesterday I met with representatives of retail facilities, including chain stores, with whom we discussed the current situation. I was convinced that the country has regular stocks, she emphasized.
Pope Francis urges priests not to abandon faithful in time of crisis.

Romes parish churches have reopened to the faithful for private prayer after being closed for less than a day.

Every church in the Diocese of Rome had been ordered closed on 12 March by Romes Cardinal Vicar, Angelo De Donatis, as part of emergency measures to slow the spread of the Coronavirus.

However the churches reopened the next day after Pope Francis urged priests not to abandon the faithful in this time of crisis, according to The Catholic Herald.

Chapels and shrines in Rome are to remain closed however. The move follows the suspension of Mass for the faithful in Rome and the sealing off of St Peter's Square and Basilica in the Vatican.

Last Sunday the Holy See streamed the Angelus with Pope Francis after a patient being treated at the Vatican's health facilities tested positive for Coronavirus on 6 March.

Photo credit: Bill Perry / Shutterstock.com
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council advices Ghanaians to take personal and collective responsibility for protecting themselves against any potential spread of the Coronavirus.

A statement issued by the Council and signed by the President, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso advised Ghanaians to do this by exercising their faith in God through prayer, standing on the Word of God in Psalms 91 and 121 and having knowledge and a better understanding of the disease, including the adoption of practical behavioural and attitudinal changes, as they are the surest ways to minimising the potential spread and impact of COVID-19.

Ghana confirms two cases

Ghana confirmed two cases of coronavirus on Thursday. This was announced by the Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang-Manu at an emergency press briefing organised by the Information Ministry.

The two cases according to the Health Minister, tested positive after laboratory tests from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.

The cases according to the Health Minister were reported as 'imported cases' as both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey.

Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. So these are imported cases of COVID-19, he said.

Govt provides $100m to enhance Coronavirus preparedness

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of $100 million to enhance Ghana's Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.

This amount, according to President Akufo-Addo, is to fund expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education.

Delivering an address to the nation on Wednesday, 11th March, 2020, the President explained that, with the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the Coronavirus disease as a pandemic, it is important that Ghana steps up her preparedness to ensure that, beyond the initial measures that have been put in place, a 'whole of Ghana' approach is adopted in preparation for a possible hit within the country's borders.

---citinewsroom
Saudi Arabia has extended its travel ban to include the European Union and 12 other countries, including India, as the number of coronavirus cases in the Kingdom jumped to 62, according to media reports on Friday.

Saudi health officials on Friday announced 17 new coronavirus cases, raising the number of cases in the country to 62, according to the official Saudi news agency.

There are 11 foreign nationals among the people who contracted the virus, Saudi Press Agency quoted the Saudi Health Ministry as saying.

One person was discharged from hospital after recovering from the virus, the statement said.

Saudi Arabia early Thursday suspended flights to all EU countries as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia.

Saudi Arabias government decided to temporarily suspend the travel of citizens and residents, and to suspend flights to the European Union countries, as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia, Saudi Gazette quoted a source at the Ministry of Interior as saying.

The government will also be suspending the entry to those coming from the aforementioned countries and entry to those who were in those countries within a time period of 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom, it said.

The governments decision grants Saudi nationals and citizens of those countries with valid Saudi residency visas 72 hours to return to the Kingdom before the travel suspension comes into effect.

The travel ban excludes Indian and Filipino medical practitioners working in the Kingdom, taking into account the necessary and required precautions, the report said.

The ministries of interior and health would coordinate while dealing with humanitarian and exceptional cases, without prejudice to the necessary precautionary and preventive measures.

The decision expanded the number of countries included in the travel ban list to 53.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 114 countries.

Saudi Arabia on March 9 suspended travel to Oman, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Italy, and South Korea.
A couple wearing masks to prevent contracting the coronavirus walk in a shopping district in Seoul, March 13, 2020. Reuters



Universities here are facing growing calls for refunds from students following classes being disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.



Most universities have postponed the start of the new semester by one or two weeks and many are replacing in-person classes with online lectures.



A petition filed with the presidential office calling for a cut in university fees had garnered close to 74,400 signatures as of Friday



The petition posted March 2 said the delayed spring semester and remote classes encroach on students' right to learn.



"The quality of online lectures prepared in such a short period of time will inevitably be lower than that of normal lectures. Students need to be compensated with a reduction in tuition fees," its anonymous author wrote.



On Wednesday, a network of 27 university student councils demanded tuition refunds during a news conference in front of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul.






The Central Administrative Tribunal's bench here has held that it is the Karnataka government's duty to comply with the Election Commission of India's request for an inquiry against IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin who checked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter last year and directed an explanation from him.

The bench, after hearing the State, which sought to take disciplinary action against the official on the basis of ECI's recommendation and him challenging it, indicated that if his explanation was found to be unsatisfactory, "a retired Chief Secretary should conduct the inquiry."



The Karnataka cadre officer, deployed in Odisha as a general observer during last year's Lok Sabha polls, was suspended for checking Prime Minister Modi's chopper in Sambalpur of that State in violation of norms for dealing with Special Protection Group protectees.

Suspended for dereliction of duty, the EC later shifted him to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer here from Sambalpur.

After considering a report from a senior poll panel official into the matter, the ECI recommended disciplinary action against Mohsin and his suspension was also revoked.

In its order, the tribunal, comprising judicial member Dr K B Suresh and Administrative member C V Sankar cited ECI's April 25, 2019 order, in which the poll panel recommended disciplinary action against Mohsin to Karnataka.

"...we hold that there is nothing wrong in the part of the State government and in fact they could not have done anything else as the borrowing authority (ECI) has complained and it is their (State) fundamental duty to comply with the request to conduct an inquiry and find out the truth and revert back," the order said.

The bench directed the authorities to first seek an explanation from Mohsin and further said: "...we direct that a retired chief secretary of Karnataka cadre should conduct the inquiry, should the government decide to conduct an inquiry after due and unbiased examination of the explanation given by the applicant."



The tribunal said the borrowing authority, the poll panel in the present matter, has no disciplinary control over the person deputed except under certain situations that are limited in scope.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Elder Grove Schools, a K-8 district west of Billings, will close school Monday.

The move is an attempt to get in front of the wave of school closures sweeping the nation, said Superintendent Nathan Schmitz, though Montana hasn't made a move to close schools yet.

Schmitz acknowledged that it could be a rocky transition to a potential long-term closure and wanted to give staff time to prepare.

"We want us to be as prepared as we need to be if the closure came from the state," he said. That includes having teachers prepare to send home work or try to teach online, preparing the food service program to operate during a shutdown, and ironing out plans to provide targeted student services.

State education officials have encouraged schools to plan for a possible shutdown, and said they should attempt to continue student learning through virtual options or sending coursework home with students.

The Montana University System previously announced it would switch to online-only instruction on March 23, though campuses will remain open.
Cancellations soared 39.4 per cent for the startup, with managing director Yeswanth Munnangi saying the coronavirus threat started to affect bookings from February. "We are bracing for a big impact from a revenue perspective over the next four to six months," he says. Travel business owners say they are being squeezed by customers seeking refunds and extra costs including cancellation fees from airlines and cruise lines. Travel agent Elizabeth Ellis is almost hoarse with laryngitis but is still on the phones trying to rebook and chase refunds for clients of her agency Cherrybrook Travel in the Sydney suburb of Westleigh.

Cherrybrook has had a 50 per cent drop in new bookings and Ellis says this is falling further every day. She says the impact of the virus will be felt most-severely by small businesses like Cherrybrook, which has a turnover of about $2 million a year. Cherrybrook Travel employees Elizabeth Ellis, Caroline Daley and Judy Mahony in the office in Westleigh Village. Credit:Kate Geraghty "It's killing us," she says. "Tour companies are all doing their best but it is all falling back on us and we are not coping. We have to sit on the phone for hours." Ellis was on hold for eight hours to a cruise company enquiring about a client's booking only to be cut off.

"It is just a new situation every single day," she says. "In the last month this whole industry has been turned upside down and every day is worse." Travel insurance generally does not cover pandemics and travel businesses are finding their business insurance also falls short. Cherrybrook Travel's Elizabeth Ellis (centre) was on hold for eight hours to a cruise ship company for a client. Credit:Kate Geraghty Dennis Bunnik, the co-founder of Bunnik Tours, says he is bracing for major disruptions through March, April and June and hopes things will settle down after that. "There is no insurance we are aware of that you can take for these things," he says.

Bunnik Tours has been operating for 25 years and Mr Bunnik says the company will draw on its long experience to try and get through the coronavirus threat as it prepares to juggle the $80 million of tours it has sold this year. "As a travel company we have been through many crises before, the Sri Lanka bombings, SARS, September 11, these things come out of left field," he says. "It comes down to having the experience and strong financial management over many years. We have zero debt and high cash reserves." Bunnik Travel's co-founder Dennis Bunnik. Mr Bunnik says the company is cancelling trips where travel has been stopped to countries and offering refunds to clients, the situation is more unclear where customers choose to cancel the trip themselves. "Customer wellbeing and minimising risk are our main priorities, the financial side of this is the third element," he says.

One travel business looking on the bright side is Luxury Escapes, with founder Adam Schwab saying while many customers are postponing their upcoming trips there are still "savvy" travellers booking deals for holidays six months away. Luxury Escape's high-end holiday deals are not refundable but the business is offering free change of dates for travellers. If people want to postpone the trip we are doing everything we can to accommodate them," Mr Schwab says. "What we allow is to change dates and hotels are generally allowing it." January was a record month for Luxury Escapes with the business on track to turn over $500 million but Mr Schwab says Luxury Escapes will take a hit from coronavirus, it is unclear how big it will be. "The main risk travel businesses face is global pandemic risk," he says. "Some competitors will go out of business, less-well-funded ones, it might be a chance for us to work with hotel brands we haven't worked with in the past," he says.

Loading Mr Schwab predicts the travel market will rebound quickly with "huge demand" in two to three months time. "The tap will turn back on, so there will be a silver lining," he says. In his "war room" Mr Black is also optimistic as he negotiates a further 230 TripADeal customers off a cruise ship in Rome to the airport to fly home to self-isolation. "We think it might be a minimum three months' severe downturn, but what happens at the end of this? History tells us it comes back incredibly strong almost like an avalanche," Mr Black says. "Aussies, we love to travel, so if businesses get through it, there is a lot of light at the end of the tunnel."
NetEase NTES -owned NetEase Cloud Music recently inked a digital music distribution deal with Studio Ghibli, one of the most renowned animation studios in the world.



The deal will enable NetEases music streaming platform to be the digital distributor for Studio Ghibli's music catalog in the Chinese mainland.



The platform will gain access to albums and soundtracks from films produced by Studio Ghibli, which include some of Japans highest grossing animated films like My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle as well as the Academy award-winning Spirited Away.



NetEase, Inc. Price and Consensus

NetEase, Inc. Price and Consensus

NetEase, Inc. price-consensus-chart | NetEase, Inc. Quote

Ghibli Deal to Boost User Growth



The distribution deal will significantly expand NetEase Cloud Musics already robust music library as Ghibli movies and music have always enjoyed a huge following in China through illegal DVDs and streams.



Moreover, the official China release of the movies in the past couple of years has led to an even bigger surge in popularity. Notably, My Neighbor Totoro, which released in 2018, managed to gross $26 million. However, Spirited Away managed to out-gross the former by earning $28 million in just the first week of its release on Jun 21 2019, per Variety.



NetEase Cloud Music has also gained access to a robust library of Japanese music, including popular music of Japanese anime, manga, games, J-pop and classical music through partnership with various other companies.



Notably, the platform signed a copyright license agreement with NBCUniversal Japan in September 2018, which gave them access to a massive anime music catalog.



In Apr 2019, NetEase partnered with Nippon Columbia to gain access to the latters expansive music library, which includes pop music and enka  a popular Japanese music genre resembling traditional Japanese music.



These endeavors are expected to drive the platforms user growth due to the immense popularity of Japanese music in China. Further, it will gain a competitive edge in the Chinese music streaming industry.



Markedly, NetEase Cloud Music is now likely to get the first mover advantage over competitors like Tencent Music TME and Baidus BIDU Baidu Music and become the go-to platform for high-quality Japanese music.



Strong Portfolio to Drive Top Line



NetEases growing music catalog as well as its strong portfolio of games and movies is expected to drive the top line over the long haul.



Notably, movies like Knives Out and Identity V topped charts in fourth-quarter 2019, while Activisions ATVI World of Warcraft, which is published by NetEase in China, achieved record number of total monthly subscribers during the quarter driven by the release of WoW: Classic.



Further, a strong pipeline of games that includes Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Diablo Immortal and Pokemon Quest bode well for the company.



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Two Dominican-American sisters are proudly uplifting their Latin roots with the all-new Luna Magic Beauty. This new 100% Latino-owned beauty brand aims to highlight the beauty that comes from Latin Culture.

Latina Beauties Behind the New Brand

Mabel Frias and Shaira Frias are the minds behind the new beauty brand specifically made to show off Latina beauty. The brand aims to add vibrancy and flavor to the competitive world of the beauty industry.

The Inspiration of the Luna Magic Beauty

The inspiration of the two Latina founders of the brand was the abundant culture and rich music of Latin America and the Caribbean. Also, the busy-ness of New York City and the glamour-rich Los Angeles added to the inspiration of the brand's birth.

The First Collection of Luna Magic

The first collection of Luna Magic is Uno. In Spanish, Uno means one. Uno includes a collection of beauty essentials showcasing the vibrancy and live colors. Every beauty cosmetic product component of the Uno collection showcases the rich culture of Latin America including music, a fearless take to challenges, and the intense desire for self-expression.

High-Quality Makeup

The cosmetics from the collections are made with highly-pigmented colors. This means that a small amount of the product is enough. This makes the product last longer for its users.

The names of the eyeshadow colors were named from different musical styles such as Salsa and Reggaeton. Additionally, the mink lashes of the collection are named after telenovela or soap opera stars.

The Uno Eyeshadow Palette

The Uno Eyeshadow Palette is made with 12 highly pigmented metallic and matte eyeshadow colors. The palette includes neutral to electric bright colors.

The UNO palette is designed by the makers of the brand to complement different skin types and skin tones. Its colors are given Spanish names such as Salud for the electric pink color, Amor for the metallic purple, and Mamacita for the matte cinnamon color.

The Uno Matte Liquid Lipstick

The Uno Matte Liquid Lipstick is a lightweight lip color made with moisture-rich ingredients to help give a beautiful bright color on the lips. This liquid lipstick of the Uno Collection from the Luna Magic Beauty Brand is available in two colors. And these two colors are perfect for all skin tones.

The first one is the Gostosa, a Brazillian Portuguese word which means a sexy woman is the warm-toned red of the collection.

The second liquid lipstick color is called Bon Bon. Bon Bon is a Spanish word that means sensual woman. It is a bright rosy pink liquid lipstick.

The Uno Mink Lashes

The Uno Mink Lashes helps give dimension and volume to the eyes that perfect a woman's sexy look. This product is inspired by telenovelas or soap operas. Telenovelas are a significant part of Latin culture. The lashes are worn again for up to 20 times.

They are available in two styles the Rubi mink and the Xica Mink lashes.

The Luna Magic Beauty Packaging

Every Luna Magic Beauty products are packed with the signature cobalt blue packaging of the brand. Also, the packaging features beautiful gold accents.

In addition to the launch of the new brand, the Luna Magic Beauty brand is also selling Limited Edition T-Shirts made with 100% cotton. You can choose between variations. Get them now while stocks are still available.
In a list of historys great rivalries, youd probably include Ali v Frazier, Skywalker v Vader, Katy Perry v Taylor Swift. Let me add to that list a battle for the ages thats taking place in my own front yard: my husband Daz v possum. Though I should probably call the animal by its official name: That Bloody Possum!

Like a lot of blokes, Daz loves his garden. Its his domain. For me, an afternoon of rigorous weeding in the sunshine, gin and tonic within reach, is all I can muster. I literally kill everything I touch. But for Daz, watching a small plant slowly turn into a big plant gives him a thrill.

Why would a possum give two hoots about a hunk of plastic joining him for dinner? Credit:Justin McManus

And I love him for it. Partly because I think he looks sexy in his gardening boots and Akubra, being all earthy and handy. But also because our yard is green and soul-enriching thanks to him, not the dust bowl Id produce.

Dazs particular pride and joy is his crepe myrtle, especially at this time of year when it blooms a glorious hot pink. Ive caught him gazing at it, like a man in love. So I could appreciate how deeply painful it was when That Bloody Possum (lets just call him TBP), decided the crepe myrtle was

to be his signature dish, one to which he would return night after night to sup on its juicy green leaves.
Five laboratories have been set up in the state with the help of Central government for the testing of coronavirus, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here on Saturday.

"With assistance from the central government, we have set up five laboratories to provide the facility of sample checking of coronavirus cases in the state. King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Lucknow, Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, Gorakhpur, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and one in Aligarh," said Adityanath.

"A total of 11 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the State. Out of these, seven are from Agra, two from Ghaziabad and one from Noida and Lucknow.10 patients are admitted in Delhi's Safdarjung hospital and one is admitted in Lucknow's KGMU," he added.

Commenting upon the preparedness of the State government with respect to COVID-19, Adityanath said: "There is no need to panic. We have issued an advisory and have asked people to take necessary precautions. A total of 1268 isolation beds are available in private and government hospitals across the state. Today, I visited Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) district hospital here and checked the facilities available in isolation wards of the hospital. We are taking all the necessary actions to deal with it."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday ordered all schools, colleges, technical and vocational education institutes to remain closed till March 22.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India rose to 83, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.

So far, two deaths due to the lethal infection have been reported in the country.

The coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and Europe as its epicentre with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DEAL OF THE WEEK

Berkley Re-ups Downing for 7 Figures In a seven-figure deal, Berkleys Jen Monroe took world rights to three new novels by Samantha Downing. Barbara Poelle at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency represented Downing, whose March 2019 debut, the psychological thriller My Lovely Wife, was also published by Berkley; the imprint said that title has sold more than 500,000 units worldwide. (It has also just been optioned for film by Nicole Kidmans Blossom Films, and is a finalist for Best First Novel at this years Edgar Awards.) Under the new deal, Downing will publish three standalones, one in 2021, with the others following in 2022 and 2023. Berkley said each novel will continue in the authors signature style, exploring the dark, twisted, and uninhibited side of human nature. Downings sophomore novel, He Started It (covered under a previous Berkley contract), will be released on April 28.

FROM THE U.S.

Fus Blossom Opens at LB

For Little, Brown, Helen OHare took North American rights to Melissa Fus debut novel, Peach Blossom Spring. Clare Alexander at London-based agency Aitken Alexander brokered the deal with OHare, after Wildfire acquired world rights to the title. (Wildfire is an imprint of U.K. publisher Headline.) LB said the novel, set for 2022, is a soaring, multi-generational saga set in 1938 that follows a young widow who, along with her four-year-old son, must flee their burning city and start an epic journey across China, looking always to the inspiring stories of their most precious possession: a beautifully illustrated scroll. The book marks OHares first acquisition since joining LB from Putnam last month. Fu, who grew up in the U.S. and now lives in the U.K., was most recently the David T.K. Wong Fellow at the University of East Anglia.

Schur Gets Ethical at S&S

Michael Schur, creator of the TV series The Good Place, sold his first book to Simon & Schuster. The tentatively titled How to Be Good: A Definitive Answer for Exactly What to Do, in Every Possible Situation was bought in a world English rights deal by S&Ss v-p and executive editor, Eamon Dolan. Richard Abate at 3 Arts represented Schur, who also cocreated the sit-coms Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks & Recreation. The book, S&S said, will use humor and philosophy to determine how we should deal with the large and small ethical challenges we all face every day and will take readers on a journey through the 2,500-year discussion of ethics. How to Be Good is set for a fall 2021 release.

Clain Nabs Andrewss Hot Debut

Judy Clain, v-p and editor-in-chief of Little, Brown, bought North American rights to Alexandra Andrewss debut, Who Is Maud Dixon? The work of psychological suspense, which the publisher is comparing to Gone Girl, was sold by Jennifer Joel at ICM Partners. Set for spring 2021, the novel follows an author who, after becoming a major bestseller with her pseudonymously published debut, hires a young fan, an aspiring novelist, as her assistant. When the two land in Morocco, where the author is doing research for her next book, LB said, the ambitions of both parties surface with astonishing speed and lethality as the partnership between author and assistant is stripped away to reveal brutal and elemental desires and a deadly ruthlessness. At press time, the novel had sold in 20 countries; it has also been optioned by Universal Pictures. Andrews is a copywriter who has worked at the Paris Review and ProPublica.

Macmillan Buys Greenwalds Silence

Pulitzer Prizewinner Glenn Greenwald sold You Cant Silence This to Macmillans Metropolitan Books imprint. ICMs Amanda Urban, who represented the journalist, brokered the world rights agreement with Metropolitan publisher Sara Bershtel. The book, the publisher said, will be based on a series of exposes that rocked Brazilian politics and revealed rampant corruption at the highest levels of the government of President Jair Bolsonaro. Greenwald, who now writes for the Intercept, is best known for his series of reports for the Guardian detailing widespread government surveillance programs. The new book, Macmillan explained, offers the first full account of how Greenwald broke the news about the corruption in Bolsonaros administration, as well as the consequences of his reporting and the ongoing falloutfor the Bolsonaro government, for Brazil, and for the democratic world.

Yoons Park to Aladdin

After an auction, Alyson Heller at Aladdin won North American rights, in a two-book deal, to Jenna Yoons middle grade debut. Lia Park and the Missing Jewel was, per Aladdin, pitched as Harriet the Spy meets Race to the Sun and follows a 12-year-old in a magical spy organization who must save her parents from an evil diviner spirit. Penny Moore and Erin Files at Aevitas Creative Management represented Yoon. The book is slated for summer 2022.

Brown Does Double at Morrow

Dale Brown sold two military thrillers to William Morrow in a high-six-figure deal. David Highfill acquired North American rights to the books from Robert Gottlieb at Trident Media Group. Trident said the first book will focus on a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer who is assigned to a remote post in Alaska and what happens when an assignment designed to put his career permanently on ice turns hot, as Russian combat aircraft and advanced surveillance planes begin probing deeper and deeper into American and Canadian airspace.

Foxs Time to Flatiron

Bob Miller at Flatiron Books bought a new book by Michael J. Fox titled No Time Like the Future. The fourth title from the actor and bestselling author will, Flatiron said, offer a reexamination of his iconic optimism after his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinsons disease. In the book, according to Flatiron, Fox reassesses this outlook while sharing stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality. Amanda Urban at ICM Partners represented Fox, and the book is set for November.

Darroch Reveals Damage in Memoir

Kim Darroch, former U.K. ambassador to the U.S., sold Collateral Damage to PublicAffairs. Clive Priddle bought the book from London-based agent Georgina Capel in a simultaneous deal with William Collins, a division of HarperCollins UK. The publisher said the book, subtitled Britain, America and Europe in the Age of Trump, is an unvarnished, behind-the-scenes account of Darrochs tumultuous time as a diplomat. The book will, the publisher went on, detail the inside story behind Darrochs resignation in 2019, describe the challenges of dealing with the Trump White House, and offer a diplomats perspective on Brexit and how it looked to Britains closest ally.

Sugar23s First Buy

At Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Alex Littlefield bought Reid Mitenbulers Wanderlust. The inaugural title for HMHs new Sugar23 Books imprint, HMH said, is a nonfiction narrative about larger-than-life adventurer Peter Freuchen, who was world-famous in the first half of the 20th century for daring exploits that spanned the globe. Littlefield took world rights to the book at auction from Heather Schroder at Compass Talent.

Morgans Jen Joins LB

Beth Morgans debut, A Touch of Jen, was acquired by Jean Garnett at Little, Brown. Alexa Stark at Trident Media Group represented Morgan in the world English rights agreement. LB called the novel a viciously funny, genre-bending work that offers a disturbing exploration of the stalker-ism inherent in social media culture. In the book, a couples obsession with a woman named Jen unleashes a (literal) monster. LB added that Jen has been described as Ottessa Moshfegh meets David Cronenberg.
UPDATE: New Jersey has 19 new coronavirus cases. Statewide total now at 69 positive tests.

The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey continues to spread, with 69 cases reported in 13 of the states 21 counties as of Saturday, according to state and local officials.

There were another 80 cases under investigation at the states lab, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichelli told reporters during a Friday afternoon briefing. Another update from the state is expected Saturday afternoon.

Tracking the cases has become increasingly difficult with decreasing amounts of specific information provided each day as the number of positive tests mount. The state Department of Health has created a COVID-19 website to show county-by-county numbers for cases, but the latest update conflicts with what Persichelli announced on Friday - showing no cases in Mercer County despite a positive test for a Princeton resident.

In addition, Bergen County officials have announced they have positive coronavirus tests for 19 cases, while the state website is reporting 17. That may be a reflection in the lag between municipal and county officials receiving positive tests and the state compiling that information. Bergen County, which continues to have the most cases in the state, provided the 19 case number hours after the state briefing.

When Persichelli gave the statewide update around 2:30 p.m. Friday, she acknowledged she only had county information for 17 of the states 21 new cases because the information was still being compiled. State health officials also did not provide any information about the hometowns, ages or circumstances of the 21 new cases Friday. That has all come from municipal and county officials making individual announcements with varying levels of specifics.

The states tracking website also introduced a new distinction between presumptive positive cases at 47 and positives pending information at 3 cases. No explanation is provided. NJ Advance Media has asked the state Department of Health for clarification on Saturday, but has not heard back.

NJ Advance Media has assembled the latest information available on the cases where details have been made available below and will continue to update this list:

BERGEN COUNTY (25 cases)

 A 69-year-old man from Little Ferry who died Tuesday morning. His health history included diabetes, hypertension, gastro-intestinal bleeding and emphysema. He came down with a fever and cough that were treated with antibiotics and Tamiflu. When his condition didnt improve he was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 6.

 A Dumont resident tested tested presumptive positive for coronavirus, the towns mayor, Andrew LaBruno, said Friday.

 A woman, age unknown, from Teaneck. She was exposed to a confirmed case at a synagogue carnival on March 1.

 A 33-year-old man from Teaneck.

 A 30-year-old man from Teaneck.

 A 30-year-old from Teaneck began showing symptoms on March 3 and was hospitalized at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck.

 A 44-year-old Teaneck man tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus Tuesday.

 A 70-year-old Teaneck man, who is a healthcare worker, had an onset of symptoms Feb. 28, officials said.

 Two other Teaneck cases where additional details were not provided.

 A 16-year-old girl from Englewood. This positive test was performed through Labcorp, rather than at the state lab. She is being treated at Englewood hospital.

 An Englewood woman in her 30s who got treatment at Englewood Health Hospital. Officials said she was released from the hospital and is self-quarantined at her home.

 A 55-year-old Englewood man who was admitted to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center on March 4 in stable condition, according to state officials. The Englewood man attended services at Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, New York  which a number of New York coronavirus cases has been tied to  on Feb. 23. The Englewood man attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy told NJ Advance Media.

 A 29-year-old man and a 35-year-old man from Bergenfield were previously reported as positive cases, though Bergen officials said Friday night there was just one case in town.

 A 32-year-old man who lives in an apartment in Fort Lee and works in New York City, where he maintains another residence, and was being treated for the coronavirus in Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack.

 Three cases in Fair Lawn, where additional details were not provided.

 One case in Garfield where additional details were not provided.

BURLINGTON COUNTY (3 cases)

 A 62-year-old man and 60-year-old woman from Riverton are a married couple who recently returned from a trip to Italy. The man works at a cardiac care center in Robbinsville, which was closed for cleaning.

CAMDEN COUNTY (2 cases)

 A 61-year-old man from Cherry Hill, who was admitted to Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital on March 3 and is in stable condition, according to state officials.

 A woman in her 60s, was in self-isolation at her home in Cherry Hill, according to the Camden County Department of Health.

ESSEX COUNTY (7 cases)

 A 66-year-old woman from Montclair. She is hospitalized at Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center.

HUDSON COUNTY (5 cases)

 A 61-year-old woman living in downtown Jersey City, according to Mayor Steven Fulop.

 A 41-year-old Jersey City woman.

 A Hoboken man in his 40s. Hoboken officials said the man is experiencing mild symptoms and is under self-isolation at home.

 A 32-year-old man from West New York, who was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack.

HUNTERDON COUNTY (1 case)

 An individual admitted to Hunterdon Healthcare tested positive on Sunday, March 15, according to the hospital. The person is doing well and was discharged to isolate at home. This is the first case involving a Hunterdon County resident.

MERCER COUNTY (1 case)

 A 49-year-old woman from Princeton who attended a private party in her hometown with two individuals from the Boston area who later tested positive for coronavirus. This is the first case involving a Mercer County resident.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY (10 cases)

 A 58-year-old woman from East Brunswick

 A 74-year-old man from Edison

 A 53-year-old man from Edison, who attended a convention in Boston, Massachusetts, and after returning home was tested and is self-quarantined, according to the township.

MONMOUTH COUNTY (8 cases)

 A 53-year-old man from Manalapan. He is being treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold and had exposure to a confirmed case.

 A 66-year-old woman from Hazlet Township

 A 17-year-old girl from Little Silver. The teen is a student at Red Bank Regional High School, which was closed for cleaning and classes have been moved to online instruction.

 A 27-year-old Little Silver man who attended the Biogen conference in Boston from Feb. 24-28 showed an onset of symptoms on Feb. 29.

 An 83-year-old Hazlet woman fell ill on March 3 and was hospitalized at Hackensack Meridians Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel.

MORRIS COUNTY (3 cases)

 A 51-year-old man from Bulter Borough. He is being treated at Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains.

 A Morris County resident who works at Shalom Yeladim Nursery School in Morristown. The employees hometown and other details were not disclosed.

OCEAN COUNTY (1 case)

 A 72-year-old was reported as a presumptive positive case in Manchester Township, according to local officials.

PASSAIC COUNTY (2 cases)

 An 18-year-old from Clifton was exposed to coronavirus after having close contact on March 2 with a person in New York who was a known positive case.

SOMERSET COUNTY (1 case)

 A 23-year-old man from Bridgewater. He may have been exposed through close contact with a Pennsylvania resident who has coronavirus.

UNION COUNTY (1 case)

 A 48-year-old Berkeley Heights resident was exposed to coronavirus after having contact with friends who traveled from Milan, Italy. The Union County resident showed an onset of symptoms March 1 and was hospitalized at Overlook Medical Center in Summit.

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Dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has declared that he doesnt wish to return to the state as a monarch. Sanusi, in a trend...





Dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has declared that he doesnt wish to return to the state as a monarch.





Sanusi, in a trending video, expressed confidence that he would get justice if he decided to challenge his removal.





The footage was recorded on Friday at Awe in Nasarawa State after the court ruling that freed him from detention.





The Umar Ganduje government had banished Sanusi to Nasarawa on Monday.

Ive done what I could in 6 years. Im moving on. The truth is I dont want to go back. The (dethronement) letter was so badly written, so unprofessionally written, he said.





It is the easiest thing in the world to go to court. Fair hearingHigh Court ruling, just like today. Did you query him? Did you ask him to defend himself? No. We should go on with the new phase in life.





Meanwhile, Sanusi is now in Lagos. He arrived in the state Friday night.





Earlier in the day, Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, led him out of Nasarawa and they drove to Abuja.





El-Rufai, within 48 hours of Sanusis removal, gave him two appointments.








SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The California Department of Public Health announced Friday the most recent statistics on COVID-19.

California now has 247confirmed cases, not including passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland.

Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a new executive order enhancing California's ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

This includes the following:

Waives the one-week waiting period for people who are unemployed and/or disabled as a result of COVID-19;

Delays the deadline for state tax filing by 60 days for individuals and businesses unable to file on time based on compliance with public health requirements related to COVID-19 filings;

Directs residents to follow public health directives and guidance, including canceling large non-essential gatherings that do not meet state criteria;

Readies the state to commandeer property for temporary residences and medical facilities for quarantining, isolating or treating individuals;

Allows local or state legislative bodies to hold meetings via teleconference and to make meetings accessible electronically; and

Allows local and state emergency administrators to act quickly to protect public health.

Public health said gatherings should be postponed or canceled across the state until at least the end of March. Non-essential gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people. Smaller events can proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet per person, health officials said.

CONTINUING COVERAGE ON CORONAVIRUS

"COVID-19 in California by the Numbers (as of 8 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time):

5 - Deaths (including one non-California resident) 247- Positive cases (this does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland)

Ages of all confirmed positive cases:

Age 0-17: 4 cases

Age 18-64: 143 cases

Age 65+: 98 cases

Unknown: 2 cases

24 - Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights

223 - Cases not related to repatriation flights

65 - Travel-related

52 - Person to person

56 - Community transmission

50 - Under investigation

11,400+ - Number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX

49 - Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring

21 - Labs with test kits, 18 of which are already testing

As the spread of COVID-19, or as it's more commonly known as the coronavirus continues. Action News Now has a one-stop article for the resources you need to stay informed and to keep you and your family safe. Read More
After ordering closure of all educational institutions in the state till March 31, the Punjab government is likely to shut down cinema halls, restaurants and clubs till the end of this month amid coronavirus scare.

Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the government is contemplating to take this step keeping public health in view.

"Keeping public health in view, we are contemplating closure of cinemas, restaurants, gyms, clubs till March 31. Besides, we are also thinking to impose ban till the end of this month on all such public functions which attract big crowds," Sidhu told PTI over phone.

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Punjab government on Friday ordered closure of all universities, colleges and school till March 31.

Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla had earlier said, "Holidays have been declared in all government and private schools in the state till March 31 as a precautionary measure."

Punjab's Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bjawa had said the government has decided to close all government, private colleges and universities till March 31.

A seven-member Group of Ministers (GoM), formed by the Punjab government to review the situation on a daily basis triggered by coronavirus scare, on Friday asked the deputy commissioners not to grant permission for mass gatherings.

In a meeting held here under the chairmanship of local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra here, the GoM also urged religious leaders and Dera (sect) heads to postpone their scheduled religious congregations.

According to Punjab's health department, more than 88,000 passengers, including at Amritsar and Mohali international airports, had been screened so far for COVID-19.

More than 6,600 passengers with travel history to coronavirus hit countries were screened and 335 passengers were found untraced.

One passenger, who returned from Italy, tested positive and is currently admitted to government hospital in Amritsar.

Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: Masks, hand sanitisers classified as drugs to check hoarding, black marketing

Also read: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 52 test centres for COVID-19
Hotels brace for feverish times By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

As Sri Lanka sits on the verge of a major crisis, the tourism industry is under pressure for the second time in a year as the country readies for the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) after the second confirmed patient was reported on Thursday.

With on arrival visas cancelled and a number of local organisers cancelling events at hotels, silence is evident around the once busy lounges and cafes as dinner and lunch events are called off.

These are the echoes of a once-thriving hotel industry that was just recovering from the Easter Sunday attacks and have in nearly one years time, once again come face to face with another crisis.

On Thursday, all airline managers were called for a meeting with Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL) where airlines were informed that they should stop bringing in passengers arriving from Iran, Italy and South Korea, Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) Chairman Dimuthu Tennakoon said.

By Friday the ban was extended to visitors from same European and Scandinavian countries. Hotels in Colombo have seen a number of cancellations and postponement of events and exhibitions as the organisers of events with mass gatherings continue to take precautionary measures against the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country. Elsewhere, outbound passengers who wanted to postpone trips said airlines were allowing postponements but in the case of cancellation, charging a cancellation fee which was unfair.

Embassies that issue Schengen visas and the British embassy have apparently told those who obtained visas to travel abroad but have postponed trips that travellers have to reapply for fresh visas.

Hoteliers take stock

Tourist Hotels Association (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte speaking with the Business Times noted that the situation is so dynamic. We hope that the virus can be contained. Everything has slowed down.

In this respect, hoteliers are becoming flexible on cancellation policies, he said; We are adopting a one week cancellation and considering 48 hours.

As a result he said that those who would have booked now to arrive next week are allowed to change the date without any surcharge or penalty as long as they dont travel during local peak times, in a bid to ensure that bookings would be kept intact.

Some hotels are giving zero cancellation even the day before but 48 hours will be the norm and clients will be given their money back, he noted.

In the wake of these developments the hotel staff is likely to face a severe pinch as the upcoming New Year holidays would be severely impacted since hoteliers were looking at postponing payments of bonuses and incentives.

Mr. Ukwatte explained, We are very worried what action to take since this is the time for increments and bonuses  I feel the hotels might have to postpone these payments of these extra wages by way of increments and incentives in bonuses for later in the year.

With airlines cutting down their routes and flights business is getting adversely affected, he noted.

Connaissance De Ceylan Chairman Chandra Wickramasinghe said everything is getting cancelled  next week there wont be any tourists in the country.

With a few charters still coming in the Russians are there, he said but only a few Europeans are visiting.

Currently, he noted there are no bookings and though domestic travel is happening it does not help the hoteliers as most travel only during long weekends and does not generate the anticipated earnings.

Mr. Wickramasinghe noted that they would adopt a zero cancellation policy at least until October with no extra charges with postponement.

Inbound tour company operator Devendre Senaratne said that currently hotels were doing about 60 per cent in terms of occupancies whereas they should ideally have about 80 per cent occupancies.

April will be few and due to this reason there will be few arriving during the Easter holidays as well, it was noted. Expectations are that there will be a 20 per cent drop in arrivals compared to last year, Mr. Senaratne explained.

Officials at the Tourism Promotion Bureau were not participating at any of the international travel shows. The Riyadh Travel Show was cancelled, Sri Lanka will not participate at the Ukraine Travel Fair this month and the Sri Lankan embassy is to take part in the Russian Travel Show MITT if held as scheduled later this month. The much-attended Arabian Travel Mart has been postponed to June.

Authorities have also suggested to the industry, it is learnt, to allow their foreign agents to participate in any travel fairs if necessary rather than attending it themselves.

However, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) annual conference scheduled to take place in Colombo in June is still on the cards but all depends on the next few weeks, Tourism Promotion Research and International Affairs Director Udana Wickremesinghe said.

He noted that arrangements were still underway and that 150 international participants were expected with about 200 local industry participants and other stakeholders.

Jetwing Chairman Hiran Cooray noted that currently their occupancies were at about 60 per cent but noted new bookings have more or less come to a standstill for the next three months or so until this coronavirus is brought under control  at the moment theres a lot of uncertainty.

Asked if the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) were carrying out checks on their guests for their health, he noted that there was no such thing at their hotels.

Health Checks

Sri Lankas 2700 PHIs are currently deployed island-wide and at airports to report on the health conditions of the arriving visitors to the country.

PHI Union President Upul Rohana told the Business Times that they were having difficulty in managing the situation since their numbers were less and they were at the time having over 4000 Sri Lankan and foreign nationals under surveillance.

How the system works is that those arriving when identified as suspected cases would continuously be monitored by the PHIs in their localities and reported on.

However, Mr. Rohana noted that they do not use thermal scanners on the field but simply carry out a health check on the suspected persons.

However, he pointed out that they check on patients even in hotels but there was a problem in obtaining the right information.

We have stopped all our other work and check on the arrivals, he explained noting there is a serious problem due to inadequate staff.
The Andalusian government raised the Emergency Level in the region from 1 to 2 at a crisis cabinet meeting on Saturday.

This decision was made while the central government in Madrid delayed its confirmation of the details of the 'state of alarm' restrictions, due to disagreements in the Cabinet over how the emergency measures would be funded.

One of the measures announced by Andalusian president Juanma Moreno was the closure of all bars, restaurants and non-essential stores from Monday.

Only supermarkets and food stores, pharmacies, petrol stations and emergency clinics will be allowed to remain open.

The closure of all beaches along the Andalusian coastline is also among the measures.

Moreno stressed the importance of individuals heeding instructions to stay at home to prevent further spread of the virus.

Schools and all other educational centres will be closed at least for the next two weeks, as Moreno announced on Thursday.

The Junta de Andalucia has said that on Sunday it would study the possibility of locking down resorts on the Costa del Sol due to the higher numbers of coronavirus cases.

This is the first time that Emergency Level 2 has been activated in the region.
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Linkedin (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Sat, March 14, 2020 10:05 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a8b85c 2 Art & Culture Titian,arts,London,Britain,Italy Free

A series of six paintings by the Venetian master Titian, commissioned by King Philip II of Spain and inspired by the works of the Roman poet Ovid, have been reunited for the first time in four centuries in an exhibition at London's National Gallery.

The large-scale paintings, created between 1551 and 1562, represent scenes from classical mythology drawn mostly from Ovid's "Metamorphoses", and explore themes of passion, temptation and punishment.

"They're touchstone paintings in the development of European painting," said Matthias Wivel, curator of the exhibition, during a preview on Thursday. "They were incredibly famous in their day and indeed inspired artists for generations."

The show, "Titian: Love Desire Death", is scheduled to open to the public on March 16 and last until June 14.

Unlike other countries affected by the global coronavirus pandemic, Britain has not yet taken measures such as shutting down museums and galleries. Wivel said he did not know what would happen to the Titian show if such measures were taken.

"I guess we'll see. It's so unpredictable, it's hard to pronounce upon it," he said. "Obviously it's a shadow over everything."

Read also: Italy's Uffizi opens 14 new rooms for Venice and Florence painters

The six paintings, which Titian called his "poesie", or poems, are considered landmarks in European art for their highly expressive rendering of emotions.

The National Gallery described the works as a turning point in Titian's career. Unusually for a patron of that era, Philip had given him freedom to select his own subjects, allowing him to develop complex narratives and explore ambiguous feelings.

All six paintings were delivered to the king but later scattered across Europe by various twists of history.

One of them, "Danae", remained in Madrid until it was seized by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, after French forces invaded Spain. It was later taken by the British military commander Wellington when he defeated Joseph's army at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, eventually finding its way to London.

Nowadays, four of the paintings belong to various British galleries, one to the Prado in Madrid, and one to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

Topics : Titian arts London Britain Italy
Egypts prosecutor-general ordered the detention of four railway supervisors, including a chief technician, for four days pending investigations into the collision of two trains in Cairos Rod El-Farag district.

On Thursday, a train coming from Aswan collided into the back of another train travelling from Sohag to Cairo in Rod El-Farag, injuring at least 13 people.

The collision had led to the temporary suspension of railway movement nationwide due to the inclement weather conditions in the country.

According to investigations by the prosecution, automatic traffic lights to arrange the movement of trains were suspended due to the bad weather, leading to the use of a paper-based system to allow trains to pass between control towers.

The driver of the 991 train, en route from Sohag to Cairo, was granted permission to pass from the Imbaba control tower. At the next stop, however, the supervisor of El-Negali control tower failed to provide the train driver with the paper permission to pass, leading the latter to stop later on to receive the permission.

During the stop of the first train, the driver of the second train received a written permission from Imbabas control tower, despite the absence of assurances that the first train had arrived to the second control tower, leading to the collision of both trains.

The prosecution said it has ordered the release of the train drivers after investigations showed an absence of error.

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Panaji, March 14 : Taking precautionary steps in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Roman Catholic Church in Goa, on Saturday, issued an advisory asking coronavirus positive people not to attend public functions, including religious prayers.

It also urged priests to clean their hands with water or sanitiser before distribution of the Holy Communion.

The advisory, endorsed by the Archbishop of Goa, Daman and Diu Filipe Neri Ferrao, also urges the Catholic flock to not shake hands and offer a namaste instead. It also urged them not to kiss the holy cross on Good Friday to prevent spread of infection.

"If anyone has had contact with a person, diagnosed with coronavirus, please ask them to temporarily avoid coming to public functions where many congregate, for at least two weeks," the advisory states.

"On Good Friday, at the Veneration of the Cross, discourage people from kissing the Cross. The blessing with a raised Cross would be adequate. Those who desire could come in a queue, make reverence with a bow and go back. Holy water stoops may be kept dry," it said.

The advisory would be in place till Easter Sunday (April 12).

Catholics account for nearly 26 per cent of the state's 1.5 million population. The advisory comes hours after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant made a public appeal to all religious heads in the state to urge their followers against mass congregations.

Goa has registered only one coronavirus positive case.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bhopal: A BJP delegation led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon on Saturday and submitted a letter seeking a direction to CM Kamal Nath to prove majority in the Assembly on Monday.

The Kamal Nath government is perched precariously on the verge of collapse since the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs who revolted against the CM following the acrimonious exit of senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia who later joined the BJP.

At present, there are 228 MLAs in the 230-seat strong assembly and the majority mark sits at 115 seats. Of the total legislators, the Congress government until recently had enjoyed the support of 121 MLAs, which included four Independent, two Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs, and one Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA.

If the resignation of the MLAs is accepted by the Speaker of the house, NP Prajapati, the strength of Congress will come down to just 92.

At least 100 MLAs, including the four Independent members, were said to be present at a meeting of the legislator wing called by the Congress party last Monday. The rebel MLAs, as well as the BSP and SP MLAs, were missing from the meeting, the report cited a source as saying.

Even if the claim of 100 MLAs attending the Congress meet is to be believed, this would still leave the party well short of the majority mark, which would come down to 104 as the total strength of the house would be 206 if the resignations of the 22 MLAs are accepted. This would also leave Congress with fewer MLAs than the BJP, which has 107 legislators in the house. In such a scenario, the Kamal Nath government could lose the trust vote.
Two women drowned in a well in an agriculture field near here, police said on Saturday.

The women were identified as Bhulibai Gurjar (30) and Manju Meghwal (40), residents of Jawatikala village under Bundi Sadar Police Station, police said.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when the women were working in an agriculture field, they said.

One of the women slipped and fell into the 35-feet deep well while the other was trying to rescue her, police said, adding both of them drowned.

A villager noticed the bodies floating in the well in the evening and informed the police.

By the time police reached the spot, some villagers had fished out the bodies which were handed over to the family members on Saturday morning after a postmortem.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assembled between 2630 and 2611 B.C. in Saqqara, Egypt, the pyramid, where Djoser and 11 of his daughters were buried upon their deaths, contains roughly 11.6 million cubic feet of stone and clay. Looping through and around the burial chambers is a winding, maze-like network of tunnels that was likely designed to prevent theft but apparently weakened the buildings structural integrity.  Smithsonian
Nepal Suspends All Permits for Mount Everest Climbers Amid Coronavirus Spread

Sputnik News

06:28 GMT 13.03.2020

Nepal previously confirmed its first case of coronavirus infection, introducing strict measure against COVID-19, as the country shares a border with China, where the infection originated, and India, which has reported at least 75 positive cases of the virus.

Nepalese authorities suspended permits to climb Mount Everest on Friday, banning climbers until 30 April due to the coronavirus infection. Nepal followed in the footsteps of China, which had halted access to the world's highest mountain a day before.

"The government has decided to suspend all spring expeditions and scrap permits for the time being. The decision can be reviewed after analysing the global scenario over the coming month", Yogesh Bhattarai, Minister for Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation told journalists.

Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office Narayan Prasad Bidari confirmed the cancellation of permits, stressing that tourist visas to the country will be halted until 30 April.

In this Feb. 19, 2016, file photo, trekkers make their way to Dingboche, a popular Mount Everest base camp, in Pangboche, Nepal.

The news comes before the start of the good weather season (which usually begins in April or May) that allows mountain climbers to attempt to reach the summit. At least 885 people tried to conquer Everest last spring, and 11 of them died in the process.

In the meantime, the coronavirus continues spreading across the world, with more than 127,000 coronavirus cases confirmed in over 100 countries. The death toll is nearing 5,000, however, more than 60,000 people have managed to recover from the disease.

 Sputnik

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Doctors are pleading with the federal government to fast-track its promised $30 million coronavirus public information campaign, saying mixed messages about COVID-19 have contributed to anxiety in the community, including panic buying and a rush on tests.

"They just need to get on with it," Australian Medical Association ethics committee chair Chris Moy said. "We needed this earlier".

Doctors are calling for the government to roll out its promised coronavirus public information campaign. Credit:AP

"The lack of clarity and uncertainty has led to this problem where people are anxious and are not focussing on what they need to be focussing on."

Labor's health spokesman Chris Bowen on Friday called for the government to roll out its campaign across radio, television, newspapers and social media "as soon as possible".
Dundalk Chamber of Commerce in association with the EURES Cross Border Partnership held a very successful Lunch time Seminar on Employment Incentives and Supports available for SME's in the Cross Border Region in the Fairways Hotel on Wednesday March 4. The EURES Cross Border Partnership is part of a European network which supports the Cross Border Worker, jobseeker and employer.

The event was a huge success with over 130 delegates in attendance to hear how employers in the border areas can be assisted with their recruitment needs.

There was a number of speakers in attendance including Pat Farrell from the Dept. of Employment Affairs & Social Protection, Lydia McAleenan from the Department for Communities, Annmarie O Kane from Border People and Thomas McEvoy of the Local Enterprise Office Louth. Paddy Matthews of Matthews.ie also made a presentation. Brenda McGeeney spoke on behalf of the EURES Cross Border Partnership.

Pat McCormick President Dundalk Chamber was delighted with the attendance and stated that the varied selection of speakers on board was fantastic and helped to increase the awareness of what supports are out there for SME's in the Cross Border Region.

This is just one of many EURES Cross Border events that Dundalk Chamber of Commerce has hosted in the last few years to assist the cross border worker, jobseeker and employer with more planned for the future.

For more information on the EURES Cross Border Partnership and how it can assist log on to www.eurescrossborder.eu or contact Brenda McGeeney Eures Adviser at brenda@dundalk.ie
In 2003, while passing San Quentin State Prison on a ferry from Marin County to San Francisco, bestselling author David Sheff was struck by an image: a bunch of inmates waved to his seven-year-old daughter and her friends on the ferrys top deck, and the girls waved back.

It was the first time, after living in the Bay Area forever, that I really thought about the fact that we live in paradise here, next to this walled-off other city where over 4,000 men live, recalls Sheff, who was born in Boston and raised in Arizona but has lived in the Bay Area since attending UC Berkeley in the 1970s. After that boat ride, he became curious about the prison and started to ask questions. Those questions evolved first into a magazine piece (a March 2014 New York Times Magazine profile of Jeanne Woodford, then San Quentins progressive warden, titled The Good Jailer).

Sheff, 64, is speaking via Facetime from his home in Inverness. Hes in his airy office, bathed in sunlight, wearing a casual button-down shirt. Hes discussing the book that wound up growing out of his trips to San Quentin: The Buddhist on Death Row (S&S, May).

This is Sheffs first interview about the title, which is his seventh book. It tells the story of Jarvis Jay Masters, an African-American inmate at San Quentin. Incarcerated in 1981 for armed robbery, Masters has been on death row since 1986, following his conviction for the murder of a guard; he maintains he had no involvement in the guards death and continues to appeal his conviction.

Masters was introduced to Buddhism during his 21 years in solitary confinement, and the religion changed his life, helping him become a force for good in a terrible place. Under the guidance first of (now-deceased) Tibetan lama Chagdud Tulku Rinpochewhom Masters met after a criminal investigator turned him on to meditation and he wrote a letter to the lamaand then of monk and author Pema Chodron, among others, Masters has become a bodhisattva (an enlightened being); he relies on his daily meditation practice to mitigate his own suffering and helps others in the prison help themselves as welleven a guard who had been contemplating suicide.

Masters became a published author in prison, writing many articles, poetry, and two books: Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row (1997) and That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row (2009). In 2009, prison reform activist Pamela Krasney, a friend of both Sheff and Masters, asked Sheff to blurb Masterss second book, and he did.

It wasnt until Pamela died [in 2015] and I was at her funeral that it all clicked in my brain that this was something that I wanted to explore more, Sheff says. I remembered Pamelas connection to Jarvis, but also the reasons she was so connected to him. It started to open up my own thinking about him. Some of the obvious questions leaped to the forefront, such as, How does somebody survive in that world? I dont know about you, but I struggle every day. This guy is living in a place where I cant even imagine surviving. And yet hes deeply invested in helping people get through their sufferingeven the people who have hurt him the most.

Around the same time, Eamon Dolanv-p and executive editor at Simon & Schuster, and the editor of Sheffs 2009 memoir Beautiful Boy, about his sons descent into addiction and struggle to stick with recoverybegan talking with Sheff about an idea he had. David and I were having dinner, and I mentioned that I was looking to publish a book about forgiveness, Dolan says. I believed he was ideally qualified to write on that topic because of his professional gifts as researcher and because of his own harrowing life experience, which I knew well from working with him on Beautiful Boy. He took my little idea and ran with it all the way to San Quentin and Jarvis Masters, a man who knows as much about forgiveness as anyone alive.

The Buddhist on Death Row is Sheffs first book in years that is not about addiction, a subject he became an expert on after his oldest son, Nic, got hooked on crystal methamphetamine as a teen, then moved on to cocaine and heroin. Nics many failed attempts at getting clean led to one that finally took, 10 years ago.

Sheff first wrote about his sons drug abuse and the devastating effects it had on his family in an essay called My Addicted Son, published in 2005 in the New York Times Magazine. The piece led to Beautiful Boy, Sheffs best-known bestseller, which in turn led to a 2018 big-screen adaptation starring Steve Carell as Sheff and Timothee Chalamet as Nic.

Beautiful Boy was a departure for Sheff, who was known for writing about celebrities and pop culture; his previous book, 1994s Game Over, was about video games. But the memoir took him in another direction and led him to write other books on addiction and recovery, including, most recently, High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction (2019). Sheff coauthored the book, which is aimed at helping teens avoid alcohol and drug abuse, with Nic. It also put him on the lecture circuit, where he talks about the science of addiction, and how addiction affects the brain.

The experience with Nic and our family pushed aside everything that felt in any way inconsequential and trivial, Sheff says. Suddenly it was a door into the deepest parts of myself, but also into this world of people who are suffering.

In a way, his exposure to suffering through the world of addiction groomed Sheff for writing about Masters; it primed him to create a portrait of a person who has seemingly conquered how to manage suffering.

At one point in The Buddhist on Death Row, Sheff recalls, Jarvis says he hears from all these people who write to him. They have the two-car garages, they have the perfect little puppy, and their depression is so severe that they can barely function. And Jarvis says, You have all that, and youre still suffering in that way? Well, Im luckier than you. You hear somebody whos on death row say hes luckier than many of us who are outside the prison, and it sounds preposterousbut it also, when it clicks into place, is a very profound idea.

Nonetheless, Sheff doesnt embrace the notion that religion will, or even can, save. As he notes in the introduction to the book, he is not a Buddhist. I was raised Jewish, but Im an atheist, he says. The idea of Buddhism as a religion is not something that I was ever open to. But theres a secular kind of Buddhism that makes sense to me. And I believe in meditation.

Sheff still keeps in touch with Masters. Ive gotten a lot closer to him and care about him in a very, very deep way, he explains. Masters is waiting for his appeal to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, which will likely be his last shot at freedom.

I hope that somedayits a fantasy I havehell get out, and we can go take a walk together on a beach, Sheff muses. But, in the meantime, this is his world, so I plan on staying connected to him.

Sari Botton is the editor of the anthologies 'Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving & Leaving NY', and 'Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for NY'.
Can more information result in less food being wasted? Researchers will be investigating this together with pupils and teachers across the whole of Sweden in the Get wise on food waste project. To assist them, they will be using an artificial intelligence app and the worlds largest food sustainability database.

Our food is responsible for over one-third of human-caused climate emissions. At the same time, almost one-third of food produced globally is thrown away. In the Get wise on food waste project, researchers are testing a new way to reduce food waste in Swedish schools: by providing more information and feedback to pupils.

Pupils and teachers will be able to see exactly how their food choices and food waste are affecting the climate.

We hope this can lead to more climate-friendly food choices and less food waste, said Bjorn Hedin, a researcher at the Department of Human Centered Technology at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm.

An app to calculate the waste

In the Get wise to food waste project, pupils can use an app to find out how much food they are throwing away. They photograph their plates before and after eating, and then the app calculates how much is being wasted. Before lunch, they receive information about the days menu being served in the school dining hall, the nutritional content of the various dishes and their climate footprint. The information comes from the worlds largest database on factors relating to food and environmental impact, health and justice, developed by the company Consupedia in collaboration with researchers at Dalarna University and KTH.

Creating virtuous circles through feedback

Through the project, researchers want to test whether it is possible to create virtuous circles in how food is dealt with  from wholesalers through to pupils. Making pupils more aware of how their food is affecting the climate, health and the environment, can lead to more thoughtful choices in the dining hall. As school kitchens get better information about what food their pupils like and dislike, menus can be adapted to better suit the needs of the pupils. The kitchens can then make more tailored orders from the wholesalers, so that the amount of waste is reduced both in school kitchens and at wholesalers.

We hope that as many schools as possible will take the opportunity to join the Get wise to food waste project and carry out research to create a sustainable future. The more pupils that participate, the better results we can get. Roberto Rufo Gonzalez, researcher and project manager at Consupedia

Citizen science for a sustainable future

The Get wise to food waste project is an example of citizen science, whereby researchers enlist the publics help to address issues that they cannot investigate on their own. For pupils, it is an opportunity to participate in real research, while teachers get access to research-based material to incorporate into their teaching.

In our previous citizen science projects for schools we have seen that pupils really appreciate doing something that is actually real. In the Get wise to food waste project, they are helping to develop new knowledge that can be used to tackle a current societal challenge, said Fredrik Brouneus, a Researcher and Press Officer at VA (Public & Science).

The Get wise on food waste project (Svinnkollen in Swedish) is being carried out between 27 April and 15 May 2020 and is a collaboration between Dalarna University, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), the company Consupedia and the non-profit organization VA (Public & Science). The project is being funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and Consupedia.
Terming the incident of Congress workers showing black flags to BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia 'shocking', Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded action against those involved in the 'attack'

Bhopal: Terming the incident of Congress workers showing black flags to BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia here "shocking", former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday demanded action against those involved in the "attack".

He said law and order in the state have collapsed.

"You can simply imagine the kind of situation prevailing in the state. A government which has lost the majority is engineering attacks. I strongly condemn this incident and appeal to police and administration to take swift action against those responsible for this attack on Scindia," Chouhan said in a statement.

"The law and order situation has totally collapsed in the state," he said.

Chouhan claimed that Scindia's vehicle was stopped and stones pelted at it in the "life-threatening attack".

With great difficulty, the driver managed to take the car carrying Scindia away from the spot, he said.

BJP workers led by party's Bhopal district unit president Vikas Virani held a protest outside Shymala Hills police station demanding that an FIR be registered against those involved in the incident.

Congress workers waved black flags at Scindia, who joined the BJP on Tuesday after ending an 18-year stint with the grand old party, in Kamla Park area when he was on his way to the airport this evening.

According to state Congress secretary Abdul Nafees, the party workers also blackened a vehicle which was part of Scindia''s motorcade.
Dr. Dermot McDowell and his daughter Jessica attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 13, 2020. (NTD Television)

SYDNEYDr. Dermot McDowell, a pediatrician in Sydney, said his whole family really enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts after seeing the classical Chinese dance company at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney on Friday night.

It was a really good experience, it was our first time, he said of the New York-based company on March 13, 2020.

I think the costumes, the synchronicity of the dancers and just what they can do with their abilityit was amazing.

McDowell said that one scene in Shen Yuns dance-based storytelling, which depicted the persecution of ordinary Chinese citizens for their faith in modern-day China, showed him that we need to be nicer to each other.

I thought it was very well done.

McDowell said his whole family thoroughly enjoyed the performance, and hope to come back next year.

Mark Jelic attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 13, 2020. (NTD Television)

Mark Jelic, who also saw New-York based Shen Yun perform on Friday, remarked how he felt very moved by Shen Yuns storytelling, particularly during one story about a famous Tang Dynasty poet who carved a poem into a rock after being inspired by a visit from a group of divine angels.

Inspiring. Romantic. Beautiful, Jelic said of the performance. I would highly recommend coming to see it.

With reporting by 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.
Panaji, March 14 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday urged political parties against organising large gatherings during the run-up to the March 22 Zilla Panchayat polls, in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji on Saturday, following a meeting of the BJP-led coalition government's high-powered committee on Health attended by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Chief Secretary Parimal Rai and other top officials, Sawant also said, that hand sanitisers were being procured to be handed over to the State Election Commission to be placed in polling booths and counting stations.

"I urge all political parties not to hold large gatherings in wake of the coronavirus outbreak," Sawant said.

"We are taking all precautions for elections. Our Health Secretary and State Election Commissioner are in touch. We are purchasing hand sanitisers to be provided to polling booths and counting centres. During elections itself, sanitisers and masks will be provided to the polling staff," Sawant said.

Election to the 50 Zilla Panchayat constituencies is scheduled to be held on March 22.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Trump declares national emergency over virus scare

US President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency as the World Health Organization named Europe the new epicenter of the coronavirus Friday, with countries sealing borders, shutting schools and canceling events in a frenzied attempt to slow the ballooning pandemic.

US declares national emergency as virus deaths soar

Toll rises to five in Latin America with Argentina and Ecuador reporting deaths

Argentina announced its second coronavirus-related death on Friday as Ecuador reported its first, taking the total death toll in Latin America to five as the virus shows signs of spreading rapidly.

Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and Suriname reported their first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Democratic-controlled House, with President Donald Trump's support, early Saturday passed a bill to provide free testing for the coronavirus, as well as paid sick and family leave, strengthened unemployment insurance and increased food aid to ease the hardship on families.

The legislation will be taken up by the Senate next week. It would require paid leave for workers who contract the virus or who care for those who do and additional food aid for the poor and senior citizens.

US passes bill to provide free testing for Covid19

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced what she says will be some of the toughest border restrictions in the world in an attempt to keep out the new coronavirus.

From Monday, all incoming passengers, including New Zealand citizens, will be required to isolate themselves for 14 days. The only countries exempt from the restrictions are a handful of Pacific islands that havent yet had any cases of COVID-19

Will isolate incoming passengers, New Zealand says

China reported 11 new infections of the coronavirus on Saturday, and for the first time since the start of the epidemic the majority of them were imported cases from overseas.

The National Health Commission said there were four more people infected in Hubei's capital Wuhan, where the virus first emerged in December.

The daily tally is the lowest for Wuhan since China started reporting figures in January.

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it would suspend international flights for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"The Kingdom's government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks (Starting from Sunday March 15th) as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus," the foreign ministry tweeted.

Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus Friday, deepening anxiety in a crisis-stricken nation where many hospitals lack basics such as water and soap and struggle to treat even basic ailments.

The announcement prompted President Ivan Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nations border with Venezuela closed as a coronavirus containment measure.

Criris-striken Venezuela reports first Covid19 case
An Irish Coast Guard crew have paid tribute to their Rescue 116 colleagues on the third anniversary of their death.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, and winch men Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby all lost their lives on March 14, 2017.
Talent Testing Service (TTS), a widely used testing service in the adult industry, this morning issued an advisory to offer adult performers some guidelines on coping with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The statement reads as follows:

TTS has been at the forefront in providing best-in-class testing services since 2005 in order to achieve one primary missionthe safety of the adult performers. We have been monitoring the constantly evolving global events surrounding the Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19). We are basing our recommendations by following the guidance documents of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) information and adhering to CDC guidance.

How Is the Virus Spread?

According to the CDC, the virus is mainly spread person to person, particularly when they are within six feet of each other. The primary way is when an infected person sneezes or coughs and their droplets land on a nearby persons mouth or nose or are inhaled into their lungs. Another way is when a person touches a surface where the virus is, then touching his or her own mouth, nose or eyes.

What Are the Symptoms?

Patients typically have mild to severe respiratory symptoms, such as a cough and difficulty breathing, as well as a fever. As with other viruses, people who are elderly and/or have underlying health conditions are more at risk.

What Is the Risk for Contracting COVID-19?

In the United States there were about 260 cases and 14 deaths as of March 6. Thirteen of these were in the state of Washington. Since mid-December there have been 102,000 cases reported worldwide with about 80 percent of those cases reported in China. Most of the people who contract COVID-19 recover in a matter of days, oftentimes at home, according to health officials. Symptoms can be more serious for the elderly and people with underlying health conditions. The overall death rate is about 3 percent.

TTS Preventive Measures, Recommendations & Outlook

1. Effective Monday, March 16 we will be providing hand sanitizing pens to all talents that visit our Miami, Northridge, Las Vegas and Oakland facilities. Please note that these are in limited supply.

2. We strongly recommend that all talent pre-register their visit to TTS Miami, Northridge, Las Vegas and Oakland locations online via our website at TalentTestingService.com. This will speed up your visit at the facility and minimize exposure, if any.

3. Talents who have recently traveled to countries with restrictions such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, Iran, Korea, Macau, Singapore and the EU agree to not engage in personal contact with other talents for at least 14 days while monitoring for symptoms from home to limit the potential spread of the virus. Click here for an updated list of countries with restrictions.

4. If you feel sick with the symptoms mentioned above or any others, do not shoot and stay home.

 If you develop symptoms during the 14-day window such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, do the following:

 Contact your agent and/or producer immediately to cancel any shoots you have scheduled.

 Seek medical care right away. Before you go to a doctors office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

 Avoid contact with others.

 Do not travel while sick. Some travel areas have implemented quarantines of those found with symptoms of illness.

 Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

 Clean your hands frequently with alcohol sanitizer or soap with water if soiled.

Learn more on the TTS website or follow TTS on Twitter.
Sydney's economy has not had a recession in nearly four decades but the citys long run of uninterrupted growth is being tested as key industries struggle with the fallout from the coronavirus.

The last time Sydney had a prolonged contraction, or what could be described as a regional recession, was in 1982-83 a report by economist Terry Rawnsley says.

Coronavirus is likely to have a disproportionate impact on Sydney's economy. Credit:AAP

Even during the last national recession in 1990-91 Sydneys economy managed a small expansion unlike most other cities and regions where activity contracted sharply.

But Mr Rawnsley warns the economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak are likely to have a disproportionate impact on Australias biggest cities because of the structure of their economies.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday (March 14, 2020) said in a press briefing that he took the test for the coronavirus.

President Trump after his meeting with the Coronavirus Taskforce in the White House said, "I had my temperature taken coming into the room and I also took the test for the coronavirus."

Trump said he decided to be tested for the coronavirus after Fridays news conference.

"People were asking, did I take the test," he said.

Asked when he expected to have the result, Trump said, ''A day, two days. They send it to a lab,.'

Whether the President would be tested had been a matter of speculation since it first emerged that a member of a Brazilian delegation that visited Mar-a-Lago had tested positive. Two other people who were with the president at Mar-a-Lago have tested positive.

President Trump started the press briefing with "We just completed a very good meeting on the Coronavirus and we are really doing a great job."

He added, "We're using the full power of the federal government to defeat the virus," said Trump.

On Friday, US President declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in order to make more funds available for fighting the fallout of the disease while reflecting symbolically the seriousness of the situation.

Trump said that up to $50 billion will be available to states and territories to meet the challenge and declared, "No resource will be spared."

The declaration came as the number of coronavirus cases in the US hit more than 1,800 with 50 deaths.

The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 5,000 on Saturday with the total number of cases rising to more than 1,40,000, as the infection continues to spread all over the globe.
A bus is disinfected with ultraviolet rays in Shanghai on Mar 12, 2020 (Photo: AFP/Hector Retamal)

With companies under pressure to meet strict prevention measures for the virus, which has killed more than 3,100 people in China, some are turning to new technology to keep everything clean.

Shanghai public transport firm Yanggao has converted a regular cleaning room into a UV light disinfection chamber for buses - cutting a 40-minute process down to just five minutes.

"After the epidemic happened ... we were actively searching for a more efficient disinfection method," Qin Jin, deputy general manager at Yanggao told AFP.

He said that normally the process required the full attention of two staff, who sprayed disinfectant on surfaces in the bus before wiping them down.

"The problem with this was that it might not reach certain corners," said Qin.

The group partnered with a technology supplier to set up an ultraviolet cleaning system and now, some of its buses are cleaned by UV rays.

Staff members drive one bus at a time into the chamber - which has been equipped with 210 UV tubes - and leave the room before activating the system, bathing the vehicle in a blue-white hue.

Two cleaning rooms have been converted and each can disinfect up to 250 buses a day, Qin added.

With around 1,000 buses needing disinfection daily, the UV system has reduced the amount of staff overtime and manpower needed for regular public transport disinfection.

The World Health Organization has cautioned that UV lamps should not be used to sterilise hands or other areas of skin - as UV radiation can cause skin irritation - but Qin said the chambers are closed off and activated by staff outside.

Health experts told AFP that UV light is not typically used to disinfect public areas, but can be effective if done right.

Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said UV disinfection is effective but needs to be used with care as the light can cause skin cancer.

"UV disinfection is widely used in hospitals worldwide after patients have left a room," he said. "This is used for antimicrobial resistant pathogens, tuberculosis and other infectious agents."

While it is not usually used on public transport, "there is no good reason why (it) would not work".

SMART LIFTS

Yanggao is not the only organisation investing in UV disinfection.

China's central bank said in February it was disinfecting and isolating used banknotes using UV lights in its efforts to combat the coronavirus.

A market supervision bureau in southern Guangdong province proposes a "smart UV elevator disinfection system", which it says eliminates the risk of missing corners or irritating passengers with remnants of cleaning fluids.

UV tubes are installed in lifts and activated when the system detects no one is inside, sweeping the area with penetrating UV rays and automatically turning off when it's done.

The plan is to eventually install the system in public spaces such as hospital elevators.
The Mandalorians third episode sees its masked protagonist make an unexpected decision after finally handing in his bounty to the authorities.

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Episodes one and two of the Disney+ series have seen Pedro Pascals nameless bounty hunter track down and capture a 50-year old child of Yodas species. Finally dropping his ward off with the sinister Client, played by cinema icon Werner Herzog, Mando tries to put the past behind him, immediately taking on a new bounty mission.

Before he reaches his target, however, he lets his conscience get the better of him, and he returns to bust his adorable friend out of captivity. One massive shootout later, and the Mandalorian is on the run, with the Child safely by his side.

As with all the episodes in the Star Wars spin-off series, Chapter Three: The Sin was filled with references to the original sci-fi saga.

Here are eight of the Easter eggs you might not have noticed...

1. Twileks

One of the most visually distinctive species in the Star Wars universe thanks to the long appendages dangling from their skulls, the Twileks make a brief appearance in this episode, hanging around on the planet Nevarro. Previous Twileks seen in the series include Jabba the Hutts unctuous henchman Bib Fortuna, and turquoise Jedi Aayla Secura.

2. Jawas

The high-voiced junk traders from A New Hope were given a shining appearance last episode. This week, we get another glimpse of them, outside of their familiar desert environment for once.

3. TT8L/Y7 droid

TT8L droids are the round gatekeeper droids that most Star Wars fans would recognise from the beginning of Return of the Jedi, at the gates of Jabba the Hutts palace. In this episode, the Mandalorian confronts one such droid to gain entry to the Clients compound.

4. Camtono

Hardcore Star Wars fans noticed long ago a scene in The Empire Strikes Back when non-speaking character (later named Willrow Hood in character guides) is seen runnning around Bespin holding an ice cream maker. Dubbed a camtono, the incongruous object appears again here, used to hold the precious beskar that is the Mandalorians reward for Baby Yodas bounty.

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Werner Herzog returns as the Mandalorians creepy, enigmatic Client, seen here with a camtono (LucasFilm/Disney+)

5. Super battle droids

The powerful robots from Attack of the Clones are featured in a flashback to the massacre of the Mandalorians family. Bulkier, deadlier and far less chatty than your standard battle droids, these guys are clearly not to be trifled with.

6. Mon Calamari

The bounty that the Mandalorian agrees to take on, before changing his mind and rescuing the Child from the Clients laboratory, is a Mon Calamari  the same species as classic Original Trilogy rebel leader Admiral Ackbar.

7. Zabrak bounty hunter

In the background of the bounty hunter guild hangout on Nevarro, you can clearly make out the horned head of a zabrak  the same type of alien as fearsome Sith warrior Darth Maul .

8. The Trash compactor pipe

In a blink-and-youll-miss-it reference, the same type of pipe that Han Solo uses in the original Star Wars to help push apart the walls of the Death Star garbage compactor can be seen leaning against the wall in an alley.
Mary Ellen Barbera, the chief judge of Marylands Court of Appeals and the states top judicial official, ordered the postponement of all civil and criminal jury trials in the Circuit Courts throughout the state that were set to begin from Monday to April 3, and she told judges to schedule new dates. Maryland state courts will also be closed to the public for three weeks.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 18:43:06|Editor: huaxia

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Participants in the video conference said they appreciated China's sharing of experiences in combating the virus, adding that China's help came at a criticaljuncture for Europe.





by Xinhua writer Yu Shuaishuai

ATHENS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Before 9:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Friday, Amela Lolic has already arrived at the conference room of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), with two sheets of paper listing 17 questions concerning COVID-19.

As the assistant minister of health and social welfare of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of BiH, Lolic was here for a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries as well as Malta.

During the video conference, the Chinese officials and experts introduced the latest progress in combating COVID-19 and various prevention and control strategies before answering questions.

When it was her turn to ask questions, Lolic said there was no need since "all my questions have already been answered satisfactorily."

A FRIEND IN NEED

Europe has now become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.

Helena Maltezou (C), head of the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance and Intervention of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization, attends a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Athens, Greece, March 13, 2020. (Photo by Cai Ling/Xinhua)

The video conference was the latest move from China to push for enhanced global cooperation to battle the outbreak.

Though the situation in CEE countries is not as severe as in other European areas for now, several CEE countries have declared a national emergency over concerns about the worsening situation.

Participants in the video conference said they appreciated China's sharing of experiences in combating the virus, adding that China's help came at a critical juncture for Europe.

"China has taken very impressive measures in order to contain this epidemic. China has behaved with responsibility towards not only the Chinese people, but also the global community," Helena Maltezou, head of the Directorate for Epidemiological Surveillance and Interventions for Infectious Diseases of Greece's National Public Health Organization, told Xinhua after attending the video conference in Athens.

Ludmila Viksna, chief infectious diseases specialist at Riga Eastern Hospital and dean of the Infectious Diseases Department at Riga Stradins University, said that China's sharing of experience and its specialist expertise reflect its commitment to the fight against the coronavirus, as well as its great sense of responsibility towards protecting global health.

"We are extremely thankful for that," Viksna said.

Latvian participants attend a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Riga, Latvia, March 13, 2020. (Photo by Janis/Xinhua)

Before the video conference on Friday, an academic video conference on COVID-19 had already been held between Chinese and German experts in early February.

"BEST EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD"

Impressed by the Chinese performance in battling COVID-19, participants said they now better understand the difficulties in China's fight against the epidemic and how valuable China's experience is.

"It's very important for Poland to receive the information from China because you have the best experience in the world," said Iwona Paradowska-Stankiewicz, a Polish national consultant in the field of epidemiology.

Peteris Apinis, Latvia's former health minister and ex-chairman of the Latvian Medical Association, said that the discussions with the Chinese counterparts were very useful, adding that China's expertise in this field is much more extensive than that of the rest of the world.

Maltezou, the expert who is now leading the battle against COVID-19 in Greece, said that her country "truly relies on the Chinese experience on this issue."

Jelena Rjabinina, chief specialist from the Infection Prevention and Control Department of the Estonian Health Board, said that Estonians' public knowledge about the coronavirus is still insufficient, and that the materials provided by the Chinese side are very professional and pertinent.

The Chinese knowledge and materials on the disease will be handed out to Estonian hospitals and related institutions, she added.

Calin Alexandru, head of the General Directorate for Management of Medical Emergency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania, told Xinhua that the Chinese introduction is specific, practical and highly operable, and is worth learning from.

"We truly admire the Chinese people and our colleagues who managed in such a short time to share with us the best of the lessons they have learned," said Danijel Nikolic, assistant secretary general at the General Secretariat of the Serbian government.

Estonian health officials and experts attend a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiuzhi)

COOPERATION WITHIN "17+1" FRAMEWORK

The video conference was held as part of the cooperation between China and CEE Countries (17+1).

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, China has been at the forefront to mobilize joint global response against the infectious disease, and the various cooperation mechanisms it advocates have proved to be effective in times of crisis.

Under the "17+1" platform, the cooperation between China and CEE countries has reached fruitful results. This time, with a shared goal of overcoming the epidemic, the two sides are coming together to strengthen their constructive cooperation.

"Today's video conference is just a new beginning for China-CEE countries' cooperation in epidemic prevention and control," said Costin Iliuta, an expert from the Health Ministry of Romania.

"We owe great thanks to the Chinese people, authorities and experts, for showing us that the Belt and Road Initiative and the '17+1' mechanism are not just about the economy, but the wellbeing of the whole world," Nikolic said.

Serbian heads of medical institutes, hospitals and representatives of government attend a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Belgrade, Serbia on March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

Maltezou told Xinhua that both sides can further collaborate on research on drugs and vaccines for COVID-19.

"We would like to collaborate with specific universities or healthcare facilities in China to promote exchange of knowledge, and also to work with the Chinese side on treating patients," she said.

Kart Sober, an Estonian health official, also praised the "17+1" cooperation as "a very good platform" to enhance collaboration.

(Xinhua reporters Li Xiaopeng from Athens, Chen Xu and Zhang Zhang from Warsaw, Zhang Xiuzhi from Sarajevo, Shi Zhongyu from Belgrade, Guo Qun from Riga, Chen Jin from Bucharest, Gao Lei from Zagreb, Guo Chunju from Tallinn, Guo Mingfang from Vilnius, Jiang Xue from Bratislava, Tian Ying from Berlin, Yuan Yun from Valletta, Yuan Liang from Budapest, and Yang Xiaohong from Prague contributed to the report. Video editor: Ma Ruxuan.)
At CentroNia  a day care with four sites in the District and Maryland that serve mostly low-income families  administrators had worked to ensure that parents and staff members understand the importance of hygiene in mitigating their exposure to the virus. They had extra signs around the centers in Spanish, Amharic and English reminding people to wash their hands and informing parents about the outbreak.
WALTHAM, Mass., March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its diagnostic test that can be used immediately by CLIA high-complexity laboratories in the U.S. to detect nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and not for any other viruses or pathogens.

The authorized test uses Applied Biosystems TaqPath Assay technology and is designed to provide patient results within four hours of a sample being received by a lab. The estimated time-to-result also includes time for sample preparation and instrument analysis.

"The authorization of our diagnostic test for COVID-19 will help to protect patients and enable medical staff to respond swiftly to treat those who are ill and prevent the spread of infection," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "At Thermo Fisher, our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. In partnership with the FDA and regulatory authorities around the world, we are committed to expanding the availability of diagnostic testing to prevent the spread of this disease."

The EUA test is optimized for use on the company's Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx Real-time PCR instrument, which is covered under the EUA and already used in clinical laboratories worldwide.

This test has not been FDA cleared or approved, however, the FDA can issue an EUA to permit use of certain medical products that may be effective in diagnosing, treating or preventing a disease or condition, as in the case of the novel coronavirus when the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declares a public health emergency. HHS Secretary Alex Azar declared an emergency for COVID-19 on January 31. The test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C.  360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.

For more information about the test, visit www.thermofisher.com/COVID19EUA

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $25 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 75,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:

Ron O'Brien

Phone: 781-622-1242

E-mail: [email protected]

Investor Contact Information:

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Phone: 781-622-1294

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Poonch: One civilian was injured in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Saturday. On March 4, the Centre had informed the Lok Sabha that there have been 646 incidents of ceasefire violations along the India-Pakistan international border as well as the LoC in the first two months of this year.

DGP Dilbag Singh in February had said that Pakistan has increased the ceasefire violations.

He also said that Indian forces have been successful in foiling the infiltration bids from across the border.
Volvo's proud boast is that if you want to buy one of their cars, from now on you will be asked: 'Would you like one with or without a plug?'

The Swedish maker, now owned by China's Geely, is driving hard towards electricification (its 'Pure' mode) and to have a plug-in hybrid or fully electric option across its entire range.

And it's largely achieved that goal with its smart new XC40 compact family SUV, which I've just driven.

Civilised and economical: Volvo's XC40 Recharge family SUV can average almost 140mpg

In the industry's jargon-heavy lingo, the XC40 Recharge T5 is known as a PHEV  a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle. A fully electric version, due at the turn of the year, will be a BEV or a battery electric vehicle.

The one I drove is powered by a 180hp, three-cylinder inline 1,477cc petrol engine linked to a 82 hp electric motor and an automatic seven-speed gearbox.

It can accelerate to 62 mph in 7.3 seconds up to a top speed of 127 mph. But Volvo is limiting all newly ordered cars to 112 mph for safety.

A full charge using the fast-charge cable stored handily under the lift-up floor of the rear hatchback boot takes 2 hours. An hour less than on a domestic three-pin plug.

In the industry's jargon-heavy lingo, the XC40 Recharge T5 is known as a PHEV  a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle. A fully electric version is due at the turn of the year

Used correctly with regular charges, this car should slash your fuel bills, averaging up to 139.4 mpg, with CO2 emissions of up to 55g/km, despite a 48-litre fuel tank.

However, some customers simply order them to take advantage of their low road tax and company car tax rates, never bothering to charge them.

A full charge on the Pure setting gets you a maximum of 28 miles of silent, zero emissions. And there's always the comfort blanket of a tankful of fuel to get you home.

Used correctly with regular charges, this car should slash your fuel bills, averaging up to 139.4 mpg, with CO2 emissions of up to 55g/km, despite a 48-litre fuel tank

I drove the upmarket 'R-Design', which accounts for about 30 per cent of sales. It's civilised, especially when gliding around feeling smug in pure mode, with sufficient oomph in hybrid mode on motorways.

Prices start at 40,905.

Solar charge stations to open this year

The first of a 1 billion nationwide network of more than 100 Electric Forecourts using solar power is to open this summer near Braintree in Essex.

It claims to be the UK's first custom-built electric charging station.

The first of a 1 billion nationwide network of more than 100 Electric Forecourts using solar power is to open this summer near Braintree in Essex

The company behind the network, Gridserve, says it will charge 24 electric vehicles at once with 'superchargers' that deliver up to 350kW of power, allowing motorists to charge their vehicles within 20 to 30 minutes while they take a break.

It aims to have a full UK-wide network operational within five years. It follows the Government's announcement that it plans to ban the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles within 15 years, and possibly as soon as 12.

The project has been backed by a 4.8 million grant from Innovate UK.

While vehicles charge, drivers can opt to relax over coffee and cake or shop in a two-storey building, which includes a supermarket and an airport-style lounge with access to high-speed internet.

Chancellor's sleight of hand

Pothole buster: Chancellor Rishi Sunak

The Chancellor giveth and taketh when it comes to motorists. A 2.5 billion five-year programme will 'eradicate the scourge of potholes in every part of the country', said Rishi Sunak, pictured.

Fuel duty and insurance premium tax have been frozen and 27 billion is being invested in motorways and major roads including the A417, the A1 north of Newcastle, A303 and A46.

Sunak also committed 403 million to extend plug-in car grants out to 2023.

But there's a sting in the tail in that the grants have been cut by 500 from 3,500 to 3,000, down from 5,000 when introduced nine years ago.

Models costing 50,000 or more, such as Teslas, no longer qualify at all.
Some downtown hotels saw their occupancy rates sag this week  during whats usually one of the busiest time of the year for the citys hospitality industry  and managers are worried that the slowdown is going to get much worse.

The latest jolt came Friday morning when city officials confirmed San Antonios first case of novel coronavirus unrelated to the evacuees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The patient caught the virus while traveling outside the city.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg declared a public health emergency, barring meetings of 500 or more people and discouraged events between 250 and 500 for a week.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

San Antonio conventions and meetings scheduled for March and April have been canceled. Now hoteliers are concerned about visitors who drive to San Antonio from other Texas cities and nearby states.

Those visitors, who often stay in town for several days, annually make up about 70 percent of San Antonios tourists. And theyre beginning to stay away.

At the Crockett Hotel, general manager Bill Brendel said occupancy was in the 50 percent range this week. During Spring Break week in previous years, almost all of the hotels 138 rooms were booked.

Brendel said the question of layoffs among the hotels 55 employees likely will come down to whether coronavirus concerns affects business for several weeks  or months.

Layoffs might have to occur if it was six months, he said.

The Crockett isnt alone in having lots of empty rooms this week.

Occupancy is shockingly low, said Michelle Madson, interim president of the trade group San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association.

San Antonio has more than 41,000 hotel rooms, and tourism is the citys third biggest economic generator.

Madson said hotel operators havent undertaken large layoffs but some have reduced worker hours. In some cases, housekeepers, among the lowest paid hotel employees, are seeing reduced hours, hotel managers said.

Only 48 percent of the 316 rooms were filled at Menger Hotel this week, compared with nearly 100 percent occupancy last year, front desk supervisor Fernando Duran said.

Some longtime employees say business hasnt been this bad since 9/11, he said.

He said some of the hotels 200 employees are nervous that occupancy will slide even more once Spring Break is over, jeopardizing their jobs. And the decision to reschedule Fiesta from April to November adds to an already bad situation.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio has its first travel-related coronavirus case

At the Hotel Gibbs, the occupancy rate this week has averaged about 65 percent, but general manager David Recknagel said thats due to heavy discounts on rooms.

He said rooms that went for $300 a night last Spring Break now are discounted at $79 a night.

Even with the discounting, he said, we're only going to generate maybe a third of the business we did for this month last year.

Attracting visitors could get harder in the next few weeks  some of San Antonios major tourist attractions are closing, at least until the end of the month.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas closed Friday while SeaWorld and and Aquatica San Antonio will close Monday.

Some museums also are closing.

If the attractions remain closed for more than a few weeks, visitors could opt to either stay home or go elsewhere, hotel managers said.

David Gonzalez, director of communications for Visit San Antonio, said the tourist organization is highlighting  on its website and through social media  tourist attractions that remain open, such as the Alamo and the River Walk.

We are stressing that there is no travel ban and it is safe to visit San Antonio, he said.

Randy Diamond covers aviation, energy and manufacturing in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read his stories and more local coverage on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | randy.diamond@express-news.net
COVID-19 Cases Grow to 24 in South Africa, Outside of False Positive

By Anita Powell March 13, 2020

South Africa's health minister on Friday announced that the nation has seen eight new cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the nation's total caseload to at least 24.

That number does not include a case reported Thursday, when South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases erroneously said the nation had seen its first locally transmitted case of novel coronavirus.

"We humbly apologize for the error in reporting the first case of local transmission of COVID-19 in our earlier report," the agency said on Twitter late Thursday. "On verification, the case was found to be negative."

The false positive could allay fears that the virus is spreading through South Africa. Authorities reported the country's first case of coronavirus on March 5.

"All the cases identified to date have been in travelers from affected countries," the NICD said. "At this time there is no indication that COVID-19 is circulating widely in the community in South Africa."

The false result, authorities say, came from a private laboratory. The patient is a 32-year-old man in the Free State province who came into contact with a Chinese businessman.

Minister Zweli Mkhize told local media on Friday that the eight new cases in South Africa were all seen in patients who had recently traveled overseas.

He spoke to reporters outside a facility in Polokwane, in Limpopo province, where authorities are preparing to receive 122 South African nationals who have been repatriated from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the pandemic started in December. They will be held in quarantine for up to 21 days, although none have tested positive for the virus.

The virus has now infected more than 125,000 people worldwide, killing more than 4,600.

South African officials have said they are concerned about high volumes of internal travel during the Easter holiday weekend in April, an issue that is likely to be discussed during a high-level meeting scheduled for Sunday.

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THE DEPARTMENT of Health announced that there are 39 additional confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this Saturday evening, while another person has died as a result of the virus.

This brings the national figure to 129, and the death count to 2.

Of the 39 additional cases:

29 are male

10 are female

The geographical breakdown is:

21 cases located in the east of the country

13 associated with the south

3 in the northwest

2 in the west

Among these new cases, some are reportedly healthcare staff.

There are still six people in intensive care units across with country with confirmed cases.

The HSE is working 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, Department of Health said: Firstly, I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of the patient who died today.

It is up to every one of us to play our role in slowing down the spread of this disease.

Ireland is following ECDC guidelines in our approach to containing Covid-19.

Todays increase in cases reinforces the necessity of the measures put in place last week, including hand and respiratory hygiene, social distancing, school closures and limiting the size of mass gatherings.

I urge every citizen to follow these measures to protect our people, especially the most vulnerable in our society.

I note also the pressure our emergency services phonelines were under today.

112/999 should only be used for emergencies, when an ambulance is required. This is not an advice line.

If you have flu like symptoms, self isolate at home until Monday and visit hse.ie for advice. You can call your GP on Monday morning and they will decide if you need a test. Please only call 999 or GP out of hours for emergencies.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: There are many anecdotal stories of people ignoring the social distancing guidelines laid out on Thursday.

We are in an unprecedented global situation. Everyone in the country must play their part in protecting the most vulnerable and slowing down the spread of this disease.

A US travel ban for Ireland and the UK will come into effect at midnight on Monday night (Eastern Standard Time), according to Vice President Mike Pence earlier today. US citizens and residents will be allowed to return to the country, he said. But Irish or UK citizens will not be able to enter the United States for the duration of the ban.
Yash Raj Films on Saturday announced that the release of their upcoming movie "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" has been delayed amid growing concerns over coronavirus.

The film, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, and starring Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor, was slated to release on March 20.

"Given the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, we have decided to postpone the release of Dibakar Banerjee's 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar'. The health and safety of everyone is of utmost importance at this time," an announcement shared on the production banner's official Twitter account read.

"Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" is the latest to join the every-growing list of the films being delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Release of Akshay Kumar's "Sooryavanshi", festival-favourite "Sir", Hollywood films "A Quiet Place 2", "Mulan" and James Bond movie "No Time to Die" have been postponed.

The deadly virus originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year and has killed over 5,000 people and infected more than 134,000 globally.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By IANS

SAN FRANCISCO: Despite US President Donald Trump's claim, Google is not developing a nationwide COVID-19 tracking and screening website in the US.

During a press conference, Trump said that Google is going to develop a website. "It's going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past... to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location".

"Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now. They have made tremendous progress," Trump told the media at the White House on Friday.

Google immediately reacted, saying another company under its umbrella called Verily is building a much smaller trial website to direct people to testing facilities in the Bay Area, reports The Verge.

"We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time," tweeted a Google communications account.

"We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort," it added.

The triage site should be live within a few days, and it will be hosted at "Project Baseline", the Verily website where people can sign up to take part in clinical trials.

At Trump's press conference, Debbie Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, showed a flowchart explaining what the proposed functionality of the website would be.

"Nobody from Alphabet or Google spoke at the event, although many executives from other health and retail companies did,a the report mentioned.

Trump declared a national emergency to provide disaster funding, speed up the US response to the crisis and offer "maximum flexibility" to attack the problem.

There have been at least 2,174 coronavirus cases in the US, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, and 41 deaths to date.
Arresting people for disseminating information about the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus in Iran has gained momentum in the past two days.

The admin of a news website, Entekhab, Mostafa Faqihi (Faghihi) is among the detainees, Iran Times telegram Channel reported on Friday, March 13.

Earlier on March 10, Faqihi had tweeted that nearly 2,000 have died of Covid-19 across Iran. He had also demanded the Islamic Republic to disclose the real coronavirus death toll to the people.

The government says around 500 have died, while many citizens and journalists insist both the extent of infections and deaths are much higher than official figures.

The hardliner Tasnim news agency close to the Revolutionary Guard reported March 14 that 150 were identified by the Guards intelligence for disseminating fake news and rumors about the epidemic on social media they have been held responsible for their actions.

Meanwhile, an outspoken city councilor in Shiraz, southern Iran, Mehdi Hajati, was re-arrested on Thursday, March 12.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) cited Mr. Hajati's associates as saying that Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz had ordered the city councilor's detention.

Although the reason behind Hajati's arrest is still unknown, his close associates have maintained on social media that he is detained for criticizing the approach of state-run entities toward the deadly virus.

In the meantime, the Police Chief in the western province of Kermanshah, IRGC officer Ali Akbar Javidan, says 43 internet sites have been blocked across the region for disseminating information about coronavirus.

"The judiciary has also summoned and referred sixteen managers and admins of the sites to the courts," Javidan disclosed, and accused the blocked websites of spreading fake news under the "enemies' directives."

The Islamic Republic Prosecutor-General, mid-ranking cleric Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, had threatened the admins and social media activists of "severe consequences" if they cross the redline, and publish unwarranted comments on fighting coronavirus in Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:41:45|Editor: yhy

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KIGALI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has urged the public to follow safety guidelines after the country confirmed its first case of COVID-19.

"All residents should continue to observe all instructions from the health authorities, particularly by washing hands regularly, avoiding large gatherings, and reporting symptoms by calling the toll-free number 114," the country's health ministry said in a statement released Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Rwanda confirmed an imported case, an Indian national from Mumbai who arrived in Rwanda on Sunday without symptoms before testing positive on Friday.

The isolated patient is undergoing treatment and is in a stable condition, said the ministry, adding that it is currently tracing who the patient has had recent close contact with.
Aliya Danzeisen rises before dawn every day to hear the news so she can prepare her school-age daughters for any harassment they may face for being Muslim. "We don't feel any safer," the Muslim community leader says, reflecting on the 12 months since the Christchurch mosque attacks, in which a self-declared white supremacist killed 51 Muslims at Friday prayers. The abuse experienced prior to the attacks on March 15 last year died down immediately after the killings, Danzeisen said, adding: "It felt the entire New Zealand population was rallying behind us." But she says it is now on the rise again, a year on from the killings that rattled the normally peaceful South Pacific nation, with unease among the Muslim community amid ongoing vitriol and threats. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern -- who received widespread praise for her handling of the aftermath of the massacre -- admitted Friday there was "much more" her country could do to tackle white supremacists. Anjum Rahman, co-founder of the Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand said there was an "undercurrent or rhetoric of hate... it isn't just our community, we see it a lot in online hate (towards) the transgender community. "I wouldn't say it's specifically just us, but we're feeling it." Muslim women who wear headscarves were targeted "because they think we're vulnerable and can't fight back", she said. Following the massacre at two mosques in the South Island city, New Zealand's government moved swiftly. Gun laws were tightened, Ardern launched a global campaign to have terrorist and extremist content removed online, and a judicial inquiry was established to investigate what could have been done to prevent the attacks. Danzeisen, a former corporate lawyer in the United States who moved to New Zealand 14 years ago, said she believes the support shown to Muslims in the immediate aftermath of the shooting "surprised those in the fringe supremacist movements". "As a result it's made them more defensive and more vitriolic, they've become louder," she said. - Poison threat - In a recent threat to the Islamic Women's Council "they told us that they knew what we were doing, who we were, who we were meeting with and they were watching us and there was a mention of poisoning". Danzeisen said she felt it was important to brief her high school-age daughters about global incidents so they could handle any intimidation. "I did that for years, so they could go to school and be prepared, to be able to explain to peers or teachers when there is an international issue to explain why in their response. I am aware of children being harassed both by peers but also educators." The impact spreads beyond New Zealand. At the Al Noor mosque Jabara Akhter Juti said her family in Bangladesh remain "very concerned about me" since she moved to Christchurch last year with her husband. The imam at Al Noor, Gamal Fouda, wanted the broader impact of extremism addressed and not just confined to Muslims. "That was a war against New Zealand, not only against Muslims, because today it is against one group tomorrow against another group, people of other ethnic backgrounds are targeted," he told AFP. Mosque spokesman Tony Green said a recent incident in Auckland where a Chinese doctor was abused in public because of coronavirus highlighted the problem. "I don't know if she was born in New Zealand but she's been here for a very long time and she had people shouting at her 'go back to China'. "This is part of a much wider issue and I think people need to come to terms with it." "It's global issue, it affects communities all across the world." The inquiry into the mosque shootings is due to report back at the end of April.
After King Arthur cuts off the Black Knights left arm in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, his foe ripostes Tis but a scratch and keeps fighting. Arthur soon severs the knights other arm and kneels to thank the Lord for his apparent victory  only to be kicked in the head by one of his opponents remaining limbs. Come on, then, the armless knight insists. Have at you!

Nearly two weeks ago, buoyed by a convincing victory in South Carolinas Democratic presidential primary, former Vice President Joe Biden won 10 of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday, as a succession of rivals surrendered and endorsed him. But Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders persevered, only to lose four of the six states that voted last Tuesday and fall behind in a fifth, giving Biden a lead of more than 150 delegates.

Sanders surfaced Wednesday in his hometown of Burlington, Vt., to point out that he had nevertheless led among young voters and championed winning ideas. He looked forward to debating Biden on Sunday, when he would ask him what he plans to do about medical bankruptcies, college debt and other signature Sanders issues. Meanwhile, his campaign continued to marshal support, air disingenuous attacks against Biden and even open new field offices.

In short: Have at you!

Granted, for a pugnacious socialist, Sanders showed some restraint over the past week. While threatening to have at Biden in what has been one of the gaffe-prone veeps weakest events  debate  Sanders was giving him advance warning of his questions. The senator also acknowledged that he was losing the race and the argument over which candidate is most likely to defeat President Trump. And he called Biden my friend.

The longtime party outsider nevertheless risks reprising his 2016 role as an all too effective foe of the Democratic standard-bearer  and thereby offering aid and comfort to Trump.

Between Tuesday trouncings, for instance, Sanders alleged in an interview that the power of the establishment had forced Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg out of the race as the billionaire class got behind Biden. That eerily echoed Trump, who tweeted days earlier that The Democrat establishment came together and crushed Bernie Sanders, AGAIN! The president was promoting the same conspiratorial narrative even when Sanders was winning: After his February victory in Nevada, his candidacys high-water mark, Trump said darkly of Sanders, I just hope they treat him fairly. I hope its not going to be a rigged deal, because theres a lot of bad things going on.

Trump was responding partly to a report that intelligence officials believe the Russian government has tried to aid Sanders campaign, which the president characterized as a Democratic Party smear against the senator. But the Kremlin has boosted Sanders before, according to Senate and Justice Department investigators, promoting his campaign four years ago in the interest of delegitimizing the eventual Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, to Trumps ultimate benefit.

Despite Vladimir Putins reported efforts, and despite the Sanders campaigns success in raising money and wresting procedural concessions from the party, the former vice president isnt just winning the Democratic nomination; hes winning it democratically. In fact, as the race has become more democratic  as primaries have replaced caucuses and fragmented pluralities have given way to majorities  Biden has done better.

The sine qua non of his comeback was South Carolina, where his victory approached a majority, showed resonance within the partys crucial African American base, and put him atop a pile of moderates who had theretofore splintered the anti-Sanders vote. Biden had been one of many candidates claiming electoral viability as a chief attribute; when he proved it by winning an election, the rest faded away.

He now leads by some 1.5 million votes after taking states in every part of the country; late-arriving ballots have even narrowed his deficit in California and erased it in another Sanders stronghold, Washington. Sanders certainly has a right to keep running and presumably has reasons. But if, how and when he withdraws will be the test of his stated determination to deny a second term to Donald Trump.

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 49th patient and his wife - the 30th patient - entered Viet Nam at Noi Bai International Airport on March 2.  VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

THUA THIEN-HUE  Another patient has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Hue City, raising the total number of infections in Viet Nam to 49.

The patient, a 71-year-old British man who flew from London to Ha Noi on March 2's flight VN0054, is the husband of the 30th patient, who has been quarantined for treatment at Hue Central Hospital since Sunday.

As of Saturday, 14 passengers on the flight, including two Vietnamese, were reported to be infected with COVID-19.

More than 200 passengers and cabin crew members of VN0054 have been isolated.

Viet Nam's foreign ministry announced on Saturday the country would halt entries for tourists from countries in the Schengen area or the UK from March 15, amid the coronavirus outbreak and soaring death tolls in Europe, sparking concern they might be the next epicentre.  VNS

Watch our video series on the light-hearted aspects of COVID-19 epidemic
Hong Kong: CE hands out masks

Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited two self-help organisations by parents of people with disabilities and volunteers in Sham Shui Po today and gave them face masks donated to the Government.

Mrs Lam visited the Joint Council of Parents of the Mentally Handicapped and the Intellectually Disabled Education & Advocacy League.

She spoke with the chairmen and members of the organisations to learn about the challenges they are facing amid the COVID-19 epidemic and their views on rehabilitation services.

As the supply of face masks is persistently tight, Mrs Lam pointed out that the Government must prioritise the needs of healthcare workers and other frontline personnel taking part in anti-epidemic work.

She said the Government has nonetheless decided to pass all masks donated by various sectors to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The Government has also agreed to expand the number of groups that can receive the donated masks to include about 94 self-help organisations under a Social Welfare Department subsidy scheme.

She added that there are currently about 850,000 face masks available for these organisations.

Mrs Lam said: "As mutual support from various sectors in the community is important in the fight against the disease together, the Government set up the public participation workgroup under the steering committee in relation to the COVID-19 virus.

One of its initiatives is to distribute face masks to people in need and I have also participated in activities of the NGOs to distribute face masks on a number of occasions.

Taking into account the 2 million-odd face masks given to over 30 charity organisations, more than 3 million face masks have been distributed. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to every donor.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Greece announced two more coronavirus deaths on Saturday bringing the toll to three, as an unprecedented lockdown takes effect. A 67-year-old man died on Zakynthos island early on Saturday and a 90-year-old man died in the northern city of Ptolemaida, the health ministry said.

Both men had health problems.

The man in Zakinthos was believed to have contracted the virus after visiting a hospital in western Greece where the first fatality was confirmed, Athens News Agency reported.

Greece closed shops, bars and restaurants on Friday as well tourist sites such as the Acropolis as coronavirus cases jumped from 117 to 190.

Only supermarkets, pharmacies and medical facilities have been allowed to stay open.

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 had already shut down schools and universities, courts, cinemas, gyms and other indoor public gathering areas for two weeks in an effort to curb the outbreak.

A torch relay for the Tokyo 2020 Games has been cancelled after Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, who starred as the ancient Spartan King Leonidas in the 2007 epic "300", was mobbed as he lit a cauldron in the city of Sparta.

The Greek Olympic Committee said crowds had ignored "repeated warnings" not to gather at stopovers in the torch relay.

The flame for the 2020 Tokyo Games was lit in ancient Olympia on Thursday without spectators after dozens of people tested positive for COVID-19 in the region.

Meanwhile, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus and he would self-isolate for two weeks as a precaution.
A County Wicklow man who sold cocaine to an undercover garda for 50 appeared at Naas District Court on March 4.

Thomas Tracey, 50, whose address was given as 22 Rockypool Crescent, Blessington, was prosecuted for having a drug for sale or supply at Main Street, Blessington, on May 23 last.

Barrister Aisling Murphy said the defendant is working and is in line for promotion in his job.

The court also heard that he is caring for his mother.

Ms Murphy said that on the occasion the defendant was approached by a garda.

She added he has no previous convictions.

Ms Murphy also said he had never been in trouble before and was cooperative with the gardai.

She said the defendant is seeking leniency from the court though he knows what he did was wrong.

He is looking for a chance, she added

Judge Desmond Zaidan said cocaine is a highly addictive drug and a killer.

Some young people call these party drugs or party pills but there is no such thing , he said.

He added: drugs are a killer, these are killer drugs.

Addressing the defendant he said: You may be naive, but I am not and there is a group of people involved here.

He added that drug taking is becoming more rampant than drinking water.

Drug gangs shoot each other and hack each other to death, taking body parts as trophies. Once you are a drug addict, it is a life sentence and a slow death.

Fined

He imposed a fine of 1,000.
Washington (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned Thursday "all options are on the table" a day after three US coalition members, including two US troops, were killed in a rocket attack in Iraq.

Esper told reporters President Donald Trump had given him "the authority to do what we need to do," when they discussed the situation Wednesday night.

Esper blamed the attack -- a barrage of rockets that struck the Taji air base, killing two US soldiers and a member of the British Royal Army Medical Corps -- on Iranian-backed Shia militia groups.

"We have pretty good confidence we know who did this," he said, insisting they were "clearly targeting coalition and partner forces on Camp Taji."

General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said 30 rockets were fired, 18 of which hit the base. Besides the three killed, another 14 coalition members were injured, five of whom were in serious condition, he said.

Within hours of the attack, an air strike killed more than two dozen Iran-aligned fighters in neighboring Syria.

In late December, after an American contractor was killed in a similar rocket attack, the United States retaliated with an air strike that killed 25 fighters of the Iraqi Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah.

Days later, a US drone strike killed senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad airport.

Iran then launched its own strikes on a western Iraqi base, leaving dozens of US troops suffering from brain trauma.

"Let me be clear, the United States will not tolerate attacks against our people, our interests or our allies," Esper said.

"All options are on the table as we work with our partners to bring the perpetrators to justice and maintain deterrence," he said.

"As we demonstrated in recent months, we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region," he added.
The mortal remains of a 68-year-old woman, who died after testing positive for coronavirus, were consigned to flames on Saturday but there was some delay as the crematorium reached out to authorities seeking clarity on handling of the body. She was finally cremated around 1.30 pm at the Nigam Bodh Ghat's CNG crematorium in presence of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and from MCD, said Suman Gupta of the Nigam Bodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti.

Dr. Ashok Rawat, the Municipal Health Officer (MHO) of the north Delhi municipal body, said as the body was brought to the crematorium around 10.30 am, the staff got spooked due as people accompanying it were in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits. The crematorium then alerted the health authorities. "We were caught unawares. Had the RML or the Health Ministry informed us that the body will be cremated at the Nigam Bodh Ghat, we would have remain prepared and sensitised the staff," Rawat said.

He added that by Monday, the north MCD will come up with guidelines on handling of bodies in such cases. The Ministry of Health and Family and Welfare is also framing similar guidelines. Gupta said the situation is sensitive across the world and this was first coronavirus death in the national capital. Delhi has reported seven coronavirus cases so far.

"We had to seek instructions first from MCD and medical authorities. They said the cremation will be done using CNG and the officials came to supervise the process," Gupta said. A senior doctor with Delhi's Directorate of Health Services said since the virus needs a live cell to survive, there are very little chances that infection can spread during cremation. However, caution must be exercised while handling the body in such cases.

The woman, a resident of west Delhi, was the second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday. On Thursday, a 76-year-old man, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, in Karnataka. Her death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the health ministry said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19 following which she was admitted to the RML hospital.
Bhopal, March 14 : Amid the ongoing tussle for power in Madhya Pradesh, Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati on Saturday gave notice to the seven more rebel Congress MLAs to appear before him to discuss the resignations.

On Friday, notices were sent to six rebel Congress MLAs but they did not appear before the Speaker who kept waiting in his chamber of the Assembly all day but the MLAs did not turn up.

Twenty two Congress legislators, close to Jyotiraditya Scindia camp, have submitted their resignations to the Speaker through email out of which 19 are lodged in a Bengaluru resort, but the Speaker have insisted that the legislators will have to put their case in person.

Jeetu Patwari, a minister in Kamal Nath government, reached Bengaluru to meet the MLAs, but was not allowed to meet them.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government is thinking of postponing the floor test if all the MLAs do not appear before the Speaker.

The government may also knock the doors of the Supreme Court if the MLAs do not present themselves before the Speaker.
The Pune police on Saturday registered a case against three persons, including Priyadarshini Nikalje, the niece of underworld don Chhota Rajan, in connection with an extortion case.

The case is related to extortion of Rs 50 lakh from a city-based businessman.

Nikaljes henchman and sharpshooter Dhiraj Sable has been arrested by the crime branch officials while accepting Rs 25 lakh as extortion money.

Bachchan Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) crime branch, said, On receiving the complaint, the anti-extortion cell (AEC) of Pune crime branch arrested Sable for demanding extortion money on behalf of Nikalje. Sable was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 25 lakh near Aurora Towers and a case has been lodged at the Cantonment police station.

A first information report (FIR) in the case has been registered by businessman Rajesh Javlekar. The FIR states that there was a dispute between Javlekar, his wife and sister-in-law and Nikalje, who heads a political party, had given a complaint against him on the partys official letterhead.

Later, Nikalje, a resident of Wanowrie; Sable, a resident of Khed and Mandar Waikar of Bibvewadi demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion money. Later, Javlekar lodged a case of harassment for extortion and issuing life threats, police said.

According to investigators, Nikalje had asked the victim, who is a real estate developer, to give Rs 25 lakh to Waikar, the complainants wife and sister-in-law as a part of the settlement of their family dispute.

The accused threatened to get Javlekar killed if he failed to pay the money and adhere to her instructions before a trap was laid and Sable was arrested, said officials.
A former director at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has attacked the Governments policy of using herd immunity as part of its strategy for tackling coronavirus.

Anthony Costello, professor of international child health and director of the University College London Institute for Global Health, questioned the tactics and argued they looked like they were against the policy set down by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It comes after Sir Patrick Vallance, Englands chief scientific adviser, said the Governments decision not to introduce tougher measures could have the benefit of creating herd immunity across the population as people become infected.

On Twitter, Prof Costello said: Doesnt this herd immunity strategy conflict with WHO policy? After the announcement of this being a pandemic, Dr Tedros, Director General WHO, said The idea that countries should shift from containment to mitigation is wrong and dangerous.

Unlike all other countries, the UK strategy aims to build herd immunity by allowing the steady spread of #COVID19. The government argue it will block a second peak in several months time. Here are EIGHT questions about this HERD IMMUNITY strategy: (THREAD)  Anthony Costello (@globalhlthtwit) March 13, 2020

Prof Costello said the Government was arguing that allowing a proportion of the population to catch the virus and gain immunity will block a second peak in several months time.

But he tweeted a series of questions showing scepticism for the policy, including: Will it impair efforts to restrict the immediate epidemic, and cause more infections and deaths in the near term? Evidence suggests people shed virus early, and those without symptoms may cause substantial spread

He also questioned whether coronavirus cause strong herd immunity or is it like flu where new strains emerge each year needing repeat vaccines? We have much to learn about Co-V immune responses.

He said there was also an argument to see what happened in China, where the epidemic there has been contained after 7 weeks of intense national effort.

He added: Without an all-out national mobilisation plan for social distancing, are the UK government behavioural and nudge strategies really evidence-based to flatten the peak? Or simply based on models?

Prof Costello suggested that shouldnt we go all-out to snuff this UK epidemic out, with national mobilisation at all levels, using all possible preventive measures (whether evidence is strong, uncertain or weak) and worry about herd immunity when we have more evidence?

He continued: Vaccines are a safer way to develop herd immunity, without the risks associated with the disease itself. Is it ethical to adopt a policy that threatens immediate casualties on the basis of an uncertain future benefit?

Part of my job is speaking truth to power. And the UK govt is (in my view) getting it wrong. Other countries have shown speed is crucial. There is a middle path between complete shutdown & carrying on as normal.  Prof. Devi Sridhar  (@devisridhar) March 13, 2020

In a separate tweet, Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at Edinburgh University, said: Part of my job is speaking truth to power. And the UK govt is (in my view) getting it wrong.

Other countries have shown speed is crucial. There is a middle path between complete shutdown & carrying on as normal.

Jeremy Rossman, honorary senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent, added: A delay strategy when combined with surveillance and containment, as recommended by the WHO, could be very effective in combating the spread of COVID-19.

Yet if we slow the spread of the virus but are relying on herd immunity to protect the most vulnerable people, we would still need 47 million people to be infected.

However, Martin Hibberd, professor of emerging infectious disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was unclear how the UK policies will work compared to other European policies but I suspect they will be similar.

He added: The Government plan assumes that herd immunity will eventually happen, and from my reading hopes that this occurs before the winter season when the disease might be expected to become more prevalent.

However, I do worry that making plans that assume such a large proportion of the population will become infected (and hopefully recovered and immune) may not be the very best that we can do.

Another strategy might be to try to contain longer and perhaps long enough for a therapy to emerge that might allow some kind of treatment.
Police in Rajasthans Tonk district on Saturday arrested two men who had allegedly stole a 400-year-old idol of lord Krishna made of sapphire from Parli village.

Tonks superintendent of police (SP) Adrash Sidhu said that on Thursday around 11:30 am, the priest of the temple had left for some personal work. Around 20 minutes later, his daughter found the antique idol missing after which she informed her father and other villagers.

Sidhu said that an FIR was registered on the complaint of villagers and special teams were formed to probe the matter.

The idol was antique and made of sapphire. Forensic science laboratory team and senior official were rushed to the spot. The cyber cell of Tonk district also put the phones of suspects under surveillance. Statements of nearby shop owners, workers, people living close to area were also recorded, CCTV footage and record of people who have been arrested in theft cases was analyzed, said Sidhu.

The officer said that after a probe, police on Saturday arrested two accused indentified as Soorajmal Jangid (53), native of Jaipur and Satyanaarayan alias Shaitan (42) who is from Tonk.

During investigation police came to know that the two accused had surveyed the temple in past few days and had also met the priest of temple for astrological purpose. On the day of the incident, the accused knew that the priest will leave the temple around 11:30 am as it was his routine schedule. Both the accused came on motorbike stole the idol, wrapped it in a cloth and fled the spot, Sidhu said.

Police are trying to find out whom they were planning to sell the idol.
LEBANON, Ore.-- Oregon health officials announced 6 more identified presumptive positive cases of coronavirus Saturday, bringing the total to 36 identified cases statewide.

This includes three new cases in Washington County, two new cases in Deschutes County and one additional case in the Oregon Veterans' Home in Lebanon.

This is the ninth resident of the home who has tested positive since Wednesday.

RELATED: RIVERBEND SETS UP A MOBILE TRIAGE CENTER FOR CORONAVIRUS PREPERATIONS

With these latest test results, our concerns and efforts remain laser-focused on our 9 honored veteran residents who are presumptive positive for COVID-19, said Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs Director Kelly Fitzpatrick in a press release. We are vigilantly working with Oregon Health Authority, Linn County Public Health and other partners to ensure all possible steps are being taken to help mitigate additional impact to our residents and staff. Our thoughts are with the affected veterans and all residents, as well as their families.

RELATED: SHOPPERS WAIT IN LINE TO STOCK UP IN CASE OF CORONAVIRUS SPREAD

An Infection Control and Specimen Collection Strike Team will deploy to Linn County to assess the facility. Visiting restrictions are being put in place.
Haddonfield Schools Superintendent Lawrence Mussoline plans to step down at the end of the school year, ending a two-year tenure as chief.

Mussoline informed the school board Thursday night that he plans to resign effective June 30. He was hired in June 2018 by the Camden County district after retiring from the Downingtown school system. No reason was given for the resignation, and Mussoline could not be reached for comment Friday.

He took over the district during a turbulent period. Haddonfield made national headlines in May 2018 after the high school boys lacrosse season was canceled because a white player used a racial slur against a black female track runner who was visiting from another school. Then interim Superindent David Lindenmuth suspended the team, igniting furor among some parents and players. He resigned a month later.

Civil rights officials said the incident was part of a disturbing culture in Haddonfield, a predominantly white borough of nearly 12,000 residents. The Camden County chapter of the NAACP agreed to provide diversity training and workshops.

 READ MORE: Haddonfield school leader at center of controversy over boys lacrosse racial incident steps down

In a statement, Board President Adam Sangillo said Mussoline grabbed the reins of a district in need of major rebuilding and clear leadership. He said Mussoline had righted the ship" and credited him with leading long-range strategic planning and promoting diversity, updating curriculum and increasing technology.

He has accomplished a great deal in a very short time, Sangillo said.

Mussoline was given a five-year contract with a $174,689-a-year salary. Haddonfield enrolls about 2,500 students and is one of the top-performing districts in New Jersey.

Sangillo said the board is working on a plan to name a successor.
Still, the abrupt removal of Ms. Regan  a reliably pro-Trump personality who has twice interviewed the president  came as right-wing media stars have faced growing scrutiny for commentary that played down fears about the coronavirus and suggested that the illness had been overhyped by President Trumps critics.

Ms. Regans remarks, delivered on her Monday show, caused many colleagues at Fox Business and its corporate cousin Fox News to cringe. In front of a graphic reading, Coronavirus Impeachment Scam, she accused Democrats of creating mass hysteria to encourage a market sell-off and sowing fear about the virus to demonize and destroy the president.

Her monologue ran at the same time that the anchor Tucker Carlson, on his Fox News program, was exhorting elected officials to respond more aggressively to the virus. People you know will get sick; some may die, Mr. Carlson told his audience, which is significantly larger than Ms. Regans.

Off the air, Mr. Carlson has been urging Mr. Trump to take the threat of coronavirus more seriously. Last Saturday, Mr. Carlson drove from his residence in Florida to Mar-a-Lago, the presidents Florida resort, and spoke directly with Mr. Trump about the virus, according to a person with knowledge of their conversation.

In a memo this week, the Fox News chief executive, Suzanne Scott, and the networks president, Jay Wallace, said that employees would predominantly work from home and that they expected programming changes in the coming days to accommodate a spike in audience interest in the coronavirus.
The Maharashtra Government on Friday lodged a complaint with Cyber Police about a fake central government 'notification' about closure of colleges, schools and offices in view of coronavirus. The so-called notification, doing rounds on social media, claimed that it was issued by the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry.

It purportedly declared holiday for educational institutions and other organizations which have more than ten employees from March 14 to 21, and said a fine of Rs 5,000 per day will be imposed if the order was violated.

It claimed to be applicable to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim. This notification was completely fake, and a police complaint has been registered, the Chief Minister's Office said.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced earlier on Friday that in view of coronavirus outbreak, schools and colleges in Pune and neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain closed till further orders.

Also read: Coronavirus: Rajasthan closes schools, colleges, movie halls till March 30

Also read: India's trade deficit narrows to $9.85 billion despite coronavirus scare in February
Garda Katie Burke (second right), with Detective Sean Buckley, Garda Catherine Canty and Seamus OKeeffe (far right), general manager Kanturk Marts, at the information stand at Kanturk Marts.

A Mallow-based Garda is using the experiences she gained as a veterinary nurse prior to joining the force to help tackle crime against the farming community across the Cork North division.

Tralee native Katie Burke, who has been stationed in Mallow since graduating for the Garda Training College in Templemore 14 months ago, has been instrumental in setting up a 'farming watch' style scheme covering the region.

Katie told The Corkman that, despite qualifying as a veterinary nurse after leaving school and working in the sector for a number of years, the idea of joining the Gardai was something that had always been in the back of her mind.

"I really enjoyed what I was doing, particularly engaging with members of the farming community, even though I do not come from a farming background. However, I wanted to try something different and decided to join An Garda Siochana," she said.

She explained that, upon taking up their first posting, each new Garda is tasked with taking part in a community initiative, ideally something suited to the experiences they gained before joining up.

"Given my previous dealings with the farming community and the relatively high instances of crime against farmers - for example, the theft of expensive machinery - I thought it would be good to combine my old life with my new one," said Katie.

With this in mind, Katie contacted Seamus O'Keeffe, general manager at Kanturk Marts, asking if they would be interested in joining the initiative.

"Seamus was fully behind the idea and allowed me to set up an information stall at the mart. I also visited open farm days and spoke to farmers about how crime has impacted them. One thing that struck me was the seeming reluctance of members of the farming community to report crime. I think may be a simple case of them not wanting to bother us," she said. "I view my role as trying to break down barriers, build up rapport with local farmers, encourage them to engage with us and report instances of crime."

Katie said that the response to the initiative, which has been running for the past 12 months, had been "very positive".

"A key element of the initiative is crime prevention. For example we encourage farmers to list their machinery, take pictures of it and record serial numbers so, if stolen machinery is recovered, it can be traced back to its rightful owner," said Katie.

"As any farmer will tell you, stolen machinery costs a lot to replace. So if thieves are made aware that if they are caught with stolen items that can be easily traced back to the scene of a crime, it will put them off. For us, prevention is better than the cure, and judging from the positive response we have received, this initiative does seem to be driving that message home," she added.

Seamus O'Keeffe said Kanturk Marts was only too happy to get involved with the initiative.

"Crime and isolation are two big issues in rural areas, so it is great for people to be able to meet face to face with a Garda and speak to them about their concerns," said Seamus.
A case has been registered against 30 unidentified persons on Saturday for showing black flags to BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and trying to stop his convoy while he was on his way to Bhopal Airport.

According to the complaint filed with the police, around 30 people showed black flags to Scindia and tried to stop his motorcade in Kamala Park area here on Friday.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan had alleged that there was an attempt to attack Scindia and demanded an investigation into the incident.

"Law and order has totally collapsed in the state. There was an attempt to attack him by stopping his car and throwing stones at it," said Chouhan.

The comes after 22 Congress legislators resigned from the party following Scindia's resignation earlier this week, putting the Kamal Nath-led government in crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 12:41:48|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China's index of export container transport declined in the past week, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

The average China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) stood at 898.44, down 0.6 percent from a week earlier, according to the exchange.

The sub-reading for the West and East Africa routes led the increase with a week-on-week growth of 0.9 percent, followed by those for Australia/New Zealand as well as Japan routes, which rose 0.8 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively, from last week.

The sub-index for South Africa service led the decline by a 4-percent slip from the previous week, while that for South America service dropped 2.6 percent.

The CCFI tracks spot and contractual freight rates from Chinese container ports for 12 shipping routes across the globe, based on data from 22 international carriers.

The index was set at 1,000 on Jan. 1, 1998.
Coronavirus pandemic has forced several countries to shut its international borders with the rest of the world. The worst impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is seen in China, followed by Italy. In the wake of the growing numbers, the Italian government under Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has imposed a nationwide lockdown starting March 9, 2020.

At the moment, whole of Italy is in a self-imposed quarantine, allowing only the necessary movement. The empty streets of Italy might make us sad; however the locales have found a new way to keep the spirits high in order to fight COVID-19.

The internet is praising a beautiful video of quarantined Italians, who can be seen singing from their balconies in the city of Siena. The folks can be heard singing E mentre Siena dorme (And While Siena Sleeps), which is a traditional folk song of Siena.

There unity and strength despite the forced lockdown is giving a smile on millions of faces. Heres a look at it:

People of my hometown #Siena sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian #Covid_19 #lockdown.#coronavirusitalia #COVID19 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/7EKKMIdXov valemercurii (@valemercurii) March 12, 2020

In the video, one can see people singing, dancing and playing instruments in their balconies.

A Twitter user has also shared similar instances from other parts of Italy, including Salerno, Naples, Turin, Benevento, Florence, Nuoro and others.

Italians in lockdown all over Italy are keeping each other company by singing, dancing and playing music from the balconies. A thread to celebrate the resilience of ordinary people. This is Salerno: pic.twitter.com/3aOchqdEpn Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

This is Naples pic.twitter.com/dVdB42AFxW Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

This is Turin pic.twitter.com/fdVJ5PZAr6 Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

This is Benevento pic.twitter.com/J8aMjmu2XX Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

Well, these videos clearly show how Italians celebrate life in even the hardest and most difficult circumstances.

Meanwhile, Coronavirus has claimed more than 5,400 lives till now, with 1,266 deaths in Italy alone.
The first human trials of a coronavirus vaccine are to be launched within days, scientists in the US have said.

The 'genetic hack' was accelerated past the animal testing stage and will be used on healthy volunteers, then patients if it deemed safe.

It comes as scientists in Britain said a vaccine could be tested on humans by June after encouraging results on mice.

The 'genetic hack' was accelerated past the animal testing stage and will be used on healthy volunteers, then patients if it deemed safe. Pictured: Drive-thru testing in California on Thursday

Massachusetts-based Moderna created the candidate cure but have taken a different route to traditional techniques.

Normally a weaker bug is planted in the body so a patient can adapt to fight off the infection.

But the new method sees messenger RNA stimulates the immune system to make similar proteins to the killer virus, which it can then combat.

Massachusetts-based Moderna created the candidate cure but have taken a different route to traditional techniques

The vaccine prototype is being funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, with the foundation's Dr Melanie Saville telling the Telegraph: 'Contain and delay is the approach taken in the UK and a number of different countries.

'The approaches are really to buy time in the context of the stretch it puts on the healthcare system - it also buys time for vaccines to be developed.

'We don't know how the pandemic will evolve, whether, for example, it comes in various different waves.'

A member of the public is swabbed at a drive through Coronavirus testing site, set up in a car park in Wolverhampton, England, on Thursday

The coronavirus, which causes a disease called COVID-19 - and has killed nearly 5,000 people globally - cannot currently be cured or prevented.

American researches spearheading the fight against the deadly bug admit hopes of millions of vaccines within a year are 'aspirational'.

And in a further blow for Britain, any cure would not be able to halt the anticipated peak in cases in May.

But UK researchers, led by Mucosal Infection and Immunity head Dr Robin Shattock, said they have successfully trialled a vaccine in mice and are hopeful it could be ready for human trials by June.

ITALY: Hospital workers in protective gear work in a triage tent at a makeshift hospital in Brescia, where any arriving patients with suspected coronavirus symptoms are being tested

Senior researcher Dr Paul McKay, of Imperial College London, told the Express: 'I've got results from a month after I injected (the mice) and the vaccine works really, really well.'

The team is working with scientists in Paris to determine the vaccine's effectiveness in monkeys.

Dr McKay said they have applied for further funding from the Medical Research Council to conduct human clinical trials.

'If we get the funding for the human clinical trials, we will put it into people by June,' he said.

'If British scientists here develop a vaccine it would be great if the Government supported it.'

POLAND: Mobile emergency rooms are set up outside University Hospital in Krakow to test suspected coronavirus patients

Should the human trials be successful, the team is hopeful the vaccine will be available for patients in a year.

People who catch the illness have to be isolated and wait for their body to fight it off, with medical help if they need it for symptoms or more serious infection.

A working vaccine could stop the bug in its tracks and some experts think it could become a recurring fixture in human society in the same way colds and flu are.

Some scientists and medical experts are concerned rushing a vaccine could end up worsening the infection in some patients rather than preventing it.

Studies have suggested that coronavirus vaccines carry the risk of what is known as vaccine enhancement, where instead of protecting against infection, the vaccine can actually make the disease worse when a vaccinated person is infected with the virus.

The mechanism that causes the risk is not fully understood and is one of the stumbling blocks that has prevented the successful development of a coronavirus vaccine.

Normally, researchers would take months to test for the possibility of vaccine enhancement in animals.

Given the urgency to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, some drugmakers are moving straight into small-scale human tests, without waiting for the completion of such animal tests.

Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said: 'I understand the importance of accelerating timelines for vaccines in general, but from everything I know, this is not the vaccine to be doing it with.'

A patient wearing a mask sits in a tent in Brescia where health workers in protective suits can test him for coronavirus

Hotez worked on development of a vaccine for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), the coronavirus behind a major 2003 outbreak, and found some vaccinated animals developed more severe disease compared with unvaccinated animals when they were exposed to the virus.

He said: 'There is a risk of immune enhancement. The way you reduce that risk is first you show it does not occur in laboratory animals.'

Hotez testified last week before the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about the need for sustained funding for vaccine research.

There remains no vaccine for any of the new coronaviruses that have caused outbreaks in the past 20 years.
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Pakistan on Saturday reported two new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of positive cases to 30.

Officials said that the first case was reported from the capital, Islamabad.

Health and Population Welfare Department, Sindh, reported that the 20-year-old patient from Karachi had no travel history but his father returned from the UK recently.

The second case was reported in the capital, Islamabad, according to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) spokesperson Waseem Khawaja.

The woman, who arrived in Islamabad from the United States, was brought to PIMS two days ago. She is in critical condition and has been put on a ventilator, Khawaja said.

So far 30 cases have been reported in Pakistan since February 26. Two of them have recovered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police constable who was



suspected of having contracted the coronavirus and was admitted to isolation ward at the District Hospital at Jalna has tested negative for the infection, an official said.

The constable, who is a resident of Watur in Partur tehsil, had complained of cough and fever after returning from Mumbai where he is posted.

He had come in contact with an Israeli security personnel while on duty in Mumbai, he had told doctors.

However, the lab report which came on Friday evening said he had no coronavirus, a district official said.

Meanwhile, authorities said that contrary to a rumour on social media, no coronavirus patient hailing from Kharpudi village near here has been been detected, or being treated.

Action will be taken against those who spread such rumours, a police statement warned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Click here to see the known cases as of March 15.

Pennsylvania has 41 presumptive positive and six confirmed positive cases of coronavirus as of March 14, 2020. Here is a locator map and details of the known cases.

If you are unable to view the map below, please click this link.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PA. Hover your mouse or tap a county to see the exact number of cases per county. Municipalities, when known, are indicated by a blue pin. Tapping the pin will tell you what we know about the case.



Allegheny County

 Two adults from Pittsburgh, who live in the same household. One is in their 70s and the other is in their 60s. Both are in isolation at home.

Bucks County

 Two adults who live in the same household, who attended an out-of-state gathering and were exposed to the virus. Both are in isolation at home.

 An adult from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed.

Chester County

 A 57-year-old woman, who had contact with a presumptive positive person in another state. She is in isolation.

 A second person from this county has been diagnosed. Their age and gender has not been released.

Cumberland County

 Two adults and a child were diagnosed. Their ages and gender have not been released.

Delaware County

 An adult woman, who recently returned from a conference in Boston. She was treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland. This case has been confirmed by the CDC.

 An adult man, who is employed at George W. Hill Correctional Facility. He contracted it from his son, a police officer who had tested positive for the disease in Montgomery County. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, 34 people including 11 inmates have been quarantined.

 Four other people from the county, whose ages or gender was not released, were diagnosed.

Monroe County

 The person, whose age or gender was not released by officials, is hospitalized.

 A second person, whose age or gender was not released by officials, is hospitalized after contact with a previously diagnosed Pennsylvania patient.

 A child, whose age or gender was not release by officials

Montgomery County

 A person from Douglass Township, whose age or gender has not yet been released, has been diagnosed.

 A person from Lower Providence Township, whose age or gender has not yet been released, has been diagnosed.

 An adult man, who lives in Worcester. He is in isolation at home.

 An adult woman, who lives in Lower Gwynedd Township. She is in isolation at home.

 An 18-year-old student at Germantown Academy, who lives in Lower Gwynedd Township. She is in isolation at home. She is lives in the same household as the adult woman listed above.

 A 62-year-old woman, who lives in Upper Merion Township. She is hospitalized and in isolation at the University of Pennsylvania.

 A 70-year-old woman from Cheltenham Township. She is hospitalized at a Philadelphia hospital.

 A cardiologist from Montgomery County, who is in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that more than 20 patients and 17 workers were exposed to the doctor.

 An 25-year-old police officer from Perkiomen Township, who works in Lower Providence Township. Officials believe he contracted it from a pediatrician at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias location in King of Prussia. He is in isolation at home.

 A second person from Perkiomen Township, whose age or gender has not yet been released, has been diagnosed.

 A 58-year-old woman from Conshohocken, who had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus. She is in isolation at home.

 A 45-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman from Collegeville Borough, who both had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus. They are in isolation at home.

There are four cases so far in Lower Merion Township. The cases include:

 An adult man and woman who reside in the same household. Both are in isolation at home.

 A 58-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman who traveled within the US to an affected area. They are in isolation at home.

There are three cases so far in Shippack Township. They include:

 A 35-year-old man, who had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus. He is in isolation at home.

 A 37-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman in the same household. The man had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus, and the woman caught it from the man. They are in isolation at home.

Northampton County

 The person, whose age or gender was not released by officials, is hospitalized at St. Lukes Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township.

Pike County

 An adult resident is in isolation at home.

Philadelphia County

 A man in his 50s from Philadelphia, who had traveled to an international location affected by the virus. He is in isolation at home.

 A female in her 50s from Philadelphia, who had close contact with the male above. She is in isolation at home.

 A person from Philadelphia, age and gender unknown, who had traveled to an international location affected by the virus. They are in isolation at home.

 An adult from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed.

Washington County

 An adult from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed.

Wayne County

 An adult man who traveled extensively in Europe was treated March 4 at Carbondale Family Health Center. This case has been confirmed by the CDC.

PLEASE NOTE: Additional details about the location of the cases and the ages of those affected have been included whenever possible. State officials are invoking a 1955 law in choosing to release only the county and whether or not theyre an adult. Any information beyond this is provided by the individual counties to the press.

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.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who is in isolation with his family after he was diagnosed with coronavirus, says has been advised he posed no risk to others during his recent trip to the White House and at a cabinet meeting this week.

Mr Dutton said on radio Saturday that he is "feeling much better" and is receiving "excellent care" at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after testing positive to COVID-19.

He says his fever is gone and his temperature is down and his throat "probably still a bit sore".

"I have had asthma since I was a child, so they were a bit worried about that, but they think my lungs are clear. So all pretty good at the moment," Mr Dutton told Sydney radio 2GB.

He said he was immediately conscious of coronavirus because of the briefings he had received through the National Security Committee and through media reports.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14

Trend:

There are no problems with covering the daily demand of the population for food and other products, said Azerbaijans Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, Trend reports.

He was commenting on the recently observed mass purchases of goods by the population.

Jabbarov noted that the Economy Ministry has held meetings with large producers and importers of various food products and other goods.

He pointed out that currently, malls, stores and warehouses have enough reserve of everyday goods, including food products. So there is no reason for panic, added Jabbarov.

The country has reserves of all basic products. The imported products are replaced. Economic security issues are in the spotlight of the Azerbaijani government, he said.

Reserves are regularly checked and evaluated for ensuring the countrys food security. Currently, the restrictions on the countrys borders due to the coronavirus threat do not apply to freight traffic. The country has stocks of food and other goods for several months in advance, noted Jabbarov.

The minister said that the current situation in the world, in the region and in Azerbaijan implies a restriction on the movement of citizens, not the movement of goods.

The neighboring Islamic Republic of Iran is a good example. Citizens' entry and exit to Iran from Azerbaijan is limited, but goods are transported," Jabbarov noted.

The minister noted that Azerbaijan fully provides itself with disinfectant - alcohol, and in the near future an enterprise for the production of medical masks will start working, since the equipment for it has already been purchased.

"The situation observed in shopping centers and stores in recent days is a case for all parts of the world, but in the current conditions, the mass concentration of people in such centers does not comply with the recommendations of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers," Jabbarov noted.
As a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, the tourism sector in the Northeast has gone for a toss. Northeast is home to many hill stations and November to April is considered as the peak season for the tourism industry. In order to assess the ground reality, Republic Media Network on Friday went to meet people associated with the industry and the picture that we got was very disheartening. The hotels in the city wear a deserted look and most of the tourist cabs are also off-road.

READ | Coronavirus: Pharmacies in Delhi stop selling N95 masks due to rise in price

Speaking to Republic Media Network, Jayanta Malla Barua, Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Cooperation, said that the tourism sector has suffered a massive loss.

"It was the peak tourist season in the Northeast. We were expecting at least sixty thousand foreign tourist footfalls this year. But now we cannot achieve it," Barua said.

He also added that the region already suffered a massive loss in December because of anti-CAA protests in Assam, followed by tensions in Shillong. The State government had already asked all the foreigners in the State to leave. "We requested all the foreigners to leave for their respective places because of the Coronavirus outbreak and all of them have already left," he added.

He further added that though one tourist who travelled to Bhutan via Assam and was detected positive on his arrival in the neighbouring country, none who came in contact with him during his stay in Assam have been tested positive.

READ | Lockie Ferguson tests negative to coronavirus post AUS vs NZ ODI

Meanwhile, the hotels in the city also have suffered a huge loss in business. The All Assam Hoteliers Association president Anupam Bora has informed that they are maintaining all the safeguard measures issued by the government, however, with no tourists around, the normal business has been hampered.

"Because of the anti-CAA protests, followed by the law and order situation in Shillong, we faced huge losses already. On the other hand, the State government has been imposing one after another tax on us, so it has become difficult for us now," Bora said.

The Tour Operators Association of Assam also reiterated the same. Speaking to us, Ranjit Das, the president of the association said, "The situation was slightly improving following anti-CAA protests and the law and order situation in Shillong, but with the Coronavirus outbreak now we don't have any hope in this season." The cab operators and other businesses directly or indirectly associated with the tourism sector have also faced huge losses.

READ | WWE RAW to be scheduled behind closed doors amid Coronavirus pandemic

Meanwhile, the States of Mizoram, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh have restricted entry of foreigners. Mizoram has sealed the international border with Bangladesh and Myanmar, whereas Manipur has also sealed the international border with Myanmar.

READ | 'Padma Awards postponed until further notice': MHA informs amid coronavirus scare




Haiti - Agriculture : The 12 most remarkable personalities of the agricultural sector





Thursday, March 12, the non-profit association "Promotion for Development" (PROMODEV) proceeded during a ceremony at the Hotel Mariott in Turgeau, to the presentation of plaques of honor and merit to 12 farmers and executives of the Agricultural Sector designated at the national level as the personalities who each marked in their own way the Haitian agricultural sector in 2019.



As a reminder, since 2014, PROMODEV has taken the initiative to choose inspiring women and men, who have distinguished themselves by their initiatives in order to undertake sustainable actions to advance the agricultural sector. The criteria for selecting candidates are as follows : Affinity for the Haitian peasantry; have a presence on the ground, either individually or through an institution in order to support Haitian farmers in a production area; to be an actor having contributed to the realization of a concrete and sustainable project in the agricultural sector and finally not to have been one of the personalities designated during the previous years.



List of 12 personalities :



Fresnel Louis, President of the Association of Peasants of Moreau-Paye (APMP), locality of the First Rural Section of Marchand Dessalines;



Mrs. Rose-Manie Saintyl, President of the Mouvman Refleksyon Fanm Lakay (MRFL) of Bassin-bleu;



Pierre Paul Jules, Deputy Coordinator of the "Asosyasyon Afe Neg Combite" (ANC) of Kenscoff and Coordinator of Haitian Solidarity for Rural Development of Kenscoff (SOHADERK);



Reverend Sister Alta Emile, President of the Congregation of the Companion of Jesus / Manager of the Bethlehem Agricultural Farm in Leogane;



Dr. Spencer Jn-Pierre, Director General of ELE-Haiti;



Paul Monera, Farmer and President of the Seed Suppliers Committee (CFS) of Cap-rouge, district of the 3rd Communal Section of Cayes-Jacmel;



Agr. Pierre Brillere Pierre, Founder of Timoun Forest, Researcher and University Professor;



Agr. Oyama Michel Romain, Director of the Agriculture Department of "Food For The Poor";



Renel Lorwinsky, Founder of the Organization of Planters of Mailloux, Gaitan and Trois Rocs (OPMAGAT), second municipal section of Camp-Perrin;



Mrs. Jane Wynne, Coordinator of the Wynne Farm Ecological Reserve;



Abner Septembre, Co-Founder of the Association Paysan Value (APV), promoter of rural tourism and solidarity entrepreneur of Mornes de Vallue;



Reverend-Brother Francklin ARMAND, Founder of the Congregation of the Little Brothers and Little Sisters of the Incarnation.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Ukraine to temporarily close 107 out of 230 border crossing points

21:16, 14.03.20 5959

The official said checkpoints with a small passenger flow had been determined for the closure.
BOGOTA, March 13 (Reuters) - An explosion destroyed a section of pipeline in southern Colombia but did not cause an oil spill, Ecopetrol subsidiary Cenit said on Friday.

The attack against the Transandino pipeline happened on Thursday night in the rural Mallama municipality of Colombia's Narino department.

The pipeline, which measures 306 kilometers and can carry around 85,000 barrels of oil a day to the Pacific Ocean port of Tumaco for exportation, was not operating at the moment of the attack, a military official in the region said.

Cenit did not attribute the attack to any particular group but leftist-guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents from the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas who reject the 2016 peace deal have a presence in the region.

So far in 2020 the pipeline has suffered eight attacks, according to statistics from Cenit, which also reported a blockade of people in the region who are impeding the removal of four valves used to illegally remove oil.

"The company has informed the authorities about the situation," Cenit said. In 2020 so far it is has closed 224 valves on the Transandino pipeline. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Oliver Griffin; Editing by David Gregorio)
Police in Akron, Ohio, say they have cracked a cold case using advanced DNA testing to arrest a man suspected of raping, beating, and murdering a 23-year-old woman before setting her body on fire in 1991.

Daniel L. Rees, 57, of Akron, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with aggravated murder.

He is suspected of killing Rachael M. Johnson, 23, whose body was found on March 30, 1991, in the Ohio town that lies about 40 miles south of Cleveland.

Investigators said Johnson, who was a single mother of a three-month-old infant at the time, suffered blunt-force trauma and was sexually assaulted, stabbed numerous times, and set on fire, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

According to investigators, Johnson was killed after she was forced to pull over on the side of the road with a flat tire while driving home from visiting her friend, WJW-TV reported.

A passerby found her body and called the police.

The police recovered a DNA profile from Johnsons autopsy in 1991, though it could not match the sample with anyone.

Police in Akron, Ohio, say they used genealogy to arrest Daniel L. Rees (left), 57, whose DNA matched a sample found on the body of Rachael M. Johnson (right), 23, who was murdered in 1991

According to a news item from 1991, Johnson 'was repeatedly raped, stabbed 10 times in the chest, beaten and slashed across the neck'

Last summer, a Texas-based genealogy company, Advance DNA LLC, began to work on the case.

According to the Beacon Journal, Advance DNA uploaded the unknown DNA profile to databases that could link it to distant relatives.

The search yielded several possible matches. Advance DNA then reverse engineered a family tree and narrowed down the possible suspect.

In this case, it was difficult, said Cheryl Hester, director of genetic genealogy at the company.

It took a lot of man hours for me to work on this.

The genealogy work led police to Rees, though investigators needed more evidence before making an arrest.

Police said they picked up trash left behind by Rees to take a DNA sample.

The sample then matched the unknown DNA trace taken from Johnsons autopsy in 1991.

Police said Rees was in the same area where Johnson was last seen.

Rees also knew Johnsons family, but investigators who probed the initial case did not mention his name in their reports.

Hes a ghost in the investigation, Detective James Pasheilich of the Akron Police Department said.

Hes never anywhere in it.

Rees was arrested and booked into Summit County Jail this week. The case is likely to go to a grand jury in the coming weeks.

Pasheilich said that without new genealogy technology, police would not have been able to make a breakthrough in the case.

Its a tremendous tool to have to help clear some of these old tough cases that may never be solved without the use of that technology, he said.
Police on Saturday registered a



case against around 35 unidentified persons in connection with the incident in which BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was shown black flags in the city, an official said.

Congress workers had waved black flags at Scindia in Kamla Park area of Bhopal, when he was on his way to the airport on Friday evening.

Around midnight on Friday, BJP workers had staged a protest at Shyamla Hills Police Station alleging that the Congress protesters not only blocked Scindia's car, but also attacked him.

During the protest led by BJP's Bhopal district unit chief, Vikas Virani, the party workers demanded registration of a case against those involved in the incident.

"A case against 30-35 unknown persons was registered under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 147 (rioting) in connection with the incident that took place on Friday evening when Scindia's motorcade was passing by the Kamla Park area," an official of Shyamala Hills Police Station said.

Terming the incident of Congress workers showing black flags to Scindia as "shocking", former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on Friday demanded action against those involved in the "attack".

In a statement, Chouhan had alleged that Scindia's vehicle was stopped and stones pelted at it in the "life- threatening attack".

"You can simply imagine the kind of situation prevailing in the state. A government that has lost majority is engineering attacks. I strongly condemn this incident and appeal to police and administration to take swift action against those responsible for this attack on Scindia," he said.

Reacting to BJP's allegations, state Congress secretary Abdul Nafees said, "Congress workers were protesting peacefully, but the BJP is doing the politics now. The BJP also used to protest against Scindia, but they are misleading when the Congress workers peacefully waved black flags.

"The party workers were angry as Scindia has ditched the party," he said.

He also alleged that the police have registered the case against the protesters "under pressure from the BJP leaders".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Spanish government is due to declare an "estado de alarma" across the country this Saturday after a special Cabinet meeting. The mechanism unlocks a range of drastic measures the government could use to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Spanish Constitution includes three state-of-emergency levels that a government can resort to in exceptional circumstances. The first, to be brought in today, is the "estado de alarma" (state of alarm); the second, "estado de excepcion' (state of exception); and the third "estado de sitio" (martial law).

Once the 'estado de alarma' has been declared, the government can act in a number of areas.

Forced confinement and restriction of movement. Pedro Sanchez could enforce quarantine in the whole country, as his counterpart did in Italy last weekend. The general public can only move around the country if authorised for work, health or emergency reasons.

Intervention of businesses and property. The government could temporarily seize private assets, occupy factories, workshops or premises of any kind except for private homes.

Private health. The law also allows the government to force doctors and nurses who work in the private health system to lend their services to the public system. The government could also use materials and premises of private facilities.

Rations and supply. The government could ration the acquisition of basic goods and bring in measures to guarantee supply.

Time limit. The measures taken under the state of alarm can only last for two weeks. Any extension has to be expressly approved by Congreso.
Dr. Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, providing an update about new coronavirus cases, during a news conference Tuesday at the Montgomery County Emergency Operation Center in Eagleville. Read more

Val Arkoosh knew it was coming, a moment that would propel her teams weeks of preparations for the new coronavirus into high gear.

For Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, everything changed last weekend, when the countys first suspected infections were reported. Health officials soon learned that a resident who tested positive had come into contact with numerous other people.

Right away, Arkoosh said, we knew that the possibility of a more rapid spread in our community had increased. So we just needed to make sure that we were prepared for that, with a little less lead time than we maybe would have liked."

County officials canceled meetings and warned against holding large gatherings. Schools closed and jury trials stopped. By the end of the week, much of the county was on lockdown, following an order by Gov. Tom Wolf to close nonessential businesses in an attempt to mitigate the spread.

Montgomery County found itself the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pennsylvania, its 20 presumptive positive cases the most reported in the state. And Arkoosh, with decades of experience working as a physician and in public health, is uniquely positioned to lead the fight.

At news briefings held each afternoon, Arkoosh has released more information about infected patients than have nearby counties. Montco has provided maps of the municipalities where they live. She has offered glimpses into the countys ever-evolving plans for such contingencies as sharing law enforcement services to making sure schoolchildren and seniors have access to food.

I am a parent, and a physician, and a public official," Arkoosh said this week, And I bring all of that to bear as I approach this situation.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus concerns close Montgomery County schools, 63 Philly schools

During an interview Friday morning at the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center, Arkoosh declined to specify which patient led the county to ramp up its response to the new coronavirus. But officials have said that a cardiologist at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias campus in King of Prussia tested positive Monday and that he had contact with about two dozen patients before he was hospitalized in critical condition.

Contact tracing, to establish where a 70-year-old Cheltenham woman contracted the virus, has proved unsuccessful, which provides Arkoosh with another indicator that it was spreading within the community.

And the determination that a patient had contact with numerous other individuals, alerted us to the possibility that a purely containment strategy might not be successful.

Arkoosh is 59, an Omaha, Neb.-reared Springfield Township resident who once headed the anesthesiology department at Drexel Universitys medical school. She then earned a masters degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Before she ever held office, she was politically active; in 2007 she advocated for health-care reform in Washington as part of the National Physicians Alliance.

She served as chair of the Montgomery County Board of Health and in 2012 was part of Josh Shapiros transition team when Democrats assumed county leadership. Shapiro, now state attorney general, said he took notice of both her strong background in health and what he saw as her political savvy.

After an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2014, Arkoosh was appointed to the board of commissioners the next January to fill a vacancy. After winning election that November, she took over as chair when Shapiro stepped down a year later.

Much of her work went on behind the scenes, Shapiro said. But she was willing to step into public view to champion a cause, such as the day in October 2015 when she staged an awareness campaign by injecting Shapiro and then-Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr. with flu vaccines at a public meeting.

It was a jovial moment, Shapiro said. And there were a lot of people whod stop me after that, and theyd laugh. But a lot of people also told me that it reminded them to get their flu shot.

And under her leadership, he said, the county expanded the number of places that people could get the vaccines.

Castor said Arkoosh has overseen numerous other outbreaks of infectious disease in the county: West Nile virus in 2018, Zika in 2016, and regular bouts of other illnesses like the flu.

When it comes to dealing with something on this scale, he said, she certainly would be prepared in a boatload of ways.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvanias Health Department is keeping coronavirus details from local officials

County leaders were planning for the coronavirus when it surfaced in China. In late February Arkoosh convened a meeting of several dozen officials to discuss preparing the countys 2,700 employees.

Officials met to review the operations plan with an eye toward virus containment and created a communication plan with local school districts, businesses, and health-care providers, said Michel Masters, a program supervisor.

Health officials started monitoring individuals who are at a higher risk for contracting the virus and planned regular check-ins to discuss quarantine plans.

In the days before the first positive cases emerged in Montgomery County, representatives from the county Department of Public Health and Department of Public Safety offered a detailed presentation at the regular commissioners meeting, giving virus preparedness precedent over other regular business.

After the first cases were confirmed, Arkoosh began offering guidance on how to decide whether to attend events or parties. She has repeatedly asked business owners to consider providing paid sick time, even temporarily.

A week ago she stopped shaking hands and urged others to do the same. She suggested that people take advantage of the nice weather and go outside for walks or bike rides to get fresh air.

I wanted to be transparent out the gate, she said. Everyone is aware this is a pandemic. This is no time to be cute. I want people to believe they can trust me to give them as much information as I can and know that its going to be accurate."

Arkoosh said her experience working in Level 1 trauma centers had prepared her to handle a variety of emergencies. She also gained the confidence to make difficult decisions. She knows residents will be inconvenienced by the school closings, for example, but believes delaying that step would have made it much harder to stop the spread of the virus.

If Governor Wolf hadnt been prepared to close the schools, I would have closed the schools, she said. "And I can almost guarantee you that if these mitigating measures work, people are going to look back and say, What did they do all that for? "

Reporters Vinny Vella and Justine McDaniel contributed to this article.
Passengers on board a Jet2 flight to coronavirus-ridden Spain were just 40 minutes away from landing in Alicante when they were told their flight had to turn around and go home.

Beryl Carrick, 78, flew from Leeds Bradford Airport for a family holiday in Benidorm with her husband, daughter and two granddaughters.

The family were mid-flight when they were told they weren't allowed to enter the country 'because of coronavirus'.

Their flight was one of several Jet2 planes - including flights from Birmingham to Malaga, Glasgow to Alicante and Leeds to Alicante - who did a U-turn and came back.

Several Jet2 planes - including flights from Birmingham to Malaga, Glasgow to Alicante and Leeds to Alicante - did a U-turn and came back to the UK today

The Jet2 check-in queues were left empty at Edinburgh airport as flights to Spain were diverted earlier today

It was today announced that Spain would be put on lockdown as part of desperate measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak as cases soar by a third overnight to 5,753. More than 120 people have died.

This is the second European nation to put extreme measures in place after Italy - the worst affected country outside China with more than 17,000 cases of the killer bug and 1,000 deaths - was quarantined this week.

Mrs Carrick, from Driffield, East Yorkshire, said they were about 40 minutes away from the airport in Spain when an announcement came on the tannoy.

'They told us that the Spanish are stopping people going into the country because of coronavirus and that our flight was turning around to go home.

Beryl Carrick, 78, and her family were mid-flight on their Jet2 plane when they were told they weren't allowed to enter the country 'because of coronavirus' (stock image)

A bachelorette party dons protective face masks as they walk the streets of Barcelona after the state of emergency was announced

'We were all quite surprised to hear that and it was rather bizarre to be so close to our destination only to come home again.

'Everyone on the plane was obviously disappointed, we all wanted to go on holiday, but also understanding that these things are out of our hands.

'There was no screaming or shouting or anything like that, everyone was very calm, and the staff were really nice about everything.

'It is a real shame that we won't get to spend a week in the sun, we love Benidorm and go most years.

'But it's not the end of the world, I do understand there are bigger and more important things happening at the moment.'

Under emergency measures announced yesterday, beaches are being closed along the Costa Blanca which covers resorts like Benidorm and the Costa del Sol

Mrs Carrick said the family were going away to celebrate her husband Arthur's 80th birthday next week.

She has been told by Jet2 staff that all travellers will be entitled to a full refund or be able to rearrange their flights to Alicante at another time.

Mrs Carrick's granddaughter Niki said: 'It's a frustrating situation because people arrange time off work and organise their lives around a holiday, but what can you do?

'The plane was only about half full so I think a lot of people who should have been on board had anticipated what was going to happen and cancelled at the last minute.'

Worried residents queued up outside a supermarket in Irun near San Sebastian, Spain, after the Spanish government declared a state of emergency

The lockdown announcement - detailing how people will only be allowed to leave their homes under certain 'emergency' conditions - was made just one day after the Spanish government announced a 15-day state of emergency.

Under these guidelines, beaches were closed along the Costa Blanca which covers resorts such as Benidorm and the Costa del Sol.

The bathing ban is coming into force on the back of the forced closure at midnight last night of all bars, nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and cinemas in the Costa Blanca resorts as well as the rest of Alicante and the neighbouring provinces of Castellon and Valencia.

Fellow traveller Anne Thomas, 62, was flying back to her home in Spain after spending the last few days looking after her dementia-suffering mum in West Yorkshire, where she is originally from.

Winding queues stretched along the outside of a supermarket in Spain after the Spanish government declared a state of emergency in the country

The expat said: 'I've barely slept because I'm been looking after my poorly mum and after almost getting home to Spain I've been turned around again.

'It's a very frustrating and quite stressful situation to be in.

'I have been told that Jet2 flights are still going and picking holidaymakers up to come back here so I don't understand why I can't be dropped off.

'If I have to self isolate or go into quarantine after arriving then that's fine, I just wish they could get me back home.'

Ms Thomas added: 'Luckily after I landed I was able to book a Ryanair flight to the same airport later on today, so hopefully I will get home today.

'But with how quickly things are changing at the minute because of the coronavirus outbreak I'm worried there will be issues with that one too.'

A street artist sits in Plaza Mayor in central Madrid. The popular location is usually over-crowded with tourists but there are barely any following the government's state of emergency announcment

A Jet2 spokesperson said: 'In response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops and activities including any water sports, we have taken the decision to cancel all flights to Mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.

'We know these local measures will have a significant impact on our customers' holidays, which is why we have taken this decision.

'We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us.

'This is a fast-moving and complex situation and we are reviewing our programme as a matter of urgency, so that we can fly customers back to the UK.

'The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority, and we would like to thank our customers for their understanding.'
I remember March 15, 2019. Not because it started out as an extraordinary day. I had an early meeting in my electorate office, two school visits and then an afternoon interviewing applicants for a vacant position in my office. Wed just come out of a week packed with International Womens Day events and I was looking forward to a relatively quiet week before the events celebrating Harmony Day started. I remember that day. I remember that week.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern comforts her nation after the Christchurch atrocity. Credit:AP

It was around 9am in Perth when news first started to come in about a mass shooting in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. The details were scant but my first instinct was to respond in the same way that I responded to any news of an attack  with immediate questions about the nature of the attack (was it terrorism?) and the perpetrator (I hope its not another Muslim) and the victims (I pray there are no fatalities). That response, I realise, has become automated  an effective response to terrorist attacks  a response that becomes written into our psyche until we no longer question it, its origin, or even its logic.

It wasnt long before my questions were answered  it was terrorism and there were fatalities. But this time was different. This time Muslims were the victims, slain while they worshipped in the sanctity of their community mosque. I was shocked. But I was not surprised.

I spent the next week taking media calls and speaking with members of Muslim communities around Australia. In the aftermath of terrorist attacks around the globe, Muslims in Australia had become accustomed to bracing themselves for the inevitable flurry of verbal and physical abuse- the pig heads left at mosque doors, the graffiti calling them all "terrorists", the Letters to the Editor claiming that the latest attack was further proof of the inhumanity of Muslims. They had become accustomed to the media demonisation and the calls by our Prime Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs for the community to "own" Islamic terrorism and to call it out.
Friday was packed with COVID-19 news from Washington, D.C. Most notably, House Democrats managed to come together with the Trump administration to agree on a coronavirus aid package that will help Americans and the broader economy.

Among other things, the relief package would grant some Americans paid emergency leave and free COVID-19 testing. The bill, which is expected to be voted on Friday night, would move to the Senate for voting as early as Monday. While both parties agree that federal efforts are needed to help Americans, the details surrounding the bill were sorted out largely between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the past couple of days.

"This legislation is about testing, testing, testing. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured," Pelosi said. President Trump expressed his support for the bill on Friday evening, urging Republicans and Democrats to vote in favor of the legislation.

The U.S. declares national emergency

Earlier on Friday, Trump declared a state of national emergency in a news conference. The president emphasized the importance of improving the country's testing capabilities and stressed the importance of other areas of healthcare such as telehealth to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Healthcare stocks, for the most part, ended the day in the green, with many companies mentioned by Trump surging by double-digit percentages. Roche (OTC:RHHBY) was one of these companies, with its COVID-19 test given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Roche shares shot up 13% over the course of the day.
Education bosses on Saturday called off school holiday camps for thousands of French children in the latest measure aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to what is happening in France at the moment, holiday camps and school-based activities are cancelled for the spring holidays," said education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron announced the closure of France's schools, creches and universities for the fortnight leading up to the two week Easter holidays which start on 11 April.

Macron said the aim was to give health services the chance to keep pace with the flow of patients.

"Our children and young people, according to our scientists, are the ones that spread the virus the quickest, even if they have no symptoms," said Macron.

He also urged employers to allow their staff to work from home wherever possible, and said that people over 70 years of age or have existing health conditions should stay inside as much as they can.

On Saturday the number of coronavirus cases worldwide passed the 150,000 mark. The disease was fatal in nearly 6,000 instances. On 11 March the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a pandemic nearly three months after it emerged in China.

Blanquer's announcement came as three more French MPs - one from Macron's ruling LREM party and two from Les Republicains - revealed they had tested positive for the virus.

One of them, Michel Herbillon, said he was confined to his home in Maisons-Alfort just outside Paris. "I've had a fever and a few aches," he added.

Twelve MPs have been struck down since the coronvairus crisis hit France. Despite the spike in cases to 4,500, Macron said municipal elections would go ahead on 15 March.
Photograph: Blair Gable/Reuters

Canada has unveiled aggressive new measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, shutting down parliament and advising against foreign travel, even as Justin Trudeau urged citizens to remain calm in a national address delivered from self-imposed quarantine.

We have an outstanding, we have outstanding public health authorities who are doing an outstanding job. We will get through this together, said the prime minister, who has been in self-isolation after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Related: Fears grow Sophie Gregoire Trudeau picked up coronavirus on London trip

In his address on Friday, Trudeau said he remained symptom free. Of course, [working from home] is an inconvenience and somewhat frustrating. We are all social beings after all, he said. But we have to do this because we have to protect our neighbours and our friends  especially our more vulnerable seniors and people with pre-existing conditions.

Officials announced a raft of new measures including closing parliament for five weeks and redirecting incoming international flights to a small number of airports as part of enhanced screening measures. The government also announced it will ban cruise ships with 500 people from docking in the countrys ports until 1 July  but stopped short of closing the borders.

Borders dont stop travellers. Travellers find other ways into countries. Travellers become less honest, said Patty Hajdu, the countys health minister. Canadas approach from the very beginning has been to use science and evidence.

Instead, the government has asked Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside the country and to limit contact with crowds.

Social distancing is an important contribution that everyone can make to our control efforts, said Theresa Tam, the countrys chief public health officer. This means avoiding crowded places and non-essential gatherings, considering shopping or taking public transport in off-peak hours and greeting one another with a wave or elbow instead of a handshake, kiss or hug.

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So far, Canada has conducted more than 15,000 tests and has 157 confirmed cases of the virus, most of which have been found in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia, she said.

Despite the relatively low number of cases, the federal government and provinces have acted swiftly in recent days.

British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have all banned events larger than 250 people. Ontario, the countrys most populous province, will close schools for two additional weeks following spring break, as will Quebec.

Late on Friday, officials in Toronto, the countrys largest city, announced the closure of all child care facilities, public libraries and community centres. They also announced the surprise cancellation of all spring break camps and urged residents to reconsider taking public transit.

The actions you take today will save lives, Hajdu said. This is a serious public health threat, and a crisis as well as an emergency.

Experts cautioned that no clear blueprints yet exist on now to stem the spread of the virus  but said that certain measures have shown degrees of success.

Theres no complete science behind any of it really  but its worthwhile to explore different ways of trying to control things, said infectious disease specialist Dr. Susy Hota, medical director of prevention and control at Torontos university health network.

Thats where the social distancing makes sense to consider doing it early and trying to reduce the overall impact on everybody.

As the country prepares for an economic slowdown, driven by both the coronavirus and a plunge in oil prices, Trudeau said his government plans to green-light a wide-scale economic stimulus plan in the coming days.

We are in the enviable position of having significant fiscal firepower available, he said.

Albertas premier, Jason Kenny, has called on the federal government to announce a stimulus of at least C$20bn (US$14.3bn)  roughly 1% of the countrys gross domestic product  to offset the looming economic impact of the virus.

We need to design policies that will really help liquidity and cashflow for businesses that are uniquely affected right now, he said on Thursday.

The prime minister has not yet put a figure on the stimulus plan, but said the action will target Canadians who are most vulnerable to a downturn.

No one should have to worry about paying rent, buying groceries, or additional childcare because of Covid-19. We will help Canadians financially.
The United Nations (UN) office in Ghana has confirmed that one of the reported cases of the coronavirus in Ghana is a member of their staff.

The UN confirmed this latest development in a press release today, March 13, 2020.

Although the identity of the UN staff member was not disclosed, the statement added that the patient worked in one of the UN buildings up until the morning of March 12 2020.

The statement further disclosed that all members of staff who worked in that particular building should work from home as a precautionary measure to ensure the virus does not spread.

The press release by the United Nations also disclosed that their decision is in coordination with the Ghanaian authorities and other relevant stakeholders.

One of the two cases of COVID-19 announced by the Government of Ghana is a UN staff member who worked in one of the UN buildings up until the morning of March 12 2020. To ensure the safety of all staff in that building and the continuation of our work for sustainable development, the United Nations in Ghana has decided as a precautionary measure that staff on those premises should work from home.

This measure is taken temporarily and decisions are taken in coordination with the national authorities. This supports the containment of COVID-19 and is in line with the United Nations worldwide standard Business Continuity procedures. Other staff working in other UN entities premises continue working in the office normally, the press release added.

The United Nations office in Ghana also assured the public that the United Nations is working closely with governments at the global, regional and country levels to ensure an efficient response to address the coronavirus outbreak.

At the global, regional and country levels, the United Nations is working closely with governments to support preparedness and response to address the global COVID-19 outbreak.

The UN team in Ghana through the World Health Organisation (WHO) is working with the government to strengthen preparedness and response efforts.

Coronavirus patients have been in Ghana for about a week  Information Minister

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah earlier today disclosed that the two persons who tested positive for coronavirus in Ghana have been in the country for about week.

One is a Ghanaian and the other is a foreigner. The Ghanaian is based abroad and came to visit. The foreigner has the permit to reside in the jurisdiction. We are informed that they have been in town for about a week. The Information Minister said.

Government provides $100 to enhance coronavirus preparedness

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of US$100 million to enhance Ghana's Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.

The President, during a national address, explained that with the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the Coronavirus disease as a pandemic, it is important that Ghana steps up her preparedness to ensure that beyond the initial measures that have been put in place, a 'whole of Ghana' approach is adopted in preparation for a possible hit within the country's borders.

The President further said, I haveordered a suspension of all international travels by public officials. Except for critical assignments, which will have to be authorised by the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, all public officials are to remain within the jurisdiction, until further notice. Video conferencing facilities and other technological tools are to be utilised, whenever possible, for international engagements.

How to protect yourself

To prevent the spread, the standard recommendations coming from the WHO is regular hand washing, covering one's mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

People are also advised to avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

---citinewsroom
(@FahadShabbir)

Deir Hassan, Syria, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Mar, 2020 ) :First he lost three fingers, later his hearing in one ear. Then all at once, both his legs and eyes. Ibrahim al-Ali was wounded every time he tried to escape Syria's war.

In a camp for the displaced near the Turkish border, the 33-year-old father of four shows the scars he has sustained in a conflict now entering its tenth year.

His eyes sealed shut, he runs his fingers along a long lesion below his chest, cuts on his arm, as well as discoloured scars on his scalp, neck and waist.

Leaning forward on the edge of a thin mattress, the former blacksmith gently exercises one of his amputated legs, cut off just below the knee.

Ali did not always look like this. In an image on his smartphone, he appears as a dapper young man dressed in a dark blue tracksuit and holding a baby girl.

But violence in Syria's last major rebel pocket has pursued him everywhere for years, robbing him of what he enjoyed most in life.

"I can't carry my children anymore," he says, slim arms clad in a stripey brown pullover and resting on his thighs.

"I can't work, or even move." Ali and his family are among nearly one million people who have been displaced in northwestern Syria since December by a Russia-backed regime offensive.

For hundreds of thousands like him, it was just the latest of multiple displacements in recent years.

- Map of conflict - Ali's body is like a map of his miraculous but horrific journey through the bombing campaigns of northwestern Syria.

Inside a small breeze-block house, he swipes his hand slowly over the floor to find his cup of coffee, brings it to his lips, and tells his story.

He was first wounded in 2013, right after he fled his native village of Shaizar in Hama province due to heightened hostilities.

In the nearby town of Latamneh, Ali was hit by regime barrel bombs, pieces of shrapnel piercing his wrist and arms.

That same year, he and his family fled further north to the town Maaret Hurma in Idlib province, where regime shelling pummelled their house, and severed three fingers on his left hand.

In early 2014, he relocated to the village of Kafr Sajna, also in Idlib, where shrapnel from an air strike punctured his chest and broke parts of his ribcage.

After three years of seemingly endless wounds, in 2016 Ali moved to farmlands outside the town of Khan Sheikhun.

"I almost survived the entire year without an injury," he says.

But in its very last month, another attack wounded his head and right ear, robbing him of his hearing on that side.

He uprooted his family yet again, heading back north to Sheikh Mustafa, where they would remain safe for a whole 12 months.

Syria's war has killed more than 390,000 people since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

- 'The worst yet' - In mid-2018, however, Ali would suffer his worst injuries yet.

On his way back home from work, he stepped on a landmine that blew off his legs and ravaged his eyes.

"That was the last day I saw the world," he says.

Today, Ali hauls himself onto a wheelchair, and his younger brother pushes him outside into the sun, clutching a smiling young boy riding along on his lap.

After the landmine, Ali spent one month in a coma in neighbouring Turkey.

"I woke up unable to see anything," he says.

"The world was pitch black." When he returned to Syria, the war showed no sign of letting up.

"We had to keep escaping," Ali says.

Eventually, he moved into his brother's modest home in the displacement camp, where he and his family now reside.

A ceasefire has halted fighting since last weekend, but Ali describes his current circumstances as "the worst yet".

"In the camps, we don't have a home or even basic amenities," he says.

As the war grinds on, Ibrahim will probably have to leave again, although it is unclear where to.

One thing, however, is certain for the young man twice arrested during the uprising for protesting against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

"If I were to be cut open and if my neck was to be sliced off and my head severed, I wouldn't accept for me or my children to live under Assad's rule."
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente has declared a state of emergency in Oneida County, meaning all public schools will be closed to students from March 16 to April 14.

While there is still currently no confirmed case of COVID-19 in Oneida County, were taking every measure available to ensure the health and safety of our residents, Picente said. Since the onset of this threat, we have partnered with federal, state and local officials to prepare, evaluate and respond to this continually evolving public health emergency. We believe this strong action is necessary and will enhance our ability effectively fight this unprecedented situation.

If necessary, the county executive can do the following during a state of emergency:

Establish a curfew, as well as prohibit and control pedestrian and vehicular traffic, except essential emergency vehicles and personnel.

Designate specific zones within which the occupancy and use of buildings and the ingress and egress of vehicles and persons may be prohibited or regulated.

Regulate and close places of amusement and assembly.

Suspend and limit the sale, dispensing, use or transportation of alcoholic beverages, explosives, and flammable materials and liquids.

Prohibit and control the presence of persons on public streets and places.

Establish or designate emergency shelters, emergency medical shelters, and in consultation with the state commissioner of health, community based care centers.

The state of emergency will remain in effect until rescinded by a subsequent order.

Earlier Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo waived the 180 school day requirement in New York, and left the decisions on closures up to individual districts.

Several schools in Herkimer and Otsego counties also announced closures on Friday.
(Newser)  Nearly $115 million went to board members of the University of Maryland Medical System or businesses associated with them, a state audit has found. The payments went to 27 board members or their associated businesses between Jan. 1, 2016 and April 18, 2019, according to a 100-page report that was sent to state lawmakers Friday by the Office of Legislative Audits, the AP reports. "Approximately 94 percent ($108.2 million) of these payments were made either directly to a Board member or to an entity with which the Board member (or immediate family member) had a direct financial relationship, the audit said. "The remaining $6.7 million was paid to 19 entities that met our criteria for an associated business" that didn't have a "direct financial relationship" to the board members.

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The audit was done after a self-dealing scandal bedeviled the medical system last year. Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, a former UMMS board member, received $500,000 in one of the deals for her "Healthy Holly" children's books. She pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of conspiracy and tax evasion. She was sentenced last month to three years in prison. The audit did not include the names of board members and associated businesses, though that information was shared with UMMS. The audit also noted it had not established that "the transactions were improper." In a response included in the audit, UMMS agreed with the audit's criticism of the procurement policies, describing them as "fundamentally flawed." (Look at the details of Pugh's case.)
Its always hard when family moves far away. Grandparents especially feel the pain of distance from their grandchildren. So a lot of royal watchers felt for Queen Elizabeth when Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex announced they would be moving to Canada.

Not only would the queen lose her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, but her great-grandson Archie would be far away, too. Meghan and Harry recently had to return to England for their last royal engagements, but baby Archie stayed in Canada. This was a choice that had some people feeling sorry for the queen, but some royal experts think that pity is misplaced.

Queen Elizabeth takes her royal duties seriously

Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II | Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Being queen has been the most important work of Queen Elizabeths life. That includes motherhood. She has four children, but she made it clear early on that royal duties and maintaining the monarchy were more important to her than her personal life.

When Prince Charles and Princess Anne were both younger than 4 years old, Queen Elizabeth famously went on a six-month royal tour without them. She left them with a nanny.

These were the days before video calls and digital pictures on smartphones. The queen didnt even get to catch glimpses of her kids over those six months.

Correspondent claims the queen is fine with Archie being in Canada

Although some royal insiders have said Queen Elizabeth is upset over Harry and Meghans decision to leave Archie at home, others claim its just not true. Keir Simmons, a correspondent for The Today Show, said the queen is probably fine with Archie staying back in Canada.

Some of the British press are trying to paint Meghan and Harrys decision not to bring baby Archie here to the U.K. as disappointing for the Queen. Ive got to tell you guys, I think that is very unlikely. Anyone who knows the biography of the Queen will know that she really thats isnt into babies. I can almost guarantee she is not complaining that she isnt seeing Archie right now.

Simmons seems quite sure of this, and it makes sense. Plus, its hard to imagine Harry and Meghan disrespecting the queen if she really wanted to see Archie.

Even though theyre leaving the royal family, theyre still family. Prince Harry has always been a dutiful grandson. Harry and Meghan tried as hard as they could to make royal life work. Unfortunately, that couldnt happen. Harry and Meghan feel they were forced to leave the U.K. to make a normal life for themselves and their son.

Queen Elizabeths relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Queen Elizabeth has always shown her fondness for her grandson Prince Harry. She and Harry seem to get along well, and shes relied on him to help her carry out royal duties. She also gets along with her granddaughter-in-law, Meghan. The two have bonded over their shared love of dogs, among other things.

Plus, there might be less pressure involved in the queens relationship with Harry and Meghan. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are her heirs, so her interactions with them are different. She is training them to live the life of a monarch. Thats not the case with Harry and Meghan.

[Correction: An earlier version said Queen Elizabeth has three children, not four.]
On March 11, teachers representing their colleagues at the Maribyrnong regional meeting of the Australian Education Union (AEU) in Melbourne passed resolutions demanding that the Australian government immediately act to secure the freedom of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and voicing their solidarity with whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. The important stand taken by the teachers should be followed by workers in every workplace and industry around the world.

A mass movement of the working class must be built to defend Assange. In a historic attack on freedom of speech, the Trump administration has charged him with multiple counts of espionage because WikiLeaks published the information that was courageously leaked by Manning exposing war crimes committed by American imperialism in the Iraq and Afghanistan and the extent of US diplomatic intrigues around the world.

The US is attempting to extradite Assange from the United Kingdom. Extradition hearings began last month and will resume in May, in what is likely to be a protracted legal case. Assange has been denied bail and is being incarcerated in the maximum security Belmarsh Prison under harsh conditions. The Australian citizen has been subjected to constant psychological and physical torment for close to a decade and his life is in danger.

The first resolution passed at the meeting insisted that the Australian government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison end its complicit collaboration with the persecution of Assange and intervene, using the full scope of its diplomatic and legal powers, to secure his safe passage to Australia. A second motion aimed at widening the campaign in defence of Assange was also adopted. It requires the Australian Education Union (AEU) to publish the resolution in the next issue of the AEU News and AEU e-bulletin.

The Maribyrnong regional meeting was attended by some 20 teachers representing at least 10 schools in Melbournes inner-western suburbs. It began with a discussion over the shocking conditions under which teachers must now work, such as unmanageable class sizes, excessive workloads and poverty-level wages for Education Support Staff. These conditions are a direct result of the agreements which the AEU has signed up for with state Liberal and Labor governments.

Teachers then voted to extend the duration of the meeting to allow for discussion on Assange.

The convenor of the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), Sue Phillips, moved the first resolution. She told her colleagues: Assange has stated that he wants people at their workplaces to voice their support. The lead that teachers are taking in his defence must be advanced here by supporting this resolution.

Phillips, a primary teacher at Moonee Ponds West Primary School, drew attention to the reason for Assanges incarceration: Why does Assange face this situation? Because in 20102011 he revealed US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with diplomatic conspiracies. He did what every good investigative journalist should do.

For exposing the criminal and secret operations of governments, information in the public interest, he is being punished in the most brutal and anti-democratic manner.

The purpose of his extradition and the political show trial that is underway, is to intimidate and terrorise all journalists who uncover and expose the truth. Anyone who dares speak out against war crimes is under threat.

She explained that the aims of the US, Britain and Australia are demonstrated in the barbaric treatment of Assange.

The manner in which Assange is being dealt with in the courts is an indication of the anti-democratic and cruel procedures that have been meted out against him over nearly a decade and what he would face in the US. Anyone who suggests he is or will face a fair trial in the US is telling lies.

On the first day Assange was handcuffed 11 times and stripped naked twice. He sits behind a glass cage, treated as if he is the worse type of criminal and terrorist. He cant hear properly and cannot pass notes or speak to his lawyers. On one of the days the judge began the trail without Assange present in the court and another day he had prepared notes from the previous day and they were taken from him.

The resolution stated:

This meeting of teachers and education support staff opposes the ongoing persecution of journalist, publisher and founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and courageous whistle-blower, Chelsea Manning. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, warns that Assanges continued exposure to arbitrariness and abuse may soon end up costing his life. We insist that the federal Morrison government uses its diplomatic powers to organise the safe return of Assange to Australia. We resolve to send this resolution to other schools and workplaces.

In supporting the motion, Will Marshall, a member of the Committee for Public Education, stated: Assange needs the support of workers, teachers and students. The courts are clearly not going to dispense justice. That is why we should be involved. Secondly, the major governments are preparing for war. The US has just announced the largest ever funding for the military. They are determined to stop Assange because they are preparing for new crimes and new wars.

One teacher at the meeting pointed out, Assange has done nothing illegal and said that he should not be standing facing charges.

To this point, the Australian trade unions, including the AEU, have maintained a deafening silence on the question of Assange. This is above all due to their links with the Australian Labor Party, which held government in 2010 and, flowing from its support for the US-Australia military alliance, condemned WikiLeaks for exposing American war crimes. The unions collaboration with the persecution of Assange is one of the main reasons that the Labor and, since 2013, the Coalition government has been able to deny any assistance to the Australian journalist and publisher.

At the conclusion of the Maribyrnong meeting, Daniel Mulholland, an Education Support Staff worker, stated: Educators should defend Assange as if they were defending their own students. What sort of democracy do we have when such arbitrary measures are taken to arrest and intimidate journalists?

The CFPE has initiated resolutions at both school and regional union meetings calling for the defence of Assange and Manning. The regional meeting at Maribyrnong is the latest in a campaign that is building momentum to defend democratic rights and Julian Assange.

Teachers at Footscray High School, in Melbournes western suburbs, voted in December to oppose the extradition of Assange and to form a committee to take forward his defence. In February, a meeting of the Hills Association of the New South Wales Teachers Federation in north-west Sydney unanimously passed a similar resolution moved by Erika Laslett, a secondary teacher and member of the CFPE. The same resolution was moved by a CFPE supporter and passed unanimously by more than 30 teachers at a meeting of the Illawarra Teachers Association in Wollongong.

All workers who defend Assange, Manning and freedom of speech should likewise organise meetings at unionised and non-union sites and move resolutions calling for the freedom of Assange and Manning.

Hold meetings in your workplace, college, university or school to discuss the imminent threat to Assanges life and the dangers this poses to the democratic rights of the entire working class. Pass resolutions demanding the blocking of his extradition to the US and his immediate and unconditional freedom.

Teachers and education workers who want to make contact with the CFPE can email cfpe.aus@gmail.com or via its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation/. The CFPE Twitter account is @CFPE_Australia.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar.14

Trend:

Azerbaijan is one of the countries which undertakes effective measures to minimize the impact of the global threat of coronavirus pandemic on the population, Chairperson of Public Health Safety Association Yazgul Abdiyeva told Trend on March 14.

The introduced rules impose respective responsibility upon every citizen of Azerbaijan, she said.

At a time when coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is spreading around the world, and World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic, world countries are taking serious measures to protect public health and stop the spread of the virus. Minimizing or temporarily stoppage of communications with many countries, the application of severe restrictions on public life and mass events have become characteristic for many countries. Ensuring the safety of Azerbaijani citizens and protecting them from the impact of the global problem is one of the most important and priority issues of the agenda, Abdiyeva noted.

The chairperson appreciated the quality of preventive work carried out against coronavirus in the country, taking into account WHOs recommendations and international experience.

She considers the restriction of the movement on the borders with Iran and Georgia introduced by Azerbaijan as a right decision.

Abdieva added that all these measures are aimed at solid protection of public health and preventing the spread of the virus.

The chairman expressed confidence that not only the state, but also individual citizens will make efforts to prevent the spread of this disease in the country, and will faithfully comply with the rules.

The implementation of this decision imposes responsibility not only on state bodies, but also on the whole society and each citizen individually. Each citizen will contribute to the safety of society if they support the work of state bodies, protecting themselves and their families, the Abdiyeva stressed.

The Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers is conducting the measures on social isolation that have been applied in the country from 00:00 (GMT+4) on March 14, 2020.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva
A male patient with underlying health issues has become the second Covid-19 death in the Republic as 39 new cases have been confirmed bringing the total number of cases to 129.

There were five new positive cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Northern Ireland on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 34 and the total on the island to 163.

It comes as US President Donald Trump announced his coronavirus travel ban will be extended to the UK and Ireland from Monday.

US President Donald Trump (AP/Alex Brandon)

Mr Trump indicated the move was in response to an increase in virus activity in the countries.

The UK and Ireland were originally excluded when Mr Trump announced a ban on travel from the Schengen travel area in continental Europe. But speaking in the White House, he said that position was being changed.

Deputy Irish Premier Simon Coveney said Irish citizens should exercise a high degree of caution when making travel plans particularly in Europe.

Mr Coveney said a growing number of countries are also imposing restrictions on entry and exit.

His department is now advising against non-essential travel to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland and Slovakia.

Meanwhile, the Irish Premier said his Government and the Northern Ireland Executive share the same goal on tackling Covid-19 but they differ on timing.

Leo Varadkar has said Covid-19 is an illness that knows no borders as administrations on either side of the border follow different strategies.

Mr Varadkar said: This virus knows no borders, no nationality. It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island.

Speaking in Armagh ahead of a special North-South Covid-19 meeting, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Covid-19 is a virus that knows no borders.



It is a problem for all of us. Our response to it is made more difficult as we do have two jurisdictions on this island. pic.twitter.com/MnjWfVZEnk  Aine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) March 14, 2020

There are more than 100 cases of Covid-19 on the island of Ireland but differences have emerged as schools in the Republic have closed and public gatherings have been curtailed.

Northern Irelands administration has not introduced the same measures, although Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said schools should be shut.

Mr Varadkar said: There will be differences of approach over the next few weeks and months, we are different jurisdictions and there are differences and there will be differences, but the differences that exist are mostly around timing.

What there isnt any difference about is our common objective, which is to slow down this virus in its tracks and push it back as much as possible and limit the harm to human health and human life.

It comes as Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland.

Mr Weir was responding after the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, wrote to urge him to consider closing schools and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said schools should close.

Speaking in Armagh on Saturday, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said schools in Northern Ireland will close when the timing is right and parents should prepare as they may close for several months.

She said: We will take that action when it is the right time to do it. There are two different jurisdictions on this island.

Schools will not be closed immediately but schools and parents should prepare because when they do they will close for at least 16 weeks.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill, left, and First Minister Arlene Foster (Aine McMahon/PA)

When asked about the different approaches being taken on the island, she said: In terms of the co-operation I dont think the co-operation could be any better between our chief medical officers, between our ministers of health and between the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Mrs ONeill repeated a call she made on Friday that Northern Ireland should follow the Republics lead and close schools.

She said: People are taking decisions in advance of government and my own personal opinion is that schools should close now.

I think the fact that you can have two schools a mile apart and one schools open and one schools closed, thats a very confusing picture and a very confusing message for the public.

Mrs Foster said both governments had very coherent messages and that Stormont is taking advice from the Public Health Agency and the chief medical officer on when was the appropriate time to shut schools.

There are two different jurisdictions on this island and we may do things differently in terms of timing, but the tools are all the same in terms of what we are going to do to try and combat this virus, she said.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, who was not at the meeting, said the UKs response to coronavirus should be rejected and is totally unacceptable in the north of Ireland.

John ODowd, a Sinn Fein MLA, launched a tirade against Boris Johnsons handling of the situation, claiming the UK Government was conducting a twisted medical experiment.

The Upper Bann MLA said: Lets be clear, this shire of bastards are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment.

Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong & this balloon and his ilk are right.

If you are not angry its time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster!
Ayegunle is in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State. The journey to the community had started at 10 a.m on a sunny Saturday in February. For over three hours on the dusty, bumpy road, the travellers did not sight human habitation.

Im not going again, the okada rider protested. We have not seen a single house since. Lets go back.

The reporters promise of additional pay eventually made Christopher, the motorcyclist, change his mind. Fifteen minutes later, their persistence paid off  some houses came into view. Ayegunle at last!

The sleepy village is a metaphorical graveyard. No cars, no market, no school, no hospital and even though it was high noon, there were no people.

Adding to these, the village has been in darkness for as long as its residents could remember.

In 2016, the federal government budgetted N4.3 million for the supply and installation of one unit of 300 KVA transformer to the community. However, by 2020, despite the award of contract and releases of fund, the villagers have not witnessed power supply.

The communitys traditional ruler, Akeem Ajayi, said the project was never completed.

The village has been in darkness for long. After I ascended the throne as king, we wrote to the local government chairman who provided the electricity poles. Later, we heard that Senator (Ademola) Adeleke would provide transformer for us but unfortunately we havent seen that.

There was a time a group of people came around claiming they were from Abuja to discuss the solution to our blackout. All the villagers were happy when I broke the news to them. But we never set our eyes on them again since 2016, he said.

Oba Akeem Ajayi @ Ayegunle

Checks my PREMIUM TIMES shows that the profile of the contractor, Ayoka Co. Nigeria LTD, did not contain its email, contact phone number, address, website and other contact information.

An FOI request to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the status of the company was acknowledged but had not been honoured at the time of filing this report.

Lack of electricity has hindered the economy and life of the community.

We give our phones to our children working in the city to help us charge every three days. We sell palm oil but cannot reach out to customers even when we have produce. This often affects our business, Tanimola Ojo, a woman in her late 60s told PREMIUM TIMES.

Data

The abandoned project in Ayegunle is one of 14 electrification projects Osun State benefited from the federal government between 2015 and 2019, according to information provided by Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in response to an FOI request.

REA said it supervised 146 electrification projects across Nigeria within the same period.

The 14 in Osun State were to be carried out at the cost of N1.8 billion (N1,841,982,341). PREMIUM TIMES tracked the projects and found abnormalities in their execution despite the release of funds.

Abandoned Transformer @ Ayegunle

In 2016, REA tagged nine transformer installation and electrification projects in Osun State as completed. The total cost of the nine projects was given as N166,130,926. The agency noted that N121, 427,668 was released from this total.

In 2017, two projects for which N80,673,178 were budgetted were said to have been completed at the cost of N75, 533,262.

The agency did not execute any project in 2018. But in 2019, it said it released N80 million for three projects in the state.

No electricity in beneficiary communities

Residents of Ifesowapo in Iwo Local Government Area of the state were holding their weekly residents association meeting in early February when this reporter arrived at the community.

Ifesowapo Community in Iwo

A rural electrification project for which N13.7 million was allocated in the 2016 zonal intervention projects for the community could not be found. Furious community leaders lamented as they took this reporter to the transformer they installed from their own contributions.

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The chairman of the community association, Y. A. Ganiyu, said Ifesowapo was in darkness for seven years until the residents got their electricity installed.

For seven years we were in darkness and not even the local government chairman listened to our cry. We did meetings upon meetings before we finally got solution.

Each of the houses in the community contributed N10, 000. It was the money that we used to register with Osun State Agency for Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP). It was CSDP that added money for us to get the transformer serving about eight communities in this local government area.

Signpost of Osun CSDP in Iwo

It is sad to the extent that we bought poles, cables and all the necessary (things). Weve not seen any electrification projects from the federal government in our community, Mr Ganiyu said.

Another resident, Isiaka Abolore, said the community provided its own electricity and other social amenities.

The name of the company awarded the contract is Xtra Sun Nigeria Limited. It did not respond to calls and text messages sent to its listed phone number. CAC did not also respond to inquiries on the legal status of the company.

Abandoned Transformer at Irewole Local Government

At Irewole Local government headquarters, this reporter saw some electrical cables, poles and a transformer. Residents living close to the local government headquarters said the items were mere decorations as the transformer was covered by tall grasses. A N75 million electrification project for the community awarded in 2016 has been abandoned.

Irewole LGA Secretariat

A REA document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES shows that the contract was awarded to Borno Engineering Supply Technical Company Ltd. But the chairman of the company, Isa Badamosi, in a telephone interview with our correspondent denied getting the contract.

We did not get the contract. By the time they approved the budget, the costs were already higher and we could not do it, he said before terminating the call. He refused to respond to subsequent calls.

The community youth leader, Kazeem Olasupo, said since 2016 that the poles, cables and transformer were installed, the community had not witnessed electricity.

Untraceable, ambiguous projects

Beyond the fact that many projects are abandoned, the reporter also could not locate some projects reported to have been implemented in many communities.

For two hours, this reporter on a motorcycle tried to locate Ifesowapo community in Ajibola Area, Ede South Local Government. The sum of N20 million was allocated for electrification in the community in the 2019 zonal intervention projects. But no project was on the ground.

Ifesowapo Residents Meeting, Iwo

Nothing has been done here. At least we have taken you around the community and streets in this area. I have been living here for the past 10 years and I know all the streets, Shukrat Adebisi, a young woman, said after several hours of trying to trace the project.

When contacted, the chairman of the implementing company, Liberty Overseas Brothers Limited, who identified himself as Alhaji Suleman, said he would send his representative to Osun State to take the reporter to the site. This, he failed to do and also refused to respond to subsequent enquiries.

PREMIUM TIMES also encountered the same difficulties at Akakan in Ede South. While Akankan community exists, we could not trace any electrification project there, also allocated for N20 million in the 2019 zonal intervention projects.

Sanusi Akeem @ Akankan Community, Ede

Speaking with our correspondent, Sanusi Akeem, the secretary of Akankan Residents Association, said the community leaders were not aware of any ongoing electrification project around them.

Weve not seen any signal or any electrification project in our community. If any occurs, I should know as the secretary of the residents association. Since it was allocated in 2019, we hope they start this year. But for now, no electrification project here.

Kim-khals International Limited, the company whose name is on the document PREMIUM TIMES obtained from REA, could not be reached as calls and text messages drew no response. Like for the other requests, CAC did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries on the legal status of the company.

This newspaper investigation also shows that while N11.4 million was allocated for an electrification project at Oparinde, no community or street was found bearing that name in Okinni, Egbodore Local Government.

The project was allocated in the 2016 special intervention projects. One of the elders in Okinni told PREMIUM TIMES, after hours of scouring the area, that he had not heard about Oparinde, even though he had for several years been a security worker in the community.

If Baba Sijuade did not know Oparinde, then I doubt there is any street like that in this Okinni, PREMIUM TIMES fixer, a motorcyclist, said.

The online profile of the implementing agency, Machalite Electrical Nigeria Limited, did not contain the email, contact phone number, address, website and other contact information of the company.

On-going, completed projects

At least, an electrification project is ongoing at Alusekere Community in Ede North LGA. The project was awarded at a cost of N40 million in 2019.

Ongoing electrification project at Alusekere Community in Ede North LGA.

Residents told our correspondent that contractors began work in December. A woman in her late 60s who simply identified herself as Iya Eleko said: They started the project in December 2019. We hope that upon the completion of the electricity project, it will benefit everyone living in this community.

Supplied Transformer at Alagbede, Ede

Also, as claimed in an FOI response, supply and installation of one unit of 500 KVA transformer was made at Alagbede community of Ede North Local Government. The projected was allocated for N8 million in 2016.

Transformer @ Alagbede

Residents confirmed that the transformer was delivered at the tail end of 2016 and connected in early 2017.

Before they brought the transformer, we had several issues with electricity. About five communities were connected to one transformer which usually developed faults then. Since the new one was brought, we have not experienced electricity problems except from the end of NEPA, Rasak Ajala, a resident said.

Rasak Ajala @ Alagbede Community, Ede

Unreachable Lawmaker

All the projects tracked were nominated by Mr Adeleke while he represented Osun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

Late Isiaka Adeleke was elected the senator in May 2015 and he served until he died on April 23, 2017 at Biket Hospital in Osogbo.

While in the Senate, he nominated 2015, 2016 and part of 2017 projects. After his death, his brother, Ademola Adeleke, was elected to replace him. He served as the senator until 2019.

However, efforts by this newspaper to get Mr Adelekes reaction to our findings were unsuccessful. His known telephone number could not be reached and he did not respond to messages sent to him via social media platforms.

Sources close to the family disclosed that Mr Adeleke has lived in Los Angeles in the United States since he lost the Osun governorship election.

A member of the House of Representatives, who is close to Mr Adeleke, confirmed that the former senator cannot be reached at the moment.
The Karnataka government on



Saturday said it would advice IT companies to allow employees to work from home as most coronavirus affected patients or their relatives were from this sector.

"If anybody (IT companies)asks (employees to work in the office),I will speak to them through the deputy chief minister so that they take steps to issue a definite order. We have very clearly said, Stay Home, stay safe," medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar said.

He recalled that the chief minister himself had issued a strict advisory to allow employees work from home.

The minister said the IT sector understands the gravity of the situation because they are educated, have travelled abroad and have more exposure to information world.

"No action," he said to a question on what action would be taken against companies who do not follow the instructions.

"There is no action to be taken. We have not promulgated any law. It should be a kind of a cohesive approach from the government and the responsible citizen," he said.

The minister said he had also acted on the advice of Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty, who had told him that all areas where public and students gather, including malls, theatres, schools and colleges, should be closed.

Sudhakar claimed that the woman whose husband had tested positive for cornavirus here, had flown straight to Delhi from the city and had not come out of Bengaluru airport.

He said the newly-wed couple came to Bengaluru airport on March 8 night and early on March 9, she flew alone to Delhi. From there she travelled to Agra by train.

She did not come out of the airport, said the minister.

To a question on legal action being contemplated against her, the minister said he would take a call said he was not thinking of legal action at present and would take a call only after the woman, who has also tested positive for the virus, comes out of isolation.

He insisted that the purpose of getting details was not to scare people.

On the preparedness in Kalaburagi, where the first Coronavirus death in India was reported, he said the administration had 'clamped down" the entire district.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of Ballari district ordered cancellation of tourists' entry to the world heritage site of Hampi from March 15 to 22 to prevent further spread of the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Veneers, a common solution at dentist offices across the country, are typically made from either resin or porcelain materials. Atlanta-based Dr. Frank Roach weighs in and helps readers understand the major differences between the two.

ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2020 / For patients looking to achieve a brighter, healthier smile, there is an array of state-of-the-art procedures available to restore teeth--both invasive and non-invasive. However, premier Atlanta dentist Dr. Frank Roach has taken on patients whose teeth are unable to receive the maximum effects of these procedures and must rely on alternatives. One of the most popular options available today are veneers, which are placed over patients' teeth to improve their appearance and provide protection from further wear.

"Instead of pulling teeth or anchoring in dentures, veneers simply fit over or onto patients' teeth, which is a far less complicated procedure," says Dr. Frank Roach. "The low-impact nature of veneer procedures along with how fast it can be completed means that it's a reasonable solution for many patient cases. The patients must decide first, though, whether they will receive porcelain or composite veneers."

Composite veneers can be placed directly onto teeth where dentists can then sculpt them to match the look of the natural tooth underneath. In the case of direct composite veneers, resin is used to match teeth and a high-intensity light is used to harden the material. The benefit to composite veneers is that resin is much cheaper than porcelain, meaning the overall cost of the procedure will be much lower. On average, composite veneers cost about half as much as porcelain veneers, Dr. Frank Roach says. Composite veneers can also be made same-day since the material is sculpted directly onto teeth instead of at an out-of-office lab.

Porcelain veneers tend to be more expensive, but for good reason; they are much more durable than composite resin, and because they are less porous, they won't stain or chip over time as easily. Composite veneers that are well maintained can usually last between five and seven years before needing replacement. Porcelain veneers, on the other hand, can easily last for a decade or more. Additionally, porcelain veneers have a more authentic look due to their translucent quality, which resembles tooth enamel.

"When it comes down to it, porcelain veneers are the superior choice in terms of quality and lifetime, but it ultimately boils down to what the patient can afford since these procedures aren't typically covered by insurance," says Dr. Frank Roach. "But they are both reasonable solutions for achieving a more aesthetically pleasing smile in no time."

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/580649/Dr-Frank-Roach-Explains-Notable-Differences-Between-Composite-and-Porcelain-Veneers
Security was beefed up in the old city areas in after a youth injured in last month's violent clashes over the new citizenship law died at a hospital, police said on Saturday.

According to the spokesperson of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in the Muslim University (AMU), Mohammad Tariq Munawwar (22) had suffered gunshot injuries and was on ventilator support for the last few days.

Munawwar's condition deteriorated on Friday evening and he succumbed to injuries shortly before midnight, the hospital official said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muniraj G told mediapersons that security had been beefed up in all sensitive areas of the city as a precautionary measure.

On Thursday, police had arrested local BJP leader Vinay Varshney in connection with the attack on Munawwar, who was shot at and seriously wounded on February 23, when violence erupted at Upper Kot locality in the city after police evacuated some anti-CAA women protesters.

Varshney was arrested from his house in Babri Mandi and booked in an attempt to murder case along with two others who are still at large.

Besides the BJP leader, five others including Mustaqeem, Anwaar, Famhimuddin, Sabir and Imran were arrested for the violent incidents at Upper Kot.

However, claiming that Varshney had been framed, some Hindu right wing groups have started demanding his immediate release and have also organised protests.

As a result, several shops in the old city have remained shut for the last two days as an uneasy calm prevails in the area.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team has begun investigations into the violent clashes and asked those with any information including video evidence to come forward.

The request comes after a video purportedly showing Munawwar being shot at went viral on social media. The SSP also told reporters that all such videos were being examined by experts.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has admonished students in Senior High School to adhere to preventive measures in order to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

According to the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) preventive measures such as the washing of hands with soap and running water, avoid shaking of hands among others can help prevent the spread of the virus.

The former president who was speaking at the 15th-anniversary celebration of the St. Andrews Senior High School in Assin Fosu urged students to report basic symptoms like sneezing, sore throat, and cough to doctors for early treatment.

As you have all heard, Ghana has not been spared of the global pandemic coronavirus. When I was young, there was a Toyota car called Corolla so don't mistake it with this. Coronavirus is a serious disease. There are simple things that we all can do to avoid the virus and I urge the management of the school to take steps to ensure constant education of the students and the community at large. Large gatherings like this may no longer be ideal until we are able to contain the spread.

For all of us here, we must make sure to wash our hands properly with soap and under running water. Don't wash your hands in a bowl and think you have washed it well enough. Wash it under running water and wash it as frequently as possible. Any time you have the opportunity, go and wash your hands and any time we use commonly used surfaces like doors, we must endeavour to wash our hands. The virus is spread through contacts with droplets from the top to the knees of an infected person. So should you experience any of these symptoms i.e. coughing, fever, and the likes, I don't mean it is coronavirus but it can be coronavirus so consult a doctor, the former president said. GES directs school heads to suspend public gatherings

The Ghana Education Service (GES) ordered all heads of schools to suspend public activities until further notice.

The GES said it is to prevent the spread of coronavirus following the confirmation of two positive cases in the country.

In a statement issued after a meeting with the Ghana Health Service, Director-General of the GES, Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa said public activities such as Speech and Prize-Giving Days should be suspended until further directives are given by the Director-General.

Meanwhile, the GES has indicated that educational materials that were prepared in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service have been made available for circulation in schools to improve sensitization on the outbreak.

Regional and District Educational Directors are to ensure that Heads of Schools make the materials readily available to staff and students. Educational Directors are also expected to liaise with their respective Regional and District Health Directors to ensure a smooth education campaign in the schools. How to protect yourself

To prevent the spread, the standard recommendations coming from the WHO is regular hand washing, covering one's mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

People are also advised to avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

citinewsroom
An Amazon employee has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus at an office in Seattle and is in quarantine, the company confirmed to CNBC.

Amazon notified employees of the case via email on Friday, a source close to the company told CNBC. It's not clear which office the employee works out of. Amazon is headquartered in Seattle and has several offices downtown.

"We're supporting the affected employee who is in quarantine," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

Amazon has notified the employees who may have been in direct contact with the individual, the company said. The risk of transmission for employees who were not in close contact with this individual is assessed to be low, Amazon added.

The employee has not returned to the office since they were diagnosed with the virus. Amazon employees at the company's Seattle and Bellevue, Washington offices have been working remotely since March 5.

It marks the second known case of an Amazon employee contracting the coronavirus. Amazon confirmed March 3 that an employee working out of its Brazil office building in Seattle tested positive for the virus. The company notified employees of the case in a memo, saying, "The employee went home feeling unwell on Tuesday, February 25 and has not entered Amazon offices since that time."

On Thursday, Amazon advised global employees who are able to work from home to do so through the end of March. The directive applies to employees at Amazon's corporate offices.

Unlike employees at Amazon's corporate offices, many fulfillment center employees and delivery drivers cannot carry out their job duties while working from home. Last week, Amazon moved to address the unique needs of fulfillment centers and delivery by launching a $25 million relief fund. The "Amazon Relief Fund" will allow these employees to apply for grants that are equal to or up to two weeks of pay if they're diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The company also said it will provide up to two weeks of pay to all employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed into quarantine, effective immediately. This is in addition to unlimited unpaid time off for all hourly employees through the month of March, which CNBC previously reported.

As of Saturday afternoon, there were more than 147,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide and at least 5,539 deaths from the virus. There were at least 2,174 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. and at least 47 deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 05:34:01|Editor: huaxia

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a speech regarding the new measures that will be taken to fight the coronavirus in Jerusalem on March 14, 2020. Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday the closure of all shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas as part of the efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. So far, 193 coronavirus cases have been reported in Israel, of whom four have recovered. (Alex Kolomoisky/JINI /Handout via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday the closure of all shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas as part of the efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the decision, all gatherings in Israel were limited to 10 people from 100.

It was also decided to close all kindergartens after all schools were already closed in Israel.

Workplaces will not be closed at this point with each company determining itself which employees could work at home.

Israel also decided to digitally follow paths taken by coronavirus patients in the days before they were diagnosed in order to quarantine those who were at the same places.

So far, 193 coronavirus cases have been reported in Israel, of whom four have recovered.
By PTI

ALIGARH: Security was beefed up in the old city areas hereafter a youth injured in last month's violent clashes over the new citizenship law died at a hospital, police said on Saturday.

According to the spokesperson of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Mohammad Tariq Munawwar (22) had suffered gunshot injuries and was on ventilator support for the last few days.

Munawwar's condition deteriorated on Friday evening and he succumbed to injuries shortly before midnight, the hospital official said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muniraj G told media persons that security had been beefed up in all sensitive areas of the city as a precautionary measure.



ALSO READ: UP government to bring ordinance against anti-CAA protesters

On Thursday, police had arrested local BJP leader Vinay Varshney in connection with the attack on Munawwar, who was shot at and seriously wounded on February 23, when violence erupted at Upper Kot locality in the city after police evacuated some anti-CAA women protesters.

Varshney was arrested from his house in Babri Mandi and booked in an attempt to murder case along with two others who are still at large.

Besides the BJP leader, five others including Mustaqeem, Anwaar, Famhimuddin, Sabir and Imran were arrested for the violent incidents at Upper Kot.



ALSO READ: Shah blames anti-CAA protesters for Delhi riots

However, claiming that Varshney had been framed, some Hindu right-wing groups have started demanding his immediate release and have also organised protests.

As a result, several shops in the old city have remained shut for the last two days as an uneasy calm prevails in the area.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team has begun investigations into the violent clashes and asked those with any information including video evidence to come forward.

The request comes after a video purportedly showing Munawwar being shot at went viral on social media.

The SSP also told reporters that all such videos were being examined by experts.
New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Hemang Lower Denkyira Bright Wireko  Brobby is rallying members of the party to unite ahead of the 2020 elections.

The Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations says the upcoming primaries of the NPP is only a first step in a long electoral process and there is the need for party members to bear the bigger picture in mind.

The contest is between us and our major opponent, the NDC, and not an internal fight among us as NPP people. We are preparing for the bigger contest ahead in 2020. And I know victory will be ours. But lets unite first, Lawyer Wireko  Brobby said.

The deputy minister was speaking during meetings with polling station executives and constituency officers of the party in the Hemang Lower Denkyira constituency.

He cautioned delegates, polling station and constituency executives to be mindful of the language used in campaigning, explaining they will all have to work together to ensure the victory of President Akufo  Addo and himself in the 2020 elections. He said, it is the interest of the NPP that should be placed first above all other things, and not the individual interest of any party member.

The NPP will on 25th April hold primaries across the country to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2020 elections. The MP explained to them the essence of parliamentary primaries is to deepen democracy at the grassroot level for the benefit of ordinary Ghanaians.

Two people including Lawyer Wireko - Brobby are contesting for the seat in the Hemang Lower Denkyira constituency.

The incumbent MP expressed confidence he will be victorious in the primary, and additionally win the seat for the party in the 2020 elections.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A member of the FDNY has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference Saturday afternoon.

We have a new confirmed case, a member of the FDNY from a firehouse in Brooklyn, de Blasio said. Im going to give you some information. We do not have every detail yet and we are still doing some notifications and actions, so this is purposefully partial information until we have further confirmation."

The total of confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City is now 183, said de Blasio.

The FDNY member worked from Sunday through Tuesday before returning home and exhibiting symptoms. The FDNY member tested positive late Friday, de Blasio said. He did not say which firehouse the firefighter worked at.

While on duty, the firefighter did not respond to any medical runs or treat any patients, the mayor said.

The affected FDNY member and all members of the firehouse that came into direct contact with them were immediately quarantined.

As a matter of precaution, 31 members of that firehouse will be quarantined immediately, those who had worked with the member directly, and the member is now quarantined at home, de Blasio said.

According to the mayor, other house members will have the firehouse up and running this evening following a thorough cleaning of the facilities.

Other members of the house who were not in direct contact will take over the operations of the house. Its being cleaned right now. The firehouse will be fully operational and up and running by 6 p.m., said de Blasio. There are other fire resources in the area that obviously can cover any other need in the intervening time."

Leaders of the FDNYs two largest unions, FDNY-Uniformed Fire Officers Association President Jake Lemonda and FDNY-Uniformed Firefighters Association President Gerard Fitzgerald, issued statements on Saturday following the announcement.

The Fire Department of New York has confirmed a member has tested positive for Coronavirus. The Uniformed Fire Officers Union is working with fellow unions, the Department, City Officials and healthcare experts to take actions to protect the entire membership. This is a very serious situation that needs to be monitored closely while all Firefighters and Fire Officers continue their duties protecting the citizens of New York, said Lemonda.

The health, safety, protection, and wellbeing of our Firefighters is our paramount concern. We will not allow our members to be put at risk. We are working in close cooperation with the Department to ensure the safety of all of our members from the Coronavirus. It was brought to my attention that a member of the Department has tested positive for COVID-19 and I am renewing my call for expedited testing for all New York City Firefighters and Fire Officers exhibiting symptoms, Fitzgerald said.

It was reported earlier that 38 members of the city Fire Department (FDNY) were put under quarantine for the coronavirus, and due to that, the FDNY will change up shifts to control the spread of the virus. It was unclear on Saturday if the 31 FDNY members exposed are included in that figure.

The New York Post reported that the quarantine will cause the department to switch EMS workers from 8-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts. In addition, the FDNY will also eliminate partner rotation, the report said.

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Gandhinagar, March 14 : Taking serious note of the COVID-19 scare, the Gujarat government plans to make spitting in public places, a common nuisance, a punishable offence to curb coronavirus.

Though there has been no coronavirus case in Gujarat, the state government is taking stringent measures to curb its spread.

"We are discussing ways to ban spitting in public places with the district collectors, municipal commissioners and municipality chief officers through video link. We are also discussing how to penalise spitting, which can be a cause of coronavirus spread," said Jayanti Ravi, Principal Secretary (health and family welfare department).

"Based on the Indian Epidemic Act, 1897, we have issued a notification on Friday, where we have authorised officials, like collectors in districts and municipal commissioners in urban areas, certain powers to take action regarding COVID-19. This is to stop cases like DAMA (Discharge against medical advise) happening," Ravi said.

The first casualty of COVID-19 in the country was, according to the government, due to the patient opting DAMA.

"Taking cognizance of the Gujarat High Court order on Friday, we are implementing the setting up of facilities at the HC campus. We have instructed government offices to postpone all avoidable functions, like conferences, seminars and workshops," Ravi said.

People had also been urged to do the same, the official added.

Since January 15, 288 flights and 29,560 passengers have been screened at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad. 3202 passengers those entered Gujarat have been screened for coronavirus infections.

The state health department suspected 77 cases of coronavirus and kept them quarantined. While 72 tested negative, reports of 5 is awaited. 1226 passengers have finished their 28-day observation period and they were certified healthy.

In the past two days, coronavirus has claimed two lives in India and till Saturday 83 people tested positive for it in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pendemic.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told reporters that they needed to stop reporting the facts about the Trump administrations coronavirus mistakes.

Adams said at the White House coronavirus briefing, I want you all to understand some straight talk from the nations doctor. We really need you all to lean into and prioritize the health and safety of the American people. No more bickering, no more partisanship, no more criticism or finger-pointing. There will be plenty of time for that, but we need to hit the reset button and leaning forward that the health and safety of the American people is the top priority.

Video of the surgeon general:

#SurgeonGeneral Dr. Jerome Adams scolds the media for telling the truth and reporting on the White House's bickering on the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/dFXgZxvPut  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 14, 2020

The administration doesnt want the American people to know the truth about how badly they have bungled the response and turned a crisis into a pandemic.

Philip Rucker pointed out that what the media is reporting on is the chaos in the Trump administration:

The surgeon general is giving journalists straight talk from the nations doctor and instructing the press to have no more bickering, no more partisanship, no more criticism or finger-pointing in news coverage. He did not mention the presidents twitter feed.  Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) March 14, 2020

Exactly. And the mess ups have been caused in part by the bickering, partisanship, criticism and finger-pointing within the administration in which he serves, something the public knows thanks to solid reporting. https://t.co/XDp5TFpUWs  Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) March 14, 2020

As the coronavirus spreads, the Trump administration is trying to turn the free press into a cheering section. The press is writing articles daily about what people can do to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Reporters also have a duty to report on what the government is doing and holding them accountable for their actions or inactions.

The nation would be better served by a surgeon general who focused on his job instead of playing media critic during a national health emergency.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
The Norwegian Bliss en route from Alaska to Seattle makes it's way towards Ogden Point in Victoria, B.C., on Friday June 1, 2018. Transport Canada's decision to suspend the cruise season until July 1 will mean 114 cancelled cruise ship arrivals and almost 300,000 fewer passengers this spring and summer, says the harbour authority's chief executive officer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
(Natural News) President Trump has just made sure #DontTestDontTell will now go into overdrive. A so-called new approach to testing announced by Trump and the HHS yesterday relies on avoiding testing anyone until they show obvious symptoms.

This isnt the gold standard of testing. Its more like the turd standard.

Obviously, when dealing with a deadly infectious disease that has a multi-week incubation period during which asymptomatic carriers can spread the infection to others, you have to test people who dont yet show symptoms. But Trump and the HHS have announced that wont be happening. Trump repeated it several times in yesterdays national emergency declaration announcement: People who dont have symptoms dont need to be tested.

Whats the strategy behind this medical lunacy, you ask? Its a way to keep the number of detected infections artificially low. In other words, its the same trick communist China played on the world all along. Now the US government is borrowing that insane deception page right out of communist China.

It is impossible to stop this disease if you dont test people who are asymptomatic carriers. Trumps announcement is essentially a kind of suicide pact for America, and its being endorsed by all the pharmaceutical companies who think they stand to make a killing from all the drugs and vaccines people will need as the hospitals get completely overrun in 8 weeks or less.

One expert thinks 500,000 Americans may already be infected

One health expert, Dr. Marty Makary, says there may already be 500,000 Americans infected right now. The reason we dont know the exact number yet is because coronavirus testing is still practically non-existent in the United States, thanks to the criminal negligence of the CDC (and government incompetence in general).

My own estimates based on the Adams model pandemic projection system, now in revision 3, estimates that there are right now 23,000 actively infected people in the United States.

According to the model, which now assumes a 50% social distancing suppression factor, by the end of March there will be 93,000 Americans infected and over 500 dead.

Typically, my own projections have consistently turned out to be too low, even though many readers cant psychologically handle the projections when they first see them. For example, my model is currently projecting hundreds of thousands of Americans DEAD by July 4th. Even with a 50% social distancing factor in place Yet to this day, most Americans still cant imagine that happening because they simply arent psychologically able to handle the thought of it.

Thats why a lockdown is probably coming to the USA, specifically in certain regions such as Seattle, NYC, Boston, San Franshitsco, etc. If youre not yet prepared to shelter in place for 60 days or more, you may end up failing to survive whats coming.

Stay informed by reading Pandemic.news.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Athens  Sat, March 14, 2020 13:02 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a9969f 2 News greece,Athens,Museum,travel,destination,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Greece on Friday shut down shops, bars and restaurants as well top tourist sites such as the Acropolis as coronavirus cases jumped from 117 to 190 in a single day.

Only supermarkets, pharmacies, medical dispensaries and doctor's surgeries will be allowed to stay open, the health ministry announced in a televised announcement.

A few hours earlier, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni had announced the closure of museums and archaeological sites across the country.

Read also: France's Louvre and Palace of Versailles shut by coronavirus

That decision was made after consulting the union representing them, said Mendoni. But enough staff would be kept working to ensure the security of the sites, the minister added.

The closure will last until March 30, said a ministry statement.

The news came as the number of people infected with the coronavirus jumped from 117 to 190, with five people in a serious condition, said the ministry.

The virus claimed its first victim in Greece on Thursday, a man in his 60s who had recently returned from Israel.

The government has already shut down schools and universities, courts, cinemas, gyms and other indoor public gathering areas for two weeks in an effort to curb the outbreak.

The health ministry has also put out an urgent call for an additional 2,000 medical staff.
Ana de Armas just made waves with her romantic link to Deep Water costar Ben Affleck.

And the couple only intensified gossip while enjoying a romantic escape to the beaches of Costa Rica this past week.

And while she was clearly enjoying her time with her new love, the stunner was spotted solo on Wednesday, seen posing for selfies while relaxing beachside.

Selfie goals: Ana de Armas was spotted Wednesday posing for selfies in a flowy beach look before she and boyfriend Ben Affleck returned to Los Angeles

The 31-year-old donned an ankle-length cream cover-up with spaghetti straps over her black bikini.

She paired the chic vacation look with a wide-brimmed straw hat, wrapped in a black ribbon.

De Armas sat in a wooden swing hanging from a tree as she snapped some photos of herself.

Beach babe: The 31-year-old donned an ankle-length cream cover-up with spaghetti straps over her black bikini

Ana and Affleck all but confirmed relationship rumors when they were spotted taking some romantic strolls in the sand, complete with PDA, earlier in the week.

The couple previously vacationed together in the Bond girl's hometown of Havana, Cuba.

Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner, 47, from 2005 to 2018, sharing daughters Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and son Samuel, eight.

Vacation chic: She paired the chic vacation look with a wide-brimmed straw hat, wrapped in a black ribbon

A source told Us Weekly: 'Ben and Ana are happy together and officially dating. Jen has completely moved on from Ben in a romantic sense.

'She considers him a friend, thinks he is a good dad to their children and respects him. She is happy in her own life and supportive of him and happy for him and his relationship.'

Making it seem the couple were already quite close, De Armas and Affleck were later spotted Friday arriving at her house in Venice Beach.
The Expedition 62 crew took a break today from its weeks-long space biology research aboard the International Space Station.

Instead, the orbital residents focused on setting up an external science payload and maintaining life support systems.

Research takes place not only inside the space station, but also outside as scientists study how extreme temperatures and space radiation affect a variety of materials. NASA Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan configured hardware today containing a materials science experiment for installation outside the orbital lab. He placed the gear inside the Kibo laboratory module's airlock where it was depressurized. The Canadarm2 robotic arm will retrieve the experiment and externally install it on the station.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir started her day collecting samples of the station's water for microbial analysis. In the afternoon, she serviced an experiment module that can generate artificial gravity environments before working on orbital plumbing at the end of her shift.

Veteran cosmonaut and station Commander Oleg Skripochka continued more communication tests today checking two-way audio and video satellite links. He also wrapped up a study that observed Earth's upper atmosphere in visible and near-infrared wavelengths. At the end of the day, Skripochka shared his inputs for the long-running experiment researching the interactions between crews and mission controllers.

The new Expedition 63 crew is in Russia getting ready for its launch on April 9 aboard the Soyuz MS-16 crew ship. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy with Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner are wrapping up two days of final qualification exams. The trio will soon head to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final preparations before beginning their 195-day mission aboard the orbiting lab.

On-Orbit Status Report

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE): The crew installed three MISSE Sample Carriers (MSCs) onto MISS Transfer Tray 2 (MTT 2), and installed the MTT onto the JEM airlock slide table. This is in preparation for a subsequent robotic external exchange of several MISSE Flight Facility MSCs later this week. The MISSE-FF platform provides the ability to test materials, coatings, and components or other larger experiments in the harsh environment of space, which is virtually impossible to do collectively on Earth. Testing in low-Earth orbit (LEO) allows the integrated testing of how materials react to exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV), atomic oxygen (AO), ionizing radiation, ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), charged particles, thermal cycles, electromagnetic radiation, and micro-meteoroids in the LEO environment.

MVP-2 (Multi-use Variable-g Platform-02): In preparation for the Cell-03 investigation tomorrow, the crew replaced the hard drive and installed a new door on the MVP-2 unit. The commercially developed, owned and operated Techshot MVP includes 2 internal carousels that simultaneously can produce up to 2 g of artificial gravity. MVP is used to conduct research in space with a wide variety of sample types, such as fruit flies, flatworms, plants, fish, cells, protein crystals and many others.

Nanoracks Module-9 (Mod-9) ops 2: The crew performed the second set of operations ("Ops 2") on the Nanoracks mod-9 tubes. Ops 2 involved only the deactivation of Mixture Tube #1, which looks at double-stranded DNA break repair in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae under spaceflight conditions. The deactivation is accomplished by opening the blue clamp and missing the contents by shaking the tube. The experiments use NanoRacks MixStix, miniature laboratories activated by ISS crew and eventually returned to the student teams on Earth for analysis.

Systems

Water Storage System (WSS) Acoustic Measurements: The Nitrogen (N2) vent cap o-ring was removed on January 3rd to help mitigate unacceptably loud noise that the WSS N2 vent generates when venting the Storage Tanks. Before this mitigation was implemented, the noise level was around 85 dBA with crew wearing hearing protection during the last vent operation after the tank equalizations, which was above the limit for intermittent noise which is 78 dBA for less than 2 minutes. Today the crew completed the first set of acoustic measurements on the WSS N2 vent following this mitigation. Crew photo documented the measurements and ground teams will review the imagery.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Payload operations support

JEMAL Slide Table ops/MISSE install

WSS acoustic test

Lookahead Plan

Friday, 3/13 (GMT 073)

Payloads:

Food Acceptability

ISS HAM pass

MVP2-cell-03

OsteoOmics

Standard Measures

Phage Evolution

Systems:

WHC maintenance

Saturday, 3/14 (GMT 074)

Payloads:

CGBA stat check

ISS Experience SD c/o

MELFI icebrick insertions

MVP-Cell-03

Nanoracks Mod-51

Systems:

Crew off duty; housekeeping

Sunday, 3/15 (GMT 075)

Payloads:

MELFI icebrick insertions

Probiotics

Standard Measures

Systems:

Crew off duty

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Vacuum cleaning ventilation grille on FGB interior panels

Structures and Mechanisms (S&M) JEM ORU Xfer I/F (JOTI) Gather

XF305 Camcorder Setup

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side

JEM ORU Xfer I/F Install for MISSE Transfer Tray

SEPARATION. Activation of [--] system. Starting distillation cycles

On MCC Go RS2 Laptop Activation

Transfer of Version 08.11 SMCC () and SMTC () Images to 1 and RS3 Laptops

JEM ORU Xfer I/F Video Tour

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side

MTT/MSC Installation Review

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE) MSC Hardware Gather

MISSE-FF MSC Installation for JEM RMS Small Fine Arm Deployment

Transfer of Version 08.11 SMCC () and SMTC () Images to 1 and RS3 Laptop.

Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side

On MCC Go RS2 Laptop Deactivation

Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE) MTT Install

COL1D2 Rack Inspection

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side

JEM Airlock Depressurization

Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing

PCS Laptop Relocate

Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis

MELFI 3 Ice Brick Insert 3

Setup and Activation of Crew Onboard Support Kit () Equipment for mpeg2 TV coverage of Broadband Communication System () Test

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiation

Gathering and connecting  hardware to  video server

Dragon Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) Filter Bag Removal

Test comm sessions via Luch-5 Relay Satellite (95) and 2-way audio/video comm check with  smart station []

Receiving files from  MDM to RSS1

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Termination

TERMINATOR. Removal from window and closeout ops with Terminator-Nadir PL

Food Acceptability Survey

Multi-use Variable-g Platform Hardware Configuration

Water Storage System (WSS) Acoustic Test Setup

SEPARATION. Deactivation of [--] system. Log file downlink

Test comm sessions via Luch-5 Relay Satellite (95) and 2-way audio/video comm check with  smart station []. Tagup with specialists

Gather items for EDV and RT drain to RST sequence

Closeout ops after comm sessions via Luch-5 (95) relay satellite

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System EDV Drain Initiation

On MCC Go Turn off camcorder, TV system monitoring equipment, close applications

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout

Regen EDV Drain Swap

Dragon F5A1 Locker Remove

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System EDV Drain Termination

Recycle Tank Drain to Resupply Tank (RST) Init

INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops

JEM Airlock Vent

Terminating Recycle Tank Drain to Resupply Tank (RST)

Water Storage System (WSS) Acoustic Test Data Transfer/Stow

Nanoracks Module-9 Ops Session 2

JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation

LSG Work Volume Deploy

High Definition (HD) Config JEM Camera Setup for Crew Choice Event

CCE Preparation

Crew Choice Event

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Are you sad The Bachelor is over? Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star Vinny Guadagnino is probably sad, too. During Peter Webers finale of The Bachelor, the Keto Guido took to Twitter to share his thoughts about everything from Barbara Webers tears to Chris Harrisons wingman skills.

Vinny Guadagnino | Denise Truscello/WireImage

The Bachelor finale

Webers season of The Bachelor came to a dramatic conclusion. After calling off the engagement with Hannah Ann Sluss, Weber chose to pursue a relationship with Madison Prewett. Webers mom Barbara couldnt disguise her disappointment.

During the live portion of the finale, Sluss spoke out about Webers confused heart, saying their engagement involved three women. [Herself]. [Peter] still being in love with Madison and proposing to [her]. And [Peter] needing closure with Hannah Brown. Distraught but ready to move on, Sluss made peace with what happened and left with her head held high.

A few days after The Bachelor finale, Weber posted to Instagram to announce that he and Prewett decided to break up.

The Keto Guido joins Bachelor Nation

During The Bachelor finale, it became abundantly clear that the Jersey Shore star is a big fan. Guadagnino live-tweeted the entire time, sharing his hot takes on this seasons biggest controversies. The Keto Guidos tweets fueled conversation between Bachelor Nation and Jersey Shore fans.

As someone looking for love himself, Guadagnino admired host and producer Harrisons efforts to be a good wingman.

Chris Harrison went all the way to Alabama to hook Peter up with Maddie . Thats a fuckin wingman we all need #TheBachelor  Vinny Guadagnino (@VINNYGUADAGNINO) March 11, 2020

Guadagnino also admitted that he was a Hannah Ann supporter, but that she couldnt be mad at Peter Weber for the situation. After all, the point of The Bachelor is for a man to fall in love with multiple women at the same time. The hard part is choosing to be okay with that.

I like Hannah Ann tonight but she cant be mad at peter for being in love with another girl  theyre on the bachelor which is a show where a man falls with multiple people at the same time #TheBachelor  Vinny Guadagnino (@VINNYGUADAGNINO) March 11, 2020

Guadagnino cracked a few jokes while he was live-tweeting the show. When Hannah Ann explained how Weber had ruined the memorable experience of her first engagement, Guadagnino attempted to comfort her by tweeting about his roommate Angelina Pivarnick and her multiple engagements.

Hannah you can get engaged again.. Angelina from my show got engaged like 6 times #TheBachelor  Vinny Guadagnino (@VINNYGUADAGNINO) March 11, 2020

The Jersey Shore star didnt appreciate Barbara Webers attitude during the finale, telling her to chill.

Most importantly, Guadagnino called it like it was. Unbeknownst to Sluss, she was the only one left. Prewetts self-elimination basically forced Weber to propose to Sluss, who couldnt wait to spend the rest of her life with Weber.

Peter: Hanna Ann youre beautiful.. youre caring  youre selfless . and youre the only one left  so will you marry me!? #TheBachelor  Vinny Guadagnino (@VINNYGUADAGNINO) March 11, 2020

The Keto Guido is a bachelor himself

Guadagnino and his buddy Pauly DelVecchio were the stars of MTVs A Double Shot at Love, a show where 20 women competed to win the affections of the Jersey Shore guidos. Similar to The Bachelor, A Double Shot at Love featured one-on-one dates and an elimination ceremony.

During the finale of Double Shot, DelVecchio decided he didnt want to be in a relationship with anyone but himself, but Guadagnino chose Alysse Joyner. A fan-favorite, Joyners signature freckles and shy demeanor captured Guadagninos attention.

Unfortunately, things didnt work out between Joyner and Guadagnino. At the reunion special for the show, Joyner explained that after a few weeks of dating, Guadagnino stopped trying. He blamed it on their restricted ability to interact after the show wrapped, but conceded that he failed at maintaining a texting relationship.

Perhaps Guadagninos worlds will collide and he will one day be the next Bachelor.
SEATTLEBill Gates, who co-founded Microsoft and led the company as it became a technology juggernaut, is stepping down from the companys board to spend more time on his philanthropic work.

Gates, who made the announcement Friday afternoon, said in a LinkedIn post he wants to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change. He declined to comment beyond the post, his spokeswoman Bridgitt Arnold said.

Gates founded Microsoft in 1975 with his high school friend Paul Allen, who passed away in October 2018. His competitive zeal helped create a company that dominates the personal computing industry. In the process, Gates amassed a fortune. He is currently the second wealthiest person in the world with $102 billion, behind only Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bezos owns The Washington Post.

Gates began moving away from Microsoft in 2000, when he gave up the chief executive post he long held to Steve Ballmer, to serve as chief software architect and chairman. In 2008, he stepped down as chief software architect and gave up his day-to-day duties at the company to spend the bulk of his work time at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He stepped down as Microsofts chairman in 2014.

Gates will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella and others at the company. Microsoft isnt filling Gates seat on the board.

With respect to Microsoft, stepping down from the board in no way means stepping away from the company, Gates wrote.

In a statement, Nadella said he looks forward to continuing to work with Gates. Microsoft declined to make Nadella available.

Gates will also step away from his one other board position at Berkshire Hathaway, the company run by his longtime friend Warren Buffett.

Warren and I were the best of friends long before I joined and will be long after, Gates wrote.

Read more about:
Charleston City Council has unanimously passed two resolutions regarding the deployment of 5G wireless technology.

One asks state legislators to oppose more restrictions on local governments. The other urges the U.S. Houses to review Federal Communications Commission regulations and demands new studies on the health risks of 5G technology.

I applaud Charleston City Council for hearing the concerns of residents and for acting on our behalf.

Small cell (5G) antennas are being installed in some of our communities. These will be emitting millimeter waves, and at this moment, no one is certain about the impact of this technology on the human body.

There is a significant amount of money to be made by telecommunication companies in deploying 5G. Also unsurprising is the lucrative revolving door between the wireless lobby and the FCC.

While the industry wants to convince us there is no conclusive evidence of adverse health effects from this technology, there are alarming differences in the conclusions found by industry-funded research versus independent research.

This technology may offer us convenience, but at what cost? We have a responsibility to make sure it will not negatively affect human beings or any other living organisms.

Thank you, Charleston City Council, for boldly taking a stand for residents on the issue of 5G.

KATIE SHIELDS

Houston Northcutt Boulevard

Mount Pleasant

Fighting coronavirus

I have worked for a few successful, high-profile businessmen and I know others that have been very successful.

These individuals have something in common: They all have hired people who have talent and can get things done. President Trump has hit a home run against the coronavirus by assembling a team of experts to manage this effort.

Listening to these experts explain every aspect of this battle is amazing.

I still wash my hands frequently.

ROBERT UTSEY

Ventura Place

Mount Pleasant

Utility bill adjustments

For those who recently started checking their utility bills, I guess the Weather Normalization Adjustment (WNA) was a surprise.

SCE&G also charged the fee, and its been on our bills for more years than I want to think about.

Years ago, I called SCE&G about it and got the explanation for the charge. We consumers just cant win.

If energy conservation was really a goal, we should be rewarded for lower usage instead of being charged an additional fee. But, of course, we should all know that utility companies have one goal in sight: higher profits.

We are penalized for conserving energy. We are penalized for going solar. We cant ever catch a break.

SUZANNE CHASTAIN

Pheasant Lane

Summerville

Santee Cooper

S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas and Gov. Henry McMaster have wanted to sell Santee Cooper before knowing the benefit of any alternative.

Both signed onto a legislative process in 2019 that required bids to be taken for the sale, management or reform of Santee Cooper.

To the chagrin of Mr. Lucas, the proposal from NextEra Energy came back woefully inadequate in that it proposes higher rates than Santee Cooper, exempts NextEra from property taxes for 30 years and seeks a 10.2% guaranteed return on its investments.

Unfortunately, there was not enough lipstick to put on the NextEra bid, so Mr. Lucas decided to do what most in power do: change the rules. Mr. Lucas now wants to keep this painstaking process going by empowering a negotiator to improve the NextEra bid.

As a recent Santee Cooper retiree, Ive seen firsthand the impact that this situation has had on the workforce. Some 1,700 employees have had this job-security cloud hanging over them for three years, all the while reading articles about what a terrible company they work for and how its culture is broken.

Amazingly, these same employees have provided power bills 9% lower than any private utility in S.C. while paying down $1.3 billion of nuclear debt.

Mr. Lucas, you should simply get out of the way and let Santee Cooper fully implement its reform plan.

JIM COLEMAN

S.C. Highway 402

Moncks Corner

Bidens victory a relief

Did you hear or are you listening to the resounding sigh of relief that continues to sweep across the country in the wake of Joe Bidens sensational victory? Friends have called us from all over the United States with the question, Arent you proud of South Carolina? Yes is our answer.

Hoorah for U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, a brilliant and caring politician who follows in the giant footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr.

Speaking personally, three long years of anxiety, fear and worry for our country have taken their toll on me as on so many others.

Congratulations and gratitude to courageous Democrats who have pointed the way to an intelligent and sane future.

KATHLEEN G. SUMMERALL

Anson Street

Charleston
Baz Luhrmann has gone into isolation for 10 days after halting production of his upcoming Elvis Presley biopic after star Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, were diagnosed with coronavirus.

The 57-year-old shared an update on his health to Twitter on Saturday, where he said his family and himself were 'doing well'.

The Moulin Rouge director also thanked the medical staff at Queensland Health for their 'tremendous support' following Tom and Rita's diagnosis on Thursday.

Precautions: Baz Luhrmann (pictured) has gone into isolation for 10 days after halting production of his Elvis biopic on the Gold Coast amid the coronavirus outbreak

'Really must send a big thank you to the doctors and medical experts at Queensland Health who have given us tremendous support and most importantly, very clear instructions as to how about going putting our company and the community's health first,' he shared in a statement.

'Very proud to share the entire production is following these instructions to a T.'

While the Australian director has not tested positive for coronavirus he is self isolating as a precautionary measure.

Appreciative: The Moulin Rouge director also thanked the medical staff at Queensland Health for their 'tremendous support' following Tom and Rita's diagnosis on Thursday

The award-winning director temporarily halted production of his upcoming Elvis Presley biopic on Thursday once it was revealed Tom and Rita had tested positive for coronavirus.

He urged the cast and crew of the project, which was in the pre-production phase on the Gold Coast, to stay home in a private letter obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin.

According to the publication, the filmmaker said that they were facing a 'difficult situation' in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

'We request all cast and crew stay at home today and not come to work': The award-winning director temporarily halted production of his upcoming Elvis Presley biopic on Thursday once it was revealed Tom and Rita had tested positive for coronavirus

'Be assured we will keep you updated as that information develops,' Baz wrote.

'We request all cast and crew stay at home today and not come to work. All work activity on the production is cancelled and will not resume until further notice.

'We appreciate everyone's cooperation and we will be following up with more details over the next several hours.

'On a personal note, please know that the health and well-being of our entire company is our absolute focus at this time. Many thanks for your support as we manage this difficult situation.'

Outbreak: Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus

Tom and Rita, both 63, shared the news of their shock diagnosis to Instagram on Thursday urged the public to 'take care' amid the pandemic.

The couple are currently on the Gold Coast, where the Oscar-winning actor is filming the as-yet-untitled Elvis Presley film being produced by Warner Bros.

Tom revealed he and Rita experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.

'We appreciate everyone's cooperation and we will be following up with more details over the next several hours,' Baz wrote in a personal letter sent to the cast and crew of the film

Back on home soil: As of Saturday morning, there were 204 reported cases of coronavirus, and a death toll at three

He wrote: 'Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.

'Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks' will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?

'Well keep the world posted and updated. Take care of yourselves! Hanx!'

He also shared a picture of what appears to be a medical waste basket and a latex glove in a hospital.

'Take care': Tom and his wife, both 63, announced their positive test results on Instagram

Tom touched down in Australia on January 26 for the film, which is still in pre-production meaning cameras have not started rolling yet. He plays Elvis Presley's longtime manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

He was rumoured to be staying at Peppers Broadbeach - the very same hotel building where a 44-year-old Chinese national, who later became one of Australia's first cases of coronavirus, was staying.

That man was rushed to the hospital on January 28 and was confirmed to have the virus on January 29. He had recently returned from Wuhan and was travelling with his wife and child and was staying at the Oracle building, but was not a guest at Peppers Broadbeach, which is located in the same building.

Down Under: Rita was in Sydney last weekend enjoying the sights and sounds of the city

Warner Bros. said in a statement that when they became aware someone in production was diagnosed with the virus they worked with Australian health agencies to assure that the movie production remains safe.

'We have been made aware that a company member from our Elvis feature film, which is currently in pre-production on the Gold Coast, Australia, has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus),' said a spokesperson.

'We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual. The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.

'The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.'
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus: Two more new cases found in Yavatmal; Maha count 22

India

oi-PTI

Yavatmal, Mar 14: Two persons who had recently returned from Dubai were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal city on Saturday, a senior official said. It took the number of confirmed cases in the state to 22.

The two patients were among a group of nine who had returned from Dubai on March 1, said district collector M D Sinh.

All of them were placed in quarantine, but seven of them tested negative while a man and a woman tested positive, the collector said.

They have been admitted to Yavatmal government hospital and their condition was stable, he added.

Elsewhere in the state, ten coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Pune, four each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one each in Thane and Ahmednagar.
The chief of Whole Foods has reportedly asked US shop workers to donate their holiday pay to colleagues who fall ill to coronavirus.

On Wednesday, CEO John Mackey sent an email to employees with a list of options for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Vice.

Among his six suggestions was for US workers to contribute their paid time off (PTO) to colleagues facing hospital treatment or family deaths.

Team Members who have a medical emergency or death in their immediate family can receive donated PTO hours, not only from Team Members in their own location, but also from Team Members across the country, Mr Mackey wrote in an email, which was obtained by the news organisation.

Mr Mackey said in the email any employee who tests positive for the virus would be offered two weeks paid time off, as well as unlimited unpaid time off for the remainder of March.

The suggestion to donate to colleagues angered employees of the company, which is a subsidiary of Amazon, the world's most valuable company.

Considering [Whole Foods] is a billion-dollar company, I think it is selfish asking the retail workers to figure it out within themselves, a Whole Foods cashier told Vice.

The response from [Whole Foods and Amazon] has been quite poor, being a front end cashier I feel like we are the most exposed to the situation.

Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK The usually busy Royal Mile in Edinburgh is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 13 March Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Ho bart's Amusement Arcade in Westward Ho!, Devon is offering toilet roll and soap as prizes in grabber machines Rob Braddick/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK An empty platform at Farringdon Station in London the morning after the Prime Minister said that Covid-19 "is the worst public health crisis for a generation" PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Shopkeepers Asiyah Javed and husband Jawad from Day Today Express, in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk are giving away facemasks, antibacterial hand wash and cleaning wipes to the elderly in a bid to stop the spread of Coronavirus Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A usually busy street in Cambridge is empty as people stay away from public areas amid the coronavirus outbreak on 2 March James Linsell-Clark/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitiser dispenser is seen inside the stadium during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on 8 March Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Maaya Indian Kitchen in Milton Keynes is offerig customers a free roll of toilet paper with every takeaway order SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Oliver Cooper[L], was sent home from school for selling spurts of handsanitiser to fellow pupils at 50p a time. He poses with mum Jenny Tompkins by their home in Leeds Ashley Pemberton/SWNS Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK Empty toilet paper shelves at a supermarket in London on 12 March EPA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A member of the public is swabbed at a drive through Coronavirus testing site set up in a car park in Wolverhampton Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A passenger wears a protective face mask as she travels on a bus in the City of London AFP/Getty Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A Southampton fan wears a face mask before the match against Newcastle United on 7 March Reuters Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A loudspeaker placed in grounds of St Mary's Catholic Church in Broughattin, Dundalk, County Louth ahead of funeral mass later this morning. The loudspeaker has been placed in the grounds after the Catholic Archdiocese said that funerals and weddings should not exceed 100 attendees within the church building PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK A hand sanitising station set up outside Cheltenham Racecourse during day four of the Cheltenham Festival on 13 March PA Coronavirus fears lead to empty streets and shelves across UK People wearing protective face masks walk across London Bridge on 11 March AFP/Getty

An Amazon spokesperson told The Independent: This is a longstanding Whole Foods Market programme from prior to the acquisition.

"Amazon is matching all funds to the Whole Foods Fund since the acquisition to support the team needs during this unprecedented event, and all Whole Foods team members have access to the two-weeks paid time off related to coronavirus that was announced for all Amazon employees.

The US on Friday intensified its response to the pandemic when Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the growing outbreak of Covid-19, which has killed thousands of people globally.

The first human trials of a vaccine have been announced by scientists.

The Independent has contacted Whole Foods for comment.
laptop wedding planning covid

On March 11, the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) was officially designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. has subsequently banned travel from Europe, meaning weddings based in Italy and countries within the European Union, have been postponed or canceled. The same scenario is playing out in the U.S., especially in densely populated regions like New York City and Seattle. As of Monday, March 16, national guidance was issued for group gatherings across America, with the updated recommendation of having no more than 10 people together at a time.

The latest declaration was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance for group gatherings on Sunday, addressing weddings and other related events in the next two months. Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities, health officials noted. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

The circumstances have been devastating for both couples in the throes of planning, and for wedding vendors and planners local to impacted areas. We need to accept that this is a global situation, says Giovana Dualibe, the CEO of Belief Wedding Creators, an international community for wedding planners. Overall, pros are advising clients to follow the directives of local government and health officials.

In an abundance of caution, we took the initiative to contact all couples, venues and vendors on behalf of each client to explore backup dates, place holds and establish deadlines for making decisions, says Amy Shey Jacobs of Chandelier Events, whose weddings and events are largely based on the East Coast. The goal is to mitigate the financial damage and give our clients well-thought out strategies for rescheduling their event date. It is a giant game of chess.

Story continues

CNBC reporter Christina Farr has recently dealt with far more than volatile markets. The bride-to-be has been planning a New Orleans wedding for May, and now, shes grappling with the unknown. The prospect of having to cancel a wedding is hard: It takes months of planning and its a big expense, Farr admits. For us, we were really excited about the prospect of having everyone we love in one place.

Turning to her pros for guidance has helped her navigate an otherwise tricky scenario. If you have a planner, talk to them, she advises. They might have dealt with similar situations in the past or theyll have advice thatll make you feel like you dont have to manage it on your own.

Not all couples, however, have a designated planner, in which casenow what? The Knot tapped top planners and vendors to find out exactly what theyre currently advising couples to do in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Always Listen to Officials and Health Orgs

Sabrina Gambato of Milan-based wedding planning service Ti Amo Ti Sposo says her business has been significantly impacted by the coronavirus outbreak since February. Gambatos couples will typically have to fly into Milan and travel to Northern Italy, where the outbreak in the country originated, for site visits and events. This is the worst-case scenario that a planner could face, she notes.

Like Gambato, Valentina Lombardi of Italian Lakes Weddings has also seen a decline in businessinitial outreach, even. We had a decrease in requests, and weve now experienced several postponed weddings and, even, a cancellation, she says. This has an impact, but well keep on working on upcoming weddings this year and through 2021.

Despite the blow to local and global economies, destination wedding planners have been firm about communicating one point to all clients: We ask our couples to follow the World Health Organization procedures to protect them against the virus, Gambato says. Lombardi agrees and adds that couples should do their due diligence and research. The tip we give to our couples is to listen to the real situation: from official government offices, she says.

Focus on Solutions and Alternatives

If your designated wedding location has been impacted, know that there are solutions. Theres quite a bit of confusion and stress happening amongst our couples, says preeminent wedding planner Stefanie Cove. Monitor the ongoing situation for the best way to move forward.

First, focus on whats within your control: having more than one option. My biggest piece of advice is do not wait to have a backup plan, says Jacobs. Jennifer Johnson, a luxury event planner based in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has doubled down on shifting datesand, with that, production. Ive already had two weddings that decided to postpone and change their dates, she says. Both couples felt terrible, but these are big decisions to make. Health and safety for couples and their guests are of tantamount importance.

Practically speaking, if you dont have a planner, its time to pick up the phone. Contact your venue and vendors to see when you have a backup date that works, and a deadline for when you need to decide by, Jacobs advises. Get this all in writing and calendar when you need to make decisions. Put down deposits if needed to hold backup dates that can be applied to current events or postponed events.

Like other vendors, Beautini founder Brittany Lo has felt the direct impact, but shes approaching the situation through an empathetic lens. At this point, its truly about communication with the couples and figuring out the best plan of action. Its case-by-case, she says. The [mere] thought of canceling a wedding is emotional. Overall, if couples are postponing weddings due to COVID-19, the beauty service has been open to crediting the amount paid towards services for the new date.

Communicate Weekly With Guests

Imagine having a wedding in March or April with loved ones whove booked travel and lodging. What is running through their minds now? Its important to communicate with your guests about your projected or solidified course of action, including backup plans. We ask our couples to communicate on a weekly basis with their guests, says Gambato.

Farr, whos planning to marry in New Orleans this spring, has been diligent about communicating with her loved ones. Our wedding is still a few months away in May, so were still in a wait and see period, she says. We are talking through all possible outcomes and are communicating with our guests that their health and safety is our priority Our wedding planner has started reaching out to vendors to see what their policies are.

For both couples and guests, there has been an emotional toll too. People might have a hard time celebrating right now, says Johnson. Some feel guilty. There is a psychological factor that is accompanying the situation. My response has been to work with my clients in every way possible to make them feel comfortable and supported.

Even if you dont have updated plans, your guests, just like you, are likely seeking transparency and communication. Reach out frequently. As with any unforeseen situation, having open communication with all parties is the best approach, says Lindsay Longacre of LVL Weddings. Take it one step at a time.

Be Mindful of Group Gatherings

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has said to restrict large group gatherings, reinforced Sunday, March 15. Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities, the official bulletin read. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Send a Change-the-Date If You Postpone

Many couples have since postponed their weddings and opted for later dates. There is a way to communicate this change to loved ones, especially if your invitations and save-the-dates went out. Enter, the change-the-date.

If your invites already went out and you need to reschedule, work with your stationer and other vendors to create a custom [digital] invite for your new event, says Jacobs. Companies like Elli are also offering free reprints for couples who are now changing their wedding date. Also, lean into your wedding website and other communications. As previously mentioned, your guests will need to hear from you. Update all relevant information on your wedding website for a constant reference.

wedding plans changing

(Credit: Shutterstock)

And Reconsider How You Gather

While social distancing is in full effect in certain regions across the U.S., now is the time to be extra mindful of individual and group interactions, says Jacobs. In extreme circumstances, remember that we live in the tech age. Explore live-stream, virtual reality solutions for ceremonies that might proceed, especially for those guests who can no longer attend, Jacobs suggests.

The CDC reiterated this point on March 15: Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.

Currently, Chandelier Events is helping couples get married on their designated wedding date, while postponing the group celebration until later. If a couple chooses this route, youre right on trend. In 2019, The Knot coined the term sequel wedding for those couples hosting two weddings for a variety of reasons.

Exercise Caution With Last-Minute Weddings

Any new requests for 2020 spring and summer weddings are on standby for most pros. Globally, entire municipal halls, including local government bureaus where couples can legally marry, are shutting down.

If youre seeking a last-minute elopement or a micro wedding in spring or summer 2020, theres a likely chance your ceremony will be placed on a reserve list. All the inquiries for this season are on standby, says Rome-based planner Stefania Zen of Italian Wedding Company. I guess couples are also waiting to see how the situation goes.

Explore Your Financial Options

Some airlines like Delta are offering cancellation or adjustment options at no further cost depending on region and impact.

If you have a room block, talk to your hotels and booking agents directly about alternative options, including possible refunds and changes to your original dates. The same goes with services like Airbnb, which has a policy related to last-minute cancellations or flexible date change options for coronavirus-weary travelers. Contact those companies directly for help.

Overall, wedding guests should be in-the-know about next steps. Its up to the couple to communicate with their loved ones and keep them in the loop regardless of cancellations or changes in wedding dates.

Continue Planning Remotely

While planners can help facilitate local communication with vendors, especially in foreign countries, couples are still expected to make key decisions. Now is not the time to shirk that checklist, especially if certain factors are within your (remote) control. Couples should still communicate with their planners and vendors to see the progress of their weddings.

Site visits, however, are at a standstilland understandably so. As a reminder, Friday, March 13, is when the U.S. travel ban from Europe goes into effect. For 2021 weddings, however, its business as usual for most planners.

Ditch Dates on the Decor

This goes without saying: hold from printing items with wedding date inscriptions. Or better yet, forego date insignias and custom prints overall.

Outside of the invitations, if youve gone to print, dont put dates on your favors, swag and paper, says Jacobs. Order items earlier-than-ever. And prioritize purchasing items from local vendors to limit importing delays.

Prioritize Your Health

While the situation is unfortunate, know that alternative options are available. First and foremost: do not panic, Longacre says. I cannot stress this enough: [both planners and couples need to] be well informed by sources like the World Health Organization.

The fact is that for almost all event planners and professionals in our community: this is our first pandemic, Jacobs concludes. We have been through all sorts of trauma and emergencies before, from extreme weather to 9/11, but in this instance, we have a whole new set of issues to navigate. If theres one silver lining: the wedding community is gathering together with tremendous care and good will for the benefit of our clients.

Your health comes first. The CDC recommends frequent hand-washing (click here for techniques) and practicing social distancing. Personal care is just one important way to find mental stability before the wedding day. Keep up with local governments and health organizations for ways you can protect yourself, overall, against the coronavirus.

Published March 13, 2020. Updated March 16.

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Rome closes parks, villas and playgrounds as Italy battles Coronavirus.

Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has ordered the immediate closure of all parks, villas and public playgrounds to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

The move, which follows similar measures in Milan and Bari, comes as many people in Rome took to the city's parks in recent days, despite calls for everyone to remain at home as much as possible.

The gates to all Rome parks are now locked, with police patrolling non-enclosed green areas such as Villa Borghese.

The order is in effect until 25 March however the city says that the reopening of the parks is subject to the end of the Coronavirus emergency.

For full details see city website.
A Christchurch-style shooting could happen at a mosque in Britain, Muslim community leaders fear.

They said the attacks  in which a gunman killed 51 people at two New Zealand mosques and posted the rampage live online a year ago  may have happened a long distance away, but it feels close to home.

Mohammed Kozbar, chairman of north Londons Finsbury Park Mosque (FPM)  which suffered a terror attack in which a worshipper was killed in 2017, said: As a community here in the UK, this might happen as well. We have had to take extra precautions in terms of security.

Floral tributes at Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch (PA)

On the same day (as Christchurch attacks), somebody called us and said `you will be next, what has happened to them, will happen to you.

This was shocking. We never imagined that during such a crisis, after more than 50 innocent people got killed, that somebody would tell us this.

We have to take everything seriously in the current climate. Islamophobia is spreading and it is being tolerated.

Darren Osborne was jailed for a minimum of 43 years for murdering one man and injuring others after deliberately targeting Muslims by using a van to mow down worshippers near FPM in 2017.

The FPM bolstered its security after the Christchurch attacks. Other mosques and community centres have done the same, but smaller organisations do not have the resources, experience or government assistance to deal with it, according to Mr Kozbar.

A woman places flowers at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch (Mark Baker/AP)

Asked if Britain feels like a less safe place to be a Muslim today than it did a year ago before the Christchurch killings or the Finsbury Park terror attack three years ago, Mr Kozbar said: Yes, I have to say it is. It is frightening. It is not only me who feels that way, it is actually across our community.

They feel less safe in their own country basically because they are Muslim.

People feel vulnerable because of their religion and it is horrible to have such a feeling.

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It makes you feel like you are a second-class citizen and you are not treated as equal to anybody else. Such feelings are hurtful  especially to young people who are born and raised in this country.

Mr Kozbars message for Christchurchs grieving community is to be strong, united and resilient as they try to come to terms with what has happened.

He said: I know how this can affect you for a long, long time. The Muslim community everywhere is a resilient community.

Make sure you set an example to others in terms of being a good citizen for your country. Make sure that our young people understand what happened and try to explain to them that the only people who are responsible are perpetrators. The rest of the society is with you.

I hope this never happens again, so we need to engage more as a community with our wider society in a positive way and to explain what Islam is about.

Shaykh Shams Ad-Duha Muhammad, of the British Board of Scholars and Imams, remembers a new feeling of being vulnerable and like I could be in somebodys cross hairs when he went to pray after the Christchurch attacks.

Hosne Ahmed, a distant relative of his wife, was among the victims. She was shot as she ran back into the mosque to try to save her husband, Farid,  who uses a wheelchair. Mr Ahmed later said he forgives her killer and will pray for him.

On the prospect that a similar attack could happen in Britain, he added: It is a horrible thing to say but I think it is a matter of expectation  it is only a matter of time.

He described New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns response to the tragedy as rare and so genuine and compassionate that I think it moved everybody.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talks with women during Friday prayers in Christchurch (John Kirk-Anderson/AP)

The deadliest types of semi-automatics are now banned, and gun owners turned in about 60,000 of their newly-outlawed weapons for money in a national buy-back.

Ms Ardern worked on trying to eliminate terror attacks from being shown online, after the gunman livestreamed the bloodshed.

Shaykh Shams said: It is a powerful example of what a leader can do if they truly have that kind of concern and can display it.

We have had incidents here and we havent had that response.

In that moment, you felt she was not thinking about politics. She was just thinking about the victims.

Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 29, is due to stand trial in June on charges of terrorism, murder and attempted murder.

A Home Office spokesman said: All forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable and the UK has a tough laws in place respond to it.

The UK has some of the most robust legislation anywhere for tackling hate crime and through our Hate Crime Action Plan we have worked hard to encourage victims of hate crime to report incidents so that we can bring perpetrators who commit these crimes to justice.

Work has been done with the police to try and reassure communities and approximately 1.5 million has been shared between various places of worship from different religions since 2016 to improve security.
F rance is to shut most shops, restaurants and cafes from midnight tonight in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe ordered the closure of all "non-essential" public places for the foreseeable future after the country saw its infection count rise to 4,499 cases.

He told a news conference that the measures would apply to restaurants, cafes, cinemas and nightclubs, as well as "non-essential" businesses.

Exceptions on the shop ban will include supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations.

Coronavirus: WHO says Europe now 'the epicentre of the pandemic'

The announcement came after the country's public health authority raised its death toll to 91, with a sharp rise in cases from 3,661 on Friday to almost 4,500 on Saturday.

Mr Philippe said the government had been left with no choice but to implement the drastic measures because too many people were still out in the streets and not respecting social-distancing rules.

Labelling the Covid-19 outbreak France's "biggest health crisis in a century," he added: "We must absolutely limit our movements."

Edouard Philippe delivers a speech to announce the new measures / AFP via Getty Images

Public transport will remain open but Mr Philippe encouraged French citizens to limit their use.

However, he said local elections on Sunday would go ahead.

Jerome Salomon, the head of the French public health authority, said there had been a rapid increase in serious cases.

The country now has 300 virus patients in intensive care, half of whom are below the age of 60.

"I am conscious of the efforts and sacrifices that we are asking, but I have faith that the French people will have the capacity to overcome this serious moment," Mr Philippe said.

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Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic, with countries across the continent ramping up efforts to prevent their health systems collapsing under the load of cases.

Spain has declared a state of emergency and Italy is tightening its lockdown, while Denmark and Poland have become the latest countries to shut their borders to most travellers in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Spains cabinet met on Saturday to declare a two-week state of emergency and announce more restrictions to control the outbreak.

The country's number of recorded infections has spiked sharply in recent days to more than 5,700 cases, including 136 deaths.

Coronavirus: WHO says Europe now 'the epicentre of the pandemic'

Meanwhile the government in Rome has ordered unprecedented retrictions and closures across the country, ordering businesses to close and restricting peoples movement.

Mayors of many cities, including Rome and Milan, have even closed public playgrounds and parks.

Under an Italian government decree issued earlier in the week, people had been allowed in parks as long as they kept at least a metre between each other.

The country's premier Giuseppe Conte said production, particularly of food and health supplies, must not stop, and union and industrial leaders have reached an agreement on special measures to keep factories running.

Elsewhere, Denmark closed its borders and halted passenger traffic to and from the country until April 13.

Travellers will be turned away at the border if they are unable to show they have a legitimate reason to enter.

Poland is closing its borders and denying all foreigners entry unless they live in Poland or have personal ties there. Non-citizens allowed in will be quarantined for 14 days. The Czech Republic and Slovakia took similar action.
According to the Bible, Jesus was sinless. In the account of Jesus life, we know he was directly tempted (See Matthew 4:1-11), but did not give into sinful impulses. Therefore, it is hard to make sense of why he was baptized at the start of his earthly ministry. Jesus instructed John the Baptist to baptize him, and even John was surprised at such a request. John, who thought he would be baptized by Jesus, wondered why Jesus needed to be baptized, too. This is a similar question that many believers have when they read this part of Jesus' life and ministry.

Jesus didnt leave John, or future believers, without an answer. We can look to the very words of Jesus for the answer to this question: Jesus was baptized because it was necessary for the fulfillment of all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Jesus truly took our place in every way as the ultimate atonement for sin and death.

When Was Jesus Baptized?

Jesus baptism is recorded in three of the Gospels: Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22. The more detailed account of Jesus baptism is found in Matthews Gospel.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:13-17).

In all three accounts, the baptism was a crucial first step Jesus took as he began his ministry, an approximately three-year journey which would eventually lead him to the cross. According to Lukes Gospel, Jesus was 30 years old when he was baptized (See: Luke 3:23).

Jesus baptism took place during the time when John had already begun baptizing others for the purpose of repentance. John proclaimed that no longer was lineage to Abraham enough for salvation. He preached a message of repentance, baptism, and the importance of bearing righteous fruit.

Why Was Jesus' Baptism Important?

Jesus didnt need to repent or turn from sin, rather, his baptism served as a sign to John, and future generations of believers, that he was the Messiah. With this confirmation in place, John's mission to prepare the way for the Messiah was complete.

Jesus' baptism account is a beautiful portrayal of the loving union of the Trinity  Father, Son and Spirit. This moment in his life marked the beginning of his ministry in which he was partaking in the human experience fully as the spotless lamb of God sent to save the world.

The baptism of Jesus doesn't have to be confusing, even if it does raise some questions. Jesus wasn't baptized for the same reasons that us believers need to be baptized. Instead, his baptism confirms his identity as the Messiah, and demonstrates his willingness to take on humanity to be the perfect atonement for all sin and death. Jesus modeled a key step, baptism, in the life of every believer. At the end of his life, Jesus instructed his disciples to make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (See: Matthew 28:19). From the start to the end of his ministry, Jesus championed the significance of baptism for those who put their faith in God.

Why Did John the Baptist Baptize Jesus?

John the Baptist was Jesus older cousin. His mother, Elizabeth, was pregnant with John only a few months before Mary became pregnant with Jesus. His father was a priest named Zechariah. Elizabeth and Zechariah were described in Lukes Gospel as, righteous in the sight of the Lord, observing all his commands and decrees blamelessly (Luke 1:6). Its no surprise that John, a godly man chosen to prepare the way for Jesus, was born to two parents who were deeply faithful to God, as well. Just as we dont hear much about Jesus boyhood, the same is true about John the Baptist.

John shows up in the Gospel accounts once again just before Jesus begins His ministry. Those who followed John and heard his preaching wondered if he was the Messiah. But John corrected those mistaken assumptions. John described himself as, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight (Mark 1:3).

John identified himself as fulfilling the prophetic Scriptures in the book of Isaiah that God would send a messenger before the Messiah, preparing the way before him (See: Isaiah 40:3). John was the prophesied messenger.

John prepared the way by preaching repentance, righteousness, baptism for the remission of sins, and about the power and majesty of the coming Messiah. Jesus instructed John to baptize him, and John followed Jesus' prompting. John baptized Jesus as a final step to prepare the way for Jesus' coming.





What Does Baptism Symbolize?

The New Testament offers great wisdom and guidance to help us understand the purpose of baptism.

Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (See: Acts 2:38). When we are baptized, we repent by turning from our sinfulness and receive the forgiveness that Jesus provided through his death and resurrection.

Baptism is a symbol of our faith (See: Acts 8:12-13). The model we see in the New Testament is that when someone became a new believer (demonstrating faith in Jesus), they repented and were baptized. Baptism serves as a vital step for those declaring their faith in Jesus.

Baptism is a symbol of being buried and raised to life with Jesus (See: Romans 6:3-4). When we are baptized, it is the means by which we enter into the death of Jesus, and it is also how we are raised up into new life in Jesus.

When we take into consideration the scope of New Testament insight on baptism, we can conclude that Jesus did not need to be baptized for the same reasons that believers do. But, Jesus did need to be baptized, which is why he asked John to baptize him. By being baptized, Jesus began his work to take our place and to redeem humanity. He modeled baptism as something all believers need to do as a step in their faith walk. This remains true for believers today.

How Did God Respond to Jesus' Baptism?

God affirmed Jesus' baptism in a powerful way as recorded in Matthew's Gospel. As soon as Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water, the heavens opened.

The Spirit of God began descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:13-17).

The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus following his baptism. This was a sign that Jesus' ministry was empowered by the Spirit and would usher in peace between humankind and God. As Jesus rose from the water, God the Father spoke monumental words about who Jesus was, which left no question that Jesus was indeed the anticipated Messiah and beloved Son of God.

Photo credit: Getty Images/gldburger

Pamela Palmer is a writer, chaplain, and the founder of upheldlife.com, the platform on which she produces weekly devotionals and faith resource articles to inspire keeping faith at the center of it all. She lives and thrives on Jesus, coffee, and music. She is in pastoral ministry and gets to share in the emotional and spiritual lives of many people, being a small piece of each journey. Pamela married the perfect man for her and they have two beautiful kiddos. She has been published on herviewfromhome.com and you can follow her at upheldlife.com, or on Facebook.com/upheldlife.
On Thursday morning, St. Anthonys Executive Director Jose Ramirez was on the job at 5 a.m., packing lunches and setting up curbside tents where hundreds of struggling folks, many of them homeless, would soon be lining up for lunch.

As chief of a 200-person social service organization in the Tenderloin, this isnt the sort of work Ramirez typically does. But with St. Anthonys volunteering program suspended because of coronavirus concerns  it typically has 100 volunteers a day  employees are doing multiple jobs. One of those jobs is setting up tents for curbside meal pickup, which will replace the normal sit-down lunch as long as health officials recommend social distancing to curb the spread of the virus.

We are going to keep our services going as long as we can  even if I am the last man standing, Ill be out here, Ramirez said.

Social service nonprofits are preparing for an increase in demand from those hit hard by the economic impact of the coronavirus. For many low-wage workers, particularly those in the service industry, lost income means theyll need help paying their rent and affording groceries as well as support to cover other necessities.

More Information Where to help St. Anthony's Foundation, https://www.stanthonysf.org Tenderloin Neighborhood Housing Corp., www.tndc.org Compass Family Services, https://www.compass-sf.org Chinatown Community Development Center, https://www.chinatowncdc.org San Francisco Marin Food Bank, https://www.sfmfoodbank.org Meals On Wheels, www.mowsf.org See More Collapse

But the effort is complicated by the fact that many frontline nonprofit workers often toil in crowded settings and come into contact with vulnerable populations such as those with underlying health conditions and the elderly. That could make them more likely to be exposed to the disease.

Adding to the stress is the drop in volunteers, who are staying away, as well as spring fundraising galas being canceled. Now, some staffers will have to stay home after San Franciscos school district decided to shutter for three weeks.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced an emergency aid bill that includes $500 million in aid to low-income pregnant women and some mothers who were laid off because of the outbreak, $400 million to assist food banks and $250 million for food assistance for low-income seniors and families. Pelosi indicated on Friday that Democrats had reached a deal with Republicans on the package, although its unclear if funding for pregnant moms or food assistance will survive the negotiations.

More locally, on Friday the Tipping Point Community nonprofit announced it will make $1 million available to its 45 grantees throughout the Bay Area over the next few months to help with funding troubles due to the COVID-19 crisis. Tipping Point gives grants to support programs for low-income people, from the Homeless Prenatal Program in San Francisco to LiveMoves in Santa Clara County.

Paul Ash, executive director of the San Francisco and Marin Food Bank, said his organization is preparing to do more with a lot less people. The food bank relies on volunteers  about 120 a day over three shifts  about half of whom are canceling their shifts. The decline in the number of warehouse volunteers  who mostly sort and pack food  means that the food bank has to pay more to buy items like prepackaged rice and produce.

The cost is higher, but we need to make sure our distribution is uninterrupted, Ash said.

In addition, Ash is concerned about food pantries closing  so far 30 of the 250 pantries the organization serves have shut down. He urged pantries to stay open, saying that he doesnt want to see this public health crisis creating a hunger crisis. Ash said he is working with city on a plan to create backup distribution sites if too many pantries close.

We think its still safe to go to pantries  these are essential gatherings of people, he said. These are not bingo games or book clubs. We need them to keep going as long as they can do so safely.

Nonprofits like the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., which owns 3,800 affordable housing units and 50 commercial spaces in San Francisco, are struggling to balance the needs of the staff against the needs of the community, according to Executive Director Don Falk.

By and large the work we do does entail being here working with the people whose health and well-being is the very reason we are in business, he said. A social workers work is with people.

More than 75% of TNDCs 450 employees work on-site. They manage buildings, oversee construction projects, clean toilets, care for kids in after-school programs, and help residents access everything from addiction counseling to job placement. Even TNDC workers who can do their work remotely often dont have space or the technology to set up a home office, Falk said.

Compass Family Services helps families in danger of homelessness to maintain their housing and rapidly rehouses homeless families so that they can work toward economic self-sufficiency. Executive Director Erica Kisch said she is struggling to keep up with services while keeping workers safe.

We cant just shut down, she said. Its demoralizing to see groups shutting down so quickly. In our industry, many employees live paycheck to paycheck. If we cant continue to pay our staff, many of them will become homeless.

She worries what Compass staffers will do when schools shut down. Most of our staff commute on BART or Muni. We cant just ask them to bring their kids to work on germy public transportation.

But just as concerning, she said, is the predicament of the parents and children who need child care services. Even though about a quarter of the kids enrolled in her program are staying home, many of the low-income parents she serves dont have the luxury of working from home and cant take care of their kids without losing pay.

Rather than putting the teachers, school personnel, kids and families at risk, why dont we figure out a way to help these families so they wont be falling off the cliff? Kisch said. The virus is not going to distinguish between the rich and the poor.

Government should help bridge the income gaps for people while they stay home.

Nonprofits have also canceled springtime gala fundraisers. The Compass fundraiser, set for April 1, generally generates about $500,000.

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.

We havent made the decision yet whether to cancel, Kisch said. Can we postpone? If so, until when? When are things going to be in the clear?

Ashley McCumber, executive director of the San Francisco chapter of Meals On Wheels, said the drivers who bring lunch and dinner to the homebound seniors are serving the people who are going to be most impacted by COVID-19.

He said the organization is now doing health screenings on the phone, but that there is only so much that can be accomplished from a distance. Meals On Wheels San Francisco chapter delivers about 7,200 meals per day to 3,600 residents, most of whom are over 60 and have difficulty leaving the house.

We are pulling back from anything that doesnt contribute to making sure food gets delivered to our homebound clients, she said.

On Thursday, San Francisco officials said the city would continue to fund nonprofits even if some of the programs have to be curtailed or temporarily shut down due to COVID-19.

Malcolm Yeung, executive director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, said the group is bracing for the economic impact. It owns 3,200 housing units and is landlord to dozens of small businesses and nonprofits.

We are aware that it is going to hit and when it does hit, its going to be significant, said Yeung. Residents are going to see reduced hours and lost jobs, and missed rent payment will certainly become an issue.

Ramirez, the St. Anthonys director, said that he is hoping to get coronavirus test kits into the groups medical clinic, which serves the homeless. Operating in a crowded neighborhood with thousands of residential hotel rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms, he predicted that St. Anthonys would continue to be on the front lines of the pandemic.

You are looking at the heart of the crisis right here in the Tenderloin, he said.

Chronicle staff writer Kevin Fagan contributed to this report.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
13.03.2020 LISTEN

28 burnt beyond recognition after road crash on Kintampo highway 09-03-2020

School bus runs over 4-year old girl in Kumasi, driver arrested 11-03-2020

Victimized UEW staff dies in ghastly accident on his way to report at new duty post 08-03-2020

Drunk Taxi driver veers into shop, kills 1, injures 4 funeral bound passengers 29-02-2020

9 dead, 51 injured in Keta-krachi accident 16-02-2020

Over 20 perish in gory crash at Dampoase in central region 14-01-2020

The above are a few of the gut-wrenching headlines that continue to plunge this nation into a state of angst since the beginning of year 2020. Accident related deaths have become a quotidian occurrence for the people of Ghana. Statistics available from both the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana police service (MTTD), and Road Safety Authority (RSA) indicate a yearly increase in road crashes and its related deaths.

Between January and March this year, provisional data shows 393 deaths emanating from road crashes. In the year 2019, road crashes claimed a total number of 2,284 lives while in 2018, 2,020 died on Ghanas roads (MTTD records). Some of the major causes of accidents on our roads include: bad roads, over speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, nonuse of motor helmet and seatbelts, distracted driving, unsafe vehicles, inadequate post-crash care, driving for long hours and inadequate law enforcement on our roads

These deaths, as high and scary as they are, have not only shaken the very foundation of our nation but also robbed us of potential change-makers, breadwinners of families and loved ones. Both ordinary Ghanaians and top public officials have not been spared. A WHO media release on 7th February 2020 has it that, approximately 1.35 million people die annually as a result of road traffic crashes of which 93% of the worlds fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries and the casualties are mostly the youth. In August 2019, the centers for disease control and prevention CDC ranked road accidents as the 9th major cause of deaths in Ghana.

I believe it is not wrong to assume that every household or community has had its share of such deaths which comes with unbearable physical, psychological and economic consequences. But for how long will we have to suffer these unpleasant pains? Who takes responsibility for the ever-increasing ghastly road carnages? How do we work to effectively and efficiently coordinate the efforts of the various stakeholders to eliminate or minimize the spate of these road fatalities?

The Government

The primary and most important job of any government is the security of its people; safeguarding the lives of its citizen, protecting their dignity and ensuring that they go about their daily activities with utmost trust in the system. To this end, governments take the ultimate responsibility and therefore come up with initiatives in the form of policies, programs and projects to address the needs of citizens. In Ghana, our roads are under the care of the Ministry of roads and highways and its agencies thus, the construction and maintenance of roads fall within the ambit of their mandate.

Successive governments have each contributed their quota in widening road network coverage. However, there is still a huge public outcry on the bad nature of roads in Ghana. Some of these roads have become death traps and have contributed to a significant number of accidents leading to most of these bereavements. 2020 has been dubbed by President Nana Akufo Addo as the year of roads. It is our fervent hope that the needed attention will be paid to what I term hot spot zones where most of these fatalities keep recurring.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)

The DVLA is an important state institution which falls under the Ministry of Transport. It is a licensure organization for both drivers and vehicles. Before a person is deemed eligible to drive on our roads, there is a rigorous testing process that he/she ought to undergo before a license is issued by the authority so as to ensure among other things, sanity on our roads.

Also, vehicles are tested by the same authority to determine their roadworthiness and eventually issued with a roadworthy certificate thereby, granting access onto our roads. As important as the authoritys role is, one would have expected that processes would be tighter and more stringent. Disappointingly, an investigative piece titled Soul Takers, conducted by Anas Aremeyaw Anas in 2014 at the 37 branch of the DVLA exposed decaying levels of corruption among drivers, officials of the authority and their middlemen (Goro boys).

The most astonishing rot uncovered was a lapse in the license acquisition process with respect to the flouting of a statutory rule which decrees the physical presence of an applicant for the issuance of a license. This breach, undoubtedly, explains why there are a lot of unworthy vehicles and drivers on our roads.

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department of Ghana Police (MTTD)

The MTTD of the Ghana police service is obligated to ensure road safety in Ghana by educating road users on accident-free road practices. The agency also has a responsibility to spot, warn and arrest offending motorists who flout road regulations (Ghana police website). It is an important stakeholder as far as road safety is concerned. But how well do they discharge their duties? How disciplined are officials from the MTTD in overcoming the temptation of trading off doing the right thing for a few cedis?

There is quite a significant number of MTTD personnel who work their hearts out in the discharge of their duties. However, a few of them, notorious for taking bribes and allowing lawless motorists to get away with various degrees of road-related crimes continue to tarnish the reputation of the department. This lack of professionalism cannot be ignored as one of the major contributors to indiscipline on our roads and consequently, many of these crashes and deaths.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA)

The NRSA was birthed by an act of parliament (NRSC Act 567 of 1999). The act mandates the commission to play the lead role in championing, promoting and coordinating road safety activities in Ghana. Some of its key functions include the following:

Undertaking nationwide road safety education, information and publicity

Coordinating, monitoring and evaluating road safety activities, programs and strategies

Making recommendations to the minister and such bodies regarding preventive measures involving the use of vehicles on roads

Developing a long term road safety plan

Establishing with road authorities, procedures for safety audits or projects for road construction, reconstruction or improvement.

Various campaigns have been launched by the authority to educate the public on best practices on our roads. In September 2019, Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, revealed that his outfit and the ministry of education were collaborating to introduce curriculum on road safety and related issues for students in basic and secondary schools. This notwithstanding, a major challenge confronting the NRSA is inadequate and/or general lack of resources to effectively and efficiently carry out its mandate.

The Citizenry

At the heart of road crashes/safety is the people; their responsibilities as citizens and attitude towards road usage. Citi TVs campaign towards indiscipline on our roads saw a great deal of road users being apprehended for various degrees of indiscipline ranging from driving without drivers license, expired license, expired road worthy and insurance certificates, wrong overtaking, wrong choice of routes, to using unapproved U-turns. This is a clear indication that the citizens on whose behalf the government and all these other stakeholders work to safeguard are a major cause of the problem. We can have the best roads, a well-functioning DVLA, countless road safety campaigns, a disciplined MTTD but as long as we fail to abide by road safety regulations, all other efforts will be in futility.

Way Forward

Clearly, the cruelties of our roads call for drastic and urgent measures. Our roads have become death traps making the menace a national crisis. The United Nations has labeled road accidents as a health crisis. Government, through the roads ministry, must move to dualize all major highways especially those noted for these unfortunate crashes. This will drastically minimize the risk of head-on collisions by oncoming vehicles. Faulty vehicles, equipment, and in some cases, heaps of sand left on our main roads must be cleared.

As we advocate and press for better roads, the DVLA must ensure proper scrutiny in the issuance of licenses and roadworthy certificates. Systems must be put in place to penalize or eliminate recalcitrant personnel who flout the right procedures.

Corruption continues to rob this nation of its rightful place at the seat of the best nations in the world. It is a menace that has permeated every aspect of our country. The police institution, with all the good and hardworking servicemen, has had to deal with undisciplined officers with an unquenchable thirst to muddy the reputation of the bureau. The MTTD must ensure high levels of professionalism from its personnel.

Officers positioned at various road checkpoints must be diligent in the execution of their duties. Drivers with expired licenses, and roadworthy certificates, as well as those without licenses at all when arrested, must be allowed to face the law. Doing so will serve as a deterrent to others but most importantly, save the lives of many people.

The NRSA must intensify its campaigns and public education on appropriate road safety mechanisms. I fully endorse the introduction of a new curriculum in both basic and second cycle institutions. Like the saying goes catch them young and they shall be yours forever. This will help inculcate into the younger generation, an attitude of being responsible citizens at a very tender age.

Conclusion

President Nana Addo must move a step further from the messages of condolences and consolations to affected families and come up with stringent pragmatic and decisive policy directives to combat the situation. The MTTD with all the statistics at their disposal should identify hot spots for these accidents and mount 15 kilometers interval road barriers to check over speeding and reckless driving. Furthermore, intercity transport service operators must put in measures to reduce the driving hours of drivers to 10 hours maximum per day with a 1hour rest in-between.

Ghana exists because of its people. We only have one life to live and we must do so by being responsible to the best of our abilities. The time to end road accidents is now and it begins with you and me.

God save our motherland Ghana

Adnan Mustapha

([email protected])
The Kingdom has temporarily suspended all international flights for two weeks to slow down the spread of coronavirus, local media reported on Saturday, quoting the Ministry of Interior.

The time period will be considered as an official holiday, the ministry said in a statement, for the residents who cannot come back during the two weeks, starting from Sunday, Khaleej Times reported.

During the two-week period, some flights would only be allowed in "exceptional cases", the ministry added.

On Friday, 24 new cases of COVID-19 infections were reported in the Kingdom, raising the total to 86.

Earlier this week, Riyadh also imposed a temporary lockdown on its eastern Qatif area, home to a large Shia-Muslim population, after the Interior Ministry announced that all individuals diagnosed with the disease are from the same municipality itself.

According to local media reports, the Kingdom also suspended all educational and Quranic activities at mosques starting to help prevent the spread of viral infection.

The Kingdom has suspended travel to and from the entire European Union and 12 other countries in Asia and Africa.

The Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak as a global pandemic as more than 140,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus across 114 countries.

More than 5,000 people have died - around 3,000 of them in China - after contracting COVID-19 across the globe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
GREENWICH  Katia Barker was completing an eighth-grade assignment about global health issues affecting girls when she stumbled upon a staggering fact on the internet.

Water-gathering is a main factor in causing girls to drop out of school in developing countries. On average, girls spend four to six hours per day walking to and from water sources carrying 40-pound jerry cans on their backs. The girls sometimes return home at night in the dark, which puts them they at-risk of falling victim to acts of violence.

But thats not all, according to Barker, who is now a 17-year-old high school senior.

The water sources are often contaminated. Each day, more than 4,000 children die worldwide from water-borne illnesses  more than the number of deaths from AIDS, malaria and violence combined, according to the Thirst Project, a nonprofit working to end the global water crisis.

Barker knew it was time to take her research a step further. After all, she attends Sacred Heart Greenwich, an all-girls school with four sister schools in Uganda and Kenya.

Once I learned about the global water crisis, I decided that working with a clean water organization was the best way for me to make a difference, because it would help girls re-enter the classroom while also saving lives, said Barker, who lives in Harrison, N.Y.

The Thirst Project strives to build freshwater wells in developing communities that need safe, clean drinking water, according to its website. With the help of students, the Thirst Project is now raising funds to provide clean drinking water wells in eSwatini, a small country formerly known as Swaziland.

Barker decided to work with the Thirst Project because when youre 12 or 13 trying to find a charity, most are not interested in engaging young kids, she said.

I liked Thirst Project because almost all their fundraising is done by middle and high school students, Barker said, which meant that they did not see my young age as a barrier.

Back in eighth grade, Barker approached her parents and said she needed to raise $12,000 to drill a clean water well in Africa.

And they were like, Thats a lot more money than you think, Barker said, drawing a laugh.

But she had decided the goal could be met by the end of her senior year, and her parents helped with some of the fundraising.

But when Barker had raised the entire sum within a year, her parents were blown away.

When she finished (raising money for) the first well, we said, Congrats, you made it, said her dad, Quint Barker.

Then the Sacred Heart student immediately set another goal of $12,000 to build a second well in eSwatini.

Then she said, Well, I think we should do a third, and we thought, Surely, shes done now, her father said.

But they were mistaken. Barker is raising funds to build a fourth well. To date, her efforts have brought in more than $42,000 for the cause.

Her work ethic is second to none, said Barkers father.

Every year, Thirst Project invites the top student fundraisers on a trip to Africa to see how communities are affected by the water crisis and how the projects have helped.

Barker was selected for the trip while she was raising money to build her second well  the youngest person ever invited on the trip.

She traveled with her father, and they gathered water with community members at a contaminated source, which was brown and likely contained fecal material from cows and other animals. The father-daughter-team also helped build a well, with children as young as 7 and 8 assisting with the labor-intensive task, said Barkers father.

When youre reading about the struggles the people go through there, youd expect it to be such a sad environment, (but) everybody was so happy and so welcoming and thankful, said Barker.

I think that was the most amazing part of it for me, to see they dont have something as basic as clean water  something that we dont even think about  and they consider themselves fortunate, she said. I thought that was really powerful.

Barkers story is included in a new book called, Inspiring Stories that Make a Difference, which features 75 students who are making an impact on the world.

The nonprofit Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation partners with the musical Come From Away to share the students stories, in hope of inspiring others to pay it forward by helping charitable causes.

Katia is unique. Shes really done her fundraising efforts as an individual, said Evan Wesley, vice president for student activation at the Thirst Project.

Many students partner with classmates, but that has not been the case for Barker, Wesley said.

Shes been an entrepreneur, he said. She is a renaissance woman in a way and all-rooted in her desire to help charitable causes and initiatives.

The Sacred Heart student also shot a short film about the water crisis and has become a public speaker to advocate on behalf of the Thirst Project, said Wesley. Barker recently returned from Florida, where she spoke about the water crisis for the nonprofit organization.

The 17-year-old was vague about her plans for college and the future, but she plans to continue fundraising for the cause on her website at my.thirstproject.org/fundraiser/621231. Shes only about $5,000 short of her current goal of $48,000.

Every dollar counts: A $25 donation can provide an eSwatini person with clean drinking water for life, she said.

tatiana.flowers@thehour.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:31:56|Editor: huaxia

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GUANGZHOU, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Three people are missing and another 10 were saved after a cargo boat in Taiwan Strait Saturday afternoon, the maritime search and rescue center of Guangdong Province confirmed.

The cargo boat with 13 crew members from the city of Weihai, the east coastal province of Shandong, sank in the south of the Taiwan Strait at 3:26 p.m. Saturday, according to local maritime authorities.

Rescue vessels and helicopters from maritime search teams of Guangdong and the nearby Fujian Province were sent out. Ten people got rescued, and the search work continues.
TDT, Agencies | Manama

Bahrain yesterday strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the Taji Military Base hosting the International Coalition Forces in Iraq. The rocket attack, deadliest in years on a Iraqi military base hosting foreign troops, resulted in killing two American soldiers and a British solider. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the Kingdoms support for the international coalition forces that exert great efforts to ensure security and stability in Iraq and the region. The statement also called on the international community to take a firm stand against these terrorist acts and the sides supporting them.

Dangerous escalation

The attack threatens a dangerous escalation, with suspected US-led coalition air strikes promptly targeting Iran-aligned Iraqi fighters in neighbouring Syria, a war monitor said. At least 18 fighters were reported killed. On Wednesday evening, a volley of 18 rockets hit the Taji air base north of Baghdad which hosts troops from the US-led coalition helping local forces battle jihadists. A coalition statement said three of its personnel were killed and another 12 were wounded but it did not provide nationalities.

A US official, however, said the dead included two Americans and a British national. The Iraqi military said the rockets were fired from the back of a truck, but it did not comment on any casualties. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab condemned the attack in a telephone call. The two underscored that those responsible for the attacks must be held accountable, the US State Department said in a statement. While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Washington has blamed Iran-backed factions from Iraqs Hashed al-Shaabi military network, which is incorporated into the Iraqi state, for recent similar violence. Within hours of Wednesdays attack, three warplanes likely belonging to the US-led coalition bombed Hashed factions stationed on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

At least 18 Iraqi fighters were killed as ten explosions shook the area near Albukamal, a Syrian border town with a heavy Hashed presence, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Hardline Hashed factions have fought alongside Syrian government forces for several years and have been targeted by both coalition and Israeli air strikes in Syria.

Tit-for-tat

Wednesdays attack on the Taji air base was the 22nd on US installations in Iraq, including the American embassy, since late October. One of the earlier attacks killed an Iraqi soldier and in late December, a spree of rockets killed a US contractor working at a base in northern Iraq. That killing sent tensions spiralling.

Two days later, the US responded by bombing Kataeb Hezbollah, a faction within the Hashed that is heavily backed by Iran and which Washington has blamed for several rocket attacks. At least 25 Kataeb Hezbollah fighters were killed and their supporters on 31 December besieged the US embassy in Baghdad. A US drone strike outside the Baghdad airport on January 3 killed powerful Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and the Hasheds deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iran then retaliated by launching a volley of missiles at the western Iraqi base of Ain Al-Asad. While no personnel were killed in that attack, dozens of US soldiers suffered from brain trauma.

The tit-for-tat attacks on Iraqi soil left Baghdad furious, and in January its parliament voted to expel all foreign soldiers from Iraq in reaction to the killing of Soleimani. Among them are some 5,200 US forces stationed across Iraq as part of the international coalition -- comprised of dozens of countries -- formed in 2014 to confront the Islamic State jihadist group, which took swathes of territory that year. While IS has lost its territory, sleeper cells remain capable of carrying out attacks. On Sunday, two US soldiers were killed while helping Iraqi forces battle IS remnants north of Baghdad.

Parliaments vote on the ouster must be implemented by the government, but the current caretaker cabinet has yet to make progress on the decision. US officials previously said they considered the Hashed as a bigger threat to them than IS, given the frequency and accuracy of rocket attacks on American troops that could be traced back to the Shiite-majority network
Kanturk woman and defeated Cork North West election candidate Becky Kealy has bounced back after the General Election more than four weeks ago with an International Womens' Day celebration.

"Tea, cake, chat and laughter is good at any time but it has an added sweetness when it all combines to raise money for a very worthy cause," she told The Corkman.

The candidate, who was edged into sixth place with more than 5,600 votes and 8.5% of the first preference vote share, organised the shindig in her Castlemagner home to honour another woman of that parish, Legion of Mary missionary Edel Quinn.

The gathering consisted of Aontu party colleagues who were described as 'very strong and spirited women' by Becky.

"Edel's memory lives on in the very valuable work being carried out today at the refuge named after her.

"Edel House provides shelter and refuge for homeless women and children, providing a home, a haven and hope for women whose lives have been blighted by adverse circumstances.

"Homelessness is one of the most damaging experiences for women and children; it affects their sense of self, their security and their dreams. What better way to mark International Women's Day than to try and do something positive for them".

"Edel was a woman of action who did real work to make a real difference to the lives of women and her legacy lives on.

"Our little party was our contribution to the wonderful work being carried out at Edel House."
In 2005, Rajat Jamwal had his first opportunity to lead a few clients up the frozen Zanskar river to the settlement of Padum. He hardly met anyone on the way, save the locals from Zanskar Valley who were headed to Ladakh to stock up on essentials for the winter. With the high passes leading in and out of Zanskar snowed in, walking along sections of the frozen river, called the Chadar (blanket), was their only access to the outside world, as has been the case through Zanskars history. By the end of the season, Jamwal had led around 18 trekkers across the Chadar, charging around 1.65 lakh per person for the two-week round trip.

These days, Jamwal has stopped operating on the route, for a number of reasons. The serene landscape is overrun by crowds of trekkers lumbering up the river. In places where the ice is weak or non-existent, there is a human traffic jam of sorts, until a route is forged along the steady slope that rises from the river. The campsites are packed to capacity, with limited dry land along the banks of the river to pitch tents. A nine-day trek is offered for as little as 19,500 per person by certain agencies, each one looking to make a quick buck, even as a road under construction threatens to bring an end to the renowned trek in a few years. According to the All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (Altoa), around 3,150 permits were issued in the 2019 season (the Chadar season runs through January and February).

Once the trek gained popularity through the internet, it changed everything. We used to take shelter in caves, while these days there are tents put up everywhere to cater to the numbers. The prices have fallen as everyone wants business and the trek is being guided by unqualified people," Jamwal says.

There are fixed departures for these treks being planned as early as June, which means clients arrive on a certain date in January. How will you know the condition of the Chadar on this particular day so many months in advance?" he adds.

What used to be a six-month tourism season in Ladakh is today an year-long affair. Whilewildlife tourism in the winter has always had its takers, over the last few years the Chadar trek has brought in numbers that had rarely been seen earlier. Wasim Ahmad, owner of the Palace View Guest House in Leh, remembers that stay options were limited even a few winters ago. In fact, until 2010, his own establishment would be shut in winter.

View Full Image A makeshift camp beside the frozen Zanskar river on the Chadar trek

It was mostly foreign tourists who would come around 15 years ago. In fact, I would get queries from Indians on the lines of whether a passport was required to visit Ladakh. But social media and Bollywood movies changed everything. Initially, June-September was the peak season; now, we have guests even in the winter," Ahmad says.

Even today, locals usually move out of Ladakh to escape the bitter freeze. But with business coming in, Ahmad says over 10 guest houses are open in Leh in winter, while he too has rented out two additional properties to cater to visitors, besides signing up with travel aggregators in 2018 to tap into the market.

By the time the 2020 season on the Chadar came to an end, Altoa had issued 2,288-odd permits to 68 operators. Apart from trekking chargeswhich depend on the operatoreach trekker pays 5,000, which includes a wildlife fee, charges for insurance and rescue, medical check-up and clearances from Altoa. Trekkers must also acclimatize in Leh for three days, undergo a health check and obtain a permit before embarking on the trek.

We issue only 100 permits each day, since there is limited capacity on the Chadar. This is under the new standard operating procedures implemented last year," says Tsetan Angchuk, Altoa president.

We have Ladakhi mountain guides and officials from the state disaster response force at each camp who are in charge of checking conditions of the Chadar and rescue operations. There are also army and civilian doctors who attend to emergencies," he adds.

However, those who traversed the Chadar this year believe that the state of affairs leaves plenty to be desired. Unstable ice in certain sections resulted in over a hundred trekkers getting stranded at the beginning of the season, in January. They had to be airlifted to Leh. Some claim that the mandatory medical checks involved faulty, inaccurate devices and that more permits than allowed each day were issued. And sheer numbers are spoiling the pristine surroundings.

The fabricated toilets at each camp have not been maintained. The ropes used to secure the patchy sections are of poor quality. People are coming unprepared and, in turn, it is the Armed Forces that are being misused for rescues. You dont get anything in return for the money that you pay to buy the permit," says Keval Kakka, who was guiding on the Chadar this season.

The tourist rush

View Full Image Tourists at Pangong Tso, the river that was catapulted to fame after the release of 3 Idiotsthe closing scene was filmed there.

The Chadar trek is a microcosm of Ladakh. What was once a region known for its serenity and solitude is today better known for the hordes of tourists who have put severe strain on Leh and other popular spots in the vicinity. For instance, trekkers werent allowed to camp around the Pangong Tsoa gigantic inland lake that is an important breeding area for waterfowlaround 2004; today, there is accommodation to suit every budget just 100m from the lake.

In terms of geography and resource limitations, Ladakh is similar to Spiti in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. The impetus on tourism in Ladakh, though, has brought in a new dimension by significantly adding to livelihood options," says Ajay Bijoor of the Nature Conservation Foundation, whose research on man-animal conflicts has taken him to both regions.

Records from Ladakh Tourism reveal how dependent Ladakh has become on tourism over the years. In 1990, there were just 6,738 visitors (6,342 foreigners; 396 Indians); this rose to 18,055 (11,828 foreigners; 6,227 Indians) by 2000. In 2008, the figure climbed to 74,334 (35,311 foreigners; 39,023 Indians), with Indian tourists outnumbering foreigners for the first time. An astounding 327,366 tourists were registered in 2018. Last year saw 279,937 visitors despite the lockdown in Kashmir and a slowdown in the economy.

A new airport terminal, set to be constructed by September 2021, will only bring in more visitors, adding to the strain on resources and the ecosystem.

View Full Image Leh is becoming increasingly congested, especially in peak tourist months.

A walk around Leh in summer is a nightmare, with bumper-to-bumper traffic and water tankers parked outside properties to cater to tourists. Every second structure has been converted into, or has made way for, a guest house. There is unregulated digging of bore wells on private properties, and some have run dry due to overuse and a depleting water table. Traditionally, most Ladakhi homes used compost-pit toilets, which require no flushing, whereas the newer constructions are equipped with water tanks.

A number of local springs that communities depended on have also run dry.

Water has become a huge problem in Leh, firstly because of the number of guest houses and hotels and the fact that tourists who are visiting arent necessarily sensitive to water consumption," says Monisha Ahmed, executive director of the Ladakh Arts and Media Organization (Lamo), who has been working in the region for 30 years. In fact, a 2016 studyby Guru Balamurugan, Karthik Seshan and Somnath Bera from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, says, A huge demand of water supply requirement during the tourist season from May to September months and deficiency of water in the area (their study was conducted in the lower reaches of Leh valley) was calculated as 4,224,557 litres."

Air quality around Leh too has gone downhill, with pollution increasing. Just a couple of kilometres outside Leh lies Bomgarh. Once a livestock pasture, it was converted into an army ammunition depot, and is now a large landfill. The fires at this site choke the air in Leh since it is nearby and the wind carries plastic and pollutes the surroundings. Its a nuisance," says Tashi Morup, project director at Lamo.

During her study on waste and sustainability issues in Ladakh, National Geographicexplorer and Fulbright fellow Katie Conlon realized that there was a lack of decisive action on plastic. Although a ban had been imposed by the Womens Alliance of Ladakh, an organization that works to preserve Ladakhs traditional farming and culture, woven polythene bags that look like cloth but are really plastic" continue to be used. According to her, in the tourist months, over 50,000 plastic bottles are used each day in Leh.

Most people have little awareness of the effects of plastic dumped in the environmentlike methane emissions, chemicals leaking into groundwater or the effect on animals. The food that comes in single-use packaging affects local agriculture, as there is no demand for traditional foods and crops. People who once practised sustainable living are buying into the culture of disposables and it is having an effect on their identity," Conlon says.

Its very common to see tourists at inland lakes like Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri in the Changthang region of Ladakh feeding potato chips to marmots, a small burrowing mammal. While this makes for cute" photographs, the tourists are completely unmindful of the fact that they are interfering with the natural cycles of a wildlife habitat.

View Full Image Tourists feeding a wild marmot

If you are crossing the wide, high-altitude grasslands of the nearby Morey Plains in Changthang, you will chance upon intrepid" bikers off-roading across the undulating meadows. For Tsewang Namgail, director of the Snow Leopard Conservancy-India Trust (SLC-IT), in doing so, these tourists are destroying the burrows of several ground-nesting species. When Lounge spoke to him last year about aspects of tourism that worried him, he said: Ground-nesting birds, lizards, small mammals like pikas are very important species that maintain the range plains. People say that Ladakh has a very fragile ecosystem, but many people dont understand what that means. They think fragile means something that is easily breakable. What that means is that we have so few species that if one goes extinct, if one link is broken, then the whole thing just collapses."

Climate change too has had its impact on the mountains of Ladakh. Research conducted by scientists A. Chevuturi, A.P. Dimri and professor R.J. Thayyen shows an increase in temperature and a change in precipitation patterns since the mid-1990s.

Warmer air, due to increasing temperature trends, can hold higher amounts of moisture, which can lead to heavier rainfall for individual storms. Studies have shown that mountainous regions like the Himalayas warm more strongly than the global mean temperature. However, we need more scientific research to understand how the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation will change over Leh in the warmer future," says Chevuturi.

The warming conditions and the shift in precipitation patterns will have a significant impact on the environment and people of Ladakh. Like the flash floods in 2010, there might be an increase in the probability of extreme weather events in Leh, which could cause irreversible damage and lead to devastating consequences.

When there are flash floods, a lot of water runs through landfills that have all kinds of hazardous waste from hospitals, construction sites, military bases and even e-waste. This is a toxic stew that contaminates soil and groundwater," Conlon says. The tourism industry is destroying the very thing that people go to Ladakh to seethe beautiful, serene Himalayas. Ladakh is being loved to death."

Sustainable ventures

Though a collective effort is needed to overhaul the system, smaller initiatives are being attempted at the moment. Project Tsangda was started by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and rural development department in December 2017 for the systematic disposal of garbage through community action. Over a thousand residents of Choglamsar, a village on the outskirts of Leh, have signed up as part of the project and segregate their garbage before handing it over for collection.

The dry waste is separated further at the project centre. Egg crates are used for sound-proofing, while Thermocol and paper bricks (made in-house) serve as insulation for homes. The biggest culprit, non-recyclable plastic, is used for road construction and to build boundary walls. The project has expanded to five other centres of Project Tsangda over the last year, including one each at Diskit in Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso.

The Choglamsar centre is a self-sustainable model that is running on customer fees 50 per household and 200 for commercial establishments. We have collected around 170,000kg over the last two years, most of which would have gone to landfills or been dumped in rivers and streams. Only 10% of our waste goes to landfills today," says Yangchan Dolma, a supervisor at the solid resource management centre in Choglamsar.

For all the criticism that rampant tourism has drawn in Ladakh, there are a few examples of sustainable ventures as well. Alongside its conservation efforts, the SLC-IT runs wildlife tourism programmes, with locals being trained to track snow leopards and maintain homestays to the liking of guests, enabling extra income in the winters.

Nor can it be denied that tourism has brought prosperity to those in the sector. For instance, Wasim Ahmad can now regularly embark on international holidays during the lean period in March and couldafford an upgrade on his car as well as motorcycle. The profits from his business also allowed him to renovate the guest house in 2017.

Some communities, though, are taking the initiative to preserve their environment. Across the Indus from Leh, Stok Kangri (6,153m), the highest mountain in the Stok range, has been a popular trekking peak, but a receding glacier and activity higher up on the mountain left villagers in Stok village with contaminated water, which they use for everything from drinking to irrigation.

Towards the end of last summer, the villagers put forward a proposal to stop all activity on the mountain until things got better. We spoke to the district administration and arrived at the decision to close the mountain for two seasons. At the end of 2021, we will take a call on reopening it based on the situation," Angchuk says.

A lot will depend on how things pan out here onthe fate of Ladakh will lie in the hands of its own people. Take the Chadar trek, for example. The completion of an all-weather highway linking Nimmoo in Ladakh with Padum in Zanskar is still a few years away. Until the project is finished, the Chadar trek is likely to flourish, and the number of winter trekkers will keep rising.

For Namgail, safeguarding Ladakhs unique environment ultimately depends on sensitizing locals. He says of the Chadar trek: A lot of local travel agents, small travel agents, they want to make a quick buck and they dont see any ecological implications or long-term impact, be it wildlife or environment. So rules might work in the short run, but soon it will fall back down to the ground if they dont understand. But if they understand, then it might take some time, but slowly they will have self-regulating mechanisms."

Right now, this remains Ladakhs only hope.

With inputs from Bibek Bhattacharya.

Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based writer.

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This year's Wexford Literary Festival will take place from Thursday, July 2, to Sunday, July 5.

A spokesperson for the festival organisers said the hard-working committee is busy preparing 'a comprehensive, wide ranging programme of events' that will incorporate many forms of literary writing including: poetry; prose; drama; film; visual art and spoken word.

The official launch of the festival brochure programme will take place in Enniscorthy Castle on Friday, June 5.

The committee spokesperson told this newspaper that the brochure will be launched by President and Provost of Trinity College, Patrick Prendergast.

Mr Prendergast was born outside Enniscorthy and was educated in St Peter's College.

He studied Mechanical Engineering in Trinity and completed a degree and a PhD.

Returning from the Netherlands in 1995, Mr Prendergast became a lecturer at the college and having served with distinction in various capacities was elected Provost in 2011.

'Wexford Literary Festival committee is honoured that he has agreed to launch our Festival Programme on June 5,' said the spokesperson.

The 2020 programme will include events at Wexford Arts Centre and the Red Bookstore, Wexford.

The committee is also looking at ways of expanding the festival into Gorey and New Ross as well

The festival, which will celebrate its seventh anniversary this year, will be officially opened on Thursday, July 2, at Enniscorthy library, by author, journalist, and Irish Independent columnist, Billy Keane - who is a son of renowned author and playright, John B Keane.

The committee spokesperson said Mr Keane expressed delight at being asked to open the festival in Enniscorthy; in doing so he will also be following in his father's footsteps as he once opened the Strawberry Fair in Enniscorthy.

'Wexford Literary Festival committee is thrilled to have Billy involved and very much look forward to him opening it,' said the spokesperson.

Over the coming weeks more details of the various events taking place as part of the festival programme will be published in this newspaper.

The committee is already inviting submissions for some of the events due to take place including: the Colm Toibin Short Story award; the Anthony Cronin Poetry Award; and the Billy Roche One-Act Play Award.

A 'Meet the Publisher' initiative will encourage writers to avail of the chance to meet with Paula Campbell, from Poolbeg Press.

For more details log onto www.wexfordliteraryfestival.com.
Reactions Mixed as France Takes Tough New Coronavirus Measures

By Lisa Bryant March 13, 2020

The spreading coronavirus outbreak has prompted several European countries to announce nationwide school shutdowns. That includes France. Some observers believe it may only be a matter of time before the country and others follow the path of Italy in putting citizens in nationwide lockdown.

The countrywide school shutdown will last at least 15 days for all French educational establishments  from kindergartens to universities. It counts among the most drastic of new measures French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a nationwide address to fight close to 3,000 coronavirus cases in the country.

Macron called on elderly citizens with health problems to stay home, announced help for businesses to cope with coronavirus-related losses, and urged bosses to let their employees work at home when possible. Major events are canceled but municipal elections taking place over the next two Sundays will go ahead for now.

Macron called the battery of prevention measures a way to gain time, so hospitals do not become overloaded. He urged civic responsibility.

In an apparent response to the Trump administration's temporary U.S. travel ban on most of Europe, Macron said nationalism is not the answer to the coronavirus outbreak, since it respects no borders. He also called for a united and strong European response to deal with the virus and its financial fallout beyond fiscal stimulus measures announced Thursday by the European Central Bank.

France has one of Europe's highest coronavirus caseloads, although its numbers are still a fraction of those in neighboring Italy. However, speaking on French radio Friday, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the nationwide lockdown Italy now faces risks becoming the rule across Europe. He urged France to move quickly to take Italy's path.

Reactions to Macron's announcements have been mixed, including, not surprisingly, from his political opponents. The French employers' union saluted them.

Stephane Crochet, general secretary of the SE UNSA teachers union told French TV that the nationwide school shutdown was unexpected. French authorities, he said, had previously insisted that wouldn't happen.

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The City of Brandon is closing some city recreation facilities and suspending some programming in the face of an increased provincial response to COVID-19.

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This article was published 14/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The City of Brandon is closing some city recreation facilities and suspending some programming in the face of an increased provincial response to COVID-19.

The Brandon Community Sportsplex and the Brandon Youth Centre are closed until further notice, and all programming at the facilities is cancelled.

City of Brandon director of risk and emergency management Brian Kayes said the city made the decision out of an abundance of caution.

"What were doing is were doing, like many of the other organizations, is closing down opportunities for large groups of people to interact. Were trying to follow the provincial guidelines for social distancing, which is really recommending that people be a couple metres apart and not spend long periods of time together," he said.

"We didnt think that wed be able to accomplish those guidelines (by keeping those facilities open)."

The Sportsplex closed to the public as of 7 p.m. on Friday and the Brandon Youth Centre closed at 3 p.m. on Friday. Programming at both facilities will be evaluated once the buildings reopen.

Registration for all upcoming spring programming at the Sportsplex has also been paused.

In addition, the Park Community Centre public consultation scheduled for early April has been postponed.

The province announced Friday that all public schools would be closed for three weeks starting March 23. Brandon University will also be closed all of next week.

The key to containing the COVID-19 outbreak  currently limited to one confirmed case and three presumptive cases in Winnipeg  is about people working together, Kayes said.

"The population is very aware of what is happening worldwide  in Canada we are trying to have everyone working together to get in control of the outbreak so that we can reduce the number of people that are ill at the same time, so that the medical services have a fighting chance," he said.

Mayor Rick Chrest struck an optimistic tone when reached on Friday, saying hes happy to see the leadership of organizations such as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba pre-emptively cancelling events like the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

"As a citizen, and I guess as a municipal leader, Im proud to see what I consider to be the voluntary outpouring of leadership from organizations large and small who have cancelled and postponed their activities or their schedules," he said.

"I believe in addition to all the things all three levels of government may be doing, these other organizations have put an exclamation point on the response, which is really helping all citizens to take this seriously."

Cancelling events will have a significant economic impact on businesses around the world, including in Brandon. The City of Brandon is aware of this, and Chrest said he would be pushing senior levels of government to properly address the fallout of the outbreak.

For the time being, the city is focused on the "here and now," Chrest said. The motto of the response, led by Kayes, is to "get big fast" and scale down once its under control.

The measures announced Friday follow the first round of city precautions, which includes asking residents to consider if coming to city facilities in person is necessary, or if their business can be done over the phone or online.

If people do have to go to a city building in person, they will have to wash their hands or apply hand sanitizer when they arrive. City staff are also instructed to practise social distancing when interacting with the public, including minimizing prolonged contact or close contact of less than two metres.

Entrances to the city buildings that remain open, such as City Hall and the A.R. McDiarmid Civic Complex, are also limited.

"I think that everything that has been going on really isnt making people as fearful as it is making them mindful that it is to be taken seriously, and we can all do our own small part," Chrest said.

"This is one that really does kind of reside in the hands of each and every one of us."

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Militarisation of police function: The danger ahead By Tassie Seneviratne Policing the Police View(s): View(s):

Since beginning of March this year, there has been a hue and cry about Police functions being militarised. The Military Police intruding into traffic control had legal challenges being raised as reported in the Sunday Times of March 1 in Sunday Punch 2. The fact of the matter is that there are apprehensions about the intentions behind bringing in the military.

Far more serious than intruding into traffic control are the blatant arrogation of National Intelligence Services to the Military and the intrusions to the Criminal Investigations Department and placing it under military surveillance. Meddling with court proceedings, shielding military and family miscreants from prosecution, and disturbing intrusions by the military into civilian life, have become the order of the day. It is alleged human rights activists and journalists have been placed under the same surveillance and intimidation as families of political victims. These actions point towards military rule in place.

The next question to ponder is, why military rule? When a democratically elected political leader veers from democratic principles, the powerful will always find ways to abuse their privileges, and unlimited corruption sets in. As a result, the leaders position becomes unpopular and unstable. The extremity of many of such leaders fears and their behavioral patterns rooted in their individual personalities explain the need for militarisation. Attempted assassination by the LTTE may have given rise to paranoia which means power, fear, and anxiety will continue. Militarisation per se is not going to work for President Gotabaya Rajapaksas survival unless he takes the next step of disarming the people and buttering up the military. Thence will follow the pattern of former dictators who were high-ranking military officers in many a dictatorship.

If the GR-MR-SLPP wins the elections as forecast, it is also being forecast that the GR presidency will become a potential dictatorship  his modest dress and doing away with grandiosity notwithstanding.

A question that begs an answer is: What is the Inspector General of Police doing while all these unlawful activities are being carried out? The same question calls for an answer from the National Police Commission (NPC) which wields all the powers over the police. Its time the moribund NPC woke up.

With the Police and the NPC acquiescing, it looks like a dictatorship will be a cake-walk unless parliament becomes strong and watchful.

(The writer is a retired Senior Superintendent

of Police. He can be

contacted on Seneviratnetz

@gmail.com)
Keep your kippah, bring a bag lunch for the community meal, or just stay home and worship online.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Keep your kippah, bring a bag lunch for the community meal, or just stay home and worship online.

Those are the messages Winnipegs religious communities are sending out regarding this weekends services in light of Manitoba restrictions on gatherings of more than 250 people.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Shaarey Zedek Synaoguge on Wellington Crescent, has placed signs they hope will reduce the possible spread of COVID-19.

Saturday morning Shabbat services were planned to go ahead as scheduled at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, with a few modifications, said executive director Ian Staniloff.

The service will move from the small chapel to the larger sanctuary to give people more room to spread out, the Torah scrolls will not be paraded through the aisles to prevent people from spreading germs, and men wearing a kippah provided by the synagogue are encouraged to take them home.

All services are already livestreamed, and the synagogue may move to have everyone watch from home instead of attending in person, said Staniloff.

"As long as were healthy, we will conduct services here alone and broadcast them," he said of future plans.

On Friday, Manitoba Islamic Association cancelled its prayer services, education classes and social events at the Grand Mosque (Waverley Street) and Pioneer Mosque (Hazelwood Avenue) until further notice. Officials cited the high incidence of international travel among its constituents and the close proximity of people at prayers.

"Our congregants represent a challenging demographic (with) frequent travel overseas, lots of kids in programs, carpets, culture of handshakes and hugs, and worship in close proximity to each other," MIA president Idris Elbakri wrote in an email.

Denominational leaders across the country issued statements and protocols Friday, asking for prayers for those infected by the virus that causes COVID-19, and modifying practices around the serving of communion, suspending church potlucks meals in favour of brown-bag lunches, and having ushers hold on to the offering plate instead of passing it person to person.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Shaarey Zedek Synaoguge is moving its Saturday service to a bigger space so people can spread out more. 200313 - Friday, March 13, 2020.

(For details about specific practices or cancellations, contact your local congregation or check out the denominational websites.)

Winnipegs two Roman Catholic dioceses issued a joint pandemic protocol Friday afternoon, asking parishes to stop using wine chalices for communion, to empty and sanitize holy water fonts, and disinfect worship spaces after each service. Parishes are also requested to prepare a team of people to conduct Sunday liturgies, in case the parish priest falls ill.

For the first time in recent memory, Calvary Temple cancelled its three Sunday services, which attract up to 2,000 people, but will livestream its worship service in real time, said pastor Bruce Martin.

"Were sacrificing something we love to do for the benefit of others," said Martin, who will preach during the online service broadcast from the large downtown Winnipeg church. "We dont want to become part of the problem."

Church of the Rock will continue to meet at it four campuses across Winnipeg and one in Niverville, but is taking care to sanitize doorknobs, washrooms, and chairs in its main building on Buffalo Place with a sanitizer spray gun purchased last week, said lead pastor Mark Hughes.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Faith institutions are taking precautions around COVID-19, but still keeping doors open to provide people with hope and community.

"It sends out a mist with an ionized charge, so it clings to whatever is near," he said about the $2,000 cleaning tool loaded with a chlorine tablet and small amount of water.

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

Hughes said practices will evolve as the situation changes in Manitoba, but called for calmness instead of panic  and for Christians to help people in need, as they have done throughout their history.

"Christian people and people of faith need to step up, not step away," Hughes said in a telephone interview. "We need to help people, encourage people, and bring hope to people."

That message was echoed by Rev. Cathy Campbell, priest at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, who suggested the rapid spread of panic around COVID-19 might be stemmed by people talking to each other, gathering in small groups in safe ways, and helping those who are disadvantaged.

"As people get anxious and fearful, you lose the capacity to care about the people around you," said Campbell. "We have to be focused on the other, we have to be in relationship with other people."

faith@freepress.mb.ca

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Hungary will close all schools starting on Monday to combat the new coronavirus. Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Friday night in a video posted on the government's Facebook page that classes will be held for students only through distance learning, so they will be able to remain at home.

Hungary already suspended university classes earlier this week.

Orban said the government had set up a number of action groups to deal with different problem areas, including one tasked with restarting the economy after the crisis.

"We are expecting that the economy will soon stop and we have to restart it, for which government decisions will be needed," Orban said.

Orban added that Israel had been added to the list of countries whose citizens were not allowed to enter the country.

A travel ban was already in effect for Iran, Italy, China and South Korea.

Hungarian citizens returning from Israel will have to be quarantined for two weeks.
Trot Insider has learned that world champion and multiple award winner I Luv The Nitelife has passed away after complications from foaling. She was 10 years old.

"During foaling Nitelife experienced a dystocia where the foal was abnormally positioned," said attending farm veterinarian Dr. Courtney Pink. "Through great efforts we were able to deliver the foal, but unfortunately we lost them both. We are terribly saddened by the loss. May her legacy live on through her foals. She was a tremendous mare and will be greatly missed by all."

As a two-year-old, I Luv The Nitelife (Rocknroll Hanover-Lisjune) put together a record reading 4-4-1 in 10 freshman starts to bank $682,574 in purses for owners Richard & Joanne Young and trainer Chris Ryder. In addition to setting a world record of 1:50.1 in an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady at Mohawk Racetrack, she also won the final along with divisions of the Eternal Camnation and Bluegrass Stakes. I Luv The Nitelife was also a runner-up in the Champlain Stake, International Stallion Stakes and Breeders Crown. The O'Brien voters gave her the nod as their choice for Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year in 2012.

The voters had no doubt who was the best three-year-old pacing filly in 2013. I Luv The Nitelife won 13 of 15 races last year and $1.25 million en route to divisional honours as Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year in Canada and in the U.S. Her sophomore triumphs included the Breeders Crown, Fan Hanover, Valley Forge, Lynch Memorial, Jugette and Mistletoe Shalee. Her 1:48.4 time in the Valley Forge established a world record for a three-year-old filly on a five-eighths-mile track.

I Luv The Nitelife won 17 of 27 races and $1.94 million in purses. No female pacer in harness racing history has won more money at ages two and three.

The Youngs sold I Luv The Nitelife as a four-year-old to Adam Bowden's Diamond Creek Farm in 2014. She had three foals: Blacklight, a 2016 foal by Somebeachsomewhere; Millennial, a 2017 Sweet Lou colt and a 2019 Always B Miki yearling named Broadway.

"When we agreed to do the live foal cameras this year, we knew there would be a chance that something would go wrong," said Diamond Creek's Adam Bowden. "We feel it is important to show not just the highs but also the lows of life on a breeding farm. Unfortunately, this is one of the lowest moments, not only losing a mare of her caliber in the industry, but also her loss as a much-loved member of the farm."

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of I Luv The Nitelife.
When Shanti Day learned Friday afternoon that the coronavirus pandemic had pushed Bexar County school districts to extend Spring Break by a week, she had mixed feelings.

Day has 7-year-old twins at Castle Hills Elementary School. Her husband, a project manager for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning company, cant work from home. And she is a family lawyer who started hearing from clients embroiled in custody disputes concerning the lengthened vacation  situations that could require her to go to court.

We have to do something with my children, Day said. We cant just leave them at home alone, and of course theres not another place to send them. I get the need to do it and Im all for protecting the population so we dont all get sick and this gets worse, but its real frustrating because I dont know what were going to do.

As the virus continued to spread elsewhere and schools closed in other cities and states, San Antonio parents didnt know exactly what to expect. Then Friday morning, a San Antonio resident was diagnosed with the virus unconnected to those quarantined at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Mayor Ron Nirenberg declared a week-long public health emergency, banning crowds of more than 500 people.

Denisa Ojeda got a voice mail, in English and Spanish, from the San Antonio Independent School District at 3:30 p.m. announcing schools would remain closed for another week.

Wow, this is real, she thought.

Parents found themselves scrambling for child care. Days parents could step in to watch her children, but theyre over 70 years old  a high-risk population for the virus.

Ojeda, a business operations analyst for USAA, also planned to work from home and enlist the help of her mother to watch her 11-year-old son, who attends Japhet Academy on the Southeast Side.

This is going to be really difficult for a lot of families, she said. As it is we have a lot of kids, who are unsupervised on weekends and over the summer. ...Their parents dont have any other options.

Families whose children attend high-poverty schools that provide free meals also had to plan to feed their children at home. School districts said they would continue to distribute meals to families in need, through procedures to be announced next week.

Judson ISD identified six schools Friday that will serve grab-and-go breakfast between 8 and 9 a.m. and hot lunches for curbside pickup between 11 a.m. and noon. They are Candlewood, Hopkins, Olympia and Crestview elementary schools and Wagner and Judson high schools.

SAISD Board President Patti Radle said the school district was weighing meal distributions at all of its high schools. Ojeda said many of her neighbors wouldnt have transportation.

Thats probably where people like myself in the community need to step up and we need to reach out to our neighbors, Ojeda said. If folks cant pick up then maybe we take it upon ourselves, the greater community, to do some of those pickups and distribution.

Some school districts are providing educational materials online for students and alluded to the possibility of remote learning after next week. But district representatives and parents alike acknowledged online classes would be prohibitive for families without reliable internet or a device for every school-aged child.

SAISD is working to distribute devices to high school students in dual-credit classes through colleges that have moved to online instruction due to the virus, Radle said.

Shelley Potter, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, said after talking to educators in other parts of the country, members of her union hoped to put together educational packets and activities that could be completed totally offline and distributed along with food.

Potter joined State Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, in calling for the cancellation of state standardized testing this year. English and math tests are scheduled for the week of April 7.

The last thing we need schools focused on right now is that state test, Potter said.

Lupita Rivero has an 8-year-old daughter in the dual-language program at Lamar Elementary School  and a 27-year-old daughter scheduled to fly back Saturday morning from Madrid.

We are trying not to panic, Rivero said.

Rivero, who is bilingual, said most parents receive communications through a school Facebook group, but Friday afternoon she took it upon herself to translate the post into Spanish. She was planning on calling and texting other immigrant parents who are generally hard to reach.

They needed to know school would be closed next week, but also where to get meals and other services for their children. All the parents in Riveros daughters class would need child care except a few, including Rivero, who can work from home. Rivero earns a living baking for a local coffee shop.

Rivero hoped families could collaborate to provide child care for each other. Im worried about those parents, she said.

Emma Scurlocks daughter is 14 and in the eighth grade at IDEA Judson, a charter school that extended break by two weeks. She also wanted to team up with other parents to provide child care and activities for the children.

As parents, we need to stick together and try to help each other out, she said. I dont have a lot of money, but I have time and a car and anything I can do, Ill be glad to assist.

Some school boards will vote on resolutions to keep paying employees, including bus drivers and other hourly workers, through the emergency closure.

SAISD will take that up at the Tuesday board meeting, which will be held as scheduled, Radle said.

My guess is it will pass, she said.

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
Peter Dutton has given a condition update after contracting coronavirus - as an AFL star says the politician should be quarantined on Christmas Island.

The Home Affairs Minister was admitted to hospital after testing positive to COVID-19 on Friday.

'I'm feeling much better this morning - thank you to everyone for your well wishes,' he wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

The update comes as Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield suggested the minister should be taken to Christmas Island.

From his hospital bed, Mr Dutton tweeted he was 'disappointed' by comments from Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was admitted to hospital after testing positive to COVID-19 on Friday

Mr Dutton gave a condition update on Saturday. The minister said he was 'disappointed' by comments from Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen

'I was really disappointed to see comments by Chris Bowen seeking to make political advantage,' Mr Dutton said.

'Queensland Health has been amazing and their advice to me is they are only concerned about contacts I had from March 11. Nothing before that.

'This is a time for everyone to pull together as the prime minister and premiers did yesterday - not a time for making poorly informed cheap political statements.'

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy defended his advice to the federal cabinet not to be tested after Mr Dutton returned a positive result.

He argued people only needed to be tested after being in contact with an infected patients within 24 hours of them developing symptoms.

'If you have been in contact with them two or three days before they are symptomatic, they are very, very, very unlikely to be infectious,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton speaks to Prime Minister Scott Morrison 10 days before being diagnosed with coronavirus. Mr Morrison will not quarantine himself despite being in contact with Mr Dutton just days before he was diagnosed

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (third from right) was diagnosed with coronavirus just days after he met Ivanka Trump (fourth from right). Ivanka Trump is the daughter of US President Donald Trump. Picture taken March 5 in Washington DC

Labor health spokesman Chris Bowen questioned the advice when people were being told to self-isolate should they have come in contact with someone who contracted the virus.

'Now there is a lack of information before the Australian people, and this confusion makes it worse,' Mr Bowen told reporters in Sydney.

Mr Bowen also tweeted the government's isolation guidance, which urges return travellers from specific countries to self-isolate for 14 days.

'What the Opposition has pointed out is that the Cabinet should comply with the advice to the Australian public,' he wrote.

'If that advice has changed or been clarified they should update it for everyone.

'The confusion is made worse by the lack of a strong Fed Govt info campaign.'

Mr Dutton's update comes as members of the community suggest the minister should be taken to Christmas Island.

'Send him to Christmas Island and see how he likes it,' AFL star Dangerfield wrote in a tweet which has since been deleted.

The update comes as Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield suggested the minister should be taken to Christmas Island

A Change.org petition has also surfaced calling for Mr Dutton to be taken to the offshore detention centre

In a follow-up, Dangerfield said: 'Blank tweets from now on...'

A Change.org petition has also surfaced calling for Mr Dutton to be taken to the offshore detention centre.

'Today on Friday the 13th of March, the Honourable Peter Dutton tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,' the page says.

'We, the Australian people, demand that the Honourable Peter Dutton spend two weeks in quarantined isolation on Christmas Island.

'This request is in line with Member Dutton's ideals for other COVID-19 positive Australian nationals returning to Australia from abroad.'

The page, which has more than 1,300 signatures, also referred to previous comments by the minister.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that medical advice to the government was that Peter Dutton was only infectious in the 24 hours before he began showing symptoms. Mr Dutton said he felt fine until Friday morning when he woke with a temperature and sore throat

He previously said quarantine on the island was 'in the best interest of Australia and Australians'.

'Christmas Island is purpose-built for exactly this scenario,' Mr Dutton added.

Before testing positive to coronavirus, Mr Dutton shook hands with Ivanka Trump, met with the entire Australian Cabinet, caught three flights and opened a university.

Experts believe that a person with the deadly respiratory virus can be infected for up to 14 days before they display any symptoms.

It means that Mr Dutton may have been contagious up to two weeks ago when he appeared on the Today show alongside Karl Stefanovic and Alison Langdon on February 28.

Peter Dutton was in Washington DC to discuss ending child exploitation. Days before being diagnosed with coronavirus he met counterparts from the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance countries, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain

Peter Dutton (second from right) with US Attorney General William Barr (centre). He is with Acting Secretary for Homeland Security Chad Wolf, Britain's Minister of State for Security James Brokenshire, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair, and New Zealand's Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister for Children Tracey Martin

Just three days ago he met with Scott Morrison, treasurer Josh Frydenberg and other senior politicians to discuss the coronavirus stimulus package.

The government's official advice is that people should self-isolate if they come into contact with a known case of the virus.

Despite this, no other cabinet ministers, or Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will go into quarantine.

Mr Dutton took a commercial flight to the United States to meet security ministers from the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network in Washington on March 5.

He then delivered a speech to dozens of officials in Washington DC.

On March 9 Peter Dutton addressed a crowd of 430 invited guests to open the University of Sunshine Coast's new Moreton Bay Campus

A day later, he posed for pictures with his counterparts from across the Five Eyes alliance - New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada.

He also met with US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka, as well as America's attorney general William Barr.

He returned to Australia on the weekend and flew to Brisbane - again on a commercial flight, likely connecting via a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles.

Just days later on March 9, he attended the opening of a new campus at the University of Sunshine Coast - meeting with university officials and students.

Peter Dutton (far right) on the Today Show on Friday 28 February, 14 days before he was diagnosed with coronavirus. Mr Dutton missed his regular Friday appearance yesterday with hosts saying he was sick with a 'stomach bug' before the coronavirus diagnosis was announced

Ivanka and US Attorney General William Barr (left) posed with Australian minister Peter Dutton (right) at the White House on March 5. He has since tested positive for the virus

WHERE PETER DUTTON WENT BEFORE TESTING POSITIVE TO CORONAVIRUS February 28 Peter Dutton appears on the Today Show alongside hosts Karl Stefanovic and Alison Langdon March 5 Peter Dutton travels to the United States to meet security ministers from the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network in Washington DC There he delivers a speech to dozens of officials Mr Dutton meets with President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and American attorney general William Barr March 6 Mr Dutton poses for pictures with counterparts from across Five Eyes alliance including people from New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada March 7 Mr Dutton returns to Australia and travels to Brisbane, likely connecting via a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles March 9 Mr Dutton attends the opening of new campus at the University of Sunshine Coast There he met with students and university officials March 10 The Home Affairs Minister then attended a Cabinet meeting in Sydney, coming into contact with all other Cabinet ministers and Prime Minister Scott Morrison Mr Dutton then took another flight back to Brisbane from Canberra March 12 He appeared at the National Security Committee meeting via video link March 13 Mr Dutton wakes up with a temperature and a sore throat and tests positive to coronavirus He was admitted to Brisbane hospital Advertisement

The Home Affairs Minister then attended Tuesday's Cabinet meeting in Sydney, coming into contact with all other Cabinet ministers and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Dutton then took another flight back to Brisbane from Canberra.

On March 12, he appeared at the National Security Committee meeting via video link.

It was the next day, Friday March 13, when he says he woke up with 'a temperature and a sore throat', got tested, was found to have coronavirus, and was immediately admitted to a Brisbane hospital.

Mr Dutton said he 'feels fine'.

Medical experts say coronavirus is the most contagious when symptoms occur, but it can also spread beforehand.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said expert medical advice to the Government is that Mr Dutton was only infectious for 24 hours before the onset of symptoms.

Mr Morrison's office played down fears that up to 20 senior members of the Federal Government would be forced into isolation in the next two weeks.

Queensland Health would now conduct the appropriate contact tracing, the Prime Minister's spokesman has said.

New Zealand's Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin will isolate herself and get tested after she met Mr Dutton in the US, Stuff NZ reported.

Mr Dutton's coronavirus diagnosis comes as Mr Morrison announced a ban on mass gatherings of more than 500 people to try and stop the spread of the virus.

The AFL and NRL said they would play games without spectators on Friday to stop the spread of the virus.

The Grand Prix, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the Royal Easter Show have all been cancelled.

The coronavirus is making an impact on governments around the world with increasing numbers of politicians and those in their close circles being diagnosed.

US President Donald Trump has come in contact with a growing number of people who have themselves been in contact with confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (left) is waiting for the results of his test after one of his aides tested positive for the virus on March 6. He and Trump are shown shaking hands on March 7

Mr Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (left) and Ivanka (right) among a table of dignitaries at Mar-a-Lago. One of Bolsonaro's aides tested positive for the virus that day

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

On March 6, Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro attended an event with President Trump and his daughter Ivanka at Mar-a-Lago just hours after one of Mr Bolsonaro's aides tested positive for the virus.

President Trump is said to be 'very concerned' about potentially coming into contact with the virus.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now in isolation after his wife tested positive.

UK Health minister Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with the virus.

At least six British MPs are now in isolation including an unnamed Cabinet minister and Edward Argar who was filmed coughing and looking visibly ill while addressing MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
New Delhi: Bollywood stunner Kareena Kapoor Khan is currently busy shooting for 'Laal Singh Chaddha' with Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan. The two recently took off for their next schedule of shoot and Bebo, who recently joined Instagram decided to share an in-flight picture.

In the post shared by Kareena, Aamir is dozing off hugging his pillow. And the best part is that Bebo's awesome caption. She wrote: My fav co-star has to be @_aamirkhan's... pillow!

She revealed her favourite co-star happens to be Aamir Khan's pillow! Well, the actor is known to have a fetish for his pillow and is often spotted carrying it along with him to outdoor shoots multiple times.

Meanwhile, the two will be seen together in 'Laal Singh Chaddha' which is an official Hindi adaptation of Hollywood's blockbuster hit 'Forrest Gump' starring Tom Hanks. The venture is helmed by 'Secret Superstar' director Advait Chandan.

It will open in theatres on Christmas 2020. It has been produced by Aamir and wife Kiran Rao. Reportedly, 'Lal Singh Chaddha' will be shot pan India covering around 100 different locations and this is for the first time that a Hindi film will be shot at so many places.

The film features Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead opposite Aamir and this brings the two superstars back on-screen after a long hiatus. They were last seen together in '3 Idiots'.
She has been working hard to pursue a music career after her stint on X Factor: Celebrity.

But Samira Mighty enjoyed a night on the town amid the coronavirus pandemic as she headed to Mahiki in London on Friday.

The Love Island star, 23, showed off her sartorial style in a black denim jacket and shiny cargo trousers.

Girls' night out: Love Island's Samira Mighty enjoyed a night on the town amid the coronavirus pandemic as she headed to Mahiki in London on Friday

Samira cut a sporty figure as she decided to shun heels for white trainers.

The television personality layered a white T-shirt underneath the oversized denim jacket and let her patchwork trousers do all the talking.

She styled her glossy raven locks in soft tumbled curls and amped up the glamour with a full face of make-up.

Heading out: The reality star, 23, showed off her sartorial style in a black denim jacket and shiny cargo trousers

Keeping it casual: Samira cut a sporty figure as she decided to shun heels for white trainers

At the end of last year, Samira and her Love Island co-stars tried to pursue a singing career as they joined forces to form a band for the X Factor: Celebrity.

Samira, alongside Wes Nelson, Eyal Booker and Zara McDermott became No Love Lost in a bid to prove they are 'more than just reality stars'.

The former West End star and the band did well in the show but were ultimately beaten by former TOWIE star Megan McKenna.

Samira rose to fame on the hit ITV2 dating show Love Island and found love with Frankie Foster.

Strutting her stuff: The television personality layered a white T-shirt underneath the oversized denim jacket and let her patchwork trousers do all the talking

The star dramatically left the villa to be with her beau, only for cheating allegations to surface within weeks leaving her heartbroken.

Talking about their split to MailOnline Samira previously admitted she was 'disappointed' in Frankie, she said: 'I dont really feel anything anymore.'

'Not right now. Im just going to concentrate on myself. I just cant,' she continued.

'Im just going to be Sam for a while and just work really hard and if it happens it happens, and if it doesnt it doesnt. Im not looking for anything.'

Stunning: She styled her glossy raven locks in soft tumbled curls and amped up the glamour with a full face of make-up
Press Release

March 14, 2020 De Lima condemns perjury charges vs human rights defenders With the growing trend of the Duterte regime in misusing and abusing the law to silence its critics, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has denounced the recent perjury cases filed against human rights defenders and political activists. De Lima made the statement following reports that 10 human rights activists were charged with perjury in their writ of amparo filed before the Court of Appeals last year. The complaint was filed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon. "Under Duterte's tyrannical manipulations, human rights defenders are treated as criminals by our justice system while violators are given full protection," De Lima said in her recent Dispatch from Crame 731. "Binaboy na ng husto ni Duterte at ng kanyang mga alipores ang Rule of Law, mula sa paninira sa mga kritiko, pag-imbento ng mga kaso, pagkanlong sa mga tunay na kriminal, at pagpatay sa sarili nilang mamamayan," she added. Charged with perjury were Elisa Tita Lubi, Cristina Palabay, Roneo Clamor, Gabriela Krista Dalena, Edita Burgos, Jose Mari Calleung and Wilfredo Ruazol, all of whom belong to the human rights group Karapatan. Also charged were Gabriela members Joan May Salvador and Gertrudes Libang, and Sr. Emma Cupin, a 63-year-old nun who belongs to the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines. The lady Senator from Bicol pointed out that dissent and criticism against the government should be protected in a democracy and that human rights defenders, like her, should be spared from state-sanctioned persecution and harassment. "We live in a time when prosecuting erring public officials are exceptions, rather than the rule; where policemen and senior prosecutors spend more time pursuing and prosecuting libel and imaginary sedition cases against the political opposition rather than address the injustice committed by corrupt soldiers and policemen," she said. "If this administration can use our present laws to focus our resources on persecuting dissent, what incentive is there to give our government stronger legal weapons to surveil, attack, and detain people for prolonged periods of time based on barely anything more than mere suspicion?" she added. Last Feb. 26, the Anti-Terrorism Bill was approved in the 3rd reading thru a majority vote with Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros voting against it. De Lima noted that she would also have voted against it as well, if given the opportunity. Critics of the bill fear that when passed into law, the same may be abused by repressive leaders to surveil and detain persons perceived as critical to the government. De Lima, the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte administration, expressed apprehension that the misuse of lawfare will continue to pick up in the coming years, targeting more political leaders and human rights activists. "As Duterte clings desperately to a crumbling regime, we expect intensified attacks against democratic discourse and legitimate dissent," she said. "As it employs the state machinery against dissenters, it will also use the full force of this machinery to pursue its murderous anti-people policies. So now is not the time to stop, rest and be cowed," she added. In the 18th Congress, De Lima refiled her Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) Bill, now logged as Senate Bill (SB) 179 which seeks to provide state protection for human rights defenders against attack, harassment, intimidation, and reprisal. Under her proposed measure, a Human Rights Defenders Protection Committee shall be created and tasked to protect human rights defenders from intimidation and reprisals and to ensure accountability for acts of intimidation against them. It is also mandated to investigate all forms of violations of human rights against HRDs and prepare and submit reports on the situation of rights defenders to relevant international and regional human rights bodies and mechanisms, among others.
The properties overseas include two luxury hotels - one in New York and one in London - two residential apartments in London valued at 15 million each, and a yacht stationed in the UK.

In India, Kapoors six bungalows in Delhis upscale localities, including Jor Bagh, Hauz Khas, and Kautilya Marg, were also identified.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has identified assets and properties valued at thousands of crores belonging to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor and his family enterprises in India and abroad.

It is assessing these assets and is likely to seek provisional attachment in coming weeks.

The properties overseas include two luxury hotels - one in New York (worth over $20 million) and one in London (30 million) - two residential apartments in London valued at 15 million each, and a yacht stationed in the UK, said a senior ED official.

In India, Kapoors six bungalows in Delhis upscale localities, including Jor Bagh, Hauz Khas, and Kautilya Marg, were also identified.

One of these properties was bought from fugitive offender Vijay Mallya, said an official in the know.

Six flats and land in Mumbai and suburban areas have also been identified.

According to sources, the central agency suspects these properties were purchased from kickbacks that Kapoor and his family allegedly received from corporate whose loans were being disbursed by the bank on Kapoors instructions.

So far, the agency has seized close to 50 artworks and paintings from his residence at Samudra Mahal in Mumbai during searches.

The agency had searched the premises of Kapoor last weekend.

Before seizing the assets, the central agency will issue a provisional attachment order of proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which will be valid for 18 days until the sessions court confirms it and allows the enforcement agency to make a final confiscation on the ground that the said assets were created out of the process of money laundering.

Kapoor and his family (wife and three daughters) are facing money laundering charges for allegedly creating shell firms and using them to divert loans sanctioned to various corporate and receiving kickbacks during his tenure as managing director and chief executive officer of Yes Bank.

The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed the case against them on March 7.

Photograph: PTI Photo
[March 13, 2020] NMC INVESTOR DEADLINE: Bernstein Liebhard Announces That a Securities Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed Against NMC Health PLC

Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, announces that a securities class action has been filed on behalf of investors that purchased or acquired the securities of NMC Health PLC ("NMC Health" or the "Company") (OTC Pink:NMHLY) between March 13, 2016 and March 10, 2020 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you purchased NMC Health securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit NMC Health Shareholder Class Action or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected]. According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company lacked effective internal controls and risk management; (2) the Company engaged in undisclosed and extensive related party and de facto related party transactions; (3) NMC's debts were significantly understated and obfuscated; (4) NMC's cash-on-hand figures were overstated; (5) NMC's principal shareholdes were not accurately reporting or accounting their interests or stakes in the Company; (6) NMC did not review or know their principal shareholders interests or stakes in the Company; (7) consequently, the Company was not enforcing its Relationship Agreement with the principal shareholders; and (8) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.



On March 10, 2020 the truth was finally revealed when Bloomberg (News - Alert) published an article titled "Abu Dhabi Insurer Steps In to Help NMC Health Pay Salaries" the article reported that an insurer was assisting to pay NMC's expenses. On this news, NMC ADSs fell $3.28 per ADS, or almost 64% to close at $1.85 per ADS on March 10 2020. If you purchased NMC Health securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/nmchealthplc-nmhly-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-stock-fraud-266/apply/ contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected].

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 11, 2020. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2020 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200313005568/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
With schools across the Bay Area and the nation shutting down, economic productivity is sure to take a hit.

Some people can work from home while they supervise their kids  but any parent will tell you that theyll get less done. And many parents dont have that option. Staying home with their children often means forgoing a paycheck. Pain will be felt at understaffed workplaces as well  especially in the medical sector, which is mustering all available staff to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Heather Bollinger, an emergency room nurse at San Francisco General Hospital, said her colleagues immediately starting discussing the impact on staffing when news broke Thursday afternoon that public schools in San Francisco would shut down for three weeks.

They need us as much as possible now, she said.

Her own situation has some flexibility. Like many nurses, she works 12-hour shifts, but that means she doesnt work every day, and usually starts in the late morning. Her husband can do some telecommuting or come home early. At ages 11 and 8, her kids are old enough to leave alone for a couple of hours.

Theyre like, Yeah, TV! she said. Im already reaching out to friends, saying, if you need child care, lets talk about our schedules and see how we can support each other.

Sal Rosselli, president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, said he hopes medical providers support workers now forced to juggle their family responsibilities by allowing them to adjust work hours or swap shifts. For some employees, such as advice nurses and behavioral health specialists, allowing them to work from home would help, he said.

Were trying to work with all employers on a number of fronts to increase the flexibility in accommodation, he said.

The economic cost of closing all U.S. schools for four weeks would be $10.6 billion to $47.1 billion, according to a 2009 Brookings Institution study, which presciently looked at the concept as a way of addressing an influenza pandemic. The cost of a 12-week closure would range from $31.3 billion to $141.3 billion. The latter figure would erase a full percentage point of U.S. gross domestic product.

For hourly workers, contingent workers and those required to work at a physical space, (school closings) put a big strain on them, said Michael Bernick, an attorney at San Franciscos Duane Morris law firm and former head of the state Employment Development Department. None of this is good.

In other words, the pain will be disproportionate, most affecting families with just one earner and lower-income people who not only cant afford to miss work, but might lose their jobs altogether.

School closures affect poor and working-class families the most, said Julie Roberts-Phung, co-founder of SF Families Union, an organization with families whose children attend public schools in the city.

There are folks scrambling to figure out three weeks worth of day care and access to food, she said.

Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle

Lower-income families often rely on grandparents and relatives to help with child care but that might be tougher to do during the school closures, as it brings up the risk of spreading COVID-19 to vulnerable people, Roberts-Phung said.

Christa Duran, a registered ER nurse at San Francisco General, is caring for her 4-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter at home after West Contra Costa Unified School District announced it was shutting down schools for three weeks.

Duran, who works part time, said she is lucky that she scheduled herself for weekend shifts for the next month. But as a mandated disaster worker, she may also be called in if the health crisis accelerates.

If I get mandated, Im going to run into an issue, she said.

Durans husband has a less forgiving schedule, and Duran is particularly concerned about caring for her son, who has autism. His therapy sessions have been halted with the schools closure, and he needs additional support. If shes called in for extra shifts, Duran said, shell have to make tough child care decisions.

I dont want to leave them with my dad, whos 65 and overweight, she said. Because children are like little petri dishes, some of them.

Medical workers and low-income parents could find some child care relief.

Starting Monday, the San Francisco Public Library and the Recreation and Park Department will run libraries and indoor recreation facilities as emergency care facilities for children of parents on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak and low-income families, the city said. That includes San Francisco hospital staff, Department of Public Health employees and disaster workers. The program will cover K-12 children, while First 5 San Francisco will arrange child care for young children. Eligibility information is at www.dcyf.org.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Some medical providers are stepping up to help employees with on-site child care.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center, a primary care provider for about 12,000 patients a year, will offer childwatch for workers children, said Brenda Storey, executive director. Childwatch means caring for children while the parent is nearby, as opposed to child care, which has more legal requirements.

Well get creative with the conference room where it will be held, she said. Staff can come and see their kids during lunch and breaks.

Aubrie Stone, another ER nurse at San Francisco General, echoed Durans concerns about leaving children with older parents. Stones mother is in her late 60s, and is supposed to be quarantining herself.

Stone, who works a swing shift three days a week, has two sons, in second and fifth grades in the San Mateo Foster City Unified School District, where schools are closed until the end of April. Stones husband also works and cant get the time off to care for the children.

Im thinking, Oh crap, on hearing the news, Stone said. I cant leave my family unattended. I really dont have a plan.

What happens if in five weeks it gets worse before it gets any better? she said. I dont have five weeks of paid time off.

Stone stressed that she and her colleagues have a moral obligation to their patients, particularly in this time of crisis. Shes one of those nurses who can do everything  trauma, triage, team lead  so taking time off just isnt in the cards during a worldwide pandemic.

I want to help  this is what we do, its in our heart, she said. Now its like, we have to react.

Carolyn Said, Shwanika Narayan and Megan Cassidy are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid @Shwanika @meganrcassidy
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, B-town celebs on Saturday urged fans to take all the precautionary measures to fight the pandemic.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher cautioned the fans and tweeted, "Hello my friends .... Take care of yourself! You are the nearest and dear ones."

Abhishek Bachchan shared his picture wearing a mask on Instagram along with a caption that reads, "Stay safe!"

Malaika Arora took to Instagram and advised fans to follow the WHO recommended safety and hygiene steps and suggested to stay indoors as much as possible. Along with the note, she shared her picture in which she is seen sanitising her hands.

Dia Mirza took to Twitter and shared a message by the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterre and wrote, "This is the time for prudence not panic." Thank you @antonioguterres #ForPeopleForPlanet #COVID19."

Twinkle Khanna advised to keep the loved ones close amid coronavirus on Twitter and wrote, "This can also be seen as a reset button. Time to think about what we need versus what we chase. Learning to keep our loved ones close and the world at a distance is the silver lining to this spiky, black cloud. #LoveInTheTimeOfCorona."

Coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India has risen to 82.

World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concern.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Alabama faces its first coronavirus cases, you may have noticed completely empty shelves at the grocery store. Thats where the toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer used to be. The last aisle at Costco was so full of gaps I initially mistook it for Alabamas defense when the team played LSU back in November. Another state emergency.

But I had arrived at Costco with a sense of survival. I wanted to be prepared for a possible two-week quarantine period should I be unlucky enough to get coughed on. As soon as I stepped foot in the door, I immediately regretted it. There were people everywhere, some delicately balancing stacks of water in their carts, while others looked suspiciously at their fellow shoppers who had managed to find the elusive paper products. The parking lot was mostly full, as it had been at Walmart and Target days before.

My fathers toilet paper and fried pie hoarding is finally gonna pay off  Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) March 13, 2020

All around Mobile and other cities in Alabama, stores of all sizes have been completely sold out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

I havent seen it this busy in a long time, said Kathy Morris, who was shopping at Costco with her husband. We came because we saw a person had tested positive in the news.

Everyone I spoke to at Costco had come for the same reason. David Bailey said he was planning on stocking up for more than the two weeks. I think people know this may go on for months, he said while putting three cases of water into his cart. They said two weeks but why would I go outside and be with other people if others still have it. Thats why I think all the alcohol hand liquids and paper products are sold out.

Costco in Mobile has run out of almost all paper products, including toilet paper.

The apocalyptic nature of people preparing for an emergency is something Ive never quite understood. Whether its the neurotic couple living in the suburbs  who still think downtown is a warzone  or the true survivalists who have been preparing for the end of the world by hoarding guns and learning to make their own bread.

Regardless of where you live in Alabama, people have gone into a panic - the same way they do when someone softly whispers snow.

I endured Hurricane Sandy back in 2012, which brought New York City to a watery and darkened standstill. I didnt buy any milk or bread in preparation, as is often the case when Americans face impending doom. That was mostly because Im stupid and genuinely thought everything would be OK. I was right. I was fine, but I was also lucky. I lived way up in Manhattan, far from the flooding zones. It was just a little windy where I was. Part of my roof blew off, but the stores were open and I didnt go hungry.

That experience has left me complacent and suspicious of the hysteria surrounding so-called emergencies. But knowing my luck, I would have got the virus and had to survive on the kindness of brave Dominoes delivery drivers. So, Im trying to be kinda prepared, for everyones sake.

Costco in Hoover is packed. No shopping carts in corrals, people parking at curbs and long line of cars trying to get in and out....from @bmauter Posted by James Spann on Friday, March 13, 2020

Heres the thing, this is a different type of emergency.

You arent going to get a neatly presented weather forecast from the reassuring face of James Spann, who tells you whats coming and how long you have to prepare. Yes, there is a lot of local and national reporting on the virus, but once you get sick you cant just pop to Winn-Dixie to pick up a rotisserie chicken and some Natty Light.

Experts suggest you should prepare even if youre statistically unlikely to get sick.

Thats what Ive done. I reluctantly went grocery shopping to get ready for those two weeks of possible lonely bliss. You may want to be alone for a little longer if youve made the mistake of looking at your 401K.

As a single guy who lives alone with a 14-year-old cat, my needs are relatively simple. On top of that rather bleak existence, I also have a small apartment with very little storage space.

In short, I have to be thoughtful about what I buy and consider my rich history of letting food go bad. I stuff things into the vegetable drawer of death for months at a time. I have frozen meat from 2017. And lets not forget the several jars of old peanut butter where the oil has separated from the actual peanuts, or granola so old that it can never be separated. The Greek yogurt in my fridge isnt just a tragedy, it may contain the cure for coronavirus.

My advice is to think more about Michelin Man than Michelin Star. Be practical, be sensible. Look for food that can last for long periods. Frozen vegetables are perfect. I dont have the space, unfortunately. For context, I dont make shopping lists or have recipes in mind when I shop. Im what I like to call a culinary free spirit.

I ventured first to the aisle with the baked beans. I dont ever buy them, but I figured that if it was good enough for lonesome cowboys in the wilderness it was good enough for two weeks of quarantine. But it did look weird next to my chickpea rotini  something that has never featured in a Western. I bought eight cans of beans and the same number of the rotini boxes.

Those are non-perishable items, so ideal for keeping at home long after the virus is gone. I also picked up a six-pack of Stag Chili, which I suppose, after the fact, will go with my 12 pouches of microwavable cauliflower rice. I had thought about buying a sack of rice, but for some reason, Im terrible at cooking rice. People say its easy. Its deceptively hard.

And no disaster preparedness is complete without Spam. I have eight tins, all good until Feb. 2023.

In addition, and to look a little cultured, I got a large jar of pesto and big bags of green beans, cherry tomatoes and brussels sprouts. I bought some cured meat since it can last for long periods and goes great with soups and stews, not that I bought anything to make those with. I have pitted dates, satsumas, bananas and chocolate protein bars for snacks.

For liquid, I have 48 bottles of water, even though Im pretty sure my water will be fine, 30 cans of seltzer and a large bag of coffee. I also have two cases of White Claw and one case of Miller Lite  for St. Patricks Day. Theres very little that can stop a party day in Mobile.

I have still been unable to find toilet paper thats not that Scotts one-ply monstrosity. Youd be better off using Spam. I bought a 12-pack of Kleenex just in case I run out.

And lastly, I bought two jars of artichoke hearts to give us some hope. I tried.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.
Civil Aviation Minister on Saturday said so far nearly 1.2 million passengers coming from abroad have been screened for at various across the country.

Speaking at "Wings India 2020" an aviation related event being held here, the Union Minister said there would be a drop of 15 to 20 per cent in domestic air traffic for time being due to the virus concerns.

He further said, out of over 1.1 million passengers who were screened at 30 only 3,225 were referred to tests.

Indian have "set up a benchmark" for other countries in terms of taking precautionary measures such as screening and making facilities available at aerodromes in the wake of the virus outbreak, he added.
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Following the incident at the Argungu festival in Kebbi State when an unknown man aggressively rushed the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian public were thrown to confusion over the intentions of the unknown man.

It was largely believed to be an attack by majority of the viewers of the video recording of the incident which was posted online on twitter. The short video showed the immediate reaction of the security agents surrounding the President as being violent and shocked. Initial reports indicated that the unknown man was shot in the leg by the security operatives while other reports indicated the man was shot dead.

The media team of the President was quick to clear the air that the unknown man was not out to attack the President. They stated that the unknown man was targeting the President for a handshake. He wanted to shake the Presidents hands.

Buharis media team may have made the claims but the evidence from the video showed otherwise. The video showed the unknown man reaching out with his left hand and a clinched fist.

However, the unknown man in a recent video claims to have not attacked the President.

I did not attack President @MBuhari  Mohammed Jamil. This wont trend as usual. pic.twitter.com/DZfF3t2IVS  Francis Ekpenyong (@ekpesfrancis) March 13, 2020

He says his name is Mohammed Jamil. He spoke to reporters  with Kebbi State politicians standing next him. He stated that he was never manhandled by the DSS or any other security operator. The DSS also shared this same opinion in their recent press release.
Around a dozen members of parliament and a couple of ministers (ironically in the Department of Health and Social Care) have either been tested positive for coronavirus or are in the process of diagnosis, and are self-isolating. Apart from wishing them to get well soon, and without wishing to be flippant, does it matter?

Obviously it is not ideal, but absentee MPs are not such an unusual phenomenon. Some seats in Northern Ireland have had abstentionist Sinn Fein MPs for many years. For reasons of principle they refuse to take up their seats at Westminster, and do not take part in debates, committee work or any of the other political activities of the House of Commons. Nonetheless, they are elected by their constituents in the full knowledge that they will self-impose isolation from the Westminster bubble. The Sinn Fein MPs can still undertake typical constituency work from their local office, or from home.

Other MPs have occasionally disappeared, been sent to prison, suspended from the house, died or simply disappeared. More often they can become too ill to work. In such circumstances the whips can sustain a pairing arrangement whereby the effect on votes in the Commons is neutralised (provided it is honoured). Otherwise a friendly MP in a neighbouring constituency can take on the local duties. And of course the 14 weeks or so of parliamentary recesses this year takes the edge off any unscheduled absences.
On Friday, Oct. 11, headlines blared of crude-tanker rates topping $300,000 per day, but the reality didn't quite match the initial hype.

Those numbers were for conditional deals, known in the industry as "on subjects." Panicked charterers spent the following weekend calming their nerves, and the following week, they backed out. The charter negotiations failed. The highest rate in October that was actually "fully fixed" with "subjects lifted" (confirmed) was at around $200,000 per day, according to Jefferies shipping analyst Randy Giveans.

Fast forward five months to this Friday. The "last-done " spot rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs; tankers that carry 2 million barrels of crude oil) were back to October's stratospheric levels, driven by a Saudi Arabian export spree. This time, there have been almost no failed deals  and the rates still appear to be rising.

As of 1 p.m. Friday EST, fully fixed and confirmed rates had yet to top the October peak, but the market situation feels even better this time around than in October, Giveans told FreightWaves.

Typically, he explained, charterers put ships on subjects for two to three days to get the contracts signed by supervisors, and some charterers have abused this process to wait to see if rates on offer decline in the coming days. If so, they cancel and renegotiate. This week, the lofty rates placed on subjects Tuesday and Wednesday have been followed by even higher prices later in the week.

On Friday, Saudi Arabian shipping company Bahri put the VLCC Sea Splendor on subs at $369,456 per day for a voyage from the Middle East Gulf (MEG) to the U.S. Gulf, according to the Tankers International (TI) commercial pool. Earlier that day, the DHT Lake was put on subs at $280,415 per day for a voyage from the MEG to China.

The fully fixed six-figure-per-day deals from earlier in the week reported by TI include the Boston (MEG to Red Sea) at $194,979 per day; Kos (MEG to China), $181,821 per day; Chryssi (MEG to China), $159,840 per day; Atromitos (MEG-China), $167,031 per day; Syfnos (MEG to China), $131,317 per day; Agios Fanourios I (MEG to Red Sea), $128,436 per day; Landbridge Prosperity (MEG to Korea), $127,663 per day; and Astro Chloe (Mexico to India) at $114,763 per day.

Story continues

TI has reported one contract failure: The Skopelos went on subs on Thursday (MEG-China) at $230,000 per day, and the deal was cancelled the next day. All eyes are now on the fate of the contract for the Maran Antares, which was put on subs on Wednesday (MEG to Thailand) at $310,505 per day.

There were widespread fixture failures during the October 2019 peak. Given that almost none of the current deals are failing, and given the record day rates for ships put on subs Wednesday and Thursday, the topping of the October highs appears likely and imminent.

The caveat is that spot rates ultimately hit a limit where it doesn't make sense for refiners and traders to take the deal because the freight cost erases their margins. That ceiling halted the VLCC spike in October.

According to Frode Mrkedal, managing director of research at Clarksons Platou Securities, "Current freight rates are starting to look elevated when compared with refining margins, which raises the question of how long this can last.

"In October 2019, when rates spiked to similar levels, freight contracts never materialized as charterers didn't lift subjects. However, we hear from brokers that the last few days very healthy freight levels are being lifted, which we think is a strong testament and points to actual earnings looking at breaking new records."

He continued, "A news report this morning from Bloomberg says Sinopec is looking to defer some April volumes from the Middle East as freight is above 20% of the cost. However, we would note that Unipec and other Chinese charterers have not really been in the market of late and hence we don't think this is material.

"Fundamentally, the current spike in rates is driven by a surge in Saudi oil production and hence can be seen as an oil supply push, which we argue would happen almost irrespective of what refining demand is in the short term," Mrkedal said.

This week's surge in rates for VLCCs has buoyed listed tanker owner stocks, which have emerged as an investor hedge and haven amid the Wall Street carnage. Over the past week, the share prices of DHT (NYSE: DHT), Frontline (NYSE: FRO) and Euronav (NYSE: EURN) have risen 28%, 20% and 18%, respectively.

More FreightWaves/American Shipper articles by Greg Miller

Image Sourced from Pixabay

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 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 17:54:38|Editor: huaxia

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The deployment of cutting-edge technologies in China's battle against the coronavirus has been very opportune. Such a public health emergency has shown the world how effective technologies can be in offering humanitarian relief.

by Xinhua writers He Leijing, Qin Huajiang, Zhu Xiao and Yan Rui



NANJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- From 5G robots, 3D-printed supplies to far-reaching medical advances, China has tackled the novel coronavirus with its tech prowess, which is proven effective as more promising signs signal progress in the country's anti-virus fight.



Cute, swift robots delivering packages, AI-backed voice assistants and unmanned drones with a loudspeaker reminding people to wear masks are no longer confined to the realm of science fiction, as they are actually taking place across China.

A smart mobile robot, with functions like facial recognition and temperature screening, has been patrolling in the city of Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, to help control the spread of the coronavirus.

A smart mobile robot, with functions like facial recognition and temperature screening, patrols at an administrative service center in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 21, 2020. (Xinhua)

Featured with technologies of 5G, cloud computing and intelligent vision, the robot can simultaneously track more than 30 people, according to the Suzhou Innovation Research Institute of Nanjing University, one of its developers.

"The robot can tell whether people are wearing masks. And if not, it will beep and give a verbal reminder," said Chen Jie, a researcher with the institute.

In Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu, robots are replacing deliverymen during the epidemic. Launched by leading Chinese e-commerce company Suning.com, the robots are utilized to complete door-to-door deliveries as many neighborhoods have restricted access after the virus outbreak.

According to Suning, the robot has a maximum loading capacity of 145 liters and will be disinfected after each delivery. With a positioning accuracy of fewer than 50 mm, it can map out delivery routes and avoid obstacles, working for up to 10 hours on a charge.

The robot has also played its part in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, by delivering urgent medical supplies and daily necessities after the city implemented strict traffic restrictions.

A robot of leading Chinese e-commerce company Suning.com delivers goods at a residential area in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 10, 2020. (Xinhua)

The deployment of cutting-edge technologies in the battle against the coronavirus has been very opportune, said Michael Walsh, chief executive of the Pacific Basin Economic Council when interviewed by China Daily last month.

Such a public health emergency has taught the world how effective technologies can be in offering humanitarian relief, he added.

Bruce Aylward, team leader of the China-World Health Organization (WHO) joint mission on the coronavirus, said he was impressed by China's pragmatic, systemic and innovative approach to control the outbreak after his nine-day field study trip in the country.

FRONTLINE MARVELS

After the outbreak, the Suzhou Jiangnan Aerospace Mechanical and Electric Industry Co., Ltd. immediately mobilized nine sets of "mobile hospital" equipment to aid the makeshift hospitals in Wuhan.

The equipment consists of specialized vehicles that can support rescue workers in surgeries, telecommunications, electricity and other areas, according to the company.

To properly handle medical waste, a kind of mobile incineration cabin, with a size of three standard containers, is used in Wuhan, which can incinerate 5 tonnes of medical waste daily, burning waste into harmless ashes within 20 minutes, said the developer Nanjing Luzhou Machine Co., Ltd.

Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the medical waste incineration cabins at a factory of Nanjing Luzhou Machine Co., Ltd. under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)

3D-printed quarantine rooms are also cutting an eye-catching figure on the front line in hardest-hit Hubei Province. The rooms of about 10 square meters each are well-equipped with an air-conditioner, bathroom and shower facilities for patients under quarantine, according to its developer, a materials company based in Suzhou.

Tech companies across China have been devoted to product innovation amid the virus outbreak. A research and development team from Harbin Xinguang Optic-Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. only spent five days in inventing a new type of spectrum thermometer.

"The thermometer can detect abnormal body temperatures within a 30-meter radius in less than one second," said Qu Bo, deputy general manager of the Heilongjiang-based company, adding that they are operating in full swing to ensure the supplies of epidemic prevention materials.

A technician of the Harbin Xinguang Optic-Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. adjusts the spectrum thermometer in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

MEDICAL SOLUTIONS

Chinese scientists are racing to make scientific and technological breakthroughs, said Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, noting that the country has adopted treatment methods that combine traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Nucleic acid testing is playing an important role in coronavirus detection. Experts in Jiangsu's Wuxi have developed a rapid nucleic test kit, which can screen the infection within 15 minutes, according to a biotech company in the city.

A total of 14 products for testing the virus have been approved for clinical use, according to Wu Yuanbin, director-general of science and technology for social development with the Ministry of Science and Technology, at a press conference on March 6.

"Nucleic acid testing can detect the gene sequence of the virus and China's sequencing technical capabilities have proved to be among the best in the world, as the gene of the coronavirus was successfully sequenced in just one week after the outbreak," said Tammy Tan, founder of a biotech company in Jiangsu.

Photo taken on Feb. 20, 2020 shows a QR code for passengers to register their information and trace back their travel routes in a subway train in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

Vaccines are also being developed at a rarely seen speed in China. Some vaccines against the coronavirus are expected to enter clinical trials in April, according to Zheng Zhongwei, director of the Development Center for Medical Science and Technology of the National Health Commission.

Zheng said the research and development of vaccines are carried out according to laws and technical requirements, and Chinese researchers have maintained exchanges with the WHO on the standard of vaccines.

"Our goal is to release the vaccine as soon as possible while ensuring its safety and effectiveness," he added.





(Video reporters: Qi Hongxin, Wang Song, Li Bo and Wu Xinsheng; Video editor: Zheng Xin )


Liberal Party officials are preparing to go ahead with next Sunday's preselection battle for the federal seat of Menzies despite concerns about public gathering amid the coronavirus.

About 300 Liberal members are expect to take part in the ballots between federal parliament's longest-serving MP, Kevin Andrews, and barrister and former soldier Keith Wolahan.

Kevin Andrews is subject to a rare challenge to a sitting MP.

Liberal state director Sam McQuestin said the party would be guided by the government's advice and that of health authorities ahead of the preselection, which will be held at the Manningham Club in Bulleen on March 22.

Mr McQuestin said the party would also make its own efforts to ensure social distancing measures were in place to guarantee the health and wellbeing of members.
Damage was visible at a missile storage and propellant production facility near Baghdad on Friday, a day after a US airstrike that killed at least five Iraqis, according to local police. "The statistics available to us at the present time are five martyrs from the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police," said Major General Ali Zughaibi, commander of the Babylon Police.

US retaliatory airstrikes against militants in Iraq have this week destroyed five weapons depots.

According to the U.S. military, the locations of the strikes were largely around the Baghdad region. The strikes hit weapons storage facilities in Karbala, Al-Musayib, and Arab Nawar Ahmad and a missile storage and propellant production facility in Jurf al-Sakher.

The top U.S commander for the Middle East acknowledged Friday that there are many similar sites that the U.S. has so far not hit because of potential civilian casualties and political sensitivities with the Iraqi government.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie said the US decision to target the Iranian-backed Shiite militia group that killed American and British troops in a rocket attack this week sends a strong message to Iran and its proxies.

But he said that as the threat of continued attacks remains high and tensions with Iran have not gone down, the US is beefing up military assets in the region.

Kataib Hezbollah, the group the US blames for the Wednesday attack at Camp Taji base that killed two US and one British service members and wounded 14 other personnel, has not commented on the strikes, but another Iranian-backed group has vowed revenge.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: Two personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) were killed and another injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion triggered by Maoists near Bodli in Jagdalpur district in Chhattisgarh, about 330 km south of Raipur.

A joint team comprising the CAF, CRPF and district police force was out on operation to offer security cover for road construction work between Malewahi and Bodili camp along the Dhaudai-Barsur route.

The Maoists ambushed the troopers resulted in an exchange of fire. While swiftly taking positions, two jawans were hit by an IED blast and died on the spot.

We lost two men in an IED blast detonated by Maoists near Bodli village in Bastar district. The rebels also opened fire resulting in an encounter. One jawan also sustained injuries, said Sunderraj P, Bastar inspector general of police.

The deceased constables were identified as Upendra Sahu and Devendra Singh.

Reinforcements were rushed to the region and the search operation further intensified, the police said. The armed Naxals managed to flee into the nearby forests.

The injured assistant sub-inspector SM Rahman was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

The outlawed CPI (Maoist) has been waging a protracted insurgency in Chhattisgarh for over three decades now.
Mar 14, 2020 KRR

Actor Dev Sharma will soon be seen in Aa Bhi Ja O Piya, a film he describes as a complete family entertainer that talks of family values, bonding and relationships.

The film is directed by Rajesh Harivansh Mishra. Dev has earlier featured in films like Yaariyan (2014), Heropanti (2014) and Muzzafarnagar: The Burning Love (2017). Dev will play the character Kaushal, a simple guy who believes and follows family values, in the flick.

Kaushal creates a nursery of bonsai plants in his village. He studies that in Delhi and comes to his village in Jharkhand to open a nursery.

Debutant actress Smriti Kashyap is paired opposite Dev in the film. The music of the film is composed by Ashutosh Singh.

Click the Movie button below for more info:

Aa Bhi Ja O Piya
By Carolina Mandl

SAO PAULO, March 14 (Reuters) - Brazilian miner Vale SA has included environmental, social and governance goals to the long-term variable compensation of its top management and resumed 2019 bonus payments, according to a securities filing on Saturday.

The move comes as Vale's reputation was hurt after its tailings dam at Brumadinho burst in January last year, killing more than 270 people in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

Health, safety and sustainability targets will respond to 20% of the long-term variable compensation, while the remaining part will depend on Vale's total shareholder return compared to its peers, starting this year, the company said.

Until last year, long-term compensation was entirely based on shareholder return, although short-term bonuses already included sustainability goals.

Vale also said it resumed payments of variable compensation for employees who are not under investigation of the Brumadinho disaster. The company had canceled 2019 variable compensation after it experienced the second deadly dam burst over a four-year period.

"2019 was Vale's most challenging year. Leadership and employees showed resilience amid all difficulties," the company said in the filing, justifying its decision to resume variable compensation.

Vale paid its employees 77.2 million reais in variable compensation for their performance in 2019, 42% down from 2018.

The miner is proposing to its shareholders to merge Ferrous Resources do Brasil, which it acquired in August, with Mineracao Jacuipe SA, aiming to cut costs.

(Reporting by Carolina Mandl Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved an ordinance that will allow the states authorities to recover losses to public and private property caused during riots, demonstrations, political processions and illegal agitations.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the cabinet meeting that approved the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Properties Ordinance-2020 .

The cabinet has approved the ordinance having provisions for recovery of damages caused to public or private properties during any agitation, minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna told reporters.

The state government received a rebuke on Monday from the Allahabad high court for putting up hoardings containing the names, photos and addresses of purported rioters in Lucknow who took part in the violent demonstrations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act from whom compensation has been sought for damage to property. On Thursday, the Supreme Court decided to refer to a larger bench a plea by the Uttar Pradesh government against the order.

Khanna said the Supreme Court had in the past observed that a strict law was needed to check damage to public and private property during political processions, illegal demonstrations, strikes and agitations. Her said the SC had asked for videos, investigations and setting up of claims tribunals for recovery of damages, adding that the cabinet had unanimously approved the new ordinance. No further details about the provisions of the new law were available.

The state cabinet has apparently taken the ordinance route to empower the government to put up hoardings/posters of protesters at public places and recover damages.

Khanna said rules pertaining to such issues would be drafted. He said the rules would be notified once approved by the cabinet.

Uttar Pradesh government spokesman and cabinet minister Siddharth Nath Singh said the state government had so far been was seeking to recover damages through a government order.

He said the cabinet thanked Adityanath for his decision to take the issue of erecting public hoardings to the Supreme Court.

Samajwadi Party state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary called the ordinance undemocratic and draconian. Chaudhary said: The step smacks of misuse of power.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Umesh Raghuvanshi Umesh Raghuvanshi is a journalist with over three decade experience. He covers politics, finance, environment and social issues. He has covered all assembly and parliament elections in Uttar Pradesh since 1984. ...view detail
As Florida legislators spent most of the final regular day of the legislative session scrambling to piece together a $300 million contingency plan to address the novel coronavirus, bills died, the budget shrank and legislators worried.

In the end, after ignoring the coronavirus for the past month, legislative leaders succumbed to the threat of the contagious scourge and revamped their budget, then scheduled an overtime session to finish their financial work.

House and Senate leaders announced they will continue to negotiate the $92 billion spending plan and complete it by Saturday, which would start the constitutionally required 72-hour waiting period before a final vote could be taken. They plan to return to take a final vote by Friday.

But just as the threat of the spreading pandemic forced legislative leaders to reconfigure the state budget, worried lawmakers asked for legislative leaders to reconsider returning to the Capitol to avoid infecting each other.

I have to ask if there is not some possibility that we could investigate a way that would allow some of us, particularly those of us who are high risk, to be able to cast a vote electronically, asked Sen. Joe Geller, D-Aventura.

Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil, a Maitland Democrat whose brother served as the Houses doctor of the day, said he strongly urged legislators to not return next week.

He must have said 100 times to the members here that he thinks its a really bad idea to come back next week, she said. Judging by the way the disease progressed in Italy, he says were all going to be exposed to it ... It is should be hitting us like a wave next week.

House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, said he would investigate the options but wasnt optimistic.

We must be here present in order to vote on this budget, he said, adding that he considers the reaction to the pandemic and the subsequent impact on the state economy to be somewhat overblown.

Theres a great deal of hysteria going on, he told House members. Theres a great deal of people acting in extreme ways. Theres no real way to fully understand what the impact of the decisions of very large companies and theme parks have done.

Story continues

The avalanche of closings and surge of Floridians testing positive forced legislators to confront the impact the crisis will have on the state budget, which by law does not need to be completed until June 30.

On Thursday, they started plans to scale back a tax cut bill that was about $150 million less than they had initially hoped to spend, and in the last two days they found another $100 million by eliminating budget projects. More than $300 million will be set aside in the budget stabilization fund, Oliva said, to be used to offset declining state revenues as needed to continue to operate government.

Standstill and flurry

As the focus shifted Friday, many bills died.

This is the slowest Day 60 Ive ever had, said Rep. Jamie Grant, R-Tampa.

Among the casualties was a proposal to create a statewide resiliency office and sea level rise task force, a long-sought attempt to update Floridas sentencing laws like many other states, and a school safety bill that would have implemented some recommendations of the post-Parkland commission.

Two criminal justice reform bills also died. One would have allowed judges to impose sentences less than the mandatory minimums for certain drug crimes, and prohibit low-level drug possession crimes to result in prison time for more than a year. The other would have made it easier for prisoners to get post-conviction DNA testing, which proponents said could lead to some inmates being exonerated and cold cases being solved.

After hours of standstill, both chambers convened at 9 p.m. passed the $48 million tax package and then passed a flurry of bills.

Among the last-day action, legislators sent to the governor SB 646, a bill to allow college athletes to earn off-field compensation for the use of their names, images and likenesses. They also passed a plan to expand the number of Florida specialty license plates, including adding plates for three out-of-state colleges. And they adopted a bill to expand taxpayer-funded voucher programs, allowing nearly 29,000 more students to go to private schools

Legislators also approved Gov. Ron DeSantis priority to increase minimum teacher salaries to $47,500. The measure makes Floridas minimum base salaries the second highest in the nation, next to New Jersey, with $400 million in new money for starting teachers and $100 million for veteran teachers.

But the states largest teachers union, the Florida Education Association, predicts the measure will create deep inequities between inexperienced and veteran teachers in at least 45 of the states 67 counties.

Partisan differences were apparent on a handful of late bills. The GOP-controlled Senate confirmed the controversial appointment of state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor at the University of Florida, on a 31-9 vote.

Republicans passed a late-session surprise amendment to voter laws along party lines, allowing anyone who carries a vote-by-mail ballot to the polls that isnt their own ballot to be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.

The measure fixed the states voter registration form, which was blasted by a federal judge in a lawsuit over Amendment 4, the provision allowing felons to vote. But the late amendment by Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, also outlawed the collection of any ballots for a pecuniary or other benefit.

Currently, its illegal to collect more than two ballots under those circumstances and Democrats warned that it would allow the arrest of people for probable cause for violating the vote-by-mail ballot laws.

Unfinished budget

Left unfinished was the $92 billion budget, the only piece of legislation lawmakers are required by law to pass. But with the threat of the coronavirus looming, budget leaders warned that this may not be the final time legislators update the budget.

We may be coming back in coming weeks as we evaluate the economy and the impact our budget, said Rep. Travis Cummings, the Fleming Island Republican and chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Legislators said they hope to preserve agreement on a 3%, across-the-board pay raise for state employees which would begin in October. About $625 million in water improvement projects intended to offset the states algae problems has also been tentatively agreed to, as has $100 million for Florida Forever, the land preservation program.

For the first time in more than a decade, legislators have agreed to spend the full $387 million the state collects for affordable housing on affordable housing programs. And Visit Florida, the states tourist marketing agency will draw $50 million next year and be extended into 2023  avoiding a scheduled June 30 expiration date.

Rep. Cary Pigman, an emergency room doctor from Avon Park, dressed in a hazmat suit, and members of the Capitol staff Monday wipe microphones, desktops, computers and cords at the desks of four legislators who attended conferences where people have tested positive for the coronavirus. The conferences were the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference and the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Priorities

Before the final day, legislative leaders had achieved many of their priorities. They passed a measure that would ban insurers from using genetic information to price policies, pushed by incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor.

They signed off on a proposal to bring the states tobacco laws into compliance with federal law, by raising the age to use tobacco products  including e-cigarettes and vaping products  from 18 to 21, a priority of Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

DeSantis quickly signed into law proposals, at the top of House Speaker Jose Olivas wish list, expanding the roles that advanced practice registered nurses and pharmacists play in Floridas healthcare system.

And on Thursday, the Senate delivered to the governor a watered-down E-Verify bill, giving the governor a minor victory on a proposal that was a cornerstone of his 2018 bid for governor.

Legislators also added an amendment to the November ballot by passing HJR 369 and HB 371, which will allow the voters to decide whether to extend the homestead exemption portability period from two to three years. If 60% of the voters approve, the law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

Information from the News Service of Florida was used in this report.

Tampa Bay Times reporters Lawrence Mower and Emily Mahoney contributed to this report.
The number of positive Covid-19 cases in India now stands at 84, the health ministry informed on Saturday.

More than 4000 people who came in contact with the 84 coronavirus positive people are under surveillance.

Seven people who had tested positive for coronavirus, including one from Rajasthan, one from Delhi and five from Uttar Pradesh, were discharged after treatment, the health ministry said.

The health ministry also informed that an Air India flight will be sent to Milan on Saturday to evacuate stranded Indian students.

A Mahan Air flight bringing back Indian passengers from Iran will land in Mumbai on Saturday midnight. A special Air India flight is being sent to Milan in Italy on Saturday to bring back Indian students, said Sanjeeva Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Health.

Two people have died of the coronavirus in India so far. According to the ministry of health, both the cases had underlying medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma etc. that aggravated their condition.

The central government declared Covid-19 as a national disaster on Saturday, announcing one time ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those died due to the coronavirus, including those involved in relief operations.

Keeping in view that spread of COVID-19 virus in India the declaration of it as pandemic by World Health Organisation, the Central government has decided to treat it as a notified disaster and announced to provide assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a letter to states and union territories, according to news agency IANS.
Dodge Ridge Summit -- snowing at noontime Fri Nov 30 2018 View Photo

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Sierra Nevada above 3,000 feet, through 11 AM this morning.

Additional snow accumulations above the 3,000 foot elevation, will range between two to four inches.

A Winter Weather Advisory means periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities and use caution while driving.
A new survey suggests the cornoavirus has had a significant impact on the supply chains of a majority U.S. companies, but manufacturers in Connecticut arent yet reporting having trouble getting parts and raw materials from overseas as a result.

The Institute for Supply Management is reporting that nearly 75 percent of companies report supply chain disruptions in some capacity due to coronavirus-related transportation restrictions. The Arizona-based group released its findings in a report last week.

And for some of those companies, the disruptions are making a direct impact on their bottom line: One in six of them report adjusting revenue targets downward an average of 5.6 percent due to the coronavirus.

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The story the data tells is that companies are faced with a lengthy recovery to normal operations in the wake of the virus outbreak, Thomas Derry, chief executive officer of ISM, said in a written statement.

For a majority of U.S. businesses, lead times have doubled, and that shortage is compounded by the shortage of air and ocean freight options to move product to the United States, even if they can get orders filled, Derry said.

China a key

Six out of 10 companies responding to the survey reported their supply chain delays were coming out of China.

That doesnt come as a surprise to Fred Carstensen, a University of Connecticut economics professor and the director of the states Center for Economic Analysis.

So many things come through China these days, Carstensen said.

There are small ripples of supply chain anxiety among Connecticut manufacturers.

Jamison Scott, executive director of the New Haven Manufacturers Association, said he recently convened a meeting with members from different regarding coronavirus-related problems.

There definitely is a concern about the impact it is having on the supply chain, Scott said. While none of his members are currently reporting parts or raw material shortages, if that were to happen, the resulting shortages would drive up costs.

One shortage that is occurring which has an indirect impact on manufacturers is a shortage of the large metal shipping containers used to hold goods carried on cargo ships, according to Scott.

All of the containers seem to piling up on the docks in China, he said.

Officials with larger manufacturers in the state say supply chain problems related to the coronavirus have yet to hit home.

There are no specific impacts to the Lockheed Martin supply chain at this time, a spokeswoman for the company, which is the corporate parent of Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft, said. We will continue to monitor our supply base and will coordinate any potential impacts to our international supply chain should they arise.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven-based DataCore Partners, said he is not convinced that any of the states aerospace or defense manufacturers would admit if they were experiencing supply chain problems.

They like to keep all those details close to the vest, Klepper-Smith said.

But so many products run on semi-conductors these days that it is hard to believe high tech manufacturers operating in the state wouldnt be feeling the pinch, he said.

Many Connecticut manufacturers operate on a just-in-time basis, he said.

Companies operating in the that fashion dont have a lot of inventory in terms of parts, only ordering them right before they are about to run out. If the coronavirus pandemic were to continue for too long, these types of manufacturers may have to rethink how they operate or risk having to shutdown their plants until new parts arrive, according to Klepper-Smith.

The real impact for some manufacturers may not come until after the virus runs its course, Carstensen said.

He noted that the coronoavirus has already resulted in reduced airline travel. That may ultimate result in commercial aircraft builders like Boeing having less of a need for jet engines made by East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney, according to Carstensen.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
Following a threat by former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to close down the Bongo district court in the Upper East Region over its poor condition, the Bongo District Assembly has finally renovated the court and handed over to the judicial service for use.

The court building, before its renovation, did not have offices in it, the washrooms were unusable, the ceiling was falling off, and the plaster on the walls had peeled off.

The situation greatly affected justice delivery in the district, causing the former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo during a working visit to the district to threaten to close down the court.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, District Chief Executive of Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa said the assembly's swift renovation of the court underscores its commitment to provide decent court for justice delivery.

As a people and a local government, we felt the judicial service deserves better than that to provide the kind of services we wish them to provide. This necessitated the Assembly to prioritize the renovation of this building in its 2019 budget and by the close of 2019, the renovation works had completed. I acknowledge the efforts of His Lordship, the Chief Justice and the Judicial Service in the provision of the critical equipment for the efficient operation of the court, he said.

Peter Ayinbisa

Mr. Ayinbisa said the assembly shall collaborate with the judicial service to ensure the regular maintenance of the facility for the benefit of the people.

Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Jacob B. Boon commended the Bongo assembly for the timely intervention.

Justice Boon admonished all assemblies to provide a decent and conducive environment for an effective and efficient dispensation of justice.

Justice B. Boon

He strongly warned of closing down the Bolgatanga District Court over its dilapidated state and the lackadaisical attitude of the Bolgatanga municipal assembly to refurbish the court.

We are not happy with the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly because assemblies that even came after Bolgatanga are making efforts to put up decent places for their courts and Bolgatanga should not be left behind. We are dissatisfied because an official of the assembly told us that providing a court house is not a priority for the municipal assembly. I do not know if he speaks for the whole assembly but all the same, he is a high official and I think that his words carry a lot of weight.

I call on the Regional Minister to call the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to order. Otherwise, if I recommend to the Chief Justice to close down the Bolgatanga District Court because we have no decent court, nobody should blame anybody, he noted.

---citinewsroom
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On December 31, 2019, the world changed as we knew it, but the future implications for the United States were not apparent at the time. On that day, the World Health Organization (WHO) China Country Office was informed of new cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology originating from Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. The cause of pneumonia was eventually identified as COVID-19, a new type of coronavirus that had not previously been diagnosed in humans. It became apparent in a short period of time that human-to-human transmission was possible, and the widespread nature of the virus became apparent when other countries started finding cases of COVID-19, including the United States, which had diagnosed its first case on January 20, 2020, in Snohomish County, Washington. As further cases were discovered globally, the WHO weighed in, declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and it was characterized as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020.

As of this writing, there have been over 136,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases globally, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins. Over 69,000 patients have recovered from the virus, but there have also been over 5,000 deaths. In the U.S. alone, at least 1,663 people in 46 states and Washington, DC have tested positive for COVID-19 with 41 deaths, according to the New York Times. The presentation of the virus can vary drastically, from people having mild symptoms to patients presenting with pneumonia leading to respiratory failure requiring advanced support, including mechanical ventilation. So far, it is known that elderly people and people with chronic medical conditions are at the highest risk. With the rapid evolution of knowledge regarding this virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing frequent updates to the public.

Due to the concern for potential rapid spread in the United States, significant changes have occurred, ranging from travel restrictions to cancellations of sporting activities and performances. Along with concern about people in the general public testing positive for COVID-19, well-known celebrities have also tested positive for the virus. U.S. governors are making decisions to limit large gatherings and close schools temporarily in order to reduce the likelihood of spread. Testing for the coronavirus is also in high demand, but currently, the supply of tests is unable to meet the current demand, and per the CDC, commercial labs are in the process of developing tests to increase the supply so that rapid diagnosis can occur.

With all the discussion about coronavirus, it is apparent that there is a desire for certainty, and part of that certainty is helped by providing concrete numbers. People are looking for a frequently updated number of cases to get a sense of how widespread COVID-19 is, since it can impact how people go about their daily lives. So far, various health organizations are trying to provide updated information, but given the novelty of the virus, the information is currently incomplete, and it is not clear if the numbers provided give a full sense of how prevalent the virus is at this moment. Add to that the sudden changes in peoples way of life, and there is an increasing sense of anxiety that can never be fully quantified but is currently palpable.

Understandably, there is a lot of focus in the media about how many confirmed cases of COVID-19 exist currently around the world, but there needs to be a recognition about the number of people who are becoming anxious about how their lives are being affected by the coronavirus. From discussions that other health care providers and I have had with our patients, there is genuine concern about the risk of being infected, and there is increasing frustration about the limited number of tests. By extension, family members are expressing concern about their loved ones potentially becoming very sick if they contract the virus. Even within the medical community, given the novelty of this virus, we are actively adopting measures to reduce our likelihood of being infected by COVID-19, but there is still that concern that we may end up being infected in a way that could seriously hinder our ability to care for those who come to us for treatment and potential reassurance.

Along with these concerns, there is a real concern about the effect on social interactions that needs to be acknowledged. Per the CDC, one of the recommendations is social distancing, which involves remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible. This, understandably, has led to things such as the cancellation of sporting events and the closure of schools. These gatherings are where significant social interaction takes place, and the limiting of these events can create anxiety with regards to maintaining relationships. Add to this the concern about inadvertently contracting the virus from other people through routine activities, such as getting the groceries or just walking down the street, and you have people who are second-guessing routine actions in a way that could lead to further isolation. With these changes, the potential for anxiety can increase, and this potential needs to be acknowledged as we learn more about how to care for patients who present with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.

There is no database out there that can track the number of people who are anxious because of the virus, but based on the amount of attention being given to COVID-19 and the rapid change in how we are living our lives, we need to take that anxiety into consideration as we present information and provide guidance in terms of controlling the viral spread. The public is looking for answers, and we in the medical profession need to be cognizant of how the information we present about COVID-19 is being received. For the general public, this is uncharted territory, and that uncertainty can contribute to anxiety that could affect how people process new information about COVID-19. Our responsibility as medical providers is to present the information we know honestly without raising undue panic and to assure the public that we are doing everything we can, through advising the public and recommending changes that we believe will control the spread of COVID-19. It is our hope that in due time, the number of confirmed cases will stabilize and subsequently fall off, and ultimately this anxiety will subside in a way that can help us to return to normal lives.

Chiduzie Madubata is a cardiologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Newborn baby tests positive for virus in London

The Guardian :

A newborn baby has tested positive for coronavirus in what is thought to be the youngest case of the disease in the UK, it has emerged.

The child's mother, who was taken to a north London hospital days before the birth with suspected pneumonia, has also caught the virus.

The mother tested positive at North Middlesex hospital, in Enfield, with results coming through after the birth. Minutes after the birth the baby was tested for Covid-19.

The NHS trust has confirmed that two patients tested positive for coronavirus, with staff in close contact with them during treatment now being advised to self-isolate.

It is not known whether the child contracted the disease in the womb or was infected during birth. The Sun, which first revealed the case, reported that the baby was still being treated at the hospital but the mother has been transferred to a specialist infections hospital.

In a statement, North Middlesex University Hospital NHS trust said: "Two patients at North Middlesex University hospital have tested positive for coronavirus. One has been transferred to a specialist centre and one is being treated in an isolation room.

"The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, so in following guidance from Public Health England, we are regularly deep cleaning the areas where the patients are cared for and staff who were in close contact with these patients were advised to self-isolate."
New Zealand on Saturday announced the world's tightest border controls to combat the spread of coronavirus, requiring all incoming travellers, including its own citizens, to self-isolate for two weeks starting midnight Sunday. Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases on Friday, up from eight cases a day earlier, but only four of those - all in the virus epicentre of Hubei province - were locally transmitted.

The other seven - including four in the financial hub of Shanghai, one in the capital Beijing and two in the northwestern province of Gansu - were all detected in travellers coming into China from overseas, specifically Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia, according to local authorities.

The numbers underscore how China, where the outbreak began in December, appears to now face a greater threat of new infections from outside its borders as it continues to slow the spread of the virus domestically. A total of 95 cases have entered mainland China from overseas, the commission said. Hubei has now seen new infections fall for nine straight days. All four of the new cases on Friday, down from five a day earlier, were in provincial capital Wuhan.

The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 3,189 as of the end of Friday, up by 13 from the previous day. All of the latest deaths were in Hubei and 10 of them were in Wuhan. To date, the flu-like virus has infected 80,824 people in mainland China, the commission said.

Globally, more than 138,000 people have been infected and over 5,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements. As China's imported cases rise, the city of Tangshan, a steel-making hub in northern China's Hebei province, warned people entering the city - whether Chinese or overseas nationals - against trying to conceal their travel history.

People who do so will have to bear all treatment costs if they are later found to have contracted coronavirus, the Tangshan city government said in a statement.Of the newly imported Shanghai cases, three were Chinese people who worked in Italy and flew to Shanghai via Moscow, according to the city's municipal health commission, while the fourth was an Italian who flew in from Italy via Paris.

Italy, the first European Union member state to suspend flights to China in the wake of the outbreak, is the worst affected country in Europe, reporting a total 17,660 cases by Friday. It also has a much higher fatality rate than most other countries, with 7% of those testing positive for the virus dying.

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella over the phone to offer his "sincere condolences" to the Italian people over the crisis, CCTV reported on Saturday. Xi also held phone calls with the presidents of two other severely hit countries, Iran and South Korea, again expressing condolences, the state broadcaster said.

Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: 83 confirmed cases, 2 deaths in India; global death toll touches 5,436

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: China reports 13 new deaths, lowest since outbreak
Wall Street ended one of its most turbulent weeks in the post-war period with surge of more than 9 percent yesterday, following its worst day since the Black Monday crash of 1987 on Thursday.

Most of the market rise came in the last hour of trading, during the press conference by President Donald Trump in which he announced a series of measures to deal with the coronavirus that are primarily aimed at providing a boost to corporations, especially pharmaceutical companies.

In addition to the belief there is money to be made out of the coronavirus, another reason for the surge was Trumps announcement that he had ordered the Department of Energy to buy oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This will provide a boost for shale oil companies hard hit by the price war launched by Saudi Arabia at the start of the week.

Trump also indicated there could be assistance for the airline industry, which has been battered by his decision to impose a 30-day travel ban on entry to the US by people from Europe.

On the financial side, the market was boosted by a further intervention by the New York arm of the Federal Reserve. A day after it had announced it would supply $1.5 trillion in short-term loans, the New York Fed said it would speed up purchases of US Treasuries of all maturities, not just short-term debt, in operations throughout the day.

It said the purchases were needed to address highly unusual disruptions in the market for Treasury securities associated with the coronavirus outbreak.

There were concerns during Thursdays market plunge of a dash for cash, as investors sold off all asset classes. Normally when stocks fall, bond prices rise, leading to a fall in yields. But during the sell-off, the yield on Treasuries rose as they were being sold off and the price of gold also dropped sharply.

Even with yesterdays surge, the Dow has lost around 15 percent this week. The Wall Street Journal commented it was the worst week since 2008, and one of the worst in history with some expecting the punishing stretch of selling to continue.

The Trump administrations moves to boost the market and corporations were preceded by a major initiative by the German government directed to the same end.

Two days after Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared that up to 70 percent of the German population could become infected with the coronavirus, her government announced a major plan, not to tackle the crisis, but to provide assistance to businesses.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said the government, through the state development bank KfW, would provide unlimited loans to companies hit by the pandemic.

Describing the measures as a big bazooka, he said the government would do whatever it takes and there was no upper limit on the amount of loans the KfW can issue.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the measures were unprecedented in Germanys post-war history and they were the most comprehensive and effective assistance and guarantees there have ever been in a crisis.

The German move came as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the coronavirus was delivering a major shock to the eurozone economy.

As recently as the beginning of this month, the prevailing view was that for the global economy the coronavirus outbreak would bring a first quarter downturn, followed by second quarter rise as its effects passed. With the lockdown of Italy and the rapid spread of the virus, that assessment now seems like ancient history.

The European Commission warned yesterday that output in the eurozone could fall into negative territory this year and the virus would have a very large detrimental economic impact. The contraction could be as large as 1 percent of eurozone gross domestic product for 2020, compared with a previous forecast of 1.4 percent growth.

Even before the virus struck, the German, French and Italian economies were on the brink of recession, due to a growing downturn in the manufacturing industry.

Following Trumps announcement of a 30-day ban on travel from Europe to the US, the global airline industry is reeling. In a memo to staff, entitled The Survival of British Airways, the chief executive of the company, Alex Cruz, has warned of job cuts, suspended routes and grounded aircraft.

According to a report in the Financial Times, the company is in discussions with multiple lenders, including the Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, over its need for urgent financing.

Some of us have worked in aviation through the global financial crisis, the Sars outbreak and 9/11, Cruz wrote in the memo. What is happening right now as a result of Covid-19 is more serious than any of these events. It is a crisis of global proportions like no other we have known.

Cruz has warned that the airline will be making job cuts but British Airways has not yet specified a number.

Similar warnings have come from other airline companies. Delta chief executive Ed Bastian has said the airline is in discussions with the US government about assistance. Delta has revealed that cancellations have outnumbered bookings for flights over the next four weeks.

The speed of the demand fall-off is unlike anything weve seenand weve seen a lot in our business, Bastian wrote in a memo to employees.

Delta is cutting 40 percent of its capacity over the next few months and is parking 300 of its aircraft.

The German firm Lufthansa has announced it will ground two-thirds of its 800 aircraft. Air France-KLM said it had drawn down 1.1 billion of its credit facility and was facing an unprecedented situation.

Some airlines are expected to declare bankruptcy, with Korean Air and Norwegian Air Shuttle, which specialises in cheaper-priced trans-Atlantic flights, two of the most likely to do down.

The chief executive of Norwegian Air Shuttle, Jacob Schram, summed up the situation facing the industry as a whole, saying his company was facing the worst crisis in the companys history and the biggest in the country since the Second World War.
European authorities dismantled two cybercrime organizations responsible for stealing millions through SIM hijacking.

European authorities managed to dismantle the operations of two cybercrime gangs responsible for stealing millions through SIM hijacking.

In SIM hijacking attacks (aka SIM swapping attacks) crooks are able to port the phone number of the victims to a new SIM card under their control.

A SIM swap fraud is a type of fraud that overwhelms the additional security measures introduced by organizations to protect their customers.

Attackers obtain victims information by launching a phishing campaign, or by purchasing them in the underground market.

Crooks use the information gathered on the victims in the attempt to impersonate them in front of a telco operator and ask it to provide a new SIM to replace the old one that was lost or stolen.

They can prove their identity by answering basic security questions and requesting the cancellation of the old SIM and the activation of a new one. Once obtained a new SIM, crooks can operate with the victims mobile account, intercepting or initiating calls, accessing SMSs (including authorizations codes sent by bank and cryptocurrency exchanges) and to authorize transactions.

Now Europol announced the success of its operation aimed at dismantling the criminal activities of two cybercrime groups that focus on SIM hijacking. The authorities arrested tens of individuals in Spain and Romania.

According to the authorities, in Spain only, 12 suspects believed to have stolen over 3 million ($3.3 million). The suspects, aged 22 to 52, were arrested in Benidorm, Granada, and Valladolid. The gang was composed of Italian, Romanian, Colombian, and Spanish individuals. They group is suspected to have launched over 100 attacks, stealing between 6,000 and 137,000 per attack.

Investigators from the Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional) together with the Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and Europol targeted back in January suspects across Spain believed to be part of a hacking ring which stole over 3 million in a series of SIM swapping attacks. 12 individuals were arrested in Benidorm (5), Granada (6) and Valladolid (1). reads the press release published by the Europol.

Composed of nationals between the ages of 22-52 years old from Italy, Romania, Colombia and Spain, this criminal gang struck over 100 times, stealing between 6,000 and 137,000 from bank accounts of unsuspecting victims per attack.

Crooks obtained online banking credentials from the victims using banking Trojans or other techniques, then presented fake documents to the victims mobile service provider to receive a duplicate of their SIM card.

Crooks used the duplicates to receive directly to their phones the second-factor authentication codes used by banks to confirm fraudulent transfers to accounts under theirs control.

Timing of the operations is essential for this kind of scams, crooks attempt to monetize their efforts with fraudulent money transfers within a one- to two-hour period of time before being discovered by the victims.

Authorities also arrested 14 members of a crime gang in Romania, law enforcement raided their homes in Bucharest, Constanta, Mures, Braila, and Sibiu.

An eight-month long investigation between the Romanian National Police (Politia Romana) and the Austrian Criminal intelligence Service (Bundeskriminalamt) with the support of Europol has led to the arrest of 14 members of a crime gang who emptied bank accounts in Austria by gaining control over their victims phone numbers. continues the press release.

The thefts, which netted dozens of victims in Austria, were perpetrated by the gang in the spring of 2019 in a series of SIM swapping attacks.

Crooks used stolen credentials and hijacked phone numbers to stole money from multiple bank accounts in Austria in early 2019.

Once having gained control over a victims phone number, this particular gang would then use stolen banking credentials to log onto a mobile banking application to generate a withdraw transaction which they then validated with a one-time password sent by the bank via SMS allowing them to withdraw money at cardless ATMs.continues Europol.

Fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to steal money from the accounts of unsuspecting victims. Although seemingly innocuous, SIM swapping robs victims of more than just their phones: SIM highjackers can empty your bank account in a matter of hours. Law enforcement is gearing up against this threat, with coordinated actions happening across Europe, said Fernando Ruiz, acting head of Europols European Cybercrime Centre.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  SIM Hijacking, cybercrime)
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It looks like stars are aligning for Yes Bank after the government notified a rescue plan for the private sector lender led by the State Bank of India (SBI) and joined by others.

The reconstruction deal is good for the depositors. However, it may not have gone down well for shareholders and bondholders. The reconstruction scheme notified on March 13, prescribes a three-year lock-in for all investors, including retail investors, to the extent of 75 percent of their holdings.

All shareholders holding 100 or more equity shareholders are advised to exercise utmost caution while dealing in the script of the Bank and be guided by the enclosed scheme, Yes Bank said in a release.

Only retail investors that hold under 100 Yes Bank shares are exempted. The lock-in is effective as of March 13.

Under the circumstance, the deal is good for shareholders of Yes Bank as compared to the bondholders who have to face a write-down, suggest experts Moneycontrol spoke to.

This means that when trade of the stock resumes on March 16, any shareholder holding more than 100 shares will be able to sell only 25 percent of his/her shares, while the rest will be under lock-in.

It is not a bad deal or negative for shareholders considering the fact that government has written off perpetual bonds. In the deal equity holders are not losing everything, instead, there is a lock-in, AK Prabhakar, Head of Research at IDBI Capital told Moneycontrol.

Shareholders can still liquidate 25 percent of their holding. But, remember the rescue plan was put in place by the government to rescue the depositors. Ideally, equity shareholders share should have become zero and then new equity should have come, but here the government has given some value to them which is still okay, he said.

Last week, the proposal, which is a draft, stated that although all of Yes Bank's liabilities 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.

Prabhakar further added that it is a good deal and after three years if the bank sustains, shareholders will get a better value.

Also read | Explained: The impact of Yes Bank's AT1 bonds on debt fund investors

But, depositors come first

While the primary aim of the final reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank notified by the Centre, which locks-in 75 percent of all shareholding for three years, is a move in the right direction, it may not go down well with most of the shareholders.

In any rescue plan, the interest of depositors comes first. Hence, the regulator and the government is playing by the book and in case of equity shareholders, they have been slightly more generous which shareholders should take with both hands.

The regulator and govt. has been extremely fair in demanding the same sacrifice of existing minority shareholders as being asked for SBI and other institutional shareholders who have answered the clarion call of the nation and come to the rescue of Yes Bank as an institution  the primary aim is to provide a safety net to existing depositors, Ajay Bodke, CEO-PMS at Prabhudas Lilladher told Moneycontrol.

Equity capital is a risk capital, and in terms of financial claims, the safest are depositors, followed by Tier II capital, the Tier I capital, followed by preference shares and then comes common equity. Hence, in any rescue plan, it is equity capital is at most risk, he added.

Bodke further explained that when the enterprise does well, the upside is shared by equity holders and not be debt holders. Also, in the rescue plan Tier I bondholders have been asked to accept the full write down which is in line with Basel 3 norms, and if Quasi Equity can be written down to zero why should equity holders also not be on the same footing, but the regulator has been generous. Hence, I see no reason for shareholders to complain, Bodke said.

Reduce volatility

Yes Bank's shares have rallied more than 300 percent after hitting a low of Rs 5.55 on March 6. The cash-strapped lender received a Rs 3,700 crore booster shot from five financial institutions along with SBI. The move is likely to calm the frayed nerves of investors and depositors.

The rescues plan is in the right direction to curb volatility in the stock, suggest experts. The decision of three-year lock-in may disappoint retail investors especially the one who has invested looking at the momentum, but the intent of the government is to reduce the volatility, Sanjeev Jain, VP Equity Research, Sunness Capital India told Moneycontrol. Not to forget that volatility and business operations are different, he added.

The Union Cabinet on March 13 approved the Yes Bank Reconstruction Scheme 2020, with a higher authorised capital of Rs 6,200 crore as against Rs 5,000 crore as per RBI Draft Reconstruction Scheme 2020.

As per the contours of the scheme, ICICI Bank (Rs 1,000 crore), Axis Bank (Rs 600 crore), Kotak Mahindra Bank (Rs 500 crore), Bandhan Bank (Rs 300 crore), Federal Bank (Rs 300 crore) and HDFC (Rs 1,000 crore) will infuse Rs 3,700 crore as equity into the crisis-hit Yes Bank. State Bank of India will invest Rs 7,250 crore for up to 26 percent stake with a lock-in of three years as against the earlier envisaged 49 percent stake.

: 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.
Stitching units in Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Viyyur central prisons have started production of face masks. (PTI)

Thiruvananthapuram: The tailoring units in Keralas jails are all set to contribute to the state governments attempts to tackle the high demand for face masks and a consequential scarcity of the same due to the outbreak of Covid-19 coronavirus.

Stitching units in Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Viyyur central prisons have started production of face masks, and other jails are soon to follow.

As the state is facing a global epidemic, the prison inmates are joining hands with the government to address the crisis, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post.

There has been acute shortage of face masks and hand sanitizers as Kerala has been hit by the second round of Covid-19 cases.

Meanwhile, few NGOs and social groups have also started making and distributing face masks to hospitals.

Little Flower Church in Kochi in association with the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) has started producing face masks. Tailoring machines have been brought from households and members of the church produced more than 500 masks in a single day.

The face masks will be handed over to the Health Department for free. The Church has taken a decision in this regard during in the wake of reports on shortage of face masks in the state, said Fr. Sebastian Karukappally, Vicar of the church.

Meanwhile, Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a public sector undertaking, has started production of hand sanitizers to bridge the demand-supply gap in the market.
New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) The Union government has issued a notification late last night regarding the restructuring of Yes Bank Limited, the fourth largest private sector bank, which will remove the ban on withdrawals from the bank at 1800 hrs on Wednesday.

The notification was issued under the Banking Regulation Act 1949 and a new board of directors has been formed for the bank.

Prashant Kumar, former Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Management Director of State Bank of India, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the reconstituted Yes Bank.

Sunil Mehta, former non-executive chairman of Punjab National Bank, has been appointed as non-executive chairman of the bank.

Mahesh Krishna Murthy and Atul Bheda have been made Executive Directors and the Reserve Bank of India may appoint one or more persons as Additional Directors.

The reconstituted bank will meet all the past liabilities of Yes Bank and all the deposits and liabilities with the bank, the rights of the debtors will remain completely unaffected, the government said.

All employees of the bank will continue to receive salary allowance for at least one year as before.

According to the notification, the ban on withdrawals from Yes Bank will be removed in three working days and the administrator appointed for the bank will vacate the office in seven days.

In this way, the ban on withdrawal will end from 1800 hrs on Wednesday. The restructured bank's authorised capital will be Rs 6200 crore and its share will be valued at Rs 2. The authorised share capital will remain at Rs 200 crore.

The restructuring plan was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that State Bank of India would take a 49 percent stake in it and would have two members on its board of directors. And it will not be able to disinvest 26 per cent stake in its investment for three years. For other investors, this limit is 75 per cent and three years.

She had said that on March 5, the Reserve Bank had dissolved the board of directors of Yes Bank and appointed an administrator for it.

The format for the restructuring plan was released on March 6 and it was finalised after the response that has been approved.

The Reserve Bank had restricted the bank and set a withdrawal limit of Rs 50,000 for customers.

This restriction is for 30 days but as the government has issued notification for the restructuring plan, the ban will be lifted in three working days.

According to the investment proposal submitted by the State Bank of India to the government, Rs 11,000 crore will be invested in the reconstituted Yes Bank, in which SBI will invest Rs 7250 crore.

With this, the four major private sector financial companies -HDFC Ltd and ICICI Bank- will invest Rs 1,000 crore each, while Axis Bank will invest Rs 600 crore and Kotak Mahindra Bank will invest Rs 500 crore.

There is a talk of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to invest in it too, but the amount that it will invest is not yet clear but it will invest only on the basis of the approval of the Board of Directors.

UNI KNA ADG 1630
The Pechersky district court of Kyiv has chosen a measure of restraint for three persons suspected of hooligan actions during the presentation of the National Platform for Reconciliation and Unity.

A preventive measure in the form of a personal obligation has been chosen for Yuriy Kaplia and Serhiy Tamarin, the Pechersky district police department told the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Earlier it was reported that Oleksandr Demydov was chosen a preventive measure in the form of round-the-clock house arrest.

As earlier reported, at around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, during the National Platform for Reconciliation and Unity presentation in the Pechersky district of Kyiv, a "group started a row, during which they pushed advisor to the National Security and Defense Council secretary Serhiy Syvokho." A criminal case was opened on the incident under Part 2 of Article 296 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The police detained 15 people.

The National Corps, in turn, admitted on its website that Azov battalion veterans had indeed disrupted the presentation. At the same time, the National Corps expressed outrage that veterans of the Donbas war had not been invited to the presentation.

A video from the scene shows participants in the brawl shouting at Syvokho while he is pushed up against a wall and tearing off posters related to the presentation. When Syvokho tried to leave the scene later, he was knocked off his feet.

Sykhovo himself wrote on his Facebook page: "Some people don't need peace. They want war. War is business and big money for them. They disrupted the presentation, but they won't stop our movement towards peace. We continue our work and our dialogue."

Police officers detained 15 people involved in the disruption of the presentation, 12 of them were then released.
By Trend

Parliamentary elections showed again that people value our political course highly, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev addressing the first session of the Azerbaijani Parliaments sixth convocation on March 10, Trend reports.

The Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation begins its work today. I heartily congratulate all the MPs on this occasion and wish you success. First of all, I want to express my gratitude to members of the Milli Majlis of the fifth convocation for their activities. The Milli Majlis of the fifth convocation, its members and leaders played a major role in the successful development of our country. The laws adopted by the parliament have strengthened the legal foundations of our successful development. I am sure that the Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation will also work successfully and thus contribute to the wide-ranging and comprehensive reforms under way in our country, to deepening them, said the head of state.

He noted that the parliamentary elections held on 9 February became an important event in the life of our country.

All elections are important, but the latest were special because they were early elections. The main reason for holding these elections in February was to deepen the reforms and organize the work of the new Milli Majlis without wasting any time. I believe that the elections were successful and there was a lot of interest in them this time. Clear evidence of this is the participation of more than 1300 candidates in the elections. Of course, candidates were able to carry out extensive work, freely convey their thoughts, views and ideas to the voters. Equal conditions were created for all the candidates and there was no discrimination. In fact, the participation of more than 1300 candidates is a manifestation of their confidence in the elections. I believe that in general the electoral process was successful and the results reflect the will of the Azerbaijani people. The key thing is that the Azerbaijani people were satisfied with the elections, as once again witnessed by the events observed after the elections, said the head of state.

We invited many international organizations and observers to follow the elections, and the vast majority of them very positively evaluated the period of preparations, the campaigning and the voting day, he said.

It is possible to say that the vast majority of observers assessed the elections as yet another successful step towards the development of democracy and stated that the Azerbaijani people freely exercises their suffrage and the election results reflect the real picture. The international observers who declared this, of course, reflected the real state of affairs. At the same time, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and some organizations under its influence, which always approach the electoral process in Azerbaijan through the prism of double standards and bias, have again tried to exaggerate some minor irregularities in order to present them as a major event. No elections are perfect. There were shortcomings this time too and the cancellation of results in four districts shows that Azerbaijan itself is interested in not having such shortcomings. Post-election processes have once again demonstrated that our intention was to enable Azerbaijani people to freely exercise their suffrage and vote for their candidate, thus expressing their opinion and political will. In general, we succeeded in doing that, and the picture observed after the election shows that the Azerbaijani people agreed with the election results. This is the main thing for us, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev said at the same time he believes that the European Union made a very objective statement in connection with the elections.

It expressed its readiness to work with the newly-elected MPs, the Azerbaijani parliament. This essentially means recognition of the elections. As for the opinion of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, apparently due to the absence of serious incidents, it had to present its report in a somewhat balanced manner this time. However, we have long known that their reports are written before elections. We also know where they are written. In addition, the recent statements by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and its assessment of the elections in some countries show again how biased and prejudiced they are. This shows that this organization is fulfilling a political order. The latest example was the parliamentary elections held in Armenia in 2018. As you know, those elections were completely rigged by the then ruling fascist party of the Republicans. I call this party fascist not only because of their ideology and essence, but also because it is enough to look at their emblem to understand that it doesnt differ much from the emblem of fascist Germany. And the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights gave a positive conclusion on those rigged elections, during which the Republican Party appropriated more than 50 percent of the votes. In other words, it became an accomplice in this falsification, and the events that followed are known to all, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that after that, this illegal and corrupt regime was overthrown, the deputies allegedly representing them in the Armenian parliament surrendered, raised their hands up and stepped aside with a miserable look.

New parliamentary elections were called, and the fascist Republican Party was not able to get into parliament at all. What does this suggest? This suggests that the results of the elections that had been rigged two or three months prior to these elections were evident, but the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights expressed a positive opinion about this rigging. So by citing this as an example, I want to say again that the opinion of this organization does not mean anything at all to us because it is written on the basis of a political order and serves, as it were, a means of pressure for leading circles of some states. I want to mention another issue related to observers. Honestly, I was surprised by this too. I can say that in the current elections we saw all the organizations we invited as observers. However, we did not send an invitation to the European Parliament because, firstly, we are not a member of this organization, and secondly, we do not see the need for that for about the same reasons. The European Parliament is the leader in adopting unfair resolutions against Azerbaijan. Their resolutions have absolutely no meaning for us too. However, I must say that such trends against us are still being observed today. So we did not invite this organization. But they circulated a statement that they refuse to observe these elections. This, to put it mildly, is a political falsification because we did not invite you, we dont want to see you here and we dont believe you. This being the case, to say that they are refusing to observe the elections is ridiculous and surprising, said the head of state.

In other words, the elections showed again that the people value our political course highly, said President Ilham Aliyev.

I believe that post-election processes will develop in a positive direction. The Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation is a multi-party parliament. This is a very positive sign. I believe that the Milli Majlis will and should play a huge role in improving the political system. All political forces took part in the elections. The marginal group calling itself the opposition allegedly boycotted the elections. This is ridiculous because the Azerbaijani people have long boycotted this disgraceful entity which has been in the dustbin of history for 27 years. Under such circumstances, the announcement of a boycott is both funny and surprising, said the head of state.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
US sparks word war against China on COVID-19

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2020/3/13 13:57:17

Outspoken diplomat suspects US as source of virus

Heated online discussions were sparked by the latest tweets by outspoken Chinese diplomat Zhao Lijian, who questioned the transparency of the US epidemic response mechanism, following the Trump administration's all-out campaign to smear China on its handling of the coronavirus crisis, as part of an information war embedded with racial discrimination and malicious accusations. Zhao fighting back on social media was praised by the Chinese public as a "smart move" to use the American officials' tactics against themselves.

While growing loopholes have been exposed in the US system, coronavirus-related conspiracy theories exploited by the US to shift the blame to China, seen as part of its information war engagement with the virus battle, would hinder countries from cooperating in overcoming the common enemy, analysts warned.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian claims it might be US army representatives who brought the novel coronavirus to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province in October 2019, after a top US health official admitted detecting coronavirus infections on some deceased flu patients. Zhao urged the US to disclose further information, exercise transparency on coronavirus cases and provide an explanation to the public.

Zhao, a famously outspoken Chinese diplomat, posted these concerns on his Twitter account, resonating with similar doubts raised by the Chinese public.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Robert Redfield told the House Oversight Committee panel Wednesday on the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) response that some cases may have been misdiagnosed as flu that actually were infected with coronavirus, sparking heated online discussions on the flawed US system that might have seriously delayed the epidemic response, while some US politicians and media shift the blame on China.

Such misjudgment of coronavirus cases in the US, in addition to the fact that the source of the coronavirus is still unclear, raised public suspicion on whether the virus had surfaced in the US earlier, as 37,000 Americans had died from the common flu in the US in 2019.

US President Donald Trump tried to downplay the impact of the coronavirus by suggesting there are 546 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 22 deaths, while flu-related deaths averaged between 27,000 and 70,000 per year.

US CDC has been fiercely criticized by not only the American public and observers but also frontline doctors in the country, according to media reports. Some have raised questions on the US' healthcare system, which is based on market-driven principles, ignoring the fundamental interests of American people, and has ultimately become profit-oriented.

Growing loopholes

As the US COVID-19 situation becomes increasingly uncertain, the Chinese public shared the suspicion raised by Zhao that the US might be the source of the virus and that the US is subject to questioning and is obliged to explain to the world, experts said.

The US waged an information war against China, creating a buzz in their media in the early stage of outbreak in China. But when Chinese people raised reasonable doubts over the US' handling of the virus and the possibility of its misconduct in dealing with the common flu, many Americans claimed China is creating conspiracy theories, which are sarcastic, analysts said.

In the early stages of the epidemic, the US blamed China with several groundless accusations and discrimination. Now, the world sees the US as the reason for many problems while the source of the virus remains undetected, Zhang Yiwu, a cultural expert at Peking University, told the Global Times.

"Zhao has always been known for his outspoken approach in public opinion. He, as a diplomat whose rank was not particularly high in China's official system, raised the questions in his personal capacity, which is a good strategy," Zhang said.

China's governance system has always been strict and inflexible, including its diplomatic system, and the country needs officials like Zhao and the system needs both moderate and aggressive diplomats. The overall diplomacy could be flexible, Zhang added. "The West should get used to such Chinese diplomats."

Matt McCarthy, an infectious disease physician in New York, recently publicly criticized the unavailability of rapid diagnostic tests, and he deemed the insufficiency of test kits a national scandal, which could not reflect what the real situation is. Lack of testing kits also angered the public, leading to more doubts that the real numbers of infection in the country could be much higher than the reported figures.

Also, the Trump administration has been blamed by the US media and residents for weakening the officers in charge of preparing for an emergency public health crisis, as it kept cutting US CDC's budget and staff in the past two years. Trump proposed cutting the US CDC budget by $1.3 billion, nearly 20 percent below the 2019 level.

Even as the deadly virus continues to spread across the US, there are increasing signs of flaws and loopholes in the US government's response, including efforts to conceal information about the epidemic, possible failure to differentiate the coronavirus from the common flu, and attempts to shift blame on others with racist rhetoric. The role of the CDC has been weakened, and the Trump administration continues slashing the budgets of health programs with very vague details while many Americans struggle to get covered by affordable healthcare plans, especially vulnerable groups.

In early February, the White House unveiled a budget that called for massive CDC cuts. Trump is also proposing a $3 billion cut to global health programs, including a 53 percent cut to the World Health Organization, and a 75 percent cut to the Pan-American Health Organization.

Information war

The global community has been striving to battle the epidemic as well as conspiracy theories about the disease outbreaks, especially after the US constantly accused China of spreading the virus to the world and its delayed response, as well as lack of information that caused a larger scale of virus spread. And some American officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, are using "Wuhan virus" which is considered a racist term as the origin of the disease remains unknown.

China has noticed that there are discussions on the origins of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, and some US officials and congressmen made groundless accusations and attacked China, which we firmly oppose, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in response to a question on the latest tweet by Zhao.

The origins of COVID-19 are still disputed, Geng said.

"The international community has different views on the origins of COVID-19, and China always believes this is a science issue that requires scientific and professional opinions," Geng said during a routine press conference on Friday.

When asked if questions raised by Zhao represent China's official stance, Geng said the origins of COVID-19 is a question for science, which needs to be based on professional consultations - "that is the Chinese stance," he added.

Chinese officials came up with reasonable countermeasures, which are necessary, Li Haidong, a professor at Institute of International Relations of China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

However, some Western media take Zhao's personal tweets as China's stance to fuel a conspiracy theory that the US spread the virus first. "Interpreting this move of fighting back as a conspiracy is an exaggeration, deemed from America's long-standing hostile attitude toward China," Li said.

Amid the outbreaks, disinformation, even conspiracy theories, seemed to transmit even faster than the disease while major social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, have met with the WHO to figure out how to handle misinformation. However, the US attempt to politicize the epidemic from the beginning has accelerated the disinformation spread, inflaming a public opinion war against China, analysts said.

"The US should avoid taking epidemic matters as political purpose. But since the beginning, some US officials continuously smeared China on this topic, which is unacceptable," Li said.

Some US officials even repeated rumors on social media by suggesting the virus originated from a bio lab in Wuhan and that the first infection was reported there.

Senator Tom Cotton told an interview that the lab was near a market some scientists initially thought was a starting point for the virus's spread, the Washington Post reported.

Chinese netizens praised Zhao as his tweet was a fightback following the US' repeated accusations on China and Wuhan.

"So far, the whole world is speculating on the origins of the virus. Why is the US talking nonsense and framing China all the time, why can't we question the US?" A Weibo user named Lu Xiaozhou asked.

"In August 2019, the US virus research base was under an emergency shut down, and one month later, a deadly flu outbreak engulfed the US. Then in October, the US army participated in military games hosted in Wuhan, and soon Wuhan had the COVID-19 outbreak. It's also the US that had the five coronavirus sequencing types" the post shared by many Chinese netizens said.

Some netizens have also voiced their doubts and noticed that Zhao used the word "might be," as this claim would need more evidence to support.

Still, Zhao's raising of a series of questions on social media echoed some suspicions of the Chinese public, and the US needs to provide a proper explanation for those giant loopholes in its epidemic response system, Chinese analysts said.

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FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq

By Shu Zhang, Chen Aizhu and Jane Chung

SINGAPORE/SEOUL (Reuters) - State-owned oil behemoth Saudi Aramco has rejected at least three Asian refiners' requests for additional bargain-priced crude for April, despite a recent pledge by the kingdom to boost supplies to a new record, four sources told Reuters.

The refiners - one Korean, one Taiwanese and one Chinese, had requested extra barrels of Saudi oil in a so-called nomination process for April - on top of their long-term supply deals - following the steep price cuts announced by Aramco at the weekend, but were turned down by the producer.

However, Saudi Arabia did approve incremental supplies for its top Indian and Chinese customers, including Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPLC), Reliance Industries Ltd, at least one Chinese state refiner, and privately held Zhejiang Rongsheng Holding Group, to fend off market share threats in the top Asian oil markets - India and China, other sources told Reuters.

"We have got all we asked for," one of the sources said of the nomination results.

Reliance, operator of the world's biggest refining complex, and BPCL have each bought 2 million barrels of extra Saudi oil for loading in April, Reuters reported earlier on Thursday.

BPCL is taking a mix of Arab light and Arab medium grades.

Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it would increase supplies to a record 12.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, or 300,000 bpd above its maximum production capacity, indicating it may draw from storage.

Saudi's increased supply was mainly for the lighter grades, while the increase in medium and heavy grades appeared to be limited, two of the sources said.

Some Saudi crude term contract holders believed the producer was playing a strategic game during its allocation of extra April crude barrels to beat competitors in targeted markets while taking care of its core clientele, some of the sources said.

Story continues

"Saudis are trying to fight against Russia and shale producers in U.S," said a trader with a North Asia refinery.

"India is a pretty big Russian barrel buyer for Urals. For the Koreans and Japanese they don't buy much Russian (crude) except ESPO, and they will buy U.S. (crude) anyway."

Some Asian buyer that had their requests rejected were not pleased while a few were still trying to negotiate for extra barrels.

"(Saudi) did not give any explanation. So annoying," said one of the sources, who was disappointed about its own nomination result.

Due to the hefty Saudi price cuts, many Asian buyers had asked to load more in April, while a contango market structure supports oil storage, creating competitions for the extra barrels.

Some buyers in Asia had asked for three times the usual amount of Saudi crude, said Lachlan Shaw, head of commodities research at National Australia Bank in Melbourne, noting that the discounts in official selling prices set last week were bigger for other areas outside Asia.

But at least three Asian refiners - one Chinese and two Japanese - did not seek more than their usual volume due to lingering concerns about limited storage space, weak demand and the downward price trend, three sources at the refineries said.

(Reporting By Shu Zhang and Aizhu Chen in SINGAPORE, Jane Chung in SEOUL; Additional Reporting by Nidhi Verma in NEW DEHLI, Yuka Obayashi and Aaron Sheldrick in TOKYO and Rania El Gamal in DUBAI; Editing by Kim Coghill, Robert Birsel)
Leo Burnett Sri Lanka emerges most awarded agency at inaugural Epica Awards View(s):

Leo Burnett Sri Lanka, part of Publicis Groupe Sri Lanka, celebrated a commendable victory at the inaugural Epica Awards, organised by the 4As (Accredited Advertising Agencies Association) last week at Taj Samudra, Colombo.

Leo Burnett Sri Lanka made a clean sweep of as many as nine metals at the Epica Awards, winning across multiple categories in the face of tough creative competition. In addition, the agency walked away with the highly coveted Agency of the Year title and the Grand Prix for 2018-2019 in a spectacular showcase of its creative talent.

Commenting on the multiple accolades, Sanjay Chaudhari, CEO, Publicis Groupe Sri Lanka said: Our performance at the Epica Awards was simply epic. To win 9 metals including the Grand Prix and Agency of the Year was a fantastic feat and kudos to each and every one on the team at Leo Burnett for their contribution towards winning an award in every category we entered. Our performance at the Epica Awards places us squarely as the foremost creative agency in the country across all media.

The nine awards won by Leo Burnett Sri Lanka included the major accolades  Agency of the Year and Grand Prix in Print (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint); while others were Household Maintenance Category  Gold (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint); Advertising Photography  Gold (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint); Product Design  Gold (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint); Packaging Design  Silver (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint); Illustration  Silver (For Janet Ayurveda Festive Range 2019); Direction and Cinematography  Bronze (For Mobitel Childrens Day); Public Relations  Bronze (For JAT Holdings Petal Paint) and Social Networks  Bronze (For Mobitel Suicide Prevention  Keep Chatting) 

Epica is unique because it is the only creative prize judged by the press, with more than 200 magazines and websites from around the world on the jury, which enables it to truly claim to be an impartial or objective judge of creative excellence. The awards jury was moderated by Epica Awards editorial director Mark Tungate, who also hosted the ceremony. The two-day event consisted of a conference that featured speakers such as Dentsu APAC chief creative officer Ted Lim, BBDO Worldwide regional ECD Ali Rez, TGH collective founder and CCO Tay Guan Hin, Ogilvy Pakistan ECD/head of strategy Assam Khalid, as well as the co-founders of Ki Saigon.
Married At First Sight's Cyrell Paule and Love Island Australia's Eden Dally welcomed their first child, son Boston Eden, on February 9.

And instead of hitting the coolest clubs on the weekend like he used to do, doting dad Eden is now content to stay at home and cuddle with his adorable son.

Sharing a picture to Instagram on Saturday, the 27-year-old captioned it: 'Saturday nights in with my beautiful little man! Love you son.'

'Love you son': Love Island Australia's Eden Dally (pictured) now spends Saturday nights cuddling on the couch with adorable 5-week-old son Boston (pictured)

In the image, Eden sat on the couch, flaunting his bulging biceps and tattoos in a camouflage T-shirt while cuddling Boston in a cute black and black onesie.

His fans were quick to comment on how fatherhood suits the reality star.

'Why do men look hotter holding babies?' asked one adoring fan.

Family: Eden welcomed Boston with former Married At First Sight star Cyrell Payle on February 9 (all pictured)

Despite being only a few weeks old, Boston has already joined the family business by becoming an Instagram influencer.

Last month, proud mum Cyrell cradled the newborn in a promotional post for a skincare brand.

Sharing an adorable photo to Instagram, the 30-year-old told her 247,000 followers how Eco Tan's 'Glory Oil' reduced the appearance of her stretch marks.

'Love my Glory Oil by @ecotan... I have been using this now for the last couple of months,' Cyrell began her post.

'Mainly focusing on my stretch marks that I obtained from pregnancy... it's helped reduced the marks in just a short period.'

Cyrell's caption ran alongside a precious photo of herself cradling Boston while soaking up the sun at a Sydney park.

Mummy's little influencer! Cyrell, 30, (picured) cradled Boston in a promotional post for a beauty brand

The couple recently announced the tiny tot's name, after taking weeks to decide.

Cyrell told New Idea that they originally liked the name Cruze, but Cyrell's sister named her child that.

The couple met in March 2019 after Cyrell's 'marriage' to Nic Jovanovic on MAFS ended when they decided they were better off just being friends.

Cyrell and Eden began dating officially within a matter of weeks, and she later moved into his $2.9million home in Sydney's Drummoyne.

They announced they were expecting their first child together in August.
Catherine Daus, PhD has been named a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).

Dr. Daus was granted Fellow status by the SIOP Executive Board at its most recent meeting.

The profession of industrial and organizational psychology addresses the full range of human interactions in organizational settings. Members of the profession may be researchers, teachers, practitioners or administrators. They work in several settings including in business, government, consulting, and academia. SIOP Fellows may be recognized for outstanding contributions to the profession in any of these areas.

Dr. Catherine Daus has been described as a passionate educator, productive researcher and a stellar servant leader. She has shown dedication to her teaching responsibilities and is the Program Director for SIUE's master's I-O program. She runs an active lab where students help design, run, analyze, and write studies, and she chairs up to eight theses each year. Her research has been on emotions in the workplace, specifically the ability perspective of emotional intelligence and emotional labor, and she is frequently called upon to review and write or edit book chapters and journal articles. She has linked her academic research passions with practice by consulting with organizations on emotional intelligence and stress in the workplace.

SIOP has been recognizing the outstanding contributions of members by granting Fellow status throughout its history. To be considered for SIOP Fellow status, a member must be nominated by another member, and endorsed by at least three more SIOP Fellows. A member who has been active in the Society for ten years or more is eligible based on meaningful, sustained and unusual impact on the field.

###

About SIOP

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is an international professional organization with an annual membership of more than 10,000 industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists. SIOP's mission is to enhance human well-being and performance in organizational and work settings by promoting the science, practice, and teaching of I-O psychology. Learn more about the Society at http://www.siop.org
Authorities say Ramey and a woman named Mary Allen with whom he lived obtained personal information from friends and people they knew to create admissions to COD and to obtain financial aid. Once the aid had been given, the admissions to the college would be withdrawn, resulting in tuition refunds. Those people who received the reimbursements would split them with Ramey and the woman, authorities said.
It is not necessary that the ruling party should tear down everything that its predecessor built. Bikaner House, the former residence of the Maharaja of Bikaner  now a Rajasthan government property and a cultural space in the heart of Delhi  is one such example.

The grand structure with high ceilings and arched doorways, that now act as a venue for open-air musical performances, art and sculpture exhibitions and so on, wasnt always like this. For years, the space was occupied by government offices. It even doubled up as a bus terminal for the Rajasthan State Road ...
On the same day the number of the coronavirus cases climbed to 50 and Gov. Phil Murphy hinted statewide school closures were imminent, New Jersey hospitals Friday were urged to suspend visiting privileges to reduce the likelihood of transmission.

The New Jersey Hospital Association recommended its member hospitals sharply curtail visits for the foreseeable future, with some exceptions for pediatric and end-of-life patients, among others.

Visitors permitted to enter the hospital in these limited circumstances should expect to be screened for symptoms of the coronavirus, the announcement said.

With a growing number of cases and evidence of community transmission, the standard policy now bars visitors with some limited exceptions, New Jersey Hospital Association President and CEO Cathy Bennett said in a statement released Friday evening. These updated guidelines are voluntary, but are informed by the support and feedback of hospital CEOs and more than 270 clinicians from hospital and post-acute facilities who joined NJHA on a conference call today.

The association recommended relaxing the policy in select circumstances:

Patients in hospice or end-of-life care;

One visitor or support person for maternity patients;

One visitor or support person for pediatric patients;

One visitor or support person for a patient undergoing same-day procedure.

This would appear to be the broadest hospital visitor restriction ever recommended, said Kerry McKean Kelly, the associations spokeswoman.

I cant recall it happening before - through SARS, H1N1," Kelly said in an email. She said she was not aware of another statewide hospital association making such a sweeping recommendation.

It first came up in a call we held with CEOs as the cases began climbing this week, she added.

Hospitals individually have been scaling back visiting hours and setting limits this week. Saint Michaels Medical Center in Newark on Tuesday barred minors and restricted patients to one visitor at a time. The hospital also began screening visitors, barring anyone who has traveled outside of the United States in the past two weeks, anyone experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms or anyone who has exposed to anyone with coronavirus or the flu.

For more information about COVID-19 in New Jersey, go to the state Department of Health homepage.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.
What the Facts Are

Mr. Trump inaccurately described a website in development to mitigate the outbreak.

What Mr. Trump Said

I want to thank Google. Google is helping to develop a website, its going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past, to determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.

This is misleading. Mr. Trump misstated the company developing the website and exaggerated its scope. After Mr. Trump spoke, Google issued a statement on Twitter from Verily, a separate subsidiary of Googles parent company.

We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time, the statement read.

A spokeswoman for Verily said it had originally intended for the website to be used only by health care workers. Mr. Trumps statement prompted the company to make it available to the public. The site will direct people to pilot sites for testing in the Bay Area, the spokeswoman said. If the pilot goes well, Verily aims to deploy the project nationwide, but there is no timetable for a national rollout.

what the facts are

Mr. Trump again mischaracterized travel restrictions imposed on certain European countries.

What Mr. Trump Said

As you know, Europe was just designated as the hot spot right now and we closed that border a while ago.

This is misleading. Mr. Trump imposed some travel restrictions on 26 European countries on Wednesday night, but those restrictions do not go into effect until midnight on Friday and do not amount to a total shutting down of the border.

The restrictions bar the entry of foreign nationals who have been to any of the 26 countries that make up Europes Schengen Area of open borders within 14 days. That area does not include more than 20 other European countries, including Britain. The proclamation also does not apply to American citizens, permanent residents, their immediate families, or those who are members of air or sea crews.
Alectris, the global provider of operations and maintenance service for solar industry, has announced the completion of a 11.5 MW project in Jordan in collaboration with Mase, a key player in the O&M and management of commercial and utility-scale solar PV plants.



The project saw both firms join forces to deliver enhanced O&M and asset management services to the plant.



Beginning in 2016, the partnership saw Mase take responsibility of field operations and maintenance services on location, while Alectris provided operations and legacy expertise in global asset care along with the Actis system.



The ambitious partnership model from Alectris and Mase was specifically designed to formalise, expedite and autonomise asset management activity across new solar projects in the region.



Working together, both businesses successfully improved the bankability of the project, which was financed by key development finance institutions operating across the region.



Alectris' Managing Director Vassilis Papaeconomou said: "Solar development in the Mena region offers a significant opportunity to invest in clean energy projects."



"But if this market momentum is to be maintained, its imperative that operating plants offer security and stability of financial returns. By partnering with Mase, weve been jointly able to combine the latest in asset management software with leading experience in services activity," he stated.



"This will ensure that project owners and investors benefit from enhanced and efficient performance reporting and operational management, saving time, reducing costs and ensuring the plant delivers at its optimum. As a result, the plant delivered above expectations with an excellent Performance Ratio and Availability close to 100% over the last three years," he added.



The completion of the Jordanian project was marked in February during Mases annual kick off assembly, at a commemorative event with Alectris in recognition of their accomplishments.



Mase CEO Tareq Khalifeh said: "Throughout this collaboration, Alectris have proved to be reliable, dedicated and experienced with a wealth of knowledge that has been indispensable when working in an exciting but challenging market."



"Actis ERP is now the foundation of our operations and maintenance activities and we will be continuing to use the software to further grow our presence in the MENA region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and top public health officials said Friday that its critical for New Mexico to slow the spread of coronavirus infections  flattening the curve, they called it  to avoid overwhelming the states health care system.

Their comments came as four new COVID-19 cases emerged in Bernalillo and Santa Fe counties, bringing the total to 10 infected adults in the state.

At least two of the patients were hospitalized, with one in intensive care.

The state earlier this week had about 54 open beds in intensive care units  out of 344 altogether  underscoring the need for New Mexicans to avoid large gatherings, wash their hands frequently and limit contact with other people.

The more we do to minimize spread, the more lives we save, Lujan Grisham, a former state health secretary, told a news conference Friday.

The goal, officials said, isnt just to reduce the total number of people who get sick, but also to avoid an initial spike in cases that overwhelms hospitals and health care workers.

The state has enough COVID-19 testing capacity at this point, officials said, but New Mexico is already lodging requests with the national stockpile to ensure enough protective equipment is available. Health officials are also working to ensure that nurses licensed elsewhere are cleared to work in New Mexico.

Most important, the state is encouraging people to call their health care provider  or a state hotline  if they exhibit symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough or trouble breathing. They should also self-isolate and follow their doctors instructions.

To encourage people to seek help if they need it, Insurance Superintendent Russell Toal issued emergency rules Friday that will prohibit New Mexico health insurers from charging copays or imposing similar costs on COVID-19 patients for testing and treatment.

New cases

Three of the four cases confirmed Friday are in the same Bernalillo County household, where someone had earlier tested positive after traveling. They are a man in his mid-50s, a woman in her mid-70s and a man in his 80s.

The fourth case is a Santa Fe County woman in her 20s who recently traveled to New York.

All are either in isolation at home or in hospitals.

Dr. Chad Smelser, medical epidemiologist for the state Department of Health, said New Mexicos first 10 cases appear related to travel  either directly or indirectly. In other words, he said, they have a clear explanation and are not an example of broader community spread.

Nonetheless, Smelser said, the departments investigators are engaging in extensive contact tracing, or going back to get in touch with anyone who has come into contact with an infected New Mexican to check on their symptoms.

Smelser said there has been at least some contact between schools and residents who tested positive for COVID-19, although he didnt reveal details. The state is taking precautions and working with those schools, officials said.

Earlier this week, Albuquerque Academy closed its campus, announcing that a member of its community had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive.

The curve

Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department, said the aggressive protective measures New Mexico is taking  including the temporary closure of schools  have a proven record of slowing infection rates.

But to succeed, he said, families must take the protective measures seriously, avoiding playgrounds and other gathering places, not just schools.

He showed a graph based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It showed that the number of cases would spike quickly beyond the capacity of the health care system if no protective measures were taken.

But with protective measures, the growth in cases is a gentler curve, spread out over a longer period of time and staying within the health systems capacity.

Without any protective measures, Scrase said, the delivery system is immediately overwhelmed.

Hospitals themselves, he said, follow strict protocols for handling infectious diseases. People suspected of having an infection may be directed to a drive-through site for evaluation or testing, Scrase said.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services, for example, is asking patients with respiratory symptoms to wear a mask when entering the hospital or doctors office. Patients with identified COVID-19 risks are being put in isolation rooms during assessments, a Presbyterian spokeswoman said.

Socorro General Hospital, meanwhile, has erected a tent outside as a precaution in case its needed for additional patients.

Difficult decisions

Lujan Grisham said Friday that theres no way to know how long New Mexico will maintain its ban on public gatherings and other protective measures. But taking steps early, she said, should shorten the period of time theyre necessary.

These are very difficult decisions, Lujan Grisham said. The decision to restrict gatherings is hard on businesses, hard on New Mexicans, hard on families.

The state Department of Health is also encouraging people to avoid travel and self-isolate for 14 days if theyve been out of New Mexico.

Lujan Grisham herself suggested people just stay home for spring break.

Every travel contact creates risk so we want to minimize that, the governor said.

More positive cases of COVID-19 are inevitable, Lujan Grisham said.

The state has significantly expanded its testing capacity this week.

For many people, of course, COVID-19 symptoms are mild and dont require hospitalization. But those most at risk are older adults and people with another chronic illness.

Keeping distances

Social distancing has been part of the Centers for Disease Control playbook for more than 30 years in trying to slow the spread of viruses like the flu.

It covers a lot of territory  from keeping your distance from coworkers to closing schools and any large gathering of people.

Social distancing according to the CDC involves remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance.

If there is no vaccine available, social distancing is a way for health officials to slow the spread of the virus.

The coronavirus spreads between people through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing and personal contact with an infected person, such as being within 6 feet of the person.

There is evidence that the virus can live on surfaces for several hours. That means a person can self-infect by touching an infected surface, then the mouth, nose or eyes.

People are thought to be most contagious when demonstrating flu-like symptoms, which include cough, fever, fatigue and difficulty breathing. There have been a few reports that people can be contagious without symptoms, but there isnt clarity yet on whether this is correct.

According to Feb. 14 statements by CDCs head of vaccine and respiratory diseases center, Nancy Messonnier, the incubation period lasts up to 14 days. Someone exposed to the virus may not show symptoms for many days and may have negative test results but later be shown to be infected. The reason is that it takes the virus more time to replicate in some people than in others.

Journal staff writer Jessica Dyer contributed to this article.

Learn more

 For questions about testing or other health matters, call 1-855-600-3453.

 For questions about schools, child care, unemployment benefits and other topics, call 1-833-551-0518.

 Visit newmexico.gov or cv.nmhealth.org for updates.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 02:29:37|Editor: huaxia

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CHICAGO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Northwestern University (NU) researchers have reportedly mapped a group of proteins, or a protein complex called SWI/SNF, that plays a critical role in both gene expression and repairing damaged DNA.

To determine the unique structure, the researchers used cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), a powerful technique capable of revealing the 3D shape of large protein complexes, according to the researchers' study published this week in the journal Nature.

The technique involves flash-freezing proteins at a speed where water molecules don't have time to re-organize to form crystalline ice. These protein complexes are then directly imaged by an electron microscope, and their shape can then be reconstructed in 3D through a supercomputing cluster.

This is the first time that researchers have used cryo-EM to determine the SWI/SNF structure bound to a nucleosome at near-atomic resolution.

SWI/SNF regulates the structure of chromatin, which comprises genetic material in a cell's nucleus and often mutates as cancer develops.

"Our study gives insight into how the complex suppresses tumor development," said Yuan He, an assistant professor of molecular biosciences in NU's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

The structure will allow researchers to map and rationalize cancer-related mutations in the human SWI/SNF complex, and provide the molecular platform for better understanding the important functions of SWI/SNF in both healthy and cancerous states as well as for developing potential therapeutic strategies for human malignancies, the researchers said.
The Asara cruises, ranging from two to seven nights, typically stop in the Nile River temple towns of Edfu, Kom Ombo and Esna. There, the Asara passengers would have been in close contact with scores of traders in markets, as well as hundreds of passengers from other boats. When they dock, boats are often lashed to each other, and Asara passengers would cross other ships to reach the shore, and passengers from other vessels would walk through the Asara. The crews of different ships would interact.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday announced a hike in the tax rate on mobile phones and specified parts to 18 per cent from the next month, from the existing 12 per cent, to correct the inverted duty structure.

It, however, deferred the decision on hiking rates on three other items  footwear, textiles, and fertilisers  which was recommended by the fitment committee of officers to correct the system of having higher duties on inputs than on the final products. If there is a need to calibrate the rates on these items, we will take up the issue ...
Spain has announced it is placing its 47m citizens under partial lockdown for 15 days  the latest nation to turn to increasingly stringent measures to try and halt the spread of coronavirus.

As the total global number of deaths from the disease topped 5,000 and infections passed 140,000, Spains prime minister said people would be required to stay at home.

The only exceptions would be for people to buy food and medicine, or go to work.

I want to tell the workers, the self-employed, and businesses that the government of Spain is going to do everything in its power to cushion the effects of this crisis, prime minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday in a televised address.

From now we enter into a new phase. We wont hesitate in doing what we must to beat the virus. We are putting health first.

The move by the authorities in Madrid were similar to those taken in Italy, after both nations failed to confine the virus to a regional outbreak.

Health authorities said on Saturday that coronavirus infections had reached 5,753 people, half of them in Madrid, since the first case was detected in Spain in late January. That represented a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours.

Mr Sanchez said all police forces, including those run by local authorities, would be put under the orders of the interior minister and that the armed forces were on stand-by.

At any moment, when it is necessary, we can count on the deployment of the armed forces. The army is ready, he said.

 Rendition of Lewis Capaldi hit blasted to Italian street amid coronavirus lockdown

According to the government decree, people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to medical centres and banks, or take trips related to the care for the elderly, the young, and dependents. Those limitations were effective immediately.

It is also closing all restaurants, bars, hotels, schools and universities nationwide, and other non-essential retail outlets, a move some of its hardest-hit communities have already carried out.

The state of emergency also gives the government the power to take control of private hospitals to reinforce its large public health service that is being pushed to the brink in the capital and other areas.

All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Show all 19 1 /19 All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Women members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation, drink tea made with cow urine during a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party : Members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation hold earthen pots containing cow urine before drinking it as they attend a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi, India Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members and supporters of 'Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha' (ABHM) a Hindu organisation pour cow urine into cups before drinking it as they attend a 'gaumutra (cow urine) party' to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, by consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus, organised by ABHM's president Chakrapani Maharaj on 14 March 2020 in New Delhi India. Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Yawar Nazir/Getty Images All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Cups filled with cow urine are served during the Gaumutra party or Cow urine party organized by Hindu Mahasabha which they claim neutralises the effect of Coronavirus COVID19 in New Delhi, India, 14 March 2020 Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Rajat Gupta/EPA All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Altaf Qadri/AP All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Earthen cups filled with cow urine are placed on a table during an event organized by a Hindu religious group to promote consumption of cow urine as a cure for the new coronavirus in New Delhi, India, Saturday, 14 March 2020. The vast majority of people recover from the new coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. Altaf Qadri/AP All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party A member of All India Hindu Mahasabha holds an idol of a cow after drinking cow urine during a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha serve a traditional drink with cow urine as an ingredient during a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party A policeman stands guard next to a caricature as members of All India Hindu Mahasabha attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters All India Hindu Union's Coronavirus 'protection' Party Members of All India Hindu Mahasabha offer cow urine to a caricature of the coronavirus as they attend a gaumutra (cow urine) party, which according to them helps in warding off coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India 14 March 2020. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Spain is the second hardest-hit country in Europe after Italy, with 193 deaths and 6,250 cases so far, public broadcaster TVE said, well up from 120 deaths reported on Friday.

Italy extended the strict restriction on movements from the north to the entire country on March 9 when it registered over 9,000 infections. It then went further on March 11 and closed all retail outlets except some supermarkets and pharmacies.

In the United States, Donald Trump encouraged citizens not to travel and said he was considering possible restrictions.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) tweeted a letter to Trump from 600 days ago that shows that Trump knew about the firing of the White House Pandemic Office.

Trump claimed that he knew nothing about the firing of the White House Pandemic Office, I could perhaps ask Tony about that. I dont know anything about it. You say we did that.

However, Sen. Brown tweeted his letter to Trump:

Not true, @realDonaldTrump. I wrote to you more than 600 days ago demanding answers after you fired the entire White House pandemic team. https://t.co/ICbHOkyeyY pic.twitter.com/71OF9gKA3N  Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) March 13, 2020

Trump knew about, and approved of, the disbanding of the White House Pandemic Office. Trump took no responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus in the US, even though, it was his bad decisionmaking and eliminating of key government positions that left the US unprepared and behind the curve when the coronavirus arrived.

Trump disbanded the White House Pandemic Office because it was created by Obama. Trump has viewed the main goal of his presidency as the undoing of the Obama administration.

In the process of trying to erase the legacy of Barack Obama, Donald Trump left America vulnerable to a pandemic.

Trump bears sole responsibility for such reckless and deadly decisionmaking.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
People in detention are highly vulnerable to outbreaks of contagious illnesses. They are housed in close quarters and are often in poor health, the groups wrote in a letter to ICE officials overseeing an ICE processing center in Adelanto, Calif. Without the active engagement of the detention centers administration, they have little ability to inform themselves about preventive measures, or to take such measures if they do manage to learn of them. We are particularly concerned about the health and safety of the people detained at Adelanto, given the facilitys demonstrated failure to provide adequate medical care in the past.
Sick people across US being denied coronavirus test: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 13 March 2020 7:02 AM

Sick people across the United States say they are being denied the coronavirus test, as American states scramble to slow the spread of COVID-19 and stop hospitals from being overwhelmed with a surge in critically ill patients.

Many who fear they have the virus have faced one obstacle after another as they try to get tested, according to The New York Times, citing interviews with dozens of people across the country.

The experience of sick people that the Times interviewed underscores how difficult it can be for people in the US to find out if they have the coronavirus, despite President Donald Trump's announcement five days ago that anyone who wants a test can receive it.

Some people were rejected because they had no symptoms or had not traveled to a hot spot abroad, even though they had been in proximity to someone who tested positive for the coronavirus or had fevers and hacking coughs, the newspaper said.

And others were simply told there were not enough tests to go around.

"The system is not really geared to what we need right now, what you are asking for. That is a failing," Dr. Anthony Fauci, who leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday in testimony before the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform.

"It is a failing. I mean, let's admit it," Fauci told lawmakers. "The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we are not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes. But we are not."

The US is far behind other countries in carrying out widespread tests on potential patients, which has severely hampered efforts to contain the outbreak.

Hillary King, a 32-year-old consultant in Boston, Massachusetts, told the Times she spent five hours in the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital on Wednesday after experiencing a hacking cough and tickle in the throat, but was denied a test.

A doctor told her she did not meet the criteria since she had not traveled abroad or had any contact with a person who had tested positive.

The number of tests in Massachusetts were said to be so scarce that even people who were in close contact with some of the dozens who tested positive at a recent Biogen conference have not been given the test.

In Washington State, where at least 378 people have tested positive and 31 have died, public health officials have rationed the tests due to a shortage of testing supplies.

"At this time we are limiting testing to preserve availability for our most vulnerable," said Debra Carnes, a spokeswoman for PeaceHealth Columbia Network.

US health experts have criticized the Trump administration for initially downplaying the epidemic and lagging behind in testing efforts, making it difficult to gauge the full scale of outbreaks in the United States and curtail transmission of the virus.

More than 1,300 US cases of coronavirus have been confirmed and 33 people have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

US Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the Trump administration's coronavirus task force, said Thursday thousands of more people across the country would be infected with the coronavirus in the coming days.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared COVID-19 a pandemic, pointing to the over 118,000 cases of the coronavirus illness in over 110 countries and territories around the world and the sustained risk of further global spread.

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Spain will be in a state of emergency for the next 15 days to better combat the coronavirus, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday, in a dramatic increase to the policy response that will allow authorities to confine people and ration goods.

The state of emergency, which Sanchez said will formally be decided by a cabinet meeting on Saturday, will give the government power to take wide ranging measures including temporarily occupying factories or any other premises except private homes.

"The government of Spain will protect all its citizens and will guarantee the right life conditions to slow the pandemic with as little inconvenience as possible," Sanchez said. He did not spell out what specific measures the government will take.

Schools have already shut down across the country, with many cinemas, theaters or playgrounds also closing and trials suspended in several regions as normal life came to a halt in the euro zone's fourth-largest economy.
Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar Notes the Details of Spanish Governments Decree

Further to the Chief Minister's statement last night, Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar notes the terms of Decree of today's date issued by the Spanish Government, declaring and setting out in detail the terms of the State of Emergency which will apply in Spain from midnight on Monday the 16th March and, in particular, the restrictions on movement which will arise as a result.

Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar calls on all Gibraltarians resident in Spain and on all cross frontier workers to familiarise themselves with the terms of the said Decree and the effect that the restrictions on movement might have on them. Additionally, cross frontier workers are recommended to check with their employers to determine whether their places of work will be operating on Monday at all. The Government of Gibraltar has made further statements on restrictions on the operations of businesses in the catering trade which will impact many frontier workers.

Noting the terms of the said Decree, Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar therefore recommends that residents of Gibraltar should not travel into Spain, on foot, in a vehicle or by any other means, unless such travel is for essential purposes.

All Gibraltar residents who need to visit Spain for reasons which are essential, should also familiarise themselves with the terms of the State of Emergency declared in that country.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: "We share a land frontier with Spain and it is important therefore that those of our citizens who live in Spain should be aware of the terms of the State of Emergency which have now been decreed in Spain. The decree restricts the right of persons to move around in Spain. We are clarifying with Spanish colleagues that those coming to work in Gibraltar will be able to do so in the normal way, but workers in the catering sector will need to get confirmation from their employers of whether or not the businesses that they work for will be operating next week. I believe that the measures being taken by the Spanish government are, no doubt, being taken on the proper Public Health advice and are designed for a country of Spain's characteristics. We must respect them and as a neighbour we must assist them in these measures having the required effect. We should entirely avoid travelling to Spain for any reason that is not essential and, if in Spain, any Gibraltarian must ensure we adhere to the terms of the decree made by the Spanish President today. The virus knows no frontiers and we will continue our own work, based on our Public Health professionals' advice, to implement the best plan for Gibraltar to slow down the inevitable spread of the virus in Gibraltar and in that way help the most vulnerable in our community."
Six months ago, Ryan Eller and his girlfriend Sarah Dutter's planned trip to Spain seemed like it would be a typical, fun-filled vacation for the two Bay Area-based nurses.

When they left for Spain on March 5, the news was different than where it stands today. At that point, San Francisco had just reported its first confirmed case of coronavirus and California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the spread of coronavirus. But the couple figured the worst thing that could happen was facing quarantine upon their return to the United States.

"There was a thought where it was like, 'Do we do this? Are we going to get quarantined when we get back?" said Eller, who lives in Napa and works at multiple Bay Area health care centers. "But that would just mean we cant work for two weeks. We didnt see this coming. We lived through SARS and Ebola, and nothing got extensive as quickly as this did. This is different, I guess.

On March 10, the two were scheduled to travel to Morocco for a few days before returning to Spain for the conclusion of the trip. At the time, there were 1,695 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Spain, but cases in Morocco were in the single-digits.

"I said, 'Theres only seven cases,'" Eller said. "Im not really concerned about contracting it, Im a nurse, I know how this thing works, its more about me giving it to someone else who is vulnerable."

Eller and Dutter traveled to Morocco as scheduled, but just two days later, travel between Morocco and Spain was halted as conditions worsened in the Spain. This killed the couple's Plan A, which was to fly back to Madrid, and then depart for SFO from Barcelona.

They then scrambled to find a Plan B, which was to fly to Lisbon, then to London, and finally San Francisco. This was quashed when travel from Morocco to Portugal was also put on hold.

"We're on Plan C now," Eller explained.

As of Saturday, Plan C is flying from Casablanca to Qatar, and then from Qatar to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, and finally, JFK to SFO. But even Plan C seems tenuous at this point.

"It seems everywhere Im going, I get a border closed on me," Eller said. "And the last place I want to be stuck is Qatar."

As the coronavirus continues to shut down travel worldwide, Eller and Dutter are not entirely sure what's next. The United States currently has a travel ban on most European countries, although that ban does not apply to United States residents trying to return home. It will still be difficult for the couple to find a flight from Europe to the United States, as more and more countries ramp up travel restrictions.

Eller stated they have been in contact with the office of Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents California's fifth congressional district. They have discussed reaching out to the United States consulate in Casablanca, but no one is available to assist them since it is the weekend.

The couple also understands they may just have to wait things out abroad.

"We can maybe go down to South Africa, Africa doesnt seem to be too affected by it," he said. "There are no direct flights from Morocco, we either have to go through the Middle East or Europe. We're not sure how we're getting back."

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
The Oxford English dictionary says one of the meanings of justice is fairness. Its a quality we instinctively understand. Even children can sense when someone has not been fair. And, above all else, its what we expect from our Supreme Court (SC). Few can fathom complex jurisprudential arguments, but all of us automatically recognise fairness  or unfairness  when we see it.

This is why Im disillusioned with the way the SC has treated Harsh Mander. On March 4, the Solicitor General told the Court that Mander had made a speech at Jamia Millia Islamia in December which brings the Court into disrepute and instigates people. Without hearing the speech  or even Manders lawyer  the Chief Justice of India (CJI) said: If this is what you feel about the Court, then we will have to decide what to do about you. He also decided to defer a hate speech petition presented by Mander. Till we sort this out we will not hear you but will hear others.

Two things were thus clear. First, the CJI was prepared to act on the Solicitor Generals version of Manders speech without hearing the actual speech or even Manders lawyers version of it. Second, the CJI gave greater priority to a comment he saw as a slur on the Courts reputation than hate speech which could affect tens of millions.

The matter came up again on March 6, by when the Delhi Police had filed an affidavit accusing Mander of bringing the judiciary, as an institution, and individual judges in disrepute. On this occasion, Manders lawyer, Dushyant Dave, pleaded with the judges: Please go through the entire speech  the filing of the application by Delhi Police against Mander is an attempt to browbeat him  He is being put in the dock for nothing. But, again, the Court did not hear the full speech. It continued to rely on the Solicitor Generals version now, presumably, supported by the police. And it ordered Mander to respond to the allegations and fixed an April date for the next hearing.

However, if the judges had heard the speech, this is what they would have found Mander said of the Court. After saying the fight for our country and our Constitution cannot be won in Parliament, because our secular parties do not have the moral strength to take it up, he added: This fight can also not be won in the Supreme Court because, as we have seen in the case of the NRC, Ayodhya and Kashmir, the Supreme Court has not been able to protect humanity, equality and secularism. We will definitely try as hard as we can in the Supreme Court, because it is our Supreme Court after all. However, the final decision will be given neither by the Parliament nor by the Supreme Court.

This is, undoubtedly, criticism of the Court, but then who said you cant criticise it? In fact, many would consider it deserved. And it certainly isnt contempt.

The full speech would have also revealed in what manner Mander was instigating people. After asking where will the future of the country be decided, he said: On the one hand, the decision can be taken on the streets. We are all out on the streets. However, there is one more space, bigger than the streets, where this decision can be taken. What is this space where the solution to this struggle can be found? Its in our hearts  in your heart and in mine.

If the phrase on the streets disturbed them, the judges would have discovered that in the very next breath, Mander made clear it did not mean violence. Protest, yes, but peaceful and lawful. We have only one answer to their hatred and that is love, he said. Most importantly, we have to fight with non-violence. Anyone who incites you to violence and hatred is not a friend of yours.

So, now, can you see why I began the way I did, and why Im disillusioned with the Supreme Court? It hasnt been fair to Mander. Ironically, that could hurt the Court more than Mander.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story

The views expressed are personal

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Rio Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu suffered a major blow as she knocked out of the ongoing All England Open after slumping to defeat at the hands of world number four and former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the quarter-final clash in Birmingham on Friday evening.

After comfortably winning the opening game, the 24-year-old from Hyderabad failed to continue her momentum and suffered to a 21-12, 15-21, 13-21 defeat against Okuhara in a thrilling last-eight clash of the women's singles event that lasted one hour and eight minutes.

It was Sindhu who made the breakthrough first by taking an early 3-0 lead over Okuhara. Though the Japanese badminton star bounced back to reduce the gap to 5-8, Sindhu unleashed a shot at the back to ensure she headed into the interval leading 11-6.

When Okuhara reached double digits, Sindhu was already standing on 19 points in the opening game. The Japanese then committed an unforced error to hand Sindhu the opening game.

In the second game, Okuhara first went ahead by 2-1 before she extended her lead to 5-2 with an extraordinary 38-shot rally.

Though the Indian shuttler rebounded strongly to reduce the gap to 6-8 following a few unforced errors by Okuhara, the Japanese held her nerves to take a 20-11 lead. Sindhu then smashed a forehand to the net to lose the second game.

Okuhara continued her momentum in the third game by taking an 11-6 read before Sindhu staged a late fightback to reduce the gap. However, the Japanese shuttled held her nerves towards the end to eventually emerge victorious.

Earlier, Sindhu had headed into the quarter-final clash with a 9-7 head-to-head record against Okuhara. However, the Japanese shuttler has now improved her record against Sindhu with a win.

With Sindhu's defeat, India's challenge at the Super 1000 badminton tournament has also ended.
Hugh Jackman shared a joyous hand-washing dance to fans on Saturday to help encourage effective hygiene practices to fight the spread of coronavirus.

But less than 12 hours after it was posted, the Australian actor had removed the clip entirely from his social media feeds.

Fans slammed the Wolverine star, 51, after spotting an unexpected element in the upload.

Scroll down for video

Australian actor Hugh Jackman, 51, removed a video performing a hand-washing dance to fight the spread of coronavirus on Saturday after fans slammed the clip for a VERY unexpected reason soon after he shared it to Instagram

Hugh was seen in a luxury marble bathroom as he lathered his hands with soap and danced around the sink.

The star was attempting to show the correct hand-washing techniques to the beat of Doja Cat's Say So - a popular song used with dances on TikTok.

However, the post was soon flooded by comments that were less-than-impressed with Hugh leaving his tap running during the 20-second clip.

Wash your hands! The star was attempting to show the correct hand-washing techniques to the beat of Doja Cat's Say So - a popular song used with dances on TikTok

Oh no! Fans were less-than-impressed with Hugh leaving his tap running during the 20-second clip while he wasn't using it

Hugh actually addressed the concerns in his since-deleted caption.

He admitted he shouldn't have left the tap running while it wasn't in use and would be more cautious with conserving water in the future.

However, despite the caption correction, the enthusiastic clip was removed.

SorryIn his since-deleted caption, Hugh admitted he shouldn't have left the tap running while it wasn't in use and would be more cautious with conserving water in the future

Hugh is based in New York with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 64, and children Oscar Maximilian, 19, and Ava Eliot, 14.

Globally there have been more than 156,054 cases of coronavirus, with the death tally already surpassing 5,000.

In his native country of Australia, as of Sunday afternoon, there have been 280 cases of coronavirus, including three deaths.
German automaker BMW does not see any impact of supply chain disruption on its India operations till June due to the coronavirus outbreak, a top company official said. The company said it will have to assess the impact of the outbreak on the products coming in after June. "As of now, we are fine and comfortable for the next quarter (April-June). We have a very clear picture. On certain products which are coming out beyond the quarter, we will have to see how the coronavirus impact pans out," BMW Group India President and CEO Rudratej Singh told PTI. He, however, added it was a bit early to ascertain the complete impact of the outbreak on the supply chain.

"It is early days right now as the supply chain impact has a lag and I think the lag has not been fully felt by the industry yet. If it persists, things will get worse before they get better in terms of availability of supply chain and we are not seeing it right now," Singh said. The company would watch the situation arising out of the outbreak very carefully going ahead, he added. "It is a very fluid situation right now," Singh said. When asked to comment on the sales outlook for the current year, he said: "We have been competitive relative to others as we have actually comparatively gained segment share last year and in that situation, we are confident that we will continue to be competitive this year as well."

The company refreshed its entire range without waiting for BS-VI transition and that would help it perform better in the market, Singh said."Today, we have the freshest portfolio in the segment and that has helped. It gives us confidence that we will continue to gain segment share. Looking at absolute numbers when there is a slowdown could be dicey," he noted. BMW sold 9,641 units of BMW and MINI range of cars in 2019. Singh said the company is focussing on the localisation of its product range in the country and expects to carry on with the work going ahead.

"Already, 95 per cent of our volumes come from locally manufactured products already. We are fairly high in our localisation levels over the last few years. We intend to make sure that our strategy going ahead also is in line where barring very very niche products we would look at all our volume products to be manufactured in Chennai," he added. He noted that it doesn't make sense for local assembly of certain niche products and electric vehicles in the country.

Singh, however, noted that if need be the annual production capacity at the company's Chennai plant could be ramped up to 19,000 units from the current 14,000 units in a single shift basis. "We can go much higher than what we are selling now so we are very well taken care of in terms of our overall capacity for the next 3-4 years. But yes, the whole idea of supporting the Make in India initiative is something we are fully following," he added. Not just the manufacturing, the company has a regional purchase office and an IT set-up for taking care of requirements in Asia and other parts of the world, Singh said.
Campaigns that promoted voting by mail and early voting will find themselves better positioned, said Holmes, who has worked on dozens of campaigns including for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and state Attorney General Kwame Raoul. The campaigns are going to have to change their styles. Those that have built out digital infrastructure  if they can talk to voters on TV, Facebook Live or YouTube, they will get their message out.
New Delhi: The government on Saturday notified the reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank and said restrictions on withdrawals from its accounts up to Rs 50,000 will be lifted in three working days.

Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed Yes Bank under moratorium and took over control of the board. They also imposed a Rs 50,000-limit on withdrawals from the bank till April 3.

Soon, panic gripped the bank's customers who queued before ATMs and bank branches to withdraw money. They were also not able to access Internet banking and other services like digital payments through another party's platform. Forex services and credit card purchases, among others, were also impacted.

The government, in a notification on Friday, said: "The order of moratorium on the reconstructed bank... shall cease to have effect on the third working day at 18:00 hours from the date of commencement of this Scheme.

The Centre approved a bail-out plan for Yes Bank proposed by the Reserve Bank under which SBI would infuse Rs 7,250 crore in the lender for 49 per cent equity.

ICICI Bank will infuse Rs 1,000 crore in the troubled lender in lieu of picking-up 100 crore shares, while Axis Bank said it will invest up to Rs 600 crore in Yes Bank for up to 60 crore shares.

Rana Kapoor, 62, former MD and CEO of the private bank, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - French health authorities reported 15 new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, taking the country's death toll from the outbreak to 48, as the number of reported infections also sharply rose.

During a press conference, French Health Minister Olivier Veran also announced restrictions in two new areas of the country, the isle of Corsica and the urban area around southern town of Montpellier.

The total number of confirmed cases came to 2,281, Veran added. That represents an increase of 497 cases on the tally reported Tuesday at 1800 GMT. (Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
The Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi has ordered the self- quarantine of its holidaying staff returning from abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinedum Nwajiuba, the institutions Vice-Chancellor made this known while inaugurating a 13-member committee on sensitisation of staff members and students on the deadly disease on Friday in Ndufu-Alike.

Mr Nwajiuba said that the decision was reached after the inaugural meeting of the committee which consisted of members trained in various fields.

We agreed that all staff returning from abroad after the holidays will first report to the institutions Chief Security Officer (CSO) on phone.

They will then proceed on a week self-quarantine before reporting for work and any symptom should be reported to the schools medical centre, he said.

The vice-chancellor said that the students are expected back from March 28, adding that necessary precautions steps were already in place.

We have directed all staff and students to procure hand sanitisers while returning to school while we will provide veronica-buckets, water, disinfectants, around classrooms, administration blocks, laboratory among other points.

One of our core mandate is community service and we are going to pass the same message to our host community and environs.

The indigenes are going to be properly enlightened on ways of maintaining proper hygiene, proper ways of sneezing among others, he said.

He said that the sensitisation campaign will also harp on the economic consequences of the pandemic, to make the nations economic administrators focus more on measures to make the country less dependent on oil.

Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Henry Aloh, said that the committee had been mandated to carry out enlightenment on the coronavirus and Lassa Fever as a proactive measure.

This is for protection from the virus and other infectious diseases by imbibing adequate personal hygiene which includes regular hand washing, avoiding touching ones face with unclean hands, avoiding crowded environment when necessary, among others.

People should also be enlightened to advise others to report immediately to health facilities when they fall sick and we would achieve this through the social media and other communication outlets, he said.

He said that Lassa Fever has a higher awareness demand locally.

We know that its commonest symptoms include: fever, body pains, malaise, body pains, headache and hemorrhagic symptoms and we have developed a monitoring protocol among health workers, he said.

(NAN)
- Two persons have been confirmed to have tested positive with the coronavirus in Ghana

- The duo are from Norway and Turkey

- Information Minister, Kojo Oppong has also urged Ghanaians not to politicise this deadly problem the world is facing

- Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Ghanas Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has told Ghanaians who doubt that the coronavirus is in Ghana to go and hug the victims if they dont believe.

According to the minister, persons who say they do not believe the confirmed cases in Ghana can be taken to the victims for hugs and see if they will survive.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ghana confirms first two cases of coronavirus (video)

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah in a Twi interview with Accra based Onua FM said; if you dont believe we have two people with the disease, come, we shall take you to where they have been quarantined for you to hug them and see if you will survive.

He also urged Ghanaians not to joke or politicize the Covid-19 disease.

On Thursday, March 12 night, government confirmed Ghanas first two cases of the coronavirus in the country.

On his part, Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said the confirmed cases were tested at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.

READ ALSO: No politicisation of $100m for Coronavirus fight  Oppong Nkrumah cautions Minority

According to him, the two individuals infected by the pandemic were from Norway and Turkey.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the one of the confirmed coronavirus cases is a Ghanaian, according to Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

According to a report filed by GraphicOnline, the minister said one of the patients is a Ghanaian who works in Turkey and returned to Ghana with the disease while the other person is a Norwegian citizen.

Yenkasa: Coronavirus: Is Ghana ready? | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Government earlier knew about 2 recorded case - NDC's Stan Dogbe alleges

Enjoyed reading our story? Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
(Natural News) Researchers from China have discovered that coronavirus patients can be infectious for up to five weeks after they first develop symptoms. Their study found that COVID-19 can live in peoples respiratory tracts for as long as 37 days after they were diagnosed.

Most healthcare experts around the globe have been recommending an isolation period of just two weeks. Both Israel and the city of Beijing, for example, have implemented 14-day quarantines either for citizens returning from abroad (in Chinas case) or for all visitors (as is the case for Israel). This means that common medical understanding of how long coronavirus patients and people under investigation of having the virus may be lacking.

Coronavirus genetic information lingers for far longer

In this study, published in The Lancet, doctors from Wuhan and Beijing studied 191 coronavirus patients from two hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the worldwide pandemic. All 191 patients were either discharged or succumbed to the virus by January 31.

The team collected epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, treatment and outcome data from the patients electronic medical records.

Using this data, the researchers found out that viral shedding occurred in all 191 patients for an average of 20 days after diagnosis, with the shortest observed duration of shedding being eight days and the longest being 37 days.

Viral shedding is when the virus is still detectable in the patients, whether it be in the blood, saliva, stool or other forms of organic matter collected by researchers. In the case of The Lancets study, the researchers figured this out after they discovered COVID-19 RNA  the part of the virus that carries genetic information  in respiratory samples from coronavirus patients. They also found that the virus RNA was sustained until death in people who succumb to the virus.

Prolonged viral shedding provides the rationale for a strategy of isolation of infected patients and optimal antiviral interventions in the future, wrote the authors in their study. This has important implications for both patient isolation decision making and guidance around the length of antiviral treatment.

Many studies around the world agree: COVID-19 is far more resilient

This study is just the latest in a slew of research that shows the coronavirus can survive for far longer than common medical understanding would have you believe.

One study, conducted by the government of the United States with the help of other scientists, found that the coronavirus can survive in the air for up to three hours and can stay alive on surfaces of objects for up to three days. Their tests show that the virus can survive on copper objects for up to four hours, on cardboard for a whole day and on plastic and steel surfaces for up to a terrifying 72 hours.

Another study, published by Chinese researchers in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the coronavirus can incubate in patients for up to 24 days, although the median incubation period is much lower at three days. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that people are most likely to infect others with COVID-19 when theyre at their sickest, this study opens up the possibility that more people are being infected by asymptomatic patients who are unknowingly spreading the coronavirus due to a lack of awareness of the need to self-quarantine.

The CDCs findings on the spread of the coronavirus have been supported by a study conducted by German researchers  one of the first coronavirus studies to be conducted by non-Chinese scientists outside of China. This study found that COVID-19 patients shed large amounts of the virus even before symptoms appear, meaning that the virus can easily spread to others even while the infected people are only showing minor symptoms such as coughing or fatigue. (Related: German chancellor Merkel warns 70 percent of Germany now at risk of being infected by the coronavirus.)

As of March 12, the World Health Organization reports that there are 125,048 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 4,613 deaths; 1,215 of those cases and 36 of those deaths are from the United States.

The Chinese researchers from The Lancet believe that their study provides more evidence that government healthcare departments are correct in their strategies of isolation for people they suspect are infected. However, infectious disease experts around the world may now need to lobby their countries officials more intensely about reassessing how long people need to stay in quarantine once they suspect theyre infected after their case has been confirmed and as soon as medical practitioners announce that theyve reportedly recovered from the virus.

If current medical quarantine practices remain as they are, the number of coronavirus cases around the world may skyrocket due to people not maintaining their imposed periods of isolation for long enough.

This may especially be the case for countries that arent well-equipped to handle the outbreak.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk 1

StraitsTimes.com

BBC.com

MiamiHerald.com

TheLancet.com

MedRXiv.org [PDF]

NEJM.org

CDC.gov 1

DailyMail.co.uk 2

WHO.int

CDC.gov 2
A UK police watchdog is taking legal action against the country's Home Office for alleged race discrimination, claiming to be paid less as a white official as compared to his black predecessor.

Matthew John Parr, one of the five Inspectors of Constabulary who oversee the UK's police forces including the Metropolitan Police, took his claim to the employment tribunal in 2018 and the case is to come up for a full hearing this year.

The details came to light this week as a High Court judge ruled to lift restrictions on it being reported after UK Home Secretary Priti Patel lost an appeal for the proceedings to be kept confidential.

"Although the Appellant is the Home Secretary, and although the Respondent is the holder of an office to which he was appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Home Secretary, and although his work is the inspection of police forces, the confidentiality alleged in this case was not a matter of any state secret, or sensitive policing, or public interest immunity, or private discussions of public policy, or anything of that sort," notes Justice Martin Griffiths as part of his ruling dated March 6, dismissing the appeal for confidentiality.

In his claims for equal pay and sex and race discrimination, Parr says that his 140,000 pounds a year salary is too low compared with the 185,000 pounds salary of Wendy Williams, the last inspector appointed before him, and alleges gender and race-related grounds for that discrepancy.

The UK Home Office insists his lower salary is the result of a drive within the department to reduce senior staff salary burdens.

In reference to the case, which will now go on for a full tribunal hearing, Justice Griffiths notes: "His (Parr) named comparator is the HMI (Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary) appointed before him, who is a woman of BME (black and minority ethnic) heritage.

"The Appellant (Patel, respondent to the claims) admits that he does 'like work' within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, and that he is paid less, but contends that the reason for the discrepancy in salaries, which are apparently individually negotiated for each HMI, is a pay policy which aims to reduce senior salaries. The Appellant also denies the allegations of sex and race discrimination".

The Home Office appeal was about whether part of the proceedings should be heard in private, and whether some of the Employment Tribunal's decision, when it is eventually made, should be withheld from publication or otherwise kept confidential. Now that the appeal has been dismissed, the details of the case will be open to the public when it returns to an employment tribunal later this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JUNEAU, Alaska - Alaskas governor Friday suspended classes and other activities at public schools, as well as banned visits to a number of correctional facilities as part of his effort to contain the new coronavirus outbreak.

Mike Dunleavy, working with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, ordered the suspension of classes and after-school activities from March 16 to March 30.

Dunleavy also suspended visits to Department of Corrections facilities, Division of Juvenile Justice facilities, the Alaska Military Youth Academy and the Alaska Psychiatric Institute. The governor limited visitation to Alaska Pioneer Homes, which house the elderly.

Also on Friday night, organizers of the Iditarod sled dog race said they are moving the 19th checkpoint in the 1,000-mile race out of the community of Shaktoolik to help prevent the transmission of the virus.

The Iditarod continues to utilize best practices and caution regarding COVID-19, the organizers said in a statemwent.

Also on Friday, Alaska lawmakers announced plans to restrict access to the Capitol in Juneau amid concerns about the new coronavirus.

Access will be limited to lawmakers, legislative employees, members of Gov. Mike Dunleavys administration and credentialed journalists. In a release, issued by members of a subcommittee appointed to plan for COVID-19, the steps were described as temporary but necessary for health and safety reasons and to help ensure lawmakers can finalize outstanding work.

Major issues remaining for lawmakers include the budgets and a decision on the size of Alaska Permanent Fund dividend to pay residents.

Committee hearings and floor sessions will be carried online and on TV. Public testimony will be accepted by phone and in writing.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

State officials late Thursday announced the first case of the virus in Alaska.

Meanwhile, new jury trials in Anchorage, Kenai and Palmer were suspended for the week starting Monday. Grand jury proceedings in Anchorage and elsewhere will continue as scheduled, according to the state court system.
JetBlue has barred a passenger from flying on its planes ever again after the traveler learned during a flight from New York to Florida that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The passenger boarded a JetBlue flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport Wednesday night without informing airline employees he had been tested for the coronavirus and was awaiting the results, the airline said.

The passenger received a notification toward the end of the flight that he had tested positive for the virus and was overheard talking about it, The New York Times reported. The flight crew then notified authorities on the ground in Palm Beach, according to the report.

Last nights event put our crewmembers, customers, and federal and local officials in an unsettling situation that could have easily been avoided, and as such, this customer will not be permitted to fly on JetBlue in the future, the airline said in a statement.

The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Passengers said passengers who sat near the infected person were allowed to leave the airport after being given instructions on how to monitor their health over the next few days, ABC News reported. The rest of the passengers were allowed to leave the airport after being given directions to call the local health department with any medical concerns, according to the report.

The Florida Department of Health said the passenger who tested positive for the coronavirus was now in isolation.

JetBlue immediately sterilized the area where the passengers deplaned and conducted extra cleaning of the gate at Kennedy Airport from which the plane departed, according to the reports.

The health and safety of our customers and crewmembers is our top priority, the airline said in a statement. Were asking customers who do not feel well or are concerned they may have coronavirus to not fly until cleared to travel by a doctor or health professional.

A passenger on the plane, Scott Rodman, told WPTV in West Palm Beach he saw a man wearing a mask and gloves being taken to the back of the plane.

I dont feel good about it, Rodman said. The guy was sitting, you know, five feet from me, and his wife was sitting two feet from me, so no, Im not feeling great about it.

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148

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BERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - The German state of Bavaria will close all schools, kindergartens and nurseries from Monday until the start of the Easter break on April 6 due to the coronavirus epidemic, dpa news agency reported, citing state government sources.

Calls have been growing for Germany to follow the bulk of its European neighbours in shuttering schools to help slow the spread of the virus, but in Germany's highly devolved system, only regional governments can make that call.

In addition to the wealthy southern state, the tiny western state of Saarland also said on Friday that it would close its schools. Three other states, including North Rhine Westphalia, Germany's largest, are due to decide on school closures on Friday. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Thomas Seythal)
President Donald Trump said the US will broaden its temporary travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic to include the UK and Ireland, two countries left out of an earlier order.

Trump confirmed reports that the restrictions are pending during a Saturday news conference at the White House that followed a meeting of his coronavirus taskforce.

"They've had a little bit of activity, unfortunately," Trump said of the UK and Ireland. "We actually already have looked at it. That is going to be announced."

The restrictions will go into effect on Monday at midnight, said Vice President Mike Pence. "All our health experts" were unanimous on the advisability of the move, he said.
Stores are running out of hand-sanitizing gels and chlorine wipes due to panic-buying. It may have you feeling alarmed about how to protect your family at home as the novel coronavirus spreads. Luckily, plain old hand soap will go a long way.

Stephen Thomas, M.D., chief of infectious diseases and director of global health at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, said it is not possible to disinfect every surface you touch throughout your day, so your best bet is hand-washing. "The planet is covered with bacteria and viruses, and we're constantly in contact with these surfaces, so hand-washing is still your best defense against COVID-19."

In areas hardest hit by COVID-19, trucks were spraying streets and a group of sanitation workers was wearing backpack tanks fogging sidewalks, plazas, and parks in China, Italy, South Korea, and elsewhere.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread most commonly through invisible respiratory droplets sent into the air when a person coughs or sneezes. Those droplets can then be contracted by nearby people inhaling them or land on surfaces that others can touch, who can then get infected when they touch their nose, eyes, or mouth.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this coronavirus strain (like other coronaviruses) is actually easy to kill out in the open. "Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, meaning they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product."

If convenient products run out in your favorite store due to stockpiling, you may already have cleaning products that can help combat this coronavirus right in your home.

You may try shopping early in the morning (6 AM to 8 AM) because the shelves are regularly restocked overnight. Here are the household products that can destroy coronavirus:

1. Soap and water. Washing and scrubbing with soap and water can break the coronavirus' protective envelope. Richard Sachleben, an organic chemist, suggested to "scrub like you've got sticky stuff on the surface and you really need to get it off."

2. Bleach solutions and alcohol solutions. Diluted household bleach solutions and alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol can help combat the virus that causes COVID-19. To make this solution, mix 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.

Alcohol is typically effective against the coronavirus but it can cause discoloration to some plastic.

4. Vodka. This is cascading in social media as the best product to use because of the alcohol content that it has.

5. Disinfectants.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend cleaning and wiping down frequently touched surfaces with a disinfectant. Do this every day during the cold and flu season to reduce the risk of contracting the infection.

Thomas warns against making your own hand sanitizer. "People don't know the right ratios to use, and the internet won't give you the right answer," he points out. "Not only can you hurt yourself, but it could give you a false sense of security."

The virus hangs on in the air for up to 3 hours and 2 to 3 days on plastic surfaces and stainless steel. Meanwhile, the CDC said there is no confirmation that it spreads through swimming pools, hot tubs or drinking water.

Related Article: Coronavirus Fears: Why are People Panic-Buying?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Republic Bank Ghana, a subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, hosted a dinner in honor of the Prime Minister of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, The Honorable Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley, and MP during his working visit to Ghana.

Dr Rowley visited Ghana as the Special Guest of Honor at Ghanas 63rd Independence Day Celebration. The Dinner was held at the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City last Saturday, March 7, 2020.

The Managing Director of Republic Bank Ghana, Mr. Farid Antar, in his welcome address at the event, thanked the Prime Minister for accepting the dinner invitation despite his tight schedule in Ghana.

According to the Managing Director, the purpose of the event was to honor the Prime Minister in Ghana and also, to appreciate the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, who is a key Stakeholder of Republic Financial Holdings Limited for the continued support and for seeking to nurture the bond between the Caribbean and Africa specifically, between Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana.

Mr. Antar assured the Prime Minister of Republic Banks commitment to supporting business and cultural opportunities between the two countries and regions. For us at Republic Bank we are in the unique position as the Bank with high presence in both the Caribbean and Ghana to facilitate that Agenda. We assure you, Honorable Prime Minister that we will promote this agenda, the Managing Director added.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, Mr. Charles Zwennes, recognized the efforts made by the Government of Ghana to strengthen relationship with Diaspora Countries and people.

I believe that Diasporans have a lot to offer Ghana and Africa as a whole and vice versa. The success of the Year of Return Initiative by the Government of Ghana provides us yet another opportunity to consider and re-focus our resources to building stronger ties with diaspora countries especially the Caribbean regions.

He further reaffirmed Republic Banks preparedness to play a significant role in the continued development of Ghana and being a conduit for development between the Caribbean and the Motherland. From recent and ongoing discussions and announcements it is clear that there is a renewed energy and commitment from both sides of the Atlantic to make tangible and timely progress. We at Republic Bank stand ready to play our part! Mr. Zwennes said.

The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, The Honorable Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley, MP thanked Republic Bank Ghana for the kind gesture and assured his Governments continued support to the Banks operation and expansion program in Africa.

According to the Prime Minister, Republic Bank in Africa symbolizes the labor of our forefathers who were shipped to the Caribbean in slavery, bearing fruit and returning home to Africa. Therefore, the success of the Republic Bank in Africa is an achievement of the Caribbean and all descendants of Africa in the Diaspora.

The Prime Minister also used the occasion to reaffirm his commitment to building a stronger relationship with Africa and to institute a direct flight between Ghana and the Caribbean.

The Finance Minister of Ghana, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta who represented the President of the Republic of Ghana assured those present of Governments willingness to support any initiative that will promote the bond and relationship between the Caribbean Region and Ghana.

Present at the Dinner were the Wife of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Sharon Rowley, Minister of Public Utilities of Trinidad, Mr. Robert Le Hunte and his wife Mrs. Margaret Le Hunte.

Mr. Wendell De Landro High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria the Honorary Consul of Trinidad and Tobago to Ghana, Mr. Hilton John Mitchell.

Also in attendance were members of the Board of Directors and Executives of Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, and other specially invited Guests.
Global software firms Tata



Consultancy Services (TCS) and Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) said on Saturday that they are keeping a close watch on the situation in wake of the coronavirus outbreak which claimed two lives India so far.

TCS is ensuring that the company's staff gets all the information and support they require.

"The health and safety of all TCS employees and their families are of utmost importance to us. We are working closely with all relevant local, regional and global, health institutions and are implementing the latest recommendations given to us," a TCS spokesperson said.

"In addition, we are also working closely with our clients to coordinate any measures in this situation," the spokesperson added.

The company employs around 40,000 people in the city's development centre.

"A dedicated cross-functional team is engaged in daily contingency planning with various stakeholders to ensure continued services for our clients around the world," a CTS spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that these plans, based on individual client requirements, include preparations to enable some associates to work remotely if required and appropriate and continue to closely monitor the progress of COVID-19.

The company has suspended non-essential business travel and travel to the most affected countries, he said.

CTS has more than 19,000 employees at its Kolkata centre.

In West Bengal, no case of coronavirus has been detected so far.

The government has also declared closure of all schools and colleges in the state from March 16 to March 31 as a precautionary measure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) The state of Florida has purchased 2,500 commercially available testing kits to increase the states testing capacity against the novel coronavirus, said Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday. The purchased kits would allow healthcare facilities and labs all over Florida to test 625,000 people for the pandemic currently taking the world by storm. However, DeSantis also expressed concern over the potential supply shortage of swab tools used by healthcare providers to collect samples needed for the test kits.

If hospitals can do this in their own labs, the turnaround could be quicker and they would be able to make better use of their resources here in their healthcare facilities, DeSantis said. Many labs do have some supply, but our capacity  is really dependent on how much of the materials are available or can be brought into the state

As of writing, the state of Florida has 41 positive cases of the COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, with only two virus-related fatalities. In recent weeks, healthcare practitioners at Jackson Memorial Hospital were begging the states Department of Health to allow them to run tests for COVID-19.

However, getting the test results would take at least 24 hours, even in the states own public health labs. Local officials consider the lack of widespread testing in the Miami area as a major concern. According to a report by the Miami Herald, Floridas Health Department is the primary authority on coronavirus testing, meaning that they control who can be tested and will only approve testing for certain subsets of people.

Before the issuance of new guidance this week, the testing for coronavirus in Florida has been restricted to only those with known travel history to affected areas around the world or people who have come into contact with confirmed cases. On Monday, this testing has been expanded to include those patients hospitalized with unexplained shortness of breath.

A state of emergency

As of writing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that there are a total of 1,215 cases in the United States. As the coronavirus pandemic spreads throughout the country, many cities and states are scrambling to apply safety precautions that could help quell the spread of the virus. (Related: Washington county of 2.2 million recommends ALL employees work from home as New York also declares state of emergency over coronavirus.)

In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker recently announced a state of emergency in a news conference on Tuesday as the number of coronavirus cases in the state rise to a staggering 108 total confirmed cases  the fourth-highest number of cases in the country. Baker urged all employers in the state to limit or even eliminate non-essential travel and to establish a prohibition on large events wherever possible. The St. Patricks Day Parade in Boston was also canceled due to health concerns, with the city mayor claiming it is needed to keep the residents of Boston safe and healthy.

In Colorado, Denver City Mayor Michael Hancock also declared a local state of emergency, The Denver Post reported. While the declaration is in effect, Hancock said that large gatherings in the city are heavily discouraged to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Emergency Management spokesperson Loa Esquilin-Garcia said that while the declaration expires on March 19, it might make additional emergency resources available for use to city crew members.

Virginia also joins the slew of states that have recently declared a state of emergency as public school districts started to close down due to the rising number of cases among Virginians. For the next 30 days, all forms of state conferences and large events shall be canceled, and private organizers and local governments throughout the state are expected to follow suit.

Canadian Prime Ministers wife tested positive for coronavirus

Meanwhile, in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be put in isolation for two weeks after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, has tested positive for COVID-19, CNBC reported. Gregoire Trudeau recently returned from a trip to London and started experiencing flu-like symptoms. Health officials are currently reaching out for those who were in contact with the Prime Ministers wife during her trip.

As for the Prime Minister himself, Communications Director Cameron Ahmad tweeted a statement saying that Trudeau is in good health with no symptoms. However, he will still need to go into isolation for 14 days as a precautionary method, as directed by health officials.

Update on Sophie & the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/EkJL5rWGUN  Cameron Ahmad (@CameronAhmad) March 13, 2020

Ahmad also shared a personal statement by Gregoire Trudeau, where she thanked people for reaching out to her and said that while she is experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, she would get better sooner or later. In addition, she noted that other Canadian families and patients could be facing more serious concerns.

Personal message from Sophie. pic.twitter.com/rXVilM6dxH  Cameron Ahmad (@CameronAhmad) March 13, 2020

As of Thursday, Canada has 117 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, according to data by the Infection Prevention and Control Canada. The coronavirus outbreak, which has afflicted at more than 121,000 people worldwide, has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Sources include:

MiamiHerald.com

FloridaHealth.gov

NewsWeek.com

DenverPost.com

SFGate.com

CNBC.com 1

CNBC.com 2

IPAC.Canada.org
Khadija Yusra Sanusi, daughter of the former emir of Kano, says her father wanted his books to be inherited by Bayero University Kano (B...

Khadija Yusra Sanusi, daughter of the former emir of Kano, says her father wanted his books to be inherited by Bayero University Kano (BUK).





Muhammad Sanusi II was deposed as emir of Kano on Monday. He is currently on exile in Awe, a town in Nasarawa state.





His library has been a subject of discourse since he was dethroned, with people asking what will happen to the books.





On Thursday, Mujtaba Abba, Sanusis principal private secretary, disclosed that the library had been moved from the emirate.

Sanusi was said to have been worried about the library said to be worth over N200 million naira and has over 40,000 books and catalogues.





His highness greatest concern was the fate of his books, so my sister and I stayed behind to ensure that we evacuated all the books, Abba said.





It took us sleepless nights to accomplish the task in two days. I made most of the transactions for the purchase of the books, and I can tell you, in conservative estimate, theyre worth over N200m.





Commenting on the books, Yusra, on her Twitter handle, said her father wanted university students to have access to the books.





With time, the plan was for the books to be inherited by B.U.K. My father wanted university students to have access to his library so that the palace can play an active role in education, Yusra wrote.





Books are a key to knowledge and having access to a wide range of subjects is a privilege.





With time, the plan was for the books to be inherited by B.U.K. My father wanted university students to have access to his library so that the palace can play an active role in education. Books are a key to knowledge and having access to a wide range of subjects is a privilege.  yusra (@khadijasanusi_) March 12, 2020

She, however, did not say if the plan has changed.




Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 22:17:50|Editor: zh

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PHNOM PENH, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Saturday congratulated China on its progress in controlling and containing the spread of the COVID-19.

"On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I'd like to express my congratulations to the People's Republic of China on its progress and effort to defeat the virus," he said during the opening ceremony of a river festival in northwestern Battambang province and his speech was live broadcast on BTV News channel.

Hun Sen said now Europe has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and he voiced his support to China for announcing to help virus-hit countries such as Italy and South Korea to fight disease.

Speaking about the latest situation of the COVID-19 in Cambodia, Hun Sen said to date, the country has recorded a total of seven COVID-19 patients, including a Chinese man, a Cambodian man, three British nationals, a Canadian man and a Belgian man.

The Chinese patient had recovered and returned to China, while the Cambodian victim is receiving treatment at the Siem Reap provincial hospital, and the rest are being treated at hospitals in capital Phnom Penh.

He said in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus, the Southeast Asian country has decided to temporarily ban foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States from entering the country for 30 days, taking effect from March 17 at midnight.

He added that the government has also allowed all public and private school students in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap City to take an early vacation, starting from Saturday, in order to curb the virus spread.
President Donald Trump and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar joke about not shaking hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, March 12, 2020, in Washington D.C.

Associated Press

President Donald Trump joked about greeting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar during his visit to the White House on Thursday, amid the coronavirus pandemic that fueled wariness over physical interactions.

Trump added that he recently came back from his trip to India in late February, where he "didn't shake any hands."

"And it was very easy because they go like this," Trump said, as he clasped his hands together.

"And Japan goes like this," Trump added, bowing his head. "They were ahead of the curve, okay?"

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump joked about greeting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar during his visit to the White House on Thursday, amid the coronavirus pandemic that fueled wariness over physical interactions.

"Well, we didn't shake hands today," Trump said to reporters at the White House. "And we looked at each other, we said, 'What are we going to do? You know, it's sort of a weird feeling.'"

Prime Minister Varadkar, who was sitting beside Trump, replied by closing his hands together: "I think we went for this."

Trump added that he recently came back from his trip to India in late February, where he "didn't shake any hands."

"And it was very easy because they go like this," Trump said, as he clasped his hands together.

"And Japan goes like this," Trump added, bowing his head. "They were ahead of the curve, okay?"

Trump also described limiting his physical interactions with others as "a very strange feeling."

"You know, I was never a big hand shaker, as you probably heard," Trump said. "But once you become a politician, shaking hands is very normal."

QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) March 12, 2020

Trump was pictured on Saturday with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is reportedly being monitored for the disease. Bolsonaro's communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, was also pictured with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago during the visit, five days before he tested positive.

Story continues

Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have also self-quarantined themselves amid the coronavirus outbreak after a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) attendee tested positive in late February.

Trump's comments come as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned the public to limit touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Other lawmakers have also changed the way they interact with their constituents.

"[It's] changing the way we do business. I had a fundraising breakfast this morning and didn't shake hands with anybody," Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said to The Hill. "Which I think is just common sense."

"Our office has bottles of Purell everywhere," said Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont also said, referring to the brand of hand sanitizer. "I just had a meeting with a group from Ireland  I waved to them."

Read the original article on Business Insider
For Joseph R. Biden Jr., campaigning these days means virtual fund-raisers. Shuttered field offices. And rallying support by live stream, a tactic vulnerable to severe technological difficulties, as he discovered on Friday evening.

As the sound cut in and out and the audio often came out garbled, Mr. Biden sought to host what his campaign had called a virtual town hall with Illinois, in which he spoke to supporters and voters via video in place of an originally scheduled Chicago get-out-the-vote event  or at least, that was the goal.

Im sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections, Mr. Biden said as he wrapped up his final answer, to a question about whether he supports the Endangered Species Act. (He does, he said. Oh, I love you, the questioner replied.) Theres a lot more to say, but Ive probably said too much to you, Mr. Biden added.

As the nation confronts the coronavirus crisis, the presidential candidates are facing a new challenge to their pursuit of the Democratic nomination: how to connect with voters during the height of the presidential primary campaign  from a safe distance. Both Mr. Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders, his chief rival in the primaries, have had to pull back from large-scale events this week and allow their staff members to work from home.
The budget session of the Madhya



Pradesh Assembly, commencing from March 16, will be held as per the schedule, Speaker N P Prajapati said on Saturday.

"Has anybody told you about it? It has not come to my mind," Prajapati told reporters when asked whether the session would be postponed due the coronavirus scare.

All those coming to the Assembly will be provided with masks to cover their mouths and sanitisers for washing hands, he said.

The session, being held in the wake of rebellion of 22 Congress MLAs who are supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, will be held from March 16 to April 13.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australia's top doctor at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus has been at loggerheads with politicians as they disagree on how to battle the global pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison even ignored Brendan Murphy, the country's chief medical officer, after he dished out contrary advice on a travel ban to Italy.

Dr Murphy is the government's chief medical adviser and is on the board of several top medical institutes.

He greenlighted the government's controversial decision not to isolate the cabinet after a meeting with home affairs minister Peter Dutton, who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

The advice of Dr Brendan Murphy (pictured on March 11), Australia's chief medical officer, has not always been welcomed by some politicians

On Dr Murphy's advice, the cabinet did not need to self-isolate as they were not with Mr Dutton 24 hours he displayed symptoms.

This is a direct contradiction with advice from the World Office Organisation, which says a person can be contagious up to 48 hours before falling ill.

Passengers on Mr Dutton's flight from the US to Australia have been advised to self-isolate, despite this taking place before his cabinet meeting.

It is also understood to have angered several MPs.

In revelations published on Saturday night by the Australian, Dr Murphy admitted Mr Morrison even rejected his advice when it came to the Italy travel ban.

Friends in elaborate face masks are seen stocking up on toilet paper (pictured) as they walk past the closed Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday

Italy is one of several countries, including China, Japan and Iran, to which the Australian government has imposed a strict travel ban.

This was after the number of COVID-19 cases in Italy swelled to more than 15,000 and the country went into lockdown.

Peter Dutton (pictured) was in hospital on Friday after testing positive for coronavirus

Despite this, Dr Murphy advised the government the action was not necessary.

He told the publication that despite this, Mr Dutton - now himself in hospital with coronavirus - vehemently disagreed, as did other senior politicians.

Mr Dutton is thought to have contracted the virus on a trip the US on March 5 and 6, where he met with officials as part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing programme.

But the government did agree with Dr Murphy when he advised bringing in a ban on gatherings of 500 people or more, which will come into effect from Monday.

Tourists wearing face masks are seen posing in front of Sydney's Habour Bridge on Saturday (pictured)

Peter Dutton (pictured, left) was diagnosed with coronavirus just three days after a cabinet meeting, where Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) was also in attendance

Mr Morrison came under fierce criticism for delaying the ban, with some accusing him of acting strategically to protect a conference at the Hillsong church, as well as a Cronulla Sharks NRL game.

It has also prompted a backlash from yet more MPs.

There have also been questions raised about Dr Murphy's response to Mr Dutton's diagnosis.

WHO IS BRENDAN MURPHY? Dr Murphy is Australia's chief medical officer, meaning he gives health advice to the government to inform its policy. His specialty is nephrology, which is the study of kidneys and kidney disease He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, as well as the Royal Australian College of Physicians. The doctor was formerly CMO and director of nephrology at St Vincents Health. He also sat on the Boards of Health Workforce Australia, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Advertisement

On Friday, the home affairs minister described how he woke up 'a temperature and a sore throat' and later tested positive for coronavirus.

It has sparked fears that the entire cabinet, including the prime minister, could have been in close proximity to the deadly virus.

But a spokesman for the prime minister insisted Mr Dutton was not contagious at the time of the meeting, so none of the cabinet ministers would be tested.

The cabinet met on Tuesday to discuss the budget, and will have been sat in close proximity, prompting calls for parliament to shut down.

Dr Murphy advised officials that there was no need to self-isolate, because a person with coronavirus is only contagious within the 24 hours before they develop symptoms.

'If you have been in contact with them two or three days before they are symptomatic, they are very, very, very unlikely to be infectious,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

But according to advise from other global health experts, including WHO, coronavirus can be contagious up to 48 hours before symptoms develop in a patient.

This means Mr Dutton could still have been contagious on Wednesday, but was unlikely to have been so when he met with the cabinet on Tuesday.

It comes as yet more politicians undergo tests for the virus, and questions are raised about travel bans not being in place for other countries - including the US.

On Saturday, treasurer Josh Frydenberg revealed he too had been tested for the disease, but it had come back negative.

A couple wearing face masks are seen walking around Sydney's Circular Quay on March 14 (pictured) as fears of the coronavirus spread

He insisted the decision to take the test was not related to Mr Dutton's diagnosis.

Former deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek also announced on Twitter that she had been tested and cleared of the respiratory infection.

It has lead to calls from MP Barnaby Joyce for parliament to be shutdown, and politicians not returning to the chamber on March 23.

'If we can send millions of dollars over the internet then we can surely find a way of holding parliament over the internet,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'If any MPs have had contact with Peter Dutton they have a duty to out themselves now. Its not about you its about the older people you may affect.

'They could all have it.'

When a person has been in contact with someone later diagnosed with coronavirus, they are expected to self-isolate for 14 days.
Covid 19 and Sri Lankas anti-democracy virus View(s):

Much like the covid-19 virus which attacks the respiratory systems of victims with lethal force and has brought the global North virtually to its knees, Sri Lanka is being invaded by an anti-democracy virus. We are told that, democracy leads to bickering, that a strong man is needed to rule with a rod of iron, that civil liberties do not matter and that constitutional amendments that fetter the powers of rulers are a nuisance.

A deadly familiar cry

That chant is drummed into our ears as Parliamentary elections approach in a backdrop of undermining whatever little democratic checks and balances left. Re-installing authoritarianism cloaked in the thin garb of decisive rule to benefit the country has reached feverpitch. The Pohottuwa cry to give us a two-thirds majority in the Parliament so that we can repeal the 19th Amendment and restore stability to the country is disingenuous if not contemptible for that very reason.

Indeed, this cry would be amusing if it was not so deadly familiar. This is exactly how politicians commandeered the country for their ruinous purposes in the past. This ranged from leftist politicians who dismantled Sri Lankas judiciary and the public service to become subservient handmaids of the political establishment in the early seventies to the Jayewardene installing of a monarchic Executive Presidency. The Rajapaksa decade of enthroning one-family rule underlined by brute thuggery and overt racism for political gain was an organic development in that background.

Inbetween, the Kumaratunga Presidency epitomised huge promise of democratic gain at the start, much like the yahapalanaya face of 2015, which was soon undermined by coercion, confusion and most chillingly of all, the politicisation of the Supreme Court from which the Court has never quite recovered, even two decades hence. Yet even with all that unhappy history, what faces this country at this juncture is markedly different.

Legal charades and the Rule of Law

The 2019 Presidential victory of Pohottuwa backed candidate, former President Mahinda Rajapaksas brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was made possible by bumbling idiocies and criminal failures of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe combine during 2015-2019. Even after that victory, lessons have not been learnt. Poisonous squabbling between the leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe and his deputy Sajith Premadasa has left the Opposition in disarray. The UNP-led Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led Maithripala Sirisena have both placed themselves firmly beyond the pale of being considered as credible national leaders.

The brave front put up by the Premadasa led alliance, including minority parties will not suffice to cover the credibility gap. Consequently astrologers need not be called upon to prophesy the result in the upcoming Parliamentary elections though many may argue that a two-thirds victory in parliamentary seats for the Pohottuwa will be far fetched. Even so, there is little doubt that the path will be left wide open for the Rajapaksa-led Pohottuwa. So what will that lead to? For months, we have looked on dumbfounded as a peculiar charade is conducted before our eyes as arrest warrants issued by court on many a missing state personage are disregarded with ease by law enforcement officers even while these personages frolic at state events.

First it was a missing Admiral of the Fleet, who is still missing in court despite repeated warrants being issued. Government politicians defend this atrocious flouting of the Rule of Law by inferring that the fact finding Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) into political victimisation could basically take over the judicial function of determining if the prosecution in issue was proper or not. Let us not forget also that the case in which the warrant had been issued relates to one of the most shameful abuses in Sri Lankas history during the Rajapaksa (the First) Presidency when innocent individuals including teenagers were abducted for money with the connivance of state agents and then disappeared.

Undermining of the Court

Then we had perhaps for the very first time in Sri Lankas chequered history, a Secretary of this COI being summoned before the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar through an arrest warrant. This was to enforce the court directive to hand over files pertaining to a case of illegal elephant possession by politically protected individuals, being heard before it. That extraordinary move was as a result of her avoidance of the court directive.

This week, a former Minister of Finance implicated in the infamous Central Bank bond scam who went missing after an arrest warrant was issued, presented himself before the Magistrates Court with relief writ all over his face only after the Court of Appeal ordered this week that the Magistrates Court should not proceed to take any action against him until the matter was decided in the appellate court. The Court ruling was in response to an application filed by the former Minister arguing that the warrant to arrest him was illegal.

These are not isolated occurrences, as strange and as bizarre as they may seem even to those long used to the tortuous convulsions of law and politics in Sri Lanka. The unequivocal refusal of the Attorney General to halt ongoing prosecutions in court on a direction of the COI is just another facet of this same problem. Simply put, when arrest warrants issued by courts are disregarded, it is the Rule of Law that is mocked at.

Frightening pointers to the future

And as frequently observed in these column spaces, there can never be a clash between a COI and a Court for the law places each in separate categories of functioning. In fact, even though there has been many instances where a particular case has been concurrently inquired into by a COI and a court in the past such as the case of the disappearances of schoolchildren in Embilipitiya during the second youth insurrection in Sri Lanka, an unseemly tug-of-war over files between both would have been unthinkable. The fact that this is now happening speaks to the degradation of our systems, nothing more, nothing less.

So for those who are still too blind to read the signs, these are frightening pointers to the future. It is too soon meanwhile to say if the best laid plans of mice, men and Sri Lankan politicians to get rid of bothersome constitutional obstacles and annoying judges will go astray if the forthcoming elections are impacted by the spread of the covid-19 virus. Regardless, what must be kept in mind is that replacing oftentimes chaotic democratic governance with authoritarianism only results in a nation being unable to breathe with its respiratory systems of protest and dissent becoming choked off. It does not lead to things working properly. Those who protest to the contrary are fools, to put the matter mildly.

But have we not learnt this lesson many times, each time surrendering hard won democratic victories in the face of state repression? Are we doomed to relive past agonies of those many evils over and over again, as if this land is inflicted with a strange and lingering curse?
Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart beats for the people of J-K and he understands what the people of the Union Territory aspire for.

Bukhari, who met Prime Minister Modi here today, told ANI: "PM said no demographic change will be done. He is a man of commitment. His heart beats for people of Jammu and Kashmir."

"He understands what the people of Jammu and Kashmir want. He appreciated when we said that we want the same laws as the rest of the country," added Bukhari.

Aiming to provide relief to the people "facing challenges since August 5 last year," Bukhari, formerly with the People's Democratic Party (PDP), launched his own party on March 8, the International Women's Day.

Thirty-one political leaders are expected to join the party including those from PDP, Conference (NC) and the Congress, sources have said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan said it will participate in a video conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at tackling the coronavirus outbreak Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui tweeted on late Friday that Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan (SAPM) on Health, Zafar Mirza, will be available for the conference as coronavirus requires coordinated efforts at the global and regional level.

"The threat of COVID-19 requires coordinated efforts at the global and regional level. We have communicated that SAPM on Health will be available to participate in the video conference of SAARC member countries on the issue," Farooqui said. Pakistan's response came hours after PM Modi proposed that the leaders of the SAARC countries should chalk out a joint strategy to fight coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 5,000 people globally.

The SAARC is a regional intergovernmental organisation that comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. "I would like to propose that the leadership of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus. We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy," the Prime Minister tweeted on Friday.

READ| Bhutan accepts Indias SAARC proposal on coronavirus, hails PM Modis leadership

Countries welcomes SAARC proposal

On Friday, the government of Afghanistan welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposal for the SAARC nations to jointly chalk out a strategy to tackle the novel coronavirus. This was confirmed by Sediq Sediqqi, the spokesperson of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani. PM Modi contended that such a collaboration would set an example for the rest of the world. Acknowledging the PMs appeal, Tahir Qadri, Afghanistans envoy to India highlighted the importance of nations being united at this juncture. Including Pakistan now, all other SAARC members have responded positively to Indias initiative.

Similarly, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposal to the members of SAARC. Rajapaksa took to Twitter to thank PM Modi for the great initiative and urged everyone to united in solidarity in the face of a global pandemic.

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 118 countries in the world. Presently, there are 1,32,536 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 4,947 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to deal to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak as 'pandemic'. Meanwhile, India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has strongly advised Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. So far, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India is 88, officially more than any other SAARC member nation.

READ| 'Leave no stone unturned': PM Modi proposes SAARC chalks out anti-Coronavirus strategy

(with ANI inputs)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 22:00:54|Editor: huaxia

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Serbian heads of medical institutes, hospitals and representatives of government attend a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Belgrade, Serbia on March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

China's initiatives go far beyond economic interests and that they are designed to build a community with a shared future for mankind by putting people first, Serbian officials say.

BELGRADE, March 14 (Xinhua) -- As fear and uncertainty over the COVID-19 epidemic spread across Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), China extended a helping hand to the region.

Upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China, still in a recovery mode itself, is offering not just encouragement and vital equipment, but also hard-won experience gained from the frontlines.

On Friday, Chinese experts who had joined their country's battle against COVID-19 in recent months staged a video conference with their CEEC counterparts as well as government officials.

A Serbian participant uses a smart phone to record a video conference with Chinese health officials, experts and their counterparts from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Belgrade, Serbia on March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

The first such event within the framework of China-CEEC cooperation led to an expansion into the field of healthcare, giving additional impetus and sustainability to overall China-CEEC cooperation.

Sharing economic interests and a desire to strengthen ties, China and the CEEC have since 2012 engaged in numerous joint projects, including those in the cultural and security fields.

The network of China-CEEC cooperation, which was created to meet the increasing appeals for exchange between these 17 countries and China, now functions as a highway of knowledge-sharing about the virus and how to beat it.

Medical specialists provide online services to patients in Henan Provincial People's Hospital in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)

In Serbia, medical experts said they had gained vital input from their Chinese counterparts on how to act in their everyday practice, including what treatments have proven efficient, what symptoms and clinical conditions to expect and how to protect other patients and themselves from being infected.

Officials here also said that this shows that China's initiatives go far beyond economic interests and that they are designed to build a community with a shared future for mankind by putting people first.

A doctor thumbs up before entering isolation wards at the Xiaogan First People's Hospital in Xiaogan City, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 19, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

Thanks to efforts from both sides, China-CEEC cooperation has produced fruitful results in past years, which has brought tangible benefits to their people and consolidated their traditional friendship.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Confronted with the same challenge, China and the CEEC can achieve final victory through solidarity and mutual assistance.

When handshakes are no longer encouraged in Europe, China's helping hand could make a difference. 
The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation will donate 1 million masks and 500,000 testing kits to the United States, said Jack Ma on Weibo, a leading Chinese social media platform, on Friday.

Ma said he hopes the donations will help Americans fight against the epidemic.

Over the past few weeks, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation have collaborated to source and donate much-needed materials to afflicted areas in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Iran and Spain, to help them combat COVID-19.

"This crisis presents a huge challenge to all humankind in a globalized world. The pandemic we face today can no longer be resolved by any individual country," said Jack Ma on Twitter. "Rather, we need to combat the virus by working hand-in-hand."
But those benefits only apply to employees of businesses with fewer than 500 employees, or the government, who are infected by the virus, quarantined, have a sick family member or are affected by school closings. Large employers are excluded, and the Labor Department will have the option of exempting workers at any company with fewer than 50 employees, if it determines that providing paid leave would jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern.

Those exemptions could potentially exclude nearly 20 million workers. About 59 million Americans work for companies with 500 or more employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and about 6.5 million of them do not have any paid sick days. Another 12 million work for companies with fewer than 50 employees and do not have paid sick days. (Some large companies have announced since the outbreak began that they will provide paid leave for workers who get the virus. Walmart said it would give up to two weeks of pay; Target said it would give 14 days.)

The bill also limits benefits to workers who are sick, subject to a quarantine or caring for a family member; it stops short of what some public health experts have called for  effectively paying any worker to stay home, in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

It also excludes certain health care providers and emergency responders from the benefit.

Companies covered by the policy will not foot the bill for paid leave. The government is providing new tax credits to both help offset the costs of accommodating the new mandate and the economic impact of the outbreak.

The paid leave provisions were among the most contentious elements of the legislation. Republicans objected to a proposal by Democrats to establish a permanent paid sick leave entitlement for all families, according to a Democratic aide familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private negotiations.
Two Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) personnel were killed and a Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) trooper was injured in an ambush by Maoists in Bastar district on Saturday, police said.

A joint team of CRPF and Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) was guarding a road construction work going on between Bodli and Malvahi village when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incident detonated.

Two jawans of CAF, Upendra Sahu and Devendra Singh were killed in the IED blast triggered by the Maoists while one other CRPF jawan sustained minor injuries, said Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P.

The IG said that reinforcement has been sent to the spot which is deep in the forest.

After the IED blast, the jawans of CRPF and CAF retaliated and Maoists fled into the jungle, the IG added.

Two AK-47 rifles of the police have been reported missing after the attack.

According to Chhattisgarh government records, 25 security personnel have been killed between January 1, 2019 and February 1, 2020 while 81 Maoists were gunned down in the encounters in the state.

During the same period, 57 civilians were also killed.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ritesh Mishra State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh. Reports Maoism, Politics, Mining and important developments from the state. Covered all sorts of extremism in Central India. Reported from Madhya Pradesh for eight years. ...view detail
Goldsboro, NC police officer Micheal Rivers sat down to have lunch with a homeless woman and his gesture went viral. (Photo: Cassie Barnes/Chris Barnes)

A North Carolina police officer has gone viral after a passerby caught a precious moment between him and a homeless woman.

On Wednesday, Chris Barnes posted a Facebook photo taken by his wife Cassie. According to Barnes, Cassie was on her lunch break when she spotted Goldsboro police officer Michael Rivers sitting on the side of the road with a homeless woman when she decided to snap a photo. The pair were sharing a pizza and soda as they conversed.

Barnes captioned the picture, Cassie was out on her lunch break and observed Goldsboros Finest enjoying lunch with a homeless person. Law enforcement does so much for our community, with a lot of it going unnoticed. We see you Goldsboro P.D. Keep up the good work.

The picture has been shared thousands of times on Facebook with people praising the officers actions. Leading by example!! An awesome man!! A commenter wrote.

So heartwarming to see this photo, another person said.

Some of the best people are displaced and great are those who share with them, someone said.

Barnes tells Yahoo Lifestyle, I think people are doing something positive and what can be more positive than a police officer sitting down and breaking bread with a homeless woman on the side of the road?

Officer Rivers, who is an 8-year veteran of the Goldsboro Police Department, recalls seeing the woman earlier that day. I was leaving the parking lot of Walmart and she was standing by the stop sign, he tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Her shirt read, Homeless the fastest way of becoming a nobody. I hated that she felt that way.

Rivers says he spoke to her briefly. I always try to talk to the homeless just to see how they got into their situation, you know? Because, like I tell everybody, it can happen to any one of us...at any given moment.

Micheal Rivers of the Goldsboro, North Carolina Police Department stopped to eat pizza with a homeless woman, on the side of the road. (Photo: Michael Rivers)

After Rivers drove away, he circled back to ask if the woman was hungry and if she wanted food. She was honored by his offer.

Rivers bought pizza and Mountain Dew and when the pair sat down to eat, he learned of her family struggles and told her, Hey, you still got stuff to live for...you still got your life ahead of you. Its never too late.

Story continues

Rivers, who does recruiting for the Goldsboro PD, hopes to send a message of compassion for others.

When the younger or newer guys come in, I let them know, Hey, treating the community like human beings is the most important thing in the world, he says. ...And part of that message is, You dont have to charge everybody for everything. So if we as police officers show that love and compassion to everybody, no matter their age, financial background or race, the world would be a better place.

Related Video: Homeless Shelters Ill-Prepared for COVID-19, Advocates Say

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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a decision to close schools and universities for two weeks, starting Sunday 15 March, during his meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday.

The decision is part of "the country's comprehensive plan to deal with any possible repercussions of the novel coronavirus," Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady said in a statement on Saturday.

President El-Sisi also decided to allocate EGP 100 billion to finance the comprehensive plan and the precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Egypt has reached 109.

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Already struggling with the recent shock exit of senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress is now facing criticism from its ranks in Rajasthan for nominating a Rajya Sabha election candidate who has lost state assembly polls three times in the past.

A party legislator has raised a banner of revolt after the Congress nominated Neeraj Dangi, a Dalit leader considered close to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, as one of the two Rajya Sabha candidates from the state. The second Congress candidate from Rajasthan is party general secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal, who hails from Kerala.

The MLAs in the assembly were discussing if he (Dangi) is the only Scheduled Caste candidate in the party. He lost three elections, still the party named him, said Ved Prakash Solanki, a legislator from Chaksu in Jaipur.

Dangi (50) has lost assembly polls once from Desuri and twice from Reodar. Though he is the partys general secretary, party insiders have raised questions over why a better candidate could not have been picked for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Dangis candidature appears to have opened a new front in the already faction-ridden Rajasthan Congress. What were the criteria for nominating him? He had lost the assembly polls thrice and even the local bodies elections. His father was a legislator. What is the message we are trying to send to our cadre by naming him? Do you have to be close to a powerful person in the Congress to get a ticket or a post? a senior Rajasthan Congress functionary said on condition of anonymity.

Dangi has previously held the post of the president of the state Youth Congress and his father, Dinesh Rai Dangi, was a Congress legislator from Desuri in Pali for several terms. A functionary argued that his contribution has been limited and he has been given a ticket just because of his proximity to Gehlot.

Dangi was the second choice of Gehlot, who earlier pitched for another close aide and jeweller Rajiv Arora. The Congress leadership turned down his request, insisting that a party cadre should be given the ticket, the functionary said.

The last date for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha was March 13 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 18. Voting will be held on March 26.
All Warren County and Hunterdon County schools will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, part of a wide effort to thwart the spread of the new coronavirus.

Superintendents came to an agreement Friday after neighboring Pennsylvania ordered schools to close for 10 days, Warren County Freeholder James Kern III told lehighvalleylive.com. Kern is part of a county task force responding to the virus that caused COVID-19.

"I think a lot of them felt that after Pennsylvania made the call, that was very impactful because a lot of staff lives in Pennsylvania, Kern said, noting that student attendance was dropping in recent days. "I think they're trying to get ahead of it."

The pandemic has sickened at least 50 people in New Jersey and 33 in Pennsylvania, where a child is among those infected.

In consultation with the county schools and the Department of Health, we will be transitioning to our Emergency... Posted by Warren Hills Regional High School on Friday, March 13, 2020

Hunterdon County also announced its closures on Friday. In both counties, the decisions were made jointly in conjunction with local and state health officials.

Announcements began to be posted on websites and social media late Friday afternoon, all saying that the decision was made collectively. In Warren County, each district will issue its own announcement, Kern said. Its possible exact circumstances may differ from district to district.

Schools planned for long-term closures. Students will work on assignments at home, either online or with packets sent home. Districts are also ensuring that students who rely on school meals will have access to breakfasts and lunches in the duration.

School closings have not yet been mandated by the state, and the coronavirus has yet to appear in either Warren or Hunterdon. Were that to happen, schools may be closed longer, Kern said.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at www.nj.gov/health and the CDC website.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. Having said that, unprofitable companies are risky because they could potentially burn through all their cash and become distressed.

So, the natural question for New Age Exploration (ASX:NAE) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves.

View our latest analysis for New Age Exploration

How Long Is New Age Exploration's Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. When New Age Exploration last reported its balance sheet in December 2019, it had zero debt and cash worth AU$719k. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$1.1m over the trailing twelve months. So it had a cash runway of approximately 8 months from December 2019. That's quite a short cash runway, indicating the company must either reduce its annual cash burn or replenish its cash. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

ASX:NAE Historical Debt, March 13th 2020

How Is New Age Exploration's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

While New Age Exploration did record statutory revenue of AU$72k over the last year, it didn't have any revenue from operations. To us, that makes it a pre-revenue company, so we'll look to its cash burn trajectory as an assessment of its cash burn situation. As it happens, the company's cash burn reduced by 10% over the last year, which suggests that management may be mindful of the risks of their depleting cash reserves. New Age Exploration makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth.

Story continues

How Easily Can New Age Exploration Raise Cash?

Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for New Age Exploration to raise more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash to fund growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations.

New Age Exploration's cash burn of AU$1.1m is about 61% of its AU$1.8m market capitalisation. Given how large that cash burn is, relative to the market value of the entire company, we'd consider it to be a high risk stock, with the real possibility of extreme dilution.

So, Should We Worry About New Age Exploration's Cash Burn?

On this analysis of New Age Exploration's cash burn, we think its cash burn reduction was reassuring, while its cash burn relative to its market cap has us a bit worried. After considering the data discussed in this article, we don't have a lot of confidence that its cash burn rate is prudent, as it seems like it might need more cash soon. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 6 warning signs for New Age Exploration (of which 5 shouldn't be ignored!) you should know about.

Of course New Age Exploration may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
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Controversial Nollywood actress, Nkechi Blessing Sunday was caught flirting with Dubai based Nigerian big boy, Ismalia Mustapha alias Mompha on Instagram.

The actress had shared a photo of herself at the gym in which she put her big backside on display.

On seeing this, Mompha trooped to her comment section to air out his mind and he wrote;

Fresh dinner 

In reaction to the comment, Blessing wrote;

Come chop 

A closer look at the picture shows the man took the photo of the actress.

The man could be seen dressed in a white overall and he looked like the Dubai based big boy but the actress denied it in the comment section.

Read Also: Bobrisky Comes For Two Faced People Gushing Over Mompha (Photo)

See the post and exchange below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rmUSjJa8O/?igshid=ktsox3a5n9ui
NASA has in recent years become more receptive to allowing companies to find new ways to make money on the space station. In June, NASA set up a price list for various commercial activities, including charging companies like Axiom $35,000 a night for each tourist staying at the station for space to sleep and the use of its amenities like air, water, the internet and the toilet. The largest chunk of the $55 million ticket price is for the rocket ride, which Axiom will pay to SpaceX, not NASA.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Archdiocese of New York has cancelled Mass going forward because of the coronavirus outbreak, the Advance/SILive.com learned Saturday.

Diocesan officials made the announcement in a media release that Mass will be cancelled in all of the archdioceses parishes, which includes Roman Catholic churches on Staten Island, starting Saturday.

A date when Masses would resume is not given in the release, and a spokesperson for the archdiocese did not respond to a request for comment.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Archbishop of New York Timothy Cardinal Dolan urged archdiocesan parishioners to keep those affected by the disease in their prayers.

Let us pray for all who are sick, as well as doctors, nurses, caregivers, and all those working hard to combat the disease, he said. "We should also remember those whose lives have been otherwise disrupted, especially anyone who has lost income from a loss of work during this difficult time.

A private Mass will be celebrated in Saint Patricks Cathedral. It will be available on many cable systems via the Catholic Faith Network, the cathedrals website, and broadcast on radio on The Catholic Channel of Sirius XM (Channel 129).

Churches will also remain open for private prayer, according to the release.

The Reformed Church of Huguenot Park, 5475 Amboy Road, has suspended worship services for the next three Sundays. Call in prayer worship those Sundays will be available at 10:30 a.m. 1-605-475-4700. The access ID for the call is 721156#.

Be the first to know: Sign up for our newsletters; and get breaking news and top stories pushed to your phone with the SILive.com mobile app.

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A collision between two cars along a suburban road has sparked debate over who was most at fault.

Dash cam footage shared on Thursday shows a two-lane road with the traffic banked up several hundred metres on one side.

As the driver of the red car pulls out onto a seemingly empty lane he fails to recognise a white Honda Jazz driving on the wrong side of the road.

The woman driving the white Honda spots the red car at the last moment but fails to stop in time.

The driver filming admitted they only looked to the right before they pulled out which could have prevented the crash

The driver of the red car admitted he failed to check both ways before he pulled out.

'I was looking right at the time and not expecting a car to be coming up from the left,' he said.

Social media users argued that while the driver of the white Honda was breaking the law by driving down the wrong side of the road but the motorist filming was not blameless.

'The insurance companies are going to have fun fighting this one out... (Honda) Jazz at fault for being in the wrong side of the road, but the dash cam driver didn't do enough to avoid the collision' a man said.

'Overall the Jazz driver should be found mostly at fault though, I think.'

Other people argued that the fact the driver of the white Honda was blatantly breaking the law made the owner of the red car virtually blameless.

'Its simple..... the white car was on the incorrect side of the road so therefore was at fault,' another added.

'It doesnt matter what the other driver was doing, and in this case the dash cam driver wasnt doing anything wrong.'

Some people argued that the fact the driver of the white Honda was so blatantly breaking the law made the owner of the red car virtually blameless

Some users said they were sick of motorists taking the dangerous short cut and were glad someone finally faced some consequences.

'I am just glad you got the car, I fantasise about hitting them but don't have the b***s to ruin my day. You are the real hero,' a man said.
As Covid-19 begins to take roots in Ireland, should the nation be concerned about those travelling from Cheltenham back to Ireland this week?

While mass gatherings are being cancelled across Ireland, international sporting events being held behind closed doors and St.Patrick's day being postponed in a bid to contain the coronavirus and social distancing measures are being enacted, Cheltenham Festival is as buoyant as ever.

Traditionally one third of the Cheltenham racegoers are Irish, and despite of the rising confirmed coronavirus figures in both Ireland and England, Prestbury Park hosted over 60,000 racegoers on day one of the festival.

England has 596 confirmed cases and a death toll of 10 people, the town of Gloucestershire has one confirmed case of the respiratory virus as thousands of Irish people flock to British shores and the World Health Organisation declares Covid-19 a pandemic.

Some measures have been enacted in the race course in a bid to slow down or stop the transmission of Covid-19, these include increased staff numbers, watering stations and santising stations across the racecourse, according to The Irish Times. However, the recommended social distancing role of 1-2 meters for less that 15 minutes is nowhere to be seen.

However, is this enough to stop the coronavirus entering Ireland at an unprecedented scale?
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - Butte County has zero cases of the coronavirus but that doesnt mean the County is not preparing.

CEO of Enloe Medical Center, Mike Wiltermood said he is extremely confident that the hospitals in Butte County are prepared.

Wiltermood tells us that the question being addressed and the issue is how do we redeploy the resources in the best possible way? One option would include having other services such as surgeries postponed. Enloe staff is also preparing for a possible surge of patients.

We have plans to redeploy beds and available resources. Now, if it gets really dire were not going to have a place where we can offload or send patients out of the area because were all going to be impacted, so we have to figure that we're going to be reliant on the resources that we have here, Wiltermood said.

Communications Manager of Butte County Public Health, Lisa Almaguer says even though, Butte County does not have test kits that does not mean people are not getting tested.

The health care provider will collect a specimen and send that specimen to a commercial lab for COVID-19 testing. The lab will report any positive test to Butte County Public Health, Almaguer said.

Enloe officials said they will be working closely with all hospitals and the Butte County Health Department as they continue to monitor the situation.

RELATED: COVID-19 Important links and resources

Top officials from President Donald Trump to Governor Gavin Newsom are discouraging public gatherings. But what about the homeless? Action News Now took these matters to the Jesus Center to see what they're doing to keep the coronavirus from sweeping through the homeless and into the general population.

Jesus Center Executive Director, Laura Cootsona said they have a cleaning protocol in place. Cootsona said theyre giving out hand sanitizer to anyone who needs it. Theyre also making sure the homeless have table tents to protect themselves from the virus.

The Jesus Center also reached out to Catalyst and tourist shelters to share ideas and best practices.

"Our typical protocol now at the Jesus Center if someone has a fever or typical flu symptoms we isolate them. So we do have a room in our shelter we can use for isolation and then given the virus, at this point, we would suggest if someone is really sick to reach out to a health care provider," Cootsona said.

Cootsona added she has reached out to Butte County Public Health to see if they can get some handwashing stations.

For now, the Jesus Center is still running as normal.

Action News Now also spoke to Butte County Public health official Dr. Andy Miller on Friday about COVID-19. Watch the video below.
Chrissy Teigen goes head-to-head with husband John Legend in the latest commercial spot for luxury vehicle brand Genesis.

In the nearly one-minute ad, Teigen and Legend weigh their chances of winning before putting their predictions to the test behind the wheels of their very own Genesis G70s.

'Arent we all winners? ....Nooo. See who wins when @johnlegend and I race in the Genesis #G70!,' captioned Teigen, as she unveiled the commercial to her nearly 30million Instagram followers on Friday.

Teigen vs Legend: On Thursday, luxury car brand Genesis released their latest ad featuring husband and wife duo Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

Who will win? Teigen shared the commercial spot to her Instagram page with the caption, ''Arent we all winners? ....Nooo'

Confident: The pair looked ready to square off, as they talked up their chances of winning in front of the camera

The majority of the ad features Teigen and husband Legend seated in chairs before their assigned racing cars.

Teigen was allotted a red G70, while John proudly got behind the wheel of a blue variation of the vehicle.

The couple are interviewed separately, where they were asked to playfully talk up their driving skills and confidently proclaim their 'winners' status.

'Going into this race, am I confident? Yeah, I'm pretty confident,' said Teigen before flashing a cheeky grin in the camera's direction.

Hmmmm: Chrissy was asked if she was 'confident' in her ability to beat husband John Legend in a car race

No question: 'Yeah, I'm pretty confident,' replied Teigen before flashing a cheeky grin at the camera

The 34-year-old donned a cherry red leather jacket layered over a standard white tee.

Her dirty blonde tresses were neatly parted down the middle and hung down from her head in voluminous tendrils.

'I've been preparing for this race. I've been speeding to the studio. Chrissy doesn't even drive that much. I don't think she has the experience to cut it with me,' joked Legend as he stroked his chin with his hand.

Chrissy made reference to her minor role in the 2006 film The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift as a clear indicator of her expert driving abilities.

It takes practice: John playfully doubted Chrissy's behind-the-wheel experience

Film star: But, Chrissy quikcly fired back by referencing her minor role in the 2006 film The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift as being experience enough

'I was Hot Girl #3. I bring brains and speed into the equation,' uttered the model.

Things then took an invasive turn, when, both, Teigen and Legend were asked about the 'craziest thing' they have happened to have 'done inside a car.'

'I'd be a harder question to ask what I haven't done in a car,' replied Teigen before giving the question some good thought.

Throwing a brow raising expression in the camera's direction, Legend jokingly remarks that the topic is not something the pair are ' supposed to talk about that.'

Awkward: The conversation took a turn when the pair were asked what was the 'craziest thing' they had done inside a car

Too much: Chrissy found the question difficult, but gave it some decent thought

Chrissy continued: 'Yeah, I can't even think of something I haven't done.'

At the conclusion of the couple's advertisement, they bid their final predictions and declare themselves winners before hitting the road.

'Oh I'm gonna win, no question about it. You're going down, Chrissy,' said John with a finger pointed at the camera.

'Aren't we all winners?,' posed Teigen, before taking quick pause and finishing her thought with a confident, 'No.'

Checking all the boxes: After taking her brief pause, Chrissy joked that she could not 'even think of something' she had not done in a car

The ad released on the web Thursday marks the couple's second commercial with the luxury car brand.

During Super Bowl LIV, Teigen and Legend made their first cameo for Genesis during their game day slot.

The commercial, which played on the tropes of 'old money' to present Genesis as the 'new era of luxury, proved successful.

Confidence: 'Oh I'm gonna win, no question about it. You're going down, Chrissy,' said John with a finger pointed at the camera,' said John to the camera

Following its Super Bowl debut, it was reported that the ad 'generated more interest for its brand than any other car commercial,' according to Fox News back in February.

John and Chrissy met back in 2006 on the set of John's video for his song Stereo.

The couple would go onto date and then tie the knot in 2013.

John and Chrissy share a three-year-old daughter Luna and a one-year-old son Miles.
Washington D.C. [USA], Mar 14 (ANI): Ivanka Trump, the First Daughter and senior advisor to the United States' President, worked from home on Friday "out of an abundance of caution" after she personally interacted an Australian official recently who tested positive for coronavirus infection, the White House said.



The White House medical staff has advised Trump that she does not need to self-quarantine, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere was quoted by The Hill, as saying.

According to media reports, Australian minister for home affairs Peter Dutton, on early Friday morning, was tested positive for COVID-19. Dutton traveled to Washington, last week and met Ivanka, Attorney General William Barr, and other officials on March 5.

"The White House is aware that Mr. Dutton tested positive for COVID-19. He was asymptomatic during the interaction," Deere said in a statement.

"Exposures from the case were assessed and the White House Medical Unit confirmed, in accordance with CDC guidance, that Ivanka is exhibiting no symptoms and does not need to self-quarantine. She worked from home today out of an abundance of caution until guidance was given," Deere continued.

Dutton participated in a news conference with Barr, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and ministers from the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand last Thursday. He later shared a photo of himself with Barr, Ivanka Trump, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, and others.

Dutton said in a statement, on Friday, that he woke up in the morning with a temperature and sore throat and was tested for the coronavirus, which yielded a positive test result. He said he had been admitted to the hospital on the advice of the government's health department.

However, Conway said on Friday that the White House medical staff advised Trump not the quarantine herself as she has not exhibited any symptoms of the viral disease. (ANI)
Kim Kardashian West recently tweeted a photo from the Kardashian family group chat. Her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, shared a Facebook screenshot showing a passage from Sylvia Brownes 2008 book, End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World.

What Browne wrote back in 2008 seemingly predicted the Coronavirus.

Kim Kardashian West | Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Who is Slyvia Browne?

Browne was an American author who also claimed to be a psychic medium. She appeared on television several times and had her own radio show called Ask Sylvia! where she would predict the future and contact spirits.

Browne was often criticized for making inaccurate predictions. Regardless of the naysayers, Browne cultivated a large fan base that she maintained until her death in 2013.

Sylvia Browne predicts the Coronavirus

Brownes book, End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World, is marketed towards anyone who has ever wondered where were headed, and whatif anythingwe can do to prevent a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

Browne wrote in End of Days:

In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments. Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived, attack again ten years later, and then disappear completely. Sylvia Browne, End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World

Kim Kardashian West resurfaced Sylvia Brownes book

The medium and psychic died in 2013, but her book lives on more than a decade later. Thanks to Kardashian Wests tweet, Brownes book has seen a massive spike in sales. Its likely people want to know what else Browne may have predicted about the future, considering her prediction about a pneumonia-like illness became somewhat of a reality.

Kourtney just sent this on our group chat pic.twitter.com/XyjGajY71d  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 12, 2020

Other Coronavirus predictions

As a global pandemic, the Coronavirus is causing a lot of people to read into other works about similar outbreaks. One such book is The Eyes of Darkness, a novel by Dean Koontz.

Another Twitter user became wildly popular when he shared an excerpt from the Koontz book, which read:

To understand that, Dombey said, you have to go back twenty months. It was around then that a Chinese scientist named Li Chen defected to the United States, carrying a diskette record of Chinas most important and dangerous new biological weapon in a decade. They call the stuff Wuhan-400 because it was developed at their RDNA labs outside the city of Wuhan, and it was the four-hundredth viable strain of man-made microorganisms created at that research center. Dean Koontz, The Eyes of Darkness

A Dean Koontz novel written in 1981 predicted the outbreak of the coronavirus! pic.twitter.com/bjjqq6TzOl  Nick Hinton (@NickHintonn) February 16, 2020

While the book certainly has eerie similarities to the global pandemic that is the Coronavirus, its likely Koontz didnt actually predict that this was going to happen. The original name for Koontz virus was Gorki-400, a nod to Russia, according to the South China Morning Post.

Plus, the virus in the novel had a 100% mortality rate  the Coronavirus does not. While Koontz is undoubtedly a captivating storyteller, the fact of the matter is that hes just that  a teller of fictional works.

As a self-described psychic, Sylvia Brownes prediction of the Coronavirus outbreak is open to interpretation, but the Kardashians seem to think this psychic hit the nail on the head.
Mary Byrne and Sheila Chapman enjoying the American Tea party in Fethard on Sea

Carla McElwee, The Clovers, Marie Shalloe, Fethard, Majella Mythen, Ballygow, Ann Chapman, Ramstown, Yvonne Molloy, Booley Hill, Tina Molloy and Elaine Dunne, Grange, enjoying the American Tea party in Fethard on Sea

It was a case of a Fethard on Tea Party when the local hall was packed to capacity for an American themed social event which raised 4,273 for Fethard Castle amenity park.

The event was organised by Fethard Community Development Association and the money raised will go towards the funding of the walking trails around Fethard Castle.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues on the committee, chairperson Richard Finn thanked everyone who supported the American Tea Party.

He said it was wonderful to see the community coming together and supporting the development work presently being carried out at Fethard Castle.

Mr Finn extended his sincere thanks to David Chapman and family and the entire team at Hook Lighthouse without whom the event wouldn't have been possible.

He also thanked all those who helped, those who sponsored raffle prizes and St Mary's Hall Committee for providing the perfect venue.

Emmett Tubritt won the Split the Pot raffle on the night and Richie encouraged people to continue to support this raffle as it was an essential part of their fundraising.
Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi of DR Congo has instructed top officials in the government to start, without delay, the best restructuring of all public services concerned with the Coronavirus pandemic, with a view to qualitatively strengthening the response and to identify practical measures to communicate through institutional channels
This article, Trump says Google is helping to build a website for coronavirus information, originally appeared on CNET.com.

President Donald Trump on Friday said the federal government is working with Google to build a website to give people information about coronavirus testing.

"Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now; they've made tremendous progress," Trump said during an address at the White House, where he announced a national state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website will help with screening people for the virus, said Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator. People can visit the site to fill out a questionnaire where they can describe symptoms and receive information about drive-through testing and how to get results, she said.

Trump said in his address that up to half a million additional tests are expected to be available early next week, and drive-through test facilities will be opened at critical locations.

Google on Friday announced an effort to help with coronavirus testing through Verily, its parent company Alphabet's life sciences arm, though it's unclear if that effort is separate from the one mentioned in Trump's address.

"We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time," the company tweeted. "We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort."

Google didn't respond to a multiple requests to clarify.

The effort comes as the coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted everyday life across the globe. At Google and Alphabet, all North American employees have been asked to work from home, and the company canceled its annual Google I/O developer conference. The confab, which had been scheduled for May, is Google's biggest event of the year.

As of Thursday, more than 1,600 cases of coronavirus and 41 deaths had been reported in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 14, 2020 - 10:13 | All, Japan

Suzuki Motor Corp. is eyeing tripling the number of its dealerships in India to 9,000 to retain control in one of the world's biggest auto markets, Chairman Osamu Suzuki told Kyodo News in a recent interview.

Suzuki, which on Sunday celebrates a century since its establishment, is a top brand in India. Local subsidiary Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., which currently has about 3,000 dealers, sold 1.72 million units in the business year ended March 2019 to claim half the share in the country's passenger car market.

(Osamu Suzuki)

Sales have stagnated in recent months amid India's economic slowdown, but the 90-year-old chairman said it has helped him fish out Maruti Suzuki's weakness, pointing to the need for more dealerships to be set up in less-populated suburbs to meet potential demand.

"India's population is around 10 times (that of Japan) so we need to have around 9,000 dealers there," Suzuki said, citing Suzuki's network of 900 distributors in Japan.

"(Maruti Suzuki) might have reached the limit in creating hubs that can catch big fish like tuna. They should also be building ones for smaller fish like sardine."

The chairman expressed confidence in the production capacity of the unit, which is scheduled to reinforce its plant in the western state of Gujarat.



(Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.'s luxury six seater van XL6)

At home, Suzuki has been trying to regain consumer trust after investigation by outside lawyers found last April that uncertified employees had checked car brakes before shipments and some certified workers had falsified inspection records between 1981 and January 2019.

Faced with new challenges of the industry to adopt more advanced technology, Suzuki signed a comprehensive tie-up agreement with Toyota Motor Corp. in 2017. The chairman said he is "extremely grateful" for technical cooperation with Toyota.

The chairman, who has been at the helm of the automaker for over 40 years, also indicated that retirement is the furthest thing from his mind, saying, "I intend to contribute to society by working for the whole of my life."

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Bruno Fernandes arrived at Old Trafford in January and has had an immediate effect on the fortunes of Manchester United. In an upturn in form, the Red Devils positive run included a 2-0 victory over local rivals City and the Portugal midfielder has revealed the details why he told opposition manager Pep Guardiola to shut up during that game.

Guardiola didnt deserve respect at that moment

It was near the end of a high-tension match when the scoreline had the hosts just a fragile goal ahead of the reigning Premier League champions when there was a verbal altercation between Fernandes and Guardiola. And those watching could clearly see the new United man putting his finger to his mouth, in a clear gesture for the visiting manager to be quiet.

"I talked about this with some friends and some people think 'Pep won everything, who is Bruno to diss him?', but I think it is about respect," Fernandes explained in an interview with UK network Sky Sports. But he went on to say that it was all about the moment.

"Now, I think outside of the pitch, I don't do this again if I am on the pitch now.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action with Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko. PHIL NOBLE (REUTERS)

But, at that moment the words he told me made me mad, and on the pitch I am a little bit nervous, it is the kind of player I am.

"I have respect for Pep and what he won, and what he did for football because he changed some mentalities in football. But, at that moment he didn't deserve my respect at that moment on the pitch."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 18:00:34|Editor: huaxia

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File picture shows Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Moon Jae-in at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the South Korean side to win the fight against the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the life and health of the people of the two countries and the wider world.

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to provide as much assistance as it can to South Korea to support the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy recently sent to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Xi said the Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the South Korean side to win the fight against the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the life and health of the people of the two countries and the wider world.

China and South Korea are friendly neighbors that help each other and stick together through thick and thin, Xi said, adding that the South Korean government and people from all walks of life have previously expressed their sympathies to China over the epidemic and provided a lot of help, and that President Moon stressed in particular that China's difficulties are South Korea's difficulties.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (C) attends a special meeting in Daegu, South Korea, Feb. 25, 2020. (NEWSIS/Handout via Xinhua)

The Chinese leader pointed out that epidemics know no borders, and all countries worldwide are part of a community with a shared future, and that the Chinese government and people empathize with the South Korean side in its struggle against the epidemic and related difficulties.

Xi also said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-South Korea relations, and is willing to work with Moon to jointly lift the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership to higher levels for the benefit of the two countries and their people. 
Bachelorette star Angie Kent is settling into her Sydney pad after relocating from Queensland's Sunshine Coast to be closer to her boyfriend Carlin Sterritt.

And on Friday, the 29-year-old gave her fans a glimpse into her $3,002 bedroom makeover on her Instagram Story.

Angie was excited to share how her once-bare bedroom had been designed and decked out in what appeared to be a sponsored arrangement with IKEA.

'You don't have to spend a fortune': Bachelorette star Angie Kent (pictured) showed off her incredible $3,000 bedroom makeover on Friday after recently relocating to Sydney

'So I haven't had a room in so long, and IKEA have come in and they have designed and made my room an actual room and I'm so excited,' she said.

The reality TV beauty showed off her newly furnished and beautifully decorated room, and said: 'Oh I'm so grateful!'

The room featured a queen sized bed - from Ecosa worth $999 which she received back in February - on a light oak veneer frame from the Swedish brand, valued at $329.

Her bed was decorated with a series of pillows as well as a $25 blue and white IKEA throw rug, while underneath was a $20 storage tub.

From bare to brilliant! Her room previously only featured a queen sized bed - from Ecosa worth $999 - which she received in February

Neutral look: The mattress sat on a light oak veneer frame from the Swedish brand, valued at $329, and was decorated with a series of pillows as well as a $25 blue and white throw rug

As she panned around the room, she joked: 'I mean I would never know how to do something like this - I don't even know how to dress myself.'

Angie then pointed out her two stylish rugs - a round braided seagrass mat valued at $199 and a thick-looking speckled rectangle carpet worth $299 - layered over one another.

Near the window nook was a $169 rattan armchair and $39 lamp - also from the furniture brand.

Practical and chic: Angie then pointed show a thick-looking speckled rectangle carpet worth $299, showing the $20 storage tub hidden underneath

Stylish: The speckled rug was layered over a round braided seagrass mat valued at $199. Near the window nook was a $169 rattan armchair, a $39 lamp next to a $69 palm plant

'This is all IKEA people, you do not have to go out and spend a goddamn fortune, you can go to IKEA,' she proudly said.

The Dancing With The Stars contestant panned her camera to the four-door wardrobe - valued at $785 - and showed off the ample storage inside.

'I've been living out of a suitcase for a year... and now I have actual cupboards,' she boasted.

'Now I have actual cupboards!' The reality TV starlet panned the room to show off her new four-door wardrobe - valued at $785

Looking good! Angie also showed off a large $69 circular mirror opposite her bed. She revealed that a chest of drawers would be set up under the mirror

'And then I've got storage under my bed. I've got a whole chest of drawers coming in there,' she said.

Angie then pointed to a space under her large $69 circular mirror opposite her bed and noted that a chest of drawers would be set up in that spot.

She also drew attention to her $69 palm plant next to her rattan chair and excitedly said: 'I've got plants to look after.'

'I don't have my rescue dogs anymore, but I have plants to look after and I need to look after things,' she added.

Taking a break from moving in: Angie confirmed she had moved into Rose Bay unit back in February after sharing a photo of herself with boyfriend Carlin in her unfurnished room

To conclude her tour, the former Gogglebox star said: 'I don't have a floor-drobe anymore, thanks IKEA. I'm so grateful, what this space!'

Angie confirmed she had moved into Rose Bay unit back in February after sharing a photo of herself with boyfriend Carlin in her unfurnished room.

Back in December, Carlin spoke to Daily Mail Australia and confirmed Angie's move to Sydney following his appearance on Studio 10 with his girlfriend at the time.

However when asked if Angie would be moving in with him, he said: 'No, we're not going to be living together for a while. I'm in Cronulla.'
Last week, I heard a story about a minor impact of the coronavirus threat on Indias trade, which illustrates a major obstacle to the growth of the Indian economy. A garment exporter told me that the government has banned the export of masks for fear that the virus will spread in India. The exporter has a consignment of eye masks awaiting shipment, but try as hard as he would, he could not persuade the customs that eye masks are fashion garments, which dont cover either the nose or the mouth, and have nothing to do with preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Mask means mask, according to the customs, and thats the end of the matter. This years Economic Survey has warned of the urgent need to remove red tape at ports to promote exports. The need is indeed urgent. At present, the value of Bangladeshs garment exports is nearly double the value of Indian garment exports, but the customs dont seem aware of this need.

Ever since he came to power, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has been told by economists that the bureaucracy and the plethora of laws and regulations governing trade is an obstacle to growth. But when I told the eye mask story to an economist friend, he said the trouble is that the PM doesnt listen to economists. There is one obvious reason why this could be true. Most economists thought the slowdown in the economy would have an impact on last years general election, but the PM knew better. He barely bothered to mention the economy. It seems he doesnt buy the phrase coined by Bill Clintons campaign manager: Its the economy stupid. For him, its the politics that matters. That is presumably why Amit Shah sat next to the PM in the crucial pre-budget meeting he held with economists, sector experts and successful young entrepreneurs. As home minister, Shah does not have an economic brief, but he is Modis closest political advisor. The finance minister, whose brief is the economy, did not attend this meeting, though it was later clarified that she was meeting party functionaries for inputs on the budget.

When he first came to power, the PM did appear to listen to his economic advisors. He chose some of the most highly-reputed economists from America to advise him, but then he didnt listen to their advice. He fell out with Raghuram Rajan, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), over the question of the banks autonomy and the Mudra Loans scheme. Urjit Patel, the next governor, resigned rather than agreeing to give the government a bigger share of the RBIs dividend. So he was replaced by Shaktikanta Das, a career civil servant.

Arvind Panagariya was chosen to head the new Niti Aayog, but his commitment to free trade clashed with the Bharatiya Janata Partys commitment to swadeshi protectionism. When he left, the economist, Rajiv Kumar, was chosen as his successor. Kumar had written a book arguing in favour of Modis record as chief minister of Gujarat. Bibek Debroy, who moved from the Niti Aayog to being the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM, was a prominent advocate of Modis Gujarat model of development.

As it has turned out, it would be good if Modi had listened to the advice of his choice for his first Chief Economic Advisor, Arvind Subramanian. Subramanian had recommended a far simpler structure for GST, with a maximum rate of 18%. His successor Krishnamurthy Subramanian is one of the economist who has supported demonetisation. So, it does seem that the PM now chooses his advisers because they have agreed with him in the past. Isnt there, therefore, a danger that they will feel obliged to read his mind before giving advice now, and that rather than being independent-minded, they will become committed?

The views expressed are personal
James Cropper PLC (LON:CRPR), which is in the forestry business, and is based in United Kingdom, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the AIM over the last few months, increasing to UK13.55 at one point, and dropping to the lows of UK9.15. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether James Cropper's current trading price of UK9.15 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at James Croppers outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

View our latest analysis for James Cropper

What is James Cropper worth?

James Cropper is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison to the industry average. Ive used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because theres not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stocks ratio of 32.17x is currently well-above the industry average of 9.23x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. Furthermore, James Croppers share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach levels around its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once its there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

What does the future of James Cropper look like?

AIM:CRPR Past and Future Earnings, March 14th 2020

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. James Croppers earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in CRPRs positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question  is now the right time to sell? If you believe CRPR should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on CRPR for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for CRPR, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on James Cropper. You can find everything you need to know about James Cropper in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in James Cropper, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
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A man brandishing a bible crashed his car moments after berating worshipers in a mosque prompting the bomb squad to examine his van.

Police evacuated residents from several streets in the Normanton area of Derby following the incident until the bomb squad declared the area safe.

Witnesses said a suspect fled the mosque in his van which he crashed into several cars belonging to worshipers.

Police called into the bomb squad to investigate the man's car which was crashed near the mosque in the Normanton area of Derby at lunchtime yesterday

Police arrested a 43-year-old man at the scene shortly after the incident inside the mosque

The bomb squad searched this white van before the area was declared safe

Armed police arrested the 43-year-old suspect at the scene and called in the bomb squad.

One witness said: 'A guy went into the mosque and he was just preaching about them being wrong.

'He pulled out a bible and was waving it around, he was arguing with people there saying they were insulting Christianity.'

The eyewitness claimed the man then went outside, got into his car and tried to make off down the street.

But, in the process, he claims the man 'crashed' into several cars - including an Audi and a Land Rover - which belonged to worshippers in the mosque.

He said: 'He carried on up the street then crashed into the corner, then he jumped into the passenger seat and smoked a fag.'

According to the witness, it was at that point that a police car, a van and an armed police car arrived.

The witness said the suspect was pulled from his car, pinned to the ground and then handcuffed.

Police said a 43-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of a public order offence

It was at this stage they started clearing the area while his car was examined.

According to Derbyshire police: 'We were called to an incident in Malcolm Street, Derby, at 1.10pm.

'At the scene a 43-year-old man was found in a car which had collided with another vehicle.

'The man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of a public order offence.

'A number of properties in the immediate area were then evacuated as a precaution, while a suitcase found in the car was examined by experts from the Ministry of Defence.

'Further updates will be issued as they become available.'
By Trend

Buta Airways has suspended Baku-Tbilisi-Baku flights since March 14 due to the closure of air traffic between Georgia and Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing Buta Airways press service.

This decision is valid until March 24.

Passengers who have bought tickets for the above period will be able to change the date or return the tickets to the place of purchase without fines.

Due to the coronavirus COVID-19 situation, National Air Carrier of Azerbaijan made a decision to refund or exchange tickets for all cancelled destinations, as well as exchange tickets for all existing ones.

More information is available through the following link: https://www.butaairways.az/en/article/news-13032020

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
With nowhere to go, stranded 19 Indian passengers at Dubai airport provided hotel rooms, food

21 from Italy return to Kerala

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Kochi, Mar 14: Twenty one passengers, who were stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy, were brought here on Saturday following which they were shifted to Aluva hospital for investigation, airport sources said.

Several Indian passengers have been stuck in the European nation, despite having confirmed tickets.

This was after Italian authorities and Emirates airlines refused to take them following a ciruclar issued by the DGCA stipulating that people travelling from Italy or South Korea and desirous of entering India should obtain certificates of having tested negative for COVID-19 from those countries.

"Where are we supposed to go?," a woman, stranded at an airport in Italy, after having booked tickets to Kerala was heard asking in a video that has gone viral.

Many passengers like her were heard making desperate pleas for being airlifted to their home state- Kerala.

Indian medical team in Italy to test stranded Indians amidst coronavirus outbreak

".. we have come from Kerala to work here in Italy. We are expatriates... we have left our jobs and homes... You tell us what we are supposed to do? Where will we go other than our state?" another woman passenger asked in the video.

Children and pregnant women were among the 300-odd Indians stranded at the airports in Itay.

Another passenger said emirates airlines and the Italian authorities were prepared to take them to India, but it was the Indian government which was insisting on the certificate.

Meanwhile, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) has banned visitor's entry to the terminals with immediate effect.

CIAL has also requested all passengers to limit the number of people accompanying them to the airport.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 12:54 [IST]
Two people were on Saturday



admitted in the Nashik civil hospital for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus, health officials said.

One of them is a 41-year-old man from here who had gone to Bangladesh on March 8 and returned to India on March 13, while the other was a 33-year-old man who had visited South Africa between January 9 and March 13, they said.

"With this, the number of people admitted for suspected exposure to the virus stands at four. Six people, whose samples tested negative, have been discharged," an official said.

Apart from the ones admitted on Saturday, the other two in isolation are a 61-year-old man who had gone to Dubai on February 11 and returned to India on February 16, and a 34 -year-old man who went to Dubai on February 29 and returned on March 1, he said.

"Their sample reports are awaited," he added. PTI COR.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump has said he has been tested for coronavirus and is waiting on the results.

When he addressed the media on Friday, announcing the formal declaration of a national emergency in order to ease tackling the disease, he said it was likely he would himself get tested.

On Saturday morning, as he and vice president Mike Pence again briefed the media, journalists entering the White House briefing room were made to undergo a temperature check, as part of a new protocol to protect Mr Trump.

Higher temperatures are an early indicator of flu and coronavirus, and at least one journalist was turned away after it was found their temperature was above the limit deemed safe.

When he spoke to reporters, Mr Trump said he had his temperature checked before entering the room. He also said he had been tested for COVID-19 and that he was waiting on the results.

I had my temperature taken coming into the room, he said. I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference last night.

He then said of how long it would take for the results to be known: I dont know. Whatever it takes. A day or two days. They send it to a lab.

Of his temperature, he added: It was totally normal. If it wasnt, I wouldnt have been here.

Mr Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus. On Friday, he declared a state of emergency as schools and workplaces across the country shuttered, flights were cancelled and Americans braced for war against the health threat.

 Fox News guest slams Trump official for dodging coronavirus testing question

Mr Trump spent time last weekend at his private club in Florida with at least three people who have now tested positive.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington announced late on Friday that the countrys charge daffaires, Nestor Forster, had tested positive after sitting at Mr Trumps dinner table.

So did a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an individual who attended a fundraiser Sunday with Trump, according to two Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
In Philadelphia, at the Roxborough Acme, lines wrapped around the aisles as anxious customers waited to check out carts full of groceries. And then they agreed that an elderly shopper should go ahead of them.

In Wayne, a fellow mom insisted that Ann St. Leger take one of two bottles of sanitizer she had for her family of seven. St. Legers daughter had been scheduled for surgery and she wanted to replenish her bottles at home to keep her healthy, but every store she checked was out.

I tried to decline because she has a large family to keep healthy," St. Leger said, "but she wouldnt take no for an answer.

And in Chadds Ford, 73-year-old Betsy Del Vecchio opened her door to see her next-door neighbor Leigh Cullen grinning outside.

Hello, vulnerable person! Cullen said, referring to the increased threat of coronavirus for older adults.

Del Vecchio smiled, delighted by the Irish brogue that made Cullens greeting more charming than alarming.

Look, this is getting really, really, really scary, Cullen, a father of two, told her. If you need any groceries or anything at all, you tell us. Stay home and stay safe.

The neighbors in Del Vecchios cul-de-sac, most of whom are from countries like Ecuador, Brazil, Bulgaria, and Ireland, are already pretty tight-knit, but this added check-in touched the recent widow.

How wonderful, Del Vecchio thought.

When I caught up to Cullen, a tax adviser who was home with his family, he said his mother, who passed away from a respiratory illness right before they moved to the States from Ireland about a year ago, always told him:

You can just be kind for the sake of being kind.

Thats certainly true. But in times of crisis, acts of kindness weigh that much more. In the midst of a disaster or tragedy or now, the coronavirus pandemic, its often the smallest act of kindness that gives us the most hope.

These stories are a glimmer of hope. We, the people, acting out of our better natures.

On Twitter, Rebecca Mehra from Oregon shared her story in a viral thread.

Mehra was walking into a grocery store when an elderly woman called to her from a car. From a window opened just enough for her to hear, the woman explained that she and her husband, in their 80s, were afraid to go in. Would Mehra shop for them? she asked, slipping money through the crack in the window. She did.

I know its a time of hysteria and nerves, Mehra wrote, but offer to help anyone you can.

On Facebook, Pem McNerney  full disclosure, shes a former editor of mine from Connecticut  shared that a woman in her row on a plane was sharing her Clorox wipes.

Were all in this together, McNerney reported the woman as saying.

In posts all over social media, people are encouraging one another to be kind and generous to those on the front lines  doctors and nurses, bus drivers and wait staff who dont have the luxury of staying home. Richard Ross, formerly of Cherry Hill but now living in Florida, told me that hes trying to do his part by going to his local Chinese restaurant more, and leaving a big tip.

A lot of businesses and organizations  large and small  are trying to do their part, too. The Jewish Family and Childrens Services of Greater Philadelphia is providing emergency supplies to its most vulnerable clients. A market in Connecticut is closed, but its self-serve egg cooler is stocked with cartons and a sign for folks to Pay what you wish  stay healthy. La Colombe has offered to send coffee to both the elderly and sick who are struggling with self-quarantine or health-care professionals working around the clock.

At a time of so much fear and uncertainty, these acts of kindness  for those committing and receiving them  are a desperately needed balm. A unifying act of humanity that reminds us that we are all in this together, and together is the only way well get through it.
More than 9,000 household businesses in Hanoi ceased operations in the first two months of 2020, a third of which cited the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the reason for their closure, according to the municipal taxman.

According to the Hanoi Tax Department, the number of household businesses that generated invoices in February was 4,281, a reduction of 57.4 percent from the same period last year.

Revenue and payable tax from household businesses in the Vietnamese capital also dropped 53 percent and 50.7 percent, respectively, last month compared to February 2019.

Overall, more than 9,000 household businesses in Hanoi went out of business or temporarily closed in January and February. A third of them have attributed the closures to COVID-19.

The hardest-hit sectors include accommodation, catering, and any business that involves dealing with China, the taxman said.

It forecast that Hanoi would see its domestic revenue, excluding revenue from land, dropping by VND4.2-5.4 trillion (US$181-232 million) in 2020 in the best-case scenario that the COVID-19 epidemic ends in the first quarter.

If the epidemic persists to the second quarter of the year, the revenue loss might amount to VND6.6-9.4 trillion ($283-404 million), it warns.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 138,000 people and killed more than 5,100 globally as of Friday afternoon, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has reported 47 infections so far. Sixteen of them have fully recovered by February 26 while the remaining 31 cases are treated in nine provinces and cities.

Schools in many parts of the nation have been closed for over a month, as international travel is restricted and tourist attractions shuttered over COVID-19 fears.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 09:57:40|Editor: zyl

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WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday nominated Kenneth Weinstein, the president and CEO of the conservative think tank Hudson Institute, as the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

Weinstein, a fluent speaker of French and German, also serves on the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations, which advises the U.S. Trade Representative, the White House said in a statement.

Weinstein's nomination still requires confirmation of the Senate. The position of the U.S. ambassador to Japan has been vacant since July, when then Ambassador William Hagerty resigned from his post to run for Tennessee's open U.S. Senate seat.
14.03.2020 LISTEN

The world is running in all directions in search of an answer to a virus that has indeed gone viral. All over the world, conferences are canceled; bans have been placed on travels; nations are floundering under the threat of the virus; conspiracies are raging, nose masks have become more precious than ever and people are justifiably desperate.

As part of the solutions to this malignant virus, technology has been deployed. Nations and social groupings are going virtual. The tide of racism is also rising. But it is the sheer paradox that technology that was meant to enhance the quality of life has become the avenue for the spread of the virus that leaves me musing.

The rapacity with which the virus is spreading and the purported dangers associated with it has resulted in a desperate search for a redeemer. There have been whispers of medications here and there; there have been reported cases of people changing human lifestyle to pre-empt future viral outbreak. Amid all this, there are counterpoints about the origin of virus. Just like all episodic issues or pandemics, some individuals strongly believe that the virus was deliberately manufactured in a lab somewhere to offset the world's geopolitical system. The wildest I have heard, in connection with this, is that it is part of the scheme by a certain group of people to make Brexit deeply felt by the rest of the European nations. On the flip side, some hold the belief that the virus is just one of the ways nature rebels against humankind.

Regardless of the origin of the virus and the political spinning placed on it, it is evident that most of us live in the shadow of fear. I dare say that the scarecrows built around the virus is perhaps deadlier than the substance of the virus. But as the political elites and experts work around the clock to beat the virus, I am reminded of my own reading about influenza which is believed to have killed at least twenty million people in the world with the Gold Coast recording about 100,000 deaths in six months after the World War I (1918-1919).

The flu had the epiphenomenon of deepening people's sense of the need for the presence of the ultimate reality. This sense contributed to the sporadic growth of the American Faith Tabernacle Church around the world, including the Gold Coast in the 1920s. It created an atmosphere where people resorted to divine healing. The emphasis placed on divine healing percolated into the politics of the Apostolic Church in Ghana (leading to a split in 1938).

As a Christian, I support science and its capacity to produce positive change. I also do share the view that God gave us the scripture and creation for our holistic understanding of his universe. But unfortunately, many of us think that science has the answers to all human challenges. We are deluded into thinking and rehashing the nineteenth century mythological refrain that religion is irrelevant in the schemes of the "modern" world. In one way or the other, we have all agreed with Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, the German philosopher, that God is dead. But at least, Nietzsche was quick to admit that we must have a functional differential by playing God in a world that has been bracketed out of God's control.

The responses to the coronavirus reflect the fault lines of scientism  the idea that science is the answer to all challenges. When the virus made headlines in most countries, including the United Kingdom, the usual mantra of most of the political elites was that "we are in control." In my own university where I am currently studying, we were told that the university can contain the virus. These were rhetoric to soothe our ears. But it appears the virus is not scared by promises and perhaps empty hopes. Certainly, we need hope-boosters in the face of this epidemic. But we need something more!

While we need hope-boosters, what is obvious is that we are not in control of the universe. The virus has exposed our vulnerability. Much as the pandemic will unleash our capacity to find answers to life's existential challenges, it has shown that we are not in charge of the universe as we are oft to think. But as we frantically look for answers, please I want us to turn to God in this instance. This is not to say that we should be oblivious to the basic mundane precautionary measures (including handwashing with soap under running water and avoiding handshakes) that need to be taken into consideration. It is rather to remind us of the one who created the universe, who is actually in control of the universe. We need the Lord of the universe to ferry us through this turbulent moment in human history. I am pleading with Christians to lift a prayer to the Lord to seek His intervention. It is not enough bracketing the universe out of the control of the Lord. We need to appreciate the limit of science. We need to acknowledge that we are finite creatures inhabiting in a world created by an infinite being.

I call upon all Christians to reflect on Psalm 91. I am convinced that what is lurking under the trepidation against coronavirus is death. We all do not want to hear about death. Thus, while death is inevitable, we are never content with it. Our concern about death is such that it runs against the grain of evolution theory which argues that death is simply a natural part of the evolution process. My dear reader, let me assure you that there is the saviour of the elect who conquered death. His name is Jesus Christ. He tells us in Psalm 91:16 that He will satisfy us with life and show us His salvation.

God, I commit the world into your care. Nations are running to and fro in search of an answer to a malignant virus. Scientists are investing their brains in search for an answer. Father, we thank you for such a blessing you have graciously endowed humanity. But we also call upon you to come to our aid. We need you this moment more than ever. Please save our nations. Please save life. Please help us. Life is under threat. But we know that you are the Prince of life, so please come to our aid.

Give us the courage to overcome our fears. Give us faith to know that you are in charge, not coronavirus. Give us hope that death does not have us in the long run. Give us faith that virus and diseases are just temporary intrusions in our lives. Finally, in your mercy, please hear our prayer. Help us. We thank you for answering our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.

Satyagraha

Charles Prempeh ([email protected]), African University College of Communications, Accra
No fresh cornonavirus cases were reported in Kerala on Saturday, as the government decided to strengthen monitoring of people who reach the state by rail and road, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Vijayan, who chaired the daily evaluation meet here, told reporters that a total of 302 people are in isolation wards in hospitals across the state.

"A total of 7,677 people are under observation in the state, out of which 7,375 people are under home quarantine and 302 are in isolation wards across the state.

Out of the total of 1,897 samples sent for testing, 1,345 tested negative," the Chief Minister said.

Coronavirus care centres would be set up near airports in the state, he said.

The restrictions imposed have succeeded in limiting the spread to a certain extent, Vijayan said, adding that a set of volunteers would be enrolled to aid the health department and they would be given special training by the officials.

"A special team will monitor all the passengers of inter-state trains at the first station inside Kerala borders.

The team will comprise one paramedical staff, a policeman and a local volunteer and they can examine two bogies at a time.

For example,if there are 12 bogies for a train,there will be six such teams to examine all passengers," Vijayan said.

The train passengers would also get an SMS alert, saying they would be checked at the first station the train touches after entering Kerala.

The state government has also identified 24 points in the border road areas of Kerala from north to south and a separate team, headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) will monitor those who travel by vehicles.

"We know that all these restrictions pose so much trouble to the people. But since we are going through an extraordinary situation,we request everyone to cooperate with the officials.

It's in the best interests of the state and the people," Vijayan said.

The Chief Minister said the government would also instruct state-run transport services to clean the buses and maintain hygiene.

"We have asked the officials to visit migrant labour camps in the state and create awareness among them by using those who can speak their language.

We have also given instructions to keep their localities clean," Vijayan said.

Private hospitals have been asked to set aside a certain number of beds in case of an emergency.

"We are in the process of arranging more medical equipment for this purpose," the Chief Minister added.

With three positive coronavirus cases being reported from the state capital, including an Italian who was staying at a resort at Varkala beach,the Kerala government Saturday imposed restrictions on visitors' entry at malls, gyms and beaches and warned people not to venture out of their homes,unless needed.

Health department officials have instructed the resort to shut down and the employees have been kept under observation.

The government has also directed resorts in the district not to allow foreign tourists staying there to venture out.

Though the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought shutting down of liquor and beverages outlets, the government said it was not practical as there was a possibility of people going in search of spurious products.

Beverages outlets will not be closed as of now.

So far 19 people have tested positive for the virus, including the three from Thiruvananthapuram.

The government had earlier shut schools and colleges and cancelled all public functions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

However, 10th standard, plus two and vocational higher secondary school exams are being held.

Examinations of various universities will commence from Monday.

Kerala has been hit by the second round of Covid 19 cases after the country's first three positive cases in the state were successfully cured and discharged from hospitals last month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pobeda, a low-cost airline belonging to Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot, is suspending flights from Moscow to the Slovak capital of Bratislava and the Czech resort town of Karlovy Vary over the respective governments' decision to halt air traffic, the company said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th March, 2020) Pobeda, a low-cost airline belonging to Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot, is suspending flights from Moscow to the Slovak capital of Bratislava and the Czech resort town of Karlovy Vary over the respective governments' decision to halt air traffic, the company said on Friday.

"The Pobeda low-cost airline is suspending flights from Moscow to Bratislava and Karlovy Vary due to the restrictions introduced by the Slovak and Czech governments on flights to these cities. Flights to Bratislava will be canceled from March 13 - March 28, and to Karlovy Vary from March 18 - April 11," the carrier's press service told journalists.

Travelers currently in Bratislava and Karlovy Vary are offered to choose between reimbursement or rescheduling for alternative Moscow-bound flights.

For passengers in Bratislava, such rerouted flights will be operated by Aeroflot on the Vienna-Moscow route during the time period from March 13-18. Passengers in Karlovy Vary have to options to choose between flights on the Prague-Moscow route from March 15-16 operated by Pobeda or the Prague-Moscow route from March 18-20 operated by Aeroflot.

On Wednesday, Pobeda suspended its flights to Israel amid the coronavirus outbreak there that prompted the Israeli government to introduce a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all international arrivals.
The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Russia's hybrid military forces on March 13 mounted six attacks on Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action.

"The Russian Federation's armed forces violated the ceasefire six times on March 13. One Ukrainian soldier was wounded as a result of enemy shelling," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said in an update posted on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on March 14.

Read alsoRussian snipers deployed in Ukraine's Donbas to "pass exams" aiming at Ukrainian troops

The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the villages of Lebedynske, Slavne, Novomykhailivka, Orikhove, and Krymske.

In addition, the enemy shelled disengagement site No. 3, using a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher and small arms. The Ukrainian military did not fire back, thus adhering to the ceasefire.

"Since Saturday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions three times near the villages of Berezove, Novoluhanske, and Shumy, using 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and rifles," the update said.

No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops Saturday morning.
Just days after announcing they were seeking bankruptcy protection, the Nygard Group of companies has staved off being placed into receivership for now.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/3/2020 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just days after announcing they were seeking bankruptcy protection, the Nygard Group of companies has staved off being placed into receivership for now.

In a decision Friday, a judge suspended the move by U.S. lenders White Oak Commercial Finance LLC and Second Avenue Capital Partners, pending the outcome of negotiations between Nygard and finance company Great American Capital.

"I am not satisfied there is no viable proposal to be made by (Nygard Group)," said Justice James Edmond. "The evidence filed by (Nygard) suggests a viable proposal may be made to creditors and (White Oak).

Edmond adjourned the matter to March 20  the date Nygard Group expected to conclude negotiations with Great American Capital  warning Nygard lawyers his view on receivership "may change," if there is no real movement by the companies to resolve their financing woes.

"I was very close to granting receivership today," Edmond said. "The matter is still before me and I expect to pay very close attention to where this is going to go in the next week."

White Oak and Second Avenue entered into a credit agreement with the Nygard Group in late December but are now seeking an order that Nygard be put in receivership and that it repay a loan of over US$25 million.

According to a White Oak motion brief, since entering the agreement, Nygard "committed multiple acts of default," including denying the validity of the agreement.

"Nygard Group also presented the lenders with cash flow forecasts and funding requests that contemplated a cash need that was several million dollars in excess of the amount available," the motion brief alleged.

At the same time White Oak was grappling with Nygard Groups "radically increased funding needs," founder and director Peter Nygard was hit with a class action suit alleging he had engineered a sex trafficking ring and was dropped by his companys largest wholesaler, Dillards. Those developments "significantly erod(ed) the value of the lenders collateral," four properties in Winnipeg and Toronto.

Court heard this week White Oak has also supplied additional cash on four occasions so Nygard Group could meet its payroll.

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"White Oak has attempted to work with the Nygard Group to seek solutions to its financial and liquidity issues, but it has lost all trust and confidence in the Nygard Group and its management and is no longer prepared to fund the Nygard Group outside of a court supervised process that allows the receiver to urgently assess available alternatives and develop an immediate liquidation strategy," said the White Oak motion brief.

Nygard Group is fighting the move, and in an affidavit by director of systems Greg Fenske argues the appointment of a receiver would only erode the value of its assets, which includes US$47 million in warehouse inventory and another US$20 million in retail stores.

"It is the position of Nygard that a receiver would be value-destructive to these assets as they would be sold in the ordinary course of a receiver, as opposed to an orderly sale by Nygard, who understands the business and the most logical purchasers," Fenske said. "Nygard best knows its own business and to whom to sell its products and how to restructure its business."

Peter Nygard announced his intention to divest ownership from his companies last month.

Edmond said Friday he has been provided no evidence that has occurred.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
FILE PHOTO: The Centennial Flame is pictured in front of Centre Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian Parliament rushed through ratification of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade pact on Friday before taking a three-week break to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, a top government official said.

Canada was the last of the three signatories to formally adopt the pact, prompting congratulations from the United States and Mexico.

The House of Commons lower chamber, which had weeks of deliberations left, agreed the instant approval on Friday after opposition legislators dropped their objections. The upper Senate chamber backed the pact later in the day, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters.

"(This) was entirely within the power of Canadian legislators to do, something we were able to do to help the Canadian economy at this challenging time, and I would like to thank legislators from all parties," she said.

The only remaining step is formal approval by the governor-general - the representative of Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state - which is a formality.

The USMCA was designed to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, which President Donald Trump strongly opposed on the grounds it had cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

"Now that the USMCA has been approved by all three countries, an historic new chapter for North American trade has begun," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement.

In a letter to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, Lighthizer sent notice of an entry-into-force date of June 1 for USMCA, according to a spokesman for the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees tax and trade issues.

Groups representing U.S. and foreign automakers -- including General Motors Co, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG -- as well as auto dealers and suppliers -- said they were "gravely concerned" by the June 1 date, including the new automotive rules of origin.

"We are in the midst of a global pandemic that is significantly disrupting our supply chains, and the industry is throwing all available resources into managing production through this crisis," the groups said in the letter, adding that none of the three nations have drafted uniform automotive rules-of-origin regulations.

Story continues

Automakers, they said, also need time "to solicit the necessary information throughout the supply-chain to certify that our cars and trucks qualify under USMCA."

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the approval was good news for Mexico at a time of economic and financial instability.

(Additional reporting by David Lawder and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Tom Brown and Leslie Adler)
WILLIAMSPORT  A state Superior Court panel has affirmed the prison sentence of 63 to 180 years of a sexually violent predator convicted of having improper contact with three young girls and videoing some of it.

The three-judge panel Friday found Lycoming County Judge Marc F. Lovecchio did not abuse his discretion in sentencing Carlos Ruben Castro Jr., 39.

Judge Jacqueline O. Shogan pointed out in her opinion Castro provided boilerplate argument about his sentence being excessive and he cited no case law support.

Castro also had claimed his conviction was flawed because there was no evidence of penetration.

Shogan rejected that argument, citing a video that showed otherwise.

She also found Lovecchio did not abuse his discretion by refusing to consider an untimely motion to suppress evidence from a cell phone filed an attorney who did not originally represent Castro.

The orderly administration of justice will be ill-served if rules were interpreted to be so flexible to permit an exception when a defendant obtained a new counsel, Shogan wrote.

Castro, of Williamsport, was found guilty in September 2018 of nearly 30 counts that charged him with having sexual contact in 2016 with two 12-year-old girls and a 5-year-old girl and videoing some of the activity.

He initially was sentenced in December 2018 to 67 to 188 years in prison. But last April, Lovecchio reduced it because he discovered he had imposed a term on an indecent assault of a child count as a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

The judge also modified the sentence on another indecent assault count to run concurrently instead of consecutively.

Besides the indecent assault counts, Castro was convicted of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children, aggravated indecent assault, attempted rape of a child, sexual abuse of children and 16 counts related to the videos.

He also was found guilty of solicitation to commit rape that involved the second 12-year-old girl at a different house in 2016.

The activity that led to those charges began shortly after Castro completed a 10-year term for sexually assaulting a then 19-year-old in 2006 while she was sleeping.

Lovecchio told Castro at the December 2018 sentencing: You will in all likelihood spend the rest of your life in prison. Its the choice you made. You have lived a life of violating people on your own terms.

The sentence in the earlier case included a lifetime registration as a sexual offender.

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Disney+ will release Frozen 2 three months ahead of schedule for families during these challenging times.

It follows news that Disney is closing Disneyland and California Adventure, in Anaheim, California, because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family, messages that are incredibly relevant during this time, and we are pleased to be able to share this heartwarming story early with our Disney+ subscribers to enjoy at home on any device, said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.

The No. 1 animated movie of all time, Frozen 2 follows Elsa, together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, on a remarkable and inspiring journey into the unknown to discover the source of her magical powers and save the kingdom of Arendelle. From Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Academy Award-winning team of directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, producer Peter Del Vecho, and songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Frozen 2 features the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad.

Tuesday March 17 on Disney+
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.
Two New York state residents have died after contracting COVID-19, becoming the first deaths in the state as the number of confirmed cases reached 613, officials said Saturday.

Meanwhile, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the county reported that seven people tested positive for the disease, an increase of three from Friday.

An 82-year-old New York City woman with emphysema died after contracting COVID-19, becoming the first known death in the state tied to the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday morning.

Later Saturday, Rockland County Chief Medical Examiner Laura Carbone said a 65-year-old Suffern village resident who died on March 12 tested positive for the disease. That patient also had significant health problems that likely contributed to the death, Carbone said in a statement.

At a news conference on Saturday, McCoy said one of the seven patients was hospitalized, making them the first person to be treated at a hospital in the region. Up to this point, victims have been quarantined at home during their recovery.

Obviously were mapping and tracking everyone this is touching, he said. This is going to be the norm. Its here, folks.

One of the three new cases is a family member of the hospitalized patient. The other person is not connected to any of the previously known cases in any way.

Two members of the New York State Assembly, Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron, were announced to have been diagnosed with the virus Saturday night, prompting a decision to close the Capitol to visitors beginning Sunday.

The Capitol and Legislative Office Building will be cleaned, and legislators and staffers who came in contact with Weinstein and Barron will be tested, Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement.

Siena College said the county notified them that a college employee tested positive, the only confirmed case involving a member of the campus community. The person infected is now receiving medical care off campus and Siena is working with health officials to limit the risk and exposure to its community.



Interim President Margaret E. Madden said the employee has not been on campus since March 6 and has had limited contact with other community members.

Most local hospitals are now running dedicated testing facilities and McCoy says the ramp-up will surely lead to an increase in diagnoses.

According to Albany Medical Center, 147 came in for testing Friday and 108 on Saturday. People still need appointments before they will be tested at the sites.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

SEFCU closing Colonie branch over possible coronavirus exposure

Capital Region testing sites go up and schools close as officials work to slow COVID-19 spread

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Complete Times Union coverage

Declaring a state of emergency will allow him to more easily shift county resources where they are needed during the coronavirus outbreak and bypass procurement policies, McCoy said. The measure will be renewed every five days as needed.

So far, county says over 135 people are being monitored, 102 of them are in mandatory quarantine. Another 39 are in precautionary quarantine. The number of people being monitored is expected to soon be over 250.

"If you feel sick, call your doctor," McCoy says. "They are going to direct you in the right direction."

The new cases bring the total known cases to 10 in the Capital Region. Other known cases in the area include: a Northumberland couple in Saratoga County, a Clifton Park resident, a University at Albany student, three members of a Guilderland household and a Union College employee.

As of Friday, the Saratoga and Albany county cases were quarantined at home and did not require hospitalization.

On Saturday, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin declared a state of emergency in the county, to help with flexibility and a quicker response, similar to Albany County's declaration. While we do not have a confirmed case, we have seen cases in neighboring counties. Declaring the State of Emergency will allow for our county and large institutions in our county, including schools, to act quickly in the event an extended closure is warranted, said McLaughlin.

"Rensselaer County and our country have faced challenges before, and we will beat this, McLaughlin said.

In Albany County, McCoy is also asking for volunteers, both those with and without medical experience, to help staff the county Health Departments Medical Corps. Some volunteers are needed to answer phones and help direct residents with questions.

Meanwhile, District Attorney David Soares, Sheriff Craig Apple and McCoy said they are trying to head off any instances of price gouging after hearing reports of people being charged outrageous prices for cleaning supplies and other necessities throughout the state. County residents who suspect price gouging are asked to call the United Ways 211 hotline, Soares said.

Unfortunately, we also see fraudsters seeking to exploit consumers concerns during times of uncertainty for their own financial benefit.

Apple and Soares said they were also asking retailers to assist them and contact them if they see anyone who may be pretending to be an emergency responder and trying to buy large quantities of necessary supplies. Apple says his office has received reports that that one car dealership is telling customers that a competitor has the coronavirus.

Apple said he is asking his staff to take extra precautions, including cutting down on traffic stops. They are also working to buy disinfecting lamps to treat squad cars and ambulances. Additionally, though the jail is locked down, video visits for inmates are free, Apple said.

If someone on my staff gets sick, were in trouble. If someone at the jail gets sick, were in a lot of trouble.

Albany County officials also announced a partnership between the United Way and the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region to establish a Capital Region Community COVID-19 Response Fund.

Peter Gannon, the president and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, said the fund will be used to help service organizations assist residents suffering from the economic damage caused by the outbreak. Several larger donors have signed on to help start the fund, he said.

In the race to contain the spread of the virus theres been severe economic impacts to the community already, he said.

To find out more about the fund, go to www.unitedwaygcr.org/covid-19. Residents can text donations by texting COVID19 TO 41444, Gannon said. Checks can be mailed to the Community Foundation at 2 Tower Place, Albany, NY 12203.The first initial round of grants to nonprofits is expected to be issued within the next few weeks.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Testing rules

Area hospitals have set up special tents, repurposed space and established drive-through lanes where people can come to be tested without exposing others. However residents can not just show up. Walk-ins will be not be allowed. Only people whove been ordered to receive testing by a licensed health care provider, or local or state health department will be allowed in.

In general, area health care leaders are asking that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus (fever and respiratory symptoms) to always call ahead before entering a medical facility  whether its a primary care office, emergency room or urgent care clinic  so that staff can implement containment measures before they arrive.

On Saturday, Gov. Cuomo directed insurers in the state to suspend co-pays for tele-medicine calls.

Calling for medical advice and then only visiting the ER or doctor's office if so advised will limit your exposure and keep our medical professionals healthy and able to work, he said.

Later Saturday, Cuomo said the state had given "700 new tests" since Saturday morning.

All of the sites are for swab collection only. Hospital staff will take swabs from peoples noses and throats and ship them to Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany for analysis, though that may change after New York said Friday it has received federal permission to contract testing out to 28 public and private laboratories. Albany Medical Center said Friday it is developing its own validation test that, if approved by the state and federal governments, would allow it to do on-site swab analysis.

As testing remains limited across the U.S., providers are being urged to authorize testing in at-risk patients only for now. Those include the elderly, immune-compromised and people with underlying medical conditions.

Schools update

On Saturday, Capital Region BOCES District Superintendent Anita Murphy and the superintendents of the component school districts said they unanimously decided to close schools and cancel all extracurricular activities.

In addition to Capital Region BOCES schools, these districts will be closed March 16-20: Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Cohoes, Duanesburg, Green Island, Guilderland, Menands, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, North Colonie, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Schalmont, Schenectady, Scotia-Glenville, Shenendehowa, South Colonie, Voorheesville, and Watervliet.

These districts will be closed March 16-27: Albany, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Middleburgh, Schoharie, Sharon Springs.

Schools in Queensbury, South Glens Falls, and Hudson Falls will also be closed for about a month, according to their school districts. Students in each of those three districts will now return to school April 19. Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs schools will be closed for students through April 19.

Keeping safe

Officials continue to urge social distancing measures, including in some cases the disruptive action of closing schools, in order to slow the virus spread and prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed all at once.

Health officials are reminding people that the best way to prevent contracting the virus is to wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; disinfectant frequently touched surfaces; and stay home when sick.

People who can work from home are encouraged to do so, and Cuomo has directed employers to accommodate this.

Avoiding large gatherings and crowded public spaces can also help slow the spread. Large gatherings over 500 people are no longer permitted in New York. Libraries, museums and other public spaces are announcing closures for the foreseeable future. Hospitals and nursing homes are either restricting visitors altogether or providing very rare exceptions.

In many cases, this information can be found on each organizations website.

You can also keep up with local closings and cancellations, rising local case counts, and news as it unfolds at the Times Union's live update page, which has been made free to all readers.
Vietnam Airlines will restrict the movements of its flight attendants between international flights as a Covid-19 safety measure, after one was infected.

Phan Ngoc Linh, head of the national flag carriers flight attendants division, said the decision was taken after a cabin crew tested positive for the Covid-19.

The flight attendants will not be allowed to go to public attractions, stores, supermarkets, public transportation and crowded places with high chances of coronavirus infection, especially in European countries. They cannot sell or transport any product or merchandise from overseas to Vietnam till further notice.

If a flight attendant has a special or compulsory reason for going out, they must get permission from the head of the stewardess division. When going out, they must wear face masks and wash their hands regularly. They will be monitored closely for violations.

At the moment, flight attendants usually stay overseas for one or two days between flights, depending on the length of the flight.

On long international flights, the cabin crew have their own restroom, which is sanitized frequently. If any passenger enters it, the restroom will be sterilized immediately. Pilots also have to follow the safety rules including wearing a protective suit when they fly internationally and take separate transportation to the plane.

Vietnam Airlines is the only carrier in Vietnam that has direct flights to European countries like England, Germany and France. When the novel coronavirus outbreak happened, they began applying many safety methods for the crew, like temperature checks before flights, wearing gloves, face masks and using hand sanitizers.

Pilots and flight attendants present on flights with Covid-19 patients will be monitored and quarantined. All aircraft returning from overseas, equipment used and airport transportation means will get sterilized.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health confirmed that a 30-year-old female flight attendant of Vietnam Airlines on a flight from London to Hanoi that landed on March 9 tested positive for Covid-19.

Vietnam has officially confirmed 47 Covid-19 cases so far. 16 patients have been discharged by February 26 while the rest were confirmed within the past week, including seven cases in Hanoi and two in HCMC.

The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 138 countries and territories around the world, killing over 5,400 people.
Have you heard about the Mesolithic hunters who scoured Ballyoran bog near Fermoy for their prey?

Or the massive Mount Gabriel copppr mine in west Cork where 25 mine-shafts were cut into a hill near Schull in the early Bronze Age?

Or how Cork earned the nickname of being the Rebel County?

These are just a selection of the stories related with wit and erudition in the new book from historian Turtle Bunbury, 'Ireland's Forgotten Past - a History of the Overlooked and Disremembered'.

The curator of an exhibition on Cork's maritime history which ran at St Peter's in the city for the past three years, the Carlow born and based author has included a number of nuggets he unearthed during his time in the county.

One of the most interesting tales recounted in the book focuses on the War of the Roses and the bid by Perkin Warbeck to become the King of England.

Warbeck was a Flemish peasant who claimed to be one of the 'Princes in the Tower' who had been allegedly slain by Richard II.

Backed by the 9th Earl of Desmond and the Mayor of Cork, John Walters, and a number of other merchant princes from Cork, Warbeck mounted a rebellion to claim his throne.

It didn't last long, however, as he was repelled at Waterford - a feat for which the city received as its motto: Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia - Waterford remains the untaken city.

As a result of the ill fated rebellion, Cork's city charter was temporarily forfeited and the city became known as the Rebel City as a result.

Also under the spotlight is Sir William Stanley, Sheriff of Cork, who, in 1584, claimed to have hanged 300 rebels and left the rest of Cork so petrified that 'a man might now travel the whole country and none molest him'.

The death of Hugh Maguire, the last king of Fermanagh, in an ill-advised ambush on Cork in 1600 is in the mix, along with the purchase of the Earl of Listowel's Kerry estates by the Cork merchant Richard Hare, and the story of the man who carved Cork's iconic statue of Father Theobald Matthew, the Apostle of Temperance.

Turtle also considers the sad tale of the Curragh Wrens, the prostitutes who lived by the British army camp in Kildare, including a young woman with 'no mother, no father' and an aunt who kept a whiskey store in Cork City.

The legacy of the Congested Districts Board is also looked at, with reference to the huge viaduct that leapt across the estuary at Ballydehob to bring the Skibbereen to Schull railway into West Cork.

The book contains many more stories from throughout the country. These include the story of the railway line from Achill to Westport. The first train had carried the bodies of 30 islanders who drowned on their way to Scotland, the last carried the bodies of ten islanders burned in a Glasgow fire.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The former Shawnee Mission School District teacher accused of kicking a kindergartner has been charged in Johnson County. Crystal Smith, 54, was arrested Friday and booked on one count of battery, stemming from a Feb. 21, 2019, incident that was caught on camera in the school library at Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School in Shawnee.
Intelligence Bureau's staffer Ankit Sharma, who was killed in Delhi riots, has sustained 51 injuries. According to Sharma's autopsy report, he was stabbed 12 times and has 33 blunt injuries on his body. Earlier, many media outlets reported that Sharma was stabbed 400 times.



Sharma was murdered by rioters during the northeast Delhi violence in which more than 50 people lost their lives.

The report further revealed that the officer was attacked with sharp edges of weapons.

"Cause of death was shock due to haemorrhage due to injuries to the lungs and brain. Some injuries were produced by sharp-edged weapons. An injury was produced by heavy cutting weapons, while the rest of the injuries were by blunt force. All injuries were fresh before death," the report read.

Notably, a Delhi Court on Friday sent Salman, an accused in the murder of Ankit Sharma, to four days police custody.

BCCL

On Thursday, Delhi Police had apprehended him in connection with the murder of the Intelligence Bureau staffer.

At least, 53 people including Ankit Sharma and Head Constable Rattan Lal were killed during the violence in the national capital.
A 22-year-old man, Sunday Ogaji, who allegedly r.a.p.e.d a she-goat, on Friday appeared in an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates Court.

The police charged Mr Ogaji, whose address was not given, with unnatural offence.

The prosecution counsel, Olubu Apata, a police sergeant, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on March 4 at about 2. 30 pm at Basiri area in Ado-Ekiti.

He alleged that the defendant r.a.p.e.d the shegoat and she died on the spot.



Mr Apata said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 214(2) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to present his witnesses.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

His counsel, Timi Omotosho, prayed the court to admit his client in the most liberal terms.

The Magistrate, Kehinde Awosika, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

She adjourned the case until March 31 for hearing.

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Officials are calling on the public to donate blood as the coronavirus outbreak has caused blood drive cancellations and fewer donors.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center put out the call during a news conference Saturday, warning blood supplies are nearing critically low levels.

The blood bank has a supply for 2 to 2 days, but as 50 blood drives have been canceled, stocks arent being replenished, said Elizabeth Waltman, chief operating officer at South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

The center typically has a three- to five-day supply of blood, she said.

It provides blood to more than 100 hospitals in 48 counties. Each day, the center needs to collect more than 400 units a day to meet normal demand, Waltman said.

Cancellations of blood drives over fears about the virus have meant 1,600 fewer units of blood are available to the center.

On ExpressNews.com: Second travel-related coronavirus case found in San Antonio

To be clear, every day patients need blood. These blood drive cancellations mean in very short order, blood inventories locally and nationally will be depleted, Waltman said.

Officials stressed that neither blood donors nor patients are at risk of contracting the virus by giving or receiving blood.

The blood bank is anticipating greater demand in coming weeks. Without ample supply, elective surgeries would have to be canceled and blood may not be available for every patient in need, Waltman said.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the donation of blood is an essential city function.

There are fewer better ways to help our community in need, to help your fellow neighbor, than giving blood, he said Saturday.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is currently abroad in Jordan and will self-quarantine upon his return, as a precaution against COVID-19.

This, as the Canadian government urges any citizen who is abroad to get back home, while it's still possible.

"Although I (and my family) feel great and have no symptoms of any illness I will certainly follow the best advice of our medical professionals," wrote Dilkens in a statement posted to his website on Saturday.

Dilkens said he's been in constant contact with City of Windsor staff and public health officials as the situation evolves.

He said when his family left for the trip on March 6, China, South Korea and northern Italy were under a quarantine. But he added, things have changed tremendously since then.

"Over the past few days, global circumstances have changed dramatically such that we have been concerned about our ability to return to Canada in a timely manner," said Dilkens, who added the trip was booked last summer.

"Our efforts to return early have been futile as flights from Jordan are all full since this country announced the cancellation of all flights effective March 17."

Dilkens spoke with media by phone during a news conference Saturday evening, and explained that as a result, he and his family will return on their scheduled flight which departs Monday morning.

Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac will step into the role of acting mayor for the month of March while Dilkens is away and while he is in quarantine.

Teliszewsky said that even though the mayor has been abroad, he's been fully engaged in conversations with municipal staff and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit as decisions are made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The mayor has been in contact with all of us quite frequently," Teliszewsky said.

Toronto Mayor John Tory is also now in self-isolation following a Wednesday return from a trade mission in Britain.

As of March 12, Jordan has 1 confirmed case of COVID-19.

As of Saturday afternoon, there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Windsor-Essex.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 16:49:54|Editor: huaxia

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A police officer feeds a roe deer at the Forest Public Security Bureau of Sunite Right Banner in Xilingol League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on March 13, 2020. In recent years, the Forest Public Security Bureau of Sunite Right Banner has strengthened its patrolling efforts and rescued many wild animals. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
It was a bright Monday morning in February when this reporter arrived at Odo Aladura, a community largely inhabited by cocoa farmers in Ondo East Local Government of Ondo State.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an international auditing firm, Ondo being the largest cocoa producing state in Nigeria, has an output capacity of about 77,000 tons annually.

Odo aladura is one of several communities that earned the state the ranking. However, the dwindling fortunes of farmers in the community is fast reducing production.

Let me tell you the truth, we dont have people to work for us anymore, says Samuel Akinsanya, an 87-year-old farmer in the community. Most of our cocoa is in the bush, but no one to cultivate it, he added.

Mr Akinsanya is one of the oldest cocoa farmers in Ondo East Local Government. He still relishes the good old times of high production but could do next to nothing to bring back the time. Cocoa farming is not balanced anymore, most of our youths left cocoa farming for other menial jobs, he said stressing that lack of incentives from the government is also discouraging the older farmers.

We have cocoa that has spent over four to five years inside the forest with no one to assist in harvesting, no capital to employ people to work and no basic tools and inputs to help ease the process, Mr Akinsanya said in a tone laced with hopelessness.

Edache Abel, 38, also shared in the pain. Originally from Benue State, Mr Abel relocated to Ondo State in the quest for greener pastures in cocoa farming 15 years ago. He told this reporter that his cocoa output continues to decline annually.

Ive been into cocoa farming for more than 15 years now, every year, the output keeps decreasing. It has not improved for more than five years now because many of the trees have died, he said.

Before, our cocoa used to produce well, but due to lack of chemicals and fertilizers it has stopped growing well.

Edache Abel, a cocoa farmer.

Most of the farmers who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES believe they can do more if they are supported with viable seedlings, fertilizer, simple farm tools and chemicals that help to protect cocoa pods from pests and diseases.

The government knows better ways to assist more than I do. However, we need chemicals, cocoa seeds, cutlass, hoes, even farm boots that we wear to the farm. The government should please assist us in this regard, Mr Abel said.

Similar problems in Nigerias south south region

Roland Obi, 28, is a cocoa farmer in Balep, a community that prides itself with mass production of cocoa, banana, and timber in Ikom, Cross River, a state in Nigerias south south region.

Roland Obi, 28, is a cocoa farmer in Balep, a community that prides itself with mass production of cocoa, banana, and timber in Ikom, Cross River, a state in Nigerias south south region.

Mr Roland told this reporter that non-motorable roads remain a major challenge to cocoa farmers in the community.

This is the only way we can access our farms, he said. The roads are not motorable, youre even lucky you came around during the dry season, you for see something.

The challenge of transportation in Balep is so worse that the farmers could only access their farms by motorbikes. Some of them were seen struggling on the eroded path. Apart from bad roads, lack of need chemicals also poses a challenge to the farmers.

You cannot carry more than a bag of cocoa on your bike. The roads are bad, the chemicals to spray our cocoa are expensive and no money to pay people to work, the little I can do is what I do. I love cocoa, and I love to farm cocoa, the 28-year-old farmer said.

I buy a sachet of the chemical I do spray on this farm N400, I need up to 400 sachets on this very farm, now multiply the figures you know what I mean, it is not easy he added.

Takim Ayok, in his late 60s, wants the government to do more to boost the morale of farmers in Cross River.

We dont derive anything from the government. Even those people we sell our cocoa to, we dont derive anything from them, not even chemicals or fertilizers from them, he said in frustration.

More lamentations

Cocoa was a major agricultural export commodity in Nigeria, and a top foreign exchange earner in the 1950s and 60s. Prior to the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities in the 1970s, Nigeria was the worlds second-largest producer of cocoa.

Agriculture was the mainstay of Nigerias economy before the discovery of crude oil. From 1960 to 1969, the sector accounted for an average of 57.0% of GDP and generated 64.5% of export earnings. From 1970 to the late 2000s, the sectors contribution to GDP and export earnings steadily declined, because Nigerias focus shifted to petroleum.

Nigerias average cocoa production declined from 420,000 tons in the 60s to 170,000 tons in 1999. Production rose to 389,272 tons between 2000 and 2010, but declined to 192,000 tons in 2015 and 2016. Nigeria dropped to fourth place in the global ranking this period. However, Nigeria is currently the sixth largest producer of this commodity.

Cocoa plant

Data from PwC indicates that a combination of rural poverty, increasing rural-urban migration, land degradation and the absence of incentives have kept production at a subsistence level.

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Findings PREMIUM TIMES revealed that aside farmers are not getting necessary farm inputs such as seedlings, fertilizers and chemicals, poor road network to farms is impacting on production.

Harvest cocoa bean

For instance, cocoa farmers in Balep and Oke Ogun undergo strenuous hikes daily in order to access their farms. Also, they pay as high as N3000 and even more in rainy seasons to transport their harvest from the farm to their respective village settlements.

This reality has forced 40-year-old Adesoro Grace, a farmer in Odo Aladura to abandon cocoa for palm.

Palm trees do not require much fertilizers or any form of chemicals so long you can take good care of it, she said. That is what we focus on now so that we can sponsor our children to school. As you can see, were on our way to harvest palm trees.

Another farmer, Veronica Akitan, who has been cultivating cocoa for over 25 years, told this reporter that the output of her cocoa farm has plummeted in recent times, noting that she spends a lot of money to purchase chemicals and fertilizers but during harvest, the output doesnt compliment what she had spent so far.

All these cocoa youre seeing are not producing again, chemicals are too expensive, but at the end of the day, I only make little profit. We are begging our government to please help us with something like fertilizers, she said.

No finance

Checks by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that cocoa farmers in these regions do not have access to subvention or soft loans from the federal government despite that cocoa is among the mandate crop of the federal governments Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

In November 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the ABP to provide farm inputs in kind and cash to small-holder farmers (SHFs) to boost agricultural production and for the country to reverse its negative balance of payments on food.

Farmers captured under this programme include those cultivating cereals, cotton, roots and tubers, sugarcane, tree crops(cocoa, rubber, oil palm, etc.) legumes, tomato and livestock.

The loans are disbursed through any of the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Microfinance Banks (MFBs), all of which the programme recognises as Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs).

According to the guidelines of the programme, upon harvest, benefiting farmers are expected to repay their loans with harvested produce, which must cover the loan principal and interest, to an anchor who pays the cash equivalent to the farmers account.

Efforts made by this reporter to reach Isaac Okoroafor, spokesperson to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to his line were not answered or replied to.

Also, Sayina Rima, the president of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) could not be reached for comments on this story.

Major constraints in cocoa production  CRIN

Rasheed Adedeji, the Director of Cocoa Research Department of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) said the major reason why Nigeria still lags behind in cocoa production globally could also be a failure to pass across technologies to cocoa farmers.

We have the potential to reclaim our position in the global market; one of our major problems is that we have enough technology on the shelf, but to get them across to farmers, the support is not all that there, he said.

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When you get to our markets, you will see fairly used jute bags imported from Ghana, written there Ghana Cocoa; our farmers will buy it and use to bag our cocoa then, export it through back doors.

When you see that one outside the country, you will think it is a cocoa bag from Ghana. So a lot of things are playing out that affects the actual production figure of Nigerias cocoa, Mr Adedeji said.

INFOGRAPH: Fall in Cocoa production in Nigeria.

He said the porosity of our borders also contributes to the decline in Nigerias cocoa figures. This, he said, reinforces the smuggling of expired chemicals from neighbouring countries which finds their way into the Nigerian market.

Smuggled chemical used on cocoa plantations

Most of these not for sale from other countries have expired, and discarded from these countries. All these chemicals find their way to our market. When the farmers get to the market, they will see that they are very cheap, they will buy it and it will not work.

Those chemicals that weve screened and recommended to them, they will be complaining that the prices are too high, the farmers cannot afford it. Were appealing to the government to develop strategies of subsidizing it.

Mr Adedeji said the aging of most cocoa trees in Nigeria also contributes to the low output farmers are experiencing.

In agriculture, when your crop is becoming old and the productivity is coming down, you need to replant and rehabilitate all those ones that are jettisoned. Just as we know that any plantation that is not being well taken care of, will not have the ability to produce to the maximum productivity level.

Mr Adedeji urged farmers to phase out old cocoa plants by replacing them with improved varieties from CRIN to boost yield.
With the birds singing, the sun peeking through the clouds and bluebonnets in full bloom, Friday in Brenham did not look at first glance like a town much bothered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the roadsides were not lined as one might expect during spring break with visitors looking for wildflowers, and Blue Bell Creamerys famous ice cream parlor and visitor center are closed until further notice.
2 1 of 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Bob Owen /Staff photographer Show More Show Less



A second San Antonio resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus as well as one evacuee in quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

The local resident, whose diagnosis was confirmed late Friday, had recently traveled to Japan, where about 1,400 infection cases have been reported. That person has underlying health issues and is currently receiving treatment, according to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.
Actress Pia Miller flaunted her natural beauty as she strolled through Sydney's suburb of Paddington on Friday.

The 36-year-old cut a casual figure in a simple grey T-shirt and black straight-leg raw hem jeans.

The former Home and Away star was seen happily chatting on her cell phone as she walked the local streets.

Good to be home! Chilean-Australian actress Pia Miller cut a casual figure in a simple grey T-shirt and black straight-leg jeans in Sydney on Friday

The Chilean-Australian actress carried a plastic water bottle in one hand, along with a large black handbag and what appeared to be a small red coin purse.

She accessorised with a gold watch and dark sunglasses, and completed her laidback look with beaten-up Vans sneakers.

The brunette bombshell draped her long locks down past her shoulders, with the fresh chocolate colour glowing in the sunlight.

Pia recently returned from the US and Mexico, where she holidayed with her millionaire Hollywood agent boyfriend, Patrick Whitesell.

Stunner in Sydney: Pia flaunted her natural beauty as she strolled through Paddington

She recently snapped back at trolls who have criticised her new relationship.

In February, Pia shared a photo of the pair attending the WME Oscars party in Los Angeles while she pretended to read the book: 'Breaking Into Acting For Dummies.'

Beside her was her high-powered acting agent boyfriend Patrick, 55, who peered over her shoulder.

Casual: The Chilean-Australian actress accessorised with a gold watch and dark sunglasses, completing her laidback look with beaten-up Vans sneakers

The stunner wrote in the caption: 'WME Oscars party, along with the hashtag '#fortheTrolls' - poking fun at those who have criticised her relationship with the agent.

The couple are going strong and recently enjoyed a relaxing getaway in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Pia was seen cuddling up to Patrick by their hotel pool, in pictures she posted on Instagram, and simply wrote in the caption 'happy'.

For the trolls! Pia Miller has snapped back at trolls criticising her for dating Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, by posting a cheeky photo of herself reading 'Breaking Into Acting For Dummies' while sitting alongside him

Pia was first linked to Patrick in August last year following her split with her long-time fiance, Tyson Mullane, 31, in April.

The couple made their public debut at a Halloween party in Los Angeles in October.

And the actress finally made their relationship Instagram official on Christmas Eve, sharing a loved-up photo with Patrick outside of the Louvre in Paris.
Srinagar, March 14 : Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad met National conference chief Farooq Abdullah, here on Saturday, and sought early restoration of political process in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The political process has to start. Only with political process, elections are held and the government is chosen by the people," said the Congress leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Talking to the media along with Abdullah at the latter's residence, Azad said India was not famous for its size but democracy. But it was no democracy when three former Chief Ministers were under detention for over seven months, and the fourth had to seek the Supreme Court's permission for a visit, he said.

On the revocation of Article 370, the Congress leader said, "Let's first restore democracy, which can be done only after all leaders behind bars are released." Azad said the statehood to J&K should be restored. "In 1947, 560 princely states were clubbed to form 12 states, but J&K was the only state that didn't need other states to merge with it." It was a state even in the Mughal era and Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign, he said.

"Making such a big state onto a Union Territory is an insult to the people. I wish the leaders are released quickly and J&K is made a state again," he said.

He said he was happy that Abdullah was released after over seven months. "We don't know why he was detained. Generally, those people are kept under detention who have violated the law or have done something against the country and the government. But these leaders were detained even before the abrogation of article 370," Azad said.

He said he was friends with the Abdullah for over 40 years and had come to see him on behalf of MPs who raised their voices inside as well as outside Parliament for the release of leaders and common people.

On the Apni Party, a new political party led by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Altaf Bukhari, he said J&K could only be run by an elected government. "Agency parties can't run J&K," he said.

Stating that there has been no work happening in J&K for the past 3 years, Azad said, "There is lot of unemployment. Tourism, handicrafts and fruit industries have suffered. In Jammu, transport section is affected, the small-scale industries of J&K are suffering." The only solution "is to release all political leaders immediately and start a political process," he said.
Kivul Oya Project: EIA report claims positives will outweigh negatives By Namini Wijedasa Inhabitants of Weli Oya to benefit immensely but several historical sites to be affected and existing human-elephant conflict to increase with further habitat loss View(s): View(s):

The remains of an ancient monastery will be dismantled and restored inside an elephant corridor under plans to dam the Kivul Oya and irrigate 2,400 hectares of land in the Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts.

The Mahaweli Ministry project proposes creating a reservoir by damming Kivul Oya, the main tributary of Ma Oya, which originates in East Vavuniya and runs into Kokkilai lagoon in the Mullaitivu district. The reservoir will be in Vavuniya while the irrigable lands are in both districts.

Sixteen families are to be resettled, says an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report now open for public examination. But the total number of direct beneficiaries will be 6,000 Sinhalese farmer families while around 50,000 will receive drinking water.

The inhabitants of Weli Oya were resettled there in 1983 by the Government. Most do not own lands with irrigation facilities for paddy cultivation. Their main source of income is agriculture. While there are cultivable lands, there is no water so they grow paddy only during the rains.

Water supply, sanitation and access roads in the project area are poor. Education, health and housing are still not developed. And, as these villages were affected by conflict, the living standards of inhabitants are well below the average of other parts of the country.

The total project cost is estimated at Rs 7bn, including irrigation infrastructure at Rs 6.3bn and environmental mitigation at Rs 832mn. It will be funded by the Sri Lanka Government and take four years to complete, the EIA says.

However, several sites of historical importance will be affected. In addition to relocating the monastery in Vediwettukallu South, the Archaeology Department has recommended preserving an ancient anicut in Nika Wewa called Wannadi Palama; declaring an ancient Dagoba at Podigalkanda, monastery ruins at Helamba Wewa, a site with artefacts at Nikawewa and a rock temple at Kiri Ibban Wewa as archaeological reserves; and defining an ancient burial area in Kiri Ibban Wewa South as an archaeological site.

There could be an exacerbation of the existing human-elephant conflict as project implementation will cause further habitat loss. The Wildlife Department has expressed concern about movement of wild elephants and other species. Therefore, project planners have set aside an elephant corridor downstream of the main dam. It is here that the Vediwettukallu monastery is to be relocated to.

There will be habitat loss owing to inundation and forest clearance for agriculture. It is estimated that around 2,500 hectares of forestland presently inhabited by wildlife will disappear. The new settlement to be located downstream of the reservoirs left bank will see an elevation of human-elephant conflict owing to the loss of around 1,500 hectares of habitat, the EIA says.

But the EIA insists the positive outcomes of the project outweigh the negative impacts, even where it concerns the environment and other factors. For instance, aquatic habitats will be created to enhance inland fish production. Increased humidity coupled with other factors could contribute towards increased rainfall in the area. New and old paddy lands will receive water for cultivation during both seasons.

Livestock production will get a boost. The road network and other infrastructure will improve along with health and education facilities. The project will generate employment especially during the construction phase.

To mitigate human-elephant conflict caused by habitat loss, the EIA suggests a well-designed electric fence along the boundary of the proposed elephant corridor maintained by the local community under the supervision of the Wildlife Department. And there must be additional funds for at least 50km more of electric fence should new conflict centres arise.

If such a clash involves permanent land use (where there is human settlement and perennial crops), those areas should be protected by a permanent electric fence. But if it is in a region of semi-permanent land use (paddy fields, chena cultivation), there could be temporary fences during period of use after which they are dismantled till the next cycle of use. This will allow elephants to access those places as well as ensure their free movement.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





JetBlue Airways will cancel its connection to Haiti

JetBlue Airways announces that in the summer of 2020 its weekly Orlando - Port-au-Prince connection eff 29APR20 4 will be canceled.



Japan, disappointing site visit

Fils Aime Ignace Saint-Fleur Director General of the Monetization Office for Development Aid Programs (BMPAD) and the Japanese Ambassador accredited to Haiti Mr. Mizuno Mitsuaki carried out a follow-up and control visit to the construction works of the Lycee Capois Lamort of Thomassique. At the end of this visit, the two men said they were surprised and disappointed with the work of the local firm of Tabarre ENSTRAP.



Difficult supply for the textile sector

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some companies in Haiti operating in the textile sector are having difficulty receiving their raw materials from Asia.



PNH : Increase in the amount of debit cards

The increase of 5,000 Gourdes promised by the Government to the police offciers on their debit cards will be effective no later than Monday, March 16, 2020, said Commissioner Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune, Spokesman of the PNH, recalling that this are in total 10,000 Gourdes which will be available on these cards.



Training on checkpoints

Friday as part of the training on checkpoints, thanks to the support of the American Embassy, the experts of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have accompanied the agents of the Brigade of Fight against Drug Trafficking (BLTS) and the Border Police (PoliFront) in an operation in the metropolitan area.



$8.5M from Swiss for social protection

Within the framework of Switzerland-Haiti cooperation, Switzerland will support the Promotion and Social Protection Program (PROMES) with 8.5 million US dollars See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-30227-icihaiti-social-towards-the-implementation-of-the-promes-project.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Doctors of the Law "believe themselves self-sufficient": I went to university, I did a doctorate, no, two doctorates. I know well, very well indeed, what the law says; in fact, I know it all, everything all of the explanations, all the cases, all the case studies". And they believe themselves self-sufficient and they despise people, they despise sinners: It is contempt for sinners.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis continues to dedicate the Mass he celebrates every morning at Casa Santa Marta to people affected by the coronavirus and this morning he invited prayers for families, so that at this difficult moment they may safeguard peace, joy and fortitude. A special prayer also for people with disabilities.

We continue to pray - his words - for people sick in this pandemic. Today I would like to ask for a special prayer for families, families who from one day to the next found themselves with their children are at home because schools are closed for safety and must manage a difficult situation and manage it well, peacefully and joyfully. In a special way I think of families with some people with disabilities. Day care centers for people with disabilities are also closed and the person remains in the family. Let us pray for the families so that they do not lose peace at this moment and are able to carry on the whole family with fortitude and joy.

During his homily, commenting on the Gospel passage of the prodigal son (Lk 15, 1-3. 11-32) he underlined that "Jesus tells this parable in a special context: 'All the tax collectors and sinners approached him to listen to him' . The Pharisees and scribes murmured saying: 'He welcomes sinners and eats with them'. And Jesus answered him with this parable. What do they say? People, sinners approach in silence, they cannot say, but their presence says many things, they wanted to listen. What do the doctors of the law say? They criticize. "They murmured," says the Gospel, trying to erase the authority that Jesus had with people. This is the great accusation: 'He eats with sinners, he is impure."

The people - Francis said - feel the need for salvation. The people cannot distinguish intellectually: 'I need to find my Lord, who fills me', a guide, a pastor. And the people approach Jesus because they see a pastor in him, and they need help to navigate life. They feel this need. I went to university, I did a doctorate, no, two doctorates. I know well, very well indeed, what the law says; in fact I know it all, everything all of the explanations, all the cases, all the case studies". And they believe themselves self-sufficient and they despise people, they despise sinners: It is contempt for sinners .

"In the parable, the son says to the father: 'Give me the money and I'm leaving.' The father gives him the money, but says nothing because he is a father . "A father knows how to suffer in silence".

"The other son rebukes his father: 'You have been unfair'."

What do these people hear from parable? The boy feels the desire to swallow the world, to go further, to leave the house, and maybe for him it is like a prison and he also has that enough to say to his father: 'Give me what is mine. He feels the courage, strength. What does the father feel? The father feels pain, tenderness and a lot of love. Then when the son says that other word: 'I will get up - when he returns to his senses - I will get up and go to my father', he finds the father waiting for him, sees him from afar. A father who knows how to wait for his children. " The eldest son "was outraged".

These are the things that are said in this passage of the Gospel, the things that are heard. but what is the problem? The problem - let's start with the eldest son - the problem is that he was at home, but he never realized what it meant to live at home: he did his duties, he did his job, but he didn't understand the relationship of love with his father. 'The son was outraged and didn't want to go in.' 'But isn't this already my home?' ... he thought. The same as the doctors of the law. "There is no order, this sinner came here and they celebrated him, and what about me?" The father says with clear words: 'Son, you are always with me and everything that is mine is yours'. The son had not noticed this, he lived at home as if he were a hotel, without feeling that paternity ... There are so many 'hotels' and convinced owners in the Church. Interestingly, the father does not say a word to the son who returns from sin, he only kisses him, embraces him and celebrates him; To the other, he has to explain to him, to enter his heart: his heart was armored by his preconceptions of fatherhood, sonship, way of life ".

Many things tell us this parable of the Lord which is the answer to those who criticized him because he went with sinners. But also many today criticize, people of Church, those who approach people in need, humble people, people who work, even those who work for us.

Pope Francis concluded. May the Lord give us the grace to understand what the problem is. The problem is living at home but not feeling at home, because there is no relationship of paternity, of brotherhood, only of co-workers".
She would also like to see direct admission letters include information about financial aid pertaining to a student. Some states are moving in a direction that would help make that possible. Idaho will include financial aid information in the letters sent out starting in September. Louisiana has begun requiring all high school seniors to complete the FAFSA, the federal financial aid form, as a graduation requirement. Illinois will do the same thing starting with the 2020-2021 academic year, and Texas will the year after that.
The novel coronavirus fear has gripped Indias Silicon Valley and multiple startups are now opting for 'work from home' for their employees. However, founders and managers are grappling with issues around managing staff and ensuring productivity.

Looking at these developments, companies like GoScale and Pesto are finding fresh business opportunities for offering their services to help smoothen the process.

Several companies like insure tech startup Acko, discount broker Zerodha, online micro business enabler Instamojo and credit card company Slice, have all gone remote to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

India already has over 80 confirmed cases of the virus and at least two officially reported deaths.

While startups have gone remote as a knee-jerk reaction and are leveraging multiple tools already available to let their employees for them to work from home, they are looking at software solutions to manage their productivity.

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

GoScale connects engineers with technology companies from across the globe where they can be hired and employed remotely. It has techies working from small towns like Darjeeling and others for companies across the world. The bootstrapped company helps clients manage these remote engineers. Now that many startups are going remote, these companies are hoping to deploy their solutions here.

I have been receiving inbound calls and requests from multiple startups in India as well as in the Valley (California) who are looking for ways to deploy remote working for their employees in the wake of this (COVID-19) outbreak, Raghu Bharat, co-founder of GoScale said.

We are expecting a doubling of business in a few weeks, Bharat added.

For many founders like Bharat, this is the demonetisation moment for remote working and could propel far wider adoption of this culture across the Indian startup ecosystem.

The one big question startup founders are asking me: How to ensure that employees still put in eight hours per day, how can productivity be tracked, Bharat said.

One solution could be having digital time sheets, which can log how many hours the employee is spending on their laptops working on the project. There are auto monitoring tools which GoScale uses to track its remote engineers, they can be used here as well.

Only tools and software will not be able to deal with all such problems. Founders are grappling with issues around employees feeling less motivated at home, getting disturbed by family members or in some cases just getting distracted.

Here comes Pesto, a Gurugram-based startup which is into educating and training remote engineers.

Indian startups are not wired for remote work; hence, I am going to start education content, where startups can get registered and learn about how to manage remote work, Ayush Jaiswal, co-founder of Pesto said.

I have received registration from more than 100 startups already like Innov8, Swiggy, Zest Money, Zeta over the last week, Jaiswal added.

Pesto imparts coding skills to engineers and encourages them to work for global companies sitting out of their home towns. The Matrix Partners-backed startup gets 50 students in each batch through a three-month intensive programme and then helps them get a job in companies across Germany, United States and Singapore. About 70 percent of their graduates are working remotely.

Pesto has named the initiative Remoteli. They are getting their existing graduates, who have been working remotely, to offer sessions to Indian startups and share their experiences on working from home. They can talk about the best practices to be followed to ensure overall well-being of the employees.

Jaiswal said that they were currently working on the curriculum to decide the format of the sessions which are set to start next week. Remoteli will offer hour-long classes free of cost for three days in a week to start with, and depending on the uptake, will continue them for the coming months.

Industry insiders feel, remote work is here to stay and this could be a starting point. Many prominent global tech companies like Github, Wordpress, Stripe and Invision have already gone remote for a major chunk of their employees.

Google and Twitter have also given asked their employees to work from home in the wake of this COVID-19 pandemic. Indian companies will follow suit as well.

As of now, startup founders are hopeful to get back to normal office work soon. But they are not sure as to when that would happen.

For instance, Instamojo, which went remote recently, is set to remain like this till the spread is contained. It is relying on Slack for communication, Zoom and Hangout for video conferencing, and WhatsApp, emails and messages for instant messaging.

We have to play this out as long as required, we use ERP Next for all our internal employee management, so we had tools ready and the transition was not difficult, Nithin Kamath, Chief Executive Officer of Zerodha said. The largest discount broker went remote from March 12.
As many as 34 employees of HP State Electricity Board have died on duty during last three years till January 31, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the House on Saturday. Five outsourced employees also died during this period, he said.

He was replying to a question raised by Theog MLA Rakesh Singha.

Out of 34 deceased employees, the dependents of 11 have been given employment on compassionate grounds, 14 cases of compassionate employment are under consideration and 9 have not applied for the same, said Thakur.

He also informed that 23 persons were covered under the family pension scheme and the same has been released to the families of 22 deceased persons while one similar case is under process.

TWO FOREIGN-FUNDED HORTICULTURE PROJECTS IN STATE

Himachal Pradesh horticulture department is implementing two foreign-funded projectsSub-Tropical Horticulture Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HP-SHIVA) and Horticulture Development Project. HP-SHIVA which includes horticulture and value addition scheme worth 1,688 crore and a 4,751 crore irrigation project is being funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB), horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur said while answering to Nadaun MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu in the House on Saturday.

The minister said that under HP-SHIVA, the ADB Mission has finalised $ 10 million project readiness financing scheme for 17 sub-projects for guava, litchi, citrus and pomegranate crops. The project will be implemented on 170 hectares of land in ten development blocks of four districts for which 480 farmers have been selected under the scheme. The planting will take place in July.

He said that Horticulture Development Project is being implemented in the state since 2016. The objective of the scheme is to enhance yield and quality of farm produce and benefit small and marginal farmers. Under the scheme 13.42 lakh saplings and plants of different fruits have been imported and distributed among the farmers in 310 temperate clusters, he said.

FOREST COVER INCREASED BY 333.52 SQKM

Himachal Pradesh has recorded an increase of 333.52 sqkm in its forest cover between 2017-19, as per the India State of Forest Report 2019, forest minister Govind Singh Thakur said in a written reply to a question raised by Drang legislator Jawahar Thakur.

NO SEPARATE ID CARDS FOR PSOs

In a reply to another question raised by Sarkaghat MLA Inder Singh, Jai Ram Thakur said the police department issues identity cards to the personnel attached in the security of ministers and legislators. Government is not considering issuing separate ID cards to such personnel, said the chief minister.

38 LIVES LOST IN ACCIDENTS ON BADDI-NALAGARH ROAD

As many as 38 people have died in 140 road accidents on Baddi-Nalagarh road in the last two years till January 31, the chief minister informed in reply to a question raised by Congress member Vikramaditya Singh. He said that Major portion of the road comes under the jurisdiction of Haryana or National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The work for four-lanning of the road was entrusted to NHAI by government of India on September 15, 2016 and shall be carried out after completion of land acquisition.
NYC declares state of emergency to fight COVID-19

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:36, March 13, 2020

NEW YORK, March 12 (Xinhua) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency for the city on Thursday due to a foreseeable COVID-19 outbreak, predicting that more than 1,000 cases could surface by next week.

The total number of confirmed cases in the city reached 95 on Thursday, doubling that a day before.

Twenty-two of the patients are currently hospitalized and the rest of them are in home isolation, city officials said.

"This is going to be a long, painful episode," said de Blasio in a press conference, adding that it may take six months for the city to deal with immediate effects of the outbreak.

Earlier in the day, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will ban gatherings with 500 people or more, including Broadway shows, as a precaution against the coronavirus.

The ban will be in effect on Friday at 5 p.m. local time (2100 GMT).

Other cultural institutions, including Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Opera, announced Thursday that they would temporarily shut down.

New York state currently has over 200 COVID-19 cases and is the second most impacted state in the United States next to the Washington state.

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SAGINAW, MI  A jury has exonerated a Saginaw 16-year-old accused of having murdered an older teen.

The jury in the trial of Naparion C. Riley deliberated for about four hours before delivering its verdict around 4 p.m. on Friday, March 13, finding Riley not guilty of open murder. Open murder contains both first- and second-degree murder, both life offenses.

Jurors also found Riley not guilty of the remaining seven charges he faced, three counts of assault with intent to murder and four counts of felony firearm.

Testimony in the trial began Wednesday, March 11. During open arguments, Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Shellbe A. Sanborn said Riley on the evening of Dec. 15, 2018, shot 18-year-old Nasir L. Owens in his head in the parking lot of the abandoned Nelle Haley Elementary School, 3240 Livingston Drive.

She said Riley  15 at the time  and Owens had bad blood between them. On the day in question, Owens, his brother, and two other young men had been driving around when Riley insulted Owens deceased uncle on Facebook, Sanborn said.

Owens, his brother, and the other two males went to the lot to fight Riley, who opened fire on them, Sanborn argued. Owens brother told police to Riley had shot his brother, Sanborn said.

Owens brother and one of the other witnesses accompanied police to Rileys house a short distance away, where they arrested Riley.

Defense attorney Jeffrey J. Rupp said that when Riley left his house to surrender to police, Owens brother told them, Whos that? Thats not Naparion. Thats not the guy.

Rupp said two men wearing hooded sweatshirts fired upon Owens and the others, then fled in a direction other than toward Rileys house. Police who canvassed the scene found .22-caliber bullets and spent casings, but no gun.

Police did not find a gun or .22 ammunition in Rileys house, Rupp said.

Rupp and prosecutors declined to comment after the jury delivered its verdict.

Saginaw County Circuit Judge Manvel Trice III prohibited media from taking photos of Riley during the trial.

Owens was a senior at Bridgeport High School who planned to enlist in the U.S. Army when he was killed.

Related:

Murder trial begins for 16-year-old accused of fatal shooting in Saginaw

15-year-old faces murder charge in fatal shooting in Saginaw

Slain Bridgeport student planned to enter Army, had million-dollar smile

18-year-old shot and killed in Saginaw, 15-year-old in custody
Starting today Georgia will close borders with neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan for ten days to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Agenda.ge reports.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia discussed the temporary suspension of movement with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan PM Ali Asadov in telephone conversations yesterday.

The Georgian PMs press office reported that the parties agreed to facilitate the return of their respective citizens through a humanitarian corridor.

Meanwhile, no restrictions will apply to cargo transportation as a transit corridor will also be ensured for freight.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has encouraged citizens to be more careful as 25 individuals have tested positive for the COVID-19 in the country.

The Georgian government has moved into an emergency, round-the-clock regime after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of the China-born coronavirus a pandemic.
The novel coronavirus pandemic is upending our way of life. That includes our beloved weekends.

To prevent its spread, public health officials agree: Social distancing has become essential. That means we should limit our contact with people and avoid groups.

But social distancing doesn't mean your weekend is doomed. You just have to get a little creative.

"It may seem harsh to take these steps sometimes, but really what we're doing is protecting [vulnerable] people from becoming seriously ill," said Crystal Watson with the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "We can affect how this outbreak unfolds by taking these measures."

Here are some ideas of how to still make the most of your weekends:

For the cultural connoisseur

Your favorite museum may be closed. The mall is a ghost town. And movie theaters are shutting down -- plus, sitting within close proximity of other people in seats that aren't disinfected is a bad idea even for young, healthy people, Watson says.

No matter. Now is the time to binge all the culture you've dreamed of having enough time to consume.

Read everything. You always say you'll find the time to read more. Now is that time. You may not feel comfortable visiting libraries and bookstores, so download a bunch of e-books and audiobooks instead. Drag your friends into your literary abyss and create a virtual book club and video call each other to discuss.

If you're not sure which books to tackle first, consult with the New York Times Best Sellers list: New this week are Hilary Mantel's "The Mirror & the Light," the third entry in the Wolf Hall historical fiction series, and "Journey of the Pharaohs," the 17th book in the late Clive Cussler's Numa Files adventure series.

Celeste Ng's "Little Fires Everywhere" is a timely read -- a miniseries adaptation of the domestic drama recently premiered on Hulu. And if social distancing has amped up your anxiety, consider "First, We Make the Beast Beautiful," a nonfiction book about anxiety disorder from Sarah Wilson that'll soothe your soul.

Take a virtual museum tour. Miss the echoing halls and self-guided audio tours? Many museums offer a similar experience on your smart phone. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum are only two of the diverse bunch that host online tours. Want to explore overseas? Google Arts & Culture has a collection of virtual walk-throughs for dozens of international museums, from Paris to New Delhi.

Pursue amateur film criticism. Social media was made for shouting your raw opinions into the void. Now that we're all stuck in that void, maybe someone will hear you. Write reviews on Facebook or Twitter. To exchange recommendations with your fellow cinephiles, join a site like Letterboxd, a social networking service for film geeks.

There's a ton to watch now: Disney+ released "Frozen II" and "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." Universal will let fans pay $20 to watch films still in theaters, like "The Invisible Man" and "Emma." And isn't it finally time you watch "Parasite"?

Learn a language -- or just the basics. Learning a few phrases in another tongue will make you feel smart. Or inteligente. Or . Or erevu. Don't know Spanish, Japanese or Swahili yet? Get to studying.

Websites like Open Culture provide free lessons in foreign languages.

Bolster your vocabulary. Remember when reading the dictionary was a form of punishment? No longer. Flip through a thesaurus or take online quizzes to test your vocabulary, and gradually intumesce your personal lexicon and chevvy your kin with your verbosity.

Just in time! Merriam-Webster Dictionary is tweeting out "beautiful, obscure and quite useless" words while we're all plumbing the depths of social media. Haven't you been aching to throw out the word "filipendulous" during your next conference call?

For the nature buff

Surprise! Social distancing doesn't require you to become a shut-in.

Be in nature. It's your best bet of getting out of the house and keeping 6 feet of distance from other people, Watson says. Find an area where you won't encounter crowds. Breathe fresh air. Notice things about the world around you that you didn't see before.

If you live near a national park (lucky you!), now's a great time to visit. Parks that have remained open have waived all entry fees.

Start birdwatching. Coronavirus hasn't bothered the birds. Find out what species nest near you, dust off your binoculars if you've got 'em and download a birdwatching map. Sit in your backyard or near a window. You'll be surprised by how many you notice when you really look.

Audobon has an app to help you start birding based on your location. Let the offline tweeting begin.

Go on a secluded run. Yep, you can still exercise -- as long as you keep your distance from others. Keep your immune system strong and clear your mind.

For the foodie

You need not give up your love for all things gourmet.

Get takeout. A lot of independent restaurants are hurting right now. Support them by eating their food. Many restaurants are switching to takeout to keep their businesses afloat. CNN affiliate KABC reported takeout service Grubhub will stop collecting commission of up to $100 million to support independent restaurants that use their service. Just make sure you limit your contact with the delivery driver (though be polite) and wash your hands.

Make that recipe. It's been sitting among your bookmarked web pages -- and in the hungry corner of your brain -- for weeks. It's a challenge. It'll test you. But it'll taste damn good. It's time to make that difficult dessert or that day-long roast. You have all weekend to master and devour it.

Make them along with your favorite chefs. Check out Publix's online cooking classes or model meals after the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen squad -- then take comfort in knowing that they, too, are cooking from home for now.

Find new recipes. Read your cookbooks and pore over every culinary site on the internet. You've got the time, after all.

For the self-care folks

Your mental health is precious, especially during periods of social isolation. Take care of yourself and connect with your loved ones, Watson says.

Video chat. A lot. If you are alone, you don't need to feel alone. Juice your cellular data for all it's worth and video call the people you love.

Download Zoom, a video conferencing web app that lets you talk with multiple people at once. Host an Instagram Live session and chat with your adoring fans -- or chat with celebrities who host their own.

Meditate. Life is slowing down for a bit. Emptying your mind and centering your awareness no longer feels impossible -- and it may help you relax.

Nap. Why not?

For busybodies

You're sick of pacing up and down your home or watching the wallpaper. Keep your hands and brain busy.

Bring out the board games. Clue. The Game of Life. Scrabble. The classics are just as fun as you remember. Bask in the nostalgia. Get competitive.

Tackle a ginormous puzzle. It's gotta be challenging enough to keep you occupied, but not so challenging that it threatens to drive you mad.

Make art. Whether it's a page out of a coloring book or paint-by-numbers masterpiece, a knitted scarf or a piece of pottery, creating will ease your mind and keep your fingers nimble.

Do the tough stuff. If you've been putting off your taxes (now you have until July!) or completing that dreaded report, do it now and get it over with. Sorry.

Get handy. If something needs fixing around the house, whip out your toolkit and get to work. There's something about building that fills you with purpose.

For the sports fan

No sports -- now what? The season suspensions are tough, especially because they extend to nearly every televised and live sporting event under the sun.

Become an expert. Read up on your sport so that when your team starts playing again, you'll have even greater insight into the game. Bill Nowlin, who sits on the board of directors for the Society for American Baseball Research, told CNN his love of the game has been enhanced by a deeper understanding of the game.

Show your team some love. Your favorite players are likely as disappointed as you are that their season is on hold. Tweet them a positive message or send them a photo of you wearing team gear in solidarity. Better yet, support a charity that your favorite player loves -- that may mean more to them than anything.

Revisit an old game. You know the one -- the game you watched from your dad's shoulders years ago when the crowd felt electric. The game you watched on pins and needles until your team pulled a last-minute victory. The game that made you fall in love with the sport. If you have a subscription to a sport-specific streaming service, check if they have your favorite game. If not, YouTube has clips of a surprisingly large collection of games. Gregory Ramshaw, an associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management at Clemson University, told CNN he plans to spend the hiatus this way.

Watch sports docs. Sports documentaries provide helpful context about games of the past and present -- and more often than not, they're more emotionally challenging than a Pixar film. Grab the tissues and turn one on.

Or celebrate the return of ESPN8: The Ocho, the channel for sports-like cup stacking and robot fighting. The temp channel will take over ESPN 2 on Sunday.

Perhaps most important: Don't panic. Things could change quickly, Watson says, and guidelines for what we can and cannot do could get stricter as the outbreak spreads.

Protect your health and continue connecting with family and friends virtually if necessary. Weekends may look different for a while. Get through them together.
Many parts of Punjab and Haryana continued to be lashed by rains on Saturday adding to the woes of the farmers in the two agrarian states who fear that the prolonged wet spell could cause more damage to crops.

Rainfall has occurred for the last three says in Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, an official of the Meteorological Department here said.

Several places in the two states including Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Patiala in Punjab and Panchkula, Ambala, and Karnald in Haryana received showers between 5:30 pm on Friday and 8:30 am on Saturday, the official said.

The maximum temperature hovered 2-5 degrees below normal in the two states settling in the range of 21-24 degrees Celsius at most places.

Untimely widespread rains accompanied by hailstorm and strong winds have flattened wheat crop in different places in Punjab with Fazilka district being the worst hit, officials have said.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has demanded that the government should give compensation for crop damage to the farmers as soon as possible.

Rain has also flattened wheat crop in many areas of Yamunanagar, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts in Haryana.

Jarnail Singh, a farmer of village Chaneti in Yamunanagar, said unseasonal rains and hailstorm have caused extensive damage to the wheat and many other crops.

Rajesh Kumar of Radauri village said the rain was harmful for mustard and vegetable crops as well.

The farmers have demanded adequate compensation from the government.

Speaking at a public rally in Israna in Panipat on Friday, Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautalahad said that the concerned Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to assess the loss.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australian scientists claim they have already developed a coronavirus vaccine, but it could take months before it is ready to be rolled out.

Three scientists from the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, believe they have created a vaccine that could immunize against COVID-19.

Dr Keith Chappell, who has completed post-doctoral studies on the stabilisation of viral proteins, told The Australian: 'In terms of getting a vaccine that we think will work, we think we are already there.'

Scroll down for video

Australian scientists Trent Munro (pictured left) and Keith Chappell (right) developed a vaccine to immunize against the deadly COVID-19 virus at the University of Queensland

He has been rushing to develop a safe vaccine alongside colleagues Paul Young and Trent Munro since January.

His team experimented with 250 different formulations before settling on a candidate vaccine virus named S-Spike.

The S-Spike jab is currently being tested on laboratory mice and could see a progression to human trials by June.

They believe the vaccine is on track to be available by the end of the year.

Dr Chappell explained that developing the injection properly would take a long time.

'Getting a vaccine thats available for seven billion people on the planet means  we have to move to scale and thats a very different proposition,' he said.

The current number of active coronavirus cases in Australia as of March 14

He also said the scientists had to be cautious about any commercial risk and refused to jeopardise the safety or efficiency of the vaccine.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement

The vaccine was created by hijacking the virus's own infectious properties with the university's newly patented DNA-based 'molecular clamp' technology.

The technology uses the DNA sequence of the coronavirus released by China to produce a protein that's the same as the one on the surface of the actual virus.

That protein is the essence of the vaccine, capable of generating immune system responses that protect people.

'By injecting that we can get an optimal immune response in people that affords protection,' Dr Chappell said.

It has already shown promising results in lab tests on other dangerous viruses such as Ebola and the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) - a cousin of SARS and the Wuhan virus.

The Brisbane scientists believed they had successfully developed a vaccine (pictured) that would work against coronavirus but said it would not be available until the end of the year

The team said that the next step was figuring out how to get the drug into production, which could cost between $20million to $30million.

Negotiations are already in place with regulators, such as the federal governments Therapeutic Goods Administration, who the team met with on Friday to discuss future plans.

So far 204 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in Australia, with three deaths.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian government will effectively ban 'non essential' public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday - and has warned Australians not to travel overseas.

'We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,' Mr Morrison said.

But Mr Morrison stressed the government's ban only relates to 'non-essential organised gatherings' and doesn't include schools, university lectures or catching public transport.

He said people should go about their 'normal everyday business'. The move has been hailed by infectious diseases experts, who say it will be critical in slowing the virus's spread and help prevent overloading hospital intensive care units.

A travel ban has been put in place for mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.

Mr Morrison said it is unclear whether the travel ban will be extended to other nations at this stage.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy told leaders community transmission of the coronavirus was not yet widespread in Australia but the evidence from overseas was that it could spread rapidly among crowds at large events.
Michelle O'Neill has called for decisive action to be taken by political leaders to combat the spread of Covid-19. Photo: PA

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said the response to the coronavirus outbreak is complicated by the North-South divide in Ireland.

He made the remarks as he arrived in Armagh for a meeting with the Norths First and Deputy First ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill.

Speaking as he arrived, Mr Varadkar said: This virus knows no borders, knows no nationality.

Its a problem for all of us.

He added: Our response to it is complicated by the fact that we have two jurisdictions on this island.

But that is all the more reason why we have to meet, why we have to work together, to cooperate and share information and thats what this morning is all about.

On Thursday the Irish government announced the closure of all creches, schools and universities in a bid to delay the spread of the disease.

Education facilities in Northern Ireland remain open.

DUP leader Ms Foster said at the time that the Stormont Assembly was disappointed it didnt get prior notice of the Irish governments measures to fight coronavirus.

Deputy First Minister Ms ONeill has since said that she believes all schools and universities in the North must be closed immediately

She said: I think the fact that there has been contradictory medical advice out there is a problem.

Its a problem for people when theyre trying to make the right decisions for them and their families so I believe given that is the situation hat we need to err on the side of caution.

Mr Varadkar is joined by Tanaiste Simon Coveney, Health Minister Simon Harris and Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan for todays meeting.
~Students studying overseas can return home before ban.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs in a National Address on Saturday, March 14th said that the Government of St. Maarten have decided after meeting with EOC that a travel ban will be implemented for the United Kingdom, United States, and Europe for a period of two weeks, the ban takes effect on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020.

Students studying abroad can return to St. Maarten prior to the implementation of the ban.

Jacobs said that the ban will not affect the Caribbean Islands, Curacao, and Aruba.

KLM/ Air France flagged passengers.

The Prime Minister said six passengers on the Air France/ KLM flight on March 14th, 2020 were flagged due to their origin, of the six passengers two are residents of St. Maarten that came from Switzerland while four of the passengers are from Germany. She said none of the passengers showed any signs or symptoms of the COVID-19 but the four German passengers will return on the same flight back to their destinations because there is currently a restriction in place for travelers coming from Germany.

NO Food Shortage on St. Maarten.

Jacobs called on the residents on St. Maarten to not panic since there is no food shortage on St. Maarten. She said that the government was assured that there is sufficient food on the island that that trade will continue despite the travel ban that is in place.

The Prime Minister said that government was assured that there is also enough medication and that is no reason for the hoarding of either food or medication.

Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs National Address on COVID-19 MARCH 14, 2020

People of St. Maarten, I hereby address you, as Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), in an update for today Saturday, March 14, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of Sint Maarten informed about the latest developments and the Governments COVID-19 preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response measures.

The World Health Organization declared on Wednesday, March 11 that the coronavirus COVID-19 has become a global pandemic. Based on this declaration, the Government of Sint Maarten has stepped up its preparations and today March 14, after deliberation with the Council of Ministers and the EOC, a number of decisions have been taken.

These preventive measures are to limit the exposure of the Sint Maarten people to COVID-19 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Europe and the United States of America.

Effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all international flights and cruises originating from the United States of America, Europe and the United Kingdom to Sint Maarten are canceled for a period of two weeks. These travel restrictions do not apply for regional air and sea travel at this time. Travel within the Dutch Caribbean  Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao remains in place until further notice. This travel restriction also applies to other seafaring vessels.

Arrangements will be put in place for visitors to return home with their carriers. Cargo flights/vessels bringing in food supplies, household goods, oil, gas, as well as medicine will continue. Also allowed, will be travel by technical and medical assistants whether via commercial or chartered airlines.

I would like to reiterate that there is no food shortage on the island. There is no reason to engage in panic buying or hoarding of food. There is a sufficient supply of food and medication on the island. We remain in constant contact with our suppliers and have been assured that replenishments will continue.

As of today, March 14th, up until and including Monday, March 16th, there is an opportunity for St. Maarten students studying abroad and residents as well as essential personnel to return to the country ahead of the 2-week travel restrictions.

All residents and nationals traveling back to Sint Maarten from the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom during this period, are recommended to monitor their health for 14-days for consistent cough, fever or respiratory problems (consistent with COVID-19) and maintain a social distance for the safety and security of the community. If you experience the aforementioned symptoms, please call your family physician. Do not go to your doctor or the medical center. During the phone call with your doctor, you will be advised further what actions should be taken.

The second decision regards large gatherings. With respect to social gatherings throughout the country, new permits will not be granted for gatherings of more than 100 persons. Permits which have already been issued relating to gatherings of more than 100 persons will be postponed until further notice.

Government also strongly recommends that persons in a public setting should keep a distance of at least one meter from each other under certain settings. All institutions, businesses, organizations, religious services, and other entities should adhere to this recommended advice in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The current situation unfolding at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) has been brought to my attention, as there was some confusion as to the travel history of 6 passengers on the Air France flight which landed today Saturday, March 14th, based on the fact that German nationals were on board. As we know Germany has been added on March 11th to our list of restricted areas of travel. In the latest update received, two of the passengers are residents of Switzerland and originated from there and therefore are allowed to travel to St. Maarten as per our current travel restrictions. The other 4 passengers of German nationality who originated in Germany will return on the same flight back to France. The passengers were kept on board until this information was confirmed, and none have any symptoms related to COVID-19.

PJIA will issue a press release on this matter. The general public is advised not to allow themselves to be riled up before having all the facts. I will also continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

Follow our Government Radio station  107.9FM. For official information, statements and news updates or visit the Government website at www.sintmaartengov.org/coronavirus and our Facebook Page: Government of Sint Maarten.

As Prime Minister of St. Maarten, I wish to encourage all of us to remain steadfast in preparing for what is a worldwide pandemic. While we currently have zero confirmed cases, these are all measures aimed at maintaining a COVID-19 status. I pray that we would take our fellow man/woman into consideration while going about our daily activities, and with the knowledge that we are ensuring your safety, refrain from panic buying and fear-mongering. Continue to practice proper hygiene at home, at work, and in the community.

Knowledge is power! Stay informed and be prepared. We are strong, resilient and faithful people and trust that this too shall pass.

God bless St. Maarten and her people as we work together; government and community to keep her safe. Thank you.
Italy has the largest number of cases COVID-19 outside of China, the epicentre of the outbreak. The crisis has brought the countries economy to its knees, the health system is crumbling under pressure with the growing number of patients and normal life has come to a complete standstill.

AP

Despite the crisis, Italians trying to put a smile on each other's face by with the help of music. No matter which corner of the world one may belong, music is the one unifying factor and Italians are making the most of it.

Social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 spread has the potential to take a massive mental toll on people. To keep all of that negativity at bay, people in Italy are coming together in their balconies and singing popular songs so that everyone can join in.

AFP

People stuck at home even took their musical instruments to the balconies, determined to uplift spirits amid the dark times.

A Twitter user named Leonardo Carella posted a thread which shows videos of people across Italy using Music as a medicine in the face of the growing Coronavirus crisis.

1. In this video from Salerno, people are seen singing an Italian song

Italians in lockdown all over Italy are keeping each other company by singing, dancing and playing music from the balconies. A thread to celebrate the resilience of ordinary people. This is Salerno: pic.twitter.com/3aOchqdEpn  Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

2. People in Seinna were captured singing their city anthem

This video was originally shared by Italian journalist David Allegranti on Thursday night and has been viewed nearly one million times on his account. "In Siena, the city to which I am very attached, you stay at home but you sing together as if you were on the street. I was moved," Allegranti wrote in Italian.

People of Siena, Italy sing a song Viva la nostra Siena (hooray for our Siena) together, from their windows to raise their spirits during the Italian #COVID19 lockdown  pic.twitter.com/jBSbkvds4d  Coronavirus (@SARS_COVID19) March 13, 2020

3. People in Turin were seen shaking a leg to Macarena

This is Turin pic.twitter.com/fdVJ5PZAr6  Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020

4. In another video posted by an Italian resident named Susy Unica Silvestri, people in neighbouring chant upbeat messages such as "go Italy, go Naples!" and "there is no virus that can beat us."





In the face of Coronavirus outbreak, the government in Italy has ordered all shops, bars and restaurants across the country to close after the countrys death toll from surged to 1,266, recording the highest leap in a single day , reports the Guardian.

A nurse in northern Italy said that fighting the virus was like being in the middle of a world war. Roberta Re, a nurse at Piacenza hospital in Emilia-Romagna told Guardian, "Its an experience I would compare to a world war."

"But its a war that isnt fightable with traditional arms  as we dont yet know who the enemy is and so its difficult to fight. The only weapon we do have to avoid things getting even worse is to stay at home and to respect the rules, to do what they did in China, as this is paying off," Re added.

Meanwhile, Prime minister Giuseppe Conte repeated his call for Italians to stay at home.
WASHINGTONNorth Korea has evaded United Nations sanctions for many months by exporting coal, sand and petroleum, and importing luxury goods including armoured sedans, alcohol and robotic machinery. The findings are based on an upcoming U.N. report, other assessments using satellite images and shipping data, and interviews with analysts.

The exports provide North Korea with money to continue developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, analysts say. And the imports of luxury goods show techniques that North Korea might also be using to procure dual-use technology for those programs, they say. The efforts to raise money are aided by the countrys sophisticated cybercrime operations that target financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges.

The upcoming annual report from the U.N. Panel of Experts gives more detail on the smuggling of two armoured Mercedes sedans that were shipped from the Netherlands to East Asia in 2018 and that were the subject of an investigation by The New York Times and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies in July.

The U.N. panel did its own investigation after the article and video appeared, and concluded that the cars were shipped from Europe after they were in the possession of two Italian companies  apparently the start of the supply chain, according to a draft of the report seen by The Times. The U.N. is expected to release the report this month.

In interviews, Sandro Cianci, a top executive at one of the Italian companies, confirmed that the company had bought two armoured Mercedes sedans that were eventually shipped to Asia, but said they had not engaged in illegal activity and had no knowledge of the cars ending up in North Korea.

Overall, China and Russia have weakened the sanctions and are aiding the illegal smuggling, say U.S. officials, analysts and the reports. In December, the two nations proposed to the United Nations an easing of sanctions.

U.S. officials and analysts cite satellite images that show transfers involving North Korean ships in Chinese territorial waters as evidence of efforts to evade the sanctions.

The Chinese have to enforce the sanctions against North Korea. Theyve got to stop the ship-to-ship transfers, Robert C. OBrien, President Donald Trumps national security adviser, said last month. We need the Chinese to assist us as we pressure the North Koreans to come to the table, he added.

The United States has pushed the U.N. to pass five rounds of sanctions resolutions since 2016.

Trump has made diplomacy with North Korea a signature foreign policy initiative. But U.S. officials are frustrated that the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un, has rejected outreach from Washington since a round of talks between negotiators ended abruptly in Stockholm last October. That came after the failure of the second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019.

The porous sanctions mean the Trump administrations pressure campaign against North Korea is far from effective, and U.S. officials are losing what they say is their only real leverage. That could help explain Pyongyangs recent cold shoulder toward Washington, experts say.

Kim surprised U.S. officials this winter by not sending what North Korean officials had called a potential Christmas gift to Trump  possibly a test of a nuclear weapon or an intercontinental ballistic missile. In early 2019, Kim had given Trump a year-end deadline to lift sanctions.

The successful evasion of sanctions might mean less urgency on Kims part in getting the penalties lifted. He continues to get revenue while building up his stockpile of fissile material, adding to the amount he already has for about 38 nuclear warheads, according to a recent estimate by Siegfried S. Hecker, the former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

North Korea has continued to carry out tests of short-range ballistic missiles and rocket systems, with no admonishment from Trump. On Monday, North Korea launched multiple projectiles off its east coast in the countrys second weapons test in a week. Before Mondays tests, it fired two short-range projectiles off its east coast on March 2, its first weapons test in three months.

The draft of the U.N. report says North Korea conducted 13 missile tests and launched 25 missiles in 2019. (Reuters first reported on parts of the U.N. study last month.)

It is unclear how the global crisis over the new coronavirus, which began in China, will affect North Korea. The country has not reported any cases, but experts say there most likely are some. North Korea has closed almost all border entry points and put foreigners in the country under quarantine, but is now asking them to leave. Last month, the United States approved the transfer of humanitarian aid, and the U.N. has allowed some exemptions to sanctions for aid.

On the North Korean side, they have asked for assistance and will need to co-ordinate points of entry for the urgent supplies with the aid organizations, said Kee Park, a Korean-American doctor who regularly leads medical delegations to North Korea.

Some analysts say the visit to North Korea in June by President Xi Jinping of China might have marked a turning point in sanctions enforcement.

Given the deterioration of U.S.-China ties, Beijings leaders are in no mood to co-operate with Washington on North Korea issues, said Jung H. Pak, a former CIA analyst on North Korea who is now at the Brookings Institution. And judging from the opening of new resort and tourism areas and robust department store offerings, the regime and the elite are successfully finding loopholes.

The armoured Mercedes sedans used by Kim in North Korea and on his overseas trips are prominent signs of that.

In the draft of its new report, the U.N. panel lists the vehicle identification numbers of the two armoured Mercedes sedans shipped to North Korea in the summer of 2018. The numbers allowed investigators to ferret out additional details on the shipment and the companies involved.

The report names two Italian companies as procurers, but did not accuse them of illegal activity.

Cianci, a sales manager for European Cars and More SRL, the Italian company that bought the cars from Mercedes-Benz in early 2018, said in lengthy interviews that he had not violated any export regulations and expressed frustration that Mercedes-Benz had cut business ties with him in December 2019.

He did not provide the name of the client for whom he bought the cars. My client is Italian. He has an import-export business in Rome, Cianci said. The client is someone with not only diplomatic connections to China, but also other countries.

The second Italian company named in the report is LS Logistica e Spedizioni SRL, based in Rome. It was responsible for shipping the cars to Dalian, China, and then onward to Japan. The company did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, was not able to provide additional details on the specific cars, but released a statement that said the sales of vehicles by third parties, especially of used vehicles, are beyond our control and responsibility.

For many years, we have only received photos of cars, which gave us no possibility to identify any of the vehicles. Only in 2019, we received VIN numbers of vehicles mentioned in the C4ADS report from a journalist of an Asian television network, the statement continued, using the abbreviation for the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. We then proactively approached the U.N. and connected the journalists directly with the authority to make sure that the information could be subject matter of investigations.

The holes in sanctions go well beyond the importing of luxury goods. North Korea is raising millions of dollars through the smuggling of commodities, the U.N. report says.

Last October, Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, a member of the Panel of Experts from 2014 to 2019, wrote on the 38 North website that the maximum pressure campaign on North Korea was on its last legs.

The Trump administration bears special responsibility for this situation, she wrote. It has been its own worst enemy in the maximum-pressure campaign.

She asserted that Trump remains unwilling to admit fault or failure for the lack of progress on denuclearization or to change the U.S. approach to negotiations with the North.

North Korea has been creative in its sources of revenue. Both the upcoming U.N. report and a separate post this month by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies noted an increase in sand-dredging activity by North Korean ships in 2019. A centre of the operation was in Haeju Bay, North Korea, from March to August. Chinese companies are the main buyer of the sand, an important material in construction projects and in making silicon chips.

The activity in Haeju demonstrates scale, and a level of sophistication unlike other known cases of North Korean sanctions evasion at sea, providing renewed evidence of the DPRKs evolving abilities to co-ordinate and execute complex operations with facilitators abroad, the report said, using the formal abbreviation for North Korea.

Another new report, this one by the Royal United Services Institute, a research group in Britain, said North Korean ships have been transporting coal to the area of the Chinese islands of Zhoushan. The ships began this activity in January 2019, and they transmit false data over their Automatic Identification System transponders to try to evade surveillance. The phantom fleet, as the report calls it, is doing this in unprecedented numbers.

Read more about:
As more and more Connecticut residents test positive for COVID-19, stay informed with all the latest information below.

Beyond local and statewide updates, this story will be updated with major regional, national and global information about coronavirus.

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10:55 p.m. - Spain has locked down its 46 million citizens similar to Italys lockdown, only allowing people to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to banks and hospitals or take trips related to the care of the young or elderly. All schools, university, restaurants, bars, hotels and other non-essential retail businesses are closed.

10:50 p.m. - France ordered the closing of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and its cafes and restaurants.

9:30 p.m. - In New York, two State Assembly members  Helen Weinstein and Charles Barron  have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The Capitol will be closed to visitors effective Sunday, March 15 as a precaution.

9:17 p.m. - The Rockland County Medical Examiner's Office in New York confirmed the coronavirus-related death of a 65-year-old man who had underlying health problems. He becomes the second New Yorker to die from the virus.

9:10 p.m. - Georgia became the second state to postpone its presidential primaries  scheduled for March 24  until May. Louisiana became the first state to do so on Friday. In Louisiana, the primaries  initially scheduled for April 4  have been postponed until June 20.

8:40 p.m. - Yale University will have classes online through the rest of the spring semester. Students are asked to remain off campus when possible for the rest of the semester.

8:26 p.m. - Hamden Public Schools will have meals available for all children ages 18 and under starting Monday, March 16.

8:25 p.m. - The playground and parking areas at Compo Beach and Burying Hill Beach in Westport are closed until further notice.

8:22 p.m. - Rumors that a coronavirus-positive individual patronized the Danbury Fair Mall are untrue. Also untrue are rumors that Danbury residents are not allowed to leave their homes starting Monday. For more debunked Danbury-based rumors, follow Mayor Mark Boughton on Twitter.

8:06 p.m. - The Congregation Church of New Canaan postponed all programming and worship at the church until further notice. The First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan will live-stream Sunday services and not host in-house worship until further notice. There will be no in-person gatherings through Sunday, March 29 at New Canaans St. Marks Church. Town officials also urge the public to avoid social gatherings.

7:47 p.m. - The Greenwich United Way issued a $25,000 emergency grant to Neighbor to Neighbor to expand its food pantry and its ability to provide groceries to town residents in need during the outbreak. Donations can be made online at www.ntngreenwich.org.

7:26 p.m. - President Donald Trumps doctor said the president tested negative for the virus.

6:50 p.m. - Officials are monitoring a potential second presumptive case of coronavirus in a Stratford student, this one a Stratford High School student. Lab confirmation is expected to take a few days. Local officials urged any Stratford High School students, faculty and staff to stay home and monitor themselves for symptoms.

6:26 p.m. - The Brookfield Food Pantry will not be accepting donations until further notice. Starting Monday, March 16, the food pantry will operate on a drive through basis, where clients will be asked to stay in their cars. Staff will provide a shopping list and bring groceries to the car. Dont forget to bring shopping bags.

5:14 p.m. - The Connecticut National Guard has been mobilized and is helping deliver ventilators to St. Francis Hospital, Danbury Hospital and Hartford Hospital. Theyve also helped inventory medical equipment sets and reconfigure parts of the Mobile Field Hospital into small tents for possible rapid deployment to hospitals.

5:10 p.m. - Eight additional Connecticut residents have tested positive since the Hartford HealthCare announced its additional COVID-19 case late last night. This brings the states total number of positive coronavirus cases to 20. This total includes the first cases detected in Hartford and New Haven counties. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the New Haven County case is a city resident. He said three other state residents who tested positive were being treated at Yale New Haven Hospital.

4:57 p.m. - Quest Diagnostics introduced a new lab-developed test for coronavirus on March 9, but the test is not FDA approved or authorized. Health care providers anywhere in the U.S. can order the test from Quest. The test detects nucleic acid of the virus that causes coronavirus.

4:42 p.m. - Stamford synagogues are closed, but Jewish communities are staying connected online.

4:38 p.m. - Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish in Derby said all masses at St. Judes and St. Marys churches are canceled for the weekend of March 14 and March 15. Churches will be open for private prayer. Daily masses will be celebrated as usual.

4:33 p.m. - Ansonia Nature Center and playground are closed and roped off by order of the mayor.

3:40 p.m. - At least two more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Connecticut  one of which is a Darien Youth Hockey parent  according to Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson. She is not declaring a state of emergency for Darien, but has not ruled out mandatory quarantine.

2:45 p.m. - Yale New Haven Health announced that Beth Beckman, chief nursing executive, has tested positive for coronavirus and has self-isolated at home. Shes doing well. Chief Clinical Officer Thomas Balcezak was exposed to the virus through his wife. Although he has tested negative and has no symptoms, he is self-quarantined at home for the next 14 days.

2:14 p.m. - Western Connecticut State University in Danbury is closing all facilities to the public. The university is asking the public to use emails, phone calls and other forms of remote communications when interacting with the university and its administration.

2 p.m. - President Donald Trump said Saturday that he was tested for coronavirus and awaits results. Him being tested comes after he interacted with at least three people who have since tested positive for the virus.

1:39 p.m. - New Canaan Police are asking parents to prevent youths from gathering in groups to maintain social distancing, including parties, dinners or even just hanging out with friends.

1:14 p.m. - A female passenger on an incoming passenger plane arriving at Bradley International Airport Saturday morning was treated by emergency medical teams for flu-like symptoms. The plane was isolated to the de-icing area. The woman is being treated at an area hospital and the airport is running normally. The flight was cleared by officials to resume regular operations.

1:10 p.m. - Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling declared Saturday a state of emergency in the city, a move that expands his powers to respond to the pandemic and helps the city to access state and federal funding.

12:45 p.m. - As testing will soon become more available, please call these numbers instead of arriving unannounced at a healthcare facility if you believe you might have coronavirus: Norwalk Hospital at 888-667-9262 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and Stamford Hospital at 203-276-4111 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.

12:09 p.m. - Apple is closing all of its retail stores until March 27.

11:29 a.m. - The U.K. reports 21 people have died from coronavirus. There are 1,140 coronavirus-positive patients in the U.K.

11 a.m. - An 82-year-old woman who had underlying respiratory illness died Friday from the coronavirus, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday. This is the states first fatality from the virus.
Struggling department store chain Macy's (NYSE:M) is experimenting with a revolutionary idea that could bring the company into the modern era of consumerism. But the new "Market by Macy's" concept may be too little, too late. The time to implement such measures was years ago, with a far greater scope than just one store opening at a time.

That's the pessimistic case anyway. Macy's executives are obviously more optimistic, with CEO Jeff Gennette explaining that "Market by Macy's will play an important role in our off-mall expansion" announced in February. The company wants to shutter 125 mall-based stores but plans to open stores closer to where consumers live and work, and the "off-mall" locations where they increasingly shop. Market by Macy's does just that, selling locally minded merchandise while simultaneously bringing customers more lifestyle-oriented offerings like sit-down meals and alcoholic beverages.

It might work, or it might miss the mark. Mostly though, with only a handful of stores of this type reportedly planned to open this year, it might be too late to matter.

Market by Macy's is everything Macy's isn't

If the idea rings a bell, it may be because Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN) has already proven the concept works. The higher-end retailer has added amenities like foodservice, dry cleaning, beauty salons, and more at some locations, all designed to keep consumers engaged for longer periods of time. The tactic has worked where the department store chain has rolled out this proverbial red carpet too. These so-called "Local" stores that are more about service and less about the sheer quantity of inventory induce ticket sizes more than twice the size of Nordstrom's norm.

Macy's isn't Nordstrom though, and won't likely be a threat to Nordstrom's strategy for a while -- if it ever is -- for a handful of different reasons.

One of those reasons is that there's only one Market by Macy's location up and running right now, in Southlake, Texas. The company confirmed it would open Market by Macy's stores in Fort Worth this year, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. It didn't say how many would be opened in each city, though only one in each locale seems a likely start. For perspective, despite a string of store closures in recent years, Macy's still operates more than 800 conventional department stores.

Perhaps the biggest potential pitfall of redefining the kind of retailer Macy's is, however, is the sheer depth of operational change Market by Macy's would mean for the company if the Southlake store is the new prototype.

The one and only Market by Macy's location is a 20,000-square-foot shopping space, or roughly 1/10th of the average-sized store within the Macy's network. That limits the selection these stores can show shoppers, and that inventory is further limited by space allocated for food service. The retailer must ensure it's carrying the most marketable goods in these stores, but also must understand that consumers may visit a store mostly to buy basics such as socks and underwear, and then pick up a pair of jeans or shoes once in the building.

The Southlake store also offers items curated from local suppliers as well as select direct-to-consumer brands. The approach is meant to add intimacy, and it arguably does so. Localized buying is also labor-intensive though, requiring awareness of the local market that remote buyers may not be able to achieve without help from local store personnel. That personnel, however, may not have experience in procurement.

In the same vein, the small-format premise is likely to require close care from store associates who may not even be familiar with the sort of customer service stores used to be able to give.

Whereas malls and stores have been beneficiaries of foot traffic driven by the sheer quantity of shopping options available to consumers, Market by Macy's has yet to prove itself as a customer draw in and of itself. Its size and offerings are more akin to smaller mall stores that rely on so-called anchor stores to lure consumers to the destination. That means in-store personnel will have to work at cultivating relationships with local customers that they may not have had built before.

Better than nothing, but...

It's not a criticism. While the smaller, off-mall format may not yet be proven as a Macy's initiative, clearly the company can't continue on as is. Macy's may have topped last quarter's earnings expectations, but on a year-over-year basis, revenue, earnings, and same-store sales all fell during the busiest shopping time of the year. The numbers extended a long-standing streak of deteriorating results.

If Market by Macy's is what Gennette has in mind for most of the company's shift away from malls and into neighborhoods, though, it doesn't look like it's going to be enough. It just looks like a 180-degree turnaround from the scale department store chains have been working for years to achieve. This small-shop format tends to be more successful when personally owned and locally operated, like New York's Century 21, and Kansas City's Halls ... which also sells food and drinks.
Love, family, violence, and grief. The 1991 film, Boyz n the Hood, is John Singletons moving portrait of life in South Central Los Angeles. Audiences and critics applauded the raw emotion portrayed by the actors, and after making the film, many of the budding stars skyrocketed to success. One such actress, Nia Long, recently dropped by People TV to promote her latest film, The Banker. While there, she dished on some of her most high-profile projects and confessed that she nearly turned down her breakthrough role in Boyz n the Hood.

Nia Long | Greg Campbell/Getty Images for AppleTV+

The Boyz n the Hood legacy

Boyz n the Hood was writer/director John Singletons first film, and to say that the young artist nailed it would be an understatement. The story takes place in an all black neighborhood plagued with gang violence. Still, due to the storys emotional weight and the actors authentic performances, it resonates with audiences from all walks of life. Not only does Boyz n the Hood cross cultural and socioeconomic boundaries in cinema, but it also holds a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 96% on the Tomatometer.

Apart from Singletons stellar writing and directing, Boyz n the Hood benefits from a rock star cast, including Ice Cube in a role that Singleton crafted for him. Angel Bassett, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Regina King, and Long round out the cast.

Nia Longs big break

From our Film Reference Library: 23 year-old Cuba Gooding & Nia Long exhibiting peak #couplegoals in BOYZ N THE HOOD https://t.co/gQPaJEOdAk pic.twitter.com/DWt16yrGpS  TIFF (@TIFF_NET) November 24, 2016

Boyz in the Hood was a snapshot of the inner-city life that reflected the lives of many of the young actors in the principal roles. When Long stopped by People TV, she explained why she nearly passed on the role that propelled her to stardom. She said this in her interview:

When I got the script, and they said, theres a movie being made called Boyz in the Hood, I immediately thought, oh, so some white guy is about to try to make a movie about the life that Ive lived. I dont even want to have anything to do with it because Im very protective about my culture and where Im from. And they were like No, no. Hes black. I was like, Well, where is he from? What part of town? People TV

Long goes on to explain that upon meeting Singleton, she was sold on taking part in the film because he understood the culture and experience. Longs decision to accept the role of Brandi would change the trajectory of her career.

From Boyz n the Hood to The Banker

Shooting in the rain #thebanker in theatres now! pic.twitter.com/u97lsDRBUz  Nia Long (@NiaLong) March 9, 2020

After Boyz n the Hood, Long made her mark in television with her memorable role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as Will Smiths fiance, Lisa. Over the years, Long has also popped up in long-term roles on series, including Third Watch, House of Lies, Dear White People, Empire and NCIS: Los Angeles.

On top of her work in television, Long has enjoyed an impressive career in cinema. Over the last 30 years, she has made a string of hit movies. The actress reunited with her Boyz n the Hood co-star in three more films, including the comedy smash, Friday. Some of her other notable big-screen roles were in Love Jones, Soul Food, Boiler Room, The Best Man, and The Best Man Holiday.

Most recently, Long appeared in The Banker opposite Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson. The film tells the true story of two black entrepreneurs during the civil rights movement. The Banker hit theaters on March 6 and will be available on Apple TV+ on March 20. With at least three other projects in development, fans can expect to see more stellar work from Long in the near future.

Read more: MCU Co-Stars Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie Are Teaming Up Again
HURON COUNTY  During the Huron County Sheriffs Office annual meeting with full-time employees, several deputies received recognition for the previous years service.

Deputy Alex Jobes and Deputy Ryan Swartz received life saving awards for their response and lifesaving efforts March 27, 2019.

According to the sheriffs office, Jobes and Swartz responded to a residence on Sand Point for a man who accidentally caught himself on fire while doing yard work. Swartz and Jobes used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the mans burning clothing and administered first aid to the badly burned man.

Deputies Charlie Stevens and Jeff Ney received the sheriffs commendation outstanding service award.

Stevens and Ney took quick action when they discover two female inmates in a cell at the jail who were under the influence of smuggled narcotics. The sheriff said the actions of the two deputies likely averted the spread of the drugs to other cells. Stevens and Ney made sure the affected inmates received immediate medical attention, then carried out an investigation that led to a Sebewaing woman being criminally convicted.

Deputy Steve Bismack received the outstanding service award for his responses July 4, 2019 and Aug. 14, 2019, which the sheriff said likely made the difference between life and death for a Clarkston female and Harbor Beach male.

Both victims had experienced incapacitating drug overdoses, which required emergency lifesaving actions and the application of Narcan to make them regain consciousness, the sheriff said in a press release.

Twenty-one deputies with the department received professional excellence awards for performing 150 or more hours of overtime. Receiving the awards were Chuck Bolzman, Charlie Stevens, Katie Carter, Alex Jobes, Gabe Callender, Jake Dhyse, Jim Hunt, Ryan Neumann, Marc Woodward, Erik Raymond, Kim Kociba-Webber, Nathan Leppek, Josh Loss, Todd Schember, Randy Smaglinski, Justin Tietz, Lucas Loss, Ryan Swartz, Steve Bismack, Stephanie Voss, Roy Williamson. Deputy Bret Zagorski was also recognized for serving more than 300 hours of overtime.

Sergeants James Hunt and Todd Schember, along with Deputy Doug Gentner received recognition from the sheriffs office for dedicating 30 years of full-time service to the department.

Those were just a few of the exceptional good deeds that our deputies performed last year, the sheriff said. All deputies often find themselves involved in difficult situations, which many times require spur of the moment decisions. Decisions that can be the difference between life or death, or many that can turn out unpopular because of enforcement action taken.

According to the sheriff it isnt uncommon for him to receive compliments from people have had interactions with the staff and agency.

In fact, that occurred more this year than any other of the last 11, he said. That in itself says a lot about the people who work at your Sheriffs Office. Our main functions are to provide 24/7 police services to areas without law enforcement coverage, and staffing our jail of 70 beds with deputies 24/7 as well. Some of the other services it provides is illegal drug enforcement, civil process, handgun registration, child safety education, law enforcement training to other police agencies, marine safety patrol, search and rescue, along with underwater recovery.

The sheriff said his office takes great pride in the role it serves for the residents and visitors of the county.
With millions of people under lockdown across the world, government promotion of social distancing to curb infections has major social costs.

Several countries across continents are closing borders and major cities with millions of people are under lockdown.

Governments around the world are promoting social distancing as one of the ways to stop the coronavirus pandemic from spreading.

But health workers are urging governments to also look at the additional cost of exclusion and loneliness among the most vulnerable.

Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 14:57:44|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to provide assistance within its capacity to support South Korea's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy recently sent to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Xi said the Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the South Korean side to win the fight against the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the life and health of the people of the two countries and the wider world.


In the present circumstances of the rapid spread of the Corona virus in Switzerland, the Government of Switzerland has announced strict restrictions covering the entire country. Accordingly, strict regulations have been imposed to minimize public gatherings.

In order to minimize the exposure to the virus and to limit the spread of the virus among Sri Lankans, the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka / Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Geneva, after taking into consideration the present situation, and in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka, has decided to limit the consular services provided to Sri Lankans, commencing from 16.03.2020 until further notice.

Accordingly, from 16.03.2020 onwards and until further notice, the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Geneva / Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Geneva has arranged to restrict services related only to the issuance of temporary/emergency travel documents, issuance and certification of documents relevant to deaths of Sri Lankans and any other emergency consular service, which is deemed necessary on a case by case basis. This will be done by appointment only.

In order to secure an early appointment and to obtain the above restricted consular services and related information, please call the following contact numbers.

Sinhala & English

(0041) 77 928 72 81

(0041) 77 922 32 92

Tamil

(0041) 77 922 31 31





Sri Lanka Consulate General in Geneva

14.03.2020



Special Notice in Sinhala

Special Notice in Tamil



Special Notice in Englishh
According to reports, Fabio Wajngarten, the press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, was tested positive after meeting US President Trump in Florida.

This comes after several world leaders were infected by the coronavirus in similar circumstances too.

Several sources told CNN, that President Trump was near Fabio Wajngarten when he was declared positive.

The Brazilian press secretary went to dinner that was hosted by the president at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

In a photo, he was several feet away from Trump, when he said something about Kimberly Guilfoyle's birthday, related by the sources.

Trump said,"I did hear something about that. We had dinner together in Florida at Mar-a-Lago with the entire delegation," and added based on reports,"I don't know if the press aide was there. But, we did nothing very unusual. We sat next to each other for a period of time, had a great conversation."

The White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham stated on Thursday that the President barely had any interactions with coronavirus positive and no tests are needed for now.

She added that all efforts done by the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service are thoroughly engaged in taking every to keep all the White House occupants free from the coronavirus.

The Brazilian press secretary was there with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on his US junket. He was included in the dinner for the Brazilian president. Earlier both leaders discussed the coronavirus outbreak.

President Trump just said that he was not concerned at all when interviewed by the press., which was about the CPAC conference, in which another person was a positive carrier.

Also read: 2 U.S. Soldiers, 1 Brit Die in Rocket Attack on Iraqi Base; Culprit Unknown

Trump also added that he was aware of the Brazilian aide's condition in the Oval Office on Thursday.

All they did was nothing out of the ordinary and were nearby which was Trump reference to Bolsonaro, during the affair.

Highlights of President Trump's public announcement were bans on those from mainland Europe, as the US administration has its hands full in dealing with the pandemic at home and abroad.

In another interview, Trump told reporters that he was not concerned about anything else, during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

Reports commented that Bolsonaro's (Brazilian aide) getting diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus after meeting Trump, has placed the Bolsonaro on observation.

A statement from the White House earlier in the week noted that the US president has not been tested for COVID-19 infection. Yet, one of the standing reasons is that there has not been very close contact for a long time with any positive coronavirus contact.

If the condition of the aide worsens or the Brazilian leader is admitted, then something needs to be done. The president is still optimistic and is not worried as indicated by his remarks.

According to the source, he is in good health and no reason to be tested himself. This was based on the advice of the current White House doctor, assigned to the first and second families.

The contact with the Brazilian aide testing positive after meeting President Trump is not a huge concern, for the moment.

Related article: Washington Possibly to Aid U.S. Economy Amid Coronavirus

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Two militant associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district and arms and ammunition seized from their possession, police said on Saturday.

"On specific information, the Handwara police arrested two terrorist associates at a checkpoint established near the Kralgund-Ananwan Hajan crossing," a police spokesperson said.

They were identified as Nazir Ahmed Wani and Bashir Ahmed Wani, both residents of Sheikhpora Tarathpora in the Vilgam area of the north Kashmir district, he added.

The spokesperson said incriminating materials, an AK rifle, a Chinese pistol, an underbarrel grenade launcher (UBGL) and a huge cache of ammunition were seized from their possession.

A case was registered and further investigation was in progress, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar.14

Trend:

It took Armenian Foreign Ministry four days to understand the speech of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the Parliament and prepare a statement, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva told Trend.

At the first meeting of the Parliament, President Ilham Aliyev made a keynote speech, and, as always, the president delivered it without looking at any notes. During the speech, the head of state, referring to historical facts, delivered another strike at Armenia. In particular, the president referred to the Kurekchay Treaty of 1805. We recommend the Armenian Foreign Ministry to study the Kurekchay Treaty; it would even be useful to prepare a brochure on this agreement. Their scrutiny of this treaty would allow to move to the conclusion of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Abdullayeva noted.

According to her, everyone who reads this historical treatise sees that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijan's native land.

On the one hand, the agreement was signed by Ibrahim-Khalil Khan, governor of Garabakh Khanate, and on the other hand, by Tsitsianov, Russia's High Commissioner of the Caucasus. As the President Ilham Aliyev said, the Kurekchay Treaty does not contain even a sentence about the Armenian people or community. The presidents words about toponyms reflect the whole truth. In this regard, it is enough to look at maps and web-resources so that the Armenian side can find out the true facts; for example, Yeghegnadzors original name is Keshishkend, the Hrazdan Rivers original name is Zangi, and the Sevan Lake is historically Azerbaijani lake of Goycha ", said Abdullayeva.

The spokesperson for the Azerbaijani MFA emphasized that in his speech, President Ilham Aliyev also touched on issues related to the Republican Party of Armenia.

"The coat of arms of the Republican Party, which has long been in power in Armenia, was identical to Nazi symbols. However, the statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry did not mention this fact; it was simply passed over in silence. In Armenia, former government officials and ex-presidents of this country have been prosecuted and arrested. Robert Kocharyan has been detained for a year on a number of charges, and Sargsyan is accused of corruption," the spokesperson added.

"In fact, these two people should be prosecuted for the Khojaly genocide of 1992 and crimes against humanity. Talking about democracy in the context of the detention of one ex-president and the prosecution of another is ridiculous and absurd. Recently, the head of the Armenian government has filed accusation against judge of the Constitutional Court for an expensive pen, and a nationwide referendum is being organized. This policy, pursued by the Armenian government, is in fact a big attack on democracy," Abdullayeva noted.

According to her, the shameful actions of the Armenian prime minister in the subway clearly show how much disrespectful he is in the country.

People dont even greet him, and the fact that a young woman throws a sheet of paper torn by her in his face demonstrates to what extent he lost respect of others. Islamophobia and xenophobia blossom in Armenia, where 99.9 percent of the population are Armenians, while Azerbaijan is a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic state, Abdullayeva said.

In his speech, President Ilham Aliyev mentioned the statements on this issue by world religious leaders, in particular the Pope, made in connection with Azerbaijan. At the same time, so far we have never heard from the world religious leaders a word about multi-confessionality in Armenia. This is because Armenia, in fact, pursues a fascist and xenophobic policy, the spokesperson noted.

All these years, Armenian youth has been brought up in the spirit of the fascism ideology. Presentation by Armenia of itself as a long-suffering nation is nothing but self-humiliation and speculation with a false history. It's no secret for anyone that the current government of Armenia is illegitimate," she said.

The spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry stressed that the ongoing repressions conducted by the Armenian authorities against their political rivals openly demonstrate their anti-democratic and anti-human nature.

"As for Azerbaijans ties with European structures, President Ilham Aliyev positively assessed Azerbaijans ties with the European Union. Azerbaijan will continue to expose those individuals in some European structures who, under the influence of Armenia, are carrying out dirty intentions regarding Azerbaijan," Abdullayeva noted.

We would advise Armenian MFA not to interfere in relations between Azerbaijan and European structures. We know well that Armenia's negotiations with the agencies and with other partners fully contradict each other. Even during contacts with Europe, Armenia comes out with the allegation that if there werent some of its allies and partners, the country would be yet closer to Europe. This is another example of a hypocritical policy pursued by Armenia, the spokesperson said.

The fact that the Armenian Foreign Ministry was able to write just a single piece of paper in four days speaks about limited intellectual capacities. All of the above are signs that Armenia is pursuing an irresponsible and dangerous policy. This very policy pursued by Armenia poses a serious threat to the regional security. If such irresponsible behavior continues, then Armenia will bear the full responsibility for the aggravation of the situation," Abdullayeva added.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Elections officials in the four states holding presidential primaries this week say they have no plans to postpone voting amid widespread disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, they are taking extraordinary steps to ensure that voters can cast ballots and that polling places are clean.

Ballot managers have been scrambling to recruit replacements for poll workers dropping out over fears of contracting the virus, providing cotton swabs for voters to use on touchscreen machines and extending absentee voting deadlines. Only one state, Louisiana, is postponing its primary, from April to June.

Were definitely voting, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said Friday. They voted during the Civil War. Were going to vote.

The top elections officials from the four states  Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio  said in a joint statement that the vote will go on Tuesday, saying they were confident the elections would be secure and safe. They encouraged healthy poll workers to show up.

Election officials routinely prepare for natural disasters and other disruptions, but the coronavirus outbreak poses a unique challenge as some areas of the country urge members of the public to work from home and avoid crowds.

Election day voting in the U.S. largely relies on an army of poll workers who staff schools, community centers and government buildings open for the public to cast ballots in person. Because many poll workers are older, they may be especially concerned about the virus. School closures and safety concerns at senior living communities have thrown some polling places into question.

Nearly 50 of the roughly 600 paid volunteers have withdrawn in Floridas Volusia County. In that state, a group of voting and civil rights groups wrote to the governor and secretary of state urging them to extend early voting opportunities and the vote-by-mail deadline, open additional vote centers and take steps to notify voters of any changes to polling places or voting procedures.

Hundreds of poll workers and election judges in Illinois have canceled their assignments, leaving election officials scrambling.

In Ohio, which is under a statewide emergency because of the virus, a plea from the states elections chief last week prompted more than 1,200 people to sign up for poll worker duty across the state after election boards reported some workers were dropping out.

Christina A. Cassidy and Julie Carr Smyth are Associated Press writers.
Vice President Mike Pence announced Saturday that all travel from Ireland and the United Kingdom to the U.S. will be suspended, effective midnight EST on Monday. He said Americans and legal residents abroad in those countries can return home.

Why it matters: The administration initially left the two off its restricted travel list, but that case has been weakened due to an uptick in cases in the UK.

Details: The travel restrictions do not apply to cargo or economic shipping, officials with the coronavirus task force said.

Flashback: President Trump announced earlier this week that European travel to the U.S. will be restricted for 30 days, with exemptions for Americans who undergo screening upon their return.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson "ruled out aggressive measures like school closings to fight the coronavirus" earlier this week, the New York Times reports.

By the numbers: The U.K. is currently reporting nearly 1,200 cases of COVID-19  while the U.S. has 2,177 cases of the virus, per the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.



Go deeper: Houses passes coronavirus emergency aid package with Trump's endorsement
Pignatelli Wants Override of Regs Keeping State News Off Cable

LEE, Mass.  State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli is asking the state's congressional representatives to push for an emergency override that will bring Massachusetts news to the Berkshires as the state addresses the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The letter to U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal asks for an override or modification of the Federal Communication Commission's outdated regulations that place the farthest west county of Massachusetts in the New York Capital District's "Designated Market Area."

"Governor Baker declared a state of emergency earlier this week in response to the coronavirus. The most recent reports as of [Friday, have a] total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Commonwealth at 18," the 4th Berkshire representative states. "Further, there are 123 confirmed and presumptive positive cases to the virus, nine of which are confirmed to be in Berkshire County.

"Despite this, most communities in the Berkshires and throughout Western Massachusetts are still limited in their ability to access local Massachusetts news stations."

Markey was recently able to negotiate a limited return after three years of WWLP 22News in Springfield to the Berkshires' cable roster. WCVB Channel 5 Boston was removed in 2018.

Pignatelli thanks the congressmen for their continued support for expanding broadband but says more is needed to ensure the region can get critical news.

"Areas of Western Massachusetts are already suffering from a limited marker of providers in the region, the last thing these communities need is a lack of knowledge and access to the Commonwealth's ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19," he writes.

The Albany, N.Y., area stations sometimes cover the governor's visits to the Berkshires and WWLP and Spectrum do as well. However, coverage of press conferences from the Boston are spotty and often depend on which news station may be livestreaming the events.

"To put it simply: broadband equals opportunity. We cannot deny our citizens the ability to stay safe in times of crisis," Pignatelli writes.

Rep. Pignatelli Letter to FCC on Channel Access by iBerkshires.com on Scribd
While such last-minute changes are highly unusual, states have broad autonomy to define the timing and procedures for primary elections. The exact process for setting primary dates varies from state to state. That is why a number of states changed the dates of their primaries and caucuses between 2016 and 2020, and why Republicans in several states were able to cancel their 2020 primary elections to minimize intraparty competition for President Trump.

But the Democratic Party also has its own rules requiring that all primary elections be completed by June 9, and that all delegates to its national convention in Milwaukee be selected by June 20. Any states that defy that timetable  including Louisiana  could be penalized by the national party with a reduction in their delegate count.

Could the general election be postponed or canceled?

Only with enormous difficulty.

The date of the general election is set by federal law and has been fixed since 1845. It would take a change in federal law to move that date. That would mean legislation enacted by Congress, signed by the president and subject to challenge in the courts.

To call that unlikely would be an understatement.

And even if all of that happened, there would not be much flexibility in choosing an alternate election date: The Constitution mandates that the new Congress must be sworn in on Jan. 3, and that the new presidents term must begin on Jan. 20. Those dates cannot be changed just by the passage of normal legislation.

After Louisianas announcement on Friday, Marc Elias, the prominent Democratic election lawyer, knocked down what he described as a wave of queries about whether the November election could be similarly revised.

I am getting a lot of questions about the November election, Mr. Elias wrote on Twitter. While states can set their own primary days, the federal general election is set by federal statute as the the [sic] Tuesday following the first Monday in November. This date cannot be changed by a state nor by the President.
VANCOUVERA Vancouver couple whove spent the last few weeks cleaning out Costco store shelves of Lysol cleaning products and reselling them at higher prices on Amazon have had their account suspended, the online retail giant said Friday.

I can confirm their account was blocked for violating our policy around inflating prices, Amazon spokesperson Andrew Gouveia said in an email Friday.

As the Star reported on Thursday, Manny Ranga and Violeta Perez were observed this week outside a Costco store near downtown Vancouver loading the back of their Ford F-150 truck with stacks of Lysol disinfecting wipes.

Ranga said that a six-pack of wipes, which might sell for $20 at Costco, could fetch four times that online, representing a big opportunity. He said the couple had spent about $70,000 on Lysol wipes and liquid cleaners over the past few weeks and made more than $100,000 in sales to individuals and businesses.

Reached by phone Friday, Ranga said he objected to the way he and his wife were portrayed in the story and that the fallout was potentially jeopardizing their livelihoods.

Ranga previously said he and his wife work as home developers and business had slowed considerably recently due to fears surrounding COVID-19.

Ive got to pay the bills, he said.

In a statement earlier in the week Amazon said there was no place for price gouging, on the platform.

We are disappointed that bad actors are attempting to artificially raise prices on basic need products during a global health crisis and, in line with our long-standing policy, have recently blocked or removed hundreds of thousands of offers, read the earlier statement. We continue to actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policies.

B.C. Premier John Horgan told reporters during a press briefing Friday that he was profoundly disappointed in people who hoard items in order to resell them online.

I think thats just offensive. Most people would bristle at that.

Costco has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

Read more about:
UPDATE (3/16/20): Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf orders statewide shutdown over coronavirus

Gov. Tom Wolf made it clear Saturday that he wants non-essential businesses in the Philadelphia suburbs to close their doors to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Wolf announced new restrictions in Chester and Bucks counties, urging non-essential businesses in those counties to temporarily shut their doors, starting Sunday. He previously announced such steps in Montgomery and Delaware counties.

So now, Wolf has taken the dramatic step of asking for the mass closing of businesses in the four large suburban counties surrounding Philadelphia. Those four counties are home to well over 2 million people and thousands of businesses.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Wolf said his recommendation doesnt apply to grocery stores, pharmacies or gas stations. However, hes hoping retailers, bars and gyms, among others, close up shop for a while. But Wolf is not explicitly ordering those businesses to close.

The most effective way to handle this is to say  do the right thing, Wolf said in a press conference at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in Harrisburg.

Wolf said his office does have the power to force non-essential businesses to close. But he said thats not the direction hes choosing, in part because, I cannot conceive of anyone wanting to do the wrong thing.

"It would be an almost capricious exercise for any government to make a one-size-fits-all approach, Wolf said.

The governor is asking those businesses to consider the best interests of the community, their staff and customers in weighing whether they should remain open.

To date, 47 coronavirus cases have been reported statewide, including six new cases reported Saturday. Montgomery County has had the highest number of cases. Three cases have been reported in the Harrisburg area, all in the Cumberland County.

To try and reduce the spread of the pandemic, the governor has ordered the closure of Pennsylvania schools for the next two weeks. Sporting events and concerts have been halted. Hes asked faith leaders to exercise discretion in holding worship services.

The Wolf administration said Saturday it planned to start shutting down the state-owned wine and liquor stores in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties. Those stores will close by Tuesday and will remain closed until further notice, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said.

But Wolf is counting on businesses to use good judgment for their workers and their neighbors.

The state considers shopping malls and retail stores as non-essential businesses, with the exception of pharmacies or health care facilities within retailers. The Wolf administration describes bars, casinos, concert venues, theaters and golf courses as other businesses that arent essential.

Restaurants in those four counties are urged only to remain open for carry-out and delivery orders.

Other examples of non-essential businesses listed by the state include community and recreation centers; gyms, including yoga, barre and spin facilities; hair salons, nail salons and spas.

The King of Prussia Mall, a magnet destination for shoppers in Montgomery County, had been open Friday and early Saturday, even after the governor asked non-essential businesses to close. Saturday afternoon, the malls owners said King of Prussia would it would close temporarily.

Some grocery store chains, including Giant, Wegmans and Redners, have suspended 24-hour operations in some supermarkets, temporarily closing for several hours overnight for cleaning and re-stocking. Shoppers around Pennsylvania have found long lines in supermarkets and shorter supplies of some staples.

The governor is also relying on residents across the commonwealth - and especially in the four Philly suburban counties - to stick around the house. Still, Wolf hasnt imposed any restrictions on traveling, even within the four counties where hes asked non-essential businesses to temporarily shut down.

While state officials say theyre not imposing mandatory measures, they are still placing enormous pressure on businesses to close.

State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine unequivocally said the cooperation of non-essential businesses is crucial to minimizing the spread of the coronavirus.

If these businesses continue to be open, we will be less successful, Levine said at the news conference Saturday afternoon.

And she also urged residents in the Philadelphia suburbs, and across the state, to limit their travel to the essentials.

If you dont need to be out and about, please stay home, Levine said.

Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, emphasized that state officials realize grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations must keep operating.

Were really targeting businesses that arent essential, he said.

Levine said Saturday afternoon that more than 400 patients in Pennsylvania have been tested for the coronavirus. Earlier in the day, the health department said more than 145 people have tested negative for COVID-19 and more than 100 tests are pending. There have been no fatalities reported in Pennsylvania.

Wolf and state officials understand there will be more positive cases. But they are hoping that temporarily closing schools, pressing businesses to shut down and asking for public restraint will help reduce the number of people who contract the virus.

Stay calm, stay home and stay safe, Wolf said.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.
3 imported COVID19 cases from the UK, US, Italy confirmed in Beijing, Shanghai

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2020/3/13 10:41:58

Two new imported cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Shanghai on Thursday, involving Chinese citizens returning from the US and Italy respectively, while Beijing confirmed one imported case from the UK.

The newly diagnosed patient in Shanghai is a Guangdong Province resident, working in the US. The person left New York, the US on Monday and arrived at the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Tuesday transiting via Hong Kong. The person was picked up directly from the airport by his/her family, following which the person has been quarantined at home. After some clinical symptoms appeared, the person was sent to a hospital on Thursday and subsequently tested positive, said the local health commission.

The second confirmed patient in Shanghai hails from Zhejiang Province and is working in Italy. The person departed from Bologna, Italy on Tuesday and arrived at the Pudong International Airport on Wednesday transiting through Moscow, Russia. After spotting some symptoms upon arrival in Shanghai, authorities transferred the traveler to a designated quarantine center. He later tested positive for COVID-19.

The confirmed new case in Beijing is from the UK. Besides, nine other suspected COVID-19 cases were also reported in Beijing on Thursday, three from the Netherlands, two from Italy, one from South Korea, one from France, one from Austria, and one a local citizen, according to media reports.

As of Thursday, Shanghai reported eight COVID-19 cases from overseas, including Iran, Italy, and the US. The city has reported 346 infections, with 321 discharges upon recovery.

So far, the total imported COVID19 cases from overseas in the Chinese mainland reached 88.

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Chennai, March 14 : Former Union Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, here on Saturday, demanded scrapping of the Rs 3 a litre excise duty hike on petrol and diesel by the central government.

He also demanded the government to pass on the benefit of international decline in the crude oil prices to consumers at a time when the economy was not doing well.

Ramadoss said after the fall in crude oil rates, the price of petrol and diesel should have reduced by Rs 25 per litre. He said owing to increase in the excise duty, the central government's revenue is expected to increase by Rs 39,000 crore a year.

Ramadoss said the central government wanted to increase excise duty revenue from oil to Rs 4.5 lakh crore per year from the current Rs 3 lakh crore per year.
At the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), court is still in session, immigration attorneys tell TIME. They are visiting with their clients and representing them at hearings, guards are clocking in and out and families are coming to see loved ones through glass barriers.

Meanwhile, more than 560 people have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus in Washington state, and 37 people in the state have died as of Friday, March 13, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Governor Jay Inslee has banned public gatherings of more than 250 people in the Seattle area and Seattle public schools have been shut down for two weeks.

The mayor of Tacoma, Wash., where the detention center is located, issued a state of emergency in response to COVID-19 on Thursday, March 12. In Pierce County, which includes Tacoma, 19 people have been confirmed with the virus as of Friday, March 13, according to state health officials.

Attorneys who have represented clients at the NWDC  and have seen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handle previous outbreaks of flu, mumps, chicken pox and tuberculosis at the facility  tell TIME they believe an outbreak of COVID-19 is inevitable.

Judges should at this point try to allow people out on more flexible bonds or alternatives to detention, Michele Carney, an immigration lawyer in Seattle who sees clients detained at the facility, tells TIME. Because the more people in a detention facility its only a matter of time before theres an outbreak.

Keep up to date with our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking here.

ICE spokesperson Jenny Burke tells TIME that the agency has taken several precautionary measures to prevent virus spread at facilities across the country. ICE epidemiologists have been tracking the outbreak, regularly updating infection prevention and control protocols, and issuing guidance to ICE Health Service Corps staff for the screening and management of potential exposure among detainees. Currently, there are no detainees in ICE custody with confirmed COVID-19, she said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

Story continues

The agency adds that nationally, four people in ICE detention had been tested for the virus as of March 3, but did not immediately respond to further questions about testing in the days since. ICE has also been screening new arrivals at all of its facilities, Burke says, and says it reviews guidance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a daily basis to update its protocols as needed.

On Friday evening, ICE issued an additional statement announcing it is temporarily suspending social visitation at all facilities as a precautionary measure. In addition, ICE is actively working with state and local health partners to determine if any detainee requires additional testing or monitoring to combat the spread of the virus, the agency said in its emailed statement.

ICE can also isolate and quarantine individuals if they determine such protocols are required.

I think this is a little different from outbreaks that they have handled in the past, Adam Boyd, an immigration attorney with clients detained at the NWDC, tells TIME. If [COVID-19] is in there, Im imagining that its going to spread very quickly. Previous outbreaks  of mumps and chicken pox, for example  mostly pose a threat to those who have never been inoculated to protect against those diseases, he adds. This, because it can infect everybody in there, I dont imagine that theyre well prepared to deal with it.

Ruth McDermott-Levy, associate professor and director of the Center for Global and Public Health at Villanova University, says detained individuals are among the groups she and her colleagues at the schools College of Nursing are most concerned about.

We would describe them as a very vulnerable population, McDermott-Levy tells TIME. For one, theyre all living in close proximity to one another the other thing is were talking about an immigrant population. You dont leave your country when things are good. Weve got people who more than likely have poor nutrition and may have other health problems, and if our nutrition is poor our immune system is not as strong.

A sign indicating the office is closed is posted following a two-week closure of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) building and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field office because of an employee who may be infected with the novel coronavirus in Tukwila, Washington on March 3, 2020. | Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images

Immigration attorneys and advocates in Washington this week sent a letter to ICE and the NWDC facilitys managers urging for additional precautionary measures. Their requests include releasing or granting humanitarian parole to detained people over 60 years old and those who have an underlying health condition. (Prison reform advocates across the country are likewise petitioning for the release of elderly and low-risk prisoners.)

People in detention are highly vulnerable to outbreaks of contagious illnesses, reads a March 9 letter to ICE. They are housed in close quarters and are often in poor health. Without the active engagement of NWDCs administration, they have little ability to inform themselves about preventive measures, or to take such measures if they do manage to learn of them. The letter was signed by the ACLU of Washington Foundation, Columbia Legal Services and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Boyd says there are currently about 500 to 700 people detained at the NWDC, though the facility has the capacity to hold 1,575 people, according to GEO Group, the private company contracted by ICE to run the facility.

In an emailed statement to TIME, a GEO Group spokesperson says there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any of its 67 immigrant detention or prison facilities nationwide, which have a total of 75,173 beds. We have issued guidance to our facilities, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, on best practices to prevent the spread of [the] coronavirus, the spokesperson said. Furthermore, weve updated our policies and procedures to include the prevention, assessment and management of the coronavirus. We will continue to monitor and evaluate in conjunction with our government partners and local health agencies to ensure the health and safety of all those in our care.

GEO Group did not offer any specific examples of any health protocols implemented.

Immigration lawyers who visited the facility this week tell TIME that the only changes theyve noticed there are signs at the front entrance that tell people in multiple languages not to come into the building if theyre feeling sick or exhibiting symptoms of the virus. Theyve noticed hand sanitizer at some locations within the facility, but not at others.

While visiting the facility on Wednesday, Boyd says he asked the guards if they knew of any precautionary measures. It doesnt seem like at least the lower level employees are getting any sort of active communication about what precautionary measures are being taken, he says.

ICE did not respond to TIMEs requests for information on what guidance guards at the NWDC are receiving.

Read more: Mapping the Spread of the Coronavirus Outbreak Around the U.S. and the World

It isnt just concern over the health and safety of their clients, the lawyers say. COVID-19 has the potential to impact the length of time a person will be in detention or when theyll receive a hearing.

There are two immigration courts in Washington state, one in Seattle and one at the NWDC. While COVID-19 continues to spread through the state, lawyers and the National Association of Immigration Judges are calling on the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to suspend all master calendar hearings  preliminary hearings that involve 50 or more people in one room  for people who are not in detention.

EOIR and the DOJ did not respond to TIMEs request for comment.

If you dont show up for your immigration court hearing you get deported because of your absence, Kristin Kyrka, an immigration attorney in Washington, tells TIME. [Immigrants] are going to show up in court even if theyre sick, someone in their home is sick, or theyre healthy but theyre in a high risk group.

But shutting down the master calendar hearings for people who arent detained would only impact the Seattle immigration court room (which was also shut down for the day on Wednesday after a possible exposure to the virus). The court room at the NWDC, which deals with the cases of detained people, presents a different challenge  because shutting down a court hearing for those who are detained could mean longer stays in custody.

Thats something that all of us as lawyers are really struggling with, Kyrka says. On the one hand you never want to see someone detained even a minute longer than they have to. On the other, we dont want peoples lives to be at risk by exposing them in court.

Case backlogs have impacted courts nationally for months, and at the NWDC more than 400 cases were pending as of January, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a data and research organization at Syracuse University.

I dont think that theres really much hope that [ICE] is just going to release a bunch of people because theyre vulnerable. I dont think that would ever happen, Boyd says. So if the decision was made to just cancel the court, that would mean that everybody who was scheduled to have their case heard in that period of time would probably get several more months of detention. Its not like they would be heard the week the court reopens because the court is already booked up.

Please send any tips, leads, and stories to virus@time.com.
One of the original questions when I first presented the plan (at Lincoln) was, how can you put this in that small of a room, Irish said. By addressing those initial concerns to actually showing we do have a plan and showing we have adequate size for this small group of students or this classroom, eased some of those concerns.

The task force included an upper-grade and lower-grade teacher from each of the two schools, a teacher from PE and/or music, two special education teachers and two parents from each school.

As the group began discussions, Fleck said, they saw two aspects develop.

I would say the technicalities of the school was more the staff and the emotion piece was more from the parents, Fleck said. At first the parents were like, the class sizes are going to be huge, we dont understand how this is going to help us.

Fleck said that was one of the questions that stirred up the situation in the early stages before the task force was formed.

When we actually got it on paper and they could see that the class sizes actually decreased, it was kind of eye-opening and we were able to move forward from there, she said.

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EXCLUSIVE: Disney/Pixars family film Onward has been banned in multiple Middle East markets due to the films minor reference to a lesbian relationship.

In the movie, about two teenage elf brothers in a mythical world who embark on a quest for magic, there is a passing reference to an LGBTQ relationship between two secondary characters.

More from Deadline

In the scene, the two lead characters, voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, are disguised as their mothers centaur boyfriend, Officer Bronco, and get into a conversation about parenting with two female police officers. The purple cyclops officer named Specter, voiced by Lena Waithe, commiserates with Officer Bronco and says. Its not easy being a new parent  my girlfriends daughter got me pulling my hair out, okay?

Waithes character has been heralded as Disneys first openly gay character.

But the reference hasnt gone down well with censors in some countries, sources have confirmed. Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have all banned the film due to the reference. The film, released regionally this week, is nowhere to be seen on cinema schedules in those territories. Other Middle East markets such as Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt are showing the film.

Russia, another territory with recent history for banning or censoring LGBT content, censored the Onward scene by changing the word girlfriend to partner and the local version avoids mentioning Specters gender.

Russia last year censored scenes in Rocketman and Avengers: Endgame due to LGBT references. In 2017, Disneys Beauty and the Beast was banned in markets including Kuwait and Malysia due to an LGBT moment. Russia slapped the film with a 16+ rating.

Story continues

We have reached out to Disney and Disneys MENA distributor Italia Film for comment.

Onward kicked off its North American theatrical run Thursday night making $2 million in previews.

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By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 30 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

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.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 23:52:48|Editor: yan

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BISHKEK, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Kyrgyz government has decided to close all schools and higher education institutions for fear of the spread of COVID-19, the press service of the Kyrgyz president said Saturday.

All schools and higher education institutions in the country will be closed for a period of three weeks from March 16, it said.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan on COVID-19, with the participation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Parliament Speaker Dastanbek Dzhumabekov, Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev and heads of ministries and departments.

The participants considered the implementation of the decisions of the previous two meetings of the Security Council on preventing the entry of the virus and ensuring the economic security of the country, the report said.

Jeenbekov emphasized that the health of the country's population is a priority. The situation is under the president's personal control, and he receives updates from government bodies every hour, he said.

Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz government said that the country has not seen any COVID-19 infection cases so far.
Dhaka/IBNS: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Friday welcomed Indian PM Narendra Modi's proposal for a constructive dialogue between SAARC leaders over tackling the Coronavirus issue.

" HPM Sheikh Hasina welcomes the proposal and look forward to a constructive dialogue with @narendramodi @ibusolih @PM_Nepal @PMBhutan @GotabayaR

n others HOSs/HOGs who already consented to discuss way forward at this testing time for the region and the world," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam tweeted.

HPM Sheikh Hasina welcomes the proposal and look forward to a constructive dialogue with @narendramodi @ibusolih @PM_Nepal @PMBhutan @GotabayaR n others HOSs/HOGs who already consented to discuss way forward at this testing time for the region and the world. https://t.co/62Jl506UsI  Md. Shahriar Alam (@MdShahriarAlam) March 13, 2020

Eight countries form the SAARC. They are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Maldives.

At a time when the world is witnessing major coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for SAARC nations to chalk out a strong strategy to fight the virus which is believed to have originated from China and then spread to different countries.

He further suggested that these strategies could be discussed, via video conferencing and by coming together SAARC nations can set an example to the world and contribute to a healthier planet.

In a series of tweets, PM said that South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population should leave no stone unturned to ensure the health of its people.

He also said that the Government is trying its best at various levels to combat COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.

Modi tweeted: "Our planet is battling the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it. South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population should leave no stone unturned to ensure our people are healthy."

In another tweet, he said, "I would like to propose that the leadership of SAARC nations chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus.

We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy. Together, we can set an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet."

India recorded its first death from the virus on Thursday. The deceased was a 76-year old man from Karnataka.

Three people from Kerala have, however, recovered.
The Chinese Communist Party has ramped up its propaganda efforts to control the narrative surrounding the novel coronavirusby slapping away criticism and painting a picture that Beijing is effectively handling the outbreak.

The regimes propaganda has gone through several phases, first ignoring the severity of the outbreak, then creating positive coverage, and now, blaming the United States.

Internal government documents obtained previously by The Epoch Times highlighted how the regime bungled its data tracking and censored discussions of the outbreak, fuelling the viruss spread.

High-ranking communist authorities have pushed a handful of talking points to deflect blame, including that the origin of the virus is not clear and may have come from the United Statesa conspiracy recently pushed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

The virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019.

When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army [sic] who brought the epidemic to Wuhan, Zhao wrote on Twitter on March 12. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe [sic] us an explanation!

Beijing has also pushed the narrative that its efforts to contain the virus bought the international community time to prepare, with the official Twitter account of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs writing that Chinas endeavor to combating the epidemic has bought time for intl preparedness. Our contribution is there for all to see.

This was echoed by a Harvard economist, who said in a March 9 interview on NPRs Marketplace program that China really did great work in buying the rest of us time.

Stories hyping up Chinas capability to contain the disease were pushed by Chinese state media at the same time that Beijing accused the United States of fear-mongering surrounding Chinas outbreak.

Theres been a repeated, relentless campaign against the United States and its been malicious, irresponsible, false of course, and dangerous, author and China expert Gordon Chang told The Epoch Times. This whole notion of China being beneficial to helping the world is misguided and indeed dangerous.

Chang said Beijing is bent on this narrative because the epidemic has become an existential crisis for the Chinese Communist Partys rule. Because the Chinese people are hot, angry, theyre demanding fundamental political change and so China needs to change the subject to show  that the Communist Party is leading the defense.

Chang believes more such propaganda materials will be published in the coming days. Beijing is going to relentlessly pursue them because it sees this as essential to its survival, Chang said, adding that the United States has an ally which is the Chinese people and we should never forget that our enemy is the regime.

Beijing has also accused the United States of creating panic by implementing restrictions on travelers from China.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, has stated that the travel ban made a difference in combating the spread of the virus in the United States.

The blame game narrative against the United States is gaining steam and appears to be one of the more effective talking points not just for countries outside of China, but for people inside China, according to Sarah Cook, senior research analyst for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at Freedom House, a U.S.-based human rights group.

It seems like they may have stumbled on this last one accidentally as various conspiracy theories along these lines started circulating on social media and then officials piggybacked on it and amplified the narrative after discovering that it was actually convincing people, Cook told The Epoch Times via email.

Cook said that this anti-American narrative has resonated with many in China and have to some degree been successful in refocusing anger and frustration away from the Party. She said the narrative was subtly stoked by official statements, state media reports, and the convenient absence of censorship for posts shifting the blame to the United States.

In the United States, over 1,200 people have contracted the virus and at least 33 people have died, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, at the time of writing.

The White House and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

From The Epoch Times
Delhi riots probe made further headway on Saturday with the arrest of five more people in connection with the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma during the riots, said police officials.

Delhi police had arrested one person for Sharmas murder on Thursday.

Those arrested have been identified as Firoz, Javed, Gulfam, Shoyaib and Anas.

Sharma was allegedly stabbed multiple times and his body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhis Chand Bagh area on February 27, a day after he had gone missing after Delhi riots broke out.

A man named Salman, also known as Nanhe, was arrested on Thursday for Sharmas murder.

Sharmas face and some other body parts had allegedly been burnt to conceal his identity. The IB staffers murder has been one of the most highlighted cases of Delhi riots that took 53 lives in the clashes within 36 hours, according to the Union home ministry.

Home minister Amit Shah told Parliament that a breakthrough in Sharmas murder was made possible by video evidence shared by the residents of Delhi, one of which captured one of the accused assaulting Sharma with a knife.

I am hopeful that the mystery behind Ankit Sharmas murder would be unravelled by one of the video clips shot by people during the riots, the home minister told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday evening.

Delhi Police had also arrested suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain last week in connection with Sharmas murder case. Police had also recovered locally made explosive materials from Hussains house. Hussain, however, denies any role in Sharmas murder or fanning of riots.
Onestop shops redefine small businesses in SL By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

As a major effort to enhance the ease of doing business in the country, the government has launched the creation of one-stop shops for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

These one stop service centres will assist MSMEs for the registration, administration, providing access to credit, market and other facilities under one roof, Finance Ministry sources said.

A sum of Rs. 150 million has been allocated to set up these centres countrywide this year but it would be ready for business registration only by next year,

The Confederation of MSME (COSMI) welcomes the Governments move to set up one stop service centres in collaboration with regional and district chambers and business associations. These centres could play a positive role in improving the countrys economy without depending solely on the public sector for its success, Founder President, COSMI Nawaz Rajabeen told the Business Times.

It would introduce e-business registration with online application facilities and also facilitate approval from environmental authorities, Ministry of Health offices, and licenses from local authorities and other government agencies.

The initiative, which will make it possible for local entrepreneurs to interact with relevant regulatory agencies in one location, will also provide opportunities for them to update their knowledge on current practices in business.

It should also ensure seamless collaboration of the agencies on improving the ease of doing business in the country

In addition to this, MSMEs would be connected with quality certification agencies such as the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) and facilitate the process.

These enterprises would also be provided with technology and innovation assistance, entrepreneurship and management development facilities, and access to finance.

Banks and financial institutes will be linked with these one-stop shops and information and guidance on various loan schemes will be provided to it, a senior Treasury official said.

These centres will establish market linkages with the corporate sector and guide them on exploring international markets and organise promotional activities.

It is expected to streamline the assistance provided by the business development service (BDS) providers of the country and help them effectively focus on the needs of the MSMEs.

A governing body will function under the district secretary to manage the centres and this governing body will consist of members from the public and private sectors.

The governing body will be headed by the district secretary or his/her nominee and co-chaired by a representative from the provincial council and the private sector.

MSMEs numbering one million contribute about 52 per cent to the countrys GDP and provide livelihood to more than three million people, which is 45 per cent of the countrys total employment.
The interior ministry slammed reports of plans to lock down Budapest over the new coronavirus outbreak as fake news, saying that no such scenario was discussed at the meeting of the operative board coordinating Hungarys response to the virus.

Police are investigating the source of the report, the ministry said in a statement.



The operative board has urged the public to comply with the rules set by the authorities and to stick to credible sources when keeping updated on the virus.
A boat show put on by Expo Management Group will still be held at the DCU Center in Worcester this weekend, hours after Gov. Charlie Baker announced a ban of large gatherings.

Baker banned any gatherings of groups of 250 people or more in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus.

DCU Center staff will monitor attendance of the event to ensure that between employees and guests there are no more than 250 people. Staff will use turnstiles to keep track of people going into the event space, a DCU spokeswoman said.

The boat show runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

There was no estimate on how many people are expected to attend the boat show, but the show has been well attended in previous years.

As of Friday afternoon, there are 123 cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts, according to the state Department of Public Health. Of those cases, 105 are presumptive and 18 are confirmed by the CDC.

Two of those cases are in Worcester County, according to DPH.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-15 01:31:50|Editor: yan

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ALGIERS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Health Ministry Saturday announced the third death case and 10 new confirmed case of the COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 37.

The ministry said in a statement that the third victim is a 51-year-old woman who lived in the province of Blida, adding that 12 patients were discharged from hospitals.

We "will continue to find and identify all the people infected," affirmed the ministry, adding that "the watch and alert system set up by the ministry remains in force and the mobilization of health teams remains at its highest level."

The government has so far taken several measures to thwart the spread of the virus, including suspending flights to some countries, banning fans from attending sport events, and postponing training camps abroad for local athletes.
Police identify Staten Islands first homicide victim of 2020

The NYPD released the name of a 23-year-old man who was shot and killed in the vicinity of the Stapleton Houses on Thursday night.

Avanti Brock, 23, of Travis, was pronounced dead at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze where he was taken by EMS, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Click here for more details.

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Doctors from Eltingville and Dongan Hills sentenced in separate pill-mill schemes

Two Staten Island doctors helped fuel the opioid-addiction crisis by running pill-mills that put hundreds of thousands of medically-unnecessary pills on the street and cash in their pockets.

But the flush times are long gone for Dr. Carl Anderson and Dr. Nkanga Nkanga.

Click here for the full story.

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Cops: Cards stolen from car in Castleton Corners used for 10-store shopping spree

A 50-year-old man and his accomplices stole a wallet from a parked car and then used the cards to make illegal purchases at 10 Staten Island businesses in one day, authorities allege.

Eric Mccarthy, 50, of the 200 block of Taylor Street in West Brighton, and six suspects who remain at large allegedly racked up over $2,300 in charges at North Shore businesses ranging from mom-and-pop stores to the tony Empire Outlets.

Click here for the full story.

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Family of Fort Wadsworth man killed in police-involved shooting sues the NYPD

The family of a Fort Wadsworth man is suing the two police officers involved in the shooting that killed him.

Police Officers Amir Pali and Salvatore Balistreri entered the home of Faustino Dioso in Bridge Court on Dec. 9, 2018 while responding to a 911 call for a family dispute, according to a recently released report from District Attorney Michael McMahon's office that cleared both officers.

Click here for more details.

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'I did it for my son, man accused of South Shore auto thefts allegedly says

Authorities allege that a 23-year-old man stole cars and items inside a vehicle on the South Shore, then claimed he was doing the crimes to benefit his son.

Vernon Lowman, of the 2200 block of Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn, was arrested on Monday in connection with the crimes, according to police and the criminal complaint.

The arrest in a pattern of car thefts was announced on the 123rd Precinct Twitter feed.

Click here for more details.

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Sanitation boss accused of beatdown in Richmond Valley

A Sanitation Department supervisor assaulted a man on the street in Richmond Valley last week, authorities allege.

Gennaro Basciano, 39, a deputy chief at Sanitation who lives at Bay Street Landing in St. George, was arrested on Monday at about 8 a.m. inside the 123rd Precinct stationhouse in Tottenville.

He is accused in an alleged assault last Wednesday at about 4:05 p.m. on the 200 block of Richmond Valley Road.

Click here for more details.

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Staten Island minister indicted on murder charges in 1980 strangulation case

A Staten Island minister has been indicted on murder charges by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in the 1980 murder of a 19-year-old woman in East Flatbush.

James Burrus, 63, who, according to Advance records, was the pastor of By Divine Purpose Christian Center in West Brighton as recently as 2017, is accused of strangling Lorraine Snell in late September 1980, Gonzalez said.

Click here for more details.

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Bronx man, 36, stole RUMC ambulette, authorities allege

A 36-year-old Bronx man who allegedly swiped a Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) ambulette from the hospitals grounds late last month now faces multiple charges after his arrest.

Richard Rodriguez, a resident of the 900 block of Faile Street in the Bronx, allegedly entered a 2011 Ford Ecololine van parked at the hospital at approximately 11:15 p.m. on Feb. 27, according to a criminal complaint. A source told the Advance the vehicle is a RUMC ambulette.

Click here for more details.
South Main is somewhat walkable, is bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options, according to Walk Score's rating system.

So what does the low-end rent on a rental in South Main look like these days  and what might you get for the price?

We took a look at local listings in South Main via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this Houston neighborhood.

Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (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.

South Bartell Drive

Listed at $799/month, this 700-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom space, located at South Bartell Drive, is 11.0% less than the $898/month median rent for a one bedroom in South Main.

The building offers secured entry. Also, expect a renovated kitchen and hardwood flooring in the furnished unit. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs.

(See the complete listing here.)

2401 Westridge St.

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 2401 Westridge St., is listed for $840/month.

The unit has a walk-in closet; there's also on-site laundry available. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

8410 W. Bartell Drive

Finally, here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 8410 W. Bartell Drive, which, at 622 square feet, is going for $857/month.

The building include secured entry. In the unit, anticipate a dishwasher, a fireplace and hardwood flooring. Good news for pet lovers: This property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The listing specifies a $250 pet 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.
Two House Republicans who represent parts of the Houston area voted against a coronavirus relief package early Saturday that would provide $1 billion each for food security programs, unemployment insurance and testing for uninsured patients.

The sweeping legislation, which would also give paid sick, family and medical leave to government and small business employees, passed the House on a 363-40 vote, drawing opposition from U.S. Reps. Brian Babin, R-Woodville, and Randy Weber, R-Friendswood.

Four other Texas Republicans  Michael Cloud of Victoria, Lance Gooden of Terrell, Louie Gohmert of Tyler and Chip Roy of Austin  voted against the measure. U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, was one of three Texas Republicans who did not vote.

The congressmen who opposed the relief package expressed dismay over the allegedly rushed nature of the vote. Babin said he had less than 30 minutes to review the 110-page bill, and Weber said it was not made available to members until just minutes before the vote.

I did not support it because I am not in favor of passing a bill to find out what is in it, Weber said. Having said that, if it passes the Senate and becomes law, we will do everything we can to make sure it is implemented and our district receives the full benefits afforded by law.

The bill came together after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin struck a deal following repeated rounds of negotiations. President Donald Trump tweeted his support for the legislation Friday evening, sparking broad support from congressional Republicans.

The Senate is expected to take up and pass the package next week. It comes on the heels of an $8.3 billion emergency funding bill signed by Trump earlier this month that included funding for vaccine research.

The four House Democrats from Houston  Sylvia Garcia, Al Green, Lizzie Fletcher and Sheila Jackson Lee  all supported the bill, along with Republican U.S. Reps. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, and Michael McCaul, R-Austin. (McCauls district extends into the Houston suburbs.)

This is really a forward-looking bill, Fletcher said in a news conference with Pelosi and other Democrats shortly after midnight. We have been talking to the experts and listening to people about what is to come. The data and the scientists are telling us what we need to expect, and this bill anticipates the needs that we will have and meets them.

Babin, whose district sprawls across west Texas and takes in the Houston Ship Channel and Johnson Space Center, said the House had no reason to rush the vote because the Senate is not in session. He compared the situation to Pelosis statement on the Affordable Care Act in 2010, when she said, We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.

Just after midnight last night, she did it again with this coronavirus supplemental bill. I voted NO, Babin said. My constituents elected me to read and understand the bills we vote on, and to allow them to do the same. With the U.S. Senate not back in session until Monday evening, the bill by definition cannot be signed into law until early next week.

Still, Babin acknowledged the the unprecedented crisis we are facing as a country and said the package contains a number of provisions that will help to alleviate it.

As Congress continues our work on legislation to address the immediate needs and long-term challenges of this pandemic, we must do so with a transparent and open process, Babin said.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to reassure nervous Americans Tuesday as cases of the coronavirus rose into the hundreds across the nation. But the administration is at odds with congressional Democrats who say Trumps plans to lessen the economic fallout of the crisis wont help the hardest-hit American workers. VOAs congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more from increasingly concerned lawmakers on Capitol Hill. VOA Khmer's Sopheada Phy narrates.
Deposed Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II has revealed the hell he went through following his deposition, and those who orchestrated his ordeal.

According to him in his application on Friday , his arrest order, banishment from Kano and subsequent detention in Awe, Nasarawa State, came from Abuja.

He said Kanos Attorney General Ibrahim Muktar, and AGFA Abubakar Malami (SAN), instructed the Department of State Services and police to detain him.

Former Gov. Rabiu Kwakwanso, who installed Sanusi in 2014, said during the week President Muhammadu Buhari was privy to the dethronement.

But Aso Rock denied it.

Following the order, the security agents, Sanusi said, harassed and rushed him out of the palace without his personal belongings.

For transportation, he said a friend of his sent an aircraft to Kano to bring him and his family to Lagos. The Kano commissioner of police, however, ordered him to fly to Abuja in another aircraft without his family members.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, where he filed the suit through his counsel Lateef Fagbemi on Friday, granted an interim order for his release.

Fagbemi urged the court to restore the former emirs rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria.

He applied that his client be freed from the detention and allowed to move about in Nigeria apart from Kano in the interim.

He said his client had not been charged with any criminal offence to warrant his detention.

Justice Anwuli Chikere granted the application.

The respondents to which the court order was directed are, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, Muktar, and Malami.

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If theres anything good to be said about government response to the coronavirus, its that Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration show a level of leadership worthy of note.

I hope Pennsylvanians see and appreciate it.

While Wolf isnt getting the attention of say New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a larger state with a national media center and many more reported cases, Wolfs measured presence conveys a sense of competence in unsettled times.

Read more: The latest news on the coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Thats a definition of leadership.

Hes shown no politicking, no bluster, no sugar-coating, no pretense of medical expertise.

But hes been aggressive in ordering actions to help reduce the spread of the virus by closing schools and adult day-care centers in areas hit the hardest.

And hes pushed proactive steps statewide, including asking all citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, crowds and large group meetings, movie theaters, malls, gyms and fitness centers.

The time to do this is now. We cannot wait, Wolf said firmly at a recent daily briefing.

Im not sure how many Pennsylvanians watch these briefings from the states emergency management center in Harrisburg -- live-streamed on Wolfs website (governor.pa.gov/live/) -- but they offer up-to-date information, include questions from the media and are conducted with professionalism by state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine.

She and Wolf are even-handed and calm. And she continually stresses hand-washing, social distancing, staying home if sick, all while reminding, as she did on Friday, the importance of remembering, This is a rapidly changing situation.

Yes, there are questions about more specific information regarding infected individuals, and she and the Health Department could be more transparent there.

There are questions about how prepared Pennsylvania is in terms of testing and medical equipment, and they are questions facing the nation that remain to be answered as the virus progresses.

And there were questions why other states, including neighbors Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia, closed all K-12 schools, while Pennsylvania ordered closings only in hard-hit Montgomery County.

Those questions were answered late Friday when Wolf announced all schools closed starting Monday.

Fact is were in unchartered waters filled with rip tides and changing currents.

The apparent truth is nobody knows enough about this virus to accurately predict its damage or duration. And theres just no evident playbook on how to best respond to it.

Not only does this issue require constant cooperation between states and the federal government at a time the federal government, I think its fair to say, doesnt project the highest level of public confidence.

But it seems clear that no state has the resources to address every aspect of the crisis. And it seems clear every decision any governor makes is going to be questioned.

In addition, there are those who feel this whole thing is overblown, and some who feel its politically-driven to hurt the reelection chances of President Trump.

But in the face of pandemic disease, the last place to turn for answers or guidance is politics (or social media).

What one should do as a public servant is ignore politics and follow science, and thats what Wolf has done.

This is not inconsistent with his tenure as governor. Even those, and there are many, who disagree with him and his agenda, see him as a judicious, good and decent person.

Theyre not alone in their positive assessment. Polling numbers of the nations 22 Democratic governors late last year show Wolf with a 53-percent approval rating, second only to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Nothing so far in his handling of the current health crisis is likely to change that. Unless its a change for the better.

John Baer may be reached at baer.columnist@gmail.com
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Yes Bank has rallied more than 300 percent after hitting a low of Rs 5.55 on March 6. The cash-strapped lender received a Rs 3,700 crore booster shot from five financial institutions along with State Bank of India (SBI). The move is likely to calm the frayed nerves of investors and depositors.

The Cabinet on March 13 approved Yes Bank Reconstruction Scheme 2020, with a higher authorised capital of Rs 6,200 crore as against Rs 5,000 crore as per RBI Draft Reconstruction Scheme 2020.

As per the contours of the scheme, ICICI Bank (Rs 1,000 crore), Axis Bank (Rs 600 crore), Kotak Mahindra Bank (Rs 500 crore), Bandhan Bank (Rs 300 crore), Federal Bank (Rs 300 crore) and HDFC (Rs 1,000 crore) will infuse Rs 3,700 crore as equity into the crisis-hit Yes Bank. State Bank of India will invest Rs 7,250 crore for up to 26 percent stake with a lock-in of three years as against the earlier envisaged 49 percent stake.

It also announced the lifting of the moratorium by 6 pm on March 18 (from April 3 earlier), the third working day after the reconstruction scheme comes into force.

So, has the private sector lender turned a corner and more importantly has become an investment play? Market experts don't think so. They cited asset quality concerns, which could play spoilsport in the future. At best, they see it as a good trading play.

The current moratorium on deposit withdrawal and capital infusion are just the first steps toward the revival of Yes Bank," Emkay Global said in a recent report, maintaining its sell call on the private sector lender. The brokerage sees many more such steps for a 'sustainable long term revival' of the bank to 'survive and thrive independently'.

Ajit Mishra, V-P Research, Religare Broking, too echoed the concern raised by Emkay. Mishra went a step further and advises investors to 'avoid' investing, especially when there are 'a list of quality banking names available at a good bargain'.

: 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.
Tompkins County has closed all schools within the county and officials declared a state of emergency on Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic, county officials said.

Fifteen people are currently under investigation for COVID-19 in the county and it appears inevitable that the county will have a confirmed case in the near future, according to a statement from county officials.

The closure includes the Ithaca City School District. Schools are set to be closed through April 12.

On Friday, Oneida and Herkimer counties closed public schools.

A statewide teachers union said Friday it wanted all schools in counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases to be closed.

As of 3 p.m. on Friday, New York City and 14 counties in New York had confirmed COVID-19 cases.

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.
They figure on Zimbabwe's national flag, banknotes and official documents -- birds representing stone statues taken by colonialists more than a century ago.

The eight original sculptures hold great spiritual value for people of the southern African nation and have been made into national emblems.

Six of the large carvings were stolen from the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, an imposing stone complex built between the 11th and 13th centuries and attributed to pre-colonial King Munhumutapa.

The palatial enclosures are now a UNESCO world heritage site situated in the southeast of Zimbabwe, 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the present day city of Masvingo.

Almost all of the prized green-grey soapstone birds that were looted have now been returned to the country.

Only one remains in South Africa, where it is kept in the house of 19th century British mining magnate and imperialist Cecil Rhodes.

In a rare move last month, four of the statues were temporarily set on the original plinths from where they were stolen at the Great Zimbabwe monument.

Archaeological curator Munyaradzi Sagiya walks in a corridor by a conical tower. Parts of the structure, at least eight centuries old, compare with the majesty of the Giza Pyramids. By Jekesai NJIKIZANA (AFP)

The heavy figurines -- some standing at about 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) -- were moved from an on-site museum and placed outdoors on pedestals for a photo shoot.

Their pictures were taken for a book on ancient African art - "Zimbabwe: Art, Symbols and Meaning" -- to be published in September. The country marks the 40th anniversary of independence from Britain next month.

The book will be co-authored by a Zimbabwe-born duo, mother and son -- Gillian Atherstone and Duncan Wylie -- who now respectively live in Britain and France.

"The birds are among the most symbolic cultural objects of our time," the head of Zimbabwe's national museums Godfrey Mahachi, told AFP.

"They connect the present with our past."

Great Zimbabwe ruins curator Munyaradzi Sagiya said the statues are kept inside the museum for security reasons.

"Not everyone who visits a museum is there to admire the displays," he said.

The birds initially installed at Great Zimbabwe were carved out of grey and green sandstone. By Jekesai NJIKIZANA (AFP)

Africa's former colonial powers have recently come under pressure to send looted artefacts back to their home countries.

Germany returned the chopped off pedestal of one of the birds in 2003.

Zimbabwe's late ex-president Robert Mugabe said at the time that the piece had "a very eventful if not troubled existence during its almost 100 years in exile."

South Africa returned five other birds in 1981, one year after Zimbabwe's independence.

The eighth remains in Rhodes' Cape Town home.

Retrieving that statue could be complicated, said Sagiya, as Rhodes left his estate to the South African government after his death.
Sudans Health Ministry on Friday reported the first coronavirus case and and his death.

The ministry identified the case as a 50-year-old man who lived in the capital Khartoum, and died on Thursday.

He had visited the United Arab Emirates, which confirmed 74 cases on Tuesday, in the first week of March, the ministry noted.

On Thursday, Sudan started closing its border with Egypt and barred entry of citizens from eight countries amid measures to stem the spread of the virus.



After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 123 countries and territories.

The global death toll is now nearly 5,000, with more than 132,500 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
'There should be an inquiry about how the people came to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh and during the violence,' a group of women at Shaheen Bagh said at a late-night press conference. 'We want a fair probe into the violence in Jaffrabad, Shiv Vihar and Maujpur.'

New Delhi: The women of Shaheen Bagh demanded on Friday a fair probe in the communal violence in northeast Delhi and a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the victims. "There should be an inquiry about how the people came to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh and during the violence," a group of women at the site said at a late-night press conference. "We want a fair probe into the violence in Jaffrabad, Shiv Vihar and Maujpur."

The communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi on 24 February and continued till 26 February, claimed at least 53 lives and leftover 200 people injured, besides inflicting massive damage to properties and businesses.

The women said their protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens, National Population Register and police action at the Jamia Millia Islamia completed its 90 days at Shaheen Bagh

on Friday.

"On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha that no Muslim needs to be scared. We want to tell the home minister that not only Muslims but other minorities are also scared," a protester said.

The Centre should also pass a resolution against the contentious citizenship law and NRC in Parliament, and revoke the amendments to the Act, a protester demanded.

As a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic, the women said the protesters were being provided with masks and hand sanitisers. "Woman are regularly cleaning their hijabs. No need to be scared of coronavirus," the protesters added.
For Mia Dyson, Liz Stringer and Jen Cloher, the three Australian songwriters that make up the supergroup Dyson Stringer Cloher, its important to look to the past while paving the way for the future. Falling Joys, the fist-pumping, harmony-soaked anthem from their self-titled debut album, celebrates the underappreciated brilliance of the women who came before them. The track pays tribute to the female-fronted 90s rock outfits Falling Joys and the Clouds with lyrics such as You kicked the door wide open, so I could walk onto that stage.

Jen Cloher (left), Liz Stringer and Mia Dyson are touring their debut album, Dyson Stringer Cloher.

Dyson can clearly see the impact trailblazing women have had in making it easier for future generations to carve out a musical career. All three of us have experienced younger women letting us know that weve inspired them to pick up an instrument or start writing, she says. Thats whats lovely about celebrating the women whove gone before us who maybe didnt get the recognition. We owe our gratitude to the women whove come before.

While the three close friends already all had their own successful solo careers, they decided to come together as Dyson Stringer Cloher in 2013 to record an EP and tour regionally. However, with Dyson in Los Angeles, Stringer in Toronto and Cloher in Melbourne, it wasnt until last year their schedules aligned so they could release their debut album. After a successful tour last year backed by a band, tonight they return as a trio to perform a special gig at The Vanguard. Im a big rock n roller at heart and I love loud, but Ive really come to appreciate when we strip it back to just the three of us, says Dyson. Its super intimate and vulnerable.

Dyson Stringer Cloher, 6pm, The Vanguard, 42 King Street, Newtown, $34.15, thevanguard.com.au
100 years ago

Fatal sleeping sickness

Alice E. Mora of Hamilton Street died as a result of encephalitis lethargica, the mysterious sleeping sickness which had been prevalent after the influenza epidemic of October 1918. She became the third person who died in the city from the disease within a short period of time. A fourth victim was Harry Vander Pool, 8 ,of Harrison Avenue, who recently lapsed into a coma following contracting a cold, and whom doctors said could not survive.

 Times Union, March 14, 1920

50 years ago

More expensive calls

The cost of a call from Albany to New York City on a public coin telephone would increase by 30 cents and a call between Albany and Buffalo would increase by 40 cents under the new rates which would be put into effect March 15 by the New York Telephone Co. Night calls, which were cheaper, would cost 20 cents more for calls between New York City and Albany; those between Albany and Buffalo would increase by 30 cents, the Public Service Commission said in announcing the new coin telephone rates. Previously, day rates were 75 cents for a New York-Albany call and $1.15 for a call between Albany and Buffalo. When the phone company increased its rates statewide on Feb. 26, the higher charges were applied for "operator handled" calls, which were made person-to-person, collect, by credit card and also requests for "time and charges."

 Times Union, March 14, 1970

Looking Back is compiled by C.J. Lais and Azra Haqqie. For questions about this feature or to submit information about historic events, contact Tim Blydenburgh, 518-454-5421 or tblydenburgh@timesunion.com
This week, weed and music continue to intersect.

The Strange Traveler Art Boxes

Washington D.C. artist Ben Garlock, who goes by the name Kid Cannibal, has launched 100 limited edition Strange Traveler Art Boxes to coincide with the debut of his new album.

Each 8x8 box is an all-in-one package filled with curated art, music and cannabis. They include: a voucher worth $120 in cannabis purchases from Voyager Club, stash jars, Voyager Club rolling papers and a certificate of authenticity. The box is also nostalgic in that it includes a Strange Traveler cassette tape.

The box sets are available in four different "journeys": Japan, Italy, China and Caribbean.

People dont appreciate music and people dont respect the cannabis industry, Garlock said. With the [Strange Traveler] Art Box, I wanted to change both of those statements by not only bringing music to people, but by bringing people an experience in a beautiful box lined with classic art and filled with respectable, high-quality, local, pesticide-free cannabis. This is a move to elevate both industries to new creative heights.

Jonathan Hay And Sarah Rushs New Techno Label

Multi-platinum producer Jonathan Hay, a cannabis advocate and patient, partnered up with London's Sarah Rushforth, a.k.a. Sarah Rush, to create R.U.S.H Music.

The multifaceted label will be focused on techno music.

While overseas, Rushforth helped Hay shape the sound of Follow the Leader with hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim - an acclaimed album that ended up reaching #1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts (with a big help from the good herb).

Rushforth has been attending raves all over Europe and North America for over a decade, meeting the worlds biggest house and techno DJs. She believes that raving has always been predominantly about the music, but also about recharging your soul and energy - almost like therapy.

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She made Hay aware of DJ's such as Carl Cox, Marco Carola, Black Coffee, Solomun, wAFF and Matinez Brothers  to name a few.

The plan for R.U.S.H Music is to hold events across North America  including New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Detroit and Chicago  and target large music festivals. Eventually the plan is to bring their electronic sounds to Europe, in places like Spain, Portugal, England and most importantly, the electronic music capital of the world, Ibiza.

Hay and Rushforth are also inspired by Elrow, seeing it as a perfect business model that sells-out hundreds of events worldwide every year. Like R.U.S.H, Elrow started as a two people operation of a brother and sister from Barcelona, Spain and now together with a huge team they have an infrastructure that has the ability to host five parties anywhere in the world on any given day.

Elrow is such an inspriation to the R.U.S.H founders and Sarah has attended so many of their infamous shows including Elrow Fesival in London and the Elrow club in Barcelona. They both consider Elrow to be the most innovative and successful party in the world right now, Hay told Benzinga.

R.U.S.H Music has partnered up with Fat Beats and Seven Seas Music to help with their global ambitions. Sky's the limit, he concluded.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.

President Donald Trump announced he has been tested for the novel coronavirus and expects to receive results within a few days.

I took the test last night. I decided I should based on the press conference yesterday, people were asking Did I take the test?  he said during a press briefing on Saturday.

While the president shared he does not know how long it will take for him to get back the results, he said they have been sent to a lab.

When Trump, who took his temperature before the press conference, was exiting the briefing, he was asked if his temperature was normal. Totally normal, the president responded.

Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock

Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the coronavirus task force, also spoke, giving an update about travel restrictions.

The president just foreshadowed in our task force meeting today, the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time, he said. As the president just suggested, all of our health experts presented information, Dr. Fauci will reflect on some of those numbers, made a unanimous decision to the president that we suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland that will be effective midnight Monday night eastern standard time. Again, Americans in the U.K. or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home, but as the secretary will detail they will be funneled through specific airports and processed.

In addition, Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, told reporters that travelers from the U.K. and Ireland will undergo some medical screening and some other questions when they arrive and then they will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive.

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Trump has not shown symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus and does not require quarantining at this time, according to the White House doctor who spoke out on Friday.

Despite coming into contact with two infected individuals, White House physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley shared in a memorandum that testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated as Trump remains without symptoms.

AUL LOEB/Getty Images

According to Conley, Trump, 73, briefly came in contact with Fabio Wajngarten, the communications director for Bolsonaro, who showed symptoms three days after meeting with the president last weekend at a diplomatic dinner in Palm Beach, Florida, PEOPLE previously reported.

Wajngarten later tested positive for the virus, Conley confirmed.

On Friday, the White House became aware of another dinner guest, Nestor Forster, who was symptom-free until this morning and has since tested positive for COVD-19.

RELATED: Brazilian Diplomat Nestor Forster, Who Had Dinner with Donald Trump, Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Conley explained that while Trumps exposure to Wajngarten was in closer proximity to the second case, his interactions with the diplomats occurred before any symptom onset.

These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time, Conley shared.

While the president remains without symptoms, Conley said he will continue to monitor and care for the President and will update you as more information becomes available.

In an effort to combat cases of COVID-19, all reporters attending the White House press briefing on Saturday were required to have their temperatures checked before being allowed into the building.

According to CNN, one journalist was denied after he was recorded to have a 99.9 fever.

RELATED: Mike Pence Urges Common Sense at Coronavirus Press Conference  as Trump Keeps Shaking Hands Next to Him

Appearing alongside Trump at a Friday afternoon news conference, during which he declared a national emergency over the novel coronavirus pandemic, Pence called on Americans to use common sense in addressing the virus spread.

I encourage everyone to follow these guidelines by the CDC. A lot of it is common sense, Trump echoed at one point from the podium, even as he repeatedly shook hands with attendees  which officials have warned against.

As of March 14, there have been at least 2,195 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 49 deaths in the United States, according to The New York Times.

Several states have declared a state of emergency to redirect funding, and public schools in Ohio, Maryland, New Mexico, Michigan, Oregon and the District of Columbia have closed in response.
Actors Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhats upcoming fantasy drama Brahmastra is again in news -- the films shoot in Mumbai was cancelled over coronavirus crisis. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the step was taken for the well-being of the team.

Quoting a source the report said, Both Ayan and Ranbir have decided to make the safety and well-being of the team their priority. They do not want to put them at any kind of risk. So, for now, the shoot has been shifted to April. This was the final leg of the shoot.

Brahmastra has seen quite a few delays -- the film is scheduled to release now in December 2020. In February this year, Alia, Ranbir, Ayan Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan had featured in a short video clip to announce the final release date of the film. The fantasy drama, which has been in production since 2018, was to release in December 2019. In April that year, Ayan had taken to social media to share the news, adding that the delay was due to the extensive VFX work that the project needed.

Also read | Zee Cine Awards 2020: Ranveer Singh wins big at audience-free ceremony, Deepika Padukone gushes over his looks. See pics

Sharing the news, he had written: When we broke the logo for Brahmastra at the Kumbh, we were excited that the end of the road is near, Christmas 2019...the date we announced for the release of the movie. But in the past weeks, I have learnt that teams working on the movie, lead by my VFX teams need more time in order to get the VFX right, to get the sound and music right, to get the film right.

The film will see Ranbir play a superhero named Shiva while Alia will be seen as a character named Isha. It has extensively been shot in places like Bulgaria, Varanasi, Manali and Mumbai. The film, a first part of a trilogy, will also star Amitabh, Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Hemming offered a prayer for this uncertain moment: Father God, come. Lord Jesus, come. Holy Spirit, come. Be among us now. Pour out your grace upon us during this anxious time. Our routines are getting changed so much, as more and more things are getting cancelled. Free us from the fear that desires to set into our souls. Open our eyes to the needs of others. Help us to be cautious and yet actively living out our faith. We love you God. Make sure that is demonstrated in what we say and do in these uncertain times. In Christs name I pray, Amen.
A medical journal on display at the Heo Jun Museum in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff





Heo Jun (1537-1615) the great healer. An exhibit at the Heo Jun Museum in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection

These days, the news is dominated by the coronavirus.



Everyone  including doctors  has an opinion that often conflicts with, or contradicts, the opinions of others. Sometimes these differences can become quite heated, with denunciations of "quackery" between the two parties. The present is no different from the past.



J. Bernard Busteed, an American missionary doctor in Korea in the 1890s, was quite opinionated when it came to the differences between Western medicine (which he obviously favored and viewed as real) and Korean traditional medicine (which he tolerated at times but generally mocked).



According to Busteed, there were two types of doctors in Korea: those of the low class and those of the high class. The doctors of the low class had no formal training (only what they picked up here and there) and gave what medicine they thought best  trying one after another until they either healed their patient or killed him. There were many of these "irregular" doctors in Seoul and they were looked down on by their more-learned peers.



The high-class doctor, on the other hand, "has made a study of medicine for years, having originally learned from his father or from one high up in the profession and known to have great skill in curing disease."



Busteed cautioned that in Korea, as in the United States, one had to choose one's doctor carefully based on his reputation, "keen perceptive faculties" and understanding of what he was to treat.



Horace N. Allen was also critical of Korean traditional medicine, especially as to who should be practicing it. He claimed that "all educated Koreans seem to think they can practice medicine" and have no hesitation to try their hand at acupuncture. Using dirty needles, they sometimes did more damage than good.





A diorama of Heo Jun attending King Seonjo on his deathbed. Heo Jun Museum in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection



He recalled the experience of one of his Korean friends:



"His only son was the last male of seven generations: he was a handsome, strong young man of about twenty-one years. One day he complained of a headache at the back of his head and a friend who was with him proposed giving him a needle





A statue of Heo Jun along Heo Jun Street in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection Heogabawi marker in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection

"The boy's mother was behind the screen and urged him to take the needle and get relief from his pain. He consented and his friend boldly plunged the needle into the back of the sufferer's neck, accidentally piercing the medulla, so that the young man fell down frothing at the mouth and died.



"His mother died of a broken heart within a few hours, and my poor old friend was bereft of his son and his only wife; for he was one of the few natives of my acquaintance who had taken but one wife."



Of course, there were other extremes.



Another powerful tool of the traditional doctors was moxa (moxibustion). According to Busteed, "moxa is made of leaves powdered finely and compressed. There are two ways of applying the moxa  one to apply directly to the skin, the other placed inside of a portion of a gourd which has been cut in two and used as an inverted cup. The moxa is attached to the top of this inverted cup, lighted and the gourd applied to the body and held in position by the hand."



Several of my friends  Korean and foreign  swear by moxa as a treatment for their ills. But, according to one of Busteed's Korean companions, it also had the ability to bring people back from the brink of death  at least temporarily.



"A man who had been in the water three hours and apparently dead was brought very carefully to the shore, the attendants being careful to avoid unnecessary movement. He was laid on the warm kang floor of a house nearby, ashes were spread on the swollen abdomen and around the edges of the ashes in a circle were placed perhaps from twenty to thirty moxas. The body was compressed from the sides by a Korean pack saddle and then the moxas were lighted. It is said the water came out from all the openings in the body and the man was restored enough to breathe but not to consciousness."



Busteed's friend swore to the veracity of the account  claiming to have witnessed it  and admitted the man died the next day, but the fact he breathed at all after his apparent death was due to the moxa.



Western doctors were not the only ones critical of Korean traditional doctors. Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a naturalized American physician, described them as being "about the most helpless human beings as I had ever seen when they were called upon to treat a case of sickness. They had no knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics or biology. They only thing they said they knew were the virtues of different herbs and some animal tissues, but they were absolutely ignorant as to their chemical composition or the reason for their administration."



Tomorrow we will look at some of these potions, ointments and salves  and their ingredients.





The path to Heogabawi in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection





Heogabawi, also known as Gongam  "the empty rock." According to legend, this was the birthplace of Heo Seonmun, the progenitor of the Heo clan. Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection





A sign board at Heogabawi, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, January 2020. Robert Neff Collection
Its a celebration day for Led Zeppelin, whose latest trip to the legal gallows pole was far kinder to the classic hard-rock band than no quarter. On Monday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a 2016 trial-court decision that the opening guitar riff of Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelins most famous song, was not so similar to the song Taurus by Spirit as to infringe on the latters copyright. (Compare for yourself here.) Now Led Zeppelins surviving members can relax down by the seaside, or take a trip over the hills and far away.

But while Led Zeppelin has been exonerated (though still guilty of other borrowing, in my view), this wont be the last case of its kind to make it to court. It certainly wasnt the first. And while there may be something inherently strange about trying to prove legally that acts of theft can be found in a musical setting, other potential means of redress tend to prove ultimately unsatisfactory.

Its true that much of popular music exists in a kind of permeable membrane, as musicians play off, inspire, compete with, and  yes  steal from one other. John Lennon considered himself one of those people . . . who like to know where licks and things come from, in part because he was always nicking little things himself. He did so while analyzing a song by Electric Light Orchestra, a band that quite consciously mimicked the musical style of the Beatles, though crucially without ever stealing from them outright. At its best, this kind of interplay can be a kind of compliment between acts and can improve the quality of the music that ends up in listeners ears.

Things get harder, though, when the similarity passes into larceny. But it can be hard to prove legally actionable musical theft. Which is why the successful lawsuits of this nature usually try to prove that bands accused of such copyright infringement would likely have been aware of the song they are being accused of stealing from. This was part of the case that the estate of Randy California, who wrote Taurus for Spirit, tried to make against Led Zeppelin. And it is true that Taurus did come first (1968, versus 1971 for Stairway) and that Spirit and Led Zeppelin did cross paths before Stairway was written. But the Ninth Circuit Court did not accept that evidence as dispositive.

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Not all accused acts are so lucky. Perhaps the most famous suit like this pitted another former Beatle, George Harrison, against the estate of songwriter Ronnie Mack. Harrison was accused of lifting the melody of the Chiffons version of Macks song Hes So Fine for his own 1971 hit My Sweet Lord. The case went to trial, and because Harrison admitted to awareness of the Chiffons song despite still denying he had it in mind when he wrote his, the cases judge found him guilty of having infringed copyright subconsciously. (Harrison later wrote This Song, a humorous ditty about the whole affair.) Similarly, in 2018, the same Ninth Circuit that cleared Led Zeppelins name affirmed the guilt of Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for infringing on Marvin Gayes Got to Give It Up with their song Blurred Lines.

Some accusations are much harder to contest. Vanilla Ice pretty quickly gave up his unconvincing defense that the bassline of Ice, Ice, Baby noticeably differed from that of Queen and David Bowes Under Pressure. And many acts have tried either to head off or to minimize legal damage by appending songwriter credits. Parties guilty of this include Radiohead (who aped the Hollies The Air That I Breathe with Creep), the Flaming Lips (whose Fight Test both melodically and lyrically echoes Cat Stevenss Father and Son), Oasis (accused of stealing from Neil Inness How Sweet to Be an Idiot in Whatever), the Verve (who in Bittersweet Symphony quite obviously borrowed from an orchestral version of the Rolling Stones The Last Time), and Rod Stewart, who had to credit Bob Dylans Forever Young on his own song . . . Forever Young. (Sometimes, these things are a bit easier to figure out.) Such instances are much harder to dispute, and the accused tend to lose.

This is not to say there arent counterexamples and gray areas. John Fogerty, former frontman of Creedence Clearwater Revival, was able to win a copyright lawsuit against his former record company, which argued that he was infringing on . . . himself (as a member of CCR). These and other strange cases point to the legal oddity of court-based musical analysis. Music is a complicated thing. Musicians tend to listen widely and dont remember where everything theyve heard comes from. Fear of unoriginality can inspire musicians to greater heights. Or it could inspire paranoia, as it did for Harrison, who found his creativity temporarily stalled in the aftermath of his own failed case. And, in the end, there are only so many notes and chords to work from if you want your music to be anything close to accessible. If you draw things out far enough, all music can sound the same, as the Australian comedy group Axis of Awesome proved with their famous Four Chord Song.

But as imperfect as the courts are for sorting such things out, its hard to think of a better alternative. You could argue that listeners, critics, and the course of time would eventually sort the originals from the stealers. But that would be little comfort to a musician watching millions of dollars that he feels hes owed a share of accrue to some thieving act. (But then what of the opportunists without a real case who see money to be made?) So suits like this are likely to ramble on. How many more times well see them in court, no one can say.

Editors note: This article originally confused the band, Spirit, and the song, Taurus. It has been corrected since its original publication.

More from National Review
She recently teased fans with rumours of an engagement to boyfriend Scott Dobinson.

But Scarlett Moffatt flew solo as she left the BBC studios in London on Friday.

The presenter, 29, cut a casual figure in an over-sized grey suede shirt which she partially tucked into her black jeans.

Radiant: Scarlett Moffatt, 29, kept it casual as she stepped out of the BBC studios in London on Friday in an over-sized shirt and jeans

She finished the look with a black leather jacket, small handbag and a pair of crisp white Alexander McQueen trainers.

The Gogglebox star wore her brunette tresses in a messy bun and left a few loose strands out so as to frame her face.

Scarlett looked in good spirits as she strutted down the street and playfully smiled at the camera after a busy day of filming.

Dressed down: The Gogglebox star wore her brunette tresses in a messy bun and left a few loose strands to frame her face

Scarlett took to Instagram on Friday to post a defiant selfie while urging people to 'be kind'.

She posted the glam close-up alongside the caption: 'Feels weird for me posting a vain picture like this but here it goes anyway (also for anyone who feels like trolling this photo I don't care because I feel cute) #feelingmyself #selfie #bekind.'

The reality star opted for a rosy make-up palette with statement eyelashes that accentuated her baby blue eyes.

She wore her hair in loose beach curls which fell down to her shoulders.

'Feeling myself': Scarlett took to Instagram on Friday to post a defiant selfie while urging people to 'be kind'

Speaking previously to The Sun, Scarlett said she was striving to be more confident in her appearance.

She said: 'I feel I'd be lying to you now if I said "wow, I feel great when I look in the mirror."

'Because some days I do and then other days I have a bit of a down day but I feel that's every woman.'

The outing comes just weeks after she teased engagement plans with boyfriend Scott Dobinson during a family getaway to Orlando, Florida.

Scarlett took to Instagram to hint that her police officer beau should propose during a day out to Universal Studios.

She shared a sweet loved-up snap of herself and Scott outside Hogwarts castle at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The TV personality wrote on her Instagram Story: 'Imagine being proposed to feeling like real life Hermione! Hint hint ha! @universalorlando.' (sic)

In January, Scarlett and Scott celebrated their one-year anniversary with a romantic getaway to Barcelona, Spain.
While Gov. Tom Wolf has closed all schools in Pennsylvania for two weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, some employees have wondered if they need to show up to work.

And while the governors order makes it clear students cant show up at school for two weeks, local schools will make the decision on which essential staff should report to work, state officials said Saturday.

The state Department of Education offered some guidance to local schools as to who qualifies as essential personnel. They include - but are not limited to - school administrators, food preparation and distribution and information technology.

Other personnel deemed essential could include payroll staff and workers involved with building operations.

"The spread of COVID-19 has required everyone to work within rapidly changing circumstances, Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said in a statement. I am incredibly proud of the education leaders who have been navigating this extraordinary situation for weeks. The department will continue to work with intermediate units and other stakeholders to support schools, educators and students.

As of Saturday afternoon, 47 coronavirus cases have been reported in Pennsylvania, including 6 cases that have been reported Saturday.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Some staff will likely be required to report to help prepare or distribute free meals to students. For many students from low-income families, their schools can be the only place where they receive nutritious meals.

The federal government has given Pennsylvania approval to continue to provide free meals at schools even when schools are closed. Schools still must apply to receive state approval to provide free meals but the education department is expediting those appeals, the agency said Saturday.

The state is partnering with other state agencies, including the Agriculture and Human Services Departments, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross, and public and private partners to provide lunches.

The education department also put out some other guidance to answer questions about the governors order to close the schools.

The order applies to all public schools.

It also applies to charter schools - both brick-and-mortar and cyber charters.

Intermediate units and career technical centers are also closed.

All public and private schools are closed in any counties where aggressive social distancing policies are in place. For now, that includes Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties.

The 14 state-owned universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education are also closed for two weeks.

Schools wont be penalized if they dont get to the state requirement of 180 days of instruction.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.
WASHINGTON (AP)--The White House is expected to announce that the U.S. will broaden its European travel ban, adding the United Kingdom and Ireland to its list.

Under the restrictions, American citizens, green card holders, and others are still allowed to return home to the U.S. but will be funneled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

That word is according to two people familiar with the plan who spoke on condition of anonymity before the official announcement expected Saturday.
Regime will be introduced for two weeks

Associated Press.

The government of Spain will announce the introduction of an emergency regime in the country due to the situation with the spread of coronavirus tomorrow, on March 14, as the Associated Press reports, citing a statement by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The prime minister noted that such a regime would be introduced from Saturday, March 14, for two weeks.

He said that Spain is "using all its resources," including military personnel, to curb the spread of the virus.

"This is an emergency situation that affects the life and health of everyone. The government will protect its citizens,"  Sanchez said.

The agency notes that the emergency mode will allow the Spanish government to restrict movement within the country, as well as introduce other special measures.

According to the latest data, about 4.2 thousand people are infected with coronavirus in Spain, 120 people have died.

As we reported before, personal protective equipment will be available in pharmacies in sufficient quantities and at an affordable price, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated.
Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Saturday after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis raked up the issues of CAA, NPR and NRC during a debate on the budgetary demands of the home department.

Mumbai: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Saturday after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis raked up the issues of CAA and NRC during a debate on the budgetary demands of the home department.

Assembly Speaker Nana Patole adjourned the House for 30 minutes when members from both the sides rushed to the Well of the House and traded charges against each other. During his speech, Fadnavis, who is the Leader of Opposition in Assembly, said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) does not take away the citizenship of Indian citizens.

"But rumours are being spread about CAA, information is optional. The prime minister has already said NRC is not being implemented," he said.

However, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh asked Fadnavis to speak only on the budgetary demands of the home department. Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said Fadnavis had said during the winter session in Nagpur that issues of central jurisdiction should not be discussed in the House.

"Then why is he talking about the central act here?" he asked.

BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar said Fadnavis has not spoken anything negative. "We want misconceptions about the Act to go and there should not be any unrest," he said.

Malik and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the issue of CAA was being heard in the Supreme Court and could not be discussed in the House.
Canada is considering tightening its border with the United States to curb the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview today.

"We're in the midst of coordinating with the Americans, obviously, on our borders, on our actions. We'll continue to evaluate what we can do and how we can keep Canadians in security and we won't close the door on any idea," Trudeau said in an interview with Radio-Canada.

Trudeau is in self-isolation with his wife, who recently tested positive for COVID-19. He did not offer details about what kind of additional restrictions Canada is considering on its 5,500-mile-border with the U.S. or any implications for the movement of goods.

Coronavirus has been relatively contained in Canada, with 153 confirmed cases. But the spread is increasing along with cancellations of major events and restrictions of public gatherings.

Any border restrictions that impact the movement of goods would hit Canadian trucking companies and their drivers the hardest, since they handle the majority of cross-border U.S.-Canada freight.

"I'd be interested in knowing what tightening the border entails. But the supply chain must remain intact," Shawn Girard, CEO of Quebec-based cross-border carrier Energy Transportation Group, told FreightWaves.

Trucks moved the bulk of the C$750 billion (US$560 billion) in merchandise trade between the U.S. and Canada in 2019.

The Canadian government has moved cautiously in imposing travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic and has yet to take any significant steps to limit the flow of goods.

Freight volumes have pushed upward in Canada since the beginning of March, according to the Outbound Tender Volume Index for Canada on FreightWaves' SONAR platform.

While freight volumes continue to be strong in Canada, according to FreightWaves' SONAR platform, some segments of the transportation and logistics industry are being impacted.

Story continues

"It's terrible, but we're going to keep going as long as we can," David Clements, CEO of Toronto-based Starline, told FreightWaves. Starline operates a fleet of tractors and 150 trailers for the special events and the TV and film production industry.

Event cancellations are taking a mounting toll, Clements said, while the film and TV productions remain stable, he said. "We're being careful with what we do from a safety standpoint."

Image Sourced from Pixabay

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In this case, it may be more of a hodgepodge for the time being. That may best serve the citizens of those individual communities, Holcomb said. If we start to see community spread, then were going to get more and more involved.
MACOMB COUNTY, MI - Macomb County now has its first presumptive positive case of coronavirus, a person described as a middle-aged man with a history of travel, the county health department said tonight. The patient is currently hospitalized.

This brings the number of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Michigan to 17.

Macomb County health officials say they are working to identify people who may have come into contact with this man so those individuals can be monitored for symptoms.

This is a time for Macomb County residents to unite and help to prevent the spread of this virus, said County Executive Mark A. Hackel. We need to remain calm, and follow guidelines that have been established by public health professionals.

We are collaborating with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, local healthcare providers, and our community partners to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, said William Ridella, director/health officer of the Macomb County Health Department. We encourage everyone to practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick and covering coughs and sneezes to safeguard ourselves, our families and our communities.

Anyone with questions about this can visit https://health.macombgov.org/Health-Programs-DC-Coronavirus, or call the Macomb County Health Departments COVID-19 helpline at 586-463-3750, 8:30 A.M.  5:00 P.M., seven days a week.

The Macomb County case comes on the heels of four other presumptive positive cases announced by the state Friday afternoon.

Earlier today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned gatherings of more than 250 people, with a few exceptions like industrial work areas and shopping for groceries and consumer goods. That ban went into effect at 5 p.m. tonight and lasts until Sunday, April 5 at 5 p.m.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

 Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

 Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

 Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

 Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

 Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

 Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

 Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

READ MORE:

76 coronavirus tests submitted so far in Kent, Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties

Feds OK school lunch pickup in Michigan after K-12 closures ordered to fight coronavirus spread

Bells Brewery cancels Oberon Day gathering as coronavirus hits Michigan
UW-Madison announced Friday that a School of Veterinary Medicine employee tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

This is the first case identified at Wisconsin's largest university.

The UW-Madison employee recently traveled to a country with widespread transmission of the coronavirus and was on campus at some point before going into isolation, according to UW-Madison Police Department spokesman Marc Lovicott.

Citing patient privacy, Lovicott declined to say if the employee had contact with the public at UW Veterinary Hospital or with veterinary medicine students, but said all people in close contact with the employee are being contacted by Public Health Madison and Dane County.

Non-essential employees in the veterinary medicine building were told to go home Friday and self-monitor for symptoms.

The announcement comes amid a cascade of closures and cancellations from seemingly every corner of the country, whether it be schools, sports, state governments or businesses, to contain or at least slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Photo: File photo

A barrage of rockets hit a base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi security officials said, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans.

The U.S.-led coalition said at least 25 107mm rockets struck Camp Taji just before 11 a.m. Some struck the area where coalition forces are based, while others fell on air defence units, the Iraqi military statement said.

Five coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers were wounded in the attack at Camp Taji, according to spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition Myles Caggins. The nationalities of the wounded coalition members was not immediately known.

A statement from Iraq's military said the brutal aggression wounded a number of air defence personnel who remain in critical condition, but did not provide a number.

Iraqi forces later discovered seven platforms from which the rockets were in the Abu Azam area, north of Baghdad. Another 24 missiles were discovered in place and ready to launch.

The attack was unusual because it occurred during the day. Previous assaults on military bases housing U.S. troops typically occurred at night.

The earlier rocket attack against Camp Taji on Wednesday also killed a British serviceman. It prompted American airstrikes Friday against what U.S. officials said were mainly weapons facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group believed to be responsible.

However, Iraq's military said those airstrikes killed five security force members and a civilian, while wounding five fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella organization including an array of militias, including some Iran-backed groups.

Iran-backed Shiite militia groups vowed to exact revenge for Friday's U.S. strikes, signalling another cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out inside Iraq.

Iraq's military also cautioned the U.S. from taking retaliating as it did on Friday without taking approval from the government. Taking unilateral action would "not limit these actions, but rather nurtures them, weakens the ability of the Iraqi state, the statement said.

America's killing of Iraqi security forces might also give Iran-backed militia groups more reason to stage counterattacks against U.S. troops in Iraq, analysts said.

We cant forget that the PMF is a recognized entity within the Iraqi security forces; they arent isolated from the security forces and often are co-located on the same bases or use the same facilities, said Sajad Jiyad, a researcher and former managing director of the Bayan Center, a Baghdad-based think-tank .

Now the (Iran-backed) groups who supported the initial strike in Taji, who were the most outspoken, feel obliged, authorized, maybe even legitimized to respond, ostensibly to protect Iraqi sovereignty but really to keep the pressure up on Americans, he added.

There are no red lines anymore," Jiyad said.
Global IT services giant Infosys Limited has vacated one of its buildings in Bengaluru where a team member was suspect of coronavirus. In an email, Infosys' Bengaluru development centre head Gururaj Deshpande said the company evacuated only the IIPM building as a safety measure after a team member was suspected to have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Deshpande, in an email, said: "Please note this is only to ensure the safety of our employees and we will sanitise the place for our safety."

He also requested the employees to stay calm and ensure they are cautious and well-prepared. He also urged the employees to avoid all sorts of "information that is hearsay/rumours via any of the social media channels."

In case of an emergency, he also asked the employees to reach out to the global help desk numbers of Infosys and requested staff's support. According to the news agency IANS, Deshpande said in his mail, "We request your support to ensure we handle this situation with utmost responsibility."

This development came on the same day the Karnataka government asked all IT and biotech firms across the Silicon Valley of India to allow their employees to work from home for a week to avoid the risk of COVID-19 spread.

Infosys, however, is not the only big company to adopt work from home as a working model in the times of coronavirus. Companies such as Google, Mindtree, Amazon Inc, Wipro and Tech Mahindra have also adopted this model.

Google staff members in its Bengaluru office were also asked to work from home after an employee was tested positive for coronavirus. The company said the employee in question had been quarantined. The tech giant has also asked all those employees who came in contact with the infected employee to quarantine themselves as a safety measure.

This week, a Mindtree employee was tested positive for coronavirus in Bengaluru. Software major's employee recently returned from an overseas trip and has isolated himself upon return.

Also read: Wall Street stages furious rally after Trump declares emergency

Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: 83 confirmed cases, 2 deaths in India; global death toll touches 5,436
Loading  Loading 

Faults Endorsement as Oshiomholes Replacement

The Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives

Congress (APC), Victor Giadom, officially resigned his position in the National

Working Committee (NWC) to contest as running mate to the partys 2019

governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole.

APCs Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena

made the disclosure to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja while reacting to the

legality of of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting convened by

Giadom and his purported endorsement to replace Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as

National Chairman.

The APC Deputy Spokesman, who fulted Giadoms endorsement to

replace Adams Oshiomhole, described as strange and an aberration that

Giadom still attends meetings of the NWC and could call for a NEC meeting.

The Bayelsa-birn politicians called on stakeholders not to

lose sight of due process and the dictates of APCs constitution.

Nabena said: I call on members of our party and the

public to disregard the so called zonal caucus meeting which held on Thursday

at the Edo State Governors Lodge in Abuja. The meeting was neither convened

nor attended by the APC National Vice Chairman (South South), Hilliard Eta and

Leader of the party in the South-South, Deputy Senate President, Ovie

Omo-Agege. Hence, all decisions reached at the purported meeting is a nullity

and definitely does not reflect the views and stand of the Partys South South

caucus.

Specifically, on the purported meetings request that

the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) confirm Victor Giadom as acting

National Chairman, we cannot be taken for a ride because of the political and

2023 presidential aspirations of his (Giadom) sponsor and godfather who is

attempting to control the Partys structure.

It should be known that Victor Giadom tendered his

resignation letter to the National Working Committee (NWC) to contest the 2019

election as the Partys Deputy Governorship candidate in Rivers State. It is

strange and an aberration that he still attends meetings of the NWC, occupies

the office of Deputy National Secretary and convenes a NEC meeting. In our

politicking, we must not lose sight of due process and the dictates of the

Partys constitution.

Gaidom had announced that he had taken over the running of

the party following the court-ordered suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as

national chairman.
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Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 14, 2020 12:30 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a97af1 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-death-toll,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,health-ministry,airlangga-university,Eijkman-Institute Free

The Health Ministry is allowing universities and research agencies to run lab tests for COVID-19, as instructed by President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

The President said during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday afternoon that the ministry could cooperate with, among others, Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java and the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in Jakarta in conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

As of Friday, the government had allowed only one lab run by the ministrys Health Research and Development Agency to test swab samples of suspected COVID-19 patients.

I have told the health minister that other labs can run tests, President Jokowi said.

The ministry's disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, confirmed the plan, saying it would be implemented on Monday.

Read also: Regional administrations want greater role, authority to combat COVID-19

"The lab tests can be done in the environmental, health and technology centers of Airlangga University, the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology and some other facilities. We are conducting job training right now, Yurianto said.

He added that the government had prepared more than 10,000 coronavirus test kits.

The ministry had previously insisted on working alone and rejected help offered by independent institutions such as Eijkman. The decision, however, was criticized by a number of scientists, who highlighted the importance of involving more people to avoid possible errors.

Read also: At least five suspected COVID-19 patients have died in Indonesia: What we know so far

The effectiveness of the ministry's laboratory has been questioned after a hospital in Semarang, Central Java, and another in Batam, Riau Islands, each reported deaths of suspected COVID-19 patients. Both patients' tests came back negative.

The country confirmed 69 COVID-19 cases on Friday, double the 34 cases identified the previous day. Four of the 69 patients died during isolation. (vny)
Vienna

The Austrian Ministry of Health announced the death of the first person infected with the Corona virus in Austria.



The ministry stated that the deceased is a 69-year-old man, who has returned from Italy infected with the virus.



And predicted Rudolf Anscher, Austrian Minister of Health, a sharp increase in the number of cases infected with the Corona virus in Austria within the next few days and weeks, pointing out that the number of HIV infections jumped to 302 cases this morning
Voices like these from Chinese citizens are very rare. People who are willing to speak out about the governments attempts to control news about the deadly coronavirus. They asked to remain anonymous, because what theyre doing could put them and their families at great risk. But these people are part of a new wave of Chinese citizens, fighting to get the message out in a country that aggressively censors information. Accounts or messages like these calling for free speech are quickly scrubbed from the internet. Or videos like this, showing people frustrated about life under lockdown. [clanging] Posted online one day, but gone the next. But the crisis over the coronavirus is changing the landscape, for now at least. Everyday citizens are preserving and reposting information the government doesnt want out there. Experts say this kind of digital resistance is happening at a scale theyve never seen before. Social media networks like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are blocked in China. But internet savvy people use techniques that allow them to repost censored content to these platforms, while staying under the radar of authorities. Theyre creating a visual archive by preserving videos like this one, showing overwhelmed hospitals. [screaming] And theyre reposting peoples personal stories. Some are also turning to less obvious platforms, including GitHub, which is a site mostly used by coders. Another taboo Chinese citizens are pushing back on? Theyre making open and widespread calls for freedom of speech. These were triggered by the death of Dr. Li Wenliang. He was an early whistleblower who warned about the virus, and was punished by officials for speaking out. He died in early February from the coronavirus. Right after his death, the hashtag I want freedom of speech started to trend on Weibo, a Chinese social media site. Then, it was quickly censored by the government. Dr. Lis become an icon in the online fight for freedom of speech between censors and citizens. So, whos winning? For now, citizens are staying a step ahead of the authorities. But a renewed government crackdown could test the strength of this digital resistance.
A 32-year-old doctor was found dead at this residence in Hyderabad, said Police on Saturday.

The incident took place on March 13. Police suspect doctor, Dasarapu Subash, has committed suicide.

According to Petbasheerabad Police, there was no response from the doctor when his family tried to wake him up. Immediately he was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead. There is a suspicion that the doctor has committed suicide.

"He was a cardiologist and working in a private hospital in Hyderabad. The reason for his death is not known yet but according to his family members Subhash was in depression since the last few days over his relationship matter," the police added.

A case has been registered in this regard and further, the investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

R. Kelly, who is facing several federal charges for allegedly sexually abusing women and underage girls, is now also being prosecuted for knowingly exposing two women to an infectious venereal disease. The updated indictment states that Kelly was aware he had contracted herpes and proceeded to have unprotected sex with a woman and underage girl without informing them of his condition, the New York Times reports. The young woman, who met the R&B artist when she was 19, ended their relationship in 2018 after she learned she had contracted the disease. It is not yet clear whether the underage girl also contracted herpes. Douglas Anton, a lawyer for R. Kelly, maintains that there is zero evidence to suggest that Kelly knew he had herpes.

The new allegations, filed on Friday, are part of a nine-count indictment, adding to a case against R. Kelly that was first announced last summer. R. Kelly remains in custody in Chicago, where he faces additional charges in a trial that has since been delayed, as new allegations have surfaced involving the discovery of hidden electronics. He is scheduled to face trial in Brooklyn this July.
A British-Iranian prisoner has revealed how soldiers are wearing worn out masks and no gloves as the Iranian prison system collapses into coronavirus chaos.

Anoosheh Ashoori, who is being held in Tehran on spying charges, also said no one checked his temperature when he was moved to a bedbug riddled ward in Evin prison without explanation.

A second prisoner has said guards are standing too far away from prisoners to do a headcount and forcing them to buy their own hand sanitiser - making it unavailable for most.

There are fears of a massive outbreak in the Iranian prison system as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is also being held in the notorious jail, displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 but was not tested. She is said to be 'improving'.

The Iranian authorities have said they will release 54,000 prisoners who test negative for the virus in an attempt to alleviate the pressure.

Iran has imposed a nationwide lock down today after more than 500 people died of the virus and at least 11,000 were found to be infected, although the actual number is thought to be much higher.

Anoosheh Ashoori is being held in Tehran's Evin prison. He said soldiers are wearing worn out masks and no gloves as the prison system is engulfed by the crisis

A second inmate - who has not been named - has said guards are standing too far away from prisoners to do a head count and that everyone is basically ill

High-security Evin prison in Tehran is pictured above. The judiciary has said it will release 54,000 prisoners who test negative for the virus

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is also being held in Evin prison. She had symptoms consistent with coronavirus but is said to be improving

Speaking in a recorded phone call to his family reported by The Guardian, Mr Ashoori said: 'It is chaos and I cannot explain how bad this situation is.

'(The guards) touched all our stuff when we entered.

'Last night bedbugs were biting everyone. Nobody slept through the night. Today we have newcomers who are murderers and all different outlaws. Someone was sent for coronavirus quarantine.'

In a phone call from Evin prison on Thursday, a second prisoner - who has not been named - said: 'The situation here is really that we're all ill, we are all having dry cough. We have fever.

'There is no test for coronavirus or any test kits available. All we can do is try to reach the clinic by pushing and shoving. And once there, the guards tell us there is no doctor or that the doctor is not coming, return to your ward or we will use force.

'If by chance, we happen to find a doctor, all they do is to aim their digital thermometer at us, without even approaching us.

'A number of inmates who contracted coronavirus were transferred to Massih Daneshvari hospital and never came back.

Iran has reported more than 500 deaths due to the virus. It is pictured above

Pictured above is the historic market in Tabriz yesterday. It was shuttered as Iran went into lockdown over coronavirus, which has been detected in 11,000 people

The historic market in Tabriz fell silent yesterday due to the coronavirus outbreak

'Prisoners (with money) can afford to buy disinfectants for themselves from outside the prison but, others like us, are without that kind of money and we cannot even buy alcohol to clean our hands.

'The guards do not dare approach us for the head count. They address us from a distance while wearing mask and gloves.

'They do not touch our ball-point pens.

'When they want to take us to court, they use vapour disinfectants to clean us and use disinfectant gel and spray. And they do not permit us to touch the court's pens or stamps.'

The prisoner also said they fear that Iran is using the outbreak to 'liquidate' those it is holding.

Both inmates made urgent calls for international investigators to visit the cells and see the conditions they are being kept in.

Official figures suggest that six prisoners are infected with coronavirus in Evin prison and one, in ward four, has died. The actual number is thought to be much higher.

Iran has insisted its prisons are clean and that 'necessary' tests are being completed and that it has responded to the crisis through its release programme.

Iranian health officials pictured disinfecting the streets of Tehran on Thursday

Iranian health officials pictured disinfecting the streets of Tehran on Thursday

Iranian health officials pictured disinfecting the streets of Tehran on Thursday. Above an ATM machine is being sprayed

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is waiting for his wife to be released from prison in the outbreak.

She was taken to see a doctor last week but was not tested for coronavirus, according to the Free Nazanin campaign.

'(The doctor) confirmed to her that her symptoms were clearly a virus and were consistent with coronavirus but he also confessed he was unable to test her with a testing kit,' they said in a statement.

'The doctor, however, did reassure Nazanin that since her symptoms had stabilised it was likely a positive sign that she was hopefully soon going to start to recover.'

She was arrested at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport in April 2016 while travelling with her daughter and jailed on spying charges for five years.

Iran is one of the country's worst hit by the outbreak. Satellite images have revealed mass graves being constructed in the city of Qom, suggesting a major epidemic.

A masked man walks through the streets of Tehran on March 13 before the country is placed in lockdown due to coronavirus

Iranian health officials douse the streets in disinfectant in order to ward off coronavirus

Members of the Iranian parliament, a former diplomat and a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have died.

In response, the judiciary have said they will release 54,000 prisoners who have tested negative for the virus. But, as test kits remain hard to come by, it is not clear how they will establish this.

In a statement on March 4 they said those released would include 'security prisoners' who had been jailed for more than five years.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 12:21:30|Editor: zyl

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TRIPOLI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday said it evacuated 128 refugees from Libya to Niger.

"In the 1st evacuation of the year, Sudanese, Somali and Eritrean refugees were transported today from Libya to Niger to UNHCR's transit center in Niamey," UNHCR said.

"Refugees living in urban areas and others recently released from detention were part of this group," UNHCR added.

Thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe, due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the overthrow of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Immigrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of immigrants either rescued from the sea or arrested by Libyan security forces, despite international calls for closing those centers.

According to the UNHCR, there are currently some 1,000 refugees and asylum-seekers held in official detention centers in Libya.
More than 7000 patients will have their elective surgeries fast-tracked to be completed in the next few weeks to free up capacity in Victorian hospitals as health officials across the country scramble to prepare for a "tsunami" of COVID-19 patients.

The Andrews government will on Sunday announce a $60 million package aimed at pushing elective surgeries through the public and private systems before the coronavirus pandemic peaks.

The Victorian government will embark on an elective surgery 'blitz' over the coming weeks ahead of the anticipated peak of COVID-19 patients. Credit:Louie Douvis

Patient cases will be prioritised based on clinical need, and it is likely that some procedures in less- urgent categories will have to be postponed in the coming months.

Emergency surgeries will be not be affected by the outbreak which is expected to peak over winter.
The biggest impacts of the proposed changes, he said, would be felt by people catching buses on Route 29 between the Beltway and downtown Silver Spring. Those riders now see 18 to 20 buses per hour heading toward the Silver Spring Metro station in the morning peak, he said. Under the proposed Metrobus and Ride On changes, that would drop to nine buses per hour. Instead of coming every three to four minutes, he said, buses would arrive every six to seven minutes.
Dennis Quaid and fiancee Laura Savoie postponed their upcoming wedding.

The May-December couple decided to set back their nuptials, telling guests it's due to 'travel issues' and not coronavirus,' according to a source told Us Weekly.

Despite downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause, it still could be assumed that the 'travel issues' are related to the airline industry's crippling travel restrictions and sharp reduction in travel demands caused by the spread of COVID-19.

Nuptials delayed: Dennis Quaid and fiancee Laura Savoie (above November 2019) have postponed their wedding

The Great Balls Of Fire! star, 65, popped the question to his ladylove, 26, in October 2019, at Turtle Bay in Oahu, Hawaii.

'She was actually taking a selfie of us, and I put the ring in front and said, "Will you marry me?" - and then she fell down,' the Texas native told Extra.

After going public with their engagement, some fans took to social media to criticize their 39-year age difference, which Quaid addressed not long after.

The reasoning: The couple told guests the delay is due to 'travel issues' and not coronavirus

'I didn't go out looking for an age gap or someone really younger than me,' he revealed in an interview with The Guardian.

'I met her at a business event and then the relationship developed. I don't fall in love easy. But I can't let what a few people think control all that.'

Quaid maintained all the chatter and criticism hasn't deterred him from knowing that Savoie is the woman for him at this point in his life.

Love bite: The Great Balls Of Fire! star has defended the 39-year age difference between himself and Savioe: 'I didn't go out looking for an age gap or someone really younger than me'

'I've been married three times and this is the final one, I know it is,' he said while referencing his previous marriages to P.J. Soles, Kimberly Buffington and Meg Ryan.

'I feel like I have a real partner in life.'

The actor shares a son Jack, 27, with Ryan and fraternal twins Thomas and Zoe, 12, with Buffington.
76-Year-Old Man Dies in India Marking Nation's First COVID-19 Death

Sputnik News

03:44 GMT 13.03.2020(updated 05:47 GMT 13.03.2020)

New Delhi (Sputnik): Towards the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus outbreak originating in the Chinese city of Wuhan begin its march to becoming a global pandemic. The cause of the virus is linked to China's unregulated trade and consumption of exotic wildlife animals including bats, snakes, and birds.

Updates by the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare states that the country has recorded confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and now the country's health ministry has confirmed the first death at the hands of the pandemic late Thursday.

According to the government of India, a 76-year-old man from the southern Indian state of Karnataka, who tested positive for COVID-19, succumbed to the illness.

The man, who had a history of asthma and hypertension, travelled to Saudi Arabia between January and February 2020 after which he landed in India's Hyderabad and travelled within the country.

B. Sriramulu, Minister of Health and Welfare of Karnataka, tweeted details about the death.

As part of the tweet, Sriramulu revealed that the man who died had been suspected of being infected with the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan are yet to publicly address the nation's first COVID-19 death.

According to media reports, BG Prakash Kumar, the State Joint Director of Karnataka, has asserted that all necessary precautions are being made concerning the cremation of the deceased.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus a pandemic.

All visas, except "diplomatic, official, UN/International Organisations, employment, project visas" have been suspended, as well as those with visa-free travel cards.

At present, over 128,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus and more than 4,700 have been killed worldwide.

 Sputnik

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COLONIE - The SEFCU branch on Wolf Road will be closed Saturday after, credit union officials said, someone with COVID-19 visited the branch.

In a statement to customers, SEFCU said it expects the branch at 40 Wolf Road will reopen at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

SEFCU did not say when the potentially infected person visited the branch or how they learned of the possible exposure.

As they try to slow the spread of the disease, health officials around the region and state are interviewing coronavirus patients to learn about the places they visited and the people they had contact with before realizing they were ill.

Places visited by people COVID-19 are often closed to give time to sanitize the locations.

Earlier: SEFCU closing some branches do to outbreak

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

It is not the first time SEFCU has dealt with the impact of the coronavirus.

Branches at the University at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Skidmore College, and the University at Buffalo temporarily closed as students there were sent home due to the coronavirus outbreak.

SEFCU will close several branches beginning Monday, including those at Albany Medical Center, St. Peters Hospital, Ellis Hospital, Kiernan Plaza in downtown Albany and at VIA Port Rotterdam. SEFCU is extending the hours of its member solutions center so members can bank from home more than in branches.
A Spanish couple who arrived in Namibia on Wednesday have both tested positive for the virus, reports Reuters news agency.

The Namibian government said it will continue plans to celebrate Independence Day later this month.

The agency later said that Rwanda had confirmed its first case.
Nancy Pelosi tried to sneak abortion funding into coronavirus emergency bill, Ben Sasse says

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Republican Sen. Ben Sasse blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats for seeking to include a potential way to guarantee federal funding for abortion into the coronavirus economic stimulus plan that passed the House just before 1 a.m. Saturday.

While schools are closing and hospitals are gearing up, Speaker Pelosi is waging unnecessary culture wars, Sasse told National Review in a statement. Speaker Pelosi should be fighting the coronavirus pandemic, not politicizing emergency funding by fighting against the bipartisan Hyde Amendment.

Sasse added, We need to be ramping up our diagnostic testing, not waging culture wars at the behest of Planned Parenthood. Good grief.

Sasse was referring to a report in the Daily Caller, in which White House officials anonymously said that Pelosi attempted to secure a funding stream of up to $1 billion for reimbursing laboratory claims. According to the officials, the provision would set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal tax dollars from paying for abortions.

Under the guise of protecting people, Speaker Pelosi is working to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent covering abortion  which is not only backwards, but goes against historical norms, a White House official was quoted as saying.

In an interview on Fox News Thursday, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York alluded to Pelosis attempt. Right now we are hearing that some of the fights and some of the gridlock is because people are trying to put pro-life provisions into this, she said.

Many Democrats want to eliminate the Hyde Amendment.

Last June, former Vice President Joe Biden said: Ive supported the Hyde Amendment like many, many others have because there was sufficient monies and circumstances where women were able to exercise that right. But circumstances have changed. Ive been working through the final details of my healthcare plan like others in this race and Ive been struggling with the problems that Hyde now presents. I cant justify leaving millions of women without access to care they need and the ability to constitute, exercise their constitutionally protected right.

The Hyde Amendment (named after late Congressman Henry Hyde) was passed in 1976, three years after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in Roe v. Wade. The amendment is affirmed each year by Congress as a rider to the HHS appropriations bill because it prohibits federal funding of abortions. The rider has said various things over the years but the current version includes exceptions that allow Medicaid funds to be used for abortions in cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother  but all other federal taxpayer funding of abortion is banned by Hyde.

As an op-ed by The Christian Post noted, Between 1976, when the Hyde Amendment first passed, and 1980 when it took effect (after the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional), federal tax dollars funded 25% of all abortions nationally or some 300,000 abortions annually. To be clear, before the Hyde Amendment went into effect, Americas taxpayers paid for nearly a million abortions.
Handwara Police in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday (March 14, 2020) arrested two terrorist associates and recovered arms and ammunition from them.

On the basis of reliable information regarding the movement of anti-national elements, Handwara police along with 30RR Langate and 92 BN CRPF laid a surprise check-post at Panthachowk Kralgund-Ananwan Hajan crossing. During the surprise checking of the vehicles and pedestrians, two suspicious persons on seeing the check-post tried to escape from the spot but were chased and apprehended by the police.

The apprehended persons on preliminary questioning disclosed their identity as Nazir Ahmed Wani (S/o Ab Khaliq) and Bashir Ahmed Wani (S/o Mohd Afzal).



Both are residents of Sheikhpora Tarathpora, Vilgam.

On searching them, a bag with one AK 74, 3 Magazines, 147 7.62 mm ammunition, 1 Chinese pistol, 3 pistol magazines, 24 Chinese pistol rounds and one UBGL was recovered.

In this context, case FIR NO 16/2020 U/S 7/25 Indian Arms Act, 13,18,20 UA(P) Act was registered in Police Station Kralgund and further investigation is underway.
(Newser)  Amid all the negative COVID-19 stories, a good one from Disney: Frozen 2 will be available for streaming three months earlier than expected, CNN reports. New Disney CEO Bob Chapek says the movie's "powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family" are "incredibly relevant during this time." With Disney's own parks shut down, thousands of schools closed, and millions of kids homebound, this might give families a pleasant break. The animated movie will begin streaming March 15 on Disney+ and will reach other nationsAustralia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealandtwo days later. In other coronavirus news:



Military travel: The Pentagon said Friday that military employeesmeaning troops, Defense Department workers and their families on military propertiescan't travel within the US starting Monday, CNN reports. The move is designed to curb the coronavirus and "preserve force readiness," says a DoD memo. The Pentagon has set new restrictions for entering the building, per the AP.

story continues below

Puerto Rico and Spain : Puerto Rico has announced its first official coronavirus casesthree in allas it closes schools for two weeks, blocks all cruise ships, and bars the ferry from the Dominican Republic, the AP reports. Spain's government says it plans to lock down the country and order people to stay home unless they need medicine, food, or work at a hospital, per the Guardian.

: Puerto Rico has announced its first official coronavirus casesthree in allas it closes schools for two weeks, blocks all cruise ships, and bars the ferry from the Dominican Republic, the AP reports. Spain's government says it plans to lock down the country and order people to stay home unless they need medicine, food, or work at a hospital, per the Guardian. Apple : The tech giant is shuttering most stores worldwide until March 27, a rare move among retail giants. But stores will remain open in China (where infection rates are down), Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the New York Times reports.

: The tech giant is shuttering most stores worldwide until March 27, a rare move among retail giants. But stores will remain open in China (where infection rates are down), Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the New York Times reports. NCAA athletes : Student athletes will get to keep their eligibility for a year despite the coronavirus ruining the current season, ESPN reports. "Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time," says the NCAA.

: Student athletes will get to keep their eligibility for a year despite the coronavirus ruining the current season, ESPN reports. "Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time," says the NCAA. Green-card holders : The feds are casting aside a rule that bars people from green cards if they take advantage of government benefitsas long as they have COVID-19 or virus symptoms and get medical care, per US News & World Report.

: The feds are casting aside a rule that bars people from green cards if they take advantage of government benefitsas long as they have COVID-19 or virus symptoms and get medical care, per US News & World Report. Newborn victim : Coronavirus has its youngest victim: a newborn in England whose mom had been rushed to a hospital with possible pneumonia, Fox News reports. As of Friday, the baby and mother were receiving care at separate hospitals.

: Coronavirus has its youngest victim: a newborn in England whose mom had been rushed to a hospital with possible pneumonia, Fox News reports. As of Friday, the baby and mother were receiving care at separate hospitals. Middle East : Saudi Arabia has stopped all international flights into the country for two weeks, per the AP. In the United Arab Emirates, elderly people are being told to stay home as tourist restaurants and nightclubs are shuttered for the rest of the month. Nearby Iran has one of the world's worst breakouts, with over 11,000 infected and over 500 dead.

: Saudi Arabia has stopped all international flights into the country for two weeks, per the AP. In the United Arab Emirates, elderly people are being told to stay home as tourist restaurants and nightclubs are shuttered for the rest of the month. Nearby Iran has one of the world's worst breakouts, with over 11,000 infected and over 500 dead. Heidi: Model Heidi Klum announced on Instagram that she's come down with something ("a chill, feeling feverish, cough, runny nose") but "just can't get" a coronavirus test, the Hill reports. She stopped taping America's Got Talent this week after feeling ill.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
Its not too late to let the world know about your favorite Oregon or Southwest Washington employer.

So far, more than 140 employers have signed up to take this years Top Workplaces challenge. Any public, private, nonprofit or government organization with 35 or more employees in Oregon and Southwestern Washington is eligible to participate.

To nominate an employer, visit oregonlive.com/nominate or call 503-427-1666.

Employees evaluate their workplaces through a short 24-question survey. Surveys will be administered by Energage, The Oregonian/OregonLives Top Workplaces research partner. Energage conducts Top Workplaces surveys for 51 major metro newspapers and surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 7,000 organizations in 2019.

[Update: The final deadline has been extended again. Its now May 8.] The final nomination deadline for Top Workplaces 2020 is Friday, April 17.

Winners will be recognized in a special print edition and at OregonLive.com in fall 2020.

See last years winners.

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will broaden its European travel ban, adding the United Kingdom and Ireland to its list, and was considering imposing restrictions on travel within the US to areas hit hard by the coronavirus spread

Washington: President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will broaden its European travel ban, adding the United Kingdom and Ireland to its list, and was considering imposing restrictions on travel within the US to areas hit hard by the coronavirus spread.

Under the restrictions on European travel, American citizens, green card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the US, but will be funneled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.

If you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it," Trump said.

The new restrictions came as in Britain, the death toll nearly doubled from the day before to 21, and the number of people infected rose to over 1,100 from about 800 the previous day. In Ireland there were 90 confirmed cases and one death by Friday. The Irish government hasn't released any updated figures on Saturday.

The US announced earlier this week a 30-day ban on flights covered only by the 26-nation Schengen area, the European Unions border-free travel zone, that does not include Britain or Ireland.

The move comes hours after the House approved legislation to provide direct relief to Americans suffering physically, financially and emotionally from the coronavirus pandemic. That followed Trump's declaration of a national emergency, freeing up money and resources to fight it, and threw his support behind the congressional aid package.

Trump's emergency declaration unleashed as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the crisis.

Trump also announced a range of executive actions, including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations, as Washington tries to subdue the virus whose spread is roiling markets, shuttering institutions and disrupting the lives of everyday Americans.

But he asserted I don't take responsibility at all" for the slow rollout of testing.

The hard-fought aid package will provide free testing, sick pay for workers, enhanced unemployment benefits and bolstered food programs.

The House passed the bill after midnight on a bipartisan vote, 363-40. It now goes to the Senate..

Trump tweeted his approval, all but ensuring that wary Republicans would join with a robust vote. Good teamwork between Republicans & Democrats as the House passes the big CoronaVirus Relief Bill," he tweeted Saturday. "People really pulled together. Nice to see!

Trump's tweet of approval instilled fresh energy in the measure, all but ensuring that wary Republicans would join with a robust vote.

The crush of activity capped a tumultuous week in Washington as the fast-moving virus left ordinary Americans suddenly navigating self-quarantines, school closures and a changed way of life.

Trump took a number of other actions to bolster energy markets, ease the financial burden for Americans with student loans and give medical professionals additional flexibility in treating patients during the public health crisis.

Central to the aid package from Congress, which builds on an emergency $8.3 billion measure approved earlier, are the free testing, sick pay and family leave provisions.

Providing sick pay for workers is a crucial element of federal efforts to stop the rapid spread of the infection. Officials warn that the nations healthcare system could quickly become overwhelmed with gravely sick patients, as suddenly happened in Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the virus.

The ability to ensure paychecks will keep flowing  for people self-quarantining or caring for others  can help assure Americans they will not fall into financial hardship. The legislation also offers three months of paid family and medical leave. Small and mid-sized employers will be reimbursed through tax credits.

Voting in the Senate is not yet set, with senators out of town for the weekend. But Senate Leader Mitch McConnell canceled a planned recess week and senators were scheduled to return Monday. He said he expects most senators will want to act swiftly.

Both Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Pelosi promised a third coronavirus package will follow soon, with more aggressive steps to boost the U.S. economy, which economists fear has already slipped into recession.

The financial markets closed on an upswing after one of the worst nosedives since 1987.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to be over it.

Trump on Friday also told people to expect the imminent rollout of a web site "facilitated by Google that would guide users through a series of questions to determine whether they should be screened for the virus. If testing is recommended, users would be directed to a local testing location, which could include parking lots at Walmart, Target, Walgreens and other chains.

It's going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past," Trump said in a thinly veiled dig at the Obama administration's disastrous rollout in 2013 of its online health care marketplace.

But how quickly is in question. Google said the website, from its life science division Verily, is still in the early stages of development." Verily first plans to roll out testing out in the Bay Area of San Francisco, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time, the company said in a statement.

The Pentagon and State Department announced new guidance aimed at limiting movement of its personnel and promoting social distancing in hopes of reducing the impact of the pandemic on the agencies.

Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist said the department is halting all domestic travel, including Permanent Change of Station and Temporary Duty" from Monday until May 11. The travel restrictions also apply to military civilian employees.

The State Department announced it has begun rotational and telework schedules and issued general guidance calling on domestic and overseas personnel to engage in mission critical travel only.

Trump takes virus test, awaiting results

After days of resistance, Trump said Saturday that he was tested for the coronavirus as the White House stepped up precautions after his direct and indirect exposures to COVID-19.

Trump also told reporters at a White House briefing that he had his temperature taken before stepping into the room and it was totally normal.

Trump had held out on testing for days, despite his interactions with at least three people who have since tested positive. Trump had said Friday that he would probably take the test at some point, but the White House doctor said as recently as Friday night that no test was called for because he wasn't exhibiting symptoms.

But the president said he'd gone ahead with it after repeated questions from reporters at a news conference Friday.

On Saturday, the White House announced that it is now conducting temperature checks on anyone who is in close contact with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, including reporters attending the Saturday White House briefing.

The move is being taken as a precaution in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

Trump has had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club on Florida. On Friday, he declared a state of emergency as schools and workplaces across the country shuttered, flights canceled and Americans braced for war against the health threat.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington said late Friday that the country's charge d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump's dinner table. So, too, have a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and a person who attended a fundraiser Sunday with Trump, according to two Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.

Trump has been known to flout public health advice  and was eagerly shaking hands during an event Friday. On Saturday, he said that he continued to do so out of habit.

A representative from the White House physician's office took the temperature of members of the media who were at the White House on Saturday, going around and putting the device to their heads. A reporter with a suspected elevated temperature was not allowed in.

Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Miller, tweeted that according to the White House Medical Unit, the reporter's temperature was taken three times over 15 minutes all three registered above the 100.4-degree guidelines.

Public health officials say that people with a cough and elevated temperatures of 100.4 degrees or higher are deemed concerning.
A Council Bluffs man will serve seven years in prison for the illegal possession of a firearm.

Jordan James Collier, 31, was sentenced Friday to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

The investigation began when a call from the American Inn in Council Bluffs informed police of a firearm located in a patrons room, according to a release from United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.

Upon arrival, officers entered the room and found a black and silver .32 caliber revolver on the bed, along with drugs and drug paraphernalia, the release stated.

Collier was formerly convicted in the Southern District of Iowa for possession of an unregistered firearm, making his possession of firearms or ammunition illegal.

The matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force.

 Susan Payne

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Of course, Bernie Sanders shares the blame.

He has missed some opportunities to explain to black voters what sets his agenda apart, which has only reinforced the perception that he doesnt appeal to them. And he has yet to deliver a comprehensive speech to clarify his views on the relationship between race and class. Since 2016, much of the media and some of his Democratic opponents have claimed that Mr. Sanders largely attracts white male voters  Bernie Bros  while dismissing the actual multiracial character of his base. The conclusion is that black voters are interested in race while Mr. Sanders and his followers are only interested in class.

Not only does this miss the ways that some African-Americans had gravitated toward Mr. Sanders, but it completely ignores his robust support among Latinos that have been at the heart of his primary victories out West. The basis of the multiracial support for Mr. Sanders is precisely because of the ways that race and class intersect in their lives, particularly African-Americans.

Indeed, by the end of February, Mr. Sanderss support among African-Americans had risen, a Reuters/Ipsos poll noted he had overtaken Joe Biden in support among African Americans. More-African Americans have supported his signature policy, Medicare for All, at 74 percent compared to 44 percent of white voters.

These are just some of the reasons that, for months, a majority of black voters under 35 have favored Bernie Sanders to Joe Biden. The jockeying of the black political class to line up behind the former mayor of New York and billionaire, Michael Bloomberg, is also evidence of a more significant political divide within African-American communities.

The South Carolina primary was a turning point for Joe Biden, where the endorsement from Representative James Clyburn proved decisive for 79 percent of African-Americans who cast their vote for Biden.

The overwhelming victory for Mr. Biden almost instantly changed the media narrative from Mr. Sanders nomination to lose, to Mr. Bidens nomination to seize. The centrists consolidated around Joe Biden, including Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, who quickly exited the race. Mr. Biden also benefited from the sudden collapse of the Bloomberg campaign.

These factors all set the stage for Bernie Sanderss devastating setbacks on Super Tuesday and the primaries a week later. He did poorly among black voters, and the surge of new voters were white suburbanites for Biden, not the young and disaffected voters Mr. Sanders has always believed he could bring into the process.
The situation worries Patton Village Police Chief Shannon Sharp: One of his seven officers  a man in his 40s  is in critical condition after testing positive for the new coronavirus.

For several days, that officer has been unconscious in the hospital, Sharp said, while the public has pointed fingers and pressed for more information on where he was before he was sick, including his exact contacts during the Houston Rodeo cookoff that he attended Feb. 28.

Were all scared for him, Sharp said by phone Saturday. Were praying for the best.

The illness unfolded quickly. The officer called him March 6, to say he wasnt feeling well. Five cases of the illness had been reported so far.

But allergies were common, and the chief didnt think much of him being sick. So far the cases in the region were linked to a cruise in Egypt. There wasnt evidence of spread in the community yet.

On Saturday, the officer told Sharp wasnt feeling any better. On Sunday, he was admitted to the hospital with flu symptoms.

Then he tested positive for the new coronavirus.

And so Sharp kicked into gear: They cleaned the police station. They cleaned patrol cars. They had to keep policing.

Montgomery County announced his case on Tuesday, March 10: His was the first case of its kind, triggering closure of the rodeo, then a domino effect of classes and other events being canceled.

The police department put out a press release Thursday, March 12. Their officer was sick, they said, but he worked in an administrative role.

He made no arrests and wrote no citations in the last two weeks, they said. He hadnt been in the city of Patton Village, with a population around 2,000, since Feb. 27.

He had been at the rodeo cookoff on Feb. 28. Pressure built around trying to figure out what tent he was in at the rodeo  but County Judge Lina Hidalgo said March 12 that she did not know.

Our folks have been asking him and hes not cooperating, she said.

This confused Jason Millsaps, head of emergency management in Montgomery County, who said epidemiologists were able to conduct a thorough investigation, and that he had been very cooperative.

Hes not alone in facing the stigma, as concerned people across the area have tried to figure out who is sick and where theyve been, with government agencies releasing little information and urging general caution.

Older people and those with chronic medical conditions are considered more likely to be vulnerable to the new coronavirus. The fatality rate is still being studied.

Many recover with mild symptoms. Even though he is young and in good health previously, the officers situation worsened.

In their last communication, Sharp said the officer told him he was nervous  as anyone would be.

It was horrifying. It was baffling. It caught everyone by surprise.

Literally all any of us can do, Sharp said, is just pray and wait.

Emily Foxhall is the Texas Storyteller for the Houston Chronicle. Read her on our free site, chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | emily.foxhall@chron.com | Twitter: emfoxhall

emily.foxhall@chron.com
Wild Video of Sloth Giving Birth Shows Baby Bungee-Jumping With Umbilical Cord Science (Ian P)

Madagascars mysterious, lemur-eating cats started as ship stowaways Science (martha r)

Exclusive: Dead Sea Scrolls at the Museum of the Bible are all forgeries National Geographic (Chuck L)

Monsanto Secretly Funded Glyphosate Studies, Watchdog Finds EcoWatch

How sperm unpack dads genome so it can merge with moms PhysOrg

#COVID-19. In Alabama, the governor declared a state of emergency at 5:00 PM on Friday. The governor admitted only to two confirmed cases, one in Montgomery, one in Jefferson County (the later had come back from abroad, no country reported; I bet the Montgomery one picked it up in Washington DC at the CPAC or AIPAC conference). Fox at that time said three others being tested; right after, a contacts with an MD daughter who had not heard the news said were are three cases at UAB (University of Alabama at Birminghams medical complex) but they didnt want to say to the public. Now six confirmed cases; AL.com reporting one in Tuscaloosa. All K-12 schools will close for 2 and a half weeks starting end of day Wednesday. Also heard from an MD contact that UAB is refusing to test members of their system (they run a large HMO) unless they are inpatient. Drive up testing starting tomorrow at a private lab in Vestavia, however. More details here; note number of performances closing (and not closing.). Also note other areas starting to get drive by testing: Local hospitals launch drive-up COVID-19 testing Albuquerque Journal

#COVId-19 Politics

China?

Chinas rise may not be inevitable Asia Times (Kevin W)

Brexit

Brussels places fishing rights at heart of draft trade treaty with UK Financial Times

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Trump Transition

2020

Nobel prize winning economist Robert Shiller says this economic disruption is different Quartz (David L)

Elon Musk reportedly told SpaceX employees they have a much higher chance of dying in a car crash than from the coronavirus Business Insider. Kevin W: Well, maybe more so in one of his cars.

Private Equity-Backed Nursing Homes Are Bad for Patients, Research Shows Institutional Investor (Chuck L). Quelle surprise!

Patagonia has closed all of its stores; will continue to pay all employees: https://t.co/qnuhGoPJ8R  Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelen) March 13, 2020

Apple Closes All Its Stores Outside China Over Coronavirus Wall Street Journal

Delta Cuts Flights by Most Ever, Seeks U.S. Aid Amid Coronavirus Bloomberg

Bayer Advances Toward Resolving Roundup Litigation Wall Street Journal

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts  The End of the Beginning  Crash of 2020 Jesse

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. Lee: The Leisure Class:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
DAKAR, Senegal - A Canadian woman and an Italian man who had been kidnapped in December 2018 in Burkina Faso have been released in good health, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in neighbouring Mali.

Quebec resident Edith Blais and Italian Luca Tacchetto had been travelling by car in the southwest of Burkina Faso when all communication with their families abruptly ended on Dec. 15, 2018. Burkina Fasos security situation had been deteriorating in the year before their abduction and has gotten increasingly worse in the past year. Al-Qaida and Islamic State-linked groups are active in Burkina Faso.

Malis U.N. peacekeeping spokesman Olivier Salgado told The Associated Press the two were brought to the MINUSMA based in Kidal in a civilian car on Friday. There they were taken in by the U.N. peacekeeping mission. On Saturday, the two flew to Bamako and have met with the head of MINUSMA, Malis president, other Malian authorities and the Canadian ambassador.

It is not known who kidnapped the two, if a ransom was paid or who arranged for the release.

Canadas Minister of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that he spoke with Blais and Tacchetto, who are safe.

Jihadists groups in the past year have been pushing across Malis border into Burkina Faso, and are increasing attacks further east as they gain territory in the smaller West African nation. More than half a million people have been displaced by the violence and almost 2,000 more fatalities were reported last year than in 2018 -- a six-fold increase -- according to a report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which collects and analyzes conflict information.
Im writing this from the makeshift quarantine bunker in my dining room  sweatpants on, hand sanitizer nearby, snacking my way through my emergency rations. Im getting plenty of work done, but Im starting to get unnerved by the lack of stimulation. Its been hours (days?) since I interacted face to face with a human who is not related to me, and cabin fever is setting in.

Among the coronavirus many effects is a boom in people like me: office workers, shooed away from the office, trying to acclimate to a work-from-home lifestyle.

While the outbreak has already created inconveniences (and much worse) for millions of people in the form of travel restrictions, health scares and stock market turmoil, it has been an exciting time for some fans of remote work. They argue that quarantined workers are getting a glimpse of our glorious, office-free future.

This is not how I envisioned the distributed work revolution taking hold, wrote Matt Mullenweg, chief executive of Automattic, the software company that owns the WordPress blogging service.

Mullenweg, whose companys workforce is fully distributed, sees a silver lining in the coronavirus. In his blog post last week, he wrote that it might also offer an opportunity for many companies to finally build a culture that allows long-overdue work flexibility.

I get where hes coming from. I was a remote worker for two years a while back. For most of that time, I was a work-from-home evangelist who told everyone within earshot about the benefits of avoiding the office. No commute! No distracting co-workers! Home-cooked lunch! Whats not to love?

But Ive been researching the pros and cons of remote work for my upcoming book about human survival in the age of artificial intelligence and automation. And Ive now come to a very different conclusion: Most people should work in an office, or near other people, and avoid solitary work-from-home arrangements whenever possible.

Dont get me wrong: Working from home is a good option for new parents, people with disabilities and others who arent well served by a traditional office setup. I dont think we should ignore health guidelines and force people to work in an office during a pandemic. And Im sympathetic to the millions of teachers, restaurant workers and other professionals for whom working from home has never been a viable option.

But for those of us lucky enough to be able to work from home, coronavirus or no, a few words of caution are in order.

Fans of remote work often cite studies showing that people who work from home are more productive, like a 2014 study led by Stanford Professor Nicholas Bloom. The study examined remote workers at a Chinese travel agency and found that they were 13% more efficient than their office-based peers.

But research also shows that what remote workers gain in productivity, they often miss in harder-to-measure benefits like creativity and innovative thinking. Studies have found that people working together in the same room tend to solve problems more quickly than remote collaborators, and that team cohesion suffers in remote work arrangements.

Remote workers also tend to take shorter breaks and fewer sick days than office-based ones, and in studies, many report finding it hard to separate their work from their home lives. Thats a good thing if youre a boss looking to squeeze extra efficiency out of your employees, but less ideal if youre someone trying to achieve some work-life balance.

Working in isolation can be lonely, which explains the popularity of co-working spaces like WeWork and the Wing. Even in Silicon Valley, where the tools that allow for remote work are being built, many companies are strict about requiring their workers to come into the office.

Steve Jobs, for one, was a famous opponent of remote work, believing that Apple employees best work came from accidentally bumping into other people, not sitting at home in front of an email inbox.

Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions, Jobs said. You run into someone, you ask what theyre doing, you say Wow, and soon youre cooking up all sorts of ideas.

Ill grant that office work has its downsides, even in healthy times. Commuting has been shown to make us less happy, and the open-plan office, a truly cursed workplace design trend that emphasizes airy spaces with rows of desks and little privacy, has made distraction-free focus nearly impossible.

But being near other people also allows us to express our most human qualities, like empathy and collaboration. Those are the skills that cant be automated. And theyre what produces the kind of meaningful interpersonal contact we miss out on when were stuck at home.

Theres an element of social interaction thats really important, said Laszlo Bock, the chief executive of Humu, a Mountain View human resources startup.

Bock, who was previously Googles top human resources officer, said that for most people, balancing office work with remote work is ideal. His companys research has found that the ideal amount of work-from-home time is 1 days per week  enough to participate in office culture, with some time reserved for deep, focused work.

The reason tech companies have micro-kitchens and free snacks is not because they think people are going to starve between 9 a.m. and noon, he said. Its because thats where you get those moments of serendipity.

In recent years, some companies with sizable remote workforces have experimented with ways to create office culture over a distance.

Automattic, Mullenwegs all-remote company, holds an annual weeklong staff retreat called the grand meetup, at which workers gather in the same place to socialize and work on group projects. At GitLab, an open-source collaboration service, remote workers are encouraged to schedule virtual coffee breaks  purely social video conferences  with colleagues they dont know well.

If the coronavirus continues preventing people from going to the office, more companies may need to try tactics like these to help keep their workers happy and connected.

But some people may never be content with virtual water coolers.

Its a very personal decision that works for some and doesnt work for others, said Julia Austin, a former tech executive and professor at Harvard Business School. Some people are more productive and happy and find other ways to get social contact if they work from home. And some people arent happy working alone.

As a white-collar Millennial, Im supposed to be cheering on the remote work revolution. But Ive realized that I cant be my best, most human self in sweatpants, pretending to pay attention on videoconferences between trips to the fridge.

Ill stay home as long as my bosses and the health authorities advise. But honestly, I cant wait to go back to work.

Kevin Roose is a New York Times writer.
THE BOARD of Limerick Chamber has stated its support for a full workplace closure should it be necessary to help overcome the spread of Covid-19 at this critical stage.

The Chamber, which is the largest business representative body in the Mid-West, has said that if such a closure is instituted, exceptions will need to be made for organisations that are critical to the medical, pharmaceutical and food supply chains.

However, clarity, it said, must also be given with regards to supports for business and employees in this instance before this intervention is initiated.

This includes around:

Ease of access to social welfare payments for employees for the duration of the crisis

A necessary social welfare allowance for the self-employed for the duration of the crisis

Government to agree with lending institutions a moratorium on commercial and personal loans (including mortgages)

Government to provide a moratorium on VAT, PAYE, PRSI payments, local authority rates and water rates

Said Limerick Chamber CEO, Dee Ryan: There is a growing consensus that to meet and defeat the Covid-19 challenge we have to raise the stakes and Limerick Chamber would support the Government were they to put a complete workplace closure in place.

We believe that we are in a critical window that could potentially see spread of the virus go to uncontainable levels and do not believe that it is worth running that risk. The lessons are clear already from Wuhan, China, in particular. Its only after a comprehensive shut-down of public engagement that this is brought under control.

"The bottom line is that only until rapid and aggressive quarantine and social distancing measures were applied that success was achieved. Playing the waiting game allows time for the virus to spread; by the time infection is confirmed in any one person, many others may have been infected.

Ms Ryan said that the Mid West business community wants to support national efforts to slow down spread of the virus and spread out the impact on our health care system.

However, she added, there can be no partial measures in supports for business and called on the Government to put in place the specified measures ahead of any workplace closure.

We recognise that important exceptions will need to be made for organisations and companies that are critical to enabling the country to continue to function, particularly medical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Where possible businesses will continue to operate through remote working as well. However, we urge the Government to move quickly to put measures in place so that a majority workplace closure can be instituted when necessary.

This would be a difficult intervention for business, she said, but business would be willing to do what is necessary for the greater good.

This will have a huge short-term impact on business and necessary services must continue to be delivered but with proper controls. However, this short-term impact will have long term gain as we limit the spread and, ultimately, the loss of elderly and vulnerable people. Public health is number one but we will also get back to normal routine, or as close to it as is feasible, a lot quicker from a business perspective if we act swiftly.
All Wisconsin schools will be required to close under an order issued by the Department of Health Services to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The order, to take effect no later than 5 p.m. on March 18, affects nearly 1 million Wisconsin children in grades K-12 in public and private schools. Schools, particularly those in counties with reported cases of COVID-19, such as Dane, are allowed to close earlier if they choose. The closure of all public schools over a public health emergency is unprecedented in Wisconsin's modern history.

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday directed the Department of Health Services, the state agency tasked with managing COVID-19, to issue the order mandating the statewide closure of all K-12 schools. The order affects all public instruction and extracurricular activities.

"Closing our schools is not a decision I made lightly, but keeping our kids, our educators, our families and our communities safe is a top priority as we continue our work to respond to and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin," Evers said in a statement.

The anticipated re-opening date for schools is April 6, however, the re-opening date is subject to change pending further information. Schools that are able may continue to with online instruction.

The announcement comes as universities in the state, including UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point, have canceled face-to-face instruction to prevent the spread of the virus among their students, staff, and faculty.

The closure of schools statewide could have profound economic and other implications.

"We did not make this decision lightly," DHS secretary Andrea Palm said in a statement. "We are all in this together to protect Wisconsin and the most vulnerable among us."

Just before Wisconsin's announcement, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all of its public and private schools to close, affecting more than 2 million public and private school children.

Dan Rossmiller, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, said Friday's order leaves a myriad of unanswered questions for school districts and parents.

"I don't think we've ever seen anything like it in our lifetime, but we've never seen a disease spread the way this one is spreading," Rossmiller said.

Rossmiller said one major question is the effect on households with two parents working. Some parents who work in the health care industry may have to stay home to watch their children, which Rossmiller fears could further burden the health care system.

Another issue is how schools will address school lunches, which lower income households often rely on. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has already requested a waiver from the federal government to allow schools the flexibility to offer meals in way that doesn't risk the spread of the virus, such as in a non-congregate setting and off of school grounds.

Christina Brey, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin's largest teacher's union, urged the state and school officials to communicate with unions as they plan for the statewide schools closure.

Also important is whether schools can get waivers from required instructional hours. If they don't, schools may have to look at lengthening their days or moving classroom instruction into the summer.

WEAC is recommending schools consider all options to be considered for paid time off for all employees, which could include extending unemployment compensation.

Deputy state superintendent Mike Thompson said the department has yet to determine whether to grant a waiver from school instructional hours, which are counted over the school year.

If classroom instruction is suspended for long enough, he said schools will likely need to individually request waivers from the DPI, and that a blanket waiver for all districts is unlikely because each district faces a unique situation.

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The Napa Winery Inn, a 59-room hotel located in North Napa, has been sold for $12.9 million.

Rick Swig, one of the owners of the hotel, said that the time was right to sell.

We had planned to hold it for five to seven years and we ended up owning it for almost eight, said Swig.

In the cycle of a hotel there is a point where you have to recommit capital for a longer term and it was our choice not to do that, said Swig.

At first the hotel operated as Quality Inn. Later, it operated as Ascend Hotel brand inn. As of 2017, it was an independent hotel.

The buyer is Pacifica Companies of San Diego. A representative could not be immediately reached to comment on the purchase.

Pacifica Companies owns and operates more than 40 hotel and resort assets in five states across the United States.

It partners with brands like Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Wyndham International, and Hilton Hotels and Resorts, said a news release.

The closest other Pacific Companies hotel is the Courtyard by Marriott in Santa Rosa.

In an area where the average hotel room rate (in 2019) was $337.22 per night, the Napa Winery Inn currently offers rates from starting at $156 a night, according to its website.

At that time, it was known as the John Muir Inn.

Swig and partners renovated, rebranded and renamed the property as the Napa Winery Inn.

In a 2012 interview, Swig said he bought the hotel because it was available for a reasonable price. Its a hotel that was underperforming compared to the rest of the market.

At that time, average occupancy at Napa County hotels was hovering at about 70 percent, Swig said, but average occupancy at the John Muir Inn was 35 percent.

The group invested more than $1 million in the property, adding new carpet, artwork, draperies, paint, landscaping, flat-screen television monitors and wireless technology.

The sale doesnt mean Swig is out of the Napa Valley hotel business.

He still owns the Wine Country Inn & Cottages Napa Valley in St. Helena.

Swig also previously worked as vice president and managing director of the Fairmont Hotel Management Company.

The Napa Winery Inn sale could represent the first such hotel deal in Napa County in 2020.

A small number of hotels sold in Napa County in 2019 including the McClelland-Priest Ben & Breakfast Inn at 569 Randolph St. in Napa, The Setting Inn at 1205 Hillview Lane in Napa, Bel Abri at 837 California Blvd. in Napa, the Yount Mansion Inn at 423 Seminary St. in Napa and Dr. Wilkinsons Hot Springs Resort at 1507 Lincoln Ave. in Calistoga.

You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com

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Richie Nolan, MD of Nolan Transport; Pascal Bolger, MD Culcita; Sean Reidy, Wexford County Chamber president; Fiona Lewis, Wexford County Chamber CEO; David Cooney, Director of Recruitment at Morgan McKinley; Pauline Oakes, Senior Director of Operations at Ineger; John Stacey, Head of Development at Stitcher Ads; and Cathaoirleach John Fleming at Invest Wexford in New Ross

More than 80 people attended a 'brainstorming' session about the future of New Ross where the huge potential of the town based on its location and availability of property options was outlined.

A panel of local business leaders including Richard Nolan of Nolan Transport, Paschal Bolger of Culcita, Pauline Oakes, CEO at Integer New Ross, John Stacey of StickerAds and David Cooney of Morgan McKinley addressed the crowd at the Brandon House Hotel.

Organised by Invest Wexford, an inward investment venture run by Clongeen native Ed Murphy - in conjunction with Wexford County Council and New Ross Municipal District, the event saw business leaders from the community come together for the first time in years for round table discussions about ways to attract new businesses and companies to the town centre.

County Wexford Chamber President Sean Reidy outlined the major investments in and around New Ross in the past year, which he said, are not only great for tourists, but are great for the lifestyle of residents - while attracting talent to live and work in the New Ross area.

Mr Murphy addressed the crowd about the attractiveness of County Wexford and how to sell that message to companies, be it through contacts people have or by making direct contact with companies around the world. He said: 'Invest Wexford's goal is to create 500 new jobs per year in County Wexford for the next five years. Today's goal is asking you for input, ideas, energy, support and connections on how we can transform New Ross into a vibrant and economically successful town that we can be proud of and to create 500 to 1,000 jobs in the town over next five years.'

The new M11 and N25 motorways extension places New Ross in a much stronger position in the south east with greatly improved connectivity to the north, south and west and a with a hinterland of 150,000 people within a half an hour drive, he said.

'Now it is finally New Ross's time to grow and develop and to enjoy the benefits of being bypassed. However, we know from experience elsewhere that this does not happen automatically. It will take a combined effort of all to position the town to benefit from being bypassed. There are great companies already in Co Wexford and New Ross. We not only need to help these existing businesses to grow; but we really need to attract new businesses and new quality jobs to New Ross. I believe that we can all look with real optimism for the future development of New Ross, but this positive change will not happen automatically. It will take a combined effort of all to position the town to benefit from being bypassed.'

Having outlined some of the international companies who have already located in Co Wexford, Mr Murphy said there is already a significant talent pool in the region, including 10,000 people employed in pharma and medical device company jobs, 31,000 in the engineering and industrial sector and 7,000 in financial services,

He said all of the county's towns have high speed fibre broadband, highlighting also how the new dual carriageways in Enniscorthy and New Ross have reduced access time into the county.

Mr Murphy said New Ross will soon have tens of thousands of square footage of Grade A commercial property space, with rents as low as 18 per square foot.

'The cost of doing business in Wexford is 33 per cent lower than it is in Dublin, while three bed houses (at 220,000) cost 67 per cent lower than Dublin.'

He highlighted the fact that there are 10,000 college graduates living within a 90 mile radius of the county, and how there is 40 per cent more disposable income in the county than in Dublin.

'89 per cent of professionals surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with moving to the south east.'

He encouraged people to network and to use their contacts to encourage companies to consider opening a branch in New Ross.

Alan Corcoran of South East Radio was MC for the event, and he interviewed the panel of speakers.

Round table discussions followed around the future economic development of New Ross.

Among the items up to discussions were: `What key changes do you think need to happen now to transform New Ross into a vibrant and economically successful town?'

`What can Wexford County Council do to create a positive environment of engagement and participating of the business community and people from the town to attract investment and jobs?

`What do you think that we, as business leaders and members of the wider business community, can do to attract business investment and quality jobs to New Ross? And `what for you are the key elements of a successful future vision for New Ross in 2030?' Everyone was asked to complete a feedback form and Mr Murphy said he is looking forward to hearing the input and contributions of everyone attending the event, adding that a committee is 12 is being formed, provisionally called the Selling New Ross Team.
Argentina announced its second coronavirus-related death on Friday as Ecuador reported its first, taking the total death toll in Latin America to five as the virus shows signs of spreading rapidly. Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and Suriname reported their first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall cases in the region have more than doubled in the last two days to over 340 as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned governments on Thursday to prepare their health services to cope. Several Latin American countries have tightened restrictions on travel links with Europe, from where many people in the region are descended and still have family. A 61-year-old Argentine man who returned from Italy on February 24 and had previously suffered from pneumonia died of "respiratory failure," the Chaco provincial health ministry said in a statement. Italy is the worst affected country outside of China, where the virus originated. Argentina reported the first Latin American coronavirus death on March 7. In Ecuador, a 71-year-old woman who had traveled to Spain died of a "severe respiratory failure," Health Minister Catalina Andramuno said. The woman was also the first person in Ecuador to have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease. - Bolsonaro tests negative - Following earlier press reports that he had contracted the virus, Brazil's far-right populist leader Jair Bolsonaro posted a message to his Facebook page saying he had tested negative. "Don't believe in the fake news media!" he wrote alongside a picture of him performing an obscene gesture. Bolsonaro was tested after his communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, contracted the virus following a trip to the United States in which both men had met US President Donald Trump. Venezuela announced its first two coronavirus cases: a 41-year-old who had visited the US, Italy and Spain, and a 52-year-old who visited Spain. Both had returned from Madrid on an Iberian airways flight to Caracas that flies three times a week. Authorities ordered everyone on that route between March 2-5 into "immediate obligatory preventative quarantine." The government suspended all school and university classes and ordered those working at border entry points to wear face masks. Chile and Mexico joined many other countries in banning large gatherings, while Uruguay said it had registered four cases, three in people who had returned from Milan. Cuban medical specialists said they have developed an antiviral drug used in China to treat patients that replenishes the human immune system and had received interest from 15 countries in buying it. But in Bolivia, panic had already started to spread despite just three recorded cases. People outside hospitals blocked others from seeking treatment, saying the facilities were not equipped to handle coronavirus and that accepting them would spread the illness, local media reported. - Music festivals off - Brazil postponed until December the international Lollapalooza festival due to run from April 3-5 in Sao Paulo. Santiago and Buenos Aires had previously postponed their festival dates until November. Rio state closed schools, theatres, sports stadiums and concert halls for two weeks, while Sao Paulo state likewise called off public events. Uruguay canceled a rock festival in the capital Montevideo that was expected to attract 40,000 fans. Brazilian also authorities quarantined a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship with 600 people aboard after a 78-year-old Canadian passenger developed a fever, cough and breathing trouble. Uruguay turned away a cruise ship from its popular tourist resort Punta de Este even though no-one on board was reported as ill. President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, which has reported no cases, ordered the army to detain anyone entering the country illegally to try to contain the virus. Stock markets partially rebounded on Friday after a bruising week. Brazil's Sao Paulo exchange climbed almost 14 percent but lost 15 percent overall this week. Paraguay and Colombia suspended their football leagues while Bolivia and Uruguay barred fans from theirs. Brazil banned fans from matches in its two largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
Washington, March 14 : Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has slammed Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos for employees to "donate" their paid time off (PTO) to co-workers who have fallen sick during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amazon subsidiary Whole Foods' CEO John Mackey sent out an email to grocery store employees this week and among his six suggestions was an option for employees to "donate" their paid time off (PTO) to coworkers facing medical emergencies.

"Team Members who have a medical emergency or death in their immediate family can receive donated PTO hours, not only from Team Members in their own location, but also from Team Members across the country," Mackey wrote in an email seen by Motherboard.

Whole Foods also said that it will offer unlimited, unpaid time off during the month of March and two weeks of paid time off for workers who test positive for COVID-19.

Sanders tweeted: "Amazon paid $0 in taxes on $11 billion in annual profits. But it asks workers to 'donate' their paid leave to others who are sick." "Workers and taxpayers are expected to be generous. Corporate CEOs 'even during a pandemic' can be as stingy as they want," he added.

Amazon-owned Whole Foods is a supermarket chain headquartered in Austin.

"Considering [Whole Foods] is a billion dollar company, I think it is selfish asking the retail workers to figure it out within themselves," a Whole Foods cashier was quoted as saying in the report.

"The response from [Whole Foods and Amazon] has been quite poor, being a front end cashier I feel like we are the most exposed to the situation...Some of us have sick family members [whose] immune system is weak and [it] could be quite dangerous if they catch this virus".

Social media users blasted Amazon and its CEO over the report.

"Remember when Jeff Bezos, whose company owns Whole Foods, said he was so freakin' rich he didn't know how to spend his money so, heck, he'd start a space programme?" posted Alex Kotch, an award-winning investigative reporter.

"I suggest that Jeff Bezos donate 100% of his corporate profit to guarantee 100% of his employee salaries AND jobs. His employees are already bearing personal costa time for him to do what's right," another Twitter user commented.

An ex-Whole Foods employee said: "When I worked for Whole Foods a few years back, I called in sick with the flu and was told by my manager to come in anyways. I said that wasn't safe and he argued it was fine because he was there and he also had the flu (and was running the meat counter)".

Whole Foods was yet to comment.

"I used to teach classes at 3 different Whole Foods Markets. The employees work SO HARD there! They deserve their vacation time (which is NOT enough). Only sheer arrogance & unfettered greed would propel someone to even come up with this obscene scenario," posted Serenity Foods.
Indias efforts to evacuate citizens from the new coronavirus epicenter in Italy will see a special Air India flight carry around 230 Indian students back home on Sunday morning. The flight from Milan is expected to land at Delhi around 9 am.

The aircraft had taken off from Delhi for Milan on Saturday afternoon

The rescued Indians, mostly students have been tested for the disease but will be quarantined as per the prevention protocol after their arrival.

The Indian government had sent a team of medical professionals to Italy in order to facilitate testing of the stranded Indians so that they could be cleared to fly back home. The team started testing at the Indian embassy in Rome on Friday afternoon.

Indian embassy had tweeted pictures of the Indian students waiting patiently for their turn.

Another special flight carrying the third batch of Indians from Iran is scheduled to arrive at Mumbai airport around midnight.

Several Indians including pilgrims, fishermen, students and businessmen are stuck in Iran, which is the worst-affected country in the Middle East region.

Italy has registered 17,660 infections and 1,266 deaths from the virus while the death toll in Iran stands over 600 with 13 thousand people confirmed with Covid-10 infection.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 20:17:14|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Beijing reported one new confirmed case of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) imported from the United States on Friday, the local health authority said on Saturday.

The city also reported four imported suspected cases, with two from the United States, one from Italy and one from Spain, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

The patient surnamed Li is a citizen of southwest China's Chongqing city but has been living in Massachusetts in the United States. She developed symptoms including fever and cough on March 1. Li flew back to Beijing with her husband and son from Los Angelos and arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday.

They were sent to a hospital directly from the airport. Li was diagnosed as COVID-19 patient, and her family was reported as suspected cases, according to local health authorities.

No new confirmed cases have been reported in 12 of Beijing's 16 districts for more than 14 consecutive days.
Officials at Worcester Public Schools have announced the district will close all schools and will reopen on Monday, April 6.

The district is taking proactive steps to protect our students and staff during this current pandemic to prevent community spread of the virus," the schools released in a statement.

The district had previously announced it was closing for Friday and would continue to evaluate.

Concerns over the spread of the Coronavirus has prompted the closure of more than 100 Massachusetts school districts this week with many saying they will stay closed for days or weeks.

Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a ban on events with more than 250 people as the state attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

As of 6 p.m. Friday there had been 145,333 coronavirus cases worldwide and 5,416 deaths. Another 70,921 have recovered. Although the total numbers so far are less severe than the flu, health officials worldwide are concerned at the rate the virus has spread combined with the fact that there is no vaccine available yet. The period in which symptoms show is also longer than the flu, health officials have said, which means infected people may be in contact with more people before they realize they are contagious.

Massachusetts education officials issued guidance Friday to public and private schools in the commonwealth with recommendations on limiting exposure and temporary closures.

The guidelines call on schools to implement cleaning policies and limit groups of students from gathering by canceling large events and altering school schedules.

Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel held a conference call with superintendents, private school leaders and others in education Friday morning to discuss the recommendations.

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For the first time in Northern Ireland, women will be able to access abortions without having to travel to Great Britain as of April 1. This is the culmination of years of fighting for access to reproductive healthcare and follows similar changes in Ireland, where abortion became legally accessible in January 2019.

As heated debate raged across both Northern Ireland and Ireland in the lead up to these changes, the stories of women, who for various reasons, took the abortion trail across the Irish Sea became more widely shared. These are personal and often harrowing stories of being forced to travel to Great Britain to terminate a pregnancy.

Indeed, while it may not be widely known, women who did not want to be mothers in Ireland are also a consistent feature of Irish migration throughout the 19th century. Some took the short journey across the Irish Sea to Great Britain. Others, however, took their chances further afield responding to the promises of a fresh start in America.

We have been researching these stories for our Bad Bridget project, a three-year study funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council named after the fact that Bridget was commonly used in 19th-century North America to refer to Irish women. From looking at criminal and deviant Irish women in Boston, New York and Toronto, we have uncovered many who made the extreme decision to emigrate while pregnant and often alone.

It is clear from our research that the stigma and shame attached to illegitimacy in Ireland, in both protestant and catholic communities, led girls and women to make this journey to the new world rather than be condemned and possibly ostracised at home. In 1877, for instance, Maggie Tate, an Irish Protestant, migrated to New York to cover her shame. She hoped that the father of her child would join her in the US to fulfil his promise to marry her.

Kate Sullivan, who was 18 when she travelled to New York, was betrayed by the son of a farmer for whom she worked in Ireland. He had allegedly shipped her over [to New York], promising to follow on the next steamer. He didnt and she gave birth to their twins there.

Story continues

Other women in similar situations gave up their children for adoption. While some relatives and friends would likely have been complicit in decisions to hide pregnancies by migrating across the Atlantic, others likely remained entirely ignorant. Unfortunately, many Irish women found that when they arrived in America, attitudes towards single mothers were no more positive than at home. For some women the experience of migrating while pregnant ended in tragedy.

Catherine ODonnell ended up in court in Boston in 1889 for the suspected manslaughter of her baby, having allegedly sought the shore of America to give birth to an illegitimate child, her lover [in Ireland] deserting her. Her case reveals the issues experienced by many single mothers, both in the past and today, of having to support a child alone. Catherine initially paid for her babys board, but her financial difficulties were exacerbated when money from home ceased. She was refused assistance at charitable and religious institutions and, after wandering around for two days in a storm, seems to have left her infant on the shoreline at low water where the baby drowned.

Abroad and alone

Our research on Bad Bridget has also shown that many Irish female migrants became pregnant after their arrival to North America. This is undoubtedly related to the fact that many Irish women emigrated alone and at a young age, some as young as eight or nine. This was unlike their counterparts from continental Europe, who tended to travel in family groups.

But if many Irish migrants in large cities experienced a new found sexual freedom outside of parental and family control, this lack of supervision also meant a lack of support and assistance. The experience of Rosie Quinn who became pregnant while in New York in 1903 reveals the tragic consequences that could follow. Rosie was found guilty of throwing her nine-day-old daughter into a reservoir in Central Park and sentenced to life in prison. Her case generated considerable public support, with one woman writing to the governor of New York:

my heart is so burdened for that poor Irish girl (alone in a strange country deserted by family and friends) that I cannot rest.

Like Catherine ODonnell, Rosie explained during her trial that she had sought and been refused charitable assistance. She had gone to Central Park intending to drown herself and the baby, she claimed, but while contemplating suicide the baby had slipped from her arms. She recalled that she got scared and ran away. Servants at the hotel where Rosie had worked on Fifth Avenue appealed to patrons to help appeal her case and she was pardoned in December 1904.

These examples are only some of the wide variety of stories and experiences of unmarried Irish mothers in North America. In many situations, pregnancies outside marriage will have turned out well; women will have managed on their own, married or used support networks. But for others, experiences of emigration ended badly. Historical discussion of emigration often ignores the female experience.

Understanding the myriad migration stories in the past will give greater insight and understanding into the pressures and demands of migration today, especially relating to women migrants. Such stories also complicate rose-tinted views about economically, socially and politically successful Irish migrants who contributed to their new home countries. An awareness of the variety of pressures and stresses that led to a decision to emigrate, and an understanding that not all migrant experiences in the past were positive, can encourage a more empathetic consideration of migrants and migration today.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Elaine Farrell received funding from AHRC and Irish Research Council.

Leanne McCormick received funding from AHRC, British Academy and Department of Health NI
US State of Louisiana Postpones Primaries Due to Coronavirus Pandemic - Reports

Sputnik News

17:23 GMT 13.03.2020(updated 17:47 GMT 13.03.2020)

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US state of Louisiana has postponed its primaries due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, becoming the first state to do so, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said in a press conference on Friday.

"Today I have certified that the state of emergency exists and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring", Ardoin said.

Ardoin said state officials have requested that the primaries scheduled to take place on 4 April be delayed until 20 June, and the 9 May general elections be delayed until 25 July.

On 10 March, six US states held primary elections with more than 350 delegates up for grabs including Michigan (125 delegates), Missouri (36) and Washington (89).

Senator Bernie Sanders picked up his first win in Tuesday's six-state Democratic presidential primary in an otherwise poor showing that gave former Vice President Joe Biden a commanding lead in his bid for the party's presidential nomination.

With 100 percent of the votes counted in North Dakota, Sanders bested Biden by a 53.3-39.8 percent margin, as reported in the New York Times.

However, Biden won the delegate-rich contest in Michigan, as well as Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho, compiling an 823-663 lead in delegates to July's Democratic National Convention, according to The Times.

To secure the Democratic nomination, a candidate needs to secure votes from 1991 pledged delegates.

The US has over 1,300 COVID-19 cases out of 127,000 confirmed globally with at least 38 deaths out of more 4,700 reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The country ranks eighth in a disease expansion, now officially recognized as a pandemic.

 Sputnik

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As the new coronavirus spreads illness, death, and catastrophe around the world, virtually no economic sector has been spared from harm. Yet amid the mayhem from the global pandemic, one industry is not only surviving, it is profiting handsomely.

Pharmaceutical companies view Covid-19 as a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity, said Gerald Posner, author of Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of America. The world needs pharmaceutical products, of course. For the new coronavirus outbreak, in particular, we need treatments and vaccines and, in the U.S., tests. Dozens of companies are now vying to make them.

Theyre all in that race, said Posner, who described the potential payoffs for winning the race as huge. The global crisis will potentially be a blockbuster for the industry in terms of sales and profits, he said, adding that the worse the pandemic gets, the higher their eventual profit.

The ability to make money off of pharmaceuticals is already uniquely large in the U.S., which lacks the basic price controls other countries have, giving drug companies more freedom over setting prices for their products than anywhere else in the world. During the current crisis, pharmaceutical makers may have even more leeway than usual because of language industry lobbyists inserted into an $8.3 billion coronavirus spending package, passed last week, to maximize their profits from the pandemic.

Initially, some lawmakers had tried to ensure that the federal government would limit how much pharmaceutical companies could reap from vaccines and treatments for the new coronavirus that they developed with the use of public funding. In February, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and other House members wrote to Trump pleading that he ensure that any vaccine or treatment developed with U.S. taxpayer dollars be accessible, available and affordable, a goal they said couldnt be met if pharmaceutical corporations are given authority to set prices and determine distribution, putting profit-making interests ahead of health priorities.

When the coronavirus funding was being negotiated, Schakowsky tried again, writing to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on March 2 that it would be unacceptable if the rights to produce and market that vaccine were subsequently handed over to a pharmaceutical manufacturer through an exclusive license with no conditions on pricing or access, allowing the company to charge whatever it would like and essentially selling the vaccine back to the public who paid for its development.

But many Republicans opposed adding language to the bill that would restrict the industrys ability to profit, arguing that it would stifle research and innovation. And although Azar, who served as the top lobbyist and head of U.S. operations for the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly before joining the Trump administration, assured Schakowsky that he shared her concerns, the bill went on to enshrine drug companies ability to set potentially exorbitant prices for vaccines and drugs they develop with taxpayer dollars.

The final aid package not only omitted language that would have limited drug makers intellectual property rights, it specifically prohibited the federal government from taking any action if it has concerns that the treatments or vaccines developed with public funds are priced too high.

Those lobbyists deserve a medal from their pharma clients because they killed that intellectual property provision, said Posner, who added that the language prohibiting the government from responding to price gouging was even worse. To allow them to have this power during a pandemic is outrageous.

The truth is that profiting off public investment is also business as usual for the pharmaceutical industry. Since the 1930s, the National Institutes of Health has put some $900 billion into research that drug companies then used to patent brand-name medications, according to Posners calculations. Every single drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration between 2010 and 2016 involved science funded with tax dollars through the NIH, according to the advocacy group Patients for Affordable Drugs. Taxpayers spent more than $100 billion on that research.

Among the drugs that were developed with some public funding and went on to be huge earners for private companies are the HIV drug AZT and the cancer treatment Kymriah, which Novartis now sells for $475,000.

In his book Pharma, Posner points to another example of private companies making exorbitant profits from drugs produced with public funding. The antiviral drug sofosbuvir, which is used to treat hepatitis C, stemmed from key research funded by the National Institutes of Health. That drug is now owned by Gilead Sciences, which charges $1,000 per pill  more than many people with hepatitis C can afford; Gilead earned $44 billion from the drug during its first three years on the market.

Wouldnt it be great to have some of the profits from those drugs go back into public research at the NIH? asked Posner.

Instead, the profits have funded huge bonuses for drug company executives and aggressive marketing of drugs to consumers. They have also been used to further boost the profitability of the pharmaceutical sector. According to calculations by Axios, drug companies make 63 percent of total health care profits in the U.S. Thats in part because of the success of their lobbying efforts. In 2019, the pharmaceutical industry spent $295 million on lobbying, far more than any other sector in the U.S. Thats almost twice as much as the next biggest spender  the electronics, manufacturing, and equipment sector  and well more than double what oil and gas companies spent on lobbying. The industry also spends lavishly on campaign contributions to both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Throughout the Democratic primary, Joe Biden has led the pack among recipients of contributions from the health care and pharmaceutical industries.

Big Pharmas spending has positioned the industry well for the current pandemic. While stock markets have plummeted in reaction to the Trump administrations bungling of the crisis, more than 20 companies working on a vaccine and other products related to the new SARS-CoV-2 virus have largely been spared. Stock prices for the biotech company Moderna, which began recruiting participants for a clinical trial of its new candidate for a coronavirus vaccine two weeks ago, have shot up during that time.

On Thursday, a day of general carnage in the stock markets, Eli Lillys stock also enjoyed a boost after the company announced that it, too, is joining the effort to come up with a therapy for the new coronavirus. And Gilead Sciences, which is at work on a potential treatment as well, is also thriving. Gileads stock price was already up since news that its antiviral drug remdesivir, which was created to treat Ebola, was being given to Covid-19 patients. Today, after Wall Street Journal reported that the drug had a positive effect on a small number of infected cruise ship passengers, the price went up further.

Several companies, including Johnson & Johnson, DiaSorin Molecular, and QIAGEN have made it clear that they are receiving funding from the Department of Health and Human Services for efforts related to the pandemic, but it is unclear whether Eli Lilly and Gilead Sciences are using government money for their work on the virus. To date, HHS has not issued a list of grant recipients. And according to Reuters, the Trump administration has told top health officials to treat their coronavirus discussions as classified and excluded staffers without security clearances from discussions about the virus.

Former top lobbyists of both Eli Lilly and Gilead now serve on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Azar served as director of U.S. operations for Eli Lilly and lobbied for the company, while Joe Grogan, now serving as director of the Domestic Policy Council, was the top lobbyist for Gilead Sciences.

The post Big Pharma Prepares to Profit From the Coronavirus appeared first on The Intercept.
An Italian journalist is warning Britons to 'stay home' amid the coronavirus pandemic as one of the country's top doctors warns Covid-19 is 'apocalyptic'.

The stark pleas to ban mass gatherings, avoid contact with others, and self-isolate in the UK and US come as 60million Italians endure a national lockdown.

Mattia Ferraresi, who writes for Il Foglio, has argued the Italian Government wasted time in not acting decisively and drastically early on.

He said that Italy's universal healthcare system has been 'felled' by Covid-19, which has infected 17,000 confirmed cases in the Mediterranean country.

The Italian journalist described life in the lockdown as an 'exercise in humility' and urged Britons to sacrifice 'individual freedom in order to protect everybody'.

Writing in The Boston Globe newspaper, Mr Ferraresi, of Rome, said: 'Until last week, the Italian public healthcare system had the capacity to care for everyone.

Italian journalist Mattia Ferraresi says the Government wasted time in not acting decisively and more drastically early on - and claims Italy's universal healthcare system has been 'felled'

'Our country has universal healthcare, so patients aren't turned away from hospitals here. But in a matter of days, the system was being felled by a virus that I, and many other Italians, had failed to take seriously.

'It didn't have to come to this. We of course couldn't stop the emergence of a previously unknown and deadly virus.

'But we could have mitigated the situation we are now in, in which people who could have been saved are dying. I, and too many others, could have taken a simple yet morally loaded action: We could have stayed home.'

He blasted 'less-than-urgent appeals to the public' by Governments across the planet to make small behavioural changes, arguing 'when the terrible outcomes they are designed to prevent... become evident, it's generally too late to act'.

'When everybody's health is at stake, true freedom is to follow instructions,' he said.

People applaud Italians doctors during a flashmob to raise morale in Rome, March 14

Health worker wearing protective suits and a face masks at work in the facility set up on the outside of Brescia's hospital to counter the Covid-19 outbreak, March 13

Italy became the first country in Europe last week to impose a lockdown to combat the spreading Covid-19 illness as more than 17,000 people are infected

People with masks near the Molinette hospital in Turin amid coronavirus hysteria, March 13

Elsewhere, Giuseppe Natalini - head of intensive care at the Fondazione Poliambulanza Hospital in Brescia - called Italy's crisis 'catastrophic, unimaginable'.

He told The Times newspaper: 'If someone had told me on February 21 that today we would be in this situation, I would not have believed it.

'Two or three weeks ago I would have considered the strict measures that have been in place in Italy disproportionate and alarmist. Now, absolutely not.'

Dr Natalini added: 'You'd be fools to get burnt like us.'

Italy became the first country in Europe last week to impose a lockdown to combat the spreading Covid-19 illness as more than 17,000 people are infected.

Giuseppe Natalini - head of intensive care at the Fondazione Poliambulanza Hospital in Brescia - called Italy's Covid-19 crisis 'catastrophic, unimaginable'

A man uses his smart phone in an empty Via Condotti street in Rome, March 14

A woman wearing a face mask buys groceries in Turin amid Covid-19 panic, March 14

One of the main shopping streets in the center, which goes from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia, completely deserted amid the coronavirus pandemic, March 14

The Mediterranean country's death toll hit over 1,200 - making Italy the worst-hit country outside of China, where the disease first incubated.

Under current lockdown rules, shops - except pharmacies, supermarkets, and newsagents - are to remain closed at all times.

People are now working from home, while staff required to go to their offices must sign a certificate submitted and vetted by Italian police.

Schools and universities, which closed on March 4, are expected to remain shut until April 3. Transgressors face three months in jail, and a fine.

Transgressors who break the emergency rules face three months in jail and a fine.
(CNN) -- A Seattle woman who says she had the coronavirus and is recovering has one "big takeaway" to share: Don't panic.

Elizabeth Schneider, 37, believes she contracted the virus at a house party because a few days later, several friends who were at the party became ill at the same time she did.

Three days after the February 22 party, Schneider says, she was at work when she started feeling unwell.

She was "feeling tired, body aches, getting a headache, feeling a little bit feverish," so she decided to go home, Schneider told CNN's Erin Burnett.

She woke up from a nap with a 101 degree fever, and "by the time I went to bed, it had soared to 103 degrees," Schneider said.

Schneider said she thought she had a nasty flu. It didn't occur to her that it could be the coronavirus because the symptoms didn't fit -- she didn't have a cough, no shortness of breath, no respiratory symptoms at all.

The "aha" moment didn't come until she found out that about a dozen friends who'd been to the same party got sick "at the exact same day, roughly around the same time in the evening, with very similar symptoms."

The Seattle area is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US. Of the 1,635 cases reported in the country since the Covid-19 first appeared in January, 457 of them are in Washington, including 41 deaths.

Still, Schneider and her friends weren't tested for the coronavirus, she said. Their doctors thought they had the flu, but the flu tests were negative.

"At this point, we were all getting a little frustrated that they weren't allowed to be tested for coronavirus, or the doctor wasn't even suggesting" they be tested for it, Schneider said.

So, one of her friends told her about a Seattle flu study. Participants sign up online and send in a nasal swab from a kit that's part of the study. Recently, she said, they started testing for coronavirus, too, and "that's how I ultimately found out."

Schneider said she recovered after staying home, resting and taking over-the-counter medications.

"I think the big takeaway I want to tell everyone is: Please don't panic," Schneider said. "If you are healthy, if you are younger, if you take good care of yourself when you're sick, you will recover, I believe. And I'm living proof of that."

Schneider, though, had age and otherwise good health on her side. For the elderly or people with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, Covid-19 can be -- and has been -- deadly, health officials say.

"The grim reality is that, for the elderly, Covid-19 is almost a perfect killing machine," American Health Care Association President Mark Parkinson told CNN this week.

Some states are restricting visits to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in an effort to stem the spread of the disease to that vulnerable population. Nursing homes in Washington state, for example, have been instructed to limit visitors as coronavirus cases spread across 11 facilities in the state.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Here's what this US coronavirus survivor in Seattle learned when she was sick"
DUBAI (Reuters) - Security forces will empty the streets of cities across Iran in the next 24 hours in a drive to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, state television reported on Friday. The move came as the World Health Organization (WHO) said Iran needed to do more to contain the disease.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Security forces will empty the streets of cities across Iran in the next 24 hours in a drive to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, state television reported on Friday.

The move came as the World Health Organization (WHO) said Iran needed to do more to contain the disease. Tehran has recorded 514 people killed and 11,364 diagnosed infections, making Iran one of the worst affected countries outside China.

Iranian officials have repeatedly complained that many Iranians have ignored calls to stay home and avoid travel.

"Our law enforcement and security committees, along with the interior ministry and provincial governors, will be clearing shops, streets and roads," state TV cited Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri as saying at a meeting about the virus. "This will take place in the next 24 hours."

He did not make clear whether people would be arrested or simply told to go home.

On Thursday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asked Bagheri to set up a body to lead the military's efforts in fighting the coronavirus.

A WHO team that visited Iran said "solid work" was being done, especially in the areas of case management, laboratories, and risk communications.

"But more needs to be done. We agreed on several priority areas for scale-up with the national health authorities, based on informed experiences in China and elsewhere," WHO team leader Dr Richard Brennan said in a statement.

The outbreak has infected a host of senior officials, politicians, doctors and clerics in Iran, several of whom, including an adviser to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, have died from the coronavirus, according to state media.

(Reporting by the Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Philippa Fletcher)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
A Lurgan man who hit two people on the head with a hammer while under the influence of drugs was handed a 12-month sentence yesterday

A Lurgan man who hit two people on the head with a hammer while under the influence of drugs was handed a 12-month sentence yesterday.

Perry Matthew John McAtamney (34) was told he will spend six months in prison followed by six months on licence after he admitted the early-morning incidents.

Belfast Crown Court heard one of the injured men had just left a Belfast nightclub and was walking along Donegall Place at around 3am on July 2, 2018 when he was approached by two males.

The pair said their friend had just been hit on the head with a hammer, and when the other male looked down the street he saw a man with blood on his face and a second male - who the Crown say was McAtamney - further down the street.

A verbal altercation erupted and McAtamney, from Maple Court in Lurgan, left the scene on foot towards Castle Lane.

He was chased by the other male, who followed him into Castle Arcade.

This male then tried to take the hammer off McAtamney, but instead of disarming McAtamney he sustained several blows to the head after he was struck with it.

A prosecutor said this injured man sustained a cut to his head as well as swelling and bruising, whilst the first man attacked by McAtamney sustained a minor injury.

McAtamney then left Castle Arcade and was picked up and followed on police CCTV.

A constable and police dog responded and encountered McAtamney close to Rosemary Street.

The constable got out of his vehicle and told McAtamney to stop or the dog would be deployed.

The prosecutor said: "At this point McAtamney saw sense and put the hammer down."

The prosecutor said that as this was taking place the injured man who tried to take the hammer off McAtamney arrived at the scene, saw McAtamney and began acting in such an aggressive way that the constable was concerned for McAtamney's safety.

The constable had to place himself between McAtamney and the injured man, and had to use CS spray. Other officers arrived, and McAtamney was arrested.

During his interview he didn't answer any police questions.

Defence barrister Martin Morgan pointed out that both men struck by his client did not co-operate with the prosecution and said they didn't want to come to court.

Mr Morgan also spoke of his client's drug misuse, and spoke of very serious issues which were occurring in McAtamney's life at the time of the incident. This drug abuse, Mr Morgan said, has had a detrimental effect on McAtamney's mental health, but this was something his client was addressing in custody.

McAtamney pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon in a public place, assaulting one man, and assaulting a second man and causing him actual bodily harm.

Judge Stephen Fowler QC handed him a 12-month sentence and said that at the time of the incident, McAtamney was "clearly on drugs" - but said he accepted that in prison McAtamney has displayed a desire "to try and rid himself of the drugs problem he unfortunately had acquired".
The Congress alleged on Saturday that the government was lacking in its preparedness to combat coronavirus, with senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation on containment measures taken so far.

Congress' senior spokesperson Ajay Maken claimed the government's preparations to tackle coronavirus were not visible.

Asked about BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's reported remarks that there were several gods and goddesses in the country and therefore coronavirus can't cause harm here, Maken said he would not like to comment on it as everyone has their own faith and beliefs, but there were questions over the government's preparedness in dealing with the spread of the disease.

"Like Rahul (Gandhi) ji has repeatedly said the government's preparedness is not visible," Maken told reporters, adding if the government is ready, then the gods and goddesses will also help us, but if it is not, then no help will come.

"So it is a matter of sadness that the government's preparations are nowhere to be seen and god forbid, if this (virus) increases tomorrow, the government preparedness is not there," he alleged.

Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, in a tweet, demanded that the prime minister addresses the nation on the present status of COVID-19 and the containment measures taken so far.

According to Health Ministry, so far 84 coronavirus cases have been reported across the country, while two persons have died due to COVID-19 disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Doris Carron of Ramparts, Greenore, passed away peacefully with her family around her in the dedicated care of the staff of St. Francis' Nursing Home, Mount Oliver.

She was predeceased by her husband, Paddy Carron and recently by her son Francis.

Doris was the youngest of eight children of the late James and Bridget McGrath, Rathcor, Riverstown.

She is deeply missed by her loving family, Mary, Patrick, Caroline, Stephanie, Keith and Olivia; daughters-in-law, Caroline and Jacqueline; sons-in-law, Kevin, Derek and Mark; and all her grandchildren who she loved and adored; also all her nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

Doris is survived by her sister, Kitty Sheelan; sister-in-law, Maureen McGrath; brothers-in-law, Owenie Treanor and Peter Sorohan.

She was born in her home in Rathcor in June 1932, and attended the local school in Rathcor where she made many lifelong friends.

At a young age Doris travelled over to England to assist her sisters in caring for their young children.

She later returned and took up employment at the Ballymascanlon Hotel, where she enjoyed her time and made many friends.

She had some great stories of this time in her life and when she met her husband Paddy Carron. They married in March, 1959 and lived in Dublin for a while, before returning to live in Greenore.

Doris soon learned to drive so she could visit her beloved mother in Rathcor when she earned the fond name Stanley from her late brother, Terence. She continued to drive until the age of 83.

Having got the travel bug early in life, no journey was too far. She travelled to Boston to visit her daughter Mary and her family, bringing her favourite brown bread, Tayto Crisps and Cadbury's Crunchies.

She also visited her daughter Olivia and her family who live in Wales. They loved to hear she was coming over, whether it was for communions or confirmations. She never missed an occasion.

Doris' love of style and fashion was well known. She was the life and soul of any party. She loved people and making friends and they'll all agree, she always told you what she thought.

Doris was fortunate to have lifelong friends and continued to make lasting friendships throughout life, especially with young people.

Her family were touched by the number of people from the many parts of Doris' life who paid tribute to the wonderful person she was.

Doris reposed at her son Keith's home where she lived, before removal to St. James' Church, Grange for funeral mass on Wednesday, 5 February, 2020, and burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

The funeral was a fitting tribute, celebrated by Fr. Malachy Conlon PP.

The beautiful music was performed by Roisin and Evelyn Crawley and organist Olivia Finnegan.

The Month's Mind Mass takes place on Friday next, 13 March at 8pm in St James' Church, Grange.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A Clifton man will ring up some jail time with a cell-phone snatch.

Clifton resident Joshua Smith faces at least nine months behind bars after pleading guilty to attempted robbery for trying to swindle the seller in a cell-phone purchase last fall.

The events unfolded around 1 p.m. on Sept. 24, said a criminal complaint.

Smith, 28, of the 100 block of Park Hill Avenue, arranged to buy a Samsung Galaxy Note9 phone from another person through the letgo app, the complaint said.

Afterward, they met at a designated location to complete the transaction, said the complaint.

Smith told the other person he needed to get cash, and they walked to Tompkins Street in Stapleton.

They were there for a few minutes when Smith ordered the seller to Give me the f------ phone, said the complaint.

The defendant grabbed the mans backpack, snatched the phone and bolted, the complaint said.

The theft was captured on surveillance videotape, said the complaint.

Smith was busted three weeks later on Oct. 12.

He told cops, I was going to buy it from him with counterfeit money, prosecutors court papers said.

Smith was indicted on felony charges of robbery and grand larceny. He was also accused of misdemeanor counts of stolen-property possession and petit larceny.

He pleaded guilty Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to attempted third-degree robbery and to petit larceny to resolve the case.

Under his plea agreement, the defendant must pay full restitution to the victim by the scheduled June 3 sentencing date.

If he does so, the felony conviction will be vacated, and hell be sentenced to nine months in jail on the misdemeanor.

Should Smith fail to comply, he would be sentenced to 18 months to three years behind bars on the attempted-robbery conviction.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the case.
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Diana Gasparyan, the Mayor of Etchmiatsin city, officially known as Vagharshapat, has called on citizens to stay in their homes and travel outside the city only in highly essential cases following the latest COVID19 cases.

Dear fellow citizens,

Given the growth of confirmed novel coronavirus cases and their epidemiological connection with Etchmiatsin city, I am urging you to avoid using private taxi cab services operating the Etchmiatsin-Yerevan roundtrip route.

Overall, I am asking you to stay at home, leave the city only when highly essential and in your own vehicles, if thats not possible then use public transport because it is regularly being disinfected, Mayor of Etchmiatsin Diana Gasparyan said in a statement, calling on the general public to avoid shared taxi rides.

Some of the latest confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection in Armenia have been diagnosed in residents from Etchmiatsin.

The total number of infections in Armenia is 15 as of March 14.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Experts: N. Korea's Recent Launches Tested Missiles to Target S. Korea

By Christy Lee March 13, 2020

In recent tests, North Korea has been improving the firepower of its missiles that can target South Korea, making them ready to deploy on a battlefield, experts said.

"North Korea has been enhancing its firepower, war-fighting capabilities over the past two years, flight-testing a number of new systems," including the KN-25 missile and variants such as the KN-23 and KN-24, said Michael Elleman, director of the Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Both systems "are capable of threatening targets in South Korea and are likely more accurate and lethal than the systems previously seen in North Korea," he said.

Compared with artillery positioned across the North Korean side of the demilitarized zone, Elleman said, the KN-25 missiles give Pyongyang the ability "to attack the South relentlessly in the opening hours or days of conflict."

North Korea's launches on March 2 and March 9 included KN-25 missiles that the regime began testing on August 24. The March 9 launch was Pyongyang's sixth KN-25 test.

North Korea tested similar missiles on July 31 and August 2, but they were smaller than the KN-25, Elleman said.

New for North Korea

The KN-25 is a long-range artillery rocket with a guidance system to control its flight path. Because it has a guidance system like a ballistic missile, the U.S. classifies the KN-25 as a missile.

According to Elleman, the U.S. calls it "a close-range ballistic missile," a type of short-range ballistic missile. North Korea described both launches earlier this month as "long-range artillery" drills.

"The distinction between rockets and ballistic missiles is, really, kind of semantic at this point," said Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "We're seeing more and more systems that don't fit either category perfectly."

Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at California's Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said, "The old distinction used to be between missiles, which were guided, and artillery rockets, which were not.

"Most artillery rockets are now guided because electronics are so cheap," he said.

Adding guidance technology to a long-range artillery rocket is relatively new to North Korea, Elleman said.

"The U.S. has been doing it for about 20 years," he said. "But it's just been in the last five to 10 years that we've seen countries like North Korea and Iran adding guidance to what normally would be a large-diameter or long-range artillery rocket."

Although this technology may be new for Pyongyang, it is not a new strategic weapon. The country's leader, Kim Jong Un, said in January that "the world will witness" it soon.

"[The North Koreans] haven't publicly shown us something like that yet," Elleman said. "This is not a type of strategic missile."

Experts say enhancing flight trajectories and firepower has been North Korea's goal for its KN-25 tests since August.

A long-range artillery rocket like the KN-25 can normally fly up to 400 km at a relatively high altitude, Williams said.

However, he said, North Korea has been testing the missiles at shorter distances and lower altitudes in the March tests, indicating that the regime has a specific goal.

"The biggest difference for me is the altitude that it flew and the range," Williams said. "They're firing at a much lower altitude, and that's giving them a lower range. They're not flying as far. So, they're experimenting with different trajectory types so that they can attack multiple kinds of targets" in South Korea.

"The things they're actually maybe wanting to target with it are [U.S.] military bases in South Korea, airfields," he said. "Most of those are within 200 km of North Korea. So they're working out, making sure, and exercising in a way that they would use it in a war."

The missiles that North Korea tested on March 2 were launched from its eastern coastal city of Wonsan, and they flew 240 km. The ones launched on March 9 from the eastern region of Sondok flew up to 200 km, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

By comparison, the KN-25 missiles North Korea tested from August to November traveled between 330 km and 380 km.

Testing for rapid firepower

If classic short-range ballistic missiles, which travel between 300 and 1,000 km, can reach the same distance as guided long-range artillery rockets, why is North Korea working on improving the KN-25?

Firing more missiles at one time could be the answer.

A key distinction between a guided artillery rocket like the KN-25 and a short-range ballistic missile is the number of projectiles that can be mounted on a launch truck.

Experts said multiple KN-25s can be mounted on a launcher and fired rapidly at short intervals, while ballistic missiles have to be mounted and launched one at a time from a single launcher.

"The truck that carries the missile to the launch point and fires them has four launch tubes," Elleman said. "So they're meant to be fired more than one at a time  probably, two, three, four at a time."

Photos released Tuesday by the Korean Central News Agency, the regime's official media outlet, show troops firing missiles from a truck-based multiple-launch rocket system with four launching tubes.

"It makes sense for them to want to maximize the firepower that they can get off a single vehicle, which may lead them away from things like a Scud missile, one big missile on one truck," Williams said.

"Once [a ballistic missile] is fired, you have to [take them] away and reload. That takes a long, long time," he added.

After charting how fast North Korea fired the KN-25 from its tests conducted from August 24 to March 2, Elleman said the lag time between launches had been shortened, meaning the regime has been firing them faster.

"During development, I would expect a long time between actual firing. And that's what we saw, 15 to 20 minutes," Elleman said. "They made it a little shorter each time, essentially.  In November, it was 30 seconds. The last time [on March 2], it was 20 seconds."

How quickly North Korea launched the missiles on March 9 has not been assessed.

Wartime use

Elleman said firing the missiles in rapid succession suggests that the regime is testing them to be ready for wartime use.

"That would suggest that they're in the final phase of what they believe they need to do for full development," Elleman said. "And these more recent launches were probably done under military exercises, and it was likely launched by actual troops as opposed to engineers that would be responsible for developing the system."

The tests were part of North Korea's military drills during the regular winter training cycle.

"They're kind of firing them the way they would fire them during a wartime, during an operational scenario," Elleman said. "These are war-fighting tools."

Xu Tianran, an analyst for the Open Nuclear Network program at One Earth Future, said, "This is especially important for North Korea as its armed forces cannot provide enough air cover for its assets on the ground."

Elleman said these missiles could load a warhead weighing from 300 to 400 kilograms.

"So it's a pretty big warhead. It can do quite a bit of damage," Elleman said. "It will pretty much destroy almost any type of targets out to a distance of 20 meters" of its target.

Because North Korea has not developed a technology to miniaturize a nuclear warhead, these missiles cannot be used for nuclear weapons.

"I have seen no evidence that they could make a nuclear payload that small," Elleman said.

Williams said the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system would have hard time intercepting these missiles because they fly low and out of its coverage area. The Patriot long-range missile defense system could intercept an incoming KN-25, but there are potential challenges.

"The challenge is detecting [the KN-25], seeing it coming with enough time that you can respond, enough time that you can get a fix on it, plan your engagement, and fire your interceptor," Williams said.

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The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology (KNUST) has confirmed a third case of the coronavirus in Ghana.



Peacefm News Senior Correspondent in the Ashanti Region, Sampson Kwame Nyamekye who reported this during the station's Midday bulletin, explained that the latest case involves an expatriate worker of Anglo Gold Ashanti (AGA).



"....the expatriate reportedly returned to the country after a trip abroad this week and flew to Obuasi via helicopter....he has currently been quarantined and undergoing medical observation whilst contact tracing is in process...



"A team of medical experts from Kumasi have also been dispatched to Obuasi to assist their colleagues to help contain the situation," he narrated.



Listen to his report below





In a late evening televised press conference Thursday, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, confirmed that coronavirus cases have been recorded in the country.Flanked by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Badu Sarkodie, the Health Minister said the two cases were confirmed on Thursday at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.According to him, the two persons infected by the pandemic had just returned from Norway and Turkey and that they were imported cases."Both patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable. We have initiated processes for contact tracing," the Minister said.On Wednesday, there was a similar late evening address by President Nana Akufo-Addo, in which he stated that with the fast-spreading infection recorded at all three of Ghanas immediate neighbors  Togo, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast  "by the law of averages", Ghana would soon record its first case.He then announced the allocation of $100 million to fight the virus in the event of an outbreak in Ghana.

66 Cases So Far Tested



Ghana has so far tested 66 suspected cases of coronavirus at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.



The disease since it was reported in late last year in Hubei Province of Wuhan in China, the epicenter of the disease, has spread to 120 countries and territories with 118,000 reported cases and about 4000 deaths.



Symptoms of Coronavirus



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 by touching or contact with an infected person).



Presently, various treatment options are being explored, there is no cure, treatment is mainly symptomatic, there is no vaccine and prevention is mainly by adherence to cough and sneezing etiquette and improved personal hygiene.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/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.

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Britains strategy is based on the presumption that most people in the country will eventually get the virus, and severe measures to contain it are unlikely to work. Patrick Vallance, the British governments chief scientific adviser, has said the U.K. was about four weeks or so behind Italy, where more than 15,000 infections and more than 1,000 deaths were recorded in only three weeks.
People must call Mercys COVID-19 Clinical Support Line at 314-251-0500 before arriving.

When patients drive up to the site, health care workers equipped in gowns, gloves, masks and goggles will greet them. The staff will verify the patient needs to be tested and use a swab to collect a sample from the patients nose.

Patients stay in the car the entire time, and the whole process will likely take about five minutes.

It will truly be a drive-thru, Hixson said.

The swabs are sent to state or private labs, and patients will receive a call with test results.

Mercy has set up temporary treatment facilities in the past, but this is its first drive-thru testing site. The organization plans to open more across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Shacham said mobile care is a go-to strategy in health care. Its a useful tool for bringing care to populations who need it, and not just for emergencies. For example, mammogram vans and mobile sexually transmitted infections testing sites are frequently used to increase access for communities with higher risks and less health care coverage.
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Yes Bank, the beleaguered private lender which needed a government bailout to stay aloft, finally revealed an earnings scorecard  late in the night  which was as disastrous as was widely believed.

Losses soared significantly, deposit base wilted sharply and bad loans, or non-performing assets (NPAs) swelled drastically and its ability to absorb losses withered, all of which underscored why it was imperative for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to impose limits on withdrawals to prevent a run on deposits and launch a rescue act for the bank.

Yes Bank reported a loss of Rs 18,564 crore at the quarter ended December compared with a rise in profit of Rs 1001.8 crore a year ago, dragged down by a precipitous rise in bad loans and severe decline in deposit base, it said in a statement.

It posted a net loss of Rs 600.08 crore in the previous quarter.

The bank's gross NPAs shot up to 18.87 percent in the given quarter, as against 2.10 percent in the year-ago period and 7.39 percent in previous quarter.

Yes Bank's capital buffers plummeted to below regulatory mandates, its results revealed. The CET1 ratio (a measure of a bank's capacity to absorb potential losses) stood at 0.6 percent as against minimum requirement of 7.4 percent implying massive impairments.

Its net interest income, the difference between interest earned and interest expended, fell considerably by 60 percent year-on-year to Rs 1,064.78 crore, and the sequential decline was 51.23 percent.

Gross non performing assets (GNPA) stood at Rs 40,709 crore as against Rs 17,134 crore on a quarter-on-quarter basis and net NPAs were at 5.97 percent versus 4.35 percent.

The bank said it increased bad loans provisions to Rs 24,765 crore in the December quarter as against Rs 1,336 crore in the previous quarter.

A bank's mainstay, deposits, fell by Rs 44,000 crore. Yes Bank said, as on March 5, its deposits stood Rs 1.37 lakh crore, down from Rs 2.09 lakh crore.

The bank's operating loss for the quarter stood at Rs 6.42 crore, against profit of Rs 1,990.36 crore in the year-ago period, while the non-interest income (other income) dropped to Rs 625.66 crore in Q3FY20, from Rs 890.87 crore YoY.

The downbeat performance comes after the RBI rescue plan was followed by India's largest private banks, including State Bank Of India, joining hands to keep Yes aloft. Yes was billed as one of the brightest stars on the Indian banking horizon.

The 16-year old bank said it was made aware of anonymous whistleblower complaints against irregularities in operations and conflict of interest against former MD and CEO Rana Kapoor in September 2018. Authorities have launched investigations against Kapoor, who was detained and faces several charges, including a case of money laundering, registered against him

Yes said it conducted an internal enquiry supervised by its board and the report reviewed by Board in November 2018. The bank said it then engaged an external firm to independently examine the matter in December 2018. The bank received two reports since.

Much of Yes troubles seed from the reckless lending by Kappor, according to multiple banking analysts and experts Moneycontrol spoke to.

Earlier in the day, the central government appointed former SBI banker Prashant Kumar as the new Chief Executive Officer of the financially troubled Yes Bank.

Accordingly, the former Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) will take over his new responsibilities once the moratorium on the stressed lender is lifted on Wednesday, a Finance Ministry notification said.

At present, office of the Administrator appointed by the RBI has taken the charge of the bank till the date of moratorium cessation.

Apart from Kumar, Sunil Mehta, former Non-Executive Chairman of Punjab National Bank will take over as the Non-Executive Chairman of Yes Bank.

Other board members include Mahesh Krishnamurthy and Atul Bheda, both as Non-Executive Directors.

(With agency inputs)
Finnair Airlines cancels all flights to Russia from March 16 to 31, the air carrier reports.

"Several countries have introduced new travel restrictions. In connection with the situation, we are canceling flights to Denmark and Norway on March 17-31, Russia on March 16-31, Poland on March 15-31 and Prague on March 16-31," the statement reads.

Finnair operates up to four daily flights to St. Petersburg as it is the only operator in this direction and up to 28 flights a week to Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, where it works together with Aeroflot, RIA Novosti reports.
'At least 3,000 Russian nationals went to fight alongside Isil militants in Syria, and a third of them came from Dagestan, a region of three million.'

Six-year-old Sumaya and her teenage sister Zagidat used to mark every day they spent away from their mother on a calendar, hoping for a reunion.

"Six months later, they tore it up, and we spoke no more about it," says their grandmother Patimat Gazimagomedova.

Suymaya and Zagidat (13) have been living with Ms Gazimagomedova in Russia's mostly Muslim region of Dagestan since their return from Isil-run Iraq in February last year. Their mother is in an Iraqi prison.

They are two of hundreds of children Russia is bringing back from squalid prisons and camps in the former caliphate in what could be the world's largest repatriation effort.

While the UK is torn over the future of about 60 British children in a similar situation, Russia is already in the middle of its operation.

At least 3,000 Russian nationals went to fight alongside Isil militants in Syria, and a third of them came from Dagestan, a region of three million. Moscow's original repatriation programme was halted at the end of 2017 after security services argued women who came back with the children were too much of a risk.

So the authorities resumed it a year later, focusing on children.

"Children are not to blame and shouldn't be responsible for the immature choices of their mothers and even their fathers," said Marina Yezhova, Dagestan's ombudsman for children's rights, who has overseen the repatriation of 98 children since 2017.

Dagestan has a list of 1,118 youngsters in Syria and Iraq eligible for return.

The North Caucasus region was a fertile recruiting ground for Isil, with a culture of violence instilled after more than a decade of fighting between Islamic insurgents and federal forces.

Just a few years ago, the government would send in armed police to lock down entire neighbourhoods and raid houses of suspected militants.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav



Thackeray lauded the efforts of Raigad police in saving the lives of 88 people on a boat that sank near Mandwa on Saturday morning.

In a statement, Thackeray said the rescue operation was highly commendable.

Prashant Gharat from the coastal police and his colleagues, with the help of fishermen, saved drowning men, women and children and brought them ashore, the statement said.

The boat was moving from Gateway of India to Mandwa jetty when it started sinking some one kilometre away.

Raigad police's coastal patrol boat immediately responded to the cries of help from the 88 passengers and saved them, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The first cases of coronavirus disease were confirmed Saturday in central and southern Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

A Woodford County resident in his 70s and a Cumberland County resident in his 70s both tested positive for COVID-19. Additionally, two St. Clair County residents have tested positive  a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 70s. Possible exposures and travel histories for the two people are still being investigated and public health officials are working to identify and contact all those who are close contacts for the cases.

As we expected, we are beginning to identify cases of COVID-19 outside of the Chicago area, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. Over the past several days, we have announced aggressive measures to reduce and slow the spread of the virus in Illinois. These are not easy decisions to make and we are not taking them lightly, but we believe these actions will help limit the spread of the virus in our communities and keep our residents safe.

We are starting to receive results from commercial laboratory testing, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said. With these additional results, we expect the number of identified cases to increase dramatically all across the state. It is vitally important that we implement social distancing measures, such as staying home and cancelling large events. These are actions that can reduce the number of infections that occur in the community, and ultimately alleviate the strain on our health care systems.

A DuPage County woman in her 60s residing in a long-term care facility has also tested positive. Illinois Department of Public health officials are on the ground and working with the long-term care facility to identify all close contacts and protect the health and safety of all residents and staff at the facility. Infection control measures are required for all nursing homes, additional vigilance for respiratory illness should be implement as well as increased cleaning, and visitor restrictions are to be implemented. The Illinois Department of Public Health has guidance for long-term care facilities on its website to assist facilities take proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of their workers, patients and families.

The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 64. In addition to cases in Cumberland, DuPage, St. Clair, and Woodford counties, there are seven new cases in Chicago, four in suburban Cook, one in Kane, and one in Lake counties.
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Linkedin Richard Weiss (Bloomberg) Frankfurt, Germany  Sat, March 14, 2020 12:50 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a98854 2 News Frankfurt,travel-ban,Airport,pandemic,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,health Free

Frankfurt airport said passenger numbers are declining exponentially, almost halving in recent days, in a stark illustration of the devastation the coronavirus is wreaking on the global travel market.

The tally slumped 30% last week from a year earlier, double the drop seen toward the end of February, Fraport AG, which runs Europes fourth-busiest air hub, said in an earnings statement Friday.

The slide has accelerated to 45% in past days and the airport is preparing for a 60% decline, Chief Executive Officer Stefan Schulte added in a briefing.

The German numbers provide an unique insight into just how far demand has dropped at major airports since the virus began to ravage Europe. Most other operators have only published data for February and arent scheduled to give a further update until next month.

While airports worldwide are taking a hit from the virus, Frankfurt is especially exposed because its home carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG bet big on Italy, which has the most cases of any European country, and is also a major player on routes to China, where the disease originated, and the US, which will enforce trans-Atlantic travel restrictions shortly.

Uncertainty about the duration and impact of the pandemic means its not currently possible to provide a reliable business outlook for 2020 beyond saying profit will decline significantly, Fraport said. The stock traded 2.8% lower as of 11:14 a.m., taking the decline this year to 50%.
JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's success in controlling the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, is an "inspiring message" for the rest of world, a renowned Israeli medical expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Arnon Afek, deputy director general of Sheba Medical Center in Israel, noted that China, which is the most severely hit country by the virus, has almost succeeded in stopping the epidemic nearly two months after its outbreak.

"We do hope that this message can come to the rest of the world and tell us how we should react in such a situation," said Afek, who was director general of the Israeli Ministry of Health before taking the position in the Israeli largest hospital.

Sheba Medical Center, located in Tel Hashomer in central Israel, is the first hospital in the country to accept coronavirus-exposed patients.

A total of 17 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 126.

"We want to learn (from China) how to treat them, how to do the isolation properly, and how to put up the protective garments as safely as it can be done," Afek said.

He lauded China for acting quickly to contain the spread of COVID-19, a viral respiratory disease unknown before the end of 2019.

China quickly quarantined people at the center of the outbreak, namely Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, and built two large hospitals "in a speed that I don't think any other country in the world could achieve," Afek noted.

Even the the World Health Organization praised the way the Chinese people dealt with the epidemic, he said.

"It's important that all the countries will learn from what the Chinese did," he said.

Talking about the situation in Israel, Afek said that the number of COVID-19-infected patients will increase in the coming days or weeks, but the country "will be able to control the situation."

As part of the efforts to contain the spread of the virus, Israel has imposed strict travel restrictions, suspended schools, and limited size of public gatherings.

Afek mentioned that the Sheba Medical Center has maintained a close relationship with some hospitals in China. He also said that he has been reading the papers published by Chinese scientists and physicians on the epidemic.

"We are learning all the time," he said. "Chinese scientists and physicians publish a lot of papers in the international media, which is very constructive for us because we can learn from the Chinese experience."

"We know today that quick response and taking the right measures is the right way," he said.

Sheba Medical Center has built the COVID-19 treatment ward outside of the main hospital area, to keep a safe distance from other patients. Other hospitals in Israel have visited the center to learn about the treatment of the patients infected by the novel coronavirus.

In order to timely monitor patients' health situation and maximize the protection of the medical staff, the center has established a remote-control room using the telemedicine technologies.

The COVID-19 patients inside the special ward are monitored with advanced sensors that measure remotely many vital signs, including the heartbeat, breath and fever degree.

Robots are also used to take the patients' measures, picture them, and tell the physicians and nurses in the control room about their health situation. If needed, doctors wearing protective gears will go inside the isolated rooms to treat the patients, Afek explained.

"The idea is to lower the exposure of our medical team to the patients and get as much needed data through electronic records," he said.

Afek highlighted the importance of increasing international cooperation in fighting the raging epidemic, citing that today's world is a "global village," where people should learn from each other and share the information and data on coping with the threats to human security.

On the efforts to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 by some countries, Afek said Israel is also doing the same and is willing to help other countries, pharmaceutical companies and labs in this regard.

"It's important for the entire world to collaborate and work together to create the best solution for (overcoming) this epidemic," he said.

Afek, who has visited China for many times, said he was happy to see the success achieved by China in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and resuming normal life.

Afek hoped that he would visit China again as quickly as possible. "I'm already looking forward to that," he said.
-Stonebwoy has called off his upcoming concert in New York over the outbreak of the dangerous coronavirus

- This decision was arrived at after a directive was given that all gatherings of people of 500 or higher should be banned in New York City

- Stonebwoy's management made this announcement today, March 13

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Award-winning Dancehall artiste Stonebwoy has called off his upcoming New York concert over the outbreak of the dangerous coronavirus.

According to Stoneybwoy, the decision to cancel the concert was arrived at after a directive was given that all gatherings of 500 people or higher be banned in New York City.

In a post sighted by YEN.com.gh, Stonebwoy's management team made this announcement today, March 13. stating that due to the impact and continued spread of the coronavirus, they had to call off the show which was expected to take place today.

READ ALSO: Kennedy Agyapong takes Obinim, other pastors to the cleaners of coronavirus cure claims

In light of recent updates concerning the impact and continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we deeply regret to announce the postponement of tonights show, Stonebwoy stated.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ghana confirms first two cases of coronavirus (video)

READ ALSO: 4 things we have gathered so far from the 2 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana

He added that his team has tried everything within their means to make the show happen but they could not overturn the government's decision on every large gathering.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has currently been declared as a global pandemic that is spreading rapidly around the world.

On March 12, Ghana confirmed two cases of the virus. The two have been quarantined as they undergo treatment.

READ ALSO: If you want to live long don't cheat in relationships Prophet Kofi Oduro

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Stonebwoy's wife, Dr. Louisa Ansong, had virtually declared his upcoming Anloga Junction album as an antidote for the Coronavirus diseased (COVID-19).

Stonebwoy recently disclosed that he will soon be releasing his fifth studio album titled Anloga Junction.

Following the announcement, many lovers of Stonebwoy's music have been reacting with expectations on social media.

Faces of Ghana: A Mysterious Voice Speaks to Me When I'm Working - Engineer Explains | #Yencomgh

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Source: YEN.com.gh
An American couple, which allegedly gave the slip to police after being admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital in Alappuzha following complaints of fever and cough, was traced to Kochi airport and placed under observation

Alappuzha: An American couple, which allegedly gave the slip to police after being admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital in Alappuzha following complaints of fever and cough, was traced to Kochi airport and placed under observation.

The two were traced late Friday night and admitted to the Kalamassery medical college hospital isolation ward, police sources said.

They had visited the hospital with fever and were sent to the isolation ward, but left the place shortly thereafter. The tourists had come to Kochi from London via Doha on 9 March, attended a Kathakali show in the port city, went for a houseboat ride the next day at Alappuzha, stayed at a Fort Kochi resort, before going to Varkala near Thiruvananthapuram and returned to Alappuzha, police said.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to track all those who may have come in contact with the Italian tourist, who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan said it was a herculean task as the tourist had come to the state from Delhi on 27 February and was staying at a beach resort at Varkala.

The Thiruvananthapuram district administration is in the process of preparing the route map of the places the tourist had visited after he arrived in the state. "There was a 15 day gap from the time he reached the state to being detected positive for virus. Efforts are on to trace all those he had come in contact during this period. He had gone out to purchase food and other things", the collector told reporters.

He urged people to stay indoors and not to move around and take precautionary measures. Those coming from abroad should be under home quarantine for 28 days. Many are not following the restrictions while in quarantine, he said.

With three positive cases being reported from the state capital, the collector said all malls would be closed, while people should avoid mass gatherings and follow strict self isolation to ensure that the virus does not spread.
As scientists across the globe grapple to find a cure for coronavirus that has claimed nearly 5000 lives, two persons in Bangladesh have been jailed for two years for selling COVID-19 "vaccines", a media report said on Friday.

Nazrul Islam Rubel, 27, a native of Mymensingh district, about 115 kilometres from Dhaka, advertised the "vaccines" through a loudspeaker at Ganda union in Netrokona district throughout Wednesday and Thursday, police said.

Rashedul Islam, 35, belonging from the same district, started selling the "medicines" at Paharpur Eidgah ground at Ganda on Thursday afternoon, Kendua Police chief Mohammad Rasheduzzaman was quoted as saying by bdnews24.

The police arrested the duo and recovered the "magical ayurvedic type medicines" from them, he said.

The two were sentenced to two years in prison by Kendua Upazila Nirbahi officer and executive magistrate Al Imran Ruhul Islam, the report said.

The deadly coronavirus virus that reportedly originated in Wuhan city in China in December has claimed 4,925 lives and infected 131,500 people across 116 countries and territories.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday characterised the COVID-19 outbreak as a "pandemic" and expressed deep concern over its "alarming levels" of "spread, severity, as well as inaction".
In a typical year, Purim is a festive occasion. The Jewish holiday, which took place earlier this week, is marked by the reading of the Megillah, or the Book of Esther, during which children are encouraged to shake noisemakers, or "graggers," every time the name of the villain "Haman" is mentioned. People dress up in costumes and families often attend carnivals put on by synagogues to mark the holiday.

But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Kamali family, who live on Manhattan's Upper East Side, ditched their typical costumes for pajamas as they watched the Megillah reading from their synagogue via live-stream on a laptop from their den. A bit of the festiveness was lost.

"We were in and out of the room -- because how long could you sit there and stare at a screen?" said Michele Kamali, a mom of three young children. Her kids would "take out their graggers when you could faintly hear the word Haman." And from what Kamali could tell, "the synagogue was pretty empty." Only a few people could be heard making noise in the synagogue during the same points of the reading.

For Kamali, leaning on a virtual religious option wasn't an easy choice to make. "I went back and forth deciding if I should take the kids to a Megillah reading," she said. In the end, she took a "better safe than sorry" approach. "I'd rather be on a self-imposed isolation than a mandatory quarantine," she said, noting that she already knows two families who are in the latter camp right now.

The number of religious institutions offering some version of live-streaming has grown in the last decade, yet there have long been some doubts that these options can truly recreate the experience of attending in the physical world. But just as the spread of coronavirus is forcing wide swaths of people to embrace remote work, telemedicine and online classes, it's also pushing some who never embraced virtual congregations to put their faith in the internet.

The spread of the virus has already impacted people of all faiths and denominations around the world. Saudi Arabia took the precautionary step of closing two holy religious sites to foreigners for a time. In India and South Asia, some -- including India's prime minister -- stayed away from celebrating the Hindu festival Holi, where people sing, dance, and splash each other with colored powder and water.

In the United States, a synagogue in New Rochelle is believed to be the epicenter of New York's outbreak after a member of the congregation tested positive, followed by the rabbi and his wife. This week, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recommended that churches across the state cancel their services this weekend due to coronavirus concerns. "I don't believe that whether you go to church during this period of time is a test of faith. I believe that God gives us wisdom to protect each other and we should do that," Beshear said. "We have a lot of opportunity for virtual services."

Several places of worship told CNN Business they have seen digital demand soar in recent days. For St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, live-stream traffic has almost doubled in the last week, according to a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of New York. Churchome, a megachurch frequented by celebrities such as Justin Bieber, closed all of its Seattle locations until further notice, and has seen its app sign-ups rise 60% in a week. Churchome's virtual Sunday service attendance increased 23%, according to the church.

Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, one of the hardest hit cities of the US, closed its doors this week for the first time since the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. On Sunday, it plans to hold a service with a small crew of clergy and musicians conducted exclusively via live-stream for the first time in its history.

The cathedral has already seen its live-streams of services increase twofold. Last Sunday was one of the biggest days for online viewership since Saint Mark's began offering live-streaming in 2017, according to a spokesperson for the church. While it typically has 40 to 50 people watching live on a normal Sunday, last Sunday over 100 tuned in.

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason, the dean of Saint Mark's and a former physician, said he has been holding virtual meetings with other church officials through Zoom conferencing in lieu of being in person when possible. Saint Mark's is also considering hosting a religious book club via video conference or conducting a live-streamed version of walking the Stations of the Cross, a series of images that symbolize a part of Jesus' passion and death. (The church already accepts offerings through Venmo.)

"If folks are isolated or quarantined, they quickly feel the challenges of that solitude and sense of loneliness," Reverend Thomason said. "What technology affords us now is, even if those restrictions come about, we have the capacity to remain connected."

For observant Jews like Rebecca Taskin, who do not use technology on Shabbat, the live-streaming option has its limits. But Purim is an occasion where it is permissible to do so. So Taskin, who has a speech pathology practice in New York City, said she and a friend decided to stay in and participate in a Megillah reading service via live-stream.

"I didn't feel the same sense of community at all. I felt pretty disconnected and it was more challenging to focus," she said. But because she works "mostly with medically fragile children in their homes, I am trying to do my best to not expose myself to anybody that is exposed," she said. "I'm not nervous for myself, I'm more nervous for the kids."

Taskin said that while she typically tries to go to services every week, she probably will not go for the foreseeable future.

Beyond live-streaming, congregants and places of worship are employing a mix of strategies to adapt to the coronavirus while maintaining their faith. For those who are attending in person, religious communities are taking new precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus within their congregations. These measures include no longer offering wine at communion, switching from challah loaves to rolls to avoid sharing and tearing bread, and replacing prayer books with Xeroxed hymn sheets. Muslims at the Islamic Center of Southern California have been asked not to embrace or kiss each other on the cheek, but instead to place a hand over their hearts, or give a respectful nod or smile.

For Kamali, her eldest child was "distraught" over the idea that Purim wouldn't be celebrated as usual. So the day after her lackluster livestream experience, Kamali hired a magician and a clown to put on a makeshift carnival -- complete with a cotton candy machine, Purim music, and limbo -- inside the common room in her apartment complex. Three other families who lived in the building joined, but no one was allowed to invite outside guests, per the building's new coronavirus policy, Kamali said. This time, the kids wore costumes.
Ghanaian Model and media personnel Edem Fairre, who has walked several runways across the country has advised students on self-value.



She was invited to speak to the University of Professional Studies Association (UPS) students on the theme She Fest.



According to her, women have a major role to play in the world - after advising female students to be self-management.



I want each lady to look into each others eyes and tell her; You are enough! We are powerful together We will empower each other. You can do anything because you are not alone. Always look in the mirror and tell yourself, yes, I can and I will do. She said



She also encouraged students to use the EdemFairre foundation medical app for private medical sessions with health professionals to avoid the public stigma.



Gloria Edem Farrie Known as Edem Fairre is currently multiple award-winning fashion model, Television Host, and an influencer



Edem has worked as a brand ambassador several major brands including Twelluim industry (Verna natural mineral water) Max international, Woodin Textile (collection) Bayer Scientific among others

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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.

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister



Kamal Nath on Saturday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to ensure the "release" of 22 Congress legislators held "captive" in Bengaluru.

The BJP has held these MLAs captive, Nath alleged in the four-page letter.

"Please use your power as Union home minister so that 22 Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session beginning from March 16 without any allurement and fear," the letter, shared by Congress spokesperson with the media, said.

Twenty-two Madhya Pradesh MLAs, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia who left the Congress to join the BJP, have resigned, reducing the Kamal Nath-led government to minority in the Assembly.

Nath assured Shah in the letter that the Congress government in the state will provide excellent security to these 22 MLAs, if they are "released".

Earlier this month, BSP MLA Rambai and his family members were freed from the "captivity" of BJP leaders in Gurugram (Haryana), Nath claimed.

Later, three Congress MLAs and an independent were taken to Bengaluru by BJP MLA Arvind Singh Bhadoriya as was evident from the list of passengers of the charter plane, he alleged.

On March 9, 19 MLAs were taken to Bengaluru by BJP leaders by three charter planes, Nath claimed.

Their "personal communication facilities" (mobile phones) were taken away and they were held captive and the Karnataka BJP is bearing the expenses of their stay in Bengaluru, he alleged.

Resignations of these MLAs were submitted to Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker in Bhopal by BJP MLA Bhupendra Singh, he pointed out.

"This is an unprecedented situation" because on the one hand the BJP is holding them captive and on the other hand it is demanding a floor test, Nath said, adding that a trust vote has no meaning in this situation.

Mentioning that Governor Lalji Tandon had informed him on Friday that these MLAs should be given CRPF security, Nath said if the Karnataka police secure their 'release', his government would provide them maximum security.

Earlier in the day, MP BJP delegation had called on the governor and demanded floor test before the beginning of the budget session on March 16.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said photographs of Maharashtra ministers Jitendra Awhad and Yashomati Thakur were on the dais at a rally in Amravati where he claimed former JNU student leader Umar Khalid spoke of triggering riots in Delhi when US President Donald Trump visited.

Trump visited Delhi on February 24-25, during which riots broke out in northeast Delhi.

"Umar Khalid in his rally in Amravati had said riots will take place in Delhi, much before the actual riots took place. Unfortunately, the rally had photos of Jitendra Awhad and Yashomati Thakur, who are ministers in the state cabinet," he said.

"We demand action against the ministers as well as Khalid," Fadnavis said.

The communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 and continued till February 26, claimed at least 53 lives and left over 200 people injured, besides inflicting massive damage to properties and businesses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Coronavirus Covid-19 talks are underway that may see the release some prisoners from jails in Portlaoise and elsewhere.

The Irish Prison Service is in discussion with the Department of Justice ahead of the implementation of prison visit restrictions on Saturday. RTE has reported that the services wants to release up to 200 inmates.

"The primary factor in the consideration of any prisoner for early release is public safety and no prisoner would be granted temporary release who poses an undue risk to public safety," it said.

The Irish Prison Service said no decision has been made and other measures are under consideration.

It said Covid-19 in prisons presents "significant challenges for prison management in terms of controlling the spread of the virus amongst staff and prisoners, and the provision of appropriate medical treatment to affected persons".

Latest published figures show that Irish jails were 97% occupied on March 6 with 4,193 in custody. The Midlands Prison in Portlaoise had 878 in custody but just 875 beds. Both Limerick and Cork prisons were over capacity. The Irish Prison Service as not published new figures since March 6. They are normally updated daily.

The following measures in respect of visitors to prisoners are being from Saturday 14th March until otherwise advised:

- Visits will be restricted to 1 visit per prisoner per week.

- A limit of 2 adults per visit will apply.

- No under 18s will be admitted.

Normal social distancing as advised by public health to apply including:

- no kissing

- no handshaking

- sneezing and coughing into elbow sleeve

- all visits conducted at a distance of 1 meter

Visits will be time-limited to 15 minutes per visit.

Prisons will operate to a daily maximum of 80% of their visiting capacity.

Visitors that appear to have flu-like symptoms may be refused entry.

The Irish Prison Service says it will continue to monitor the situation closely and act in line with Government and NPHET recommendations.

"We recognise that such a step may be challenging for families and friends, but we are also cognisant of our priority and responsibility to protect the well-being of those in our care and those in our employment within the prison. The virus can be spread through community transmission and, within the confines of a prison, there is obviously an increased risk of a rapid spread of infection.

"The Irish Prison Service are appealing that members of the public carefully consider visiting the prison and refrain from visiting the Prisons unless absolutely necessary," it said.

More here on the Irish Prison Service preparations
Kuwait City, March 14 : Authorities in Kuwait have temporarily closed mosques and amended the 'adhan' or the the Muslim call to prayer, to include the words "pray in your homes", as the country struggles to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Kuwait's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs announced on Friday that the five daily prayers usually held at mosques had been cancelled, while several social media videos showed that the 'adhan' was now instructing worshippers not to come to mosques for congregational prayers, reports the London-based Middle East Eye news portal.

The muezzin, or person who calls for the Muslim prayer, would continue to make the call, authorities said.

But instead of "come to pray", which is typically announced, worshippers were instructed to: "pray in your homes".

The changes were in effect until further notice, the Ministry said.

As of Saturday, Kuwait reported 80 coronavirus cases.
President Donald Trumps declaration on Friday that the coronavirus outbreak is a national emergency allows billions of federal dollars and resources to be funneled to hard-hit US states.

NATIONAL EMERGENCY

In declaring that the coronavirus outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency, Trump invoked the Stafford Act.

The Stafford Act was passed by Congress in 1988 to provide federal assistance to state and local governments in order to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety.

The Stafford Act can also be called upon to provide federal aid to states and local governments to help them respond to major disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, flooding, tsunamis or fires.

Only the Federal Government can provide the necessary coordination to address a pandemic of this national size and scope caused by a pathogen introduced into our country, Trump said in a letter to department chiefs informing them that he was invoking the Stafford Act.

In a proclamation, Trump also cited sections of the National Emergencies Act (NEA) to expand the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to deal with the crisis.

The NEA gives the White House sweeping powers to declare martial law, suspend civil liberties, expand the military, seize property and restrict trade, communications and financial transactions.

FEMA

The Stafford Act gives the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, the authority to tap into a disaster relief fund.

The FEMA fund had $42.6 billion at the end of February but Trump said at a press conference that up to $50 billion would be made available.

In a letter to the president on Wednesday, 36 Democratic senators urged him to draw on the fund to deal with the coronavirus outbreak which has caused over 2,000 infections and 47 deaths in the United States.

State and local officials are working hard to mitigate the outbreak and protect Americans and ongoing federal resources are badly needed to support those efforts, they said.

The funds can be used for a variety of purposes including testing, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, medical equipment and temporary shelter such as tents or portable buildings.

The federal authorities would assume 75 percent of the cost while the states contribute the remaining 25 percent.

PRECEDENTS

President Bill Clinton issued a declaration of emergency under the Stafford Act in 2000 to assist the states of New York and New Jersey in fighting an outbreak of West Nile virus.

President Barack Obama invoked the National Emergencies Act to respond to an outbreak of H1N1 swine flu in 2009 and president George W. Bush invoked it after 9/11.

Trump invoked the NEA in February of last year to obtain funding refused by Congress for his US-Mexico border wall.

Trump has used the Stafford Act previously to deal with devastating wildfires in California and flooding in the Midwest.

Trump later threatened to cut off FEMA funding for California unless the states forest management authorities get their act together, a threat which was widely condemned and one that was never carried out.

OTHER MEASURES

The Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency on January 31 which allowed the federal government to take measures to stem the outbreak.

The move allowed Trump to impose a ban on visitors from China, Iran and mainland Europe and to place persons suspected of having contracted the coronavirus in quarantine.

Trump said Friday that he was considering extending the travel ban to visitors from Britain.

The governors of 33 of the 50 American states have already declared states of emergency because of coronavirus, giving them the power to take such steps as closing schools or banning public gatherings.
Vietnam has engaged the entire political system, including the military and public security forces, in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc told WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park

The PM hailed the WHO and Kidong Park himself for offering policy consultation and technical support to Vietnam over the past time.

He said Vietnam considers epidemic prevention as a major task of the government, all ministries, agencies, localities and the whole people.

According to him, the government also launched a scheme to support epidemic fighting, including ensuring sufficient supply of necessities for the people, and the country has undertaken many stronger measures to contain infections from different sources such as Europe or the UK.

The Government leader also agreed with the WHO representatives proposal on preventing discrimination against infected persons on the media, adding that the Ministry of Public Security has strictly punished those who spread fake news on social media, causing discrimination against COVID-19 patients, including launching criminal proceedings.

Vietnam hopes the WHO will provide latest technological advances and medical equipment to help the country in the fight against the epidemic, he said, adding that Vietnam has successfully treated 16 cases, including an elderly patient with complex diseases, thats why it has high determination to win in the fight.

PM Phuc noted that Vietnam always advocates openness and transparency in the fight against the epidemic, and is making efforts to maintain socio-economic development at the same time, thus ensuring a stable life for the people.

Park, for his part, expressed his impression on Vietnams two strategies to fight the epidemic, which are mobilizing on-the-spot resources and quarantine, which have so far proved effective.

As 115 countries and territories have reported infection cases by now, WHO encourages the Vietnamese government to continue taking drastic actions and suggests that Vietnam pays attention to protecting medical staff who are at the frontline in treating patients, the elderly living with diseases, and those who hold important positions, he said.

The WHO official also pledged to work closely with the Vietnamese Government and Health Ministry and pool all possible resources to assist the country.

He added that there are now 20 candidates for the production of vaccine against COVID-19, and was delighted to know that Vietnams vaccine production capability could meet requirements.

He once again spoke highly of the Vietnamese Governments leadership in the fight against the epidemic, saying that Vietnam remains a safe destination./.VNA
White House says Trump, Pence "do not require being tested" for COVID-19

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:15, March 13, 2020

WASHINGTON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence do not need to be tested for COVID-19 "at this time," said the White House on Thursday.

The statement came after news broke out that a member of the Brazilian delegation that visited Mar-a-Lago, Florida and met with Trump and Pence last weekend had tested positive for COVID-19.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said they are aware of the reports and that "confirmatory testing is pending."

"Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps," Grisham said. "Both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time."

There is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine, the Trump aide said, citing guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information," she added.

Fabio Wajngarten, communications secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, reportedly came down with flu-like symptoms after returning to Brazil and was taken to hospital for COVID-19 testing.

Wajngarten posted on social media a picture of him posing along with Trump, Pence and Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lag. He is awaiting the results of a second test for confirmation.

Bolsonaro is also being tested for COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump said he is not concerned about the news.

"I did hear something about that. We had dinner together in Florida at Mar-a-Lago, with the entire delegation," Trump said. "I don't know if the press aide was there ... we did nothing very unusual. We sat next to each other for a period of time."

As of Thursday afternoon, there were over 1,300 confirmed cases and 38 deaths in the United States, according to real-time data maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

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TWIN FALLS  The South Central Public Health District confirmed two coronavirus cases in its area Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to five.

The first case in the region involves a woman from Blaine County over the age of 50 who is recovering from mild symptoms that did not require hospitalization, health district director Melody Bowyer said.

It was not known where the patient contracted the virus. Although she recently traveled to a neighboring state, the state did not have confirmed cases while she was there. Officials said they would not identify which state she traveled to.

The woman is self isolated at home, the department said.

The second case in the area is a female patient over the age of 70, the district said. She is hospitalized and recovering.

South Central Public Health District includes Twin Falls, Cassia, Jerome Minidoka, Gooding, Lincoln, Camas and Blaine counties in Idaho. The district did not say where the woman is from or what hospital she is in.

Where she contracted the disease is still under investigation, the district said.

The first Idaho case of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, was confirmed Friday. That case involves a woman in her 50s in Ada County.

Ada County had a second case confirmed Saturday, a man in his 50s with no identified underlying medical issues. He is recovering well in his home under isolation and was not hospitalized, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said. The man likely got the illness while traveling.

The fifth case in the state is a woman under the age of 60 in Teton County. She contracted COVID-19 from contact with a confirmed case in a neighboring state, the department said. She is home recovering from mild symptoms and did not require hospitalization.

After the Blaine County announcement, Blaine County School District Board Chairman Keith Roark and Superintendent GwenGarol Holmes said that all schools and facilities are closed to the public beginning Monday. The closures will last through April 5.

We are working in coordination with (South Central Public Health District) and decided in an abundance of caution to close schools, Roark said in a statement. We realize this will cause hardship for many of our families in regards to childcare and daily nutrition. We hope to announce plans for providing nutrition services soon.

As of Saturday afternoon, 163 people have been tested through the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, and 13 people have been tested in Idaho through private labs. There are only two lab-confirmed cases in Idaho. For up to date information on testing and COVID-19 in Idaho, go to coronavirus.idaho.gov.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare confirmed the states first case of the novel coronavirus on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, Idaho State University President Kevin Satterlee confirmed in a letter to the ISU community that the individual is a student attending the ISU-Meridian campus.

That case involves a woman in her 50s in Ada County, said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator of public health for the Department of Health and Welfare. The woman has experienced mild to moderate symptoms that didnt require hospitalization, and shes recovering well, Shaw-Tulloch said.

The woman had returned from a conference in New York City, Shaw-Tulloch said. Three other attendees at that conference have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Out of an abundance of caution, our university took action Friday morning to close our Meridian campus for cleaning. The closure and cleaning decision was made before we had confirmation of the COVID-19 case, Satterlee said in a letter.

Satterlee explained that all potentially impacted individuals who had contact with the student have already been notified and are being monitored.

If you are not contacted by Central District Health or our University Health Center, then there is no reason for you to have elevated concern, Satterlee said. CDH has advised us that this is not an illness that is spread through brief, casual contact.

Boise State University will move instruction for more than 30,000 students online to combat the spread of the coronavirus and the rest of Idahos public higher education institutions will follow suit by April 1.

The state Board of Education voted unanimously to support presidents efforts to shift coursework online amid the growing pandemic.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover within a few weeks.

The Idaho Statesman and Associated Press contributed to this report.
British Airways staff have been warned by their chief executive that the airlines survival is at stake.

Please do not underestimate the seriousness of this for our company, said Alex Cruz in an internal video message.

He told staff that the coronavirus crisis was more serious than 9/11, the Sars outbreak or the financial crash of 2009  a crisis of global proportions like no other we have known.

As a result, he said, BA is suspending routes and will be parking aircraft in a way we have never had to before.

We can no longer sustain our current levels of employment, Mr Cruz said.

British Airways makes a large slice of its revenue from transatlantic flights  particularly in premium classes. While the UK is excluded from US president Donald Trumps ban on European visitors, it has been extremely hard hit by the slump in business travel and the drying up of new leisure bookings.

BAs revenues will also be damaged by the new advice from the US Centres for Disease Control for Americans to avoid non-essential travel to 29 European countries. Although the UK is not among them, many passengers would normally transit via London Heathrow. In addition, the warning will discourage US visitors to Britain.

British Airways has declined to comment when The Independent approached them.

The warning came as Eurocontrol in Brussels said flights were one-sixth down on the corresponding day a year ago  representing 4,600 fewer departures than on the equivalent Thursday in 2019.

Traffic at Italian airports is down 70 per cent.

Meanwhile the troubled airline Norwegian is seeking immediate financial support from the government in Oslo to avoid breaking its financial covenants.
Canada's Minister of Finance Bill Morneau speaks to the news media in Ottawa

By Fergal Smith

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will preserve its fiscal firepower even as it takes measures to help those who are hit by the coronavirus outbreak, the finance minister said on Friday as the spread of the virus reached a new phase.

"Canada, more so than any other country in the G7, has economic resiliency and fiscal firepower at its disposal," Bill Morneau told business leaders in Toronto. Morneau is due to present the budget by the end of the month.

"We intend on maintaining this advantage. This means that we will be judicious and responsible in how we make investments in this budget."

But Morneau has also said he is worried about economic damage to the energy and tourism industries.

Chinese tourists generate about C$2 billion ($1.5 billion)annually in Canada, but their numbers have dwindled and revenue from their visits is expected to be down by C$550 million by June, Tourism Minister Melanie Joly told reporters in Montreal.

There are now 51 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, and British Columbia on Thursday reported a woman who had not traveled outside the country had contracted the disease, making it the first possible case of local transmission.

On Friday, the first possible case of spread from the United States was reported.

Chief Medical Officer Theresa Tam advised Canadians to think twice before taking cruises.

"Cruise ships present environments where COVID-19 can spread easily, given close contacts between passengers and crew for significant periods of time," she told reporters, saying the elderly were particularly vulnerable.

In just a month, the virus has changed Canada's economic outlook, Morneau said, as he pledged government support for those who are forced into quarantine. The specifics of the planned assistance will be announced soon, he added.

Also due to the virus, Morneau said he would increase the risk provision in the budget. Canada includes a cushion in its annual spending package for risk, which in December was set at C$3 billion for the upcoming fiscal year.

Story continues

Though Morneau said he would rather do too much than too little amid uncertainty over the economic impact of the virus, he stopped well short of promising a wave of fiscal stimulus.

He repeated on Friday that the debt-to-GDP ratio would continue to decline.

Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz on Thursday said the country's economic resiliency would be "seriously tested" by the epidemic.

On Wednesday, the central bank slashed its overnight lending rate and said it was prepared to cut further if necessary.

The Canadian dollar weakened on Friday against its U.S. counterpart and government bond yields tumbled as concerns about the coronavirus impact grew, even after data showed Canada's employers added more jobs in February than expected.

In a sign of potential future economic challenges, Statistics Canada on Friday said January trade data showed substantial decreases in exports and imports with China.

(Reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto, writing by Steve Scherer; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Tom Brown)
In the 1960s, Lyndon Johnson hoped to expand the New Deal to cover nonwhite Americans. He had some successes  not least civil rights legislation and the war on poverty. But he also fatally undermined the fragile political consensus between Southern and liberal Democrats that had defined the New Deal consensus.

Medicare and Medicaid, which became law in 1965, were the last major programs inspired by the New Deal. Since then, America has turned against welfare in favor of another, different tool of social management: prison. The same year Medicare and Medicaid passed, Johnson declared a war on crime; his successor, Richard Nixon, made crime fighting a central plank in his platform. In 1971 he declared a corollary war on drugs.

Race was at the heart of Nixons vision. You have to face the fact that the whole problem is really the blacks, he declared in 1969, according to notes in the diary of his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman. The key is to devise a system that recognizes this while not appearing to.

By the 1980s, Ronald Reagan was slashing government spending and asserting that taxpayers were being defrauded by undeserving black welfare queens. In 1996 Bill Clinton, who began his presidency with a bold promise to deliver universal health insurance, instead ended welfare as we know it, replacing Aid to Families With Dependent Children, the federal governments primary social-welfare program, with a block grant to states, which could withhold aid as they saw fit.

In the 1960s, the American government was roughly the same size as that of other rich nations: In 1965, federal, state and municipal taxes added up to just under 24 percent of the nations gross domestic product, about 1 percentage point less than the average among industrialized nations in the O.E.C.D.

The other rich countries have become richer since then, and they have expanded and improved the health care, education and child care they provide  such services claim about 10 percentage points more of their G.D.P. than they did in the 1960s. In the United States, that proportion has barely budged. But imprisonment grew: By 2016, 679 out of every 100,000 Americans languished in prison or jail, almost four times the share in 1960.

Though the cold shoulder is grounded in the image of black and brown moochers living in the imagination of white Americans, the suffering caused by its miserly understanding of society is not limited to communities of color. Much of white America, the part addled by opioids, ravaged by suicide, despairing of a future, is also a victim of a nation that refuses to care.
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You Can't Ask That: Firies Credit:

YOU CANT ASK THAT: FIRIES

Series return 

Wednesday, 9pm, ABC

While not exactly a marginalised group, firefighters definitely fall into the category of "People for which most of us would have a bunch of questions". In this beautifully simple forum, where the askers remain blissfully anonymous, the well-chosen and diverse group of participants, visibly reeling from the summer bushfire disaster, do not hesitate to dispel myths, voice their political views, and refute any suggestion that they might be heroes. But we know they are.
A teenage girl was sexually assaulted by her father who was out on bail after spending years in prison for allegedly raping his other daughter and impregnating her, the Meghalaya Police said on Friday. The incident happened near Dalu in the states West Garo Hills district, officials said.

The 45-year-old man was arrested in 2016 after he allegedly impregnated his elder daughter, who was then 16 years old, they said. She later gave birth to a child and started living elsewhere, officials said.

He was released on bail a few months back. Soon after his release, the man allegedly started sexually assaulting his younger daughter. When community leaders came to know, they informed the police.

These kind of ghastly acts cannot be accepted in a civilised society, said MGR Kumar, superintendent of police of West Garo Hills.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) San Francisco, United States  Sat, March 14, 2020 13:00 668 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206a98d4f 2 Science & Tech Google,coronavirus,search-engine,website,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that internet giant Alphabet is creating a website where people will be able to check whether they have symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

Verily Life Sciences, once a project in a Google X lab devoted to "moonshot" projects and now its own health business unit, is testing a "tool to help triage individuals for COVID-19 testing," Google confirmed on Twitter.

"Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time," the tweet said, referring to San Francisco and surrounding communities.

Read also: Jakarta administration launches COVID-19 website

Statement from Verily: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time.  Google Communications (@Google_Comms) March 13, 2020

Trump thanked Google while declaring a state of national emergency due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Google is helping to develop a website "to determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location," Trump said.

Google has a large team of engineers devoted to the project, and has made significant progress, according to Trump.

"Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and help all Americans impacted by this," Trump said.

"Again, we don't want everybody taking this test. It is totally unnecessary. And this will pass."

A launch date for the website should be known by late Sunday, according to Vice President Mike Pence.

"You can go to the website, type in your symptoms and be given direction whether or not a test is indicated," Pence said.

The website will then direct users to locations where they can obtain drive-through testing, he said.

San Francisco has begun setting up temporary, drive-through coronavirus testing locations.
Trump Coronavirus Address Leaves US Officials Overseas in 'Total Chaos'  Report

Sputnik News

04:03 GMT 13.03.2020(updated 07:47 GMT 13.03.2020)

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in the country after the World Health Organisation officially recognised COVID-19 as a global pandemic.

US President Donald Trump's speech on the spread of the coronavirus pandemic sparked panic and confusion among US diplomats and staff overseas, blindsided by the president's sudden decision to suspend most travel links from the European Union for 30 days over the virus outbreak, the Daily Beast reported.

Officials spent the early hours of Thursday trying to figure out how their work will be affected by the new measures, according to the Daily Beast.

"It is just total chaos", said a Trump administration official abroad, cited by the website. The diplomat added that he wondered whether he and his staff should return immediately to the US, or if they would be quarantined upon arrival. Staffers also could not glean from Trump's disjointed speech if they would be allowed to visit family in the US in the short term.

According to the report, the Trump administration did not notify US embassies in EU countries about the travel ban. US diplomats in the EU have reportedly been asked by European colleagues for clarification on what exactly Trump is banning, but answers are not forthcoming.

"I'm used to it with this administration that we wouldn't know anything until the morning after. But now basically a full work day later? That's surprising even for these times", another official noted, cited by the Daily Beast.

Administration officials inside the White House reportedly scrambled to understand the details of the president's decree. Trump said he decreed the 30-day travel ban in a hurry and without consultation as a means of better countering the deadly outbreak.

"We are wasting time playing mop-up on something we absolutely should not have to do right now", a White House staffer reportedly said. "And it goes without say[ing] that we aren't allowed to admit that any of it is the fault of the president".

A Trump appointee, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the president's decision, suggesting that Trump took "bold action" in response to the pandemic in order to "protect the American people".

On Wednesday, Trump suspended travel to and from Europe for many, but not all, travellers, as EU countries including Italy and France have been affected by the virus. The US president suggested that his ban could be extended or shortened.

Trump also said that travel restrictions within the US could be possible.

Earlier on Wednesday, Washington DC declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic through 31 March. There are over 1,600 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, including at least 40 deaths.

 Sputnik

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 22:29:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China has restored normal traffic order in most areas, as 1,117 of the 1,119 closed expressway entrances and exits across the country have re-opened as of Saturday.

A total 549 blocked national, provincial, county and township roads have re-opened, and 11,198 of the 12,028 highway health and quarantine stations have been removed.

A national teleconference on Feb. 21 required efforts to restore traffic and transportation order with differentiated control in different regions to open up traffic congestion points.

In areas with low risk of epidemic situation, road traffic restrictions should be completely lifted and normal traffic order should be restored, according to the teleconference.

Monitoring information from the Highway Monitoring and Response Center of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) shows the national road network is basically running normally.

As of March 1, 28 provinces have resumed inter-provincial road passenger transport, of which 19 provinces have resumed inter-provincial passenger transport routes and chartered buses.

A total of 126 prefecture-level cities and 192 county-level cities resumed ground public transportation operations. Of the 41 cities that have opened urban rail transit, 36 cities are operating rail transit normally, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have made it clear that transportation restrictions on freight vehicles and vessels should be lifted in areas with no serious epidemic situation to ensure that raw materials can be sent in and products can be sent out.

The MOT issued a notice on Feb. 15, making it clear that from Feb. 17 to the end of the epidemic prevention and control, all vehicles passing through toll roads will be exempted from tolls.

The authorities have been facilitating "point-to-point" transportation service to bring migrant workers back to areas and enterprises with concentrated employment, to ensure the safe and orderly return to work of migrant workers.

A total of 27 provinces across the country, including Sichuan, Zhejiang, Shandong and Fujian, have implemented "point-to-point" one-stop direct charter service, said Cai Tuanjie, an official with the MOT.

The number of migrant workers returning to work has reached 78 million, accounting for about 60 percent of the migrant workers who had returned home for the Spring Festival, official data showed.

At Xinyi east toll station, located at the junction of Jiangsu Province and Shandong Province, a 50-seat bus with the red sign of "China Railway Construction Engineering Group employees returning to work transport vehicle" was driving out of the station.

The driver, surnamed Gao, said he had been working for days to pick up migrant workers from Tancheng in Shandong back to Yancheng in Jiangsu to help the company's construction projects resume work as soon as possible.
LAUSD, Other Southland School Districts To Close Due to Coronavirus

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced the closure of all its schools for two weeks today over the growing coronavirus outbreak, with Superintendent Austin Beutner saying the district is in uncharted waters.

The superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, meanwhile, recommended that all other schools and districts in the county follow suit.

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Beutners decision to shutter LAUSD schools came one day after the teachers union called for the closure of district campuses.

The public health crisis crated by the coronavirus is not something any of us could have reasonably expected to happen, and we are in uncharted waters as we work to prevent the spread of the illness, Beutner said in a news conference Friday morning. We have been following the guidance of public health experts on how we can keep all who are part of our school community  safe in the midst of the growing health crisis.

Were now at a point where the balance has shifted, and the appropriate path is to close schools.

 Effective Monday, March 16, we will close all Los Angeles Unified public schools for two weeks while we evaluate theappropriate path forward.

Beutner said that while the schools are closed, plans are in place for students to continue to learn. Those plans include the opening of 40 family recourse centers to help children whose parents require extra help. Meals and learning opportunities will be provided at the centers.

Family Resources Centers will open beginning Wednesday and be staffed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Children will have a warm meal, engage with their peers and pursue their different studies, Beutner said. And theyll be safe.

Beutner said every LAUSD student would be going home Friday with a plan of action going forward.

He added that all LAUSD employees would be paid during the closure, and reminded the public that there are no known cases of any LAUSD students contracting the virus.

Earlier Friday, Beutner spoke with San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten by phone, and the two later issued a joint statement:

California has now entered a critical new phase in the fight to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, they said.

There is evidence the virus is already present in the communities we serve, and our efforts now must be aimed at preventing its spread. We believe closing the states two largest school districts will make an important contribution to this effort. For that reason, we plan to close, effective Monday, March 16.

The LAUSD Board of Education held an emergency meeting Friday morning and approved the action unanimously.

Special education centers in the district will close, but students and families will continue to have access to the services the center provide, Beutner said.

The closure decisions came after Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing LAUSD teachers, on Thursday called for the rapid, accelerated, and humane closure of LAUSD schools.Other countries have shown that a proactive  not reactive  approach slows the spread of the virus, makes sure health care providers are not crushed with overwhelming demand and dramatically reduces fatalities, Caputo-Pearl said.

The union also released what is called 10 Common Good Community Demands, including 15 additional paid sick days for all Los Angeles County workers, a weekly disaster stipend and creation of a food supply network.

The state has a $20 billion reserve and this is exactly the time to tap into that reserve to support students and families, Caputo-Pearl said.

There is an opportunity here to build a social safety net through our `Common Good Community Support demands. Lets take the opportunity to build those now.

Beutner said updates would be provided on two hotlines. Families of students can call 213-443-1300; while employees can call 213-241-2700.

The LAUSD is the nations second-largest school district.

A few hours after the LAUSD news conference, officials in Long Beach announced that their schools would also close.

After careful deliberation, the Long Beach Unified School District has decided to close schools beginning Monday, March 16. School will resume Monday, April 20, Mayor Robert Garcia said. The closure is an extra measure

of protection to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19.



We do not have any presumptive or confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in our schools, but we are taking this step to help protect public health.

 We are exploring with our local, regional and state partners what we can do to support our students and families during this difficult time.

We will be setting up ways to continue the learning process, and to provide meals for our students who rely on them. We are considering what, if any, childcare options we can extend to families during this unplanned closure.

Debra Duardo, superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, recommended Friday afternoon that all schools in the county close Monday through March 27.

Our focus must be on ensuring the continuity of learning as well as the safety and well-being of students, Duardo said.

The county Office of Education supports 80 school districts and includes more than 2 million students.

Multiple individual districts indicated they would heed the recommended closure, but with varying reopening dates.

The William S. Hart Unified High School District, which includes nearly 23,000 students in northern Los Angeles County, also announced it will close all of its schools beginning Monday and continuing for three weeks, with

classes set to resume April 13, following spring break.

The Pasadena Unified School District will close its schools on Monday until April 5.

Schools will reopen for students on April 6, 2020 barring any further developments. Schools will undergo a deep cleaning during the closure period, the district said Friday. Staff will continue to report to their assigned work location until notified otherwise by the District. Instruction will continue during the closure period of March 17  April 5, and

accommodations are being made for students with disabilities.

Pomona Unified School District will also close its schools Monday, continuing through March 27. The districts spring break begins March 30, meaning classes will not resume until April 6.


A group of scientists has demonstrated that long-term memory (LTM) of a traumatic event can be erased when the subject is kept in the dark, with the first confirmation of environmental light playing a role in LTM maintenance.

In the study carried out on an animal model, the team also identified the specific molecular mechanism responsible for this effect. LTMs are notoriously difficult to erase; this work may lead to novel treatments for sufferers of trauma, perhaps even the erasure of life-altering traumatic memories.

A particularly shocking event may be consolidated into our long-term memory (LTM), whereby new proteins are synthesized and the neuronal circuits in our brain are modified. Such memories may be devastating to a victim, potentially triggering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Yet physiologically speaking, keeping a memory is far from a trivial process; active maintenance is required to keep the changes, protecting against the constant cellular rearrangement and renewal of a living organism. Despite the importance of understanding how memory works in the brain, the mechanism by which this occurs is not yet understood and is a key topic for neuroscience today.

It is well known that light, particularly the cycle of night and day, plays an important role in regulating animal physiology. Examples include circadian rhythm, mood and cognition. But how about long-term memory?

Thus, a team led by Prof. Takaomi Sakai from Tokyo Metropolitan University set out to study how light exposure affects the memory of diurnal Drosophila fruit flies. As an instance of long-term memory or trauma, they used the courtship conditioning paradigm, where male flies are exposed to female flies that have already mated. Mated females are known to be unreceptive and exert stress on male flies which fail to mate. Once the experience is committed to long-term memory, they no longer attempt to court female flies, even when the females around them are unmated.

The team found that conditioned male flies kept in the dark for 2 days or more no longer showed any reluctance to mate, while those on a normal day-night cycle did. This clearly shows that environmental light somehow modified the retention of LTM. This was not due to lack of sleep; flies on a diurnal cycle were slightly sleep-deprived to match with flies in the dark, with no effect on the results.

Traumatic experiences are very difficult to forget and can severely impair a victim's quality of life. But the team's discoveries show that these memories can, in fact, be significantly affected by environmental factors in living organisms. This opens up the exciting possibilities of new treatments for victims of trauma, perhaps even the ability to erase traumatic memories which prevent them from leading normal lives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], Mar 13 (ANI): BJD's Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sasmit Patra has urged the Central government to rejig its geopolitical approach in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the recently negotiated peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, which he described as geopolitical disadvantageous for India and with serious implications for its national security.



Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour on Friday, Patra said that the signed agreement is a cause of major concern for India, given that the country has invested heavily in infrastructure and "have major interest in energy" in the country.

"We (India) are saying that we are a contiguous territory with Afghanistan, so they are a neighbour. Having said that, over the next 14 months as the united states will withdraw, there are large spaces of Afghanistan which are not controlled by the Taliban. Those spaces are susceptive for Pakistan to actually push terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and LeT," he said.

"Further, we need to strengthen the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) policy. BIMSTEC has emerged as a major platform as compared to SAARC," he added.

Speaking in turn, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that the government should take note of the US-Taliban Agreement in Afghanistan.

Representatives of the United States and the Taliban last month signed the long-awaited deal in Qatar's capital city of Doha, calling for a gradual withdrawal of US troops if the Taliban negotiates with the Afghan government and cuts ties with terrorist groups.

Reacting to the signing of the agreement, India had said that its consistent policy is to support all opportunities that can bring peace, security and stability in Afghanistan and lead to a lasting political settlement through an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled process. (ANI)


The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he is "deeply concerned" about the outbreak of novel coronavirus in Iran and promises U.N.s support.

Furthermore, he has called on the member states and international organizations to support the Islamic Republic of Iran's efforts in countering coronavirus outbreak.

A spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, cited the remarks late Thursday in response to the Islamic Republic Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's letter to Guterres.

"We have received a copy of Zarif's letter," he said, noting that U.N. chief is deeply concerned about the spread of coronavirus in Iran, as Iran is one of the countries severely affected by the virus.

Hours earlier, in a letter to Guterres, Zarif had called for lifting Washington's sanctions imposed on Tehran that he described as a "campaign of economic terrorism."

In his letter, Zarif had also argued that the sanctions were not only crippling the Islamic Republic's oil industry but making it incredibly difficult for Tehran to get the necessary medical supplies needed to contain novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Zarif revealed that the Central Bank of Iran had asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $5 million emergency loan to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which has infected more than 11,000 people in Iran and has claimed hundreds of lives so far.

It is for the first time since 1962 that Iran has applied for an IMF loan.

IMF on March 4 announced a $50 billion package aid to fight coronavirus outbreak.

Most of the loan will be interest-free, and countries do not need to have a preexisting program with the IMF to participate, IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, announced March 4.

"We're in an early stage of engagement, but I can assure you that we will act very quickly as requests come," Georgieva said.

However, as the Islamic Republic of Iran is on the blacklist of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) it is not yet known whether Tehran is qualified to apply for the loan.

FATF, a global dirty money watchdog placed Iran on its blacklist last month after the country failed to comply with international anti-terrorism financing norms.

The Islamic Republic authorities have repeatedly claimed that Washington sanctions have made it difficult for Iran to import medicines and medical equipment.

In the meantime, Washington has insisted that its sanctions did not restrict selling humanitarian products, including medical supplies, to the Islamic Republic.
Written on the final, frozen day of 1900, Thomas Hardys poem The Darkling Thrush describes a harsh, ice-blasted landscape devoid of life. Hardys depiction of a time when frost was spectre-gray evokes a winter that is beginning to exist only in memory.

The winter of 2019-2020 was fundamentally different from anything experienced in the northern hemisphere over a century ago. With its record warmth and heavy rain, this winter was fundamentally different to those of only a decade ago.

The extremes of this winter, if a one-off event, would have a small effect on wildlife in the long term. But such weather isnt a single event. It characterises what is likely to be the norm for future British winters. Its the winter that climate change science has long been predicting, where frost is a rarity and regular storms bring abundant rain. These are winters that we need to become familiar with and one that is already changing British wildlife.

Confusion for plants

Plants have evolved a variety of approaches for coping with the rigours of a cold British winter. Grasses typically ride it out above ground and simply tick over. This is why lawns stay green over winter but dont need cutting. These plants will benefit from the changed climate. You might even find that your lawn starts to need a winter cut.

For some plants, the recent winter never got cold enough to stop flowering. The 2020 New Year Plant Hunt organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland found a high number of autumn flowering species that had simply carried on flowering into the new year. Other winners are the rushes. Like grasses, they maintain their above ground form and can thrive in waterlogged soils. The biblical deluges of February 2020 will have been no problem for them.

An alternative strategy taken by many plants is to let leaves die back and spend winter below the ground as seeds or bulbs. Bulb plants respond to the onset of warmth with rapid growth  the extensive early carpets of wild garlic leaves are testament to this.

Story continues

But it isnt good news for all plants. Those that spend winter as seeds usually need some cold treatment to trigger germination. The relative warmth may mean that this cue was absent, ensuring some plants fail to sprout in spring. Those that do germinate may find their seedlings crowded out by plants that survived winter above ground and are already flourishing.

Plants on high ground also rely on the cold. These are some of Britains rarest species, including Snowdon lily and purple saxifrage. Theyve evolved to tolerate cold, usually through releasing a type of anti-freeze in their leaves. This comes at a cost to their metabolism, slowing their development. In times of extreme cold, this cost is justified as they survive while competitors dont. In warmer winters, the faster growing competitors are at an advantage. My own research into upland meadows, one of Britains rarest and most biodiverse habitats, has shown significant losses of cold adapted species like ladys mantle.

The recent winter weather fulfilled another scientific prediction  increasingly fierce and frequent storms will open opportunities for new species to colonise. Storm surges and winds have battered sand dunes and salt marshes in recent years. Some of the gaps theyve created in salt marshes have been filled by one of Britains newest species, salt marsh sedge (Carex salina). First recorded from a single remote Scottish site in 2004, its now common on a handful of other sites across Scotland and its likely to spread further in the future.

A rude awakening for animals

The method by which plants have adapted to endure winter is likely to determine how successful they are in the future. The same is true for animals. Many soil invertebrates, such as earthworms, will benefit from milder weather and multiply, no longer struggling through frozen soil. This in turn will benefit the animals that are active all year round and feed on these, such as badgers and resident birds, like the blackbird. Thats providing the rain abates long enough to allow the birds to feed.

Many animals reduce their activity in winter as their metabolism slows down. This allows fat reserves accrued in summer and autumn to be drawn upon slowly. A rise in temperature for cold blooded animals, such as insects, means that their metabolic rates increase and their fat reserves deplete quicker  potentially meaning some cannot last the winter. For insects such as butterflies, wasps and bees, warmer wetter winters may make them more prone to fungal attack.

Few British mammals undergo true hibernation in the way that bears do. Multiple sightings across Russia, Finland and the US suggest that many bears emerged to what they thought was spring in February  a month earlier than usual.

Some British mammals, such as bats and hedgehogs, slow down their metabolism and only become active again if temperatures rise above a critical point. Typically this temperature rise occurs in spring and is a sign that winter is ending. But when these carnivorous mammals emerge in winter, its likely to be when their insect prey is absent, risking their precious fat reserves and potentially causing starvation.

Even for those species which do undergo true hibernation, such as dormice, the unseasonable warmth sees this come to a premature end.

While Hardys poem maintains its power in the joy illimited of the thrushs song, should he be writing it today, it would describe a land decidedly warmer, wetter and greener than any hed recognise.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Paul Ashton has received funding from Natural England.
Ofcom finalises rules for mobile airwaves auction

Ofcom has confirmed how they will release important airwaves to help improve mobile broadband and support the rollout of 5G



To help improve mobile services and give more people access to 5G networks, we will release more mobile airwaves through an auction. Following consultation, we have today confirmed the rules for how the auction will work.



The auction will involve companies bidding for spectrum in two different frequency bands.



 The 700 MHz band. We are releasing 80 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band. These airwaves are ideal for providing good-quality mobile coverage, both indoors and across very wide areas  including the countryside. Today we have also published a progress update on work to clear the band of its current uses for digital terrestrial TV and wireless microphones.

 The 3.6-3.8 GHz band. We are releasing 120 MHz of spectrum in 3.6-3.8 GHz band. These important airwaves are part of the primary band for 5G and capable of carrying lots of data-hungry connections in concentrated areas.



Similar to our 2018 spectrum auction, this years auction will involve two stages:



 Principal stage. Companies first bid for airwaves in separate lots to determine how much spectrum each company wins.

 Assignment stage. There is then a round of bidding to determine the specific frequencies that winning bidders will be allocated.



To give mobile operators the opportunity to create more continuous blocks of 5G-ready spectrum, the assignment stage allows winners of 3.6-3.8 GHz spectrum to negotiate their placements within the band among themselves. And to help maintain strong competition in the UK mobile market, we will impose a 37% cap on the overall spectrum that any one mobile company can hold following the auction.



Following the Governments confirmation of agreement with the four mobile network operators to set up the Shared Rural Network to improve mobile coverage, we will not include coverage obligations in our auction.



Ofcom announcement

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2020/mobile-airwaves-auction
The Menomonie school district was planning on waiting until next week to determine whether the school would close after spring break.

On Friday afternoon the decision was made for the district as Gov. Tony Evers directed the Department of Health Services to mandate all K-12 public and private schools close as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

"Closing our schools is not a decision I made lightly, but keeping our kids, our educators, our families and our communities safe is a top priority as we continue our work to respond to and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin," Evers said.

The mandate will take effect beginning on Wednesday with an anticipated reopening date of April 6, but is subject to change.

Menomonie is off on spring break next week and earlier on Friday the district cancelled all student and community activities at the schools during the week beginning on Saturday. Students and staff were advised to take as much as they could home with them.

Students and staff who travel during spring break may be subject to quarantines and the district will monitor the CDC website as guidance on quarantines is updated.

On Friday morning, district administrator Joe Zydowsky said before the statewide school closures that moving to non-face-to-face instruction would be challenging.

"Thats very difficult in our community because the access to broadband isnt comprehensive in some areas," he said. "Also we have students with special needs, either special learning needs or special physical needs, and to try to have an opportunity to continue learning for those students is more challenging. We also have a lot of families and students that rely on the school district for meals, so were considering ways we can continue to serve community in that matter as well."

The district continues to be in contact with local health officials on the matter and Zydowsky expects an update for district staff, students and stakeholders by Thursday at the latest, if not sooner.

"Weve received an outpouring of kind, complimentary emails and phone calls and I think everyone understands our priority always is to focus on the health and safety of our students and staff and thats what well continue to do moving forward," he said.

On Friday, the Wisconsin DHS reported 11 new cases of COVID-19, to bring the states total to 19.

There are no positive cases in Dunn County, according to the Dunn County Health Department. Even in communities with cases, the risk of infection is low, health department director KT Gallagher said.

The county health department continues to work closely with local business, school districts, law enforcement, health systems and Emergency Medical Services in the county.

If you have symptoms and want to be tested for the virus, you should call your care provider, Gallagher said. It is important to not expose others to the virus so make sure to call first to receive instructions on how to keep others healthy.

If you do become sick with flu-like symptoms and have traveled to a place in the U.S. or outside of the country to communities with cases of infection or have been in contact with an infected individual, you should be prioritized for testing, the health department said.

"Uncertainty impacts people's physical and mental well-being. Know that we are working together to keep the community healthy," Gallagher said.

The county health department reminds everyone that healthy habits like washing hands often, covering coughing and sneezing, disinfecting surfaces, avoiding the touching of one's face and staying home when sick can prevent sickness.

Contact the Dunn County Health Department with questions by calling (715) 232-2388 or emailing DOH@co.dunn.wi.uw.

To receive up to date information individuals are encouraged to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control websites.

The Dunn County Local Emergency Planning Committee will be holding its regular meeting at 8 a.m. Friday, March 20, at the Dunn County Judicial Center. On the agenda is a COVID-19 update and the public comment portion of the meeting with be discussion only.

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Infosys evacuated one of its office buildings in Bengaluru, Karnataka on March 13 after one its employees came in contact with a person suspected of being infected by the novel coronavirus.

However, normal operations are expected to resume there on March 16, after a doctor cleared the employee, a source aware of the development said.

In an email to employees in Bengaluru, the company said: As part of our continuing efforts to share information regarding coronavirus or COVID-19, we are informing you that we have received information about a situation of a team member from IIPM building who may have been in proximity to an individual with suspected COVID-19.

The company had evacuated the building for sanitation as a precautionary measure.

This story may be updated later based on inputs from Infosys.

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

In response to the Karnataka governments request to allow IT service providers to work from home, the company said it will comply on case-to-case basis.

We have robust WFH (work from home) policy and employees are working from as and when possible, the source added.
ALBANY  The Wadsworth Center, the states public health lab run by the Department of Health, has been at the forefront of testing for COVID-19. And Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, with manufacturing facilities and laboratories in Rensselaer County, is pursuing a treatment involving antibodies that would both ease symptoms in the sickest patients and potentially give temporary protection  weeks or a few months  to healthcare workers.

Both are playing significant roles as the effort to reverse the COVID-19 pandemic gathers steam.

Wadsworth received permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration back on Feb. 28 to make its own COVID-19 test available to hospitals using test equipment made by Wadsworth and private companies. Recently, the FDA allowed Wadsworth to outsource testing to private labs that it designates.

The Wadsworth test is known as the New York State Department of Public Health's New York SARS-CoV-2 Real-time Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-PCR Diagnostic Panel.

The FDAs ruling allowed Wadsworth to significantly expand testing in the state. Previously, tests had to be sent to the Centers for Disease Control. Wadsworth can now get test results itself in three to five hours, and now it is using private and hospital labs after receiving permission from the FDA to do so on March 10.

"Let the federal government decentralize the authority to the state governments and say to the state governments," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference Friday. "God bless you, you can do authorized testing, you can authorize what's called automated testing which takes a lab capacity from like 30 tests a day to like 1,000 tests per day."

Wadsworth has begun using Northwell Health Labs on Long Island and BioReference Labs in New Jersey to help the state ramp up testing results, although they are just two of 28 labs, including those at hospitals, that Wadsworth will use for processing tests.

BioReference is the lab that opened a mobile testing location in New Rochelle that will process 500 tests a day. BioReference however has said it can do 5,000 tests a day for the entire state, a massive jump in New York's COVID-19 testing capabilities.

Lab technicians at Wadsworth Center are working round the clock conducting testing for COVID-19, DOH spokeswoman Jill Montag said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Meanwhile, Regeneron is pursuing further clinical tests of an antibody that has provided some relief to COVID-19 patients.

"We are now actively planning a clinical trial in severe/critical COVID patients to evaluate Kevzara (sarilumab), our IL-6 inhibitor currently approved for rheumatoid arthritis," a Regeneron spokeswoman said Thursday. "This planned trial is based on promising data seen in China with another IL-6 inhibitor that showed a benefit in quickly reducing fever and increasing lung capacity in severe and critical hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

"We believe the severe lung inflammation seen in these advanced patients may be specifically IL-6 mediated," she said in an email.

Regeneron, which is based in Tarrytown, has said previously that it could have up to 200,000 doses of its treatment available by August. The company employs 3,000 people at its Rensselaer County facilities, where large-scale production would take place.

The University at Albany also has the RNA Institute, which has helped developed tests for the Ebola virus. The coronavirus is a type of RNA virus, and so studying RNA is critical for developing testing, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.

"We make the early-stage discoveries and develop tools that other front line medical researchers and clinicians can translate into breakthroughs in human health," RNA Institute spokesman Vinny Reda said. "As such in the months and years ahead, our researchers will be working diligently to understand the role RNA plays in this health crisis and other critical events."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 17:18:30|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella hold talks in Rome, Italy, March 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

The Chinese president said that mankind is a community with a shared future and that only through unity and coordination can humanity tackle various global risks and challenges.

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said the Chinese government and its people firmly support Italy's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message of sympathy sent recently to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Xi said that at this difficult time, China is willing to cooperate with Italy and offer assistance.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed sincere sympathies to the Italian government and people on the recent COVID-19 epidemic in Italy.

Chinese medical supplies on COVID-19 for Europe are unloaded at the airport of Liege in Belgium, on March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Xi stressed that mutual support and win-win cooperation have always been the main theme of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Chinese president said that mankind is a community with a shared future and that only through unity and coordination can humanity tackle various global risks and challenges.

As long as the two countries and the broader international community make joint efforts, they will certainly overcome the current difficulties and prevail over the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the well-being of people in both countries and across the world, Xi added.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, Xi said he believes that in the joint fight against the epidemic, the traditional friendship between China and Italy will grow stronger and their cooperation broader. 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-14 21:50:53|Editor: huaxia

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ADEN, Yemen, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's pro-government forces declared on Saturday that armed confrontations with the Houthi rebels occurred in the southwestern province of Taiz, leaving five soldiers and six rebels killed.

The pro-government military forces said in a press statement that "intense armed confrontations broke out between the army soldiers and the Houthi attackers in the vicinity of the Republican Palace located east of Taiz."

The armed confrontations resulted in the killing of six pro-government army soldiers and five members of the Houthi militia, including a field commander of the rebel group, the statement said.

The pro-government forces accuse the Iranian-backed Houthis of pushing the situation in Taiz for military escalation through intensifying their armed attacks.

The pro-Houthi media outlets and their official television network made no comment on the government's claim about Taiz.

On Friday, at least five Yemeni civilians were killed during a military shelling carried out by the Houthi rebels against a densely populated neighborhood in the country's city of Taiz.

The city center of Taiz is currently under the control of the Yemeni government, while the outskirts of the city and areas in the countryside of the province are still witnessing armed confrontations between pro-government forces and the Houthi rebels.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa.